The armory smelled of oil and old blood. Seraphina's grip tightened around my tiny wrist as she forced my palm onto the blackened greatsword's hilt.
"Vareth," the weapon hissed in my mind, its voice like grinding bones. "You reek of second chances."
I nearly choked. It knows about my regression.
Seraphina smirked. "He likes you."
---
First Lesson
Back in the (rebuilt) nursery, Vareth's whispers guided me:
- "Your magic is a muscle. Even infants can flex."
- "The queen's priest comes at dawn. He'll test you for 'demonic taint.'"
When I gurgled in protest, the sword snapped: "Stop whining. You want revenge? Hold this."
A surge of dark energy shot through my veins. My vision went monochrome—except for living auras.
Seraphina's glow was violet, threaded with black.
Just like the rattle.
---
The Priest's Test
At sunrise, a hooded man arrived bearing a silver bowl.
"By His Holiness's decree," he droned, pricking my finger. Blood dripped into the water.
The room held its breath as the liquid…
Remained clear.
Vareth's power masked my blood.
The priest left unsatisfied. But Isolde's spy—the nursemaid I'd bitten—lingered. Her aura burned acid green with jealousy.
New problem.
---
The Nursemaid's End
That night, the woman crept to my crib, dagger glinting.
"Die, monster," she whispered.
I didn't need Vareth's warning. My tiny hand shot out, latching onto her wrist.
"Omni-Core: Drain."
Her life force flooded into me—first a trickle, then a torrent. She aged decades in seconds, collapsing into dust.
Seraphina found me covered in ashes, giggling.
"That's my brother," she purred, scooping me up.
---
The Elf's Arrival
At week's end, trumpets announced foreign dignitaries. Through the banquet hall doors, I glimpsed her:
A silver-haired elf girl in chains, her emerald eyes blazing with hatred.
Elara.
Vareth vibrated excitedly: "Ah. Your first queen arrives."
---