Carved

by Miki

  “Also,” I direct my comments to the King, “I’d like any of the specifics on how you came by this information. How are you tracking the threats? Besides giving up everything I know, what can I do to keep my brothers and me safe? When you tell me what I need to know, I’ll leave to start making sure my brothers and my friends are safe.”

  The King’s bewildered demeanor tells me he doesn’t want me to leave. It won’t hold me back. His look changes to one of resignation. “Edling, I wish you would reconsider. Be that as it may, if you must return to your apartment in Cueva Hallow, I shall send a small force of my Elites to help you. They will protect you and your brothers, as well as help you with other security procedures.”

  Mica takes over again, with a nod from the King. “You should avoid seeing the doctor for a while. Otherwise you’ll have to explain the healing. You should also let others believe you are still on the mend. By doing so, you will limit any uncomfortable questions and you will not have to return to work as quickly. I’m already on leave. I told Murphy this morning that I have a family emergency. I’m on leave for the next six weeks. Also, your time off for recovery will allow us to more easily schedule your trip to Scotland.”

  “Kendra, we must restrict how many humans know about our race,” said King Findare. “As your brothers are also of the dragon line, we believe they should have the same knowledge pertaining to our race as you. We have deferred our action, pending your integration and decision on how to best proceed. We will help you tell your brothers, if you feel you are not up to the task alone. Seeing is sometimes easier, as you’ve learned. They must also be sworn to the same secrecy as you swore. They must know the substantial risk to our race and the real threat of annihilation of our people if they violate their vow.” The King seems to search my soul, “Is this agreeable, Kendra?”

  I nod my consent.

  The King turns and looks at a skinny goyle. “Dolo, will you bring the tablet you have prepared for Kendra?”

  Dolo timidly, almost reluctantly, walks toward me with a tablet in his hands.

  “Hey, don’t be afraid there Dolo,” Mica tells him, trying to offer some spoken courage to the skinny imp. “Kendra won’t hurt you. She needs the information you loaded on the tablet to help represent us better. You did a good job pulling it together. Will you please show her?”

  Backing Mica up, I smile my best smile at the timid gargoyle. He swallows hard and brings me the tablet. His voice is shaky as he explains how to use it and how to find the files I need to read. The tablet won’t need charged the way I’m used to; he says something about the cave or magic doing it. When I ask what happens when I’m away from the cave, he says I likely wouldn’t have to worry about it. I feel like I’m asking too many questions. I don’t want to sound like a complete idiot.

  Once Dolo finally calms down, he looks as if he’s enjoying teaching me about gargoyle technology. “I think Dolo would be an asset if we bring him to the Summit with the,” I think to Mega, “…what did they call the humans they were meeting in Scotland?”

  Mega speaks in my thoughts, “The Alumbradai Sanctuary State. We use the acronym TASS a lot if that helps you remember the name.

  I nod at him and thank him. “I’ve seen others making calls on their tablets, Dolo. Will you please show me how to do that? I need to contact my brothers.”

  He lets me do the calling; he had already loaded their information into the tablet, making it easy for me. I call each of my brothers and tell them I need to see them for breakfast. I’ll cook, if they’ll come and eat, and I add that it’s very important. They both say they’ll be there early, before going to work. I laughed. Maybe Dana has deadlines to meet, but Jared, he probably has a girl to get home. He makes his own hours—something I would never be able to do as a Federal Park Ranger. I make a decent paycheck. Enough to support me, but no extras. I’m okay with that. I don’t need a whole lot to be happy. Spar was the thing I needed the most.

  Oh crap! I hope I never say ‘thing’ referring to him again. As self-conscious as he is already, that would make him feel terrible.

  In my ear Spar whispers, “It’s not easy to let you go when all I want to do is love you and your body. When you get back, I won’t hold back.” His breath warm on my ear gave me shivers, shooting straight to my core.

  “Whatever, handsome, you’ll be the one trying to hold me back.” I kiss him quickly, walking away before I can’t.

  Telling Spar goodbye is not easy. He’ll be asleep until I get back anyway, so he is able to let me go. I hang onto him just for a minute. He kisses me softly while Kino, who is taking me home, waits.

  The rest of the night went by in a blur.

  Kino brought me back to the apartment at the La Caverna before sunrise. I noticed a statue that looks like him on the roof. Well I guess he has to move around sometimes. Humans would notice that change easily.

  Kino and Amber go to the roof to pose for the day. They need to stay hidden until my brothers both know about the gargoyle race. It isn’t long until the doorman buzzes me about my brothers’ arrival. I hope I can tell them in a way they understand and believe easily. I have been practicing my speech all morning. If there’s a way to soften the blow of this news, it’s evading my thought process.

  I wonder, will the boys take me seriously regarding their danger? Will they keep themselves safe? CAN they keep themselves safe? They both tend to ‘pooh-pooh’ me when I tell them how I need to protect them. They tease me when I tell them how important that need is to me. They don’t have any idea of the things I’ve done for them, and I sure won’t tell them.

  I’m positive the cartel knows how to use them to get to me. Jared is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Dana is as strong as an ox. They’re both powerful, and they’re comfortable with multiple weapon types too. Both are intelligent and always watch their surroundings. But damn it, they are my brothers. It’s my job to protect them! I can’t rely on their skills. Dang it all to hell, how do I tell them so they’ll believe how real the danger is?

  Kendra, I think to myself, if they get hurt, I’ll be devastated. Devastated, to the point, I may not be able to recover, until I burn the whole cartel down. Their safety and protection, is my number one goal. After we all understand and agree how to keep everyone safe, I can tell them about the Ceorfan!

  I snicker at the revelation contained in my thoughts! I have to convince them about being safe in the face of the danger posed by the Jessups. Yet I’ll just tell them about the Ceorfan. No biggie. Yep! The world is officially weird! Giggling, I’m ready to speak with them now.

  I stand at my door so I can hear the elevator when it gets to my floor. There’s the ding on the doors opening. I crack open my door a little, making sure it’s them. It is, so I open the door the rest of the way. They have on their serious faces. They’ve always been able to figure out when there are issues arising. Yeah, it’s a gift. One that makes my eyes roll. It answers why I get so irritated at people who don’t know what I am thinking. And yes, I do know how that sounds, but honestly… some people are so clueless. Can’t they just notice body language or something?

  “Hey guys,” I say, giving them big sister hugs. “The coffee is ready, and I have juice if you want some.”

  They’re so comfortable in my home they take over and fill their own cups while I pull the egg and sausage casserole out of the oven. Dana pulls the plates out of the cabinet and sets them at the bar. Jared is getting the butter and jam out of the fridge as the toast popped up; I plated it. We sit to eat. Scooping the hot cheesy casserole onto their plates, I gave them extra—Jared more than Dana. He can eat more than anyone I’ve ever met.

  “Okay, Sis, spill it. You look like you haven’t slept in days.” Jared says.

  “Thanks for that. Yeah, I probably don’t look my best. I’ll nap in a while. I need to tell y’all some serious stuff. Some of it sounds like I’m making it up. I promise I’m telling the truth. I’ll show you the proof. I’ll have to anyway.

  “To
start with, I’m afraid for your safety. The Jessup Cartel is involved. I’ve evidently have stirred the pot where they’re concerned. I arrested the son of the big cheeto. Then the guy who shot me, the one I killed, was their number one hit man. I have inside information that the cartel has put a contract out on my life—at a premium. You two, being my brothers, are also in danger. The Jessup Cartel will try to harm you to get to me. We need to make a plan for your safety.” There isn’t a way to live in Cueva Hallow and not understand the cruelty of the cartels in the area. I know I don’t have to explain in detail. They know.

  Dana raises an eyebrow at me.

  “No, I don’t think you’re weak or helpless, and yes, I’m including me too,” I add quickly. “I’m taking safety measures I need to explain. It’s so far-fetched. Keep an open mind, okay? I’ve been receiving help from a source outside of the police department or the Rangers. My friends are a little different. They’re not from around here, so to speak. I’m going to have to call in some old friends in politics, maybe DEA.”

  “Go ahead, Kendra. We’re listening.” Jared takes his last bite and sits back in this seat. “We can tell you need to tell us something you’re struggling with. We also sense you’re doing very well after getting shot. How is that? That’s what I want to know. Are you on pain meds to the point you aren’t feeling pain anymore? You’re getting around like nothing happened to you.”

  “Well, that’s part of the situation I need to tell you about. You’re right—I’m fine. No, better than fine. Nothing’s wrong with me, and I’m totally healed.”

  “So, let’s meet the friends you have hiding in the bedroom. We’re ready.”

  “I do have friends here, but they’re on the roof. I wanted to get you ready, but I don’t know how to anymore.”

  “It’s okay, Kendra. We’ll believe you. Just tell us what’s going on,” Dana drawls.

  “Y’all have been on the roof of the La Caverna. You know those statues that look like gargoyles? They are gargoyles. They’re my friends and they’re helping me. In fact, they’re helping us all. If you’d like to meet one of them, we can go up there right now. He’s waiting for us, so you can see him. You guys can’t tell a soul about them. The gargoyles live in a cave city a few miles away from the caverns. I’ve been there, but it’s hard to find.”

  They stay quiet on the way to the roof. Mica meets me by the seating area. He reaches out to shake hands with each of my brothers.

  “Okay, Kendra, Mica—what’s going on here? Who are we meeting up here?” Jared questions.

  “Me,” Mica tells them. “I’m not as I appear, and I’m going to drop my glamor so you can see the real me.” Just like he had shown me his glamor melts off and his gargoyle self is revealed.

  Dana doesn’t say a word, just smiles a crooked smile at me. It’s his serious smile, though. Jared is nodding his head, not saying anything either.

  “Well, do you guys have any questions?” I grimace.

  Twelve

  Unsafe

  Kendra

  I’m so worried about convincing my brothers about the dangers, I didn’t think about anything else. What I should’ve been worried about is what they would think about Mica being a gargoyle and why we didn’t tell them sooner!

  I feel a storm coming on. I feel static electricity build as the wind blows in, lightning lighting a sudden cloud-burst from within.

  Jared has the shorter fuse of my two brothers.

  More lightning. The thunder is rolling closer.

  My boys are both unquestionably protective of me. With David passing, they are even more protective (if that’s even possible). In an instant, almost perfectly timed to the brightest lightning yet, Jared moves. He is quick as he moves around the furniture and punches Mica dead in the face. The thunder rolls on, louder still.

  Mica is caught unprepared for Jared’s attack. Regaining his composure, my angry brother is moving again, readying himself for a possible coup-de-grace. In a flash, my partner catches him as he’s trying to land his usually devastating roundhouse kick to the gargoyles torso. Mica pulls him close, hugging him as he pins hiss arms to his chest. This infuriates Jared even more. He’s getting madder by the second.

  Crash! That one was right above us.

  Jared bashes the back of his head into Mica’s nose, dropping them both to the floor. With my crazy-ass brother on the floor, Mica easily flips him over, and while lying on him, restrains his arms and legs. It’s obvious my partner is acting to protect my brother from being hurt.

  This happens fast. We haven’t had much of a chance to react. Dana is starting to move across the room to help our brother.

  I feel sick, a sickness which comes only with a great loss. This has to stop. Jared and Dana could hurt Mica, or can they? I can’t take that chance.

  I yell, “Mica, get off him! Jared, Dana stop, just stop!”

  Mica stands.

  Jared loudly exclaims, “Mica, what the hell, motherfucker? You’ve been around our sister. What have you been doing? You’re the reason she hasn’t been home. You’d better not be manipulating her.”

  I take his hand and hold it. I stare at him, waiting. Finally, he breaks eye contact with Mica and turns to me. I take Dana’s hand with my other hand. Ultimately, the storm seems to be ebbing—and oddly enough, so is the one outside.

  “Fine, but I need answers and I need them now,” Jared tells Mica. Without letting him say anything, he adds, “You betrayed our trust. You let us believe you were someone else. If I find you’ve hurt my sister, nothing on this planet will stop me from ending you! Now,” he lowers his volume and his voice, “start talking.”

  Dana, my quiet brother, isn’t fazed at what transpired with our brother. He would have helped if he was needed, in his estimation. He’s, for the moment, just standing there listening. I know him well enough to know he is calculating every detail. He must agree with Jared, or he’d have spoken up.

  It looks as if my partner has made an enemy out of my brothers. If so, I need a new plan. My brothers win, every time. I’m on their side, even if I can’t be with the Ceorfan. Mica takes a few steps closer to my brothers. This better be good, I hope to myself.

  To my surprise, he kneels in front of them. With his head in his hands, he says in a gravelly voice, full of emotion, “Please forgive me. What I did, I did to protect everyone. Kendra, my people, the Ceorfan, and, yes, the both of you. I didn’t understand how deeply you both would be hurt or consider my actions a betrayal.”

  I hear deep sighs from both boys, magic words. Jared is such a passionate man and he understands Mica perfectly and straightaway. “Forgiven. But, I still need an explanation. First, can we all go into the apartment, before someone from space sees us talking to a moving art piece?”

  Dana adds, “Yeah! Kendra might melt anyway. It’s raining. I’m getting the bottle of Johnnie Walker you have stashed in the microwave cabinet. Want some?”

  After we get inside Mica catches up my brothers on as much information as he can pack into a few hours, including that David is now Spar. He tells them they’re welcome in Navan. He’d like to take them tonight, if they’re up for the trip. Jericho had given him a portal stone so we could all make the trip faster, without having to be carried by a gargoyle.

  We order pizza, staying out of sight. I doze off on the couch while they talk. I wake, hearing Dana’s deep voice.

  “If I’m going to be taking a vacation for a few days, I have to talk to my foremen. I trust them to do a good job, but they still need to be told the job priority.” Noting I’m awake, he asks, “Sis, what do I need to bring with me? I’ll pack while I’m gone too.”

  “You’ll need clothes, nothing heavier than a light jacket. It’s not cold down there. Some personal stuff like deodorant, toothbrush, and a comb. I’d bring a handgun and a few clips. You won’t need the gun in Navan, but it’s better to be prepared. I don’t think more than that’s needed—they have everything. The bathroom works different from ours. I haven’t
figured out the specifics. It isn’t three seashells, though like in the movie Demolition Man, where they won’t tell Sylvester Stallone how to use them instead of toilet paper.

  We all laugh except Mica. We always joke about the three seashells and what they might or might not do.

  “Good, because I’m not going if I have to use the three seashells.” We laugh louder. “I’ll be back by seven, Sis. I think this is just what I need. A great adventure.”

  “Okay, just keep your head down. If you aren’t here by seven, I’ll call out the Calvary.”

  He smiles, giving me a hug before he leaves.

  Jared is right behind him with a hug. “Do you need me to get you anything while I’m out? I should be back before Dana. The corporation can run okay from my phone/tablet for a few days. I do need to give some instructions to James, my personal assistant. He’ll let everyone know I’ll be traveling. I don’t need them worrying and searching for me, or the advice they’ll try to give because they’re imagining me haring off with a blond Hollywood type.”

  “I have everything I need, Jared. I’ll be packed in a matter of minutes. Just, please, be safe. Watch for dangerous people. Trust your feelings. Know I’m here for you. I’ll see you in a little while.”

  “I think you should follow them and make sure they are safe.” The look on Mica’s face is priceless. “Please, Mica?” I use the deadly ‘please’ because I can tell he wants to say no.

  He resolves himself. “Kendra, I won’t leave you here without a guard. Shall I call John, so he can stay with you while I follow your brothers? You’ll have to explain to them why I’m slinking around in the shadows. I don’t want to face either of them if I withhold information again. Another idea might be to send John a text asking if he is close and would he like the job?”

  “Okay, fine! Do it, but it doesn’t pay well. I hope John knows that.” I stomp off to my bedroom to pack. Maybe I need more sleep. Looking into my closet, I drag out my old purple Samsonite backpack from my college days. It still looks good. It’s just old. Packing is pretty easy: a few pairs of jeans, several tees, underwear, socks and I’m finished. I’ll wear my hiking boots and a jacket when we leave.