Court of Sorcerers – Part 5

If you haven’t read Part 1 of Court of Sorcerers, you can find it here.

…

There was one problem that still stumped Elyscia: how to deal with Nicolaus. She needed to give him an antidote to the love potion so she could end the engagement, especially now that things were escalating with her and Renout. If anyone suspected their relationship, they would both lose their reputations and make an enemy of the powerful Duke. But their plan depended on the Duke being on their side, and in removing the love potion she would lose his loyalty and risk him discovering that she had bewitched him. 

It was Renout who offered a solution.

“We could combine the love potion antidote with the susceptibility potion. If you give them to him in low doses over time, he will slowly lose his affection for you, but still go along with our plans. You have the access to him to make it work.”

“Brilliant!” Elyscia exclaimed before kissing him. 

They were alone in the secret room in her shop. It had become their meeting place of late. The only place they could be sure to be undiscovered. It required a few tweaks and trials to mix the two potions and combine them with her other magic to make it effective despite the Duke’s amulet. But with their combined intellect, they were up to the task. Their fondness for each other only grew as they experimented and debated the various options.

When they at last had succeeded, Elyscia began visiting Nicolaus regularly for tea to administer the potion. He began to show less interest in her visits and was reluctant to make plans for their wedding, until she finally suggested he did not love her anymore and they should remain friends. Nicolaus agreed, and thus their engagement was ended amicably. 

Her and Renout avoided each other in public during this time, knowing they couldn’t take the chance of making anyone suspicious. However, they worked on their plan while they waited for the Duke’s feelings to fade. It was during this time that, through the work of the truth potion, Renout discovered the machinations of Earl Bricot, the King’s cousin.

He wished to overthrow the King and seize his throne. He hadn’t acted yet, as he wasn’t sure who to trust, but he was plotting and watching for anyone disloyal to the King. Renout took the opportunity to suggest he become a patron of Alvius, the court astrologist. 

Shortly before the ended engagement, Elsycia paid a visit to the astrologist, timed to coincide with one of the Earl’s visits.

“I fear Duke Corrigan is falling out of love with me, and I wish for you to read my stars and offer your advice,” Elyscia said, wringing her hands.

Earl Bricot rushed to play the hero and comfort her. He offered her a kerchief and bid her sit while he made tea.

“No, no, it will help me to keep my hands busy.” Elyscia made the tea and poured the susceptibility potion into both the men’s cups. 

Alvius consulted his charts. Elyscia suggested that she may need to end the engagement and the astrologist readily agreed. She feigned distress and made to take her leave.

“I wonder what will happen to me, spurned by a favorite of the King. If only there was something to be done.” With these words she left, knowing the Earl would bring his plan to the astrologist, who would agree to everything the Earl proposed.

…

It didn’t take long for word to reach the King of the attempted coup. Alvius and Earl Bricot approached a few courtiers to recruit them, but all disliked the Earl. They promptly reported these attempts to Duke Corrigan, the other target as the King’s right hand, who sought an audience with the King in front of the whole court.

“I have heard of a plan to overthrow your majesty and exile myself, in order to seat another on the throne,” Duke Corrigan announced. 

The King was taken aback, and did not speak for a moment. “Who would dare?” his voice boomed out, echoing in the shocked silence of the chamber. 

“Earl Bricot wishes to take your throne, and Alvius has conspired with him, predicting your downfall.”

Gasps. All knew it was treason to predict the death of the King, whatever the stars may say about it. 

“I– I would never…” Alvius cleared his throat, “I would never betray my King.” 

“But you have,” The King answered. “Duke Corrigan and others have testified to your schemes.”

Sweat glistened along the astrologist’s forehead. He could not dispute the evidence. “It is her.” He pointed to Elyscia. “She has bewitched me. She came to me multiple times asking me to read her stars. We–yes, she made me tea both times!” At last Alvius looked vindicated.

“Surely a man as intelligent as yourself would have kept his amulet on during these exchanges?” Renout asked.

“Well, yes, I had my amulet…” he began, clearly buying time to think. 

“Then by your own testimony, you could not have been under any enchantment,” the King declared.

Renout couldn’t help a smug smile. 

Alvius did not miss the look on his face. “It was Renout.” He pointed at the alchemist. “He must have found a way. He created some new magic and gave it to her to use on me. He was with her the first time she came to me.”

Gasps filled the room. Even Renout managed to look quite shocked. What Alvius spoke of would be extraordinary, impossible even. Elyscia and Renout were the only ones who knew how close to the truth he was. But Elysica was the one who had managed the impossible, and this distinction was enough.

Renout stepped to the very foot of the dais. “While I am honored that my fellow court magician thinks me capable of such a feat, I am sorry to disappoint you all.” 

He promptly slit open his palm, dripping blood onto the dais itself. Murmurs spread throughout the room, people vying for the best spots to see what was about to happen. He reached into his robes, making a show of looking for the potion he would need, despite being prepared for this moment. He pulled out a vial, opened it, and added three drops to his blood. The blood was devoured in red smoke.

“I swear to my King, by my blood oath, that I created no magic that cannot be warded against by the amulets.”

The blood oath was enough to seal Alvius’ fate. For it never occurred to any of them to ask Elyscia to swear an oath. It never occurred to them that a woman might have done what no man could. 

…

What did you think of the story? Are you curious about how things turn out for Elyscia and Renout? We might have a surprise for you next Sunday, along with a fun announcement!

Thanks so much for reading!

-Clever & WTF