The whole time he was at the hospital with his brother, Castor Burwell could not get one thought out of his head: that Nycto March, Lani Robuck and Gunnolf Hellstrider had something to do with the earthquake that has caused so many problems.
It's true that his Uncle Nycto is in custody and waiting for his verdict - imprisonment, memory wipe or execution. There's probably no way Nycto could have been involved, realistically. But if Castor has learnt anything over the past few weeks from being brainwashed by L, tricked into pledging allegiance to Hellstrider and betrayed by his uncle, it is that the people who stand against them are always one step ahead.
After Amara told Cas and his parents that Lewis would have to stay overnight in the hospital as he showed no signs of waking up, they left, promising to be back to check on Lewis the next day. Castor bid his parents goodbye and told them he'd head back to the Tergaron Woods immediately and send them a text when he got back safely. Ever since Castor moved out to live with his own kind in the woods, he has been getting on with his parents more and more by the day. Something in them has changed. In moments where they once used to criticise or scold him, now they offer reassurance and gentle compliments.
It seems that the events of the last few weeks have changed them all. His parents have gone from being cold and unsympathetic to caring and understanding. That fact alone almost makes Castor feel bad for lying to them when he said he would head straight back to the Tergaron Woods. In truth, he has a job to do. A job that involves his uncle, some interrogating, and maybe a few punches depending on how long it takes Nycto to cooperate.
Castor enters the Tenebris Guild slickly and silently, a nice side effect of being a werewolf. It has not yet been locked up, as the Deans are still inside somewhere, probably trying to clean up the debris of the afternoon and trying to figure out what measures of protection need to be taken. Castor moves quickly through the corridors of the Guild anyway, just in case he runs into one of them. They can never know he was here. Things might get ugly when he is down in those cells with Nycto.
He takes the stairs leading down to the prison. His uncle is not the only criminal down here at the moment, but he is one of the worst.
Castor advances towards Nycto's cell. He can see him huddled up against the wall, eyes closed. Castor cannot tell whether he is simply thinking or if he is sleeping. His uncle's blonde hair is messy and greasy. His green and red prison uniform is filthy from the floor. The bed had to be removed due to Nycto showing suicidal tendencies, as he would rather die than give up the location of the Blade.
In the days after he was arrested by Castor and Lewis and brought here, he managed to tie his sheets together and hook it to the security camera in the cell, creating a noose. If it hadn't been for the Wielder on guard that day having rapid reflexes and putting a stop to it, Nycto would have succeded. The sheets and blankets were taken away from him to stop it from happening again, but the bed stayed. Until the next day, the day before Lewis' Halony, when he managed to snap off a sharp, thin piece of wood from his bed.
Castor raps on the glass of the cell. Nycto lifts his head slowly and turns to see Castor looking in on him. Castor wishes he could forget the smile Nycto gives him, but he has a feeling it will be etched into his brain for a long time. It is the smile of an insane man.
"Castor." His uncle's voice echoes off the cell walls. It is thin and raspy from the cold. "So good of you to come and see me."
Castor hits the cell wall, hard, making Nycto jump and shrink back against the wall. "I hate you," Castor growls. "I hope you know that."
Nycto nods sadly, but then he begins to cackle. He jerks his head towards the cell door. "Don't worry, nephew. You won't have to carry that hatred around with you for much longer. Look for yourself."
Castor walks to the door of the cell. Taped to it is a notice. He tears it off the door and reads aloud: "It has been decreed by the Deans of Tergaron, Ropnen and Litholatra that the criminal Nycto March - formerly known as Nycto Burwell - is to be executed for his crimes. The date of this execution is yet to be confirmed."
Castor almost drops the paper in shock. He knew there was a possibility this would happen, but he was sure the Deans would keep him alive and imprisoned so they could spend every passing day trying torture the location of the Blade out of him.
He walks back to the glass wall of the cell. Nycto has moved closer to it. He is grinning, like his looming death is the most hilarious thing in the world. Castor doesn't know when exactly Nycto lost every shred of sanity he had left, but it is as plain as day that there is nothing left of the uncle that used to sit with his nephews by a roaring fire, telling them stories and passing on old Wielder legends.
"When did you find out about this?" Castor demands.
"This morning," Nycto answers. "While you were all getting ready for Lewis' Halony, I was finding out I am going to die." He doesn't even seem phased by the fact. After a moment, Nycto asks, "How did the Halony go, by the way? Is Lewis celebrating?" At first he sounds sincere, but then that mad smile returns, like he knows the answer.
Castor hits the glass again. "You know something. Tell me."
Nycto laughs loudly. "Are you talking about the earthquake? You think I have something to do with it? Oh, Castor. I cannot believe I thought you were the Provectus Wielder, you stupid boy."
Ignoring his insults, Castor places the palms of his hands on the glass. He is getting better at controlling his temper. At keeping the urge to Change at bay. Calmly, he says, "But I am right. You do know something."
Nycto shrugs. "I'll tell you this, boy: that earthquake? It won't be the last."
"What do you mean?" Castor snaps.
His uncle just smirks and lies down on his back, idly crossing his legs over one another. Instead of answering the question, he says, "You know, you really should have let me teach Lewis how to control his power before throwing me in here. If unchecked, he could be in grave danger. You all could be."
"Lewis may have your abilities. He may be able to bend magic folk to his will. But he never will. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. That's something you never understood." For good measure, Castor adds, "Lewis is safe."
Nycto, without sitting up, just says, "We'll see."
Speechless, Castor turns on his heel and leaves his uncle alone. He should have gone inside there and beat the living daylights out of him. But something held him back. Maybe it is the fact that there was some truth in Nycto's words - deep down, Castor doesn't believe Lewis is safe.
Deep down, he thinks none of them are. Not after everything they've endured.
He sneaks out of the Guild as easily as he snuck inside and steps out into the cold night. Hours have passed since Lewis' Halony began and the earthquake rolled through the ground. Castor hopes Nycto was lying and they won't have to deal with that again. If only they could pinpoint the cause...
His phone buzzes in his pocket. Castor takes it out and sees it is Jens. "Hey," he says into the phone.
There is some shuffling on the other side of the phone, and then Jens replies. "Castor," he says. "Lewis is awake. The MDMR have given him the thumbs up to leave right now. He's with me, don't worry. We're just checking out now."
The tight feeling that was in Castor's stomach starts to loosen. "Thank God," he whispers. "I thought they said he had no chance of waking tonight?"
In a quiet voice, Jens says, "I did it. It worked. Rak is awake, as well."
Castor can't find the words to express how he feels. Jens has saved the day, yet again. He admits, things have been awkward with Jens. But a good awkward. Like they're trying to find a place where a friendship between them will work. There is no blame at all. Jens doesn't hold the way Castor treated him against him. Castor tries to give him as much space as possible.
Things aren't perfect. But they're where they need to be. Such is the case with every friendship that is in the process of healing.
"Tell Lewis I love him and expect a phone call as soon as he can get to his phone," Castor tells Jens.
"I will. Tell Layla I expect her home soon. Are you at the Tergaron Woods?"
"Yes," Castor lies. He doesn't want to reveal anything to Jens about what Nycto said to him. He'll tell Lewis, and Lewis has been through enough. "I'll tell Layla you're heading back to the flat."
Jens thanks him and ends the phone call.
Castor shoves his phone into his pocket and runs as quickly as he can in the direction of the Tergaron Woods.
In the direction of home.