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“I need you here now. Kern was in an accident and he needs the best damn healer in the—”
She appeared in the middle of the room, looking devastated with worry. “Where is he?”
“I apologize,” Zevon said as he stood up. “Kern is fine. There was no accident. I did not know how else to get you here without alerting the wraiths. Please, join us and listen to what Langlis has to say before you damn me for a fool.”
Udora glared at him for a long silent moment, before she released her breath in a ragged sigh and moved over to the table. “I am Mistress Air of Pyron. I don’t believe we have met.”
Ansley introduced herself then explained that Jobek and Tandor were her mates. “We just came from Pyron. We’re the power triad that brought Langlis home.”
“Home?” Udora’s brows arched and her flashing silver gaze snapped back toward Zevon. “You planted a spy in my temple?”
“I didn’t know you then.” He smiled at her.
She dismissed him with an impatient wave. “Your charm is wasted on me, boy. We’ll talk about this later.” After taking the last chair at the table Udora asked, “Why all the drama?”
“Your patient is Verbet Foenar,” Zevon told her.
“And who is Verbet Foenar? I know he commanded the ship that blew up. The other male told us that.”
“He is Jevara’s half-brother,” Langlis informed.
Udora tensed, her features utterly expressionless. “Did you know this all along or did they tell you?”
“I told them.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t you tell me?” She sounded hurt, as if she had been betrayed. “Have I not earned your trust after all these years?”
“I trust you with my life, Mistress Air, but you are being watched night and day. I am not the only spy in your temple. There are many.” She paused and lowered her gaze. “May I please speak freely?”
“Of course.”
Langlis looked at her mentor, compassion clear in her eyes. “I’m afraid for you. You are not taking the wraith threat seriously and it is deadly serious. They want your power and they will kill to get it. I know that many oppose your alliance with the Citadel, but it is the only answer. You cannot take on the wraiths alone. They are more powerful than you realize.”
After a long, tense pause, Udora said, “I hear you and we will talk about it at more length, but I thought this meeting was about my patient.”
“It is,” Zevon admitted. “I want to bring him here and I need your help to make that happen.”
“Why do you want him?” Udora asked. “I will not be a party to murder.”
“I just want to talk to him,” Zevon told her. “But the conversation would be a lot more meaningful if Jevara did not realize Verbet was alive.”
“I’m not a fool,” she objected. “You’re contemplating regime change and that means Jevara will die.”
“Not necessarily,” Langlis tried to soothe. “He could just be removed and held—”
“Jevara needs to die,” Jobek stressed. “Tandor and I were both raised on Torret. We served in the Torretian military. Jevara has earned his death a hundred times over.”
“I will make you a promise,” Zevon said to Udora. “You will have no direct part in anything involving Jevara.”
“I need to think about this.” She pushed to her feet. “I will return tomorrow to visit my grandson who was seriously injured today. I don’t know if this was your intention, but you created the perfect cover for my trips to the Citadel.”
“It was an impulse, but you’re right. It will work out well.”
She nodded. “I’ll have your answer then. I know we don’t have a lot of time. My patient is growing stronger at an alarming rate.” She shifted her gaze to Langlis and added, “We will talk more about your concerns then as well.” Without further discourse, Mistress AirFlowedout of sight.
“Do you think she’ll do it?” Ansley asked.
“She’ll do it,” Langlis said, sounding confident.
