Staviz motioned me over.
“Soldiers. Who has planted the idea in your heads that the Lady Stormbreaker is a cruel, useless vampire?”
“It’s been in the barracks for a week, sir,” the first said. “Stories about how evil they are, draining whomever they please of their blood.”
The queen snorted and sipped from her goblet.
“What’s so funny, vampire.”
“Child, if she wanted your blood, she’d take it before you knew what was going on,” the king answered. “And you would spend your last seconds in this life in pure, sexual bliss. You’d never complain.”
“Is that a threat?”
The kingmovedand was suddenly mere inches from the man’s nose, his eyes flashing red and his fangs on dangerous display. “No. This is.”
“Your Majesty,” Staviz said. “If I may?”
Belshazzar dropped back, his fangs gone, but none of the menace was receding.
“You are both relieved of duty,” Staviz said. “Turn in your weapons and your uniforms.”
“Sir!”
“You heard me. You threw food at a member of the temple. You’ve insulted our guests. You’re spreading gossip. You will turn in your weapons and gear, and you will be dismissed from this post and this army. If you’re smart, you’ll be on the next train to the Western Sea to see if you can find honest work as a fisherman.”
“You can’t dismiss us!” the second called as Staviz walked away.
He stopped, but didn’t turn around. “I just did.”
With a flick of his wrist, two other soldiers came out of the shadows and took the first set by their arms to lead them away. And with that same flick, he ripped off the epaulets that they had been wearing.
“You disgrace us all,” Staviz called to the crowd now watching, “when you act on gossip and prejudice. Mistress Kimber, the Lady Stormbreaker, is of our temple. She has always fought for the people of S’Kir. If there is anyone else who thinks that any part of her heritage is a detriment to the good of the druids, you may speak to me in the morning, and I will dismiss you from service.”
Aiko stood next to him. “Our goal is not to raise a new Spine but to unify our world. We suffered under Savion. We suffer still under Niniane. We do not seek to conquer but to co-exist.”
The now-former soldiers were dragged from the tent, putting up a bit of a fight as they went, as several pieces of squash were launched in the air at them. I held up my hand and stopped them where they flew through the air at the men. “No!” I called. “No more. They’ve made their point, we’ve made ours. It’s over, and there’s no harm done that a nice bath won’t cure. Don’t waste our resources.”
I slid the flying gourds to the nearest table on to a plate there. I had no idea if they were half eaten or not, but they wouldn’t go to waste. Someone would take them to the stables later and give them to horses and cattle.
The queen was suddenly next to me. “Nicely done,” she said with a nod.
“I need to wash my face,” I said.
Aiko was there with a wet cloth and a dry one. I took them gratefully and wiped off what remained of the squash.
“So…” Gwen stared. “Are they all hostile like that?”
“No,” Roran said, walking up.
“Some are,” Aiko corrected.
“They don’t know what to do with the vampires,” I explained. “It’s been three thousand years.”
Gwen turned and looked at us. “Excuse me. How long?”
I cocked my head at her. “Three thousand years. The Spine rose as the gate closed. It cut us off from the vampires, and I’m sure that there are some people who don’t want to try to unify S’Kir… Are you all right, Your Highness?”
She looked more than a little surprised and disoriented, still out of her element in this realm. “Uh. Could you point me in the direction of the bathroom—loo? I really need to pee.”
