try to get you fired or disqualified. Who will you share your gift with? Who will you ask for advice? Elsa can’t stay with you forever, she must return to her work.
“I’ve seen your record,” he continued. “You’re a talented consultant. Surely you must see the value of using your skills to help make a difference? You can shape the future, help ensure zealots don’t run governments.”
I set aside his pitch to help save the world for the moment. It was difficult to imagine my contributions amounting to that much, but his other remarks hit home. I couldn’t share my secret with other humans. They would think I was crazy. Then again, maybe I didn’t have to; maybe I could enjoy my new skills in private.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Gabriel said. “That you can keep it all a secret and continue on with your life.”
I nodded. “Why not? No one has to know.”
“True. But don’t you think you would be living a half-life, Olivia? You have been given the rare opportunity to see what is behind the wizard’s curtain. In your case, there is real magic to be found, not some cheap parlor trick.”
“Maybe, but I never asked for these gifts,” I said. “All I’ve ever wanted was to live my life in peace.”
“Mon dieu! Who doesn’t?” Gabriel said, offering a sympathetic smile. “But that is not always what fate has in store.”
****
CHAPTER 13
I woke up the next morning knowing that I needed to clear my head. A bike ride out of town would be just the thing. The red wine and conversation had made my night’s sleep less than solid, but I managed to wake up feeling rested enough. Gabriel had closed the evening asking me to consider his offer, but the truth was that I had bigger issues to contemplate.
I knew that Gabriel was right when he said that I would never be able to reveal my skills to my clients or colleagues. But that wasn’t the part that bothered me. What I worried about was that I could never share all of what I knew to others. Beyond Lily, who could I tell about this new world of mine? And was there any man out there willing to date a woman who could tell his true colors on the first outing? To see the world so differently and to be so limited in whom I could share it with, well, it didn’t sound appealing.
I planned to work through these issues through rigorous exercise and reflection. I left the house on my bicycle and made my way through Golden Gate Park, up into the Presidio and across the Golden Gate Bridge. I continued riding, past the Marin Headlands and on to Mill Valley, stopping in the town’s village square for a break before heading back again toward San Francisco. It was a classic San Francisco day, sunny but with a cold, biting wind. I slogged through the tourists in Sausalito and rode my bike up Alexander Avenue, turning right to climb the hill toward the lookout points.
Now, after several hours on my bike, my leg muscles rebelled against the abrupt change in grade as I climbed. I was pressing against fierce, chilling head winds, using the confusion I felt as my energy source. Although my body ached, it felt good to push so hard. The wind wicked the sweat off my torso, and I began to feel the delicious tightness of my skin as it reacted to the frigid air.
My efforts were rewarded when I reached the top of the road and gazed out at the stunning view of the city’s skyline, the beautiful twin spires of the bridge across the Golden Gate, and the San Francisco Bay. To one side I could see Baker Beach and to the other the skyline of downtown San Francisco. It was beautiful, and despite being exhausted, my heart felt lighter looking out at the city I called home.
I got off my bike and decided to walk through the old World War II tunnels and examine the view from behind one of the gun turrets. I locked my bike into a rack and began walking toward the opening of the tunnel. As I approached, I heard music coming from inside. As soon as I entered, I saw what looked to be a man in the distance, sitting against one of the walls. I could not see his face, as the bright sunlight shining through the other side of the tunnel made