Chapter 497: Not Okay

Nikolias pulled out his tablet and typed a note to himself to search for that package of documents at the Williams’ house or through the court system if it wasn’t among his dad's stuff; maybe go back and visit the house to search for any information he might have gathered about Tyler's background.

Was a copy of it in the tent?

That package had to be an official court declaration, but how had it not taken effect even though he was dead? It should have led to Tyler's emancipation or something. Someone should have called Grayson or Samuel, maybe, to take custody of Tyler.

Nikolias narrowed his eyes, considering the timing. How many people wanted his parents dead? Wanted him dead?

Would he have to pay a visit to the Crescents and the rest of the supernatural related to Koraha?

"What about his human side?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Even after pulling his human records?"

She nodded. "No father listed on his birth certificate. No mother either. No trail to hint at another custody arrangement that would have put Tyler in the Williams' care either."

He hissed. Another dirty politician to deal with? Great. What position did Mr. Williams even hold?

"A DNA test was ordered, right?"

She nodded. "They're processing it upstairs."

"Let me know when they're done? I know you can't give me specifics, but I'd appreciate a heads-up."

Healer Benjamin nodded and let Nikolias come into the room and sit with Tyler. He took Tyler's hand and stroked his hair, grimacing at the string greasiness and murmured a cleansing spell over him, stripping a layer of grime from his skin. How long had it been since he'd had a bath? Had Tyler even graduated? He couldn't remember if Tyler had been at school after the bombs.

"You're going to be okay," he whispered. "I'll be back when you're well enough to wake up. I'll have new clothes for you. A whole bathroom to yourself." His eyes stung. "And you'll come back with me even if I have to kidnap you." He squeezed Tyler's hand. "It's colder up there, but not unbearable. You'll have sweaters... one for every day, if the week, for a month if you want... You'll meet our uncle. Heads up, he's got dad's face." Nikolias chuckled. "I think you'll get along. And Rye is nearby. So is Sage, up in Vancouver. You'll have all the time to heal and process you need. Unlike your old conservators, the Abrahams aren't broke... For now, just focus on getting better, alright?"

Tyler's hand twitched against his. Nikolias shuffled off his jacket and shook it out over Tyler before leaving.

Healer Benjamin pat him on the shoulder. "Best of luck. And stars help whoever you're about to ruin."

Nikolias nodded. "I'll do what needs to be done... finish what Dad started."

Nikolias glanced back then left, heading for the front desk where he could get a ride to the Williams house. He checked the monitoring band again and noted he had at least six hours before he could get another suppressor.

He didn't plan to take it if the I.C.S. didn't ask him to, but that meant he'd have to stay somewhere brand new without the potential of impressions. He was going to burn through what little suppressor and calming potion was left in his bloodstream to search the Williams house for evidence enough to put them away. What that would do to his mind with the open doorway, or his powers given the mess of manifestations happening, he had no idea, but he couldn't worry about that.

Worrying about it would lead him down a trail of hesitance that would serve no one.

He did however need to head off Derek's worry. The bond growing between them meant Derek would probably feel something. He hoped the distance and all the medication would soften the edge of any emotional backlash Derek might get.

Nikolias: Whatever you might feel, I want you to know that I'm with an enforcer escort, and I'm okay. I'm still calling you tonight because I want to hear your voice.

Nikolias: I promise I'm not getting into danger.

At least not the physical kind he hoped.

Derek stared at the message, unsure of what to say or how to interpret the odd promise that shouldn't have been necessary if Nikolias wasn't actually doing something he shouldn't be doing while on suppressors or whatever it was that he was on. Even across the distance, a low thrumming anxiety reached him. Nikolias was about to do something reckless but necessary.

He was always doing something reckless and necessary. Why couldn't he just... sit down for a few days and rest? Did he think he'd used up all his emotional PTO while grieving his parents? Did he get bonus points from the universe for never easing up? It hadn't been long enough since Nikolias had been shocked mute and crying pearl and gold for him to be stable enough for adventures of any kind.

There was no way Nikolias wasn't overwrought with the increase in power that had only just started and all the emotional turmoil crashing on him.

Wasn't he supposed to be with Theodore? Derek jabbed at Nikolias' icon before Gavin's hand fell on his, silent and almost solid.

"You can't."

Derek glared up at him. "What do you mean I can't?"

Gavin sighed. "He's on an errand. He needs to focus. It will be hard enough as it is, but he isn't lying."

"Why can't you give him a break?" Derek hissed. "He's already..."

Done so much in too little time. Had there been a moment since he arrived in Frey Shores that he hadn't been shoving down his own emotional needs trying to help anyone and everyone else, including people he didn't know?

Hadn't he almost died trying to help people?

"It's not up to me." Gavin shrugged. "I give as much rest as I can, but if it's any consolation, he's in no physical danger."

"Would it have given you any consolation?"

Gavin's lips twitched.

"Just because he's not physically hurt doesn't mean he's okay. He..." Derek swallowed, glancing down at the phone. "He's not good at saying when things hurt..."

He'd done a little reading based on the profile the I.C.S. had given him on Nikolias for the Blackbrush house case. Empathy in a trainable, usable sense wasn't just mind reading, but taking someone else's pain, feeling it like taking a glimpse of their memories and stepping into their past all at once. He hoped Nikolias hadn't felt even a drop of Derek's pain, but he knew he'd felt others based on how much training he'd had from such a young age.

The fact that Nikolias actively used it in his day-to-day life meant there was a constant background of other people's emotions, problems,, suffering going in Nikolias' head. He couldn't imagine how emotionally and mentally taxing that was, and Nikolias was only a few months older than him, wasn't he? When did he have any time to process his own grief about anything when he was processing all of that in real time?