Page 15 of The Stone Survival
I sat with Serath on one side and Levi on the other. Curi and Shar flanked the three of us, and a moment later, the mirror lit up to reveal a room beyond occupied by Ulrickson, Iram, two goyles I didn’t recognize, and Lionel.
My back straightened as I met Lionel’s gaze. Was the concern in his eyes real? He’d lied to me. Told me he was my father. He’d taken me from my mother. Killed her and given me to someone else to raise but…he’d also given me Romi.
Lionel wasn’t my father, but he was family. He was my brother, and once I could be sure it was safe, I’d finally confront him about that fact. But for now, I’d have to play the part of a relieved daughter.
So I fixed a tremulous smile on my lips and aimed it at him.
He leaned forward, giving me a nod of reassurance, but it was Ulrickson that spoke.
“Your accusations, although foul, are valid. We cannot deny that top secret information has been leaked, and we understand your reservations surrounding Serath Halle’s welfare. But we cannot ignore that he was taken by graynites. Held by them for weeks. He may not consciously recall what happened to him, but with the help of the alchemist, we may be able to determine the truth.”
One of the men we didn’t know stood slowly. “My name is Arthur King. I head up the alchemist division, and I can assure you that we will take the utmost care of you, Mr. Halle.”
Beside me, Serath had gone deathly still. “No.” The word was a primal growl that had the hairs on my arms standing to attention.
The man blinked and stood taller. “This is not a request. If you wish to return to your duties, then we must?—”
“No,” Levi said this time.
“No fucking way,” Curi added.
“Not happening,” Sharniza said.
I stood slowly. “No one is poking around inside my mate’s head. He’s been through enough. And if you try to take him by force, we will fight you, and you can kiss your elite team goodbye. Are we clear?”
Doubt played across Ulrickson’s face, and King must have seen it.
“We had an agreement,” he said. “Halle’s mind could hold vital information on the graynites who took him.”
“And so could the mind of the traitor in your midst!” Levi said.
Orix stepped forward, coming abreast of our row of chairs. “They’re right. We’re wasting time here. You should be using your resources to find the leak and plug it. You want our help against the graynites, then you need to back off and let us do our job.”
The mirror went dark.
“They’re deliberating,” Curi said. “As if they have a choice.”
The lights came back on a minute later, and it was Lionel who stood at the forefront of the group now. “The threat in our midst is real. The only way to protect the elite team and Serath is to ensure the security of information channels. Going forward, you will report only to me until the traitor is caught.”
“And what if you’re the traitor?” Levi asked.
“If I’m the traitor, then Serath will be taken, and you’ll know for sure who to come after. But I assure you now that I have only your welfare at heart. Those bastards killed—” He swallowed hard, pausing to gather himself before continuing. “They stole his body, and I will do whatever it takes to make them pay.”
He knew about Romi, which meant he must have been behind the two-way mirror in the interview room, and the devastation on his face right now wasn’t something that could be fabricated. I didn’t believe he was with the faction, but he was still a murderer and a liar, and he’d have to answer for that soon enough.
“You will return to the academy, but Serath will remain off duty for now,” Lionel continued. “An announcement will be made about the attack on the elite team and Serath Halle’s retrieval.” He looked at me. “As for your mate bond. There is no way to hide it, but its existence will cause an upheaval. Gargoyles have been taught that a sigma cannot take a fated mate because such a bonding drives the sigma insane. This is true. I haveseen the evidence. As elite, you should know that the insanity is caused by an ancient curse, one connected directly to sigmas. One which strips them of their souls.” This was no news to us, and I couldn’t be bothered to feign shock. If they noted the fact, they didn’t show it. Lionel continued. “It seems that the graynites can take advantage of the curse and somehow make more graynites. We can only deduce that they have discovered some way of activating the curse in sigma gargoyles.”
“What about the sigmas you’ve taken away?” Levi asked. “What happened to them?”
The blank look on Lionel’s face was answer enough even before he replied, “They are exterminated.”
“Or not,” Shar said. “There are people working for the graynites in your ranks. Who’s to say they’re not being taken?”
Lionel’s chest heaved. “It’s a possibility. One we will look into. In the meantime, Cameron and Serath’s bond will be a subject of scrutiny. The first of its kind in centuries. We will be educating the goyle community on the fact that this bond was forged in extremely unique circumstances and that the warning to other sigmas still stands.”
“A port will be prepared to take you back to the academy,” Ulrickson said wearily. “We’re done here.”
We were going home.
