Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 (32 page)

* * *

"Berel is with her—I've sent food and drink for
both," Melis informed Edden. "I couldn't have predicted what happened
at the last, but if anyone in Kondar remains unmoved by that plea, then they
have hearts of stone."

"You know someone will find fault or say it's a
lie," Edden sighed as he sat behind his desk and leaned back. The chair
creaked as the cushion curved about his body, providing comfort. "I don't
want Quin exposed to their vitriol. I want to send her and Berel back to Avii
Castle while the debates are ongoing," he continued.

"I can send for an airchopper," Melis nodded.

"Ask them to come tomorrow morning—after breakfast."

"As you say," Melis replied. "By all the gods,
I hope this is enough to convince the people."

"I hope it's as she says—that this is their way of
protecting us," Edden agreed.

* * *

Quin

If the journalists knew that Daragar appeared in my bedroom
the moment Berel and I were alone, they'd have run back to speak with him.

I doubted he'd answer any of their questions. He was only interested
in making the tears stop and between his and Berel's efforts, they eventually
did. Afterward, he sat cross-legged on the floor with Berel opposite, while I
was held comfortably on Daragar's lap.

That's where I ate my meal—with Daragar's arms wrapped about
me and Berel doing his best to make me smile.

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

Queen Lissa's Private Journal

"This is all you found? A note?" I held the note in
question in my fingers and waved it in front of Trajan.

"He does that sometimes. Usually he leaves notes for his
past self, but this, well, it's written to you and me."

"
I needed Terrett
? What the hell is that supposed
to mean? Now there's a Sirenali out there—where we have no idea—because Ashe
said he needed him?"

"I'm guessing it's a good thing he's not here right
now," Trajan ducked his head to hide a smile. Too late—I'd already seen
it.

"Look, I realize Quin thought Terrett was all right, but
what if he falls into the hands of another criminal—or another idiot, like
Marid? He was only at SouthStar for three days," I wailed.

"Let's hope Ashe knows what he's doing," Trajan
shrugged. He was still grinning, too.

The schmuck
.

* * *

Kondar

Quin

I sent mindspeech to Kaldill, telling him that Daragar would
transport Berel and me to Avii Castle, but Daragar had already told him. Melis
Norwal offered an airchopper, but Daragar had things well in hand.

Melis couldn't help staring at the tall, blue Larentii as he
escorted Berel and me to breakfast, then sat there, smiling and answering a
minimum of questions for the High President.

"The Larentii never reveal the location of our homeworld,"
Daragar's voice was solemn as he nodded at Edden's question. "That has
always been the way of things. There was a race, once, who found their way and
attempted a takeover. They learned how powerful the Larentii were—and how
resistant we were to their powers of suggestion."

"Were you there? When that happened?" Melis asked.

"No. That was long before I was born. Thousands of your years,
actually."

"How old are you? If it's not rude to ask."

"Larentii value age and wisdom," Daragar replied.
"I am young, according to my race. I am barely one thousand years
old."

"One thousand years? That's incredible," Edden
breathed.

"Yes. Kaldill has been King of the Elves far longer than
that. Many older Larentii recall conversations with Kaldill, far in the
past."

While Melis might have wished for a lengthy conversation as to
whether immortality was a blessing or curse, Daragar whisked Berel and me away
the moment our meals were finished, depositing us in Gurnil's Library and
causing Dena to laugh in delight.

She stood with a bird-feather duster in her hand, smiling
widely when the three of us appeared not far away. "Have you eaten?"
she asked, first thing.

"Yes, thank you," Berel smiled at her. "We just
had breakfast."

"Quin, you look tired," she said.

"Quin had a trying day, yesterday," Berel said.

"I am tired. I'm thinking of reading more in Ulrin's
journal, and perhaps making a few notes for Gurnil—I haven't done that as
yet."

"I'll bring a midday meal when it's time," Dena
promised. "Are you reading in the Library or in your bedroom? It's raining
outside, or I'd say the terrace."

"I'll read in my bedroom," I said. There was a
chance Justis might appear somewhere in public, but he wouldn't walk into
Kaldill's suite without an invitation.

"There's my dearest," Kaldill appeared with a smile.
He pulled me into a hug before letting me go with a nod. "By all means,
read in your bedroom until midday. Sleep if you want. Daragar tells me you're
exhausted after yesterday's ordeal."

I did feel exhausted but was too worried about the debates,
which were just beginning in Kondar. No word had come from the Yokarun Emperor,
but perhaps he waited to see what Kondar's decision would be. After all, Yokaru
now depended heavily upon trade with Kondar, and that would disappear along
with the people of Kondar if their decision were to leave Siriaa behind.

"I see many things trouble you," Kaldill smiled.
"Read the physician's journal and take your mind away from these
things."

Dena brought me a cup of tea while I settled on the bed and
pulled Ulrin's journal into my hand. "Let me know if you need anything
else," she said. "I believe Justis would like to grovel, but whether
you let him or not is your decision."

"I don't know what to do about that," I hunched my
shoulders uncomfortably. "Perhaps soon, but not now. His words hurt too
much."

"The people you love can hurt the most, can't they?"
Dena said softly. I knew she was thinking about her mother, who'd belittled her
many times for having yellow wings.

"Yes," I agreed. "Sometimes I think they fail
to realize how much harm they've done."

"Ardis says hello," she said.

"How is he? Doing well?"

"He appreciates being Captain Ardis again," she
smiled. "He and Justis are drilling the Black Wings this morning."

The thought of it made me sigh. Justis—drilling his troops for
a war that might never come. I'd offered him the opportunity to make a
difference in the border war. He'd refused.

"I'll just get to this, then," I held up the
journal. "Gurnil may be quite bored when he reads the report, but the
births, deaths and lineage records may be of interest to Amlis. I'll make
separate reports for him."

"I'd rather dust the entire Library at once than do
that," Dena frowned. "I'll see you at midday."

She closed my bedroom door behind her, tucking her wings
closer so they wouldn't catch between door and jamb. Shoving away thoughts of
Justis, which still pervaded my mind, I opened the journal where I'd left it
last and began to read.

* * *

Avendor

EastStar

"There are two ways to shift into another body,"
Reah handed a cup of coffee to Kooper, then sat at the kitchen island across
from the tall, lion snake shapeshifter. Both Farzi and Nenzi, Reah's lion snake
shifter mates, had come to see Kooper, whom they admired.

"You've seen both, or so I've heard," Kooper sipped
his coffee. "This is excellent—what did you put in it?"

"Vanilla, milk, cinnamon and sugar," Reah smiled.
"And I frothed the milk."

"You think grz-gitch Vardil Cayetes do this?" Farzi
asked. "Steal bodies?" He and his brothers eliminated unnecessary
words when they spoke—a habit they'd acquired early in their lives.

"Vardil has enough money to convince a surgeon to do the
work. I understand if a warlock is involved, the stolen body begins to die
quickly so a continuous supply of fresh bodies has to be found."

"Either way," Reah shrugged. "As a criminal, if
he got a warlock involved, it would be impossible for the ASD to track him,
because the image could change every few days."

"Vardil is wealthy enough—and nasty enough—to do
either," Kooper shook his head. "Even Karzac can't predict what could
happen if Vardil's brain is affected already with the poison, and then is
transferred to another body."

"Have you kept an eye on the black market employment
listings? Anybody looking to hire a powerful warlock?"

"Nothing so far. Look, what do you think would happen if
the brain transfer was performed first, before he went looking for a
warlock?"

"No idea. I've never heard of anybody stupid enough to
try that. After all, you have to keep the warlock with you at all times once
the first transfer is done, just to make sure he's available when the new body
fails. It makes an unholy alliance, and somebody is going to tire quickly of
their partner, I think."

"Unless the money is really, really good," Kooper
observed. "In Vardil's case, that's exactly how it'll be."

"If this happens, you'll have to look for worlds where
significant numbers of people disappear, then reappear not long after, their
bodies dumped and not only dead but looking ravaged for no apparent reason.
Soul shifting isn't easy on either party."

"You know there are plenty of non-Alliance worlds where
we can't get good information," Kooper said. "We have spies on many,
but not all."

"Does Lissa have any updates on Siriaa?" Reah asked.

"Not yet—they've just started the council debates."

"I heard from Tory—after the brief uprising in New Fyris,
things have smoothed out. Amlis is learning what it means to be Prince."

"That means being a diplomat, instead of the murderer his
father was."

"There's always an adjustment to be made," Reah
smiled.

"I should get back to Le-Ath Veronis—I have to release a
bulletin on what the agents should look for," Kooper stood and stretched.

"You need help, Kooper, we go anytime," Farzi
offered. Nenzi, seated beside Farzi, nodded his agreement with enthusiasm.

"I may take you up on that," Kooper grinned at both.

* * *

Avii Castle

Quin

My eyes are going dark
, the journal read.
Therefore,
it is time I made my confession, in case Liron returns to Fyris one day
.

I'd almost nodded off before I came to that section of the
journal. Ulrin's words, however, made me push myself straighter on the bed and
pull the journal closer.

"Liron went to Fyris?" I breathed, running a finger
down the page. Clearly, Ulrin's eyesight was failing him—the words were larger
and fewer on the page. Hastily I turned the page and gasped—the writing was
like none I'd ever seen before.

It was upside down and backward, at the same time.

I will write in this manner, as neither Yevil nor the King
are adept at reading and this will likely confound them
, Ulrin noted.
It
is no wonder they burned the books in Tandelis' study, and removed pages from many
others—they failed to understand their importance
.

I discovered I'd been holding my breath, so I released it with
a sigh before continuing.

Liron appeared to me one night, only a few moon-turns
before Elabeth would arrive to perform the Saving. Yes, I knew what it was,
although I'd never witnessed it and have no idea how it was accomplished.

Nevertheless, Liron came to me and laid the metal box at
the foot of my bed. To say I was frightened would not be an accurate
description—my fear was far beyond that of anything I'd ever experienced.

My voice trembled when I asked him why he'd come to me.

"You are in a position to help save Fyris and the
lands outside Fyris," he said. I was much surprised at the softness of his
voice, as if he were speaking to a friend, rather than as a god to an
underling.

"How can I do this?" I questioned him. "I am
only a physician."

"Your comings and goings throughout the castle are not
questioned," Liron informed me. He was correct—the guards all knew me and
allowed me through, whereas anyone else could be stopped at any time, by
Tandelis' orders. After all, I was physician to everyone in the castle, not
just the Prince.

"Your task is simple," Liron explained. "All
you have to do is release the child inside this box. She is connected to the Orb
that guards Avii Castle. Together, they will prevent a terrible injustice from
happening, which will spell doom for all on this world."

"What must I do after the child is released?" I
asked him. I admit that I was trembling by that time—Liron was predicting the
end of everything if I failed to comply, and the idea of a girl in the metal
box he'd brought? That was terrifying. How could a girl be kept in a box for
moon-turns?

"See?" he lifted the lid and I stared—not just at
the light coming from inside the box, but at the beautiful child that lay
within. "When you lift the lid, she will breathe and wake. You must take
her to the throne room, where Tandelis will greet Elabeth and her Avii
companions. The girl is connected to the Orb. If Tamblin or any of his raise
their hands against Elabeth, then the Orb will see and arrive to protect. Thus,
you will have a hand in saving Fyris, just as Elabeth will."

Of course, I was prepared to do Liron's bidding.

Then.

After Liron left, I hid the box beneath my bed and resolved
to keep anyone from dusting beneath it until I removed it. It is with great
sorrow that I must report what came about after.

Everyone, with the exception of Tandelis, I believe, knew
of the disappearances and secret murders performed or commanded by Tamblin and
Yevil during that time. Nobody was safe—even the servants were too afraid to
gossip concerning the evil taking place. If it were learned that they had, they
also disappeared and many bodies were never found. Liron had known this was
coming, but trusted me to do as he'd asked.