by Karen MacRae
“Geraint seeks a way to siphon and multiply the money coming out of his Tullen mines. The King takes a growing share and he resents it. Brewcherrion is much too loyal and he lacks the right contacts.”
Thornson relaxed back on his chair, smiling. So simple. An introduction with strings attached and the man would be his. Part of his brain was screaming that he couldn’t trust Geraint, that his life would be forfeit should the man be unwelcome or undesirable. He didn’t care. He would have him.
Finn and Malik Brewcherrion had spent the day in a much less vigorous way than Lord Thornson imagined. They’d left Christies by a back entrance, got straight into a waiting coach and disguised themselves before jumping out at different, busy intersections. They’d met thirty minutes later in a private room at the King’s Arms, the last place Hutton would expect Geraint to put in an appearance given his previous over-exuberance in the establishment. The two men were currently reminiscing over tankards of best ale.
“You never told me how you managed to get her to give you the key.”
“And I never will!” laughed Finn.
As the laughter died, thoughts returned to the current job. “It’s about time we turned Thornson,” Malik complained. “I found out that Elona was here only last week. He is much too cosy with her. Light only knows what he tells her.”
“It’s bigger than the Healer. We must uncover this ring, but Marissa has drawn a blank up until now. Thornson’s the weak link. I’m sure Sesi’s involved; that they talk directly to Nystrieth at the meetings. It would be an immense blow to him if we could take her out and stop the flow of money into his coffers.”
“How come we haven’t found Sesi before now if she’s here?”
“She does nothing. She’s like a puppet, sitting in a corner until the puppet master calls for her. She’ll have been hidden away as soon as she arrived in Alscombe and not moved since. Someone inconspicuous will be doing all her errands, making her eat and wash, change her clothes and the like.”
“You don’t know who?”
“It’s always changing. Makes it hard to track her. We got one of them last year though. She died without saying a word no matter what we threw at her.”
“How do we counter Nystrieth? If he’s going to be there through Sesi, I mean.”
“We don’t. We’re not ready for that yet, even the reduced version that’s left on this side of her Channelling. We have to get to Sesi before he’s there. We must have talked through a thousand possibilities, but the truth is that we have no idea how these meetings go. We’re going to have to rely on being able to follow Thornson and me and storm the room before anyone leaves. Assuming Thornson takes the bait.”
“What? With that?” Malik laughed, gesturing towards Finn’s handsome face and body. “And this?” he continued, repeating the gesture towards himself. “And all that delicious cash and danger? He’ll bite. He won’t know how not to!”
Indeed, Edward Thornson was that moment putting finishing touches to a note that would catch his prey for him. “Into his hands only, do you hear?” he told his footman as he sealed the paper. “And wait for an answer.”
The footman returned with a reply an hour later. Lord Thornson sent the man from the room before he slit open the seal. The note was brief. ‘Invite him for lunch. I will join you.’
The Healer frowned. He’d hoped for an immediate yes and now he had the challenge of getting Geraint to lunch with him. In the end, he resorted to the one thing they had in common: Mistress Payne.
Finn entered the breakfast room to find Lady Goldsmith fanning herself with a note. “He’s bitten, Finn. He’s bitten,” she said, satisfaction ringing through her words. She thrust the note at him. “Here. What does he say?”
Finn broke the seal and read the note. “He invites me to lunch to discuss how he might help me benefit more fully from Mistress Payne and her many business contacts in Alscombe.”
“Where?”
“Christies again.”
“No cheating today then. I’ve suspected Novak’s involvement for a while now and he’s unlikely to take kindly to someone who breaks his bank.”
The Christies’ doormen smiled in anticipation as they saw the swashbuckling Kai Geraint arrive and habitually toss his groom a gold coin as he dismounted from his stunning gelding. He acknowledged their bows and best wishes for good fortune with an agreeable nod and swept into the lounge as if he owned the place. He was calling for more chips when his luncheon date arrived some fifty minutes later.
“Master Geraint, how goes your luck?” The Healer asked.
“Terrible, Lord Thornson!” he laughed, not in the least perturbed by his losses. “You come just in the nick of time. I was about to add insult to injury by wiping out my winnings entirely. Not that it would last. I am blessed with good fortune.”
As was his custom, Geraint instructed the manager to add the other players’ bills to his own and the Healer and the subject of his all-consuming infatuation made their way over to a cosy luncheon table for two.
It didn’t take long for Thornson to turn the conversation to the recent increase in business tax. He watched the anger spark in Geraint’s glorious green eyes and a hint of pink tint his exquisite cheekbones.
“It’s blatantly absurd, I tell you, milord.”
“Please, call me Edward. We are friends, are we not?”
“My thanks, Edward, and you must call me Kai. But what are your feelings on the matter? Is the Healers’ Guild affected by this nonsense?”
“Thankfully, no, not as yet, but I hear it will not be long before we too feel the pinch.” Lord Thornson lowered his voice and leaned closer. “I have influential friends with direct knowledge of the supposed reason behind the increases. They know it to be a shameful ploy to undermine private enterprise. They have developed… creative measures to ease the burden.”
“You intrigue me, Edward.”
Thornson felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine and into his groin as the beauty’s husky voice washed over him. He held the green eyes as his hand travelled under the table to touch Geraint’s. There was no response, but the hand was not removed and the islander’s pupils widened with interest. The Healer withdrew his hand. The next move was Geraint’s. “I might be able to arrange an introduction, but I would need to be sure of your… commitment.”
“How might I demonstrate that, Edward?” The verbal caress on his name made his insides turn to liquid, but he forced himself to play it cool. He saw a waiter approaching the table to remove their plates and took the opportunity to gather his thoughts. He had but one more course to gain his quarry’s commitment to a liaison before they would be interrupted.
“It was most unfortunate that we were unable to finish our conversation about our mutual friend the other evening, Kai. You were about to answer my question about import when we were rudely interrupted, I believe.”
Geraint smiled. “Mistress Payne has led me through an intense education in recent months, milord. She made me realise that I was spending much too much time focusing on import. My talent seems to be export, but I undoubtedly have much to learn. If I could find the right mentor, someone with the proper experience, I might perhaps master both?”
Thornson’s heart was racing. “I’m confident that you need not look any further,” he said, holding the gorgeous green eyes. He felt Geraint’s hand touch his and watched the younger man’s nostrils flare as he felt a thumbnail score across the back of his hand and down his index finger. The pain was smoothed away with a soft brush of skin, the hand removed all too soon for the Healer.
“But business must come before pleasure, Edward,” the younger man said firmly. “It is my only rule.”
A silky voice broke into the private conversation. “Edward, what a pleasure to see you. I hope I’m not interrupting?”
Lord Thornson tore himself away from the flirting green eyes to look into cool, blue ones. “Oliver, how good to see you,” he enthused with no little effort. “Please, let
me introduce you to Master Kai Geraint. Kai, this is Lord Novak. Lord Novak has many successful business interests in The Kingdom, including this fine establishment. Master Geraint owns two highly productive mines in Tullen, Oliver, but is also interested in investing elsewhere.”
Geraint stood to shake Lord Novak’s hand. “It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Lord Novak. I have been following your ventures in Mastra and Vilencha. A masterstroke, milord. An absolute masterstroke!”
Lord Novak shook the proffered hand and felt an instant and unexpected attraction to the enthusiastic young man. It was rare to meet someone of his age with the wherewithal to look beyond The Kingdom for inspiration. He condescended to take a seat at their table and share a few glasses with them. He could see Thornson was clearly smitten with the young man, but that was nothing new. On this occasion, however, he had found gold. Geraint had excellent business sense, the right level of respect and a burning ambition. He also felt a searing injustice at how Rybis stole and wasted his profits. Novak felt the anger and violence simmering below the surface. The boy would be an easy conversion and his wealth alone would make him a valuable addition to their circle.
“I must leave you, gentlemen. Kai, I enjoyed our conversation. I hope you will allow Edward to bring you to our dinner this evening. There is much more we should discuss.”
“I would be delighted, Lord Novak. You do me a great honour,” Geraint answered. His eyes followed Novak as he left. When he turned back to the Healer, the green sparkled with mischief. “Business first, but then we can play. After dinner, milord?”
Lord Thornson’s heart raced.
CHAPTER 35
F inn paced the room as they went over their arrangements and responsibilities one final time. Marissa and Malik had selected a dozen of their best men to secure the venue and another ten to go inside. A second team would form a ring around the venue, in case any managed to escape. They anticipated finding ten to twenty business and community leaders, few of whom would be handy with a blade, but any of whom might have attacking gifts. Sesi had no combat skills, but she could Channel Nystrieth and he could kill quicker than he could blink. It was Finn’s job to get to Sesi before that could happen. He could either knock her out or kill her: these were the only ways to nullify her gift. Marissa was of the opinion they should take no chances. Finn was tempted to agree, but he’d promised King Rybis to try to take the woman alive in case Anna could figure a way out to block her gift and turn her against her master. Her carer, on the other hand, was both expendable and an unknown, but it was likely that he or she had considerable martial arts and gift training.
None of them liked going in blind, but they had no choice. Nystrieth would spot a King’s man in an instant. If they were right that he would put in an appearance, they had only this one chance.
The doorbell rang at precisely sixteen o’clock. The butler announced Lord Thornson’s carriage and Kai Geraint strolled down the steps in an ensemble of tight-fitting black velvet, an ornate, silver sword hanging from his belt and a huge diamond and emerald pin glittering on his lapel. A ruffled white shirt collar peeked out of the velvet to frame his face. Lord Thornson stifled a groan. Light, the man was beyond compare.
“Is it far?” Geraint asked.
“No, not far. We meet in different venues. Tonight, it is just outside the city. A mere twenty minutes away.”
Geraint’s hand fell to Lord Thornson’s thigh. He pinched and stroked the muscular leg. “It won’t take long, will it?”
Distracted, the Healer failed to see the islander’s other hand make a discrete wave out of the window. “Merely an hour, perhaps a little longer. Two at most. It depends who attends. My private apartment is but fifteen minutes away.”
“I will be most displeased if it is longer than two hours,” Kai told Thornson with a menacing snarl, his hand squeezing tightly high up on the elder man’s thigh, his other hand making another gesture out of the window.
Lord Thornson moaned. He grabbed Geraint’s hand and tried to force it up towards his swollen crotch. He received a hard slap for his trouble.
“I told you I have only one rule, Edward. You will know more pain than ever before if you test me again.”
The Healer thought the journey would never end. He was impatient for the meeting to start so it would be over as soon as possible. His brain was stuck in a loop of how his first time with his new lover might go. Whatever happened, he knew it would be spectacular. His life would never be the same again.
He forced himself to stop daydreaming when they arrived at the merchant’s house. He looked out to see a queue of carriages to the entrance. It would be a good turnout.
Finn couldn’t believe how open it all was. Did these people’s disdain for the King make them forget the punishment for treason? And treason it was. Rybis always listened to opposing arguments. Light, he actively encouraged them. But to deal directly with a man who threatened war on The Kingdom? To plough money into his coffers? There was no forgiveness for that.
Inside, about thirty men and women mingled and chatted while music played in the background. Geraint was introduced by Lord Thornson to almost all. He was universally well-received, collecting many offers to meet in the coming days to discuss business ventures. His Friending of Lord Novak had paid off. That and news of his excessive wealth.
The numbers grew as he did the rounds with the Healer. At seventeen hours, a gong was struck and Finn heard the front doors lock. Dinner was announced and Finn saw roughly half of the attendees file off towards a far room. Lord Thornson took his arm and led him after Lord Novak, heading in the opposite direction. Thirteen men, Finn, the Healer and eight women followed his lordship in silence.
They gathered in an anteroom where they all began to disrobe. Finn felt eyes admire his toned body as he folded his clothes and placed them on the bench in front of him.
Beside him, Lord Thornson smiled smugly. They could look all they wanted: Geraint was his.
When everyone was naked and their clothes collected, Novak passed out black, hooded robes. It was an extreme method of ensuring no one was armed, but very effective. Finn noticed satisfied smiles and uncomfortable, worried flushes as the robes were handed out in an order known only to Lord Novak. It was a simple control mechanism, but one that elegantly primed competition in the recipients. Those left naked longest yearned for higher standing. Those enrobed earliest would fight to keep their places. Now identically robed, people began to file out of the room, their identities to all intents and purposes concealed.
Finn noticed the women had been allowed to keep their jewellery. “I will kill anyone who touches my pin,” he hissed to Lord Thornson. “My mother gave it to me.”
Lord Thornson remembered the necklace Geraint had bought the other day. His affection for his mother was endearing. He wondered if it was a sexual thing. “No one will touch it, but we can ask for it back, if you wish.”
“I do,” the islander growled.
“Geraint would prefer to keep his pin. It has sentimental value and is no threat,” the Healer told the group’s leader.
Lord Novak looked at the young man and signalled the servant to dig out the pin. He turned it in his hands. It was a beautiful piece, the two large stones each gracing a long needle that narrowed to a fine point. They were no longer than his middle finger and a fraction of the width. No threat. And it wouldn’t hurt to have the young man in his debt. He held the pin out. “You will owe me,” he said quietly.
The islander bowed his acceptance and closed his fist around the pin. “Don’t bring it again,” he was warned before Novak let it go. He nodded and was rewarded with his jewel. The three men were the last into the chamber.
The room was plain and poorly lit, reeking of incense instead of burning candle wax. A huge table took up the first half of the space, thirty seats arrayed around it. Beyond the table was darkness.
Thornson tugged at Geraint’s arm to make him take a seat near the exit, but the dashing islander seemed not
to notice. Instead, he followed Novak to the other end, to the two empty chairs nearest the head of the table. Thornson realised he should have expected no less. It was not in Geraint’s nature to do anything but take centre stage.
Under his cloak, Finn undid the pin and slipped half into each hand. They were not ideal weapons but were certainly better than nothing. Positioned just so, they could kill. He looked round expectantly, wondering how the meeting would go. The Healer had refused to tell him anything.
Lord Novak stood and all eyes turned to him. “Before we turn to business, I would like to welcome Master Kai Geraint to our ranks. I am sure he will be a valuable addition to our group.” He waited for the islander to acknowledge the smattering of polite applause then rang a small bell to signal the beginning of business.
“I have the honour to announce that our combined investment with our ally has seen a return of seventeen percent in the past month alone. This makes a total return on investment of one hundred and twelve percent to date this year. I ask for further investments. Those who double their account will be awarded with a ten percent bonus. You will be able to access the funds at the end of the year, as usual. The management fee remains a paltry two percent.”
Finn listened intently as numbers were thrown around like punches in a sailor’s brawl, each increment an attempt to put the competition in its place. “Ten thousand more… Twenty thousand more… What do we get for trebling our investment? I’ll add another sixty thousand if you can give me an extra fifteen percent…”
He was wondering what the light was keeping Malik when he caught movement from the far corner. The candles on the table flickered slightly as the breeze from a door opening and closing touched the flames. Soft footsteps moved through the shadowed end of the room. Two people. Sesi appeared behind Lord Novak and silence fell as if a killer blow had been struck in the financial brawl. Everyone stood and bowed. Finn followed suit. He kept his eyes on the floor, showing only his sea green to any Reading eyes.