Page 113 of Avalon Tower

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Page 113 of Avalon Tower

But Wrythe has none of that. He has no beliefs beyond his own desperation to climb up the rungs of power in MI-13. He wants to lead Avalon Tower simply because he craves power. He doesn’t care for the lives of the agents or the humans he’s supposed to protect. To my shock, he doesn’t even care about Tarquin or the rest of the Pendragons. The only reason he treats them differently is because of how they reflect on him, being his kin. He values their loyalty to him because it secures his position.

But there is only one real person in Wrythe’s mind: Wrythe.

In his twisted mind, I’m an obstacle on his way up. He has to prove I don’t belong here simply because that was his opinion when I first arrived, and he needs people to believe he’s infallible. That he’s the only one who can lead. That only through unrelenting loyalty to him will Avalon Tower prevail because he is the only one with answers.

I never wanted the demi-Fey here.

Is that why Raphael had made a public spectacle of telling me I don’t belong here? So he can prove himself to Wrythe?

Get on board with referring to Nia as a useless waste of space if you want to keep your position…

I’m already burning with rage, and Wrythe’s narcissistic thoughts are like pouring oil on a flame.

Molten fury erupts inside me, and my red and violet magic fuse together, my telepathy and Sentinel powers intertwining to create that hybrid, chaotic force. I slam it into Wrythe’s mind and pour myself into his skull. Such a simple mind, focused on one pathetic motivation. A simple mind to prod and push. And I do, demolishing the weak walls he has within, taking his thoughts for my own.

I will bind my enemies in the oak trees to feed the hungry earth. I will spill your blood into the lake.

Wrythe stumbles back and blinks, dazed. Then he opens his mouth.

“Nia Melisende is incredible!” he shouts for everyone to hear. “She has surpassed my estimations in all the trials, proving she is a worthy Agent of Camelot, and she has without question passed this trial. Furthermore, I want to add that I am a twat, caring for no one but myself. Having me as a Seneschal is an insult to the great history of this academy and…and…”

The connection between us snaps, and his mind vanishes from my own.

Silence settles in the hall, and I feel as if the whole academy is holding its breath.

I’m shivering, the result of an explosion of my magic. I hug myself, clenching my teeth to avoid them from chattering.

Wrythe points at me with one trembling finger. “She was in my mind!” he bellows. “She forced me to say that. This is an attack on the Seneschal! A psychic attack. And an attack on a knight of the Round Table is an attack on Avalon Tower itself. This is the very reason we did not allow demi-Fey here.”

Amon looks utterly confused. “Wrythe, what are you talking about? How would her Sentinel powers allow her to control you?”

Wrythe eyes widen as he realizes the implication. “You’ve got diametric powers!” he snarls. “You have two types of magic, just like the monster Mordred Kingslayer. Of course. I knew something was corrupted about her. And this is why she doesn’t belong. Don’t you see how dangerous this is?”

Amon stares at me, frowning. “Surely that cannot be. If Nia had diametric magic, it would be unstable and weak. It would destroy her. But we’ve seen her in the trials. And like you just said, she surpassed our estimations in the trials, including this one. That’s simply not how diametric powers work.”

“She did not pass the trial!” Wrythe shouts. “She made me say that she did. I felt her in my thoughts. I felt her malignant presence, as rotten and corrupted as Mordred himself.”

Another silence follows his condemnation. And then, excited murmurs throughout the hall.

Amon’s silver torc gleams under the light of the chandeliers. “Are you saying…are you saying she’s capable…of mind control? Of compulsion?”

Even I am caught unaware. Mind control? No, of course not. I just…Wrythe’s mind was so simple. So one-sided. Even a child could manipulate it.

Right?

Wrythe himself had taught us about the five primal powers: weather manipulation, amoromancy, polymorphism, compulsion, and conjuration. The five primal powers. The powers that don’t exist anymore in Brocéliande or beyond it. Obviously, I can’t do that if it no longer exists.

Wrythe blinks. “As I said, she is an enemy of Avalon Tower. She should be imprisoned at once. This is treason.”

Raphael stalks closer. I avoid looking at him, feeling the rage seething within me at his presence. He looks just as furious as he did before. He turns to the crowd, his icy eyes surveying them. “Everybody out!” His voice carries over the hall. “This is a matter for the knights of the Round Table. No one else.”

His voice has a quiet command that immediately has them leaping up and shuffling for the doors. I turn to join them when Raphael says, “Not you, Nia. You stay.”

I fold my arms, trying not to glare at him because that would be petulant. There are bigger things at stake right now.

I catch the worried eyes of my friends as they leave, and someone helps the dazed veil mage up off the floor. Finally, the door shuts. The only people in the room are Viviane, Raphael, Wrythe, Amon, and me. Just a few knights of the Round Table and me.

“You knew about this,” Wrythe hisses at Raphael.




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