“Kinzer has murdered Dedrus, a higherling, and assaulted members of the Council. And on top of all this, now he is linked, as is his accomplice, you Treycore, to a devastating massacre of higherlings. So, dear old friend, please forgive me if I disagree.”
Treycore felt the impulse to object, to make her see the truth of the situation, but he could tell he wasn’t going to get anywhere, especially as he didn’t have any evidence to prove his claims. With a room full of corpses, he had no witness to attest to his case, and just as bad, the truth still incriminated him in the eyes of the Council.
Kayvan and Dartavore forced him to his feet and dragged him through the massacre, making their way through the door they had entered from.
“Call Reyso,” Neeva said.
Dartavore retrieved a cell from her pocket, pressed a key, and put the phone to her ear.
“We’ll meet you at our previous rendezvous point, yes. What?” She looked at Neeva. “He says he has a surprise for us.”
“Tonight’s just full of surprises, I suppose. Call Forden at the Council. We need a team to scour this place for Kinzer and any other immortals we might find.”
They led him out the back door, through the yard. They followed a green glow in the woods. As they neared it, Treycore saw it was an immortal holding a green lantern. He stood over a limp body. As they drew even closer, Treycore realized who it was, and he was horrified.
In a quick maneuver, he reared his head back, slamming it against Kayvan’s. He kicked Dartavore’s legs out from under her. While his accosters recovered, he lunged forward.
“Kid!”
Neeva kicked him in his face so that he fell to the side.
She dropped to her knees, making her hand into a claw as she pressed her nails into his throat.
“Just try to piss me off again. Please. I’d be so happy to tear your esophagus from your throat right now.”
He ground his teeth.
“Let him go,” Treycore said.
Neeva looked at Kid, then back at Treycore.
“What do you know of this mortal?” she asked, her voice laced with rage.
He didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. He could tell by the judgmental glare in her eyes that she knew the extent of their relationship, and it infuriated her. Her nostrils flared, her fingers trembled. It was like she was working to stifle the rage that told her to tear him apart.
“It seems you have committed a great many offenses against the Council and the Almighty. It leaves me speculating what other secrets we’ll find as we unravel your adventures in this realm.”
Kayvan and Dartavore captured his arms once again. Neeva rose as they dragged him to his feet.
She turned to the higherling with the lantern. “What is this mortal doing here?”
“I discovered him creeping through the woods. I figured I should detain him for questioning.”
“Good work.”
“Should I dispose of it?” Reyso asked.
“No!” Treycore shouted, tugging violently to break free of his captors’ grips.
Neeva looked at him, her eyes filled with disgust.
“I would say yes, just to punish this higherling for all that he’s done, but I fear this creature who should not be privy to the ways of our kind may know more about what has transpired tonight than we can afford to lose.”
“He doesn’t know anything!” Treycore insisted.
“Your lies exhaust me, Treycore. As it stands, be grateful I have the spirit to allow the Council to decide your fate, rather than my own contempt of the abomination you’ve pursued.”
She turned to Reyso. “Don’t waste time. Get that thing. We need to get them to a secure location.”
