Chapter thirty-six: Guests
Andr teleported them all to a cave near Ironhand. With the sun already descending and Kai—another Hunter Jack hadn't met—still not immune to the teleportation side-effects, it was decided that they wait until morning before returning to the town itself. Despite his tiredness, Jack found it hard to sleep with the Hunters being so close—especially Raulyn, even if he was technically a mob.
The following morning—still early enough for Athena to go outside—they started their way over there. Jack noticed the mobs and Hunters were somewhat separated but still close together, like water and oil. Jack was an exception, and he found himself walking right next to a bloodstained Andr. The blood bothered him a little bit—he'd known Andr as someone who always tried to use nonlethal force, but she'd slaughtered those Valkyries like it was nothing even before she knew they resurrected themselves. Jack understood that Andr was determined, but how could so much death come so easy to her? Jack had killed Valkyries too—not to mention Herskagul herself—but that hadn't been fun for him. And with Herskagul's inability to revive herself, he'd felt even more sick when he killed her.
Then there was something Herskagul had said… Jack vaguely recalled her saying something when Andr first appeared to her. He'd dismissed it, but with what he knew about Andr's amnesia and her strange behavior, it had begun to bother him.
He mentioned it at some point.
"Andr…" he said hesitantly, looking off to Ironhand in the distance. "Does the name Krysphion mean anything to you?"
She remained silent. Only when he looked up did he realize she was looking at him intensely, as if shocked by what he'd said.
"Are you…alright?" asked Jack.
She paused, then turned her gaze forward again. "I'm not sure."
She didn't say anything else. Jack didn't feel like prying. Maybe he'd talk to her about it when they were someplace safe, outside of the Hunters' reach.
Besides Jack, some of the other humans mingled with the mobs as well. Kai actually allowed Athena to sit behind him on his horse, and their conversation seemed oddly casual, as if they'd been best friends for years.
Mystia was still quiet. She'd fallen completely silent since seeing Jack, and she gave him uncharacteristically nervous glances. What was up with her?
They approached the town. Andr stayed close to Jack, and the mobs stayed close to Andr. Athena had even left Kai's side to stand near the teleporter, probably in case someone in Ironhand felt particularly aggressive.
As they got closer, Jack's unease only increased. He hadn't been here in a while. People were already roaming the streets, and they paused uncertainly as the group passed them. They eyed Andr's bloodstained form with horrified gazes.
Two figures in armor took note of them. Hunters, Jack guessed. Sure enough, the duo approached. Jack guessed Raulyn had reverted back to his human eye color, as the Hunters didn't seem shocked at all.
"Captain," one of the Hunters said. "You are back."
"Yes," Raulyn said. "We have what we were looking for."
The two guards gave Jack a glance. He felt Andr's grip around him tighten a bit.
"You received Flamma?" asked Raulyn.
"Yes, sir."
"Good."
"But we have other matters that demand your attention."
"What is it?"
The Hunter seemed hesitant and gave Jack another glance. "We have some new guests in Ironhand."
"Guests?"
"Humans, sir. Two of them. They said their names were Snyder."
Jack's heart stopped.
He barely noticed all eyes turning to him.
Silence.
"Where are they?" he finally demanded, looking at the Hunter intently. He rushed forward, only for Andr to hold him back. "Where are they, you sonofabitch!"
The Hunter was about to retort, but Raulyn said, "Tell him. Where are these two 'guests'?"
"In the jail, sir."
"Let me see them," Jack demanded.
Raulyn nodded. "Do as he says. Bring us to them."
Andr's grip on Jack's shoulder tightened, but she was needed to protect the other mobs. Jack could use a bodyguard, but not her. Not now.
He made his way out of her grip and told her to stay with the others. Then, guarded by Raulyn and the two unnamed Hunters, he was taken to a building that Raulyn said was the Hunters' headquarters. They took him to its basement.
A dimly lit stone room greeted him. There were a handful of jail cells, each separated from a central hallway with metal bars. Jack looked in each one of them.
He found the correct one soon enough.
The two figures behind the bars froze when they saw him.
Dean and Ruby. His brother and sister.