by Talia Jager
“Absolutely.”
Not long after we left the tree, my house came into view. “How long have I been gone?” I asked.
“Four hours.”
“Long enough for them to care.” I sighed. “Will you come in with me?”
“You want me to?”
I could hear the shock in his voice. “Yeah.”
“Then I definitely will come inside.”
I smiled and squeezed his hand as we climbed the stairs of the back deck. I opened the door and found my parents at the table. Mom looked up and smiled. Dad didn’t look happy at all. He looked from me to Kallan. I hated seeing the disappointment in his eyes. I hung my head. “I’m sorry—”
“We had a deal, Rylie,” Dad stated. “School comes first. Faery stuff on weekends.”
“It was the first day, Dad. There wasn’t any homework or studying…and…I was needed there.”
“You are still our daughter. You need to abide by the rules.” He raised his voice. Mom put her hand on his, but he sent her a look and she backed off. “You can’t just run off whenever something comes up and leave us wondering when or if you’ll be back.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” I said again.
“You’re grounded.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Grounded for a week.”
“Dad…I can’t. I have to be there this weekend.”
“Cancel your plans. You’re grounded.”
I couldn’t be grounded. I had to be at the party I suggested having. The council would never take me seriously if I weren’t there. I closed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. I knew what I had to do and it didn’t make me happy.
I sat at the table with my parents and focused. “Mom, Dad, I need you to forget that I left a note, forget I wasn’t here today. Instead, remember when you got home, you found me here looking over school papers. We talked. We ate dinner. Kallan came to see me.”
My parents’ expressions were blank. I wasn’t sure if it had worked. I bit on my lip while chastising myself for using Kallan’s mind control.
Dad’s face relaxed and he looked up at Kallan and back at me. “Don’t be long, Rylie. It’s already late.”
“I won’t.” I stood up and dragged Kallan to the back deck. I let go of his hand and paced back and forth. “I can’t believe I just did that. What did I do? What was I thinking? That’s so wrong.”
Kallan grabbed my shoulders. “Rylie, it’s fine. Take a deep breath. You didn’t do anything that would hurt anyone. That’s what’s important.”
“I know. It just…doesn’t feel right.”
“Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like doing for the greater good.”
I rolled my eyes, even though I agreed.
I stood at the railing of the deck looking out into the forest behind the house. Kallan came up behind me and ran his hands up and down my wings. A tingling sensation went through my body and made me forget about what happened with my parents.
I could feel his breath on my neck and then he whispered in my ear, “I love you.”
I closed my eyes and smiled. Slowly, I turned to him and pressed my face into his chest. I could hear his heart beating. After a minute, I looked up into his eyes and said, “I love you too.”
His lips were on mine in a heartbeat. I loved the way he kissed me…slow and gentle at first, and then fast and passionate. He lifted me up onto the deck railing. My hands were in his hair pulling him closer. After a few minutes, he pulled back and lifted me up into his arms.
“There’s no place I’d rather be than in your arms like this.” I didn’t ever want him to let me go.
“Soon, we’ll have eternity to spend like this.”
At that moment, I hoped eternity would hurry up and get here.
Chapter Seven
Performing such a meaningful task in the faery realm made going to school feel insignificant. I began to doubt why I was in school. Maybe the fey were right? Maybe I should study in the faery realm instead? But my parents would be so disappointed in me. I felt stuck in between worlds. As much as I had fought it, I found myself gravitating more and more toward the faery realm and I felt incredibly guilty about it.
“Miss McCallister, are you done with your test?”
My head shot up and I stared at the teacher, who was glaring at me. All the other kids were sitting back in their seats with their pencils down. My cheeks burned with heat. I glanced at the clock. There was still fifteen minutes left of class. With Kallan sitting behind me, I used his power. “We all need ten more minutes to finish.”
The teacher nodded. “Ten more minutes, everybody.”
I quickly filled in my answer sheet in the time left. I wasn’t sure I’d get a good grade, but it was better than turning it in blank.
Kallan pulled me aside after class. “Let’s talk.” He led me down one of the hallways and around a corner that was known to be out of the range of school security cameras. He turned invisible. I followed suit. I couldn’t see him, but I could feel his hand wrapped around mine. “What happened in there?” he asked.
“I got caught up in my head and lost track of time.”
“This is the second time you used mind control on someone.” He didn’t seem mad, just surprised.
“I know. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t think. I just…did it. I needed to at least fill in the answers. Do you think anyone noticed?”
“Noticed, yes. Cared, no.” He squeezed my hand. “What were you thinking about?”
“Life, I suppose. How stupid human school seems now that I’ve healed the actual earth.”
Kallan laughed and I knew he was smiling. “I knew you’d like it once you started.”
“I don’t know what to do. I want to run off into the sunset with you, live in the faery world, heal the land, whatever I need to do, but I would feel guilty about leaving my parents.” Just the thought of being apart from my mom and dad brought tears to my eyes. I knew I’d visit, but it would be different than seeing them every day.
“I’d love to take you home with me and spend the rest of forever loving you, but I know how important graduating is to you, so I’ll wait.”
“I’m just not sure I want to wait.” I acknowledged the feeling out loud.
Kallan sighed. “I’m sorry to put you in this hard spot—”
“You didn’t,” I interrupted. “Oren did. I may have forgiven him, but he was the one responsible.”
The bell rang. “We better go, or are you going to use mind control on all your teachers?”
I laughed. “Maybe I should.”
Kallan let go of my hand. “I’m going to check around the corner before dropping the invisibility.”
“Okay.”
“All clear,” he said and we both turned visible and went to class.
Sierra and I sat in my bedroom after school. She hung on every word as I filled her in on what had happened in the faery realm. “Sounds amazing,” she said.
When she didn’t look away, I asked, “What?”
“Why don’t you drop your glamour? It’s just us.”
I shrugged. “Guess I just worry I’ll forget.” She gave me a puppy dog look. “Okay.” I let her see my true self.
Sierra grinned. “You’re so pretty. I hate that you have to hide it. Now tell me more about the party you’re having this weekend.”
I began to explain what I was trying to accomplish when Sierra’s phone rang. She glanced at it, rolled her eyes, and hit ignore. “My sister.”
“Still annoying you?”
“Yup. It’s always something with her.” Her phone began ringing again and she clicked the button.
“Not going to answer it?”
“She just wants something.”
; Seeing how Sierra’s sister acted, I was glad I had been an only child. The phone rang again. “Maybe it’s an emergency?”
Sierra shook her head, but answered the phone. “What? No. I’m busy. I said no. Because it’s not my responsibility. Yeah, I know. I’m a horrible sister. I’m over it.” She pushed the end button before shutting the phone down altogether. Meeting my eyes she said, “She wanted me to babysit so she could go out. I’m supposed to drop everything I’m doing for her. I’m so sick of it.”
“What about your parents?”
She scoffed. “My parents were up till the wee hours of the morning fighting again.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I could hear every word. It wasn’t pretty.”
Sierra’s parents used to be like mine. So in love and in tune with each other and now all they did was yell at each other. “Sorry.”
“I don’t know what to do anymore, Ry. I feel like packing a bag and leaving.”
“We’ve only got a year left. Surely you can stick it out.”
“I’m not sure I can.” The tears spilled out of her eyes and ran down her face. “I get knots in my stomach when it’s time to go home. When I wake up in the morning, I get ready quickly so I can get out of there before having to see anyone.”
“What are they fighting about?”
“Used to be just my sister. Now it’s everything. They hate each other.”
“I’m sure they don’t—”
“They do. They said so,” she interrupted.
“Well, even if they do, it’s not your fault.”
Sierra wiped her cheeks. “I hate feeling like this.”
“I know.” I’d be devastated if my parents began acting like hers. “Maybe we can get my parents to let you spend the night.”
“Think so? It’s a school night.”
“Let me talk to them.” I felt bad that I wasn’t around much for my best friend. Convincing my parents to let her stay over was the least I could do. It wasn’t hard. My parents loved Sierra and were more than happy to have her stay.
After we were in our pj’s, we crashed on my bed and she begged me to tell her more about my time in the faery realm. We talked ’til almost three a.m. before finally falling asleep.
Thursday was my first choir rehearsal. Mrs. Lopez handed out song sheets and said, “Our first performance is six weeks away. Practices will be twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
I took my place on the risers with the song sheet in my hand. The others crowded around, each unknowingly hitting my invisible wings. I pulled them in closer. I might need to find a new place to stand, but Mrs. Lopez always liked to have me front and center. At least if I was on the end, my wings would have more room.
The only way she’d move me is if she were forced to. I’d have to use Kallan’s talent, which meant he’d have to be close when I talked with her.
I turned my concentration to the song we were singing and let the music flow through me. I loved to sing. It calmed me down and made me feel alive.
My heart sunk a little when I didn’t see Kallan after practice was over. He was supposed to meet me. Where had he gone? Talking to Mrs. Lopez about switching my spot would have to wait. I walked out of the school and noticed Adam standing at his truck. I thought about talking to him, but decided against it and headed home. It would take me longer to walk, but I didn’t mind.
A few minutes later, Adam pulled up next to me. “Rylie?”
I stopped walking and waited for him as he got out of his truck and approached me. “Hey, Adam.”
“No escort today?”
Blood rushed to my cheeks. “I’m fine, thanks.”
We stood there staring into each other’s eyes. A million memories came flooding back. So many times I had seen the love in his eyes, now all I saw was hurt and sadness.
“I’m sorry, Adam. I never meant to hurt you.”
“I know.”
“I loved you. And I know I changed and pushed you away. I’m really sorry about that. I always thought we’d be together forever.”
“Getting over you has been hard. I’m still working on it…” He looked away. “Let me give you a ride home.”
“You don’t have to. I’m fine.”
“Please, Rylie. It’s just a ride.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
I climbed in his truck and his familiar scent drifted in my nose. He drove to my house and put the truck in park. It was an awkward ride. Usually there’d be music, talking, laughing, but not today.
I put my hand on the door handle. “Thanks for the ride.”
Adam glanced at the charm bracelet still on my wrist. “Rylie…I…”
“The breakup is still fresh for both of us, Adam. Give it some time. And… I hope you find happiness.”
I hopped out of his truck and hurried into the house. A couple tears slid down my face as I listened to Adam’s truck pull out of my driveway. I wiped them away before calling Kallan and leaving a voicemail. He showed up later that night. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there after school.”
“No problem really. Something come up?” I inquired.
“Yeah. I had to handle a few things.”
“Anything I should know?”
“Nothing important. We’ll talk this weekend. I really wish you had a car. Did Sierra bring you home?”
I couldn’t lie. “No. Adam did.”
“Adam?”
“Don’t get upset. He just offered me a ride. Gave me a chance to apologize.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Maybe not, but it feels like it. Please understand.”
He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I do.” I could tell he was biting his tongue. “How did choir go?”
“Good. I need you to come with me next time.”
“Why?”
I blushed. “I need to use your power.” I filled him in on my quandary.
“If you think using mind control is the way to go, then of course I’ll be there.”
“What?” I asked, hearing the reservation in his voice.
“Well…mind control is great when you really need it. I just don’t want you to become accustomed to using it to get what you want.”
“I’m not…I mean…I wouldn’t do it for no reason. I guess I have been a little quick to use it lately.” I bit on my lip.
“I’m not trying to scold you. I just want you to think before you use it, or any talent really. You should think of other things first.” He kissed me. “Now do you want me to pick you up tomorrow night or Saturday morning?”
“I have homework already, so Saturday.”
“Okay.” He took my hand. “C’mon.” He led me out to the backyard and sat down. “Don’t stress about choir or Adam or this weekend. Just relax. Even out here in the human realm, you can feel and influence nature.”
I put my hands on the ground and concentrated. A few minutes later a handful of wild flowers grew around my hands. I smiled. “I needed that. Thank you.”
We lay opposite each other in the yard, head-to-head with our faces touching. As I gazed into his eyes, my heart thrummed against my chest. I scooted up until my head rested on his upper chest and shoulder. He reached up and brushed the hair out of my face and our lips met for a long, gentle kiss. This was perfect. If I could do this every day for the rest of my life, I’d be the happiest girl in the world.
Chapter Eight
Kallan was at my house early Saturday morning. I had finished all my homework the night before and shown my parents. They weren’t real happy with me leaving for the weekend, but they stuck to the deal they made. I think they realized I’d go anyway.
I stood in front of my dresser twirling the charm bracelet Adam gave me around my wrist and
thinking of my sixteenth birthday when he gave it to me. So much had changed. It was time to take it off. Carefully, I unclasped it and tucked it in a drawer of my jewelry box.
Mom and Dad were in the kitchen with Kallan when I came down. I didn’t worry about breakfast. I looked forward to whatever Azura was cooking. “Please don’t worry,” I told my parents. “We’ll be fine and I’ll be back Sunday night even though it’s Labor Day weekend and there’s no school Monday.”
After hugging them, I left with Kallan. “So what’s planned for today?” I asked him as soon as we stepped into the woods.
“Talking, mingling, eating, but I worry that it will be awkward.”
“How do we make it not awkward?”
“They’ll probably need a good push.”
I thought about how I could do that, but nothing really sprang to mind. I’d have to wing it.
“How far are the waterfalls we’re going to?”
“Maybe thirty minutes to the east.” He pushed a branch out of our way.
“That gives us time to talk.”
“What about?”
“Your missing people.”
“There’s not much to tell. Two dark faeries went missing. I can’t figure out where they went.” He took my hand and helped me over the log that was right before the faery realm border, careful not to rip my knee-length silver dress. I hardly noticed stepping into the faery realm. My body had finally gotten used to it.
“Do you have any faeries with the ability to see the past? Like my aunt can see the future?”
“Not exactly.”
“But you had someone gathering information?”
“Yes. I had Cadell go to their homes and look around. He’s clairvoyant. Once he gets a feel for someone, he can see their lives.”
“Their whole life?”
“No, but enough, and he didn’t find anything.”
“Nothing? That’s odd. Is there such a talent as a blocker? Ya know, someone who can block someone else from seeing.”