Chapter 39

Bastian tripped over his boot in the middle of the sitting room on his way to the kitchen. He glared at it and kept going. Coffee first, and then housekeeping.

His phone vibrated across the counter as he watched the slow brew of his coffee. Grabbing it, he answered, “Yeah.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were awake.” It was Tor.

“I wouldn’t call my present state awake.”

Tor snorted. “I managed two hours of sleep before Ulric woke me.”

Bastian wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but his body was saying it was not enough. “What’s going on?”

“We managed to get five.”

“That’s it?” How many hours had they scoured the city? He stopped, the half-brewed pot of coffee in his hand. “Why was Ulric calling you? Who is guarding my parents?”

“Trendan is with them right now. He was calling to tell me they located the old guard that was assigned to your parents.”

He poured his coffee into the cup. “Good. The night wasn’t a complete waste then.”

“Not good.”

Leaning on the counter, he looked down into the cup. “Why not good?”

“He was the one in the morgue we had to retrieve.”

“Fuck.” Bastian would have picked the cup up and tossed it at the wall but wanting to drink it outweighed his frustration. “So, no answers there.”

“Right.” He could hear boots echoing in the hallway.

“Where are you going now?”

“Alterealm. King Troy and the princess that can hear thoughts?”

“Kara.”

“Yes. They’re going to go see what they can get out of the ones we brought in last night.”

He took a drink, scalding his tongue, but didn’t care right now, he needed to get moving. “Are my parents in the loop?”

“Your brother is the one sending me over there, so I guess they are.”

Bastian nodded, despite standing in his kitchen in yesterday’s clothes, alone. “Good.”

“He figured you’d be heading over to Nova as soon as your eyes were open.”

“Right after a shower.” The link on his arm vibrated, he glared at it. “Shit. After a shower and a retrieval.”

“Yeah, we had to fit four in between hunting last night.” He heard a door click closed and didn’t know how he knew it was the one to the teleport platform.

“Did Trendan figure out who we can pull to help out in our region for a bit?”

Tor blew into the phone, “he said something about your rookie cousin and his guard.”

Bastian winced. “Clifton?”

“That’s the one.”

“He’s an ass-kissing, rule-following moron.” He closed his eyes. “But, he’s totally all about the royal family…”

“Your mother agrees, and apparently he found his other and they’re expecting, so he had a vested interest in preserving the ways of Solrelm.”

Bastian grabbed his cup and started out of the room. “When did all of that happen?” He rarely attended family gatherings; they were about as entertaining as watching socks dry—but maybe he’d have to make a point of going to the next one just to meet the woman that belonged with his ‘yes sir’ cousin.”

“It’s not my job to keep track of your family business.” He could hear someone talking to him. “I just have to chase your ass.”

Bastian smirked. “You make it sound like I’m hard to keep track of.”

Tor laughed. “I’ll call you after they see the prisoners.”

“After I’ve checked on Nova, I might go hunting.”

“Call me before you do—your mother doesn’t want you wandering around over there alone.”

Bastian set his cup on the bathroom counter. “If she only knew how often…”

“I’d be dead if she did.” Tor hung up.

Bastian set his phone down and looked in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and if he needed further evidence, he was exhausted, his hair proved it. It was lying flat on his head as if it was too tired to be messy. He frowned at his reflection. “I look like Elyas this way.” He bared his teeth. “Can’t have that.” Taking another drink, he turned around and started the shower.

Soul retrieval and then spending some time with Nova. He hadn’t gotten any roof calls, so at least she was staying put and not endangering herself.

Despite the hour, he got back to his quarters, he stayed up reading her journal. Everything she’d been through rocked him to his core and broke his heart at the same time. The research she’d done, how she noticed every little thing—she was absolutely brilliant.

She also hid the other side of her that the journal revealed. Her control was incredible, whereas he had none. Had he always been like this or was it just from living too long? He wasn’t sure, but the end result of the woman on the pages of the book was, he’d fallen in love with her. That woman.

He closed his eyes under the hot spray and then popped them back open. He was too tired, the last thing he needed was to fall asleep in here and break his face when he fell out of the tub.

***

Somewhere between his shower and now, Bastian had come to the realization that he may have misstepped with Nova. He wasn’t sure what to do about it.

He stood in the chamber of souls looking at all the pods on the one wall. Thousands of souls filled them, he knew it wasn’t for long. The cycle of filling them for a short time to be reborn was never-ending.

The one he’d retrieved today was a scene he’d seen countless times in his life. Loved ones gathered around a human body as it was taking its last breaths, the emotions were always a mix of grief, sadness, and strength. The strength they tried to show the one fading always intrigued him. They knew they were dying; wouldn’t they want to see puddles of tears over their passing? Today it was the woman’s husband that had mesmerized Bastian, almost to the point of missing his cue to take the soul. He’d also come close to touching one of the family members and his presence being revealed. Wouldn’t that have created a whole new mess of problems? The husband held her hand, his face close to hers. How old were they? Sixties, maybe older? He never bothered with ages much because age had no bearing on the life cycle of a soul. This man talked to her endlessly, telling her their lives had transcended miracles and been more than anyone could ever ask for. He had spoken of finding her in the next life and for her to rest up because it was going to be another great adventure. Bastian had felt twinges of pain as he listened in, knowing that the chances of two souls connecting in more than one life were such a minute percentage of a minute percentage that it was impossible really, yet it had touched him that this man reassured his love right until the last breath in her body.

Blowing out a breath, he perused the wall once more and then turned to go quickly charge his wand back up. Nova was human, did she need that? The words of endless love and happily ever after? She knew more about souls than any other human he’d ever encountered, carrying so many past lives inside her mind. He glanced at a watcher taking carrying his wand into the chamber. Did any of his kind ever stop to think about this? Or were they all machines with no emotion that retrieved and returned soul after soul without thought?

He stared at the light bar on the charger, wishing it would move a little faster, it wasn’t like he’d drained it and brought back more than one. Crossing his arms, he thought back to how he’d revealed what they meant to one another to Nova. He grimaced, sure he could have said something other than that, but she knew the score as far as souls went, so did he need to?

“Is everything all right?”

He jolted and turned around to see his brother, Elyas, standing at the door looking at him. Not even knowing how he’d ever have a heartfelt conversation with him, Bastian just nodded and waved his hand at the charger, “just taking longer than I’d like.”

Elyas glanced at it and then at the wall. “Seems to be a busy time, so many watchers coming and going.”

Bastian offered up a fake smile. “Keeps us from being bored.”

“It’s such a waste.” Elyas walked along, his spine as stiff as a board as usual, and looked at the wall. “Humans are so petty and shallow, they don’t deserve to continue.” He touched one of the pods. “These souls are wasted on them.”

Bastian cocked his head, shocked to hear his rule-abiding sibling say something like that. “If they didn’t, we’d be extinct with no purpose.” He grinned, finding the whole idea ridiculous. They were of Solrelm, souls were their very purpose in life.

Eyes that were like his own, glanced at him, that ‘you’re beneath me’ glare connected with his. “I suppose that’s true.”

Bastian shrugged. “You should take a shift some time and go there among them and see what it’s like.” He checked the lights again. “It’s all very fascinating, the way they are close to their body’s death.”

Elyas made a sound of disgust. “I prefer my job here, where it’s clean, germ-free, and organized.” His gaze flicked to Bastian’s hair. “Mostly.”

Bastian shrugged and hit the button on the charger, it wasn’t at one hundred percent, but he needed to put some space between him and his oldest sibling. He sucked all positive energy right out of a room whenever he entered it. He picked up his wand and should have bid him a good day and left, but his mouth had other ideas. He spun around and smiled at him. “What’s the verdict on the lovely woman you chose?” Not being her first choice had to sting a little, even to his emotionless brother.

Elyas’ expression hardened, surprising Bastian that it was even possible. “We are having tea with mother later.”

That told Bastian nothing, tea to say we’re getting hooked up or otherwise. He stepped backward toward the door. “I look forward to the happy outcome.” He saluted him. “I must get back, it’s a busy time over there lately.”

Elyas inclined his head, drawing Bastian’s attention to his flat, immaculate hair. “Yes, don’t keep the humans waiting.”

Bastian walked as fast as he could from the chamber, without appearing to be running. What was with that uptight jerk? Trendan was stiff at times, but at least he had a personality. He smirked; his parents' children had gotten better with each child born. That thought reminded him of his yet unborn sibling, hopefully, he or Gods willing, she was up for just as much fun and entertainment as he was. That would stick it right to Elyas for sure.

Feeling he’d gone far enough away from the energy-sucking vibes of him, he flipped his cuff up and pushed his link to pop back over. Should he go bearing a gift of tea and muffin for her? That would be a sweet thing to do. He didn’t know how to romance a woman, not really and he doubted what he’d seen in movies counted in the real world and was more than certain he couldn’t do some of the things actors did in them. Who would he talk to about that? Romancing a woman? He honestly had no idea. In his realm, romance really wasn’t a thing, it would be a surprising bonus, sure, but they all knew they had an other, and blending souls was just the thing they had to do. He’d heard a few references between the Alterealm royals, and he was pretty sure they had botched anything that could be considered romance.

Walking toward the café he’d been at with Nova, he glanced around, he needed to talk to a human of sorts to find out what he could do to show Nova that she meant more than just his soul’s other. She was breathtaking of course, but there was so much more to her. He smirked as he went inside to order, her defiant traits and sass were his favorite things about her. He stood in the line, lost in thought. Flowers, he could take her some flowers. Flowers on the lower level of her house with no light would be a bit sadistic. Chocolates. Humans were always giving each other chocolates in the movies. What if she didn’t like chocolate? Rubbing his hand over his hair, he stared at the back of the person in front of him. He knew nothing of her likes and dislikes other than tea and muffins. She had fish but showing up at her door with a fish in a bag of water was just a little too weird, even for him. He needed to know more about her. Wanted to know everything about her. Reading her journal had helped, but he’d rather watch those exquisite eyes of hers and learn in real time.

***

For the first time ever, he wasn’t apprehensive about walking past the Gemini’s hangout. They still scared him, but now that they had been helping, he felt they may at some point in the future be something loosely close to friends.

Ava and one of the others he didn’t know glanced his way as he rounded the corner. He lifted his hand in a brief greeting without stopping. In the future meant when he’d had a lot more sleep and things were resolved in all the facets of his life. Not today.

“She’s not there,” Ava called out.

Stopping he looked at the pavement for a second and then spun on his heel. “You saw her going out?” What part of staying inside didn’t she understand?

Ava nodded and then crossed her arms over her chest. She jerked her head toward the other woman with her, “We walked her to the bus stop.”

Sweet Christ, she was out shopping again, he thought.

“Made sure she was safe until the bus left.” Ava gave him an amused look. “She bought a ticket that would take her straight through, so no stops along the way.”

No stops along the way? “To where?”

Both of the women shrugged. “Didn’t ask.” Ava shrugged again. “Crissy told us she’d be going.”

“Crissy?” Trying not to have a tantrum in front of them, he walked over, held out the tray, and waited for Ava to take it.

Spinning on his heel he headed back down the alley.

“She’s safer out of the city right now,” Ava called after him.

He waved a hand in the air in acknowledgment that he’d heard her. He knew that she was safer away from here, but he had hoped she’d go to another realm to wait it out. Where the hell had she gone?

Pulling out his phone, he clenched his teeth trying to decide if he should call her or find out through Crissy what was happening. He couldn’t afford to yell at either and right now he didn’t know if he could control himself enough to not yell. Doing so with Crissy would warrant an angry visit from Victor the Justice and that was something he could do without. Upsetting Nova would result in her hanging up on him again and then she would be lost to him. He looked behind him to see if there was anyone there and then pushed the link on his wrist. Stomping around his suite would be better than here in the street.

After some tense moments of deliberation, he decided that calling King Chase was the best course of action, he wasn’t nearly as proper as his twin and would possibly understand the situation Bastian was in.

He should have called her before he’d gone to bed—and when he woke. He hit call on his phone. Then she may have thought he was stalking her, but at least he would have known about this. He rolled his eyes, if chasing a soul for centuries wasn’t stalking, he didn’t know what was.

“Bastian.” Chase always sounded amused. That’s probably why they got along so well, however, he wasn’t feeling amused in any way right now.

“King Chase.”

The royal snorted. “Chase will do just fine.”

“Chase, I have a bit of a situation and was hoping you could help me resolve it.”

“Interesting. Is it a messy situation? Those are the most entertaining.”

Bastian did smirk at that. Any other day, he’d agree with him. “I’m hoping to avoid the messy part. Nova is gone. Left on a bus to—I don’t know where, but I’ve been told the little seer knew it was happening.”

“Ah, that could be frustrating.”

Bastian nodded and walked over to the window to look out it. Normally he loved his view of the city below. The building he lived in was in the center and the tallest—today he could care less about what the view was.

“Let me locate her and ask for you.”

“I appreciate that, I thought of calling her directly…”

“I can hear the discord in your voice and understand why you didn’t.”

“Mmm” was the best response he could come up with.

“Have you spoken to the absent woman?”

“Not yet.” He could hear other voices and tried to make out what was being said.

“I’m just invading the sanctity of your feminine space to ask Cutie a question or two.” Bastian heard a woman’s voice.

“Seeing you is an added bonus, Duchess. Bastian is looking for Nova.” There was a short pause. “He says you know she was going somewhere?”

Bastian held his breath waiting for more.

“She saw a white house that she knew Nova needed to go to,” Chase relayed. “And, what?” More talking Bastian couldn’t hear. “Nova needed to talk to the woman who is not one but many.”

Bastian gripped his temples in one hand spread across his forehead. “What does that mean?”

More voices were in the background now. He wished the king had put it on speaker so he could hear all that was being said.

“She says the woman is like our librarian, not real, not one embodiment, but many.”

He frowned, “Nova needs to talk to a spirit?”

“I believe that covers it.”

“Does she know where the white house is?”

Chase relayed the question. “Not in the city,” he said into the phone.

“That’s no help.”

“She’s safe, Crissy says.”

That didn’t make him feel better. It should have because as long as he’d known about what the Seer could do, she hadn’t been wrong—a little vague on details, but not wrong. “That’s something, then. Thank you.”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Chase said, “or so I’m told. I personally would have to kill things if I were in that situation.”

“Yeah.” He paced away from the window. “How the fuck do I find her?”

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not meant to right now.”

“All she had to do was stay put until I got back.”

Chase chuckled. “Ah, in my most recent experience women generally do as they want and not what we’d prefer.” Bastian could hear the women reacting to that in the background. King Chase was a brave man to speak that way in front of them.

“Listen, do you know anything about what romance’s a human female?”

“Well, for starters, perhaps not referring to them like that would help.”

Bastian blinked a few times and then looked at his wand sitting on the table. “Good point.”

“I have a few—” He heard footsteps and then a door close. “—ideas, but I suggest you find her first.” Another door. “Oh, and your guard, Tor, is currently going over a map of the city with Troy and Michael.”

“They found out locations?” He tucked the wand into his jacket.

“I’m not sure, I was on my way there when you called.”

Bastian nodded as he headed to the door, he needed to get back over there and look for more of the lawless. “Tor will call me once they’re done, I’m sure.” If he got a location from Nova, he had no problems hitching a ride there. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d hopped on a bus or other vehicle while invisible to the humans and silently observe and enjoyed the ride.

The link on his wrist buzzed. He looked at it and scowled. He was about to deny the transfer for the retrieval and then remembered the other three men that worked in that region were busy. Hitting the button, he stood there and waited for whoever was at the controls to send him there. If humans could put off dying today, that would be most helpful.