I felt my rage boiling over, so I grabbed her by the arm, turned her around, looked her straight in the eyes, and thundered: “For the rest of the evening, you will keep your damn mouth shut and stay right here! Do you hear me?” That hit home. I had thrown her off course, and I’d obviously thrown her good: She stood frozen in place, her eyes wide and unblinking. I wrapped my arms around Stefan and ramped up my energy, higher and higher and higher. He seemed tense and inhibited. I took a step backwards. “That should be enough, shouldn’t it?” Since he didn’t move a muscle, I asked impatiently: “Are you okay?”
Everyone who was not human was staring at me as if mesmerized. Michael grabbed me by my arm, obviously mad with me. “Are you insane; do you have any idea how dangerous your little stunt was? You can’t simply flood a Peri with this level of energy without warning.”
I shrank back, frightened now. “But I meant well. I do the same thing to you.”
“I spend my days and nights with you. I know what I’m dealing with, and when to brace myself. And yet I almost lost control that time on the freeway.”
“What are you talking about?” He sighed. “That time I took energy from you.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it again and looked at Annette. She was still standing in the same spot, in the same position. Alessandro appeared at my side and opened his arms: “I wouldn’t mind an embrace like that.”
I immediately reined in my energy. He would not get the slightest whiff from me. “Forget it. I know why you brought Annette. You wanted to show me my place and my status. You know what, fuck you!”
Alessandro took a step towards me and stared down at me, haughty and threatening. Sometimes I can feel an inner strength that gives me the confidence not to be intimidated, no matter what’s before me. I stared right back at him, defiant and proud. “Your companion must have experienced a system failure. For your sake I hope she will reboot quickly, otherwise there will be no lullaby for you tonight.”
It was probably for the best that Christmas Eve was still a day away, for Alessandro’s lips were drawn into a straight, hard line, and none of us was ready to blink first. I caught a tiny twitch in the corners of his mouth, but he quickly took on his threatening aspect again. I struggled to suppress a smile of my own. The moment the corners of my mouth quirked upwards, he started to laugh and I followed suit. He pulled me close to his side. “Melanie, you’re a real catastrophe. Could you please defrost my companion now?”
“You think I put a spell on her?”
“Do you have any other explanation?”
I shouldn’t do a thing like that to anyone, not even this woman who was proud of being a thousandth Peri. I stepped towards her and touched her hand. “Annette, I want you to have your own will again.” I had barely finished the sentence when she fell backwards, and then scooted away from me on her butt, her eyes filled with panic. Seeing her like that brought tears to my eyes. I’d never meant to frighten her so badly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know … I’ve never done this before.§
“What are you?” she stammered, still shell-shocked.
I gave her a placatory smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. As for your question: I’m a lot less human than you.” I held out my hand in a gesture of peace. She took it, I pulled her to her feet again and patted her on the shoulder. She was like a shadow for the rest of the evening, never once leaving my side.
The Dravko family seemed perfectly normal and cordial. Whatever they projected to the outside world, among themselves they were simply a loving family. Alessandro suggested playing a round of ‘magic inferno,’ whatever that was. Stefan ruffled his hair and chuckled: “Yeah, so you can accidentally burn down half a forest again.”
“I did not singe grandpa’s hair,” the younger Peri protested.
Iveria joined us a little later. She looked sad and sat down at the table in silence, head bent. Behind the dining hall there was another room, a lounge with a black leather couch and matching armchairs. Natalia took her daughter to this room, hugged her tightly, sat down with her on the couch, and listened to her story with a sympathetic face. In the meantime Martellius gave Michael political advice, while Stefan and Alessandro talked about Birgit. Their behavior seemed so human. They supported each other, shared their feelings and ideas, trusted each other and were there for each other. Watching them interact made me realize how painfully alone I was. Six years ago I had just such a family. Although we fought sometimes, my sister and I would have gone through hell and back together. My parents were always there for us. My mother was the heart of the family, the emotional rock. My father knew the answer to virtually everything. I’d always been impressed with his deliberate, patient manner. He never reacted rashly or unreasonably. Today I know that he must have been shaped by centuries of experience. In any case, I used to have everything, but now they were out of reach. I would never see my sister’s face again, and who knew whether I could see my parents again, and when. At least I could hope they were happy. I felt terribly alone. I left the room and got my coat, then went out into the quiet garden, where I sat down on the steps that led to the front door.
“Why are you so sad?” Martellius squatted next to me and waited patiently for an answer.
“I just miss my family right now.”
“Where are they?”
“My parents have disappeared and my sister passed away several years ago.”
“I’m sorry. Tell me about them.”
“My mother put a lot of effort into Christmas dinner each year. Papa tried to help her, but most of the time, she threw him out of her kitchen after half an hour or so. My sister and I were always looking forward to his banishment, because when his help was no longer appreciated, he spent the rest of the day with us. We went sledding or skiing, or he played the piano for us. Sometimes he would tell us stories from long-gone times. Now that I know that he isn’t human, I’m no longer sure whether they were stories at all, or rather accounts of his own experiences and adventures.”
“Since when do you know what your father is?”
“I still don’t know what he is; all I know is that he isn’t human. I thought Michael had told you.” I looked into his eyes, hoping to find assurance there, but he hadn’t known. I was scared of Michael’s reaction. “Michael will be so angry with me. He asked me not to tell anyone.” Martellius seemed surprised. “Did he? Well, is there anyone who could testify to the fact that you are half supernatural?"
“Yes, my babysitter Rosalia.” I shut my eyes for a moment, but then went on: “It seems that you call her Moravia.” His eyes widened. Her name obviously meant something to him.
“We may not be your family, but maybe you can feel a little at home with us anyway. Not many slopes for sledding around here, but we could go for a carriage ride with the horses. In this family it’s also a tradition that we make music together. Stefan and I both play the violin, Michael the double bass, Natalia sings, and Alessandro prefers the German flute, even though he’s also a good piano player.” His effort at being nice and giving me comfort almost made me feel as if I actually was part of the family. He put a hand on my shoulder. “How are you holding up, considering that you very nearly died yesterday?”
“What? Oh, right, I still don’t really understand who or what helped me get better. Stefan and Alessandro didn’t do much to alleviate my misery, in any case.”
“Is everything alright out here?” I heard Michael’s voice behind me.
Martellius raised his head and looked past me, at his son. “Yes, we’ll come back inside in a minute. Are you planning on telling the others that she’s a Halfling, or do you mean to hide it from them forever?” he asked. Michael threw me a reproachful glance. Martellius rose to his feet and went back inside, saying: “It’s okay, your secret is safe with me. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Michael helped me get up and we followed his father inside. We had barely reached the room where everyone was gathered, when Martellius su
ggested he light a fire in the fireplace. He asked Michael to help him fetch the wood – which was a ridiculous request, given the strength of a Peri. Martellius simply wanted to talk to his son in private. I went to bed before the two of them returned.
The following morning, I was the last person in the house to wake up. I looked out the window and saw the others out in the garden. It was cold outside, there was no snow, but the grass was covered in white hoarfrost. I didn’t want to freeze, so I layered up: A pair of leggings under my jeans, a T-shirt under my blouse, followed by a woolen sweater and my black winter coat. I found a knit cap and a pair of gloves, and was ready to head outside. I opened the window. Michael had heard the swishing sound of the frame across the ledge, for he looked up and saw me, and the next thing I knew, he was standing next to me. Our room was on the top floor, but he hadn’t missed the window. Perplexed, I asked him whether he had jumped or flown. He merely laughed, picked me up, and jumped with me through the window, which fell shut behind us. Jumping from such a height ran counter everything you had learned as a kid, but it felt natural and familiar. He set me down on the grass. “Merry Christmas, my love. I’ll be back in a second.” He was gone.
Iveria had already taken her leave and was en route back to Salzburg. Martellius and Stefan stood next to me in the front garden. The rays of the late morning sun were reflected by the wall of the house, its curiously changeable color bright and inviting. Yellow, peach, burnt orange. I was as fascinated with the play of its hues as I’d been the first time. Step by step, I walked towards the façade. When I was a yard away, I reached out my hand. It was as if I was drawn in by the shimmering surface. It was as if I was coming home. I touched the wall and closed my eyes. “Daddy.” A whisper left my lips. Then I felt Martellius’ hand on my shoulder, he turned me around, stood before me with a grave expression. He studied me closely, his fingers tracing the contours of my face. Then he took my hands and turned them in his. He ran his finger down from my ear to my chin, before slowly pulling back his hand.
“That is impossible!” His voice was only a whisper. He stared at me like someone hypnotized, and his expression softened, became benevolent, even loving. As if he was looking at one of his own children.
“Michael, come here!” he said, his voice loud and strong again.
Less than a second later, his son appeared at our side. “Father! What is it?”
“I think I know who she is. Have you looked closely at her eyes?”
Michael smiled dreamily. “Of course I have; the slightly jagged yellow circle around her pupils contrasts sharply with the blue of her iris. That has fascinated me from the start.”
Martellius gave him a thoughtful look. “And haven’t you seen the same thing in someone else before? Also take a closer look at her hands.”
Michael took my hands in his and pondered their form. You could virtually see the wheels in his head turning. When he’d thought about the riddle for a long while and hadn’t come to a conclusion, Martellius pointed at the wall: “She recognized her father’s energy.”
Michael shook his head. “No, that is impossible, it can’t be her.”
“Son, it would explain everything. He was there for me my entire life. He was my friend. He raised me after my parents were killed. I remember his features in every shining detail. Hers are quite similar.”
“No.” Michael sounded as if he was in denial and didn’t want this to be true, whatever it meant.
“Son, by now you know she’s a Halfling. What better reason could there have been for hiding her true identity with so much tenacity?”
“She’s a Halfling? Why did nobody tell me?” Stefan had joined the circle. His father and grandfather both ignored him. He went on: “Guys, if she was what you think she is, shouldn’t she be stronger? I don’t know, less vulnerable? She can’t be a Halfling.”
Martellius gave him a look of irritation. “You know how weak Halflings often are.”
“Yes, Grandpa, but no Halfling would have any difficulties defending herself against four human attackers. She is easily defeated by a single one.”
“So maybe she is physically vulnerable and weak, but she handles and thwarts magic so casually, in such an elemental way, on a plane we don’t understand … It explains everything,” Martellius lectured him. A plane they didn’t understand? I’d rather say it was a plane that I didn’t understand!
Stefan patted Michael on the shoulder. “It seems that she has always belonged to you.”
What the heck were they talking about? I was getting impatient. “Stop arguing over what I may or may not be! If you know what I am, then tell me, for Christ’s sake!” Stefan and Martellius stared at me.
“It’s only an extremely improbable theory. If my father is right however, we can’t tell you. Because nobody could know who you really are, and we know that you can’t keep your mouth shut, even if your life depends on it. Martellius and you talked for about three minutes yesterday, and you managed to tell him that your father is not human,” Michael explained, sounding intransigent.
I bit my lip. “That isn’t fair,” I hissed, leaning against the wall in a huff.
Martellius grabbed Michael by his arm, pushed him against the wall, and glared at him in a manner that left no doubt that he was through being amicable. For the first time Martellius looked genuinely frightening. “You’re going to watch over her from now on, is that clear? And I mean really watch over her! You’ve always been the most nefarious of us, but if she is really his daughter and you make another gross mistake, I won’t forgive you. I will show you what I’m capable of. Michael, don’t mistake my benevolence for weakness!” Michael nodded gravely and waited for his father to let go of his arm. The three of them decided not to tell Alessandro, Iveria, or anyone else, and least of all me. My offended protest didn’t change their mind. What could I do? Grab them and shake them until they told me the truth? Scowling, I lowered my head.
Martellius approached me with a private smile and kissed me on the forehead. “If I’m right, at least he would not have died in vain.”
“My father is not dead!” Nobody could have held the fear and dread in my voice against me.
“If my conviction turns out to be true, it means that the man you call your father is not your biological father, but rather someone he trusted enough to entrust him with your life and your destiny. The old fox actually found a way to save you.” He chuckled happily and walked into the house, shaking his head to himself.
My father not my actual father? I refused to believe him, but a part of me was afraid it might be true. Was my biological father really dead? No, I had only one father, my father, and he was not dead! They had to be mistaken.
Michael wrapped his arms around me and gave me an encouraging look. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Can we have breakfast first?” I asked dejectedly.
We stepped inside and sat down to eat. Michael excused himself before I had finished my breakfast. Shortly afterwards, Stefan led Tanja and me back outside, to the garden. What I saw on the lawn made me laugh. “I believe in the Christ Child, little baby Jesus …”
Nine reindeer were harnessed and in formation in front of a large sleigh. The front animal had its nose painted red. Michael was sitting up front, reins in hand. He wore a red stocking hat whose pointy end came down to his left shoulder. I laughed out loud and ran towards the sleigh, hopped up to take the seat next to him, and gave him a smack. The sleigh looked rather exactly like the pictures of Santa Claus’ vehicle. There were little bells everywhere. Stefan and Tanja took their seats behind us. Michael clicked his tongue to get the reindeer going, and we were airborne. Magic could be very nice indeed. “I just hope we’re not going to crash, what with me on board and all,” I joked.
He gave me a startled look. “You need to leave my spell alone! I would survive a crash, but you wouldn’t.”
It was incredible. Unlike the feeling you had on a plane, when you saw the trees vanish underneath, or hanging in the
harness of a parachute, seeing the earth rush up to meet you. We were sailing along over the tree tops, at a comfortable speed of twenty to twenty-five miles, without the distracting sound of helicopter blades or jet engines. I reached out and let my hand brush some of the tree tops. Michael smirked and steered the sleigh a little higher, until I could see the whole forest laid out below. I leaned out and watched the landscape slip by. I spied a group of deer, a fox, a rabbit. I hugged Michael euphorically several times. I even started belting out my joy at some point. Tanja behind me was similarly excited, though I sensed that something was bugging her. Michael was having a good time as well, though in his case it probably wasn’t the sleigh ride that amused him so much. Stefan and Michael kept teasing me affectionately, but I didn’t care. I was enjoying myself colossally. We landed back in Martellius’ gardens with the bells jingling.
Stefan and Tanja got out and went straight into the house. Michael slung the reins over the front rail, and I wantonly climbed on top of him. “Alright, Santa, here’s my wish …” He kissed me passionately. I briefly lost myself in his caress, before asking breathlessly: “How did you know?” He chuckled and kissed me again.
A faint sound of someone clearing his throat caught my attention. I reluctantly started to raise my head, but Michael gently demanded that I focus on him. I gladly sank back into his embrace. Once again, that faraway sound. Michael pulled away from me with a frown of irritation. “What is so important that it can’t wait a few minutes?”
“Phillipe is on the phone. He says it’s an emergency.”
“Father, I thought it was Stefan. Where is Stefan?”
“He’s taking Tanja home. Birgit will be here soon.”
“I see.”
Michael lifted me off his lap and set me down gently on the bench seat next to him. Before I could turn to face him and say goodbye, he was gone. Martellius took his place. “I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language) Page 27