Damian's Oracle

Damian chuckled. "It wasn't either of your faults. I think this was a small thing they call fate," he assured them. "And thank you both."

"We still good for tomorrow?" Jule asked, referencing their journey to Europe.

"Yep. Dusty and Darian will be babysitting my Oracle."

"I'll keep her in line," Dusty assured him.

"I'm too angry at her to pity her," Jule said. "You gonna try to rein in Pierre, too?"

"If only. The day kiri grows tired of him, he's going to my behavior modification training," Dusty assured him.

"Only if kiri agrees," Damian warned.

"Is this how you train 'em in the eastern hemisphere?" Dusty demanded, turning to Jule.

"Better a benevolent team player than a dictator," Jule retorted.

"Disciplinarian. I don't let them run amok and follow their feelings. I give them structure," Dusty corrected him.

"Like robots."

Their long-standing feud over leadership styles was interrupted as Darian appeared in the midst of them. Damian's throat tightened, and his eyes misted at the sight of his brother. Darian appeared confused as he took in Jule and Dusty, recognition blooming slowly. He turned to Damian, his scarred features the most beautiful sight Damian had ever seen.

"Ikir," he said, nodding his head in submission. "May I see kiri?"

"You don't need permission to do anything," Damian said gently, aware his brother was not yet himself. "Please don't call me ikir. I'm your brother, not your master. And yes, go see kiri. She'll be happy to see you."

"I will be happy to see her, ikir," Darian said. He adored Sofia, that much was obvious, even if he wasn't really sure where-or who-he was most of the time. Damian's feelings for her swelled even more.

"How are you, Darian?" Jule asked with a warm smile.

"I am well, ikir," came the mechanical reply. "Please excuse me, ikir." And he was gone. Damian's gaze lingered. Darian had a long way to go, but he was alive.

"Take care of both of them, Dusty," he murmured.

"I swear it," Dustin said.

"He's as strong as you, D. He'll pull through," Jule said. "And Dust-man won't let anything near them."

"Damn right I won't."

Damian smiled. He knew as much and was as grateful for the two men before him as he was at finding his brother again.

*****

Visions of Czerno and home videos from Darian morphed into a grotesque nightmare that made her body shake, even as she tried to push the dream from her thoughts. Insomnia was a blessing from such darkness.

Come, Damian ordered.

She hesitated before pulling on her robe and obeying. The mansion was quiet again, the signs of activity from earlier gone. Pierre glanced up from the game he played on his iPhone as she passed him. He watched her until verifying where she went before returning to the game.