Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) (18 page)

Indric appeared a moment later. His
fearful gaze assessed the situation as he drew Cinarra into his
arms. “Everyone is all right?” He was looking at Ametto, so Cinarra
let Ametto reply.

“
I can’t believe Fahdeal
tried this. I’ve known him for years.” Fahdeal lay on his side,
injured arm pressed against his chest. Ametto covered him with a
pulse pistol as the other man rocked and moaned.

“
I didn’t do this,” Fahdeal
cried, bloodshot eyes beseeching Indric. “I would never harm your
queen.”

Cinarra shook her head. “There’s no
one else up here. Besides, I saw him with my own eyes.”

“
As did I.” Ametto hauled
Fahdeal to his feet. Fahdeal cried out at the sudden motion. Then
other guards surrounded Fahdeal and led him away. Ametto remained
on the rooftop, but he finally holstered his gun. “I am so sorry,
Sire. This is the second time I’ve failed you.”

“
If no one was hurt, you
did your job,” Indric told him.

“
Madam Mazodie had him
incapacitated before I could make it across the rooftop.” Ametto
glanced at her as he added, “She’s very brave.”

“
Yes, she is.” Indric gave
her another hug, kissed her hair then eased away. “Does Fahdeal
have the technical knowledge needed to disable a safety
shield?”

Ametto nodded, his expression suddenly
troubled. “I’m with you, Sire. That must have been why the shooter
didn’t set off the alarm. Fahdeal had everything ready for
him.”

“
Oversee the
interrogation,” Indric directed. “I’ll join you once I get my
guests situated.”

“
Yes, Sire.” Ametto strode
from the roof with purposeful steps.

Betaul still clung to Krysta, eyes
wide and frightened. Cinarra went and knelt behind him, sandwiching
his trembling body between the two women who loved him most. “It’s
all right, B. Now we know who the bad man was. We’ll all be safe
from now on.”

He released Krysta and turned around,
his voice barely a whisper. “But Ametto made him do it.”

The conviction in his voice sent a
shiver down Cinarra’s spine. “What are you talking about, love?
Ametto was on the other side of the roof. How could he have made
Fahdeal do anything?”

He started to say something then shook
his head. “Never mind. I’m glad he didn’t hurt you.”

Fahdeal’s charge had seemed wild,
almost random, as if he didn’t care who he hurt. “So am I.” She
kissed Betaul’s forehead then stood up.

“
We need to move off the
roof,” Indric decided. “It’s too exposed up here.”

Cinarra thought the precaution was
unnecessary, but she didn’t argue. The attack had been more
unsettling than frightening. She could still see the look on
Fahdeal’s face, dazed, unfocused, as if—like Betaul had
said—someone else were controlling him. And why use a knife when he
had a pulse pistol strapped to his side? It didn’t make
sense.

Guards surrounded the boys as they
made their way downstairs. Cinarra and Krysta followed the small
crowd and Indric descended behind them.

When they reached the third floor’s
central corridor, Indric pulled Cinarra back into his arms. “Are
you sure you’re all right?”

“
I’m fine, but did you hear
what Betaul said?”

“
That Ametto was
controlling Fahdeal?”

“
Yes. Is it possible? Can
all San Adrins send mental compulsions?” Indric certainly commanded
others with effortless ease. The ability had never seemed quite so
menacing before.

“
My gift is extremely rare
and other than the Sensitivity required for his position, Ametto
doesn’t have any supernatural abilities.”

“
You know him better than I
do. But I have no idea why Betaul would have said that unless he
sensed something.”

“
He was terrified. This is
the second time in just a few days that his life has been in
danger.”

She wasn’t going to argue with him,
but she knew Betaul better than anyone. He wouldn’t make up
something like that. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I guess this upset
me more than I thought.”

“
If Krysta stays with you,
will you be all right? It might be a few hours before I can
return.”

“
I’m fine, Indric. Really.
Krysta doesn’t need to babysit me. She has a flight to
catch.”

“
They can’t leave without
me.” Krysta smiled. “I’m the only passenger.”

“
I’ll com the spaceport and
let the crew know you’re running late,” he told Krysta. Then he
kissed Cinarra and hurried off down the corridor.

“
He really is kind of
sweet, in an arrogant Bilarrian way,” Krysta said as they made
their way to Cinarra’s suite. She didn’t speak again until they
were alone in the sitting room. The guards had taken up posts in
the hallway, so she spoke in a hushed tone. “Betaul wasn’t just
babbling. He sensed something.”

“
I know. But what do I do
about it?”

“
You send Betaul home with
me,” Krysta said emphatically. “If Ametto can’t be trusted, Betaul
isn’t safe here.”

Cinarra collapsed into a chair and
scrubbed her hand over her face. What a mess. “What about Prince
Dravon? We don’t understand the purpose for these attacks. I don’t
want to leave anyone unprotected.”

“
I’ll tell Drakkin what we
know and let him decide. Dravon is his grandson. He’s less likely
to blow off the possible danger.”

“
That’s not fair. You make
Indric sound like he doesn’t care and we both know that’s not
true.”

“
I wasn’t trying to
disparage your favorite king. I’m just protecting my
nephew.”

Cinarra blew out a frustrated breath.
If Betaul was going with Krysta, it would have to be soon, and
Indric would feel like she didn’t trust his judgment or his ability
to keep Betaul safe. But Betaul was her responsibility. And she
wasn’t willing to take chances.

And what would happen to him once he
reached Ontariese. Membership in the NRS had dwindled in recent
years and those directly involved in the threats against Seth were
either incarcerated or dead. There was little chance anyone would
connect Betaul with Seth.

“
Can you keep him away from
the Mystics?” Cinarra grumbled. The environment at the Conservatory
was a far more glaring danger as far as she was
concerned.

The bitterness in her tone drew
Krysta’s attention. “Why would that be a concern? Charlotte is
joined with Head Master Tal. Surely you can trust your sister’s
life mate.”

“
That’s just it. As soon as
Tal finds out Betaul has accessed his powers, he’ll insist Betaul
be brought to the Conservatory. I want Betaul to run and play, to
laugh and cause trouble.” Her lips trembled as she added, “I want
him to have the childhood I failed to give you and
Belle.”

“
Oh, Mamma.” Krysta knelt
on the floor in front of Cinarra’s chair and hugged her tightly. If
anyone could understand the emotions tearing through Cinarra, it
was Krysta. They’d both spent their formative years in a cage, at
times literally. They’d been treated like specimens, freaks, never
understanding why no one cared enough to attempt their rescue. “You
loved me and Belle unconditionally and protected us every step of
the way. You did not fail us. You taught us how to be strong enough
to survive that horrible place.”

“
But Betaul is only ten,”
Cinarra sobbed. “That’s much too young for them to turn him into an
emotionless Mystic.”

“
I’ll fight them with
everything I have, but I’m not sure they’ll take no for an answer.”
Krysta eased back and looked into her mother’s eyes. “Betaul’s
power is a complete unknown. He has Ontarian and Rodyte blood,
which in itself is a volatile combination. Add to that whatever
Hydran did to him. No one is really sure what will
develop.”

Cinarra shook her head and wiped away
her tears. “Do you have to be so damn sensible? It’s not like you
at all.”

Krysta smiled too. “Sorry to
disappoint you.”

“
You have
never
disappointed me.”
She eased back, out of her daughter’s arms, but Krysta remained on
her knees in front of her.

“
So what’s our next move?
Do you want to try and convince Indric that Betaul was serious or
should I just take Betaul with me and com Drakkin?”

Cinarra took a deep breath, praying to
all things holy that she didn’t live to regret this decision. “Take
him with you. I’ll deal with Indric.”

* * * * *

“
It wasn’t me!”

Fahdeal’s redundant cry was growing
tiresome. The man’s wrists were shackled, arms raised above his
head. He’d been stripped naked in preparation for corporeal
punishment and still he persisted with the ridiculous
denial.

Ametto stood by, silently waiting for
permission to add physical elements to the interrogation. Calm
logic had failed to penetrate Fahdeal’s hysteria, so Indric was
just about ready to turn Ametto loose.

The subterranean dungeon, with its
dismal cells, cold stone floors and iron manacles was part of the
original palace built thousands of season cycles ago by Indric’s
grandfather. Though considered by most to be barbaric, the dungeon
was still fully functional and had the uncanny ability to
discourage crimes against the crown, so neither Indric nor his
father had seen a reason to modernize the facility.

“
If it wasn’t you, how do
you explain the knife in your hand and your proximity to my
guests?” Indric circled the trembling man, feeling like a bully.
Fahdeal had already pissed himself and now he was sniveling like a
terrified child. “Why’d you leave your post? Weren’t you ordered to
remain by the door?”

“
I’m sorry, Sire.” He bowed
his head, hard sobs shaking he shoulders.

“
Why use a knife instead of
your pistol? Did you want to be caught?”

“
I only know I didn’t do
it.”

With an exasperated curse, Indric
turned and left the cell.

Ametto followed him out and one of the
others locked the iron-banded door.

“
Would you like me to see
if he responds any better to pain?”

An odd catch in Ametto’s tone made
Indric look at him. His features were tense, his eyes clouded with
emotion. He didn’t appear resigned to an unpleasant task, he
seemed…desperate.

If it hadn’t been for Betaul’s bizarre
claim, Indric wouldn’t have thought anything of Fahdeal’s behavior
or Ametto’s reaction. But none of this felt right. Ametto was loyal
and highly protective of both Betaul and Cinarra. Why wasn’t he
angrier? The pieces just didn’t fit.

Unwilling to ignore the signs, however
subtle, Indric grabbed the front of Ametto’s tunic and dragged him
into an empty cell. The larger man didn’t struggle, didn’t seem
surprised by Indric’s aggression, which made Indric even more
suspicious.

“
I will ask this one time
and I expect an honest answer. How did this happen?”

They just stared at each other as
Ametto’s gaze became more and more tormented. “I cannot tell you,
Sire.”

Using his voice to force his will on
others was an ongoing temptation, one he resisted with every fiber
of his being. His grandfather had possessed the gift as well and
warned him that the darkness released by such misuse would quickly
consume his character. His grandfather had given in to the power
and nearly been destroyed by it. Indric had heeded the warning. He
only used his gift when the person he influenced benefitted from
the compulsion. This was a gray area. Ametto would not benefit from
being forced to reveal what he knew. But his knowledge would likely
give Indric what he needed to end these attacks on those he cared
about.

“
I know you’re responsible
for this attack.” He took a deep breath and infused his next words
with the burning need to answer. “Why are you trying to harm those
I love?”

Ametto closed his eyes and tears
trailed down his cheeks. He shook, hands clenched at his sides.
“She has my daughter,” anguish propelled the admission and then he
turned his face away. “I was not involved in the first attack. That
was Fahdeal. He damaged the shield so Eagin’s shooter could slip
into position without setting off the alarm.”

“
So you compelled Fahdeal
into action, so you could rescue Cinarra?” Compulsion wasn’t
necessary now. Ametto’s spirit was broken. His shoulders slumped
and his expression revealed his regret and helplessness.

“
I never would have let him
hurt her. That’s why I made him pull his knife. I just needed you
to mistrust him, to deny him access to…anyone of
importance.”

The claim rang true. Ametto had always
been loyal, one of Indric’s best. There had to be outside
influences forcing his hand. “Who is ‘she’ and why have you denied
your abilities?”

Ametto glanced at Indric, composure
returning by degrees. “Would you have selected me if you had known
I could launch compulsions?”

“
No.”

“
It is extremely hard for
me to do and the results are unpredictable, so I don’t generally
attempt to influence others.”