Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (92 page)

SAM
is elated to hear the news—
Shalee is going to make him a father.
They have just returned from dinner with the members of the Senate where they announced her pregnancy.

At dinner, the senators expressed concern. They have no idea when the war will take place and wonder if the full mobilization of the military is necessary. To answer, Sam spoke of the gods’ warning to be prepared. He reminded the senators that the kingdom had three bountiful harvests because of the blessing from Alistar.

This seemed to satisfy the members of his government. It was now just a matter of Peaks before Merchant Island would assign a value to the first shipment of the kingdom’s harvests. Soon, they would be dispersed throughout the worlds, and the kingdom’s vaults would be full of coin. The funds to support the war would no longer be an issue.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Grayham Inquirer

CHAPTER 32

A Babysitting Jaguar

“THIS IS RIDICULOUS!” Yaloom snapped as he walked around the fire in Mieonus’ lifted heels. The dark-blue shoes clashed with the hair on his legs. “I don’t like wagering. I never dreamt I’d be doing something this asinine. Your mind is dreadful, Lasidious.”

“Quit moving your sniveling snout!” Mieonus barked with her arms crossed and eyes gleaming. “I can’t bear the thought of wearing those shoes again after you’ve touched them. You’re disgusting. I have to sit here in your body-odor filled robe, and I’m not whining.”

Yaloom stumbled as one of his heels doubled over, sending the god face first into the flames of George’s campfire.

“It appears we have our own personal jester,” Lasidious beamed, slapping his knee. “Yaloom ... you’re finally useful after all. You would make a great God of Fools.”

“Ha, ha, ha! Very funny! Enjoy your moment at my expense. You’ll lose a wager soon enough, then it’ll be my turn. We’ll see who’s laughing then.”

The wood shifted as the God of Greed pushed himself clear of the fire. The deities watched as George looked in their direction.

“That’s odd,” George said as he waved his hand in the direction of the fire. He was sure something was there, but his attempt to reveal the unseen did not work. “Why would the fire do that? The logs shouldn’t scatter like that,” he muttered. He waved his hand again for good measure and still nothing appeared.

It was just before dawn when the jaguars returned with Senchae’s son. As soon as the Barbarian King saw his boy suspended with his cloth diaper caught on the tip of Kepler’s tooth, he cried out, “I’ll do anything you want! Please, don’t! He isn’t old enough to understand why you’re doing this to him. If you want my crown, you can have it.”

George ignored the plea and plucked the child off of Kepler’s tooth. The morning filled with the terrified boy’s cries. This amplified Senchae’s desire to plead for his son’s life. George grabbed the baby by his right leg. The child’s face showed his horror as the mage dangled the boy upside-down in front of his father.

“Please! Do what you want with me. Just let him live. Please! Please! He hasn’t seen enough seasons. I’ll do as you command.”

Finally, the king had said the words George wanted to hear. His manipulation had come full circle. He now had a marionette whose strings he intended to pull. He lowered the baby back onto Kepler’s tooth to shut it up.

“The moment has come to wager!” Lasidious announced. “I think George will leave the child behind with Keller and take the king into the city.”

Mosley placed his wager next. “I say he does the same, except he’ll leave Kepler behind, since the jaguar has the cloth around his neck to keep the child quiet.”

As soon as Lasidious heard the wolf’s logic, he said, “Damn! I forgot about that.”

Yaloom and Mieonus saw an opportunity to get back into their clothes and jumped at the chance to agree with Mosley. Lasidious rolled his eyes. “You two are sheep.”

George turned his head in the gods’ direction and waved his hand again to reveal the presence he felt, but nothing happened.

“He knows we’re here,” Yaloom whispered. “Do you think he’s powerful enough to reveal our location?”

Lasidious gently swatted the back of Yaloom’s head with the palm of his hand. “Come now, Yaloom. He may feel a presence, but he isn’t powerful enough to reveal us. You use your moments to say the damndest things.”

George turned back to the task at hand and faced the big barbarian. “Your child cries to live, Senchae. Why would I let him breathe another Peak? I know you came out of your city to end me. I also know it was without the knowledge of your army. You wanted to kill me before I had the chance to challenge you. Why would I change my mind? Why wouldn’t I kill the boy?”

All 550 pounds of Senchae sobbed like a baby as he answered. “I’ll give you my crown. Just let the boy live. I give you my word that I’ll do whatever you ask. Just take the boy back to his mother, and I’ll go with you in peace.”

George stood and grabbed the baby. He held him upside-down again in front of his father’s face. The screaming child reached for Senchae, but George pulled him back. “Do you take me for a fool? I’m not stupid. You don’t really believe I’d go into your city without a plan.”

The mage re-hung the child by his diaper on the jaguar’s tooth and moved within a hand of the king’s tear-filled eyes. He hissed as he noticed the puffiness of the dark skin surrounding them. “You’ll go with me, barbarian, and I’ll leave your baby behind with the cat. If you make so much as one wrong move, he’ll come out the back end of the cat as garesh.”

George stood and took a few steps away. He took a deep breath and exhaled over an extended series of moments. “Don’t worry, Senchae. I intend to release your son once I have your crown. As to your fate, you’ll pass in your arena as payment for sparing your boy’s life. You’ll be given your burial at sea, and I’ll personally harvest your organs. If you try anything stupid, I’ll turn you and your son to stone.”

George bent over and plucked a small worm off the ground that was crawling near a rock. He dangled it in front of the big man’s face and then smiled as the worm stopped wiggling, and its flesh turned gray. George crumbled it up in his fist and then dropped the dust to the ground.

The barbarian wept at the hopelessness of the situation. “I’ll do as you command. Please! Just give your word you won’t harm the boy once you possess my crown.”

“ What’s the boy’s name, Senchae?” George queried.

The man sobbed, “Sadridz.”

“You have my word that I’ll spare the child.” The mage took a seat next to Senchae. “But if you so much as think one wrong thought, Sadridz will become my favorite yard gnome.”

Senchae’s brow furrowed. He had no clue what George meant by yard gnome, but he did not want to argue. “I understand. We should go. My general will be wondering where I am.”

George agreed and then gave his orders. “Kepler, stay with the boy and keep an eye on him. When he gets hungry, feed him the bread from my pack. If I’m not back by tomorrow night, or if anyone tries to rescue the child, devour it and then get out of here.”

George made sure the king was paying close attention to everything he said. “Tell Maldwin the moment has come to implement our plan with the king’s people. Inform the tigers that I’ll be taking them into the city with me. Make sure they know they’ll be unseen like before. Ask them not to attack unless they’re given the signal.”

Kepler did as he was asked.

George looked at the king as he walked over to Kepler. “Are you sure you’re ready, Senchae? I’m only going to give you one chance to get this right.” He backed away and pointed at Kepler’s teeth as the cat yawned. “I’d hate to see your son torn apart.”

“You don’t need to remind me. Please! Allow me to say goodbye before we go.”

George waved his hand and the barbarian could feel his magical bonds release. “Don’t overestimate my generosity.”

Senchae shook his head. The barbarian moved to take up his son and quieted his cries.

George allowed the barbarian to hold his child for quite a while before he ordered Senchae to put him down.

The king nodded. He took his heavy, sleeveless shirt off to make a spot for the boy to sit.