The Shadow of Gloom

Chapter 27 - Bump in the Plan

"Did she tell you what you needed to know?" Judd asked impatiently, ignoring the struggle of Lara as the guard chained her up inside her cell.

Altair lifted an eyebrow as he realized now that he had no use for this human, but he seemed like a waste to merely kill. Perhaps Cassian could use him and dispose of him. Altair waved the guard beside him over. "Hold him for Cassian Miltos. I don't have use for a human."

"You owe me," he growled, and pushed off the guard who tried to hold him, to place his shackles onto him. "I gave you information and now you must release me."

"It seemed to me that you wanted to be captured and to see me, but now you are demanding release?" Altair cracked up with a laugh, amused by the power Judd thought he held. "You didn't think this through, did you?"

Judd scowled and jumped at Altair, trying to grab him, but getting nowhere. The guard paralyzed him into a statue, leaving him frozen in place and unable to move anything but his mouth. It left him helpless as his shackles were snapped back onto his wrists and chains locked tight.

"Damn fucking royal pigs," Judd bit, then spat at Altair's feet, making him squirm in disgust. That was a new one, yet Altair had said worse in his time and wasn't irked by Judd's remark.

"You're a madman with terrible control. You'll fit in perfectly with Miltos, and if not... I suppose they will find something to do with you," he replied with little care before he turned, walking away from the two prisoners.

Judd growled in protest behind him, but he was a human in a mage's world and forgot he held no power. Altair would see that Judd be handed over to Cassian when he arrived for the Red Ball in one day and that was the end of the concerns with him, yet not for Lara. She was doomed to be turned, looking to be succumbing quickly to the Vale and failing to control it or wield its power. Altair had to arrange for her to be sent to Merk to be disposed of before she caused problems for him.

As Altair headed out of the prison and back into the castle, going to bed like he should've been hours ago, he found himself thinking on what to do about The Remnant. They were going to be a problem, certainly more than he had thought considering the predicament with August. He figured he could do away with them come the time, yet that seemed too easy of a way out.

Altair had thought to pin his plan on Miltos, to blame them for the plan he had set in motion, yet did he want to destroy such a convenient ally? He thought not, not when he had the perfect group to blame, especially since they were going to be cut off from Krak. It would make sense for what would happen to be put on them. He could tie it up as vengeance for being spurned by Magnus and finally be able to watch Gloom crash and burn. My how that made Altair gleeful to think about. There was nothing more than he liked then thinking of Gloom and his little annoying group being dismantled at the seams...

When Altair reached his bedchamber and made it into his room, he felt a smile coming on but had to stifle it when he noticed Magnus. Magnus sat at Altair's desk; head rested on his hand and gaze settled on a letter. Altair had no worry for what Magnus was reading when he knew he had burnt any letter that would provide evidence for his plan. What Magnus was reading was probably nothing.

"I thought you were asleep," Altair began after a clear of his throat.

Magnus lifted his head from his hand before he shook his head. "With Arethusa taken ill and the Red Ball coming, I cannot. I cannot help but think that it is a disrespect to my parents' death by asking Miltos to come here on such an eve."

This again.

Altair sighed, keeping it short to not appear irritated by Magnus. He drifted across the room to Magnus, and then slipped the letter away from his reading, stashing it into a drawer. He then lifted Magnus's hand into his and held it firmly as he caught Magnus's gaze, his drained and exhausted.