Page 8 of The Arbiter

Nocturna

When I wake up, I’m so confused that I just lay in bed as I try to put the pieces of what transpired back together.

It takes me a minute, but once it does, I go into a panic. My heart rate beats rapidly, and my skin moistens with sweat. I grab the ends of my hair, hold them up to my face, and start hyperventilating. Lifting my hands where my runes are etched into my palm, I’m shocked to find that my two separate runes have melded into one on both hands.

The constriction in my lungs finally releases, and the air rushes forward, pulling a guttural scream from deep within. Jamie immediately comes running in, collapsing on the bed next to me and clasping my hands in hers.

“Okay, freak out time is over. This is not the end of the world, just a minor setback.”

I glare at her as I pull my hands from her hold. “This isnota setback.” Waving my new rune in her face, I growl, “This is a fucking nightmare. I don’t know how to bring balance to two fucking races of people! I don’t even know how to boil an egg! Do you know how sad it is to be almost two-hundred years old and not know how to properly boil an egg?”

Jamie rolls her eyes at me and smacks my hand down. “You don’t even eat eggs, so that’s completely irrelevant right now. Look, I know it’s not at the top of the list of things you wanna do with your life, but this is something I believe that you’ll be damn good at. You already keep balance between us here. There hasn’t been a single drop of blood spilled between a Rite and Damned in this place, in what? Ten years?”

Arching my brow at her, I give her a look that says that’s the worst example of me keeping good balance. Sure, some Rites come in every now and then, but with their lack of the concept of fun, it makes them the least seen species in my club. The ones who do frequent are laxer around their supposed enemies. Contrary to popular belief, they have no innate hatred for other species and don’t really enjoy killing them.

However, when the situation calls for a Rite to kill, they mark their skin, usually on their backs and chests, with a brand in the shape of an X. To them, it’s penance for blood spilled, and a reminder of the soul they extinguished. Hence, another reason why I hold no hatred toward the Rites. To feel the depth of killing so deeply that they need to put a permanent and painful reminder on their skin is honorable to me. Balance must be protected, even if I don’t agree with them killing us.

All of a sudden, I get why Jamie said what she did. I favor neither, except maybe in who I keep for company.

Jamie smiles at me, and she gives me a knowing look at the revelation on my face. “See. You’re nothing like any of the Arbiters before you. They all had qualities that screamed nothing but Damned, and they all harbored disdain for Rites, even while doing their jobs. Whatever Cassia did to be replaced, you won’t make that same mistake. It wasn’t just because she chose Damned lovers; it was because she let them sway her. You have the purest heart I’ve ever known. Even while being the fearless, sassy bitch that you are. You can do this.”

I look into her eyes and see the sincerity there. Without hesitation, I pull her into a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, returning my hug then pulling back, “But you’ve been knocked out since last night, probably from the influx of power that zapped you of energy. While you were out cold, Cedric received a call to the bar this morning. It seems the Infernal felt the power shift and want to have a meeting with you tomorrow night. They’ll be flying in around noon and will want introductions, most likely to size you up. No doubt we’ll hear from the High Order soon too. I’m sure they felt the shift, and Damnation knows, they won’t want to be left out.”

I slap my palm to my forehead and grunt as I remember that little detail.Why did it have to be me?

“What time is it anyways?” I ask.

She checks her watch. “Four forty-five. Why don’t you take some energy from me then have a nice, long soak in a bath? Maybe come dance again with us tonight since you botched last night horribly.”

The grin that follows her words lets me know that she’s only joking.

I laugh and hit her in the face with my pillow. “You’re an asshole, but I’m liking the sound of that plan. Oddly enough though, I don’t need your energy. That surge on top of the restful sleep has me pretty rejuvenated.”

Jamie hops up and goes to my closet, throwing an outfit on the bed for me to wear tonight. “Good. There are your clothes, now get your ass in the bath then get dressed and come down. I’m thinking “Half God Half Devil” by In This Moment. Should get them good and riled up.”

“Maybe,” I tell her. “I’ll let you know when I get down there.”

She nods and skips from the room.

The minor distraction of making me laugh helped, but as soon as I start soaking in the tub, my mind races back to its previous doubts.Do I really have it in me to do this?The Creator must think so if he chose me out of all the other halfies in the earthly realm, and I just hope he wasn’t mistaken. Policing the Damned is easy enough. Like the Rites, I do it on a nightly basis anyway within the club. But being the Arbiter demands that I police the Rites as well. There are far fewer of them that break the integral laws set by us all, but every now and then one slips through the cracks and becomes overzealous in their power. I’ve never fathomed how one would go about killing a Rite. It’s not something I’ve ever tried.

It is so fucking nervewracking to think about all of this then adding my meeting the Infernal tomorrow night. I don’t know all their names, what they look like, or anything at all about their characters; Mignonette and Renald, the Succubus and Incubus Infernals, are the only exceptions. Because of my heritage, that’s who I’m technically ruled by, orwasruled by. The Infernal are the most powerful of each race, so it goes without saying that I’m expecting them all to be just as arrogant as my own rulers. Arrogance is only another characteristic gained with that power.

Power that I now have.

It fucking terrifies me that I’m technically now their equal but can do something they can’t. This new title comes with the perk of being able to force a soul into Divinity or Damnation with just a touch. How I’m supposed to go about doing that is completely lost to me, though.

I feel pretty much the same as I always have, except maybe just a littlemorenow. I can’t describe themore, but I can definitely feel the power coursing through my veins, making me aware of every single being in the building. Is that part of being the Arbiter? Being able to feel more connected to the different races that surround me? Possibly their very souls?

Shit. I may need an extra shot tonight before the show…

***

Monroe

The plane ride was long, and we arrived at our hotel just in time to change before heading off to this club, which I now know is called The Apothecary. Quite a clever name, considering what apothecaries did when they were still in practice, supplying humans with medicine, drugs, and such. I spent the entire flight here reading up on this place. This woman caters to all sides without judgement or persecution, allowing all races to come in and medicate themselves in some figurative form or fashion be it alcohol, energy, or blood.

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