The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3)(17)

“I believe Fae has magic in her ears. Set up a whisper link with her so that we may know what’s going on,” Coletta suggested.

“But—”

“I will not be going anywhere.” She waved the notion away. It was kind, but unnecessary for him to reserve that channel of communication for her alone. Allowing him to establish a link with Fae would not only give them a direct line to the Xin Manor, but would also please her mate, deepen his bond with Fae. “Set up a link with her.”

“If you insist.” Yveun couldn’t conceal his excitement at the notion, though he mastered his face into seriousness. “There’s another matter I wish to discuss about the woman.”

“You have my attention.” And what a rare commodity that was.

“I assume you know of her . . . tastes.”

“You mean her proclivity for imbibing?” The delicate manner in which Yveun brought it up made it clear they were speaking about more than feasting on the heart of a fallen foe. This was imbibing from the living. “Yes, I am aware.”

“An idea has crossed my mind.”

“Oh?” Coletta always enjoyed Yveun’s ideas. They were either fantastic—an equal match for her own—or they reminded her why she was usually the strategist between them.

“All this nonsense over a ‘Perfect Chimera’—a Fenthri that can possess all Dragon organs containing magic without falling. Why not a perfect Dragon?”

Coletta paused, considering the idea. The difficulty of a perfect chimera for the Fenthri came from the fact that their bodies weren’t meant for magic; they struggled to combat the rot that resulted from forcing magic on a body not intended to contain it. Dragons did not share this same barrier.

“You want to give Fae organs as a Fen Chimera would receive.”

“I want to make her strong.”

“The woman is plenty strong as the gods made her.” Coletta ran her fingertip across the lip of her wineglass until it hummed softly, stopping the moment the vibrations made sound. “But I agree with you, Yveun. And I do not think she would be opposed to the idea.”

“Excellent. Then we shall keep her here until such time as—”

“No, she will leave with Finnyr as planned.” It was one of Yveun’s better ideas, and Coletta would reward him for it—in time, in her own way. But keeping Fae on Ruana while sending Finnyr to the snake pit unprotected would not be that reward. “That is most important. I will seek out Fen slaves who bear the Alchemist triangles, and we shall experiment first. After all, if Fae is to be sculpted as the perfect Dragon, we must perfect our process foremost.”

“Very well.” He hummed. “Speaking of that which we will sculpt to perfection . . .”

“Loom?”

“Loom.” Yveun rested his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers in front of him. “What word have you from your little flowers on the gray rock?”

“The Fen are, indeed, demoralized. But it seems that one is spurring another rebellion.”

“Stubborn, suicidal creatures.” Yveun shook his head as a father might, faced with a petulant child.

“They are convening on Ter.0 for a Vicar Tribunal,” Coletta continued, reciting her information, not bothering to correct Yveun’s incorrect assumption that it came from a Dragon on Loom. Even Fenthri would sell out each other for the right price.

“Vicar Tribunal. How long has it been since I’ve heard such a notion?”

“Not long enough.”

“Indeed.” Yveun laced and unlaced his fingers in thought. “I suppose I should be impressed that enough vicars survived to have such a gathering.”

“Fenthri lives are fleeting.” Coletta sat back in her chair, thinking of the brief periods of time the Fenthri walked the earth. A Dragon could easily live upwards of one hundred twenty years; Fenthri were lucky if they saw forty-five. How did one approach life knowing existence would be nothing more than a wink in time’s great eye? “I’m sure they rotated new ones in hastily.”

“Too true.” Yveun placed his wine glass down. “I shall go to this Tribunal.”

Coletta’s eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled slowly. “Why would you deliver yourself to them?”

“Did we not raze them as vengeful gods do? Now, I shall descend as a god appeased, merciful and calm. I will show them the beauty of their submission.”

“You mistake poetry for practicality.” Coletta shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew from the look in her mate’s eye that the battle was lost.

“I will bring order and offer peace. Even House Xin was offered that.”

“And what great dividends that paid.”

“The Fenthri know they have been beaten.”

“They have not known it ever. How many times must we destroy them before you see that they will never bow willingly?”

“We have never destroyed them so completely before,” Yveun countered.

Coletta was ready to strike back by pointing out the fact that they were far from destroyed if they were already organizing a Tribunal. But she knew when his mind was made up. There was little point in fighting the matter now.

“Very well.” Coletta gripped and released the arms of her chair. “Go to them when you please. But meet with the leaders only, and do so under the banner of peace. Outnumber them in manpower, but avoid striking.”