Getting Zara’s father thrown into prison certainly would not help his case.
“Roberto Chura! Hektor Jones!” came the guard’s booming voice as he approached the thick metal bars. His face was like granite, eyes steely as his gaze flickered over them.
Hektor waited, his gut twisting into knots at what was to come.
Then he uttered the words that Hektor would never have expected.
“You’re free to go.” With a flick of his hand, the key strapped to his side slid into the hole and the bars swung open.
“We are being released?” Hektor asked, confused.
“I guess so.” Roberto got to his feet. “C’mon.”
“But—”
“Let’s not question the big mean police officer, Hektor,” he urged, pulling him to his feet. “Just smile and walk away.”
Shrugging, he followed Roberto out of the cell, walking behind him as they made their way out toward the main room.
However, when he saw what, or rather who, was waiting for them, Hektor wished they had stayed inside the jail.
Zara stood right by the doorway, hands on her hips, her face a mask of fury directed straight at him.
“Hey, mija, how—oomph!” Roberto staggered back in surprise as Zara tackled him in a hug.
“Papá!” Her arms wound around him like a snake. “Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?”
“What? No, mija.” He pulled away from her. “I’m fine. We were inside the cell for five minutes. The ride to the station from the zoo and the booking process took much longer.”
“So, you’re fine?”
“Not a scratch.”
“Good.” Her head snapped toward Hektor. “How could you?”
His insides withered, and perhaps for the first time in his life, he felt true fear. “Zara, I can explain?—”
“Mom’s at the zoo right now, fixing everything. Thank the gods my mom’s an excellent negotiator because she convinced them not to press charges against you which is why you guys were released.”
“Your mother can do anything,” Roberto said proudly.
“I must thank her,” Hektor said. “How did she manage to secure our freedom?”
“She told them you were an eccentric foreign billionaire and you had never been to a zoo.” She smirked. “That, and that you’re making ahugedonation to the zoo. That’s coming out of your hoard, by the way.”
Hektor supposed it was a small price to pay. “How much?”
“Let’s just say they’re going to name an entire section after you. Just hope that they accept gold bars.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she let out a huff. “But really, Hektor? What were you thinking?”
“I just wanted to do this for you.”
“For me?” she said, incredulous. “What does breaking into the zoo’s aviary and getting my father arrested have to do with me?”
“I just wanted to do something for you.” Slipping his hand inside his jacket, he pulled out his prize—a single feather with a long quill lined with iridescent gold and green barbs, all coming together at the top to form a single blue eye.
“A peacock feather?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, the Upperworld doesn’t have phoenixes, so I had to make do with a peacock.”
