Omensent: Princess Of Dragons (Book 5) (32 page)

"Your father, Aken, Elder of the House of Spruce, would not just sit idly by and accept these events, Anallia." Bellatonia told her in a reproving tone.

"My father is not here, Bellatonia." Anallia snapped, a faint blush touching her pale cheeks. "He is very old, so he has charged
me
with taking his place at the queen's side to give her
my
advice, and that is exactly what I shall do."

An awkward silence fell over the throne room.

"Have there been any more reports of attacks anywhere on the island?" Queen Serena asked, finally breaking the silence.

"None, my queen." Gilroy replied with a shake of his head. "The attacks seem to have stopped for now."

"That's because the blood elves are too busy trying to decide what to do about Damion." Dar grinned knowingly. "Word has surely reached them about the deaths of the blood elves that Damion and the others discovered in the lake cottage. I suspect that they are preoccupied with trying to decide how to deal with him."

"That is reassuring." Queen Serena smiled. "The Dragon Lord's presence here has already made a difference then. I feel much better knowing that the followers of Hetris are already nervous."

"The timing couldn't be better, either." Anallia agreed. "People are already beginning to arrive in the city in anticipation of the Spring Dawning. Hopefully the Dragon Lord's presence will be enough to keep the blood elves from attempting to disrupt the festival."

"I wouldn't count on it." Gilroy warned her in a serious tone. "The blood elves are almost certain to attempt something. The Spring Dawning is the most important ritual of the year for Petra's faithful. Hetris and His followers will not pass up the opportunity to disrupt it."

"They shall regret it dearly if they try." Queen Serena declared fiercely. "Any attack attempted during the Spring Dawning will be met with swift and brutal justice. I will not allow our goddess's celebration to be desecrated." She glanced out of one of the large windows. "It's nearly midday. I shall call for refreshments so we may continue our discussion while we dine."

After a curt gesture from the queen, one of the elven servants who had been standing attentively near the throne quickly hurried off, only to return a few minutes later leading a number of other servants who carried a large horseshoe shaped table which they placed before the throne. Several more servants hurried into the room bearing numerous trays of food and drink, which they began to spread out onto the oddly shaped table.

One of the servants, an elderly elven woman with long grey hair, and pale, nearly colorless eyes, paused as she drew close to Damarius, who sat at one end of the elaborate throne.

"Watch out!" Dar exclaimed as she suddenly withdrew a small dagger from her beltline and raised it to strike the old wizard, whose back was exposed.

Reacting with surprising speed, Damarius whirled around and deflected her deadly thrust with his staff, sending her dagger skittering across the floor. He then leveled his staff at the elven woman's chest and released a blast of energy that hurled her backwards across the throne room, sending her crashing down onto the cold quartz floor in an unconscious heap.

"By the gods!" Gilroy exclaimed, staring at the old elven woman in shock. He turned to look at Damarius, who was watching the remaining servants with hard eyes, clearly ready to react to any more aggression. "She nearly killed you!"

"She would have killed me if it hadn't been for Dar's timely warning." The old wizard nodded to the fiery haired Alena in thanks.

"Seize her at once!" Queen Serena commanded, her face pale with shock.

A pair of guards who had watched the attack with dumfounded expressions suddenly leapt into action and seized the elderly elven woman, who still lay unmoving.

"Who is she?" Dar asked, watching as the guards quickly bound the elven woman's hands and feet.

"Her name is Freedi." The queen replied in a rattled tone. "She has been a servant here in the tower for decades."

"Why would she attack Damarius?" Bellatonia asked in a baffled tone.

"Isn't it obvious?" Vlane asked, watching as the guards carried the would-be assassin from the room. "She must be one of Hetris's followers."

"A blood elf here in the Royal Tower?" Anallia gasped in fear. "How could she have worked in the tower for so long without revealing her allegiance to Hetris?"

"I don't know." Queen Serena looked troubled. "Freedi has always been a loyal servant, though she
was
a little on the quiet side. Nevertheless, I would have never expected anything like this from her."

"Well, I'm pretty sure that Damion's arrival has the blood elves rattled." Damarius said with a note of satisfaction in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Gilroy asked in confusion.

"If the blood elves weren't concerned with Damion's presence on the island, that assassin would have attempted to attack the queen." Dar pointed out shrewdly. "Instead, she chose to target Damarius in an obvious attempt to send a message."

"They're going to have to try a bit harder if they want to use
me
to send their message." The old wizard grunted, brushing his brow lock from his eyes absently.

The one of the guards who had helped carry the elderly assassin away quickly returned. "We placed Freedi in a holding cell in the crypts beneath the tower. She was still unconscious, but the healers say that she is otherwise uninjured."

"Let me know the instant that she regains consciousness." The elven queen ordered, her eyes flashing with anger. "She has a lot of explaining to do."

The guard bowed once, then hurried out of the throne room once again.

"Do you really think that she'll tell us anything of value?" Bellatonia asked with a doubtful tone. "Every blood elf that's been captured so far has refused to talk."

"Don't worry about that." The old wizard told her reassuringly, a bleak smile on his face. "I have ways of making her talk."

It was several hours before the guard finally returned to alert Queen Serena that the elderly elven woman had regained consciousness.

"Shackle her hands and feet together securely, and then bring her here before me." The elven queen commanded, her expression stern. "I have some questions for her."

A pair of guards soon appeared with the elderly elven servant in tow. She looked disheveled. The sleeve on her blouse was torn, and she had a large purple lump on her forehead from where she had crashed down onto the unyielding quartz floor of the throne room. The guards placed her before the throne, then forced her to her knees and secured her chains to a steel loop that was protruding from the floor, preventing her from standing.

"I have some questions for you, Freedi." The queen started in a cold voice.

"I would imagine so, Serena." Freedi murmured weakly.

"That is your queen that you are speaking to!" Gilroy roared at the helpless elven woman angrily. "You will address her with respect!"

"Please," The elderly elven woman closed her eyes wearily. "Not so loud. My head feels like there is a blacksmith inside pounding away."

Damarius gave her an shrewd look, then suddenly rose to his feet and went to her side. "It looks like you may have a slight concussion. I have something here that will help." He rummaged in his belt for a moment, then withdrew a vial.

"Poison?" Freedi asked suspiciously.

"Of course not." The old wizard chuckled. "It'll just help take your pain away." He poured a few drops into a goblet full of wine, then gave it to the elderly elven woman, who nodded to him gratefully. "It should only take a few moments to take effect."

"I'm surprised that you would be willing to help me, considering... Well, you know." She took a long drink from the goblet.

"Considering that you attempted to kill me while my back was turned?" Damarius shook his head. "You're not the first person that has tried to kill me. I'm sure that you won't be the last."

"It is still unusual to find such compassion in a human." Freedi said with a shrug. "I had always believed humans to be completely devoid of kindness and compassion, but perhaps I was wrong."

"You were." The old wizard assured her. "When it comes down to it, humans are not that much different than elves, really. We just seem a bit more chaotic than the other races because our lives are much shorter in comparison." He gave her a curious look. "How is your head feeling?"

"Much better, thank you." Freedi smiled. "It was really bothering me, but the elixir that you gave me seems to have done the trick. It's a good thing, too. When you blasted me across the room, I bashed my head against the floor, and it really hurt. Look!" She gestured to a large purple knot above her temple. "It left a lump on my forehead the size of an egg!"

"What did you give her?" Dar asked curiously as the elderly elven woman continued to ramble on.

"Just a little concoction that I whipped up for occasions such as this." The old wizard grinned. "It's a powerful potion for pain that also acts as a truth serum. She'll tell us everything that she knows, and then some."

"Really?" Queen Serena asked thoughtfully.

"Oh yes," Damarius assured her with a smile. "She'll tell you everything that she knows, at least until the potion wears off."

"Interesting." The elven queen turned her gaze to their prisoner. "I have some questions for you, Freedi."

"I imagine you do, my queen." The elderly elven woman nodded, a slightly glazed look in her eyes. "I attempted to murder a visitor to your court right in front of you. I think that would raise all sorts of questions. But unfortunately," She frowned. "I won't be telling you anything. I swore an oath to never reveal anything to our enemies, and I intend to keep that oath, no matter the costs. I..."

"Who did you swear this oath to?

"Why, Hetris, of course." Freedi answered immediately. "Who else would ask me to commit such an act to prove my loyalty. Petra?" She snorted in amusement. "She cares nothing for Her followers. Hetris actually walks among His followers, and He rewards those who prove their loyalty. He..."

"How long have you been a follower of Hetris?" Queen Serena interrupted the rambling old elven woman.

"About a year or so," Freedi answered after a moment's thought. "Give or take a month or two. I..."

"Who introduced you to the dark god?" Gilroy asked in disapproval.

"I was approached by Yrinn one evening as I made my way back from the markets with some fresh plums for Queen Serena." She told him with a shrug. "He said that he needed to speak with me, and that it was a matter of life and death." She held out her shackled hands helplessly. "I knew that he had been banished from the island over a century ago for attempting to usurp the throne, but I have known him since he was a child. I couldn't say no. He convinced me to hear him out, so I followed him to a secluded area where we talked."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me that he had returned to finish what he had started." Freedi replied bluntly. "He planned to renew his quest to wrest the throne from Queen Serena, and lead the elves into a new era under the guidance of Hetris. And he also told me that Hetris wanted me to become one of His children.
Me
." Her eyes filled with tears. "I have spent my entire life following Petra, and She never once granted any of my prayers or requests." The old elven woman sneered hatefully. "Not one single prayer! She would never even reveal Herself to me, even after my many centuries of faithful service! Apparently I was not worthy enough to be in Her presence." She suddenly smiled a fanatical smile. "But Hetris appeared to me the very first time that I called upon Him! After performing the ritual of request, He appeared from the shadows and greeted me like a long lost daughter!
He
actually cares about those who call upon Him, and He is willing to answer His children's prayers!" She sighed in happy contentment. "He promised to grant my fondest wishes in exchange for my undying loyalty."

"What did you do to prove your loyalty?" Damarius asked curiously.

"I snuck into my granddaughter's house and performed the ritual of offering."

"The ritual of offering?" Bellatonia asked with a note of dread.

"I killed my granddaughter and her children, of course." Freedi shrugged. "Hetris was quite pleased, and immediately gave me His blessing."

"How could you do such a thing?" Queen Serena gasped in horror. "They were your own family!"

"It was what Hetris demanded of me." The elderly elven woman shrugged carelessly. "A blood sacrifice is required to prove that you are a true follower. Blood is precious to Hetris, and to perform the ritual of offering using those who bear one's own blood is considered to be the ultimate proof of loyalty."

"Have you killed any others since?" The elven queen demanded with a sick expression.

"No," Freedi shook her head. "Hetris commanded that I return to my life as a servant here in the Royal Tower, and to conceal my allegiance to Him until commanded otherwise."

"And what changed?" Dar asked with a frown.

"Hetris was extremely displeased with this outsider called the Dragon Lord for killing some of His children, and He wanted revenge. He came to me last night and commanded me to eliminate the old wizard who had accompanied the Dragon Lord, no matter the cost. I was trying to figure out a way to get close enough to him to strike when the queen ordered food to be brought to the throne room. I suddenly found myself within a few feet of my target, and when he turned his back upon me, I saw my opportunity to strike." She shrugged. "I seized the opportunity, and struck. I never expected what happened next, though."

The door to the throne room suddenly burst open, and Ava Delilah stormed into the room, her expression angry.

"Oh boy," Freedi sighed wearily, closing her eyes. "Here we go."

"How could you, Freedi?" Ava Delilah demanded in a shrill voice. "How could you turn your back upon everything that you have ever known?"

"It was easier than you would think, Delilah." The elderly elven woman replied blandly.

"But you have been a devout follower of our goddess for centuries! Why would you suddenly turn your back upon Her?"