Blackest Spells by Phipps C. T

Author:Phipps, C. T. [Phipps, C. T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, grimdark
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Published: 2019-11-10T16:00:00+00:00

The King and the Wizard

By Frank Martin

I pushed open the hatch above my head and was instantly met with the relieved faces belonging to my personal guard.

“My king!” exclaimed one of the excited knights. “You’re back!”

The men helped me up the last step and into the wine cellar. One of the knights then looked down into the tunnel I just emerged from. It led into a secret passage that had been used by royals and knights to sneak in and out of the castle for centuries.

“Where is Lady Grace, my liege?” the knight asked.

He was referring to my bride-to-be. She ran off tonight, on the eve of our wedding, to the Black Witch of the dark forest. I didn’t have the time to explain what happened when I found her, though. Our predicament was dire, and there was only one thing I needed to know.

“Where is Wyland?”

The same knight scrunched his face confused. He didn’t understand. But he didn’t have to. He just had to answer the question. “In his study.”

I fled from the cellar so quickly the puzzled knights couldn’t react swiftly enough to follow. I sprinted through the castle’s halls as fast as my armored body would allow. I found no one awake at this late hour. Everyone was probably asleep and resting for what they presumed would be an eventful royal wedding tomorrow.

Everyone except Wyland.

I knew he would still be awake. It was rumored the wizard had conquered the necessity to sleep as a youth and now spent his nights refining spells and concocting potions. In all my family’s royal history, I never read about a wizard so skilled at such a young age. I only hope he was strong enough to help solve this crisis I’ve stumbled upon. Otherwise, the whole kingdom would be at risk.

As king, I wasn’t necessarily required to knock on any doors of the castle before entering. I usually did, though, out of respect and courtesy. Not now.

I barged into the wizard’s study without breaking my stride and spoke even before spotting him. “Wyland, I need your help.”

The wizard looked up from an ancient tome he had his head buried in and squinted at the sight of me. “My king? What’s wrong? You look frazzled. Are you anxious about tomorrow’s nuptials? If you require a calming potion then I’m sure I could—”

“It’s the Black Witch.”

Wyland’s squinted eyes grew wide. He stared at me a moment before asking a question threw gritted teeth. “What does she have to do with this?”

I shamefully lowered my gaze to the floor. “Grace is dead. The witch transformed my beautiful fiancé into a dragon and compelled me to slay her.”

“That devious hag!” he shouted while slamming the tome shut. “Is it revenge you want?”

“Yes.” I looked up, eager to plan our next move, but then caught my excitement when I realized there was more at stake than my vengeance. “I mean…I do, but there are greater matters to worry about.”

Wyland walked around his desk to approach me, his grey robe swaying across the floor.

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