THE FIXER
There was a monster in our midst.
All we could do was smile and serve it pleasantries to satiate its insatiable bile.
The flowers arrived fresh this morning, lilies and eucalyptus. Most Nests don’t need the strongest, most fragrant arrangements for any given day. But with the arrival of such diverse cultures, we needed them for our own sanity.
Especially for when they began the preparation of the meat.
There is a reason why we handpick staff with strong stomachs and weak resolve. Only a select number of people could prepare human meat without flinching.
The florals just distracted from the smell of stale cadaver.
I stood by the railing of the grand staircase, watching the guests arrive in their Sunday best. The weather was acceptable, a shame most of our time would be spent inside.
I already felt the itch for fresh air in such a suffocating space.
Perfumes, flowers, colognes, cigars, and more perfume.
My eye was irritated again, this time it wasn’t due to stress.
My body at this point was used to constant environmental pressure.
Very soon, the only guest I wanted to speak to stepped through the door.
“Ilyukah!” I smiled, my arm shooting out for a first grip of the hand.
“Lukonya,” Ilya grinned, and pulled me in as we shook, a tight, one-arm hug followed by a slap on the shoulder. “God, it is good to see you other than when you’re on a job,” he laughed.
Ilya and I hadn’t seen each other in so long, but just one familiar face was enough to lighten the mood.
We used to joke we could pass as brothers. The same tan skin and dark hair, except he had these eyes on him, a kind of brown and green hazel. I used to call him a cat because of the partial heterochromia.
“It’s like you two didn’t miss a day,” a lovely voice came from behind him.
A blonde took his arm when we let go of each other. Her teal eyes were so light they reminded me of tropical waters. Her fair skin almost as light as her hair. Her dress was a turquoise color with matching beads elevating the design.
“Madame Isabella.” I tipped my head, taking her hand and greeting politely. “You two look well.”
“It’s been a prosperous decade.” Ilya squeezed my shoulder. “You and I are having a cigar and something to warm the stomach later.”
“The cure to all life’s friction,” I joked, before gesturing into the home. “We will be having refreshments on the rooftop soon for lunch.”
The two of them stepped away, ready to impress upon the other guests.
Most of the Nests never interacted unless there was an Appraisal, which came few and far between.
Not only was it a trial, but it doubled as a way to inspect the prosperity of their competition.
They claimed these organizations kept it civil.
The fantasy of alliances when they were really holding pistols to each other’s heads for long enough that they must remind one another what happens when one steps out of line.
Just by counting the heads as they came in, we should have almost everyone.
Staff stood at the door, ready to check names and coats.
We hired extra Vipera for security, at least one in every room at all times.
Some were instructed to hover over Hosts, others to watch Silas, Sidney was assigned to Alina.
Myself? I was assigned to Levi.
Luckily, he was fond of making people aware of his presence.
He was social, brightly colored—like a butterfly.
A silly comparison, but he really draws the eye with such a peacock display.
He was relaxed and conversational, which was usually a bad sign for whoever he was after.
Such assured confidence only meant he had yet to reveal what was up his sleeve.
He wasn’t going to let this trial go as easily as he let on.
Phoebe was there by his side, making light conversation with people she may have only seen briefly when she was a child, completely unaware of her privilege.
She will lose that childlike optimism as she ages.
She truly believed her father could be swayed if she continued to keep contact with him.
The fact she hid it told me she may already suspect that she had made a mistake.
I did not believe she was stupid enough to tell him anything important, but Levi could spin hay into gold.
Even something as small as gossip could serve as leverage.
Silas was nowhere in sight. I suspected on the roof already. The boy had much to learn before he had any chance of outpacing his father, but the trauma had stewed into some sort of maturity—enough to know he would not last three minutes near his father’s taunts.
Alina had been quiet since Levi’s arrival.
While I did not think she was hotheaded, not now, especially, there was no telling what Levi could say to get under her skin. My bets were on comments about her dearly departed father.
Level tempers and careful replies were the best chances we had for surviving this Appraisal.
When I turned to walk away, I was nose to nose with the devil himself.
Levi glanced past my shoulder, then back at me. “You know, she could have been your wife if you’d said the word.”
“I’m not interested in my friend’s wife.”
“Isabella, Irene, Basilia, Celestria—”
“Levi.”
“You were my best man.” A sigh of deep disappointment, like being spoken down to as a child. “Such fierce loyalty. I could have sworn on my life that you would have died rather than betray the blood that turned you.”
His pupils couldn’t even fit a pin with the way he stared at me. It was hard keeping our eyes locked for so long, not sure whether to expect a lash or a string of words that will haunt you for at least a millennia.
“Now that I think about it, you didn’t betray my blood per se. Just moved to next of kin.” He smiled. “On to younger, tighter things?”
Just the insinuation disgusted me enough into losing whatever appetite I could spare past breakfast. “I suppose that’s what you expect, since that’s what you would do.” I glanced between his eyes, expecting to feel the sting of his heavily decorated backhand against my cheek.
“Such a shame.”
“I had no choice.”
“At first, it may be,” he said with a shrug, “but you chose to stay, did you not?”
I didn’t dignify him with an answer. The best thing I could do was walk away, so I did.