I care not whether you kill the others, just ensure that Q'And is rescued and delivered to Hordace Cayetes, mindspeech filtered from Erithia to her pet Ra'Ak, who now posed as a legitimate legal representative on Le-Ath Veronis. Much rides on this, Erithia added. Hordace and I have many things to accomplish, and this will smooth the way.
It will be as you say, the Ra'Ak returned as he presented his credentials at the side door to the Queen's palace.
If the Queen happens to appear, kill her first, Erithia smiled as she relayed her instructions.
Of course, Lady.
* * *
"Come with me," Rigo nodded to Q'And Ribalo's legal representative as the old vampire swiftly sent mindspeech to Drake and Drew.
I get no scent from this one, and that should not be, Rigo's voice held worry, and he seldom displayed that emotion.
That's not good. I'll call in some of the others, Drake replied. He and Drew asked for backup from anyone with mindspeech currently in the Queen's palace.
* * *
"I don't remember much, child. Only that lunch was set before me, and then I woke later in the basement, with Breanne standing over me. I'm grateful she found me, actually, as I might have lain there longer than I did." Dee set a comp-vid on Teeg's desk—the monthly expenditures had to be reviewed and approved.
"You don't seem overly concerned about it," Teeg watched his foster-father's expression closely.
"Somehow, I feel that I was made safe. I can't explain that," Dee held up a hand to stave off Teeg's next question. "I woke, Breanne was there and I felt safe."
"Highly unusual, and I won't disagree with you, although I want to," Teeg muttered, scrolling through figures on the comp-vid. "Have you contacted Farzi about the vegetable shipments?"
"Yes. Here are the lists and cost estimates," Dee pointed out the proper figures. "Stop fretting, my chosen son. I feel safe."
* * *
"I wish privacy to speak with my client," the representative huffed when he was met in the Queen's dungeon by at least fifteen vampires, including palace guards and several of the Queen's mates. Radomir stood beside Drake and Drew, at the forefront of the fifteen. He and the Falchani twins knew before the others.
"Ra'Ak!" Radomir shouted before chaos erupted.
Chapter 14
Breanne's Journal
I'd heard the mindspeech, just as the others did, and what met my eyes when I arrived in the dungeon was nothing less than a terrifying battle.
"Bree, get back, get back," Drew pushed me toward a far wall as a giant Thiskilhin Black Tiger fought a huge, coppery serpent. I moaned—I recognized Radomir from a reading, even in his other shape.
"He challenged the Ra'Ak, and according to the rules, we can't interfere," Drake slumped against the wall beside me. I blinked at the vicious battle before us—the others had scattered to give them room, but Radomir had already been hit. I could tell, too, that Ra'Ak poison was coursing through the huge Tiger's veins as he growled, ears laid back, and fended off another blow from the Ra'Ak.
That's what the coppery serpent was—a rogue Ra'Ak. He was moments away from winning the battle, too. "Fuck the rules. Who made those rules, anyway?" I pulled away from Drew's grip and went to mist. I knew what Lissa could do—and had done—to Ra'Ak in the past. There was supposed to be peace between the Ra'Ak and the other races, now—I'd read it from Drew. Within seconds, the Ra'Ak's head exploded, and fortunately for the others in the dungeon, Drake and Drew shielded them from the Ra'Ak's dusting.
The dungeon was boiling with people afterward, and many of them, thankfully, were healers. Radomir would be fine, I knew, so I misted straight back to the Queen's study and sat down to work as if nothing had happened.
* * *
"What are we going to do about this?" Drew accepted a glass of wine from his father. Crane, his uncle, was already offering the same to Drake.
"I don't know," Dragon sighed and sat beside his second-born. Reaching out, Dragon rubbed his son's back. "This is such a mess and honestly, I really don't want to discuss it with Gavin. He'll mistreat Breanne further—I feel it."
"Yeah. We get that idea, too, and Drake and I are the only ones who saw what Breanne did. The others were too busy watching the fight."
"What about the prisoner?"
"Still there, but I think we ought to move him. Looks like the Ra'Ak was sent to Ribalo in an attempt to get him out of there."
"I agree," Dragon's dark eyes narrowed in thought. "Where can we take him, though?"
"Campiaa City?" Drew turned to his father.
"Son, I don't know whether that's a good idea or not. Gavril's already a target. We probably shouldn't add more worry that Q'And may be rescued. Look what came for him this time. What if there's something worse in Hordace Cayetes' arsenal?"
"What can be worse than that?" Drake flung out a hand in frustration. "I'm sorry I shielded the fucker, now. If Breanne hadn't shown what she can do, some of the guards might have died."
"Radomir would certainly be dead, he said so," Crane muttered angrily. "Who knew a rogue would be brazen enough to show up in Lissa's dungeon? Have we looked into the legal representative? Who hired him?"
"Nobody. The real representative was found dead half an hour ago," Drew sighed. "At least Gavin thought to send a message to Trevor, who investigated this himself. He sent the report to Gavin, Tony, Drake and me."
"At least Trevor understands Gavin's instability right now," Dragon observed.
"Dad, have you heard anything from Lissa?" Drake asked.
"Not directly. Kiarra says they're still working their special project, whatever that is, but you have to keep this information to yourselves. Nobody else can know."
"Yeah. Sucks, too," Drake shook his head.
"We'll get her back, and this mess with Breanne will be sorted out. I have no idea what Lissa will do about Gavin, though." Crane sat next to Drake and poured a glass of wine for himself.
"I know what Kiarra may do," Dragon snorted.
"Has anybody ever been kicked out of the Spawn Hunters?" Drew asked.
"Not yet," Crane drained his glass and poured another.
"I want Teeg's ass kicked," Drew lowered his eyes.
"We'll let Lissa handle that," Dragon sighed.
* * *
"Did you fail to study the history?" Erithia quailed before this one. "Sending a Ra'Ak against the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis was a foolish gesture."
"Yes, of course," Erithia lowered her eyes. This one was difficult to look at anyway, even if he were shielded. One might be blinded if he allowed any of his light to escape. It wasn't a bright light, either—it vibrated with a deep-violet malevolence. She hadn't studied any history, thinking that one of her pets might accomplish the feat with little trouble. Erithia was learning differently, now.
"I will kill that bitch Queen if it's the last thing I do," Erithia muttered.
"Then concentrate on that. Q'And Ribalo is nothing more than a pawn at this moment—his usefulness ended when he was caught."
"How do we get anyone close to the Queen, then, if her senses are so sharp?" Erithia ventured to ask. Timidity worked best with this one, so she kept her eyes lowered.
"Find someone close to her," his voice rumbled with amusement. "Surely you know what to do past that."
"Of course. Of course I will. I do." Erithia nodded.
"Then focus your energy on that, instead of attempting to save the fool in the dungeon. I hear they're going to move him, anyway. Offer that as an excuse to your associate—that your attempt went astray because of plans to move the target. Let him fuss about that while you direct your efforts elsewhere."
"Yes. Of course I will."
"Of course you will, if you expect things to turn out as you want."
"Yes."
* * *
"Kinsman," Ferrigar nodded to Glendes Grey. "I hear you were assisted by the Vhanaraszh. Will you tell me what transpired?" Ferrigar employed power to make himself smaller and settled on a gue
st chair in Glendes' study.
"She called herself that," Glendes studied the top of his desk for a few moments. "I feel bad that we cannot offer compensation of any kind for her help."
"Vampires and their ways," Ferrigar huffed, displaying a rare bit of emotion.
"Gavin and his ways," Glendes huffed in reply. "Shadow has gone to Le-Ath Veronis twice since he took her home, and little has changed. Gavin still treats her as less than a second-class citizen, has managed to promise her to a vampire to keep others from inquiring about her and forces her to work all hours of the day and night. He even has the palace comesuli in his thrall, and all of them refuse to help Breanne in any way."
"They are not feeding or clothing her?"
"Shadow says as much. She survives on blood substitute."
"This angers me."
"Can you do anything about it?"
"Not at this time—the Wise Ones say not to interfere. I assume something will come of this, but I fail to see it."
"What does Vhanaraszh mean?" Glendes lifted an eyebrow as he asked. Grey House was descended in a very long line from Ferrigar's only daughter, who'd chosen a human shape to marry a wizard many years earlier. She'd also elected to die when her mate's long life ended. Together, they'd formed the Grey House dynasty and settled on Grey Planet.
"Ah. That," Ferrigar nodded wisely. "Vhanaraszh is the female equivalent of Vhirilaszh. Both mean the same. The words in the Larentii language mean Restorer."
"Restorer?"
"Yes. The prophecy has been in the Larentii Archives for millennia. The Vhirilaszh and Vhanaraszh are expected to work in tandem at times, just as the Vhanaraszh and Changer are supposed to work together."
"But what are they supposed to do?"
"I believe only those three might know, and they may not know until the situation appears," Ferrigar's mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile. "Now, you will tell me what she managed to do for Grey House. For the Archives, you understand."
Glendes began his tale.
* * *
Reah's Journal
"Honey Blue?" I was surprised by Nefrigar's visit. When I'd last spoken to him through mindspeech, he'd been very busy recording information for the Archives.
"Hello, Lara'Kayan. Are you and the child well?" Bright-blue eyes smiled and a large, blue hand went automatically to my belly.
"As fine as I can be," I lowered my gaze. I wanted to keep the nightmares and other concerns away from him if I could, but that effort was wasted—he knew it anyway.
"My love, do not fret. Things are somewhat better than they were before," Nefrigar lifted me and smiled. I touched his handsome face with a hand, causing him to lean in for a kiss.
"How are they better?" I asked.
"The Vhanaraszh is among the worlds," his smile turned into a grin and he kissed my hand next.
"Vhanaraszh?"
"Yes. Although the Vhirilaszh is making an ass of himself. I worry that the two may never be together as prophesied."
"Is that a bad thing? And who are these people?"
"You have already seen the Vhanaraszh, you merely did not realize it. Both Vhirilaszh and Vhanaraszh are invisible to most, if not all, including the gods. You might call them wild cards."
"Wild cards?" I'd heard Teeg use that phrase now and then, but still didn't understand its meaning.
"Something they have no knowledge of and no control over." Nefrigar was definitely grinning, now.
"What does that mean?" I asked, leaning in to get another kiss from Nefrigar. His mouth is so warm, and always tastes of sunlight.
"It means that should the Vhanaraszh choose to disappear, none might be able to find her. None can find the Vhirilaszh, either, unless he chooses to be found."
"How is that a good thing?" I asked.
"If the Vhanaraszh chose to disappear now, who knows what she might accomplish? Connegar and Reemagar placed a locating chip on her at first, not realizing who she might be. Somehow, that locating chip has been destroyed. I believe that this happened the first time she employed a great deal of power to Change What Was."
"I thought only the Wise Ones could do that," I traced a finger on Nefrigar's lower lip. He really has a nice mouth.
"Either Restorer can do alone what it takes the five Wise Ones to do together. They are quite powerful."
"Really?"
"Yes. Lara'Kayan, does this mean what I think it means?" He kissed my fingers as I brushed them over his mouth.
"Yes. For somebody who knows so much, it took you long enough." Nefrigar laughed, and laughter from a Larentii is certainly something to hear.
* * *
Breanne's Journal
"Look, I know where I stand with you. Go home." Trajan appeared in Lissa's study after he'd gone looking for me in the Queen's suite and the arboretum. I was still struggling to get through a pile of comesuli requests and the extra batch that Heathe dumped on me didn't help. I also wanted to mist through Casino City on the off-chance I'd find Erithia Cordan standing on a street corner somewhere.
Trajan's dark eyes studied me. His hair, too, seemed disheveled, as if he'd worried about approaching me. Since I couldn't read him, I really couldn't say that for certain. "Breanne," he ventured, "How can you know where you stand with me? We've only met once, and I want a chance with you." His mouth tightened at the corner, as if he actually worried what I might think.
"Your boss doesn't want you to have a chance with me." I wanted to add that his boss didn't want a chance with me, either, and it made me want to weep. I forced back threatening tears. Crying would be disastrous.
"Bree, he was having a bad day. He admits it. I can take you anywhere else you'd like to go, if you'll just tell me when and where."
"How's Bill?" I asked, avoiding Trajan's offer.
"Bill is fine, and he'll be tickled pink that you asked about him."
"Bill's a nice guy."
"I'm not?" He sounded hurt.
"I didn't say that."
"Then what would you say?"
"That you're too involved with your boss and your work to have time for me. Besides, I have enough work and troubles of my own. That doesn't include the fiancé that Gavin the Terrible apparently found for me, and whom I've never met." Yes, I'd learned that from reading Rigo, who'd popped in less than an hour earlier, just to check on me.
Rigo was a good guy and in my opinion, he ought to be running palace security instead of my erstwhile sire. After all, Rigo ran a complicated and vast spy network for the Queen. There wasn't any reason he couldn't handle palace security—it would be an afterthought for him and still he'd handle it better than Gavin.
"He's arranged a marriage for you, and you don't even know who it is?" Trajan looked surprised.
"It's somebody named Casimir," I sighed, lowering my eyes.
"I know Casimir," Trajan stood abruptly. "He lived at SouthStar for a while, until he asked to be brought to Le-Ath Veronis. He was allowed to leave. Maybe this is why," Trajan added cryptically.
"Is he okay? As a person?" I was worried that one day, I'd be forced to marry him, after all.
"Casimir is an honorable vampire. Gentle with women, too. He wouldn't hurt you, I know that much. Look, I think I'll go track him down."
"Well, good luck with that," I said and went back to my work. When I looked up again, Trajan was gone.
* * *
"Cass, I don't know what the hell is going on. None of it makes any sense to me," Trajan walked along a street near Casimir's spacious home, talking with the old vampire.
"I doubt any of it is good, where Gavin and that poor girl are concerned." Casimir shook his head, confused by the whole affair.
"I feel the same way, but I can't risk getting Ashe involved; he's having daily meltdowns as it is over Kay."
"So he has found his love."
"Seems so. He's a bear over it, too."
"May come as a surprise to the actual bear, then. How is Alvin Wright?"
"Bear's good. Saw him yeste
rday. He handles everything in the southeast quadrant. Aedan handles the southwest quadrant, Nathan handles the northeast quadrant and Amos Thompson has the northwest.
"You and Trace still supervise all of them?"
"Yeah. Except Trace spends most of his time at NorthStar."
"Understood. He is fortunate to have mates who care so much for him."
"Who knew he'd get lucky first?" Trajan grumbled.
"I take it you're interested in my fiancé?" Casimir chuckled.
"Before she was your fiancé," Trajan pointed out with a growl.
"Never fear, I believe the Queen will sort this out when she returns."
"So they had to tell you that, then?"
"They were forced. I may not discuss it with anyone except you and Ashe, as compulsion holds no sway over either of you."
"Yeah. Ashe did that for Trace and me. Works like a charm, too." Trajan grinned.
"Would that he'd passed the same to me, then," Casimir sighed.
* * *
"Bill, Breanne likes you. She asked about you, after giving me the cold shoulder," Trajan slumped onto a barstool at the kitchen island. "How's Kay?"
"As well as can be expected. She ate better earlier." Bill stirred potato soup on the stove.
"Still not talking?"
"Not to me."
"If she isn't talking to you, then she's not talking to anybody. She just shrinks into herself whenever Ashe or I show up."
"And shakes. Don't forget that."
"Do you think all this has to do with her background? Bill, I still don't understand that. Selling kids for sex? That's the absolute worst."
"It could, and I agree. It happens more than you might think, too. I saw it all the time back on Earth."
"Have we tried telling Kay that she's safe here? That nobody is about to do anything she doesn't want?"
"No idea. Perhaps you should mention it to Kevis. He's scheduled again tomorrow."
"I'll consider it, but I'm not really comfortable telling a shrink his business."
"Funny, Traje. How did Breanne look?"
"Damn good, except for the dark circles under her eyes. She's not getting enough sleep."
"Fuck."
"Yeah."
* * *
"I am not pleased," Erithia muttered angrily. Rathik had returned, but couldn't venture out of hiding—too many would recognize him. Riis held little knowledge of Casino City, and was nearly worthless when sent out to run errands for Erithia. The only good he'd done her was to hand all his money to her. She worried that Hordace would discontinue the flow of money from his enterprises, once he learned Q'And was no longer her primary focus.
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