Chapter 4 #2
“I don’t recognize the number,” Niki groused. “Could be someone from the council.” He accepted the call, his deep voice answering, “Holland,” while his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel. Obviously, Niki was gearing up for a verbal fight.
“Warlock Holland, forgive the intrusion.”
I groaned. Niki was right. It was the council calling, just the wrong one. I kind of wish Niki hadn’t been responsible and privately answered his phone instead of sending it through his vehicle system.
Niki threw me a questioning glance before he bluntly asked, “Who is this?”
“Ah, yes…introductions are proper. This is—”
“Martin,” I butted in. “Why are you bothering Niki?” I didn’t attempt to keep the whine out of my voice.
“You know this individual?” Niki asked.
I blew out an irritated breath. “Unfortunately. Martin is Keir’s secretary.”
“Keir? Who is—”
“I prefer the term assistant.” Martin sounded huffy.
“And I would prefer not calling you anything at all, but unfortunately, we don’t always get what we want.” I glared at the tips of my claws, sliding their sharp points against each other and making a clicking sound that would soon irritate Niki.
A loud huff came through the speaker. “So sorry for bothering you, Hikaru. It’s not like we’re—”
“You’re not bothering me. You’re bothering Niki.” I offered Niki what I considered my most innocently infectious smile. Niki’s lips didn’t so much as twitch.
“I wouldn’t be bothering Niki if—”
“Nikodemus,” Niki damn near growled. “Warlock Holland would work as well.”
I inwardly beamed. It looked like only I got to call Niki, Niki. “Awe, you really do like me,” I damn near purred.
“Hardly.” Niki batted my tails away. “I simply know when to save my breath. Telling you not to call me that absurd name is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.”
I thought about being offended, but Niki wasn’t wrong. “True enough.”
“Apologies, Warlock Holland.” I rolled my eyes at Martin’s stiff tone. “As I was saying before, I wouldn’t have to bother Warlock Holland if you’d carry a damn phone, Hikaru.”
“Electronic devices do not survive transportation.” I’d told Martin that hundreds of times.
“And that wouldn’t be an issue if you hadn’t up and transported halfway across the country when we need you the most.”
“Oh please. Keir’s got everything under control.” Cupping my mouth, I leaned toward Niki and whispered, “He’s a gryphon. Stuffy creatures all around. Boring to the point of growing mold due to stagnancy.”
“Keir is not boring!”
Niki and I both cringed. “A matter of opinion I suppose.” Martin was a dryad. A mighty oak if memory served. Martin appreciated stability. No wonder he liked Keir’s company.
“Sweet Gaia, you are so frustrating to talk to.” Martin already sounded exhausted. It wasn’t a record for me, but the short time frame was admirable.
“See, you should be thanking me for not keeping one of those detestable modern phones on me at all times. I’m doing you a favor, Martin. I do not wish to speak with you, and you do not wish to speak with me. I do not see the problem.”
This time, Niki’s lips twitched. His fingers were looser upon the steering wheel, and his posture was far more relaxed as we drove down the highway. I threw Niki a wink and my chest warmed when his cheeks pinked.
“You make me want to pull my leaves out.” I started to reiterate that it wasn’t me who’d called, but Martin. Before I could utter a word, Martin said, “Keir wants you back here.”
“As I said before, we all want something. We simply can’t have it all the time.”
“Hikaru.” Martin twisted my name into something curse like. “Listen, I don’t have time for this. Last I knew, you were still part of the Magical Usage Council. Is that true or not?”
“I’m not sure.” I wanted to keep my options open. Being a part of the council might be…entertaining, but right now it was a chaotic mess. I didn’t like messes that weren’t of my making.
I could practically hear Martin’s molars grinding. “You aren’t sure?”
“No.” It seemed a simple enough concept.
“I see. Well, let me make something clear then. You’d better get sure, and get sure quick.
We need all the help we can get. Tenzen really…
” Martin sighed, long and deep. “We’re still trying to figure out who’s still in hiding and who didn’t make it.
We need the help, but I’m not going to beg you to come back.
While we need the assistance, after what happened with Huxley, Keir only wants those who believe in the council and truly want to work to make the council relevant and helpful again.
If you can’t or won’t do that, then do us all a favor and don’t come back. ”
Martin ended the call without so much as a goodbye. “Rude,” I huffed, arms crossed and tails madly twitching.
“You think that was rude?” Niki asked.
I shrugged. “They’re asking a lot.” I stared out the window.
It wasn’t simply agreeing to be a part of the Magical Usage Council again.
The compound had been my home for centuries.
It was the place I’d grown up, the place Tenzen kept me safe, the place he’d honed my magic to one day harvest and destroy me.
Was it any wonder my emotions were at war when it came to thoughts of the council?
Niki was quiet for a moment, his fingers tapping along the steering wheel. Without looking my direction and voice barely audible, he said, “Perhaps they are.”
The pressure in my chest eased, allowing me to nap the rest of the way to my new home.