Dark Slayer(122)

He inclined his head. "Mikhail. I understand there has been trouble."

"As if you did not know," a voice said.

Mikhail lifted his head, his gaze sweeping the crowd. "One more word and this room will be cleared. As you have seen, Razvan has entered of his own free will and the chamber welcomed him. I apologize for that unfortunate outburst," he added and stepped forward, clasping Razvan's forearms in the traditional greeting between warriors. "Sivad olen wakeva, han ku piwta-may your heart stay strong, hunter."

"Pesasz jelabam ainaak-long may you stay in the light," Razvan replied.

"A master vampire attacked Lara and Nicolas as they went out to hunt in the early twilight hours. He knew where they would be. Nicolas fought them with valor. Had he not been the skilled warrior that he is, they would not have escaped. He killed three of the lesser vampires and nearly destroyed a fourth. Nicolas recognized the master vampire as Sergey Malinov. As he slashed up Lara, he told her that his sister sent her regards."

Razvan didn't flinch. He heard the soft murmur swelling to outrage behind him, but he kept his gaze locked with that of the prince. "And you believe Ivory would order such a thing done to my daughter?"

"No, but the attack was clearly orchestrated, with the victims specifically chosen and information given about them."

"So there is a traitor among you."

The prince inclined his head. "I fear so."

"And it is easier for them to believe that I am the one who has betrayed your people," Razvan said. "As I already have been branded a traitor."

"I fear that is correct." Mikhail sighed.

"I bring you hope," Razvan said. "Before you carry this farce any further, let me deliver to you what we have found. Ivory worked for weeks to find something to combat the microbes. She has tested this life-form and believes it will destroy any mutated microbe in the earth. She, of course, wishes for more time for further tests, but wants you to see what she has found and make your decision."

He took the precious pouches of soil from his belt and handed them to Gregori, along with the small book documenting each experiment and her findings. "At least you will have a place to start."

Gregori bowed to him. "Thank you."

Razvan. Ivory's voice was tight, putting him on alert. I have found the resting place, but it was being disturbed. Someone with a very large knife has been trying to unearth them.

Fury pounded through his veins and thundered in his ears. Who dares to try to kill my daughter and her lifemate?

I will bring him to you.

Do not come to this place. I think they are about to put me through some kind of trial to determine if I am their traitor.

Ivory hissed in his mind, and a very feminine, unwarriorlike image of retaliation on the lot of them made his groin throb, not with anticipation but in sympathetic pain.

"Razvan, the counsel wishes you to submit for testing from a chosen panel," Mikhail said. "Ancient warriors that lived under my father's rule. They do not know me well." He lifted his voice. "Though they are sworn to defend me, they do not trust my judgment and will have the choice when we are done here to leave this council and go their own way without heed, but also without allegiance to our people."

In essence, Mikhail was giving the ancients this one time of doubt and then he would not tolerate it again.

Razvan shrugged. "So be it."

Sun scorch them all. O jela peje terad. Ivory bit out each word so that not only Razvan could hear, but Gregori, Vikirnoff, Natalya and the prince-everyone who had given them blood. Her contempt was palpable, blatant, reducing them all to maggots beneath her feet.

Razvan had to stop his grin from showing. He glanced at Gregori. That is my lifemate.

A rare one, Gregori agreed.

He sighed, obviously steeling himself for his task. He beckoned the chosen ancients near. Vikirnoff. Mataias. Tariq and Andre. Each one had to pronounce Razvan clean of Xavier and find no hidden agenda. One wrong thing and they would slay him. Gregori grit his teeth, hating that they had to appease the ancients. To him it was a slap in the face to question the wisdom of the prince.

Had they questioned their own prince, Razvan reminded him, perhaps Ivory would have been spared her ordeal and Rhiannon would not be dead. The war between mage and Carpathian might never have taken place.

Gregori marveled at the absolute calm and acceptance in Razvan. Gregori had no wish for others to invade his privacy to the point that Razvan would have them search his memories and know every humiliation suffered. It was cruel and wrong as far as the healer was concerned.

I love you, Ivory, Razvan sent gently. More than life. Leave me now. Do not let them invade you as well. Although these men would have knowledge of her as he did, the terrible things she had endured. Wipe out the direction of our lair from my memory. He knew she was capable. She was capable of far more than any of them knew.