Chapter2

    Ryu blinked. Alec scowled. Damion gave her a droll smirk, and Talin seemed to have somehow expected as much. Or at least, he didn�t seem entirely surprised.
     �It would explain why Adonis has been able to counter our offensives so effectively.� He suggested smoothly, running a hand through deep bronzen strands of hair, removing them from the smouldering grey of his gaze.
     �Exactly what I was thinking. And it would also explain -�
     �Could it be, love, that you�re simply trying to find an excuse for Adonis� guile and ingenuity equaling your own?� Alec cut in, slate blue eyes leveling with those of the young femme. But Adraste�s chuckle took him by surprise, as his weight shifted back in his chair once more.
     �I�ve taken it into consideration, yes. And for all I know, perhaps I�ve simply become paranoid. With four idiots in charge of my well being, its no wonder.� She drawled out, not even bothering, this time, to dodge the well aimed swats and sharp taunts from the four men, smiling.
    �But it�s become far too coordinated of late, unless I�m the only one who has taken note?� A gesture of her hand illuminated the small circle of silver at the table�s center, which projected an image of the lands before them.
     �First the castle Arcad, to the east.� The small outpost shifted from the pale blue of the surrounds to a beady, blood red. �Adonis might have conquered it anyway, but how could he have known about the underground caverns? None but an Akutenshi can activate the door, or even knows where it is, and yet he discovered it and slaughtered at least a hundred. Women, children, young boys..� She shook her head faintly, before a finger thrust at another area of the map.
     �Then there�s the failure at Sumay.� Another area turned a burning, flame color. When she tapped at the area again with two fingers, it magnified to take up the whole space. �The garrison I had loop behind Adonis should have been invisible to him. We had one of the Elders there to ensure empathic perceptions would not be able to focus upon them, and yet Adonis knew of the ambush. He knew.�
     Talin glanced casually toward Adraste at her exclamation, faintly surprised to note the frustrated, yet grudging admiration the female obviously had for her masculine cross-specie counterpart.
     �His forces, despite the fact they were outnumbered three to one, split and managed to send both our branches toward each other, while he closed in from the sides. Brilliant, even if he did have an informant.�
     �You�re that sure he does?� Damion broke in, not glancing away from the visual that showed, now, the progress of the two armies.
     �As sure as I can be of anything relating to Adonis.� Her voice sounded disheartened, as though she were admitting some sort of shortcoming to them.
     �It has crossed my mind a few times, actually.� Johsu�s break of his usually tolerant silence drew the glances of the other five, the General�s brows raising.
     �Any ideas? You all are the eyes and ears of the Lords. You know their gossip and ways better then I.� Any observing the conversation might have found it almost familial, the conversation ensuing, hardly befitting a General requesting information of her closest informants. And yet, they were more tightly knit by duty and respect then any blood ties could have been, more comfortable with one another upon such circumstances then in any others in the world, perhaps excepting battle.
     �I draw a blank.� Alec mused aloud. �Toran would be the first of the Lords I would suspect of such things, but I doubt that, if he were the spy, he would be so god damn obvious about his dislike of you.�
     �Not to mention the fact that Akutenshi never betray one another.� Talin remarked, genuinely startled by Alec�s accusations toward the Lord.
     �Who else could it be, if not Akutenshi?� Johsu questioned, he himself looking rather taken aback. The Castle Kyrile was absolutely swarming with Elders, those who had lived more then a hundred years training in the empathic arts. No guise or falsely donned disguise could get beneath their sight.
     �Who knows.� Damion snickered offhandedly. �Maybe an Archangel painted his wings black.�
     �Puh.� A quiet, derisive sound from Alec, who shook his head. �Nah, they�re too stuck up to ever do that. Probably preen�em every night.� Adraste smiled faintly, but it was Ryu to shoot the General an amused sidelong glance.
     �I think someone needs to stop worrying so much, and get some rest.� He reminisced aloud, pausing Adraste mid-yawn. She blushed faintly.
     �I�ll do no such thing, thank you. I didn�t lose one brooding, protective father just to gain five more.� A finger jabbed in Damion�s direction as he was about to protest, jade-laced azures gleaming. �I have to go check on the Viars to be sure Lord Moret was true to his word. Then, perhaps, I will harbor the possibility of some sleep.�
     �You really shouldn�t be up and about the castle in these dark hours of the night, my Lady...� Johsu gestured toward the tall, tapered windows that littered the walls. None was wide enough for anything larger then a Viar to gain admittance, yet the slender windows ran at least fifteen feet high, and there were at least ten of them on either side of the room.
     �I�ll accompany her.� Adraste glanced with an amused quirk of a brow toward Alec, arms crossing. He merely gave her an innocent shrug, before smiling faintly. �That is, if the Great General feels it suits her.� The sullen look on his face earned him a roll of the femme�s eyes, although her hand flitted in an acquiescing gesture.
     �Fine, fine. As if I can�t check on a bunch of dumb lizards myself.� She ignored the mental pang at the back of her mind as StarFyre picked up the thought, scolding her mistress soundly for referring to her and her kind as �dumb lizards.� Adraste sent a mental apology, reminding the small female that she was merely frustrated with her eternal watchers.
     Realizing that they were all watching her expectantly, she stood, a mere glance returning the table�s center to darkness. �Sleep well, everyone.� She murmured, jet wings stretching in an exaggerated gesture as she worked out the kinks from their confinement over the last few hours. The feathered frames were well kempt and a healthy, shiny black, here and there touched by a shrill silver edge that dipped their inner shafts and tips in mercurial light.
     They all nodded and followed, Johsu parting early on to seek his own quarters, and all but Alec and Adraste turning toward the main chambers to take up their usual accommodations on all sides of the General�s room.
     The quiet whispers of feathers rubbing against one another was droned out only by the steady rhythm of footfalls as the two remaining moved toward the Viar room on the east tower, holding the uncomfortable silence that had since fallen. Whenever Alec stole a sidelong glance at the Akutenshi, she seemed utterly lost to her own thoughts. Whenever her own gaze shifted to her accompaniment, he seemed oddly ill at ease.
     �Here we are.� Her words sounded weak even to her own ears as she broke the nervous silence, the heels of both palms falling upon the door before her as she let it swing inward.
     ~Kiara!~ Adraste smiled as the small streak of quicksilver-stained gold leapt from the nearest perch, taut membranes catching the small reptilian as its wings spread wide. She alighted daintily upon the offered forearm, muzzle nuzzling beneath the woman�s jawline.
     �Hello to you too, Star. Sorry I�ve been away so much.. the usual business.�
     Alec eyed the two a moment, as he could only hear whatever Adraste cared to say aloud, before glancing toward the other perches and cages that littered the room. There were two empty ones near the window, and Alec tapped Adraste�s shoulder to get her attention.
     �Seems Moret was true to his word. The two greens are missing.�
     Adraste nodded slightly, two fingers of her left hand stroking the small, draconic being perched precariously upon her forearm, which she drew to her chest so Star could lean against her for balance. �They should be back soon. Star says he came straight here from the conference to write out the notes and have them sent.�
     ~He smells.~ Star projected the heady, mead scent of Alec as she perceived it to the mind of her Mistress, sending Adraste into a fit of giggles that seemed far too indecorous for a General. Alec raised a brow.
     She merely waved a hand dismissively to him, eying Star scoldingly. ~He certainly does not smell like that... You exaggerate far too much, Star.~
     ~He does.~ She insisted, slender, serpentine tail twining about the Akutenshi�s neck protectively.
     Alec smiled faintly. �Possessive little creature, isn�t she?�
     �If you only knew.� Adraste mused, eying the lithe creature, who was in turn giving Alec a baleful glance with whirling eyes of a snapdragon gold-green.
     ~Mine.~ Adraste knew Star could project her thoughts to the minds of others if she desired as much, and at the expression that crossed Alec�s face, she hadn�t a doubt in her mind that the prior claim of ownership had been one such occasion. But he seemed to recover easily enough.
     �It�s late, Princess. We should turn in for the night. You have the Meeting of Elders to preside over in the afternoon.�
     �Not to mention your archery training to drag me up in the small hours of dawn.� She jibed forlornly, sidestepping as his wing swept out to swat at her retreating form. �Alright, alright..� She had stilled at the protesting creel from Star, who was needling through the clothing as she dug her claws in for purchase. ~I�ll see you in the morning, love.~ She murmured, watching as the small gold winged her way back to the perch in the corner, her place betrayed by the glow of twin coals of molten ochre.
     Alec gestured to the door in a polite gesture of precedence, drawing a rueful smile from the femme. �Don�t make me pull rank on you in order for you to forget about rank. It would defeat the purpose.�
     They walked side by side back toward the main chambers in the west side of Kyrile, wings now and again brushing despite the wide breadth of the hall. Adraste continued to dwell within her own muddled thoughts, now and again glancing toward Alec thoughtfully.
     Of her four bodyguards - Alec, Ryu, Damion, and Talin - Alec was the only one with whom she had never advanced anywhere physically. Each was so unique in their ways and personalities, not to mention looks, that it was difficult to discern which she favored the most. Ryu was of medium build, his wings purely black and exceptionally large for an Akutenshi�s. His hair was a deep chocolate, the tips a paler bronze then the rest, and his gaze was a snapdragon green. He was always ready with a sarcastic comment, but undoubtedly the most sympathetic of the group. And his forte was swordplay.
     Talin was the goof off. Always burrowing into a situation to find some sort of amusement or uplifting silver lining, no matter how dire or distressing. He had a shock of bronze-blonde hair that was rarely seen in the dark-bred Akutenshi, and was the slightest of them all. But he was a master at Empathy, and no one ever tangled with him in the department. He was bested only by the Elders themselves.
     Damion was the perfect stereotype of a Dark Angel. Black wings touched faintly by navy, black hair, and deep blue eyes that reflected the light into pools of paler sapphires and cobalts, like the sea. He reminded her, for all the world, like a big teddy bear, which was amusing considering he was supposed to be her guard, and intimidating. But Damion was the other weapons master, next to Ryu. He was Adraste�s trainer in throwing stars, the staff, daggers, and every other manner of weaponry.
     And then there was Alec. He was the most withdrawn and silent of the group, always observing without saying a word. His gaze was a deep slate blue, with steel shards enunciating the hue in a pin-wheeled effect. It reminded her of the seas at storm, swelling with some inner turmoil that barely breached the surface. His hair was a dirty blonde that matched the setting sun, and his wings were much like her own, only instead of silver lacing their edges, it was a paler white. Unusual, but not impossible.
     He was the most sarcastic, as well as being the pessimist of the group, and it was with Alec more often then not that Adraste delved into the most heated of arguments with. He could be utterly frustrating at times, and she was hard pressed to hold her fiery temper in check where he was concerned.
     The years with the four, however, had brought them closer together. She remembered storming from the room the first day of introduction, when her father had basically admitted that the quartet would be stalking her every move and whereabouts for the rest of her life. Or theirs. She had been furious at the breach of her privacy, furious that four complete strangers would be allowed free reign in her life.
     Ryu had been the first she had opened up to, as well as the first of the four to share the bed of the Princess. Talin had been her first |)ance in the fyres, and thusly the second to share her touch. Until recently, Damion had been the one vying for her attentions, but even he seemed to have backed off of late. Alec�s sudden jump to accompany her to the Viars had not slipped her notice, perhaps why she continued to shift her glance to him, almost expectantly.
     Alec smiled when he caught her glancing toward him, just as they reached the Chamber door. The heel of his palm shoved the door inward, those grey-blue pools of slate never straying from her own as she stepped past, pivoting to face him once more.
     �Sleep well.� She finally mustered with a faint smile, letting her hand fall away from the door.
     He smiled faintly, a few rogue strands of flaxen straying into his gaze as the door fell shut gently behind him. ~Sweet dreams, Princess.~