FOREVER KNIGHTS: #9 Feral Breed

Harridan Hamlet, Paladines

TEVERIUS

Teverius was setting up a country house in the Harridan Hamlet.

“You look stressed.” Rhyers commented. “More than usual.”

Tev grimaced.

“What is it?” Rhyers persisted.

“I am going to have to cut my hair.” He said forlornly. Pacing the parlor of the new country house.

“Oh…You poor devil.” Rhyers feigned a pout. “I feel awful for you. I can imagine it’d be nearly as excruciating as having to wear a huge frumpy wig over your glorious hair, every single day of your fantastic immortal life.”

Tev winced. “Oh, the trials of being a tracker.”

“They call it a ‘spy’ in this day and age.” Rhyers corrected dryly. “Anyway, what did you call me here to do?”

“I thought perhaps I may need you in my current endeavor.”

“Who are you hunting?” Rhyers’ face was instantly serious.

“Raese.”

“Raese?” Rhyers’ leapt to his feet and knocked over the decanter on the table between them. “You think he’s here?”

“Sebastian does.”

“Bast?” Rhyers began pacing as agitatedly as Tev. “He’s never wrong. How does he know?”

“He said he heard him.”

“After all this time? He is still alive? Why have we not seen him? Why hasn’t he rejoined us?”

“If I knew all that, I would not be looking for him.” Tev said dryly, glaring at the other man.

“It makes no sense.” Rhyers lost his usual cool.

“I’m going to find him.”

“Bast did not?”

“He said he heard Raese call to him, but it was only once. The string was broken so Bast couldn’t track his location. But he followed it here to Harridan Hamlet, Paladines.”

“Do you know where? Maybe I could find a track!”

“It has been months.” Tev admitted. Ashamed he had not come sooner.

“Months? Why?”

“And Bast did not say where he lost the string at.” Tev changed the subject. Unwilling to explain he had been reluctant to leave the beautiful little snippet back in the Netherlands.

Serdephe. His heart twisted with pain at just the thought of her name. It was indescribable how much he missed her already.

“Well, all you need do is send me word if you need my help. Now that I know, I will assure I am available to respond instantly.”

“Thank you.” Tev nodded. “I hoped you would say that.”

“Where will you start?”

“I thought I’d take a page from your book and start integrating here to see if I can find Raese.”

“Best find him before Radix does…If he hasn’t already…” Rhyers’ words made Tev’s stomach sink in terror.

I hadn’t even considered that prospect.

Radix has already turned one of us warlord. What if there has been more?

“We would never see Raese coming.” Rhyers murmured thoughtfully as if reading Tev’s thoughts.

Tev realized at that moment the urgency of finding their friend.

“Do you wish to work as partners?” Rhyers offered.

Tev tightened his lips and shook his head adamantly. “No, Brother. This is something I must do alone.”

Rhyers eyed Teverius a long while. His light green eyes assessing Tev. At length he nodded slowly.

“I think I understand.”

“I appreciate that.”