Page 29

I’d learned a lot more about the Lupan Stabilization Unit that Dad operated.

It was geared toward the maintenance of the reconstruction of the wolf pack system that Pops had informed me had been needed in the wake of the chaos and destruction that Draco had inflicted when he’d risen.

Dad worked on cultural restoration, territory protection and I already knew about the New Pack Registry initiative, but it had been great viewing it in connection to everything else.

There was also the Coven Unity Division office that worked with my mom’s Arcane Ascendancy Council.

That was the thing that I knew most about, because my mom wasn’t actually directly a part of the Guardian Movement with that—not like she had been years ago.

She did her own thing and only liaised with the Guardian Movement.

Kai’s mom, Louise Hunter, was actually a member of the Arcane Ascendancy Council.

And because I’d attended Maven Coven before going to the Academy, I also had firsthand knowledge of that sort of thing.

And I knew how much Kai didn’t want to be pulled into any of it.

He’d always seen his true path as being far beyond that, bigger than that.

I’d actually been surprised that he hadn’t mentioned anything about that, or his interest in the Guardian Movement when I’d told the boys that I’d been invited up here by Pops.

Maybe he just hadn’t wanted to step on my moment or sour it.

And I hadn’t called it out because of his meeting with Grandfather.

He needed to be on the top of his game and bringing up something like that could have pulled his focus.

But we did need to discuss it once that was done.

And I couldn’t deny the urge for me to fix it for him, to use my familial pull to give him a place in the Guardian Movement.

Unfortunately, I also knew how much he would detest that.

His quest for knowledge meant that he believed power was obtained from work, from merit—not from nepotism.

If I acted on his behalf, it would undercut that.

Still, it didn’t mean there was nothing at all that I could do.

I might have reached out to Grandfather a couple of days ago concerning his meeting with Kai and Vorzyr, and talked Kai up, especially his impressive knowledge and his conscientiousness when it came to his magic and bettering himself.

I focused back on the moment as Pops pointed to a large wall display that had a series of glowing symbols etched into crystal panels.

“Each represents a division within the Guardian Movement,” he told me. “Separate pieces coming together in a unified way, which is essential for ensuring our success in our overarching mission of safeguarding and governing the supernatural world.”

I took his words in, trying to focus on them to calm down after just leaving the Lumin Arc division, the intelligence unit that specialized in counter-extremism, using surveillance, and infiltration to dismantle rogue groups of intolerant shits like Puritas from the inside out.

I was trying to tamper down the indignation that those fanatics being mentioned had created in me. Especially with the personal connection that I had to it through Nyx, then Kai and Vorzyr torturing a member in Sorin, and then me violating free will and coercing the bastard.

“Ari?”

I blinked to see Pops eyeing me curiously.

“Fine. I’m fine,” I responded.

He arched an eyebrow. “I asked if you’re ready to continue?”

Oh. I squared my shoulders. “Of course. I’m here for it all.”

His eyes shone. “I know you are. I can see it all over you.” He reached out and rubbed my arm.

“Warlow briefed me on what you did, how well you handled a Puritas member making themselves known at Maven Academy. We’re proud of you.

It was commendable. You showed rationality and restraint, even compassion.

You handled it diplomatically and admirably. ”

“I just did what was necessary to smooth over the situation. Doing more… that would have been commendable.”

“You weren’t in a position to do more because of us cutting you off from all of this. But you reported the situation to Warlow which enable us to take it from there.”

He opened a door to our left and stepped inside, gesturing at me to follow him in. “Space allotted to Aegis Watch,” he told me, as I took in what could only be described as a magical command center.

Magical interfaces dominated the space.

Floating maps levitated, their translucent surfaces marked with pulsing dots—red for confirmed Chimera sites, amber for suspected ones, and black for those where only remnants of experimentation remained. The maps refreshed every now and then constantly updating incoming intel.

Holoscreens lined the far wall, each one tracking individuals or locations tagged through magical surveillance.

I caught sight of one showing a zoomed-in view of a forest clearing somewhere, the feed trailing a cloaked figure slipping into a trapdoor.

Another tracked the same person from above at an angle that would have been impossible using tech that was non-magical.

There was a glass case on another wall that displayed confiscated items from Chimera Cricle—mechanical devices, some that were twisted organic magic, each suspended in a stasis field.

“The task force created to take down Chimera Circle,” I mused aloud as I took everything in.

“Yes. Our elite strike unit. Their role includes identifying experiment labs, identifying key Chimera Circle personnel, securing sites, extracting hybrids. They’re not here now as they’re on mission. Another lab was located earlier this morning.”

“Oh my God. Does Gramps know?”

He nodded. “Warlow is informed of all key intel regarding hybrid beings. He’ll be communicating this news to his Crossborn team during their meeting today as well.”

He gave me a few more moments to look around, and then he gestured for me to walk out with him so that we could continue.

As we stepped back out into the corridor, polished ivory stone lining the walls and etched with silver latticework showing legendary battles and key moments for the Guardian Movement, I tried to push down thoughts of how Nyx would take the news.

My heels clacked on the marble floors as my thoughts stayed with him, as I hoped it wouldn’t be triggering to him, that he’d be able to see it in a positive light, and that it wouldn’t send him slamming back to all the trauma he’d experienced in a place just like that.

Fortunately, we’d only just made it around the corner when a distraction came in the form of a major commotion.

“The Containment Facility is down here,” Pops informed me.

The corridor opened up noticeably, the magical lighting overhead dimming to a muted silver-green hue. The stone walls were darker in tone, tinged gray.

The source of commotion that I’d heard a moment ago became immediately apparent as I took in the sight of two Guardians in the uniform black robes flanking somebody between them.

His hands were out in front of him and restrained by a pair of Inhibitor cuffs that prevented a magic-wielder from calling their power.

Well, they were supposed to, but I saw dark sparks crackling around his wrists, red magic lashing at the air.

He was tall and imposing, clad in all black in a sweeping hooded coat that clung to his lean, muscular frame. His shirt was half unbuttoned like he didn’t give a shit. His hair was a crown of sharp brown spikes with maroon tips.

His eyes burned in barely restrained fury, glowing with defiance and something a whole lot darker and dangerous beneath.

“I did what was necessary!” he was booming at the Guardians surrounding him on either side. “They would have torn that village apart if I hadn’t intervened!”

“Necromantic domination is outlawed,” one Guardian retorted, sternly.

“As is vigilante activity,” the other said, unemotionally.

“So I should have simply turned away when I happened upon those bloodsuckers ravaging innocent people? Was that the solution?”

Pops startled me as he stepped right into the fray.

“You know very well what you should have done, Sylas. Reached out to the Guardian Movement. To me. I gave you my card and you know I can respond in seconds. However, you wished to be the one to handle it. And, worryingly, it wasn’t to play hero.

It was to act as judge, punisher, and executioner. ”

Sylas’ eyes locked on Pops. His lips twitched. “Long time no see, Ryker.”

“Yes. It’s been two weeks this time, I believe.”

“Guess I’m ahead of schedule.”

Pops sighed. “Stay here. Don’t move.” He flicked his green magic at the cuffs and they disintegrated in a second. “And stop pretending those cuffs were doing anything at all to you.”

The two Guardians looked on shocked.

Pops eyed me, hesitating.

“You know what I can do, that I can handle myself. Remember why I’m here today.”

He took a moment, but then he nodded, patted Sylas’ shoulder, then drew the two Guardians aside, several feet away, lowering his voice to a whisper as he obviously discussed this Sylas with them.

I sank against the wall, but kept my hands at the ready with the necromancer nearby. He couldn’t hurt me —no one really could. But there were many others here whom he could, including Pops.

“Relax, angel. I’m not here to hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

I cocked an eyebrow.

“How do I know what you are?” he said. “Let’s just say that I can sense certain things.” He made the interaction all the weirder as he stared intently at me, his eyes flaming.

After a few moments, he jolted and blinked, looking shaken, but trying to hide it.

“What? What was that?”

“You… there’s something there. It shouldn’t be.”

“Again, what?”

He looked out at Pops and the Guardians and when he determined they were too engrossed in their conversation to notice, he strode right up to me.