Realm Of Blood And Fire (Book 3)

by Dionne Lister

  “Please forgive me, but do you live here by yourself? I would have thought a woman as beautiful as you would be married.”

  Lily looked to the urn. “My father never found anyone he thought was good enough. I don’t bother anymore, as I’m too old to worry, now.”

  “Too old? My dear, I’m too old, but you’re in the best years of your life. You should get out and meet people.”

  She blushed and shook her head. “I’m sure Father would disapprove.”

  “But he’s not here.”

  “I worry he still sees me. And I have the business to run. Father would be most upset if I let his life’s work dwindle to nothing. Anyway, enough of that—it’s not important. Ah, here’s your water.” She jumped up and took the glass from the Inkran’s hand, passing it to Hermas so quickly that some water splashed out.

  After finishing the water, Hermas wobbled to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality. I feel much better.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Thanks again. Good luck with the business.” He took one last look through the rear window and made his way to the front door.

  “Thank you,” Lily replied, opening the door for him.

  Once safely walking through the tunnel, Hermas lost the tortured gait and carried his cane, twirling it about. So close. The pile of dirt in the middle of her back lawn was strange. He hadn’t got a good look at it, of course, but it was a rather large pile—much too big to have come out of a hole that a tree was meant for. A new idea forming in his mind, he walked faster, an overwhelming need to reach the castle pushing him on.

  Puffing, Hermas finally reached the castle. He rushed through the courtyard and went straight to King Edmund’s meeting room. Arcese and Edmund’s captain, Pernus, were seated at the long table, updating each other on the war preparations. Pernus looked up as Hermas burst into the room, the white hair around his face stuck to his skin with sweat.

  Pernus stood, his lean, broad-shouldered frame tense. “Hermas, are you all right? What are you doing here?”

  The old man stopped. Pernus was not privy to his secret—that he ran errands and collected information for Gabrielle and Edmund. Deciding it didn’t matter anymore, as if what he suspected was about to happen, he spoke. “I need to look at some plans.”

  Pernus stared at him, Hermas’s confident, coherent manner catching him off guard.

  “Oh, don’t look at me like that, Pernus. Yes, I’m not a crazy old man—I’m old, just not crazy, and I need to see the sewer plans of the castle. Now!”

  “Ah, okay. I’ll get them for you.” He exchanged a worried look with Arcese and unlocked one of the tall timber cabinets that sat along the back wall. He brought a roll back to the table and found the one they needed. Hermas helped him lay it flat. They stopped the edges rolling up with polished stones from the same cabinet. “What’s with the sudden lack of senility?”

  Palms flat on the table as he leaned over to study the map, Hermas raised his eyes to meet the captain’s. “It’s easier to find things out if people think you’re nothing. Not that it matters, but I’d appreciate it if we could keep this among us.” He looked at Arcese, who nodded. “I’ve been following our slimy friend around—”

  “You mean Perculus?” the captain asked.

  “Yes. He’s been running around the city like an ant preparing for rain. I couldn’t figure it out before, but I think I finally have. If it’s what I think, then we’re in a lot of trouble. Let me have a look at the plan first. We can talk in a minute.” Hermas examined the drawing. First he looked for Fletching Street, the street he had followed Perculus to that day. As he looked up every street and establishment he had watched Perculus enter, a pattern was finally sketching itself out.

  “Each home he’s visited sits over one of the larger sewerage tunnels that passes under the city walls. See these three homes,” Hermas pointed at each one, “they butt up against the boundary wall. I was at one of them today, and there was an awful lot of dirt in the back garden, as if someone were digging a massive hole, maybe even a tunnel.”

  “But we can’t prove anything,” said Arcese. “This really is just a guess.”

  “If anyone was going to betray Edmund, it’s Perculus. He’s always been Leon’s man. We all know Leon is going to invade—he wants to be king, and he hates his brother. What if the gormons were going to sneak in through the tunnels? We’d be overrun in no time.”

  “I can do some investigating, check it out. Don’t say anything to Edmund yet—I don’t want him worrying unnecessarily.”

  Hermas nodded. “Okay, Pernus, but only if you check them out today. Who knows when they plan on coming through.”

  “If they plan on coming through that way,” Arcese added.

  Hermas shook his head. “Well, if you’ve got a better explanation of why Perculus is fraternizing with so many people who live in properties over the major sewerage tunnels, you tell me.”

  “I’m not saying you’re wrong, Talian, just that there might be another explanation. It would be just as dangerous to jump to the wrong conclusion and miss what is really happening.” Arcese lifted her chin and looked down at the standing Hermas.

  “Humor me, then.” Hermas turned to Pernus. “I know we don’t want to alert Perculus, and we don’t know when he might want to speak with his associates, but do you think we can kidnap one for questioning?”

  Pernus rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “That’s probably a good idea, but we will obviously have to be careful so Perculus doesn’t know we know.”

  “Because if he knows we know, we won’t realize he knows we know, and we’ll be in trouble, you know.” Arcese boomed out a laugh. The two men were too surprised to laugh immediately, but when they’d had time to appreciate the joke, they joined in.

  “Um, precisely.” Hermas grinned. “Arcese?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can you read minds?”

  “It’s a skill I do possess, but it is not something I would do lightly. Why do you ask?” She had stopped laughing.

  Hermas cleared his throat. “We might need help with our captive. If the normal methods don’t make him talk, we will need your skill in this area. We can’t afford to not know what Perculus is planning. Leon and his disgusting allies could be crawling through the tunnels as we speak.”

  Arcese closed her eyes and hummed. After a minute, she opened them. “No gormons are crawling around any tunnels.”

  “You can sense them?” Pernus asked.

  “Yes, although, if I put my awareness out there, they will be able to sense me too and could possibly find out what my symbol is by following my energy to the Second Realm. It’s risky, but I don’t believe they will come via tunnel—they’re too arrogant.”

  Hermas sat at the table and considered the map again. “Arcese, what does the humming do? Does it help you find a certain frequency?”

  The dragon chuckled. “No, of course not. It just helps me concentrate. I can do it without humming, but it’s automatic. I always hum when I’m focusing on something, whether it’s spying or reading. It annoys Warrimonious, especially when he’s trying to read too.” She sighed and looked toward the window. “I wonder how they’re doing and how far they’ve gone.”

  “I’m sorry we can’t communicate with them,” said Pernus, “but we all know how dangerous it would be if the gormons found out about any of our plans.”

  The dragon rested her large jaw in her massive hands. “I know, but it doesn’t mean I can’t worry.”

  Hermas looked at the dragon. “So, will you do this for us? For Talia?”

  “Yes, Hermas, I will read the mind of the person you kidnap, but I am not responsible for the plan backfiring; if your assessment is correct, the gormons may have a mind-link to the Talians they are using, and if that’s the case, we will be found out.”

  “We appreciate it, Arcese,” said Pernus. “It’s a risk we have to take—we won’t hold you responsible if anything goes wrong.”

&n
bsp; “Thank you, Pernus.”

  Hermas clapped his hands together. “So, what’s the plan?”

  ***

  Despite the constant murmur of fear that provided subtle background noise to Bayerlon, Queen Gabrielle enjoyed having Queen Alaine, King Fernis, and Elphus at her table each night—it provided a welcome distraction to watching Perculus dribble food down his chin.

  Gabrielle smiled and turned to her husband, seated next to her. “Not that I’m complaining, but this is the fourth night in a row that Perculus has missed dinner. Did you manage to catch up with him today?”

  “Briefly. He doesn’t look well. His face is so thin, yet his stomach isn’t much smaller than it used to be. There’s something about his skin, too.”

  Gabrielle lowered her voice. “I don’t know why you haven’t fired him yet. Your ex-brother appointed him, and when was the last time he gave you good advice?”

  Edmund looked at the venison sausages on his plate and poked them with his fork before looking up at his wife. “Hmm. I know you’re right. It’s just, well. . . . Leave it with me.”

  The queen placed her hand over his and squeezed gently. “I know. I’m sorry.” Her heart ached when she saw the pain on her husband’s face—the new lines around the corners of his eyes, the tightness of his mouth. It would have been so much easier if Leon had died in an accident. Death was definitely preferable to betrayal.

  Looking up, the queen tried to lighten the mood. “So, Karin, I hear you’re teaching my daughter about your customs, and she’s even managed to pick up some Inkran.”

  Karin smiled. “Yes, Your Majesty. Princess Verity is a very fast learner. We thought she should learn as much as she can since she’ll be visiting me when I’m back there.”

  “Well, let’s hope we get to that. We’ll certainly do our best to see you safely home again.”

  Queen Alaine, sitting opposite Karin, leaned toward the table. “And I can’t wait to get my hands on some of those divine fabrics you were talking about. The bright colors look exquisite!” Karin had drawn sketches and shown the women the previous day. “And you are such a talented artist.”

  “Thank you, Queen Alaine.” Karin nodded. “The pencils Queen Gabrielle gave me are incredibly beautiful. We usually only have charcoal to draw with, but my mother had four colored pencils that she would let me use on special occasions. I don’t know where she got them, as they are not for sale anywhere in Klendar. As for the fabrics, the average person isn’t allowed to wear them, but I’m going to change all that. There is too much gray in Inkra, too much smothering of anything beautiful, anything that empowers the individual.”

  “And we will help you, when the time comes,” Verity said, reassuring her.

  Kind Edmund placed his knife and fork on the table and looked at his wife’s lady-in-waiting. “Sarah.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty?”

  “Do you know where Pernus is? I was expecting him at dinner tonight.”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure. He did say he had some jobs to do. Maybe he isn’t finished yet?”

  “Thank you, Sarah.” The king looked over his shoulder at one of the green-vested guards standing against the wall. He waved his arm, and the man approached then bowed. “If Captain Pernus hasn’t arrived by the time we’ve finished dinner, I would like you to send out a company to find him, Perculus, and Arcese the dragon princess. They may not be together, but I want all of them found. That will be all.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.” The young man returned to his post and waited.

  Gabrielle touched her husband’s hand. “My love, what’s wrong?”

  “Something’s going on.” He lowered his voice so that Gabrielle had to put her ear close to his face. “I’ve had some brief correspondence from Hermas. I would rather not talk about it here. When you finish eating, we’ll retire to my rooms.”

  Gabrielle nodded and finished her meal.

  They stood to leave, and everyone at the table stood in respect. The soldier Edmund had previously spoken to nodded at the king and hurriedly left the room. King Edmund looked at his visiting friends. “Queen Alaine, King Fernis and Realmist Elphus, I would be pleased if you would accompany Queen Gabrielle and I to my private chambers. Verity, please take Karin and Sarah and retire to your chambers.”

  “But of course,” King Fernis replied, while Verity looked at her father, her brows drawn down. It was an unusual request, and she was curious.

  Gabrielle, noting the exchange, shook her head at Verity. “I will be in to see you before I retire for the night, darling.”

  Verity wasn’t convinced, but she wasn’t going to argue, having noted the sternness of her mother’s voice. “Okay, Mother.”

  Gabrielle detoured to the kitchen and ordered hot drinks be delivered to Edmund’s rooms. By the time she entered Edmund’s private reception chambers, everyone was seated on plush couches, the blue and white tapestry of the Laraulen crest that hung on one wall was a comforting sight to the queen.

  Edmund sat forward on the couch, his hands resting on his thighs. Gabrielle sat next to him and put her hand on his back. He smiled and then spoke. “Thank you all for joining me. Before we start, I’d like to ask Elphus to ward the room.”

  “Certainly, Your Majesty,” Elphus replied, closing his eyes for a moment. “Done.”

  “Thank you. Now, I’ve called you all here because something’s afoot, and I’m afraid whatever it is might be gormon-and-Leon related. I’ve had trouble finding Perculus over the past few days, and when I do manage to speak with him, he’s extremely guarded and vague. I’ve also noticed that Pernus and Arcese have been absent since this afternoon. I also have it on good authority that Perculus is organizing something that could very well amount to treason.”

  Gabrielle frowned, and Queen Alaine made a small squeak.

  Elphus scratched his arm before speaking. “Your Majesty, I would offer to search for them, but I don’t know their symbols, and it’s always too difficult to find the exact placement of someone in a city because of all the other symbols close by.”

  “I know, Elphus, but thanks for offering your services. I have guards out looking for them, but I don’t like waiting.”

  “You always were a man of action.” Gabrielle winked at him, and Alaine hid her giggle with a cough. King Edmund shook his head but smiled.

  King Fernis brushed a dark piece of thread from his white shirtsleeve. “It certainly sounds suspicious. Maybe things are coming to a head. We weren’t sure whether Leon would come here first or go straight to Vellonia, since that is his ultimate objective—without Vellonia, they will never have Talia. I wonder if we can assume Perculus is working for Leon and that they will attack your castle first.”

  “I don’t like to work on assumptions. Elphus, all the realmists were shown mine and my brother’s symbols when we were children—all in the name of finding us if we were ever kidnapped. Isn’t that right?”

  Elphus looked up quickly, his chins jiggling. “Yes, you’re right. At least we could check to see where Leon is. Some information is better than none.”

  “Can you do it now?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. Give me a few minutes—it could take a while to find him. I’ll be back.” Elphus closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in his lap. Everyone watched as his breathing slowed.

  Gabrielle looked around the room and saw everyone staring at the realmist. Alaine, next to him on the chair, leaned toward him, her mouth open slightly. King Fernis watched, his fists clenched, and Edmund tapped his foot, counting out the tension-laden seconds. Eventually Gabrielle’s eyes stopped on Elphus. His forehead glistened with sweat, and he gritted his teeth, his cheeks red.

  She whispered to her husband, “This shouldn’t be dangerous, should it? He looks like he’s struggling.”

  Edmund, without taking his eyes off his friend, answered, “I wouldn’t have thought so, but maybe it is. I wish Agmunsten or Arcon were here—they’d know what was going on.”

  So
meone knocked, and the door opened. Gabrielle jumped off her seat. “Oh my! It’s just the hot beverages. Put them down on this table.” She indicated a low rectangular table in between the two plush seats. The servant, dressed in blue livery, carefully set the tray down and reached for the teapot.

  Gabrielle shook her head. “No, that’s all right. We’ll serve ourselves. That will be all, thank you.”

  The young man shut the door behind him, leaving them in silence except for the tapping of the king’s foot and Elphus’s heavy breathing.

  Gabrielle turned to Edmund. “Can we wake him up?”

  “He’s not asleep. This isn’t a dream.”

  “I know. I’m sorry; it’s just . . . well, I’m worried.”

  Edmund rose and went to the door. He opened it and spoke to the guards. “Please send someone to fetch Princess Verity, Karin and Sarah. Tell them to pack a bag with a change of clothes suitable for traveling, and then bring them straight here.” He stuck his head back in the room to see Elphus, eyes still closed, one hand gripping his chair arm. Alaine had her hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him that someone was there for him, but she dared not speak, in case it somehow affected what he was doing.

  Edmund returned to his seat. “Gabrielle, my dear,” he said softly, “please go and change into traveling clothes.”

  “Why? I thought this castle could withstand any invasion.”

  “It probably can, but there is no need to be unprepared. If Leon comes here first, we will be under siege, and anything could happen. I would just prefer if you were dressed for anything.” He held her hand.

  “But why now? This wasn’t in the plan.”

  “Something’s going on, and I would feel better if we were prepared for any eventuality. Maybe Leon will go straight to the dragon city, but maybe he won’t, and maybe they’re only a couple of days away. Worrying about Pernus and Arcese has just brought home that war is coming, and if we know Leon is definitely coming here, you and Verity would be safer in Vellonia.”