by Logan Byrne
We looked over, seeing Charlie and Blake still wrestling, neither of them giving up or giving the other the satisfaction of thinking they won the encounter. “Do you want to go get some hot chocolate in the cafeteria? I don’t think these boys are going to stop anytime soon,” I asked, laughing a little as I watched them.
I didn’t know who I wanted to win. Part of me wanted my boyfriend to win, and the other wanted my partner to, since I counted on him in the field and all that. It would be nice to know that I could always count on him to take down a werewolf if it came to it, though I supposed neither of them were using their fangs or claws, which they would in the field.
“What about the boys? Shouldn’t we stop them?” Britta asked, starting to move forward.
“No,” I said, grabbing her and stopping her in her tracks. “Let’s just let them go at it until they tire themselves out. Besides, we could use some girl time together, just you and me,” I said, smiling.
“Agreed,” Britta said.
We linked arms and walked to the door, laughing and looking back at them wrestling before we left for the cafeteria. Those boys, they were something else.
13
The smell of that same gross incense filled the hallway of Mirian’s apartment building as I walked up to his door. I could hear classical music playing inside. I knocked three times on the door, hoping he would hear me over his humming to the violins.
“Good evening, Lexa,” he said after opening the door.
“Good evening, thank you for having me,” I replied, walking inside.
Mirian had been helping me every now and then with my control of the mark and trying to learn more about it. It was helpful, having such a powerful mage in the resistance and one so well read that finding out more information about what all of this meant was never that hard. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it myself without him there to guide me.
“Did anybody follow you or see you come here tonight?” he asked.
“Nope, just like the other nights. I don’t know why they would, anyway,” I replied.
“You can never be too careful in this line of work. If people found out you were coming here, they would start to ask questions, and we cannot have them doing that. If people were to find out about your gift, they would kidnap you and attempt to use it for their own power and gain,” he said.
“Well, the joke would be on them then, wouldn’t it? Considering I don’t even have full control over my powers yet,” I said, chuckling.
“You will soon enough. Do you think the witches and wizards who have had this mark before you gained control of it even within their first few years of finding out about their powers? No, they definitely did not, and you aren’t the exception. It could take decades to properly master this level of raw power,” he said.
“Decades? Yay me,” I said, rolling my eyes. I couldn’t imagine being this frustrated for even a few more months, let alone years or decades. I liked to learn and move fast, never spending ages trying to do the same thing over and over again. Having this mark had its potential, but my lack of control wasn’t boding well for my self-esteem or patience level.
“Have you been doing your breathing and meditation exercises?” he asked, sitting down on a large pillow in the center of the room, his coffee table pushed out of the way.
“I do them, but probably not as often as I should,” I said, taking my seat across from him.
“Well, you will have to work on that, but for now at least you are doing something. Our first step will be calming our breathing and gaining our center of gravity,” he said, before placing his hands in his lap palms up.
I did the same, crossing my legs over one another, before closing my eyes and clearing my throat. “Relax, Lexa, and let your mind drift off to a place of wonder. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and exhale out of your mouth.”
I did as he said, each and every breath a refreshing flow of relaxation as I felt the stressors of my life and job melt away. I took a breath and saw Kiren disappear; another breath came and went, as did the thought of the gala; another one got rid of the raid we did the other night. Having Mirian guide me always did wonders for me. Maybe I should start to come over a little more often. It might allow me to gain control of this power faster.
“Good, now that we have our breathing in sync, we will begin the next phase of our meditation. I want you to picture a meadow, and you are standing in it. The meadow is filled with green—green plants with yellow flowers attached to the ends. Butterflies are fluttering about and a small stream is flowing nearby, and you hear every drop of the water splashing against the riverbed rocks that line the path,” he said, as I hit my deepest point of relaxation.
I could see myself standing there, a gentle breeze flowing through the valley and brushing my cheek. I smelled the air, crisp like a mountainside meadow in Switzerland, as a blue butterfly fluttered around me and kissed my nose. I smiled, laughing a little, before extending my finger for it to land.
I couldn’t help but look around in amazement, wishing this were real. I was there, but I knew I was meditating, and I was really sitting in an old apartment with red brick walls.
“Now that you are settled, I want you to picture your power inside you. Imagine it outside your body, floating beside you, a gaseous blur of blue looking back at you,” he said.
I saw it separate from my body, the blue gas flowing yet cohesive, as it just floated there looking at me. It didn’t have a face, or even a body, but it felt alive somehow, like it was part of me. It felt like a spirit, and I could feel voices inside it. They weren’t scary or frightening, and they weren’t calling out like ghosts trapped between planes. They were like ancestors, though we weren’t related at all, at least not by blood. I realized they were the people, the witches and wizards, who possessed this mark before me. They were there for me, but I had never felt their presence before this meditation session.
I reached out to them, my hand going into the gas, and I felt them touch me back as my hand tingled a little. I smiled, feeling their love and guidance, before the gas wrapped around my arm and slowly pushed its way back into my body. It didn’t hurt, the opposite really, and I breathed in deeply while it did so.
I thought the mark had always been a part of me, even when I didn’t know I had powers. I thought it must have lain dormant all those years, maybe waiting for its chance or opportunity to come out and expose itself to me and to Mirian. Maybe it was alive, and it knew he would be the one who could help me learn about it and control it. Maybe it even sought him out, taking control of the physical universe in ways I didn’t think I would ever understand. There were a lot of maybes when it came to the mark, and I wanted to learn about them all.
“I’m done,” I said, opening my eyes, taking Mirian by surprise.
“Already?” he asked, putting his palms on his knees. “I think we should keep going.”
“I think I learned more about the mark from that session than I did with all our other sessions before. I think it’s trying to talk to me, or communicate with me. Either way, I know that it knows I’m aware of its existence,” I said.
“You could’ve found a less confusing way to say it, but what makes you think that?” he asked.
“I think it is alive, and that it that found me when I was born, or maybe even before I was born. It’s a spirit, I’m sure of it,” I said.
“A spirit, you say? That would be quite interesting indeed. So you think the mark isn’t something that just happens to a witch or wizard? You think it chooses people?” he asked.
“I’m not sure about that last part, if it chooses people, but it’s not just something anybody can receive. I think you’re born with it. I could see them, Mirian, I could see all the people before me. I touched them, their souls, and it felt calming, like I was hugging my grandmother again,” I said.
“Fascinating. Did you speak with them?” he asked.
“Not verbally, no. I feel like I spoke with them, but thr
ough touch? If that’s even a thing. I believe now that I’ll learn more about them the more often I meditate. I want to see if they can tell me what this all means. What is the mark, exactly, and what can I do with it to help humanity? Did they choose me, or was it a coincidence of being born or coming of age? Do they know about Kiren, or is it all happenstance that I of all people have this? There’s so much to know, and so much to ask,” I said, smiling.
For the first time in a while, I was really happy about the mark and what it meant for me and my future. The spirits had to know that I was trying to take Kiren down. Maybe that was why it chose me; maybe it knew the future and my destiny long before I was even born. Maybe they knew before Kiren was even born. Either way, I thought it was too strange to just be a coincidence. It had to be fate.
“I’ll put a kettle on,” Mirian said, standing up and walking into the kitchen. “I’ve noticed you with Blake,” he added over his shoulder.
“Oh?” I asked, wiping my sweaty palms against my pants. “What do you mean?”
“I know you two are together. Is that going well?” he asked.
“Are you asking because you’re my boss?” I asked.
“No,” he said, laughing. “Here I’m not your boss, I’m your friend. Well, I take my job with you more as a fatherly guardian type role, not just a friend, but I ask because I care about you and your life.”
“Oh, well, it’s going about as good as it can, I guess. It’s not exactly easy, having a relationship with somebody while in this position at M.A.G.I.C. I don’t know how anybody there has a successful relationship, especially if the other person doesn’t already work there,” I said.
“It can be quite difficult to balance work and a home life, especially when you are an auditor. That sort of responsibility to your career can take its toll on any relationship, but it seems like you two are doing quite well given the circumstances,” he said.
“I suppose only time will tell how things go, but I like the spot we’re in,” I said.
“And Charlie is a good partner?” he asked.
“The best, by a long shot. I trust him with my life, and he knows I would never let anything happen to him,” I said.
“As it should be, young one. I knew putting you two together would be the right choice, for many reasons. He has a certain drive and tenacity that complement you well. I think he also brings out a fun side to your more serious one,” he said.
“He definitely goofs off a lot, but he also knows how to be serious. I talk a lot to him and Britta. I really lucked out meeting them in the camp,” I said.
“I think they are the ones who lucked out, Lexa. You’re the kind of friend who only comes around once in a lifetime, and I’m sure that your friends thank the heavens every single day to have you in their lives,” he said, handing me a cup of tea.
Mirian was the type of man to have small teacups and saucers with little pink flowers on them, which made me smile. He was one of the most powerful mages in the magical realm, and yet he had dainty little teacups, saucers, and doilies. People surprise you sometimes.
“Well, thank you for the tea, and thank you for another amazing session. I think we’re making great progress,” I said, packing up my things.
“It was a pleasure, once again. Remember to keep up your training, it might save your life one day,” he said, opening the door.
Given my upcoming plans, which he might not be too happy about if I told him about them, I might just need to make sure I saved my life. Things were about to get very hectic.
14
It was difficult for M.A.G.I.C. to keep mortal police at bay when we had an investigation in their realm, but we made it work. All I knew was that higher up government officials knew of our existence and made sure that local police didn’t interfere. They thought we were just another branch of government, an agency, doing some kind of work in the crime scene, but little did they know we weren’t anything like that.
I felt on edge working in the mortal realm, like I couldn’t be myself, but I thought it was worse for someone like Charlie than for me as a witch. Back in our realm, he could shift forms and nobody would bat an eye. Here, peoples’ minds would melt and it would be a huge disaster that would have to be cleaned up extensively by our people. God forbid any physical evidence showed up, either. It would be on the front page of every tabloid across the world. I could see the headlines now.
“What do you sense, anything?” Charlie asked as we walked through the club before the mortals took over.
“No, not much. I just don’t understand how they got people out of here so easily. We had the place surrounded so well, even the outside exits. There has to be somewhere else they were accessing,” I said.
“Is there a basement of some kind? Maybe they had a secret exit, because you’re right, there’s no way they just went out any of the doors or windows without us knowing about it,” he said.
“I’m not sure, I didn’t even think of a basement. There have to be stairs somewhere,” I said, walking down the hall. Charlie and I searched and searched, not seeing any sets of stairs that led down past the first floor. It was peculiar; a bunch of vampires and babies disappeared as if they were never here. How was it possible?
“Lexa, what’s this?” Charlie asked, running his fingers across the wall.
“What is it?” I asked, walking up and catching a glimpse of something on the wall.
“It’s like there are cracks in the wall, seams maybe,” Charlie said, before pushing on them with all his might. Dust fell from the top of the opening, but it moved back, revealing a narrow hall hidden within the wall. That would’ve answered the question of where the people went.
“But this one doesn’t seem like it was opened. The dust would’ve already fallen, wouldn’t it?” Charlie asked.
“Maybe this one wasn’t accessed. There have to be multiple passages that connect? Maybe, anyway,” I said, pulling out my wand. “Candelae.”
“Are we going?” he asked, before notifying one of the officers.
Cobwebs clung to the corners of the walls as the hallway twisted and turned, until we came across a ladder, rusted and wet, set into a hole. “Ladies first,” Charlie said, laughing nervously.
I grabbed it, holding my wand in my mouth, before going down a story and stepping off into a puddle. “What’s this?” he asked, as he came down.
“I think it’s a sewer access point,” I said, lifting my wand up as a small stream of light bubbled outwards from the tip, illuminating the otherwise pitch-black tunnel. “But why is it connected to this building, and where does it lead?”
“I think we should call for backup,” Charlie said, looking around.
“Come on, Charlie, be brave. We’re auditors, the best M.A.G.I.C. has. We can handle this. It’s not like there’s anybody down here,” I said.
“Famous last words,” Charlie mumbled, before we set off down the tunnel.
There was an eerie feeling down here, like something or someone was watching us. I kept my eyes peeled, Charlie shifting just his eyes to try to see better in the dark, being a cat and all, but neither of us saw anything. We soon hit the end of the tunnel, which stopped at an old wooden door with rusted metal rivets.
“Should we open it?” I asked, noticing a circular metal handle hanging from the middle of the door.
“What if we don’t like what’s on the other side?” Charlie asked.
“That will probably be the case, but you have to admit you have a strange sense of curiosity right now, because I do, and you and I are usually in sync with these types of things,” I said.
“Let’s just get it over with,” he said, putting his palm to his forehead and shaking his head.
I swiped my wand across the door, the latch opening, before I pushed on the wooden bit and swung it open. “It doesn’t feel right in here,” I said, as we walked into the room.
“Ignitus,” I incanted. The torches in the room came to life, crackling with flames as the cobwebs and dust
covering them quickly burnt off.
“Yeah, it does feel a little creepy,” he said.
“No, not creepy—well, it is a little. I just feel…off. This place feels like somewhere I’ve been before, like I know this place,” I said, looking around. “I know I’ve never been here, though. I’m sure of it. I think I would remember someplace like this.”
“I’m sure it’s just a creepy feeling. There probably isn’t much to it,” Charlie said. “Although, this is weird.”
He walked towards the middle of the room, where there was an altar, or at least something that looked like one. It was ceremonial in nature, that much was clear, but what purpose did it serve? It had some runes on it, but that seemed normal for ancient pieces of magic like this. After all, runes were the most ancient type of magic out there, which was another reason why Kiren was so dangerous. Ancient magic was usually stronger than modern magic, but much, much harder to manage and master. Those who wielded it usually could do things modern witches and wizards couldn’t.
“I think we should get out of here and go back to the club,” Charlie said, since the room wasn’t producing anything else.
“I agree. I can’t shake this feeling, and I can’t say I want to feel it any longer,” I said, before swiping my wand and extinguishing the flames. We shut the door, latching it closed again, before making our way back to the ladder. Charlie went up, and I turned around one last time, looking at the room in the distance. I knew I’d been there before, I was sure of it. If not, my mind was playing immense tricks on me right now.
“Mirian?” I asked later that night, as I knocked on his office door.
“Lexa, come in. Is there something on your mind?” he asked, peering up from his book as he sat at his desk.
