Chapter 21

“There’s been no movement from Grimes and Fraunz,” Flix said. They were gathered at the Bunker in the morgue deep in the south wing.

Berga was inspecting the body of one of the Brumal’s soldiers who’d been found shot point-blank in the back of the head earlier this morning.

“You’re sure there’s no connection between this death and the dead Royal?” he asked.

When he’d been unconscious, there’d been a serious death that had needed his immediate attention. But he’d been suffering the aftereffects of his episode and had been useless to them. That couldn’t happen again. He’d done such a good job of controlling himself all these years; he couldn’t afford to backpedal.

“We’re pretty sure whoever killed Jem’s sister has already left the planet,” Flix stated. “Baikal sent Saint after them to find out. He’ll report back as soon as he has answers. There’s no way to know if we have any involvement or if Jem’s family was targeted for something they’ve done.”

It could have just been their bad luck that the murder had taken place during a business discussion between them and Jem. He was in control of an important galactic trade route the Brumal needed in order to maintain supply and demand. He’d been visiting with his sisters, and the circumstances around the death of one of them were strange.

“And there’s no chance that it’s—”

“It isn’t the Shepards,” Flix cut Berga off with a warning glare that had him sighing.

“Fine.” His best friend had returned from vacation tangled up with the leader of the Shepards and Berga didn’t like it. But then…

As if reading his mind, Flix crossed his arms and said, “If we’re going to talk about sleeping with the enemy, I think you’re the one who should be getting the lecture. I can’t leave you alone for a handful of weeks without you getting yourself into trouble. What were you thinking? ”

Berga shrugged and bent over the body, pretending to find interest in the massive hole in the center of the dead man’s skull. He was covered in a protective layer of plastic and goggles even though there wasn’t any blood splatter, given the cadaver had been dead a while already. Still, better safe than sorry.

And he did want to be safe. He might be okay with come on his person now, but it seemed blood was still a step too far out of his comfort zone.

“I like his dick,” he ended up saying.

“What were you thinking before you saw it then?”

“It was the logical solution,” Berga said.

“Right, because you accidentally took Impression and needed to fuck somebody .”

“Madden was the best available option.”

“Berga.”

“What?”

Flix held his gaze, but when he didn’t back down, he sighed. “This obsession with his hair has got to stop.”

“I told you, I—”

“Yeah, yeah. You like his dick.” He shook his head. “Was it soft, at least?”

“His dick? No.”

“No, not his—” Flix lifted his gaze to the ceiling as if asking for divine intervention. “Fine. You were drugged? That’s the story? Okay. That doesn’t explain how you keep ending up in his bed.”

“It was my bed, actually,” Berga corrected, blinking when Flix’s eyes narrowed. “Is this one of those times where the facts aren’t really important?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” He set the scalpel down on the metal tray next to him. “There’s no reason to be so concerned. We’re exploring things between us at the moment, but we’ve both already agreed it’s just an experiment. Every experiment, good or bad, must come to an end eventually. You’re worrying over nothing.”

“Am I?” Flix didn’t sound convinced. “He called Yuze and sent him to an important event in his place. He risked pissing off the Emperor even, just so he could stay by your side.”

“I wasn’t well.” It wasn’t like he’d done it to spend time with Berga or go on a frivolous date or something. There’d been a good reason.

“Neither of you is the type to grow attached, okay, sure. But while Madden hasn’t hesitated to call in favors to people before, he’s never shirked his duties as an Odell either. You’re both acting out of character. How much worse will this get if you spend more time with one another?”

“You make it sound as if we’re falling in love or some such nonsense.” When Flix merely stared pointedly, Berga snorted. “Love? I’m not even capable of that emotion.” Unless… “Am I?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“If you agree to be in a relationship with someone, does that mean—”

“Whoa,” he held up a hand. “Relationship? You can’t be serious. This is the righthand to Kelevra Diar we’re talking about here. Madden can’t be trusted. He isn’t one of us.”

“Of course he is,” Berga disagreed plainly. “We’re all Devils of Vitality.”

“That’s a nickname. That’s not who we really are.”

He quirked a brow. “Isn’t it though?” They were all monsters, through and through. “Baikal can summon shadows with his fingers, you can blind a man in half a second, and I can—”

“We’re all well aware of your capabilities, Butcher, thanks.”

“I have everything under control,” Berga reassured.

“This is Madden we’re talking about,” Flix disagreed. “That’s his game. He convinces people they’ve got him under control. He does it with his family and the prince all the time. It’s a lie, Berga. He’s a Royal. He can’t be trusted.”

“I’m the Butcher of the Brumal mafia,” he reminded. “How am I considered more trustworthy?”

“Tell me the truth,” Flix insisted. “Are you falling for him?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What do you intend to do?”

“With what?”

“Berga.”

There was only so much deflection and pretending to misunderstand he could get away with. If this were anyone else, they would have given up by now, but not Flix. That was the downside to having someone who understood you on an intrinsic level.

“I’ll keep him,” he admitted plainly, not seeing any other way around it. When his best friend went quiet, he risked a glance toward him. “What?”

“You can’t do that.”

“I can.” And he would.

“Was this the plan all along?” Flix asked in exasperation. “You waited until I was away so you could sneak over and—”

“No,” he cut him off, “it wasn’t. It just sort of…ended up this way. What are you so worried about? Don’t tell me you think he’ll break my heart or something foolish like that?”

Flix pinched the bridge of his nose. “Promise you won’t get upset.”

“I rarely do.”

“Just,” he sighed, “promise me, Berga.”

“All right.” How odd.

“It’s less that I’m concerned about you suffering emotional damage and more that…” he waved his hands in the air, clearly struggling with the right words.

“More…?” Berga couldn’t even begin to try to guess where he was going with this.

“Madden is calculating. You are not. If this ends badly between you, and one or both of you decide on revenge—”

“Revenge? Please. We aren’t children, Flix. ”

“You once turned a man’s bones to stone for calling your horns stupid. What would you say that is?”

He considered. “Pettiness?”

“Good Light.”

“Oh, I reversed the effects of the drug afterward.”

“Three months later!”

“And? He’s fine now, isn’t he?”

“No, he left, tried to steal from one of the Shepard's gambling dens, and got stabbed to death.”

Unfortunate for him, but Berga failed to see how that was his problem. “Unrelated to the topic at hand.”

“Look, you are sporadic. I love that about you, I do, but that’s also what makes you dangerous. Being on friendly terms with the Retinue is one thing, hell, we all know Baikal even turned the other cheek when Kaz and Zane started fucking. But this? You and Madden both hold high positions. Kelevra will defend him. Baikal will defend you. The friendship and peace we’ve enjoyed up till this point will be shattered.”

“Do you think I’d ever let it get to that?” Berga frowned. “Have I ever given the impression that becoming disloyal was even a remote possibility for me?” Causing problems for the Satellite would be the very definition of disloyal.

“No,” he sighed, “but you’ve also never shown an interest in riding Royal dick before and look at you now. You’re changing, Berga. ”

“That’s what Bay said. Only, he sounded pleased about it.” He picked the scalpel back up. “I know what I’m doing. Madden is…actually quite tame. I can handle him.”

“That’s what he wants you to think. What will you do if he calls things off? If he gets bored and moves on?”

Berga wasn’t completely obtuse. He knew all about the Royal’s reputation when it came to sleeping around. He hadn’t judged it because his past experiences had also been one-night stands. But they had an agreement. Neither of them would mess around with anyone else while they were together, and if, eventually one or both of them wanted to end things amicably…

“If he doesn’t want me to keep him,” he said, though it was a struggle, “then I’ll let him go. Happy? I won’t try to hold onto someone who doesn’t want me.”

“You won’t lock him up or drug him again, you swear it?” Flix held his gaze with a steady one of his own. “I mean it, Berga.”

“If he can fuck my delusions into oblivion,” he murmured, “then I’ll stick with him as long as it takes.”

“I give up. Just be smart and don’t let Baikal find out about this.”

“Why not?” Berga wasn’t meant to keep secrets from the Dominus.

“You really think he’ll let the two of you be together? ”

“He’s never cared about who I’ve been with in the past.”

“Yeah, because you’ve never been with a Retinue member. Just,” Flix was growing impatient, “listen to me, okay?”

There didn’t seem to be reason enough to mention the rumors already floating around the city, the ones their Dominus had to have already picked up on by now. It would only fluster Flix further, and Berga didn’t like to see him stressed out, especially if he was the cause.

“Okay.” He pointed to the dead man between them. “Can we get back to work now?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“Grimes and Fraunz should know better than to retaliate after what I did, and if it isn’t the Shepards, then could this have been more personal? Did he,” Berga pointed to the body, “have any enemies?”

“We’re asking his friends,” Flix said. “So far, no one has anything to say other than the obvious. He was a low-level soldier sent around to collect protection money from those doing business on the outskirts of town. Maybe he pissed off the wrong person? We’ll have to look into it.”

“People die all the time.”

“True,” he agreed, “but their bodies aren’t typically left out in the open to be found. Grimes and Fraunz weren’t a threat before , but after your stunt, we need to keep a closer eye on things.”

“They came after Madden,” Berga reminded .

“That’s my point,” Flix surprised him by stating. “They had no qualms about attacking a Royal or a member of the Retinue. That’s a big deal. Who knows how far they would have taken things had you not been there.”

“Madden would have handled them,” Berga replied, only for his best friend to snort at him.

“Then you should have left him to it.” He ran a hand through his hair and checked the time on his multi-slate. “I don’t condone this relationship, I’m making that clear right now. Conduct your experiment, but make it quick. We may share establishments with them, hang out with them, trade favors, but the Satellite and the Retinue will never be the same organization, and you can’t be unconditionally loyal to both.”

“Careful, Flix,” Berga warned, remaining stoic even when his best friend frowned. “That makes it sound like you’ve been thinking too much. Like, perhaps, there’s a chance there’s someone else you’re starting to become more loyal to. That Shepard, perhaps?”

“Leave Ani out of this.”

“Why? You’re the one who brought lovers into things.”

“I—”

“What lover?” Baikal’s voice came through the dark hallway a second before he appeared in the wide stone doorway. He was dressed in his school uniform, the black sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. The leather bag he’d been carrying was tossed onto the empty table nearest him before he strolled over and stopped next to the cadaver. “His?”

Berga opened his mouth to explain, but Flix beat him to it.

“Maybe,” Flix said. “We’re still trying to find out.” He ignored Berga when he gave him a confused look.

“What do we know so far?” Baikal asked.

Berga cleared his throat and went with it, trusting Flix’s judgment over his own. “Single gunshot wound to the back of the head, probably at point-blank range. Whoever did this most likely ended up with brain matter all over them.”

“I’ve already told the guys to ask around nearby businesses to check their CCTV,” Flix said. “The attack came from behind, but we can’t conclude whether or not he knew his killer.”

“There are no defensive wounds or marks. Either he knew the shooter, or he was completely caught off guard. Considering he was in a relatively busy part of downtown at the time, it really could be either option. We need more, and we aren’t going to find it through his body.”

Baikal nodded and crossed his arms. “Did either of you know him?”

They both shook their heads.

Berga picked up his chart. “Parker Vanity. Interesting name.”

“Saint recruited him,” Baikal said. “He’s already off planet though, and it’s too soon for him to return, so keep this between us if he contacts either of you.”

“You want us to lie?” That seemed to be the running theme of the day. Berga tilted his head. “Shouldn’t you always tell the truth to your friends?” Lying to others was one thing, but they were meant to be a team.

At least…That’s what Flix and Bay had always beat into his head.

“I want you to omit a few details,” Baikal corrected. “But, while we’re on the topic of details, I heard you were injured at the Docks. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m much better now.”

“Do you need to take some time off?” Baikal clearly didn’t want to make the offer, but since he knew all about Berga’s past and his condition, made himself.

“No, there’s lots of work to do. I’m already behind.” Which reminded him… “You two can leave now. I’ve got to catch up, and there’s nothing more to be done about Mr. Vanity. His body can be transported to the legitimate morgue for his family to collect.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. I didn’t miss anything.”

“I’ll call it in,” Flix offered, already typing away on his multi-slate.

“You spent the night with Madden after, right?” Baikal asked then. “At the Docks?”

“He gave me somewhere to stay while I was unconscious.” How much should Berga admit and how much should he omit? He wasn’t very good at this, too used to speaking his mind and letting the chips fall where they may. “And then I helped him out when he was attacked later.”

“I heard about that too. That’s good. It’s better when the Satellite and the Retinue get along.” His cobalt eyes made it seem like there was more meaning behind what he was saying. “You’ve never shown an interest in Madden before. Well, aside from when we were kids.”

He frowned.

“Did you really think no one noticed how you’d stare at him at events?” Baikal grunted. “You never even bothered to be discrete about it. That was the closest you ever got, however. Has that changed?”

Baikal had definitely heard the rumors.

Berga lifted a brow and sent a look toward Flix, but his best friend merely finished sending off the message on his device and then gave a slight shake of his head before turning to Baikal.

“Yuze says they might have a hit on the CCTV of the bakery.” Flix motioned toward the door. “He’s asked that we meet at the manor.”

Baikal hesitated a moment and then shrugged. “Sure. Let’s go. Doesn’t seem like there’s anything else here that needs my attention. Right, Butcher?”

“I’ve got everything under control,” he replied.

If Flix was nervous about Baikal’s obvious attempts to pry, he didn’t show it. Instead he lifted a hand and then headed out, with the Dominus close behind.

Berga waved them off, deciding not to dwell on Baikal’s mild questioning. Eventually, he’d have to have a conversation about it, of course, but after his talk with Flix…Admittedly, he was less inclined to speak with their leader. What would he do if his best friend turned out to be right and Baikal ordered him to end things with Madden?

He couldn’t betray the Brumal.

They were all he had.

All he’d had since his parents had tossed him aside.

Forget it. Overthinking the what-ifs would get him nowhere.

If he started on his backlog now, he may be able to finish half of it before the end of the night and find time to see Madden. Typically, he’d stay all day and night and complete everything all at once but…

It’d been a handful of days already since the last time they’d been together, and there was an odd, poking feeling in the center of his chest. Almost like a mixture between anxiousness and longing. The fact he felt that way at all proved he’d made the right choice when speaking with Flix about the situation.

He’d purposefully left out the side effects of his experience so far. How he was growing more and more attached to the Mad King, beginning to rely on him and yearn for him in ways Berga hadn’t even thought he could.

In a very short amount of time, this had become about more than just fixing his past. Berga was curious to see how far he could go. How capable he was of experiencing regular emotions and attachments to another person. If, in the end, it was dubbed a failure and the allure wore off, he’d end things with Madden amicably—because that’s what they’d agreed on, wasn’t it?

There was nothing for Flix to fear.

He had everything under perfect control.