Lawry watched the road. The sun was setting somewhere off to the south-west, and it was shining in her eyes. She flipped down her truck’s sun shade and glanced at Nadir before deciding she was too tired to continue. “Nadir, wake up,” Her voice was a croak, dry from not speaking, and she realized she hadn’t had any water since she started driving. In her condition, it might be a car accident that killed them.
But Nadir wasn’t stirring. He was usually a light sleeper, but both of them seemed exhausted, and August had barely moved during the drive. Lawry pulled to a stop at one point to check if she was breathing, which she only realized was silly afterward. Nadir would have woken up if August were in trouble. She sighed and began pulling to the side of the road, narrowly avoiding slipping down the small bank.
She let the engine stall and it rumbled quietly, reverberating throughout the car. Lawry flexed her fingers on the wheel, working out the cramping, and glanced at the cars driving past them. Then she looked between the two, examining their peaceful faces and suddenly wishing they could sleep longer. But the world wouldn’t wait for them, it never did.
She unbuckled herself with a loud click and leaned closer to Nadir, gently gripping his shoulder. “Nadir, wake up,” She repeated in a slightly hoarse whisper. She shook him and he muttered something in response, but it was too quiet for her to hear. She gave him another second to see if he’d wake up before shaking him again, roughly this time. His eyes fluttered and he slowly came to terms with existing.
Nadir blinked awake, squinting at the maroon light shining in his face. Lawry was blocking some of it by leaning over him, but it still filtered through the front window and into his face. He wasn’t being awoken in a panic so he assumed she was too tired to continue driving; she’d pushed herself quite hard if the sun was setting again, so he wanted to give her plenty of time to rest, and he tried to hurry himself up. Lawry moved away so he could sit up, but a spike of pain through his head forced him back down.
The jolt forced a gasp from his lungs and he began heaving, even while laying down. Lawry was looking at him, clearly worried, so he gave her a weak smile, looking at the gold in her eyes. They sparkled in the sunlight, and when she realized he was staring she looked away shyly.
Nadir began sitting up again, slowly this time, and was relieved when the pain didn’t return. He reached for the lever on his chair to bring the back forward so he could rest his head, and brought the seat itself forward so he wouldn’t be behind her. It made talking easier. She was staring out her side window, not meeting his look, and he wasn’t sure what that meant. “Do you need me to swap out?” He tried to ask it softly, but his voice came out coarse and scratchy. He winced at the sound and went silent, rubbing at his eyes so he could see better. His head was aching again, and he started to reach over into the backseat to grab his water bottle, which made the pain worse.
The moment he looked at August the striking pain in his skull came back stronger, shooting down through his neck and settling in his lungs. He did his best to breathe, but the sudden dizzying pain nearly made him fall out of his seat. If it weren’t for the seatbelt, he may have. Lawry was there in an instant, a hand on his back and another on his shoulder, helping to bring him up.
“I do,” Lawry answered, helping to right him. Nadir clenched his eyes shut, blocking out the light and focusing on breathing. Lawry’s hand massaged his back, slowly moving in circles, which seemed to help. “Are you alright? Can you describe the pain for me?” She muttered, trying not to be too loud. Her voice dripped with worry, and the picture-perfect visage of neutrality seemed to be gone. When he affirmed that he was okay, she let him be, and grabbed his water bottle for him.
“It’s a, uh… Spiking pain in my head and chest,” He began, trying to pace himself, “It kinda, settled? In my lungs. Like a tightness there, but also like a spike was driven through my skull. Does that make sense?” He asked, and she nodded, holding out the water bottle for him. “It got worse when I looked at August. Is it something with the connection?” He took a swig from the bottle, greedily drinking most of it. Lawry licked her lips at the sight, overly thirsty herself.
He stopped and handed it to her, and without hesitation, she drank the rest. Her slight smile lit up his heart. “It is, yes,” She wet her lips, “It is not bad. It is because of the excess of energy filtering between you. Er, that is to say, you two both slept well, so you generated lots of… , so your bodies are having a hard time dealing with the excess. You will feel it worse, since your body does not normally use mana. It is like a muscle.” He looked distraught, wondering if he’d ever sleep well again or if this was the usual now. “Over time, it will become easier.” She clarified, and he let the worry fall from his shoulders.
He nodded and leaned for his backpack again, avoiding looking at August. His stomach rumbled, and he was trying to check for snacks, but there was nothing. He didn’t want to snoop through the others bags, so he let it be, and gave Lawry a weak smile. He wanted her to stop frowning at him like a worried mother.
“I need a few to fully wake up, okay?” He asked softly, ruffling her hair. She scowled at first, but eventually rolled her eyes and started smiling. “I’m going to get some fresh air first, let myself wake up a bit more. Will the pain go away soon?” He unbuckled his own seatbelt, letting his back stretch before flipping down the sun shade on his side.
“Yes, that is alright,” Lawry stifled the affection in her voice, trying to bring it back down to a cold neutrality, “I will wake August. Your pain should dissipate in only a few minutes, but she can drive if you cannot. Additionally, it time for her lesson, and if I am to rest, it will be better if you two are both awake.” She had begun to clip her words again, and Nadir felt a little saddened to hear her softness disappear. He shrugged and threw open the truck door, letting himself out and onto the wet grass.
It must have rained, he realized. The green-blue grass shimmered with light in a beautiful picture of orange-yellow; each blade of grass with dew helped the sun spread its light, and the yellow looked like a blanket of fire. His mouth hung agape, impressed at the sudden visual. For being parked off the side of a highway, it was amazing, and he thought of all the time they’d spent running instead of just appreciating the world.
He turned back to the truck to comment on it to Lawry, but saw her leaned over the seats and attempting to bring August back to life. He grinned, knowing from experience just how difficult it was to wake the witch. Lawry would be there for a while, so he hopped up just to grab his phone before slipping back out and into the chill autumn air. There was a gentle wind, too, and he shivered when it slipped into his coat and up his shirt.
He unlocked his phone, glancing through the lists of notifications, bills and alerts. It was his entire life, spread out through a web of red notification symbols, and a life that was no longer his to live, sitting tantalizingly beyond reach. Nadir couldn’t know what the mimic had said to his loved ones, so he had never ended up responding. Lawry did her part, she checked if anyone had reported him missing, but nobody had. Whatever the mimic had said, at least he hadn’t seriously worried anyone.
He swiftly moved on in an attempt to distract himself, pulling up his maps app and glancing around the nearby locations. They’d left the town in Arkansas, which he now saw was named Elkins before they headed northwest. August had navigated previously and he never thought to ask where they were going. Now they were on a road that was nearly a straight shot into Tulsa, though it did split off at a few points. He thought about how he and August chose to stick to small towns, but Tulsa was the most logical step westward, so he didn’t feel too bad about diverting from that plan. He didn’t know where their end goal was, anyway, so he couldn’t plan out a different route.
Nadir shivered and decided he felt more than awake. The fresh air and cool autumn wind had done wonders for his state, and though he still felt gross—he desperately missed showering—it was time to get going. He ran a hand through his messy curls in an attempt to detangle them, but it may have only made it worse.
He turned back to the truck and hoisted himself up, met with the sound of Lawry and August quietly fussing over something. He couldn’t hear what, so he chose to just interrupt Lawry, who was still in the driver seat; though she was leaned so far into the backseat he thought she might fall. “I can get us going,” He interrupted, and Lawry looked at him and gave him a nod, shuffling closer to him so she could sit in the passenger seat.
Nadir stepped down and closed the door, moving around the front toward the driver’s seat. He caught a whiff of exhaust and choked on his own breath, nose wrinkled from the awful smell. August had told him before that she liked the smell, and he had no idea how she could even stand that awful scent. He coughed in an attempt to clear his lungs before opening the driver’s seat door and climbing in.
He began the ritual of adjusting the seats and mirrors to better suit him instead of Lawry. Given her lanky build, the seat was always too far back for him to properly reach the pedals. This had become normal, though, given how often they all had to switch out. He glanced at the rearview mirror, trying to adjust it, but August’s head was blocking his view anyway.
“What, so every division relies on the Ninth?” August questioned, staring at her hands. Nadir smiled, noticing how much better she looked after some sleep. Her eyes were brighter and looked more there, and the color of her skin seemed to be rejuvenated. August didn’t feel much better, though. The buzz under her skin was extremely uncomfortable, like a nest of pins and needles across her body.
“Well, only on ” Lawry explained, sliding the passenger seat as far back as possible so she and August could better discuss face-to-face. There was a heavy tome on Lawry’s lap, and she flipped it open to show August a diagram. It vaguely resembled the chart of divisions, which Nadir recognized first from the magical pattern in August’s eyes when she cast magic, but also from Lawry’s early magic lessons. He paid attention to them just as much as August, even if he wasn’t always present.
“What that means is, the Ninth Elder—the Nine of Clicks—is a font, much like how Nadir is yours, though his role is much more complicated. The Ninth Elder essentially drip feeds energy into the world, which is what allows the usage of external manipulative magics. He feeds latent energy into the world, essentially.” Her rant was quickly going beyond anything Nadir had learned, and so he too was listening, but they couldn’t afford to just sit there.
He interrupted. “Hey, uh, really quick Lawry? Not to interrupt you,” Which he was, “I’m going to get us going, alright? Is the plan to just head to Tulsa?” He asked, making sure his mirrors were right again before pulling up the map on his phone. He needed it to navigate, and if they were heading to Tulsa, it’d still be a few hours.
Lawry looked caught off guard, bringing her attention to him instead of her book. “Oh, uh, no. We are heading to Chouteau, it is a bit closer,” She explained, “I have passed through there a few times. It will be a good place to stop and get some food. There is a diner or two, and you both need to eat for the connection to continue growing well. It is necessary.” She leaned forward and typed the name into his phone, clicking the fastest route. Nadir shrugged and disabled the voice directions before pulling back onto the road.
Lawry waited a moment to see if he needed anything else before going back to her lesson. Nadir found it cute, that August and Lawry could be so frustrated with each other one day but nice and friendly the next. Maybe it wouldn’t last, but maybe all they really needed was rest. “Where was I?” She stated, and August chimed in with something about the divisions and magic. Lawry nodded in thanks. “Yes, right. So, that allows external manipulation. This is what allows an unordained ritual to create its effect: you are telling the latent energy that fills the world what to do, and how specific that gets is dependent on your instructions. This is, on a technical level, different than living creatures, which create our own magic much like we do physical energy.” August nodded so that Lawry could tell she was following.
Lawry was running out of breath. She forgot to breathe when excited. “Essentially, it makes very little practical difference to you, a spellcaster, who can manipulate both. You simply do whichever is easiest. But, those who do not have access to their own magic—such as Nadir—could only ever use external magics.” She sucked in air, letting her breath regulate until it was calm again. Nadir found her excitement to teach August cute.
“Well… Wait, why do you not include yourself as being able to use internal magic? Aren’t you also a spellcaster? A, uh, spellblade, right?” August asked, trying to remember what Lawry had said. She’d only ever mentioned it rarely, but Lawry talked about using magic all the time, and her knowledge was evident.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” Lawry snapped before going quiet for a while. She just looked at the book on her lap, not meeting August’s eyes. She didn’t want to explain this to them, not yet, so she chose to leave out some detail. “To say I am a spellcaster would be… Accurate, yes, but quite a few years ago, I made a severe mistake and can no longer cast magic. It is a detriment to my well-being. Does that satisfy you?” She asked rhetorically, glancing at August and hoping that was clear. And it was, August and Nadir could tell she didn’t want to explain more, but August chose to pry anyway.
“Not really? What happened? Did it have something to do with you being a spellblade? Er, or, we know you had a connection too, right? You have the same grey in your hair. Was it that?” August peppered her, then suddenly looked a little scared. “Is that what happens when we use the connection improperly?”
The truck went silent. Lawry wasn’t saying anything, and Nadir winced when August chose to open her mouth again. “I mean, it’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it,” She started, and though Nadir was surprised she was being gentle, that didn’t mean it was a good thing to say. He glanced at Lawry, who looked furious and was opening her mouth to speak, but when she met Nadir’s look it softened. She took a second longer to compose herself.
“You are right, I do want to talk about this.” She closed the heavy tome and dropped it into August’s lap, who yelped in surprise, before Lawry brought the seat forward and began staring out the front window. Nadir felt a little lost and he wasn’t sure how to help the situation. “You may keep reading that, but I am not going to answer your questions. I must rest, too.” She turned to look at August, “I am not mad at you,” Her voice turned softer when she looked at Nadir, “Or you, Nadir. I know you’re just as curious.”
She wasn’t done. “I know you two have placed immense trust in me, despite how secretive I have been about many things. I know that getting me to tell you more was like pulling nails,” Nadir snorted, thinking back on how they had to gang up on Lawry just for her to explain what a witch was, “But I promise I will explain eventually. We need the mimic dead first, I want you two safe before anything else.”
“Okay, Lawry. If that’s what you need, but you promise you’ll answer someday?” Nadir chose to speak first, deciding he’d handle it better than August. Lawry gave him an appreciate grin, and her eyes glistened with tears at how much he implicitly trusted her. The overwhelming urge to hug him went through her like a lightning bolt, but she couldn’t afford the affection. She only nodded. He accepted that was that. “Get some rest, please.”
She did as asked and leaned back in her seat, letting her head loll to the side so neither August nor Nadir could see her face.
August spoke after a few minutes. She’d thumbed through the book for a bit, but the sudden end to the lesson before it began had hampered her want to learn. She’d chose instead to search through her bag for something to eat, but when she found nothing, it prompted her to ask Nadir. “Do we have any snacks? I’m really hungry,” But when Nadir simply explained he had checked before she was up, she grumbled and watched the window.
The sun had nearly set. They had maybe a half hour of light remaining, so he knew the view would bore August soon. She’d only be able to see out the front window, due to his headlights, but that wasn’t a particularly entertaining view. “Do you want me to put anything on for you?” He asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
August shrugged. “No, I’m okay. I think I’d like to just be alone for a bit. Er, as alone as I can get,” She mumbled, and Nadir was struggling to hear her over the sound of the truck on pavement. He shrugged in turn, understanding that if she didn’t want to talk, she didn’t want to talk. He focused on driving instead.
Lawry didn’t sleep much. It was a short ride to Chouteau, and her mind was too busy thinking of a million different things. Some were happy memories, a good reminder of the reason she was doing all this. Others were worse, things she could never unsee even when her eyes closed. She tried to distract herself by planning their route, and she had settled on New Mexico.
She knew they were making good progress on stopping the mimic now that they had the book. A few solid hours with August and they should be able to tear the curse from its pages, but she also knew they couldn’t last much longer on the road. Their exhaustion had begun to reach new levels, and no matter how fast they drive, the mimic would always find them. They would have to make a final stand at some point, likely soon. It was another good reason to head to New Mexico. Her mind was made up.
Lawry decided she’d tell them their new location after they got some food, so she let herself keep pretending to sleep. Her nerves were too built up to get any, but she was glad to sit in silence. August hadn’t spoke a word recently, and Nadir seemed content to keep driving. Giving him a singular, accomplishable goal always helped.
After another half hour, Nadir pulled off the highway and drove for a bit longer. The sun had set now, and Lawry found the darkness a welcome reprieve from the warm sun. It was like a blanket of silence over the world, and it always helped her feel more alive, despite the solemn quietude of everything else. The truck slowed down and eventually came to a stop with Nadir quieting the rumbling engine.
Lawry decided that was enough relaxation and began to sit up, unbuckling her seatbelt. She heard two more clicks from August and Nadir, and Nadir looked at Lawry to give his ever-present warm, comforting smile. She melted at the sight, and stored it away in her memory with all of August and Nadir’s smiles. She was originally trying not to grow too attached to them, but despite the bickering, she couldn’t help herself.
“Did you have a nice nap?” August asked, leaning forward. Nadir glanced at the two, waiting to see if it was going to be an issue, but when Lawry smiled at her voice, Nadir opened the door and slipped out. Their fights could get heated, but they never lasted.
“I did, August, thank you,” Lawry answered, helping August out from the back seat. She seemed anxious to get out, and Lawry didn’t want to delay that need. She understood feeling cooped up and needing to get out, it was the only reason she still travelled by truck the majority of the time. She didn’t want the world to pass her by, she needed to see it all and be there for it.
Lawry slipped out of the truck, looking around. They had arrived in Chouteau, and Lawry looked to the diner in front of them. It was painted red on the outside, with big windows near the front and bright lighting. She had passed through the town quite a few times, and during one trip she encountered a hunter harassing the owner, which she had cleared up. Because of that, she trusted the owner. They could likely eat here without any issues.
Nadir was leaning on the front of the truck while waiting for the other two, and Lawry decided to join him. She didn’t want to head inside right away, she hadn’t been out of the car in nearly nine hours. August bounced up in front of them and began stretching, trying to work the stiffness out of her body.
The diner glowed a bright yellow. “You said you’ve been here before?” Nadir asked, inspecting the diner. It wasn’t large, maybe enough to seat twenty people maximum, but it looked spotless. Nadir thought the style a little cliche, it was the picture of the American diner, but if the food was good there wasn’t anything to complain about.
“I have, yes. A few times. I do not live far away, so if I were heading south it was a logical stop for me and,” She caught herself, choking a little, “And whoever I was travelling with at the time.” She tried to recall the name of the owner before they headed inside. “Are you two alright to go on?” She asked, and when they returned nods, Nadir shrugged and pushed his way into the diner.
A girl behind the counter beamed at their entrance and suggested they seat themselves, though they waived Lawry over. The girl looked to be doing much better, though the last time Lawry had been here the hunter was attacking them simply because they were a faun, which would hamper anyone’s mood. Lawry walked up the counter, shrugging at the other two and suggesting they find a place to sit.
She watched them discuss where to sit and they eventually decided on a table in the corner of the diner because it had a clear view of the front entrance and windows. They were learning, but she wasn’t there to praise them now. She turned her attention to the bar owner. “Natalia, it has been a bit. Has the diner been doing well?” She asked, leaning forward on the vinyl countertop to better match the faun’s height. Lawry knew what she was—a faun, or satyr—but there were no identifying features anymore. She assumed the bar owner had found an improved disguise.
“Oh, why yes, I’ve been ever so successful! If it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t have this place at all. Are you here to cash in that favor, Madeline?” The faun bounced up and down, swaying to the beat of the gentle pop reverberating throughout the diner. Lawry cursed herself, remembering she’d given the faun a false name. That could be hard to explain if questioned, but she filed that way as a problem only if it happened. Instead, she considered what the faun might be able to do for her: they could sometimes remove decay from objects, but the book wasn’t decaying, it was cursed. And her other cursed object was in perfect condition.
“No, I am only here with my associates to stave off our hunger. Could you,” She glanced at the pair, who were talking between themselves. They pretended not to pay attention, but they both caught Lawry’s eye when she turned to look at them. “Well, I suppose, could you get us one platter of pancakes and bacon, a chicken wrap and a basket of fries?” She put her order in, and Natalia got to work. Lawry asked if she could grab some coffee, and Natalia handed her a pot from the coffee machine.
Lawry grabbed a paper cup and poured herself the bitter, black coffee. She thought the smell was divine, but she still put a lid on it before walking over and sliding into the booth with August and Nadir. She caught a few words of their conversation, but didn’t mind interrupting, looking first at August. “I got you pancakes and bacon,” Lawry learned her tastes a while ago, and while she could never stand something so heavy, August needed the food. Then, she turned to Nadir, “And I got you a chicken wrap. Basket of fries for the table, too.” She readjusted in her seat, messing with the revolver in her waistband until it was comfortable again.
“Thanks,” They both answered before going back to their discussion. August sounded exasperated, “Honestly, Nadir, if you think is the hardest Low Tier monster, then I don’t even know what to say. It was so easy! You just use ice and it practically ,” She argued, and despite August’s tongue, both she and Nadir were grinning.
“It is, though! It statistically is,” He retorted, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Look, think about it this way, okay? For certain weapons, , ice damage is available really early. But the heavy ones, which like it or not, make up the of the weapons, cannot easily proc the status effect. Just because you’re a twin-blade main,” He looked smug, “Does not mean everyone is.”
August stuck her tongue out. Lawry cocked an eyebrow in amusement, glancing between the two whenever they spoke. “Nadir, just because you’re a war horn main doesn’t mean is. It’s your fault that you chose, like, the worst weapon in the game.” August retorted in turn, matching his smug tone. Nadir scoffed, shaking his head over-dramatically to convey his frustration, though it was clear he wasn’t serious. The two started giggling and Lawry interjected, confused.
“What you two discussing?” She brought the coffee to her lips. It was bitter, low quality and burnt, and everything Lawry wanted. Nadir and August looked at each other before answering, and their smiles turned to wolfish grins. Lawry filed away, too, not aiming to ever forget them.
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“Beast Slayer,” They answered at the same time, though August was the one to continue, “You’ve never heard of , Lawry? It’s like, the current big hit. Beast Slayer Civilizations released,” At this point, Lawry had heard enough, “And you haven’t heard of it? Wooow. You’re so old, Lawry,” She broke down into a furious set of laughs. Lawry watched her, and August shied away when the laughs only broke due to a hiccup.
“I have heard of ,” Lawry began, though a smile begun creeping onto her face, “And, additionally, I could not be more than a few years older than you. Simply because you are but compared to me, does not mean I am ,” She argued back, trying to match their tone. It had been a long time since she’d ever joked with people like this, and she struggled to make it clear she wasn’t upset.
Nadir examined her for a moment. “How old you, then?” He had previously guessed she was a few years older, like she said, but they’d never been able to get a proper answer from her. Lawry had a peculiar way of acting, too, which made it difficult for him to nail down her age bracket. It was a curiosity he’d had before, and now was a perfect time to ask again.
Lawry bristled, fluffing up like a cat. She looked him in the eye before taking a sip of coffee. She made the motion exaggerated and long, trying to appeal to the mood at the table, before setting down the cup ever-so gently. She answered in a quiet, polite tone, “I am thirty-three.” Nadir snorted, and August gawked. “Not that it is either of your .”
Nadir’s smile faded, and Lawry felt a bit uncomfortable at his worried look. The mood at the table quickly shifted and August softly took Lawry’s hand, examining the heavy weathering on it.
Lawry felt deeply disturbed. She didn’t want them to start worrying over something nobody could fix, because it would only drain their energy and worsen their respective states. She snapped her hand away and opened her mouth to speak, silently wishing on the inside that the world would save her from this conversation.
And the world answered. The bar owner strided up to them and her shoes clicked noisily on the tile floor. “Well huns, I hope this is enough food for the three of you,” She set down their plates on the table. There was no point passing them around to the intended recipients because the table was small enough for each person to easily reach over and grab them. Nadir took his chicken wrap and August her plate of pancakes, along with a handful of fries. “If you need anything else, I’ll just be behind the counter, though we do close in an hour.” She glanced at Lawry, giving her a wide smile, “Though if you need to stay longer, that’s okay, too.”
Lawry nodded in thanks, both for the gesture and saving her from her friends. The bar owner walked away, leaving them in privacy to instead clean up the cookstations. It seemed to be a quiet night, and it made sense a small-town diner would close earlier than the gas stations they had all become too used to. She grabbed a fry from the basket, but when Lawry went for a piece of bacon August’s plate, the witch slapped her hand away.
“If you wanted bacon, you should have bacon, Ms. Steal Your Food,” August hissed, shoving bite of pancake after bite of pancake into her mouth. She stuffed her mouth like a chipmunk, and though August assumed she didn’t look the prettiest, it didn’t matter. She was too hungry. Lawry, too, munched on her fry: it was hot and delicate, crispy on the outside but so tender it was almost cheesy in the center. Nadir cocked an eyebrow, glancing between the two.
“Do you want some of my wrap, Lawry? I’m sure between the fries, it’d be more than enough for the both of us,” He asked, looking around the small table for a knife to cut the wrap in two. There were only plastic utensils, and he would probably spend longer trying to saw through with a plastic knife than eating if she said yes.
“No, no, I am not hungry,” Lawry answered, though she quickly reached her hand toward the bacon and snatched one up before August could react. She mumbled in protest but decided to let the fight go, too absorbed in her meal to care all that much. Lawry broke the bacon in half with her thumbs and shoved the two smaller pieces into her mouth, eating them in one bite. She gave August a smug look, and she glared in return.
Nadir shrugged. He decided to save half anyway. “Fine, but don’t complain when there’s none for you, food thief,” He rolled his eyes and dug into his wrap: the lettuce was crispy, and the chicken juicy and tender. The portions of sauce and cheese were just right, too—and the home addition of fries inside made the entire experience excellent. He took a second to chew.
“Where are we going after this, by the way? You said you lived nearby, right? Are we going there?” He asked, taking another bite, but some chicken and cheese fell out of the tortilla onto his chin. He put the wrap down and pulled away in surprise, doing his best to clean off his face. Lawry stifled her own laugh.
“I chose Chouteau because it avoided Tulsa. Would you prefer I wait until you learn how to eat to continue?” Lawry asked, biting at another fry. He rolled his eyes, muttered no, and she continued. “Then, we are going to New Mexico. I know the area, and there is something there that I believe can help us.” She explained, though it wasn’t nearly detailed enough for the other two. Lawry glanced away and suddenly found herself staring at the diner window, though she couldn’t seen anything.
“?” August stammered, “That’s another eight-hour drive! You barely slept, Lawry. We haven’t had real rest since before Boston. When does it ?” She wasn’t angry, August hadn’t become suddenly louder or snippy, she only sounded done with the situation. “I mean, Lawry, we learn the supe- is real,” She still wasn’t done, “I know that Nadir has handled it well. I’m doing okay, but we also haven’t had time to stop,” And now, quieter, “When does it end? When do we just get to ? I don’t want to get any more used to this than I already am.”
Lawry choked on a fry. What August just said was so similar to something she’d herself asked when she first learned about the supernatural that it scared her. But Lawry did get more used to this than she ever wanted. She took a moment to compose herself, swallowing the fry, “It ends when it ends. I cannot say when that will be, but we have the book, and that is a start. I am hoping we can make our final stand in New Mexico. I cannot, as of now, say specifically how to end this, but I am doing my best to find out.” She did her best to keep herself composed, to convey that she was trying her best to protect them. She wanted them to be okay, to understand it didn’t last forever, but she couldn’t promise that.
Nadir tried to mediate, always the caring one. “I can drive while you two work on the book then,” He nodded, “That way, we’re making progress in two ways. Everything’ll be okay.” The words were directed toward the other two, but he was also saying them for himself. He felt the most useless of anyone there, with no magic or way to help the group. And he was what caused it in the first place.
August winced when he spoke, an odd feeling in their connection pulling her toward him. She looked at his gentle, smiling face, and saw past the facade and to his own hurt. She wanted to move closer to him, and her connection only made it worse. “Are you going to be okay to drive more, Nadir? I mean, I know it was only like… an hour here, but you’re tired, too.” Her voice was laced with worry, and she began to slide toward him in the booth, but something stopped her.
Lawry had grabbed August’s hand gently. Then she took Nadir’s, bringing his attention to her, too, and each gave Lawry a confused look. She looked sad, and the expression accentuated the heavy wrinkles around her eyes along with the dead look behind them. But then they weren’t looking at their friend anymore, not the friend they knew. The gold in her grey eyes began to shine like rays of sunlight between storm clouds, and the air began to hum with a suffocating buzz.
Then, Lawry spoke, and her voice wasn’t the clipped sing-song tone she usually adopted. Her very voice was the wind, gentle like a loving mother’s arm around their baby, but also strong enough to tear limbs from trees and destroy homes in tornadoes. “You will be okay.” Her voice was ethereal, so raw and beautiful that Nadir felt a tear slide down his cheek. “I will do anything within my power to allow you two a life. One you may choose.” She whispered, her hair whipping into a gentle wind. When she let go of them, the light in her eyes faded, and Lawry returned to normal.
She coughed, swallowing the metallic tasting blood that had pooled in her mouth. “What… What was that?” Nadir muttered, staring at her. He couldn’t help but have the sight engrained in his mind; she had been beautiful, and he suddenly understood what people meant when they said someone looked angelic. His hand felt hot where she had touched, and he pulled his gaze away to examine his hand. Inbetween his thumb and pointer finger, about the size of a quarter, was a tattoo.
August did the same, struggling to look away from the woman too. She wondered if that’s what it felt like when she cast magic. The tattoo was on all three of their hands, a silver sword wrapped in rope and backed by a gold sun. Lawry looked between them, unsure how to explain. “It was magic. A pact, or more accurately a promise, that I gave you two. If I am to break it, the rope will disappear, and you will be permitted to enact reckoning upon me in whatever way you see fit,” Lawry saw their looks of horror, “I do not believe you will hurt me. Or that I will break that promise. It is symbolic, if anything.” She explained hurriedly.
“And you did that… In front of a normal person?” Nadir asked, glancing at the owner, who looked back at him with a cheery smile. “What do we do about her?” He hissed. They hadn’t ever dealt with something like this before, Lawry realized, and she found herself giggling. It didn’t matter because Natalia wasn’t human, which they had obviously never known. At this point, Lawry broke down laughing, but Nadir and August only looked horrified.
“Yes, ,” She tried to compose herself, but the giggling still crept through, “That would be important if they were human. Which they are not.” Lawry responded simply, stifling the giggling by washing her mouth out with coffee. She didn’t like the metallic taste of blood but the question had distracted her too much. August and Nadir baulked, looking between Lawry and the owner, who happily waived.
“What do you she’s ?” August asked incredulously, still feverishly glancing between Lawry and the owner. Nadir shrugged, mumbling something about how it was to be expected that not everyone they talked to was human, but August had more questions. “What she, then? Ma’am, what are you?” She shouted across the diner, earning a loud laugh from the owner. Lawry broke into giggles again.
“That is an rude question in the supernatural world, by the way. It does not matter what she is, just like how it should not matter if are a spellcaster or human. It does not make a difference right now, so to ask is supremely rude.” Lawry was trying to scold her, but between the giggles, she thought it wasn’t very effective. August shrunk away despite that, suddenly reminded she herself wasn’t human, and the embarrassment forced a deep pink blush to dress her cheeks.
“Well! I’m full,” Nadir quickly changed the topic, not sure how to continue it in the first place. He still had half his wrap remaining, so he went up to the counter and asked for a box. August had cleaned her plate off, and although there were a few fries left, Lawry didn’t feel like eating them. She decided instead to go up to the counter with Nadir, while August waited patiently.
Lawry rifled through her pockets for any loose cash. She found a twenty-dollar bill, crumpled and forgot in her back pocket. She passed it over to the bar owner, “Here you are, Natalia. Is this enough for our food?” She asked, and Natalia didn’t seem too concerned, just taking the bill with a shrug and explaining the meal was only eighteen dollars. “Alright. Keep the change, then. I know it is not much, but we have been travelling for a while and I do not have much to spare.” The faun nodded in understanding.
“Natalia,” Nadir started after discovering her name, “Do you mind if we stay until closing? My friends and I have need to talk about some… stuff, and given you know, I figure it would be nice to take the chance to discuss it here instead of in a car. Is that alright?” He asked, looking to Lawry for permission too. She didn’t have any reason to say no. They hadn’t been here for long, she trusted Natalia, and he was right. It’d be good for all of them to get out of the car for a bit longer.
Natalia giggled. “The ? How urban. Yes, of course you can stay! You should know, though, that must of us don’t say the . We’re just Housefolk.” She explained simply, handing him a box for his wrap. Lawry poured herself more coffee, shrugging when Nadir looked to her for explanation.
“The ?” Nadir was incredulous. Lawry had always called it the supernatural, and to learn there was a more proper term made him feel like she was dumbing it down. Lawry finally chose to say something, interjecting before Natalia herself could explain. “It is complicated. There is a lot of history, from god knows how long ago, but it is this big myth that all supernatural creatures come from some great big house that the Elders live in.” She started her half-lie, twisting the words to make it seem as implausible as she could.
The less he knew of the supernatural world, the better he could go back to living a normal life, if he chose. “Which is nonsense! If that were true, then I would remember this , because I myself am a magical creature. But, it is a popular theory and a far more popular term. Saying ,” She paused, thinking of how best to word this so it didn’t sound rude, “Could be considered… Insulting. Or mark you as, hmm, uneducated.”
Nadir sighed and took his box back to the table, ready to inform August of what he had just learned. It only took her a moment to join him in his exasperation, throwing her arms up and glaring at Lawry. “You don’t believe in the house, Madeline?” Natalia asked, looking at Lawry quizzically. Most magical creatures did, and it wasn’t that Lawry . She wanted less to know of it.
She bit her tongue, struggling to get the words out. She had no issues lying to Natalia, but it had felt wrong with Nadir nearby. “No, I do not believe in the House. It is nonsense. Myth, like religious heaven and hell,” She answered, surprising her at how smoothly she told the lie. She’d forgotten during her time with August and Nadir that lying was her forte. Natalia shrugged and said something about that being her choice before sending Lawry back to her booth.
After a small spat with August about Lawry being patronizing and not using real terms with them, and Lawry’s sincere apology afterward, the mood quickly shifted back to being lighthearted. The trio talked about anything that came up, and the time passed quickly. A few cars had driven by in the thirty minutes they spent, and the streetlights flickered occasionally, but nothing notable happened.
Natalia hummed away behind the counter all the while. There hadn’t been any other customers, so a certain peaceful calmness descended over the diner, like the entire place was inside a bubble, separate from the outside world. The trio thought it felt safe, as if a beacon in the darkness, and they felt truly relaxed. It was a rare blessing.
“What do you I can’t re-up on the subscription? I still have my card, unlike you. I never ditched it!” August grumbled, even if she was beaming with energy. Food and relaxation had done wonders for them all. Lawry quirked an eyebrow in August’s direction and looked back to Nadir, interested to hear how he’d take that.
“You ditch your card?” He practically jumped out of his heat, “You haven’t been using it, have you? That could be how the mimic is tracking us! We don’t even know how they are! Why’d you keep it? I told you to toss it out!” He was grabbing at August’s jacket playfully, causing Lawry to giggle. August warmed at Lawry’s laughs, beating away Nadir’s hands no matter how hard he tried.
“I didn’t it, I’m just saying that if it’s a digital purchase, why can’t I? I want to watch the new episodes! It’s been three months, they’ve aired new episodes! It’d give me something to do on the drive to New Mexico!” She complained, pushing him away even though she was falling over in the booth. August was smiling, really smiling, and it made Nadir so happy to see.
“That’s not fair! You just , okay? I didn’t get to keep mine!” He whined like a lonely dog, but gave up on trying to get her wallet. While on the outside he was acting annoyed, he was happy beyond anything to see August and Lawry smiling. It was the most normal any of this had felt in a while.
“To be fair,” Lawry started, earning a huff from Nadir, “ were the one who threw it out. I did not even tell you to, you simply did so.” She tutted, thinking back on how he’d rushed to dispose of it. Maybe he’d learned it from TV, she thought. “You were practically to get rid of it. I did not bother convincing you not to, I do not have a card myself, either.” It was true. She was barely recognized as a person in the American government, even if she was much more in the supernatural world.
Nadir looked distraught, clearly about to say something, but he shut up. The diner door swung open and a stranger had walked in. He was wearing a big puffy jacket with the hood pulled up. Lawry looked at them suspiciously, but it was entirely likely they were a normal person, so she looked back at Nadir to continue their conversation.
Natalia spoke. “Hi! Sorry, sir, but we’re actually closing up in a sec’ here. We open at seven though, so if you’re still in town by then, feel free to come say hi!” Her voice was cheery, the picture perfect diner owner and faun, always easy-going. The man shrugged, rolled his shoulder, and responded. His voice was liquid calm and all too familiar.
“That’s okay. I’ll only be a few minutes,” He answered and pulled down his hood, looking toward the trio. He had deep brown eyes, curly black hair, and a gentleness to his posture. Lawry knew it was all fake, and she was out of her seat in an instant, along with the other two. She heard the coffee fall over, spilling onto the table, but she was too focused on the mimic. She drew her revolver, bringing both hands to the grip.
August nearly slipped getting out of the booth. Nadir tried not to stumble into Lawry. A bright green glow shone across the diner, and it distracted Lawry for only a moment before she realized it was August about to cast a spell. She smacked her lightly on the arm, and it broke August’s focus enough to stop her. “Nadir, August, ” She glanced at the diner owner, who already understood the situation and was heading into the back rooms, likely toward an exit.
Lawry didn’t want Natalia to get hurt either. “Get the truck started. If it comes for you, and I am not there, leave. Head,” Lawry started, suddenly realizing there was no point going to New Mexico without her. She didn’t have a way to New Mexico, either, but she did have a way home. “Head to Missouri. Willow Springs.” She whispered, her voice cracking. She wasn’t ready to bring them home, not yet. She had wanted the mimic dead first.
The mimic watched them with a smile. Nadir’s smile. It was plastered on his face as if it were his own, and with how accurate it was, it might just be. Lawry knew a few shapeshifters, she was even friends with this specific type; who she’d tried to call for answers early on but even they didn’t know how to kill their specie. She never told August and Nadir that, though; she didn’t think they were ready.
August protested for only a moment before Nadir dragged her away, following after the bar owner. The mimic rolled their eyes and put on a fake pout, their eyes gleaming in the yellow light. “Aww. But I was going to have so much fun with those two!” The pout quickly turned into a wolfish grin, “He ruined my plans, you know that, spellblade? He and the he turned to,” He continued, not stopping when Lawry slid her finger over the trigger. It wouldn’t do anything. “They ruined my plans. It’s unacceptable! Now I have to her down!” He laughed, one full of exasperation and exhaustion.
“Her?” Lawry questioned, keeping her voice calm and measured. She knew how to handle bad situations, but with Nadir and August still here, he had a way to manipulate her. She could bolt, too, but getting them out was the priority. And she might be able to use him for information; he shouldn’t have known she was a spellblade, she suddenly realized. The memory-altering spell should have stopped that, altered his memories to believe she was something else. She’d cast it many years ago but it had never shown any sign of failing.
The mimic didn’t answer. Lawry wondered why he’d specified August, it didn’t make sense. “How did you know what I am?” She remained calm, despite the growing panic rising in her. The mimic wasn’t attacking though, not yet. It was toying with her and enjoying this; Lawry knew she could use its joy to her advantage. She watched his smile grow wider.
“Oh, you don’t know, do you? That is cute. Why don’t we find somewhere a little more private,” He gestured to the windows. Lawry could just barely see August and Nadir reach the truck, glancing inside. August climbed into the passenger seat, trying to get the car started, but Nadir wasn’t joining her. He’d gone around the truck and toward the back. “I’m sure I could teach you a lot, little leper. You haven’t had a partner in so long.” His tone was awful, succulent and dripping with honey, far too sweet for Lawry. She suddenly realized he was flirting with her, and she shriveled her nose at the thought. The audacity, especially while looking like Nadir.
He took a step forward. “Stay back,” She threatened, though it was empty. Her gun wouldn’t do anything and the mimic knew that, and although using magic might kill her, it was also quickly becoming her best option. She needed to last a bit longer, just for August and Nadir to be on the move. She wished he’d stop whatever he was doing and just leave.
“Or what, is the going to come after me? Is big scary July Lawson going to use all the in the world to strip me of my rights?” He stepped closer. Once. Twice. His boots thumped on the porcelain tile like a drumbeat echoing her death. Lawry choked back the nausea in her stomach; the mimic knew too much, far too much than he should.
“Stay back,” She repeated herself, but this time it sounded weak. She felt useless, only able to watch the mimic come closer and closer but unable to do anything. He wore the face of Nadir too well, and every familiar smile and twitch of the face made her heart ache. Other shapeshifters would consider this evil, heinous beyond anything else. To steal someone else’s identity like this was a commonly accepted evil.
“You can’t stop me, though I’d love if you came over here and tried,” He said, his voice now low and gentle, “Though you couldn’t stop , either. But that’s alright. You couldn’t save Nalini, either.” Lawry buckled at her name. Her lungs ached, and she could feel the invisible tug on something no longer there. She could feel her energy leaking through the metaphorical hole. “You can put down the gun, Lawson. I’m not here to hurt you. I’d like you to join me.”
“ you?” She choked, but her arm fell anyway. The gun was useless and her arms were growing tired. She wasn’t sure what to do: bolting would only likely mean he’d kill her, so maybe joining him as a ploy was the best option, but she also considered that he was likely lying. The mimic took her lowering the gun as acceptance, and stepped closer. It was a slow, considerate step, like a wolf stalking its prey. Lawry watched Nadir pull item after item from the duffel in the bed of the truck, confused what he was doing and supremely annoyed he hadn’t left.
“Yes, join me. Join . I’m not alone, did you know that? Even if you stopped me somehow, it wouldn’t end. But, that is fine. We are making the world better for you. Don’t you want ? Revenge on all the people who hurt you?” He asked, his voice somehow softer than it was before. Some part of her wanted to say yes, to fall into his arms and give in. But he wasn’t the real Nadir, and he and August needed her.
“I don’t want . I want peace.” Her voice was filled with so much venom it surprised her. She matched his gentle tone, lowering her voice down. It wasn’t an attempt to reason with him, she knew that wouldn’t work, but she wanted to say it anyway. “The past is the past. I am different now. We are different now.” She smiled weakly. She thought about how Nadir and August were unmarred by the past, simply friends, not human and spellcaster. It was a reality that was returning.
The mimic didn’t agree. They belted out into a sick, suffocating laugh that itched in Lawry’s ear. “The ?” It repeated, giggling harder. “It doesn’t much like the past. Isn’t that why you’re doing this, anyway? Protecting them? Because they remind you much of the past?” He retorted, but Lawry stopped listening. She was staring out the window, horrified at what Nadir had in his lands. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
Nadir couldn’t find it. He was panicking, rifling through the duffel bag and screaming inside his head. It was in here, he knew that, but the duffel bag was so cluttered and full that it seemed impossible to find. He started tearing things out one by one, throwing them into the bed of the truck in desperation. It wouldn’t matter if they lost random items, it was better than losing Lawry.
August yelled at him. “Nadir! I think we should get going! The hells you doing back there?” Her voice was panicked, unsure what to do but to listen to Lawry’s order. Nadir only yelled back that he’d fix this, he’d help. They’d be fine. But he was starting to doubt himself, unable to find the one specific thing he needed.
Until he did. Its glossy leather sheath shone in the dim light of the diner, and he saw himself reflected in the silver pommel and arcing guard. The white wooden handle contrasted with the black leather, and though it didn’t look fancy, it was clearly a nice sword, and he grabbed it by the sheath’s belt strap and started sprinting toward the diner’s back entrance.
He hoped his guess was right. The sword was definitely magical, August always complained about how much the air buzzed when the duffel was open, even if Nadir couldn’t feel it. Lawry had never let them touch it, though, and always refused to explain anything about it no matter how much they asked. They gave up a while ago.
He barreled through the back door, out the backrooms and into the main area. Lawry was looking at him with an expression he had never seen before, maybe fear, but he couldn’t know for sure. The mimic looked at him with shocked surprise, matching Nadir’s own. It was like looking in a mirror. It only took a second for him to pull himself back, throwing the sword toward Lawry, who was only a few feet away.
Her expression suddenly turned to something far worse. “No, -” She tried to stop him, her voice coming out before she had a second to think about the words. She tried to stop herself, too, to move out of the way and dodge it, but her feet felt like lead. She was rooted in place, and the sword was flailing through the air toward her. The glossy black leather reflected the mimic’s face in flight, and she felt the revolver slip from her hands. She had caught the sword out of instinct.
The room went alight. The windows cracked open, slammed with the force of a tornado. The lights popped from the sudden pressure and Nadir was knocked into the wall, though the mimic barely held their position. Lawry could feel a burning heat spreading up her arms, and the energy coursed through her like lightning. It was far too much, and her body couldn’t keep up. It leaked out the empty hole in her connection, and she was a conduit for the uncontrolled mana.
“What the hell is this?” The mimic roared, suddenly terrified at the extreme excess of power before him. Lawry was aglow, her eyes brighter than any star, completely subsumed by gold, and her hair was whipping around wildly in the strong wind. A barstool spilled out the side of the diner and Lawry’s hands began to char black.
The mimic wasn’t staying around for this. It didn’t even know what this was, but it was definitely bad beyond belief. He had been told Lawson was weakened, without power, but he thought this must be what she used to be like. The big scary July Lawson that was supposed to be gone. He grabbed the necklace around his neck and spoke a few words to trigger its effect, instantly dissipating him into nothing. He had teleported.
Lawry couldn’t stop it. She didn’t want to, not anymore. The energy was coursing through her, and she suddenly felt like she did so long ago. But she would die if she kept this up. Nadir would, too, and she was still vaguely aware of him in the room. He was trying to stand.
“Lawry, stop! Stop this! Can you stop this?!” He yelled through the storm, trying his best to get closer to Lawry. He took it one step at a time, but Lawry didn’t seem able to respond, forced to stand there like a lightning rod. He reached her, trying to free the sheath from her hands, but her fingers clutched on tight. They were black, though he wasn’t sure why.
“Lawry, please.” He begged. His voice was desperate, and he finally saw a glint of something in her eye. He pulled her into a hug, desperately clutching at her so he wouldn’t get blown away. Being near her was similar to being in the eye of the storm: the winds were gentler, less likely to tear him limb from limb.
The sword clattered to the ground. His touch had surprised her enough to distract her mind from the overwhelming energy, and she suddenly felt like sobbing. She tried to hug him back, to tell him it was going to be okay, even if she suddenly didn’t believe it. But she felt her body crumple and hit the floor before she could.
Everything was going dark. Her body suddenly felt cold, she struggled to breathe and her vision flickered. Lawry thought with one last croak that she was finally going to sleep, or maybe she was dying. She didn’t think so, she could still feel Nadir holding her, but even that was fading.
Her body went numb. Her mind blank. Sleep sounded nice.
