by Katie Dunn
“Is this Panda?” Rae asked, leaning down to pet the black and white baby goat.
“Yup, my familiar.” Even though my familiar ended up being a goat, I had grown fond of Panda. She was starting to get bigger, though, so I would have to find better accommodations soon.
“Tell me about everything,” Rae said excitedly, and sat on the swinging bench on my porch.
Although I had kept in contact since I went to the Academy, Rae still wanted to know everything about my experiences there. Tam sat beside Rae on the bench swing waiting for me to recap the last two and a half months of school. I waited for my parents to go into the house before taking a seat on the porch floor next to Panda and telling them about everything.
I explained my first day including singing to save someone from drowning, and the different people I met. Tamara blushed when I mentioned Harvey’s name which made me wonder if she secretly liked him. That would make Harvey happy. I told them about my classes, my first mission, meeting Panda, and learning about my dual myths.
“That story never gets old!” Rae exclaimed, referring to my incident at gym where I breathed fire on Elliot.
“So, what’s up with you two. Anything you want to share?” I aimed the question at Tamara, hoping she would fess up to being a myth.
Tamara studied her purple nails, ignoring my pointed look. Rae looked between us both picking up on some unsaid message and grinned.
“Oh, I know what Tam is hiding, so you two don’t need to be all secretive about it,” Rae said mischievously.
Tam and I both froze. Did Rae figure out Tam was a djinn?
Rae smiled triumphantly. “C’mon girls. I know Tam has a secret boyfriend.”
My eyes widened further, and a bubble of laughter threatened to escape. Rae assumed Tam had a boyfriend this whole time. I looked at Tam to share my amusement, but her face looked stricken. My smile widened at the realization that Rae was onto something.
“Where did you get that idea?” Tam asked incredulously.
Rae crossed her arms and gave Tam a knowing look. “I’ve seen you trying to hide your texts sometimes. Sneaking off to talk to someone or meeting up with someone when your parents think you are at my house.”
“You do have a boyfriend, don’t you?” This time I started laughing. “Who is it?”
Tam frowned and crossed her arms. “It’s none of your business.”
Her almost confession made Rae and I squeal in excitement. A smile broke out on Tam’s face as she pushed away our hugs. “Can we go back to talking about Myth Blessed Academy and not my love life?”
I clicked my tongue, deciding to let the matter drop for now. “Fine, but I want to meet him before I leave.”
Rae nodded, agreeing with me but Tam rolled her eyes. I couldn’t tell if rolling her eyes was an agreement or a no-way gesture. Either way I would get her to reveal it one way or another. Poor Harvey though, this news might push him further into the shadows. He had been vying for her attention for almost three months now.
We talked all evening and Rae and Tam ended up staying the night. We also played with Panda and I showed them my trick with steam. Overall, it was a great first day of fall break, and something I sorely needed.
Throughout the week I hung out with my friends and had to spend time with my parents. Apparently, Rae had a weeklong plan of stuff to do until I had to go back including movie marathons, escapades through downtown and hitting all our normal hang out spots. I was fine with everything except for karaoke. I did not want a repeat of the last time. My parents kept inviting our neighbors over to see their myth blessed daughter which became awkward. I felt like a prize they had won that needed to be shown off to everyone.
The end of the week was near and I finally had a chance to relax. No running around town. No shaking hands and fake smiling. Just sitting and hanging out with my friends at the Tea House. The smell and taste of hot tea always soothed me and just entering the Tea House relaxed me. Rae and Tam were discussing, although I would say arguing, whether the original 1998 or the new 2018 Charmed show was better. My mind wasn’t into the discussion, so I looked around our familiar hang out spot trying to take it all in before I had to leave. Not much changed except for the addition of a new barista and a new arcade game in the back.
I was staring at the arcade in the back and noticed a disturbance in the shadows. I peered closer, noticing a humanoid figure standing in the corner near one of the arcade games. The sight unnerved me, and I decided to check it out in case it was dangerous to the people in the Tea House.
“I will be right back,” I told my friends.
They barely acknowledged my comment and continued arguing. I got up and creeped closer to the arcade area, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one else was around.
When I saw the shadows shift again, it reminded me of someone. I whispered, “Harvey, is that you?”
I really hoped it was him otherwise I didn’t know what I was going to do. Then again, why would Harvey be there? The rumors of his stalking and creeping came to mind but I immediately discarded the idea. Harvey was a good person and I’ve known him long enough to know he wouldn’t do that.
I hope.
The shadow materialized into Harvey who wore his usual black clothing with dark hair hanging in front of half his face. He looked surprised to see me.
I gave a sigh of relief. “What are you doing here?” My relief turned to concern, and I gasped. “Did something happen to Marion? Elliot? Mr. Drakari?” I awaited his answer anxiously.
Harvey seemed hesitant and uncomfortable. He shifted and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “No, nothing is wrong with them-” He tilted his head at me and smirked. “Wait, Elliot? Since when do you-? Never mind, nothing is wrong.” He glanced over my shoulder and bit his lip. “I should go.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see what he was looking at but Tamara and Rae still discussing animatedly about Charmed were the only ones in sight. I looked back at him suspiciously. Maybe I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.
“Are you stalking Tam?” I accused.
Harvey looked horrified and stuttered, “Wh-what? No, of course no- c’mon I wouldn’t do that.”
I stared at him a second longer, studying his face but found nothing concerning. I believed him but that still did not explain why he appeared and kept glancing at Tam. It was time Harvey was told about Tam’s boyfriend so he would not keep pining after her. I opened my mouth to tell him and hopefully let him down easy, but his eyes widened, and he cursed. Harvey hunched his shoulders, trying to hide behind me. I shook my head, confused about his actions and turned to see what made him react that way.
Tamara stared at me with wide eyes and looked between me and Harvey, who was not doing such a good job at hiding. Tam whispered something to Rae then got up and rushed over to us.
“What are you doing?” Tam whisper-shouted at Harvey, sticking her finger out at him and ignoring me.
Harvey’s stance relaxed and he gave Tam a flirty smile. “I wanted to see you. You weren’t answering any of my messages.”
My mouth gaped open and my eyes widened in realization. Harvey was Tam’s secret boyfriend! How did that happen? When did that happen? I needed answers right now.
I smiled like an idiot, trying to control my laughter in case it drew unnecessary attention. “You,” I pointed to Tam, “and you?” I pointed to Harvey and clapped my hands quietly in excitement. This was the cutest and most amazing thing I had heard since finding out our local ice cream shop had huckleberry flavor.
Tam grabbed my hands to stop me from clapping. “Shh, you weren’t supposed to find out like this.”
“I told you we shouldn’t keep it secret from her.” Harvey smirked at the situation and crossed his arms, obviously not agreeing to Tam’s desire to keep their relationship secret.
Tam glared at me and Harvey then threw her hands up in the air. “You two are too much.”
“Who are you two talking to?” A voice asked
from behind us.
Tam froze and closed her eyes, probably wishing she could disappear. I turned and grinned at Rae.
“This is Tam’s boyfriend, Harvey,” I introduced, finding so much amusement in the situation. “He is from Myth Blessed Academy.”
Rae’s eyes lit up and she did the same quiet clapping that I did before.
Harvey held out a hand in greeting. “You must be Rae. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You better have,” Rae joked and clasped his hand in greeting.
Harvey raised her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles like he did to Tam and me when he first met us.
Rae looked like she was going to swoon, but her excitement soon morphed into curiosity. “How did you two meet?”
I sucked in a breath. Oh no, I may have messed up. Tam couldn’t tell Rae that she met him when she went to see me the first week of school. Rae would either question how Tam got there or why she wasn’t brought along. Either one could reveal that Tam was a djinn. I glanced guiltily at Tam who pursed her lips and gave me a small frown.
“Well-” Harvey started but drifted off not knowing what to say.
I titled my head at him but looked at Tam questioningly, wondering if Harvey knew about her being a djinn. She gave me a small nod. My eyes widened at the news. Why did she tell Harvey but not Rae?
Tam closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a deep sigh. Tam looked up at Rae sadly. “There is something I need to tell you.”
Harvey and I reached out a hand to Tam. “You don’t need to do this,” we told her simultaneously.
Tam looked at all three of us with a small smile and straightened her shoulders. “Yeah I do. She is my best friend and I have kept it hidden for too long. I trust you guys.”
“Ok, what is going on?” Rae demanded, putting her hands on her hips.
Instead of saying anything, Tamara held out her hands and purple smoke drifted around them. The smoke disappeared and in its place was a cup of tea. Rae stepped back in astonishment.
“What-” Rae started but was too shocked to say more.
Tam moved her hands and dropped the cup of tea. Rae and I reached out for it to stop it from breaking, but the cup was engulfed in purple smoke again and returned to Tam’s hands. Harvey became shrouded in purple smoke and when it disappeared, he was in bright yellow pants and an orange T-shirt. I clapped my hand over my mouth to stop from bursting out in laughter. Harvey looked down at his clothes and groaned.
“How many times have I told you to stop doing that?” Harvey scolded Tam and stared disgustedly at the colorful garments he wore.
Tam chuckled and returned him to his dark, goth look. Rae stared at us like we had jumped off the deep end.
“So…I’m a djinn,” Tam revealed as if her displays weren’t enough.
Rae continued to stare at her with a slack jaw and wide unbelieving eyes. I poked her to make sure she wasn’t accidentally frozen, and her head spun to stare at me.
“And you have known about this for how long?” Rae asked, sounding hurt.
I hunched my shoulders guiltily. “About three months.”
Rae shook her head and laughed in disbelief and annoyance. “The best secret ever and you guys kept it from me?”
“Rae…” Tam started but didn’t finish.
It must have been hard to keep that kind of secret from her friends, but it was a life or death situation. If that secret fell into the wrong hands, then Tamara could be enslaved forever. Thinking about it more, I was surprised she revealed it to me and my roommate.
Rae waved her hands at us and grinned. “It’s ok, I figure you have your reasons.”
Tam and I blinked at her in surprise. We had expected more anger or disappointment or… something. Then again, this was Rae we were talking to. Rae of sunshine her family and friends called her because of her constant positivity.
“This is so cool! My best friend is a djinn and my other best friend is myth blessed!” Rae clapped excitedly. “So, tell me how you two met.” Rae pointed between Harvey and Tam.
Tam beamed, now that she knew her friend wasn’t upset with her. Tam explained how she visited me my first week and went to dinner with me and my friends. I knew everything up to the point when Harvey and Tam started hanging out. “One time I popped into Drakari’s office djinn style, but Harvey was there and saw the whole thing. I didn’t sense him because of his shadow gift.”
“We started talking and hanging out, then one day we decided to date,” Harvey finished, looking fondly at Tamara.
“Awww,” Rae and I exclaimed.
“Well, since you’re here, I guess you can stick around,” Tamara told Harvey nonchalantly.
I wasn’t fooled. I could tell she was excited he was there.
The four of us walked away from our shadowy corner and out of the Tea House. We decided to go back to Tamara’s house, so we piled into Rae’s car and headed that way.
“You guys cannot tell anyone about my djinn identity or my relationship with Harvey,” Tam ordered from the back seat. “My family and I could be in danger if anyone knew we were djinns and I would be in danger from my parents if they knew I was dating a myth blessed guy.”
The idea of her parents finding out about her boyfriend was amusing but the thought of anyone discovering that she was a djinn worried me. My mind immediately went to Hunters and I shivered. Knowing how much Rae, Harvey, and I cared for her though,
I knew Tam’s secret was safe.
Chapter 13
So Many Questions
Fall break ended too soon although hanging with my friends made it all worth it. I tapped my pencil against my book in my last class before lunch, thinking about the night I found out about Harvey and Tam. We had gone back to Tamara’s house and played around with our powers until we were wiped out from all the energy spent. Rae was a good sport about everything and didn’t feel bad for herself at all since finding out all her friends were either a myth or myth blessed. She had more spirit and happiness than anyone I had ever met.
Thankfully class ended without me getting in trouble for spacing out through most of it and I was free to go to lunch. Harvey met up with me outside of class and we walked together to the cafeteria. Marion and Devon were already at our usual table and Panda ran ahead to greet Gus. Looking at the familiars made me think about their purpose. Devon, Elliot and I had one because apparently, we were powerful. However, I had seen Harvey’s powers at work and there was nothing like it, so why did he not have a familiar? I brought up the question to Harvey when we sat down, and Marion and Devon gave him curious stares, wondering the same thing.
“Well, Mr. Drakari once explained to me that pure spirit myths are not tied to animals since they are mainly incorporeal.” Harvey smiled as a thought came to him. “I like to think of the shadows as my familiar.”
“What about werewolf and vampire blessed?” Marion asked. “They are known to have familiars if they are powerful enough.”
Harvey nodded, “Yes, but vampires and werewolves are not pure spirits. They have a physical body that has been changed so they often double dip into another element.”
We nodded and ate our food, processing the information. I wondered how a person became powerfully blessed. Did it depend on when they were blessed or where they were when it happened? I would have to ask my Myth History professor sometime. My mind drifted to when I was blessed. I had never seen a chimera, but I was ninety percent sure I saw a siren at the time of my blessing.
“Have you ever seen a…” I struggled to pronounce the name of the myth he once told me, “Nalusa Chito or other mythological beings?” I asked Harvey.
Obviously, he shouldn’t admit to Tam being a djinn, but I wondered if he ever saw anything else. Harvey looked calm and didn’t even flinch at my question.
“Yeah, I saw a Nalusa Chito when I was six. My family lived in Oklahoma at the time. I am pretty sure it blessed me then, but I didn’t come into my powers until I was
thirteen.” Harvey shuddered at the memory. “Those things are terrifying.”
“What about you guys? Have you ever seen a myth?” I asked, bringing Marion and Devon into the conversation.
“Other than that naiad and your- well just the naiad, I haven’t seen anything,” Marion said.
She almost slipped up about Tamara. I would have to keep a close eye on my roommate. I didn’t believe she would purposely tell people about Tam but maybe one of these days she may get over excited and slip up.
Devon tapped his chin as he thought about the question then shrugged. “I am pretty sure my next-door neighbor in Buena Vista was a troll, but there is no way to be sure.”
We laughed at his comment and started joking about what type of being our peers and teachers would be if they were myths. A shy looking ten-year-old approached the table and held out a note to me. As soon as I took it, he ran off, probably terrified to be talking to seniors. Harvey peered over my shoulder to read it with me while Marion tried to read it upside down from the other side of the table.
Your presence is required in the nurse’s office
I stared at the note curiously as I stood up then checked my watch. Lunch was about to be over so at least this would let me miss gym. “I wonder what this is about. I hope she didn’t find something wrong with my latest results, like some late occurring illness or something.”
Marion shrugged. “I don’t know but make sure to tell me what happens.”
I left the three of them at the lunch table and walked to the nurse’s office with Panda. The door was open when I arrived, but I knocked anyway to announce my presence.
“Come in dearie and take a seat,” The nurse called from within the office.
I slowly made my way in, noticing that the office was empty except for the two of us. Nurse Lydia was sitting at a desk near the door, so I took a seat opposite from her and made sure Panda laid by my side. The nurse stared at me as if waiting for me to say something, but I didn’t know why I was there, so I stayed quiet.
“I wanted to ask you some questions,” Nurse Lydia finally said. “It’s routine after any break from the Academy.”