by Ainsley Shay
The flashlight glowed brighter as it approached. The beginning and the end of it were in sight. It was only a matter of seconds before they would see me. There was no time to run or hide.
The beam of light floated off the ground, moving higher until it was lighting me up like a Christmas tree. Grateful for nature’s own control of the wind and the water already blasted behind me, if I did anything by accident, aside from setting a bush on fire, it would hopefully go unnoticed.
“So, you’re the one everybody’s been talking about.” The not-Cameron’s voice was unfamiliar and accusatory.
Clenching the bracelet in my fist, I backed slowly toward the bluff. Which probably wasn’t the brightest idea. Especially if this guy was not on team Everly, I could end up living the last moment of life falling to my death. At least I wouldn’t need the bracelet anymore. Okay that was a completely morbid thought. Get back to the situation, Ev.
“Not surprised, it’s a small town. There isn’t much to do except talk about each other,” I said.
“Word about you isn’t whether you wore your hat to church or not. A few have said you have… abilities… with an S. That’s something to be talked about. So, I came to see if they were true.”
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
He laughed, the beam of light bouncing with his movements. “True. And if it had just been an insignificant human who told me, I wouldn’t. But I heard about you through my kind.”
Oh shit! I backed up another step.
He lowered the beam of light to the ground. “I’d be careful if I were you; you’re getting close to the edge.”
There was still too much I didn’t know, and there was too much to do to let this guy shake me. Over the shrill of blood pumping in my ears and the roar of the ocean threatening to reach up and drag me out to sea, I refused to back down.
“What do you want?”
Since I still couldn’t see his face, it was difficult to read his expressions. The beam widened as he approached me.
“What do you have in your hand?”
I had forgotten about the bracelet, even what I had come here to do. “Nothing,” I blurted. “It’s nothing.”
He came a few steps closer. “Are you sure?”
It was my turn to gain the upper hand and do what needed to be done. Tossing the bracelet over my head, I let it fall the hundred feet to the rocks. I had hoped for an angrier toss like a full-on throw as if I was pitching for my life and winning the World Series, but it was gone, and that was what mattered.
Smiling, I flashed my opened palms into his light. “Absolutely positive.”
He moved so fast. The light whipped around as he ran to the ledge next to me, then peered over its edge.
“What was that?” His voice was furious.
He was so close I could touch him if I wanted to. As he searched for the something I had tossed onto the rocks, I focused on him. With just enough light, I was able to make out one side of his face. He was not what I had expected. His face was perfectly smooth with a high cheekbone and tanned skin. Wavy, golden bangs fell to the opposite side of his chin. He seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place with who or why.
“Who are you?” I asked.
He turned to face me full on, and I gasped. The other side of his face was not like the other. His flesh had been burned, leaving a reddened scar that started near his eye and traveled over his cheekbone, down to the corner of his mouth.
“What? You’ve never seen a scar before?”
He sneered, and the scar spread with his malicious intent of trying to frighten me.
Ignoring him, I asked again, “Who are you?”
“Spiro. Master of fire, loner, and takes shit from no one.”
Hence… another paranormal freak like me. We were growing in numbers. I crossed my arms over my chest. “You left out conceited.”
“On purpose,” he retorted.
I shook my head. “I’m leaving now.”
He grabbed my wrist. “Not so fast.”
I pulled it away from his grasp. “Don’t touch me. I don’t know what you, or the rest of your kind, are doing here, but you need to get the hell away from here and me.”
Grinning, he turned his attention to the beam of light shining up. “Considering what you’re supposedly capable of, that’s not going to be possible.”
“Try anyway!” I turned my back, then headed away from him, not looking back to see if Spiro was following me.
The wind howled over the raging sea below.
“This is only the beginning, Everly Shade.”
It was as if he were standing right behind me. I turned around, but there was no one there.
Aunt Juju was still up when I got home. Not only was she awake, but she was also frantically pacing. She rushed me, then wrapped her arms around me.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“No, I’m sorry. I know you’re going through a lot, and I haven’t been here for you.”
“You’re doing fine,” I assured her.
She pulled back. “Your mom called as soon as you left. I told her that you were in the shower, and I’d let you know she called.” She shrugged. Her eyes began to water. “So, I’m telling you.”
“Thanks.”
Taking my hand, she led me to the couch. Blowing out an uneven breath, she sat. I settled next to her. I didn’t know what the conversation was going to be about, but I was already lining up my lies.
“Something is going on, I don’t know what. But I can feel it—not like witchy feel it—but Auntie Juju feel it. I love you, Everly, and I want you to be happy. And if there is anything that’s bothering you or—”
“Aunt Juju, I’m fine.” I put my hand on her knee. “Really. I’ll admit it’s been an adjustment, but I’m getting the hang of it. Working at The Warlock’s Workshop has helped. Isla’s great. I’m meeting friends.” I thought it was best to leave out the small element thing.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I said.
She worried her bottom lip. “What happened on the phone with your mom?”
I thought I was going to skate free all the way home without having to discuss what happened, not knowing if Aunt Juju was in on the secret bracelet situation. But I was glad I had all my lies ready to fire.
“It was just me being a brat.”
She pursed her lips into a thin smile. “I doubt that.”
Caught in the lie, I stiffened.
“It was me, I—”
“Don’t blame yourself. You have a lot of things going on, a lot of changes you’re going through.”
You have no idea, I wanted to say.
“Listen, give it a few days for the drama to settle down. She knows you’re safe here. You can give her a call back when you feel better.”
If she knew anything, she was doing a decent job playing it off. “Okay, I will. Thanks.”
“Why don’t you get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning?”
I stood. “Hey, what happened to inventory night?”
“My assistant manager came down with the flu, and two employees called out sick. So, it’ll have to be planned for another night.” Rolling her eyes, she giggled. “I just need to make sure it’s not on Saturday night.”
“Why?”
Twirling, she danced off into the kitchen. “Because I have a date with the hot preacher.”
Mr. Macias was steeling my aunt’s heart. “I’m happy for you. He seems like a good guy.”
“And hot,” she squealed.
I fell into bed without brushing my teeth or hair; I hadn’t even eaten anything. Spiro had shaken me. Until now, I’d tried not to let him freak me out, but he had.
Damn him!
He said he was a master of fire. Was that what I was? Or could be? If so, I had to start coming up with a cool-ass name like master or artisan.
My mom had semi-confirmed that what I was experiencing was inevitable, even if she didn’t exactly know w
hat was happening to me. So, I thought I might as well get used to it and learn to control the damn things.
I stared at the ceiling while my brain fished for ideas. Flame-thrower, Tsunami Starter, Creator of Wind, or I could just sum them all up and plaster the initials WTF on my badass superhero outfit. Rightfully standing for water, typhoon, and fire.
But the true meaning of those initials were also how I felt every second of every day. They were two-fold. They were perfect.
I fell asleep dreaming of unicorns, spandex, capes, and Spiro. The scar on his face wasn’t just any scar. It was a scar created from fire. Not only did that bother me, but there was also something familiar about him. Not the scarred side of his face, but the other.
23
I tripped on something as I came out the front door. Catching myself from falling, I dropped my bag and cursed. I looked to see what almost had me coming face to face with wood planks. Some wise person had left a package on the welcome mat. I bent to pick it up. The brown box was addressed to me. In the corner where a return address should have been, there was a red-stamped seal instead. It was a flaming triangle with a dragonfly inside of it. Curious, but in a rush, I picked it up and laid it on the side table just inside the door. It was so light that it felt like it was empty.
Running even later now, I slammed the house door without locking it. Which was still really weird to me. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it. After I jumped on the scooter, I put on the helmet and headed toward school.
Class was only slightly less dramatic than usual. Hartley’s arm was no longer in a sling, and her bandages seemed to be smaller.
“Looks like you’re healing well, Hartley,” I couldn’t resist saying.
“No thanks to you, witchy girl.”
Cameron turned around in his seat. “Hartley, do you know how ridiculous you sound?”
“Shut up, Cameron,” Hartley barked. “Do you know what a jerk you are for sticking up for her?”
I stood, then prowled over to Hartley’s desk. She cowered back in her seat, and I felt joy in watching her squirm. “First of all, I don’t need anyone to stick up for me. Second, if I was the one to light that house on fire with you in it, I would have made sure to singe off your eyebrows instead of giving you the couple of minor burns on your arms.”
I had no idea where that came from. The class laughed, and Hartley had steam come out of her ears. The bell rang; and it was like a verbal boxing match, and that was the cue for us to go back to our corners. I hoped my last round would get her off my back about being a witch or blaming the fire on me. It was odd how she suspected me, and I wondered if she knew something. It was unlikely Cameron had told her anything, but maybe he had. We hadn’t always been on the best terms. Besides, he only knew about the wind element.
Fifteen minutes into class, Mina was outside the door, peeking in through the thin window. She scanned the room until she found me, then waved profusely for me to come outside. Curious, I asked to be excused to go to the restroom.
Mr. Greer handed me a key with a painted pink coconut key chain. “So you don’t lose it, forget it, or flush it, and remember to go into the girls.”
The door clicked shut behind me. Mina grabbed my hand, then dragged me to the bathroom. She didn’t say a word until she checked under all the stalls to make sure they were empty.
“Are you a witch? It’s okay if you are—” Her eyes were practically bugging out of her head, and she was talking as fast as an auctioneer. “If so, I don’t care. I mean, I think it would be cool as shit to know a witch. So are you?”
I started laughing. “I am sorry to disappoint you, Mina, but I’m not a witch.”
She pouted out her bottom lip. “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”
“Do I dare ask if you’re starting to believe what comes out of Hartley’s mouth?”
She scoffed. “Hell, no! Well, not usually, but I guess this time I was really hoping it was true.” Kicking away a wadded-up piece of paper towel, she said, “And I thought you could teach me spells and stuff.”
“That would be cool, though.”
After she hugged me, she promised to come by the shop after school.
I got a few stares as I settled back at my desk. Ignoring them for the rest of class, I focused on Mr. Greer. The board was filled with formulas, and I internally groaned. It was going to be a hell weekend for homework.
A few customers were milling around Carousel when I arrived. I drove the scooter around to the side of The Warlock’s Workshop. It felt like forever since I’d been here. The dragon eggs probably already hatched and left the nest. After I took off my helmet, I set it on the seat of the scooter. I started for the shop’s entrance before pausing.
Elyza, the white-haired, white-faced woman, was coming out of State-of-the-Art Salon. Witches got their hair done? Couldn’t they just do a spell or something? I was hoping she didn’t see me as I hurried into The Warlock’s Workshop, but that would’ve been too much to ask.
“Everly,” she called.
My hand was on the door. Groaning, I let her walk the thirty or so feet to me. Was it just me who thought she was creepy looking? Her face was as white as a mime’s.
She smiled as she approached. Her teeth were as white as her face and hair.
Due to the snarky mood I was in, I asked, “Do people ever question your appearance?”
To her credit, she didn’t flinch. “No.” Her tone was icy. “They don’t see me like you do.” She glanced at my wrists.
Did I hear her right? “That doesn’t make sense.”
Her lips were a thin line of impatience. “It makes perfect sense. You are not like them. You’re special. And actually, that’s why I’m glad I saw you. You and I have not started off on the right foot, and I want to apologize for that.”
“Okay, I accept your apology. What else do you want?” I really hoped she didn’t think I was that stupid.
Her nostrils flared, but she remained composed. “I’d like to ask you, again, to put the bracelet back on. Trust me when I say, it is truly a matter of life or death.”
“Your life or mine?” I asked.
She ignored my question. “If you do, I can promise you everything you are experiencing will cease.”
I shifted my bag on my shoulder. “And what is it you think I’ve experienced?”
“I know you have had experiences with the wind, water, and fire. Earth will come soon. Possibly others if you don’t put the bracelet on.”
My blood grew cold. “How did you know that?”
“I must say I’m happy that girl wasn’t killed in the fire you started.”
“Yeah, she’s not my favorite person, but so am I.”
I didn’t like the sound of possibly others. That wasn’t just a little scary; it was a lot scary. But I was sure that was her intention. Her request about the bracelet wasn’t only about me; I knew that, and it would be nice, even helpful, to know her reason. “I still haven’t figured out why you care so much if I can blow wind or cast fires. It’s not like I’m the only one.”
“That is very true.” Her voice deepened, and she moved into my personal space. “But you are the only one who will acquire all the curses.”
Hell, I already possessed three; what was one more? On a stupid brain tangent instead of taking the warning as serious, I thought about my WTF moniker. I’d have to add another letter, and it’d throw the whole thing out of whack.
“Just put the bracelet back on. If you do, I assure you it won’t be a burden to you any longer.”
I rubbed my empty wrist.
“I know others have come to see you. I’m not sure what they’re asking of you, or what they’re telling you is the truth, but like I told you before, do not believe anything they say. They are not to be trusted. I don’t believe they know about the bracelet, and that’s an extremely good thing.”
Footfalls behind me jerked me out of her trance. I turned. Macias strolled up casually. But this was not a casual visit. I did not l
ike my position of being in the middle of a witch and a protector. It was like he was an angel, silhouetted by the sunlight behind him.
I scooted closer toward him, trusting him more than I did the white-haired woman in front of me—no matter what she told me.
“What do you want, Elyza?” he asked.
Her smile grew. “I don’t want anything, Macias. I was simply asking Everly to put the bracelet back on for her own safety.” She spread her arms out. “You know that as well as I do, Protector.”
“Elyza, you know it’s too late.”
She lowered her hands. “Too late for what, preacher boy?” Her voice dropped, and her eyes narrowed. She was not one who like to be challenged. “I know there are several others who know about her. And that’s already too many. But they’ll forget about her once her… powers are camouflaged by the magic of the bracelet. That’s all that needs to happen now.”
“Camouflaged?” I asked. “What are you talking about?” Again, I was in the dark. “I wish you guys would speak a language that I actually understood.” I dropped my bag on the ground. “Isn’t there a manual or some kind of sit-down gathering to explain all that shit to me, because I am clearly in the dark? Yet, I seem to be the focus of everyone’s attention, and I have no idea what’s going on. It’s frustrating as hell.” I sounded like a broken record.
“There is no manual or sit-down rendezvous,” Elyza said. “Put the bracelet back on,” she demanded.
“I can’t.”
Two sets of eyes widened at me.
“Why not?” Elyza growled.
“I don’t have it anymore,” I said simply.
She took in a sharp breath. “Where is it?”
“A mermaid probably found it by now, and showed it off to all her mermaid friends.”
Elyza’s eyes were slits of fury. She glared at my protector. “If you don’t make her a new one by sundown, there will be consequences to pay.”
Without another glance at either of us, she walked away.
I turned on Macias. “Am I cursed? She said I was cursed, then she called them powers.”