A Deep Dive, Part One Who: Brianna/Angharad/Flynn What: Connections Where: Las Vegas, Lux When: After Thanksgiving Content Warnings: Some Talk of Past Violence
Flynn had little trouble navigating his way from Searchlight to Henderson, and the drive was smooth and uneventful. Luckily, there was no highway traffic jam caused by a slew of mythical creatures looking to disrupt anyone’s commute. Inside the Dodge was quiet, so he heard every ticking of the turn signal. He was a bit inside his head that evening, thinking about where he and Brianna were heading and how the evening would unfold. He personally had never been to Lux before, but had heard Ellie talk about the Samhain party last year. Brianna had given him some background information on the hostess and owner, Angharad, and was curious to see what it would be like to meet a sorceress. As he approached Brasserie Le Breeze, he checked his appearance in the rearview mirror briefly before pulling into a spot and parking. Instead of just texting her about his arrival, he decided to get out of the Challenger and enter the restaurant. The hostess stand was empty, and Flynn figured it was probably closing-up time. He waited at the podium until he caught sight of the brunette discussing something with a member of the staff. He broke into a grin and waited patiently.
“... and yes, they can have them too,” she said to Melanie, the hostess who had come to check some details on a future booking with her. She caught Adrien looking across to the brasserie’s entrance foyer and followed his gaze, a smile spreading across her face when she saw Flynn standing there.
“Oh! It looks like your date’s here,” the hostess said to her with a sly wink and smile. Brianna went to respond as the manageress, but instead caught herself and gave the much older woman a warm smile, recognising the supportive tone with which it was said. She excused herself and made her way across the restaurant, Melanie following behind to return to her station and finalise the booking they’d just been discussing. She gave Flynn a knowing smile and nod, having been a witness to his helping them out with their ‘guests’.
“Hello,” she said happily, unable to keep herself from smiling as she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, knowing full well that at least all staff in the vicinity were watching, and maybe even a few of their regular guests. “You look very nice. Let me just get my purse.”
He greeted the hostess, having recognized her from when he was directed to a table in the cafe at Le Breeze the night of the ‘invasion,’ before turning to Brianna. Flynn hadn’t really known what to wear that night to Lux, so he had opted for something a bit more dressy than he normally wore, a button-down long sleeved shirt and his nicest pair of pants. “So do you,” he told her with a smile that reached his eyes. He nodded and waited for her to fetch her purse before offering his arm. “I don’t know why, but I’m a little nervous,” Flynn admitted to her with a lower voice so that only she could hear. “Just because I don’t know exactly what to expect.” Internally, he wondered if the feeling was a byproduct of his recent, more isolated nature. It felt safer, somehow, in his trailer. It helped, though, that Brianna seemed to understand this mindset herself. Maybe it was just a side effect of living like they did, always wondering when they would see or hear something that others didn’t.
“I’m parked just outside,” Flynn informed her.
She placed her hand through the crook of his elbow, nodding her thanks to Melanie, who had hurried around and opened the door for the pair, smiling as they had exited and giving them a little wave. The hostess also gave a low whistle of appreciation when she spied the car, a red Dodge with ‘go fast’ stripes, parked in front.
Brianna heard the whistle and gave a soft laugh, giving Flynn a sideways look. “I don’t think you need to be nervous, if you have Mel’s approval you can rest assured the rest of the team will follow suit.” She knew that wasn’t what he meant as she turned her head to look back at the door and give Mel a mock roll of the eyes at the other woman’s reaction. Turning back to Flynn she gave his arm a light squeeze. “And Angharad is … well… she’s who she is, and believe me I’m still trying to figure out exactly who that is! But the one thing I can tell you? I’ve never felt safer, or more understood as I have when I’ve talked to her.”
As they reached the car she waited as Flynn opened the door for her, waiting as he straightened. She placed her hand on his chest, feeling the firm warmth beneath and looked up at him. “Honestly? I don’t know what to expect either, I never do, and it’s been different each time I’ve been there, but there’s something special about Lux, and the woman who runs it.” She stopped and gave him a reassuring smile. “I really believe it’s worth a try.”
Flynn snorted quietly to himself as he overheard Mel’s whistle of approval, looking down at Brianna’s arm linked with his as they exited the brasserie. It was a cool night, in the mid 50s, and the sky was relatively clear given the light pollution in the area. He pressed a button on the key fob and the car beeped twice. “Well, that’s comforting to hear,” he told her, as he opened up the passenger side door for the brunette and waited until she was safely inside before shutting it. He slid behind the wheel and started up the engine before smoothly pulling out of the parking spot.
“So, did you find a good spot for the gnome garden?” As they approached a red light, Flynn looked over at Brianna and gave her a knowing smile. “Maybe that forest themed room?” He teased, but he thought it was endearing how she had cared for and about the funny, beer-loving creatures.
“Actually, I have it in my suite,” she said, smiling both about the gift he’d given her at Thanksgiving, and its new location. “Remind me when we get there and I’ll show you a photo.” She missed the rather curious and interesting guests they’d hosted, and she wondered if they were still through the portal Gabe had taken them through, or if they’d vanished, like all the other strange creatures that had been released when the book had been opened. “And I think it was quite the hit with the Housekeeping team too,” she added with a laugh. “From what I’ve heard that particular room is now quite popular with them. It seems there’ve been some things found that were not in there before!”
As he got onto highway 95, Flynn laughed as he wondered what kind of items a group of previously disgruntled gnomes would have left behind in the suite. Maybe some hats? Gold coins? “I’m glad you liked it. I didn’t know if it was cheesy bad or cheesy good,” he admitted to Brianna as they sailed down the two-lane road. “I just felt bad because I knew you grew pretty fond of them pretty quickly.” He took an opportunity when there was a break in traffic to chance a glance at her. “And I haven’t forgotten what I said at Thanksgiving. I want to answer the question you asked at dinner. I’m just…kind of waiting for the right time.”
Flynn had heard about Lux and the way it affected ‘gifted’ individuals, and its various alcoves that allowed for more private conversation, and thought that might facilitate him in confiding in Brianna.
She nodded as he once again explained about his response to her question asked.She’d thought about what he’d said, and given what he’d already revealed about himself, and his abilities,and what she’d witnessed that day in the microbrewery, she could only imagine there were many things he had experienced that wouldn’t be something easily shared, especially with someone he hadn’t known more than a few hours.
“It’s OK, the right time will present itself when… the time is right?” She half laughed and half frowned at her own comment, realising it was a little redundant, but shrugged and gave him a reassuring smile. “And as Odafi said, time is the one thing we’ve all got in equal amounts each day, and how we choose t’spend it is what will make one day better ‘n another!” She recited the words of the tiny gnome in as close an imitation of the little voice, ending with a laugh at how badly she’d done it.
She sighed softly. “They really were, once they’d calmed down and realised we weren’t wanting to hurt them, quite delightful.”
His smile returned when she mentioned what one of the mythical guests had told her. “You’re like the gnome whisperer,” Flynn commented as he watched the road unfurl in front of them. The traffic was relatively light and they were making pretty good time. “You know, there might be an untapped market here that no one has really thought of before.” He glanced over at Brianna again, a look of amusement and something else in his expression. “The interdimensional tourism niche. Think about it. Le Breeze can become the destination for weary travelers of all kinds. Maybe Gabe and Angharad can partner in, too.” It actually wasn’t a bad idea. Their little slice of the world seemed to be a big hit with a rather unique crowd. “And you were talking about expansion.”
She looked at him, a little blankly, as the suggestion started to take root, then realised just as quickly that it would probably be just about the opposite of what her mentor would want. Having been ‘hidden in plain sight’ by the immortals, and only just recently beginning to understand why, she could see how that might not be the best plan. Unless she herself stayed behind the scenes. After all, Angharad managed what she did and certainly didn’t appear to have anyone paying her any unwanted attention, as far as Brianna knew.
“I think that’s something we could talk to Angharad about, yes,” she agreed, nodding. “And I’m setting you a challenge, see if you can figure out how old she is, because seriously? I can’t, and I’m usually fairly good with that sort of thing, but with Angharad?” She shook her head.
Flynn snorted a little before turning away and shaking his head. “Sorry,” he told her. “I just…that’s usually a very dangerous game to play and now you’re challenging me to do it. I know why, it just sounds funny.” Brianna definitely took him by surprise sometimes, in a good way, in the short time he had known her. It was nice.
“Oh! I didn’t mean you had to tell her!” Brianna said quickly, realising suddenly how her challenge might have been interpreted. “I mean… well… once you meet her you will see what I mean.”
They ended up reaching Lux in no time at all, and he found a good place to park. His car wasn’t the newest or the shiniest, but it was kind of his baby and he was picky where he left it. He exited the vehicle and went around to the passenger side to open the door for the brunette. There was a mix of emotions at play; curiosity at what he would find in the mysterious club, the interaction they were about to have, and a bit of nervousness at not knowing what to expect. And last of all, a strange kind of hopefulness as walking into a place and not worrying about what he might see or run into from the ‘spirit’ world.
Brianna was accustomed to men wanting to open car doors for her, and she always accepted it, as she knew it wasn’t a demeaning gesture in their mind, more a chivalrous move. She smiled as she stepped out of the vehicle, her level of anticipation also high as each time she had come here it had been a different experience, and she was curious to find out what might happen. Plus she was rather keen on Flynn meeting the hostess, as there was something about her that had been unusual, and both she and Derek had been unable to put their finger on it when they’d talked about it after the two times they’d been there together.
She again placed her hand in his proffered elbow as they made their way into the entrance, the long corridor bedecked with the veils, diaphanous falls of soft material that prevented one from seeing from the entrance to the foyer. “Ready?” she asked as they made their way along the corridor and approached the foyer. “I can’t help but wonder how it will look tonight.”
As they walked through the entrance arm-in-arm, Flynn had no idea where to look or let his gaze settle. Their footsteps echoed through the corridor, and he reached out with his free hand to let his fingers graze over the delicate material of the veils, the fabric like gossamer. He turned his head toward Brianna curiously. “It looks different each time, right? Or something to that effect?” That’s what he had heard from people who had visited Lux during its lavish parties. Even though it felt like stepping into a different world, he felt calm and steady, which was a relief. Before they entered the foyer, he let go of her arm and faced her with a soft smile. The medium reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, then pulled his hand back quickly. “Ready,” he told her.
“Good,” Brianna returned, smiling at his gentle touch and taking his hand. As they stepped inside she gasped a little, the space having been transformed again, from what had greeted the revellers at the Samhain celebrations to the warmth and comfortable atmosphere, similar to when she and Derek had come before. The floor was dark and solid beneath their feet, lounges, tables and groupings of eclectic chairs scattered in the main chamber, with mellow lighting welcomed guests. In places the walls were softly highlighted, the range of colours was that of sandstone, from pale yellows through to golden browns and all inbetween. From certain angles there appeared to be thin strands of sparkling glitter, but it was impossible to capture them, as if they were alive and ever-moving. The only uniformity in the place was the atmosphere, welcoming and comfortable.
A woman was finishing a song on the stage to the left of the entrance, and applause rose as the band concluded and she bowed her head in acknowledgement of the response. Her head lifted and turned, a smile spreading across her face as her eyes reached the pair of them, a small nod being sent their way before she turned and spoke with one of the band members.
“That’s her,” Brianna said a little unnecessarily, as the mere presence of Angharad was impossible to mistake for anyone else.
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as they passed through the entrance. The first thing he noticed was a sense of quiet, despite the sounds of the music and the low chatter from the patrons. There was no sense of being watched or followed that Flynn normally experienced. The only eyes he sensed on him was that of Angharad, and it wasn’t a look that seemed to hold any judgement. The next thing his attention landed on was the atmospheric lighting that seemed to bounce off the layered sandstone, warm and golden. It reminded him of driving through the desert in the sunshine, except he didn’t have to squint from the glare. “Okay, I see what you mean,” Flynn told Brianna in a low voice as if the owner and performer might be able to hear him from her vantage point. And for all he knew, she might be able to.
“Should we get a table?” he asked her, looking for guidance. “Or do we approach her and say hello?”
“We’ll get a table,” Brianna replied, leading the way toward one across the other side of the chamber as the music started on the next number. She added quietly, “when she’s ready she will come over.”
He trailed after Brianna, his attention split between what was happening on stage and the patrons around them, doing some light people watching as they found an unoccupied table. Flynn noticed a long, well-stocked bar along one wall. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked her, pulling out a chair for her before settling into the seat opposite the brunette.
Brianna nodded, telling him her drink preference then turned back to listen to the song. Some of the lyrics from the song processed in his head, and raised an eyebrow at the significance of lines about having a wall around oneself to keep people out. He glanced across the table at Brianna to see if she noticed it, too.
And she had - the music was wrapping around her, the words as clear as a bell and she looked up to the woman performing. Angharad’s eyes wandered across the room, pausing at times, seeming to emphasise particular phrases and words as she met the eyes of individuals she appeared to be connecting to in some way. And as she sang the final words, ”... it took a little time, to get next to me…” Brianna looked across at Flynn to see whether he had noticed.
Their eyes met and he wasn’t entirely sure how to react, so he told her that he would be right back and stood up to put their drink orders in. Flynn reached the bar and ordered a Black Russian for Brianna and a stout for himself. As he waited for the drinks, he turned to look at Brianna as she faced the stage, the performance reaching its crescendo. He had been thinking a lot about their impending conversation, and while he tried to remain open-minded about it, he had also been picturing some worst case scenarios so that he would at least be prepared if they came to pass. The cocktail came in a fancy-looking frosted tumbler and the stout in a tulip glass. Flynn took one in each hand and returned to the table, setting the vodka and coffee liqueur duo in front of the brunette.
“Interesting choice,” he commented with a smile before taking his seat once more, bringing the glass to his lips.
She nodded, a little distractedly, the song having struck a chord deep within her. Fingers reached for the straw and guided it to her lips and she took a sip of the sweet concoction. The cool slide of the liquid across her tongue and down her throat brought her back from wherever the song had taken her and she looked up from where she replaced the glass on the coaster, to Flynn. “This is the one place I know where I can drink and not worry about the alcohol affecting my….” She paused, realising what she was about to say was so relevant to the song Angharad had just performed, “... shields.”
So it was true, Lux had some effect on people like Brianna and Flynn. He raised his glass in a semi-toast. “Here’s to letting down our walls, then,” he told her with a knowing smile before he took another pull on the dark beer. He turned toward the stage, where the song was finishing up. He wondered when Angharad would come and talk to them, realizing he was feeling slightly antsy. Internally, he told himself to calm down and just enjoy the evening; he wasn’t sure where this sense of urgency was coming from, and then he realized. The medium wanted to get it over with, to tell Brianna what had happened that night in May. Flynn imagined it would be akin to ripping off a Band-aid. “How is your drink?” he asked, though it seemed unnecessary to do so as she was currently still sipping it. “I like the lighting in here,” he commented in an attempt to paper over the awkward question. At least, he felt like it had been awkward. “I told you that you look really nice, right?” He grinned.
Angharad stepped down off the small riser where she performed, and wended her way through the guests, stopping to acknowledge a gift of thanks, offer some words of encouragement, and answer a question with various groups.
Brianna couldn’t understand why she felt as nervous as Flynn sounded. A reassuring smile crossed her face as he grinned, her response delivered with a hopefully as reassuring cadence. “My drink is fine, the lighting is amazing, I’d love to know how they do it, and yes, thank you.” She took another sip of her drink and again placed it back on the coaster as she looked at him. “Are you OK?” As she asked she saw Angharad finish with the other group and turn toward them. “She’s coming over now.”
“Cool,” Flynn nodded, glancing down at his beer, his foot swinging back and forth slowly beneath the table. At her question about his well-being, he looked back up at Brianna with a more genuine, less awkward, smile. “Yeah, it’s just...unfamiliar territory, you know? And not going out much in the past year.” As soon as he spoke those words, he realized how very true they were, and how much that was actually contributing to the mild case of nerves. Once that realization was made, he strangely felt a lot better. And maybe the stout was helping a little, too. When he spotted Angharad making her way over to their table, he straightened a little bit and thought of Brianna’s ‘challenge’ earlier in the car. Yeah, he couldn’t tell, either.
’...and not going out much in the past year…’ Again Brianna had that feeling of similarities with Flynn, remembering Derek encouraging her to get out of Le Breeze, and her not being able to until the recent hiring of Tarek. She nodded, and looked up as Angharad approached.
The sorceress had noticed the two arrive, recognising the aura of the young woman, and intrigued by what she saw in the young man with her. It had been a long time since she’d seen such an interesting aura. As she approached she looked from one to the other, her head nodding as if she was satisfied with what she saw.
“Welcome to Lux,” she said, eyes turning from her recognition of Brianna to the young man with her. “I’m Angharad, and I hope you’re enjoying yourselves,” she said, drawing a seat out when Brianna offered for her to join them.
“... if you have time,” the psychic added.
“I always have time for those willing to share it,” Angharad replied, lowering herself to be seated, a small glance and lift of her chin made toward the bar before she turned her attention back to them.
“This is Flynn, a friend of mine who… helped out recently, with some of the strange visitors we had, at Le Breeze” Brianna said, introducing Flynn, fairly certain Angharad would have been aware of what happened due to the old book being opened.
When Angharad came closer, something inside him shifted and turned over, a strange sort of nausea building as she took the unoccupied seat at the table. Flynn swallowed and averted his eyes briefly, looking somewhat pale. There was a wave of cold over his skin and he tried to pull his sleeves further toward his wrists. Finally, he cleared his throat, but his gaze was more on Brianna as he spoke. “Hello, it’s…nice to meet you.” What was going on? More than anything, he was confused by the reaction. He pulled his beer closer toward him but didn’t drink. “Brianna has told me a bit about you, and about Lux.” He chanced a glance in the sorceress’ direction. There was a familiarity there that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. For some reason, he thought of Elfleda and the aura that surrounded her. But this was different.
Brianna noticed Flynn’s shift, a discomfort like something that had been in the background hiding in the shadows had just been spotlighted and was not happy about it. She looked from Angharad to Flynn again as he tugged at his clothes, then spoke, and wondered what it was that had set him on edge.
The young man’s aura had intrigued her when he’d entered, and now it drew the sorceress’s attention even more as an old familiar taint seemed to emanate from behind it. Her eyes seemed to intensify in their colour and clarity as she watched him. Her head angled slightly at the pause after he had finished speaking, as if she was still listening to something no-one else could hear. Slowly her eyes traced across the space above his head down to meet his eyes, hers seeming to reflect his back at him with an intensity that he would see.
Brianna felt something, she had no idea what, but slowly stood and excused herself to the two of them, stating her need to go to the powder room. Angharad’s eyes remained on Flynn as Brianna quickly departed, and the sorceress let her hands come to rest on the dark surface of the tabletop in front of her.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” she said to Flynn.
Flynn watched Brianna depart, trying to convince himself that the sight of her retreating back wasn’t something negative or permanent, before turning to face Angharad. The eye contact was loaded, and he noticed something in her icy blue ones that were in such contrast to the warm brown color of his. “It was really Brianna’s doing,” he told her, almost shyly. “I really enjoy spending time with her.” He wasn’t sure why he added that part. His hands clasped the base of the tulip glass. There was a moment of silence, though it wasn’t truly silent as the band played on and people had low, buzzing conversations around them. But it might as well have been. Finally, he sighed and gave a small shrug of his shoulders.
“You can tell, about me, can’t you?” he asked, point-blank.
Angharad held his gaze for a moment longer with the same intensity. Then she imperceptibly leaned forward a little and now rested her forearms on the table's surface as her gaze softened.
"What do you believe it is I can tell?" the sorceress asked gently.
There was something about the way she answered a question with a question that reminded him vaguely of the psychologists that his parents had dragged him to when he was younger in a futile attempt to ‘fix’ what was going on inside his troubled head. But Angharad was certainly no therapist, and he surmised that she held more than a passing understanding and knowledge of fellow supernatural types. So instead, Flynn decided to just shoot straight from the hip. Looking over briefly at Brianna’s empty chair, he turned back to the sorceress and smiled faintly. “That you probably sensed something about me. And that something is this: I’m a medium. I can speak to and conjure spirits. I can get into their heads, manifest them for people without the ‘sight’.” He made air-quotes with his fingers. “And a few weeks ago, a woman who calls herself an emissary visited me, and I conjured a strange creature from wherever she came from and it crawled around my old childhood home for a while.”
There was a vaguely challenging note to his tone, though it wasn’t intentional. Maybe it sprang from his subconscious, the part that believed that eventually everyone would shy away from what was contained deep inside him. His fingers tightened around the glass, though Flynn maintained the eye contact.
Watching him put into words the things she had sensed told Angharad more than the words themselves. The honesty was obvious, the open admission of his encounter insightful and the eye contact gave her opportunities to see there was more of the story to be told. The taint was familiar, the tendrils that were attempting to hold onto him were those she had seen only just recently again. And now the purpose was also becoming clearer, but there was one more thing she needed before she could know for certain what that was, and how to help, or if help was even wanted. “Are you willing to share it all with me?” she asked.
Pivoting on her elbows that were resting on the table she reached her arms forward, resting them again, this time palms upwards, fingers lightly curled, open to receive, if he wished to give.
More than anything, Flynn was intrigued. There was a power there, and even with his own senses dulled, he could detect it. His gaze fell down to her outstretched hands, weighing her offer and thinking about the possible consequences that came with letting someone in. He imagined it as a tree with multiple branches, and on each branch was a different outcome. But more than anything, he was curious. And curiosity always seemed to win out. “Okay,” he said, sliding his glass aside and leaning forward across the table. He forgot that he was in a club surrounded by people. At the moment, it was just him and Angharad. The medium placed his hands in hers, unsure of what exactly to expect.
She smiled as she watched the expressions on his face flicker back and forth, her focus still on him, her peripheral vision keeping a watch on the aura surrounding him. As skin contacted skin the aura she was observing moved, a slightly unusual eddy creating sworls along the edges. “Each that you come in contact with can leave a piece of themselves with you, which can be both a blessing and a burden,” she said softly after a few moments. “Most will not, some may try to and fail, and others will attempt to tempt you to reach beyond doors that are best kept closed for the price of admission is indeed higher than could ever be anticipated. And then there will be a few who will accept you and all you have to give without asking anything in return.” Her thumbs brushed lightly across the backs of his hands, as if brushing away some crumbs, then slowly circled on the skin… once, twice, thrice. If he was accepting of what she offered he would feel a warmth from the contact, and a strength in the circles described.
“Learning more of what gifts we have is second in importance only to knowing how best to use them.”
Flynn had learned through experience that the ghosts he had met throughout the years sometimes left an imprint, some stronger than others. On some occasions, it was snatches of random knowledge or facts about a loved one, like when Ronnie’s mother had appeared to him. Other times, it was an influence to do the conjured’s bidding, and it wasn’t always easy to ignore, though mostly he managed. What gave him pause, though, was Angharad’s assertion that some doors needed to remain shut. He wasn’t sure he entirely believed that, or rather, he didn’t know if he wanted to. There was so much more beyond what he could see and do and it called out to him. Maybe it wasn’t the greatest idea to plow recklessly through, granted. He could tread carefully, methodically.
“I don’t mind using it to help someone if they need it,” Flynn told her, looking down at their enjoined hands. “Or to defend myself if it’s required.” There was an emphasis to that last statement. “I’ve done it before. It went further than I intended, which is why I want to learn how to really control it.”
There was no coercion in Angharad’s words or intent, her desire to help others see their potential was born of the light, and her love of seeing what each individual could achieve, and their wonder at their own abilities. A creature of two realms she had fallen in love with the nature of the beings who inhabited this one, and chose to stay, live with them, be wooed and wed, raise children and comfort them when they passed. She loved being a part of their world, and where possible, enhance it in ways that were enabling. Her spirit was of the earth, and the earth knew that light was essential to life. Through the millenia she had drawn strength from each morning she witnessed, rising to greet the new day’s light with gratitude as it bathed her face.
And through the millennia there had been those whose heads had been turned too far, whose worlds had been engulfed by the dark. She had wept when they passed, their journey taking them a different path, one she had witnessed only once and had never set foot on again. For her it dissolved into a nothingness that replaced hope with fear, determination with anxiety, and honour with shame. It was a dark that gave no leniency, and vanquished the spirit, enslaving it while giving the false image of ‘freedom’.
The edge between these two was slim, but wavered. The entrance ever-moving. And she knew that what some failed to recognise was that in the light there is also shadow, but a shadow that is different from that called the dark. The shadow offers respite, rest, and opportunity to recuperate when required. It did not infect, or envelope or insidiously weave its way into the psyche, but instead give peace that allowed strength to rebuild, and fortitude to regather.
“Control is crucial,” she nodded, her hands still in place, palm upwards, offering to give, not striving to take. And as she held Flynn’s gaze she asked him, “are you wanting to see what control can do?”
“I want to see the full extent of what I’m capable of,” Flynn told her openly. There was a tingling sensation in his palms, and he couldn’t help but compare this exchange to the one he had experienced a few weeks prior. It was like a strange mirror image, and it fascinated him. He wondered about Angharad, what she could do, the things she could see. He wondered about himself. What did he want? Lately it seemed like some kind of animus was propelling him to make a decision one way or the other. Choose a side, it said. But what were sides in the grand scheme of things? Nothing was ever a simple case of black or white. “I don’t think it has to be a negative thing, seeking as much knowledge as you can,” the medium added. “And I’m not afraid of what I might find. I just want to know…” Flynn trailed off, glancing away for a brief moment before turning back. “I want to know if I can always find my way back. Because sometimes I dream that I step through a door into this other world. Maybe it’s the ‘spirit world’ or the land of the dead, I have no clue. But I get stuck there. And it depends on my mood at the time whether that’s a welcome thing or not.” He had never told anyone that before.
The sorceress nodded her head. “A very handy thing, knowing the way back,” she agreed, giving his hands a squeeze as she studied his face again. “There are places beyond this realm, places most don’t even know exist, let alone have the opportunity to discover and explore. Knowing of these, their existence, is a rare and precious gift. Seeking knowledge is what gives us adventures! Using that knowledge gives us purpose,” she continued, a soft lilt to her voice and light in her eyes. “And without that purpose what is there? Whether it’s knowledge about ourselves, or the worlds around us, learning is both a shield and sword, a pen, paper and eraser, a journey of discovery.”
Angharad’s eyes again held an intensity that if seen by one with ‘sight’ would reflect the excitement and adventure of which she spoke. “And when we have that link to our own source, the place where we rest our head, where we know we are safe, where we can draw breath, it gives greater possibilities.”
His expression remained neutral, but as usual, his eyes betrayed him. That was the crux of the issue, wasn’t it? What exactly did Flynn have to ‘return’ to? When his attention wasn’t divided, he kept returning to the same thought, over and over again. He never truly felt like he belonged anywhere in particular. Home, with his father, at school, work, or his relationships. He was more comfortable in a mortuary than he was at a club bathed in warm light. And why? Because the dead knew him better than anyone else. That was his main takeaway. Whether that was really the reality of the situation remained to be seen, and his eyes flicked toward where Brianna had exited. “Angharad,” he spoke, his voice low. “What if your head never rests? What if every time you go to sleep, you know it’s just a brief reprieve from the truth?” His fingers twitched against hers and his gaze dropped.
“Everyone who ever told me that they loved me couldn’t handle me. Sooner or later, they all give up.” Flynn smiled grimly. “What if it’s better to just leave before it happens?”
There was no doubt in Angharad’s mind, or eyes. “We all have choices to make, Flynn. Sometimes these choices are made with a depth of knowledge that gives us a security, an assuredness. Other times? It’s a leap of faith.”
The songstress didn’t need to turn her head to know that Brianna was returning, slowly, to the table. She gave Flynn’s fingers a gentle squeeze. “Have faith, Flynn,” she told him, standing up and after giving Brianna a smile, giving Flynn a surreptitious wink before turning and making her way back to the stage.
Brianna saw Angharad stand, returned the smile and watched as the woman looked back at Flynn before turning and walking through the tables back to the stage. She returned to her seat and looked at Flynn as the band started playing, Angharad humming softly.
“Are you OK?” she asked, unsure what to make of the expression on his face.
Flynn looked up as Brianna approached, nodding at Angharad as their hands parted. He wasn’t entirely sure how long their exchange had been, or what had been going on around them as it happened, he had been so focused. He picked up his beer and shot the brunette a reassuring smile. “Yeah, we were just talking about my, um, gifts.” He took a deep, steadying breath and then tilted his head toward her and lowering his voice. “Listen, do you think we can go somewhere a little more private and talk? I wanted to tell you something. I mean, the thing.” His expression was more than a little hopeful. He also didn’t want to push her or make her uncomfortable, and would be more than okay if she chose to stay at the table and continue watching the performances.
Brianna nodded, collected her bag and drink and went to stand as Angharad’s voice rose from a hum to sing: How many sorrows Do you try to hide In a world of illusion That's covering your mind? I'll show you something good Oh I'll show you something good. When you open your mind You'll discover the sign That there's something You're longing to find The miracle of love Will take away your pain When the miracle of love Comes your way again. Cruel is the night That covers up your fears. Tender is the one That wipes away your tears. There must be a bitter breeze To make you sting so viciously They say the greatest coward Can hurt the most ferociously. But I'll show you something good. Oh I'll show you something good. If you open your heart You can make a start When your crumbling world falls apart. The miracle of love Will take away your pain When the miracle of love Comes your way again.
He stood up too, pushing his chair in and taking one last glance at Angharad before leading the way to one of the more private alcoves. They were similar to the main room of Lux, the same kind of sandstone walls, but with more of those hanging veils and a sort of partition that lent it an air of seclusion. Flynn set his drink on the low table, which was enveloped by a curved banquette covered in cushions. The medium waited until Brianna slid in before following. “So, Angharad is interesting,” he began with a soft smile. “And I have no earthly idea how old she is, so you win.” He leaned his back against the seat and looked down at his hands. “So, before I tell you, I want you to know that I won’t blame you if you want to leave. I’ll pay for an Uber or whatever you need.” His eyes glanced upward and met hers. “You don’t have anything to worry about from me.”
Brianna watched as he talked, and smiled at his conceding he also couldn't guess Angharad’s age. But concern was rising as he said she could leave, and she again, just as she had at Thanksgiving, felt an urgency coming over her. She had no idea where it came from and hadn't mentioned it to him, but it was there again now. Given what he could do, she felt nervous, for both of them.
"Flynn, what is it?" she asked, keeping the urgency from creeping into her voice.