The Immortal Queen Tsubame: Ascension (10 page)

They offered him a seat. Devdan chose to stand. He couldn’t make it appear her was making this easy, when four days ago he’d cussed them out and stormed out the room.

“I’ll help,” Devdan said without waiting for any of them to address him.

An old man with a neat white beard and blue eyes that Bastet informed him was the leading councilman raised his bushy white eyebrows—Bastet said his name was Absalom—at him and said, “Oh? Why the sudden change of heart?”

Devdan rolled his eyes. “I didn’t have a change of heart. I still think this is your fault because you knew something was brewing between the Thornes and the Romanovs for years and knew someone might try to take advantage it. But that doesn’t matter. We’re facing it now and if I have to be involved, I want to get something out of it.”

“We don’t owe you anything,” Absalom said.

They owed him everything in Devdan’s opinion. Hushed as it was kept, the Magic Council had an invested interest in the slave trade in the business of trading human guardians and familiars that lasted much longer than animals. It made some of the very council members at the table, particularly Absalom, rich and much more influential in the world for their facilitation.

“That’s certainly debatable,” Devdan said, deciding not to throw their past misdeeds in their faces yet, “But my help isn’t free.”

“So you’ll help us find Tsubame?” Anya asked.

“Tsubame is going to certainly make herself known in her own good time. She’s going to lie out and wait for the two sides to obliterate each other and then sweep in and take advantage of the chaos to get to the council with her own allies and force a takeover of the magical world like she’s been doing. You need someone who won’t get involved in the initial conflict to defend you when Tsubame decides to rear her head again.”

“And you know someone who would help?” Absalom asked.

“The African and South American Tribes,” Devdan said giving pause to the Magic Council.

“We’ve never been able to get them to cooperate with our rules and regulations. What makes you think you can?”

“Because unlike you all, I didn’t fucking steal their powerful children, eventually breed them, and sell them into slavery,” Devdan said.

“Devdan,” Bastet warned.

He wasn’t sure if she was just keeping up appearances or if she really wanted him to tone it down. Either way he didn’t care. The Magical Council deserved to be reminded that they weren’t owed anyone’s cooperation regardless of if they were too arrogant to see it that way. The Magic Council had always been at odds with the African and South American magic tribes, but their involvement in stealing the children of the powerful African tribes to sell into the slave trade and their hand in the complete genocide of what used to be multiple prosperous Native American magical tribes in North America without ever owning up to the fact that what they had done was wrong had been the final nail in the coffin as far as good relations went with the indigenous magical tribes on both continents, even though the Magic Council still tried to claim jurisdiction over them. And to hear them say that the two continents wouldn’t cooperate as though they were acting like children over a petty matter only made it harder for Devdan not to ruin Bastet’s plan and say to fuck with the lot of them. Bastet was going to have to accept that at the very least he wasn’t going to sugarcoat the truth to spare the council’s pride and feelings.

“And you think they’ll listen to you?” Absalom asked leaning back in chair in contemplation.

“I think they’ll be at least be willing a long lost descendant returning home.”

“And in return?” a man with graying black hair and skin that looked like leather asked.

“After I ensure the cooperation of the tribes, I get a seat on the council as the South American and African ambassador.”

Bastet had been counting on two things when she told him to ask for a seat on the council. The first was that even if they gave him a seat on the council, it was no power because they would control him and use him to manipulate the uncooperative tribes for their own interests. The second was that the council wouldn’t think it a strange request since they knew he was a lone sorcerer with no familiar ties and most who wanted to get in with the council wished to covet a seat.

“They’ll be so blinded by their arrogance in thinking that they can easily trick you that they won’t even consider that it might be their arrogance and deceit that you’re betting on,”
Bastet said to him.

“We’ll take it under consideration,” Absalom said promptly and dismissed both him and Bastet.

Of course they would have to pretend to deliberate on the matter, to argue the pros and cons. And a few days later they would bring him back and emphasize that his seat on the council was very conditional and depended on the ensured cooperation of the African and South American tribes, without specifying what they meant by cooperation. Still, Devdan pretended to get ready to argue with them when Bastet called his name and shook her head.

Devdan stared at her for a moment and then rolled his eyes before saying, “Whatever,” and leaving the room with Bastet following behind him.

10

“So what’s your real plan?” MaLeila asked when she went to see Tsubame the next morning.

The woman turned to give her a wry look and said, “The walls have ears MaLeila. You have to make sure that even when it appears we’re in private that the space is secure.”

“As cautious as you always are, I would have thought you secured the entire mansion once we stepped foot on the lawn,” MaLeila replied, flopping onto Tsubame’s bed.

“Even you would have noticed if I had done that as it would have required me to manipulate the atmosphere and how sound traveled through it in such a large space. As it is though, you’re correct. My room is certainly silent to anyway looking to listen,” Tsubame assured. Then she added, “And you’re going to have to elaborate on what you mean when you say what’s my real plan? I thought it was clear. To make allies.”

Except Marie certainly wasn’t an ally Tsubame could trust. Marie was an ally who would only be her ally if it looked like Tsubame was certain to win. And if Tsubame were anything like MaLeila, there were probably many times that it looked like she would lose only for her to miraculously win against her enemies whether it was a strategic move or simply plain luck. In those situation, a person like Marie, who obviously wanted power like what the Magic Council offered was not the type of ally Tsubame would want on her side. Marie didn’t want to change the world. She just wanted to be one of the top predators in it.

“You’re right,” Tsubame said after MaLeila explained her thoughts. “And to think that I thought I would have to explain that to you, but you picked it up on your own.”

“Then if I’m right, why do you want Marie?”

“Because of the undead army she can summon.”

“Undead,” MaLeila said.

“Marie’s as obsessed if not more obsessed with finding the key to immortality to keep the power she attains forever as she is with getting the power in the first place. She’s done a lot of experiments with dark magic and summoning creatures from the underworld. She was so infamous for her dabbling in the underworld, it was rumored that she could summon an undead army at will,” Tsubame said. “It was something the Magic Council could never confirm so they never could bring her up on charges for it.”

“If there was never any proof, how do you know it…” MaLeila trailed off and then said, “She showed it to you in your universe.”

Tsubame nodded.

“And you’re sure she has one in this universe too?”

“While the circumstance of our meeting may be different, that’s one thing I’m certain of. The only reason Marie never used it to try to overcome the Magic Council is that it takes most of her magical energy to summon and command them. She can only do so for a short period of time.” Tsubame grabbed a tablet off the side table next to the lounge she was lying on. “My alliance with the Thorne Clan is as tumultuous and uncertain as you believe my alliance with Marie will be. I have no illusions that when I need them most, the Thornes will turn their demon army against me. That’s where Marie’s undead army comes in.”

“They take out the Thornes demon assassins,” MaLeila said.

Tsubame nodded.

“That still doesn’t get rid of the risk that Marie will turn on you,” MaLeila insisted.

Tsubame said nothing for a while, more interested in scrolling through her tablet than talking to MaLeila it seemed. Finally she said with her eyes still on the tablet, “I know that. I expect her to. That’s why while we’re here. You’ll be ensuring her loyalty for me through another avenue. Consider it part of your training.”

Before MaLeila could ask what the woman wanted her to do, the woman finally looked up at MaLeila. She smiled as she said, “I just knew that sundress would look good on you.”

MaLeila opened and closed her mouth at the reference to the once again backless halter sundress. MaLeila had chosen it for two reasons. One was that it reminded her of the colors of the castle. The second was that because it was the one she was most comfortable with of all the dresses Tsubame had packed for her. They were all long, most of them just sweeping the ground when she walked, but they were all either backless or off-shouldered or had a long split up the side of one leg.

It was once she got over her surprise that MaLeila frowned and wondered what her clothing had to do with anything. In the past Tsubame had said things that seemingly had nothing to do with the conversation only for it to have everything to do with what was going on later.

“Germany just has lovely weather in the summer. Not too cold and not too hot and not rainy either,” Tsubame said as she finally put her tablet aside. “Once in Japan on a day with weather similar to this, one of the daughters of the Japanese Clan dressed me up in the traditional garb of a Geisha. You can only imagine how hot that was. Not to mention how heavy and uncomfortable it was. Ayame told me that being a Geisha was never meant to be comfortable or convenient and later on, I realized that the same was true for being queen. Still unlike a Geisha, queens have to be willing to roll up their sleeves and do the dirty work, something a traditional kimono isn’t always conducive to.”

“Tsubame. I don’t have the patience for your mind games. What are you trying to get at?”

“It’s part of your training dear. You figure it out,” Tsubame said.

“Figure it out! Tsubame, I can’t read your mind.”

“Yet you still figured out after one conversation with Marie that she’ll betray me the first chance she gets if it means a better chance at achieving her ambitions,” Tsubame deadpanned. “Being a step ahead of your enemies and being able to predict what they’ll do long before they ever do it is an important part of being queen. But don’t abuse your brain over it too much. I’ve given you all the clues you need. Go find Marcel and enjoy this beautiful weather.”

MaLeila inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled, deciding to follow Tsubame’s casual dismissal rather than argue with her. She eventually found Marcel, but was hardly able to enjoy being with him. Marcel noticed her distraction and eventually asked her about what was on her mind while they were exploring the grounds of Marie’s castle. When she explained what Tsubame told her, Marcel rolled his eyes.

“What?” MaLeila asked.

“This just reminds me of back in our younger years. She was always so cryptic about things and for good reason back then with the crowds she used to run around with. Even after she didn’t need to be so guarded, she kept up with it out of habit. Now she does it because it’s more fun to see people try and fail to puzzle it out than to be straight with them,” Marcel explained.

“It’s frustrating,” MaLeila muttered.

“It can be, but less frustrating when she actually wants you to figure out what she’s being cryptic about,” Marcel said.

“She said to consider it part of my training,” MaLeila replied.

“It may be part of your training, but it doesn’t mean I can’t help you with it if you tell me what she said,” Marcel replied.

MaLeila huffed. “I don’t need help. It’s just that I thought I left cryptic puzzles and uncertain expectations behind when I broke things off with Devdan for good.”

Marcel raised an eyebrow at her, and it was when MaLeila was about to ask why he was looking at her like that did she realize what she said. It was so much easier to talk about Devdan, even to think about Devdan once she had permanently severed their relationship. She hadn’t even thought about what she was saying.

“So you finally admit it,” Marcel teased.

“I’m not admitting to anything except the fact that Devdan and I were complicated and the more I come to terms with that, the easier it is to talk about it to begin with,” MaLeila admitted.

Marcel didn’t say anything else in regards to Devdan and said, “If you’re sure you don’t need the help then I guess I’ll let you figure it out yourself.”

Marcel then grinned. “Tell me. Have you ever had sex outside before?”

MaLeila rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you’d know considering that you’re the only person I’ve ever had sex with.”

Marcel grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him, her back pressed against his chest. “You know, I really like these backless dresses you’ve been wearing lately. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you show off this much skin in an outfit.”

“You can thank Tsubame for that. She picked them out.”

Marcel buried his face in her neck and murmured between kisses, “I’ll do it later if I remember.”

MaLeila tilted her head to the side to give Marcel more access to her neck as he peppered kisses down it. He pushed the fabric of her dress off her right shoulder and continued pressing kisses from her neck to her shoulder.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made MaLeila open her eyes and lift her head. While Marcel stopped his kisses, didn’t completely lift his face out her neck, only turning his head ever so slightly so he could get a view of their intruder, Dominik Voss.

The young man was standing there with an eyebrow raised at them. MaLeila’s face heated up in discomfort and she averted her gaze subtly trying to pull away from Marcel. He didn’t seem embarrassed though and continued to look at the dark haired man with his chin resting in the crook her neck, leaving her right shoulder still uncovered.

“Can we help you with something?” Marcel asked.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Dominik said though he didn’t sound particularly sincere about it. “Tsubame said you’d probably be out here and asked me to come get you both for dinner.”

Marcel continued to look at Dominik for a few seconds. Then he gave MaLeila one final kiss on her shoulder, stood to his full height and fixed the shoulder of MaLeila’s dress—his eyes still watching Dominik the entire time.

Marcel grabbed MaLeila’s hand and led her to the house, brushing past Dominik as he did so. MaLeila didn’t say anything to Marcel about his actions, but they were a confirmation to her that she hadn’t been imagining the man’s stares. Apparently Marcel had noticed them too and if she knew anything about how possessive Devdan had once been of her even when they weren’t anything but “complicated,” Marcel had been marking his territory, probably fully aware that Dominik was in the area before MaLeila had realized it.

Eventually Dominik caught up to them, walking silently next to them. And once they were back at the castle, he led them to the dining area. Tsubame, Marie, Jasmine, and another young woman who appeared to be in her late teens with black hair and blue eyes likes Marie were already present.

“What took you so long to find them Dominik?” Jasmine asked.

Dominik grinned at the girl and said, “They had gone a little farther than Tsubame suggested they would have.”

MaLeila didn’t miss the innuendo, but managed not to react to it nonetheless. At first, no one said anything as the servants swept into the room and served everyone. It was only once they were gone that Marie said, “I don’t like to waste any time, Tsubame. So let’s go ahead and discuss exactly why I should ally with you when I could just join the Romanovs or the Thornes. They certainly have more tangible promises to give than you do.”

Tsubame didn’t answer immediately, more focused on sniffing at and tasting the whine that had been poured for her. After she finished inspecting it, she put it down and said, “We’re a lot alike Marie. The matriarchs of two families that the powers that be don’t want to acknowledge just because we’re what they might call new magic. It’s time we force them to bow down to us. On our own terms. Not on theirs. My offer may not be as tangible as a seat on the Magic Council, but I can promise that you’ll have the council and the families wrapped around your finger.”

Marie laughed and said while twirling her fork in her hand, “I don’t know where you’ve been Tsubame, but they certainly already bow down to me.”

MaLeila coughed to cover up the scoff that had inadvertently escaped her lips. Marie only glanced at her and then turned back to Tsubame, but Dominik spoke up.

“I think Tsubame’s apprentice has something she wants to say,” Dominik said.

Tsubame looked at Dominik and then looked at MaLeila.

“I think Mr. Voss is right,” she said. “Do you have something to add?”

MaLeila glanced at Tsubame, wondering what she was getting at. The woman had to know that whatever was about to come out of MaLeila’s mouth wasn’t going to be complimentary. The woman had watched her at the peace conference, had seen her blurt out her opinion to the Magic Council knowing they could put her through hell if they wanted. Why would she be encouraging her to speak?

“Well?” Marie asked.

It was Marie’s prompting that made MaLeila finally speak. She had insulted the woman yesterday and the woman hadn’t put them out her home yet.

“The council leaves you alone because you’re more trouble than you’re worth dealing with. If you were a real threat, you’d never get them to leave you alone. They would have allowed deranged magicians, wizards, and demons to come after you without doing anything to stop it. The fact that they ignore you and let you think you’re so powerful means they don’t see you as a threat, not that they acknowledge that you are one to them,” MaLeila said bluntly. “At least they see Tsubame as a threat. And if I were you, I’d be flattered she was giving me the time of day because obviously she sees something in you that she doesn’t want to have to be on the receiving end of in the future.”