Page 91 of Shifter King
"I thought there was an understanding between us," she said, her voice starting to shake. She held Choe a little tighter. "But…I was wrong. The queen told me Choe was fed to the centipedes. That she was a disgrace. But that I could be purified and allowed to be with my veskare if he claimed me. He did not. So I was to be broken and put in that pit for whatever they chose to use me for. So no. I do not ask that you spare any Bealorn there except Tanadi. Kuwat too. All the rest? I don't care."
"Do you want the failed veskare brought to you for your judgment?" Naatos asked. "Sparing him does not have to be for long. It may be long enough so you can choose how he is dealt with."
She laughed weakly. "Is there justice for something like this?"
"Justice. Vengeance. It depends. If you tell us who he is, we'll bring him to you."
Eskiatlo shook her head. "I have never known Vawtrians like any of you in all my days. Not when I was free. Not when I was in the wilds. And not when I was caught. Even if I had the chance, I don't know what I would say to him. Or what I would do. But I don't want his name known. My daughter and I must disappear. Others might come for her if they knew who her father was. If he dies, he dies. Let fate decide what is to become of him. I do not want his blood on my hands."
"I would be happy to use mine for it," WroOth said. "But if you change your mind, it is your choice. He caused the locking with you. He answers for that as he has failed. But the answer can be whatever you want."
"For now, it is for me to go." She looked then to Naatos, her gaze softening. "I wanted to say—your veskaro—I am forever in her debt. One day I will find a way to repay her. To repay all of you. It would have been very easy for her to just tear my mind apart."
No. It wouldn't have.
WroOth shook his head. "Well. If you are leaving, may I at least say goodbye to Choe?"
"Of course." She passed her to him. "We are both grateful to you."
"Oh, you beautiful darling girl, you will grow up to be so strong, won't you?" He swung her up into the air and balanced her on one hand. "So very strong and very clever. You'll talk with eagles and hawks and perhaps even some terror birds. Won't that be such fun? Of course it will." She laughed, kicking her legs within the blanket.
"Don't drop her," QueQoa said, putting his hands under him. "This floor is metal."
"Because if it was wooden, her falling wouldn't be so bad." WroOth gave him a dour smile. "I don't drop children except when it's necessary to teach them how to fly." He brought her down then and kissed her forehead. "And they almost always love it."
"Yes, well, she's very delicate," QueQoa said.
"I trust you both not to drop her," Eskiatlo said wrapping her arms tighter about herself. "But if one of you does, then I will want vengeance for that."
"See, terrifying." QueQoa inclined his head forward and then held out his finger to Choe. She grabbed hold of it at once.
"I think she likes you best," WroOth chuckled.
Eskiatlo glanced over them. Fondness shone in her eyes. "She loves you all. And so do I. I don't know where we will go after this, or if we will be able to return, But I hope that we will see you again, and I wish you all success. I would ask though that when you kill that queen, bury her where we can spit on her as we pass. Her and—and all of them." Her voice tightened. She ducked her head, then reached for Choe. "We should go. Please tell Amelia how grateful I am to her."
QueQoa handed her back to her mother, a small tweaking in his brow and softening in his eyes. "Let's go then."
Naatos watched them go, a sharp pang striking him. One day he and Amelia would have children like that. It would happen. He just had to get through the next few days, get her back, and then they would make everything work. Everything.
"Just a little longer," WroOth said. "Just a little longer, and she will be back in your arms. Now. Tell me what you think of this." He presented him with what did indeed appear to be a gryphon egg. "It needs to respond with light and warmth when the queen touches it to make it seem real, but I can't guarantee I'll be touching it."
"Will you be able to keep anyone but the queen from touching it?"
"Well, it's a very rare magic gryphon egg that will bond to the Bealorn who claims it, so…there's a decent chance." He shrugged as he leaned against the wall. "Too bad I can't attempt a deimatic display from a distance."
"Unless you could," Naatos said slowly.
"Enlighten me because if I could I would. And it would make this whole little show far more compelling."
"Can't you channel the energy through tentacles? You used to do invisible ones all the time."
"Assuming they don't fill me with too much poison to manage." WroOth chuckled darkly, but he did nod. "Not that they should. But yes. I haven't done that for something like this. That does take me back. Those are from a long time ago. I may have lost a step or two with them."
Naatos doubted that very much.
The whistle sounded aboveground. Two short blasts. One long.
It was time.
