Jax Returns

After clocking in, I took my cleaning trolley and started to stroll around the library, cleaning here and there, looking busy. I spent most of the day on the lookout for anything that I could "borrow" — the library always had some books that were placed in neat piles, waiting for someone to take to the furnace in the basement to be destroyed. It had always pained me when I saw one of the librarians take those books away to burn them.

It was much easier than yesterday to slip some of the discarded books into my trolley, as most of the librarians spent the day sitting on the leather chairs gossiping with each other — as they say when the cat is away the mice will play. The only disappointing thing was that I wasn't able to visit the restricted area, as today there were a few guests that were studying in that area.

"Oh well, tomorrow is another day," I thought to myself, I still had five days to gain entrance to the restricted area. After clocking out for the day, I practically skipped my way home, my backpack was full of "borrowed" books, while the books were in a really bad state, I didn't care they were all precious treasures to me.

Entering the apartment I called out for Jax, I wanted to show him my treasures. To my surprise Jax was not in the apartment, dropping my backpack on the kitchen table, I noticed that the note I had left for him was still in the same place.

Sitting down at the table, I started to unpack the books from my backpack, I was contemplating whether to go out and look for him. I could always summon him back through our bond, but I never liked using the bond between us to force him back — it always felt like an invasion to me, and while I was a bit worried about him, through our bond I could feel that he was okay. If he was in any sort danger or if he had been hurt I would have felt it immediately.

Deciding to give him a couple more hours, I grabbed the first book on top of the pile {Materializing for Dummies} and began to read, but I couldn't concentrate on the book, as I kept on looking at the door every couple of minutes, just as I was about to put the book down and go and look for Jax, the apartment door opened and Jax flew in.

"Jax, where the hell have you been?" I demanded. I guess I was more worried about him than I thought.

"Hey Brae, sorry about being late, had a couple of errands to run, and I lost track of time" Jax answered looking at me a bit sheepishly.

Suspicious about his answer I looked at him closely, but I couldn't see anything off. I decided to drop the matter, Jax wasn't my servant or slave, and I had no right to demand that he spend every moment with me. I know that most souls believed that their guardian angels belonged to them and treated them like they owned them — I had never followed that belief, to me Jax was my partner, and I treated him as such.

Beckoning him over I exclaimed excitedly "Come and see what I have scored."

Showing him my books, I then went on to tell him about Jaycobe being away and how I had been able to "borrow" all these books.

"Yeah and the best thing is, these books are all scrapped, so I don't have to return them and there is no way I will be busted," I said smugly, I couldn't help puffing up my chest a bit and showing off a proud smile.

After a while of me rambling on excitedly about each of the books that I had "borrowed", I noticed that Jax hadn't said much, which was really unusual, and I would have figured he would have been just as excited as I was. Looking up from the book I was showing off, I noticed that Jax had a distracted look on his face.

"Jax?" I called out softly "You okay?"

"Hmm," he answered distractedly looking at me.

"Really?" I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Yeah Brae, everything's cool," Jax said smiling slightly, he must have noticed that I didn't believe him so he clarified "Just got something on my mind."

Nodding I walked to the sofa, sitting down I picked up {Materializing for Dummies} and carried on reading it, but I couldn't help myself from looking up every couple of minutes to check on Jax. He was now sitting in his usual spot on the window sill staring out of the window. I really wanted to ask him again if he was okay, he really was in a strange mood, but I knew nagging him wouldn't get me anywhere, he could be as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be. Well, when he is ready he will tell me what's going on, I thought.

Turning my attention back to my book, I was soon absorbed in learning more about materialization. The book really went into detail about materialization and explained a few things that I hadn't know before. As I was thinking about how to integrate some of the techniques into my own materializations Jax interrupted me.

"Brae?" he called out hesitantly.

Ah finally, I thought.

"Hmm."

"I met with Ifrit" he stated quickly.

For a couple of seconds I froze, I think my mind blanked out for a bit. I had actually forgotten all about the Ifrit.

"Oh." Oh was a delightful word. It was short and neutral. I mean what the f*ck was I suppose to say.

Jax flew up from the window sill and came to sit down opposite me on the small table. He looked uncomfortable and strangely nervous.

"Yeah" rubbing his hands up and down on his thighs "I got good and bad news."