"Stay out of this!"

I freeze a few meters away.

His shout ruined any chance of a surprise attack.

Was this really the time for him to be honourable and want a one on one fight?!

What happened to doing anything to topple the King?

Then I feel the waves of emotion rolling off Larcen and I understand.

It's not that he wants to be honourable - it's that he wants to be the one to destroy the King.

The King's attention doesn't waver from Larcen's attacks, but he maneuvers them so he can get a look at me as well.

"Well, if it isn't the late Lady Auron. You father would be so disappointed."

My hackles rise at those words but I say nothing.

He's trying to manipulate me through my emotions.

He parries another of Larcen's attacks easily.

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Larcen is already breathing heavily and covered in sweat but the King looks unruffled.

He even speaks conversationally like this is nothing out of the ordinary.

"You always were the disappointment though, weren't you? Helena was the one with a head for tactics - the one he could share his pa.s.sions with."

His words are targeted at my own insecurities with deadly accuracy but I try as hard as I can to ignore them.

I refuse to play into his hands.

"And now, here you are - taking orders from this commoner. You've obviously learnt nothing from your father. He would have slit my neck himself, still I suppose there is a tactical advantage to sending a Void - if only he was more skilled. Alas, you lost control of the other one, didn't you?"

He prattles on like he has no care in the world and it makes me want to punch his smug face.

It takes a while for the true meaning of his words to sink in through the haze of annoyance.

A Void…?

But he mentioned 'the other one' which was clearly Kent so…

Larcen?!

But I can feel Larcen!

I've always been able to feel Larcen strongly!

… Just like I could feel Kent once he lost control.

A Void whose dark emotions are stronger than their comforting nothing.

What did father call it?

A tainted Void?

If Larcen's a tainted Void then…

"Touch him!"