Chapter 14
Fourteen
Martin
Keir had moved the wyvern eggs to his own, personal quarters.
When I entered, I found them snuggled up, ringed by pillows and sitting on an electric blanket set to warm, not too hot.
Keir was sitting in a chair, gaze fixed on them as if they might hatch any minute and fly away.
Either that, or he was going to vomit soon. I couldn’t exactly tell which.
“Have you contacted anyone yet?” I asked, sitting opposite my old friend, the eggs between us.
Keir shook his head. “I’m still investigating who would be the best to approach.
” He flinched. “I’m not sure there is a best option here, but I think a little prudence is called for.
I stand by what was said earlier. If the parent of these eggs was still alive, then they would have been found long ago and likely the compound would be little more than caved-in rubble. ”
I couldn’t disagree. “Then most likely their parent is deceased.”
Keir gave a slow nod. “But how did they die?” He finally moved his gaze from the eggs to me. I’d never seen Keir’s eyes so haunted. “Wyvern are hard to kill.” Keir swallowed hard. “Did… Do you think Huxley killed them? To get the eggs?”
Now I felt nauseous. “I think it’s entirely possible.”
Another slow nod. “If that’s the case, then the council has yet another atrocity to own up to. Not only wyvern egg theft, but the murder of their parent. I cannot imagine any wyvern would let that go easily.”
Neither could I. “Wyvern aren’t mindless animals. I have to believe they will understand. This wasn’t us. We didn’t know. We’re trying to solve the problem, not add to or compound it.”
“You could be correct. Goddess knows I hope you are. But there are no guarantees, not when it comes to offspring. Children are precious and rare in many of our communities, wyvern especially so.” Keir leaned forward, just as Tabitha did yesterday.
His fingers reached out, as if to touch the eggs only to pull back.
“They’re beautiful, what’s inside, doubly so.
” Keir sat back, shoulders slumped. “What else has Huxley hidden in our walls, Martin?” Keir’s words were soft and full of agony.
“Foolishly, I thought finding Hikaru’s tail remnant would be the worst offense, but this…
Will each find bring even greater horror? ”
My heart ached for my friend. “I don’t know. Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out.”
“Indeed, that is true. I never dreamed—not even in my darkest nightmares—what hiring Grayson Delarue would lead to.”
Something tightened in my chest. “Do you regret hiring him?”
Keir was quiet a beat too long for my comfort.
“No. How can I? We cannot stop simply because we do not like what we find. The truth is too important. Huxley’s secrets need to be found.
That is the only way we can purge the shadow born from our lives.
It is the only way to truly move forward.
We must right his wrongs.” Keir held up a hand, knowing what I was going to say next.
“I know, Martin. I know I was not the one who did this, that none of us are guilty of the acts themselves. Our guilt is in our gullibility and na?veté, for allowing a monster to reign unchecked within our midst. It is our lack of earlier action that we must make amends and ask forgiveness for.”
“And we will be there, all of us, to beg such forgiveness, no matter who we must kneel before.”
Keir’s features softened. “I do not deserve such faithful friends.”
“Do not say such idiotic things. No one deserves them more.” I shifted forward, gaze once more focused on the eggs.
“Now, we need to act soon. I understand your desire for caution and even agree with it. However, we do know about the eggs now, and keeping them away from their kind any longer than necessary escalates the danger.”
“Agreed.” Keir stood and walked to a nearby side table. Grabbing an electronic tablet, he settled back into his chair. His head snapped up, eyes full of apology. “Forgive me. I didn’t offer you any tea.”
My heart truly ached for Keir. “It’s fine. I’m perfectly capable of fetching my own cup. Now, what have you found?”
With a quiet nod, Keir woke up his device, pressed a few buttons and then passed the device to me. “I’ve narrowed it down to two options.”
The names staring back at me meant nothing. “Lazarus Azure and Verona Perez.” I cocked my head to the side and asked, “Any particular reason you’ve settled on these names?”
Keir’s complexion held a touch of green.
“No other reason than both currently live in the Americas. Verona lives in Central America and Lazarus about two hundred miles north of us. Other than that, I can find little to no information on either one beyond the fact that both are obscenely wealthy and have a great deal of power and influence. You would think that would make finding information on them easier. I assure you, it does not.”
I handed the tablet back. “Wyvern are notoriously private individuals. They aren’t like social pixies. They do not crave the limelight and steer clear of social media.”
“True enough.”
“Do you have a gut reaction toward either one?” Sometimes, when there wasn’t a lot for our brains to latch onto, our gut was all we had.
“Not in so many words. Most likely I will reach out to Mr. Azure if only because he is closer.” Keir rubbed his forehead, a frown tugging his lips. “In other unpleasant phone call news…I reached out to Peaches.”
“And what did Helios’s current master have to say?”
“Surprisingly, he was already aware and was on the verge of contacting the council when I called him. It seems Helios told on himself.” Keir’s eyebrows drifted upward.
“I’m not certain that’s the correct phrasing because I don’t think Helios necessarily believes what he did was wrong per se…
but he doubted his actions enough to inquire about them.
We have Grayson’s quick thinking and actions to thank for that kindness. ”
My chest warmed at hearing Grayson’s name, that little piece of his magic I held flipping wildly at the sound of such praise. “Not going to lie, his actions frightened me. I…” I wasn’t sure how to end that sentence.
Keir’s lips tilted up in a hint of a smile.
“They frightened me too, although I suspicion for entirely different reasons.” Thankfully, Keir ignored my flushed cheeks.
“Peaches was very apologetic and repeatedly informed me he’d spoken with Helios.
Evidently, Aurelia did as well, although I got the impression that conversation was a bit…
different than the one Peaches had with him.
I also got the impression we’re not done with the djinn. ”
A deep chasm opened inside my core. “What does that mean?”
Keir’s sigh was long and full of regret.
“It means that Helios is even more curious about us—Jima in particular—than before. I do not believe there will be a repeat of what happened yesterday, at least not the way it happened. It seems Grayson’s comment regarding treasure having more meaning when it is earned than stolen has become stuck in Helios’s mind.
I imagine that has both good and bad connotations. ”
Morally, I didn’t like where my thoughts wandered.
I hated the question they brought even more.
“Could you… I mean, technically, Peaches is Helios’s master.
” I swallowed hard, the ache in my throat migrating to my chest. “Gaia, I can’t believe I’m asking this, but could Peaches wish Helios not to come here, or at least leave Jima alone?
” Shame filled me and I couldn’t meet Keir’s gaze, let alone hold it.
The ensuing silence felt like censure. I should have known Keir better than that. “You’re not as alone as you believe regarding your thinking,” Keir answered, tone soft.
“No, but I’m probably the only one who said it.”
“Actually, you’re not.” My head jerked up.
Keir scoffed. “Don’t look so surprised. It’s always difficult to hold onto one’s morals when truly challenged.
And make no mistake, this situation is definitely challenging.
” Keir sank lower into his chair. “Peaches and I discussed it. To be fair, it was more me discussing it than Peaches. I never knew nature pixies could be so stubborn.” Keir’s words were tempered by the warm smile tilting his lips.
“Frost told me Peaches was formidable. I should have listened.” With a deep inhale, Keir’s eyelids slid closed before opening to half-mast. “Peaches refused, and although I’m still very concerned, I have to admit I agree with his reasoning. ”
“Which was?”
“Djinn are sentient creatures and deserve the right to make their own decisions.”
My limbs vibrated with uncertainty. “That’s all well and good, but they’re not benign entities.”
“Neither are you or me.”
I scoffed, nearly pushing out of my seat. “You’re comparing a stick of dynamite to an atomic bomb.” In my case, maybe a single bullet.
The lines around Keir’s eyes softened. “A fair comparison, except those are mindless objects. Although ancient, djinn are akin to children. In many ways, they’ve been kept sheltered within their objects of attachment.
None of us know what kind of individuals they were before they were hollowed out and packed full of magic, their souls stripped and holding them captive.
Some would say that what Helios attempted to do to Jima was unforgivable.
In the end, it will be up to Jima and no one else to determine whether that is true or not.
I will not judge Jima either way. Thankfully, Helios listened to reason.
He was able to understand Grayson’s argument.
Peaches is right. The djinn deserve a chance, and continuing to treat them as if they are little more than magical slaves will only breed more anger and contempt. ”
“And if, when given a choice, the djinn chooses violence?”
Keir inhaled deeply. “Then we will be forced to make a different decision. Let us hope it does not come to that.”