Page 67 of Gates of Rapture
“Yes.Some of your most powerful Seers.”
“How long have you been working them?”
“Not long, about an hour.I allow them to rest for two afterward and make them drink lots of water.I’ve only had two die on me since last night.”
Greaves repressed a sigh.“And what have you discovered about our present difficulties?”
Stannett looked up at him wide-eyed.“Nothing yet.I have kept these early trial runs relegated to less strenuous matters.”
“You mean you’ve been hunting for future stream tail?”
“Well, yes.It seemed the most sensible way to get the women accustomed.I assure you, I haven’t been the only one enjoying the process.If you’d arrived earlier, you would have heard a great deal of delighted moaning.”
“And this is meant to reassure me?”
Greaves knew it was impossible for Stannett to comprehend the difficulties Greaves faced, but he began to suspect that the man was an idiot.Or if not a complete imbecile, then so given to his own pleasure that nothing else seemed to matter.
Greaves folded to his position in the pit.He put a finger beneath Stannett’s chin and used resonance.“Have I not told you how badly I need pure vision?That I must have the best possible information from moment to moment over the next several days?”He could feel Stannett tremble.“Why have you not done as I asked?”
“I… I thought I did,” Stannett said, wincing.Greaves had used resonance and he meant for it to hurt.“You didn’t tell me to start amassing information.You told me to work the skills of your Seers.”
“Then let me be very clear right now.I need an abundance of prophetic material as close to pure vision as you can achieve.”Greaves swept a hand over both sets of women.“Go back in and find me some useful information for tonight.And I do mean tonight.”
Stannett didn’t hesitate.He stretched back out and began the process.Greaves folded back up to the platform.He could feel Stannett’s power moving through the women.He wasn’t surprised when many of them cried out as if in pain.
Good.
He waited for a moment, then when the Seers relaxed, he drove his mental power straight at Stannett, pierced his mind, and found himself in what looked like great chaos.A battle of some sort.Greaves recognized the Seattle hidden colony and the warrior games setup.He watched his death vampires flowing over the citizens and striking them down.
Peace moved through Greaves because he could feel that this was pure vision.If his enemy did not interfere, if Marguerite did not catch wind of the prophecy, then the Seattle Colony would be reduced to rubble.He sought for the timing of the event and knew that he had at least two hours to prepare.But he wanted to see the outcome.He was delighted when he saw his death vampires cheering and drinking people to death, chasing their victims into the forest.
When the stream ended, Greaves’s heart beat strong in his chest.He would strike a blow against the opposition that would leave Endelle reeling.Right now it looked like Marguerite had failed to intervene by blocking Stannett, or maybe Stannett and the six Seers were just too damn powerful.
Either way, he rejoiced.
He was about to fold when he looked down and realized Stannett was trying to rouse the Seer to his left.The woman was dead.
Stannett looked up at him.“When the power begins to flow, they can’t take it without rest, just as I said.”
“But you have no problem with that level of power?”
Stannett laughed.“Of course not.Did you think I would?”
“No.You have many failings, my friend, but the inability to handle a power surge is not one of them.”He glanced at the remaining women.“Are any of the rest dead?”
“Yes.”Stannett looked from one to the next.“Three altogether.”
“Pity.”He rocked on his heels slightly.“Get rid of these, harness more, and forge a path through the future streams.And lest you mistake me again, I need as much information as you can gather, despite how hard Marguerite blocks you.”
“Understood,” Stannett responded.
***
That evening, after dinner at the palace, Leto returned with Grace to the bedroom of his cabin.He was still reeling from the hundred-plus conversations he’d had with the Division Leaders earlier in the day.His initial effort had been to test the waters as subtly as possible.To take anything further, to ask for commitments, was out of the question until he had a plan in place.His largest concern, about executing a mass fold, was just as Grace had suggested.He had no idea how he was going to physically move even one division, not to mention several, without Greaves finding out and stopping him.
He had finished his shower and had a towel around his waist.With another towel, he was drying his hair.Grace was sitting cross-legged on the side of the bed, staring at the wall.She was still in her yoga pants and shirt.
“What’s going on?”he asked.
