Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“That’s the point.” Zusi pats my shoulder. “We’ve got Guild members who will cover your tracks the whole way, but it’s not a joke, Syrsee. This is serious shit. Your life depends on this.”
I sigh. “Fine. Then where?”
“Ontario.”
“Great.”
“Then New Orleans, Omaha, Phoenix, and finally Boise.” Tristin faces forward in his seat and looks at me in the rear-view mirror. “You will take a bus from Boise to Grangerville, where a car is parked in a Super 8 Motel. Enjoy a night on us. And then continue north to White River the following day. The address is in the glove box.”
“Wait.” I put up a hand. “This isn’t non-stop traveling, right?” Zusi winces. “Zuse! Ten days with no hotel. I will stink!”
“Technically, it’s nine. And there’s a shower at the bus stations.”
“Tristin, shut the fuck up.” He recoils at Zusi’s snappish tone. “Let me handle this.” She turns to me and smiles sweetly. “There’s a shower at the bus stations.”
I can’t help it, I laugh. “It’s not funny though.”
She holds up a finger. “Bitch. Do you really think I would leave you hanging like this?”
“Umm… no?”
She opens her purse, then wallet, and then hands me a silver card.
“What is it?”
“It’s the key to to the Guild Lounge.”
“Zusi!” Now it’s Tristin’s turn to snap at her. “That’s against the rules.”
“Fuck the rules, Tristin. It’s a ten-day journey. She needs pampering.” Then Zusi turns to me. “Oh, my God. You must get the pedi in Phoenix. It’s uh-mazing.”
I take the card and hold it up. “Will I even have time to enjoy it?”
She hands me the envelope with my itinerary. “You will. I made sure of it. The Guild has lounges in every airport, bus station, and train depot. Just look for this symbol”—she taps the card—“and follow the signs.”
“Will I get in trouble?”
“No. It’s my personal card.” She glares at Tristin. “And I’m allowed to use it any way I want.”
He puts up his hands. “Fine. When you get demoted, don’t come crying to me.”
“If you’re gonna get in trouble—”
“I won’t.” She sets her jaw. “And I will see you soon. Please don’t lose it, though. I will get in trouble if I lose it.”
“I promise.” I lean in and kiss her on the cheek and then get out of the car and walk into the airport.
The first two legs of my journey leave me few minutes to even think, let alone find the Guild Lounge. But when the bus finally pulls in to Pensacola, I realize I have four hours before my flight to Maine, so this is my chance.
The symbol Zusi told me to look for is a figure eight on its side. Like an infinity symbol, but the lines don’t connect. There is a small gap. And in that gap is the head of some kind of creature.
I’ve seen this symbol. It’s called an ouroboros. And the creature is a snake eating its own tail.
But this is not a snake. I’m not quite sure what it is, but it almost looks like a horse. The other end, which would be the snake’s tail in the common version of this symbol, appears to be some kind of human. They are facing each other. Not chasing one another. I decide to call them the Horse and Rider.
I don’t know what it means, but once I see it in the bus station, I feel like it’s everywhere. Like the Guild spared no expense when it came to guiding their guardians towards rest and respite.
At first, I’m confused because they don’t really show a direction. There are no arrows or anything like that. But then I realize that the horse and rider change directions. Sometimes the horse is on the right. Sometimes it’s on the left. And when I follow the horse pointing left, it leads me to another horse pointing left. Then another. And that’s how I know where to go.
I have always known that the Guild of Guardians was weird, but they don’t tell me their secrets and they obviously don’t share their transport lounges with me, either. So this is next-level shit.
When I asked Zusi questions about the Guild, she said it was like a fraternal brotherhood, except not fraternal.
“So like the Freemasons?”
“No.” She was very adamant about that. “It’s not like that at all. I can’t really explain it. But trust me, they’re good people and you want them on your side.”
What was I gonna do? Disagree with her? On what grounds? So… whatever. I just went with it. Though in the back of my mind I still picture them as a secret society cult.
Weird rituals. Bizarre rules. And austerity. Lots and lots of austerity.
But holy shit, was I ever wrong. These lounges? Even the bus station one? Luxury to the highest degree.
The lounges are all different, but they have one thing in common. The staff, the facilities, the atmosphere—they’re all there for ‘you’.