by Sariah Skye
"I’m sorry, if I had known you came back so soon I wouldn’t have taken so long in the bathroom," I said.
He waved me off. "No worries. Shower make you feel better?"
"A little, thanks," I said, setting myself down on the counter across from him in the kitchen. He was poking at a panful of bacon frying on the stove with his left hand and attempting to flip a pancake with a spatula in his right hand.
"Ooh look at you Gordon Ramsey," said, admiring his kitchen-skills. It was the ultimate compliment; with Gordon Ramsey’s adoration of food and his strong temper I was convinced he was really a dragon. I loved him—so grumpy and snarly—it was a compliment indeed for the sorcerer.
He grinned. "Don’t be too impressed. My first batch is a little…charred." He nodded back towards two plates of bacon and pancakes that were blackened on the edges.
I shrugged. "I’m a dragon. We like things well-done. Usually we’re the ones doing the cooking, though."
He glanced at me worriedly. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
I laughed. "Well…that doesn’t really apply to me, you know. I can’t really char your food but I can make it shiny!"
Gabriel laughed too. "I’d rather have that then dragon-charred. Ooh you can turn me into a sparkly vampire like from the book!"
I rolled my eyes. "Can I turn you into a werewolf instead?"
"Only if you bite me," he said.
I cocked a brow. "So…wait here. Tell me now…if there are sorcerers like you what else is there? And why haven’t I heard of them, yet?"
"I’m sure dragons have reasons to hide this knowledge from you, though I can’t speak for them. Here on Earth some humans started exploiting them— "
"—who’s ‘them’?"
"Sorcerers. Witches. Warlocks. Fairies. Umm…what else?"
"Vampires?"
Gabriel snorted. "Not in the Hollywood sense but, yeah." I let out a whistle.
"Werewolves?"
"No werewolves, as far as I know."
I snapped my fingers. "Damn," I said. "But—witches and warlocks? What’s the difference?"
"Well, as you know a sorcerer is someone whose magic is passed down through the bloodline. It’s inherited. Witches learn their magic. Most of them aren’t very powerful but every now and then you can get one that actually can attain a decent amount of power. Some of them can use telekinesis, some elemental magic but it’s pretty rare. Most of them just practice rituals and spells like your friend Kit."
"What about warlocks?"
"Well, a warlock is a sorcerer or maybe even a witch that practices magic for evil purposes, or to harm someone."
"Like, black magic?"
He considered this. "Well, magic is really not black or white. It all serves a purpose, at times. It’s the intent behind it. Like your magic."
I nodded. "I see. Interesting…" The coffee maker sputtered, announcing a fresh pot of coffee was finished brewing. I rose to get some but Gabriel promptly waved me down. "Sit. Sit!" he insisted, producing a couple of mugs and pouring us both some. I cocked a brow at the picture of Tinkerbell on the mug he gave me. "Fairies? Really?"
Gabriel nodded, taking a sip of his black coffee. "Believe it or not. Gnomes too but not in Minnesota."
I considered this. We had Brownies—the playful, prank-loving little guys that lived in mushrooms—so it wasn't all that surprising, I suppose. We had normal animals in Anarach like squirrels and birds and whatnot, just a lot less of them.
"Hobbits? Ewoks? Elves?"
"Elves, maybe. But no one’s seen one in years."
"Wow…that’s insane." I laughed. "I was just kidding about elves."
"Well they’re there…just another breed of human really."
"Are they magical?"
Gabriel shrugged. "I don’t know been a long time since anyone has seen one."
"So since you’re magical maybe you’re part elf?" I said, in between bites of pancake.
He chuckled. "It’s possible though, I don’t think so."
"Where does your magic come from, then? Is your whole family that way? Are there others?"
"No my whole family isn’t this way but there are others," he said. "In most families it’s random who gets it, we think it’s like a gene that comes out in certain people. In our line though, it seems that at least one child receives it, usually the oldest but not always. My brother’s talent though seems to be an anomaly."
"His foresight?"
He nodded. "Yeah, according to history a Seer is only born when something big is about to happen."
I gulped down my pancake, it suddenly feeling a lot heavier than it was previously. "Big? Big bad or big good?"
"Could be either. But think about it…would we need a warning if something good was about to happen?"
I sighed. "I was afraid of that. And you think this "something big" has to do with me, huh?"
"Daniel thinks so," he agreed reluctantly. "He won’t tell me much more, he can’t actually. He’s physically unable to. He can be vague and try to guide but…things are going to happen the way they are meant to be and he can’t interfere."
"What a terrible burden that must be," I mused, shaking my head. "Your poor brother."
He nodded in agreement. "Though it’s not all bad. He’s the better looking, stronger one."
"So he doesn’t have any other magical ability other than just Seeing?"
Gabriel shook his head. "No, I got all the magic this time around. My uncle and my father—both brothers—received sorcery, though my uncle was certainly better at it. Neither of his kids got it, that’s why it was a bit of a blow when I received it. I’m not the strongest, or the smartest but I am pretty powerful. I’m the most skeptical, and I figured all of this was just crap. I fulfilled my obligations, learned how to harness my magic but I didn’t really think I’d use it for this. Which is why against my family’s wishes I went to college, got a degree…"
"You think they’d be proud, that’s a great accomplishment. Daniel didn’t go to college?"
"No he did, but there was never any chance he’d be an actual knight. I really, really didn’t think it would be me either, though."
"What did he go for?"
Gabriel snorted. "Physical fitness. He’s a black belt in tae kwon do, and a personal trainer."
I raised a brow. "Wow."
"Yes, it’s always fun being introduced by my parents, ‘These are our sons, Gabriel and Daniel,’ and they are always shocked to learn I am not the gay one."
"Daniel is gay?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I mean I don’t care; I have nothing against it. It was a struggle for him, for sure. But it’s not fun being mistaken for something you aren’t, you know?"
I muttered under my breath, "Yeah that’s for sure."
Gabriel paused, mid-sip in his coffee as if thinking deeply. After a moment he shook himself out of his daze and forced a smile. "But it is what it is."
"Hey you can play with fire, that’s pretty cool," I said, trying to be reassuring. "That fireball trick in the woods—not too shabby!"
"Well, I’m glad you’re impressed. According to my father I was never good enough," he said, I hint of bitterness to his tone.
I frowned. "I’m sorry." I reached across the counter to touch his arm supportively. "I know how it feels to disappoint your parents."
"Not my mom…just my dad. I don’t know how my mom feels, really. She took off with my sister years ago, she didn’t want any part of this magic business."
My eyes widened. "She just…left?"
He nodded. "Yup. Just left. I haven’t seen her since I was about…five or six. My sister was just a baby. I don’t even know if she has any powers or not."
"Wow…I am very sorry," I said, feeling sad for him.
He shrugged. "What can you do?"
"Why would she leave though? Is it…dangerous?"
"No I mean, not any more than anything else, really. But my father claimed it was some sort of religious ideals that
drove her away."
"And your father just let her take your sister?"
"Yup."
"Wow…" Suddenly my family didn’t seem quite so horrible.
After about six more pancakes, two cups of coffee and a bunch more bacon, I was finally starting to feel more energized. I checked my cell phone to check not only the time but to see if Kit had called me back and for some reason I missed it.
"Something wrong?"
"Kit," I said, setting my phone down. "I can’t believe both of us didn’t make it to the shop. I can’t believe she hasn’t called me back!"
"Worried?"
"To say the least; she was so tired yesterday. She must have been coming down with something. She actually drank a pop of mine!"
"She doesn’t drink pop?"
"No," I shook my head. "Kit is a vegan. Well, most of the time. Coffee is her vice but mostly she eats all-organic gerbil food. Nothing processed. She even drinks the coffee black at the shop with fresh butter."
"Butter?" Gabriel grimaced.
I nodded. "Yeah, she makes it herself."
"Wow…. that’s so, odd."
"Apparently it’s quite the thing to do in like Europe or whatever; butter in your coffee." I grimaced. "I’ve never heard that before; sometimes I think she’s yankin’ my chain."
"I’ve never heard of that either." Gabriel made a sour face. "Well, should we go check on her? Do you feel up to that?"
"I won’t be able to relax anymore until I do, honestly," I said, pushing my plate away and reaching for my purse on the couch.
"Well, let’s go," he said. "We can clean this up later."
"Yeah," I pulled my keys out of my front purse pocket but he shook his head. "No, let me drive."
I didn’t argue and followed him out to his truck, locking the door to my apartment behind me, calling a quick "Bye, be back soon!" to my cat. Not like she could understand me, but, you never know.
Sona uttered a small, disinterested mew, barely audible before the door shut.
Chapter 9
Driving the short distance from my apartment to the shop in Gabriel’s Ford Ranger pickup, the traces of storm damage were evident alongside the road, and in the yards we passed. Tree branches in the road we had to dodge; roof damage in the form of shingles blown off, gutters falling off, hanging by screws or a few metal shards to their awnings. A few cars parked in driveways had their windows or windshields smashed in by what I assumed was hail.
"Wow…" I said as we pulled into the parking lot of Morningstar Coffee. There was portable lawn furniture in the parking lot—I wasn’t sure who it belonged to—branches and leaves all over the ground and mud caked to the walls, as if whatever winds were blowing it was blowing directly at the shop. The other buildings and homes around us did not have that particular damage.
"I know," Gabriel said, pulling into the lot and finding an area large enough for his truck to park. "This is definitely the most damaged building in the area, that’s for sure."
I shook my head. The front window was blown in, glass was shattered, sprayed all over the parking lot and inside the lobby. The chairs were toppled over, the knick-knacks, art and photos that had been on the walls were now shattered on the floor.
I crossed the parking lot, kicking twigs and leaves out of my way to the front door—remarkably the glass pane of that had remained intact. I ripped off the card left behind by the insurance adjuster and pulled out my phone to dial her number.
"What’cha doing?" Gabriel asked.
"Kit missed her, I’m going to help get the ball rolling again so we can start cleaning up," I explained, just in time for Marta Andersen to pick up on her end.
While I spoke to her, Gabriel slowly walked around the building and around the damaged areas, holding out his hands and closing his eyes in concentration. When he looked up momentarily at me, when I was on hold with Marta I mouthed "What are you doing?"
"Trying to sense for magic. I can see traces of it left behind but, I’m trying to see if I can get a feel for what kind it was…maybe I can figure out where it came from?" he said, sounding unconvinced.
"You can do that?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Well, yes. Mostly. It’s not an exact science. If someone doesn’t want to be found, they won’t be."
"Do you feel…anything?" I asked, before Marta came back on the line, telling me she’d already began drawing up the claim. On my word she said she’d have a cleaning crew out in the next twenty-four hours to begin cleaning, which sounded a lot better than doing it ourselves so I gave the okay, but she would just need Kit to sign some forms or for Kit to call her and give the verbal go ahead that I could come out and sign the forms when I described that Kit seemed to be ill and that’s why she missed her, earlier.
Gabriel slowly shook his head but kept concentrating. He paused at a spot just before where the window broke and stood for a while. I raised a brow.
Right then, a newer-model yellow Volkswagen Beetle entered the parking lot and a frantic, bedraggled looking Kit stepped out frantically. "Oh my I’m so sorry, I can’t believe that—"
I waved her off. "Marta? I actually have Kit here, she just arrived. Can I give you to her? Great, thanks." I handed Kit the phone who looked at me with heavily-lidded eyes, and reluctantly took it.
"Insurance agent," I whispered.
"Oh!" She immediately started speaking into the phone but not before whispering a "Thank you!" to me. I paused, watching her momentarily. Her movements seemed sluggish and labored and her voice was hoarse and she kept slurring. She was apologizing profusely into the phone.
I slowly stepped up to Gabriel who was still deep in concentration.
"Anything?" I asked.
He jumped slightly. "Oh! Sorry," he said with a laugh. He held his hands out once more. "There is…. a concentration of something around here. Right around where the glass broke. If I go closer to the inside, it gets a bit stronger."
"What is ‘it’?" I asked.
He shook his head slowly. "I’m not sure. I think I feel arcane magic."
"Arcane? That’s not good, huh?"
"No, not necessarily. Just very, very powerful," he explained, looking somewhat intimidated.
"That’s bad?" It was more rhetorical then a question.
"Well, it’s not good."
I heaved a heavy sigh. "Any idea what— "
"—Leo!" she thrust my phone back in my empty hand and gave me a weak squeeze on the shoulder.
I leapt slightly as a small electric shock went through my shoulder blades.
"Oh! I’m sorry!" she said, pulling away. "Damn, I need better fabric softener I think. Been doing that all day."
"Au naturale isn’t working anymore?" I said, half kidding, trying to nonchalantly rub my shoulder where she static-shocked me.
"Guess not. Or perhaps it’s this damn cold. Oh Leo, I’m so sorry I’m just getting here now!" Kit looked positively panicked, even disheveled looking in out-of-character ratty gray sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt instead her usual Bohemian flair. Normally her hair was intricately braided around her head or fishtailed and but today it hung long down her back, looking matted and stringy. "I over-slept; I don’t know how! Finally, I heard my phone beeping at me and it was you!"
I waved her off. "No worries, I actually just got here myself," I said. "I saw the note on the door and figured I’d call her and get the ball rolling."
"Glad you did. Actually it should be fairly easy, we don’t have to do much. She’ll send a cleaning crew out here tomorrow to clean up the water and mud, and a contractor will come fix the window but she did say we should board it up in the meantime. So besides that, we don’t have to do anything unless I want to open, then I should— "
I gave her an uncertain look. "Kit, you are in no condition to be working. You look sicker than a dog!"
She groaned, scrubbing a palm across her face. "I know. I need to get into to doctor. I’m not going to worry about opening; Marta said I’m covered financially for
a few weeks and it won’t take that long. But I should see about getting this boarded up, though— "
Gabriel stepped closer at that moment and interrupted. He wore a look of seriousness on his face, more so then usual. "Well, we can take care of that. I have my truck. Leo, know of a good lumber yard around here?"
I nodded. "Yeah there’s one a couple miles down."
"Yeah. So…don’t worry about it. You can go rest." His face was stern but he forced a friendly smile. The energy emanating off him was one of caution. "Leo here was really worried about you."
Kit smiled slowly. "I know, she’s a good friend." She reached out to grab my hand but Gabriel pretended to lose his balance and knock into me, my hand out of her reach.
"Oh! Sorry! God I’m a klutz!" he said, with a laugh.
I gave him a strange look I hoped Kit didn’t notice. "It’s okay."
Gabriel smiled at Kit and held out his hand. "I’m sorry, we haven’t officially been introduced. I’m Gabriel O’Donnell, Leo and I have become friends over the past couple of days. So any friend of hers is a friend of mind. Hope you don’t mind me here."
Kit took his hand and shook it loosely, weakly. She smiled. "Good to meet you officially, Gabriel. I’m Katrina Ryland but everyone calls me Kit."
"Kit. Yes." He hesitated to let go of her hand but Kit’s grip had gone non-existent so he was basically hanging on her hand. "Good to meet you." He let go, her hand fell limply to her side.
"Well, I mean it shouldn’t be too hard to board up a window right?" she said, trying to stifle a yawn unsuccessfully. "I should be able to handle that."
"Oh it’s really okay," I insisted.
"Well…" she paused. "I have hammers and nails at my house, I can go get them. So we don’t have to re-buy stuff we already have."
"Sure," I said. "Meet back in about…an hour?"
Gabriel nodded up towards the sky, the sun was hanging down awfully low on the horizon, indicating sunset was impending. "Really, you can just go home. We got this, it’ll take about thirty minutes, tops. Leo is worried about you, and even I can tell you don’t feel well. You should be in bed resting until that cold or whatever goes away."
