Blood Alliance Page 4

  "We only have so much manpower available," Lissa said.

  "I'm worried we may have to begin conscripting more for longer periods than is already happening," I agreed. "For now, it's five years. If things get worse, I'd suggest moving it to seven or ten years, and opening it up for vampires and shapeshifters to join."

  "We don't have that now?" Nissa asked.

  "No. They worry about the vamps only being available during the night and shifters being, well, not humanoid at the full moon. Add to that the fact that vamps and shifters having a decided strength advantage over normal humanoids, and you have a problem," Lissa said. "This isn't Old Earth, where many shifters served in the military and managed to hide what they were."

  "The Alliances could train them separately," Nissa suggested.

  "Something to mention to Ildevar and Teeg," I agreed.

  "It'll take a majority vote at the next conclave, and that won't happen for eight years," Lissa huffed. "Unless we can put an emergency meeting in place, and that will require another majority vote—electronically, of course."

  "Then I hope the minds of the majority are still their own and not obsessed," I grumbled. "If that's not the case, we could be in real trouble."

  Breanne exchanged a glance with Lissa—they were concerned about this, just as I was. "Another thing that worries me," I said, "is this; what if some of them made a deal with the devil—to get re-elected or stay in power or to take over?"

  "That bears looking into," Lissa agreed.

  "Send recent images of all planetary leaders to Quin. We need to get started on this now."

  "What can we do about obsessions? We can't form an assassination squad to take out the ones affected," Nissa observed.

  "We have only two who may be able to change anything of that sort," Bree pointed out. "And employing either one will certainly draw unwanted attention."

  One of those she mentioned was me. The other was Ashe's mate, Kay. While Bree could technically count as the third one who could intervene, she was one of the Mighty and held back from interfering more often than not.

  "I suppose there are subtle accidents that can be arranged," Lissa snorted. "Rigo is the one to talk to about that."

  "Let me think on that," I said. "Maybe there are other ways around it."

  "Such as?" Bree turned to look at me.

  "Well, I can make a temporary replacement resemble the real thing, right down to their toenail fungus," I replied. "If we remove a leader—temporarily, of course, and place our spy in their seat of power, maybe we can find out where the obsession came from and what the ultimate goal is."

  "Somebody not susceptible to obsession," Lissa breathed and a light appeared in her eyes. "That's genius. We can keep the real leaders sequestered somewhere comfortable while we practice subterfuge."

  "I think I can replicate the feel of an obsession around a replacement, so the one who placed it can be fooled," I added.

  "There is a definite feel about them," Breanne agreed. "Slimy feeling, too."

  "Exactly."

  "Who is immune to an obsession—that is available to do this?" Nissa asked.

  "I'll have to consider that," Bree said, "because it could be considered interference by some of them."

  "Will some of the Larentii interfere on our behalf?" Lissa appeared thoughtful.

  "I doubt Kalenegar will allow it, unless one of the Three give permission."

  "Some of the very old vampires are immune," Lissa said. "But someone will have to make that determination before we consider sending them out."

  "I imagine the number of those immune to obsession may be relatively small, compared to the numbers we may actually need."

  "And there's the problem of making sure they have the skill set to actually sit in a seat of power," Nissa pointed out.

  "Right on," I held up a hand for a high five.

  "Is this a high five?" Nissa laughed and slapped her palm against mine.

  "Yep."

  "I know several vampires who have that skill set," Lissa sipped from her teacup. "All of them former Kings of Hraede, and all of them ancient."

  "Successful kings, too, I might add. I've worked with Halimel. He's probably the most patient man I've ever met, and quietly steers people in the proper direction, making them think it's all their idea rather than his," I agreed.

  "A sign of true leadership," Bree nodded. "They're all good at what they do. That's why they were turned."

  "Kell would be a good candidate, too. He turned Rigo and taught him everything he knows."

  "Will the ASD be willing to let Kell do something like that?" I asked. "They tend to frown on suggestions of taking over governments, no matter how temporary or necessary."

  "I think we could have a talk with Ildevar," Lissa said. "He may see the sense in it, especially if the obsession of a head of state could destabilize an entire region of planets, instead of one or two."

  "You mean the regional hubs?"

  "Yes. Distribution of goods is routed through those, and they're major space stations for passenger travel, too. If the massive amounts of tax money paid by any of those hubs is interrupted, that means the Alliance won't be able to operate as it normally does."

  "And it will affect every planet that deals with that hub for anything coming in or going out," I acknowledged. "Some of those could face real hardships if they don't get food, drugs or other vital necessities shipped in, or if new tariffs are levied that make it too expensive for them to afford."

  "Bingo," Lissa tapped her nose. "For now, the laws are relatively lax on tariffs charged by hub planets, and they've always been on the honor system. An obsession could take advantage of those loopholes and we could have real shortages and less movement of goods and people. That, in turn, will affect shipping companies, tons of employees could lose their jobs, businesses who manufacture the goods will be forced to cut production—the list goes on."

  "You know Hraede is one of those hubs, don't you?" Breanne stated quietly.

  "We'll check the current monarch when we check the other hubs," I leaned back with a sigh. My to-do list was piling up again, and I was still weary from putting out too many recent fires.

  I didn't tell anyone that I already had a special request to check on Hraede—from the spirit of Hraede itself, which was embedded in a gold coin at the top of three that had taken up residence on my left shoulder blade. Therefore, I would go to Hraede first.

  Those three planetary spirits had asked to stay with me; the others had chosen among Randl's Formidables, although he carried the majority of them himself. In gold and silver, those coins covered the sun and moon tattoos on his back and brought them to life—for those who could see them.

  Not everyone could, unless they chose to be seen.

  Vik carried one, as did Travis and Trent. I wondered if they'd told Lissa. It didn't matter if she knew—she wouldn't reveal those secrets.

  The other two I carried?

  Karathia and Kifirin, because I'd already championed both those worlds, and they were pleased by my efforts on their behalf. "How quickly can I put Halimel in place on Hraede?" I asked.

  "You think it'll be necessary?" Lissa made a face as if contemplating my question.

  "I think it will be," Breanne answered before I could. "Rigo may be needed elsewhere. Halimel will be a good fit on his homeworld. They didn't call him Halimel the Wise for nothing, you know."

  "Only because they couldn't call him Halimel the Great," Rigo walked into the arboretum; Lissa had sent mindspeech and asked him to join us.

  "Yes, only Rigo is the Great, followed by the Wise, the Just, the Fierce—you get the idea," Lissa teased him.

  "All the members of the Order of the Night Flower are distinguished in their reign of Hraede," Rigo teased her back. "That's why we were turned, you know."

  "I thought you were turned so you could kiss my fingers," Lissa grinned at him.

  "A worthy reason, indeed. Now, you think Halimel will be needed to stand in for Hraede's
current King?" Rigo turned to me.

  "I think that may be the case. I have it on good authority that things aren't quite right there, with the seat of power."

  "May I come with you to assess the situation first?"

  "I was hoping you'd come if I asked," I said.

  "You do not need to ask. I will be honored to accompany you, as will Halimel."

  "How soon can you both be ready?" I asked.

  "We can go within the hour, if you'd like."

  "I'll come, too," Lissa said.

  "See, easy as that," Rigo spread his hands and smiled.

  Chapter 3

  Hraede

  Lissa

  "I dislike this dalliance, to be sure," Rigo murmured. He and I sat in a tea shop roughly a mile from the palace; we'd arrived to find King Larvalis engaged in various compromising acts with a lover.

  A lover who wasn't Larvalis' Queen, and who was also pregnant with Larvalis' heir. So far, the Queen was barren, or hadn't bothered to try because Larvalis wasn't up to par with other Kings of Hraede.

  Halimel had taken Zaria to a nearby shop that sold scarves and jewelry, so Rigo and I could discuss the implications. Up to now, Hraede was the most stable hub in the Reth Alliance. Poor leadership, combined with a potential obsession, could change all that in a hurry.

  "We should take a look at his lover, too," Rigo whispered.

  "She could be involved," I conceded. "No matter what, Renellia's pregnancy is a scandal waiting to happen."

  "If we remove her, too, we'll need a replacement."

  "How often do you suppose he visits her?"

  "We can find that out easily," Rigo said.

  Yes, we could, unless he is too obsessed to reveal that information. Either way, Rigo was right. We have to find a replacement for her, since others know of her and would become suspicious if she suddenly disappeared.

  Whether the Queen would be a problem, we had yet to discover.

  "You're considering Mephista, now, aren't you?" Rigo smiled and covered one of my hands with his.

  "Yes. How does it feel to come back here, when you once ruled the planet?" I asked him.

  "I like seeing things from this side of the palace walls," he sighed. "Back then, I was surrounded by bodyguards, and every conversation I had with anyone in a shop such as this was always an exercise in obsequiousness or fear."

  "I dislike the bowing and scurrying myself," I agreed. "It's why I like to go out disguised."

  "Had I known back then how to successfully disguise myself, I'd have done it many times. Perhaps it's a good thing Kell never taught me those things until after I was turned."

  "You were slightly more vulnerable back then," I pointed out. "I'd really hate it if you hadn't survived long enough to be turned."

  "Kell saw to it that I wasn't embalmed, and my body lay in state for three days at the palace until it was placed in the royal crypt. I woke seven days later."

  "Fancy," I waggled the fingers of my free hand at him. He responded by lifting the hand he'd covered and kissing my wrist.

  "I know the circumstances of your turning," he held my fingers against his cheek. "Gavin and Merrill explained all of it to me."

  "I hear my early diaries are in the Larentii Archives," I shook my head and pulled my hand away. "Ashe 'fessed up. Nowadays, I don't have to record anything—Connegar and Reemagar do it for me, and that information goes straight to Nefrigar, who catalogs it for the Archives."

  "The Larentii Archives are wondrous," Rigo smiled. "I've barely seen a fraction of what is there; Connegar takes me whenever I wish to go."

  "Let me guess—you've studied the section on poisons extensively," I teased.

  "Why not? I've learned a few things and refined much of what I already knew. Something you may not suspect is that I also studied extensively in the antidote section."

  "I knew I loved you for a reason."

  "Tiessa, you make my heart young again. Come, I see Hal and Zaria returning. Perhaps Renellia and Larvalis have exhausted themselves with their cavorting."

  "Cavorting. Now there's a word you don't hear every day," I said, rising from my seat.

  "It's politer than saying fucking like plains-faphets," Rigo informed me.

  "It astounds me that you can say the word fucking as if it were a proper royal decree," I snickered.

  "Larvalis is on his way back to the palace," Zaria said when she and Halimel reached our table. "We can arrange to be hidden inside his chamber when he arrives."

  "Then take us," Rigo intoned. "I'd much prefer being skinned alive than to scent his stench before he showers."

  Those words told me exactly what Rigo's true thoughts on Larvalis and his reign were—as politely as he could put it. Until recently, I'd called Larvalis classless and ineffective. He'd become dangerous in a short amount of time, and that either meant he was being manipulated by someone in his court, or he'd been obsessed. While I considered which of those two things it could be, Zaria transported us to Larvalis' suite in the palace.

  Rigo wasn't wrong about the stench; until I forced a shield up, Larvalis stank of sweat and sex. He began removing clothing and dropping it on the floor as he made his way toward the massive bath inside his suite. An attendant followed behind him, picking everything up to have it cleaned.

  Towels and bathing items were carefully laid out in the bath; Larvalis, now naked and not much to look at in that condition, slipped into the water of the bath and ordered a glass of wine.

  The attendant bowed and left the room to fetch the King's favorite beverage.

  He isn't obsessed, Zaria informed us. There is a new courtier who whispers in his ear, however.

  Can you tell us anything about the courtier? Rigo asked.

  Larvalis doesn't know much, other than Sworden kisses his ass and provides advice free of charge, Zaria replied. Something about this feels—really off. I've Looked already, and there isn't anyone by that name who comes up.

  Then we must visit Sworden, too, Rigo growled in mindspeech. Along with the Queen and the lover.

  Do you know where Sworden is? I directed my question to Zaria.

  He has a suite in the royal wing. Want to go now?

  Let's go.

  Zaria

  Something prickles my mind about Larvalis, Halimel sent the message only to me just before I moved our party to Sworden's suite.

  I've placed a perimeter spell, so I'll know who comes and goes, I told him. And I've placed a shield around Larvalis, so he doesn't get croaked while we're visiting his friend.

  Get croaked?

  Did in? Bite the dust? Take a dirt nap?

  I watched Hal's mind work as he sorted out the idioms I'd flung at him. Ah, he said after only a second or two. I like get croaked best. It was the most difficult to decipher.

  So you like a challenge, huh? I asked while we were in transit to Sworden's rooms.

  I do like a challenge, he agreed as we studied the sleeping form of Sworden, whose windows were completely darkened to keep all light from entering his bedroom.

  Well, I'll be damned, Lissa hissed in our heads. We were looking at a vampire, asleep during the day. No doubt he'd laid compulsion to not be disturbed during the day, and kept his doors locked during that time.

  Want to take him with us and question him at nightfall? Rigo asked while lifting an eyebrow at Lissa.

  I'll send him to my dungeon now, Lissa said. That way, we can question him whenever we want. We watched as Sworden disappeared. That was enlightening, Lissa breathed. Shall we go to the Queen, next?

  The Queen was having tea with three friends in the palace library. Mephista sipped from a delicate, hand-painted, gold-rimmed cup that was part of a set hundreds of years old.

  While her movements were graceful, her words charmingly polite and her afternoon dress elegant and refined—inside, she was a brittle tangle of regret.

  Her beauty and pedigree had convinced Larvalis to offer her marriage and the position as his Queen, because he liked how th
ey appeared in public. She'd been pushed to accept the offer by her own father, who had designs on having a grandchild on the throne.

  Mephista was determined not to have a child, as revenge against both her husband and her father.

  What a train wreck, I told my companions. She knows about Renellia and doesn't care. She wants nothing to do with Larvalis.

  Halimel, who stood beside me, appeared thoughtful.

  I have a suggestion, he told me.

  What's that?

  I think Alrenardo would be a better replacement for Larvalis. He hadn't taken his eyes off Mephista once while he spoke. I understood why, too. Al loved auburn-haired women, and Mephista's natural, auburn waves were piled stylishly atop her head, with a jeweled pin placed strategically for the best effect possible.

  Alrenardo will be a better fit to replace Larvalis, Rigo echoed Hal's opinion seconds later.

  Which brings up the replacement for Renallia, Lissa said. Who?

  Someone who won't mind not having sex, I said.

  Al can visibly send Renallia away, so her replacement can be situated at the summer palace, Rigo suggested. Anyone can be made to look like her.

  I'd worry about them—they can be used to blackmail Larvalis—or Larvalis' replacement. The one we send has to be able to take care of themselves, Lissa sighed.

  We can also send guards, who will be able to do the same, Halimel said. It's not uncommon to do so.

  Where should we keep Larvalis and Renallia in the meantime? Most of the places I knew had problems in one way or another, and I certainly didn't want their stain on Sirena's soil.

  I'll think of something, Lissa said. Come on, we have Alrenardo to inform, Sworden to question and Larvalis and Renallia to deal with before we can replace them.

  Vik

  Denevik agreed to come to dinner at the palace on Kifirin. He and I met in Mom's library, while we waited for Zaria to join us. She surprised us by bringing Halimel with her.

  "Long day?" Denevik asked after studying their faces.

  "I used to think that bending time would be a blessing," Halimel breathed. "I no longer consider it such."

  We went to Hraede to handle a delicate situation, which turned into a snarled mess, Zaria informed me in mindspeech.