Chapter 25 #4
Zion didn't know exactly what to say. A well-trained chimera could be lethal, and if there were enough of them, it would be chaos. That was why he'd made sure the laboratories turned to ash.
“Maybe it's the same thing that attacked the soldier found near the wall,” Cauê said. “Did you get any more information about him?”
“The claw marks match up, but not even Serguei could access his memories, and he'll only try once more before they disconnect the equipment. Ambrose has two theories: either the man's mind was destroyed, or he's already crossed over to the world of the dead,” he replied thoughtfully.
The moon was high in the sky when they left the palace.
The general's thoughts turned to home—specifically to the girl sleeping there.
The chimera was standing guard, but he needed someone to restore the magical barrier and had forgotten that detail.
The two walked in silence until Zion reached his residence and bid the man farewell.
Up on the second floor, a white chimera with a leonine face watched him happily; the braids, now dry, hung in a cascade, and the tail swayed from side to side.
The general turned on his phone, ignoring the flood of messages that poured in. Then he sent a message to the fae responsible for magical protections, asking him to come the next day during Kyller's test, since it wasn't safe to leave the house unprotected.
He finally materialized in the girl's room.
He knew it was wrong to invade her privacy like this, but after three days together, he could barely stay away for a few hours.
As he approached the bed—hands firmly tucked in his pockets to keep from touching his partner—the shadows stirred as if asking permission to tangle themselves in her hair. He denied them, of course.
She slept comfortably in a tangle of blankets, a pillow between her legs and another clutched to her chest. Zion had never felt so much envy for a pillow.
But as soon as the thought arose, he sensed someone snooping around in his mind.
He redirected the intruder to his second consciousness, which was trying not to think about Kyller.
“Relax, it's just me,” said Serguei's voice in his mind.
That didn't calm him at all. The general reinforced the barrier and opened his small window.
“Is there a problem?”
“Just came to give you a warning.” The voice carried that calm, cold tone Zion knew all too well. The general shuddered—he'd heard that tone enough times to know he was in trouble. It was the calm before the storm.
“I don't have time for your games.”
The eye stared at him threateningly from behind the window.
“Oh! That's right! You can't have much free time when you're acting like a puppy circling a bitch in heat.
And that bitch is dangerously close to becoming a problem.
I've told you a thousand times to be careful, but do you listen?
No. You'd rather be the rebellious little boy you've always been. I just want you to know one thing: the consequences will be yours to deal with.”
Zion clenched his fists, refusing to let himself appear out of control in front of the man.
“I'm being careful. Did you know from the beginning who she was?”
The man was silent for a moment.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you didn't need to know. I gave you a single order: protect the girl from trouble, keep her from knowing too much—and you can't manage something so simple?”
“She's figuring it out on her own,” Zion replied, his voice heavy with frustration.
“And then what? You'll let her mind broadcast throughout the kingdom about Lagherta's connection to you? Are you stupid, boy?”
Zion ran his hands through his hair. He didn't know what to do about Kyller either. He'd run from the girl for five years because he knew he could ruin her life if he got too close. He had no answer to the question.
“Do you remember what happens to those who threaten to break our people's peace? Or do I need to remind you once more?”
“Will you kill another innocent? Will you murder your friend's daughter—the one you couldn't protect?” The insults sprang from years of hurt, giving voice to Zion's thoughts.
Serguei growled from the other side.
“You want to test me?” he shouted, his power blasting through Zion's head.
The gift shook his mental barrier, making the general grit his teeth to withstand the violent wave crashing against him.
The shadows stirred and positioned themselves as guards around his mind's protection, biting at the claws of power that dared touch the wall.
The eye pulled back, surprised to see the threat arrayed before it.
Zion also sensed that the small tendrils were ready to leap into the invading consciousness if necessary.
“More insolent every day, boy. We'll see how far your arrogance takes you.”
“Perhaps, if you look within yourself, you’ll find a way to reach further. I learned from the best—isn’t that what you always said?”
Serguei withdrew even further, but before he left, he whispered:
“Be careful, boy. I won’t warn you a third time.”
Like a fever dream, his presence vanished from the room.