Chapter 47
Trying his best to ignore the people in the dining room who were blatantly staring at him and Cyrus, Killian’s gaze trailed over the chicken knicknacks in the white display cabinet on the wall.
There were a few dishes that were also chicken themed, but it was mostly filled with what looked to be chicken figurines made of various materials.
With a few empty seats on either side of him and Cyrus, who was sitting to his left, there were five other people around the long, oval wooden table that appeared to fit sixteen.
Killian’s jaw clenched in irritation out of habit.
Okay, so his attempts to ignore the stares weren't going great, and in fact, he was becoming increasingly pissed off.
At least, the dining room was ‘cute’, even if not exactly his style, with its blue flowery wallpaper, wooden floors, and old-fashioned oval wooden table and chairs.
It did have flat walls, so it got points for that.
After about a minute longer of silence, and even more staring, as they awkwardly sat there waiting for what he assumed was either Ender or the food he could smell cooking, he decided…fuck it.
“Didn’t think I’d ever meet Cryptid Means’ inner circle so casually or in person.
Well, you’re all here, aside from two missing Manticores and your branch manager, Raynir Arken.
But let’s see if I’m remembering you all correctly, since all you’ve done is a whole lot of staring over proper introductions. ”
His gaze flicked to Soren, who currently sat across from them.
“Across from Cyrus is Soren Odette, Harpy, status before Cryptid Means is largely unknown, but you are the official Second in Command, and Domestic Commander of the very wanted revolutionary group Cryptid Means. You are currently suspected of working with terrorists and other illegal organizations, and wanted for espionage, murder, arms dealing, the trafficking of stolen and illegal goods, oh, and not to mention arson. There’s quite a bit of property damage with that last one, but you are currently suspected of a total of one hundred and eighty-five fires.
“Moving right along, the white-blond man to your right is Kore Mckinley, Electric Elemental, Third in Command, and Cryptid Means’ Interstellar Commander.
You had a rap sheet even before joining Cryptid Means, which ran from small-time petty larceny to space piracy, and are currently wanted for the trafficking of illegal goods, murder, and pretty much most of what I listed for Soren.
After joining, you also got the lovely charge of espionage.
“Sporting candy-apple red hair, and sitting on the end to my left, is Dessa Desai, the eldest of a set of triplet Manticores, and Cryptid Means’ Domestic Intelligence Officer.
You, along with your two sisters, Meara and Kaisa—one of whom I believe is currently a stone statue, and the other is likely somewhere else around here—were wanted for hacking and espionage long before joining Ender’s group.
Murder charges were added only a few years after.
“At the other end, the person with deeply tanned skin and black hair is Arco Kyrose, a Cerberus, who, if I’m not wrong, is non-binary.
” He paused as he said that, only continuing after the somber-looking Cryptid nodded.
“Cryptid Means’ Weapons Officer. You were previously the heir to a now defunct mafia organization in Chicago, and had weapons charges from there.
The espionage charges were for being part of Cryptid Means, but curiously, you have never been accused of murder, even to this day, despite your family’s history, and current occupation.
“Lastly, we have Iphy Incana, the Dryad, or as some prefer, Forest Nymph, who is sitting to Arco’s right.
I’m not sure what you are going by right now, as your file listed you as gender fluid, but you are Cryptid Means’ Supply Officer.
No criminal history until joining Cryptid Means, but afterwards, you became wanted for the trafficking and buying of stolen and illegal goods, espionage just due to the group you are part of, and murder.
“You know who we are, so I won’t bother with introductions, but please let me know if I missed anything or mixed anyone up,” Killian finished with a sweet smile.
“It's believed Soren has caused a total of one hundred and eighty-six fires now. You forgot the one that happened about a month ago,” Cyrus drawled, sounding amused.
Killian giggled. “I did indeed.”
Soren smirked, almost smugly. “You are off by hundreds.”
Iphy cleared their throat, and with a small smile, said, “If I am wearing a sun, it’s she/her, and a moon is he/him.”
He nodded, his gaze flicking down to check what Iphy was wearing. The Dryad was currently sporting a sparkling moon on his cropped leather jacket. It wasn’t huge, but it was noticeable enough that it wouldn’t be hard to take note of.
A few others were also smiling now, but none got a chance to say anything more as Ender walked in then from the hallway entrance at his back, grumbling, “Nosy fucking government.”
Dressed in jeans, the man was sporting a brown cowboy hat on his head, and matching boots on his feet. The white T-shirt Ender had on was stretched over his extended stomach.
“You,” the Gorgon hissed as he sat down in the empty seat to Soren’s left, his eyes narrowing on the bird. “I am going to shove my size eleven boot up your ass, you traitorous feathered fuck!”
The Harpy chuckled. “Not sure you waddle fast enough to do that anymore.”
“I-I do not waddle!” Ender spluttered.
Surprisingly, the man wasn’t, as far as Killian had been able to tell the few times he’d watched the Gorgon walk. Ender, in fact, seemed to be moving far too easily for someone so heavily pregnant.
“You hide it well, but I can tell that you definitely are,” Soren stated, sounding very sure of himself.
“Bullshit! I have never waddled in my damn life!”
An evil smirk spread across the Harpy’s face. “You have on multiple occasions, I can list them if you want?”
“I could probably list a few myself,” Dessa cut in between what he could clearly see, now that he knew about their relationship, was two brothers bickering.
“You—” Ender cut off abruptly, before he blurted, in an oddly sweet tone that he’d never heard before, “Zen-Zen.” The Gorgon’s eyes were locked on someone behind him.
Killian looked back, his eyes widening as he spotted Zenny standing in the opening from the hall. “Zenny?”
While he didn’t look any taller than the last time he’d seen him, Zenny’s light curly hair was shiny and clean, as was the rest of him. Wearing black leggings, brown boots, and a pink long-sleeved tunic, his clothes fit well, and the kid looked healthy now, no longer skin and bones.
His eyes widened further when the Cupid scurried over and wrapped his small arms around him. Killian hesitated for a brief moment before hugging him back, while saying, “Not that I’m not happy to see you again, kid, but what are you doing here?”
There was a wide smile on Zenny’s face as he pulled back. The kid scratched his cheek, saying, almost bashfully, “I sort of live here.”
“I thought you said you found homes for all the children we left with you?” Cyrus asked, his fiancé’s voice notably neutral.
Killian could tell the Fate was trying to not be judgmental with his question, and Killian was also trying not to.
Mainly, as while this may not be the best environment for a child to grow up in, with all the illegal activity likely going on here, the fact was, they now had two on the way that would very much be growing up there.
Ender shrugged. “I did, it just so happens Zen-Zen’s is here.” The Gorgon sent a beaming smile the Cupid’s way, as the kid walked around the table to his side. The man gave Zenny a quick one-armed hug before the kid took the empty seat next to him.
“I see…” he said carefully. “How are you doing, Zenny? Like it here?”
“I'm good. Everyone here is nice. And I do like it. They gave me my own room, and even let me decorate and paint it. And there is always food for me to eat. Oh, also there are chickens. They’re funny, I like them,” Zenny said with a smile, before wrinkling his nose and adding, “I don’t like the homework though. ”
Kore chuckled. “Since you mentioned it, you didn’t do your math last night, did you?”
Zenny’s face pinched. “I’ll do it later.”
The Electric Elemental pushed, “Later, as in, after breakfast?”
There was laughter around the table as the kid huffed, “Fine!”
“So…” Killian cleared his throat, his gaze dropping down even though he couldn’t see the Gorgon’s rounded stomach through the table.
He felt almost overwhelmed, and more than a touch panicked as he asked, “How are the babies? I assume with the…issues between our species, you’ve been…monitoring them?”
What he really wanted to ask was what was the likelihood that the child that was genetically his would make it to full term.
Killian knew the statistics for his species too fucking well, but not much Gorgon-wise, and that made him feel on edge.
He hadn’t found shit, aside from basic things, when he’d tried to dig during the drive.
Dead ends meant he’d then tried to not think about all the complications he could in fact list and had witnessed first-hand while stuck in the car, but it had been a continuous fight he hadn’t always won.
Ender stiffened a bit, his hands dropping below the table, likely to protectively cradle his bump.
“Why don’t we eat breakfast and then go to the clinic?
You can ask the doctor all the questions I can see you want to blurt out,” the Gorgon stated, before quickly adding, “Don’t take this as me agreeing to you two staying!
Because I haven’t, and I am not going to! ”
Despite what the man was saying, and his worries, he couldn’t help but smile at the Gorgon’s stubbornness. “If you say so.”
“Don’t patronize me.”
“Please, like you’d let them or their clothes leave at this point,” Soren snickered.
“As he hasn’t thrown a fit this morning, and as of yet, no one else has been turned to stone, I’m not letting them leave at this point,” Kore sighed.
Ender glared at the two men and snapped, “Someone fetch me some rope, I have a few traitors to drown in the pool.”
His brow rose with interest. Pool? Was there really one this far underground? He frowned. Could pools be built underground? Well, he was sure they could, he supposed. At least, they had at one point, hadn’t they? Had they?
Things were rarely made underground, aside from utility shit. Buildings were mobile, with levitation stones that were able to go higher in case of bad weather and natural disasters. Though the government mostly curbed all of that with the atmospheric controls in place now.
“Why don’t you go to the clinic first? Quill woke up late, so it’s going to be a hot minute before food is ready,” Soren stated, completely ignoring Ender’s threats.
“Again?!” Ender huffed. “Do I need to implant a damn alarm into that kid’s skull or something?!”
The Harpy snorted. “If five air horns weren’t enough to wake him up on time, what makes you think that would even work?”