Alterations

by Lucretia Stanhope

  She walked out to meet Timofei back in the hall. He wasn't there, so she followed his cold spot up to a meeting room.

  Mikhail walked over as she approached. His presence was colder than usual and his concerned look started to chip away at the peace Percy gave her.

  “Who is he meeting with?” She looked to the closed door.

  She could feel the tension in the air. Growls and slamming around were only slightly muffled by the closed door.

  He tugged her away from the ruckus and held her arm tight as they started down the hall. “He’s asked me to take you away until they are done.”

  “Away? Away where? What is going on?” She dug her feet in, but Mikhail showed a strength she often forgot he possessed.

  “Mikhail, let go of me. Where are we going?” She pulled her arm free. Mikhail did not usually handle her so forcefully. The grip on her arm and the tone in his voice caused her to worry. “Talk to me. Don't make me pull rank on you, Casper.”

  He remained silent while they made their way to the woods. Mikhail stopped and looked her over. “He wanted you out of range of Boris. Frankly, I agree.”

  She gave him a stern look. “I would have followed you, you didn't have to manhandle me.”

  “I am sorry. Boris is a short-tempered one, and always at the ear of Konstantin.” He reached out and rubbed her arm. “You can be disagreeable when it comes to orders. I didn't mean to hurt you.”

  She brushed his hand away. “I'm fine. Boris? Who is that? I thought we were agreed we wanted my name in the ear of Konstantin.”

  He looked away and back to her. “It would seem the deaths have not gone unnoticed. His brother turned up while you were with Percy. They have been locked behind that door growling at each other ever since.”

  She explained what she heard Matvei talking about. “Do you think he is doing the same thing we are?”

  “Sounds like he might be. We should stop. We've already done enough. If Boris is willing to butt heads with Timofei then they are rattled. To do any more risks you being found out.” He fidgeted with his fingers. “Matvei really would react badly to knowing you and I had a hand in this.”

  She looked at him, her features pulled together as she thought about her visit with Percy. “What happened with Percy and the vampires? Why is he off limits to them?”

  “Another day. Trust if you need shelter from us, he will give it to you. Even Timofei will not pursue you to his realm.”

  “Have you seen Matvei meeting with Malvina, Roman, or Zlata?” She kept up with the questions while they had the time alone.

  Mikhail thought and started to pace. “No, but they have met, Roman has been around a lot. Do you have Matvei's confidence as you do his father? It is troubling that he would want him distracted.”

  “Not now. I'm working on that.” She frowned at what that might entail and changed the subject. “Where does Roman meet with them?”

  “Most of the time they met at the old manor where Dmitry used to stay.”

  “Is Matvei there when they do?”

  “No. What are you thinking?” Mikhail couldn't keep the concern in his eyes away.

  “I might have a way to see them. I haven't tested it yet, not across realms. When Timofei leaves for war again, I will.” She looked away, her cheeks turning red, and frowned. “I've been working on getting the confidence of Matvei. I'm making progress, it's slow.”

  He gently turned her head back to him. “Don't, nothing is worth that. We will pull this off without you making such a sacrifice. Gwen, I…” he started to say something. Her expression silenced him.

  The look she saw in his eyes scared her. “Don't, please. To say those words to me is usually the end of the line, even for powerful monsters. I need you. I need you if this is going to succeed.”

  “We have to, there is no choice now that things are in motion. Remember, if things get bad, just grab Brac and come here. If I am unavailable, leave a note under my door and go to Percy.”

  “But the witches.” She searched his eyes and saw understanding. “You know I won't leave them.”

  “I won't leave you.” He wrapped her in his arms.

  She watched as again something else danced at the edges of his eyes. The twitch at the corner of his mouth said the unspoken words. She allowed his arms to make the point clearer. There was peace in his cool embrace. For a moment she let herself believe that they could both feel the same thing. The moment didn't last as each of them felt Timofei moving toward them.

  Once Timofei finished with Boris, he raced to Gwen and Mikhail. “I want myself or Matvei notified of all travel my siblings are making to any of my realms. Clear?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Timofei pulled Gwen under his arm and they walked away.

  She felt Mikhail linger a second before he turned to head back to the council. She didn't look back. She could protect him the same way she had Dillon, by ignoring the unsaid words.

  When they arrived home, she shared peace with Timofei.

  They grew giant rose bushes from his rage and malice again. They were on the opposite side of the lake to the bushes they grew the last time that still flourished with their hate-filled blooms.

  Once she felt he was docile again she pressed, trying to get a better idea of how things were progressing. “Who were you meeting with? Is there a new claim?”

  “Some sort of coup d’état is being planned.” He twirled her hair around his finger as he spoke.

  She ran her hand along the hand he rested on her stomach. “What can I do?”

  “Help our fire witches prepare. They will be a useful force, both against the witches who have turned on us, and any vampires who might come here.”

  “Do you think they will?” She sat up and looked alarmed. She didn't want vampires to attack the colony. She anticipated Konstantin would come and take her. She did not consider that any other vampires might be foolish enough to try and do the same.

  He nudged her back down. “We have safeguards here. However, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that my enemies will see you as my weak spot.”

  “Can you stop the war effort? Just hold the lines until things with vampires are figured out?”

  The look on his face said he considered as much. She knew Kyna and the resistance were taking losses on the battlefield. An attack from vampires at the right places could be devastating. Both Timofei and Matvei knew those right places.

  Would Matvei send vampires to the colony? Sacrificing witches to be ruler wouldn't be above him. How would it help him? He needed Konstantin gone first. While she pondered the games everyone was playing, she started to feel like maybe she had been hasty. Maybe the queen wasn't the most coveted piece on the board. The allure of the king might be even stronger. Strong enough to sacrifice the queen and all of her pawns.

  She closed her eyes and allowed Timofei to hold her. She wanted him to enjoy his moment of peace, even though she wasn't sure if what Matvei was using the time for would actually help her. The way Matvei treated her said he both wanted and despised her. She doubted she ever would get a handle on Matvei and his thoughts.

  He didn't crave her peace, not the intense peace. After the first time, he never asked for it again. He seemed to prefer the rage, thrived on chaos. He did crave her blood. She pondered why, but couldn't understand the reason one would be preferable to the other for him and not Timofei. If she didn't need his head clear, she would have pulled rage off Mikhail. He could have given her a better understanding of the difference between a sip and that. Matvei wouldn't tell her. To ask Timofei too many questions was risky. He was more intelligent and thoughtful than all of them. He would know she had reasons for asking. She didn't want his suspicion focused on her.

  As planned, Timofei lingered longer than usual. He and Matvei both took alternating side trips off realm. When he was there, she kept him subdued. She prayed the time she gave Kyna was more useful than the time she gave Matvei.

  She watched them while they talked a
t the compound and in the planning room. Matvei was as believable a liar as his father. He played his part, looking and sounding shocked when he heard about the missing, presumed dead, siblings. She wondered if Timofei was fooled, or since he probably taught the skill to him, if he knew something. Did he know his own son plotted against him? Wouldn't they all know that? When a society is ranked in such a way, family becomes the biggest threat of all.

  Gwen listened as they discussed a meeting Matvei had with Konstantin for more soldiers. It appeared the back and forth of the war, with little realm additions, and so few resources gained was making Konstantin angry.

  “If he gets involved it will be a blood bath. No realms will be worth keeping.” Timofei paced with harder steps. “There is a delicate balance between conquering and devastating. You'd do well to take notes on that as well.” He paced more. “Our luxuries are a direct result of my tactics. If we go back to his way, chaos and death is all there will be. Barren, empty realms. What is the point of such destruction with no benefits?”

  Matvei smirked. “Not all of us are suited for sitting in luxury.”

  Timofei stopped pacing and smacked him. “Don't sass me. You wouldn't have the leisure time for all of your pointless explorations, or exploitations rather, if not for my leadership of the soldiers.”

  “No, but the battles would be glorious again. No more pulling back to save species that might taste good, or worse, might put up a resistance as you found.”

  Timofei held Matvei up by the throat. “You? You are the one bending his ear to pull soldiers off my lines?”

  Matvei pried his fingers off. “I am your commanding general. I have made no such suggestions. They are our lines. Go see Konstantin for yourself. Perhaps if you explain to him the distractions and importance of our little experiment, the soldiers will flow more freely.”

  Timofei smacked him again. The wall split and pieces fell to the ground beside them. “I have made clear to you how I feel about that already.”

  The talk ended with Timofei leaving for his home realm to meet with his father himself. Matvei started toward the council tear.

  Now was time to test her latest theory. She followed Matvei with the wraith. She strengthened her grip on it as tight as she could and sent it behind him through the tear. She was startled to see the council grounds and had to reign in her excitement to keep hold on the wraith.

  Matvei vanished and she led the wraith to the estate. She wasn't sure he was there but she wanted to see what Roman was up to. The wraith hovered above vampires in the halls, winding down corridors she never wanted to see again, on its way to the meeting rooms.

  Her gut clenched as she recalled her time there. The beatings and abuse she suffered there, mixed with what she just witnessed with Matvei and Timofei. It had to stop. These creatures didn't belong as rulers of any realms, save their own home realm. There they could beat each other and enjoy the chaos they craved.

  If she could hang on and beat them at their own games, it would be over. No one would ever suffer like that again. She sent the wraith under closed doors and finally found an occupied room. Growls and snarls filled the air.

  She listened as they spoke in the vampire language. She only managed to figure out the meaning of a few words over the years. A good reason to ask Timofei to teach her never arose. She would get Mikhail to teach her soon. It would make her wraith much more useful if she could actually understand what she heard.

  Her focus was wavering as she struggled to hold the long distant connection. Her resolve strengthened when she saw them all stop and look at each other with what she guessed to be alarm.

  The air must have changed, the wraith wavered. Her grip loosened and things went blurry.

  The six beasts that filled the room started to screech and were thrown in various directions. Three other vampires appeared and body parts started to fly. The new arrivals made short work of the surprised creatures. They had all of them subdued and headless in minutes. Blood covered the walls, the floors, and everyone there.

  She followed them with the wraith as they walked out of the estate. Along the way they killed any vampire they ran into. Outside, one of them placed a head on the iron tips of the fence. It snarled at the rest, who did the same before they disappeared.

  She floated the wraith back to council to see if Matvei was there before she freed it. She found Mikhail alone in his room. She watched him a moment and was about to release the wraith, when Matvei appeared. He was covered in blood. It confirmed what she already put together. The three were probably Matvei and the two men she saw him with the other night.

  He reached a clawed hand out and shoved Mikhail against the wall. “Where is Roman?”

  “Sir, Roman and Malvina are on her main realm.”

  Matvei slammed him against the wall. “How do you know that?”

  “I make it my business to know. Timofei wanted to know where his siblings traveled.”

  “For Timofei? Is that so?” Matvei dropped him, put a boot on his chest, and looked down at him. “Do you love her?” He cocked a brow and smiled. “Oh, now I am amused. I want meetings with Mariya and Oleg. You arrange them immediately.”

  “Yes Sir.” Mikhail stood and squared his shoulders, expecting more.

  Matvei started out of the room and turned back at the door. “She will never be yours, plebe. Don't let me catch your eyes or hands lingering on our queen. I will personally remove them and lay them at her feet.” He smacked him again.

  She held her breath, waiting for him to walk out, praying that he wouldn't hurt Mikhail anymore.

  Once he left she brought the wraith through the veil again and let it dissipate. She wasn't sure if the winds from one realm would dissolve into another. She didn't want to mess with any natural balances. Next time, she would try to call up the winds from earth through the veil and see if she had any success that way.

  She felt sick at what she had seen. The death, the heads, and Mikhail suffering. She wanted to talk with Matvei and solidify his respect for her cunning. She needed to take his attention away from Mikhail, away from the idea that they might be working together. It would have to wait, Timofei would be back on realm and she agreed to keep him occupied.

  Thinking back to the carnage at the estate, she shuddered. In one night, Matvei had done what would have taken her and Mikhail years and lots of planning to accomplish. She gathered from listening to him that he wanted to plan for a smoother take over. She and Mikhail forced him to rethink. They changed his plans. Hopefully in doing so, they created a slip in his logic that would be able to be exploited.

  He had no idea who was pulling the strings. That made him angry and made her smile.

  She was still exhausted when Timofei returned. She allowed him to pamper her some more but held back using any magic to soothe him. With Matvei rattled she wanted him a little sharper. It sounded like he was starting to pick up on Matvei being involved. That could serve her well later too.

  She sighed in his arms, and relaxed against his chest. It had gone beyond playing both ends to the middle. She was playing all four corners of a square. The center spot where she stood was starting to feel shaky.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “W here is Matvei?” Timofei paced, circling Mikhail. He didn't wait for an answer. “Find him. I need to go see Konstantin before this gets out of hand.” He struck out at Mikhail upon hearing his siblings were found killed and their heads displayed publicly.

  Gwen cringed as she observed the meeting between Timofei and Mikhail. The memory of Matvei taking his frustrations out on Mikhail just the night before was still fresh in her mind. Watching his violent outbursts, she struggled not to compare him to Matvei. Even under her influence he was angry.

  Mikhail stood up from the latest hit and planted his feet ready for the next. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Better yet, I need to go now, you stay here with Gwen. Sergei and his elite squad are here. Should need be, take her in the bunker under the fortress.” Timofei st
arted to pace again. “If anyone shows up, take her and Brac to the bunker. Anyone. Malvina, Roman, any of them.”

  “Of course, Sir.” Mikhail stepped out of the way, but not soon enough. He was clipped by another blow that sent him into the wall.

  “When I find out who is behind this, I will tear them apart.” Timofei stormed out of the room.

  Gwen let the wraith go and headed out to find Brac.

  Timofei clearly thought Konstantin might come sniffing around. She didn't want Brac affected by the plan she set in motion. Matvei and his latest move hurried it along at an alarming rate. It seemed they had both propelled each other forward before either was ready.

  She found Brac at the falls alone. He was so lost in thought he didn't even notice her come up.

  “Brac, sweetheart.” She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, noticing his aura was weak. “You need to come with me. Your father is worried things might be compromised here.”

  Brac didn't look at her. “Don't be afraid. We don't really have to worry about the war. I don't think we do.”

  “What are you talking about? He is worried about vampires. Why would you say the war won't come here?” She turned to him so she could see his face.

  He looked at her with tears welling in his eyes but he managed to keep them under control. “Go, go with whoever dad wants you to. I need to stay here and make things right somehow. I need time to think.”

  She reached out for his hand. “Make what right? Think about what? Brac, you are not making sense and we don't have time. Just come with me. Once we are at the fortress we can talk more.”

  He shook his head. “I'm one of them. No matter what happens, I will always fight for you and the other witches. I promise you that. I'm sorry.”

  “Sorry? What have you done? What did they make you do?” She put her hands out, grabbing one of his in each of hers. “Whatever they made you do, we will fix it. Please come now.” The desperation that filled her voice came from images that flashed across her mind of Brac being abused as she had. “Now, Brac.”