Boreas was waiting for them on the other side of the Divide when Quinn and Air appeared inside of the summoning circle. Quinn felt Air's happiness at seeing his brother for the second time in as many days and he immediately pulled him into a hug. Quinn hung back and merely nodded at the other ghoul.
He noticed the way that the Prime Ghoul's eyes strayed to his mark on Air's neck and he was ready for a snide comment but it didn't manifest. Their eyes met and Quinn narrowed his, ready to at least try to keep his temper in check, but Boreas gave him a warm smile as if nothing had happened at their last meeting.
"Welcome back," he said.
He was flanked by the same earth ghoul as the previous day and Quinn could tell that he did want to say something, but he also managed to keep himself in check.
"Has she been okay?" Air asked as they walked. "Who told her about her kits?"
Boreas sighed.
"I told her myself. I thought it only right. She was distraught. Lyra has been there with her the whole time but she was asking for Quinn."
"Well, we are here now and hopefully we will be taking her back with us. Thank you for arranging this, we appreciate it," Air said as he snaked an arm around Quinn's waist. "Do you think she will want to be summoned?"
Boreas nodded.
"I'm inclined to think so. She has not managed to fully settle here, and it didn't help that we broke the news to her this morning."
"And what are you doing about finding the ghoul who murdered her children?" Quinn said sharply. Air glared at him and he realised that it had come out more aggressively than he'd intended. He considered an apology but decided against it, even for Air's sake. "Are there any clues?"
He thought he'd said it in a more reasonable way and gave himself a mental pat on the back for it. He felt Boreas' annoyance at him though.
"It is ongoing. We are doing what we can. It was strange because the trackers could not pick up a scent from either scene."
"That air ghoul prick was killed by the same ghoul, was there anything useful picked up from him?"
Boreas stopped walking and turned to Quinn, narrowing his eyes.
"How did you know about that?"
Air snorted a laugh.
"I thought I was the dumb one, Boreas. Are you seriously asking that?"
Boreas' eyes flicked to him and he smirked before turning back to Quinn.
"How does that work anyway? I've always been curious because my seers see the future. How can you see the past also?"
Quinn tried his best not to growl and Air gave him a small smile when he succeeded.
"I guess I'm just special."
Air's smile turned to a scowl and he sighed.
"You can't help yourself, can you?"
Quinn grinned at him, his eyes glowing blue.
"And that's why you love me so much."
Air chuckled and shook his head. Boreas watched their exchange with a frown but he didn't comment any further, realising that Quinn was not going to elaborate and go into the details with him. He was a Clergy ghoul now, and although Boreas and the Council had the final say when it came to Clergy ghouls, Quinn didn't recognise that authority. The only master he would ever accept now was Secondo.
Boreas carried on walking and they stayed silent until they reached Calista's door. Quinn felt her misery as soon as they rounded the corner to the corridor where her suite was. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath when they stopped in front of the dark wood.
Air leaned into his side as he made the mental preparations for dealing with her. He could already feel Lyra's magic and he was grateful to the other quint for being there.
"You ready?" Air asked him gently.
He nodded and Boreas knocked gently and opened up.
Lyra and Calista were curled up on the furs on the floor and the bigger ghuleh looked up, giving Quinn a sympathetic smile. Quinn pulled away from the others and knelt down before them, reaching out and running an hand down Calista's arm. He sent some of his magic to her and she shifted and looked up.
Their eyes met and the soft weeping that she had been doing turned into outright wracking sobs. Lyra gave her over to Quinn and he gathered her into his arms, moving so that he was sitting cross legged and she was curled up on his lap, head against his chest.
Air joined them and they stayed there for a little while, offering her comfort. Boreas and his bodyguards left them to it and Lyra stayed close by, offering her quintessence also.
Quinn's nose was buried in her hair and he met Air's eyes over the top of her head. She had quieted some but she was shaking now. Air gave him a subtle nod and Quinn tried to think about what he should say. They'd agreed that Quinn should break the news and ask the question. When he had to be, he could be tactful. Okay, maybe it was more when he wanted to be.
"Calista?" he murmured softly.
She stirred and looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from the tears. She sniffed.
"Thank you for coming, I..."
Quinn put his finger gently on her lips.
"We bring news and we must ask you something."
She frowned, her brow creasing, but she nodded.
"Please no more bad news," she whispered.
Quinn stroked his palm down her back and Air moved her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.
"This is good news. Your youngest kit lives." She sucked in a breath and blinked up at him. Quinn smiled. "He was summoned to the Abbey some years back. He is one of Papa's ghouls."
"What? I... Was he there when I visited? Can he come here?"
"He cannot. Not right now. But you can see him at the Abbey." Quinn glanced at Air who gave him an encouraging smile. "That is what we need to ask you. Sister Angelina has reached the stage where she needs to summon a ghoul or a ghuleh. Councillor Shay and Boreas and Secondo think that maybe you would be perfect for her. Will you come back with us? Permanently? You would not have a pack there just yet but you would have me and Air and Rain and all of the other ghouls." She scrunched her brow in confusion. "Sorry, that is the name that Papa gave to him."
She gave him a small smile and he could feel a tiny ray of happiness piercing through her grief at his words.
"Rain? I like it. It will suit him, I'm sure. Is he happy there?"
Air nodded.
"He is. His pack and Papa love him and he's very talented. He has been touring the Earth recently with the Ghost Project," he said.
She looked at him wide eyed.
"He was always such a bright kit. So thoughtful and sweet," she said.
"He is excited to see you again. He'd been told that you were dead." Calista's eyes filled with tears again and Air glared at him. Quinn scowled back at him. "What? He had."
"I swear, Quinn, you really need some sensitivity lessons. For a quintessence ghoul you're pretty clueless."
Calista giggled.
"It is fine. I need to know these things, however painful they are." She looked to Quinn and he felt her apprehension. "Does he know about us? About what happened and about our kit?"
Quinn shook his head.
"No. Only the higher Clergy members know about that. Secondo wanted it kept quiet. If you want him to know then that's okay."
Quinn really hoped that she would keep it to herself for both of their sakes but it wasn't up to him. Calista thought on it for a moment.
"I won't mention it. There is already too much for him to deal with."
"And for you," Air said. "Don't forget about yourself, Calista. Rain will understand if you can't be strong. There is no need for you to pretend."
She leaned into his touch and smiled at him.
"I know."
Quinn changed the subject back to the matter at hand.
"If you decide to be summoned, you will have water kin. You know our pack mate Water and Terzo's ghuleh Mist already, and Primo's water ghoul Lir is a good ghoul. And of course, Rain is there also. You will have lots of support. As much as you need. And Sister Angelina is a kind human. Air and I have known her for many years now. I think that you and her will make a good team."
"You'll love it there. You can come to our movie nights and oooh! We can show you the cabin! We can go hunting in the forest! I bet Mist would come too. She's never been before. The Earth has some amazing forests, kind of like the ones back home but less scary."
Air's enthusiasm bled out through his words and Calista seemed to like that idea. Quinn became more confident in what her answer would be. She shifted in his lap and sat up straighter. Quinn kissed the top of her head.
"What do you think? Will you come back with us? Will you join our Clergy family?"
She looked between them both.
"We'd really love it if you would," Air said, his eyes glowing with happiness. "The Clergy would be lucky to have you."
She bit her bottom lip and smiled a radiant smile.
"I think that I would like that very much."
Air wrapped his arms around them and kissed them both.
"This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to teach you everything about life at the Abbey. You're going to love it."
Quinn smiled as Air launched into planning all of the things that they'd do once she was settled.
The main thing was that she would be safe with them though. Her and Rain would both be secure at the Abbey and Boreas' team could deal with the ghoul who was hunting her.
Quinn felt his eyes glowing. He would be requesting some playtime with that particular ghoul once they'd been apprehended. Air gave him a curious glance. He shook his head dismissively and smiled, content in the knowledge that they could look after her now. They wouldn't let anyone get to her.
