Branches of Life

For almost a minute, neither of us moved as we waited in tense anticipation. Starling remained on the ladder, gripping the side so tight, I was honestly surprised I didn't hear the wood crackling. The low voices became louder as they made their way closer and all the tension bleed out of my body in an instant. I'd recognize Harmony's singsong voice anywhere. It seemed we didn't need to split up in the first place.

"You two are so loud you could wake the dead," I called out barely raising my voice.

Ari's silvery laugh followed sounding closer. "How else would your unobservant ass know we were here?"

We found them a few dozen rows later flipping through a couple of books. "Let me guess, it's written in an ancient language you can't read," I drawled, my frustration bleeding into my tone.

"Yep." Ari snapped the book shut with one hand. "As were the books we passed."

'Did you find anything interesting?' Rowan brushed against my legs.

Starling and I took turns describing the extra rooms we found. And how they held at least one of our weaknesses. Harmony and Ari found a similar room, this one had been a greenhouse of sorts, with a glass ceiling and rows of empty planters.

'The light fixtures were made up of lead.' Rowan added on and I didn't bother asking how she knew.

Neither Ari nor Harmony had noticed this, having not been paying attention to those types of details. Honestly, if I hadn't burnt the shit out of my hand on the one in the workshop, I wouldn't have noticed either.

Rowan cocked her head to the side, listening to something even I couldn't hear. Familiar's senses were more sharply honed than ours, whatever she was hearing, I wouldn't be able to hear for another minute or so. 'The men just entered the library.'

And here I thought it was going to take them several hours to admit defeat. "Marco!"

"I should've known you all would wander off. I can't take my eyes off you for more than two seconds." Ander's tone held warm amusement, unlike what Wyatt's tone would've held if he had said the same words.

"You're getting slow old man. It took you a whole—" Ari pressed down on her crystal twice, checking the time. "This probably would've worked better if I knew what time we started," Ari muttered quietly, before raising her voice again. "It took you at least a half hour to find us."

"The more I learn about your group, the more I regret saving you from the vampires and demons."

"There he goes, flirting with us again," Harmony said, giggling at her own joke.

A few minutes later they joined us, the vases nowhere in sight. An aura of annoyance radiated from Koa as he stopped beside me, eyes intently on me. His face, however, showed none of his annoyance. Neither did his relaxed stance. "I think you're the one in need of a bell."

I gasped while Ari snorted, before leaning closer to whisper in my ear. "At least he didn't suggest tying you down or to him." Ari kept her voice barely above a breath, but it hadn't mattered, Koa heard and the corner of his lips lifted in response.

"Don't tempt me."

"Try and you'll lose some vital body parts." My tone was laced with a growl, both from me and my wolf. I could feel her anger at the thought of being in such a submissive position. To be honest, I wasn't a fan of being at someone else's mercy either. My fight-or-flight instincts threatened to make an appearance at the thought of being in such a position.

The copper in his eyes gave way to the gold as his dragon's presence grew. We continued staring each other down, both too stubborn to admit defeat. Probably not the best combination in a relationship.

An annoyingly bright light flared up between us, forcing me to shut my eyes and turn away. Thankfully, the light vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I forgot how annoying summoners can be once they get caught in a staring contest."

"Asshole." While I blinked away the dark spots, I kicked at where I thought Wyatt was standing but only kicked air.

"Were you able to get anything from the vases?" Harmony changed the subject once we started moving through the library again. This time we didn't stop at each shelf and instead wandered through the isles.

"A little, it's hard to translate when you only know half the symbols. I'll have a better chance translating them in the Blue Moon's library." Wyatt trailed his finger over the spines of the books as he passed. He paused his motion, stopping at one book in particular, staring at the spine for a few seconds before stuffing it in his bag. "You should rest while you can. We'll be staying here as long as the full moon's out."

"Do we have any idea how long the days and nights last here?" Ander asked as he led the way through the shelves, while Koa remained at the back of our group.

"Obviously there is some form of daytime in this region. Other than that, I don't know."

"What's our plan?" This time it was Koa asking the question.

Wyatt exhaled noisily, shooting us an exasperated look. "So impatient." That was his only response before heading down a different row of bookshelves, in a completely different direction than us.

Normally I'd be pissed at his lack of answer and would've followed him, all the while giving him a piece of my mind. But this time, I was just barely holding back my laughter, pressing my hand to my mouth. The baffled look on Koa's face was worth any inconvenience Wyatt was putting us through.

"There's a problem with the rest part of the plan, I've seen the beds in this place, and there is no fucking way I'm sleeping in them. Nor will I use any of the restrooms," Ari called out towards Wyatt's retreating figure.

"I'll take care of it, just give me twenty minutes," he said without breaking stride.

"Beds?" Ander questioned looking over his shoulder at us, raising his brows.

We each chipped in, giving him and Koa a rundown on what we saw. Neither of them interrupted or asked any questions as we spoke. A feat I was incapable of doing.

As we neared the end of our detailed explanation of the training room, the aisle between the shelves widened into an open area with green curtains lining the wall. When Ander opened them, he revealed a floor-to-ceiling stained glass window. Distorted shafts of moonlight landed on the light-colored wooden tables situated around the open space. Eight chairs made of a similar wood sat around each table. It was a special kind of torture to find chairs when all you wanted to do was sit down, but they were fucking filthy.

I could've kissed Ander when he cast and cleaned the chairs and table closest to the window. Low groans slipped free when I all but fell into one of the chairs, dropping my heavy bag on the floor. I hadn't realized how stiff my back and shoulders were until removing my bag and leaning back in my chair.

"So you couldn't read the vases, huh?" Ari shot Ander and Koa a sly smile.

Ander wiped his hand over his mouth, hiding a small smile. "No, I can't understand the deity's language, much less this variation of it." He reclined back in his chair, propping his feet on the table.

I smacked my palm on the table, louder than I intended to. "That's why it seemed so familiar."

The deities had their own languages for each race, but unlike ours, theirs could be spoken aloud. Only sorcerers’ and sorceresses' runes had corresponding words and sounds.

We weren't taught their languages, nor was there much documentation of it—which was why I hadn't even thought of it in the first place. I'd always thought it was odd that there weren't more books in their scripts. It was a big reason why I didn't believe in them. We had classes dedicated to the ruling classes of the deities, their customs, and ways, but none on actual important details. What good did knowing their customs do us, when even back then, Mythics hadn't been allowed to step foot in their realm?

Apparently, they lived in a realm next to ours, but only deities were able to access it. They hadn't wanted any of our kind to be able to visit them without permission. A dick move if you ask me. They allowed us to govern ourselves, but it was known their power superseded our rulers. Hell, even the non-ruling class was said to have more power.

Over fifteen thousand years ago, they were said to have disappeared. Even though we're nearly immortal and only able to die if we're killed, there were only a handful of Mythics alive today that were around when the deities were. I'd never met these Mythics and I didn't trust that they weren't just spewing a bunch of bullshit about the deities. My disbelief ran deep and short of seeing one of these deity fuckers in person, I'd deny this shit until I was blue in the face. Stubbornness was my special skill in life.

Anyways, throughout the following millennia, groups of Mythics put all of their time and energy into finding out what happened. Eventually, they somehow made it to their realm. Whatever they found there was enough confirmation that they were indeed gone. I was never taught what they found, whether or not it suggested they left of their own accord or if they were attacked. And I never cared enough to press for more information.

"What do you mean by variation?" Starling asked, resting her forearms on the table.

"It's their language, but at the same time, it's not. There are extra lines and loops added, as well as random symbols." Koa heaved out an exhausted exhale, rubbing his hands down his face.

"You can read deity script?" I asked, resting my chin on my hands.

At the same time, Starling asked, "Like a code?"

"Possibly." Ander's fingers began drumming on the table a contemplative look crossing his face. "It does make me believe this place wasn't created by a Mythic. I think this place was here long before the creatures ever existed. Maybe that's why the traitor chose this realm to begin with."

I groaned and dropped my forehead on my arms. "I hate mysteries. I don't even like them in books or movies."

Warm and strong hands began massaging my stiff shoulders. I didn't even need to check to know it was Koa. My body practically vibrated with an excited energy with him being close to me. His leg brushed my own as he scooted even closer. Languid heat flooded and seeped into my muscles, relaxing me as he kneaded out the knots in my shoulders.

I couldn't hold back my moan, and his hands stopped for a moment until I cracked an eye open. Glaring at him for even thinking of stopping. My eyes drifted shut again once he continued his massage. A warring mixture of desire and relaxation flooded my body. I didn't know what I craved more in this moment; for him to fuck me until I couldn't remember my own name or a long and relaxing nap. Subconsciously, I knew the nap was the better option and safer route.

Apparently my body for once agreed with my mind—despite the heat pooling low in my stomach and the slow throb building between my legs—because soon I began drifting to sleep, distantly aware of the arms cradling my body to a firm and hot chest. Carrying me somewhere as I was pulled into my dreams.