6. Chapter Six Baer
Chapter Six: Baer
We exited the portal, and the hands holding my shoulders released as the magic around us waned. The portal exited into a warehouse that held several rooms off to the side and was filled with cars and more supplies than we could ever need on a mission. Upon our exit, the excitement of our task burned through me again. The thrill of adventure had never failed in all my years of travel. I knew many others hated the feeling of their draining magic and the hustle and bustle of this world, but I didn't. I loved the thrill of having to rely on my own strengths and wits, which were needed to navigate through this world.
As we stepped away from the portal, I spotted several guards approaching us, all of whom I was familiar with since this was usually my area of travel. I was the most familiar with everything this territory held. Pettit waved at me before spotting the prince just behind me. Once he had, he bowed, and the others followed suit quickly. “Your Highness,” he exclaimed in awe.
None of us were held in high enough esteem to have ever met the prince before, which had always been fine by me. I personally felt he was likely a cold prick, unconcerned with any of his citizens or peons. Even now, he held himself apart, cold and foreboding, even if his words were all they should be. I watched as he and the captain glanced around the building, noting their curiosity when they spotted the cars.
After allowing Pettit and the others their short opportunity to gawk and grovel, I spoke to Pettit. “We’ll need a car and maps of Dallas and Fort Worth. Also, I need an update on any of the news in the area in the last couple of weeks since my last visit.”
“Of course,” he responded to me and then turned to the prince. “Your Highness, please allow me to show you to our kitchens, where we would be more than happy to show you our best hospitality. Unfortunately, we do not have a designated chef, but any one of the men would gladly make you up a meal.”
“Thank you, Pettit, was it?” Pettit nodded, obviously pleased that the prince knew his name. “I haven’t eaten more than some biscuits and cheese as we traveled and would gladly eat, but unfortunately, we won't be staying long.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Please follow me while Jules gathers the supplies Baer has requested.” Pettit turned to lead the way to an alcove in the far corner, which held a small kitchen and table for the men to use during their rotations here.
Jules approached me as they were led away. “You're on a mission with the prince? It must be a serious matter if the prince himself has come. Have any other royals ever traveled to the mortal realms before?”
“I'm not sure. I highly doubt it. That's usually why they have us,” I responded, avoiding his obvious attempts to fish for information. If the prince had wanted them to know why we were here, he would have told them himself.
Thankfully, Jules got my hint and jumped into action. “Of course. I've got the perfect car. It's an older model, lacking as much technology and iron as possible, but it runs like a dream.” Jules led the way to a cabinet, which held the keys to all the cars. He grabbed a set and then walked to another cabinet, pulling out the maps we would need. “Anything else you need, Sir?” he asked as he handed over the items.
“We’ll need some cash for our travels, food, and lodging. I've already provided clothes, as you can see, but if we could get a couple of trackers just in case we run into any trouble?” I asked him, but we both knew he couldn't refuse.
“Sure. I'll go grab those now if you want to join the Prince and the Captain?”
“Thanks, Jules. You always come through when I need you.” He ran off to one of the rooms to gather up the other items as I headed to join my temporary companions. I usually preferred to travel on my own, preferring the solitude, never quite finding the camaraderie with the other soldiers that they shared amongst themselves.
I was pleased to see the Prince and Captain sitting at the table eating simple sandwiches while Pettit hovered, waiting to assist in any way. I smirked at the scene, grabbing a sandwich for myself before sitting at the table as well. I spread a map out between us and dove right in. “I was thinking we could drive to this area,” I pointed to the map before continuing, “where I know we can find lodgings. Once we have a room for the night, we’ll be able to speak more freely about our plans. Unless you would rather rest here instead, Your Highness?” I tacked on the honorific almost as an afterthought.
“That sounds fine, Baer, if not preferred. The sooner we can begin, the better,” the prince said after finishing his hastily prepared meal, barely sparing his attention for the other soldiers.
“Certainly, Your Highness. As soon as you’re done, we can leave.” As I finished speaking, Jules ran up to me, bowing before approaching to hand me the money and the trackers. I smirked again at the responses the prince seemed to draw from everyone else. I would be glad to get away from it as quickly as possible .
We finished our meals, and I grabbed the keys to our car, our plates and mess eagerly cleared by the other soldiers. Rising from my seat, the Prince and Captain followed suit. Once at the car, I opened the trunk and threw my bag inside. The other two did the same, but before heading to the driver's side, I spoke, “I always like to be prepared for any scenario we might come across, and even though this mission shouldn’t be dangerous, I would rather be safe than sorry.”
I held out a necklace with the tracking spells in it, one for each of them, and then placed one around my own neck. Continuing my explanation, I said, “Should we come across any trouble, get separated, or need to speak with each other, these necklaces will help. They hold tracking spells that allow us to find each other should it be necessary. Also,” I then handed them each some of the money, “this is what humans use to pay for services and goods. Again, just in case we’re separated.”
They each took the money and necklaces, placing them in pockets and around their necks. Satisfied, I walked to the driver's door and opened it. “One of you can sit up front on the other side or both in the back. It would help to have someone to navigate from up front with me, but tonight, we shouldn't have any need for directions.”
I slid behind the wheel, the captain sitting up front with me and the prince taking the back seat. As they got in, I could feel their curiosity about how the car would work. I reached over my shoulder and grabbed my seat belt. “If you look over your shoulders, you’ll find what the humans call seat belts. The humans have a law that says they must be worn while in a car and could result in unnecessary attention and fines from their guards, or police officers as they are called here. Drag the belt over your shoulder and push the metal end into the plastic slot next to your hip.” I proceeded to demonstrate the task, and they both followed, with only a little trouble with the buckle .
Satisfied, I started up the car and laughed to myself when they both jumped at the rumble of the engine. Once they realized it was an expected result, they settled back in. As I pulled out of the garage doors and away from the warehouse, I noticed that they were both gazing out the windows. I turned down the road, merged with the other cars on the road, and then sped up quickly as I got on the highway.
In the rear-view mirror, the prince remained stoic, but I could see his unease based on the tension around his eyes and in the tight pull of his mouth. The captain was gripping the armrests, his knuckles white.
“Do the humans always travel so quickly?” the captain asked.
“On the open roads, yes. But as we get around homes or businesses, the speeds are lowered.” I tried my best to keep my amusement from them, but I knew that was a lost cause. My face showed every emotion I felt.
“It doesn't seem like a very safe way to travel. Do they not care to see what they are passing?”
“The humans are not a very observant species, always rushing around from one place to the next. They're too busy looking forward to notice where they are or where they've been, so eager to accomplish the next task. As for safety, cars are very dangerous, especially because humans don't pay attention like they should. There are several car accidents or collisions with others on the road, which is why the humans made the seat belts and laws to help prevent death in such cases.”
“Foolish.” I barely caught the murmured word from the prince over the noise of the engine and highway.
“That they are, Your Highness, but I also believe their short lives push them to accomplish as much as they can in so short a time. Thankfully though, not all are so foolish or reckless. Some I have met have been quite wise and kind. ”
“For this trip, Captain Oakley and Baer, I would like you to address me by my name, Lennox. There really is no need for such formalities amongst humans. Besides, from what I know, they don't have very many royals anymore, so the title would only call attention when we don't want any.” The prince met my eyes in the mirror before glancing at the captain. I nodded, thankful for the reprieve of not having to worry about offending him in some way on top of everything else.
“Of course, Your H... I mean, Lennox, Sir,” the captain replied. It seemed he would have the hardest time with the order. I chuckled softly.
“I guess that means I shouldn't go by my title either.” He still looked uncomfortable.
“I'm sorry, Captain, but what should we call you instead? I never did get your name. I mean, we all know the prince’s name because who doesn't, but I've only heard you called Captain Oakley.” I glanced at him briefly before turning my eyes back to the road.
“Ah, yes, well I’m Arryn.” He ran a hand over his head in an embarrassed way, mussing his hair. He glanced out the front windshield and caught a glimpse of the skyscrapers, his hand dropping to his lap. “What are those?”
The prince glanced out as well, both taking note of the increasing size of the buildings around us. “Those are called skyscrapers. Humans hold businesses inside them, all going into work for 8-10 hours a day, hundreds or thousands all in the same building at the same time, before leaving to go back home.”
“So many people?” Arryn asked.
“Indeed. One city can hold millions of people inside it. But Fort Worth doesn’t have as many skyscrapers as most of the other major cities around the world.”
“Other cities have more of these buildings? It's almost unfathomable,” Arryn exclaimed disbelievingly, his eyes wide as he craned his neck to take in the magnitude of the buildings.
“It's kind of inspiring how such lowly creatures have managed to build such amazing things,” Lennox spoke up.
“Unfortunately, many of those buildings contain iron and are all filled with so much technology that, as we get closer to them, our magic will weaken faster. It's why I would like to start on the outskirts and work our way in, hopefully limiting our exposure as much as possible.”
“I can already feel the drain of my magic. Are you saying it will only get worse the closer we get to these skyscrapers?” Arryn asked, now looking at me in shock.
“Yes. However, the loss isn't permanent and shouldn’t affect your health at all. It's simply uncomfortable being without something you've grown so accustomed to relying on. But you do kind of get used to it the more time you spend in the realm.”
“I'm not sure how anyone could ever get used to this feeling of weakness,” Arryn said, rubbing a hand over his chest as if the loss was an actual pain that could be soothed away.
We all grew silent as I let them look at the world around us. It wasn't much longer before I was exiting the highway to enter the motel parking lot. I had chosen a single story, older building due to their usual lack of technology, unlike the newer, multi-story ones. The prince would get a shock once he glimpsed the state of the rooms, their squalor so far below what I was certain he was used to. But the rooms were clean, if worn down, and wouldn't drain us as quickly.
I parked the car near the lobby and left the car running. “Wait here and I'll go get us set up with some rooms for the next couple of days.” Not waiting for a response, I went in and spoke with the night clerk. I tried my best to negotiate, but this one was no-nonsense, having seen the dregs of society too often. The wealthier and more savory types all stayed at the newer lodgings, while the rougher types were attracted to the cheaper rates and overall lack of security.
Walking back to the car, I knew it was going to be rough the next few days, but I could sleep anywhere. It was the other two who I knew wouldn't be pleased. I slid back in the front seat. “Well, I managed to get us a room, but just the one. Unfortunately and surprisingly, the motel is full up, with only the single vacancy. Some kind of convention is being held nearby this week, so we'll have to share the rest of the time we’re here.”
I pulled into the spot in front of our room, parked the car, and killed the engine. We all exited and grabbed our bags from the trunk. Unlocking the door to our room, I turned on the lights. At least it was two larger beds, but I would most likely be sharing one with the captain. “I can sleep anywhere, but this was all the options we had.” I walked to the sink at the back of the room as the others stood in the doorway. Opening the door to the bathroom, I said, “In here is the restroom with a shower. I'm sure you both would like to get cleaned up before eating and strategizing.”
Arryn and Lennox discussed the sleeping arrangements while I pulled out the information for pizza delivery and waited for the prince to choose his bed. Looked like the Captain and I would be sleeping by the door then. I threw my bag on the bed and reached for the phone to order while the prince proceeded to the bathroom to clean up. After placing our order, I kicked my boots off, leaning back against the headboard, arms behind my head and closed my eyes. I could hear Arryn shuffling around the room, opening drawers and doors before he came back and sat down on the bed next to me.
“I must admit, I’m far outside of my element, and I'm not sure what to expect or even if we’ll be able to succeed. I fear the prince is under strain to get this mission completed as quickly as possible.” I opened one eye and peered at him, studying his tired demeanor. Normally, I wasn't a fan of working with others, but Arryn and Lennox seemed capable and determined. I felt a need to offer assurances, false as they might be, even though we really didn’t have any guarantees of success. I still wanted to try, unsure of my reasons why.
“I believe that between us three, a little hard work, and a few long days, we’ll be successful. We'll find the Chosen in time for you to return her safely for the trials. No one knows this territory better than I do. We will do what we need to, have no doubts about that.” I closed my eyes again, feigning a relaxed state, but I couldn't quite shake the feeling that things would never be the same for me from here on out.
I woke to the alarm blaring in my ear. Arryn and Lennox both jumped out of bed at the noise. Arryn's hand went to his hip, searching for the sword he couldn't carry here. The sun hadn't risen yet, and the room was still dark, the only light coming from the streetlights outside, shining through the cracks in the heavy curtains.
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I shut off the clock. I swung my legs out of the bed, not having gotten much sleep after our travels and then strategizing over the map. We’d finished just about the time the delivery guy showed up with our pizza. Secretly, a part of me had been excited to watch their reaction. It never failed to renew my sense of wonder when I got the opportunity to share this world with others .
Their reaction did not disappoint. At first, while Arryn was taking his turn in the shower, Lennox had eyed the messy food, looking for plates and silverware to eat the meal with. When I explained that it was called a finger food and was meant to be eaten with your hands, his eyes had gone wide, mouth gaping at the thought of such poor manners. Unable to stop myself, I’d laughed loudly at him. Which only spurred him on. He’d snatched up a piece, the cheese stretching between the slices, the meat and sauce sliding across the dough. Looking at the pizza warily as if it might bite him, instead of the other way around, he’d closed his eyes to take the first mouthful.
Again, I laughed loudly when Lennox’s eyes snapped open, his body freezing at the taste of it. After he’d scarfed down the whole slice in a few bites, he looked at me in shock. “Why have we not heard of this delicacy in Avalon?”
“What delicacy?” Arryn asked, exiting the room in just pants and bare feet. He dried his short hair with a towel as he looked between us for an answer.
Before I could answer, Lennox spoke up. “This. What was it called again? Pizza?” Not bothering to wait, he continued. “It’s amazing. You must try it.”
Arryn approached the open box set on the table, then to the prince as if he’d lost his mind. “Are we sure it’s safe?”
“Of course. Baer wouldn’t allow me to consume something that wasn’t. Right?” Lennox turned to me for confirmation.
Smiling, I said, “It’s safe. I promise.”
“Then why do you look like you’re guilty of something?” Arryn questioned me as he still gazed at the messy goodness that awaited him. “It certainly looks unappealing, though it does smell like it’d be good.”
“Come on, just try it. Unless you’re too scared?” I challenged him, knowing exactly how he’d react. Not saying anything, he narrowed his eyes on me, fully aware of what I was doing, but now that it was out there, he couldn’t back down.
Slowly, he reached down to pick up a piece. “How exactly does one eat this?” He held it vertically, the toppings starting to slide from it.
Quickly, I grabbed a slice and held it in demonstration, taking my own bite. Pizza and coffee were two of my favorite things about the human world, and I missed them both dearly when I was back in Avalon. Arryn corrected his movements and took a bite. Lennox and I both laughed when his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
I smiled at the memory of that moment after we’d first arrived and at the fact that it was the first chance I’d ever had to form a camaraderie with others while on a mission. Usually, I was too different from the others, but with them, it had felt easy. They’d loved it so much that they’d demanded pizza again last night. Shaking my head, I returned my thoughts to our task for the day. The pressure was on after an entire day of fruitless searching. It felt like we weren’t any closer to achieving our goal than when we’d left Avalon.
On our way out of the motel, we stopped at the lobby for the complimentary breakfast and for me to get the wonderful nectar humans called coffee. The liquid was magic in and of itself, and I was thankful for it as we got back in the car, needing all the help I could get after our nap. We’d stayed up late last night debating on the next course of action, finally determining the best way forward. The only thing we had to show for our efforts so far was the narrowing down of a possible location of the Chosen. With time running down, I could feel the tension from both of my companions as they inevitably faced the possibility of failure.
I drove down the street, Lennox sitting in the passenger seat, bags under his eyes from the magic drain and minimal sleep, but I had to admit that he hadn't balked yet. He had a map spread out on his lap of the area we planned to cover today and the compass out in preparation to direct me.
Another level of complexity to the search I hadn't initially considered, but that Arryn had brought up yesterday was that as the Chosen moved through this city, going about her days as normal, we would find ourselves drawn to multiple locations, often finding ourselves running in circles. We had to hope that we would get lucky enough that she'd stay in one place long enough for us to find her.
Later in the day, after skipping lunch, we felt we had found the location. After driving around the block a couple of times to make sure, I pulled up to the curb outside of a rundown building, which had seen better days. People were coming and going in gym clothes with bags over their shoulders.
Now, the plan was to sit and watch the people leaving. Once the compass started moving, we'd know exactly who we were looking for. After about an hour, I grew antsy. “I'm going to go inside to see if I can find her. We may get lucky, and she'll stick out. If the compass moves while I'm inside, Arryn can come get me.”
“Sure. It couldn't hurt. I'm just ready for a full night's rest, and if this helps accomplish that, I'm good with it,” Lennox replied, his eyes bouncing from the door and to the compass, his shoulders tense in anticipation. I glanced back at Arryn, who had been lucky enough to draw the first nap, before getting out of the car. I slammed the door behind me, causing Arryn to jerk upright, and smirked at him through the window. If one of us was going to suffer, then we all could.
Laughing at myself and the glower that Arryn was sending me, I turned and crossed the street during a break in traffic. I grabbed the handle to the glass door of the building we were fairly certain held our Chosen. The name of the business stoked my curiosity; Kombat Martial Arts. Music met my ears when I opened the door. Of all the noise humans called music, rock was my favorite, often telling stories or reaching a different depth of emotion while motivating me the whole song.
I wasn't versed enough in my band or music knowledge to place the song, but it was a decent one to walk with me down the short hallway. The end of the hall opened up into a small lobby with a desk and office on one side, and chairs along another side were set to face a wall of windows. From there, you could view the participants as they trained. The final wall held several trophies, belts, banners, and posters advertising MMA fights.
Now, MMA was something humans created that absolutely spoke to a part of my soul. I would have loved to spend some time learning some new combat techniques. The other guards I usually trained with wouldn't know what had hit them. I snickered to myself at my own pun, easily amused. I believed humans called them dad jokes. Whatever that meant exactly, but I knew I enjoyed the few I had happened to hear in my travels.
I turned my eyes from the trophies to the glass wall, catching several groups of people training together on different techniques. Some were punching bags, some hitting pads, some sparring in a cage, and some wrestling on the mats. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Continuing to glance around the room as best I could, I tried to see if anyone stood out to me as the Chosen. No one caught my eye, no pointed ears or tall, willowy figures, no subtle glowing skin, which all of us fae tended to have in varying degrees.
Huffing out a breath, I started to get frustrated. How exactly were we supposed to know beyond a doubt that we had found the right person? We knew, well, we thought we knew anyway, that the Chosen was in this building. That could only be true if the compass was still working correctly. The magic could be draining like ours and causing it to malfunction. The odds were against us on this mission, that much was for sure .
The front door opened and let in a cacophony of laughter, giggles, and gossip, followed by a gaggle of young human girls of varying heights, ages, and personalities. They played among themselves as they made their way down the hall toward the lobby. I turned at the sound of the office door opening behind me, my fae hearing picking up on the noise easily. A young woman emerged from the room, her green hair multiple shades from deep green to almost black at the top to a soft mint pastel green at the bottom. The color complimented her tan skin and honey-colored eyes. She caught my eye as I continued to stand in the lobby, her gaze seeming to catch every detail with a quick glance before she turned to the girls who were starting to huddle up before her.
“Okay, girls, why don't you go to the locker rooms to change, and then I want Elise to run you through a quick warm-up. I'll join y'all as soon as I can. And remember, today is cardio, and then we'll finish up with technique.” She made sure to make eye contact with each of them before smiling. “What are y'all waiting for? Get going!” She clapped her hands, sending the girls off in a flurry to wherever the locker rooms were.
Once they had all cleared out, she turned back to me. “Welcome to Kombat Martial Arts. How can I help you?”
Her smile was contagious, and I found myself mirroring her. This might be my chance to look around further so I could see if I missed the Chosen somewhere. “I was interested in possibly joining the gym, but I was hoping to take a look around first to get an idea of what I would be in for,” I prompted her, while flashing my boyish, innocent grin that usually worked on all the ladies, both human and Fae alike.
She smirked back at me as if on to my innocent act. “Sure. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time since I have a class about to start, but I can show you around and answer a few quick questions. That okay with you? ”
“That sounds perfect.” At my confirmation, she pulled the office door shut behind her and waved a hand at me to follow. Walking beside her, I couldn’t help but notice how short she was, even by human standards. However, I found her pocket-sized stature adorable. My eyes glanced down at her, and I noticed that despite being so tiny, she was curvy with toned muscles that flexed under her tank top when she moved. If I only had more time, I would love to lick this tiny human from her toes to her neck. Maybe I would swing back by on my next trip.
I only half listened as she pointed out rooms and equipment on our tour. My eyes instead scanned over everyone present, searching for the Chosen. At one point, my tour guide tucked her hair behind one ear, and I found myself slightly disappointed at not finding a point. Even a slight one would have been something.
After being led all over the building, I was no closer to the Chosen than I had been before. My tour guide led me back to the lobby area, where she began her goodbyes. “So, that's the whole gym. We do offer two free classes, so you can try us out first. After that, we can discuss training fees and memberships. Do you have any questions?” She turned to look up at me.
“Just one.” I smirked at her, laying on the charm. “What's your name?”
“Oh, sorry. I thought I had mentioned that before.” Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember, but then she shrugged and laughed. “Call me Rhowyn. And yours?”
“I’m Baer.” I winked at her, and she laughed at me.
“Okay, Baer, well it was nice to meet you and I hope we see you around here again soon. If you think of any other questions, you can give us a call anytime.”
“Sounds great. I'll let you get back to your classes now.” I nodded at her like a lot of human males did in this territory and then left. As I pushed out the front door, I spotted a burger restaurant across the street and figured I would grab us all some dinner since it seemed we would be here for quite a while longer.