by K.N. Lee
To avoid the crowd, we exited through a door in the back floor. I could hear the murmurs, the excitement. They all knew I was the real deal now. Lacal feared that they would be led to think otherwise. If I appeared looking so distraught it would cause them to worry. He was sure they wouldn’t jump to harming me. Some might look at it as finishing the job that Rasmiyah left incomplete. I should not survive if I were not queen. He was sure this wouldn’t happen, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
I agreed with his decision. Even if I was capable of lying, I would never be able to put on a good enough show to satisfy their expectations of their new High Arc. Not after hearing that all of their lives were on the line and I was responsible for defending them.
27
It had been months of practicing, grueling days and nights simply trying to learn the basics. Not universe splitting material, but calming, centering, aura reading crap. I was beyond frustrated with the level of difficulty. The passage of power wasn’t as simple as Lacal, his father, or that damn tree made it sound. I hadn’t been back there. Of course, it was pointed out to me, the benefits of choosing to return. The knowledge I could only receive while inside the temple; but, I felt betrayed. Every time I felt close to going back, I would remember that feeling. Yes, it was a foolish decision on my part, but I didn’t care.
The day after my arrival, I was put through the awakening process. Lacal’s father performed the ceremony. I refused to do it at the temple, so we did it inside the Town Hall which sat directly across the town’s center from the temple. The process was simple enough. I lay on a table and was given some green gook to drink. An old lady came in and started saying a prayer in the original language. The only time I understood her was when she said my name.
I could feel the thick fluid as it moved inside of me. It absorbed itself into my bloodstream and used my own adrenaline to aid in its journey to my heart. I felt its slimy touch enter my chest cavity and then I passed out. When I woke up, I felt different. I was expecting to be an animal, but I wasn’t.
The world felt different…new. The air, it burned my lungs and left funny tastes in my mouth. Everything smelled disgusting. Even the flowers across the room, their fragrance was much too strong. I wrinkled my nose as I sat up. Everything was as I was told it would be. My movements seemed too fast, my eyesight too sharp. I gripped the side of the bed and my fingers left their imprint in the metal frame. It took a while to get myself adjusted, but not as long as I had feared it would. On the table beside, me were three glasses filled with different liquids, orange, white and red. One looked like orange soda, one had to be milk or yogurt, and the other I could only assume by its thick consistency was blood. I knew I should have gone for the blood. The reason for this process was to make me a full vampire, but I just had to know what regular foods tasted like. Lacal would never tell me.
I picked the glass of orange soda and gulped it down and sat it back on the table. It tasted the same, only less impressive, that was disappointing. Heightened taste buds were not fooled by artificial sweeteners. The smell was off, sweeter than I remembered, but, that was the only real change. Before I could attempt to grab the glass of milk to sample it, I doubled over and cleared my stomach of its orange contents. Were it not for the lack of blood or body matter I would have sworn all of my insides had been ripped out of me and thrown to the floor. Lacal rushed in and helped me to a chair. He held back a smile as he handed me the glass of blood.
“Sorry, we all have to learn the lesson.”
“Lesson, what lesson?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand hoping there weren’t any puke chunks. “I saw you eating Lacal, at our picnic, and at my house. You didn’t have any reaction to it.”
“You haven’t had any blood. Your body cannot process anything unless it has what it truly needs. Eating human foods is something we do to fit in, besides, some of it actually tastes pretty good; but if we don’t listen to our instincts and keep ourselves properly nourished with blood, we will get sick and eventually die.”
“It would have been nice to know that before.” I punched him in the shoulder and swallowed the rest of the blood.
The taste was too good for description. Imagine drinking sunshine coated in honey and dipped in chocolate. It energized me. Everything intensified. The sights, sounds, and smells, what I thought was astonishing before became so much more. The increase of my sensory perception was also accompanied by an increase of my thirst. I craved more. I looked to Lacal who understood and quickly produced another glass. When I finished that one, he refused my quest for a third. I was told I had to learn to tame my thirst and not let it overpower me. Losing control meant turning to Darkness, and that wasn’t an option. He thought it was a good idea to start that lesson plan right away.
Great, just add that to the challenge of mastering all of my untold gifts. No sweat! I thought of my problem, of how I could not figure out what gifts I was supposed to have. When I did figure one out, I then had to learn how to control it. Manipulations over the physical world and moving things around with my mind, was something I excelled at. I barely even tried, they were like natural reactions, but everything else was much more complicated, even more so without someone to train me.
I learned mostly from the few random historic writings I lucked out in finding. They gave partial descriptions of some of the gifts of a High Arc, but never had any indication of how she managed to use them. So of course, this left me frustrated and staring at dead ends. It was the worst feeling, to know I had the ability to perform such miraculous things and yet not be able to figure out how to make it happen.
I wished the previous High Arc, whoever she was, would show her ass up, and help me figure it all out. Didn’t she feel some sort of need or responsibility to help me? That unfortunately, never happened and I gave up on hoping that it would. I was on my own, which sad to say, was something I had become accustomed to.
Lacal tried to help, but was only a tad bit more than completely useless. However, he made an awesome test dummy. His dad Lamar was actually able to provide me with some useful guidance. He knew all about the simpler powers and how to unlock them. He also knew the rules and basic properties of controlling any power. Whenever I needed to test a new theory of power, Lacal stood in. Lamar said that my fear of harming him would aid me in my control.
I was told that Layal would have been more help. She was one of the few people around who actually studied the old traditions and practiced their lessons faithfully. She had been taught by her mother. Unfortunately for me, when we arrived we found out that Layal had decided to leave 719.
She gave no reason for her decision, nor did she make any promises to return. All she said was that a change was coming and everyone had to choose what side they were on and fight for that side. Apparently, she’d chosen her side and it didn’t look like that side was ours.
After we told him about the message that was given to us, Lamar decided that it was best not to tell the community about it. I was surprised to find out how many people had already suspected something was wrong though they were all vague in their reasoning for their suspicions. Most just claimed it was something they could sense in the air. They might not have been completely sure what was coming, but they knew it was something bad and something powerful. Yay me!
The younger crowd sometimes questioned why I wasn’t out and about more. They thought that I should have been out mingling with them. Instead I spent most of my time in training. They did very little speculating. Eventually they all became bored, downright uninterested in the subject.
I met everyone in the town in the first few days before diving into practice. They all brought gifts and offerings and praised me for choosing to come. This would have been a great experience had I not been trying to find a way to escape. Each time I gave a plastic smile and tried to accept it all as graciously as I could manage. To know that a tour of sorts was coming didn’t help. It would be expected of me to visit other villages and meet all of the people.
It helped that from most of the people, I felt genuine love and appreciation. It made it easier to get through the lineup. However, there were the occasional spiteful smiles masking total disgust. These were the individuals who made going back to my old life look like fun. I would have jumped at the chance not to have to be bothered with people who didn’t even want me around to begin with. If they didn’t want me there, I could leave. I could pass the crown on to the next girl in line.
The last person I met was Jemal, Lacal’s ex-best friend. He had apparently waited outside and then pounced on his chance to be alone with me when Lacal had been called away. Truly my Serve, he rarely left my side as he promised he would, but sometimes it was necessary. I wasn’t the only one with an ever growing list of things to do. I felt sorry for Lacal, always trying to be supportive to me. Who would support him?
I sensed Jemal before he approached. His presence made my stomach turn. I looked up to find him watching me from the entrance to the hall. He walked towards me and I wished I had taken Lacal up on his offer to join him when he left to see his father. Now I was alone and I had no idea what this stranger was planning to do.
28
“My queen.” He handed me a basket of fruits, which I accepted, but had no intention of eating. He then performed an overly exaggerated and totally unnecessary bow.
“Hi,” I smiled at him, because it was expected of me.
“Welcome to our humble little village, my name is Jemal.” He held his hand out to me.
“Oh,” I paused not knowing how to continue, I had suspected it was him, but had not been prepared to actually speak to him.
It was then that he began to stand out from the swarm of the faces I had seen throughout the day. He was someone to remember and not just because he was last in line. I am not sure why I noticed so much about him or why I took the time to catalog him in my mind. I blamed it on my newly heightened vampire senses and ignored the fact that I hadn’t done it with anyone else. I told myself it was because he was alone, there were no distractions.
He was tall, taller than Lacal. His hair was short and dark, cut down like he had just enlisted in the military. I guess he did it because he thought it went well with his position as head of security. His skin was like Lacal’s, that same clear complexion, slightly milky, only tanner; he must have enjoyed sun bathing.
He wore tight jeans and black turtle neck shirt that seemed too tight. It hugged his skin and bragged to the world how he kept his body fit. It was obvious that he had planned it that way. He wanted me to see what I was missing out on. Too bad for him, muscles were not my thing. Some guys just overdid it; they became more muscle than man. Jemal was nearly one of them.
“I take it you’ve heard about me.” He grinned wide showing all of his teeth. He was so full of himself, it was sickening.
“Briefly, yes,” I tensed. He didn’t particularly like Lacal, and that alone had caused me to become defensive.
“Hmm,” he rolled his eyes.
“What?”
“I would have thought I was worth more than a brief mentioning, considering the fact that I was the one meant to be by your side.” He crossed his arms resembling a pouting child.
“Calling it a fact seems just a tad inaccurate don’t you think?” I smiled and tilted my head at him, mocking his dramatic show.
“How so?” He sounded like I had actually offended him by correcting his statement.
“If you were meant for me, you would have been chosen, but you were not, were you? As it was told to me, Rasmiyah rejected you but she did not reject Lacal.” Pride resonated in my voice as I said it. I loved Lacal and I didn’t appreciate anyone trying to put him down in my presence, especially not Jemal.
“Yeah, well he is crap and in no time his gooey little spine will have you wishing it was me by your side.” He pounded his chest with his fist in the most juvenile display of bravado I had ever seen. “A real man.”
“Right now, I can tell you honestly that I doubt that will ever happen.” His apelike display caused me to laugh a bit.
“You bitch!” He reached for me, but, was sent flying backwards and into the wall. I hadn’t seen him come in and apparently neither had Jemal, but Lacal was now in front of me. His body was half crouched with his back towards me; ready for an attack. There was something there, watching him ready to protect me. I felt complete exhilaration. He was fierce, sexy. I told myself that this was not the time.
“I believe you meant to say, your highness!” Lacal yelled at Jemal who simply whimpered.
He had knocked Jemal clear across the room. Jemal looked completely dumbfounded. He stared at his once best friend, unable to believe what had just happened. He huffed and struggled to pull himself upright, then stumbled out of the room cursing the both of us. The only thing left of him was the impression of his back in the wall. Lamar would not like that one bit.
“What was that?” I got up from my seat and went to Lacal’s side.
“I don’t know,” he looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry.”
“No! Don’t be! That was totally bad ass!” I grabbed his arm and smiled at him. He smiled back, kissed my forehead and escorted me to my next training session.
I hadn’t seen Jemal after that, and I didn’t have a need to. He was obviously out of his mind. To allow myself to be anywhere near him would be a bad idea. There was no doubt that he would try to hurt me again if ever given the chance.
~A~
My exercise for the night had been cut short. Lamar thought it was important for me to take a break. He said I had been working too much. Over training would lead to making careless and costly mistakes. I didn’t know if I agreed, but I was happy for the reprieve.
There was a festival happening in the center of town. It was in celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the village. My history lessons taught me that over the last 700 years it had outgrown the right to be classified as a village. It annoyed me, for whatever reason I do not know. The population alone was too much, but that was still what everyone seemed to prefer to call it. Lamar insisted that it kept them humble and peaceful. They had no real problems, outside of the few town drunks, but really, no place big or small would be complete without them.
I was surprised to find the founder there when I arrived. She didn’t live in town, and before meeting her, I was skeptical that she was still alive. She sat at the long table to the left of my seat, which was in the center. We sat at the head of the festivities, right outside of the Arc temple. The one place I didn’t want to be, and yet every major event was held here. I turned to my right to find Lacal, in the same place he always sat. He stood and pulled my chair out for me.
I stared at the founder, Reniah. For someone who was over 700 years old, she looked fantastic. She appeared to be only in her early 40’s. She moved like my grandmother, graceful. Every movement was deliberate and controlled. I couldn’t watch her and not compare the two.
It was easier not to think of my grandmother. I was still unable to understand why she left the way she did. She had to have known what I was walking into. She provided a cure to my disease only to make sure that I did so. The worse part about it all was that no one knew her. I asked around. I targeted every elder in the village. They couldn’t provide me with any explanation for why she did what she did. I had zero hope that she would be showing up to apologize.
The festival was exactly what I had come to expect. No freaky vampire rituals or traditions. There weren’t any sacrifices of humans. It was all normal and it made me sick to my stomach because it wasn’t normal at all. There were parades, dancing and singing; followed by food and then more drunken dancing. It was all very human and it didn’t fit.
I sat in front of the High Arc temple with the founder and Lacal. There wasn’t much comfort in being at the forefront of every event, but it was getting easier to swallow. Few people paid any attention to me. I was just another feature now, another decoration for the party. It would be no differe
nt if I were not there.
To be honest, being the High Arc hadn’t been that difficult outside of the physical and mental training. I wasn’t asked to make any major decisions or attend any boring Council meetings. My responsibilities were studying, training, and making appearances at events when necessary. Lamar told me when I was ready to step up and take on full responsibility it would be my right to. Until then, no one would try to force me to do so. I made no complaints, not one peep.
“You look bored,” Lacal bumped my shoulder with his.
“Is it that obvious? I’d rather be training now.” I sighed. He smiled, and as always, I melted.
“You need to take a break. You have been going non-stop for weeks.” He took a sip from his cup; from the smell I could tell it was blood. It didn’t really bother me as much as I thought it would. My mind was preoccupied with mulling over more important things, like saving the world from dangers unknown.
“You know why I have been training so hard,” I rolled my eyes at him. The music was loud, so it was unnecessary to whisper like we usually would.
“Yes I do. But I also know that if you’re not rested, all the training you’re doing won’t matter.” He put his hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. I could feel how much this hurt him, but it was causing me more irritation than comfort.
“Well, I guess I will have to deal with that when it’s necessary.” I snapped at him, my frustration was because I knew what he said was true. Unfortunately for me, there weren’t many other options.
“And it will be Alexa.” He pushed further.
“Drop it please,” I snapped at him. My temper had become an issue. I had been able to control my thirst. But something else happened. Something I was never warned about. Slowly in the days after, I began to think and feel dark things. I was more temperamental than I had ever been, snapping at people for simply trying to help me. I put myself in isolation because of this but I told no one, I couldn’t. I was afraid of what the people would think. I was afraid of what Lacal would think. The broken Serve and his defective High Arc.