"Why is it so old?" Pandora asked.
"It's a first edition."
"Holy shit, that's from 1878," Luxor said.
“Considering he’s from the beginning of time I’d say he has older books,” Pandora deadpanned, and crossed her arms across her chest.
“Have you read it?” Xavier said to Luxor, ignoring the jibe.
"At my old school, we had to watch the movie. I think it’s a love story.”
"Did you like it?" Xavier asked.
"I fell asleep."
"It isn't really a love story. We all know book to movie adaptation don't always transcend the correct message. Even when translated, it could happen that's why I like reading in the original language."
"What's it about then?"
Xavier passed over the book, she gently turned over the first page over and read the quote, "'All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.'"
Luxor stared at the quote, truer words have never been said, she'd always compared hers to other people not realising their family could be as broken as her, just not as hidden.
"Is this book club?" Pandora huffed, and hopped up. "Well nice to see you but dasvidaniya,” she said, and sneered.
Xavier rose and from behind his back, he produced a singular white lily with a tag attached. "Don't know why, but every time I see them, they remind me of you."
Luxor widened her eyes, inhaling the sweet succulent aroma. "Thank you, this is sweet." She flipped the tag, and stifled a laugh. "Very smooth Xavier," she sing-songed his name. "Original way to give me your number."
"Original is the only way to go, just wait and you'll see for yourself." His voice was low, and soothing. She could feel the heat on her cheeks, and would curse to the high heavens if it was noticeable.
"You're so cute when you're embarrassed." His lips tilted to the side, dimples on display.
Oh, kill me now!
“Pandora is about to shoot me down,” he said, tilting his head to the side to where Pandora tapped her foot impatiently. “I’ll be looking forward to your call.”
Luxor bounced up, and with a quick look over her shoulder she noticed Xavier continued to watch her every move.
“Well that was an unexpected surprise.” Pandora said.
“It was, wasn’t it,” she replied wistfully, tucking the lily into her satchel.
Luxor changed course and against Becky’s wishes, she entered the theatre. In her meagre dealings, she had come to the conclusion that Becky was eccentric, with merit, and would take a while to get used to. Luxor had said the same about Evie on their first meeting, but given her the benefit of the doubt and the end result had been positive.
Becky's eyes bulged out of their sockets. “What are you doing here?” she squeaked.
“Oh, we thought we would like to come to a place that didn’t reek of garbage,” Pandora said bluntly.
“Did you ever consider there’s a reason I chose that.”
“And yeah not really.” Luxor said sheepishly.
“Well there was, you’ve got to get out of here,” she said with fear.
“Becky, where are you girl?” A shrill name called.
“Gogogogo.” She cranked open a door, and thrust them out.
“Wait,” Pandora said.
“I’ll be out in a couple of minutes, and for goodness sake be quiet,” she hissed. The door slammed.
“You mean apart from the rats?” Pandora mumbled.
“Well that was an unexpected surprise,” she said with a smile.
Becky emerged ten minutes later with a closed off body language stance to match her mood. She wasted no time in lifting her arms towards the entrance to the alleyway, a reflection showed through, with people going about their business.
“What did you do?” Pandora asked.
“Silence!” Becky snapped. She spun around to the graffitied brick wall and repeated the action. Her eyes squeezed shut and she mumbled under her breath, a slew of words not available in the English language.
A swirl of black and white projected off the wall, before it expanded larger and larger until a transparent sheen shown itself identical to the one she had just created.
“You better hold on.” Becky held out her hand which Luxor clasped, and Pandora held onto Luxor’s. She waved her hand over the opening of the alleyway, and in the next moment sucked all three on them into the void.
Luxor tumbled out onto train tracks landing splat on her stomach. She jumped to her knees, and rubbed her palm from the pebbles and bypassed the long grass and prickly bushes.
Rickety wooden fences with missing pieces stood on each side of the stone small platform with thick layers of dust covered the ground littered with alcohol bottles and drug paraphernalia. But the most concerting was the name above: Calamity.
“The town had a name change?” Luxor asked.
“Look up the meaning and you’d realise it was a wise idea,” Becky said.
“You live here?” Pandora asked.
“I’m not even going to pretend to be offended,” Becky said, and walked ahead. Luxor and Pandora made long strides to catch up. “It’s a short cut, the town is quite far away and my parents aren’t reliable on the most part. They think I leave super early for school and ride my bike. I haven’t ridden a bike for the last four years.”
“How? Surely this place is known,” Luxor said, jumping over a thick weed intertwined in the rails.
“But not talked about. People just assume there’s a trailer park.” She scowled and turned to Pandora. “This could have ended badly if my parents caught you loitering around the cinema. As her familiar, you’re supposed to be looking out and guiding her.”
“I’m not her babysitter, I’m her protector, and she has a brain of her own although sometimes she doesn’t use it half as much as I would like her to.”
She scowled. “I’m standing right here in case you forgot.”
“No chance of that, you're ten feet tall.” Pandora smirked.
“Couldn’t you have chosen a better familiar?” Luxor asked.
“What you mean this perfectly normal magpie isn’t as pretty as an orange eyed cat,” Becky said. “Maybe this magpie suits me, it doesn’t belong anywhere.”
Like me.
Luxor could hear her unspoken words. With her biracial heritage, and sexual orientation, as well as her natural powers it was easy for Becky to be an outcast. She couldn’t understand why, in this modern century, acceptance had evolved greatly, not completely but enough.
Wielding a knife doesn’t help.
The exterior of the white weatherboard had a grey and green striped awning to shield the wood chipped table and chairs outside. The door of the caravan creaked open and Luxor strode in after Becky, passing the bench which made up the entire kitchen.
Herbs tickle her nose and she recognised it as Spikenyard, the incense Rayne from the carnival used to prevent evil spirits.
“Go sit.” She gave a swift nod to the side and pointed to a long chair against the window with a table in front similar to those at The Hive.
Becky disappeared through a curtain made of a bed sheet and to the end. When she returned, she had a stack of Manila folders in her arms.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Sure,” Luxor said.
“Can I have plain milk?” Pandora said.
Becky lit the stove and set the kettle onto the flame, and prepared the sugar and tea bags. She disappeared through a curtain made of a bed sheet, returning with her arms full. She shifted uncomfortably and spread the papers across the table.
“I’ve been studying The Lesser Key of Solomon which is a grimoire of demonology and by tracking down the deal takers, I’ve collected a list and all have confessed they were given a deal by a demon under the orders of The Great Duke of Hell.”
“Oh, shit,” Pandora hissed.
“Mind explaining?” Luxor scanned over the page after page of names littered on the page.
“T
here are a hundred and eighteen Dukes of Hell who specialise in specific attributes towards mortals. Under their rule, they have legions in which they command to do their dirty work. In this case Bune has thirty legions who promises to deliver on the demands and wishes of their intended mortal target.”
“How do we stop them?”
“The deal takers or the legions or The Great Duke of Hell?”
“In a nutshell, no matter what, I’m screwed.” Luxor rubbed her temples, the onslaught of a migraine pulsating on the surface.
The kettle whistled and broke the silence, and Becky couldn’t jump away fast enough. She busied herself at a slow pace, as if to prolong the on-coming topic. She set the tea and milk and a plate of biscuits.
“I take it back,” Luxor said to Pandora. “They aren’t harmless at all.”
Pandora downed her milk in one gulp, and licked her upper lip. “But what if it’s connected? What if they’re not on the dangerous scale as Cane, but still on the same scale. Think about it, Cane doesn’t need to use his energy or dirty his hands.”
“He’s attacking my human side,” Luxor said.
“Exactly. Destroy humans or submit. It’s a lose lose situation.”
“Do we need alcohol instead?” Becky said.
For the remainder of the day, Luxor poured over the worksheets Becky had printed, absorbing as much as she could about Kings, Great Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Knights and Presidents of Hell. By the time she finished, she rubbed her eyes as she had momentarily gone cross-eyed.
Royalty.
Cane had continued to call Luxor that, and if her got his way she feared she would be in command of all of those despicable creatures.
She changed into her pyjamas and grabbed her phone, thumbing at the screen. She contemplated calling Hunter, wishing he was there, even if she could rant away, but she quickly dismissed the idea. He hadn’t made any effort to call after their altercation at The Hive.
It’s justified, you said a guy was waiting for you.
Yeah, right. After his behaviour at The Renaissance I had every right to be angry.
Luxor threw the mobile to the side. Xavier played on her mind for the remainder of the night. Pandora hovered, a guardian shadow by her side, even going to the extent of keeping a jug of water by on the bedside table so she didn't get dehydrated. What she didn't realise was Luxor needed water of a different kind.
“Can you relax, I can get you some pills if you want?”
“Pass.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Pandora asked. Luxor shrugged. “You know sometimes you have to say stuff it, and do whatever you feel is right for that moment.”
“Meaning?”
“Take it however you like.”
Pandora swung her legs over the bed, and stretched upright, letting out a long yawn. “I’m next door if you need me.”
As Luxor laid back in bed, she opened up the messages on her mobile, and under Xavier her fingers hovered over the keypad. What would she say? It was random and out of the blue he would probably think she was a certified fruitcake.
She relived their night ice skating, how for a brief moment it felt like just friends. She didn't contemplate anything because Hunter remained at the back of her mind. But now things with him were different. Should I let him go?
No, because the jerk is in my heart
Her thumb hung preciously over the X, all by its lonesome. Friends message each other randomly, she contemplated to herself.
But he wants more.
She argued with herself like a girl with split personalities about morals. She could always make it seem like she wanted more.
That's leading him on.
Over and over her mind would circulate about the pros and cons. She switched her phone off to prevent the temptation, then switched it on because she needed the alarm for a dawn run.
Finally, she made up her mind and wrote the first thing that came to mind.
Luxor: Hey, you up?
She mentally face palmed herself as soon as she pressed send.
Why didn't I put a smiley face?
Not expecting a response, she switched her phone on silent, and shoved it under her pillow. A minute later the pillow vibrated under her head, jerking her upright. Slipping the phone out she read the message.
Xavier: Evening beautiful
Her finger circled the keypad. Now what? Minutes passed, and she was still clueless on what to respond. The phone vibrated again in her hand.
Xavier: Can't sleep either?
Luxor: Nope. Chronic insomnia is a pain
Xavier: Welcome to my world. Have you tried warm milk, counting sheep?
Ugh milk. And seriously where did the concept of counting sheep come from? Was it because it was so mind numbingly boring?
Luxor: Those actually work?
Xavier: Not for me but different things might for different people.
Luxor: I doubt this would be the case.
Xavier: Maybe you need a somebody to take it away.
Luxor reread the message and tried to decipher it. How on Earth would he put her mind at ease. There was only one way, but surely he couldn't be on the same wavelength.
Luxor: What do you suggest?
Xavier: Ramble away to me. Remember I said anytime you need me...
Luxor needed more than talk. She needed his presence. Her head throbbed, a ferocious pain causing her eyes to momentarily blur. The ibuprofen was on her side table near the water, willing her to swallow, to take away the hurt. But there was also fear. Fear if it didn't work, she'd resort to her other pills.
Brazen and desperate, the words lingered on the tip of her tongue, or in her current case, her fingertips, ready to blurt out what she wanted to get off her chest.
But she couldn't.
Xavier: Do you want me to come over??
It appeared Luxor wasn't the only brazen one, and she didn't hesitate in her response.
Definitely
Luxor: Sure
Xavier: See you soon :-)
Luxor quickly dressed in a pair of black leggings, V-neck top, and sneakers. She told him to meet her at the back of the house, so his car would be out of sight. It was more of a hassle for him, but the only way Meredith wouldn't get suspicious if she found her outside.
Despite living in Mount Beauty, Xavier was there in ten minutes. She waited for him on the swing just under her balcony. The same balcony Hunter confessed his feelings.
Forget about him, that's why Xavier's here, he'll make him go away for a while.
Xavier: Look up
Luxor could feel his presence before she saw him, and he seemed to glide, nearing her so effortlessly. He settled down next to her, and immediately her mind was set into a euphoric head spin. It was impossible to hold back a smile, and she didn't even want to try. He rocked back and forth with gentle strokes, and waited until she was ready to talk.
She angled her body towards him, to drink his presence for her all-consuming pleasure. It was selfish to need him for this purpose only, but she needed it. She needed him.
"You got here quickly, did you speed?" Luxor inadvertently bit her bottom lip.
Xavier watched her closely. "I’m here for anything you want?"
"Wow I just got a dose of mac ‘n cheese," she teased, and jabbed him in the ribs.
He wriggled away and laughed melodiously, a tune pure to her ears. "That shouldn't be a bad thing, everybody loves it."
Luxor scrunched up her nose. "Not if you're lactose intolerant."
"Why do you look so sad?" The way he studied her left her exposed.
Was I that obvious?
"I'm not, I'm just deep in thought."
Knee deep into my murderous father and Hurricane Hunter territory.
He peered intently at her, studying every movement of her features. "What are you thinking about?"
Luxor laughed, relieved it wasn't Hunter at this moment. Relieved her thoughts were sacred and all hers.
Xavier furrowed his f
orehead. "What's so funny?"
She sighed. "The beauty of the unknown."
"Because I'm clueless on the inner workings of your mind?" Xavier asked, and she nodded. "It would be a horrible thing to know what goes on in somebody else's mind. Although yours would be an exception."
Luxor tugged at the sleeves of her top, twisting them around in a knot. "Believe me I'm not that interesting. I'm sixteen shades of fucked up, in a lock me away and throw away the key way."
The Renaissance Centre here I come again!
"Just my type, means there will never be a dull moment."
Luxor mulled over his words. Nobody loved crazy, well truly loved them. They were a novelty, not to be taken seriously and indispensable at a moment's whim.
"What are you thinking about?" She turned the tables on him.
Xavier craned his head upwards and fixated on the sky, a heavenly smile adorned his face. "You.” He began to sing a song, about a girl who reminded him of stars, how she shined and brought joy in everything she did, his harmonious tone pure and ethereal.
Hunter words about Cassiopeia came back to haunt her. You walk around and don't realise just how...unrivalled you are to those around you.
Guilt crept in. She couldn't do this to Xavier. The way he devoted his attention pained her, and she had to stop hurting people.
A tear trailed down her cheek, turning her head she tried to palm it away. She cleared her throat and deflected her emotions. "Can't really see them from here."
If Xavier was aware, he didn't bring it up, he simply held her hand, and gave a gentle squeeze. That minute action saying a world of things. "We can't have that. Where shall we go?"
Luxor jumped off the swing with no hesitation. Away from the memories of Hunter. She wanted to go home.
"Take me away to the sea," she said wistfully.
"Anything you wish." Xavier held out his hand in a grand gesture, and they walked to the Cadillac hidden at the end of the driveway. He pulled the door open wide for her as he always did and she entered.
The window was would right down, the wind whipping her hair around her face as they travelled the winding road of the Devil's Bend freeway. Sharp bends were taken with no barriers erected, and one foul slip would have them hurtling down the cliff. Xavier drove with the utmost care, his fingers intertwined with hers to assure her she'd be safe with him.
Betrayed: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Book Two Page 23