Ixia looked over Cormac, eyebrow raised as she tried to make sense of what he was saying about picking a human form that wouldn’t “draw too much attention”.

“But...your eyes are green. Very green.” She said, almost as a question.

“They are.” He acknowledged, keeping his eyes on the road and ready for some new thing that shattered his worldview to pop out. “But those are my eyes. Green eyes are a thing, green hair...well it’s a thing but hair as green as yours can attract attention.”

The dryad gave the smallest frown and reached out to gently play with a lock of Cormac’s red hair hanging just below his shoulder.

Cormac frowned. “First, I’m driving and that’s a distraction. Second, it’s not that red.”

Ixia had a small red flower bloom forth from her palm as she held that lock of Cormac’s hair out to compare. “Hmmmm.” She thought out loud with a mischievous smile.

“Okay, it’s...maybe. So I’m Irish-American, okay?!” He sputtered in protest.

She released his hair, plucking the flower from her palm and setting it on the dashboard. “I don’t know what that is, but your hair is still very red, and my ‘hair’ is no greener than your eyes.”

Cormac opened his mouth to attempt to protest again, his words dying before they could leave his mouth as he realized his error. He gave a sigh as he relented. “Sorry. You’re right. Just a bit...paranoid, didn’t want to draw any additional attention to us. But what else would really be looking for you in a city?”

Ixia put a finger to her chin, thinking for a moment as she thought of all that could possibly be out there. “It is...very difficult to say. I know nothing of cities, but the things I know of would have little trouble disguising themselves if they have existed in this time long enough. They are also likely to see through any illusion of mine, and I would see through theirs. As Guardian, you shall share in this gift. It is how you have seen everything thus far.”

“That is...a lot of things. Cool, for one. Useful, for two. Worrying, for three.” He said while cycling through the emotions of dread and excitement. “I will be on guard for the supernatural pretending to be normal. At least I can be an extra set of eyes.”

“A second set of eyes is incredibly useful.” Ixia smiled. “And I meant no offense in regards to your hair and your eyes. They are quite nice.”

Cormac waved it off. “No, no not your fault just...sensitive about that. See between the name and the looks, everyone just assumes that I’m going to be very Irish. Well I’m not. I was born here, so were several generations of family. Also, I’m an atheist!”

Ixia winced, remaining silent for a moment as she looked off. “About that last part...”

Cormac stared ahead at the road, biting his tongue until he was sure she wasn’t making a joke of some sort.

“Fucking damnit…” he muttered under his breath. “Well, which one...s? Ones or just the one?”

Ixia could tell this was another one of those ‘world shattering revelations’ Cormac had spoken of, but could think of no way to soften this blow. She gave as reassuring of a smile as she could. “...many?”

The trees were starting to thin out as they made their way down the mountain road, all other plants becoming just as sparse. Which meant that there was a good place for Cormac to pull off to the side of the road and sit in silence for an entire minute while Ixia grew more worried. She reached out a hand, resting it on his as it lay on the seat and Cormac stared out into nothing.

He finally spoke in a calm tone. “Is there anything I need to know about them in regards to what will get me into the good afterlife or the bad one that maybe exist?”

Ixia shook her head. “As far as I am aware, there is no such place. And the gods do not meddle in human affairs...you could also choose to not believe me?”

Cormac shook his head, still staring out ahead. “Nah. You’ve given me no reason to distrust you, only actual evidence that things I knew didn’t exist absolutely do exist. So...sorry if I ever make it seem like I’m the one distrusting you. I don’t distrust you, I just wish you were lying because that would be easy.”

She squeezed his hand lightly. “A part of me wishes this were all some dream, but I take the good with the bad.”

Cormac leaned forward to rest his head on the steering wheel, uncaring as other cars passed by. He took a deep breath and then leaned back in his seat, giving Ixia’s hand a light squeeze before pulling away to reach for his backpack.

“While we are sitting here, let me make good on that other promise-” Digging around in the pockets while a confused Ixia looked on, he withdrew his phone. “-and introduce you to music.”

He took a wire, connecting it to his truck’s stereo as anything more advanced with less wires was beyond his budget.

“Now, since we have a long drive until we can hit a motel to spend the night in and I have zero idea what kind of music you will like I’m putting it on shuffle. Tell me when you like something, tell me when you don’t like something, and don’t be afraid to ask questions to pass the time. We’ve got a ways ahead of us.”

The dryad listened intently as genres and hours passed by while mountain slowly transitioned into desert. Ixia pretended to not forlornly glance in the rearview mirror at her forest quickly leaving view, and Cormac pretended not to notice. He was all too happy to answer questions about music as best he could to keep her mind on more pleasant topics. Through it all they learned Ixia had an affinity for music with a meditative tone, and as Ixia put it “the ones that make you feel like running”. She claimed to like “the ones for dancing” as well, those being songs completely unsuited to any dance Cormac could imagine outside of some ritual. He decided that he was likely tragically accurate on that account at about the time he pulled into a rest stop.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Do you...eat or drink things? I really don’t know if that’s a dumb question but it probably is…” Cormac said as he put the truck in park.

Ixia laughed. “Given how you did not know of my kind’s existence until today, I believe it’s a reasonable question. I shall be fine with some water and that granola of yours. Though I do enjoy the taste of fruits.”

Cormac nodded. “Alright, there won’t be much of a selection here but we’ll see what we can find for you. Of the things I brought with me? Well you would only like the granola. Wait!”

Ixia froze as she reached for the door after unbuckling herself.

“Just climb out my side. Insane man talking to himself is one thing but if that insane man’s door opens itself then it’s scary.” Cormac said as he held his door open after getting out. Ixia immediately vaulted out into a roll on the asphalt before popping up standing straight. The human had to give an impressed nod as he shut the door and made his way inside the convenience store with an invisible tree woman in tow.

After Ixia kept watch while he used the restroom, the pair made a selection of snacks and drinks for the road by way of Cormac “thinking” out loud on possible snack choices in answer to Ixia’s questions. He imagined himself looking quite ridiculous wondering aloud if he should indeed have “flavored sugar water” with some “flavored potato in a bag”, and a remarkably simple fruit cup to round things out after whispering a promise that these were just snacks in the name of mental comfort and he would also have a more substantial meal. Finding Ixia clothes could not come soon enough, he thought to himself, as they were on the road once more.

The good news was Ixia enjoyed her fruit cup and fruit flavored sugar water while they made their way through the desert to the first motel they could find. Cormac couldn’t think of any actual present bad news, but figured that would probably come later. They spoke intermittently, getting to know one another to pass the time though much of it was spent in pleasant silence as they enjoyed the drive. It wasn’t until well past dark and the mountains were now lost in the night that Cormac finally relented and made for the first motel he could find, cost or quality be damned. He only hoped he had put enough distance between them and Ixia’s pursuers.

“So, not as much need to sleep then?” Cormac asked, turning off the exit to the motel he had seen signs for at least half an hour back.

Ixia shook her head. “I can go for several days without rest if needed, so I’ll have no trouble keeping watch tonight.”

Cormac nodded, only letting a frown out on the way to renting a room. The middle aged receptionist with large glasses even noting he looked worn out.

“Just a long day, miss.” He said.

Which was not a lie. Driving this late was normally not the best of ideas but he had felt livelier today. Be it adrenaline, a lifesaving soda earlier, or what he was beginning to suspect about that strange fruit he had found himself in no short supply of energy for the day. Until now, when rest was within reach and Ixia’s offer to keep a look out while he slept reminded him how truly useless he was feeling here.

And still she referred to him as her guardian.

The receptionist checked a list, noting there was only the one room left. “The outside lights are all out down there, damned maintenance dragging their ass on that.” She handed him a key and he only gave a nod as he made his way to the room with a concerned Ixia following.

“Is all well, Cormac?” Ixia asked, with heart and flower in her arms as they approached the dark corner room.

Cormac gave a nod as his eyelids grew heavier with each step. “Call it a long day of having my worldview shattered as I’m swept up into a world where I’m horribly out of my depth.”

As the receptionist had warned, it was indeed extra dark here. A motel mostly out on it’s own with only a few dim lights on the exterior, the closest being five rooms down. Which was honestly a plus, Cormac thought as the keys clicked and the door swung open, as it would let him sleep better. The room was a bit on the sparse side for the cost, but he was too tired to care at the moment.

He dropped his bags on the ground shortly after clicking the lights on, blinking a few times as the dim lights buzzed to life. “I’ll uh...I’ll work on being a bit more useful. At least in the city I should be able to do more?” Cormac forced a laugh as he set his shovel on the nightstand, in case something did go bump in the night and he needed to have more to his name than a small pocket knife.

Ixia shook her head with a light smile. “You’re doing fine. It is as you said, we shall be in the city soon enough and I shall be so very useless as I defer to your expertise.”

“Not true, you killed a monster with a tree...and roots. That’s useful no matter where you go. I just have a shovel and a truck.” He said pointing to his joke of a weapon.

The dryad tilted her head with a smirk. “And who helped me trick that monster into ramming into a tree? Far from a city?”

Cormac crossed his arms and frowned. “How dare you dispel my feelings of uselessness with facts. I was moping just fine.”

She walked closer to him, poking his cheek as he tried avoiding eye contact. “I prefer your smile.” Ixia teased.

The human tried forcing a frown, failing a moment later as he gave a chuckle. “Yeah yeah, be glad it’s hard to stay mad at a naked woman.”

They shared a laugh as he kicked off his boots, making the mistake of sitting down to do so and no longer having the will to get back up again. He collapsed onto the bed, still wearing all of his clothes.

“Wake me up if something’s trying to kill us.” He mumbled, feeling sleep finally start to take him.

Ixia took a seat at the window, peering out into the night. Satisfied with her lookout spot, she shifted her sight over to Cormac. “Rest well, Guardian.”

All attempts to correct her would have to wait until morning as he dozed off.

----------------------------------------

Cormac woke with a start as he felt a hand cover his mouth, and another grab his wrist as it went for his shovel. As his eyes shot open, he was greeted with that lilac gaze turned fearful. She slowly released his hand and brought a finger to her lips as she looked in the direction of the door, nodding in that direction.

Though he couldn’t see anything at this angle, Cormac nodded his understanding. She took her hand off his mouth and he carefully sat up, motioning to his shovel to which she nodded. Looking around, it was still dark out. Only a few exterior lights of the motel cut through the pitch black of the middle of the Mojave Desert at night and filter into the room through the blinds.

As Cormac looked for what was wrong, straining to look through the darkness, a memory surged back from last night. The exterior lights were not working at this corner of the building.

At that moment, the “lights” blinked.