And with the authority of the Void Icon, he stripped Charity’s illusion away.
The Sage of the Silver Heart stood calmly with her black-and-violet robes fluttering in the breeze. Her hair was tied back with a silver ribbon, her expression calm.
She raised one eyebrow. “Dross has grown. I thought he was damaged in the Titan’s attack on your valley.”
“Charity.” Lindon pressed his fists together and bowed. “I would be grateful if you would overlook this.”
“Inciting a member of our head family to steal one of our core secrets is a grave offense. Especially for a Sage. Power like yours carries heavy responsibility.”
“If it lightens my punishment, I knew you were there from the beginning. I was hoping to speak with you.”
Charity’s face was an icy mask. “What are you dragging Mercy into?”
“I want her to help us fight the Dreadgods.”
She gave a humorless laugh. “You take them too lightly.”
“If Yerin and I can fight them now, Mercy can catch up.” He leaned closer, projecting honesty. “She could be a real asset. With your father gone, you’re missing a pillar of the family. Humanity is weaker than it has been in…I don’t know how long. Don’t you need her at our level now rather than later? Why hold her back?”
He was telling the truth, if not the whole truth. He wanted Mercy stronger so that she could help him pressure the Monarchs into advancing. Even if she wouldn’t fight her mother, the other Monarchs wouldn’t fully trust Malice when her daughter was set against them.
But one step at a time.
“Rushed advancement almost always results in damage or instability,” Charity said. “Exceptions do not change the rules, and this situation is not necessarily the existential threat you imagine. We have endured other Dreadgod assaults, and we will endure this one.” She folded her hands in front of herself. “One might begin to suspect you had ulterior motives, Lindon. Even that you were working against us.”
Lindon tried not to sweat.
[She knows,] Dross whispered. [Use the traps.]
It was difficult to hide things from the senses of a Sage, but not impossible. Especially for another Sage.
Beneath Charity’s feet lay a host of concealed scripts and constructs, all placed by Lindon days ago. Just in case.
They were part of Lindon’s backup plan, but as that plan involved fighting Charity and escaping, he didn’t want to use it.
“I’ve kept my oath,” Lindon insisted. “I haven’t told Mercy anything. But I don’t see how keeping her at Overlord is an advantage. The Book has everything she needs, so she could advance as quickly as she could acclimate to the forces.”
“I know it’s possible, but it is not beneficial for her. She is in no danger from the Dreadgods. Frankly, it sounds to me like you are trying to manipulate her without her knowledge. Which I will not allow.”
The air around Charity darkened, and Lindon felt frustration burning in his chest. “Then you tell her!” He realized he’d shouted, and moderated his tone. “Apologies. But I don’t like keeping this secret. If she knew the situation, she could make her own decision.”
Charity revealed nothing of her thoughts. “If her mother thought Mercy needed to know, she would have told her. Or I would have.”
“Mercy would want Malice to ascend rather than endangering others.” When Charity didn’t react, he pushed harder. “Apologies, but you have to know it’s true. Mercy would never allow the Dreadgods to keep killing people when it’s possible to remove them.”
Charity’s eyes widened. Just slightly, but Dross made sure Lindon couldn’t miss it.
And Lindon interpreted the sudden shock and horror that cracked the mask.
Dross gasped in delight when he recognized what Charity’s expression meant, and pressure tightened around Lindon’s throat. Malice had made him swear not to reveal the truth “to the uninformed.”
The intention was more important than the phrasing, but Lindon had known what she meant. His own intent was clear.
He wouldn’t reveal the connection between the Monarchs and the Dreadgods to anyone he wasn’t certain already knew. And he had been certain that Charity did.
Malice had told him already that she told Sages and Heralds. How would she not have told her own granddaughter?
Dross calmed down from his uproarious laughter to speak, [Aaahhhh, but that’s not what she said! She tells Sages and Heralds that have a good chance of advancement, or that get close to the truth on their own. Charity has never tried to advance to Monarch. She’s never wanted to. And now…we get to see what’s on the other end of total spiritual collapse!]