Chapter 56

Her nerves were getting the better of her. She was so distracted by it, that she couldn’t remember where everyone was, or what their tasks were.

Down here with her were Bastian, Leone, and Quinton. She looked behind her, Daxx and Troy followed, along with Emil, Bethany, Paisley, and Rafael. She was perfectly safe, she had to keep reminding herself of that. The sheer size of the men should have been reassuring, but she couldn’t quite feel it.

Nova couldn’t believe she was doing this. She was under the city in tunnels that looked like they were built long before the cement block was invented. The start of the tunnel hadn’t been bad, a little dark and dirty, maybe, but now they were in the oldest part, and that one voice in her head, of the youngest keeper, was the loudest, telling her to be careful, watch behind her, and if she sees anyone run. She didn’t want to seem like a wimp to the others. She pasted a smile on her face, “I’ve seen so many movies like this.”

Bethany nodded. “She’s right, it never goes well in the movies.”

Daxx turned and stared at Bethany. “You’re afraid when you can shoot fireballs out of your hands?”

Bethany looked at her hand. “Good point.”

Nova knew she was a witch, all the different things about the others had been explained to her, but she had yet to see any of it. That had been a conversation with her gasps of surprise and her mouth hanging open a lot. She stopped and blew out a breath, willing her heart to slow down. Inhaling made it worse, the smell down here was old. Mildew and something rotten was all she could smell. A chill went over her, and she wasn’t sure if it was the heavy dampness in the air or if she was afraid.

“Are you all right?” Bastian stood just far enough away from her that he wouldn’t suffer from the magic in her necklace. She could feel his soul reaching for her own and it brought her comfort. His hand was held out toward her, and she wanted nothing more than to take it and hold it while they were down here.

Nova nodded. “They’re sending conflicting messages.”

“They?” Daxx pulled one of the blades off her back and looked behind them.

“The soul’s spirit, inside my head,” Nova said softly, afraid to be too loud.

“You have ghosts in your head?” The look Daxx gave her made Nova smile.

“Something like that.” Nova blew out another breath and then looked ahead of them. “I don’t know how, but my ghosts are telling me we need to take the left tunnel.”

Rafael and Leone didn’t pause to ask questions, just disappeared into the darkness of the left tunnel.

“Check out the right one,” Troy told Quinton and Emil. They nodded and went that way.

“Could use a little light here, Beth.”

Nova jumped when the voice came through the earbud they’d given her. She hadn’t understood why she’d need it if they were all staying together, until now.

Bethany moved by her. There was a ball of orange light hovering above her hand.

Bastian caught Nova’s attention; his look was asking if she was all right to continue. She nodded and followed Bethany.

“A little more talking would be great. We’re holding our breath here.” Liri’s voice came over the group call.

“If you were down here, you would be as well, the stench is bad,” Bastian answered.

“Oh, well, I’m okay missing that part.” Liri’s tone was less hostile now.

“The tunnel splits again,” Leone reported.

“What’s your ghost say?” Daxx asked watching over her shoulder.

Nova paused for a moment but wasn’t feeling anything other than questioning being down here again. She needed to be here. If the answers were here, she needed to be here. “I don’t feel anything yet.” She hurried to catch up to Bethany and the lit area.

“This one leads to the street. Other access points have collapsed a long time ago.”

Nova ignored the part about collapsing and kept going. She saw the two men and Bethany at the split in the tunnels.

Bethany smiled and sent her an encouraging look. “Take your time and see if any of this seems familiar.”

Nova looked to see Bastian was still as close as he could be without repercussions.

“Come back to us, Emil,” Troy told the other two men.

“We’re still hanging out up here by the entrance if anyone is wondering.” Arius sounded bored.

“I am watching, there is no one looking at you,” Crissy told them. Nova still couldn’t believe she had climbed an old billboard to keep watch.

“I find that hard to believe, that no one has noticed the pretty one and myself,” Chase scoffed.

“Guys, less chatter. Let Nova focus,” Paisley said softly.

A movement to her right startled her, there was someone or thing in the shadows. Daxx pushed by her, Troy right on her heels.

“Just a kid.” The disappointment in Daxx’s tone was very clear.

Nova followed them. Why would a kid be down here? She already knew the answer, had seen enough evidence of the homeless and forgotten all over the city, but why would one choose down here? When she saw him, she could see how frightened he was. It was hard to know his age with the amount of dirt on him, but she guessed he was mid-teens.

Bastian moved closer to her, she knew it was him because the tingle started in her arm and traveled up. “It’s okay,” she told the boy. He looked from the blade in Daxx’s hand to Troy and his eyes were bulging. She didn’t blame him there, some of these men were huge. “What’s your name?”

He looked at Nova. “Sedric, with an S.”

“How long have you been down here, Sedric?” She didn’t want to leave him here, no one should live down here.

“A while.” He kept looking back at the blade Daxx held.

Troy must have noticed as well because he reached over and put his hand over hers and lowered the weapon.

“A while, huh?” Nova looked to see that Bastian was watching her and not the boy. Did he know what she was thinking?

“Yeah. I don’t know, like a year.” Sedric shrugged.

“Sedric,” Bastian moved closer to him and the tingling in her arms lightened, “I’m Bastian, with a B. Have you seen many down here?”

Sedric gave him a blank look. “Oh yeah, man, regular traffic jams down here.” He snorted. “No, that’s why I picked here. But there are some sketchy guys that way. They’re like standing guard or some sh—” He looked at Nova. “Thing.” He pointed. "They change out a couple of times a day. I heard them say they were watching for some girl or something.” He smirked. “Not many girls down here.” His expression froze as he looked from Nova to Daxx then Bethany and Paisley. “Well, except you. Why are you down here?” He turned his head and looked at Troy. “Are you planning an invasion or some sh—thing?”

Troy and Bastian exchanged a look.

Nova turned and glanced at Paisley; she was smirking at Sedric. “I think we should get Sedric out of here and get him some food and somewhere clean and warm to sleep.”

Sedric’s gaze jerked to her. “Food?”

“His DNA is quite a mix.” Bastian was standing there looking at him, studying him.

“My what?” Sedric stepped back.

Troy nodded and then touched the earpiece, “Leone, we need you to escort a young man to...” He looked from Bastian to Daxx.

“My place,” Nova said, “for now.”

Troy inclined his head. “To Nova’s for a hot meal and I’d say a shower for sure.”

“I’ll make him something,” Liri’s voice came over the call. “How hard can it be, right?”

Bastian shook his head and touched his ear. “Tor assist Liri in making something for a hungry teen boy.”

Tor chuckled. “On it. Actually, maybe I’ll just run and get him some burgers.”

Bastian turned to Sedric. “You okay with hamburgers?”

Sedric’s whole demeanor changed. “Hell yeah.” He glanced at Nova. “I mean, yes please.”

“Burgers and fries, grab some dessert too,” Bastian told Tor.

Leone came running up behind them.

Sedric gave him a wary look. “You all stuck in some time warp or something? You’re dressed like some kind of vampire hunter but you’re nice. People from here aren’t nice.”

Leone grinned. “Let’s get you to the underground hideout and get some food.” He looked him up and down. “A wash and some clothes too.”

Sedric nodded. “Yeah, all right.” He took a step and then paused and turned around. Picking up a tattered backpack, he swung it over his shoulder. “I’m ready.” He walked by Nova, and she couldn’t help but notice how aged his eyes looked, they were haunted and hardened. She touched his arms and smiled at him. “You’re safe now, Sedric.”

He looked down at her and searched her face, he didn’t say anything but did eventually nod his head and go over to Leone.

Leone nodded to him. “I’m Leone, lets get you out of here.”

Everyone was silent until they were out of hearing distance.

“What mix is he?” Troy asked.

“Yours, mine, human,” Bastian answered in a low voice.

“Mmm.” Troy nodded. “We’ll make sure he’s looked after with the others.”

“You look after others?” Nova had to know.

“Many,” Paisley answered before Troy could. “We have a lot of safe houses set up for those that were left behind from Alterealm, and probably others too.”

Nova’s heart beat a little harder. She looked at Bastian. “You need to do that.”

“We have to find them to help them.” He cringed and then motioned in the other direction,

“Has your soul confirmed a direction yet?”

“I don’t know about her soul, but those guys watching for a girl have my vote,” Daxx said.

Nova took a deep breath and regretted it immediately when the taste of mildew filled her mouth. Blowing it out, she reached for the spirits. “This whole area is familiar.”

“All right.” Troy motioned in the other direction. “We’ll go have a chat with the ones standing watch. Quinton, Emil, why don’t you go with Bastian and Nova and see what’s that way.”

Quinton pulled one of the swords from his back and nodded.

“Are you quiet because you’re giving someone a beat down?” Autumn’s voice came over the mic.

“We’re just checking out tunnels,” Daxx told her.

“How is my daughter?” Emil went by Nova and motioned for Bastian and her to follow.

“Rena is good. The doc says it’s just hormones making her feel so pukey,” Autumn told everyone. “Sorry, I’m not there.”

“Nonsense,” Michael’s voice came over the call, “the health of our baby and Rena are very important.”

“Yeah,” Autumn said. “Yeah, okay. Get back to searching. Shout if you need me.” There was a pause. “Actually I’m going to go hang out with Ava watching over Nova’s place.”

“Sounds good,” Daxx said. “We’re about to ask these two clowns why they’re hanging out down here.”

“Keep the mic open, I want to hear,” Leone said, “to know if I’m rushing back or having a burger with Sedric.”

“Punk.” Quinton’s voice was very clear over the call.

Nova still found it amazing that Michael and Autumn were going to be the parents of Rena’s baby because she couldn’t face being a mother just yet. She didn’t know all the details but knew that it had something to do with all of this evil business they were trying to eradicate. If she had to live alone and hide for so long, she was very happy that it was this sort of people that she was getting to know now. It made some of the time in isolation seem worth it. She caught the questioning look Bastian was giving her and nodded her head. The sooner they got moving and checked out more tunnels, the faster she could get out of there.