Laurell Hamilton - Affliction

‘No, I am stating that when he travels and meets them, the power of a true king follows him. People want to be protected, ma petite . In America they teach that everyone should be the hero of their own story, but most people are not suited for it. They want, and need, someone to follow. If they are lucky they find someone good to lead them; if they are not so lucky …’ He let the thought trail off.

‘Micah’s good,’ I said.

‘Yes, he is good and strong and thinks of the larger group, the bigger issues.’

‘I don’t think Micah has called and talked to the animal groups in his hometown.’

‘That is why I did it for him.’

‘You should probably tell him you did that.’

‘I have,’ Jean-Claude said.

‘What did he say?’

‘He was grateful for the help, and he told me that politics was the furthest thing from his mind.’

‘Of course it is,’ I said.

‘But that does not change the fact that this visit is political, ma petite .’

‘Oh, shit, you’re going to say that since Micah can’t, I have to oversee more politics.’

He gave a small chuckle. ‘Not precisely, but I have spoken with Fredo not about your choice of guards, but about the possible political pitfalls. He said he would inform whatever guards you chose to take with you, though he did say that if it was a political visit he’d have chosen different guards. I told him that your safety is more important than the politics, so go with the original guards, whoever they might be.’

‘You know, I totally trust that you didn’t ask who we’d picked.’

‘In choosing soldiers, ma petite , I would trust you implicitly.’

‘Thank you. I trust you and Micah politically. Bad timing that it’s me with the clearer head on this trip.’

‘It is unfortunate,’ he said.

I had a thought that I hadn’t before, and felt slow. ‘I’m feeding off Rafael the Rat King and Reece the Swan King. If either of them had been my lover before I found Micah, would they have been my “king” in the same sense that Micah is?’

‘I do not believe so, but I do not know for certain. I do know that the rats and the swans are the only animal groups that have a countrywide ruler. I know you do not feed the ardeur on either of them often, but when you do I have felt the energy of everyone bound to their king.’

I shivered, and not from happiness. It was the most amazing feeling to feel people hundreds of miles away give up their energy to their king, and through him to me. I knew the faces of some of the swanmanes and wererats even though I had never seen them outside a metaphysical energy exchange.

‘You think Micah is starting to be the overall king?’

‘I believe that he has the unique opportunity to become the … high king of most of the lycanthrope community in this country. I believe he has taken the wererat model as his working blueprint.’

‘You and Micah have talked about this?’

‘A bit.’

‘Don’t you think I should have been included?’

‘What did you think was happening, ma petite ? Micah and his Coalition are called in across the country to settle disputes between diverse animal groups so they can avoid violence and be more “human.” When a group of people turn to the same person time and again for leadership, what does that mean, ma petite ?’

‘That he is their leader, or becoming their leader.’

‘The fact that you did not see that is because you did not want to see it. You hate the politics. Micah is not wanting to be king, but he is too intelligent a leader not to see the possibilities.’

‘Okay, so I’ve been slow and a little stupid, sorry.’

‘Slow, but never stupid, ma petite ; perhaps oblivious from time to time.’

‘Fine, so what do I do with this visit since Micah is going to be too overwrought to do the politics?’

‘Concentrate on Micah. Fredrico was very understanding that would be the priority for this visit.’

‘Do we know any of Fredrico’s background?’

‘Yes, he was a Spanish conquistador and nobleman once.’

‘Usually ex-nobles aren’t very understanding of problems like Micah’s,’ I said.

‘Very true, ma petite , but perhaps he is afraid of us. As a nobleman you learn to be very polite to those more powerful.’

‘I prefer aggression myself.’

‘Ah, but you have never had to survive at a noble court; it teaches you humility, ma petite .’

‘Humility isn’t my best thing.’

He laughed then, and it was a straight-out, laughing-his-ass-off laugh. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard him laugh quite like that. When he didn’t stop right away I said, ‘Fine, fine, laugh it up. I’ve got Nathaniel on hold.’

‘I am sorry, ma petite , but you are one of the least humble people I have ever met when it comes to negotiations.’

‘I prefer to negotiate from a point of strength.’

‘Even if you do not have one,’ he said.

‘We are stronger than this Fredrico, right?’

‘Much stronger.’

‘Then he was gracious because he didn’t have a choice,’ I said.

‘Yes, ma petite , but when you see his people, please do not point that out. Let their master and them keep their pride. Fredrico comes from a time when you challenged people to duels to the death to avenge a slight to your honor. Do not make him feel he has been slighted, please.’

‘Is wolf his animal to call? Is that why you were so polite with the local pack?’

‘Non, ma petite , he does not have an animal to call. I was political with the main animal groups because that is how Micah would wish it. We are building our power structure on the equality of all preternatural beings, not just the superiority of the vampires. It is a novel approach, very American, very progressive. The younger among us approve; the older ones distrust it, or even disapprove of welcoming the lycanthropes into a broader position of power.’

‘Fredrico is an ex-conquistador, so that makes him older. Does he have a problem with us including the furry in the power structure?’

‘Not that he has stated.’

‘No animal to call makes him pretty low-power for a Master of the City,’ I said.

‘It does, which was why his territory was initially in a rural area. No one could have foreseen the spread of human cities until his countryside lands became part of a city rich enough with life to make him a much more important master.’

‘If he’s that weak, I’m surprised someone didn’t challenge him years back.’

‘He kept up his sword practice, and as they challenged him he was able to choose the method of the duel.’

‘You’re saying he won because he’s a kickass swordsman.’

‘As long as the challenger is not a member of the council, then as the challenged he may choose his weapon, and it would be considered cheating to use animals to call when he has none.’

‘So his weakness becomes a strength,’ I said.

‘In part.’

‘But you are a member of the council, so how does that change things?’

‘You fought beside me when the Earthmover came and tried to destroy us. As a council member he could have insisted on using every power he possessed. He could have used the very earth against us and reduced our fair city to rubble.’

‘The Earthmover wanted to make humans afraid of vampires again. An earthquake wouldn’t have done that, because no one would have believed a vampire did it.’

‘True, but he would still have been within his rights to do it.’

‘So, if you fought Fredrico we could bring all our wereanimals, everything, and just destroy his ass.’

‘And put a master of our choosing in his place, oui .’