Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(92)

She waved him on.

“The druid used majik and compulsion to guarantee only Belador descendants were impregnated, plus he placed a spell over the non-Belador husbands of Belador females so that those humans could not impregnate the women. Kizira said the Medb speculated that not all inseminations had taken, only those destined to become Alterants.”

Evalle was sickened. “So using the sperm of descendants of Cú Chulainn and a Medb witch, unsuspecting Belador women were inseminated without their knowledge.”

“That’s the way I understand it.”

Had Evalle’s mother gone to a clinic without her father’s knowledge? Evalle had once read in a magazine where a woman desperate to get pregnant had gone to be inseminated without telling her husband because he’d refused to consider the problem was his and go for testing.

She’d never known her father, but he’d abandoned her, so she had no problem thinking that might have been what happened to her mother.

If that was true, Evalle’s mother had been wrongly accused of infidelity. Only guilty of wanting a baby.

Tristan kept explaining. “Kizira has the ability of precognition. She saw that five children, or Alterants, would be more powerful than the others.”

“What makes the five of us with golden heads so special?”

Regret darkened his gaze. “The five mothers who would bear powerful Beladors were inseminated with sperm from the only descendant of Cú Chulainn and Maeve, the original Medb queen.” In the sad voice of someone delivering news of a death, he said, “You’re one half Belador, but you’re also a direct descendant of the most powerful Medb queen ever, and that blood rules you.”

Evalle couldn’t form a thought past the idea that she was Medb.





THIRTY-FIVE





Evalle can’t be trusted!”

The walls shook with Flaevynn’s outburst. Kizira didn’t flinch, having endured much worse ones in the past. To be honest, she’d initiated this conversation and raised the doubt in Flaevynn’s mind about Evalle.

Kizira glanced at Cathbad, thinking her da could step in any time and help. No such luck. “If the proph . . . curse calls for those five to lead the charge, then you need all five.”

“You just said Evalle is already trying to fight the simple compulsion spell,” Flaevynn argued. “She’ll find a way to screw up our plans.”

“Not once she’s fully under our control. Tristan has followed orders without a problem.”

“Conlan was compelled, too, but he proved to be a disappointment.”

Kizira could not argue that point. She’d compelled Conlan to aid her in trapping Tristan, which had gone well. In fact, Conlan had been coming along just fine until Flaevynn had pushed him to service her sexually and he’d balked.

She’d sent him to the dungeon for that.

Flaevynn moved around her private domain, floating a foot above the ground, back and forth in a frenzied motion. With so much energy swirling around the room, lightning sparked from above her waterfall where the water connected with the electricity in the air.

Kizira hoped her timing was right. “That is why we must test Evalle’s loyalty.”

If Flaevynn refused and Kizira argued, Flaevynn would become suspicious and not support Kizira’s plan. Or throw her back in the dungeon.

Still waiting on you to jump in, Da. She pinned him with a testy look.

Cathbad held his hands out to each side. “What test can we do with so little time left?”

Flaevynn paused in whipping around the room and appeared in front of Kizira and Cathbad, addressing him first. “You said we needed her”—she pointed a wicked finger at Kizira—“to bond with these beasts. She’s the one fully in control of them. This makes it Kizira’s problem to bring me proof of Evalle’s loyalty, or I’ll turn them over to Tristan.”

That could not happen. Thankfully, Kizira’s unbound hair hid the sweat that trickled down the back of her neck. She hadn’t told Cathbad her plan, and wouldn’t. He’d probably send her to the dungeon himself if he knew what she was going to attempt.

Flaevynn shifted the full force of her glare to Kizira, who decided now was the time to gain Flaevynn’s confidence. “I will bring you proof and I will lead the gryphons, who will deliver the victory you expect.”

“Then what are you doing still standing here?”

Glad to leave, Kizira vanished from Flaevynn’s sight and teleported to the small chamber where she’d sent Evalle to meet with Tristan.

Tristan merely blinked at her arrival, but Evalle turned a glare bursting with hatred toward her. Kizira asked Tristan, “What’s going on?”

“I just informed Evalle of her dual heritage.”

“How was that pertinent to the attack?”

“The sooner Evalle realizes whose team she’s playing for, the sooner she’ll get with the game plan.”

Kizira gave him a silent kudo for possibly helping her cause. She told Evalle, “Queen Flaevynn has requested proof of your loyalty.”

Evalle snickered. “Tell her not to hold her breath, unless she can die of suffocation. Then, by all means, go for it.”

“Leave us, Tristan.”

He vacated the space immediately. When Evalle turned to Kizira, the Belador warrior sent the Medb priestess a glare that dared anyone to push her another inch right now.