Royal Reckoning by Stephanie St. Klaire

25

“She’s going to be okay,”Mendoza said as he entered the waiting room. “She’s asked to be put in Wit’s room, though. I wasn’t sure what you thought about that.”

“I’m okay with it.” Eli laughed. “He saved her life. At least I know she’s safe in there.”

“It’s only for a short time. I’m working up discharge papers, and we’ll get both of them over to Watermark to finish their recovery,” Mendoza said. “I’ll be able to watch them there.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to have to split your time so much. It’s asking a lot,” Eli said.

“I put in for a leave of absence,” Mendoza offered. “My heart isn’t here anymore. I need time to figure stuff out. Living the single life now, man. I need to get it together.”

“I heard. I’m sorry,” Eli said. “This life is hardest on the husbands and wives of the team.”

“Yeah. She deserved more than I could give her. We tried, man. It’s all we could do. So, for now, I’m moving to Watermark for a bit until I figure out my next move.”

Eli smiled. “A full-time Keeper?”

“Once it’s in your blood, man, it’s hard to shake. We need a doc on the team anyway. Doc Charles is a good guy, but he has his own thing in McKenzie Ridge, and his family is growing. It makes sense for me to fill that spot for now.”

“I look forward to seeing you around more,” Eli said, shaking his hand. “And appreciate everything you’ve done for us, mate.”

“Anytime, man.” Mendoza patted Eli’s shoulder.

“Have you met my brother, Sully?” Eli asked, and the men shook hands.

“It’s a pleasure. I’ve heard the rumors, but it’s nice to finally meet the face that broke the case.”

Sully nodded.

“I’m going to get back to our patients. Wit’s going on about some damn soup. I need to get them discharged before he gets all of us kicked out. I’ll let you know when you can come back and be with Cally.”

Rick Mendoza disappeared behind the swinging doors, and Eli and Sully took their seats.

“I knew it wasn’t you, brother,” Eli said. “I’m glad it wasn’t.”

“When I learned of Father’s business with Chalice, I knew my days were numbered. I couldn’t stand for what he was doing. I had to stop him, but I couldn’t do it any other way,” Sully said. “The hardest thing was leaving you and Pen. Jonas promised he would look over you, and he did. I watched from afar.”

“Jonas spearheaded this whole thing. He knew about Storm, knew about Chalice. It all just blows my mind.”

“He wanted to stop the king as much as the rest of us did and knew he needed to stop Storm. He tried to save him, but he was sucked into Father’s world, and there was no saving him.”

“How many other surprise siblings do we have?” Eli laughed.

“None. That was it. Father got smart and had a vasectomy.” Sully shrugged. “I wasn’t going to come back, Eli. I wanted to stop the chaos in your world, but I didn’t want to reappear and wreck it at the same time. When I met that asshole, Archer, in New York, and he divulged everything, I couldn’t walk away.”

“It’s interesting he didn’t catch on that you weren’t Storm. Apart, we all resemble each other, but up close, you can see the differences.”

“He was after one thing. Our sister. He couldn’t get the throne without her. It was quite an elaborate plot. Marry Pen, get her pregnant, have her taken out, and the child heir would be too young to take the throne so he would be its proxy until the child was of age. The amount of trouble he could cause in that time…”

“All the more reason to let the monarch go. Pen said she wants to if you’re okay with it.”

“I want nothing to do with it or Medaro. It’s no longer my home and hasn’t been for more years than I care to count.”

“Archer was behind Father’s poisoning then, wasn’t he?”

Sully nodded. “He needed him out of the way, and when news of your baby made it to Medaro, it added another layer that needed to be eliminated.”

Killion shook his head. “This is so elaborate. It’s going to take us weeks, maybe months, to dig through it all and make sure all loose ends are tied. Archer hired Storm but didn’t count on him double-crossing him and using him for information and access. We’ll need to dig into anyone Storm had dealings with to pull all of that off.”

“All roads lead back to Chalice,” Eli said. “Just when we think we have a grip on it, another chapter rises.”

“I’ve been chasing them for years,” Ryla added. “We’re no closer now to nailing them and dismantling them completely than when I first took over at Intelligence for Medaro. I think I’m going to take a note from the good doctor and turn in my papers. It’s time to step down.”

“You sticking around here?” Eli asked.

“For as long as you need me at least. There’s a lot I can do to help with those loose ends Killion mentioned.”

Eli smiled. “Pen is staying for a bit too. She’ll have to go back to Medaro at some point to settle business, but she’s already making plans and starting new here. I don’t know how I feel about having you all around. It’s been nice and quiet without you.”

Ryla socked his arm. “Shut up. You’re glad we’re here.”

“Yeah. I am.”

“Hey, Eli?” Mendoza popped his head out. “Someone is asking for you.”

“Go. Be with her,” Sully said. “We can catch up later and work everything out. I’ll keep working with these guys in the meantime.”

“It better be Cally asking for me,” Eli said as he approached the doors leading to the patient rooms. “If it’s Wit, I’m out of here.”

The group erupted in laughter. When Eli turned around and saw the waiting room full of his family by blood and family by choice, his heart was full. This was who they were. There was nowhere else they’d rather be. This was what made them the Keepers.

When he walked into Cally’s room, he paused and took her in. Storm had battered her face up something fierce, but his beautiful girl still shone through. If he wasn’t already dead, he’d kill Storm himself. Sully took care of that for them, though. Storm would no longer be a threat. And Eli was grateful.

Cally was rubbing her belly when she looked up and tried to smile at Eli through the swelling and bruising. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi.” Eli pulled the chair up next to her bed and laid his hand on her belly. “You doing okay, love?”

“I’m fine. Baby boy is fine.” A lone tear ran down her cheek. “Because you saved us. Again.”

“Nah. The team did. Our family did,” he corrected. “I wasn’t letting that monster out of there with you.”

“I don’t think you had to worry.” Cally chuckled. “Roger said he knew something was up, and that was why he called you as soon as he hung up with Storm. He was coming guns a blazing, he said.”

“Roger used to do this stuff. He can read through the crazy pretty good.”

“He flew me straight here and stayed with me until you all arrived.”

“I didn’t see him leave,” Eli said, then remembered and pointed up. “Helicopter.”

“Right.” She giggled. “Is it over?”

Standing and climbing into bed next to her, Eli held her, kissing the top of her head. “Yes, baby. It’s over. He’s gone and won’t bother us again.”

“So, I can finally have a good cry?” she teased. “I didn’t remember much about Spain and Medaro until I saw him, then I remembered everything. It frightened me how much I remembered. That’s why I gave that drive thing to Wit. I knew he couldn’t get it in his hands. I don’t know what’s on it, but I knew it was bad. Storm called it the key to the world.”

“It is,” Eli whispered. “It’s a ledger for an organization. Whoever holds a ledger holds power in that organization. They’re everywhere, and there’s a lot of control that comes with it. But we have it now. And everyone is safe. At least for now.”

She nodded her head but didn’t speak.

“You must be tired, Cally. Rest, love. I’m not leaving you. I’m never leaving you. I’ll always take care of you and love you. Forever and a day,” Eli promised as emotion filled his voice. “I was so afraid when I knew he was in the building and that he had you. I was so afraid to lose you and the baby. God Cally, I almost died at the thought. As soon as you feel better and you’re ready, I’m going to marry you and paint the blue bunnies, and…”

His voice caught, and she let out a sob.

“Hey, now. It’s okay now,” he said.

“I know. I think it’s the hormones and just everything. I can’t wait to marry you and paint blue bunnies. I want it all with you,” she cried. “And I already love baby Wit.”

Eli sat up and looked at her. “Baby who?”

“Wit. He said you told him we’re naming the baby after him for saving my life. The baby’s life too.”

Eli jumped out of the bed and went to the door, looking up and down the halls for Wit. He turned to her. “Where is he?”

“He had to get some kind of scan before Rick would release him to Watermark. What’s wrong?” Cally giggled. “You don’t like the name?”

Eli came back to the bed and sat on the edge. “I’m going to ream that guy. I said he could be the baby’s godfather, but his name is awful. It’s a damn mouthful and just…awful. I swear, if the baby’s first words are yeehaw…”

Cally broke out into laughter. “I know. He told me. I was just teasing you because I wanted to see the look on your face that he saw. He told me you looked like you’d smelled a skunk's butt and took one to the face.”

“What does that even mean?” Eli asked. “I don’t understand that guy. He says the weirdest shit.”

Cally’s laughter grew, and Eli couldn’t help but join her.

“I love you, Cally girl. You’re my everything. Forever and a day.” Eli leaned down and kissed her.

* * *

Eli was bound to have an edge of your seat plot twist - don’t worry, there’s much more to come for the new characters…

In the meantime, we’re going to get to know an old favorite…this O’Reilly cousin has been waiting for his story and it will not disappoint! Ronan O’Reilly has his eyes on a new case…but it’s one of his brother’s heart.

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