Chapter 32 #2
“Trammel.” I didn’t use a title because he didn’t have one yet. “We’ll forgo the ceremony of this occasion because I doubt you’re smart enough to know what it is.” He took a step back and his eyes flashed, but he didn’t reply as I continued. “Let’s just get down to business.”
I walked around him and eyed the two Slaugh on his right side.
I passed them and went around to his back.
He didn’t turn, not wanting to show fear.
The smell of death lingered on him as I passed around his left side to stop right in front of him again.
“What plans of war do you have against the humans? And remember, my guardian will know if you speak the truth or not.”
“Why has Nessum not returned to us, priestess?”
“I don’t know, Trammel.” It was the truth. I knew why he had left, but not the reason he hadn’t come back. “Are you not leader enough to run the island without your Dark Angel?”
He swung so hard and so fast that I almost didn’t see it coming and didn’t have time to set myself well.
I spun around as he made contact with my face.
Jordan and Cliona were both halfway down the steps before I could hold up my hand to motion them back.
Cliona immediately stopped but Jordan kept coming.
“Back off,” I told him. He gave me a stern look, but slowly backed up and took his seat. Cliona put her hand on his shoulder.
I turned back. I had expected it and could have remained facing him if I hadn’t worn the damn heels, but I got the reaction I wanted.
He had expected me to let my guards have at him.
He was backing away as I turned to him. I felt the trickle of blood from my lip.
I wiped the drop and licked it off my finger. A tease.
“You’re a soldier, Trammel.” He was watching my mouth as I spoke. “You have proven that by slaying your upper ranks, but what do you know of humanity?” I stepped back in close to show I had no fear of him.
“I know what I need to, Priestess. We will destroy their governments and lower their numbers so that we, and the rest of the Kith, can walk among them again without fear. Nessum and Bran had centuries to do such and didn’t.
You killed Bran and Nessum has left us. I will carry on and do what we have planned for centuries. ”
“When was the last time you were among humans?” I asked coldly, and with a hint of superiority.
“What matter is that?”
“Answer me, Trammel. When was the last time you or your guards here have walked among the humans? What do you understand of the modern world outside Thule?”
“Centuries.”
I huffed and waved a hand and an image of New York City appeared in a shimmering mist in the air.
Bevin made a pleased-sounding hum behind me.
The image changed to downtown London. “The modern human world is different, Trammel. They are connected by technology, educated in the arts and medicine.” Each time I spoke, an image appeared to illustrate.
“They have modern weaponry, some of which I saw on your island, tossed away like junk. You have no clue what will happen if you start a war in the modern world, do you?”
“Only a weak human would try to frighten a Slaugh, Keena.”
This time he had insulted me. I spun around and kicked him square in the jaw.
I had to jump to do so but I connected with the brittle bones of his face.
He hit the ground. Again, Jordan stood as Trammel’s guards came to his side to get him to his feet.
He waved them off and laughed as he got up.
“We understand one another, Priestess. Go on.”
I changed the image to a shot of a huge explosion. “Trammel…this is a nuclear explosion. Do you know this kind of weapon?”
“I’ve heard of such a thing. Mass destruction.”
“Then you understand that the frail, corrupt human governments wield enough power to use such weapons. They will panic when resources are short and blame other governments, and they will attack one another. They are not open minded enough to do anything else.”
“So?” He crossed his arms.
“These weapons will destroy all humanity, Trammel. Not reduce the population, not kill off a percentage of them. These weapons destroy land, people, animals, oceans—everything for hundreds of miles, and leave the earth poisoned for centuries to come.” I saw understanding start to show on his black, wrinkled face.
“There are enough of these weapons to destroy the world several times over.”
“That is ridiculous! Why would a government have them if they will destroy themselves by using them?”
I had to laugh. He was right. “I never said it was smart. I simply present a situation for consideration. If you start meddling with the humans the way you have in centuries past, the human governments will panic and they will destroy the planet itself. I would hazard to guess that’s why Nessum and Bran did not do so, wouldn’t you?
” I walked around him again. He studied the image of the nuclear explosion for a moment.
“I’m not sure I believe you,” he finally said.
“Fine. Don’t.” He turned his head but not his body to face me at his side, eyes glowing again. “It is two weeks until All Hallows’. I will be facing Feldema.”
“Still? Even though you have held her prisoner?”
“I still have to follow our laws to succeed Doran. We will still fight. Take the next two weeks to study modern humans. See for yourself if I speak the truth. Return for All Hallows’, and we’ll discuss.”
“If you release Feldema, Nessum may come back to us.” He sounded almost excited.
“You take the next two weeks and study, understand? You may find you no longer need the oppression of Nessum.”
“Nessum has protected and led the Slaugh for all times, Priestess. The turmoil since he left has been…difficult.” He almost spilled something but he was following the path I wanted him to, so I didn’t push to find out what it was. “If he returned, we would welcome his leadership.”
“I think you’re strong enough to lead on your own. You’ve taken out the entire upper ranks of your society and managed to control the lower. You have managed that by might, Trammel. Take some time to learn to lead them with wits as well.”
“I accept the compliment, Priestess, and return it.” He looked back at the image of the explosion. “I suppose we have let those who led us keep us uninformed. I accept. At All Hallows’, we will return for your festivities.”
“Trammel,” I said, as Doran and the others stood and made their show of a bow. “I would request a truce until then. No more assassination attempts against me or mine.”
“I assure you, Priestess, I have ordered no such attempts. If some of mine have done so, I will stop it for the truce.” The Slaugh returned the bows and filed out of the room.
I turned around to face the platform. All of them were staring at me in stunned silence. “Can we eat now? I’m starving.”
Doran raised an eyebrow. “By all means.”
We all sat around a large oval table in one of the dining rooms. Abbey had joined us and there were several other house Imps fussing with the meal. I was famished, so I had already finished my salad as the others regaled her with tales of my performance at the meet.
“Keena,” Bevin said from across the table. “When did your magic get so…”
“Good?” I supplied for her. “A while back.” I took another bite of steak. Cliona sat next to her, twirling a wineglass and looking amused.
Abbey piped up. “She can do much better than just a picture show, Bevin.”
Doran leaned over her plate and put her elbows on either side of it. “Then why do you not display it more often, niece?”
“I didn’t realize I needed to.” It was an honest answer.
“What do you mean?” She really looked perplexed.