Vlad studied the creature. “They have names. They just don’t want us to know them.” The Troll sat on the arm of Constantine's chair with her hands folded in her lap. Her expression reminded him of a domesticated cat, which only added to his unease. It was said a cat was a witch’s familiar, and some believed female Wizards used Trolls as spies or to carry out their summoning spells. He leaned forward until he was inches from her.
There was no emotion reflected in her eyes, and no response that she was in the presence of a predator. Was she aware of his powers? Perhaps she wasn’t afraid because she considered herself as deadly. When it came down to it, he really didn’t know much about Trolls. He sensed there was an underlying primal and unpredictable nature lurking under her calm exterior. Underestimating a cat could get your eyes scratched out. He wondered what the consequences were if you angered a Troll.
He sat back in his chair and shook his unease aside. She was just a Troll, he reminded himself. If she was ten times smarter than the male Trolls he’d interrogated, she’d still have the IQ of an earthworm. Or at least that was what he had been told.
Constantine took the female Troll’s hand in his. “Satisfied?”
Vlad wasn’t.
The president ignored Vlad’s black expression. “Down to business. The Talons are displeased with the current training arrangement. First, there is the insistence of female instructorsin the early stages of a young Wizard’s training. It makes them too soft. More troubling is their survival rate once they reach the training fields of Dragon Mountain. Need I remind you that we need warriors, not men and women who can perform magic tricks. Fortunately, the Talons offer a solution.”
Vlad shifted in his chair. Wizards were opposed to human interference, and although Vlad didn’t care one way or another, right now he needed the magical community’s support. There was an election coming up in a few weeks and he couldn’t keep killing the opposition. Sooner or later, someone would connect the dots. “We have it under control.”
“Clearly you do not. Need I remind you that a war is coming?”
Vlad thought about mentioning that the last one had never ended but decided against it. Cemeteries were filled with those who’d disagreed with President Constantine.
“We found an ideal facility in the Puget Sound area,” Constantine said, as though the matter was settled. “It’s an old school we acquired and renovated, complete with dormitories, classrooms and a staff of qualified teachers who are experienced at turning children into warriors.”
“Human teachers?”
Constantine nodded.
Vlad glanced over at Deborah’s picture. He remembered how adamant she’d been about her child being raised by female Wizards. Deborah would have been furious at the thought of humans taking over those duties. In fact, the whole magical community would turn against him. He’d met human women before. Some were all right, but no matter how they tried, they would never understand what it meant to be a Wizard, making it an even more difficult argument to win. It was too big a gamble, at least until he had more power. But he couldn’t risk alienatingthe Talons, either. They were itching to replace him with one of their own.
“I’ll consider the plan. Was there anything else?”
The president slid his hand under the Troll’s gown and up her thigh. There was no change in the creature’s expression. It was as though she was carved from green Connemara marble. “It’s a small matter. At least, that’s what we hope. The Earth Wizards have grown sloppy. We’ve heard a few of the Water Wizards are living a little longer these days, and we are not pleased.”
Constantine leaned toward Vlad. “Are you aware of the theory that the longer a female Wizard lives, the more powerful she becomes?”
Vlad sat up straighter. Deborah had told him about the theory on more than one occasion. But he had discounted it as a mere legend.”
Constantine continued. “In records dating back to the beginning of the alliance between Wizards and Talons and the Time of Dragons, female Wizards lived to an advanced age, longer even than their male counterparts. Some even held the position of Grand Vizier. Even now, I have heard chatter about rebellion. I know your reluctance during Bealtaine, but you must reconsider. More female Wizards must die.”
Vlad tightened his grip on the arms of the chair again. The wood frame cracked under pressure. While he knew most male Wizards supported him, the female Wizards did not. They wanted more than one seat on the Grey Council and blamed him for not pleading their case. If they did gain a voice, he was certain they’d vote him out. He’d used the excuse that they died too young to take on such responsibility. But if they were allowed to live longer…
Constantine drew the female Troll toward him for a kiss, then continued. “Some believe female Wizards have the powerto control a person’s thoughts as well as water. If those powers increased, even slightly, they could replace us all. Need I remind you that water is the most powerful of all the elements. It can extinguish forest fires, erode mountain ranges, create floods, change the course of rivers, and destroy towns. The most earth can do is contain it. Female Wizards aren’t happy being confined and they aren’t happy when we remove their children from their care. If they lived longer, they might have a chance to join together. Elect a leader. Formulate a plan. We’ve heard rumors. A few of the older female Wizards are speaking out. They must be stopped.”
Vlad rolled his neck to ease his tension. A new threat. He glanced out the window toward the quarters that housed the female Wizards. “It’s risky. If I was discovered…”
“It’s nothing you haven’t done before.” The president let his words hang in the air. “Think of it as eliminating the competition. Something you’re very good at, by the way. Normally we’d wait until after Bealtaine, but too many are asking questions. Under the circumstances, and with elections so close, I thought it best if you were involved.”
Vlad didn’t like the direction this was going. He slid his gaze toward the female Troll. She sat as passive as stone. What Constantine suggested would be considered treason in the magical community. Female Wizards were revered. Vlad lowered his voice. “Are you positive that creature doesn’t understand what we’re saying?”
Constantine rested his hand on the Troll’s neck and pressed his thumb against the pulse point at the base of her throat. “If you do not please me tonight, my dear, I will kill you.” He waited for a moment and then smiled. “There. You, see? No reaction. I’m told her capacity to understand is comparable to a human’s domesticated dog or cat. She might catch a few words here andthere, but that’s about it. She lacks the brain cells to link words together into meaningful sentences.”
The female Troll didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Her eyes still reminded Vlad of a cat’s eyes and seemed to stare somewhere out the window in the direction of the landing strip. If she had a thought in her head, there was no indication. But Constantine’s comparison to the understanding of a dog or cat hadn’t given Vlad comfort. He’d known those animals to be more aware than people thought.
Although Vlad still didn’t trust her, he agreed with Constantine that she was harmless. He also understood what the new president was asking him to do. Eliminating the eldest of the female Wizards was critical. One of an Earth Wizard’s powers was the ability to accelerate or slow down a person’s heart rate. When a female Wizard died, it was because her heart stopped beating. No one would suspect a Wizard would use his power to harm a female Wizard. The penalty for such an offense was death. He risked much. But once he was in full power, he trusted that the magical community would understand. And Constantine was correct. It wasn’t Vlad’s first time at breaking rules.
The solution was a simple one. Vlad couldn’t permit even a small threat to stand in the way of his quest for more power. He’d achieved the role of Grand Vizier; the next step was not only to retain that position with the Grey Council but to change their constitution and take over as President of the Talons, as well.
He was glad he’d turned over Deborah’s picture. Although he didn’t believe the dead haunted the living, he couldn’t face looking into her trusting eyes. “I will not stand in your way.”
“One more thing.” The president glanced at his watch. “Our meeting with the Grey Council is about to begin, so I’ll be brief. There’s a senator who has become an embarrassment. It’s timeshe had a heart attack. Another issue is closer to home. The Fire Wizard known as Rowan is looking into a series of murders in the magical community. Because we trust his loyalty, I invited him here to help with the investigation. We have reason to suspect the murderer is on the island.” Constantine reached into his jacket and pulled out a manila envelope. “Last night a male Wizard was found murdered. Grisly business. We managed to reach the scene only moments before the police arrived, so we’re not sure what evidence they have. This will give you and Rowan a head start.”
Vlad’s temper rumbled in his chest. Someone had killed the Wizard ahead of schedule. A colossal blunder. The murder was not to occur until after the festival. Vlad was surrounded by incompetents, but that was the least of his worries. The president had summoned Rowan. The Wizard was like a dog with a bone. If Vlad didn’t know better, he’d swear Rowan was part werewolf. Vlad accepted the envelope with a tight nod. Hesitating would draw unwelcome suspicion.
