Chapter 102: Leader

I plopped down on the chaise and threw a few pieces of candy in my mouth. "What's his faction's name?"
Liam pushed the table aside and dropped to one knee in front of me, his head bowed.
"Liam?" I asked.
"Beloved. I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me."
"For what?"
"The way I treated you. I'm so sorry. Beloved, I'm sorry I called you Kira. I'm sorry."
I bit my lip. I realized he was afraid of me. He'd seen my power, and that had changed how he saw me. I reached out and set my hand on his jaw. His skin was cold to the touch again. "Liam, I am the same person I was ten minutes ago. If you're mad at me for something I did, tell me, call me Kira. I don't care. But what I did just now was to protect us and the brotherhood. Please don't let that change how you see me."
He kept his head bowed. The sight was starting to sicken me. I shouldn't have shown my power. I didn't even know I could control that god power. I'd been having so much trouble with it. Why now? Why'd it work now of all times?
"Please, Liam. Get up. Be grumpy. Growl. I hate to see you like this. You're not my slave like that dick said. None of you are. We're brothers and sisters, right? We respect each other." I slid down on the floor to my knees and wrapped my arms around his thick neck. "Please?" I whispered in his ear.
"Beloved, it's not that simple. You aren't just a figurehead. You actually have power. I didn't know you could do those things."
"I usually can't. That guy just pissed me off."
"Before, though, when we were trying to kill you. Why didn't you use them then?"
"Well, they don't always work. They just seem to tonight."
Liam kept his head down.
I pressed kisses to his cheek. "Please, stop this. Please get up. I hate seeing you like this."
Liam turned his cheek away from me.
"Liam, please. I'm no different, really. Please?" I begged.
He kept his face away from me and pointed down. My arms dropped from around his neck.
"Beloved?" A male voice came from behind me.
I turned to see Frazer with his head through the curtain.
"Yes?" I answered.
"There's a situation."
I picked myself up off the floor. I gave one more look at Liam, who was still kneeling behind me, then faced the curtain. "Okay, let's handle it."
Frazer disappeared. A moment later, a girl was pushed through the curtain. Her hands were tied behind her back. Her face was bloodied. Her clothes were torn. Her gray eyes were frantic, but as soon as she saw me, she froze.
Liam stood behind me. I could feel him hovering protectively. An orc walked through. This one's name was Jamie if I remembered correctly.
"What happened to her?" I asked. I looked over her dark wavy hair. There was something about her that was familiar.
"Beloved," Jamie greeted with me a tip of his head. "We were protecting our territory on the north side. The Grange was transporting this woman. She was like this when we got there. We did not harm her. She was tied and gagged. We removed the gag. She says her name is Kezia Grey."
"Really?" I turned to her.
She nodded.
I looked over her dark hair. Her cheekbones were similar to mine. She looked a lot like Isabell. Could this be another sister?
"Do you know why The Grange wants you?" I asked.
She shook her head. She looked on the verge of tears.
I gestured for her to sit. I gave Jamie a look, and he untied her hands. She sat on the edge of the armchair rubbing at her wrists. I sat in another armchair and faced her.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"I was sleeping in my apartment." Her voice was small and scared. Her eyes darted about the room to each of the orcs, then she quickly looked back to me. She continued in a whisper. "It was one in the morning when someone starts banging on my door. I live in a studio apartment. They were shining lights in the windows even though the curtains where closed. They kept banging and banging." She covered her ears as if she heard it all over again.
"Then what happened?" I asked softly.
"Then they burst through the door. They pinned me to the bed and tied me up. They put a bag over my head." Tears slid down her cheeks.
"How'd you get hurt?" I pointed to blood on her face.
She covered her mouth. "I... I... I wouldn't stop screaming. I couldn't help it." She dropped her hands. "It made them mad. They hit me. It hurt so much. I don't remember a lot after that. I was in a car..."
"Did they say anything? Any names? Any reason why they wanted you?"
She looked down while she shook her head. More tears streamed down her face. Liam passed me a box of tissues. I held one out to her. She took it and wiped it down her face without really paying attention. She just stared at a spot near my knee.
Another person entered the curtain. It was the man with the fox ears and the pink skin. His name was Edwin, I thought. He bowed his head to me in greeting. I gestured to Kezia, and he nodded.
He kneeled in front of her. "Kezia Grey, I'm going to check your identity. Is that okay?"
She nodded absently. He held up the palm of his hand to her. She slowly met it with her hand. I focused on watching his green energy search her. I could almost feel it in the air now. It was strange, like my senses were more attuned to it.
When he finished, he broke contact and stood up. He looked at me then tilted his head in the direction of the curtain.
I took Kezia's hand in mine. "This is my friend Liam. He's in charge around here. He's going to keep you company for a minute. I'll be right back." I released her hand and stood up.
Liam took my place in the armchair, careful not to look at me.
I sighed inwardly and left the curtain. Edwin was waiting for me on the other side.
"Well? Is she my sister?" I asked.
Edwin shook his head. "No." He held his palm out to me. "May I?"
I nodded and held out my palm. He pressed his hand to mine, then closed his eyes. "You share a maternal bloodline that goes back, I'd say, two generations?"
"We share a grandmother?"
He opened his eyes. "That is correct. She is your cousin on your mother's side. You're mother's brother's daughter if I'm not mistaken."
"And your magic is accurate?"
He nodded curtly.
I smiled. "Thank you." I reached out and brushed his hand, pulling a bit of energy from him.
He closed his eyes. "Thank you, Beloved."
He eased down in a chair while I continued to pull energy from him. I wasn't even really thinking about it. My mind was still mulling over the fact that I had a grandmother on my mother's side and cousins. The thought of family set my stomach swirling. Whenever I thought of family, I imagined fighting with my dad and brother. We were always at each other's throats. We'd shout and fight, mostly about what was good for me. And look where'd that had gotten me?
Edwin started moaning. I eased back the pull. I hadn't realized I was taking so much. I did feel rather drained after that last battle. I had emptied every crystal I had filled tonight. I let Edwin finished before I headed back in the lair. Amaan nodded at me. I brushed his hand and Frazer's as I walked by, pulling a bit of energy as I went. I would make sure to treat them for being such good guards.
Liam sat awkwardly across from Kezia as she sobbed in her hands. He tried to reach out and comfort her but then stopped before he touched her. His hand landed on his leg, and he pulled at his jeans in pinching motions, trying to give his hands something to do.
I set my hand on his shoulder. He tensed at my touch. My heart sank. How was I going to fix things between us?
I focused back on the scared woman in front of us. "Kezia, my name is Lanie Grey. I'm your cousin. It's nice to meet you." I held my hand out to her.
She wiped at her tears with the soaked tissue and gave me a floppy sort of handshake. She had no strength in her hand, poor thing.
I released her hand. "You can stay here tonight. I'll make sure you stay safe. Would that be okay?"
She nodded.
"I'll have someone look after you. Would that be okay?"
She nodded again.
I squeezed Liam's shoulder and bent to his ear. "Can you find someone to look after her?"
He nodded and stood a little too quickly. He seemed grateful to get out of this situation. In three strides, he disappeared through the curtain.
A few minutes later, he returned with Aylin, a half-man. I wasn't sure what his other half was, but he looked human. He smiled at me and gave a nod. He knelt next to Kezia and whispered to her. He took her hand and escorted her out.
"Thank you," I said to Liam.
He nodded and kept his head bowed.
"You didn't want to take care of her yourself?" I asked.
His brow furrowed. "I have vowed to protect you, Beloved. I will not leave your side."
My mouth drew down in a frown. "Liam, please," I whispered.
"You should be getting to bed, Beloved. It is getting late." He gestured toward the curtain.
I sighed and led the way out.