SpellBreaker: First Ordinance, Book 4 (25 page)

I didn't object to my death, as long as I did my part to free the Alliances of the Orb's machinations and conspiracies. How I wished at that moment that at least one of my mates was with me, to help me muddle through this terrible conundrum.

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

Lissa

"We barely got out of there with our lives," Winkler paced like a caged wolf inside my suite.

"What set it off? Do you know?"

"No idea. Bekzi admits to biting someone who came too close, but that was easily explained—there were snakes all over that plantation. The moment we got within sight of that storage shed, the whole place went up like fireworks."

"This worries me," I sighed.

"In what way?" Winkler stopped pacing and turned nearly-black eyes on me.

"I doubt Deris or Daris were looking for anything in the animal kingdom. That doesn't keep the truly powerful from knowing when something touches the ground in a certain area—if they're looking for that particular contact," I said.

Winkler held his breath for a moment as he considered what I'd said.

"You mean it was waiting for something to pass a perimeter that wasn't exactly native to the area?"

"I think that's precisely what happened."

"But who or what would do that?"

"Who or what would kidnap Quin?" I rose and headed for the window. I merely wanted to reassure myself that Lissia and the rest of my planet was safe.

"You think the Orb had something to do with this? So far, it appears to be on our side," Winkler argued.

"Until our common goal is no longer a common goal," I pointed out. "Remember, Liron created that thing. Man, I wish Zaria were here."

"What would Zaria do that we can't?" Winkler growled.

"She's the only one who's ever come face-to-face with Liron," I said.

"You're joking," Winkler began.

"No. Zaria Keppler is just a name she used this time. I hear that it's appropriate, although I don't really understand how."

"You're talking in riddles," Winkler accused.

"Honey, this isn't information to share with just anybody. Keep this secret—not just for me, but to protect her life. Possibly the lives of who knows how many others, too."

"Where the hell is she that you can't get to her?" Winkler exploded. I understood then that the plantation explosion affected him more than he'd let on.

"Where Hank Bell put her," I snapped. "And he's not telling anybody."

I hadn't seen Winkler this angry or upset in a very long time. For a century, at least. He didn't like being kept in the dark. I didn't say it, but I liked it as little as he did.

* * *

Karathia—Past

Zaria

I was more than grateful that Warlend allowed me to take as many of the staff as I wanted with me to the Palace.

It left no eyes and ears behind to watch Hegatt, Helsa and the others, but I knew them well enough by this time to understand what their endgame would be. I just didn't know who or what they'd send against Wellend, in order to take the throne.

"Son, they're here," Warlend announced as he led my bunch into a private interview with the new King.

The private study of the King had changed greatly over the years; it looked far different in the future where I'd first seen it. I suppose the coup had destroyed much of what surrounded Wellend at the moment, although the space was well and richly appointed.

"I see we have extras," Wellend said. "Madam cook, tell me what these can do for me." He swept a hand toward Gerrett and Ilya.

"My King," I dipped my head, "Gerrett can act as your valet; although he is silent, he has exceptional taste. Ilya," I nodded to Ilya who had arms crossed tightly over his chest, "He is perhaps the best bodyguard you will ever have."

My words caused Ilya to frown at me. Not only had I asked that Gerrett remain close to Wellend, keeping him away from scrying eyes, I'd asked that Wellend accept Ilya as a bodyguard.

Ilya saw that as interfering in the coup. I was about to tell him otherwise.

"Are you trained as a bodyguard?" Wellend's eyes settled on Ilya, whose muscles bulged as his arms shifted into a tighter stance.

"Yes," Ilya answered truthfully.

"Good. I'll watch you spar with my captain of the guard tomorrow morning. Father, would you like to be there?" Wellend turned to Warlend.

"Very much. Nothing gets past Braven."

Too bad Bekzi and I would be stuck in the kitchen. I wanted to watch Ilya make short work of the captain of the guard.

Do your best
, I sent to Ilya.
Trust me, we won't interfere with the coup when the time comes
.

I wasn't lying to him—we wouldn't interfere. That didn't stop me from doing what I could
before
the coup happened.

Or after, for that matter.

* * *

Goor-Phin

Quin

When next I saw Daris, I could see she thought her mind was slipping. It was, but not for the reason she feared.

Only she and I could see the Orb, as it floated above her head most of the time. I'm sure she imagined the voice in her head as one indicative of madness.

It had shut me out of much of its communication, so I had no idea what it ordered Daris to do.

Perhaps it found her more malleable than her brother, as it hatched its plan to destroy whatever it could.

I worried that the time would surely come when it would order me to do something against my conscience. I could only refuse to do its bidding; I had no power over it, after all.

Without my mindspeech, I couldn't say good-bye to any of my mates when it killed me.

Liron loved Siriaa, likely because he'd created it. The Avii worshipped him as such. Even the capital city of Fyris was named after him.

At the end, however, he'd been just as bad as any other rogue god; one who'd been charged with the duty to kill everything.

He'd only intended to keep Siriaa alive.

Strange that it was the first world to die of the poison within its depths. Its death, in turn, looked to cause most other worlds to die, too; slowly, as Fyris had been dying.

Before Vardil Cayetes reached out his hand and hurried things along.

That stopped me for a moment.

If Vardil were whole and sane, the Orb could be distracted for a moment as its previous target reappeared.

Daris, too, would be distracted, as she fought, perhaps, with Vardil for control of his empire.

My original plan was back in motion; I merely had to discern where they'd hidden the Sirenali so I could free them before I died.

* * *

Karathia—Present

Morid

V'ili, bent over at the waist, stared at me through the bars of my cage. Struggling to hide any emotion, I refused to meet his eyes with my own. I lowered them instead, in a subservient gesture.

I prayed he'd leave me alone as a result. V'ili's whims were irregular and unreliable at best. He'd just as soon order someone to kill themselves while he watched in pleasure.

He'd been gone for two eight-days; I had no idea where and was afraid to know why. Wherever V'ili went, chaos followed, and many tales of his exploits were too horrifying to bear.

He liked women.

Worse, he enjoyed killing them in unusual ways, once he'd had his fill of them. I can't say how often I prayed that he'd find one who could plant a knife in his back before he had time to place an obsession.

I assumed that was only a daydream for me—imagining his death at the hands of one strong enough to deliver it.

"Hmmph." V'ili was done looking at me and walked away. I waited until he was out of my storeroom to breathe a relieved sigh.

The small, hidden door behind my cage creaked open; Gale set a container of food on the floor before climbing through the narrow space.

"Don't worry; he's headed for the dining hall," Gale handed the container to me. "Norn is watching him carefully."

"Thank you," I allowed my shoulders to slump, only realizing then how tense I'd become.

"Things are becoming critical," Gale whispered. I accepted the fork he handed through the bars and dug into the food while listening to his news. "Deris is almost crazed by a message received from his sister, although we don't know what it is, yet. Kend is still working feverishly on the machines; Deris threatened to turn his wife over to V'ili if he doesn't."

"I don't think Deris has Kend's wife. Not anymore," I said. "Something happened on Hraede. I hope the ASD found her before she could be delivered to Deris for torture and death if Kend didn't move faster."

"What about his children?"

"I don't think they've threatened him about that lately. I hope that means they're no longer captives, too. Of course, all this is speculation at this point."

"If we are ever able to get away, it is our desire to bring you with us," Gale whispered. "Norn will bring fresh clothing and wipes later."

I'd wolfed down the food, so I handed the fork and container back to Gale with a nod of thanks. Truthfully, I wanted to weep at their generosity.

"We'll keep you informed as best we can," Gale said and disappeared through the small doorway, carefully shutting the invisible door behind him.

* * *

Goor-Phin

Terrett

Yanzi, Farzi, Nenzi and I stood at the perimeter of the burned drakus seed fields, surveying the damage.

The plantation house and shed were smoking ruins, but they'd been emptied before the blast leveled and burned everything.

Not even a bone was found, except for the skeletons of snakes littering the perimeter. Somehow, most of them had escaped—these bones were of the last few that didn't reach the boundary in time.

"Sad," Farzi shook his head. He and his brothers felt a kinship with these—they were snake shifters and weren't threatened by other snakes.

"This terrible," Yanzi whispered. "We not find Quin. I think she here. With these," he swept out a hand. "They mostly not get near humans. Quin—she draw them, I think."

"There's been no word on where they went," Caylon arrived with Sal and Jayna. "The ASD is scrambling to locate those death machines again. We should have blown the whole property the moment we discovered them here." He shook his head, his gaze dark as he surveyed the plantation.

ASD hovervans could be seen in the distance, floating above specific sections of the house and sheds. The drakus plants in the fields were destroyed well enough that no usable seed remained. All of it would be sifted anyway, by agri-bots programmed to search for anything dangerous.

Caylon flexed his arms; I watched the tight muscles move beneath the black shirt he wore. Not only was his skin darker than most Falchani, I imagined his thoughts were dark as well.

He worried about Zaria, as I worried about Quin.

We'll find them
, I sent to him.
We have to
.

An imperceptible nod was his only response.

* * *

Karathia—Past

Zaria

"Madam cook, what is for dinner?" Wellend appeared in my kitchen, wearing a smile.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. It was past midday, but still not time for tea.

"Perhaps a little," he grinned.

"Sit. We'll make something for the King," I nodded and returned his smile.

"I feel as if I'm being naughty, sneaking into the kitchen between meals," he laughed.

"I believe that is royal prerogative, my King," I said and set about making small shrimp salad sandwiches for him.

"Ah, there you are," Warlend walked in while Wellend ate.

"Sir Regent, may I interest you in dainty, shrimp salad sandwiches?" I asked.

"Leave out the dainty and I'll eat," he said.

"My King," a servant walked in as I set a small plate of food in front of Warlend. I went still for a moment after reading him; I had to remind myself to set the plate down as if nothing were wrong and this one weren't Hegatt's spy inside the palace.

"What is it, Brill?" Wellend turned to ask.

"Ah. Sorry, I forget myself. Sir Regent," he turned to Warlend, "When should we prepare for the coronation? Many Nobles and the Council are asking so they might bring their wives and husbands."

"I've never known you to be so eager for a celebration," Warlend lifted an eyebrow at Brill.

He wanted to know, because Hegatt was plotting already. Brill, a minor noble, had worn out his welcome at court, yet insisted on staying on in a guest suite at the King's expense.

"We will decide later—when we've finished our meal and conversation," Warlend said.

I realized then that Hegatt was seeing through Brill's eyes. I wanted to sear his brain for it, but considered that the connection could be useful. Whenever Hegatt looked through Brill's eyes, I could see into Hegatt's mind.

He'd invited someone to Helsa's palace.

Someone he should have kept far, far away.

Marid of Belancour was ensconced in a suite at the back of that house. It was too much to hope that Deris would set Marid's suite on fire and drive him away.

* * *

I hesitated to mention Marid to Bekzi, Gerrett and Ilya. It troubled me greatly that a warlock would invite a wizard to help plan a coup.

Until I recalled that a wizard had made the Heir's ring.

Hegatt, Helsa and all others had watched as the real Heir's ring disappeared. None of them knew where it was. Was Hegatt asking Marid to help find it—or was he asking Marid to construct another?

One with a red stone
.

Tiralian crystal wasn't easy to get, and the red stone in the ring I'd seen certainly wasn't made of that precious substance.

I imagined it to be a ruby or a plain diamond, spelled to become red. Was Hegatt asking Marid to construct a ring that would only allow his heirs to sit the throne? What about the plans he carried for the death machines?

He didn't have time to construct any of them to assist in his coup.

Something needed to be done and I had very little time to determine what that could be or how to accomplish it, once my plan was formed.