Deceptions fall, p.8
Deception's Fall, page 8
part #6 of Call of the Elements Series
“No, it’s not even lunch time yet. But I’m glad you noticed my attire.” His voice wasn’t far enough away for my liking. “We’re meeting with several of the supernatural families. It’d be best to dress appropriately.”
I turned from my chest of drawers to find him standing in the doorway again.
“Close the door,” I said. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
I growled at his smirk, but he did as I asked.
~~~~~~~~~~
Fifteen minutes later, I stood next to Lodron in one of my favorite outfits. A pair of black palazzo pants topped by a silky red blouse. It made me feel pretty, even among the elves and fae at the long conference table in front of us.
“Thank you for joining us, Alisandra,” King Nardan said from the head of the table, his fake smile plastered in place.
I was sure he really meant, ‘It’s about damn time you got here.’
I let my eyes drift over the others present as Lodron led me around the far side of the table, where two empty chairs were waiting for us. I hadn’t expected so many people.
Maldrius and Tannivh from the Elvin kingdom took the two seats right next to mine. Tannivh actually looked nice in a button up shirt and tie—not the Metallica t-shirt he’d worn last time we met. Maldrius carried an even larger air of arrogance in his own formal attire.
Kellen and Hettie—one of the mage’s new council members—gave me smiles from across the table. The last time I’d seen Hettie was before the battle against Jack’s army. What felt like a lifetime ago.
Fadil and Zahur, Kellen’s uncle and cousin, sat on his left. Victor nodded at me from Kellen’s right, and Matt’s mischievous wink made me grin. Elaine filled the chair next to Matt. I hadn’t seen her in a couple weeks. She looked good, even with her stern expression and keen eyes.
Another man and woman I didn’t recognize sat beside the elves. Their dark complexions and darker eyes gave away their African heritage, but I wasn’t sure which magical family they were from. They looked human, but that didn’t really mean anything.
Lodron pulled out my chair and gently pushed me into it before I could look at the most interesting guests. A pair of what I assumed were trolls.
“Introductions first,” the captain said, falling into his formal role.
He started with King Nardan, then Ronquil and Roe. I only half listened as he introduced the people I knew. When he reached the African couple, I leaned forward to look at them.
“Zander Le Roux and Jana Schoor. Representatives from the witches who will also disseminate the information from today’s meeting to the other covens.”
The male witch, Zander, didn’t notice my scrutiny of them, but Jana did. Her nearly black eyes met mine with curiosity. The familiar buzz of someone testing my magic raced over my skin. It’d been a long time since anyone had done that. I smiled at her and nodded, not at all concerned about what she’d find. My connection to the elementals wasn’t a secret. Not anymore.
“And finally, Yera and Ekon, representing our troll allies,” Lodron said before lowering himself into his seat.
I’d seen trolls before—the ones in our battle against Jack—but not up close. Tattoos covered Yera and Ekon’s pale greenish-gray skin. Long lashes and thick brows framed their deep-set eyes. Their pointed ears were even longer than the elves and covered in piercings. I openly stared at the two trolls, who didn’t seem to mind. Their wide mouths stretched into smiles around their short tusks. Fricking tusks. They were so cool! A little scary but cool.
“I believe you left out yourself and the very young Dionadair,” Maldrius said from his spot right next to me.
I almost let a snarky comment loose but managed to bite my tongue. Cheers for the filter! This was obviously a pissing contest between Lodron and the elf.
“Forgive my rudeness,” Lodron said, pointedly giving his attention to the witches and trolls. “This is Alisandra, the newest leader of the Justices.”
My eyes snapped up to Lodron. I knew I hadn’t told him about the Justices being the same as the Dionadair. Dusha made me promise not to reveal that nugget of information. Which meant Lodron figured it out on his own. I couldn’t tell if he was mad about it or not with that damn impassive mask of his.
I turned around and caught Maldrius watching me. A flash of anger flickered across his face but only for a second. I could sit there and try to guess what caused it, but I’d probably be wrong. So, I gave my attention to King Nardan, whose look of contempt stole my breath.
“Is it true? Are the Dionadair just a fancy name for the Justices?” Nardan’s hardened stare turned to Lodron.
“I believe so, Your Highness,” Lodron replied, then looked at me. “Alisandra?”
What the hell was I supposed to say? I could lie and tell them no, which wouldn’t really be a lie. According to Dusha, the Justices were a warped version of the Dionadair. I decided to go with a half-truth.
“As explained to me by the elementals, the Dionadair are warriors gifted with the elementals’ magic,” I replied, not taking my eyes off Lodron. For some reason, his opinion was the only one that really mattered to me. “Their sole purpose is to protect the fae realms from Neònach’s army. I’ve gathered the Justices were something else entirely.”
Shifting fabric and a few soft coughs were the only things breaking the silence in the room for several seconds, almost like everyone was waiting for someone else to argue my point. Lodron’s eyes narrowed almost as if he’d read my mind and knew I dodged the question.
“Fine. Let’s not waste any more time,” Nardan said, tapping his finger on the wooden table.
Lodron turned his back on me and gave his attention to his king. I tried not to let the gesture hurt, but it did. It wasn’t my fault the Justices made the rest of the supernatural families fear them. It certainly wasn’t something I wanted for the new Dionadair.
“The vampires’ defeat is only the beginning,” Nardan continued. “These dark fae will not stop now that they’ve tasted victory. We need to solidify alliances against them.”
I scowled. He could’ve prevented all this centuries ago, yet here he was, acting like he was in charge of defeating the big bad. I glanced around the table and noticed several frowns directed at the king, Victor’s snarl being the most vicious.
Nardan cleared his throat. “I realize this should’ve been done years ago, but I can’t change the past. I can only move toward the future.” He glanced at his sons sitting next to him. “With the emergence of the Dionadair, I propose we re-establish the Arcane Conclave.”
A barked laugh erupted from the elf next to me. “Is anyone here even old enough to remember our Conclave?” Maldrius asked. “Certainly not the mages, witches, or even the shifters. Maybe one of the troll seers will remember…if she is still alive.”
I slowly swiveled in my seat and glared at him. “Does it matter? As long as we establish roles and responsibilities for everyone involved, I can’t see how age makes a difference. Old man.”
He leaned forward until his face was inches from mine. “Promises of old should not be forgotten or dismissed by the ignorant.”
I took a deep breath to calm my beast. She saw his challenge and wanted to knock the arrogant smirk off his face. I agreed but not now. Allowing myself to get riled up by this man would only make me look irrational. I needed to convince our new allies I was more than a child, that I could embrace the image we needed to create for the Dionadair. So, I swallowed my bitterness and smoothed out the wrinkles on my forehead from glaring at him.
“How about you explain the Conclave to us so we can make sure we don’t miss any of those promises?” I offered between clenched teeth. Maybe I didn’t succeed in swallowing all my bitterness. “Working together as allies is more important than holding on to past grudges.”
He smiled, but it wasn’t nice. I never pictured the elves as predators, but this one definitely fit the bill.
“The Conclave had a long history of mutual cooperation between all the magical families. Reestablishing the lines of communication will hopefully kindle old alliances.” Maldrius’ attention darted around the table before settling back on me. “I have much to discuss with you—in private,” he whispered before leaning back in his chair and redirecting his gaze to Nardan. “I propose there should be a Justice from each race. The fae alone should not judge the entire magical community.”
A shiver ran down my spine with his lingering words. I had no desire to be alone with this man to discuss anything. He gave me chills, eliciting an unwelcome fear I hadn’t experienced from anyone else. I shook it off, forcing myself to remember I wasn’t a helpless little girl.
Even though I begrudgingly agreed with him about including the other races, I couldn’t let them continue to lump the Dionadair together with the Justices. My job was to protect the fae realm from Neònach, not act as police for everyone else.
“The fae do not pick the Dionadair,” Nardan said, pulling me from my thoughts and surprising me. “It’s up to the elementals to decide who is worthy.”
Was Nardan also trying to put a distinction between the two?
“You believe our little goddess has no say in the matter?” Maldrius asked.
The audacity of this arrogant prick! Little goddess was Braden’s nickname for me. No one else was allowed to call me that. My fingers bit into the arms of my chair, turning my knuckles white. Don’t react, stupid, I scolded myself. Stay calm. Be the adult.
“I’m not a goddess to you or anyone,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.
His eyes widened but lacked any fear. “Only a goddess can command her subjects, Alisandra,” he countered. “Or has that not occurred to you?”
“Your ignorance is refreshing.” I forced a smile that couldn’t possibly be convincing. “My ability to command comes from my grandfather. A mage, not a god.”
“Is that what you’ve been told?”
His impertinence fueled my anger. What the hell was he talking about? Or was he deliberately pushing me? Testing me again? Of course he was. And I continued to fall for it. I really needed to ignore him.
“You will not speak to me until this meeting is done.” I directed the command at him alone and relished his flinch, then turned my back on him. “I’m sorry I let him get under my skin, Your Highness,” I said to King Nardan.
Why did Maldrius have to be so difficult? What had I done to him to warrant so much animosity? I had absolutely no history with the elves. Kellen had never mentioned them before, so I doubted the mages had anything to do with them either. But Maldrius implied he knew something about my mage family. Something else to add to my list of things to find out.
“Indeed.” I didn’t miss the flicker of annoyance on Nardan’s face before he continued. “Can you speak to the Elemental Council about including the others, Alisandra? I’m inclined to agree with our Elvin friend despite his disrespect. The fae shouldn’t be the only ones responsible for the safety of the magical community.”
“Consider it done,” I replied, hearing what he didn’t say. The fae shouldn’t hold full responsibility in case we failed to stop Sabina.
I agreed with him. But who would vouch for the integrity of the people chosen? I wouldn’t trust Maldrius any farther than I could throw him. I knew nothing of the other races. Hopefully Lodron did.
“Good.” Nardan’s gaze swept across the table, making eye contact with each person there. “As soon as Alisandra confirms the elementals’ agreement, we’ll revisit the subject. For now, we should provide names of the individuals nominated for the Conclave and discuss the roles and responsibilities for each of us.”
“If you agree, I’ll visit the Elemental Council now,” I said, interrupting the soft hum of conversation.
Nardan gave me a funny look, and Lodron’s fingers gripped my knee under the table.
“If the elementals say no, it may impact other decisions made by your new Conclave,” I clarified, brushing my fingers over Lodron’s. “I’m not going to assume they’ll agree to our request. Contrary to what my Elvin friend says, I know I’m in charge of nothing.”
Nardan nodded. “We’ll continue the meeting and look forward to your return.”
I rose from my chair, letting Lodron’s hand slide from mine. The king’s eyes snapped to his captain for a moment before he nodded again. I tried not to roll my eyes as Lodron followed me out. They’d obviously had a silent conversation.
As soon as the door closed behind us, Lodron grabbed my elbow and took us back to his room.
“Really?” I snapped.
“Do not react to Maldrius,” he hissed, his face so close to mine I could feel his breath against my skin. “He’s deliberately baiting you, and you’re letting him.”
“You could’ve warned me,” I snapped back. “It’s not like you didn’t know he would be there.” I poked my finger against his chest, but he didn’t even flinch.
“You could have told me the Dionadair were also the Justices,” he countered, wrapping his fingers around mine to prevent me from poking him again.
I tore my eyes away from his. Should I lie or continue with my half-truth? “I thought I had. I meant to, but I got distracted by a table leg protruding from your stomach. Besides, they really aren’t the same. Dusha made it very clear the Dionadair will be protectors of our realm, not some police force.”
We still hadn’t talked about what happened between him and Luria. I didn’t want to and obviously he felt the same or he would’ve brought it up before now.
Lodron’s forehead dropped against mine, and he pressed my palm against his chest. “Sometimes I think I can still feel you in here,” he whispered. “What exactly happened during that healing?”
I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. He wasn’t supposed to feel it or even know what happened. I didn’t feel him, so I knew there was no bond between us. At least I could be grateful for that.
“I couldn’t let you die,” I mumbled. “In order to save you, Göksu helped me share my magic or strength or whatever. Maybe you feel some leftover magic or something.”
Silenced stretched between us for several moments. “Then let me thank you for my life.”
His thumb ran along my jaw and lifted my chin. He paused with his lips only an inch from mine. My breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t let him kiss me, even though my little beast disagreed. I needed Lodron’s friendship. Letting him think I could give him more was a really bad idea.
I dropped my forehead against his chest. “I don’t want to hurt you, Lodron.”
“I trust that you won’t,” he whispered, running his fingers down my back.
“Then you’re not as smart as I thought you were.” I snorted and gently pushed away from him.
“I’m not,” he admitted. “Not when it comes to you.”
I started to tell him to stop being stupid when he put a finger to my lips.
“I need to go back into the meeting, and you need to meet with the Elemental Council. Tell me when you’re done, and I’ll let you know our status.”
“Mkay,” I mumbled beneath his finger.
He released me then took a couple steps back and disappeared. I cursed fluently. I really needed to stay out of his space. He made me so stupid.
“Dusha! Save me from myself, damnit.”
“I will not interfere with your love life, child.” My elemental burst into being across the room from me. “I agree with Lodron. The choice is yours alone. I’m the reason you don’t trust your heart, and for that, I am sorry.”
“Dusha…”
“Don’t argue the truth,” he interrupted. “Now let’s go talk to the Council.”
I wanted to argue, but he was right. I considered my elementals my best friends, but I still blamed Dusha for forcing both Logan and Braden’s bonds on me. By default, that meant my heartbreak was his fault, too. Losing them had been so painful. But Dusha had also sacrificed a lot to fill the hole left by Braden. A hole that was still mending but not suffocating me thanks to Mr. Universe with Wings.
I sighed and accepted Dusha’s outstretched hand. “Will they listen to me?”
“I believe they will.” His giant wings flared, then wrapped around me. Lodron’s room disappeared, and the Elemental Council’s silent knoll replaced it.
Dusha’s wings unfurled, and I turned around to face my new bosses. Only three were present, at least that I could see. Fire, earth, and spirit. My mouth suddenly felt really parched. I hadn’t taken even two seconds to think about what I was asking.
Maldrius clearly wanted to be part of the cool club, but that didn’t mean anyone else did. I couldn’t just throw people under the bus like this. Maybe the other families wanted to wash their hands of all the nonsense and move to the new realm. I frowned. That wasn’t true. The shifters and mages probably weren’t leaving, which meant they’d have a vested interest in protecting their world. Or should, anyway.
“Why are you here?” the fire elemental asked, swirling into a barely humanoid form.
The question held no hostility, thankfully. I had no idea how they would receive me after my outburst last time. They very easily could’ve told me to piss off.
“I’m working on a few names to fill our roster,” I said, dragging my sweaty hands over my hips. I needed to relax and not let my nerves take over. “I think it’d be a good idea to include other races besides the fae.”
“No.” Fire flared around me. Even though it didn’t hurt, I flinched. The elemental drifted off to the edge of the small hill as if the matter were settled.
“Yes.” The female spirit elemental contradicted. “Having diversity may provide the Dionadair with a better understanding of their role.”
She floated towards me, her wings gently beating in the unnatural silence.
“Certain races cannot be granted elemental power,” the earth element rumbled, taking a spot right beside the spirit.
“Agreed.”
“We’ve discussed this before,” another rumbling voice said. The second earth elemental appeared in line with the others. “The elves and witches will not appreciate being left out.”
A gust of air pulled against my clothes as the wind elemental blew into existence. “It is not their decision,” he said. “It is ours. Find an elf without arcane magic and with the proper disposition.”
