Chapter 61 Mind Raking #2
Ender had said a Fate was responsible for what happened to the Gorgons, and now he knew there was so much more to it than that. Cyrus hadn’t seen anything, it was just one of those moments where he knew things without ever having been told.
One of his relatives, just like what his bastard cousin was doing now at their branch of the Bureau, had Mind Raped Ender.
Mind Raking, a name that was a pathetic attempt to understate what it actually meant, wasn’t something he had ever done. Cyrus knew the mechanics of it, and he likely could do it, even though he’d never tried. But he wouldn’t. He never would.
And it wasn’t because it was technically illegal, or that it would make things too easy.
Which it was, and it would have. Taking the will, and all the knowledge he could, from any criminal he touched, would have made his job really fucking easy, but he would never…
No one should ever perform such an utterly vile act, because it was a betrayal of freewill, of every fucking moral compass his people—the Fates—claimed to have.
Freewill was at the basis of their principles.
While there was, for most things, always other paths, it was up to the individual to make those choices.
Fates could guide the world as they knew it, and influence the people around them to do what they thought would lead to the best possible outcome, but they were not supposed to steal the freewill of others and make those choices for them.
Sure, they technically could and did manipulate their way to get what they wanted, but Mind Raking was so much worse than that.
It was also something he rarely thought about.
Ender’s reaction…though…was clear enough. Yet… He took a deep breath and hesitantly asked, “Did my scent make it worse?”
Ender had to take a stuttered breath before he managed to answer. “A-a bit…”
“I’m sorry.”
“Ha—” The man let out a sad sounding chuckle. “—It’s not you…not really.”
Killian pulled back a little, the Siren looking worried as he ran a hand over the Gorgon’s baby bump. “Nothing’s hurting, is it? You shifted fast and fought pretty hard.”
Ender shook his head. “No…they are pretty well protected in there…”
Cyrus licked his lips. “You knew them personally, didn't you? The person who betrayed your kind?”
“I…” the Gorgon hesitated, even as the man flinched at the question.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
Sighing, Ender twisted a bit in his hold, so he was resting on his back, the Cryptid’s tired gaze meeting his.
“I can…tell a little. It's probably best if you know at least some of it. So you have a heads up as to what to do when I lose my shit. Though—” The Gorgon tsked in disgust. “—considering my instinct was to poison you, if I’m that close, grabbing me is definitely the best option.”
Killian laced one of his hands with Ender’s. “Just tell us what you feel comfortable sharing.”
“His name was…Halus Grimm, and I more than knew him. He was a lifelong friend… I don’t know when that stopped being true. At least, for him.
“For me, I know. After I had already dug my dead family out of my destroyed house, I went looking for my brother…the only body I hadn’t found.
The exact moment, I suppose, was when I stood there in front of the crater that was all that remained of my brother’s house, when he, without any shame or regret, told me that it was all meant to be.
It wasn’t hard to realize that he knew… Even worse, that he was responsible… ”
“From the reports, to this day, it’s said that someone unidentified leaked the location, and that the population was significantly Cryptid.”
The humans had apparently written off the smaller human population there as traitors…so it was an ‘acceptable’ loss.
“I know. But it was him, and they know it was. The friendship I thought we had was actually an obsession on his part. And every year, it’s that moment that sets me off into a rampage. Probably because I wanted to at the time, but the bastard froze everything, and then he took me.”
He’d barely heard anything, and already Cyrus was almost afraid to hear more. And he knew there was more.
“Three months…that was how long it took Soren to find where he’d taken me.”
“Fuck…” Cyrus cursed, even as his brow rose on hearing that he’d known the Harpy even back then. But he supposed it made sense, based on what the Harpy had said to him on the ship months ago.
Killian looked like he wanted to say something, but the Siren stayed quiet.
“Yeah, I'm afraid you already know where this is going. Have to say, I’ve always thought Mind Raking too pretty of a word for what it actually is, even before really knowing all of what it entailed.
“It's likely you two have never felt it, but let me tell you, it’s violating in so many ways. Being fully aware, feeling everything…knowing he’s in there…
” Ender paused briefly, but when he continued, his breathing seemed to speed up along with his words.
“Once someone’s inside…after a few days…
they don’t even…have to be touching you to control you anymore…
I’m not actually sure—” The man swallowed.
“—how long it took though… It wasn’t easy to keep track of time…
I woke and slept when he wanted me to. I don’t know how many hours that was, or even the times of day it happened.
My only real reprieve was sleeping… As it turns out, you can’t dream when someone is controlling you.
“The nicest way to describe what happened was that I was a doll he played house with. I was never a person to him. I was something he wanted, so he took me after destroying everything I cared about, and then he…uh…he tried to replace—”
Cyrus’ chest clenched painfully when Ender’s words choked off as the Gorgon seemed to lose his breath. The man was in fact swiftly moving into hyperventilation territory, tears once again flooding his eyes.
Slowly brushing one of the droplets away when it broke free, Cyrus rasped, “I’m sorry. Don’t cry. You don’t have to say any more, Ender. I’m so sorry.”
Killian pressed his face against the man’s shoulder. “I can’t say it’s okay, but I can say we’re here, and he is not. You aren’t alone.”
“I’m sorry,” Cyrus found himself uselessly saying again. But then, what else could one say when being related to a monster who had caused so much pain. A monster who his family had hidden and…
Was the bastard still alive somewhere, just living his life? Had he even been punished?!
Not alone? Well, that he couldn’t deny. Though not necessarily because they were there. But they were mighty warm, and he was starting to get spoiled by them because of that. Still, Ender had his babies. His hand slowly ran protectively over his bump.
When his gaze flicked up to Cyrus, he found that the Fate’s eyes were red-rimmed and glossy. The man looked upset, like he was about to cry.
Ah, I have further ruined Cyrus’ understanding of his family, haven’t I?
He pinched the Fate’s nose. “Like I told you before, don’t apologize for something you didn’t do.”
He let go when the man didn’t even bat his hand away, and instead just apologized again. “I’m still sorry for what my family did. Based on what happened, and what is going on now at the Bureau, they are not who I thought they were…and for being so na?ve, I am sorry.”
“You’re young, it comes with the territory.” Ender sniffed as his tears dried up. “Tell me, who in your extensive family have you really interacted with?”
“I can answer that, at least from the age of fourteen and on,” Killian mused.
“Besides some of the various Grimms who work in the Bureau, we’ve mainly had contact with those near our own age.
Probably the only older relative he’s had heavy contact with outside that is Etholus.
Though, personally, I have only met him like five times. ”
“Is that so?”
“He’s correct. Aside from those at work, and when I was working under one of my cousins from the older generations, the only person I’ve had extensive contact with is my Uncle Etholus, and even then, it was just a handful of times.
My parents mostly kept me away from the others, and it seems there was a good reason for that. ”
The question was…what reasons did Cyrus’ parents have, aside from the obvious?
As a yawn forced its way out, he decided now was not the time to uncover anything. “Let’s sleep…I’m tired.”