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“Perhaps Des would care to explain before he is taken into custody for treason,” Baris said.
The confused expression remained. “Pardon, Your Majesty?”
Kenth seized Des, twisting his arms behind his back and securing them with a cuff.
“There’s been some sort of misunderstanding,” Des said.
“Unhand him,” Raelle demanded. “What is he accused of? What proof do you have?”
Baris stood before his aide, the male he had trusted with the most intimate details of his life. “Your grandson was a busy hatchling today. He sent these to Lenore, knowing she would not recognize their significance. I can only assume it was to cause embarrassment.” Baris removed the sharpened claw caps from an inner pocket.
“I never,” Des said, shaking his head in denial.
“You knew the outfit would be delivered for the party. You arranged it.”
“A coincidence is hardly treason,” Des replied.
“Considering that you drugged the human female, then shoved her when she was unstable, causing her to damage a unique piece of art from the royal collection, yes.”
The pleading expression dropped from Des’ face. “Prove it.”
“My karu saw it.” Baris gestured to the karu perched above the door. It was more difficult to say how he knew the human female had been drugged. His karu did not see the act but it was knowledge passed between the mated karu.
Des did not deny the act, merely the evidence. “Impossible. Your bond is too new. It cannot be strong enough.”
That might be true of another, but Baris had decades of experience with the bond. While his previous symbiote had done its best to destroy him as it died, his body remembered the symbiotic relationship. This was as easy as breathing.
Baris rolled his shoulders and unleashed his wings. The familiar burning sensation spread from the center of his back and along his shoulder blades. Despite not having summoned his wings in more than two years, his body acted on instinct. The wings flexed. The construct was not as substantial as his previous pair had been, he could tell from the lighter weight, but they were solid enough to move the air.
Raelle gasped. “They’re lovely, Your Majesty.”
Wings stretched, spreading wide and gathering the shadows. The symbiote swam to the surface of his skin, gathering in his cupped hands. He felt the darkness pool there, like a pliable material that would gain solidity once he shaped it.
So he did.
Working on instinct, as this had never happened to him before, he placed his hand over the darkness and pulled. The shadows stretched, becoming solid, as he shaped the mass. There was a limit. Baris felt his energy rapidly deplete as he forged a dagger made of shadow. A surge of power came from a new source, not overwhelming but steady. His karu. Little Miss, as Lenore called her. He got the distinct impression that she approved of the moniker.
The dagger solidified with Little Miss’ support. This new ability was unexpected. Abilities varied from person to person, from symbiote to symbiote. He hadn’t expected to gain an entirely new ability. While it drained him now, he knew it would become easier with practice.
“Do you think this is sharp enough to slice your traitorous throat?” Baris pressed the blade to Des’ neck. It might not be solid enough to cut, but it’d hurt.
Raelle protested, but Kenth placed a hand on the female, keeping her from rushing to her grandson’s aid. Nia remained silent.
“Y-yes,” the male answered.
“Now, explain why you sabotaged the portal to Earth.”
“It was an accident,” Des said quickly. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I wanted the machine to fail at the end.”
“Why would you want that?” Baris already knew, but he wanted Des to say it out loud. Having reached the limit of his energy reserves, the wings dissolved. The dagger lasted for a moment longer before dissolving like wisps of smoke.
“To poison the relationship with the Khargals,” Des said as if it were obvious. “You were too willing to accept a queen that would bring a trade agreement. I applied a little stress to the situation, and you act rather rashly when stressed, Your Majesty. The ambassador was a particularly annoying male, don’t you agree? Once you lost patience, talks would end, and you’d be forced to accept an Arcosian queen. All I had to do was wait.”
That was an accurate, if unflattering, assessment of his personality. Vekele had been correct in that Baris’ rashness would haunt him. “Yes, your methods were effective,” Baris said.
“Why, Des?” Raelle asked. “Why would you do such a thing?”
The male’s eyes flashed, his true nature coming through. “You’ve given your life in service to the crown, and for what? A party and some trinkets? Your name carved on a wall. For years, he’s relied on you, and now he’s tossing you aside. He couldn’t even be bothered to select a gift. It’s insulting.”
