Fledgling
Page 50
Chapter Forty Nine
Kai sat on the edge of his desk, his long legs stretched out in front of him, “I saw it happen, but I told you. I don’t know anything. Well, I don’t know anything other than what I told Sage. She’s putting together the report for this incident to tell the higher ups.”
The shop was dim, lit only by the cheap lamp on his desk. Through the dark, Kai’s gaze rested on the attractive man that stood in front of him, “Is that what I’m supposed to believe? You were involved with the girl, the Halfling.”
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose, frowning, “Derrick, I can promise you two things. One, she did not get out of Anathaem alone. Dustin –the one who killed Chelsea, mind you- helped her, not me. And two, I wasn’t as involved with her as much as you seem to think.”
Derrick nodded, seemingly appeased, “So you didn’t have anything to do with Aiden’s death or the girl’s escape?”
“I’ve killed once. You know me well enough to know I’m not exactly jumping at the chance to do it again,” his voice grew bitter, then sad, “And Derrick, I watched it happen. She was a Halfling; have you ever seen a Halfling break? It was like she died.”
“I know,” Derrick took a step forward, “I know, Kai. I know that you’re hurting, but I have to be thorough. It’s my job to investigate all chaos movements, now that Aiden’s gone.”
Kai pushed down his upsetting feelings, something he had recently learned to do quite well, and grinned, “When you knocked on my door so late in the evening, I didn’t think that this is what we’d be doing.”
“What did you think, then?” Derrick asked, feigning ignorance.
Kai stood up, “I figured that we’d be doing something more physical than an interrogation.”
“Kai,” Derrick’s smile slid off his face, “I would love to. Oh wow, you know I would.”
“But?” Kai prompted, irritated. He wasn’t used to rejection, especially not from Derrick.
“But you’re a mess,” Derrick gestured at him, “That girl left a month ago, and you haven’t gotten any better. Every day, you type away, but your words are flat. You never button you shirt correctly, your glasses are crooked, and, if you thought I hadn’t noticed, you’re crying.”
Kai touched his face and found that Derrick was only half right. His eyes weren’t the driest, sure, but the tears hadn’t spilled over. They never did, not anymore.
Derrick wrapped his arms around Kai’s thin frame, “It’s okay, Kai.”
“It’s like she died,” Kai said, surprising himself. He swallowed, “She is my best friend.”
“Was,” Derrick reminded him softly, “She was your best friend.”
“Was,” Kai repeated.
The tears spilled over.