* * *
I like the Transporter.
Even if he didn’t belong to the Flame and the girl didn’t adore him, I would like him. As he appears in the basement with us that is quickly being filled with smoke, he seems cool, calm, and confident, on the outside.
On the inside, he’s shitting himself.
It's a subconscious thing, something that any living creature would feel when they know they're in the presence of a predator, a pack of them really, and any wrong move will be their last. I'm sure that in his years of service to the Gifted, he’s had many opportunities to stare down monsters, but none quite like us.
“I will get you all out of here,” he says respectfully, dipping his head in the Crux’s direction as he glances over his shoulder at the Soothsayer.
The Corvus starts directing everyone to grab boxes, getting the last of the information together as we leave the building. The Cleaver compiles a small mountain, balancing the boxes precariously as he lifts them with ease. I tuck a single box under my arm, the only one they will allow me to hold. While they never doubt my abilities or my power, they’re still protective of me, as though some paper might strain me.
Thousands of lives together and still they love me so purely.
We appear back in the Sanctuary in the rooms that the Crux’s vessel claims as an office. The moment we set the boxes down, I place my hand back on the Transporter, smiling when he flinches.
Silly little Gifted.
“Take me back to where you first dropped us off. I have some words to share with the god-bond there.”
He nods without hesitation even as his eyes race over the other god-bonds, but none of them question me. They merely step back up to him and hold their hands out, waiting for his arm, ready to fight and face whatever may come in the hopes of building a life together.
The Transporter glances around at them, and the girl pushes me to reassure him from where she watches in the corner of my mind.
It seems petty and trite to do so, but I speak for her. “I will not let that god-bond kill or harm you in any way. I understand that you are important to our vessels, and no harm will come to you.”
He doesn't look very reassured at my words but he Transports us all the same.
I do like an obedient Gifted.
If we're going to set down roots in this world and live here permanently with each other, at least we'll have these types of Gifted around us.
With an inferno of flames consuming it, the house is quickly falling apart.
The Transporter brings us to a small park across the road from the house, a few feet away from the danger. There's already a crowd of humans huddled around the area, murmuring and whispering amongst themselves. Their thoughts and opinions on the matter mean nothing, they’re only here as a distraction, something to stop me from finding what we came here for.
My eyes settle on the god-bond.
Its vessel is a woman in her forties, a short, severe haircut and a slash of red lipstick across her lips. She’s attractive and well put together. She looks like a rich woman with no concerns over a house burning down.
Only we can see what lies within that empty shell.
The Crux speaks. “Go back to the Sanctuary, and wait for us there. The safest place for you is far away from here.”
This time, the Transporter hesitates, glancing between the Soothsayer and I. I feel irritated at the delay, but the girl whispers to me quietly.
“The vessels are safe. I won't let them die any more than I will let one of my Bonded die,” I say as I turn back to the god-bond. She’s waiting, watching, and preparing to speak with us across the road.
I don't wait around to see whether or not he needs any more encouragement, my eyes glued on the god-bond across the way. Even though it's watching us, it doesn't make a move to leave. I take it as a warning, a caution that it could know more about what’s going on here than we do.
“Take it slowly, my Eternal,” the Corvus says, but it’s the Cleaver who moves first, stalking towards the woman whose vessel looks so much like his own.
They share the same coloring, the same definition in their faces, the same strong jawline. We've never been born so close together before, not to the other gods, and not even to each other. We’ve always been spread out and forced to search for each other.
It’s not some twist of fate, though.
They designed it that way,the Crux whispers into my mind.They wanted to own us before we found each other. They wanted things to be different in this lifetime.
