Could Have Been Me
Felix
“When the independent inspectors went missing, our father made a big deal of ‘adopting’ Chess as a gesture. He did all this dancing around meetings and flying places while Nonna kept everything held down on Bloodstone. Unfortunately, that gave him the opportunity to meet and greet the worst of the rich folks, and suddenly, we were less objectionable gangsters than before. I guess he could show that crossing the Khans would have dire consequences that extended far beyond our borders—though I’m not sure how. ”
Aubrey gives me a disbelieving look. “You don’t know how? Really?” He looks at Fitz and Chessie, who shrug, and then the princess, who shakes her head. “How in the fuck do none of them know this shit, Rennie?”
The gargoyle flicks his tail, sighing heavily.
“Much like some humans, our leaders have ‘cleansed’ some history, mon amour. Perhaps I did not realize how much until we began this journey, but hiding things so recent is a bit shocking, I confess. Especially since the Prednet was conceived, I would have thought it would be harder to keep quiet.”
Fitz gives Ren a dark look. “Look, Frenchy McSmugpants, our education in history and current events happened on Bloodstone. When we were exiled, you know how we were. It’s not like we were charging into Scaly Balls’s library looking to figure out what we might have missed, eh? Don’t be a dick.”
My twin is being harsh, but he’s not wrong. We had no idea reality wasn’t what we thought it was; why would we even consider that?
“I’ve lived outside of Bloodstone and went to school at the best schools…
but I don’t believe we were taught about whatever it is you’re getting ready to reveal.
I mean, I feel like if something really fucking big about the Khans was a part of my classes, I would have said so when we first met, you know?
” Dolly frowns as she moves to sit on Fitz’s lap this time.
Rubbing my temples, I brace myself internally for whatever horrors are coming.
I’m a bit miffed that no one—not even Zhenga—has mentioned this to us before, but I suppose they simply thought we knew like everyone else.
It’s not like people could read our minds to know our father and the rest of his jackals brainwashed us so thoroughly that we’re still living with blinders on well into our thirties.
Perhaps many of them thought we were too ashamed to mention it or worse, proud of whatever asshattery the Raj perpetrated while on that little diplomatic trip so long ago.
It makes me queasy to believe anyone attributes pride in us in relation to the bad things the Raj did, but it could be true.
“Alright, let’s have it. Tell us what we’ve all missed, you ancient assholes,” I mutter. That makes my twin chuckle a bit, and even Chessie manages a tiny grin. I guess that’s better than nothing given how shitty this is bound to be.
The two of them exchange a look, and the dragon nods, sighing softly.
“When your father came to the mainlands, a spate of vicious assassinations occurred across the globe. They were not limited to preds, but also prey, and the theory at the time did not connect the Khan visit to them. However, the theories were whispered among the exiles, the academics, and other circles. These murders helped the richest families, who we now believe run the Society, consolidate power and eliminate competition or opposition.”
I blink before I look at Chess and Fitz, who seem resigned more than anything else.
Clearing my throat, I murmur, “That’s certainly how he runs Bloodstone.
When he took over, his flunkies made certain to clear out anyone who would question or oppose him—whether it was secretly or in public.
Nonna danced a very fine line in keeping the three of us as protected as she could when our mother died, and we were surreptitiously made aware of how to do so as we grew up.
She didn’t want him to exile her before we were old enough to defend ourselves, I’m sure. ”
Fitz rolls his eyes as he snorts. “Dear old dad has always used ‘kill them’ as the solution rather than anything involving brain power. Obviously, he sent his personal goon squad all over to prove why the Society wanted to allow the Khans into their gilded ranks—we’re the muscle.”
“I don’t know,” our princess says. “Lucille is vicious on her own, and the tales of my grandfather she told say that he definitely has a similar mindset. Maybe allowing the Raj in shifted the balance in her direction so solidly that everyone realized she had a global hit team, not just on our side of the pond.”
Chess nods slowly before saying, “That would make a lot of sense, Angel. If the Rostovs had Asia in their grip, and your mother had the States, adding in the mobility and volatility of the Khans would make Africa under their thumb, plus put Europe squarely between them and Grandpa. It means they can get anyone, anywhere with preds who won’t hesitate to take people out. ”
Burying my fingers in my hair, I tug a bit as the map unfolds in my head and I visualize the global coverage of the three psychopaths who are most certainly in charge now.
“No wonder mythicals have all hunkered down in their groups, staying out of the spotlight as much as possible. They’d be the biggest threats to that dominance if they chose based on powers and skill sets. And they’re all over, right, Aubrey?”
He thinks for a moment and then nods in agreement. Renard is the one who answers me, though his voice is tense. “Gargoyles, unicorns, Nemeans, hinds, lamia, Scylla, gorgons, hydra, and caladrii in Europe. There were more before the Treaty, but they migrated for safety.”
Aubrey continues, “Dragons, phoenixes, hydras, chimeras, hellhounds, cockatrices, basilisks, Aralez, minotaurs, centaurs, sphinxes, and satyrs in Africa. The climate isn’t always conducive to some, but they’ve figured it out.”
I frown, realizing that I think I remember a few of those shifters in the jungles of Bloodstone—or rumors stated they were. The times Fitz and I had to survive there on our own, we didn’t run into them, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t true.
Was our father kidnapping mythicals to fill his horror-filled hunting zone? Probably.
“Now, Australia, mes amis, is where many of the aquatic ones escaped to—so the gossip said. Mer-folks, krakens, Cetus, bunyips, hippocampi, kelpie, selkies, sea serpents, and kappas,” the gargoyle adds with a lazy shrug. “I suppose a big island is a good place to go, especially with the huge reef.”
“Then what’s left in Asia and the States?” Dolly asks as she leans back into me. “Lucille was always complaining about griffins and such not breeding here, which I thought was weird. She yelled at the Shirdal leader about it… I think. I wasn’t totally dialed in back then, so I’m not sure.”
“The States…” Aubrey tilts his head as he considers her question.
“…is a weird mix. I’m not sure why, but living off the grid until Apex gives me a bit of expertise, I guess.
You’re right about griffins; they hide in the Northwest. There are about thirty types of mythical birds, including firebirds, rainbirds, thunderbirds, rocs, and others.
Hippogriffs and griffins, as I said. Canines I’ve encountered a lot as well—Aralez, chupacabra, and tanuki.
Kitsune aren’t as plentiful here as in Asia, but there are some dens.
Some jackalopes. I’ve seen a few yeti and satori, but that may be exiles, not actual settlements. ”
Renard grins. “Asia has Kitsuné, gumiho, satori, dragons, fauns, nagas, various serpents, and reptilians, some mythical rodent-like stuff… I don’t know all the names because as Flames will tell you, many of them have been declared extinct.
They may not be, though, because based on the information we surfed through in the gargoyle library, the Treaty caused smaller mythical groups to go into permanent hiding.
The hunters and poachers were going wild, and I now believe that is because the assholes who took over were hoping to kill them all for their links to magicals. ”
Horrifying, but probably true, and very likely something my dad is or was involved in.
Snapping his fingers, my twin looks at us all.
“That’s absolutely it! Felix, you know that the jungle zone has mythicals living in it according to the rumors.
We didn’t see them, but it’s been talked about our whole lives.
Our fucking dickhole dad probably fills his fucking death land with mythicals they hunt and capture.
I bet he sends teams out who kill the weak and steal the goddamn strong ones for his little zoo. ”
I inhale deeply, rubbing my palms over my face.
Hoping no one would make that connection was na?ve, I realize now, but I guess we agreed to be honest. “Yeah, he probably did. He might even still be doing it, who the fuck knows? We hear little from him at all since the exile; he calls when he wants to threaten or hand down edicts about things he wants from us, and that’s it.
For all we know, he’s been filling that hellhole with shit like a maniacal collector for years. No one there would stop him.”
“Perhaps the threat of Bloodstone has always been how Lucille and maybe other Society parents keep their heirs in line for a reason. If any mythicals they locate and capture get sent to your jungle, and any misbehaving heirs get sent to the supposed ‘school’, it’s like…
a multi-purpose prison and execution island all in one.
Maybe the ‘sentence’ depends on how badly the families want preds to disappear versus to be ‘reeducated’ and brought back broken. ”
We turn to look at our girl and she shrugs before adding, “Exile to somewhere like Apex is for those too valuable or well-known to go missing like that… or maybe even it was the solution up to the time you guys were sent off. I don’t know how the brains of these fuckers work—only what I can extrapolate from the bits and pieces I remember from my home life as something triggers it.
Lucille and Bruno kept me so isolated and sheltered that I still don’t know what happened that was abnormal until you guys or my friends tell me. ”
“We don’t judge you, snack size. Those degenerates warped your worldview so thoroughly that I’m amazed no one else ever said anything,” Aubrey rumbles. “I suppose all your teachers, coaches, and friends were warned to never correct the things you said well in advance.”
Dolly frowns and shakes her head. “I don’t know, big guy.
That’s a lot of people, and my friends definitely encouraged me to throw off some of Lucille’s BS as we got older.
Maybe they just enjoyed how stupid I looked to everyone else, so they decided not to help me be normal on their own?
The Heathers have always been like they were when I emerged—their personalities weren’t changed by their animals coming out nor mine.
And I suppose Todd was always that way, too.
I just… I was so desperate for anyone but the house staff and my parents to interact with me, you know?
I let shit go even though I saw it because I was afraid to be alone. ”
“Princess,” I murmur when she slumps against me in shame.
“We’ve discussed this. Stop kicking yourself for decisions you made as an abused, sheltered kid with no options.
You can be sorry and you can be ashamed of yourself.
That’s normal, and it’s no different from what I feel about our dad.
But you also did the best you could with a fucking shit situation, and once you got options, you made better choices with no one forcing you to do so. That’s what shows your true character.”
She turns and gives me a pointed look, though her eyes are still a bit sad. “Sounds like advice you’re giving me but aren’t taking it yourself, Raj.”
Ouch. Our mate is definitely a grown woman who doesn’t pull her punches anymore, and despite the smack she just gave me, I’m proud of her.