BlackWing: First Ordinance, Book 3 (9 page)

My soul belongs to Vardil Cayetes. Not only in payment for keeping my son alive; the deeds I've performed in service to Cayetes ensures that his grip on me—and my fate—remains tight.

I no longer recognize the Blevakian in the mirror; I have traveled so far from what I was. I only see a murderer, now. Someone my child would not be proud of.

I have no choice
, I keep telling myself before turning back to Cayetes' latest demand. I had three more worlds to examine. Three more newly arrived communities of farmers to research.

I had an idea what Cayetes planned for the world found guilty of taking what he thought was his—but that had caused so much trouble the first time, I wondered that he was considering the same again.

"Not my concern," I muttered to myself.

"Did you say something, Commander?" Whip asked.

"No, Whip, just thinking aloud."

* * *

Quin

My breakfast was a fruit omelet with juice; my training session included Jayna, which surprised me. I hadn't had time to ask Sal about her training, thinking that perhaps Lafe would train her if I asked.

Instead, Sal had invited her and she'd been overjoyed to accept.

That's when I learned that for my training, another Sursee would join us every day. Caylon Black arrived, offered Sal a brief nod and proceeded to take over my training.

"Defensive position," Sursee Caylon barked and I immediately complied. He came at me, peppering me with blows.

I was able to block most of them.

"Thank you, Sursee," I bowed low to him when the lesson was over.

"Tomorrow," he replied, dipping his chin slightly in reply.

* * *

"I told you she was learning quickly, Caylon," Sal grinned and offered Caylon a cup of Falchani black tea.

"Faster than I imagined," Caylon nodded. "That will work well for her, since her bones are more fragile than most humanoids. In a few weeks, I'll ask Torevik to come, just to see how she reacts to a much taller opponent."

"Caylon, I hope you don't mind staying," Kaldill arrived in the kitchen, interrupting his and Sal's conversation. "We've received an invitation to stay with the Churg family—for the next month."

Chapter 6

Quin

"The Churg family?" My confusion must have been evident—Justis pulled me against him as the news was given to us.

"I thought they'd drop by unannounced and take a look, then leave," Sal said. "I never considered that we'd be invited to spend time with them."

"It's a command, disguised as an invitation," Bel said. "On their turf. Their servants, too, unless we wish to take a personal servant. Quin, you can take Jayna if you want; you'll be known in that household as Quin BlackWing."

"When are we expected?" Lafe asked.

"Tomorrow. They're sending vehicles so we'll pack tonight, after we visit the sweet shop."

"I think only a few should go to the shop," Sal said. "Quin, Terrett, Yanzi and I."

"Wait," Justis held up a hand.

"No, he's right," Kaldill nodded. "Only a few. It won't do for all of us to crowd in."

"Then I'll wait in the car," Justis huffed, pulling me tighter against his chest.

"I'll wait with you," Caylon nodded. "Pellen can drive us."

* * *

More than an hour later, Pellen parked the car near the sweet shop. I'd expected the business to be small.

It was far from small.

"This is owned by one of the minor families—second tier," Pellen explained as I gaped at the building that took up a city block. "There's a bakery, a chocolate-making section and a candies section, with an attached restaurant and shop."

"The poor section we visited can't afford this, can they?" Justis said.

"No," Pellen replied. "But their sons and daughters work here, as you've likely guessed. The prettier ones. Uniforms are provided, of course—they can't afford that, either. The higher-skilled workers are given better allowances to spend as they like. Those from the slums in low-skilled positions can't hope for something this nice."

I recalled a time when I'd never tasted sweets—they were reserved for better and higher born. Justis' face was grim as he turned his gaze briefly on me. I clamped my wings tighter to my back, distressed by the memory of my past.

"You not worry," Yanzi pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I missed my lighter hair at times such as these. He'd never seen the real colors of it.

"Come," Sal nodded to Terrett, Yanzi and me. We climbed out of the car and walked across the street.

A bell rang over the shop door when we walked inside. I'd been to Niff's in Casino City, once, where sweets crowded behind glass displays, each type competing with its neighbor to draw a customer's gaze.

This shop rivaled that image. Someone walked in behind us and went straight to the counter.

"These are for Master Barstle," the clerk lifted boxes from behind the counter. I watched as Sal and Yanzi went perfectly still for a moment, before turning my attention to the boxes in question.

Yanzi and Sal learned what they knew by scent; I learned it with my gift.

I just didn't have a name for it, yet.

Yanzi and Sal, though—they knew.

I also knew that nothing else in the shop contained what those boxes contained. Our mystery had just deepened, and I had no idea what to do about it.

"May I help you?" The clerk—a pretty girl of perhaps sixteen, asked after the first customer left the shop with the boxes he'd been given.

"We'd like a table in the restaurant, please," Sal said, his voice smooth and a smile lighting his face.

"Of course. I'll call for someone to take you in."

A young man arrived moments after she called; he led us through a wide doorway and into the restaurant, which specialized in sandwiches, soups and the sweets produced onsite.

Order dessert
, Sal instructed.
Yanzi, the restrooms are nearby. Do you think you can change and look around without being noticed? If not, I'll come back later with Caylon
.

I can
, Yanzi agreed.
Eat slow. I be back
.

"He'll have the redberry cake," Sal ordered for Yanzi. I had a chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream, while Terrett ordered a slice of caramel swirl cake.

It's all right—the food
, I said, when it was set in front of us. Yanzi still wasn't back, but our waiter didn't say anything.

Yanzi was back before we finished and ate swiftly, demolishing his dessert in very little time. Mine was good, but what I'd gotten at Niff's was better.

Sal paid, producing a small, gold coin to hand to the waiter.

He smiled and went to put the money away while we gathered coats and hats. "Come again," the clerk in the shop said as we walked out the door.

Sal didn't say anything until we were in the car and moving away from the shop. "What the bloody, fucking hell is drakus seed doing on Vic'Law?" he cursed.

* * *

"We had no idea," Pellen said. I wondered whether our scheduled visit with the Churg Family would put a crimp in our investigation.

We hadn't heard everything yet, however.

"I see what hiding those at shop," Yanzi volunteered. "I made, not born," he began. "Sirenali at shop—also made, not born. He look—he look like Terrett, when Terrett change."

It was my turn to grip Terrett's hand—he was growling low in his throat again. "How old?" Kaldill asked, voicing my question aloud.

"Half-grown," Yanzi described the Sirenali. "Not speak."

"Probably can't," Justis huffed. "This is impossible. How many do you think they can make?"

"If this first batch—all same age," Yanzi shrugged. "That how it was for me; they make many. Sell. Kill some, too."

"I thought drakus seed—and all the plants were destroyed," Pellen insisted.

"Hmmph," Yanzi snorted. Terrett nodded once at Yanzi.

"We should inform Kooper," Kaldill suggested.

I watched Pellen's face—he'd missed this and felt he was responsible. While drakus seed hadn't been seen during his lifetime, he knew the history of it. He imagined that Kooper would accost him for missing the information, too. After all, if the drug were in the hands of the criminals on Vic'Law, then it could be transported elsewhere.

Sal, Justis and Pellen went to find Caylon the moment we arrived at our palace; I found Berel waiting for me. "Quin, we have a class to teach, then we have to pack," Berel took my hand.

"Yes," I sighed. "Let's find Jayna."

* * *

The Churg-owned hovercars arrived after breakfast the following morning. We were transported into the hills overlooking most of Der'Vek, which culminated in a view of one of Vic'Law's oceans.

"Don't forget, you're with us," I reassured Jayna, although I felt queasy at the prospect of living with a crime family, whose sole purpose in inviting us was to place us under the closest of scrutiny.

Pellen accompanied us as Kaldill's personal servant; Mell, Jayna and Jeslin would fetch and carry for everyone else. The rest of the staff stayed behind at our palace.

We saw the Churg family holdings from the air—it looked like a small city, with numerous buildings, pools and gardens surrounding an enormous palace.

Eventually, the car settled on the stone patio at the back of the palace. Another car, carrying our bags, landed behind us.

Two men waited for us at the foot of white marble steps. "Welcome to the Churg estate," one of them said, sweeping out his hand in a grand gesture. "Master Churg invites you to join him for dinner tonight at eight bells. Nerr will take you to your quarters, and provide any assistance you may need to settle in."

I was hoping we'd have a separate place to stay
, Justis' mental voice was dry.

Already I hate this
, Terrett informed me.

This fucked
, Yanzi declared.

"Extend our gratitude to Master Churg for his invitation; we look forward to dining with him this evening," Kaldill responded. This was the Elf King, who could outclass anyone with style and grace. I didn't miss the hardness in his eyes, however. Churg would be under our scrutiny, just as we were under his.

* * *

Jayna and Mell were given a room to share, as were Pellen and Jeslin near the suites in our wing of the palace. I was grateful none of the Churg family was quartered nearby—so far, we hadn't seen any of them.

The palace was so huge, it really wasn't a surprise that we'd only seen servants. Clothing I'd never thought to wear hung inside the closet adjoining my bath; the suite I'd been given was larger than the one I had at our mansion in Der'Vek.

Churg servants had been instructed not to speak to us unless we asked a direct question, but the two who unpacked my things couldn't help staring at my wings. With my gift, I understood that they were bursting with curiosity, and I imagined that Justis was receiving similar treatment inside his suite, which lay across the hall.

"Quin?" Justis appeared in my doorway, as if he'd been called. Likely it was to escape the scrutiny of the servants.

Where is Kaldill?
I asked.

"Come down the hall with me," Justis held out a hand. I moved toward him and allowed his hand to grasp mine. His hand and fingers were warm and reassuring as they enveloped mine.

Both servants inside my suite sighed as we left—I heard the sound easily as Justis and I walked away.

Kaldill wouldn't shield our wings from those who owned and ran Vic'Law; our race and photographs had been included in the final application. Berel joined us as we walked along the hall; Yanzi and Terrett caught up with us as well.

We found Kaldill, Sal, Lafe, Bel and Caylon inside Kaldill's suite. "I've asked for lunch to be delivered here," Kaldill informed us. As the designated head of our family, Kaldill received the largest suite, just as he'd done at our palace.

"I have a sound shield set up," Bel said. "We can talk without anyone listening."

"Quin, if you detect anything about Cayetes in anyone in this household, send mindspeech immediately," Sal said. "It's in our best interest to find him, as you know."

I understood that—Cayetes was my priority as well, but I couldn't help thinking that other, more pressing matters had taken precedence. I also couldn't explain it—not to anyone—in a reasonable way. Terrett might understand, but I wasn't sure about the others.

The drug we'd discovered at the sweet shop troubled my mind just as much as the disappearances, and the fact we weren't searching other cities concerned me greatly. I wasn't in charge, however, and wasn't likely to be. I studied Salidar DeLuca as he outlined a plan in case we discovered Cayetes' whereabouts. I also wondered how (and when) he'd taken charge of this operation.

Caylon's presence, too, felt just the same—that he was Sal's superior in this and his word could be the final one on any decisions made.

Kooper Griff
, Bel Erland's voice drifted into my head.
He made these decisions. Nobody here has enough field experience to take charge
.

How did you know?
I returned. He'd read my thoughts, somehow.

I could see you, shifting your gaze from Sal to Caylon
, he replied.
I've spent too much time reading Dad's subjects in court. I know what those glances and puzzled expressions mean
.

Then you are an adept
, I responded.
Nobody else has a clue
.

I saw his smile—a genuine one—for the first time since we'd arrived on Vic'Law. It was worth the wait; he bore a strong resemblance to his grandfather, Erland.
Perhaps
, I thought to myself,
I'd have another ally, should I make my request to hunt elsewhere
.

Just ask, Lady
, he nodded slightly.
I am at your service
.

* * *

"Your reading lessons will be in Quin's suite; this is where you will learn from Sursee Salidar," Caylon led Jayna through our temporary dojo. Already, wooden practice blades and weights hung on a wall, while the floor was covered with the inevitable canvas mat.

I'd already seen the room earlier; Jayna, who'd been settling into her shared room with Mell, had just gotten free to visit with me. Caylon found both of us and now led the tour through our training room.

"I'm afraid," she whispered when Caylon stopped for a moment.

"Don't be. It is our decision whether we will train our servants or not," Caylon said softly. "Come to me or Salidar if anyone troubles you about it."

"Yes, Sursee Caylon." She dropped her eyes.

"Sursee Caylon, I'd like to ask Kaldill to provide a disguise for her while she's here," I said.

Caylon blinked dark eyes at me for a moment before nodding. "I'll see to it," he agreed. "Come. We will pay Master Kaldill a visit."

* * *

"Easily done," Kaldill said the moment I asked. Jayna, who was quite confused by this time, could only stare at Kaldill in shock as he changed her appearance. After all, she felt nothing, and to us, she appeared the same. To anyone else, she would be quite plain, tall and sturdily built. The perfect candidate in Churg's eyes to train to protect us.