I know, I know, I've been bad about updates. I'm sorry. As an apology, here's the two chapters I missed. Hope everyone is having a good start to their summer :)

     The yellow protection slid off of my arms when I stood the final step out of the area. Tate rapidly appeared as he too left its protected zone. The buildings inside vanished as if they weren't there. The only thing that didn't really change was the heat of the sun. The longer it was up, the more the heat burned into my arms.

   "So," I said, turning to Tate. "What's your plan?"

   He'd said that he was also going after Dani, but that was it. Was he wanting to hitch a ride to Anchorage? I somehow doubted that he was going to let me head off, scott-free.

   "I want to come with you," he said firmly.

   My eyebrow raised a little. "To Anchorage?"

   "To find Dani."

   Tate was standing solid, his face betraying no sign of sarcasm or joking. I blinked a little. "Seriously? You're willing to put up with my crazy ass just to find this lady?"

   "Yes." Tate nodded, sincere. "You're the closest thing we have to taking her down. I'm going with you."

   My first instinct was to say no. I had never worked well with anyone. Tate was a good person, and an excellent fighter, but I didn't want anyone getting in my way. Having someone with me was only going to slow me down.

   I scrutinized him. Something about how he was standing defiantly said that he was not going to let me leave. Besides, I was only thinking in the negative. Having someone to watch my back could be helpful. Tate wasn't a weight, either. I'd seen that he was fully capable of handling himself. He was practically an Enforcer, and I had a pretty good idea that they were badasses.

   Both my father and Mr. Leon had remarked that I was reckless. I didn't give a damn about Mr. Leon but my father had a point. He knew me well enough that I trusted him. Having Tate along could help me with that. My chances of coming back to see my dad would be better with Tate along.

   "Okay," I finally said. "We go together."

   Tate nodded. "Ready to go, then?"

   "Yup." I caught my staff. Tate grabbed my other hand and we fell into the nex tunnel. Winding my way north, I journeyed to where I hoped Anchorage was. Faint glimpses of road signs were the only indications that I was going the right way. There seemed to be a spot where not a single nex tunnel accessed. I hit another dead end and decided to stop. 

   We materialized on a road. Tall trees stood on either sides and snow-capped mountains stood in the distance. The air was thin enough that my heart moved faster to accommodate the drop in oxygen. The temperature went from burning to chilly. I'd put it around fifty degrees. I traded my staff for the jacket that I'd snagged from the mall.

   Tate watched as I threw it on, adjusting the collar and making sure the sleeves fit. The dark red leather helped trap the heat in. He raised his eyebrow. "Didn't you steal that?"

   "Oh, shut up," I grumbled. "I look badass." With it secure, I faced the road. "Directly ahead of us is an empty spot. Not a single nex tunnel travels through there."

   He laughed quietly before looking down the road. "We're in the right place. Anchorage is maybe a mile or two this way. I can smell some buildings and people."

   "That's creepy," I said flatly. I shoved my hands into my pockets and started walking. Tate didn't have a coat, but he didn't seem cold. "You're not even cold, are you?"

  "Nope."

   I shook my head. "So, what makes Anchorage safer than Death Valley? I don't sense any protection spells."

   Tate chuckled. "It's full to the brim of the smartest and most powerful magicks. There's two Enforcers on every block. Everyone who lives here is either an Enforcer, retired Enforcer, or Council member. It's the most heavily protected place on this continent because it's where the Council operates."

   "Wouldn't the humans notice all of the extremely-buff and good-looking people around?"

   "It's also one of the only human-free cities in the country."

   I made an impressed sound. "Nice. How'd the Council manage that?"

   "No idea."

   The city of Anchorage came into sight after about half an hour of walking. A large lake glistened with the overcast sky. Mountains sat quietly on the horizon, keeping the city protected from all sides. 

   The streets themselves were crawling with magicks. Mages, witches, and wizards walked here and there with staffs strapped onto their backs. Shifters roamed everywhere: exotic birds, large felines, wolves, horses, and bears. Fae and elves wandered without care of covering their ears, though the two groups avoided each other. The fae resembled humans more with their human clothes. The elves wore leathers and furs, and their hair was always up. I didn't see a single elf with their hair down. Bizarre.

   "Why do elves not put down their hair?" I asked Tate, curious.

   "Part of their culture," said Tate. "I think they see it as a sign of weakness. No elf is allowed to cut more than a certain amount per year, and no elf leaves it down. It honestly helps tell them apart from the fae. They're closely related, but they hate each other."

   "Why?"

   "Old, old rivalry. Elves are traditionally more animalistic. If you piss off an elf, they'll snarl at you. If you piss off a fae, they'll sneak-attack you later. They were at war for a long time before the Council smacked them around. Their battles were getting too close to risking exposure to the humans. I think their war was related to how they're supposed to be comrades, but the fae accepted the human presence while the elves detested it. The fae protected the humans and the elves have always hated them."

   "Jeez." I looked around. "Any other magicks have such a rivalry?"

   "Just the demons and angels."

   My head snapped over to look at Tate in surprise. "Angels exist?"

   He grimaced. "Not anymore, really. There might be one or two still alive, but the demons largely won that fight. If you think demons are rare, they're common compared to angels. Angels were declared extinct for about a hundred years. Only a decade ago did someone find a hidden angel civilization. The demons wiped it out shortly afterwards. There's probably a few angels left, but not many."

   "They're not actually from heaven or hell, right?"

   "No. It's not thought so. But they are two of the oldest magick species," admitted Tate. "Demons are the original species of dusks. Vampires evolved from them. Shifters, elves, and fae derived from angels. And the mage is the original neutral. Witches and wizards came from mages. The origins of angels, demons, mages, and seers are all completely unknown. They could all come from heaven or hell or all we know."

   "Weird." I headed for the sidewalk. Tate followed. I was actively searching for a map. "Now, where is this Council?"

   "If they're in session, they'll be in the main building."

   "Main block of town?"

   "Probably."

   "Good. Now, I want a snack. I haven't eaten properly in ages." My eyes caught sight of a small bakery and I made a bee-line for it. A warm rush of air brushed my face as I opened the door. The scent of dough and sugar made my mouth water. 

   The walls were dark brown and the counter was covered in dark blue tile. The same time wrapped around the whole bakery. Dark tables were scattered around the room. I noticed with humor that the elves and fae sat on opposite sides. There was a group of neutrals in the corner, a group of staffs sitting in a little pot. There were pots like that by each table.

   The barista smiled as I came up. Her lips pulled back to expose sharp canines. Her pointed ears stuck up into her hair. Considering it was down, this was a fae. It was further proved by the neon blue of her eyes. "What can I get you?"

   "One hot, regular coffee and one of those blueberry muffins." 

   "I'd like a tall mocha and that sandwich," Tate pointed. She grabbed the food with tongs and the guy behind her started to work on the coffees. She didn't bother to use a calculator. "That'll be nine dollars and eighteen cents."

   Tate handed over the card and she swiped it. Her eyes drifted our way. "I'll admit, you've got me stumped. I feel like I've seen you somewhere. I can tell he's a shifter. Too muscled not to be. But you? You've got no staff, no pointed ears or teeth, and you're average size. Are you a demon?"

   I found my lip curling into a smirk. The girl tilted her head with a confused smile. "I know I've seen you somewhere."

   "Probably on the news," I told her, snorting. She slid over the card. "What would you be on the news for?"

   "That's for you to find out." I snagged the bag with my muffin and handed over Tate's sandwich. The fae shook her head at me, puzzled, but I had already headed for a booth. Tate seemed amused as he opened up his coffee. "You seem to enjoy confusing people."

   The muffin tasted great. It was also the first food -- besides a cookie -- that I'd had since leaving the Ghost Realm. I shrugged as a response.