Ellisandre
It was nearly nine o’clock in the evening before Ellisandre finished their meeting with Jun and his group members, made it back to Linda’s place, had a snack with Dana and Alice, checked on Ash, and grabbed fresh clothes for the morning.
Then they had to sneak out of their condo via the hidden stairs and make it to the Bolthole, which meant they only arrived at nine-thirty.
Sevastyan was still awake, sitting on the floor, with his back to the couch and his laptop open in front of him on the coffee table.
Rei rested on the floor between Sevastyan’s legs, asleep, and Lisa had stretched out on the couch behind Sevastyan’s shoulders.
The fox’s eyes opened as Ellisandre stepped through the door, but Rei remained slack and motionless against Sevastyan.
“You’re back,” Sevastyan said in Russian, thereby including Lisa in the conversation.
“I’m back.” Ellisandre pulled off their hat and coat and unzipped their boots, then crossed the room and dropped down against the couch, looking over Sevastyan’s shoulder at the computer screen. It appeared to be a database of names. “That’s Jun’s father.”
Sevastyan highlighted Bak Sahyuk’s name. “This one?”
“That one.” Ellisandre nodded.
“You have this confirmed?” Sevastyan asked. “Rei and I suspected but haven’t confirmed.”
“Jun confirmed it. Bak Sahyuk gave him to Bak Gyeong when Jun was nine years old.”
“What about his mother?” Sevastyan asked. He sounded excited.
Ellisandre shook their head. “Jun doesn’t know. She promised to come back and never did. She’s the one who gave him his American papers. Bak Sahyuk tried to destroy them.”
“So, the mother is unlikely to be involved.” Sevastyan made a note. “Bak Sahyuk was head of the Merchari operations in the greater California region before being arrested. It’s been a mess. That’s why I took that trip.”
“Never met him.” Lisa joined the conversation. “I did meet that name, though.” He pointed to a linked name. Ellisandre did not recognize it.
“Where?” Sevastyan asked.
“In the dog rings, early on.” Lisa leaned forward.
“What were the dog rings?” Ellisandre fixed their gaze on Lisa.
“Fight rings, where people bet on which dog will win. That’s where they started me, after I was sold,” Lisa said. “I was in the kennels and the ring with the dogs.”
Some of the marks on Lisa made sense now. “You’re a good fighter.”
Lisa grimaced. “I survived. The dogs deserved better.”
“You said that’s where they started you?” Ellisandre pressed.
Lisa shrugged, then winced, placing a hand over his ribs. “I got sold several times. Eventually to someone who didn’t want to put me in the ring. Wanted a pet. And then someone else. And then . . .” Lisa shrugged. “Alexi bought me.” He said the name like it explained everything, which it did not.
Sevastyan filled in the gap. “Alexi taught me to be a master; he sponsored me into an inner circle. Lisa is with us on Alexi’s permission. I have responsibility for him for the moment. According to Merchari paperwork, though, I don’t own Lisa.”
There was a kind of weariness in both Sevastyan and Lisa. And a sadness, which was different but layered in with the weariness.
“You saw Gang Junseo tonight?” Sevastyan changed the subject.
“Briefly, for costuming.” It had been a long day and the couch felt good against their back. They let their eyes drift shut. “They’re safe. Richard and Damian don’t play with security. Not after last fall.”
“What happened last fall?” Lisa asked.
Ellisandre opened one eye to look at him. “Collin and émeric, Richard’s partners, were kidnapped. Richard went in after them. Got them out, but everyone got hurt.”
Sevastyan and Lisa absorb that information in silence for several heartbeats.
“You shouldn’t have Alice and the others come over here again,” Sevastyan finally said. “They could get hurt, too.”
“They’re already at risk. Alice shot someone associated with the Merchari months ago, to save Dana.”
“There’s hurt, and then there’s hurt.” Sevastyan turned so he could meet Ellisandre’s gaze fully. “There’s dead and then there’s tortured.”
He meant it. Real fear shown in their boy’s eyes. Fear for Alice and Ash, and Linda, and Dana. And perhaps a touch of fear for himself. Every attachment was something that could be turned against the one who cared.
They tilted their head to reassure him they were bending. “I’ll keep them away.”
Sevastyan visibly sagged, his eyes dropping.
Rei hadn’t moved, but his hand lightly shifted in an up and down pattern on Sevastyan’s thigh.
Sevastyan covered Rei’s hand with his own and squeezed gently.
So the smaller slave hadn’t been asleep after all.
More like being Sevastyan’s weighted security blanket.
That was something to note for the future.