DOFAB#3

Chapter Fourteen

~ TRISTAN ~

Vibrations of technology-enabled glass skirt across the entry table while I buckle the last strap of my formal armor. Instead of clunky breastplates and shoulder guards, the new armor is made of threads infused with valderan steel. It's an upgrade along the same lines as my causal armor—nimble and nearly indestructible with improved breathability.

I snatch the handheld device equipped with fingerprint ID before it falls off the edge it teeters. Smartphones. One of the many inventions I missed out on. The screen unlocks to an enlarged photo of Kinley's school ID. The often-overlooked weakness of facial recognition is that a device can't tell the difference between a flesh and blood person or a photo to determine if it should share its master's secrets. Case in point, the notification that Kinley's phone received a text message from the app I installed. It seems so unceremonious, yet my savory, honey-flavored talaya flower is my all-access feast to the eevie.

Unknown number, I can't believe you lied to me. That vampire you were with isn't Talrek. This is Talrek. A screenshot of Talrek's rap sheet accompanies the text message. What will fit on the page with his photo identification at least.

Look at that. Big sister was so worked up over meeting 'Talrek' she's already researched him. It'd have been nice if the marked weren't cataloged in the Veiled Central Services database. VCS are the wardens for the unruly and enforcers of the edicts. If they aren't branding all the wrong-doers, they're investigating suspicious deaths to determine who's at fault. It's up to each court within the Chamber of Courts to keep track of the allotted kills per the edicts. Some courts are more truthful than others. As for my kill count, I'm directly tied to a mystical counter thanks to the old hag who granted my early release.

Who were you with!?  the unknown number messages again. Answer me, Kinaley Elsey!

Kinaley Elsey? Why does that name fit my talaya flower so perfectly?

I know Talrek is in your coven at Nadora, a third text comes in.

Darn, I was hoping to make a grand reveal.

A keyboard appears, Kin-a-ley preparing to reply. As I've synced my phone to hers with a mirroring app, I can see her response in real-time.

Forget about me, she writes, Focus on becoming stronger. Kinley erases the message and starts over with, Stay away from the UR. I mean it. Don't ever come looking for me again. It's too dangerous.

My cinnamon-spiced thrage deletes the unsent message.

Good call on her part. An ominous message like that would have big sister thorne trying to bypass the Veltan's security. There's no way into the Veltan unless you're registered in their ledger. The winged, feather-wrapped fairies can't warp into the Veltan either. Demon enchantments keep this mixed-use hotel from seeing the light. Of course, it's for everyone's safety.

It's him. Isn't it? Another text comes in from the nameless one who's not so nameless now. Neziri Elsey.

Kinley's silence is as good an omission as her sister will need.

Should I be calling her Kinaley or Kinley? It's easiest to keep it short.

Unknown number, I'm outside the Veltan. I understand why you lied. Come home. We'll figure it out from there.

Neziri's attention falls onto the boots underneath the phone she's holding. Her gaze rises with the ping of Kinley's incoming text of, Go away! Trust me for once. I'll return home once I've secured our fates.