Page 1 of The Rowan
1
ARDEN
The dark grey warehouse looms silently before me.Is this the right place?I glance down at the map on my phone and back up to the street sign.Yep, this is it.My eyes scan the building for an entrance, but I don’t find one. Puzzled, I walk across the street to get a better view.
The size of a city block, the structure looks even more imposing from this perspective. I crane my neck, searching for an entrance, but dark grey, painted bricks stretch the entire block without relief. No doors or windows. I sit on the curb for a second to think.
Duh. I barely refrain from smacking my forehead.
My magic traces lightly over the building, encountering an obsidian wall, not a part of the building, but a wall of wards so powerful and ancient, it makes my magic feel insignificant in comparison. Shivering, I brush the wards lightly with my magic and convey my desire to enter.
A script boldly appears on the side of the building. “The Abbey.”
This is definitely the right place.
In the center of the building, two massive black doors stand tall with a glowing mark on each of them—an infinity within a circle. The ancient symbol means sanctuary for all supernaturals, a place where beings of all races can come together, without fear of death or reprisal from their individual rulers.
Several sanctuaries exist throughout the world. This particular haven is called The Abbey in reference to the ancient church which stood in its place previously. Ley lines, the conveyors of magic, cross at multiple points beneath the building. The combination of natural power and sacred ground is the perfect foundation for a sanctuary, using natural resources instead of personal magic to maintain the wards.
Sanctuaries are owned and managed by cadres, groups of supernaturals from distinct races, typically of like power, who form a sacred bond. Their bond and combined magic create an astronomical force of power capable of enforcing the rules of sanctuary. In addition, while they often serve the supernatural council, the cadres exist as a non-partisan body because only their bond is held in the highest regard, nothing else. This makes them the perfect sanctuary guardians.
This sanctuary in particular is owned by the Imperium Cadre, five of the most powerful supernaturals in existence. This group of warriors includes an Elven prince, a Fae lord, a warlock, the First Vampire, and the King of Dragons. Individually, their power rivals few in our world, but together, they’re a powerhouse.
And I’m going in there to ask them for a favor, possibly more than one, all so I can find the destiny that’s ruled my isolated life. I’m a witch with a lot of questions, few answers, and a need for allies.
I stand, brush off my clothes, and take a deep breath.The first step is always the hardest, right?Nodding to myself, I find my center, wrap my shield around me like a cloak, and head across the street.
My fingertips graze the sanctuary symbol for luck. With a slight push, I open one of the black doors. Although massive, they open easily and smoothly. I step through the wards into a cool, dark interior, where magic pulses in the walls and permeates the very air I’m breathing—a mixture of spells and wards designed to keep The Abbey, and its inhabitants, safe. It’s so thick, I can taste it.
When my eyes focus, I realize it’s a club. A multitude of black tables and chairs surround a massive dance floor, with a DJ booth sitting on a raised platform in the back. Not that I’ve been in many clubs, but Callyx used to take me to a similar club in the Underworld.
A golden glint catches my eye, so I walk over and glance down at the sparkling dance floor. Gold glitter is embedded into the smooth black surface, and it’s sort of glowing, too.
Is it a spotlight? Looking up, I don’t see one, but I spot several stories above this one, each neatly stacked on top of the other, with the dance floor as the central focus. Given the inky darkness, I can’t quite see the number of floors or their purpose. What’s interesting is the building appears to be two stories tall from the outside. I raise my eyebrows at the use of power required to either conceal the true height of the building or to create a pocket dimension within the sanctuary itself.
As I walk to the left, a gleaming ebony bar rises from the darkness, and a pair of golden cat eyes stare at me from behind it. Walking slowly but confidently towards the bar, I watch the eyes narrow in appraisal and hear the sound of someone sniffing the air.
Once I’m closer, the golden eyes meld into the face of a beautiful woman who’s standing behind the bar with a clipboard. She’s tall, athletic looking, and her long hair, a combination of blondes and browns, flows wildly around her firm jaw and high cheekbones.
“Hello, witch. We’re currently closed, and we’re not hiring. You can come back around eight p.m. when we open,” her smooth voice purrs.
Meeting her golden eyes, I tell her, “I’m here to see Lord Theron. Is he available?”
“He’s not available. I can take a message, if you like?” Her voice is terse as she looks at me with suspicion.
A whisper of air moves behind me, and goosebumps rise on my arm. Someone else is definitely here, but nobody comes into the light. “Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you,” I reply as I hand her a golden card with the Fae royal seal embossed on it. Only the recipient of the intended message will see the actual number.
She glances at the card, noting the royal seal, and then shifts her gaze back up at me. Her eyes wide, she asks, “Is there a message to go along with the card?”
“The card is the message. Please make sure Lord Theron receives it.” Smiling my thanks, I glance briefly at the darkness in the corner, then head out the door.
Next on my agenda, I need to find a place to stay.
* * *
After livingin a pocket dimension for over three hundred years, with only the occasional visit to the land of the Fae or the Underworld, I quickly realize book learning is not a substitute for experience. It’s one thing to read and imagine a massive city like this one, but it’s quite another to walk the pavement with hundreds of others, while skyscrapers tower over you.
A cacophony of sounds and smells assault me as I walk towards the hotel. The familiar sounds of laughter, a crying baby, and barking dogs fill the air, until the jarring sounds of car horns and roaring trains replace the familiar with the new.
