Page 37 of From the Noblest Motives
The next morning,Damien woke early and left the bed with reluctance. He couldn't recall the last time he'd slept with anyone in a bed—with minimal disruptions—the entire night. Yes, Shudder had woken at two in the morning, claiming he would be dead of thirst any moment, and yes, he needed help to the bathroom after drinking most of the water, but Damien hadn't felt distressed at any point. The millipedes that crawled up his back and heralded his fits hadn't manifested even for a moment, due to the specific company in bed. Maybe two buffers were even better than one.
He tugged on his pants and padded barefoot down the massive staircase, where three Blazes could've walked comfortably side by side. The kitchen proved easy to find, using both Gwyneth's directions and the comforting scent of coffee brewing.
At the entryway, he halted, surprised by the number of people. Four—not an enormous number, but more than his morning brain had been prepared for. Three women in various stages of pregnancy moved about preparing food, getting out dishes, and digging through the refrigerator, while Cyril sat at the round wooden table with his coffee mug and toast.
Damien mumbled a good-morning, trying to map the easiest route to avoid having someone behind him as he shifted from foot to foot. At least he recognized Gwyneth, who shot him a smile and went back to cooking eggs.
"Good morning," Cyril said in his too-familiar soft voice. "Are you hungry?"
"Always." Damien cringed at the concerned frowns that caused and hurried to add, "I was… hoping to find something. For Shudder."
"Rice is cooking," Gwyneth called out as she whisked over to plate her eggs.
"There's bread for toast." The woman with tightly curled blonde hair and umber complexion pointed to the cutting board.
The black-haired woman with a single thick braid swept past him and out of the kitchen with coffee in one hand and bagel in the other. "I think there's a banana left."
Damien jerked out of her way and put his back to the wall. He continued along the wall to the table and took the seat closest to him.
"Selena, this is Damien." Cyril nodded to the blonde as he got up to pour a mug and set it in front of Damien. "And Uma just left."
"I'll put a tray together for Shudder before I go up," Gwyneth offered. "Plain food for now. No coffee for him yet."
Does Shudder drink coffee? I don't… Oh. Yes, he does. And he likes pancakes. Damien managed a friendlier thank-you when Gwyneth set a plate of eggs and toast in front of him. His father would want to talk to him. Getting some food down seemed like a good idea.
After Damien had managed to wolf down half his plate, Cyril's opening gambit was, "I wasn't shocked to see that you'd ended up with Shudder, but I'm sure there's a story there."
"Yes."
Cyril let him get through a few more forkfuls. "It's supposed to be an inescapable prison. Did you get him out of there?"
"No."
"He caused the explosion and escaped?"
"No." Damien shoved his plate away. He still hesitated, not knowing how much to share, how much to trust. Generalities, not details. "Someone tried to murder him. In prison. The explosions were part of it. Shudder wasn't trying to escape before that. But the assassin… and the prison was damaged. He took advantage."
"And you found him."
Damien shrugged. "It's what I do."
"It is, indeed. A prodigious talent." Cyril granted him a little smile. "You know there are media rumors that he's dead."
"I'd heard."
"Half the news outlets hold him up as a martyr, while the other half demonize him. Terrorist. Murderer."
Damien gripped his coffee mug tighter. "Shudder didn't murder anyone."
"Absolutely not. Completely out of character. And while Minister Tapper was not entirely variant friendly, she was hardly the biggest threat in government. Absent a compelling motive, the whole scenario made no sense." Cyril stared at the table, silent for a long moment. "I'd like to meet with the three of you when Gwyneth is finished with Shudder and you're all ready to face the day. I have information. Suggestions." He rose and carefully edged around the table so he wouldn't walk behind Damien. That he knew to do that made Damien less than comfortable. "I'll be in my study if you'd like to talk."
Damien forced himself not to flee back up the stairs, since he was so unsettled. Instead, he stayed and helped Gwyneth load up a bed tray for Shudder. Her quiet instructions helped steady him, though his thoughts kept churning. Three pregnant women? What was happening in this house?
He carried the tray and followed her up the stairs to Shudder's room, where they found him sitting up in bed, with his dazzling smile back from its hiatus. Blaze was missing, but his pack had been opened and rummaged through. That and the running shower told Damien where he'd gone.
"Hello! There you are! I didn't hallucinate you." Shudder glanced at Gwyneth then. "Well, neither of you. Hello, again."
An answering smile emerged at Shudder's effusive greeting, and Damien hurried in to set the tray over Shudder's lap. "You're more yourself today."
