Chapter 91
Jorick and Katelina completed their morning rituals; she dressed and threw a cardboard carton in the oven, while he disappeared to go hunt down some poor animal. He didn't stray very far from the house, so she knew that was what he fed on. They didn't live in a thriving metropolis with passersby.
Jorick returned and she ate. With nothing to clean and nowhere to go, they found themselves seated uncomfortably in what was left of the front room. Jorick sat in one of the wing backed chairs and read while Katelina sprawled on the couch and tried to concentrate on a boring book. It was nearly midnight when she instinctively felt him stiffen. She glanced up to find that she was right; he sat rigidly in the chair, his head tilted as he listened intently.
She didn't bother to ask him what it was, because she knew he'd only silence her. He nodded vaguely, agreeing with the statement, then slowly rose from the chair and moved towards the door. His anxiety washed over her and, though she tried to ignore it, fear stabbed at her chest.
A minute passed and then Jorick suddenly relaxed. Footsteps crunched noisily through the snow outside and Jorick explained, "It's only Oren."
She closed the book and watched Jorick curiously. "And how do you know?"
"I can smell him, of course," he replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Just like I can smell you."
Katelina gave a tiny, tight laugh. "Of course you can. Why not?"
Jorick ignored her, and dropped back into the chair. "Enter."
Oren did as instructed, tracking snow across the floor. His blonde mane fell loose around his shoulders and white flakes melted on his long, gray coat. He brushed absently at it while his eyes swept the room. Surprise registered on his face when he noticed Katelina. "Loren said she left."
"Did he?" Jorick asked coldly, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe he'd know what happened had he been here."
Oren shrugged casually and ran a hand through his long hair. "He's been busy. We all have." He trailed off as he spied the hole in the wall. "You were attacked." It was a statement not a question.
"Yes." Jorick admitted calmly. "It seems Kateesha wanted to sacrifice some of her new followers." His lips smiled, but the gesture didn't reach his eyes.
"I thought I smelled recent death," Oren said with no emotion. "I did warn you, though."
"Did you?" Jorick asked lightly. "I don't recall you mentioning that you were going to send them here."
Oren started to speak, and then stopped as Jorick's words filtered through. "What? I haven't sent anyone."
"Kariss?" Jorick asked sarcastically. "Have you forgotten her?"
"Kariss," Oren murmured with a hint of regret. "She came of her own, but she had nothing to do with Kateesha."
"Didn't she? Because her friends most certainly did." Jorick glared at Oren furiously, as though he was forcing his thoughts into the blonde's head.
Oren held his gaze for a moment, but finally looked away. "I'm not responsible for everyone who crosses my path. I can only tell you that Kariss wasn't working with Kateesha."
"Wasn't?" Katelina interrupted.
"She's dead now," Oren explained flatly. "Kateesha killed her."
Jorick's scowl deepened. "We can come to that in a moment. What I want to know, right now, is why didn't Loren come as he was supposed to? Where is he?"
"He's with the war coven," Oren answered quietly. "Kariss had to hurry back because we received word that The Guild was moving. There wasn't much time."
"And he had to rush off because-?"
Oren shrugged. "Perhaps he was afraid he'd miss the battle? I can't guess at his motives. I only know that I sent word for Kariss to hurry back, and he was the one who brought her. I can ask him, if it's so important."
Jorick's anger continued to buzz in Katelina's ears, but he relaxed back into the chair. "So Loren survived the battle then?"
"Yes. He was better than you gave him credit for."
Jorick murmured something inaudible, then changed the topic. "I assume the battle didn't go well?"
"No," Oren answered flatly. "It didn't. And don't say that you warned me, either. Had you consented to join it would have been different." His eyes lingered on the hole in the wall. "Many things would have been different."
Jorick ignored him completely and merely said, "Well, I did warn you." Silence stretched between them, but despite his former protestations, Katelina could feel Jorick's curiosity burning. It was only a matter of time before-
"So, what happened?"
"It went badly," Oren murmured quietly.
"So you've said. How badly?"
Oren's face stayed calm, and he shoved his hands into his pockets, so that only his eyes told the tale of his anxiety. "Five were killed outright, and two left." He paused and then continued, his lips tight, "And now it appears Adam and Nirel won't be returning, so we've lost nine." Jorick made no comment so Oren filled the silence. "The Guild attacked Kateesha's coven, but I fear we took them for defeated long before they were."
Jorick nodded his head and looked impassive. "I'd pretend to be surprised, but..."
"Yes, well." Oren cleared his throat noisily. "I thought it safe to assume Kateesha was defeated when she relinquished the human to The Guild."
"But she wasn't?" Jorick asked with no enthusiasm.
"Obviously. Though I believe it was The Guild we underestimated the most."
Jorick's smugness washed over Katelina, but she cut off his self-satisfied reply to ask, "And what about Shelay?" They both looked blank, so she clarified sarcastically, "The human Kateesha had?"
Oren brushed her aside with an impatient answer. "I already said, Kateesha gave her up."
"No. I mean what happened to her after that?"
"I assume they'll kill her and dispose of the body as usual." Oren sent her a look that suggested her questions were unimportant, but she really didn't care what he thought.
"And what does that mean, 'as usual'?"
Jorick explained calmly, "If it's someone who needs to be found they mangle the body, clean it of fingerprints, and throw it in a ditch. A good portion of your human murders aren't what they seem."
"Yet they always manage to catch the killers." Oren snorted. "True justice at work. They send an imbecile to prison for something he didn't do and then make a fuss when he swears to his innocence. They're so predictable, these modern humans! They can't abide the thought of something their science doesn't explain."
"But they can't just kill her!" Katelina exclaimed, horrified. "She's famous!"
"Is she?" Oren looked disinterested. "I've never heard of her. Regardless, I doubt her fame will save her."
Jorick waved the topic away and picked up his previous conversation. "The question is what do you want with me? You didn't come just to tell me that the battle went badly."
"No," Oren agreed. "I came to ask for your help. I know you've said this isn't your war, but it is now. Kateesha brought it to you." He waved his hand towards the hole in the wall. "They betrayed not only Kariss and I, but you as well." His eyes slid to Katelina. "You've argued you couldn't join because you needed to protect her, but did Adam and Nirel leave her unmolested? Did she survive unscathed?"
Jorick remained outwardly impassive at Oren's too keen perception, but Katelina felt his anger.
Oren went on, "If Kateesha was dead there'd no longer be a threat. Your blood is older than hers, your powers are greater. You could break her like a branch before the storm. Drink from her heart and no one could contest-"
Jorick cut him off, "I thought your war was with The Guild?"
Oren shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, and it still is, but-"
"But now you have a new war," Jorick finished. "Because when you attacked them both-"
"Yes," Oren admitted grudgingly. "Kateesha took it as opening hostilities. Though, it isn't as if we hadn't considered that."
"And now you're fighting both of them?"
"Not exactly. As I told you at the manor, Kateesha wants to fight the same war, but for herself. She's the biggest threat, now. Not only to us, but to your human as well."
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Katelina narrowed her eyes at Oren. How dare he use her to get what he wanted!
Jorick's answer was slow, and it didn't make Katelina happy. "Let me think on this."
Oren nodded. "Of course. I understand. I'll return tomorrow."
"Fine." Jorick stood and the two men moved to the door. Oren lingered on the threshold a moment, his eyes locked with Jorick's and then he looked away. His gaze landed on Katelina and he gave her a nod of recognition before he left.
After the door shut, Jorick stood motionless and stared into space. He started to turn for the dining room, but stopped mid step. Katelina was sure he'd been heading to his little shrine, only to remember it was gone. She waited for him to speak, or move, or do anything, but he just stood in place and stared at nothing. Finally, she asked, "So, you're thinking about it then?"
"I don't know." He lifted his hand to his chin absently.
Sarcasm crept into her voice, "And I suppose you'll find some convenient place to dump me at while you take off?" He didn't reply and she coughed loudly to get his attention.
"I don't know."
Her eyebrows shot up in irritation. "When you make my mind up for me, let me know." She tried to go back to the book, but she couldn't help thinking that it had turned out very conveniently for Oren that Adam and Nirel were traitors.
