Chapter 39

 

Frogs were singing a chirping chorus, probably celebrating the end of the monsoon that had hit Atlanta.

A soft, chilly breeze stirred the night air as Quinn found Reese standing back, staring at the tomb with a face covered in worry.

“Thank you for staying, Reese.”

She turned and the sadness in her eyes tore at him.

What was so awful in her world? He asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

He’d figured out that she had an interest in Kizira’s body and was damned glad she hadn’t done anything to make him regret letting her stay around. Not yet.

“Reese, I don’t know who sent you here, but I don’t think your interest in Kizira’s body is personal. Am I right?”

“Yes.”

He waited, hoping she’d give him more, but Reese was not someone who gave up anything without a fight. He actually admired that about her. “What did you want with Kizira’s body?”

“Nothing really. Coming here was a means to an end. I was offered something significant for delivering her to another interested party,” she explained, stepping carefully with her words. “But ... I now realize the only place Kizira belongs is wherever you place her.”

After battling for this tomb, Quinn was humbled that this person who had no investment in him or his life would understand what this meant to him. He’d told Reese nothing about how he had to protect his daughter and that Kizira held the key to finding her, but this woman understood the emotional connection that he had anyhow.

She’d also seen what he hadn’t been able to admit—that he’d have to let the body go at some point.

He’d come to terms with that today.

His friends were just as understanding, but this little pistol of a female had been the only one to force him out of the dark place where he’d been living for too long.

She’d made him take stock of what really mattered.

His daughter.

Now that he thought about it, maybe he could make good on what she was doing for him. He could replace Reese’s loss by offering her a better deal. No matter what someone else had offered, Quinn would top that as a thank you and offer her more if she could help him find his daughter.

“It was nice meeting you, Quinn, and I wish you luck with all this.” She was holding her medallion in a white-knuckled grip.

That sounded like goodbye. “I’m glad I met you, too, Reese, and I’ll have someone give you a ride wherever you want to go, but first I have an idea—”

Evalle shouted, “Quinn!”

Shit. “I’ll be right back.” Quinn stepped over and looked around the corner of the tomb. “What?”

“You don’t have much time left.”

“I know. Give me a minute.” He turned around and ... Reese wasn’t there. He raced around the structure even though he knew this time she was really gone.

She couldn’t have walked out of here that quickly.

That medallion. Had she teleported away?

He trudged back to where Daegan and Storm had returned most of the ravine to its natural state.

Tristan asked Daegan, “If Queen Maeve isn’t behind this, then who is?”

“I don’t know, but Lorwerth ...”

“Who was that guy?” Quinn asked.

“He comes from my time. He was my uncle, but he wasn’t born with powers. I have no idea who gave him Laochra Fola warriors.”

“Good thing they’re all dead,” Quinn pointed out.

“These may be dead, but the god who created them has more. Rumors flowed about them years ago.” Daegan scratched his head and seemed to catch himself. “When we’re back on Treoir we’ll talk more. I need time to think on what he was saying and what he didn’t say.”

All of that was clear as mud.

Evalle gave Quinn a worried glance.

Yes, it was almost time for the Tribunal. Quinn told Daegan, “You should probably teleport out of here pretty soon.”

“And why is that?”

“The time draws near for me to go to the Tribunal. I apologize again for putting us all in a difficult situation. If I had it to do over, I would have handled her body differently. I had never heard of the Blood Law until Queen Maeve called it into force and demanded the Tribunal act upon it.”

“I didn’t get the whole run down on the Blood Law,” Tristan said. “What is it exactly?”

Daegan stood silently with his arms crossed over his chest as Quinn explained it with specifics.

He wrapped it up by saying, “I did have an honorable reason, but that’s not important now.” He paused to look at the tomb.

Tristan said, “Daegan hasn’t met Sen.”

“No big loss there,” Evalle offered. “Sen’s a boil on the ass of humanity.”

Daegan tossed an eyebrow up at that. “Friendly, are you?”

“No. He hates me. He’s tried every way possible to have me locked away forever. He came close more than once. That I’m still walking around free is something he probably considers a personal failure.”

Quinn noted that Daegan was taking it all in.

Tristan said, “Basically Sen is VIPER’s and the Tribunal’s messenger boy and enforcer.”

“True,” Quinn confirmed. “That’s why he can find me anywhere in this realm. The minute they realize we are no longer loyal to Macha, they’ll expect you to come and meet the Tribunal. The only reason it hasn’t happened yet is because none of us have said a word about you taking over Treoir, but no point in putting you in that situation today. If being in the human realm is not a safe place for you, then I seriously doubt going to a realm with three non-ally entities would be any better an idea.”

Daegan asked, “What will happen at this Tribunal?”

“They’ll demand Kizira’s body and for me to hand it over to Queen Maeve. I can open the tomb, but it’s a slow process. I had wanted you to teleport it away, but at this point the only safe place for me, or the tomb, would be Treoir. Sending me there would put the Beladors in conflict with VIPER. The Tribunal would lash out. Our people would die.”

Daegan listened as if he weighed every word Quinn spoke. The dragon king said, “What other options are there?”

“Not many. I will not open the tomb, so they’ll want to hand me over to Queen Maeve as compensation. If I create a disturbance first, they may decide to lock me up instead. That’s my best option right now.”

“What kind of disturbance?”

Quinn rubbed his chin. “I might try to dive into Sen’s head and see if there’s anything in there besides hate.”

Evalle said, “Quinn! You’re kidding, right? Sen would kill you on the spot.”

Exactly what he was thinking. “Of course, I’m joking.”

Storm had walked up at that moment and his mouth dropped open with shock. He knew Quinn was lying. Quinn held his gaze, hoping Storm understood what Quinn was doing.

Storm’s face darkened with anger, but he held Quinn’s confidence. Good man.

“I see,” Daegan announced. “And you think to rush me off so I’m not harmed when this Sen shows up?” Daegan’s words held a touch of amusement.

“To be honest, yes. The Beladors need you. They need your leadership, and in particular, they need you because you care about them as more than an army to feed your power. We can’t afford for anything to happen to you.”

Tristan let out a long sigh. “Trust me when I say Daegan’s not going to listen to you.”

Evalle put in her two cents worth. “What’s the deal, Daegan? If you have a vulnerability, you should let us know so we can watch your back.”

Daegan bristled. “You expect me to admit a weakness? We already went over that.”

“Good grief. You men just kill me.” She crossed her arms, looking just as deadly as the dragon king. “We have to build a cohesive army. If we know where someone will attack, we can defend against it, but if you don’t tell us, then we’re of no use to you, the Treoir family or the Beladors.”

Storm watched with a grin that said, my woman.

“You’ve made a valid point,” Daegan admitted. “I don’t wish to speak of this further outside of Treoir, but I’ll admit it’s the truth that I’m at greater risk from a god or goddess if I’m in a realm other than Treoir or my mother’s.”

Before Quinn could ask just who his mother was, power flooded the area and Sen appeared between their group and the tomb.

The liaison took one look around and asked, “What happened here?”

“It does not involve you,” Daegan answered.

Sen arched an arrogant eyebrow at Daegan. “Who are you?”

“I might ask the same of you.”

Tension crept higher. Any minute now the air would combust from it.

Since there was no way to hide their new leader, Quinn nodded at Daegan and said, “This is Daegan Treoir, the new ruler of the Beladors.” He didn’t want to share the part about Daegan being a dragon since less was always better in these situations. “And this is Sen, the VIPER liaison I told you about.”

Both of Sen’s eyebrows lifted. “What happened to Macha?”

Tristan replied, “She didn’t work out. We had to let her go.”

Daegan found that amusing.

Quinn gave up all hope of saving their dragon king.

“How long has she been gone?” Sen asked, now sounding like he was the goddess police.

That was a question Quinn might have to answer in the Tribunal, which meant he couldn’t lie or he’d light up like a red beacon. “Five days.”

“And VIPER is just now being informed?”

“No,” Daegan said. “You’re being informed. Anyone else will be informed as I get around to it. If you have an issue with a Belador, you bring it to me.”

Sen’s chuckle had an evil kick. “No. If I have an issue with anyone, I take it to the Tribunal. I don’t answer to anyone else. I’ve heard nothing about you taking over the Beladors, which means you’ve failed to inform VIPER and the Tribunal. They aren’t going to be happy to find out the Beladors aren’t under a pantheon.”

Shrugging, Daegan said, “I don’t care what they think.”

Quinn silently groaned.

Evalle chewed on her lip and Storm now stood with his hand on her shoulder.

Tristan frowned, flipping his gaze from Daegan to Sen and back.

Sen laughed out loud. “You aren’t going to be around for long.” Then Sen addressed Quinn, “Time for you to open that tomb and pull out Kizira’s body.” He’d pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

When Evalle sucked in a breath, Quinn leaned over to look at what caused her reaction.

Sen finally turned. “What happened to the tomb?”

Quinn told him, “I have no idea.” But if Tristan or Daegan had teleported it away, Kizira was still not safe from Queen Maeve.

Angry now, Sen said, “Let’s go.”

Daegan said, “I believe I’ll join you.”

Quinn sent Daegan a telepathic message. You can’t go there, Daegan. Those three entities in the Tribunal can do whatever they want. You’d be facing triple a god’s power.

Daegan replied in the same silent way. I will not have my people standing alone to face any threat.

Quinn had to tell Evalle how to open the tomb and what to do with Kizira’s body. He said to Sen for everyone’s benefit, “I have two minutes before I’m due at the meeting. I’d like to talk with my team—”

The bastard smiled and waved his hands, sending them teleporting.