"I hope I can earn your trust as well," he said. "My allegiance is with the Queen."
"Very good," Drake said. "Do not betray that trust, or place Lissa in danger."
"No fear, young Falchani," Thurlow replied with a nod.
"Do you need help?" Erland sidled up to Rigo.
"Perhaps, Warlock," Rigo smiled slightly at Erland. "I haven't failed to notice from the vid feeds that some of the enemy either disappeared recently or were found dead by an unseen hand."
"Maybe three hundred or so," Erland offered one of his best, heart-stopping smiles.
"Impressive," Rigo nodded respectfully to Erland. "And many from the highest echelons. Such a shame. Shall we pay a visit to Satris of Twylec, who languishes in his dungeon cell?"
"I will come as well," Aryn walked over. He'd heard the exchange between Rigo and Erland. He had no qualms about getting involved with this.
"We'll let you place compulsion," Erland grinned and folded them to the dungeon.
* * *
"What are you doing?" Satris of Twylec stood quickly. Three had appeared inside his cell as if by magic.
"Just wanted to offer a pat on the back for convincing your cousin, Queen Tamaritha, that your sorry skin is worth saving," Erland smiled. "Rigo." Erland turned to the ancient vampire.
"This won't hurt—but it may sting a little," Rigo tapped Satris' neck with the small needle he held.
"What in the name of the light was that?" Satris barely felt the prick but he rubbed the side of his neck anyway.
"Your death," Rigo's voice was even and practical. "And from now on, you'll believe you never saw us and that a spider bit you on the journey homeward."
Satris blinked in confusion as all three men disappeared as quickly as they'd appeared in the beginning.
* * *
"So, not only do I have to go to the Conclave, we have to let Satris go because he's related to the Queen of Twylec?" My head hurt. Gavin, Tony, Drake and Drew had come to give me unwelcome news.
"That pretty much sums it up," Tony agreed. "But that's only one of them. You still have the other two, plus Geratt." I was aware of that—the trials were scheduled for the following day.
"When are we shipping him off?" I asked.
"Today. He should be at the spaceport now."
"I trust he's been cautioned not to cause additional trouble until he gets to Twylec?"
"Oh, no worries," Tony replied. I looked at Gavin, who merely shrugged.
"We have interviews this afternoon, for assassins," Tony reminded me. That was something I didn't particularly want to be reminded of. I'd been an idealistic fool—thinking there would never be a reason to execute anyone on Le-Ath Veronis. Trevor had come to take heads from the ones who'd sided with the rogues inside my Council chambers, but he only did it as a favor to me. He preferred what he was doing now—working as Sheriff of Casino City.
Jeral came in and sat with Flavio, Kifirin, Aurelius, Garde, Aryn and me as we brought in the applicants for the two assassin/executioner positions. Of those we interviewed, one was from Beliphar, Jeral's homeworld, and I liked him very much. My goal was to find two like Gavin and Trevor. Trevor was tired of taking heads. I could understand that. Gavin wouldn't even consider it—he was done with that part of his life.
Aryn was a King Vampire. I wondered if he even knew it. His compulsions were nearly as effective as anything Merrill could do and he employed that talent during the interviews. We had two assassins before the afternoon was over, too. Garde and Aurelius asked most of the questions, with Flavio and Aryn chiming in from time to time. We wanted to make sure the vampires didn't want to kill merely for the sake of killing—that they would be swift and merciful when the heads were taken.
Kifirin gave final approval on both, and they were in accord with my choices. Learand from Beliphar and Dawes from Tulgalan were selected. They were assigned rooms at the palace—suites above the dungeons, actually—and a salary was established for both, plus other benefits and privileges. "Learand was a very good choice," Jeral told me later over a cup of tea in the kitchen.
"I think so, too, Uncle," I said, giving him a smile. It hadn't been long since Davan died, and it was difficult working with Grant and Heathe—all three of us moped around my study at times.
"I think that is the first time you've called me that," he smiled back at me.
"I'm only saying it because I mean it," I told him.
"I never thought to have a niece, or any family member," he replied. "And the opportunity to have tea with my niece is even more gratifying."
"I was hoping I'd find you together," Conner appeared beside us. I hadn't seen Conner for a while. I saw Russell, Will, Martin and Lynx often, but not Conner, even though Connegar was her son. She was tastefully dressed, as always, and her long blonde hair was pulled back and clipped. Conner always looked as if she belonged on the pages of a magazine, she was so careful about her appearance. Russell, Will and Martin doted on her. Lynx was very protective and Graegar, well, he and Barrigar loved her more than anything.
"Lady," Jeral dipped his head to the Guardian. Conner gave me a hug.
"I have a message for Jeral, Grant, Heathe and you," she informed me. Conner escorted souls to the other side at times, and she was asked to deliver messages by those souls, now and then. I never thought to be on the receiving end of one, however.
"Grant and Heathe are in my study," I said. Conner's appearance meant Davan had left a message for us. I wanted to cry.
"We'll go to your study, then," Conner agreed. We walked—I wasn't in a hurry to hear this—it was tears waiting to come. Jeral placed an arm about my shoulders as we walked. I looked up at my uncle—he resembled his mother, Narissa, and my nieces, with darker hair and gold-flecked eyes. I didn't see much of Griffin in his face, but then Wylend Arden hadn't been his father.
"Grant, Heathe, this is Conner," I introduced her when we walked into my study. My two remaining assistants were going through stacks of mail. Today was the day for that, this week. Conner was good—I'll give her that. She got us seated and comfortable before explaining to Grant and Heathe what she was and what she could do. They were shocked, I think, and shocking vampires is pretty tough to do, most of the time.
The message presented was a three-dimensional image, almost, much like a video or a live presentation, as Conner played the memory back to us when she'd taken Davan to the gate.
He was there, looking happy. I didn't expect that—he was happy. "I want you to take a message to my friends," he said. I wanted to weep at the sound of his voice. Jeral grasped my hand in his. "I want you to tell them what I see," Davan said. "I see a beautiful meadow in bright sunlight, with flowers everywhere. People are here, waiting for me. I know them. All of them, somehow, even though we haven't met. I feel happy and I can't explain it. Tell my brother Jeral that I don't regret what he did for me. Tell Heathe and Grant that I never thought to find such good friends. Tell them I love them. Tell Lissa that she shines like the sun, even in my memory of her. Nothing is forever, except the soul and love. Tell Lissa that for me." He turned away, then, fading into something we couldn't see.
I sobbed in Jeral's arms; he was brushing away tears, too.
"Lissa, I hate to interrupt," Thurlow appeared inside my study. Well, there wasn't any other way he could have just shown up as he did—the study door was closed and locked. He'd folded in. Conner didn't even blink.
"What is it, Thurlow?" My voice wasn't steady.
"The Ra'Ak have brought an army of spawn and are attacking your shield on Vionn. They intend to kill the Green Fae and the others inside the curtain."
There's nothing like fear and desperation to toss you right out of a grief session. Jeral was up and ready, too, the moment he heard the word spawn. Either he or Conner sent out the message; I had an army of my own at my back when I set out for Vionn. Toff was there. Maybe they'd planned this—knew I'd come to protect that baby, if nothing else. Thurlow was coming with us, I noticed, and Kifirin folded in, bringing Aryn and Rigo. I sure hoped it was night there, otherwise Rigo might fry and I sure didn't want that to happen. "Let's go," I said, and folded all of us away.
Spawn had just broken through the shield when I arrived with my hastily formed military might. Eight Ra'Ak were there, driving spawn through the hole in my shield. They'd been the ones to destroy the barrier, and had used considerable power to do it. A ninth Ra'Ak, still in humanoid form, stood nearby, watching. Saa Thalarr and Spawn Hunters went to work, challenging Ra'Ak and taking out what looked to be twenty thousand spawn pouring through a hole in my shield. All of them were heading toward the Green Fae's first valley as quickly as they could get there.
Dragon had come, as had Crane. Dragon went to his avatar immediately, preparing to wage war. Crane's giant Wyroc screamed a battle cry and engaged the first Ra'Ak he found. Drake and Drew, my twins, were also in Dragon form and fighting Ra'Ak. Radomir arrived and hit the ground as a giant Black Tiger, taking on one of two remaining Ra'Ak. My focus was on the one still in humanoid shape. I decided to have a parlay with him. First, he wouldn't expect it, and second, I figured all my mates, Kifirin included, were going to be mighty pissed if I told them before I did it.
"Perhaps I should have just gone to kill the Pelipu, rather than letting one of your cousins have him for dinner," I said amiably, misting right in front of the humanoid Ra'Ak.
He hid his surprise well; I'll give him that. "But you failed to do so," he said. "I hear he was quite tasty—just the right amount of fat, as you might imagine. You are a bit thin but still quite tender, I'd wager." He grinned. I was about to be dinner, too, if this creep had anything to say about it.