Bricrui (The Forgotten: Book 2) by Laura R Cole

there are any
estates that they still control or that their family doesn’t use
regularly that could have been commandeered for Telvani’s
project.”
    “We should call Natalya too,” Gryffon added
and Layna gave him a confused look. He pointed out another section.
“It mentions a lot about people being transported to this place
that we can probably safely assume are prisoners, but what about
these ones?” His fingers outlined several passages for her, “There
are no prisons anywhere near these areas, and look at the last one
here.”
    “Hardonia.” Layna’s lifted spirits dulled
slightly. Natalya’s sister was being used in some sort of
experiment. Some kind of experiment that had led to Lord Telvani
becoming a blood-thirsty creature in their dungeon. She
shuddered.
    She and Gryffon had returned to the main part
of the palace to put their plans into motion when they were
interrupted by another servant.
    “Beg your pardons, Majesties, but Lady Aria
from Treymayne has arrived and requested that she speak with you
straightaway.”
    Layna and Gryffon exchanged a look. Treymayne
was tentatively their ally, but given that the two countries had
been isolated from one another for hundreds of years and then when
they were suddenly thrown back together King Nathair had almost
immediately began a war with them, relations were still tense. With
everything that was going on, they didn’t really need more problems
from their neighbors.
    “Very well,” Layna acknowledged, “bring her
to the council room and we’ll be there shortly.” They hurried back
to their suite and stowed away the documents in a magical safe,
making their way back to the council room. Layna hated to imagine
what they would say to the emissary about their missing
Council.
    The doors were opened at their approach, and
Layna stepped alongside Gryffon into the vast room. It looked even
bigger when it wasn’t filled to the brim with Council members and
members of the public alike. Since Layna had taken over, they had
tried to emulate more of the Treymaynian methods of governing by
welcoming the public into many of the meetings and encouraging
their input. At least they had been. Lately, they hadn’t even been
able to hold any open courts for the people to share their
grievances. Not since the Council had all simultaneously gone
mad.
    Lady Aria was seated in the middle of the
large table and she stood to greet them. She hugged them both
–momentarily forgoing the formalities of both their posts – and
though Layna was extremely comfortable with her relationship with
Gryffon, given the past that Lady Aria had shared with him it still
gave her an uncomfortable twinge.
    After Aria’s father, Baron Asheron, had been
murdered by the foul play of Lady Jezebel, Lady Aria had decided to
become more involved with politics. She found that it agreed with
her, and had been elevated to be part of the Triumvirate within the
Ieldran, one of three of the most exalted ranks, and one which her
father had previously held.
    She invited them both to sit informally and
they did so, waiting for her to speak.
    “The Ieldran has been in talks about
proposing a merger between our two countries,” she began and Layna
lifted an eyebrow. That had not been what she’d been expecting. The
lady continued, “Given that we were one big country previously,
with only the barrier that forced us to function as two separate
entities, and now that you are adopting an extremely similar
government, I have been suggesting that we unite together again as
one.”
    “I assume you have given some thought as to
how we would merge?”
    “Indeed. My thought is that the capitol would
be Endlyfta as it was in ancient times, but Naoham would continue
as a satellite area to house members of the Council from this end
of the country. A permanent gate could possibly be constructed
between the two for easy communication. Though we haven’t yet
succeeded in our trials of such a feat, we believe it to