"Terrible news," Edden appeared inside the Queen's suite. He seldom folded space, preferring to arrive somewhere in a mundane manner instead. "The King of Karathia has disappeared, as has the Founder of the Campiaan Alliance."
Heaving myself out of the chair, I wobbled for a moment after rising so quickly.
That's when my water broke and my child disappeared.
Chapter 13
Royal Palace, Hraede
Tamp
"I'm surprised they're not hurling accusations at me right now, because my erstwhile mistress has disappeared, along with her guards." Alrenardo paced inside the King's suite while Mephista and I watched, helpless to do anything about the current situation.
"They may be biding their time, just to make you more miserable—or Larvalis more miserable," Mephista amended her initial statement. "Please slow down; we have to think logically about this, and plan what to do whenever their plot unfolds."
Tampirus, we have more bad news, Ilya interrupted the conversation. I'd never heard the stoic, Falchani-trained warlock sound so worried.
What happened? I asked.
Rylend Morphis and Teeg San Gerxon have disappeared, as has the child from Zaria's womb. Now, Connegar reports that the Larentii Wise Ones have gone in search of the child and can no longer be reached by any means of communication.
"Fucking, ass-riding hells," I cursed aloud.
"What is it?" Alrenardo stopped pacing immediately and stared at me.
"The King of Karathia, the Founder of the Campiaan Alliance and Zaria's child have all disappeared. The Larentii Wise Ones went to search for the child and have also disappeared."
"This is terrible news," Mephista dropped onto a nearby chair, her face in her hands. "Can anything save us?" she implored, dropping her hands and begging Alrenardo.
"We still have many who hold power," he attempted to reassure her. Stepping to her side, he knelt beside her chair and placed an arm about her. She leaned her head against his shoulder and wept.
What should we do—is there anything we can do? I sent to Ilya.
Lissa says stay where you are and watch for the unusual or any signs of the missing. She and Zaria worry that the rogue gods aligned with the Prophet are now making their presence known—in the worst ways possible.
How is Zaria taking this?
She is terrified for her child, but is forcing her way through this and working to keep her mind clear, in order to search for solutions and causes. We may have to ask for volunteers to replace those who've been taken. I hear there has been some recruitment among the Saa Thalarr. I will report any updates as I hear them.
Thank you. Has there been any word from the Three?
I have not been informed of it, if there has been.
I swear, if I find D'slay or the Prophet, I will make them wish they'd never been birthed.
D'slay, perhaps. The Prophet has power and rogue gods at his beck and call. I think only a few could ever be strong enough to oppose him.
Royal Palace, Kwark
Zaria
"There is very little healing necessary," Valegar soothed as Connegar ran his hands over my abdomen. "It appears the child was ready to be born when he disappeared."
"I think that, too," I agreed. I felt weary again, and knew I needed sunlight in addition to the healing efforts. "Sunlight?" I asked, the word sounding rough from a dry throat and mouth.
"Dearest," Valegar held out his hand, where a glass of cool water appeared.
"Yes, thank you," I sighed before shivering. He helped me hold the glass so I could drink—the water felt like heaven entering my system.
"Sunlight it is," Connegar removed his hands before folding the three of us to the Larentii homeworld.
"The sunlight here is always best for us," Nefrigar appeared on the brightly-lit hillside where we'd landed. He knelt in the grass beside me while Valegar propped me up and removed my clothing with a thought.
None of us mentioned the child as Valegar began to sing me to sleep. I went willingly; I needed the rest and all the strength I could gather to deal with the dark clouds piling up on our horizon.
Prophet's Compound, P'loxett
Alken Wilker
"Why would you think I'd understand what he said any better than you?" I snapped at Qatti. "All I heard was three, one, and he's too useful to murder right now."
I'd been sent to collect D'slay and bring him to the Prophet, who wished to speak with him. Where we were was hidden, even from D'slay. I suspected it was to keep him from revealing the location to any of the powerful, should he be caught and interrogated.
Qatti and I had overheard a snippet of the conversation, and now she wished to grill me over it.
Gillen was on another mission for the Prophet; I no longer asked where or what. I didn't need to know; my life depended upon that very ignorance at times. Qatti knew it too—after Gillen hit her the third time for asking.
Soon after, the door had slammed behind us as we left the Prophet's private quarters, and a sound shield dropped into place. We would get no further answers, and D'slay would kill me himself if I asked questions after taking him home again.
More than anything, I wanted to be done with all this—P'loxett, the Prophet, D'slay, terrible food and only chill, barren quarters to sleep in. We weren't allowed in the far end of the compound, where it was rumored that gardens and groves were being tended, but if that were true, the food never reached any of us.
We relied on prepared or preserved meats and vegetables, and much of those were just as tasteless as they sounded.
"Are you just going to sit there?" Qatti demanded as I made myself as comfortable as I could on hard, metal chairs in the hall outside the Prophet's quarters.
"I have to take him back, you know," I said. "You, on the other hand—aren't they expecting you elsewhere?"
"Fuck you, Alken," she whirled away from me, angry in an instant. I watched her as she stiffly marched away; I'd hear complaints from Gillen before long, no doubt, about insulting his wife.
If he bothered to return. If I were him, I'd do everything in my power to stay away as long as I could. I was tethered to the trips from P'loxett to Kabbuc Mountain on Mardir, and then back again.
Gillen was often gone for days, if not weeks, as was one of the Prophet's close associates. I knew nothing of that associate and didn't ask anyone else about him, Gillen included. That one held a power all his own; I'd seen him use it. It wasn't a wizard or warlock's power, either; I'd recognize it if it were.
The Prophet called him P'loxett, exactly the same as the planet he lived on. I still couldn't determine why. I only knew P'loxett was angry most of the time, and I stayed as far away from him as I could.
D'slay came storming out of the Prophet's quarters then, looking just as angry as P'loxett did on most days. I rose quickly; no need to anger this one on the return trip to Mardir.
Kabbuc Mountain, Mardir
Toad
Only a little more, and I felt I could break free. A little farther, and I'd loosen the bonds D'slay placed upon me.
Only a little farther; I felt the restraints opening, almost felt the freedom of slipping away from this small room where D'slay kept me.
Where would I go first? I reached out with my mind to find something beautiful.
Peaceful.
An image appeared, of lovely groves of trees. I knew those trees; they produced the most delicious fruit I'd ever tasted in my life. Yes. I would go there first, and eat my fill before finding another refuge.
Where D'slay and his overlord would never, ever find me.
"There you are, Toad." I jumped from my seat in a corner of my room. I'd wedged myself tightly into it, so it might feel like arms comforting me while I attempted to break free of my constraints.
D'slay was back. I watched as his mouth moved, saying the words that would bind me again. I wished to weep, but my tears had run dry long ago.
Hraede
Gillen Wilker
"D
ig the hole here," P'loxett commanded. Already, I'd formed sixteen perfectly round, narrow holes, in which he'd dropped sixteen small vials of glowing liquid before ordering me to fill them in again.
I knew not to ask what those vials contained. I also knew not to ask how many vials there were, although I wanted to. Digging as deeply as he wanted, with the holes as narrow and perfect as he commanded, required much of my power. It drained me to control the spells to P'loxett's specifications.
"We have three more after this one," P'loxett informed me. "Gather your strength; it should be sufficient to finish this now. Afterward, we will visit D'slay's conscripts."
I hoped they'd have food and a bed for me; I didn't care whether P'loxett was hungry or not. He hadn't been doing the work here; I'd done it. Again, questions crowded my mind, but I kept them to myself. No reason to aggravate P'loxett and our mutual overlord, the Prophet, by speaking out of turn.
Evening fell before we finished the project, after which I was exhausted and famished. "This is where you'll take us," P'loxett produced a comp-vid from a pocket and handed it to me.
On the screen was an address and an image of the small, secluded home near a forest. Praying that food and rest were in my future, I employed the last of my strength to transport us there.
"This is Je'Dik Dis'Rai." Kault, a vampire, introduced his companion. I'd never seen anyone like Je'Dik before; wide-bodied and sturdy, he wore dark goggles even at night, dressed in fur and skins over his armor-plated bulk, and looked as if he could stop a speeding hoverbus with one hand.
"These are the last two of the false Rith Naeri," P'loxett grinned at Je'Dik. "What one can't destroy, the other will."
"We specialize in assassinations," Je'Dik spoke, his voice the grating rumble of metal scraping over sharp rocks. "If we are sent to kill someone, they die. Kault is a mister and gets me wherever I want to go. After that, it's easy."
I didn't answer with sarcasm as I wanted; instead I dipped my head in a nod to both. I'd seen the forces brought against the Prophet on A'pelur. If we hadn't escaped when we did, we could have been destroyed.
I never pointed that out to the Prophet, either, as he'd saved our skins when he pulled us away. I wasn't naïve enough to imagine our enemies died when the Prophet destroyed the planet.
He hadn't claimed victory, either, so he understood they were still hunting him. Now, he and D'slay were taking a different tack in this war. I had no idea where it would all lead and, like all the other minions, was far too afraid to ask.
"We're here to kill the King," Kault informed me, sounding haughty and sure of himself. "Or the one parading around as the King. May get the Queen, too, if she's anywhere close. That will certainly put Hraede in a panic. After the work you and P'loxett did today, things will only get worse for this world in the days to come."
"We have food," Je'Dik grabbed my arm when my stomach growled involuntarily. "Fill your stomach, go to bed, and by the time you wake, our business should be done."
Royal Palace, Hraede
Alrenardo
Call it a weakness if you will, but she kissed me first. I may have told her she was beautiful as we fell onto my bed. I also may have confessed my love when we moved together.
She may have felt the same, if the number of yeses she shouted counted for anything afterward. Then, drowsy and replete, I settled her head on my shoulder and lulled her to sleep. I was feeling sleepy, too, but jerked fully awake when my medallion sent an electric shock through my chest.
Someone was here.
Someone silent as death. Turning to mist, I gathered Mephista to me and floated us above the bed.
I knew Queen Lissa's talent of seeing other misters when she was mist herself. Somehow, she'd given that same gift to me. I could see him hovering not far from the bed, no doubt wondering how his quarry had disappeared in front of him.
This, in all likelihood, was one of the last two members of the false Rith Naeri. Was he tied to the night, as I once was? Would he fly away before the dawn, where we couldn't find him again?
I should have known better. It took him a short while; he was an old mister, who took much longer to become mist and then change back again. Patiently I waited, while Mephista still slept inside my mist.
I still had time to put her somewhere safe before dealing with this attacker. Tampirus, I sent, I have a misting vampire in my suite at the moment. I have Mephista safe within my mist, but I need to place her somewhere safe.
On my way, Tamp replied.
Give her to me.
A Larentii appeared on the far side of the bed and held out his arms.
Do not fear, he added, as I reluctantly left Mephista in his care. They will not see me, and I will protect her from the noise of the fight.
At least he knew there would be a fight. I had no intention of letting this vampire escape. Tamp, as a vine of sharp crystal or diamond, burst through the door at the same moment the vampire coalesced completely, revealing the passenger he carried at his side.
Tamp
For thousands of years, Alrenardo had survived by not hesitating, which his adversary did. Registering his surprise that Alrenardo was also a misting vampire—one who could change far faster than he could, the vampire blinked. That was all the time Al needed to destroy his opponent.
Only slightly behind on my reaction, I swiftly encircled the other attacker with my thorny vines. He screamed as a thorn punctured skin between armor plates.
In hindsight, we should have attacked the vampire's companion first, but we didn't understand who or what he was at the time. Instead, Al removed the vampire's head before he could defend himself, and we both felt the massive pull as the stocky, armor-plated companion was jerked away from me by a hidden hand.
"What the hells just happened?" I demanded, coming back to myself after the unexpected disappearance. The dead vampire was already turning to dark dust atop the costly rug on the floor.
"I have no idea," Alrenardo drew in his claws. He was naked and didn't care. When the Larentii appeared to my sight and handed a sleeping Mephista to Al, I saw she was also naked.
Things had just gotten more complicated than an attempted murder, and I would have said it was next to impossible.
Before.
"Thank you," Al dipped his head to the Larentii, who smiled and disappeared. I'd never seen this particular Larentii before, but I didn't point that out.
Al settled the Queen back in his bed, covered her up and then led me out the door so we could talk.
"I'd say we only have one false Rith Naeri left, and he got jerked away by somebody else," I snorted, once Al moved me away from the doorway.
"That tells us he can't mist, isn't a vampire and has a scent I haven't encountered before," Al blew out a breath and leaned against the wall.
"Maybe some clothing?" I suggested, tactfully pointing out his nudity.
"Oh. I forgot," he waved a hand in dismissal before turning to mist again and going back inside his suite. A few seconds later he reappeared, wearing trousers and pulling on a shirt.
"Do you think they'll send that armored bastard after us again?" I asked.
"No idea. I get the feeling he's important in some way, though, or they wouldn't have hauled him out of here so fast."
"At least I punctured him somewhere before he got away. Did you recognize the vampire?"
"Kault. We've hunted him in the past. Never knew until now he was a mister, although we did realize he was an assassin for hire. Always did his business, then disappeared. Haven't seen or heard from him in roughly two hundred years."
"Well, we've seen the last of him now," I pointed out grimly.
"Yes. I'll inform Rigo of his demise."
"Do you have enough information to give a good description of the other attacker?"
"I will give what I noticed in only a brief glimpse. Perhaps you can augment that by giving a description from an alternate angle."
"Are you all right?" Lissa and Rigo appeared close by. It made
me more than glad that I'd convinced Alrenardo to get dressed.
"We're fine. The vampire is dead, but his associate was pulled away, somehow."
"Randl?" Lissa spoke to the air. Randl appeared immediately and placed his hands on the remains of the door to the King's suite.
"It has the stink of the Prophet about it," Randl proclaimed after several moments passed. I understood he was looking with the inner sight he had to determine what happened. His eyes might be blind, but he was anything but.
"Do you think he'll try again?" Rigo asked.
"He knows we'll be watching this place from now on; he may shunt this project aside in favor of a different one next time, although this certainly tells us he has assassination on his mind. I can present a description to Kell and Opal," Randl added. "If they wish to place a price on his head."
"I'll let them make that decision," Lissa released a troubled sigh. "We should get back to Corez before somebody comes looking for us."
"Rigo will be a target," Randl told her.
"Tell us something we don't know already," Lissa replied and disappeared with Rigo.
"I need to make plans in case this cross-breed attacks again," Randl said.
"Cross-breed?"
"He's half Krelk. The other half, well, I'm afraid to say what that could be." He vanished while Al and I blinked at one another.
Army of the Eagle Warlord, Falchan
Drew Tatsuya
Why were we dumped here, two hundred years in the past, and without the ability to fold space or anything else to get us out of here? Drake sent.
At least we'd been dropped inside an empty tent, three hours before dawn. Most of the camp was still asleep, and I was grateful that our Looking skills hadn't been removed as well. Whoever designed this punishment for us understood that this could be worse than killing us. I still couldn't imagine who, besides one of the powerful gods, could remove power like this.
"When's the last time you fought with a sword?" Drake asked Gavin, who'd worn a deep frown while remaining silent since our arrival.
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