amedia

Title: Heart and Soul 8/10
Author: Amedia
Summary: An attack on Glitch draws Cain, Raw, and the members of the royal household into a mystery with magical overtones.
Rating: PG for implied violence and mild slash.
Warning: Slash. Cain/Glitch.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest Entertainment. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Note: I need to give a shout-out to my very hard-working beta reader, who commented on three drafts with precision and insight.
Also posted here on

glitch_wyatt and here on

tin_and_straw.

Part One may be found here.
Part Two may be found here.
Part Three may be found here.
Part Four may be found here.
Part Five may be found here.
Part Six may be found here.
Part Seven may be found here.

"We don't have to have your compliance," said the Tutor coldly. DG and Az were staring at him in surprise; Cain realized the princesses had probably only ever seen him as a kindly teacher. A person didn't get to be the Tutor of Magic to the Royal Household by being cuddly. "The easiest solution, if you resist, is to have Azkadellia take the life-energy from Cain's body and force your soul to leave."

"That wouldn't return the body to you in usable condition," she said.

"It wouldn't be an optimal choice," the Tutor said. "But it would be preferable to allowing you to continue to use it."

She looked contemptuously at Azkadellia. "You're bluffing. Things have changed. In her present condition, she doesn't have the power to remove me."

"She does if I help her," said DG forcefully, clasping hands with Az.

Airofday looked at the soft light that was generated by the princesses' clasped hands. "I know more dark magic than you may realize," she said. "It would be quite a battle."

"In the end," said Azkadellia firmly, "you would lose."

Ahamo rose from his chair and stepped forward. "Airofday," he pleaded, "don't do this. The people who loved you as you were wouldn't want you to be like this."

"No one loved me," she said coldly.

"I did," said Ahamo.

"Ha!" she said bitterly. "I gave you many chances, and you rebuffed me every time."

"There are many kinds of love," he said. "I loved you like a daughter. Like the daughters I thought I had lost forever to the forces of evil." Keeping eye contact, he spoke from his heart. "I don't want to lose you to the darkness."

Airofday blinked that slow blink that used to show off the sequined eyes painted on her eyelids—another gesture that was incongruous on Cain's face—and smiled. "And I thought you just visited me to pick up information." Again she had that calculating look, the look of one who had just discovered critical new information and was adjusting her evaluation of a situation.

Ahamo continued. "I don't know if you've fully considered our last interaction. You know now that the girl on the wanted poster was the lost princess." He nodded toward DG.

"So?"

"You brought her to me, remember? If you hadn't, she would never have completed her quest in time, and the Witch would have won. The O.Z. would now be in complete darkness. Airofday, you're not a criminal. You were instrumental in saving us all."

The Queen spoke for the second time, with quiet regal grace. "Your name shall not be forgotten," she said to Airofday. "Let it be remembered for the good you have done."

They could almost see thoughts whirling behind Cain's eyes as Airofday took in their words. Finally, she relaxed visibly. " I guess that makes me one of the good guys," she said. "I never wanted to be a killer. I was so angry—I thought I wanted revenge—I guess what I really wanted was to see justice done." She turned to the Tutor. "What do I need to do?"

He smiled. "Nothing. Stand still, and when you feel a tugging sensation, don't resist."

He walked right up to her, then stepped back, counting. At exactly three paces he stopped and began to chant softly in the language of the ancients. As he spoke, he moved both arms in sweeping circular motions, as if he were pulling something toward him. His voice grew louder and louder until the words echoed all around and magical power trembled in the air.

Cain's body shuddered, and a faint smoke seemed to come from his mouth and nose, coalescing into a translucent form that took on the shape of a lovely young woman with long hair. She took a step aside, and Cain's body dropped like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Glitch moved over to kneel next to him.

Ahamo smiled at the ghost of Airofday. She smiled back, did a slow blink, and vanished.

Part Nine