This is not what Cecilia had expected her night to go, instead of spending some much needed time with her Mate, she was sitting outside of an All-Night Café with Sylas. His golden eyes were trained on her, observing silently as he smoked a cigarette.
"As fun as you are Sylas, can we get on with it? I have a Mate I'd like to get back to."
"No offense Alpha but I doubt he'll notice your absence right now. He had the look of a Mage lost in magic. I've seen it many times. He won't come out of that haze till he meets his goal."
"You seem to know a lot about it, Sylas." Cecilias eyes narrowed, suddenly suspicious. "How did you know he was a Mage? Did he tell you?"
"No." Sylas sighed, running a hand through his hair and scratching the back of his neck. "It's a combination of several factors. I can tell anyone's Fae species; they don't have to tell me. Part is because I can see and read auras, part of it is scent. As I'm sure you are aware, each Species has its own scent, I can recognize each one."
"How?" Cecilia was curious but still on edge.
"I've been alive a very long time, my kind ages extremely slowly. For most of those years I travelled the world, spending time with all the Fae species I could, learning and documenting everything. Not an easy task, many were very suspicious of me and my motivations."
"Yet you prevailed?" Sylas looked at her for a long time. The intensity of his gaze made her slightly uncomfortable.
"How trustworthy are you, Alpha? Will you be able to know the knowledge I can import to you without telling another living soul expect your mate."
"I'm not some bored housewife Sylas. I have better things to do than gossip."
"You've heard of the Council of Elders?" Sylas asked.
"Of course, my father spoke about them. I'm not sure they are real."
"Why do you say that?"
"All the stories say they were Fae who are older and more powerful than we can know, and they started the first Safe Haven Town. They were champions for species intermingling. If they are still around, they are ignoring this Cult of Mages and their reign of terror." Cecilia folded her arms, irritated at this whole situation. "But no one has heard of one for decades."
"It's never that black and white Cecilia. No Fae is all powerful, we all have weaknesses. The Council was strong, at one time but we were arrogant, and this Cult has been around many lifetimes. They nearly decimated my race, and they would love nothing more to destroy all of us."
"You said we?" Cecilia furrowed her brows, "How old are you, Sylas? You're part of the Council of Elders?"
"I can't tell you all my secrets Alpha. But you are making the right assumptions." Sylas smirked. "Do you know what Fae Species made up the Council?"
"Just stories. But they can't..." Cecilia trailed off, her eyes widening slightly, "FUCK A DUCK! You're.... seriously?"
Instead of answering Sylas let a few plumes of smoke escaping the side of his mouth and his eyes started to glow like hot liquid gold. A low rumbling growl sounded from his chest that literally shook the glasses on the table.
"Holy Crap on a cracker." Cecilia whispered, "I don't fucking believe it!"
Sylas chuckled, taking a sip from the teacup in front of him. He grimaced slightly, "Goddess, I miss proper tea."
He was obviously giving Cecilia time to compose herself and organize her thoughts. Several minutes passed. Sylas leaned back in his chair and sipped what the Café had deemed a cup of tea, watching different Nocturnal Fae go in and out of the Café.
"I'm guessing this isn't what you wanted to discuss with me?" Cecilia asked, having finally processed everything.
"No, but it is connected, somewhat. The Council of Elders is still around but there are so few of us we have no way to fight or protect others on our own. Instead, we placed ourselves in the Safe Haven cities. One in each. Were here to watch and offer aid and wisdom if needed."
"That's why you work at Haven."
"It helps, lots of information flow but I do other work as well, for the city but that isn't important to this."
Sylas scratched at the back of his neck again, he seemed to be organizing his thoughts.
"It is not my place to get involved in other's relationships, especially between Mates. I told myself this wasn't my business but. The risk is too great."
"What the ever-loving fuck are you talking about? "
"Mages are very different from other Fae. Unlike other Fae who have abilities and certain powers specific to their species, Mages have the ability to use the energy and magic all around them. They have access to great power and can do a great many things. For most this is done through potions, rituals and other talismans that help Mages focus and channel the magic around them though their bodies and minds. Mages are like conduits that harness and direct the magic of the world."
Cecilia thought about the rune tattoos on Hammer and the pendent that had glowed when he had shielded himself. These helped him focus where and how he channeled ambient magic around himself.
"However," Sylas continued, "There are a few Mages who don't just use the magic around them but also have a type of magic within themselves. Usually, it is a connection to an element, and they have the power to create and control that element."
"I'm not sure I totally understand."
"Most Mages have Arcane Magic, developed though training and study, manipulating the magic around them. A rare few mages, maybe about 5 percent of all Mages have an Innate power as well as Arcane power. This power is not learned, it just is. They must learn to control it otherwise it will become disastrous. They have all the learned abilities of other Mages and a power that is all their own."
"What do you mean about a connection to an element?"
"I have met a few Innate Mages in my lifetime. One had a connection to plants, she could make them grow, die, bend to her will, anything she desired, the other had an earth power. Tonight, your Mate had lightening sparking from his fingers. It was coming from him. Innate Mages are rare, they often hide their powers from their covens and don't know the full extent of their powers. It is usually not a problem because Mages have such strong discipline and emotional control."
"But.?" Cecilia knew they were getting closer to the point of this conversation. She was overwhelmed by what she was learning and more than a little put out that she wasn't hearing this from Hammer.
"Mages in relationships are extremely volatile, the uncertainty of not knowing their partners feelings, the difficulty of adapting to another's aura, it sends them out of balance." Cecilia started to speak but Sylas held up his hand, urging her to let him continue.
"I'm not saying you are hiding your feelings or that you two should not be together. I am only saying that it is important for a Mage to complete the Mating process sooner rather than later. It will stabilize his emotions. The longer you wait the more out of balance he will become and because he has an Innate power, when he completely loses control of his emotions and powers, he could kill nearly all of us."
"How long do you think we have?"
"He seems stable-ish, having a task to focus his magical energy on will help but I wouldn't wait longer than a month."
"How is it you know all this?"
"I've seen it before. A friend from a long time ago met his Mate, a fickle little wood nymph. They waited too long to complete the bond and he set off a series of earthquakes, landslides and sink holes that destroyed the first Safe Haven Town."
"Do you think Hammer knows about his Innate power? He never said anything about it."
"I don't know, but we will find out and if needed help him with it." Sylas sighed, "I'll be honest, I know of him. He was very widely known in the Mage world. His is said to be one of the best potion makers to have lived and his magical knowledge is nearly unrivaled. He is a very powerful Arcane Mage, and the Innate ability makes him even stronger. If that Cult finds him, they will do all they can to get him."
Cecilia was stunned, so much information in one night. She needed to run.
"You're not what I expected Sylas, you seem very different in Haven."
"I'm complex Cecilia. There are many sides to me."
"Yeah, you're not fucking kidding." Cecilia pulled Hammers key from her pocket, "you know how to ride right?"
"Of course."
"Great. You take Hammers bike. I need to think."
Cecilia tossed him the keys and walked away. She had a feeling Sylas already knew where to take Hammers bike. She shifted quickly and took off into the forest, making her way up the mountain needing got be alone with her thoughts. One thing keeps repeating in her mind.
Hammer could kill us all.