Story of Kings

Chapter 27

Kane was brought to a room he hadn't been in before far off to the side from the main complex. Inside the room was a simple wooden table with six chairs spaced around it. Two of the chairs were slightly separated from the other four. Azmal and Ruhden were already seated in two of the chairs, their eyes flickering up to Kane and Evelyn as they entered. Kane gave a slight nod to them and sat down in one of the two separated chairs, Amelia escorted in by Marcus shortly after and directed to sit in the chair next to him.

The girl looked a mix between terrified and utterly exhausted, Kane felt bad for her, so he gave her a tight smile. He was thankful, after all, and hadn't gotten much of a chance to express that. But she only gave a smile in return and sat down next to him. Kane's gaze flickered back to the four Black Underground leaders in front of him, and to her. They might as well have held her fate in their hands like a glass rose, ready to be smashed. He had no doubt they wouldn't smash it, yet Kane found himself thinking that he wouldn't let them even if they tried. It was a fact that was oddly reassuring to him, as if having a healer would make the world of a difference in finding his wife. His mood darkened, no, that wasn't it.

"So, our two newest members," Ruhden began. "Each with particular abilities but with no explanation. There is no doubt that it would be suicidal for either of you to try to report us to the angels, having taken the actions that the both of you have. However, we haven't survived longer than your usual black-market group by letting just anyone in, helpful abilities or not. I think last night made it quite clear just how dangerous working with secrets can be." Ruhden then gave a pointed look at Kane, "your background with the Sentry does work to fill your history in, makes it easier to trust you, Kane. But it doesn't help us understand you, or what you can do. As for you, Amelia," he said as he turned his gaze to her. "We know nothing about you, and while you seem like you wouldn't hurt a fly, the art of deception isn't new. Today, we want a story from each of you, who you are, where you come from, and what you can do. As it stands, our organization is busy but once the dust settles questions will be asked and I'd rather have some answers for them. Trust between us starts with this."

Kane gave a slight nod; he wasn't particularly worried about this. No doubt they would do what they could to verify what he and the girl told them but if the worst came, all it meant was that he would be back to being on his own, searching for his wife in vain. However, the scent of fear was rolling strong off of Amelia, Kane could sense it without even trying, which made him realize that she probably knew about as much about them as they knew about her. He realized that he didn't know a whole lot about them himself, either.

"Fair is only fair, then. If you want my story, I want yours." Kane said, earning himself raised brows from Azmal and furrowed ones from everyone else. "We're all illegal and unacceptable in the eyes of the god-kings so if you want to know where I come from, who I am, and what I can do I want the same from you, as an organization and as individuals. The Sentry had a habit of keeping things secret and it nearly got me killed."

Azmal, a man Kane hadn't spoken to much, gave a soft-hearted laugh. "Yes, yes, of course," he said in a soft, gentle tone only an old man could have. "That is a simple enough request, I imagine?" The older man asked, peering over at Ruhden, Marcus, and Evelyn.

Marcus let out a small huff while Ruhden drummed his fingers on the table. "I don't think there should be a problem with that," Ruhden said in response. "A brief introduction to who we are and what we do, as well as what we aim to do should already be openly communicated. A lack of communication will be our downfall, this past day being the perfect example."

Evelyn gave a simple shrug in response, Marcus, the only one hesitating with an answer. Eventually he let out a pent-up breath and gave a vague gesture. "It doesn't matter, I guess. But we should hear their stories first. We have more to risk, and if we piss them off by not letting them join up then the less, they know, the better."