"No other Q'elindi on record—with the exception of your sister, of course, has ever held that degree of power. Do you think she was born into this time because Karathia needs her?" Erland asked.
"That's happened before," I sighed. After all, my father had planned my birth, because, in his words, I was the answer to so many things that troubled him. It let me know early on that love wasn't the real reason I existed.
At least I had love now. I hoped Zaria would find love—there was a sadness in her that I couldn't define. Perhaps Bree would know, but she could be the only one.
"Lunch?" Winkler poked his head inside my study door, where Erland and I were talking.
"What do they have?" I asked, realizing suddenly that I was hungry.
"Chicken-fried steak," Winkler grinned.
No wonder he was ready to eat—chicken-fried steak was his favorite meal. "Let's go," I said. "We can talk while we eat."
* * *
Avii Castle
Quin
"My love," Justis kissed me again. He didn't want to let me go. He certainly didn't want me to leave Avii Castle. A part of me didn't want to leave, either. The other part of me was determined to destroy what was left of Vardil Cayetes and the Arden twins. I had Siriaa, Vic'Law and all the poisoned worlds to avenge, after all.
"My King," Dena spoke softly behind us, "Lunch is packed and ready to be transported to the ship."
"I must go," I pulled away from Justis. I found Jayna standing next to Dena when I turned; Dena looked sad that she wasn't coming with us. I knew as well as anyone that Ardis wanted her with him.
A part of me was glad she was staying at the castle; I feared for her safety where we were going.
I worried, too, that the Orb would appear and fling me and those connected to me to a dangerous place. Dena was ill-equipped to deal with that.
Jayna, on the other hand, had become adept in handling weapons and at hand-fighting. In fact, Sal said recently that if Jayna wanted a position with the ASD, all she had to do was approach Kooper Griff, the Director.
I could see plainly in her face, however, that she wanted revenge against Cayetes and the twins as much or more than I did. Her family died on Vic'Law, and she was determined to do something about it.
"We have information," Caylon appeared nearby. "Morid Belancour, who took a short trip away from Grey Planet with a Grey House wizard, has been kidnapped and the wizard with him was wounded severely. They need Quin immediately to heal the wizard so he can tell us what he knows."
Chapter 3
Grey Planet
Quin
The ship—and lunch—had to wait. I found myself transported quickly to Grey Planet, where the wizard lay mortally wounded in their tiny, family-run hospital.
Caylon, Sal, Ilya and Zaria stood nearby as I placed my hands on the blast wound in the wizard's chest, exerting all my healing talent to bring him back from certain death. After a while, I felt it when Zaria joined her talents with mine; she worked on the lower chest while I repaired the upper.
If she hadn't helped, I would have been drained completely after the healing, the wounds were so severe. Whoever had leveled the blast—and I suspected another wizard or warlock—had intended for this one to die.
"He needs to sleep so his body can adapt to the sudden changes," Zaria mumbled after she and I pulled away. Our combined work had been seamless, which astounded me. She was powerful as a healer; that much was evident.
"I need to ask questions," Caylon growled.
"I've seen everything he knows in his face," Zaria retorted. I blinked at her—she'd done already what I should have done. "Here," she held up a hand and formed a two-dimensional display of what the wizard had witnessed.
I wasn't surprised to learn that Daris had snatched Morid Belancour at a restaurant, while Deris leveled a blast at Morid's wizard companion, nearly destroying his heart. If another wizard hadn't arrived to place the wounded one in stasis, he'd have died before Zaria and I could heal him.
"Fuck," I heard Ilya mumble. "What the hell do they want with him? Morid wouldn't make Second-level as a warlock."
"Information," Zaria sighed. "Damn, I'm tired."
* * *
Caylon transported us back to Queen Lissa's palace to deliver the news we had; that Morid Belancour, Marid's eldest son, had been kidnapped on Tulgalan by the twins. Zaria and I—we'd seen the same thing in the wizard's face—that Daris and Deris had demanded information while exerting power on Morid. Morid claimed he didn't have the spell they asked about, so they'd taken him and tried to kill his companion.
"What spell?" Queen Lissa asked. I didn't know.
Zaria did.
"You need to hide that coffin in the dungeon at Avii Castle," she said. "It belongs to them and there's something hidden in the base they can't get to without the spoken words of a spell Marid of Belancour laid years ago. Likely at Vardil Cayetes' command," she added. "The coffin will destroy itself if the proper words aren't spoken to open it."
"To keep the twins in their place and in service to him, no doubt," Lissa huffed. I could tell she was angry. "Well, let's move that infernal thing to my dungeon. I'd like to see them get past me to get to it."
"Thank you," I breathed. I'd suddenly felt terrified for Justis and everyone else in Avii Castle. They had no way to combat a murderous witch and warlock, bent on taking what they saw as theirs.
"Do you know what's in it?" Lissa asked, turning back to Zaria and me.
"It's empty," Zaria shrugged. "Except for a ring and a book."
Lissa went perfectly still. "What ring?"
"It's important to them in their bid for the Karathian throne—that's all I saw in my vision of Daris and Deris."
"Oh, dear God," Lissa muttered.
* * *
Justis and I watched as the coffin was pulled out of the cell in the castle dungeon, before Lissa's Falchani mates transported it to a similar cell beneath her palace.
"Will they realize it's gone?" Justis asked. "I don't want an attack here if I can help it."
Queen Lissa, who'd come with her Falchani to remove the thing, shook her head. "I hope there's some sort of location device or spell on it," she replied. "So they'll know it isn't here any longer. It'll piss them off, but that's their problem."
I wanted to giggle at her choice of words, but held it back. Bleek was nearby; he wanted to see the thing gone, too, since it had held Barc captive inside it for so long. He wanted no reminders—for him or his son—about his enslavement while believing a promise Cayetes never intended to fulfill.
"Well, that's done," Justis remarked. "Love, stay for dinner, then go to your ship if you must," he kissed my forehead.
"I think you'll be fine," Lissa shrugged. "We've had enough excitement for today."
"Then I'll be pleased to have dinner with you," I smiled at Justis, who tipped my chin up and kissed me in front of Bleek and the Queen.
* * *
Le-Ath Veronis
Queen's Palace
Lissa
"Erland, I can mist inside it and bring out the ring, but I admit, it scares me. What if they did something to it, so it would go to one of them instead of the proper heir?"
He and I stood outside the last cell in my dungeon, staring at the jeweled coffin inside. "I suppose that's possible," he admitted. "Perhaps that's how Helsa died—subverting the ring so it would recognize one of her children instead of the one it should go to."
"So—she could have performed a black spell to exchange her life for that?" I guessed.
"It's possible. She always was a power-hungry bitch. She hated Wylend's mother, that's why they never stayed at the palace at the same time. She wanted both her sons to be first and second-in-line to the throne, since she provided the first heir, but Karathian law always said birth order determined that. She wanted the law changed."
"I just had a terrible thought," I said.
"What's that?"
"Those few days that Wellend was officially King
?"
"Yes?"
"What if he changed the law during that time? After all, he'd probably listen to his mother, don't you think?"
"Fuck," Erland muttered. "Look, I need to talk with our son—and with Wylend. I'll let you know later what we find."
* * *
Avii Castle
Quin
"Everything comes back to the Arden twins," Sal said at dinner. "Cayetes, drakus seed, a ring they want badly," he shrugged. "They want the Karathian throne, that's easy enough to see, but what I don't understand is how they'll convince the people of Karathia to accept them, if they manage to take the crown."
"They will not take the crown," Ilya hissed. "Not while I live."
"I will stand between them and the real King," Zaria said, her words softer but no less resolute. "I know what they are. They are content to ignore those rather dubious facts."
"What are they—in your opinion?" Justis asked Zaria.
"Murderers. Thieves. Users of the outlawed drug, and I'm not talking about drakus seed. I'm talking about the Lyristolyi drug. The one everybody thinks has been eradicated. Drakus seed is bad enough—the other—that's worse."
"Gurnil, do we have information on this drug?" Justis turned to the Master Scholar.
"We do not," he replied, rustling his wings. "I will do research, my King, and present my findings to you soon."
"Zaria, how do you know about that drug?" Caylon asked. "It's not common knowledge anymore."
"I've done plenty of research," she said. "The information is still there, if you dig far enough."
"Perhaps you could suggest reading material?" Gurnil turned to her.
"I can," she agreed. "I'll send it to your comp-vid after dinner. In fact, the Queen's library holds books that provide information on the drug, as does the library at the University of Le-Ath Veronis. So many vampires were alive when the drug was still found and used on alien worlds, that you may be able to get firsthand accounts of it."
"I never thought of that," Gurnil breathed. I could tell he was excited about a new subject and the research it entailed. Gurnil was seldom bored; there was always something new to learn.
"I wish to help," Ordin offered. "I wish to study the records concerning the effects of this drug on its recipients."
"Prepare to be shocked," Zaria warned. "Records of its use may seem benign and even helpful at first, until it reveals its true self, which is terrifying. Worlds have died because of it. If you don't believe me, ask the Larentii."
"Ah, another resource to tap," Gurnil smiled.
"Whatever you do, though, don't approach the Lyristolyi about it," she added. "They'll do anything, up to and including murder, just to destroy a single grain of it. I hope the ASD handles this without bringing them into it."
* * *
Ilya
I made a mental note to research the Lyristolyi drug for myself. Drakus seed was dangerous enough. I couldn't imagine something worse. After all, drakus seed had come and gone, then come again during my lifetime.
I doubted there were many normal Alliance citizens, Reth or Campiaan, who knew anything about this one. That spelled centuries since this one had last been seen. The fact that the Arden twins apparently had both drugs troubled me greatly. What could—or would—they do with them?
"We'll cover the necessary information on-board the ship," Caylon announced. "Both drugs are in the possession of our enemy, and they've employed them for their own gain. I hope we can answer all the questions that will surely come after this discussion."
After dinner, the rest of us made our final preparations for boarding the ship while Quin had a glass of wine with Justis in private. Bel Erland found me in the Library, cleaning and polishing my blades—it was something to do to fill the time.
"I can't find Zaria by Looking or scrying—Dad says it's a talent belonging to the Q'elindi," he settled on a chair across from mine.
"You have a wondrous gift if you can Look for others," I said, holding up a blade and checking the edge.
"I get it from my grandmother," he shrugged. "But I still can't locate Zaria. I was hoping you'd know where she was."
"Outside, taking over for the guards at the terrace doors so they can get a bite to eat," I said. "I think she likes the solitude of it."
"I'm wondering how she knew so much about that drug," Bel said, looking down at his hands and sighing. "I asked Gran about it in mindspeech. She says it's just as terrible as Zaria claims it is. Gran's of an age and in a position to know that. Zaria," he lifted his eyes and shook his head at me.
"She is Q'elindi. I'm not sure any of us might predict what she knows."
"I'm surprised you're defending her. When I introduced her to you, I could almost hear you saying that I hired her for her looks. I wanted to tell you then that Quin is all I see. I'm telling you that, now."
"I've seen it for myself," I muttered, setting down one blade and lifting the other.
"I'm merely hoping—that you and Zaria come to some sort of truce where Quin and I are concerned. I hope you can work together without belittling her—well, you know what I mean."
"Zaria doesn't know much at all of a warrior's skills," I said.
"But," he began.
"My Prince, allow me to finish. Zaria hasn't been trained as a warrior. Her skills as a witch are formidable. Combine that with a Q'elindi's talent and ability, and you have a weapon in your hand that will do whatever it takes to defend you and your intended. The other—is merely training. I ask that you approach either Caylon or Sal, to give her basic instruction in hand-to-hand, as it could prove useful when a spell might be unwise."
"You don't want that duty?"
"I think she'd kill me," I stated flatly. "One of the others—she would take instruction better from them, I think."
"You don't think you'll get along, is that what you're saying?" the Prince asked.
"No, I think we can work together just fine. I know to rein in my—lack of humility, let's say—and things will likely work out. I wish I'd done it from the start, but I thought I'd be forced to work double duty to cover for someone whose only ability was her beauty."
"You should hear Corolan," the Prince snorted. "I thought he was going to write poetry after she stopped that paperweight in midair and dressed me down in front of my father."
I couldn't help the smile; I didn't want to offend the Prince, but I found the incident amusing. I wished I'd seen it for myself. If I'd known those things about Zaria before our introduction, I'd have known better than to think Bel Erland hired her for her looks.
She wouldn't mince words if she disagreed with him concerning his safety; of that much I was certain.
"So," he slapped a knee before standing to stretch. "I'll find Caylon and see what he says about training for Zaria."
"You should probably approach Zaria about it, too," I pointed out as he walked away.
"Good idea." He waved a hand and kept walking.
* * *
Quin
"I received this from Liron," Justis handed his comp-vid to me. The image was of Justis' smiling nephew, standing beside a huge, white wolf and a beautiful, pale-haired woman.
"He's growing so fast," I sighed.
"At least his mother isn't harping in my ear; word has it she actually likes it on Avendor."
"I feel bad that Liron had to be taken away from his uncle," I slipped my arm through Justis' as we studied the image together.
"He'll come back—when we determine it's safe enough," Justis said. "I'm still worried about that infernal coffin, though. I had no idea it could prove so dangerous."
"Queen Lissa has it, now. Let her worry about it," I brushed dark hair away from his forehead.
He smiled, grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Never forget that this is where you belong, too," he said. "At Avii Castle, as my Queen."
"I won't forget," I bumped my forehead against his. "I just have some things to do, first."
"Then be safe, beloved," he whispered and ki
ssed me.
* * *
When Kaldill transported us aboard BlackWing VII, we found the crew waiting for us. Some I'd never met; one I had and I was so happy to see him I flung my arms around his neck.
Somehow, Edden Charkisul, Berel's father, had coaxed Queen Lissa into allowing him to ride along with us, in case a spokesman or ambassador was needed. The pilot and copilot I'd never seen before, but the cook and his assistant vouched for them.
The cook, as it turned out, was one of Yanzi's brothers—Bekzi. His assistant was another surprise—a mute Sirenali named Gerrett. I understood immediately that Gerrett was Terrett's younger brother, but I didn't want to release that information too soon, in case it upset them.
Our pilot and copilot, James and Nathan, were a couple. Yes, the names were strange ones, but I'd heard stranger in my short lifetime. James, Nathan, Bekzi and Gerrett knew one another and had worked together before on Avendor. James and Nathan received their pilot training from Nenzi, one of Yanzi's brothers, whom some said was the best pilot they'd ever seen.
Zaria, who followed Bel and me toward our suites, hesitated for a moment upon seeing the four crew members. They smiled politely at her; her shoulders sagged and she followed me when I moved away.
It made me think that she'd heard of them before, but as I couldn't read her, I couldn't say it for certain.
"May I have a private word with you?" Edden had followed us, with Berel and Terrett right behind.
"Of course. Will my suite be acceptable?" I asked.
"I think it will," he said. "We've had word that all banking accounts belonging to one of the wealthy captives aboard the missing ship have been emptied of funds. His family, understandably, is more than upset that they've been—in their words—raped in this way, with no word on the status of their missing patriarch."
"I thought the ASD would freeze accounts," Zaria said.
"They did. Somehow, that action was reversed in this case and the accounts emptied."
"Where were these accounts? On one world or several?" Ilya asked.
"On one world—Tulgalan," Edden said as he strode ahead of us toward my suite.
"Then I know what the thief looks like," Zaria muttered. "That's why he was there when I saw him. I'm sure he made an attempt at petty theft, just so he could get a feel for the employees and the targeted bank."
SpellBreaker: First Ordinance, Book 4 Page 4
