The Shadow Games: The Chronicles of Arianthem VI (4 page)

Nerthus flushed a little at her earlier comment about the arrogance of the elven Ambassador. She had forgotten that the Ambassador was Feyden’s sister. She turned to the two Ha’kan. “And that is the reason you were treated so poorly in the courtyard, so my apologies. But my men have been instructed to question everyone.”

This seemed to trigger a thought in Raine. She turned to Dallan and Rika. “And how is that your mother let you two wander off by yourselves?”

Dallan tried to appear indignant. She, Rika, and Skye had first met Raine and her lover Talan when they were still at the Academy, hardly more than children. Raine had rescued them from a mass of Horde Shards, killing the Hyr’rok’kin with abandon. The three had worshipped her on sight. And although time had passed, Dallan had become a respected warrior and assumed her royal role, Rika was in charge of an entire regiment and training for her future role, Raine could still make them feel like children.

Dallan’s effort at indignation failed. “We didn’t come alone,” she confessed.

“Senta would never allow that,” Rika added.

“Well, the First General is very wise, as is the Queen. Since I haven’t seen anyone, I assume you came with the Tavinter?”

“Yes,” Dallan said. “They accompanied us the entire way and wait outside the city walls. There are probably some within the city as well.”

Raine nodded. That made sense. The Tavinter possessed stealth as none other and the two Ha’kan were probably never even seen on their long journey from Haldis to the imperial capital.

“You must be careful,” Raine cautioned Dallan. “You were a target at the assassination attempt.”

“We all were,” Dallan said, nodding to Nerthus, who had also been the target of one of the arrows Raine had swatted from the sky. “But you saved us.”

Raine sighed heavily. The assassination attempt in the Ha’kan capital had nearly ruined everything. But there had been no single target, a detail Raine realized only after the fact. It was a crime of opportunity with multiple targets, the objective being to sow suspicion and destroy the nascent alliances that were forming.

“And how goes your battle against the undead?” Rika asked, a little envious. Although she was fully committed to her role in finding Skye, killing a bunch of vampyres sounded like fun.

“It’s interesting, to say the least,” Raine said, clearing her throat as she remembered the bouncing breasts coming at her from across the room.

“Hmmph,” Feyden said, also recalling the well-endowed, half-naked vampyr.

Although all present were aware that the assassins in Haldis were vampyres, none but Feyden and Lorifal were aware of the significance. All knew that Raine had slain four professional killers, mercenaries who were vampyre. What some did not know is that these killers were members of the Shadow Guild, the elite of the elite within the Assassin’s Guild. Raine did not share this knowledge because the knowledge was deadly: those who knew about the Shadow Guild were invariably their next victim. She told Lorifal and Feyden because they were helping her hunt, and because it seemed natural to do so with comrades who had accompanied her to the Gates of the Underworld itself.

“But, unfortunately, we haven’t learned anything about the assassins that were in Haldis. I’m just hoping to attract enough attention that whoever is responsible will come looking for me.”

Lorifal gazed at her from beneath shaggy eyebrows. He was certain the Shadow Guild would come looking for Raine very soon. She had killed four of their members in the failed assassination attempt, which was unheard of. She was purposely leaving a most reckless trail. And although Raine had carefully guarded her identity for over three centuries, the last few decades, indeed the last few years had raised her profile dramatically. Many had heard of the mythic creature, the last survivor of two extinct races, and although she was skilled at passing unseen, more and more she was being recognized.

Which was evident by the next topic of conversation.

“Although your presence has been successfully hidden from the Emperor,” Nerthus said, addressing Dallan, “yours has not.”

“Mine?” Raine said in surprise. “Since when does the Emperor care of my coming and going?”

“He does not know specifically of you,” Nerthus responded. “He only knows that the mysterious owner of Fireside has returned. And he greatly desires to meet this wealthy imperial citizen. My visit here has probably not gone unnoticed.”

“Well, you’re going to have to do your best to distract him. I’m not one for ceremony or socializing. Although,” Raine said thoughtfully, “the owner of Fireside might have some influence with him?”

“Yes, but no more than the Dragon’s Lover.”

Nerthus referred to the poem that had immortalized the epic quest to close the Gates of the Underworld two decades before. Raine had been the central character in the verse, although Dagna had written it skillfully enough that Raine was able to maintain a degree of anonymity.

“But that’s just it,” Raine said, “I don’t wish to reveal my full identity unless I have to. Although many have heard of me, I’m still able to pass most places unnoticed.”

Feyden snorted. Raine attracted attention everywhere she went.

“You know what I mean,” Raine said, punching him in the arm. “Wait, I have a most excellent idea.”

Raine’s tone made Nerthus a little nervous.

“The owner of Fireside will accompany the elven Ambassador tomorrow.”

“But you just said you wished to remain unseen.”

“Don’t worry about the details. Just follow my lead.”

Nerthus did not like any of this; she disliked uncertainty. But she trusted Raine and would do as she asked.

“I don’t suppose there is any chance that your lover will be there?” Nerthus asked. “If there is anyone in Arianthem he would like to meet more than the owner of Fireside, it is her.”

Raine grinned. “I doubt that my love would deign to meet with the Emperor. Dragons are particular about their company and she more than any. You should feel fortunate she paid you any attention at all.”

Nerthus’ pale features reddened once more. The dragon had terrified her and given her a less-than-subtle warning about her intentions toward Idonea. As ravishing as that dark-haired mage was, Nerthus was not certain she would have pursued Idonea had she known her mother was a dragon.

“I will accompany you tomorrow,” Feyden said. “It will give me a chance to greet my sister.”

“And I will stay here and drink with the future First General,” Lorifal said, a plan of which Rika very much approved.

“So where is Talan?” Dallan asked.

“My love is far, far away. As far away as she can be and still be in this world,” Raine said.

Chapter 5

T
alan settled into the plush cushions of the circular settee, and Kylan flowed into a seated position across from her. A filmy veil surrounded the seating area and separated them from the rest of the room, giving the suggestion of privacy but not its actuality. Various men and women, all beautiful and perfect in form, sprawled about the room in various stages of undress. Indeed, the room looked to be more of a harem than a throne room, and the fact that many of the occupants were engaged in near-sexual acts only added to this atmosphere of a boudoir. And this stunning array of occupants, all dragons in their alternate form, were very intrigued by the two Ancients seated in the veiled enclosure. Their mistress was mesmerizing on her own, but these two together were utterly spellbinding.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Talan said drily.

“You know I am driven by passion,” Kylan said. “And I accomplish far more when my needs are met on a regular basis. Our lust often gets us into trouble.”

“Yes,” Talan said, “it does.”

The lust of the dragons was renowned and that of the Ancients, the stuff of legend. Talan had long thought it was the dark magic that permeated their being, for it seemed that magic was at times merely a form of sexual energy. And although the dragons controlled that energy by continually sating themselves, that release often had repercussions.

“And despite my many assignations,” Kylan continued, “I think you have me beat, both in number, and shall we say, the distinction of your list.”

“You refer to the goddess.”

Kylan leaned forward, unable to resist. “Did you really have a fling with Hel? By the gods, what were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking, obviously. And what little thought I put into it told me it would be a short affair.”

“But it was not.”

“No,” Talan said, “it was quite prolonged, and although sexually satisfying, very dangerous.”

“More dangerous than ending it?” Kylan said.

“That remains to be seen,” Talan said. She was quiet for a moment, then continued. “My love is in great peril because of me.”

Kylan was effervescent in personality and would not allow Talan to be somber. “Hel could have taken her vengeance upon you at any time. On you, on your children, on your many, many, many lovers,” she said with emphasis, “and yet now, a millennium later she has chosen Raine. And from what I’ve heard of your love, Hel would have come after her, anyway, so at least she does so with Raine under your protection.”

The reasoning was unconvincing yet soothed Talan nonetheless. “I am not certain my love needs my protection. She is a force of nature.”

Kylan leaned forward again. “So I have heard. Tell me of her! Is she really half Scinterian and half Arlanian?”

“She is,” Talan said, “a most perfect mixture of both races.”

“And how can that be?” Kylan asked. “The Arlanians, poor creatures, could not reproduce outside of their race. The Divine knows I had more than my fair share of them, fragile little things, and they thought it a blessing to pass into extinction.”

Talan was unsurprised at Kylan’s admission. She, too, had been guilty of consorting with the doomed, gorgeous people. But although she admitted to seducing them, she had not forced them as so many had. The Arlanians were a gentle, artistic people. Dark haired, violet-eyed, they were neither male nor female until they came of age. They had thrived in obscurity, but once found, they were so sexually desirable that they were literally raped into extinction. Wars were fought over the last of them, and they did indeed consider their lack of reproduction a blessing. They did not wish their children to be born into the world of sexual slavery.

“And to mate with a Scinterian,” Kylan continued, “their polar opposites. How extraordinary is that?”

It was indeed extraordinary, Talan thought. The Scinterians were the deadliest warriors of all time, first lethal dragon-slayers then fierce allies of the dragons due to an alliance formed in the Great War. They, too, had passed into extinction, but they had gone down fighting. There could not be two races more different from one another.

“Raine once told me that her father was fierce on the battlefield and her mother was fierce in bed. I can attest that she has gotten the best of both of them.”

Kylan’s eyes glowed at the thought. She had bedded more than a few Scinterians as well, taking full advantage of the truce Talan had brokered during the war. The Scinterians had their own ferocious charms in the bedroom.

“I must meet her,” Kylan declared.

“I do not share this one as I have every other,” Talan warned.

“You are faithful?” Kylan exclaimed. “Impossible.”

“Impossible but true. I have had no other since I met her.”

Kylan laughed. “Now I must meet her. For this is more extraordinary than everything you have told me. My consorts will be greatly disappointed, as am I.” She grew curious once more. “So what is it that tears you away from the one you love above all others?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Talan said, her amber eyes glowing.

“Ah,” Kylan said. She was a master of subterfuge and could lie so convincingly that Loki himself would be fooled. But she would not lie to Talan. “You speak of the plot of Volva and Jörmung. The centuries have not lessened the sting of your victory over them.”

“And so they plot against me now.”

“You and all of Arianthem. They desire the return of the Hyr’rok’kin, even if it means the destruction of the world.”

“And what would they gain by this return?”

“Power. When darkness floods the world, the magic in their blood will grow strong.”

“A useless power it will be. The world they rule will be hideous.”

“Perhaps they prefer that,” Kylan said carelessly, “or perhaps they haven’t thought it through. But I’m sure revenge is also a chief motivation. You should not have let them live at the end of the Great War.”

“I will not make that mistake again,” Talan said. “But how do you know these things?”

“Rumors, tales brought back to me by lesser dragons.” Kylan lowered her tone dramatically and leaned forward. “And I have spies in the enemy’s court.” She glanced about the room. “And they in mine.”

“Both are advantageous,” Talan said, also glancing about the room.

“Agreed,” Kylan said, sitting back and returning to a normal tone.

“So you know where Volva and Jörmung are?”

“I do. In separate keeps in the mountains far to the north of the land of the Ha’kan, north of Baldur’s Peak. They went there to lick their wounds after the war.”

“I imagine they slept for a very long time.”

Kylan nodded. Dragons could hibernate for decades, especially if they were injured. And Volva and Jörmung had been near death when Talan and her Scinterians had finished with them. They may have slept for centuries.

“But they have been awake for some time now and have gained a following. Mostly lesser dragons, but some elders in the mix as well.”

“Even lesser dragons can wreak havoc amongst the peoples of Arianthem,” Talan mused, “and few alive today have even seen a dragon. So the numbers of our kind have increased?”

“To a degree. Nothing like our numbers before the war, and most are of minor stature. Alas, we Ancients are poor at reproducing, as much as we try.”

“That is probably a good thing,” Talan said, thinking of her own children.

“You have seen Drakar recently?”