Horal is going to Chatsrey. Cameras are planted at the Virstina Estate.
Chapter 39.
Allaneas
Horal looked at the twisted piece of metal that had been a cutting bar, turned to Roger, Alinar and Dan and said, “They still haven’t got this right.”
“We’ve sent down what you told us,” Dan said. “What do you think the people at the plant are doing wrong?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I can go down and see.”
“Why not?”
“I am a slave. I can’t just go and travel without permission.”
Alinar and Roger laughed. Horal looked at them and said, “What is so funny?”
“You certainly didn’t ask permission when you went to the Carayarus,” Alinar said.
“That was different. Who will you send with me as a minder, Dan?”
“I’ll go. We’re at the end of Daelbyrne. The harvest starts soon and this is a warranty issue that needs to be resolved. I don’t have the numbers, but the Qinvaris machines alone could be a hundred thousand silvers this year. I think that justifies a plane ticket or two.”
“Four. I’m not going to leave Careea here with the not a lady and I think that Hibiscus will want to go.”
“Mother is already in the Republic,” Alinar said.
Horal sighed. “Then we must take the ladies or I, at least, will never hear the end of it. Dan, we need to pack.” He gathered up the pieces cut from the cutting bar and the samples. “I will go with you.”
Chapter 40.
The Community
The eight gathered and Haciathra said, “It is time to prepare our final bodies.”
“There are some concerns about mana,” Aramis said.
“The time is ticking and we have the fusor. We should move forward now.”
“We should take some care,” Tannator said. “Our enemies are alert and watching what we do.”
“I agree with Haciathra,” Jastira said. “Delay does not help us at present.”
“I concur,” Caifiel said. “We have been letting our adversaries and the old gods time to prepare.”
“Let us talk to Blackfire,” Ornthalus said. “Perhaps you are correct.”
Blackfire watched the new gods approach turned to the others and said, “We have work.”
“I suspect so,” Colug said.
Ornthalus said, “Could the Virstina Estate be retrieved?”
Blackfire brushed his chin and looked at the others. “For a time. How long would you want it?”
“A five day, perhaps.”
“That should be possible. Tarathiel, we would want some reconnaissance. I do not believe that the Shahana, Silverin or Umevan retain any troops in the area.”
“Do we have maps of the area?” Colug asked. “Where is this?”
“In the north of the Empire,” Mórsairon said. “We occupied the estate for various reasons and there are devises there. At least there were. We should send to Isarrel and have her look into things.”
“Why don’t you and I use the Jumpers to go to a place I know, Mórsairon,” Tarathiel said. “We can use the Jumpers and not attract attention.”
Blackfire looked at the others and said, “I think we have a start. Shall we begin?”
The Petris Estate
Isarrel pulled Ilyana out of the cabinet and activated her. She appeared and said, “I have a bit of a task. Could you send somebody to the Virstina Estate?”
Isarrel frowned. “That may not be easy. The estate is very private.” She had a thought. “I have a thought. There has been an arbor that I have been looking to have repaired. I will talk to Haladaver about that. A wrong port keyed in might work. I will have a report on the morrow.”
“Excellent.”
The Virstina Estate
Haladaver and his team emerged from the portal. A Protector marched up and bellowed, “Who are you and why are you here?”
“Is this the Timbertown?”
“This is the Virstina estate.”
“I apologize. I must have miskeyed the port.”
“The road to the Timbertown is there, or you can use the portal.”
“The weather is fair and the day warm. We will use the road.”
Kearal watched the group leave then went looking for Greg. Moving through the castle, he went into the office and said, “We had an intruder, milord. A group from House Petris used the portal and then took the road south.”
Greg frowned. “Could they have been scouting for somebody else?”
“I would not know, milord. House Petris has old ties to House Ravathyra. On the other hand, it could have been as the elf in charge said, a miskeyed port.”
“We don’t have an army and we know that the new gods are going to be looking at what is here. Maybe we can take advantage of that. Go to that shop in Innshys and pick up a bunch of crystals.”
Kearal grinned. “I will send someone at once.”
“We probably can’t stop an invasion using Jumpers like the raid on Desert Howl and I don’t see the point in trying. But if we have crystals and microportals all over the place, we can see what they do. Start pulling people to the citadel and tell the Timbertown. Dad is going to be annoyed if anyone gets hurt.”
Rod came into the office and said, “What’s going on?”
“We had some visitors, milord,” Kearal said. “Milord was making plans for more visitors.”
“Who were the visitors?”
“They were a group from House Petris. House Petris and House Ravathyra have close ties to each other and the group did not take the portal to the Timbertown.”
“Greg, I have the feeling that you think that the new gods are finally going to poke in. We never setup any surprises, unfortunately.”
“We should have. On the other hand, we get to see how that mad science stuff works.”
Rod grinned. “Bill is going to hate us. He’s stuck in Chatsrey. I have to go down in a couple of days, since they want me for the conference.”
“We’re going to plant lots of crystals. That way we have pictures.”
“Some people will want those. We should send messages out, since we think that they are coming.”
“That we should.”
The Arts Mechanical 