Chapter 133: Leverage

He couldn’t say that he had hoped that the Wiccans would refuse to give up their magical instruments, but he had. It would have made it easier to deny the chance that Taliesin might try to liberate Eden when they went to the dungeons. He left Laurel with Chasel in the throne room, speaking with Raven and the others about the unexpected development of the Wiccans’ arrival.
The path to the depths of the dungeons was familiar at this point.
“I am surprised that they have withstood the test of time so well.”
Adolph turned his head as Taliesin stopped, placing a hand on the stone wall. A weak light came from within the stone in large circles of a script that had Adolph growing uneasy.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Wiccans had a hand in building both Ash and Crystal castle… Though the magic in Crystal castle is much weaker due to how long it’s been since Wiccans and werewolves have been in contact.”
Adolph eyed him, “For what reason have Wiccans been in hiding all this time? Something tells me that Morrigan isn’t just to blame.”
His lips twitched, “Do you know why it’s called Crystal castle?”
Adolph eyed him. He had never asked and no one had ever mentioned it.
“Crystal would have been your ancestor had things been different,” Taliesin said. “But the first Raymond king was under pressure to marry one of his own though Crystal, a Wiccan, had been instrumental in caving the kingdom out of the wild after parting from the vampires. He named it in her honor, though she refused to forgive him.”
Adolph winced. He wasn’t sure if he could believe the man’s story, but he had no way of refuting it.
“She never finished the protections,” Taliesin said. “I imagine your mother and father would still be alive if she had.”
“What do you know of my mother?” Adolph asked stiffly.
“Was she not killed by a traitor and your father driven to the edges of sanity by her death?” Adolph eyed him, glaring at him. Taliesin smiled, “I can see that I have hit a nerve as your queen is very much in danger.”
“Is that a threat?” Adolph asked.
“It is simply a warning,” Taliesin said, “And I assure you that the danger you know to be here has not simply just arrived.”
Adolph stalked forward and pushed open a gate, “This way.”
Taliesin nodded and proceeded him, walking through the gate, past Tina who barely stirred as they passed.
Two guards looked up, turning on them.
“Stand down,” Adolph said gently. They saluted and stepped aside. Adolph offered his hand for the key to Eden’s cell.
The first guard gave him the key and he unlocked the door. The air inside had grown warmer since the last time he’d been down here. Taliesin gasped before Adolph looked in and gritted his teeth. Arcs of moon and sunlight traveled around Eden’s body as he hovered just a few feet off the ground.
The blood that had stained his clothing was gone. His armor had vanished leaving him in a plain blouse and breeches. He was barefoot and unmoving. Aside from the moving light, he could have just been sleeping.
Adolph watched Taliesin approach Eden slowly, on guard and ready to either kill the old man or lock them both inside as Taliesin kneeled beside Eden’s body. His hand didn’t pass through the arc of light that seemed to grow solid as his hand approached.
“Well?” Adolph asked.
Taliesin shook his head, “He is still alive… miraculously. Healing. His mind and magical soul are still active but he is… trapped in this state.”
“What does that mean?”
Taliesin shook his head, “He may wake up. He may not. But if he crossed over into the realm of death, if he comes back he will not be the same person as he had been before. Death, even temporary deaths, has a way of changing people…”
Taliesin sighed, “It is… troubling, yet I cannot help but be relieved that the gods seem to still have a task for him.”
“What sort of task?” Adolph asked. “If he wakes, I plan to kill him.”
Taliesin nodded, “Of that, I have no doubts, but I will say it will likely be impossible.”
Adolph wasn’t sure what pissed him off more: the thought that Eden had survived or Taleisin’s tone of finality when he said it.
“Headstrong child,” Taliesin said softly. “If only you had… just waited. You knew as well as I did that her reign would come to an end without your interference.”
Adolph watched Taleisin reach for Eden’s head, his hand passed through the light and stroked Eden’s head.
“Though… it has never been in your nature to allow suffering.” Adolph frowned watching them.
Was it possible that Eden could hear him? Were they communicating?
“Annwn is a good name, but it will not have true sun, nor will any of the land bloom without you… Say what you must to the gods and wake, soon, won’t you?”
Taleisin’s voice trembled and cracked, “Ha-Haven’t you worried this old man enough? Won’t you just come home?”
Adolph turned his head, not wanting to see this. He’d been prepared to kill Taleisin and Eden. It was easier to see Eden as just another evil, just as evil as Morrigan. Hearing Taleisin trying to smother his grief and tears made Adolph’s stomach churn uncomfortably.
Was he being unreasonable about Eden?
He had been under Morrigan’s control and orders, yet he was after her downfall. Was he the enemy of his enemy and thus a potential ally or just another enemy?
His wolf growled, furious and offended by the thoughts.
Anyone who threatened his mate, anyone who tried to take her from them was an enemy.
Did that include Basil?
He winced at the thought. He couldn’t consider Basil his enemy. He was his son no matter how he felt about Laurel.
Taliesin stood after a few more moments and turned to him.
“I understand that you will likely refuse my request, but as his grandfather and elder I will make it anyway.”
Adolph crossed his arms, not looking directly at the man, “You want to take him back with you.”
“Yes.”
Adolph scoffed, “Never.”
Taliesin said nothing the entire walk back to the upper levels. They returned to the throne room to find Laurel with the others. She looked between the two of them and came to him cautiously.
“Can I talk to you for a moment?”
Adolph frowned and nodded, allowing her to pull him out of the throne room and down the hallway to a parlor nearby. His stomach clenched as he knew at least part of what she was going to say.
“Laurel, he conspired to bring down the werewolf kingdom. He is an enemy.”
Laurel met his gaze, “You attacked him before you knew any of that for no reason.”
“He was…” Adolph scoffed, “Why are you bringing that moment of lack of rationality up now?”
“Because you’re acting the same way now,” Laurel said.
“How?” He threw up his hands, “It would seem to me that you are defending him unnecessarily.”
Laurel met his gaze and she sighed, drawing closer to him, cupping his jaw and taking his hand. Adolph gasped as she placed his hand on her stomach. There was no bump there, but they both knew that it would only be a matter of time.
“You’d want someone you perceive to be an enemy in a dungeon that he could likely break out of easily with the baby on the way?”
Adolph grit his teeth, “Better that than for him to sneak back in and attack us and take you from me again.”
“Adolph,” Laurel said, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Adolph clenched his jaw, “You… I thought she had you.”
“You know that Eden doesn’t mean me any harm.”
“That’s as far as we know!”
Laurel shook her head, “Take a step back from this, Adolph. Keeping an enemy you can’t kill and can’t contain under your home will only aggravate you. I would say it will aggravate you more than turning him over, but…”
Adolph frowned, “But?”
“The Wiccan Alliance wants Eden. We have a chance to leverage that and establish real peace. They’re closer to the vampire lands. They know more about it and they have more power to do something about the unrest that may still be there through their connection to Eden and Annwn.”
Adolph frowned at her, “You’re suggesting using Eden’s body as a… gift to smooth negotiations.”
“Yes,” she said. “You’ve already said that we have little choice but to take over the lands, right? The refugees are probably going to head towards the Wiccan’s lands or into the neutral area. The more of a united front we have, the better…”
The less there was a chance of war if they had an allegiance with people who could build defenses like those around Ash castle.
“And what if he wakes?” Adolph asked.
“Then we deal with it then,” Laurel said, “But that could be tomorrow? Years from now? Centuries from now?”
“He’s half-human.”
She shook his head, “He’s half-Wiccan. Taliesin was talking about Morrigan’s rise to power as if he was there, that’s centuries ago…”
Adolph winced and scoffed, “I suppose the age difference between us is... minuscule by comparison.”
She blinked and burst into laughter. The sound of it eased his tension as he pulled her close.
“I cannot lose you, Laurel.”
“You won’t,” Laurel promised. “And I can’t lose you.”
He pulled back, “Very well. We’ll… do it your way, my luna.”