Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
PHOENIX
At first, we walk in silence. Noire’s steps are light, as if his feet don’t touch the ground when he walks. Here, deep down under the castle, his shadows are more prominent, clinging to his shoulders and neck and leaving a trail on the ground behind him.
Even if I know by now that Noire is a friend and an ally, all the unknowns about the man still give me chills.
We walk side by side. He glances over at me. “You’re more tense today than you were yesterday.”
I roll my shoulders and crack my neck. “Am I? Haven’t noticed.”
“Does it have something to do with your sneaking out the other night to go see Master Oka Oya?”
My steps don’t falter. Of course there is nothing that can slip past Noire’s eyes. He’s my spy master, after all.
“At least I know you’re good at your job,” I say instead of answering his question.
“You’re too kind, General,” he says, amusement dancing in his voice. “You don’t have to sneak around at night to leave the castle. You may leave whenever you desire, through the main gate. And Master Oka Oya may visit whenever you want, too.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Can I leave without two Ezkai escorting me at all times, breathing down my neck?”
“It’s for your safety, General. Many risks come with being the most powerful person in Ekios.”
“Many of those risks to my safety seem to fester right here, inside my fucking castle,” I snap.
“You’re safe while you’re in the castle, General. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, Noire. I don’t trust the rest of the Ezkai and Dzuni.”
Noire’s steps come to a halt in front of wrought iron double doors. He turns to face me.
“I understand why you might feel that towards your government and soldiers,” Noire says. “However, not everyone here is our enemy. There are many honorable soldiers eager to serve you and follow you, and not all nobles are corrupt.”
“I hope you’re right,” I say, darkly.
“I’m not always right,” Noire says, and a cheeky smile blooms on his face, “but I’m right more often than I’m not.”
I crack a smile, too.
Noire waves at the door next to us. “Behind this door, you’ll find the barracks where Ezkai spies live.”
My head whips to the side and I frown. “Ezkai live here? Underground?”
“Just the Spy Unit,” Noire says. “Those Ezkai who choose to train as spies forgo a lot of simple life luxuries, such as having a lavish home in Yursus or a family to come home to at the end of the mission.”
“That’s a huge commitment and sacrifice,” I say, quietly.
Fern is in the Spy Unit. She never mentioned anything about that. But truth be told, I never asked. I just assumed she had the same studio that I, Roman, and others in Yursus did.
“It’s a great honor to serve as a spy,” Noire says. “That’s why the Ezkai Academy is so harsh on the trainees, and the selection process is competitive. We want only the most dedicated Decarios.”
“Yeah, I’m aware,” I say.
Noire starts walking again.
“Kazh will be coming over every morning,” I say, looking at the doors we pass but don’t stop at. From time to time, a muffled scream reaches my ears. “I asked her to train me again, so I could master the blessed trinity.”
Noire nods. “Wonderful. There’s a private meditation temple at the southern end of the plum orchards. It’s a quiet place to train.”
“Thank you, Noire. I’ll check it out.” I stop. “There’s one more thing.”
Noire turns to face me.
“The dragon I faced during the Trial of Wisdom. We had a connection. I think.” I pause and swallow. “I think it would be useful for me as the General to be bonded to a dragon, so I want to organize a trip to the mountains to find the dragon I fought and bond it.”
Noire doesn’t even blink once I’m done speaking. Not even an ounce of surprise or shock lingers on his smooth features.
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that, General.”
Out the two of us, I’m the one surprised. I blink rapidly, speechless. “What?”
Noire smiles. “I had an inkling that you might have the gift when you won the Trial of Wisdom without slaying the dragon. It was the day I knew you’d be our next General.”
I roll my eyes. “And when were you going to share that with me?”
“Some paths you must find yourself, without other people interfering,” Noire says and winks. Then his face falls serious. “General, I didn’t take you here just for the tour of the spy lair. There’s an important matter we must attend to.”
My heart drops. “What’s the matter? Is it Jax?”
“Mr. Kregger is still in prison, well and good. It’s about that notebook with Caligos activity logs you retrieved from Talbot’s estate.”
A lump is lodged in my throat. I swallow it. “Yes. What about it? Have you found something useful?”
Noire’s face reveals nothing. “We’re working on it.”
He’s on the move again. I follow him. Noire leads me to a set of identical wrought iron doors.
He opens the door on the left and enters a dark room. Without hesitation, I follow. The stench of blood, sweat, and piss lingers in the heavy air.
I look around.
The light the oil lamps on the walls offer is modest. But it’s enough to light up the pools of dried blood on the stone floors beneath my feet, and the splatters of it on the damp walls.
In the middle of the room stands a lone chair. Next to it, is a tall, narrow table with a copper tray. On the tray lies a couple of blades and other tools I’m not familiar with.
In that chair sits a stalky fae man, naked. His skin is full of red ink, covered in blood and other bodily fluids I don’t want to think about.
My stomach swirls, uneasy. But I remain composed.
I’ve seen worse. I’ve done worse.
I don’t notice the two Ezkai dressed in black leathers and wearing masks at first. They loom behind the chair, blending in with the shadows.
“Two of the best spy squads were assigned to do a thorough sweep through the Talbot logs and compare it with Caligos activity we have been able to track ourselves,” Noire says.
My gaze snaps to him. He stands calm and tall, his hands clasped in front of him.
“We could confirm most of the movement recorded in the Talbot notebook, except for a few interesting cases.”
“That’s a good start,” I say. “What’s the issue with those few cases?”
“They don’t look like usual jobs, moving people, weapons, or illegal substances, and other things,” Noire says and looks over at the man. “It’s suspicious activity, and that’s what we’re trying to figure out with Dravik Norr here.”
The man in question, Dravik Norr, doesn’t even flinch at the mention of his name. I’m not sure he even registered it.
His head hangs forward as if he’s unconscious. The amount of burn and cut wounds on his flesh…I can’t even count.
Massive bruises litter his chest and sides. One of his ears is fully missing. From the red blood flooding down his side, I can tell it’s a recent injury.
But worst of all are the missing fingers. All of them. Of course, the Ezkai cauterized the open wounds so he wouldn’t bleed ahead of time.
Actually, this may be the worst I’ve seen.
Definitely worse than what I’ve done.
At least until now.
Technically, these Ezkai are under my command. They’re carrying out orders I have given them—figure out what you can from that notebook with logs.
And that’s what they’re doing. All this blood is on my hands. As is all the other blood that’s being spilled in other interrogation rooms I’ve passed and didn’t enter.
Those hundred souls aren’t that high of a price for you, General, Lorca drawls, startling me.
Mind your own business, I snap at the trickster god.
With a gentle caress of their claws over my mind, they’re gone. I roll my shoulders and refocus my attention to the…issue at hand.
I look over at Noire. “What have you found out so far?”
With a gurgle and a cough, Dravik stirs to life. Slowly, he lifts his head to reveal one empty eye socket. His only eye blinks and then lands on me.
“General,” he slurs.
His tongue is in place, but only spirits of the gods know what they’ve done to it for the man to sound like this.
I lift my chin. “Are you ready to talk?”
He watches me for a moment and then barks a laugh. It quickly turns into a fit of bloody coughs.
Once he’s finally recovered enough to speak again, he smiles. A bloody, crooked smile that chills my bones.
“First time in centuries, we’re united. All because of you.”
Blood in my veins chills.
“They’re coming for your throne, General. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it,” he says with malice in his only remaining eye.
Noire gestures for the Ezkai. One of them presses two fingers against Dravik’s artery and he’s out cold again in a couple of seconds.
I’m frozen for a moment, even my head empty of thoughts.
“What does he mean, Noire?” My voice is low, lethal.
“I’m not certain, General,” Noire says, his usual calmness gone. My head snaps to him. Worry settles between his eyebrows. “But it looks like Caligos are organizing something. They united for the trials to ensure one of them won, and even though they lost, the families are still sticking together.”
That’s bad.
Very, very bad.
“Keep me in the loop, please,” I say and head for the door.
If Caligos families are united, Reizei Talbot hates me for killing his son, and they’ve got agents in the Order of Ezkai and House Dzuni…
Claiming blood debt will have to wait.
Vera’s law will have to wait.
I need my dragon first.