Elder by Raine Thomas Read Free Book Online Page A

item I need to fulfill my plans.”
    The others all exchanged looks. Seeing this, Eirik found himself wondering about the status of his two most loyal followers, Bertram and Tycho. He had sent them on a mission to bring the Kynzesti and Lekwuesti to him, but the two males hadn’t been seen since. For their sakes, he thought now, they had better be dead.
    Friedrich once again looked at him. “May I speak with you privately, my lord?”
    Not bothering to respond, Eirik turned and stalked back into the forest where he had emerged. He reminded himself that once he had the powers of an elder, his class would cower before him and beg to be given orders to fulfill.
    “What is it?” he snapped once he was alone with Friedrich.
    Raising an eyebrow, Friedrich crossed his arms over his chest and said, “I request more details about this assignment, my lord. I mean no disrespect, but so far on this journey we have engaged in two bloody battles and suffered significant losses. None of us really has any idea what we are fighting for. While I know you would only ever put forth this kind of effort for something important, we must convince the others or all will be for naught.”
    Clamping down on his fury and impatience, Eirik considered the other male’s words. While he wanted the ability to command the world to do his bidding, he was intelligent enough to know that he had to work on maintaining control among his followers…for now.
    “We are in search of one last element to an artifact that offers unique promise,” he said at last. At least, we had better be , he silently added, thinking of Metis’ comment that Ariana could have lied yet again. “Once I obtain it, I intend to lead our class to greatness.” Seeing the other male’s continued hesitation, he continued, “I will need a solid core of commanders by my side.”
    “What you state sounds rather like something Grolkinei would have attempted,” Friedrich pointed out. “His efforts never did our class any good.”
    He referred to the male who had killed the original Mercesti elder, Volarius, and forever changed the nature of their class. The Mercesti had once been equals with the other classes, sought after for their skills in strategy and innovation. After Grolkinei murdered Volarius with his own sword out of blind rage, he dramatically altered that fact. He forced the Mercesti to either follow him or be killed. Many members of the class turned against each other, resulting in a dark period in Estilorian history.
    Following Grolkinei’s rash and deadly act, the only way a Mercesti could be created was by converting members of other classes. Any being who killed or intended to kill another being based on a reason other than protection converted immediately to a Dark One. There hadn’t been a Mercesti created through the Corgloresti Embrace in over two thousand years.
    “Grolkinei was a fanatic,” Eirik responded. “He lost sight of the larger picture. There are more Mercesti on the mainland than any other class residing at Central. Estilorians retained more knowledge of negative human emotions than positive ones after the planes were separated. Fueling anger and jealousy to turn beings against each other has never been much of a challenge. With all of us united, we will be an unstoppable force.”
    “Again, I do not question your goals, my lord,” Friedrich said. “I have known you for centuries, and we both stopped following Grolkinei for similar reasons. But if we are going to convince other Mercesti that our efforts are different than anything undertaken by Grolkinei, you will have to be more forthcoming with the details.”
    His nostrils flaring, Eirik snapped, “Since when have you known me to be so foolish as to trust just anyone with essential information, Friedrich? You know as well as I do that if word gets out about the artifact I seek, every Mercesti will want it.”
    Nodding, Friedrich said, “Your point is well taken. I do not need all of the