the Guild couldn’t function as a whole.
“My father was one of the greatest Acquisitions Specialists this Guild, or any other, has ever seen. I’m well on the way to besting him. Everyone knows of me and my family.” I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to maintain control. My hot temper wasn’t going to do any good here.
“Don’t patronize me, Duncan.” My use of the Magistrate’s first name brought a startled look to his face. Very few people knew his given name. “I know the Briln when I see them. Frankly, I’m surprised at your indifference to this situation. I’m sure the rest of the Council would be interested in knowing that you don’t have the Guild’s safety foremost in your plans.”
The Magistrate got over the initial shock of hearing his first name, and his little eyes blazed with dark fury. I met him eye to eye, staring him down.
“How dare you! How dare you call me anything other than Magistrate! Know your place, Hunter! How dare you threaten me!”
I smirked at him. “Threaten? I haven’t threatened you. Yet.” With that, I nodded at Jonathan, turned, and walked away.
The whole walk home I let my mind wander. I wanted to calm down. On the other hand, when I got really mad, like I was now, things seemed to be clearer. Maybe I was putting too much thought into this. The Magistrate, and even Jonathan, had seemed indifferent about the Briln being on our land. A full regiment being on our land should have been cause for a counter-attack, or at the very least, diplomatic talks. Not simply a blind eye and the suggestion that one of their most valuable assets was scared of the dark.
I went back and forth in my head – one side saying let it go, the other saying something was up. Another part altogether was miffed at the treatment I had received from Jonathan. I had hunted down the mutant that killed his son and destroyed it. Jonathan had vowed his eternal gratitude. Yet, three years later, he was treating me like common-folk.
I made it home, barely realizing I’d gotten there. Needing to relax and having been in too much of a hurry for one earlier, I opted for a hot shower. I went into the bathroom and got ready. Then I pulled back the curtain and stepped in.
CHAPTER SIX
::KELSIE::
I WOKE UP LATE the morning after the long night in the woods. By the time I got up, Drake was already gone; his side of the bed had long since grown cold.
I rubbed my eyes against the daylight streaming through the window, brightening the room, giving it a natural, comfortable feel. It reminded me of home. What had been my home, anyway. I lost myself in the memories, half expecting my father to step through the door with a smile on his face and a breakfast tray in his hands.
Father would slide into bed next to me, even though he had other things he needed to do. He would set the tray between us, half on each of our laps. Then we would eat, talking about the previous day’s activities, or what we had planned for the day.
He would stay longer than he should. He always had so many things to attend to with the Guild. When you’re Magistrate, free time is hard to come by. Eventually, his communicator would start buzzing non-stop, paging him to leave. He would go, reluctantly, leaving the tray with me, so I could enjoy the rest of the hot tea before I got up.
I felt a burning in my chest. An unpleasant, unbidden feeling, drawing me back into the here and now. I sat up quickly, looking around Drake’s room to remind myself that I was safe now; that father was no longer a part of my life. I felt the corners of my eyes swell, the edges of my vision blurring with the early signs of tears.
The unpleasant sensation in my chest wouldn’t leave me alone. I crawled out of bed and headed straight for the shower.
I turned the water on hot. Very hot. I stepped in, walking right up to the showerhead and directing the stream at my face. I tried to wash out my eyes that had started pouring tears hot enough to
“My father was one of the greatest Acquisitions Specialists this Guild, or any other, has ever seen. I’m well on the way to besting him. Everyone knows of me and my family.” I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to maintain control. My hot temper wasn’t going to do any good here.
“Don’t patronize me, Duncan.” My use of the Magistrate’s first name brought a startled look to his face. Very few people knew his given name. “I know the Briln when I see them. Frankly, I’m surprised at your indifference to this situation. I’m sure the rest of the Council would be interested in knowing that you don’t have the Guild’s safety foremost in your plans.”
The Magistrate got over the initial shock of hearing his first name, and his little eyes blazed with dark fury. I met him eye to eye, staring him down.
“How dare you! How dare you call me anything other than Magistrate! Know your place, Hunter! How dare you threaten me!”
I smirked at him. “Threaten? I haven’t threatened you. Yet.” With that, I nodded at Jonathan, turned, and walked away.
The whole walk home I let my mind wander. I wanted to calm down. On the other hand, when I got really mad, like I was now, things seemed to be clearer. Maybe I was putting too much thought into this. The Magistrate, and even Jonathan, had seemed indifferent about the Briln being on our land. A full regiment being on our land should have been cause for a counter-attack, or at the very least, diplomatic talks. Not simply a blind eye and the suggestion that one of their most valuable assets was scared of the dark.
I went back and forth in my head – one side saying let it go, the other saying something was up. Another part altogether was miffed at the treatment I had received from Jonathan. I had hunted down the mutant that killed his son and destroyed it. Jonathan had vowed his eternal gratitude. Yet, three years later, he was treating me like common-folk.
I made it home, barely realizing I’d gotten there. Needing to relax and having been in too much of a hurry for one earlier, I opted for a hot shower. I went into the bathroom and got ready. Then I pulled back the curtain and stepped in.
CHAPTER SIX
::KELSIE::
I WOKE UP LATE the morning after the long night in the woods. By the time I got up, Drake was already gone; his side of the bed had long since grown cold.
I rubbed my eyes against the daylight streaming through the window, brightening the room, giving it a natural, comfortable feel. It reminded me of home. What had been my home, anyway. I lost myself in the memories, half expecting my father to step through the door with a smile on his face and a breakfast tray in his hands.
Father would slide into bed next to me, even though he had other things he needed to do. He would set the tray between us, half on each of our laps. Then we would eat, talking about the previous day’s activities, or what we had planned for the day.
He would stay longer than he should. He always had so many things to attend to with the Guild. When you’re Magistrate, free time is hard to come by. Eventually, his communicator would start buzzing non-stop, paging him to leave. He would go, reluctantly, leaving the tray with me, so I could enjoy the rest of the hot tea before I got up.
I felt a burning in my chest. An unpleasant, unbidden feeling, drawing me back into the here and now. I sat up quickly, looking around Drake’s room to remind myself that I was safe now; that father was no longer a part of my life. I felt the corners of my eyes swell, the edges of my vision blurring with the early signs of tears.
The unpleasant sensation in my chest wouldn’t leave me alone. I crawled out of bed and headed straight for the shower.
I turned the water on hot. Very hot. I stepped in, walking right up to the showerhead and directing the stream at my face. I tried to wash out my eyes that had started pouring tears hot enough to
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