Chapter 13

Layla

Alex finally slept deep enough to start recovering from the small cat naps he had been living off since this had begun. Layla kept the heat from the stove warming from near freezing to cool, tossing in bits of sage she had brought with her to clean the air and purify the kitchen to start the small communication ritual. She didn’t like hiding what she was from Alex, but until this was over, she couldn’t add another loose end. She wasn’t jumping for the military to know about her and her powers. Her necklace with the long blue Kyanite wrapped in platinum; reliable and well-worn. She started to chant under her breath to open the channel between herself and Tian Ki. The worlds of old came forth, opening the link between herself and one of the people listening at Titan Ki Technologies in one of the small rooms that amplified hearing and communication, probably close to the building's actual telecommunications section. A voice whispered through, opening a line for her to share what has been happening, what she had seen and knew, only leaving out the personal matters with Alex, given it was not something they really needed to know in an official report.

Emotions flickered by from those listening. She felt the concern, worry, and purging of negative energies flowing from the place she was sitting and working. The background count she had felt was slightly radioactive, not interfering between her and the earth below, given the energies that might cause issues with long term exposure. Layla would need a full cleanse once she returned to headquarters, but for now, she had to work around the background noise, adding static to everything. Understanding passed between herself and the group that had been waiting to hear anything from her since the first call. She hadn’t been able to call again due to the hunter, and concern had pooled through the group. They only heard some information from the government whom they had called to help get her out, using one of their favors owed to retrieve her safely. The disapproval of using her as bait flickered through but was suppressed since she needs to survive this. Ideas flared through her, along with thoughts of options. She took note of the information but giving little that she could do other than wait and see what the next few days brought. Preparing would start in the morning. She would add wards and warnings along with the physical things Alex would be doing, giving them a higher chance to surprise the hunter.

Layla was reminded about hiding her powers unless necessary, especially to an active member of a governmental agency. They didn’t need more attention to themselves than what had already occurred. They had avoided attention by being famous for technology and innovation, never showing the opposite side, no one looking for old-school magic interacting with cutting-edge technologies. She had found it useful as well. No one saw them for anything but what they were. For her, it was searching and finding minerals and rocks necessary for expansion, which was assumed to be looking for crystals to help technology expansion. She did both under the simple guise of a geologist.

Once finished, she ended the chant and meditation used to connect with the others. She missed them, but for now, her attention focused on how to survive and what to do with Alex. They were joined on a level she understood, beyond the physical urges, for something with possibilities, a future beckoning her toward her wanting everything. She just had to keep them both alive and out of danger before she could see where these possibilities led. Settling in close to Alex, she allowed a few cat naps as the night progressed, allowing Alex to sleep and become rested for what was coming.