Page 44 of Old Secrets

“This is nothing new,” he replied, although he dug out his phone to send off a text. “Mincing people tends to count as psychologically damaging, and while you’ve done well in therapy, you tend to shut down about the London shooting. I, on the other hand, have very little psychological damage about the shooting, as by the time I became coherent, they’d gotten a lead on you, and I was able to go along for the ride. You were alive and well, although a fox, so I wasn’t damaged. Well, by anything other than that Demerol episode.”

As my mouth became a lethal weapon when on the drug, and I’d tried to murder everyone within range, I couldn’t begrudge anyone for having their feelings hurt. “Which part hurt you?”

“The part about swearing you’d never make use of your walking, talking sex toy again if I didn’t stop siding with the enemy.”

As I could see myself saying just that, especially under the influence of Demerol, I shrugged. “I say really stupid shit when drugged. Have your feelings recovered from that incident?”

“For the most part. I’m still holding a grudge nobody believed me when I said to avoid Demerol.”

I grinned, as Jake had done his best to convince the medical staff to keep me off Demerol. “You may as well tell Mellisa you need more therapy about the Demerol episodes. She might even let us in the same session together to talk about that one.”

As a general rule, we did our therapy separately, although we had joint sessions to discuss the reasons our marriage had fallen apart, the toxicity of the situation, and the steps we needed to take to prevent similar happening again in the future. Mellisa had worked wonders on us, as we’d both been mentally unstable for a variety of reasons, resulting in a situation dangerous for us.

Human couples would have separated and divorced, but Jake ran a high risk of running wild without me.

Our time apart had broken us even more than what had divided us in the first place.

Rather than allow myself to spiral back into self-loathing over the past, I lifted my chin and said, “You should tell Mellisa that your parents need to undergo sessions with her to prepare them for the reality of meeting my parents. Because after seeing what my mother can do, I do not want to see what my father can do—and depending on what they were told, your parents might tempt them into giving us a demonstration.”

Jake winced, but he sent another message. “You make a good point. I’m also concerned about how my mother is going to react when she learns your family history.”

I considered Pauline Thomas and everything I knew about her. “Maybe we should bring her to China and set her loose. All we’d have to do is tell her this group has consistently murdered my siblings over thousands of years. The group will cease being a problem. She’s a lot of things, but that gross injustice would trip her trigger. And while my fox excels at holding a grudge, I can be sensible when it suits me.”

“Could it suit you a little more often?” Jake muttered.

As I knew it would drive him insane, I replied, “No.”

“You’re wicked.”

I could be. “What do you think we’re going to find in China, Jake?”

“Answers, but we’re going to have quite the fight to get them—and we might have to interrogate the corpses. Where do we begin, Aiko?”

“Our first stop will be at a port city, where your aunt sacrificed her life to make certain you made it overseas. According to the information I have, the Chinese were successful in finding those who aided her, although they were forced to pick between you and your aunt. With luck, we will get the first of the answers we need without a fight. The Chinese Inquisition will be providing several translators, and among them will be a witch and a Fenerec, both of whom are skilled at detecting falsehoods. If they’re hiding something, they’ll tell us.”

“The contact doesn’t speak English?” I guessed.

Aiko shrugged. “Thus far, no. We’ll find out more when we arrive. I believe the American Inquisition has some news for you regarding your adoption as well.”

We’d gone from a slow crawl to a rapid acceleration, and I ran a high risk of whiplash. No matter what came, I would be ready for it. “Good. I’d rather get to the bottom of this sooner than later.”

I had the rest of my life to enjoy, and I meant to do it without the worry of Greenwich looming over my head.

One day, I would learn. Aiko had indicated we’d be going to a hotel, but she took us to another sprawling manor, one with immaculate gardens, groves of trees within its walls, a shrine, and a stable. Curious horses watched us as we strolled along the fence of their pasture, their ears pricked forward in interest, their eyes bright and their coats gleaming. I had no idea what breed they were, I suspected it was something rare to match the rest of the place.

Aiko tilted her head in the direction of the main building of the manor, which had come from some distant past. “This home has been in the Inquisition since before there was an Inquisition,” she informed us, and she turned her attention to the shrine behind us. “That shrine was dedicated to witches and wolves before the original builders were aware of what lurked in the forests surrounding their home. With time, some became wolves and the age of their line led to witchcraft in others. And so, the nature of the shrine changed, although to prying eyes, it remained as expected.”

I understood. Rather than a hotel, where someone might attempt to listen in, going to a manor owned and operated by the Inquisition might keep our efforts secret.

While I still feared more betrayal, I recognized Aiko did her best to protect us all, my parents and newly discovered family included.

Jake eyed the shrine with interest. “Please do not be offended by my ignorance, but how has the Inquisition managed to stay secret in Japan? I have seen shrines all throughout Tokyo dedicated to warding off forces of evil.”

Aiko smiled. “I am not offended, Jake-sama. We hide in plain sight. Why would anyone believe there is anything more to the Fenerec and witches when we believe in many different spirits? Fenerec are just one of many, as are witches. Take the oni. We have shrines dedicated to warding them away and protecting our souls and families from their influences. Why would anyone think a witch is anything other than another being of our mythology? Something to be respected and possibly feared, yes, but it is just a matter of establishing a shrine to protect ourselves from these things and allowing human nature to handle the rest. Many hold faith that the shrines do protect us from these influences, which ultimately protects us from the prying eyes of humanity.”

When I took the time to think about it, I realized she made a good point. “It doesn’t matter if Fenerec, witches, or even foxes like me are real here, does it? Even if someone from here told others, it would be assumed it was due to cultural belief rather than a part of reality.”

With a nod of her head, Aiko turned to a nearby grove of cherry trees. “That is, in part, why we will not be the weak link that breaks the chain of secrecy. Our culture allows us to maintain the ruse.”