The Brotherhood: Awakening Book II - 3. Chapter 3

The Brotherhood: Awakening

Chapter III

By X

 

 

It was like peering into someone else’s dream. Everything happened so fast.

The confusion and alarm in Sunny’s voice filled the room faster than the name he’d screamed out. It was unsettling how quickly Kaylec’s face changed from curiosity about his newly awakened brother to rage-filled hatred. Even with the door still between us, I stepped back. It never occurred to me that I might run into him, but how could I not?

Kaylec vanished in a whirlwind of darkness, only to appear in the office just a few feet away from me. I stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do. Was there anything I could do against his blind determination? My heart raced, and any newfound power I had was forgotten. I was just Jacob, back in the warehouse again, helpless and powerless to defend myself.

Luckily for me, Sunny had no such compunction, and in a dark swirl of his own, he appeared between us to stop Kaylec. “What are you doing?” he yelled, placing his hand on Kaylec’s chest to halt his advance. He did the same to me with his free hand as if I intended to retaliate.

“Move aside, Sundryn!” Kaylec demanded, his eyes pitch black with tiny tendrils of Askyli curling into the air like smoke.

“The hell I will,” he said. “What is your problem, Kaylec?”

“What is that doing here?” he hissed, pointing at me as if he were positive I committed a murder.

Sunny glanced back at me for a moment before returning his attention to the hothead in front of him. “This is the brother who awakened last night. The one whose call we answered and brought home.”

Kaylec stepped back and shook his head in disbelief, “What? Him?” He pointed at me again. “That is no Skai.”

“What are you talking about?” Sunny pointed at me over his shoulder. “Of course, he’s a Skai. I was there. Black wings and all. Can’t you sense…?” Sunny stopped abruptly and spun around to face me. “Wait, I can’t sense you right now either. Stop doing the whole human thing and show him.”

I was initially confused, but then I remembered my conversation with Q at dinner. When we turn fully humanoid – and not just wear the skin of one - we present as entirely human to other El’odians. After waking up, we need to summon the Askyli so our brethren can sense our presence and find us.

Closing my eyes, I released part of myself and did as Sunny asked. It took mere seconds, and to the outside observer, nothing about me changed, but I was now more Akuzio than Jacob. By the horror on Kaylec’s face, it was obvious he could now sense that I was indeed Skai.

“Impossible!” He didn’t take it well. “It’s some kind of trick! There is no way he is one of us!”

“And yet, he is,” Sunny insisted. “What is the deal between you two? How do you even know each other? We just found him last night.”

This dance between the two kept going for a couple of minutes. Sunny kept demanding answers that Kaylec refused to give but insisted I was not one of them, or if I was, I had to be a spy.

“Have you lost your mind?” Sunny laughed. “A spy for who?”

Before Kaylec could answer, the door to the office opened, and a head cautiously poked inside.

“Soullen?” His name left my lips somewhere between a whisper and a growl.

“Wait, what?” Sunny glanced from me to the figure now standing behind Kaylec. “He’s Soullen? The Soullen? I knew he seemed familiar, but you told me not to worry about it.” Now it was Sunny who was up in Kaylec’s face. “You accuse our brother of being some kind of spy, yet you bring an actual Nave here? And not just any Nave; you bring the fucking Nave Prince!”

If Soullen was surprised to see me, he did not show it. His eyes, dark crimson like a glass of ruby wine, were cold and unfazed by the commotion before him. I must admit I envied him at that moment. He was in the enemy’s stronghold, yet he stood his ground as if he alone belonged there and we were the interlopers. He had the face of a fifteen-year-old, but his confidence would rival his older kin.

I also despised him. He betrayed the Brotherhood and caused the death of Steve. But then, I was forced to ask myself if my hatred was misguided. I am Skai, after all. Shouldn’t I be celebrating the death of one of our enemies? Shouldn’t I hold him in high esteem?

No.

“He’s fine,” Kaylec responded with a dismissive wave. “He’s working with us now.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Sunny asked. “He’s a Nave!”

Soullen ignored him and turned to me. A long, disturbing smile stretched across his thin lips. “So, you were a Skai this whole time? I’m guessing he did not see that coming.” He laughed suddenly. Obnoxiously. “Poor Qua’quelle. I’m sure he is devastated.” He slapped his hands together loudly and pressed them against his chest. “Please,” he took a step toward me, “you must describe in detail the look on his face when he found out. It would mean so much to me.”

Anger swelled inside me.

“Please, I’m begging you,” Soullen continued to laugh, getting louder and louder the more he thought about it.

The more he laughed, the harder it became to control myself. I balled up my fists and clenched my teeth.

“And he would deny me?” Soullen asked rhetorically. “To think I once looked up to him. What a complete disgrace!”

Like a volcano unable to hold back the pressure, I exploded. I lunged my arm around Sunny and launched a flaming, dark fireball at Soullen. Sunny grabbed my arm to stop me. He forced it upward, but it was too late. My projectile made contact and detonated in a force so great it caused the window to shatter and furniture to fly across the room.

When it was all said and done, Kaylec stood with one wing extended out in front of Soullen, shielding him from the blast. While our wings are not infallible, they can withstand an incredible amount of punishment from Skai and Nave alike. Kaylec’s wing was unfazed by my assault.

“Enough!” Sunny’s voice was suddenly deep and ominous, almost demonic. He stretched his arms between us again, but this time Askyli swirled around his hands as if he planned to blast us both. “In the name of Skailer, someone tell me what’s going on, or I’m going to lose my shit!”

“You’re protecting Qua’quelle’s lover,” Kaylec stated matter-of-factly.

Sunny turned to me, looking for some sort of renunciation on my part. I couldn’t provide it. He looked hurt. The expression on his face begged the question he did not ask aloud, ‘Is he telling the truth?’

I could only stare at him and silently try to convey how sorry I was. He should not have found out this way. Sunny had been nothing but kind and welcoming, and I betrayed that. Could I blame him if he turned his back on me and sided with Kaylec? Hardly.

“That’s your big gotcha?” His eyes were locked on mine, so it took me a second to realize he wasn’t talking to me. Sunny turned to face Kaylec but not before cracking the slightest smile. “Is that what you’re freaking out about, or am I missing something? Because I already knew.”

“What?” Kaylec sounded stunned, his tone sharp and earnest.

“You heard me,” Sunny sneered. “Jacob told me all about his relationship with Qua’quelle once we got him home. This should not be a surprise to you. He’s our brother.”

“Knowing of this, you would still stand with him?”

“I stand with him because he’s our brother! It seems, Kaylec, you have forgotten what that means.”

“You can’t blame Kaylec for being suspicious,” Soullen stepped out from behind Kaylec. “I was there in the house. I saw them together, and they seem close, so who’s to say….”

“Quiet!” Sunny demanded, his voice taking on the same dark tone as before. “You have no voice here, Nave!”

“His point is still valid,” Kaylec insisted, moving in front of Soullen again. “We don’t know his true intentions or where his loyalties lie.”

Popping his head out from behind Kaylec, Soullen interjected again, “That was all I was trying to say.”

“There are no ulterior motives, Kaylec.”

“You don’t know that, Sundryn!” Kaylec countered.

“Yes, I do,” Sunny maintained. He turned to me and locked eyes. “We merged our essence. We linked.”

I was completely floored. Why was Sunny going to such lengths to cover for me? Especially since I wasn’t as forthcoming as I could have been. I was overcome with gratitude and, at the same time, felt so undeserving. I looked down at an overturned chair, breaking his stare. He turned back to Kaylec. “For years, Jacob roamed this world not knowing who or what he truly was. When I linked with him, all I got was his overwhelming sense of relief that he was back with his people. Isn’t that what every Skai wants?”

For the moment, that was enough to shut Kaylec up.

Soullen, on the other hand, kept looking at me with a devilish grin as if he knew something I didn’t. It took everything in me to stop myself from charging at Soullen to slap that shit-eating grin off his face.

“I’m taking him to see my brother,” Kaylec declared.

“To Zenial?” Sunny questioned, shaking his head as if the idea was so absurd he couldn’t believe Kaylec had proposed it. “No! Absolutely not! It’s not your call to make, Kaylec. Razual will decide when it’s time to take him to see Zenial. It’s his fucking Club!”

“I don’t care, Sundryn! My brother needs to be aware of this situation; believe me, he will want to know sooner rather than later.”

“Fine,” Sunny threw up his hands. I thought he was giving up surprisingly fast, but I should have known better. “But we can wait for Raz since he’s due back any minute now.”

“I am not hanging around for Razual, Sundryn. This situation is too serious to wait.”

“We’ve already wasted countless minutes standing around yelling at each other. A few more won’t hurt anyone.”

“Fine, he gets ten more. After that, I’m taking him to Zenial.”

“Twenty minutes, and I’m done arguing about it,” Sunny countered.

Kaylec rolled his eyes. “Whatever! Twenty minutes.”

“Great,” Sunny smiled. “Now get out.”

“Excuse you?”

“I said get out and take your little pet Nave with you.” Sunny pointed to the broken glass doors. “I want to talk to Jacob alone.”

Kaylec laughed. “You’ve lost your mind. I’m not letting him out of my sight for even a second.”

“I concur,” Soullen added.

“Shut up,” Sunny fired back at Soullen. “You have no voice here.”

He then turned back to Kaylec; his no-nonsense gaze made it clear no was not an option. “Take your pet and get out. This room is one big glass box. If you want to keep an eye on him, you can do it from the other side of the door. He’s not going anywhere.” He got right in his face. “Unless you don’t trust me, and my word as your brother means nothing to you?”

The stare-down between them ended with Kaylec finally conceding.

“Let’s go,” he said to Soullen as he walked by. “Twenty minutes Sundryn. Tick tock.”

We watched them take a seat on the couch outside the office. Kaylec’s eyes locked on me like homing missiles getting ready to fire. Sunny kept his back to me as he continued to look out the broken window of Raz’s office. There was so much I wanted to say to him, but the words wouldn’t come out and dare break the deafening silence between us.

A few silent minutes passed, chipping away at the twenty-minute deadline. Ultimately, I decided I couldn’t let this time go to waste without addressing the Q-shaped elephant in the room.

“Sundryn,” I offered softly.

Using his finger, Sunny signaled to me to “hold on a second.” He raised his hands. Askyli swirled around them like ribbons of shadow and lightning. Within seconds the same dark hue surrounded the pieces of glass strewn about the room, causing them to vibrate before finally flying back into place, restoring all the windows to their original state. Sunny turned around and did the same to the rest of the room. In less than a minute, it was like my assault had never happened.

Sunny took a seat behind me without saying a word, but he did toss me a side glare as he passed by. I sat in the chair to his right, glanced at him, and then looked away before our eyes could meet. He was upset, that much was obvious, but I couldn’t find the words to break the ice.

“Thank you,” I finally said, my eyes fixed on a spot on Raz’s desk. “You didn’t have to….” I hesitated, looking over my shoulder to see Kaylec staring at me.

“You can speak freely, Jacob,” Sunny assured me. “I’ve made it so no one outside this room can hear us.”

With a heavy sigh, I forced myself to look at Sunny and bare the brunt of his harsh glare, but that’s not what I found. His raised brow and crooked smile told me he was just trying to understand.

“Why did you cover for me?” I asked.

Rolling his eyes and clasping his hands, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Why do you think, Jacob?”

“Because I’m your brother.”

“Exactly.”

“Okay. And I appreciate that.” With a simple head motion, I gestured behind me. “But Kaylec is also your brother, and you lied to him about linking with me.”

“Yes, I did,” he replied, his tone unapologetic and direct. “Kaylec came in here acting like a crazy person. You are Skai, Jacob, a brother just like the rest of us. And yet, he was coming at you like none of that mattered.” Sunny paused and looked at Kaylec before looking back at me. “It’s all that matters! We are bound in brotherhood. We look out for each other…protect each other even if that means protecting you from one of our own who’s acting like a total ass at the moment. I would have done the same for Kaylec if you were going at him so harshly.

“And to make matters worse,” he gestured behind me, “he brought a freaking Nave into The Club. Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell is he thinking?”

“Well…” I hesitated for a moment, unsure if a simple thanks would be enough, but it was all I had to offer. “Thank you for having my back. It means a lot.”

With a subtle nod, Sunny stood and walked around the desk to the large bookcase against the back wall. He moved slowly from left to right as if trying to commit each book title to memory. But I knew he was barely aware the books were even there. In reality, Sunny was contemplating how to ask me the real question on his mind. Eventually, he broke away from the shelves and pulled the desk chair out. Before his butt hit the cushion, Sunny looked up and to the right as if weighing the pros and cons of sitting. He decided to stand behind the chair instead.

“Why didn’t you tell me about you and Qua’quelle?”

The inevitable question finally dropped; if I’m being honest, it felt like he lifted a weight from my shoulders. There was no avoiding it.

Sunny was patient and stayed silent, allowing me the time I needed to gather my thoughts.

“Because…” was all I managed to say, and I don’t even know why I said it.

He sort of laughed and nodded. “I see you’re pulling from the Zac book of arguments, Jacob, but I’m pretty sure you can do better than that.”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “How exactly was that conversation supposed to go? Especially after your reaction about me attending KU, not to mention the freakout you had knowing I was in the same zip code as Q.” Throwing my hands up, I shook my head as if to ask, do you see where I’m coming from? “How was I supposed to drop that bombshell in the middle of your rant? Oh, by the way, I’m dating one of the leaders of your most hated enemy. I don’t know if that would have gone over well. Call me crazy.”

“Our most hated enemy….”

“Excuse me?”

“You said your most hated enemy, but I’m sure you meant our.”

“I guess,” I replied halfheartedly.

“You guess?” Sunny asked, and then, shaking his head, he backed away from the chair for a moment. “Wait a minute. Are you saying it’s my fault that you didn’t tell me about your relationship with him?”

“No!” I assured him. “Of course not. But kind of….”

Leaning forward over the chair, Sunny narrowed his eyes as if to say, I’m going to kill you later.

“You have to admit, Sunny, at that moment, you would not have reacted well. Don’t even try to lie.”

“Maybe…” he admitted.

“Thank you! This is all very new and confusing to me. I mean, yesterday morning, I was a typical hormonal nineteen-year-old trying to navigate college life and a new, exciting relationship. The next thing you know, I discover I’m basically a God among men.”

“Okay, slow down, sparky,” he laughed.

I chuckled along with him, but only because I remembered Arsen calling me that. “All I’m saying, it’s a lot to process, and I didn’t want to add another thing to my already overflowing plate of stuff I had to deal with. I’m not an idiot. I knew I would have to come forward about my relationship with Q.” I stopped to point towards Kaylec. “I knew some Skai already knew me, so I wasn’t going to be able to keep it a secret for long.” Closing my eyes, I sighed heavily. “I just wanted time to adjust to my new reality. Even if it was just a day.”

“I get it, Jacob,” Sunny said softly, but his voice sounded closer than before.

I opened my eyes to see him in front of me, leaning up against Raz’s desk with a warm smile.

“So, are you still mad at me?” I inquired meekly, afraid I wouldn’t like his answer.

His smile grew wider. “I was never mad at you, Jacob, just confused as to why you wouldn’t tell me.” Rolling his eyes, he looked away for a moment before looking back at me. “And if I’m being honest…maybe a little annoyed.”

“You were mad.”

“Okay fine!” Sunny ultimately admitted. “I was mad. But I get it now, so I’m over it.”

I put out my fist. “We good?”

“Yeah,” he said and gave me a fist bump. “But I have so many questions….” Widening his eyes, he threw his head back to exaggerate his point. “Qua’quelle?! Are you serious?” He laughed and threw his hands out. “I’m not going to go there right now because it’s not the time or place, but you better believe we’ll have words soon.”

Oh, joy.

“What’s the deal with you and Kaylec, though?” His eyes shifted away from me to look thru the glass window. “I mean, he’s always been a hothead, but this is on another level.”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “A few weeks ago, that fucker tried to use me to hurt Q.”

“Jacob, you shouldn’t speak about a fellow Skai with such disrespect.”

My eyes went wide and crazy. “He tried to kill me, Sunny!” I shouted. “No one knew I was Skai back then, obviously, but Kaylec still tried to kill me! Sorry, but I’m going to have feelings about that.”

“Okay, that’s fair.”

After a moment of silence, a lightbulb went off in Sunny’s head. “Ah, now it all makes sense,” he mused.

“What does?”

“This must have happened around the time I got my wings. I remember a bunch of us were bumming around, and Zenial was there talking to Raz about something when he got a call, and the next thing we knew, he grabbed some brothers and took off.” Sunny paused for a minute, the events of that night replaying in his mind. “He returned a little later with Kaylec in tow, and he was pissed! Usually, Zenial is pretty chill and laid back, but you do not, I repeat, do not want to get on his bad side.

“They were arguing about something Kaylec did. Some kind of an attack, I think. I was only able to pick up bits and pieces. It obviously wasn’t something Zenial wanted out there. I know because he never discussed it again, and it wasn’t disseminated in the Skai-web.”

“What in the hell is the Skai-web?”

The wheels in his mind were spinning so fast as he tried to connect all the dots that he didn’t hear me. Raising my voice to bring him back down to earth, I slapped the side of his leg. “Sunny!”

“Holy shit!” he said, his eye wide as he finally looked at me again. “That was all about you? And now here you are.” He snickered at his detective skills. “That’s crazy!”

“Focus! What is the Skai-web?”

“Oh, it’s just what I call it when we all link to share all our thoughts and experiences. You know, because it’s like posting something on the….”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I interrupted, waving dismissively and disappointed that Skai-web wasn’t something more profound.

“I’ve been trying to get the brothers to embrace Skai-web, but they keep resisting.”

“I’m shocked,” I rolled my eyes and smirked. “Tell me, what should I expect from Zenial when I meet him? I mean, I sort of met him that night, he even tried to heal me, but it’s not like we talked or anything.”

“Heal you? What happened?”

“Your boy back there put a fucking steel rod thru my shoulder.”

“Seriously? No way!” his shock was genuine.

I wondered if I was just another human, would he even care? That’s not an indictment of Sunny. I knew the El’odian’s view on humanity, but considering Sunny shed his mortality just weeks ago, I couldn’t help but speculate on how he felt now. Assuming he was like most mentally stable humans, who care for their fellow man on some level, could his feelings have changed so abruptly after linking?

“Yes,” I continued. “Zenial never got the chance to help me because Lady White stepped in to heal me.”

“Wait, hold up!” Sunny waved his hands like a madman. “You know The Great Mother?”

I just nodded.

“Who the fuck are you?” he laughed.

I was confused and looked to either side, expecting someone else to be there. “What are you talking about?”

“Qua’quelle,” raising his brow, Sunny stuck out a finger after every point, “Zenial and The Great Mother. You just woke up, and you’ve already got me beat. I haven’t met The Great Mother. And I only met Zenial briefly after I received The Gift. It’s not like we talked or he tried to save me from the clutches of death or anything.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I?” Sunny placed his hand on his chest as if I were accusing him of something, but the sarcastic grin on his face told me otherwise. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is that you know Skailer personally, or maybe even Naveyk considering you were hanging out with the Nave this whole time.”

“Well…” I shrunk into myself, trying to become as small as possible, hoping the chair would swallow me whole.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he shouted sarcastically, jolting up from his resting position to get right in my face. “Seriously, who are you?”

My lips barely parted before the door flew open, and Kaylec charged in all in a mood.

“It’s time!” He declared. “I’m taking him.”

Looking at his wrist for the time, Sunny said, “No, it hasn’t been twenty minutes yet.”

He didn’t have a watch.

“I don’t care!” Kaylec exclaimed and walked further into the office, with Soullen bringing up the rear. “It’s close enough. I don’t know what Razual is doing, but he’s not showing anytime soon, and this can’t wait any longer.”

“We agreed on twenty….”

“It’s fine, Sunny,” I insisted and stood up to face Kaylec. “I’ll go.”

“So heroic,” Soullen scoffed, his thin skater frame obscured by Kaylec’s towering physique.

“Keep your pet muzzled,” Sunny said, “or I’ll gag him myself.”

“I am no one’s pet!” Soullen’s radiant wings exploded from his back as his threatening voice filled the room. He now hovered a few feet in the air, clad in the white armor of his people. Inlayed with gold and shards of scarlet eiyrlin, it gleamed under the brilliance of his aura, and the golden sash around his waist flapped in the windless room. His helmet masked everything except two orbs of pure starlight, and the two blades he summoned pulsated with Anavi.

Despite everything, he looked beautiful. I wondered if he wielded two short swords because of Q. He was Soullen’s mentor back in Aquaiia. Q also used two blades and would look just as awe-inspiring if he hovered before us.

I smiled despite myself.

To his credit, Sunny did not flinch. He stood his ground, but because I was so caught up in the spectacle that was Soullen, it took me a moment to notice Sunny summoned a dark dagger that he held behind his back. He had yet to infuse it with his Askyli, but it was clear Sunny was ready to throw down if shit hit the fan.

“Enough!” Kaylec said, turning to place his hand on Soullen’s breastplate. “Calm yourself! We have more important things to worry about. Don’t get distracted by petty bickering.”

The blades evaporated first, followed by a flash of light that left Soullen looking like an unassuming fifteen-year-old again. Except for his eyes. They were still set ablaze like two pearls wreathed in white flames. It wasn’t until he slowly descended back to the ground that they extinguished and returned to their normal shade of crimson.

“Well, that was titillating,” Sunny joked, and his blade vanished before my eyes.

“Enough with the games,” Kaylec said. “I’m taking him.”

“I will take him,” Sunny countered and looked back at me briefly. “We’ll meet you in the parking lot.” Sensing that Kaylec would throw out about thirty-three objections, Sunny never gave him the chance to protest. “This is non-negotiable. I’m responsible for Jacob, so he goes with me. If you don’t like it, we can stay here until Razual shows up. Take it or leave it.”

“Fine,” Kaylec conceded begrudgingly.

Sunny reached back and grabbed my hand without even looking.

“Do something about your little pet, Kaylec. I wouldn’t leave him here by himself. I suggest a kennel at the bottom of the Atlantic, but that’s just me.” Sunny took another step back, leaving less than an inch between us. He squeezed my hand, and before I could even register Soullen’s reaction, a pillar of darkness engulfed us.

A moment later, I was standing in the woods on a narrow cobblestone and moss-laced path. I blinked a few times to clear the disorientation and take in my surroundings. The trail was wide enough for two people and led to a stone building. Sunny stood beside me while a single pair of majestic Weeping Willow trees stood alongside the building. But the willows weren’t alone. Mature, evenly spaced trees flanked us on all sides. Some held fruit; most did not. But they all danced in the light breeze that fluttered through their leaves. Lower down, and out of the wind, a variety of perfectly hued green, yellow, and red-leafed plants filled the spaces between them. Tall ferns, clumps of snake plants, enormous hostas, and large moss-covered stones provided the backdrop to a host of delicate flowers in full bloom. Birds of paradise, peonies, lilies, orchids, phlox, honeysuckle, zinnias, dahlias…they were everywhere! And the roses! Their petals alone represented the entire color spectrum. Those were just the plants I recognized. I couldn’t begin to name the more exotic specimens that littered the ground around us.

I have a confession to make. I like flowers. Not because they’re pretty. Let’s face it; everyone likes flowers because they’re pretty. I like them because my mom likes them. It started with my love of nature and my insatiable need to be outside as a kid. After being found in the forest and adopted by my parents, I became obsessed with the outdoors. I spent every waking hour outside. My folks thought it had something to do with ‘Jacob’s trauma.’ They said those words in hushed voices when they thought I wasn’t around. I heard them, but I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was explore the woods in our backyard…and climb trees. It was the climbing trees part that scared the shit out of my mother and forced her into action. She decided to channel my passion into the only ‘nature activity’ she knew - flower gardening. It worked.

I caught a hint of lavender and lilac in the air. This place was magnificent and a world apart from the woods of my backyard.

I felt Sunny’s hand fall from mine.

“I thought you said we were meeting in a parking lot,” I looked around at the sea of beautiful colors surrounding us. “Where on earth are we?”

“We’re on the roof of The Club,” his voice was matter-of-fact as if it were obvious. “Come.”

He took a step toward the building, but I grabbed his arm.

“The roof? All this is a roof?”

“Well, yeah.” Sunny pointed thru a clearing in the trees. “You can see the top of the St. Ambrose Church spire from here. Pretty impressive garden, huh?”

I nodded slowly, still unsure. But Sunny was right; if I focused past the trees, I could see the tops of several buildings that sat alongside The Club. I’m not sure what surprised me more — finding this Eden in the middle of a city or finding a city surrounding this Eden.

“Come on. There’s more.”

I followed Sunny to the stone building, now realizing it served as the roof garden's centerpiece. It was a simple construction of four granite walls with a pitched roof covered in short grass and no larger than your standard tool shed. I didn’t see a door, only willow trees guarding the spot where one should be. Something told me this closed-off edifice housed something more than your standard gardening tools. There were glyphs carved into the stone surface. The more I stared, the more they drew me in. As if falling victim to their spell, I felt a hypnotic trance trying to take hold. A shooting pain behind my right eye quickly followed.

I looked away immediately before the pain got worse. “What are those?” I asked, pressing my fingers to my temple.

“What are what? Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I assured him as the pain began to subside. “The symbols on the wall.”

“That’s our written language, Jacob,” he said. “Does it look at all familiar to you?”

“No,” I answered. “My head began to hurt when I was looking at them.”

“Really?” he asked, placing his hand on my back to comfort me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine now that I’m not looking at them. Why would that happen?”

“Honestly, I have no idea, Jacob. We don’t typically experience pain like that.” He paused for a moment to allow me time to get myself together. “We can ask Zenial….”

“No! Absolutely not.” I asserted and grabbed his arm. “Promise me you won’t say anything.”

“But why?” Sunny’s tone denoted frustration. “If something is going on with you, he’ll know.”

“I don’t want the leader of all Skai to think I’m broken after our first meeting, Sunny. The third or fourth maybe, but not the first. So promise me!”

“He’s not the leader; he’s a leader,” Sunny corrected me. “And fine. But if not Zenial, we are telling Razual the second we see him.” Sunny cut me off before I had a chance to object. “It’s one or the other, Jacob, you decide. It’s my job to watch over you, so I can’t just look the other way if you’re in pain.”

“Razual then.”

“Perfect!” With that, he raised his right hand, and it began to glow as he hovered it over the glyphs on the wall. They began to glow and appeared to pulsate with Askyli; within seconds, the hidden doors opened.

There was nothing special about the inside of the room, except it was five times bigger than it appeared outside. The large stone slabs thrown about the room seemed out of place to me, but it all made sense when Sunny touched one. They all began to fly into place, forming a perfect arch.

“Whoa…” I uttered.

“I know, right?” Sunny laughed like a little boy in a toy shop. “We use these gateways to move around Eiyr. They’re fucking awesome! After becoming a Skai, I spent two days using these gateways to travel the world. Seriously, Jacob, I couldn’t stop! Eolaeis had to drag me away, kicking and screaming. Sure, it was a little embarrassing but so worth it.”

“How do they work?” I asked, thinking back to the mirrors the Nave used to get around. My question was answered when the Askyli arched from the stone pieces towards the center of the gateway, forming the dark portal. “Never mind.”

Sunny laughed. “After you, my friend.”

I stepped thru to the other side, but nothing changed. The room looked exactly the same. For a second, I thought maybe the portal was broken, or I was supposed to say some magic words to make it work. But then, as the stone blocks fell back to their unassuming positions on the floor, I noticed that the symbols on the walls had changed. It was a different room.

“I don’t get it,” I said.

“What don’t you get exactly?” Sunny was about to do his thing to activate the glyphs and open the door, but he stopped to face me.

“Why even use the gates?” I pointed behind me to the slabs of stone lying on the floor. “Don’t get me wrong. They’re cool and all, but why not just whoosh us here? I mean, you whooshed us to the roof of The Club, right? Why not do the same to bring us here?” I must have looked lost because he laughed at me. “What am I missing?”

“Two things, our ability to teleport, a.k.a, ‘whoosh’ as you call it,” he made the quotation marks with his fingers, “is limited by distance, meaning we can only whoosh so far. Some Skai can go further than others, but as far as I’m aware, no El’odian can travel across the planet by whooshing. Except for The Great Mother, I think. Secondly,” he put up two fingers, “these rooms are protected, and the only way in or out is to activate the glyphs. And even though this building is well within my range to whoosh, Zenial frowns upon us using our powers in public places. This office building is one of those places.”

“Thirdly…”

“We’re in an office building?” I interrupted.

“Thirdly,” Sunny continued, ignoring me. “You would know all these things if you had linked with me.”

“Really?” Cocking my head to the side, I gave him a dirty look. “You’re going to go there?”

Throwing up his hand, Sunny laughed and backed away. “I’m just saying.”

“Just open the stupid door!”

Using his powers, Sunny opened the doors as easily as if he had pushed them open with his hands. Standing before us, sporting a grim face, was Kaylec holding a basket of fresh muffins with Soullen standing by his side.

“What took you so long?” he demanded.

“You seriously brought your pet here? Are you nuts?”

“That doesn’t concern you,” he retorted, extending his free arm in front of Soullen so he wouldn’t react to Sunny’s mocking tone. “Let’s go!” Without waiting for a response, Kaylec turned and walked toward the elevators on the other side of our secluded area.

“Why did they change?” I asked, leaning into Sunny’s ear.

And change they did. There were both dressed in exquisitely tailored three pieces suits. They were dripping in black from head to toe with pink ties and handkerchiefs to add a splash of color to their attire. The material looked supple and hugged his form in all the right places. I hate myself for admitting that Kaylec’s slacks showed off a fantastic ass. All I will say about Soullen is that he looked sharp. Even though he’s technically millions of years old, he still looks fifteen, and I’m not trying to catch a case.

“Oh shoot, I forgot!” Stopping dead in his tracks, Sunny grabbed me and told me to stand still. He raised his hand over our heads and snapped his fingers. A ribbon of Askyli swirled up from our feet to our heads, and the next thing I knew, I was dressed in a beautiful, dark burgundy suit with a black tie and handkerchief. Sunny was basically my twin. “I like the color.”

“I can tell,” I said, pointing to his highlighted hair. “We look amazing, but why is this necessary?” Even my hair was done up and styled to perfection.

“Trust me; you’ll thank me later.”

We got into the elevator and headed to the 50^th floor. Aside from the occasional glare from Kaylec, no one said a word. We stopped on the 17^th floor, and two women walked on, which surprised me because I assumed this building was occupied strictly by Skai. They got off on the 30^th floor, and two guys got on. One was Skai and the other human. I knew he was human because he had a small band-aid under his chin, probably because he cut himself shaving.

The Skai began talking to them in our native tongue, and I could feel the pain take hold almost immediately.

“English, please!” Sunny was quick to react when he noticed me rubbing my temples.

“My apologies,” the Skai offered sincerely. “I thought we were all brothers here.”

“No, the little, annoying squirt hiding behind Kaylec is just some random.”

“Oh,” the Skai mumbled and tried to look at Soullen, but Kaylec was quick to body block him.

Soullen presented himself as completely human at the moment. There was no way for the Skai to know what he was unless they recognized him as the Prince of the Nave. He kept trying to look, and Kaylec kept shuffling back and forth to block him.

Sunny was trying not to crack up.

The door dinged, the Skai stepped off, and we continued uninterrupted to the 50^th floor. As soon as the door opened on our floor, a guy rushed in, wiping away tears. We stepped out.

“What the hell was that about,” I whispered to Sunny.

“Look at what he’s wearing.”

I looked back and saw the guy dressed in gray joggers, a t-shirt, and a black hoodie.

“I don’t get it,” I continued to whisper.

“Oh, but you will.”

I noticed the logo on the wall said Ski-Tech Industries and made a mental note to ask Sunny about this place later. From the lobby, I could tell it was a busy place. Professionally dressed people scurried in all directions but with purpose in their steps. Meetings with PowerPoint presentations, telecoms, and baskets of apples perfectly centered on matching conference room tables filled a series of glass-walled rooms. The number of people inside each room varied, but none of them stood empty. There were multiple offices, but only two had their doors cracked open. Each room had a woman inside, doing whatever she got paid to do. It was all so fascinating to me because there was a mix of Skai and humans, men and women working together on his floor. Not what I expected.

I followed the group down a long hall to an enormous corner office. It was also behind a sheet of glass, but this wall was frosted to keep out prying eyes. Outside the main doors, a full-figured black woman sat behind a large desk. If anything betrayed her sixty-plus years, it was the streaks of gray immaculately laced thru her long dark hair. It certainly wasn’t her energy or ability to multitask. Rose-framed glasses sat on the brim of her nose as she looked at the computer screen, her fingers expertly typing away while she gently scolded the person on the phone.

“What was that boy thinking coming into my office looking like he just rolled out of bed?” she grumbled. “Like he lost all sense.” She looked up and acknowledged us with a wave and smile. “I don’t care if he was only here to pick up a package, Suga. I’ve taught you boys better than that. It’s about respect. Respect yourselves. Respect me. Respect this office.” She paused for a moment to allow the person to say their piece. “Of course, I’m right, Suga. That’s why I said it. Now, Nathan can come back and retrieve your package when he puts proper clothes on and runs a comb through that hair. In fact, tell him to get it cut. It’s getting too long, and it’s not a good look on him. The boy always looks like a wet mop.”

Her name plate read Ms. Cynthia.

While waiting our turn with Ms. Cynthia, I asked Sunny, “Is that her first or last name?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, Suga,” she said to Kaylec as she hung up the phone. “Where have you been hiding? I haven’t seen you around here in ages.”

“You know how things go, Ms. Cynthia,” Kaylec said with a smile, suddenly pouring the charm on so thick I began to wonder if it was the same guy. “Things come up, and you get so caught up in the craziness you lose all sense of time.”

“Isn’t that the god’s honest truth?” She leaned back in her chair and gave Kaylec the side-eye. “Doesn’t mean you don’t take the time to visit an old woman.”

“I know, Ms. Cynthia, and I’m sorry.” He placed his hand on his chest as if he were deeply wounded. “I will do my best not to let it happen again.”

“Mmhmm.” Folding her arms over her chest, she continued to give him that disapproving side-eye. “That’s what all you boys say. You come in here, offer up delicious baskets of baked goods, and think that makes up for not stopping by the 50^th floor to say hello.”

“I know, I know. You’re absolutely right, Ms. Cynthia.”

“Of course, I am, Suga. Why do people keep saying that? I established that fact ages ago.”

“So true,” Kaylec agreed. “But I’m here to….”

“Are those for me?” she interrupted, pointing at the basket of muffins he was holding.

With a slight bow, Kaylec slid the muffins across the desk. “Some sweet treats for a sweet lady.”

If I still had the ability, I would have barfed.

“Thank you, Suga, but you didn’t have to do that,” she insisted, picking up one of the wrapped muffins and taking in its sweet aroma. “Blueberry with sugar sprinkles. I do love me a good blueberry muffin.”

“I know you do,” Kaylec offered a fake laugh. “Anyway, I need to talk to….”

“Speaking of Berry,” she interrupted again, removing her glasses, so they hung around her neck. “Do you know what your brother did?”

Kaylec sighed heavily. “No, I don’t.”

Learning over to Sunny, I whispered, “What is happening right now?”

“Just watch,” Sunny eyes smiled.

“Berry, your brother,” she pointed at Kaylec as if he was responsible for whatever she said next, “has been coming to the 49^th floor for a month to flirt with that boy…what’s his name again?” She paused and tapped a long, exquisitely painted, fire engine red fingernail on the desk as if that would help her recall the name. “You know the one I’m talking about…he works downstairs in legal. Handsome, tall, always locking himself in the supply closet. What is that child’s name?”

Kaylec leaned forward, slapped his hands together, and pleaded with her. “Ms. Cynthia, this is interesting and all, but….”

“Hold on, Suga, I got his name right here.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a cell phone. “I added his picture to his contact, so it will only take me a sec to find him on the list.” She returned her glasses to the tip of her nose and started scrolling thru what I assumed was her contact list. Ms. Cynthia swiped up like fifteen times while trying to find this name. “I know he’s in here. He’s in my bingo group with the other ladies. Joins us on the 3^rd Sunday of the month like clockwork.”

We watched Kaylec try everything within his power to maintain his composure. He kept balling up his fists and then relaxing them. He repeated this exercise as if he would lose his mind if he missed a beat.

I enjoyed every second of it.

I think Ms. Cynthia was on her thirtieth swipe when she finally stopped.

“Bert,” she announced proudly. “His name is Bert!”

I grabbed Sunny’s arm and leaned in. “I think I’m in love with her.”

“I know!” he snickered, covering his mouth to contain the laughter.

Ms. Cynthia put her phone down, looked up at the ceiling, and pondered. “Bert and Berry,” she said softly, shaking her head. “I don’t like that. Too many Bs and Rs. What was his middle name? Maybe that would flow better with Berry.”

She picked up her phone again, and Kaylec lost it.

“Ms. Cythina!” he cut in, slamming his hands on the desk. “I need to get in to see my brother.”

Her brow shot up like a rocket, and she turned to her left and right to look behind her. “Who are you raising your voice to, Suga?” She cocked her head to the side; her tone was direct with a hint of menace. “It certainly wasn’t to me because I know you haven’t lost your mind.”

Putting his hands together like he was praying, Kaylec spoke in a more measured voice, trying to reinvoke the charm he showed earlier. “Of course not, Ms. Cynthia. I’m truly sorry for my outburst. I was wrong; it will never happen again. Please, I need to speak to Zenial. It’s imperative.”

Ms. Cynthia’s demeanor softened almost instantly. She smiled, moved the blueberry muffin to its assigned position on her desk, and adjusted her keyboard slightly. “Well, that’s all you had to say, Suga. Now, what time is your appointment?”

Kaylec shook his head. “I don’t have one.”

I laughed into my hand, and Sunny elbowed me.

“You don’t have an appointment?”

“No.”

Turning away from her computer, she placed her elbows on the desk and clasped her hands together. “Then you can’t get in to see Mr. Zenial, Suga.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but….”

“Perfect,” she smiled and turned back to the screen. “Since you’re here, I’d be happy to schedule something. Let’s see what times I have available for you.”

“No, Ms. Cynthina, I don’t need you to find me a time. I need to see him.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

Kaylec didn’t answer at first. Ms. Cynthia stared at him, eyebrow raised, waiting for him to respond.

“No.”

“Then you can’t see him today, Suga. I thought we covered this. You said you understood; I said perfect.” She looked past Kaylec to Sunny and me. “It’s not me, right?”

The three of us shook our heads in unison. Yes, even Soullen agreed with her.

“Ms. Cythina, please….” Kaylec began to say but was quickly cut off.

“It’s important,” she finished for him. “I know. My hearing is just fine, Suga. Every third day a boy flies in here, all worked up, with news of doom and gloom for Mr. Zenial. It’s all important. That’s why it’s my job to keep his schedule on time. Do you know the chaos it would cause if you boys just strolled in and out anytime you feel a news flash coming on? The entire system would break down—complete anarchy! Critical issues get missed. Meetings go unattended. Jobs get lost. Unemployment goes up. Poor Mr. Vasquez, our lovely janitor, would have to feed his family out of a soup kitchen. I won’t have it!”

She leaned forward. “Now, do you want to make an appointment or not?”

“No, I guess it can wait. I’ll speak to Zenial tonight after he finishes here. Thank you,” Kaylec turned to walk away.

“Suit yourself.” Ms. Cynthia returned her attention to the work at hand. She tipped her head back slightly, stared through the glasses perched on her nose, and started typing. “But…”

Kaylec stopped his retreat.

“He’s not going to be around tonight. Mr. Zenial has several engagements this evening.”

Kaylec threw his head back and let out a low growl. His eyes went black for the briefest moments before he turned to face Ms. Cythina again. “I’ll make an appointment.”

“No problem, Suga, let me see what I have available.” She glanced up at him, professional to the core. “Soonest possible time, I’m guessing?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he sighed, waving the white flag of surrender.

She clicked the mouse twice, then jerked her head suddenly, shocked by what she saw on the screen. “Will you look at that?”

“What is it?” Kaylec asked dejectedly.

“There was a time slot available ten minutes ago,” she said, sucking her teeth. “Had you asked me earlier, I could’ve gotten you in.”

“I’m going to die,” I whispered to Sunny, choking back my laughter. Ms. Cynthia raised an eyebrow and winked at me.

It took a few minutes and another bingo story, but we managed to schedule a 3 pm appointment for the following day. The moment it was confirmed, Kaylec stormed off in a huff, pushing Soullen along with him.

“We’ll see you boys tomorrow at 3 pm sharp. Be punctual.” She smiled broadly at Sunny and me, glanced into the muffin basket again, pulled out a chocolate one, and continued sweetly. “I run a tight schedule.”

“Thank you, Ms. Cynthia,” we said in unison, then headed to the elevator.

I broke out laughing the minute we were out of Ms. Cynthia’s sight. “What just happened? Who was that? Is she like a distant relative of Lady White or something?”

Sunny laughed along with me. “No,” he said. “She is Zenial’s very human, no-nonsense executive assistant, and she runs this place with the sweetest iron fist you’ve ever seen. Unless you get on her bad side.” He turned to me, suddenly serious, “Don’t do that.”

“But she knows what we are, correct?”

“She does.”

“What’s her deal?”

“You’d know if you linked with me,” Sunny answered and patted me on the back.

I laughed and playfully hit his chest with the back of my hand, “Let it go already!”

We caught up with Kaylec and Soullen by the elevators. Kaylec was slamming his fist into his palm repeatedly, obviously still pissed off.

“Unbelievable, just unbelievable,” his voice was low, but the hiss and anger inside it were clear as a bullhorn. “I’m his brother. His brother! I should be…” he started to pace, still using one hand to punch the other. His entire body seemed to roll in concert with his eyes.

Sunny and I stepped back in unison to avoid blocking his path.

His tantrum continued, “It’s bullshit! Unbelievable bullshit!”

“Why do you bother putting up with that human?” Soullen tossed the question over his shoulder as he calmly hit the elevator call button. “I would have killed her for her insolence.”

Kaylec spun around, rushed to the Soullen, and jammed a finger in his chest. “Don’t you ever, ever say that again!”

Soullen threw his hands up but stood his ground, unfazed. “What? Am I wrong?”

“Just drop it.”

“Fine,” Soullen shrugged. “Whatever…”

The doors dinged and opened. The elevator wasn’t empty.

“Uh oh.” The initial timidness in Sunny’s voice startled me, but then I saw a sinister grin stretch across his face.

Kaylec turned and made eye contact with the elevator passenger. The air actually sizzled, and I swear the lights flickered. I looked up at the ceiling, then back at the elevator occupant. His eyes went black, and I could hear his teeth grind. Or maybe those were mine.

Sunny turned to Kaylec and said, in the most jovial voice ever, “Tell me Razual is pissed without telling me Razual is pissed.”