by Kade Cook
ALL NIGHT, GABRIAN lies awake, her mind refusing to shut down even for a moment. Tired and restless, her eyes seek out the incessant ticking warden on the wall. She glares at its unsympathetic face as its hands strike three bells.
She grumbles and sits up, pulling her hand through her hair—snarled by the constant tossing and turning. With her eyes wide open and agitation setting in, it is determined that sleep will not be up for discussion, so pulling back the covers, she makes her plan. Step one, head for the shower. Step two, coffee—loads and loads of coffee.
ETHAN STRAIGHTENS THE papers on his desk and places his ticket in the inside pocket of his charcoal grey sports coat, leaving the second one lying on his desk. He checks his watch and sighs, glancing across his shoulder at the empty doorway. Gathering his briefcase in one hand and heaving his large black carryon over his shoulder, he turns to leave for the airport.
Standing in the waiting area, suitcase in hand and wearing a nervous look on her face, she speaks. “Is it too late to join you?”
Ethan lets out a huffy chuckle and his eyes brighten as his smile grows across his face—relieved to see that she ‘thought about it.’ Gabrian takes a deep breath and smiles at his reaction, an unexpected wave of excitement washing over her as she lets go of some of the guilt that she has been clinging to.
He sets down his briefcase and returns to pick up the other ticket from the desk, holding it out to her with an impish grin. “It’s New York, Gabrian. Nothing is ever too late.”
58
NEW YORK, NY
SITTING IN THE AIRPLANE, looking through the window across the landscape below, Gabrian marvels at how beautiful the coastline is from above. A strange thought enters her mind and she turns to her traveling companion.
“With all of your connections within the Realm, why would you take a plane when you could just hitch a ride with Orroryn or ask one of the other Shadow Walkers to deliver you to wherever you need to be within mere moments—no economy class, no cramped seating?”
Ethan, who has been sitting quietly beside her with his eyes closed, begins to smile knowing it was only a matter of time before the questions started. “Because, my dear inquisitive one, sometimes it is good to live life. Not everyone gets to experience life in the same way we do. So, to understand the world around you, you must have the same interactions to achieve relatable stories to exchange with others. It helps keep things in perspective. Also, it is a good idea to have a paper trail of your whereabouts in case you ever need it.”
She nods and returns to her world watching through the window. “I get it, but I still think it would be beneficial to have the Shadow Walker Express on standby when your flights get cancelled.”
Expelling a huffy chuckle with his eyes closed again, Ethan retorts to her statement, “Yes, yes it certainly would.”
The next forty-five minutes are spent in silence, each going over things without words until they reach the JFK International airport safe and sound. Taking a taxi to their hotel, Gabrian feels the flood of energy seep into her veins from the abundance of life thriving within the city.
She glances at Ethan and lets him in on her thoughts. He grins at her, feeling the sullen side of her disappear in her elation to the exposure of life all around her—no internal cravings, no need to feed—just a need to breath. He knows she loves living in Northeast Harbor and all its charm, but she was raised in Manhattan. A part of her has been missing the city ever since she made the decision to leave it all behind.
Gabrian lowers her lids, absorbing it all in, and hears the silent but electrifying beat of the city’s heart rushing all around her, soothing the edges of the frayed nightmare her life had become and lifting the corners of her mouth.
The cabby in the front seat carries on in complete oblivion to all the healing taking place in his backseat as he navigates his way through the morning traffic across the waking city.
They make their first conference meeting at two then leave the group to find a bite to eat. “So, Gabrian, this your town. Where do you suggest we go?”
Her mouth curls up at the edges. She knows the perfect spot not far from where they are. “I know just the place,” she says, stepping out to the edge of the sidewalk to hail a cab.
ETHAN’S FACE TWISTS as he looks up at the sign—Beauty and Essex—seeing nothing more than a nicely kept pawn shop before them and turns to her in confusion. “Um, I thought we were eating. If you need to pawn things to pay for it, maybe I should re-evaluate the amount of your earnings at the office.”
“Relax, Ethan, you will see.” She smiles, sauntering her way through the store toward a large man sporting a crimson-coloured aura standing in front of a green door. “Trust me,” she says, giving Ethan a wink coupled with a devilish grin. Having probably seen the same reaction a thousand times, the keeper of the green door returns her grin, and steps aside to allow their entry.
Ethan, still confused, follows Gabrian’s lead, studying the member of Egni as the loud rush of noise breaches the quietness of the room, unleashing evidence of what swarms within the boundaries of the walls. People, food, laughter, and life ripples through the opening, taking him by surprise and making him slow. Gabrian grabs Ethan’s hand and pulls him forward, dragging him behind her and into her hidden paradise.
On the side of the door awaits an oasis of delightful smells wafting from the kitchen beyond and in front of them yields a long bar filled with customers happily sipping their drinks, waiting for their tables and chatting about their day. Noticing a familiar orange essence glowing from behind the bar, she drags Ethan behind her to an empty seat and waits anxiously to be noticed.
Ethan turns in his seat to take in his surroundings. He is captivated by all the different-coloured auras filling the room and swims in the waves of their various shades. A loud but warm voice from behind him brings his attentions back to the bar.
“Hey, you! What the...” the voice cheers. “Get yourself over here.”
Gabrian jumps from her perch and hurries around the side of the bar, meeting the bartender on the other side, and lets his large tanned arms wrap around her small frame, lifting her from the floor and surrounding her in a glow of hazy tangerine as he hugs her. Thomas.
She hugs him back—tight—not wanting to let go right away. Gabrian slips into his warm embrace and it reaches deep, claiming the darkness for a moment and soothing the empty echo within her soul. He sets her back on her feet and they ravel themselves into a high energy conversation that excludes Ethan’s existence.
Seeing the light in her eye return in the exchange, Ethan sits quietly for a while, not wanting to interrupt, then coughs in a subtle attempt to gather the couple’s attention. Hearing the deliberate means of interruption, Gabrian turns to the culprit still carrying a grin. “Oh, sorry,” she says, reaching out her fingers to gather her friend’s hand, and leads him around to the front of the bar. “Thomas, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Ethan,” she says, her eyes glowing in euphoria of her reunited kinship. “Ethan, this is Thomas.”
Gabrian’s eyes pinch at the edges as she watches Ethan’s light grey aura swirl and sway—intermingling with the stray fragments of Thomas’s orange hue as the two make idle chatter. Her curiosity of the strange entanglement mutes out their conversation as she watches the auras dance around each other. “Hmmm,” she hums.
“So, is there any chance we might get in to eat?”
“There is probably a pretty good chance. It is slow tonight for some reason. Let me get you guys something to drink and I will check with the maître’de.” Thomas tugs on one of Gabrian’s loose tassels of hair before slipping back behind the bar to wait on them. After a quick drink and catch up between friends, Gabrian and Ethan slide into one of the rounded tables at the back and their meal is promptly served. As the two go over some highlights from the meeting at the conference, Gabrian picks up on an image of Thomas as it briefly flickers through Ethan’s mind. And being of the curious type, she engages, wanting to know m
ore about what her mentor thinks of her bartender friend.
“So, what do you think of Thomas?”
Ethan’s eyes light up as a rose hue dances across his flesh. He reaches out his hand and clasps his beer, taking a sip. “Nice guy,” is all he says before going back to his meal.
“Do you notice anything about him?” Gabrian pries, waiting for Ethan to explain what section of the Fellowships he is from due to his orange aura.
“Yes,” he says.
Gabrian waits for his take on the odd colouring of his essence.
“It is nice to see that you are keeping your group of friends diverse.”
Her brow wrinkles. She waits for a moment but then decides to bait his statement, wanting more details. “How so?”
“Well, I think it is great that you still are interacting with humans. It helps keep you aware of normal life and what it was like before you knew about the Realm.”
She stares at him with a twisted jaw, her teeth now nipping at her bottom lip in confusion of his answer. This is not quite the response she was looking for.
“What is with the face?” he says, taking another sip of his beer, fully in control of his emotions now.
She straightens her jaw and sits back in her seat, her mind sifting over the fact Ethan did not pick up on the strange colour of Thomas’ aura. Strange. Maybe it is for a reason, she thinks and decides to keep this bit of oddness to herself. “Um, nothing,” Gabrian says, shaking her head, and closes the file in her brain about her friend, locking its secret away for safekeeping. “I was just thinking about my life before the Realm.” Gabrian smiles at Ethan, hoping she has not disclosed anything important to him. She trusts Ethan but the fact he said nothing is unnerving.
They finish up dinner, continuing to talk of the conference, then make their way back through the restaurant toward the exit. Gabrian stops to wish Thomas a good night, making plans to see each other tomorrow after the meetings are over and as luck would have it, Thomas has the day off—wanting to do up the town with them.
WITH THE FINAL MEETING over, and the rest of the day ahead of them, Ethan and Gabrian take in the tourist side of Manhattan with the help of their eagerly awaiting guide. Thomas takes them on a blur of fun and historical sites within city limit then slows as they approach their final destination when he notices Ethan’s demeanor shift and his level of happiness dampen upon arrival.
Sensing the sadness in Ethan’s energy, Gabrian questions him. “Are you all right, Ethan?”
He takes a weighted breath and looks out across the park. “Yes, fine, Gabrian. It is just the first time I have been back since Vaeda summoned...” He looks around, taking in the present company and corrects his wording. “I mean, when Vaeda asked Cimmerian and I to come and help her out with an issue that had arose in the park. Before that, it had been a very long time since I have walked these streets.”
Having pushed the horrible time for her out of her head, Gabrian stays quiet, remembering. Not knowing what to say in present company, she feels there is so much more to what has happened here—an underlying network of sadness in his words.
The light-hearted afternoon is now gone, weighted with memories of another time. Thomas watches both of them standing quiet for a moment. He looks out across the city with them, his tanned hands hitched on his hips, then glances down at his watch. “Sorry to burst any bubbles here, guys, but I am afraid I have to be the bearer of bad news.” He slips a peek at Ethan then looks down at his friend. “I hate to see you both go but if you two intend on catching your flight back, we better get you guys back to your hotel,” Thomas chimes, his eyes bright with hope of the world.
Ethan glances down at his watch and nods. “Yes, I suppose you are right. Thank you, Thomas. It is easy to lose yourself in this place.” He smiles, eyes slanting down at Gabrian, then jump up to meet his gracious tour guide.
THE PLANE RIDE FROM New York to Bangor seems to last forever.
Gabrian tries to sleep but her mind will not play along. The buzz of being in New York still lingers in her, keeping her wired and whirling within a windstorm of memories the whole flight. Some good and some, not so much. She just starts to nod off somewhere within them when the flight attendant announces they will be landing in Bangor International, bringing her back with an abrupt jolt to a memory that will not leave her.
Gabrian decides she must make amends, admitting her selfishness does not give her the right to hurt him—the guardian who would lay his life down for her, the mate who loves unconditionally, and the soul she convinced herself that she was saving. In reality, her act of supposed selflessness does not warrant the measure of suffering she has caused him, or herself for that matter.
“Listen, do not beat yourself up about it, kid.”
Gabrian gasps at Ethan’s sudden words. Thinking that he was asleep, she must have been pondering her life dilemmas unguarded.
“You have only been here a short while. I have been kicking around for over three hundred years and I am still trying to figure life out.”
Her face grows in a pink hue as the sting of embarrassment bites at her. “Sorry,” she says, peeking across her shoulder at him to see his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes still unopened.
“No problem, kiddo. Can I offer you some advice?”
She leans back against the headrest of her seat and peeks over at him. “Yes, go ahead. I could probably use some right now.”
“You love this guy, right?”
“Yes, of course I do. More than anything.”
“Well, as far as I can figure out with the Schaeduwe, their devotion to the ones they love and the seriousness by which they take their oaths far outweighs any so-called selfless acts that the rest of us will make. Even though you think you may have saved him from his petty existence—and don’t get me wrong cause I know what you were trying to do—by cutting him loose or chasing him away, all you have done is make his life a living hell by denying him his oath of honour and duty. More importantly, you are denying him of love, one that will burn in his heart for a thousand years.”
The words sting as they roll off Ethan’s tongue. Gabrian feels the dew forming at the edges of her eyes as she wonders about what she has done.
“We’ve all been there. We have all screwed up,” he whispers to her, reaching out one of his folded hands to lightly pat the side of her arm. “You two will figure it out. Shane is one of the good ones.”
Gabrian gazes back out the window and wipes away the moisture blurring her view of the chaotic world below her. She allows herself a moment of regret then grits her teeth, pushing back the tendrils of pain aching to take over. She stares blankly out the window, forming her plans for once they touch ground, and knows Ethan is right. He is always right. Shane really is great, and he deserves to know just how much.
She will fix this mess she made and make it right again if it is the last thing she does.
59
LATTE AND SOAP
EVERY MINUTE GABRIAN sits idle on the tarmac is another minute she is delayed from getting to Shane. She had sent him a text message after her phone call went to voicemail, asking him to meet her at her house so they could talk.
Her eyes continually drop to check her phone for a reply even though the phone remains still. Shadow Walkers do not run on the same schedule as everyone else on this Earth; she blames the no reply on this, hoping it is the reason for his silence and that he is caught up in training or is actually sleeping—a rare occurrence of the Schaeduwe from what she has observed.
Even though he remains silent, despite her obsessive neurotic need to check the phone every two minutes, Gabrian knows Ethan is awake from the grin curled at his lips.
Finally docking at Bangor International, Ethan and Gabrian depart the airplane. She wastes no time claiming her baggage and trots toward the exit in a brisk stride while Ethan lags behind, still wearing a grin. She pinches the edges of her eyes and folds up her nose at him, faltering Ethan’s ability to hold in his laughter an
y longer.
“Relax, we will get there soon enough,” he says, watching her march forward—dedicated to her silent mission. “Give this old guy a break.”
“You’re not old, Ethan,” she heckles him over her shoulder.
“Thank you for your gracious words but I beg to differ,” Ethan chimes in, raising his brow.
Gabrian forgets, even though Ethan may look no more than his mid-thirties, she would need to tag on a few centuries to her birth date to be anywhere even close to his actual age.
“Well then, in that case, do you want me to go get you a courtesy wheelchair to help speed you along?”
“Actually, that would be great!” he teases, picking up his pace.
She shakes her head at his reply and glares at him over her shoulder again. “Oh, just come on. Will you?” Gabrian rolls her eyes and slips through the spinning automatic doors, leaving Ethan behind with his witty humour to keep him company.
The drive back to Mount Desert Island is quick. Ethan manages to take her mind off her phone by talking shop and how to implement some of the new ideas from the conference. At the Bar Harbor turnoff, Ethan asks if she want to go straight home or if she would like to stop off at the Coffee Hound for a night cap. The mention of the treat makes her mouth water, sealing the deal. The blinker clicks eagerly to the left, making their decision clear to the world around them.
With her ‘Turtle Latte’ in hand, Gabrian slips into her car she left outside the office, checking her phone once more before she heads back to North East Harbor.
Still no reply.
Pulling into her driveway, she glances down at her phone again.
