by Dianna Love
Evalle asked Tzader, “What’s the plan for fixing this mess with our Beladors?”
“I don’t know.”
“What’s Daegan saying?”
“Today will be the first time I’ve seen him since you left.”
Quinn asked, “Does Daegan know everything that’s going on? I don’t mean to question his position, but our warriors don’t even know he exists yet unless Macha has told someone, which I doubt or we’d have heard. They need to at least be informed as to whom they now answer and what he expects of them. Does anyone know? For example, will Daegan stand behind an individual in a crisis? Will he go to a Tribunal meeting if necessary?”
Quinn’s concerns would have more impact once this group realized he could no longer be Maistir.
Tzader said, “I have no doubt that Daegan has a plan for our people and that he’s going to support them, but I’ll admit I don’t know more because I’ve been distracted for a few days.” His gaze went to Brina, who actually blushed. Tzader winked at her then told Quinn, “Ask Tristan. He’s spent the most time with Daegan. He’s the one who asked Brina to bring all of you in for this meeting.”
Everyone in the circle turned to Tristan.
Quinn asked, “So you’ve spent time with Daegan?”
Tristan’s glowing, Alterant-green gaze took in all of them before he slowly nodded. “Yes.” He lifted a shoulder, brushing it off as no big deal.
Something more was going on with Tristan. Quinn asked, “Has your role here changed?”
“Not really. It helps that I can teleport between here and the human world. I brought Evalle’s last update to Daegan, but that was before tonight’s patrol. I know he heard telepathically from Tzader, but anything else you all have from tonight is new.”
Quinn said, “It sounds as though you might know him best at this point. What else can you share?”
Tristan maintained his distance and indifferent attitude. “Nothing much. I probably see Daegan more because he likes to fly the island.”
Evalle shook her head. “Why are you being that way, Tristan?”
He held his arms out. “Now what have I done?”
“Nothing, but Quinn hasn’t even met Daegan. Quinn covered our butts by keeping Queen Maeve and Cathbad at a Tribunal meeting to give us time to rescue Daegan so he could cure Brina. All Quinn’s asking for is a little insight, your opinion of Daegan now that our new leader has had a chance to settle in.”
Tristan cocked his head at Evalle. “You’ve met him. What do you think of Daegan?”
“I’m pretty sure I speak for everyone else when I say we’re ready to stand beside him, even if it means going to war.” She looked to Storm, Tzader and Brina, who all nodded in agreement.
Tristan shoved his hands in his pockets and moved closer to the group. “Here’s what I think. I believe Daegan will protect everyone who supports him. I think he’ll wade into battle neck deep and I have a feeling he’s not the least bit intimidated over facing a Tribunal.”
Quinn said, “That sounds—”
“But,” Tristan continued, without slowing to let Quinn speak. “Daegan spent two thousand years imprisoned and has his own agenda. He’s going to do things his way and on his schedule, which may not suit all of us all the time. In fact, it may not suit any of us a lot of the time, but I respect him and trust his decisions as being honorable. He’s someone I will stand beside.”
Quinn tried to reconcile this version of Tristan with the one who had put Evalle on the hot seat on more than one occasion. Tristan of the past would have smarted off by now and pissed off everyone who questioned him.
What had brought on this change in an Alterant who had been on the wrong side of a battle with the Beladors the first time Quinn met him?
Evalle raised her eyebrows in surprise, but quipped, “I can live with that. Sounds like you’re his new spokesman.”
“No,” Tristan snapped. “I don’t speak for him, I’m—”
“Doing an exceptional job, Tristan,” boomed from the entrance. “But you’re wrong about him being my spokesman.”
Quinn swung toward that deep voice to find a man strolling into the room whose size hailed back to the days of Viking marauders. Daegan wasn’t a person so much as a presence. Evalle had described the medieval attire the dragon king had worn after shifting from dragon to human, which was the image Quinn had expected.
But their new leader must have gotten some clothing tips since then. He wore jeans and a dark T-shirt that pulled tight over his broad shoulders and fell loose at the waist. His forearms appeared capable of swinging Thor’s hammer. But it was his eyes that said he would not only lead the way into battle, but succeed in killing every enemy he met.
Nothing like the flashy look Macha had maintained when she’d ruled here. Quinn liked the change.
Evalle seemed miffed at Daegan’s announcement. “Why can’t Tristan be your spokesman?”
Tristan growled, “Evalle.”
Storm slashed a warning glare at Tristan, who ignored him.
Daegan strolled up to the group and crossed his arms. “You should take care with your tone around Evalle, Tristan. Her mate is offended.”
Tristan smirked.
Evalle must not have seen the interaction. She sent Storm a censuring look.
Storm said, “What?”
“Nothing.”
Chuckling, Tristan said, “Oh, yeah. Daegan, nothing from a female is still code for big trouble. I’m guessing that hasn’t changed in two thousand years.”
Storm muttered, “You have to leave here sometime, Alterant.”
Appearing amused by all the posturing, Daegan announced, “To answer your question, Evalle, I would not be pleased with Tristan as my spokesman.”
Evalle gave Daegan a pissy look that fazed him as much as water on a duck’s back.
Tristan said nothing, but Quinn could see the way Daegan’s remark had cut the young man.
Was Daegan capable of leading warriors in this era?
Daegan explained to Tristan, “Anyone can be a spokesman. I expect far more from you. I will call upon you to speak on my behalf at times, but you are my Rí Dtús.”
Evalle asked, “What is ... what do you mean by re-duce?”
Daegan sighed. “Your Irish is sorely lacking.”
“Highly likely since I don’t speak the language,” she retorted with an arched eyebrow.
Brina spoke up. “Daegan is sayin’ ree then doos. It means Tristan is the king’s first.”
“Aye. That is correct. Tristan will be in charge of all the royal guards on this island and will head up my Council of Seven.”
While Tristan stood there dumbfounded, Quinn asked, “Who is on this council?”
Daegan finally acknowledged that he had a new member in the room. He extended his hand. “I take it you’re Quinn.”
“Yes.” Quinn clasped his hand. The moment he did, he felt the power flowing through Daegan. It reminded him of a dangerous volcano, capable of erupting at any second and unleashing a power that could rearrange a continent. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
“And you.” Daegan folded his arms again. “The seven are those of you standing here now, and that irritatin’ witch.”
“Adrianna?” Evalle supplied with a grin. “Tzader said she was invited, but she couldn’t make it. She asked me to pass along the message that if you want her to visit in the future to give her more notice.”
“Just as I said, irritatin’,” Daegan groused. “I’ll be discussin’ her responsibilities with her when we meet again.”
Evalle murmured, “I want to be there for that.”
Daegan sent her a wry look, but returned his attention to Quinn. “I believe you have concerns about our warriors.”
That had been a diplomatic way to broach Quinn’s issues. Quinn began, “Yes. They don’t know you exist, for one thing, so none of them have any idea what you stand for or what is expected of them.
”
“Understandable.”
How was that reply helpful? Quinn pressed on. “I can appreciate how unrealistic it is to expect you to meet with all of them, but—”
“Oh, but I do intend to meet with every one of them,” Daegan countered.
“What?” Quinn’s sentiment echoed around the room.
“I can’t expect men and women to put their lives at risk and to blindly follow someone they neither know nor trust.” Daegan paused in his explanation. “Why are we standin’ here?”
Tristan asked, “Is that a trick question?”
In reply, Daegan waved them back. “Give me room.” He lifted his hands and motioned as if he were directing an invisible symphony. When he lowered his hands, he murmured soft words and a round table with eight chairs appeared in the center of the room. Each chair had a different name engraved on the tall wooden back, and the seats were of soft deerskin.
The top of the table was at first a wood finish with bronze accents, but when Daegan placed his hand on the surface and barked out words Quinn didn’t recognize as Irish or any other language, Cyrillic symbols began appearing on the surface just inset from the edge.
The six-inch-tall, gold letters ran all the way around the perimeter of the table, creating a completed border when the last gold stroke touched the first one.
Rubbing his hands together, Daegan pulled the largest chair away from the table.
Quinn noted the dragon image inlaid on the chair back in place of a name.
Daegan said, “Take your seats.”
Tristan’s chair had been placed directly to Daegan’s right. Tristan hesitated for a moment, then took his place of honor.
Quinn had never seen the young Alterant so humbled, or respected. Daegan just might turn out to be the leader they needed after all.
The sad part was that as much as Quinn would like to observe the changes that were surely coming, he would not have that chance. He had no choice in his future.
Brina sat on Daegan’s left, then Tzader, Evalle, Storm, Quinn, Adrianna’s empty seat and finally Tristan. Tall, frosted mugs appeared in front of Daegan and Tzader that Quinn would bet was beer.
Tzader leaned across the table and whispered to Quinn, “I’ll explain the mega beer mug later.”
Daegan waved a hand at the others. “Just ask for what you wish to drink and it will appear in front of you.” As drinks began showing up, Daegan explained, “Also, everything said at this table is protected as long as I’m sitting here. The only way those conversations will be shared is if someone repeats our words after stepping away.”
Quinn had no doubt that everyone seated understood that unless Daegan gave them leave to share anything discussed, to do so without permission equaled treason.
Fair enough. There was no other way to build trust than to offer it, which Daegan had just done.
With everyone now ready, Daegan said, “I do expect loyalty from all of our warriors once they’ve been informed of having a new leader, and even while they wait until I have a chance to meet with them, which will take me a few months. I sit here a free person, able to assume control of all that belongs to me, only because of the sacrifices each of you made while aiding my escape.” He glanced at Quinn. “I’m not yet clear on this Tribunal group I’ve been hearin’ about, but your efforts there were explained to me, and the degree to which you put yourself at risk.”
Quinn nodded, but his esteemed position was not going to last long. He might be gone before the beer in those mugs.
Daegan added, “I’ve said before that we have a war coming. I would prefer to avoid havin’ our people in danger and exposing supernatural beings to the humans, but the time may come when that is no longer our choice to make. We must protect our people from threats we can see, and those we do not. We must watch for traitors among our own people. I trust each of you, but our enemies will only grow in number now that I’m free again. Queen Maeve made a huge mistake in allowin’ me to live when she had a chance to kill me in her realm.”
Tzader raised a finger and brought up a point. “We all understand that you’re immortal, but how vulnerable are you to an attack? I ask so that we’ll know how to protect your back.”
Daegan sat back and Tristan sent him an interesting look. One that Quinn could only interpret as Tristan waiting to see if Daegan would share something Quinn believed Tristan already knew.
The dragon king said, “Any living being can be killed. It’s more difficult to kill an immortal, than a mortal, but each of us has an Achilles heel. I have no intention of sharing mine, even with you. A warrior should never show a weakness, but it’s important that you know one thing. It is almost impossible to kill me in this realm and a few others, but I am more at risk in the realm of an unfriendly deity, such as in Tŵr Medb.”
Quinn’s mind clicked together the pieces. “What about in a Tribunal meeting? It’s held in another realm with a mix of three gods and/or goddesses.”
“I would be in a vulnerable position in that realm if the three deities joined forces against me.”
Tristan piped up. “You shouldn’t go then. Macha rarely went to the meetings. She stuck Brina with it.”
Tzader swung a dark look on Tristan. “Brina is not going to a Tribunal meeting, especially not while she’s expecting.”
Brina took offense. “I’m capable of doin’ my duty, Tzader.”
His face and voice eased when he turned to Brina. “I know, muirnin, but the last time you went there they held your holographic image captive. I’m done watching people try to harm you.”
“I wasn’t suggesting she go,” Tristan made clear.
Daegan cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “Brina?”
“Yes?”
“You’ll not be leavin’ this island while you’re carryin’. Before you start squawkin’ at me, I’m not treatin’ you as a female whose only use is breedin’. You and I hold a great responsibility for our people, but you are the only one who can carry the next generation. It’s important that you put your health first and remain protected while you’re expectin’.”
She sighed. “I understand. I just don’t want to be put on a shelf. I spent four years protected and I’m tired of feelin’ weak.”
“You won’t be treated as a fragile trinket and you are not weak. Treoirs are a mighty clan. I need your sharp mind for strategic planning.”
Once again, Quinn found himself impressed with Daegan.
Evalle interjected, “I’m glad to see you’ve given Tristan a position of authority.” She smiled at Tristan’s surprised look. “But what about Tzader?”
“I’ll do whatever is expected of me, Evalle,” Tzader replied. “I also agree with the position he gave Tristan.”
Quinn expected Daegan to react negatively to being questioned by anyone, but the dragon king’s face revealed nothing. Still, Evalle had brought up a valid point.
Where did everyone fall in Daegan’s power structure?
Daegan lifted a hand, silencing everyone. “I can see you all have questions. As a leader, all responsibility falls to my shoulders. I will not always explain every action I take, but I will share what I can or what I feel you need to know. I am not demoting Tzader or anyone else, but we must look to the future with a new frame of mind. Macha ruled through intimidating her followers by threatening death if they broke her rules. I will not hesitate to take a life if that is the right decision, but I will not have people followin’ me out of fear. Strength breeds loyalty. I want no warriors who do not willingly join us. Those who do will step into battle alongside me, because I lead from the front.”
With a slow, pointed look at each person around the table, Daegan said, “You have already proven far more loyal than those I trusted in my past. I observed much over the years I was captive, but I am not entirely familiar with the modern human world, or all of the changes in our own world yet. I need each of you to do your part, to be my eyes, ears and advisor.
You are all even more important to the cause of our people than you were before I returned to this island.” He looked at Brina. “That includes you, niece. You will one day come and go at your pleasure, but for the good of all right now you must keep yourself and your babe safe. The less attention we have to focus on you, the more we have for the battles we’ll face.”
Brina frowned. “I know what you’re sayin’ and I agree.”
“Now, tell me what the devil is going on in the human world,” Daegan demanded.
Evalle said, “You know some of it, but—”
Quinn spoke up. “Forgive me for the interruption, Evalle, but I have information no one else has and it’s imperative that I inform Daegan immediately.”
She lifted her shoulders. “Floor’s yours.”
“Thank you.” Quinn met Daegan’s questioning gaze and said, “You are correct in thinking we’re headed for a battle, perhaps even a war. I fear I have only escalated this situation when I made a grave error by holding onto a body I should have burned.”
Daegan squinted at him. “Is this about Kizira, the Medb priestess who died here?”
“Yes.”
Tzader leaned forward. “Hold up a minute, Quinn.” He shifted his attention to Daegan. “You know about the attack by Tŵr Medb on Treoir, right?”
“Of course.”
“Kizira saved Quinn’s life during that battle.”
Daegan said, “I saw the replay of that on the scrying wall in Queen Maeve’s chambers before you pulled me out of her realm.”
Evalle jumped in. “But what you don’t know is that Kizira and I had a plan to save Treoir. She ... ” Evalle paused to look at Quinn, who swallowed and nodded, giving her permission, so she said, “Kizira loved Quinn deeply and was working against us only when the queen compelled her. She died when she stepped in front of a gryphon, who was also compelled, that attacked Quinn. As soon as Kizira died, we were released from the compulsion spell. Kizira’s death saved Belador lives and is the reason Tristan and I, plus the other gryphons, are here now.”
Daegan said nothing for a moment. “Queen Maeve does not understand why Kizira died in that way or why Quinn was holding her as she died, but the queen does know that Kizira has been buried in a tomb. The queen is on a mission to find her. Prior to Tzader and his team bashing the wall during my escape, the scrying wall had already revealed a corruption of some sort when she and Cathbad tried to access the Medb history on it. She could not hear what Kizira was saying to Quinn as she died.” Daegan asked Quinn, “What was she telling you?”
