Chapter 635
Inside the fence, Micah took off to "find smokes". Katelina assumed it was code for "I want to be alone", so she let him go.
Loren stood near the vans, his arm around Xandria. Unhurt, the woman's hands shook as she punctuated her mile an hour words.
"Oh my God, did you see"
Katelina interrupted them, "Where did they take Estrilda?"
"Maybe inside?" Loren pointed to the ruined building. "I'm sorry. I didn't pay attention."
"It's okay. Thanks anyway." Katelina ducked through the hole in the wall. "Hello? Jorick?"
As she made her way through the damaged rooms, she recognized the paintings from her dream. Her pace quickened. Sure enough, she found the vault door, torn wide open. Inside, Sorino and Kai stood among shattered glass cases.
"This is where you've been?" she asked sarcastically.
Sorino looked up from a statuette. "Hello. Yes, we have been here for a few minutes. If you mean we were here during the-battle, you're mistaken. Had we been, Lilith would have killed us."
"Maybe. Or maybe she'd have looked at you as harmless flies and ignored you, like she did the rest of us?"
Sorino's smile left her unsettled. "What an interesting theory." He set the statuette down and retrieved some broken pottery. "Did you want something? Or are you here in an observatory capacity?"
She scowled. "I'm looking for Jorick."
"He's obviously not here." When she didn't move, Sorino snapped impatiently, "He's in the main coven house. Off you go."
"Why are you in a hurry to get rid of me?"
"Fine, stay. You can help Kai carry artifacts. I'm sure he'd appreciate it, wouldn't you?" He chuckled, but the boy stayed impassive.
"Kai should tell you to fuck off."
"I wonder when your righteous anger will cease to be amusing? Either get a box, or go away. I have a lot of work ahead of me."
Though she wanted to meet his challenge, she wanted to see Estrilda more.
Without a goodbye, she made her way outside where she spotted Verchiel. Still shirtless, his expanse of milky skin was dotted with dirt and blood. The scratches stood out on his face like scarlet slashes.
Behind him walked three men, their eyes glazed and movements stiff. She recognized one as the driver of their van.
Crap. I forgot about them.
Verchiel waved, then turned back to the men. "It's okay. Sure, you're mad about the vans breaking down, but luckily the third one was okay. You can all go back home, no harm done."
He led them to the least damaged vehicle. He pulled luggage out, then shuffled them inside. When he stepped back, the doors closed. The van came to life. Lights snapped on. It did a neat turn around and zipped off into the darkness.
Verchiel wiped his hands and joined Katelina. "That's taken care of. I went to check on the generators and found those guys. Hiding in the generator shed of all places."
"We have electricity?"
"Yep. The weird thing is, only the generator to the master's building was on. The others were shut off. I got them going again. Anyway, how's our resident lug head?"
"I don't think he actually liked Des, more like he was the last of-I don't know. Maybe a coven."
"Huh. I thought Micah was a lone."
"Maybe they were more like a group of friends. I don't know. I don't even know why the hell I stayed."
"You stayed because he's your master. I know you dismiss the blood connection, but it's there, Kately. Whenever you drink from a vampire, you form a bond, whether you want to or not. To have them turn you-that's the biggest bond of all."
"You were bonded to Kateesha?" she asked sarcastically. It was a question she'd asked before, and she was ready for his flippant reply.
Instead, he looked away, his face serious, if not sad. "Of course. You can't help but be." His fake smile returned. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me guess, you're looking for Samael? I have no idea where he went. For all I know he may have turned into a bat and flown away. I just know he's not here anymore."
Samael's whereabouts were a good question, but- "I'm looking for Estrilda."
"I'm not sure you want to see her. She's in bad shape."
Katelina thought of the gory mess. "So I should wait until she's healed?"
"That might help some-" He refused to meet her eyes. "Look, she may be a vampire, but there are some injuries-never mind. Come on."
He led her to the largest building. Inside was a living room with two couches, some matching chairs, and a fireplace. Copious amounts of dust said it had been a while since the occupants left. Maybe before the war with The Guild.
Unconscious, Torina was draped in an overstuffed chair. Jorick and Oren stood next to one of the couches, their faces grim. Nestled between bloody pillows was Estrilda. Her head lay at an angle, her eyes closed. One arm hung over the edge, so her hand scraped the carpet. Verchiel's shirt was wrapped around her middle, soaked in crimson. Her other arm was bound in a swath of bloody cloth taken from Torina's skirt.
Katelina drew to a stop. "Where are her legs?"
Jorick looked up quickly. "Little one"
"They're outside under my coat," Verchiel said. "They tore loose when I picked her up."
"Shouldn't you get them?" When no one moved, she added, "They'll reattach while she sleeps."
Oren cleared his throat. "That works if the limb is cleanly severed. But this-"
Verchiel spoke up, "This is like a puzzle made of shredded chicken."
Katelina's imagination ran with that description. The picture made her sick.
Jorick growled. The redhead tried to soften it with, "There's a chance her arm might grow back into something sort of useable."
Brandle entered through a back doorway. "I don't mean to interrupt, but if someone would volunteer to remove the shrapnel from my back, I'd be most appreciative." When Katelina looked confused, he explained, "I and Micah were at the edge of the blast area, it seems. My injuries aren't serious, but I do need some assistance."
"I'll do it. I think I might have some in my leg." Verchiel joined the blond. "Has anyone seen Zander?"
Oren scoffed. "He's praying to the Goddess for Des and Estrilda. He felt that was a better use of his time than actually helping."
"His faith means a lot to him," Brandle said gently. "He believes that asking his goddess' aid is helping. In these instances, it's best to take the action at its intention."
He and the redhead ducked through a doorway. Oren smacked the couch hard enough to jolt the girl. "As if praying ever saved a child."
Estrilda stirred. Jorick moved quickly to put her back under. Katelina watched as the child's puckered forehead relaxed, the small hand unclenched. In the silence she could almost hear the girl's panic drain away into dreams.
When she was settled, Oren said quietly, "Someone should call her father."
"Verchiel already did," Jorick replied. "He's coming."
"Good. He should be the one to make the decision."
Katelina saw something in Oren's eyesregret? But for what? "What decision?"
He made a noise of impatience. "The decision to end her suffering."
"You mean kill her? You can't be serious? She's been through so much already."
"That's precisely the reason we are serious," Oren snapped. "How much more do you want her to suffer?"
"It's better than being dead!"
Jorick tried to pull her to him, but she jerked away. "No. You can't support putting her down like a dog then comfort me. It doesn't work that way."
"What do you want me to do, Katelina? Advocate leaving the childwho was already trapped in a body that won't maturewith nothing? Tomorrow when she wakes, she'll have one working arm, and no legs. She's spent her life locked in two rooms, living as a secret. It's time they let her go."
"How would you feel if that was you? If that was your child? Would you still say let her go?"
"Yes," Oren said quietly.
She spun on him, but his expression stopped her. Between the two of them, he was the one who'd been a father to two immortal children for more than a hundred years.
He's the only one who might understand.
"It will be Andrei and Annabelle's decision," Jorick said. "Not ours. Until they arrive, we'll do what we can to make her comfortable."
Katelina looked away. "What about Des?"
"If Micah is finished mourning, we'll have a funeral for him later."
"I don't know what Micah's doing." She was overwhelmed. That Sarah had betrayed them, that Des was dead, that Estrilda-She needed a break.
"Why don't you take a shower?" Jorick suggested. "I'll bring your suitcase."
She followed him to the bathroom. Inside, she found musty towels under the sink. When he left, she peeled off her clothes and climbed in the shower. The hot water cleaned away the dirt and blood, while her mind replayed the last hour. She saw the explosion, saw Estrilda wrapped in Verchiel's shirt, saw Sarah's hard angry face.
Katelina leaned her forehead against the shower wall. What had Lilith done to Sarah? They knew she'd messed with Sarah's brain at the party, when she'd made her impervious to mind reading, but what else had she done? Had she planted that seed of bitterness? Or had it always been there?
It was easier to blame Lilith. Otherwise, it meant Sarah was capable of monstrosities on her own. That she would really murder her mother, her father, and try to kill the woman who was basically a foster mother to her-
"It was my deal with Kali, and my way of proving to her I was worthy."
Worthy of what?
