So You Might be Soulless

32|| Petals

Caspian was confused, a rarity for him.

He did not like the feeling of being kept in the dark one bit. It made him less able to protect his brother if he was susceptible to an unknown attack.

And seeing Sebastian duck his head to whisper something to Diya made him both curious and angry.

He didn't trust the Necromancer. She had eyes like a quicksilver fox who would always evade a trap any hunter set, and spoke as if the entire conversation had been planned out before it had begun.

Plus, he didn't know her reasons for agreeing to be an Imperial bodyguard.

Surely it couldn't just be because she wanted to escape the Elshers. With her wiles, she could have easily sweet-talked any high-ranking Noble into helping, or even run away. Instead, she'd chosen to latch on to the Imperials like a leech.

This time, I won't let anyone hurt my family. He vowed, not missing how Sebastian's eyes darted to the door. I can't fail them again.

After the meeting was over, he decided to set Sebastian a few hours of simple Magic Theory and then head down to the Training Grounds. General Carnell kept requesting for new wooden swords, and he wanted to know whether the recruits were using or eating them.

As per usual, there were at least three guards trailing behind him, keeping their dutiful eyes down and only speaking when they were spoken to- which made small talk an absolute nightmare. Not that Caspian himself was one for idle chatter, but he would have liked to have the option.

He stopped by a rosebush and frowned, pointing with his walking stick at a noticeable slash through it which damaged many delicate petals that were fluttering in the breeze. "What happened here?"

"We're not entirely sure, Your Highness." Came the familiar, crisp voice. "Last night, the branch of the tree snapped- I presume due to rot from age."

"Nothing in the Imperial gardens can rot." Caspian pulled a broken rosehead and crushed it in his palms until his hands were stained with pink. "And this branch would not have collapsed without reason. Unless you're suggesting we have to watch out for invisible assassins now?"

"If that is what you believe, Your Highness, then it could be true."

"It was a joke, Gerald."

"An excellent one, Your Highness."

Caspian let out a long-suffering sigh and closed his eyes, imagining that he was shutting out the outside world. He grappled for the ancient power residing in his core and syphoned a small amount.

A soft yellow light emitted from his palms and spread to the tips of his fingers, lifting the rosy tinge into a cloud. His lips parted to whisper the ancient word and a flurry of images attacked his mind.

Caspian was staring at the sky littered with pinpricks of glittering silver. A gentle breeze rustled his sides, but he couldn't feel it- couldn't feel anything but the faint knowledge that he was existing.

Then, he saw it.

A spark of blackness, barely discernible to the untrained eye. Black and purple energy rippled across the tree and cracked the branch, causing it to collapse on him.

Caspian gasped, his golden eyes flashed and made them briefly look like pools of melted gold. "Reject."

**

Diya was recalling the joyous news she'd received at the meeting to a tearful Kyler when she saw the Second Prince limp his way down to the field. A terrifying look spayed across his face made her take a few steps back.