"Whilton, may we trouble you to see your exclusive stock? I am teaching my apprentice about the value of wine." Roff smiled at Whilton, who'd been selling wine for a very long time. He'd come to Le-Ath Veronis to retire and run a small shop in Casino City. He owned chains of wine shops across the Alliance, and Whilton appeared to be a round person to Toff, who'd never seen a Veridiali before. Veridiali were all rotund in shape, although their height, hair and eye color varied. Whilton had graying red hair, kind brown eyes and an infectious smile. He was also afflicted with a skin condition, which was aggravated by sunlight. Le-Ath Veronis with its constant twilight was the perfect place for him.
"Of course you may see my private stock," Whilton gestured for Roff and Toff to follow him. Toff was close behind Roff as they were ushered down a flight of stairs and into a dimly lit, climate-controlled room. He stared in wonder at the racks of bottles lining the walls, floor to ceiling, inside the small cellar.
"See, this one is worth fifteen thousand Alliance credits." Toff peered at the dusty bottle Roff pointed out on a rack. Toff's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the bottle and then at Roff.
"I have other bottles worth more, but they are in storage elsewhere," Whilton said. "I keep telling Roff that I can get better prices for some of his, but he ignores me."
"I still have some from the pressing eleven years ago," Roff grinned.
"And I will trade you this bottle for two of those," Whilton pointed to the bottle Roff had shown to Toff.
"Even you know that you can sell it for twice as much," Roff chuckled.
"Yes, you can certainly do that," Whilton laughed.
* * *
"What did you learn, child?" Roff asked Toff as they walked out of Whilton's shop later.
"That some rare wines are worth a lot of Alliance credits." Toff smiled up at Roff. Roff laughed and hugged Toff briefly as they walked along the padded sidewalk. Toff didn't fail to notice that every person they passed stopped to stare at Roff's wings.
"Want to truly give them something to whisper about?" Roff was still smiling.
"What would that be?"
"This." Roff lifted Toff easily, as if he were light as a leaf, leapt into the sky and unfurled his wings with a snap, beating them in a steady rhythm as they flew over Casino City.
* * *
"Roff, did you frighten that child?" Lissa stood on a balcony attached to her suite, her hands on her hips as Roff and Toff landed there bare moments later.
"No, Queen Lissa, it was fun," Toff was completely out of breath—he'd laughed while Roff flew them along, shouting out questions as to what this or that was as they passed overhead. Roff had answered all his questions.
"Come inside—it's nearly time for dinner," Lissa gave Toff a quick hug and then offered a longer embrace to Roff.
* * *
"So, how was it," Tory whispered as he sat down beside Toff at the table. Ry took the seat on Toff's other side.
"How was what?"
"Flying. With Uncle Roff."
"Incredible." Toff still got chills, thinking about it. He'd never thought to travel that way.
"I have an announcement to make," a man walked into the room, dressed quite finely, Toff thought. He was handsome, too, with dark hair and eyes.
"That's Flavio, Roff's vampire sire," Ry hissed next to Toff's ear. Toff stared.
"Flavio, please say it is good news." Lissa was now standing at the head of the table.
"Cheedas has just wakened and accepted his first meal from his sire. He is well, my Queen, and has asked about you already."
"Thank goodness," Lissa dropped into her chair with a sigh.
"Will we see him soon?" Toff asked.
"Perhaps in a few weeks, young one," Karzac came in late to the table. He'd overheard Toff's question.
"Yes, the sire-child bond must be strengthened," Flavio replied, turning in Toff's direction. Being vampire, he'd heard the question clearly, even from a distance. "That will take a month or two. After that, you may visit if you like."
* * *
"My Gren did this?" Gren's mother asked in disbelief. Tiearan had to be lying. He was trying to implicate her son in an act that defied their race and its values. Bren, Gren's father, a humanoid from Vionn, was just as stunned. "I think you are lying to me—that filthy Queen has somehow managed to put this lie in your mind, Tiearan."
"Dalla!" Rain hissed at Gren's mother. "You know to be respectful!"
"But they say that my Gren invited an evil in and now that evil has stolen him away. I say they killed my son and are making up lies to cover their crime!"
"Dalla, you are the one making up lies," Tiearan breathed a tortured sigh. Gren had been before him all along and Tiearan had never gone looking for the root of the boy's unexpected surge in power. He'd thought Gren had suddenly chosen to apply himself. He couldn't have been more wrong. "I have checked this myself. I believe that the Queen does not realize the damage as yet, so we will attempt to set it right. Gren tapped into the core somehow. Most likely, at the insistence and with the instruction of the one who spirited him away from here. I was remiss in not looking for the reason behind his increased power. Yes, he displayed ability that I previously thought he did not possess. I admit I was hoping that he was one of the multitalented—we have none of those remaining, now."
"Except for you," Rain dipped her head respectfully to Tiearan.
"He did not get this from the sun crystal?" Gren's father was bewildered. "He told me you were allowing him to use it."
"Not until there at the last, and then only a tiny amount. Nothing that would have enabled him to do as he did," Tiearan muttered.
"So, what will you have us do, since you are so sure my son is at fault?" Dalla wasn't giving up on her son's innocence.
"Your Gren allowed his mind to wander and it was ensnared by an evil. Do not think I have my head in the pastures all the time," Father Willow snapped. "All of you—I am ashamed to call you Fae. You betrayed yourselves the moment you chose to take that child. We all know of the mistake made after that. Then, when judgment was promised to all of us, we began to grumble and place the blame on the boy when it was our fault. Those words of blame were spoken in front of your children, were they not? What did your child do as a result, Dalla? Redbird, you should have sent that boy home long ago. Yet you remained selfish, and here we are. Tiearan, when you are ready to form the Circle, call me. I will be with my animals until then. They do not deceive." Father Willow stalked out of Tiearan's home.
"We still have two of ours in the Queen's dungeons," Clover's mother wept. "What will become of them?"
"It was your son who got my Laral in this trouble," Laral's mother pointed an accusing finger at Dalla. "If he dies, his blood will be on your hands."
"Stop this! Stop now!" Tiearan tried to calm the chaos erupting inside his home.
* * *
"Yes, good," Master Morwin nodded in approval as he looked over Toff's report. "See, the Fae thought to protect themselves by placing one of their own upon the throne. Tell me what happened after that, young one."
Toff had never had lessons such as these. In the Fae village, he'd memorized his lessons and did his sums and such. Morwin was forcing him to think things through.
"Well, the Fae were peaceful and did not engage in violence," Toff was well acquainted with that concept, having lived among the Green Fae all that time. "King Corle, being Fae and not human as he appeared to the others, did not know how to lead his people into battle when he was attacked from the other side. The enemy overran his kingdom and then attacked the Fae forests, killing most of the Fae and destroying their forests and fields. The Fae should have left things as they were and tried to approach the real King Corle instead of taking him and placing a changeling in his stead. Master Morwin, did you hand me this assignment because it closely parallels my own situation?"
Morwin grinned, wiggling his bushy red eyebrows. "Yes, young one. You see this isn't the first time the Fae have made a mistake."
"I know that now," Toff sighed.
* * *
"I have information." Ry said the words in a singsong voice as he waved his comp-vid at Toff and Tory. Toff was slipping into clean clothing after working at the winery all afternoon. Dinner was fast approaching and he had to get ready.
"What's that?" Tory swiped at Ry's comp-vid, almost taking it from his brother's hand.
"I have information on the woman Shadow was supposed to marry and have children with." Ry's smile was wide. He was proud of himself for tracking this down.
"Who was she? Is she still around?" Tory flopped onto Toff's bed—his space was in the center of their shared suite so it was easier just to meet there.
"Melida of Belancour," Ry said.
"Get out," Tory laughed. "The Belancour Clan? Ry, sometimes your looks make me forget you have brain cells."
"Dad says that's the objective," Ry laughed.
"What? Belancour? Who are they?" Toff asked, confused. He'd never heard that name, but being sheltered inside the Fae village had kept him from many things.
"They turn out midlevel wizardry," Ry replied, making himself comfortable against Toff's thick pillows. "Nothing near what Grey House can do or a couple of other houses. Their big thing is spelled jewelry. It protects against minor attacks, but if you want the good stuff, you go to Grey House."
"And it's ugly," Tory added. "Everybody knows you went to Belancour if you get a look at the jewelry."
"Sissy says it's overpriced, too. For what it does." Ry agreed. "They charge about three-quarters the price of a Grey House piece, for half the protection." Toff drew his blackened jewel from beneath his tunic—he refused to take it off. It had turned an even darker black, resembling obsidian.