Read Online Hunter of the Dead by Stephen Kozeniewski - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephen Kozeniewski
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cleared her throat; a gesture which it occurred to Idi Han was entirely vestigial.
“Well, you see, Father Cicatrice, with all due respect…”
“Oh, I see,” Cicatrice said, cutting her off sharply but coldly, “It’s not just two Houses. All twelve of you are arrayed against me.”
Sephera nodded, seemingly genuinely chagrined.
“Then the council convened without my presence to deliberate?”
“This is a matter of some urgency, Father Cicatrice,” Sephera said.
“Urgency? Decisions over siring and heirs in House Cicatrice? How could that possibly constitute an emergency?” Cicatrice eyed Topan. “What did he tell you?”
“Don’t be obtuse, Father Cicatrice, please,” Sephera mouthed, “It’s unbecoming.”
“This serial killer you’re all so worried about?”
“Serial killer?” Idi Han asked, “An immortal serial killer?”
“Possibly,” Sephera said.
“We don’t know that,” Signari stated flatly.
“More accurately I suppose I should say, a serial killer who preys upon immortals,” Cicatrice corrected himself.
“It’s no myth, Father Cicatrice. The data is as plain as the nose on my face.”
“I can count as well as anyone, Sephera. I know there are more lives lost than can be accounted for by Inquisition activity or accidents or even by cold war. Yes, there is something preying upon our kind, whether you wish to call it a serial killer or something else.”
“But what does that have to do with me?”
All eyes turned to Idi Han. Topan was the first to speak.
“You’re my tonic, little one. You’re my plan. My solution. The first rumors of the serial killer – or whatever you want to call it – started four years ago. I’ve been searching for someone worthy of siring for decades. Since the 1950s, wasn’t it, Father Cicatrice ? When we parted ways?”
“I seem to recall having to take you back under my wing since then.”
“Yes, you’re right. It’s only in the last ten years that I really began to scour the Earth, obsessed with a single thought: somewhere, out there, was a human with the potential to become the most powerful immortal who ever lived. And he… she , rather…would root out the serial killer like a rat. It would be my contribution to history.”
Cicatrice barked out a mirthless chuckle.
“And the council bought this load of horseshit? Without even seeking my presence to ask me if it were true?”
“Topan stood in your stead, old man,” Signari said, “Your heir. Superior to all your elders. We thought it no great matter to have him stand in your stead. Especially when his grievance was the one before the council. Because of the conflict of interest, we thought it best to recuse you.”
“Such a slight, Otto, I will never forget.”
Sephera stamped her foot.
“Yes. It was a slight. A tiny cut to your honor. You lost face when your idiot crown prince appeared before the council behind your back. But this is such a small matter, Father Cicatrice. A matter of pride, really. Give the girl back to Topan. He’s your heir, anyway. Perhaps finally having a get of his own to mentor will help domesticate him. Settle him down. Make him more like the get you always wanted.”
Idi Han stepped forward. She realized what she had to do.
“Very well. I’ll go with them.”
“A selfless Cicatrice!” Signari sniggered, “Now I have seen everything.”
Topan held his arms open; the smile on his lips suggesting all was forgiven. As if she had done anything wrong.
“Idi Han,” Cicatrice said quietly.
She stopped mid-stride. She turned back to look at him.
“Where do you want to be?”
She pinched her eyes shut. Memories of the homestead came back to her. Mama calling her in for supper. Papa keeping her up all night with ghost stories he shouldn’t have been telling her (according to Mama.) The pigs, ducks, and goats. Even that damned good-for-nothing cat that had been too lazy to catch a rat in all its life.
“I want to be back home,”
“Well, you see, Father Cicatrice, with all due respect…”
“Oh, I see,” Cicatrice said, cutting her off sharply but coldly, “It’s not just two Houses. All twelve of you are arrayed against me.”
Sephera nodded, seemingly genuinely chagrined.
“Then the council convened without my presence to deliberate?”
“This is a matter of some urgency, Father Cicatrice,” Sephera said.
“Urgency? Decisions over siring and heirs in House Cicatrice? How could that possibly constitute an emergency?” Cicatrice eyed Topan. “What did he tell you?”
“Don’t be obtuse, Father Cicatrice, please,” Sephera mouthed, “It’s unbecoming.”
“This serial killer you’re all so worried about?”
“Serial killer?” Idi Han asked, “An immortal serial killer?”
“Possibly,” Sephera said.
“We don’t know that,” Signari stated flatly.
“More accurately I suppose I should say, a serial killer who preys upon immortals,” Cicatrice corrected himself.
“It’s no myth, Father Cicatrice. The data is as plain as the nose on my face.”
“I can count as well as anyone, Sephera. I know there are more lives lost than can be accounted for by Inquisition activity or accidents or even by cold war. Yes, there is something preying upon our kind, whether you wish to call it a serial killer or something else.”
“But what does that have to do with me?”
All eyes turned to Idi Han. Topan was the first to speak.
“You’re my tonic, little one. You’re my plan. My solution. The first rumors of the serial killer – or whatever you want to call it – started four years ago. I’ve been searching for someone worthy of siring for decades. Since the 1950s, wasn’t it, Father Cicatrice ? When we parted ways?”
“I seem to recall having to take you back under my wing since then.”
“Yes, you’re right. It’s only in the last ten years that I really began to scour the Earth, obsessed with a single thought: somewhere, out there, was a human with the potential to become the most powerful immortal who ever lived. And he… she , rather…would root out the serial killer like a rat. It would be my contribution to history.”
Cicatrice barked out a mirthless chuckle.
“And the council bought this load of horseshit? Without even seeking my presence to ask me if it were true?”
“Topan stood in your stead, old man,” Signari said, “Your heir. Superior to all your elders. We thought it no great matter to have him stand in your stead. Especially when his grievance was the one before the council. Because of the conflict of interest, we thought it best to recuse you.”
“Such a slight, Otto, I will never forget.”
Sephera stamped her foot.
“Yes. It was a slight. A tiny cut to your honor. You lost face when your idiot crown prince appeared before the council behind your back. But this is such a small matter, Father Cicatrice. A matter of pride, really. Give the girl back to Topan. He’s your heir, anyway. Perhaps finally having a get of his own to mentor will help domesticate him. Settle him down. Make him more like the get you always wanted.”
Idi Han stepped forward. She realized what she had to do.
“Very well. I’ll go with them.”
“A selfless Cicatrice!” Signari sniggered, “Now I have seen everything.”
Topan held his arms open; the smile on his lips suggesting all was forgiven. As if she had done anything wrong.
“Idi Han,” Cicatrice said quietly.
She stopped mid-stride. She turned back to look at him.
“Where do you want to be?”
She pinched her eyes shut. Memories of the homestead came back to her. Mama calling her in for supper. Papa keeping her up all night with ghost stories he shouldn’t have been telling her (according to Mama.) The pigs, ducks, and goats. Even that damned good-for-nothing cat that had been too lazy to catch a rat in all its life.
“I want to be back home,”
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