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A few minutes later, we’re all eating in silence. Like there’s nothing going on. No missing Marina, no issues for Eros with the security council, no cousin and aunt barreling through the ocean with fear racing through their bodies. I guess there’s no evidence of that, but I’m guessing. Guessing, I hate guessing. I like facts.
“How’s your food?” Eros nods. “Fuck, there’s something else.” He points with his fork. “When we were meeting with the half-Kraken, Stavros, I found out that Braesen has a lab in a cavern under their dome.”
“A lab?” I drop my napkin on the table. “What kind of lab? I thought all the labs were in the science domes?”
“They are.” Nico takes a long drink, then his glass clinks on the table. “I’ve never heard of any labs in the catacombs.” He leans into Eros.
“The Kraken half-breed said they did tests on him in a Braesen lab.”
I swallow too big of a bite and cough. Holter, sitting next to me, puts his hand on my back. “I’m good. Why would the Braesen have a lab hidden beneath their dome?” A deep burning fills my gut. Did Richeal find out about it? Is this why she was killed?
“It’s against policy.” Nico takes another bite of his food.
“Yeah, well, so is what the security council has had me doing for the last ten years.” Eros raises his glass at Nico.
“I suppose it could be true,” Nico counters.
“It’s true. Stavros is from Braesen, and he told us himself. That’s why he was willing to get me the information about Marina. He wants us to bring change to the city.”
“You really think it’s true? That Marina went willingly and the Vitrom governor is just taking credit for her disappearance? It seems awfully odd that she would just race away. How do you explain the recording of her begging for you to help her?” I’m talking about Marina, but inside I’m tumbling the idea of what a Braesen lab could really mean around in my head.
Eros nods. “Marina is not... Well, there are a lot of things Marina isn’t. She doesn’t think things through. And as a result, my parents treated her like a podlet long after she wasn’t one. If she came across a charming Kraken who told her all the right things, one who maybe lied about what he was, then yeah, I can see her hopping into one of their transports. And I can also see the Kraken using it as a way to line their pockets.” He raises his eyebrows at me. “I’ve sent the tape to be analyzed. I’m confident it wasn’t her. She wouldn’t have lied to me. I’m sure she even left some long-winded note about her suffering at the hands of our parents and how now she’s going to go off and be her own female.” He looks at his plate and whispers, “At least, I hope that’s what’s happened. Because there’s no way to take on the entire Kraken state.”
“No, there’s not. It’s better to have the Kraken on our side.” Nico takes another bite.
“Agreed,” Eros says. “Holter, did you know about the caverns?”
“Because I’m a geminae? I wasn’t in Braesen. I was too busy swimming around the city to keep up with you.”
“It’s true.” Eros shrugs. “You were a bit of a pain in the fluke. But look at you now.”
“Suck it.” Holter cocks his head at Eros. “Did Richeal work with a Braesen scientist?”
Nico puts down his glass. “I think she did, maybe. For a long time I didn’t realize she worked outside the pod at all.”
“Do you think your mother might have done research on a Kraken?” I immediately wish I could pull what I said back in.
“No. She would never.” Nico’s forehead furrows. “I mean, I don’t think she would. I suppose. I was young, and Muster and Alder talk about her like she hung the moon. To me, she was my mother. She meant warmth, safety, love. But those are just feelings. I didn’t know her. I don’t want her memory soiled, though. We need to find out more about this, but quietly.”
“Sure, we can just bust into Braesen.” Eros hops out of his chair. He snags his fork and holds it like it’s a trident. “I’m sure they won’t care if the second coming of Poseidon barges in and says, ‘Show me your caverns full of illegal labs.’” He puts his other hand on his forehead and peers over the dining room table like he’s looking for something or playing charades badly.
“Eros.” I giggle. Because sometimes we just need his lightheartedness. I motion to his seat.
“Yes. Well. What do you think we should do, then?” Eros plops down.
“We need a plan to get in there,” Holter adds.
“Maybe Kai can help. She told me that her mother has some of Richeal’s library in her penthouse.”
“What? That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I thought all her books were in the back of Alder’s closet.” Nico’s frowning.
“That makes sense, though. They were close friends.” Holter finishes his last bite and pushes the plate back.
Eros jumps back up. “First, we go and talk to Kai. And then we get into Braesen and find that lab, if it even exists.”
I pick up a few plates and the platter.
Nico growls. “First, we do the dinner dishes.”
