"They'll negotiate for the number of years—fifty is unreasonable and they know it," Raffian added. "Five is much more likely, but even that will not sit well with anyone from Le-Ath Veronis. Adam and Merrill are already looking into this. They can weather this storm, but other owners may not. Some will lose all their investment if they have to pay out even a year's worth of profits."
"How can they even be connected to this?" Shadow tossed up a hand.
"Because the crown owns the land the casinos are built on," Glendes replied. "If Lissa had sold the land and all rights to it in the beginning, we wouldn't be worrying over casino owners. There is a clause in the agreements with the owners, stating that Lissa can commandeer all the proceeds from those casinos if she sees fit, as ruler of Le-Ath Veronis. It was meant as a stopgap in case any of the owners or investors turned out to be corrupt. She can seize the casino and distribute proceeds to injured parties, in addition to forcing the owners off Le-Ath Veronis. This has proven to be the legal loophole that Cloudsong has grasped in their greedy claws. Lissa can legally demand all the profits from the casinos for the amount of time Cloudsong requires."
Shadow cursed under his breath. "You know what Melida was doing this morning, Grampa? Do you?"
Glendes knew how angry Shadow was, and he didn't want to stir that anger any more than necessary. "What was she doing, child?"
"Swooning in front of Selkirk at the breakfast table, telling him she felt ill and needed to stay in bed. Selkirk didn't want anything to do with her and when Cleo tried to get close to see if she could find any problem, Melida took off toward her suite like a frightened grouse. She doesn't want Cleo near her for some reason, although Cleo is better than any healer anywhere."
"Perhaps Melida is aware that Cleo is Lissa's niece," Raffian suggested.
"She probably knows that Cleo and Kyler are both Lissa's nieces," Glendes agreed. "And she likely knows that both my daughters hold a great deal of power. She doesn't want anything to happen to this baby. The child will keep her alive, if her father learns what she truly did." Glendes had spoken with Ferrigar. The Larentii Wise Ones had looked into the matter and then provided information to Ferrigar, Head of the Larentii Council, who'd then brought the news to Glendes. Ferrigar was connected by ancient blood to Grey House—Ferrigar's daughter had married a Grey and helped him form Grey House millennia before. Ferrigar still lived; his daughter had given up her life when her husband died.
"This still doesn't do anything for Lissa, except penalize her for even being with me," Shadow growled. "Our name isn't being dragged through the muck over this whole mess, but hers is."
"She's a high-profile Queen from the Reth Alliance," Raffian pointed out.
"You think she wanted that? Do you, Dad?"
"No, son, it's just the way things are. Tamaritha of Twylec didn't get that much attention, though she was swallowed by a Ra'Ak on a live vid feed. The picture didn't go fuzzy until afterward. Nobody saw what Lissa did to the others. Even we don't know what she did. All we know is that she left her body behind for a few weeks."
"Drake and Drew said that the Ra'Ak pooled their strength to destroy Nemizan's sun. Lissa managed to move Nemizan and its sister worlds to another sun." Glendes' eyebrows rose at Shadow's explanation. He might have doubted Shadow's words, except he knew Drake and Drew couldn't lie. None of the Saa Thalarr, their Spawn Hunters or Healers could.
"Has she done anything to prepare for her defense on Cloudsong? The hearing is in two days," Raffian pointed out.
"Nobody knows anything and that ASD Director has hauled her off to Trell to take care of Alliance business there. When has she had time, Dad?" Shadow huffed at the question.
"Do you think she's just going to show up and take whatever is handed out?" Glendes had his own legal counsel—several fifth-level Grey House Wizards handled his legal affairs. They had all sorts of paperwork and arguments at the ready, not least of which was that Melida and Marid hadn't been completely honest or forthright when Melida had come to them, already pregnant. Glendes' contract specifically stipulated Grey House heirs and no others.
In Grey House's opinion, that violated the contract in the beginning and weighed heavily toward a writ of detachment. Either way, as soon as Cloudsong's judgment was passed, Melida would be shipped back to Marid and no further dealings would occur between Grey House and the Wizards of Belancour.
* * *
"Has my granddaughter done anything to prepare for this hearing?" Wylend looked pointedly at Erland.
"No. She hasn't discussed it with any of us, either. I have no idea what she's going to do and frankly I am concerned."
"Not least from the fact that she can demand the profits from your casino," Wylend muttered.
"My monarch, if that was all that concerned me, I would shut my doors tomorrow and walk away," Erland snapped. "They cannot touch what I already have, and I have enough—not just to support myself, but to support Lissa and my child as well. I will not desert Lissa, just because the imbeciles on Cloudsong have ventured far into the realm of unreason."
"Do you think it will make a difference if her grandfather and her mate from Karathia come to show support?" Wylend asked.
"If I were Cloudsong, I would be concerned," Erland nodded.
"Then we will certainly go. My meetings for that day can be canceled. Let Cloudsong sweat when the King of Karathia shows up in their Hall of Hearings."
* * *
"Director Keef." Norian stared at the image on the vid screen. Norian was speaking with Ildevar Wyyld, High Chancellor of Wyyld and Founder of the Reth Alliance. Lissa and Lendill had gone out to find something to bring back for dinner, so Norian was alone at headquarters when the call from the Founder came.
"Deonus Wyyld," Norian dipped his head to Ildevar. "How may I be of service?" Norian raised his head to gaze at the ruler of the founding world for the Alliance. Ildevar was old—much older than the Alliance itself if the rumors were true, and still looked very young, except for his eyes. Ildevar Wyyld's eyes held the depth of a very long life.
"I wish for you to be present at Queen Lissa's hearing upon Cloudsong. If the judgment goes against her in this proceeding, I want you, as a representative of the Alliance, to let Cloudsong know that they will never be welcomed into the Alliance for perpetrating this injustice. We have no sway over the legal systems of any non-Alliance world, but we do have the authority to deny any membership—in perpetuity. If you are forced to supply this information, I give permission to leak it to the media as well. I suggest that you have a hidden camera on your person, so the proceedings may be recorded. I wish for a direct feed to be funneled to me as it happens."