by Joshua Roots
Steve listened as the Minotaur rolled off a series of words in his native tongue.
“He wants to know if your people will kill the rest of the clan when they hear about Makha’s actions.”
Holy hell, I hadn’t even thought about that.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to convince the people in charge to focus only on Makha and his troops. Humans might relish drama, but we try to reserve combat as the last possible course of action.”
Steve translated. The father appeared worried, but seemed to accept my message.
Steve turned to me. “Ready?”
“No, but we don’t have a lot of options.”
“At least we have some.”
I chuckled softly. “True.” Then to Enneticia, “Steve and Lythos will take point. You and I will bring up the rear.”
She nodded firmly.
Once everyone was situated, I gave Ray a final wave goodbye. Then Steve motioned the group into the woods and, with a little luck, toward the safety of the human world.
Chapter 15
40 Days and Nights
“The waters rough and the winds violent, Theseus and Ariadne sought refuge in the island of Nexos. There they would weather the wrath of the gods.”
—The Legend of Ariadne
For the first time in my life, finding the entrance to the Underground was the easy part. Convincing a herd of scared, tired and hungry Minotaurs that they needed to board the paranormal train, however, was downright impossible.
“What’s the problem?” I asked.
Steve ignored me as he continued to trade words with the small group of terrified clansmen. Eventually my buddy threw up his hands.
“They don’t like the smell of the train.”
“Pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?”
He frowned. “They say it’s unnatural.”
I sniffed the air. “A little heavy on the diesel, but otherwise it seems fine to me.”
“You’re adorable.” Then he went back to arguing with the group.
The rest of the travelers standing on the platform, a mixed bag of the Greatest Hits from the paranormal world, backed away slowly. They all stared, mostly out of morbid curiosity. I smiled and waved, hoping my weapons-grade charm would help. No one seemed to care. Or notice.
“Okay, we’re beginning to make a scene,” I mumbled to Steve. He glared at the onlookers, then snarled something at the Minotaurs. Everyone immediately shut up.
A porter for the Excelsior Express—a breathtaking Nymph with large purple eyes and hair that looked like grass—approached us.
“Excuse me. This is the last call for the train to Washington. Please either board or move away from the platform.” She spoke to me but kept her attention on Steve.
I gave her the friendliest smile I could muster. “Sorry, first-time travelers.”
The stunning creature grinned back, but it was forced. “Of course. We will do everything we can to make their journey pleasant. Once they board, of course.”
“Steve, get them on,” I said in a low voice. The Nymph wasn’t the only one giving us a wary gaze.
He grunted and pointed at the train. The Minotaurs stared wide-eyed at the sleeper car, then reluctantly moved toward it. One by one they squeezed through the doorway and slid sideways down the narrow hall.
“Thank you,” the porter said as the last one mounted the stairs. She didn’t bother hiding the relief in her voice.
I handed her two gold coins, grateful that the bank in the local node of the Underground was actually willing to exchange the Canadian bills for the paranormal currency. “For your patience.”
She grinned, bathing me in the brilliance of her mystical splendor. Then I followed the pack onto the train. I worked with Steve and the Excelsior Express personnel onboard to get all the Minotaurs stationed in their compartments. Because of the sheer number, we wound up filling half of the sleeper cars alone. Thankfully, Enneticia and Lythos bookended our sections, standing guard against curious travelers.
A moment later the train started moving and the hallways filled with sweaty beasts once again. They pressed their faces to the windows, watching in fascination as we pulled out of the station.
It was dark by the time we convinced everyone to go back to their cabins. Steve and I poked our heads into each compartment, making sure everyone was okay. Then we moseyed up to the dining car.
“Twenty pizzas,” I said to the attendant and placed three coins on the counter. “All cheese for the Minotaurs in...whatever cars we’re in. If any of them need anything else, just charge it to my cabin.”
The Werewolf, a svelte creature with glossy black fur, bared her teeth in what I hoped was a smile. “I’ll get that order started. Anything else?”
“Mushroom pizza and two Stonefires,” Steve replied, pulling a coin from his fanny pack. “Heavy-hand them.”
The attendant grinned deeply. “Right away, sir.” She grabbed two tumblers from the counter, filling them to the brim with the amber liquid. Steve gathered the drinks, then plopped into a booth near the bar.
“We may be here awhile,” I added in a low voice and slid her extra gold. She gave me a wink.
Steve handed me my glass when I joined him. “You look tired.”
“I am. How are you not?”
He spun his tumbler and the Dwarven liquid began to glow with golden light. “Dunno. Still amped up from the day, I suppose.”
“How’s your side?”
He shrugged. “Better. A little tender, but won’t slow me down.”
Wow.
Our conversation dwindled as we both allowed the booze to melt away our troubles.
The Werewolf appeared with our pizza and another round. We thanked her, then each pulled a slice.
“A copper for your thoughts,” I said, taking a bite.
“I’m wondering what happens when we get to DC.”
I shrugged. “The Council will figure out where to put everyone.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Worried about how the Normals will react?”
“Very.”
I leaned back, sipping my drink. The liquid burned as it went down, but warmed me from the inside out. “I am, too. It may be best for us to keep a low profile until we get to Delwinn HQ. But I’m also hopeful about our chances of making it without an incident. After all, with the exception of you getting shot, most of the Normal world has been pretty accepting of paranormals.”
He eyed me. “It’s a two-way street, though. I lived in the Underground for a number of years, so I had a lot of interactions with various species. These guys? Not a single one has left our homeland before. Sure, the military does on occasion, but the average Minotaur lives inside the safety of our borders.”
“Which aren’t so safe anymore.”
He frowned. “That’s what worries me. It’s one thing for my people to be exposed to the rest of the world gradually, to let them adapt. But doing it so quickly and through violence will make the transition harder. There will be fear and confusion among the clan. They’ll go running to Makha for answers and even he, with all this power at his fingertips, will be lost because he doesn’t have a clue about life beyond our homeland.”
I rubbed my eyes. There was simply no good solution. “I think the best bet is for us to get your folks to safety, then convince the Council we need to make a direct assault on Makha.”
He shook his head. “That’d be suicide. Makha’s army is strong, well trained and fast. Any engagement will be bloody on both sides. More important, as much as Makha might be in error, not every soldier is an evil enemy. Many are simply following the orders of their Alpha.”
“Most wars are fou
ght by good people on opposite sides of a battlefield. Trust me, I’d love to minimize the loss of life for everyone if possible.”
“In that case, you need to outthink him, not outgun him.”
“We won’t even be able to do that if the Council is forced to go it alone. The only hope we’ll have against Makha is a unified coalition.”
Steve raised his glass. “Good luck with that.”
* * *
The sun was sitting low in the sky by the time we pulled into the station at the DC node of the Underground. Steve kept his people in their rooms until the majority of travelers had collected their belongings and headed down the platform. Once clear, we directed everyone outside, took a head count, and moved toward the exit.
“Not a moment too soon,” I muttered, still feeling the sting of my bar tab.
“I thought you liked trains.”
“I do, but not as much as your folks seem to like pizza. Soon as they figured out they could order it from their cabins, they went nuts. Another day of travel and our group would have cost me the remaining coins jingling in my pocket.”
He patted me on the back. “You’re a good man, Marcus Shifter.”
“I’m also now a poor man.”
He chuckled.
With our travelers in tow, Steve and Lythos led everyone out of the station and down the alleyways of the Underground. I’d spent so much time recently in unfamiliar woods that I actually found comfort in the surrounding buildings. Which was a bit ironic considering the Underground usually sent chills up my spine. Walking through the streets, however, didn’t scare me like before. Maybe I was getting used to the dangers of the place. Or maybe the knowledge that Makha and his forces were marching on other paranormals made the Underground seem less threatening.
And wasn’t that a happy thought?
Thankfully, aside from the sideways glances and wide berths the locals gave us, we were able to traverse the streets without incident. As we neared the exit, the scent of smoked meat wafted on the air. Behind me, the Minotaurs all sniffed, grunting at one another. My own stomach growled, but there was no way we were delaying our trip. Instead, Steve led us down the dark passage near the diner, opened the door that was waiting for us, and exited into the Normal side of Washington DC.
And into an enormous parking garage.
Crap.
Workers heading to their cars froze as Minotaur after Minotaur stepped into the artificial light. They stared, wide-eyed, at my growing party of mythological beasts.
“TGIF, am I right?” I called, waving with a smile.
Steve stuck his head back through the portal to make sure we didn’t leave anyone, then took a head count. “We’re set. Now it’s your show, pal.”
“This way.” I stomped by the Normals, who stared in shock. We threaded our way up the ramp, passing cars waiting to pay the attendant. Thankfully, the guy in the booth simply watched, mouth open, as our line marched around him.
Dupont Circle was an absolute mess at evening rush hour. Cars packed the streets, honking for no reason other than to vent frustrations at the gridlock. As my merry band of beasts piled onto the sidewalks, those honks increased exponentially. It didn’t help that several pedestrians shrieked and backed away.
The Minotaurs were equally uncomfortable with the situation. Not that I blamed them. I could only image what it was like to go from mountainous wilderness to a concrete jungle almost overnight. They stared at everything in awe or terror, covering their ears to drown out the noise.
“HQ is a bit of a hike from here,” I shouted to Steve. “We need to beat feet.”
He barked at his people.
We moved quickly, pausing only for crosswalks and cars that didn’t believe in red lights. I kept scanning the area, hoping that we’d make it to HQ before anyone got too worked up.
I cursed as flashing lights and sirens echoed off the buildings. Please be a fender bender. Please be a fender bender.
Cars moved, allowing a patrol vehicle to slalom through them. It pulled up directly in front of me and the cops jumped out.
“Everything okay, sir?” the nearest one asked, giving the Minotaurs a wary glance.
“We’re good. Just trying to get these folks to Delwinn HQ.”
One of the younger Minotaurs flinched as a car hit its horn. The kid’s mother snarled at the driver, who, from the looks of it, wet his pants. The cops scanned our group with a calculating gaze.
“Maybe we can help.” He conferred with his partner, then they climbed into the cruiser. “This way.”
The vehicle inched forward, tooting the siren to clear a path. I looked at Steve, who simply shrugged and motioned after the car.
All around us, visitors and residents of the Beltway snapped photos, pointing and talking loudly. Some even followed us as we traveled down the sidewalk.
So much for keeping a low profile.
With our escorts leading the way, we moved quickly down Massachusetts Avenue, through Scott and Thomas Circles, around Mt. Vernon Square, and finally to the side street where the tall glass edifice of the Delwinn Council headquarters glinted in the setting sun. The cops pulled up in front, hopped out and jogged to the end of the line to keep the onlookers from following us inside. I waved my thanks, then turned. My stomach dropped into my shoes.
Waiting for us at the top of the stairway was Elder Devon. I swallowed, mounting the steps slowly.
Well, it had been a good ride being part of the Council.
“Warlock.” The Elder’s beard twitched noncommittally. “Glad you made it home safe.”
I struggled to keep my voice neutral. “Me too.”
He looked over my shoulder at the pack of Minotaurs, my police escort and the dozens of bystanders who had followed us. “I’ll give you this,” he added. “You certainly know how to make an entrance.”
I offered a weak grin, but it faded when Council staff appeared in the doorway.
“These Minotaurs are tired and scared,” I said to Devon. I glanced at Click. “Some are also injured. They need food, shelter and Healers.”
“We’ll take care of them.” The Elder motioned to the senior Councilman, who, in turn, dispatched runners. The small group moved down the steps.
“Thank you.” Then to Steve, “Please let our crew know these humans are here to help.”
My buddy relayed the info. The Minotaurs flinched as Councilmembers approached, but didn’t resist when the Skilled escorted them into HQ. I started to follow, but Devon stopped me.
“Go home and get some rest. You and Steve will need to be here early tomorrow for your official debrief.”
I fought the heat rising in my ears. “Yes, sir.”
“And, Marcus,” he added as more Minotaurs disappeared inside, “this will be a formal meeting, so dress accordingly.”
Crap.
Chapter 16
Consequences
“It was on the island of Nexos, while she lay sleeping, that Theseus set sail for his home once more.”
—The Legend of Ariadne
The following morning Steve and I met inside the pristine, if sterile, entrance of Delwinn HQ. He’d spent the evening tending to his people while I’d gone home to follow Devon’s orders. A hard night’s sleep, a shower and a huge bowl of cereal made me feel like a brand new man. The recharge of Skill didn’t hurt either.
Still, I’d had better mornings.
His snout broke into a wide grin when he saw me. “Well, well, well. Don’t you look fancy?”
I scratched at the spot on my neck where my robes kept rubbing my scar. “Shut up.”
In keeping with their penchant for tradition, the Skilled had refused to modernize their wardrobe. While I usually opted for comfy jeans, most folks, including the majority of my peers, still wore the
traditional robes of our people. The everyday rags we were issued were bad enough, being made entirely of heavy wool, but the formal robes, the ones for special occasions, like having the riot act read to you, were especially awful. Twice the weight and a million times itchier, both outfits spent most days out of the year shoved in the back of my closet.
Ironically, I’d worn the fancy duds more in the past two months than the past two years. They’d certainly seen better days, but I still hadn’t bothered to repair the damage from their last outing. Much like my scars, the tears in the fabric were reminders of some of my poor choices and served as a warning for me to be more cautious in the future.
Assuming I had one.
“You okay?” Steve asked.
“Just ready to get this over with.”
Dad had been unusually quiet when I tried to talk with him about what to expect. I was doubly on edge because Quinn hadn’t answered my call the night before.
“I’m sorry about this, bud. I’ll do my damnedest to make sure the Council recognizes this isn’t your fault.”
I blew out a long breath. “Fault isn’t the issue here. Only success or failure. I was supposed to put an end to the Minotaur problem and I didn’t. Even Devon and Dad can’t protect me from the consequences of not accomplishing my mission.”
“Your people are morons,” he grumbled.
“Yeah, they are.”
He patted me. “Well, you’ll land on your feet. You always do.”
His concern for me, especially during his own difficult times, was touching. “Thanks. Speaking of landing on feet, how are your folks holding up?”
“About as well as can be expected. The Council secured an entire floor at a nearby hotel, which is nice, but the rooms are pretty small. Thankfully it’s fairly unoccupied, being winter and all. Still, I spent half the night convincing everyone to keep off the human-occupied floors. Some of the kids got into the pool, which caused quite a disturbance. Then they discovered room service and have been running up the charges like crazy. The Council is going to have a litter of kittens when they get the bill.”
I chuckled.
Heels clicked on the polished marble floor as Devon’s Admin Witch marched brusquely toward us. A pretty lady with dark brown hair, her limited Skill had kept her out of most of the professions within the Council. But what she lacked in Skill she more than made up for in organization. I’d bet good money she had Devon’s entire life planned out to the minute, including the man’s death and burial.
