Like a bug caught in a spider's web, Corvus was trapped in a sticky situation. The temperature in the room felt like a million degrees as beads of sweat rolled down his face. His sister's piercing gaze bore a hole in his skull and her words were still echoing in the space between his ears.
"Can you read this?"
His sweaty butt was glued to the chair he was sitting in. His eyes darted around the room for a way out but there wasn't a single thing that could save him. But then a thought occurred to him. If Valerica couldn't read it and he could then he would be valuable, right? Maybe she'd even let him live.
Clearing his throat, he said, "Can't you? It's quite simple."
A stutter would have given away any ounce of confidence that he was trying to portray, so he took his time and spoke clearly.
Valerica was at a loss for words. She was blinking rapidly and running one hand through her black hair. Her little brother was better at something than her. Corvus didn't know that she had actually tried to study the language since she was a little girl. It had become somewhat of a passion to figure it out.
"I just haven't tried to learn the language," Valerica retorted, "I'm quite busy becoming Matriarch."
Her grip on the scroll was tight, almost crumpling the ancient piece of paper. She realized it and let out a small yelp. The scroll was gently placed back onto the table.
Corvus raised an eyebrow at her odd behavior.
"So..." she said.
Fidgeting with her hands, she continued, "How about we make a deal."
Her eyes wandered around the room before focusing on the books that Corvus had stolen. She rubbed the back of her neck.
"I'll forgive you for trespassing and stealing from me, if, you teach me the language."
Valerica was someone who rarely asked for anything.
Honestly it baffled him. But everything he's done so far was for survival. Talking with Aurelia, learning sword techniques, bonding with Priscilla, it was all to avoid being eaten. He knew she would say no so the answer wasn't important. He just wanted to see if there was even a hint of hesitation to be used against her.
"I'll teach you if you break the tradition and do not eat me."
"What?"
She paused for just half of a second then crossed her arms, "Of course not. Ask something else."
A numb feeling came over him as he nodded his head. It was worth a try. The thought of Kaelith's ceremony being in two days made his stomach do somersaults. He could ask her to spare Kaelith or ask her to let him see Aurelia again. She would probably agree to the latter but he had to try the former first.
"Could you spare Kaelith?"
"Corvus I can not, and I will not break tradition."
Her voice was stern as she stood up, her posture straightening into that of the heir to the throne.
"Ask for something reasonable or the deal is off."
She was looking down at him.
"Let me see Aurelia again."
"Sure," Valerica said without a second thought before continuing, "You're not allowed to touch her visage."
"You'll start teaching me tomorrow afternoon," she paused, "After the Viaticum breakfast."
Without saying goodbye, she left the room.
Corvus laid on his bed and stared at the white ceiling. His visage was sitting on the ceiling, all eight eyes staring back at him. There was a faint pink glow in one of the eyes. Representing mind magic. It wasn't enough though.
Drifting off to sleep, he awoke the next morning to a knocking on his door. A maid entered. The curtains were opened and the rising sun hit his eyes. Corvus groaned and turned around but the maid yanked his arm and pulled him out of bed.
"Good morning Master Corvus, Lady Lyssandra has requested me to ensure you arrive on time for the Viaticum breakfast."
He put on an outfit that was laid on his desk and was escorted to a private dining room.
There was one big table. Six chairs were placed around it. Instead of in a circular fashion, the chairs were split in two sides. Two chairs on one side and four on the other side, perfectly representing life and death.
Lyssandra was sitting already in the middle left chair with Valerica next to her. Kaelith's mother, Monica, was sitting in the middle right chair and Elana further to her right.
"Good morning Lady Lyssandra, Lady Monica, Lady Elana, Lady Valerica," Corvus said and bowed a little.
One of the first things he was taught was proper etiquette for the Viaticum and the surrounding events. It was cruel. He sat down on the death side, facing his mother, the matriarch.
"Good morning Corvus."
Lyssandra's words were cold.
Servants poured in and placed plates in front of the royal family. The food would arrive as soon as Kaelith entered.
The door swung open and Kaelith stepped through the doorway, two guards behind him. His eyes met Corvus'. Kaelith smiled and took the seat on the death side next to his friend.
After the greetings plates full of butterflies were placed on the table. Their wings were cut off. The Monarch butterflies were associated with the Day of the Dead.
Lady Lyssandra took a glass of wine in her hand and the rest mirrored.
"Today we honor Kaelith for he shall continue to live through Elana after tomorrow's ceremony," she said.
She then took a sip from her glass.
Everyone else drank except for Kaelith and Corvus. They weren't allowed to drink any alcohol during this time.
They started eating the butterflies. Corvus could barely put them in his mouth. He had to close his eyes. The crunchiness made him almost throw up but that would be a grave offense so he kept it all down.
The last course was the Black Witch Moth, the mourning butterfly.
Another crunchy course.
Kaelith was silently chewing, his gaze occasionally meeting Corvus'. The women talked but Corvus wasn't listening. His mind was elsewhere.
As soon as the meal ended, Monica hugged her son tightly. Her eyes were watery as she left. This was the last time she'll see him before the Viaticum. Elana hugged him too. However Valerica and Lyssandra didn't.
The guards came in and asked if Kaelith was ready. He glanced at Corvus.
"Not yet."
He walked up to Corvus. The smile on his face wasn't the one that Corvus was used to seeing. Instead it seemed sad and sorrowful.
Corvus instinctively reached out his hand. They never hugged. They never needed to. Yet today Kaelith hugged his friend tightly as if it was the last time they'd ever see each other.
The warmth from the hug made tears fall from Corvus' eyes.
Kaelith hugged him even harder. Before he could say anything, Kaelith whispered in his ears.
"Nine, Eight, One, Five. Black chest under the bed. Don't get caught."
Kaelith pulled away. His hands were on Corvus' shoulders and he stared at him for a few seconds. He nodded. Content with himself he left the room with the guards.
Only Corvus and Lyssandra were in the dining room. She walked up to him and embraced him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He pulled away from her.
"I have something I have to do."
Lyssandra let him go, watching as he left.
Once the door was closed and he couldn't hear anyone, Corvus ran to his friend's room.