Chapter 9

Tyler frowned at the results on his computer. This was not what he had been expecting. He was at least looking to find some trace of treason by Igor Everwood. To say he was surprised to find that Igor wasn't alone would be an understatement.

Ethan Wolvesly, Stanton Iverson, and Pauline Kane were all in cahoots together. If their children could be added, that was ten people all together were trying to ruin the new Kingdom. There was undoubtedly more but they weren't listed. This was too big a project for there not to be more.

He inhaled deeply then rubbed his face in agitation. This was not supposed to happen. They were supposed to be safe from everyone, but if Everwood had his way, none of them would be safe.

He had been present when Aiden took on her grandmother and won the abdication. He had been there when Mikey was crowned and he had been there when she moved back home to Pennsylvania to start school. When she found out she was pregnant and the bastard refused to take responsibility, he had been the one to offer support.

The one time he had faltered in following her had been when she had had to exact justice on his twin brother for killing Keldin's significant other and bondmate Eric Martin, but that had been only because it was his brother that had been caught in the crossfire. It had taken a while to understand but when he did, he knew it had been for the betterment of their people.

Tallyn had lost any and all control over his powers. That was a danger to everyone, and when he had killed Eric in a fit of rage, there had been nothing else they could do. Their laws were stringent when it came to normal humans. Justice had to be exacted right then and there. As the ranking official and Tallyn's partner, that had fallen to Aiden. A heavily pregnant Aiden.

In the last year since the incident, Tyler had done his best to keep her safe. No one had known what would happen to the baby when she had Shadow-Walked to help Keldin. There had been so much she and the baby both had had to endure after that. Their bond as friends and family had been cemented in that moment.

When Aiden had asked him to be part of her Court, he didn't hesitate to say yes. Now he was wondering if they could really pull this off. They had the backing of Mikey but was it enough? Was it enough for them to go on the offensive against the last of the Empirical regime?

He hit print and shoved the papers into a manila folder. As he dumped them on a shelf, his door opened. Austin sauntered in but he could tell from his best friend's slouched position, it wasn't good news. Finally someone he could talk about this to without the backlash from the Crown, either Crown.

"What'd you find?" he asked as Austin slouched in the chair across from his desk.

Austin ran a hand over his face then propped his head on his fist and looked at him. "Nothing good that's for sure. Igor Everwood is behind the whole thing."

"Yeah, that's what I found as well."

"What are we going to do, Tyler? There's no way we can fight the old regime. If I remember correctly, Igor had a high place in Celia's court. He could do no wrong. How do we take down nearly two hundred years worth of corruption?"

Tyler's eyes lightened. "Maybe there is. Do you remember the old tome in Koen's library? The one that stated the history of our people and the rules that had been in place since those times?"

"Yeah, it was leather bound and smelled bad. Koen had it sent out to a professional to have it preserved. What about it?"

"If I can get my hands on it, I can find the passage that talks about what to do with people of a different faction who are trying to take the new one down. it might help us figure out what to do."

"Will Koen allow you to see it? He is the archivist for both factions."

"If I tell him what's going on and he swears not to tell Mikey, maybe I can catch them in the act." Koen hadn't taken sides. He was the Father-King for a reason. He had opted to take on the role as archivist and confidant should anyone need it. He was a wealth of information, and most of the time all they had to do was ask.

"Are you going to reformulate the cameras at Mikey's for this purpose?"

"I thought about it but I don't think so. I know they watch those cameras very closely. I'm going to have to monitor their computers. It's going to be tricky but I think I can pull it off." He started rambling in techno babble.

Austin watched his best friend go back to his computer screen. His eyes flicked across the screen before he typed furiously. Austin knew when to leave his friend alone so he stood up and left the room. He sagged against the wall outside the door. Boy, was he tired. He had pulled an all-nighter doing the grunt work. It was easier for him to get in trouble than it was for Tyler. No one expected Tyler to play dirty so Austin did it for him.

If they couldn't stop this, it was all over. No more working on their degrees, no more hanging out, no more anything. They would be forced to endure either exile or the retribution of the Golds. He'd seen what Aiden's grandmother had done and he hated it on her behalf. What would he do if he was the one in exile? It didn't make him feel bubbly inside.

He slammed his fist against the wall in agitation. When he agreed to do this, he knew Aiden was the best one for the job. What if she didn't do anything? What if she allowed them to rot in exile? Shaking his head of the thoughts he suddenly had coming to mind, he continued down the hall. He couldn't think ill of his friend that way.

His stomach rumbled as he came to the bottom of the stairs. Detouring he went into the kitchen where he found Aiden sitting by the bay window with a cup of coffee staring at the river running behind their house. It had taken a lot to find a good place to build. So they decided on a place outside of the metropolitan area. It was tucked in a secluded area with forest on the east and the river running to their south. The house faced the north with the wings directly in the east and west.

"You know a river is never the same," she said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and went to the brunch table in the window. "It's always flowing, always changing. You can go to the same spot and never step in the same water every time."

"Have you been watching Pocahontas again? You are quoting 'Just around the Riverbend,'" he said as he blew on the liquid in his mug.

She shook her head and sat down. Staring at the cup, she asked, "What if I do something wrong?"

He looked up. "What are you talking about?"

"What if I'm not good at this? What if I screw this up royally and don't get this done in time?"

"What's got you thinking like this all of a sudden?"

She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I know about the investigation you and Tyler are doing. I can't say I condone hacking into my brother's files but if it helps, it helps. I just want to know why the men aren't building at the rate I know they can."

Austin expected a totally different question but he answered anyway. "Igor Everwood is the one that contracted them and he also told them to work as slowly as possible. That's why it's not getting done." He sat back suddenly. "Wait a minute. I know that look. What are you planning?"

"Where are Klark and Jesse?"

"Watching the workers. Why?" He dropped his head when she jumped up from the table, making the cup slosh its contents. "Why do I tell her what she wants to know? Oh, right. She's a Truth Hearer. I can't lie to her if I wanted to." Sighing he got up and followed her out the door.

She was talking animatedly with her brothers as they leaned over the schematics the workers were supposed to be using. He watched as the younger brother, Klark, lifted his sandy head and nodded at his sister. Jesse was the skeptical one of the Jenks kids but as his sister kept talking, realization dawned in his dark blue eyes. As a united front, they turned and began shooing the workers off. Klark got in a heated conversation with the foreman that ended in him shoving him off the property rather forcefully.

"Okay… What was that all about?" he asked.

Aiden smiled as the southern humidity formed sweat on her brow and what he could see of her chest. "If we're going to be a self-sufficient economy we start here. We've all built clubhouses and other funky stuff. Why can't we build our own home? We've got the supplies already. All we need is the man power."

"You do realize that none of us can read blueprints."

Austin turned around. Obviously the Jenks children had summoned a crowd with their loud arguing and shoving the hired help off the property. He smiled in remembrance. Aiden had done that once before and she had gotten done whatever that needed to be done faster than the workers had. She was a genius after all

"I'm in," he said as he raised his mug in mock salute.

Aiden's smile widened then she looked at everyone else. "You're going to have to pull your own weight at some point. Why not start now? Help me build the rest of home and you'll get double your pay once we get on our feet." Her smile grew infectious as everyone stepped forward to help. "Okay. We'll work in shifts starting tomorrow. It'll be easier keeping everyone occupied with something. Our first Council meeting will be after we get this place up and running."

With everyone in agreement, they all went their separate ways. Austin watched Aiden, Klark, and Jesse bend their heads over the schematics again as their father walked over to help. With those three putting their heads together, anything was possible.

Something flashed across his mind. It was quick and very fleeting, but it left an impression.

"Heads together. Oh shit!' He took off for Tyler's room.