Golnar sat in the big chair behind the desk in the study off the throne room. He was very tired. He had not slept much the last two nights. The first night he waited up, hoping to hear that Philo was successful. He had waited on edge, hoping to hear that Gryphon Keene was no more. Instead, he was meet with the news that the queen had escaped. Philo had come in to Golnar’s room late that night, wet and filthy. He dropped down in a chair in Golnar’s room looking angry.

“I take it you weren’t successful,” said Golnar disappointingly.

“We were so close,” said Philo rubbing his face. “There is no way the woman should still be alive.”

“What happened?” asked Golnar.

“She came with her protector, Talon Wendell, and Kedan. They picked up the false young king and some girl in Clarton. One of our soldiers almost killed her, but she was moved at the last second. We killed the girl in their party. It did manage to make the false king run and the protector, Ansel went after him. Gryphon was vulnerable with only Kedan and Talon Wendell to help her.”

“Why is she still alive then?”

“Talon Wendell and Gryphon are not unskilled. They were able to fight well, but if you want to know the real reason Gryphon is still alive, I will tell you. It is Kedan.”

“Kedan?” asked Golnar disbelievingly. “He has no magic. What could he have possibly done against you?”

“I sent a curse to kill Gryphon. Kedan jumped in front of her with some kind of sword, and the curse did not hit her. By the time I was ready to strike again, Ansel had made his way back. She killed most of our remaining forces and threw me into the forest. She is too powerful for us in the presence of her protector.”

Golnar hung his head down. “We cannot win if Gryphon Keene survives. I don’t know how to make you understand it, but she will destroy us.”

“I know,” said Philo staring at Golnar. “I can feel her power. She is beyond anything we can face. I have known the woman all her life, but she is different now. If you want to recreate Regventus in the image of your plans, you cannot go forward while she breaths.”

“What do you suggest we do?” asked Golnar.

“I’m not sure, yet. We must find a way to get to her when Ansel can’t protect her. Find a time when he is away from her.”

“Is there ever such a time? When she is out in the kingdom, he is always with her.”

“We will have to find a way to strike her where she feels safe,” said Philo thinking. “We may need to think about this in a different way. Magic is not the only way to kill her.”

“What ideas do you have?”

“A few. I will think on it and get back to you. I need to go see what soldiers made it back from Clarton. Gryphon and her group took down a large number.”

Philo had quit the room, and Golnar stayed up through the night thinking of ways to rid the world of this queen. He stayed up through the rest of the day. The next night he was exhausted, but he was too frightened to sleep. He knew the dreams would come. Golnar had dozed off a couple of times. Each time he awoke quickly when Gryphon Keene would appear in his dreams. Now, in the light of the mid-day his eyes ached to close.

Golnar laid his head back against his chair and tried to fight the sleep that wanted to overtake him. He would not succumb. He could not look at Gryphon. He could not stare into the queen’s eyes anymore. He blinked several times, but eventually he could not win. His eyes closed and he felt himself nod off.

Golnar was in the throne room. He walked up to the dais to find Gryphon Keene sitting down on the dais with her legs over the edge. She wore a dark blue gown with the sun of Adalwen stitched on it. Her crown was atop her head with her dark red hair flowing down her shoulders. Golnar stared at her. He had never seen anyone look so beautiful and terrifying.

“I can see you still don’t have your magic figured out,” said Gryphon looking down at Golnar.

“No, my queen, it’s still not working.”

“It won’t ever work for you. You’ve ruined it for yourself. You poisoned yourself with your selfish, evil ways. Your magic won’t respond to you now.”

“I can think of ways to make it respond,” said Golnar angrily. “You don’t know what you are talking about.”

Gryphon laughed. She smiled down at Golnar. “You like to tell yourself things that aren’t true just to make yourself feel better. You know your magic won’t wake up. It’s still in you, but you have no control over it. You’ve tainted it too much. I should take your magic from you. I should set it free.”

Golnar sneered at Gryphon. “I will find a way to end you.”

Gryphon smiled. She hopped down off the dais and landed on her feet lightly. She circled around Golnar her long dress dragging on the floor of the throne room.

“You cannot kill me, Golnar,” said Gryphon.

“You are mortal. I can and will kill you.”

Gryphon laughed at him again. “Once again you love to comfort yourself with lies, don’t you? I want you to be honest with yourself. You know you cannot kill me. I could give you a knife right now, and you could not kill me with it.”

Gryphon stopped circling Golnar she stood right in front of him. She had a small smile on her face as she studied Golnar. He stared at her. He wanted to look away, but he could not. It hurt to look at her, but he could not look away.

“You could give up. You could stop what you are doing and accept your fate. If you keep going it will not matter, you will fail. Save yourself from the future pain and end this,” said Gryphon.

Golnar felt drawn to Gryphon. He could not stop staring at her. He wanted to submit to what she was saying. He could give up. He could stop what he was doing. He could fall down and beg for mercy. Maybe she would find a way to give it to him.

“Golnar,” said Gryphon quietly.

“Yes, my queen,” he responded staring at her.

“You don’t want to do this. You want rest. Let me help you.” Gryphon reached out for him.

Golnar felt something cold in his hands. He tore his eyes form Gryphon and looked down. He was holding a long sharp knife. He looked at Gryphon. She had one eyebrow raised like she was daring him to try. Golnar grasped his hand around the knife, and held it up.

“Will you do it, do you think?” asked Gryphon. “Do you think you really want to do it? Do you think you actually can?”

Golnar drew his arm back. He stared at Gryphon, not knowing what to do. He didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to drop the knife. He wanted to cry at her feet, but he could not let himself feel that week and vulnerable. He finally closed his eyes and lunged forward with the knife towards her. He was stopped when someone caught his arm. Golnar opened his eyes to find Kedan holding his arm.

“Kedan, what are you doing?” asked Golnar. Kedan’s grip on Golnar was tight. It hurt.

“You will not hurt my queen,” said Kedan smugly. Kedan tightened his grip until Golnar dropped the knife.

“I made you, Kedan. I made you and this is how you repay me?”

“You almost destroyed me,” said Kedan vehemently. “My queen has healed me. You will not touch her.”

“Come along, Kedan,” said Gryphon as she held out her hand. Kedan took her hand and placed it on his arm. “We will go now, Golnar. We will back soon to take what is mine and the gods. Regventus will be saved from you.”

Golnar watched as Gryphon and Kedan walked from the room. His eyes popped open, and he saw he was in the study. The light was fading. He had slept half the day. Golnar rubbed his eyes and straightened up in his chair. He felt cold and shaky. His dream had unnerved him. He could still feel Kedan’s firm grip on his arm. He looked down and expected to see a bruise forming where Kedan had held him. His arm was free from any marks, but it ached.

Golnar groaned and put his hands on the desk. How long would she plague him with these nightmares? Had she cast a spell on him to slowly kill him with terror and no sleep? Was there any way to stop these dreams except for killing her?

Yes, he heard Gryphon’s voice in his head. You can give up. Come to me. Fall at my feet and tell me you will end this. I can ask the gods for mercy for you. Give up, Golnar.

“No!” Golnar shouted. “You are nothing. You are not my queen. You are nothing but a problem I need to solve.”

He could hear Gryphon laughing in his head. More comforting lies, Golnar.

Golnar propped his elbow on the desk and rested his head in his hand. He would not be destroyed like this. He would persevere. He would not let her undo him. There was a knock on the door. Golnar jumped, and his heart beat faster.

“Who’s there,” he called out fearfully.

“It’s Philo,” came the reply.

Golnar took deep breaths, willing his heart to calm down. “Come in, please.”

Philo opened the door and entered. He came and sat down in front of Golnar, looking closely at him.

“What is the matter with you?”

“I haven’t slept well lately, but it is no matter. Why are you here?”

“I have some good news I think might cheer you up,” said Philo excitedly.

“Unless you came to tell me you have the body of Gryphon Keene to show me, nothing will cheer me up.”

“I don’t have the body yet, but I have a way to make sure I can bring it to you.”

“What do you mean?” asked Golnar. “Is this another one of your plans that will not work?”

“I feel good about this one. I think I can get us into Abscon,” said Philo with a smile.

“How will you do it?”

“A few of my soldiers came back from Clarton. They came back with guests, three of Ansel’s protector guards. I think with some persuasion we can convince at least one of them to get us into Abscon.”

Golnar smiled. “Do whatever you have to do to get into Abscon. Do whatever you have to do to kill the queen. I don’t care how many men it takes.”

Philo smiled. “I will not fail this time.”