“I can transport you immediately to the young empress’s quarters,” Lara told Vilia. “Go to her first and then together you must go to Gaius Prospero.”
Vilia nodded.
“Do not fail us,” Jonah warned his wife.
Vilia glared at him, her look almost scornful. “Have I ever failed you?” Then she turned to Lara. “I am ready.”
Lara smiled, and then she silently made a little incantation.
“I have been awaiting your arrival,” Shifra said by way of greeting.
“You knew I was coming?” Vilia didn’t know whether to be surprised or not. She felt a tiny stab of jealousy. The girl was as beautiful as ever with her red-gold hair, no longer loose, but dressed in a number of bejeweled braids and heavy curls.
“Of course,” Shifra said in her soft sweet voice. “Now we must hurry for the hour draws near when the emperor retires into his own privy chamber to drink Razi and forget his troubles. Even I cannot console him in these terrible times. If we do not catch him now he will be too drunk and filled with dreams to make sense. Come quickly!” She led Vilia from her own rooms and down a connecting corridor to the emperor’s quarters. The guards at the door stepped aside to let them pass, surprised to see the empress with the emperor’s former wife.
Gaius Prospero was signing some papers at his large desk. His eyes lit up seeing Shifra, but his look turned to one of shock at seeing her companion. “My love, what is it?” he asked Shifra. “Vilia,” he acknowledged the other woman curtly.
Shifra went immediately to Gaius Prospero and settled herself in his lap. Instinctively he put his arms about her and kissed her lips. “My dearest lord and husband, Lord Jonah’s wife has come to speak with me this day. Her words are wise and in the best interests of Hetar, I am absolutely convinced. You must hear her out, for my sake. For the sake of any children I may be fortunate enough to bear you,” Shifra said.
“You know I will do whatever pleases you, my dove,” the emperor murmured, kissing her ripe lips again. Then reluctantly he turned his gaze to Vilia. “You have my ear,” he told her. “Say what you need to say.”
Vilia spoke in quiet but urgent tones, telling Gaius Prospero of Terah’s offer; explaining the great dangers that Hetar faced, for until now the emperor had refused to believe the Wolfyn were anything more than just raiders. Even the frantic Squire Darah had been unable to convince him of the peril that they all faced. Besotted by his wife and drunk much of the time now with Razi, Gaius Prospero had almost lost his grip upon reality. The loss of his ships, of half of his armies and now the prospect of a terrible future had turned the once powerful, ambitious ruler into a weak and frightened man.
But this day he had not yet begun to drink and Shifra was imploring him to heed Vilia’s words. Like Jonah, he was astounded that Terah would offer their help, that the magic folk would aid him. The news encouraged him and the old Gaius Prospero suddenly reappeared from the wreckage. “Do you trust them?” he asked Vilia.
“I do trust them, my lord emperor,” Vilia told him.
“The faerie woman hates me,” Gaius Prospero said. “Why would she help us?”
“Oh, indeed, my lord, the lady Lara thinks you are no better than the sickly green-black scum that coats a backwater pond, but while she is Domina of Terah, she retains a fondness for her native land. If Hetar falls, Terah will be the Twilight Lord’s next target,” Vilia explained. “This Lord Kol means to have us all under his thumb. He means to spread his darkness all throughout our worlds. As he has chosen Hetar to attack first, it is only logical that our combined forces stop him here.”
“But to want nothing in return,” Gaius Prospero mused.
“They want to be left in peace by Hetar,” Shifra said quietly to her husband. “Does that not mean you have successfully ended their threat toward us? The people will be very pleased by this knowledge, my darling Gaius, but it can only happen if you give the order that will combine our Hetarian forces with those of the Terahns and the magic kingdoms, my dearest lord. Those dreadful Wolfyn are at our gates, and it is said they ravish all females-old and young, high and low-that they encounter when they conquer a place. The most beautiful are passed about so all might partake of them,” Shifra told him with a visible shudder. “We have not much time in which to act.”
Gaius Prospero had viewed the Wolfyn from the heights of The City’s walls. Their fierce wolf heads set upon the bodies of mortal men frightened him just looking at them. The thought of them mounting and ravaging his perfect young empress terrified him. “I will agree,” he said. “Tell the Dominus Magnus Hauk and his allies that I agree to their proposals. Lord Jonah will act as my intermediary.” He waved his hand at Vilia. “Go quickly, woman!
“I must have something written in your hand,” Vilia told him. “You know Jonah is a stickler for protocol.”
Shifra leaned from her husband’s lap and drew a thin sheet of vellum from a basket on the emperor’s desk. Then taking up the quill she inked it and wrote,
Vilia reached out and dusted the parchment with sand. Then she rolled it tightly and bowed low to the imperial couple. “Thank you, my lord emperor, my lady empress. Long live Hetar!” Then although she had not been given any instructions her own instinct told her to call out, “My lady Lara, I am ready to return.” And sure enough she found herself suddenly in the chamber at Lady Gillian’s house where her husband and the others were awaiting her. She handed Jonah the rolled document. “His permission in writing!” she said triumphantly.
Jonah unrolled the parchment and read it quickly before handing it to Magnus Hauk. “Now, my lord,” he said, “what do we do?”
The Dominus read the emperor’s permission, then handed it to Lara.
She nodded. “Now,” she said, “we begin to even the odds that have been against us. I will go to King Archeron and the remaining commanders of the Crusader Knights in the Coastal Kingdom to prepare for the transfer and division of our forces.”
“And I will return to Terah to marshal our army,” the Dominus said.
“What are we to do?” Jonah demanded to know.
“You will come with me,” Lara told him, “so the commanders know what is being done is not a trick but on the emperor’s orders.”
He looked askance. “I am safe with you?” he demanded rudely.
“My lord, my powers over the years have grown greatly, and if I wanted to turn you into dust I should have done it long since. You are not worth my time. Aye, you are safe with me. It is my mother you have to fear. Her patience with mortals is not great.” And Lara laughed as Lord Jonah paled briefly. She turned to her husband. “Are you ready, my lord?” And when he nodded with a small smile at her she waved her hand over him and he was gone.
“Will we be safe while you are gone?” Lady Gillian asked Lara.
“Remember that Prince Kaliq has put a spell about The City walls that will keep the Wolfyn out until we are prepared to act,” Lara assured her. She looked to Jonah. “Now if you are ready, my lord,” she said and before he might answer Lara swirled a mauve mist about them and when it evaporated they were gone.
“Stay with me at least for the night,” Lady Gillian invited Lady Vilia. “The streets are dangerous in the best of times now and it is growing dark. You will be safe here. The Domina has said we are safe.”
“Perhaps I will,” Vilia returned. “I am alone in my own home but for the servants and many of them have gone into hiding. Servants are not as loyal as they once were, I fear,” she complained with a sigh.
“Nothing is as it was,” Lady Gillian replied. “Once everyone had a place here in Hetar, and everyone knew their place. We had prosperity and order. I am still trying to figure out what happened to bring us to such a pass as we now face.”
