Reza, having finished his cider, left his glass, knowing that he could not escape the situation without harming his honor and that of the Sulli Family was impossible.
As they were about to leave the entryway, Eleanor and another young servant intercepted them.
“Perfect timing, Amelia. Please handle Lord Reza here,” Marie instructed.
Amelia nodded, and an orange wraith materialized beside her. The man wore a long, flowing robe, but it lacked sleeves, exposing his bare arms. Amelia’s hands radiated a soft orange glow as she approached Reza.
Reza glanced at Marie, who offered a slight smile. “Allow her to touch your shoulder; it won’t cause any discomfort.”
Nodding, Reza stood still and permitted the servant to touch him. A warm sensation spread from his shoulders, enveloping his entire outfit. Looking down, they were spotlessly clean, as if they had been freshly laundered.
“I’ll need to touch your face to clean it properly,” Amelia said, holding up her hand to his head, waiting.
“Go on,” Reza said, allowing her to touch his cheek. This time, the warm sensation spread throughout his body. Again, looking down at his hands, there wasn’t a trace of dirt or blood on them. “Amazing, quite the power you possess there.”
Amelia smiled briefly, allowing her Wraith to vanish. “Thank you, Lord Reza.”
She and Eleanor bowed once more before retreating.
Marie remained silent but began walking towards what she anticipated was Lord Sulli’s study. They walked in silence down a well-lit hallway adorned with paintings on each wall. All the paintings featured similar faces; the numerous Sulli ancestors appeared from those frames.
She knocked at the final door at the end of the hallway.
“Come in,” a gruff voice from within the room called.
“Good luck,” she said, opening the door.
Reza entered the room, giving Marie a final smile.
The room was sparsely decorated, with red stone walls devoid of ornaments except for a blue banner featuring a black raven in flight hanging behind a white marble desk. An elderly man sat in a leather chair, staring intently at Reza as he entered through the doorway.
“Thank you, Marie. You may leave,” he ordered.
Reza glanced back at Marie, but the door had silently closed, concealing her from view.
The man turned his attention back to Lord Sulli. He was a stout man with minimal wrinkles on his face. Reza knew that Marcellus had been in his fifth decade, so it was likely that this man was past his seventh. However, it was challenging for Reza to discern his exact age. His iron-colored hair and well-groomed beard were striking, and his piercing blue eyes showed no signs of grief or fatigue. He never averted his gaze from Reza before gesturing towards one of the two empty seats on her side of the desk.
“You may sit,” he grunted in his gruff voice.
Reza hesitated for a moment before taking the seat. She placed the sword against the chair, focusing her attention directly on Lord Sulli
“Marius Reza, is it?” he asked.
Reza nodded, “Yes, sir.”
“Optio of the seventh cohort of the third legion I believe, if my memory serves me right,” he asked, removing a few papers from his desk and placing them in a drawer.
The man’s knowledge caught Reza off guard, leaving him uncertain about how to proceed. How did he know Reza’s position in the army? Did he have a dossier on every officer?
“Yes, sir. How do you know that?” Reza asked, hastily adding, “If you wouldn’t mind telling me.”
Sulli placed his hands in front of his mouth, maintaining eye contact and barely blinking. In just two sentences, this man had Reza on the back foot, and he had no idea how this conversation would unfold
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“I make it my business to know every officer in the legions, including those who may be promoted. Especially those with your skill,” he replied, hinting at appreciation in his voice.
Reza was uncertain whether he meant Elana or his ability to sense auras. Either way, one of the ten families knew a lot about him.
Quickly thinking, while it was still terrifying for such a powerful man to know even this much, it wasn’t a leap that many of the ten families wanted to understand everyone in the officer core. Almost every officer in the legion came from some noble family. Most originated from the ten or one of their cadet families, with the few outsiders usually well-connected to one of the families.
Echoes, this isn’t the time for this meeting. Reza’s mind was reeling from lack of sleep and the power he had expended fighting the men on the Ghost Plains. He chose not to speak but nodded in response.
“What brings you to the city, Marius? Your Legion is at least three or four days’ march away,” he asked. There was no malice in his tone, but the situation still made him uneasy in the presence of this man, who was now demanding answers.
"I was given leave to attend my family's Anceslia this week. I was meant to return in a couple of days," Reza responded, “I’ll have to ask the Praetor now. He’ll likely want to keep me here until the legions return to guard the wall.”
Sulli nodded, seemingly content with my answer.
“Of course, you’re right about the Praetor’s probable course of action. We need every capable soldier in the city for the time being, though from reports, there’s no enemy near the city. However, let’s get to the main point. I was told you brought back my nephew Lukas,” he said, his tone suggesting that this wasn’t a significant detail. I’m curious to know how this happened.
Reza nodded, feeling a glimmer of relief at the little bit of knowledge Lord Sulli had shared. Some of the stress he had been carrying for the past day began to dissipate, and his body and mind felt better. With a calmer demeanor, Reza recounted the events to Sulli, omitting certain details, such as his powers. While Reza wasn’t particularly secretive about Elana, he never explicitly revealed how she worked or what they truly did. It was better to keep his powers ambiguous to prevent anyone from discovering his weaknesses should they ever become adversaries.
“One should still be alive,” Reza said, acknowledging that he hadn’t been thinking clearly when he initiated the attack. “I should have made an effort to preserve more lives for questioning.” He shrugged, realizing that he was rambling a bit
Sulli grunted in response. “One life is sufficient for questioning. I will also speak with my nephew when he awakens. However, I want to express my gratitude for saving him. Many believed he shared the same fate as… Marcellus.”
The brief pause was the first indication that the man had shown grief for his son. Throughout the story, he made no comments or hints about the events, except for a brief pause when mentioning his son’s names.
“We can only hope the man provides more than just the name Durnadan. That doesn’t give Praetor Tiberius and the families much to work with,” Reza replied. “Lukas may know more, but by the time the fighting ended, I couldn’t gather much more than his name. I believe the escape drained him completely. I was impressed with Lukas; he was ready to fight even in his weakened state. He held his sword and his wraith, ready to retaliate. He fought like a true soldier.”
Reza had witnessed older soldiers lacking the courage to face overwhelming odds. Leaning down, he grabbed the black sword against his chair and placed it between himself and Sulli on the desk. The sword’s presence felt strange to him. He didn’t want to let it leave his possession, nor did he think the weapon felt the same way, as odd as it sounded. It was one of the finest weapons he had ever laid eyes on, and he yearned to unravel the mysteries it held.
Sulli gazed down at the sword, one hand grasping its hilt. “This was the sword my son carried. I bestowed it upon him when he ascended to the position of Archon. It’s an ancient weapon that our family has possessed for a considerable time.”
Sulli held the sword for a moment, almost as if he were about to embrace it, while Reza remained seated uncomfortably, maintaining a quiet demeanor. Finally, Sulli gently placed the sword back onto the desk, pushing it towards Reza.
“Please keep the weapon. I believe it may be beneficial to you,” Sulli commanded. “Although the priests will likely request the gemstone back, I will inform you if they inquire, or they may come directly to you.”
“Are you absolutely certain?” Reza exclaimed in disbelief. This sword had to be a priceless family heirloom. It was an offer that Reza found far beyond any reward he could accept.
“Yes, I am,” Lord Sulli replied without any hesitation.
Reza nodded and took the sword back, placing it on his lap across the arms of the chair. He hadn’t had the chance to examine the sword or its sheath, but now he noticed the black gem embedded in the sheath, about an inch below where the hilt rested snugly against the black leather. The diamond gem resembled a raindrop and was unnaturally black. It was uncomfortable to stare at the gem for long, and Marius realized that part of the mystery he had sensed with the sword lay within it.
“Now, that cannot be the sole reward I will allow you to accept for saving my nephew,” Sulli said as he stood and walked to a shelf at the side of the room. He pulled out a large bag of coins, the clinking metal inside clearly indicating its contents.
“No need. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a soldier, and the sword itself is already too much of a reward,” Reza held up a single hand, waving away the offer of coins. He had never considered a reward when he had saved Lukas. In his mind, the sword alone and the potential to learn more about it were more than enough.
“Nonsense! Lukas is my nephew, and you saved his life. I won’t accept no for an answer.” He said sternly, his softness from a moment ago vanished.
“Again, I must decline. No further reward is necessary,” Reza said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. He knew that if the man tried to reward him again, he would have no choice but to accept. This was one of the city’s most powerful and influential people, and Reza would be foolish to dishonor such a man by denying compensation.
“If money is not an option, I must find another way to repay you.” He sat down again, leaving the bag on the desk. His eyes lit up as an idea struck him. “You mentioned your family is preparing for the Anceslia?”
“Yes, my sisters are likely still getting ready for it right now, even in these challenging times.” He said. He had only received a curt response from Tavia when his messenger returned. I expect you back by the Anceslia, even if you have to abandon your post.
“I propose a compromise, a gesture of goodwill between our families for the service you rendered,” Lord Sulli suggested. “If Lukas recovers in time, I will send him and a few of my family members as guests to your Anceslia. This would bring your family pride and recognition from my family.”
Reza was taken aback, and it was fortunate that he was seated at that moment. His legs felt weak. One of the ten families of Arkhen, unrelated to his family, was openly offering to attend his Anceslia. Such an event would be the talk of the countryside and could open doors that had not existed an hour ago.
“I appreciate your offer. While I believe I don’t need a reward, I will accept this generous gesture,” Reza said. He would not deny his family this opportunity based on his opinions, and this compromise was an acceptable reward.
Sulli stood, extending his hand. “Then the matter is settled. Kindly send the party details, and I will ensure Lukas or someone else is present.”
Reza briefly grasped the man’s hand. “Thank you. My sisters will look forward to it.”
Sulli resumed his seat. “You may depart. I suspect Marie or someone will be waiting to escort you out.”
As Reza opened the door, Sulli swiftly retrieved the papers and began reading them.
A guard stood across the hall and guided him to the gate. After gathering his new horse, Reza set off towards the Forum and the barracks, where he could find rest. He would have to inform Tavia and Cassia to prepare for a few representatives from Sulli. The Anceslia had transformed into a significantly more influential party than ever before.