by Sheryl Lee
“Little Zora, remember to breathe or you will faint. You are feeling the effects of the displacement, they will not last for long. Just take long slow breaths and you will feel better very soon.”
As he spoke Zora realised that she was in fact holding her breath and forced her lungs to work again. With each slow and careful breath she felt her strength returning and the nausea recede. Soon she felt strong enough to stand unassisted but Sunny was still looking very shaken.
Axel scrutinised her with an assessing look. “You seem much better now little Zora. You would like some water? Or perhaps a cup of tea would be more appreciated.”
As he spoke he began walking her toward the remaining member of the resident guard who was waiting to greet them. He was a tall slender man with jet black hair and startling green eyes set against copper skin. He greeted them formally before leading the way up a wide graceful staircase to a lovely shaded veranda. Now that she was feeling better Zora could see that this was a beautiful stately Queenslander home. It was a home befitting royalty and she for one was feeling a bit anxious in case she broke any of what where clearly antiques.
The guard led them into the house and settled them in a cool and elegant drawing room. Everyone else was already there, looking relaxed and comfortable. Powers she noted was still a bit pale – she couldn’t decide if she liked knowing he struggled with the trip or felt anxious at this evidence that it didn’t get much easier with practice.
Sunny entered soon after, still looking very pale. However she brightened as the guard entered with tea and coffee and delicious looking finger food. On seeing the food Zora realised that she was starving, the effects of mist travel she supposed. A reluctant smile on Powers’ face and a rather undignified snort from Axel took her attention from the food, and she wondered uneasily if Axel was amused or offended by her flippant thought. The fairy in question was reaching for a napkin which he used to wipe his flushed face.
“Did you just snort coffee out your nose?” Marcus was wearing a huge grin, Powers also but the rest of their group was looking understandably puzzled.
“You know I often feel like I’m missing something with you all. Like I’m being left out of a joke and frankly it’s rather annoying.” Sunny frowned in the general direction of everyone.
Marcus, who was of course sitting beside her, took her hand which diverted Sunny’s frown directly at him. He winced a little, she really did look quite ferocious. “You know that there is a bond between a Guardian and his Defender, yes?” At Sunny’s nod he continued, “Well part of that bond is that Powers can often read Zora’s thoughts. And Axel, being the fairy prince, can read anyone’s thoughts. He is checking on Zora’s state of mind because of her new status as Defender and her subsequent rather steep learning curve.”
Sunny lost her irritated look, replacing it with an expression of deep commiseration which Zora did not like at all. “Zora, that has to be terrible for you! Powers can read your mind? Man, it sucks to be you! But I don’t get what was so funny before? I mean, Axel snorted coffee out his nose!”
Marcus shrugged, and looked at Axel with one eyebrow raised in enquiry. These alpha men sure did use their eyebrows a lot thought Zora inconsequentially.
“Well little Zora here is really a delight, she has such a unique way with words. She has named our method of travel ‘mist travel’, which really is very apt. I don’t know why we haven’t been calling it that all along.”
Marcus grinned in appreciation along with the fairy guard, but Sunny looked confused. “Mist travel? I don’t understand. I would have called it blink travel, I mean one minute you’re there and the next you’re gone. Where’s the mist?”
Axel smiled gently at her. “Little Sunny, you have many talents, some of which you do not know about as yet. Seeing the manifestation when we use our abilities is not one of them, but it is an ability which Zora has. When we travel we use something that looks like mist and Zora can see it. That is why she called it mist travel.”
Sunny sat in thoughtful silence for a few minutes. Zora, seeing where her thoughts were going developed an intense interest in her coffee cup and waited. “When you say you use a mist, do you mean the mist is the method of transportation?”
Marcus looked like a proud teacher. “Exactly Sunny. The mist is what allows us to dissolve and reappear.”
“Dissolve and reappear?? Like we become just mist and then reform? That’s not at all reassuring. Did you see this Zora?”
Zora nodded. “Yes, that’s what I see.”
Sunny stared at her, aghast. “You can see us dissolve, like melt away into nothing? And you still did it? God, I don’t know if you’re brave or stupid! I’m totally never dissolving again, just for the record.”
Axel and Marcus just shrugged. Zora knew it was because Sunny would be using mist travel as needed whether she wanted to or not. Before any more could be said on the subject Axel clapped his hands sharply which brought the resident guard almost instantly into the room. They began clearing away the plates and cups while Axel addressed them all.
“We will go to the first site very soon, so all of you should go to your rooms and freshen up before we leave. We will come back here in one hour.”
Sunny stared at him suspiciously, not moving from her seat. “How are we going to get there Axel?”
Grinning, Axel replied, “Oh not by mist travel Sunny, although you may wish we did. We have a driver who will be here soon.”
Regular means of transport, Sunny looked relieved while Zora felt the same but as a matter of pride tried not to let it show on her face. They all started to file out of the room but Sunny stopped in the doorway, blocking the way of Zora as she did so.
She swung around and addressed Axel. “Hey Axel, what do you mean I have talents I don’t know about?”
Axel just smiled, “You will see Sunny when the time is right.”
Sunny stomped her foot in frustration and uttered a decidedly unladylike word before flouncing off after her assigned guard. Zora followed more slowly, wondering what Axel meant and if it had anything to do with the blue aura which had just now flared brighter with Sunny’s frustration. The fairy prince certainly had a way of withholding information, which tied in with what Powers had told her about their need to know policy.
Reaching her room she put the puzzle out of her mind for the time being. She hoped there was an ensuite so she could take a long shower, or maybe a bath would be better? The resident guard opened the door and ushered her in which was when Zora received her biggest shock of the day.
“What do you mean we share a room?! That’s crazy!”
Powers sighed; he was sitting in one of the two wing back chairs situated by the window in the huge room Zora had been escorted to, only to find Powers already in residence. “Remember what Axel said, I am to be with you at all times? He meant it, and that means sharing a room. There’s no point in having a hissy fit about it, Axel has orders from his mother the Queen. We are going to be spending a LOT of time together until this is finished.”
“That’s ridiculous! We can’t share a room!”
“Why are you so bent out of shape? It’s just a room, there are two beds for heaven’s sake.”
Zora couldn’t explain why she felt so disturbed about sharing with Powers, she just knew that she did. Yes it was a massive room but it still seemed far too intimate for her. However he was right, there was no going against the orders of the Fairy Queen so she was going to have to get used to it. But it didn’t mean she liked it.
Resolutely not looking at Powers she explored the room, opening a door set against the back wall and sighing with pleasure as it turned out to be a large and well-appointed ensuite. At least one thing was going right.
She stiffened her back and assumed what she hoped was a pleasant expression before turning to face Powers. “Ok, you’re right. It’ll be fine so long as you don’t snore. I’ll take this bed,” indicating the bed closest to the ensuite, “If you don’t mind.”
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nbsp; Visibly relieved Powers acceded with a smile. “That’s perfect, I should have the bed closest to the door and the window, as I am your Guardian.” Zora sniffed, like they were going to need to worry about any sort of attack in one of the Fairy Queen’s residences. But hey, if it made him feel better whatever. She was going to take a shower, which would make her feel better.
Exactly one hour later Zora was back at the door to the drawing room. She was feeling what she was pretty sure was stage fright, her stomach was in knots and she felt sick. Axel had made the decision to come here instead of going to Melbourne, and who knew what was happening in that city. What if she could not see anything here and meanwhile some innocent person was being slaughtered somewhere else? She wanted this to be over and hoped everyone else was already there, including the driver.
That hope was not realised on opening the door. There was only Axel in the room talking to a complete stranger – maybe the driver? The newcomer was a small slip of a girl, with black hair styled in a pixie cut which suited her small narrow face and pointed chin. She had large grey eyes framed by long thick lashes and was surrounded by a general air of suppressed energy. She was casually dressed in jeans and a bright orange t-shirt. Zora hesitated just in the door, wondering if she was interrupting.
Without looking up Axel said, “Little Zora, please come in and meet our driver.” Standing, her came over to Zora and ushered her closer.
The girl also stood and stuck out her hand as they approached. “Hi there Zora, you must be the defender that all the fuss is about. I’m Shax Snow, your driver. Well strictly speaking I’m Axel’s driver but we both know he doesn’t need to drive anywhere but you’re human so
you’re going to need me so that means I’m really your driver, right?”
Zora blinked a few times as she processed the rapid fire barrage of words. “Um, I guess? I mean I don’t know where the site is and I’m out of practice driving in the city so it’ll be good to have someone who knows what she’s doing.” Ignoring what was becoming a trademark snort from Axel (what was that about this time?) she took the proffered hand. “Nice to meet you Miss Snow.”
The girl shook her hand with a firm grip and a lot of enthusiasm. “Shax, just Shax will be fine and I look forward to taking you wherever you need to go. All of you of course but you’re the superhero here right?”
Zora was feeling rather bemused. She was a superhero? “I don’t think so, I don’t even really know what I’m doing. But thank you.”
Shax grinned and plopped back into her chair. “Oh none of us know what we are doing, that’s for sure! Don’t worry, it’ll all come to you when you need it.”
Axel startled Zora with an outright laugh. “She’s right there Zora, we don’t know what we are doing, hmmmm Shax?” Shax glared at him and he obligingly arranged his face into his usual mildly amused expression.
Zora looked from Axel to Shax – who clearly knew each other quite well - but neither of them seemed interested in continuing so she sat down to wait for the others, and almost levitated when she felt something soft and furry brush against her legs. With an undignified squeak and an awkward manoeuvre she pulled her legs up underneath her and peered down to see what had touched her. She was hugely embarrassed to see it was a cat, looking up at her in feline astonishment. Axel and Shax laughed hugely at her behaviour but before Zora could say anything in an attempt to redeem herself the door opened and Powers and Sunny came in.
They both stopped when they saw Shax who jumped up with what Zora felt was probably her usual high level of energy and introduced herself. Zora half watched them but most of her attention was on the cat which had jumped into her lap and was staring at her in a most disquieting fashion. It was a beautiful creature, pure white except for two black mascara lines that highlighted its spectacular green eyes and ran to just below its ears. Its coat was short, smooth and immaculate. Zora tentatively reached out to pat it and was rewarded by loud purr. She smoothed her hand from its head to its tail, marvelling at the beautiful soft coat.
The cat reached up and booped her gently on the chin, and Zora fell in love. It stared into her face like it was searching her mind. Of course that was completely fanciful, it was probably just assessing whether she would continue to pat it. Still, Zora wondered if it would be allowed for the cat to sleep in her room tonight. She was feeling like they were establishing a deep feline/person relationship when Sunny laughed at something Shax said.
The cat swivelled its head, stared at Sunny for a few seconds and then looked back to Zora. With an apologetic head boop it jumped off her lap and headed straight for Sunny. As Zora watched she noticed that Axel was also watching with deep intensity, as was Shax she realised. Something was going on, but what?
The cat reached Sunny and sat at her feet, staring up at her. Sunny looked down, her expression shocked. Zora blinked, surely she was misreading that. One does not look shocked to see a cat, unless of course one has a phobia. Did Sunny have a cat phobia? Powers looked at the cat and then at Sunny. He looked at Shax and Axel in turn, his expression both surprised and questioning. Zora barely noticed, her attention was on the tableau Sunny and the cat were presenting.
The blue aura that she always saw around Sunny was elongating, winding around the cat. The cat she realised with surprise had an aura of its own. Cats had auras? She really, really needed to research this. This cat had a blend of purple and red, mostly purple. As Zora watched the colours of the cat’s aura mingled with those of Sunny. How weird, what exactly did it mean? Sunny and the cat remained completely focused on each other. It was almost like they were communing on some other plane.
Then the cat jumped into Sunny’s arms, Sunny catching it easily. It climbed up her arm and arranged itself around her neck, staring out at them all with glowing green eyes. As Zora watched their combined auras retreated, each back to just their own. However Sunny retained flashes of purple and red, and the cat had flashes of blue. What had just happened?
Shax clapped her hands in excitement. “Finally that cat has found her human! I’ve been carting that ungrateful creature around with me for weeks! And do you know how hard it is to transport a cat that far?”
Zora asked the question nobody else seemed interested in. “Where did you come from?”
Hands planted on slender hips as she stared at the cat which stared back at her haughtily, Shax replied, “Egypt. I’ve been living there for quite a while. She came up to me in the street, dirty and bedraggled, eyes begging for help. Of course I took her in, cleaned her up and fed her and she’s been with me since, waiting to find her person.”
It was like talking to Axel, more questions than answers. Zora focused on the obvious. “How did you get her here? Australia wouldn’t allow an animal in that easily I’m sure.”
Shax laughed. “For sure not, it would have been next to impossible through the usual channels. But you know, for a witch there are always other options.”
Zora gaped at her, belatedly remembering to use her handy aura checker thingy. She focused on Shax and as she did so a deep purple aura flared around her. It almost completely purple but had flashes of red and yellow in it as well. It was very bright now that she saw it. But of course she had no idea what it meant. Back to conversation.
“You’re a witch? So how did you get the cat here? And what do you mean waiting to find her person?”
Shax looked a little surprised. “You didn’t know I’m a witch? Oh but of course you’re new, there’s a lot still to learn. But don’t worry, it’ll all come fast now. So, yes I’m a witch and that means I can travel kind of like these guys do, except that I use spells to make it happen. So we travelled via spellcraft. It’s pretty draining actually, I’m rather pleased I’ve had recovery time while waiting for you to come. I mean I knew you were coming, and I knew you had Sabrina’s person with you. I thought you were one and the same, and I think she did too for a while. But she was just picking up on your otherness I think. She didn’t talk to you did she?”
> “Talk? The cat? You mean meow? No she was silent.”
Shax grinned. “No I mean talk, like inside your head, like Axel can do when he chooses.”
Zora stared at her, not sure whether to be shocked or just take it in her stride. After all, it was no stranger than anything else that had happened. She looked at Axel who grinned happily back. “So far I haven’t had need to mind speak with you little Zora, but now you know I can at least it won’t come as a shock to you!”
Ok then. Back to the cat. “So this cat, Sabrina? She can mind speak?”
Shax smiled ruefully. “She never shuts up really. You’ll find out now Sunny, she’ll drive you crazy!” Sunny was looking as shell shocked as Zora felt. Seeing that Shax told her, “You and I can talk about this whole witch thing when we get back Sunny. I think Axel is anxious to get going. Zora, Sabrina can mind speak, and she might do so with you as you have an affinity, I think because of your link to this hunky shifter. But she has been waiting for her person, or if you like her familiar. All witches have a familiar, as I’m sure you know. Mine is my idiot dog that’s currently in the kitchen begging for food. He’s not been too thrilled to have Sabrina along I can tell you! Sunny, Sabrina has found you at the right time, as all familiars do. I can see you are pretty new to this all too, but don’t worry, I’m here to be your driver and also your guide. You’re safe with me!”
Zora and Sunny both just stared. Once again the world had shifted beneath Zora’s feet and this time Sunny’s too judging by the completely stunned expression on her face. Sabrina touched her nose gently to Sunny’s cheek and Sunny relaxed a little. Zora felt pretty envious of that. Sunny got a cool and beautiful cat and she got grumpy Powers. Mind you he was a wizard in the kitchen which counted for a lot. Probably all Sabrina would prepare for Sunny would be a mouse or rat or something else disgusting like that.