Drake and Drew escorted Laral, Clover and Hyacinth away before the Council was officially ended for the day. Ry and Tory stood to help Toff, Nissa and Trik, who were all stunned at Hyacinth's outburst.
* * *
"Hyacinth attempted to cast the ripening spell at the Queen," Storm reported to Tiearan, Rain and a few other elders at the Green Fae village. "And this was after the Queen had argued for a lighter sentence for our children. Tiearan, I think the core's draining is affecting all of us in terrible ways. Hyacinth would not have done that, otherwise. We all feel the imbalance of things, as we are closer to the planet itself. How quickly will this affect the others, so they will come looking for a cause? We need to form the Circle soon."
"You are correct, I fear, and I weep for Laral, Clover and Hyacinth," Tiearan said. "And we owe a debt to the Queen—we all know that." He turned his gaze on those gathered, daring any to argue. The Queen had saved them, their Half-Fae children and the peaceful Vionnu. Twice. They were all indebted to Lissa and they'd done little to discharge that debt. "Charge your crystal. We will do this soon."
* * *
"Ry, could that woman hurt Mom?" Nissa whispered as they walked down the corridor leading to the family wing.
"Sissy, you didn't see Aurelius and Uncle Gavin, did you?" Tory asked.
"It happened too quickly," Roff came up behind them silently. "Many inside the chamber held power. Gavin and Aurelius would have killed that woman if she'd managed to harm a hair on your mother's head. Are you all well enough? Shall I send for another healer?" Roff added.
"We're just shaken up," Ry offered with a shrug.
"Then call if you need assistance," Roff replied. "Go now, and dress for dinner. It is scheduled for the usual time." Roff strode away.
"I wish we could see Cheedas," Nissa muttered.
"Sissy?" Tory looked down at his younger sister. He wasn't surprised when she burst into tears.
* * *
"Better now?" Nissa nodded at Toff's words—she was embarrassed that she'd cried in front of her brothers.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Toff whispered gently. Nissa clung to him while she wept, even as Ry offered a cool, damp cloth for her eyes. Trik watched in surprise; at Belancour Manor, the older ones would have ridiculed the younger ones for weeping instead of offering support.
"Come on, Sissy, we'll be late for dinner," Ry pulled Nissa toward her suite. "Get changed, we'll meet outside the dining hall."
* * *
"Mom doesn't look good," Ry muttered when they entered the dining room later.
Karzac was seated beside the Queen, watching her carefully. Dinner was a quiet affair, with hardly anyone speaking. Toff glanced at the Queen often, but her eyes were on her plate and Karzac continued to watch, silently urging her to eat more.
We'll talk when we get back to our room, drifted into Toff's head—it was Ry's mental voice. Toff almost jumped at the nonverbal contact. Instead, he nodded discreetly and went back to his dessert.
* * *
"What can we do?" Tory paced inside their shared suite later. Toff sat on the floor next to Trik's power chair, while Nissa settled beside Toff. Ry had his back to the headboard of his bed, listening while his brother spoke.
"There's a shield around Evensun," Tory went on. "As a High Demon, I might be able to get through, but anybody else might get fried on the grid. That means if I take anybody with me, they could die. And once I get there, I don't have the ability to set up any kind of perimeter for them."
They'd been talking nonstop ever since they'd shut the suite door behind them. All knew that Clover and Laral deserved punishment, but being sentenced to life on Evensun was practically a death sentence. It was no secret that terrible people had been sent there—older people who wouldn't hesitate to kill the convicted teens quickly.
"This is Gren's fault," Toff muttered angrily. "If he hadn't convinced them," Toff didn't finish.
"Yeah. We know that for sure," Nissa agreed. Gren's name had come up many times in all the testimony. He was at the bottom of everything.
All of them jumped when a light knock sounded on the door. "Mom, what's going on?" Nissa asked. Lissa walked in, followed by Drake, Drew and Erland.
"Dad?" Ry stared at Erland.
"We're going on a covert mission," Erland's grin was blinding.
"Where?" Tory asked. "Mom, I thought you didn't feel good."
"I'll feel better when we get this done," she sighed. "We know you're upset about this too, so you're all going with us. You, too, Trik." She came to him and smoothed hair back from his forehead.
"But where?" Tory repeated his question.
"We're going to Evensun," the Queen whispered.
* * *
"Wow," Ry breathed, turning in a circle. "Why isn't anybody here? This is nice."
A field of tall grass and wildflowers lay about them, with a stand of trees on one side.
"We've shielded this area, that's why," Erland placed an arm around Ry's shoulders. "Now all we have to do is find Haldis, Sark and their parents. They get a thousand acres to do with as they like, and none of the others will be able to get through. Clover, Laral and their parents will be brought here tomorrow—Drake and Drew will see that they're dropped off in the proper place."
"I will find them." The teens blinked when a strange Larentii arrived with Connegar and Reemagar.
"Hi, Ren, how are you?" Lissa smiled up at the eight-and-a-half-foot Larentii. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"I have been quite busy. I see that you have, as well." He smiled at Lissa and placed a large blue hand on her abdomen.
"It wasn't planned. I'm not complaining, either," she patted his arm.
"The child is quite fine," Ren proclaimed before taking his hand away. "I will return shortly." He disappeared.
"Mom, who is that?" Nissa asked.
"An old friend," Lissa said.
"Are we breaking the law?" Trik asked.
"Sort of," the Queen nodded. "Nobody is supposed to get preferential treatment on Evensun."
"I can see why the laws might say that. I can also see why the law needs to be bent in this case," Trik sighed.
"Then you see more than most," Connegar knelt beside Trik's chair. Trik blinked at the tall Larentii, whose face was not far from his. Had he ever thought to see a Larentii, or even more wondrous, to receive a compliment from one?
"Your observational skills are quite sharp, young one," Connegar smiled at Trik. "They serve you well."
"I expect all of you to keep this secret," Lissa said. "I only brought you because I knew you were upset about this, too. Toff," she turned her gaze to the young comesula, "You don't mind this?"
"I don't mind. This is better, I think," he nodded his dark head toward the Queen. "Gren is the one who deserved the worst punishment, and he managed to get away."
"I feel the same way." Lissa came to stand next to Toff, pulling him into a warm embrace. "I wanted to make sure this is what you want, too, because you're the one they wanted to harm."
"This is what I want," Toff said when Lissa let him go. He noticed that the Queen was brushing away tears, but chose to ignore it. He liked it, too, when the Queen hugged him. He'd gotten more affection since coming to the palace than he'd received in a very long time. Redbird had tended him often when he was small, but when he became older, she'd pulled away. There at the end, she felt like a stranger to him, and he didn't understand it at all. Her treatment of him, too, had bordered on mistreatment. No surprise, considering all the lies she'd told. Toff shook himself to dispel the memories.
"What about Narissa?" Tory asked quietly.
"Well. That—well," Lissa shook her head and walked away.
"Mom, we know she's our great-grandmother. Dad told me," Tory offered.
"She's done a lot of bad things in her life," Lissa lifted blue eyes to her tallest son. "She won't be given special treatment when she gets here. She was here before, but she was given clemency and a comfortable place t
o live on Le-Ath Veronis because she gave me information I needed once. She just negated all of that. If she'd contacted me right away when Toff showed up inside her perimeter, she might be getting better treatment still. Instead, she threatened Toff." Lissa tossed up a hand in resignation and turned away.
"She's been the same for thousands of years. Her willingness to cooperate in the past seems a temporary anomaly," Erland moved toward Lissa and pulled her against him. "Love, you can never predict what those with a predilection for betrayal might do."
"Seems to run in the family, doesn't it?" Lissa said.
"It does indeed, my love," Erland whispered.
"They're kissing again," Tory muttered. Tory wore a smile, though, when Toff turned in his direction.
"Here we are," Renegar the Larentii announced, as he appeared with Haldis, Sark and both sets of parents. All were dirty and much thinner than they'd been when Toff had seen them last.
"Will we really be shielded?" Sark's mother begged, dropping to her knees. "We have been hiding for days, and have been forced to hunt for food at night."
"You will be shielded," Lissa moved away from Erland and came to stand before them. "This land is yours, to farm or do with as you please. The others will not be able to cross the boundary. I warn you, though, step outside that boundary and you are on your own." Lissa gazed, unblinking, at Haldis and Sark. Her words were meant for them. They'd crossed another line already, when they'd beaten Toff.
"Clover and Laral are coming with their parents, tomorrow," Toff offered, though his voice trembled. It was difficult, after all, seeing Haldis and Sark again. His last memory of the two had been of them punching him in the face.
"Gren got to them, too, didn't he?" Sark blinked at Toff.
"Yes." Toff wasn't willing to offer more of an explanation.
"Don't make me sorry I've bent the rules for you," Lissa's voice was hard as she gazed at Sark. "If you'd killed Toff when you beat him, I wouldn't have made the attempt."
"We understand that, Lady," Sark's father dipped his head respectfully. "We have had a talk with our children, who were unaware of all the facts. They now understand things better."
"Good. Erland," Lissa turned to her Karathian warlock mate.
"Here is a supply of sun crystal." Erland employed power to bring in twenty pounds of what the Green Fae called Indis-Banuu—holder of the sun. "This should enable those coming tomorrow to help grow plants and such. And this," he gestured a second time, "is enough seed and cuttings to grow a garden." A large, wooden crate appeared. Toff blinked—the crate was nearly as tall as Erland, and twice as long. "There are gardening tools inside, plus a few other necessities. Sheep for wool, cows for milk and chickens for laying will be brought in a day or two. You will not starve unless you choose to do so."
"We thank you for these gifts," Sark's father bowed. "We cannot repay them."
"I don't expect you to," Lissa huffed. "Just teach your children better."
"I promise to do that."
"Good. We're done, here. The others will be brought tomorrow."
"We will welcome them. Thank you."
"Are you ready to go?" Lissa turned to Toff and the others.
"We're ready, Mom." Nissa hadn't spoken before that, but she went to her mother and put an arm around her.
"Good. Connegar, will you take us back?" Lissa asked her tallest Larentii mate.
"I will." All of them disappeared.
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"Lissa, don't fret, my love. I know those young ones should have apologized to Toff, yet they did not. I do not understand what it is their parents are teaching them." Erland attempted to stop me from pacing inside my suite. "Come to bed. You need rest, Renegar says so."
"Those Green Fae and their humanoid neighbors blame Toff for their troubles, still. I could see it in their eyes. It's their fault, plain and simple. They decided to take Toff in the beginning, and then Redbird decided to perform the mindbond. Honestly, Redbird ought to be cooling her heels on Evensun, too, for her part in this. If Kifirin hadn't promised to level judgment against them when Toff turns twenty-nine, I'd have put her there right after Toff came back to us." I was still angry that Toff hadn't received an apology.
"Lissa, they did not decide to take Toff in the beginning. They desired to take Wyatt. We know who is responsible for switching bracelets so the children would be confused."
"Do not say that name to me, Erland Morphis, or you'll be sleeping alone tonight."
"I know that, love. I am merely stating fact."
"How is my brother, by the way?"
"He is well. Wylend is teaching him many things, and he is making good progress in his lessons. I must say the few lessons he received in healing were his best—he is outstanding in that area."
"His mother is a healer. I'm not surprised," I tossed up a hand in resignation. "Do you see him often?"
"Wyatt?"
"No. Wyatt's father."
"He is often at breakfast with Wylend, your grandfather."
"Yeah, I suspected as much."
"Lissa, please don't force Wylend to choose."
"I won't."
"But it upsets you."
"How can it not?"
"Come here. Lie down beside me." Erland motioned for me to join him in bed.
"Erland, where is this going to end? Does my grandfather have warlocks searching for Zellar?" I climbed onto the bed and settled beside my Karathian warlock.
"Yes. They have already gone to Cloudsong, but Zellar has left that world with a drained core and used the last of its power to hide his power signature. We are back where we started, love." Erland pulled me next to him and tucked my head against his shoulder.
"What if he's draining other worlds? That's a death sentence, Erland. Zellar hides himself with the power he gains from draining cores, and I couldn't go after him right now, even if I could find him." I touched my belly.
"I know this. Stop worrying. It can't be good for the baby."
"Of all the times to get pregnant," I grumped. "I can't even use any power now, or Karzac will have a conniption."
"It could harm the child. You know this."
"Yeah, don't remind me."
Chapter 13
"Master Morwin, what are you doing?"
"Writing a history, young one." Morwin's bushy, red eyebrows wiggled as he smiled at Trik. Trik had arrived early for lessons, only to find his new tutor tapping away on a comp-vid.
"A history?"
"Yes. I have published many during my long life."
"Really? Have I read any of them?"
"I do not know what books may be in your grandfather's library, so I cannot say. If you are interested, I can copy something onto your comp-vid."
"I'd like that. I like to read," Trik replied.
"I know that about you already," Morwin nodded. "This history concerns the Green Fae after they came to live on Le-Ath Veronis. Very little is known and less is written about them prior to that event. I fear that the race may be dwindling, and had they been allowed, they might have mingled with and offered their gifts to the Vionnu while they were still there. As it is," Morwin tapped the end of a sentence and dropped his comp-vid in a drawer, "they were chased from Vionn by a terrible, renegade religion. Vionn will suffer as a result, I think."
"So you believe that every action sends out ripples and affects everything it touches? I read that in a philosophy book," Trik said.
"Yes. I am more than four hundred years old and have already seen much of this during my life. It seems that the more lives the initial action affects, the more ripples are sent out. Now, have you a report for me?" Morwin lifted a long, thick, reddish eyebrow, making Trik want to snicker.
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"Cheedas?" Oluwa had brought his newest turn to the palace, because Cheedas insisted on seeing me. I'd been reading reports at my desk that morning, but I lifted my head as Heathe ushered visitors into my study.
"Cheedas, I missed you," I rose and walked toward him quickly, wrapping my arms about his waist.
"Oluwa tells me that a child is on the way," Cheedas murmured against my hair as he embraced me. "I feel like a grandfather."
"You will be a grandfather," I pulled away and smiled at him. He was happy; Oluwa was obviously treating him very well.
"Oluwa says I may visit with your young ones soon—I hear they were asking about me."
"Every day," I nodded. "Have you fed already?"
"My sire has seen to that. We are on our way to visit Casimir—I will learn the bite today."
"Thank you Oluwa, for this," I grasped one of Oluwa's large hands and squeezed.
"My Queen, it was my pleasure, and I could not ask for a better child." Oluwa smiled broadly, his white teeth a contrast against very dark skin.
"I am sorry to leave the kitchen, but I cannot countenance regular food, now," Cheedas sighed.
"Honey, we'll fix that someday, after Oluwa has taught you everything he knows."
"Will you? Will I be able to walk in sunlight again, Raona?"
"If that's what you want," I nodded.
"I do. I promise to do my best for my sire, so I may deserve this."
"I believe," Oluwa grinned, "that the Queen's love for you might have something to do with it."
"Papa Cheedas, you've always been there for me," I hugged him again. "I'll be there for you, when the time comes."
* * *
"He's at the winery with Roff," Tory whispered as he, Ry and Trik shut the door to their suite after lessons. "We know you're really smart, Trik, so we want you to help with this."
"Help with what?" Trik allowed the compliment to wash over him—nobody had bothered to compliment him before he'd come to Le-Ath Veronis. Coming from Tory, the compliment meant a lot.
"Toff. Well, actually, Toff's father." Ry flopped onto Tory's bed. "Tory overheard Mom saying that Toff's father is still alive. Toff thinks he's dead. We want to find out who Toff's father is and if he's a big criminal or something, and that's why they won't tell him." Ry drew his knees up and stared at Tory's ceiling. "Bro, how did you get chocolate sauce on your chandelier?"
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