Forest of Lies

Chapter 39-Opportunity Knocks

"That bitch! That vile, conniving witch!"

Count Herron in rage tosses the maps and figurines of troops, castles, forts, and packs off the table in a heap. His hand finding the carafe of wine next, flinging the crystal vessel through the air til it explodes against the gilt frame of his long dead mother's portrait. Her scornful visage of oil and paint dripping with the pale gold drops of a five hundred year old vintage.

The good mood he had after his meeting Duke Gromel, Alpha of the Amber Pack and Head of the Golden Conclave, Count Morass, Alpha of the Salt Roads Pack, and Baron Zigra, Alpha of the Diamond Cliffs Pack now dashed. The meeting had been productive, their shared desire for more land, the want of a stronger king and a tighter rein of humans and lower caste shifters had united them together. Brought them to pledge their allegiance to Count Herron.

But this wondrous news had been just dashed a minute before by the trembling messenger in soaked brown leathers in the doorway. His cold red hands clutching the edges of a letter, a letter that sent Count Herron into his wrathful fit from just the very first line. The messenger hated being the one slated to deliver bad news to his lord, just five days earlier he announced to the Count of the High Luna Queen having escaped the Silver City and a strange unearthly rain lasting for three days. During that time, the city had become a fortress with no sight of anyone leaving beyond the gates.

"Continue if you would Samson," the Count orders after composing himself and swigging from another crystal carafe, one filled with rich hard liquor.

"Yes my lord Alpha," Samson answers, licking his lips with heightened nerves, praying for his heart to stop thundering and his voice not to quiver so much.

"It is with a heavy heart that one of our agents, Randal Mistas has been killed within the city. Two of the Nightwatch witnessed his death, and of the assassin who did the deed. From the report it was a female of unknown shifter origin marked by the orange scarf tied round her waist. This would have no concern for us my lord, if not for the other sightings of this killer. It has been noted in the past three days, that sightings of this assassin have placed her fleeing the residences of five other packs. In total, three Betas and two Gammas within our fold have been found dead from either poison, strangulation, or mortal gut wounds. I will personally see that this abnormal female is found and dealt with accordingly.
    -M.G."

Samson slowly breathes in, watching his lord's cheeks turn crimson then fade to ghostly white. With a wave the Count dismisses him and Samson only too gladly leaves the letter on the empty table, scurrying away down the hall as fast as his feet can take him. Herron shakes his head and takes another swig from the carafe, closing his eyes as the sharp, burning liquor slithers down his throat. Unexpectedly, the door of Herron's study creaks closed, causing him to sputter, coughing up the liquor over his fine tunic of grey silk embellished with sapphire blue embroidery.

He tracks the noise to the now closed door, and finds to both his pleasure and annoyance a voluptuous female in a curve hugging dress of forest green leaning against the door's frame. Her skin gleams a rich coppery bronze, auburn locks stopping just shy of her hips, face brimming with health and a keen set of golden eyes that take in the Count and his fine study.

The female's gaze turns this way and that, assessing the painted gray walls covered by bookshelves the line every side of the room. The floor covered by luxurious brown bear hides and woven carpets dyed gray and blue. The medium sized table set before the Count, empty except for the single letter, with its former contents scattered on the far right side of the table and single fortress figurine having landed on the small table holding the other crystal carafes of drink.

"Bad news my lord?" she utters, gliding over to the table, golden rings glinting on her fingers, the belt of golden disks studded with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and opals strapped round her waist sliding along the rich fabric with every step. "Some small problem trying to clog up the wheels in your perfectly constructed plans?"