Lord of the Night

Chapter 50: The Human

Fraschkit's eyes still flickered with skepticism. "Who would come looking? And when?"

"The Queen's Scouts." When everyone exchanged confused glances, including me, Isalio continued. "Beasts that scope out villages and reports to the Queen."

"How powerful are these beasts?" I asked. "Can we destroy them before they have a chance to deliver the message?"

He licked his lips. "They can fly quickly, and they've got deadly venom. On the ground, they look and move like slugs, covered in eyes and ears. Theoretically, a Demon-slayer mace could strike them down."

"Theoretically?"

"I've never seen it happen. The Sidabeast usually doesn't let them land. And if even one makes it out alive, the whole force of the palace will be here within hours."

"So the Sidabeast controls the Scouts."

Fraschkit looked at me. "What is this 'Sidabeast?'"

I glanced at Isalio, but he didn't answer. "It's the beast the Queen summoned," I said. "When I met the Queen, the Sidabeast made a high-pitched sound that brought me to my knees, but the Demons couldn't even hear it."

"So beasts can control other beasts?" Fraschkit's gaze trailed from me back to Isalio. "Can the Morgabeast control other beasts, as well?"

"Not yet," said Isalio.

"Not yet?"

"It's trying."

The tension in the room ignited, and reactions rippled across the table. My fingers on Isalio's leg curled into a fist, but when I felt him tense in response, I forced myself to relax my hand and hummed an encouragement for him to continue.

Isalio swallowed. "When I first summoned the Morgabeast, I had full control...or at least, I had as much control of the beast as I did of myself." That last part raised some eyebrows, but he continued before anyone could raise a question. "Back then, I just followed all of the General's orders, and the Morgabeast seemed happy to obey. But when I tried to restrain the beast, it rebelled."

A few seconds passed in silence before Sister Rapchuk spoke in a high-pitched croak. "You're saying you can't control the Morgabeast?"

"I can, with enough lifeforce. But it's getting stronger, and I'm..." I heard Danif's slithering whisper: 'You're getting weaker, baby.' Isalio sucked in a breath. "The beast is getting harder to control." He raised his cuffed hands above the table. "Especially with cuffs."

Fraschkit had been listening with rapt attention, but now she snorted derision. "So that's your game; I was waiting to hear that. Remove the cuffs, or the beast will attack?"

He dropped his hands to his lap once more and averted his eyes. "I didn't ask you to remove the cuffs. Anyway, the Morgabeast is not currently a threat. If the Morgabeast were nearby, the animals would be fleeing."

That was what Manikbar had claimed, and it also reinforced the connection with the crows. But if the Morgabeast was not nearby, and Isalio was not currently controlling it...

"Then where is the beast now?" I asked.

Silence hung heavy as all eyes pierced Isalio, and the band of tension stretched taut, ready to snap.

The door burst open.

Around the table, Guardians jolted halfway out of their seats as if the beast itself had burst through the door. But this was not the Morgabeast—this was a different force of nature. Zuzette bustled into the room, skirt swishing around her ankles.

Manikbar released a relieved chuckle. As Zuzette passed his chair, he lifted his tea cup. "I'd like some more tea, if you don't mind."

Zuzette shot the tea cup a scathing glare but then flashed Manikbar a honey-sweet smile. "I don't mind at all, especially if you grab me some while you're up."