"Is that where Aryn is from?" Shadow still didn't know.
"Aryn used to be Gabron," I sighed. "Kifirin gave him a new face and a second chance. I just gave his ring back."
"Lissa, you're not letting him back in your bed, when you won't even," Shadow couldn't finish his sentence, he looked so hurt.
"That's why I'm here, you difik wizard. I came to ask for my ring back. I'm not saying we're going to be perfect right here and now. You have an uphill climb, just like Aryn and Thurlow. I'm giving you the right to step back into the Inner Circle. And if you don't piss me off too bad and if the surrogate thing works out with Erland and Gardevik, then in two years I'll consider doing the same thing with you. We'll find a surrogate and Grey House can stop getting their panties in a bunch over an heir from your loins or whatever." I sat wearily on a nearby sofa.
"Lissa, you make it sound so romantic." Shadow could do sarcasm as well as anyone.
"I'm not feeling particularly romantic at the moment—I just buried three people I love, my father decides to take responsibility after the fact and six-hundred-million people are dead because somebody aimed a Ranos Cannon, hoping to kill me instead. I'm not in the mood for flowers and violins right now."
"Lissa, I want us to be together. Like it used to be."
"Honey, that's not going to happen. Your father and grandfather saw to that, don't you think? Do I love you? I never stopped. Did you hurt me? Yes. When you didn't stand up to them. Didn't force them to look harder at what they were doing instead of jumping through the hoops that Marid of Belancour set up so he could get Cloudsong's noose from around his neck. Do I care if you take another mate? No. I just want it to be somebody you love if you do, not somebody coming in to provide broodmare services for a price. Erland has other mates—he loves them. I don't care." I flung out a hand. "Karzac has other mates. It doesn't bother me."
"But you held Karzac at arm's length, when Grace became pregnant with Kevis." Shadow pointed out.
"But Kevis needs to grow up with his father. Needs to know a father's love. That's something I never had and I feel it, Shadow. Right here." I thumped my chest with a fist. "I'm not about to take any child away from its father, or vice versa. Besides, Karzac and I worked things out. Somebody pointed out to me that one or two nights a month isn't going to take anything away from Kevis."
"Then come back with me to Grey House, and talk things over with Dad and Grampa Glendes."
"No, Shadow. I meant what I said—I'm not coming back to Grey House. Your father and grandfather could have talked to both of us about this, asking us how we felt instead of making an arbitrary decision that almost resulted in disaster for everyone. Yet they didn't. They didn't treat us as adults, Shadow, and I find that unconscionable. Maybe you can overlook it, but I won't."
"Lissa, I don't want to be caught in a feud between you and my family."
"I'm not feuding with them—I'm just not speaking to them. Sort of like I'm not speaking to my father. Maybe someday I'll get over it. I've noticed they haven't done much in the way of an apology. It's a little late now, don't you think? They almost bankrupt Le-Ath Veronis, and not a word?"
"They might not think you'd be willing to listen."
"No excuse for not doing the right thing," I snapped. "Or trying to do the right thing. We may share a child, one day, Shadow. At least I hope so. I'd like to see what a Quarter Karathian Witch and a Grey House Wizard might be able to produce. That doesn't even include what I got from the Elemaiya."
"I'll go talk to Dad and Grampa about it."
"Shadow, if you have to consult your parents, then you haven't grown up, yet. Grow up, then come see me if you want a child." I got up to walk away.
"Lissa, I didn't mean for it to turn out like this." Shadow folded in front of me, holding out my ring.
"You think your father asked Glendes of Grey House if it was okay if he got your mother pregnant? Did he?" I knocked Shadow's hand aside, sending the ring flying.
"I see I've been too heavy-handed." Glendes showed up. Fucking nexus echo, no doubt. He'd been listening for me to call his name.
"No joke." I stalked away from Shadow again. "Fucking Grey House Wizards," I muttered.
"At least one of them isn't fucking," Shadow offered.
"And not likely to unless he finds somebody else," I whirled to face him.
"Lissa, I should have stayed out of this. I know that now. It's of little consolation to you, considering what you risked to get us all out of that mess." Glendes said.
"Yeah? Who told you that?"
"Griffin."
"Dear old Dad. He just can't pass up the opportunity to fuck with my life, can he?" I was close to tears, now.
"Lissa, he said that if you'd interfered with the timeline in any way, they'd have stripped every bit of power away from you. You'd have given up everything, just to set things right."
"Yeah, I should have learned my lesson the first time, shouldn't I?" I wiped away tears.
"Lissa, I should have stayed out of this. I should have. I didn't. I hit you when you were weak; I know that now. My grandson was married to a goddess and I threw her out in favor of a two-faced bitch."
"A two-faced bitch who could have babies," I started walking again. "I'm still not coming back to Grey House."
"Will you have a baby with me? I don't give a fuck what Dad and Grampa think." Shadow begged. I turned one last time to look at him.
"Then I'll think about it," I said and disappeared.
* * *
Shadow used wizardry to Pull Lissa's ring to his hand. "What if she doesn't take it back, Grampa?" Shadow stared at the Tiralian crystal ring he'd crafted with love.
"Shadow, give it some time. I think she'll come around." Glendes almost crumbled at the look on Shadow's face.
"She once told me much the same thing she told you just now, and that was after I was almost ordered to kill her by the Vampire Council. You see where we are now." Gavin walked into the room.
"How long have you been here?" Shadow demanded.
"Long enough. If she wasn't willing to give you some time, she would have disappeared right away and you wouldn't have found her for months. She walked away and turned back several times. She loves you, Shadow. You, not so much," Gavin turned to Glendes.
"Then I'll work on that," Glendes said. "Shadow, see if you can find her. Tell her I went home with my tail between my legs." Glendes folded away.
"Where is she?" Shadow sounded hopelessly lost.
"Probably on top of something, somewhere. She has absolutely no fear of heights." Gavin sounded positive about that.
"She has no reason to be," Shadow muttered. "I'll go look."
* * *
"I had to ask Garde if he knew where you were," Shadow landed beside me atop the royal palace on Veshtul. Glinda and Jayd knew I was there the moment I'd arrived. They hadn't bothered me.
"Remind me to kick his ass next time," I said.
"Lissa, listen to me. I promise none of this will happen again. I promise. I messed up. Didn't stand up well enough for us. All I can think about is how you feel in my arms. Don't turn me out or send me away again. I don't think I can stand it." He reached out for my hand. I looked into his gray eyes—they seemed sincere enough. While he held my hand, he slipped his ring back on. I didn't try to stop him. He leaned in for a kiss—I didn't stop that either. I did have to fold us away before things got too out of hand—I didn't think Jayd would appreciate an amorous couple making love on top of his central dome.
Chapter 14
I stood and stared at Pearlina Rin for the longest time. She'd hissed at me when I'd first shown up, but had gone back to staring at the floor beneath her feet. Pearlina perched on the edge of her cot—it was bolted to the floor and held there tighter than that with wizardry Erland had provided. If we needed something stronger, I could always ask Connegar and Reemagar.
Pearlina's dark hair hung long about her face—she hid behind that curtain instead of glaring angrily at me, as
others might have done. She was of medium height—taller than I by several inches, and pretty enough, with large, dark eyes. That wouldn't save her from her fate—Vampire Councils everywhere were notorious for being ruthless.
"How does it feel," I finally said, "to be the one who murdered six-hundred-million people?"
"I've never killed anyone," Pearlina spat, handing me a nasty look.
"Yes you have. I can feel the taint about you," I said. "You've murdered by your own hand. The six-hundred-million, you murdered with a few words. The entire planet of Trell, blown to bits because of a few Alliance credits."
"Trell?" Well, somebody hadn't gotten the memo.
"Yes. All gone," I wave a hand. "I can give you the news-vids if you want—the journalists are still talking to the few people who were off-world at the time—they have no homes to go to now," I pointed out. "A few other worlds have offered assistance, but it won't ever be the same."
"But I was—my family—I," Pearlina was about to crumble. She was Trellian—I'd known it the moment I'd scented her.
"Dead now," I said. "Did you think Black Mist wouldn't hedge their bets when you handed information to them? If I hadn't been called away, I'd have been there too. Oh, you might have achieved your objective with my death, but honestly, after Kifirin got through with you, a teacup would be much too big to hold what was left of your remains."
"Kifirin," Pearlina snorted, turning her head away from me.
"I am allowed to protect my mate," Kifirin appeared, blowing heavy smoke. "I would kill you now, but my mate wishes to speak with you first."
"I've already told the others everything I can."
"But you haven't told me everything," I said. "Oh, I know somebody prevents you from saying where Black Mist is quartered. We'll move past that. When was the last time you saw him—the vampire who created Black Mist?" Pearlina's eyes went wide—I'd hit the mark.
"Eleven moon turns ago." The answer came grudgingly—I'd placed compulsion with the question. Now, all it took was asking the right questions to get around her other compulsion. Somehow, the Black Mist asshole had locked her up, preventing Gavin and the others from getting information on him or his organization. It might be a combination of compulsion and wizardry, but more than likely it was le'meruh. I was doing my best to skirt around it. Le'meruh was unbreakable compulsion—only the one who placed it could remove it. The only other way to kill it was to kill the one who held it.
"What kinds of foods did they serve there that you liked? Any kind of fruit you were partial to?" Every world had its ethnic foods. I was gambling on this, along with a few other clues Pearlina might give me.
"They serve a grassberry dessert, with cream. I liked that after getting the hind sandwiches from the cart outside." Well, it was one of the few planets that served deer as a regular meal.
"What color was the brick on the building nearest the cart?"
"Wasn't brick. Gray stone."
"Did you wear a coat?"
"Too hot."
Norian had shown up by this time, Lendill right behind him. Lendill pulled his comp-vid out and recorded Pearlina's responses as soon as he arrived.
"Does he feed from children or adults?" It was just a question. I wasn't really expecting an answer—most vampires hid this from those like Pearlina.
"He likes children." Pearlina actually shuddered.
"He kills them when he feeds?" I wanted to gag, but I kept going anyway.
"Usually. I saw him feed from a twelve-year-turn twice before she died. He likes to hear their screams. "
"Has he fed from you?"
"No—too old."
"You came here to get bitten by a vampire. Didn't you?" I had a feeling about her and I wasn't wrong, as it turned out.
"I volunteered after I found out that I'd get—you know—every time. The ones here don't withhold it, like he does." Norian lifted an eyebrow at Pearlina's admission.
Come on, Norian—vampires can give a climax with the bite, I sent.
And you never bit me?
Norian, I'm questioning the prisoner.
Sorry, breah-mul.
"Your favorite fruits or vegetables they grow there?" I went on.
"I love the coral fruit," Pearlina said. "Can I get some for my last meal?"
"If you tell me what you know about Solar Red," I promised.
"Those fools. They think they own Black Mist. Black Mist only uses them to clear the way for their own purposes."
"Where do they come from? Solar Red? Are they close to Black Mist?"
"In our laps, now," Pearlina laughed. "They bring the young ones for the meals."
"How convenient," I muttered.
"It is, isn't it?" Pearlina laughed again. "Like a buffet." That had me jerking my head toward Norian.
Norian—Black Mist is in the dungeon of Solar Red Headquarters!
But where? We have to know where!
Isn't Lendill working on this? We have deer sandwiches, coral fruit, grassberry dessert with cream. Come on, that has to give us something.
Seventeen worlds have that as a regular offering, Lendill sent to both of us.
Then we have seventeen worlds to look at. Before, we had nearly five hundred.
That narrows it down, Lissa, but even with one world, it's like looking for the pin in the hayfield. Norian wasn't budging a micrometer on this.
Come on, Nori. Missing children. Warlocks or wizards going in and out. Vampires, too—I'm sure he has more of them. Lion snake shapeshifters, possibly reptanoids with funny eyes—gotten any hits on where those we found traveled to and from?
Traced them to several worlds. Not one in particular, Norian was mentally grumpy.
Then the warlocks or wizards were transporting them, I returned. Let's ask Pearlina.
"Pearlina, for coral fruit and a grassberry dessert, were the vampire's warlocks taking the lion snakes far to send them out for assassinations?"
"I hated them, their eyes weren't natural," Pearlina snapped. "Zellar didn't like them either. He only took them two or three light-years distance. He said he couldn't stand taking them farther than that."
"How many snakes were there?"
"Only six that we sent out. The rest didn't have good speech, so we made them do other things. Clean up and such. Maybe fifteen or so when I left. Some of them died. The females all died."
Are you getting that? I sent to Lendill.
Got it, Lendill replied.
"What can you tell me about Zellar?" I asked.
"He did amazing things. The boss really liked him."
"What kind of amazing things?"
"He destroyed a starship once, when the boss asked him. Six light-years away and moving at light speed. That's amazing."
"That is amazing. Six light-years."
"Yeah. He's terrible in bed though." Lendill snickered at Pearlina's observation.
We didn't get much more from Pearlina. I didn't tell her, but the Council was scheduled to question her a final time the following morning. After that, they'd perform the execution. I was already asking Cheedas to prepare Pearlina's final meal for dinner as soon as we got above ground.
* * *
"This is getting us nowhere." Norian was so frustrated I thought he'd have a stroke. His hair was wild after he'd raked it with his hands too many times to count. We'd gone over the worlds that had the fruit, vegetables and other things Pearlina mentioned. As Lendill said, there were seventeen of those. Then we overlaid a map of all the locations where Norian had found the reptanoids boarding ships to travel. We didn't have a good handle on comings and goings, so all of those were included. It didn't help.
"Well, she did say that Zellar had a range of six light-years at least, if he hit a ship. Now, what if he hit that ship we were on that circulated Tykl?" I suggested. "Let me see if Erland can come." I sent out mindspeech. Erland was there in a blink, looking just as fresh and handsome as ever.
"Pearlina said that Zellar once hit a starship from six light-years
away," I said. "Is that normal for a warlock?"
Erland stared at me. "It's not normal for any warlock. A few might do it. Not Zellar."
"But Pearlina said he did. Said he hit a moving starship from six light-years away," I insisted. "She believed it was the truth—I would have known if she were attempting a lie."
"Zellar doesn't have that kind of natural talent," Erland said.
"Even so, we have the ship that was hit while orbiting Tykl," I pointed out. "Let's pull up Tykl on a map and then draw a six light-year radius around that and see if it intersects with anything else we've gotten."
Lendill, deciding to humor me, pulled up the star map of Tykl on Norian's huge vidscreen. Then he asked the computer to make the radius drawing around it, highlighting any of the worlds we'd entered so far. There weren't any.
"Crap," I muttered. "And there isn't anything strange going on with any of the planets inside that radius?" Lendill went to take a closer look.
"Just that abnormality on Mazareal—those climate fluctuations I told you about, Norian." Lendill looked at us for a moment before wiping out the map.
"Wait. Did you say climate fluctuations?" Erland was frightened, and I'd never heard his voice sound that way. He was always smooth and confident. Not this time.
"They wanted us to check on it, but I told them to get with the Science and Technology Department," Lendill said. "We don't have time to research why their weather is hotter than it should be, or why the plants and trees are dying."
"Holy fuck," Erland borrowed one of my favorite phrases and dropped like a rock into my desk chair.
* * *
Wylend was in my office fretting, Norian was on the communicator with Ildevar Wyyld, Lendill was on the communicator with the RAA—Regular Alliance Army, and also speaking with the Governor of Mazareal. Things didn't look so good. If Erland and Wylend were correct, then Zellar had turned to the blackest of wizardry to do what he'd done for Black Mist—he'd tapped into the energy at the core of the planet and drained it to enhance his power.
According to Erland and Wylend, once the process started, the remaining energy would drain away from the planet at an accelerated rate with nothing to stop it. Mazareal was gasping its last. That's why Black Mist had gone looking at Darthin—Zellar was about to run out of his power source. Wylend seemed to think that Mazareal might have ten years left—if that much. Then everything would die. Unless the population could find another home, the swift death of Trell would look like a kindness by comparison. Zellar's draining of Mazareal's core also told me how Black Mist had blocked me from finding them when I Looked—so much power in a warlock's hands had accomplished that feat for them.
Blood Redemption (Blood Destiny #9) Page 23
