“You may go now, Worley as I am expecting Queen Aaibhe and Morgan LeBlanc.”
“Should you not call in your Royals, myself included, on this meeting?” Worley’s voice held irritation.
“No,” she said and the doors to her meeting room opened and she motioned for him to leave.
As he turned to go, he felt a well of hatred for her. One day, he meant to show her what he was made of…one day soon.
Chapter Nine
PESTALE STOOD BACK and regarded the Blue Demon standing in front of him. He waved a hand to one of the ornate gold gilt chairs spread around the long oak table and said, “Sit, Sventer. Be comfortable.”
Sventer looked around the war room, touched one of his pointed blue ears and did not smile.
Pestale watched him curiously. The Blue Demon walked out of the way of the large panoramic window, which allowed a great deal of direct sunlight to fill the sparsely furnished room. He stood beside one of the chairs in the shadows and returned Pestale’s gaze, giving nothing of his thoughts away as he said, “I prefer to stand.”
“As you wish,” Pestale smirked at him, and stood at the head of the long table and pyramided his hands to his chin before saying, “What news have you brought me?” Here was an important ally. For a few years, Pestale had been carefully developing a friendship with Sventer, an alpha Demon. He asked nothing of him until these last few months, when he told him how important he and his little band of soldiers would be to his plans. What a bright future it would hold and secure for them if they did their part now.
The tall, muscular creature was certainly impressive standing stoically behind the chair. He appeared as dangerous and powerful as Pestale knew he could be.
Sventer had keen penetrating eyes and strong jaw-line. He wore his silver hair slicked back and braided. His blue skin was tattooed with runes and his attitude made him stand out amongst his peers.
Sventer held himself with self assurance and Pestale knew he commanded respect from his soldiers. They had, after all, followed him, breaking away from the main colony when Sventer started his own clan. He was also ambitious.
They lived in the deepest darkest part of the jungle and Sventer had told him that the last hundred years had left him discontent. He wanted more for him and his clan.
Pestale was impressed with the considerable size of his clan and the training Sventer put them through. They were certainly warriors looking for a fight, and he had given them one with the promise of great spoils.
Pestale knew his history, knew that Sventer did not approve of the quiet and peaceful existence the rest of his colony had adopted since they had arrived in Conglam hundreds upon hundreds of years ago.
Sventer was fond of repeating the story of how he had told them theirs was the right to conquer new worlds and take riches. They were Demons, not puppies.
The remaining five clans that Sventer had broken away from shook their heads and ignored him.
Pestale had given them a cause, a purpose and showed them what the end result would be. In return for their help, Pestale had promised Sventer a great deal. He knew too, that the Blue Demon was no fool.
Pestale patiently awaited Sventer’s response to his question, ignoring the considering glance Sventer cast his way.
“What news have I for you? I am not your servant, but your partner. Do not try and make me anything else,” Sventer said at last.
“Obviously, I am merely asking my…er…partner, for an update. You travel freely in the Human Realm. I, however, don’t have that luxury—yet.”
“But you will, and soon, is that not right, Pestale?”
Sventer was fishing. He wasn’t going to give him anything concrete that he didn’t need to know. “Let us say, I have been working on it,” Pestale remarked idly.
“I will tell you that I do agree with you—the time is now. Everything is in place, even that idiot Worley, that we have been working with, seems to be in readiness, and will be on the spot.”
“He is a bit more than an idiot and I shall take great pleasure in driving my Death Sword deep into his chest when the time comes. His last missive to me was intolerable,” Pestale said quietly. “But, we digress. Are we in readiness?”
“Can you doubt it?” Sventer snorted. “What I want to know is how you mean to create the diversion you need in the Fae World? Without that we will never succeed with the humans. The Fae will step in.”
“Leave that to me. I have it well in hand.”
Sventer eyed him but allowed this to drop. “Very well, if you have matters in hand, I believe the time has come to implement, step two.”
“I must ask, are you still dedicated to The Cause? Are you still ready to shed the blood of innocents?”
Sventer took up the challenge and stood tall and straight, one hand crossing his chest in allegiance, “I gave you my word and my soldiers are ready to do whatever it takes. We are warriors and although it is not our goal to inflict harm on the innocents, it is a part of war. We Blue Demons were always meant to conquer, and conquer we will.” He paused and frowned as he seemed to collect his thoughts, “Pestale, you and I have no great love for one another. I am not such a fool as to trust you, but when you first sent me off with my best scouts through the portal, I realized at once, we were meant to do this together. I know that a time will come when you won’t need us, when the humans you have in hand are beaten, but think again if you think to eliminate us. You will always need an army and in the army we provide, you have might. Humans are free thinkers; they will not be enslaved for long. When you need to corral them, we will be your right arm. Give us the respect we deserve, and we will work with you in what you call The Cause.”