Perfidious

by P. T. McKenzie

  “So, are you looking for specific books, or are you just looking?” Noah asked, letting the subject drop completely.

  “A little of both. I’m looking for two certain books. I found one, but I also need one that lists the extinct monsters and their abilities. The one I already handed you only has the monsters currently living.” I pulled out every book only to place it back in the same spot.

  “I’ll go ask,” Noah offered. He didn’t even wait for me to respond before he walked away.

  Antheia had to track down the book in the back. Since few people read it, she’d taken it off the shelves. Once she found it, we paid and left.

  I left Noah alone on the walk back. He had a lot to think about. I decided it’d be better to leave him to work it out. I had hope he’d eventually find his footing.

  We reached my root cellar by the oak just before seven. I went to put the books in the room, but Noah wouldn’t hand them over.

  “I’ll take them home.” He held the books tight to his body. “I wanna look them over tonight.”

  I rolled my eyes and put my weapons inside the door. My phone glowed to life as I powered it up. One message from Greyson popped up on my screen.

  Went back home. Kalvin said I was done for the day and made sure I knew the path before letting me go. Catch you 2morrow.

  I showed Noah the text before I led him back to his house. I made it home just in time for dinner. By the time I was ready for bed, I was so exhausted I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

  1651 - 1850

  * * *

  In 1653, the Shapeshifter King found a shapeshifter boy named Lawrence trying to steal from the castle kitchen. The king discovered the boy had been an orphan and was only eighteen years old. He took him in as his adopted son.

  The Shapeshifter King fell ill as of late December 1762. He declared Lawrence his heir, hoping the young shifter would keep it the safe haven he tried to create. The king died on November 16th, 1764 at age 562.

  There were many obstacles that King Lawrence had to face after his coronation, but he faced them alone. He didn’t know what kind of repercussions could occur from trusting the wrong person. Perfidious had become an area of peace for the monsters. King Lawrence’s job was to continue that legacy.

  However, things started to change when he met the love of his life, a fairy that worked in the castle library, Miranda. They began their courtship in 1845, the same year riots broke out in multiple places of Perfidious over the existence of half-breeds. King Lawrence’s loyal army, called the Guard, kept them under control, and they stopped soon after they started. But King Lawrence knew peace wouldn’t last long after his decision to continue courting Miranda.

  An excerpt from The King's Legacy:

  A Complete History of Perfidious

  18

  My father charged, his spear aimed at my chest. I swung my blade around to knock the spear from its path and planted my feet into the ground. I didn’t want to attack, but I wouldn’t stop defending myself. He charged at me again in the same position, and I blocked it. He used the momentum of his spear to spin it around, knocking my blade from my hand. He kicked me in the stomach. I landed on the ground, hard. Cold metal pressed against my chin. I looked up to see my father’s spear pointed at my throat.

  I shot up in bed. Sweaty clothes stuck to my skin. I choked on air as it entered my lungs. Even though it became easier to breathe, I could still feel the spear on my throat.

  I ran to the bathroom. My reflection stared at me in the mirror, unharmed. I wasn’t sure what I expected to see.

  It was a dream. Just a dream.

  I hopped into the cold shower to shock myself back into reality. Closing my eyes, I tried to empty my mind, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of cold metal on my skin. Why would I dream about that? Maybe it had something to do with all the time I’d been spending thinking about the king’s heir. My father wouldn’t approve. He’d probably be furious.

  The day passed by in a blink. School, training, bed. It was becoming a pattern. By Saturday, I was expecting a break from the training, but I was wrong.

  Kalvin wanted to spend the day sparring, with me only using my new blades. According to him, I needed to get used to their twirling motion. I kept bending my wrist wrong and nicking my arms with the tips. Kalvin tried to make a pair for practice while he was working at the blacksmith shop, but he hadn’t been successful.

  We finished the night how we usually did, with Greyson healing Noah’s bruises and my shallow cuts. It seemed like healing was going easier for him. He didn’t need to concentrate as hard for the green light to start, and he wasn’t as tired afterwards, but it still drained him. I didn’t like seeing him use so much energy. But that’s why we only let him heal at the end of practice.

  Kalvin insisted on walking me home. We were too tired to talk, but we didn’t need to. Just having him there always made me feel better. He winked at me as we were nearing my house.

  I walked into the clearing that was my backyard, but Kalvin stopped.

  “You wanna come in? There are plenty of leftovers, and I’m sure everything in my fridge is better than what’s in yours,” I teased.

  Kalvin flashed a smile but hunched his shoulders as he slid his hands into his pockets. “I would, but I, uh, shouldn’t. Just tell your parents I said hi. I should go.”

  He turned around before I could protest. I waved to his back. Kalvin knew me well enough to wave as he disappeared into the woods. I walked inside and noticed the difference in the atmosphere. It turned thick with tension. I turned the corner to find my father sitting at the table, tapping his foot.

  That explained Kalvin’s weird behavior. He never liked my father.

  My father didn’t look up. “This entire week I looked forward to spending the day with my family. Only to find out you’re suddenly never home and your mother doesn’t know where you’ve been.” My father frowned as he looked up. “Care to explain?”

  “Not particularly.” I told him, walking further into the kitchen. “I already discussed it with Mom. We worked things out. She said it was fine as long as I told her where I was and who I was with.”

  My father got up and took a step closer to me. He made eye contact with me to use his ability. Did he really not trust me that much?

  “Where have you been?” His voice was stern.

  What was he getting angry about?

  “My root cellar. Kalvin, Greyson, Noah and I have been hanging out there a lot lately.”

  “Why?” He barked.

  “We’ve been training.” I gave the short answers, but the moment his questions got more specific, the truth would come out. I just didn’t know how he’d take it.

  “What for?” He asked, growing more impatient.

  “Just training. The Elders demanded that I train them, so I’m doing what they told me to do. Why all the questions?”

  He tilted his head and his voice lost some of the anger “Why train them? Noah’s just a human, and Greyson should learn what he is, not combat. Why would the Elders demand that you train them?”

  I closed the cupboard harder than I should. “We know what Greyson is. He has been learning how to use his abilities. They are also in Perfidious a lot. Is it wrong for them to learn to defend themselves? It’s not like anyone else’ll protect us.”

  My hands clenched at my side. I knew the last comment was unnecessary, but I didn’t care.

  “Yes, but you’ve never trained this much in the past. Why train this hard now?” His eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms and took a step forward.

  He was interrogating me again, and I didn’t like it.

  I spoke through clenched teeth. “Why would you care?”

  I opened the fridge, and he closed it immediately. “You will answer my questions fully and truthfully, Elisia! I’m sick of your vague, short answers. If you don’t tell me what I want to know I’ll—"

  “You’ll what!” I challenged. “Ground me? You're never home. You don
’t even stay a full night anymore. You wait until Mom is asleep and then sneak out.”

  “Enough, Elisia! Tell me what I want to hear. Tell me the truth.” He raised his voice.

  “Which do you want then? What you want to hear or the truth? You’re not gonna get both,” I said, standing tall.

  I wasn’t sure if it was from my dream the night before, but I was tired of defending myself. He always asked me ridiculous questions. He never trusted me.

  “Elisia!”

  “Fine! The Coalfell Elders want Kalvin and I to train them because we found out that Greyson is part fairy and part shapeshifter.” I saw realization dawn in my father’s eyes. He knew what that meant. “He is King Lawrence’s grandson, the last living heir. They want him to be ready when the day comes for him to take his rightful place on the throne. The Council does nothing for half-breeds! Things need to change.”

  His entire body tensed, and his nostrils flared. “You will not speak of our rulers with such ill manners! They are understanding. If they weren’t, I’d never have been able to work at the castle, let alone hold a position in the court.” My father had always a great amount of respect for the Council, not that I understood why.

  I pulled at my hair. I needed him to understand my side for once. Maybe if I explained how I felt, he’d see what I was trying to accomplish.

  “But they don't keep anyone safe! The Council doesn’t understand how the half-breeds feel or even care about what we’re going through. Half-breeds, like me, are murdered, and no one does anything to stop it. I’m trying to help change things for the better. Then Perfidious wouldn’t be so divided.”

  He took a couple steps back as though I physically struck him.

  “How could you betray me like this? I have been talking you up to the Council so that someday they might let you work for them as I do. But you really need to think about your actions if this is the path you want to go down—”

  “How have I betrayed you? The Council would never let me work for them. I’m not just an elf. I’m a half-breed. I want Perfidious to be safer for people like me. Wouldn’t you want it safer for your daughter?”

  I had no clue what was going through his head. He was making it about him and the Council, making it seem as though I was in the wrong. Again! I wasn’t good enough for him. Mom was right. Working at the Council had changed him.

  It wasn’t a quick change, but over the years he had become less understanding of what I was and what I was going though. I didn’t think he’d ever see my side, not after working in a place that saw half-breeds as impure parasites.

  My father straightened and slammed his fist on the kitchen counter, causing me to jump. “That’s enough, Elisia! Maybe Perfidious isn’t a place for you. You are part human and look human. If you think it's so dangerous, then maybe you need to stay out of Perfidious.” His words were harsh, as though what he said was law. “You want life to be safer? I’ll make it simple for you. You’re grounded. You’re not allowed to step foot in Perfidious. I will hire a scout to monitor you at all times to make sure you obey these new rules.”

  “What? No! Perfidious is my home! You can’t take that away from me!” I yelled.

  He was the one betraying me, not the other way around.

  My father crossed his arms. “Not if you’re training someone to overthrow the Council. You do not understand what that would do. It would change everything!”

  “That’s the idea.” I started to walk away, but he grabbed my arm.

  “Where are you going?” He demanded.

  I ripped my arm out of his grip. “Away from you.”

  “Elisia Meyer, half-breeds don’t belong in this world. They never have. You should understand this by now.”

  I froze. He had crossed a line.

  Tears stung my eyes as I stomped into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. A sickening crack vibrated through the door. I had probably broken it. I would apologize to Mom later.

  I didn’t know the person standing in the kitchen. It clearly wasn’t my father. That man was different, acting like all the other pureblooded monsters. My father taught me that I was a strong elf, whether I was a half-breed or not. Working at the castle had ruined him. Until I recognized him as the father I once knew, he didn’t deserve to be called my father. From then on, he was just Erlan to me.

  My vision became blurry as tears threatened to pour from my eyes. I wiped at them angrily. I couldn’t cry. Not yet. First, I needed to get out of the house.

  I grabbed a bag and started shoving random clothes into its empty pockets, packing everything I thought I would need so I wouldn’t have to come back. Mom wouldn’t know what happened to me, but I wrote her a note telling her that I was going to stay in Coalfell for a couple of days.

  I left the note on my bed and quickly learned that my door really was stuck. My window would probably be better anyway. I didn’t know if Erlan was still there.

  I exited the house, still numb from the conversation. I walked all the way to Kalvin’s house and knocked on the door until Kalvin opened it. I looked at his messy black hair, his cutoff T-shirt, and his long green sweatpants. His fiery orange eyes observed me with concern. I saw his lips moving, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

  Tears started steaming down my face uncontrollably.

  Kalvin pulled me inside and let me cry into his chest, holding me in his arms. My body felt weak, and I almost collapsed to the ground. Kalvin picked me up and moved us to the couch nearest the door. He didn’t have to say anything to comfort me, and he knew it.

  After what felt like hours of crying, I finally started to calm down and explained to Kalvin what had happened. He helped me remove my backpack and my shoes. After placing them in a closet, he came back to me. I think he asked me if I wanted to go to sleep, but my mind wasn’t comprehending much.

  I stopped crying, but it felt like my brain wouldn’t work anymore. Without me giving him an answer, he half carried, half helped me walk into his bedroom. I laid down on his soft bed just as the rest of my tears seeped from my eyes. I felt the bed shift as Kalvin laid down next to me. He held me as I cried myself to sleep.

  19

  I woke up tangled within the covers of Kalvin’s bed. Alone, I got up and looked around. The bathroom mirror showed my reflection, but I wished it hadn’t. Red eyes and tear-stained cheeks looked back at me. I splashed water on my face and stood there, eyes closed. The thoughts swirling around my head weren’t helping my mood, so I pushed them down and looked back in the mirror. My eyes looked lifeless, but it was better than sad.

  I walked into the kitchen area. Kalvin’s small house was the size of an apartment. The kitchen had some counters and a small round table. A small, covered plate sat on the table, a note in Kalvin’s messy handwriting on top.

  * * *

  Elisia,

  There isn’t much food in the house. Sorry, but I know you like cinnamon rolls. I left to meet Greyson and Noah to train them more and give you some time. If someone knocks on the door, don’t answer it, just in case it's your dad.

  Kalvin

  * * *

  I smiled, feeling something for the first time since I got out of bed. A medium-sized cinnamon roll sat beneath the plate. I took a bite, not thinking about where he got it. As soon as the cinnamony goodness touched my tongue, I knew it was from the bakery nearby. They had the best pastries. I mentally reminded myself that I needed to thank him the next time I saw him.

  I quickly changed and left his house, still eating the treat. It felt like I was getting judgmental stares as I walked through Coalfell, so I increased my pace. Once I was surrounded by trees, it was easier to breathe. I walked the extra couple of minutes to my bunker.

  No one noticed me at first. Greyson and Noah were practicing their daily routines with the swords. Kalvin sat watching their movements, pointing mistakes out every now and then.

  I slowed down my pace. What was I going to say to them? I really didn’t want to tell them anything. I di
dn’t even want to believe the fight happened.

  As if he heard my thoughts, Kalvin glanced at me and stood up. Greyson and Noah caught on and looked at me as well. All of their eyes on me made my skin crawl.

  “Spar for a bit,” Kalvin said, finally removing his eyes from me. “We’ll work on more stuff later. Also, Greyson, try to keep the dragon skin on, okay? You can’t heal yourself.”

  Greyson nodded. He and Noah faced each other. I watched the way they moved and compared it to the way they had fought only a week before. They were already drastically improving.

  “Elisia, we’re gonna spar.” Kalvin lifted his shirt to reveal the sheathed medieval dagger.

  “Fine, I’ll grab my blades.” I jumped down into the trap door of the cellar, but I heard Kalvin above me.

  “You know they have a name, right?” He smiled, looking down at me through the door.

  Kalvin looked cute as he looked down at me. His black hair hung down, and he was wearing a cut off t-shirt that showed off his muscles.

  “No, what are they called?” I asked, but any curiosity I had didn’t show in my voice.

  “They’re called Tonfa blades, or just Tonfas,” he clarified as he helped me out of the room.

  “Hm.” I tried to show interest, but the fight with my father still invaded my thoughts.

  Kalvin frowned as he widened his stance. He unsheathed his dagger and held it like an ice pick. Usually, I was eager to start the fight, but not that day. Kalvin lunged. I turned the blade pointing out and moved his blade to the left of me. His attack missed my body by a mile.

  His next strike was more precise. He came from above. I reacted by blocking his path with my tonfa on my arm. Kalvin dropped the blade from his left to his right as he stabbed upwards instead. It surprised me, but I moved my arm in a semicircle, knocking his blade to the side.