Blood Double (God Wars #1)(38)

"Of course, Gavin," I said as he poured more instructions into my ear on the way to the Council Chamber—the Council meeting would decide which streets needed repairs and whether to buy new hovercars for Sheriff Trevor's department.

Did I expect Trevor to attend the meeting? I should have, but I hadn't. I wanted to go to him. Sit with him. Talk with him. Gavin growled low beside me, so I settled for giving him a hopeless glance before listening to boring speeches on what road repairs were needed and how many new vehicles could be purchased.

The debate lasted most of the day. I could have counted (and replaced) every brick in the streets discussed by that time. I could tell Trevor was disappointed, too—he'd asked for ten new vehicles. Only three were approved.

My love, you look tired, filtered into my mind. It wasn't Trevor's voice. This voice was different, and it didn't come again.

*

"That is the Ambassador to Tyriss, with his six concubines," Erland whispered close to my ear. I watched as Rylend spoke with the Ambassador fifteen feet away from where Erland and I stood.

Rylend had chosen a round, richly decorated antechamber to greet the Ambassador before inviting him to the smaller royal dining hall for a midday meal. "What can you tell me?" Erland asked softly.

He's horrible. Beats his concubines. Mistreats his servants. Sucks up to the Royal Prince of Tyriss, who has enjoyed Ambassador Riis's lip prints on his ass until recently. I feel that's about to change. Oh, and he gives bad advice and blames it on somebody else every time. I sent my communication by mindspeech—I didn't want Ambassador Riis to hear anything I said.

You think he might use a Karathian warlock as a scapegoat?

I think he'd use his mother and his firstborn child as scapegoats if it would keep him out of trouble.

Then Rylend will offer his regrets at the end of the meal, Erland sighed softly.

I wouldn't put my worst enemy in a position to serve Ambassador Riis, I agreed. Although it might be fun to watch Gavin remove Riis's head.

Will you sit beside me at dinner, then? Erland smiled as he gazed elsewhere.

If you want. I can hear everything Riis says and tell you when he's lying, if you'd like.

That sounds like fun.

*

"I could tell he was lying," Ry agreed as he accepted a glass of wine from a servant after the meal. Ambassador Riis had been sent away quite disappointed. "I just didn't suspect the other things."

Erland had escorted me to Rylend's private study afterward, and I accepted a glass of wine, too. I'd had very little to drink at the table, although the food they'd served me was very good.

"He won't last much longer. I think the royal house may wake soon and discover that Riis has his hand in the till." I sipped a very good white wine and nodded my thanks to Ry.

"Do you suppose that's why he wanted a warlock—to get away at a moment's notice?" Erland asked, settling on the edge of his son's desk and accepting a glass of wine as well.

"Yes. I think the wheels are turning in his little, hamster-powered brain," I agreed. "And it would give a black eye to Karathia, to know that the Crown supplied a warlock to Riis with full blessings."

"He offered three times what the job was worth," Ry agreed.

"Still not worth it," I said. "The damage would follow you for a very long time. I'm just worried about the women he has. Most of them put up with his bullshit because he has a lot of money. I can't imagine what he might do to them if they try to leave after he's pushed out by the Royal Prince."

"I haven't heard that word, except from Lissa," Erland said.

"Bullshit?" I lifted an eyebrow in Erland's direction.

"That's the one." He swallowed more wine.

"I'm from Texas," I said. "Lissa is from Oklahoma. People from both states say bullshit a lot. Especially if something really is a pile of crap." Ry laughed.

*

"What did you do for Rylend?" Gavin growled the moment Erland left. He'd dropped me off in my office, where Gavin was waiting impatiently.

"I told him the truth. Ambassador Riis was attempting to take advantage of Ry and his warlocks, because he'll need a quick getaway very soon. And I said bullshit. Three times."

"You were disrespectful?"

"No. Erland and I discussed the fact that Lissa is from Oklahoma, where they say bullshit often. Ask him about it, if you like." I was tired and wanted to go to bed. I was hoping too, that Kalenegar had given up his sadistic night travels. Sleep was a precious commodity, and I found myself craving it like a drug.

"How do you know Lissa is from Oklahoma?"

"The same way I know you're Roman. I'm from Texas. It's next door to Oklahoma. They say bullshit there, too. May I go to bed, now?"

Gavin cursed under his breath but he waved me out of his office. I was a blur getting away from him, afraid that he might change his mind.

*

"Get up." That voice I knew and it belonged to a tall, red-haired, sadistic Larentii, who seemed overly fond of waking me from a sound sleep.

"Fuck off," I snapped and misted the hell away from him.

*

"I feel the soil and the tree you're leaning against," Corent settled beside me with a sigh. "That's how I knew you'd come." I'd wakened him, just as Kal had wakened me. That wasn't what I'd meant to happen.