Whispers

Accusations

The old man scratched behind his ear. “I’m saying it’s not unheard of for a whisperer to kill another.”

“But the histories—”

“Are a chronicle of life, not death, Lucius,” Dee’s voice came clearly from behind the double doors, which opened immediately.

Lucius and Tomas joined Travis and Desmond, already seated inside Dee’s office. Lucius nodded at Desmond while Tomas and Travis shook hands. Two chairs solidified from a puff of smoke before them. Lucius and Tomas didn’t hesitate to sit down.

"How is that possible, Dee?" Lucius asked, not waiting for acknowledgment.

Dee, his cowl down, tented his fingers in front of him. “The Histories chronicle the life of a whisperer, which as you know is quite long. You can live forever unless something like what happened to Sasha occurs. The chronicles of the death of a whisperer are in this book." Dee snapped and a large tome bound in black leather held closed by a skeletal hand appeared. "This is the Necronicles. Only I know the contents of this book.”

The moment Lucius saw the book he immediately wanted to read it. Oh, the secrets about the darker side of being a whisperer it must hold. All the salacious details. All the scandal. It would be a book hard to put down.

“Is that leather?”

But the way Desmond asked his question indicated he didn’t believe it was leather.

"It's bound by the skin from Adam’s back and held closed by Abel’s hand.” Dee snapped his fingers and the book disappeared into the unknown.

The group was rendered mute. Lucius was sure only the four of them knew of the Necronicles. At least, he never heard anyone speak of it. And he had a sinking feeling that if he told anyone about the book, no one would believe him unless the other three whisperers in the room corroborated his account. But from the looks of things, the book would remain a secret.

Dee rose from his seat made of human skulls and raised his cowl to obscure his heavenly features. “Now, to business, boys. We have a murderer to catch and punish.”

They all stood, but it was Lucius who asked, “Where are we going?”

“To view the body, of course,” Dee answered like they were just going out for lunch.

“Where’s the body?” Desmond asked, a tremble in his voice.

“We have Sasha in the morgue,” Travis said.

“We have a morgue?” Lucius and Desmond said in unison.

They all followed Dee out of his office like obedient children, two lines. Lucius and Tomas first with Travis and Desmond staying a step behind. They cut an interesting entourage for Dee. His robes flowed around him like it possessed a life of its own, curling, twisting, feeling the ground and walls it came into contact with.

Tomas answered Lucius and Desmond’s question. “It’s more like an empty room that we use for whatever purpose it needs to serve at the time. Today it’s a morgue. Tomorrow it can be a recovery room.”

“It was once a dungeon s***h torture chamber. Good times.” Travis said with relish, which sent goose bumps to rise up Lucius’ arms.

There had always been something odd about Travis. He was Dee’s enforcer. If a whisperer was out of line, it usually fell to Travis to discipline the offender. For as long as he lived, Lucius held on to a slight fear for Travis. He was the bogeyman. The one the caretakers at the nursery used to scare the young whisperers into behaving.

If you don’t clean your room, Travis will come for you. Lucius shivered at the memory.

“Lucius,” Dee said.

“Yes?”

“Tell me everything you can about your time with Sasha.”

Silence spread through them all faster than the Black Plague. Deciding it wouldn’t be as embarrassing the second time Lucius recounted everything he had said to Tomas. When he finished, they had reached the room being used as the morgue. Dee flicked his hand and the door slide to the side.

At the center of the room, on a stainless steel slab, lay Sasha’s body. She still wore the beautiful dress with the full skirt from the party. Her skin looked paler than from what Lucius remembered. Maybe a dead whisperer wasn’t any different from a dead human. But dead humans he had seen more times than he could count. A dead whisperer?

It was a first, and he had a feeling it was a first for Desmond too since his usually chatty friend remained silent. Morosely so.

Tomas and Travis looked calm like it was routine to see one of their own lying lifeless in a room with only a fluorescent spotlight on the body for illumination. But for his hands, Dee blended into the darkness.

“Your account doesn’t deviate from what Desmond has told us,” Dee said. “In fact, the time of her death indicates you were already safely home.”

Lucius held in his relief. He knew he was innocent, but it still felt good to have it confirmed by the authority. He leaned closer and examined the red starburst on Sasha’s forehead.

“So that’s what an energy burst looks like.”

“Yes,” Travis said. He demonstrated by putting his palm on a suddenly pale Desmond. To his credit, he didn’t flinch. “Residual energy travels up the arm from our core and released through the palm. If both whisperers have the same power capacity, the most that will happen is a short incapacitation for the recipient of the burst. But if the receiver were more powerful, then the energy will return to the sender. If the recipient adds his power, the burst can be reversed and the giver will be the one to die. But if the recipient is the weaker one.” Travis took his hand from Desmond’s forehead to indicate Sasha’s body.

Lucius gave Desmond’s shoulder a quick squeeze. He knew how hard it must have been for his friend to keep still while the bogeyman demonstrated what was done to Sasha.

“So I was right.” He glanced at Tomas. “She knew her attacker. She wouldn’t have allowed whoever it was to get close enough otherwise.”

“We’re looking at all possibilities,” Dee said.

“What about Janika?” Lucius asked.

“What about her?” Dee countered.

Unfazed, Lucius continued. “Sasha’s body was found in one of her penthouse’s guest room. I’m surprised she isn’t here.”

“Travis has ruled her out as a suspect,” Dee said matter-of-factly.

And that was that.

Janika was a dead end. But . . .

“What about her threat of killing the younger whisperers?” Lucius didn’t want to let it go until he explored all the angles. “Surely that is something to be considered in this case.”

“Janika is many things,” Travis folded his arms in front of his massive chest, “but she isn’t the type to actually follow through with that threat.”

“Then what now?” Desmond cut Lucius off before he put his foot into his mouth.

“All the whisperers who attended the party will be questioned.” Dee swept a hand to indicate Travis and Tomas. “They will be handling the investigation. But I want you and Desmond on standby.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” a double timbre entered Dee’s voice, “no matter what you’re doing, no matter where you are, you will come when called. Is that clear?”

Lucius was about to protest, but Desmond interrupted him again. “Crystal, sir. Crystal.” He patted Lucius’ chest. “Can we go now?”

Dee motioned for the door.

Without waiting for their master’s mind to change, Desmond teleported the both of them back to Lucius’ bedroom. Then he fell into the chair and exhaled the breath he had been holding.

“Man, that was intense. Too intense.” He touched his forehead. “I really thought Travis was actually going to show what it meant to send an energy burst.”

“Something’s not right here.” Lucius crossed his arms and rubbed his chin. Then he paced in front of the fireplace. “Why were they so quick to dismiss Janika as a suspect like that? And all because Travis said so?”

“Dude, you have to let this go.” Desmond manifested a beer and took a long swig. “You’re officially innocent. In short, stay out of it.”

“I can’t.”

“And why not? You’re the best at moving on and concentrating on your work. Why are you suddenly so into this?”

“I was the last person she was with, Des.” Lucius ran his fingers through his hair. “I feel like I owe her to find out who killed her and why.”

“Lu,” Desmond stood and stopped Lucius’ progress of wearing a path into the carpet, “What you should be making up for is the date that was obviously interrupted by this impromptu gathering.”

Thoughts of Karina settled the turmoil in Lucius’ mind. “How did you know about that?”

His friend showed all his teeth when he grinned. “You’re a very chatty when drunk.”