by Cege Smith
Malin yelled for them to wait, but they pulled Corrinda around the throne and then the small group disappeared from view. He knew that there was a small door just on the other side of the throne that led to a secret hallway that would take them into the exterior hallway away from the ballroom. He saw an opening in the crush of bodies and dove for it, but found that he wasn’t the only one moving in that direction.
“Where are you off to in such a rush, Chief Advisor?” The small hand on his arm gripped it in an unrelenting vise. “You owe a woman in mourning an explanation.”
He found himself toe to toe with Elvry. Her face was tear-stained, but he knew that was entirely for show. She licked her rosebud lips, accentuating the deep pink stain in them. “We’re not going to do this here,” he said quietly.
“You are going to come with me, and if you don’t, I’m going to scream at the top of my lungs that you are the murderer. By the time you have a chance to catch your breath, I will have found, and killed your precious queen and her blood will be on your hands,” Elvry whispered into his ear.
“What is it that you want?” he asked harshly. He had to keep her distracted long enough for the guards to squire Corrinda away.
“I thought I’ve been fairly obvious on that fact,” Elvry said, batting her eyes. “I want you.”
Then Malin found Elvry pushed up against his chest. Her eyes widened, and he stumbled backward. Malin looked over her shoulder into Rhone’s determined face.
“Chief Advisor. I believe that we need to get the Lady Redley out of this room and to a secure location,” Rhone said. His hand was on her shoulder, but his other hand remained behind her back.
Malin realized that Rhone had something pushed into Elvry’s back that caused her to go utterly still. Somehow, Rhone knew that Elvry was the dangerous one. He was on Malin’s side and, for once, that idea was a great relief to him. Malin nodded.
“Chief General Rhone, I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure,” Elvry said. Although her voice was tight, she didn’t seem otherwise concerned. She started to turn, but Rhone immediately poked whatever he had in his hand further into her back.
“I need you to walk around to the other side of the dais,” Rhone said. “We can’t have you wandering around with the others.”
“My father has just been killed. This is an outrage,” Elvry said. Her tone wasn’t outraged at all.
“Walk,” Rhone commanded. “Chief Advisor, I need you to lead the way.”
Nodding his agreement, Malin fervently hoped that Corrinda and the guards already exited the chamber. He quickly made his way to the other side of the throne. The door to the hallway stood wide open. Although that was strange, he dismissed it. He slipped inside the doorway, feeling uncomfortable with the idea that he couldn’t see the predator who seemed so calm walking behind him.
“Where are we going, Rhone?”
“The Green Room,” Rhone barked from behind him.
The Green Room was a small room that was built especially for small group meetings or interrogations. There was one on every floor of the palace. As soon as they emerged into the main hallway, Malin breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was empty on this end. Everyone exiting the ballroom would be on the other side of the floor.
He took a moment to look behind him. Elvry appeared serene and that made him uneasy. Now that he had room to navigate, he took a step back and saw that Rhone had a wooden stake pressed up against her back. It appeared that Rhone knew more than he let on. Malin was grateful for the protection spell. Elvry was like a caged animal. She could strike at them at any moment.
Luckily, the door to the Green Room was just a few feet away, and Malin opened the door, and Rhone pushed Elvry inside. Malin looked both ways and seeing no one, followed Rhone into the room. Elvry moved away from Rhone around the table in the middle of the room, and then turned to stare at them.
“What exactly do you think you are going to do with me, you old fool?” she said with a laugh. “Please know that I am here only because I want to be. If you think for one moment that I am afraid of you or your pathetic attempt at a threat, then you are quite mistaken.”
“You will answer our questions or you’ll soon find yourself on the short end of this stake, I guarantee,” Rhone said menacingly.
Elvry flourished her arms to her sides and sat gingerly down in one of the chairs. “This is the most fun I’ve had in years. Ask your questions. If I can answer them, I will. I find this exchange most liberating.”
The whole situation felt wrong. She was toying with them. Malin was sure of it. He just didn’t know why.
“How many of you are there in Brebackerin?” Rhone asked.
“How many of me? There is but one of me,” Elvry said with a lewd wink. “Altera could not handle more than one.”
“You know what I mean, wench,” Rhone sneered. “How many of you creatures are hiding within our walls?”
“Now that’s not how one speaks to a lady,” Elvry clucking her tongue.
“You are far from a lady,” Malin said. He knew that he needed to be careful in the exchange. Rhone couldn’t know that he already knew about Elvry. He had to handle the conversation with care, but he couldn’t resist the dig, not after she made such a fool of him at the Ceremony of Allocation earlier that day.
Fingers drumming on the table, Elvry shook her head at them. “You are like children running around after shadows. You no longer understand or appreciate the situation you are in. You’ve all gone soft. You are little more than cattle just waiting to be round up and taken in for the slaughter.”
Her voice cracked, and Malin stared in shock at the bloom of red blood that welled up around the wooden stake driven into her chest. It was long and skinny, and from what he could see, effectively locked her against the back of the chair. He turned to look at Rhone in disbelief.
Rhone’s face twisted in disgust. He leaned over the table and glared at Elvry. “Soft, eh? You are an old-timer, right? Do you remember the Blood Guard?”
For the first time, an expression of fear crossed Elvry’s face.
Malin’s mouth fell open. The Blood Guard was a secret installation of elite guards trained by Alair Robart. Although their primary mission was to protect the royal family, they were a highly effective group of assassins who were the front line in the war against the vampires. It was said that when the peace treaty was called with the vampires, one of the stipulations required by Alron was that the Blood Guard was disbanded. After narrowly escaping them on multiple occasions, the Master wanted to ensure that Alair kept his word.
“That’s not possible,” Elvry said.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Rhone said. His raspy voice was deadly. “The Blood Guard was never fully disbanded, and the reason was because Alair Robart expected that someday, the vampire would think that humans were once again fair game. He knew that the Master would not keep his word forever. It was just a matter of when. He swore that as long as the vampire lived, the Blood Guard would survive.”
“How is it that I never knew about this?” Malin said. He viewed the Chief General in an entirely different light. This wasn’t some uninformed soldier minion. The Blood Guard lived in the shadows and observed everything. For humans, they were notably difficult to kill. He wondered why he had never seen it before, but then, he assumed that Rhone would have kept his specialized skills under wraps.
Rhone raised an eyebrow at him. “No offense, Chief Advisor, but we all know that your loyalty only extends so far when it comes to matters of the throne. You are the Clan’s puppet.”
Malin wanted to punch the man for his arrogance, but his words stung in exactly the way that he supposed they were intended to.
“I suppose you should get on with it,” he said stiffly. “I need to make sure that the Queen is safe.”
“I won’t tell you anything,” Elvry said. Then her face twisted in a grimace of pain.
“That stake was drenched in Griden root,” Rhone said. His arm
moved lightning fast as he flung another stake at Elvry’s torso. This one buried itself to the hilt into her stomach, and she cried out in anguish. She tried to twist away, but there was no way to escape. Rhone was on the other side of the table in an instant and yanked her head back.
Elvry hissed, and Malin saw her fangs descend, but Rhone had a knife against her throat. “I’m going to ask my question again, and this time, you will answer me. How many of you are there in the city?”
“There were five of us,” she spat. “It’s amusing to me that you think we’re the worst thing you have to deal with though.”
Malin saw the danger of the situation flash before his eyes. The Blood Guard dealt in death, and during the war between human and vampire that included dealing with the wraiths in the city. If Rhone found out that Angeline was a wraith, or that she was in the company of another vampire, he would feel obligated to have to deal with the situation.
Elvry was a liability. The decision made, Malin didn’t hesitate. He whirled around and grabbed a sword from the decorative mounting on the wall. Rhone turned, but he wasn’t quick enough to stop Malin from taking the final deadly strike that lifted Elvry’s head from her shoulders. It rolled onto the floor, and the body left in the chair shuddered while blood spurted into the air.
Rhone stepped back and slowly wiped the vampire’s blood from his face. Then he looked coldly at Malin.
“Chief Advisor, I think you have some explaining to do.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was an unexpected situation. Theodora held herself as regally as any royal and an irrational part of Angeline thought for a moment that she should curtsey. But queens did not curtsey, and the woman before her was not a queen. She was a powerful woman nonetheless, so Angeline did what she did what she thought was most appropriate since she had no basis or training for what was happening. She inclined her head slightly and smiled.
“You must be Theodora,” Angeline said.
“Mistress Theodora Allyn Baford,” Theodora corrected with an equally shallow smile. “First Seat of the Clan Council.”
Angeline was thunderstruck. “Baford?”
“Yes, of course you know my son, Malin,” Theodora said. She stepped forward and reached out her hands. “We’re practically family. I feel as if I’ve known you for a very long time, your Majesty. You are welcomed here as one of my own.”
Slowly Angeline put her hands in Theodora. They were cold. She studied the older woman’s face. There was not a line or a wrinkle that gave away her age at all. Then she saw the resemblance in her ice blue eyes and fair hair. Malin had inherited his mother’s nose.
“Thank you,” she said. She was utterly distracted by this latest development, and it was difficult to get her mind back on track. She wondered if the fact that she was betrothed to Theodora’s son would help or hinder her case with the Council.
Malin told her that the Clan killed his parents, and she had even felt some sympathy for him. It was yet another one of Malin’s lie that she was uncovering. Angeline had assumed that he had no other family given the fact that her father had so quickly taken him in, but now in less than a day she discovered Malin had a sister and now a mother. She wondered if she knew the man she was supposed to marry at all. She didn’t know why it continued to surprise her that he lied to her, or why she even cared.
Behind Theodora, Angeline could see a large room that opened up into the night sky. It reminded her of a room in the palace in Craven, where she found Malin after escaping from Connor when her wraith overtook her consciousness. Malin offered to have the Clan bind her wraith there in Craven so she could go home to her father. He lied about that too. The Clan might have used some kind of dampening spell on the wraith, but it never left her.
A humming in the back of her mind erupted as Theodora stroked her hand. It was strangely intimate and wholly uncomfortable. Angeline realized that Theodora had spent the silent few moments studying her just as intently. Her chin lifted. Whether in Brebackerin or here inside the Clan’s compound, the Robart name still carried weight.
“I can see why he’s taken with you. You are lovely. You look just like your mother.”
“You knew my mother?” The surprises just kept coming. Angeline wasn’t sure she could take anymore without having to sit down.
“I did, briefly, many years ago. I’m sorry that you lost her so young. That must have been difficult for you. I know that Eric was heartbroken about Melinda’s death.”
Angeline’s father refused to marry again after Melinda died. Angeline had been only five years old at the time, so she barely remembered her mother at all. She used to sit beneath Melinda’s portrait in the grand hallway and stare at it for hours willing more memories to surface, but none ever did.
“We managed,” Angeline said.
“We will sit down to tea, and I will tell you everything I remember about her. She was so excited about your arrival. I imagine that she would have been very proud to see you today.”
“I do not wish to keep the Council members waiting,” Angeline said, desperate to turn the conversation to safer, less emotional topics. “I realize that your time is valuable, and I appreciate your willingness to see me on such short notice.”
Theodora finally released her hands with a long sigh. “Of course, your Majesty, but we had little choice given the current situation. Your arrival wasn’t expected, but, of course, you knew that.” Theodora shifted to face the Council chamber. “This way, please.”
The abrupt end to the mock family reunion worried Angeline. She wondered if she should have been more tolerant, but then she cast those thoughts aside. She could be tolerant once she was fully human again. Until then, she had to keep her focus on her goal. She wondered what Theodora meant that her arrival wasn’t expected. It didn’t feel that way to Angeline.
Upon entering the hall, Angeline’s eyes were drawn up to the night sky. It was breathtaking. There was part of her that always loved the night. The stillness and solitude erased the business of the day. As much as she enjoyed being around people, Angeline craved the alone time that she found at night. It replenished her spirit and helped her move through the endless days of studying and trying to cram every footnote of math, science, and history into her brain. At night, alone with her journal, she had the freedom just to be herself.
It took her a moment to spy the alcoves on either side of the room. There were five alcoves lining the exterior walls on either side and then at the front of the room, a large cushioned chair sat empty. She imagined that was Theodora’s seat.
Theodora’s arms swept up, and her voice rose so that it boomed throughout the hall. “We have not had a visitor to the Clan in this room in over a thousand years. Your presence is noteworthy for a multitude of reasons, your Majesty. The Clan has kept the peace across Altera for that entire time. Now, it seems that danger has arrived on our doorstep and yours.”
Theodora reached her chair and spun around. Angeline stopped. She was twenty feet away, unwilling to draw any closer. She could feel the presence of the other Council members leaning forward in their chairs. Although her eyesight was keen it was like their faces were obscured and their bodies were wrapped in bearskins. She wondered about that, as she didn’t feel a chill in the air. It was odd. She couldn’t even tell who was male or female.
There was a small alcove to her right that did not have a person seated in the chair. Two figures stood behind the chair, but again their faces were hidden from her. She knew then that magic was being used to keep her off-balance. It was difficult to negotiate with faceless entities.
Angeline waited for Theodora to speak further. She was not naïve to think that Theodora’s comments were the opening statement that signaled that the negotiations had begun. From that point forward, she would speak when spoken to, and only say words that propelled her case forward. There were too many things she didn’t know or understand, but one thing was certain. The hum inside her head told her that she was in danger, and on that account,
Angeline learned to trust that instinct.
In her talk with Thomas, a strategy blossomed in her mind. She remembered things that Caspian said to her during her training. She may have more leverage than she thought, but it was going to be a dangerous game. She was willing to take the risk. A Robart didn’t back down in those situations, and always played to win.
Theodora observed her and Angeline thought that the woman was hoping to see her squirm. She did not. She stood and waited.
A small nod of appreciation was all Theodora gave her before she sat gingerly down in the chair, perching on the edge with her back erect. She let her arms settle to her sides. Angeline hoped that when she sat on her throne, she looked half as serene and in control as Theodora did in that moment.
“You have come into our fold for a reason, Majesty. The Robarts have been staunch supporters of the Clan as you well understand now.” Theodora nodded to Angeline’s left, and Angeline saw out of the corner of her eye that Thomas stood there beside her. “The human Robart bloodline is strong, but sadly it has come to an end with you unless you produce a male heir.”
“That is the reason, first and foremost, that I have come here,” Angeline said carefully. “I fully intend to extend the Robart bloodline, but first the current situation has to be remedied.”
Theodora’s face stilled. She looked Angeline over from head to toe. “The spell that was granted before still seems to be holding remarkably well despite reports to the contrary.”
“I do not believe the spell is still intact,” Angeline said.
“Then how is it possible you are standing here so calmly and not attempting to rip out the necks of everyone in the room?” Theodora countered.
Angeline heard whispers begin all around her. Theodora’s comment hit its mark, and that frustrated her. She knew that there were long-standing biases against wraiths, and for good reason, but it seemed important for her to point out that she was different.