I set the card and its envelope on the floor and sighed heavy and long. I knew what I needed to do. I just didn't like it. I didn't want to face them or more specifically, I didn't want to face her.
"Damnit!" I said and roughly pulled my arms out of the coat I still wore, tossing the offensive object on top of the invitation. I ran my fingers through my hair to try to tame it into a semblance of order. It didn't work. "Fine," I said to the empty room. "Let's get this over with then."
I snuffed out my camp heater and lanterns. I took a deep breath, and pulled into the shadows. I hesitated. I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to face that place or those people. Maybe I should wait until the morning. Get a good night's sleep. "Don't be a puss." I said as I tried to psych myself up.
I shook my hands out at my sides, rolled my head on my shoulders to loosen up my suddenly over tight muscles, then phased over to the last place in the universe that I wanted to be: Acadia.
Chapter Ten
Ten Years Ago
"So, I'm actually from another world? Like an alien?" Even knowing what I could do with the shadows, I was not sure that I was buying their story about realms and gifts and powers.
"Not like an alien. You are just as humanoid as anyone here in this realm. You just happen to have the gifts of the Sun Realm as well. You are a Shadow Walker, like us," Isaac said.
"Which means I can use the shadows to hide, become invisible," I said. "Yeah, I figured that out already."
"Yes, but you can also use them as gateways to the other realms. The paths are within the shadows. You just have to know where to find them and how to use them. We can teach you," Isaac said.
"Don't you want to come to Acadia with us?" Jodi asked.
Did I? "Why are you here in this realm, if the Sun Realm is so much better?" I asked.
They shared a look. Then Jodi shrugged and said, "We are looking for someone. Another lost one. Someone who was taken from Acadia and needs to be brought home."
"Who?" I asked.
"It's kind of a fairy tale," Jodi said.
"So. I don't have anywhere else to be right now. Do you?"
She laughed. I loved the sound she made. "No, I don't," she said. Then, "All right then, let me tell you a story about a queen and her baby…"
~ * ~
I was not quite running, but I was not walking either. I had to find him. I had to find him now, before I left. I glanced down alleyway after alleyway, but I didn't see him. Why was it so important to me? No idea, it just was. I headed toward the center of the city, where there was a small park. More like an area of concrete than an area of grass and trees, but we called it the park all the same.
Once I reached the park, I headed straight toward the center where a small fountain sat. I could see that it had once been a work of art, but by that point in time, it was run down, cracked, and didn't hold any water. The small trio of naked cherubs was crumbling away bit by bit, due to the elements. One was missing half a wing and the other was missing almost the entire lute it held in its hands.
I circled the fountain, then, after not finding who I was looking for, ran toward the play area. I was running out of time, but I couldn't leave yet. I had to find him. I had to.
Then I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye of dark hair and a camo-coat. I spun around and ran toward it. "Chris!" I yelled.
Chris halted mid-step and turned toward me with big round eyes. Fear pulsed from his body in waves. I may not have been able to see the fear, but I sure could feel the heavy weight of it on the air.
"I didn't do anything," he all but shouted at me.
I stopped a few feet from where he stood and said, "I didn't say you did."
"What do you want then?" His face suddenly fell. "Oh. Do you want the money back? I…I don't have it. I have some of it left, but…"
"No. I'm good on the cash. Listen, I have a favor to ask you."
"A favor? What type of favor," Chris asked and took another tentative step away from me.
I wasn't put off by his body language. He was a small kid, out on the street. You can never be too careful, especially when you're small and alone. I learned that lesson the hard way. Kids on the streets, we all do. "I'm bouncing out of town for a bit and I need someone to watch over my place."
He stared at me in disbelief. "Your place?"
"Yeah," I said and didn't go into it further. If he wanted the place great, but if he didn't, I wasn't going into specifics until I knew for certain.
I don't know why, but I liked the kid. There was something about him that made me want to look after him. If I gave him my place and I didn't come back, he would be set for a while. If I did come back, he would still have a place to hide out in, should he need to.
"I didn't know you had a place," he said.
I shrugged. "We all need a place. Some are better than others, but we all have something. I had a box and a pack of dogs for a while. I miss the dogs, but not the box."
That got a smile out of him. "How old are you?" I asked.
That turned him defensive. I could see it in the straightening of his back and the up tilt of his chin.
"Twelve," he snapped.
"Ha! Not even close. Let's try this again. How old are you, Chris, and don't lie this time," I said and stared him down.
He stared right back at me, directly into my eyes for a moment, then his dark blue eyes shifted away, and he said quietly, "Nine."
I nodded. "That's what I thought. So, you want the job? You want to look after my place or not?"
"I suppose. Where's it at?"
"No," I said. "You have to be sure. Don't just suppose. I don't want to take you to my place if you don't really want the job. No one knows where it is, and I don't want anyone to know. It's safe that way. If you go running your mouth about it, it won't be safe anymore. You got me?"
"Yeah, I got you," Chris said, then after a moment, "Yes, I'll take the job. What do I have to do?"
~ * ~
I took Chris the back way, and the long way around, to my place. I explained to him the entire time about checking his back and being sure no one followed him. Finally, we made it inside the run down, falling apart building.
I held in a laugh when I saw his face. It was one of disgust and also one that asked what he had gotten himself into. I didn't say anything as we walked up the two levels of stairs, and then way down the dark and musty, once carpeted hallway, to my door. I pulled out a set of keys and started unlocking the door.
Not just the door lock and the bolt, but the padlock and the combo-lock. I took one last look at Chris and said, "Remember, keep it secret. If anyone knows of this place, they will try to take it from you. I don't want to have to deal with that when I get back."
He rolled his eyes, but said, "Yeah, man. I hear you."
I could tell that he still thought he was going to be watching over a hole. I held back a smile, and opened the door.
Lazy eyes went wide along with his mouth. He slowly entered my space, his head turning left and right and back and forth as he tried to take it all in. "This is your place?"
"Yep."
"Just you?"
"Yep."
"Awesome."
After he'd had some time to browse around and see the place, there was nothing left to do, but head out. It was time anyway. "So, you set?"
Chris looked around. "Yeah. I'm good."
"Okay then." I handed over the ring of keys and said, "I guess that's it."
"Where are you going?" Chris asked.
I shrugged. I wasn't really certain how to explain or if I should even try to, that I was going on a trip to another realm. I wasn't even entirely certain I believed it myself. "Travels, man."
"Cool. When you coming back?"
I shrugged again. Then said, "Don't know." I made to head out my door for what could be the last time. I stopped and decided to leave with a bit of parting advice whether Chris wanted it or not. "Look, you need to stop looking down at the ground when you go out.
Look straight ahead and right into people's eyes. It makes them uncomfortable. They will tend to leave you alone if you wig them out a little."
Chris nodded his head.
"And don't steal from the mom and pops. Go for the bigger stores that can afford it or the assholes who deserve it."
"'Kay," Chris said.
"Are you armed?" I asked. I already knew the answer before he gave it to me, though.
He shook his head no.
"You need to be." I dug a small knife out from my jeans pocket and handed it over to Chris. He took it gingerly, but proved he knew what he was doing by opening it and being able to close it, even though it had a safety lock.
"Thanks," he said. "What about you?"
"Don't worry about it. I have plenty to keep me safe." Chris was such a small kid. I hesitated a moment before leaving. Then when I realized I had nothing else to say, I picked up the small pack I had put together, and turned to leave. "Okay, I'll see you, when I see you."
"Leif?"
"Yeah," I said, but didn't turn around. I was ready to go. I didn't want anything holding me back. Not even some little kid that reminded me of myself.
"Nothing," he said after a moment. Then, "See you."
I nodded my head one time, opened the door, and left. When I closed the door behind me, it felt almost as if I was closing a part of my life. I checked my watch, and saw I had just enough time to meet up with Isaac and Jodi before they left.
I heaved my pack up onto my shoulder and walked out of the home I'd had for the last year and then some. I didn't look back. I knew I'd never be back there. I was going home to Acadia. I finally knew where I belonged.
Chapter Eleven
Three Days Ago
Warmth hit me first. The type of warmth which only comes from the sun. It was the kind that caressed your skin and moved through your body with a comforting hand. I closed my eyes and basked in it for a second. Home. I'd missed it. I was surprised at how much I'd missed it.
My first memories of Acadia were of the warmth. Coming from the cold winters of the Water Realm, it was one of the few good memories from when I was a child. I didn't have many.
Before I could finish basking in the feelings of Acadia, I was tackled from behind and slammed into the ground. The air in my lungs burst from my mouth in a woosh. My first instinct was to fight back. As my instincts had saved my life on many occasions, I heeded it. I butted my head backwards into my attacker's face and was rewarded with the lovely sound of crunching cartilage and furious, almost instantaneous cursing.
The weight against my back that pushed me into the ground lessened as my assailant rolled to the side to cradle his now pouring nose. I immediately bounced to my feet and took charge of the moment. I kicked my attacker in the gut and drew back a fist to slam down into his face. That is when I recognized the form that lay on the ground. I hesitated as my eyes connected with Austin's angry ones, and that hesitation cost me.
Austin kicked and swiped my feet out from under me, knocking me back onto the ground again. In self-defense, I caught Austin's angry form as he dove at me. I wrapped my arms around his body and squeezed tightly, trying desperately to hold on, and at the same time hinder Austin's powerful arms as he tried to pound me. My bear hug move wasn't working. Austin wrestled his way free, and I was left with only one option. I had to fight back if I was going to live. Austin was furious and his powerful arms and body were proof that if I didn't fight back soon, he could really do some damage.
I jerked my knee up into his gut in order to push him back enough for me to gain my feet again. As soon as I was up, I quickly, and with as much force as I could manage without killing him, punched him in the throat.
Austin gagged and staggered to his knees. With one eye trained on him, I bent over my own knees and gathered my breath. I was huffing and puffing like an untrained fool. I realized that in my wanderings I'd gotten lazy with my training.
"What the hell?" I finally snarled at Austin. His face from the nose down glistened red in the falling light of the sunset. With a small gleam of satisfaction, I stared as one drop of blood gathered weight and then plopped down onto his once white cotton t-shirt. It was now covered in red splotches, grass stains, and dirt. "Why did you attack me?"
"Why did you just pop out of nowhere without invitation or notice? You aren't welcome here. Did you forget that you almost killed our Queen?" Austin, finally able to catch his own breath, snarled right back and got to his feet.
"I was invited," I whispered.
"What?" Austin snapped.
"No, I didn't forget," I answered instead.
"Then why are you here? What could you possibly want?"
A kindling of rage began to smolder inside my belly. I could feel the embers as they ignited. What could I possibly want? What was I doing there? Austin, a traitor to his own cause, to his own party, was questioning me? I dove at him and this time took him to the ground. I sat on his stomach, and using my knees, I pressed his shoulders down to the ground and held him immobile.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here, Austin?" I spat in his face. "We grew up together, fighting for the same thing, the same cause. We spent our lives together as brothers. We trained, we fought, we lived together, and you are questioning me as if I am nothing? As if I am no one? Who the hell are you, Austin!"
I pressed forward until my face was but a millimeter away from his. I pushed down with my weight for effect. Then I got up off him and walked away a few steps. I stared up into the quickly fading light and wondered what I was doing there after all. Who was I? Did I really think I could do any good? Me?
"Just forget it," I said and pulled the shadows over me with the intention to go back to my cave where I could be alone, where I belonged.
Then I heard it. One of the sweetest sounds I'd heard in a very long time, a voice that haunted my dreams for months and years.
"Wait!" Sunny screamed. Her hand was outstretched toward me, to where I stood just within the shadows, a millisecond away from phasing to the Ice Realm.
I dropped the shadows from my form. She ran to me and threw herself into my arms. Instinctively, I wrapped her protectively against my body, just like she knew I would. Her warmth surrounded me, infiltrated my cold body. Her golden hair tickled my face. Her scent invaded my nose and therefore my mind. I breathed her in as deep as I could. I wanted the memory to last. I wanted to be able to recall the moment later when I was once again alone.
"Don't go yet," she whispered against my ear. "Please."
I didn't want to, but I forced myself to let my arms fall from where they held her against my body. When her feet were once again firm against the ground, I stepped back and away from her intoxicating form. "Why? Why should I stay, when it's evident I'm not wanted," I said and indicated Austin. If his disheveled appearance was any indication, I looked just as beat up.
"Because," she said and laid a hand on my arm. As if that small hand would be able to keep me there. "I miss you. Where have you been?"
I shook my head, not believing a word of it. "You have Lucas now, you don't need me."
"It's not a need, Leif. It's a want. You were…are my friend. You should be here with us. A part of this new world, this new land. It was your dream, too, once. Isn't it anymore?"
It was my dream still, but it didn't seem like I was going to be able to take part in it. Not after that day. I winced as the sound of steel slithered its tormenting way through my mind. I shook my head to try and clear the sound, but Sunny and Austin both seemed to take it a different way.
Austin had taken up a protective stance beside Sunny. "Then why are you here now? What do you want?"
"Austin," Sunny said gently. "Don't."
That was my chance to tell them of the threat against Sunny that the blue fairy had warned me about. Once I told them, I could leave. I wouldn't be needed or wanted there anymore. The job would be passed on to someone else. That was what I wanted, right? Right? "I don't want anything," I said. Then, "
I was invited."
I dug in my back pocket, but came up empty. The invitation sat cold and neglected in my hidden cave.
"Bull. You were not invited," Austin snapped.
A scent of wild flowers drifted past me. I caught the smell just as it floated by. I felt a smile spread over my lips.
"Yes, he was," Cinder said.
I saw her blurred form snap into focus as the shadows eased from her body. Sunny and Austin both turned to greet her. Austin in amused consternation at being corrected and Sunny with her genuine welcome.
"Yes, he was," Sunny said and huffed a laugh in realization. "I invited him. To the wedding."
Austin glared at me. "The wedding's not for another day. Why is he here now, then?"
Because I didn't know what day it actually was. I wasn't about to tell that to any of them, though. I quickly racked my brain for a reason for being there early. One that would allow me to stay close and keep watch over Sunny, without being suspicious. "Cinder talked me into it," I said and smiled her way.
Cinder frowned back. Her inquisitive glare made me tread very carefully on my next words. "I came to see if you might need some help with anything. Since I was coming, maybe I could do something. I guess maybe that was a bad idea."
"You want to help?" Cinder asked in obvious disbelief.
"We don't need your kind of help," Austin said, right over top of Cinder. "We have it all under control."
Sunny, though, I could tell she wanted to believe. Not that she believed me fully without a doubt, but that she really wanted to believe me. "We would love for you to stay. I'm sure we can find something for you to help with. There is still so much to be done. You wouldn't believe all the work that has to go into a wedding."
Sunny came over and took hold of my arm and began to lead me toward her castle. She continued to ramble the whole way. I wasn't sure if it was to ease the awkwardness of both Austin and Cinder following so closely that they were almost on top of us, or if she was just really excited about the wedding.
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