SHEY THRUDESH-VO #2
Tyche bowed low, appearing very proper. “It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. His Highness makes too much of my tiny assistance. I’m sure he could have escaped without me.”
“Any help provided to my son is appreciated, Mr. Tyche.”
The God of Luck shook his head. “No, it’s simply Tyche, Your Majesty. I’m a nobody who can’t even put on airs of being a mister.”
Shey sighed and rolled his eyes. He had to put a stop to this formality and nonsense. “He’s the God of Luck.”
His mother froze, her face turning white, while Tyche slouched his entire body and whined. “Ahhh…you promised!”
Shey closed the distance between them and slung his arm across Tyche’s slumped shoulders. “I promised not to lead with it. I didn’t. Besides, I had to put a stop to your nonsense.”
Tyche grinned up at him, his green eyes glittering with mirth and mischief. “I was aiming for humble.”
“You overshot.”
“You’re really a god?” The queen’s trembling words brought their attention back to her.
“Yes, but only a little, minor one. I’m not a major god like Kaes.” He held up one hand, his thumb and forefinger spaced less than an inch apart as if to show his size within the heavenly pantheon.
Despite Tyche’s attempts to soothe away the queen’s worries, she didn’t look reassured. She glared at Shey and then lifted her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Shey Lorcan Caspian Alistair Thrudesh-Vo…”
Tyche’s head popped up as Shey’s mother started on his middle names. Shey slapped his free hand across the god’s mouth to stop whatever teasing was about to come out, but he could still feel Tyche’s smile.
“I will want a full accounting of everything that you have been up to,” the queen continued, putting just enough emphasis on her words so he understood he would be explaining his adventures in Damardor and his complicated relationship with a god.
“However, we don’t have time for all of that now.
Is there anything pressing that I should know right now? ”
Shey dropped his hand from Tyche’s mouth and straightened.
The time for joking was over. “Adrian and Haru are in the city. The dragons have commanded that Haru should help us with the current dilemma with the Federation of Order. King Caelan Talos has placed Adrian Westergren at my disposal as well.”
Queen Noemi sighed. “I fear we’re going to be in Erya’s debt for many years to come.”
“I doubt King Caelan sees Caspagir as owing them anything.”
His mother frowned. “Possibly, but it is always good to hesitate prior to asking for assistance. You never know when that kindness could be used against you later.” Shey opened his mouth to counsel her away from such dark thoughts, but she waved her hand to brush aside the moment.
“You’ve left the Order’s naval forces in disarray.
I’ll leave it to you to work with the admirals to organize a more permanent break of the blockade.
I want to see them all retreating to at least Zastrad’s waters.
Right now, your sister is overseeing the defense of the city to the west. Ground forces made landfall near the outer cities of Garen Valley and Shadowfen.
They have since moved closer to the city walls.
She kept the Order’s forces focused on our military and away from civilian targets so far. ”
“When the hell did Fiona get enough training to oversee such a task?” Shey snapped.
His mother had been walking to her desk as she spoke and stopped sharply at his question. She gave him a look that left Shey clearing his throat. He knew he shouldn’t have used that tone with her, especially with another person present in the room.
“Princess Fiona has enjoyed much the same training that you’ve had, so I would say she was more than capable of handling this task.”
“But I thought…” Shey swallowed as his mother’s expression hardened.
“What? That I would raise a daughter who only knew deportment and arranging dinner parties?” As she spoke, she motioned with both hands at the office they stood in.
He got it. His mother had been the highest power in the land for more than two decades.
His father had ruled Caspagir for just a few short years before his death.
Queen Noemi had stepped in and more than doubled his time as ruling monarch.
She might play the role of the gentle soul, but she had a will of iron.
“Fiona never spoke of it.”
Queen Noemi resumed her chair and clicked her tongue once. “Probably because she had an older brother she was trying very hard to impress. General Bast is acting as her aide, but she’s excelling in her position as a sniper.”
Shey bowed his head. “I can’t wait to see my sister, so I can congratulate her on her success.”
“Good. In the meantime, Pritchard is working on uncovering spies and assassins within the city. If you leave the protection of the palace, you must have bodyguards with you. Also, that man Caelan sent to you. Vitor?”
Shey nodded. “One of Caelan’s intelligence agents. He was trying to crack into a computer to gather information for us.”
“Yes, he’s been working with our hackers and has promised a fair exchange of information. I believe he sent word that they got into the phone and the computer today, but with everything happening, I haven’t been able to learn what he’s discovered.”
Tyche laid a hand on Shey’s arm, drawing his gaze to him. “It can wait.”
“Are you sure?”
Tyche shrugged, a sad look filling his eyes.
“It’s clear what was happening in Damardor has been going on for a long time.
I don’t wish to see innocent people hurt, but the situation in Sirelis is more urgent.
There is also the matter of Haru. We’re stretched too thin.
Sacrifices must be made. Right now, our priority is Caspagir. ”
Shey barely suppressed the urge to grab Tyche’s hand and thread their fingers together. His heart squeezed at Tyche’s thoughtfulness. He understood that Shey’s first calling was to his country. “Except we both know that this attack on Caspagir is nothing but a distraction.”
“Distraction or not, they are killing Caspagir citizens and destroying their homes,” Queen Noemi cut in.
Tyche released Shey’s arm and walked up to the edge of the desk.
“If I might be so bold, Your Majesty, I would suggest that we fight the Federation of Order until we can force them to the negotiating table. Fight distraction with distraction. It will stop the killing of your people and allow us to return to the matter at heart—the hunting of minor gods for their powers.”
Shey’s mother gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “Dear gods, no!”
“That’s what we found,” Shey said as he moved closer to the desk.
“They say they’re hunting for magic, but in truth, we think that someone knows that the magic they are hunting for is linked to gods.
Someone in a place of power within this new Federation is searching for minor gods, killing them, and stealing their power. ”
Queen Noemi lowered her hands from her mouth, and deep lines of anger dug into her face. “No, this must be stopped. Have you told Caelan of this?”
“Yes, it is why Adrian is with us—to help and keep him abreast of the situation.” He had a feeling that she’d expected Caelan to take a more hands-on approach since he had his own powers, but it seemed the relatively new major god was trying to keep his major god powers tied to major god problems.
“Very well. What—”
A sudden sweep of darkness enveloped the room. The fading evening light coming through the windows vanished as if a giant monster had swallowed the sun. An icy wind whooshed through, rattling papers and shoving curtains about, followed by a demonic howl.
“Shit!” Tyche swore.
He didn’t need to say more. Something had happened to Haru and Adrian. The dragon had lost control of the nightmare powers within him, plunging a city at war into a nightmare.