Chapter 33
Abe stood there looking through the clear wall at the man that had been after Liri. There was nothing outstanding about him in any way—average height, average build, and hair color that wasn’t memorable. The only thing different about him was his dark eyes. He scowled at him. He was from Solrelm; what would make him turn on his own people? He mentally rolled his eyes at his own internal dialogue. Man turned against man more often than not throughout history. It was a vicious loop that played out over and over. Wars. Battles. Uprisings, it never changed.
“Before you ask, no, you can’t go in.”
He turned and looked at Uncle Arius, “I know.”
“Good. I promise we’ll find out what he was up to.”
Abe studied his uncle for a moment. As Ellis would have stated, he looked so much like his dad, except he was one scary dude. Abe smirked, “If you were to cause him discomfort accidentally, I would not be offended.”
Arius grinned and then motioned to the other end, “Panel box there to turn on the sound if you want.” He glanced to see Troy and Kara came into the space. “Ready?”
Troy nodded, “let’s hope he has something useful up there.”
Kara rushed in and then did something with the bracelet on her wrist, “are you able to keep your thoughts locked down?”
Abe took a deep breath and nodded, “I’ll sand near the exit, just in case they get away from me.”
She smiled at him, “That works too.” She went over to the panel and opened it, “is Liri all right? She’s sitting in the control room, glaring at the screens.”
“I’m pretty sure if she’d had her blade on her, he would be in pieces right now.” He smiled, “we’re going to have to make sure she doesn’t hide it if she goes out after this.” He knew that would be the truth, and he found it endearing that she had a fiery side to her.
She nodded. “Deep breath and stop thinking about her for a few minutes,” she motioned to the hall, “or you can listen from out there also.”
Abe glanced at her. “I’ll do that.” He knew there was no way he could stop thinking about Liri. Every time he licked his lips, he thought about her. Each time his tongue brushed against his teeth in his mouth, he thought about her. He shook his head and glared through the glass. There was nothing that was going to make him stop thinking about her.”
He glanced to see Bastian coming down the hall.
“Kara in there?” Bastian pointed.
Abe nodded. “Yeah.”
“I’ll stay here with you.” Bastian came over and crossed his arms over his chest. And stared through the glass. “Liri wants blood.”
Abe nodded but didn’t comment as his two uncles walked into the cell with the man.
“I’m going to go in after a few minutes and see what his thoughts change to.”
“Better you than me.” Abe looked at him briefly, “I just want to pound him against the wall until he’s unconscious.”
Bastian snorted. “As entertaining as that is, we can’t get information if he’s knocked out.”
“Which is why I’m staying out of there.”
“Your Uncle forbid your entrance?” Bastian quirked an eyebrow.
“More or less.” Abe shrugged. “That’s fine, I can beat him later when he’s not required.”
“I don’t think you’re grasping that your realm is the protectors of all the realms.”
Abe watched Uncle Troy look down at the floor as Uncle Arius spoke to the man, “Well, he voided his rights the moment he laid a hand on Liri.”
Bastian patted his shoulder, “Our family has its own watchdog. How exciting.” He stepped back, “Time for the Solrelm Prince to make an entrance” he bowed and then turned and entered the area Aunt Kara was in.
Abe grinned, and he thought his family was crazy. Being related to Bastian in any way was going to exponentially increase the level of cuckoo. He scowled, related to Bastian. Not if, but he’d thought of it as a definite. And he’d be a lesser man if he didn’t admit it to be fact and truth.
***
“What do you mean a distraction?” Abe glared through the clear wall once more.
“You know,” Uncle Chase waved his hand around, “distract you over here, so you don’t look over there,” he motioned with his other hand. “Distraction.”
“It means we’re getting close to something they don’t want us to.” Uncle Troy stated and crossed his arms over his chest. “What he said was true though. He’s never directly spoken to whoever is giving the orders in Solrelm.”
“How can no one know who is in charge of their evil plot?” Bastian threw his hands up. “That’s impossible.”
“We just haven’t found anyone high enough on the food chain yet.” Aunt Kara shrugged.
“But we will.”
Abe turned to see Liri standing in the hallway. She was supposed to stay in the control room.
She lifted her hand, looked at her cousin, and then at Abe, “I’m fine now.”
“What do you mean we will? Did you have an idea?” Aunt Kara asked her.
Liri nodded. “I did.” She looked at Bastian for a moment, “a search. All quarters in the main buildings.”
Bastian looked surprised. “Our family lives there.”
Liri nodded. “I know, but we need to do all of them to be fair. Crissy saw the pristine, clinical interior of where the answers are, so we need to do a quick unannounced search.”
“And what would be looking for?” Bastian crossed his arms over his chest and studied her, “if you’re up to no good, you don’t usually leave the instructions for it sitting on the kitchen table.”
Abe watched how determined Liri was in this. Just her stance told him she wasn’t going to budge on her idea. “Pottery.” He said loud enough to make everyone look at him.
“Yes.” Liri pointed at him and then turned to her cousin. “The pottery being used to communicate—which is why no one talks to someone, they get,” she waved her hand around, “a voice message from the water.”
Uncle Chase and Uncle Arius exchanged a look.
“We’ll have to talk to your father.” Chase turned to Bastian, “Get it set up in a few days’ time. Tell No one about it…”
“And bring Crissy,” Arius said.
“That,” Chase pointed to him.
“The little seer?” Bastian looked confused.
“We caught our traitors working inside the underground chambers because Crissy can see the bad in a person’s aura,” Uncle Quinton frowned, “or something like that.”
“Yes.” Bastian gave Abe an excited look. “We can inspect quarters, and she can gander at the people living in them.” He pulled out his phone. “I need to meet up with Trendan and go talk to Dad about this.”
“Having everyone wait in the hall, with a guard keeping watch until each floor is done, would ensure no one has any time to hide something.” Arius glanced from one brother to the other, and they nodded in agreement.
“Okay. Good work, Alterealm family.” Bastian started tying on his phone. “Two days’ time ought to be enough, right?”
“More than,” Troy answered.
Abe looked to see Liri smiling. “Great idea, Liri.”
She beamed a smile at him, “I’m tired of playing cat and mouse.” She frowned, “that’s the saying, right?”
Abe chuckled. “It is.” Clearing his throat, he looked around at the others. “Let me know if I’m needed for anything. I’d like to take Liri to rest for a while.”
“Yes. Good.” Chase turned and started walking down the hall. “I need to check in on my beloved and make sure she has done the same.”
“You know she’s going to beat you with her nun chucks if you don’t stop hovering, right?” Quinton called after him.
“I heal fast.” Uncle Chase replied.
Abe shook his head and looked down at Liri, “shall we?” He held out his hand to her.
She smiled up at him and placed her hand in his.
“Quick stop to see Mitz and get a picnic basket. And then we’ll go somewhere quiet.”
“We’re going on a picnic?”
He held the door and let her go out first, “of sorts. It’s already dark out, so it will be a moonlight one, and I know just the place.” He just hoped it wasn’t caked in too much dust; he hadn’t been back to maintain the place in a while.