“Before we vote on our first official order of business, I think there’s one more plight that needs to be brought to light.”
Staring daggers into Wrage, it wasn’t until he noticed a few more people that had followed my gaze that he looked back at me, seeing that he was the object of my outcry.
“Why…are you looking at me?” Wrage said, playing all innocent.
Wrex’s earlier words about the conflict between petrylle and caeboros appeared in my brain like a previously forgotten puff of smoke.
“You and I both know that there’s a very serious problem happening to petrylle,” I shook my head. “I understand if you felt like you couldn’t say anything about it here. I understand if you’re scared to share the weaknesses within the community with someone you might deem your rival. But this board is about unity.” I looked away from him to stare at each of them in different intervals as I spoke. “We all have to be willing to trust each other or this board is never going to succeed. So while I understand anyone’s apprehensions, we have to check it at the door because we swore an oath to protect our people by banding together. If we’re not willing to go in a hundred percent, then we should all just go home now.” I gave my gaze back to Wrage. “Are you sure you don’t want to be the voice of your fellow petrylle by accurately painting what’s happening to them?”
Looking uncomfortably out of place, Wrage stirred in his seat. He unfolded his closed hands from themselves, nodding his head as he met my eyes.
“You’re right. I’ve been holding back out of fear, and that’s not fair. To anyone.” He swiveled his head to stare at Kloan. “Kloan, I owe you an apology.”
“Me?” Kloan placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. “Why me?” Agemot stirred uneasily as his boyfriend was brought to collective attention.
“Because I was letting the rivalry between petrylle and caeboros get in the way of sharing something serious happening to my brethren.” He gestured toward me. “Wallace is right. I’ve been letting that rivalry that was instilled in me as a child make my adult decisions. I had it in my head that I couldn’t let a caeboros know about a weakness affecting the petrylle.” Wrage sighed again, placing a hand on his chest. “Kloan, I hope you can forgive me for holding it against you when you didn’t deserve it.”
“I can’t say I fully understand what is so serious to have caused this,” Kloan shook his head. “But the opposition between the caeboros and the petrylle runs deep. Even my parents still rant on about ‘the old days’.” Kloan did air quotes to emphasize his point. “So I get not wanting me to know something like that. I forgive you.”
Tears danced around the rims of Wrage’s eyes. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’ll accept it just the same.”
“And Wallace is right. We have to stay united if ORBIT is going to work.” Kloan nodded, giving me a knowing look. “We have to fight to unite.”
Hearing him throw the slogan I’d started in Piper back into the room caused me to grin with a bright smile. It always felt good to hear that something I’d said had stuck in people’s heads enough for them to keep it housed within their morals and beliefs.
Wrage spent the next several minutes detailing the petrylle kidnappings, learning a little bit more detail myself that Wrex hadn’t conveyed. Just this morning, a fourteenth petrylle had gone missing. They’d been varying members of the community, a mix of active and inactive members throughout the D.C. area. Not one of them had been killed but none of them had been returned yet either. Wrage thought it originally had to be a group of caeboros that was behind it, but Kloan was adamant that he would do some digging and prove that theory wrong. The only other thing Wrage knew about the victims was that they’d all been kidnapped right around midnight. Every last one of them.
“Well that makes it seem like it’s lycanthe.” Francyn added once Wrage was done illuminating the situation for everyone. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Lycanthe have nothing to gain by capturing petrylle.”
“Can you ask around and see if you can find anything out?” I asked.
“Of course! But I’m telling you, it’s not lycanthe behind it. It doesn’t add up.” Her accent made her sound both unsure and unwavering at the same time, and I could tell by the looks on everyone’s faces that they were feeling the same sentiment.
“Okay, all in favor of tackling the mystery of the missing petrylle?” I bellowed, raising my hand without hesitation.
“Ooh, great alliteration, boss.” Maxim said from his chair in the corner, typing away giddily.
Everyone’s hands flew up without question, with Wrage putting up a humble, not quite fully raised hand. It brought a smile to my face to see everyone on the same page.
That only made my mind drift back to Wrex, but I steeled my thoughts to keep the focus that I needed to keep leading the charge.
“Alright then, the first thing we need to work on is getting involved with local law enforcement so we have an officer ordetective on the case.” I said, rolling my shoulders to focus. “I’ll kick that off, since I’m the perfect go to, being human. But once I make contact, I’ll need a team focused on helping the officer. Any volunteers?”
A beat passed before Ozmo raised their hand. “I think I’d be helpful. Most humans see me and think I’m one of them, so I wouldn’t make them feel uncomfortable.”
“Guess that leaves me out of the running, then.” Zxe murmured. “Ausserknoch are the scariest Orbs to humans, at least from what people have told me.”
“Do youwantto help the assigned law enforcer? Taking out of the equation what other people might think?” I asked her.
Always super serious, Zxe was hard to read. But now, it was humbling watching her go from stoic warrior to vulnerable cherub. You could practically feel her withdrawing inside herself, even though she was just slouching in her chair.
“I mean, I would like to…”
“Then fuck anyone else’s hang ups.” I told her. “Pardon my language.”
That earned me a smile from her, and it felt good to have her on board. Hell, if anything, having Zxe working with the officer might actually benefit us. If the officerwasterrified of her, maybe they’d be more inclined to get the job done with haste.
Looking around the room, I asked, “Anyone else?”
