Blood Queen

"They were attributed to others," Pheligar folded in and promptly Pulled in a rather large, comfortable chair for himself, temporarily enlarging Adam's office to accommodate it. None of the former vampires present so much as lifted an eyebrow. They were used to this and could do it themselves if they wanted.



"The Larentii hand in all this," Wlodek sighed. "I had memories of taking Xenides' head—until recently."



"It was requested, lest she become a target in the past and make the future turn out differently," Pheligar drew in a deep breath. "A few werewolves were allowed to remember, and they wisely kept that information to themselves. Belen and his superiors had to arrange for the vampires and any others to forget. It was the only way."



"Yet we were allowed to remember it all the moment she died," Wlodek pointed out. "This could not be done for the others?"



"You know Belen does not like to interfere in that way—any more than is necessary, as he says," Pheligar replied, a large blue hand rubbing his forehead. Adam knew that gesture—Pheligar didn't agree with the way things were going.



"So Lissa gets no credit whatsoever—somebody else gets it?" Merrill didn't appreciate that.



"We know what she did," Pheligar muttered. "At least that is how it was explained to me."



"Those High Demons should be kissing her feet, and the only word I got was a request from Gardevik, asking if she'd mind coming back and making an apple pie." Merrill tossed up a hand and snorted at the irony. "I talked with Glinda, and now she's threatening to toss Gardevik Rath into Baetrah herself."



"Jayd's Spawn Hunter status has been removed." Pheligar dropped that information in front of the others. "Glinda is still considered auxiliary Saa Thalarr, but hers is the running of Kifirin with Jayd, so she may be giving that up."



"Why was Jayd's status changed?" Adam asked.



"He wasn't using it and recent events were taken into account." Pheligar's face shuttered and Adam knew he wouldn't get any more from the Larentii on the subject.



"Does he know this?" Wlodek asked.



"He has been informed," Pheligar sniffed. Adam knew then that Pheligar had delivered the news himself, rather than one of the other Liaisons. Pheligar's official title was Archivist for the Saa Thalarr, but he still helped the Liaisons from time to time.



"And how did he take it?" Merrill was very curious.



"He said the reason he accepted it in the beginning was to remain close to Glinda. Now that they are mated, he does not care."



"They ought to care," Adam grumbled. "Do they realize how close they came—how close we all came—to destruction?"



"I'm not sure they know," Wlodek agreed. "Glinda may, but the rest of them?" Wlodek frowned at the complexity of the situation.



"They don't have a fucking clue," Griffin folded in. He seldom used profanity, but he'd been using it regularly during recent weeks. Pheligar Pulled in another chair and Griffin joined the discussion. "My little girl gets killed, and then put back together by an unseen hand and ends up cooking for those fuckers?"



Pheligar placed a calming hand on Griffin's shoulder, forming light around his fingers. Griffin relaxed noticeably and nodded his thanks to the Larentii.



"Tonight may be difficult for Lissa when she sees those blank expressions on Gavin's and Anthony's faces," Wlodek felt a headache coming on.



"What about Dragon's boys? Are they just playing around?" Merrill asked.



* * *



"Bro, what is up with you?" Dragon Taylor had never seen his younger brothers like this. They'd come looking for Tay, just to spend some time, they'd said. Drake and Drew were both restless, however, and Tay didn't know what to think. Drew paced while Drake sat, rose again and then sat a second time.



"You should have been there this morning," Drew said finally. "Dad and Uncle Crane gave us a beating as usual, when we skip sparring for a few days. Dad got Lissa to come and watch, and then convinced Uncle Crane to go a round with her. She got a touch on Uncle Crane in less than ten minutes."



"And that was after breaking one of his practice blades," Drake agreed.



"The Vampire Queen Lissa?"



"Yeah, dude, where have you been?" Drake sounded indignant.



"I heard she came back somehow, but we haven't been able to figure out how that happened. You don't have a M'Fiyah with her, do you?" Dragon Taylor's eyes narrowed at his younger brothers. Even he didn't expect the coughing and clearing of throats that followed his question.



* * *



"You ought to go back to the Southern Continent, brother. You never made it past Baetrah an Hafei." Jayd lifted an eyebrow at Gardevik Rath.



"Jayd, there's nothing there except ash and devastation. The animals are dead, the crops are dead or burned in the fields—nothing can survive in that environment, not even rogue Croth or Drith. Besides, Kifirin never said anything when he was with us."



"Kifirin said long ago that he'd never interfere. Why would he say anything? That would be interfering. I think you should plan another trip and check everything, this time." Smoke escaped Jayd's nostrils.



"Fine. I'll put a team together as soon as the fall rains are over on the Southern Continent," Garde sighed. He didn't look forward to going back a second time, and waiting for the fall rains to cease would give him several weeks in Veshtul before he was expected to return.



"The moment the fall rains are over," Jayd gave his brother a hard look.



* * *



"This is not a good idea, my Queen, the H'Morr warns against it."



Friesianna regarded her advisor coldly. "That old thing? If we had the Ka'Mirai, we would not have to concern ourselves with that." Friesianna, Queen of the Bright Elemaiya, had never considered the book of prophecy as anything other than myth and tales for children. She offered a disdainful glare at the mere mention of the book, shaking back thick, brown hair to indicate her displeasure.



"We will not get her back. We know this," Rabis muttered. He knew better than anyone just how accurate the H'Morr was—he'd written it. Only one was better than he at the talent of foresight, and that one none could reach. Rabis was more than happy to keep that information to himself.



"We will gain the Ka'Mirai if I make this alliance," Friesianna snapped, her hazel eyes offering a warning to Rabis. "Then she will be forced to come to us and I will demand she eliminate the consequences. That is how things will be." Friesianna was ignoring her Miriasu advisor, just as she usually did.



Rabis stared at Friesianna in vexed exasperation. "My Queen, the warnings were quite clear. We were advised against making an alliance with either of the two you mentioned. It was foretold that justice will come if we do so. And here you wish to ally your people with both of them. Do you expect the serpents to tell us what their desire is concerning the Ka'Mirai? They are notorious liars."



"Do not annoy me with your constant prattling on this subject. Once we have the Ka'Mirai, the potential for any retribution will be eliminated," Friesianna's voice held a contemptuous, bone-chilling frost. "Go now. We must make preparations to receive the Dark King and the new Ra'Ak Prince." Rabis left her side, muttering. He had no desire to be near either of the two she'd named, and felt the Queen wouldn't remark upon his absence anyway. He walked toward the nearest gate, determined to be far away when the pact was struck. Friesianna would have to do without his services from now on. He'd prepared long ago for this day, and was now washing his hands of the Bright Queen and the fools who blindly followed her.



* * *



"This is your fault." Veris snarled at Breth. They'd returned to Veshtul three days earlier, and the news that the Vampire Queen was alive had spread swiftly among the comesuli. Veris had no hope of containing the information. Their Queen had left them, however; she'd vanished with Kifirin and not returned. Veris had no idea whom to ask regarding the Queen's whereabouts, or if she might come back to them.



"I did not know it was the Queen," Breth whined.



"You did not treat her well, Queen or not," Veris hissed. "I have questioned the others; they all say you taunted and insulted her. Now you expect her to come back to us? You are acting like a High Demon and not one of the comesuli. Our code says to treat all as if they were our parent, brother or child. This you did not do and we may all pay for your foolishness."



"I beg you, do not tell the others what I did, they will shun me," Breth whined.



"I will not tell because my part in this was nearly as great," Veris muttered. "I cannot stop the others, however. You may be shunned anyway, and it will be your due if you are."



"What did Lord Gardevik say when you asked him about her?"



"He says he has received no replies to his own queries," Veris snorted. "And if the High Demons receive no replies, what can we hope to do?" Veris stalked away from Breth. They'd held their private conversation in a corner of the comesuli barracks, next to the eastern palace wall. So many of the commons were beginning to make preparations—they anticipated a move to Le-Ath Veronis. Veris hoped their preparations were not in vain.



* * *



"How should I dress?" I'd gone to the kitchen to get something to drink and found Devin and Grace there.



"However you want," Devin said. "Although those vampires will show up dressed to the nines." A pretty dimple appeared when she grinned.



"They always do that," I grumped. "It's to intimidate the rest of us." Grace snickered at my comment. "I watched Wlodek fight a truckload of vampires once while dressed in a silk shirt and tailored pants," I added. "Those shoes he was wearing probably cost a fortune, too. He did remove his coat and tie, though."



That made Devin laugh. "Hey, don't laugh, Radomir did the same thing," I added, smiling at the memory. "Russell and Will dressed casually, but then they weren't as old."