Read Online Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 by Connie Suttle - Free Book Online

appeared behind Edden's shoulder. "Sector Two has not yet
declared its secession from Kondar. From where do you expect to import grain?
Sector Two holds a shoreline and its chief exports are fish, shellfish and vid
components. Stop this foolishness now and help us find a cure for this poison.
Sector Two's fish are already contaminated with it."
    "Your policies have angered the gods," Dorthil
thundered. "It will not take long before Sectors One and Three follow Two
and Four. They will rally to my call and that will leave you on the island that
is Sector Five."
    "I spoke with both One and Three before calling you. They
advised me to mobilize troops to Sector Two and haul you into custody. Shall I
follow their advice?" Edden asked.
    Dorthil cursed before offering a reply. "I will prevail.
I have a powerful ally," he stated.
    "What powerful ally? The Yokaru think you're a joke."
    "He calls himself a wizard," Dorthil hissed. "He
can kill you with a thought."
    "What thought is that?" Melis asked calmly. "Who
is this man—this wizard?"
    "His name is Marid, and he is from Yokaru. You should
fear that name." Dorthil terminated the communication.
    * * *
    "They have no wizards—and no Yokaru citizens have such a
name," Edden discussed an earlier conversation with the Yokarun Emperor
over dinner. "They have no dealings with Dorthil—there are no records of
his leaving and no records of anyone arriving here to visit him. I have no idea
if this is merely lies and posturing on Dorthil's part, or whether someone who
identified himself as Marid from Yokaru actually approached him."
    "Few things are offered for free if this is true—I
imagine the wizard asked for something in return for what he purportedly gave
to Dorthil," Melis said. "I hesitate to place another communication,
but it may become necessary. Strange things are happening upon our planet as
you know—Berel says a very tall, blue man and another who claims to be a King
we do not recognize are there with him and Quin, although he cannot record
images of them, for some reason."
    "More wizardry? I thought such only happened in children's
tales."
    "Perhaps we have fallen into one of those tales,"
Melis shook his head in confusion. "I find no explanation for any of this."
    "That means we're back to what Dorthil wanted from this
so-called wizard."
    "We have spies in Sector Two—they are reporting the
current unrest among the people. Shall I ask that they get as close as possible
to Dorthil?"
    "Close, but not too close—I want no deaths," Edden
sighed. "If he is visited again by this wizard, I wish to know it.
Immediately."
    * * *
    Le-Ath Veronis
    "I have a message," Kooper arrived in Lissa's office
with very little notice.
    "From?" Lissa, smoothing back strawberry-blonde
hair, studied Kooper Griff.
    "Daragar. He says his nexus echo received a hit."
    "On whom?"
    "Marid's name was mentioned."
    "Cripes," Lissa rubbed her forehead. "Who said
it?"
    "Someone on Siriaa who recently attempted a coup against the
Kondari government. Seems he wanted the High President's position. He had
it—for a short time. He's been chased away for the moment, but it looks as if
he's plotting civil war from one of Kondar's Five Sectors."
    "He wants a civil war while the planet is dying beneath
his feet? That's preposterous."
    "He's a bona-fide difik," Gardevik Rath appeared
beside Kooper.
    "How do you know about this?" Lissa's hands went to
her hips and her eyes narrowed at her High Demon mate.
    "Our son, Torevik, has apparently had a conversation with
Salidar, who spoke with Trajan."
    "Of course he did," Lissa tossed up a hand in
resignation. "Is there anybody who doesn't know by now?"
    "The information is kept among the powerful," Garde
defended himself.
    "Except that King Jayd knows it, Queen Glinda knows it
and likely half the High Demon population on Kifirin knows it. Are you trying
to panic everybody in the Alliance?"
    "Not intentionally. You know High Demons are impervious
to poison. That makes us