Igniting Spirit (Gathering Water Book 3) (16 page)

I’d only met Etta and Richard once before at my Testing with Cash. Things had been so chaotic then that I don’t think I exchanged so much as a word with either of them. Richard didn’t have nearly as many people with him as our scouts had counted, but I assumed most of his party had spread out in the surrounding area to keep watch and report back to their leader if anything was amiss. It was smart.

Etta seemed as if she were about to say something once they got close to the table, but Richard didn’t give her the chance.

“Derek, having those beasts here is treason.” Richard’s voice was steady and threaded with something vaguely threatening.

“Oh, quiet down and make a seat, Richard. I am certain that Derek has a very good reason for having Clade elders here, though I can’t imagine what they would be,” Etta told him in the same no-nonsense voice I remembered from my Testing. She then created herself a hammock-like chair, clearly comfortable with it’s grass seat and cattail lined back. Richard, like my father, didn’t bother with comfort. He made himself a throne similar to Derek’s, except his wasn’t nifty and glass like ours were.

“Thank you for coming so quickly,” my father told them, as if their coming a day earlier than expected was something he’d requested.

“As if we could stay away. I see you found the Epiklayra,” Etta said, looking at me after speaking. At her side Richard shifted in his seat. I hoped his butt was falling asleep in the stupid chair. I know mine was.

“Yes, and she brought along some friends. We were right to worry about her loyalties after all, Derek,” Richard said, and I realized we were going to have a problem.

“I can assure you that my daughter is no traitor to our people. Their best interests lie within her heart. Which is why we are here today. With great risk to herself, Della has discovered Kaylus’s plot to open the portal home. We believe he has the means to do so, and his power is far more deadly than we previously thought.”

“Says who? The Clades flanking you, or the half Dunamis at your side? Humans are easily fooled, Derek.” Richard spit the word “Dunamis” out as if it were foul tasting.

My father’s gaze turned icey. “You forget yourself, Lord. My daughter is above reproach.” His fisted knuckles turned white on the table, then he took two deep breaths before continuing in the same calm tone. “Her words are true, and the Clades here can attest to Kaylus’ treachery. He nearly destroyed their home, and many people have lost their lives to Kaylus’ scheme. They have even more reason to find him.” He paused to let his words sink in, then continued. “We have been fools for too long concerning our brethren, and there is a gap between us that may not be bridged because of it. However, Kaylus poses a threat to us all, and we shouldn’t turn away such strong allies.”

“Lord Derek, are you sure that Kaylus plans to do this? I agree, this is disturbing, but the Clades have wanted to break through that portal for millennia now, and none have come close. How can Kaylus do what others have failed?” Etta asked. At least she seemed open to the threat.

“It seems that their priorities shifted some centuries ago, my friend. It is common knowledge among most of the Clades that to go home is to bring destruction to this world, without hope for the other one.”

“You expect us to believe that the Clades are simply misunderstood, yet you tell us that Kaylus — one of their leaders — is intent upon destroying the world.” Richard sounded incredulous.

“He has a point, Derek. If it is true, how did they not discover the depth of Kaylus’ depravity before? That he was still Elder among the Clades after the atrocities that he has committed proves that we are right about the Clades.”

“It cannot be worse than the atrocities that are performed behind your very walls. Our people don’t murder infants!” Lena stood. It didn’t occur to me that she might have problems being around leaders of the people who killed her child — leaders who approved and encouraged such a thing. It also didn’t occur to me that the Elders didn’t know about the string of murders Kaylus had committed against Dunamis mothers and their infants.

There was silence around the table.

“We are Elfennol. Innocent lives do not suffer by our hands. Taking life is something your people do.” Etta looked shocked at the accusation.

“Elder Lena speaks from experience, Lady Etta.” Alexander’s voice was full of sympathy. “Her own babe was murdered by her kin for the sin of being half Dunamis.”

Etta looked at Lena, then at me, with shame in her eyes.  I instantly knew it was a practice that — even if she had deemed necessary in the past — she found revolting.

“Destroying monsters is not murder. We should have been more thorough in it.” Richard also looked at me, but there was no shame in his eyes, only my death. “Kaylus, however, killed many people. Mostly Dunamis women and their children. You curse us for what we do to protect our people, yet what excuse do you have for him? Alexander, you oversaw the cleanup of these attacks, did you not? You were even tasked to discover the purpose behind them, yet you side with them knowing what they are capable of.”

Lena turned to look at Alexander. “Is this true about Kaylus?”

He only nodded his head. Lena, deflated, sat back down.

On the other side of Toby, Ian leaned forward. “Clearly we were not aware of these things. Had we been, it is unlikely we would be in the situation we are currently in.” Ian, so far, had struck me as a quiet and learned man, with very little steel in him. But there was anger in his words, a strong rage directed at the people across the table from us.

“What do you mean by that, Clade?” Etta asked. There was no venom in her tone, only curiosity.

“He means that if we had been in communication with the Clades on this subject, rather than let age old prejudices control us, they would have taken care of Kaylus before now. But we were not, because we assumed to be Clade was to be without decency.” My father spoke for Ian.

Etta seemed unconcerned with their ignorance. “My earlier question has yet to be answered. Why do you think Kaylus will be able to achieve his goal? It is my understanding that the ability to open the portal was lost long ago, when we first arrived to this world. How is Kaylus able to do something that should be impossible?”

“The ability wasn’t lost, only hidden. Etta, Richard, what do you know of the Thanatos?” my father asked. Richard, for the first time, looked uncomfortable, but said nothing.

“They were the most corrupt of our people. Their lines were wiped out so their destruction would not be passed down and cause the downfall of another world,” Etta answered. I wasn’t surprised that she knew something about them; it was my understanding that she was the oldest among the Council, old even by Ethnos standards.

“Do you know why they were considered so dangerous? Were you told anything of their abilities?” Derek leaned forward, with an earnest cast to his voice. Knowledge was power, and if Etta knew anything at all, it might be more than we already had.

“No. Only that they were capable of more harm than a hundred of our people together.”

“That’s definitely true.” I muttered under my breath.

“I’d say it’s an understatement,” muttered Toby on my right in response. I looked over and smirked at my grandfather.

My father continued as if he hadn’t heard me, though he probably did. “The Thanatos have power over Death. Where we can Gather Spirit, they control its opposite. Kaylus is known to have these abilities.”

“We Ethnos can Gather Spirit from the world around us. We can also give it to things, healing them if their Spirit energy is waning. The Thanatos can do the same with Death. It is what makes Kaylus so dangerous: he can infect people with this energy, choosing to kill them or control them under threat of death at his whim. The Clades know of no defense against this power, other than to avoid being infected with it.” Ian again spoke, more clinically than he probably felt on the subject.

“Is this true, Derek? You are certain Kaylus is capable of this evil?” Etta was ghost white, even though her voice was firm.

“My daughter witnessed his use of it. Della, tell them what you saw.”

“He infected one of the Elders, Arthur. Black veins coursed through his body, destroyed all of his power gems, and killed him in a matter of seconds. It didn’t look like an easy way to go.” I remembered the fear in Arthur face, and knew it wasn’t something you had to witness first hand to understand exactly how terrible it was.

Richard harrumphed. Yeah, harr-freaking-umphed. As in, showed his displeasure by making a disgusting phlegmy noise that made him sound like a horse with a head cold. And here I thought it was just an expression; I didn’t know people actually made that sound.

“Derek, surely you understand if I’m wary of trusting your daughter. Do you have any other proof of this ability, perhaps a witness who doesn’t make a habit of befriending our enemies.” Richard was climbing up my list of “least favorite people” impressively fast. And it was a long list.

I don’t like most people.

“Richard, now you’re just being ornery,” Toby said, while I heard my Uncle Connor choke on a swear word. “The only people that should consider my granddaughter — the
Duxa Deare,
mind you — an enemy is Kaylus and his allies. And before you insult her again, and thereby all the Dunamis who choose to fight with you, we have other proof. My grandson, the future Dux, was infected by this power while fighting Kaylus’ men. The Clades at this table helped save his life, and that’s far more than any of you have ever done for my family.” This was the first time I saw a resemblance between my grandfather and Luke. He leaned against the back of his chair, body relaxed, but there was something dangerous in his eyes. Luke often had that look about him, like a caged panther. But I knew that Toby was capable of more than simple violence. He was a leader, and that brought a certain type of confidence that was missing from my great uncle.

Grandpa was badass.

“We did hear about the Neale heir being injured, but not to this extent,” Etta said. “Has he been cured of this taint? How, if there is no defense against it?”

“Della went to the Clades, believing they were more likely to know how to save my son,” Uncle Connor answered, though he didn’t say anything that wasn’t already implied. He was protecting Ezra, and I agreed that it would be better to keep his abilities quiet until the Council members were a little more open to the Clades being their allies.

Richard noticed the omission. “That doesn’t explain how, Dux Neale. But perhaps we don’t need an explanation after all. The young Clade to your left does seem to have an uncanny resemblance to Kaylus, does he not?” Richard had a sly look to his face, and I was certain that he knew exactly who Ezra was when he first sat down at the table. Ezra doesn’t look much like his father at all, except his black hair, so there was no reason for Richard to make such a comment unless he already knew.

My father sighed. “Yes, Richard. Ezra inherited his abilities from his father. He was integral to saving Cash Neale, and has —”

“What’s this, Derek? That can’t be Kaylus’ seed sitting with you. After what you’ve just told us, how can you trust such a being?” Etta’s back was rod straight, eyes wide in outrage and fear.

“How indeed? He is probably working for his father as we speak —”

“That’s enough, Richard.” My dad, Lord of the Elfennol, didn’t need to raise his voice for it to reverberate around the table and silence the jackalope seated opposite of us.

“It’s a reasonable assumption, Derek,” Etta said. “We know what is necessary for the portal to open, which Kaylus is well aware of. How can you not question his son’s loyalty when he has surrounded himself with the very materials still needed to open the portal? Saving the future Dux could have been a scheme to gain the trust of those needed for Kaylus’ plan to work. This could be the work of all the Clades, to catch us unawares.”

The table, and crowd behind us, went silent as they absorbed her words. I trusted Ezra with everything I was, but she put up a good argument. It made sense. I kept my eyes forward, afraid to look at the people around me and see the doubt I was certain was filling their faces, and started gathering my reserve to Shield Ezra and get the hell outta dodge. We could find his father ourselves. We didn’t need —

“Ezra has already proven himself a true friend of the Epiklayra, and the entirety of the Leoht House through her. His trustworthiness is not up for discussion,” my father said after several heartbeats worth of silence. I turned sharply towards him, relieved that all I saw was confidence.

“That about sums it up for us, as well,” Uncle Connor said, speaking for our family — and likely all the Dunamis in attendance. I almost laughed at how nonchalant he sounded.

Richard still looked entirely too happy, however. “I am afraid you are wrong about him, Derek. We have in our possession a Clade who was sent to interfere with our arrival. He nearly killed one of my soldiers before they were able to subdue him. After much trouble, my men were able to glean who sent him.”

I saw the light of a small group of Ethnos approach our area; Richard’s missing people who I had assumed were patrolling the area. As they got closer I saw they had in their midst one of the Clades who had been in my backyard earlier. Richard hinted that his men had tortured the Clade for information, but there was no physical evidence of such. But his light was dim — not tarnished like those infected with Kaylus’ power were — as if he had been drained.