Apotheosis, page 39
Janek suppressed the urge to gape. He knew that he needed centuries of experience more before he could even pretend to master such grandiose abilities. He tried to consider what Luka had told him and realised that he needed to start studying the other Houses in detail. Janek knew that he needed to spend most of the next five years in the library at Narikala with his head inside books.
Those words said, Luka then smiled, relaxing back in his seat. “But, let us take a moment to enjoy our victory! We have done well. Our hated enemies, the Karpati, are no more, and the forces of the von Runstedt clan are greatly diminished – plus, they are surrounded on all sides by enemies. Our House has five years of peace to rebuild its own shattered strength!” Luka shook his head briefly in annoyance as he mentioned that last point – Janek supposed that Luka was considering how he might begin the difficult process of re-arming the new human soldiers that his agents found and bonded into service of the House. Guns and ammunition were remarkably difficult to produce in this post-Upheaval world, and House Ardisi had lost the vast majority of its small arms and ammunition during the Trial by Violence. Tanks and other military vehicles were almost impossible to acquire. House Ardisi would have to make do with those they still had, for the time being. The only consolation was that all the other Houses were in a similar position; Janek decided that matériel would be extremely scarce for the next decade, unless they found ways to increase production by mechanising, embracing human technologies the way House Matoušek had done.
Luka continued. “We have done well, and each of you have done well. I want to thank you for your efforts. Our Lady Tamar thanks you for your service!”
The surviving members of Ana’s squad each smiled, allowing themselves to relax for a moment and bask in the victory of their House. The future would hold chaos and violence – it was certain – but for now, at least, they were safe, and could take a moment of respite to relax and enjoy their recent successes. House Ardisi would be in a precarious position going forward – but it had always been in a precarious position, and now the other Houses were also in very precarious positions. The nights would be blissfully dark, and many opportunities would present themselves to drink the blood of enemies.
EPILOGUE
Carrot and Stick
As the Oshkosh L-ATV rumbled east, Janek tried to think the way Miroslav might. He turned to Luka and asked, “Is there any possibility that House Cordova or House Matoušek might turn on us, allying themselves with either House Sibirsky or House von Runstedt in order to attack us?”
Luka pursed his lips in thought for a long moment before answering. “Perhaps. Oleg Sibirsky offered such an alliance directly at the Blood Council, but I suspect that he was merely trying to sow chaos and paranoia. In reality, I think Oleg will seek an even closer alliance with Ludwig von Runstedt; together, they may try to attack Ondřej Matoušek during the Peace – since House Matoušek did not participate in the Trial by Violence, it is not protected by the Peace – in order to reduce the number of allies we can count on once the Peace has concluded.” He shrugged. “Of course, betrayal by House Matoušek is not beyond the realm of possibility either, despite being incredibly unlikely.”
Janek nodded slowly, pausing to try to think like Miroslav, before saying: “Every possibility – no matter how remote – must be accounted for and planned against if it is reasonably possible to do so.”
Luka looked at Janek with newfound respect, pleased to see that he was already trying to fulfil his new responsibilities. “Yes, I agree,” he replied.
“So what shall we do?” Janek asked quietly, violence in his tone. He respected Ondřej Matoušek, who had always treated him with respect; more, he considered Anton Horak to be a friend. But they were not Ardisi, and he felt any friendship had to be put aside if they posed a danger to his House. Perhaps it would be better to kill them all before they had a chance to betray Lady Ardisi… His hunger flared as he considered sinking his fangs into Ondřej Matoušek’s throat.
“We will take this convoy directly to Toktogul after leaving two squads of soldiers in Plovdiv,” Luka answered. “We will meet with Ondřej Matoušek, and I will offer him the protection of four squads of soldiers for the duration of the Peace, in exchange for a solemn vow of allegiance, just as Ivan Radošević gave.” He shrugged. “If he refuses, we will kill them all, except for Ondřej, who will be returned to Lady Tamar in chains.”
“What about the werewolves?” Janek asked.
Luka shrugged. “They are unlikely to be present at our meeting with Ondřej, who does not yet know that we know about his unlikely allies. Thus they will not be able to intervene until House Matoušek is either our vassal or destroyed.” He scratched his chin. “I have nothing against the pack; should it be necessary to destroy House Matoušek, I hope that they choose not to confront us in the future. But if we have to destroy them, we will.”
Janek nodded and Ana grunted. They both knew that hunting werewolves was likely to result in a large loss of life, and the Ardisi ranks were already depleted from the recent bloodshed with House Karpati and House von Runstedt. Tomaz alone was impassive, driving the Oshkosh L-ATV calmly, knowing that the decision was out of his hands, and that whatever happened, he would be at Ana’s side, killing anyone or anything she ordered him to kill, and anyone who threatened her. “To Plovdiv, and then to Kara-Köl Manor,” Tomaz sighed. “My ass is going to be shaped like this chair before long,” he complained.
Ana glanced reprovingly at Tomaz but couldn’t hide her smile. Luka also smiled slightly, but his eyes were already staring vacantly out through the tiny, reinforced window as he considered the upcoming meeting with the Lord of House Matoušek, and how he might best approach it in order to achieve the optimal outcome. Janek’s face remained stone; his thoughts swirled as he considered the machinations of the Blood Council, and the bloodshed that might be unleashed. He had a long time to brood upon such thoughts: it was a long way to Kara-Köl Manor.
Lord Ondřej Matoušek relaxed in his throne, but his eyes were hard as he considered that nearly thirty Ardisi warriors were standing before him, with Luka at their head. “Welcome to Kara-Köl Manor, Lord Luka Sidamoni,” he finally said, with a softly dangerous voice. “I assure you that my lands are not so dangerous as to require you to bring such an accomplished and numerous guard detail…”
Luka bowed low. “Thank you, my Lord Ondřej Matoušek,” he replied. “Of course, Janek had previously told me of the swift strides you have made to secure your new domain and to build the strength of your House. However, it is not fear of banditry that had me bring these soldiers into your home, but wariness of House Sibirsky and House von Runstedt.”
The beautiful Sofija Balodis, wearing a diaphanous gown and standing beside Ondřej’s throne, spoke. “You believe that Oleg and Ludwig might attempt to attack us during these five years of Peace after the Trial by Violence?”
Luka nodded at Sofija. “It is one possibility that my Lady Tamar Ardisi would be remiss to ignore,” he agreed, before looking back at Ondřej Matoušek. “House Matoušek is not protected by the Peace, as it abstained at the previous Council. If either Ludwig or Oleg were to absorb your power, my lord, then together they would pose a true threat to my mistress.”
Ondřej smiled grimly from his throne. “I hope that Ludwig tries. I will eat his heart,” he declared.
“Perhaps it is so,” Luka replied dubiously. “Perhaps. However, Oleg Sibirsky is another matter altogether, I am sure you will agree…”
Ondřej’s grim face turned even stonier, and he paused a long time before responding “Perhaps.”
Luka’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Perhaps? My lord, I would appreciate your candour: how many members of your House have mutations for The Crimson Mist? And of those, how many have fully recovered from the process of turning? And of those, how many have had even one short decade of proper training and experience?”
Ondřej glanced at Anton Horak and gave him a short nod. Anton spoke: “We have turned almost fifty vampires since arriving in these lands. Twenty-nine of those have strong mutations for The Crimson Mist. Fourteen have recovered fully, with another ten able to perform light garrison and patrol duties.” He audibly ground his teeth together. “None of them are more than a decade old.”
“They are children!” Luka hissed. “I do not doubt the strength of your bloodline, Lord Matoušek, or the abilities of either Anton or Anita in training those newer members of your House; but time and experience forge the best soldiers.”
“It is true,” Ondřej agreed. Janek saw that Luka was waiting to see if Ondřej would say more, to perhaps disclose his alliance with the werewolf pack, but Ondřej merely waited, silent. It was clear that Ondřej believed that the werewolves were not known to the Ardisi, and he intended to keep them a secret: perhaps a weapon to be used in future against the House that had given him succour in its time of need?
Nothing changed in Luka’s expression as he continued. “Originally, I had considered visiting you with only Ana, Tomaz and Janek for counsel, but the threat to your House and therefore to my own could not be ignored. So, I brought twenty-four seasoned Ardisi warriors to be integrated into your command and control structures, and to follow your orders – four squads led by extremely capable squad commanders, to help you protect your domain and defend it against possible incursions by those Houses to the north. Even though you did not ask for our help in this regard – for which I commend you – it is only rational that you accept it now that it is offered.”
Sofija smiled a wide, knowing smile. “We appreciate your trust in us, that you would be willing to integrate your soldiers into our command and control structures so readily,” she murmured.
Luka gave her a small bow. “Of course we trust you! You are our friends; we implore you to accept our offer, as a small token of our trust for you.” Luka blinked. “However, some small reciprocal token of trust would be required, of course…” Luka’s voice trailed off suggestively.
“What type of token of trust would suffice?” Sofija asked, her knowing smile turning acid.
Luka looked back at Ondřej Matoušek. “You must swear a Blood Oath of allegiance to my Lady Tamar Ardisi, which will bind you at least until our mutual enemies – House von Runstedt and House Sibirsky – are either subjugated or destroyed. In return, we offer to help you secure your survival, the means by which to build your strength, and the opportunity to exact your revenge upon Ludwig von Runstedt. You will be the one to feast upon his blood,” Luka assured him.
Ondřej didn’t blink. He understood that there was a threat implied in the offer: that if he refused, these twenty-four seasoned warriors would kill his coven while Luka, Ana, Tomaz and Janek handled Ondřej himself. “It is a gracious offer, indeed,” was his cold response.
Sofija was staring at Luka with disgust written on her features. Anton’s gaze was jumping between the House Ardisi representatives and his Lord Ondřej, an expression of bitter betrayal in his eyes. Luka slowly took an empty silver vial and a small silver knife from his coat pocket. Sofija looked at the vial as one might look at a hissing viper; Ondřej looked at it as one might look at a disgusting slug. “A gracious offer,” Ondřej repeated, before tapping his fingers on the arm of his throne to buy himself a few more seconds to think.
Anton spoke suddenly, his voice filling the silence. “If our enemies attack us, and your soldiers spill their blood to defend us, won’t you be in violation of the Blood Council Pax? I know that House Ardisi is honourable, and will not defy an edict of the Blood Council; but in that case, what protection can you possibly promise?”
“We shall announce to the other Houses that our soldiers have been integrated into your defences. If they attack you, they will be knowingly attacking us, and themselves breaking the Blood Council Pax. The presence of our soldiers in your defensive patrols will thus guarantee your safety,” Luka replied to Anton calmly.
“Guarantee?” Sofija spat, incredulity staining her voice. “You know as well as I do that there are no guarantees. If House von Runstedt joins forces with House Sibirsky, they may well decide that their combined strength is great enough to destroy the other Houses combined, and deliberately violate the edict of the Blood Council.”
Luka bowed slightly again toward Sofija, then turned his gaze back to Ondřej. “All the more reason to have our soldiers in place to defend your borders. If Ludwig and Oleg abandon honour and decide that the Blood Council has outlived its usefulness, House Ardisi stands ready to reprimand them most gravely.”
Ondřej tapped his fingers against the armrest of his throne again, and his eyes flickered toward Sofija briefly before coming back to rest on Luka. The silence turned absolute as the implied threat of what Luka had announced hung in the air: House Ardisi was powerful and willing to destroy any House who acted in an adversarial manner against it. This was as true for House Matoušek as it was for House Sibirsky or House von Runstedt. Finally, Ondřej sighed slightly; he was cornered like a rat in a trap, and he knew it. Some trace of bitterness infected his voice as he said: “Luka, I am a man of honour, and House Matoušek is an honourable House. All of these threats are as unnecessary as they are unseemly. That you believe that I might betray you to my most hated enemy, Ludwig von Runstedt, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Aside from that, of course I know that the survival of my House is best ensured by maintaining our friendship with House Ardisi.”
Luka bowed low once again. “My lord, not once did I believe that you would betray us; however, the stakes are so high that I dared not leave my mistress exposed to even the smallest, most remote risk.” He met Ondřej’s eyes again, firmly. “Believe me when I say that my mistress never asked me to require your Blood Oath, nor to threaten you and your House with violence to gain it. I chose to require it of you, and chose my methods also, out of my own overabundance of caution.”
Ondřej nodded, considering what Luka had said. At length, he finally assented. “Fine,” he announced, holding out his hand.
Luka bowed solemnly, carefully placing the vial and knife into the outstretched hand of Ondřej Matoušek, before backing away two steps.
“Lord Ondřej Matoušek, do you so declare the allegiance of House Matoušek to House Ardisi, to be its faithful vassal, from this day henceforth, and to follow the orders given to you by Lady Tamar Ardisi, completely and totally and without hesitation, until the destruction of House von Runstedt and House Sibirsky has been achieved?” he asked.
“I do,” Ondřej hissed, then sliced into his arm with the knife. His thick, black blood dripped into the vial, filling it, then he licked his wound to congeal it and screwed the stopper onto the vial. He handed the vial back to Luka and licked the knife clean before placing it into his own pocket.
“House Ardisi warmly receives the Blood Oath of allegiance from House Matoušek,” Luka intoned, completing the ceremony.
Ondřej Matoušek grunted somewhat sourly. His countenance expressed his displeasure at the apparent necessity for his oath; but his was a weak House, and he knew that it depended for its survival upon the strong.
Luka smiled. “Now Anton can begin the work of integrating our soldiers into your defences. While he does that, perhaps you will be willing to take me to Shamalyk, below the peak of Gora Babash-Ata, to visit your other friends: the werewolf pack?”
Anton and Sofija gaped with shock, and even Ondřej blinked in surprise. “You know about them, then?” Ondřej asked, his voice mild.
Luka nodded. “Janek observed them when he visited you last time.”
Ondřej peered at Janek, who nodded slightly. “Impressive. You were more powerful than I had realised, then. And you are even more powerful, now… I will not make the mistake of underestimating you again,” he grinned with bleak humour, and Janek bowed in response. Ondřej stood. “Sofija, you are to stay in the manor. Anton, you take the Ardisi squads north to Toktogul, introduce them to Anita, and then begin to assign them to patrols and guard posts.” He turned back toward Luka. “Come, my lord; I will take you to Shamalyk.”
Ondřej and Luka stood in the middle of the village, with Ana, Tomaz and Janek just behind them. The matriarch of the pack stood facing Luka, her guards around her. Janek had never been this close to a werewolf before; they did not look as beastly as he had expected. The guards were powerfully muscled and hairy – not fur, but human-like hair, grown thick – although the females were noticeably less hairy than the males. From a dozen metres away, most humans would probably mistake a werewolf for another human, if perhaps a particularly fit and strong one. But closer than that, even a dull-eyed human would see that the facial structure of the werewolf was completely different: they were predators, with sharp teeth and strong jaws, their mouths were larger and could open wider than any human’s, and their faces were all hard angles and sharp ridges. The matriarch looked almost small in comparison to her guards, who stood watchfully around her. She was old, with grey hair and a slightly stooped back, and while she had strong muscles, her frame wasn’t huge like theirs. Instead, there was a sense of strength and wisdom about her, rather than mere raw physical strength. That said, Janek knew that she had probably been alive for centuries, and tasted the blood and flesh of many enemies, including vampires; he was certain that she was probably almost as powerful a warrior as a vampire like Ondřej Matoušek was. But it was her wisdom and cunning that had made her the leader of this pack, and upon which its survival depended.
