Zephren would rather do anything than pick a fight with a knife-wielding, siren, stranger. It didn’t take much for him to know that Ryker was a force to be reckoned with; fearless and confident in every stride.
If anything, Zeph wanted to avoid him at all costs. He’d had enough of conflict to last a lifetime.
Star kept her head down as she walked out onto the lawn, leaving Zephren feeling abandoned on the porch. He watched as she escaped the harsh gaze of Ryker; Rose only looked up to give her a small smile of reassurance as she made her way towards the farthest vehicle.
Unable to stop his glance catching on Rosakai’s tentative smile, Zephren cursed himself inwardly. Rose had a beautiful, inhuman smile…and it charged him with a shiver of electricity.
There was a loud bang as Blade stepped out onto the porch, making Zephren jolt violently, his eyes snapping up to Blade’s. “Shit,” Zeph whispered under his breath, letting out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, sorry. I thought you would have been with Rose,” Blade offered an apologetic smile. He carried a large bag over his shoulder, readjusting it as he shut the door with a tight slam and produced a thick key from his pocket.
As Blade turned the instrument in the lock with a sharp snap, Zephren marvelled at the frost-like shimmer that radiated over the panels of the house. He could hear a faint crackling as it moved in waves; once it had completely coated the structure, Zephren found that the house was nearly invisible. It was like a ghost, imprinted and faded in the clearing.
Was this what kept them hidden? A kind of force field?
Blade’s eyes slid slowly to Zeph’s. “Cool, isn’t it?”
Zephren nodded, staring in wonder. “What…is it?”
“A cloaking mechanism. Hides us in plain sight. You know the house is there, so we can still see the outline at a close distance—a shimmering, or distortion if you will—but to anyone else…”
“They’d completely miss it.” Zephren let out a small breath of disbelief.
Blade chuckled, twirling the key around his finger before snatching it out of its spiral. “Unless they walked head-on into it, yeah. And even then—good luck breaking in.” Blade gestured over to Rose, giving Zephren a smile, “You’re riding with Rose. He’ll get you set up. Best not keep him waiting.”
“Um… Alright,” Zephren muttered, cautiously looking towards Ryker.
Blade leaned in a little, whispering, “Don’t worry, Ryker rides alone. He won’t give you any trouble, especially around Rose.”
With a nervous smile, Zephren nodded. “Thanks,” he whispered, looking at Blade’s kind face, “I’m surprised you’re sticking up for me so much. I am a stranger, after all.” The notion sank Zeph’s heart a little.
Blade’s smile disappeared, too, as sadness clouded his face. “I…also knew your mother.” He looked out into the forest grimly, then back at Zephren. “All of us want to protect you… for her. There’s nothing for you to be afraid of.”
A twitch of a small, distant smile touched Zephren’s lips. “Thank you, Blade.”
Carefully, Zeph walked down the steps, feeling the thickness of the grass even through the soles of his boots. As he neared Rose, another brisk wind sent a chill through him; a pit in his stomach as Ryker glared at him.
Ryker looked back at the map, ignoring Zephren as he said to Rosakai, “Listen, the cliff route is the fastest way.”
Rose shook his head as he drew an imaginary line with his finger on the map. “We can keep travel limited to the forest, keeping in the treeline. It’s not much slower than the cliff, and at least we’ll be hidden. Once we hit Altar though, we’re out in the open, so I want you to scout ahead.”
Ryker scowled, “Fine. Whatever you want,” he muttered walking over to a bike that seemed slightly sleeker than the others. He pressed something in his hand, the glass dome lifting upwards. It raised vertically from the front of the vehicle, allowing him to climb inside. He sat there impatiently, waiting for Rosakai’s orders.
Zephren sucked in a breath, shivering as he gazed up at Rose. He wore a short, tight, leather jacket that had a high collar and his hair was pulled back into a messy knot at the nape of his neck.
It wasn’t really fair for him to look as he did.
Folding the map and stuffing it into his back pocket, Rose gave Zephren a soft smile. He nodded towards Zephren’s feet. “You look nice. Are you ready?”
“Yes, I am.” Zeph blushed a little, looking at the bike to break his stare from the siren. “So, this is how we’re getting to…where ever we’re going?”
Rose looked at the motorcycle, then back to Zephren. “The bikes get us to Altar; from there, we take an airship to Rix.
The name was completely unfamiliar. “Where is Rix?”
“North.” Rosakai’s brows creased as he cleared his throat. “You will need to…prepare yourself, for this journey.”
Zeph felt his pulse jump. “What do you mean?”
“Zephren,” Rose hesitated, “I am about to show you what the world really is… And it is not full of beauty.”
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