Page 9 of Katya and the Young God

“So not on the record?” She prompts.

He shakes himself, as if gathering himself. “The cave expedition, it’s dangerous for you.” As if it’s something Katya didn’t already know. “I don’t know why they sent you, or who thought it’d be a good idea, but —"

“Beatriz did,” Katya says, and judging by his careful non-reaction, he knows the name. “Called me while I was at a wedding to tell me.”

“So Beatriz wants you dead?” He asks, and the way the sunlight hits him, his skin seems to sparkle. Shine.

But Katya’s seen Pixies before and knows all their tricks, and looking trustworthy is one of them. So is their double talk, their inability to lie but their ability to couch things in questions and in half truths.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Katya says, smooth. “You have to have heard about what happened in LA.”

“More than Ollo did, that’s for sure,” he says, a small trace of bitterness in his voice.

“I didn’t get the feeling he was the most plugged in individual.” Katya doesn’t take her eyes off of Feketer, but allows herself to sink into the couch, give the appearance of someone relaxing. “Tell me, what danger is there?”

He settles in at the small table, in a rickety wooden chair that creaks when he sits. “I’ve consulted for the Organization on this, but I don’t represent the Organization,” he says, and she can recognize a warning when she hears one. “I am there under my own interests, not yours.”

She nods. “Understood.” Honesty this forthcoming is rare, rare and treasured. Even from people who cannot tell lies, something this straightforward is gold.

“I won’t tell you everything,” he says, slow. “It would not be advantageous to me. But...” He scowls down at the mug of coffee. “I don’t think the leaders of the expedition think that everyone will be coming back out.”

“Are we talking about accepted losses or murder?” Katya asks, because she’s been in that position before.

His throat works, as he weighs his words, weighs how much he can say without betraying what he doesn’t want to. “I’m thinking that sacrifice might not be off the table,” he says, and it’s just vague enough to give him deniability. “I’m thinking they don’t know what’s down there, and they’re not dismissing the idea that blood might be what it needs.”

Katya sits back in the couch, her mind racing. “Well that’d be inconvenient,” she says, aiming for frivolous. “Am I the only human going?” Because that would narrow things down, and she would bring a hell of a lot more weaponry than she currently has planned.

“No, there’s at least five others.” He gives that piece easily, like it costs him nothing.

She watches the steam rise from the cup in his hands, the tendrils mixing with the sun beams through the windows. “Thank you,” she says, as formal as she can make it while still wearing the suit from the day before. “I appreciate your words.”

He scowls suddenly, as if figuring out what she’s doing. “I won’t be on your side down there,” he snaps. “I don’t think anyone will be.”

“I’m used to that,” she responds.

* * *

He goesover the packet with her, gives her details freely on the state of the cave, how strenuous it’ll be, what she should wear and what she should pack.

It’s...a hell of a lot more strenuous than she would have guessed, based on her phone call with Beatriz. They’ll camp at the cave’s mouth overnight, and spend two nights camping in the cave, if everything goes according to plan. More if it doesn’t.

On impulse, Katya orders more remote accessible listening bugs, more ways for her to keep track of all the players after the fact. By the sound of it, they’re not anyone who would have humanity’s best interests in mind, and if this is some sort of mystical power source, she doesn’t want to be caught off guard by a hostile group controlling it.

Not that she wants to be responsible for anything like that, but it’s better than massively irresponsible people getting it, using it to cause whatever disruptions they may want.

And if they’re willing to spill blood over it, chances are they’re not going to be the best stewards of power.

It’s a grim thought, and she carries it with her for long after Feketer leaves. Human sacrifice is the barbaric world of ancient beings, ones much older than mere Pixies or Vampires or people like her.

Hell, even Demigods don’t mess with human sacrifice, thankfully. Their parents might, but not them.

She makes a note for herself to research it, as she putters around the small cabin, changing into the cheap t-shirt and sweatpants she usually sleeps in at home, before booting up her new burner phone.

K (11:41 AM): Does your boyfriend know what sort of creatures demand human sacrifices?

MIRI (11:42 AM): Good morning, are you back in the country now? I’m doing fine!

K (11:43 AM): I’ve been rerouted for a long-term investigation.

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