Page 48 of Suffer No Fools
"I had to know where our dear general was. Now, I'll know at all times." She pulled a shiny blue stone from her pocket. "We can track her, all thanks to my knife. Coryn cut herself on the blade when she pulled it from Hugo's neck."
"Where is she?" Vadim asked.
"She was on Stony Eel Island when I first checked, but she has since returned to the palace." Fanidra grinned. "She spends her time between the two."
"You're telling me Slimy Lou works for you now?" Nola had sat on the same side of the table as Fanidra, but Yvette sat between them, an arm's length away, for good reason. Nola looked like she wanted to strangle the death weaver.
"Now?" Fanidra laughed. "He always did. I'm the reason the poor bastard got mixed up with Coryn in the first place. I felt responsible for his life. We gave him safe passage to Glamiere."
"He isn't safe while he breathes," Nola said. "I'll kill him for sending that naval ship after us. Are you responsible for that, too?"
Vadim banged his cup on the table, and the ladies turned their attention back to him. "We can deal with Slimy Lou another time. Have you spoken to anyone else?"
"Only the merchant ship's crew, and the Glamierians who boarded us."
"Boarded?" Efren asked.
Fanidra shrugged. "Unfortunately, some of Glamiere's coast guard recognized me and came aboard. I told them I'd defected and was headed to Glamiere after Emperor Hugo. Please tell me you're not trying to keep him a secret from your allies."
"Not at all," Hugo said.
"Good." She met the emperor's gaze and measured him with a level stare. "You need to prepare for the coming war, and they will be our greatest ally."
Vadim started to speak, but she held up her hand. "Before I forget, I brought some enchantments with me. I was hoping to work with the island's enchanter, if she's here."
"Allora is around," Efren said. "The elders had more important things to do this morning, according to Beatrice."
"Ah." Fanidra shrugged. "I'm sure we'll meet soon enough."
"What enchantments?" Klaus asked.
"You attempted to drain Coryn's guards, yes?" Fanidra leaned toward Vadim.
"Aye."
"You didn't wonder why you couldn't latch onto them?"
"It was odd," he said, "but I was more concerned with the army of undead coming for us."
"Coryn has protected them against death weaves with these enchantments." She set a large rainbow opal bead in the middle of the table. "We can't harm them."
"That's not an enchantment," Klaus said. "It's just a bead."
"It's incomplete," Fanidra said. "It needs to be set in silver to work. Coryn's people have chokers or bracelets. Now that Coryn can harvest the imperial vaults, she'll have enough time and silver to protect her entire navy, once the girl figures out the specifics for the enchantment."
"The girl?" Tovey whispered.
"Coryn's spectral weaver is younger than Trin," Hugo answered.
"Fuck." Vadim reached for the bead but withdrew his hand.
"It's not all bad," Fanidra said. "They're weakest at the clasps. All it would take is a concentration of fire for a brief moment, and they'd break." She winked. "Not only that, but the spell does its own bit of draining when it's removed, so they'll be more susceptible to death weaves while they're vulnerable."
"You worked that into the enchantment yourself." Vadim's arm bumped Tovey's when he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table.
"Lou works for me, and we designed the jewelry."
"We'll take you to see Allora as soon as we can," Efren said. "For now, let's find you a place to stay."
