Chapter 58

One of the buildings, for the martial arts school, had been completed. The instructors and I were the only ones with access, but I had it to myself later that afternoon.

The forms or katas are an expression of who you are in your body. Jason's were my vision of perfection; a blend of speed, power, and elegance I could not match. My forms were too powerful, because in my mind the hordes came and every strike had to be a killing blow: a knee destroying a monster's face, a hand strike breaking ribs, a kick crushing a larynx.

Every movement was my desire to kill them. Instructors tried to teach me how to be a pool of stillness so that a form would come closer to the ideal, but the hordes were always waiting.

"You cannot lie in here," the sword master said from behind me.

I finished and turned around to bow to him. He returned it, gesturing in front of him, before kneeling. I took the position he requested.

"So many students try to be something else in here," he said.

"But so many students are something else in here," I said.

"No, David," he said shaking his head. "Those students are something else out there."

I capitulated the point with a nod.

"The katas are the only place you can be free?" he asked.

"I do not understand," I replied.

"Your power," he said. "I only see it at moments like this. You hold it back against others."

"They can't absorb it," I said shrugging.

"Even with the sword, against me?" he asked.

"The sword is different," I told him. "I was taught that first I must learn how to do something before I apply my strength to it."

"It would be a weakness to rely solely on strength," he said smiling.

I nodded again, hearing the echo of Jason's advice.

"Have you ever been able to fight with all your gifts?" he asked.

"Gifts?"

"You hide it well, but it is impossible to lie in here, David," he said gesturing around the room. "Your body is a sword as finely crafted as the steel I treasure. I've never met anyone, even masters, who are as comfortable in their own body."

"I've been to war," I told him. "Surviving requires not holding back."

"But you had to have honed those skills."

"My brother was nearly impossible to catch in the open," I said turning my head. "I had to rely on strength to beat him."

We sat quietly for a few minutes before he set two practice swords in front of me. I looked at them curiously and then at him.

"It's time to change your sword style," he told me.

"I don't understand."

"You've put some focus on practicing with the left hand as your lead," he said. "If you had done it justice, you would be as good with either hand."

I waited for the rest.

"We are not taking advantage of your physical abilities," he said. "Two swords would be better for you."

"That is not the traditional style," I pointed out.

"Tradition has to become tradition, David," he told me.

"Tradition becomes tradition for a reason," I reminded him.

"Most of them for good reasons," he agreed. "But not one of those reasons apply to you, or my desire to learn from teaching you."

I picked up one of the swords.

"You will start by training with your left," he instructed picking up the other one. "You have not given it enough time. When you have achieved balance, we can proceed."

The sword master stood up and walked to the center of the floor to stand ready in a guard position.

I opened the door to my house and came to an immediate stop. There were pieces of expensive luggage lined up where someone entering would be sure to see them. I could hear voices in the living room, too many voices.

Jason's humming annoyed me.

I walked into the living room to see the girl sitting with Anna to her right. The girl tried to stand up as soon as she saw me, but Anna's hand on her forearm stalled the movement. The girl looked at Anna before settling back down.

I looked around the room; the girl, Anna, Robert, Roderigo, Samantha, Stephanie, Melisa, Doris Alex, Simon and a male Sibling that I did not recognize stared at me.

"Are those her bags?" I asked.

Melisa nodded without meeting my eyes.

"And they have everything she owns in them," I stated.

"I..." the girl started to say, but Anna interrupted her.

"Shh! It's okay, child."

"Yes, that's everything she owns," Melisa said looking at me.

"How did her stuff get here?" I asked.

"Iane dropped her off," Melisa told me.

"I would say kidnapped her," Roderigo said in a vastly amused voice.

"Legally, the term is not correct," the male Sibling said. "Katherine came willingly; her mother signed guardianship papers and has full knowledge of her daughter's present location in this house. Even if Katherine's father chooses to protest, this is a custody battle."

I looked at him.

"We have signed affidavits about the imminent threat of sexual abuse to Katherine," he finished.

"A lawyer?" I asked.

"Iane had him stowed in a hotel room with the papers for Katherine's mother to sign in hand," Samantha said. "You were right, Anna. The best I could have done was broken her, which would have been the worst thing I could have done also."

"Iane has spirit," Anna said. "It's not a bad thing."

"Stowed?" I asked the lawyer.

"We had him ready for something like this," Robert answered. "It was a surprise when he showed up in town a couple of days ago. After it became clear that your Crest Siblings were involved, we decided to allow you to handle the situation."

He said the last with smugness.

"So you knew?" I asked Melisa.

"No," she denied.

"Are you telling me that Iane would do this without informing my First?" I asked.

"She told me after," Melisa admitted.

"After?" I asked.

"After you left," she whispered.

"Specifically, Iane waited until I left?" I asked.

Melisa and Doris Alex nodded together.

"How did she tell you?"

"She called me," Melisa said. "The papers were already signed, and Katherine was packed. Iane needed to know that she could drop her off without you being here."

"And you did not know anything about this?" I asked her.

The question caused silence.

"What do you mean by know?" Doris Alex asked smiling.

"I've taken the same philosophy classes that you have," I replied.

"Melisa doesn't really know Iane, David," Doris Alex defended.

"I've taken the same philosophy classes that you have," I repeated.

"I knew Iane wouldn't leave Katherine there, like you seemed willing to," Melisa said staring hard at me.

I put my hands behind my back and stared back until she looked away.

"Am I glad I got out of bed this morning," Roderigo said close to laughing.

"So you knew?" I asked my Crest Siblings.

"We didn't ask any questions," Doris Alex said.

Melisa shrugged.

"Is the other one here?" I asked.

"Even Iane would not dare," Melisa answered.

"But would you?"

"No," she replied.

I looked at Doris Alex, who shook her head.

"You had to expect something like this, David," Anna said. "You haven't fucked Iane yet."

The girl gasped.

"Ouch!" Samantha said. "Tough to keep any of them in line without regular sex."

"Does anyone really believe fucking Iane or just making her give me head would have made a difference?" I asked looking at the ceiling.

No one answered the question.

"Where is Iane?" I asked.

"On a plane to Australia if she's smart," Stephanie said jokingly.

I looked at her, and she tilted her head to return the look.

"Iane is very intelligent," Doris Alex said.

"I'm right?" Stephanie asked laughing.

"Iane always headed for Australia when she had to hide from... ," Doris Alex said with shrug and a look at the girl.

"Which ones did she have to hide from?" I asked.

"And I thought Iane was the only one with a list of people that she thought were better off not breathing," Anna said looking at the redhead.

"Which ones?" I asked again.

"Only a couple were missed in the last round," Doris Alex said. "Iane probably forgot about them."

"An educational attempt to distract me, and I will take care of them in the future," I said. "But when will Iane be returning?"

"In a month or two," Melisa told me. "What's the point of being bad if you don't get punished for it? Plus like Doris Alex, she can't go very long without touching you."

"You really need to finalize the ceremony, David," Doris Alex advised.

"Would it have prevented her from doing this?" I asked.

"Not Iane," Doris Alex replied. "But then she wouldn't have run."

"Is that what she is doing?" I asked. "Running."

"I'd like to run right now," Melisa breathed.

I looked at the girl. Her eyes moved from person to person trying to absorb every word that was being said. Those brilliant blue eyes rested on mine for a second before looking away.

"So why bring her here?" I asked.

The girl popped out of her seat too fast for even Anna to stop her.

"Sit down!" I ordered.

She dropped back so fast it seemed like someone pulled the rug out from under her feet.

"Obedient," Roderigo said to no one in particular.

"To her knight in black armor," Robert added.

Roderigo gave him an annoyed look but did not say anything else.

"Why here?" I asked again.

"You legitimize a custody battle," the lawyer answered.

I looked at him.

"Being Katherine's older and wealthy biological brother, you allow a judge the freedom to listen to the claims of abuse," he said pedantically. "With the mother having signed guardianship to you, possession may just be nine-tenths the law with sworn testimony about what happened in that house."

"Possession is ten-tenths the law if there are no other claimants," Roderigo commented.

"We have a child present, grandson," Anna admonished.

"They know Katherine is gone," Melisa said looking at me nervously.

"Who?" I asked noticing Roderigo's wide smile.

"The father and brother," Doris Alex answered.

"How do they know?" I asked but feeling like I already knew the answer.

"They called while Iane was helping me pack," the girl said. "She said I was to tell you that they said some very nasty things to her."

"For instance?"

"Their favorite word for women is cunt," she said in a stronger voice.

"And I'm sure that Iane had nothing to say in return," I sighed.

"She told them that she was bringing me here," she continued. "And that they should hurry home so they could give you lessons on how to deal with disobedient womenfolk."

Samantha laughed and put her feet up on the coffee table. She folded her hands behind her head.

"What's so funny?" I asked her.

"I couldn't have broken her," she told me. "I'm glad Iane is your problem. Good luck, by the way! You're going to need it. Although, I think I've finally figured out something."

"What?" Stephanie asked.

"Iane is insane," Samantha said. "So are Doris Alex and David, I almost feel sorry for Melisa, except she probably enjoys it."

"So they're coming back?" I asked ignoring her.

"We are keeping track," Roderigo said. "They're on their way home."

I turned around and walked to the doorway.

"I won't go back!" the girl insisted.

"David?" Melisa said worried.

"I'm having a conversation," I said impatiently.

Jason did all of the talking, and what he had to say made too much sense. I turned and looked at the girl.

"What did Iane tell you about those fairy tales your mother taught you?" I asked her.

She whitened and looked around room guiltily.

"What are you talking about?" Robert asked confused.

"She told me which ones are true," the girl said. "She also told me other stuff about the Society, and about you."

"What did she say about me?" I pushed.

"She said you were something called an Enforcer," she replied in a whisper.

"A perfect trap for you, David," Stephanie said in amazement a couple of seconds later.

"Taking the girl is Iane," Anna said looking at Melisa. "But this, no indoctrinated Sibling could think it."

"Iane was going to do it," Melisa responded tilting her chin up proudly. "There was no point in her efforts being wasted. I only pointed out that it would probably comfort Katherine to have her family legends explained."

"How did you circumvent the indoctrination?" Anna asked leaning forward. "It is meant to keep our secrets."

"I knew it could be gotten around," Melisa said. "It was easy after that; what Bloodline Sibling would dare deny an Ekaterina's blood right. Not a large step from giving it to them, is it?"

"Katherine can't be allowed to go back," Doris Alex said. "Not ever."

"Personally, I say you're going to end up killing all of them, Brother," Roderigo told me.

The girl's eyes widened at the open use of the term. Every Brother except me broke out laughing.

"I've heard stories about Kiera, Roderigo," Samantha said making a weak attempt to defend me.

"She only does it to assist in her disciplining," Roderigo said waving a dismissive hand. "I'm not so sure about these three."

"Katherine knows too much, David," Anna said finally. "Maybe not everything, but Iane made sure she would know too much."

"What are you talking about?" the girl asked.

"You won't be leaving," I told her.

She stared at me with the teenage desire to protest authority, but with hope strangling the words.

"Both of you, come!" I said pointing at Melisa and the girl.

I heard them behind me as I walked up the steps.

"You need to pick a room," I told the girl at the top of the stairs.

"What?" she asked confused.

"A bedroom, honey," Melisa said putting her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You need to choose a bedroom."

I followed them as they walked from room to room. The girl showed interest in everything in Melisa and Doris Alex's room, but seemed too leery of the situation to do more than touch.

I stood in the doorway when they entered Stephanie's old room.

"I like this one," she said playing with one of glass items Stephanie left behind. "It's the smallest."

"You don't have to pick it for that reason, honey," Melisa told her. "You're welcome to any room you want."

"Why are these here?" the girl asked pointing to the rest of the glass decorations in the room.

"Stephanie liked to break them," Melisa responded.

"The woman downstairs?"

Melisa nodded.

"She used to live here?" the girl asked.

"Stephanie needed a safe place to stay for a little while," Melisa answered.

"And it's safe here," the girl said sitting down on the bed.

"Yes, it is," Melisa said sitting next to her.

"You shouldn't be mad at Iane," the girl told me. "She was just trying to help me."

I chose not to reply.

"You can't let them take me back, can you?" the girl asked.

"Your father doesn't have a say in your life anymore," I told her.

"And you do?" she asked raising her voice.

"Shush, honey," Melisa said. "It's okay."

"He's nothing to me!" the girl insisted.

"Right now, I am a way out," I told her. "That's all that matters, isn't it?"

She lay down on the bed and stared at me.

"I knew, David," Melisa said when the girl fell asleep. "If it wasn't Iane, it would have been Doris Alex. They're not built to think in these situations; the Bloodlines serve. I only made sure Iane did it the right way."

"I made it necessary," I said. "I'll remember that."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You are as sorry about this as Iane is," I said. "At the end of the day, the three of you think this is the right thing."