Demon Demon Burning Bright, Whisperings book four (30 page)

“He can’t, can he. What does he do, drive
here?”

“He comes on foot, like everyone. I imagine
someone drops him off.”

“What about when he masquerades as
Orcus?”

“I don’t know. He appears in the House and
summons who he wants to meet, then dismisses them. I hear the High
House is riddled with hidden passages.”

“Or Cicero comes, and Orcus magically
appears. I don’t imagine the Seer is followed if he wanders around.
He goes to where he wants to receive whomever, lights up, and calls
for them.”

“You could be right.”

“Why is it always so freaking hot here?” I
pulled the cloak’s neck away from my skin.

Royal, Gryphon and I had discussed how we
could get inside the High House without a fight. They eventually
came around to my way of thinking. Naturally, Royal didn’t like my
plan. He wanted to zip me back to Clarion, but I was adamant.

We made a procession as we walked along the
lane to the High House. I led, and everyone else followed. Gryphon
wore a special, lead-lined hooded cloak he took from Cicero’s
apartment. He had used the cloak before. Cicero made him wear it
when the Seer took him captive. He seemed to disappear when Cicero
smuggled him to his lair and the cloak shielded him from other
Gelpha. They did not sense their High Lord move among them on his
way to Burch Mountain.

Cicero folded over one of Royal’s broad
shoulders, an anonymous bundle that didn’t bother to twitch and
groan anymore. He’d worn himself out.

I wore Cicero’s white cloak and kept my head
down.

No Gelpha on the grass this time, but a few
loitered at the entrance. Seeing them, Royal made a noise in his
throat.

“Guess this is it, huh?” Nervous as all
get-out, I tweaked up one side of my mouth in a pseudo smile.
“Okay. Here goes.”

More demons stood in a knot at the open
doors when we reached them. I kept my head down and strode at them,
and they parted to let us through. No sound broke the thick silence
in the huge reception hall. We walked to the staircase and no one
tried to stop us. Even though Royal came behind me with a
blanket-wrapped object over his shoulders. Even though a tall
figure in an enveloping black cloak walked behind Royal, and behind
him came nineteen demons, eighteen of them disheveled and one
swaggering in his pirate outfit. Even though six of them were
banished from the High House.

Eyes lowered, the demons fell back in short
order. They mistook me for Cicero.

I went upstairs slowly, measuring my pace so
I didn’t appear to be in a hurry, or fall over the edge of those
goddamned steps. Lawrence had better be in the Council Chamber. I
didn’t fancy traipsing all over the High House looking for him. And
maybe the Seer should magically know the young High Lord’s
whereabouts.

We came to the doors; I pushed them open and
went in.

Lawrence and his councilors had been warned.
Hair glittering in golden light cast by the multilayered
chandelier, they waited stiffly in their formal wear: bright,
perfectly tailored and bejeweled pants and waistcoats over
shimmering shirts, with jeweled sandals or pumps. Even Gareth, who
I was accustomed to seeing in sharply tailored suits, and once in
jeans and sweater, wore a lavishly embroidered and jeweled, blue
and teal waistcoat, the pattern of a peacock’s plumage, and loose
navy satin pants. Lawrence, in pearly cream tights and a short
burgundy-red jacket, feet in low, cream suede boots, stood in front
of his chair, his advisors beside theirs. No plates and glasses on
their little tables this time.

Gareth’s lids flickered a few times but his
expression remained neutral. The others were not as controlled.
They gaped at my entourage.

Lawrence’s eyes widened with delight and
relief when he saw Gorge, but he held his position.

White-gray-haired Imeld nervously cleared
her throat. “I don’t understand, Sire. Why do you bring the
traitors before us?”

Darja came forward. “We were never
traitors.”

A stocky demon all in black, mulberry hair
in a hundred tiny braids, said, “Gareth, do you know what is going
on?” His eyes seemed to flash red as he glared at Darja.

Gareth joined his hands at his waist. “I am
sure the Seer will explain,” he replied smoothly.

I caught a pointed look from Royal from the
corner of my eyes.
Oh, shit. You’re on, Tiff.

I pushed the hood back.

Gareth’s eyes became slits. “What is this?
Where is Cicero?”

The white cloak was not an ordinary piece of
clothing. The material felt slick where it had been treated to
provide a reflective surface. I pressed the button in my palm to
activate the silent projector. Flames flickered to life and swept
up me until I became a tower of flame.

I enjoyed the councilors’ expressions, they
were so varied. Except Gareth, who continued to stare through
half-open eyes.

A second later, “It’s a trick!”

“Where is the Seer?”

“How dare you!”

I cast my eyes down and saw my body inside
the flames. Looking through them, my view was a little distorted.
The demons saw a pillar of flickering blue/white fire.

I had one hell of a time getting the
contraption properly wired. The projector looked peculiar on my
lace-up winter boots; I threaded a shoelace through to keep it
there. I couldn’t move my feet or let the robe’s hem flap over my
boot. I’d blink on and off like Christmas lights.

I pressed the button. The flames died.

I don’t know who said what. I waited for
someone to make the move I expected. I hoped Imeld would be the
one, but a slim, blond demon came at me. Well, not at me. He tried
to sidestep, but I reached out and zapped him in the chest.

I pressed the stun gun against him as his
eyes rolled up and he twitched like a marionette. I never used a
stun gun before and didn’t want to do him any permanent damage, so
I let him go after five seconds. But five seconds is a long time to
have electricity course through your body. He collapsed to his
knees and kind of hung there, looking at the floor.

“Yes, it’s a trick,” I said. “A trick your
Seers have been using I don’t know how long.” I pointed the stun
gun at my boot. “The flames are a projection and this little tool
gives you a nasty jolt.”

“Lies!” Imeld dramatically cried to the
ceiling. “You use human technology but the Seers’ power is
real.”

I didn’t raise my voice. “Bullshit. I’m
Cicero’s niece, by your reckoning a full-blood Seer and I know he
pulled the wool over your eyes; he showed me. Seers have no powers.
They can speak to the dead; that’s where they get the information
they pass off as some arcane foreseeing, if they can’t torture it
from the living.”

The ex-councilors moved to bunch around me.
“It is true, Imeld,” Darja said.

“Naturally you support her, we expect
nothing less,” the stocky demon responded.

Royal bent to lay Cicero on the floor, from
about three inches above. The Seer groaned as he made contact.
Royal went on one knee and peeled back the sheet. As the Council
watched, aghast, he ripped Cicero’s gag off.

He surveyed them with angry eyes. His tone
sent shivers over my shoulders. “Here is your Seer. Ask him to
raise the fire now.”

Cicero closed his eyes.

Royal stood. “He imprisoned me, as he did my
friend,” he said as he canted his head at Chris. “He takes our
people and tortures information from them. He took your loyal
councilors and replaced them with his sycophants. He wants your
Seat, My Lord.”

Lawrence walked from among his councilors
until he faced me. “Cicero and Orcus are one and the same?”

“Your advisors will confirm there have been
two Seers at the High House since your great-great-grandsire’s
time. But there was only one, posing as two,” Royal said.

Lawrence cast his gaze at Cicero. “He’s
powerless?”

“Smoke and mirrors,” I said.

Imeld’s red satin pants billowed around her
ankles as she closed the distance which separated us. “Do not
listen to her, my Lord,” she said urgently.

A haunted look came into the boy’s eyes.

I whispered. “Trust me.”

His head came up. He eyed Imeld imperiously,
then raised his voice. “The Seers misled us, they’re
tricksters.”

She grabbed Lawrence’s wrist and spoke low.
“You will tear Bel-Athaer apart. Your people love their Seers. They
will hate you for this.”

Love their Seers? No, they feared them. I
hissed, “Don’t you get it? Seers aren’t oracles, they are
cold-blooded killers.”

Head down, Lawrence said softly, “Unhand me,
Lady.”

It was as if the eight-year-old stepped back
and the High Lord of all Bel-Athaer came forward. Again, I recalled
the time Royal and I came here with Gia and Daven. Lawrence looked
them up and down and said,
“I have heard of the Dark Cousins. I
thought them tales to scare young children.”
He used the same
tone: cool, unemotional, but with a knife-edge of power.

Imeld dropped his wrist and backed away
without another word.

“Enough,” Gryphon said. Removing his cloak,
the tall demon came forward. He stood before them, glimmering eyes
piercing as an eagle’s. He bowed to Lawrence. “I bear witness.
These creatures you call Seers are murderers and charlatans. They
care nothing for your subjects, only for power and privilege. I
know this because Cicero Bon Moragh held me against my will these
past eight years.”

The councilors dropped. Their knees smacked
the floor. A few groaned.

Only Gareth sank down gracefully and
quizzically eyed Gryphon.

Lawrence met Gryphon’s eyes. He lifted his
chin and looked along his hawk-like nose. “Who are you?”

Gryphon’s throat worked as he swallowed. He
glanced at me. I nodded.

“My name is Gryphon. Lawrence, I am your
father.”

“I want you to know,” Gryphon was saying, “I
loved your mother. I would be with her still if not for
Cicero.”

“She’s dead,” Lawrence said flatly.

“Cicero told me. I still mourn her
passing.”

“I don’t want to be High Lord,” Lawrence
said, but he did, I saw it in his eyes. He had been trained for the
position and trained hard. He expected to rule, and now didn’t know
what to make of this man who could take it away from him.

“I am sorry, Lawrence.” Gryphon knew what
went through his son’s head. He gripped Lawrence’s shoulder with
one hand. “I regret laying this burden on you, but you will bear
it. The people have already accepted you.”

Lawrence peered into his father’s eyes,
seeking truth there. Apparently he found it; he nodded before
taking in a deep breath.

“We cannot let word of what happened here
today escape the High House. The Seers are rivals, but who knows,
they may ally against us rather than submit,” Gryphon said.

After the shock of Gryphon’s appearance wore
off, Lawrence did his best to calm the councilors’ ensuing
outbursts, reassuring them the innocent had nothing to fear. They
didn’t seem reassured to me. They were terrified. Was Royal right,
Cicero replaced the old councilors with his toadies?

Now Lawrence beckoned Royal to his side.
“Take them to the east wing. I’ll . . . my father and I will
question them.”

“Lawrence,” I said, “Cicero told me spies
infiltrate the Houses. We should keep this close for now.”

Unsurprised, he nodded solemnly, said to
Royal, “Use the door behind my chair and don’t let anyone see
you.”

“My Lord!” from Gareth. He held his hands
before him palm to palm, like a prayer which matched the plea in
his eyes.

Lawrence’s expression softened. “I’m sorry,
Gareth. Go with the others for now.”

As the councilors were herded behind
Lawrence’s chair, I saw Imeld’s expression. If looks could kill,
I’d be stretched out on the floor. I quashed a shiver.

Two councilors hoisted Cicero between them.
He didn’t look in my direction.

Lawrence came to the middle of the room and
stood beneath the chandelier. “I have an idea,” he began
tentatively. His gaze settled on me.

I winked at him.

His eyes briefly sparkled, but he kept his
expression serious and continued in a firmer voice. “We have to
take every Seer at the same time so word of what we’re doing
doesn’t get out. No warning, we turn up and grab them.”

The High Lord’s persona warred with that of
an excited child. “Covert ops! Isn’t that what you call it, Miss
Banks?”

“Yeah, covert ops.” I grinned back at
him.

“Will five to a team be enough? If they say
they’re delivering a message from me, they’ll get a private
interview. Can five overpower a Seer?”

“Seers are just men, though they may have
tricks up their sleeves, like Cicero’s stun gun. But yes, they can
do it.”

“The Seers’ people are loyal, they must not
know what we do else they come to his defense,” Darja said.

“Details,” from Gryphon. “Fear not, my son,
the Seers will be in your hands before the week is out.”

“Miss Banks?”

I turned to find Lawrence and Gorge behind
me.

“Thank you, again.” With a grin, his eyes
flicked to Gorge, back to me. “After all you’ve done for me, now
you bring Gorge home, and. . . .” His gaze darted back, over his
shoulder to where Gryphon spoke to Royal. “I’m glad to see Ryel. I
messaged him and he replied he’d investigate Orcus, but that’s the
last I heard from him. I wanted to warn you when you came here, but
I didn’t have time to write much. I knew you’d find help, but I
never dreamed it would be my father.”

“It was a coincidence.” Huh, as if I
believed that. Gia led me every step of the way.
I would tear
the world apart for Rio, would you do the same for Royal?
I did
not tear a world apart, but I set it on its ear.

Lawrence lowered his voice, said in a
confidential tone, “I believe the Cousins are controlling the
Seers, or working with them.”