Poison Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Book Details

  Map

  Chapter One: Home Again

  Chapter Two: The Unicorn

  Chapter Three: The White Eagle

  Chapter Four: The Duke of Vaklov

  Chapter Five: Royal Ball

  Chapter Six: Dying Slowly

  Chapter Seven: Suspect

  Chapter Eight: Two Birds

  Chapter Nine: The White Bat

  Chapter Ten: Sensitive

  Chapter Eleven: Madness

  Chapter Twelve: Despair

  Chapter Thirteen: Heart of Shadow

  Chapter Fourteen: Fractures

  Chapter Fifteen: Trapped

  Chapter Sixteen: The White Panther

  Chapter Seventeen: The Faerie Queen

  Chapter Eighteen: The Tragedy of the Oak

  Chapter Nineteen: Life

  Chapter Twenty: Joy & Sorrow

  The Lost Gods will conclude in Chaos

  About the Author

  Poison

  The Lost Gods

  Megan Derr

  Nine gods ruled the world, until the ultimate betrayal resulted in their destruction. Now, the world is dying and only by restoring the Lost Gods can it be saved.

  Verde is ruled by the mortal reincarnations of their Lost Gods: the Faerie Queen, the Pegasus, and the Unicorn, slain nine centuries ago at the base of their Sacred Oak. Every one hundred years, the tragedy repeats itself, plunging Verde ever deeper into despair.

  Now, the Tragedy of the Oak draws near and Gael, the Unicorn, grows increasingly afraid because of a dark secret kept by the Three: If he cannot find a way to break the tragic cycle, the Twelve White Beasts and his secret lover are cursed to die right alongside him.

  Book Details

  Poison, the Lost Gods 4

  By Megan Derr

  Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Samantha M. Derr

  Cover designed by London Burden

  This book is a work of fiction and as such all characters and situations are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  Second Edition July 2012

  Copyright © 2012 by Megan Derr

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN 9781620041048

  Chapter One: Home Again

  Ailill covered his mouth with a kerchief as he supervised the servants who were removing the dust cloths from all the furniture. It would take weeks to put his townhouse in order.

  His townhouse. It did not matter the number of years that passed—that he was past thirty and had been a Duke for a very long time—he would never grow used to being nobility. To having his townhouse, his country house, or whatever else he felt like acquiring.

  The servants ... and how had he acquired so many, anyway? The servants finished removing all the cloths from the library and began to fold them all up to carry them out. Ailill stared at the empty shelves, dull with dust and neglect. No doubt his cook, one of the only servants he did recognize, would have some poor maid in the library for days dusting and scrubbing and oiling the shelves. Thinking of his cook reminded him that he still lacked a housekeeper.

  His real sympathy went to the footmen who would have to haul in the crates of books and his assistant and the clerks who would have to catalog and shelve them. He didn't sympathize enough to help with such a tedious chore, but he did feel bad enough he would probably overpay them.

  "Your grace ..."

  Ailill turned around and quirked one brow at the young man who had been following him around ever since he had returned to his estates. Well, that might have been an exaggeration. But he had definitely been about whenever Ailill needed him—even before Ailill realized it. When Andre only remained silent, Ailill removed the handkerchief from his mouth and said, "Yes, Andre?"

  "Your assistance is required in the kitchens."

  Kitchens? Plural? Why would a house need more than one kitchen? Ailill did not voice the question, however, because he was relatively certain his servants already regarded him as damaged in the head. He nodded and followed Andre from the library, through the halls of the house, and into the back rooms.

  Upon entering the kitchen—it looked like just one, so why the plural?—he immediately saw the problem. "What happened?" he asked, looking around at the debris littered about everywhere: leaves, sticks, animal carcasses, and animal bones. The cooking tools were beyond repair, and he was relatively certain some sort of critter had made a nest of the stove. The other stove looked unfit even for rodents.

  "It looks like someone broke in once," said a tall, slender, muscular woman. A tiger, he would bet. Most of his staff seemed to be feline, but that was not unusual. Cats of all sorts would be drawn to him and feel most comfortable working for him. "After that, it became ... well, you can see the results, your grace. I'm only grateful the main door there was sealed up proper, or the whole house …" She bowed low. "I apologize, your grace. I accept full punishment, as it was my mother who would have seen to the closing up of the kitchens and I have assumed her place."

  Ailill scoffed at that. "No house is absolutely sealed against robbers; they are known for their persistence, after all. I would say that it is thanks to your mother that the rest of the house was not breached. Please do not worry further upon it. Make a list of necessary repairs and replacements and give the list to my secretary so he can draw the funds. Keep him apprised of the kitchen repairs. I will leave you to make suitable arrangements for meals until the kitchen is set to rights."

  The cook smiled at him, eyes wide and startled. The rest of the servants assembled in the kitchen just gawked. Ailill smiled hesitantly, then nodded and walked out again. Andre was close on his heels. "Do I actually have a secretary?" he asked.

  "You have a number of interviews arranged this week so you might select one," Andre said.

  Ailill sighed. "I suppose that is not a decision I can tell someone else to make. Very well. When is the first of these?"

  "Not for two days hence, your grace. Today the tailor is coming to take final measurements for your new wardrobe. Tomorrow you have errands about the city, mostly for goods for the house."

  "Thank you, Andre. I appreciate your taking my secretary's role until I can obtain one. I am certain you would like to go back to doing ... whatever is your proper post? And where did you come from?"

  Andre drew himself up, looking slightly affronted, but also faintly amused. "I was informed by a friend who has connections to the household that you required a valet and inquired with the cook. She was satisfied with my references, and I did put them with your other papers—"

  "Why is she only the cook if she is doing all of this? Has there been any luck locating a housekeeper?"

  Frowning, Andre pulled out a small notebook in which he seemed to jot down everything and regarded a list with only two measly items crossed out. "No, your grace. Several people were interviewed before your arrival in the city, but so far no one has suited."

  "Promote my cook, then, and find a new cook. I would imagine finding someone who knows how to turn out decent pasta without burning down my kitchen would be easier to find than someone who can run a household."

  "Yes, your grace," Andre murmured and slipped away in his spooky fashion.

  Ailill sighed and decided it was time for a strategic retreat. If he had to do anything else Duke-like that day he was going to lose his mind. Eschewing hat and coat and gloves, he slipped out the unmanned front door and bolted down the steps and down the street, weaving his way through the city throngs, hoping he went large
ly unnoticed.

  Unlikely, given he was so pale against a backdrop of people who had plenty of color to them. He glanced at his fair skin, remembering when it had been red from too much sun, or tanned gold by it.

  He wondered what his family was doing, far away on the farm where he had grown up. He wondered if they still considered him family. They had stopped replying to his letters years ago, but he still sent someone now and again to discretely check on them and see they were doing well.

  Ignoring the streets that would lead to the shops and parks and other proper parts of the city, Ailill turned east and headed toward the seedier parts that would end in the harbors.

  The smell of the sea called to him, made him ache. He longed to be free again, to sail on the white-sailed ships of Kundou and explore the islands, the thousands of delights they contained. Swim in waters so much warmer and clearer than those of his homeland.

  He wanted to go south to Piedre and indulge in the wine and food, the dancing, the dark, beautiful landscape and the fervent appreciation for life held by a people who worshipped death.

  Most of all, he wanted Pozhar, the land of fire covered in snow, the Heart packed with people while the Cathedral of Ashes looked down over them. The beer, the vodka, the food. And the nights spent tangled in the sheets with a mercenary he could not get out of his head. Two years later and not even a single letter had been exchanged between them, but he could not forget Vanya.

  Had the mercenary life gotten him killed? What would he do if Ailill just showed up one day? The way they had parted ... it felt like Vanya would remember him and welcome seeing him again.

  Ailill wished he could see Vanya one last time in case the ceremony did not go well. He had hoped the tragedy would at last end because of all the rumors he'd heard of the other countries. Pozhar was doing quite well under the unexpected return of their Holy Firebird, Kundou had been thriving for the past three, and even Piedre had apparently restored their Basilisk …

  It gave him real hope for Verde, though he tried not to let those hopes rise. But if the tragic cycle did finally break, his time would be his own again. It was a selfish motivation when his only concerns should have been for his gods and the people of Verde, but lofty goals were only so motivating.

  He hoped he was not fooling himself in thinking Vanya would remember him. A mercenary had little use for a noble, especially when that noble was a White Beast of Verde, no matter how reluctantly. He sighed again and flicked back the braid that had fallen over his shoulder.

  He paused at a street vendor's cart and bought a small sack of roasted nuts. Eating them as he walked, he continued on toward the harbors. He wasn't quite certain what he would do when he got there, but it would hardly be the first time in his life that he improvised.

  Sometimes he felt as if he had been doing nothing but improvising ever since he had shifted and been revealed as the White Panther. It should not have been so easy to go from 'farm boy Ai' to Lord Ailill le Blanc, Duke of Durant, but it had been. A matter of hours, in fact. Less than a day.

  The smells of the harbor hit him first: rot and refuse, piss and cheap alcohol, the sea and the ships. It was not a pleasant combination of smells, but there were too many fond memories attached to harbors for him to hate it entirely. Ailill finished the last of his nuts and crumpled the paper sack that had held them, tossing it in a rubbish barrel as he ventured further in.

  Maybe he would see about procuring his own ship. Why had he never thought of that before? The idea sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. His own ship to take him wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He would have to go to Kundou for something like that—

  His thoughts broke off when he heard someone cry out in pain, the voice ripping through his mind like claws on soft flesh. Where are you? Ailill asked, immediately dropping all selfish thoughts to focus on the fellow feline begging for help.

  Instead of a reply, there were just more cries of pain, followed by a flare of anger—and that accompanied by an audible roar. Ailill looked around, trying to get his bearings, but sound was tricky in the harbor. It all bounced wrong, and pinpointing the true source could be impossible.

  Another cry of pain raked through his mind, and Ailill decided he'd had enough. Shifting, he roared loud enough it echoed through the harbors. Where are you?

  The Dancing Duck.

  Relieved he knew that pub, Ailill ran—and arrived just in time to see a group of six men running out of an alleyway. He snarled, angry they'd get away because he had to see to the kitten.

  I'll get them, your grace, came a soft voice, and Ailill turned as movement caught the corner of his eye. A sleek black panther leapt neatly down from the roof and ran after the men who were fleeing.

  Ailill decided questions could wait and slipped into the alleyway where a young tiger was curled into a ball, covered in filth and blood. Purring, Ailill nuzzled against the tiger, gently checking for serious wounds as she slowly relaxed against him. Can you stand, little one?

  I think so, the tiger said softly and shakily climbed to her feet. She couldn't be more than eighteen or so and must have been pretty new to shifting. Ailill walked alongside her until they were out of the alleyway.

  He led her to the safer parts of the city, as far from the harbors as they could get while she was still so weak. When they reached a pub he trusted, The Ugly Swan, he stopped in front of it and licked her face. Can you change back, sweet?

  I don't know, she said.

  Ailill reached out to her, weaving his magic into hers, lending her energy and helping her change when she struggled to make her body obey. It was not a skill he had to use often, but he was glad it was there for the few occasions it proved necessary. After she had shifted, he did the same, and then slid an arm across her shoulders and led her inside the pub.

  A small man came up, the smell of a dog about him, and he nearly fell over bowing. "Your grace! It's an honor—"

  "The honor is mine, always," Ailill said, smiling politely. "I need a quiet place for the girl to rest."

  "At once, your grace," the man replied and led them through the crowded pub to a private room.

  Ailill handed over a few coins and said, "Food, drink, and have a room and bath prepared for her. Another man might arrive looking for me, a black panther."

  "The Royal Voice, my lord?"

  The words made Ailill blink. "The Royal Voice is a black panther, now? I have been away from Verde for a long time." How had he missed that during the entire length of his recovery? Then again, he had scarcely left his room and remembered little of that time. He smiled crookedly. "Surely there is more than one black panther in the city, however?"

  "Oh—well, to be sure, your grace. I only thought how it was your grace, that you must be meeting with the Voice."

  Ailill laughed. "I have no idea who I am meeting, if I am meeting anyone at all. He chased down the vagrants who hurt the young woman and may come to find me to report on his success."

  Bowing, the man said, "Yes, your grace. I'll just get that food and wine." He slipped away, closing the door behind him, leaving Ailill alone with the girl.

  The room was a decent one, walls and floor of warm, gold wood. The table was scuffed and worn, but well cared for, and the seats padded with soft, velvet cushions. "Have a seat," Ailill said quietly, and he settled the girl into a seat that would let her see whoever walked into the room.

  She had dusky skin, dark brown hair and blue eyes—a halfling, likely from the mountains, where Verde and Piedre overlapped. Ailill felt sick thinking that her mixed heritage was probably why she'd been beaten. The feuding between species had been getting worse and worse in Verde, and that hostility was starting to spill over to include hatred toward 'impure' shifters.

  "Are you all right?" he asked softly.

  "Y-y-yes, your grace. They didn't get in many hits. I am sorry to trouble you," she replied and lowered her head.

  Ailill stroked her hair and gently tilted her face back up. He used his handkerch
ief to wipe her tears away then pressed it into her hands to keep. "It is my honor and duty to help all the children of the Faerie Queen. You are no trouble to me. I am sorry you were hurt. Do you know what provoked them?"

  "I'm mixed and refused to be their whore," the girl said bitterly. "I was just looking for work. None to be found back home in the village, and my family needs the money ..." She shrugged and fell silent.

  It was a common enough situation, children heading into the larger cities to make money to send home to their families. Ailill's mind spun while he contemplated various possibilities, but the thoughts broke off as the door opened. The man from before came bustling in with a tray laden with bread, fruit, roasted vegetables, nuts, and a pitcher of pale pink wine.

  "Thank you," Ailill said.

  "Room is ready, and we'll prepare the bath as soon as milady desires it," the man said. "If you need anything, just ask for Jacques, your grace." He bowed and slipped away again.

  Ailill poured the wine and fixed a plate for the girl. "What's your name?"

  "Celine, your grace."

  "My name is Ailill, though you may have known that," Ailill said with a wink. "I—" He paused when a knock came at the door. "Come in."

  The door pushed open and Ailill stared in surprise at the man who slipped inside. "Noire?"

  Grinning, the man closed the door, moved around the table, and then dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "Your grace, I have come to report that the vagrants who assaulted milady have been captured and detained until you see fit to address them."

  Ailill nodded, but was still too surprised to form words. Noire Chevalier, a boy he had grown up with in a tiny village far from the city he currently called home. It was close to the border of Piedre high in the mountains, tucked into a valley known for its orchards. Noire's family had owned the general store and the post shop.

  Though there were innumerable questions he wanted to ask, duty had to come first. "Where are they being detained?"

  "In a city holding cell two blocks from here, your grace. Shall I escort you? Have them brought to you?"