Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2

by Suttle, Connie

  "It's obvious Marid knew nothing about it," Kaldill pointed out. "He wouldn't have been able to produce such a spell anyway. I feel it took more power than he ever possessed to do this."

  "Yes—placing living things in stasis requires a great deal of power and a finesse the Belancours do not have—even the best among them," Nefrigar shook his head. "This is a puzzle I would very much like to solve."

  "It's destroying Quin," Berel said.

  "You see a great deal," Nefrigar agreed. "It troubles her. She has no past. Nothing to grasp as her heritage. It is causing emotional pain."

  "I don't give a flying fornication where she's from," Kaldill grumbled. "She belongs to us, now."

  "She's a citizen of Kondar," Berel nodded. "I hoped it would be enough."

  "One cannot help but wonder about absent parents, when there is no information to be had," Daragar offered. "I wondered about my mother until I went to find her."

  "I'll explain that later," Kaldill whispered to Berel with a half-smile.

  * * *

  Harifa Edus

  Fyris II

  "You can't conduct court hearings and decide on your council if you're drunk," Rodrik snapped. "You need a council, you know—your father's council is either dead or left behind in Fyris to die. The Nobles here at the castle are becoming high-handed again, and that should not be. We need laws and a Prince to enforce them. A council will help."

  "I don't need a council." Amlis struggled not to slur his words. He'd had wine with breakfast and had been drinking most of the morning afterward. "This place runs itself."

  "It doesn't—and Beatris says that the mayors of all the small towns they left behind are now arguing over who is in charge—none want to give up their authority and step down, although they live in the same city, now. The Prince's intervention is needed." Rodrik shoved Amlis' feet off the table where he'd rested them, rocking Amlis forward in his chair.

  "I'll have you sent to the dungeon," Amlis snapped.

  "Really? Have you checked, my Prince? You don't have a dungeon, here. One wasn't built. I suggest you consider that when you sober up—you may need a lockup when the mayors flex their authority and order their sheriffs to arrest the mayor who now lives next door."

  "But," Amlis sputtered.

  "Look," Rodrik hissed, pulling Amlis up by the collar and staring into his bloodshot eyes, "My father died just the same as your mother. By their own choice. I suggest you mourn them in private and do what a Prince should in public. Your people are waiting. They grow restless, waiting for their Prince and his troops to intervene in the power struggle that now threatens our city."

  "Tea, Rodrik," Beatris set a tray on the table, which now bore scratches from Amlis' boots. "We need Amlis sober, and we need it fast. A mayor was just murdered not far from here."

  * * *

  Amlis blinked in the weak sunlight filtering through cloud cover overhead. He knew, somewhere in the wine-fogged recesses of his mind, that if he were in full sunlight, the brightness would make his headache a hundred times worse.

  Rodrik had saddled Runner for him—he'd fumbled the straps and buckles until Rod pushed him aside and did it instead. I need Deeds, Wolter and the others, he thought, before recalling that they'd stayed behind with Quin.

  Quin.

  He desperately needed her. If nothing else, she could heal his infernal headache. She could tell him how to handle this mess with the mayors, too, who'd suddenly thought it was imperative to stretch their authority in his city.

  His city.

  "How many troops behind us?" Amlis asked.

  "We have twenty," Rodrik replied. "That's the first useful thing you've said in three days," he added.

  "Will we face a mob when we arrive?"

  "I know not, my Prince."

  "Send one back to the castle for additional troops," Amlis said. "Now."

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  Queen Lissa's Private Journal

  "There's an uprising already?"

  Renée stood before my desk with the comp-vid saying just that. Surely, Amlis and Rodrik were smart enough to know we'd monitor them. The werewolves of Harifa Edus were a continent away, but the peace of their world shouldn't be shattered by the petty squabbles of its newest inhabitants.

  "We can go," Drake and Drew appeared in my study, making Renée jump. "Sali says he'll help. Dad and Uncle Crane need some exercise."

  "So the Falchani want blade practice?" I lifted an eyebrow at my Falchani twins.

  "We won't break heads," Drake promised.

  "Fine, just make sure the Prince knows you're on his side, all right?"

  "Not a problem," Drew shrugged.

  "Take Tory with you," I added.

  "Only if he promises not to go Thifilathi."

  "Work that out with him. He has experience with these people, you don't."

  * * *

  Harifa Edus

  New Fyris

  The noise of the crowd reached Amlis' ears before the edges of it came into view. The extra twenty troops who'd arrived would certainly not be enough to quell this uprising.

  He should have never taken his hands off the pulse of the people—he understood that, now. Even moving to a new home where there was plenty of room and enough to eat failed to settle everything.

  "Amlis, perhaps we should return to the palace and gather the rest of your troops," Rodrik said, pulling Midnight to a stop.

  "There's no need."

  Tory appeared, with many behind him. Amlis drew in a breath—those with Tory were strange indeed—with long, black hair braided down their backs and inked tattoos showing on arms and chests.

  The rest was covered in black leather pants and boots. Each man had two blades strapped to his back, just as Tory did.

  "Are these what you are?" Rodrik stuttered the question.

  "No—these are Falchani," Tory shook his head. "Trust me, they're all more deadly than I am with their blades."

  "You need horses," Amlis said.

  "A horse will only hinder me," one of the Falchani stepped forward. "I am Dragon, former Warlord of Falchan. If any wish to impede my progress, they will regret it, I assure you. Queen Lissa says get your house in order or Alliance troops will arrive to do it for you. You are guests here, remember? As yet, you have done little to show appreciation to your hosts."

  Amlis swallowed with difficulty before nodding. "Lead the way," he said. "We follow you."

  * * *

  Avii Castle

  Quin

  I woke in my bedroom, after hearing Justis shuffle about in his room preparing to go to work. With an effort, I pushed my wings back, sat up and allowed my feet to slide to the stone floor.

  "Justis?" I called out while walking unsteadily toward the door.

  "Quin?" He was at my door and holding it open quickly.

  "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming," I held out a hand. "How did I get here?" I added.

  "Daragar brought you," Justis said, his eyes going over every inch of me to make sure I was all right.

  "I'm fine," I held out a hand and ended up gripping the doorjamb when the brief wave of dizziness hit. Justis reached out to steady me and pull me away from my temporary prop.

  "Do you want breakfast?" he asked, folding my body against his. "I was about to fly down to eat with the guard, but I can have it delivered here, instead."

  "Can we go to the Library and eat with Gurnil and the others?" I asked peering up at his face.

  "Of course." He almost smiled at my request before asking his next question. "Do you want help to dress?"

  "Oh. Yes, I suppose." I looked down to see I was dressed in my nightclothes. I couldn't recall this particular set and wondered where they came from. Fingering the fabric, I determined it was silk.

  "I believe Daragar thinks you look good in white," Justis did smile this time.

  "That makes sense, now," I nodded. "I couldn't remember these nightclothes and I didn't own anything that was white.
"

  "You do, now. He's right, by the way. You look good in white. What would you like to wear to breakfast?"

  * * *

  "Quinnie!" Berel was happy to see me; Justis carried me into the Library after flying to the terrace outside it.

  "Berel," I offered him a trembling smile and a nod.

  "Please sit—breakfast—and Ordin—will arrive shortly," Gurnil beamed at me. "How do you feel?"

  "Shaky," I answered honestly. "But nothing hurts and I feel better today than I did yesterday." I didn't want to explain that I'd been at such an emotional low the day before I wasn't sure I'd climb out of that chasm.

  "Father says perhaps we should do the interview together," Berel said, pulling out a chair so I could sit between him and Justis. "He says that we can use the images I recorded in Fyris to help convince the people, as well as pleading with them to choose their lives over a dying planet."

  "That would be good. Very good," I agreed, holding out my hand. Berel took it and squeezed lightly. "Where is Kaldill this morning?"

  "I just had a conference with Queen Lissa," Kaldill appeared nearby in a flash of light. "She says there was some trouble in New Fyris, but with the assistance of a few troops, the Prince now has the situation in hand."

  I could see in Kaldill's face what the trouble was—those used to having authority over a small population thought to expand that authority, regardless of what others might think of it.

  I also saw that Amlis had been forced to sober up quickly in order to make an appearance before the people and assert his authority. He'd been wallowing in depression, just as I had. Not for the same reasons, obviously, but wallowing nonetheless.

  "Sometimes those things cannot be helped, dearest. We all feel it, from time to time." Kaldill had seen the emotions crossing my face and had read them accurately, just as he always did. "Queen Lissa sends her greetings, and reminds you that you are welcome on Le-Ath Veronis at any time, for as long as you wish."

  "I would love to go there again," I agreed. "But we have to see to the people of Siriaa, first."

  "I'd like more of those chocolate-covered redberries," Justis agreed.

  "We may make a world traveler out of you yet," Kaldill chuckled.

  "Berel, I suppose we should work on what we want to say in the interview," I said, changing the subject.

  "I'll bring my tab-vid; you can sit on the terrace and we'll work on it, with help from Father and his staff."

  * * *

  Harifa Edus

  New Fyris

  "I wish I'd had some warning that he could actually become a dragon," Amlis brushed a hand over his face. He wanted a drink but didn't think it was appropriate, considering the circumstances.

  He and Rodrik now had more than a hundred mayors in the council chamber, waiting for Amlis, Rodrik and their guards to appear. Many of them had been prepared to fight the Prince.

  One of the strange men accompanying Amlis had become a huge, red dragon and roared at the seething crowd, his breath fiery and fierce when he bellowed. Most of the mob had screamed and scattered, their plans of a coup forgotten immediately.

  Then the job at hand became rounding up the mayors—Tory and those who came with him had no trouble sorting them from the crowd, although many thought to hide themselves from the Prince.

  Tory, the one called Salidar and one set of twin Falchani—Drake and Drew—stayed, to make sure that the council meeting remained peaceful and ensure that any of the guilty were punished. Dragon and his brother, Crane, left after the crowd was subdued.

  "I don't know what you were expecting—we've both seen what Tory becomes."

  "I thought that was the most frightening thing I'd ever seen," Amlis shook his head. "Until today."

  "This Queen Lissa must be powerful indeed to have such at her command," Rodrik pointed out. "I feel it would be most unwise to challenge her in any way."

  "I had no such thoughts," Amlis replied. "And even less, now. Shall we go and sort through what we have? I think we should elevate those who disagreed with the rebels, making them council members, then work out a proper punishment for the murderer and those who supported him."

  "I support that decision," Rodrik agreed. "Shall we, my Prince? Your people await the authority of their monarch."

  * * *

  Avii Castle

  Quin

  "These are the ulcerations, before you healed them," Berel showed me an image of a young woman who'd had sores covering much of her body. She'd bathed in a stream near her home before falling ill. Berel's image only showed arms and legs—I knew the rest of her body was covered with the weeping abscesses, too, as I'd healed all of them.

  "Yes," I nodded. He added that image to the collection to be shown on the newsvids. Fyris had been a microcosm of all the diseases and ailments that would visit those who elected to stay on Siriaa, rather than moving to a safer planet.

  "We have to save as many as we can," Berel sighed. "If we must shock them into making the right decision, then so be it."

  "I worry that Sector Two will say it's all a lie again," I said.

  "They say that about everything," Berel shook his head while continuing his search for appropriate images. "The other Sectors expect it."

  "Are there none who live there that will be convinced?"

  "Of course, but they are in a minority, you understand."

  "Berel, how many do you think we can save?" I asked. "Your best guess."

  "That depends on whether Yokaru's Emperor decides to leave or not. His people will go or stay, depending upon his decision. That's nearly one hundred million people. As for Kondar, it's down to a vote. If the majority votes to leave, then all should leave. If the majority votes no, it's the same. Everything hinges on those things."

  I watched Berel—his jaw worked as he considered whether Siriaa would live or die. I understood that no matter what Kondar decided, Edden Charkisul expected Berel to leave Siriaa with me.

  I worried that we'd have to plead with the peoples of Siriaa in order to convince them of their imminent danger, so they'd leave their dying world behind. "Father is sending three journalists—ones who have already delved into the mystery of the poison and reported what they knew to the public. These are reliable professionals who don't report what they can't substantiate. We need that unbiased reputation so we can present the strongest case possible."

  "Perhaps I can convince Kaldill to record images of New Fyris, where Amlis is," I said. "Or of the place where Queen Lissa suggests that the people of Kondar and Yokaru will go. That may help to convince them."

  "Again, we'll have to deal with the mentality of Sector Two, who will refuse to believe it or say that this is merely image tampering."

  "I never thought of that," I shook my head. "Do people do that?"

  "All the time. We'll have to do our best to prove the images we have are untouched and real."

  "This is impossible," I mumbled, my frustration rising.

  "It is healthy to question—most of the time," Berel pointed out. "Except in this case, where we don't have time for a debate. Father told me this morning that the Alliance scientists at the research facility are backing up their records and preparing to leave with the five air destroyers. He says Ildevar Wyyld has called them away—they're not needed for a dying world."

  "What is happening?" I whispered. Once, I'd held hope that Siriaa could be saved. That was no longer true. Now, I could only hope to save those who lived there, and if they chose otherwise, even that would prove impossible.

  "Father says he'll stay if the people of Kondar vote to do so," Berel hung his head.

  My breath stopped. Edden intended to die with his people, if that was their decision. "What are we going to do?" Berel lifted his eyes to mine. They were bright with unshed tears. The High President was the only parent Berel had left, and I understood all too well what it meant to be an orphan.

  "We have to convince them," I said. "We have to."

  Chapter 15

  Mo
rningsun

  Queen Lissa's Private Journal

  "This is fine—the Southern Continent is suitable for the Kondari—the one farther north will do for the Yokaru." I waded through tall grass on the plains of the Southern Continent—the soil would grow grain enough to feed Kondar and Yokaru together.

  "I'm sure Kondar will go right back to their five-Sector plan," Merrill said. He and Gavin escorted me as I examined the continents before visiting the continent of Cloudsong II. "They can import fruit and nuts from Cloudsong II that won't be easily grown here," I added. "I think all three economies can coexist. There's just one problem."

  "What's that?" Gavin asked.

  "The Avii. The waters surrounding this continent are too warm, while those around the Northern Continent are too rough. Neither place is good for the Avii. There's something more suitable around Cloudsong II, but that's probably not an option, either."

  "I have a suggestion," Gavin said. Merrill and I both stopped in our tracks—Gavin seldom took the lead on things such as this.

  "What's that?" I asked.

  "You know where the Tooth used to stand—among the tall, rocky spikes and spires far to the west of Sun City?" He'd named one of Le-Ath Veronis' natural treasures—before its destruction on the sunny half of Le-Ath Veronis.

  "The rock spires that Gren, Zellar and Tandias destroyed?" I asked. It still made me angry—the earthquake generated that day had killed thousands, in addition to destroying a natural landmark.

  "Yes. I believe those waters would be suitable for Avii Castle."

  "What? Bring the whole thing? I thought we'd just make a new one."

  "No, I think this one is important," Gavin said. "I can't say why. You said yourself that it was fired upon and didn't show a crack or chip afterward."

  "So we move the whole, damn thing," I shook my head. "Yeah. You're right. That's a good location for it, too. The waters are deep enough and the proper temperature."

  "It will place Quin close—I know you like her," Gavin's arms went about me. "They'll make dark curtains," he added. "To block the constant sunlight."