Blood Chained (Dark Siren Book 3) Page 4

  “I know.” Kali sighed. “I even told him it was okay not to tell me until he was ready.”

  “Then why are you mad?”

  “Because it’s Wesley! He was my biological father’s best friend. The night my parents died, he was the only one there for me. And for the longest time, he was my only friend. I trusted him. But all this time…” Kali stopped, blinked back the tears. Her voice fell to a whisper. “He’s not the person I thought he was. He’s not even human.”

  “I’m sorry, Kali.”

  “Don’t be.” She scrubbed stubbornly at her cheeks, wiping away the wetness. “This is a good thing. We can use Wesley to get Rhane back.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Rion asked, sounding rather dubious.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  “Maybe that guy does.” Both of their heads jerked around at the sound of Matthias’s voice. Kali had almost forgotten he was in the car.

  “Who?”

  Nodding forward, Matthias pointed. Following the direction of his finger, Kali redirected her gaze to the windshield and nearly jumped out of her skin. A fairly large man had materialized in front of their car. Crisp khaki shorts and a white polo covered his dark brown skin. Eyes were set so far back in his skull, they appeared to be hooded. He was still, too still. Brambles and leaves were a tangled mess in his hair. Kali knew he had to be one of Ian’s men. But why was he here? And why was Bailen with him?

  The black canine stared up at the kindred. A look passed between them even Rion could not decipher. “What the hell?” he muttered.

  “That’s Dmiri,” Matthias said by way of answering. “He’s Ian’s advisor.” He cocked his head to one side. “Dmiri rarely leaves our den.”

  “Great. This is bad news then.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “Well?” Kali looked at Rion. “Are you going to go see what Ian’s advisor wants?”

  Rion didn’t move. “I really don’t think I want to.”

  “Oh for crying out loud.” She threw open the passenger door and walked to the front of the car. Rion’s footsteps trotted rapidly behind her. Bailen whimpered, nudging his muzzle into Kali’s hand. She petted his big head, rubbed his velvety ears. “Hey, Bailen.”

  Dmiri didn’t speak. He only turned his reddish brown eyes to Kali, watching her movements quietly. She reciprocated the appraisal, searching his face, studying him up close. Though the clothes he wore were spotless, his skin and hair bore the usual tells of the wooded life of kindred.

  “I acquired my dress on the way here.” Dmiri spoke as if reading her thoughts. “The boy was in a hurry.”

  She frowned. “The boy?”

  Narrowing his eyes in the slightest change of expression, the kindred glanced down at Bailen. “He…is male, isn’t he?”

  “Yes,” Kali said and waited. But Dmiri offered nothing more. “Matthias told us who you are. What do you want?”

  “I will need your help to answer that, dark one.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Bailen came to our home, found me, and insisted I follow him here. He led me to you.”

  “I didn’t know that Bailen knew the kindred so well.”

  “He visits from time to time. Mostly he watches from a distance.”

  “Oh.” She didn’t try to hide her confusion. That bewilderment obviously caused Dmiri some amusement. He smiled, briefly flashing two rows of pristine white teeth, and bowed his head. “Tell me what doings the three of you are hoping to realize. And I will try to be of service.”

  “Oh,” she repeated, almost stupidly. Bailen nudged her hand again. Kali struggled to collect her scattered thoughts. Ian and the kindred were their allies. Bailen obviously knew and trusted this man. Otherwise, he would not have led him to her. She took a breath. “We’re going to see someone I thought was a friend. He’s actually one of the creatures responsible for stealing my memories and putting me in this body. But I’m not going there to confront him. Rhane is missing. I know this someone can help get him back.”

  “And how do you hope to gain this creature’s cooperation?”

  “By doing whatever I have to.”

  “So may it be.” The kindred inclined his head again. “Would you mind if I ride up front? I get car sick.”

  Dmiri was strange. But in that moment, Kali decided she liked him very much.

  Chapter 6

  Rhane sat listening with rapt ears. All was forgotten except his father’s voice, and the words he spoke made Rhane question everything he once thought he knew.

  “Civil war raged for years before I was called from the plains to resume my post and defeat Gabriel once and for all. My brothers thought my expertise in war strategy would be of great use in the final battle. Bearing the partial weight of Gabriel’s betrayal on my shoulders, I returned to carry out my sworn duty. Through the centuries, the lines of Blaccstag and Whytetree have always been close. Gabriel and I were no different. He and I were friends. When I gave up my seat as Prime to be with you, your mother and brother, it was a natural choice to elect Gabriel to take my place. Silas vehemently spoke against it. I believed it was only because he desired one of his sons to be named Prime. Later, I would think that maybe he’d spotted a darkness in Gabriel I was blind to because of our friendship. I think now I know the truth.

  “I left the plains to meet Gabriel, now the fallen Prime, for a final confrontation. I led the Warekin armies and engaged our enemies near the Sliding Cliffs of Bracken. It was a fierce battle. Both sides sustained heavy losses before Gabriel called for retreat. When he and his men fled, my army gave chase. We were to extend no mercy.

  “Riding Megiddo—that stallion ran faster than Armageddon’s winds—I alone was able to overtake Gabriel. Badly injured, cornered and defeated, he was still a proud adversary. But there were tears in his eyes as he begged to understand why I had betrayed him.

  “Yes, I see your confusion, Rhanelin. As was I. I demanded an explanation, answers for the lives he’d taken, homes he’d destroyed, families he’d broken. Gabriel swore he was trying to save us. He said he had information to free us from the unending wars against the savages who attacked our borders. He said the war was not ours and proof existed of a greater evil. He claimed it was a truth we all needed to know because the evil would soon return. Something in my eyes must have convinced him I knew nothing of this. Gabriel swore to have brought this information before the other Primes in my absence, imploring them to act, to attack the true enemy. But they refused and swore if he spoke of such foolishness to any of the people he would be condemned as a traitor.

  “Gabriel did not listen. He convinced many warriors to follow him. Rebellion started. And to his deep regret, upheaval gave rise to war.

  “I told Gabriel if he ever hoped for me to believe such outlandish allegations, contradictory to every thread of Warekin existence, to everything I knew of our civilization, to our very cause for being—I would need proof. Upon his assurance to deliver that proof…I…I let Gabriel go.”

  “What proof did he show you? Did he take you to see the caverns?”

  Jehsi shook his head. “Gabriel never got the chance to deliver. He disappeared. Many of his remaining men were hunted down. But there was no trace of Gabriel. When I at last saw him again, a hunting party had found him. He was changed, no longer a beautiful Prime, but an ugly monster. And he was only a shell. Unresponsive. Open eyes did not see. Warm blood, but his breathing body did not move.”

  Rhane tugged at his hair thoughtfully. All this time Jehsi had hidden pity for the monster reviled by all Warekin. He and Gabriel had even been friends. It was something Rhane could have never expected. But Jehsi wasn’t done surprising him.

  “The caverns you speak of existed before Gabriel’s entombment. Ptolen, Silas, and I—like the Primes before us—witnessed the moving canvas and guarded the secret of our true origins throughout the generations. We built the desert outpost upon the tunnels to protect that secret, restricting access to only those
of purest royal blood. The monument to our lost Primes came after the War, after Gabriel’s imprisonment.”

  Rhane almost couldn’t believe it. “So—so you knew? All along you knew and believed Builders had created us all to cover a past mistake. You knew our war against the kindred and rogues was not our own.”

  Nodding heavily, Jehsi took a breath and continued. “Gabriel’s ascension as Prime was never fully sanctioned. In Ptolen and Silas’s eyes, he was only an interim, one who was never meant to witness the secret of the Builders. Somehow he discovered the tunnels. He saw the truth. And he saw it as a great injustice done to our people. Gabriel wanted peace. He thought he could convince his brothers to want the same. He believed attacking and defeating the Builders would break the cycle. He called for the three species to unite in an ultimate war that would free us all.”

  “Instead he found betrayal and civil war.” Rhane pushed away from the table. He needed to move. Getting to his feet, he began to pace. “So his own brothers betrayed him. And then the Builders finished him off. And you just stood by.”

  “No. I let him go, fully intending to meet him later. If I couldn’t convince him to abandon his treason…” Jehsi hesitated, eyes pleading for understanding. “My younger heart desired to join him in rebellion.”

  “The Builders would have never allowed it.” Rhane grimaced. “Then you both would have been entombed.” The strength he had quickly drained. Tired, he sat down again. “I don’t understand. If you have all of this, why do you need me?”

  “The Mothers will perceive my testimony for what it is—solely based on my dealings with Gabriel and my intimate knowledge of the man he was. It will hold little weight. It’s possible they may even regard me as traitor for my mercy in letting Gabriel go all those centuries ago. But my testimony combined with your truths may hold enough words to sway them. Rhane, you must tell them everything that transpired between you and the siren. Before the massacre and after. I see it in your eyes. I’ve seen it every day since your return here. You hate the Primes.”

  Rhane interjected, “I don’t hate you, Sire.”

  “You blame us for many things. You know so much more than I. Tell them everything. Spare no one. They must see the corruption in the ruling triumvirate.”

  “And if they don’t?”

  “Then I fear things are worse than I hypothesized. Our Mothers are complicit to the great darkness.”

  Chapter 7

  Even in ownership of concrete knowledge of what Wesley truly was, he didn’t seem any different than the guy Kali had known her entire life. But Wes wasn’t the man she thought he was. He wasn’t even human. It wasn’t love that motivated him to watch out for her all these years. His concern hadn’t stemmed from some loyalty to her late father. Their “friendship” was a ruse. Another piece of the twisted puzzle Builders had crafted to accomplish their endgame. He and others like him had stolen Kali’s life and ruined the lives of countless other families in their quest to reincarnate the siren time and time again. As Wes spoke, Kali wondered if she would ever again trust another word from his mouth.

  “All of it wasn’t a lie, Kali. You have to understand what was…what is at stake. We created you with a hope to save all. We made mistakes…and I regret many of them. But most of all, I regret ever hurting you.”

  Kali wanted to believe him. She really did. She didn’t want to mistrust Wes. She didn’t want to hate him. She wanted to forget he was a part of this whole mess and let things go back to the way they were. But every so often Wesley’s gaze shifted to the corner of the room where Bailen and Dmiri waited. Something in the way he stared at the canine—a mixture of hope and apprehension—only reaffirmed her mistrust.

  “Kali, don’t just look at me. Say something.”

  As they’d approached the offices of Mack Ventures, Inc. Kali predicted two possible directions the conversation with Wes could take. Exposed for the calculating liar he was, his caring blue eyes would lose their light and adopt the callous glare a creature like him should possess. Or he would simply deny it all. Maintain the lie, hoping to deceive her into trusting him again. But Wes had taken an unexpected route.

  It was after normal business hours, so Kali made sure to call the office as they departed her parents’ subdivision to be sure Wes would there. Fighting to keep her voice as normal as possible, she told Wes she’d left something behind during her last shift and asked him to wait up. Kali, Dmiri, and even Bailen had agreed that Rion should stay in the car while they went inside to deal with the Builder. Rion was pretty unhappy about the decision, but was placated with the task to field any calls from York. She and York had decided to come up with a plan together to get Rhane back. But Kali was taking partial cues from Bailen. For some reason, the canine hadn’t wanted York along on this undertaking. She didn’t understand why. But the intelligence in Bailen’s eyes was inescapable. Kali was willing to trust there was a reason he’d chosen Dmiri.

  “Kalista?” Wes said, making her name a question.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  He swallowed, beseeching her with wide eyes. “I—I don’t know.” He dropped his head. “I didn’t think losing you would be this hard.”

  A mirthless, choppy laugh twisted from her mouth. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Kali laughed again, overcome with a multitude of emotions. She fought hard, but they were breaking free of the dam walling them back.

  Fortunately, Dmiri stepped in. “Builder, we did not come here to harvest understanding for your actions. You had a mission. But somewhere along the way, you fell in love in with the creature you were sworn to safeguard throughout the centuries. You are a good soldier. Despite your words, you will not let emotion foil your ultimate ambition. I see it in the way you stare at the little one beside me.” Dmiri came forward from the shadows. His reddish-brown eyes were observant, missing no detail. “He is truly the one you seek. But why?”

  As Wesley’s focus shifted to the kindred, his entire demeanor cooled. Kali could almost see the chill in the air. Very slowly, Wes rounded the desk, putting himself closer to this dark-skinned challenger. His head wavered slightly as his neck craned from side to side like a threatened serpent. “What are you?”

  “Certainly you must recognize a child of your own making. I am Kindred. One of the fodder races created to appease the appetite of your mistake.”

  “You are more than that.”

  Dmiri smiled. The expression was as cold and unwelcoming as the air surrounding Wes. “I am what I am.” He looked at Bailen again and then back to Wes. “Why do you want him?”

  “I never claimed to want him. This is about Kalista and the wrongs that have been done to her. Wrongs I regret but cannot change.”

  “As you say.”

  “As I say?”

  “Yes.” Dmiri dipped his head in the slightest inclination. “For now.”

  Wes seemed almost bewildered by the strange visitor. Kali studied both men, trying to understand their roles in bringing Rhane home to her. She decided to test the waters. “Do you know where Rhane is?”

  The question got everyone’s full attention. Wes looked to each of them, hesitating before letting his gaze settle on Kali. “I know many things. Most are not meant to be shared.”

  “But you know where he is.”

  “I do. I suspect you know as well. And so you already realize how impossible it would be to retrieve him from their grasp.”

  “Impossible for us, but not for you.”

  “Such an action would be outside my bounds.”

  “You’ve helped before.”

  “I shared information with Rhane at great cost to myself and at great risk to him. The danger is more immense now than it has ever been.”

  He was genuinely afraid. Kali could see that. But she didn’t know if his fear was for her safety or if it was an off-shoot from a root of self-preservation. “Why?”

  “We are being closely watched. By allowing other pursuits to distract him, Rhane neglected to fulfill his
role as our champion and tipped things precariously to the Faction’s favor.”

  “He was trying to save a friend.”

  Wes nodded. “I understand. But it doesn’t change the facts. He failed to acquire The Siren’s Heart. He failed to secure the other artifacts. Now the rogues have them and are putting them into play. I predict they are only weeks away from finding the ark.”

  Rhane had explained enough about his commission as champion for Kali to read between the lines of Wesley’s words. Builders were powerful, capable of many things. But some mysterious set of universal rules lorded over their actions, restricting them to inaction. No doubt, Wes knew where Rhane was being held and it was within his power to free him. But something of equal value needed to be given in exchange. She had to figure out what that was.