Chapter 275
It was Wolfe who came to take them to their appointment. He greeted the Executioners politely, glanced coolly at Cyprus and Neil and ignored Katelina completely. She'd have been offended if she wasn't too busy being terrified.
She clutched Jorick's hand tightly as they followed the Scharfrichter to the elevator. The six of them crowded inside and Wolfe pressed the button for the lowest floor.
The heavy, probing feeling that had been with them since entering the stronghold worsened as they wound through the corridors. Katelina's arms were a mass of goose bumps by the time they reached a silver door whose overlaid bars looked like an antique elevator. The cybertronic box next to it on the wall ruined the illusion. Wolfe leaned into it and pressed a glowing button. Katelina expected it to spit out green light, like the movies, but instead there was only a soft click and a whir.
Wolfe stepped back as the bars slid aside, and Verchiel moved to examine the gadget. The Scharfrichter caught his hand before he could press the button. "It's photograph based, and if it does not match your face to the database, an alarm will sound. Best to leave it."
Wolfe unlocked the door beneath and led them to a claustrophobic, but ornate hallway. Forced to walk single file, Katelina clutched the hand Jorick held behind his back. The suffocating sensation grew and she struggled to breathe.
Jorick's artificial calm washed over her and she gratefully grabbed it as they were herded into another elevator. It was small, but just as decorative as the larger ones. The panel held only two glowing buttons, both blank. Though Wolfe pushed the top one, they descended.
They stepped out into a plush room decorated with a couch and several fake potted plants. Wolfe motioned them to wait, then moved to the back wall. He peered into an ornate mirror, then stepped back as a piece of the wall slid open. "I'll be back," he promised, then disappeared inside.
The wall snapped shut and Verchiel whistled. "Talk about too much security. If the council is as strong as they say, they shouldn't need it."
"That was Malick's interpretation," Jorick answered disinterestedly. "He felt security measures made one look weak, but I imagine this is implemented as more of a psychological weapon than anything else. That's why the corridors get narrower and narrower."
Katelina had to admit it made sense. If he was right and they were trying to scare her, then they'd succeeded. Congratulations and let's get this over with.
The secret door opened and Wolfe stepped out. "They will see you one at a time, starting with the human."
Katelina's heart dropped to her feet and a ball of panic took its place. If they were using her to fact-check Jorick, then why were they starting with her?
Jorick stepped forward. "I'd prefer to go with her."
"I'm sure you would," Wolfe replied. "But the council has asked for the human only. You will get your chance to give testimony."
Katelina clung to Jorick's arm and gave him a final, desperate look. Though his face was set in grim dissatisfaction, he nodded to her. "Go inside. You'll be fine." His gaze shifted to Wolfe. "Or else."
Wolfe offered him a pleasant smile that didn't meet his eyes. "I'm not sure who you're threatening, but I can only assume it isn't the Kugsankal." He motioned towards the door. "Come, human."
Jorick gave her a reassuring squeeze and then let her go. The crushing presence in her mind was back; digging, scrabbling, looking, and it took all her energy and will power to follow Wolfe into the tunnel. It led to a room that was lit by a single, shaded bulb, and awash in shadows. What Katelina could see of it was made of wood and intricately carved, like the inside of a cathedral.
A low table sat at the edge of the light and behind it were three vampires; two males and a female. Their countenances were so composed and perfect as to seem sculpted from stone and their eyes shone with the intensity of exploding stars, too bright for Katelina to bear. She looked away, unable to gauge anything about their appearances, not even their age.
Wolfe stepped away and a female voice echoed inside Katelina's head, "Step forward." She glanced up in surprise and met a pair of cerulean eyes that burned through her. Even after she looked down, she could still see them printed on the backs of her eyelids, like colored spots from staring at the sun.
The command was repeated and she inched forward on shaking legs.
"That's enough."
And then it came. In an onslaught that left her breathless, her consciousness was ripped open, examined, digested, and catalogued. It lasted no more than a minute and then they let go of her thoughts with as little effort as they'd used to grab them.
The sudden release left Katelina weak and she stumbled backwards as if she'd been physically dropped. Her heart pounded in her ears and the bitter taste in her mouth made her think of fear and bile. She steadied herself, waiting for the next round.
"You may go."
She froze in surprise, and even her shaking legs locked stiff. That's it? Where were the questions? But she wasn't stupid enough to ask. Instead she nodded, turned and fled for the door.
The claustrophobic tunnel suffocated her, and she burst into the waiting room to land in Jorick's arms.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded and clutched him tightly. With the meeting over, the fear drained out of her and left her empty.
Wolfe appeared and announced, "They are ready for the guard."
Neil looked ready to throw up, but Verchiel gave him a push. "You'll be fine. If the human survived then you will, too."
Jorick led Katelina to the couch and she sank gratefully into it while Neil disappeared. Two minutes later, the guard returned and almost fell onto the other end. His hands shook as he tugged at his uniform.
Cyprus took his turn, followed by Verchiel. And then Wolfe called for Jorick.
"I'll be right back, little one." He gave her a tight smile and a kiss, then glared a warning to Verchiel and strode towards his meeting.
Verchiel sauntered across the room and nonchalantly leaned against the wall next to Katelina. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"
She was too keyed up to remember that she hated him. "N-No. They didn't even ask me anything."
"They don't need to. They can see the answers they want." He crossed his arms over his chest and gazed at the door. "I wonder how much they'll get out of Jorick."
She unconsciously twisted her shirt collar. "You don't think he could block them out? There's no way."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that. He confused Celandine with no trouble and I'm sure he's concealed things from Malick before."
Katelina snorted impatiently. "If that were true he could block you."
Verchiel gave her a wink. "He can. But let's not tell him that." He looked suddenly to the door, smiled to himself and casually moved to stand next to Neil. "How are you holding up?"
Before the guard could answer, the door opened and Jorick swept through it. Katelina stood and hurried to him. Wolfe appeared a moment later, wearing his carefully polite expression. "You have been most cooperative. Danke. Now, I will lead you out."
