Chapter 29: Archangels

  Akilliz woke to gray morning light and the lingering metallic taste in his mouth.

  He'd dreamed of the circle again. Or maybe he hadn't dreamed at all. Maybe he'd been standing over it, drawing, perfecting. The not-knowing was worse than the nightmares.

  He checked under his bed, even though he'd scrubbed the stone clean. The lines were still visible. Faint, but there. The symbols etched as though carved by a master hand.

  Maybe he should ask Sylvara about it. But what would she say? What questions would that raise? Maybe she would tell the council, or worse, Thalindra.

  No time for that now.

  Akilliz dressed slowly, pulling on his robes and gloves. His left arm was cold and heavy in a way that wasn't comfortable. The gray skin had cemented itself up to his shoulder. He hoped that maybe he would care less about that soon, it had helped him out–after all.

  He guessed there was about a week until the Festival, but he also knew that time had been hard to keep track of lately.

  He grabbed his bag and headed for an early breakfast.

  The dining hall was half-empty at this early hour. Most students were still in pre-breakfast classes, since elves didn't sleep as much as humans. It was another reason for them to look down upon him. He had a human schedule. Akilliz scanned the tables and found Kael sitting alone near the window, picking at a plate of fruit.

  Lirien's seat beside him was empty, how unusual, he thought.

  Akilliz approached slowly and Kael looked up, then his expression went cold.

  "Can I sit?"

  "Free kingdom." Kael didn't look at him.

  Akilliz sat down with his raised eyebrows anyway. He set his bag down and tried to figure out what to say, but instead let the awkward silence consume him

  "You know, she didn't even come to breakfast," Kael said quietly. "She's been crying. All night, from what I heard." , his eyes stared cold green daggers into akilliz chest.

  Something should've twisted inside his heart at that. Guilt. Shame. Horror at what he'd done.

  "Kael, I was crashing," Akilliz said. "From a speed potion. That's why I was... like that. Yesterday." , he lied. A crafty one, but still plausible. He did crash, but he also knew the loss of his arm seemed to affect his mind as well. It was hard to tell..but he couldnt decide if he was becoming paranoid, numb, or just plain crazy.

  His head snapped up. "You were taking acceleration potions? Zolam's beard, Akilliz. Those aren't meant for—" He stopped. Lowered his voice as a passing student glanced their way. "Those things have demon essence in them. They're actually quite dangerous."

  "I made it myself. The recipe didn't require any demon essence."

  Kael stared at him. "You can't make an acceleration potion without demon essence. It's the primary catalyst. Without it, you'd just have bitter herb water."

  Akilliz's mind raced back. The recipe he'd copied from Sylvara's office. His hurried handwriting in candlelight. The word he couldn't quite read.

  Lemon essence, he'd thought.

  But what if it should have been demon essence?

  The vial of dark liquid in Sylvara's workshop. The one that looked like blood.

  He'd used lemon essence. He was sure of it. Three drops of lemon essence. But the potion had worked anyway. The high, the crash, the effects—all real.

  His mother's gift. It had to be. The blessing that let her transmute ingredients, create variations that shouldn't work. The lemon essence must have become what the potion needed because his gift had made it so.

  "How much does a potion need?" His voice came out strange and distant, clinical"

  "Three drops. Maybe four for a strong dose. Why?"

  Three drops. He'd used exactly three. Kael was useful this morning, but how did he know about the demon essence? Seems strange for a weak apprenticed wizard to know about alchemy.

  "Akilliz?" Kael leaned forward. "Are you alright? You look—"

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  "I'm fine." The lie came easily now. "I just... I made it without demon essence. Must've gotten the transcription wrong."

  "Where does demon essence even come from?" Akilliz asked, trying to sound casual.

  "Demons of course. Zolam has a source. He gives some to Sylvara in exchange for the potions. She gives him five potions at a time which should last weeks. But he goes through them faster than he should." Kael frowned. "And she keeps asking him for more essence. Reckon she's trying to get ahead of his demands."

  "How much more?"

  "Last request I saw was for three bottles. But one bottle of demon essence should make well over a dozen potions." Kael shrugged. "Probably just stocking up."

  Akilliz's stomach turned. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral. "That's strange."

  "Yeah." Kael studied him. "Look, don't get me distracted and think we're okay.”

  Kael paused, eyebrows furrowed “I don't know what's going on with you, but you seem distant. Like you've lost your peronsality, your smile. If it's those potions, cut it out."

  "I know…I know.. I won't take them again."

  He deflected, it wasn't the potions. He didn't need to lie, just divert.

  Inside his head he was thinking about demon essence. The crash he had was miserable, but the high, the clarity, the energy, the ability to function without the numbness dragging him down...if he could just perfect it…elven methods with his gift, thalindra had mentioned that. His gift, it could produce something greater. If he just-

  "Good." Kael pushed his plate away. "Now. Why are you here? Because if you want me to tell you where Lirien is so you can make things worse—"

  "I need your help." He responded flatly.

  Kael's eyebrows rose. "With what?"

  Akilliz glanced around. The nearest students were three tables away, out of earshot. He leaned in anyway. "I'm getting the key from Sylvara today. For the archives."

  "Right. You mentioned that before."

  Kael had to help, he could be useful. He would enable the whole plan, to escape with-

  “I need to get my mother's journal. The one we found pages from, and I also need the dragons breath book."

  Kael went very flat. "And you want the sachel to smuggle it all out."

  "Yes. Thalindra asked me to bring her the key herself, to study it." Akilliz paused. "It's forged, Kael. Sylvara's key. It's a forgery."

  Kael's face went pale. "Oh gods. And you told the High Judiciar and she gave you a mission!?"

  Now he had him.

  "Exactly. So if you help me, you're helping her too. Why would Sylvara need a forged key to the archives? It's strong, the key she gave me opens a powerful lock like it's nothing.."

  "Aurelia be praised. Akilliz, this is insane. That's a high honor, i didn't know that's what you were dealing with. No wonder you look like a ghoul. Think, what if Sylvara finds out you reported her—"

  "I know. That's why she can't. But when I leave the archives, I'll be searched by a guard. They'll only let me take the Dragon's Breath book. So that's why I need to hide my mother's journal in the satchel. "

  "Right," Kael said. "It's about the only way out, like the plan we had before…"

  “ Well, you're in luck. Today's another rest Day. He'll be sleeping yet again while i look through the entire grand library for a book that's sleeping. Kill me now, i'm starting to crack."

  Akiliz smiled “Perfect timing then, it'll be fine. Once it's over with, everyone should be happy. “

  "Just keep in mind, you'll be stealing from a sleeping archmage."

  "Hey now, It was your idea! We just borrow it, we'll return it."

  Kael crossed his arms, brows furrowed "I dont know… do you remember what happened the last time Zolam sneezed? During the Mistwood attack? He turned three dark elves to stone. They're probably still statues somewhere in the forest. If we wake him—"

  "We won't wake him. That's why I need your help. You're the only one who can help me get it."

  Kael stared at him for a long moment. "Well what if I say no? After how you've been lately, this seems like something i dont want to be in the middle of."

  No way.. was he really backing out now? Akilliz started sweating, Kael had to help him! he couldn't back out now. This was his only way to see the rest of his mother's journal. To find the truth.

  "Then..I guess I'm caught with a stolen book and expelled. Maybe arrested."

  This had to work, and it wasn't a lie.

  "Good.” Kael said, “Maybe that'd keep you from making worse decisions, or breaking any more hearts around here."

  The words hit like a slap. But Akilliz couldn't feel the sting. Just observed it, distant and cold. He had to be patient. Call his bluff.

  "Please," Akilliz said quietly. "I know I don't deserve your help. I know I hurt Lirien. I know I'm asking too much. But I need this."

  Kael's jaw worked. Finally, he sighed. "Break her heart again, and I'll make it my life's purpose to get you back. You understand?"

  "I understand."

  "Do you know what she's risking?" Kael's voice was low, intense. "She wants to go on a date with you. In public. Do you even know what that really means for her?"

  Akilliz shook his head.

  "It means everything. She'll be shunned by her friends. Her family will be ashamed. Every elf in this city will know she chose a mortal. A human. And they'll judge her for it." Kael leaned closer. "She's pretty, Akilliz. She's smart. She's kind. Elf men would kill for a chance with her. And she hasn't given any of them even a passing smile since you two started talking. They all know. And when she goes on that date with you, they'll ALL know she chose you over them."

  The words should've made him feel honored. Humbled. Grateful beyond measure.

  He felt nothing.

  But he knew the right response. Knew what a person who still had feelings would say.

  "I'll try to be worth it," he said.

  Kael searched his face. Whatever he saw there made him frown. "You don't sound like yourself."

  "I'm tired. The potion crash—"

  "Right." Kael didn't sound convinced. "Fine. I'll help. But we'll need Lirien."

  "Why?"

  "Because Zolam's tower is in the alchemical wing. Multiple floors. Objects everywhere. If something goes wrong, we need her healing skills. And..." He hesitated. "And she needs to know we're doing this. She deserves to decide if she's in or out."

  "She won't want to help me."

  "Probably not. But I'll talk to her." Kael stood, grabbing his plate. "Meet us outside the alchemical tower. After second bell. I'll get Sylvara's lesson schedule—she should be teaching then, won't be around to see us."

  "Alright."

  "And Akilliz?"

  "Yeah?"

  "You better apologize to her. Actually apologize. Not whatever half-hearted thing you're planning."

  Akilliz nodded.

  Kael walked away, leaving him alone at the table.

  He should've felt anxious. Worried about the heist. Worried about Lirien hating him. Worried about Sylvara discovering the betrayal.

  He felt nothing.

  Just the cold weight of his left arm and the knowledge that he was walking a knife's edge between too many secrets.