* * *
In a cave overlooking the destroyed palace, the three men stood over Remus’ body. Romulus crumbled to the ground with the dagger lodged in his side. Cailean ripped it out, half expecting there to be another string of red light around the blade. He sighed, relieved at the sight of the clean blade.
Brian moved Remus’ body to the side and returned to help Cailean heal Romulus. Their hands hovered above the wound. A blue light appeared in their palms as they chanted a healing spell. After about two minutes of chanting, Romulus' wound healed without a trace of trauma.
“How could you heal me but could not save my damn brother!” Romulus shouted at them.
“Because it was not the poisonous dagger that killed Remus. By all rights, that wound should have healed. Have you forgotten what Pluto did to you the day you conquered Alba Longa? The only object or person with the ability to kill Remus was you. The fact that it was you who stabbed him with the enchanted dagger is what prevented us from healing him. You are now a true immortal, impervious to death except by the hand of your brother,” Brian raged.
The brothers left Romulus to grieve with Remus’ body. It took all of Brian’s self-control not to attack Romulus for killing his best friend and chasing Breanna out of the kingdom. Brian was surprised at Cailean’s self-control as well. The brothers knew they had a long journey ahead of them and took advantage of the only time they would have to mourn their beloved friend.
After their tears dried, the men agreed to bury the king in the cave that overlooked his former kingdom. It took Cailean and Brian an hour to conjure a marble sarcophagus worthy of a great king. The engraved coffin told the story of his life, from when Lupa raised him to when he died in his brother’s arms.
Once finished, the three men decided they should hide the dagger with Remus. “We cannot afford to have this weapon unleashed into the world. If Eversor uses it again, the world will be in great danger,” Brian said, placing the dagger into Remus’ belt.
When the men closed Remus in the sarcophagus, they each cried silently. Romulus slumped over the cover, weeping on the stone chest of his brother.
Afterwards, Brian explained to Romulus the origins of the dagger. He provided the history of Eversor and the collection of power the gods formed during the Trojan War. Brian secretly knew who The Queen was but did not divulge that information to Romulus in case he tried to take The Power for himself.
Unfortunately, they had left the city without transportation. The o’Conaill brothers summoned three wild horses that resided over the ridge to take them to their destinations. Romulus headed south to his kingdom, while the brothers headed west to find either Alina and Lysandros or Breanna and Eoghan.
In the distance, they could hear two wolves howl in lament for the fallen king.