by Amy Sumida
“A blooder?” Oonagh looked at Torin. “You've let a blooder into our alliance?”
“This war will determine the fates of every living being on every plane of existence.” Torin frowned a little, and looked over his shoulder at Banning consideringly. “I suppose he's a type of living being. Whatever he is,”-Torin looked back at Oonagh,-he is welcome here. In my court and my alliance. I will not have anyone questioning my decisions or mistreating my allies.”
Queen Oonagh paled, if that was even possible, “Of course not.” She bowed her head demurely. “I was just surprised.”
“Queen Oonagh, would you care for a glass of wine?” King Declan had been standing off to the side of our group throughout the entire exchange, his blue eyes shifting to violet, just like his allied gem.
He was a handsome man, with the elegant features most fey men possessed, and his lustrous auburn hair was pulled back in a tight braid to emphasize his good looks. But what struck me the most about Declan was the color of his eyes, which were nearly identical to mine.
Oonagh perused Declan's beautiful features thoughtfully, then took the Alexandrite king's hand, and let him lead her away from us, to the far end of the table. I caught Declan's eye, and nodded my thanks to him. He sent me a saucy wink. The rascal.
“Now that my relationship status has been settled, let's move on.” Torin smirked at the others gathered around the war table, which was covered in maps, notes, and stone figures.
The group laughed nervously. Yeah, I guess that exchange could have gone badly. Even fatally. It wasn't surprising that it had made them nervous. I wondered what they would have done if Oonagh and I had started rolling on the floor, clawing at each other like a couple of teenage girls. The imagery brought my behavior to light inside my head, and I realized that I'd just defended my boyfriend with all the grace of a ghetto chola. Dear gods, all I needed was some long nails, red lipstick, and a flannel shirt. The words “cut a bitch” also came to mind. Maybe I should buy a switchblade.
I was mortified. Then Torin's hand slid into mine, and I looked up to find him smiling at me. There was a smugness to his smile that made me laugh. He had enjoyed it. Of course he had. What man doesn't enjoy two women fighting over him? Even if one of them happened to do it in a slightly less sophisticated manner. But I also knew that the whole interaction had been a test. If I hadn't stood up to Oonagh, she would have continued to behave as if Torin were hers. And then I would have had to kick her ass. As one does.
“As I was saying . . .” Queen Teagan of Jet spoke, and we all gave her our full attention with a fair amount of relief. “I believe it would be best if we simply marched on Sapphire and put a swift end to this.” She smacked a pile of papers with the flat of her hand.
I liked Queen Teagan. She was very clear in her manner and speech, lacking a lot of the guile most of the Shining Ones possessed. It probably didn't make her the best diplomat, but her husband, King Edmond, seemed adept at the art. He eased around his wife, and laid an elegant, tanned hand over her dainty, pale-gold one. She looked up at him with a little smile, her ice-blue eyes warming a bit.
“Or”-King Edmond swept back his queen's indigo hair, kissed her cheek, and then suggested-“we could come at them from multiple sides, perhaps in a more secretive fashion? So they would have less time to prepare.”
“I like the way you think, King Ed.” Cerberus grinned.
King Edmond winced at the slaughtering of his name.
“I do as well, King Edmond,” Torin stressed the name, and shot a chastising look at Cerberus.
Cerberus shrugged, as unrepentant as usual.
“Can we do that?” I asked, pointing down to the map. “Jasper, Opal, and Diamond are all supporters of Sapphire, and two of those border the Sapphire Kingdom, while the last, Opal, lies between us.”
“And I've had word this morning that Carnelian joined Sapphire as well.” Sir Kean of Howlite pointed to Carnelian's location on the map. Right above Jasper and bordering Sapphire.
Sir Kean was the first gray-haired Shining One I'd met. I guess technically his hair was silver-it shone like metal in the light and was actually pretty-but it registered as gray in my mind. It didn't help that he had gray eyes to match. However, Kean also possessed a confident manner, and a solid, soldier's build. He in no way looked old.
“Any other news to report?” Torin scanned the rest of the room.
“We've heard that King Jarlath and Queen Isandra have already joined their sons in Sapphire,” Queen Teagan added.
“Those are the Diamond royals?” I asked.
“Yes, and they're formidable,” Torin said. “Jarlath is especially good with war tactics.”
“Galen is no idiot either,” Queen Oonagh added, then sipped her wine. “He plays the part of the hedonist, but he inherited his father's talent for strategy.”
I looked at Oonagh, surprised that she had anything useful to say. And there I'd thought she'd only come to try and steal my boyfriend. How small minded of me.
“The Malachite Queen is with them as well,” King Declan reminded us. “She's quite brilliant. I can attest to that personally.” His eyes met mine again, and his lips twisted into a sensual smile.
“Nice.” I grimaced at him. “What happened to gentlemen who don't kiss and tell?”
“I believe you'll find them in the human world,” Declan smirked. “Here in Tír na nÓg, we love kissing and telling, sometimes at the same time.”
“Indeed, King Declan,” Oonagh twittered, winding her arm through his. “Human reservations are so boring.”
“Fucking fairy perverts.” I muttered, and Torin chuckled.
“You seemed to enjoy my perversions last night,” Torin whispered.
“Yeah, but that was in private, and you're not announcing it to everyone this morning,” I countered.
“That doesn't mean I don't want to,” he leaned in and purred into my ear. “Or that I wouldn't love to take you right here, on this table, in front of everyone.”
I must have blushed because Cerberus burst out laughing.
“What are you two whispering about that has El looking like she's sixteen again?” Cerberus asked Torin. “Scratch that. I don't even remember her blushing at sixteen.”
“Tactics,” Torin said smoothly. “I was asking the Song Queen her opinion on mine.”
“Oh, uh-huh.” Cerberus chuckled. “And what was your response, El?”
“That we should just chuck you at them in a catapult,” I smirked. “They'd be dead in ten minutes.”
“That they would!” Cerberus chortled. “Show me to the closest catapult!”
That lifted the tension in the room, and everyone laughed, but I caught some uncomfortable attention coming from the end of the table. Oonagh was staring at me like she wanted to know how my blood would look soaking my dress, and Declan like he wanted to know how I'd look without the dress entirely. What a match those two were. It appeared that I might have more than one front to fight on.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“There's one more person we need to speak to today.” Torin guided me away from the meeting room.
“Who's that?” I glanced over my shoulder and saw Oonagh scowling at me. I may have smirked a little.
“Quinlan,” Torin whispered.
“Quinlan?”
“My alchemist.” Torin hurried us away.
“Oh, right.” I slipped my hand down to his. “You sent him the bombs to investigate.”
That whole escorting bit, with my arm around his, always made me feel awkward. It was too close, too difficult to walk, especially when doing so with a man Torin's size. His fingers laced with mine and squeezed. Much better. Just like in a love affair, a little space went a long way.
“Yes, and he's discovered something.” Torin took me through the twisting halls of the Onyx Castle, down into the lower levels.
We entered a room that did nothing to meet my expectations of an alchemist's chamber. There were no bubbling beakers filled
with vivid liquids or jars of pickled creatures. Though there were lots of jars set into shelves along one wall, and a heavy, wood desk pushed up to a small window. Light glared down from a magical chandelier above, illuminating the scene far too well for my tastes. Aren't alchemists supposed to work in the dark? Preferably in some damp cellar? This guy had a setup closer to a CSI crime lab than a medieval wizard's lair. I half expected Grissom to walk in and start explaining how the bomb would lead us to the killer.
Quinlan himself didn't fit my image of what an alchemist was supposed to be either. I expected someone with bushy brows and a long beard. Someone dressed in robes, wearing a wizened expression. Quinlan looked more like Lancelot than Merlin. He had golden-blond hair, cropped short, intense brown eyes, and biceps that looked like they lifted more swords than beakers. If he hadn't smiled so sweetly at me when I walked in, I would have turned around and left in baffled disappointment.
“Your Majesties.” Quinlan bowed to me and Torin, then focused back on me. “It's an honor to meet you, Queen Elaria.”
“Nice to meet you too.” I nodded to him. “So, alchemy, eh? I wouldn't think the Shining Ones needed alchemy.”
“It's just science.” Quinlan shrugged. “What the Shining Ones need are pretty names for common things.”
“Well said.” I chuckled. “So you're a scientist then?”
“I'd like to think so.” He looked over at a collection of gears and parts strewn across his desk. “Though I'm not usually a bomb expert. I had to consult a few books.”
“There are men in the human world who are specially trained to defuse bombs. I'm impressed that you were able to manage it with just a book.” I sidled closer to the desk and looked over the carefully laid out pieces.
Most were from one of Emmet's bombs, but a few were from the detonated bomb that had been used to destroy the onyx guardians. It looked as if Torin had the area searched, and a few more pieces had been found for the alchemist to analyze.
“Books are powerful tools,” Quinlan smiled warmly at me.
“Yes, it's where they hide the information,” I gave him a wink, and he burst out laughing.
“Just to be clear”-Torin rumbled, and put a hand on my shoulder-“Queen Elaria and I are exclusively intimate.”
“What the fuck, Torin?” I looked at him in shock.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.” Quinlan bowed his head respectfully.
“He was flirting with you,” Torin said. “I stopped it before it went too far. Just as you did with Oonagh.”
“He didn't press up against me, bat his eyes, and swear he'd always be there for me.” I grimaced.
“Men flirt differently than women,” Torin folded his arms across his chest. “And you winked at him.”
“It was a casual, friendly wink.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Begging your pardon.” Quinlan held up a cautious hand. “I was flirting with you, Queen Elaria. King Torin was right to inform me that you were exclusive. I knew of your relationship, but not of the exclusivity. I'm sure you've realized that we Shining Ones tend to be a little more . . . free in our sexuality.”
“This is not the conversation I came down here for.” I cleared my throat. “Maybe we could just get back to the bomb?”
Torin chuckled.
“Of course.” Quinlan gestured to the unused bomb components, all shiny and neatly laid out beside the twisted rubble of the detonated bomb. “This is not the time to discuss pleasure. Though I would like to . . .”
“Quinlan,” Torin shook his head.
“Right.” Quinlan nervously straightened his tunic. “Queen Elaria, allow me to explain what I do. I am a rhodonite fey, and my base magic is understanding, especially that of new concepts or teachings. I've found an outlet for that magic in the study of science.”
“Kind of ironic actually,” I said.
“Yes, if you believe that science and magic are separate things,” Quinlan said.
“And you don't?” I lifted a brow.
“No.” Quinlan grinned wider. “I think they are closely related. Both work with the world and the energies in it. Both create amazing shifts in reality through study and application. I've spent my life combining the two and learning from their interactions.”
“Interesting.” I nodded. “So what has your magical science revealed to you about the copper bombs?”
Quinlan instantly looked grim. He set his stare on Torin.
“Quinlan.” Torin stepped closer. “What did you find?”
“It's not what I found that bothers me.” Quinlan swallowed hard. “It's what I didn't find.”
Quinlan picked up a crumpled ball of copper. It looked similar to the sort of thing you get when you smash a piece of paper into a wad. Then he picked up a shiny, flat sheet of copper. He held them out for our inspection.
“These are the same components,” Quinlan said. “One is predetonation, and one is post. Hold your hand over each, and tell me what you sense.”
Torin immediately did as Quinlan asked, frowning when he came to the sheet. I didn't have to reach for the pieces of copper; I knew just by looking at them.
“The flat piece is charged with magic,” I said, earning a surprised stare from both men. “The crumpled copper has nothing.”
“Precisely right.” Quinlan's brows lifted as he looked at Torin.
“Yes, Queen Elaria is as sensitive to the stones as the rumors say.” Torin nodded.
“Why is this important?” I asked.
“You are, of course, familiar with the Atom Bomb?” Quinlan asked.
“The A-bomb is a world destroyer.” I narrowed my eyes on Quinlan. “This bomb took out a few statues, that's all.”
“Yes,” Quinlan agreed. “But this bomb wasn't built to destroy physical things.”
“It did a fine job of demolishing our guardians,” Torin growled.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Quinlan agreed, “but only because they were full of magic.”
“No.” I felt my stomach drop as I reached the conclusion Quinlan was leading us to. “Not possible.”
“What isn't possible?” Torin snarled. “What does this bomb destroy?”
“Magic,” Quinlan whispered.
“Explain that.” Torin's jaw clenched. “Thoroughly.”
“The Atom Bomb explodes because an atom is split.” Quinlan carefully placed the copper pieces back on the table. “This bomb exploded because a piece of magic was split, and the resulting wave of energy wiped out all other magic in the vicinity.”
“Not thorough enough.” Torin's jaw was now ticking.
“This piece of copper is infused with magic.” Quinlan held up the copper sheet. “A very tiny amount, and nothing truly harmful on its own. It was placed within a metal casing”-he pointed to a shiny box-“along with another piece of charged copper. This second piece”-he pointed to a green square set aside from the other pieces-“is separated from the first by a steel strip.” Quinlan pointed to a length of metal. “Then it is all encased in more protective steel, lined in even more magically charged copper. The bomb is primed by removing the separating strip, which allows the two charged pieces of copper to come together.”
“One magically charged piece touches another,” Torin shrugged. “I fail to see how this becomes explosive.”
“The first piece is charged with common magic.” Quinlan tapped the copper. “But the second is a nasty spell. It's this spell that changes everything. I don't know who contrived it, but he has created a means with which to kill any supernatural being, no matter how powerful they are. This spell unmakes magic.”
“Then why bother with a bomb?” Torin asked. “Anyone could rule Tír na nÓg with such a spell.”
“Ah, but it's still magic.” Quinlan smiled. “Magic has its limitations, and its rules, just like science.”
“The unmaking spell can't be wielded,” Torin whispered.
“Correct, Your Majesty.” Quinlan smiled wider. “The spell is too nasty to cast at a
level to do any major harm. It would kill its caster. A small amount of it can be used to charge an item with. But even then, it dissipates quickly, as soon as it comes in contact with air. Magic is like any living thing; it does not wish to die . . . or to kill its kin.”
“Air.” I frowned at the corroded piece of copper. “The spell caused this piece to oxidize?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Quinlan looked like he wanted to give me a gold star for getting the correct answer. “It discharges rapidly, especially in copper, which has a releasing property. As soon as I opened a side panel of the constraining box, the copper corroded.”
“Then why choose copper?” Torin asked.
“Because of its quick release.” Quinlan started speaking faster in his excitement. “Whoever helped this spell caster create this bomb, he was brilliant. The spell couldn't be wielded by a magic user because it would turn on them. But it also couldn't be kept in a charm because it released too quickly. So a second spell was needed to contain the first.” Quinlan tapped the metal box. “And then, once that was created, they had to come up with a way to deploy the unmaking spell. A contained spell. The only way would be to destroy something in containment with it. Something to trigger the response and blow apart the bomb, freeing the unmaking spell to do its damage.”
“The first piece of copper.” Torin nodded.
“One little, insignificant piece of magic.” Quinlan sighed. “Just barely a zap of power. But once that power was unmade, it resounded like a split atom. Luckily, it doesn't have nearly the amount of range of an Atom Bomb, but it spreads wide enough to kill a few Shining Ones or explode a few magically charged statues.”
“Diabolical,” Torin growled.
“I have a suggestion, sire,” Quinlan said softly.
“Yes?” Torin's eyes flashed indigo.
“Find this Shining One and anyone associated with him,” Quinlan said steadily. “Kill them all and destroy any evidence of their work.”
“I intend to,” Torin vowed.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Hosting a war assembly of numerous Shining One monarchs meant that Torin also had to provide royal entertainment each evening. We had feasts every night, celebrations that lasted late into the evening. It frustrated me to no end. We were preparing for war, and, in my opinion, this was not the time to be partying it up. Bad enough that we had to wait for all of our allies to gather, but to have to entertain the ones that were already there? Ridiculous.