Vesik 04 - This Broken World (17 page)

He slammed his fist into his palm and a small explosion of electric blue lightning flashed into the air. “You did not stand to help Falias, Hern. You let them die. You, who has wielded enough power to lead the Wild Hunt. Instead of proving your worth, you let innocents die by the thousands. Still. Your. Tongue.” The man’s rage was palpable.

“Thank you, Ward,” Glenn said as the other man slowly took his seat. An edge of violent promise snaked into Glenn’s words as he focused on Hern and said, “Do not force my hand in this place.”

Hern relaxed into his seat and folded his arms.

So that was Ward. I kind of thought he’d be taller. I cursed silently to myself as I thought about the exchange. Hern was intimidated by Ward. Possibly frightened of him. What the hell did that say about Ward?

Glenn turned to face the rest of the chamber. “Allow me to put this in the simplest terms, should you share the misguided opinions of our noble Hern.” Glenn's form darkened and the light fled the room. The King seemed to grow taller as he spoke. What miniscule light there was illuminated him and him alone. His voice deepened into an abyss of sound that rattled the stones beneath us.

“I give my vow in support of Damian Valdis Vesik. He wears the blessing of the
Sanatio
and her Demon Sword. Those who betray him betray Faerie, and invite their doom. ” His gaze locked on a fixed point when someone hissed one simple phrase.

“You know what he is.”

I followed his gaze and found it led directly to the Queen of the water witches. I could barely make her out in the shadows, but her lips were flattened into a thin line.

The room brightened as Glenn seated himself on the throne. His back lay straight against it as he said, “You would do well to remember that.”

Ah, here's to hoping I don't outgrow my usefulness.

Whispers circled the chamber once more. Hern’s frown was even deeper, matching Geb the Watcher’s beside him. Hern laid his leather-clad arms on the bench and leaned forward. I caught a glimpse of light reflecting off something above his head. As I looked closer, I could see a translucent pair of antlers rising from his skull.

On the opposite side of the chamber, Nixie’s Queen stood and drew the focus of the room. “We have all seen the failings of the
Lord of the
Dead.”
She sneered as she spoke Glenn’s title. “It is time to throw down this madman as we did the Nameless King.”

Glenn’s voice was an icy calm. “Most who have the same level of respect for the Concilium Belli as you are already dead.”

Nixie’s Queen looked as if she was ready to bolt. She may have a big mouth, but not many beings could stand up to Glenn. She gathered herself. “Come, sisters. Let this
King
lead his people into death.” She began to storm down the aisle when Nixie stood up behind her.

“No.” She paused and after a beat added, “My Queen.”

The Queen stopped and glanced at Nixie over her shoulder.

“You are wrong,” Nixie said.

The Queen turned to face Nixie. “Dear child, let us discuss this at a more—”

“Your reign is done.”

The Queen shifted and took a more aggressive stance. Her right hand vanished into the layers of fabric at her waist. My heart rate spiked as I realized she must be going for a weapon.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Ward stand.

The room was thick with ley line energy. Behind it, I could feel the pulsing auras of the dead. I could reach out with my necromancy and summon any dead thing I could dream of into this place. My fingers curled up slowly and caught on the resistance of the gravemakers just outside the walls of the Royal Court. It would be so easy to summon the Hand of Anubis and turn the Queen into a smear.

Sam’s hand pulled on the side of my face. She wrenched my head until I met her eyes. “Stop. I can feel it. Stop. You must not hurt her here.”

I blinked and stared at my sister. Her fangs were out. She was ready to attack something. The Hand of Anubis … bloody hell, I didn’t even know if that would work on a water witch. I shook my head and took a deep breath as Sam released me.

I caught Edgar looking at me. He gave a brief shake of his head. I got the sense he didn’t mean it as an admonishment, but more of a ‘not now’ gesture. He turned and said something to Ward in the noise that followed.

Ward frowned slightly, nodded, and took his seat once more.

My eyes trailed back to Nixie.

“Leave us, traitor,” Nixie said to the Queen. “You no longer lead us into the future. You leave us to drown in the past while the world moves forward without us.”

“You will die,” the Queen said, and her voice held nothing but ice and promise.

Euphemia stood up behind Nixie, on the same tier as the Queen. She’d been at Stones River when we’d fought Prosperine. Her hair had grown some since I’d seen her at Boonville, which made her look even more like Nixie.

“Nixie does not stand alone,” Euphemia said.

Another witch stood up just behind the Queen, blocking her exit. I recognized Alexandra’s black hair before I heard her speak. She was just as bedazzled as the rest of the witches. “Leave this place before you taint the realm of the undines. We are done with you.”

The Queen looked over her shoulder before her eyes trailed back to Glenn. She walked quickly out of the aisle, shoving Alexandra out of the way. At first, I had a warm rush of satisfaction. As half the undine contingency stood and left with the Queen, that warm rush turned to ice. At least half the court of the undines was against Nixie.

“When the Concilium Belli has concluded,” Glenn said, “I will close the Warded Ways to all beings save the Lords of Faerie.”

Whispers and nods of agreement rose with shouted objections around the chamber. Glenn held up his hand and the room fell silent. The drama unfolding around Nixie’s Queen was immediately lost with Glenn’s announcement.

“You are a fool, Nudd,” an old woman said.

I could almost feel the gaze of every creature in that room shift to the diminutive Fae sitting behind Hern.

“Speak, Morrigan,” Glenn said. “You have no enemies here.”

She laughed, and it was a terrible sound. “Perhaps not, but you certainly do.” She added, “My King,” after a pause. It didn’t feel like a slight, the way Nixie had put her Queen down. It sounded more like an afterthought, as though she knew Glenn on less formal level. “Now you intend to close the Ways. To cut off all travel for your allies just as effectively as your enemies. It’s as though you do not trust your own kind.”

“The Ways will close,” Glenn said, leaving the accusation unaddressed.

Glenn turned his gaze upon me. “You will be forced to travel over land, Damian Vesik. Be sure your wolves are organized and the vampires truly stand by your side.” His face pulled down into a small frown and his eyes swept around the room.

I was sure he wanted to say more. It just wasn’t the time to say it.

“You have erred on the side of the commoners,” Hern said, cutting off any further exchange. “I will not stand for it. Even Anubis has more sense than to do what you propose.”

Glenn stared at Hern. “Then join him. I will cut you down when we meet in battle.”

Hern stood. “You are a foolish King.” His antlers materialized, the blackened points gleaming in the light as they extended from the brown base at his skull. The crowd gasped as Hern crossed his arms and cracked his neck.

“The world will know us, as the dying know death,” Hern said an instant before he vanished into a black vortex and crack of thunder.

Glenn laid a hand on his helmet. His mouth compressed into a flat line as he looked out across the chamber. “Prepare yourselves. Meet with your local clans. The Seals will fall, and we must be ready. So ends our Concilium Belli.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

T
he buzz of chatter filled the chamber once more. I looked toward the Watchers. Edgar nodded and I returned the gesture. The others were already filing through the walkway beside their seats.

A small swarm of fairies swirled around us. They were all talking at once and I just raised my eyebrows.

“Silence,” Cara said. “You can meet him later. There is work to be done.”

Petulant chatter filled the air as fairies slowly flew away.

“Foster has been talking about you,” Cara said. “They’re simply excited to meet a demon slayer.” She leaned forward and whispered into my ear. “Glenn will be coming to talk to you later. For now, return to your chambers.”

Someone grabbed my arm from behind and I turned to find Vik. I smiled at the old vampire and traded grips. Hugh had gotten us all in the habit of shaking hands by gripping forearms instead of hands. I had to admit, it felt like there was more of a bond with the gesture. Dominic did the same.

Vassili offered only a nod and then hurried through the closest exit.

Vik followed close behind me with Sam and Dominic.

“What’s up with him?” I asked when Vassili disappeared.

Vik smiled. “Old habits die hard. The last time Vassili attended a Concilium Belli, one of the questions was whether or not he should keep his head.”

“What?” I asked, my eyes scanning the balconies for Nixie. I hid the disappointment when I couldn’t find her. “Why would they kill Vassili?”

“Rumors, mostly,” Dominic said from the other side of Vik. “He was suspected of allying himself with the dark-touched.”

“No one found proof,” Vik said. “I admit, I have always kept an eye him, though he is our Lord.”

“Me too, old man,” Dominic said with a laugh. “You’re not the only one who’s paranoid.”

Sam briefly scratched my back and I gave her a smile.

I heard a fairy yelling in the hall before I saw movement. “Bubbles! No!” It was Aideen. “Peanut! Dammit!”

I could hear the claws before I saw the pups come streaking around the corner. Sam blurred into motion to greet them as they hopped and jumped and showered her in so many doggy kisses she was going to need an actual shower.

I was surprised when Dominic went down on one knee and Peanut hopped off Sam to playfully attack the vampire. Dominic grunted as the pony-sized cu sith hit him in the chest and took him to the floor. “Holy shit,” he said between laughs as Peanut growled and nipped and smacked him with his tongue.

Aideen glided in behind them. “They weren’t supposed to be seen in the chamber,” she said, looking around the room behind us. “It’s somewhat difficult to control them when I have to stay small.”

It took me a moment to realize the chamber had fallen silent. The few Fae left in their seats were staring at the cu siths. Some of them wore a wide-eyed, awestruck look of astonishment. Others looked terrified.

“Dominic,” Aideen said. “Sam, please help me get them into the hall.

“Sure thing,” Dominic said as he picked Peanut up effortlessly. Peanut’s floppy ears stood straight up and he sucked his tongue in, scoping the room from his new elevation. Curiosity sated, he began licking Dominic again.

Sam just patted her thigh and Bubbles began following her out of the room.

“I was going to have them escort you to your room, Damian.” Aideen sighed and watched the vampires leading the cu siths away. “I think they were excited by all the noise.”

“Why can’t they be in the chamber?” I asked.

“Oh, they can, it’s just that some Fae are terrified of cu siths.”

“Let me guess,” I said. “Some old war where some old Fae got licked by a cu sith and some bad thing happened.”

“Pretty much,” Foster said, gliding past my shoulder to join us.

“Your highness,” Sam said, grabbing Bubbles’s ruff. Probably not a bad idea considering the cu sith’s occasional tendency to snap Foster up with her tongue.

“You’re hilarious,” Foster said, circling her head.

Bubbles began crouching on her hind legs.

“She’s going to eat you again,” I said.

The tongue lashed out and Sam caught it in her left hand. “No.” She looked Bubbles in the eye. I swear the cu sith was glowering at her.

“Are you okay to get back to your room?” Aideen asked. “I’d rather get Bubbles and Peanut locked up for a while. I don’t like the looks they were getting.”

“Sure thing,” I said.

“I’ll make sure Damian doesn’t get lost,” Foster said.

We said some brief goodbyes and I watched as the vampires trailed after Aideen with the cu siths. Sam smiled as Bubbles leapt around her in circles and Peanut tried to nip at her from Dominic’s arms. Seeing her happy made me smile.

A dark form moved through the rafters. It was nebulous, and only a tiny gleam of silver caught the light. I knew those teeth.

My smile broke into a grin as I watched Jasper flowing across the ceiling, ever hidden, ever watchful.

***

It wasn’t long before Foster and I were back in the ancient monolith-lined halls. It was quiet there, and my footsteps echoed across the marble. My eyes trailed up to the top of one of the bulkier statues. Horns adorned its head and its face was contorted into a permanent scream. Its stone sword pierced the monolith facing it.

I frowned slightly and glanced at Foster. “What’s the story with Hern’s horns? They were invisible until he made a show of it.”

“A show of it?” Foster said. “That’s an understatement. Hern’s antlers were hidden because they are considered a weapon. He has a … reputation for goring people.”

“Ugh,” I said. “What’s with him, anyway?”

“Hern?” Foster asked as he raised his eyebrows.

I nodded. “Seems like a pretty grumpy guy. And that is seriously saying something after training with the Old Man.”

“You don't understand,” Foster said. He shook his head and his wings moved in shorter strokes. “Hern wants the world to be what it was.”

“What it was?”

“Yes, in ancient times. Ruled by Fae. Ruled by magic.”

“I’m guessing he’s pretty devoted to the idea? Considering how much trouble he was giving Glenn.”

“He is insane for challenging the King like that,” Foster said. “It proves only one thing, in my mind. Hern will stop at nothing.”

“Another single-minded nut job. That is
exactly
what I was hoping to find here.”