Sixx Saves the World: The Sidekick Chronicles

by Becca Vincenza

  Even so, I trusted him to keep me safe. Their entire family looked out for each other in a way I’d only ever known with Ana and Lola. I trusted my new family as much as I trusted them. So, I stumbled up to bed, trusting he would get started on our plans.

  ****

  It took the Sentinel three days to organize their teams. Roman and I, along with two others, made it to the factory that I’d scouted out beforehand. The factory was one that supposedly held shipments of Dreamscape. If my intel was correct, hopefully, it would also have concrete evidence of Key’s involvement that we could turn over to the forces within the Veil. I hoped that if we cut off his supply, he wouldn’t be able to hurt any more humans or use them against those I cared about. I had to protect them the only way I knew how.

  During my time in the library with Telmis, I read up on a few of the unbreakable fae laws. Centuries ago, the Light and Dark fae both agreed that the human realm would always remain neutral grounds, never belonging to one Court or the other. Key’s actions proved he was trying to control humans, which could be used as evidence against him.

  I touched SOL Jr where it sat in my pocket, taking comfort from its solid weight. Even with SOL, Roman still outfitted me with another weapon that was charged with magic. I wasn’t quite sure how to use it properly, but Roman said it would protect me when I needed it. If I needed it.

  After dressing in my signature spy wear, a.k.a. black jeans, a black knit sweater, and a messy bun, I was buzzing with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. Roman might have overestimated my abilities and had far too much confidence in me, but being back on a team was exhilarating. The fact that Roman was confident I could hold my own and wanted to bring me along on this mission made me believe I could do it.

  Roman swung by the room I shared with Olezka and knocked on the door frame. “Wrist. He was utterly calm as if barking out body parts was a reasonable request.

  “Uh…”

  “Your weapon, doofus.”

  My lips formed an “o” and I lifted my right wrist for him. He slapped on a…

  “A smartwatch?” I raised my brows, confused.

  “You could call it that. Think of this as your failsafe. Like I said before, it will activate when you need it to. It shouldn’t be horribly dangerous, but I need you to be safe. Dying by Olezka’s hands is not the way I want to go.”

  After the potentially deadly device was strapped to my wrist, we grabbed Anubis and met up with two other paras a mile from the factory. We decided the best way to catch Key off guard was for us to attack all three factories at the same time, in the dead of night. Roman tried to convince me to get some sleep before we left, but my blood was buzzing. It felt like I’d gulped two cups of coffee chased by two energy drinks.

  The factory we targeted was near an old train station, and several sets of train tracks crisscrossed through the yard. The plant had been recently refurbished and equipped with all of the latest security measures, which was intimidating. However, Roman looked perfectly confident and assured. I could hack online well enough, but I wasn’t sure if I could break through state-of-the-art systems like this one undoubtedly possessed.

  Roman turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Sixx, I want you to stay outside as a lookout. We have a powerful glamour over the place to shield our activities, but in case someone gets through, you have to be our first line of defense.”

  I squinted at the glamour he mentioned. Most glamours like this one would keep us hidden from humans. Not only from sight but sound. It would come in handy to keep the human police from investigating. Unfortunately, I was fairly positive Key would have fae guards posted nearby.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I squeaked.

  “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.” Roman glanced down at Anubis, who did a strange head nod, almost as if he understood the unspoken command Roman conveyed with his look. He would stay with me. Protect me.

  My largest contribution to this mission tonight had been the discovery of blueprints for the factory. Blueprints the others would use to infiltrate and destroy the building and all of its contents. Giving me an encouraging smile, Roman and the others silently jogged to a side entrance. I stood several yards away from them, tucked around the side of the factory. I could tell my night vision was sharper than normal, but they were far enough away that I couldn’t make out details.

  I heard a piercing trill of three beeps before everything went silent again. Roman and his squad disappeared inside. The plan was to destroy any drugs they found by setting the place on fire and then leave before Key could discover the blaze. Anubis circled twice and laid down by my feet while I leaned against the side of the building.

  It was a quiet night. The skies were clear, and it wasn’t too cold. It seemed a little too easy, especially after the trouble we ran into at the gates. Roman didn’t go into detail, but I knew Axel and Tess ran into troubles of their own, trying to get to the last gate. They only managed to arrive in the town that housed the third gate yesterday. Asher was giving them a place to stay and rest.

  My thoughts were so consumed with worry for my friends that I didn’t sense the magic coming toward me until it was too close. Dark mage power felt much different from fae power; it was more like a cold breeze against the back of my neck rather than a tingling sensation. I looked up when Anubis lifted his head and flattened his ears. His top lip peeled back, showing off his pointed teeth. He stood and took a defensive position in front of me.

  I pulled out SOL Jr and had my finger primed, ready to press the button. I noticed movement at the same side door where Roman and his squad had entered and watched as two figures slipped inside. I bit my lip, debating if I should follow them, but my decision was made for me when a footstep sounded behind me. Anubis twisted around at the sound and lunged.

  Turning around on the ball of my foot, I came face-to-face with a pale, ashen-faced dark mage with an ugly snarl on his face. He thrust a dagger toward me, and I gasped, trying to pull Anubis back, but the dark mage didn’t hesitate. Just as the knife was about to hit my wrist, the diabolically dangerous smartwatch flared to life.

  A brilliant red shield formed in front of the watch, expanding to encapsulate me and Anubis, who stood against my legs. I knew the creature was more dangerous than he looked, but I couldn’t help worrying about my four-legged friend.

  Wide eyes were quickly replaced by an angry snarl as the dark mage stepped back to regroup. The instant he withdrew his knife, the shield flickered away. I stumbled back, surprised, and he bared his teeth menacingly. The dark mage lunged forward again, attempting to stab me from the side. The shield activated once more, blocking him from getting too close. Anubis clawed at the mage’s legs, his claws longer than a regular dog’s and bristling with razor-sharp tips. Our assailant grunted in pain but otherwise kept up his attack.

  The dark mage continued to force us back toward the side door with each slash of his knife, but the shield kept returning and protecting me anytime he swiped his dagger. With each jab, we moved closer to the side door where the others had entered. If the other fae managed to take down Roman and his team, they would have a clear shot at my back.

  Our fight had only lasted minutes, but I was already breathing hard. Even though I was prepared for this, fear still thrummed through me. It was overwhelming to be in this situation, even knowing the risks.

  The dark mage looked over my shoulder and took a couple of steps back, changing his stance to a more defensive position. When Olezka first tried to train me, he taught me the difference between an offensive stance and a defensive one. The one that the dark mage switched to was defensive, but I wasn’t sure why. I knew I hadn’t done anything to drive fear into his bones.

  “Sorry I’m late,” a smooth voice purred behind me.

  I took a second to look over my shoulder, relying on the smartwatch to protect us while my attention was split, and saw Xinwei striding up behind me. Just as before, he wore an impeccably tailored suit, and – gulp – tw
o swords. He appeared totally at ease even though he was a fae about to face off with a powerful dark mage who could syphon off his power and seriously hurt or kill him. Then I noticed how the dark mage inched back uneasily, and I considered Xinwei in a different light.

  Who was he?

  “Do you mind if I take over, Sixx?”

  “Um, no?” I kept my smartwatch arm up, protecting me and Anubis in case the dark mage attacked us.

  With a curved blade in one hand and a straight one in the other, the curious fae stepped forward. The dark mage looked between us when my red shield faded then focused his attention on Xinwei.

  Xinwei walked forward as if he didn’t have a care in the world, like fighting a dark mage in the parking lot of a drug-peddling factory in the wee hours of the morning was a walk in the park. Calmly moving past me, he raised his swords. The mage placed his much shorter, much less intimidating blade against his forearm and crouched into a fighting stance, watching his new opponent warily. There was a brief moment of silence before Xinwei struck like a viper.

  In a blink, the fae pressed his blades against the mage’s arm, blocking his ability to thrust his dagger. The mage gritted his teeth and snarled at Xinwei, reaching out with his free hand. Without thinking, I slipped between them and held out my wrist, hoping the shield would be large enough to protect two adults and one pooch. The shield broke the fighters apart, and Xinwei wrapped an arm around my waist, hauling me backward.

  “That was foolish, human.”

  “Have you fought against a dark mage before? He can syphon off your powers and weaken you!” I explained as Anubis remained rigidly at my side.

  “Thank you for your assistance, Sixx, but I have it handled. You should head inside to assist Roman.”

  My instincts said I couldn’t fully trust Xinwei, especially after the conversation I overheard between him and Roman. Then again, I knew Roman would protect me. Sure, he’d asked me to stay outside until he came to get me, but if they needed help, I wanted to be there for them. I looked down at Anubis, who whined and trained his sights back on the doorway we were tantalizingly close to. I nodded and looked at Xinwei’s back.

  “Be safe,” I whispered.

  I thought I heard Xinwei laugh, but his back straightened as he stepped forward to continue his fight with the dark mage. I ran inside the building, straining my ears to listen for noises, but it was eerily quiet inside. From the far end, I saw rising smoke.

  “Roman?” I risked calling out.

  “Sixx?” Roman answered. His voice sounded like it came from the same end where the smoke was curling up to the rafters.

  The building held a vast array of enormous machinery along with shrink-wrapped pallets full of cardboard boxes. Roman emerged from the back of the building and glanced at me and Anubis with a puzzled expression.

  “The others are busy spreading the fire, so we have to get going. Why didn’t you stay outside like I asked?”

  “I had an encounter with a dark mage outside and thought I’d be safer inside a burning warehouse.”

  “Fuck,” he swore. “We took care of the two who snuck in here, but I didn’t think they’d send another one to attack you.” Roman checked me over. “Did your new weapon work?”

  I smiled at him. “Sure did. But if you’re going to set this place ablaze, we should probably be going.”

  “It’s almost ready. The others can finish up. You and I will get a little farther out and watch from a safe distance,” Roman said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the building with Anubis hot on our heels. I glanced over to where I left Xinwei moments ago, fighting the dark mage, but they were both gone.

  Worry swirled in my stomach, but we needed to focus on the immediate threat and trust that whomever Roman brought with him would finish the mission to destroy the Dreamscape production factory. We ran back to the car parked down the street and watched eagerly for the first sign of flames. Within a couple of minutes, the factory was ablaze; the heat of the fire could be felt from where we stood.

  This was another step toward halting Key’s dominion of the realms. By eliminating this source of Dreamscape, his human army had been diminished. I was filled with a sense of pride. While we may not have affected the physical war, we saved those we loved a lot of trouble. Plus, we saved many lives who never asked to be part of this war.

  Chapter 31

  Two Weeks Later

  Knowing I was finally safe enough to relax and actually relaxing were two very different things. Our missions in the human realm went well enough. One factory managed to remain untouched because whoever Key had running it was prepared. The Sentinel team that was dispatched there returned with several casualties and almost all of the others wounded. Two other factories were torched. I felt an enormous amount of guilt about the paras who lost their lives, but Roman reminded me it was all part of their job and I shouldn’t feel guilty about something out of my control.

  Little did he know that I was a champion at feeling guilty for things I couldn’t control. That, paired with my inability to contact Erebus, Ana, or Olezka was driving me insane. Tess and Axel returned from their mission successful if a little worse for wear. Axel vanished almost as quickly as he appeared, but Tess remained with us in the house, learning about how humans live now, as she put it. I read and reread the book I’d taken from Telmis’s library. Unfortunately, there was nothing in there about how to return Tess back to the Veil now that her magic had been tainted by the human realm.

  I pulled Tess aside one night with the intention of having a conversation about the consequences of her actions. Of my actions that forced her to act. The memory hit me hard.

  Tess smiled a genuine smile. She reached out to take my hand and forced me to stare her in the eyes. “I did not make the decision lightly. You befriended me for no reason, other than the fact you saw a kindred soul. You were worth the sacrifice, Sixx.”

  “I promise, Tess. I’ll find a way home for you.”

  I meant it from the bottom of my heart. When I was trapped in the Veil the first time, I was so scared I would never see home again. That was terrifying enough, but at least I had Olezka and his brothers. I had Ana. I would be there for Tess in the meantime.

  After our mission, we spent the better part of two weeks loafing around, but the stress ate away at me. We had no updates, no idea what was happening or how much time had passed in the Veil.

  Roman continued to live his mysterious life. I hadn’t heard anything from Xinwei since that fateful night when he stepped in to protect me from the dark mage, and when I stopped by his store, it was closed.

  One afternoon, I was lounging on the couch with a book, Anubis on the other end, snoring happily. Tess had disappeared into Timur’s room, which she had temporarily taken over. While I was reading, I could have sworn I heard someone say my name. I looked up but didn’t see anyone. I went back to reading when I heard it again. This time, I stood up and tried to follow the sound.

  In the back hallway near the basement door that led down to where Olezka had a prison cell was a mirror. I’d walked past it many times but never thought much of it. With the large, ornate, gilded frame, I figured it was a family heirloom. But as I walked over to it, a face other than mine appeared inside of it. My jaw dropped to the floor, and I rushed over.

  “Please tell me this isn’t a joke. Please tell me this is real!”

  A laugh that sounded blissfully familiar came from the other side of the mirror. I placed my hands on either side of the frame and just stared.

  “It’s real, Sixx,” Ana said. She looked tired but okay. She was dressed more like the way Erebus’s warriors dressed, which I was sure suited her far better than the airy silks in which her father kept her.

  “That’s exactly what my addled brain would tell me because I’ve been worried sick about you!” I poked my finger at the mirror. It didn’t ripple or act any differently than a regular mirror.

  Ana shook her head. “Sixx. Perry the Platypus.”

&nb
sp; “Remind me… Why did we pick that as our phrase?”

  “I picked it because that summer, we couldn’t find anything to watch, so we binged that cartoon. And it absolutely delighted you to no end,” Ana joked.

  I saw the sadness in her eyes from that memory. It was the summer between when we graduated high school and moved to the city. The summer her Aunt Lola passed away.

  “I’m guessing if you’re calling, it can only mean…” I whispered, despair slamming into me forcefully.

  “Oh, don’t worry about your boo.” She waved off my concern. “I protected him while you were away. Idiot really changes into a different person when you’re not around. Anyway, we’re all mostly okay. If you want to return, let Roman know it’s safe. If you decide to come here, Olezka said Roman has to return you directly to the palace. If not, he’ll come for you in about a week, our time. But I figured I’d sneak on here and tell you the up and up. So come on,” Ana said with a wink.

  How could I resist her? I’d been so worried about everyone. And while I hated the idea of leaving Tess in the human realm on her own… she was safe here. The others sounded like they were mostly safe, but I’d feel better if I could see them and be with them.

  After I talked to Tess and told her what was going on, I’d ask Roman to return me to the Dark Court palace.

  ****

  “Sixx!”

  I didn’t have time to brace myself before Ana flung her body into mine and wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me a little too tightly for comfort. I responded in kind, holding her just as fiercely. Roman had taken very little convincing to bring me here. He was eager to check on his brothers even if he didn’t want to admit it, and even if he hated the Veil and the fae. Part of me hoped another brother would be joining us. I worried about Illarion, too.

  Over Ana’s shoulder, I glanced around at the remnants of war. Large sections of the palace were destroyed. The once magnificent gardens that wound around the palace grounds in a cacophony of riotous colors were trampled, burned, and ravaged by the war that was fought. It was frightening to see the depth of the damage and to think that the ones I most loved fought here. They may have even died here.