Mortal Ties wotl-9

by Eileen Wilks

  He didn’t relax at her teasing. “I, uh, I’ve been offered a job.”

  “I felt sure you would be. Come on, let’s get up. I’m hungry.”

  They fixed breakfast together, just as they had for most of their lives. Those other lives, that is, but that’s a distinction without a difference. He told her a bit about the job.

  He’d been offered it by…an angel, he supposed, the same one who had spent time with him when he lost himself in the gray, then had forgotten almost completely. Of course angel was the wrong word. He knew that. The wrong word, the wrong everything, for whatever had offered this work to him, it so far surpassed his understanding of beings and boundaries that it made words meaningless. So he thought of it as the angel, and left it at that.

  “Whatever it was Friar took out of there with him, it was nasty. And tied to this side of the line in a way I don’t like at all. Neither did the, uh…whoever offered me the job.”

  She nodded seriously. “I heard something about that.” When he looked surprised she laughed again. She’d always laughed easily, but the happiness seemed to bubble up even more freely now. “Come on, I told you I’d been meeting people. Looking around a bit while I decide what I’m going to do now.”

  “Yeah, but I never see anyone around for you to talk to.”

  “Because you don’t want to. If you’d been interested…but never mind.” She reached across and took his hand. “Al, it’s okay. When did I ever kick up a fuss because of your job? I don’t want or expect you to spend a few eons sunbathing on the beach with me.”

  Now he smiled. “You hate sunbathing.”

  “True. So. When are you leaving?”

  His hand tightened on hers. “Not yet. I need more time with you, more time to…but when I do take the job I won’t be gone constantly. I’ll be able to take…not weekends, but time here, now and then. Time with you. I won’t remember things here when I’m back there, not very well, but I’ll know I’ve been with you.” He felt sure of that now.

  “Memory works differently there than it does here,” she agreed. “But the good things stay with us.”

  “Yeah.” He looked at their joined hands, at the rings that glowed on each of their hands. “Yeah, the good things stay.” He grinned suddenly and looked exactly like the wicked twenty-nine-year-old man she’d first fallen in love with. Exactly—because memory did indeed work differently here. “And I’ve got to admit, I’m really looking forward to seeing Yu’s face when I show up again.”

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Al Drummond: FBI agent who went bad, he was killed at the end of Death Magic—yet remained as a ghost somehow tied to Lily.

  Beth (Elizabeth) Yu: Lily’s younger sister. Twenty-five in Mortal Ties. Roommates are Deirdre (short, shiny blond hair, a nose stud, five piercings in one ear and three in the other; doesn’t trust even numbers) and Susan (same name as Beth’s oldest sister).

  Celeste Babineaux: Rule and Jasper’s mother. Bipolar. Deceased.

  Cullen Seabourne: Sorcerer and lupus, adopted into Nokolai clan after being expelled from his birth clan (Etorri) and living for many years as a lone wolf. Sixty. Married to Cynna Weaver.

  Cynna Weaver: A Finder and spellcaster who follows a Swahili tradition that imprints spells on the skin like tattoos. FBI agent. Thirty-two.

  Isen Turner: Nokolai Rho. Burly and bearded, he’s ninety-one years old but looks around fifty.

  Jasper Machek: Rule’s newly discovered half brother or alius kin (means otherkin) on his mother’s side.

  Leo Romano: Laban Rho until forced to step down, passing his clan’s mantle to his heir, Tony Romano.

  Li Lei Yu, aka Grandmother: Lily’s grandmother on her father’s side. Much older than she looks.

  Lily Yu: Homicide detective in Book 1 (Tempting Danger); joined the Unit (FBI) at end of that book. She’s twenty-nine in Mortal Ties. She was abducted by a child rapist when she was eight. Rule’s Chosen, Lily is a touch sensitive—she identifies the presence of magic through touch, but cannot be affected by it.

  Michael Machek: Jasper’s father.

  Ruben Brooks: Head of Unit Twelve of the FBI with an incredibly accurate precognitive Gift. Became both lupus and Rho in Death Magic.

  Rule Turner: Nokolai Lu Nuncio or heir; Leidolf Rho. The press call him the Nokolai prince. Dark hair and dark eyes, he is fifty-five, but looks about thirty. He was raised by his father at Nokolai Clanhome.

  Ryder: Cynna and Cullen’s new baby daughter.

  Sarah Drummond: Al’s wife, killed by Martha Billings.

  Toby Asteglio: Rule’s son. He’s nine and lives with Rule and Lily.

  Tony Romano: Laban Rho. Tall, muscular, and gorgeous, he suffered brain damage as a child, and while First Change enabled him to heal the neurological damage, he still thinks slowly—but thoroughly. Often underestimated.

  THE LEIDOLF SQUADAlanBarnabyChrisIanJeffrey JoeMarcusMikePatrick McCauseyScott White (in charge)SteveTodd

  OFF-STAGE OR BRIEF APPEARANCE

  Arjenie Fox: Benedict’s Chosen; a researcher for the FBI; part-sidhe

  Benedict: Rule’s oldest brother; in charge of security at Clanhome

  Brenda: Questioned by Lily; she talked too much to her Laban lover

  Carl: Isen’s houseman

  Carrie Ann Rucker: “Mule” for drug cartel, fifty-nine, a placid woman with graying blond hair and a crooked front tooth

  David: Nokolai guard

  Hank Jamison: Young Laban culprit

  Hannah: Previous Nokolai Rhej

  Isadora Bourque: Nokolai’s chief tender

  Merowitch: Explosives guy

  Mick: Rule’s brother who died

  Pete: Benedict’s second

  Sherrianne: Questioned by Lily at Clanhome

  The Sidhe

  Alycithin: Co-leader of the trade delegation; a halfing with tawny fur, a darker ruff atop her head, and bright green eyes. Muscular and about Lily’s height. Came up through the warrior class.

  Aroglian: The other elf with Alycithin. An expert spellcaster who specializes in body magic, including healing. White hair.

  Benessarai: The other co-leader of the delegation. Son of a sidhe lord, heavily outranks Alycithin socially, which means he’s really in charge. Copper-colored hair.

  Dinalaran: One of Alycithin’s assistants; armed with a SIG, does the driving. Creamsicle-orange hair.

  Lord Sessena: Benessarai’s mother and Alycithin’s sponsor. Powerful sidhe lord in her realm.

  Lord Thierath: Benessarai’s father.

  GLOSSARY

  Elfin or Sidhe Words

  arguai : power from an unknown source; not magic, often spiritual

  dielgraf : soul-enemy

  Rekklat: a catlike race in Alycithin’s realm, known for their skill as warriors and remarkable endurance; Alycithin’s father is Rekklat

  seurthurin : one who practices the arts of the mind (mind-magic, such as illusion)

  so’amellree : one of the sixteen words for enemy; describes one who might be a friend, were circumstances different (fem. form)

  so’elriath : an enemy for whom one feels no hostility, one who is simply on the other side

  Thalinol: the Queens’ realm

  LUPI WORDS

  Historically, lupus clans in Europe and Britain used Latin to communicate with each other for the same reason it was adopted by the Church—the need for a unifying tongue. Their version evolved, as languages will, into a thoroughly bastardized tongue likely to make classical scholars wince. In addition, there are a few words used by the lupi that have no known derivation. Lupi claim these words come from an ancient language that predates Latin, but since Latin predates 1000 BCE, experts consider this unlikely.

  The use of Latin to communicate between the clans is dying out now, since so many lupi speak English as a first or second language, though it’s still considered essential for a Rho and his sons, who must negotiate with other clans. Several of the words and phrases remain useful, though, since they h
ave no obvious English equivalent. Below are a few of the words and phrases any lupus would know.

  amica : uncommon, but still used. Means friend/girlfriend (fem.); a lupus might call a male friend of the same clan adun, from adiungo (to join to, connect, associate).

  ardor iunctio : literally, “fire of joining.” Symbolic fire used at some ceremonies, most notably the gens compleo.

  certa : “a place of ice and clarity, where sensation is sharp enough to cut and action flows too swiftly for thought.” It’s a battle state; sensations heightened, thought clear but altered. Opposite of furo.

  drei : tithe or head tax; it’s a percentage of income or wealth given to the clan.

  du : honor, face, history, reputation; has magical component. Predates Latin.

  firnam : derivation unknown; a memorial for one fallen in battle.

  fratriodi : brother-hate. A grave sin among the lupi.

  furo : also called “the fury.” Battle fury or madness. Clanless lupi are especially subject to it, but it can happen to those within a clan, though it’s rare.

  gens amplexi : literally, “clan embrace”; ceremony of adoption into clan. From gens (clan, tribe, people) + amplexor (embrace, welcome, love).

  gens compleo : literally, “clan to fill up or complete”; the ceremony in which a young lupus (at age twenty-four) is confirmed as an adult clan member.

  gens subicio : subicio means “to put under or expose; to subject; to place near or present.” When one Rho dies and a new one assumes the mantles, a gens subicio is held at which each member of a clan presents himself to his new Rho and ritually submits.

  Lu Nuncio: normally, a Rho’s acknowledged heir; also acts as enforcer/prosecutor/second-in-command as needed. (Note: Leidolf has separated the heir from the Lu Nuncio.) Nuncio is from nuncupo—“to name or pronounce solemnly.” Derivation of lu unknown, but may be short form of lupi.

  nadia : mate (fem.); from nodus -i (masc.)—a knot; a girdle; any tie, bond, connection, obligation; also a knotty point or difficulty.

  ospi: out-clan friend or friend of the clan; from hospes (host, guest—friend, stranger).

  pernato : a lupus who didn’t have a lupus father. A pernato is lupi because of recessives in both parents’ genes. (Also called throwbacks or lost ones, if one occurs that the lupi weren’t tracking. Term first mentioned in Blood Challenge.)

  Rhej: the title of a clan’s bard/historian/priestess. Also predates Latin.

  Rho: the ruler/leader of a lupus clan. Derivation unknown; legend says it predates Latin.

  seco : part of “to call seco”—to call the ceremony that removes a lupus from his clan.

  surdo : an unflattering name for humans (masc.). From surdus (deaf, unwilling to hear, insensible).

  t’eius ven : the intimate or informal form of v’eius ven.

  terra tradis : the private area where a clan’s male youngsters go before their First Change and live until they learn control. Tradis is a bastardized form of trado (to bequeath, to teach), so it means “the teaching ground.”

  thranga : a form of war in which the clans unite under a single battle leader against a common enemy; traditionally it requires the Lady’s summons, but the nature of that summons may be disputed. Predates Latin.

  v’eius ven : probably derived from a phrase meaning “go in her [the Lady’s] grace,” though some sources suggest ven may be from venor (hunt) rather than venia (grace), or even from vena (blood vessel or penis). This form is largely ceremonial.

  vesceris corpi: a major insult—translates literally as “eater of corpses” and implies taking a certain carnal pleasure in the act.

  Lupi: the Clans

  There are currently twenty-four clans; ten of them are considered dominant. Four of the ten dominants are in the United States; two are in Canada; one is in Africa; one is in Great Britain; one is in Sweden; one is in the Italian Alps; and one is in eastern Europe.

  A dominant clan possesses an especially strong mantle. Occasionally a dominant clan will accept temporary subordinate status to another clan, as Kyffin did with Nokolai in Book 1; it’s still considered dominant because the mantle is unaffected. A clan loses dominant status—and may lose its mantle and identity—when it loses a Clan Challenge. Clan Challenges are rare and can mean outright war, but fundamentally they are a contest between the clans’ mantles and may be settled by individual combat between the two Rhos. All but two of the nondominant clans are subordinated to one of the dominants. Nondominant clans are small, since the size of the clan has an effect on the strength of its mantle, and vice versa. Etorri is the exception. It’s very small, yet its mantle is extremely powerful.

  The most powerful clans currently are Nokolai and Leidolf, closely followed by Ybirra. Etorri wields great influence based on its du, but it lacks direct power because of its small size.

  Below are the ten dominant clans:

  United States

  Nokolai: Rule’s clan. Rho: Isen Turner. Rhej: Hannah. Originally from the Brittany region of France. Nokolai is the fourth largest clan (Leidolf, Ybirra, and Mondoyo are larger) and has the most subordinate clans—four, with two in the United States (Laban and Vochi)—and is the most wealthy. Clanhome is in southern California.

  Leidolf: A numerous clan, traditional enemies of Nokolai, implicated in the attack on Rule’s father [Books 1, 2, 3]. Randall Frey is the Lu Nuncio (heir) in the first two books, but is killed in Book 3. The Rho in Books 1–5 is Victor Frey. Victor’s other son is Brady Gunning, a sociopath: “tall, blond, and bony; nice chest.” Their Rhej is Ella—African American, tall, broad frame, Baptist. Leidolf currently has no subordinate clans. After Book 3: Randall Frey is dead; Rule is Leidolf heir; Alex Thibodeaux (grizzled, just under six feet, built like a pro wrestler, with skin the color of burnt toast) is Lu Nuncio for the clan; and their Rho (Victor Frey) is in a coma and dying. He dies in Book 5 (Mortal Sins).

  Szós: Hungarian clan that immigrated to the United States; Rikard Demeny is Lu Nuncio in Book 2. After that, Lu Nuncio is Lucas, third-born son of Rho Andor Demeny. Fierce fighters. One subordinate clan (Czech; didn’t immigrate).

  Ybirra: Large Spanish clan; the newest clan, founded in 1882 by Tomás Ybirra. Javiero Mendozo is Lu Nuncio; Manuel Mendoza is Rho. Clanhome in New Mexico. One subordinate clan four years before the opening of the series.

  Wythe: A midsized clan with a Clanhome in northern New York; the last clan to immigrate to the United States. Originally from England. Lu Nuncio is Brian Whitman, younger brother of the Rho Edgar Whitman. Both Edgar and Brian die in Book 8.

  Canada

  Etorri: A tiny clan with great du (honor, face, magic, history); Stephen Andros is Lu Nuncio. Previous Rho was William Carr; current one is Frederick Andros. Follows different rules for succession and does not accept subordinate clans. Clanhome is in eastern Canada. Etorri is said to be Greek, though the identity of its founder is one of many secrets kept by the clan. Etorri is a puzzle to the other clans.

  Kyffin: The smallest dominant other than Etorri, based in western Canada; Jasper Herron, the Rho, is unusually young (forty) and a friend of Rule’s. Subordinate to Nokolai for a year and a day, starting in middle of Book 1. The Lu Nuncio is Jasper’s uncle, Myron, as Jasper’s son is too young. Kyffin’s influence is due largely to their friendly relations with pretty much every other clan.

  Europe

  Ansgar: Scandinavian; Clanhome in Sweden. Ben Larson is Lu Nuncio. Not a large clan, but three very small clans are subordinate to Ansgar, increasing its voice.

  Cynyr: A Celtic clan; most live in Ireland and Scotland, some in Wales. Lu Nuncio: Connolly (Con) McGuire. One subordinate (English) clan.

  Africa

  Mondoyo: The only African clan, started by a small group of lupi who went to northern Africa after the Great War. Out of communication with other clans until eighteenth century and have different customs. Lu Nuncio is Ato Tsegaye.

  Subordinate Clans

  Laban: One of Nokolai’s subordinates; their small c
lanhome is near San Francisco. Their mantle is unusually strong for a subordinate clan, but they do not do well without a dominant. They like to fight too much.

  Vochi: Nokolai’s other subordinate clan in the United States, they are known for their financial acumen. Vochi births few fighters.

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