Chapter 14 - Cyrus

Lena leaves me awkwardly out on the porch, as I hit the accept button on my phone. I'm exhausted with the lack of good sleep, and the cold weather has my body wanting to just hibernate.

"Morning Amelie," I sigh, "What's the report?"

My sister was nothing if not punctual with her phone calls to check in. Most of them lately had been an entire game of how closely she could try to circumvent my direct order.

"I think the Candara dragons should come home, Cy."

"We really can't, Amie. There's definitely something here. I have found charged metals, it feels like there's a relic here, just still having to do a lot of digging to figure out where and what it is."

"Don't we have enough though? I mean we have held power for how long even though we're one of the smallest clans. How much more magic do we really need? Just leave the humans to their devices and please, come home. I can't keep doing this."

Politics. I freaking hate politics. Even more, I hate political discussions with my sister because she refuses to think of anything beyond the very narrow focus of what she wants.

"I have had to submit to seven challenges for power in the council meetings just this year, Amelie. It's not just Eclipse and this damn prophesy that I'm worried about. Do you understand that?"

There are ten ruling clans that make up the Council, and we are one of the three smallest. The fact that we took power and have held that power for this long is a testament to our family's raw ability, and the influence that the right relics can have. Every time we have an upcoming council meeting, attacks increase. Everyone tries to give themselves the best position possible walking in. Unfortunately, when you hold the best position, everyone is constantly coming for you.

"Cy, it's not just a single attack a day now. They're getting more frequent. What do I do?"

"Amie, I need you to increase the patrols. Start calling in other teams from the field if needed, pick up some outsiders, but Candara really does need to stay here. What's Nestor said?"

My sister starts devolving into a fit of irritation about our father next and ends up ranting about nonsense for at least a few more minutes before I cut her off. I genuinely haven't had enough coffee or sleep to handle this. We exchange a final pleasantry and I hang up the phone as the door creaks open.

The rest of the team joins me, apparently all still running scared from Lena and her shifting moods. They file out onto the porch and fan out a bit with the space. Much as Lena's little cabin is quaint and cozy, it runs out of room fast with all six of us in the kitchen.

"Married life really is treating you well, isn't it?" Kaius laughs as he leans back against the wall of the house.

"I mean, at least we know he's got Roscoe to cuddle up with," Milo adds with a chuckle.

"Funny, very funny. That was Amelie," I explain as I slide my phone into my back pocket trying to change the subject.

"What's the update?" Milo asks with a hopeful smile. Amelie and him being twins was one of nature's jokes. Their personalities couldn't be more different. They were more like two sides of a coin.

"She's worried, moody, and wants us all to come back. Attacks are hitting two to three times a day. I think with Nestor there, and if she calls a couple of the other teams in it'll be more than enough It's the usual with the council session approaching."

He frowns but nods in agreement. We can't risk leaving now, not that I want to even entertain the idea. I sigh and try to wrangle my brain into some semblance of focus.

"Let's split up a bit differently today. I think I need to give Lena some space. Evander why don't you and Kai stay here today to keep an eye on Lena and Rose. I don't know if they have plans, but the rest of us should be back before nightfall. Just don't let either of them run off solo."

Both nod, and the general tone of the group shifts as we are clearly back down to business and done roasting me over whatever else they want to come up with. I'm not really in the mood to be the butt of their jokes today, and I really do want to see if we can take a look at the mines.

"The rest of us will go to check out that entrance she mentioned that's safest. Much as I'm pretty confident we could get ourselves out in an emergency, I'd rather not risk someone seeing four dragons clawing their way out of a mountain, you know? Doesn't really scream stealth."

I run inside to find a shirt, and we regroup back at the driveway. We head off on foot, Orion taking point as navigator. There's no one I would trust more to leave Lena with than Evander, so I try my best to put the worry aside as we head out. She's in good hands.

We make the trip across to Merl's driveway quickly. There's only about a mile separating his cabin from Lena's, and with all of us having pretty long strides, we make short work of it. Rufus stops me by the shoulder as we approach the driveway.

"Hate to point out the obvious, Boss. You and Merl didn't exactly have the friendliest of greetings last time. I don't know how well his recall is, but maybe it's better if I'm the one to address the shotgun-toting town drunk? Yeah?"

"I half hope he tries to shoot you in the nuts."

"Wow, you wound me, Boss. I have a feeling Merl and I could be great friends, really. Just watch."

We all hang back as Rufus jogs up the short gravel driveway toward the cabin. He's about ten feet off the porch when the door creaks open and the barrel of a shotgun pokes out.

"That'll be close enough," Merl calls from within the cabin, sounding far more sober than the last time I'd seen him.

Rufus stops and raises his hands in the universal "Please don't shoot me in the nuts" signal.

"Merl?" Rufus calls in his warm, genuine tone, "I was hoping we could have a quick chat. Can I come a little closer?"

"Chat from there. What do you want?"

"Well, I wanted to see if you'd be willing to let us take a look at the mine that connects your property to Miss Lena's. We're not here for anything but to examine it scientifically. We're here for a geological survey."

Merl just cocks the shotgun in response, but Rufus, bless his willful and borderline stupid bravery, stands his ground.

"I was also going to see if I could pick up your tab for the next week in exchange for letting us take a look. I just noticed you have great taste in whiskey and thought maybe I could help you with that—if you could help me with the best place to take a look at some copper samples"

"Son, you should have just led with the whiskey. Do what you want in the mine, just don't die. And sign a damn waiver here before you head in. I don't need another lawsuit."

"Another lawsuit?" Rufus laughs as Merl stows the shotgun and returns with a stack of papers. Rufus gestures, and we all start moving closer. Lucky bastard.

"Oh yeah, a couple of dumb tourist types came wandering in. Got killed when an old part that wasn't reinforced collapsed. So, you can go in, but be mindful that you stay where it's lit. Anything that's not lit isn't reinforced. Do you fellas have experience in mines?"

Everyone is passing pens and waivers around while letting Rufus continue the chat with Merl. Merl's eyes linger on me for a second but never really seem to make the full connection.

"We do, Sir," Rufus replies smoothly, "We've been part of a few research excavations and have been tasked with trying to take some core samples in the area in as many places as possible. Really, we appreciate this so much."

"Well, you said a whole week of a tab, right?"

"I did," Rufus laughs as he hands Merl the stack of completed waivers.

"Anything I want?"

"Anything you want, Merl."

"Oh, we're going top shelf tonight, fellas." Merl's eyes dance with glee as he rattles the papers in our direction. He gives us a happy nod and points us in the direction of the cave. We're a few paces off the drive when we hear him shout.

"Oh yeah! And since you have that big guy. The blond Goldilocks there who wouldn't let me dance with Miss Lena, make it two weeks… and I get to dance with him any time I want."

Without missing a beat, Rufus grins and shouts back over his shoulder.

"You got it, Merl, two weeks of an open tab on us, and all the dancing with Goldilocks your heart desires."

"I am going to kill you," I grumble as we enter the cave to a quiet round of laughter as our eyes adjust.

We regroup inside the mine and Orion holds up a light to the map that Evander sent with us. His finger traces along the lines, and a look of concentration settles on his face.

"I think the information we got is pretty sound. This main shaft continues this way but then intersects with another that connects to the entrance from Lena's place near these caverns they note. There are a couple other areas that could be worth investigating, but based on the scents I'm picking up, they've been heading in that direction even when they enter here. Definitely picking up other dragons."

"How recently have the targets been here?"

"Could be down there now. There's a fresh scent."

We jump into action quickly, taking off behind Orion at a quick pace and pre-shifting our hands in advance of what may or may not turn out to be a fight. It's the safest bet in close quarters to avoid causing another cave-in.

We're deep into the mine when Orion pauses. The lights veer off far to the left, but the scent trail leads him off the main path and down toward the right. I allow my eyes to shift as well, working carefully to control the action without allowing my emotions and the urge to shift to fully take over. It's a tricky balancing act, but it's ultimately quite similar to trying to control myself around Lena. I can give in, but only just a little.

I pick up the scent he's been tracing since we entered the mine. It's two distinct dragons, and we are close. I suppress the urge to shift with a slow, controlled breath, focusing on bringing my breaths in slowly, holding them, and releasing them in even measures.

We round the final corner of the mineshaft, which opens up into a wide horizontal gallery, the far side a pile of rubble. Two small men are bent over something with a small light, and we've at least made it this far without alerting them. My team launches into action.

My vision narrows, dodging a couple of punches one of them attempts to land. I have his attention for the moment, and Rufus takes advantage, swinging low and raking a clawed hand across his exposed stomach. I reach quickly around his head, pulling with a quick twisting motion, and the sickening crunch of bones is the last we hear from him.

Milo is standing over the other, drawing his hand back from deep within their chest cavity as Orion lets the body fall limp to the ground.

"Check for markings."

Orion bends and pulls the sleeve of the dead body's shirt up over their shoulder and the familiar interlocked moon and sun symbol Eclipse wears peaks out from under the edge of the shirt.

"At least Eclipse is predictable if nothing else," Rufus sighs as he stands from checking the other.

We fan out to inspect the area, and I settle in to study the small space they'd lit up. A small ring of symbols is carved into the face of the stone wall. I gesture the team over and hold up my flashlight, illuminating it a bit more.

"Ever seen that one before?"

Everyone answers in the negative, and I frown. We definitely don't have the resources here to research the way we want to. I pull my cell phone out and take a couple photos of it as well as the surrounding area. No signal.

"We're going to need to get topside so that I can send this back to Nestor and have him take a look in the archives to see if he's got anything on this symbol. We'll need to come back later to deal with the bodies. Let's head back. I don't like being away right now with them this close."

We take the trail back towards Lena's house and a watchful, amped up energy settles between the four of us. I'm keyed up after the fight, bristling for another one.

As we're hiking, I press the speed dial on my phone Nestor.

"Cyrus. What do you need?" My father's voice is sharp, and impatient.

"I am sending you some photos. As soon as I'm back in the house on Wi-Fi, they should finish sending. They're the symbols we found here in one of the mines, which seems to be a central location for the targets. Nothing any of us recognize. I was hoping you could run it through the archives."

"Yes, Sir. I'll take a look. How's the rest of the mission going?"

"It's going according to plan. We're securing the individual in question and keeping tabs on the local activity. You weren't wrong. There's definitely something going on here."

"Okay. We will keep you updated on the image search."

"Amelie was concerned this morning. Anything I need to be worried about?"

"I think she's used to you being here for the meeting ramp up that usually happens. She's nervous, and definitely isn't trusting her instincts without you and Milo here. It would be best if the team could wrap things up quickly there and return. It's not just Eclipse that we've seen attacking here. Myrn, Zmeyevik, and Kostos have all sent at least one team this week trying to get past our defenses."

The names he's listing settle uncomfortably in my stomach. I have faced physical challenges from all three in the last council meetings. I'm conflicted with the idea that things are escalating at home, but there's also a very deep, real part of me that feels like my home is here, with Lena. I can't leave her again, and I cannot shake the intense feeling that something bigger is at play.

"I… We need more time. There's too many factors at play here that we haven't been able to assess. The copper deposits that were from where these symbols were found are charged with energy. There's a relic here, somewhere. We just need more time."

"Do what you need to. We'll figure things out here. Just… be safe, Son."