Evan leapt over the toppled chair and formed a protective shield around them. “Will the vapor kill him?” he asked as Grat began to cough.
“Unfortunately not. The user injects himself with an antitoxin in case he needs to use the capsule.”
“Gine… I must…” His voice was barely understandable, and tears flowed freely from his rapidly swelling eyes, “signal within three days.”
Despite her anger, fear gave her heart a mighty squeeze. “Something’s wrong. The puff shouldn’t have harmed him.”
“I can’t disperse the shield until the vapor clears.”
“And I can’t stand here and watch him die.”
Evan hesitated for a moment. The creature writhing on the carpet didn’t deserve Dro Tar’s pity. “I’ll see what I can do.” He stepped through the shield and heard a yelp as she attempted to follow. Drawing energy into the center of his chest with singular concentration, he sent a cleansing pulse across the room. He inhaled hesitantly, scanning the air as it passed over his olfactory receptors.
“I’m not amused,” Dro Tar grumbled. “Let me out.”
Satisfied that the vapor was neutralized, he dissolved the shield surrounding her and she rushed to his side. He released Grat from the webbing and studied his ashen face. The man’s breathing was shallow and fast, his lips rapidly turning blue.
“Why didn’t you take the antitoxin?” She knelt beside her business partner, anger and compassion equally apparent in her expressive eyes.
“Didn’t think it’d come to this.” His chest rattled and he moaned. “With me gone…no reason to hurt Gine.”
Evan wasn’t convinced. Gine created a connection between Malos and Grat. It was more likely Malos would dispose of a possible danger than turn the boy loose. Luckily, Dro Tar’s attention was focused entirely on Grat.
“You stupid jerk. Why didn’t you…” She took his hand and tears escaped with the sweep of her long lashes. His final breath released in a sustained sigh. She reached over and closed his eyes, shaking her head in silent denial. Evan stood behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. “If he’d really wanted to kill you, you’d be dead. He was just going through the motions.”
He tried to find comfort in her assurance, but Grat’s determination had certainly seemed real. “We need to find his brother and make sure he’s protected.”
She nodded. “Grat said he had to signal Malos within three days. That gives us two and a half to find Gine.” She pushed to her feet and turned to face him. “Malos is going to pay. He’s going to pay for trying to hurt you and he’s going to pay for using Grat as his weapon. We have to figure out what he’s trying to hide.”
“I think our holiday will have to wait.” He wiped her tears away with his thumbs then caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “We need to speak with Lord Drakkin.”
“I agree. As soon as Malos realizes Grat failed, he’ll send someone more committed to the task.” She nodded toward the bedroom and the utility room beyond. “I’m going to go wash my face and get dressed. Can Grat be gone when I get back?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
As soon as she closed the door, he sent a dispersal pulse into Grat’s body. The corpse exploded in a burst of ash. Evan trapped the particles with dispassionate precision and disposed of the entire mass with a powerful cleansing pulse. Dro Tar obviously had feelings for this male, but Evan knew him only as a threat.
He gathered his clothing and went into the bedroom. After donning the rumpled garments, he began collecting their belongings.
Dro Tar rushed out of the utility room, still pulling on her shirt. “Sat! Vee said he could eliminate sat from his vocabulary.”
“Does that have some significance?”
“It’s a military code word. Why would Vee use military code?”
“It’s not an abbreviation for satisfactory?”
“It can be, but it’s also used to indicate that a message is being transmitted under duress.” Her cheeks glowed with a rosy flush as she looked around the room with obvious excitement. “Where is the blasted thing?”
He pulled the journal from his pocket and activated the display. Finding the last entry, he read, “After tomorrow, I will be able to erase sat from my vocabulary. Such a simple change, yet the ramifications will be staggering.”
“Right after that, he talked about sending a message to Drakkin. It must have distracted me before. This has to be it. Search for the word sat.”
Evan motioned toward the closet. “Continue packing while I run the search. I want to leave for Bilarri immediately.”
“Are there other entries?” She dragged her suitcase out of the closet and tossed it on the bed.
“There are seven, all addressed to Lord Drakkin.”
“What do they say?”
“It’s none of your business, if they’re addressed to me.” Lord Drakkin instantaneously materialized. No crack of thunder, no flash of light, he just appeared.
Evan’s heart missed a beat and he inclined his head. The stealth with which the Bilarrian could teleport had always fascinated him. “Sir.”
“Were your ears ringing or what?” Dro Tar asked. “We were about to come see you.”
Raising his head, Evan watched Lord Drakkin’s reaction to her careless words. Mystics were taught to offer the members of the Symposium the utmost respect. Lord Drakkin tilted his head, the red ring in his eyes glowing. Did he find her nonchalance amusing or was he angry?
The Bilarrian simply smiled and said, “I know.”
* * * * *
Dro Tar had interacted with Drakkin enough to know he had a sense of humor. The fact he intimidated the hell out of Mystics made him all right in her book. “So what brings you by?”
Jet-black hair just brushed his shoulders while a cluster of thin braids extended to mid-chest. His eyes fascinated her, so different from the gently swirling eyes of the Ontarians. The outer mass had a faint blue tinge while red rings separated his black pupils from his equally dark irises. She’d never found him devastatingly handsome. “Striking” more accurately fit his appearance.
“Tal told me where to find you, and this brings me by.” He unfolded his long fingers, revealing a facetted crystal disk.
She took the disk from his palm and held it up to the light. An image of the woman from Evan’s vision was perfectly captured within the disk. “Holy shit! Take a look at this.” She tossed the disk to Evan, her hands shaking.
“Do you know who she is?” Evan asked after looking at the image.
Drakkin shook his head. “I was hoping you could tell me.”
“Where did you get the disk?” She never doubted Evan’s vision was real, she just hadn’t been sure the image had anything to do with the journal until this moment. Visions were tricky things, so much depended on perception and interpretation.
“Vee sent it to me the day he died.” Drakkin glanced off into the distance, his gaze shadowed with memory.
“One of Vee’s last entries mentioned the message he had sent you and his confidence that you would act upon it.”
Drakkin acknowledged Evan’s statement with a regal incline of his head. “I’d be happy to act, if I had any idea what action Vee was requesting.”
“Which brings us back to the sat entries,” Dro Tar said. “Can Evan read them now?” Drakkin repeated the gesture, but a certain glint in his eyes made it appear mocking rather than regal.
“There are a cluster of entries shortly after the war began. ‘The Great Conflict is ripping my world apart, Chae Tra. Is there nothing you can do to assist me?’” Evan shrugged his broad shoulders and looked at the Bilarrian. “The others are basically the same.”
“I remember the correspondence.” The red ring in Drakkin’s eyes flashed and he began to pace. “It was not long after he lost his soul mate.”
“Vee had a soul mate?” She’d known Vee by reputation more than interaction. Still, it was hard to picture him in love. He had always seemed
distant, somehow removed from the everyday grind. Perhaps this explained why.
“He refused to speak her name and requested that others abide by his wishes.”
Evan leaned in and whispered, “She was High Queen when the Great Conflict began.”
E’lanna dar Aune was Vee’s soul mate? The revelation sent Dro Tar’s mind reeling. “Does Tal know?” Living for a thousand solar cycles created all sorts of interesting complications. “Were they related?”
Evan shook his head. “Vee comforted her after Frim dar Joon betrayed her. She honored her vows until he set her aside. Tal and Trey descended from one of the daughters she produced with Frim dar Joon.”
“I doubt Vee’s personal life is the reason we are here.” Drakkin’s tone took on an impatient edge. “The Great Conflict is over, even if its legacies remain.”
“Vee asked for your assistance in his messages.” Dro Tar guided the conversation back on course. “Did you help him?”
“Members of the Symposium are bound by vows of political neutrality. Vee was not yet a member, but he understood the necessity for our position. I found his adamancy shocking.” Drakkin paused then a sardonic smile curved his lips. “I offered him information and suggested courses of study, but I did nothing that compromised my standing with the Symposium.”
“This happened more than a hundred cycles ago.” Confusion knitted her brow. “So what was Malos trying to hide?”
“The last three entries are much more recent,” Evan said.
Drakkin stopped directly in front of them and clasped his hands behind his back. “Let me guess, they encourage me to consider sponsoring a bid for reconciliation.”
“Reconciliation?” Dro Tar rubbed her forehead. Solving mysteries was tedious. She wanted to kick in doors or blow something up. “Ontariese has never had a problem with Bilarri.”
“Reconciliation with the Rodytes,” Drakkin clarified.
“I’m still confused. Vee asked you to encourage your people to reconcile with the Rodytes?”
“Asked is a rather mild term, more like hounded, pressured and coerced. He was relentless in his insistence that I reopen negotiations with Rodymia. I was insulted. In fact I found the concept was so out of character for Vee that I came to Ontariese to discuss it.”
Evan made a sound part laugh and part cough. “I remember the conversation. It literally shook the Conservatory.”
Dro Tar expelled an impatient breath as her mind struggled to connect the fragments. “Why would Vee give a damn about the Rodytes?”
“That’s what I asked him at the time. The more I pressured him about his motivation, the more belligerent he became.”
“Vee, belligerent? I can’t picture it. He was always so—serene.”
“I mentored him.” Drakkin rolled his shoulders and eased his stance, his arms now hanging at his sides. “Believe me. He had to work at being serene.”
Evan touched her upper arm, drawing her attention. “You told me sat is a code indicating a message is being coerced or transmitted under duress. All the messages utilizing that word are out of character for Vee.”
“Who or what could motivate Vee to champion such a bizarre cause?”
“The answer is in the question,” Drakkin said. “Each time Vee attempted to influence me, it was on behalf of the Rodytes.”
“The Rodytes have some nifty toys, but they’re no match for a Mystic,” she objected. “They’ve spent a lot of time and energy trying to develop technology that allows them to duplicate or neutralize Mystic abilities. Why would Vee…” Understanding kicked her like a horse. It suddenly made perfect sense. “They had something on him, or they were threatening someone he cared about deeply. Motivational tactics never seem to change.”
“But who?” Evan fidgeted, his features tense and thoughtful. “Vee never even considered another social alliance and he had no living relatives. Who would be so vulnerable to a Rodyte threat that Vee would cooperate to protect them? It doesn’t make sense.”
Drakkin took the crystal back from Evan and studied the device from every angle. “Are there other entries in his journal I have yet to see?”
“Just one. ‘My only regret is never hearing her name again.’”
“E’Lanna. He must have meant E’Lanna.” As Drakkin spoke her name, light erupted within the disk. Vee’s image arose from the flat surface, tall and thin, long white hair framing his elegant features.
“Her name is Aria. I trust you understand.” Vee glanced away. Determination burned in his bright green eyes when his gaze returned to center. “You must find her, Chae Tra. She has no idea of the secrets locked within her mind. I leave her in your capable hands.” The disk blinked out and the image disappeared.
“What the hell was that about?” Dro Tar pressed her hand against her chest, anticipation pulsing within her like the beat of a bass drum. “Who is Aria?”
“Vee often told me he dreamed of the children he should have shared with E’Lanna. Their daughter’s name was to have been Aria.”
Tingles broke out on Dro Tar’s arms and questions whirled through her mind. “Could the woman in Evan’s vision be Vee’s daughter? How long after the Great Conflict began did E’Lanna die?”
“They were in hiding for over two cycles right after the war began. It is possible E’Lanna bore Vee a daughter during that time.”
“A vision brought me to Las Vegas,” Evan told Drakkin. “I saw the same woman whose image is captured in the disk. She was terrified. I can still feel the urgency that filled the vision. If she is Vee’s daughter, then you must begin your search right here.”
“We’ll help you in any way we can,” Dro Tar volunteered. “I’m not real familiar with the city, but I know—”
“You will return to Ontariese immediately.” Though quiet and calm, Drakkin’s tone brooked no refusal. “Malos must be apprehended and his followers dispersed. Tell everyone else the journal was destroyed.”
Dro Tar crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her gaze on Drakkin’s face. This was her adventure with Evan. She didn’t want it to end.
“You said it yourself, sweetheart. We have two and a half days to rescue Gine and bring Malos to his knees.” Evan wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a tender squeeze. “Vee entrusted this secret to Lord Drakkin. I was only the messenger.”
“But how do we bring down Malos?” She sighed. Their entire case was circumstantial. They needed some concrete evidence. “There was nothing in the journal incriminating him.”
“He knew,” Evan said simply. “And there is only one way Malos could have known the Rodytes were using Aria to manipulate Vee.”
“He’s a Rodyte spy.” All the pieces fit together in her mind. Whether she liked it or not, Drakkin was right. Their work here was finished while his had just begun.
Evan turned her toward him, his gaze caressing her face. “I’ll need to interrogate Malos to confirm his involvement, but that would be my bet.”
“After watching you play roulette, I’ll back your bet any day.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.
Evan looked at Drakkin without releasing her. “The suite is reserved for the next three days. You’re welcome to stay here.”
The Bilarrian nodded. “That would simplify things.”
“Then we’ll finish packing and part ways. Please keep us informed of your progress.” Evan had retreated entirely into Mystic formality. Dro Tar already missed his teasing smile.
Chapter Six
Suspecting that the following events would transpire quickly, Evan insisted that Dro Tar sleep for a few hours before they returned to Ontariese. He was able to go without sleep for several days if necessary, but he didn’t want her to weaken or become ill. They had already been up for thirty hours, so—despite her grumbling protests—she fell asleep moments after lying down.
Evan used the time to strategize and meditate, neither of which was easy with Dro Tar’s scent lingering in the air and the feel of her soft body all to
o clear within his memory. He’d used his training and mental discipline to lock away his feelings for her. She’d made it obvious she had no interest in continuing their affair and her willingness to believe he was a coward kept him from running after her like a lost puppy. He was a Master-level Mage from one of the six great houses. He would not grovel before anyone.
But he wanted her. Touching her again had unleashed fifteen cycles worth of longing and frustration. He now understood that much of her rejection had been grounded in guilt. Still, she’d doubted his basic character, believed him capable of abandoning his team to the enemy.
Drakkin’s deep chuckle drew Evan out of his semi-meditative state. “Is something funny?”
“Conflict is swirling around you like a tornado.” The Bilarrian powered down the journal and shifted his chair so they faced each other. “Is Dro Tar at the heart of this storm?”
Heaving a frustrated sigh, Evan unfolded his legs and stood. “She is.” He crossed the living room and joined Drakkin at the dining room table. “We were lovers many cycles ago and we both believed it was over.”
“It’s obvious to me that the flame is still burning brightly. Why did you believe it was over?”
Not wanting to rehash the past, Evan brought the conversation into the present. “Mostly it was misunderstandings that we’ve managed to unravel, but understanding the others’ perspective doesn’t instantaneously heal the wound.”
“You don’t trust her.” It wasn’t a question or even a suggestion. Drakkin’s voice rang with finality.
Was it a matter of trust? “She believed me capable of things I find repugnant.”
Drakkin’s brow creased and the red rings in his dark eyes brightened. “I was going to allow your vagueness, but now I’m curious. What did she think you did?”
Evan scrubbed his face with his fingertips unsure if the admission would free his soul from the pain or deepen the wound. “I teleported out in the middle of a battle because I sensed a second ship. Dro Tar believed I deserted the fight and left her and the others to die.”
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