Chapter 48: Enclave XVIII
I thought about sneaking back in the house through the window, but what was the point?
Kilvius eyed me as I walked through the front door. He returns.
And here I thought Id have to explain to the council how our family lost the single most important guest to grace our presence in the last ten years. Nethtari clucked her tongue.
Emotion burned in my chest. I wanted to joke with them. Act like nothing was wrong. Put this conversation off for just one more day. But I kept seeing the bodies, strewn across the floor.
There is always something more you could have done.
I rallied against my fathers words. He was wrong. The first time had not been my fault. Perhaps I could have been more vigilant, but my efforts would have been so unfocused and anemic they likely would have led to the same outcome.
No. The first time was not my fault. But every time after would be. The responsibility of it all rested on my head, and mine alone.
My fist clenched and I looked down at the floor.
Kilviuss empty eyes stared up at me, confused, hurt. He reached for his wifes cold body.
I fought back a sob.
Nethtari closed the cupboard she had opened with a slow creak. She approached me slowly, tugging on Kilviuss sleeve. Cairn. Whats wrong?
Slowly, the knuckles of my hand creaking, I unclenched my fist.
I had a vision.
Over the next hour, I slowly walked them through the details of what had happened. It was tedious and painful, like treading on broken glass. On an almost fundamental level, it went against everything I was trying to accomplish in that household. I didnt want to bother these people. I wanted them to be safe, be happy. They didnt take me seriously at first. Kilviuss face was animated, visibly reacting to every new piece of information. Nethtaris expression, however, grew colder and colder.
It wasnt hard to recite specific details. I saw much of it every time I closed my eyes. When I came to the details of what had happened when I arrived at this house, those details grew more fuzzy.
And Nethtari picked up on it immediately.
And what direction did you approach the house from? Nethtari asked, her voice clipped.
The front.
So you approach from the front. Someone exits. The auric sun is red, signifying a state of emergencynot disabled, so there should be plenty of light. In the short time between when you saw them and ducked down, you didnt see their face?
No. I said.
So some infernal just slaughtered my family and walked out of the house.
Hard to say if it was an infernal or not.
Nethtaris eyebrow shot up. Thats a strange point to make, seeing as how we make up the vast majority of the population within the enclave.
Nethtari Kilvius started, but she held up a hand to silence him.
Cairn, Ive been a solicitor for nearly twenty years. Long enough to know when someone is lying to me. Nethtari said. It was very close to the tone Id heard her use with Guemon at my hearing.
Everything Ive told you is true.
I have also done this long enough to know that theres more than one type of lie. A lie by omission, for instance.
It will muddy the waters. I gripped the lip of my chair, my knuckles turning white.
How could the identity of the person who killed my children be anything but productive?
Kilvius looked between us, sensing the tension. What Nethtari is trying to say, is
Im not trying to say anything, Kilvius. Nethtari said quietly. Im saying it. Cairn is withholding information, despite the seriousness of the situation. I would very much like to know what that information is.
It was interesting how parallel their beliefs were to the elven religious beliefs around the afterlife. Only, unlike the elves, the infernals didnt have any chance of achieving nothingness. Their goal was to live decent lives to minimize the time their souls spent in the after-life.
It wasnt so unlike the human myths of Valhalla, only humans seemed to take the idea of a never-ending battle as a positive thing, an honor reserved for those of the highest regard. A year ago, I dreamed of Valhalla. Mornings of glorious battle alongside the demigods, garnished with banquets and evenings lounging with Lillian within the Elysium halls.
But that was before I had tasted what a fighting really was. That had changed things.
The main difference between Hades and Valhalla seemed to be that the infernals did not pretend it was anything other than what it was. Eternal anguish and bloodshed. Given the choice, Id happily take the Elysium halls over Valhalla.
Why would Guemon do something so rash for such a short-term gain? I asked. For that matter, why attack his people so brutally? There are easier ways to frame me, if thats what hes looking to do.
Motive aside, we have bigger problems. Nethtari stood, glancing out the window. Members of the high council are subjected to scrutiny, mainly to prevent exactly this sort of thing to scrutiny. There are wards in place to establish whether an infernal has sold their soul. There are also defenses that are meant to trigger in the event of an uprising. All members of the high council can activate them through magical means, as well as the council itself should it reach a majority.
But that didnt happen. So, youre saying, for the vision to come to pass I mused.
All members of the high council, save Guemon, would need to be dead. But the upside is, that means the binding has not yet taken place. The attack on the enclave is not yet set in stone. Nethtari smiled grimly. But this is too big of a problem for us, Cairn. We need to bring in Ralakos.
I hesitated. But, the leak
I know. Nethtari said. I think I can impress upon him the need for discretion. Hes a bit of a skeptic, so its likely better to keep the foresight business to yourself. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. If Maya was not so utterly convinced of it, I likely would not believe it either. But there are too many details to your story, things youd have no way of knowing. Well cook up some sort of story for him. Ill need to think on that. If possible, we need to locate an asmodial outside the purview of the masters.
I nodded. Already working on that last order of business. I started building up an information network last night, its small, but growing. And I made a contact in the thulian district that who may prove helpful. Gold is going to be an issue eventually, but I have some ideas on how to remedy that.
They both slowly turned to look at me.
Cairn, when, exactly, did you have the vision? Kilvius asked.
Uh. Yesterday. A little after we left Maya at the lift.
Well, he doesnt waste any time. Kilvius laughed.
He should have said something. Nethtari eyed me judgmentally. Whos this contact you made, while prowling the thulian district like a misguided youth?
I shifted uncomfortably at the memory. Her name is Persephone.
The atmosphere in the room immediately grew cold. Nethtari looked at Kilvius. Kilvius looked down at the table idly, drawing patterns into it with his fingers.
Did you? Nethtari started.
Nope, Kilvius said.
Are you certain?
Havent said a word about her, havent thought about her in years.
So of all the dive bars in the district, he just happened to stumble into hers?
I wouldnt lie to you, Nilend.
I cleared my throat. Im uh, sensing a bit of history here.
Kilvius tried to make eye-contact with Nethtari, but she looked away towards the papered wall. He sighed. Once upon a time, I lived a very different life. Persephone was part of it. Then I married Nethtari. And I now have three beautiful children. The end.
Im sure I could have filled volumes with the quantity of story Kilvius was leaving out, but decided it was better not to press my luck, at least not with Nethtari present.
We briefly covered what the next steps would be. Nethtari would bring Ralakos into our little conspiracy. Ephira was best avoided for now, until we had a better idea of where she stood. Nethtari thought she would likely come down on our side eventually, wholesale slaughter being universally bad for business. Guemon and his men were to be avoided at all costs. Id continue working the angle with Persephone to try and get a line on the asmodialsdespite Nethtaris protests. And Kilvius would get me in touch with some of his old contacts, though I was still a little gray on what exactly that meant.
Any other bombs to drop, Cairn? Before breakfast turns into lunch? Nethtari asked dryly.
Now that she mentioned it, there was one last thing.
Oh. I also had my second awakening.
The tension broke. Nethtari threw her hands up and walked away, while Kilvius laughed.
