Then two familiar faces, carting her child, broke through the front doors. Her heart dropped into her feet, and Aravis stopped to follow her gaze. Bjorn saw them at the same time as he giggled loudly.
“There they are! Now I can show you how smart Ireallyam!” Bjorn pulled a cylinder, skinny like a pen with a singular button on top, from his jacket pocket. “Behold!”
“NO!” Katarina screamed, but she had no control over Bjorn.Not when he really wants to set the bomb off…and I drove him up there to show off.
Bjorn clicked the button and the council building lit up in white. It engulfed everything, the walls shaking, the crystal panes over their heads cracking, and a piece of the chandelier clattering to the floor. Screams filled the air and Katarina could pinpoint Isabella’s. It made her heart skip a beat as she threw her arms up in front of her eyes. A massive shadow covered her. Peeking tentatively through her fingers, she found a raven feather wing blocking out the light in front of her.
Then it was all snuffed out. Bjorn’s angry screeches were muffled as something heavy splashed in the fountain. Aravis lowered his wing and the pair blinked slowly, taking in the damage. One of the statues crumbled into the fountain around Bjorn who was being handcuffed by two damp Enforcers. At thefront of the fountain was a broken piece of metal, clearly ripped out of something. It was singed and broken into little pieces.
“What is going on?” Aravis barked, his gaze roaming from the crowd at the foot of the fountain to Katarina. But she was pushing her way out of his grasp toward Nik. Isabella squirmed out of the mechanic’s arms, screaming for her mother as she barreled forward. Katarina dropped to her knees. Scooping Isabella up into her arms, tears trailing down her face, she squeezed tight.
“Baby, what are you doing here?” She shrieked before looking up at Jessie who sheepishly smiled down at her. “Why is she here!”
“I uh,” Jessie grimaced, “I didn’t have a babysitter lined up this time. Look—”
“Mr. Bonesaw, explain yourself!” Aravis stormed up behind Katarina. “What is going on?”
Katarina loosened her arms on the squirming bundle in her arms. Isabella dried her tears on Katarina’s shoulder.Thank the dragons above you’re fine.But the question was…how? Why?
“Honestly, Lord Commander, I got no idea. My girl was here to file some paperwork, and we came here to pick her up for breakfast. Kiddo wouldn’t even let me dress her without momma, so I’m just here to get my girl and get some muffins from the bake sale when I saw that wacko on the fountain. What’s his deal? What was that?” Jessie lied and lied and lied, but it was the best lie Katarina heard in her life. Not even Isabella called him out on it, too busy hugging Katarina. She wrapped her arms tight around Isabella again, and this time, her daughter settled into her chest.
“I’m not sure…but I’m sure we’ll figure it out. Please, can I have everyone not protection guild personnel evacuate? Lets go, out!” Aravis’ command echoed around the hall. Katarina climbed to her wobbly feet. A warm hand pressed to the small of her back and steadied her against a firm back. She twisted but a massive wing blocked her and the boys from leaving. “Not you four. You stay.”
“We’re not exactly personnel,” Nik snarled.
“But you are suspicious,” Aravis snapped back.
Isabella huffed, finally pulling back from Katarina’s shoulder. She rummaged around in her pajamas before shoving two plastic cards in Aravis’ face. “Permit!”
“Pardon?” Aravis blinked rapidly.
Nik choked on a snort, pivoting away from the scene before him, but Jessie beamed from floppy ear to floppy ear. “We uh, we’ve got a permit for being suspicious.”
Aravis squinted at him. If looks could kill, Katarina would have watched the Lord Commander murder her love right there. But they couldn’t and Aravis had bigger fish to fry. Like the man currently spewing words like ‘heinously underappreciated’ and ‘you massive morons don’t know who you’re messing with’. So, he let out a heavy sigh.
“Just. Get. Out.” Aravis ground out all three words then twisted from them, storming away. His talons clicking against the floor as he bulldozed toward the raving councilman. Nik held it together till they made it out the front doors before he bent over, laughing till he cried. Jessie scooped Isabella out of Katarina’s arms, spinning her around.
“That’s! What! I’m! Talkin’! About! My girl! My sweet tater tot! You’ve earned yourself whatever you want at the bake sale!” Jessie cheered, pumping her up and down till Isabella was giggling shrilly.
Katarina fell back against one of the many massive pillars that lined the outside of the council building. While most people were dying to get a look inside, she was hoping to get as far away as they could from that damn place.Fuck, I gotta text Sera.
She needed to do a lot of things. So, she made a list:
Yell at Nik and Jessie for endangering Isabella.
Check in with Sera, make sure she didn’t eat the secretary
Make sure she got full custody
