TWENTY
Layla’s fever stayed at bay, making the last two days of the trip far less miserable than the first three, but by the time Quin led her toward a small island thickly covered in jungle terrain, she was fed up with travelling and missing the sound of Benzio’s voice and the triplets’ coos.
Though night had fallen, the sky was cloudless, and a large moon illuminated the isle’s thick foliage while casting shadows on the surrounding cliffs. Layla couldn’t see any people, lights or man-made structures, let alone a city, but as they drew nearer, a square section of timber disappeared, creating a landing pad that would barely fit a helicopter.
Quin squeezed Layla’s hand as he dropped his concealment spells, and she followed his lead while touching down on patchy green grass. Looking around, she made sure their family was with them. Then she scanned the edge of the clearing and spotted a cave, its mouth growing brighter as two magicians with glowing palms emerged from its depths. One male, one female, they both carried clipboards, but they weren’t wearing uniforms or matching attire.
“Welcome,” the female offered. “I’m Sienna, and this is Isidro. We need to get your names. Then we’ll show you to the registration office.”
Drexel headed for Sienna, but Quin blocked him. “Us first. I’m not waiting around while you register your troops. We’re going to The Pinnacle. You can secure it, but don’t bother us until morning. Tomorrow, it starts. Tonight, we recuperate from our trip.”
Pleased with himself for getting Layla to the island, Drexel relented without so much as a scowl and even offered Quin his hand. “Sounds good.”
He and Bryce stepped back, and Quin motioned for his family to follow him. “You, too,” he added, pointing at Tristan and Emrys.
Their auras brightened as they joined Layla’s friends and family, who lined up to give Isidro and Sienna their names.
“Is the inn busy?” Quin asked.
Sienna eyed Drexel and Bryce, the only two Crusaders who’d landed. “There are enough rooms for those I can see, but if there are hundreds of soldiers with you, they’ll have to camp.”
Layla stepped forward and took the pen Sienna offered. Then she signed her name on the register before handing it to Quin. “Do you get cell phone reception here?”
Sienna and Isidro looked at her, and following a shameless scan of her lights, they once again glanced at Drexel, but they didn’t reveal what was on their minds.
“Yes,” Sienna answered. “You’ll have to take it to the D.O.C. office. They can connect you.”
“D.O.C.,” Layla repeated. “Department of Communications?”
“That’s right.”
Layla turned to Quin. “Do you know where that is?”
“Yeah,” he assured, taking her under his arm. “We’ll go once we get settled in.”
Everyone nearby had signed the registers, so the clipboards were returned to Isidro and Sienna, who compared the signatures and counted heads.
“Layla,” Sienna mumbled. Then her eyes widened. “Are you the Layla who disposed of Agro and invaded the Dark Guild?”
After months of hiding and dodging danger, Layla’s first instinct was to lie, but the days of protecting herself were over. She’d come to Maganthia to be an angel, so there was no point in hiding the battles she’d fought to get there.
“I am,” she confessed, standing tall behind her claim. “Is that a problem?”
Isidro beamed while tucking his clipboard under his arm and extending a hand. “No problem at all,” he insisted, pulling Layla’s knuckles into a kiss. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Yes,” Sienna agreed. “Your reputation precedes you. They sing songs of your heroic feats in the taverns.”
Layla couldn’t stop the heat from rising to her cheeks, and to keep from blurting something rude, she mind searched Quin. ‘Tell me they’re joking.’
‘I don’t think they are,’ he replied, barely containing his humor.
‘Oh god.’ Forcing a smile, Layla kept her spine as straight as possible while responding to the embarrassing praise. “It’s nice to meet you.” She considered adding she didn’t expect special treatment, but that would probably piss off Drexel, who’d brought her along for the sole purpose of obtaining favors. “I’m not sure how to feel about the songs,” she admitted, “but your welcome is nice. Thank you.”
“Let’s get you to the registration office,” Sienna offered, casting a magical light from her palm. Then she continued chattering as she led them into the cave. “How long have you been travelling?”
Layla memorized her surroundings as she followed. “Four days.”
“From North America?”
“Yes.”
The guide tossed her light a few feet into the air. Then she left it hovering ahead of the group as she flipped to a different page on her clipboard. “Have all of you been here before?”
“No,” Quin answered. “We have two first-timers.”
“Names?”
“Layla and Aradia.”
“Do you want to take the paperwork with you to The Pinnacle?”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
“Sure. We just need to get some basic information before handing it over. If you’ll answer a few questions now, you’ll save time at the office.”
“Go for it,” Quin approved.
She took a curve in the path while flipping to a questionnaire. “Reason for your visit?”
“Research.”
“How long do you intend to stay?”
“As long as it takes.”
“Have any of you been charged with a crime by the Maganthian council?”
Quin glanced at Tristan and Emrys, who shook their heads no. “What about you?” Quin pressed, eyeing Weylin, whose hardy laugh echoed off the cavern walls.
“Not yet.”
Quin rolled his eyes, but he wore a smile as he answered Sienna. “We’re good.”
“Are any of you seeking asylum?”
“No.”
“Are any of you under sixteen?”
“No.”
“Do any of you need immediate or inevitable medical treatment?”
“No.”
“Perfect. Once you’re in the office, we’ll have you fill out a residency form. Then you can take the rest of the paperwork with you. Do you know your way around beyond the office?”
“Yes.”
The dark tunnel finally opened up to a faint glow, which grew brighter as they approached two wooden torches framing the cavern mouth.
When the tunnel ended, the trees began, but a cobblestone trail stretched beneath their feet, winding around timber to preserve the natural canopy overhead. Lanterns lit the way, some suspended from branches, while others perched on wooden poles outside weathered, stone structures. Moss crept over everything stationary, from the trail to the tree trunks to the buildings, which were exposed to the island air by thin material wafting in the windows and doorways. Lights shown from every dwelling, and illuminated wooden signs pointed travelers in the right direction.
One of the structures closest to the cave housed the registration office, and Sienna pointed the way while handing Layla the forms from her clipboard. “Take these to the wizard inside. He’ll get you set up.”
Layla smiled and offered her empty hand. “Thank you, Sienna.”
The witch beamed while accepting the handshake. Then she waved at the others before skipping back to the cave. Once the guide was out of earshot, Brietta giggled, and Layla smirked while leading the way to the registration office.
Sienna told the truth about the process being quick, but nothing had prepared Layla for the massive stack of paperwork plopped on the table in front of Quin. She refrained from blurting her disbelief, but the moment they left the office, she motioned to Quin’s satchel and let loose.
“Are they serious about that paperwork? Forget the library. We’ll spend the entire trip registering.”
Quin laughed while pulling her under his arm. “It’s not as bad as it looks. Every first-time visitor gets a handbook.”
“Oh. Do I have to read it?”
“No. It’s a courtesy, but there are laws against particular spells in certain areas of the city, so don’t use magic without running it past me. Unless you’re defending yourself. In that case, use your judgment.”
They passed a healer’s office, an apothecary, and a tourism station with an old wizard sitting on the stoop puffing a pipe. “Need help booking your rooms?”
Quin politely refused. Then they climbed a wide staircase that looked as if it had been carved from stone thousands of years before. The entire island had an ancient feel to it, and though all the businesses were lit up and open, most of them appeared empty save for the shopkeepers. There were no customers milling around, and Layla hadn’t seen anything resembling a home.
When they reached the top of the stairs, the path widened into a courtyard, which had a fountain in its center and was surrounded by more stone structures. These businesses were larger, some with multiple levels and rooftop balconies, but trees and moss encroached on them just the same. The largest building stood on the opposite side of the square and had multiple terraces, as well as an outdoor seating area. Acoustic music and laughter echoed from the open windows and doors, and a large sign stretched over the entrance – The Pinnacle.
Quin led everyone across the courtyard while pointing out the Department of Communications. Then they filed into the inn, drawing the rapt attention of its patrons. Layla counted less than a dozen, including the barkeeper and waitress, the latter of whom rushed across the tavern to greet them.
“Sienna says we have a celebrity in our midst. You must be Layla. But of course you are. Look at those lights. Holy mother of mercy, they’re gorgeous. If only we could bottle that beauty, right?”
Without waiting for a response, she waved them toward a flight of stairs and showed them to the guestrooms. Layla’s status earned her the Pinnacle suite, but a glimpse at the regular rooms ensured her family wasn’t suffering. Every chamber had terrace access; at least one large, canopy bed piled with blankets and pillows; a stocked bar; and an oversized, claw foot tub surrounded by spa products from the apothecary they’d passed.
Banning had convinced Aradia to share a room with him instead of Skyla, but Quin didn’t want his little cousin staying alone, so he requested two connecting rooms and put Weylin next to her.
“Hey,” Quin called, grabbing Weylin’s collar before he could slip away. “I’m putting you there to keep her safe. Not to give you an opportunity to hit on her.”
Weylin narrowed his eyes while glancing at Layla, the only witness to the conversation, so she turned into her suite, out of sight, but not out of earshot.
“Do you really think that’s necessary?” Weylin hissed. “I’ve followed your rules. I’ve never laid an inappropriate hand on her, no matter how many signals I pick up, and I am picking them up, so maybe you should focus your lectures on her, because I’m tired of being a dick and pretending she’s invisible. You know she’s fucking Tristan, right?”
Quin waited a beat before quietly confessing. “Yeah.”
“Let me get this straight. A man who’s obsessed with your angel can do whatever he wants to your cousin, but if I even think about treating her like a beautiful woman, I’m the asshole?”
“It’s not like that, Wey. They’re using each other.”
“Clearly,” Weylin scoffed. “But she’s not just using him for sex. She’s rubbing my face in it, and I have to pretend I don’t notice or risk pissing you off.”
Silence hung in the hallway until Weylin’s footsteps punctured it. Then Quin quietly called after him. “Do you want her?”
The frustrated footfall halted, followed by Weylin’s bitter reply. “It doesn’t matter. She’s off limits.” Then he walked away without stopping.
Layla grabbed a nearby visitor’s pamphlet and pretended she’d been reading instead of eavesdropping, but when Quin entered with slouched shoulders and a depressed aura, she tossed aside the paper and moved to comfort him.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, hugging his waist.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “I think I screwed up.”
“I doubt it, and if you did, you’ll fix it. Maybe not tonight, or even tomorrow, but soon. No one makes things right like you.”
“Thank you. Your faith in me is heartening.”
Following a squeeze, he let go and waved a hand toward the tub, turning on the water. “Let’s get clean. Then we’ll go to the D.O.C. and call our family.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice, and she was in the tub, soaking her hair, before he could remove his satchel. “Will they be open this late?” she asked, lathering her dirty curls.
He answered while decorating the nightstand with her stickman bouquet and photos of her kids. “Yeah. They don’t close.”
He waited for her to condition and rinse her hair before climbing in with her. Then he maintained strict control over his urges while washing her back and vanishing the fuzz from her legs.
By the time he drained the tub, she was dressed, so she ventured onto the terrace while he vanished the scruff he’d neglected during their trip.
“Layla?” he called.
She leaned on the banister and watched a crowd of crusaders file into the square. “Yeah?”
“Just making sure you haven’t flown away.”
She quietly laughed while checking out the ocean view to the right. Then she swept aside the curtain on the left, finding Brietta and Kegan sitting on their terrace in bathrobes with a bottle of wine between them.
Layla waved at them before closing the curtain and returning to Quin. “The Crusaders are here.”
“Good.” He grabbed a large stack of cash and their cell phone. Then he led her into the hall and sealed their room with a wave of his hand.
He offered to buy her a drink as they walked through the tavern, politely returning smiles and waves, but she declined, anxious to reach the D.O.C.
The courtyard was busier now that Crusaders had flooded in, and Weylin had claimed one of the outdoor tables, already two drinks into a conversation with a stranger.
Layla headed for the D.O.C., but Quin steered her next door to the Department of Finance, where he traded several hundred dollars for Maganthian currency, which came in the form of disc-shaped gems framed by precious metals. The outer rings were inlaid with symbols, and the center of the stones were engraved with their worth, using a numeric system Layla had never seen.
She pointed at the bag of currency while walking to the communications office. “What makes you think we’ll need all that?”
“This is the least we’ll need.”
He opened a curtain to a cozy reception area. Then he motioned toward a fluffy sofa piled with throw pillows. “Go ahead and sit. I’ll join you as soon as we get a signal.”
She obeyed, but she stayed on edge as an employee gathered information then zoned out, somehow connecting to a signal and bringing it closer. Quin’s eyes lit up when the phone buzzed with incoming messages. Then he rushed across the room and sat beside Layla, sharing the photos pouring in.
They gushed over them for several minutes, scrolling back up multiple times in case they missed a detail, but since it was almost eleven in Oregon, they decided to save their phone call for morning so they could talk to Benzio. They sent a text letting their family know they were staying at The Pinnacle. Then they scheduled a time to call on the office phone.
By the time they turned off the cell, the wizard connecting them had paled and started shaking, but he came out of his trance with a smile. Pulling a glass bottle from a nearby cabinet, he drained its dark liquid. Then he chased it with water while registering the time and totaling the charge.
“Do you accept tips?” Quin asked. “We’ll need to connect to cell towers daily.”
“No tips, but stop in as much as you need. We have at least two people here at all times, so if I need a break, someone else can step in.”
“Perfect,” Quin approved, paying the bill. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” the man replied, smiling at Layla, who eagerly returned the gesture. He was one of only a few people who could connect her to current photos of her kids, so she’d be willing to kiss him if that were his price.
When she and Quin left through the flowy curtain, he halted between two royal palms and motioned toward a gift shop across the square. “Is there anything you want to do before we go to our room?”
“No.” She pulled him toward The Pinnacle. “I’m tired.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yes.”
The waitress who’d shown them their room was delivering another drink to Weylin, so Quin waited for her to finish before requesting a menu. She summoned one while pulling a notepad and pen from her apron, and while Quin ordered an array of appetizers, a nearby Crusader moved close enough to listen.
Quin and the waitress expectantly looked at the soldier, so he motioned to the order while explaining himself. “I’ll need to watch you prepare it.”
“Prepare what?” the waitress asked. “Their food?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To ensure it’s safe.”
Her mouth fell open as she pushed back her shoulders. “You think I’d poison them?”
Quin put a hand on the Crusader’s chest, urging him back as he stepped between him and the waitress. “I’m really sorry about this,” he offered, digging cash from his pocket. “It’s just a safety precaution and has nothing to do with you or your qualifications.” He handed over a hundred-dollar bill. “Hopefully that will help make the inconvenience of our stay bearable.”
She softened while eyeing the details of the hexless money. Then she tucked it away and smiled. “I can handle an audience. Come along then,” she ordered, motioning for the Crusader to follow her.
Quin sighed while leading Layla toward their room, and she waited until they were upstairs to question his distribution of funds. “Why did you tip her with cash instead of pirate booty?”
He laughed while opening their room. “Pirate booty. That’s cute.” He tossed the pouch of Maganthian currency onto a table. “We’re close to the D.O.F.’s exchange office, so everyone around here takes cash.”
Though the bath was in the same opulent room as the bed, there was a separate restroom enclosed by an actual door, so Layla used it while mulling over Quin’s answer. “Then why bother exchanging the cash at all?”
She emerged to find him pouring a glass of Scotch, which he held up. “Want one?”
“No. Water’s fine.”
He handed over a glass of water, and she took a long drink before plopping down on the soft mattress to stare at the sheer material wafting over the bedposts. “So why exchange the cash?”
“For the city.”
She bolted upright. “Wait… this isn’t Maganthia?”
He spun around, his mouth hanging open as he tugged on his hair. “I’m so sorry, love. I forgot I hadn’t told you. This isn’t Maganthia.”
“What? I had no idea. I’m walking around thinking we’ve made it.”
“We have,” he assured, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Kind of. This is Maganthia’s surface town. Some people call it The Landing, or The Pinnacle, because that’s the name of the inn, but its official name is Avasummus, which roughly translates to Ava’s Summit. Everyone who enters Maganthia has to come through here first. Once we complete the registration, we’ll enter the city.”
“How long will that take?”
“I’ll finish the paperwork in the morning. It takes about an hour or so to get to the city from here, so we’ll be there by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Is it on a different island?”
“No.”
“It’s on this one? It doesn’t seem big enough for that.”
“It’s not.” He drained his drink while searching her eyes. Then he lowered his glass and smiled. “You’re waiting for an explanation.”
“Umm… yeah.”
“Will you wait a little longer? I’d much rather show you than tell you.”
Her lips twitched as her chest lightened and her tummy fluttered. “Is it cool?”
He laughed while pulling the back of her hand into a kiss. “Some would say it’s the most amazing place on earth.”
“And we’re an hour away?”
“Yep.”
“Is it underground?”
He grinned and pulled her under his arm, making her squirm with tickling fingers. “Not exactly, and that’s all I’m going to say, because I look forward to surprising you.”
He stopped tickling, so she stilled and calmed her lungs. “I’m glad it’s not exactly underground. I like having access to the sun.”
“Maganthia has a little something for everyone.”
She bit her lip and met his stare. “I’m kind of excited now.”
He found her eyes, staring into them like he was counting stars. Then he kissed her head and let go, meeting the waitress and the looming Crusader at the curtained door.