his neck and felt the joints pop. “They can manage the basic day to day management, but I still have to review their work and make sure they’re doing things the way I told them.”
“Have to, or want to?” asked Rory. He raised a hand as Nick bristled. “All I’m saying is that you’ve built a well-trained cadre of professionals. Maybe you should let them do their jobs.”
Nick scowled at him. “I’m not obsessed, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Then why did you bring it up?”
“I don’t work hard because I need to. I work hard because there’s a lot to be done, and I take pride in my accomplishments.”
“Of course,” said Rory, in a tone of voice that left little doubt that he disagreed. “If you don’t need to work, then why don’t you take a break? Come with us tonight.”
Nick stared at him blankly. “Are you going somewhere?”
Rory frowned. “Nick, what is today’s date?”
Nick opened his mouth, then glanced at his watch.
“It’s Christmas Eve, and you didn’t even know that, did you?”
Nick reddened. “I just lost track, that’s all.” He looked down at the piles of documents and data on his desk. “Maybe a break would be good.” Then he glanced up at Rory, his expression fierce. “That doesn’t mean I plan to spend it in church.”
Rory shrugged. “Suit yourself. If you change your mind—”
“You left the address on the dining table, same as you do every year.”
“And you’ll spend the night alone, flipping through photo albums, same as you do every year.”
Nick said nothing, just glared.
Rory turned and walked away back toward the stairs leading to the courtyard and the main teleport gateway.
Same as he did every year.
December 2104, San Francisco, California
Nick chewed on a piece of steak as he flipped through photo albums of happier times. I’ll say this for Ruarc, the man can cook. Jeremy was all thumbs in the kitchen. His chest constricted at the thought of Jeremy, but he was used to it by now, and he knew it would pass.
He glanced at the clock. 4pm. Midnight in Belfast. Merry Christmas, guys. He didn’t begrudge them their alone time. They were caught in an impossible situation just as he was. He didn’t know why they didn’t just give up and let him go.
He felt restless, and put the album down to stretch his legs. He wandered aimlessly through Rory and Lorcan’s house, finally coming to a halt before a framed image of the original Triumvirate: Rory, Takeshi, and Layla. Takeshi and Rory had resigned to spend more time together in Takeshi’s twilight years, and Layla had stepped into Nick’s shoes as Archangel when he had retired to rule Sanctuary. We had so much hope then. When did I lose that?
The familiar surroundings felt suddenly oppressive. Maybe I do need a change. He looked around the walls and his gaze settled on a picture of him and his brother Toby, standing next to Rafael Tervilant, the captain of Nick’s ship, the Starlight .
Except he was Rafael Primogenitor Curallorn, now. Another man with a high pressure job. It’s been a long time since I went to see Raf. Maybe he’d be interested in drinks?
On impulse, Nick grabbed his jacket out of the closet and pulled a bottle of Tiamat from storage. He stepped to the teleport gateway. His AI gave him the coordinates he asked for, and he jumped to the House Curallorn Stronghold beneath the pre-Columbian mound city of Cahokia in central Illinois.
He made his way down into the complex, to the administrative levels and Rafael’s office. Sticking his head in, he saw Rafael working through a mound of work similar to what had been on his own desk. “Hey, Raf.”
Rafael looked up sharply, then sat back in his chair as he studied Nick. “Hello, Nicholas. It’s been a long time.”
“Working hard?”
Rafael shrugged. “Always.”
“I know the feeling. Care to knock off early and get a drink?” He raised the bottle in his hand.
Rafael considered the offer. “Sure,
“Have to, or want to?” asked Rory. He raised a hand as Nick bristled. “All I’m saying is that you’ve built a well-trained cadre of professionals. Maybe you should let them do their jobs.”
Nick scowled at him. “I’m not obsessed, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Then why did you bring it up?”
“I don’t work hard because I need to. I work hard because there’s a lot to be done, and I take pride in my accomplishments.”
“Of course,” said Rory, in a tone of voice that left little doubt that he disagreed. “If you don’t need to work, then why don’t you take a break? Come with us tonight.”
Nick stared at him blankly. “Are you going somewhere?”
Rory frowned. “Nick, what is today’s date?”
Nick opened his mouth, then glanced at his watch.
“It’s Christmas Eve, and you didn’t even know that, did you?”
Nick reddened. “I just lost track, that’s all.” He looked down at the piles of documents and data on his desk. “Maybe a break would be good.” Then he glanced up at Rory, his expression fierce. “That doesn’t mean I plan to spend it in church.”
Rory shrugged. “Suit yourself. If you change your mind—”
“You left the address on the dining table, same as you do every year.”
“And you’ll spend the night alone, flipping through photo albums, same as you do every year.”
Nick said nothing, just glared.
Rory turned and walked away back toward the stairs leading to the courtyard and the main teleport gateway.
Same as he did every year.
December 2104, San Francisco, California
Nick chewed on a piece of steak as he flipped through photo albums of happier times. I’ll say this for Ruarc, the man can cook. Jeremy was all thumbs in the kitchen. His chest constricted at the thought of Jeremy, but he was used to it by now, and he knew it would pass.
He glanced at the clock. 4pm. Midnight in Belfast. Merry Christmas, guys. He didn’t begrudge them their alone time. They were caught in an impossible situation just as he was. He didn’t know why they didn’t just give up and let him go.
He felt restless, and put the album down to stretch his legs. He wandered aimlessly through Rory and Lorcan’s house, finally coming to a halt before a framed image of the original Triumvirate: Rory, Takeshi, and Layla. Takeshi and Rory had resigned to spend more time together in Takeshi’s twilight years, and Layla had stepped into Nick’s shoes as Archangel when he had retired to rule Sanctuary. We had so much hope then. When did I lose that?
The familiar surroundings felt suddenly oppressive. Maybe I do need a change. He looked around the walls and his gaze settled on a picture of him and his brother Toby, standing next to Rafael Tervilant, the captain of Nick’s ship, the Starlight .
Except he was Rafael Primogenitor Curallorn, now. Another man with a high pressure job. It’s been a long time since I went to see Raf. Maybe he’d be interested in drinks?
On impulse, Nick grabbed his jacket out of the closet and pulled a bottle of Tiamat from storage. He stepped to the teleport gateway. His AI gave him the coordinates he asked for, and he jumped to the House Curallorn Stronghold beneath the pre-Columbian mound city of Cahokia in central Illinois.
He made his way down into the complex, to the administrative levels and Rafael’s office. Sticking his head in, he saw Rafael working through a mound of work similar to what had been on his own desk. “Hey, Raf.”
Rafael looked up sharply, then sat back in his chair as he studied Nick. “Hello, Nicholas. It’s been a long time.”
“Working hard?”
Rafael shrugged. “Always.”
“I know the feeling. Care to knock off early and get a drink?” He raised the bottle in his hand.
Rafael considered the offer. “Sure,
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