The Agrista (Between the Lines Book 1)

by Shannon Lamb

  “I apologize for Marie’s abhorrent lack of manners. I’m Amelia. And you are…?”

  “A-Alex! His name is Alex!” Marie sputtered, still blushing. Alex stood quietly, completely uninterested in making pleasantries with the chirpy little redhead. His sole purpose was to show Marie that she wasn’t the only one who could see him, and therefore, wasn’t crazy.

  “Nice to meet you, Alex. Speaking of manners!” she jumped up from the couch. “Would you like a drink? You must be parched from all that physical exertion!”

  “Amelia!”

  “Then again, maybe not. Look at the shape he’s in! Damn!”

  “We would both love a glass of water, if you wouldn’t mind,” Marie said through clenched teeth.

  “Oh, I see. Want to be alone again, do you? I don’t mind at all,” she winked at Marie before sauntering off toward the kitchen.

  “Okay, she can see you too. But,” Marie found herself choking on her forthcoming words when she turned to see Alex stripping. “Ah! What are you doing?!” Alex offered no explanation as he transformed back into the creature she’d initially encountered.

  “I’m back!” Amelia announced merrily as she walked into the living room. “Where’d your friend go?” She failed to see the huge beast standing right in front of her. She did, however, notice Marie’s sweatpants in a ball on the floor.

  “My goodness, Marie. You have a room!”

  “Oh my god. I’m going!”

  Once they were in her bedroom, she locked the door. No need for further interference from her nosy roommate. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She had no idea how she’d kept it together this long, between Amelia’s accusations and Were-Fabio here.

  “Alright,” Marie gingerly sat down on the edge of the bed. “Can you please change back into your human form or whatever, so we can maintain some level of normalcy here?” She closed her eyes and braced herself. “And this time, put some pants on and keep them on!” When she opened her eyes and saw Alex wearing her Betty Boop pajama pants, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Well, at least you’re a lot less intimidating now.” Once she managed to regain her composure, she launched into an interrogation. “What are you, and why have you been stalking me?”

  “I am an Umbra. My kind exists solely to protect royal blood of Galaxies abroad. My sole purpose is to protect you, the final heir of Quinque.” He politely inclined his head toward Marie. “If I were to fail in this, I would cease to exist.”

  “This is all so...” Marie trailed off, murmuring. “If this is a practical joke, it’s quite cruel, and impressively elaborate.”

  “My next words hold no humor,” Alex began grimly. “I regret to inform, I have lost one of my kin, just as you have lost one of yours.”

  “Did something happen to my brother?” Marie’s heart sank. “Is Junior okay?” she asked, panicked.

  “He is quite well, and not of royal blood,” he reassured her. “Your brother Cerin has been killed. You would not know him because your Mother was able to spare you his fate, but he was a great man.”

  “I see…”

  She wanted to feel sad about the news, but she didn’t know Cerin. She barely knew Alex at this point! She maintained a stony silence out of respect for his grief, but could only hold her tongue for so long when her mind was brimming with questions.

  “I have a million things I’d like to ask you,” she blurted out. “First and foremost, why have you been stalking me?”

  “I wanted to give you a chance to remember me.”

  She stared at the piece of purple construction paper on her nightstand, reminded of the depressing visit she had with her mother earlier today. She wondered how her mother had known to give her that picture. Had she seen Alex in his other form as well?

  “Can my mother see you too?”

  “Your mother here could see me when she was pregnant with you, because at the time you were of the same body.”

  “What do you mean, my mother here?” Her mother here had given birth to her. How could she have another mother?

  “Your true mother, Lady Evangeline, used all of her strength to hide you from those seeking to claim her life and yours. You were still in her womb at the time. It took all of her strength to put you into another woman. It was the only way to assure your safety.”

  That was more than Marie could wrap her head around, and she immediately pursued another avenue. “Why now?” Alex was taken aback by her sudden shift in mood. “Why are you suddenly making yourself known to me now?”

  “This has all been a waiting game,” he sighed. “The first drop of blood has been spilt. Your brother, Cerin.”

  “A waiting game for what, exactly? A war? If you’ve truly been observing me, you’d know that I hate confrontation, and I can barely walk a straight line, let alone fight.” Alex opened his mouth to reply, but Marie didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Am I the only one that can see you in your other form?”

  “The only people that can see me or any Umbra in our true form are my siblings, and the people we protect.”

  “Why is that?”

  “So we can better protect our creators, by keeping them hidden,” he began to fidget impatiently.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, observing his change in demeanor.

  “I can explain everything later. I’ve already wasted too much time.”

  “Well, perhaps you shouldn’t have spent the last few days freaking me out,” she replied coolly. “Not the best approach, by the way.”

  “I am eternally sorry. I thought you would remember me, and it would make everything a little bit easier on you. You are needed back in Quinque. You are not meant for this place.” Alex gazed up at her through a thick fringe of lashes. His earnest expression put color in her cheeks, though she imagined that his general appearance had that effect on any woman with a pulse.

  “Can you at least give me some time alone to digest all of this?” Her nervous laughter teetered on the brink of hysterics.

  “Anything you want, M’lady.”

  “I’m going to take a shower.” She needed to go somewhere he wouldn’t follow to be alone with her thoughts. Hopefully, that included the shower. “DO NOT stalk me while I’m in there,” she said half-jokingly, making Alex blush for a change. She had no idea she was capable of such a feat. “Just stay in here, and definitely stay clothed.”

  Since Alex seemed to lack boundaries, Marie made damn sure to lock the door once she was in the bathroom. She impatiently waited for the water to get nice and steamy as she peeled off her clothes. Hot water always cleared her mind and left her with a renewed resolve, as if facing a new day, ripe with endless possibility.

  Her mind went into overdrive as soon as she stepped foot onto the slick ceramic. She contemplated the thought of leaving home as she watched rivulets of water hypnotically lace over her body. She’d been dying to be anywhere other than here for as long as she could remember.

  The day she became a legal adult and could get away from her father was the day her life really began. She thought that would be enough, but she was still sick with wanderlust.

  She needed to get away from the everyday motions of being an adult. She was thankful she no longer had to live every day hand to mouth like she did as a child, but the boredom was slowly driving her mad. Every new day chipped away a little piece of her soul.

  Going to a job she hated five days a week. Spending all of her free time daydreaming while futilely writing a book that she’d probably never finish. What was the point? All she was doing was going through the motions, pretending to be happy while she waited for death’s reprieve.

  This was her one chance to abandon all of that and embark upon an adventure. This was her chance to experience something new! Marie felt a sudden burst of inspiration and excitement flowing through her, feelings that were absolutely foreign to her.

  She jumped out of the shower, grabbed her tatty old bathrobe – that was, quite frankly, a bit too small for her – and gl
ared at her reflection. She was mortified at the thought of Alex seeing her naked, and she’d forgotten to bring clean clothes in with her. Her dingy robe would have to do.

  She sat on the edge of the tub, trying to work up the courage to leave the bathroom. She wasn’t nearly as comfortable with her body as Alex seemed to be with his. His flawless looks made her acutely aware of her own, and she lacked greatly in comparison.

  Marie was average. Her height, a whopping 5’5”, didn’t leave much room for indulgences. She had a very feminine figure and mannerisms, but she was far from being curvaceous. A middle-of-the-road body for a middle-of-the-road gal, topped off with muddy brown eyes that matched her pin-straight, shoulder-length hair.

  Her face didn’t have any distinguishing features whatsoever. Nothing that would make her stick out in a crowd, and nothing that would make anyone give her a second look, and no one ever did. Amelia must be driving herself crazy right now trying to figure out how plain ol’ Marie landed such a gorgeous guy.

  Amelia always had better luck attracting men. Marie didn’t consider her to be particularly physically attractive, but she knew how much make up it took to make her beautiful. She was five feet even and slightly overweight, though the extra pounds went straight to her hips and bust, which men seemed to like.

  She was quite pretty, but she always covered it up with oversized glasses and an unruly mop of curly red hair. She tarnished her good looks further by dressing in garishly bright clothes that were either too big or too small, never the appropriate size.

  Although Amelia had many features that would distinguish her from a crowd, she was just as awkward as Marie herself. The main difference between the two of them, however, was that boys seem to swoon over Amelia, and not even realize that Marie existed. It was a dynamic that Marie never quite understood, but over the years learned to ignore, for the most part. It must be pheromones.

  Marie’s eagerness over leaving seemed to dissipate just as quickly as the billowing steam, leaving her alone to face the cold hard truth. Whenever Marie compared herself to other females, she spiraled into a sudden depression and felt less than worthy by the end of her descent.

  She willed away her negative thoughts as she straightened her posture and squared her shoulders. She no longer needed courage to face Alex. She had something else instead. Something that always superseded her overwhelming insecurity: Apathy.

  It was easy for Marie to don a thick skin and will herself not to care what others thought. It often made her appear confident, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

  If she left with Alex, would things be any different? Would she fall into the same kind of life? Maybe she was the problem. Even if things were different, would she feel any different? Hypothetically, if she went with him and failed at whatever it was she was supposed to do – which was likely – would she at least finally feel something?

  Happiness seemed unattainable. Love, to Marie, was just a joke. She simply wanted to feel something. Anything! She felt like a ghost, watching the world exist around her and never actually making a difference in it.

  Marie headed back to her room and took a seat next to Alex. He’d stayed exactly where she’d left him like an obedient pet. As soon as she snuck a glance at his awe-inspiring physique, her apathy melted away and she felt embarrassed about her appearance all over again. She hoped she would eventually get used to him and not always feel so flustered, though it didn’t seem likely due to his constant state of undress.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she fumbled over her words. “But, um…I’ll be right back!”

  Marie snatched the first set of clean clothes she saw and zipped out of the room. On her way back to the bathroom, she noticed Amelia sprawled out on the loveseat. Her crude outline served as a sudden reminder of what she’d be leaving behind and brought Marie’s responsibilities into sharp focus. How could I be so thoughtless?

  She couldn’t leave Amelia high and dry, or abandon her mother and Lunaroo. She quickly changed into her clothes and let out a deep sigh, knowing what she had to do. She miserably slumped her shoulders and dragged her feet across the hall. She briefly hesitated before turning to Alex with a depleted sigh.

  “I’d like to go with you, more than anything, but…” Her palms grew slick with sweat as she peered into his deep blue eyes. Their unique slant brimmed with inquisition and sent shivers coursing through her body as she struggled to find her voice. “I can’t leave Amelia. She may be a handful, but she’s always been there for me when it really counts. I have responsibilities and obligations here.” She couldn’t believe her own words. She was going to abandon her one chance at an adventure for something she held in contempt: her ordinary life.

  “What kind of responsibilities are you referring to?”

  “Financial, for instance.” Marie elaborated at the sight of Alex’s blank expression. “You know, like money.”

  “Will this do?” Alex pulled a dark blue velvet pouch from a small vintage satchel and held it out to Marie.

  She hesitantly took the pouch and poured its contents into her hand, filling it with several precious gems. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and several she didn’t even recognize. Her eyes widened in dizzying recognition and wonder.

  “Are these real?” she gasped.

  “I understand they’re valuable here. We have them in abundance in our world. They hold little value there. Will that do?”

  “Yup,” Marie yelped, unable to look away from the sparkling gems overflowing in her hand. After the initial shock wore off, she poured the contents back into the pouch and pulled the drawstring tight. Now I just have to figure out what to tell Amelia… “Wait here. I need to talk to my roommate before I leave, and I need to do it alone.”

  Marie walked out into the living room, but she didn’t see her menacing roommate sprawled out on the couch anymore. She noticed Amelia’s bedroom door open and peeked inside, but she wasn’t there either. She walked into the kitchen and scanned the room, noticing a note on the table.

  “Needed a couple things from the store. Be back soon. Enjoy your time alone with lover boy! I’ll make sure to pick up some cond-”

  Marie slammed the note down on the table and rolled her eyes. She grabbed the pen Amelia left by the note, flipped the piece of paper over and began scribbling on the back.

  “I have to go away for a while. I don’t have time to explain. Please take care of Lunaroo until I get back. She’ll be terribly lonely. The stuff inside the pouch is for you and should make up for my absence and lack of explanation. Yes, it’s real. I promise to tell you everything when I get back.”

  Amelia would be worried, confused, and above all, infuriated, but Marie would deal with that when she got back. She’d explain things better if she could, but she really didn’t know what to say. If she tried to tell Amelia the truth, she’d probably have her committed before she had the chance to get away. Marie was still having a hard time believing it herself.

  She went back into her room and saw Lunaroo lying on the bed behind Alex, desperately vying for his attention as he completely ignored her. She swept Lunaroo up in her arms and began smothering her with kisses. Silly as it may seem to some, saying goodbye to her beloved pet was the hardest part so far.

  “You be good, okay Lulu?” Marie sniffled, holding Lunaroo close to her face as she nuzzled into the crook of her neck. “Should I bring anything?” The second the words left her lips, she felt foolish. She was traveling to another world, not going to a potluck. “Don’t answer that. Let’s just get going, shall we?”

  Marie pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth, willing herself not to cry as she set Lunaroo back down on the bed. Before she could linger, Alex walked out of the room and through the kitchen, forcing her to run to catch up. When they entered the backyard, his steps came to a sudden halt.

  “It’s dangerous where we’re going, and it’s absolutely imperative that we’re not seen. As long as you’re on my back, you’ll be invisible to all
that would seek to harm you. We are not, however, completely undetectable. Others can feel and hear us, so we still need to be extremely careful,” Alex gave Marie a grave look that made her slightly tremble. “Now, stand back.”

  Alex stripped off his pants in one swift movement and threw them aside as he made his way to the center of the yard. In an instant, he transformed back into his Umbraic form and outstretched his glorious wings, casting a shadow of doubt on Marie’s wavering resolve. Alex was even more intimidating in this form.

  Rivulets of scattered moonlight streamed through the trees and illuminated the backyard like a checkerboard, disappearing as quickly as they had come. The surrounding land was cloaked in darkness for a long, disquieting moment as a veil of shadow skimmed the surface of the moon. Bolts of silver cavorted on the shadow’s coattails as glittering moonbeams waltzed to the ground, constructing a long, winding road before him.

  Not one to pussyfoot around anything, Alex leaned back on his haunches and groaned impatiently, huffing like a flittering horse. Marie took her time to get to him. She nervously clambered up onto his back, approaching him as one would a wild cat.

  Marie squealed as he sliced his powerful wings through the charged air, clutching clumps of his mane tightly in her grasp. He followed the path that beamed down from the sky as if it were nothing more than an airplane tarmac, bringing an enigmatic smile to her face despite the terror.

  Everything around them grew increasingly brighter the closer they rose to the moon until all she could see was sparkling blue. For a long, terrifying moment, she could no longer make out Alex or herself.

  When she could finally see her surroundings again, the moon had vanished and she was surrounded by billions upon billions of stars.

  THE CASTLE OF QUINQUE

  Marie couldn’t believe her eyes. She was actually flying through space. Even in her wildest dreams, she’d never imagined anything quite like this.