is
right. Father won’t be happy to learn you are still playing."
Daeric shook his head. "It was his idea in the first
place."
Jan thrust a finger at Daeric. "He has only one
goal, and chasing after the past wasn’t part of it."
"I want the same thing. What better way to get our
revenge than to prove them all wrong? To prove we are not—"
The door slammed open, almost hitting Timothy. A tall
man entered, his face concealed by his cloak’s hood. The figure stopped and
surveyed the room, his gaze stopping on Timothy and Kit. Tell entered behind him
and closed the door.
"Father!" Jan and Daeric said together.
Daeric gestured. "These are our latest guests. We—"
"I told you before, that is not our concern anymore.
The past is past."
"She is the one we were looking for. I know it."
"I said the past is past. It is time for all of us
to move on, son." The weight of the man’s words deflated Daeric.
I didn’t think deflating Daeric was even
possible.
The man gestured at Kit and Timothy. "Do whatever
you will with them, but no more of this. Jan, be sure Daeric does what is
needed. We can’t have his guests interfering."
"Yes, Father," Jan said.
"We have only one business to tend to. The Vatican sent
an Inquisitor with the newest batch of reinforcements. We have their attention."
"Finally," Jan said. "It won’t be long, Koto. It won’t
be long." He glared at Tell.
Tell’s shoulders slumped.
"About time." Krill cracked his knuckles. "I was tired
of waiting."
"A patrol returns from the south. Take care of them.
I will give you more information later. We will keep to the plan." The man
glared at Daeric until he wilted. "I must meet our Inquisitor." The man turned and
left. Tell shut the door behind him.
Jan slapped the table and stood. "The Inquisitor is mine.
Let’s see how the Vatican likes one of their own burned at the stake."
Daeric looked at Kit, his usual bluster gone. "Don’t
worry. I won’t let them harm you. Father has lost sight of what we really need
to do."
"And what would that happen to be?" Kit asked.
"Why does it involve her?" Timothy asked.
"It doesn’t matter." Jan crossed the room. "Father
left that up to me."
"You won’t hurt any of them, Jan."
Jan shrugged. "Who said I was going to hurt them. Didn’t
you hear Father? They don’t matter. We finally have an Inquisitor. An
Inquisitor! We can finally start repaying them for what they’ve done. First
this Inquisitor and then another." He grinned. "We all know the Church can’t
stand to lose. They will keep throwing them at us, but we will show them. So I
really don’t care about your playthings. But I will take care of them if they
interfere."
"They won’t," Daeric said. "They will be useful.
They don’t have any love for the Church either. Do you think I would bring them
here if they are not going to help us?"
"As long as they earn their keep, I don’t care," Krill
said. "I still need to even my cheek and wrist with Oval Eyes."
Yuzu glared at the man.
"Save it for the Church’s men," Daeric said.
Krill waved his hand. "So you say. Do you think they
will really keep sending Inquisitors after we off this one?"
Jan jostled Daeric and pushed past Timothy. "They
will. They had better. One Inquisitor isn’t enough. Not for Koto."
"I…I don’t think she—" Tell said.
Jan stormed up to the young man. "What do you know of
her, boy? Nothing!"
Tell shrunk back. "I don’t think she…would want anybody
hurt."
"And you can believe this after she burned? Not even
the blood of the Pope is worth her." Jan grabbed Tell’s collar.
Daeric laid a hand on Jan’s arm. "He can’t remember,
Jan. Let him go. We have our orders. Now let go ."
Timothy frowned. Interesting. Kit tapped her lips
again as she watched the exchange.
Jan shoved Tell away, thrust open the door, and stalked
out. Daeric turned toward the door. "Tell, see to their needs. Whatever they want.
They can take Brian’s old room. Anything they want, fetch it.