Gale stood beside Rachel watching Gerard usher Andrew, Mia, and Jacob through the entrance double doors. The butler’s face remained completely neutral, showing no emotion except for maybe the slight stiff shoulders that weren’t there in the beginning and now had set in as Jacob and Andrew continued to ask questions.

“So the dust actually crystallizes people from the inside out? Like, they turn into actual crystal?”

“And those rifts can open anywhere? Even at the learning centre?” Andrew tapped on the yellow notes app. “If each rift connects to a distinct dimensional plane with different physical laws, the multiverse theory would be confirmed!”

“Sir, if you could please move along,” Gerard’s pony-tailed silver hair stayed in place despite the autumn breeze blowing at the front door. “It is quite late, and the grounds must be secured for the evening.”

Mia followed quietly, glancing backwards every now and then at Gale and Rachel. Unlike the others, she hadn’t asked many questions during their three-hour crash course on Aur, dust, and the factions. She just listened like a student taking a lecture.

“Your butler really doesn’t like mundanes in your house,” Gale sighed.

“Gerard doesn’t like anyone in the house,” Rachel said. “Part of his job description.”

On the path below, Jacob pulled out his phone and started taking pictures of the mansion’s architecture. The flash lit up the stone gargoyles on the roof.

“Sir, I must insist,” Gerard moved toward Jacob quickly.

“Come on, just one more of that awesome gargoyle thing,” Jacob groaned. “This is like straight out of X-Men, you know? The Xavier Institute and everything!”

Gerard took the phone from Jacob’s hand and tapped the screen a few times. “All photos of the estate have been deleted for security purposes.”

He handed the phone back. “You’ll find your other images intact.”

“Aw, man.” Jacob stared at his empty photo gallery.

“The Ann family has not entertained regular visitors in quite some time,” Gerard said, looking back toward Rachel. “I trust this breach of protocol won’t become habitual, Lady Rachel.”

Rachel’s lips twitched slightly. “Thanks, Gerard. Please see our guests to the gate.”

The air warmed around Gale even though a cool breeze had just blown by. Even back in the Eclipsed, the air warmed whenever Rachel’s emotions heightened. That was one thing he noticed. A proud moment that he could tell himself as he could feel her feelings except… it didn’t really tell him much other than the air warmed. He should just ask. Communication 101, clear and concise. But what if she doesn’t tell him? There was no way she would. She’s always calm and collected, other than that one time.

“Your friends are… enthusiastic,” Rachel said, watching the others leave.

“Huh? What?” Gale coughed. Thinking too much was dangerous. “Um yeah. They’re enthusiastic, alright.”

Play it cool, even if the air warms up.

Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear. “The tall one keeps looking at you like you’re his personal superhero.”

“Andrew? He’s just… he gets excited about things.”

“And the girl looks at you like she’s trying to solve a puzzle.”

Huh? Mia barely spoke all night, though. Maybe that’s just Mia learning as much as she can. “Mia’s practical. She’s trying to figure out what all this means for her.”

“And what it means for you two?”

Gale turned his head to Rachel. “What?”

Rachel kept her eyes on the group, not meeting his eyes. “Nothing. Just an observation.”

At the gate, Gerard had stopped the group. Rachel straightened up, then climbed down the steps. “Wait here, I need to give them something.”

Rachel walked across the brick road all the way to the gate. When she reached the group, Mia immediately stepped back, her hands going to her arms like she felt a chill. Or maybe heat.

Three small coins came out of Rachel’s pocket that glittered under the moonlight. She handed one each to them.

Breath of the Void’s tendrils fed Gale the whole conversation from where he stood.

“What is this, some kind of magic coin?” Jacob turned the coin over in his hand.

“In a manner of speaking,” Rachel said. “It contains a spell. It’ll shield you from dust exposure for approximately two weeks. After that, the protection fades.”

“You can just… give people stuff like this?” Andrew asked, holding the coin up to the light.

“You can think of it that way,” Rachel said. “Think of it as a shield. It’ll blow away a certain amount of dust around you. But if you eat dust directly, it won’t be able to.”

Mia took the coin, wincing slightly as her fingers met Rachel’s hand.

“It got hot again,” Mia said.

Rachel smiled softly. “What did?”

“The air around you. It happened at the mall too.” Mia looked straight at Rachel.

Rachel stared blankly at Mia for a second. “You noticed that?”

“Yeah…” Mia hunched her shoulders.

“Interesting.” Rachel’s eyes went to her side, glancing at Gale, staying there just enough for Gale to notice then back to Mia.

“Anyways, thanks for this. And for… everything else.” Mia pocketed the coin.

The gate opened and beyond the iron bars, a black SUV with tinted windows waited on the street.

“Your transportation has arrived,” Gerard announced.

“Wait, you called us a car?” Andrew asked.

“The Ann family does not send guests into the night without proper arrangements,” Gerard said. “The driver will take each of you to your homes.”

Jacob ran to the car. “Sweet! I’ve never been in a fancy SUV before.”

“How do we know we can trust your driver?” Mia asked.

“The same way you know you can trust that coin in your pocket,” Rachel replied. “You don’t, really. But the alternative is a long walk home through neighbourhoods where dust dealers are active.”

“Fair point.”

“Remember what we discussed,” Rachel raised her voice enough so that even Gale could hear it physically from where he stood. “Keep the coins on you at all times. Avoid the areas I marked on your maps. And if you see anyone with blue-tinted eyes?”

“Run, don’t fight, call the number you gave us,” Andrew said. “We got it.”

“And under no circumstances try to get samples of dust,” Rachel said, staring directly at Jacob. “It’s not a science experiment.”

Jacob faked a laugh. “Course not.”

Gerard ushered them out of the gate, and then the gates moved to close on their own. The three got into the SUV, and the vehicle pulled away as soon as the door closed behind Mia.

Rachel watched until the SUV was gone, then turned, walking back to Gale. Gerard followed her, now clearly making a frown on his face.

“I’ll prepare for the evening, Lady Rachel,” he said once they reached the steps. “Will your… guest be staying much longer?”

Rachel smiled, but her eyes didn’t. “Gerard, treat him as if you would treat me. He is welcome to stay as long as he wants.”

Stolen story; please report.

The butler’s shoulders once again stiffened. “Very well. I’ll be in my quarters if you need anything.”

He gave Gale a quick nod and went through the mansion’s front doors.

“Sorry about him,” Rachel said once they were alone. “Gerard takes his duties very seriously. Especially where the Ann family’s privacy is concerned.”

“Definitely,” Gale said. “How long has he worked for your family?”

“Gerard’s been serving my grandmother since even before my mom was born.” Rachel turned to look at the dark grounds. “He’s more than just a butler. He’s…”

“Family,” Gale said.

“Yes.” She faced him with a smile, and this time, the smile reached her eyes. “Which is why he gets to be rude to my friends and get away with it.”

Gale leaned against the stone railing. “So those coins. They really work against dust exposure?”

“For a limited time, yes. It’s an old Ann family technique.” Rachel ran her fingers along the railing’s edge. “We developed it during the Clarence Wars, when dust was used as a weapon against mundane populations.”

“The what wars?”

Rachel chuckled. “Right. You’re still new to all of this.”

“I’m getting that a lot lately.”

“It was before our time anyway. My grandmother would know more.” She pushed away from the railing. “Come on. It’s getting cold out here.”

Gale followed her back into the mansion. The multi story entrance hall stretched before them with its fancy alien cloudstone floors that shone even though the chandelier lights were dimmed. The livewood walls came literally alive when Rachel walked passed by, roots looking like they waved at her.

“Your friends took that whole crash course pretty well,” Rachel said as they crossed the hall. “That Andrew took most of it all like he was just learning everything like a sponge.”

“He’s always been like that,” Gale said. “Weirdly fascinated by physics.”

“And Jacob’s enthusiasm is… something.”

“Jacob thinks everything is like his video games and comic books.” Gale shook his head. “He might do something stupid trying to be heroic or something.”

“That’s why I gave them the coins and the warnings. It’s the best protection I can offer without formally bringing them into one of the factions.”

They reached a set of double doors just three doors before Rachel’s room. She opened it, revealing a lounge with an unlit fireplace. Snapping her fingers once, the fire lit up, growing from a small ember at the bottom.

Unlike the mansion’s more formal rooms, this one looked like it was actually lived in. Pretty cozy too. The fireplace was the only one that lit up the room. And soon enough, the warmth from the fire replaced the chill in the air.

“Drink?” Rachel asked, moving to a cabinet in the corner.

“Sure,” Gale said and sat down on the sofa.

Rachel pulled two glasses from the cabinet. After placing them on the table, she pulled out a bottle from a mini fridge that had green grapes on the label. She poured the bottle into the glasses that sat side by side and walked over to him.

Grapes were one of his favourite flavours for juices. They were sweet and distinct. Every time he drank it in the orphanage, he’d manage to find a great book to read that kept him up all night. Today was going to be a lucky day.

She handed him the glass, then sat down on the other side of the coffee table in the armchair.

Gale took a big sip from the glass as she sat down, enough to make his cheeks puff up.

Alert to Gale. This was not grape juice.

For a whole 5 seconds, they stared into each other’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel asked, and when realization dawned on her, she let out a laugh. “I forgot. You want some juice instead? I got grape and apple juice if you want.”

Gale shook his head as he gulped down the contents in his mouth.

“No, it’s fine. I like this,” he nodded.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I wanna drink the same thing as you,” Gale blurted out, taking another sip.

Rachel’s lips twitched, fire crackling in the fireplace.

“So,” she cleared her throat, “that girl Mia seems interesting.”

“Yeah, she’s got a real knack for science. Sharp mind. Picks up on things most people miss.”

Rachel took one strand of her hair and rubbed her fingers together. “That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean then?”

“I mean, what do you think of her? As a person.” Rachel turned her head, looking away, side eyeing him.

“She’s dedicated. Practical. Takes no shit from anyone. She’s supporting her mom who works extra shifts just so Mia can go to college.” Gale smiled.

It was true too. Mia worked harder than anyone in the group and gave them notes too.

“Mmm.” Rachel’s eyes remained neutral. “That’s all?”

“She’s got a good head on her shoulders. Way better at chemistry than I am. Questions everything, oddly not today though.”

Rachel took the glass on the coffee table and chugged down the whole glass in one gulp. The fire in the fireplace seemed to grow brighter, almost lighting up the whole room.

“You cut off people’s hands in front of your classmates? What were you thinking, Gale?”

Sudden topic change. Did he say something wrong? He was clear and concise about what he thought of Mia.

“In front of mundanes? Think back to the dark forest. The mundanes couldn’t handle the violence,” Rachel said.

The room’s temperature increased by a few degrees.

“I did what I had to do,” Gale leaned forward. “I couldn’t let them get dosed by dust. Those dealers had us boxed in with a barrier or invisible wall, whatever you call it…”

“You could have found another way. Called for backup.”

“There wasn’t time. One of them was about to dust Mia.”

Rachel ran a hand through her hair, messing up its perfect arrangement. “You don’t get it. The Path is already looking at you sideways because of your connection to Ollie. Not to mention you making noise by causing a ruckus at the asylum.”

“Wait, how did you know that?” Gale looked at her, trying to read her.

Rachel sighed, “Never mind that. It’s just everything… Nevermind. Anyways, the Knights are tracking your movements after what happened at the warehouse. I’m just worried.”

“I asked Ollie for help though. I followed what you said, ask for help, right?” Gale looked down.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to get…” Rachel paused. “You could ask me next time instead of Ollie.”

“But you might be busy-“

“Even if I’m busy. Gale, remember. My best friend is mundane. I know how it feels.” Rachel leaned forward, her hair hanging down the side. Her hair catching the light of the fireplace made it look as if her hair was fire itself.

Gale sighed, looking up and making eye contact with her. “I should be the one to say sorry. I’ll ask you next time before Ollie.”

“Better.” Rachel leaned back to her armchair.

“The coins you gave them should work against dust, though. Thanks,” Gale said.

“For now. But there’ll be more dealers. More dust. And at some point, you won’t be there when they need you.”

“Like on Saturday?”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed, leaning forward again. “What do you mean?”

“Something about dust shipments from the east that Ollie’s planning for. That’s when I won’t be around to protect them, right?”

She studied him for a moment. “The airport interception Ollie’s planning. It’s going to be dangerous. More dangerous than he’s letting on.”

Gale sat straight up. “How do you know about that? I only just reported to Ollie about it today.”

“My family has ways of gathering information.” Rachel uncrossed her legs and leaned toward him. “We’ve been tracking dust movements across Ontario for generations. It’s part of what the Ann family does.”

“Whoa, you can spy on people?”

“Not on people, just the criminals in the dust trade,” she said. “This shipment is important, Gale. More important than anything the Path has intercepted before. And right now, we know it’s something more than dust.”

“What do you mean?”

Rachel’s voice went low, more serious than he’s ever heard her. “The Path doesn’t know what they’re walking into. The Silver Lions aren’t just sending product. It’s also something else. Plus Awakened guards. At least six of them. Maybe more.”

“Why can’t we tell Ollie this?”

“Because the Ann family doesn’t exactly advertise our intelligence network. It would raise too many questions about how we get our information.” She paused. “And because I’m worried. It might be a trap.”

“What makes you think it’s a trap?” Gale asked.

“The timing. The location. The number of guards.” Rachel shook her head. “It has all the signs of a setup. Someone tipped off the Silver Lions that the Path would be intercepting this shipment.”

“You think there’s another leak in the Path?”

“I think there’s more going on.” Rachel stood up and walked to the fireplace. “Be careful on Saturday. If anything goes wrong, use this.”

She turned and held out her palm. On it, a silver ring with a small red stone.

Gale stared at it. “A ring?”

“It’s linked directly to me.” She held it out to him again. “Put it on.”

Gale paused, then took the ring. It had the warmth of body temperature, and the heat pulsed in a rhythm like a heartbeat of 89 beats per minute and increasing by the second.

“How does it work?”

“Just turn the stone three times. Then I’ll save you.” She watched as he slipped it onto his left middle finger. “No matter where you are.”

“Why a ring?” Gale asked, turning his hand to look at it.

“Were you expecting something else? A phone? A walkie-talkie?” A small smile formed on her lips. “The Ann family prefers more reliable methods of communication. Technology can fail. Magic rarely does.”

The ring fit perfectly. Better on the left than the right he used the most with Weber blade.

“Thanks,” he said, still looking at it. “Why give me this though?”

The room got warmer again, just slightly. Rachel reached for her bottle, then downed a gulp.

“We survived the Eclipsed together,” she said finally. “And just because.”

Before Gale could respond, a soft buzz vibrated from Rachel’s pocket. She pulled out a phone, looking at the screen.

“I need to take this,” she said, standing. “Make yourself comfortable. There’s more water in the pitcher, and you can stay the night if you want.”

She walked to the far side of the room, speaking quietly into the phone. Breath of the Void retracted from the room. Best to give her privacy.

He looked down at the ring on his finger. The red stone caught the firelight, glowing from within. Its rhythm slowed down from the peak of 102 beats per minute down to 67.

Analyze.

[The House of Ann]

[Effect: Connection to the Ann Family’s base.]

[Description: Aurumn’s everlasting fire burns within the stone, allowing the effect to burn forever through eternity.]

The hell Aurumn? If he recalls correctly, the death of the knight had the same word… whatever it was, it was a magic panic button in case he got jumped out of nowhere.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep