Page 59 of Warrior Unraveled

“But you’re not going to tell me who you’re working with, are you?”

“You were an enforcer once, too. You know the rules.”

“I do. That’s why I won’t press you. Now ask whatever you came here to ask me.”

“You contacted one of our emissarii several days ago, Anton Faldo. Why?”

Cinead suddenly stiffened visibly. “It’s of no importance, I assure you.”

“I respectfully disagree. Faldo is dead.”

Cinead’s breath hitched, and his eyes widened. It was a surprise to him. “Dead? How? When?”

“Killed in his home. He was found in a pool of blood. My people are currently investigating how he was killed and whether a demon was involved. So whatever you talked to Faldo about when you last saw him, I need to know. It could be important in solving his murder.”

“I had given him an assignment and decided at the last minute to withdraw it and take care of it myself. He wasn’t involved in any business for us in the last few days. So my dealings with him won’t help you solve this case.”

Virginia crossed her arms over her chest. “Let me be the judge of that. The confidential log said Settle D, and I don’t know what it means. You know as well as I do that as a council member I have the right to know what you were discussing with Faldo before his death. So you can either tell me now and, should it have nothing to do with Faldo’s death, it will remain between us, or I can drag you before the council for an inquiry. Your choice.”

Cinead gave her a long look, apparently contemplating her words. He didn’t look angry or worried. Rather, he appeared sad. As if what he had to say was difficult. After a few moments of silence, he motioned to the couch. “Take a seat, Virginia.”

He slumped down into an armchair. Virginia took a seat on the couch and waited.

Cinead took a long breath, blew it out and started, “As you know, one of the vacant seats on the council was that of a council member who was punished for betraying her race.”

Virginia nodded. “Deirdre’s seat.”

“Yes, and while she had no contact with the demons and thought she was doing the right thing, she went against a council decision, and tried to take matters into her own hands by eliminating a human we had chosen to protect.” Cinead lifted his eyes to meet hers.

Virginia nodded. She’d heard the story and agreed with the council’s punishment.

“Deirdre was released from her lead cell a few days ago after spending a year in it.”

“To strip her of her powers,” Virginia said quietly, almost to herself.

“Yes, to make her human and send her into exile. She will have no further contact with any of us.” He sighed. “The council’s decision was unanimous. We knew it had to be done. But you see…” He hesitated.

Virginia simply waited, not wanting to interrupt his thought process.

“I had assigned Faldo to get her settled in the human world.”

“Settle D. Settle Deirdre,” she murmured.

“Yes, but I couldn’t let him do it. I wanted to see her one more time.” He smiled a sad smile. “You see, Deirdre is my half-sister. She’s all the family I have left.”

She hadn’t known that, maybe because they didn’t share the same surname.

“You spoke to Faldo and relieved him of his assignment, because you planned to do it yourself.”

Cinead nodded. “And I did, three days before the compound was compromised. I brought Deirdre to Portland, Oregon, helped her get settled in a small house in a quiet neighborhood, and then I said my goodbyes.”

“Was she angry?”

He made a sudden jerky movement. “Angry?”

“For being exiled.”

“Oh no. Deirdre has made peace with us and herself. She knows she was wrong.”