24. Caliel

24

Caliel

Shouts still echoed from the stronghold, but the screams and cries had stopped.

I waited in the shadows until I saw a flare of crimson cloaks go straight over the wall into the alleys beyond. I could not tell if they used ropes, or simply jumped, but I took it as a sign they were withdrawing.

Although there were loud voices, I could not hear any more sounds of fighting, and guards reappeared at the front gate. I timed my arrival just as they were hauling away the dead body of the Priest I had killed.

I swallowed. Then, when both looked at me and straightened, I curled my lips into my best impression of Slade.

"Dump that bastard fucking in the street," I told them.

I secretly sighed with relief when they complied. But I realized that while they were covered in blood and one had a livid cut across his cheek, I was relatively pristine. If I wanted to look as though I had been battling along with everyone else, I had work to do.

There was already a pile of mercenary bodies just outside the doorway. I grimaced and moved to where no one could see me. Then I spent a few moments liberally applying blood to my attire. I pulled a knife from one body and sliced my clothes up as well.

By the time I entered the building, I looked as though I had been fighting, if one did not look too closely to determine that none of the blood was my own. I paused in the foyer, which was now bustling with authentically blood-stained mercs dragging out bodies.

"Where is Victor?" I demanded of one.

"Dungeon," the merc stated, eyeing me. The ground shook beneath our feet, and a few bits of loose masonry tumbled out of the wall. "Don't know that I'd go down there. He's some pissed."

That was likely an understatement, but I had no choice. I gritted my teeth and headed for the stairs.

I was halfway down when the ground shook again, hard enough that I had to grab for the railing. Victor clearly was not the only one in a bad mood.

I continued on. Before I exited, I activated the recorder in my pocket.

The hall at the foot of the stairs had a few Bellatis standing within it. Their typical cold expressions seemed more strained than normal.

I strode past them as if they did not exist. They knew Slade, and let me proceed without question. The door to Aurora's chambers stood open, and I walked through.

The energy flying around inside made my hair stand straight on end. Victor stood near the cage—and with him stood the Trinity with their hands raised.

Pulses surged out from them toward those trapped by the formidable bars. The Earth Drake howled and spun circles, but the Storm Drake that was Jaimie had contorted his way back to human.

Everyone's focus was on him as he lay in a heap upon the floor. No one even looked at me.

Wisps of flame broke out on Victor as he glowered down. "Who took her?" he thundered.

Victor's erstwhile friend pushed himself to a sitting position. The bones of Jaimie's face kept contorting as the Drake tried to break through. "I did not see his face," he stammered. "He was wearing a red cape."

The timing could not have been more perfect. "The Priests took her," I said, stepping forward. "Tez saw them. He is trying to track them now."

Victor spun toward me, and I had to fight not to recoil at what I saw in those burning eyes. His lips curled back from very inhuman teeth. "The Trinity tried to question one we managed to capture, but he died without telling us why they were here. Why would the Priests want her?"

All three members of the Trinity had stiffened. The Finn-possessed male said, "…The Ice Drake is a close relative of the almost …"

The female continued, "…extinct Feathered Serpents they use as a power source…"

The second male finished the thought, "…Perhaps they wish to start their own breeding program…"

I shivered. They were perfectly synchronized. Finn may be inside the first one, but there was no doubt that they were all mentally linked.

Victor's gaze had followed them as they spoke, but then he zeroed in on me. "Tez is tracking them?"

I nodded. "But it is not likely he will be successful. If Priests do not want to be found, they are impossible to locate."

Flames shot off Victor's skin, and I tensed.

Finn said, "…We can track her collar with the crystal we synced to it…"

The female continued, "…but it has a limited distance…"

The second male finished the thought, "…of about three miles…"

Movement caught my attention from behind—Karst walked up, and stopped. I almost sagged with relief when Victor's attention moved from me to him. It seemed the underlord was less likely to roast me in the presence of Slade's father.

Karst ignored me and faced Victor. "Sir. A Phoenix has arrived. Daize wishes to move up the meeting."

Victor looked as though he was going to spontaneously combust. "Fuck the meeting. Finding Bree takes precedence."

"We will track her," the male Trinity member began, starting another round of seamless conversation.

"…But if we fail, we will have to negotiate with the Priesthood for her return…" Finn said.

"…If that is the case, we may have to force the issue…"

"…But they are very powerful…"

"…It will not be easy…" Finn finished. He tilted his head, and a chill ran through me when the other two mimicked it at exactly the same moment. "…Meanwhile, this meeting is vital…"

"…The coalition hangs by a thread…"

"…We must secure it. We need those Dragons under our control…"

Victor snarled at them. "If you had done your job, the coalition would not be at risk. The Emperor's uncle is alive ."

They all stiffened, and Finn's eyes flared crimson. "…That intel might not be correct…"

The female continued, "…There is no way Razir is alive…"

"…And they are claiming that at least one survived your attack at the lake retreat…" said Finn.

The second male finished the thought, "…That is not on us…"

I stood as quietly as I could, doing my best not to reveal how desperately I wanted them to meet Daize. I needed those photos.

Karst rounded on me. "Send Dragons out to look for the woman. We might yet catch them." He glanced to the Trinity. "Do you wish to ride with them?"

They nodded at exactly the same moment. As I backed toward the door, Karst's attention returned to Victor. "Daize says he has proof of what the informant claimed."

I hesitated in my progress. Proof? The first stirring of disquiet rippled through me. What kind of proof did Daize have?

Victor shot a stream of fire at the Earth Drake, who screeched and leaped back. He ignored Jaimie, who, released from the Trinity's hold, was losing his battle with the Storm version. A muscle jumped in his jaw as he said, "When does he wish to meet?"

"In two hours, here, at the stronghold." Karst's gaze flared gold. "He said he's bringing you a present."

Victor glared at Karst. "We'd best get this dump ready for him, then," he snarled.

I spent half an hour rounding up a few Dragons and sending them east, north, and west along the roads to search for the supposed Priests.

I was told the roads to the south were often flooded, which was why most commerce went via the river. I did not send them in that direction. It would buy Tez some time, and I hoped it would be enough.

I ran into Karst on the top level, just outside Victor's quarters, and told him I had sent them.

"You're going back to Drosfi, and when the birdman gets back, he's going, too," Slade's father ordered.

I groped for Slade's most likely response. "Why?" Then I amended it. "Why fucking would I leave?"

He glared at me. "Because somehow you've managed to fuck things up here. That mission to the underlord was clearly set up to end you. Good thing for you that Victor's so damned clumsy at planning." It was as close as he could come to saying Victor was more brawn than brain, and it surprised me. "He's not got big enough balls to off you publicly, or you'd be dead already. But he won't pass up another chance. I didn't invest years of my time developing you to have some bloody underlord end it on a fuckin' whim. So I'm sending you back to Drosfi."

I regarded him. "Do you know what this proof is that Daize has?"

His gaze sharpened. "No. Stop being so damned nosy. It will only get you dead."

"Being informed has kept me alive," I countered.

He waved me off and turned away. "Get back to Drosfi. That is an order."

I watched him stride off. He had just given me the perfect excuse to leave, but I had to stay until I had what I needed.

The only problem was, I could not invite myself to the meeting. Which meant I needed to find a way to get photos without actually being in the room.

When I got to the stairs, I climbed one more level, pausing at the door to the roof. Beyond it lay my means to a vital end—but if I put a foot wrong, I was, as the humans said, dead meat.

A few deep breaths later, I stepped through it.