Page 81 of Marked by the Demigod

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Four days later Flasks is closed, the security cameras off and pointed away, and there's no sign of the blurry bartender anywhere nearby. Just Katya with a grave face and a suit that's cut to make her look as sharp as possible.

She takes a long look at Aimes's face, the sort of uncomfortable look she's been getting from way too many of her friends lately, and sighs, handing her a glass of wine.

They sit, for a few seconds, both drinking wine but not wanting to speak. The bags under Katya's eyes hold volumes.

"Is everything okay with you? You look...stretched thin."

She gets a sharp look in return to that, but then Katya sighs. "Things are going...weirdly right now." She admits. "There's been a rash of killings, in the same way as Dave. There's this girl who can see ghosts - just one ghost - but the ghost has another creature after it and it's a mess to deal with.”

And that's not really what she meant, but all right. "Iakov said he didn't kill Dave." She blurts out.

Katya immediately winces. "Yeah, it's either him or his brothers who did, with the energy around the place." She frowns, shut in on herself. "Aimes, I have to officially ask you to report to me whenever he contacts you."

It's as if she’s plunged into cold water very very quickly. "What?"

"I don't want to ask that, it's just..." She trails off, uncomfortable. "It's just that if it is him killing people then we need to know his movements. And it could...it could put you in danger.

Aimes sits back, her stomach cold. "He's always asking me if you're making me do that." She blurts out. "He's always thinking you're controlling that and--and...and using me to spy on him."

Katya doesn't meet her eyes. "It's not to spy on him, it's for your safety," she says, voice low. "I don't like it, but..." She trails off, looking the most uncomfortable. "We need to start tracking the Demigods, and I don't know how better to do it."

Aimes sits, feeling like she's caving into herself, like her shoulders are slumping and her spine is compressing. "I don't think it's a good idea." She hears herself say. "If he thinks I'm doing that, he won't trust me."

This time Katya does look at her, and the look is pitying. "Aimes, you realize, any emotion you're having to him...it's because of the bond. That he tricked you into."

It's a barb that sticks in the back of her head. "But it's still there."

"And it's not real," she says, blunt, final.

Aimes tries to swallow, then tries to swallow again, the lump not going away. "But it can be?" She manages out.

Katya's face turns kind, and it's far crueler than anything else. "He could be manipulating you, it wouldn't be difficult," she says. "It's in his interests to have you be loyal--"

There's a cough in the back of the store, and they both swivel, Katya's hand flashing to her side holster.

In the dark of the store, in the corner, stands Iakov. His face is neutral, but his eyes dance.

"Oh Jesus." Katya groans. "What the hell do you want now?"

He strides forwards, flicking his eyes to the security cameras as he does. "As entertaining as that is..." He rests a hand on Aimes's arm, and an electrical current goes through her, "I need your help." But he's not looking at Aimes, just at Katya, and suddenly her skin crawls, but not in the way it had earlier. This time it's like something went wrong, some message got mixed, and the world is suddenly dangerous.

Katya's nose flares; she doesn't move the hand from her holster.

Iakov's hand tightens against her arm, but the look on his face doesn't change as he pulls up one of the bar stools. "I've gotten my hands on a few new prophecy pieces." He takes Aimes's glass, takes a swig of it. He wrinkles his nose at the glass, then continues. "And actually have some answers as to...why they've been after me."

They both glance at her, then back at each other, like she's a pawn in getting what they want in this conversation.

"At the same time as the...original prophecy thing...someone made another. That, if the twins could kill me they could rule, but..." He trails off for a moment, as if floundering. "But way more people would die." His hand tightens further on her arm, and she's struck by how much his neutral face, how much the look in his eye, how casual his voice is, how much of it is a lie. A bald faced lie, and he is scared shitless.

Katya hesitates for a beat. "You have enough proof?" She asks, her voice harsh.

"They think they do." The hand on her arm goes gentle, sliding down to grasp her hand.

Aimes squeezes back, and he gives her such a startled look. Like he wouldn't think that she'd do such a thing, and is pleasantly surprised, and then his eyes catch on hers, and it's like he can't look away.

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