Page 86 of Between Imminent Fates

“Have Isaiah or Key shown any improvement?” Zeke asked.

When Derikles spoke, the word was poison on his tongue. “None.”

There was no change in Zeke, but Derikles couldn’t help but notice the fatigue that plagued the other man. He was barely holding on.

“Key has made no progress either. We are—” Nero’s features pinched, “—I am not hopeful.”

The women beside him—Eden and Zia—both displayed signs of distress. It’d been three weeks, and they’d had little time to focus on anything else, but there would be benefit in aligning on treatments. What worked and what didn’t, though it seemed like everything was falling in the latter category.

Derikles extended the initiative to Zeke and Nero. “If Isaiah sees any improvement from treatments we attempt, I’ll inform you.”

“That’s why Celeste is here,” Zeke said. “You can speak with her.”

When his mouth opened to confirm the assignment, Nero spoke first. “Thank you, Derikles. You can let me know if you have any signs of improvement, and I’ll attempt the same with Key.”

“Cheers.”

The soft sound of footsteps greeted their ears. Derikles recognized Tyee from the time he’d spoken at Gideon’s funeral. The man’s words had stuck with him, and he never forgot a face.

The water Elemental drew gracefully to a stop just outside their ring of chairs, and to Derikles’ shock, looked directly at him. “Derikles, I have something for you.”

But he made no move to rise. “What is it?”

“Instructions,” was the woefully brief response.

“About what?”

“About your situation,” Tyee replied evenly. “Isaiah asked that I refrain from giving this to you immediately. He recommended I wait several weeks until things had calmed, and you were more stable. It’s best viewed alone at first, Derikles. Then, once you’ve watched his message, you can make the decision as to whether or not to share it.”

An uneasy feeling hollowed Derikles’ gut. Beside him, Rukia had stiffened.

The Elemental handed him the small USB drive. As he carefully clutched the prize in his hand, Derikles’ gazed at him with narrowed eyes.

“When did he give you this?”

“A month ago.”

Before Derikles knew what his sovereign was planning, butafterthe man had attempted his psychic test on the clan’s network.

It was Gideon’s incredulous voice that pulled him back from the brink. “You knew something would happena month ago?”

The hint of viciousness in the Elemental monarch’s voice was something Derikles had never previously heard. Seeing the living saint splintered just like everyone else gave him hope that one day, Derikles would be able to mend his own wounds.

“I did, but not to the extent it played out.” Tyee faced his friend with a neutral expression, as if Gideon’s reaction hadn’t surprised him. “Key’s methods may not make sense, Gideon, but they work—as should be apparent by now.”

It was a dismissal if he’d ever seen one. Tyee’s attention returned to Derikles before he gave a simple command: “Watch it.”

Agonizing over what the USB contained, he said, “Gideon, I need a laptop.”

“You can use my office.”

Derikles shadowed the Elemental down a long hall. The last office was undoubtedly Gideon’s, based on the verdant jungle of plants inside it. Derikles almost didn’t notice the way the greenery reached for the Elemental as he opened his laptop and keyed in a password to unlock it.

“Stay in here as long as you need.”

After a nod, Gideon closed the door behind him.

Allowing himself a steadying breath, he plugged in the USB. As he hit play, he held himself still. His breathing evened out. His shoulders relaxed. His focus became absolute.

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