"The only person I know who's ever seen Liron, face-to-face," I mumbled.
"Exactly," Nefrigar nodded. "The book gives specific instructions to Quin should she ever see this female Larentii, who is described perfectly in its pages."
"She's supposed to attempt to kill her, isn't she?" Kaldill guessed.
"That is the book's instructions," Nefrigar replied. "The Larentii were unconcerned, as we believed Corinne dead for centuries. Until Zaria appeared."
"May the stars and the Mighty be merciful," I breathed.
"What are we supposed to do about this?" Kaldill demanded.
"I know not," Nefrigar sighed.
* * *
Avii Castle
Justis
"I would not allow anyone else to touch them," I whispered as I opened the glass case containing Quin's wings. The Elf King had asked, therefore, I allowed this.
"I merely need to take another feather," Kaldill nodded to me. "From the other wing. With the one I already have, perhaps they will guide me to her."
"Find her, Lord Elf," I muttered. "Please."
"I will do what I can."
I watched as Kaldill gently plucked a downy feather from Quin's left wing and then held it gently on his palm. "Yes, this will be enough," he sighed before nodding to me and disappearing.
* * *
Cloudsong
Quin
"Where are we?" I hissed my question softly, so only Janis might hear.
"Cloudsong," Janis mumbled as she and I peeled potatoes to boil for dinner. "I only found out last night. The whole planet is deserted and we're stuck in a castle that could fall down around us at any moment. Don't worry, your silent friends are safe. Stuck in a cage in the old stables, or so I hear."
My shoulders sagged in relief. I'd be forced to search for another key, but I still had some time.
Time to set the Sirenali free and heal Vardil Cayetes. Time (I hoped) to get the others away when the battle began between his people and those loyal to Daris.
I had no idea what role the Orb would play in all this, or whether it would attempt to stop me at any point until I deliberately refused to obey its command.
"I think Yark holds the key this time," Janis interrupted my thoughts.
"Thank you."
* * *
Le-Ath Veronis
Lissa
"Sweetheart?" Merrill's fingers brushed hair away from my face.
I'd been asleep when I heard his voice.
"Honey, let me sleep," I mumbled and attempted to turn over in bed.
Wait. I hadn't gone to bed with Merrill. Gavin was on the other side. I was awake immediately.
What's wrong? I sent in mindspeech as I misted both of us out of my bedroom, leaving Gavin snoring away on his side.
"Half of the capital city on Wedeb II is dead and many others are ill. They're calling for medical teams from other cities and help from the ASD. The city was poisoned. I think it may be drakus seed," Merrill said aloud when I set him down in the hallway outside my suite.
"How?" I was still struggling to wake.
"I've sent mindspeech to several others—get your group together and meet us in the library in an hour." Merrill leaned in to kiss me quickly. "Hurry, my darling. Other cities may be in danger."
* * *
Kellik
"It wouldn't be difficult," Rigo paced in Lissa's library. "I'd say the Arden twins have been making fools of all of us, all along," he added.
"What are you talking about?" Kooper Griff demanded.
"We've only been concerned with the ships they've captured. Those are easy enough to spot—once they're stripped and abandoned. What if many others are boarded, obsession placed while cargo is tainted with drakus seed and then the ship is sent on its way?"
"How long would that take? To stop a ship and poison the cargo?" Lissa asked.
"Not long, if you had a wizard or warlock with you to employ power in distributing the seed into sealed cargo."
"The ship's chron-bot cannot be compromised," I said, causing Rigo to turn in my direction. "They have built-in safeguards. They record speed variations, in addition to stops and starts. I believe this wizard or warlock would have to be more powerful than any I've ever seen to change anything within the mechanism. Perhaps we should study ship's chron-bot logs to determine whether there were any unscheduled stops."
Kooper rose and began speaking into a communicator, giving instructions to a crew elsewhere.
"Check them all," I heard him say. "Pull the cargo manifests on any with unscheduled stops. Let me know what the drakus seed was in and backtrack those shipments to Wedeb II."
"We have it, sir—ground-up drakus seed was substituted for chemicals to treat the city's water supply."
"Deris," Lissa hissed. "He did this. Is the Governor of Wedeb II available? I want his ass in Kooper's office now. We need to know if he received a letter from a certain criminal we all know and never loved."
* * *
Lissa
Piik Guld, Governor of Wedeb II, slumped in his seat as Kooper questioned him. I hovered as mist in a corner so I could listen to the conversation. Kooper knew I was there; he'd already sent mindspeech twice during the questioning.
"Where's the letter now?" Kooper demanded.
"Please—I had no idea it would be this much devastation," Piik warbled. "They threatened me and my family. Said I'd never hold office again if I didn't pay them—and allow one shipment to go unchecked."
"So here we are, you're out the money and you'll still never run for office again—unless it's for representative of your prison cell block," Kooper hissed. "You could have sent that letter to the ASD, yet you did not."
"My family," Piik cowered.
"Your family is being cursed by every remaining citizen of your planet," Kooper half-shouted and flung out a hand in anger. "For killing their families."
I couldn't help wondering how many other Piiks were out there, agreeing to the same thing and now waiting, once the news of Wedeb II reached them, for the shoe to drop in the form of mass murders on their worlds.
Kooper, we have to take this to the media, I said. Quickly. Before millions more die.
What if they don't come forward? It'll put unnecessary pressure on those who never received correspondence from Vardil Cayetes. You and I know he's an empty shell and a cover for the twins. Are you prepared to release that information?
Kooper glared at Piik while we held our silent conversation. I'll hold off until you're done here, but we have to disseminate the information, I said. I'm leaving so I can talk this over with some of mine. Let me know when you can join us.
I will, Kooper replied.
I folded space while Kooper continued his questioning of Piik Guld.
* * *
"Most space stations are set up for drug detection—general drug detection," Rigo pointed out. We were having lunch in the library while all my mates and a few extras gathered there to discuss the problem. "If drakus seed is combined with chemicals, as in this particular case, it will slip past the detectors we have."
"We don't have the manpower to open and test every single crate or box that comes in on every freighter on every Alliance world," Drake observed. "The ASD and CSD are overwhelmed as it is. Drew and I checked numbers just this morning."
"So far, I've noticed that they haven't attacked the CSD," Aryn pointed out, his voice dry.
"They're working on this," I snapped at him. "I had a long conversation with Teeg earlier."
I didn't say I had a long conversation with Gavril, my son, and Tybus, his stand-in. Both ran the Campiaan Alliance under the same name and guise—as Teeg San Gerxon.
"I have a theory about that," Kell said, his voice soft.
"What's that?" I turned to him. I'd discovered the man was a walking encyclopedia of information.
"What is the Arden twins' ultimate goal? What are they working so hard toward?"
"The Karathian throne," Erland replied immediately.
/>
"Very good. Now," Kell continued, "Which Alliance does Karathia belong to?"
"The Campiaan Alliance," I said. I hadn't quite figured it out, yet, but Kell was making a valid point.
"Now, I know the Campiaan Alliance won't interfere with the succession of monarchy on any of its worlds—it lets those worlds decide that for themselves," Kell said. "Therefore, Karathia, should it be taken by one royal faction over another, will have no interference by the CSD. Then, once a new regime—I'm only making a supposition, Lord Morphis," he held out a hand to stop Erland's protests, "As I said, once a new regime is in power, it is their decision whether they will remain a member of the Alliance. Isn't that true?"
Erland went still. I could tell his mind was working furiously, however.
"Should they choose not to remain a member of the Alliance, they could set themselves up as a separate entity, selling spells, spelled objects and weapons of war to anyone with enough money to buy. Is that not right?"
I was no longer watching Kell; I watched my Karathian warlock mate instead. Deris and Daris may have originally intended to use the machines to take Karathia for themselves. Something had since changed. They still wanted Karathia; it would line up with the new plan—to sell those war machines to anyone who could afford them. Non-Alliance worlds would be flooded with the deadly devices, all of which could ultimately be pointed toward the Alliances.
"We should have blown that plantation to bits the moment we found it," I whispered.
We no longer knew where those evil things were and, if my suspicions were correct, the Orb was now involved. The God Wars weren't truly over; they still had one last ace to play and it could change or destroy everything.
"The Orb is calling the shots, now," I said.
"What?" Gavin stood and blinked at me.
"The Orb is calling the shots," I sounded half hysterical. "It's telling Deris and Daris what to do. Oh, my God."
* * *
"Remember when Vardil Cayetes and his family were the worst we had to deal with?" Winkler handed me a glass of wine. We sat in a private bar inside The Chessman, Adam's casino in Casino City.
My Falchani twins had invited me out for a drink after a less than productive day of playing what if.
Winkler and several others chose to come with us.
Adam, Kiarra and Merrill arrived with Reah, Edward and Gavril. Tybus was watching after the Campiaan Alliance tonight. When Trajan and Trace walked in, I understood we also had the ear of the Mighty Hand.
Kooper rose from his seat to greet Trajan. Those two were mated to Bree; did we have her ear, too?
"Please, let's not talk shop," I breathed a sigh. I wanted to be drunk enough that I could get the vision of the Orb out of my mind.
My guess was that the Orb had taken over when it kidnapped Quin.
Quin. I was terrified for her. Would the Orb destroy her if she refused to do as it said?
Somehow, I doubted she'd turned out as the Orb intended. She'd developed her own independence and had fought too many battles for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones.
A collision of sorts was inevitable between those two, and we had no idea where either were or how to stop it.
Zaria, too, had been taken from us. Was there an underlying reason that we just didn't see? Was a Mighty plan in the works—one I wasn't aware of?
You still have something the twins want, a voice whispered in my mind.
I did.
The glass-topped coffin lay in my dungeon. It contained a book and a ring, according to Zaria.
How did she know that? I hadn't been inside the base of the thing—only the glass-enclosed top, in order to rescue Barc.
How did Zaria know what was in the base?
Where had she been—for the past few centuries? Corinne/Zaria. She'd separated her particles on Earth.
Who could have brought her back? There was only one answer, so that was a rhetorical question.
My sister Breanne was the Mighty Heart. Of the original Three/One, only she could Change What Was.
Did she also know to alter Corinne's appearance, so she wouldn't be recognized as anything other than a Karathian witch?
I held my breath for several seconds before releasing it.
Quin wasn't what she'd been designed to be.
Zaria was alive and no longer appeared the same as before.
Two small weapons had been positioned against a wealthy, well-equipped army of evil.
They were the rock in David's sling.
Would it be enough to kill the giant?
I had no idea.
Chapter 15
Karathia—Past
Zaria
"Madam cook," the corners of Wellend's mouth curled upward as I set the tray on his desk.
Scattered across it were papers and records; his first day of hearing grievances as the King had arrived. He hadn't come to breakfast, so breakfast had come to him.
"Tea," I set the cup at his elbow, as he liked it. "Protein, to get you through the day," I pointed at the omelet. "The strawberries are just to keep you in a good mood."
"I need to be kept in a good mood?"
"I think Brill can destroy anybody's good mood," I said.
"Brill should go home," Wellend grimaced.
"Not just yet," I said. "Give him an eight-day or so, then send him on his way."
"Do you have a moment?" Wellend surprised me with the question.
"Everyone has a moment for the King," I smiled.
"Good. Sit down," he said. "Tell me, from a cook's perspective, how I should handle this dispute between two warlocks who provide the same spells in their village." He handed a paper to me.
"Are they here now?" I asked.
"Yes. I'm making them wait, because I have no idea how to settle this. They're both of an equal talent, and both get support from their customers."
"I'd like to see them," I said.
"Why?"
"Because I'm the Q'elindi you've been looking for," I laughed.
* * *
"Where have you been?" Ilya demanded when I appeared inside my tiny bedroom to change clothes.
"Serving the King's breakfast, witnessing a few disputes and then having a conversation with Warlend and Wellend. Don't worry, Bekzi is handling dinner just fine. He's herding those people in the kitchen around, and they're getting out of his way as if they understand he's a dangerous snake," I said.
"Where did that outfit come from?" he asked, crossing arms over his chest.
"I had to alter my cooking garb when I witnessed the first dispute," I sighed, letting the black silk gown drop to the floor.
"I can't believe you made me spar with the captain of the guard," Ilya huffed. "He needs to up his game if he expects to protect anybody—with spells or with weapons."
I stopped halfway through kicking off one black silk flat to stare at Ilya. "I need to see him," I breathed.
"I can arrange that. You haven't kept up with your sparring sessions. Want to go a round with Captain Horel?"
"Only if it's a battle of wits," I kicked off the second shoe before bending down and searching through my small trunk for something suitable to wear in the kitchen.
"He couldn't argue his way out of a game of riddles with a gnat," Ilya huffed.
"Now see—I knew you had a sense of humor hidden away somewhere. You should bring it out more often. I like it," I straightened up and pointed a finger at him.
"You shouldn't go about without clothing very often, it makes my cock hard," he pointed a finger at me.
"Oh, honey, I can fix that," My hips swayed as I walked toward him.
"I sure as hell hope so," he muttered and folded me into a hug.
* * *
I saw Captain Horel the following morning at breakfast. He and Ilya were invited by Warlend to eat with Wellend while they went over plans for the new King's security detail. Warlend, who was also present, winked at me as I filled his cup with tea.
It had only taken a brief
glance at Horel to determine that he and Brill were coconspirators with Hegatt.
Easy enough to bring a coup to fruition if you had a spy and the Captain of the King's guards in your pocket, as Hegatt did.
Horel was a high Level-three warlock; Ilya had shown him what a guard should be capable of and barely broke a sweat when they sparred together.
I worried, therefore, that Hegatt would target Ilya, in order to ease his way to killing the King.
My plan was undergoing refinements as a result; there wasn't any way I'd willingly place Ilya in danger. I'd already seen him overcome by treachery and I vowed never to let that happen again.
Horel is in deep with Hegatt, just as Brill is, I sent to Ilya. Watch your back every moment with him, I warned. If he thinks you'll be a threat to their coup, they'll want you out of the way first.
Should I thank you for placing my life in danger?
If you want. It's a gift. You don't have to get me anything, I replied.
Oh, I have something for you, all right.
Honey, I'll do everything I can to protect your ass. And the rest of you, too, I said.
Right.
Am I hearing some attitude? I asked.
Call it whatever you like. You're going to suck me into this coup no matter what, aren't you?
I never said that. In fact, if you want to be absent the day of the coup, feel free.
And make me look like a fucking coward?
Look, you can't be uninvolved if you're here. The entire planet is involved. Unless, I hesitated.
What?
You know Wallend is going to run at the first sign of trouble, don't you? I figure he'll take his kids and get the hell away, leaving his wife to fight his battle and die in his place. What if Warlend or Wellend sends you to find him?
I can live with that.
Good. I'll try to make that happen.
Don't get too close to them, they're marked for death, Ilya reminded me.
You have to spoil everything, don't you?
Cabbage, don't cry. Please.
I walked out of the dining hall after setting down the pot of tea I carried. The other servants could ensure that cups were filled. Ilya had upset me and I wanted to be alone.
* * *
Cloudsong
Quin
Dorgus was angry. As he couldn't see the Orb hovering over Daris' head, he thought her insane.
SpellBreaker: First Ordinance, Book 4 Page 20
