Seventy-one

This is going to be a very long night. One that I easily consider the longest night in my entire life. But before, we even continue, I need to do what we came here for in the first place.

Shuffling in my seat to face Laira," I need you to make me a portable Faraday cage," That catches her attention, her excitement is tangible as she slowly peels her eyes away from Apple to look at me.

" Now?" She waves a hand at Apple and I know she doesn't want to miss this conversation. She doesn't want to be out of the loop or get second-hand accounts. I agree that it sucks but it's a necessary evil.

" Sort of," I give her my best apologetic smile and she sighs, defeated or maybe exhausted. Could be both.

" Smart," Apple hums," Trapping a Sarteri," That gets everyone's attention, as we all slowly offer him our full and undivided attention," They are known to be fickle," He sighs happily- this child is going to do my head in," Can't decide really which side they are on. They never did. As soon as the tally shifts, they do too. Always trying to be on the winning side. A bunch of boot lickers, " Silence. Absolute silence around the table. Nobody knows how to weigh in. I don't either. I love Shay and even though he did leave me stranded on more than one occasion, I still don't find the strength to hold it against him.

" Right," I say glumly, " That's helpful," Apple smiles at that, pride radiates from every pore as he preens at the praise. Not much of a praise really, it's more of a conversation filler.

" I should get started," Laira pushes up from her seat with a deflated sigh, and Aaron follows suit.

" It won't take long, so keep the good stuff for when I come back," Laira adds over her shoulder, while Aaron slides in front of her to show her the way. I'm more than sure that they have what they need in this tin can but I don't dwell on it for long. More pressing matters at hand and all that.

" Which side are you on?" Mason asks, from beside me, as he finds my hand under the table and threads his fingers with mine. It's a comforting gesture, so I lean in. Being injured, he needs it more than I do.

" I'm a Manani," Apple answers and I have to know why isn't he turning his nose up when Mason asks him questions.

" I remember your kind from the book," Apple's brows pinch for a second and then nods and smiles in understanding.

" Why do you answer his questions and not the others?" I slip in my question before Mason asks him something else.

" He is your consort. You'd find it insulting if I refused to speak to him. And my duty is to please you in any way you wish. It has been so for every generation of Manani. We serve the Ephemerae. The first Manani has sworn his fealty to your kind since the moment of our creation," Oh, boy. How do I tell him that I don't need a servant? Better said I don't want one.

" Is there any way I could free you from your vow?" I press on and Mason squeezes my hand because I'm hyperfocusing on the wrong thing but I can't help it.

" Death is the only way, mistress" Bollocks.

He says it with such lightness in his tone as if it is no biggie.

Clearing my throat " The blade? Tell me more about it. You said that it has been in the hands of the Ephemerae for generations. Has there always been a blade? I've seen the seals before Lily melted them to make the hilt, but no trace of the blade," Mason rummages through his pocket and pulls out the deep blue gem that I found in the trunk earlier and slides it on the table.

" And what does this do?" Apple gives the stone a strange look before Mason palms it and puts it back in his pocket.

" Every Ephemerae has to make the blade before claiming their birthright to command the daiō. It doesn't exist. It has to be made. Every blade is different but the same at the same time. Daiō fear the blade," He shrugs," You've seen what it can do. It has the means to end us with one simple swipe. It doesn't even have to be a deadly blow," He shrugs nonchalantly, accepting it as part of their reality. The smile slips off his face just a smidge but it comes back in the next second.

" Continue, " Mason urges Apple when he doesn't offer more information.

" When the first Manani created the seals, they were made with the purpose to unify the daiō under one ruler. Someone who would be strong enough to control them. Ephemerae is known to be quite whorish," I wince at his choice of words while Mason raises a brow at me in question.

" Is it true that we are all females?" I need to verify this little piece of information before he continues his story. It has been bugging me since Gerald pointed it out and I need to know. Although the existence of my brother kind proves his theory I quickly find the question I've just asked a little redundant.

Apple happily offers the information, " Mostly females, yes," He frowns," Most males are killed at birth. Bartholomew is the only one to have survived. A mistake on your mother's part. It has been described in annals as ' a mediocre attempt to conserve the illusion of power,'" I have to know what school they attend because his use of some words is hilarious. Mason smotheres a chuckle and scrunches his eyes closed in an attempt to calm himself down, and not burst laughing. This is no laughing matter but I'm sure it will be recorded in the annals.

" Back to the blade," Mason chimes in before Apple gifts us with yet another word that has sexual connotations.

" Yes, yes...the jewel is meant to project some of your power into a force field, " A shield of some sort. I'll have to have Laira incorporate it into the hilt to see if it still works that way.