Taking a quick look in the reflecting stone once again, Jeena smiled and said, “I’m not being vain, Mother. I have to see what I look like in order to get ready for my meeting with the high priest, don’t I?”
Jeena hesitated a moment as if expecting a reply, but of course none came. A pang of loneliness swept over her. She missed both her parents, but she missed her mother the most. Lord Reale did her best, and Jeena loved her adoptive mother dearly, but even the kind Reale couldn’t take the place of her real mother. The deaths of her parents had been long ago, but the pain was still deep. Jeena supposed it was even harder on her older brother, Ceril. His memory of their parents was clearer than hers, and he kept his grief locked deep inside. Jeena didn’t think her brother’s method of dealing with his grief was wise, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Ceril and she were the first two elves to be born with the silver eyes and silver hair of their ancestors in over ten thousand years. Jeena had often wondered if that had something to do with her parent’s death. Both Ceril and she were supposed to be with their parent’s when they had been attacked and murdered. That they weren’t there was only by chance. Jeena wasn’t sure whether their salvation was a blessing or a curse. Even with the tender attentions of Reale and her bondmate, High Lord Trenadine, those first few decades without her parents had been rough. Discovering the wonders of the library had been her salvation.
Jeena didn’t bother putting on makeup. She seldom used it. Returning to her bedroom, she pulled a light-blue robe out of the closet and put it on. She tied a silver belt around her waist in such a way as to insure the silver thread sewn in the design of the Tree of Light was visible over her left breast. The emblem was the crest of the Thoraxen clan.
Satisfied with the effect, Jeena went into the kitchen and made a quick breakfast of grapes and cheese. She washed it down with a cup of spring wine. As she ate, Jeena reflected on what the morning might hold.
“I’m only an acolyte,” she said out loud. “Why has High Priestess Questor singled me out among all the acolytes for a private meeting? Even Priestess Aldriss doesn’t know the reason for the audience.”
While Jeena didn’t know the reason either, she did know it was an honor she didn’t deserve. From years of association, she knew the other acolytes worked just as hard or harder in caring for the Tree of Light.
Once she finished breakfast, Jeena washed out the dishes and put them back in their proper place on the shelves. She did a hurried survey of the kitchen. Books and scrolls were stacked everywhere, but at least nothing was dirty. Jeena had often been told by Reale that her housecleaning skills were less than desirable.
“My home’s not dirty, Reale,” Jeena said with a fond smile. “It’s just… cluttered.”
Satisfied she was ready to face the day, Jeena opened the door and stepped out into the early-morning twilight.
* * *
The sun was just appearing over the mountains to the east when Jeena left her house. She took a moment to turn back and survey her home. The white marble of the small, single-storied bungalow was dulled by the years, but Jeena loved her home anyway. It held many pleasant memories, albeit a few bitter ones as well.
Jeena turned and resumed her path to the main thoroughfare of Silverton. The elven capital was normally a bustling city, but at this early hour, Jeena passed only a few elves on the street. For the most part, the city still slept. In another hour, things would be different. The streets would be full of elves and noisy with conversation and laughter. But for now, Jeena had the city mostly to herself. For a few minutes, Silverton would be quiet. The near silence gave Jeena a sense of peace.
Two guards in elven chainmail nodded their heads at Jeena as they passed on the last leg of their night patrol. She was unsure if their deference was in acknowledgement of the light-blue robes of the priest class or the emblem of the Thoraxen clan emblazoned above her breast. Jeena gave the guards a friendly smile and a nod of her head in return. The guards’ night of toil was almost over. Her day was just beginning.
When Jeena reached the rotunda at the city center, she took a white-graveled path to the right which led to the city park. While taking the park trail was farther to the palace, Jeena didn’t hesitate to take the longer route. She still had time before her meeting. Besides, she always enjoyed the beauty of the longer, less-traveled way. The park trail passed between ancient silver elms thousands of years in the making. Their branches interlaced overhead to form a silver-colored roof with their leaves.
As her friend, Elisinsar, the chief librarian had often told her, the silver elms used to glow at night, but they had stopped doing so a century before her birth. Elisinsar said it was because the Tree of Light was running low on Power, and the Lady needed to conserve energy. Jeena didn’t know the reason. She just knew the trees no longer glowed. She felt a twinge of regret she would never experience what the older elves had seen. However, the silver elms were beautiful even without their glow. She could only imagine what they would look like lit up in all their glory.
The silver elms thinned until they disappeared altogether. Jeena found herself at the edge of the park center. The Tree of Light stood before her. No matter how often she viewed the tree Jeena was in awe of its beauty. The tree was the height of a hundred tall elves standing one upon the other. The tree’s gigantic branches stretched out the width of a bow shot from its main trunk. The Tree of Light was awe inspiring.
The tree was ancient. From her earliest memories, Jeena remembered being told how High Priestess Shandristiathoraxen had planted the first silver elm seed nearly a hundred thousand years in the past. From that seed had sprung the Tree of Light. Jeena opened her senses in order to feel the immense strength of the Tree of Light. Legend said in ancient times, the Tree of Light had been even more powerful. If true, Jeena thought it must have been powerful indeed. The Tree of Light was the most powerful thing she’d ever encountered during her short 322 years of life.
“Hail, Acolyte Jeehanathoraxen,” said a deep but friendly voice.
The voice came from Jeena’s left. She didn’t need to look to know it was her friend, Chief Forester Mistros.
“Good day to you, Mistros,” Jeena said as she gave him a friendly wave. “The Tree of Light looks healthy and well on this glorious morning. May its seeds once again fall.”
“Ah,” said the old elf. “Perhaps the tree will seed once again. I for one have my doubts.”
“Now, Mistros,” Jeena said laughing merrily. “You’re too gloomy sometimes. Look at the sky and the morning sun. It promises to be a beautiful day. Isn’t that a blessing in itself?”
The chief forester smiled. “Ah, the optimism of youth. I too was young once, Jeehana, though you may not believe it.”
“You should smile more often, Mistros,” Jeena said. “It takes centuries off your face.”
“Only centuries?” laughed Mistros. “Then I’ll have to smile much more often in order to make me young again.”
While Jeena would like to have talked to her friend longer, her time was getting short. Reluctantly, she took her leave from the old forester.
“I shall return this afternoon, Chief Forester Mistros,” Jeena said formally. “I don’t want you thinking I’m shirking my part in caring for the Tree of Light. I’m off to see High Priest Questor.”
“I wondered at your choice of dress,” said Mistros with a mischievous grin. “It seemed unsuitable for picking up broken branches and raking leaves.”
“Ha,” Jeena said smiling. “It’s been years since you had me hauling leaves and limbs. I’m a full acolyte now. I tend to the flows of Power. You know that.”
“Ah,” said Mistros with a smile of his own. “I must’ve forgotten. Until this afternoon then, Jeehana.”
“Farewell, Mistros,” Jeena said as she quickly headed for a trail leading in the direction of the palace. She was eager to see what the day would hold.
Chapter 14 – Gaston Myers
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The entire universe was silent for an eternity, or was it just for a blink of an eye. However long it was, it mattered little to Richard. He just stood there looking at ex-TAC Officer Myers. His nemesis was dressed in a business suit. Richard had never before seen him in civilian clothes much less a business suit. The suit didn’t look natural on him.
In Empire time, it had only been a year since Richard had last seen TAC Officer Myers. But in time-commando years, it had been over two decades. Even so, Richard found himself slightly intimidated by his brother. The word ‘brother’ was hard for Richard to even think much less say, but the truth stood right there before him. Richard wasn’t sure how he felt about the situation.
Richard’s ex-TAC officer broke the silence first.
“Shepard,” said Myers.
“Myers,” Richard answered back.
With a nod of his head, Myers indicated a hallway behind him. “Councilwoman Deluth is waiting for you.”
Myers turned around and began walking down the hallway without checking to make sure Richard was following.
He doesn’t need to check, said Nickelo. He’s a wizard scout like you. He knows you’re following by his passive scan.
The house was bigger than it looked from the outside. They walked down a long hallway. An open archway to the left revealed a sitting room of some type with a lit fireplace on the opposite side from the archway. Over the mantle was a large holograph of a man and woman smiling. The woman was dressed in a wedding gown, and the man was wearing the dress uniform of a wizard scout. Richard recognized the couple. They were the Commandant and Councilwoman Deluth. They looked happy.
A woman sat in a comfortable chair near the fireplace. When Myers and Richard entered, the woman rose. She was Councilwoman Janice Deluth; his mother.
“Ah, you’re finally here,” said Councilwoman Deluth. She smiled. “I think I must have dosed off for a bit.”
Richard was shocked. The councilwoman appeared much older than when he’d seen her last. Physically she appeared to still be in her late twenties. But Richard’s senses were attuned to more than what he could see with his eyes. As a diviner, he could sense and manipulate Power links. He could tell the line of Power connecting his mother to her Power reserve was thin and frayed. From earlier research, Richard knew the Empire had her official age at eighty-two. But he also knew she was a time-commando. Richard had a feeling she was much older than the Empire’s official age.
The councilwoman started to sit back down, but her hand missed the arm of the chair. She started to fall. Myers was there in a flash to catch his mother and ease her back into the safety of her chair.
“I told you not to overdo it, Mother,” said Myers. “You know what the medics said.”
“Oh, pooh on those medics,” said Councilwoman Deluth as she gave Richard a wink. “I was fighting battles that would make those medics’ hair stand on end before they were even born.”
“My point exactly,” said Myers. “You promised me you’d take it easy if I brought him here.”
“And so I will,” said Councilwoman Deluth with a mischievous grin. Her smile seemed to take years off of her. “That is, I will as soon as you get out of that ridiculous suit you’re wearing, Gaston. You should be in your wizard scout uniform.”
Myers didn’t give even a flicker of a smile. “I’m not a wizard scout anymore, Mother. I’m chief of security for the Deloris Armaments Corporation. You know that.”
The news shocked Richard. Not a wizard scout? At a time when the Empire needs every wizard scout it has? And he’s working for Diane Deloris? How’d he get out of his active-duty commitment?
Well, actually, said Nickelo. Wizard Scout Myers had over thirty years of active service when you were at the Academy. The average life expectancy of a wizard scout is five years. I’d say he’s had more than his share of active-duty time.
Whatever, Richard said.
Richard wasn’t all that impressed. Counting the years during his time-commando missions, he had a feeling he would soon surpass his old TAC officer in years of military service.
Ignoring her son’s reply, Councilwoman Deluth motioned to a padded chair across from her. “Please sit, Rick.”
Richard sat. He didn’t know what to expect from the meeting. He supposed he did expect a little more formality. However, the councilwoman seemed bent on keeping things informal. She was even calling him by his nickname.
Why does everybody seem to want to call me by my nickname? Richard thought.
Are you asking me? said Nickelo. I calculate it’s because you’re such a friendly and outgoing person. Nickelo giggled. Of course, I only calculate a negative two percent probability that’s the reason.
“My son,” explained Councilwoman Deluth, “saw fit to resign from the wizard scout corps and accept employment with the Conglomerate. Thomas would roll over in his grave if he knew.”
“Perhaps this isn’t something we should discuss with outsiders, Mother,” said Myers.
“Nonsense,” said Councilwoman Deluth. “Rick’s not an outsider. I told you. He’s your brother.”
Richard was floored.
“You know?” Richard asked the councilwoman. “How? When?”
“When?” said Councilwoman Deluth. “I found out shortly after your graduation from the Academy. How? I had Gaston sneak into the Empire’s archives and snatch a sample of your DNA baseline. Your DNA is odd to say the least, but the human part is a perfect match with Thomas and me.”
Richard didn’t know what to say. He’d been living with the secret of his family heritage for the past year. He hadn’t wanted to upset the councilwoman further after the death of her husband.
“Did the Commandant…” Richard started to ask, but he couldn’t quite get the words out.
“Did Thomas know you were his son?” said Councilwoman Deluth. “No. He did not. But he was quite fond of you nevertheless for reasons which will one day become apparent.”
“Er…, why?” Richard asked.
“I said one day, Rick,” said the councilwoman with a smile to soften the blow. “I have my reasons for not telling you. You’ll just have to trust me.”
Richard nodded his head affirmatively.
“But, I didn’t ask you here for a family reunion,” said the councilwoman with her voice suddenly taking on a businesslike tone. “I wanted to know more about the assassination attempt this morning. I viewed the investigation videos, but I want to hear it firsthand.”
“I’m not sure I can add anything else, councilwoman,” Richard said. “I–”
“Janice,” said Councilwoman Deloris. “Call me, Janice. I think Mother might be pushing it a little at this point.”
Richard nodded his head gratefully. Calling her Mother would be awkward. Biologically, she was his mother. But he’d been raised in an orphanage by the sisters. The councilwoman and he had no shared experiences to form any kind of deep-family bond.
“Very well, er… Janice,” Richard said. “I pretty much told the security personnel everything. Naturally, I left out anything about ‘the One’ or about the workings of my dimensional pack.”
“Gaston,” said Councilwoman Deluth turning in her seat to face her son who had taken a chair next to hers. “You were there. Did you notice anything unusual?”
“I told you I was waiting in your office when the explosion occurred,” said Myers. “Your office is hermetically sealed and lined with creallium to prevent eavesdropping or teleportation. I was unable to see or sense anyone. Once I heard the explosion, I immediately rushed outside and used my passive scan. I assume you’re trying to find out if I sensed the presence of a Crosioian scout or one of those magic users we encountered at the Academy last year. I didn’t.”
“What I’m trying to find out is if there was anyone who could’ve slipped a weapon past security,” said the councilwoman. “What about you, Rick?”
“No, ma’am,” Richard said. “I never sensed anyone, and I didn’t see where th
e shot came from. Whoever it was must have had a very good stealth shield.”
“My thoughts exactly,” said the councilwoman. “And, my understanding is the assassin used a solid slug instead of a plasma round. I wonder why?”
Richard shrugged his shoulders. He hadn’t thought about it.
“What are you trying to say, Mother?” asked Myers.
“I’m not trying to say anything,” said Councilwoman Deluth. “I’m just pointing out a non-exploding, solid round was used. That’s all.”
“Well, it would have killed her for sure if I hadn’t been there to heal her,” Richard said. “And, the follow-up explosion almost got us all as it was. If I hadn’t sensed the energy building up and shifted us into the void, we’d have all been goners.”
“So the explosion wasn’t instantaneous?” said the councilwoman touching the tips of her fingers together and putting them under her chin. “That’s interesting.”
“It almost was,” Richard said remembering how he’d gotten the three of them shifted just in time. “A little less delay and I couldn’t have done it. We were very lucky.”
“Yes, you were,” said Councilwoman Deluth. “And thanks to you, Diane was saved.”
“Well, err…,” Richard stammered.
His mother abruptly changed the subject. “Did you know Councilwoman Deloris has been trying to convince the council for the past six months to allow Conglomerate troops to provide rear-area security in lieu of active troops?”
“I think she mentioned something about that,” Richard said trying to remember exactly what he’d heard and where.
“Well, thanks to her near assassination this morning, she’s going to get her wish,” said his mother. “The assassination attempt scared several councilmembers. They took a vote in my absence. Conglomerate security troops are going to take over most of the key, rear-area security duties within the next few months.”
Without warning, Councilwoman Deluth pounded the arm of her chair with enough force to make dust fly out of the cushion. “I should have been there to knock some sense into their heads.”
Wizard Omega (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 4) Page 16
