He doesn’t stop, as we can see the bikes in the distance. “She stayed behind so that we could escape.”
“NOOOOOOO! Let me down! We have to go back; they’ll kill her!”
“She knew the risks, Adriel, and they will not kill her as long as you are free. Muster what strength remains and get on the bike.” He gently admonishes me with a command seasoned with compassion.
I faintly hear the clinks of metal on metal with a low vibration of a deep-throated growl as a battle becomes frenetic nearing an end. “I will not leave her! If you won’t help me, then I’ll go by myself!” An echo of a scream swells through the forest, triggering a sharp pain that slices its way through my head, and I burn with sorrow. The tears start to flow as a part of me has been ripped away and my soul feels the laceration.
Quilici releases me with care, sliding me down his bulky shoulder and chest, leaning my limp body against the motorcycle, and says, “You have nothing to give, Adriel, and we are outnumbered with no hope of survival if we engage them. There is no time to discuss this. She chose to save your life and you would dishonor her by dismissing her decision.” He pauses and changes from imperative tone to softness. “We will find her, but we must be ready.”
I hear his logic and know that she volunteered because Quilici is the only one who knows where the scientist is, but my heart won’t let me let this go. I would crawl back to her and give what’s left of my life to save her, yet I know she did this for me and it would be useless to go back as they would simply kill her and enslave me. I’m in a bad position with only one choice. To save her life I have to leave… I could kill both of them for this agony!
I straddle the bike, my gaze locked straight in front of me, and through spastic sobbing say, “You were right not to tell me about this because I never would have let it happen!” I rev the engine, smoking the rear tire as the bike jets forward. In the rearview mirror through wet eyes, I see Hanz running at full speed with blood spewing from a nasty gash on his neck. Percy must have given her pupils a little lesson on humility before all of them overtook her. A smile pierces the sorrow for a moment, but is quickly overwhelmed as I race though twisted highways with heavy heart and a throbbing loneliness.
Chapter 15
It’s a long and quiet ride and the night seems to understand my sorrow with cloudless skies that reveal the emptiness of space. The stars must know of my burning; they must feel the isolation as they pulsate with sadness on their way to a slow death. I think I’ve gone through the seven stages of grief in the four hours we have ridden, with acceptance and a tenuous glimpse of hope worming its way into my heart. As soon as I let that thought surface, my throat constricts in a desperate attempt to fight off what’s left of my tears. The wind has dried my cheeks of any physical evidence, but there is staining underneath.
Quilici has been in the lead for the entire trip, occasionally peering into his mirror to ensure I haven’t reneged on my decision to follow him. He gives me one last glare and presses the blinker, signaling me to turn on this next exit where an executive hotel is a lighthouse in the night. My gut reaction is to rebel and go forward just because I’m angry at having my choice taken from me as they held their cards close, knowing I would’ve never let it happen that way, but I capitulate, following down the exit ramp to the parking lot.
We pull in and let the engines idle for a moment, giving them an opportunity to settle down from the lengthy ride, and turn them off as they gratefully go silent with a short sigh. I unsaddle the bike and move to the hotel room without a word or eye contact with Quilici, afraid that I will either break down or kill him if we meet. He pays cash for an interior room and asks that we not be disturbed due to a long and exhausting night of work. I cringe at having to share the same room, but I know that he’s only trying to protect me in the small chance that we have been tracked. We receive the key, walk to the 2
nd
floor, and with dead soul and body, I collapse onto the bed, begging for a dreamless sleep so that her memory won’t haunt me.
* * *
The trip to West Virginia is beautifully serene and I’m thankful the day has treated me with compassion, granting my wish for a peaceful sleep. I awoke rested, but famished. I still feel short tempered even after feeding on three bullies at a local bar earlier. It wasn’t the usual ecstatic pleasure that washes over me when I drink fresh blood, but more like food was merely fuel for the body, stripped of all its sensuous tastes and smells. I miss Percy.
We take a left on a neglected dirt road, zigzagging our way through the woods until Quilici slows down, allowing his Harley to reverberate loudly through the dense trees. He turns the engine off. I follow suit, and we sit in stillness, wondering if one of us will break the vow of silence taken late last evening.
He glowers at me and then says, “We must walk from here. His cabin is about two miles southeast and the bikes are much too loud. Adriel, I need to know you are ready for this.”
I can sense the pressure building from within and hold it back, but a small levy breaks. “I’m as ready as you are, Quilici. Let’s just get a move on!”
“Are you upset about Percy’s decision or is there something else we need to resolve before this part of our journey begins?”
“I understand she did what she thought was right, and yes, I am little upset that I wasn’t consulted, but I’m also aware there was no other way. When this is over, I’m going after her with or without you. But there
is
something more to my anger. I can’t control it, my appetite is voracious, and I just feel irate… I don’t know why.”
He does his usual routine with the contemplative chin stroke and answers. “I think there is something beyond your feelings about what happened last evening. You are having a physical reaction to her absence. You fed on three adult men this night and you still yearn for more blood. Also, your temper is on edge, almost as if you are having withdrawals from a powerfully addictive drug. I think Percy’s role in the bonding was one of grounding, or more appropriately, one that absorbs your excessive needs. You are maturing and your requirements are much more than any of ours because your burn is nearly unquenchable.”
I reflect and respond. “So without her, I may give in to my primal needs and become a blind killing machine. Great. I’m sorry, Quilici. I don’t blame you because of what happened. It’s just… my feelings for her transcend my needs. I want her to be safe—I hurt for her.” I let the words dawdle and go in another direction. “What should I expect when we meet the good doctor?”
He accepts my distraction and moves with me. “There may be information about your mother, or lineage, or Cassius’s objective that may be disturbing to you. I want you to be clearheaded and prepared. Can you do this?”
“Absolutely. Let’s go.”
We walk through the lush forest of West Virginia for two miles, arriving a stone’s throw from a simple, rustic cabin that lays in harmony with the nature that surrounds it. Someone must have built the cabin from the local trees because there would be no way to haul lumber this deep into the woods. Two windows keep a portion of the light from escaping and give us a view of a shadow that flickers at the mercy of the sputtering fireplace. There is no landscaping. Why would there be when flowers and shrubs are omnipresent? Quilici whispers, “He is alone and feels comfortably safe. Can you feel it?”
I think he is testing the scope of my abilities, but I oblige him and reach out with my senses. I can feel his mood as one would feel the soft touch of feathers or the coarseness of a wire brush and know the difference. “Yeah, I can sense it too.” I say it like I feel it, with surprise and wonderment.
He grins and replies, “Very good. They must have no inclination that we are aware of his safe haven. It’s good to have some luck for a change.”
“I agree. What’s next?”
“We are going to walk in and reintroduce the two of you.” He chuckles and says, “Let’s go”
I beat him to the door with very little effort and kick it in without his approval. He jogs through with perfect timing and releases a frightening howl that shakes the log cabin from wall to wall. The doctor is shocked from the unwelcome visitation and reacts with sluggish instincts that give me insight into why he chose science instead of warrior training. He clumsily attempts an escape, but Quilici is too strong and quick for such a lazy getaway and bear hugs him, squeezing so hard that his eyes are bulging from the pressure. I can feel my own pressure shift into high tide with waves of blood lust crashing on my shore and I swallow hard to push it away, but it’s near impossible to fight the ocean.
The doctor impishly screams, “Who are you? What do you want?” Then, as if he answered his own question, he sees my face move from the shadows and boldly says, “It
is
you. Adriel?”
His surprise actually surprises me because I was under the assumption that he would be in the loop, but Cassius must have sent him out here the day my presence was rumored to be true and abandoned him to isolation until the matter was resolved. He most likely only knows of my discovery and Percy’s role. Her memory surfaces and the heat of anger simmers in response. I reply in a calm, controlled voice. “Doctor, it’s good to finally put a face to all the stories I’ve heard.” Admittedly, the latter part was more menace laced with threat than I wanted, but I continue in spite of the honesty. “We’re going to ask you some questions and I am quite sure that you will want to answer them, choosing your words very carefully.” Yep, it is definitely a threat. His chestnut hair hangs on droopy shoulders and is a stark contrast to the bowl cut, glasses-wearing science geek I was expecting. Although his body is nearly as thin as mine, it lacks the chiseled muscle that is sculpted from constant use. His brown sweater smothers his weak frame and fits him like a sundress over his faded blue jeans.
I can feel his anguish as he responds, “Will I live past this night if I cooperate?” Simple, practical, and direct. His questioning reveals a lot about his personal approach to life and I appreciate the ease.
I answer with equal simplicity, “Perhaps, but no promises.” Quilici throws him across the room as I would throw a toy doll and he lands violently, splintering the wood behind him. The scientist is slow to get up, but recovers and timidly settles in the corner recliner. He grimaces and nods an okay, so I look to Quilici for direction, hoping he’ll take over.
Thankfully, he does and joins the conversation, saying, “I am going to rid this conversation of any pleasantries and ask a few very direct questions.” His tone is wild with alpha posturing. “And remember that I will know your lies, Doctor!”
The doctor replies with resignation fastened to serenity. “I’m not as concerned about
your
ability to detect a lie as I am with his.”
We both rotate our chins to the side in curiosity. Yet, Quilici says, “What is Cassius’s objective in this scheme?” He was right, direct.
The good doctor answers a question with a question. “Does Adriel have the sword?”
I interrupt. “Yes.”
“Well, then phase one is complete. The sword is the key to begin the next quest as you were the key to initiate the prior one.”
I demand, “What do you mean?”
“Cassius retrieved the addendum to the Knosis and discovered that there was a sword constructed by the fae that possessed their essence within it. The sword that is now in your custody is called the Angeion, or vessel, and it was infused with generations of the fae. If I were a religious man, I would say that they gave their spirits to the Angeion, but in reality, it was more like their thoughts and memories, or at least a small part of them, reside within the vessel. It is a collection of your kind with their history and feelings vaguely reaching out to you.” He sees my change in countenance and responds. “Ahhh, you have experienced this, have you?” I don’t answer. “Well, you are almost ready to receive what it has to offer, then. The addendum stated that if one ever was born that possessed enough power, then that person would be able to hear the sword and follow its lead to the fae.”
I say, “Say that again like I’m a child, just to make sure I understand what you are stating.”
He humphs arrogantly. “It is a compass, a tracking device, that will take you to the fae, but it will only work when you release yourself from the human constraints that shackle you. Then, and only then, will you hear
your
kind call to you.”
Quilici is an information-starved child, sitting at the lap of a genius, voraciously eating every word, and I’m burdened by all the responsibility. Quilici says, “What do the fae own that Cassius wants?” I’m glad someone is thinking.
“That is the question, isn’t it? They know where Anu sleeps.” That statement hovers in the air for a full two minutes as all of us consider the gravity of his words.
I break the silence. “For some reason it never occurred to me that Anu survived all this time. Why is he sleeping and what does he have to offer Cassius other than history lessons?”
The scientist glares at me with disdain, but retorts, “When he wrote the addendum, he explained that he was wearisome from so many years of life and wanted to rest, yet was not willing to end his life permanently. So, he found a suitable place and asked the fae to protect it while he slept, making certain that no ground buried him or scavengers discovered his body without his approval. He trusted the fae over the waers, which is to be expected.” He spits that out with extreme prejudice and continues. “But we were surprised that he would not grant his secrets to our kind, as we are decisive and intelligent enough to utilize the gift. The fae are a great disappointment to us, as they ran from their responsibilities deep into the forests when they could have assisted our kind in becoming even greater!”
Quilici is obviously agitated, but keeps it cool, saying, “What is this gift that would make you even greater?”