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“Where is she?”

“Safe.”

“Good doggo,” Kimi’s voice chimes in from in front of me, but his tone is off in a deadened way.

His comment draws Mitri’s attention, and I wait patiently while he stares.

I’ve completed the mission, achievement unlocked ‘Found Mitri’, so I can take my time. Hopefully, Mom will have Bees back to herself by the time I get back. However, a tiny matter must be dealt with before I leave, so I’m stuck waiting.

Mitri’s attention returns to me, and I huff at the lack of expression. It must be challenging to bottle yourself up like that, and I admire the restraint, but this is a ridiculous waste of time. No more waiting.

“Why are they here?” I gesture towards the table as I ask.

He looks over towards them and then back to me without answering.

“Fine.” I jerk my head down, losing a fist full of hair, I’m sure. I can always regrow it.

I walk away from them all, heading towards the room I share with Bees. If I can’t bring her back here, I need to pack a few of her things.

“Halt,” his cold voice intones from behind me.

I ignore him and keep walking. I need to shower first. I can’t get soot all over her things, what little she has.

I hear the hammer cock back a split second before a bullet pierces through my shoulder, exiting on the other side with a spray of blood and dust.

I pause with a sigh, watching the debris float for a second before reforming and attaching itself back to me. I turn my head to look at him over my shoulder.

“Use your words, immortal.”

His eyes narrow to green slits, the gun still raised, tracking my minimal movements. He still refuses to speak.

“Your choice,” I shrug and begin walking again.

The following shots take out both of my knees. Before I can do more than wobble on my feet, my essence has reattached. I turn slowly to face him with a bland expression.

Both guns are out now, and his head is tilted to the side. He can’t really see me; he’s guessing at the location of my physical form. I can tell by the way his eyes are darting. Strange that he’s spot on with his aim. The weapons don’t smell like artifacts.

He's studying me. Calculating how long it takes me to move after every shot. Trying to understand his prey. I’m not entirely of this dimension, though. He’ll have to expand his imagination to get a handle on me.

“Why are they here?” I ask again calmly.

“Bring her to me.”

I rub both hands over my face in exasperation. “You want me to bring her here? Withthem? Two of them havekilledher, and the third put in effort at it. Explain to me why you think that’s a great idea.”

“He has a point,” Kimi points out in a lifeless tone. “But I didn’t kill her.”

Both Mitri and I turn to look at him.

He stares back at us.

Something isn’t entirely right with him. He isn’t bouncing or humming to himself. He’s perfectly still andquiet as he gazes intently at us. Madness has a home in his eyes, but it’s been joined by total focus. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

It seems Mitri feels the same because he doesn’t take his eyes off Kimi. He’s kneeling calmly in his cage.

Maybe that’s what’s affecting him so severely. Being an animal in a cage, even in a Humanoid form, can be rage-inducing.

“The answer is no,” I return to the topic at hand as I study the cat male. Although he’s no more an actual cat than I’m a true dog, it’s all relative.