“How’s this? I swear to help you wherever I can as long as you know there are some things I can’t and won’t say. Those things are to protect other good people.”
“I’ve never coloured outside the lines before,” Solomon thought out loud. “Maybe it’s time I did,” he finished with his hand outstretched, which Alex shook. It was a strong handshake. He was a good guy.
*
Solomon reached his car and got in. There was still so much he wanted to know, so much he feared he would find out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the business card he was given in the hospital. Sovereign.
Were they the answer? His gut instinct was to not trust any government organization. His own research had yielded nothing on them. Nada. They had said they were an offset of the Australian Government, but the Government had never heard of them. Supposedly.
At first, he made to tear the card in two but something stopped him. He thought about it for a moment before stowing the card back in his pocket.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Flight Of Inspiration
Alex walked onto her balcony. It was three in the morning and she checked to make sure no one was around or could see her. She had done this four times since the flashing memory of Dominus and every time had been a failure. The wings on the armour she wore refused to open, hanging like the hooped cape she originally thought they were.
What once was so easy, in the cloud, now seemed a dream. There were no sirens here, only serene silence. There was no pressure. No panic.
She thought back to the funeral. The feeling in her chest when near the coffin. She touched the V that day for that was where the feeling came from. It was there she felt the majesty of what Dante had done. Not just for her, as she now knew he was in love with her, but for all that were in danger from Julian. Whatever it took to ensure evil was defeated. Even ridding her of his memory to save her life. To ensure she kept fighting.
She couldn’t love the memory of a man she couldn’t see in her mind, but she loved him, for believing in her that much. For inspiring her. For giving her hope.
Alex stepped onto the edge of the balcony. “Whatever it takes,” she whispered to herself.
She looked up and stretched out her hands, and within a second, she had left the balcony far behind, soaring upwards. Rising into the sky effortlessly, the wind and clouds whipping past her until she finally levelled out.
Alex relaxed her arms, stretching them out before tucking them behind her, letting the current of the wind dictate her course. One could never know the blissful freedom this was until they experienced it. High above the clouds, where few would ever see the night sky like this in all its magnificent glory, the stars were her audience. She barely felt the wings working. Her path was straight and true with minimal up and down movement. In truth, she had no destination in mind. A journey but no direction. Where to from here? It was all up to her. The world at her feet, or underneath her, and she had no idea what to do. The gift she had received, no, the birthright she had claimed, was almost too much to accept. The cloud menace was gone, but still Alex did not feel complete. This was something many would want to help her with, some she would trust to do so, but none could.
The path of a hero is a lonely one and though Alex did not think of herself as anything more than someone doing what they could in a harsh world, she believed that saying to be true. What did she want to do? To help people, sure, but was that enough? People were in need every waking minute. Her choices would decide the fate of so many. Was she ready for that? Could she carry that burden? To her right, Alex looked to find a glowing blue silhouette floating beside her in the shape of a Valkyrie. Flying just as she was. The silhouette was joined by another two, and to Alex’s left, another three. All were different sizes but all wore armour and were exactly the same colour. All silent but matching her speed effortlessly. Each in turn looked at her, and Alex felt a warm sensation of belonging. They were welcoming her. “Never forget, Alexandra...” came Masonian’s voice in her mind. “Magic does have its limits and its costs, but the people who pass on never truly leave us. No matter how long or treacherous the journey. You may never see them, but you will carry them with you all the days of your life. You will never be alone.”
*
Alex walked into the studio to find it quite empty. Peaceful actually.
“Hey!” Chris called. “Come on over.”
She moved past the room divider and sat down. “Thanks so much for taking the appointment. I thought it would be busy?”
Chris laughed. “Are you kidding? We’ve all been inside for how long? It’s sunny. Finally! I reckon it will be like this for a while but we’ll pick up. People are just happy for the first time in ages. Curfew has lifted, and they can drive again. They can travel. Tatts aren’t a big priority. Now…you said there’s been damage?”
Alex sighed as she lifted her shirt.
Chris winced, looking at her ribs as he put on rubber gloves. He reached out and adjusted her bra slightly higher to inspect what had happened. “Jesus…”
“Yeah…” she whispered.
“What happened?”
Alex swallowed. “I’d rather not…” She didn’t want to mention it. She just wanted to put it past her. Then she figured, why deny
