The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1) by Clay & Susan Griffith;Clay Griffith;Susan Griffith (47 page)

Adele smiled at them, hoping to relieve the tension. The nurse
broke into tears, covering her face.

"Come now," Adele said, a bit more weakly than she would've liked.
"I don't look that bad, do I?"

Her doctor shook his head vigorously, "No, Your Highness. Not at
all. We just ..."

Adele nodded with sympathetic understanding and lifted herself
from the chair. They nearly gasped at her accomplishment. She rolled
her eyes and laughed as best she could. When Senator Clark tried to take
her elbow, she shrugged him off.

"Thank you, no," she told him politely. "I would like to try it on my
own."

"As you wish." Clark inclined his head with stormy eyes. "My dear."

"Adele!"

Simon plowed through the line of petrified medical staff and raced
across the deck. American sailors and soldiers tried to stop him, fearful that
he would injure the battered princess, but they were too slow. The boy
impacted his sister like a missile with arms, knocking her back into the
chair as she shouted his name with uncontrollable joy and wrapped him in
her suddenly pain-free embrace. She clutched frantically at his wonderfully
solid frame and buried her face in his spiky, close-cropped hair.

Simon struggled partially free and looked up at her. "They say you
met the Greyfriar!"

"Yes." Adele could barely form words through the tears that
streamed down her face. Unwilling for him to be even a few feet away
from her, she pulled him close again.

"Stop it," he muttered, wriggling up again. "What was he like? Did
he kill vampires for you?"

"Yes. He did. Are you all right?"

"Did you kill any vampires?"

"Yes. All of them. Are you all right?"

Simon squinted at her suspiciously. "You did not. Did you kill even
one? Did Greyfriar rescue you? From a castle?"

"As a matter of fact, he did." Adele choked back her sobs, smiling
wildly. She pulled his head back to face her. "I'm so happy to see you."

He beamed broadly back at his sister. "I'm glad you're home,
Adele."

A familiar voice cut through the air. "Prince Simon, stand away from
your sister, if you please. She is injured and you can do her no good."

Adele opened her watery eyes. A stern Mamoru resplendent in a
green silk robe embroidered with broad-winged cranes approached. She
tried to argue that she was fine and that Simon could do her great good,
but words failed her. She merely shook her head and clutched her
brother harder so no one would take him away from her. Simon
squirmed off her lap, but Adele refused to let go, squeezing his arm so
hard he winced.

Mamoru bowed with hands clasped. "I am exceedingly grateful to
see you, Your Highness. More than you can imagine."

"Mamoru," Adele breathed, reaching out to him with her other hand.

He was hesitant, but took her extended fingers. A quick glance over
his shoulder to the medical staff urged them to move in and attend the
princess. However, Adele ignored the questions and comments coming
from the doctors and nurses as she tugged Mamoru closer. He bent low
until his ear was at her mouth. His brow wrinkled in a very unaccustomed betrayal of surprise at her unusual familiarity.

"Thank you, Mamoru," Adele whispered. "For sending Mr. Selkirk.
And for all you must have done."

Her mentor nodded quickly and said in a hushed voice, "Please, Your
Highness, we can speak of these matters later when we are assured of your
safety and robust health. Please allow the doctors to help you. There is
time enough for us to talk later." Mamoru's eyes locked onto hers, studying her intently. It was almost as if he were scrutinizing a stranger.
"I would like to learn all you know about the Greyfriar."

Adele stiffened and blurted out, "There's really nothing I can tell
you. I don't know anything about him." She breathed out through her
nose, clamping her lips shut and staring back at Mamoru without
flinching. All she knew about Greyfriar was the truth, and she could
never share that with anyone.

Mamoru's face gave a twitch of doubt, and his gaze searched her face.
His eyes glittered with interest at her rushed exclamation. He wondered
what she actually could know about Greyfriar that would prompt such
a sudden and vigorous denial. But worse, he couldn't ignore a gnawing
dread he felt that she needed to conceal something from him. It was as
he had feared. This was not the same girl who had left Alexandria
months ago. This woman had singular experiences that he had played no
role in shaping. That could make for difficulties in the future.

The samurai stood slowly and said with deliberateness, "We shall
speak of many things later, Your Highness. Your health is the Empire's
only concern now."

Adele turned away, unwilling to watch his growing suspicion.
Simon kept holding her hand as attendants lifted her from the chair onto
a padded litter that floated on small gas bladders. They covered her with
a blanket and held sweet-smelling ointments near her face to calm her.
It was all she could do not to roll her eyes at their efforts as she was carried toward the gangplank. Mamoru eventually pulled Simon away so
the doctors could engulf her. She protested, sitting up on the litter, but
hands pressed at her, imploring her to relax.

"Stop it!" she shouted. "Simon! Come with me. Where's my father?"

Mamoru's calm voice wafted over her. "His Majesty was here to see
the ship arrive, but he has pressing matters of state. He will attend your
bedside soon enough."

Adele gripped the edges of the thin mattress and searched the wild
scene around her. Doctors. Sailors. Dockworkers. Soldiers. But her own
father could not be seen.

Then through the glare of the chemical lights that flooded the airfield she saw a group of men walking away. She noted the blue-clad straight back of Senator Clark and the black-suited Lord Kelvin as well
as Lord Aden, dressed in formal wear with an opera cape and a top hat.
In the midst of these great men, Adele saw a uniform greatcoat covering
the hunched shoulders of Emperor Constantine. His pale face shone
briefly as he turned back. The distance was too great for their eyes to
meet, although Adele imagined they did. Her father paused and her
pulse jumped. He was coming back. He would shrug off those three parasites and come to her.

Lord Kelvin's motions distracted Constantine, and he turned away
from her. The four men disappeared in a mob of soldiers and politicians.

Adele lay back on the litter as she was carried back to her old life.

The sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea cast a gold hue inside Adele's
chamber. Many days had passed, and her wounds were healing. Her
shoulder barely ached, at least in comparison to the ache deep in her
chest.

Below her window the streets of Alexandria were ablaze with the celebrations that had reigned since her safe return in the arms of the great
Senator Clark. The sound of people cheering her name and the union with
their new champion echoed in her room until it hurt her ears.

Dread welled at the thought of the impending marriage. The ceremony had been blessedly postponed to allow Adele time to recuperate
from her ordeal. Senator Clark was furious with the emperor for refusing
to set a new date, but even he wouldn't dare force the issue with the poor
princess clinging to health and sanity and battling the horrific memories of the bloody north. All she thought of was Gareth's arms about her.

The last time she had seen him he was standing on the ruined deck of
Cesare's ship as it drifted earthward. He had looked so alone on the dying
ship. She missed Gareth more than she had ever imagined possible.

There was a knock at the door. Adele looked at the ceiling with a
long sigh. She didn't want to deal with any staff. But she was the
princess. Wearing the royal mantle again for the sake of her people
chafed more than she could bear.

"Come in," she muttered, with enough discontent that she hoped
anyone would realize they were unwelcome.

The door eased back, and Colonel Anhalt stepped cautiously into
the room. His face was etched with emotion, which was unlike the usually stoic Gurkha. He stood in the threshold with his arms tight at his
sides and his head slightly bowed.

Adele grinned and left her place at the window. "Colonel Anhalt!
How wonderful to see you finally!"

Anhalt seemed taken aback by her warm greeting. "Your Highness."

She tugged him by his gloved hand. "Come in. What's wrong with
you? I'll send for tea. I requested you come several times, but they
always said you were away. I was afraid you were cross with me."

He stared at her with his mouth agape in disbelief.

Adele laughed. "I'm Joking. Of course I knew you were busy with
war planning. Come in. I want to hear all about it." She pulled a cord
for a servant.

The sturdy officer seemed completely confused. He struggled to
recover his reserve. Before he could speak again, a maid stepped in and
Adele ordered a tray of tea and sweets. She pulled the colonel to a low
brass table surrounded by large pillows, rearranged the khukri that
remained always in her belt, and flopped down. She glanced up, waiting
for him to join her.

Anhalt stammered, "Your Highness, I fear I cannot."

"My dear colonel, I've been through too much to worry about protocol. You are welcome to sit with me. In fact, I command it."

The man took a deep, troubled breath.

Adele leaned forward anxiously. "What's wrong? Is it Simon? My
father?"

"Oh no! No, Highness. There is nothing wrong."

She relaxed and slapped a pillow. "Ah. Good. Sit!"

The soldier made no move to join her.

The princess waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, I know you can't tell
me war plans. I won't ask. I can find out those later anyway." As three
servants entered with trays crowded with pitchers, pots, fruit, and
sweets-a sumptuous feast-Adele said, "Do you want to hear tales from the vampire lands?" She gave a theatrical shudder. "Oh the horrors!
The way they feed ... watching you ..."

The servants stiffened visibly with wide fearful eyes, and one turbaned man nearly dropped his tray. They settled the food safely, but with
great rattling, and then quickly withdrew.

Adele laughed. "I love that! I've been doing that for days now."

The corners of Anhalt's mouth twitched up, but he refused to break
his aura of distance. There was a pain in his eyes as they briefly settled
on the young woman and slipped away.

He whispered, "I'm sorry, Highness."

"Sorry? For what? Will you please sit down before the tea gets cold?"

"I'm sorry for what happened to you." He stood at attention and
focused his gaze on her like a soldier and gentleman. "I can never express
my regret for failing you."

Adele paused in surprise. She set down the teapot gently. "Failing
me? What are you talking about?"

"At the Ptolemy. I failed to protect you. I regret it bitterly."

Adele stood. "For God's sake, Colonel. We were attacked by an army.
Led by the most vicious war chief of all the clans. I know. I saw her in
action firsthand. There was nothing you could've done."

"I could have died. Protecting you."

He was a beaten man. Adele had never seen this side of the colonel.
Anhalt was one of the touchstones Adele depended on. In a world that
had been changed so irrevocably for her, she needed a few pieces of
bedrock that would not ever alter. This new Anhalt was distressing, and
it had to stop.

Adele snapped, "Enough! I won't have that from you! We lost a
battle. We lost brave men. Mourn them. I do. But I survived. Simon survived. You survived. We'll learn from it. With what I know about vampires, we can build a new White Guard that will be the finest fighting
force in Equatoria."

Anhalt took a deep breath, as if breathing in her fury. His eyes hardened. "No doubt you will, Highness. I shall not be part of it."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been reassigned. I will no longer command your home guard. I came here, despite my misgivings, to thank you for the exquisite privilege of serving you over the years."

Adele stared at him for a moment. "What the hell are you talking
about? Reassigned? I think not! Colonel Anhalt, you are the commander
of my guard. You will continue to be the commander of my guard."

"Highness, Lord Kelvin has insisted that-"

"Lord Kelvin!" Adele clenched her fists and paused in silent anger.
She whirled back to the table, seized a sliced pomegranate, and hurled
the ripe fruit against the wall, where it splattered wet and red.

The princess turned back slowly with her face a mask of power and
intensity. Anhalt took a step back. His princess had changed.

Adele said in a slow, gravelly voice, "That's what I care for Lord
Kelvin. I will be empress. And that gives me power to remove both
heads and pensions. If one doesn't scare Kelvin, the other surely will.
You will not be reassigned. You are my commander. Do you understand
me?"