“LordCommander?”Katarinagaspedin shock as she stopped, halfway out the front of the shop, Sera and Isabella on her heel. Isabella grabbed onto her calf and stared up at the large, Fowlst man looming over the doorway. She had the papers in her hand to hand over to the council on her way to talk to the very councilor darkening the shop doorway. They’d stopped by the shop to get everything printed and stapled.
Penny squawked, “Oi! No Enforcers allowed without warrants! And we charge double for council vehicles!”
“Penny,” Katarina hissed softly, shushing her.
“I’m not here on official business, nor do I own a vehicle, Ms. Delight. You know that.” Aravis grumbled, stepping away from the door.
“You know the desk girl’s name?” Sera sneered, following Katarina out into the parking lot. Katarina walked with her daughter wrapped around her leg like an ankle weight.
“Penny Delight and I have met on a few occasions during Titan Bonesaw’s reign, yes.” Aravis’ monotone voice and less than enthused facial expression told Katarina all she needed to know.Aravis knows the real deal behind the shop’s façade.The only problem was, if he had the proof. Which, clearly, he didn’t, otherwise none of this would have actually happened. The large Fowlst stepped further onto the asphalt to allow the women room to close the shop door behind them.
Katarina squinted at him. “You’re not here on official business?”
“At least, not in that capacity. Ms. Witchbane, it would behoove me to tell you that my efforts have failed.” Aravis immediately hung his head slightly. A mop of obsidian hair fell forward around his face as he exhaled heavily. “I fear—”
“Gill’s out,” Katarina finished the sentence for him.
He straightened, brows furrowed. “You knew?”
“His parents showed up yesterday to gloat,” Katarina grumbled, arms crossing under her chest. She glanced down at Isabella who was more interested in the onyx talons that clicked against the ground than anything the Fowlst or her mother was saying.
“Well, it seems he has friends in the council. I wasn’t even made aware he was being processed for release until he was waltzed by my office as I left last night. Fergus was none too pleased, either, but there is more than one way to get out of a jail cell early.”
Katarina froze, eyeing Aravis up and down. “Wait…friends? Gill doesn’t have friends in the council. He has lawyers and friends with lawyers but…”
Katarina’s face paled as Aravis nodded, humming in acknowledgement. “You see my conundrum.”
“You know?” She hissed, leaning toward him before thinking better of it. “Do you know who The Executive is?”
“The Executive?” Aravis’ rose his thick brows.
“Oh no.” She shook her head vigorously. “No, you’re not tricking me a second time.”
“The first time wasn’t a trick,” Aravis chuckled softly, his stoney face finally softening with playful mirth. “Merely doing my job. But thank you for putting a name, of sorts, to the ghost I’ve been hunting.”
“You fuuuuu-” Katarina glanced down at Isabella. Inhaling sharply through her nose, she waggled her finger at Aravis. “Fudger.”
Aravis’ shoulder shook with laughter. “Relax, Ms. Witchbane. Your boyfriend isn’t who I’m really after. By all accounts, the Bonesaws do run a legitimate business and are good for the ecosystem of King’s Fall. As much as I detest the breaking of rules, I’ve come to understand some rules require breaking…for they were never good rules to have in the first place.”
Katarina blinked once, sitting back on her heels. “Is that so?”
“Let’s say someone near and dear to me put things into perspective,” Aravis’ lips tugged up at the corner. “And this Executive, whoever they are, is more of a threat to King’s Fall than this shop. So, I’ll focus my attention elsewhere. I can’t promise that, if I were presented with evidence, that I wouldn’t pursue justice for any laws broken by Jessie Bonesaw…what I can promise is he’s not my problem right now. The person playing the council for a fiddle is. And I think they’re targeting you and your loved ones. So, I’m saying this now, please, be careful.”
Katarina nodded vigorously.
Aravis put his hand out and at first, she placed her palm in it. With another chuckle, he shook his head. “I meant your paperwork. I assume that’s all things I would file?”
“Oh!” She scrambled to pluck them off her chest. Handing them over, she watched him flip through them swiftly then offer her a nod. Katarina watched the Lord Commander tuck her paperwork under a wing and slowly stalk away like a dark shadow over the land. Isabella finally crept forward till she was staring up at Katarina with her big eyes.
“Well…that…changes today’s agenda,” Sera murmured as she crept up alongside Katarina.
They’re targeting me. The Executive knew about Gill. Got him out early in hopes of what? Disarming me!Fury pumped through her hot and fast. Fists clenching up, she stared at the shop. Each bay was full, the sound of drilling mixed with cars being raised and lowered. There was a distinct echo of ‘no! not that one! The other one’ which was always followed with ‘what other one’ off the steel.
You can’t scare me Gill.
“Bella?” She flashed a giant grin down at her little girl. “Want to learn how to put a car together?”
Isabella’s eyes grew as wide as her face, sparkling with wonder. “Vroom vroom?”
