Espial

by Nikita Francois

  “Don’t move just yet, honey bee,” smiled Glinda. “You’re almost set. We’re going to bring you the elixirs in a moment.” They both stood and made their way into the kitchen. Sacra came back moments later with the same brass goblet from the night before and a silver one. She helped me sit up with my legs crossed and passed me the silver one first.

  “Drink up.”

  I took the goblet and finished the beverage quickly. It was thick and highly viscous, taking a while to slide down my throat. It had an unfamiliar spiciness and stung my tongue. I scrunched my face when it eventually finished going down. I prayed that it worked rapidly to make my wings strong. Sacra then passed me the Elixir Respite. Immediately, the pain in my shoulder blades vanished and I began to yawn.

  “Fantastic,” said Sacra. She helped me up and walked me toward my room. “Go ahead and take a nap. We’ll wake you for dinner.” She gently shut the door as she left. I carefully peeled off my clothing and slid into bed nude, too tired to search for clothes. Sleep took me instantly.

  CHAPTER 14

  Dinner took place in the rooftop café without incident. I sat next to Alex, who told stories about what Los Angeles was like before the Great World War, at least according to what school had taught him. Rider then told stories about what it was like living in New York City, with things called skyscrapers, taxis, pizza, and subways. He even told of a location known as Times Square, filled with people who would dress in costume and take photos with tourists. Theatres put on shows with song and dance, and the sidewalks were always packed with people bustling to and from. It sounded incredible and I wished I could have been alive then to see all of the amazing things he described. Luke announced that he would be working in the ARC defense department over the next several days. They had received word that Sato ordered the Terredome military to expand its search for me outside of the city. Rider, Luke and my mother were considered persons of interest. After dessert, we headed to the lobby where we parted ways. Rider stayed behind with me at the welcome desk.

  “Sol, I must be up front with you.”

  “Yes?”

  “As you know, Sato’s factory vents have been spewing fumes for about a year now. Several months ago, our defense team sent specialized angels in to investigate, secretly of course. They discovered several troubling things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well first, there is an underground network of factories. All of which contain materials to manufacture robotic demons. What’s most troubling is that the people working in these factories are former students who should be away at their three-year boarding schools.”

  “What? How is it possible that no one has noticed their absence from boarding school?”

  “That’s where things become complicated. Sato has created a serum that alters one’s memory. It seems he has altered the memories of the students’ families. He has also reprogrammed their minds to believe that they are supposed to be loyal factory workers.”

  “That’s insane! There has to be something we can do.”

  “Not quite yet. Div reported to me earlier that your Oculation ceremony continued on, even after our incident in the laboratory. All of the remaining Inductees were shipped to either the factories or the Terredome military base. And the military base is the most troubling news as of now. All Terredome soldiers are being mutated into robotic demons who serve Sato.”

  “So people…like Levi Boz?” I asked, afraid of the answer.

  “Yes. Bionic wings have been attached to all of them. A chemically engineered serum has been injected into their system, causing them to transform into demons. We believe this same method was used to create the technicians you encountered yesterday. They were early prototypes.”

  I felt a heat wave rise through my body. Anger boiled my blood and I clenched my fists.

  “Tell me what I need to do and it’s done.”

  “It’s been eight days since you’ve turned fifteen, correct?”

  “Yes,” I nodded.

  “That means your wings will be fully unsheathed and developed in two more days. Train hard between now and then. Time is of the essence and as soon as you are ready, we are sending you and Luke in to assess Sato’s work in Terredome.”

  “I will,” I responded determinedly. “I’m not going to allow a decrepit old demon the pleasure of destroying the world twice in his lifetime. Whatever it takes, I’m going to get it done.”

  “Good.” Rider then turned and headed to one of the lobby doors. I went back into the elevator to his quarters. As I lay in bed, I went over all he that he had said over the last two days. Right before sleep took me, I made it clear in my mind: Sato would be destroyed for what he had done to my ancestors. History could not repeat itself.

  CHAPTER 15

  The next morning, I awoke on my stomach. The window was partially open and a breeze blew throughout the room, rustling the curtains. Something felt strange. The breeze blew again, and this time I noticed a rustling on my back. I tried rolling over, but something kept blocking me. I looked over, yet nothing was on the bed. Odd. Another breeze blew and now sitting up, I could feel the rustling on my back more precisely. It couldn’t be. I slowly stood and walked over to the vanity, eyes on the ground. I turned to the side and slowly turned my head to look in the mirror. It was exactly what I had thought. My wings had fully unsheathed overnight and were protruding from my back. The wind blew into the room and I could see my feathers ruffle softly. At first glance they were all gray. As I leaned toward the mirror, I could see that the tips were blonde in color, matching the streaks in my hair. Around me I could barely make out a faint white light. “My aura,” I said aloud. I found another outfit resting on the vanity’s bench. It was a white jean set with a black stripe going down each leg. With matching white combat boots, it looked incredibly stylish. I slid it on, carefully pushing my new wings into the slits in the back. Once done, I took a final look in the mirror and smiled. I was beginning to look like an angel.

  At breakfast, everyone congratulated me on my unsheathing. Everyone, except for Div. She took one look at me, then turned and left with her breakfast in hand. Alex chatted me up more than usual, and I felt it was safe to assume he had a genuine interest in me. The feeling was mutual.

  “We have a bit of a surprise for you this evening,” he smiled with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “Oh really?” I asked, intrigued.

  “Yes. Make sure you’re back here by 7 o’clock.” He turned and strode out of the room. I watched him leave, wondering what plans he had in mind.

  Luke and I later joined Rider in the defense department. Computers and holograms filled the room as angel agents manipulated various images on the screens. Rider showed us the security camera monitors that oversaw every section within the ARC, including camera feeds from the demolished New York City and Terredome. According to him, Terredome was erected on a portion of land formerly known as Westchester. He pulled up images on a computer screen of what it had once looked like. He was showing me a map of one of the towns when Div burst into room. She flew over several angels’ desks and landed next to Rider. She proceeded to whisper anxiously into his ear. His face grew dark and he nodded twice. She then flew out of the room.

  “Is everything OK?” asked Luke.

  “I believe it will be. Apparently a frayed power line was discovered in the grotto, but nothing to be worried about,” he mumbled, still frowning.

  Luke and I looked at each other and shrugged.

  After a day of tours throughout the ARC, time spent examining the skeletal samurai angel murals in the lobby, and registering ourselves in the welcome desk’s facial recognition system, Luke and I went back to our rooms to change for dinner. I found a sparkling gold cocktail dress on my vanity, along with matching gold shoes. The dress had a deep V-neck halter top and an open back. It was form-fitting and stopped just above my knees. The stilettos of my heels were in the shape of lightning bolts and a small pair of white wings was attached to the back of the sho
es. A necklace rested to the side, a golden chain holding a pair of wings. A note was left on the mirror.

  Dear Sol,

  I made these for you to wear tonight. I hope you like it!

  -Sacra

  I smiled at her thoughtfulness. Jumping into the bathroom, I luxuriated in the tub while testing out my wings in the water. Seemingly water-repellant, I could see actual beads of water form and slide off of each feather whenever I moved. Occasionally, they would flap on their own, showering the entire bathroom in sprinkles. After stepping out, I examined my hair. More platinum streaks had appeared throughout my head. They were thin and from afar, it made it look as though my black hair had glitter in it. I parted it on one side and let it air dry, its natural waves falling over my shoulders.

  It was 6:58 when I finished dressing and made my way into the living room. Alex was standing by the window. He had cobalt blue dress pants with a matching blazer and a silky white collared shirt. His wings shone in the sunset peeking through the windows. The blonde highlights in his brown feathers stood out in contrast to his suit. He heard me enter and turned to face me. His eyes lit up as he gave me a long once over.

  “Soleil. You are truly stunning.”

  “You look quite handsome yourself,” I replied.

  He slowly strode toward me, still taking me in. I had never been admired by anyone like that before. And it felt incredible. He held out his arm and I took his elbow. He turned to say something to me when Luke came into the room.

  “Sol, are you ready to go?” he called out, looking down as he buttoned his shirt.

  “Yes.”

  “Great then I’ll…” his voice trailed off when he looked up and saw me. “Where’d you get that dress from?”

  “Sacra made it for me.”

  “Oh.” He stood there staring at me. His mouth was partially open as shock seemed to have taken over.

  “I was just about to walk her up to the café,” said Alex. “Would you like to join us?”

  “Um…no. It’s ok,” said Luke. He looked down at his shoes briefly. “I’ll meet you guys there.”

  “But wait…” I started, but he quickly turned and jogged out the front door.

  “Ready to go?” asked Alex.

  “Yeah sure,” I answered, uncertain about why Luke had reacted so strangely. Alex guided me to the rooftop café where it was completely devoid of anyone. A few lanterns were on and the rectangular tables held an abundance of food. All of the dining tables had been pushed into a circular formation, leaving the middle of the room empty.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. Suddenly bright lights flashed on and angels flew up from under the tables.

  “Congratulations!” everyone shouted. Everyone then rushed forward and began hugging and kissing me. Some I had seen throughout the ARC, others I had never seen before in my life. They were all playing with the feathers on my wings, rubbing them between their fingers. Alex pulled me out of the crowd just as some music came on. Sacra, Div, Glinda, Rider, and my mother were all at a table waiting patiently for me. The table was piled with gifts. They all rose and gave me a hug.

  “Happy unsheathing!” screamed Glinda. After a forceful hug, she then ran around me and began playing with my wings, smacking them with her hands. “Oh goodie look how beautiful they are!” she shouted to no one in particular.

  “Thank you, Glinda,” I laughed. Div came over and paused in front of me.

  “Congratulations,” she said, matter-of-factly.

  “Thanks, Div.”

  “I guess you’re one of us now.” She ran her hand over my left wing and smiled slightly. She then left, leaving the café entirely.

  “I think that’s some progress,” I said to Rider. He laughed and patted my wings. The music went up in volume and many ran to the dance floor to begin dancing. Rider and Luke went to grab some food for our table, leaving only Alex and me.

  “Here,” he said, pulling an ornately wrapped box from inside of his jacket.

  “Um what’s this?” I asked coyly. At least I hoped I sounded coy.

  “Open it.”

  I unwrapped the box and opened it to find a gold necklace. On it was a golden pendant of the sun with wings on it.

  “Oh my. This is gorgeous,” I said, catching my breath as I held it up. He took it from me and stood up. He leaned over and attached the necklace around my neck, removing the one Sacra had made and handing it to me.

  “There,” he smiled. “It’s perfect.”

  I smiled back.

  “Want to take a quick trip to the ATS after the party?” he asked.

  “Uh I wasn’t planning to,” I replied. “Why?”

  “Exploration and adventure, of course!” he shouted excitedly.

  I laughed and grabbed his hand. I took him to the dance floor just as a slow song came on and we began to sway to the music. The piercing sound of microphone feedback cut through the air and everyone screamed.

  “Sorry everyone,” said Rider. “I don’t know why that seems to always happen to me.” He had a large wine glass in his hand, filled to the rim with a dark red wine. “I would like to congratulate Miss Soleil Arch, granddaughter of Solomon Arch, on her unsheathing!” Everyone broke into a round of applause, including Alex who was beaming with joy. “Let us all enjoy this night to the fullest, as only our kind can do!” Rider flew up several feet, drink in hand, as a fast-paced song came on. He did several spins in the air and then soared down to the ground. Not a single drop spilled from his glass. Everyone laughed and cheered, then began dancing. I spotted the angels from the Los Angeles angel center mingling with Glinda, who was showing off her unique dance moves.

  Ace grabbed my mother and pulled her onto the dance floor. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her laugh and smile so freely. Apparently, she was an amazing dancer. She and Ace spun across the dance floor, doing lifts and stunts like they had been dancing together for years. When the song changed, Rider cut in and whisked my mother into the air, spinning her in circles. She laughed hysterically, squealing like a young girl. I felt incredibly happy that she was enjoying herself so much. Rider slowly brought her back down, where Glinda joined them. Luke stood back by our table, looking on and smiling. I walked over to where he sat.

  “Why aren’t you dancing?” I asked.

  “I…um…I don’t dance,” he stammered, blushing slightly.

  “Oh come on. You don’t have to know how. Just go have some fun.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

  “Fine. But you’re really missing out!” I teased. I then made my way back to Alex, who had joined the others already shimmying and shaking. Div appeared out of nowhere, bopping alongside Glinda. They must have learned an old dance move together at some point, because they started moving in unison. A circle formed around them as angels and Espials clapped for them. At the end of the song, they both took a bow. Whoever was playing the music changed it back to a slow song. Rider pulled my mother close. They began to sway to the beat. Ace positioned himself next to them with a purple angel. Her skin was as violet as her wings and hair. It became clear that they were a couple. Everyone on the floor began partnering up and dancing slowly, friends and lovers embracing each other.

  Alex came up from behind me and pulled me into a gentle sway. After a few moments, he spun me out, then back into his chest. I looked up at him laughing when he leaned down and kissed me. I pulled back, surprised. Slowly I leaned into him and we kissed again. He placed his hand on my face as he deepened the kiss. Abruptly, there was the sound of glass shattering and we broke apart. I looked over and saw Luke storming out of the café, blood dripping from his hand. A few nearby angels shrugged, while Ace and the purple female angel came over to clean up the shards of a broken drinking glass.

  “Excuse me,” I said to Alex and ran after Luke. My wings fluttered as I ran, momentarily lifting me a few inches off of the ground. I slowed my pace as I approached the elevators. I found drops of blood in front of the one that led to Rid
er’s quarters. I went in and stopped at each floor, looking for more drops of blood. Finally in the lobby, I saw a trail of it leading to the welcome desk. There he sat on top of it, wrapping his hand in a bandage. I quietly walked over.

  “What happened?” I asked softly.

  Luke didn’t reply. He continued wrapping his hand.

  “Luke.”

  “Why did you kiss him, Sol?” he asked, his voice catching in his throat and not making eye contact.

  “I…I don’t know exactly why. It felt right,” I answered, watching him closely.

  “What about me?”

  “What do you mean?” I was unsure where he was going with this.

  “I like you, Sol.”

  “I like you too, Luke. You’re my best friend…” My words trickled off as I realized what he was saying. “Oh.”

  “I don’t like Alex for you. I don’t like him period,” he said, his tone sounding angry.

  “That’s not for you to judge,” I replied. Although he was my best friend, he had no right to tell me who I should or shouldn’t be with.

  “He’s too mature for you. Just because he’s from Los Angeles and is older doesn’t mean anything. You should be with someone more…who’s like…a lot less…,” he stammered.

  “Luke, we’ve been friends since we were five and you’ve never acted like you liked me. But now, all of a sudden, you want me to ignore the only being who has ever shown me any interest. That’s not fair and as my best friend, you should be happy for me.” I was beginning to get angry. This night was supposed to be a celebration and one of the few people closest to me was now ruining it.