"A–Audrey!" Jake shouted, as Elena flushed scarlet and instinctively clung tighter to him, ducking, hoping to somehow blend in with Jake's figure.
A figure landed lightly on the roof above them—a lean woman of average height, her movements sharp and effortless. A silver mask covered the right side of her face, catching the light with each breath, and her silver hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail. Her uncovered eye, a deep bronze, watched them with quiet amusement.
"H-How long have you been there?" Jake demanded. Elena was not sure what to do, as she was still with Jake and clothed — yet how long had this woman been there? How much did she hear? Who was she?
"Jake?" Elena murmured, and his golden eyes glanced at her amber eyes.
"I was only here near the end. Like literally," Audrey shrugged.
Elena sat up still on top of Jake, "Jake, who is this person? W-Why is she here? What's going on?"
Audrey narrowed her eye, and then it widened as they finally recognized her. "Elena Falmil!" She exclaimed, Jake merged into his own shadow and teleported in front of Audrey and covered her mouth, leaving Elena sitting on the ground.
"Don't say her name out loud," his voice was cold, filled with warning.
Elena didn't know what to do, but she crossed her arms, covering herself even though she was still dressed. She looked down at the ground, feeling exposed and embarrassed that someone had been there even for a few moments, but those intimate moments were between her and Jake.
Audrey nodded at Jake's warning as he pulled his hand away. "J-Jake, what's going on? Why are you with a noble? Why do one?" Audrey asked, confused, her usual calm demeanor nonexistent. Jake glared at her, and Audrey flinched.
"First off, we didn't do it," Jake sighed, Audrey stealing a glance at Elena, which went unnoticed by Jake.
Jake tried to think of anything to explain things. Audrey was watching his face twist into multiple expressions that she had never seen before.
"Jake, who is she? Can she be trusted?" Elena said, walking over to him quietly, she had put her bra back on while the two were standing there.
Both pairs of eyes looked at Elena; Jake's warm gaze was a cut contrast to Audrey's cold, suspicious gaze.
"Yes, she can, in fact, she is the one with the Horus Hawk," Jake said. Audrey looked over at Jake, wondering what was going on.
"Okay, hold on, Jake, why tell her that? Also, you never answered my question: why are you with a noble, especially one from the Seven?" Audrey said, gesturing to Elena.
"That's complicated," Jake drawled out.
Elena shook her head, knowing how to exactly explain it. "Forbidden love," she said simply. Jake looked over to her while Audrey's eye switched between them. "Bullshit," Audrey exclaimed.
Jake sighed and nodded, agreeing with Elena's explanation. "She is… right, I guess?"
Audrey paused, looking between them, seeing if they were telling the truth, then she realized they were. Audrey snorted, "How long?"
Jake and Elena's eyes met, a silent conversation between them, a conversation that could only be held by years of practice. As they both looked at Audrey and in unison said, "10 years."
"Well, actually… a month technically, that's when… we first kissed, but we have known each other for over 10 years," Elena explained. Audrey froze at how long they had known each other.
Jake sighed, rubbing his forehead, "Also, why are you here?" His golden eyes were piercing and demanding the truth from her, not as a friend like usual, but as her boss.
Audrey stiffened slightly, "I am following the pact you made, the pact where we were to up our security, and that means following you. You disappeared on us, I am guessing, to be with her?"
Jake closed his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Right, right, that thing… where are Dan and Shawn?"
"Looking for you," Audrey said, giving him a flat look.
Jake sighed, Elena looking at him, confused about what pact Audrey meant. "C-can you get them here? I don't want to explain things multiple times. Also, this is top secret, and I shall make a pact with you all, I don't care if you already have a pact to keep secrets I tell, this one, no arguments."
Audrey nodded and rolled up her sleeves, revealing an intricate tattoo spiraling along her forearm — lines and sigils that seemed to pulse faintly with life.
She whispered, "Valga mo vi."
The ink shimmered, light spilling across her skin before lifting from it entirely. The tattoo uncoiled like smoke, swirling through the air as the markings took shape — feathers forming, wings unfurling.
A hawk emerged, a Horus Hawk, its feathers dark as the void and its eyes glowing with an eerie violet light. It was the size of an owl, its talons glinting, sharp and long as Elena's fingers.
"Find Dan and Shawn," Audrey commanded, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. "Bring them to me."
The hawk took off, and Elena couldn't even track it after a few seconds. The hawk, known for its stealth, lived up to its tales.
Elena stood there in amazement. She had never seen a beast-tamer summoning a creature; in fact, beast-tamers were a rare type of mage.
"A beast-tamer?" Elena looked over at Audrey, and she nodded.
Jake, Elena, and Audrey waited for Dan and Shawn to arrive on the rooftop, Jake and Elena dropping some details of their relationship to Audrey as they waited for Dan and Shawn.
"So that's the actual reason you got skunked twice?" Audrey said through laughter.
Jake was green, remembering how truly awful the skunk incident was. Elena chuckled along with Audrey. Jake was slightly surprised that Elena and Audrey hit it off quite well, even though their personalities were mostly opposite.
"Yes, that's how Jake got skunked twice. What did he tell you?" Elena shook her head, remembering the incident.
"That he got into a bar fight with a skunk lycanthrope." Audrey chuckled.
Elena snorted, "Really?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, okay, I got skunked, okay. Can we drop it? Dan and Shawn are coming, I swear I can hear that bear a mile away." Jake said, looking to the south side of the Underground City.
Audrey chuckled, "I bet."
"Are these the people you said we can trust?" Elena looked over at Jake, and he nodded.
"But, I suggest you put on your mask again, then we can reveal you," Jake said, walking over to where they placed their masks and tossing hers. She caught it with ease.