Atlantis Rising

Perhaps you ought to remember that, old man?'

Conlan stepped between the two of them, even though Christophe had shown enough sense to step the hell back. 'That's enough. We need to focus on the Trident, as you keep reminding me, Alaric. Not settle old scores—or start new ones—right here in front of the hockey table.'

He turned to Christophe. 'And not all elements, Christophe. You know that fire is forbidden to the Warriors of Poseidon—to all Atlanteans.'

Bastien slammed the air hockey puck into its goal with a flourish. 'Yeah, nobody would be stupid enough to play with fire, my pr—er, Conlan. We're golden. Why don't you and Alaric get some rest so we can get an early start in the morning? We have some Mycenaean ass to kick.'

Alaric nodded. 'I admit to needing rest after performing two healings. That poison took more than a little effort to disperse.'

Conlan noticed for the first time that Alaric's face was almost gray and cursed under his breath. A ruler should be aware of the health and needs of all of his subjects. Even those who were strongest.

Yeah, well, I suck at being a ruler. No argument there.

'Rest,' he ordered. 'I'll be in with Riley. Ven, set up shifts to watch. You can—'

Ven rolled his eyes. 'I know what to do, Conlan. This isn't my first day on the job.'

Conlan inclined his head, returning to formal speak to underscore his demand. 'I cede the task to the King's Vengeance. All of you—remember your early training and shield your emotions.'

There was no other way to say it but baldly. 'Riley is aknasha.'

He heard the indrawn breaths, saw Alaric's eyes narrow, and waited.

Brennan spoke for the first time since Conlan had walked into the room. 'That would explain her reaction after the battle. If she needs guarding, perhaps I would be the appropriate choice, since I have no emotions with which to overwhelm her senses,' he said in his quiet voice. 'It would make my curse bear some merit, for once.'

Conlan narrowed his eyes, searching the warrior's face for signs of bitterness, but there was only the patient calm with which Brennan always faced the world. A curl of anger stirred in his gut at the idea of Brennan—of any male—spending time with Riley.

All righty, then. I need to get a fucking grip.

'Thanks, Brennan. We will discuss our plans in the morning, but I appreciate your offer,' he said, inclining his head toward his emotionless warrior.

Then he turned toward Ven. 'I need some rest, to complete the healing. Give me until dawn, unless there's some new crisis.'

With a last narrow-eyed glance at Justice, Conlan left the room. Heading for Riley, who was sending out flutters of awakening consciousness.

As he walked down the hallway, he heard Bastien. 'Ven, what's the deal with this Riley? An emotional empath after so many thousands of years? What the hell is going on?'

Conlan shook his head, pulled by an almost magnetic compulsion toward her room. I wish I knew.

Chapter 12

Alaric waited until he heard Conlan's footsteps reach Riley's room, then turned to face the Seven. 'We need to discuss this human—this potential aknasha—and what we shall do about her.'

Ven leaned back against a well-stocked bookcase. 'You planning to hold this discussion behind my brother's back?'

His voice was calm. The look in his eyes was not. 'Skirting perilously close to treason, my man.'

'He may not be receptive to reason right now,' Alaric returned. 'He's not exactly acting rationally about her. Did any of you notice that he never questioned the presence of those vampires?'

Justice turned from the window to cast a sardonic look at Alaric. 'Yet, somehow, when I mentioned that he might not be rational, you jumped down my throat.'

Alaric shook his head once, dismissive. 'This is not a question of whether or not Anubisa compromised him. I told you that she had not, and I stand by my pronouncement. However, his actions in regard to this human female are not entirely logical.'

Alexios made a noise in his throat, just short of a growl.

'You, of all people, would deny him a distraction from his nightmares? From the torment that no doubt haunts him, day and night?'

Alaric wondered whether Alexios was talking about Conlan's torment or his own. Wondered if Alexios knew, himself.

Then dismissed the question as irrelevant.

'I would deny him nothing, especially not the vehicle of his ascension. However, every hour that Reisen holds the Trident, Conlan is one hour closer to losing the throne of Atlantis.'

Slamming his game piece down on the table, Bastien clenched his hands into fists, enormous arm muscles bunching. 'I will reach down into Reisen's throat and rip his kidneys out. I will slice his balls off and use them for earrings. I will personally turn every warrior in the House of Mycenae into a eunuch.'

Ven pulled one of his daggers out of its sheath and examined the blade. 'Oh, I'm sure you'll have a little help with that, my friend. And, speaking of vamps, what the hell was that about? We've encountered enough of them on our patrols, but we try never to leave witnesses. Why are we suddenly getting attacked by a group of bloodsuckers?'

He stopped, the blood draining out of his face, the lines bracketing his mouth whitening. 'Anubisa. She's finally broken the curse that kept her from telling the vamps about us, hasn't she?'

Ven slammed his dagger back into its sheath. 'We're fucking doomed.'

Brennan, unruffled as ever, stood utterly still. 'But were the vampires after us, or is the female the target? That was Terminus leading the pack. He is one of Barrabas's most trusted generals. What use would Barrabas have for Riley? Does he recognize her empathic powers?'

He put his hands together in front of him, steepling his fingers. 'We have hunted Barrabas for more than two thousand years, with no success, and the humans elect him to their government. Senator Barnes. You must admit, the irony is delicious.'

Justice smashed his fist into the back of the couch. 'You've got a fucked-up sense of delicious, warrior. All that means to me is that he's more visible these days. The better for me to find him, catch him, and cut his ugly head from his ugly damned body.'

Brennan moved his head a fraction of an inch and pinned Alaric with his gaze, ignoring Justice entirely. 'Further, the question remains, Alaric. Do you yet lack the energy to scry for the Trident?'

Closing his eyes, Alaric sent his senses reaching out into the night. But the energy required to remove the poison from Conlan's bloodstream had drained his resources. He felt nothing—not even the slightest resonance from the Trident.

And the loss of it was like a gaping wound in his soul.

My duty. Mine as high priest to safeguard the sea god's Trident.

My failure.

He opened his eyes, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze upon him. 'I must rest. I can feel nothing of the Trident's power. Reisen and his warriors are certainly shielding themselves from me, but I should be able to sense the location of the Trident when I have recovered from the healing.'

Further considering, Alaric finally shook his head. 'I have no idea what to think about this attack. But know this: if Reisen has somehow allied himself with the undead, Poseidon's vengeance will be vicious beyond the meaning of the word.'

From the couch, where he huddled on one side, Denal laughed bitterly, then pounded his fist against his leg. 'Vamps, Reisen. A human who shows more courage than I. I'm utterly useless. First, I failed to protect my prince, and then I allow our priest to waste his energy healing my worthless head.'