Calico (The Covenant of Shadows Book 2)

by Kade Cook

  Conceding to the moment, Gabrian lets go as Ashen’s words echo lightly around the fringes of her mind and determines that her host may be right.

  Enjoy tonight. They will worry about things later.

  She hopes.

  30

  UNCOMFORTABLE EXCHANGE

  THE SIGNS OF MORNING’S first risers waft through the cracks of the open window of Gabrian’s room. Waves of gentle rumblings of motors from lobster boats already busy collecting their catch carry on the wind from the distance. Life on the coast begins early and waiting on the lazy sun to make its appearance is sometimes not an option, especially when their livelihood depends on it.

  Gabrian’s eyelids flutter, still heavy with sleep, as the subtle white hue of dawn creeps up through the end of night’s boundaries—clinging to the edge of the skyline just on the other side of her window. She raises her head and twists herself to the left so that she can admire dawn in all its splendor as clouds dressed with crimson hems try to outrun the sun.

  Hope, she thinks, her mouth lifting at its edges.

  Hearing a soft snore from behind her, she peeks over her shoulder at the burly sleeping beauty lying beside her, still fully clothed from the night before. Exhausted and spent, they both had crawled in bed and fell into slumber within the warmth of their coverings, sometime after the songs had stopped and the night’s moments had stilled.

  Her usual dream cycle of partial memories ceases to exist. For once, in a long time, she cannot recall anything—no colours, no distorted images, no nothing. Her mind feels rested and relaxed, quite unusual for her but she is grateful for the change-up of events, even if it is a fluke, she will take it—convinced all the fresh sea air is to blame.

  Murmurs of busy hands edge up from below through the opening of the spiral staircase as well as the distinct scent of coffee. Pulling open the edge of the covering from her legs and swinging her feet free to touch the floor, she tiptoes across the room and starts her descent toward the sounds of life.

  The voices that stirred her from her bed were still just that—voices. The kitchen is empty of warm bodies. Only the bubbling grumble of the coffee machine is in attendance to greet her. Scuffling her sleepy feet across the room, she fixes herself a cup of the much-needed brew from the arranged assortment of fixings set neatly by the machine then wanders toward the side door, where the voices seem to be coming from.

  The room on the other side of the door is nothing more than an insulated garage, the walls lined with large freezer-type contraptions that look nothing like anything she has ever seen before. Some are tall and slender while others were short and stocky—all labeled with dates and names on the front of them. Oddly, it reminds her of a morgue, or what a cryogenic freeze laboratory might resemble—a holding area of bodies—souls that wish to come back upon the discovery of cures, freeing them of what was killing them before being put in the freezer in the first place.

  In the middle of it all is a white van. On the side in big bold but elegantly placed letters that read: Ashen’s gifts. Ice crafting for life’s special moments. Gabrian had noticed a sign at the edge of the driveway on the way in from the main road but did not read what it had said.

  Gabrian’s lips curl upward as reality dawns on her. Everyone from the Realm, so far, is just like everyone else in the world. They have to work—holding down everyday jobs. The fact they are part of an unseen domain and holding esteem positions within the Covenant of Shadows does not exempt them from the mundane fact that they still need to pay bills.

  Fragments of light cascade down through a large circular hole cut in the middle of the ceiling—stirring Gabrian’s curiosity of its placement—studying the oddity of it. A familiar female voice jumps down at her—jarring Gabrian from her silent contemplation as a person she doesn’t recognize walks by the round opening above followed by bare slender tanned legs that she did.

  Gabrian scans the rest of the room. Spotting wooden stairs leading upward, she decides to go say good morning, and to be nosey—curious to find out what they are up to. At the top of the steps, she peeks around the corner, smiling meekly from behind her cup, taking a sip of her coffee as Ashen gives her a brief wave and signals to her that she will greet her in a second. She is busy instructing Broghen and the unknown helper where to grip onto a freezer, much like the ones she saw downstairs.

  Seeing Ashen’s wave, the boys look up in Gabrian’s direction and lose their focus for a moment, turning their heads to smile her way. Broghen teases Gabrian then turns to wink at Ashen who just rolls her eyes at him.

  “Oh, leave her alone and get back to keeping this thing steady. There is no way I can scurry fast enough to put another one together before the reception at one o’clock.”

  Broghen chuckles in a low hearty laugh, focusing most of his attentions back on the task at hand. The other young man does not say anything but flashes her a warm smile that crinkles the lines around his eyes, but as his gaze meet hers, the connection jolts through her like lightning striking against her soul. Gabrian’s breath catches in her lungs—startling her. Her calm lingering aura sparks and eddies violently with an immediate recognition of some new kind of magic—nothing like she has felt before. She strains to feel his energy but cannot see anything about him that seems unusual or dynamic. The young man’s aura appears to be nothing more than that of a human. He nods at her slowly then turns back to help Broghen with his chore.

  Unsure of how she is supposed to respond to the reaction or if at all, Gabrian stands where she is, watching in silence—certain that Ashen will alert her if she was in any kind of danger.

  With their hand positioning in place, Broghen and the stranger slide the large box along the floor with a gentle, yet continuous tug and let it rest over a large thick rounded plate. Ashen reaches up and flips a latch on another large round plate, hovering parallel to the bottom one, and releases a long metal pipe. It slides down and settles into a divot below. Repeating the process five more times, she lowers to the floor beside the bottom plate and slips a lever around the edge of it with loud snap, locking the descended bars into place.

  “There, all done. It just needs to be put into the truck,” Ashen says, pushing back onto her heels and wipes her hands on the denim apron wrapped tightly around her. “Do you boys think you can handle it from here?”

  “Un morceaux du gateau,” Broghen chirps, stepping in front of Ashen. He places a light kiss on her temple as he cups her chin in his hand, then starts toward the hole in the floor and looks down. He glances up for a brief second at Gabrian, delivering a wink then with a quick hop, disappears into the hole.

  “Show off,” Ashen says shaking her blond head, and slides backward toward two large levers sticking out of the wall where a complex pulley system is orchestrated—connecting to the metal cylinder cage encasing the strange freezer.

  The tall stranger watches her for a moment and steadies the cylinder as it begins to shift across the floor then hovers just over the opening in the floor. Hearing a loud whoop from below, the man grins, sliding free a metal bar lodged beneath the load then looks over at Ashen and nods once, giving her the go-ahead to continue.

  Releasing her hold on the first lever, she grasps the end of another metal bar and presses down on it. The gears in the pulley moan as the ropes constrict, holding the full weight of the metal cage. Still holding on, the team lowers the freezer down into the hole. With another loud whoop from Broghen below, the ropes slacken and Ashen releases the lever.

  “All right, Reef. You better get down there before he tries to load that himself,” Ashen giggles. “You know what happened the last time we left him alone for a minute.”

  The tall stranger covers his mouth with his hand, as if to hold back the sound of laughter that does not come. His eyes twinkle and crease handsomely at the edges. With a nod, he starts toward the stairs. Gabrian steps aside to let him pass and his eyes dance with hers again, sending warm shards of energy through her. Not as much as the first time but there is sti
ll a current flowing through them. She smiles politely and steps back to give him space to pass then starts toward Ashen, uncomfortable with the exchange. He only grins at her and continues past—descending the steps, two at a time. Gabrian glances back over her shoulder, watching him go. Feeling a slight elevation of warmth in the cool morning air around her, Gabrian sips her coffee and meets Ashen’s pleasant smile with her own. “Who is that?”

  “That is Reef,” Ashen says, catching on to Gabrian’s discomfort. “He helps with deliveries.”

  “Ah,” is all she says, slowly nodding and wondering if Ashen is going to divulge more of who he is. But she does not—not really.

  “I noticed your aura flare out, is everything all right?”

  Holding her cup snug against her lips, Gabrian continues to be aloof—trying to figure out why this stranger would have such a strange effect on her. “Um, yeah. I am fine,” she says with slow unconfident words. “Is he from the Realm?”

  “Reef? No,” Ashen says, shaking her head, the loose white strands of hair bouncing as she does. Walking back towards the wall, she glances down through the opening in the floor and steps in front of the two erected levers—pushing it upward to shift the pulley system back into place. “He is as human as they get. Well, almost. He is mute.”

  “Oh.” Gabrian gasps, the statement takes her by surprise—unsure of why, though. It is not like it is unheard of or anything. It just rings funny in her ears, not settling right.

  “Nice boy, though,” Ashen continues as the pulley returns, empty and ready for duty. “And, one heck of a worker.”

  Gabrian steps toward the hole and stares down, watching the two men slide the freezer into the back of the van then strap the sides so it doesn’t shift on delivery. Her eyes dance around the numerous metal boxes, just like the one that had been loaded for delivery to somewhere, triggering her interest in something other than the silent boy.

  “So, what are you shipping in there, anyway?” Gabrian asks, sipping her coffee.

  “Oh right, I didn’t show you yesterday, did I?” Ashen grins and scurries toward another larger freezer at the other side of the room, this one nearly as large as the wall itself, and waves her hand for Gabrian to follow.

  “Show me what?” Gabrian says dragging her feet behind her.

  “My magic.”

  Gabrian’s mouth twists as her brows bunch crookedly atop her face. “Your magic? You keep your magic in a freezer?”

  Ashen’s smile grows wide as she grabs hold of the handles on the front of the freezer. Looking back over her bare shoulder, she gives Gabrian a grin and winks. “Yes, actually.”

  31

  ICE, ICE BABY

  GIVING THE HANDLES a good sturdy tug, the large metallic doors swing open on both sides. A hazy wave of frozen mist sweeps outward into the warm air revealing a frozen biosphere—dozens of sculptured creatures made of ice, surrounded by crystalline waterfalls and sheer abstracted columns reach outward—spiraling all around them.

  “Oh, wow,” Gabrian gasps, stepping closer to get a better look. Every figurine is pristine in its features. From the curvatures in the waterfalls to the smallest rock formations around the water’s edge—even the eyes on the mythical creatures look as if they are staring right at her. It is surreal elegance but just a touch on the creepy side. “They are beautiful. Did you make all of these?”

  “Yes,” Ashen admits, proud of what she does, and steps in to close the doors of her miniature frozen world inside. “You might say I have a ‘gift’ for it.”

  Gabrian moves aside to allow the doors to swing shut, still staring at the sculptures, and lets the words sink in. Her eyes widen, understanding the true meaning of them then turns to face her host, leaning against the coolness of the sealed metal doors. “This is how you use your gift?”

  “My dear, not every gift needs to be used in force or in battle, although it has proven highly effective in slowing an adversary down if necessary. Just like your Borrower’s gift, it can be used for good when wielded in efforts of beauty and kindness. It is not all about doom and gloom. I am afraid our beloved Elders of the Covenant of Shadows have cast your view of Realm life to shine under a dim and unappealing light. And I apologize for that.”

  “It is not the Covenant in entirety, only...” Gabrian begins.

  Ashen raises her hand and holds it in surrender to Gabrian’s insight. “I know, there are a few thorns amongst the mix. I just hope you allow me the chance to try and sway your view of us.”

  “I am trying,” Gabrian says, tucking her free arm across her chest, and hangs her hand on her shoulder. Shuffling her feet, she looks away, searching for something to distract her rising temper. “But it is hard to ignore the mental hatred that is exuded whenever I have to enter that hall.”

  Ashen’s lips pucker as she raises a hand to dust across Gabrian’s shoulder, wishing she could tell her that it will get easier to deal with them but she can’t. Individual opinions are out of her control. “That is all I can ask of you.” She scans the lofted room. To her right, her eyes rest upon on the small nickel-plated water well, only inches from a round-marble turntable secured to the side of the pine board wall. She grins, gliding toward it, and whips her head back around to face Gabrian. “Anyway, enough of the heavy dreary chatter. You are not here to discuss any of that boring stuff, you are here to see what kind of mischief your gifts can get you into.”

  Gabrian stops her brooding and follows Ashen’s movements toward the odd-looking sink, hearing the tone in her voice change—light and playful.

  “So, are you ready to find out?”

  Gabrian chokes on her coffee in mid sip at Ashen’s question and swallows down hard, trying to clear her trachea. “Sure, I guess. You are the boss.”

  “Boss? No. I prefer to use the term ‘free spirited artistic guide’. Yes, Definitely. I will be the one who is going to enlighten your soul, and teach it how to dance.” Ashen closes her eyes and lifts her chin, swaying her hands around, letting them drift as if floating in the wind.

  Gabrian’s brow lifts as she watches Ashen’s airy display and bites her bottom lip, unsure of how to react. This is definitely not the same person she sat in front of deep within the shadow guarded covenant. Ashen finishes her performance and opens her eyes to the girl’s twisted face. She settles her hands onto her hips and laughs out loud. “What, too much?”

  “Maybe just a smidge,” Gabrian says, pinching her fingers together in front of her now wrinkled nose.

  Waving her hand at her audience, Ashen turns her back and flips the small switch just above the water. A low humming sound, barely audible above the purr of the surrounding freezers, fills the room. Babbling water rushes up into the center of the metal bowl, making bubbles and bends upon its surface. “Come on then,” Ashen says rubbing her hands together. “It is time to get messy.”

  Gabrian’s mind had conjured up many visions of how her new mentor was going to draw forth her unexpected gift but this is not one of them. Somehow, she never envisioned anything quite as mundane as what is happening before her.

  Ashen pulls out a long bench from beneath the marble table and sits upon it, placing her hands atop the oval marble slab. Gabrian gathers closer to get a better look at what is happening. “I will let you see what it is that I do,” she explains as she stills her hands in the center of the oval. “We will begin with the basics—finding the cornerstone to secure your foundation.”

  Hovering over Ashen’s shoulder, Gabrian watches, clutching her empty coffee mug to her chest as the magic begins to unveil from within her host. “You must learn to feel the differences between the elements surrounding you, implore them and encourage them to join you, to alter and transform what they are, into being what you want them to be...excite and conform them.”

  Gabrian chuckles at her words, the strangeness in how she speaks about inanimate objects as if they are real. “You talk as if they have a choice.”

  “They do.”

  Gabrian’s
head tilts to the left as she looks down upon her teacher, floundering with her answer. “How is that possible? It is water.”

  Ashen halts her peaceful trance and wrenches herself to focus on Gabrian, tucking her hands together on the edge of the table. “Everything on this Earth has the essence of life within it. Whether it is the dirt below your feet or the clouds that float carelessly above you, life is evident and listening. You just have to learn how to communicate with it, befriend it and trust in the bonds you forge with it—in nature there is always a choice.”

  Never having looked at the world and its belongings quite in this light, Gabrian’s understanding—although still limited—opens to sift through the minute grains of logic that dictate how she processes things. Looking at the big picture is not going to work in this circumstance. She is going to have to filter it down to the smallest particles in order to grasp how to start at the beginning.

  Having silenced her protégé, and hoping she gave her something to ponder, Ashen returns to her stance and lets her mind quiet. Letting her hands hover over the slab, the magic within her veins awakens and slips to her hands. From beneath her palms, a florescent glimmer dances on the marble below. Invisible vapors from the air and the water bubbling nearby pool beneath Ashen’s skin—collecting together and transforming from liquid to near solid—swirling meticulously and aligning together to form into an altered state of being. She rests her hands above the manifestation as it blends, growing larger, and gathers together until it is the size of a bowling ball. Satisfied with her bland creation, she lifts her hands—snuffing out the light.

  She glances upward, to the sight of Gabrian’s ghostly face—her skin unnaturally pale against her darkened hair and her blue eyes the colour of glacier tips blazing in contrast to the sharpness of her red pursed lips.

  “Are you all right?” Ashen asks, jumping to her feet, and clasps her hands over Gabrian’s arms, hoping to steady her.