The Battle of Our Minds: Flesh and Blood

Silver

"Hello, Wyatt."

"Brother."

Leo looked his brother up and down, taking in his disheveled dress code. Leo couldn't believe his brother had a mirror.

Who did he think he was showing up like this? Couldn't he at least try and blend in? Leo wondered.

Wyatt Sutherland sat on the edge of the check-in table like it was his throne. He wore distressed jeans, covered in paint of all colors. His white shirt was half buttoned, with only two buttons that didn't align holding the whole thing together. There was also a chain around his neck that hung down into his shirt. Oh, and he was barefoot.

His dark brown hair was slightly curled and much longer than his brothers – he didn't care to waste time cutting something he put so much effort into growing. Like his brother, he had a lean and muscular build with a tan complexion. His most notable feature, however, was his shining, silver eyes. He looked like a mixture of a starving artist and a Greek god.

A minute ago, Wyatt decided to approach his brother with no regard for the families that had been waiting in line.

He cut directly to the front and held his hands up apologetically.

"Sorry, I have a Welcoming Weekend emergency that must be addressed immediately."

He hopped up on the check-in table and spun himself around so that he was sitting in front of his brother, face to face.

The middle-aged woman who was next in line with her son was boiling from anger and the heat.

Reflecting on Wyatt's audacious interruption, she remarked, "For something so urgent, you sure look comfortable."

Wyatt ignored her, seemingly oblivious to anyone's needs but his own.

"So, Wyatt, what do you need immediate assistance with?"

Leo waited impatiently for his younger brother to drop another declaration or demand upon him, as he always did. He can never seem to navigate through this world without needing a third or fourth hand, and unfortunately, those hands always belonged to Leo. If Wyatt wasn't always getting in trouble, Leo would finally get to worry about his own life and maybe settle down. Too bad Wyatt never planned to do the same. Settling down equaled sudden death for Wyatt.

Wyatt was a wandering soul, constantly in search of something new and exciting. His life followed a pattern of alternating adrenaline and boredom, and Wyatt was without any desire to break this cycle. Although Leo despised being his younger brother's personal assistant, he had pledged to protect Wyatt at whatever the cost. Sometimes, that cost just got a little pricey. He knew that he couldn't stop his brother from making his own mistakes, but he could at least be there to make sure nothing too terrible happened to Wyatt in his pursuits.

"Leo, I need to know who that messy-haired blonde girl was. The one with the bluish T-shirt."

Leo tensed at the mention of Everly. Few people knew who she was. Fewer people knew what she was really capable of. His only job, for as long as he'd known, had been to protect Wyatt. Until a few weeks ago, that is.

Upon graduating from the religious studies PhD program last spring, Leonardo Sutherland had been hired on as a religious studies professor and appointed as Head Officiant for the Five Minds. Officially, he was responsible for running the ceremonies. Unofficially, he was obligated for much more, including looking out for top prospects like Everly Cross. While he promised to protect his brother, he couldn't make a mockery of the trust bestowed to him as Head Officiant.