Chapter LXXIV - Graendal's Big Day Out

Graendal strode happily through the Imperial Palace in Seandar. She was more modestly dressed than usual, of course, for one had to blend in at times. It would not do to be questioned because she was inappropriately attired. Beyond that, she had few worries. She was reliably informed that Semirhage would be occupied for the next day or two and no one else on this continent would have any interest in her.

She knew where she was going. She always planned her actions carefully. The High Lord Selvin was by all accounts a man of stunningly good looks and she wanted him for her collection. The fact that she would have plucked him out from under Semirhage's nose would just make it all the more delicious. Her fellow Chosen need never know she was here, she would be in, take her latest pet, make it look like he had been assassinated, and be gone long before Semirhage returned.

One of the many soldiers in the palace walked past her, his eyes widening slightly and lingering on her as he went. Not an uncommon reaction. He was not quite pretty enough for her collection sadly and not high enough ranking either.

It wasn't long before she came to High Lord Selvin's rooms, a quick web leaving the guards outside more than happy to let her in. Of course anti-Traveling wards covered the palace, Semirhage was not stupid enough to leave herself vulnerable to a Light Bringer special. Especially since they all now knew that Lews Therin had at least three sa'angreal at his disposal, although Graendal was sceptical that the Choedan Kal were still functional after the cleansing.

And there he was, the High Lord Selvin. Looking just as delicious as she had anticipated. Graendal licked her lips at the sight. He was alone, other than some nude slave girl, already looking up in irritation at her uninvited entrance. Perfect.

She spun compulsion, delicately on him and the girl. The girl would remember nothing. The High Lord would escort Graendal out of the building to disappear with her and Semirhage would be none the wiser. She wanted to shiver with delight at stealing such a pretty man from under her 'colleague's' nose. She almost wanted her to find out. Only after everything had been safely done of course.

The question was, if he was to keep his ridiculous fingernails, what role should she put him in? Perhaps he might make a good footstool. Lord Beric was getting a bit worn down and might need to be replaced soon.

"Shall we depart? Time is short after all." She smiled at her new pet, he would believe she was a valuable ally, to be helped in any way he could. For now. Of course by the time she was done with him, he would think of her as nothing less than a goddess.

"Indeed, come my lady, let us be off." High Lord Selvin strode over to the doors and opened them wide as Graendal followed happily after, keeping a respectful distance behind him for appearance's sake.

That distance gave her time to curse and dive aside as a shield was thrown at her connection to saidar. Three of the leashed were waiting for her. How had she been caught?! Was it Semirhage's work?

It did not matter, she was already channeling. One of them went down screaming in flames.

One of the remaining two spun a barrier while the other sent a blade of air into the room. They were weak, fortunately. Graendal would have enjoyed making their deaths slower for the inconvenience they had presented to her, but she was now on a timetable. Spinning fast she sliced through the attack directed at her and reached out with the Power. A barrier of air did nothing to stop more subtle webs. One of the leashed simply fell, dead, the other exploded. Moments later their handlers died.

With a scowl Graendal spun saidar into an illusion over herself, her appearance changing. She would need to make a quick escape now. It would be embarrassing if Semirhage caught her here. At least otherwise she could deny everything and say she had been framed by one of the other Chosen like Sammael had when he defected.

More leashed and leash holders came running down the corridor to see her form rippling. For fuck's sake! Would nothing go right today? She would need to kill them or break contact and change her appearance. She might even have to abandon her new pet.

With a growl of exasperation Graendal sent fire spiraling down the corridor towards them. Her web was cut, but that was fine. Inverted air, razor-sharp sliced straight through one's ankles. None of them individually was as strong as her although the four of them combined were much stronger than she was. She ignored the screaming leashed, rapidly cutting through everything the other three sent at her as she advanced on them. Their skill was nothing compared to hers.

In a flash she ripped a block from the wall and sent it careening into one of the leashed and then laid a web of compulsion over a leash holder and leashed. They turned on the final one and she easily dispatched both pairs while they were distracted.

After a moment Graendal picked up her pace. Dignity was all very well, but it was time for her and High Lord Selvin to be gone.

=============

Graendal was starting to get worried. She had already abandoned her new pet, sending him back to his rooms. She might return for him later if she got the chance, but protecting him from the leashed was becoming inconvenient. He would not betray her in the meantime, not with the compulsion she had laid on him. For now her goal was escape before she had to do something that would truly infuriate Semirhage. The woman held grudges to the point of insanity. She was almost as bad as Lanfear for that.

With a growl she sliced a pair of soldiers in half with air before throwing their remains at the rest of their squad. This really had ruined her day. More leashed were coming and her progress was slowing. A blast of fire forced her to pause and duck back for cover before she sent her own, far more powerful, blast hurtling down the corridor.

She was rewarded with a scream and stepped back out again, sending waves of the Power down the corridor. People always underestimated her, thought that she was weak or stupid because she knew what she wanted in life. They forgot that she was one of the most powerful and skilled channelers alive. She casually sliced the webs directed at her and retaliated with her own, razor sharp air spiraling down the corridor. One of the leashed fell, bleeding profusely. The others were retreating, but still fighting. These ones were annoyingly strong, although none of them could match her individually.

She passed an empty side corridor as she advanced, sowing destruction among them and enjoying every death as recompense for her ruined day.

=========

Setulin stood very very still as the marath'damane strode past her, apparently dueling and winning against four strong damane. She could barely control her breathing at the fear she felt, but the woman passed by without seeing her.

The arrogance of the marath'damane to return to the palace a third time was unbelievable. Yet more evidence, if the destruction she was causing was not enough, of the need to leash these women. Still, perhaps she herself could provide some recompense for the five damane that she had stolen away during that strange event that had had all of the damane so terrified. She seemed to be as strong as any of them.

Setulin took a very deep breath. She would do her duty for the Empress even if it resulted in her death. As she let the breath out, she stepped out behind the marath'damane, reaching out and, yes! The collar clicked closed around the marath'damane's neck.