Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

An odd situation, maybe not smiled upon by any churches or legislation if we wanted to take it to the next level. But we were also using magic and fighting evil forces, so I didn’t think the regular rules and ethics exactly applied to us.

“You with me?” Galahad asked, sliding me identification slyly, and I realized we had entered the building and were at the security checkpoint—me not even realizing, I’d been so out of it as I had walked in.

“Good morning, Senator,” a young guard said. I returned his greeting and moved through the rest of the steps in a daze.

“Pull yourself together,” Galahad hissed, guiding me aside at a set of wide doors. “In this room, you’re going to be at a hearing for what is ostensibly some horse shit about security, but really is our chance for you to find out what Senator Ohlo is up to.”

Senator Ohlo, A.K.A. Fatiha. She had to have a reason to impersonate a senator, or why bother? Looking forward to finding out, we made our way in.

Was I able to pull it off? Sure. What followed was the dullest, most insanely stupid and boring two hours of my life—and without a sign of Senator Ohlo. One suit after another wasted precious minutes from our lives with their bullshit, and then it was my turn and I had to spout off the lines Galahad had given me, using my digital screen that only I could see as a teleprompter of sorts.

To my surprise and relief, they bought it.

However, as I was about to start in on a second speech, I noticed one of the senators brush a hand over her neck, revealing the golden diamond there, just like Lex had previously told me about. He told me that when I saw this sign I would know I could trust this person to be one of the good guys. No action yet, but I was beginning to see where my allies were. People were drawing lines, picking sides. Or at least declaring their interest.

More of them revealed their marks, so I moved my finger along my desk, pretending to simply be doodling while actually making a digital marking of the room and map of where each person with the Order—and on our side—was seated.

“What is it?” Galahad said, leaning over. “You’re ignoring the speech.”

I leaned closer to him, nodding toward one of the Order members with the mark. “I can see the ones with the mark. The loyal ones.”

“Mark?” He stared at me in confusion. He didn’t see them! Which meant, there was something about my power that let me see the marks, or maybe it was the fact that I was the owner of the Liahona.

But, if they were brushing their necks, revealing the marks… what did that say about him? I glanced over, wondering if there was any chance he could be a traitor. It didn’t make sense, but then again, would it if he were?

As soon as we were let out, I led Galahad out of there before the others could come up to me. “They saw my face, that’s enough.”

“We’re hardly done, here,” he countered. “That was only one session.”

I directed him to the hallway where the restrooms where. “You’re with the Order, yeah?”

“Right.”

“And Senator Funai trusted you?”

“Is this about the marks you’re seeing?” he asked. “Did you ever stop to think that, maybe, the marks are showing the other side?”

“Meaning…” It hit me. “You’re suggesting that they’re not showing me, they’re showing each other.”

“Precisely. Indicating to each other where they are, and if they’re doing that, I’d say they’re getting ready to make a move sooner than later.”

“Which makes sense,” I admitted, “considering Fatiha and where she is in this whole game.”

I turned to make it look like I was drinking from the water fountain, but instead pulled up the screen of the image I’d made to show who was using the diamond marker. If Galahad was right, there were too many of them for me to feel comfortable standing there, exposed. That was the kicker, though. Was he right? Or was he covering ulterior motives? I needed to find out, and fast.

“Gotta piss,” I said, motioning him along.

He followed me into the bathroom, going to the next urinal over. After I ducked down to ensure all stalls were empty, I said, “Honestly, a fight doesn’t sound as bad as sitting through more of this Senate shit.”

“Sir…”

“I’m just saying—”

He turned to me, stern. “What you’re saying might be true, but even if this fight ends quickly and we’re the victorious party, we still need you in this role. It’s going to lead you to high places, and those on the side of good and right need you to be there.”

“Well, fuckity-fuck.” I undid myself, letting my dick fall out so I could piss. “Can you face forward when at the urinals? Isn’t that senate etiquette like everywhere else?”

He frowned, then turned forward. “Right.”

“And listen…” My mind spun as I tried not to imagine myself taking a piss in the White House. One way to keep my mind off thoughts like that had always been to settle on more simple topics, such as, “How do you make it not splatter?”

“What?”

“In all your years, with all the urinals, how?” I aimed to the right, trying that out, then at the honeycomb thing at the base of the urinal. “It’s like some asshole designed these things to purposefully splatter, you know?”

Galahad glanced my way, then chuckled. “Wish I could tell you, but…”

“You have the same problem?”

He shook his head. “I’m one step between Steph’s knights and you. One ‘benefit,’ you could say, is that I never have to piss.”

“Number two, also?”

“Correct.”

“Damn.” I finished, shook, and tucked it away. “Well, the top of these toilets and most out there says, ‘Sloan.’ Remind me to find this Sloan guy and punch him in the dick. Yeah?”

“I’m not going to do that.”

I chuckled and went over to wash my hands, when the door opened.