53 | CHANGE IN THE AIR

After another week of mind-numbing study, I’m finally starting to relax into a more routine schedule. I’m back to sitting on my desk top while reading through the reports that have reported nothing of true substance when the familiar feeling of running through honey makes me pause. The scent of decay has my nose wrinkling out of habit and I look up to see the white-hooded figure waiting for me to notice her. I set aside my reports and stare at the Ancient, not sure if I should flat-out yell at her for the lack of communication or just try to pass it off like I haven’t been freaking out for the last month or so.

“You look…” Nikki starts, a tiny flicker of concern fluttering through her sage-green eyes, the bright yellow speckles shimmering once before settling. My eyes narrow at the woman as she trails off, her eyes scanning over the dark circles under my eyes and the slight hollow in my cheeks. I’m not blind to how my appearance has degraded from the lack of sleep - and lack of solid food. The nightmares have become more intense, more surreal, and harder to ignore - but I’ve had experience with them before and know they’ll pass eventually. What’s been picking at me is nervousness. Nervousness at the end and nerves from not being honest with Blue.

“Yeah. Well…where’ve you been?” I pointedly change the subject and the Ancient - thankfully follows suit.

“There have been matters of importance I have been…called away to deal with. There was no immediate danger to the current timeline so I had no reason to check in on you.” She tells me blandly in that airy voice of hers, a sort of calmness washing over me at her soothing tone and nonchalant words.

“So…what’s the reason you’re here now?” I try not to let the coldness of my words affect my tone. I’m a little annoyed that she was just going to stay away without telling me things were okay. Here I’ve been, fretting that shit’s about to hit the fan, when things are fine.

“Your efforts have not been fruitless.” Nikki tells me, her voice more relaxed than it had been last we spoke on the subject of my intervention.

“You’re bringing me good news then?” I ask, feeling hope spark to life in my chest and lighten me. Things with Darklight had been tense, but since the world didn’t end, I assumed things were fine - but knowing and assuming are two very different things.

“I am. The matter with Darklight has not been completely averted, but the timeline has been shifted back another couple of months. The timing on that event is now scheduled to occur in January, the event has become solid enough that it is apparent that - unless serious action is taken by June there will not be anything left of the state.” I suck in a breath, my eyes widening as a rippling pain strikes my gut. A whole state is at risk. Before it had been more catastrophic - the event’s outcome - but this really isn’t that much better. But Dr. Chambers had been adamant about not giving up the role of Executioner - not burdening anyone else with it. “The event with the Hunter, however, is fast approaching. Whatever you have done to find them has solidified the timing to a window of a week and general location.”

“That’s good right?” I ask, the hope in my voice clear as a bell.

“Not particularly. The timeframe is the middle of December and the area is in the northern portion of Port Greene.” Another sucker punch to the gut feeling hits me and I wince. Reinier lands. The guy’s going to be on Reinier territory, and after what Shola mentioned about his grudge against the Pack… I shiver and pull my phone from my pocket. Before Nikki can drop any more bombs on me, I type out a text to Paris to see if we can meet tonight to discuss this.

“Alright…anything else?” I choke out after I’ve put my phone away. Nikki watches me patiently.

“I have a team working on two other events that have cropped up. The outcome of their efforts at this point is unclear, but I will let you know if anything comes up.” Nikki tilts her head to me, and I have the feeling that our impromptu meeting’s about to end.

“Hey, how can I get ahold of you if I need to talk to you?” I blurt, recalling my last attempts to summon the Ancient. Her eyebrows wrinkle together and her lips purse at my words, but she pops something from her right hand. I reach out to catch it - realizing the quarter-sized thing is some sort of stone as it hits my palm. The dull, black thing’s not a stone I’ve ever seen, though, and is icy to the touch. My fingers rub over the smooth surface, the skin on my arm crawling as gooseflesh rises. I shiver and look up at the Ancient.

“Toss it into the air and call my name when you have need of me.” Nikki tells me. I nod once, not wanting more headache from a detailed lecture on how this thing will connect me to the Ancient when I need her - but trusting her well enough that I’m sure it’ll work when I need it.

“Alright, then I’ll be seeing you,” I tell the Ancient, tucking the little device into my pocket and making a mental note to make a pouch or something to carry the thing with me. Last thing I want is to loose the one thing that can summon the Ancient to my side. When the air around Nikki starts to ripple I look away, my head aching when I stare at the fluttering air. I shudder as the scent of decay and death dissipates from the office and I shuffle off my desk to update the walls with the this new information. Two walls are now left bare, ready for the next round of ‘events’ to coat them in fresh paper.

When everything’s a little more orderly, I leave the Coven, skirting around Azure lands to get to Port Greene to meet with Paris. The mental note about meeting with the Azure Alpha fluttering uselessly in my head. With my guilt over not telling Blue about my decision to go to the college near Port Greene, I’ve fallen back into my procrastination mind-set. The justification for not visiting being that this matter is more important… It’s not. If anything I know avoiding the talk with the Alpha will only lead to more problems, I decide to make a firm maybe on making an appointment to talk to him one of the next things I do. It’s not a solid promise, but it doesn’t freak me out to put a mental ‘priority’ mark on it - so I call that progress.

At the border of the Reinier territory, Fallon’s on guard yet again. I’ve come to expect the silent escort he provides, but what I’m shocked to see is the natural color of his streaked gold and red hair is peaking through at the roots of the dyed strawberry strands. I fight a grin when I see it, trying not to let my wide eyes linger over seeing the natural colors. He’s less exhausted-looking, shoulders slightly slumped, but moving with purpose. The feel of the atmosphere around the village is less tense than the last time I was here, but still there.

When I get to the main house, Craven is sitting out front - just like the first time I came here. His cerulean eyes watch me with the old predatory sharpness I recall from our childhood - but missing the hysteria that earned him the nickname of ‘Mad-Dog’. He’s wearing a stripped black and yellow t-shirt so worn it’s nearly see-through, and baggy cargo shorts - despite the fall chill of early November. His battle scars on full display, marking him as an Executioner for the Pack - the swirling tattoo marking his Elite Tracker status giving him the appearance of a very different version of himself. His sandy blonde hair’s pulled up in a pony tail again, but I can see some of the luster returning to the pin-straight locks.

“Wisteria.” Craven nods to me once and gives me a chin-jerk in the direction of the door. “Go on,” He adds when I don’t immediately move, still staring at the much healthier-looking version of my cousin before me. “Before I change my mind,” He adds, snapping his sharpened, but white, teeth at me - a surprisingly playful gesture. I smirk, rolling my eyes at him and brushing past him to the door.

It’s oddly comforting now, walking down the familiar halls of the house, to get to Paris’ office. The few times I’ve been here has started to over-ride the darker feeling of older memories, painting the place in a warmer feeling of nostalgia rather than fear. This time, when I reach the closed door to Paris’ office, I don’t hesitate in knocking on the door and entering when I hear the ‘come in’ from my cousin.