Coveted [New/Revised Version]

WHAT GOES AROUND. . .

     Sky shut yet another useless manila folder on his desk. Sifting through old files and records wasn't providing him any comfort. His mind was in a thousand different places all at once trying to cope with the fact that Zairian was still alive. He couldn't kill Zairian. He didn't know how. It made his promise look empty.

He hated empty promises. He didn't make them either. He gave his word and his word was his honor. Sky pinched the bridge of his nose and settled back in the chair.

Zairian was alive. Zairian was hunting Iris. His parents were dead. He was chasing shadows. And Nefarious... Good old Nefarious was out there in Westmyth doing God knows what.

"He says he's fine but it's Sky." He heard Valentine speaking to Mae somewhere in the house. "That's what he always says about everything."

"Can you blame him?" she answered. "It's what guardians do. They lie so we don't worry, which is so totally stupid when we figure out that they're lying and then their lies only make us worry a thousand times worse! Mrs. Meyer does it. My dad does it. Gregory is the master of it."

"I just wish he'd take a second to breathe."

"He will." All the concern of a confidante leaked into her tone. "He's just... coping. We all are. I mean, our one shot to end this Zairian nightmare was a bust. There's no way you can just bypass that. Literally, all I can hear right now is time counting down for my best friend."

An irritated noise followed Mae's comment. "I want this to be over. I didn't sign up for this."

"Well, tough." A shift occurred and Sky could only guess she socked him in the arm or something of the like. "Like it or not, we're all in this together now. If Iris goes down, we all go down with her. There's zero fucking chance in Hell I'm letting that happen."

"Says the witch who barely Practices."

"Says the hunter who's been kicking ass since ten. I can handle my own. We just need a plan."

"I've got a cousin." Valentine was hesitant. "Morpheus. He's the intel kinda guy. Maybe he..."

If Sky bothered to pay attention, he would hear the rest of the conversation but he didn't care for it anymore. He knew his little brother was probably concocting some diabolical plan that revolved around one of his favorite cousins out of concern for his wellbeing. In spite of Valentine's protests, Sky wasted no time in going straight to work. It was arbitrary work really. More about their parents—or at least, more than what they had to go on two years ago.

It was frustrating to have so much yet so little at the same time. He didn't think that was even possible but whenever he looked back on his parents' execution that was how he felt. Like he had all the pieces of the puzzle but they were all jumbled up. A conspiracy.

Isn't that what governments are good at? Sky heaved a sigh.

The small frame on his bureau with his mother and father embracing caught his eye. They would want him to move on—for Valentine. Then again, they were strong advocates of justice. Their execution was injustice and he was their only surviving voice to bring it to light. He'd use his dying breath to do if he had to.

Death, he thought. Right. Zairian.

Right then, Sky resolved finding Nefarious mattered most. He wanted to learn what she knew about the hybrid and what her motives were. Of course, she told him she was in town for him but there was more to it. He could feel it. Then there was Samael to deal with.