Mindbender (13 page)

Alexander shook his head. “The Old Law is more important than a formal alliance.”

Abel sighed heavily. “I’m greatly relieved to hear you say that.” He looked at Alexander with a little smile. “It’s good to have a friend who understands that being King is far more about duty than privilege.”

Alexander raised his glass. “I couldn’t agree more.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes enjoying the late spring evening and their newfound camaraderie when the darkness was shattered by the sudden appearance of Chloe. She buzzed into existence a few feet in front of Alexander in a scintillating ball of white light. Abel’s eyes grew wide. Chloe ignored him and floated up to face Alexander.

“He’s a bad man, My Love. I followed him. He went straight to a wizard and commanded him to send word to Phane. The wizard crushed a stone and a moment later the imp that serves Phane appeared out of the darkness. He told that noxious little demon that you were here with the Sovereign Stone and he would be able to tell Phane your plans tomorrow.” She buzzed into a ball of light again for a moment. “The imp said it would be back for his report tomorrow evening and then it disappeared in a cloud of darkness.”

“Thank you, Little One,” Alexander said. “This is Abel. He’s my friend. Abel, this is Chloe, my familiar.”

Abel blinked a few more times before he found his voice. “I’m most pleased to meet you, Chloe. I’ve read stories about fairies but I never imagined I would have the privilege of actually meeting one of your kind.”

Chloe smiled and buzzed into a ball of light, then flitted over to Alexander, landed on his knee, and sat down cross-legged.

“I’m afraid I asked Chloe to see what your brother did after dinner,” Alexander said.

Abel nodded sadly. “We were friends when we were boys. He used to be a good person, but somewhere he discovered an insatiable ambition. Now, we’re more like rivals than friends.”

“I hate to suggest the possibility, but Cassius may have been involved in your daughter’s abduction,” Alexander said softly.

Abel looked at Alexander with a stricken expression. He closed his eyes as sadness, betrayal, and rage flashed across his countenance. When he opened his eyes, he appeared resolute. “Without irrefutable evidence, I have no power to act against him.” He thought for a long moment before shaking his head. “Our law makes no provisions for a situation such as this. The father in me wants to strike him down, but I must be King before father, and as King, I cannot act without proof to present to the constable.”

“Perhaps there’s a better way,” Alexander said. “He will report to Phane what we decide to do after tomorrow’s discussions. I suggest that you and I decide on our course of action now and tomorrow we put on a show for the benefit of your brother and his new master.”

Abel smiled. “We’d have to keep things between us until our plans are in motion, otherwise he’ll get wind of it.”

They talked for another hour, carefully laying plans and choreographing the elaborate deception they’d devised. Alexander walked back to his quarters feeling a bit of mirth at the power he was going to wield against Phane. It wasn’t force or magic or the will of the masses but a simple ruse that might be able to buy Ruatha the time she needed to save her people while at the same time securing Ithilian against Phane’s invasion.

Before going to bed he took a piece of charcoal from the hearth and drew a magic circle on the stone floor of the balcony. His clairvoyance had become predictable and reliable. He had a process that worked every time he put it to use. Within a few minutes, he found himself floating on the firmament. The cacophony of the music of creation was discordant and fearful. War was engulfing the Seven Isles and people were dying. Alexander shoved the sadness of human tragedy aside and focused his will. His awareness coalesced high over Ithilian.

He moved with blinding speed until he was hovering over the city of Grafton, which was about the size of Southport. There were encampments on its outskirts. About two thousand Andalian Lancers and another three thousand heavy infantry from Karth were deployed around the city.

Alexander shifted his perspective. Now he was high over Grafton Island. He could see the ring of lights from the communities that dotted the coastline; the mountainous interior was dark. He searched until he found the ruins. They were broken and crumbling but still somewhat intact. He wanted to explore the place with his clairvoyance but couldn’t in the dark. Even with his magical sight, he still needed light to see by.

He moved to the south point of Grafton Island and floated slowly around the keep. It was a simple stone structure made from granite blocks. There were three outer towers that formed a triangle with thirty-foot-high walls spanning the distance between them. The southernmost tower served as the lighthouse. The two towers on either end of the north wall faced toward the road and the interior of the island. A gatehouse with a heavy portcullis served as the only entrance to the courtyard and stables within the walls.

He floated up over the interior of the keep and saw a single large building inside the walls with one high tower that rose above all of the exterior towers. The keep was well manned and well defended. Alexander moved in closer and saw men wearing the distinctive armor of the Reishi Army Regency. Not surprisingly, Princess Evelyn was in the first place he looked for her—the top room of the central tower. She was unharmed but clearly afraid, as well as angry. She stood at the open window looking out to the north. Alexander wished she was sleeping so he could leave a message with her, but he didn’t have time to wait for her to go to bed.

He shifted his awareness to Ruatha and went straight to Kelvin’s workshop and the message board. There was a single, hastily scrawled message: Enemy moving to assault New Ruatha.

Alexander went to the sleep room and found one Ranger sound asleep. He entered the man’s dreams and gave him the message he wanted delivered to his father and the Guild Mage.

With all of his tasks complete, he made one last stop outside the fortress island. Isabel and Abigail were in their room sitting comfortably and talking over a cup of tea. Alexander floated there for a time just taking strength from the knowledge that his wife and sister were alive and well. When he returned to his body, Chloe was sitting on his knee watching him, and Jataan was sitting at the table watching as well.

Alexander winked at Chloe, then touched the Sovereign Stone. A few moments later he was in the Reishi Council Chamber. He took his seat and apprised the Reishi Sovereigns of the events that had passed since the last council meeting.

“You are wise to enlist the aid of Ithilian,” Balthazar said. “They have excellent resources and will be an invaluable ally, especially if you can ensure that Phane doesn’t gain a foothold on the island.”

“I need information about another one of Malachi’s creations,” Alexander said. “A creature called a revenant.” He turned to Malachi. “Tell me all you know of these creatures.”

Malachi smiled. “I’m glad to see my works are still alive in the world. I created the first revenant by breeding a demon with a virgin witch. She died during childbirth, of course. Probably for the best,” he said smiling. “I’m sure she would not have appreciated the beauty of her offspring. It feeds on the life force of dying creatures. Any who survive the bite slowly transform into a revenant themselves. As I recall, the one I created developed a taste for blood, which I thought was odd since it didn’t need to eat for sustenance. They’re very strong and frighteningly quick. As they get older, their power increases. Eventually, they can read the mind of a human within a few dozen feet and even project images into the mind’s eye. They seem to enjoy feeding on those who are feeling fear, so they tend to play with their prey before they eat. Feeding gives them the ability to quickly regenerate any injuries, so the more life force they’ve recently consumed, the more difficult they are to wound.”

“How do I kill it?” Alexander asked.

“Cut off its head or pierce its heart,” Malachi said. “Although, the latter option won’t actually kill it, just render it helpless. I found that decapitation followed by burning its entire body is the only sure way to permanently destroy a revenant.”

“Why would you create such a creature?” Demetrius asked.

Malachi shrugged. “Because I could. And because they served my purpose of punishing those who betrayed me.”

“What about those bitten but not killed?” Alexander asked. “How do I cure their affliction?”

“Kill the revenant that bit them before the transformation is complete,” Malachi said offhandedly. “Once they fully transform, they cannot be saved.”

Alexander left the Reishi Council and found Chloe and Jataan exactly where he’d left them. He stood and stretched. It was late and he was tired, so he went to his room without a word. Chloe followed him and curled up on the pillow near his head.

Chapter 10

He woke just after dawn the next morning with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Today would set in motion a number of important plans that would decide the fate of many. He reviewed the plans he and Abel had agreed upon and emerged from his bedchamber to a sitting room full of Rangers and his friends.

“A valet delivered an invitation for you and your companions to attend a late breakfast to be followed by a King’s Council meeting,” Jack said. “It seems that there will be a number of important people in attendance. Perhaps your finery would be in order.”

Alexander grimaced. He’d put on his riding clothes as a matter of habit and went back to his room to change into the more formal attire that he wore when he needed to impress people who thought they were important.

When they entered the dining hall, all eyes turned to him. The room was full of people that Alexander didn’t know. He’d brought Anatoly, Lucky, Jack, Jataan, and Lieutenant Wyatt with him. Chloe remained out of sight. Jataan had sent Boaberous on an unspecified errand. Alexander guessed it had something to do with the Reishi Protectorate. Wyatt had sent his Rangers to visit with the Ithilian military to learn what they could about their tactics and weapons.

Alexander stopped just inside the door and scanned the room with his second sight. He saw a mixture of colors from the clear and bright hues of King Abel and his son to the expansive auras of three wizards to the muddy and guileful colors of the delegates and the Chancellor.

Before he moved any farther, Jack stepped up on his right side. “Lords and Ladies, Chancellor and Delegates, Wizards and Generals, King Abel and Queen Sofia, it is my privilege and honor to announce Lord Alexander Reishi, Seventh Sovereign of the Seven Isles,” he said in a clear voice that carried to every corner of the room.

Alexander smiled inwardly at the introduction. Not six months ago he was a cattle rancher. He still had more ties to that life than he would ever have to this one.

The reaction to the announcement was mixed. Abel and his family smiled warmly, the wizards and generals showed reserved respect, while the more self-important of the delegates could barely disguise their envy and contempt. Whatever the reaction, Jack’s announcement put everyone on notice that Alexander had claimed the position of master of the room.

Lady Sofia raised a glass and tapped it with a spoon to draw everyone’s attention. Once the room fell silent, she said, “Please be seated and breakfast will be served.”

There was a general commotion as everyone found their place at the long table. Abel motioned to Alexander to sit at the head of the table, which drew looks from some of the delegates. Once everyone was seated, a flurry of servants entered from all sides like a well-coordinated attack. They brought platters of bacon, sausages, and sliced ham, large porcelain serving bowls heaping with scrambled eggs and hash browned potatoes, baskets filled with biscuits, sweet rolls, and crusty loaves of bread, pitchers of fresh juice, and kettles of steaming hot tea.

Alexander enjoyed the meal. It was warm and hearty and well prepared. After the dishes were cleared, Abel stood and looked to him for permission to proceed. Alexander nodded.

“The King’s Council will come to order,” Abel said before he sat back down.

Everyone’s attention turned to the head of the table.

“I have invited you all here to apprise you of the situation faced by the Seven Isles,” Abel said. “Prince Phane has conquered Karth by force and rules Andalia by proxy. He has invaded Ruatha where even now battle rages and innocent lives are being destroyed. He has seduced the Governor of Grafton Province and is landing troops on the mainland of Ithilian. Yet our troubles don’t end there. Fellenden has been invaded by a massive army from Zuhl. All of the Seven Isles is at war or soon will be. Lord Reishi has risen to stand against those who would trample the Old Law. He is a natural ally for our people, and so I have decided to throw the weight of the House of Ithilian behind his cause without reservation.

“Lord Reishi and I spoke late into the night. After careful consideration, we have determined our course of action. Lord Reishi will depart for the Gate tomorrow accompanied by Prince Conner. They will make the Gate legions ready for battle and then travel through the Gate to assault the Reishi Army Regency on Ruatha.