"And now he's draining cores, more than likely," Wylend heaved a frustrated sigh. "Who knows what he might do with the power that will give him?"

"We need to notify Norian Keef," Erland was motivated, suddenly. "If that fool has started draining Tulgalan or any other Alliance worlds, this could be disastrous."

"I will come with you—I haven't seen Lissa in days and my grandson is still missing. I don't know what I might do in her place."

Chapter 7

"Wylend and Erland are coming for a visit," Lissa announced as she walked into Norian's office; he'd been going over reports with Lendill.

"Is there a reason we should know this?" Norian looked up at Lissa.

"Yeah. Em-pah Wylend got a message from Teeg San Gerxon. Says that he captured one of those rogues Zellar trained. The note said that one of the rogues has possibly slipped into the Alliance, to meet with his rogue family of wizards, who are reportedly living on Tulgalan."

"You're joking." Norian was standing in a blink. "You don't think they're draining Tulgalan, do you?"

"No idea, but Em-pah seems to think that this particular wizard would do just about anything to keep away from him and his network of spies. Erland says they'll explain that completely when they get here."

"We're here, now," Erland and Wylend folded into Norian's office. "Nidris Hazlan and his family are murdering scum," Erland went on. "The Hazlan clan led the coup against Warlend, Wylend's father and killed him to take the throne six thousand turns ago, give or take. The Hazlans would kill their children if it would get them what they want."

"You can't mean that," Lissa sounded skeptical.

"Already happened, granddaughter," Wylend sighed. "Three of their children were in my father's court at the time. They knew nothing of the coup and were killed right along with my father's guards."

"Expendable, to keep suspicion away from their clan," Erland said angrily. "Warlend didn't suspect them at all, and they hit him like a storm. Zellar was in on the planning, but he was too much of a coward to come and fight with the others. Teeg San Gerxon confirmed his death for us," Erland added.

"How did he confirm the death?" Lissa folded her arms across her chest.

"We got the head. Wylend placed it in stasis and locked it in the treasury."

"You got the head? Gross," Lissa muttered.

"Best way we have of making a positive ID," Erland replied. "It got knocked around a little in an explosion, if I hear correctly. Teeg managed to get it somehow and sent it to us."

"And what does Teeg San Gerxon get out of all this?" Lissa asked, feeling a bit grumpy.

"He wants to meet with Wylend sometime soon. He also wants in on the take-down of the Hazlan Clan." Erland handed the note to Norian. Lendill moved so he could read over Norian's shoulder.

"We should allow it, in my opinion." Ildevar Wyyld appeared in Norian's office. "Hello, child, are you well?" He smiled at Norian. "Lissa," he nodded respectfully to her, "always a pleasure."

"How are we going to work this? Can we just allow someone from outside the Alliance to skip right in and do what he pleases?" Lendill looked at Norian. Erland coughed politely.

"We do it already," Norian jerked his head at Erland's words. Erland maintained his Karathian citizenship, although his marriage to Lissa granted citizenship on Le-Ath Veronis as well.

"Then we need to lay some ground rules," Lendill grumped.

"I hesitate to place too stringent a leash on him—he's managed to capture more rogues in five years than we have in decades," Wylend pointed out carefully. He had no desire to anger the Head of the ASD or his second-in-command.

"Tory and Ry have already worked with him—they have respect for him," Lendill grudgingly admitted. "And he isn't a San Gerxon by birth. Haven't been able to tell just who he was before Arvil adopted him, but we're still doing research."

"What if he succeeds in setting up the Campiaan Alliance?" Lissa asked. "Will they compete with the Reth Alliance?"

"How? They are already self-sufficient," Ildevar pointed out. "They get no legal goods from the Alliance, and we get none from them."

"But the black market thrives," Norian observed dryly.

"As it always will. Think you, child, that it will ever die completely? If the Campiaan Alliance becomes a reality, perhaps we will be able to hammer out trade agreements that will protect both sides while allowing legal trade of what we do desire. Imagine getting Gishi fruit easily and inexpensively." Ildevar smiled indulgently at his heir.

"I'd go for that," Lendill nodded. He loved Gishi fruit and had only gotten it when an illegal shipment had been confiscated in the occasional raid. His father loved it too, and managed to get it now and then.

"And we almost got a promise from Teeg San Gerxon to look for Reah and Gavril if they're out there somewhere. Chances are that rogues have both of them, and since he's hunting the rogues, he might come across them. Of course, he and Reah have some history, but I'm hoping that doesn't keep him from treating her well if he finds her."

"I think he'll treat her well," Tory folded in and put an arm around Lissa. "Sorry, Mom, Ry was listening in and he sent mindspeech. I couldn't help myself."

"Where is your brother? I swear, I should have kept that restraint on him. Now he listens to everything." Lissa sounded grumpy but Tory gave her an extra squeeze and she smiled up at him.

"As I was saying, none of you saw the way he'd look at her. I know he jerked San Gerxon's wealth away from her, but her claim would have been voided anyway, since she was indirectly connected to Arvil's death. Teeg just managed to separate himself from all that so he'd have it free and clear."

"And now he's building an Alliance," Norian tossed Wylend's note on his desk. "Set up a meeting, Wylend. As soon as possible. If that perverted piece of shit warlock Nidris Hazlan intends to drain Alliance worlds, I want to know about it and I want to send everything we have against him and his family."

* * *

"Reah, how are you feeling?"

"Awful." I did feel that way. Didn't feel like moving or doing anything else. Jes had already come to see me in Teeg's solarium, asking if I felt like getting a little exercise. I'd snapped at him and he'd slunk away.

"Baby, it has been two days. Surely you should feel better by now."

"Teeg, I don't feel good. I'm sorry." I pulled the cool pack off my eyes and glared at him.

"We need to get you up and around quickly. Whatever you did for Shillverr needs to be done for two other worlds. They'll die if you don't help, baby. I already sent Stellan and Celestan to Roorthi and Xordthe. They're in the same shape. We're still trying to figure out how you plugged the leak in the core to keep the energy from draining out, but we need to do it again. Jes says you should be good to go in an eight-day. I was hoping for sooner than that."

"Teeg, are you trying to kill me? Is that what you want? I don't have anything—you're not going to collect insurance money or anything when I die."

"Baby, don't even talk about that," Teeg growled softly. I was too tired to point out that he'd gotten his wealth and position from Arvil's death. If he hoped to capitalize on mine, he needed to think again.

"How is Gavril?" Teeg hadn't given me any information in days.

"Gavril is fine, if a little frustrated. He's learning woodworking," Teeg said. "Not something he planned to do with his life, apparently."

"Gavril is probably the smartest person I know," I placed the cool pack over my eyes again and leaned back in my chair. "I hope he gets away from you."

"He won't. Neither will you," Teeg whispered. "We need you up and around in three days, Reah. Do Xordthe and Roorthi for me and I'll let you see him."

I was up and sputtering, letting the cool pack drop to the floor in a wet sounding plop. "Teeg, don't dangle that in front of me," I wanted to shout at him, only I was still too tired. "Don't promise that and then pull it away from me." I was crying and I didn't mean to do that.

"You love him that much?"

"He's my best friend, what do you think?" I hugged myself and turned away from Teeg. The building housing Teeg's apartment on Shillverr wouldn't support a pool at this level, but he had a beautiful water fountain in the solarium that rippled over natural stone. Water lilies and other plants grew in the shallow expanse. I went to sit on the flat rocks that bordered it, trying to get my tears under control. Would he allow me to see Chash? Would he? It was almost too much to hope for.

"Baby, I see you love him a lot. Hold onto that, all right? Do Roorthi and Xordthe for me and you'll see Gavril. I promise." I nodded, still not trusting myself to speak. "I'll get Jusef to bring something for you." Teeg's footsteps walked away from me.

* * *

"I have the answer from Teeg San Gerxon," Erland said. He'd asked Lissa to arrange a meeting with Norian and Lendill.

"Well?" Norian didn't want to waste any time guessing.

"He says he can arrange something in fifteen days. And he says to bring Lissa. Says he'll have a gift for all of us," Erland waved the note Teeg had sent to Wylend.

"Do you think he'll bring more rogues with him?" Lendill asked.

"No idea. But he does have some stipulations."

"Of course he does," Norian visibly deflated. But if San Gerxon could bring in anyone on Norian's wanted list, he would be more than happy to hand over a few concessions.

"Wylend had to think carefully about some of these," Erland said. "But he's willing to allow it, since Wilffox and Wilffin Hardlow pulled their strings and got them into trouble before."