Chapter 2

Two

Atlas hadn't even pulled away from the curb when his phone started buzzing in his pocket again. With a sigh, he turned the bike back off and got his phone out. Lark's name flashed across the screen. He frowned. Why would Lark be calling him back when they were all supposed to be heading in for the meeting?

"Lark? What?—"

"Have you left yet?" Lark cut him off, voice hard. He only ever sounded that way when shit was about to go down.

"No, I just got on the bike. I ran into Derek. He said they'd had a tip that a hate group was planning something in this area."

"Shit," Lark said before he took an audible breath. "Look, Atlas, you're not going to like this. The target is Gavin. He's a carrier."

Atlas's head snapped up, wide eyes focused back on the coffee shop. He was off the bike in half a second and running back to the shop.

"Atlas? You still there?"

"I'm here. I'll get Gavin."

"Ok. We're on our way to assist."

"Call Derek. Him and the hounds are already here." Atlas reached the coffee shop's door. He hung up the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket, letting his gaze track Gavin behind the counter. Taking a second to settle his heart, he pulled open the door.

Gavin had his back to the door, refilling something along the back wall, but the dark-haired woman smiled at Atlas.

"Back again already?" There was a teasing glint in her eye. Atlas didn't have the patience or capacity to figure out what that meant at the moment. When he didn't respond, her expression changed to concern. "Is everything okay?"

"I need to speak to Gavin."

Her eyes widened. Behind her, Gavin looked over his shoulder at them.

Atlas stepped up to the counter, catching Gavin's eye. "I need to talk to you."

The woman—Charlotte, her name tag said—stepped in front of Atlas, eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

As irritating as it was, she was right to be worried. "I'm Atlas Mordaunt. I'm an agent of the seer's guild." He reached into his pocket and produced his ID. The seer's guild was a private organization, but they often worked in tandem with local government when needed. "It's imperative that I speak to Gavin right now."

Charlotte studied his ID before looking back up at his face. She leaned over the counter, keeping her voice low. "You're a mage?"

"Yes."

"What's going on?" Gavin asked, coming to stand beside Charlotte and looking between the two of them.

Atlas held his gaze, hating that the first real conversation they'd ever have was probably going to scare Gavin half to death. "Gavin, I need you to come with me, please."

Gavin took a step back. "What? No, I have to finish my shift." He looked at Charlotte only to stop speaking when he saw she hadn't moved, but was still just standing there staring at Atlas. "Char?"

Charlotte shook herself and took a step back, finally turning to Gavin. "You need to go with him, Gav."

"What?" Gavin nearly screeched, looking completely betrayed.

Atlas wanted to jump the counter, wrap Gavin up and try to soothe him somehow.

Charlotte grabbed Gavin's hands and pulled him closer to her. "Trust me. He'll explain everything, and I'll come to wherever you are once I close up." At those words, she turned fierce eyes on Atlas, daring him to deny her.

He nodded. "That will be fine."

The bell above the door chimed. Atlas turned, pulling his power to the surface as he did, only to let it go back to dormancy when he saw who was walking through the door.

Derek came to stand beside Atlas. "He the one?"

"Yeah."

Derek nodded, eyes scanning the windows. "Shit, get down!"

The glass door shattered. Two things happened at once, Atlas jumped the counter, grabbing Charlotte and Gavin and shielding them with his body. Derek grabbed the smoking canister someone had thrown through the door and launched it back outside.

"We need to move!" Derek yelled over the screaming of the other coffee shop patrons.

Atlas looked down at Gavin, meeting wide blue eyes. "Gavin, we have to go now." He looked at Charlotte.

"Hang on." She pulled herself away from Atlas and ran for the back.

"Charlotte!" Gavin yelled, trying to go after her, but Atlas kept a tight hold on him. There was no way he was going to let Gavin out of arm's reach until he was safely behind him. "Let me go!"

Charlotte came running back a second later with a jacket in her hands. "Here," she said, shoving Gavin's arms into the sleeves. She looked up at Atlas as she did so. "It's got a protection charm on it."

"Perfect."

"Atlas!" Derek yelled. He and the other hellhounds were outside the shop now, fighting off a group of men in masks. Sirens wailed in the distance.

"Come on, Gavin."

"Oh no, I'm not?—"

"Yes, you are," Charlotte interrupted. "Go with him. I'll tell the police what happened, and then I'll see you later."

Atlas didn't wait for his answer. He gave Charlotte a nod, lifted Gavin into his arms, and jumped back over the counter.

"Holy shit," Gavin gasped, arms flying around Atlas's neck in a near choke hold.

Atlas conjured a shield, letting the glowing green barrier flow over him and Gavin like a second skin. All mages were born with an affinity to at least one element. He was solidly an earth mage—strong, durable, and excellent at defensive magic.

Just as Atlas cleared the door, a black SUV came to a screeching halt at the curb. Between them and the SUV, Derek and one other hellhound were wrestling two men to the ground. The back door of the SUV opened, and Lark stuck his head out.

"Need a lift?" his brother asked, smile a little too bright for the situation happening around them, but Lark did enjoy a fight. He hopped out of the SUV and posted himself with his back to Atlas, facing the stretch of sidewalk leading away from them, and brought the pulsing orange glow of his magic into his palms. "These suckers are coming out of the woodwork."

Atlas glanced to the side, still holding Gavin tight to his chest. More men in masks appeared on the street. Where the hell were they coming from? He couldn't think about that now. He made it to the SUV and set Gavin down on the seat. "Lark, let's go!"

"Go on," Lark called over his shoulder, sending a blazing streak of mage fire at a line of masked men. "We'll clean it up."

He didn't argue. Jumping into the backseat, he slammed the door. "Go!"

"Hang on, kids," Pike said from the driver's seat. The SUV sped away from the curb, bouncing one of the masked men off the front right fender.

Atlas turned his attention to Gavin. He was huddled in on himself, breathing fast and looking pale.

"Hey," Atlas said, voice gentle. "It's okay, Gavin. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise." He slid himself over until he was pressed to Gavin's side and draped an arm around his shoulders. He was afraid Gavin would pull away from him, but instead, he leaned in harder, turning enough to bury his face in Atlas's shoulder.

Atlas pulled him closer and vowed to himself that was one promise he'd make damned sure to keep.