“Just say it!”
“Fine! Fine! Yes I did my love. There, happy now?”
“Men!” Alice growled, turning away from him.
Sighing, Waldo admitted to himself that he was glad she was feeling better.
He went over to where Gronk was sitting, chewing on some relatively fresh bones.
“How do you feel?” Waldo put his fingers to the ogre’s face and they began to glow.
“Honestly? I’d rather poke a badger.”
“Remind me to avoid these badgers, they almost sound as scary as rabbits.”
Chapter 28
Trust Is
The room they were in was empty save for a pair of torches and a single straight back chair. On the stone floor were two large circles, one with runes chalked on the inside and one with them on the outside. Both magical inscriptions had been meticulously researched and written out. Celton was standing in the circle with the runes on the inside. His father was with him, seated in the chair. Both of them held their wands. Celton’s heart was pounding and a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. Everything depended on tonight.
“Are the seals correct?”
“Yes father.”
“Check them again.”
“I have checked them twice.”
“Just do it,” Dante snapped.
“Yes father,” Celton bent over to inspect the runes inside the Circle. He knew they were perfect. No vampire would be able to enter.
“If this is a trick I’ll burn the vampire to ashes.”
“Do you really think he would come here if he wasn’t serious? I am sure he knows what will happen if he lies.”
“Where Lilith is concerned anything is possible.”
Celton finished looking over the runes and stood straight. “I am sure she is not going to sacrifice her familiar.”
“You don’t know a damn thing. I have known that miserable whore for close to thirty years. She is the most deceitful, clever, and ruthless person I’ve ever met. Nothing is beyond her.” Dante clutched his wand in both hands. “Lilith is a monster.”
Celton just gave a nod.
“I am not afraid of her.”
“Of course not father, no one thinks-”
“Yes they do! Do you think I’m an idiot? I see the looks, I hear the whispers. From you from the family from the Council members, I know what all of you think. That woman insults me and I am forced to swallow it. Her very existence mocks me! When she’s dead I’ll have her head made into a drinking cup.”
Just so long as someone else brings it to you. Celton was reminded of how dangerous the situation was. If things went badly they would go very bad.
His father noticed. “Nervous?”
“Not at all.”
“Are you sure? If the vampire doesn’t show up, or if this turns out to be a trick it won’t end well for you. Sitting with the grandchildren will be the least of your worries.”
Father did love to make threats.
“What happens if I succeed? If Enver comes here tonight and betrays all of Lilith’s secrets?”
Dante gave an indifferent shrug. “You’ll be rewarded, once she is dead.”
Father enjoyed going into detail when it came to possible punishments. Rewards were always left ambiguous.
“Tell me something father, who do you think should be your heir?”
Dante scowled. “What a pointless question. Even if everything works out perfectly I won’t name anyone. You should know that.”
“I do, but we are alone, just this once, tell me who you think should follow after you.”
“Why? Do you expect to gain some sort of advantage once I’m gone?”
“I just want to hear you acknowledge all my hard work over the years. I have done everything you have ever asked of me, all the dirty, thankless tasks you never wanted to deal with yourself. You never once gave me my due, all I ever got was more work. Just one time, I want you to admit that I am the one who deserves to be your heir.”
“I owe you nothing.” Dante sneered exposing those rotten teeth. “Don’t stand there and pretend you had a choice. You did what I ordered you to. If you hadn’t you’d be dead now. I’ll admit that you’re competent. I suppose I’ll go so far to say of all my children you’re the most competent. That’s what’s made you so useful over the years.”
“Is that really all you’ll give me father? Can’t you even admit I’m the most deserving?”
“Why should I?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“The truth?” Dante chortled. “When has that ever mattered?”
“It matters father, though I know you’ve never thought so.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. When you are the head of the family you get to decide what is important and what’s not.”
“Then tell me, what matters to you?”
“Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“It’s rare when I actually have your full attention. I want to take advantage of it.”
“By asking useless questions?”
“I don’t think they’re useless.”
Dante leaned back into his chair. “What is it you expect to hear? You know what matters to me; my pleasures, my reputation, my revenge. It’s pointless to ask something when you already know the answer.”
“What about the family?”
“What about them?”
“Don’t we matter?”
“The ones who are useful do. The rest of you are just mouths to feed.”
“Don’t you care even a little bit about our House? Even if you don’t love the members of it doesn’t Poisondagger matter to you?”
“I am Poisondagger.”
“Only until you die. What happens to the family then?”
“I don’t care. Once I’m gone let the Dark Powers sort it all out.”
Celton wasn’t surprised by any of the answers. It wasn’t as if his father had ever bothered to keep his opinions a secret. The fact there was no designated heir told you all you needed to know. That had nothing to do with being ruthless. Every head of a Great House was ruthless, but the others named heirs for the good of their families. Father’s refusal to do the same was a matter of pure selfishness. He would gladly let the House fall apart if it meant he could survive just one more day.
Yet Celton felt disappointed that father wouldn’t acknowledge his worth. Not even here, when they were completely alone. He really would have liked just one word of thanks. But it wasn’t going to come.
XXX
Not long after a frail figure climbed in through the open window. The vampire was near silent as he arrived. He gave his cape a dramatic swirl as he offered the two of them a bow.
“I trust I have not kept you gentlemen waiting?”
Dante sat with his hands folded in his lap. The wand not pointed at the vampire, but still at the ready. Celton stood directly behind him. Both within the circle warded against vampires.
Dante considered the vampire standing before him. He didn’t look like much, not even in his true form. Enver seemed small and emaciated. His appearance would lead you to believe he could not be much of a threat. The vampire’s reputation was something very different. In the city of Alter he was considered the second deadliest creature alive, second only to Baldwin’s familiar Zereul. That was why he had taken such care with the Circles.
“No, you are right on time.”
“I trust that you have kept our meeting a secret as I requested?”
“Naturally, I know how smart Lilith is. I wouldn’t risk her finding out about any of this. Even my personal guards know nothing. We three are the only ones who are aware of this meeting.”
“Excellent.” Enver’s eyes drifted from his face to the one behind him.
In that instant he knew.
And it was too late. He could feel the tip of his son’s wand pressing against the side of his neck.
“Telum.”
It was a basic attack spell. One sin
gle ball of compressed mana fired out of Celton’s wand. From fifteen yards away his protective wards would have dissipated it. From as close as ten they might have still been effective. At point blank range even the strongest protective wards were worthless.
Dante felt the spell rip out most of his throat. His mouth was filled with hot blood, drowning him. He managed to get to his feet and turn his wand on his traitorous son, but he could no longer speak. The boy knew it and stood there unafraid.
“It had to be this way father.”
He reached into one of his pockets for a dagger.
“Jacaro.”
Dante was tossed out of the circle and landed hard on his side. He tried to stand, to get up and take revenge, but there was no strength left. Dante collapsed and closed his eyes.
The Dark Powers would judge him.
XXX
Celton stood there and watched as his father stopped moving. The blood from his wound was beginning to form a pool around him. There was absolutely no regret or guilt at what he’d just done. Celton only wished he could have done it ten years earlier. What flooded through him was mostly relief.
“It’s finally over.”
“Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say it’s begun?” Enver made a point to step around the body without getting any blood on his shoes. “This is the beginning of a new era is it not?”
Celton nodded. “True, it’s the end of the start of a new day.”
“And who better to lead it than you? Celton Poisondagger, head of the Poisondagger family.” Enver placed a hand over his heart and bent his neck ever so slightly.
“I’m not head yet. I still need your help with the rest of the plan. Before anyone finds out my father is dead I need to kill the other candidates. It’s a waste, but the only way I can seize control safely.”
“That is what we agreed upon. All you need do is take me to their rooms and I will deal with them for you. I will be as swift and painless as I can.”
“I only care about quick, it doesn’t matter how much they suffer.”
Enver chuckled. “Being around Lilith I sometimes forget just how cruel families can be.”
“Really? I thought she was as cold hearted as any. The way she sacrificed her spy wasn’t what I would call soft.”
“Oh, she is utterly ruthless, make no mistake there. But she has surprising weak points where her own children are concerned.”
He walked out of the Circle to join Enver by the door. There was no time to waste. The coup had to be over before father’s body was discovered.
“Please tell your mistress that once this is done and I am in control I will keep my word. The feud between our two houses is over. She will have my full support on the Council for as long as we are both on it.”
“I will tell her, you have my word.”
Celton gave his father a last look. “He survived a long time, longer than he should have. He died because he trusted me, even if it was only a little.”
Enver nodded. “Trusting the wrong person can have fatal consequences. After all, what is the old saying?”
The vampire moved so fast Celton never saw the hand that knocked his wand away or the one that grabbed his throat and squeezed it like a vice. He clutched at the arm trying to break free, but it was like trying to bend an iron bar. Enver slammed him against the wall and leaned in close to whisper in his ear.
“Trust is…”
There was a sudden jerk and sharp pain, followed by darkness.
XXX
Lilith sat alone in her study waiting. She could sense her familiar’s approach. Enver entered without bothering to knock and gave her one of his exaggerated bows.
“Celton wanted me to tell you that he planned to honor his agreement and support you on the Council so long as you were both members.”
Her only reply was to raise an eyebrow.
“I promised him I would tell you that.”
“I assume this promise was made before you murdered him?”
“It would have been hard to make otherwise, unlike you I can’t summon spirits.”
“I can sense how pleased you are through the bond. Does this mean everything went as planned?”
“I’m afraid so, it was almost too easy. Celton killed Dante and then I killed him, there were no screams and no guards came.”
“And you didn’t feed, correct?”
Enver made a sour face. “No.”
“Did you remember to wipe the Circles clean?”
She could sense annoyance from him.
“I followed your instructions exactly.”
“With no obvious evidence to the contrary they will just assume the two killed each other in a botched assassination.”
“Why didn’t you let Celton do it? I suspect the boy would have kept his agreement, for a while at least. He might have made a decent family head.”
“He would have, that’s why I wanted him dead too. The last thing I want is someone who is actually capable in charge of Poisondagger.”
XXX
Lilith didn’t manage to get much sleep that night. She found a window with a clear view of Castle Poisondagger. As it began to burn she watched with delight.
Chapter 29
Fresh Start
Melissa Cornwall arrived at Norwich the following day. During her travels through Lothas she had never had reason to visit this particular city. Today was clearly not the best day to make a first impression.
The air stank of smoke. There were dozens of columns of white and black smoke still rising over the city. To the right of the gate there was a large gap where come of the outer wall had collapsed. From what she could see there seemed to be nothing but charred ruins.
The city itself was not the only source of smoke.
Outside the main gate there were a pair of bonfires. Carts were being brought out loaded with bodies. Weary men were taking them and throwing them one by one into the flames. By the way they shuffled back and forth as they worked Melissa suspected these men had been at it for many hours.
Coming here Melissa had come across a few refugees who’d been filled with wild tales about liches and armies of undead. People tended to exaggerate, especially when they were scared, but they also didn’t abandon their homes just for rumors. While finding Waldo remained her priority Melissa had decided to offer her services upon her arrival. This was just the sort of problem the Order of Mist was suited for and it would help their reputation in this country. Sadly, she had arrived too late it would seem, but she would offer what help she could while investigating if anyone had seen Waldo. Somehow she never even considered the possibility Waldo might be dead. Melissa was certain to her core that she would get her hands on him.
As she approached the open gate the men there welcomed her. The soldiers on the battlements all took out bows and nocked them. A squad of soldiers approached her with their swords out. She came to a halt and stared. Running into people who distrusted and feared her was nothing new, but they were never openly threatening. Obviously what they had gone through had shaken their wits and they didn’t understand what they were doing. Melissa stood where she was with her hands to her side. She did not take out her wand. A few calming words would ease their fears and then she would meet the local lord and find out how she could help.
“What do you want?” The sergeant in charge asked.
Despite his tone Melissa dipped her head graciously. “My name is Melissa Cornwall of the Order of Mist. I wish upon you the blessings of Unity, Justice, and Peace. I desire to speak with your lord, and offer him whatever aid I can.”
“Duke Griffinheart wants no help from your kind.”
She was surprised at just how blatant the hostility was. Even kings would at least try and disguise how they felt.
“I know there are many stories and rumors about White Mages, but most of them are idle gossip. We seek only to help people.”
“Liar.” One of the soldiers spat.
The sergeant nodded.
“Whatev
er you might believe it’s for your lord to decide whether or not to accept my help. Can one of you guide me to him?”
“You are not going to meet with the duke.”
“Forgive me, but I don’t think that is your decision to make.”
After The Rabbit (Waldo Rabbit Series) Page 25
