Chapter 20 What Safety Costs #2
“See that she’s settled. Food, something suitable to wear, and a room where she won’t be disturbed.” Kiki inclined his head smoothly, already slipping back into that effortless charm as though the earlier tension had never existed.
“With pleasure, my Lord,” Kiki replied, though the faint glint in his eyes suggested he was far more interested in the situation than he was letting on. But who wasn’t interested was Walder, as he informed us abruptly,
“The story that brought you here doesn’t interest me,” Walder said, his tone flattening as his attention settled fully on Bo.
“What does interest me… is how you came into possession of that. You and I will discuss it… now.” Bo nodded once, clearly not about to argue with that.
Then he opened his large palm, holding it out as a clear indication of what he wanted.
Bo looked down at it, released a sigh, and placed the relic in his hand, as if sealing our fate.
Walder’s fingers curled around it, his grip firm as he drew it closer, his gaze lowering as he studied it properly for the first time since it had been presented.
And just like that… we were no longer the most important thing in the room.
His thumb brushed lightly across the surface of the mirror, almost thoughtfully, before his attention snapped back up again.
“Kiki.” That single word was enough.
“Take the human to the Enforcer wing,” he instructed, his gaze settling on me again, lingering just long enough to make something uneasy stir low in my chest.
“It’s the most secure part of the Vault. She’ll be safe there.” Bo frowned beside me, his attention snapping back to Walder.
“I’ll go with her,” he said quickly, the words leaving him before I even had time to process what was happening. But Walder didn’t even look at him.
“No,” he said simply. Just a single word that landed with enough finality to shut the idea down completely. Bo hesitated, and for the first time since we had walked in here, I saw something close to uncertainty flicker across his expression.
“She shouldn’t be alone,” he pressed, though there was less conviction in it now, like he already knew how this was going to end.
“No harm will come to the human while she is under my protection,” he said, his voice low, steady, and entirely certain in a way that made it clear this was not a promise he made lightly.
“You, however,… will remain.” There was no arguing with the way he said it, as though the words themselves had become law. Then he jerked his head towards Kiki, who said,
“And that’s our cue, Buttercup.”
I looked at Bo, not exactly all fired up about leaving him, and he looked even less happy about it.
But before I could say anything, Kiki had already stepped closer, his presence sliding easily into the space beside me as though this had always been the plan.
“This way, darling,” he said lightly, though there was something softer beneath it now, something almost reassuring as he gestured toward the exit.
And just like that…
We were being separated. Which meant I felt as if I was right back where I started when first walking into Oblivion’s club, and Bo had no choice but to abandon me.
“This way, darling,” Kiki said smoothly, turning on one impossibly high heel and gliding back into the crowd. So, I did the only thing I could do, which was to follow him, half jogging to catch up with his long strides.
“So, this Enforcer’s wing, is that what it sounds like?”
“That depends. Does it sound like a place we usually reserve for VIP guests?” I frowned at him, and he chuckled,
“It wasn’t a question, Dollface, as that’s exactly what it is.”
“So, I’m getting the VIP treatment, is that what you’re telling me?” I asked, and I got a wink and a,
“Bingo,” in reply.
“But why?”
“My best guess, because Walder would have given you all his fortune and sold half his soul to get his hands on that relic, and because… well, you're human,” Kiki said once we had made it to the elevator.
“And what’s being human got to do with anything?” I asked as we entered as soon as the doors opened, allowing us inside.
“The Enforcer wing is exactly what it sounds like. Private. Protected. And very much off-limits to anyone who doesn’t belong there.”
“Enforcers only?” I asked, my brows drawing together slightly.
“Among others,” he said with a small, knowing smile.
“Let’s just say, if you’ve been placed there, it’s because someone important would rather you not be easily accessible.” That didn’t exactly put me at ease.
“And Walder…he wants that?” I pressed, unable to keep the uncertainty from slipping into my voice.
Kiki’s smile curved a little more at that, though this time it wasn’t playful so much as… intrigued.
“Oh, I think our dear Lord is simply being… cautious,” he said, his tone light, though the look he gave me suggested there was more to it than that.
“After all, bringing a human into a place like this is bound to attract attention, and we can’t have just anyone wandering into the wrong corridor now, can we?”
“I guess not,” I murmured, though the answer didn’t feel nearly as reassuring as it should have.
“This is your floor,” he said, as the elevator pinged and the doors slid open to reveal a long corridor, one that looked more like it belonged to a castle than a hotel.
High vaulted ceilings rose above dark stone walls.
Tall arched doorways lined its length, each framed by flickering wall sconces that cast warm, wavering light across the aged surfaces.
However, I soon realized that instead of room numbers, each door was marked by a symbol carved into the keystone above it.
And it was one of these that we eventually stopped in front of.
“Here we are,” Kiki announced lightly, opening the door with that heart-stopping grin of his.
“I will have some food brought to you and an utterly fabulous outfit, so you are the belle of the ball this evening.” At this, my breath stuttered,
“Erh… come again?” His handsome grin should have unnerved me this time.
“Trust me, I have known Walder a long time, he may act as though he isn’t interested in what brought you here, but curiosity will win out eventually…” he paused to lean in close before finishing,
“…And why not look hot as holy fuckery whilst indulging him in story time.” My eyes widened at that, and all I got as a way of goodbye was a wink and an ominous…
“Save me a dance, Miss Eliza Shadowmere.” Which was when I realized,
I had never told him my name.