King of Kings- Book 4 The Council of the Light Series.

Part 12

Three bells later, Clarence made his way to Grendal's new apartments. Innismen, Grendals personal guards, lounged at the end of the corridor out of earshot from their master. They stood to attention as Clarence approached. Clarence ordered his own guards to wait with the Innismen as he made his way down the corridor. As he drew closer he heard voices and he stopped outside the door to listen.

"-Don't give me your lies old man. I know your faces better than you."

"Do shut up, Ohlo."

"I know the happy frown, the sad frown..."

Clarence would have given anything to be able to speak to Grendal like Ohlo could. It was highly amusing to hear his old tutor and now Secretary of State being mocked so openly. So much so, that Clarence didn't enter the room. He just stood and listened.

"Your pea sized mind couldn't begin to comprehend-" Grendal started.

"Yah, yah blah blah."

Something got chucked across the room.

"Child."

"Worm."

"So?" Ohlo waited. "What is wrong? Do you think the bed is too cold, little house cat? Don't you like the thick stone walls and the slit windows? Is Northhaunt Castle too much like Innis?"

Clarence couldn't help but smile. He'd had a glimpse of Ohlo's relationship with Grendal before the Fortress fell, but he had never dreamed they were this close. If Grendal didn't have such a track record with women he would have thought they were something more- but then- Ohlo had been Grendal's servant since he was five, that did make for a close relationship.

The silence stretched behind the door for such a long time that Clarence thought Grendal may have walked into another room.

"Humans."

A chair creaked. Ohlo didn't respond. Clarence's smile fell.

"Aie, this again." Ohlo grumbled.

"This again," Grendal growled back at him. "You asked."

Ohlo grumbled.

"The Witches have lost half their worlds to the NWO. The Life Flame and the sacred tree that puts a check on the secession of rulers is a joke now that the Bluedross family have taken control of the Witch Empire. The Windlords' are crippled. The Shapeshifters have joined the other side. The Elementals are strong but too small to do anything other than protect their own borders. The Druids are being attacked from every angle and the Dragons are now led by a megalomaniac who would listen to the advice of a dog over a person."

"Oh, thank you so much for stating what I already know."

"You asked." Grendal sounded much more forceful this time. "That is just our foreign affairs. internally we are broken. You've heard the courtiers, you know what they are saying."

"Yah, why don't you help them change Clarence's mind?"

"You think I should?" Grendal sounded skeptical.

"Have you lost your bite, old man? Hector Perciville killed Siberia Pendragon, and Edward O'Leary and Rose of Innis. He forced a situation where your brother betrayed you. He threatens Beatrix."

"Perciville needs to pay," Grendal snapped. "Not the Humans."

"Aie, they are one and the same."

"You are looking at it wrong."

"I disagree." Ohlo sounded facetious.

"Well?"

"There will be a loss of power if you do not back those who want to cull them from our worlds."