Starlight(Pact Arcanum 4) (11 page)

Lorcan tilted his head to regard his chief vassal with narrowed eyes.
That was fairly obvious. The Herald is usually more subtle.
“And your response?”

William shrugged. “I merely insulted her honor and left. It seemed the prudent course.”

“No doubt. She would have twisted any answer to serve her own purposes.” Lorcan continued to watch William carefully, noting the size of his pupils and the beat of his heart. “So what
are
your plans?”

William met his gaze imperiously. “Do you question my commitment to our cause, Master?”

Lorcan shook his head slowly. “No. But your role will change once you are no longer my subordinate. You may wish to forge your own separate alliance with the Redeemer, rather than accept my orders.”

William sighed. “My Lord, my goal is not to elevate myself, but to achieve victory. You and the Redeemer are one. It would serve no strategic purpose to sever my ties to you and divide our forces. The Great Work is paramount. All other concerns are secondary.”

Lorcan nodded. “I envy your purity of purpose.” He reached back and picked up a datacrystal in a portable reader. He handed the assembly to William. “Enter your security code on the keypad.”

William glanced at the unmarked datacrystal. “What is this?”

“This is the complete record of all of our strategic assets and alliances, as well as the intelligence we have managed to gather on prospective partners in the Great Work.”

William gaped at him. “You collected that information on a single datacrystal?
Are you mad?
What if it were acquired by our enemies?”

Lorcan smiled. “The crystal is encrypted with three data keys. Two keys are required to open the archive and release the data. Rory and I each hold one of the keys. I have cleared the temporary code for the third key, so you can enter your own.” He took a deep breath. “If I am killed or captured, then you and Rory will be able to access the information in order to plan your counter-attack.”

“And if the Redeemer is also captured?”

“If Rory is taken, then the cause is lost already, and the data will make no difference either way.”

William stared at him for a few moments, then turned his attention to the keypad and entered a twenty-digit code. He handed it back to Lorcan without further comment.

Lorcan saved the code to the encryption matrix, then removed the crystal and handed it to William. “Take good care of it.” He glanced once more at the grandfather clock. “And now, I have a prior engagement, I’m afraid.”

William examined the archive in his hand for some sign of its terrible secrets, and then casually slipped it into his pocket. “Happy anniversary. Give the Redeemer and Prince Nicholas my regards.”

April 2142; Northwest of Juneau, Alaska

Rory swept up the pine needles that had accumulated since the last time they had used the cabin. Setting his broom aside, he looked at the night sky and watched an owl flit across the moon with his enhanced sight. He settled into the rocking chair on the porch and relaxed, opening his telepathic senses wide to find no hint of another mind other than Lorcan’s for miles around. Listening to the Daywalker working in the kitchen, he closed his eyes and luxuriated in the psychic silence.
I should get away from civilization more often. I keep forgetting how much psychic chatter there really is around any of the Hidden Cities. Thank God Ruarc thought of buying this place, or I’d have never known what I was missing.

Lorcan came out onto the porch and leaned against one of the wooden pillars. “Dinner’s ready, as soon as Nick shows up. Did he say why he was going to be late?”

Rory shook his head, keeping his eyes closed. “He said he had to get something special out of storage.”

“I’m surprised he went to the trouble.”

Rory opened his eyes and glanced closely at his lover, hearing the edge in his voice. “We agreed not to rush him.”

Lorcan laughed bitterly. “I know, but I keep wondering when he’ll be ready to let go, finally.”

“You know he loves you.”

“He loves both of us. But he was
in love
with Jeremy. Is he ever going to put us first?”

Rory sighed. “Ruarc, we formalized our mating less than a year after Takeshi died.”

Lorcan blinked and faced Rory, his face showing confusion. “That was political. I tried to give you your space.”

“And you did. You never pressured me to accept you as anything other than a partner.” Rory’s voice softened. “Do you remember the first time we made love?”

Lorcan took a deep breath. “Our eighth anniversary. You took me completely by surprise.”

Rory smiled, feeling his heartbeat accelerate, remembering his lover’s tentative caress, the uncertainty in his eyes. “You were afraid that it would hurt me to be with you, but you let it happen anyway.”

“I wanted it to happen,” whispered Lorcan.

“And so did I. But you gave me the time to realize it for myself.”

Lorcan looked away, his face flushed. “It’s been over four decades, Rory. How long can he hold on to his grief?”

“It took you four centuries to get over Connor.”

Lorcan winced, but said nothing.

Rory heard a soft tone in the back of his head as the perimeter ward around the cabin unlocked. Lorcan straightened against the pillar, and Rory followed his gaze to the lone figure walking silently across the shadowed yard toward them.

Nick ambled into view of the porch light and stopped, staring at the two of them. “Hi, guys.”

Rory nodded. “Welcome home. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Nick swallowed and hesitated for a moment before answering. “Yes, I think I did.” He walked the rest of the way up to the porch. “You have both been so patient with me. More so than I deserve. I wanted to give you something to show how much you mean to me. It just took a while to find the right gift.”

Rory frowned. “You don’t have to give us anything, Nick.”

“Yes, I do,” answered Nick. He set a small velvet box in Rory’s lap. Then he turned and handed another box to Lorcan. “I want you to have these.”

Rory picked up his box and looked at Lorcan. The other vampire met his gaze, and shrugged minutely. Then Lorcan opened his box.

Rory heard his lover’s heart skip, then race wildly, but it was his own heartbeat thundering in his ears when he saw the plain, gold band shining in Lorcan’s hand. Tearing his eyes away from the other box, he snapped open the small box in his own hand to see an identical ring nestled in the soft red velvet.

Lorcan’s voice wavered when he spoke. “What is this, Nicholas?”

Nick met Lorcan’s stare with apparently complete calm. “It’s my wedding ring.” Then he looked at Rory. “And that’s Jeremy’s.”

Rory felt his tongue catch in his throat, but forced himself to speak. “Nick, you can’t give these up. It’s too much.”

Nick shook his head. “It’s what I want, and it’s what he would have wanted.” He took a deep breath. “Rory, Ruarc, I love you both, forever and always. Will you marry me?”

C
HAPTER 16

August 2142; Jumpvessel
Singularity
, Hephaestus Station, lunar orbit; four months later

Antonio watched the virtual image of the space station slide off the edge of the screen as the
Singularity
completed its final approach.

“Mooring clamps engaged,” said the voice of the ship’s AI, Pulsar. “Hard dock confirmed.”

Antonio stood from the central chair on the bridge and toggled a ship-wide announcement. “All hands, this is the Captain. The
Singularity
has arrived at Hephaestus Station. It has been my great honor to lead you over the course of this voyage. Passengers and crew, your service is discharged and you are cleared to disembark at your leisure. Set and done this day over my seal and signature, Antonio Sanyu Jameson Consul Curallorn, Spacer Guild.” He smiled at the cheers his monitors picked up from all over the ship. “Welcome home.”

The bridge crew all stood from their posts and began to applaud.

Antonio bowed formally to them, then sat back in his chair and waited while the crew began locking down their workstations. A psychic probe tapped against his mental shields.

“I guess this is it, Captain.”
His godson’s thoughts were humming with excitement.

“Take care, Brad. I hope you enjoy life as a Dirtsider.”
Antonio tried to keep the disappointment from creeping into his thoughts.
I’m going to miss you, little man.

The younger telepath snorted.
“If I don’t like it, then I’ll be the first to sign up on your next trip back.”
The Starchild’s thoughts slid past Antonio to sift through the minds on the station.
“Is that them?”

Antonio followed his psychic gaze to find five minds standing on the observation deck of the station. The older immortals seldom sought out the Spacer Guild, so the light of their power shone brightly against the other minds on the station, a testament to their age and strength. He took a deep breath.
“Yeah, that’s definitely them.”

Bradley’s psychic voice became hesitant
. “Tony, you’re a great guy, and I’m proud of you. Don’t let them tear you down, okay?”

“Family is everything,”
thought Antonio.
“Haven’t I told you that enough times?”

“Yeah, you always say that. Where did you learn it, if you dislike them so much?”

“My Uncle Nicholas said they were words to live by. But you’ve got it wrong. I don’t dislike them. I love them so much I tried to be what they wanted. It just took me a long time to realize I couldn’t.”

“Believe in yourself, Captain, just like the rest of us do. That’s all I’m saying.”
The boy’s focus shifted momentarily, then he turned his attention back to Antonio.
“Main Engineering is shut down. Mom and Dad are on their way back to our quarters. It’s time for me to go.”

“Goodbye, Bradley. If you ever need anything, give me a call. My door will always be open.”

“Take care of yourself, Tony.”
The psychic connection broke.

Antonio sighed and began running through the data feeds to his workstation. The shutdown routines were entirely automated, so there wasn’t much for him to do but watch as the ship’s systems went offline one by one, and the flight crew was replaced by the caretaker personnel from the space station. Another few hours, and this trip would be officially over.

“All passengers and crew have disembarked, Captain,” said the ship’s AI, finally.

“Thank you, Pulsar.” Antonio remained seated for a few minutes.
First on, last off. No reason left to delay any longer.
He cast his mind out of the ship again, to look at the cluster of minds that still waited for him. His stomach roiled.
Who the hell am I kidding?

August 2142; House Talizered Stronghold, St. Petersburg, Russia

Prince Vladimir Magister Talizered stared across the lights of his city, lost in thought. He was tall and gaunt, with dark features. His whipcord-thin profile at the edge of the rooftop made a fair impression of just another gargoyle. He turned away from the skyline when he heard a whisper of sound behind him, easily picking out the still form of the Night’s Herald standing in the shadows. “Herald. Thank you for joining me.”

The Herald stepped forward to the edge of the roof. “You asked for this meeting, my Lord. How can I assist you?”

“You were a senior member of my House before you took your vows, Herald. Perhaps it is I who wishes to be of assistance to you?”

The Herald frowned. “I serve the Court, my Lord, not any one House. If you wish me to show you some special favor, then I’m afraid I must decline.”

Vladimir chuckled as he looked out over the low buildings of the city. “You serve the Court, but that service need not be blind. Surely, you can see the damage that the Imperator and his allies have wrought?”

The Herald shrugged. “The Imperator is the leader of the Court. It is my duty to obey his orders lawfully given.”

“And if Lorcan were no longer Imperator? Where would your duty lie then?”

The Herald hesitated before answering. “My Lord, I must warn you. If you asked me here to plot treason—”

Vladimir shook his head, pleased at her brief lapse.
So, she is open to the possibility. Excellent
. “Not treason, Razheel. Honor. It is the Daywalker scourge among us that are the traitors, and they must be expunged for the honor of our race, before they bind our destinies any further to their false messiah.”

He waited, knowing that she was his the moment she didn’t object to the use of her former name.

The Herald took a deep breath. “What do you propose, my Lord?”

Done.
“Lorcan’s strength is in the unity of his alliance. We must fracture their solidarity, then eliminate them one by one as they are isolated.”

“That is not possible, my Lord. The Imperator’s allies are bound to him by honor and desire. They have no vulnerabilities.”

Vladimir gave her a feral smile, his fangs fully extended. “Ah, yes, love. The heart of their fabled union is the relationship between Houses Diluthical, Luscian, and Jiao-long, based on that most exploitable of weaknesses.”

The Herald tilted her head, considering. “A personal attack?”

“A distraction to divide their alliance from within, while we rally the other houses to strike at them.”

The Herald nodded slightly. “And the nature of this distraction?”

Vladimir scowled as he stared at the pedestrians on the street below. “For that, I must turn to you. What have your spies learned about their relationship?”

“Relatively little over the years. We have never been able to insinuate any of our people into a position of trust within their household.”

Vladimir scratched at his chin. “Unfortunate. I expected more from you, Herald.”

“There may be an alternative, if we can isolate and interrogate a member of their entourage without their knowledge.”