“Pissed,” I supplied.
Niki shifted but didn’t push me away. “Although crude, Hikaru is correct. I suspicion I pushed a little too hard and was a bit too prolific in my opinions regarding the Warlock Council’s recent actions.”
Shoulders back and arms crossed, Cilla was a small spitfire of righteous anger. “Of course you were.” She huffed. “They were just being pompous asses refusing to help with Erasmus’s search for his fellow necromancers.”
I felt Niki’s body tense. There was more to this story, but Cilla didn’t know it. A nasty spur of jealousy in me liked that she didn’t know everything.
“Yes, well…despite his obviously tainted intentions, one thing Tenzen Huxley did do was get the Warlock Council to release the list of necromancers’ mothers’ names. Now that thisissue with Huxley has been resolved, I’m certain Erasmus will begin his hunt again.”
Interestingly, it was the djinn Aurelia who’d filled me in on Erasmus’s little side project. It seems Niki’s son has delusions of grandeur and intends to start tracking down poor little lost necromancer souls. The mission seemed tedious to me. I had no desire to locate any other kitsune. I didn’t want to know why I’d been abandoned by my creator while they had not. Why torture myself with such knowledge?
“Let me know if anything alarming happens, even if you don’t think it is that significant, it could be,” Niki said before standing. Cilla followed suit as did I.
“I’ll keep a weather eye out. Please be careful, Nikodemus. I don’t like this.” Cilla shifted closer, as if she were about to give Niki a hug. My narrowed eyes and agitated tails made her think twice and she took a wise step back.
“It is little more than tedious,” Niki arrogantly answered. I was certain he found the whole thing tedious. I wasn’t so certain there wasn’t more to his emotions. “Take care and contact me if needed—day or night.”
“I will,” Cilla agreed. “I know I’m just a squirrel shifter, but if there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re like family to me.”
Cilla gave one of those dopy smiles I’d seen on countless faces. How did Niki not understand how intoxicating he was?
We left Niki’s shop and climbed back into his vehicle. Stretching my arms, my claws raked across the ceiling.
“I would appreciate it if you were a little gentler on the upholstery. It’s a waste of magic to fix it.”
The magic swirling around Niki spoke otherwise. Not a drop of it would ever be wasted and the magic understood this. How, I had no idea. My lack of knowledge didn’t negate the truth of the matter.
“It’s fine.” I dissipated the tips of my fingers, leaving little more than mist touching the roof.
“That’s a neat little trick.”
“Nothing tricky about it.” I wiggled my now formed fingers. Niki stared at them, his gaze far off. “You’re thinking too hard.” We were still sitting in the parking lot. Niki hadn’t even started the vehicle.
“I should contact Erasmus, or maybe Franklin.” Niki’s lips pulled into a frown and deep grooves worked their way around his eyes. “But I don’t want to disturb them on their honeymoon. I don’t even know if the Warlock Council will go after them.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You think they’d be foolish enough to go after your son?”
“What I think is that the Warlock Council isn’tthinkingat all, and yes, I do. Erasmus is an afront to all they hold dear.”
“Because you didn’t abandon him?”
Niki gave a slow, thoughtful nod. “That, and so much more. Erasmus is very gifted.”
I scoffed. “It’s not like you to understate things, especially concerning your son.”
That brought a brief smile. “True. It is difficult to quantify Erasmus’s abilities. I cannot thank Gaia enough that Erasmus’s necromancer abilities did not compromise his mental health. That can be said of far too few necromancers.” Niki shook his head. “Staying by my son’s side is just the tip of the ice burg. Erasmus has proven that necromancers can be powerful in their own right. They are not a species to be so casually disregarded. My son flies in the face of centuries of tradition. His success fractures ideals warlocks have clung to for far too long.” Niki’s face had turned downcast. His eyes raised and for a brief moment, I could see a well of pain just below the surface. “Abandoning your child is not…easy. For me, it was impossible. I have to think other warlocks feel the same and yet they’ve alwaysjustified their actions because necromancers were mentally unstable and weak. Many died before their physically aging body’s time.”
I was starting to understand. “Erasmus’s very existence challenges that.”
Niki nodded. “It does. And not just that. Guilt is an overwhelming emotion. Its burden is not an easy weight to bear. If more warlocks understood…if they discovered what Erasmus has done with his life…what the possibilities are…and knowing they abandoned their own child, that their child could have been what mine is…that is a difficult truth to accept. Erasmus’s success doesn’t negate the fact his life is still brief compared to my own—that his loss, when that time comes, will not be devastating, but it does call into question the quality of the time they are allowed. That we are allowed together.” Niki eased back into his seat, head tilted and gaze staring through the front windshield. “I do not know what Erasmus’ and Franklin’s plans are for the future, if children might be something they’d want. If so, if they use a surrogate and Erasmus is the father?—”
“Then you would have biological grandchildren, a whole genial line that wouldn’t have been possible before.” It was easy to see how this warlock’s love would transfer down the line of his son’s descendants.
Niki’s darkened fingertips rubbed his chest. His grimace appeared pained. “Producing and raising children is no small undertaking. I would never pressure Erasmus, but the thought of smaller versions of him…it might soften the blow when his time finally comes.” Niki’s shoulders stiffened and his eyes narrowed, glaring at me as if I’d said something offensive. “I don’t care if you think that sounds selfish.”
“I think no such thing…gramps.” I offered Niki a wide grin full of sharp teeth. “Grampy Niki.” I cocked my head to the side. “Or would you prefer Papaw Niki? Hmm…I need to startconsidering endearments. Getting it just right might take some time, and this is far too important to mess up.”
“Menace,” Niki lamented, although his lips twitched with a grin he was valiantly attempting to fight off.
