The Words That Bound Us

When They Spoke, When We Heard, When I Saw

***

They spoke the words and the doors that would destroy us were found.

All they needed now was the key

So, the darkness could descend.

***

-Ten Months Earlier-

Ryder

The door to the coffee shop chimed overhead as I pushed on the glass, and a quick sweep of the room had me adding several more things to my list that I hated about being in the city. The aroma of brewing coffee filled my nose, overpowering everything else making me glad that smell wasn’t the only sense I had to rely on to keep my guard up.

As I waited in the short line, I listened to the drone of conversations while people talked about the issues in their menial lives that they thought were the most relevant. If only they knew what was going on behind the curtains; I think most would run and hide in curled up little balls, locking all their doors and barricading out the boogiemen.

I didn’t bother even looking at the complex menu. I wasn’t hungry and had no desire for some fancy frothy over sweet drink. When it was my turn at the counter, I looked down from my 6’6” frame to the young woman running the register. She looked up at me before doing a double take and instantly she turned on the charm, flashing thick black lashes at me and asking for my order.

“I’ll have an extra-large black coffee.” I said, ignoring the woman’s advances. She spouted off some ridiculous name for a large, asking if that’s what I meant. I just looked back at her with a blank expression before asking, “Isn’t that the same exact thing as a large? I don’t care what you wanna call it, I just want the biggest one you have. Black, no cream, no sugar, no frills.” I might have growled out that last part a little but in my defense, I really hated being around people.

I could see I had frightened her slightly, so I turned on my own charm, flashing a smile that had both of my dimples showing. It worked on calming her and she asked for the name on my order as I slid cash across the counter. “Ryder.”

With coffee in hand and free from having to make any more social niceties, I turned and did one more sweep of the room before choosing my seat. I knew that the group I had come here to meet hadn’t arrived yet. If they had I would have felt their presence before I even stepped into the coffee shop. On those same lines, I knew that everyone else in here was human as well, and of no threat to me. I picked a table against the far wall and sat with my back to it so that I had a view of the main entrance while I waited.

I wished that I hadn’t come so early, but I wanted to do a sweep of the block before I stepped inside and got an idea of the coffee shops lay out. Usually I wouldn’t be so paranoid, but recent occurrences had me on edge. If the meeting place was up to me it would be far from prying human eyes and ears, but I knew that the group I was waiting for had chosen this spot specifically for the human element. It’s not that they didn’t trust me, but that didn’t mean they had no reason to fear me. If things went sideways the three of them would be able to overpower me eventually, but not before I took out one or two of them. I was an apex predator, one of the last of my kind, and my power matched that of the one I was destined to protect; the Aequalis

The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and if I was in one of my other forms my hackles would be rising; my guests had arrived. The static of magic hung thick in the air as they opened the door, and I didn’t even bother looking their way as they entered. Instead I watched the room, waiting for a response from any of the coffee drinking oblivious locals. There may not have been a full-blown warlock or witch among us, but on occasion you could find one with their bloodlines so muddled that they weren’t even aware of the untapped power lurking below the surface. With the amount of magic that just entered the coffee shop, even the weakest Magi would instinctually pick up on it.

When I didn’t sense a shift in emotions from the surrounding humans, I finally turned my attention to the two Magi taking their seats, while the third got in line for a coffee. Marcella was impeccably dressed as always. Her strawberry blond hair pulled back into a tidy bun, pale ivory skin only blemished by the smattering of freckles across her straight aristocrat nose, and her cherry red lipstick over her thin serious lips. She would be a beautiful woman if she didn’t present herself so snobbishly. It was apparent from the way she scowled at the occupants of the coffee shop, down to her pristine dress suit that suit that she felt she was above everyone else. I watched her take a napkin and swipe it across the top of the already clean table before she fully took her seat to my left. Bran sat to my right, and his chair groaned with his massive size. I could tell he wanted to be seated where I was so he too could keep an eye on the door, and I wasn’t surprised when instead of a smile he just gave me a grunt and a nod. Turning his head, I watched his long black braided dreads, loaded with beads of every material swing back and forth. Each small bead was carved with a rune and spelled to aid him in battle or healing. If something did go down here, he would be the first one that I would focus my attack on. But we were supposedly all allies, so I hoped it wouldn’t come down to that. Bran crossed his muscle clad arms, and the pin striped navy suit he wore looked like it was about to tear at the strain. From his dark skin, to his dark suit, to his deep scowl, he looked like an ominous foe. After he did his own sweep of the room his chocolate brown eyes turned their attention on the last of our party who was approaching now with a tray of drinks.

Alden was the one that I was here to see, and I forced myself to wait patiently for him to dole out everyone’s coffee’s and take his seat. Just like the others, he was dressed in fine clothes that spoke of his fortune and social status. These guys were shit at blending in with the locals, and I must have looked very much out of place next to them in my brown leather vest, khaki’s, black t-shirt and worn brown leather boots.

Alden’s green eyes settled on me and I knew instantly that this was going to be a very serious conversation. His grey brows furrowed, and he looked much older than the last time our paths crossed. “It’s begun.” He stated simply.

“I’m aware. I’ve felt it.” I acknowledged, even though we both knew it was the reason we were meeting.

Leaning forward Marcella scrunched up her little nose and pointedly asked, “You can feel it, yet you still can’t sense her?”

At the mention of her I felt a little pull in my body. It was the empty place, the place that wouldn’t be filled until I fulfilled my destiny and found her. She was the reason I was made. We should have been together from the moment of her birth. I didn’t bother answering Marcella or hiding the growl that rippled low in my throat. Marcella had no business discussing her with me. Turning my attention back to Alden I asked, “Have your Magi had any luck tracing her?”

The old man’s eyes slid to Bran who had been silently observing. Alden brushed a piece of invisible lint from his grey suit and settled his hand on his coffee, taking a sip before replying. “We’ve only been able to narrow her location down….to a state…. Louisiana. She’s been on the move though, and even our best trackers can’t pin her down more than that.”

“Then it will have to be good enough. I’ll find her.” I said, ready to get on the move.

Finally, Bran spoke, his deep voice stressing the truth of his words even more, “You know the importance of us finding her before the Imperium do.”

It wasn’t a question and I was painfully aware. She was never supposed to be by herself to begin with. It was her parent’s doing and it was careless on their part to keep her from me. But they had slipped away unseen before any of us figured out what the importance of her birth would mean. It was only luck that the Imperium hadn’t found her yet. “Need you ask, Bran? I’ll find her, you can count on that.”

Marcella actually had the audacity to scoff at my statement, and I curled my fingers tightly into a white-knuckled fist, fingernails biting into my palm, just to keep from lashing out and wrapping my fingers around her slender little throat. Her eyes went to my hand and she paled slightly, if that was even possible for the ivory skinned witch. I saw her swallow the lump in her throat as she leaned back in her chair a little further from my reach. Woman or not, she was lucky that there were humans surrounding us.

Done with this conversation I went to stand. It was a waste of time, and nothing a simple phone call couldn’t have relayed, but before my ass could leave the chair completely, Alden spoke again, “I know you can feel the doors even though we can’t. I suppose that is due to the benefits of your Farox bloodlines. But were you aware that the Imperium made contact with the other side?”

That had my attention, and even though it made me want to get on the road even faster, I sat back down. This was worth staying for. This was something a simple phone call wouldn’t take care of. “Fuck.”

With elbows on the table Bran’s eyes did a quick sweep of the room before he lowered his voice and leaned into me. He was the closest thing to a friend that I had at this table, and when his eyes met mine, I could see the fear there. I was not accustomed to seeing Bran in fear. It was unnerving. “My spies have said they have spoken to someone, but I don’t know if it was a Lux or a Null that they contacted. The doors remain locked for now…but time is not on our side.”

“You should have led with that.” I said, and I could practically feel that wild side of myself wanting to break out of here into the fresh air so I could begin tracking her.

“You’ve always been impatient old friend,” Bran said, “But the reason we are meeting…I have a gift for you to aid you in your travels.” Bran’s eyes sought permission and I nodded in acceptance before leaning into the hand he outstretched to me. To the casual observer it would have looked strange, Bran placing his hand across my forehead as though he was taking my temperature. To any Magi or Farox close by, they would have sensed and seen the power emanating between us as Bran worked his magic and cast a spell upon me.

My senses were overloaded as I was assaulted by violent images. My stomach rolled thinking about what I would be inflicting upon her when I found her. I didn’t like it, but the prophesy Bran showed me was one that she needed to see. It could be the difference in getting her on our side…or losing everything.

When Bran was done, I stood. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll bring her to you.”

Alden stood as well, and the others followed. “Keep in contact this time. No dropping off the grid like you usually do. It took longer than it should have for us to find you.”

Nodding my head, I started for the door, “If I was really off the grid you wouldn’t be able to find me at all.” I said in parting.