The Return of the Peacemaker by Cameron Cooper

Author:Cameron Cooper [Cooper, Cameron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stories Rule Press Inc.
Published: 2020-05-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Where are we going?” I asked Ninety-Nine as he headed down the wide passageway.

“My office.”

“You have an office here?”

“Used to. Don’t care what it is now, I’m using it.” He didn’t look at me.

The butler-type-person, Ishmael, appeared as if by magic. “Can I get you anything, sir?”

“Our bags and packs, out on the front porch. Put them in adjoining rooms,” Ninety-Nine said. “We’ll be staying a night or two.”

I was secretly relieved about that. My travel funds were taking a hit, and I usually carried at least double what I thought I would need.

“There is a dark green pack among the bags. I’d like it brought here,” Ninety-Nine added.

Ishmael nodded, as if Ninety-Nine’s orders were perfectly acceptable. Had he been listening in on our conversation with Adam?

Ninety-Nine stopped and opened a door and moved into the room beyond. It looked like a sitting room, with old-fashioned floral sofas and a highly polished coffee table with clawed legs that was possibly real wood.

“Sir, this was your mother’s morning room,” Ishmael said, sounding distressed. “No one goes in here…”

“I won’t be using it for long, and I won’t touch anything,” Ninety-Nine told him. “I would like water, and a pitcher of Luna coffee, with salt—the way Terryanna used to make it. Is that possible?” He was looking around the room, measuring it up.

Ishmael gave a short nod of his head. “I’ll have it seen to.” He went away.

I shut the door after him and turned in time to see Ninety-Nine sink onto one of the overstuffed armchair cushions. He put his face in his hands and for ninety seconds, his shoulders shook.

Then he wiped his face and dried his palms on his trousers and looked at me. “When Adam said my parents were dead, it felt as though he was just…”

“Confirming something you knew,” I finished.

Ninety-Nine gave a great sigh. “Yes. And now, Scipio and Oliver.” He gave another sigh. “We have to stop Zhuan-Peng even if it’s merely to halt the run of deaths in my family.”

“We need to do it for more reasons than that,” I said.

“Yes, but this will be a nice side benefit.” He got to his feet once more. “Adam was always the family shadow, in the background behind my father. Even I recognized that, growing up.”

“There is no one stronger than him who can run the family?” I asked. I recalled Ninety-Nine’s sibling. “What about your other sister? Lyndyn?”

Ninety-Nine opened his mouth. I could see an objection written on his forehead.

“This family doesn’t abide by agnatic primogeniture, does it?” I asked.

Ninety-Nine narrowed his eyes at me. “Wash your mouth out,” he said curtly.

I realized I was smiling.

“Lyndyn doesn’t like political infighting,” Ninety-Nine said.

“She didn’t, six years ago. And things have changed.”

He couldn’t dispute that. “I could contact her. Find out.”

“And what cousin is it who has been keeping you updated, sometimes?”

“Claes. Adam’s son. He’s…” Ninety-Nine screwed up his face. “He’s like Adam.”

Spineless. I nodded. “What about you, then?”

Ninety-Nine looked at me in amazement. “No!”

“Why not?”

“Because…” He frowned.

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