“But I loved learning from you,” Val told her, voice sounding betrayed and incredulous. “I loved the travel and the kids and . . . everything we did, Ceinwyn, I learned so much from you.”
“Details please,” I butted in.
Plus Two for the Pit: we can’t pool anima in here, so I just dodged both a paper-cut and a Fireball of Doom.
Ignoring me, Ceinwyn leaned forward and reached out to take Val’s hand. “You earned your promotion ten times over. I’m very happy with your work as an Assistant Director, even if the paperwork must be driving you crazy by now.”
“Can I . . . can I transfer back then?” Val asked.
Ceinwyn blinked in confusion. “To be my assistant?”
“Maybe not that . . . but I would like to be an actual Recruiter again . . . maybe somewhere based closer to the Institution?”
Ceinwyn glanced between the two of us, finally realizing that I just hadn’t been doing courting but winning. “Four days? Four days was all it took for him to drag you back into his insanity?”
“More like two,” I couldn’t help but point out. “She held out very hard on the first day; you would’ve been proud.”
Val actually blushed. “Not just for . . . us. I like being in the field. Plus, as you’ve said plenty of times: an American parent’s stubbornness is much more difficult to overcome than the danger of a foreign nation with a supernatural community grown wild. I’ve mastered the international, it’s time for me to learn the other side of our trade. Also, I much prefer it to administration.”
“Don’t we all?” Ceinwyn deadpanned. “August recruiting season and where am I? I should be in Chicago right now looking over a sciomancer, but instead I end up in the Cleansing Sphere . . . trying to save our favorite troublemaker for the tenth year running. I wouldn’t get my heart set on transferring, not when he might end up tied to a wall somewhere in this building for the next decade, maybe a century if Alexander has his way.”
“Well, he ain’t gonna get his way,” I said like the saying made it so.
“It will take a minor miracle to keep three-hundred of those Artificers from censuring you. A miracle even I can’t arrange. Then they and Alexander begin their dance to decided your punishment, all while the Lady makes her calls and lets her feelings on the matter be known. This is a political nightmare now, for every mancer organization on the planet. After what you did in Las Vegas . . . people are starting to notice you, to remember your name, and don’t be so pleased with that, it’s not as fun as you think, trust me. Even if you keep your independence, you’re about to be loaded down with more of those strings you so despise, King Henry,” Ceinwyn told me the hard truth as she saw it. “Winning, winning will be very difficult. Even the Lady doesn’t win every political battle . . . although she has gotten very good at posting draws.”
I only showed her some canine, acting braver than I felt. Was tired that morning and more tired now. Good as my plan was, it was at the point where plans turn to shit. What’s that they say about battle plans not surviving the first enemy contact? Same in the supernatural world too.
The judgment continued, the Last True Dale’s regard finding cracks and crevices they had never seen before. A deeper, more dangerous King Henry Price. “You were never a liar, never for the important things. The way you forced it so you’re only taking my advice, not letting me take charge when you know this is the battlefield I was born for . . . is it just pride, King Henry? Or is that devious mind of yours at work? What does it have in store for us all? Why not tell me so I can help you? I want to help you, I do. If you would just let me in again . . .”
Part of me wanted to. Little boy that could just barely remember what his mom’s hugs felt like before the ‘Bad Days’ came. He wanted the emotional reconciliation. But it was about more than emotion now, so I shook my head at her. “Just cuz I forgave you, don’t mean I trust you, Ceinwyn. As for my lies, be they lies or unpleasant truths you don’t want to admit are real—I learned at your knee, didn’t I?”
Ceinwyn gave her blue eyes a roll over my dramatics, turning in her rocker for Val’s support. “And does he trust you?”
Before Val could answer, I did what used to be so impossible for me, “Of course I trust her. More than that . . . I love her.”
Ceinwyn’s jaw dropped a little bit.
Like a pitbull coming home and dropping a cute baby kitty in your lap, licked clean every inch, purring as loud as can be.
“Yeah, I fucking said it. So there! Been saying it for a day. Not even tripping over the word no more. Love. Me. Valentine Ward. See?”
Val grinned across the room at me. Yup, that’s the half-moron, half-genius that I love, her face said, try to ignore all the dirt and blood and whatever-the-fuck he’s got all over him, there’s something really special beneath all the grime. “He’s told me some of it in confidence. So far I’ve been quite impressed with his plans, but . . . less so with the hearing part. It has me worried and he is too, even if he won’t admit it to us.
“I’m sure he’ll explain plenty, including what this was all about . . . just eventually,” Val added to try to push me in that direction, knowing that it would take a whole lot of pushing, so she might as well get started.
“Yeah, gonna blow your skirts off, Ceinwyn,” I did some bragging to cover up the terror I felt at having to tell Ceinwyn about the Geo Realm, World-Breakers, and especially about Paine.
Ceinwyn, of course, didn’t have a chance at guessing correctly. “Can I assume it’s all about embarrassing Alexander in front of the Guild members? Making him resign as Guild Master? To what end? And how? The man isn’t without his skills as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Easy to manipulate, yes, but not without fangs if you turn your back on him.”
“Part of it might involve Massey resigning,” I hedged and hedged some more. “Not like I didn’t see this coming with all the Massey Bating I was doing . . . so I do have an ace in the hole.” Provided Jesus and Pocket find Paine’s hideout and none of us get killed in the next few days.
“Massey Baiting?” Val wrinkled her nose.
“Ceinwyn came up with it, not me. Talk about impressive.”
“She knows her audience very well, it would seem.”
“Ace in the hole?” Ceinwyn asked.
“Ace, just the one . . . won’t beat pairs, but it’s the best single card you can start with.”
Silence as I kept up pretending like I didn’t have a care in the world, all the while wishing time might speed up so I could get back to the fun half of my imprisonment.
“I spoke to Estefan and Miles,” Ceinwyn eventually did her own hedging. “They were surprised at how amenable you were to coming with them. Said that you seemed more worried about your artifacts than your person or about the fact you might be forced to stay in the Cleansing Sphere.”
“Hmm,” was all I said back, not even bothering with hedging, lest something slip.
“Tyson seemed more distracted than worried as well,” Ceinwyn kept going.
Val gave me a look that said: I figured it out the same way, so she at least suspects it’s far more than just Massey.
“Think he’s worried about Vega showing up while he’s alone . . . maybe the Curator or something else goes bump in the night. Has himself a big imagination does T-Bone . . . along with a few other massive parts.” I spread my hands so they were a good eighteen inches. “Ain’t talking about his belly either.”
“King Henry, I know you think Alexander is a joke, but he’s far from it,” Ceinwyn tried to warn me. “This isn’t one of your games with Heinrich Welf, this is serious. Tell me what’s going on, I’m begging you!”
“So now you’re begging and I’m silent . . . how’s that feel, Ceinwyn?”
Shit, don’t think I should’ve said that aloud.
Actually, I don’t think I should have even thought that.
Plus Three for the Pit: we can’t pool anima in here, so I just escaped getting murdered.
Ceinwyn’s n
ails almost cut their way through the rocking chair’s arm as she tried to keep an uncharacteristic bout of anger under control. “There are no laws requiring you to keep your silence about this hearing, King Henry.”
“I know . . . sorry, it just . . .” I tried to apologize and didn’t do a very good job at it.
Val helped, no smirk or laugh in sight. “As usual he just can’t be anything but an asshole on occasion.”
“Sorry,” I said again, more sincere this time. “Meant it when I said I forgave you. I understand, I get it. Trying to keep all of us safe from that big beast called government, I got that. Shit, given I ended up in jail anyway, you had more than a few good points. Just gimmie a couple more days. A couple more days and then I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
Tell you so much truth your heart bleeds, Ceinwyn . . . just like Paine wants.
“I thank you for no longer thinking of me as a traitor to the cause,” Ceinwyn dropped some serious sarcasm, “but if I accept this ‘couple days’ condition, they’ll have laid out all of their case by then and I won’t be able to fix what you’ve fouled up.”
“Still be before I have my say though. Come on, you’ve been trying to train me to be diplomatic for years now, don’t get to complain when I’m meeting you halfway. Tell ya what, I’ll even let you write up my speech I’m supposed to give them if that’s what you feel is needed to keep me out of the Guild.”
Cuz if it comes to that, if I don’t make a fool of Massey, if Pocket and Jesus don’t get me my ace in the hole, if something else don’t go my way . . . I’m very fucked and will most assuredly need your help, Auntie Badass.
Ceinwyn’s ageless eyes finally finished their judgment, boring into my soul like a drill made of sapphires. “I’ve forgotten how fun you are,” she whispered, liking whatever she saw in there, just like the first time back in Visalia.
Eventually they left, taking the awkward silences, false reunions, and what little entertainment I had with them. Ceinwyn Dale by my side. Yeah, maybe we couldn’t go back to before, but maybe we could try something different. Throw my relationship with Ceinwyn in there with the rest. Dangerous, the whole thing. Knew she’d come, planned on it some . . . since I couldn’t will her out of existence. Almost the worst part for me. Sending Jesus and Pocket off made my gut churn, but doing all this lying to Ceinwyn still . . . surprised I wasn’t puking blood from an ulcer.
Ceinwyn Dale was wrong for once.
I still sucked at lying. Especially to her. Made a snipe about it, but I felt like a hypocrite doing it after my reaction when I confronted her. Goes down to that part of me that always fears I’ll become what I hate. Become a liar. Become a cog. Become a bully. Standby and suck up all the Vamps’ bullshit just like the Learning Council. Sacrifice all them Intras cuz hey, they’re just Intras, who cares? Go mad like Mom. Beat my own kids just like Old Man Price did me . . .
Lies . . . I’m bad at them.
So happy I’m bad at them.
But . . . what had gotten really good was my poker face.
Was always good, now it was the stuff of stone . . . better than stone, better than even steel. A mask made of glass. Bending light around the face beneath until you can’t even be sure if it’s human or not. Ain’t sure I’m human some days, so maybe Ceinwyn’s right to treat me like a puzzle. Part of me wanted to tell her immediately, wanted to be free, wanted a second confrontation. But this time with proof. Want her side of it . . . want to know why the Learning Council stays on the sidelines. Peace, is that it? Or is it more? Last time, Ceinwyn made a claim that the Vamps don’t run the world, but I’m not sure even she believes it. What do they have over mancers? What’s going on with these Realms?
Had more puzzle pieces than ever, so much closer than before . . .
Just needed two more days.
Right?
That should be enough.
Needed to finish up what I’d started, just on the off chance that Ceinwyn decided to stop me. Of course she’ll stop me, right? But then . . . part of me thought Val might have gone corporate this last six months. She very much hadn’t and very much didn’t stop me. Maybe Ceinwyn wants to know as much as we do. But then, she’s on the fucking Learning Council, of course she knows what a Maximus is and what the Divines’ names are, all I’ve stolen so far. Might never have stepped into the Guild Vault, but the Asylum has to have its own version with its own Elven Blades and Excaliburs and Mancy knows what else . . .
She knew; she kept it from me.
For a good cause, Plutarch made me see all that.
I got it.
She didn’t want to risk Mordecai Root taking over the Asylum after the Lady died. Given Samson dropped dead out of nowhere and given Root had tried to kill me once already, whatever his reasons, can’t say I don’t see the logic. Ceinwyn would make a great dean. Do the Asylum proud. She’d hate it, but she’d have us all dancing about to her tune.
She is the Bloodsinger after all . . .
Wouldn’t even mind that one when the time came.
I forgave her.
I did.
But I couldn’t trust her.
Not yet.
Once I knew . . .
Then I’d tell her.
Give her the truth and force her to confirm it all.
That would be our reconciliation.
Good plan, King Henry.
Good thing she wasn’t sitting on Val’s lone couch when I realm-jumped over or nothing.
Oh wait . . .
That’s exactly what fucking happened.
[CLICK]
Ceinwyn and I stared at each other like we were both butt naked from head to toe.
Nah . . . worse.
Butt naked head to toe and her nipples were perked up.
Nope, even worse.
Butt naked head to toe, her nipples perked up, and Prince Henry perpendicular to the floor.
Know what? Even fucking worse.
Butt naked head to toe, perky nipples, Prince Henry doing his thing, and fluids gushing all over the place.
Shit.
Things were going so well . . .
Thing were going perfect even.
Minus the whole hearing thing being totally out of my control and me having no idea how to stop Massey, but . . . as perfect as my plans ever get.
Only being my plans . . .
I fucking knew it couldn’t last.
Right in the shitter.
Butt naked head to toe, perky nipples, Prince Henry doing his thing, fluids gushing all over the place, and blood-tentacles right up our asses.
My first reaction was to hide the World-Breaker behind my back like my mom had just caught me playing with an alien-style, motorized fleshlight. Had no second reaction since my brain froze completely shut in pure fucking terror.
Why is it blue, honey?
Cuz . . . aliens . . . got like . . . blue pussies . . . I guess . . .
Val was in her corner kitchen, preemptively having a panic attack and hugging herself around the stomach. “I tried everything! I even dosed her wine with sleeping pills, but she never even took a sip of it . . . I thought about hitting her over the head with something, but that seemed a bit too rash . . .”
Standing up slowly from the couch, Ceinwyn’s blue eyes flickering between the both of us. Could see them accept the facts as they came. Valentine knew he would be here, interesting but still unhelpful at explaining what just happened or how it happened or . . . One of the few times in my life I’ve ever seen Ceinwyn Dale at a complete loss for words. One of the few times in my life when I’ve been at a complete loss for words.
Val had plenty of words. Words she had been storing up while slowly becoming more and more anxious about the fact she couldn’t get Ceinwyn out of her apartment for the better part of six hours. Which she told me in detail, including a repetition of the drugged wine, something about Massey cancelling Ceinwyn’s hotel room, Val trying to get Ceinwyn to go out to dinner with her, Val calling T-Bone from t
he bathroom to try to contact me in the Geo Realm if at all possible, anything at all to prevent what had just happened.
A colossal fucking disaster.
“Miranda always said this would happen,” Val muttered, in her own little world. “She always says I screw up so big . . . that it would get someone killed or arrested or something awful one of these days . . . here’s the day! Wasn’t me breaking up with you, King Henry, as bad as it was. No . . . it’s this! It’s here! All my fault . . . do you think I should have hit her over the head?”
“No one is getting killed or arrested,” Ceinwyn finally worked up the ability to speak. “But . . . how?”
I cared about my girlfriend looking like she might spontaneously combust more than anything to do with Ceinwyn, believe it or not. “Val . . . are you okay?”
“I’m fine . . . just . . . you know, dealing with the fact that while I’m never emotional in the face of danger, or in a competition, or . . . any of those usual stressful situations; I am, however, a complete wreck when it comes to planning a murder . . . or a kidnapping . . . so . . . there’s that.” She ended on an involuntary giggle, which she only stopped by covering her mouth with both hands.
“No murder, no kidnapping,” I assured her.
“I tried,” she said again, this time through her crisscrossed fingers, eyes-without-irises wide and extremely dilated. “She wouldn’t leave for anything at all. I pulled a fire alarm. She said there was no way a pyromancer and an aeromancer could ever die to a fire even if the whole building turned to cinders. She kept asking me what you were planning and I kept lying and . . . I see why you hate all this. Lies are so not fun, not fun at all.”
The Pit of No Return (The King Henry Tapes Book 6) Page 38
