Carved

by Miki

  It’s time. Spar wakes and stretches with a low roar. “I had the best dream about you, Kendra.” And that answers that.

  “Me too.” He kisses me good morning. “I need coffee. Want to go get some with me?”

  “Yes, I do. We can do that on the way to find the others for our wake-up flight.” It has become our habit when they wake.

  I tell the guys about the talk I had with Jericho. I focus on the part about the meeting. “I want you all to be with me, so let’s fly fast and hard now to make up for me cutting into your training exercise.”

  That’s exactly what we do. Even in flight, we have different talents. My goyles think I’m graceful and look beautiful in flight. We found that I’m quiet too. None of us make much noise. But—yes there is noise.

  We try something. They want to see if I scare cows. We’re close to the Smith Ranch, so as stealthily as I can, I fly up to a small herd. The cows act like I’m part of the scenery, until I growl, a low one. They take off like a herd of buffalo.

  “Well, that’s new. Can’t say I have ever seen cows run like that,” Spar laughs.

  “Well, I haven’t either. I don’t like that I scared them. I’m not doing that again. Feels like a kicked a puppy.”

  I receive a message from Mega on my tablet; the High Guild is meeting at ten. I need to get a shower. We fly hard and fast back to Navan.

  We sit in the conference room, clean and refreshed. I’m excited and want to get this show on the road. My consorts sit around the table, letting Jericho and Findare sit on either side of me. I’ve met the members of this council and remember all their names. Thank goodness I won’t be stupid on that point. I don’t know what they do or expect from me. One of the members, called Traver, calls the meeting to order and starts. Findare shuts him down.

  “We have a queen, Traver. It is her prerogative to start the meeting or order one of us to the position. You border on extreme disrespect to our queen. This is the second time I’ve had to remind the members of this group of the respect owed. I will not abide a third. We are blessed to have such a wonderful queen. Your insults are not appreciated.”

  The skinny gargoyle sneers an apology, setting a tone for my own attitude. I decide to change things right off the bat.

  “Count de Treon, would you please chair this meeting?”

  His surprised face immediately changes to a take-charge one, as he brings the meeting to order. Very well, I might add. Then he gives me the floor.

  I begin by asking, “Who is the secretary?”

  “There isn’t one,” Member Alexandritana responds.

  “Okay, then who takes the minutes, writes the calendars, and sends reminders for actions?” Silence…I use my business voice… “Volunteers?” Silence again. “It seems you might consider the job beneath you, so for today, I’ll do the job.”

  “I motion that the Queen choose a personal assistant. We will add this assistant to the High Guild to assist her in these duties,” Alexandritana pipes up. Out of the twenty Ceorfan present, all second the motion at the same time. “I will assume, with all Members seconding the motion, that the motion carries.”

  Great, I’m thinking. They want to impress me now. “Spar, will you please use your tablet for now to help me record the minutes.”

  Immediate sighs and groans from several of the members has me raising my eyebrows. One of the older gargoyles with a turned-up nose and huge ears petitions for the floor. When he has it, he uses the time to dress me down. Telling me, he knows I’m new to the queenship, but this is not done. Spar should not even be in this meeting, much less collecting information from it. “Do you know what lesser gargoyles could do with the details gathered here?” his tirade ends with a sneer.

  I look to the Count and take back the floor. I’m now fuming mad. Emphasizing his name, “High Guild member Traver, as the queen I revoke your power and position in this Guild. We do not have lesser or more important Ceorfan. I don’t know if that’s a tradition common to you alone, or Navan in general. It changes this instant. It’s the job of every one of us to protect and serve each other. Everyone is equal. This includes me and my family. We do have different jobs. Mine is as the ruler. I make the decisions. I listen to my advisers. Each member of the High Guild will have a say. I will not allow this type of behavior, especially in my advisers. You may go, Traver.”

  I ask Mega to escort him from the room. A fight breaks out, between Traver, his several supporters, and the other High Guild members. Jericho immediately spells the agitators into submission. After which, the Elite remove the troublemakers. After they’re gone, I speak to the remaining fourteen members.

  “This government has changed. You’re here right now not because you are a trusted adviser, but because you inherited the position. If you do not support this matriarchy, you may leave the city with no repercussions. If you intend to support this matriarchy, then feel free to stay and prove your worth. I’ll be as fair as possible until I get to know you and your character. First order of business, how are we to deal with the dissenters that I ejected from this group?”

  Count de Treon put forth the following motion, “Mega will send an officer of the queen to each of those removed. The officer will give them two options. Either support the queen or leave the city. If they decide to stay, they will pronounce fealty in the presence of Jericho. He will spell their fealty oath into their memory, making it impossible to break. Otherwise, Jericho must spell them into forgetting Navan's location, including its inhabitants. Afterward, they must leave Navan.”

  I second the motion.

  “On a voice vote, who votes in the affirmative?”

  I hear lots of ayes’ around the room.

  “Who votes in the negative?”

  Silence.

  “Abstentions?”

  Silence.

  “The next order of business, does anyone know the schedule for Spar’s last test?”

  “We do, Your Majesty.” member Slateri, a pinched little goblin-looking gargoyle, informed me. “But the candidate cannot be in the room.”

  I listen as Mega tele-speaks, “We will be outside. Call me to come back.”

  As they leave, their display of military bearing is better than I’d thought doable, given Spar’s sporadic training. I nod at member Slateri to continue.

  “The High Guild has scheduled the final test for the next full moon. It will be in two days. The test will be conducted outdoors with five combatants. Spar must retrieve a stone from an area he has known. We chose the middle of the Ranger post building where he worked in his past life. Once he has the stone, he must bring it to you. When it is in your hands, the test is over. We do understand you can change this at any time, Your Majesty.”

  “Thank you for the information, Member Slateri. No, your test is fair.” In secret, I realize he can do this with ease.

  “I move that the test, as outlined by Member Slateri, be given as proposed. If Spar finishes the test as outlined, he be integrated into the Guild soon after.”

  The Count seconds the motion. All members approve, none abstain.

  I tele-speak to Mega to come back to the meeting with Spar.

  I begin to tell the members about the intelligence we have been receiving on the Horde of Barat. “TASS believes that we’ll have a location soon, so we can bring this threat under control. I intend to use the Elite Warriors in completing this task.” Motion, second, pass. I ask if there are any members who would like to be more involved in the process with this issue. None volunteer.

  “Not everyone is a soldier,” the Count says, while looking at his feet. “Are there any other business matters which need addressed?”

  Even more silence. The Count concludes the meeting. I stand and ask anyone who wanted to stay to have dinner with me. The whole room agrees. “Well, at least they have a firm grip on politics.” I sigh to myself.

  While we eat, I tell Mega about witnessing John talk drugs with a guard at the Ranger post. I ask him to send an Elite team to handl
e this for me. He tells me he will assign a team and will let me know when he finishes it. I didn’t bring it up during the meeting because I want it completed. I don’t need advice making these decisions.

  The guys, Mega, and Jericho follow my lead in the attempt to befriend the High Guild. When the Count comes and sits beside me, not me going to him, I’m pleased. We make small talk before I ask how he’s doing. I can’t tell if the pain showing on him is from grief or shame. A little of both, maybe. I’m going to keep this man busy, I decide.

  “Count de Treon,” I start.

  “It is Clifton, Your Majesty. If you will, call me Clifton.”

  “If you will, call me Kendra in private then, Clifton. Will you please work with Spar to make the actions for our business today? Assign who you will—I’ll back you up. I also need a personal assistant. Would you be interested in the position? I’ll understand if you don’t think it’s your forte.”

  “Kendra, I’m honored.”

  “Thank you. I’d like to invite you to lunch with me tomorrow night, if you will.”

  “I would like that, Kendra. There is someone I would like you to meet.”

  “Okay, then I’ll see you and your plus one tomorrow. Can you put that on my schedule?” I laugh, and he does too.

  “Of course—it’s my job!” He grins.

  I stay to smooth out several problems that other Ceorfan bring to my attention. Before sunrise, Mica takes me to my room. We talk and laugh, and I kiss him good day before he torps. Then, I lie on my bed and sleep like a baby.

  Thirty-One

  Skirmish

  Kendra

  The next night, I have lunch with Clifton. We review things I need, and how I intend to meet the needs of the people. He has the best organization skills I’ve ever seen. He’s going to have me regulated and orderly in no time.

  He also introduces me to his mate, Morgan. Morgan is a big impressive gargoyle who looks like a wrestler. “I would not have imagined it,” I laugh to the Count.

  “You cannot imagine it. Try being me! I’m a small, truculent gargoyle with little time for love and even less regard for the feelings of others. I too wonder, ‘how did I land Morgan as a mate’? I will tell you what, I do not know the answer, but it is not because I have big hands or feet, if you catch my meaning.”

  I laugh hysterically as the two of them banter over the various boorish habits of the Count. I come to the realization that much of the persona of the Count is an act to keep others from knowing who he truly is. Yet this big Morgan seems to bring out only the best of the Count, and maybe everyone he is near.

  “Morgan, I’ve heard you’re a chef. Chef Ron is in Scotland, so will you be my new best friend? Girl’s gotta eat.” We let the rest of the meal conversation progress naturally. The Count is much more affable in this setting and carried the discussions. Although he constantly brings it back to Morgan and their hoped-for family. Thankfully, I do remember to enlighten Clifton on my plans to return to work at the Ranger station. I have him include my upcoming doctor's appointment in my schedule too.

  The rest of the night goes by steadily. I can’t wait to see Mica, Spar and Kino. They’ve been training to make sure Spar is ready for his test. How sexy they look worn and sweaty! Seriously, damn hot, that’s all I got to say about that! Damn hot.

  The Ducere and I are all sitting in the dining room when an unmistakable pulse goes through the air. Its meaning tells me—this is not a drill. The Horde is on the move. We’ve been waiting for the moment when we could meet Barat and his Horde on the battlefield. We want it before they kill more innocent civilians. Mega wants me to stay behind, worried I haven’t mastered my gifts yet.

  “I certainly will not stay behind. I am Dragon Queen of the Ceorfan. I’ll not shame my people or myself that way.” We’ve been practicing, so we’re already dressed in fighting clothes. Everyone goes to their posts. I call Clifton over and request he get me a line to Jose Brinker ASAP. In less than a few seconds, Jose is on the line. “Jose, our scouts have the Horde in sight. They are converging on a village in the Ukraine. We are portaling now. I’m sending someone to portal your soldiers now.”

  “We’re ready, Queen Kendra. I will meet you there,” and then he dropped the connection.

  Wait, what? I didn’t expect him to come. I hope he knows what he’s doing.

  Kino has a portal open for us, and Jericho opens another portal so he can assist TASS.

  We all head to our places. True to our training, we take flight through the portal as soon as we have our weapons and our team is gathered. We organize into three gargoyle teams. This gives us the best protection and the quickest response to get through the portal.

  I have a sick feeling as I exit my portal. It’s a slaughter field. The Crafted are still here, finishing off the wounded. No live enemy combatants remain, only the Crafted. I reach out with my feelings. I sense death. I touch the feeling of horror. No people or energy to follow.

  Jared must be here; it’s starting to sprinkle lightly. I turn to find him. The Elite and TASS kill and demolish every Crafted they find on the battlefield in seconds. Three people are alive, all children. I slice my palm with a claw—Kino has them so sharp I don’t even feel pain. A pulse comes from me like a big boom! It covers all in a wave like a tidal wave. I know it says let’s save these kids and never forget the slaughter here. I demand justice for these dead on this field!

  I pick up the first child. She looks to be a small two-year-old. I drip blood into her wounds, telling her it’s going to be just fine. Kino is beside me, taking the baby, handing her to Jared.

  Mica hands me another little girl, maybe ten years old. I hold her, dripping blood onto her also. She reaches her hand up and cups my face, a little smile on her lips. She closes her eyes. Kino is singing and takes her from me.

  Spar stands next to me and holds me up. The boy he is carrying is older. He might be early teens. Spar doesn’t hand me the boy, but presses him up to my side. I wrap my arm around Spar so I don’t wilt to the ground. My hand is on the boy’s gaping chest wound. It looks like the enemy has taken a bite out of him, a big one almost half of his chest is open. He’s not awake; Kino has sung him to sleep so he won’t feel the pain of his wounds.

  TASS has set up a medical area. We take the children there to continue care. The baby is better now. Crying, but better. When Jared tries to hand her to the medical officer she screams and hangs on to him. He tells them he has her. She lays her head on his shoulder and calms. Jericho opens a portal to TASS in Scotland. They take all the children, Jared with the little one, to care for there.

  He tells me, “It’ll be okay Sis. We will catch them next time.”

  “Oh, dear God, I hope so.”

  After speaking to Mega, he reports there is no sign of the enemy. All the Crafted are decommissioned. TASS and the Ceorfan are gathering the dead for identification. He tells my consorts to take me home and clean up. He’ll debrief us tomorrow at sundown. I’m disappointed we didn’t find the enemy on the field or find a way to discover how they got away so fast. I turn to leave, stepping through the portal Kino has open. I will not give up until this Horde is put to death. There’ll be no incarceration for this enemy. I’ll make sure when we catch them that they’ll never commit such carnage again.

  “My queen,” Mega said, asking for my attention again. I catch a tinge of anger on his face, gone almost before I could notice it. “My queen,” he says again, “All except one of the expelled members of the High Guild escaped while we were gone. They had help from the inside. The guard reported being attacked from behind. When he awoke, he saw one of the ex-members flying away.”

  “Which one did not escape, Mega?” I asked.

  “Your Majesty, it was Traver.”

  “Well, I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not. Thank you, Mega. Please ensure the guard is set to prevent any further escape attempts.”

  “Yes, my queen.”

  We’re all in my room tonight. I can’t be wit
hout them. I undress and take a bath. I don’t know how my pool works, but even with all the blood that’s on me, my water is clear. All the guys take a bath with me. We’re quiet and reflective. It isn’t about sex tonight. It’s about family taking care of family.

  We’re all clean and dry in my sitting area. One of the guys brings a bottle of something. I pour us all a drink, tipping it back like a shot. I tell the others, “Thank you. I love that we work together so well. I thought I would be fighting in a battle, not healing the wounded. I think we did the healing thing very well, guys. We were organized, even though we hadn’t even thought to practice a scenario like tonight’s. I’m proud of you all. I’m sure the children will live. That’s better than the last village. Let’s count that part a victory.

  “Today when you sleep, dream of me. I’ll be dreaming of you. If I even think to dream the horror we just saw, I’m changing it into the most amazing beautiful monsters. The ones who held the children tonight.”

  Sunrise is here. My men are looking at me with love as they torpify. I’m going to sleep hoping to have more answers in the morning.

  Thirty-Two

  Traitor

  Kendra

  I’ve been staring at my tablet, waiting for Jose Brinker to message me. It’s not easy. I want to end Barat and his Horde now. Right now! I have had enough of feeling behind the curve. I’m getting impatient. After seeing the carnage of the village, last night, I can’t find them and bring them death fast enough. My dragon blood sizzles with rage for the murders. Well, I have a portal stone of my own. Tapping out a note for my consorts on my tablet, I ready myself for a short trip to Scotland.

  Stepping into the dining hall, my goal is the kitchen to see Chef Ron first. When I get there, he’s at work as usual. He comes over, gives me a big hug, sits me down, and hands me a bowl of looks like cream of wheat with some fruit or jam or something on top. It’s hot and steamy. I eat whatever he cooks. It’s always good, and this is yummy.