A Council summoning was not unusual. But the circumstances that surrounded it was very unusual. Especially when the last thing that Hunt and Aidas wanted to do was to attend a boring council meeting. It was the last thing on their minds with Lacey's disappearance. They had not seen her for three days despite their intense searching.
Hunt had tried everything, more witches still couldn't give an accurate location spell. Even Suna who was in the hospital had helped out with what she could but all their efforts had been in futile.
They had both decided on one thing though, that Lacey was kidnapped by her mother.
Where her mother or where they could find Faes remained a mystery to all.
That was the one thing they could not figure out. And it bugged them even more. Especially Hunt. He had not been able to sleep, he had also been neglecting his pack duties, leaving his brother Ruhn to do everything else necessary.
"What do you think this is about?"
He asked Aidas who only grunted.
Although they had been working together to find Lacey, their relationship with each other was as civil as it could be. They tried to avoid a few spats once in a while. But it was inevitable, especially with what was between them.
Their feud was far from over.
"Probably something about the new candidate everyone won't stop yapping about."
He answered after a while and Hunt looked around the lobby where they were waiting.
"Seen how he looks like?"
"I don't know... Also don't care."
"Now will you stop asking me all these foolish questions?"
He snapped and Hunt narrowed his eyes at him.
They were both frustrated.
Him more than him.
And there wasn't much they could do about their frustration. At least until Lacey was found, they wouldn't stop looking for her.
"You can go in now."
The receptionist said as she looked up from her computer with the same creepy smile Aidas felt uncomfortable with.
She walked up to the large steel door and waited till the door automatically requested for a retina scan before standing close enough for the eye scan.
The door clicked open and the two of them walked in.
The City Council was the second oldest organisation in the City, as with every city. It was also the most important one.
They picked and chose candidate fit for Mayor.
Whoever became the Mayor had to be one majority of the Council favours or else the person would have a difficult tenure.
There were twenty of them in the room. At least from what Aidas could count. He knew they were around twenty or twenty four, each one representing either a constituency, a founding family or a supernatural.
Everyone was balanced so as to ensure that the council and everyone of them had a voice and proper representation.
The City Council also held most of the City's secret. They knew about everything that needed to be known and they fiercely guarded the knowledge of Supernaturals from the public. The few humans among them also swore oaths to protect the secrets with their life.
"Welcome Aidas Vladimir."
"Welcome Hunt Adler."
"Please take your seats."
The speaker for the council said and Adidas and Hunt glanced at each other before going to sit in the inquiry box.
"I'm sure you're both well aware of the recent developments in the city."
Another one of them said and Hunt nodded.
"Yes, I am. And I've been trying very hard to get to the root of it."
He said and Aidas rolled his eyes at his answer.
"And what recent developments do you speak of?"
Aidas asked and the man looked taken aback for a while.
He cleared his throat.
"Well... As you can see... Some of this City's most important citizens have been attacked very recently. I'm afraid it's a matter of urgent concern."
Adidas scoffed.
"Ah yes! The demon killings that you've refused to address for well over a month now."
"May I understand why the council suddenly deemed it important enough to take it serious now?"
The man frowned at him but Aidas didn't back down.
No, he was genuinely curious. He needed to know what changed for them to finally deem it serious enough. Because their actions towards it so far had been different.
His question was ignored.
"Moving on, we have come up with the closest solution to this issue as we possibly can... We don't know who could be controlling the demon and we don't know what it wants. But the cases seem to be getting out of hand."
"How? My beta Suna and I were able to stop an attack a few days ago. As long as the founding families are safe then everything will be under control till we figure out what to do."
His father shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It was obvious the council was hiding something from them.
"Yes. You're right. We commend you and your beta for your remarkable efforts but we're afraid things might have gotten a little out of hand."
"How?"
"A series of unusual activities have led us to believe that we might have even more demon problems on our hands."
"More?"
Aidas asked as the council became silent. Suddenly most of them were interested in looking at the floor than right into their faces.
"How do you know this?"
Hunt insisted. He was sure the only way they would know was if there was activity around the sites where there were formerly cracks in their world and the Underworld. But if the Council wasn't willing to reveal what they knew, there was no way they would be able to help.
If there was anything they could even do to help.
"Because more people have died! And if we have any hope of saving them from the fresh onslaught of these new demons we have to be quick."
"More people have died?"
Hunt exclaimed.
"Wait a minute..."
He turned to his father who shrugged.
"We didn't want to cause a panic. So we managed to cover it up as an accident."
"Exactly how many more people are we talking about?"
Aidas asked and everyone in the council went quiet. Till one man stood up and answered.
"Sixty six."
Sixty six! Hunt's jaw dropped. He remembered hearing something on the news a few days ago about some kind of tanker explosion that killed quite a number of people but he didn't know just how much they were or why. He had been too occupied.
"Who are you?"
Aidas asked as he stared at the bald man with shining skin as black as midnight. His eyes were a deep blue and he was freakishly tall. Aidas didn't recognise him. And he also looked too young to be a council member.
The man looked at him with a smirk on his handsome face then turned to the council.
"That is Crispin Bjorn. He is the third candidate and will be contesting alongside the two of you for Mayor."
Crispin Bjorn. The name sounded vaguely familiar but Aidas really couldn't place where he had heard it from. Nor did he particularly care. He was getting bored of whatever news or information the council had to share with him on anything that was happening. Or why they exactly wanted to share anything with them.
Since they much rather preferred them to be in the dark.
How could they hide sixty six deaths and label it a freakish accident? How was it even possible?
"And I suppose you got him as a new candidate because of his supposed superior demon hunting abilities?"
Hunt retorted and Crispin raised an eyebrow as Hunt studied him.
Of course, how could he forget such a name as Bjorn. Bjorn was the household name for a family of terrific humans that happened to be demon hunters.
Of course with little to no demons all around for a long time, the Bjorn name had almost gone extinct. It was only remembered in history.
Hunt was also very sure they didn't stay in Aron City, in fact, they moved around. Going where their calling chose them to go, around the continent hunting demons.
Why was a Bjorn contesting for Candidacy in Aeon City?
Even if he would help them with their demon problems, why was he going to be handed a position of candidacy as a reward?
The Council continued for another half hour, mostly on other mundane things they had to deal with like tax and duty. They also postponed the elections, in respect to everything going on and to give Bjorn a fair chance in accumulating points.
They advocated that they all should work together, indirectly stating that the one who was able to catch the demon would receive a special honour and more points in the elections.
Something didn't sit right with Hunt, Aidas too with the scowl on his face.
As the Council dispersed, Hunt found himself in the bathroom, washing his face to at least try and get himself together.
The door of the bathroom opened and closed mid wash and a sniff in the air told him his father was in the room with him.
He paused and opened his eyes. Straining his ears to know if anyone was nearby listening as he looked at his father.
"What was all that about?"
He asked his father in a low whisper.
His father shrugged.
"It's more serious than we anticipated. This isn't no ordinary attack. There have been two attempts to break into the State building."
Hunt's eyes widened in shock. In all his years of being born, no one had ever tried to break into the building.
"And this Crispin Bjorn? Why is the the Council allowing him run for candidacy? Why the hell was he picked?"
His father wiped at his brow nervously
"I assure you. It was no easy decision. We reached out to him for help and the only condition he would help was if he was made Mayor."
"We took a vote and most of the Council member agreed to it. They agreed that we should allow him also participate."
Hunt sighed.
"So when this all blows over he's going to be Mayor?"
His father laid his hand on his shoulder.
"Not if you can help it."
"Keep a close eye on him. He's tricky, that one. And the council, they're so desperate they'd sell their souls to the devil if that was the only way out."