“Yes.” Arthur laughed warmly. “I actually do.”
After a deep, calm breath, I looked up at the darkening sky. I felt better now—lighter, not so clouded. “Thank you, Arthur. I really needed to talk to someone.”
“Well, Prin—my queen.” He chuckled then and took my fingers in his. “Anytime you need a sympathetic ear, I will drop whatever I am doing and come to your aid—you need only look at me with those pretty eyes, and I'm all yours.”
“Thanks.”
“Like I said, anytime.”
“Hey, Arthur?”
“Yes, my dear.”
“If I can get Mike to agree, would you be on my Private Council?”
He smiled widely. “Oh, my dear, it would be a great privilege, and it is an honour that you even asked, but…I must decline.”
“Why?”
“Because I believe I am of more use to you by being a friend.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“Perhaps not to you, but—” he paused for a long time, his eyes shifting with what I thought were several different directions of conversation. “I care for you, and I am here to see you become a great queen. Despite that…I’ve been forced to keep some secrets, Amara, and I know you will trust me when I say this is for your own good. However, if I were on your Private Council, I would be obligated to tell you such things.”
“Like what?”
He smirked. “You’re missing the point of the word secret.”
“Okay.” I nodded, resting my arms over my knees. “Fine then. But…can you at least advise me of things in Court sessions, you know, we can work out a wink or a nod combo?”
“I'm sorry, I can't do that,” he said in his austere voice. “I know what influence my words have on you, and it would be unfair of me to, essentially, rule the nation like a puppeteer. It would also be irresponsible of me. You will, in time, learn what is wrong and what works, and you will do that with my guidance, not my opinions. Okay?”
I turned my whole upper body to look at him. “Man, you are too good at this.”
“At what?” He laughed.
“At…I don't know…being noble and all.”
“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice.”
“Clearly.”
We both sat in silence for a while. All the things I’d just learned about Drake, Anandene and Vampirie skipped around in my head, lapping over the legends we’d based this entire monarchy on—legends that may be wrong. How was I to know what to believe now?
I sighed and hugged Arthur’s arm, resting my head on his shoulder. “Hey, Arthur?”
“Yes, my dear.”
“I was wondering if you might know something about this.” I reached down and lifted the key from under my shirt. “I found it in the forest,” I added as he held it in his fingertips, studying it carefully.
“No, sorry, my lady, I’ve not seen it before. But this—” He pointed to the rope-like symbol on the top, “—is called a Celtic Knot.”
“What’s a Celtic Knot?”
“Many have argued its interpretation and significance, but one truth I have come to find in all my years is that it represents an unending force—perhaps immortal life.”
“Wow.” I took the key back. “Do you think it belonged to Lilith once?”
He shook his head. “I’d have no way of knowing, but I never saw her with any key such as this. I can tell you that this symbol is a part of Drake’s family crest, though.”
“Really? So, is that like my family crest then?”
“No. It was designed for him and his descendants.”
“He has descendants?”
“He has several.”
“From Anandene?”
“No.”
“Do they…I mean, do I know any of them—have any defected?”
He shook his head. “You have met one before, though.”
“I did?”
“Yes. You killed him.”
I covered my mouth. “I did? Well, who was he?”
“He was a vile creature, Amara, do not pity him. He was born of sin and wreaked such atrocities on the world his own father locked him in a coffin six feet beneath the earth for a century.”
“Why?”
“It all began when Drake sought to experiment with different breeds of vampires. He tried mating with Created Lilithians, attempting to form a new species, but was never successful—the Created couldn't seem to bear children like the pure bloods could. So, he had a child with a human woman, then, when that half-blood grew up, a daughter, he…” Arthur left that bit hanging.
“He had a child with her?”
Arthur looked down. “He did.”
“With his own daughter?”
“Yes.”
I nearly vomited. “And…what was the child? I mean, was it a half-blood or…”
“It was something else, entirely. You may have heard that, throughout history, it was common for humans to inbreed—which led to deformities.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, the powerful blood of immortals merely magnified that. The boy was normal of appearance but, inside, he was like a beast—twisted, vile and cruel. He did some very…unspeakable things.”
“Like what?”
Arthur looked at me carefully then closed his eyes for a second. “I'm afraid, Your Majesty, I should not taint your pure heart with such tales.”
“Please tell me.”
He shook his head, his lips tight. “All I will say is that he preferred to prey on the innocent. He enjoyed watching something pure and sweet writhe and squeal. And what he did to some of those creatures, not all of them being human, haunts my dreams.”
“So, how did I come to kill him then, and when?”
“Do you remember the boy you bit—in the council chamber?”
“The blonde boy?”
“Yes.”
“Of course I do. I still have nightmares about it.”
“Well—” He took my hand firmly. “Do not. He was a creature not fit for this world. So heinous, in fact, I fear for the devil if he owns that boy’s soul.”
“So…I killed a monster—not a boy?”
“Monster is too kind a word for what he was. A soulless, demonic entity, might better describe him.”
I let out a really long breath and smiled. “Thank you.”
“What for?”