Guardian's Key
Part 7
The Shadowqueen
II
They followed Eris into a sitting room just off the hallway. Like everything in her home, it was opulent and gaudy; too much of everything. As they walked through the door she said. “Frea said there were six of you. Where are the Spirit-touched Sorceress and her vampire? Not to mention the very handsome Xavier.”
“Something came up and they had to take a side trip. Don’t worry, they’re not going to come sneaking in the back door. They’ve gone elsewhere.” Telaan said, refusing to answer the question she was really asking.
“Ah, now that’s interesting. What could have possibly happened that caused them to leave you on your own?”
“Something that has nothing to do with you.”
“So Silanos was able to find them, perhaps he’s not an idiot after all.”
Telaan chose to ignore her. He knew she never said anything by chance; she was trying to get a reaction from them. Whether she knew anything or not didn’t matter, not at this point. He’d have to look into it later to see if she had anything to do with what happened to Kerrin, but they didn’t have time at the moment. There were more important things to be dealt with than something Xavier and Lessa were more than capable of handling.
He and Adrostos knew enough to keep their reactions in check; but he felt Nanda stiffen and he squeezed her hand, trying to keep her from saying anything.
When no one answered or reacted, he could have sworn he heard Eris huff before continuing. “Tell me, my only son, what have you come here for? What is worth so much, you’d lower yourself to pass through my door and brave my wrath?”
“You’re not a danger to us at the moment, however much I might personally despise you. You have no real need for any of us, if you had, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“So true.”
He lost her attention as she slowly approached Adrostos, her hand outstretched as though she could see. “You have it. You took it from my beloved guardian. You murdered him.”
Adrostos didn’t so much as raise his hand, “You killed your guardian in a peak of fury; but yes I have the key, and around my neck it will remain.”
She nodded and smiled an evil smile that didn’t touch her clouded eyes, her fangs showing. “That’s just as well, as I no longer have need of it.”
Her statement put the Elf on alert; Telaan saw it in the tensing of his shoulders. Adrostos made no other movement, not even a twitch of his face. He apparently knew Eris well enough to know even blind, she’d pounce on any movement he made. What her blindness had taken away, her magique had somewhat compensated for. She still needed the priestess to be her eyes for anything occurring at a distance, but up close, she was able to use her magique to her own advantage.
Since Adrostos had something that had once belonged to one of her servants, Telaan wondered what their connection was. Not a good one, he was sure. No one stole from the Shadowqueen, ever; and that she hadn’t instantly killed him was telling. Something was very wrong here, something beyond the fact that she’d let them into her home. Beyond the fact that he was sure she had something to do with their being separated from Lessa. Telaan, like the Elf, became even more alert and aware of their surroundings. He'd have to be very clever to get them out alive.
Eris moved in front of the sofa saying casually as though she’d invited them all over for a drink, “Please sit. I’m going to make a wild statement and say you’ve all come here to steal something from me; but I’m afraid I don’t have it, and I won’t tell you where it is.”
“Then I’ll find it even if I have to torture your priestess.” Telaan said, ignoring the gasp from Nanda. How he wished he could be the man she thought he was, but after more Times of Change than she could even imagine, he couldn’t change that easily. He would try for her; but at the moment a priestess of the Shadow World was not a life that was sacred to him, and he would take it without regret to get the information he needed.
Eris’ satisfied smile made her beautiful and that was her danger. Sightless eyes notwithstanding she had retained the beauty she’d given herself when she took human form to seduce his sire. “You, know, my son, I believe I’ll have Pele take you to my office. There, should you once again use the powers I’ve given you; you’ll be able to get the information you desire without killing my most faithful priestess.”
Telaan rose, “Very well, Eris, I’ll play your game.”
Nanda started to rise, but Eris stopped her, “No, blonde Sorceress, if you enter my office you will die. I’ll not care, but perhaps my son will.”
Telaan took her hand, “No, my love. Her office will be warded to allow only those with the blood of the shadow. You will die, as would Adrostos should he attempt it. In fact, we are only in this house because I am with you and Eris has allowed it.”
“No, my son, my office allows only those with my mark of the Shadow.”
“Pele?”
“Is my daughter, no sense in wasting this human form that was thrust on me.”
Pele removed her top, proudly revealing the same mark that was on his back. Eris had marked her exactly as she herself was marked.
Great, he’d never thought about the bitch having more children, he wondered how many siblings he had, and he certainly didn’t want to know any of them.
He left the room not caring if Pele followed or not.
Part 7 The Shadowqueen I
6 comments:
Eris is up to something, I feel it in my bones but then maybe its because she's shadow and how many kids does she have?
I always love your shots, there so beautiful and detailed.
Great update can't wait for more.
Thank you Iron Mum!
You can be sure that Eris is up to something. Anything she's involved in will move according to her plans, if she has any say, which is yet to be seen.
I have no more idea than Telaan how many spawn she's produced. :)
This is why I love TS2. I'm sure TS3 with poseboxes and other goodies now available is also good for storytelling, but I'm just so much more comfortable here. There's always something I can find to make just the look I want. Again, thank you.
Eris does seem to love pushing as many buttons as she can, and watch as her victims squirm around, and with these three not playing along I also get the feeling Telaan is going to get more than he bargained for. Not to mention it just all seems way to polite, Eris has to be lring them into a web of some kind.
Hey G_S Eris tends to forget she's not in charge any more. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference. :) She'd still very much directing the action.
No, but Telaan understands his mother and knows that not all is as it seems. Although Pele was a surprise.
Okay, I'll admit, she has allowed things to progress as they have for her own reasons.
Poor Teelan, first his capture and torture, a bitch for a mother and now who knows how many siblings out there in the ether?
There is more going on I think, more than they know.
So are we going to follow these three for a while? If so cool. Like Lord of the Rings. really. It's a compliment.
And Teelan and Nanda are sweet together.
Great updates~
Hey, Drew, you just know Eris would feel it necessary to populate the world with her wonderful genes. ;)
Oh, I doubt they'll ever know just how much of Telaan, and others, life Eris manipulates to carry out her wishes and desires. It'll be interesting to see just how far she's planning to go this time.
No, I believe there's only one more update that deals solely with this group. GK is intended to complete the Kerrin/Lessa trilogy, which it does in spades, and introduce Adrotos and Telaan. So, on the whole, it's still Kerrin and Lessa's story.
Nanda is light to Telaan's dark. :)
Thank you!
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