Wicked War of Mine (Overworld Chronicles Book 9) (12 page)

Centuries?
Daelissa was aghast. Seraphim had been immortal, some countless millennia old when she was a child. What had happened to her people? She directed her gaze at Kjoeriss and Tovaard. "You will search the land for someone who knows the history." She turned to young Skazaeleus. He only slightly resembled the seraph she had known. Though she had no personal love for the seraph she had appointed as regent, a pang of nostalgia made her yearn to see him.

He is dead.

She collected her thoughts and spoke. "I will allow you to remain emperor, but you will send forth a public decree stating that I am the Divinity and as such, the ruler of Seraphina."

He looked as though he wanted to interrupt her, but held his tongue.

Daelissa continued. "Assemble your army, Emperor. We depart for Eden five days hence."

His eyes went round. "But Divinity, I cannot possibly assemble—"

Qualan stood and channeled destruction around his fist. "All things are possible, fool. All you require is motivation."

Skazaeleus shrank away, hands held defensively. "I need no extra motivation." His voice rose to a high-pitched whine. "I will assemble the army at once, Divinity. I swear it!"

Daelissa smiled. In a matter of days, her millennia of plotting and planning would finally see fruition.

Chapter 10

Despite a social coaching lesson from my father, I felt way out of my depth at Kassallandra's ball. The house heads were a cliquish bunch of snot-bags though it was obvious they didn't trust or even like each other in the human sense. Daemos had a strict hierarchy somewhat akin to a caste system. The Paetros and Maedras were the heads of house with those of Anae status a close second.

Anae Vallaena flowed in and out of conversations with house leaders as easily as she did those of her social standing. Daemos of Benae and Cenae status wore colored silken armbands to identify them and rarely seemed to stray from their groups. I'd once been considered Castratae—outcast—but apparently, my new deodorant had saved the day.

I watched a group of brightly dressed Daemos waltz to the music of an orchestral ensemble on a stage near the front of the ornate marble dance hall. The setting looked as though I'd stepped straight into the pages of a fairy tale ball. Unfortunately, this was the last place Cinderella would meet her Prince Charming.

"It is, of course, a matter of house strength," Vallaena said to Godric
Salomon.

Her words pulled me from my trance.

"By what measure?" Godric asked in a haughty tone.

"Perhaps the only measure of import in these troubled times." Vallaena regarded him grimly. "I would not suppose there are many who could face such a fierce opponent as Daelissa, at least not alone."

His icy blue eyes regarded her coldly. "If the objective is to goad me into risking my house, such time is wasted."

"We are strong," his wife, Gwyneth, protested. "We are not as numerous as House Assad, but quality is often found in lower quantities."

"I agree," Vallaena said, touching my arm. "I know one of surpassing quality."

"How sweet," Yuuki Wakahisa said as she walked into our group. Her eyes went back and forth between me and my aunt. "The mother deer teaches her fawn to forage for leaves."

Vallaena smiled. "It is regrettable he must use his mind to navigate treacherous waters, Maedras Wakahisa, especially while some rely solely on body parts requiring no thought whatsoever to gain favor."

I blinked a couple of times before I finally figured out the insult.

Yuuki's sensual smile seemed to indicate she enjoyed the verbal joust. "It is a shame those with perfectly lovely appendages are unwilling to employ them. Perhaps the favor of one house would have already been gained."

Gwyneth tittered as she looked me up and down. "He is not unpleasant on the eyes."

I felt myself blush and tried to hide my discomfort. If my observations were accurate, Gwyneth seemed the least socially refined of the bunch. The key to the interaction seemed to be using a lot of passive verbs as opposed to directly stating something about someone as she had done.

Vallaena replied to Gwyneth with another thinly veiled insult that seemed to question her worthiness to sleep with me. This drew yet another rejoinder from Yuuki. After listening to them go on for several more minutes, I had to wonder if the primary requirement for Daemos socializing was learning how to throw insults in someone's face without them even realizing it.

Do I even want these people fighting by my side?

My victory over Aerianas hadn't seemed to sway Godric or Yuuki, and my words certainly hadn't and wouldn't, especially since I wanted to call them all warthog-faced buffoons. I still had more Daemos muckety-mucks to meet with, and getting to the point was like reaching around my elbow to scratch my ass. If they all took this long, the war would be over before I managed to convince just one.
This is a waste of time.
I almost blew out a breath of disgust, but held it in.

"Really?" Gwyneth said with a laugh. I suddenly realized she, Yuuki and Godric were staring at me.

"And not a word of defense spoken." Yuuki smirked as though she'd scored major points on the cut-down meter. "The truth often lies in one's silence."

The urge to backhand her across the ballroom floor was overwhelming. I'd obviously missed whatever they'd said, but it didn't matter. These Daemos weren't worth the time it would take me to convince them and I decided to let them know just how I felt. To make my words even more insulting, I used a British accent. "The more words I hear from certain lips, the more I realize the universe does have a sense of humor." I let a small smile curl my lips. "In fact, it seems there is ample space to waste on trivial beings."

Yuuki's eyes widened as if she were barely holding back an angry retort.

"Contemptuous halfling bastard," Gwyneth said. "How dare a mere Castratae—"

Godric gripped his wife's arm so tight I saw his knuckles whiten. He bowed to me. "My apologies, Anae Slade. She has had more than her fair share of drink."

I met the Daemos's icy eyes and noted a hint of fear in them.
What is he afraid of?
With Yuuki, I'd already seen that physical threats wouldn't coerce these people into joining me. I felt like I was in a lake with alligators circling beneath the dark waters and no land in sight.

"Surely there is no need to challenge Paetros Salomon to a duel for publicly questioning your social standing," Vallaena said. "It was merely a slight—nothing worth a Paetros losing his house."

Godric's eyes narrowed at Vallaena. "Surely not," he said in a cold voice.

If I could've taken Vallaena aside and asked for advice, I would have, but I didn't want it to look like I was completely ignorant. I translated Vallaena's statement.
Gwyneth insulted me, so I can challenge Godric to a duel. If I win, I remove him as Paetros of his house. That scares Godric.

Yuuki, Godric, and others in their positions reminded me of snooty old aristocrats. If there was anything I'd learned from reading
Pride and Prejudice
in school, it had been that those sorts of people were nothing without their status. More than anything, they feared being social outcasts.

Removing Godric as Paetros would be devastating to him and Gwyneth.

When in doubt, bluff.

I settled the coldest gaze I could muster on Godric. "Perhaps a duel would be productive. All this talk makes me yearn to destroy something."

"You cannot be serious," Godric said.

"As Anae Slade and the son of Paetros Slade, he is within his rights," Vallaena replied. "Maedras Salomon offered him grave insult, which could damage his social standing."

"How very clever," Yuuki said with a sly smile. She raised an eyebrow and regarded me with what looked like newfound respect—or wariness.

"Perhaps it's time for new leadership in House Salomon," I added, trying to keep up the pressure. "I'd like a house of my own." I looked at Vallaena. "Would House Salomon become House Slade if I were the Paetros?"

"You would have the right to take a new surname if you desired," Vallaena said.

"I could change my last name to Unicorn if I wanted?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "Of course."

Godric's chin trembled. His face turned an angry shade of red. "Surely there is another way to solve this situation."

I turned to face him. "How else will I retain my social standing if we do not duel?"

Gwyneth whimpered as Godric squeezed her arm even tighter. "I believe I know a way."

An almost euphoric rush burned through my veins. "Explain," I said, barely able to contain a smile.
Am I starting to enjoy these social games too much?

Godric's jaw tightened as he mumbled something.

"I'm sorry," Vallaena said. "I could not quite hear that."

"I said, I will acknowledge Anae Slade as Kohvaniss."

"That will mean you join the alliance against Daelissa," Vallaena said, giving him a very solemn look.

"I am very well aware of the consequences," Godric said in a stony voice.

Yuuki regarded me through heavy-lidded eyes, as if what was happening now was even better than an all-you-can-eat Swiss chocolate buffet attended by shirtless male models.

"Then let's get it out of the way while everyone's here." I almost extended a hand so we could shake on it, but remembered Yuuki's response when I'd done that to her.

"Do we have a pact?" Vallaena asked.

Godric released Gwyneth's arm and held out the flat of his hand toward me. "We have a pact."

Vallaena looked at me expectantly, so I held out my hand the same way. Godric pressed his palm to mine. I felt a tingle and saw a flash of blue flame as he withdrew. The orchestra finished their latest piece and the dancers clapped politely.

"I believe that is your cue," Vallaena said to Godric.

He scowled, but walked to the stage and held up his hands before they started playing again. All eyes turned to him as he cleared his throat. "House Salomon has long been known for its wisdom."

Scattered applause echoed in the great hall, probably from all the Salomon fanboys.

Godric nodded and continued. "Kings of yore depended on the wisdom of Salomon, and even today, many Overworld citizens come to us seeking aid." He raised his chin and looked upon the crowd like a king to an audience. "After much deliberation, it has become evident to me that Eden once again requires the services of House Salomon." He held out a hand toward me. "The Kohvaniss himself has asked for guidance and wisdom. With Eden in the balance, I could not refuse."

More applause sounded around the room, this time with a bit more enthusiasm.

Paetros Salomon regarded me with a smile that could have deforested a river basin. "Anae Slade—Kohvaniss—House Salomon stands ready to serve against Daelissa's hordes."

"Even when he's lost he makes it sound like he's won," I muttered to Vallaena.

She leaned close. "He must save face. If he were disgraced in any way, his house might not follow his lead."

I repressed another sigh and listened to Godric drone on and on about the great things his house had done. He made it sound like they saved puppies and kittens on a daily basis.

Yuuki looped her arm around mine and spoke into my ear. "You are cleverer than you led me to believe, Anae Slade, but you still have not won the support of House Wakahisa." She released a warm breath into my neck. "Dare I ask what you have in store for me?"

I felt the hairs on my neck rise, though I couldn't say for sure if it was from arousal or fright.

If I had good sense, it would definitely be from fright.

Low-ranking Daemos parted to reveal Maedras Domitia Calidious walking purposefully toward me. She offered a curt nod to Yuuki who responded in kind.

"Might I borrow the charming Anae Slade?" Domitia said in a tone that was more statement than request. Her amber eyes sparkled by the light of the chandeliers.

"Gladly," Yuuki replied. "Though I would love to
dominate
him, I must not be selfish."

I cringed at the way she said the word "dominate". Even the thick porridge I called a brain picked up on the double entendre not-so-subtly hidden within.

Yuuki released my arm and just as suddenly found my father lurking nearby. "Ah, Daevadius. Don't you look magnificent this grand evening?"

Domitia took my arm in a strong grip and led me a safe distance away. "I never had the pleasure of thanking you for saving my life."

I almost spurted out my standard response of, "Hey, no problem." Caution kept my mouth shut. I tried to think of something a character in a Shakespeare play would say. "Verily I say unto thee, it was an honor."

Her forehead crinkled. "You have been listening to the supposed elite running their mouths it would seem." She smiled. "Don't worry. My Brutus was the same. He loved nothing more than being a pompous ass." She sighed. "You'd think after centuries of being disgusted with someone's behavior it would be easier to accept their absence."

I dropped the Shakespearean act. "Losing someone you've been with is hard no matter what," I said. I wanted to ask if this meant she'd join the fight against Daelissa, but decided to let her speak.

She walked us outside into the cool air beneath a brilliant half-moon. A few partyers stood outside talking. Some Daemos in their half-demon forms were doing headstand keggers. I felt my eyes widen at the spectacle.

Domitia tsked. "Young Cenae who have no worry about propriety." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could shed the façade of civility and join them."

"You're different than the others," I said, deciding to be as straightforward as she'd been with me.

She shrugged. "I can be. She stopped and gave me a solemn look. "But we aren't here to talk about trivial matters. We are here to talk about our very survival."

I returned her serious look. "That's a good way to put it."

"We are close to House Assad in power and numbers." A young Daemos whooped as he downed a flaming cocktail and she glanced his way. "Maedras Kassallandra and I have rarely seen eye-to-eye. If I acknowledge you as Kohvaniss, will you assure me none of my people will fall under her command?"