The Eldritch Conspiracy (21 page)

“Please, Princess. If you get the chance,
please
.” I tried to stop her, but Hiwahiwa actually dropped to her knees, begging. “You have to kill Okalani.”

How could I say this without insulting her? “Hiwahiwa, I wasn’t raised here. I’m not a siren by birth. I was raised in California, to American standards. Honor killings are still murder there. Suicide is a crime in many states, no matter the reason. Please understand that because of
my
beliefs, which are every bit as important to me as your beliefs are to you and Laka, I cannot …
will not
intentionally take a life unless I’m trying to save my own or someone else’s.”

She stared at me for a long time. I let my mind go blank, just feeling the pain I knew she was feeling, both at Okalani’s situation and the choice I had to make. Finally, she stood, smoothed her lavalava, bowed her head as she’d been trained to do when in the presence of royalty, and backed away until she could turn and leave. Not a word was spoken, but I could hear heart-breaking sobs erupt from her on the other side of the door after it had closed.

Crap.

I sat and got more and more bummed the longer I was alone. After nearly an hour of wallowing, since I was already depressed, I tried calling my gran.

Don’t get me wrong. I love my gran. She’s good and kind—but hardheaded as hell. When my mom disappeared into the bottle and started sleeping around, Gran was the one who made sure there were groceries in the house, that Ivy and I made it to school. She’s been a font of love and wisdom my whole life. But at the same time, she’s always enabled my mother’s drinking. It was her car my mother was driving the last two times she was picked up for drunk driving. Now my mom was in prison on Serenity, and she’d made it very clear she never wants to see me again. She cut me out of her life, and I’m all for it. But that destroyed my relationship with Gran, who blames me.

But Gran isn’t the only one who is stubborn in the family. I keep trying, keep hoping that we can work something out. Besides, what with the press coverage of all the bullets and bombs, she had to be worried. Maybe this time she’d take my call.

“Hello?” The voice on the line sounded both older and feebler than I remembered. My grandmother had always been a ball of fire, with enough energy for two people twice her size. Not today. That, more than anything, frightened me.

“Gran, it’s me.”

“Celia! Oh thank God! Sweetie, are you all right? I’ve been watching the news. They said you were all right, but…”

“I’m fine, Gran.” Tears stung my eyes at the sound of her voice, hearing the words that made it clear she really did still care. I tried to pull myself together as my grandmother said soothing things to me.

“I love you so much, Gran. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, sweetheart.” There were tears in her voice now; I could hear the thickness in her words.

“I was wondering … would you maybe like to have dinner when I get back to the mainland? We can go wherever you want. My treat.”

“On the mainland? Where are you?” Her voice was odd. It was the tone of voice she always used when she’d done something that she knew I wouldn’t approve of, usually something for my mother. Hearing that was oddly reassuring in an “oh shit, here we go again” sort of way. It gave me something familiar to cling to.

I forced lightness into my voice that I didn’t really feel. “I’m on Serenity for the wedding. I’m the maid of honor, if you can believe that.”

“Serenity? Oh.” Now she definitely sounded weird. And worried. “Well, I’m sure they’re keeping you much too busy to see me. You’re probably staying in the royal compound, too, what with security being so tight. Most of the restaurants are on the other side of the island.”

Okay, that had me totally confused. Yeah, I was on Serenity. But Gran has a lovely apartment in an assisted living facility in Santa Maria. “Gran, what are you talking about?”

“Serenity, of course. Didn’t Dawna tell you? I sublet my place on the mainland and moved here so that I could see your mother more often without having to make a long, expensive trip.”

What the hell? No, Dawna hadn’t told me. Of course, her grandmother might not have told her. Or Dawna might have lost track, what with all her own wedding stuff going on.

I made myself sound cheerful as I said, “Well, now we’ve just got to get together. After all, I’m already here. Have you been to the compound? It’s amazing. You really should see the place. We can have a good, long visit.”

“Oh, I’d like that. I really would.” She sounded as if she meant it, but I could still hear a little thread of something fishy in her voice. Whatever it was, I’d find out when I saw her. Gran has never been able to keep a secret, and unlike my mother and me, she’s dispositionally incapable of being sneaky. “I’ll check to see when the shuttle runs out there.”

Okay, that wasn’t good. Normally she’d be having me drive her. Why didn’t she want me to see where she lived? I opened my mouth to say something, but she was babbling, trying to make sure I didn’t get the chance to ask any pointed questions.

“And honey, I want you to know how proud I am of you. My grandbaby, in a royal wedding! It’s so exciting. You’ll have to tell me all about it. I can’t wait to see the dress you’ll be wearing. I bet you’ll look so pretty.”

“Thanks. I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, it’ll take me a little time to work out the details, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Okay?”

“You do that, honey, you do that. I love you, baby.”

“Love you, too.”

I hung up the phone with mixed emotions: Love, frustration, and worry mingled with happiness at having actually heard her voice for the first time in months. My gran is a good woman. She isn’t perfect, but who is? But she was hiding something—probably something about my mother. I was going to find out what it was.

21

“I
’m supposed
to be guarding you.” I kept my tone light and pleasant, but inside I was seething as I sat in Queen Lopaka’s office, having a “brief conversation” with my cousin. Adriana had begun using her mother’s office when Queen Chiyoko arrived; I bet that had been a calculated move, to prevent Chiyoko from going through Lopaka’s things and to keep people from getting used to seeing Chiyoko in Lopaka’s place.

Adriana had practically begged for my help when we’d had lunch on her yacht. Now I kept getting shunted aside. First she’d left me behind to get the dresses. Then she’d said that I wouldn’t be needed today as she’d be in meetings and a state dinner. Tomorrow, because she’d be in meetings all day, she suggested I go shopping.
Shopping,
for God’s sake. What the hell? It was worse than annoying. It was insulting.

I know, and I am sorry. But none of the prophets, myself included, sees any threat to me this evening, and I would rather not have … tension between you and those previously assigned to guard me.

Tension?
I hadn’t been tense, but now I was getting that way. Was there some sort of political pissing matching going on among the security agents? Because that’s the surest recipe for betrayal.

Celia, please? For me? I do understand how you feel. But it was hard enough convincing my regular bodyguards you were needed on the mainland. We used the excuse that you had actual experience with monsters. But we are on Serenity now.…

I saved your life on the mainland, and it wasn’t from monsters.

She sighed.
Yes, you did. And it made the others look bad. They died and you survived.

I suddenly put two and two together.
Which made things worse. There was only your word, and mine, that the gunmen killed the guards.

I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but yes.

That is so stupid.
But typical. People don’t rise to the level of bodyguarding members of a royal family without drive and ambition. Pride rides right along with those. No doubt some of the agents were just fine with me. And some of them weren’t. Their skill was being called into question. How could it not be? Probably the same thing was happening with Dahlmar’s people. Miller & Creede would definitely make all but the best look bad.

Adriana was trying to soothe the wounded pride of both loyalists and detractors. I let out a slow breath.
So long as it doesn’t actually put you at risk, who am I to argue? We need your people on their game and at their best, not distracted by petty bullshit. I guess I can be big about it. Fine. I’ll
shop.
I’m going to need a couple more lavalavas anyway. And it’ll give me a chance to check in on my gran.

She nearly collapsed in relief. I understand rock and hard place. Been there.
Thank you. Truly.

I shrugged.
Whatever. But you realize that this is making me totally useless.

Her face actually showed surprise at this.
No! That’s not true at all. You saved my life and that of my mother on the mainland. A couple of sentences from you in the back of the limousine has discomfited my mother’s greatest rival more effectively than all of my reasoned arguments. You have been far more helpful than even I’d imagined you could be—and you don’t know our culture all that well.

I blinked at that. I had?

Adriana stood and walked to the window, keeping her back to me. Her hands were clasped lightly behind her back; for all appearances to anyone watching, she wasn’t meeting with anyone at all.
Celia, I am not fond of Queen Chiyoko. I can admit that. But I am coming to believe that she actually is trying to do what she believes is right for our people. She believes you would be a disaster on the throne and that my mother needs a true heir, one steeped in our traditions and beliefs, who can rule our people.

Well, she was right about that. Especially after hearing some of their “traditions and beliefs.”
Well, I’m definitely not your girl. I can’t even get the support of your freaking bodyguards.

Adriana flinched at the bitterness in my words, hanging in the air, but didn’t argue the point. She walked back to the desk, then picked up and put on a lovely pearl ring, part of a suite of jewelry laid out for her. She continued to speak with her mind, which was getting tiring for me. Not tiring, as in I was annoyed, but tiring, as in exhausted.

I understand her concern, and would be more forgiving, were it not that she is so determined to use this situation to take my mother’s place as high queen.

Adriana put on the last of her jewelry and stepped toward the couch where I was sitting. Now she spoke aloud—she had shut me out of her mind as easily as closing a door. Someday, I vowed, I was going to be able to do that. Projecting is all great and good, but I was sick to death of having sirens and other telepaths wander in and out of my thoughts at will. If it took training and practice, I’d train and practice. Some thoughts should not be available for public consumption.

“Shall we? We don’t want to be late.” Adriana gestured toward the door. I walked out ahead of her and was pleased when Baker and Griffiths immediately fell in around us. I forced myself to smile, smile, smile as we went to join King Dahlmar and the others for a private dinner.

The dining room we were using tonight was elegant, decorated in shades of sea green, turquoise, and gold. There were two layers of linen covering the tables, a dark teal underlayer covered by creamy white. The dishes were fine china, and above each place setting was a small bowl made from half an abalone shell, cradling flowers floating in water. The effect was lovely, and the room smelled wonderful even before the food started to arrive.

I had fully intended to sit next to Adriana, but we were the last to arrive and there was only one place open at Dahlmar’s side. Adriana smoothly crossed the room to greet Dahlmar, who rose … followed quickly by everybody else. My cousin’s fiancé helped her into the seat between him and Natasha, then sat. I took the last remaining chair, between Olga and a man who didn’t appear to be either Ruslandic or Siren.

The staff began moving about, pouring water, bringing in baskets of fresh baked bread that smelled like heaven. I wished, mightily, that I could eat bread, but that was not going to happen. So I turned my head away and distracted myself as best I could by checking out my dinner companions.

It turned out that the man I didn’t know was the American ambassador, so at least we could talk about the weather and television we liked. Olga pretended not to know English, which suited me fine.

Dahlmar and Adriana only had eyes for each other. They were in love, pure and simple. He acted proud, protective, and possessive. She practically glowed every time she looked at him. I was very happy that they’d found each other.

Next to Adriana, Natasha looked … odd. There was a strangely vacant expression on her face, as if she weren’t quite all there. The movement of her hand as she reached for her water glass was jerky and uncoordinated, so it was no surprise that she knocked it over. Everyone jumped, and in that instant of distraction I felt the flare of magic and saw a drop of golden fluid being slipped into Adriana’s water glass out of the corner of my eye.

“Don’t drink that,” I ordered as Adriana lifted the glass while servants cleaned up the spill and cleared away the plates from the first course. I leapt to my feet so fast that my napkin and fork went flying. In the next heartbeat, I was at Adriana’s side, reaching for the glass and her wrist.

She froze, giving me a wide-eyed look. King Dahlmar’s expression darkened. He took the glass from her hand, turned to me and said, “Explain, please.”

“There’s something wrong with Natasha.” I gestured toward her.

She was the only person who hadn’t pulled away from the table, stood up, or otherwise reacted to my racing to the rescue. Even now, though her name had been spoken and people were looking at her, she just sat there, staring blankly into space, her expression empty and dazed.

“I’m guessing it’s a compulsion spell of some sort. She slipped something into that glass while you were all distracted by the spilled water.”