Heirs of Chrior: The Empty Throne Part 31

With a measure of relief and trepidation, I told Tom the story of my journey from Chrior to Sheness, including everything I had learned along the way and ending with our discoveries on Evernook Island. The only information I omitted was that Shea knew I was searching for Zabriel, not Illumina, and that she therefore knew of my cousin's dual ident.i.ty. After all she had gone through, I wasn't about to let one of Luka's men put a bullet in her brain.

When I was finished, Tom sat quietly for a very long time, the shock on his face gradually giving way to resolve.

"I need to talk to Zabriel. I think the three of us need a plan of action to sort everything out and ultimately bring this plot against the Fae to a grinding halt."

"You won't say anything to Luka?"

"I won't discuss this with anyone other than you and Zabriel. Until we know who we can trust, I think the same should be true for the two of you."

"It is, Tom. I haven't even told my father, much less the Queen, the Amba.s.sadors, or anyone else. Other than Zabriel and me, the only other Fae who has some knowledge of the situation is Illumina."

"Your cousin who went back to Chrior?"

"That's right."

"But what might she have told the Queen and your father?"

"As far as I know, she told them about the loss of my wings and how we found Zabriel. And she said he was arrested by a bounty hunter. But she didn't say anything about Evernook Island. I'm certain of that because my father and aunt would have told me."

Tom frowned. "Why would she have kept that secret?"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, for he had raised an issue I hadn't considered. Trying to unravel Illumina's motivations was akin to trying to find a way through a complex maze. There were far more wrong turns than right ones.

"I'm not sure," I ultimately confessed. "But she doesn't know everything Zabriel and I do about what's happening to Fae. Maybe she didn't want to raise an alarm without more information. Maybe the only thing she cared about was sending the Queen after her son. All I know is she could have stirred up the human-haters in Chrior but didn't. And for that I'm thankful."

"All right. But, Anya, we have to put all of this aside for a day or two." He came to his feet and glanced out the window. "I know that won't be easy for you, but in truth, there isn't time to deal with this right now. In a few hours, the parade honoring the Queen and Zabriel will start, followed by the Governor's Ball."

I nodded, my neck feeling stiff, as though it needed to be oiled. Concern washed over his face, and he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly, the steady rhythm of his heart offering me comfort.

"I'll take you back to the mansion now so you can prepare for the events," he murmured, brushing my hair with his fingers. "The doctor says you're doing well, and he's yielded to your father's desire to have you discharged. Tomorrow, I'll figure out a way for the three of us to meet."

I raised my head to look into his eyes, lips slightly parted in invitation. He kissed me, his hands running over my body, the warmth of his touch radiating through my thin nightgown. I melted against him, but he put his hands on my waist and shifted me away. I nonetheless caught the momentary flit of his eyes to the bed, and the blush that, for once, rose in his cheeks.

"I'll be waiting in the corridor," he said, voice low and husky.

He left me fl.u.s.tered and trembling in the room, and I quickly changed into my regular clothes. I gathered my hair into a ponytail at the nape of my neck, feeling a surge of hope. Despite everything I had learned, Zabriel and I had a new ally, a human ally, and he would be a good one at that.

Chapter Twenty-Eight.

REUNIONS.

The ballroom in the Governor's mansion was opulence defined. The floor was marble, the walls a rich mahogany, the chandeliers a lavish display of gold, silver, and crystal. Gilt angel statues, a favorite motif of the Ivanova family, watched over the proceedings from recessed nooks in the walls, s.p.a.ced among rich woolen tapestries and ornately framed portraits. The cut crystal bowls, plates, and goblets on the refreshment tables glimmered in the candlelight cast by silver-and-gold candelabras. The air was saturated with the aroma of food and drink, along with the heady scents of perfume. Though the Governor's Ball was officially held in honor of Queen Ubiqua's return to the human realm, its real purpose was to introduce the Governor's grandson, the Prince of the Fae, to the upper cla.s.s of the Warck.u.m Territory.

A parade through the streets of Tairmor in horse-drawn carriages had immediately preceded this event, offering a glimpse of Fae royalty to the general populace and granting a brief moment for me to a.s.sure my aunt of my return to health. The well-behaved throngs who lined the route had enthusiastically cheered the Queen and the Prince, while those who might have been disruptive were no doubt dissuaded by the presence of a large number of crimson-uniformed Constabularies. All in all, the Governor's plan to banish Pyrite into obscurity and claim Zabriel as an heir was going extremely well.

Although the Queen was resplendent in a celebration gown in deep greens and vivid blues, reflective of the burgeoning spring season, her gracious smile seemed more tired than usual, perhaps due to the worry my collapse had generated. People were announced upon their entrance into the ballroom, then were individually introduced to her by the Governor. Ubiqua stood between Wolfram Ivanova and Zabriel, with Luka the bookend on her son's other side, though I was sure this arrangement was not to my cousin's liking. Next came my father and me, followed by Amba.s.sadors Aster and Oersted. The Queen's Blades stood behind us, along with members of the Governor's personal guard, the disgruntled expressions worn by the Constabularies suggesting they thought the additional Fae security was unnecessary. My eyes met Zabriel's, and he tugged on his black tailcoat with a determined nod, once more wearing a custom-made suit provided by the Governor instead of the traditional Fae garments available to him. I sighed internally, knowing I would have to wade into the war between mother and son in the morning, for I had pledged to Ubiqua that I would talk to Zabriel about recanting his decision to stay in the Warck.u.m Territory. I didn't fool myself that this would be an easy task-his burgeoning relationship with Luka had no doubt hit a wall with Fane's death, but that didn't erase his problems with the Queen. Given a choice between what he would now view as two evils, I was certain Zabriel would take his chances with Luka.

I squirmed restlessly, for the pomp and circ.u.mstance favored by the humans was in sharp contrast to the more relaxed celebrations held within the Faerie Realm. I wanted to break away, to circulate among the politely milling guests in search of Tom and a more satisfying conversation. My mood improved, however, with the announcement of an intriguing guest.

"Sir Leo Dementya of Sheness, and his daughter, the Lady Gwyneth Dementya."

Zabriel's head lifted, his smile barely contained, and his eyes went to the head of the line; then he seemed to remember he wasn't supposed to know Gwyneth and returned his attention to the stately couple standing in front of him. But I wondered if his slip might not have been noted, for Luka was very astute-he was, in fact, already examining his nephew. Given that Pyrite had often plundered the Dementya fleet of ships, my cousin should more logically have reacted with concern rather than antic.i.p.ation.

Hoping to divert Luka, I leaned past my father to tap the Lieutenant Governor on the arm.

"At last, someone I know. I mentioned this to you previously, but Leo Dementya and his daughter were very kind to Shea and me during our visit to Sheness, inviting us several times to dine with them. Although I daresay he might not recognize me now."

I brushed my hand across the flowing skirt of my ice-blue gown and wiggled one daintily slipper-clad foot. He chuckled, and I beseeched Nature that he would accept my implicit a.s.sertion that Zabriel had heard good things about the family from me.

Gwyneth was appropriately demure when she was introduced to Zabriel, bowing her head and murmuring a polite greeting.

"Always a pleasure to meet a beautiful young woman," he gallantly replied, kissing her hand.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, though the compliment was fitting. Gwyneth was breathtaking in a shimmering midnight-blue gown that hugged her curvaceous form in a manner no doubt calculated to capture the interest of every eligible bachelor in the room.

Moving down the reception line, her father a step behind, Gwyneth greeted me unabashedly, there being no need to hide our acquaintanceship.

"It's wonderful to see you, Anya! I've missed you so much. And I must say you look positively radiant!"

"Thank you. It's good to see you, too."

With a sly smirk playing on her shimmering red lips, she continued, "I a.s.sume you found your missing cousin?"

"Yes, I did. But I must apologize to both you and your father for the secrets I kept back then."

"Quite all right, my dear," Leo a.s.sured me, taking my hand. "I don't always want people to know who I am, either."

"We'll talk and catch up later," Gwyneth promised, moving on to address Amba.s.sador Aster, the significant lift in her eyebrows telling me she had more than chitchat in mind.

Another name caught my attention before I could give the matter further consideration, that of Kodiak Sandrovich. Though I had never before been introduced to the man, I had broken into his home, and now felt a chilling sense of intimacy with him. His manner when he greeted me was gruffer than I expected, while the woman accompanying him seemed to have her nose permanently elevated. I supposed I was "lower tier" royalty and therefore not fully worthy of their time.

The only other guests to catch my interest were Fi, who arrived with a male companion and a dazed smile, and a couple attending with an otherwise unescorted young lady in her twenties. I recognized her as the woman seated beside Luka Ivanova at Pyrite's execution who had reacted very strongly to the a.s.sertion that my cousin had murdered Ilia Krylov.

Curiosity aroused, I watched her move down the reception line to greet Luka, who uncharacteristically kissed her on the cheek. She reached out to smooth his coat, shamelessly flirting with the Lieutenant Governor, and it dawned on me that he was to be her escort for the evening. Was this the "match" the Governor was arranging for him? Was this the woman Luka was supposed to marry? While she was dressed richly and was clearly well connected, she was rather common-looking. And her behavior didn't exude intelligence, her fawning over him annoying even to me. I could picture Luka with someone like Gwyneth Dementya; I could not picture him with her.

At last disengaging himself from the young woman, Luka pa.s.sed her to my father and me, introducing her as Svetlana Krylov.

"Pleasure to meet you," she politely murmured, though the shifting of her body away from us suggested otherwise. Nor did she extend her hand, which was customary among humans. It was clear she did not like Fae, although in fairness, her father's death at the hands of a Faerie may have influenced her opinion. Still, I doubted she would have become a human-hater if he had been killed by a human.

"Likewise," I replied, forcing the issue by extending my hand to her.

She hesitated, then lightly touched the bandage on my right wrist, managing to avoid skin-to-skin contact.

"That's a lovely ring you're wearing. Ruby, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Thank you."

"I'm a lover of rubies myself."

She held out her left hand to show me a ring with a large diamond surrounded by rubies, which were then encircled by sapphires. It was stunning, extravagant, and probably worth a small fortune.

"A gift from the Lieutenant Governor," she confided with a giggle. "You might say he favors me."

"That would appear to be the case."

She moved on to greet the amba.s.sadors, and I glanced at Luka, who was exchanging a few words with some other guests, feeling an inexplicable pang of sympathy for him. I wondered if he was under pressure to bear an heir, for the Ivanovas had been the ruling family in Tairmor for generations. My gaze went to Zabriel. Would he be viewed as unfit to govern on this side of the b.l.o.o.d.y Road just as he was by some Fae on the other side? For the first time, I had a real sense of what he meant when he said he didn't belong in either world.

At long last, the introductions came to an end, and I was free to move about the room. Zabriel, I noted, was spirited off by Luka, whose arm was about his nephew's shoulders. I wondered if the two of them had come to some understanding while I'd been in the hospital or if this was Luka's way of telling Zabriel he was not to wander off. The Queen was escorted to a seat at the head of the room by the Governor, my father trailing, for he would see to her comfort. Though Wolfram and Luka had also been provided with chairs-Konstantin already in his accustomed place, serving to mark the Governor's position-they were likely to spend a good portion of the event out among their guests. I doubted Ubiqua would stay long into the evening. She was still unhappy with her son and not overly impressed by human ceremony.

"Anya, over here!"

Recognizing the voice, I turned to see Davic hastening toward me, Ione a step behind.

"How are you feeling?" she immediately asked. "We've been terribly worried about you."

I gave her my best attempt at a rea.s.suring smile. "I'm fine. Something I ate just gave me a terrible stomachache."

"I'm glad that rather long and ponderous set of introductions didn't cause a relapse," Davic joked. "I'm thinking we should show these humans how a celebration really works."

His grin was infectious and mirrored by Ione's. And the thought of disrupting the status quo was extraordinarily appealing, especially in light of recent events.

"What do you have in mind?"

"A little revelry-Fae-style."

"And a little dancing," Ione added.

"Zabriel might not like it." In the aftermath of our escape from the mansion, Luka had put his nephew under lock and key; Zabriel would no doubt have been on his best behavior since then, hoping to redeem himself and regain some freedom.

Davic c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at me. "The Zabriel I know would have started it."

I laughed, unable to deny this. "Go right ahead-shake things up a bit."

He gleefully rubbed his hands together. "Then we're off to arrange what we need."

With Ione in tow, he moved toward the musicians, and I glanced at the human couples on the dance floor. Their movements were practiced and poised, beautiful and yet exceedingly formal. This group was in for a big surprise.

A light hand on my elbow drew my attention to Gwyneth. "Can we talk? Privately?"

I nodded. "Zabriel, too?"

"Yes, he already knows. You and I will make our way out together-girlfriends and all that-and Zabriel will follow."

With a practiced motion, she tugged on her upswept light brown hair, releasing a few strands. Then she clasped my hand, pulling me behind her on a meandering path across the floor, though her purpose soon became clear. Tottering on her heels, she b.u.mped into Luka Ivanova's elbow where he stood next to Zabriel, deftly sloshing wine from his gla.s.s onto his coat.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! I really should watch where I'm going," Gwyneth breathlessly exclaimed. "It's just, well, I'm falling apart." She twirled one of her escaped strands around a finger. "That's not a good excuse, but-"

Luka cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"No harm done." He nodded toward a servant, who approached to lend a.s.sistance. "I'll just excuse myself to change my coat. I do live here, after all." Ever the consummate gentleman, he added, "Shall I summon a personal maid to a.s.sist you with your hair?"

"Thank you, no. Anya has agreed to help me."

"Then let me escort the two of you from the ballroom. Zabriel, I'm afraid you're on your own for a bit."

"Don't worry, Uncle. I'm perfectly capable of fending for myself."

The two men locked eyes, Zabriel's comment pointed yet perfectly appropriate. The undercurrent of tension between them seemed to build, finally broken by Luka's smile.

"It's not you I'm worried about. It's the young ladies in attendance tonight."

The Lieutenant Governor extended one arm to me and the other to Gwyneth, then escorted us out of the ballroom into a large foyer. Taking his leave, he headed toward the stairway that led to his rooms on the second floor.

"This way, Anya," Gwyneth urged once he was out of sight. "We'll meet Zabriel in the gardens-they should be deserted this time of night."

She led me down a hallway toward the solarium at the back of the house, then out the rear door into the gardens. The day had been windy and cool, and I shivered as a breeze riffled my hair. Thinking I might sit while we waited for my cousin, I placed my hand on a stone bench only to recoil at its coldness.

"Don't suppose you could have picked a warmer spot," I grumbled, drawing a pained smile.

"My goal was privacy, not warmth, and this is the most privacy you can find around here."

The sound of the door opening and closing drew our eyes to Zabriel. He grinned, and Gwyneth rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"This fake death stuff isn't all that funny, you know," she scolded.

"It's a lot better than the alternative," he rejoined, closing his arms around her. To my surprise, she raised her face to his and kissed him firmly on the lips. He didn't seem to mind at all.

"That's enough, you two," I called, wishing I had a shawl or cloak to toss about my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry about Fane, Zabriel," Gwyneth continued, ignoring me. "I can't help but feel at fault. I should have written the note differently or delivered it in some other way."

"You're not to blame. Fane lived a long life, by pirate standards. And he died the way he would have wanted-fighting."

I cleared my throat, beginning to feel about as necessary as a bush or the bench, and Zabriel strode over to me.

"How are you feeling? Any aftereffects from your hospital stay?"

"Hospital stay?" Gwyneth interrupted, her eyebrows lifting.

"The belief around here is that someone tried to poison Anya, although I'm not sure that's true. But it has raised the tension and the security around the mansion. It's even been suggested that I might be the target of an a.s.sa.s.sination attempt tonight." Zabriel tugged on the leg of his pants to reveal the top of his boot and the hilt of the dagger tucked inside it. "Courtesy of Fane, the old devil."

I silently debated whether I should tell him the true nature of my ailment and ease his anxiety, ultimately deciding against it. He looked more amused than troubled.