Seeing Red

by Lyra Evans

  Cobalt reacted slowly, his eyes searching Niko, his hand still on Coral’s arm. Bit by bit, he looked back to his sister. She sighed heavily, casting her eyes down.

  “Someone?” Cobalt repeated. “That’s what this is about?” He glanced down at her Soul Stone. “Your Soul Mate?”

  Coral turned her face to the ocean, perhaps unwilling to look her brother in the face. “I don’t know,” she said, then sighed again and hedged. “Maybe.”

  Frowning, Cobalt asked, “What do you mean ‘maybe’? Are they or aren’t—”

  “It’s more complicated than that,” she said. “But I made a promise and—”

  “A promise to go back even if it means your life?” Cobalt asked.

  Niko shook his head. The weight on Coral’s shoulders was familiar. The way her gaze pulled at the water. “You lost them,” Niko said, saving her from answering. Coral looked back at Niko sharply, her green eyes wide. The wariness was still there, but so too was a spark of something else. “You made a promise to find answers.”

  Cobalt released Coral then, his expression a marbling image of conflicting emotions. Niko looked at Coral, and she looked back at him. Finally, the wariness disappeared, flat acceptance taking its place.

  “So you are the detective my brother claimed you were,” she said.

  Niko didn’t react. “Most days.”

  Cobalt frowned. “I knew you had no intention of getting us killed,” he said. “Why else would you allow Starla and Uri the chance to figure out what you’d done and warn us? But—was all this to test Niko?”

  Shooting him an annoyed look, Coral said, “I’m not that mental. I do need to go back. When you said your boyfriend was this great detective, I thought maybe he’d be able to help me figure it all out. But what with the mess we walked in on, I figured I was better off going it alone.” She met Niko’s gaze again. “But in two years I haven’t been able to get close to an answer.” She dropped her chin, bowing her head slightly in what Niko took to be the closest she could get to humility. “I need your help.”

  A long moment passed, and everything that had happened between the three of them since they appeared at Niko’s door played out in Niko’s mind. Every feeling he had or repressed about Cobalt being absent, his return and the circumstances of it, and Coral betraying their location rushed in on him. He took a deep breath.

  “I can’t help you,” he said, and both Cobalt and Coral seemed caught by the statement. But Niko wasn’t done. “I can’t help you because the state of my entire Court is in the balance. People’s lives are at risk. Whether or not I can prove my innocence, I can’t stand by and allow a monster to seize power over the entire kingdom. Who knows what havoc she can wreak with the power of the Crown.”

  Understanding cleared the clouds in Coral’s eyes. “I understand.” She looked out at the water again. “You gotta do what you gotta do.” A pause, then, “But if you make it through all that—then will you consider helping me?”

  Niko weighed it out again, searching her face and finding nothing but earnest hope there. “If I survive, yeah,” he said. Glancing at Cobalt, whose expression softened the moment their eyes met, Niko added, “I might have better odds if you were to help us, though. We can use any allies we can get.”

  Coral sniffed a soft laugh, nodding her head. “Yeah, I guess that’s fair.” The ship in the distance seemed to move back toward them very slightly. “We should get out of here then.” Niko felt her gaze wash over him again, more tentative than before. “I guess I should apologize for selling you out, huh?”

  “You think?” Cobalt shot.

  With a shrug and a half-laugh, Coral brushed it off. “Ah, well, you should probably get used to thinking on your feet if you’re going to be part of this family, right?” Heart in his throat, Niko coughed something like a laugh as Coral punched him in the arm and led them back toward the passage through the rocks. He couldn’t quite make himself answer her right away. “If there’s one thing true of the Sinclouds, it’s that we keep you on your toes. Never sure when we’re gonna fight or fly, right, Cob?”

  Cobalt didn’t answer either, or if he did, it was drowned out by the echoing sound of rocks slipping into water in the narrow path. Niko bit his tongue, wondering if that uncertainty was any way to live.

  Chapter 26

  The house Uri and the others were using as a base was rather nicer than Niko expected. It stood in a small community adjacent to beachfront, making the homes slightly more affordable than the properties located directly on the water. The streets that led toward the house were quiet and cozy, with the Maeve’s Court standard stucco exterior and terracotta roofing tiles features on every single neighbouring property. Smooth driveways and manicured lawns with climate-appropriate greenery blended one into the next, making every house seem much like a copy of the one next to it. But as they progressed down the calm street, the properties began to stretch out, leaving more and more space between the structures. Until, finally, they came to the house in question, surrounded by palms and ferns as though encapsulated in its own miniature jungle.

  A bricked driveway led up to the garage door, painted white to match the white stucco exterior. Next to that was the walkway guiding visitors to the front entrance. A stone-tiled verandah reached out to meet them, covered over by roofing that extended from the main house and stood on white pillars. A low wall curved around outward from that, blocking the sight of the front garden. The front door was behind an ornate white gate, recessed slightly. The door itself was the darkest detail, painted a deep blue.

  Coral unhitched the gate and gestured Niko and Cobalt through, carrying Niko’s bag over her shoulder. Niko had been more than happy to carry his own bag, but she’d suggested they swap them around to deflect attention from Niko. Though there were significantly fewer people at the beach than Niko expected, there were still officers stationed here and there, armed with rifles and staring pointedly at the water. About half a kilometer out, a magical barrier had been set up to encircle the beach under the guise of protecting beachgoers from ‘invading Selkies.’ The officers on guard didn’t seem terribly attentive to people already out of the water though, so Niko, Cobalt, and Coral passed by without much trouble. If people did notice Cobalt and Coral—and some inevitably would given Selkie allure—they would not miss their physical similarities. Playing as though Niko was their guide in some fashion was safer in getting the three of them back to cover. For the front, Coral had donned the clothing she’d discarded in the rocky passageway between the beaches and Niko’s sunglasses. Cobalt pulled a pair of sunglasses as well, the hair pick to turn his locks to a black afro, and had folded their jungle-forest map in such a fashion that it showed only the edge of the forest, sticking out of his pants pocket. Niko wore a white cap with the logo of some sports team on the front to disguise his hair.

  At the front door, Niko hesitated, unsure if he should knock or try the handle. But as he raised a hand to rap on the surface, the door opened wide. Starla stood just inside, her peachy pink hair wild and barely contained in a very messy bun, her eyes sporting dark baggage she didn’t usually have. When she saw Niko, she threw herself at him and gathered him into a hug, ignoring his vague protestations.

  The hug was tight, full of frustration and fear, and Niko shouldered the weight of it along with the weight of how his decisions had come to affect all the people in his life. When Starla pulled away, she glanced briefly down his chest, around the area of his nipples, and cocked an eyebrow. The piercings had twinged slightly at the handling of her embrace, but Niko felt himself burn red at the knowledge she had already discovered them.

  But she said nothing to that, as immediately afterward she noticed Coral standing just a step back next to Cobalt. Shoving Niko inside the house and behind her, Starla marched up to Coral and slapped her across the face before yanking her, too, into a vicious hug.

  Cobalt merely stood there frozen, and Niko frowned, confused.

  “You utter bitch,” Starla said to
Coral, though the insult was undercut by the wavering of her voice and grip she had on Coral’s shoulders. “Don’t you dare ever do something like that to me again.”

  Taken aback, Niko stared incredulously at Starla. “To you?” he snapped, but she waved him off, and Coral pressed her forehead to Starla’s briefly. They held each other there a moment.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and Cobalt moved into the entrance, next to Niko, though his gaze was fixed on his sister and Starla. “I didn’t want…I just didn’t see another way.”

  Cobalt shot Niko a look, and Niko found his lover was just as puzzled as he was. Was—was Coral involved with Starla? In the few days since Niko and Cobalt had gone into the jungle? Though Niko thought he wasn’t really one to judge, given how quickly he and Cobalt had come together on the last case, he did wonder about Coral’s admission she wanted to return to Azure’s Court because of something related to her Soul Mate.

  It’s complicated. It certainly seemed so.

  “What are you all doing in the entrance?” Uri’s voice came from behind them. Niko spun to find his ex standing in what appeared to be a living room wearing sweatpants and a tank top. His yellow-green hair stuck up at odd angles and was in need of a cut. Starla and Coral stepped into the house and closed the door, at which point Uri’s expression shifted to annoyance. “Oh. Come back to squirrel more intel off to the enemy, have you?” he asked Coral.

  Coral pursed her lips. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “I fucked up. Do you people never move on?”

  Uri’s eyes bulged, a vein in his temple throbbing violently. “Move on? This happened hours ago,” he said, his voice strangely strangled and hitting a pitch Niko had never heard before.

  Taking his bag from Coral and slipping off his shoes, Niko moved over to Uri and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s fine, Uri. We got it sorted. Other shit to worry about, anyway.”

  He stepped around his apoplectic ex and into the living room. It was an open space with modern but comfortable furniture in neutral tones. The walls were painted a soft taupe, and the main feature of the room was the glass-topped coffee table that appeared to be held aloft by palm fronds rising from the ground.

  The living room extended into the kitchen and dining area, with minimal separation between rooms, and every space looked as comfortably furnished and decorated as the living area. Neither excessive nor minimalist, the design was lovely and modern but liveable. From the classic wood dining table to the white granite countertop and wood cabinetry. Picture frames hung in artful designs along the walls about where it made sense to see them, but Niko paid them little mind. What drew his attention instead was the stack of casefiles in evidence boxes sitting next to the off-white couch, and the two laptops sitting open on the coffee table.

  Dropping his bag next to the wall and out of the way, Niko pulled out his own casefiles to scour. “Have you found anything that might be useful since we spoke?”

  “Nothing new in the last few hours,” a voice answered. Niko nearly jumped, turning sharply to find the source of the voice. When he did, he stopped moving entirely, unable to accept the sight.

  “Captain. What are you—” Niko began, his brain still struggling with this new information.

  Captain Baobab gave him a dubious look. “This is my house,” he said. “Where else would I be?”

  “Your house?” Niko asked, his mind now spinning a mile a minute. “You—this is—fuck.” He stopped, suddenly acutely aware of the potential repercussions of every one of his stupid-ass decisions. “We shouldn’t be here.” He made for his bag again immediately, but Baobab reached out and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

  The Captain was tall and broad and built for some kind of sport Niko knew nothing about. And despite the years he’d spent in an administrative position, he looked just as fighting fit as he had the first time Niko had met him, years and years ago. His black hair was shaved short on his head, his black-brown eyes warm and deep, and his brown skin was only a few shades lighter than Cobalt’s blue-black tone. He was in his typical aesthetic of gym shorts and workout shirt, his feet bare.

  “You’re going nowhere,” he said kindly, with far more understanding in his tone than Niko deserved. He’d already put Starla and Uri at risk. And Dr. Aspen. Cobalt and Coral might have already been in danger from the sheer fact they were Selkies, but he definitely didn’t help their cases either. The thought that his captain was now also putting his life and career on the line was just another weight on Niko’s overburdened back. “No one is going to search here. Not just yet, anyway. You’re safe for the time being, and if the best I can do is to keep you alive for another day or two, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

  Niko didn’t know what to say to that exactly, except that it was ridiculous. He wasn’t worth that kind of sacrifice. He wasn’t worth any of these people putting themselves at risk for him, but they already had. “But—” Niko began.

  “No ‘buts,’ Spruce,” Baobab ordered. He checked his watch and sighed. “I’ve got to head in for my shift in a few.” At the look on Niko’s face, he added, “Chief has had every available officer, regardless of rank, signed up for rotating shifts. I go in and follow orders and recite the party line so they think I’m on their side. They’ve already had me put Fern there on unpaid leave because they suspect him of aiding you. And Aspen’s been forced to take her accumulated vacation days. So, I’m the only one left at the precinct to keep an eye on shit.” He sighed, running a hand over his scalp. “And this is definitely shit.” Eyeing Niko a moment, he nodded to him. “Not your fault, Spruce. Don’t let them make you think it is. You just do what you gotta do and put this crap to rest, you hear me?” Niko nodded a sharp gesture, like he was nothing but a cadet again. Baobab shot the others the same look. “All of you. Get to work. We don’t have much time left.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Uri answered, and Cobalt nodded his assent to the Captain. Starla and Coral went around them and took up positions on the sofa, picking up the laptops and getting to work of some kind. Niko was mildly surprised Coral already knew her way around a computer, but she did seem a quick study.

  Niko settled into the armchair closest to the pile of boxes and picked up the top one to search through. Cobalt went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, rummaging between bottles and items before he pulled out various things and set them on the counter. Niko glanced at him, noting the bread and packs of deli meat and cheese he’d set out. But before he got to that, Cobalt picked up a small bottle of sparkling green liquid and brought it over to Niko. It was a replenishing potion, a common staple in police households.

  “Take it,” Cobalt told him. The order was quiet, without the overpowering demand of his tone when he dominated Niko, but the effect was still the same. Niko felt himself shiver slightly, holding Cobalt’s gaze. “Your body needs it.”

  Fingers brushing Cobalt’s as he took the bottle, Niko let himself linger a moment. Cobalt’s light eyes glinted, and Niko felt his own lips part, in anticipation of a kiss. But Cobalt pulled back, gently as he could, and returned to the kitchen. Niko held still a moment, trying to deny the light sting of rejection in his heart. He downed the potion.

  The green liquid tasted of sage and some other herb Niko couldn’t place, and it soothed him deeply. The muscle aches he’d grown accustomed to suddenly faded, his hunger mildly curbed, and his brain felt more alert. Anxiety dimmed down to a simmer rather than a full boil, and the exhaustion and depletion of his body’s basic needs felt less noticeable. He needed to stock up on these.

  Niko had closed his eyes without realising it, soaking in the feeling of the potion. When he opened them again, it was to find Cobalt standing in front of him again, holding out a sandwich for him. It was turkey breast with tomato, lettuce, herbed cheese, sprouts, and avocado spread thick on the bread. Niko accepted it, feeling his stomach gurgle. He didn’t remember telling Cobalt this was how he preferred his sandwiches, but he suddenly saw an image of himself, sitting at his ow
n kitchen counter while Cobalt prepared him lunch. In the image, Cobalt wore an apron with the phrase ‘watch me whip’ on it over the graphic of a whisk. He eyed Niko hungrily, and the two of them seemed so serene it hurt.

  “Thanks,” Niko murmured, suddenly breathless. Cobalt winked at him so quickly Niko almost didn’t catch it.

  Returning to the kitchen again, Cobalt announced, “I will be taking sandwich orders for the next ten minutes. If you’re hungry, you better act fast.”

  Starla immediately raised her hand and called out an order, followed by the others. Niko munched on his sandwich as he watched them all making requests. For a moment, it was just a group of friends gathered together and sharing a meal. For a moment, they could have been there for any reason at all. Niko spared a glance at the clock and realized it was already later than he had hoped. He also realized something else.

  “Star? Shouldn’t you be at work?” he asked. She had to keep checking in and working her cases to avoid anyone thinking she was helping him.

  Starla shot him a look, pressing her lips together. Before she spoke, Niko felt his stomach drop. “I—uh—left that job,” she said, playing it off. Seeing Niko’s look, she shrugged. “Okay, they cut me loose. But I should’ve left anyway. Those fuckers have no loyalty to their own people, even when they do exemplary work. And they don’t promote from within enough. And they just kept pigeon-holing me, setting me on cases where I’d be using my body. I was a prostitute, thanks. I was trying to do something different.”

  Niko sighed, his jaw tight. “Star, I’m so—”