by Dannika Dark
It warmed Niko to know that she’d had a Creator who cared for her. There were far too many stories—including his own—that didn’t have happy beginnings. “She sounds like a good woman.”
“She was.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Someone… killed her. Was your sensei your Creator?”
“No. Sometimes there are better men out there than the ones who make us.” Gem was inquisitive by nature, so he didn’t want to invite questions by admitting that his Creator was also murdered. “Your Mage gifts as a Wielder and Blocker give you confidence, do they not?”
“Yes.”
“You can find that same reward by testing your limits. Not just limits of your gifts, but also of your mind and your body. See how high you can climb the rope.”
“Um, I don’t know. Claude’s the climber. Besides, Viktor hired me for my brains.”
Still holding the rope, Niko circled around Gem. “Your playful spirit is unique, but I worry for the flower in the storm.”
Gem was vivacious, but she lacked confidence when it came to her own abilities. Viktor often coddled her and discouraged her from using those powers. He wanted to utilize her Relic knowledge, and protecting that asset meant suppressing her true potential as a Mage. But Niko also understood how coveted her gifts were by nefarious men who would use her for their own gain. Most especially Stealers who could pull core light and gifts from another Mage. Stolen gifts would naturally disappear, as the body would eventually reject foreign light, but not if an Infuser permanently sealed it.
“Indulge me,” Niko said, letting go of the rope. “See how far you can go.”
She snickered. “Alas, probably two feet.”
“Don’t let your arms do all the work. Use your feet to anchor yourself, and when you feel like you can’t go on, pull yourself up another few inches.”
“What if I fall?”
“The mat doesn’t hurt too much.” When she made a peculiar snort, he chuckled to let her know he was teasing. “You won’t fall. That only happens when you give up on yourself.”
Gem drew in a deep breath and sighed. “Well, here goes nothing.”
Niko watched as Gem’s light moved upward. It was a beautiful sight to see the colors going vertical instead of their usual horizontal rhythms. He listened to her labored breath and her shoes scraping against the rope.
“Learn to control your breathing,” he instructed her. “The most important thing you can do is breathe.”
“You’re funny,” she said, her voice much higher.
“Don’t look down.”
“Now you tell me.”
“If you think about falling, you’ll never climb. Stay focused.”
Suddenly, Niko was nervous for her. Gem occasionally came into the gym to goof around, but she didn’t work out unless you counted roller skating. Her leg muscles were probably stronger.
“Rely on your feet if your arms get tired,” he said, coaching her. “Find your balance.”
“I’m scared,” she squeaked. “I don’t think I can get down. I’m so high up.”
Niko gripped the rope to hold it steady. “You can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t think about falling. Don’t think about what happens afterward. The only thing standing between you and the top of that rope is self-doubt.”
The rope jostled, but her light continued its ascent. After a few breathless seconds, Gem shouted, “I did it!”
She glowed, and he could read the happiness in the textures. “Well done!”
“It’s beautiful up here. The room looks so different.”
Niko reveled in the fact that he’d made her forget her pain, if only for a moment. Young immortals had much to learn about processing their grief. If they didn’t have effective coping mechanisms to endure the tragedies that lay ahead, they would never survive. Creatures like Gem were rare, precious things that came along once every thousand years. You knew it the moment you were in their presence. They were special souls who had suffered and yet were destined for something greater in this world.
“I’m coming down now.”
Niko heard her struggling, and the deep-blue flutters of light revealed she was anxious.
Gem shrieked, and the rope suddenly jerked.
“Take it slow,” he said, his heart quickening. “Don’t rush or slide down.”
Now she sounded out of breath. “My arms are shaking.”
The rope fluttered as Gem continued her descent. Niko kept a close watch on her light, measuring the distance between them. The thought of her falling suddenly terrified him. He wouldn’t know which way she was landing to catch her. Gem wouldn’t die, but she could snap her neck or break a bone.
When her shoes scraped against the rope, he reached out, bracing to catch her. But Gem held on, and she wasn’t even halfway down yet.
Without hesitation, Niko gripped the rope and pulled himself up. “Hold on, Gem. I’m coming for you.”
Niko didn’t need to use his feet or legs to climb. His svelte muscles were conditioned, his mind focused.
When Gem’s shoes touched his shoulders, he pulled himself higher and then used his feet to anchor himself. “Wrap your legs tightly around me. Don’t let go of the rope until they’re locked around my waist. Do you understand?”
Gem didn’t say a word. He felt her slim legs struggle before they snaked around his waist.
“Maybe we can walk down the rope together,” she said unconvincingly. “We’ll both fall if you carry me.”
“Let go,” he said. “Trust me.”
He took on her full body weight when she let go of the rope and clutched his shoulders, quickly wrapping her arms around his neck. After a brief period of adjustment, she hooked an arm beneath his right one and locked her hands in the front so she wouldn’t choke him.
Niko began a slow descent. He had to be especially careful since he couldn’t see the rope each time he let go to change his grip. Memories of his formative years after escaping Cyrus came flooding back, how a wise warrior had taken him under his wing. Climbing down a rope with a woman’s weight on his back was nothing compared to the slabs of stone his teacher had placed on his back while he remained in a push-up position. Niko’s training had been about endurance and testing his boundaries. Testing his willpower. Testing his breaking point.
The moments when you feel the most pain are the ones where you doubt yourself the most—when all your failures in the past rise to the surface.
Gem suddenly let go, and Niko reached out with one arm to catch her.
“It’s okay,” she said from just a few feet down. “You can let go.”
Relieved, Niko dropped to the mat and lay beside her.
“That was so great,” she said, still panting. “I make fun of Claude and his prowess, but he makes it look so easy. Blue can’t match his speed, but she always reaches the top. I didn’t realize how hard it really is.”
He drew up his knees. “You should challenge yourself more often. You’re capable of great things.”
“I’m a petite woman who can’t even open a jar of pickles. It was fun, but physical endurance is not my forte.”
Her modesty was endearing. Even Wyatt had failed to reach the top of the rope.
“Fear holds people back more than anything else,” Niko said, his heart rate finally slowing to a normal rhythm. He turned his head to face her. “You conquered a fear today, braveheart.”
She glowed, her light radiating with contentment. “I miss Hooper.”
“I know.”
“He wasn’t perfect, but he deserved a long life. Why are good people always the ones who suffer the most? Sometimes it seems like only the villains win.”
Niko rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow. “May I touch your face?”
The silence between them was palpable.
Niko knew her height and approximate weight, and he’d also felt how lean and strong her legs were. But what he was most curious about were the things
others could see that he could not. Was her hair silky or coarse? Did she have any dimples? Were her cheeks plump or carved like stone? Did she have long lashes or were they sparse? He had never learned the shape of her face.
“Would that be all right?”
“Well… I, um… I don’t know what you think you’ll—”
“I just want to have a better sense of you.”
Niko reached out and lowered his hand until he found her ear. Her soft hair slipped between his fingers. It wasn’t straight like his but had stubborn waves. And it was longer than he imagined, just to her shoulders. When his fingertips brushed along her face, he froze. Her skin was dry and cracked like leather. At first, he couldn’t believe it, but when his fingers reached the slope of her nose, that had an even stranger texture.
Gem rolled away and bubbled with laughter.
Niko sat up, overcome by a maelstrom of emotions. Was she scarred? Burned? The thought horrified him, and he felt anger rising for someone who would have inflicted that kind of pain upon such an innocent soul. He felt even worse for invading her space and taking the liberty of touching her scars.
“I’m sorry,” she said, still giggling. “It was just the look on your face.” Her laughter died in her throat, and he felt her hand on his knee. “Oh, Niko. I’m sorry. I should have warned you, but you moved in before I could say anything.”
“Apologies,” he said, bowing his head. “I didn’t realize you were scarred.”
Her light dimmed. “Now I feel just awful. I’m not scarred, Niko. I’m wearing a face mask. It’s the kind you peel off after it dries.” She sighed, and it sounded like she was touching the mask. “I feel like such a monster.”
He smiled at his misunderstanding. “I’m not offended. Now I know why you sometimes smell like cucumbers.”
“I don’t always think before I speak. I didn’t mean to be cruel. It’s hard for me to tell when my jokes have crossed the line until it’s too late.”
Gem’s jokes were often the highlight of his day. Even the pink shirt she’d placed in his closet had become a secret source of amusement for him. Niko had trouble relating to people, but since joining Keystone, the younger ones in the house reminded him of the simple pleasures in life that he took for granted. They had so much to teach him.
Gem nervously cleared her throat. “When I was a little girl, they used to keep me locked up in a room that kind of looked like the rooms in this mansion. I didn’t have toys, but there were lots of books in the room. I taught myself how to read. I guess it’s innate since my Relic gift is language. I used to tear out the blank pages of those books and write my secrets in another language. I didn’t know at the time that was my gift; I just somehow knew how to speak in ways that others didn’t understand. I used to write down all my wishes and dreams on these tiny pieces of paper. Then I’d fold them up just as small as I could and slip them between the cracks in the stone walls.”
Niko thought of a room filled with nothing but her wishes and dreams pressed between stone.
“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this,” she said apologetically. “I guess I just want to explain why I’m not always good with recognizing when I’ve done something to make someone feel embarrassed or hurt. I wasn’t around people who taught me that, so I just said whatever I wanted, albeit I said a lot of it in archaic languages they couldn’t understand. But it was the only way to get out all that anger I had pent up inside. So if I ever say anything cruel, call me out on it. Okay? I should know these things at my age, but sometimes I struggle with how to interact with others. Please accept my apology, Niko. Please.”
“Only if you accept that I too have a sense of humor. I’m not offended easily, and you don’t have to walk on… pins and needles for me.”
She giggled. “You mean eggshells.”
Niko smiled. He spoke many languages but found English one of the most challenging. From simple words that made no sense to where to put the emphasis—it had all been a struggle to learn in the beginning. And just when he felt he had finally grasped it, ever-changing slang and colloquialisms would frustrate him. It was just one reason why Gem’s mind fascinated him. Language to her was like breathing.
He watched her light rise as she stood up and moved around.
“Do you think the power will ever come back on?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I hope it’s soon. All this darkness gives me the heebie-jeebies. When I was doing my last patrol of the property, I kept thinking about what would happen if the whole city just went savage. If the bad ones take over Cognito, what’s to stop them from doing the same everywhere else? I don’t like hiding from humans either, but they wouldn’t understand what we are. There are more of them than there are of us, and they have all those bombs. They’re the reason why we all went back into hiding in the first place. I’m not sure if I’m more afraid of the outlaws in our world or the human scientists who would dissect us like frogs. They’d use us to find some way to transfer our immortality or gifts to their own DNA.”
Niko rose fluidly to his feet. “You have been through so much, and it’s late. Perhaps we shouldn’t worry about an unknown future and focus on the troubles at hand.”
There was a subtle lilt in her voice. “Like Patrick’s boy. He’s a mischievous little guy. Escaped from Kira twice, and it took forever to find him. He likes exploring. I think we need to put a bell around his neck.”
Niko tossed back his head and laughed.
“I have to go peel my face off now.”
Niko laughed even harder, tears welling in his eyes.
“Thanks for making me feel better,” she said in earnest.
He settled down and wiped his wet lashes. “Would you like me to accompany you on your next security check?”
She hooked her arm in his, leading him toward the door. “By the time I finish washing my face, you’ll probably be zonked out. Get some rest. You’ve had a busy day. I’ll protect the castle.”
“As you wish, little flower. As you wish.”
Chapter 16
I sped around the corner, hoping to dodge the anarchy unfolding between two Chitahs and a Mage outside a bakery. I kept my foot on the gas so I wouldn’t look as if I were rubbernecking. After leaving Mr. Bane’s mansion, I unzipped my jacket and put all the kid’s clothes in the passenger seat. Due to the late hour, I had concerns that the Overlord wouldn’t accept visitors. There was also the strong possibility that he’d left the city shortly after the outage occurred.
Claude had given me three possible addresses, so I started with the closest. The Overlord resided in a historical building in the busiest section of town. The architecture was reminiscent of a castle, with pointed peaks at the top of the seventh floor.
Chitahs were lined up outside the entire building like soldiers standing guard. They were armed with swords and unforgiving expressions. And every single one of them eyeballed my car as I slowly drove past in search of a place to park.
“Here goes nothing,” I said, parking in front of the main doors.
When I got out, four Chitahs rushed me.
“Hold on,” I said, my hands in the air. “I’m here on business.”
One man craned his neck down, his four canines on full display. “What’s your Breed?” His nose twitched, and his voice sounded villainous.
“I’m a Mage.”
“And what business do you have with the Overlord, Mage?”
Who does this guy think he is, flashing his fangs at me?
I slammed the car door and lifted my chin at him. “That’s above your pay grade. Instead of breathing all over me, why don’t you pop a breath mint in your mouth and tell your boss that Raven Black is here to talk about important business. Tell him we met at Patrick Bane’s party.”
Another guard shook his head at the one speaking to me.
I backed up a step and gazed at the dark windows above. “I need to speak to the Overlord!”
The Chitah with the foul breath opened m
y car door and gestured for me to get in and go back where I came from.
So I slammed it.
“It’s an emergency! My name is Raven!” I flashed to the rear of the car and climbed onto the roof. Waving my arms, I shouted, “It’s a matter of life and death! Please let him—”
My words were cut off when some asshole grabbed my ankle and tried to jerk me off the car. I fell to my knees and kicked him in the head. “You asshole. You just made me dent the car.”
I was used to Chitahs being passive with women, but these guys weren’t taking shit from anyone when it came to protecting their leader.
“Let her go,” a voice boomed.
Every guard stepped back and bowed his head.
“Send her in.”
I slid off the car and eyed the entrance. A figure was standing in the shadowy space of the revolving door, and I approached cautiously.
“Watch her car,” he commanded.
A guard bowed. “Yes, Sire.”
When I reached the dark-haired man, I recognized him. “Thanks, your, uh… Overlordship.”
He chuckled softly as we entered the building. “You can call me Quaid.”
Inside, a number of guards were standing at key locations—entrances to rooms, hallways, and elevators. Quaid led me across the carpeted lobby, lit by a few sparse candles, to a set of wooden doors with gold handles. One of the guards opened it for us as we entered the empty room.
“Would you like a drink?” He walked up to a massive liquor cabinet and turned over two glasses.
I looked at the fire roaring in the fireplace. “Tequila, if you have any.”
“I don’t make cocktails.”
“A shot glass is fine. Or the entire bottle. Either way. I like the burn, so don’t worry about salt or anything like that. I’m sure you buy the quality stuff anyway.” When I heard myself rambling, I sat down in a plush chair by the hearth. If this place had once been a hotel, this must have been one of those rooms where men came to smoke cigars and brag about their investments and properties.
Quaid handed me a glass of tequila with a lime wedge. “I put club soda in there since you’re driving.”