Chapter 173
Though Katelina waited, Senya didn't come to the room to fetch her. Whatever Malick wanted obviously wasn't pressing, or else he'd changed his mind. That idea was almost worse than a summons. Better to think he had a real purpose for his actions rather than random whims.
When Jorick calmed down, she asked him why Malick called for him in the first place. His face creased with disgust and he answered, "He wanted me to come back."
She shivered. "You mean back to The Guild?"
"Back to him, more likely, but yes. He wanted me to come back and take up my old position. He said his initial opinion may have been premature, and perhaps I wasn't as cold as I wanted everyone to believe." Something dark sparkled in his eyes, and Katelina had to silently agree. Beneath the layers of cool veneer, anger still burned, though she wasn't sure who he was angry at.
"I assume you declined?" They'd both forgotten about Oren, but his sudden comment reminded them he was there. Jorick nodded and Oren crossed his arms over his chest. "Then perhaps we can leave now?"
"I imagine he'll let us go tomorrow. He'd have to wait the day just because he can." The sound in Jorick's throat was not complimentary. "I don't know why he'd make us stay longer than that."
"I can't imagine why we're here in the first place," Oren bit back, then he let the subject drop. "I need to call the den and give them some instructions."
Jorick pointed to the phone and Oren glided to it. He stabbed in the number, cursed, then hung up, pressed nine, and redialed. "Hello?" He broke off and held the phone away from him, a grimace on his face. The volume was so loud that Katelina and Jorick could hear Micah's tinny voice.
"Holy shit. I thought you were dead!"
Oren scowled impatiently. "No, I'm very much alive. Now -"
"Should I tell Traven and the others?"
"No, not right now. Right now I want you to listen ."
"Aye, aye."
Oren's fist clenched and unclenched. "Be silent and listen. You need to find a new den. The Guild knows where that one is."
"Moving closer?" Jorick asked casually.
"No. Not yet." Oren focused on the phone conversation again, but Micah was already distracted.
"Is that Jorick? They didn't kill him either?"
"No, they didn't."
"What about Lunch?"
Katelina gritted her teeth at the unwelcome nickname, but Oren simply said, "Yes, she's alive."
"So, did she get the upgrade?"
Katelina understood the idiot's meaning, even if Oren didn't. "What?"
"You know. Did they make her into one of us?"
Oren looked ready to kill someone. "No! Now can you please focus?"
Micah sighed. "Okay, okay. What?"
"Thank you! Now, I need you to quietly find a new den. Look for one a few hours away, but not too far, if you understand."
"Shouldn't we move closer to where you are?" Micah asked. "If we're going to -"
"Silence!" Oren shouted and slammed his fist down on the stand.
Katelina flinched at his fury and shot Jorick a questioning look. He mouthed back, "They monitor the calls."
"All right, all right! You don't have to bite my fucking head off, I got it. I'll start tomorrow. You want me to look for already empty, or find something that we can empty ourselves?" There was a wicked implication in Micah's voice that made Katelina queasy.
It took Oren a moment to answer. "Whichever. Just do it quietly."
"I dig you. Anything else?"
"Not at the moment. How are things going?"
"The night after you left, I caught Traven on his cell. Reception's so lousy here he had to go outside to use it. Anyway, he was all talkin' low and shit, like he was tryin' to be secretive, but I heard part of it. Stupid ass thought I couldn't hear him."
"Yes, yes," Oren said impatiently. "What did he say."
"He said somethin' about you guys being gone, so 'we might as well get started now'. Then he said 'I'll see you soon' and 'don't forget what you're supposed to do'."
Jorick's eyebrows shot up. "See who?"
"Man, I don't know! I asked him, but you don't think the pussy little rat answered, do ya? He got kinda in my face about it and since then they've all been hiding out in the basement, though what the fuck they're doin' down there is anybody's guess. There's not even a fuckin' TV! But whatever. Luna's been keepin' an eye on them, sort of. She's been trying to get friendly with one of 'em, but the guy's not falling for it. So far, the cowardly snake hasn't tried to mutiny or anything. It's just a matter of time, if you get my drift. You guys need to get the fuck back here."
Oren snorted. "If you think I'm still here by choice, then you're much mistaken. They've yet to release us. However, there is a rumor that we'll be allowed to leave tomorrow."
"How far away is it?"
"It's a two night trip," Oren answered impatiently. "Are Fabian or Torina around?"
"Nah, they're off feeding. You need them for anything?"
"No, I suppose not. Remember what I said."
"Yeah, yeah. New den, be quiet. Blah, blah."
Oren nodded to himself and then added, "Oh, and we may hear something from Kale soon."
"Kale?"
"Yes. He is supposed to be checking on something and promised to send word, though how he'll find us is anyone's guess." He shot a sideways glance at Jorick that seemed to communicate how badly he thought he'd messed that up. "We ran into him."
"No shit? Well that was lucky." Something banged in the background and Micah's voice dropped off as though he were talking to someone else. When he returned he said, "Loren's back. You wanna talk to him?"
"No. Just follow my instructions and keep an eye on Traven."
"No worries there." He paused. "Loren says to tell Jorick and Lunch hello."
Katelina all out growled that time, and Jorick's expression was even less tolerant.
"Yes, I will. Goodbye." And before Micah could answer he dropped the phone into the cradle. "He can be tiring."
"That's an understatement!" Jorick snapped. "I don't know where you picked him up in the first place!"
"He was a friend of Herrick's and an acquaintance of Des, though not a close one."
Katelina frowned at the explanation. "Who's Herrick?"
Oren regarded her as a pet dog that had barked out of turn. "I believe he'd been killed before Jorick came to join the fight with Kateesha."
Katelina noted the venom and let it go. It didn't really matter.
