Darkest Misery by Tracey Martin

destroying these cities in order to channel enough of their brand of power to fill the Vessels.”
    â€œYes.”
    Ulan made a noise that sounded like “Hmph.” I couldn’t tell if he didn’t approve of Gunthra talking to me, the theory or if he just didn’t like the sound of this.
    No one should like it. According to Olef, the creatures that had been locked in the Pit weren’t even as human-friendly as modern furies, and modern furies were probably the least friendly of all the pred races. The descriptions I’d read of the originals in Tom’s history books made them sound like demons straight out of a horror movie.
    â€œThis is all very speculative,” Xander said, waving a four-fingered hand dismissively. “I don’t discount Olef’s vision, but I’d like to see some proof that these visions are related to the Vessels.”
    Gunthra’s ears flattened. “One of my people saw the object, felt its power. It matches the description of the Vessels.”
    â€œI’m hardly about to trust the word of a goblin any more than I would trust her word.” He motioned to me.
    Peachy.
    â€œSo long as we’re voicing our concerns,” Claudius said, “I’m not sure I trust a magi’s hallucination. But even if it is true, what are we supposed to do about it?”
    â€œFind the rest of the Vessels before the furies do.” Ingrid’s tone was remarkably controlled under the circumstances. “Exactly what we spoke to you about earlier.”
    â€œA lot of work based on sketchy speculation.” Xander jumped up, the feathers on his head rising with him. “And what if the furies already have the others?”
    Tom smacked his hand against the table. “That’s what we need to find out, ASAP. The sooner we stop bickering, the sooner we can make progress.”
    â€œAnd assuming all this is true,” said Eyff, speaking for the first time, “where do we find these missing Vessels?”
    â€œThey can’t.” Xander raised his arms in defeat.
    Tom sighed. “The Vessels have been lost for over a thousand years. The lore suggests each group involved in creating the prison took one with them, ensuring they would never be reunited. We don’t know how the furies might have gotten their hands on the one or two they did.”
    â€œIt seems unlikely they did then.” Claudius’s face was strained, and as I had last night at dinner, I felt a stirring of something in me that wasn’t my own. I wasn’t even sure what it was. Not lust, and not anxiety exactly, but something that made me suspect Claudius might know more than he was letting on. Interesting.
    Lucen had said Claudius controlled whether he inflicted his emotions on others, and maybe that was usually true. With pureblooded humans. But I was something else, and pred power affected me differently sometimes. In his agitation, could Claudius’s control have slipped? Was I feeling an emotion I wasn’t meant to feel?
    Or was I the one having emotional hallucinations? Goodness knew I was stressed enough for such a thing.
    Lucen tapped his fingers on the table. “Then there’s the mystery of the furies’ interest in Jess.”
    I groaned. Here came more inexplicable weirdness to be met by everyone’s disbelief.
    â€œWhat interest?” Xander yanked out his chair and sat back down, looking pissed off.
    â€œOne of the furies, the local lieutenant, said he didn’t want me getting hurt. He’s protected me on more than one occasion.”
    The magi crossed his arms. “And you don’t know why, naturally.”
    â€œI was hoping we could discuss theories.”
    â€œFrankly, all we have here are theories supported by only the flimsiest of evidence. Without Olef, I’m not sure what there is to discuss.”
    The shorter of the High Council goblins finally broke his silence. “I hate to concur with