Alterant (Belador #2)(22)
“Ah, child, you know I will no’ be sharing more than necessary about the curse, no’ till it’s time. But I will tell you that had she no’ birthed you, she would ha’ no chance at gaining Treoir atall.”
“But Flaevynn thinks birthing me put the first nail in her coffin. That she would be immortal if not for me.”
“She’s a hardheaded woman who must accept that her fate is no different than that of any other female born to marry a Cathbad. Had she no’ married me as directed in the curse, she would no’ ha’ lived this long, but a geasa set into place along with the curse protects her . . . for just a bit longer.”
Kizira smiled, asking him, “You’re sure Flaevynn will live for only six hundred and sixty-six years?”
“Yes. This is her last year as Flaevynn the Medb queen, whether she wishes it to be or no’.”
Kizira had two words for the day Flaevynn spewed her last bit of venom: Party time.
Once that happened, Kizira would be free to visit . . . she skittered sideways mentally, to thoughts of the curse, before a face and name could take shape in her mind. “Flaevynn thinks that if she escalates the plan you laid out to us for this year she can gain Treoir before her time runs out.”
Cathbad scoffed under his breath.
Moving over to where he sat, Kizira pushed herself up onto the desk and looked down at her da, whose attractive profile could rival that of human men who modeled designer clothes. He was the closest she’d ever had to a real parent, but the druid would use her, too, if it benefited his cause. Life as a Medb priestess came with few moments of free choice. But he embodied her best hope for one day having control over her future, a normal life away from all this.
Normal? What would that be like?
A life such as the humans enjoyed with loved ones . . .
And thinking about that risked opening the gates to her thoughts. She slapped up mental walls and got back to her task with the one person who might be able to help her.
Right now she was Cathbad’s only hope for escaping this dungeon, and, like him, she would use that to her benefit if need be. Kizira gave her da a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry Flaevynn locked you in here when I failed to deliver the female Alterant the first time.”
“I told you before, ’tis no fault of yours.” He watched her carefully. “She blames me for sending her son with you. I know you did your best to protect him.”
She hoped it wasn’t her fault that her half brother had died when she and her warlocks had trapped those three Beladors in Utah two years ago, but she didn’t miss the sexual deviant who had been her mother’s child by another man.
When she said nothing one way or the other that might trip her up, Cathbad said, “Flaevynn believes I will tell her all the curse if she leaves me here, but she plays her hand poorly in this game. Speaking of bein’ here, much as I’m glad to see ya, I’m thinkin’ ya got troubles.”
“Flaevynn is upping the time frame for finding the five Alterants. She’s running me crazy with hunting them and has forced me to release the hostility myst.”
Cathbad covered his eyes with one hand and leaned back. “I ha’ warned her repeatedly that if she alters the curse in any significant way it can change the outcome. She guesses at the rest of the curse rather than free me and agree to do as I direct her. She risks ruining her chance—and mine—to gain Treoir Island.”
“If you’d tell me the entire prophecy wrapped around the curse I could help you. Help us.”
He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. “’Tis my blunder in revealing too much too soon that caused this problem. I was sent to Flaevynn when hair had just begun to grow on my chin. I thought myself quite the man but was no’ prepared for one as powerful, or sexual, as Flaevynn.”
“Please, no details.” Kizira would need to acid wash her mind if he said more.
He chuckled. “I am only sayin’ we would no’ be havin’ this trouble if she had no’ searched my mind when . . . er, my guard was down and found out her true birth date. She should be thinkin’ she has a few more years to live and no’ be facin’ her last year.”
“That’s why she’s always been obsessed with the Beladors, but even more so now.”
“In part,” he murmured cryptically. “Trouble with the Beladors goes back to Queen Medb’s time. Like every other queen descendant, Flaevynn is born with a deep hate and the duty to regain the island that was once Medb property.”
“Really? Treoir belonged to the Medb at one time?” Kizira knew more than most about Medb history, but the Cathbads held tighter to information than a predator did to captured prey. When he nodded in answer, she asked, “Did the Medb live there first?”
“No’ exactly, but the Medb have no other place to live safely outside this tower until we take control of that island.”
She could see how wars would be fought over a treasure such as Treoir, which was reputed to be one of the most magnificent places in all of the hidden realms. This would explain thousands of years of bad blood between the Beladors, who sought to protect Treoir, and the Medb, who were just as determined to possess the powerful island. “How did my ancestors lose it?”
“’Tis a twisted tale I spend my days unwindin’ to understand and ha’ no’ yet woven the threads into a full tapestry. I believe there is somethin’ more powerful at stake than merely gainin’ that island.”