We were making an assumption that Carca was bluffing when she said she could see everything. We were assuming she just had someone we trusted telling her all of our plans.
Certainly, after doing some research, Count Pelisir stood out as someone capable of such treachery. That was a devastating blow for May who counted him as her most trusted friend and confidant. They had a relationship of mutual trust going back to her childhood.
Whether he was the traitor or not, he had to go. What he had done to Margrin's parents, just having them exiled, was unforgivable. If he had also had them killed, he would have to die.
But there was also a chance that Pelisir wasn't helping Carca, that it was someone else or that Carca hadn't been lying about her ability to see what we were doing. The plan I had concocted would either clear or condemn the Pelisir if it went off according to plan.
I had May talk to the rest of the group individually over their lockets. They were each told to go to a particular location where they could safely practice their abilities in god form by themselves.
May couldn't talk to Pelisir. She didn't even want to see him at all, which I understood. He also had some telepathic ability which could help him learn of our plan unless we were extremely careful. I wore what jewelry I had that was designed to prevent that from happening when I met with him.
I was realizing other things about Pelisir now that I had more context. He had brought his family into the court once he had obtained a title. Remembering now the tale of his niece being an outcast like her parents, there was likely plenty of resentment toward Pelisir and his family from other nobles whether they knew the full story or not. The fact that he remained a favorite when May took the throne couldn't have helped. But he was in a position of power only surpassed by the monarch through his machinations. Dangerous person.
Fortunately, I don't think we had given him any reason to suspect we were onto him or his past. I needed to try hard to see if I could read any suspicions on his face when I talked to him.
Coming back to his rooms gave me a horrible feeling inside. I had counted him as a friend initially, and he had done much to help me. Maybe he had just been trying to deflect attention from his real personality.
He answered his door wearing his usual courtly clothes, no weapon, no armor. There was a large book open on a small table next to his usual wingback chair and a coffee service. It was just past eight bells.
“Ah, Prince Tendil, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Good morning, Count Pelisir. I have a matter of great importance I need to discuss with you. If I may?"
“Yes, please, do come in. I'll have the valet fetch some fresh coffee."
“That would be splendid, Sir."
We made small talk until Telest came back with the coffee.
"I haven't seen that one in a while. Telest is his name?”
“Yes! Excellent memory, Your Majesty. I've had him assigned to me permanently. I need someone I can trust with military matters and that sort of thing and the others are simply too talkative."
“Ah, that's a fact, Sir! I'm sure you've heard the Naked Prince stories."
When I said that he stopped mid sip, spitting out his coffee and wiping his face with his napkin.
“I'm sure I don't know of what y …”
"Oh, it's quite alright Pelisir. I'm not the bashful type. But look, the reason I'm here, we have a very important mission for you. For the team really, but you're the key to pulling it off. We have a plot planned for early this evening if you're agreeable.”
"How could I not be, Your Majesty? I'm a warrior after all.”
"Carca, as you know, has told us that she sees and hears everything we do.”
"Yes, I was there for her grand entrance at the wedding, the Witch.”
"Well, we've found out how she's getting her information.”
And there it was! As soon as I said that, the briefest flinch of the eye and slightly averted gaze. The signs of guilt. We had him!
“We're going to lay a little trap and you'll be the bait. We're not telling anyone of the plan except you until it's time to spring it.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
You'll all be going to different locations on the pretense of practicing by yourselves in god form so that no one inadvertently gets hurt. We'll make sure Carca knows where your location is. Knowing you'll be alone, she's sure to send out two or three of the Pretenders to take you out. But we'll all be there, outnumbering them and putting the odds decidedly in our favor in the larger war. They'll never know what hit them.”
"You've studied some military strategy, Your Majesty?”
"Why, yes. A very little, but I know a trick or two.”
"It's an exceptional plan, I must say. They won't be expecting that sort of thing from us.”
“To keep things more discreet, we'll all be teleporting from our own rooms. So at precisely twelve bells, head for the point exactly 200 miles northeast from Yis-Gláz in the Waste. If you think that precise location, you will arrive at the correct point. Do you have any questions?”
"No, Your Majesty. I think that's quite enough. If I'm in the wrong location, I'll simply come back here.”
"Very well, Count, and May the gods be with you.”
Once back with May, I had her get in touch with the rest of the crew, giving them orders to proceed to various locations at twelve bells and to return after an hour of practice.
And at noon, we began the wait. We had Waldinor bring us a light luncheon of cucumber sandwiches and tea and ate in silence, dreading the results of our experiment, but hoping it would be the end of the mystery.
Looking down at my sandwich, I heard May give a sudden gasp. Looking up, Pelisir stood behind her in full armor with the tip of his greatsword to the back of her neck.
“Did you think I would fall for that drivel, Bascombe? It'll be a cold day in Hell when I'm outsmarted by a Human!”
"Pelisir, put down the sword! I know you don't want to hurt May!”
"Hah! That enchantment has quite breathed its last, I can assure you!”
"No, Pelisir, we spoke not long ago about your concern for her, don't you remember?”
"That was before she married you, you imbecile! Do you think I still want this tainted creature?”
May shouted "I've never loved you, Pelisir! So how can you feel you've lost anything? I was never yours to lose!”
"Now's not the time, Love!” I cautioned.
"If not now, when, My Prince?”
As she said that, May ducked her head and shoved her chair back into Pelisir's midsection, knocking him backward. I sprung from my chair onto him and, the next thing I knew, we were on the Ethereal Plane.
May and I both assumed godform quickly, as did Pelisir. The two of us drew steel and the three of us began to circle one another.
Before one of us could get on his backside, Pelisir suddenly froze in place. A surprised look on his face.
Coming out from behind him was Janiver.
“I wasn't expecting company during my practices. To what do I owe the honor?"
“We suspected Pelisir of treachery," I said, “and we were right. Maintain your hold on him, Janiver, if you please."
“He's fighting it awfully hard, Your Majesty. I don't know how long I can keep it up."
Before anybody could do anything else, May whacked the Count across the back of the head with the hilt of her sword, knocking him unconscious.
“Well that should give us a little time to think this over." I deadpanned.
“You'd rather have been cleaved in two, Love?" was May's riposte.
“I think I would have faired a little better than that, Darling. I'm not a duffer with these blades. But we need to think of something quickly."
“Whatever your grand scheme was, let's get him back to the sanctum for the time being," Janiver pleaded, “I find this plane particularly unnerving."
"She's right, May. Let's figure this out on our home plane.”
We were back in moments. The others still at their practice sessions, Janiver produced rope and a gag and we bound Pelisir as well as we could in a chair at our table.
He was visibly perturbed and anxious as he came around, as well he should be. We held his future in our hands.
His gaze met mine and the fury within him startled me with its venom. He truly hated me, that was particularly obvious.
We really only had one choice where Pelisir was concerned — he had to be put away for 1,000 years. There was no other option I could see. Killing him wasn't an option. Not yet. We had only just now claimed our places among the gods. It was too soon to be acting like we were meant to be there.
If élois had different plans for Pelisir, so be it. But he had the ultimate say.
As if on cue, élois himself appeared before us, his sword slung on his back.
“You've done well, My Children. That's a victory we much needed in this long war. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more to assist you.”
May answered "You have your own war to fight, Lord élois. We will do our best to handle what we can.”
"What should we do with him, Lord?” I asked.
"Your first instincts were right, Child. Slay him. This one is so full of hate and villainy, there's simply no other choice. I respect and appreciate that you left the decision to me, but it really wasn't necessary. Your instincts have guided you well to this point.
Behead him. Bury his head 1,000 miles from his body. Bury the body upside down and cover the hole with an iron disc inscribed with the appropriate glyphs and sigils. Do this high in the mountains to the North of the Waste where he won't be found. This isn't foolproof, but it's the best we can do. Never divulge the location of the burial site. Do it before the others return and never speak his name again.”
And as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.
“I'll handle the burial." Janiver volunteered.
“Nay, Janiver, I'll go with you. There can be no room for mistrust," May corrected her.
And they were gone, with Pelisir. I was left alone for the time being to ponder what had just happened. Pelisir had seen through our plotting. Who knows for how long? The obvious takeaway was that we were overconfident in our abilities of deception. Me in particular. I needed to douse my ego from that point forward. It meant the difference in our success or failure.
The others began to appear, returning from their assigned practice locations: Margrin, Brevid, and Milost. After a few moments, the questions began — “Where are the other three?"
It was distasteful, but I laid out the whole of the story, from Margrin's parents, through Pelisir's most recent treachery and what was being done with him then at the behest of élois. It was a sad day but also one of closure and relief that our enemy had been uncovered.
Now, to face the other Pretenders and end the threat of their evil.