The Bonded (21 page)

“The priest must have had a particularly long day, as he left the candles burning from what appeared to have been a late Eucharist or ritual and a sputtering fire struggling to maintain its life to heat the room. The church was an interesting fusion of old architectural styles that accentuated the gothic entrance and domed roof, but the hidden beauty lay within as gold and wood collided with animated shadows cast by the candles. In the covenant between Lucretia and Felix, it was negotiated to allow the waers to analyze and read the book first since it was obvious that Cassius’s intentions were insidious. I was chosen for that task because of my love of books and history, with my warrior pack-mate Demetrio guarding our interests. With our preternatural speed, the book was located by Gisella soon after our entrance on a top shelf, dusty and stiff from centuries of neglect. I vividly recall Cassius masking his excitement with ambivalent disinterest, but all of us were quite conscious of the book’s importance. Although we did not know the content, we knew that he would not make such great effort without great reason.

“With hesitation and slighted looks, she relented, handing the Knosis to me and I promptly sat down at an old wooden church bench, whispering my prayerful thank yous for such an opportunity. Of course, you realize that my prayers were merely thoughtful expressions aimed at no one in particular, but I was thankful nonetheless. I read what Cassius currently teaches his tribes of our ancient ancestor called Anu and his metamorphosis, the Blood War, and the departure and evolution of the waers and vampires. Yet, there was one more of our kind also described in the book that has been kept an institutional secret that only the four of us at the church, our respective leaders, Bryn, and I suspect Seth have been privy to.”

This agitates Percy and she remarks, “How can this be? How could I have been with you and Bryn for so long without this knowledge?” I could tell that she was hurt from the apparent distrust more than offended that they had a secret.

Quilici senses that as well. “You were already tortured and, in time, unofficially ostracized from the Council due to your actions the night of his birth.” He points to me. “We could not risk Cassius extracting this truth from you
and
Bryn would not bear your death at Cassius’s hands.” The sting of the offense was bated by Bryn’s concern, so she let it float away with her exhale.

After a soothing exercise, she responds, “You’re right, of course. It would have been poor strategic planning to freely give information to those who did not need to know, but I am intimately involved and withholding the information affected me. I do not appreciate being played as the pawn, and from this point forward, I will require your word that I will have access to
all
pertinent data.” I don’t say a word to interrupt this demand, knowing that she is deadly serious and her wrath is not something to be toyed with.

“You have my word, Percy. Our friendship has always been important to me, but as you mentioned, this could have cost you your life
and
may still.”

I say to get us back on track, “What was the other species?”

“There was a second group, if you will, that left the sanctuary of the caves to the vampires in a quest to find escape from the useless wars and bickering caused by the cave-dwellers. They were similar to the waers in that they sought isolation under the protective canopies of mature trees deep in the forests that were beginning to reclaim the earth. This group split from the future waers in a long and arduous journey south to discover a warmer atmosphere that would accommodate abundant life.

“The Knosis stated that as time passed these cousins learned to meditate and subdue the hunger that plagues our kind to this day, but it did not happen through self-control. Every evening they would gather in a circle, stretching their hands and fingers to touch the other next to them in an attempt to connect and explore the parameters of their mutation.”

I interrupt. “So, did
they
start the ‘60s’ revolution?”

“Adriel, please. This is serious.” I shrug a nonverbal sorry and he continues,. “It was during one of those episodes that one of them released his touch, yet the presence did not fade. It was as if they were still physically connected, but were not. The others caught on quickly and it is unclear, but later they apparently learned to absorb the nutrients found in blood from sentient creatures without killing them.”

Percy says, “I don’t quite understand.”

He rewinds and rethinks the approach, as any effective teacher would, and says, “Well, the Knosis was written by a powerful man, but he was only as scientifically advanced as his culture. So, the explanations were primitive because the world understood the universe through myth and magic. He thought they drained the life from the blood of animals and humans without killing or touching them, and as they learned to perfect this craft, it was soon discovered that they could also draw on the natural forces of wind, water, and lightning, or as they wrote ‘fire from the heavens.’

“The latter talents were mostly rudimentary; they only had minor effects on the weather, such as a sprinkle on a hot day, a gentle breeze, or using a tree as a lightning rod. However, there were small hints saying that one or two of the most powerful had manipulated lightning and rain.

“In a modern explanation, without having any evidence or subject to actually study, I think they operated on a subatomic level. We now know that everything is connected and that all of us are made from the same materials of matter
and
that we constantly are exchanging those atoms. For instance, 95% of our atoms will detach from us every year and move on to become a part of something or someone else. So, they somehow physically understood this, learned to control it, and drew in the necessary chemicals from blood that were required for survival, eventually attracting electrons to move air, water, and catch the attention of lightning.” I give him my best skeptical look to express my cynicism. “I understand your reservations, but I have no other way of coherently explaining how they do it without one of them present.”

Percy buys into the story, but I reply with a touch of acrimony. “So, Quilici, to paraphrase what we have learned thus far, they are cousins of ours that have kept their presence a secret to every human, vamp, and waer on the planet, other than your little conspiracy team, that is, for thousands of years and they can control the elements with their minds?” I stop and start quickly, adding, “Not to mention they suck the life out of humans and animals through subatomic displacement.” I end the sentence, trying to wrap my mind around it, but it is so difficult to believe in a world of fact and science.

He senses my struggle and says, “Yes, that is fantastical, but true.” He shifts to Percy. “Your evidence is sitting here questioning the absurdity of it all.” Now that caught my attention because innately I know that I have indeed drawn electricity and moved the wind. His point was made. “They have been called many names through the millennia, but are known as the fae.”

I spit out, “You mean fairies?”

“Yes, that is a more recent extension of the name.”

“Okay, wait a minute. You get to be the badass werewolf, Percy is a bloodthirsty seductress, and I get to prance around in the woods in a ballerina outfit?” Even he smiles at that one.

“If that is what you wish, I will not stop you,” he says with equal wit and the laughter reverses in an uneasy shift to my direction. “They are not small, impish creatures that sprinkle dust on bright flowers, although they have been known to appreciate nature. They were the witches and mages feared throughout the ages for their elemental control and sorceries. They were the elves of mythology: lean, beautiful, and violently protecting the earth, yet seeking harmony with all. Anu wrote of their power
and
gentleness as they evolved.

“He described them as taller than mankind, but less stocky, which most likely happened as the oxygen-rich jungles fed their systems, but atrophied from the absence of hunting. I believe that the absorption process also stripped their hair of pigment.

“The only picture found of them had a woman with your color hair. Their eyes mutated to the darkest black, which gave a contrasted appearance of obsidian burrowed into ivory. Percy can attest to this, having direct experience with one of them.”

He stops out of respect, permitting her time to respond, and she refuses, motioning him to go on. “Anu said that their unique feeding mechanism prolonged their lives by centuries, enabling them to live around 2,000 years, but like the vampires, nature is not kind to that direct affront and is intent on eliminating their species by sterility. He mentioned that very few were born and I speculate that it has only progressed in that direction, making Adriel a very special young one indeed.

“Well, to continue the story. I was obviously flabbergasted at the new revelation and Cassius snatched the Knosis from my quivering hands when he noticed that my reading was complete. He voraciously consumed the content, slowing down in sections that primarily dealt with the fae, giving me some indication that he was dimly aware of our history, but ignorant of theirs.

“After another hour or so of Cassius memorizing certain sections, our primal instincts were urging us to find shelter and rest, indicating that the dawn was near. He was anxiously sitting upright on the bench with Gisella listlessly writhing through pews and chairs while Demetrio and I stilled our focus to make sure Cassius did nothing inappropriate. Of course, we were not focused enough. When he finally completed the exhaustive read, which just happened to be timed perfectly with the imminent sunrise, he sifted through several pages until the fae chapters were neatly pinched between his thumb and index finger. I remember looking at him as he smiled, and I knew… I knew he was hinting at treachery, but for some reason the moment became surreal and my reaction sluggish as he ripped the pages from the book and promptly threw them in the fire. Demetrio recovered quickly and jumped at him with ferocious speed, but Gisella flanked him, drawing her sword with careful precision against his massive throat and the flames engulfed the old, dried parchment in mere seconds, incinerating all evidence of the fae.

“You probably see the strain of anger even now marking my face as it continues to be a source of contention. I was outraged and roared with such force that windows cracked and neighbors awoke frightened, huddling their offspring into corners. Cassius showed no fear, as a psychotic who lacks the ability to feel emotion or empathy, and with a small gesture, extended his hand and asked that we all sit down to discuss what had happened. The fury would not let go of me, so I paced to leak its vigor and found that no one accepted his invitation, including Cassius, because that would have placed them in an inferior position for battle.

“He whimsically ignored my intensity, stating that no vampire or waer should know of the fae because there would be those who would seek them out and use them against the other, creating another war that neither of us could afford. He said that they hid themselves in an attempt to flee from our blood thirst and live peaceful lives in accord with nature and humans. He said that it would be a gross injustice for us to hunt them down against their wishes, forcing them to reengage our kind without their consent. Then finally, he proposed that we say nothing of what was discovered and when asked, merely state that a book was found, but
does
not have the information we sought. This would be enough half-truth for a skilled manipulator to pass our innate lie detector test without too much interrogation.

“The night had escaped us as the light from the sun crept over the Gulf of Gaeta, spray painting the air with oranges and yellows. It was truly a magnificent sight, and one that our kind does not see often, yet it was lost on the weight of our lethargy as we fought to remain conscious. Cassius was starting to show the signs as he bent over, catching himself on the bench and avoiding a comatose sleep that would have surely been his last if the locals discovered him. We had to leave. All of us slothfully made our way through the rear exit and gathered all the strength stored for emergencies for a final sprint to safety. Cassius threw me one last smile and thanked me for the assistance before he and Gisella dashed from the church through cobblestoned streets for sanctuary. Demetrio and I paused for a very brief reflection when I heard them in the distance. I realized that Cassius, at that time, had no real experience with our kind, due to the tense relationships, so he had no knowledge that our hearing was much more sensitive than his, as he must have thought they were out of eavesdropping range.

“I perked my ears in concentration and specifically heard him say, ‘Did you find the addendum?’

“Gisella replied, ‘Yes. They do not suspect.’

“The last words I heard before they departed were spoken by Cassius. ‘Very good. We will have our starting point.’ They must have run from there and we had no more time to wait either.

“When we returned to debrief Felix, we shared the entire story, leaving nothing out. He commanded that the information be kept confidential, as the treaty was tenuous and the majority of waers should not suffer for the wicked plans of a couple of vampires. Eventually, I was selected to be his heir as Pack Leader, primarily based on that evening, to make certain the waers would be prepared for the day that Cassius’s plans would be actuated. Bryn and I formed an allegiance, eventually including Percy and, aside from the occasional rumor, there was a calm of inactivity until the night Percy and I met in Atlanta.”

There was an inordinate silence as we all considered what was said when I injected, “Did you find my parents for me and give them the paper with ‘Vinculum’ etched on the surface?”

I notice Quilici staring deeply into his lukewarm coffee and I wonder what burden plagues him. He shakes off the melancholy and joins the conversation again, saying, “It was a strange coincidence that led me to your parents. I was caught off-guard when Percy presented me with an infant, especially one as interesting as you, and to be quite honest, I had no idea what to do with you. Percy briefed me on the evening and promptly left with only the information she walked in with.”