Renhala

by Amy Joy Lutchen

  “There are lots of things you don’t know about me,” she sasses. This pushes Ladimer into a fit of laughter, and my mom elbows him, falling off her heels. “Stop that, Ladimer. I have to say, you’re beautiful yourself, Kailey.” She holds my face with her hands and kisses me on the cheek. “I am so proud of you and who you have become.” She tears up a bit.

  “What’s that for?”

  “Just a realization, that’s all. I was just wondering if I’ll be here for your big day.” We share a moment of understanding as we lock eyes.

  My emotions flare, and I don’t want to smear my newly applied makeup. “Stop that. Who else is going to pay for it?”

  My mom chuckles. “Well, then, it’s gonna be White Castle and Boone’s Farm for all!” We all laugh as Ladimer notices the lily in my hair.

  “I know where you got that,” he says, brushing his hand against my ear.

  Amber pushes her way in through the crowd and hugs my mom tight as tears fill her eyes, then disappear.

  “You all right, honey?” my mom whispers, genuinely concerned. “Don’t cry. This is your day—your day to shine, my daughter.” She kisses Amber on the cheek.

  Amber wipes her eyes. “I’m fine. Please, enjoy yourself, and have a seat at Kailey’s table. Thank you for coming. It means so much to me.” She points to a seated Conner, who waves. My mom and Ladimer walk over to the table, arm in arm.

  As Amber walks away, a hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to see Russell, who looks like he may lose his lunch. “Kailey, have you seen my grandfather?” he says.

  “No, but I’m sure he’s on his way.”

  “Was he travelling?”

  I stare at him, not wanting to say a word. “Not sure, actually.”

  “Since he’s not here, I have to ask something of you. I know it’s unconventional and all, but can you handle this?” He opens his hand, and Amber’s three carat diamond wedding band shimmers brilliantly. My mouth drops open and he laughs. “Amber likes nice—and expensive—things,” he says.

  “You were going to have Gunthreon do the honor, huh? And you have nobody else you trust?” He nods. “I would be honored, Russell.” I slip the ring into my clutch and he seems relieved.

  I make my way back to table three, joining the conversation between my mom and Conner. “Your compliment means so much, considering your gift,” my mom says.

  I shake my head at her. “All right already. Enough about how scrumptious you look.”

  I drape my shawl across my chair, then say, “I’ve got to use the little girl’s room to powder my nose. I’ll be back.” I work my way through the crowd, and finally find the bathroom, reeking of Tilex and bubble gum sweetness. I seem to be the only one here, but as I stand adding some blush to my cheeks, I sense an energy that should not be here.

  I whip around, scanning the bathroom. “Where are you? I know you’re here.” I walk silently over to the tall floral arrangement in the corner and move it as quick as I can.

  “I couldn’t help it!”

  I rush over to the door and lock it. “What are you doing here?”

  Jenna has her legs crossed and her arms behind her, her face downturned. “I was bored,” she mumbles, trying to give me sad eyes. “I just jumped in the gift bag.”

  “Bored? Oh, Jenna, you better hide, and hide well. You won’t fit in my purse today!”

  “The colors in this place are all swirly and—” I cover her mouth.

  “No excuses! Do not be seen!” I unlock the door and return to the ballroom.

  The minister arrives, looking as if he may have kicked back a few already: bloodshot eyes, hair askew, obvious slurring, and an unnatural interest in the happy couple. He asks us all to take our seats. “Thank you, everyone, for coming together to take part in this very special occasion,” he says. From here, he goes on and on, but I hear nothing as Jenna peeks her tiny little head through the doorway. She seems to be pointing at a guest, and I try to give her the angry face without anyone else noticing. Ladimer does, and he looks toward Jenna. His eyes widen. He then looks as angry as I do, but directs it toward me. I just shake my head.

  Jenna keeps pointing, so I look at table seven toward a gentlemen slouching in his seat. The lights have dimmed, so I have to squint to see his face. I don’t recognize the man in the glasses and tuxedo. In reaching him, I feel an extremely nervous energy which makes me feel like puking. I also sense hesitation? When I turn back to Jenna, she’s not at the door.

  Inconspicuously, I look along the floor. As I “accidentally” drop my napkin near my feet and bend to pick it up, I notice she’s already underneath the table.

  “Your friend’s powers are strong,” she whispers, pointing at the wedding table.

  “Yeah, Russell is special.”

  “What an ugly name for a…that’s not—,”

  But before she can complete her sentence, Ladimer scoops her up and tucks her under his jacket. “I’ll be right back. Excuse me.” He heads out the door fastidiously.

  Amber and Russell make it up to the minister, and Russell calls me over with his hand. “Oh, yeah,” I say. I stand off to the side and wait for my cue.

  As the minister goes on and on, again, my eyes wander. I see the ballroom doors open slightly as two people enter and rush toward our table. As they appear under one of the lights, I recognize them. Gunthreon and Lupa are dressed for the occasion, but I see that Lupa has a cut on her face and Gunthreon’s hair is askew. I also see that Lupa is carrying her everything pack, which is not exactly wedding garb. They sit, and Gunthreon immediately starts whispering to Conner, whose face and energy turn to worry.

  “And the ring. And the ring?” The last is said much louder, and I snap out of the fog. I reach into my purse and hand Russell the ring. He sweats bullets as he stares into Amber’s lovely eyes.

  “Now place it on her finger,” babbles the minister.

  Russell slides the ring on Amber’s finger.

  Amber screams.

  “Get it off!” she cries. “Get it off!” She pulls the ring off quickly and throws it to the ground, tears trickling down her face. My jaw drops. Amber’s known for being drastic, but this? Everyone else just sits, looking forward. Poor Russell, I think. She’s evidently getting cold feet.

  I look to the ground for the three carat ring, but I find a different ring—my father’s. I had instinctively tossed it into my purse. As I rise, I notice the intricately detailed wood framework around the hall door has started falling off, revealing scribblings underneath. I then look to the ring in my hand and realize Amber screamed not because of the non-existent diamond, but because of the lutheose.

  I look up and around—in what seems slow motion—and that’s when I meet the eyes of the gentlemen in the glasses. My head starts spinning as I look at a more recent face of Dr. Martine, the missing physicist.

  I brace myself, for something unknown is about to happen and I feel the heat of my monk’s spade on my back.

  Amber pulls herself up to full height, with some kind of bubble around her, almost like a force field. I suddenly feel a familiar rush of an energy mass heading in our direction from outside the doors.

  I look to Amber and she starts shouting at me. “You! It’s all your fault!” She points at me, crying. I stand in shock.

  Suddenly, the ballroom doors burst open, and throngs of creatures enter—grebles and meeples and other countless horrors. I grab my monk’s spade and stand rooted to the spot. Striding toward us, leading them all, is a swirling mass of evil—and deadly—energy: Devoten.

  Chapter 54

  Jealous

  The guests at table three are held back against their will by various suddenly-armed guests, the only one missing is Ladimer. My mom stares at Amber, oblivious to the hyena-faced creature tightly gripping both her arms.

  Amber turns her anger upon me once more, her face twisted and ugly as she cries and shouts at me. “Kailey, always screwing things up for me! Kailey, always number one! Kailey with the long legs.
Kailey with the cool mom. What good did I ever get in this life? Nothing—until he came along.”

  Her hand points not toward Russell, but toward Devoten, master of infatuation. I inhale deeply and reach my feeler out to grasp her true feelings beyond the sudden lunacy, but keep hitting the bubble around her, bouncing off like a trampoline.

  “He’s evil, Amber!” I shout. I can’t even begin to grasp what is happening right now, but know I must do something, possibly before karma steps in.

  “No! He’s shown me true love. He saw the power hidden deep inside me—something nobody ever acknowledged!” The bubble around her vibrates. “He helped me grow and transform into this.” She holds her arms up toward her iridescent bubble shield.

  I examine it. “This is how you wore the necklace I gave you,” I blubber, pointing to the bubble. The corners of her mouth turn up in a malicious grin. “The only reason why bad things happened to you was not because we doubted you,” I say. “It was because you doubted you. You never gave the real Amber a chance—the Amber I know and love. All those years—all those moments of trouble—who was there for you? Me,” I look to my mom and say, “and her!”

  Devoten approaches us in his black-hooded cloak, looking as sinister as ever. “We finally get to converse, face to face, Kailey. You are so pretty.” His voice is thick and mysterious, but not enough to divert me from gripping my weapon tighter, for what surrounds him is the horrid and foul mass of energy I previously witnessed. It’s pure hatred, but in a falsely subdued shell. It’s sudo-abominor, preparing to unleash its rage, given the perfect moment. I know not to reach toward it, because it may swallow me up forever.

  Amber’s energy is reflective of her feelings, and I hear it ticking like a time bomb. “My love, tell Kailey of our plans,” she rambles.

  He raises his hand toward her mouth, and her face turns beet red.

  “But—”

  “Shut up! I am speaking with Kailey. This is not about you right now.”

  I look at her, and her eyes do not leave Devoten’s face. Knowing Amber as long as I have, I know she’s contemplating whether she should take the suggestion or break his arm. Her force field shudders a bit. Then she sits down in the chair to her left and says nothing, tears welling up in her eyes.

  The noise behind me tells me someone has broken their bonds, then I feel her. It’s my mom, rushing toward us.

  “Devoten!” she spits as she approaches. “She’s such an innocent little thing. What did you do to her?”

  “Nice to see you, Quicksilver. You really want to know the details? Is this out of simple curiosity,” He smiles as his voice changes, becoming heavier as he talks to my mom, moving just a bit closer to her, “or maybe jealousy?”

  “Don’t move any closer to me,” she warns, pulling out her long blade, “and remember, your ‘power’ is useless against me.”

  “Fine. Always so difficult,” he remarks. “The story is as follows: Amber noticed me one day near their work,” he looks to me and Amber, “and began openly flirting for the last seat on the bus as we both boarded. Isn’t that right?” Amber nods, tears dripping from her eyes. “She never even knew she was using her power as I watched her in action, enclosing both me and herself in one of these bubbles, closing out a beautiful, but threatening high-heeled, tight, business-suited female with beautiful deep brown curls who also wanted that last bus seat.” My mind wanders to moments with Amber, realizing she never exhibited signs of competition with other females, ever. “So,” says Devoten, breaking me from my thoughts, “I realized her talent—one evidently developed over her formidable years of dating, because who would actually make a conscious decision to hook up with such emotional baggage—could be an asset to me. She was such an easy target!”

  Amber’s past admirers and relationships stream through my mind as I realize she was subconsciously holding the degenerates near, probably making them feel an indescribable sense of safety in her bubble—perhaps developing a false notion of bonding between them. If I only spent more time with her since my assault. Perhaps as karmelean, I could have ripped the layers of Amber apart, revealing her powers.

  Amber’s lower jaw hangs down, almost resting on her feet.

  “Oh, and the best part,” says Devoten, laughing to himself, “is how that ninny,” he points to Russell, “was the perfect decoy! You all thought Amber was busy with him. Ha! His gift proved detrimental to his own well-being—attaching himself permanently to someone openly unfaithful. How pathetically stupid, but then again, he fell prey to her powers just as all the others did. And how would I know that he wouldn’t get her pregnant first?”

  We all look to Russell, who is supporting himself against the wall.

  Soon, I hear Gunthreon—who has also escaped those holding him—approaching, speaking to those he passes. As he passes me, he says, “Kailey, disregard any suggestions of Devoten’s.”

  Devoten’s gaze meets Gunthreon’s, and just as I begin to fear a battle between the two of them, Russell suddenly starts making rather odd movements, first covering his eyes, then his mouth, then his ears. He keeps repeating it, and increasing speed, eventually moving so fast I can barely see what he’s doing.

  “He’s breaking down,” murmurs Gunthreon, moving to help his grandson. “Russell, sit and meditate. Relax. Take deep breaths.” Russell sits on the ground, with his eyes closed as Gunthreon holds him tightly, rocking.

  Meanwhile, my mom stands between me and Devoten. “She’s beautiful, Dena May,” he says to her, with soft emotion. I feel the horror of his energy, still swirling around him, but a bit slower. A loud sigh escapes my mom’s mouth. Both she and Devoten stare at me as I feel an odd sensation coming from each of them: small slithering tendrils of energy, one from each. I close my eyes and feel the two tendrils reaching for each other, yearning to touch. I then interrupt by placing my own energy between them since I don’t want his touching my mom’s. But to my surprise, her energy pushes me away.

  “Resembles both her parents you know,” rambles Devoten. “And she’s strong, I can feel her power.” After their two energies touch and twirl around together, I feel my mom’s retract, rushing back toward her body.

  “Devoten—Kailey.” She is formally introducing us. “Kailey—your father.”

  A single word escapes both my and Amber’s lips: “What?” Then Devoten’s cloak falls, and I see an older version of the face I spied in Gunthreon’s magical mirror. Spotting my ring on the ground, he picks it up, allowing it to sizzle in his hand as it burns his skin. He then slides it onto his finger, his jaw clenching from the pain.

  “See! Ruining my whole life!” cries Amber. “No wonder he’s always been so interested in you!”

  Anger appears across Devoten’s face. “I found this one—,” he says, pointing to Amber, “—while watching our daughter grow up. After I conceived my plan to rule Renhala—and eventually the shitty realm you live in—Amber was a convenience.” He smirks as Amber’s shoulders drop.

  “Rule Renhala?” cackles my mom. “And Abscondia?” She laughs heartily as Devoten stares her down.

  “Yes. You and Kailey can still be a part of something wonderful. Change your ways Dena May. Just imagine what we’d be capable of, together, as a...family.” I hear Amber inhale deeply, and hold it for what seems an eternity. My mom frowns. “Or would you rather just stand back and watch everyone die as my creatures, once fully unleashed in Abscondia, eat them alive? I can protect you, and Kailey.”

  My mom looks upset as she and Amber continue watching Devoten’s face, and his each and every movement. My mom begins shaking her head slowly, back and forth.

  Not liking my mom’s answer, he says, “I stood too long in the shadows. It’s my turn to shine. My turn to rule. My turn to play God! Bring it in!” he yells loudly.

  The giant metal box from my secret, unprovoked, travels to Devoten, is wheeled in, along with a life size statue of the lovely woman from my pendant. Dr. Speck, in a lab coat, follows the statue, then Tartarin, wh
o prods him like a cow with some sort of long, metal tube. Tartarin limps from his injury from our little bathroom brawl, when I stuck my spade in his leg. “Now, bring in the cauldron!” Devoten screams. A gigantic cauldron, holding an enormous amount of molten metal, is wheeled in and placed beside the box.

  Dr. Martine makes his way toward the box, looking very worried. The box begins steaming profusely, and he yells to Devoten that they need Mortimer.

  Then Mortimer is dragged in by his feet by two creatures similar to the one that assaulted me—half man, half grotesquely-green and slimy monster. I freeze. Mortimer’s head and arms are cut with deep slashes, and he seems to be unconscious. Twin Zoe hands Tartarin her glass of water, and he sloshes it across Mortimer’s face. Zoe explodes with laughter as Mortimer wakes screaming and pawing at the air. As Zoe laughs, I scan the crowd—mostly female—spotting each grin Zoe provokes. It is then I feel it—the duality of the females’ energies—on extreme measures—with an unmatched quickness in their ability to change. One second they mimic Devoten’s swirling dark energy, the next they are something entirely different, from complacent to happy, but not one iota of regret exists in any of their energies. They are all enjoying themselves, and hoping to be recognized for their part in Devoten’s plan—to perhaps rule by his side. Each of their faces slowly begins transforming—an Amber nose here, a Dena May smile there, and several heads of flowing red hair. They are transforming into what they see as their chance at Devoten’s attention. They are pixies.

  I then notice a greble walking to the falling framework around the hall door, placing a sticky piece of slate to the wall. On it is a roughly drawn symbol. They are closing the entry. And Ladimer is outside. I try working my way slowly to the piece of slate.

  Devoten turns to Amber. “I still need you, honey,” he coos. “Remember your part.” Her face contorts, and then transforms to one of pure fascination as she looks into her lover’s eyes—infatuated with him and whatever plan he has discussed with her.