A Kiss of Fire (A Kiss of Magic #2)(55)

“I think it is obvious why I am here,” she said.

Jutsin played obtuse.

“Actually no. I am at a loss.”

“It is time I took my rightful place among the triumvirate,” Gretha said boldly.

Mason laughed, his silver eyes cold and unwavering.

“Your sister is hardly dead,” he said.

“My sister has been missing for three weeks. For all we know she is dead. You have only to declare it to be so.”

“We will make no such declaration until we have exhausted all avenues of finding her.”

“I am told that you have exhausted all those avenues. That you are no closer to knowing where she is now than you were the day she disappeared.”

“Then your sources are mistaken, Gretha. We have a new avenue of exploration. In fact, we’ve already sent a messenger to see it through.”

“What avenue? I insist you tell me. I am Ariana’s closest relative, I have a right to know.”

The fact was, she did have the right, and it burned Jutsin that he would have to play fair…for now.

“It is believed that she is in the Kiltian court.”

“The Kiltians have her?”

She tried to sound aghast, but didn’t quite make it. There was too much greed in the woman for her to pull of affecting concern with any sincerity.

“Well, so it is believed,” Jutsin said grimly. He hoped like hell that she was. If they were on a wild chase after their own tails, they would get nowhere and have made no progress.

“And what evidence have you of this.”

“A witness only. But we are hoping for more soon.”

“Well, I hope you have some success. Please keep me acquainted with the situation.”

“Of course.”

“In the meantime I shall take up as the head of my sister’s army and see they are well quartered and accounted for. Someone has to maintain control of these things.”

“I’m sure her generals can manage in the interim.”

“Nonsense. They need a ruling hand. I am happy to do it. I will also oversee Ariana’s properties.”

She meant she would bilk them dry, Jutsin thought grimly.

“Ariana would not approve of that. Why should we let you shoulder all the responsibility? I will oversee her properties myself,” Mason said, his tone forbidding her to argue. Mason was an imposing and dangerous man, his shock white hair and eerie silver eyes put anyone on edge and Gretha was no exception.

“It would be no imposition,” she hedged all the same. She had power within her grasp and was not willing to let it go so easily.

“Nonsense,” Mason said, his tone brooking no further argument. “It would be my pleasure. Jutsin will take on her triumvirate duties as he has been, and I will see to her properties. The army will care for itself. But if it will make things easier, we will give the men an extended leave of absence, reducing the numbers to be managed. There now, all bases are covered. We will let you know as soon as we hear anything further of Ariana’s well-being.”

“There is no need to send the men on leave,” Gretha hedged. “Should you reduce our army’s numbers when we might need them to go to war against the Kiltians if they’ve taken my sister?”

“War is a long way off and the men are easily recalled,” Mason said. But they both knew that recalling the men would take time. Time Mason and Jutsin would need to maneuver their armies against hers once she got full control over them in fact and not just in substitution. Right now she could give no commands until Ariana was declared legally dead…a time which was as yet far off into the future. But if Ariana was not in the Kiltian court then time will have quickly run out.

Time was against them. They couldn’t afford to wait for a messenger to come back before taking action. They had to assume she was there and go from there. That meant sending Dendri and a team of majji right away.

Jutsin said goodbye to Gretha and they waited until she was out of earshot before Jutsin turned to Mason.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?” Jutsin asked.

“I doubt it. I am thinking how much easier this would be if she didn’t exist. However,” he added quickly with a raised hand to fend off Jutsin’s alarm, “I realize that is not an option…yet.”

“We cannot assassinate her when she has done nothing.”

“But she will do something. The minute she realizes there is no way in the hells we are going to let her onto the triumvirate, she is going to force her way into the seat,” Mason said. “We are a way off from that as yet. We have bought some time for us to act and once we disband the majority of her army it will take weeks for her to recall the soldiers to her. I have already begun drafting the order.”

“You knew this was coming then?” Jutsin said.

“We both did. I already knew that I would prefer we be without a third of our standing army then give her any kind of advantage. I will send out the order immediately before she can do anything to countermand it. We’ll use our fastest messengers and send the orders directly into the general’s hands.” He paced the room in agitated steps as he spoke. “Let’s just hope Dendri can retrieve her quickly and quietly and we will not have to go to war with only two thirds of our army.”

“Is that it then? If we find her and cannot get her back by other means, we will go to war for her?”