Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

B el sat in a conference room with Morrisey and Farren, an empty Dunkin' Donuts box on the table and powdered sugar all over Bel's shirt and the table space directly in front of him. What a long day! How late did they intend to keep him, and where was Lio? Was he okay?

"I lost control during an attack," Morrisey said. "Started banishing people on a large scale." He quickly added, "Only the ones who deserved it."

Farren offered, "Because of our bond, I could absorb some of Morrisey's power, balancing him out before he became destructive and destroyed the room and everyone in it. If you bond with Lio, you can do the same for him."

"But how are we supposed to bond?"

Morrisey and Farren exchanged glances. Farren spoke while Morrisey busied himself fixing another cup of coffee from the machine in the corner. This had to be his fifth one, at least.

Even the thought of another cup of coffee rolled Bel's stomach. He'd reached his limit hours ago.

"Our bond took every opportunity to form. I joined my mind to Morrisey's after a crime scene to see what information I could find, and the bond jumped at the chance. We barely managed to contain it. Then, when we became… umm… intimate, there was no holding back."

"The bond forms on its own?" Was all Bel's fretting for nothing?

Would it form? What if it didn't? And intimate? Bel's mind offered images of Lio probably best left for later: Lio laid out on his bed in the RV, T-shirt riding up to reveal the sleek planes of his abs… Or Bel and Lio taking the place of the two men he'd spotted having sex at the Carnival, or…

"Did you ever bond with anyone in Domus?" Farren asked, snapping Bel from his lascivious thoughts.

Bel had to resist the urge to squirm under Farren's focused attention. Many people he'd met recently asked questions without really listening to the answer. Farren likely absorbed and dissected every word.

He couldn't read thoughts, could he? Heat rose to Bel's cheeks at the notion, and he returned his attention to the matter at hand: bonding.

Farren used diplomacy and tact, which Morrisey seemed to lack, while Morrisey could intimidate answers out of anyone who'd resisted Farren's gentler methods. Together, they balanced at work as well as in their personal lives. Bel still hadn't quite figured out where Jessa figured into the equation. Wait. What had Farren asked? Oh.

"No, I never bonded. As a junior council member, I didn't have time for relationships." Not entirely true, but he'd never met anyone he'd considered bonding with. Most of Bel's lovers were more attracted by his position than by Bel himself.

"I left Domus about ten years before the end of Domus, so you must've taken your post after I left."

"About two years later, I think."

Bel might have heard of Farren's disappearance from Domus, but Farren hadn't offered his Domusian name or the circumstances of his arrival in Terra. Bel might ask once they knew each other better.

Morrisey usually let Farren do the talking, but having a silent lurker in the room made Bel uncomfortable. "How about you, Morrisey?" he asked.

"I was brought to Terra as an infant," Morrisey replied, arms folded over his chest. "I didn't know what I was until I met Farren. Like you, I had skills others didn't. Turns out alcohol can dampen them." He paused, an expression that might have signaled remorse crossing his face before he schooled his features into his usual scowl. "I once had a long-term relationship with a human, but it didn't last. It was nothing like what I share with Farren." Morrisey's scowl softened when he locked gazes with his partner, some kind of silent communication passing between them that made Bel want to leave the room and give them privacy.

Wait. How closely had Morrisey's situation resembled Lio's? "You knew who you truly were before you bonded, right?"

Morrisey nodded.

No, not the same. "What if Lio never remembers who he is?"

"Then you bond with the person he is now," Farren replied.

"That doesn't seem right. What if he regains his memories afterward and no longer wants the bond?" Or what if he discovered he'd been a criminal in Domus or someone against the council? Bel had received plenty of threats during his time in office. He couldn't bind himself to someone who might hate him later.

A niggling of doubt hit him. Had he put too much faith in the council throughout his life, blindly accepting their dictates? After all, he'd voted against the majority on more than one occasion, appalled that some accepted ideas weren't in the best interest of all Domusians.

What if Lio was someone harmed by the council? By those decisions?

"Think of the bond as a separate entity. If it wants to form, it will, but I doubt it would choose someone incompatible." Farren smiled at Morrisey. "Or someone who sincerely objected."

Compatible? Morrisey was all rough edges, with a hint—okay, more than a hint—of aggression. Farren was sunshine and light.

Darkness and Light, though Lio wasn't nearly as dark as Morrisey. Would he become more like Morrisey when he remembered his past? Bel would hate to lose the current incarnation of Lio, who endeared himself to Bel more and more every day.

"So," Farren said, abruptly changing the subject. "You'll have a room here. If you decide to stay, you can get an apartment off-site or claim one here. They're nice enough if you don't mind no windows since they're belowground."

A kind offer, but Bel was used to earning his keep. "What would we do if we stayed?" We , because he wasn't going to stay if Lio didn't.

"You're Princeps, so you should be able to hide your identity from most travelers, except for Morrisey, myself, or one of the higher-ups. While you have no background in law enforcement, there's a lot to be said for having natural-born management skills. I prefer field work, and Morrisey scares the hell out of most people. Even with your size, you'd be far less intimidating, plus you've got that whole ‘gentle giant' vibe going on. You'd likely be excellent at dealing with the public."

"Dealing with the public?"

"Occasionally, we have to interact with other departments, Atlanta PD, or reporters, even witnesses or victims. What we say is crucial, so we need someone who presents themselves well but has discretion. You probably learned those skills as a council member."

"That is true." Sounded like a job description written just for Bel. "What about Lio?"

"First, we have to ensure his Tenebris nature isn't a threat," Farren said. "Then we'll figure out what he's good at and what he'd like to do. I'm sure we'll find him a place here if that's what he wants."

What he wants. No one had actually asked Lio that question. Even Bel approached him with preconceived notions of bonding to control the powers Lio was said to possess, but he'd shown no signs of anything excessive yet. Could everyone be wrong and Lio not be Tenebris, just an unfortunate soul who'd lost his memory in transit?

No, even Errante noticed the darkness.

But aside from his mission, what were Bel's motives? He wanted to care for and protect Lio. While Bel couldn't explain why at the moment, the desire went way beyond any assignment. Lio wasn't merely a Tenebris but a person with likes, dislikes, desires…

Bel cut those thoughts off before he began imagining what those desires might be.

Farren sat up in his chair, his hands dangling between his spread knees. "I'd like to introduce you to the team soon and maybe have you do a ride-along on a few cases to give you an idea of what we deal with here at FAET. Let you get a feel for the job."

It was all well and good, except Bel needed to check on Lio. While these people might not have shown animosity yet, they came from a society where Lio would've been put to death the moment anyone noticed the dark aspect of his aura.

Bel suddenly realized that he'd not seen Lio in hours. A touch of panic made his heart lurch. "Where is Lio now?"

"With Jessa, learning the basics about Domus. After Morrisey's difficult introduction as an outsider, we created a more comprehensive guide for new arrivals. Maybe through the lessons, Lio can learn who he is."

"What if his power manifests and I'm not there?"

"Jessa normally feeds off sexual energy, but she can indulge in any powerful emotions. So can you," Farren said. "She'd be able to drain any excess emotion until we get there to diffuse the situation."

What? "I thought we weren't supposed to feed on humans."

"Powerful emotions create energy that's free in the atmosphere for the taking. We discourage taking negative emotions since, as humans say, ‘You are what you eat.' But some travelers go too far and directly feed from a human's energy and deplete what they need for survival. Others terrify the humans and feed on their horror until they die of fright. This is a heinous offense and earns an automatic banishment."

"Can just anyone on the team banish those who break the rules?" Bel never had the ability before, but that was in Domus, not Terra.

"Morrisey and I are the only ones allowed to banish in this area. You and Lio might have the gift for it with proper training. But you cannot banish anyone unless they've killed either a human or another traveler."

The job offer didn't sound bad, and Bel could do without banishing anyone. "Right now, I need to focus on Lio."

A slow smile spread across Farren's face. "You really like him, don't you?"

A memory of Lio sitting on a bleacher, watching the Flying Galliers came to mind. Childlike joy had shone on his face. The image brought warmth to Bel's heart. "I do, but right now, I'm not sure if it's just my protective nature because of his poor condition when I found him and me being a guide for him in his newfound reality."

"I get that. And I know you were told to hurry, but five years have passed with no disaster." Farren's smile appeared bittersweet and ended with a yawn.

Bel cleared his throat. Time to tell the whole truth. Errante hadn't said to keep the Carnival a secret. Farren and Morrisey needed to know everything. "You said we'd talk later about the time issue. I can't think of a better opportunity. Shortly after possessing a dying man's body, I found myself at a carnival."

"A carnival?" One of Farren's pale eyebrows reached toward his hairline.

"Yes, but not an ordinary one. It travels to different realms, and time passes differently. For you, five years have passed since Domus's destruction. For me and Lio, it's been about a week." It seemed so much longer.

Morrisey appeared surprised enough by this revelation to unfold his arms. "One week?"

"Someone returned while I was there who'd traveled with the Carnival before. My fellow roustabouts couldn't believe how he'd aged. They said they saw him last month, but forty years had passed where he was."

Farren pursed his lips. "I knew other realms existed, but I assumed time was linear across them all. I've even seen them while dream-walking in search of my family after our sector disappeared, but I've never heard of a time-traveling carnival."

"Tell us more about how you arrived in Terra," Morrisey said.

Bel let out a heavy breath. He tried not to think of the days leading up to his leaving. "Toward the end of Domus, Council Leader Udeall called me aside and told me a Tenebris had come to Terra and could destroy the realm. Udeall discovered I was a Lux, so sent me with instructions to balance the Tenebris." That was the last conversation between Bel and someone who'd been a good mentor.

Morrisey chewed his lip a moment before asking, "Did he mention me and Farren?"

Bel replayed the conversation in his head but didn't recall a mention of Morrisey or Farren or even another Lux or Tenebris. "No."

"Tell us more about the carnival you mentioned. How did you wind up there?" While Morrisey appeared relaxed, the intensity in his dark eyes gave away his interest.

The "Welcome Traveler" sign appeared in Lio's mind. "That's where my host was going when he and his husband had a car accident. When I went there, the owner, Errante Ame, already knew who I was and why I was there and said he would help me find my way."

Farren cocked his head to the side. "Is Errante human?"

Bel considered the question before answering, recalling the swirling stars in Errante's eyes, how he seemed to know everything, and mentioned an ancient enemy. "I don't think so. And I think he's very old, though he looks young. Several there might not be human. But their purpose is to set people on their Path with a capital ‘P,' or so he said. The carnival picks up and moves overnight to where they're needed."

Morrisey stroked his stubbled chin. "I'd love to meet this Errante Ame. I have questions."

"I'm afraid I don't have many answers. I was only there for a week, working as a roustabout. We'd go to sleep in one location and wake up in another, and the carnival changed to match whatever world we were in. If it was a more primitive world, I'd stay in a wagon. On more modern worlds, I'd sleep in an RV."

"Fascinating." Farren exchanged a questioning glance with Morrisey. "I would love to see the place."

"If it comes back, I'll definitely let you know." Though how Bel would know, he couldn't say.

"Thank you." Farren gave a decisive nod. "Now, let's get back to what you might want to do if you stay here long-term."

Bel hadn't really considered long-term goals. Before committing to any plans, he'd have to discuss the future with Lio. "I think I'd like to ride with you on a case and see what it's like. What about Lio, though?"

Morrisey and Farren exchanged another look, which they did a lot. Some kind of silent communication through their bond? Morrisey replied, "Until we're sure of his abilities, he'd better stay close by, only leaving the compound for day trips, as long as a team member goes along. I believe Arianna and Jessa are planning to take you shopping and help you get to know the area and what life's like here."

While Bel didn't like Lio being kept as a glorified prisoner, he understood.

A knock sounded at the door, and a man entered. He was about Farren's height, with dark brown hair cut short and gray eyes. "You sent for me?"

Farren stood to greet the newcomer. "Bel, this is Greg, another member of our team. If you need to leave the premises and Morrisey and I aren't available, Jessa or Greg can escort you."

Greg smiled and gave Bel a friendly little wave, but like Farren and Morrisey, Bel couldn't read him. The smile turned into a smirk at Farren when Farren turned away.

Was he an escort or babysitter? It seemed perfectly clear that while the bosses trusted Greg, they didn't fully trust Bel. Which, in turn, entitled Bel to be cautious of Greg.