Chapter 137: Mora Castle

“I’m shorter? That’s what you said last time,” Maeve frowned.

“That’s because you are,” Stryg stepped right up to her, his face a few inches below her own.

Some part of Maeve’s mind told her she should step away from the hybrid, but she lost herself in his mesmerizing lilac eyes. His slit pupils undulated from almost perfect spheres to razor-thin blades. They seemed almost alien, yet strangely familiar.

“Maeve, who is that?” Lord Mora asked coldly.

Her father’s voice broke her focus. Maeve took a step back and shook her head slightly. Before she could respond, Stryg removed his hood and turned to her father.

“I am Stryg of Ebon Hollow,” he said without missing a beat.

“...What are you?” Lord Mora narrowed his eyes.

“The one in a million.”

“I’ve never heard of this Ebon Hollow,” Lord Mora crossed his arms.

“You will.”

Callum stepped in front of Stryg, “He’s my friend. I expect you to treat him with the respect a friend of Lord Veres deserves.”

“But, you are not Lord Veres. He is your friend, nothing more,” Lord Mora chuckled.

“I am still a Veres,” Callum gritted his teeth.

“A hybrid, not the lord of the House, yet one I must tolerate. But, I will not have a mongrel from gods-know-where soil my docks!” Lord Mora yelled.

“This is not the welcoming I pictured,” Loh called out as she walked down the docks.

Lord Mora froze, “Miss Noir? Ahem, forgive me. I did not know you were coming.”

“Really? You didn’t see the giant ship behind me?” Loh raised an eyebrow.

“Ah, um, yes. I assumed your grandfather was coming.”

“I am the one who accepted your invitation. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, not at all,” Lord Mora shook his head. “I am honored to have the heiress of the Noir family visit.”

“It doesn’t look like it. Do you not even know when to bow to the Ruling Families? Quite brave of you, Mora,” Loh smiled coldly.

Lord Mora swallowed. He bowed low and glared at his children. Maeve and her siblings hurried to bow.

“A bit late, don’t you think?” Loh asked.

“Forgive me, I was simply preoccupied dealing with an unforeseen incident,” Lord Mora glanced at the goblin hybrid.

“Oh, Stryg, there you are. How was the trip?” Loh walked up to Stryg and wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

Lord Mora and his children watched in stunned silence as Hollow Shade’s most notorious mage duelist hugged a nobody.

“It was fine. Rhian kept vomiting all night, every night. We ended up giving her some medicine to fall asleep. She’s still resting on the ship,” Stryg said.

“Next time, sail with me. The Ghost Flame is far more steady, even in these winter storms. She’ll have an easier time,” Loh said.

Lord Mora’s jaw went slack, “You know each other?”

“Are you really asking me if I know my own apprentice?” Loh asked.

“Maeve, what is your relationship with this… Stryg?” Lord Mora asked.

“We have none. I’ve only met him once when I was at dinner. He was eating with Callum and some dwarf commoner. Quite frankly, he was an eyesore. He still is an eyesore,” Maeve looked Stryg up and down with disdain.

Her father smiled in approval, “Understandable.”

“Is that right? Does the Mora family have a problem with my apprentice?” Loh smiled coldly.

“Not at all. We have the utmost respect for House Noir. In fact, I applaud your generosity. Adopting a stray into your home is no small feat,” Lord Mora widened his smile.

Loh glanced at the crowd of onlookers, “Mora, you don’t know me personally, so let me be blunt. I’m not like you or the other snobs you surround yourself with. I don’t adopt those beneath me just to make myself feel better or to have a laugh. As of today, House Noir, its associates, and the magic academy of Hollow Shade, will no longer be doing any business with House Mora.”

“W-what? Surely there is some kind of misunderstanding. I meant no offense.”

“I don’t doubt it. Yet, you believe that since your foolish words got you into this situation they can get you out. They can’t. There will be no more business between our Houses and their associates.”

“Y-you can’t do that! You’re not in charge of your House nor the academy!” Lord Mora yelled.

Loh sneered, “No, my grandfather is and I am his sole heir. How much influence do you think I wield? You are but a little man in a little boat you deem to call a House, sailing in the vast ocean that is this Realm. And yet you think you have the strength to even question the power of the sea monster that is House Noir?”

Lord Mora swallowed, “I apologize, I did not mean to question you. I just believe we can come to an arrangement that involves the continuation of both our Houses’ prosperity.”

Loh picked off a piece of lint from Lord Mora’s jacket, “That does sound nice doesn’t it? You have until tomorrow to prove to me you are not as incompetent as you have led me to believe. Otherwise, I will have the Merchant Great House Mora wiped from the history books. Do I make myself clear, little man?”

Lord Mora glanced at the crowd of guests watching with quiet whispers. “...Crystal clear,” he nodded stiffly.

“I thought so.” Loh patted his shoulder and smiled, “Try to insult my apprentice again and I will strike you down where you stand you fucking imbecile.”

Lord Mora tried his best to stay still, but Stryg still noticed the slight tremble in his hand.

“Stryg, let’s go, the carriage is ready,” Loh walked away.

“But, I was planning on going with Cly-”

“Now, Stryg!”

“Yep, coming,” Stryg nodded ardently. He jogged over and fell in line behind her.

Callum walked past Lord Mora and cupped his hands over his mouth, “Daaamn.” He winked, “Best of luck to you.”

Clypeus bowed to the Moras before following Callum to the Veres carriage. The other guests quickly dispersed and left for their own carriages. The Mora children were left standing around awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

The eldest son spoke up first, “Fathe-”

“Not a word! Not. A. Single. Damn. Word,” Lord Mora seethed through gritted teeth.

Maeve sighed, this was going to be a very long weekend.

~~~

“What about Rhian?” Stryg asked as he hopped into the Noir carriage.

“I’ll have some of the servants bring her to the castle later,” Loh leaned back in one of the carriage’s velvet chairs and closed her eyes.

“...Thanks for speaking up for me back there,” Stryg said quietly.

“Don’t mention it. Families like Mora only became Named Houses because of their wealth and businesses. While money is a form of power, it doesn’t hold against actual power. That stupid vampire needed to be reminded of that.”

Loh stretched her legs across the aisle and shifted herself into the corner of the carriage for a nap.

“About the other day at Hollow Shade’s docks and how I left the conversation,” Stryg began.

“Mm?” Loh mumbled.

“...Nothing, never mind,” Stryg smiled half-heartedly.

He fiddled with his silver bracelet and the amethyst embedded in the locket to pass the time. As the carriage left the docks, they rode into an eerie forest. The trees were all a pale white with gnarled branches that casted thin shadows.

Winter was in full swing up here in the North. The snow covered every single inch of ground as far as the eye could see. There were no sounds in the woods, it was utterly quiet as if the land had died long ago. In a sense, he supposed it had. Stryg felt as if he had left the Ebon Realm and entered an entirely new world.

“So, this is Mortis Grove?” Stryg mumbled.

While they were traveling on the Dread Shadow, Callum had told Stryg the small forest was filled with trees that had succumbed to a blight centuries ago. Yet, the dead trees still loomed over its inhabitants. Unlike Vulture Woods, Mortis Grove was fairly small and only had one tribe as far as Stryg knew, House Mora.

The snow made the ride longer than he expected and they arrived at the castle after the sun had dropped below the horizon. Stryg poked his head out the window and stared at the castle’s walls. Two tall towers stood on both sides of a small portcullis. The walls were made of a dark grey stone that encircled several larger structures within.

Stryg tried to recall the little Callum had told him of this place. Mora Castle was an old structure, dating to before House Mora even existed. It had once been a fortress for a vampire army in the ancient wars waged in the Northern Lands not too far from here.

As the portcullis was raised Stryg stuck his head back in the carriage and closed the window before the cold breeze swept through. Whatever sort of battle fortress the castle may have been in the past, it had been clearly reborn. Dozens of tents were sprawled out inside the walls. Entertainers of all sorts performed a show for the guests as they arrived.

Stryg wondered how the entertainers could dance so well in the freezing cold, but judging from the women’s thin dresses, men’s shirtless chests, and their rosy cheeks, he guessed they were just grinning and bearing it.

A Mora maid waited outside the carriage as it slowed to a stop. She bowed as the doors opened, “Welcome to Mora Castle, Miss Noir.”

“Yeah, yeah. Great stuff. I’m tired, where are our rooms?” Loh yawned as she stepped out.

“If you will just follow me I will take you to your rooms right away,” the maid bowed once more.

“Alright, we’ll talk more tomorrow, Stryg. Don’t get yourself into trouble while I’m gone,” Loh stretched.

“Right. I guess we’ll see each other at the party,” Stryg nodded.

Loh began to leave, but stopped in her tracks, “Oh, and Stryg. I noticed the way you looked at the Mora girl. I know she’s pretty, but try not to involve yourself with the Moras too much. I really am going to fuck up their businesses in Hollow Shade. I don’t want you to be stuck in between this mess.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Maeve said I was an eyesore, nothing more, and the feeling is mutual,” he grumbled.

“Uh-huh. I think I always have to worry about you. Normally when I take my eyes off you, someone ends up dead,” Loh twisted her lips.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Stryg blinked innocently.

“You don’t say?” Loh chuckled.

~~~

After an hour of light drinking, hot food, and watching half-naked women dance across a stage, Stryg, Callum, and Clypeus decided to call it a day. They bid each other goodnight and headed to their rooms.

Stryg’s room was quite spacious, albeit cold. The room was twice as large as his bedroom back in Hollow Shade. There was a fireplace across from the bed, but the embers burned low. Stryg threw a couple of logs on it and slipped under the covers.

He glanced out the window and into the cloudy sky above. Only the faintest silver sliver shined in the night sky. Tomorrow would be the start of the new moon. The Blood Fang’s Mothers always said to beware the new moon, dreadful things always happened in utter darkness.

Stryg grimaced at the thought. I was born under a new moon.

He supposed it explained his bad luck and why he got exiled from his tribe. Or maybe he was just overthinking all of it.

Stryg closed his eyes, there was no point dwelling on it now.

~~~

The faint sound of footsteps woke Stryg up. His eyes shot open and he jumped out of bed, landing on all fours. His lilac eyes glowed softly in the dark. The fire had died out, but the sun had yet to rise.

Everyone was supposed to be asleep. Perhaps a few of the servants were still awake, busy preparing for tomorrow’s celebration? So, why did he hear footsteps in front of his door?

Stryg tried focusing on the noise outside the room, in hopes of finding out how many were out there, but he couldn’t quite make out a heartbeat. The door must have been too thick. He suddenly regretted not bringing his spear. Hell, he would have even settled for a sword.

Stryg crawled over to the door. He dug his claws into the soft granite wall and climbed up and above the door. He could feel the strain of his weight coming down on his hands and feet, but he could hold himself up for at least a few minutes without issue. If someone wanted to ambush him in his sleep they were about to experience a reality check.

Stryg waited above the doorway with bated breath, he could hear the footsteps right outside the door, but the doorknob did not move. Suddenly the sound of footsteps disappeared. He placed his ear to the wall, yet he could not hear anything.

Stryg slowly turned the doorknob and peeked out from above the door. No one was there. The torches out in the hallway were extinguished. He hopped off the wall and went to close the door when he heard a faint giggling. He jumped out into the hallway and caught sight of a small figure running right past the corridor.

Stryg tilted his head in curiosity and walked up to the corridor cautiously. He peeked out the corner, but the figure was already running down the next hall. He barely saw their feet disappear around the corner.

Stryg was becoming peeved. He let orange mana flow through his body and spell-casted an agility spell centered around his legs. He ignored the burning of his muscles from the exertion and dashed down the hall.

When he turned the corner he froze. A little girl in a simple white dress stood in the middle of the hall, staring at him. Her pale cheeks were bunched in a bright smile. Her blonde hair fell down to her knees and blew around her. Her crimson eyes were right on Stryg, yet she wasn’t looking at him. She seemed oddly familiar.

The girl laughed and ran around the corner. Stryg took a long agonizing moment to decide if he should give chase. His instincts told him to run away, but his curiosity won over. He ran after her, but when he turned the corner she was gone.

Stryg glanced at the walls of the hall. There were no open windows. So why was her hair blowing in the wind? He took a deep breath. There was no scent in the air.

“What the fuck?” He muttered.

The sound of giggling echoed through the hall.

Stryg shook his head, “Nope, uh-uh. This isn’t worth it.”

He turned around and walked back to his room.