Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(106)
“But it didn’t change.”
“That was intentional.”
Evalle didn’t want to believe it of Quinn, but someone had freed Conlan from VIPER lockdown, and Quinn had refused to accept that Conlan was a traitor. But Kizira didn’t believe Quinn had committed that crime.
Evalle didn’t either. “Who helped you escape?”
Conlan said nothing for several seconds. He finally drew a long breath and, on the exhale, said, “Guess it won’t matter if we don’t save Treoir. Tzader got me out.”
Tzader? Stunned didn’t quite cover what she was feeling. Try nauseous, disappointed and hurt. But should she believe this about Tzader any more than about Quinn? “Why?”
“He knew I’d never get out until someone delivered the traitor to Macha, but we’d had no breaks on finding the traitor for several years. He told me he’d free me if I was willing to take on a secret duty, because if I didn’t he thought I’d be safer staying in VIPER lockdown. He wanted me to use what we learned from my vision to infiltrate the Medb.”
Why hadn’t Tzader told her? “Did Quinn know?”
“No one knew but the two of us. Tzader wouldn’t put anyone else at risk, especially you or Quinn.”
Poor Tzader had shouldered this on his own with no support from her and Quinn. “Have you found out who the traitor is?”
“No, but I do know he has a scar of two Xs entwined with a snake. It’s high on his right forearm. I heard Flaevynn marked him so there would be no doubt who her people should trust.” Conlan scratched his short hair. “Speaking of trust, why should I trust you and Kizira?”
“Because we have a plan to save Treoir, and if it doesn’t happen, the Medb will hold the power to turn the world into their playground. Are you in or not?”
FORTY-TWO
Not looking forward to what he had to tell Quinn, Tzader waited as Quinn separated from the last division of warriors heading out to fill in spots along the coast of Treoir.
“Any word on Evalle or Lanna?” Quinn’s shoulders dipped with the weight of worry.
“Sort of.” Tzader explained about finding the notes in Storm’s house, then showed Evalle’s to Quinn. “Evalle must have gotten a chance to return to Atlanta for some reason and used that to get a message to us. I have no idea what Storm meant about a witch doctor, but I think Evalle is telling us a bunch of Alterants are coming here, but they’ve changed—or something is different—”
“Like they can’t die,” Quinn finished on a grim note.
“Yep. Sounds like they did become immortal as the Medb promised.” Another strike against Evalle. Tzader pushed his emotions aside and focused on defenses. “Macha will turn all her power toward maintaining the ten-mile-wide ward around the castle to stop the Alterants, but if enough of them attack it with immortal power, she might not be able to hold them.”
“What’s our plan?”
“Who do you think will be controlling the Alterants?”
Quinn didn’t hesitate. “Kizira.”
“Can you mind lock and interfere with her control?”
Quinn rubbed his forehead. “If all of them are tied to her, it might be like trying to break through one Belador mind when a group is linked. That’s damn hard to interrupt, but I’ll try.”
If anyone could do that, Quinn could. Tzader hadn’t shared his secret weapon yet. The Belador healers wanted twenty more hours without a reported infection before clearing anyone to use telepathy, and Macha had agreed. Tzader could use telepathy with only one person who believed himself immune to the infection. Quinn. “The note indicates this group will have telepathic communication. I’m guessing that’s their Belador blood allowing that, which means we should be able to contact the Alterants.”
“You think to intercept their thoughts?”
“No, I plan to cause major interference in their entire internal systems, from thought to navigation to coordination. Are you sure you’re immune to the infection?”
“Ah, I see. Yes, I’m immune. How are we going to infect them?”
This was the part that turned Tzader’s stomach. “We brought a healer and one of our warriors from quarantine who is still infected.”
“Might not work unless he’s a powerful telepath.”
“That’s why we have Trey McCree here. The healers say the stronger the telepath, the faster the infection has traveled. Trey’s willing to be infected, then to reach out . . . to Evalle.”
Quinn’s face sagged with disappointment.
Tzader swallowed past the knot in his throat. “Read the last line she wrote for us. Evalle was telling us not to allow her to reach Brina. But this is my decision. If we can take her alive, that’s my goal. If not, I’ll make that call. I just need you to deal with Kizira.”
FORTY-THREE
Gryphons in all shades of green, blue, black, red and purple gathered in a hall two hundred feet in diameter inside T?μr Medb.
Evalle and four other gryphons had golden heads.
Bernie was one of them.
Evalle smiled over that irony, then lost her amusement as she paid attention. She had to keep Conlan hidden inside her wings until it was time to call Lanna over. Kizira had shielded the girl from view nearby, but Lanna would have to cloak herself to leave that shield. Evalle was holding off as long as she could so Lanna would have maximum time to stay in Kizira’s shield.