Love and Other Crisis | Season 1

Episode | 32

Gideon cycled through still images of the scene. "Zohar attacked the butler and might have killed him if not for Ballister. Of course, Zohar's no match for Franziska in an all-out fight, so the sniveling snake targeted Ballister. She sacrificed herself and took a hit meant for her son. Franziska's in stable condition but unconscious."

If this family went up in flames, you'd be the one I saved. Not some name.

Kaliope pressed a shaky hand to her forehead. The case was supposed to be over.

Fuck.

Solve one problem, and ten more crop up.

~

In the coming days, the row in the Falgor House remained top news. A scandal like this hadn't happened in over a century since the Constitution's establishment. Some Main Houses used the incident as an example of why they needed the rules. The Minor Houses called out their argument for what it was—utter bullshit.

For all its worth, the Witcher Constitution was a glorified band-aid covering the festering wound of disparity between the Houses. There was no conclusion in sight for the debates. No amendment suited both parties.

Zohar Falgor's brazen violation of the contravention of the Constitution accomplished what he'd feared his nephew might—the expulsion of the Minor House. The press wasn't shy about declaring Katerina's plot a posthumous success as a Great House toed the edge of dying out.

Insensitive bastards.

"Can't the Assembly or the Witcher Council do something?"

"Like what?"

"I dunno." Kaliope shuffled her mental files for a solution. "Petition for leniency. A prison sentence instead of expelling the entire family. If they'd told him the truth, Zohar wouldn't have suspected collusion. He wouldn't have attacked the estate." Their coverup spat fuel on the fire.

Franziska, Ballister, and Juniper were all under orders not to reveal what they knew about Katerina under an official edict from the Occult Assembly, co-signed by the Witcher Council.

"They could have signed him in."

Inola tossed a folder on the stacking pile on the floor beside her desk. They were slowly making their way through their old case files. "Everyone sees Zohar as a loose cannon. Doubt his feelings were high on the priority list."

"And look what happened." Kaliope shook her head, exasperated. Poor Ballister. His father's dying, and his mother risked her life to save him. What he and Juniper must be dealing with right now, along with dodging the media frenzy and high-society gossip.

"It's a miracle the Assembly's hushed everything. They're not about to fess up and blow it. Then the public will know they lied. It's an election year. Matthias will be dead and rotten in his grave before he sullies his good name."

Matthias. Whenever Kaliope heard the man's name, it grated her nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Why were people like him always the ones with the most power?

"Hot freaking mess."

Kaliope continued typing the summary report for the team's investigation into Katerina. On Ronin's orders, they were handing over the matter to the investigators. She suspected he wanted to tie them up, chasing their tails, to get them off CMT's back. Inola shimmied into her section, reading the report over her shoulder. The fox demon had zero perception of personal space.

"Too bad the orphanage was a bust. And the birth certificate was faked too."

Katerina's journal also proved a dead end for answers about the black card.

"Well, she won't be our problem anymore in another two, three paragraphs."

Inola sighed, wistful. "Can you imagine? A secret heir cast out and hell-bent on revenge."

Kaliope shook her head. "You make it sound like a drama."

"Isn't it? High-witch society has the best gossip. They're always trying to be unnaturally proper. Wait until the Witcher Ball when all the politicians go pandering for votes, and eligible bachelors and bachelorettes hunt for a mate."

"Will you be hunting for one, too?"

Inola feigned a shiver. "My clan won't go extinct if I don't add to their numbers. Trust me. Foxes are baby-making machines. Speaking of foxes..." Inola grabbed Kaliope's chair and spun her around. "You have a fox friend." Inola moved in close, her eyes narrowed slits.

"Ah. Yeah. No." Kaliope considered it, "Well, sort of, I guess." She'd refused to attach a label to her relationship with Tobias, leaving it uncomplicated. It was what it was.

"Sort of? You'd have to be close for his scent to be on you." The fox demon sniffed at Kaliope.

Kaliope gently nudged her coworker away. "Personal space, Inola. And the sniffing thing is kinda creepy."

Inola pouted and stepped her chair back. "Wanna have drinks with me tonight. We haven't celebrated since you joined the team."

"No. Thanks. I have other plans."

Inola's head rose and fell. "Oh. Okay." She pushed her chair over to her side of the cubicle.

Kaliope's conscience pinched. Ronin's confirmation that he considered her part of the team lessened Kaliope's anxiety. Nevertheless, insecurities over her tenure at Sage lingered. So did her habit of not getting attached. How was she to explain her constant rejection of Inola's invitations was nothing personal? That she was merely being cautious? Without strings, there were no expectations on either side.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Kaliope's brow knitted as she watched Inola's departure. She'd hurt her partner's feelings.

Damn it.

"Foxes are social creatures."

Kaliope spun to Ronin, who stood by his office door.

"Sir?"

"Inola may act tough and joke things off, but foxes feel everything deeply, Ms. Barnes, so please," Ronin's voice assumed a warning edge, "be gentle when you let her down."

~~~

To read the entire first season, along with Seasons 2 and 3, join me on Ream. The link's in my bio on the home page. Hope to see you there.