by Lena Lee
My imagination was starting to imagine several different things. “Do you sprout ten heads? Turn green? Both?”
He chuckled and put his hand on my knee. It was meant as a gesture to warn me to brace myself, but my body was reacting in a different way, heat flooded my cheeks. He finally spoke, “I am essentially a shield. I can draw the attention of attackers and they attack only me. That’s why when those creatures on Earth attacked, I was the only one injured. I had all twenty attack me while Alex and Wyatt took them out.”
Holy night creatures. That was a very badass power but also scary. He had to risk his life. “Do you… grow?” I could swear he was larger when he had approached Edrie.
“I can, yes. The more attackers, the bigger I can grow. I can also control how many attack me. If there were a hundred, I could direct a portion of them to me or all.” He stood then and walked over to his little bar area. “Would you like a drink? It’s not hooch or whatever you told us about, but it might help you relax a bit.”
“Not sure alcohol is a good idea right now, lots going on inside. Alcohol might send it bonkers.” I leaned back into the cushions of the couch and shut my eyes. “I don’t even look like myself anymore.” I felt Rex sit back next to me, the smell of liquor hitting my nose and slightly burning it. He liked his drinks strong.
“You don’t look that different, the spells must have hidden those features, they are pretty striking. You were beautiful before, but now you’re… there’s not even a word for it.” He reached over and pushed a tendril of hair behind my ear. “Sometimes those with certain powers take on physical manifestations, like Milo, he has white hair and light blue eyes since his power is ice. Maybe your hair and eyes have something to do with animals.”
“What about my invisibility?” I popped an eye open to find him staring at me. He took a while to answer.
“No one has been born with two powers. It simply doesn’t happen. I wonder if it is actually a part of your animal powers, your animal guide is a dragon after all, they are pretty magical, at least from what I have read.” So, he was a reader.
“You were invisible on Earth.” I went back to regarding the insides of my eyelids, there were sparks flickering across them, like the energy inside of me was pushing against them and bouncing off. I had so many questions about what I was feeling, but Kyra’s warning was sharp in my mind. Rex’s words had confirmed that I was abnormal.
“We had a potion that made us invisible, you could see us because you aren’t human.”
Funny. I still considered myself more human than supernatural. I was starting to feel like I possibly didn’t fit in anywhere.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” He spoke softly, I could feel him closer now.
“What isn’t going on in this head of mine.” I turned my head towards him and opened my eyes. He was staring at my lips. “Maybe you can take my mind off…” Before I could finish he closed the distance between us and brushed his lips across mine. The kiss was so soft I wondered if he thought I would break or smack him.
I snaked one hand around the back of his neck and deepened the kiss. I might not have felt the same way about him as he did about me, but it was hard to resist his charms and comfort. Before I could stop myself, I had moved to straddle him. My sole focus moved from my bundled-up energy to kissing his face off.
Both my hands threaded through his hair as he slowly started moving his lips from mine. He trailed gentle kisses down my jawline to the sensitive part under my earlobe before settling on my neck. He certainly knew the path to my heart and into my pants.
“We should… take this… slow.” I breathed out before bringing his lips back to mine. He let out a grumble and we pulled apart. He let out a small dissatisfied groan as I maneuvered off of him and back into my place on the couch. I hadn’t wanted to stop but the logical part of my brain was taking back over.
“I’ve waited for you for a long time, I’m sorry if I seem…” He paused to find the right word. “Eager.”
I chuckled and stood before I lost my resolve. “I think I’m going to take a short nap before dinner.” If I stayed any longer I would probably be the one apologizing for being too eager.
“I will take care of the Kyra situation. Alex is just overly emotional when it comes to the death of our parents. He was only eight when it happened.” I nodded and left the room. No wonder Alex always seemed to be the mature one of the bunch, he had to grow up quickly. I could relate to his feelings, losing your parents as a child was hard.
I returned to my room to find several sets of clothes hung in the open closet. Luckily, I spotted plenty of pants. I did like the dressed-up look but I was so used to covering my legs that wearing a dress made me feel naked.
I was just about to plop down on the bed when my attention was drawn to the windows and the vast expanse outside. I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to be able to resist the pull of it. I could see the edge of the lake from this room and was slightly disappointed more of it wasn’t visible. I shut my eyes and leaned my forehead against the cool glass. The temperature here was similar to how late summer felt in Blight. Hot enough to want to cool off in the water, but not so hot you wanted to die.
The water on Scintilla was so blue that it undoubtedly would feel like heaven. The thought flitted through my mind as I pushed away from the window, but instead of going backwards, I was flung forwards, as if a rope had attached to my center and yanked me out of the castle and through the sky. I was about to scream when my feet landed on the ground near the lake’s edge.
Chapter 14
My heart was racing as I quickly turned around, eyeing my surroundings. How had that happened? I could see the castle in the distance, rising over the tops of the trees. I had been pulled here so quickly and smoothly, the glass on the window hadn’t been broken, I had gone through it. I took a few deep breaths. Nothing was here besides me and the sounds of birds and unknown creatures rustling in the trees.
Birds. I had only seen a bird once in my life when it landed on the small woodpile outside my hovel. It had been a small brown bird with small chirps escaping its tiny beak. I had stared at it for a long time before someone had walked down the alley and scared it away.
I focused on a small blue colored bird in a tree, not far from where I was. If I could talk to a dragon, talking to birds should be a cinch. Not sure how it worked, I just decided to go for it. I mentally asked it to fly to me. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I sighed and turned back towards the water. I had no clue how my powers worked.
I was just about to make my way back to the castle when I felt a light weight land on my shoulder and gasped. The blue bird. It chirped and then took off again. I called back to it again and it began chirping, as if it were telling me a story and then plucked a leaf from the tree and flew back to me, dropping the leaf in front of me. It continued noisily chirping and landed on the ground.
“I can’t understand what you are telling me, but thank you little friend. This is all so new to me, not sure what I’m doing.” I was talking to a bird. Life had reached an all new level of weird. “Once I am able to get… I wonder!”
“Edrie, can you hear me?” It was worth a shot. Resa had said that once I was free of the spell that Edrie would be able to help me. Edrie was very wise and would be able to whip me into shape in no time.
“You are free! I am so excited! Oops, just woke my mother.” There were a few moments of silence. I briefly wondered how old Edrie was, she seemed to be old but also on occasion acted like a human teenager.
“Do you know about all the powers royals can have? I have quite a few I am sure. Not sure what to do. I am keeping them to myself for now.”
“That is a wise idea. I am aware of most capabilities. I can come to you but only if there is somewhere hidden I can stay.”
My attention was drawn from our conversation to the ground in front of me. Several birds had gathered there, all with leaves. The chirping was reaching a crescendo. Maybe they could scout around
to find an empty cave.
“My dragon friend would like to come stay here for a while. Is there somewhere safe she can stay, like a cave? Maybe you can find one and take me there if you find one.” The birds all chirped collectively and took off. It was so weird to know they could understand me and do what I asked. I could see how in the wrong hands, the power to communicate and control animals would turn disastrous.
“A group of birds is scouting for me. Can they talk to me? They just kept chirping at me.”
“Most excellent! You can understand them, you must open your mind to their language. Please let me know when you hear word back from them. Be well, my friend.”
I chuckled to myself after the communication cut off. Here I was thinking talking to birds was weird, yet I had just been overly ecstatic to talk to my dragon in my head. Maybe I was actually still on Earth but having a psychotic break. It happened to people all the time.
I started walking back towards the castle, wondering how far of a walk it would be and how I would get onto the grounds. It would most likely have high walls and I was at the back of it. From the window it appeared to be quite a large property fenced in with stone walls.
How had I even gotten myself out here? One minute I had been leaning against the window and the next I was at the lake. I had thought about the lake, surely it couldn’t be that simple. I looked at a tree about 10 feet in front of me and took a deep breath, thinking about ending up in the spot in front of it. I felt the same feeling wash over me, like a rope had been attached to me and I was pulled quickly to the spot I had thought about.
I tried again, farther along and it worked again, even smoother than before. Only one way to find out the capabilities of teleporting. I thought of the bedroom and in a snap I was back in the room. I was starting to understand why my mother would feel threatened by me. Hell, I felt threatened by me.
I checked the clock on the bedside table, it was almost six. So much for a nap. I went to the intercom and pressed the call button.
“Yes, your highness?” A female voice came over the speaker. “How may I assist you?”
“I was just wondering when dinner would be and also if I had to wear a dress.” Please say no.
“Dinner will be in 30 minutes, your highness. I can let Prince Rexford know you will meet him in the common room then if you would like so that he may accompany you. This is a casual dinner, so no formal attire is needed.”
I thanked her and the communication was cut off. I would never get used to talking to a wall or being called “your highness.”
I freshened up in the bathroom, regarding my new appearance with both concern and amazement. When I left my room, there was 15 minutes to spare. I knocked gently on Kyra’s door before opening it. We were used to having little privacy in our lives.
“Ky? Dinner is in 15, Rex said he was going to make sure King Rian didn’t banish you or something.” I walked in and closed the door. She was standing at the window, staring out. She had changed into new clothing and had her hair down, falling to her mid back.
“Can you believe this place? How is it that this even exists when we had absolutely nothing?” I shrugged as she turned and walked towards me.
We hugged and stared at each other for a brief moment. Her eyes still held hints of red in the irises. “Rex came by and spoke to me a little while ago to let me know that the king was fine with me staying, but I would be monitored closely.”
“So… let me show you something.” I walked over to the door and locked it.
She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. “Nothing good ever comes from a locked bedroom door Mira.”
I focused on the spot right behind her and was instantly behind her. I gently tugged on her hair.
“No. Way.” She turned to me with her eyes as wide as saucers. “Can you do it with me?!” She grabbed my hand.
“I don’t want to kill you or something.” I tried to yank my hand back.
“You are powerful, you won’t. At least I don’t think you will. It would be an okay way to go.”
I sent us back across the room to the door.
Kyra squealed and jumped up and down like I had given her the greatest gift in the world. “You have to keep this to yourself, especially this combined with your invisibility thing… Man oh man.” She unlocked the door and we exited.
I hadn’t considered combining any abilities I had. The combination was rather tempting to use. It gave me the ability to go anywhere undetected.
“There’s more, but…” I trailed off as we entered the common room to find Rex and Alex waiting. Alex still looked pissed, but at least I now knew why. “Where’s Wyatt?”
“He isn’t feeling well.” Alex answered but was staring at Kyra with weary eyes.
“Is the plan for me to stay here for now?” I asked Alex, already tired of his moodiness towards my friend.
“Yes.” Alex broke his gaze from Kyra. “You are under our protection.”
“Well if you wish for it to remain that way then you will stop looking at her like she has 10 heads. She is harmless… mostly. Just don’t let her get you drunk and you will be fine.” I was trying to lighten the mood, but my words fell on deaf ears.
“It will take time Princess. I am sure you both understand.” Alex finished the conversation by walking to the elevator.
“Understand what?” Kyra started following Alex, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head. I would tell her later.
We piled into the elevator and exited on the ground floor. We walked in silence, the tension still in the air. Rex walked beside me, but didn’t move to grab my hand, which sent a tendril of disappointment through me. It really shouldn’t have.
The large dining room was just as grand as the rest of the castle. The large table could hold over 20 people comfortably and large windows looked out onto a flower garden. My imagination of what King Rian and Queen Sara were like was vastly different than reality. I had imagined them to be old and stuffy, but they were exactly the opposite.
Rian looked very similar to Alex, refined and proper, but had a smile on his face most of the time. It seemed genuine. Sara was gorgeous with blond hair that fell in loose curls just past her shoulder blades. Her blue eyes held a hint of mystery to them. She had met Rian on one of his visits to a local school.
We were about halfway through dinner when a light tapping drew our attention to a window. Rex frowned and went to the window. “It’s a damn bird.” I almost choked on the bite of food in my mouth.
Rex knocked on the window trying to scare it, but it continued. He unlocked the latch and lifted the window. As soon as there was enough space it flew in and landed on the table in front of me. Everyone except me pushed back from the table and started waving their arms madly. I have never in my life seen so many grown ass men make a fuss over a small bird.
“Stop!” I scooped it in my hands and brought it to my chest before they could get to it. It was chirping up a storm. I concentrated. If I could hear a dragon in my head, I could hear this bird, it was talking to me.
A small voice suddenly started rattling off at a high rate of speed. I guess all I had to do was believe I could understand. It reminded me of one of a story they shared with us in school of Peter Pan and the other lost boys. They used imagination to manipulate their world. This was some kind of magic voodoo as well.
“Slow down and repeat all that. I told you I was new at this.”
“Oh good, I am so glad you can understand me now! That was so frustrating in the woods! There is so much to share with you! I am so happy to serve you!” This bird sounded exactly how I thought a bird would sound, very, very excited. Maybe a little like it was on drugs of some kind. “We have found the perfect cave for your dragon friend. It is up the river and behind a nice waterfall! There are a pack of wolves that live there but they said they would share if the dragon wished or they would leave. We are so excited but also nervous because dragons get very hungry!”
“I am not sure what Edrie eats,
but I think you are safe. I would like to meet these wolves before I ask her to come.” I was sure dragons just ate whatever they wanted, they were dragons after all. I knew for certain they didn’t eat people, although maybe Edrie said that so I wouldn’t freak out.
I glanced around at the open mouths and wide eyes at the table. They could only hear the chirping, I must have looked like a lunatic talking to the small bird like we were old friends reunited.
“Very well! They are home during the day so it is best to visit them tomorrow! Just follow the river and you will get to the waterfall!” I stood and went to the window. “Anytime you need me just come outside and call for me! My name is Pip!”
“That is a very fitting name. Be well my friend.” I placed him on the windowsill, and he flew off. I shut and locked the window. All eyes were on me when I turned back to the table. I slowly walked to my seat and put another bite of food in my mouth. What just happened was completely normal, right?
Everyone except Rex started talking at once as soon as I started chewing.
“It’s like you’re what’s her name… the one that has the seven dwarves.” I knew what Kyra was referring to but had only heard the story once. I was probably daydreaming during half of the telling of it to be honest. She was always the better student.
“Snow White.” Sara smiled. “Earth’s fairy tales and myths are legendary across the worlds for their allusions to other worlds. It does make you wonder how many of our world and others are present on earth, doesn’t it?”
“Why anyone would want to go to that god-forsaken planet is beyond logic.” Alex narrowed his eyes in Kyra’s direction as if she was the one to pick Earth as a kidnapping locale.
Rex was staring at me with an intense gaze during the uptick of conversation. He finally spoke and didn’t sound happy. “When did you go outside to send a bird on a mission?” He had pieced that together fast. Stalker much? Or he was just too smart for his own good.