Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 (5 page)

"I'll have to get Shaaliveer's permission," Kooper
began. Arresting a citizen of a governed, non-Alliance world required
permission of the government and local support.

"I have it," Lissa tossed a comp-vid onto Kooper's
desk. "They can't wait to get rid of him."

* * *

Wyyld II

"How do I look?" Kaldill turned before the mirror.
He hadn't worn tight-fitting clothing in a very long time—he preferred loose
robes, richly embroidered with spelled silks to keep their colors fresh.

"Like you work for the ASD," Lendill grumbled at his
father's appearance.

"Perhaps trousers of a different color, then?"
Kaldill lifted a dark-blond eyebrow at his son. With an absent wave of a hand,
light-brown became black.

"I'd change the shirt, too," Lendill said. "You
look good in black, Pap. You always have."

"You haven't called me Pap in at least a century,"
Kaldill beamed.

"Look, I know you can take care of yourself, but this
bothers me. What if it turns out to be something we have no power against? We
don't know who devised this mess to begin with."

"That's what I intend to find out. Daragar has agreed to
go with me as backup if needed. The Larentii Council immediately gave
permission when I asked for his assistance. They even offered to send more
Larentii if I wanted them."

"They're worried about this, too?"

"Decidedly so." Kaldill brushed shoulder-length
blond hair behind a pointed ear and shook his head at the image he presented—at
Lendill's advice, he'd employed power to change the color of his shirt to
black.

"I've spoken with Kooper already—he's on his way to
arrest Marid of Belancour." Lendill shook his head. "That old goat
may have killed more than we know."

"Tell Kooper to approach cautiously—we have no idea how
unstable the old goat, as you call him, may be."

"You think he can cause more trouble?"

"That is my deepest worry, my son."

"How long do you plan to be gone?" Lendill asked.

"I intend to see whether the lands of this planet can be
rescued from the blight," Kaldill shrugged at his image in the mirror.

"Building the gardens of Gaelar N'Seith on a barren
planet may be a simple task compared to this, Pap."

"Nevertheless, I will see what may be done."

"Good luck, then. Let me know how things go."

"I'll need the luck just to keep some of them from
shooting at us," Kaldill huffed. "They have weapons—at least some of
them do. It surprises me that they haven't been noticed by the Alliance yet."

"No space travel?" Lendill asked.

"They have the capability; they just haven't turned their
attention to it, yet."

"Send images, then. I'll transmit everything to Kooper."

"Ask him to relay all information to Queen Lissa. I
believe the Three may be interested in this before long."

"Kooper says that Ildevar and Lissa are both looking for
Breanne. What about Ashe? Is he where we can find him? Charles, too?"

"I don't know the whereabouts of any of them. Hank is
also on the list of those we can't find. If you have suggestions on how to get
their attention, I'd appreciate it."

Kaldill found it humorous that Love, Strength and Wisdom held
such mundane names as Breanne, Ashe and Charles, but perhaps they, too, looked
upon his name as something strange.

"It's neither here nor there—we have to do what we can to
keep this from spreading," Lendill's voice expressed discomfort. "I
never thought to feel the fear of the planet beneath my feet, but I feel it
now."

"You are growing as a Prince," Kaldill grinned and
patted Lendill's shoulder. "It pleases me greatly."

* * *

Avii Castle

Quin

"I can fly there with Dena," I said when Berel asked
whether I wanted to go with him in the smaller boats the ship had sent to the
receiving crevice.

"Father asked that I stay with you," Berel shook his
head. "Will you travel with me, instead?" I knew then that the High
President still worried for his son's health.

"I'll go with you, then—I think Dena is curious about the
boats anyway."

Our luggage had already been sent—mine was stowed in a cabin
next to Berel's if his guard, Jhak, spoke the truth. He'd traveled with the
luggage, to ensure that it remained safe while two other Kondari guards stayed
behind with Berel.

Jhak had returned, however, and now it was time for the
passengers to board the ships and sail for Fyris.

Gurnil had spoken with ship's captains regarding the distance
between Avii Castle and Lironis, calculating the time, once the boats went
through the strait. I'd been unconscious before when I was brought through it
and wondered if I'd feel it now.

"Quin, we have guests," Gurnil interrupted my
conversation with Berel on the Library terrace.

I turned and blinked in surprise.

Daragar had come, and with him, a man I didn't know. If Berel
hadn't caught me, I might have fallen to the ground—that's how breathless I
became at his appearance.

His name was Kaldill Schaff. Daragar introduced him as King of
the Elves.

He was so much more than that. Holding my breath when he took
my hand with a brilliant smile, I resolved to keep his secrets.

Chapter 3
 

Avii Castle

Quin

Who needs boats when a Larentii can take you anywhere he
pleases? Daragar did so, transporting all of us to our designated ships.

"We have a Larentii traveling with us," Gurnil
breathed to Ordin as cabins were assigned to Daragar and Kaldill. As pleased as
I was that Daragar chose to go with us to Fyris, I was just as pleased that
Kaldill had come.

Power shone about him whenever I looked, and I wondered that
none of the others could see it.

The ship itself was very large and run efficiently by many
Kondari men and women. For a moment, it took me by surprise that women would be
soldiers, before determining that it was silly to think that. Justis had black-winged
women in his guard, and they were more than effective at their work.

Plus, I'd been a soldier of sorts at Amlis' side and had saved
his life, albeit in unconventional ways. The Kondari and Avii had moved past
that archaic way of thinking and I was glad.

"We will meet for dinner—those of us aboard this ship,"
Berel handed a tab-vid to me. A schedule had been inserted, which I could read
easily.

Orik, Sofi and Yissy were on another ship with two black-winged
guards, while Wolter, Fen and Deeds, accompanied by two more Black Wings, rode
the third. Omina, Amlis, Rodrik and Beatris rode with Berel and the rest of us
on the flagship. Justis and Ardis were our black-winged guards, which pleased
Dena greatly.

"It surprises me that this journey may only take a day,"
Berel took a seat next to mine in the meeting room. Windows surrounded us—the
room had been designed for meetings between captain and staff, and was
comfortably furnished with padded chairs and a heavy table.

I watched the deep waters pass swiftly below us and nodded at
Berel's statement. I had the feeling that had Daragar and Kaldill chosen to do
so, they could have moved ships as easily as people and we might have arrived
already.

Perhaps they were looking forward to the trip just as much as
Dena and Gurnil were. Gurnil sat at one end of the table, watching the sea and
writing his observations on the parchment he'd brought with him. The Library
would have new additions when he returned to Avii Castle.

"I'm surprised the journey is so smooth," I
responded to Berel's observation. "The last portion of my journey to Avii
Castle aboard Orik's boat was uneven at best."

"Smaller boats ride the waves. Something this size merely
plows through them," Berel shrugged. "I saw your landing at the
castle—I looked through past satellite recordings until I found it."

"I know." It didn't matter, now. Berel knew much of
what the Avii had kept secret for years uncounted. That knowledge would count
for nothing if all of Siriaa died of the poison.

"You are the High President's son?" Kaldill and
Daragar had come looking for Berel. Kaldill turned to smile at me, however,
while waiting for Berel's response.

He already knew who Berel was. What he was doing was
amazing—at least to me. Asking questions was his way of measuring whomever he
studied. Kaldill intended to measure the father by the son.

I could have told him that Edden Charkisul was the best leader
Kondar could hope for. I also hoped that his life was safe—I knew Berel had information
from the last vid-meeting with the High President, and news of the usurper's
escape worried both, I could tell.

"I am, sir," Berel nodded respectfully. "I
understand you are Kaldill Schaff, King of the Elves. I have never heard of elves,
sir. Will you enlighten me?"

Without aid of any mechanical object, an image of forests and
flowering gardens appeared among us. They appeared so real I wished to touch
petals, stems and trunks. I'd never seen such healthy growing things in my
life. Without realizing, I'd breathed a sigh of desire-filled pleasure at the
sight.

People—elves—began to walk through the images. Like Kaldill,
they had pointed ears. They wore embroidered robes that complimented their
surroundings perfectly, and were content to be where they were.

"We have a library and a seat of learning here—these
grounds surround it," Kaldill smiled. "It is called Gaelar N'Seith,
Garden of the Elves."

"It’s beautiful," I breathed. I couldn't help
myself—I wanted to go there. In my mind, no taint of the poison would be found
in that soil.

"You are correct," Kaldill smiled at me again. "Perhaps
we should discuss your wings, and why they are different from all others."

"I have no information to give you," I shook my
head.

"I understand that. I merely wish to examine them, I
think, and attempt to solve that riddle for both of us. Daragar has already
visited the Larentii Archives and spoken to Nefrigar, their Chief Archivist. He
knows of none such, either. If a Larentii has no records, then there are no
records to be found."

"Do they have records of Fyris and Kondar? Of Siriaa?"
I asked.

"Yes, most certainly," Daragar replied with a smile.
"After each of my visits, I give information to Nefrigar, who stores it in
the Archives. Other Larentii visited before I came. Kondar, Fyris and Yokaru
are all there, from their beginnings on this world."

That stopped me in my tracks. He knew of their origins? The
question of why Fyris was hidden and so backward compared to the other
continents tickled my tongue. I dared not ask it; Omina, Amlis, Rodrik and
Beatris walked through the door.

Midday had arrived and they'd come for their meal—as
scheduled.

* * *

Larentii Archives

"This is information I would refuse most others,"
Nefrigar handed copies of heavy volumes to Kooper Griff, Head of the ASD. "It
includes current maps and conditions, all of which were supplied by Daragar through
his many visits to Siriaa."

"Lissa and the others are just as interested in this,"
Kooper nodded to Nefrigar. "You have my thanks."

"The Hidden had influence upon many things,"
Nefrigar replied, his words enigmatic. "None of it good."

"Let's hope it doesn't end up killing us, then,"
Kooper replied.

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

"Even the Larentii don't know what it is," Lissa
shut the book with a sigh. "Or where it came from. They've studied the
effects and the efforts made by the winged guardians to hold it at bay, but the
guardian queen is dead. According to this—she was only able to disrupt the spreading
of the poison. She didn't neutralize it."

"You know the Larentii collect everything. They wouldn't
collect that poison—whatever it is," Kooper jerked his head at one of the
books. "That means even they don't trust their methods of collection or containment.
What in the name of the fire pit is this?"

"I'll attempt to sort out who Liron is—or was,"
Lissa fumed. "It looks as if he were at the bottom of all this."

"The people of Fyris—and the guardians—Daragar notes that
they're not native to that world. Where did they come from? There's no evidence
they arrived on their own. This is a huge mess," Kooper grumbled.

"We have imported people, a hidden continent, a poison
nobody can define and a dead god, in all probability. Anything else?"

"The guardian queen—how did she interrupt the poison's
spread?"

"Where's Daragar now?" Kooper asked.

"Daragar is there—on Siriaa," Ildevar Wyyld appeared
in Lissa's study, where she and Kooper held their private conversation. "Kaldill
went with him."

"If anybody can bring a planet back from the brink, it
would be Kaldill," Lissa nodded. "Although I'm having my doubts about
this," she tapped the borrowed book.

"Has Marid of Belancour been apprehended, yet?"
Ildevar asked Kooper.

"Not yet, Founder," Kooper shook his head. "Local
authorities attempted to take him before my agents arrived. Their effort was
unsuccessful and Marid fled with his family and everything they owned. We're
searching now, but there's a cloud about his location. We know he's no longer
on Shaaliveer, but we can't pin the location down."

"If I learn that jackass has a Sirenali, I'll kill him
myself," Lissa snapped.

Kooper refrained from responding; his worry was the same as
Lissa's. Only a Sirenali could defy his searches and that spelled disaster, in his
opinion.

* * *

The waters of Fyris

Quin

This time, I was conscious while we navigated the straits. It
was as if we traveled through a wall of very dense fog for several moments
before coming out on the other side to sunlight glittering off the waters. I
had no idea what might create the fog, let alone the shortening of our journey.