2723 The Long Game (Part 1) "My help with what exactly?" The Council Elder tilted her head to the side, trying to make sense of the charade played in front of her face. 'In her shoes I would never call me. I'd ask Fabel Byrwal maybe even Raagu before coming to me.' Jiza thought. 'I'm certain you are aware that a bounty has been put on Lady Verhen's head" Jirni said, receiving a nod to continue. "I have reason to believe that the instigator comes from the Awakened community but I have no reach there and my daughters have no talent for politics. "With your assistance, however, I can find and eliminate the threat. By helping me you would also be helping yourself since you'd gain the gratitude of both the Brood and the Nest. A fair trade, if you ask me." "Oh, I see" Jiza blinked a few times in understanding "You called me here because you suspect me being the instigator. You wanted to study my reaction upon hearing that the Phoenix and Dragon bloodlines are on my alleged tail. "Smart. Brilliant. You planned to put the literal heat on me and watch me boil." "How can you say that?" Jirni said in outrage but inwardly cursing the Elder for seeing through her plan. "We are family. Despite our differences, we both carry Oghrom's blood and cared about Phloria." "Oh please, spare me the emotional manipulation. Just like you, I have no feelings unless I decide otherwise." Jiza scoffed, dropping the act and revealing her annoyance. "Look, we can dance and play with words all day or we can be straightforward and get this over with this in a few minutes. Your choice." I hoped Jiza would be as conceited as the rest of the Council but I was wrong.'Jirni thought. "This woman isn't at my level, but she received my same training and mental conditioning. 'Also, she's played this game for over half a millennium more than me. Going on like this would just be a waste of time.' "Fine." She actually said but kept her countenance. "You were there the day the Guardians swore their oath, correct?" "Correct." Jiza nodded. "Also, you have a niece, Cylla. She has met Lith in the past, she's of the right age, and you invested quite some resources to make her achieve the violet core just a while ago. Do you deny any of it?" Jirni asked. "Only the part about me wasting resources! The Elder shrugged. "After getting humiliated like a child by someone younger than her and with no background, Cylla got her act together and adhered to a strict training schedule our Household prepared for her. "She did all the hard work, I just passed on to her the secret of the violet core. My plan for her succeeded, like always. I rarely fail." "Am I really supposed to believe this is just a coincidence, then?" Jirni's face was a stone mask. "Are you telling me that you don't want revenge for what happened to Phloria? A daughter for a daughter?" "That's it!" Jiza snapped her fingers in triumph. "You thought it was me because you assumed this was Deirus all over again. That I'm some kind of crazy lunatic who would put her entire household at risk for a petty grudge." "I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." Jirni stared at the Elder's face but she saw no deception nor guilt. Only triumph. "Ah, Jirni, my sweet baby granddaughter" Jiza had a predatory smile on her face that extended to her eyes as she talked to Jirni like a toddler. "I'm honored to be your main suspect. Your reasoning is solid and the legwork you did indeed points in my direction. "On top of that, having no shame or qualms about making an enemy out of your own bloodline is worthy of the heir of Oghrom Gernoff. Yet you are wrong. Your young age is leading you astray but there's no shame in that." "Care to elaborate?" Jirni kept her composure while the Elder had thrown caution to the wind. 'Her showing her emotions like that can mean up to three things. One, I was right and Jiza is not up to my level, just older and more experienced. Two, she has seen my hand and determined that I'm too weak. 'I too don't waste my time and energy deceiving an unworthy enemy. Three, all of the above.' She thought. "Since you are my junior, I'll give you this one lesson for free." Jiza replied, assuming a serious expression again and the lecturing tone of an elementary school teacher. "Your theory is flawed because you think Awakened reason like the humans. "We don't. To find who's after Lady Verhen's life you need to consider the short-, mid-, and long-term game. And when I say long, you must think decades if not centuries, not months and years." Jirni nodded for her to continue. "As any good investigator, you know that to commit a crime, a sane person needs a motive. In this case, it must be strong and important since in case of failure whoever is responsible will make an enemy out of Verhen. "Even if they succeed and later get found out, then they'll have to face the Brood so it can't be something done on a whim. Do you follow me?" 'Clearly, she has been looking into the instigator as well. The question is: is she doing it for the Council or just to get in Lith's good book? In her shoes, I'd find the culprit and bring him their head on a silver platter. 'That way, I'd create a strong bond between our bloodlines.' Jirni thought but just nodded. "That said, what do I have to gain from Lady Verhen's death? Nothing. She's a human Awakened and I'm a human Awakened. I've already seen what's born from the union of a human and the first Tiamat and I'm happy with it." Jiza took out her communication amulet showing the pictures of Elysia that Lith had been forced to let journalists take since the birth of the Magus Baby was soon to be celebrated with another Gala. A small hood covered her hair, hiding the elemental streaks from sight, just to be safe. "Elysia is beautiful, strong, and according to my sources, she's born with at least three elemental affinities. Only time will tell us if she also can develop seven eyes like her father, but that can wait. We humans of the Awakened Council can wait. "The longer Lady Verhen lives, the more babies will be born from the First Tiamat. We have the chance to see the effects of the original source mixing with Awakened human blood multiple times and also to approach them to mix their bloodline with our own. "We humans have no interest in killing Lady Verhen, quite the contrary. The longer she lives, the more babies she'll make, and to us waiting twenty or thirty years for her children to marry ours is not a problem. "In time, we'll access the powers of the Verhen bloodline and create our own branch, looking for mutations and maybe improvements. It's the other races who cannot wait because Verhen's life force is cracked."