Page 85 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

“We should have demonstrated our superiority a long time ago…”

Mikhail leaned back in his chair, allowing them to talk it out. How did they fail to grasp that those very rules had kept them safe all this time? Every creature was bound by a strict set of universal and mandatory regulations; without them, chaos would reign. While the human world had its judiciary, executive, and legislative branches, their supernatural world had the Tribunal. And the Tribunal had zero tolerance for power plays. Breaking the rules was the surest way to ignite a war with the human species—a war that would doom the immortals, especially given their current vulnerabilities.

Mikhail crossed his arms over his chest, feeling both guilty and ashamed of what he was doing. He intentionally let them believe that a human hand was involved in Kaliope’s murder. If he revealed everything about the portal and his trip to Italy, he feared it could spark a war among the immortal species—perhaps exactly what the enemy intended.

But wasn’t it already too late? Had he fallen into that trap himself? Someone had set Mada against him and, in retaliation, he had destroyed an entire witch clan. A few staff members from The Witch had survived and had seen them – him, Viktor, Constantine, Diana… Well, it would be a while until anyone identified them, if they ever did. He could only hope that if this ever came to light, it would fall into the doing-harm-out-of-necessity category, which exempted any creature from responsibility in the Tribunal’s eyes.

But how the hell would he calm the witches down, if they sought revenge?

When the voices of his Council colleagues didn’t settle down, but instead grew increasingly irate, he cleared his throat. Once he had their attention, he said, “I know you’re worried, but we checked the Righteous. He’s clean. Besides, the murdered vampire, Mary Clare, has never been linked to embezzlement. She was a hard-working creature living by the Hospital and immortal world rules. Let us respect her memory.”

He made everyone pay their respects with a minute of silence for the two women who, although very different from each other, had lost their lives in an equally violent way.

Then, he continued. “We have reason to believe that Mary Clare’s murder was a personal matter and no one else is in danger. As far as Kaliope’s death is concerned… We are doing the best we can to solve it. Thus, I propose we inform the Tribunal and take advantage of their resources.

An expected wave of outrage followed.

“You want to call them here?”

“Those fuckers will be sniffing around?”

“Those are the rules.” Mikhail realised he was being a complete hypocrite, preaching about the same rules he was so eager to overstep. “They might be useful. Wouldn’t you like to know who is responsible for these murders?”

Platinum spoke up first. “Don’t you get it by now, Mikhail? The Tribunal agents don’t help. They just throw accusations around. No proof, no nothing. They arrest scapegoats, not the real culprits.”

Mikhail was well aware of the hatred the nymph felt towards the Tribunal, after her husband had been hunted by them. They hadn’t managed to catch him alive, however, and although they couldn’t have been involved in his death, Platinum kept insisting it was their doing.

“I believe they will impede our work in the Hospital,” Elisanda added. “You know how threatening their agents can be. I mean, they’re not the most considerate.”

“Can’t the necromancer get in touch with Kaliope and Mary Clare’s souls and find out who did them in?” Silvester offered, laying his hands on the table. His hair today was brocade silver, and he wore a bowtie and vest in the same colour, paired with a white shirt.

“Unfortunately, Constantine couldn’t make contact with either soul,” Mikhail replied.

Lyla laughed. “Does the Consumer of Souls have a hard time getting it up?”

A few creatures around the table giggled.

“My friends, I am confused,” Jaguar said. “Why would someone leave the witch’s head in front of the Hospital with such a message? Surely the one it was meant for knows what all this means, right? But for the rest of us, we’re left wondering who left it there. And why this witch? During our last Council meeting, we voted against the murder she wanted to commit to save some young witches from a pack of hoodlums. Could that be why she was targeted?”

“That’s still being investigated,” Mikhail lied. Zacharia had already checked. Kaliope had not gone forward with her plan, but that would be announced to the Council after a day or two. “And although the Tribunal tolerates some transgressions, mainly those that protect immortal creatures, I do not believe that Kaliope’s intentions and the readiness of the Council to support her should be shared with their agents.”

“Now that’s something!” Lyla Lee stuck out her tongue that, for some reason, was stained purple.

Braba cleared his throat, attracting everyone’s attention. The plump lycanthrope, with his worn leather jacket and his tiny glasses, spoke so rarely that almost every creature at the table listened to him with curiosity. “Do you have any idea how many humans are on staff at the Hospital?”

“Thirty or forty?” Dimitri suggested.

“What are you getting at?” Elisanda asked.

Braba looked at the others expectantly. “Can every single one of you swear that they trust each of these thirty or forty humans?”

Platinum flung her hair over her shoulder. “Ha! I don’t even know who they are, let alone trust them.”

“I don’t know them, either,” Zyah, the only female lycanthrope in the Council, chimed in.

Vladislav yelled over the others, “Well, I know them, but I dunno if I can swear!”

Mikhail knew them as well and he also wasn’t completely certain about them. But admitting that now wouldn’t be helpful. If anything, it was bound to fuel the flames Elisanda was so aptly trying to kindle. “Humans here don’t leave the premises. Ever.”

---