Imperial (Insight #8)(58)

Rasp swayed at that moment. I was right before: he was weak for some reason. Something was hurting both lines.

Even though we were still invisible to Fielder and a bit light-headed, Mazing and I both moved slowly to flank Vade.

“Vade, how wonderful to see you,” Fielder said in his classic charming tone. That was his normal manner; when he ‘role played,’ he could mock any voice.

“What the hell are you doing, Fielder?”

“Me?” the king of grief said, flashing his perfect white smile and seductive little grin. Fielder had to use charm; he was smaller than the other kings, at least by half, and he was still built, lean, and muscular, but Vade had a good three inches on him and so did Rasp.

“Yes, you,” Vade seethed.

“I’m at a bit of a loss here, brother. You show up and smite my innocent little petal and dare to release my dinner into The Realm, and then ask me what I’m doing?”

Fielder breathed in deeply. Now that I was closer to him, he was starting to sense me. Right about then, Vade’s scent of mint suffocated the room.

“You crossed lines,” Vade breathed.

Fielder laughed aloud as he raked his fingers through his dark hair. “Have we been watching twisted replays in the springs? Your adored’s First crossed lines.”

“Your PETAL was in the bed with her FEVER, promised to couple with Xavier’s First.”

Fielder’s olive skin turned as pale as snow.

Vade stepped forward, fully engaging him. I could tell that Rasp wanted to be at his side, but Vade held up one finger. It was clear that for some reason, right now, Rasp could only do one or the other, hide us or fight with Vade.

“Tell me that is a lie,” Vade seethed.

“That was eons ago. It was a little joke, just fun and games,” Fielder said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

Vade thrust him across the room, knocking a hole three feet deep into the stone wall.

A second later, Fielder manifested in front of Vade again. “All right, so it was a bad joke.” Fielder raised his hands. “Listen, Xavier came to me and said that Glory was plotting to take his line, that half of yours was not enough. He saw her First with his.”

“Colton was not his First,” Vade said with a murderous glare in his eyes, daring Fielder to try and play him for a fool.

“Right, then. I suppose you have been paying attention. So he stole Colton from Glory, but still, he claimed him as his First, and therefore that’s what he was. If Glory figured it out, then we have diplomatic measures that we could have engaged. Instead, in the end we figure out she wasn’t a sovereign after all...no harm, no foul.”

“What the FUCK did you just say to me?” Vade bellowed so loudly that I felt my soul vibrate.

Fielder’s eyes grew wide for an instant as he replayed his last words. “Well, well, I suppose you didn’t know that. Which leaves me to wonder why now? Why you came for my petal now? That is an act of war.”

“Like we are not already at war. How did he steal Colton from Glory?” Vade hissed, stepping forward. Fielder took a step back with each of Vade’s. Coward.

Fielder grimaced, hating that he’d let that part out. “It was more like a switch. His First ticked him off, so he imprisoned him and needed a fast replacement. He grabbed one of Glory’s mists and embedded it in a mirror image of Colton. It was supposed to be temporary, but...well, it didn’t work out that way.”

Vade crossed his arms. “You do realize that now I have the right not only to destroy you, but also Xavier?”

“Apparently I don’t, or I wouldn’t have given it to you,” Fielder said as he pulled his shoulders back in a meager display of power, a power that was not nearly prevalent enough to take down Vade. Fielder would need a lot of help with that, and even though he could not see me, he had to sense that he was outnumbered right now.

Vade smirked. “Glory’s First never betrayed her or invoked war. Mazing fell for someone in her own damn line, and by doing so she unknowingly discovered that Xavier had declared war long before that point. You knew he did, and then chose to aid him—not only aid him, but stand up in front of me and tell me that it was for the best, and fair.”

“It was for the best,” Fielder said, rolling his eyes. “When are you going to figure that out?”

“Are you that high?” Vade bellowed. “Can you not see how you are nothing that you were before—nothing like what we are supposed to be?”

“I am high, and well fed. That girl messed with your head. You thought you were all special because the Creator gave you a little toy—and what did she do? Blinded you, stood up and made a fool of you when she told her line to find nourishment from mere thunderstorms—freaking thunderstorms. Who does that?”

“You are killing us,” Vade breathed. Even though he was full of rage, he had grief for this fellow king of his that was now an addict of emotions he was meant to reprieve.

“No, brother,” Fielder said with a tilt of his head, “there are quite a few humans that are doing that. We’re just joining the party. I want to know what stoked your fire. Why you are in my nest right now. Maybe I should ask around.”

“Going to be hard to do when you’re dead,” Vade said with an evil smirk.

“There you go again with all the empty threats. You killed my petal. Debt paid.”