Chapter 176: Ariane, master schemer

"What were you thinking? By the Eye Ariane of the Nirari are you out of your mind?"

I sit back and relax, letting Sephare vent. I shall have to endure Constantine's ire later and would rather preserve my strength.

"You enter Eneru territory secretly. You help fae escape vampires. YOU SINK A ROYAL NAVY WARSHIP."

I smile at the recollection, despite my best efforts.

"Ariane of the Nirari! This is no laughing matter!"

"Yarrrrrr!"

"ENOUGH OF THIS! How old are you really?! By the Eye I cannot possibly imagine how I thought you mature and reliable! Next you will tell me you stole that organ as well."

Unfortunately, my light smile freezes on my face ever so slightly, and the cunning socialite that is the Hastings lady picks up on it. She leans above her desk with fury on her brow just as I regain my composure. Her pale blue eyes bore into my soul, or they would if I still had one. She cracks the wood under her dainty claws just from anger. I had never seen such a loss of control from the smooth court animal.

"Ariane. Ariane. Ariane! Why?"

"How did you even hear about that?"

"How could I not?! This is the most bizarre crime in the century! All of Christendom is screaming in outrage. Pope Pius IX even made a public declaration."

I am more than famous, I am infamous!

"Answer me, why?"

For fun and because I cherish Torran's happiness.

"We could call it a proof of concept."

"The concept being riling up the mortals into a frenzy?" she asks, aghast.

"Oh please. They are not truly outraged, they are amazed and intrigued. You know mortals."

"We are not discussing the merits of scandals, we are talking about your... your inexcusable actions! I cannot in good conscience shield you from their consequences. What were you thinking?"

She places both hands over her face, then a second later, glares at me from between her fingers.

"I sincerely hope you were not hoping to keep the fae for your personal consumption."

"Of course not."

"So you do not object to us seizing them?"

"By all means, if you can find them."

"Ariane..."

I lift both hands to show my lack of resistance.

"I am not fighting you, merely saying that I released them."

"You.... what?"

"I solemnly swear that I don't know where they are. I let them go."

"Haaaaa. Ha. Ha."

I believe I may have broken her.

Sephare screams, a shrill sound that pierces through the Boston fortress to herald danger. The small lady then grabs a bust from a pedestal near her window and smashes the glass to pieces. Then, she jumps through it. How very dramatic.

I inspect my fingers until a knock on the door heralds the coming of more questions. Always more questions.

"Come in."

Constantine's stewart and Boston Fortress' master enters the room. Wilhelm wears a black suit but leaves his beard and long blond hair flowing free, offering an interesting contrast.

"Is everything fine here?"

"Sephare felt unwell and decided to go for a walk."

"Through the window?"

"Very unwell."

"Ariane, I appreciate levity as much as the next man, but I cannot overstate the danger you are in. Your stunt has placed you in great peril from the Accords as much as from Eneru, and even perhaps Mask. As someone who respects you, I would advise you to prepare your defense because you will be tried for this rash action, quite possibly by Constantine himself."

I stand and turn to face the Erenwald lord who has expressed a more straightforward opinion than most of his peers would. It was heartfelt and I feel compelled to answer his favor in kind.

"Lord Wilhelm, I am a busy woman. How many times do you expect me to answer the very same questions?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Why have you done that? How would you answer those accusations? Our dear kin will want an explanation and I will provide them twice and no more. Sephare will calm down and listen when she is ready. In the meanwhile, I have much work to do."

Wilhelm considers me in silence for a moment. I cannot read his expression.

"Will you at least give me a hint?"

I ponder his request for an instant. He is a brave and honest man and deserves that much.

"I will emasculate the expansion faction's military for the foreseeable future, thus preventing them from winning the next war against us."

"The one they are preparing for right now?"

"Quite so."

"I hope you are right, Ariane of the Nirari, but if you are, I will be very impressed."

"We shall see. I hope to be impressed as well."

I really, really do.

The council room has always struck me as a place of potential. An unfamiliar spectator might equate our ancient garbs with obsolescence or associate the stone seats with stagnation, but it would be a mistake. As in many aspects that concern the aristocracy of the night, the truth lies beneath a thin mask. The unmoving monsters are not statues but powerful beings ready to pounce at the first sign of aggression. The controlled auras betray odd variations, signs that their owners hate cramped space and the proximity of their kin. Councils are not unlike the final moment of a pendulum's swing. The ball has slowed down to near-immobility, only to come hurling back. I must grab the attention before the rest of the wardens fall on me like several brick houses that someone would have set on fire.

To come forth for explanation would normally be unwise. It acknowledges the authorities of others. It weakens my position, implying that the approval of my fellow wardens matters to me, an unthinkable proposition. Wardens are only held accountable when tried. I, however, have gone too far. The Accords are willing to tolerate the odd bout of piracy or government destabilization. I bet even the occasional town could be razed to the ground. Clearly, crossing the Atlantic to trigger a war between vampiredom's two mightiest factions crossed a limit.

Rather than waiting for the inevitable trial, I have decided to go on the offensive, so to speak. Sephare and Constantine approved the plan. I ran it by Sinead to be certain it was the best choice on the off chance that the pair had decided to sacrifice me to my rivals. He agreed.

Constantine climbs down the stairs and gives me a cold look. He has not quite digested my little escapade, not that I blame him. Soon, the session begins with the usual greetings. The few more urgent issues are solved expeditiously. Barring a few exceptions, all of the wardens are present. Everyone wants to get to the meat of the subject, so to speak.

"For the next order of business, Ariane of the Nirari wishes to share her findings from her recent trip to Europe. After consideration, I elected to merge this topic with the accusations of reckless endangerment of the Accords some of you have raised considering they were linked. Since Ariane of the Nirari volunteered to present an explanation, I will let her talk first. The session will conclude with a vote to go or not to trial. Lady Nirari, you have the floor."

I stand up as Constantine sits.

"Thank you, Speaker. As most of you have heard by now, a fae-holding and blood-harvesting facility in Austria was attacked and its residents were taken. I was involved in this operation. I helped to transfer the fae captives to new owners."

Technically true since Sinead is their leader. When it comes to vampire negotiations, technically true remains the best choice. Semantics matter to us almost as much as to the Likaeans.

Normally, I would despise half-truths terribly, but we are playing a game with other rulers. I am not truly collaborating with them, I am deceiving them to protect Sinead who was my ally from the start. Curse him and his handsome face.

"I realize that my actions appear reckless to casual observers, and I will endeavor to enlighten you as to my motivations. Before we begin, I swear that it is my firm belief that what I have done will benefit the Accords in the short and long term."

The clear oath takes and holds. I do believe that depriving hostile factions of Likaean blood will significantly even the playing field. The truth is that the Accords do not have access to any blood-harvesting facility and that, by law, any resource found locally belongs to the territory's warden. By extension, captured fae are the property of the captors and no one else. Those of us who managed to find those rare and elusive creatures have kept it to themselves, me included.

"I moved to answer a request from an entity I shall not name. I shall keep secret the details of the operation, but know that my end of the bargain allowed us to gain a significant advantage in faction politics."

A Roland lord raises a hand. I allow the interruption.

"Please elaborate. What advantage?"

"Nothing less than a major, unplanned war between the Eneru and Mask factions."

The wardens blink and turn their head, the vampire equivalent of a strong reaction.

"Are you quite certain?" someone asks out of turn.

"It is true," Lord Ceron says in a smooth voice, "some of my export contracts were canceled because of flaring hostilities. I received reports that Baden-Baden and Lausanne were attacked."

"Information remains difficult to obtain due to the improvised nature of the conflict," Sephare confirms, "though I can tell you that conflict is occurring as we speak."

"How did you achieve this?" another asks.

"Elements of Eneru violated the previous peace agreement with Mask without the signatories' knowledge. I presented Mask with an opportunity for revenge by providing the location and security access for other fae prisons," I reply.

"Very tempting. How long does that grant us?"

Although we have not addressed the situation yet, all of the wardens know Mask will attempt another conquest sometimes soon.

"It is difficult to ascertain," Sephare admits, then she reveals a precious nugget with her usual flare.

"However, I just learned that Jean-Baptiste landed in Mexico a couple of nights ago."

"The Scythe user?" Jarek asks.

I met the man in Paris when I visited the undercity. He is one of Mask's deadliest combatants, perhaps on par with Jarek himself.

"That is not all. The twins Andre and Vincent came with him."

The same who pierced my heart. What a small world.

"They mean war," Ceron observes.

"Certainly, and on a much shorter time frame than we expected," Sephare continues, "This diversion could not have come at a better time. In fact, they could very well decide to proceed with the offensive."

Sephare warned me of course. The truth is that even with fae blood, they would still be at a small disadvantage according to our estimates. Of course, theirs could be different and they might believe they hold the advantage. They might even be correct.

"The escaped prisoners, what of them?" someone finally asks.

"I delivered them to a contact in Morocco. You have my word that I do not know where they are at the moment, and I have no claim on their blood."

The old ones eye me suspiciously. I left much unsaid and there are loopholes, yet to lose sight of captive fae implies that I either gave up on them or trust the unknown party blindly.

"I would be curious to know who that contact of yours is."

I shake my head.

"I believe I have proven that my behavior did not recklessly endanger the Accords. Beyond that, my deals are my own," I reply.

"You have yet to prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt."

"The burden of proof lies with the accuser."

"I have another question," Jarek interrupts, and the small susurrus of conversations dies down. Jarek was none too happy about my trip as well. If I had to judge, he does not begrudge me the initiative but dislikes risky politics with a passion. The situation must have left him irritated.

"You obtained an advantage for us at a risk for yourself. Why did you not share this information with us before starting and what did you get out of it personally?"

Ah, direct and to the point as always.

"I did not share this information because my partner in this endeavor required secrecy, and for good reasons. With the prize of a dozen fae, the temptation would have been too great to sabotage our work. I do not have to tell you that this many donors represents a strategic asset. The risks were simply unacceptable. Even with things going to plan, I was forced to evade patrols and run a Royal Navy blockade."

"It shows how much you trust our leadership," a rival lord declares. Constantine turns his gaze to the man, but I decide to disarm the conflict before it can occur.

"The secrecy was my partner's wish, not mine. As for what I gained, besides some powerful magical artifacts, I was also granted an excellent opportunity to guarantee our independence for the foreseeable future."

Jarek does not react, yet a few pointed looks show that no one believes in a gesture of altruism on my part. Wardens are seldom witless, after all.

"You might remember that during the last conflict, Bertrand personally attempted to capture and punish me on several separate occasions."

Recognition shows on many faces. Our enmity might have been a quirk or a footnote during the last conflict, but now I am a lady and the stakes are just as high.

"If Mask wins and the Accords are dissolved, some of you may retain your territories with some concessions. It will not be the same for me. Not only would I lose my seat of power, which for a Devourer is abhorrent, I would also lose most of my means. A majority of my funds are tied up in local ventures, all investments I would be rendered unable to collect should I go into exile. If Bertrand's faction wins, I lose everything I have built for the past half a century. Our loss, for me, would be unthinkable."

"And you burnt bridges with Eneru," Sephare added.

"Quite so. You realize now, ladies and gentlemen, why I have a vested interest in our success. We already warded off one attempt and will face at least another before the end of the century. The opportunity I was granted will cripple Bertrand for good."

"Can you tell us about this opportunity?"

"I can do better, I will invite everyone to participate in the final phase once it starts, but under two conditions. I require an oath of secrecy, and one of obedience..."

Cries of consternation ring throughout the room.

"You cannot possibly imagine..."

"Obedience? To one so young?"

"... with an opt out," I finish.

Those who join will be forced to silence, and free to leave the scheme if they do not like it, though they will be compelled not to oppose it in any way. The protests die down, though frowns show that they find the proposal less than enchanting.

"You know, if that mysterious benefactor is your sire, you can inform us," Suarez offers.

I shake my head lightly.

"Full secrecy enforced by oath," I reply, thus letting those on the fringe suspect him, Semiramis, and who knows how many ancient monsters capable of such grand schemes.

The prepared oaths might be comprehensive but I would rather limit our numbers to true believers who will not spend every hour of every night trying to work around their binding words just so that they snack on a certain shameless rogue. If anyone gets their fangs into him, it shall be me.

"How do we know that this operation of yours does not endanger the Accords?"

"I swear that it is my belief that this will help the Accords in the short and long term."

"You might be mistaken."

"And we will not know until I try."

"She is correct," Constantine continues seriously. "A binding oath is the most one can request of a warden and Ariane has already given one. We give each other the benefit of the doubt. I will grant you a few moments to consider your options, then we will move on."

The Speaker truly has my back despite his reticence. If he wanted to sabotage me, he would have asked for a recess and let those old schemers cook up some legal way to force my hand or at least delay me to let me know of their displeasure. If we get to the trial vote now, the wardens should be too concerned about my next scheme to try to stop the past one. We do enjoy novelty. Their curiosity will protect me from legal retribution more surely than any convincing proof could.

As expected, no one makes an argument, though I receive one last question.

"Will those who vote against you be allowed in your scheme?"

"Of course not!" I scoff, "Either you trust me or you do not."

A few more grumbles and I am a free woman.

A small yet hallowed committee sits in my fortress room, so busy that I had to borrow chairs from a neighboring Cadiz master. Lord Suarez stands for the Cadiz while Lord Adrien represents the Roland and, to some extent, the traditionalist faction which I oppose. Jimena is here, of course, and so is Naminata. Jarek showed up without a word. To my surprise, Sephare joined us. She raises an annoyed brow when I look at her.

Those men and women reflect my journey to the Accords and to power. Lord Suarez raced after me in Savannah, a pursuit that ended with me swimming through its pier's soiled waters. In my mind, he represents the Cadiz, the first faction to ally with me purely for their own benefits. Jimena and Nimanata are my first friends and the ones who helped me with no benefit to themselves. I helped Sephare obtain her territory, then integrated her group as she helped me in return. The canny blonde was my first formal, political faction leader. As for Adrien, we worked together during the human civil war then he attacked my land during my little Knight adventure because of the capture of his twin brother. He owes me a debt yet still nominally belongs to the traditional faction. In a way, Adrien is the opposition party in a government at war, opposed on minor issues but united during times of strife.

Although their numbers are few, those lords and ladies represent the entirety of the Accords' political spectrum and will no doubt report to their respective sides once they know my little secret. The oath will prevent them from giving out any details so they will be limited to saying yes or no. I do not mind. Although their support would be welcome, I do not particularly need them anywhere except off my back.

Adrien sits somewhat uncomfortably, the last person to join. I stand up and close, then ward the door. I also double check that Constantine is not eavesdropping through the fortress' defenses as I am sure he can, but find no signs of tampering. Satisfied, I return behind my desk and pass out the forms detailing the oath. All of the persons present swear with no signs of hesitation. It feels strange to be the heart of a conspiracy. Strange, yet exotic.

"I am sure you are all eager to know what this plan entails so here it is. We are going to remove the fae blood advantage from all factions. In order to do so, I am going to steal the fae."

My guests receive this declaration in consternated silence. I let them simmer for a second, then give them their second serving.

"All of them. At once."

"Is this a joke?" Sephare asks.

"No. We will open a portal to the dead sphere and set up a ritual site using a war-class golem core as well as a few other stones as portable magical sources. Then, the most high-ranking fae couple under the leadership of a prince will use a royal authority ritual to summon every stranded member of their species to the dead world. They will then open a second portal directly to the closest faerie world and go through."

"The closest what?" Jakek asks.

"Hold that thought. A royal couple, you say? Your partner has access to a fae prince?" Sephare asks, stupefied.

Oh.

Oh!

Oh this is going to be so good.

"No. My partner is the fae prince."

Horror, awe, and stupefaction war across the old ones present to my immense satisfaction. Is this how it feels to bring a machination to a perfect close? I understand Sinead so much now, I would even laugh maniacally if I were not a mature and poised lady. I shall have to do so later in private.

"But... Since when?"

"I have been working with the Prince of Summer for the past seventy years, almost since I was reborn."

The only persons not to gasp are Naminata and Jimena who knew to some extent. They put on satisfied smiles while the others display powerful emotions. The most shocked of them all is Sephare. She grabs her forehead between her hands then, to my surprise, she laughs.

"Of course, of course by the Eye! It makes so much sense!"

Once her mirth calms down a bit, she meets my eyes with pleasure clear on her delicate features.

"You were not growing more erratic, you were merely adhering to your first allegiance, which was not us! Oh my, I had it wrong the entire time. Backwards, as it were. Oh, goodness me, what an amazing turn!"

"Yes yes," I reply, suddenly a little put off by such a queer display. "The way you can assist is by helping me clear the ritual area of mana hounds, of which there will be many before we can finish a magic containment circle. You are also welcome to take part in the final ritual and defend the ritual site from aggression, which there will be."

"How?" Jarek asks. "Did you not maintain secrecy?"

"Yes, however this will be an event of tremendous reach. We live in a magical world now. Momentous occasions bring portents."

"The Amaretta. The Seer bloodline," Sephare whispers.

"Precisely," I reply with a nod. "As an event that will shake vampirekind to its foundation, the liberation of the fae must have been or will shortly be predicted by their Progenitor. I have no doubt that either they will intervene or they will warn those who can."

"Which leads us to the obvious question," Adrien remarks. "If the Amaretta do attempt to stop you, would that not make it a terrible idea? It will weaken us as a species, and we have already been exposed to one dangerous foreign entity, the skeleton mages. Who is to say that they will not return or that others will not take their places? Fae blood could carry us to victory in our most desperate hour."

"First, the skeleton mages will return, of that I am sure, but they illustrate a real problem. A few decades ago, portals were an anomaly. Now, the dead plane's Last City knows of our existence and no doubts plans on stealing earth's lifeforce. Our world grows increasingly bound to others, including that of the fae. Already their powers have grown. Now, do you have any idea how powerful the Likaeans are?"

"Likaeans?"

"This is what they call themselves while fae is our term. The Likaeans exist across a multitude of interlocked planes, gathering in many factions and many species. While they were all forced into a human appearance here by the world, it will fade in time and a determined invader could let their warriors keep their form. If the prince is to be believed, the Likaeans' numbers are beyond reckoning. Untold billions populate their realms. They are a fractious and bickering lot, for now."

"But if they realize we enslaved them..."

"And treated them as cattle for centuries, and believe me, they will find out sooner rather than later, we will face a foe we cannot possibly hope to prevail against. If, however, a faction frees and returns them, they will incur a debt we can capitalize on. The Likaeans understand infighting and power struggles. We would just be yet another plane to them."

"And they would leave us in peace?" Sephare asks, disbelief clear in her voice.

"Of course not. We would just have a fighting chance against a scattered opposition."

"I see now why you kept this whole affair hidden. It would just be wiser not to poke the bear and hope they never find out about us. Or to obtain better guarantees. Or better yet, kill them all and hope the truth is never discovered. Goodness me, there is nothing worse than an idealist with power," Sephare laments.

"My solution does not rely on unknown entities with unknown powers never finding out, so I believe it will do just fine, thank you very much. Before we move on, I will ask which one of you would like to remove themselves from the agreement?"

No one volunteers. I expect the ancient ones to consider their options before withdrawing their support, but sometimes, some of us react strongly to what we perceive as foolishness. It does not appear to be the case here. No one erupts in furious vociferations.

"Very well. One last thing before we begin," I continue.

I place my hands on my lap and close my eyes. I need to... oh, to hell with it. I will just speak my mind.

"Although the oaths are comprehensive, I hold no illusion that a particularly determined vampire could somehow find a way to sabotage this project, so I will state this clearly. If I ever discover that one of you, and I am not aiming this at anyone thus far, if one of you betrays me, they shall find out why and how I became the fourth Devourer. I will find them. I will kill them. Nothing will stop me, neither distance nor allies nor personal might. Think very carefully before you commit, because I am fully invested in this endeavor and will tolerate no duplicity. None, at all."

"Well," Sephare replies with an amazed smile, "now I am eager to meet the one who would cause such a strong reaction!"

"I did not leave Europe to bow to Mask again, Ariane. You shall have my support," Adrien says.

"Spoken with honor," Jarek adds, "I respect that. You have my fists."

"Honor, purpose, and audacity. A Cadiz can ask for nothing more. I will stand by your side," Suarez speaks with conviction.

"Thank you for inviting me for this little outing, cupcake. You always bring the most delicious adventures," Nami adds.

"I will always be there for you, sister," Jimena says.

"Then we can depart for my territory whenever you wish," I say. Before I can stand up, Sephare picks the service bell and rings it. A knock on the door replies.

"Come in?"

Constantine steps into the room and stares at me, but it is at Sephare that his question is aimed.

"So?"

"I am convinced and conscripted."

"Very well. Show me that oath. Let us get this over with."

A long time ago, Semiramis came to the Illinois wilderness to complete a ritual. At the time, I wondered why she would pick such a desolate and random locale to conduct one of the greatest feats of magic this world has ever known. Only now do we realize that the weave of the world is particularly porous here, and that the cause for this thin barrier stems from the dead world. I hope it was not caused by some horrifying rift into reality or some similar concerns.

I turn to the quickly growing fortress being built by hired workers under the vigilant gaze of my most faithful followers. Likaeans and vampires walk the ground, looking at each other with suspicion for the former, and longing for the latter. Our otherworldly guests still wear human shapes but the exoticism they exude makes them unmistakably alien to those of us in the know. I stop when I discover Sinead casually leaning against an oak as Sephare leans forward with naked curiosity.

"You were Simon Nead all along?"

"One of my more amusing achievements, yes. Ah, poppet, you have come. The first portal is ready for activation."

"I will need a few minutes to put on my armor. Anything of note?"

"Sivaya will come with you for the initial measurements. Do return if you are assaulted by a whale-sized burrowing worm or anything similar. We can always consider another site."

"If we do find something of the sort, Naminata will do her very best to kill it."

"Then I wish you a good hunt. Remember, this is a scouting mission, nothing more."

"Yes yes."

I roll my eyes.

I soon find myself near a ritual spot, one that is eerily similar to the one I opened during the skeleton invasion, though Sivaya naturally improved it. Melusine, the Blue Court Princess and I pierce the veil easily. A wound in the world reveals the same drab desert I am used to, as well as forms like giant, jagged dark spikes jutting from the ground in the distance. Time to explore.

"Ladies and gentlemen, shall we?"