The Seers

by Katherine Bennet

  What had he been thinking?

  She didn't care for him. Maybe she never had—not the way he cared for her, anyway. She was icy now, vengeful—too far gone to love. They could never be together. This thing he had for her, it was fantasy.

  He needed to move on. It would take everything he had, but he could forget anything.

  Except her.

  He growled at himself. He’d almost killed a member of the ruling family tonight, and for what? An icy glare, a delusional defense? No gratitude, not even any respect.

  He’d slipped up tonight, but he’d learn from the mistake. He wouldn’t risk everything for her again.

  He glanced at the door to her bedroom, feeling the pull of her presence on the other side. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away for long, but for right now she was too close. He needed space, but he hesitated.

  She wouldn't try again, would she?

  Service in the Guard had ingrained the skill of reading people, but he’d failed on that front tonight.

  He blinked hard, and the menu of his implant projected in front of him. Swiping through the submenus, he selected the right application, and a dashboard popped up. Sixty-two—Annabel's heart rate. Her breathing was slow and rhythmic. She was asleep.

  He closed the application and pulled up the coordinates for his quarters. The use of teleportation obviously presented some security risks; breaking into homes, let alone secure facilities, had to be addressed. For everyone’s safety, all teleportation within Octavius was restricted to specifically designated teleportation zones—all teleportation except his own, that is. As the Head of the Guard, he could teleport without restriction—a perk of the job he desperately needed right now.

  Moments later, the familiar surroundings of his living room greeted him. Mahogany wood, leather couches, deep-green curtains. Most importantly, his quarters were situated far away from Annabel’s. The air seemed fresher. He could finally think.

  First thing was first. He left his quarters and strode down the hall to the unmarked door of his assistant’s quarters. With little thought to the hour he came calling, he pounded. No answer. He pounded again before someone approached the door with a flurry of shuffling noises.

  Adrian answered without turning on a light, his small frame curved inward. Still in his t-shirt and a pair of shorts, his gaze was bleary. At one point, Jasper had been convinced Adrian would never be suitable for any position in the Guard, but Adrian had proven himself quite proficient as a sniper, and his attention to detail had set him apart. Jasper had handpicked him to be his assistant.

  “Sir? Is everything all right? You could have messaged me—”

  Jasper shook his head. “I don't want any record of this. The alerts you set up for me? The one that notifies me when Cyrus and Annabel are within twenty feet of each other? I need to make a change.”

  Adrian frowned but nodded. “Of course, sir. You’re referring to the alert that monitors the distance between their implants? Was there a problem with it?”

  “No.” Jasper recalled the events of an hour ago. “But twenty feet is too short. Increase the distance to one hundred feet.”

  “Right away, sir...” Adrian paused, grimacing. “Did something happen?”

  “No,” Jasper lied, looking straight into Adrian's black eyes. He allowed an edge to color his tone to warn him he shouldn't press any further.

  Adrian nodded sharply. “I’ll see to it right away.”

  “Good. That's all.” Jasper returned to his quarters, satisfied with his solution. He had underestimated Annabel, but it wouldn’t happen again.

  This situation required greater caution—and not just for Annabel’s sake. He wouldn't be made the scapegoat for failing to stop her. He wouldn't be taken down by something as simple as an innocent crush.

  That's all it is... a harmless crush—

  A rapping at his door broke his stream of thought. He answered it to find Adrian, who had changed into his all-black tactical uniform—in less than a few minutes. Something was wrong.

  “Adrian, you didn't need to report back. I trust you can handle it.”

  Adrian shook his head, his dark eyes wide. “No, sir. I have another matter that needs your immediate attention.”

  Jasper didn't like the sound of this.

  “The implants from a pair of guards stopped pinging about an hour ago. We've tried to reach them, but—”

  Jasper scowled. To go dark was one thing, but there was only one reason implants stopped pinging. “Are they dead?”

  Adrian tensed his shoulders upward in a tentative shrug, but he didn’t answer.

  Jasper pulled him into his quarters and shut the door. “Which guards? Where?”

  “Laird and Atticus. The two guards sent to hunt down the Niotian Seer.”

  Jasper jerked his head back. “They died in pursuit of a Seer who doesn't even know she's Niotian? Are there any other details?”

  Adrian shook his head. “No, sir. All we have is that their last known location was at the residence of another former Niotian.”

  Jasper froze.

  No. That would be impossible. How would she know to go to him? But then, how many former Niotians were there?

  “Which former Niotian?”

  “A man by the name of Tobin Kalos.”

  “They followed the Seer to him?” Jasper's blood pressure rose. “And they engaged him…without bothering to confirm his identity?”

  “It appears that way, but—”

  “Incompetent—” His muscles tensed, stopping the words in his throat. Something inside him flipped. Fists clenched, he turned to the wall and sent his hand through it. “Idiots! They deserved to die.”

  “Sir, I-I don't understand. How shall we proceed?”

  “Of course you don't understand. If you did, you'd know Kalos isn't just any Niotian. He's the former Head of their Guard! These two buffoons engaged one of the deadliest Niotian fighters ever.”

  “Shall we notify the liaisons so they can file a complaint for breach of the treaty?”

  Jasper glared at Adrian.

  I’m surrounded by morons.

  “No, you—” He turned and kicked a chair. “The whole point of hunting her down quietly was to avoid the treaty.”

  Adrian stared at him blankly. “Shall I send more guards?”

  It was a better idea than filing a breach of treaty grievance, but this was Tobin Kalos. Jasper had seen him fight firsthand, and the missions he had commanded were swift, powerful. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Not until we figure out why Kalos is involved. And not just anyone can go. I will need to personally take command of this operation.”

  Adrian's nod looked more like a nervous jitter.

  “Alert Brock and Aaron. I want them at Headquarters in an hour for a strategy session.”

  “Yes, sir.” Adrian sprinted down the hall.

  The frown remained on Jasper's face. Why would Tobin get involved now? Jasper had investigated the Seer himself as a favor to Annabel. All indications were that she was inconsequential. What was he missing?

  Regardless of the reason, it was a chance to do some actual work, which was exactly what he needed to break Annabel's hold over him. He strode to his bedroom to get dressed. He would be leaving the district soon.

  Chapter 9

  Nora caught a green-plaid flannel shirt from Tobin, and he threw a black sweatshirt at Charlotte. She held the shirt up by the shoulders. Two of her could fit comfortably in it.

  “Put it on,” he ordered. “We're walking out of here. We can't risk any traces left behind with teleporting. Our best chance is to blend in to a heavily populated area.”

  Walking? The scratches on her ankles burned in protest. She’d barely made it here in daylight. Trying to escape the Tavians in complete darkness seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.

  He rushed around the dimly lit cabin, rifling through his chest and cupboards. Some things he shoved in his nylon sack, and others he tossed into a growing pile o
n the bed.

  She slid the shirt on over her cardigan and fumbled with the buttons. She had slept in tents smaller than this flannel monstrosity, but that was the least of her problems.

  The darkness outside shrouded the lifeless bodies of the Tavians, but their presence was inescapable. They had been looking for her and would have killed to find her.

  Only a few hours ago, her biggest concern had been a boss who made her do all the work while he played golf. She’d give anything to go back.

  After digging in his wooden chest for what seemed like the hundredth time, Tobin froze. Still hunched over, he glanced at Nora. His hand darted into the chest and pulled out a small black box no bigger than his palm. He shoved it into the bag and continued packing without a word. After the white guns, Nora certainly wasn't going to ask questions. Moments later, he tightened the drawstring and lifted the bag to his shoulder.

  Charlotte stepped forward. In a quiet and somber voice, she asked, “Ready, then?”

  He nodded. His enormous shoulders sank as he glanced around the room. “I'll be out in a second. There's one last thing I need to do.”

  Nora followed Charlotte and Henry into the clearing. The darkness made her attempts to ignore the dead bodies much easier. From inside the cabin came a loud crash followed by a whooshing sound. She frowned as she tried to place it, but a flickering light solved the mystery.

  “He set his cabin on fire?” Nora yelled.

  Bright-orange light pulsed from inside. Smoke billowed from the open door as Tobin emerged and passed Nora, who couldn't speak, let alone move.

  “No traces, remember?” He asked, his frame still sunken, then he disappeared into the shadows of the brush while the fire devoured his home, forcing her to scramble to keep up.

  An hour later, Nora lumbered along the sharp rocks of a harsh, unforgiving slope. Her nose stung from the cold. Darkness covered everything from the rocks below to the trees ahead, making it impossible to tell how far they’d come or how much farther they would have to go.

  A rock under her foot shifted, and she tumbled to the ground, arms flailing. She landed on her elbow, and she groaned as she rolled to her side, probing it with her fingers.

  “Nora! Are you okay?” A flutter of steps hurried to her side, and Charlotte wrapped an arm around her to help her up.

  “We've got to keep moving,” Tobin said from somewhere close by, his voice harsh.

  Maybe if I looked like I walked off the cover of an outdoors magazine like you, I’d be able to keep up, but I’m in ballet flats and a flannel nightmare!

  Only his hulking silhouette was visible in the pitch-darkness, emboldening her. “I'm trying.”

  “Not hard enough. We should be moving at twice this pace.”

  “Twice the—” She rose with Charlotte’s help, still rubbing her elbow. “In complete darkness? You can't be serious.”

  A crunch of dead leaves against the rocky ground signaled his approach. Nora cringed, and Charlotte backed away to stand by Henry.

  “You seem to be having trouble understanding what you're up against, so let me help.” Tobin grabbed her shoulders and aimed her toward the cabin. The trunks of nearby trees barely contrasted against each other in the dark, but a faint orange light glowed in the distant sky—the fire.

  “The Tavians are a direct threat to you, and the world you can’t remember is way beyond your comprehension, so you're going to do exactly what I say. If you don’t, they will kill you and Charlotte and Henry. And if they're stupid, they'll come after me, too.”

  She scowled at him as he towered over her. He thought she needed lectures to know she was in danger? She certainly didn’t need them to know he was an ass, but this brute with the serious anger management problem was her best chance at survival.

  “Is that clear enough for you?”

  She wanted to scream at him, but she swallowed her disdain. “Crystal.”

  “Good.” He trudged past Charlotte and Henry, blending in with the trees again.

  Nora shot daggers with her eyes in his direction.

  As soon as I can, I'm getting away from this jerk.

  If there was any comfort to walking in the woods at night, it was that it required her full concentration. The sound of the movement in front of her acted as her guide, and her eyes ached from focusing on the ground to avoid another fall. She didn't have the luxury of pausing to think about the Tavians chasing them or Tobin's temper. For the moment, it was simple: one foot in front of the other.

  Faint music sounded over the footsteps. They weren't close enough for every note, but she wanted to run toward the sound. After clawing her way to the top of a ridge, the music became much clearer. A neon sign glowed in the valley below them.

  Oh, thank God. Civilization.

  She negotiated her way down the slope and crossed a two-lane road behind the others to a small mountain bar. A giant neon sign above it glowed the name Willie's, and a row of motorcycles lined the street. She could already smell smoke wafting from inside. This was not a place she would have normally gone, but she was giddy as they reached the door.

  Tobin held up a hand. “Wait here.”

  Nora stopped, but it wasn’t out of obedience. The Tavians could emerge from the forest behind them at any moment, and he wanted to leave her exposed in the doorway of a bar? She folded her arms and glared at him through the glass door.

  A young bartender with bleach-blonde hair bounded from behind the counter and bounced up into his arms, giving him an overly flirtatious hug.

  Nora’s pulse pounded in her ears. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  He yells at me about pace, but he has time to flirt?

  Tobin said something to the bartender. She nodded cheerfully and returned to her station behind the bar to pour a shot.

  He had time for drinks, too? The cold weather made the warm rush of blood to her face all the more obvious.

  She stormed in, followed closely by Henry and Charlotte. They clung to each other with wide eyes. Lonely men hunched over their drinks at the bar. Women in cheap, revealing clothing hung on a couple of bikers clad in leather vests. Missing teeth. Leathery skin. Reminders of how cruel life could be were all around them.

  “I didn't realize we were here for drinks,” Nora said, barely able to control her tone.

  He downed the gold liquid, pounding the shot glass on the bar. “I said our best chance was to blend in with human society.”

  Less than twenty minutes ago, he had been lecturing her about her pace and the gravity of her situation. Now they had the time for shots?

  Two can play at this game.

  She slid onto the barstool next to him. “In that case, I'll take a shot of tequila, please.”

  The bartender pursed her lips and looked her over.

  “No. She will not, Amber,” Tobin said, before motioning that he'd like another shot. “She's my designated driver.”

  Nora glared at him.

  Worthless, self-centered, stupid thug.

  “We don't serve designated drivers,” Amber replied with a fake smile and poured another shot for Tobin.

  As soon as I can leave him…

  “We don’t have a car,” Nora said.

  He downed the second shot as quickly as the first.

  “There has to be another way,” Nora said to Charlotte and Henry, jabbing a finger at Tobin.

  Henry, whose eyebrows were pulled up in the center, shrugged. Charlotte was focused on the pool table, where a biker was having his way with one of the groupies. Judging from the horror on her face, Nora doubted she’d heard her at all.

  “Hey, darlin',” Tobin said to the bartender. “I need a big favor. I need a car to get up to the Interstate Lodge.”

  The girl pursed her lips before coldly glancing at Nora. “I hope you're not asking me to help you get some action from her.” A smirk pulled at her lips as she leaned forward on the bar, accentuating her chest. “You know you can come to me for that anytime.”

  Nora
raised an incredulous eyebrow at the thought of action with Tobin. He was closer to killing her than hitting on her—and that was fine by her.

  Staring deeply into his eyes, Amber brushed Tobin's hand with hers. Nora groaned, ready to offer to leave him with her.

  “I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important,” he replied, holding her gaze. “I need to help these people go back to where they came from. You can drop by the motel tomorrow and get it. I'll leave the keys in the wheel well.”

  Amber flashed a half smile. “Will you still have the room?”

  Nora cleared her throat, earning a scowl from Amber before she handed the keys to Tobin.

  Smiling wide, he tossed them at Nora. “Let's go!”

  She had no trouble keeping up with his fast pace now that they were on level ground. Henry and Charlotte scrambled behind them to the parking lot.

  “I almost kill myself running through the forest because you said we had to, and then you take your time scheduling your next hook up.”

  Tobin beamed. “Does that bother you?”

  “Yes, it does—when Tavians are chasing us.”

  His smile remained fixed on his face as he rounded the car to the passenger seat.

  “Don't flatter yourself,” she snapped. “This has nothing to do with your love life.”

  “Good!” The smile dropped from his face. “You don’t have a say in that.”

  Charlotte and Henry glanced uncomfortably at each other, and Nora flushed with embarrassment. Tobin, on the other hand, didn't seem to care that they were making a scene. There had to be a better way to escape—without him.

  “Just tell me where we’re going,” she said, wrenching the car door open and plopping into the driver’s seat.

  Tobin lowered himself into the passenger seat next to her as Charlotte and Henry climbed in back. “Head down this road. The motel is about an hour away.”

  “Motel?” No. She didn’t care what story he had told Amber. People were dead. She needed real protection. “If I’m really in as much danger as you all insist, I want to go to Nios.”