Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) (18 page)

Oliver felt his stomach lurch in surprise and ran a tentative hand through his hair, hoping it wasn't a complete mess.

"Yeah you did. How did you manage that?" Oliver asked, trying to sound relaxed.

"I bumped into your aunt in the lobby," Anna replied, casting her eyes over his shoulder curiously. "Are you busy?"

Oliver shook his head. "Nope."

"Wanna hang out? I know this place round the corner from here. Plus, I really need to escape my parents. Mum's driving me insane. We've been put up in a family room so we're practically living on top of each other," Anna said with a look of horror.

Oliver laughed. "Yeah, let's go."

He followed her into the corridor and the mirrored doors on the lift allowed them to call it. An inflated feeling grew in Oliver's chest at the thought of spending some time alone with Anna. The lift doors opened with a
ding
and they entered the empty cab.

Anna stood close to Oliver so their shoulders brushed slightly. His fingers accidentally touched her hand and a jolt of energy rushed through him.

"Hold the doors!" came a voice out in the corridor.

Oliver shoved his arm out to stop them closing then Rogan appeared and stepped inside the lift.

"Oh, hey it's you," Rogan said brightly.

"Hey, man," Oliver said, feeling slightly disgruntled at having his moment with Anna ruined.

"Oh, Rogan this is Anna, Anna this is-," Oliver was cut off by Anna.

"Rogan," Anna breathed.

Oliver turned to look at her. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide as she looked at Rogan. His stomach twisted as he looked between them.

"Ganderfield," Anna finished.

Oliver frowned in recognition of the name. "Ganderfield?" He looked at Rogan then everything clicked into place. He was famous. With a jolt, he realised that not only was Rogan the descendant of Dorian Ganderfield but must also be the son of Wallace Ganderfield who they were hoping could save May.

Rogan smiled at her. "Yeah, that's me."

"I'm Anna," she said, still gawping.

The lift opened in the lobby and they all exited.

"You up to much?" Rogan asked them.

"No," Oliver said tersely.

"Yes," Anna answered at the same time. "We're going to Sumi's."

"Cool, mind if I join?" Rogan asked confidently like no one had ever said no to him in his entire life.

"Course not," Anna said, looking a little flustered.

Oliver felt his jaw clench.

"I've just gotta pay off a bill at the desk first. Meet you outside in a minute?" Rogan said, walking over to the receptionist whose cheeks flushed scarlet as he approached.

They exited through the revolving doors and Oliver regretted not bringing a coat. The early evening air had brought a crisp wind with it and Anna wrapped her cardigan tightly around herself.

"You don't mind him coming along do you?" Anna asked.

"No, course not," Oliver said untruthfully.

She grinned form ear to ear. "I can't believe we're going for a drink with
Rogan Ganderfield
."

"Neither can I," Oliver muttered, more to himself then Anna. She didn't seem to hear as she walked to a panel beside the door and ordered a taxi pod.

Oliver realised he had no money. "Err, Anna. I don't actually have any way of paying for things here," he said, the blood heating up in his face.

"Oh, right. Come over here. Do you have an account in Earth?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I can't use that here, can I?" he asked.

"Aleva has technology which links all bank accounts across the worlds. You just have to register and it will automatically change the currency when you use it," she said.

Anna talked him through the steps so that his bank account was linked to one in Aleva then he registered his thumb print so he could pay. "That's brilliant. Thanks," he said.

He realised Anna was standing extremely close as they both leant in to look at the screen. She looked up at him with her bronze eyes, making his stomach feel like it was floating.

"Ready to go?" Rogan's voice chimed in his ear like a klaxon.

Oliver stepped away from Anna in an instant and they turned to join Rogan. Anna's cheeks were flushed as she looked at the celebrity, making Oliver's heart sink.

They took the taxi pod to Sumi's. The restaurant was located down a spiral of winding stairs that led underground. The floor looked as though it were made of ice and the bar was raised up on a stage surrounded by a moat of turquoise water. People were queuing to it over three metal bridges. The water from the moat cast patterns on the ceiling and walls, giving the feel of being underwater. Waiters in blue uniforms hurried around passing out food.

The tables and chairs were made entirely of glass. Rogan rushed over to one in a corner and sat down, facing the wall. Oliver and Anna joined him.

"Do you mind bringing me a drink over? I just don't want anyone to recognise me," Rogan said.

"Sure, what do you want?" Anna asked.

"Jinu, please. And get a Tab," he said with a smile that Oliver imagined would have sent any girl into a frenzy.

"I'll come with you," Oliver said to Anna hopefully.

"No, don't worry. Do you want the same?" Anna asked.

Oliver nodded, his gut sinking as he sat down with Rogan.

"She your girlfriend?" Rogan asked as Anna disappeared into the crowd.

"No. Why?" Oliver asked defensively, his spine straightening.

Rogan laughed. "Just curious that's all. Don't worry, I'm a mage. I've been engaged since I was sixteen. Where in Vale are you from?"

"Earth," Oliver said, the weight in his chest lifting as he tried to recall everything his grandfather had told him about mages.

"Earth? You messing with me?" Rogan asked, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Nope. All of this stuff is new to me. I didn't know any of it existed until recently," Oliver said.

"That's crazy. It was so weird meeting you earlier and you didn't recognise me. I don't remember the last time I had to introduce myself," he said with a grin.

"Was that your fiancé back in the hotel? I saw you guys talking before," Oliver said.

"Fighting you mean," Rogan said with a frown. "She drives me nuts sometimes. I'm glad to get out for a bit, I needed a break. Though I don't normally risk going out in public."

Oliver felt a flash of guilt at having rejected Rogan earlier. He was about to ask why they had been arguing when Anna returned with a tray of drinks.

She passed the Jinu out and placed an object on the table shaped like a trapezoid. It was black in colour and the flat surface on top of it held a screen that displayed the price of five Lokens. Oliver assumed it was what Rogan had referred to as a Tab.

Oliver sipped the Jinu and felt the cold leave his bones. He spotted a group of girls nearby sidling closer and leaning backwards to get a better look at Rogan.

"You've got a group of stalkers," Oliver said, nodding to the girls.

Anna looked up at them. "I don't think they know it's you yet."

Rogan brushed a hand through his hair. Oliver spotted an almost imperceptible light ignite between his fingers and his hair lengthened to cover one side of his face.

Oliver suppressed a laugh. "It suits you like that."

"Shut it," Rogan said through a smile.

"Can't you just change your appearance to look like someone else completely?" Oliver asked.

"I think that's basically impossible and definitely illegal," Rogan said with a laugh.

The girls were closing in. One of them was leaning back as far as she could to try and see Rogan's face. A large blonde girl with broad shoulders pouted then strutted over purposefully to Rogan.

"Heads up," Oliver muttered to him.

The girl tapped him on the shoulder and, with a quick flash of light, Rogan rubbed his hand over his chin and swung around. He now had a long, bushy beard.

"Can I help you?" Rogan asked the girl in a rough and croaky voice that wasn't his own.

She looked taken aback for a moment. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else," she said with a sigh. She returned to her friends, shaking her head and Rogan turned back to the table, sipping his Jinu.

Oliver and Anna suppressed their laughter as the girls walked away.

"Are you here to watch the race?" Oliver asked Rogan after a moment.

"I'm entering it. Quinn, my fiancé, got us a space on a friend's team. Are you guys racing?" he asked, running a hand over his face, returning it to normal with a glow of magic.

"If we get two more team members we might be." Oliver's throat went dry at the thought of competing against mages.

"You haven't signed up yet? I dunno if there's any spaces left. When you get your team together let me know and I'll put a good word in for you with the Race Committee. It pays to be famous sometimes," Rogan said.

"Thanks," Oliver said, his eyebrows raising a little in surprise.

"Don't suppose you know anyone looking to sign up?" Anna asked hopefully.

"Sorry, everyone I know who wants to race is already on a team," Rogan said genuinely.

"Hey, I thought it was you," said a male voice.

Oliver looked up to see who had spoken and his jaw automatically clenched as he spotted Larkin. Rogan turned and smiled in recognition. He got up and clapped Larkin on the shoulder.

"You alright?" Rogan asked Larkin.

Oliver shared a look with Anna who's lip had curled back slightly.

"Good, yeah. Why don't you come join me and Arrow?" Larkin offered, gesturing to a table where a dark-skinned boy the size of a tank was sitting.

"Thanks, but I'm alright here," Rogan said, gesturing to Oliver and Anna.

Larkin's eyes slid to meet Oliver's gaze and his mouth curved into a sneer. He looked to Anna with a nod. "Hey babe, you can come join us too."

"I'd rather not thanks," Anna said, rolling her eyes.

"What are you doing sitting with this loser?" Larkin asked Rogan, gesturing to Oliver.

"What's your problem?" Rogan asked Larkin in an even tone.

Oliver fought a smile.

Larkin snorted. "You kidding me? Come on, ditch the Earthy."

"Why don't you go back to your own table? I think your boyfriend's waiting for you," Oliver said, gesturing to Larkin's friend.

Larkin looked to Rogan as if he expected him to do something. Instead, Rogan sunk back into his seat and took a sip of his drink.

"Pfft," Larkin spat then slunk back to his own table.

Silence hung in the air for a moment.

"So Larkin's a tool," Anna stated brightly.

Oliver couldn't help but laugh and Rogan joined in momentarily.

"We went to university together. We've always got on alright but yeah he can be a massive tool when he wants to be," Rogan said. "He's always been closer with Quinn."

Oliver sensed something bitter in the way he spoke.

Rogan sighed. "I don't want any tension with Larkin, I'm racing with him."

"Seriously? You're on
his
team?" Oliver asked, not being able to imagine anything worse.

"Yeah, he's not all bad," Rogan said with a laugh.

Oliver nodded and sipped at his drink, not wanting to offend him. "Well I have to cut him
some
slack seeing as he's kind of my uncle."

"
What
?" Rogan said, laughing as if Oliver were making an odd joke.

Anna spluttered as she took a sip of her drink.

"No seriously." Oliver laughed and proceeded to explain his link to Larkin.

"Poor you," Anna said, grinning at Oliver and patting his arm in mock sympathy.

"Yeah, that used to happen a lot when mages would divorce and have a new family. It's gonna be pretty much impossible soon though," Rogan said.

"How come?" Oliver asked.

"The High Mage wants to put a stop to it completely. He says it's damaging to a family unit," Rogan said.

"What do you think?" Anna asked, leaning toward him.

Rogan shrugged and Oliver sensed he didn't want to give an opinion on the subject.

Anna took a sip of her drink and turned to Oliver. "What's your sister up to tonight?"

"I dunno but she's gonna be mad I didn't invite her out," he said, not mentioning he had thought he would be spending the evening alone with Anna.

"Is she on your team?" Rogan asked.

"Yeah, just her and Anna so far," Oliver replied.

"How old is she?" Rogan asked.

"Sixteen. Weirdly, she doesn't exactly have a birthday," Oliver said with a slanted smile.

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.