Royal Reckoning by Stephanie St. Klaire

11

The team wasin the Lair back home in Portland at Watermark Tower. Much of the team took up residence in Watermark Tower – it was easy since they traveled so much for various assignments. The Lair was the heart of the building where they came together, shared intel, discussed evidence, and planned missions. It was their version of a war room with walls full of screens so the IT experts could share information with everyone. It housed the multiple servers it took to operate stealthily but still in plain sight. It was worthy of its name, and they could run anything and everything from that space.

“It’s safe to say I’m a bit surprised to learn who you really are, brother,” Penelope said to Eli and offered a nod to Carter as well. “I had no idea you were this invested in…this type of work. But I’m glad and feel much safer now that I have the truth. I appreciate all of you, and I’m thankful for your protection.”

“Spoken like a princess.” Wit winked. “We’re happy to have you here. You need anything. You just ask.”

She looked at Killion and said, “I will.”

Killion was oblivious to her acknowledgment, but the others weren’t.

Ryla noticed too. “Yes. Killion here is brilliant. He’s set things up to look like you’re on holiday mourning your father while also planning a wedding.”

“Yes. I do have a ruse in the works, and I went ahead and tapped Ryla’s resources to offer a faux security detail to make it believable. Once we took off, I worried that you’d be made because there would be questions about you leaving without security. Medaro Intelligence is helping us out there both in Medaro and Stateside.”

“Excellent. I feel like I’ve snuck off with a gentleman, and no one’s the wiser,” Penelope teased.

“Technically, you did,” Israel joked, referring to the team. The attempt at humor was unusual for him. “You snuck off with several.”

Those around the table laughed at the teasing, which lightened the heavy mood that had been looming since they returned to Portland in the earliest hours that morning. Cally chuckled along with them, but the remark about what Eli did for a living didn’t stand out to her. She clearly thought his sister just wasn’t aware of what he did for a living. She also missed the princess comment and treated it like an endearing term – Wit flirting.

“It appears that Archer is none the wiser. He doesn’t seem to be bothered with your absence or suspect anything unusual,” Eli said. “I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.”

“It’s a good thing,” Penelope said, careful not to divulge too much because Cally still hadn’t been told everything and wouldn’t be until after she received a clean bill of health. It was the one thing they all agreed on – to keep her and the baby safe, despite the feeling of deceit it provoked.

“Safe from what, though?” Cally asked.

Eli placed his hand over hers and held it. “That’s what we are trying to figure out, love.”

“Can we circle back?” Killion said, pecking away at his keyboard. “I want to make sure I have the details correct on Cally’s encounter in Spain so I can retrace accordingly.”

She nodded. “What would you like to know?”

“You said you thought you were still in Spain and had no idea you were in Medaro…Can we start there? And if this is too much, we can talk later when you’re ready. I’m sure you’re tired. I’ve read that pregnant mothers – especially at your stage of pregnancy – are easily tired because it’s the time in which the fetus is developing the fastest and…” Killion paused as arms around the table crossed. He knew the look and knew the gesture – he was oversharing irrelevant details, per usual. “Well, your body is going through a lot. You just tell me if this is okay.”

Cally chuckled. “I’m impressed by your vast knowledge of pregnancy. Did you research just for me?”

The team might have found his constant hunger for information and facts annoying, but she found it endearing.

“I did,” he said softly. “If you have any questions…I, uh, can help you find information, you know, about the baby. And only if your doctor isn’t available.”

“That was very sweet of you, thank you.”

“I, uh, also sort of have a machine coming.” Killion looked at Eli and cringed, second-guessing the gift he’d ordered. “I have an ultrasound machine…coming. It’s really simple stuff. I looked it all up, and I, of course, can help you…”

“Killion…” Eli started.

“Help you learn to use it, Eli. I thought maybe you’d like to have one for…just in case,” Killion said.

“Doc Charles is bringing one over today,” Eli said. “So we will have one in the building.”

Killion straightened. “Oh, I know. I looked into the model he has, and it’s good but far too complicated. I ordered one that will be more… user-friendly. When I’m done with it.”

“Done with it?” Eli asked.

“I also ordered new components and have started to alter the software so when it gets here…well, it’ll just be much easier. I thought it might help you have peace of mind. I read about how mothers and fathers, especially first time, get anxious, and seeing their baby is helpful. Maybe it’s a little weird.” Killion shrugged.

“It’s thoughtful and kind,” Cally corrected. “I appreciate you doing something so special for the baby.”

Killion nodded briefly, then went back to business. “No problem. So about how you got to Medaro.”

“Right.” Cally appreciated him, and though he didn’t show much in the way of emotion, she knew he cared very deeply for everyone in that room. “I’m not sure what else I can tell you. Some of it is still very fuzzy.”

“Just tell us what you can remember, love. We can fill in details later if anything comes back to you,” Eli assured her, trying to keep this as nonchalant as possible. He didn’t want to rile her.

“As I said before, I was there to meet a client and scout wedding locations and have our first face-to-face,” Cally began. “Our correspondence to that point had mostly been emails with her and her assistant. They’d paid a hefty deposit to secure my services, and I traveled there at their expense.”

“Nothing was odd to you?” Ryla asked. “Do you do background checks on clients?”

“No, not really. My clientele is usually very public and well-known. My services aren’t…cheap. That alone weeds out the less desirable clientele, or so I thought. Honestly, I’d never had an issue before. If I’m contacted by someone I’m not familiar with, I usually do a quick Google search and can confirm rather quickly who they are. She’s the daughter of a rich sheikh from Abu Dhabi. There were plenty of social media hits, and the name came up often all over the place, like entertainment sites. I thought they just weren’t as well-known here and a household name.”

“I think we should change that,” Eli said. “We have the resources here, and it’s quick and easy. Let the guys run a background.”

“Eli…” Cally started. You could sense she appreciated his concern, but something about the way she said his name made everyone cringe.

“I’m sorry. I just meant we can look into that,” he corrected, realizing his overstep. His intention was to protect her and their child, but there was a fine line between being protective and overbearing, and he was leaning toward the latter.

“Okay, moving on…” Ryla said, getting back to the subject at hand. “What else do you remember? Ignore the buffoon next to you, concerned with background checks that are a little too late at this point.”

Ryla winked at Cally, and she relaxed into her chair with an appreciative smile.

“Well, there isn’t much else. I had been to a handful of places on my list and intended to meet the client at a small bistro near the hotel to discuss the options and make plans to tour them over the next few days. I started to feel ill, a bit nauseous, which is normal these days for me, but there was this overwhelming sense of unease and fatigue that came with it.” Cally paused, brow furrowed, as she stared at the table, trying to piece together the rest of what happened. “She was late, very late, and though that can be typical when dealing with people of certain means, I just had this gut feeling that I needed to get back to the hotel. So I went.”

“You walked?” Killion asked.

“Yes, it was literally around the corner and across the street. Not even a full city block,” she recounted. “I checked in at the front desk, and there weren’t any messages, so I left one of my own for the client should she arrive looking for me, and that was it. I don’t remember much else.”

Ryla looked at Killion. “I assume you can grab any nearby surveillance feeds? Let me know if you need help with red tape.”

“Red tape is never an issue,” he said confidently. “I can get in anywhere I need to get what I want and get out before anyone knows I’m there. I actually started pulling footage while we were on the plane ride back.”

Ryla shared an impressed look that went over Killion’s head once again.

“How about when you woke up?” Eli had already heard a rushed highlight reel version but wanted to see if any new details came to light as she was trying to recall it again for the team. “Did you wake up at Jonas’?”

“Yes. Actually, no. Not at first.” She crossed her arms and tilted her head, gaze fixed on the blank screens across the room. She was remembering something. “I’d laid down on the bed. I was dozing off, kind of in and out. I remember thinking something wasn’t right and that this wasn’t just pregnancy tired. That I needed to call for help, but I couldn’t even get up. I was starting to panic and fought to stay awake, but the darkness just kept threatening. Then I saw you.”

It was a new detail emerging, and everyone straightened. This could be the detail that broke the case wide open. Cally had everyone’s undivided attention. Even Killion had stopped rolling his fingers over his keyboard.

“Me?” Eli questioned. “You saw…me?”

“Yes. Or I thought it was you. I was relieved that you were there because I needed help. I remember thinking, how did you know I needed you and get here so quickly. It was like a dream, a confused dream where everything made sense, but then again, it didn’t. You scooped me up, and I wrapped my arms around you…. Did this happen? Did I dream it? This doesn’t make sense. If you were there, then why was I waiting for you with Jonas?”

“We don’t know what happened yet, love. I think whatever you remember was very real to you, and we’ll be able to make sense of it soon enough. Just finish telling us what happened next, and we can all figure this out. I’m sure it’s something simple.” He kicked himself for lying to her because Eli, along with everyone else in that room, knew it was anything but simple.

She nodded and continued. “I think I mumbled a few things… asked how you got there so fast.”

“And what did he…I say back.”

Cally stilled, and her face paled while her cheeks flooded with color. Her eyes were large as they moved around the table, looking at each one of them, pleading with them in silence to help her.

Eli grabbed her hand and placed an open bottle of water in front of her. When she went to grab it, she knocked it over, and it began to spill. Everyone leaped to their feet, reaching for anything within grabbing distance to sop up the mess that was leaving her even more flustered. Wit grabbed another water and sat at her side this time and held it for her. He looked at Eli first as if asking permission to help her, and he nodded. Eli was too close to this. It broke him to know that somehow this memory that was haunting her involved him – or at least she thought it had.

“It’s okay, darlin’,” he said, raising the bottle. “Let me help you with that. Just take a sip and settle down a little bit. You’ve had a long couple of days, and I bet you’re just a little parched.”

Cally nodded slightly as she sipped the water offered and grabbed it with her own shaky hand.

Wit held her free hand and patted it gently. “There ya go, mama. I bet that little one is moving in circles and wearing you plum thirsty.”

She set the water down and offered him a thankful smile. “I think you’re right. Maybe a little jet lag happening over here. Does that happen this quickly after a trip?”

“I think just crossin’ the street is exhausting sometimes, and here you are, growin’ a handsome little devil and traveling the world. I’d say you earned a nap, little mama. You need to go up and rest, or do you want to share the last few things you remember.”

The truth was, Wit didn’t know if there were a few things or a lot of things left to share, but putting it in such a way had implied she was almost done, and she’d not have to revisit this again. This was what Wit was good at. Using his charm to get what he wanted, and Eli was fucking grateful for the annoying bastard and his oddball ways. As much as Eli wanted to be her saving grace in all things, it was Wit Meyer this time. They all had their special gifts, and this was his.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you. I think I was just thirsty. Tired, like you said. I can go on. There isn’t much else to share, and then I’ll excuse myself and rest a bit if that’s okay?”

“You’re the boss,” Wit said. “Whatever feels comfortable. I’ll even get you some of my soup if you’re hungry.”

“That soup was really good.” She chuckled. “Weirdly good. But I’m fine. Thanks. Um, okay. So, I remember asking how Eli got there so quickly and how he knew I needed him…”

She wasn’t even looking at Eli at this point, and that chill coursed through her again. Whatever she was remembering was blocked somewhere in her mind, but they were all superb profilers and read body language at expert levels and knew that memory, the part locked away, was suppressed for a reason. Deep down, whether she was able to recognize it or not, it was disturbing. Haunting her. It had frightened her. The mind was powerful that way and protected us from such things, but it was equally a type of betrayal that our own mind could play such dirty tricks and harbor secrets from us.

“You said…he…said… Something like… He’d been there all along. That he’d been with me the whole time.” She paused once more, fighting back emotion, but it was too overwhelming, and she couldn’t contain it. Tears welled over, and she hiccupped over her words. She couldn’t remember what he said clearly, but she did remember that it upset her. “He said he always would be? I think? And that was when I knew it wasn’t you. Like in the back of my head, I knew something was wrong again, and that…it wasn’t you.”

A pinch in the heart was the reward Eli received for putting her through this trip down memory lane. He was speechless. She knew it wasn’t him because he said he’d always be there, had always been there, had followed her? As if Wit could read Eli’s mind, he probed a bit more, and Eli was relieved that it didn’t make sense to Wit either.

“Oh, come on. That man is head over heels for you. He did chase you halfway around the world. Surely you know he’d be there for you…He’s kind of like a stalker, if you ask me,” Wit teased, lightening her mood once more.

“Oh. No. I’m sorry. That was not what I meant. It’s still a little foggy. I guess I’m still missing something. Like I can kind of see it in my head, but I’m having trouble sharing it with you… It wasn’t what he said that let me know it wasn’t Eli. I do believe he’s a bit of a stalker too,” she teased, looking at Eli in hopes she didn’t offend him by not being clear. “He kissed me. That was how I knew. I knew it wasn’t Eli when he kissed me. It just wasn’t…Eli. I remember that panic returning, then nothing. I woke up in Jonas’s house. Thought I was still in Spain. He’d said I slept for fourteen hours or something.”

“Now that was a good nap. See, told ya. The little man in there already wearin’ you out,” Wit teased, hoping to bring her down slowly so she didn’t focus too hard on that which was still a hot trigger.

“You have no idea. He’s his father’s child. I can already tell you that,” Cally teased.

“Well, we got time to fix that,” Wit said, earning a round of laughs. “It ain’t too late to make him decent.”

Eli flipped him off, and Wit gave him a wink.

“I think I’m screwed no matter what with all you around,” Cally tossed back. “This poor kid.”

More laughter was shared, but nobody said anything. They weren’t done. They knew how this played out, and it would end with Cally finishing the story, feeling in control, none the wiser that she’d been manipulated into pulling those details from a place her mind, and likely her heart, would rather keep hidden.

“It was strange, waking up there. I was a little groggy at first, but I saw all my things there and somehow felt…safe. How does that even make sense? No clue where I am, but I’ve got my bag…so everything’s great. I went downstairs, followed the delightful smells coming from the kitchen, and there was Jonas.” She shrugged. “Never seen the man in my life, but somehow, I knew he was a friend. Weird, right? He started talking right away about Eli, Carter…everyone. Like we were old friends, and I was there for a visit. When he said you were on your way, it seemed normal, like that was exactly what was supposed to happen. Like it was already a part of the plan. I have never walked into a strange man’s kitchen and sat down and exchanged life stories like that. Weird, right? Is that a pregnancy thing?”

Ryla smiled. “I think it’s a Jonas thing, darling.”

“Well, as weird as it all sounds, from the minute I woke up there until you guys came barging in – that scared the shit out of me, by the way – I felt safe, fine, not a worry in the world. I didn’t worry again until you guys went all guerilla warfare and stormed the place. I was already waiting, bag by the door. Jonas said you were on your way when he left me. Talk about making an entrance.”

“I’m sorry you were scared,” Ryker said. “We just wanted to get you back to the plane in a hurry so grump ass over there would quit moping around. Next time, take him with you, please.”

She laughed. They all did.

“It’s okay. Next time, maybe we can spend some more time there? Or better yet, maybe Jonas can come here when the baby is born. He was so excited about the baby and getting to see you all again – said it had been quite some time. In fact, I didn’t know you had a sister until he told me, and he spoke of Ryla. All of you. I don’t know if something went bad at some point or not, but I sensed some sort of regret. Maybe it’s something that can be worked out. He kept saying how much he loved all of you and how you were like his own children. Especially you, Eli. Maybe you two can reconnect.” Cally was much more herself speaking of the lighter things, or what felt lighter to her. She didn’t know the facts, the details, that Jonas was a player in this charade or that he was dead. To hear her speak of Jonas in such fondness was nearly unbearable for those close to him, who knew the truth, to hear.

“Oh. And your brothers.” Cally cupped her hand across her forehead in frustration. “Oh, what were their names. They were different. Not typical.”

“I only had one brother,” Eli corrected. “Sullivan – we called him Sully – he was several years older. He passed in a training accident years ago.”

“Sullivan. Yes. He told me about Sully. I thought there was one more?” Cally looked at her folded hands, then back to Eli. “Maybe he was referring to Carter too, then. I thought your connection was newer, but that must be what he meant. Jonas talked about so many people that I started losing track.”

The team exchanged looks. Without saying a word, they were sharing the same thought – something was still unclear. They knew more now, but not enough. And something about Cally’s interactions with Jonas was odd. Was he just a kind man, or did she unknowingly bring back information he wanted her to share? Maybe she would recall more over time, or they’d be able to piece it together without whatever she still had locked away.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” she asked with an uncomfortable chuckle. “Is there something…”

Wit grabbed her hand again and swept her knuckles with a kiss. “Nothin’ I can think of, mama. Just happy to have you home, safe and sound.”

Eli was bailed out once again by Wit. He didn’t want to lie to her and tell her everything was fine when it wasn’t, but he didn’t want to frighten her any more than she was either. The shitty part was that he didn’t know if keeping the truth – the whole truth – from her was to protect her or himself. He’d have to tell her, but selfishly, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He supposed that would come with consequences, but he didn’t want to rile her any more than they had nor did he want to taint any memories she had yet to discover.