Chapter Two #3
“I disagree,” I reply, lowering my voice even more as we approach the busy reception area, forcing David to lean in close to hear me.
“Gifts are very necessary between us. But in future, I will reconsider how I deliver them.” I quicken my step, entering the reception and approaching Gideon and Garin.
Behind me, David says “What?” but he’s too late and I’m able to avoid answering.
I’m not one of King Raeulfr’s top strategists for nothing.
The wards on the CSG offices prevent us from opening a portal inside, but the reception area is outside the wards.
Gideon gestures to the guard—enforcer—standing by the door to the stairwell, and he nods and turns his attention to the door.
His job is to ensure no humans enter while the portal is open.
It’s unlikely, since very few humans come to these offices, and even fewer of those are unaware of the existence of nonhuman species, but the community of species has survived for nine thousand years by keeping their presence a secret from humanity, and none of us want to be the ones to ruin that.
Gideon glances at the panels above the elevators, which shows the numbers of the floors the elevators are currently on, then gives me a nod. “You’re good to go.”
I take a breath and reach inward and outward. My inner power bubbles up as the life force flows over me, through me. I envisage the void and the portal room at the main barracks and then channel the power into the correct form.
A portal opens before me, glowing with the green of my soul essence.
I’ve done this literally millions of times in my life, but it never fails to fill me with awe. There is something about creation in any form that is beautiful beyond belief.
And this portal is a very nice one, if I do say so myself. It’s a shame David doesn’t know enough about portals to understand what a great specimen it is. Perhaps I can invite him to watch some of the trainees practicing and give him a basis for comparison.
“What an excellent portal, Caolan! I don’t think I’ve seen one so stable and powerful. You’re a true craftsman.”
Or I could just let Garin point it out. This must be why we’ve been friends since childhood.
“Thank you,” I say, trying to sound modest as I step back and motion to him.
While I can maintain the gateways after passing through them, it’s easier to do so from this side.
And while I haven’t had a portal collapse since the very first days of my training, I’d rather not take any risks with our alliance still in the early days—and especially not any that might impact David’s safety.
Garin salutes me cheekily, then steps through the portal. I feel the light static of his presence brushing against my power.
David takes a step forward, but Gideon pushes past him. It makes me frown, because Gideon, though reserved and sometimes brusque, is not rude. David, though, just sighs and rolls his eyes, so it must be okay.
“What can I expect to see on the other side?” Gideon asks me. “Your king won’t be standing there waiting, will he?”
I shake my head. “Unlikely. It’s a portal room, and we don’t allow people to be in them if they’re not using an active portal.
That makes it easier for those of us creating portals.
The room itself is empty. Only Garin should be there—maybe he will have called in whichever guard was outside the door. ”
“Thank you.” Gideon nods, then walks through the portal.
I shiver—his energy is different from anything I’ve felt before.
Aidan’s and Alistair’s weren’t, when they used my portal to come here from the place we met—not really.
They felt a lot like dragon shifters. Gideon’s is different again.
Perhaps it’s a species variation? This is yet another piece of information that has fallen by the wayside since our peoples stopped interacting.
David moves closer to me and eyes the portal.
“It’s safe,” I assure him, and he smiles at me. It’s such a lovely smile. I’ll have to make sure to do things to draw it out more often.
“I know. It’s just such a huge thing. I’m so honored to be able to take this step and help build the alliance between our peoples.”
He says it seriously, and it strikes me once more how amazing he is. I suck in a deep breath, on the verge of darting forward and kissing his pretty mouth, but before I can move, he walks through the portal.
Just as well.
I close my eyes and savor the feeling of his energy brushing up against mine.
It’s different again from anything I’ve ever felt, which lends credence to the theory that it’s a species variation.
It’s also imbued with the basic essence of David, and I would gladly hold this portal open all day just for this feeling.
Sadly, though, he reaches the other side all too soon. Sighing, I open my eyes and follow him through.
In the portal room on the other side, Garin is explaining why it’s best to stand at least six feet away from the gateway and not within a direct line from it.
Most of the reason is a hangover from our military training, where we were told it’s not wise to stand in front of an open doorway without knowing what’s on the other side.
Some of it, though, is related to the fact that portals can very easily become unstable.
I haven’t had that happen to me in millennia, but I’m not going to be the only one operating portals for them in the future, so it’s best they learn safety protocols.
I turn back toward the portal and visually check it before closing it down. It winks out, and as always, I feel a tiny pang of sorrow and need to cheer myself by thinking of the next portal I can create.
“That was incredible,” David says. “I’ve seen you open them before, but it just didn’t prepare me for the experience of walking through it.”
I bask in his admiration. Garin snickers.
“Thank you. I don’t often get to introduce someone to a portal for the first time. I’m honored to have been your first.”
Gideon coughs, then sucks in a breath and chokes on it. David smacks him on the back, saying, “Really? I expected that reaction from one of the others, but not you.”
Wheezing, Gideon waves his hand and shakes his head, and David turns toward me.
“As much as I appreciate that sentiment, you should be aware that it’s an expression that doesn’t translate well.” He purses his lips. “Well… it does, but it has a certain connotation in our society that… I mean… uh…”
My confusion is mounting. I glance over at Garin, who shrugs, seeming equally stymied, then run back over my words, trying to see where the problem is.
Gideon gets his breathing back to normal and says—rather hoarsely—“What David’s struggling to say is that being someone’s first in our society often refers to being their first sexual experience.
” He pauses, glances sideways at David, whose cheeks have gone an adorable shade of pink, and adds, “I regret to inform you that you wouldn’t be David’s first.”
David’s arm swings out and thwacks Gideon solidly in the chest. “I’m taking down your privacy wards,” he threatens. “Alistair is going to be able to just walk into your house whenever he wants.”
Gideon’s eyes widen, and I decide it’s time to intervene before he harms my beloved. I like Alistair, but he has a lot of energy, and I can understand why Gideon might want a method of keeping him out sometimes.
“The king is waiting,” I say hastily. “Shall we go?”
Closing his mouth on whatever he was about to say, Gideon glares at David one last time, then follows Garin toward the door.
Outside, a single guard is standing watch.
Her job is to keep people out of the room unless they need to create a portal, and to call for an escort for any newcomers.
Well—that’s traditionally a duty of a portal room guard.
Since time began collapsing, there aren’t any newcomers.
Every survivor we could find is now here, in one location.
Except for éibhear and his people, of course, but since they’re responsible for the whole drama, they’re not welcome to visit.
The guard, Ingrid, smiles when she sees Garin and opens her mouth—presumably to greet him. Then her gaze falls on Gideon and David, and her jaw drops. Perhaps I should have warned her when last I was here that I planned to bring visitors.
To her credit, she recovers quickly and inclines her head formally in greeting. “Welcome. It is a pleasure to have visitors from your dimension again.” It’s very elegantly said, but unfortunately, in elvish. David smiles at her and glances toward me. Gideon just stands there expressionlessly.
“She bids you welcome and is glad for the renewed contact between our homes,” I explain quickly, then turn to Ingrid, who already looks chagrined. “Do you know a translator spell?” I ask her, and she shakes her head.
“I’ve never needed one.”
I make a mental note to talk to someone about that. Everyone will need to know a translator spell when we migrate to Earth, at least until we can learn the native languages.
“I will translate, then.” I look over to David and Gideon and repeat it in their language.
David nods, then smiles again at Ingrid and says, “Thank you for your welcome. We are honored to be here and to meet you. I’m David Carew, and this is Gideon Bailey.”
I quickly translate, then tell them her name.
“The king is waiting,” Garin reminds us, then repeats it in elvish for Ingrid’s benefit. She nods and inclines her head again. David and Gideon follow suit, and then I lead them down the corridor.
“I know we’ve already spoken about how we should greet your king,” David says quietly, “but is there anything else I should know?”
Mentally, I run through the official protocol for anything I might have forgotten to tell him.
“I don’t think so. Incline your head in greeting but wait for him to make the first verbal greeting.
Address him as Your Majesty unless he requests otherwise.
Do not draw any weapon in his presence unless it is in his defense. ”
“That won’t be a problem,” David assures me. “We don’t have any weapons.” He stops walking suddenly and turns on Gideon. “Right? No weapons, yeah?”
“No weapons,” Gideon repeats. “I’m not an idiot, David.”
For some reason, my beloved does not look convinced, and for a moment, I think he might demand to search Gideon’s person. Finally, though, he lets out a breath and turns back to recommence walking.
“The king will likely not stand on formality,” I say, wanting to reassure him. “Nor will the wing leader. We are all so grateful for your offer to take us in and for all the assistance you are giving.”
He seems about to respond, but from up ahead, there’s a shout.