Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

But once there, they didn’t quite know where to start.

Frowning, they tried to phrase what they wanted to say in their head before launching it out there. “I wonder if I could have your help researching something.”

“I’m always down for research. The more challenging, the better. Whatcha got?”

“I don’t know how my parents died. What happened. The Jaeggi only said they died protecting me, and that I was now theirs. That’s all I was ever told.”

Cassie’s expression closed down into an angry frown. “I think we can guess something of what happened. But you want details.”

“Yeah. I don’t…I mean, I know it won’t change anything now. But I don’t even know if they’re buried somewhere.”

“Too many questions for you to get closure.” Cassie nodded, expression supportive. “I getcha. Okay, let’s start with what you do remember. Where were you when the Jaeggi took you? What are your parents’ names? Can you give me an idea of month and year this happened?”

Nikki told her, watched as she noted it all down in a new document before turning to another screen and typing into a Google search bar. As she typed, she directed, “Text Gunter and get him up here.”

“Uh, why?”

“Because he’s fluent in Dutch and I’m not.”

That was a fair point. Someone had to be able to read all of this. “Google Translate isn’t really to be trusted.”

“Oh hell no. And for this, we want to be accurate.”

Nikki fished out their phone and texted the request. It took only a minute to get a confirming text from Gunter that he was on his way up.

Cassie gave a grunt. “I’ve got an old article that’s been scanned in from a library in the town you just gave me. Your parents’ names are in the article, and the month and year line up. It looks like…a report on their deaths? I’m guessing, due to the picture.”

Nikki looked over her shoulder and saw the picture in question of what used to be the front of their house. They’d been woken out of a sound sleep by a Jaeggi and taken before they could even try to look for their parents. Nikki had been terrified, jabbering one question after another, not really getting answers. In the end, the Jaeggi had picked them up and hauled them into a car. It wasn’t until much later that night someone had offered any sort of explanation. All Nikki had ever known was the attack had happened at home.

“My parents must have put up quite the fight,” Nikki whispered.

“Sure looks like it. The next photo is redacted to cover the gore.” Cassie gave them a sympathetic look. “They were trying to protect you.”

Nikki had never doubted they’d been loved. And fiercely. But seeing the article as evidence brought back the old pain in a searing hot slash across their heart. Nikki’s parents hadn’t gone down without a fight. And that mattered, even if they’d failed in the end. Nikki was fiercely proud of them for that. They only wished the Jaeggi hadn’t succeeded.

Gunter strode through the door, looking Nikki over carefully as he came. “Alright?”

“We can’t read this.” Nikki didn’t know what else to say. Were they alright? No. And yes. Because this was an old wound, far in the past. But it still hurt, too. And likely always would, to one degree or another.

“Found an article about Nikki’s parents’ deaths,” Cassie said.

Gunter detoured long enough to plant a kiss on Nikki’s forehead, a gesture of comfort, before leaning over Cassie’s shoulder. It was clear from his expression he didn’t like what he was reading, but in a careful, modulated tone, he read the article, translating for both of their sakes.

Nikki listened with closed eyes to the somewhat dry recounting of how home invaders had entered the Bos home late one evening. How a brutal fight had broken out, and both young parents were killed. The child was nowhere to be found, presumably kidnapped. An alert was now in place to find the kidnapped child, a young boy by the name of Nicholai. There were no leads, no suspects, but evidence on scene suggested multiple people had been hurt, as blood was found trailing to the road, where an escape vehicle had no doubt been parked.

The deceased were due for burial by the city, as no relatives had stepped forward to claim the bodies at this time. Both parents were orphans, their own parents having died years before.

As soon as Gunter finished reading, he came and dropped to a knee, gathering Nikki up in a tight hug. Nikki returned the embrace, breathing him in, feeling comforted in a way words couldn’t express. The closure Nikki needed, the answers they’d not known how to find, was all here in this moment. Nikki felt relieved, because at least now they knew. It wasn’t just this pitch-black spot of pain; there was a story to go with it.