T
he news that Demeter’s Children was being led by Vegre sent shock waves through the O.P.A. office. Nearly every agent knew someone who had converted and it was growing more difficult to keep the news quiet.
King Mumbai had returned to Shambala later in the day and was making all his reserve magic available to the O.P.A. He’d even persuaded the other kings to do the same. While few knew what Tal had actually said to the king, the other agents and commanders were certainly treating him with kid gloves.
Even Henry Ordos, who had never been particularly friendly, apologized openly. “No offense, Tal—yeah? It’s just that Sommersby made it sound like there was such strong evidence against you. You do understand, don’t you?”
Both Alexy and Kris had snorted at the idea Henry was really sorry. It was more likely he was embarrassed at being one of Tal’s leading detractors, now that he was a favorite of a king. When there was a spare moment after Mumbai left, Tal sat down and told the pair what had happened, especially the events after the chairs appeared from thin air. That part had been interesting because Tal had never known a Guilder to be able to move matter. It was one thing to craft items for use, but another thing entirely to
move
them without touching.
“He listened to the whole story. And he asked some very pointed questions about what could be
proved
versus what was mere speculation. But he seemed to believe me.”
Unfortunately, much of what Mila believed fell into the speculation category and Mumbai couldn’t be persuaded to send even a single man to Denver. “He also shared the evidence his own men found at the guild house. I can’t say that I blame him for believing there’s a threat to the residence of the queen.” It was certainly compelling and even Tal was swayed.
“I’m sorry, Tal, but I have to agree.” Kris really
did
look sorry. “The evidence is just too strong. I can’t reveal what
I
know, but trust me. It’s compelling.”
He shook his head in frustration. “Anyway, that’s when he gated us both right back to the center of the lunch room.”
If Tal had thought the king’s
first
appearance had raised eyebrows, showing up midsentence in a pair of chairs was going to be the talk of the office for months to come.
Alexy let out a slow whistle. “That was something all right. And what about that communication viewer he made from a tree? I mean, I can talk through soil, but to make a plant into a viewing gate? Wow.” Tal nodded. He distinctly remembered when the king stood and it was a good thing he followed suit, because the chairs disappeared before he had fully unbent his legs. Mumbai’s crown started to glow again but this time nobody was being forced to kneel or bow. It was as if he could put aside such trivialities in times of need.
The potted tree in the corner of the room had indeed become a makeshift communication viewer. Leaves wove together at the touch of his finger, and then the image of a room filled with flowering vines and leaves appeared. “Lady Rockwell, may I speak with you?”
Dareen rushed to whatever in the room was providing the image of the king and dropped to both knees. She had cleaned up and was now dressed in the traditional golden robes of Shambala. She’d styled her hair in a complicated pattern of braids with golden leaves and flowers woven in that was quite beautiful. “Your Highness! Long may ye reign.”
He chuckled, and this time the rest of the agents got to experience the rumbling of the ground underfoot. Even the dirtdogs like Alexy seemed impressed, so it must not be a common thing. “The last time you said that to me, Dareen, was the day I wed Krystella. And you were laughing at the time, because you
knew
I would never
reign
a single day thereafter in my home.”
Her eyes twinkled but she didn’t even crack a smile. “I was very clear when you asked me whether I thought Stella was strong-willed enough to be queen. Was I wrong?”
The sniff he let out wasn’t quite a laugh, but Tal could tell he was fighting not to grin. “She does what a good queen
should
do. She forces open my eyes to see past my blindness to the whole truth.” But then his jaw tightened and the twinkling turned to flashing anger. “I need to know who in my staff you told your story to, Dareen. I apparently make a mistake by not meeting with you myself.”
She shrugged. “You’re king. ’Tis hard to see every visitor who gates in off the street.”
“I should have seen
you.
” The king turned his head and caught Tal’s eye. With a twitch of his finger, he summoned him forth. Tal couldn’t have withstood the pull even if he’d chosen to, and he had no idea how the man was managing it.
I’m not alchemist guild
,
nor Shambalan
. Yet Mumbai was doing it.
In seconds, Tal was standing before the window into the palace. “Do you know this man?” the king asked Dareen.
“Aye, m’lord.” That was the first time she’d referred to him that way, and it seemed to Tal that was how she was
accustomed
to speaking to him. “’Tis Talos Onan, son of your dearest friend and friend to me own dear boy, Jason. He was the one who confirmed my suspicions about the dark mage. He and the Parask girl, Mila. Is she there with you, too?”
No! Not Mila! He didn’t want her involved. And yet he couldn’t speak and could barely move his body enough to breathe.
Mumbai raised his brows and turned his head slightly with a disapproving expression. “I see from your discomfort that you
intentionally
chose not to mention this girl. Why? What secrets does she hold? What have you withheld from me?”
Dareen shook her head and then waved a hand at the viewer. “Oh, leave him be, Mumbai. Talos wouldn’t have withheld anything from you, except perhaps the name of the girl. She’s of overworld stock, newly introduced to our kind. He probably fears … and rightly so, that she would be too easily frightened of you. Besides,” she said with a sly wink, “I seem to remember a few of your
omissions of fact
from your own dear da.”
It was Mumbai’s turn to cough uncomfortably. Dareen was standing up for him and Mila—to a king? But why? She noticed his expression and waved a hand before rising stiffly from her knees. “Bleedin’ hell, but I’m gettin’ too old for all this kneelin’. Kneel to get in, kneel to the minister, kneel to you. Fie on it all.”
It turned the king’s attention back to the reason for the call. Tal let out a sigh of relief. “Which minister? You need to be very clear, old friend, for punishment will likely follow. According to Commander Onan, I was
not
told the story you came here to tell.”
Dareen’s brows shot up and then her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Apparently, she’d figured out that Mumbai was calling from the O.P.A. offices, because her eyes kept flicking to the background, where agents were moving about. People were trying to ignore the king’s actions, but there were still far more people in the lunchroom than normal for this time of day. “Weren’t ya now? And it took Tal to bring you the news, when ‘twas meself what traveled all this way? Well, then I’ve no issue with revealing
that
scoundrel to the light. None a’tal. T’was your defense minister, Lobota, who listened to me tale.”
Things happened quickly after that. The king adjourned to another, more private room for several hours. Word eventually filtered down in whispers that after a nearly an hour of hanging upside down in charmed chains, the minister had coughed up a bespelled lapis stone. However, reports
also
claimed the king remained uncertain of Lobota’s loyalty even after removal of the charm, and had gated rather quickly to the southern border, to review troop locations …
personally
.
Before Mumbai had left, he’d clapped a broad hand on Tal’s arm and squeezed tight. “While I would prefer this hadn’t happened, I’m pleased with your aid. You’re welcome in Shambala anytime, m’boy. I expect I’ll see you in England tomorrow. Have someone notify me when you arrive. Kessrick and I will be leading the operation personally, while Reginald and Laird will be looking into the problems at the prison.”
So here he was, hours later, sitting in the Vrillian barracks, trying to decide what to do. Kris had returned to the palace to bring King Reginald up to date and ready the guard for action. He and Alexy were officially released from duty in Rohm to help in the operation.
“You missed that volley completely, guv. Where’s your head?”
He blinked and looked up to see the frustration on Alexy’s face. The small bubble of energy they’d been using to test the opal’s precision was hovering up near the ceiling. He looked at his hand. The focus was now housed in a brand new glove gifted by Kris before she left, and it felt good. But it felt
wrong
, too. It wasn’t really his stone.
He let out a deep breath and shook his head before popping the bubble and flopping down on his bunk. “My mind’s completely befuddled, Alexy.” He reached his thumb up to rub across the dome of swirling colors in the stone. “So many wonderful things have happened, and yet something’s still not quite … right.”
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with Mila, would it?”
He slid his hands under his head and stared at the ceiling, the laughter and energy of the other agents seeming hollow and false. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe. I mean, I wouldn’t want her here right now. It wouldn’t be safe. But it might not be safe where she is now, either. I just can’t help but think she’s right about Vegre.”
“Tal—” Alexy’s voice was disapproving.
He turned his head to see the voice matched the face. “I know. I know. Everything points to England. I just can’t help but think that it seems too …
easy.
”
Alexy let out a donkey bray of a laugh. “You call this
easy?
Corrupting allegiance spells of several key officials, then sneaking out of prison to form a religion for the sole purpose of capturing guildercents? And let’s not forget locking the captives in an old Scottish Guilder hall and forcing them to dye Easter eggs. You’ve uncovered an
amazingly
intricate plot, Tal. We’re going to catch this guy because of you. We’ll save the
queen.
” It was obvious Alexy had spent a bit too long up in England. The awe in his voice for the leader of the British people should be reserved for only his own king.
“I know. And that’s just it. Don’t you see? It
was
an amazingly intricate plan. So why stop now? All roads are leading to England. A Shambalan minister with a bloody
map
to the palace in his quarters. A bit of paper found in the ruins with the queen’s seal. An increased number of Demeter’s Children members in London. It might as well be an engraved invitation. It just doesn’t feel right.”
“You know the problem with intricate plans, Tal?” He turned his head to see that Alexy had raised brows and was leaning forward, elbows perched on his knees, hands clasped together. “Hmm?”
Tal sighed. “Go ahead.”
“Too many people are involved. There are too many chances for something to go wrong. If just one thing goes, the whole plan falls apart. Face it, Tal.
You
were the thing that went wrong. You wrecked his plan.”
That made him shake his head and sit up once more. “Not just me, Alexy. Mila, too. And
that’s
what’s wrong. She doesn’t think the whole plan’s been revealed yet. There are still loose ends. The old name change in the vault, the gate in and out of her house. And what about the
Tin Czerwona?
Nobody’s said a
word
about that. That’s part of the plan, too. It has to be.”
“Bollocks. It
doesn’t
have to be. It’s purely circumstantial. You don’t
know
the name change is Vegre’s. There’s probably a Talos Vladimir Onan somewhere up in the over-world. Have you looked? Are you positive
you’re
completely unique?” He didn’t wait for Tal to speak. “No. Of course you haven’t.
None
of us have. If there weren’t coincidences in the world, there’d be no such
word
. You don’t even know for sure that Dareen or the niece—Suzanne?—were infected by Vegre. Could just be a weird outbreak. Again, happens all the time topside.” Alexy reached out and lightly punched his shoulder as a Klaxon sounded in the distance. “Let it go. Let’s get back to concentrating on the operation at hand … right after dinner, that is.”
It made him smile. Good old Alexy—always thinking with his stomach. “You go on ahead. I’m just going to sit and think for a bit.”
His friend stood and then leaned down to whisper next to his head. “A man can think himself to
death
, guv. It’s only
action
that moves the world forward.”