Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2

by Suttle, Connie

  I went still—he'd called me Avii. My breath stopped for a moment.

  Kaldill smiled grimly as he released Yevil from his transparent cage. The moment he was free, Yevil attempted to stand and fight.

  He should have known better.

  Amlis ripped the shirt from his shoulders after Yevil dropped to his knees with a yelp of pain. I peered at Yevil's back as he snarled his hate.

  There, on his shoulder blades, were nubs. At the base of those nubs, next to his skin, grew the smallest, downy feathers.

  They were red.

  Yevil was half-brother to Jurris. Justis jerked Yevil about and punched him senseless with a single blow.

  * * *

  "How old would he be?" Ardis asked. I was weary but refused to leave while Justis, Ordin, Gurnil and the others discussed this half-blood child of Treven's.

  "Old by Fyrian standards," Gurnil replied. "Treven went through the gate fifty turns past, and I imagine this one was old enough to understand that Treven wanted his bloodline on the Avii throne instead of Camryn's."

  "Then he has enough Avii blood to stay young for an extended period," Ordin said. He'd remained quiet through most of the conversation, but chose to speak now. As a healer, he'd seen the sickness about him the moment he'd stepped onto Fyrian soil. I knew it pained and angered him in ways only a healer might feel.

  "He has to be near seventy turns, at least," Justis said. "Treven was watched carefully his last ten turns and he made no flights to Fyris during that time—Camryn forbade it."

  "The question now is what are we to do with him?" Gurnil asked.

  "I know what I want to do with him," Justis snorted.

  "My question is what will Tamblin do now?" I blurted.

  "He has a choice, doesn't he?" Dena offered. She sat next to me, quietly attending to the conversation. "He either attempts to follow his plan of invasion, or he returns to defend his throne. He must know by now that we've rescued Rath."

  "Without Yevil at his side to pour poison in his ear, perhaps Father will see reason, now," Amlis grumbled.

  I preferred not to rely on Amlis' hopes—Tamblin had his own demons and they drove him much of the time. I held no illusions that light would shine upon his blackened mind now that Yevil was gone. After all, he'd asked his eldest son to kill Yevil, likely knowing somewhere in the recesses of his soul that the Prince could die at Yevil's hand.

  Then, after knowing Yevil was responsible for Timblor's death, he still allied himself with the known evil. Tamblin's senses had twisted long ago and there were no delusions in my mind that he would find rationality at last.

  He'd killed his brother, too, as well as the Avii King and Queen. That act had started the sickness overtaking Fyris. Whether at Yevil's coaxing or by his own desire, he'd effectively killed the people of his kingdom. His desire to sail away from Fyris and attack the unknown was ludicrous.

  "Look, we're exhausted. There will be time enough to discuss these things when we're rested," Amlis rose and stretched. "I'll speak with my uncle in the morning and we'll decide what to do then."

  I waited until I'd shut the door of Justis' suite to work the kinks from my neck and shoulders. Justis stretched out his wings to relieve cramping from the hurried flight to Vhrist.

  "I can probably remove the knots in your neck and shoulders," I offered.

  "Please," Justis sank to his knees and allowed his wings to droop beside him. Placing my hands on the affected areas, I healed them of their aches. His skin was smooth and strong beneath my hands. I pulled away the moment I knew he felt better.

  "Thank you—I have never had relief so quickly." Justis stood and without a backward glance, strode into his bedroom and shut the door.

  * * *

  "I intend to clear out the old healer's quarters and set up a clinic there for those who wish to seek treatment," Ordin announced over a late breakfast the following morning. "Medics from Berel's ships have offered to help and with their knowledge and the medicines they carry, it is my hope to relieve some of their suffering."

  "That is an excellent idea," Kaldill agreed. "It will help in our investigation of the poison, I think. I wish to send samples to some I know, so they may work on the same problem from afar."

  "I have word that some will come who are immune to all poisons," Daragar interjected. He sat with us, making himself smaller to fit the chairs about the long table in the King's chambers.

  Except there was no King, and never had been. Tamblin named himself such, but he'd been deposed by his wife and son. Amlis would never call himself King, but I was concerned that Omina would consider herself Queen no matter what. I worried that things were moving too swiftly toward a less than ideal conclusion, but I had no authority and less desire to share that particular concern.

  Who is coming? I ventured to send mindspeech to Daragar.

  You will see, he replied.

  He was right—I would see. All I had to do was look at them, after all. I'd seen what Daragar and Kaldill were, and they were very powerful. So far, none had defied what I could read in them.

  Justis had been silent throughout the meal, choosing to listen to the others talk. I learned that Kaldill and Daragar had imprisoned Yevil—not in the dungeons beneath the castle but on the highest level, where the Avii once landed when they visited Tandelis.

  I hadn't been to see the prisoner there, but many from the castle had already made their way up repaired steps to look upon a one-legged aberration. Yevil had no friends among the residents—he'd killed too many of their friends and family to have allies.

  Varnell and his loyal guards, on the other hand, were in the dungeon—at Amlis' command. I hoped they weren't being mistreated, but had no desire to walk down stone steps to find out. I'd had enough of dark places for a while.

  Instead, I considered helping Ordin clear out the old physician's quarters on the ground level in the older section of the castle. He'd ordered my nubs cut away every spring, and while that was always painful, Tamblin would have killed me if he'd known what they really were.

  It made me wonder that Tamblin never knew about Yevil's nubs. Shaking that vision away, I turned back to the conversation.

  * * *

  Dena and I stood inside the physician's quarters later, staring at the piles of papers, shelves of glass bottles with who knew what inside them, furniture—broken and whole—scattered about and the windows tightly covered with wooden shutters.

  "Worse than I imagined," Ordin sneezed at the dust covering everything. "Nevertheless, shall we?" He nodded at the task that lay before us. "Save all writings and anything you think may be of interest or have a bearing on the poison," Ordin added.

  Lifting a wooden crate, I began to clear bottles off a shelf. These things would be left outside and carted away by castle servants—Amlis had decreed it.

  * * *

  Cloudsong

  "Father, the ASD is here," Morid hissed. "Give yourself up and beg for leniency. Surrendering to them is preferable to capture, torture and death at Cayetes' hand."

  "Surrender yourself. I don't intend to hand myself over to the ASD or those criminals," Marid snapped. "I have another place to go and plans to carry out. I care not what you and the rest of my family do."

  "They are weary of running from the ASD, and even more weary of looking for Cayetes' thugs at every turn," Morid said. "They have no guilt in this matter."

  "But you do," Marid's eyes narrowed. "Do you wish to die at the Vampire Queen's hands? She hates us still, you know."

  "If you'd been honest at the beginning," Morid pointed out.

  "Faugh, what would that have gotten us? We'd be dead."

  "Cloudsong might have lived."

  "How was I to know the bastard warlock would tap the core?"

  "Give up, Father. Ask for mercy from the Founder, then. It will keep Cayetes away."

  "He believes everything that witch tells him. She was a witch, you know, before she was vampire. That's why her son sits the throne of Karathia."


  "We don't have time to discuss lineage," Morid complained. "They are getting close. They've already tripped my two outer sensing spells."

  "Then stay and face their justice. I'm leaving. Come, Geng," Marid motioned for the Sirenali to follow him while pulling a leather bag into his arms. "Good luck, Son. I hope you live past sundown."

  Marid and Geng disappeared, leaving Morid to shout after them.

  * * *

  Sector Two

  Dorthil's Quarters

  "Where is this Yokarun wizard you claim to know?" Sector Two's President Pragg demanded. "If he is powerful as you claim, we need his help now. Did he merely intend to trap you? If that's the case, I want no part of this."

  The tap at Dorthil's door interrupted the standoff. "Master Crasz," Dorthil's guard appeared after Dorthil called out. "There's someone here to see you. He says his name is Marid of Yokaru, but he bears no resemblance to any Yokarun I've ever seen. He also has a strange one with him."

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  "Morid, your crime is not reporting this sooner. Surely you realize this is madness," Lissa shook her head at Marid's eldest son. "Do you know where the spheres are buried?"

  "No. Father sent them out and only told me he could find them later."

  "You say he has a mute Sirenali with him?"

  "Yes. Geng's tongue was removed long ago by one who wished not to have a Sirenali's obsession placed upon him."

  "That would make sense," Kooper sat at the end of the table, helping Lissa question Morid. "You don't have to speak to hide criminals from everybody including the powerful, and there's no obsession if you can't speak the words."

  "Fuck." Lissa uttered the one-word expletive and rose from her chair. "I have a good guess as to where Marid has gone; I've already asked Kaldill and Daragar to Look for the blank spot. Since Siriaa is a governed non-Alliance world, however, we have to ask permission to actively hunt for Marid and the Sirenali."

  "I suggest we approach them soon—Marid may have plans to overthrow the government there—again. Once that happens, we'll never have permission because he'll be running the planet."

  "And selling that poison crap to anyone who wants it, no matter the consequences," Lissa turned to level a gaze upon Morid. He shrank from her anger.

  One does not anger a Vampire Queen. It would be wise never to anger Lissa, as she was so much more than that. Morid was only beginning to have an inkling as to what she was.

  "I'll contact the Founder—we have to approach Siriaa soon or all may be lost," Kooper rose and nodded to Lissa. "Let me know if more information comes to light."

  * * *

  Lironis

  Quin

  New guests arrived at sundown but I, covered in dust and filth from cleaning the old physician's quarters, went in search of a bath before meeting them. Dena followed, as did Ordin, and I missed the availability of water from pipes as servants heaved hot water and a tub up castle steps so I could clean myself.

  Wolter led Dena and me to the kitchens after I was clean and dressed, to meet our new guests. I wondered at the location of our meeting, until I met the ones who'd come.

  The men gravitated about the woman who'd arrived, and I could see why. She was beautiful, with long, silvery-white hair hanging to her waist. As powerful as Kaldill, too, although she was a quarter High Demon—a race naturally impervious to any poison, just as the Larentii were.

  "You can see that, can't you?" She approached me. I almost cowered away.

  "No," she touched my shoulder and then fingered my hair gently. "You have nothing to fear from me or any of these," she gestured toward the men behind her.

  "She has nothing to fear," Kaldill appeared at my side. "By my command."

  "The Elf King has spoken," Reah laughed. That was her name—Reah. It was a lovely name—to speak and to hear.

  "Reah is mated to my son—the Prince-Heir," Kaldill grinned, his eyes lighting with mischief. Reah swatted at his shoulder, deliberately missing. I could tell they were old friends, as well as related by marriage.

  I wished I knew others like them, I realized. Friends who might tease one another and share many things without fear. Dena joined us in the kitchen and stopped short at the sight of Reah and the others.

  "This is Reah," I began my introductions. "This is her mate, Torevik, his father, Gardevik, Kordevik, a guard, and this one—I know not his name." I stopped at the last man inside the kitchen, realizing that I couldn't see what or who he was; that had never happened before and I wondered at it.

  "I am Kifirin," he nodded to me and smiled. "If the Elf King has you under his protection, then I shall uphold and strengthen that."

  "Thank you, Lord Kifirin," Kaldill gave a respectful nod. "Your offer gladdens my heart."

  "All of us have mindspeech," Reah continued. "Do not be afraid to speak with us in this way. No matter how far away we are, we will hear."

  Good, I responded. Something terrible has happened in Kondar's Sector Two. I felt it while bathing. I fear Lord Dorthil has a terrible ally at his side, and an even worse ally to hide behind.

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  "I think I scared her to death when I disappeared like that," Reah said, lifting the cup of tea Lissa offered.

  "You think she can see through a Sirenali's fog?" Lissa shook her head.

  "I hope that's what this means," Reah agreed. "Kaldill is sending mindspeech, telling me he is attempting to calm her, with Daragar's help. She thinks she did something wrong."

  "That poor girl," Lissa rose to pace. Reah had arrived in the middle of the night, but then darkness was the rule on that half of Le-Ath Veronis. The planet rotated on its side to produce constant darkness for the vampires. Lissa and a few other vampires were able to walk in sunlight, but that was a tiny exception in the vampire world.

  "She can read most anyone, but she couldn't read Kifirin," Reah went on. "These scones are good—who made them?"

  "Cheedas—he found new recipes somewhere," Lissa mumbled, naming her chief cook. "Do you think I should come and take a look at this girl?"

  "I don't want to frighten her more than she already is," Reah said. "She hasn't had an easy time of it, and those fool Avii tried to kill her when she was dumped on their doorstep."

  "You say Kaldill is trying to help her?"

  "He and Daragar both."

  "Then I'll hold off—Ildevar is planning to approach the Kondari High President in two days—is there any chance we can clear the way on that?"

  "The High President's son is there in Lironis, now, sending messages to his father."

  "Then we'll use that," Lissa sighed. "I'll let Ildevar know. Kooper intends to travel with him, along with a few others."

  "I'd ask him to choose his companions carefully," Reah said.

  "I will."

  * * *

  Lironis

  Quin

  "I didn't want to make a mistake," I assured Kaldill, who fussed about me as if I really mattered. Wolter waited to bring me dinner, telling Dena that she'd worked hard all day and asking her to sit at the table in the kitchen to be served with me.

  "Reah made this," Wolter set a wide bowl of food in front of me. "She calls it noodles in mushroom sauce. I've tasted it—it's wonderful."

  Dena was served a fish course with her noodles, and both of us were in raptures at our first taste of the food. Whatever Reah was, she was also a master cook. I'd never tasted anything I liked so much.

  Wolter, a fine cook himself, was very impressed by her skills. Kaldill continued to sit beside me while I ate, and Wolter offered a cup of watered wine with our meal. "This is worth cleaning out dusty old rooms any day," Dena smiled and sipped her wine.

  We weren't finished with the physician's quarters, or even half finished. It would take two more days to clear everything out, and then another day or two to scour it and make it clean enough for Master Ordin's patients.

  "We've made good progress," Ordin nodded his tha
nks to Dena and me. "It won't be long before everything is cleared away and cleaned well enough."

  "When we get the bedroom and sitting rooms clean, I'll move equipment into it and start seeing patients," Ordin said.

  "Not without a guard present," Justis said, striding into the kitchen. "We've just returned from a reconnaissance mission—Tamblin is making preparations to ride this way."

  "Another mystery solved," Torevik said. "Bringing all his troops, I suppose?"

  "Yes, and how is it that you speak our language?" Justis muttered, taking a seat next to Dena and accepting a plate of food from Wolter.

  "We speak most languages," Torevik shrugged. "Call me Tory. Everybody does."

  Justis was tall—Torevik—Tory, just as tall. I wondered if Tory could fight as well as Justis. If Tamblin were bent on causing trouble, that question could be answered soon.

  * * *

  Vhrist

  Tamblin was furious and shouting at anyone who came close. Omina, whom he'd sent to Lironis to hold the throne for him, had brought winged devils back to Fyris and convinced them to fight for her.

  He'd seen them himself—their black wings flapping far to the south as they spied on him—the King of Fyris. Rath had disappeared from his dungeon two nights earlier and ten guards were dead, another four wounded. Yevil was also gone; whether dead or captured, Tamblin didn't know. None remained to stand at his elbow; none that he trusted—or even half-trusted.

  That had been Yevil's position. Half-trusted and dangerous. Tamblin's mind wandered to the case of weapons Yevil always hid in his quarters—surely he'd had one with him when he went to fight the winged ones. Those weapons had killed their kind before; why had they not worked this time?

  Any guards who'd witnessed Yevil's failure and Rath's subsequent disappearance were now dead—most cut across the throat for a swift death. What had Yevil told him about the winged devils and the oath that kept them from killing anyone from Fyris?

  Had that been a lie all along?

  Perhaps he should have read some of those books in Tandelis' library before burning all of them. Yevil said they weren't needed. Until now, that had held true.