Vowed

by N R Tucker

  Ryan balled his hands into fists and ground out his answer, “No.”

  “Lord Ellwood, you have heard testimony from four people of the Seen. We will return home and await your verdict.”

  “Safe journey, daughter mine.” Ellwood inclined his head. Before they left, Ellwood added, “I see that you now wield the Patron’s Sword. Wield it wisely, Ryan, grandson of the late Lady Rayna.”

  Ryan tilted his head but didn’t speak. He didn’t know how to respond. He needed to get in the Seen and find out about the short sword that everyone else seemed to know more about than he did. Maybe Jarvious completed the translation of Val’s journal. Surely, receiving a dragon made sword would merit a mention or two in a journal.

  Tempe led the shifters out of the receiving hall using the main entrance to the Northern Realm to go outside. Ryan looked around in amazement. This part of the residence was old. Since it was older than any structure back home, he wasn’t sure why he had expected it to look new, except that most structures in the Farseen maintained a shiny new appearance. Ryan had wanted to see this, but the shifters used a gate to arrive and all excursions from the residence left from the other side of the mountain. Until now, there had been no reason to enter or depart from this entrance. They stood in a courtyard halfway up the mountain. Each step down to the ground floated in place. There were no handrails or any structure to steady footing going up or down. Unless you flew, there was no way to access the guard tower that rose up in the middle of the circular steps. This entrance was on the other side of the mountain from the family tree houses, so they weren’t visible. Massive trees dotted the landscape, but most of the undergrowth was cleared. No one could approach the steps unnoticed, and no one could use those steps without being seen.

  “At least we don’t have to go down those,” Joey muttered nodding toward the steps.

  Star patted his shoulder, “I love these steps. They’re fun.”

  “Yeah, but you can fly,” Joey retorted.

  Ryan looked over and nodded his agreement with Joey, thankful he had a bird form and could fly.

  Tempe nodded to the guards before she opened a gate back to Beryl Lane. Ryan held his tongue, saving his questions until they were back in Calabozo, sitting in the sovereign’s office.

  They walked into the office, and Phoenix looked up from his laptop. “Sage will be here shortly. She’s meeting with the Tetrad and the human reps.”

  “And what a fun meeting it was,” Sage said as she breezed into the room and took her seat at the head of the table. “We’re going to layoff every human who works for us but isn’t related by blood or marriage to a shifter. We simply can’t continue to protect them in their daily lives. Yes, we lose good researchers, but it’s too dangerous. Those who have been exposed, like Parker, will remain under our protection and can keep their jobs.” She drummed her fingers on the desk, “Everyone is demanding time with Victoria. The humans were ready to drop bombs to get her but backed off. I reminded them what happened with the last bomb that was dropped on my location.” She grinned, “I didn’t think I was the type who enjoyed scare tactics, but apparently I am. I liked the look of fear in their eyes.” She focused on Ryan, “Report.”

  Ryan watched his young aunt, amazed at the change in her. She had become the sovereign, confident and sure, or at least able to maintain that appearance. Ryan finished his report, and asked Tempe, “Any idea what Lord Ellwood will do?”

  Tempe shrugged, “Pinus and Balen will be applauded for reporting Spruce’s actions to the Forest Lord, putting the good of the realm above their family as it were. Spruce will be reprimanded publicly for his use of the sword. Privately most fae will ridicule his failure to attain Star while wielding the Sword of Veracity. He was not the one who stole the sword from the red dragon supreme matriarch. His only crime was failure. No one expects a ruling fae to ignore the call of any sword of virtue. Your testimony, and that of Phoenix, Victoria, and Fred will be portrayed as that of the people of the Seen, with their lack of knowledge of how the swords work.” She smiled at Ryan’s loud sigh but continued, “Lady Star’s testimony only proves that Spruce was using the sword to attain her, his love, and the fae understand that males do foolish things for love.”

  “And your testimony?”

  “I could only speak in generalities and hearsay. I had no contact with the sword, the kidnapping attempts against Victoria, or Ralliner’s use of you.”

  “How about a true telepath? Their word is good.”

  “You know why they aren’t used in these types of actions. If a true telepath were called in every time two parties disagreed, no one’s thoughts would be their own.”

  Ryan snarled, “They get off, no repercussions?”

  “Not completely. While many fae will believe the lie they tell, Lord Ellwood will not. Neither will Ridge. They owe restitution to Ridge for using his fortress for their own means without approval. I doubt Ridge will be kind in his demands. Lord Sky may have a reaction since Star is a lady of her court, but they failed, and Star is safe, so she won’t go to war.”

  “Fred’s report of Pinus commanding his sons didn’t have any impact?”

  “They explained that Fred misunderstood, and they had no choice but to help while Spruce wielded the sword.”

  Disgusted, Ryan turned to Sage, “Anything else, or can I go get cleaned up?”

  “Just one more thing. How many swords did you acquire?” She pointed to the new short sword.

  “I suspect that sword is why the Northern Realm sent this. It arrived just before you did.” Phoenix leaned down and picked up a scabbard and belt, tossing it to Ryan.

  Ryan shrugged. “Apparently, the Patron’s Sword picked me when I fought the fae who was wielding it. Right now, that’s all I know.”

  Everyone turned to look at Tempe.

  She grinned, “Val received that sword from a dragon at the same time he acquired the name ‘Valiant the Bold.’ As long as the wielder is the most in tune with the sword, it will fight for the wielder even if it’s in someone else’s hands. Congratulations, Ryan, I suspect the fae will write another song about you.”

  “Huh? What do you mean, another?”

  “You’re the hero in the ‘Cold Iron Attack,’ a song about removing the iron from the Farseen and saving the bodies of the children for proper burial. You are also depicted as the only intelligent male in a court of fools in a well-received, but never to be mentioned in any court, ballad about young men in court making fools of themselves over a lady.” Ryan stared at her, open-mouthed. Tempe added, “I’m sure Liron can sing both of them for you.”

  Phoenix laughed out loud.

  Sage looked down at her tablet to hide her smile. “If there’s nothing else, you’re dismissed.”

  *****

  Showered and fed, Ryan tracked Phoenix down in the command center. “Where’s the Mini Cooper?”

  “I was just going to return it. Fred washed and waxed it. Said it was the least he could do after driving it.” Phoenix held out a wad of cash in his hand. “Evan deserves a bonus for the inconvenience. How we gonna do this? The car has been reported stolen.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Ryan took the cash, wallet, phone, and keys and headed out.

  A short time later, he arrived at the barn the car was hidden in. Under cover of darkness, Ryan drove it to a nearby cemetery. After placing the items in the car, except for the car key, Ryan shifted to his eagle form and flew away. The next day, he found Evan busing tables at a Mom and Pop diner.

  Ryan, glamour firmly in place, walked up to the counter and ordered a soda. Drinking it quickly, he left money for the waitress and walked by Evan. Ryan asked, “Mister. You Evan Miller?”

  Evan shrugged. “Yeah, kid. Why?”

  “A man gave me $10 to give you this letter. Must be important.” Ryan left quickly.

  Evan opened the envelope, and the Mini Cooper key fell into his hand.

  “Who was that teenager?” Cindy asked. “He ordered a soda a
nd left $10 on the counter.”

  “Don’t know, but he gave me the key to my stolen car.” Evan opened the letter and read the short note.

  Evan,

  Sorry for the inconvenience. Your car is fine and will be found on Elm Park Road, parked in front of the marker for your parents’ gravesite. Check out the glove compartment.

  Evan read the note a second time and pocketed it. It was probably a joke. As if his world hadn’t crashed around him enough, someone decided it would be fun to have him run around chasing smoke. When his shift was over, Evan walked down the street to the sheriff’s office. “Afternoon, Maggie. Is Charlie around?”

  Charlie walked out of his office. “Sorry. No sign on the Cooper or anything else. No one has tried to use your bank card or anything.”

  “About that. I got this today at work.” Evan handed Charlie the note.

  Charlie shook his head. “You think it’s a joke.”

  “Yep.”

  “Let’s check it out anyway.” Charlie grabbed a fingerprint dusting kit, and they left.

  A few minutes later the two men stood in the cemetery, looking at the Mini Cooper.

  Evan walked around the car. It was in pristine condition. “I don’t think you’re gonna find prints.”

  “Not sure I want to mess up the detail job by trying.” Charlie scratched his head. “Check out the glove compartment.”

  Evan opened up the passenger side and pushed the button on the glove compartment. Nothing happened. He never locked the thing. Perplexed, he used the key to unlock it and open it up. A stack of bills lay on top of his wallet.

  Charlie whistled. “Are those hundreds?”

  “Yep.” Evan scratched his head and looked through his wallet. “Everything is here.”

  “You sure?”

  “I only had my driver’s license, my veteran’s ID card, debit card, and Visa card, plus thirty-four dollars and some change. Not a lot to verify.”

  Charlie picked up the stack of hundreds and flipped through them. “The bills have the blue security ribbon on them. I don’t think they’re fake, but we can verify back to the office. We have one of those advanced scanners now.”

  Back at the sheriff’s office, Charlie returned the bills to Evan. “They’re good. You are holding fifty $100 bills.”

  “This doesn’t make sense. They stole my car, returned everything, and paid me $5,000 for my trouble?”

  “Looks like.” Charlie scratched his head. “Maybe you should drop the complaint. I can say it was kids on a joy ride and you agreed to not press charges. If I continue to look for the perpetrators, I have to put the car and money in evidence.”

  Evan looked at the money and back at Charlie. “Can I do that?”

  “Sure. Although you were inconvenienced, it looks like you’ve made out all right in the end.”

  “Boy, that’s the truth.” Evan looked at the money again. He could leave and start new. He had been working at the diner for three days, and while he appreciated the work, he wanted out of town. Evan had always wanted to live at the beach. Any beach. Now he had the starter money to get there and find a job. “Cancel my theft report. Looks like I wasn’t robbed after all.”

  Charlie smiled and patted Evan on the back. Once Evan left, Charlie walked into his office and shut the door. He pulled out his personal cell phone and selected a number from his favorites list. He went straight to voicemail. Not a surprise. The person he called was in high demand. “This is Charlie Benson of the Wallkill River Clan. Evan Miller got his stuff back and has dropped the charges. Perhaps next time you could ask me for help before committing a crime in my jurisdiction. Just a thought.” Charlie disconnected the call and went back to work.

  Chapter 36

  A week later Ryan was, once again, the shifter in charge at PAC HQ. It was nowhere near as exciting and prestigious as one might think. His calendar was so full he might have time to eat lunch running between meetings today, mail was overflowing, and he had to admit, if only to himself, that he was disappointed. Almost no one knew about his quest for the Sword of Veracity. Most of the Alpha Clan didn’t even know. He didn’t want accolades, much, but it would be nice to be appreciated for his efforts. Most of the family assumed Ryan had gone on some type of mini-vacation and received a dragon made sword as a gift from someone in the Farseen. Aside from a few raised eyebrows, no one commented. And that brought his to another question. How many of Tempe’s mini-vacations over the years had been shifter business?

  The computer pinged, indicating another meeting had been added to his calendar. It started in seven minutes. He checked the location, and attendees, and smiled. Ryan moved with purpose down the hallway, waving people off, so no one stopped him. Ryan arrived at the entrance to the shielded outdoor area in PAC HQ, the guard nodded and opened the door for him. Jarvious was already there. Ryan joined him on the rock overlooking the river.

  “Our bargain is complete. Your copy of the translation is in Tempe’s home office, and mine is in a secure location.” Jarvious cleared his throat, “It’s very telling. I didn’t realize how difficult life with Lord Ellwood was. While a few of the entries, mostly of battles, will make excellent songs, it will be a while before I sing them. I want to do this right, and that means with deliberation.”

  “Our bargain is complete. Nothing owed on either side.” Ryan closed the bargain with the words that prevented either side from trying to get more out of the agreement. He smiled. He was looking forward to reading the journal. Perhaps it had more about the sword.

  His watch beeped.

  But it wouldn’t be today. “Gotta run. Another meeting.” Ryan headed down the hall for a meeting he was not looking forward to. He walked in to find the argument had started without him.

  “The realms simply want equal time with Victoria Nelson. She has made incredible advances.” Theron, master-of-the-hunt for the fae queens, leaned back in his chair and smiled. Truth be told, he didn’t care, and he didn’t think the queens did either. He was here to keep tabs on everyone and report back.

  “She’s human. She belongs with her own kind. She belongs with us,” Aubrey Ewing stated.

  “She’s standing right here and can decide for herself where she goes,” Victoria growled. “My brain is not for sale to the highest bidder. I trust the shifters more than I trust you, Ms. Ewing. And as far as the realms are concerned, those that kidnapped me are still free in the Farseen.” Victoria glared at Theron. “I don’t trust you either.”

  Murdoch leaned back and took a sip of the already cold, standard issue, institutional coffee, and grimaced. Why couldn’t someone create a spell to keep a hot beverage at the right temperature? Setting his cup on the table, he said, “The wizards are satisfied with the data we have received from the shifters. We have no need for” air quotes “equal time with Ms. Nelson.”

  “Of course not, wizards and shifters have long been friends. You probably share their research facility,” Aubrey retorted.

  Ryan shut the door, not quite slamming it, “No they don’t. The wizards don’t have access to our facilities, and we don’t have access to theirs. We meet here, at PAC HQ.”

  “Where’s Tempest?” Aubrey demanded.

  Ryan laughed, “I’m the senior shifter rep at PAC HQ today. If you want Tempest, you need to schedule a meeting for the first half of the second full week of this month. That’s when she’s scheduled to be here. I would prefer it if you would. For today, you’re stuck with me.”

  Liran grinned, showing his fangs, “The vampires are also satisfied with the reports from the shifters on Victoria’s progress.”

  Aubrey stood and faced Ryan, “I must speak to Victoria alone to make sure she isn’t being controlled.”

  “She may speak to anyone she likes. Ask her, not me.”

  Before Aubrey could ask, Victoria shook her head. “I will not speak with you alone. I don’t trust you. You think it’s okay to poison another dimension with nuclear waste and to spy on another’s mind. There is nothing m
ore to say.” She walked out of the room with her bodyguards in tow.

  “We aren’t finished. Order Victoria back here,” Aubrey demanded.

  Ryan crossed his arms in front of his chest. “First you say we’re controlling her and now you want us to. Sorry. She has boatloads of free will.”

  Aubrey Ewing stormed out of the room. Murdoch smiled, tipped an imaginary hat, and left as well, followed by Liran.

  Ryan looked at Theron and raised an eyebrow, “What do the fae want?”

  “The queens want nothing in addition to the reports you already provide. What the realms want is as varied as the realms themselves. No queen will take Victoria Nelson.”

  “But the queens won’t dictate to the other fae.” Ryan didn’t ask it as a question. It was a statement. The queens didn’t involve themselves in the daily running of the realms. Tempe seemed to think it was a good thing, but he wasn’t so sure. Surely, the queens weren’t as petty as some of their subjects.

  Theron looked at the sword on Ryan’s belt and grinned, “Congratulations. I heard the Patron’s Sword found a worthy wielder.” Theron left before Ryan could respond.

  Ryan felt the blush rise up his cheeks, wishing his fair skin didn’t show a blush so quickly. He still wasn’t sure why, but Tempe had been insistent that the sword be belted to him any time he was on the sovereign’s business.

  Chapter 37

  “Hey Bryce, Tempe around?” Ryan left Tempe’s office and walked into the kitchen, immediately checking for food. PAC HQ shift complete, he planned to return to his quarters in Calabozo and finally read some of Val’s journal, if he could find Tempe and locate the darn thing. He had expected to discover it in the safe where the alphas left stuff for each other. It wasn’t there.

  Bryce looked up from the coffee maker, “She’s in Calabozo. I thought it was an alpha meeting.”

  Ryan looked at his watch, “Crap! I’m late!” He ran for the entrance to Calabozo.