here?"
Ardis asked.
"Less than two hours," Justis replied. I knew then
that he'd made this journey before.
Gurnil, who sat at the meeting table writing notes swiftly
across parchment, glanced up and nodded to Justis. "I will expect a report
upon your return, Commander," Gurnil said.
"You will have it," Justis agreed. "Come—Black
Wings and Quin with me. We leave at nightfall."
* * *
Vhrist
The drawings Tamblin held this time defied explanation. Along
with the drawings came descriptions of loud noises accompanying the
contraptions. Who knew what they could be, and this, so shortly after their
conversation with Rath in the dungeons?
"We will have the execution tomorrow," Tamblin
nodded to Yevil. "In public. Then we will send his head to Lironis—to my
wife. If she's there, as Rath claims, then it's only right that they should see
one another," Tamblin laughed.
"Tell the bitch to bow to you or she'll be next,"
Yevil's voice was sly.
"Sounds reasonable enough, only include Amlis in that
charge. Place extra guards around Rath's cage, too."
"I'll see it done, my King."
* * *
Lironis
Quin
"If you tire, let me know. I'll have Ardis carry you,"
Justis said. "Regardless, before we reach Vhrist, I'll have him carry you
anyway, to hide your white wings. Black is not easily seen, and we've drilled
for this many times. All we need is your locating skills."
"I know," I nodded. "I worry that he may be
moved, in case any of his men make a rescue attempt."
"They'd be better off fighting Tamblin's troops,"
Justis huffed.
"They're outnumbered, and the King's troops fear Yevil,"
I explained. "I fear that he may have more weapons like the one Amlis took
to Avii Castle. Sadly, the thing exploded when their ship was attacked by
Kondari airchoppers, which also caused the boat to explode. Beatris barely had
time to leap from the deck before it was incinerated."
"He had a weapon that exploded?"
"You should ask Amlis about it—he carried it away from
Vhrist," I shrugged. "I think it was the one used to kill Elabeth and
Camryn."
That admission stopped Justis cold. "What did it look
like?" His voice sounded deadly.
"Ask Amlis—he and Rodrik held it," I said.
"Come," he snapped. I followed him out of our suite.
* * *
"It looked something like this," Amlis hastily drew
a sketch with pen and ink upon a scrap of parchment.
"That cannot be. Nothing like that should be in Fyris,"
Justis breathed.
"It made a hole in Brin's chest," Rodrik indicated
the size of his fist. "Yevil killed him with the infernal device after
Brin stabbed Timblor."
"You know what it is," I gazed at Justis, who looked
grim.
"These are supposed to be hidden in Jurris' private
treasury," Justis claimed, studying the sketch again.
"What is it, then?" Amlis, asked.
"An ancient weapon," Justis muttered. "A
dangerous one. How did such as this come to Fyris?"
"I believe that may be determined by Yevil's parentage,"
I said. "I know Tamblin allows him sway in most things, and I wonder at
that. I also wonder what Yevil's back looks like when he removes his shirt."
"What are you saying?" Rodrik asked.
"I've never seen Yevil without a shirt," Amlis admitted.
"Even when sparring with swords."
"A half-blood?" Justis lifted an eyebrow.
"Perhaps. I feel too much of a connection between him and
another that I know of."
"We are in deep trouble," Gurnil sighed.
* * *
Kondar
"Dorthil, this is useless. We need collaboration, not
civil war," Edden said. He'd placed a vid-call to Dorthil, who was
currently a guest of Sector Two's President and his advisors. Edden didn't
point out that Sector Two was experiencing upheaval regarding heavy-handed
legislation churned out by the current President and his staff; that would
ensure Dorthil's continued fomentation of civil war.
"Fourth Sector is with us," Dorthil snapped. "You
merely wish to save your skin. I should have disposed of you when I had the
chance."
"You realize those words are treasonous?" Melis
Norwal's face
Ardis asked.
"Less than two hours," Justis replied. I knew then
that he'd made this journey before.
Gurnil, who sat at the meeting table writing notes swiftly
across parchment, glanced up and nodded to Justis. "I will expect a report
upon your return, Commander," Gurnil said.
"You will have it," Justis agreed. "Come—Black
Wings and Quin with me. We leave at nightfall."
* * *
Vhrist
The drawings Tamblin held this time defied explanation. Along
with the drawings came descriptions of loud noises accompanying the
contraptions. Who knew what they could be, and this, so shortly after their
conversation with Rath in the dungeons?
"We will have the execution tomorrow," Tamblin
nodded to Yevil. "In public. Then we will send his head to Lironis—to my
wife. If she's there, as Rath claims, then it's only right that they should see
one another," Tamblin laughed.
"Tell the bitch to bow to you or she'll be next,"
Yevil's voice was sly.
"Sounds reasonable enough, only include Amlis in that
charge. Place extra guards around Rath's cage, too."
"I'll see it done, my King."
* * *
Lironis
Quin
"If you tire, let me know. I'll have Ardis carry you,"
Justis said. "Regardless, before we reach Vhrist, I'll have him carry you
anyway, to hide your white wings. Black is not easily seen, and we've drilled
for this many times. All we need is your locating skills."
"I know," I nodded. "I worry that he may be
moved, in case any of his men make a rescue attempt."
"They'd be better off fighting Tamblin's troops,"
Justis huffed.
"They're outnumbered, and the King's troops fear Yevil,"
I explained. "I fear that he may have more weapons like the one Amlis took
to Avii Castle. Sadly, the thing exploded when their ship was attacked by
Kondari airchoppers, which also caused the boat to explode. Beatris barely had
time to leap from the deck before it was incinerated."
"He had a weapon that exploded?"
"You should ask Amlis about it—he carried it away from
Vhrist," I shrugged. "I think it was the one used to kill Elabeth and
Camryn."
That admission stopped Justis cold. "What did it look
like?" His voice sounded deadly.
"Ask Amlis—he and Rodrik held it," I said.
"Come," he snapped. I followed him out of our suite.
* * *
"It looked something like this," Amlis hastily drew
a sketch with pen and ink upon a scrap of parchment.
"That cannot be. Nothing like that should be in Fyris,"
Justis breathed.
"It made a hole in Brin's chest," Rodrik indicated
the size of his fist. "Yevil killed him with the infernal device after
Brin stabbed Timblor."
"You know what it is," I gazed at Justis, who looked
grim.
"These are supposed to be hidden in Jurris' private
treasury," Justis claimed, studying the sketch again.
"What is it, then?" Amlis, asked.
"An ancient weapon," Justis muttered. "A
dangerous one. How did such as this come to Fyris?"
"I believe that may be determined by Yevil's parentage,"
I said. "I know Tamblin allows him sway in most things, and I wonder at
that. I also wonder what Yevil's back looks like when he removes his shirt."
"What are you saying?" Rodrik asked.
"I've never seen Yevil without a shirt," Amlis admitted.
"Even when sparring with swords."
"A half-blood?" Justis lifted an eyebrow.
"Perhaps. I feel too much of a connection between him and
another that I know of."
"We are in deep trouble," Gurnil sighed.
* * *
Kondar
"Dorthil, this is useless. We need collaboration, not
civil war," Edden said. He'd placed a vid-call to Dorthil, who was
currently a guest of Sector Two's President and his advisors. Edden didn't
point out that Sector Two was experiencing upheaval regarding heavy-handed
legislation churned out by the current President and his staff; that would
ensure Dorthil's continued fomentation of civil war.
"Fourth Sector is with us," Dorthil snapped. "You
merely wish to save your skin. I should have disposed of you when I had the
chance."
"You realize those words are treasonous?" Melis
Norwal's face
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