Page 28 of Conflicted Fate
“Alone,” I added.
Kiel looked ready to argue with me, but a narrowing of my eyes told him it wouldn’t be a smart or winning idea.
“I’ll be fine,” I said. “I think I can handle gramps over here if he gets uppity, thank you very much.” I turned toward the man and smiled sweetly. “Which he’s not going to do, is he?”
The older man shook his head, the motion jerky and afraid.
“Exactly. Now, all of you,out.”
Reluctantly, and at Kiel’s urging, the others left the room and closed the door behind them.
“Sorry about that,” I said to the older man, brushing off his shoulders, noting the nice suit he was wearing. “You’re on Teagetes’ staff, aren’t you?”
The older man nodded.
“Come on, you can speak. Right?” I said, giving him a big, wide, innocent smile. Portraying what I hoped he’d assume was feminine weakness.
“Y-yes, of course,” he said, slowly recovering, though his gaze kept darting to the door, as if Kiel and the others would come charging in and take his head off.
“Don’t worry about them. They’ll leave you alone now, I promise,” I said, waving a hand in the direction of the hallway and the warriors.
There was a crash from outside. I rolled my eyes, noting how the elderly servant jumped at the noise.
“So, Teagetes isn’t here, I notice. But he left you behind.”
“I never travel with him anymore. The trips are too harsh on my body,” the older shifter said with a wry, self-deprecating smile.
“Of course, of course,” I said, smiling as he composed himself enough to joke a little. “So, where did he go?”
The servant’s mouth clacked shut.
I sighed. “Listen. We can do this one of two ways. Either you can just tell me, and that’s that, or I can let those men out there have at you. One will just break your bones until you tell him. The other, the four-legged one? He’ll ask about your family first. Then he’ll haul everyone back to your home and make your family watch as he tortures you. Then he’ll force you to watch him kill each of them, leaving you alive but permanently crippled.”
A part of me was screaming in horror at howcalmlyI could describe such horrors, but the truth was, we didn’t have time to waste. Additionally, if I couldscarehim into telling me, then I would besparinghim the pain.
“So,” I asked, facing the servant. “What’s it going to be?”
***
I pushed open the office door and slammed it closed behind me.
“Where is he?” Kiel asked without hesitating.
“It’s not good,” I said, running my hands through my hair. “Not at all.”
Jurvin was leaning over us, listening.
“Why? What did you learn?”
“Lycaonus apparently summoned a council of Alphas,” I said softly. “Teagetes left two days ago. He’s long gone.”
Jurvin snarled angrily, turning away to punch a fist through the wall.
“What?” Kiel said, shaking his head. “No, that’s impossible. The timing doesn’t line up. There’s nowayLycaonus was freed and sent out messengers fast enough for Teagetes to have lefttwo daysago. They would have had to dig Lycaonus out of the mountain within hours, at best, for that to be even possible.”
“This happenedbeforehe chased us to Mount Triumph,” I said softly. “The request was dated a week and a half ago, according to his servant. I’ll bet Lycaonus summoned them all in response to Arcadus’ death. We’re just finding out about it now.”
“Shit.” Kiel was clenching and unclenching his fists over and over again as he thought.
