Hand of Grace

A Stray Cat

Teles was heartsick and battle-weary. Jove's Vessel. They had lost Jove's Vessel. He had accepted this mission because he thought she would survive, that he was the best person to plan this operation, the best person to see that she survived. He'd failed his primary objective. While the queen had been willing to dismiss Anne as a very likely casualty, Teles had done everything possible to make sure this mission succeeded. Everything had lined up perfectly. Everything. Anne was a good shot; they had an excellent team; Isszon had agreed to help. Gehennes, he'd even done a test run with Jahri and Fridan. He had asked them to mask him and then the three of them had ventured around the palace, even skulked inside Ambassador Gillis' house in Little Asteria, a Second Rank Succubus and ferretted some confidential records from her office.

Jahri and Fridan's performance exceeded all of Teles' expectations. Ambassador had been in the sitting room when they had walked past her. She had had no idea of their presence. He'd felt so proud calling her to tea the next day and sliding over the records to her. Seeing the expression on her face when she realized what had happened was priceless. She hadn't even asked if he had read them (he had). She had given them to her aide and continued talking as if nothing had happened. There was no hiding the lingering surprise in her eyes though.

Towards the end of the visit, Ambassador Gillis had paused and said, "I was told to watch out for you. I now see why."

"What do you mean?" he had asked. To his knowledge, (buffered by the intelligence community), he had no Asterian enemies.

"Lady Nova and Lord Tiernan. Their observations from Coutoure were given to me before I came. You were singled out for good reason." Without another word, she had swept away, leaving Teles to celebrate.

That preparation had been worthless, the celebration too premature. Anne hadn't survived. But she had done it, he thought with no little satisfaction, grim though it was. While they hadn't found the Death Dealer's body, they had found the Witch's, the butchered body of the one who had been ordering the deaths of innocent men, women and children for decades. She was their ultimate target anyway. The Death Dealer, as formidable as he was, was only an underling. He'd disappear without his mistress. Under the instruction of their new allies, her former cubi slaves, they had burned her body.

But Anne was dead, Teles thought bitterly. She had died under his command. He would be forever known as the Lledan who sacrificed Jove's Vessel. The men were subdued as well, especially young Rauno who had confessed too late that he wanted to talk to her, but had been too shy.

Teles sighed as he stopped currying Anne's mare. The horse had no idea. It was eating its food in blissful ignorant. Its rider wouldn't return. Ignorance could be such a blessing. He gave the creature a pat and it whickered in appreciation.

"Looooooord TeeeeellEeeeeeees!"

Teles scowled. Yes, they had defeated their enemy, but yelling like that in a foreign environment when they had just assassinated its leader was hardly prudent. "What?" he called back. He was going to have a stern talking to with everyone during dinner.

"Lady Anne! She's alive! She's alive! She's with the Death Dealer!" the soldier screeched, gasping for air.

"Where?" Teles didn't even remember getting on the palfrey's back or drawing his sword. The foul beast had captured her and was holding her hostage? What in Jove's name could he want? Did he think they had taken the Witch alive? Teles kicked the mare and galloped in the direction that the soldier pointed. Teles had sent a few men in that direction to hunt game.

Cresting the ridge took only a matter of moments on horseback. When he was up there, he could hardly believe the sight that greeted him. Five of his men stood before the Lady Anne who was alive and well. But she looked agitated. Crossbows pointing at your chest would do that to you, he reasoned. Then Teles took in who stood behind her. Him. She was protecting him?! He couldn't make sense of it. Nevertheless, he yanked the horse up short and slid off, sword in hand. "Lady Anne!"