Heritage

by Rebecca Walton

  “Now when she asks you a question you will answer got it!” Alex snarled holding the Pixies fluttering wings to stop them from moving. This angered her further as she began ranting and raving in such a high pitch voice, I couldn’t understand what she was talking about.

  “Who are you and what are you doing here? I’d prefer it if you answered in a pitch in which not only dogs can hear you,” I mocked lifting her further from my face so that her frantic leg kicking didn’t hit it. Folding her skinny arms she turned her head away from me. Refusing to speak, typical Pixie thing to do. They never were one to answer basic questions.

  “If that’s how you want it then. Alex open up your purse,” I commanded. With a smug look on her face, Alex opened up her small brown purse, and I placed the Pixie inside. I zipped it back up and left a small opening so she could breathe. The purse glowed with her blue light as she threw herself at the sides, thrashing them with her tiny fists.

  “Now what?” Alex asked shaking the purse in her hands. Stopping her from giving the creature brain damage, I took the purse from her hand. Rolling her eyes at me she waited for me to answer with her arms folded.

  “We could throw her into a river.”

  “ALEX!” I yelled. She wasn’t being very cooperative, but she didn’t need to drown.

  “I was kidding,” She muttered. No, she wasn’t, she was deadly serious. She had never gotten over a couple of Pixies stealing her dog when we were younger. We knew it had been Pixies as they left a cheeky note, declaring their sheer enjoyment of it all. Only Pixies were that mean and mellow dramatic.

  “Are you ready to talk in there?” I asked putting the purse to my ear. With a small kick, her foot tapped the corner of my ear.

  “Ok then,” I sighed.

  “We could let her go I suppose.”

  “We could but then we won’t know why she was scoping the place out will we,” I replied. Why can’t she just be more cooperative and then we could let her go on her merrily little way. To cause mischief somewhere else.

  “Well little one. If you don’t answer, then I’m afraid I’m going to have to make you. How delicate do you think their wings are?” I asked Alex. I know it was mean, and I would never do it, but she didn’t know that.

  The purse fell silent, and she seemed like she had given up. The blue glow began to dim inside the fabric pouch. Glancing at each other we looked back down at the silent purse.

  “Fine if you must know. My name its Antoinette and I do not think kindly to you caging me in with these coins. They are bruising my skin,” She moaned, her voice was slightly muffled by the leather fabric.

  “I was not aware you were here,” She mumbled.

  “Don’t lie to me,” I exclaimed shaking the purse.

  “STOP IT!” She yelled, her light glowing brighter as she stumbled inside.

  “Fine!” She yelled, as I continued to shake the purse, lightly just enough for her to become dizzy and irritated.

  “What was that?” I mocked.

  “I said fine! I was spying on you,” she mumbled.

  “Why were you spying on me? Who sent you?” I asked, opening the purse so that Antoinette could poke her blue head out.

  “Which is it that you want to know. Why or who?” She snickered, with an evil smile on her tiny face. Pushing her head down into the purse, I closed the zip up again so that I couldn’t see her evil smirk.

  “I’m not playing games Antoinette. I don’t like being spied on!” I exclaimed. Pulling the chain I was wearing from around my neck. I took off the heart pendent and threaded the chain through the hole in the purse zipper. Reattaching the clasp, I hung the chain around a low branch of a tree that towered above us. Holding the purse above my head, I smiled.

  “I’m going to give you one last chance before I drop you into a pond ok. Why are you spying on me?” I asked.

  “Why are you spying on me. Me, me, me is that all you can talk about!” She muttered.

  “You asked for it!”

  Dropping the purse a couple of centimetres, I caught it in my hand as she screamed for me to stop. Lifting it above my head again, I paused for a while to build up her suspense.

  “Are you going to tell me?” I asked.

  “I was searching for something that you have,” She mumbled.

  “What? What were you searching for? Stop being difficult?”

  This Pixie was starting to really annoy me. Why was she prolonging telling me what she was doing here and what she wanted from me. I’m starting to think that everybody wants a piece of me, and I’m running out of pieces to give.

  “You’re after the diamond aren’t you!” Unhooking the silver chain from the tree and purse, I tied it back around my neck.

  “That demon never gives up, and now he sends a Pixie to do his job. That’s pathetic. Tell your master I don’t have it! And he better watch his back because I don’t go down easily...”

  “Or at all,” Alex interrupted taking the purse from my hand. Unzipping the zip, Antoinette flew right out and danced around my head.

  “Get out of here you no good thief. Tell Lorias good luck getting that diamond because I ain’t letting it go without a fight,” I sneered, shooing her with my hand. She gave out a whimper and flew off into the night sky. Following her with my eyes until she was a distant dot in the sky, I turned back to Alex.

  “I hate Pixies,” I snapped handing her back her purse.

  “That bitch stole my twenty pounds!” Alex yelled throwing her fist towards the dark sky. That’s not exactly surprising giving her thieving nature. At least she could pass on the message to Lorias now. That I wasn’t giving in without a fight, even if that fight may have to happen in the confounds of my prison space.

  “Come on. We best get back before my father’s hair turns grey!” I sighed. Glancing around to check no one was watching, I placed my hand on her shoulder and orbed into my room.

  “I was planning on buying the new Bugglebees album with that money,” Alex sighed, still staring into her purse.

  “Well in that case I’m glad she took it. We could all deal with less of that played on repeat throughout the castle,” I smiled mockingly at her as I collapsed on to my double bed.

  “You have no musical taste at all,” She snarled sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

  “You’re so right. Picking the musical talent of Elvis over Bugglebees leads me into a musical travesty.”

  “Whatever. As usual we will agree to disagree,” She chuckled laying her head on the pillow. Closing my eyes, I could feel the sweet releasing of sleep calling to me, and I wasn’t going to run from it.

  Chapter Twenty

  I woke up groggily, to the dim moonlight that shone from the open window that lead out on to my balcony. Rubbing my eyes, I rolled over to have Alex breath in my face. We must have both fallen asleep after getting back. Leaving her to continue sleeping, I walked over to the open window onto the balcony. The cold winter breeze woke me up completely and brought me out of my zombie state. Even in the jeans and t shirt I was wearing, the cold air still gave me goose bumps. Leaning on the white ironed railings, I stared out into the night sky. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was being watched as I stood in the openness. Nevertheless here I was, going against all orders again, on keeping myself safe. I didn’t really care anymore, I was done being afraid of Lorias and watching my back out of fear that someone was standing behind it, ready to drive a dagger through it. That is no way to live and very time consuming. I am slightly glad that I was being taken care of by two strong soldiers. That way I didn’t have to protect myself all on my own. It’s not selfish to want a little rest bite from the constant threat on my life.

  “Psst!” Someone called from the ground below, scaring me slightly from the break in silence.

  “Who’s there?” I whispered.

  “Romeo.” Logan chuckled, appearing out from behind the rose bush that grew underneath the balcony.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, slightly confu
sed to how he could have made it all the way to my bedroom window, without being caught by some guard of some sort.

  “Well I’m not here for tea and cakes, and I’m sorry as much as you may want me to. I’m not doing the whole Romeo and Juliet thing it’s a tad cliché for my liking.” He smiled.

  “That’s a shame I was much looking forward to it,” I mocked. Closing the window to my room, I went back to leaning over the balcony. I didn’t want to wake Alex from her slumber or alert the guards, that may or may not be guarding my room again.

  “I hear you are on house arrest,” He smirked.

  “You hear correctly,” I replied in a whisper. A noise in the room behind me made me stop breathing. Checking through the curtains to make sure Alex was asleep, I saw her turn on the bed and spread herself out. Chuckling at her as she began to snore, I turned back to Logan.

  “I’m sure you’re not here just to mock me.”

  “No, as much fun as that actually is. We need to talk.”

  “That sounds ominous,” I sighed. Climbing over the balcony, I jumped to the drain pipe that was attached to the wall. It’s not exactly graceful shimmering down a small pipe three storeys.

  “What happened to orbing,” Logan chuckled, helping me off the plastic tube that had mucked up my Elvis t shirt.

  “All part of being caged in,” I replied, wiping the black dust from off my shirt and jeans.

  “I see,” He chuckled.

  Taking a seat against the wall under my balcony, he sat next to me and stretched out his legs. I wasn’t going to take the chance of being caught out by a roaming elf that could alert my father. Besides it was this time of night that Tamtun did his daily run.

  “So what do you want to talk to me about? That is so important that you would risk entering our world for?” I asked.

  “I wanted to give you something.”

  Pulling a black box out of his leather jacket, he handed it to me with a smile firmly planted on his face.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “I don’t exactly celebrate Christmas. You know being a demon and all. I know it’s still twenty six days away, but I don’t know, I thought you may like it.”

  Opening up the small velvet box, my heart stopped for a brief moment as my eyes opened in amazement. Inside was a beautiful white gold, diamond pink topaz ring.

  “I can’t accept this.” Closing the lid, I handed it back to Logan. It was a stunning ring, but it looked so expensive, and I don’t know the real meaning behind it.

  “It’s not a marriage proposal Elle. It’s just a friendship ring,” He sighed, looking slightly hurt by the rejection of his gift.

  “I know I didn’t think it was anything more, it’s just that...”

  “If you don’t take it. I will be forced to wear it myself, and I know you don’t want me to be humiliated,” He smiled nudging me in the shoulder.

  “Just a friendship ring?”

  “Just friends,” He replied taking the ring from the box.

  “Fine. Thanks, it’s amazing,” I smiled as he placed the gorgeous ring on my right index finger. It fitted perfectly and shone in the moonlight. Logan’s face lit up when I lifted the ring up to the light.

  “I hope there isn’t a secret tracking device in here,” I mocked, whilst secretly hoping that there wasn’t, but he’s a demon. I suppose I wouldn’t be surprised if there was.

  “No, there isn’t,” He smiled. Even though, he was a demon, I trusted him enough to believe that he was telling the truth, I suppose he didn’t have any real reason to lie to me. He seemed to find me easily enough without a tracking device anyway.

  “So how’s things in your normal life?” He asked, using air quotations for the normal part.

  “It’s fine. Just came from a party with them actually, after Josh’s basket ball game.”

  “Ah Josh... Did he win?” He asked, not seeming very interested in the conversation anymore.

  “Yes he did... Sorry did I say something to upset you?” I asked, as Logan began to pick up stones from the floor and throw them into the night sky.

  “No, you haven’t. I just don’t like your friend Josh,” He muttered.

  “Why not? You haven’t even met him properly. He is a great guy,” I replied. The only time I remember them meeting is when Josh was unconscious on the floor of an alley. Then when Ruby turned Megan into a vampire. How could you dislike someone that you hadn’t even seen conscious or in human form, it's ridiculous. Wait he met him at the feast a couple of months ago but even still, that’s not enough time to truly get to know someone.

  “Actually I met up with him a month ago...”

  “What? Why?” I interrupted.

  “It was his idea, and that boy is very obnoxious,” He exclaimed, skimming a stone so far that it chipped off a piece of marble from the fountain fifteen yards away.

  “What did you talk about?” I asked, confused to why Josh would even go see Logan. He didn’t exactly like him that much either.

  “You.”

  “Now why doesn’t that surprise me,” I muttered. The insistent number of men trying to discuss me is starting to irritate me. If it wasn’t my father it was now Logan and Josh.

  “What about me?” I asked.

  “Josh was just marking his territory. Apparently you’re his,” He grinned. I don’t know how that’s a smiling matter.

  “Excuse me?” I asked. I’m in no way Josh’s territory to mark. Who did he think he was, going around telling people I was his.

  “You should be flattered, that he would go out of his way to tell me to stay away from you,” He chuckled.

  “He had no right to do that,” I exclaimed.

  “He was just looking out for you I suppose.”

  “I don’t need looking out for. I’m pretty sure I can protect myself against your kind.”

  “My kind?” He questioned, in a harsh tone.

  “You know what I mean Logan,” I tried to calm him down as he stood up sharply.

  “Yes I know what you mean,” He snarled.

  “Sorry I didn’t mean it like that,” I apologised, standing up after him.

  “I know what I am Elle. Doesn’t mean I need you shoving it in my face every time you can,” He exclaimed, the vein on his forehead pulsing.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you Lo...”

  “I know, but you did!”

  “Wow. Ok I guess I’ll let you go then.”

  Why was he getting so wound up. It’s not like I deliberately set out to insult him. I’m not even sure how I actually did it. Dragging his hands over his face, he smiled weakly at me.

  “Sorry,” He smiled, walking back towards me. Placing both his hands on my waist he sighed. His sudden touch made my heart flutter, and I had to catch my breath.

  “He was right about one thing though,” He smiled, taking one hand from my waist to lift my chin with his finger.

  “What’s that then?” I asked staring into his dark blue eyes.

  “You should stay away from me,” He smirked, pulling me in closer towards him, so our bodies touched.

  “You really think you’re something special don’t you,” I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “No, but you do,” He chuckled. Stroking my cheek, he tucked a stray hair behind my ear with his thumb. Smiling I titled my head in slight embarrassment. He wasn’t wrong there, for some reason in my mind he was the only thing on it for most of the day.

  “What I don’t understand is why he felt the need to do it. I hadn’t told him I had been seeing you as often as I have.”

  “You make it sound like we are dating,” He chuckled.

  “You wish.”

  Smiling, he leaned his face into mine. His breath caressed my cheek. Leaning towards him slowly I chuckled and pulled away from him.

  “Like I said you wish,” I chuckled. Taking my arms from around his neck, I stepped away from him. He looked shocked for a second then became amused.

  “Well that’s somet
hing for the books,” He laughed slightly and bit his lip. He obviously isn’t used to being turned down then ,judging by his expression.

  I’m glad I was one of the first. As much as I want to kiss him, I know that it’s wrong, and it will confuse me further.

  “You Adabelle are one confusing girl. I like that,” He smirked.

  “Better get used to it boy because that’s not going to change.”

  “Well just so you know. I always get what I want and right now what I want is you.”

  “Is that so,” Biting my lip I knew what was coming, and I wasn’t going to pull away this time. As he stepped towards me and pulled me into his arms, the feeling that we weren’t alone made us both stop.

  “Adabelle?” My father called from behind the tall cherub water fountain.

  “Shit!” I whispered.

  “That’s a shame maybe next time,” Logan whispered. Kissing me lightly on the lips, he winked at me and shimmered into the air. Just as my father came into view. He was going to get me into so much trouble, but it made me feel more alive.

  “Adabelle! Who was that?” He yelled crossing the last couple of yards that’s separated us. I could see the stress line on his forehead growing as he came closer. This wasn’t going to be very pretty, he looked seriously pissed off.

  “Dad,” I smiled sweetly. He didn’t appreciate it as he stormed into my personal space.

  “Was that who I think it was Adabelle because if it is, you are in serious trouble. You repeatedly disobeyed me and went out un protected. I was worried sick, and now I find you out here with him! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

  “Dad I was just...”

  “Just being naive and foolish. I try and bring you up properly, and this is the thanks I get!” He yelled.

  “Can you quit insulting me and listen...”

  “Nothing you can say can redeem you from what I’ve just seen. You are unbelievable. Go to your room immediately, I can’t stand to look at you!”