added, frowning at his daughter. “I had no choice. If she was to win these tournaments, I had to make sure she learned everything it took to be undefeatable.”
“He trained Kalon, as well,” Valaine said. “My father is, by far, one of the greatest warriors of the Aeternae.”
“And one of the most seasoned, as well. Almost a million years spent fighting for and defending our empire,” Acheron replied, smiling at his friend. “Long before Danika and I even sat on this throne, before we were even born, Corbin has had nothing but the empire’s best interests at heart.”
“You’re too kind, Your Grace,” Corbin replied.
“How many Rimians and Naloreans turned into Aeternae are there?” I asked. “I suppose you keep a record, don’t you?”
Danika smiled. “We do. Approximately five thousand.”
“Will their children be born Aeternae, too?” Amal asked. I’d almost forgotten what her voice sounded like. She’d been quiet and brooding for so long.
“No. Unfortunately, those who are turned do not inherit the full scope of our species’ genetic pool. Their children will manifest some Aeternae traits, such as enhanced senses and heightened reflexes, but they will have to be turned, as well, if they wish to be like us. Otherwise, they will be mortal.”
“So, you have children of your own?” Amal asked Beryn and Maylin.
They both nodded, but they didn’t seem too keen to answer. I had a feeling it was a touchy subject for them.
“Mine were born before I was turned. I’ve had to watch them die of old age,” Beryn said, sadness heavy in his voice. “I’m looking after my great-great-grandchildren now. They will soon be gone, as well. No one in my family has wished to be turned, though they have had that opportunity, thanks to me.”
“They don’t want immortality?” I replied.
He sighed. “No. They think it’s unnatural.”
“The Aeternae are obviously not offended by this mindset,” Petra sought to assure us, while Zoltan eyed us carefully from his seat next to her. “We understand that not everyone appreciates a forever life. It does have its downsides, which Beryn here has experienced on a deeply personal level.”
“Watching your loved ones die around you, not just other Rimians and Naloreans,” I mused. “Yes, I understand. What about you, Maylin?”
“I had my twins after I was turned. One of them wished to become an Aeternae, so I helped him secure the riches he needed. The other… she chose to age and leave me and her brother,” Maylin said, lowering her gaze.
“Hold on. So, you have to pay to become an Aeternae?” Nethissis asked.
“Most of the time, yes,” Petra said. “You see, the gift of becoming an Aeternae is incredibly precious. Immortality is an honor we cannot bestow on just anyone. The pretenders must prove that they will do what it takes; they must prove that they understand what a privilege it is.”
“Few have been the cases in which a turning has been simply… gifted,” Zoltan added. “Usually, the Rimians and the Naloreans must pay a hefty price. Fortunes that many do not have. Beryn is a good example. The second option is through the tournaments, the path Maylin took. Risking one’s life for the sake of living forever.”
“Either way, we’ve earned our seats at the table,” Beryn declared.
It drew Danika’s ire, though she kept her composure and grace. “We, the Aeternae, have been nothing but respectful toward you and all the others we’ve turned.”
“True. But it doesn’t mean you like us,” Maylin cut in with a cold grin. “After all, we’re intruders into your way of life. Someone allowed this to happen all those years ago, and you know you can’t change the laws now. Not without stirring an uprising. Five thousand of us is no joke, is it?”
Suddenly, previously unknown tensions between their species began to arise. There was bitterness coming from the Aeternae. If Maylin was right, it meant that the Aeternae did not really want to turn others, but they did it anyway, due to old laws and traditions.
“You’re talking nonsense,” Danika muttered.
“We like almost everybody,” Acheron added. “But if you’re going to be rude and gratuitously mean, Maylin, we can always rescind the dinner invitations.”
Maylin feigned shock, while Beryn pinched the bridge of his nose. I had a feeling this wasn’t the first time she was stirring trouble here. “Oh, no… Then where will I go for all the cheap theatricals? Goodness gracious!”
“What Maylin means to say is that not all the Aeternae approve of other species being turned, regardless of the laws of the land,”