Gwen huffed out a breath. “God, you’re like Zade when you try to explain something. Now try that again for those of us who didn’t go to the woo-woo school of enlightenment.”
Ania laughed at the disgusted look on Gwen’s face. “Using any word of power is always going to hurt you. All you can do is get used to the pain.”
“Well, hell,” Gwen said. “Fine. I’m tough. I’ll deal with it. If Zade can handle it, I can. We’re mates.”
Ania laughed. “Yes . . . well, lucky you . . . I guess. Let’s work on a word that contains the power of suggestion. You can actually put a person into a trance state and bid them do what you need done. The downside is that the trance is temporary and they will remember some of it afterward. Plus it is hard to hold another being’s will in check with yours long enough to accomplish your task.”
“Let’s try it. I like the idea of being able to make someone do what I want. Teach me that word,” Gwen said.
Ania walked close, smiling up into the eyes of her favorite new pupil. “There’s not a lot of explanation possible. It’s more experiential.”
“What do you mean?” Gwen asked.
Ania spoke the word then hit her far too curious student sharply in the center of her forehead.
Chapter 12
Synar was glad that the mission team’s trip to his home planet had been uneventful. Warro’s smooth flight had been quite a different experience than the bumpy ride he or Dorian was used to extracting from the Liberator’s tiny shuttle.
Though he would never have admitted it, Gwen wasn’t the only one enamored of the new ship and all its amenities. He was still wrapping his head around the fact that all the advanced technology on the Guardian 13 was tentatively his to command.
In what the Norblades called “Main City”, they made their way to the Chancery’s offices. Before they started digging and searching, he wanted to have at least one official on his side. His team waited quietly, if not very patiently, with several highly armed guards while their presence was announced.
He noticed his newest lieutenant looking around in concern. “Got a problem, Lieutenant Trax?”
“Unconfirmed, but yes,” Seta said, briefly meeting her captain’s inquiring gaze before resuming her scan of the room. “I think we’re being shadowed, but I haven’t figured out by whom yet.”
“Let’s keep ourselves alert then,” Synar said softly.
“Aye, Captain,” Seta said.
Stepping away from the group, Synar bowed his head to the male walking towards him. Chancellor Ralak Bartoff was a bit more rotund than he remembered, but still quite striking with his bushy dark eyebrows and long braided beard. Like some ancient conqueror, he looked more myth than real. The male who had been in his life since birth still managed to make an impression every time he saw him.
Feeling the male’s energy reaching out to him, Synar also noted Bartoff’s personality met the person long before he ever got within touching distance. “Greetings, Chancellor Bartoff. It does my eyes good to see you looking so well.”
“Greetings, Liam Synar, Son of Bogdan. Are we such strangers now that you have to greet me by title? My eyes enjoy seeing you again as well. I think the last time we saw each other was at your sire’s memorial service. Fine male, your sire. I check on Zella occasionally just to reassure myself that she is faring well.”
“I am sure Zella appreciates that,” Synar said, knowing full well it was nowhere near a truth. His mother appreciated nothing.
“Frankly, I’m not sure how Zella feels about it. Despite her eligibility for mating again, your female birth parent seems determined to keep all suitors away. Maybe you can encourage her to open her mind a little,” Ralak suggested, favoring Zella’s youngest child with a smile.
“Are you one of those hoping to win her compassion, Ralak?”
“Ah Liam, your queries are as direct as always, I see. You got that from your female birth parent for sure,” Ralak remarked, his gaze taking in the rest of Liam Synar’s crew.
Synar had to smother his smirk as his gaze traveled over his crew as well. None of them even smiled at his teasing conversation with Ralak. Not even the Siren wore a friendly expression. They all looked suspiciously at both the chancellor and his guards.
He couldn’t remember ever feeling so proud.
“That really wasn’t an answer to my question, Chancellor. I can see why you keep getting reposted to your political position. You’re still excellent at avoiding what you don’t want to discuss.”
Ralak snorted, favoring Bogdan Synar’s sharp progeny with an equally sharp glance.
“What was once a truth will always be a truth, Liam. I have long admired her. I would offer Zella a very comfortable mating situation if she would have me.”
Synar smiled and nodded. “I’ll put in a good word for you if the opportunity arises, but Zella and I aren’t exactly on the best of terms right now.”
“Is she still upset over that nasty business with Conor?” Ralak asked.
Synar shrugged. “Yes, but Zella’s ideas of it do not change the reality of my brother’s crimes.”
Ralak clamped a hand on the youngest Synar’s shoulder. “Indeed not, and you acted rightly. Where is Conor these days?”
“Doing penance and serving others in a way he never imagined doing,” Synar said, firming his tone. “I regret to cut our pleasantries short, but I’ve been sent here by the Peace Alliance. The matter I need to visit with you about is quite urgent. Could we discuss it somewhere more private?”
Ralak rubbed his jaw and then scratched the top of his beard with two fingers. “Why don’t you send your crew for a mid-day meal and we’ll indulge ourselves with a chat about your concerns. We can discuss them while we eat.”
Synar bowed his head. “I accept your kind offer, Ralak.”
He turned to his crew, his gaze going to Seta’s. “Lieutenant Trax, you’re in charge of the team for now. Find food for everyone and return here in two Earth hours. Keep alert while you’re milling about the city. See what you can find out from some of the locals.”
“Aye, Captain. I will be touch if we find anything to report,” Seta said. She bowed her head to her superior to show respect. “Enjoy your visit, sir.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Synar watched them walk off together with Trax in the lead, then turned back reluctantly, trying not to appear too eager to be alone with the Norblade chancellor.
“What’s happening around here, Ralak? The Peace Alliance said they’ve sent three generals to Norblade looking for someone. Since when does Norblade need that kind of Peace Alliance support to find one kidnapped individual?”
“Bah. The Peace Alliance doesn’t know if the female they’re looking for is even here. They’re just assuming she is based on rumors. If their mythical Allurean was here on Norblade, I am sure someone would have discovered her by now and contacted the authorities.”
“She’s here, Ralak. Samples of her blood were confiscated shortly after it left Norblade. That much proof exists. They have good reasons for believing that she’s on planet somewhere.” Synar paused and watched Ralak for signs of deceit, but all he saw was shock. “May we continue this discussion someplace more private? Some of this information is code locked for everyone’s safety.”
Ralak nodded and gestured with his hand down a hallway. Synar followed him until they reached a small conference room. The chancellor ordered food and then sent away all the guards that had been following them so closely. Once he and Ralak were seated, the older Norblade male stared at him for long moments before finally speaking again.
“You truly expect me to believe some mythical being’s life force was found on a ship leaving Norblade?” Ralak demanded.
Synar nodded. “Yes. I expect you to believe it because I checked that information personally.”
Ralak shook his head and released a deep breath. “This is very disturbing, Liam. Even when they sent generals to search among the outliers, I didn’t really believe the
missing Allurean was here. Shades of Kellnor, I didn’t really believe she existed at all. The race is extinct. All the history records say so. No one has heard of them in centuries.”
Synar shrugged. “Two light cycles ago, a supply ship was searched at a fuelling station because of possible trade violations. The captain of the search team was an intuitive. He said the anxiety level among the crew was too high to be normal nervousness so he ordered a full search of the ship instead of a typical inspection. They found numerous vials of life force in the ship’s Medical area that couldn’t be readily explained.”
“Black market trading of life force is nothing new, Liam. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that,” Ralak said.
“When tested, this life force matched the missing Allurean’s. My guess is that search team saved the lives of the supply crew because they were about to deliver life force that was devoid of any regenerative properties. They didn’t share how they arrived at that conclusion, but the Peace Alliance was involved.”
“I can barely accept that we’re having this conversation about a being that I am still not convinced even exists. Has the Peace Alliance actually confirmed the regeneration process is real?” Ralak asked.
Synar shrugged in reply. “I don’t know for sure. The Peace Alliance is keeping that information close. All I know is that the missing female is an employee, just like I am. My mission is to find her. What I’m sharing are just theories as far as I’m concerned.”
Synar watched Ralak stare at the ceiling while he wrestled with the information.
“What I do know is that the Peace Alliance sent their best generals scrambling to look for her before my crew was called to do it. I think we can surmise the female is valuable to them for some reason. For argument’s sake, let’s pretend the myth of regeneration is true. Based on the information I was given, the inactiveness of the smuggled sample indicates the Allurean is in a degenerative phase. My guess is that she’s allowing herself to die rather than remain a prisoner.”
Ralak shook his head in dismay. “I find it hard to believe that a creature capable of immortality would voluntarily seek her own death.”
“Maybe being everyone’s favorite science experiment isn’t much of a life, no matter which planet you’re on,” Synar said.
“I see the influence of your long-lived Pleiadian mate in that opinion, Liam. When Ania Looren was ambassador, the Norblade Chancery received many lectures from her about our envy of the extended life spans of other species. She reminded us that it had been evolution and enlightenment that had lengthened the lives of species like hers. How do you feel knowing your mate will likely outlive you by many centuries?”
Synar shrugged and smiled. “For however long our time lasts, I have a quality of life with my female that any Norblade male would envy. I would not trade my unique mate for any reason, Ralak. Being with Ania is refining my character in ways I never realized could happen.”
“I imagine that’s especially true since she carries the demon’s power now,” Ralak commented.
Synar raised one eyebrow. “Keeping up with gossip, Chancellor?”
“Keeping up with those I consider family,” Ralak said firmly. “Don’t concern yourself with worry over my opinion, Liam. Whatever your reasons for taking that action, I am sure they were honorable. I read the Pleiadian announcement of Ania’s death. Following a hunch, I looked at the registration for the Demon of Synar. It listed her specifically as the host. That’s how I knew Ania was with you. I also know enough about your family to know you would have commanded the demon to leave her personality intact.”
“Yes. We tried to avoid the public announcement of her as his host, but the Pleiadians are very legalistic about sharing such information. They ordered me to let her die.”
Ralak snorted. “Barbaric. How could you be expected to let your mate die?”
Synar smiled, some large knot in his gut easing for the first time in ages. “Thank you for your support, Ralak. I even had to fight Ania herself on that one. Your acceptance is a balm to my spirit. I will keep it mind when I have to deal with Zella’s reaction.”
“My impression is that Zella doesn’t know any of this. There is no reason to tell her, unless you’re ready to come work for the Chancery like Bogdan did. We would deal with her disapproval if that was the case. Such skills are always needed. The Synars have served Norblade honorably despite whatever internal struggles were happening.”
Synar bowed his head in respect of the request and Ralak’s continued faith. “The Peace Alliance has greater need of the Demon of Synar. Ania and I are aligned in this decision. Besides, you know I’m not patient enough to spend my life keeping political peace on Norblade. My use of the Demon of Synar is now for a more wide-reaching good.”
“Yes. I don’t doubt that for a moment. If Ania comes down to the planet, I hope you will consider bringing her around for a meal. My daughter’s mate died last year. Until Malden accepts another arrangement, she and the children are residing with me. I’m sure she would love to see you again. When my daughter looked to you as a potential mate, I was secretly glad you didn’t look back. I favor you like a son, but Malden would never have dealt well with the confinement of ship life. You were always headed away from Norblade.”
Synar smiled, remembering the younger female. Malden had been beautiful, but had held no interest for him. “The only female I ever considered for a mate is still recovering from some injuries she got during a recent mission. I insisted Ania stay on the ship and near Medical for a bit longer. Perhaps she can come for a visit after we’ve located the Allurean. However much I prefer to avoid the situation, she and Zella should probably meet.”
“Your mate is quite well known on our planet, Liam. Before you were born, she came to help resolve some long held tension within the rank of the Chancery. I’ve often thought that had it not been for her calm approach to things, Norblade’s favored position within the Peace Alliance would not have come to pass. She may be the reason I am here,” Ralak said.
“You never told me you knew Ania,” Synar said, frowning over the admiration he heard in Ralak’s voice.
Ralak laughed. “Raging fires of Helios. Are you actually concerned about competition from an old male like me? Rest easy, Son of Bogdan. Your female was too self-contained and too powerful for any Norblade male to give her more than a passing thought for bonding. When I heard Ania Looren was your intended mate, I was more impressed by the fact you’d won that intimidating female’s full compassion than even when you received your captain’s rank.”
“This is the second time in the space of a week that some secret admirer of Ania’s has turned up to tell me how outstanding she is as a female. I am well aware of that fact,” Synar grumbled.
Ralak slapped his knee. “Well, she’s no more outstanding than the male that finally talked her into sharing his bed every sleep cycle, eh, Liam?”
Synar laughed at Ralak’s teasing. “Indeed. Can we stop our discussion of it with that truth?”
Ralak laughed again. “After I say one more thing. Bogdan admired Ania Looren as well and saw that she sought the greater good of all. Saving such a unique and irreplaceable female is a noble charge for the Demon of Synar. Your sire would have been surprised by your actions, but ultimately proud. Any sire would be proud of a son like you.”
Synar bowed his head once more. “Thank you, Ralak. Your support means more to me than I have words to tell you. Zella would do well to consider your mating offer.”
“I didn’t say all that to win your support of my pursuit of her, but I won’t turn it away either,” Ralak teased, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “Ah, food, finally.”
The food was delicious, and for a time, Synar let the discussion veer to Ralak’s enthusiasm for discussing Norblade political uprisings. While he detested the subject, he knew such internal rivalries could be partially responsible for the Allurean’s disappearance. He couldn’t rule out any possibility.
When the last of the foo
d was consumed, Synar sighed before he looked sternly at Ralak again. “I hate to direct our conversation back to the reason for my visit, but I must. Will you ask the Chancery to give me official permission to search through all Norblade provinces? We may have to go into the outliers area as well. Backup would be appreciated if that happens.”
“The generals were in a rush. A proper search could take years,” Ralak warned.
Synar shook his head. “It won’t take years. With the capabilities of my current ship, I could actually search without anyone’s knowledge I was doing so. If I find her though, I’d just as soon have permission before I attempt a retrieval.”
“I can’t imagine the Chancery refusing the Peace Alliance any reasonable request. It will be better for them to hear it is you asking this time, instead of another pompous general with little respect for our culture,” Ralak said.
“If I find the Allurean among the outliers, I can’t let potential political upheavals prevent the rescue. I am not my sire, Ralak. I won’t let her die for the sake of Norblade politics,” Synar warned.
“No. I imagine you won’t,” Ralak said, sighing as he pushed himself upright. “Very well, Liam. I’ll do what I can to smooth the way for you.”
Synar stood then as well. He bowed his head a final time before leaving.
***
Synar listened closely as his Ethosian tracker reported that the search team was still unable to pinpoint who was following their progress. The best decision seemed to be to pretend to be unaware of it while they stayed vigilant in looking for their shadow. Since there was no reason to keep wandering around without some sense of purpose, they decided to retire and rest up before beginning the search in earnest the next day.
After his crew was installed in lodging kept pristine for visiting Peace Alliance officials, Synar went off to handle the other piece of business he needed to see finished that day. Childhood memories soon crowded out the more serious reasons propelling him forward. He walked along the streets thinking about how carefree he’d once been.
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