Enemy Mine

Chapter 56

I never doubted karma was real. The good and the bad, because sometimes shit happened that you knew came directly from an action you took not two hours earlier. This time, my karma came in the form of a phone call from Christoph.

"Willem bolted," he said as soon as I answered. "He left while I was at the market, so he has at least thirty minutes on me. I followed his scent to the river. He's headed west."

"What are your chances of catching up with him?"

"I can probably track him. Is that what you want, or should I head to the hive?"

Christoph's question stumped me. Was he asking my permission, or was he already thinking about the pardon he had just been granted?

"You need to do what's best for you, Christoph. The burden of Willem should fall on one of his relatives, not on you."

"My relationship to Willem is not as distant as you think, Reese. I care what happens to him."

"I didn't mean it that way."

"I know you didn't." Christoph took a moment to breath heavily through the phone, probably pacing, and this gave Vincent time to walk out of his office and join me in the kitchen. His wary gaze told me he had been privy to my conversation, so far. "The fact is, Willem has shut me out," Christoph went on. "Even if I do catch up to him, I won't be able to convince him he's better off here. I don't think anyone could."

Despite my worries about Willem, I couldn't argue against Christoph's logic. There was a time to push and a time to observe from a distance.

"You've done all you can for Willem. He has to help himself now. Go check on your friends at the hive. If Willem wants to come back, he knows where to find us."

"Okay. I'll let you know when I've made it, but once I'm in the hive, I'm sure my phone will be confiscated."

"Don't take any risks on our account. Hopefully, the next time you call you won't need a hospital."

He chuckled but it sounded flat. "That's the plan. Take it easy, Reese, and if you want to follow Willem's trail, don't wait too long. I can give you the coordinates, if you want to write them down."

"That won't be necessary," I said, glancing up at Vincent. "I know exactly where Willem is headed."

"Chicago?"

"Yep." I ended the call and Vincent was at my waist, wrapping his arms around me. "Willem took off," I said into his chest.

"That's what I gathered."

"I figure he's headed for Chicago to see Petula. I told Christoph to go to the hive and not worry about tracking him down."

"I would have suggested the same thing."

"Do you think Willem will be hindered significantly by his wound? He probably shouldn't grow wings in that condition." I lifted my gaze and found Vincent shaking his head.

"Taking his demon form will accelerate the healing process. That was probably what saved his life when he received the wound."

"Oh. What about his survival instincts? He said he hasn't left the hive in twenty years. There are serious pitfalls to being alone in the world."

"I would put Willem against any human survivalist, young or old, injured or not. If he really is headed for the convent, he knows the way, and he will be in good hands when he gets there."

I had to agree with Vincent on this one. Once Willem got to Chicago, Petula would take care of him. That's what a nun would do.

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