Don’t misunderstand, certamen were still dangerous. (Magic duels are still duels, after all.) But certamen were more about short-term strategy, and were very, very final. If the Night Court lost, they’d have to leave us alone. For good.
“You think Queen Nyte will decide on a certamen?” Elite Bellus asked.
“Well, yeah.” I blinked as we turned up a different hallway. “She’s a fae. They can’t lie. If she swears she won’t attack the Drakes anymore, it means she’ll have to stick to her word. And Queen Nyte doesn’t strike me as the type to just give up.”
“Indeed.” Elite Bellus sighed. “It would be better for her Court if she did. But the Night Court was troubled long before she was crowned and killed her husband.”
I didn’t know what to say to this—I was in no position to talk politics. Even if House Medeis had recovered a lot of the respect we’d lost over the years, I was pretty set against the fae queen. So I settled for awkwardly nodding.
“I assume the Eminence knows all of this,” Elite Bellus abruptly said. “His spies are far better than mine, and most everyone owes him in one way or another. But would you please pass along my observations, and tell him what I’ve said?”
This reeked of politics. It went against my better judgment to get involved in this kind of thing—plus it sounded like more work. I had enough on my plate, I didn’t need extra. “That sounds like triangulation,” I said. “It’s against my policy to act as a go between and let both sides use me for their benefit.” I thought for a moment then added, “Unless I get something for my troubles.”
“You want House Medeis to rank higher?”
“No.” I scoffed at the Elite. “I want what I’ve always wanted. A law about House—”
“—inheritance,” Elite Bellus finished for me. “I should have seen that one coming. But I’m afraid that’s beyond my reach, though I will try to use my influence.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I swatted my hand at him. “I’m still not playing messenger-girl. If you want to play politics with Killian you should go do that yourself.”
“I’m not actually playing politics,” Elite Bellus said.
I sourly stared up at him.
“At least not the way you think I am,” he quickly amended.
We had reached one of the side entryways to the assembly hall. If we followed the hall as it turned, it would lead us around to the front. I could hear the wispy voices of a few vampires—their tones dry and brittle like old paper—but I couldn’t make out any words. Feeling reasonably safe, I stopped, tucked myself against the wall, and peered up at the Elite. “Then please, enlighten me.”
“This is an attempt to reach out to the Eminence,” he said. “And I am not afraid to admit I am using you. If you deliver the news he’ll be likely to recall my connection to you, and perhaps look more favorably upon what I intend to eventually offer.”
“Uh-huh. You’re not winning any points right now…”
“But I want him to look favorably upon me not for the sake of my political career, but for the relationship wizards have with vampires.” The Elite cocked his head as he studied me. “I saw a recording of you fighting the fae at the Cloisters—the way you shielded the vampires and then struck at the fae was genius. But I am more interested in the verbal statements that were submitted about your encounter with the fae just outside Drake lands.”
I relaxed a little—I’d half feared he was just buttering me up because he heard Killian and I were once again…whatever. It seemed that wasn’t the case. But I didn’t know exactly where this was headed, so I kept my eyes narrowed.
“I heard how you worked well with the vampires—covering them and flushing out your opponents, whom they were then able to capture.” The Elite smoothed his goatee some more. “It—and the talk we heard that promoted supernatural intermingling—got me thinking. Perhaps we’ve been coming at this from the wrong angle.”
“You mean survival?”
“Yes,” the Elite said. “What if helping each other is the best option, rather than fortifying our own individual races?”
Chapter Fourteen
Hazel
I shifted, weirdly feeling challenged by the idea. “I guess it’s obvious that our current efforts aren’t really yielding anything—magic is dying off faster than ever.”
“Exactly,” the Elite said. “I wonder if it’s because we lost something in our separation. If you hadn’t been trained by the Drakes, you never would have bended your magic in such unique ways.”
“That isn’t wholly right,” I confessed—I didn’t want to mislead my leader. “Technically, I learned the shield you so admired and my other techniques from a book the Paragon lent me.”
“That even furthers my point,” Elite Bellus said. “You learned about magic from the fae because you were staying at Drake Hall, being taught methods of physical defense by vampires. You are a product of intermingling supernaturals—or at least your magic is. House Medeis has returned to its proper bloodline because they gave you the necessary teaching so you could take your House back.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“It goes even deeper than just you,” he continued. “You took your teachings to your House, and as a result were able to shield the Eminence and his vampires when they were attacked in the Cloisters. If you hadn’t learned your particular style of magic, the Eminence was the only one who would have made it. His underlings—including his First and Second Knight—would have died. And that is what interests me.”
“That we saved Celestina, Josh, and everyone?”
“No. Well, somewhat. I was specifically referring to the fact that your friendship changed the future of both the Drake Family and House Medeis.” He pressed his lips together, his kind and handsome face turning grim. “And right now, we need some changing futures. Thus far, not much has changed for the better—except for House Medeis’s return and the Drake Family’s survival.”
“I think the fae may play a bigger, positive role than you think,” I said.
“You say that despite the Night Court’s attempts against you?”
“I was thinking more of the Paragon,” I admitted. “I think he’s like you, and he wants to change our future.” I hesitated.
In a conversation with Killian, the Paragon had said he was looking for something. Based on how reluctant he was to tell Killian, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t want me telling the Elite. And while I would loyally serve the Elite and help wizards however I could, I wasn’t about to sacrifice the Paragon when he’d only been kind to me.
Besides, Elite Bellus was an important-enough figure, he could talk to the Paragon himself.
“I don’t think the Paragon is hanging around the Midwest just for funsies,” I carefully said. “He might be another excellent ally.”
Elite Bellus studied me for a few moments. “I see. Very well. Thank you for the recommendation. I shall make an appointment to speak with him. Though he is technically more important than Killian, I am man enough to admit he scares me less, and is much more friendly.” He glanced slyly at me.