Harbinger (22 page)

“I’m impressed.” He strolled along at her side, occasionally moving a low hanging branch out of her way as they went. “I had no idea there were still so many members of Tandori Tribe.”

“The people left on Rodymia are supporters rather than actual tribe members, but the network seems to grow every year. The battle born aren’t the only ones tired of Quinton’s incompetence and the rampant corruption among the elite.”

They emerged into a small clearing surrounding a modest cabin. Danvier looked around, eyes narrowed as he assessed the area. “The cabin can only be accessed from above?”

“Or on horseback.”

“Horseback?” He smiled. “Don’t you mean feata back? There are no horses on Rodymia.”

“Sorry. You might have rescued me from this planet, but I spent the majority of my life on Earth.”

Endar had authorized Haven’s profile when she visited the first time, so she wasn’t surprised when her facial scan unlocked the front door. But trepidation tingled down her spine as she reached for the handle. She looked at Danvier and found his expression just as troubled as hers.

He motioned her back from the door and drew his flexblade. Neither spoke, yet they both sensed that something was wrong. There were no skimmers or featas indicating visitors. So why had their instincts engaged.

Carefully keeping Haven behind him, Danvier eased the door open.

“Surprise!” A chorus of voices called from inside the cabin.

Haven pressed in close so she could see around his shoulder. “It’s okay. I know these idiots.” She eased past him as they squeezed through the doorway more or less at the same time. “You scared the crap out of me.”

Endar rushed forward, a wide grin on her round face. She was a happily bonded female nearing middle age and Haven loved her playful humor. “I hope you don’t mind. Everyone was dying to see you again.”

“Everyone” was Endar and her two sisters, along with a collection of supporters from the surrounding villages. The cabin’s main living space, which wasn’t that large in the first place, was crowded with Rodytes of every age, shape and size.

“I don’t mind.” She looked at Danvier and smiled. “You can put the sword away, love. They’re harmless. I promise.”

“How did they get here?” His suspicion persisted, though he transformed his flexblade back into a dagger and snapped it into the bracket strapped to his thigh.

Endar walked right up to him, her gaze every bit as assessing as his. “And why should we tell you?”

He crossed his chest with his arm, fist near his shoulder. It was the harbinger equivalent of a handshake. “Danvier Evon and I’m responsible for Haven’s safety, so it’s in her best interest that I understand the situation.”

Endar arched one of her eyebrows. “Aren’t harbingers supposed to be psychic? Why don’t you already know?”

“Ignore her,” Haven advised. “She likes to argue.”

The next hour passed in a blur of laughter and conversation. Haven hadn’t seen most of these people since her first stay in the cabin two years before. Once her relationship with Javin restricted her to IG Headquarters, she’d been cut off from most of her supporters. Another sign of his abusive nature that she’d refused to see.

Danvier tried to stand back and watch, as was his custom, but the supporters weren’t cooperating. The females flirted outrageously, while the males seemed genuinely curious about his experiences. Most of them had never been beyond their rural villages, so someone as highly placed and well-traveled as Danvier was fascinating to them. Once the initial surge of excitement mellowed, Endar eased Haven away from the others.

“I won’t let them stay long,” Endar promised. “I know the technomage is on his way.”

“How
did
you get here? None of these people can teleport.”

Endar grinned, clearly enjoying the mystery. “We piled into my shuttle and I flew them as far as Jaritten Falls. We hiked over from there. I know how important it is that no one realizes you’re here, so I wasn’t taking any chances.”

The caution was likely overkill, but Haven was thankful for the effort. “Is there a reason for this visit, or did you just miss me?”

“We want you to come out of the shadows. It’s wrong that you live like a criminal when you’ve done nothing wrong.” She straightened her shoulders and looked into Haven’s eyes. “Are you here to negotiate on behalf of Tandori Tribe or are you simply supporting the battle born?”

“I’m absolutely here on behalf of Tandori Tribe. I understand the power we possess and I intend to make sure the others understand it as well. The Keire dynasty is about to end and I will secure Tandori Tribe, and all of our supporters, a place in the new Rodymia.”

Endar nodded, her dark gaze warming as she heard Haven’s answer. “That’s what I told the council, but they wanted to make sure before you met with the technomage.”

“I’m thrilled to have seen everyone again, but you better get going. Letos could be here in the next few minutes.”

After giving Haven a lingering hug, Endar rounded up her rowdy companions and hurried them out the front door. “Ping me when the negotiations are finished,” Endar said once the others had gone. “We’re all dying to know how it turns out.”

“Of course. And don’t worry. Letos wouldn’t have asked for this meeting if the IG weren’t ready for action.”

Endar waved at Danvier and offered him her first warm smile. “It was nice meeting you.”

He dipped his head then Endar closed the door.

“That was unexpected.” He rolled his shoulders, likely trying to ease the tension gathering between his shoulder blades.

She walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. “I should have realized Endar was up to something. She was a little too eager to play hostess.”

“You seem very comfortable with her, like you’ve known her all your life. Did you meet for the first time when you came to Rodymia? I thought you spent most of those two years locked away in IG Headquarters.”

“Two years ago was the first time I’d been in the same room with Endar, but we’d been corresponding for more than a decade. Audio files convey a lot of a person’s personality, and as you saw, Endar is a character. She coordinates many of the Tandori Tribe’s outreach programs. And as for my stay in IG Headquarters, I seldom left the building. However, my close friends were allowed to visit. After a comprehensive vetting process, of course.” She made an annoyed face, then dismissed the memories with a wave of her hand.

“I’m glad. I hated thinking of you all alone for all that time.”

They’d barely stashed their bags in the bedroom and decided to make a pot of
civata
brew when Danvier sensed their next guest. “Letos is here.” He motioned toward the front door. “He teleported into the front yard so he can knock on the door.”

“Can he actually teleport or does he have a ship with bio-streaming technology?” Technomages loved to make their abilities seem organic, but such was seldom the case.

Danvier shrugged as a knock sounded on the door. “You’ll have to ask him.” He crossed the room and opened the door. “Are you alone?”

“Alone and unarmed as per our agreement.” Letos’s gaze shifted pointedly to the weapon strapped to Danvier’s thigh. “The rules only apply to me?”

“A technomage is never unarmed and we both know it,” Haven pointed out from her position near the kitchen.

“Haven Tandori, I presume?” He maneuvered around Danvier and approached her. Like most Rodytes, Letos was tall and dark-haired. His build was tightly muscled, promising agility as well as strength.

She’d heard a lot about Javin’s favorite operative, but this was the first time they’d been in the same room. “I was about to make
civata
. Would you like some? Or can I get you something else?” She hadn’t even had time to look in the refrigeration unit to see what was available.

“C
ivata
would be fine. Where shall I sit?”

The kitchen chairs were primitive, hard wood and spindle backed, so she pointed to the furniture grouped around the fireplace. “The living room would be more comfortable. This cabin doesn’t offer many amenities. I’ll just be a few minutes.”

Danvier led Letos into the living room as Haven hurried into the kitchen. There was no nutria-gen, but there was a compact beverage station. She selected three servings of
civata
brew then found mugs while the beverage station prepared her order. She could hear the rumble of the men’s conversation, but didn’t try to follow along. Danvier wouldn’t start negotiations without her. After finding a tray so she could carry everything at once, she dispensed the steaming
civata
into the mugs and joined the men in the living room.

Letos had chosen one of the chairs and Danvier sat on the sofa. She set the tray on the coffee table, passed out the mugs, then sat beside Danvier on the couch.

“Before we begin, let me clarify my position,” Letos said. “I’m here as a representative of the steering committee not just the Integration Guild.”

“We were hoping that was the case,” Danvier told him. “I represent the battle born and Ms. Tandori represents Tandori Tribe.”

Letos nodded at Haven, acknowledging the distinction. “Shall we establish the basics? Are we all in agreement that Quinton must be replaced, not managed?”

“I would take that a step farther,” Danvier said. “The only way to prevent retaliation, and bring about lasting change, is to end Quinton Kiere entirely.”

“I agree.” Letos flashed an unexpected smile. “Though I’m glad you said it first.”

Refusing to allow the males to negotiate around her, Haven insinuated herself into the conversation. “While we’re being candid, what will it cost us to secure the support of the steering committee? I presume you don’t want to be directly involved with the coupe.”

“We’re business men, not soldiers. We can help equip the battle born if technology is an issue, but few of us would be any help in an actual fight.”

“The battle born can handle the actual fighting,” Danvier assured him. “We’ll need your help once the new government is installed.”

“And what is General Nox’s vision of this new government?”

Haven looked at Danvier, very interested in the answer. If the battle born had made this decision, she wasn’t aware of it.

“We’d like to propose that the crown stirate be replaced with a three-person panel, a sort of high council to oversee the governing bodies already in existence,” Danvier explained.

“And who would have seats on this three-person council?” Letos stroked his chin as more details were revealed.

“One would represent all of the guilds, one would represent the battle born, and one would represent Tandori Tribe and all its supporters.”

“What about the elite?” Letos asked, speculation narrowing his gaze.

“The elite are already represented by the guilds,” Haven pointed out. “And the guilds will have a seat on this new panel.”

Letos settled back in his chair and took several sips of civata brew. “I’m not sure the guild masters will see it that way.”

Danvier scooted to the edge of the sofa. “The vast majority of the elite are business owners and every Rodyte business must belong to a guild. Which section of the elite will remain unrepresented?”

“What about the ‘idle rich’ those who inherited their fortunes or have already amassed their wealth and no longer own businesses?”

Haven was happy to field that question. The idea of “idle rich” was distasteful to her. The more money Tandori Tribe made, the more they funneled into their outreach programs. Even the pureblood family members didn’t live extravagant lives. “If they don’t already belong, they can join the Financial Guild. Then their needs will be represented on the new panel, but to no more of a degree than the battle born or Tandori Tribe.”

Danvier smiled at her before he added, “The steering committee is free to appoint whomever they like, but they will only have one seat on the panel.”

She wasn’t sure why he hadn’t mentioned this concept to her on the shuttle. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. He might have been too distracted by how much he wanted her body. She was still surprised he’d allowed her a few hours of sleep before starting their sensual game.

“Have the other two representatives been chosen?” Letos’s deep voice drew her back to the present.

“The decision hasn’t been finalized, but the battle born will likely be represented by Bandar Nox.”

Letos seemed surprised by the statement. “Bandar, not Garin?”

Danvier smiled. “Bandar’s temperament is much better suited to a diplomatic position. Garin is strictly a man of action. The restraint required for this sort of thing would drive him crazy.”

“And Tandori Tribe?” Letos looked at her. “Has your representative been chosen?”

“Not yet.” She didn’t want to admit that this was the first she’d heard of the three-person panel.

For a long time, Letos just sat there, apparently lost in thought.

He’s transmitting, I can feel it.
Danvier slipped the thought into her mind without giving any outward clue to the exchange.

Finally, Letos’s gaze cleared and he refocused on his surroundings. “We can see the benefits of a power triad.”