"In the next few minutes. I think Norian may be reevaluating his relationship with me. As you may, too."
"Do you care for Norian?" Ildevar raised an eyebrow.
"Of course I do. We wouldn't have—well, we wouldn't have," I turned my head, feeling embarrassed.
"There is nothing to be ashamed of. You have multiple mates. It is reasonable, when there are so few females among your kind."
"Yeah, well, if somebody had told me that when I was younger, I would have thought they were crazy." I folded away to do my errands.
The criminals went to Evensun. The others, and there weren't many—mostly children, I sent to an underpopulated world just outside the Alliance. They were begging for immigrants—a devastating disease had destroyed many of their inhabitants. Then I went to energy and blew Liffel to atoms. The news was all over the newsfeeds by the time I returned to Wyyld.
* * *
"I'm assuming the ASD turned the ranos cannon on Liffel," Viregruz nodded toward Zellar, who'd brought the news of Liffel's destruction to Black Mist's founder. "Doesn't matter," Viregruz continued. "Cancel the transfer of funds—I'll double your bonus," he nodded to Zellar. "You did very well, and this has turned out better than anticipated." Viregruz moved to stare out a window—night had fallen and very few people wandered along the darkened sidewalk below.
"I, uh, have other news," Zellar muttered, hanging his head. "From one of our spies."
"What news is that?" Viregruz jerked his head toward Zellar.
"Our target—well, targets—are still alive."
Viregruz shouted his displeasure, and the echoes could be heard from blocks away.
* * *
"Lissa, if I didn't know you better, you'd frighten me." Those were Norian's words as he nuzzled my neck.
"Norian, this probably isn't a good time," I sighed.
"Are you saying you didn't do the right thing?" He and I had already talked about what I'd done, except for the part where I gave Giryoth to Ildevar for dinner. Norian thought we'd executed Giryoth. That was true; it was just in a manner he hadn't expected.
"I did my best," I muttered. "That doesn't mean it still doesn't upset me."
"I know. Breah-mul, I know you are not used to this, and that is fine. I want my mate to have a soft heart. Where I'm concerned, anyway."
"Honey, I wish I could have been with you when you were growing up." I tucked a lock of hair away from his eyes. It had fallen down and was tickling his eyebrow.
"I wish you could have been there—especially when I was in my teens and my hormones were raging."
"Uh-huh." I looked into his green eyes—they had flecks of gold in them. They were the same eyes he had as a lion snake, only those eyes were slitted. Norian smiled at me and settled his mouth over mine.
"Lendill asked if we were going to marry, while we were here. I told him I wanted to and that Ildevar wants it, too. He told me earlier, breah-mul. He wants me to be his heir, but only if you give me the gift he mentioned. What gift is that?" he was nuzzling my neck again.
"My blood." I pushed him away. "I have to give permission for you to take it. Is that what you want? How much do you love me, Norian?"
"Lissa," Norian blew out a breath. "You have no idea what was going through my mind when I saw you the first time. And I yelled at you anyway. You just grabbed my arm, hauled me off to Twylec and proceeded to show me what you could do, taking care of my worst problem immediately, when you should have just slapped me through a wall. The second time I saw you, I knew I was gone. You were pouting at me, cheah-mul. If you hadn't been surrounded by your mates in that hot tub, I would have been all over you, although I was half-afraid you'd shred me. You're the only one who has ever touched me with affection while I am my other self. I cannot describe what an ecstasy it is to be stroked while I am that. If you doubt my love, deah-mul, tell me how I can prove it to you."
"Does drinking blood frighten you, Norian?" I had to know—we could put it in juice or something, if it bothered him.
"I will do this and walk through fire for you, if that will keep you with me."
I ended up taking a wineglass and nicking my wrist. Norian got my blood mixed with red wine and I gave him his ring and the words of permission. He drank and fell asleep. That is the way of it—the body goes through a transformation during sleep. Norian would sleep for a while and when he woke, he would be immortal. I carried him to bed.
* * *
"Rolfe, you are not the one responsible." Kiarra looked at the vampire-turned-Spawn Hunter. "I have no idea if Giff intended to harm the Queen, but that is between the Queen and your mate. I don't believe the Queen will be overly harsh, especially if Giff was unaware that she was divulging sensitive information. Have you told her what happened?"
"I have been unable to," Rolfe hung his head. "I did place compulsion for her not to reveal anything else concerning the Queen or anyone at the palace."
"How is Yoff?" Kiarra changed the subject, asking about Giff's child.
"Yoff is well and growing." Rolfe gave a half-smile, but Kiarra knew it was forced. "When do you think we will be called out to kill spawn again?" Rolfe asked.
"I don't have an answer for that. Nothing has come to our attention lately," Kiarra replied. "Be assured we will let you know." Rolfe nodded and folded away.
* * *
"I asked. That's how I know," Markoff said with a shrug. Roff stared at his brother. He'd sought Markoff at the winery his brother helped run. Roff hadn't been able to stand it any longer and had gone to ask Markoff if he thought Giff intended to harm the Queen. He couldn't bring himself to ask Giff; he dreaded hearing what the answer might be.
"Giff said she thought of Pearlina as a friend, and didn't hold any information back. There was no specific intention to harm the Queen, although I think she knew in the back of her mind it could turn out that way. I did not tell her what that information cost Trell."
"I am afraid to say as well and I have no idea what Lissa will do when she finds out."
"You cannot let this devour you," Markoff placed an arm around his brother, though Roff was much taller than Markoff now. "Dariff just shakes his head in confusion over the whole thing." Dariff was Markoff's child and close to Giff's age. He and Giff had grown up together.
"The difficulty is that we were all warned by Gavin, Tony and the Falchani not to reveal any information regarding the Queen. Giff knew better. I do not know what she was thinking."