Chapter 11
11
D allan opened a door through time into the basement of Pari’s building. Raina and Halden came along to stay with Maida. They’d wait in Pari’s apartment with Simon Kells and Geran. If there was any sign of trouble, they were to get the three to safety.
Markhel stepped through first, Maida at his side, followed by Kwaku, Zara and Archer. Raina and Halden followed with Lany. Tylahs on his shoulder. Dallan and Shona brought up the rear.
Archer unceremoniously dumped a large, black duffle bag onto the cement floor. “It’s bloody dark in here!”
“Quiet,” Dallan hissed. “It’s a basement, ye clot head. Of course it’s dark.” He flipped a nearby switch and closed the door he’d made. The sunlit meadow of the library faded, and there was only the light of a single bulb above them.
Halden looked at it. “Why am I not surprised there’s only one of these down here?”
“Pari’s uncles are cheap?” Lany asked.
“Frugal,” Halden corrected.
“Enough,” Dallan said. “Let’s get upstairs and prepare to search.” He led them to the staircase and up they went. They emerged in the hallway, and as soon as everyone was out of the basement, Halden took a key from his pocket and locked the door. “I’ll have to figure out how to get this back to Al,” he told Raina.
“Dinna worry over it now,” Dallan advised. “Let’s go.”
They went to the staircase and climbed to the fourth floor and Pari’s apartment. Halden unlocked the door, having gotten another key from Al, and let everyone inside.
Dallan entered first, and at his signal, the others followed.
Halden and Raina entered, and Raina sighed. “I feel so awful.” She turned to Dallan. “Thank you for letting us come. I know we might not be able to do much but at least Pari knows us.”
“Aye, I ken the two of ye are worried about the lass. But when we find them, we might be leaving from wherever they are in a hurry rather than bringing them back here first. King Jaireth’s orders.” Dallan sighed. Jaireth had been so angry when he found out Melvale had been taken, his heart took over, made him shift, and he ran off into the woods as a huge wolf. Shannell could still communicate with him, and he gave orders. Now here they were, setting up a base of operation in Pari’s apartment. If the men that took Melvale got any ideas to come back here, they were in for a big surprise.
Archer took out a Muiraran device from the duffle bag and switched it on.
“What does that do?” Halden asked.
“It detects other electronic devices or machines. I want to see if the men that took Melvale’s mate left behind any presents.”
“Presents?” Maida said in confusion.
“Bugs or hidden cameras?” Shona asked.
“Aye, Princess,” Archer said. “The bloody bast…” his eyes darted to the women. “Um, I mean, those wicked men . I wouldn’t put it past them to have planted some.”
Dallan looked at the rectangular device in Archer’s hand. It had what Shona called a meter and was moving a little. “So far so good,” Archer said. He went into the living room and turned a full circle.
While Archer searched the room, Dallan walked through the apartment into Pari’s bedroom and looked at the bay window. The middle window was closed now. He still couldn’t get over the fact that Melvale jumped right through it.
He went to window and looked at the sidewalk below. “I wonder how many people saw Melvale jump.”
“They may have only seen him land,” Shona said. “But I don’t think anyone with a phone was fast enough to take a picture.”
“Nay, but he’s got speed as a Muiraran, not to mention what’s rising up inside of him. Kwaku said he’ll be much stronger than your average Muiraran. Wickedly fast too, and more cunning.”
“Yes, but he also said it’s all to protect Pari.” Shona wrapped her arms around him. “I wonder what she’s like.”
“Have Halden and Raina no said anything more?”
She sighed. “No, only that she was kind, generous, and a good cook. Pari watched out for them while they were here.”
“A woman of good character is hard to find.” He tucked a finger under her chin, lifted her face to his, and kissed her. When he broke the kiss, he rubbed his nose against hers. “I’m glad I found one.”
Shona smiled at him, tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled his face to hers.
“Ahem…”
They stopped kissing and looked at Lany. “Tylahs and I are going to search outside the building and get some food. Then I’m going to look at Pari’s laptop.”
“D’ye ken how to work it?” Dallan asked.
“A little, and Halden can help me.” He looked at Tylahs, who was sitting on his shoulder. “You’d better hide in my pocket, little buddy.”
Tylahs saluted him. “Okaysssk!” He ran down Lany’s arm and crawled into the side pocket of his light windbreaker.
Dallan studied him. The air here was humid, and poor Lany was going to wish he didn’t have to wear the extra cover to tote Tylahs around.
Archer must have thought the same thing. He entered the room and tossed Lany a small, black backpack. “Here, for your Sarian companion.”
Lany gave him a half smile. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” He pulled Tylahs out of his pocket. “New plan, little buddy.”
Tylahs looked at the backpack. “Ohhh, much better. More roomsssk!”
Lany handed Tylahs to Shona and took off his windbreaker. He tossed it on the bed and put the backpack on. “Okay.”
Shona smiled, handed Tylahs back, and they watched him run up Lany’s arm, over his shoulder, and dive headfirst into the open backpack. “Ohhhh it’s nice in heresssk!”
Shona laughed. “Better hope no one tries to stick a hand in there thinking they can rob you.”
“Tylahs bite themsssk!”
Lany smiled. “I’m not going to worry about it.”
Archer laughed and pulled out a black wallet. “Here, this one’s yours. Don’t go crazy. I brought a decent amount of money, but Time Master Dallan doesn’t want to have to return for more.”
Dallan watched him a moment. “Ye thought of everything, did ye no?”
Archer grinned. “I tried. I’m no Melvale though, so don’t expect miracles.”
Everyone sobered at his words. “No,” Dallan said. “I suppose not. But given time, ye may prove yourself as proficient as he is.”
Archer beamed. “You really think so?”
Dallan slapped him on the shoulder. “Like I said, given enough time. And practice.” He smacked his shoulder again then went into the other room to check on Kwaku and the others.
Raina was in the kitchen, pulling cartons of ice cream from the freezer. “We’ll have to buy more ice cream for Pari,” she told Halden.
Maida sat at the kitchen table. “But… aren’t we supposed to take her directly to the palace?”
“Yes, little one,” Markhel said as he squeezed himself into the room with the others.
Maida looked at everyone. “She’s going to be scared. She won’t know where she is or how she got there. Or if she does know, she’ll think she’s gone plumb loco.”
Markhel turned to the others. “My mate has a point.”
“Aye, I ken she does,” Dallan said. “But ’tis no safe here for Pari or Melvale. We must take them back with us. Melvale needs to… er… do whatever he’s to do, then we can discuss anything Pari wants to discuss.”
Kwaku slipped in between everyone and went straight to Maida. “You are human, little jewel. You can help her adjust. Watch over her.”
Maida looked up at Markhel. “Can I?”
“Yes, of course. Melvale’s mate will need another human around.” He looked at Raina. “The two of you can work together to keep her calm.”
“And if she doesn’t stay calm?” Halden asked no one in particular.
“Den Creator help us all,” Kwaku said.
“There seems to be a strong emphasis on that,” Halden said and pulled a lid off a container of Rocky Road. “If all you say is true, then what’s to prevent Melvale from killing all of us?”
“He could,” Kwaku drawled. “But so long as he does not sense his mate is in danger, he will be Melvale. Once he is fully mated, he will have much better control over the Alpha within him.”
“Do we want him to have a lot of control?” Shona asked. “Seems to me we need to get rid of whomever took them to begin with.”
“Patience, little treasure,” Kwaku said. “An Alpha will not tolerate anyone that harms his mate for long.”
Shona stared at him but said nothing more. Kwaku’s meaning was clear enough.
Dallan looked into Kwaku’s eyes. The bloody heathen saw no problem with letting Melvale do whatever it was an Alpha Muiraran did. As Dallan still didn’t know as much as he’d like to about all of this, he’d keep quiet for now. But he’d prefer it if Markhel exercised his position as judge and jury in the name of the king. And perhaps, that’s exactly what Kwaku had in mind. If Melvale was the Alpha, Markhel his Beta, then Melvale might order Markhel to do what Jaireth would have him do anyway.
“You look troubled,” Shona commented next to him. “Let me get you a bowl of ice cream while Markhel and Zara start searching.”
He looked at her and kissed the top of her head. “Aye, M’eudain.”
“Go into the living room,” she said. “I’ll bring you some.”
He kissed her again, then left the kitchen. Markhel left as well and went into Pari’s bedroom. Zara had slipped into it earlier.
Dallan sat on Pari’s small sofa and watched Archer finish equipping everyone with wallets and handbags to carry currency in. He thought of how many times he’d watched Melvale do the same thing and found he missed the pointy eared dandy.
Dallan frowned. Had anyone told Angus what happened? Did Sita Mihn know? Both loved Melvale, though Angus would be the last to admit it.
Dallan scooted across the sofa when Shona entered. “I know we should be acting like some super-efficient team you see in the movies,” she said. “But I can’t help but stress eat.”
As soon as she sat he put an arm around her and pulled her against him. She handed him his bowl and gave him a reassuring smile. “We’re going to find them.”
Dallan swallowed hard. “Aye, and when we do, I’ll break every bone in their leader’s body.”
“Hey,” she said, voice soft. “You got this. Besides, we need this doctor or whatever he is for questioning.”
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within. He was beginning to understand Jaireth’s anger from earlier. Everyone loved Melvale, and now that he was gone, some would despair of him ever being returned. He could only imagine what Melvale’s parents, Zerbe and Tasniah were going through.
He ate his ice cream as Markhel and Zara began their search. He wasn’t sure if Tylahs would pick up on anything outside, but it didn’t hurt to let the little Sarian try.
Dallan thought of Tylahs and their time in Bartrol’s caves. The tiny Sarian had toppled an extremely powerful Muiraran with one bite. What, then, could he do with a couple of dozen hired goons? He could take them out. All of them, and Dallan was more than a little tempted to let him. But he couldn’t do that. They should go to trial for their crimes, stand before either Zerbe, Markhel, or the king, and then let justice be served.
Done with their treat, Halden, Raina, and Maida cleaned up the kitchen while Dallan, Shona and Kwaku joined Markhel and Zara in Pari’s bedroom. Dallan went to the window and watched the shuttle train pass by. When Melvale jumped across the entire street to get to Pari, a train also passed by. Someone must have snapped a picture of him. That’s what started all this. Still, how did whomever took Melvale see the picture (their best guess was still the doctor from Hawaii) and get to Pari so quickly? If they used footage from cameras placed on the buildings, then what else did they see? Kwaku opened a door through time beneath the subway train’s bridge. Had any of it been caught on camera? And if it had, why didn’t they try to capture any of their party? Or were they too much for the doctor and his men to take on?
Dallan rubbed his chin in thought as he continued to stare out the window at the street below.
The doctor could have seen footage, figured out dates, and decided Pari was the easier target. They obviously also figured out that she was what Melvale was after. “So, they broke into this place and were waiting for her.”
“What was that?” Shona asked beside him.
He shook his head. “All this technology, as ye call it, Flower. I dinna think I like it.”
“I’m sure it does a lot of good. I’m fascinated by it.”
“It scares me,” he admitted.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked out the window. “You don’t have to be scared. Technology has nothing on you.”
He smiled down at her. “If that were true, then Melvale would still be here.”
Her face fell, and she snuggled against him.
Dallan held her, knowing she was thinking the same thing he was. If these men could take down Melvale, then they might be able to take down any one of them. And that meant, none of them were safe.