Oracle

Part 20

"Good evening, Lord Calder," Elison said politely, his grandfather muttering the same words reluctantly. Elison's eyes were fixed on Calder's dark obsidian-like eyes which seemed to pool around him, entrapping him where Calder wanted him. "May I ask what I have done to offend you?"

"Offend? Oh, you mean the reasoning behind the ambush," Calder commented, chuckling to himself.

As the dangerous man came to a stop, so did his bodyguards. Both men were black, a lighter cooler terra cotta skin tone to Calder's rich sepia, their eyes were hidden behind black sunglasses and their heads were shaved bald. They were big, muscle-bound men who looked almost identical, to the point where Elison wondered if they weren't identical twins. They said nothing, just falling into a stance behind Calder meant to intimidate anyone who would dare try to harm the man.

"It's not an insult to you, more a formality that comes with going upwards in the organisation. Loyalty is something earned and why you have not yet done anything for me to doubt your loyalty Elison, you haven't done anything to ensure I know I have it."

Calder's black eyes flickered over to Elison's grandfather with a cool expression on his face. "I'm not asking him to reveal the location of your hideaway either Mr Eli," he reassured, while at the same time making the demon flinch at the use of his true name. "But the knowledge I know its location will no doubt keep him obeying my orders."

"A formality, I understand," Eli said through gritted teeth, his brown eyes almost glowing red now, his normally white optics turning black themselves. "We demons did teach you, humans, the tricks after all."

"Someone did Mr Eli," Calder acknowledged. "Listening to your conversation, I do have a few points I would like to clear up. First, exactly when were you planning to tell me that Jaspar is definitely a true seer?" his voice dropped a tone as Calder let a touch of heavy disapproval, almost anger, into his voice.

"Given I have only just learned the term..." Elison trailed off as he saw Calder give him a look which was clearly not in the mood for playing games. "I was planning to call you tomorrow morning sir," he admitted.

"This there a reason you didn't think this was important news to tell me right away and instead come to your guardian for relationship advice?" Calder asked, firmly.

"It won't happen again sir," Elison promised as he found no words to say to that accusation. It just hadn't occurred to him in everything else which was going on to call Calder and inform him that Jaspar was still having visions. A reason which would not be a good excuse for the underground mob boss.

Calder hummed. "It had better not Elison. I don't know what John has planned for the boy, but he seems oddly determined to keep him at the Rook," he commented darkly, clearly not trusting the fae. "Unfortunately I have no reason to fight it as the Rook's enchantments make it the safest place for him. I am counting on you to look after the seer and keep him safe from John and anyone else who might try to do him harm."

"True seers were often favoured by fae courts, young Lord. Might be that he's trying to gain influence again. He has been trapped on this land for a long time now, even by fae standards," Eli mentioned, Elison looking at his Grandfather surprised by this statement. Calder looked interested but not necessarily surprised.

"It is possible," Calder acknowledged thoughtfully as something passed through Calder's eyes. Something fleeting but Elison saw it, worry. The power balance between the two men was always a little uncertain but if John was actively trying to increase his power that was a concern to Calder. Even if he was technically a part of John's retinue to be regent.

"I won't let John or anyone else at the Rook hurt Jaspar," Elison nodded slowly. The idea that the fae would try to use Jaspar powers to increase his power was an unnerving thing. Not that Calder wasn't also going to exploit them but somehow the human underworld king doing and the fae man had different connotations. Even if John was very good to the humans in his care. "I'll try to avoid leaving him in John's care in future, sir"

"Please do, Elison," Calder nodded. "As for plans for the seer's future. Nothing too exciting for the most part. I believe John has already collected some pamphlets for you to discuss with the boy regarding lessons on how to use a cane and how to read braille. I think piano lessons was also in the collection?" Calder shrugged, "If not tell me. My daughter works at a community centre where they teach them. For now, I think we would be best setting the seer up with coping with his blindness before moving on to working for us." He said sounding oddly human about it. A strange phrase to use with someone who was fully human, but Calder had been in the dark for so long now, it was easy to forget he was just human at the end of the day.

Elison knew it was a power play in its own right, however. Setting Jaspar up to 'cope', was code for making him trust that they had his best interests at heart. Elison wasn't sure if the boy would see through it or not but Jaspar seemed like a smart young man. It wasn't going to be that easy to make the seer trust them.

"I understand, Sir," Elison nodded. "And if the boy has any more visions? Should I encourage him to tell people about them or keep quiet?"

"Let him talk," Calder shrugged. "From my limited understanding of these matters, seers who are allowed to record their visions and speak about them, tend to stay sane for longer. Moving on to other matters," Calder's glaze on Elison turned hard and serious again. "Bond with that young man all you want Matthias Elison, but if you dare force him to do anything before he is ready for it, I will castrate you. Is that clear?" Calder used Elison birth name for the same reason he had called Elison's grandfather by name. Names had power and Calder was proving he had the power to say them.

"I would never..." Elison stammered.

"Is. That. Clear?" Calder all but hissed. Elison felt his grandfather put a hand on his shoulder, and Elison wasn't actually sure if he was backing Elison up against the threat or joining in on the warning not to rape the seer. Calder's bodyguards seemed unsure too, the identical men shifting ever so slightly to be ready to move.

"Yes sir," Elison nodded sharply.

"Good. I had to deal with Kilroy the other day for taking liberties with the young woman he had been guarding. While unlike Kilroy you are not being hired out to guard, I am expecting you to follow the same rules of conduct. If you bond with him and he reciprocates, have all the fun you want but I will not stand rapist in my organisation," Calder growled darkly.

"For once, young Lord, I agree with your sentiment," Eli commented from Elison's ear. "If I hear of you falling to such depravities Matthias, you won't have to worry about your balls. Clear?" His grandfather used his name for similar reasons but for a different intention. Calder had the power to say Elison's name. Eli had the right to as kin and clan elder. He had the right to say his name and beat the laws of the clan into Elison if he didn't follow them.

"Crystal, Grandfather," Elison said, wondering when he had done something to make people think he was unable to control his urges.

"With that matter sorted, I will leave you to the rest of your night. Oh!" Calder said, almost like an afterthought. "I've dealt with the missing person report and sent notices to the seer's family. Bring young Jaspar to my office at ten thirty tomorrow morning so I can meet the young man. I also have his things from the hostel he was staying in. I figured he would like some of the possessions back."

"I'm sure he will be glad to hear it, Sir," Elison nodded.

"Goodnight gentlemen," Calder nodded at them before turning and walking away, his bodyguards who had barely moved a muscles following in his wake.

Once Calder was gone, Elison felt a weight lift off his chest. A mixture of fear and trepidation he had realised he had felt until it was gone. As he had mentioned earlier, sometimes because of the man's strong presence it was easy to forget he was only human. His grandfather tugged him close and kissed him on his forehead, muttering a spell of good fortune on him. Elison was going to need it.

"You're getting yourself into deep water here my boy," Eli murmured to his grandson. "Don't forget who John is, though it is easy with how lax his manner is. He is a very powerful fae and if he is looking to restart his court, you will be in the middle of it."

"Lord Calder would never let that happen," Elison said confidently.

"Much of Lord Calder's power is granted by John, Mati," Eli reminded, Elison idly wondering why people were starting to use his first name so much that night. "Calder will no doubt be a factor in John's plans. Watch everything carefully young one. The fae games of power are in many ways more deadly than demon games. Demon's kill and torture. The fae are more cunning when it comes to removing the barriers they have to their success."