Clean kill, Alexandru observed dispassionately, seeing the singular headshot wound in the victim's temple.
Zari's lips tightened. No signs of struggle, Master.
Alexandru cast a sweeping glance around their extremely sterile surroundings. No signs of forced entry either.
"If it's not too much to ask—-" The angel's tone was sarcastic. "Can you two get off your private line and include me in the fucking conversation?"
Zari could feel her cheeks flush at the well-deserved reprimand, and knowing that her boss would only consider an apology an additional waste of his time, she dove straight into the facts to get Micah up to speed.
"The Devil's Door I tipped you off to months ago...I never saw - I mean, I never knew how it was opened, but now we have reason to believe that the demon who went through it used mandrakes—-" She heard her boss mutter an expletive and realized that the half angel was also aware of how mandrakes could be used to open Devil's Doors.
"Alexandru believed that if he could examine the bodies, he might be able to identify the demon by scent—-" The angel bit out another expletive, but this time she had no idea what he was furious about. She glanced at Alexandru, hoping he'd know something, but her Master only shrugged.
"Micah?" Zari's voice was edgy with tension even to her own ears. "Is there something—-"
"The Board's called for a meeting—-"
Zari stiffened.
"They believe Alexandru is behind this."
Hence your colleagues' bellicose stance , Alexandru couldn't help remarking.
While Zari didn't quite understand what 'bellicose' meant, Alexandru's tone alone had her gnashing her teeth and shooting a scowl at his direction. Will you please take this seriously? Turning back to her boss, she said right away, "That's insane. You don't even need an autopsy to know the caretaker recognized his killer—-"
"The Board also believes Alexandru used his powers as a demon to brainwash the caretaker."
Bullshit, Zari almost yelled. Brainwashing was only possible with the average human being, and caretakers, just like trappers, had to undergo special training before they could start working for AGNEX.
"Have they deduced any motives on my behalf?" Alexandru wanted to know.
"Unfortunately...yes. In Z's report for Warehouse 57, she insisted that there was still a thirteenth boy missing, and the Board has thus concluded the 13th boy was - or is - also one of your brainwashed minions. They also believe you stole the bodies as a way of covering your tracks—-"
"Those are all presumptions," Zari interrupted in protest. "Why can't they all see—-"
Enough, pet.
Zari clamped her jaw shut at her Master's quiet words.
I think you already know what the angel is truly telling us.
No! Zari strove to remain calm . There has to be another way—-
But her Master was already discussing the terms of his surrender with her boss.
"I am willing to turn myself over - but only in your care, of course, since your angel's blood will prevent you from betraying my trust. I am also willing to wait until your agency's investigation clears me of wrongdoing...but only if you do not hold me captive in some despicably urban prison," Alexandru drawled with a crooked smile. "Give me a good old-fashioned dungeon anytime—-"
"Shut up, Master!" Zari gave up all pretenses on being in any way agreeable to what was happening. "You're not going anywhere—-"
But both men appeared hell-bent on ignoring her.
"It will be as you wish," she heard her boss say.
Master, I swear to God, if you dare let them take you away—-
I'm sorry, pet, but I'm afraid I must dare indeed do that. The traitor you saw in your version has infiltrated your Board, and your boss...
Zari reluctantly turned to look at Micah.
"I'm sorry," the half angel said quietly, "but this has to happen."
The words made it seem like he was apologizing for Alexandru's impending arrest, but the look in his eyes told her a different story. Micah knew her Master was innocent, but the half angel also believed Alexandru's captivity was the only way to flush the traitor out.
My confinement, of course, is nothing but a decoy and a means to stall for time. It will be all up to you to figure the rest out—-
Why can't it be the other way around, Zari impulsively blurted out through their blood bond. Why can't I be the one who's taken away and—-
That won't do, my love. The wickedly teasing note in her Master's voice tempted Zari to laugh, cry, and question his sanity all at the same time.
Remember those nights you kept crying over and over about how strong you've become?
Well now...
How is it that you modern people say it, pet?
It is time for you to walk the talk.
The (Second ) Mandrake
Shows the Way
Chapter Eighteen
PRIDE HAD ZARI MAINTAINING a stony silence as trappers treated Alexandru, now safely behind the spell-fortified bars of a dungeon, like he was no different from a circus animal to be stared at and made fun of. To their credit, they didn't actually went as far as booing or throwing rotten eggs at him. But then when one looked into their eyes and saw the vile pleasure they derived from seeing a renowned hunter as her Master, now confined in an ancient solitary cell that had him sitting on the ground—-
She dug her nails hard into her palms. Part of the plan, Zari reminded herself. It was all part of the plan, and that included how Alexandru's imprisonment had the other trappers, young and old alike, were smirking and strutting out of the cave like they were the ones personally responsible for his detainment.
In the corner of her eye, she saw one of the trappers bragging to his friends that he was going to spit on Alexandru, but then the younger man met the hunter's gaze...
"Never mind," she heard the trapper mutter. "Even my saliva's wasted on it."
Zari saw red. It? That idiot dared call her Master...it? Oh, what she would do—-
Tick tock, pet.
Alexandru's mocking murmur in her mind hauled Zari back to her senses.
I would also rather spend my time elsewhere, but that won't happen anytime soon if you simply waste your time standing there.
She couldn't help grimacing even as she had to force herself to swing her back on her Master.
Sorry.
She followed the others out.
I'm going now.
This time, Alexandru didn't even answer, and in her mind she could easily picture him looking at her with a bored expression on his broodingly gorgeous face.
Fine, fine, lesson learned, Zari thought gloomily. Whenever he had his taskmaster mode switched on, Alexandru would instantly turn into a tough SOB that wouldn't even blink if his teaching methods had her crying in exhaustion and pain. He would still ask her to do it again and again, relentlessly using his knowledge as her Master and lover to push all the right buttons...just like what he was doing now.
No wasting time, she told herself. Gotta get her ass moving, that's what's being strong is all about.
Micah saw Zari the moment she was out of the cave and motioned for her to join him. Sundown Wild Forest was usually without crowds once the sun started to set, but with the Board scheduled to convene in midnight, the half angel had the entire workforce putting up a virtual miracle: a fully-functional camp right in the middle of the woods, and one that even came with luxury yurts, fancy shower stalls, and self-incinerating toilets.