Minutes pass. Many, many minutes. So many that Rainer becomes restless. We’re not in the position we were last week when we could watch Keary’s examination of the pod operation. We can’t see him at all.
The most I can see is the arm of sunlight that looks far more tangible than anything else in the sky. It’s distinct enough that it almost looks like I could reach out and touch it if I were close enough to do so.
“How long do we wait before we should be concerned?” Rainer asks after a while.
I glance up at the sun again. As long as the sun is out, I’m willing to wait a bit longer. It’s not impossible to catch Keary, but it isalmostimpossible to catch him. Less likely to kill him. But…if he’s caught, he’s able to be tortured like anyone else. He’s not infallible.
“A little longer,” Drystan says.
Rainer nods, his eyes drifting in the direction that Kaida is still watching.
Drystan and I have followed Keary around for a long time. Decades. Had we understood why he refused to let himself get involved with us, we’d have fixed that years ago. But that’s besides the point.
All these years, and we never understood why he wandered. What he was looking for. We’d always said he was restless. Searching for something that he didn’t even know.
I think maybe that was all true. He was running from me and Drystan, but he was also looking for a purpose that was beyond “playing house” in the confines of a base. He never fit into that lifestyle. I’m not sure where he got the idea that we’d require or even want that.
Keary has always been happy to wander, but this Keary ishappy. He enjoys facing the constant threat that the beasts pose. Helovesfucking with the pods. He’s always been drawn to violence. What I think makes him truly thrive now isn’t just that he’s finally allowed himself to be with us after fighting it for so long but also that he’s doing something for Rainer. Something that’s important to him.
This is how he communicates his love, and it makes him shine. It makes him stronger.
I imagine this might have a bit of the opposite effect on Rainer, who jumps when Keary reappears. Then his shoulders relax, relieved. He lost everyone he loved once, and now he’s always going to be afraid of it happening again.
We’re not going anywhere, pet.
“Okay,” Keary says. “There’s only seven of them from what I can see. However, they have a handful of victims that they’recurrently toying with. More… uh, threatening are the beasts they have chained—angry and in pain.”
Rainer shivers. “What do we do?”
“Seven is a number we can handle, so how about we find somewhere safe for you and Kaida, then we’ll go take care of it?” Keary offers.
Our pet chews his lip as he looks between the three of us. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can see the fear in his eyes. I grip the nape of his neck and pull him close so we all surround him.
“I promise we’ll be back for you. Nothing will ever keep us away from you, pet,” I tell him.
He inhales and closes his eyes.
“You won’t lose anyone else again,” Drystan says, nuzzling into the side of his head. “You’ll never get rid of us until the end of time.”
“You sound sure,” he murmurs.
“More than sure,” I promise. “Kaida will keep you safe while we’re gone, just as she’s done before us, and wewillbe back.”
He nods. “I just don’t want to see what they’re doing to the people they’re hurting. I have no problem killing them,” he says, and I can hear the defensive tone he tries to hide.
“We know,” Keary says.
“You know,” Drystan says, “there’s no reason you can’t be close enough to get involved if they come your way or try to run. I’m sure there’s somewhere that will lend to you having the satisfaction of killing the monsters who killed your parentsandkeep you from seeing what they’re doing.”
“I know just the place,” Keary says. He takes Rainer’s hand and begins pulling us in the direction of the pod. “Let’s go.”
Kaida leads the way once more. She trots ahead of us, her footfalls silent as if she’s running on the air. We’re not quite as silent, but we also don’t come barging through like elephants.She slows as we get closer, but our approach is drowned out by the beasts behind the building.
The building was once a gas station. Some pumps are broken, while others are missing entirely. The building is still solid, though several of the front windows have been blown out.
“Here,” Keary says, keeping us just beyond the perimeter within the overgrowth. “You and Kaida stay here. If they come out the front door, they’re yours.” He kisses Rainer’s cheek.
Rainer nods. He pulls his blade out and stares at the building.
