Blood Double (God Wars #1)(15)

"His agents brought in a smuggler, but he thinks there's more to this man than meets the eye. Strangely enough, neither Teeg nor his warlocks can get any information out of their prisoner."

"So you need me," I nodded, wondering desperately how they'd known to ask. I resolved to let it go for the moment. "I have to tell you, though, until you and Kooper came along, I'd say I can read anybody. I can't read either of you."

"Is that a bad thing? Sometimes a little mystery is nice," Kooper squeezed my fingers.

"How are we getting there? Avendor is a long way from Campiaa," I pointed out. Kooper's attention threatened to produce a full-blown blush.

"I'll take you—I want to speak with Teeg anyway," Adam said. He sat across from us, his back to the wonderful view through the windows. He was probably used to the view by now and paid it no mind. I couldn't take my eyes off the dappled sunlight filtering across miles of trees.

"When?" I asked. My question wasn't answered. Instead, I was lifted to my feet by Kooper and Trevor shortly before we disappeared from NorthStar and appeared inside Teeg San Gerxon's private study on Campiaa.

*

"Bro, you need to come for dinner. Soon." Trace spoke with his brother Trajan on a comp-vid. He wanted to see his brother's face rather than sending mindspeech.

"When? And why?"

"Oh, let's just say that I want you to meet somebody."

"Well, let me know when might be a good time and I'll tell Bill not to cook." Trajan grinned at his brother's image.

"How is Director Bill, anyway?"

"Irascible. Says he needs a new lemon zester."

"Ever since he took up cooking, there's no containing him."

"We may have to build a bigger kitchen."

"No kidding."

*

Breanne's Journal

He didn't look like much. Brown hair, pale-blue eyes; in fact, he had the same feel to him that Rathik Erwin did—obsessed in some way. And what he wouldn't tell anyone else I read in his face, as plain as it was.

"Karathian warlock. Left Karathia six hundred years ago. Name, Eddle Cree." Trevor, Kooper and one of Teeg San Gerxon's warlocks were busy with comp-vids or mindspeech as I made my announcement. "And," I continued. That's as far as I got before prescience kicked in. Reading the future was a rare event for me, but I was reading it now. "They're coming!" I shouted. "Now! They're coming now to get him!"

What happened then I can't describe fully, because the initial blast knocked me against the concrete wall and rendered me unconscious. I was told later that Stellan Starr wasn't prepared to take on all six warlocks who stormed the holding facility, but he did put up a good fight and kept Kooper, Trevor and me from being killed. Unfortunately, the prisoner died in the exchange and his body disappeared during the fight.

*

"Welcome back." A face smiled at me and for the second time I blinked to bring it into focus.

"Karzac Halivar. Physician. Mated to the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis," popped out of my mouth unbidden.

"I hear you're talented, but I already know those things," Karzac chuckled. "Your cuts and bruises have been tended, young woman."

He could call me young woman if he wanted; he was more than fifteen thousand years old. I kept myself from announcing that fact to the world.

"Are Trevor and Kooper all right?"

"They are fine, as is Master Stellan. All three have been asking about you."

"Where am I?" I attempted to sit up.

"At Teeg's palace. They are waiting dinner for you."

"They should go ahead without me. I feel queasy."

"And dizzy, too, no doubt. You missed a midday meal and were not strong at the beginning of the day. Come. Food will help, and then Adam and Merrill will transport you back to NorthStar."

"What about those Council meetings?"

"Are you worried about those? Merrill will bend time if he deems it necessary." Karzac's green-gold eyes smiled kindly at me.

"I really don't want to be there, but some people think it's important."

"I understand. Others should have understood as well. Nevertheless, we will deal with more important things, first. Come." He held out a hand and I took it.

Karzac has light-brown hair, in addition to green-gold eyes, and he is a kind, caring and often curmudgeonly physician. I wobbled beside him as we made our way through a warren of hallways and into a massive kitchen.

All four Starr brothers sat around the island, but one of them I couldn't read—Stellan, the warlock who'd been with us outside the holding cell. I couldn't read him before, and thought perhaps it was because he was so powerful. I could read his brothers easily as it turned out, but not Stellan. A few fading bruises remained on his, Trevor's and Kooper's faces. They'd gotten hit just as I had, but it could have been so much worse.

"Here." I was settled between Kooper and Trevor again. Teeg San Gerxon, who studied me with dark eyes, waited to ask a question. I wanted to tell him what I saw when I looked into his face. I didn't. The Queen of Le-Ath Veronis was his mother. His father was Gavin Montegue. Mentally I reminded myself not to judge the son by his father.

"Did you get anything else from Eddle Cree?" Teeg accepted a delicate bowl of soup from a servant.