Demon’s Revenge (High Demon #5)(29)
Author: Connie Suttle

"For obvious reasons."

"Yes. For obvious reasons." Zendeval agreed with a sigh and walked away.

"It’s such a treat to have all my sons here with me for dinner," Kaldill stood and raised a glass to Naldill, Faldill, Reldill and Lendill. Lendill watched his father’s eyes as he toyed absently with his glass of thousand-year wine. "And I wish to make an announcement," Kaldill added.

Here it comes, Lendill thought. He wasn’t wrong. "I will select my heir at the winter solstice," Kaldill employed power to make each son’s glass rise in the air and come to him. He poured a bit of his wine into each glass, symbolically saying that he considered each of them equally. Lendill wanted to snort at the gesture. He was only half-elven and didn’t have a chance against the others. His three brothers were pure-bloods and it was likely that Naldill, as the firstborn, would be selected. Lendill knew that if he still lived when Naldill took the kingship, he would never come to the Elven lands again.

"You have decided already?" Naldill asked as Kaldill sent the glasses back to all his sons.

"I think so," Kaldill offered his first son a beaming smile.

"Good." Naldill drained his glass. Lendill watched all of them carefully. Reldill would support Naldill without question, no matter what Naldill asked of him. Faldill might go along most of the time, but if Naldill asked something of him that went against his conscience, he imagined that Faldill would simply disappear, much like Lendill planned to do.

Lendill knew quite well that Naldill held humans in contempt and often wondered why Kaldill failed to see it. Naldill and Reldill certainly hadn’t held back from torturing their youngest (and powerless at the time) half-human brother. That mistreatment was also the reason Lendill held back his burgeoning power. It answered readily when needed but he seldom employed it, worrying that his father might learn of it and make him a target for his two oldest brothers again.

Lendill had no idea what the extent of his brothers’ power was and had no desire to discover it. Kaldill’s announcement was barely three months away, and the human population always held a big celebration on Wyyld at the winter solstice. Lendill imagined that the Elven celebration would be well-hidden in the shadow of the human one.

"What do you plan to do after the announcement?" Lendill raised his glass to his father, who still hadn’t taken a drink.

"I’m going to rest and make plans for my Prince-Heir." Kaldill smiled and drank.

"To you, then, father." Lendill drained his glass as well. "I have to get back; I have pirate attacks to deal with."

K;"I’ll take you," Faldill rose from his seat after emptying his glass. Lendill nodded at the youngest of his pure-blood brothers. Faldill wasted no time folding Lendill to Ildevar Wyyld’s palace.

"You think he’ll select Naldill, don’t you?" Faldill paced restlessly inside Lendill’s office. Faldill, like his brothers, resembled Kaldill, their father, with shoulder-length golden hair, pointed ears and eyes the color of new leaves in the spring. All three had the glow of the Elven race about them. Lendill knew it was from the power they held.

"He’s firstborn," Lendill gave a brief nod that, if he’d known it, closely resembled one of his father’s gestures. "And think about it," Lendill went on. "If he’d nodded at Reldill, then Naldill would be plotting even now."

"You’re right. Reldill might not live past the next few days if that happened. Not without the power of Gaelar N’Seith behind him—he’d likely be destroyed. Do you think Father will do the Alim’deru immediately after the announcement?"

"It would only be prudent to do so, to prevent any thought of attack," Lendill said. Faldill was referring to a transfer of power, which tapped into and held Gaelar N’Seith, the Elven lands. It made (and kept) Kaldill Schaff King of the Elves. The Prince-Heir would be able to draw upon that power, too, should it be required.

"Brother, I’m sorry if I ever participated in any of the torture Naldill put you through when you were young," Faldill sighed, raking hair back from his face and revealing the delicately pointed tip of his right ear. "You deserved more from brothers who were old enough to understand and know better." Faldill disappeared in front of Lendill’s eyes.

"Apology accepted," Lendill murmured to empty air.

"You seem morose, my dear." Erland brushed Wylend’s temple with gentle fingers.

"I am, am I not?" Wylend looked up at Erland Morphis, his devoted lover through six millennia or more.

"You seem so, beloved King."

"I know. And am I beloved? Truly?"

"To me. Always."

"Even when I do stupid things?"

"We all do stupid things."

"What was the last stupid thing you did, Erland? You can’t remember, can you?"

"I’m sure there are many things, it’s just that I’m surrounded by those who either love me too much or are too nice to point them out," Erland replied.

"How is my great-grandchild?"

"Which one? You have four."

"Your son, Erland. Don’t play cat and mouse with me."

"My son is fine, although he’s gone off on a special assignment for the ASD. That’s his idea of having a vacation."

"It wouldn’t be the same assignment Reah is on, now would it?"

"How did you hear about that? And yes, it is."

"I have my ways," Wylend grumbled, standing and stretching. He and Erland had dealt with a full day at court and were about to share a glass of wine before retiring for the night. Erland uncorked the bottle and pour Kttland had deed two glasses, handing one to Wylend, who sipped thoughtfully.

"Did you ever have a toy in your youth, Erland, that you didn’t know quite what it was, or how it worked? Did you crush it with your clumsiness, only to find out later what a rare and precious thing it was and that you should have asked for advice before playing with it? Did you?"

"I recall destroying many toys in my youth," Erland sat down and sipped his wine. "I think I blew my entire room apart, once, when I was first discovering my power."

"I remember. Your father took your abilities away for months."

"He did."

"He was my father’s devoted love, just as you are mine," Wylend said.

"I am not your only one."

"But Corolan seems distant at times. My fault, I know. I did so many things wrong, Erland. Wyatt’s death was punishment. As is Reah’s estrangement. She will never return to me. My son finally told me, after I pressed him mercilessly about it."