The Curse (Belador #3)(45)

“What?” Malevolence twisted Flaevynn’s face. She lifted a lethal black fingernail that sparkled with inlaid diamonds. “You lie.”

“I ha no lied to ya. Pointin’ a weapon at me is no a good way ta gain my aid.” He let his tone tell her he would no tolerate threats now that he ha his powers again.

When she lowered her finger, he said, “But ’tis not all bad news. There is a use for these two once we ha the others. And you’ll be needin’ me when it’s time ta recapture Evalle.”

She warned, “I am not waiting any longer.”

“Ya ha no choice, Flaevynn.”

“You think not?” She tossed her head to one side, her wild black hair flutterin’. “I will not risk my future solely on these five Alterants.”

“Now ya make no sense.”

“I have another plan in motion. I may capture Treoir before Evalle finds the other Alterants.”

He ha no thought her capable of doin’ more than carryin’ out harmless harebrained schemes, but he’d been gone for two years. She might surprise him. “And how would ya be capturin’ Treoir any other way than by the curse?”

“I came up with a brilliant plan.” That coy expression would be charmin’ on another woman, but on Flaevynn it meant she merely rewrote the truth.

Disbelief rolled through Cathbad’s voice. “By yourself?”

“Oh, all right. Kizira did help a bit. For all that she lacks in other ways, she is quite the strategist.”

He agreed about Kizira’s ability to plan, but disagreed with the rest of Flaevynn’s assessment. Their daughter ha many strong qualities, her only flaw bein’ her soft heart. “What plan did Kizira create?”

“I’m the one who came up with using Svart trolls to do my bidding, but I admit that she had a couple of good suggestions.”

“You brought Svarts into this?” He hoped Kizira was no tryin’ to play a shell game with Flaevynn. “What were you thinkin’ ta bring in those nasty creatures?”

Flaevynn’s glare could melt steel. “That the Svarts will be able to locate the Alterants first.”

“At what cost?”

She balked at answering.

“Do no play with me, Flaevynn, if ya want me to tell ya all the curse.”

“All right!” She spread her fingers, nails sharpenin’ into claws. “The Svarts want that human country for some reason.”

“Which country?”

“Where the female Alterant lives.”

“An’ face the strongest VIPER division in the human world?” Cathbad put his hand to his forehead. “Do the Svarts realize the number of pantheons aligned with VIPER?”

“Yes, they do, and are frankly tired of having to constantly pass on lucrative opportunities because of VIPER. They realize once I take control of Treoir and we destroy the Beladors that there will be no more VIPER alliance. The only alliance will be between me and the Svarts.” She struck a pose, head held high as if she already ruled the universe.

“An’ ya think the Svarts will no turn on ya if someone offers ’em a better deal?”

“No. The Svarts want to move their entire operation to North America and bring in trolls from all over the human world to organize in one country. The Svarts have agreed to be my personal army once they take over that worthless strip of dirt and disband VIPER.”

He dinna know if he should be in awe of Flaevynn’s audacity or fearful of what she’d put into motion. Deals with Svarts could be deadly for everyone involved. “An’ what of the five Alterants? Are ya sure enough of this plan ta no care if ya find them?”

“I’m not such a fool as to stake my life on one plan. I still expect the Svarts to deliver the Alterants to me once Evalle finds the other two … four now.”

“Svarts are no easy ta kill, I’ll grant ya that, but Alterants might be able ta win a battle against one.”

Her lips curled into a smile flush with confidence. “Kizira actually came up with how to assure we had Svarts that could overpower an Alterant. She suggested I have a couple of them dipped into Loch Ryve, which I did.”

Ah, Kizira, what are ya doin’, child?

Flaevynn continued. “The two that were immersed into Loch Ryve are practically unkillable Svart trolls.”

“Are ya mad? Those waters would turn a Svart into a demon troll. There’ll be no controllin’ ’em!”

Her words struck with the venom of a cobra. “They would not cross me.”

“No on purpose, but Svarts fight ta the death and are no willin’ to die for anyone.” He shook his head, an angry sigh hissin’ from his lips. “Now you’ve unleashed a troll that is capable of killin’ Evalle and the other four Alterants, especially capable of harmin’ her while she’s still evolvin’. An’ ya do need her ta gain Treoir. Even if a Svart does no kill her, the troll can cripple the Alterant an’ prevent her from evolvin’. Ya may ha just cursed yourself.”





FOURTEEN




Few things could be more dangerous than an eighteen-year-old female on the hunt for trouble, especially when you added hormones and powers.

How much stronger might Lanna’s powers be than the last time Quinn had seen her?