There was a moment of silence as Alador continued to survey the items in the closet. He did not look at Radney when he spoke. “Radney, how many have joined the service of this house since Lord Henrick left?” His casual question was laced with a bit of concern.
“Only two were brought on, sent by the High Minister himself.” Radney stated. “A man for the kitchens and one to see to the fires.”
Alador pulled out six medure slips from his belt pouch. “See that each man receives three of these and dismiss them.”
“Do you wish them replaced?” Radney took the medure carefully.
“Do we need them?” Alador was quick to ask. He did not trust anyone who had not been with the house when Henrick had mastered over it.
Radney shook his head. “Not really,” he said.
“Then no.” He led the way out of the room and down the hall. “Is there anything else you need me to attend before I go to see my uncle?” He asked of the man following a half step behind him.
“Just the matter of wages, my Lord.” Radney led the way to the office that Henrick had enjoyed. “Seria has the accounts laid out for you to pay. Of course, if there are any other house changes that you wish, you have but to command.”
Alador nodded. Radney left him at the door of the library when it was clear that Alador could think of nothing else. He opened the door and smiled at the familiar warmth of the room. This was one room that he had no intentions of changing. Seria stood immediately from behind his desk, smoothing her skirts.
“I understand I have debts to pay?” Alador stated as he moved to her.
Seria scooted to the side. “Yes, Lord Alador.”
“When my father ran the manor, how did he come into the slips he used to pay for such debts?” He hoped he was not going to have to fish into his dwindling wealth.
“I couldn’t say, milord.” She murmured.
Alador nodded and sat down. He pulled himself up and looked at the totals in horror. It took a great deal of medure to keep the manor running. He was definitely selling off Henrick’s finery. “How often do these come due?” He asked, looking over the numbers to see where he could cut back. He was glad now that he was not keeping those two men.
“Every fortnight,” she said quietly.
He looked up at her in shock then back down to the numbers. He would have to find a way to lower costs as he had no income, only the slips from the sale of the stone. “This amount for keeping the rooms warm. Why are they so high?” He noted that this was the only number that seemed inflated.
“Lord Henrick commanded that every room be kept warm for his guest or his own personal use.” Seria looked nervously down at the neat numbers she had inscribed, then back to the new lord of the manor.
“Well, that is ceasing now. Heat only the rooms in use. This room, the office in the Master suite and those that the servants need. When I am alone, I will take my meals in here.” He remembered the Henrick had often insisted they eat in the grand dining room which he thought quite unnecessary for a single man.
“Will you be entertaining a great deal, Lord Alador?” Seria moved to his side eyeing the numbers with him.
“Not for a time, why do you ask?” He looked up at her, willing to hear her thoughts.
“Then we can cut the food budget considerably. Much of the food is wasted. If you are willing to wait a short while, we can cut this number by two thirds.” She offered, picking up on his desire to economize. “Then we can order special when you do wish to entertain.”
“That will do me just fine, Seria.” Alador looked up at her and smiled. “And while you’re making those adjustments, see to it that the staff gets a full five medure increase in wages.”
She stared at him in wonder. Her voice was filled with awe as she clarified. “A full five medure? Are you certain?” She eyed him hopefully.
“Yes, I am certain. I know loyalty can be bought, I prefer to buy it first.” He handed her the accounts. “Make the adjustments we spoke of while I am gone and any others that you believe can be reduced. I will pay this when I return.”
“As you wish.” She took the papers from him and was busily scribbling away before he had left the room. If his willingness to still let her handle her previous duties had not won her to his cause, he was fairly certain that the five medure just had.
He arrived at his uncle’s with an air of confidence that he had never quite possessed before. He knew he appeared striking by the assessing looks that other mages gave him as he passed on his way to the upper tier staircase. His matching cloak was fur lined against the increasing cold of winter and its incessant rain. He had never realized a land could rain as much as Silverport had seemed wrought with since true winter had settled.
He was shown to the library that was his uncle’s primary receiving area. The vastness of it suited Alador just fine as there was something large about Luthian that made small spaces with the man oppressive. He bowed deeply as he was announced then strode to his uncle’s side.
Luthian was standing staring into the fire and seemed to still be in a great deal of ill temper. Alador doubted the news that he had for his uncle was going to make the matter better. He pulled off his cloak, surprisingly a servant appeared to take it from his hands. He handed it over with surprise and a bit of confusion. That had never happened before. He looked back as the servant disappeared and a blackguard pulled the door closed.
“I am glad to see you whole and well nephew.” Luthian indicated that Alador should sit in a chair by the fire and moved towards an opposite chair. “I have seen the healer fully punished and executed. I assure you that her death was long and painful as she refused to confess until the very end.”
Alador shook his head sadly as he had feared as much. “Did you ever consider that she was being truthful?” He sat down smoothing the robes as a matter of habit.
“No.” Luthian stated as he sat down. “She was the last one to have contact with you. There was no one else.”
“Perhaps you should have considered the improbably then?” Alador was disgusted to learn the woman was dead. “She was innocent, High Minister. You should have waited to question me.” Alador sat back, flashing his uncle a look of anger.
“I refuse to believe you somehow poisoned yourself.” Luthian frowned though he did not seem excessively concerned over the fate of the woman.
“I did not,” Alador snarled. “The shield to protect the crowd was breached.” Alador decided that he would not play the full hand given Luthian’s execution of the healer. He had known this was likely, but he had held a slim hope his uncle would wait to speak with him. He crossed his arms across his chest, his anger not hidden.
“What?” Luthian looked surprised. “I assure you that is nigh impossible! Are you certain? Do you know who?” Alador waited until the man took a breath.
“It was breached, I saw where for myself.” He shook his head. “I do not know by who, but I can tell you it was a highly accomplished mage with the ability to cast a spell of poison.” His mind’s eye filled with the cloud as poison filled it. He shook his head free of the memory. “It was that which afflicted me.”
Luthian grew quiet and Alador gave him the time to make his own conclusions. He doubted it would take Luthian long to connect the dots to Lady Morana. The fire crackled and snapped in the silence, drawing his eye for a moment. He looked back to see his uncle’s unusually passive face reddened slightly. “I know one or two who might have enough skill to have done so,” he finally said.
“I figured that you might. I can tell you this. Whoever it was, did not mean to kill me. I suspect they meant to kill the council specifically, or it is possible they just wanted to kill a great many people.” Alador coughed into his hand discreetly as the look on his uncle’s face nearly made him laugh. Luthian was not looking at him, but the sheer indignation on his face was priceless.
“What makes you say this?” Luthian managed to ask between clenched teeth.
“The poison was not sent to
me directly but into the cloud I was creating. Against your advice, I had decided to let it snow within the dome. I realized as I was growing ill, that if I fell and the dome was lowered that many people would die.” He folded his hands across his stomach. “I assure you that I had not intended to blow the dome, it took everything I knew to push that spell through that small hole and up into the sky. The effort is what blew the dome,” he honestly explained. Really the only thing he was leaving out was that it was Lady Morana who was at the other end. He could tell by his uncle’s face that the man was already well aware.
Alador decided a little more salt in the wound would give the push he was looking for. “I don’t know who the council angered, but I would be wary of them if you can figure it out.” Alador tsked softly. “Whoever it is had a great deal of skill and power, and well, didn’t care who they killed in the process," Alador casually drawled.
Luthian angrily jumped to his feet. “Show yourself out, Alador.” His voice was hard and clipped as he spoke. “I have matters to see to. I will speak with you later.” He turned and strode from the office.
Alador slowly rose to his feet as the door slammed behind his uncle. He murmured with a sly smile to himself. “I am sure you do, Uncle, I am sure you do.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Alador decided that the rest of his day would be best spent checking on the winter cover of Daezun land. He needed to talk to Rena, and he suspected she would make an appearance. The mage could sense her now that they had connected their magic. There was a sense of music when he thought of her, it seemed to match the thrumming in his heart. Due to this strange tune, there was just no other way to describe it, he had known that she had been close by when he had first awakened. He had not mentioned it to anyone because he had not been sure what he was sensing. Now, he was certain that they were somehow connected.
At the moment, that melody was soft and barely felt. She was far off. He was so lost in his thoughts walking to his manor that he blinked in surprise when he reached his own door. He stood outside the door for a long moment. It was hard to believe that as long as he lived, and was in good grace with the council, this enormous building was his. He caressed the wooden door frame, it made him feel guilty at the rustic home he had been building in Smallbrook. He shook his head and stepped in the door. A servant appeared immediately to take his cloak even as he was removing his gloves.
Truly startled, Alador looked the man over. “How did you know I was here?” Alador asked as he handed the garment over to the man.
“My magic is small and only of the first tier, but I have a spell that tells me when the door is opened. It makes certain that my service is quick as a lord mage requires.” The servant hung the cloak in the room off the hall.
Alador scolded himself. Was he already gaining a tiered mage’s arrogance? Of course other people had magic. He shook his head and continued to his room. Outside his door stood the ever vigilant Radney, his eyes held an expectant look as he opened the door to Alador’s current bedchamber.
“What is it, Radney?” Alador paused in the doorway.
“I have dealt with the new servants as you requested. The staff is aflutter with your generosity. I thought you should know that you have been well received as the new lord of the house.” Radney pulled his tunic down sharply, brushing off unseen dust. “I wished to personally thank his lordship and swear my loyalty.” He gave a stiff bow to emphasize his point.
Alador placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “It was the right thing to do. So, while I appreciate the loyalty, I hope we are not going to have increased formality. My name is Alador, remember?” He smiled at the man who gave an answering grin.
“As his lordship requests.” There was a slight hint of humor.
Alador just rolled his eyes and headed into his room. “Radney, I am not to be disturbed for any reason until I ring for assistance or you see me emerge from this room.”
“Yes, Lord Alador.” The man’s mannerisms became more serious. “I will post here if you wish?”
“That will not be necessary. If anyone comes to the house, I am not at home. Be sure that all staff are aware of my wishes,” Alador commanded. The words of command rolled easily off his lips, and they surprised him. When had he become so authoritative?
“Yes Lord Alador.” Radney pulled the door closed.
Not wishing to expend any magic unnecessarily, he changed his clothes normally. He put on an extra layer this time. While he was more resistant to cold since he had mined the stone, he had still felt the cut of it when he was on the mountaintop. He did not feel as replenished as he wished even after all that he had eaten. Between his last foray to the mountaintop and the test, he felt thinner much as bread spread with too little butter. It was as if his very soul had thinned somehow.
Once he had layered enough clothing, he pulled the amulet free from his robes. Having a clear idea of the ledge he was using, he activated the amulet. The crackling fire in his room was immediately replaced with the sharp cut of howling wind. The cutting wind and blustering snow were so strong that he could not see. Either Rena had kept the spell going, or winter had brought its own storm without magical help.
He cast a bubble of protection about himself to force the wind and ice from his eyes. He was unable to see beyond the storm even with his vision cleared. Without the wind in his face, he realized that the ground beneath his feet was slick. He moved back from the edge carefully.
Alador had to speak to Rena, and he knew no other way to find her. He sat down against the rock face to decrease his risk of slipping, and to be out of the direct cut of the wind. He did not want to have to maintain the bubble of protection with the limited power he felt within himself. He could not build a fire here so opted to warm the boulder at his back. There was enough moisture that he was able to create a steaming heat. It was over an hour before he felt her drawing closer, the melody increasing with each stroke of her wings. This new connection would be useful, he decided. He smiled tracking her progress though he could not see her approach.
“Hello my heartmate.” Rena purred as she landed. Her talons dug into the snow and ice to keep from sliding backwards.
“Rena, we are not mated,” he said with a bit of irritation as he carefully stood.
Rena coughed her heaving laugh. “Search your heart, you know that this is not true.” She laid her head against his, their foreheads touching gently.
Alador put a hand to either side of her long muzzle and as he did so, a shock rocketed through his body. It was slowly replaced by a gentle warmth and he realized that he felt whole. He closed his eyes and realized that there was something new between them.
“Rena, I love another.” His words were gentle, but held a new edge of doubt. This feeling between him and the dragon was strong and a bit frightening.
Rena growled. It was an alarming sound considering that her great fangs were inches from his wrists. Despite her response, she did not pull away from him. “Do mortals think they can only love one in their lifetime?”
Alador did not pull his forehead from Rena when he answered her. “I have not really thought about that,” he admitted.
“When a mortal’s mate dies, can she love another?” Rena pulled away a bit and nuzzled his cheek. Alador let his hands fall away as she did so.
“Of course they can.” Alador did not see her point.
Rena’s words were gentle and guiding. “Then why must her mate die first? If she can love again, she can love more than one now.”
Alador fell silent reaching up to stroke her muzzle, the scales here were smooth. He hardly knew Rena, so was it possible that he had come to love her when the spell connected them? Is that why he had not desired Nemara in his bed? His thoughts raced as he continued the connection between them.
“Rena, I don’t know what to say or think about this. You should've warned me that we could mate on the winds of power.” He dropped his hands feeling momentarily betrayed.
“I did not know that
such could occur with mortal and dragon,” she repeated. “I think it is only because you are now a pseudo-dragon.” Rena shook the ice and snow off her wings. “You do not want your heart mate?” She sounded hurt as she glanced back down at him.
“It is not that, Rena.” He pulled his cloak about him. “I just… I always expected to mate with another.”
Rena frowned. “I will not stop you if you wish a mortal mate.” Despite her words, her tone held a great deal of displeasure. “But if she makes you unhappy, I will eat her.”
Alador shook his head. “That is exactly what concerns me.”
He decided that he needed to change the subject as they were both becoming upset. He found he did not like making her upset. Had he really come to love her? He asked himself again. “I need to speak to Amaum.”
“I do not think he will be happy in our mating.” Rena warned. “He is not one for advice on this pairing.”
“I need to speak to him for help with the plan, Rena. I don’t think I will be asking your brother for advice on mating.” Alador laughed softly. He rubbed his hands together as if to warm them even though he wore gloves.
“Oh, he could tell you a great deal about mating dances. He loves to dance on the wind.” She paused and looked at him coyly. “We both do.” She added, nuzzling him playfully.
Alador gave her a disgruntled glance. “Have you mated on the wind often?” Alador found himself not liking that at all. His hands balled up, and he realized he was feeling some jealous anger.
“I am not going to tell you that,” she answered with a rumble.
“Fine!” Alador sighed, not quite sure how dragons teased. Remembering he had to find her brother, he brought her back to the point. “How can I find Amaum?”
“I can take you to his cave. There is no guarantee he will be there.” Rena pointed out. “It is very far from here.”
Alador sighed. “I need his help.” He considered for a long moment. “Can you fetch him and meet me at Keensight’s cave?”
Pseudo-Dragon (The Blue Dragon's Geas Book 4) Page 30