The Five

12. The Apprentice

Every step toward the living area seemed to get harder. Akashi even stopped in the middle of the hall and tried to turn around, but Freya urged him gently to keep going. When they finally arrived, it was quiet. Takuma and Joe were the only two left in there. The rest of the gang was missing.

"Where is everyone?" Freya asked she and Akashi walked inside.

Joe looked up at her. "Sara is on patrol. She took Divinity with her because she wouldn't shut up about it. Addey took Sasuke to get his room set up so he would have a place to lay his head tonight. I kind of figured whatever was wrong with you was serious and you didn't want everyone to know. Was I right?"

Akashi gulped. "Yes." He felt sick again. His legs didn't want to move, so he was grateful when Freya led him over to a chair. She started to leave, but he grabbed her hand. "Please stay by me."

"O-Okay," Freya stammered. He was looking at her so earnestly she couldn't say no if she wanted to. She sat on the arm of the chair.

"Thank you." He let go of her hand and clasped his together in his lap. He cast his eyes to the floor.

"I take it you have something you want to tell us," Takuma prompted impatiently.

"I do," Akashi said. His voice was barely audible. "Just give me a minute."

Freya shot Takuma a dirty look, but he pretended not to notice. She rubbed her hand on Akashi's back. "Take your time."

He took a deep breath. Slowly, he raised his head, his eyes locking with Joe's. "I freaked out when I heard his name. I-I know Kusa. I've dealt with him before."

Joe's lips formed a thin line. Part of him was shocked. "So what can you tell us about him?"

"He's cunning and cruel. He doesn't care what he has to do to get the job done. He likes to torture those weaker than him. But the thing I think you need to know most of all is he never does anything at random. He always has a plan."

"This is helpful," Joe commented. "This information will help us catch him."

"Kusa won't be caught until he wants to be caught," Akashi said bitterly.

Takuma frowned. "How do you know him?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Kusa is--no, he was-- my father's apprentice."

Joe's eyes widened in alarm and Takuma inhaled sharply.

"He was Jay's apprentice?" Joe said in disbelief. "I don't believe it."

"It's true," Akashi insisted. "He was training to take his place as the head of Serus. When my father was killed, he was planning to step down. He passed on everything he knew to Kusa, even the spellbook he kept with all the darkest spells in his arsenal."

"That's comforting," Takuma commented, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you have any idea what he could be planning?"

He shook his head. "I haven't seen him in years. But he had to be the one who was keeping me chained up in the cottage basement. He knows the layout of my house like the back of his hand."

"I wonder why he didn't kill you."

Akashi shrugged. "I don't know. I asked myself the same question. It doesn't make sense. He knows what I can do. And I'm not trying to brag, but he could have hurt The Five considerably by getting me out of the way."

Freya glanced at Akashi with sad eyes. It was obvious this was painful for him. But she got a distinct feeling there was more to the story than what he was telling Takuma and Joe. There was a bigger reason why he'd locked himself in the restroom.