A Seahorse Tale

Chapter 6

Lord Endotuer strode into the room with the gait of a man who was welcome in the room. He sneered at the resting human. "Honestly," Endotuer shook his head not impressed by what he was seeing. "I realise you had little choice in the matter but sleeping in your suit? So crass."

He sat on the bed gingerly, not liking the look of one particular stain on the blankets. "They should improve the accommodations. No wonder they can't get anyone of proper standing and class. Not that you weren't good at your job but if you had been from an upper ranking, maybe you would have understood the rules here better," he hummed, hands running over Kenneth's side, his eyes flicking over the man. It puzzled him how many problems the man had been able to make while looking so insignificant. He was attractive, for a human, but he was not imposing or powerful looking. Yet, the council had allowed his actions until now.       
      
      
"You were a little too clever for your own good, Mr White," Endotuer's words bubbled with constrained anger and disapproval. "You should have listened to the signs," Endotuer shook his head. "Or given in to Devon's advances. Though I can't blame you for trying to stick away from him. If the situation were reversed, I'd be running for the nearest safe place too. If I'd known..."        
      
      
Endotuer cut himself off, breathing in sharp. If he'd known Devon was aiming for Kenneth, he wouldn't have been so childish and frightened the man. As it was, he'd given in to the desire. A sadistic delight had filled his stomach at the sight. Regardless, none of it mattered now. Kenneth White had gone against an order of the council and Endotuer's wishes and for that, he was going to pay a steep price indeed.       
      
      
      
"The council doesn't like getting rid of the people in your job like this. They prefer running you out of town but," Endotuer shrugged. "What can I say?" he said, a dangerous edge haunting the words. Endotuer's claws dusted over Kenneth's face before his eyes softened. He removed his hand before he could give in to the urge to hurt the human. Soon Kenneth would be his pet. It would not be good to harm the man. "When the judgement was being made about how to deal with you, I had a stroke of inspiration. They owed me a favour, after all. They let you win. They let me lose. To keep appearances," Endotuer struggled to even say the words and grimaced at the idea. "So they were more receptive to my idea."       
      
      
      
He paused for a moment before chuckling to himself. "Not sure why I'm explaining this to you while you are passed out," he admitted, running a hand along his face, closing his eyes and rolled his shoulders to try to push away some of the stress. This whole incident had stretched his mind thin. " I'm afraid you've rather put me at the end of my tether, my dear. To think, I have to bow to that brat's judgement. Still, I'll teach you manners and obedience soon enough. Oh, I have plans for you, Mr White. Big plans."      
      
      
A giddy burst of laughter burst from Endotuer's lips and he covered his mouth trying to regain himself. This, this was sure to be a captivating event. This magic was as old as Enti herself. It had been a while since he had been allowed to break someone. It had been a while since he'd needed to. The idea of what he was about to do was filling him with exhilaration. The mer reached up to stroke Kenneth's sleeping face. The human wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. The council's operatives had pumped the room with gas to make the human pass out. They hadn't wanted Kenneth to be able to react when Endotuer collected him. It was easier this way to make him disappear into the night.      
             
      
"I'm sure you will be beautiful," Endotuer grinned, his cheek aching from the manic ness of the expression. "You shall make a lovely replacement for Beni." He leant over and kissed Kenneth on the cheek.

He bundled up his prize in his arms with care and strode out the door. Endotuer did not need to worry about anything else here. Some of the council's men would make the rest of Kenneth's stuff disappear. They would delete his work ID from the system and soon Kenneth White will have simply vanished from the world. Another ghost in the system, of someone who had broken the unwritten rules of the city. His lover was bound to be a problem but without evidence and Kenneth's credentials removed from the system, Kenneth would be untraceable.       
      
      
Two of the men were already outside, wearing black wetsuits with masks on their faces to disguise them. Both bowed as he passed them. Respectful men who knew to do what was necessary for the glory and power of Enti. The lights in the corridor were out at the moment, to avoid any accidental witnesses to him taking Kenneth. They didn't want more people on the hit list. Everything was all planned out.       
      
      
Ennitt was waiting in a transport pod at the nearest airlock. His nephew looked at Kenneth with sad eyes, his shoulders slumping as he saw Endotuer indeed had him now. Endotuer placed Kenneth on a long bench, buckling him in. Ennitt disengaged the pod and started them towards the deep. The ritual would have to take place in the old mansion. It needed to be somewhere blessed by the old gods. The ritual was old and finicky about things like that. Endotuer was lucky he had access to all of the supplies needed.      
      
      
      
"Have something to say?" Endotuer asked, running a hand over his nephew's shoulder. A bastard to the family, Ennitt was part of his clan by loose threads that had been sewn tighter by debt. Endotuer tried to be... kind, for lack of a better word to the man. Not all of their relatives were. It was not unaware however that this was pulling Ennitt's strings tight this time. The younger ones always struggled with this modern world. They made friends with humans. It wasn't the worst thing to do, they were good souls often but the problem was that it clashed with the things that were expected of them.
      
      
      
"Nothing you wish to hear, uncle," Ennitt admitted, hands tight on the controls as he steered them. His eyes were fixed on the screen in front of him, stubbornly not looking at his uncle.  Ennitt was not happy.       
      
      
      
Endotuer smiled, no trace of joy or happiness in the expression. Looking back at the passed out human for a moment, he sat on the chair next to Ennitt brushing their legs together. Ennitt flinched from the contact but Endotuer insisted on it. They were family. Ennitt could not afford to lose Endotuer's favour. "I know you're friends with Mr White, Ennitt. It's ok to not be pleased with the situation. I appreciate that you are obedient enough to follow orders despite this," he praised.        
      
      
      
"I know my place, uncle," Ennitt intoned, unable to keep the sadness from voice. He slumped and let his shoulders press against Endotuer as if they were friends not subordinate and master. Endotuer ran a hand along his fins in an almost parental gesture. Ennitt knew without Endotuer saying a word that he wanted more from him. "I wish we could have discouraged Kenneth from getting into this situation in the first place,"
      
      
      
"It was unfortunate. We had assumed the man wouldn't take on a mer case. It was out of his purview," Endotuer shook his head. Kenneth had been on thin ice regardless, this case had crossed the line. If he had not done this, it would have been something else. Only it wouldn't have been Endotuer coming along to sweep him up. "Dr Fini escaped justice this time. Even free, he'll find his life harder from now on," he promised, with an intensity that had Ennitt shivering.       
      
      
      
"Still seems unfair,"      
      
      
      
"By modern standards," Endotuer snorted, leaving away to pour himself a glass of wine. A small collection of alcohol had been provided as a common courtesy. It was a decent enough grade. "Not that this situation would have occurred in the old days." In the old days, a human could never be a lawyer in the first place. Kenneth would not be in the city, forget the stands. As for Dr Fini, he would have been killed for his failure. He shifted as another thought ran through his head. "Still, I'm glad you are simply friends with Mr White. Unlike Devon."     
      
      
      
"Baron Devon is without a doubt more friendly with humans than appropriate," The tightness in Ennitt's voice betrayed that he was being polite by using the word friendly.       
      
      
      
Disgust rolled through Endotuer and he grimaced. He sipped the wine to remove the taste from the back of his mouth. Mer and human relations had always happened. Endotuer had always disapproved of such things but what happened behind closed doors, stayed behind closed doors. Now it happened in the open. Another thing to thank the decision to withdraw from the public eye for. Not to mention Devon was more distasteful with his desires. The humans in his employ were afraid of him and for entirely the wrong reasons.      
      
      
      
"He is that," Endotuer took a sip of wine. Removing Devon from power would be troublesome. He had the ones who longed for humans to be chained and back at their feet charmed. A shame those same names enjoyed their wine too. It would be interesting who came on top. "He tried to interfere with this. I'm not sure his plans for Mr White would have been much better than my own."       
      
      
      
"From what Robert has endured with in the past, I would assume so," Ennitt agreed. "Interfering is a rather bold move to make. Should I inform the council?" he offered.       
      
      
      
"Not yet. If Devi makes more moves, they will have to be," Endotuer acknowledged, tracing the rim of his wine glass with his finger considering. If Devon made a play for power, Endotuer would put in his place. In recent years, Devon had grown in influence but he was not yet invincible from Endotuer or the other lords. Being in charge of a powerful law firm was boosting his ego a little too much for Endotuer's liking. Two of the men he had helped bring out of the gutters were turning on him and he did not appreciate it.

Still, he twisted to look back at Kenneth. The human still passed out peacefully on the bench, one arm flopped to the ground. Endotuer had far more pressing matters to worry about tonight than brats getting too big for their boots. The caster had to perform the ritual to strict limitations. One thing wrong could be disastrous consequences for both him and Kenneth. The magic that joined souls and minds was always delicate. His magic flexed. It had been a long time since he had stretched his muscles like this.