Blood Double (God Wars #1)(23)
Erland blinked at me in confusion. Well, I usually did, too. I'd never heard of anyone who could do what I did, and I still considered it a terrible curse. "What am I?" he asked.
"Do you want the short or long version?" I said.
"Short will do."
"Erland Morphis. Father to Rylend Morphis. Mate of Queen Lissa of Le-Ath Veronis. Also mated to Joey, Bearcat and Norton, from NorthStar. Advisor to your son Rylend, who is King of Karathia. A first-level warlock, with strong spell-casting ability."
"Fuck me," Erland muttered, his face now so close to mine I felt uncomfortable. "Is that your real eye color? It's not enhanced?"
"Sadly, it is not enhanced." So many people in my past hadn't gotten past my eye color and considered me a freak because of it. They hadn't waited to see what else I could do that would truly brand me a freak.
"Tell Gavril that Rylend and I will return later. I must go. Something requires my attention." He'd turned away from me to speak with Kevis, and then he'd disappeared. I hadn't said what else I'd seen in Erland Morphis—that he was a man of honor. A shaky sigh escaped my lips and I hugged myself.
*
Gavin was silent as I was dropped off in his office. I remained silent as well, and as soon as Stellan brushed hair away from my face and said a quick farewell, he was gone. Campiaa was in turmoil and I had Council meetings to look forward to in the morning. Without a word, I left Gavin's office and made my way toward the Queen's suite. I'd been given Lissa's face again—by Astralan. Stellan didn't want anything to do with it, and voiced his opinion on the matter. It made no difference in the end. I seemed to be owned by the Crown on Le-Ath Veronis.
*
"That's what I was told. He identified himself as Jarnis when he brought her in, and said she would be taking Lissa's place." Gavin accepted a drink from a comesula. Most of Lissa's mates had gathered inside the Queen's library to discuss Breanne and why she'd been brought to Le-Ath Veronis in the beginning. Thurlow and the Larentii were noticeably absent.
"Jarnis is only one of the Powers That Be," Karzac named the lowest level of the Hierarchy of gods and godlings. "And a low-ranking one. I would prefer to ask Belen before jumping to conclusions," Karzac accepted a drink from the comesuli servant and murmured his thanks.
"I don't believe that Lissa would leave us without saying something," Drew said.
"She has before," Tony pointed out. "When she was pissed."
"She always came back, though," Drake said. "And she wasn't pissed, this time. She said she had things to do."
"Adam, Merrill and Kiarra are still away, too," Shadow said. "Mom told me that. Belen sent them on a private mission." Shadow referred to his mother, Shannon, who was a healer for the Saa Thalarr.
"I could have told you that," Karzac grumped. "Dragon and Grace say the same."
"So, something important may be up, Lissa may or may not be back and we have a doppelganger to take her place," Aryn muttered.
"Jarnis also said I could have Breanne if I wanted. As a mate. I have a mate. I don't need another." Gavin emptied his glass in one swallow.
"Dude, I don't think Breanne would have you if you were covered in gold," Drew snorted. "I've seen the way she looks at you. Why the hell did you turn her, anyway? You could have found somebody else."
"We might have no control over her, otherwise," Gavin grumbled. "And Jarnis was quite clear—he said she was nearing the end of her human life and it was required that she become vampire. He ordered that I see to it and left before I could ask questions. Now she is a loose cannon—and unmanageable inside the Council Chamber."
"She hasn't done anything that Lissa hasn't needed to do for years," Rigo observed. "I have told our Queen many times that she was spending herself into the poorhouse by subsidizing palace expenses with her own funds. This one saw immediately what needed to be dealt with and proceeded to do so."
"I'm saying that she may have been planted here to take Lissa's place, and we are supposed to accept it. I have difficulty accepting that. I have difficulty accepting her. She will never take Lissa's place. Not while I live."
"I propose we wait until we have all the facts before making hasty judgments," Roff said. He'd remained silent, preferring to listen until now. He hadn't forgotten, either, how Breanne had come to him and begged him to hire an employee. Roff reluctantly hired the comesula and was now glad that he'd followed Breanne's advice.
"If Lissa comes back, I'll see to it that this one is forced out. I don't like the idea of anyone holding Lissa's position, even temporarily," Gavin muttered.
*
"I heard it, Master Cheedas. Gavin said that she is here to take the Queen's place." The comesula servant set his drink tray on a kitchen counter.
"That will never happen," Cheedas' eyes went red in anger. "That will never happen."
*
Breanne's Journal
Whatever peace I'd gained with the comesuli ended abruptly. Breakfast was burned and inedible and I had to dress and do my own hair—the usual assistant never came. Gavin was unbearable when he came for me, and several Council members blinked in surprise when he interrupted me during the day's proceedings. He was supposed to be there to guard the Queen, and he was adding his two-cents instead. Nevertheless, the ticket prices for palace tours were increased, but that was the last item on a very long list of other budgeting concerns.