I am Lincoln Vidar Osric Aquilus, High Prince of the Thrax. My people are renowned as the greatest demon hunters across Heaven, Hell, Earth, Purgatory, and the Dark Lands. At eighteen years old, I’ve killed precisely one thousand four hundred and thirty-seven demons in hand-to-hand combat, more than any other thrax in history. All of which leads to a single inescapable conclusion.

I can make it through this breakfast with my mother.

At least, I think I can.

“You haven’t touched your eggs, my son.” Mother spears a strawberry off her plate. After many years of maternal encounters, I’ve learned to keep my mouth closed in situations like this one. Mother will bring up her true concerns when she’s good and ready.

In reply, I merely maintain her stare. We’ve an odd relationship, but a close one. We’re both natural schemers, so neither wants to pass up a test of intelligence and charm.

“Perhaps you dislike formal breakfasts,” says Mother as she gestures to my tunic.
“I’m fine with wearing royal garb to meals. Rest assured, all my Batman costumes are safely packed away.” As a child, I fought hard to dress as a human superhero. Unlike demon killing, that was one battle I ultimately lost.

“So you say.” A small smile rounds Mother’s mouth. “Those tunics hide quite a lot.”

“True. I’ve a Bohemian Rhapsody T-shirt on under this thing.”

“I have no idea what that is, but I’m pleased to see you turned out so well.”

This morning, I’m dressed in a velvet tunic, leather pants, and tall boots. Meanwhile, Mother looks regal and lethal in her black velvet gown. She has porcelain skin, delicate features, and an all-knowing glare that reduces hardened warriors to mush.

Needless to say, I’m pleased that her glare has softened. I must remember to work Batman into our conversations more often.

For a few minutes, Mother and I continue our breakfast in silence. It would be pleasant, except for the setting. Our new feasting hall is located in Purgatory.

Yes, Purgatory.

This place combines the worst of a rundown human suburb with the best of a rotting Dumpster. The sky is constantly cloudy with two types of weather: rainy and about to rain. It’s part of the magic of this realm that the weather is always dreary. Plus, the sky never reveals the sun or moon, and even if it did, those celestial bodies follow different patterns than they do in other realms.

Closing my eyes, I let my thoughts return to the glittering caverns of my homeland. As a rule, thrax live underground on Earth in the realm of Antrum. For some reason, the oracle angel, Verus, has demanded the royal family—and our noble entourage—move to Purgatory for a short period of time. This wasn’t a popular idea, but the oracle’s word is law, so we arrived here three months ago. Until Verus sets us loose, our days will be spent in tents and wooden halls like this one.

I scan the empty benches around me and sigh. It’s hard being separated from the bulk of my people. Quiet breakfasts like this only make things worse. Usually our feasting hall is packed with thrax sharing breakfast at communal tables. However, today Mother insisted on having a family-only morning meal, which in this case translates into me, Mother, and a half-dozen terrified workers. Father should get here any minute now. I can only hope he arrives before Mother’s temper returns.

As if in reply to my thoughts, Mother spears another wilted strawberry with a vengeance. Looks like her temper will resurface before Father does. Bugger.

“You never answered my question,” says Mother. “You haven’t touched your food.” She spears a grape with such force the entire table wobbles.

“Careful there,” I say. “You’ll bring down the roof down.”

“One perk of being queen. I can bring down roofs and no one says a thing.”

At those words, the half-dozen servants in the room visibly shiver.

There’s no question about the general topic of Mother’s angst, either. It’s always the same issue: the House of Acca. That tribe is the largest and most troublesome of all thrax.

At this point, problems with Acca could fall into one of two categories.

One, Mother might be worried about my impending marriage contract with Acca’s most eligible noblewoman, Lady Adair. If Mother thinks there are problems on that front, she would be sorely mistaken. It’s a business arrangement, nothing more. I’d regret that, but I’m a prince. I always knew I’d never marry for love.

Two—and far more worrisome—would be if Mother discovered my ongoing scheme against Aldred, the dreaded Earl of Acca himself. I’ve many issues with the Earl, but my largest is how Aldred keeps leading his warriors into ill-planned demon attacks on the Earth’s surface. Thanks to the Earl of Acca, hundreds of good thrax meet bad ends every week. I meet with the families of the fallen, trying to provide comfort as their worlds fall apart. So many tears and ruined lives…and all so the Earl can prove his so-called prowess in battle.

It’s outrageous.

Even worse, my parents have forbidden me from doing anything to stop Aldred’s bloodshed. Per some ancient treaty, if I interfere with Aldred’s rights to lead his troops, then the Earl has the unmitigated right to execute me on the spot.

And as every royal knows, execution threats and breakfast do not mix well.

PURCHASE LINKS

Page 111… Discovering the Medusa Basilisk

Kull walked in front of me, and my father behind. We didn’t speak. It seemed as if even the sound of our voices would break the fragile spell shrouding the room. I wasn’t sure what sort of creature would have been held prisoner here. I studied the lines of runes covering the sand, realizing the spell might have been more complicated than I’d first thought. A few of the symbols I recognized, but most spells were never written. Still, some of the characters were familiar. The Ӿ-shaped symbol meant light.

“The runes,” I murmured. “Can you read them, Kull?”

“Yes, a few.”

“What do they mean?”

He pointed to a symbol near the center. “That arrow-shaped symbol means serpent. It’s been repeated quite a few times.”

I wasn’t getting a good feeling about this. I hated snakes.

“Wait,” Kull said, holding out his hand to stop me. “Look there.”

In front of him, an onyx statue carved to look like a snake lay across our path. Kull took a step forward, and held up his lantern. As the light touched the scales, the snake transformed, and flaming blue eyes opened.

The snake hissed, revealing its fangs. Kull removed his sword in one swift motion as the snake coiled, preparing to strike. He swung at the head, but the snake darted back, then slithered toward the center of the room.

Its lithe body slid over the sand, destroying the runes as it went. The room rumbled, and the floor sank in the center as a hole opened. The sand drained through it, emptying like an hourglass. The snake disappeared through the hole. We stood with our weapons ready.

“There go the runes,” Rolf said.

“And the snake. You think it will be back?” Heidel asked.

“Maybe Kull scared it off?” I said.

“Not likely,” he answered.

“What was it doing here?” Rolf asked. “You’d think if a snake lived down here, it would’ve disrupted the sand and all those runes before now, wouldn’t it?”

“It wasn’t an ordinary snake,” my father said. “I believe it was a basilisk.”

“Those are real?”

“They’re real, but they’re not going to turn you to stone, thankfully. Still, they’re extremely dangerous. I believe our light must’ve woken the beast. It had most likely been in this tomb for centuries, protected by the runes that kept it asleep. However, the spells to keep it unconscious are very sensitive, even light disrupts their balance.”

Kull cursed. “So, we’ve unleashed a basilisk?”

“Yes, but the question is—what sort of basilisk is it?”

“There are different types?”

“Yes, let’s hope it’s not a shape changer. Then we might be in some trouble.”

The sand continued pouring through the hole, its sound like waves moving through water.

“Let’s not wait around and find out,” Kull said. “Follow me.” He moved swiftly across the chamber toward the doorway on the opposite side. As I followed, I glanced at the hole. Most of the sand had drained, leaving only patches on the floor, the tiny crystals turning blue under the fey light.

When we approached the doorway, a stone slid over the opening, booming shut. We turned, but the entrance we’d come through also sealed. At the center above the hole, an image in the shape of a female appeared. Her form was translucent at first, with metallic skin, almost as if she were made of bronze. She was hairless and nude, though she had no features, like a mannequin. Slits replaced her eyes, but as her head swiveled and she focused on us, they opened and burned blue, like the snake.

My father cursed, catching me off guard. “It’s a Medusa Basilisk. Have your weapons ready.”