* A few weeks later, the stairs in front of a court house *
Cassandra's pacing like a caged animal. Francine's in Lisette arms, crying. Bernadette is a ways away, just standing there, eyes looking at nothing, in complete shock. And I… well I really thought we had a shot. There was only one way to get Francine’s son back in her custody, and that was playing the human legal game. Longstride comes down the stairs straight at me. I know that face. When Longstride isn’t smiling, it’s always a bad sign.
“They stacked the deck” he says, almost out of breath.
Of course they did. It’s the why that, if I’m right about this, pisses me off.
“I saw at least two kithain in there, they tried to evade my sight but I’m absolutely certain glamour was used too” the Eshu continues, looking away.
I should’ve known. But we can’t stop trying the “correct” way. This could’ve worked. It should’ve worked. Bernadette’s legal contacts are solid, and the girl can work a computer better than anyone I know.
Fucking Sidhe. Goddamn fucking Sidhe. Capricious, arrogant, self-absorbed hobgoblins the lot of them. Francine could’ve had visitation rights, at the very least… but no. Of course not. She asked us to save her kid from very real danger. We did. We did because it was the right thing to do. We didn’t ask anything in return.
Hell, I had a great lunch too, that time.
Ah yes… there it is. That’s what our enemies wanted all along. There’s a snake of a thought slithering through my brain… a very familiar one. Lisette almost immediately looks my way, as if she could read my mind.
She can’t.
She can read my heart though.
It’s not my fault. I’m not responsible for these nobles’ power trip. They’re fucking with Francine’s life to get to us, to set an example. Associate with rebels and we take everything you have, including family, away. What happens when Bobby chrysalises? Suburban dad takes care of it?
What if the kid does indeed chrysalises and become a Troll? A Pooka? A Sluagh?
Fuck… what if he… what if he… what if he becomes a Redcap?
I don’t know how these things work… what if, because I was there, because I did what I did to save him… what if that somehow left an… aura or something… and he… he…
I can feel it. Hunger. It rises inside of me. I want to fight. I want to hurt. I want to bleed. I want to destroy everything. That trashcan is getting kicked, for a start, and then I’m gonna take it and smash that car’s windshield over there. And then someone’s gonna want to stop me. There’s always someone. And then I’m gonna punch that someone in the face.
Yeah.
YEAH THAT’S IT.
I’M GONNA EAT SOMEONE’S FACE OFF.
A big red hand slaps me on the shoulder and then grips it tight.
I turn around, my face all monstrous.
Cassandra’s never been scared of me. Or at least she’s never showed it. She doesn’t have to say a word, her eyes do most of the talking in any circumstance anyway. The Hunger remains… but I work hard at shifting its focus. Hopefully it works for us again.
First things first: we take care of Francine. She’s one of us now, they made her one of us. That and someone passed the ultimate test to join The Merry Motley. I walk over to Bernadette.
She almost jumps when she realizes I’m standing next to her.
“Sir Bartok I’m sorry… I was so sure that…” she whispers.
“Drop the Sir. You’re one of us now” I say.
She looks at me like a confused puppy, blinking.
“You have acquired the final requirement to join”
“What’s that?”
I smile sadly and take her hands in mine.
“You gave it your all, everything that you had, with all your talent and a lot of heart… and you failed. That’s what it takes to be one of us. That knowledge. That’s its possible to loose even if you gave it your best.”
She starts crying softly and buries her face against my shoulder.
“It’s alright. That allows you to get to the next part, which is just as important as the first one.”
She looks up at me. I smile.
“Trying again.”
Whispers of Promises - End