Arcturus pushed the door open and entered.
It was strange, but the room looked exactly the same. The same desk strewn with papers, and the provost was even leaning over them in the same way Barcroft had been, staring at a long list of names.
But there was something different. There were three boys seated opposite the desk, all of them dirty-faced. They looked terrified, and Arcturus assumed they were new servants, there to replace the servants who had defected to the rebels. But they looked a little young, the smallest looking little older than Elaine.
“Ah, Arcturus, there you are,” Forsyth said, beckoning him closer. “Come here.”
Arcturus walked over, and the provost threw an arm around his shoulders.
“Would you believe it, but that new king of ours has been pestering me about you all damned week,” he said cheerfully, pulling Arcturus aside.
He lowered his voice, and gestured to the three servants behind him.
“Not much to look at, are they?” he said. “But I see some resemblance. Don’t you?”
“Resemblance, Provost, sir?” Arcturus asked, glancing back at the boys.
Obadiah gave Arcturus a strange smile.
“If I’m to tell you, I must rely on your upmost discretion, do you understand? If it were my choice, you would not know at all, but King Harold insisted, so here we are.”
Arcturus stared at the provost, his confusion deepening.
“They’re some of our new common students, of course,” Obadiah said.
“Oh,” Arcturus said, still confused.
“And they are your brothers. Well, half brothers.”
Arcturus’s heart stilled in his chest. Could it be?
“I’ve told them you all probably share the same father,” Obadiah hissed. “That’s it, understand? Nothing about being noble bastards.”
But Arcturus was barely listening. He lurched toward the three boys, and suddenly his vision was blurred, eyes tearing up at the sight of them.
The black hair, that pale skin. He rushed over, and felt their arms around him.
He knew what he had to do then. There were more like him out there, scattered across the empire. All he had to do was find them.
“You’re safe now,” Arcturus breathed, holding them close. He had never felt so happy.
Because after all the loss, all the suffering and bloodshed, he finally had what he’d always wanted. A family.
DEMONOLOGY
MITE - LEVEL 1
(Elaine Lovett)
Mites are the most common demon in Hominum’s part of the ether and are the food source of many demonic species. Though there are several species of smaller, insectlike Mites, Scarab Mites are the most powerful of the Mite genus. These demons appear as large flying beetles and vary from dull brown to brightly colored. When full grown, a Scarab develops a weapon to complement their powerful mandibles: a nasty stinger, which can temporarily paralyze their enemy. Many summoners use Mites as scouts to explore the ether before sending a more powerful demon in to hunt.
SHRIKE - LEVEL 4
These birdlike demons migrate annually across Hominum’s part of the ether, making entry extremely dangerous for one week of the year. Well known for their long black feathers, their wingspan is as wide as a man is tall, with each wing’s endmost feathers tipped with bleached white. A Shrike’s beak is hooked, with a bright-red wattle underneath its neck and a red ridge along the top of its head like that of a rooster.
STRIX - LEVEL 4
(Damien Rook)
Often mistaken for the Gryphowl, the Strix appears as an owlish bird with four limbs. Their feathers are tipped with red, giving them a fearsome appearance. They are common in orcish parts of the ether, and are valued by orcish shamans for their vicious nature. It is not unknown for a Strix to kill and eat its siblings when they reach maturity.
GRYPHOWL - LEVEL 4
(Edmund Raleigh)
This demon is a combination of cat and owl, and is closely related to the Griffin and Chamrosh, though it is far rarer. Their sharp, retractable claws and beak are their best weapons, but it is their keen intelligence and agility in the air that make them such a desirable demon. The Gryphowl is a loner by nature, but will often form a close bond with its summoner and fellow demons, if treated well.
ARACH - LEVEL 6
(Charles Faversham)
The Arach appears as an enormous spider, almost as large as a wild boar. Its eight dextrous legs are capable of skillful manipulation, allowing the demon to jump as high as ten feet and grasp its opponents by the face. The Arach has three powerful abilities. The first is the gossamer spell, shooting a luminescent web that puts one in the silk of a glowworm—an adhesive that fades out of existence after a few hours. The second is its vicious sting, the venom of which is capable of killing a grown man—if the impalement of the spike does not do the job first. Finally, rather like some breeds of tarantula, the Arach is capable of releasing the bristled hair from its back to float in the air, scourging its opponents’ skin and even blinding them. Only its summoners are immune to these bristles, as well as the Arach’s venom.
SHRIKE MATRIARCH - LEVEL 6
The Shrike Matriarch is the maternal leader of a Shrike flock. Almost twice as large as the average Shrike, these demons are not to be underestimated. It is not unknown for a Matriarch to carry off juvenile Canids, should the opportunity present itself.
VULPID - LEVEL 6
(Alice Queensouth)
A close cousin to the Canid, this slightly smaller, foxlike demon has three tails and is known for its agility and speed.
CANID - LEVEL 7
(Arcturus, Edmund Raleigh)
A doglike demon with four eyes, lethal claws, a foxlike tail, and a thick ridge of fur down its spine. These demons range in size from that of a large dog to a small pony, depending on the breed.
FELID - LEVEL 7
(Scipio)
This bipedal cat demon has four eyes and the stature and intelligence of a jungle chimpanzee. Their breeds vary from leonine, tigrine and leopine, bearing resemblances to lions, tigers and leopards respectively.
GOLEM - LEVEL 8
This rare elemental-class demon can be made from many different types of minerals, including clay, mud and sand, the most powerful of which is the stone. Juvenile Golems begin at only a few feet tall, but can grow to over ten feet. They appear roughly humanoid, though they only have one large digit and an opposable thumb.
HYDRA - LEVEL 8
(Zacharias Forsyth)
A Hydra is a large demon with three snakelike heads on long, flexible necks. Its body is similar to that of a monitor lizard, at around the same size of a large Canid. These demons were once more common in Hominum’s part of the ether, but are now extremely rare.
PERYTON - LEVEL 9
(Ophelia Faversham, Elizabeth Cavendish)
The most-favored demon of the Celestial Corps, Perytons appear as winged, horse-size stags, with majestic antlers branching from their foreheads. Their front legs end in hooves, yet their back legs are clawed like a falcon’s, complete with deadly talons that can do serious damage. Instead of the traditional bobtail that most deer possess, these demons have long, elegant tail feathers. Their herds migrate sporadically across Hominum’s part of the ether, and they are considered the most common of the flying steeds available to Hominum’s summoners.
GRIFFIN - LEVEL 10
This rare demon will occasionally stray into Hominum’s part of the ether. Horse sized, it has the body, tail and back legs of a lion and the head, wings and talons of an eagle.
MINOTAUR - LEVEL 11
These humanoid demons are tall, large, hairy and muscular. They have the head of a bull and cloven hooves for feet. Unlike the Golem, they have clawed hands, which are capable of manipulating weapons, though teaching one to use them is a difficult task. It is very rare to see one of these in Hominum’s part of the ether.
NANDI - LEVEL 11
The Nandi might be described as a giant, bearlike creature, with powerful jaws and claws that can tear apart most opponents. However, it has a musculature, intelligence and agility more akin to a dog’s than that of a bear.
MANTICORE - LEVEL 12