by J G Jerome
The critters are back in a couple of minutes, each dragging partially eaten elf corpses. They lay out their prizes, stack their PB on them, and stand at attention.
They salute Carla. “Permission to return home, Captain.”
Carla stands and salutes them like she knows how to do it. “Thank you for your service, my critters. You are dismissed.” She drops the salute, and all three disappear with their prizes.
Rebecca gets up. “I’ll make a tonic for Viktorija to help with her constitution, and get Ilara’en some tea with chamomile, lavender, and turmeric to reduce inflammation. Those are standard food products she should be able to metabolize.
I nod as I pull entropy energy from her body and push growth into her. Her injury appears to be about the same. I tell her, “Ilara’en, I don’t want to do too much until the bones are aligned. This level of injury normally can be fixed here, but it requires significant surgery and intensive medical care. What I can do is limited, and I honestly don’t know if the limit is my craft or my knowledge and experience. I’m a beginner at this. I can keep pumping you full of healing energy, and I think it will stop the bleeding and put your organs right. It can’t fix your spine until everything is lined up properly. That requires medical knowledge and skills that I don’t have. None of my ladies have it, either.”
I scratch my scalp. “We need a healer that can put your bones in the correct alignment without killing you in the process. Option B is, I can pull your soul out, and I can raise you from your ghost. Option C is, I can pull your soul out, and resurrect your body into a zombie - the process of resurrecting your body should fix the broken bones. I’m planning to pursue finding a healer.”
Ilara’en says, “Lord, please move me to the divan.” She points to the fainting couch where I cuddled Marissa and Viktorija a couple weeks ago.
I tell her, “It’s best if we don’t move you.”
Ilara’en says, “But, where will you sleep, Lord?”
“Wherever we can, Ilara’en. Don’t you worry about it.”
Carla and Marissa go shopping for more peanut butter for the critters, and a bed pan for Ilara’en.
Rebecca and Josie run up to check on Viktorija while I stay with Ilara’en.
42
More plans go awry
I sit next to Ilara’en on the bed holding her hand, pumping growth energy into her.
I ask her what she can tell me about House Valeran’s place on Camelback.
She says, “Maybe you want to record this to share?”
I agree. “Good idea.” I pull out my phone and turn on the voice recorder.
I repeat my question. “So, Ilara’en. What can you tell me about House Valaren’s headquarters on Camelback.”
Ilara’en tells me, “House Valeran considers the Esplanade their first outpost in the new world. They are emigrating to this planet. The plan is to bring fifteen billion people to this planet in waves. They want to leave only enough at home to hold their land.”
“I don’t know the details of the plan, but I think it involves emptying large cities of humans and then moving into vacated buildings. They’ll tear down anything small, and build more high-rises. For example, much of Phoenix is likely going to be leveled and rebuilt with buildings at least twenty stories tall...I would expect as high as seventy-five stories if they can get the materials. The land between the cities will be converted to farmland. They will likely try to enslave the humans to provide the labor.”
I comment, “There are taller buildings in Phoenix, even taller residential buildings. Why the Esplanade?”
She answers, “Duchess Valya said it was a matter of convenience. It was available for sale, and she can see the grounds of the Biltmore from her personal quarters. She views it as her own personal garden. That’s very valuable to any of my people regardless of house.
I expect they will move to one of the larger cities over time, but they set up here because Xralnazny was to arrive here.”
She pauses a moment to gather her thoughts. “The 14th Floor of the Esplanade has been redone as the royal chambers. Valya has an audience room and her private chambers there in addition to lodging for her private staff. Floors 10 through 13 are for essential staff. I mentioned the Healer and her staff and treatment facilities. They are on floor 13. The Chief Magician and his staff are there, too. That’s where the portal was when I came through. The Chamberlain lives on the top floor, but her five assistants live on 12 - as does the treasurer and his staff.
The Field Marshal and his top generals live on floor 11, while the staff officers live on floor 10. Floor one houses human security staff. Floors two through eight are barracks for 1,500 soldiers.
Floor nine is the bordello, which houses one hundred fifty women. They sleep in bunk beds and are tied naked to pillars for hours to serve the soldiers. The soldiers walk up, open their pants, lift a woman’s legs, and relieve themselves in the woman. They walk away, and the next one steps up. Each woman serves up to two hundred men or serves on a post for eight hours. Whichever they reach first will be their salvation from their current shift.
“Shit!” I exclaim. “That is so wrong! I need to do something about that!”
Ilara’en lies quietly for a minute while I stew over what she has shared so far. She squeezes my hand a couple of times.
Iliara’en finally says, “I can’t think of anything you can do short of killing them all.”
“Maybe an anonymous tip to the fire marshall,” I muse. “That building is thoroughly overpopulated.”
Ilara’en says, “It’s better than they have ever experienced in their life. Plus, I know that Valya has enlisted a couple of local officials. She gave elven sex slaves to a couple of them. Others got gemstones. One asked to have a political opponent killed. We’ve only been on this dimension for five weeks, but Valya has been busy. She will do whatever is required to win an ally.”
“To what end?” I ask. “I mean, getting allies is all well and good, but for what purpose? I mean that seems petty. I’m trying to wrap my head around how bribing local officials is going to get her to world domination.”
“No, Lord. She has international efforts ongoing. I don’t know where. She has had Russian, German, French, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and I don’t know what other linguists. She is working to build outposts in each of the big cities of this planet. She’s planning, plotting, and building a network of humans to enact her plan. I just don’t know what that plan is - just the overall goal.”
She pauses and raises her other hand to grip mine with both hands. “I am fairly certain that whatever the detailed plan is, many humans will die.” I squeeze her hand in return.
“Anything else, Ilara’en?” I ask.
“Valya is proud to an extent that most humans cannot understand. She will exact revenge for this setback today in some way. Also…” She looks at me solemnly. “...she wants you, Lord. She wants to chain you to her bed so that you can be her personal playtoy.”
I chew on that thought for a moment. Ilara’en continues, “It’s part revenge for what you did to her minions, but a bigger part is that you are so different from what she knows. A novelty. She would take the Hunter for the same reason.”
“Yeah...I don’t think so. She’s not physically unattractive, but her personality is ugly. I don’t think I could perform for her.”
Ilara’en says, “You have not seen her without her glamour. She makes me look like those imps by comparison. Most males of any species would be fawning over her at the sight.”
I reassure her, “I don’t think that’s something that will happen soon. Something tells me that today wasn’t my last battle with her.” I sigh in frustration not knowing what to expect from that diabolical, pointy-eared bitch. “Regardless, lay back and rest, Ilara’en. I’ll watch over you.”
She drops off, and I stop the recorder.
Carla and Marissa are back in a little less than an hour. Josie returns with Viktorija drinking a mug of steami
ng brew. Rebecca follows with another steaming cup.
Josie reports, “Audrey is talking to her father. She’ll be up shortly.”
Viktorija gives me a loving kiss before she retires to the fainting couch to drink the tea Rebecca made for her.
I wake Ilara’en and prop her up enough to sip the cup that Rebecca tips gently for her.
Audrey walks in with Steven and Jack.
She hugs Viktorija before coming to hug me. “Hello, Will,” she says. “I will call my broker, and see what I can learn.”
“Thanks, beloved.” She leans in and kisses me.
Jack points at Ilara’en and asks, “Is she the spy?”
Ilara’en answers, “Yes, sir. Lord William removed the spell that forced me to do it, but I did it. I put bugs everywhere.”
“Hold on a minute,” I command firmly. I restart the record. “Go ahead, Ilara’en”
Ilara’en says, “I was spying on this house, and I put bugs everywhere.”
Jack asks, “How often did you report?”
Ilara’en says, “It was supposed to be once per week, but I managed to limit it to just once. Duchess Valeran sent an agent to hear my report while I was taking the sun in the backyard. Otherwise, I just planted the bugs. They are renting one of the neighboring houses. They are probably listening in right now. There are two bugs in here - in the lamps on either side of the bed - and one on a lamp over the vanity mirror. All three are technical; I ran out of magical ones.”
Carla and Jack pull them out. Josie goes into the bathroom to take care of that one. Carla follows her in, but Jack holds onto his.
He gives me an evil grin. “I’ll use this to find their house.”
Carla comes back. “Oh go ahead and pitch it, Jack. I’ll just summon the critters back to hunt them down. With their sense of smell they’ll find them in no time.”
Audrey asks, “Is your circle still good?”
Carla shakes her head. “No. I wiped it up with a wet towel.
Steven says, “I did the same with the two downstairs. Did you have saltwater?”
Carla shakes her head. “No, but there was a big bottle of rubbing alcohol under the sink. I used that.”
Steven nods, “That will do it. You should be safe to use that area again. Maybe we should put a permanent circle here. What do you think, Audrey?”
She nods, “Yes. I think there would be a benefit to it. I wish Bernadette had a sorcerer here all the time to summon help if she needed it.” She looks at Viktorija, “I could be your roommate, Tori.”
Viktorija shakes her head. “No way, Audrey. I have a small room, and I need that refuge. We can get you a room. We hold this suite for your family all the time. You could set up in here. I’ll confirm with the Mistress and Clarice, but I don’t think it will be a problem.”
Audrey nods. “Okay. Carla, can you go to John’s room to summon the critters? I want to limit the exposure of the elves to the house. If I can, I want to summon them here and keep them here.”
Carla agrees readily. “Sure, Audrey. Anyone want to come with?
Rebecca says, “Sure. Let’s go.”
Audrey pulls her chalk from her backpack and starts scribing.
Jack says, “We have nineteen of those collars. I’m not sure what to do with them. As soon as the elf wearing them died, they unlocked. As far as I know, they are fully functional.”
Ilara’en comments between sips as I keep feeding the tea to her. “I think they also give control to Valya in addition to the speed, strength, and healing.”
Jack looks at Steven. “I’m thinking about giving one to the church. I need to think about how to do that.”
Steven responds quickly. “Be careful with that, Jack. They will ask questions you don’t want to answer.”
Jack growls Ilara’en, “What happens to these when Valya is dead? What then?”
Ilara’en looks scared at Jack’s intensity. “Sir, I am not really certain. Knowing her, they probably explode spectacularly.”
I raise a hand in a calming motion. “Easy, Jack. As much as I hate what Ilara’en has done, she is a victim here. She might have worked against us regardless, but she’s been through hell at Valya’s hand.”
Jack says, “Be careful she’s not enthralling you, Will. Just because she’s a pretty piece of tail doesn’t mean she isn’t evil.”
“I know,” I agree with him. “I have Valya to remind me of that.”
Jack runs his hand through his hair in frustration. “Damnit, Will. We don’t know a damn thing about what’s going on. This whole scenario smells like a major shit-storm coming at us rapidly.”
“I get that,” I tell him. “Ilara’en said they’re emigrating 15 billion elves here, and that whatever the plan is will kill many humans. Carla mentioned the word colonizing. I’m filtering her words through my experience, and it smells like human genocide is on the table. They’re using the justification that Germany used for the second world war - they need lebensraum. They have selected earth for their new home.”
Jack asks, “Room to live? They have their own damned planet.”
“True,” I agree. “You heard what their conditions are like.”
Jack says, “They did it to themselves. Ilara’en, are any of the other elven nations as overpopulated as House Valeran?”
Ilara’en responds, “Not as badly, sir. Each of the nine houses has between one to three billion people. All nine have population control measures in place that would appall humans. Culling babies over the quota. Culling the elderly. Culling anyone with a birth or mental defect. Selling undesired children to the devourers, greater imps, and other races that feed off emotion or souls. All of these are common practices.”
Steven says, “Some Asian cultures would get it. China has had limits on the number of children per family and government-mandated sterilization since the 1970s.”
Marissa adds, “Scandinavian countries coerce those they consider ‘feeble-minded’ to be sterilized, too. Estonia and Switzerland, too. It was legal in the US until 1981.”
I observe, “You seem knowledgeable on the topic, beloved.”
Marissa shrugs. “I wrote a social issues paper about it in college.”
Jack grumbles, “With an average lifetime of 450-500 of our years, you would think they would learn some discipline.”
Ilara’en responds, “You’re right, sir. We should, but we don’t. Overpopulation is a symptom of our longevity, plus we tend to indulge ourselves. If someone wants sex, there is rarely any thought to the aftermath - especially among the nobles.”
I look down at Ilara’en. “Are you of noble birth?”
She nods her head. “Yes, but not enough that it matters. My family is a royal line, but we are at the bottom of the food chain. We were elevated about three thousand years ago as we count time. The primary reason for our elevation was our patriarch’s willingness to sell off our youth to be sex slaves. I got lucky. Valya pulled me out of the brothel after about 150 of your years to be her body servant. My younger sister is serving on the ninth floor.”
Jack murmurs, “We could solve everyone’s problems by wiping out House Valeran.”
I agree. “Sure, but how. That’s going to be hard to do. We can’t do that and keep their existence secret. We can’t field enough people to do it with violence, plus they are all over the globe. Additionally, I really hate to take a ‘kill them all and let God sort them out’ approach.”
Jack says, “I understand, Will. Unfortunately, elves won’t give up. They will do anything to take care of their families. As much as I despise Valya for this circus, as a ruler she’s trying to do what she needs to do for her people. If we don’t put a stop to this immediately, we are going to have a ton of dead humans and a shit-ton of boorish elves.” He looks at Steven. “We need to figure out how to report this up without fucking up Bernadette’s situation.”
Bernadette walks in. “You may not be able to avoid it. I can disappear and reinvent myself. It’s harder in the modern
age, but it’s not impossible.” She sits next to Viktorija. Viktorija gets up and sits in her lap holding her cup in both hands. Bernadette wraps her arms around Viktorija and rests her head on her lover’s shoulder.
Audrey starts chanting and suddenly there is an elegant elder female elf standing in her circle. Audrey addresses her, “Hello Chrysilla. I have an elf here that is severely injured. We don’t have access to an elven healer. We’re pretty certain she has a broken back, and we understand taking her to a human hospital might result in her being inadvertently poisoned.”
Chrysilla says, “You’ll need a top-tier healer. I have one here at the office that is available for out-call. Is she from Prime?” Audrey nods. “What house?”
Audrey says, “Valeran.”
Chrysilla starts in surprise. She says, “Um, her Duchess is in your city why not take her there?”
I can see the fire in Audrey’s eyes. “Her duchess is responsible for her condition. One of her soldiers broke Ilara’en’s back when she tried to defend my family.”
The elven broker sighs heavily. “Okay. I don’t need to hunt for him. He’s sitting in my office. So, a deep-dish, meat lover pizza for my fee. Summon Rallent’or Nix. He will be expensive.”
Audrey says, “Okay. I should have your payment within an hour.”
Chrysilla chuckles. “I know you’re good for it. See you soon, Audrey.”
Audrey waves her away. She says, “Marissa, would you please order the pizza for me? Lou Malnati's?”
Marissa nods, “Sure, Audrey.”
Audrey summons the healer. Rallent’or Nix reminds me of the lead physician on my sister's cancer treatment teams. All arrogance and no bedside manner. He does agree to do the work for one of Valya’s collars. He tells us that he can sell it to another magician to rework the control charms and get a shit-ton of cash for it.
He leans over Ilara’en and assesses her injury. He reaches in the pocket of his jacket. Audrey screams, “Knife!” Just before he drives it up into Ilara’en’s heart.
He lifts the collar toward his neck, but I pull his soul out of him first. His body collapses.
