The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) by Clay & Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith by Clay, Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith
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son."
The council room dissolved tiresomely again into panicked conversations dominated by anger and fear that a vampire force pursuing the
imperial prince would now fall on Marseilles. The colonel said in a
louder voice, "Messieurs, there is nothing to fear. The vampires are not
searching for the boy. But the Empire will be searching when news of
the disaster reaches their borders. If political stability concerns you, it
would be in your interest to avoid a situation where the emperor appears
bereft of heirs. I would ask you, please, to forward my message to the
imperial base on Malta. I need a ship to return Prince Simon to Alexandria. Then I will form an armada immediately to pursue Princess Adele's
captors."
"But surely she is already dead," Mayor Comblain argued.
A tall man in the front blurted out, "We should organize a prayer
vigil across town. Perhaps the archbishop could-"
He was drowned out by groans and derisive catcalls.
The querulous merchant boss bellowed from the floor, "Messieurs, I
propose that we appoint a committee to consider what reward we should
expect from the grateful imperial court for the return of the new heir
apparent. I would happily undertake to chair that committee."
Anhalt pointed at the bloated industrialist. "You will not use this
boy for extortion."
"Who are you to speak to me so? I have the interests of this city at
heart."
"Please! Please!" the mayor said quickly. He extended a quivering
hand toward Anhalt. "We are all grateful many times over for the assistance the Empire has given, not just to our fair city, but to many free
humans across the continent. I am sure that the emperor will shine upon
us for assuring him of the safety of his beloved son. We need not be
gauche."
"We should expect compensation for services rendered." The merchant grinned and patted his girth. "Everyone has to eat, monsieur."
This aroused a chorus of nervous laughter from the room. "I am proud
of my work pulling Marseilles from the dark ages. And you will certainly share in the reward, Colonel, if that is your concern. I am a fair
man and you've earned it."
Anhalt abruptly waded into the stiff-collared crowd. His robotic
motions were frightening in their directness. Men drew back, accompanied by the scraping of chairs. In the back of the room, several beefy
teamsters, much out of place in the neoclassical surroundings, detached
themselves from the wall and sidled forward. The merchant glanced at
them quickly, and they stopped but continued to watch, ready to move.
Anhalt drew up in front of the massive trader, who towered over
him. The soldier was assaulted by the smell of wine wafting off the corpulent man. He knew this man before him, or knew his type. Here in
the council chamber the merchant could speak the most beautiful classical French, but in his office and in the waterfront warehouses of Marseilles he spoke the harsh mercantile Mediterranean patois that had grown up since the vampire revolution had forcibly mixed European,
Levantine, and North African.
The soldier leaned close and whispered, "The boy will be treated
with care and returned to his family as soon as possible. I hold you personally responsible, monsieur. Or would you prefer your ships in imperial ports to be seized and impounded?"
The merchant turned pale, eyes narrowing. But he remained quiet.
The rest of the room had receded from the contest between these two
men. Even the mayor couldn't dredge up further conciliatory things to
say. Anhalt snorted derisively and, without a glance at the two teamsters
who glared at him, strode out the wide doors of the council chamber.
Simon was lying in bed tugging on the clothes he had been given to
wear. "They're not very well tailored," he observed without malice. Then
he sniffed his sleeve and wrinkled his nose. "Wool." His face was black
and blue, and he had been bandaged tightly around his chest. He had
hurt very badly until he was given some drops
The council room dissolved tiresomely again into panicked conversations dominated by anger and fear that a vampire force pursuing the
imperial prince would now fall on Marseilles. The colonel said in a
louder voice, "Messieurs, there is nothing to fear. The vampires are not
searching for the boy. But the Empire will be searching when news of
the disaster reaches their borders. If political stability concerns you, it
would be in your interest to avoid a situation where the emperor appears
bereft of heirs. I would ask you, please, to forward my message to the
imperial base on Malta. I need a ship to return Prince Simon to Alexandria. Then I will form an armada immediately to pursue Princess Adele's
captors."
"But surely she is already dead," Mayor Comblain argued.
A tall man in the front blurted out, "We should organize a prayer
vigil across town. Perhaps the archbishop could-"
He was drowned out by groans and derisive catcalls.
The querulous merchant boss bellowed from the floor, "Messieurs, I
propose that we appoint a committee to consider what reward we should
expect from the grateful imperial court for the return of the new heir
apparent. I would happily undertake to chair that committee."
Anhalt pointed at the bloated industrialist. "You will not use this
boy for extortion."
"Who are you to speak to me so? I have the interests of this city at
heart."
"Please! Please!" the mayor said quickly. He extended a quivering
hand toward Anhalt. "We are all grateful many times over for the assistance the Empire has given, not just to our fair city, but to many free
humans across the continent. I am sure that the emperor will shine upon
us for assuring him of the safety of his beloved son. We need not be
gauche."
"We should expect compensation for services rendered." The merchant grinned and patted his girth. "Everyone has to eat, monsieur."
This aroused a chorus of nervous laughter from the room. "I am proud
of my work pulling Marseilles from the dark ages. And you will certainly share in the reward, Colonel, if that is your concern. I am a fair
man and you've earned it."
Anhalt abruptly waded into the stiff-collared crowd. His robotic
motions were frightening in their directness. Men drew back, accompanied by the scraping of chairs. In the back of the room, several beefy
teamsters, much out of place in the neoclassical surroundings, detached
themselves from the wall and sidled forward. The merchant glanced at
them quickly, and they stopped but continued to watch, ready to move.
Anhalt drew up in front of the massive trader, who towered over
him. The soldier was assaulted by the smell of wine wafting off the corpulent man. He knew this man before him, or knew his type. Here in
the council chamber the merchant could speak the most beautiful classical French, but in his office and in the waterfront warehouses of Marseilles he spoke the harsh mercantile Mediterranean patois that had grown up since the vampire revolution had forcibly mixed European,
Levantine, and North African.
The soldier leaned close and whispered, "The boy will be treated
with care and returned to his family as soon as possible. I hold you personally responsible, monsieur. Or would you prefer your ships in imperial ports to be seized and impounded?"
The merchant turned pale, eyes narrowing. But he remained quiet.
The rest of the room had receded from the contest between these two
men. Even the mayor couldn't dredge up further conciliatory things to
say. Anhalt snorted derisively and, without a glance at the two teamsters
who glared at him, strode out the wide doors of the council chamber.
Simon was lying in bed tugging on the clothes he had been given to
wear. "They're not very well tailored," he observed without malice. Then
he sniffed his sleeve and wrinkled his nose. "Wool." His face was black
and blue, and he had been bandaged tightly around his chest. He had
hurt very badly until he was given some drops
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