The siege of Semiramis was an overwhelming success and had been achieved with no casualties. I expected there to have been a bloody battle. It very well could have been were it not for our strategic sneak attack that incapacitated Rochelle Winnegan. With no king nor witch to lead them, the substantial Juna force within the walls, having grown weary over weeks of constant demon incursions surrendered the moment Silver Cross and Ors' army entered the city.
Most of the Juna soldiers and guards weren't sure what they were fighting for anymore. They hadn't seen the king in ages. Now that I thought about it, there were no sure signs that King Uldrin was still in Semiramis.
"Is there a reason why King Uldrin hasn't shown his face in months?" I asked Instructor Winnegan, whose silence was met with Thelia tightening the bindings and causing her to groan in pain.
"Speak, filth. What good is a tongue if you don't use it? Perhaps you shall find your voice with a spiked whip instead." Thelia growled.
Winnegan called her bluff and remained silent.
"It's fine, Thelia." I stuck a hand out as the demon flexed her claw-like nails at the witch's throat.
Walking up behind me, having been busy coordinating with her officers to scour the entirety of the city, Quinny was gnawing on a pipe and looking like she wanted to pick a fight.
"You'd think a girl could find a light in this city. Maybe we should have burned the place after all," she said.
I flicked my wrist and conjured cinders to dive into Quinny's pipe, igniting the contents within. She almost let it fall out of her mouth, dragged a few breaths, and got smoke going. Now there was a content smile on her face.
"Befriending a witch has its perks, eh?" Quinny winked. She knelt down next to Winnegan and exhaled a puff of smoke in her face. "Guessing she ain't talking?"
"I'm afraid not," I answered.
"Funny thing is, we rounded up Uldrin's inner circle. They swore to their last breath they haven't seen him. For all anyone knows, the old bastard's been gone for months. Well… won't know until we hit the keep. It's all that's left," she said.
It didn't make sense. Was King Uldrin missing this entire time? Even since before the others and I infiltrated the city?
By Quinny's estimation, 80% of the city had been occupied by her army and only faced small pockets of resistance. This was almost too easy.
"Rio and I will go with you to find the king. I suspect there's some sort of trap. If not placed by Winnegan or King Uldrin, then possibly by Edith," I said.
"Takes a load off my back. Maybe once this all blows over, you can show me that cock of yours again." Quinny licked her lips.
"A mere human like you doesn't deserve a speck of attention from Ellori," Thelia said, coming between the both of us
Quinny wasn't at all afraid being sized up by a demon. In fact, the opportunistic rogue set her eyes on a new prize like Thelia was a loose pouch of gold. "I ain't interested in having a cat fight over this. Maybe we can get along and let me taste if you're as spicy as you look."
"Hmph. You can't hope to seduce me. I belong only to my masters." The erinyes crossed her arms and turned the other cheek, but the cowl of defiance couldn't hide the thirst in her voice.
It seemed Thelia had completely fallen under my thumb. At first, I was worried she might eventually betray me like she did Zertos. But having turned pain into pleasure, making her thoroughly submissive was enough to keep her in line. It was like having another Mira, except she was a demon.
"Thelia, we're going to search for King Uldrin. Stay here and wait for my return. In the meantime, let your demons have their way with Winnegan. I imagine they won't be happy with an older woman, but it's something" I said.
"You can't do this! What happened to respecting your elders?!" Winnegan's eyes went wide with fear.
"Hah. A hole is a hole to a demon. I'll ensure this witch regrets keeping her mouth shut." Thelia yanked the whip binding Winnegan and whistled for a group of demons to follow them into private residence.
On the way to King Uldrin's keep, I was reminded of Princess Lisette's likeness to Quinny. None of us knew if her sister was still alive after the attack on Ferellis. With any luck, Mira and Belle would find as much success as I did.
"I know what you're thinking," Quinny said, catching me by surprise. "Besides, I had people in Ferellis keeping me in the know about Lissy. Until they went quiet."
"You're sharper than the knives you keep hidden under your clothes. I'm sorry. I wish we could have done more to protect Princess Lisette and your country." It angered me, thinking about how much stronger Edith was that Eudora sent us away because we weren't strong enough. To make matters worse, Demos' betrayal has left me unable to tap into the prideful soul's necromantic magic. It was just a stone inside my stomach collecting magic now.
I was suddenly nudged hard and nearly tripped over myself. The perpetrator grinned and had a good laugh at my expense.
"My sister's got a harder head than me. I know for sure she's still alive and plotting. Which is why I can't be outdone by her, you hear?" she remarked.
The weight in my chest became a lot lighter. There was no use dwelling on ifs and hopes, but plenty that could be done to pave a path forward.
"I hear you, and uh… I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my dick is gone," I confessed.
"Gone— what? Is that possible? That's too bad. The men I've laid with say my cunt's got quite the grip. Guess you'll be missing out." Quinny laughed.
Damn it. This woman was making me reconsider drinking another potion.
Many of the citizens had shut themselves in, fearful of the invading army's presence. Fortunately, Ors and Juna had established an amicable relationship over the years. Coupled with insurgents from the Silver Cross, all of whom were subjects of Juna to begin with, kept tensions at a light simmer.
I tipped my hat as we passed by the Ladies' Garden. Some of the women who recognized me dropped their jaws, while others waved to me like I was a sort of liberator. Madam Gestain was likely still in there under the effects of the mind maggot Mira had put in her.
We finally reached King Uldrin's unguarded keep. It was more like a massive cathedral than anything else, with pointed, gothic spires piercing the clouds and glass-stained windows depicting his younger self. The chiseled statue of him standing over a mound of demi-human corpses was the height of excessive indulgence. While his people grew poor, he built for himself a monument.
"Rio, break down those doors!" I ordered.
"Nyraauu!" Infused with the strength of a cerberus, my familiar rammed the doors from their hinges. They crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom that echoed into the keep and back. Rio returned to my side to receive a piece of jerky as a treat.
"The fuck? That cat of yours can conquer the world if it wanted to." Quinny marveled at the destruction Rio had done.
"Shall we?" I asked.
"After you," she said.
As soon as we stepped inside, the temperature had dropped significantly to a freezing point. Marble columns were frozen over into pillars of ice, the floor was covered in snow, and icicles hung from glass chandeliers and the ceiling like a profaned winter wonderland.
"I don't… like the looks of this," I said, watching my breath come out white as ivory.
"Ellori, there!" Quinny pointed to the front of the chamber, sitting on a gilded throne was King Uldrin, frozen solid in his seat. He had both hands on his lap, holding something that glittered as we set our eyes on it.
A quick pulse of magic sent a chill up my spine. The object in the king's hands flashed a blinding light.
"Rio!"
My familiar shot forward. I raised a barrier to envelop myself and Quinny. Then an explosion went off.
