Chapter 169 The Vault

Chapter 169 The Vault
Vaelric

"Sallow, unchain my steward, my sister, and their companion," I ordered. "Florian, once you are free, have the servants take my sister to one of the bedchambers above the former Emperor's quarters. As for your companion, have him change into servant's clothing and put him to work after he has carried my sister upstairs."

"Work?" the tall man squeaked.

I regarded him without sympathy. "Either you work or you die," I said. "Choose."

His face drained of what little color remained. He bowed his head so quickly I thought his neck might snap.

"Put me to work, Your Majesty."

A faint smile touched my lips. "Very well." I turned to Florian. "See that the rest of the servants make themselves useful in the kitchens. When my army returns, they will be hungry."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Within moments, the throne room stirred into motion. Sallow unlocked the heavy chains binding Florian and his companion. The man immediately hoisted my unconscious sister into his arms with surprising care, while Florian began barking crisp orders at the palace servants. Panic quickly gave way to purpose as maids, cooks, and attendants hurried from the chamber.

Elyndra disappeared through the great doors without so much as a stir.

Only then did I motion for Florian to approach. "Follow General Sallow to the former Empress's quarters," I instructed. "Retrieve what I ordered the Fleshwrights to extract. Once you have it, meet me in Kade's private study."

Florian bowed. "At once, Your Majesty."

Without another word, I left the throne room and entered the private hall to Aurelion's study.

The eastern corridor remained eerily silent.

Once, these halls had belonged to Kade.

Now they belonged to me.

Portraits of emperors long dead watched my every step as I walked beneath vaulted ceilings painted with scenes celebrating House Kade. Gold-trimmed banners bearing Aurelion's crest still hung undisturbed along the walls.

I had not yet decided whether to burn them.

There were more pressing matters.

I reached the familiar oak doors and entered the former Emperor's private study. The room looked exactly as it had only hours before.

The comforting scent of cedarwood lingered in the air, mingling with old parchment and candle wax.

Shelves groaned beneath the weight of countless books. Maps remained spread across the great desk exactly as Kade had left them, tiny carved markers still standing where he had once planned battles that ultimately failed to save him.

Nothing had been disturbed.

Nothing... Except its owner.

My gaze settled upon the desk..Beneath it waited the greatest secret the Kade bloodline had guarded for years.

The vault.

I stood only a few paces away from obtaining the one thing I had desired since taking the throne.

Celestial blood.

Enough to forge binding collars. Enough to enslave Serafina. Enough to bring the rest of Aetherion to heel. Enough to ensure that no Celestial would ever threaten my reign again.

A soft smile found its way onto my face.

Victory had never felt so close.

Then, movement. Not from the doorway. Not from the windows.

The tapestry hanging in the darkest corner rippled almost imperceptibly.

"My shadows," I said calmly. "Have you returned?"

Darkness peeled itself from the walls. Thin black shapes flowed across the polished floor like spilled ink, gathering at my feet without revealing true forms.

"You may cease your search," I said. "My sister has returned. But I have another task for you."

The shadows stirred uneasily.

"My bride lives."

The room erupted with shrill, inhuman screeches. The creatures recoiled, shrinking farther into the corners.

They feared her.

"Silence." The single word cracked through the study like a whip. The screeching stopped immediately.

"I am not asking you to fight her." I slowly folded my hands behind my back. "I merely require your eyes."

The shadows quivered.

"Watch the dragon. Watch Serafina."

Still they hesitated.

"I do not want your presence known. I want you to observe."

Reluctantly, the darkness obeyed.

One after another, the shadows slipped beneath the doors, vanished through cracks in the stonework, and disappeared into the palace itself.

Bound for the Penitentiary.

Excellent.

Now for the vault.

I stepped behind Kade's desk and reached beneath its polished edge. My fingers found the tiny bronze button exactly where Cyrus had shown me. I pressed it.

A deep mechanical rumble echoed beneath the floor. The massive desk slid silently aside. Stone grated against stone as centuries-old gears awakened beneath the palace. A spiral staircase emerged from the darkness below.

One lantern flickered to life. Then another and another. Each flame ignited on its own, descending into the depths like a trail of stars swallowed by the earth.

Beautiful craftsmanship.

The Kades had spared no expense protecting their family's greatest secret.

A knock interrupted my thoughts. Three measured taps.

"Enter."

The door opened. Florian stepped inside carrying a small iron-bound chest, with General Sallow following close behind.

Florian bowed. "The Fleshwrights completed the extraction, Your Majesty." He held the chest out with both hands. "However, the Empress did not survive."

I accepted the chest. "I expected as much." The latch clicked open beneath my thumb. Inside rested several carefully padded glass vials. Only one contained blood. The rest were empty.

I lifted the single crimson vial toward the lantern light. Its contents shimmered like liquid rubies.

"Such a shame," I murmured. "But she served her purpose." I handed the chest back to Florian. "Bring it."

He accepted it immediately.

My eyes shifted toward Sallow. "Remain here."

The General bowed. "As you command."

I took the vial and descended the spiral staircase. Each step carried me deeper beneath the palace. The air grew colder, damper, muskier.

The lanterns brightened as though sensing my approach, revealing smooth stone walls untouched by time.

Our footsteps echoed endlessly through the spiral passage until, at last, we reached the bottom.

An enormous iron door blocked the corridor. There was no handle. No keyhole. Only a shallow circular receptacle carved into its center.

The blood lock.

I uncorked the tiny vial. One crimson drop slid onto my fingertip. I pressed it into the receptacle.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then ancient mechanisms groaned to life. Metal clanked. Hidden gears turned. Bolts withdrew one after another with thunderous echoes.

The massive door slowly swung inward.

A foul wind rushed from the darkness beyond. It struck like a physical blow.

The stench of human waste, rot, stagnant water, and sickness flooded the corridor.

Beside me, Florian recoiled.

He turned sharply away, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve as a violent cough escaped him.

"My apologies..." he muttered hoarsely.

I simply smiled. The smell meant one thing.

The vault had remained sealed exactly as intended.

The lanterns inside flickered on. Chained to a mattress was a small, bald-headed child, lying in his own filth.

Tubes ran into his arm and his nose. A glass jar with a pump forced air into his lungs, though he was not alive.

I quickly took a small dagger and slit his arm. Blood ran down.

"Florian, quickly now," I ordered. "A few vials will suffice for now. I need only enough for Serafina... and the people of Spark and Ember. Lunara can wait."

Florian knelt immediately, opened the small chest, and carefully filled one vial after another with the child's blood. All the while, he kept one sleeve pressed over his nose, doing his best not to breathe the foul air filling the chamber.

When the final vial was sealed, he looked up. "May I suggest that I clean the child, Sire?" he asked. "As I do with Lady Elyndra's body in Castle Valcor."

I glanced toward the iron door. "Of course. Once I install a new door." Then I reconsidered. "On second thought..."

I rested one hand upon my crown and lazily flicked the fingers of my free hand.

The ancient iron hinges screamed as an invisible force tore them from the stone.
The massive door shuddered. Then it crashed onto the stone floor with a deafening clang that echoed through the vault.

I looked at the ruined entrance with quiet satisfaction. "There," I said. "We no longer require Kade's blood." I turned back to Florian. "Are you finished?"

He closed the lid of the chest and rose to his feet. "Yes, Your Majesty." He placed the chest in my hands.

I smiled. "Excellent." I turned toward the staircase. "Come, Florian."

We began the climb back toward the palace.

"And prepare the palace..."

A smile spread slowly across my face.

"...for a wedding."