Damian's Oracle

"Discretion isn't a natural trait to Guardians," Damian said.

Just like their supreme leader, typed Dusty.

"What'd you do to him, D?" Jule asked. "He's been cranky all night."

"Chill, Dusty, it's not that serious," Damian answered.

An Oracle????? Not serious? Are you fucking insane? Dusty ended his message with a string of angry emoticons. Damian could feel his ire through the screen.

"It's not confirmed."

"Wow. Why didn't you tell him?" Jule scolded. "In fact, why didn't you tell me?"

"I just found out!" Damian snapped. "One of Dusty's newbies called me. If one of our guys calls, I'll go. They usually need something-they don't call just to chat. When someone gives me some more definitive info on her, I'll tell you."

"Anyway, back to my concern," Jule said. Damian knew if they had video chat, he'd see Jule rolling his eyes. "I'm out of ideas for dealing with my traitor issue, unless Dusty can send a few spies my way."

I'm short, but I'll send you a couple on loan. Want me to talk to Antoine?

"Cool, bro, thanks. Fuck no on talking to Antoine. I need him alive and preferably in one piece, Dusty, unlike the last time I sent someone to talk to you."

"I'll come to Europe after the Quarterly with some reinforcements," Damian offered. "We may need to make a couple of less-than-discreet strikes at Czerno's strongholds to push him back and give us some time. Can you hold things down for two weeks?"

"I'll do my damndest," Jule replied. "Hey-is it just me or is recruiting getting harder and harder?"

Definitely.

"Yeah. I think our traitors have some influence on that, too. I'm getting reports from the recruitment team that a lot of their newly flagged Guardians are getting whacked as soon as they make the list," Damian said.

Ask Claire what's going on, Dusty typed with a smiley face.

Damian grimaced, recalling the last time he'd seen the beautiful woman, his slain brother's wife. They never got any work accomplished when she was with him. They'd had a falling out a few hundred years before and hadn't spoken since. He wanted to keep it that way. Sleeping with her made him feel … guilty, like he was betraying his brother's memory. Yet, she was all that remained of his brother, and he cherished the connection. He preferred to know she was alive and well-and somewhere else.

"I'll assume by your silence you're still not talking," Jule said.

"Nope."

I'll give her a call. Maybe she can come to the Quarterly.

"Fuck you, Dusty," Damian said acidly.

"Damn women," Jule said. "I don't know why they say you can't live without them. I'm doing quite well."