Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(78)

Again.





Chapter 16

Kondar

High President's Palace

Quin

"These are the topics Willow would like to cover," Berel handed a tab-vid to his father. "These," he handed a second tab-vid over, "are the ones Quin and I want to talk about."

"I'll look them over with my vid-experts this afternoon," Edden nodded to Berel and me. "Quin, do you have something suitable—and comfortable enough—to wear for this?"

"I do. Queen Lissa sent some things."

"She has a blue silk tunic and trousers, Father. She looks wonderful in them."

"My team wants the interview to take place where you had lunch that day—in the garden," Edden said. "The image taken by the journalist who sneaked in that day has been shown everywhere, including the newsvids, alongside images of Quin at the border war."

"I'd prefer not to discuss that," I shuddered.

"I know." For the first time, Edden pulled me against him and kissed the top of my head. "I've already warned them that this troubles you—Berel says so."

"How soon do you think a vote can be taken?" I asked.

"That is a more serious subject," Edden pulled away and shook his head. "It must be debated in Council before the Presidents present it to the people. I hope this interview eases the way through these arguments. My scientists say there's not much time and deaths among the very young and the elderly are already rising rapidly."

"So we have the scientific vote already?" Berel grinned.

"Nearly all of them are on the side of evacuation. Much of what we'll face is fear of the unknown," Edden agreed.

"I hope Willow can convince them, then," I sighed. "I have no idea whether I can."

*

Avii Castle

"What did you expect would happen?" Dena took a seat next to Justis. He sat on his terrace, head in hands, the midday meal Dena brought untouched.

"I suppose I wasn't expecting that," Justis let his hands drop before leaning back with a sigh. "I suppose I just wanted her to say that she'd had something to do with Jurris' change of heart. I've never seen him so—so," Justis fumbled for words.

"You mean you've never seen Jurris so reasonable?" Dena asked.

"Yes. That's as good as anything I can come up with."

"Look, I overheard Kaldill and Willow talking. They said something about DNA—I know that much, although I still don't know exactly what that means. They talked about evil being passed from parent to child. I can see that it happened in Yevil and Halthea's cases. Treven was terrible." Dena shivered. "At least that's what my mother and father say."

"Did they say that Quin may have had something to do with—well, you know?"

"I heard Kaldill say that if she did, she likely didn't know it—that her intent was to heal him. You have to understand though, that she can only heal what's wrong with the body. Remember that Omina's prejudices remained intact after Quin healed her."

"I recall. Now. Why didn't you say that before I ruined my relationship with Quin? Everything in her bedroom is gone—it's moved into Kaldill's suite. He isn't speaking to me either, as you know."

"You didn't ask me," Dena snorted. "You just flew right off that terrace without spreading your wings, first. Now, Quin's hurt. You're upset. Over what? That Jurris is suddenly making better decisions?"

"You make me sound like an idiot. Yes," Justis held up a hand. "I've already thought it myself. I don't know how to fix this, though."

"I don't either." Dena stood and stretched. "I have to dust Library shelves this afternoon. See that you stay out of trouble." Dena spread her wings and flew toward the Library terrace.

"Easier said than accomplished," Justis muttered as he watched her go.

*

Le-Ath Veronis

Queen Lissa's Private Journal

"Look at this," Kooper tossed a comp-vid on my desk.

"I already know," I said, looking at him rather than the tablet now lying in front of me. "Trik and Nissa sent mindspeech."

"How the hell did Cayetes manage to kill three Belancour wizards so easily?"

"You know there are still warlocks and witches for hire. Rylend has a list longer than your lion snake, filled with names of Karathian rogues."

"He's targeting the entire family, isn't he?"

"I think so," I said. "I just hope he doesn't target Trik, although Trik can take care of himself. I just hate the fact that someone has the idea to come after him."

"The records of your adoption are public, Lissa," Kooper reminded me. "He's married to your daughter. You may ask him to stay on Grey Planet until this blows over. I have as many people as I can spare on Cayetes' trail, but I wish the f*cker would just go ahead and die, already. Maybe that will eliminate this spate of revenge killings."

"I'm concerned about what he might do to stay alive," I said, tapping my temple.

"You don't think," Kooper immediately looked worried.

"Yeah. He has enough money and that is a powerful tool to convince someone to perform illegal surgery."