"I thought that you might contact me." Jacquelis' calm was legendary. Alaric had never seen her visibly upset, despite her near fanatical dedication to preserving the Co'nane. Whether delivering a pleasant greeting or slaughtering a hapless fool that thought to cross her, she remained equally composed.
"I am in need of your counsel," Alaric said. "You have received the report?"
"That girl has fled or been hidden away? I was surprised, actually. The Sha may be mere children, but they are more resourceful than anticipated." She eyed him appraisingly. "You appear less disturbed than I would have imagined."
Alaric smiled. "It is good to know that I can still surprise you, Jacquelis. The fact that Nyori Sharlin is missing is only a temporary setback." He crossed his arms behind his back and slowly paced in front of the oculos. "There is nowhere she can go for permanent safety, nowhere to hide where I cannot find her. I have waited for nearly an Age. The waiting at present is child's play, only a minute delay of the inevitable."
Jacquelis allowed a small smile to touch her lips. Of pride, Alaric knew. She approved of putting emotion in check; approved of rational, deliberate thinking. It was something she had drilled into him long before he assumed the mantle of leadership. She had bred him for the role, denying herself the position because she claimed to believe in him.
He gave her an accusing glance. "I noted no trap awaited for the Legion. It appears I should have led them personally after all."
"Or perhaps no trap was sprung because you did not appear," she said pointedly. "In any case, the result would have been the same. The girl is gone, and Eymunder with her. What are your plans now, milord?"
Alaric ceased his pacing as he contemplated his next words. "My concern is more for Nyori's safety than anything else. In their haste to remove her from Halladen, the Sha no doubt placed her in harm's way. There is much out in the world that would gladly harm her if they even had an inkling of what she possessed."
Jacquelis arched a wry eyebrow. "And you would not?"
"I would not harm her any more than I have to," Alaric said softly. "I would prefer not to harm her at all. The Geods are attuned to their bearers; it would not due to try to coerce her into surrendering Eymunder. The fusorb must be passed freely from one bearer to the next. I would rather convince her instead."
"And if she does not wish to be convinced?"
Alaric shrugged. "I have all the time in the world to alter her opinion. The vital task is to corral her into the open so that our agents can bring her to me. It would not do for her or Eymunder to fall into the wrong hands, whether from outside or within our ranks."
"You mean the Sects." Jacquelis' face was decidedly neutral.
"You heard that they had employed their Thralls in Halladen. Did they seek our permission first?" Alaric threw up his hands. "You already know the answer. They flaunt their defiance in our faces, refusing to acknowledge our position of rulership. We should have never Gifted human stock. It was always a terrible notion."
"It was necessary," Jacquelis said. "Leilavin was determined to destroy us, and the Reavers were decimating our forces. The Blood was in danger of extinction. Human stock was necessary to serve as fodder against the Reavers until a solution presented itself."
"You do not have to remind me of the Scourge of Leilavin," Alaric said. "I was the one who put an end to it. Perhaps the Gifting was necessary, but we should have found a way to assure ourselves of complete control. The Sects are reckless and foolhardy. We spend much of our time cleaning up their disasters instead of concentrating on our own operations."
"Their ability to pass on their Gifts was unexpected." The words dragged out reluctantly. Jacquelis rarely made mistakes, but it was her voice that finally persuaded the Council to agree to Gifting the most talented of their Thralls. "But they are not beyond control. You must desist from thinking they will dwindle away if you ignore them long enough. The Speakers feel that you regard them as unimportant to the Blood. Small wonder they direct their Sects to pursue their own agendas."
Alaric nodded dismissively. "Perhaps you are right, Jacquelis. But what is the damaged pride of the Sects in light of Eymunder's emergence in the world?"
"Perhaps everything." Jacquelis' jade eyes glimmered. "The Sects have thrived, expanding their influence upon the world of men. You will need their resources. It may be that they willingly give you the aid you require or hinder you in every way they can."
Alaric frowned. "You think too highly of those children. They may have some of our abilities, but they are far from the Blood. We do not need them."
Jacquelis met his gaze with her usual calm. "And you do not take the Sects seriously enough, Alaric. You think of them as domesticated pets, although all the while they grow more feral and untamed. Ignore them too long, and they will look to tear you to pieces."
Alaric knew when Jacquelis would not be swayed, so he let the topic rest. "I hear your voice, Jacquelis. I will think upon the matter. For now, we have more pressing issues at hand."
"As you wish, milord." She dipped her head respectfully. "I have sent one of the domestics to your chambers. They tell me that you are again going days without proper nourishment. It will not do for the lord of the Co'nane to appear as weak before his people."
Alaric smiled. "As you say, Jacquelis."
She peered around as if trying to see his surroundings. "And where is your solestra?"
"Serona is no doubt in her chambers being spoiled by her domestics. Nothing to concern yourself with."
"I remember a time when the two of you did not have separate quarters. How will you repair what was damaged if you do not spend time with the one you gave your soul to?"
Alaric felt a stab of guilt, then a flush of anger for feeling the guilt. "Things…changed after I destroyed the Reavers. You know this. I prefer my solitude from time to time. Serona understands. She is patient with me."
Jacquelis continued to scold him as if he were the child that she tended to so long ago. "Too patient. You spend more than enough time in solitude. The world changes, but you have not noticed in your self-imposed exile. Your people barely know you anymore. It is not fit for a ruler to behave so."
"That will all change now that Eymunder is nearly in my grasp. I promise, Jacquelis. I will make amends. But for now, I must consider what is most important." He placed his hand on the oculos control. "We will speak again later." The mirror obscured Jacquelis' image when he slid his hand over the control's surface, the shimmering surface once again reforming to display his mirrored reflection. He shook his head.
Yet Jacquelis was correct, as usual. He did have many amends to make, starting with Serona. She was the one who suffered the most grievous wounds, though to her credit she bore them in silence. He had to cease avoiding her and acknowledge that the severance of their bond damaged him as much as it did her. If only he knew where to start…
He gave a tiny shake of his head. A matter for after he acquired Eymunder. Everything could wait until after the Geod was in his grasp. He had to visit the Gestalt, where the Ministers of Information arranged the network of Thralls and processed the tangled web of information they delivered. It was vital to have the Ministers fully involved in locating Nyori Sharlin as swiftly as possible. After that she would be brought before Alaric, and then…then he would decide how best to convince her to surrender Eymunder.