1 State of Grace (19 page)

“Yes,” she answered. “Seneca Waterdown, the Minister of Finance is a liberal Freyalan, and he’s very supportive of Urlish positions. From his perspective, the continued trade with us funds a lot of key operations in the government. He doesn’t care if we have soldiers here or not; he just wants to make sure trade isn’t disrupted.”

“What about Silverleaf,” Wolf asked.

“Hard to say,” she said with a sigh. “At times, he seems to advocate for our demands. At other times he acts as though he hates us.”

“He does,” Wolf said. “I learned that back in Urland, and I’ve seen his actions support the claim.”

“Why would he want to be ambassador to Urland then?”

“A good question,” Wolf said. “I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. If Silverleaf is playing both sides of the fence in the government debates, it stands to reason he’s got a plan. My guess is he’s a pot-stirrer. He wants the government to be unable to resolve the issue, so he can sweep in with his own solution, whatever it is.”

Kenderbrick nodded thoughtfully. She pulled a wayward strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“That makes sense,” she said. “I’ve thought for some time that, when he’s at negotiations, he stalls.”

“How often is he present?”

“Depends on how intense the negotiations are,” she answered. “If it looks like there’s a solution or that the talks will completely break down, he is sure to be there. Once, he called for the government to wait to commence a meeting for several weeks so he could return from Urland. He claimed to have new information from the queen that would impact the talks.”

“Did he?”

“I don’t know, but it impacted the talks all right. Negotiations broke down for the better part of a month.”

Wolf sat back in his chair and turned the thoughts over in his head. He still hadn’t the slightest idea what Silverleaf’s scheme was, but he was quite certain the ambassador was only going to allow a solution to the Urlish presence that he preferred.

“What do we know about Silverleaf before he became ambassador,” Wolf asked.

“Not much,” Kenderbrick conceded. “He’s very secretive. We know he fought against Jifan in the civil war. He’s an Alfheiman patriot, and, despite his Shendali faith, he opposed the
coup
and the fundamentalist government. The Jifanis caught him and tortured him. He escaped somehow, but the details aren’t clear.”

“What did he do after that?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kenderbrick said. “There are no records of him between his escape and his reappearance a few months prior to the formation of the coalition government.”

“That’s strange,” Wolf said. “A high-ranking diplomat has a seven-year hole in his past? How could someone like that get an appointment?”

“Silverleaf is something of a folk hero,” Kenderbrick said. “He vowed to return to Alfar in her hour of need after his escape. When he showed up, a lot of elves took it as a sign that something great was going to happen. He helped broker the deal that established the coalition and was immediately offered a position in it, but he asked to be ambassador to Urland instead.”

“He
wanted
the job?” Kenderbrick nodded. Wolf grew more concerned. Why would Silverleaf seek a job negotiating with a people he hated? For that matter, why did he hate Urlanders in the first place? It all smelled very wrong. “What do we know about his return to Alfar?”

“Only that he traded on his reputation as a war hero, and he allowed and even encouraged his being treated as a prophet. He made fast friends with the president. She saw him as someone who could bridge the gap between humans and elves, Freyalans and Shendalis. When he requested to be ambassador to Urland, she leaped at the opportunity.”

Wolf thought about that. What he knew of Silverleaf suggested a calculating player with a mind for strategy. He may have been arrogant in his game of Conquest against Wolf, but that was because he’d never failed. His strategy was not only sound, it was cagey. Silverleaf knew exactly how to attack his opponents to create the most devastating losses possible. Assuming he played politics like he played Conquest, he had a plan that was going to cause all-out destruction for his targets. But who were they?

“I think we need to find out more about what he was doing between the war and his appointment. If we’re going to determine what his long-range goal is, we need to know what he might have done in the past,” Wolf said.

“How? He’s extremely secretive.”

“There has to be someone who knew him then,” Wolf offered. “Do some poking around. See if you can find one of his old accomplices, who can shed some light on how he thinks now.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kenderbrick said. “Just know that this information is not easy to come by.”

“I’m certain you’re up to it,” Wolf said with a smile. “Anyone else I need to know about?”

“Just General Blackstone,” Kenderbrick said.

“Our commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force? Why would I need to know about him?”

“Because he’s an idiot, who is going to make your job hard,” Kenderbrick said.

“But his tactics are highly respected.” Wolf couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“He may be brilliant on the battlefield, Shadow Six, but in court he’s a boor and an obstacle. He refuses to treat the elves with any respect and believes it is impossible for Urland to withdraw in any shape given the state of the Alfari security forces. No matter how many friends you win in court, General Blackstone will turn them against you through his own classless stupidity. If you want to get anything done, you’ll have to neutralize him.”

Wolf sighed. He knew the situation was nearly intractable. There were too many people with opposite views to expect any kind of real solution soon. But it wasn’t until this briefing that he understood just how impossible his situation was. How was he going to get these people to listen to one another? More importantly, when and how would he find time to be able to bring Silverleaf to justice?

“You’d better get going,” Kenderbrick said. “You’re expected in twenty minutes.”

Wolf sighed again. Then he got up and resigned himself to failure.

Chapter 21: So Beautiful

(Twenty-Five Hours before Revelation Day)

Wolf arrived at the grand palace in Al-Adan with a heavy heart. He was desperately trying to put the futility of the negotiations out of his mind, but he couldn’t do it. He was about to take that nightmare on directly, and every potential problem whirled around his brain and refused to let him relax.

Quincy’s special carriage – now equipped with new horses and driver – ferried him through the gate and brought him to the door of the grand palace. He stepped out of the carriage and was greeted by two scowling elves in guard uniforms. They wore green tunics with leaf patterns woven through the shoulders that didn’t quite conceal leather hauberks. Their leggings were cream, and they had bronze helmets, also emblazoned with leaf patterns. Each held a spear and wore a sword at his hip. Like every other elf Wolf had met, they were beautiful despite their angry looks, and their skin was the color of night.

“Name and business,” one of them said. His tone was direct but polite. He knew Wolf was supposed to be here, but he didn’t give the appearance he wanted to talk to the newcomer.

“Wolf Dasher,” Wolf replied. He adopted the convivial attitude of the noble character he’d been playing since the Dubonney Club. “Ambassador from Her Majesty’s Government in Urland to Alfar.”

The soldier who had spoken to Wolf grunted in acknowledgement and indicated Wolf should follow him inside. The second soldier opened a large bronze door and held it for his companion and Wolf.

Wolf followed the guard inside to a magnificent foyer. He was nearly blinded by the magical glow his Shadow Sight revealed. Everything seemed to be made of magic, from the wooden walls to the bronze sconces. Wolf concluded it must have been constructed of
Drasil
wood and then further enchanted. This was the Alfar he expected to find when he first arrived.

The palace was resplendent with exquisite carvings showing scenes from elfin history that were shorn from the very wood of the walls. The magical glow was so intense Wolf had trouble observing the details. What he did see was opulence, albeit of a different sort than what he was used to. Back home, the palace would have been trimmed in gold, silver, and other precious metals. Here, it was carved wood and magic.

“Captain,” the guard said. “The Urlish ambassador has arrived.”

“Thank you, Stagheart,” a female voice said. “Dismissed.”

Wolf’s companion left him, and he turned his head in the direction of the female voice. He had to squint to make her out among the glow of the walls. With an effort, he concentrated on her and not on the magic all around him.

As soon as she came into focus, he felt all the air go out of his lungs. She was the most exquisitely beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Her skin was the color of caramel. Her eyes were gold and were set perfectly apart atop a beautiful nose. She had full lips, and, despite the fact that it was pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail, her brown hair looked simply radiant. She was tall and slender, and she wore a uniform similar to the one the guards outside did. The leaves woven into her green tunic were gold, though. She came forward with an elegant stride and smiled at him. He felt his heart melt.

“Greetings, Ambassador,” she said in the most melodic voice Wolf had ever heard. “I am May Honeyflower, Captain of the Elite Guard. It will be my pleasure to escort you to dinner.”

Wolf opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He was completely taken by her beauty. After a moment, she chuckled. Wolf had never heard a lovelier sound.

“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” she joked. “I’ve never met a politician who was lost for words. Perhaps this will aid you in your job. Too many of the people in the negotiations are too busy talking to spend any time listening.”

She giggled. Wolf felt himself becoming completely entranced by her. He forced himself to recover a degree of professionalism.

“I’m—” he began, but then a dry spot in his throat caused him to stop. Embarrassed, he swallowed and spoke again. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that you’re so beautiful.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he couldn’t believe he’d said them. What the hell was the matter with him? He was acting like an idiot. No woman had ever done this to him before, and besides, he was here on a mission. He needed to act like it. But Honeyflower giggled at his response, and he felt his heart skip another twelve beats.

“Have you never seen a female elf before, Ambassador?” she said.

“Well, no,” Wolf answered, realizing he hadn’t.

“Then I am not surprised by your reaction,” she said. “Human men often are mesmerized by elfin women.”

It made sense to Wolf. The male elves he’d encountered had been so beautiful, he’d found them hard to look at for long. It was therefore no surprise the women’s beauty was so overpowering.

“In Jifan,” she continued, her tone darkening, “women are forced to cover themselves from head to toe in dark robes and veils. The fundamentalists do not care for the effect our females have on your men. They believe it leads to spiritual corruption, by which they mean coupling between humans and elves. Naturally, elfin males need not have any similar worries where human women are concerned.”

Her voice was filled with disgust. Wolf didn’t know if May Honeyflower was Freyalan or Shendali, but she clearly was offended by the religious conservatism of the Jifani government. Wolf wasn’t sure what to say. He decided to change the subject.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I’ve completely forgotten my manners. I’m Wolf Dasher.”

“A pleasure to meet you Ambassador Dasher,” she said, recovering her own professionalism. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll introduce you to the president.”

She turned and strode languidly out of the foyer. Wolf followed, still completely under her spell. He barely noticed any of the details of the rest of the palace as she led him to the grand ballroom. Upon entering, she announced Wolf.

“Madam President,” Honeyflower said. “May I present Wolf Dasher, Ambassador from Her Majesty’s Government in Urland to Alfar.”

She stood aside, and Wolf entered, trying and failing to put her beauty out of his mind. Inside was a large table. At its head sat another beautiful elfin female. There were lines on her face and gray hair streaking through her natural brown color. She was older, but she had retained most of her beauty.

“Ambassador Dasher,” she said, “on behalf of the government of Alfar I offer you greetings and welcome. It is a pleasure to have you here.”

At her right, an elf scoffed. He looked disgusted and glared at Wolf through a pair of dark brown eyes set over a wide nose. He wore rich robes that were adorned with gold lacing.

That has to be Lumendrake
, Wolf thought. He stopped short of the table and bowed low.

“Madam President,” he said. “It is my honor to be in your presence. I bring warmest greetings from Her Majesty, the Queen.”

“Thank you, Ambassador,” she said. “Allow me to introduce you to my cabinet.”

She went around the table introducing each man and woman present. Wolf was correct about Lumendrake’s identity. He also made notes of Goldenfawn and Waterdown.

“And I believe you know General Blackstone,” she said, indicating a hulking Urlish general wearing his dress uniform and scowling even more fiercely than Lumendrake.

“Only by reputation,” Wolf said. “A pleasure to meet you, General.”

“Likewise,” Blackstone said. “Hopefully, you’ll be better at convincing these people of what needs to be done than the last clown was.”

Wolf was taken aback. He hated the pompous pleasantries of court, but he knew and understood them. The general skipped over them to insult their Alfari hosts. It was a stupid breach of etiquette that could only end up hurting their cause. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air until Wolf broke it.

“Well, General, I am hopeful I can help broker a deal that benefits everyone,” he said.

There was another brief pause as everyone tried to read Wolf’s intentions. He smiled affably, trying to charm them the way he had Simone.

“Why don’t we start dinner?” Spellbinder said.

She signaled a servant to inform the kitchen it was time to serve. The man went out. Spellbinder seated herself, and the rest of the government officials followed suit.

A second servant began pouring wine. Wolf took the opportunity to get his bearings. Lumendrake and Goldenfawn sat next to each other and spoke quietly among themselves. Waterdown was seated immediately to Spellbinder’s left. Wolf had the guest’s chair at the other end of the table. Not far from his right was an empty chair.

Honeyflower was given a seat at the table. Wolf was a little surprised by that. He’d assumed she was working. Apparently, her counsel was appreciated in these sorts of discussions.

Wolf supposed, though, that he had no idea what he should be expecting. He had no experience with a so-called “coalition government.” The idea of appointing representatives to make decisions was completely foreign to him. He was used to monarchs and small counsels being in charge. They had their advisors and chancellors and stewards, but ultimately it was the king’s or queen’s decision. The only other thing he’d seen was Phrygia’s communist collective. This coalition was a little too close to that form of government for his comfort.

The meal began with a soup. Wolf feared it might be
muktada
given the nearness of Revelation Day and this being a formal state dinner, but, apparently, his elfin hosts decided to spare the humans that custom. This soup was a light yellow in color and contained noodles and what looked like chicken. Wolf didn’t recognize a single flavor in it. He thought he might have caught a hint of basil, but he couldn’t be sure. Regardless, it was absolutely delicious. It was sweet and salty and very refreshing – the perfect appetizer.

Captain Hoag had been right about elfin wine. Silverleaf’s collection was some of the best wine, he’d ever had, but the opening selection of tonight’s meal topped anything Wolf had ever tasted. It was light and airy and crisp. There were wonderful notes of melon and honey, yet it was not overpoweringly sweet. It was a perfect balance between sweetness and dry – just like the soup it was served with. The Alfari government maintained a brilliant chef on staff.

Wolf drank his first glass without realizing he had done so. Remembering his experience at Silverleaf’s villa, he resolved to go slower. He couldn’t afford any sort of
faux pas
here.

The chatter at the table was idle until the salad was served. Wolf was disappointed when the talk turned inevitably to business. The salad was composed of spinach, bleu cheese, walnuts, and dried cranberries. It was served with a delicious vinaigrette that was a touch sour but not bitter. Again, it was the perfect complement to the salad. The conversation was less so.

“So, Ambassador,” the president began, “what news do you have of the negotiations?”

Wolf took a sip of wine before answering. He needed a little resolve to get himself into the right frame of mind.

“I was hoping you might answer that question, Madam President,” he said. “I am newly appointed. I’ve reviewed my predecessor’s reports, but, if there is news, surely it resides here.”

“The news here, Ambassador,” Lumendrake said, addressing Wolf for the first time, “is that we continue to be weary of Urland’s military presence. It’s time for you to go.”

“So that you people can destroy yourselves,” Blackstone said.

“Gentlemen,” Spellbinder said raising a hand. The table fell silent. “I was asking if Ambassador Dasher had news from his queen, not inviting another debate about issues we’ve already discussed.”

Wolf felt all eyes at the table turn to him. He’d received no instructions from Her Majesty’s Government. So far as he knew from reading all the briefs, Urland’s position on matters had not changed. Kenderbrick was supposed to advise him on how to handle the situation, and she had given him no new instructions either. He had to say something, but what?

“Her Majesty hopes that having fresh eyes on the situation will inspire an as-yet unseen solution,” he said.

“In other words,” Goldenfawn said, “Nothing’s changed.”

“Not yet,” Wolf said. “Her Majesty is hoping my appointment will make a difference.”

“And just how is your appointment going to change that?” Lumendrake said, his voice rising just a touch. “Your military is here without a mandate, and this government refuses to do anything about it.” He looked at Spellbinder as he said the last sentence.

“Without a mandate?” Blackstone roared. “The only reason this government is in power now is because we were
asked
to come provide assistance. It wasn’t elfin soldiers who pacified the extremists. They were Urlanders, who gave their blood and their lives to save this God-forsaken country, which now doesn’t have the decency to even say thank you.”

“Thank you?” Goldenfawn spat. “We should thank you for occupying our country and refusing to leave?”

“General Blackstone,” Spellbinder said, “I’ll thank you not to use the phrase ‘God-forsaken’ in reference to Alfar. We are the Children of Frey, God’s true servants. I will not tolerate the implication that God has forsaken us.”

“But he has,” Lumendrake said. “Look around you, President Spellbinder. The land dies as we watch. How else could this happen without God’s absence. And he has abandoned us because we tolerate these infidels!”