Chapter 407
The trip back to the summer headquarters was silent and sober. Even Micah's usual after-battle banter was missing. They left the plane at the airport and took the helicopter back to the jungle clearing. They were half way to the house when Torina rushed out the door. She skidded to a barefoot stop and grabbed Oren's arm. "Your human. Something's wrong with her."
"What?" Oren asked, his brow furrowed.
"How should I know? I'm not a medical doctor! She's hot and she was vomiting." Torina shuddered in disgust. "Do something!"
Oren rolled his eyes and pushed past his sister. Katelina clutched Jorick's arm. How much more could they take in one day?
Etsuko lay in the sleeping room, Sorino's sleeping bag spread over her. She offered them a wan smile. "I apologize. There is nothing to be concerned for, Oren-sama. It is merely a small human complaint. It will pass."
Katelina crouched next to her and felt her forehead. Etsuko had a fever, though without a thermometer she had no idea how high. "Get the first aid kit out of her bag," she barked. "She needs some Tylenol."
Oren unzipped the bag and rummaged through, discarding little bits of things; her folded fan, a carved wooden box of hairpins, a heavy pair of geisha-style shoes. At last he produced the plastic box and popped it open. "What does Tylenol look like?"
Katelina impatiently took the box. Acetaminophen was in individual packets and she tore one open and helped Etsuko sit up to take them.
The Japanese woman wiped her mouth and replaced the lid on the water bottle. "I must thank Katelina-san, but she should stay away in case I am contagious."
Katelina couldn't deny being worried about it, but she put on a brave face. "It's all right. Lay back and get some rest."
Etsuko closed her eyes and then opened them again. "I must apologize, Oren-sama, I did not ask if your trip was successful."
Oren crammed her belongings back in her bag and stood uncomfortably. "We got the girl back."
"That's good. I imagine Verchiel-sama is much relieved. I hope Oren-sama was not much hurt?"
"No, not really," he muttered.
Katelina thought of the gaping wound the arrow had left. Luckily Verchiel had handed out some of Sorino's private blood stash, so she doubted much remained of it.
"That is very good. And everyone else?"
Katelina tucked the sleeping bag around Etsuko's shivering figure. "Quenby was killed."
"That is most unfortunate. There will be a funeral?"
Katelina wasn't sure. "I don't know."
"Please do not allow me to keep anyone from attending," Etsuko said and sat up. "I am grateful for your concern but I promise I will be better soon."
Oren cleared his throat. "I'll go ask about the funeral." He strode out before anyone could reply.
Torina wrung her hands. When she noticed Katelina looking, she dropped them and resumed her haughty expression. "I'm sure it's nothing I did. I kept an eye on her."
"Yes," Etsuko agreed. "Torina-sama was an excellent guardian. She is most kind."
Katelina choked and Torina sniffed. "I wouldn't say that." Then the vampiress flounced out as well.
Katelina stayed with Etsuko. The woman drifted to sleep, and with nothing to occupy Katelina's thoughts, they turned to her empty stomach and the bag of food. She dug some jerky out and chewed it thoughtfully. They were almost out of everything, but hopefully now that they had Ume back they would leave with Sorino. As much as she disliked the vampire, he at least made sure there were human facilities for Kai.
As if her thoughts summoned him, the boy appeared and sat down next to her on the floor. She noticed his collar was back. So much for equality.
She didn't bother to speak, only returned his nod of greeting and offered him the bag of jerky. He took a piece and chewed slowly, and Katelina wondered what was going through his mind. Probably something obnoxiously wise.
When she got bored, she and Kai wandered off in search of the vampires. Most of the Black Vigil were occupied constructing a pyre. No one else was visible, so they wound around the house and through some of the outbuildings. As they rounded a corner they ran into the familiar figure of Wolfe. His black coat lay in a wad on the ground and he walked in an agitated circuit, the phone pressed to his ear. He opened his mouth, then closed it several times, as if trying to get a word in. Finally he shouted, "Why would you do that?"
He fell back to German, but his tone was no happier. He stopped walking, slapped himself on the forehead, muttered something, and then saw Katelina and Kai.
"What are you doing here? Where's your escort?"
"We don't need escorted," Katelina snapped. "Where's Jorick?"
"How should I know?" Wolfe's attention was diverted to the phone conversation and he rattled something off that she thought had the name Jorick in it. He growled and then looked back to them. "Sadihra asked me to send her greetings to you." He narrowed his gray eyes as if to tell them he was finished with them, and then turned his back to punctuate it.
If nothing else, Katelina supposed she should be happy he'd bothered to call Sadihra. At least the Scharfrichterin wouldn't worry anymore, though why anyone would worry about him-
Katelina and Kai veered toward the jungle where they could hear Loren and Ume's voices, but they stopped before they reached the trees. Kai shook his head, as if to say they shouldn't eavesdrop, but she ignored him.
"they didn't torture me," Ume said. "It was very weird."
Loren's voice came next. "I'm glad you're okay. I was worried."
"That was sweet of you." She was quiet a moment. "Malick knows Aki? I mean, Verchiel?"
"I guess so. I think Malick was in charge of the Executioners. Why?"
"He spoke to me. Well, mostly he looked into my head. He was amused, and then he said I'd be sorry I found Aki. That the truth is never as good as the dream and in the end he'd leave me again."
They fell silent and Katelina crept forward half a step. Kai shook his head and she ignored him.
"I used to have a brother," Loren said abruptly. "Ashton. He was older than me. After our parents died he got in with a bad crowd. I thought they were tweakers, but it turned out they were vampires. They turned him and then they killed him. I never understood what happened. It was all a blur."
"I understand. What I remember of AkiIt's a blur too. I wish I knew what to do about it."
"Well," Loren said finally. "I don't think he's going to join the Black Vigil. But I guess you could quit it. Maybe you guys could form your own coven like Oren and Torina."
It took Ume a moment to answer. "I don't think he'd like that very much."
Loren's tone turned excited, "You could join us. Micah comes off as kind of a jack-ass, but he's really cool, and Oren's not so bad and Torina's" he broke off as if his normal description of her wouldn't suit his audience. "She's okay."
Ume cleared her throat uncomfortably. "If I don't quit to go with Aki then I guess I should probably stay. Fethillen has been nice to me, and she is my master."
"Oh." Katelina could imagine Loren's shoulders sagging. Suddenly he blurted out, "I like you, Ume."
Katelina covered her mouth to keep from gasping. That was an abrupt way to do it!
Ume must've felt the same because she said, "What?"
"I said I like you. I mean, yeah, I like you, but I like-like you." He was losing steam. "Like, you know, um, you're pretty and, um-" his words died in a strangled noise of discomfort.
Kai looked up to the trees and tugged Katelina's shirt, but she waved him off.
Ume's reply was, "Oh!"
Katelina felt sorry for Loren. "Oh" didn't bode well.
"I, I mean thank you," Ume said quickly. "That's-that's very sweet of you to say."
The tension thickened and Katelina could almost feel Loren wanting to sink through the jungle floor. She decided she should do something when Verchiel dropped from the trees in front of her and demanded loudly, "What are you doing wandering around by yourself?"
