Chapter 39: The Explanation

Storm paced the length of his room while Devika helped Kitara shower, clearly unwilling to risk much more distance between them. After rinsing off the bloody remnants of the attack and changing into clean clothes from her go-bag, she felt a bit more like herself, but Devika and Storm still helped her limp back into the living room.

Storm refused to shower himself until after he confirmed Kitara didn’t retain even a paper-cut from her ordeal, leaving her blushing and protesting at his attention. With obvious reluctance, he disappeared into the bathroom, reemerging only a few moments later with his hair still dripping, leaving small gray drops scattered on the shoulders of his t-shirt. He sank onto the couch beside Kitara, his thigh pressed against hers.

She pretended not to notice.

Devika sat on her other side while Declan, Zayne, and Alasdair took up residence in armchairs.

Kitara focused on the Engineer first. “You must be Alasdair.”

He nodded. “Apparently I’m behind the curve when it comes to introductions.”

“Well, somebody getting stabbed is obviously a requirement to meet her,” Declan made a poor attempt at a joke.

Kitara ignored him, instead continuing to address Alasdair. “Would you be able to retroactively authorize emergency portal use in this case?”

“I can try,” he hazarded.

“If you can—do it,” she said. “It’s the only way to explain how I ended up here without involving Storm, and I’ll need to report to the Commander in the morning.”

“He’s not here,” the Engineer told her. “I don’t know…where he is, actually.”

Kitara and Storm’s brows furrowed with twin expressions of concern.

“What do you mean?” the Sleeper asked.

“Something else happened tonight. The Commander and half the Warrior regiments are gone.” Alasdair skimmed something on his tablet. “I’ve received no updates or even basic intel yet. He might not be back in the morning.”

Kitara frowned. “It must be pretty important if Kenric left the facility.”

Alasdair nodded. “I wish I could tell you more but I’m as clueless as you are, which is why I’m hoping you can shed some light on what happened tonight.”

How could she possibly explain Ostragarn had been looking for her since her family’s assassination? Swallowing past her guilt, Kitara started at the beginning to provide a much-abridged version of events.

“My mission was to locate an immortal nicknamed ‘the Maker,’” she said. “He is one of the AIDO’s most notorious adversaries. The details were—are—classified. But I have to share that information for the rest to make sense.”

Kitara continued expounding on her experiences in the dark strip, minus any references to the Ninthëvels, her family, or the price on her head. She discussed the Maker’s supposed inner circle, Scarlet, Jamal, Baylen, and even Blake. After glossing over Storm’s appearance in the dark strip the night before—something he noticed with a furrowed brow—she shared Scarlet’s revelations during and after the ambush.

“Scarlet and Jamal work for the Maker?” Storm’s frown deepened into a scowl.

“I think so. At least, it sounded like the Maker sent them in service to the General. Jamal hated me almost from the beginning. And he and Baylen were clearly at odds that night…”

“…Jamal is not one of my favorite vampires, and I enjoy humbling him on occasion…”

Kitara shook her head. “It explains their dislike for each other, at any rate. But his methods…they were so crude. I expected more from one of the Maker’s people. More like Scarlet, who befriended me from the beginning, rather than…alienated me.”

“Didn’t Baylen say the group of VIP Netherlings was unrelated to the Maker?” Devika asked.

“I don’t know if ‘unrelated’ is entirely accurate,” Kitara said. “Baylen said they weren’t in the Maker’s inner circle. That doesn’t mean they work completely outside his network.”

“Can you even trust anything he’s told you?” Declan said, scowling. “I thought he was the one who lured you out of your flat.”

“It crossed my mind,” Kitara admitted. “But…I don’t know. He pointed us toward the Doruri, gave us the information to investigate, told me the General’s name…even stepped in to scare off Jamal, once. Call it a gut instinct but…I don’t really think he’s an enemy. I don’t know what he is.”

“…I am…something else…”

“Reassuring,” Declan grumbled.

“So what now?” Zayne asked. “Do we talk to the High Council? Tell them what you learned in Myragos?”

“It’s not that simple,” Storm hedged. “Not if they’ve gone to all this trouble to hide it. And Aramis—the Myragnar—told me my dad basically asked them to lie to me while I studied there.”

“Again, I need to talk to Kenric,” Kitara reiterated. “Report what we know about Itzal’s movements…maybe pitch the theory he’s trying to destroy Valëtyria with it, or at least AIDO facilities. I think that’s a legitimate possibility, given his accumulation of human manufacturing equipment. He might have figured out a way to ensure stability in Earth’s atmosphere; otherwise, using human tech would be pointless.”

“So if everything hinges on the Commander’s return,” Zayne murmured, “where does that leave us?”

“I comb through all the Ninthëvel rebellion texts Storm brought back,” Devika put in, unaware when Kitara tensed. “There’s a lot of other information about the Fallen peppered in: things less cut and dry than scientific reports. It’ll probably help us fill in the blanks, anyway. Knowing ‘Ninthëvel’ is a name, not a race…I’m looking at everything in a new light.”

Zayne side-eyed Storm. “You didn’t tell us that part.”

“Must have slipped my mind,” Storm said with a shrug.

“Like telling me you were leaving the facility did?” Declan said pointedly.

Storm frowned. “There was a lot going on.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Declan muttered.

Devika’s brow wrinkled in confusion while Kitara glanced between Storm and the Guardian. “Did something else happen last night?”

Storm shot an exasperated look at his friend, who leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Go on, tell them the rest. I can’t wait to see her reaction.”

Kitara and Devika turned to the silverblood expectantly. With a groan, he gave them the highlights of the confrontation with his father.

When he finished, Kitara stared at him. “You didn’t tell me you got caught,” she whispered, aghast.

He shifted uneasily, chagrined. “There wasn’t really a good time.”

“And your dad relieved you of the handler role?” Devika asked. “What does that mean for Kitara?”

“Nothing, yet,” the Sleeper answered before Storm could. “Not until I talk to Kenric. Maybe if I insisted…”

“Probably wouldn’t do much good,” Storm said, rubbing the back of his neck. “My dad isn’t one to change his mind once he’s decided on something.”

“It’s too late to unpack all of that again tonight,” Alasdair said wearily. “So let’s reconvene tomorrow, say, in the library? We’ll wait to see if the Commander returns by then before deciding what to do next.”

“Tomorrow morning?” Zayne asked.

“Afternoon,” Kitara countered. “I’m gonna need some time to sleep tonight off.”

“Works for me,” Declan grumbled. “I’ve still gotta finish up the end of my shift tonight, but I’m off tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow afternoon, then,” Alasdair said.

The others murmured their agreement.

Devika turned to Kitara “Do you want to stay with me tonight?”

“If you don’t mind. I don’t have anywhere else—”

“Of course you do,” Storm interjected. Eyes widened as the others observed him, none more curiously than Kitara.

“I appreciate that, but—”

He cut her off. “You’re recovering from multiple broken bones, massive blood loss, a gunshot wound, and a host of other near-fatal injuries. You need to rest and, no offense Dev” —he shot the Historian a fleeting glance— “I have more space.” He returned his focus to Kitara. “If you somehow re-injure yourself, it’ll be best if I’m close. I’ll sleep on the couch; you take the bed. We’ll work out the rest tomorrow.”

Awareness crackled between them again as their gazes met, his aura washing over her in soft, warm waves. His voice sent a thrill down her spine even as anxiety tightened her chest, but when his mind brushed against hers, she admitted him.

«Please.»

The silent plea decided it for her.

“Okay,” Kitara relented. “I can’t really argue with any of that.”

The others regarded them with expressions ranging from amusement to curiosity to skepticism, but no one objected.

“Well, okay then.” Alasdair broke the silence and stood. “Let’s all try to get some sleep.”

“Except me,” Declan grumbled, rising with the Engineer to head for the door.

“You’re the one who chose the night shift,” Zayne chided him as he followed. “Something about more possible excitement at night…?”

“How dare you, Zayne. Using my words against me? I’m offended,” Declan snarked as the three of them disappeared into the hall.

Devika gave Kitara a tight hug before standing. “The offer stands if you need it,” she whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow, otherwise.”

Kitara returned the embrace. “Okay.”

The Historian bid them goodnight, then left Kitara and Storm sitting in the room alone.