Page 66 of Dark Witch: Twin Destinies

Aru wasn't sure Kian was right about that, but it wasn't as if they had much choice. The twins needed medical supervision, and keeping them in the escape pod in the cavern until Yamanu arrived didn't seem prudent either.

"Dagor and I will do our best to salvage as much as we can from the escape pod during those three days," he told Kian. "The tech is ancient, so there might be some non-solid-state components that can be reverse-engineered."

"Perhaps this escape pod can provide some clues as to the whereabouts of the others," Kian said. "Does it have something like a black box?"

Aru had heard the term before. A black box was a flight recorder used on aircraft. It collected flight data such as altitude, airspeed, heading, and various other data from the aircraft sensors, providing information that investigators could use to determine the causes of fatal accidents. He wasn't sure if the same device also recorded the conversation in the cockpit, including radio communications between the crew and air traffic control, or whether a different device was used. In any case, black boxes were designed to be highly durable to withstand a crash's force and the following conditions, including fire and deep-sea pressures.

"It should," Dagor answered for him. "That's one of the things I'm trying to find. It could give us clues about the location of the mothership when it exploded and the trajectory of this pod. We may be able to extrapolate from that the likely landing sites of the other pods, or at least further narrow down the search area."

50

KIAN

Kian ended the call with Aru and turned to Syssi, who had been sitting quietly by his side throughout the conversation. Her expression morphed from giddiness when she heard the news about the twins to sadness when she heard about the Kra-ell.

"You were right." He took her hand. "As always."

Syssi smiled sadly. "The Fates wanted them found, and evidently, it was urgent. That's why they hijacked my vision and showed me a way to find them instead of showing me Khiann." Her eyes misted with tears as she looked at him. "I just hope it's because he's not in danger and can wait, and not because he's gone."

"I hope so, too." He enveloped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's difficult for me to put my faith in the Fates and trust them to put us on the right path."

"It's tragic that the Kra-ell didn't make it. They were all young people who were promised a better life. I just keep wondering who's to blame."

"Does it matter?"

Syssi nodded. "Maybe not to them, but it does to me. I want to know who to rage against."

Kian chuckled. "Raging is my job in this family. You are supposed to be the logical and composed one."

"Not this time. This wasn't an accident. I know it, and you know it. What we don't know is who was behind it. The queen of Anumati delayed the ship's arrival but didn't rig it to explode."

Kian arched a brow. "And you know that how? Because she said so? Think about it. She had every reason to sabotage that ship. It was carrying assassins sent by the king to murder her beloved son, who she wanted to protect at all costs. She delayed the ship so it wouldn't be obvious that she was behind it, but she might have also ordered it to self-destruct upon arrival."

Chewing on her lower lip, Syssi contemplated his words for a while. "You are right. She would have done that even if she suspected that the royal twins were onboard and that they were her grandkids. They weren't legitimate heirs, so she didn't care about them."

"The queen might have cared a little, but not enough to endanger her son." Kian removed his arms. "I need to start making calls."

"Speaking of calls, we should inform your mother that the twins were found. She'll be upset if we don't tell her right away."

Kian hesitated momentarily, his mind leaping ahead to the calls he needed to make and the favors he needed to call in. "I have to start getting everything in motion. I don't have time to call my mother."

She would have a thousand questions for which he didn't have answers yet, and he was pressed for time.

Syssi squeezed his hand. "I'll call her."

"Thank you," he said, kissing her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Syssi smiled. "Go." She shooed him towards his office with a wave of her hand.

Kian grabbed his half-finished coffee cup and headed to his home office. He settled into his chair, taking a moment to gather his thoughts and prioritize the calls he needed to make. Kalugal was first, he decided. His cousin had connections in China that would be invaluable for moving things quickly and efficiently. If he agreed to accompany Yamanu to Tibet, he could be of further help with his compulsion ability.

Kian chose Kalugal's number from his favorites list and placed the call, his fingers drumming restlessly on the polished wood of his desk as he waited for the call to connect.

"Kian," Kalugal answered with the usual warmth in his voice, which Kian was starting to learn wasn't fake. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He explained the situation as briefly as he could. Jasmine, scrying, the pod's discovery, the twins' precarious state, and the need for swift and covert action. He hadn't told Kalugal what he needed from him, but his cousin was smart enough to figure that out.

Kalugal listened intently, his occasional hums of acknowledgment the only sign that he was still on the line. When Kian finished, there was a moment of thoughtful silence.

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