The Derby Result

Genie landed on a gravel path that formed part of a low hedge maze to the Manning Mansion, which was Lady Foster and Aldrick-pasha's home.

"What was she doing back here?" He wondered with concern.

Whistling sounds sailed toward him. He ducked and dived as a rapid flow of darts flew out to attack him.

"Spirit Shield: block!" He called upon a unique magic to him, which erected an energy barrier to block the dart attacks. It followed him as he did evade-rolls to block an overhead dart folly.

"Spirit Surge: kai!" His body swelled with an intense blue aura and eyes glowed a maddening green, similar to Lyon's when he performed spirit intrusion magic. A wave of dense magic was released from his being to knock out inflight attacks and the hidden attackers with one power wave blast.

His eyes glanced at a nearby fallen body of a masked assassin in all-black leather armor from head to toe. The body released a gas that caused it to disintegrate, but a dart was carelessly left behind. He picked it up and saw a pentagon star symbol etched on the metal.

"Shadow Cabal," he hissed as he magically stowed the dart in his belt pouch and wobbled to his feet, swallowing a pill to restore his spirit energy. The area was still and quiet.

He headed for the front door, where Lady Foster was waiting for him by the entrance porch.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, and I hope you have a good reason why I shouldn't drag you in chains to my brother." Genie's words were steeped with tones of anger and a clear threat.

"Genie-bey. Forgive me. I'll explain." Lady Foster gestured for him to take a seat on a porch sofa. "If you could please place a barrier around us, for what I'm about to say is better to be private."

He eyed her carefully before erecting a barrier around them. "Right, start talking and don't leave anything out. Why is the Shadow Cabal here?"

"They're keeping eyes on me, and stopping intrusions."

She bowed and began her story of how one of the Sekkat Priests had stumbled upon her husband's secret identity while he was sneaking into their mansion vaults. "You see, the Valide Sultan had hired malkin assassins to find leverage on us for her ploys to aid the demon king."

Genie listened attentively as he learned of Aldrick-pasha's mother being one of Valerr's pledged-concubines of a low rank. Generally, that wouldn't be considered a problem unless the person was appointed to a high privilege duty such as Chief of Security. Due to Kretos's god-bound laws on Lucasyna, only the royal family blood could open the trials for positions of trust.  Genie found it disturbing and alarming if Aldrick-pasha didn't contain one drop of Marsh royal blood, and he was able to pass a trial of trust.

"How did he do it? He would've needed to open the trial gates with his blood."

"It was infused into him without his knowledge. His mother had him drink a tincture, which he believed was a preparation spell. Blood was taken from an heir at the time of his death."

Genie's heart raced with both horror and anger. "Which... heir?"

"Your elder brother the late Prince Mansenta, whom Our Prince defeated during the Crown Prince trials."

Lady Foster's story was making Genie's blood boil. He didn't know of his elder brothers who were raised separately from him and Lyon, but the fact that even his own family were pawns to the weak made him feel sick in the stomach.

"How do you know all this if your husband doesn't?"

"The sekkat priest told me. He showed me evidence of the blood tampering along with the forgery of my husband's heritage papers. I secretly had them appraised by a record keeper who validated the fact."

Genie didn't want to know what happened to the record keeper, more or less guessing that person's brief lifespan.

"I'm taking you to my brother." He stood with clear anger.

She didn't hide her worry and sadness. "If it would help, please understand why I do this. If the palace were to find out that Aldrick-pasha obtained his right to be Chief of Security unlawfully before the eyes of god, it would compromise nobility support for Lyon."

Genie clenched his hands into fists. "Tell me what you hope to achieve with your machinations."

Lady Foster explained that Valerr was blackmailing her with this, which threatened the lives of her son and daughter. Should people find out Aldrick-pasha had lied before Kretos as a worthy person of blood to have his role, it would disgrace her family and see her children innocently executed or face the harshest enslavement. It would aid the Valide Sultan's plans to dismantle Lyon's court from within. The woman's slow game was Lady Foster's only saving grace, giving her time to scramble for a solution.

"But you're still contributing!"

"I'm trying to find a way to save us both. She said she had access to the Ancestral Records."

"Let me guess, you intend to fudge the records."

She nodded that had Genie swearing aloud. While what she did and was doing was despicable and wrong, Aldrick-pasha was still innocent in all of this, and the worst fact was that exposure of the man's false identity could open floodgates for palace insurgency. He had to take this to his brother, quietly.

"Fine. This conversation didn't happen between us... for now." He removed the barrier and teleported out of her sight.

Lady Foster sighed with relief as she stepped into her home.

Genie returned to his surveillance duty, but his mind was a whirlwind of anger toward the Valide Sultan's machinations. That woman was pushing her timeline after what the Shadow Cabal had forced him to do for her. She killed her youngest child just to stay young, and he had a hand in it. If it hadn't been for Lyon... He shook his head clear from past haunts. His brother and the country's safety was the priority.

"Kairo's safety is the most needed." His eyes narrowed murderously when he added. "It's my job to protect him even if it costs my life."

He decided to visit Kairo's booth to lift his mood. Seeing the man harmlessly working the skewer stall from behind the counter, at a distance, eased his heart into a warm feeling. His heart picked up pace when Kairo momentarily lifted his head in his direction. He sighed and decided to perform his last duty for the evening.

Genie was eager to check on Lady Candice, who was running a traxon in the main race. From Lady Foster's story, he was worried she was in danger. But the girl was no dumbbell; she'd be able to spot someone trying to attack her. He just hoped he could get to her in time before she was overwhelmed.

The buzz and vibe was energetic and competitive when he stepped into the centurion contestant booth where five ladies were sitting in armchairs enjoying tea. Camaraderie and boasting was high between them. So far nothing appeared untoward, but he did quick checks with his surveillance magic to be sure.

"Genie-bey. What brings you here?" Lady Candice casually asked and added with a cocky grin. "Come to see the winner before their moment of glory?"

"Right. Just do your best." His eyes narrowed when he noticed the different color tones between her tea and the others. "How much tea have you drunk?"

"Oh?" Lady Candice glanced at her cup. "Only a little, why?"

"The stuff will give you a headache." He grabbed her cup and teapot and magically stowed it in his belt pouch. Then replaced it with an energy drink in a vial, which contained toxin cleansing effects. "For the winner."

"Fine." She grumbled as she grabbed it and began downing it with hearty gulps. "Hey, this tastes great. Thanks."

"Whelp, I have to get to my brother." He left the booth, hoping he had done enough to keep her safe. His eyes lingered on the storage pouch containing the tea. "I have to examine it later."

He teleported to retrieve Kairo and relieve the man from his duty. Then transported themselves to Lyon's throne booth. The Valide Sultan was sitting smugly on her sofa, pretending to ignore them.

"Are the riders ready?" Lyon casually asked from his sofa.

"Yes. I've checked that they're all good to go."

Lyon nodded as he stood close to the booth's opening and gestured for Kairo to stand next to him.

The stadium began to shake and tremble with the crowd's roars and cheers as the main derby event was being announced. Kairo was officially declared as the Palace House Wizard.

The focus then shifted to the racing event when Lyon returned to his sofa. Kairo and Genie shared a nearby sofa.

They watched the traxon file onto the track. Kairo's eyes widened at their spindly legs poking into the grass pitch as they walked. The creatures were huge, but seemed mild.

The race started.

The excited buzz of the crowd's cheering, the energetic narration of the commentators detailing the unfolding results, and the final ecstatic roars for Lady Candice's nail-biting victory filled the air. The confetti, magical fireworks, and lights burst into the sky overwhelmed the arena's already charged atmosphere.

Seeing that the race was over, Genie prompted Kairo to stand and take their leave.

Lyon nodded and dismissed them.

Shortly afterward, Yanmu entered to pay his respects and bid farewell. He cast a sideward glance and nod to Valerr.

"I hope the derby was a good time for you," Lyon said over his shoulder.

Yanmu smiled. "I won a decent bet."

"Hope it serves you well."

Etshian's prince coolly left the booth, and eventually the Palace of Princes with the Andes Power Scroll in his hands. In his mind, he was carrying away a victory to trump the neutrality disgrace. All his plans became centered on Kairo.