Chapter 45: Applause

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Applause

Karl clapped.

Julius remained silent despite all that happened.

Karl’s was slow at first, a lazy, deliberate pat of palm on palm. Jared stared at him, one eyebrow raised, still on his knees in the rubble. A thin curl of smoke drifted past his helm.

Then, on Karl’s nod, the others joined in.

They started hesitantly, a few scattered claps, one boy glancing at another to check it was allowed. Then the whole team was applauding.

Julius didn’t join in though.

"I guess that’s your first successful mission," Karl said, grinning. "I knew I was right to pick you."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I didn’t hear you," Jared said. "I can’t hear anything."

It was true.

He opened his mouth. He said something. The sound drowned in the clapping.

He turned and gave the whole team a look.

It was a nasty look. A slow, flat, narrow eyed look that started at everyone and swept across the line until it landed on Zoey. It said, very clearly, stop. It said it without a single word.

The clapping died.

One by one, the hands fell.

[They love you,] the system said.

’Shut up.’

[A standing ovation. And you gave them the glare of death.]

’I said shut up.’

Karl put two fingers to his lips and whistled.

A shadow fell across the square. The huge owl dropped out of the sky, wings spread, and landed beside him. It folded its wings and lowered its head.

Jared stiffened.

He didn’t mean to. It happened on its own, a tightening in the shoulders. The owl was large and calm and utterly still.

’Another owl.’

It wasn’t Julius’s. He could tell that much. The bird from earlier had been a shade bluer, rounder in the face. This one was darker, sleeker. Its eyes were sharper.

’That’s the one.’

He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t be sure. But something in the pit of his stomach turned over.

Karl laid a hand on the owl’s beak and spoke in a low, easy voice.

"Take the others to the craft."

The owl hooted softly, ducked its head, and spread its wings. The rookies shuffled aboard in a line, climbing the broad, feathered back, gripping handfuls of plumage.

Zoey went last. She glanced over her shoulder at Jared, just once, a quick flick of her eyes, before she turned away.

Karl and Jared stood alone in the square.

Fires crackled in the distance. The wail of sirens rose and fell. Broken glass glittered across the pavement like frost.

"We need to talk," Karl said.

"I figured as much."

"Did you?"

"Why else would you dismiss the others?" Jared folded his arms. "It obviously wasn’t for fun and games."

Karl didn’t smile. He took a slow walk around the burnt out car, hands in his pockets, studying the blackened frame, the melted tires, the scorched asphalt.

"Look around," he said.

Jared looked.

"You almost took out that building."

"I know."

"Do you?" Karl turned. "You nearly took out an entire building. In a city. Full of people. Do you know what happens if these car owners don’t have extranormal insurance?"

"No."

"The guild would have to pay." He said it softly. "Every dollar. Every window. Every wheel. And the families who live above that office, the people who work there. Do you know what that kind of bill looks like?"

Jared said nothing.

"I’m only telling you this because I expect great things from you," Karl said. "Trust me. If this was Julius, you’d be off the team."

The words hung in the smoky air.

Jared’s jaw tightened.

[Oh dear,]

’Not now.’

"Look, man," Jared said.

His voice was low and level, but a vein stood out in his neck.

"I appreciate this. I do. I understand the concern. But you can’t go talking about me, and to me, like this."

"Like what?"

"Like I’m a child. We’re the same age."

Karl blinked.

"You’re higher ranked," Jared went on. "I’m not denying that. You’re the captain. You’re C Team leader, and I’m a rookie. Fine. But we’re both young adults. We’re both 18. We’re both trying to do this thing." He took a step forward. "Do you seriously think I don’t know I messed up?"

"I..."

"Because I do. I know it. I knew it the second that gate started spitting fire. I knew it before you even opened your mouth."

His voice cracked.

"I’m sure, more so than anyone else could possibly tell me."

For a moment the two of them stood in silence, face to face, a few feet apart. Karl’s smile had faded. He tilted his head, studying Jared with that flat, pond still gaze.

Then Jared turned.

He walked past him, shoulders stiff, fists balled at his sides. The suit rattled with every step. He made it three paces.

A hand closed around his wrist.

It was firm. Not rough. Just steady and sure. Karl held him back, fingers tight, a faint smile curving across his face.

"Like I said," Karl said. "I have expectations from you."

"Let go."

"You’ve already lost an SSS ranked beast." The words were light, almost conversational. "Less than a year after awakening. That’s not nothing. It happens. People lose beasts. But not beasts that highly ranked."

Jared’s breath caught.

"It’s not usual," Karl continued. "It’s the kind of thing you’d expect from someone careless."

Something snapped.

Jared wrenched his arm away. He tore his wrist out of Karl’s grip with a sharp, vicious jerk, so hard that Karl staggered half a step. His eyes were blazing. His chest heaved.

"You’re starting to piss me off."

"I’m only..."

"Don’t ever grab me again," Jared said, very quietly, "if you know what’s good for you.

Karl stood still. His face didn’t change. He lifted both hands, palms out, in an easy, mocking gesture of surrender. His smile was crooked. His eyes were unreadable.

"Noted," he said.

A rush of wind swept across the square.

The owl came gliding back.

[Why?]

He didn’t answer.

[Rex. Why are you looking at it like that?]

’I’m not.’

[You’re staring at it as though it owes you money.]

Jared said nothing. His throat was dry.

[Oh,]

Then, slowly, with great care:

[I see.]

’See what?’

[You think it’s him.]

His jaw clenched.

[You think Karl stole your beast.]

He still didn’t respond. But the silence was an answer in itself.

The system worked through it. It stacked the pieces one on top of another. The new owl, dark and sleek, the right size, the right shade. Karl’s easy smile. His strange, careful questions. The comment about the lost dragon. His grip on Jared’s wrist. The way he’d baited him, again and again, as if testing how far he could push.

[Everything seems to lead there,]

[It all points to that being the truth.]

’I know.’

[I’m not saying it is. I’m saying it fits.]

’I know it fits.’

Karl swung onto the owl’s back, settling between its wings with the ease of long habit. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Coming?"

Jared climbed on.

He sat several feet behind him, as far as the owl’s broad back would allow.

They flew in silence.

After a while, he spoke.

"By the way."

Karl didn’t turn.

"This owl of yours. What’s its primary skill?"

[That’s bold,]

[That’s seriously bold. After everything that just happened. After you nearly broke his wrist. You’re going to ask him about the beast you think he used to steal yours.]

’It’s a reasonable question.’

[It’s a ridiculous question.]

Karl turned his head slowly.

He looked at Jared. He smiled.

It wasn’t an angry smile, or a mocking one. It was warm, almost pleased, the smile of a man who’d just won a bet with himself.

"I was right," Karl said. "I really do have high hopes for you."

"That’s not an answer."

"No. It isn’t." He turned back to the horizon. "That gorilla of yours seemed formidable back there. I can’t wait for you to start stacking up gems."

Jared’s stomach tightened.

"When you have multiple beasts," Karl went on, "that’s when you’ll truly be able to tell if someone’s worthy of being a beast master. It’s easy with one. One beast. One bond. One path. But with many?" He shrugged. "That’s the real test."

"Is it?"

"Can you keep up that attitude, I wonder, when you have to work with multiple beasts to keep them from devolving?"

The wind died, just for a second.

"I can’t wait to see."

The words settled over Jared like a cold hand.

He sat very still.

’Devolving.’

It was the thing he hadn’t let himself think about. He had 9 SSS rank beasts in his pouch. He’d used a few. The gorilla. The ant. Starfire. He’d taken them out and trained, fought, burned, cried. But there were others. The cat. The wolf. The turtle. The toad. The snake. The fish.

He hadn’t used some of them yet.

’That probably isn’t a good idea.’

The thought sank in, slow and heavy. There was no devolution timer. 1 week was only an estimate. Days had passed. Lots of them. The cat, the wolf, the turtle, the toad, the snake, the fish. They’d been sitting in the dark for longer than he liked to admit.

’I need to check.’

[It’s fine,]

[For now.]

’How long?’

[Not long.]

He swallowed.

The owl banked gently. Ahead, the silver jet gleamed on the horizon, small and bright against the clouds. The wind rushed past. The city faded behind them.

Karl twisted around again, a lazy movement, one arm draped over the owl’s neck

His expression was open, friendly, curious.

"By the way," he said. "What rank is that green gorilla of yours?"