Lorehnin: A Novel of the Otherworld

by Johnson, Jenna Elizabeth

  Kelly was locking the doors behind us ten minutes later, her neon leg warmers and sweater glowing against the darkness pouring through the cafe’s windows. Devlin hadn’t said a word since settling in at his table, and I wondered if he was still a little irked at me for interfering with the fight. I gave a mental snort. Typical guy. Couldn’t stand any suggestion of weakness on his part.

  “So, what are your plans for the rest of the night?” Kelly asked, turning toward us and trying to stretch her sweatshirt over her bare arms.

  I looked up at Devlin. His face was blank, and he gave no indication that he was going to answer Kelly. Smart move. He, after all, wasn’t completely familiar with the workings of the mortal world. I mean, he seemed to know about some things, but I was sure there was plenty he didn’t know. Best to let me do all the talking.

  Taking a breath, I turned back to Kelly and shrugged. “Don’t know. To be honest, I’m pretty tired.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re going to call it a night? On Halloween?”

  I grimaced. Yeah, that did seem out of character, but the whole episode behind the cafe with the faelah had kind of taken the fun right out of my evening.

  “I’m not saying I don’t plan on enjoying the rest of the night,” I added. “Maybe I’ll just go back to my apartment and watch a movie or something.”

  That sounded safe.

  “I think I’ll join you,” Devlin said, surprising me a little.

  Kelly was giving me one of her looks again.

  “Want to come with us?” I asked, trying to demonstrate that there was nothing romantic going on between Devlin and me (although I would have been the last one to protest if he had sought to change that).

  “Oh no, I think I’ll go home and crash too,” Kelly piped. “Good night!”

  Before we could even offer to walk her home, she turned on her heel and practically sprinted away. Wow. She was really going to be disappointed when I had no juicy details to share with her later.

  “I guess we had better start walking,” I said. “But I need to get my bike.”

  Devlin checked the alley before letting me go in, and although I appreciated his concern, I made a point to give him an exasperated look as I passed him.

  “I’m not completely helpless, you know.”

  “I know,” he said. “The teeth marks on my hand and the bruise on my stomach are evidence to that.”

  I winced. “Yeah, sorry about that. You scared the hell out of me, and I just reacted.”

  He rubbed his stomach, presumably where I had hit him. “You might have given those faelah a run for their money.”

  A smile crept onto my face, and I had to bite my lip as I unchained my bicycle and walked it out of the dark alley. The sincere note in his voice warmed me. The idea that Devlin thought I was tougher than I looked was the best compliment he could have paid me. Everyone was always assuming I needed help lifting things or killing spiders in my apartment. Okay, maybe I needed help lifting really heavy objects, but there was no way I wanted anyone to kill spiders for me. I was a pagan. Most of the time I was inviting the little eight-legged guys in to keep the pest population down. But it felt good that someone as big and strong as Devlin recognized that I was no pushover.

  For the first few blocks, Devlin and I walked in silence, with only the occasional shout and scream of those still enjoying Halloween night and the rhythmic clicking of my bicycle chain to keep us company. The bike rolled along on my left as Devlin stood on my right side, his eyes constantly moving, perusing the shadows as if he expected one of the faelah to jump out at any moment. I knew he was just being cautious, but it was making me jumpy.

  By the time we reached my street, I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Devlin, you’re making me nervous. If anything so much as a cricket decides to start chirping, I’m going to scream and jump ten feet in the air. Then you might not think I’m so tough after all.”

  He stopped and gave me a chastening look. “The dark magic is strongest here.” He indicated the wide expanse of my neighborhood. Oh, and that made me feel so much better.

  “Fine,” I gritted, “but if I make a fool of myself because a shadow manages to push me over the edge, it’s your fault.”

  Devlin surprised me by reaching out a hand and brushing his fingers against my cheek. “You are not foolish to fear what I hunt.”

  His voice was low, almost aggressive, and the gesture and his choice of words silenced me into a stupor. Before I could recover, he stepped away and said over his shoulder, “I’ll check the area. Don’t move.”

  As if I could move after that little exchange. My head spun and my blood warmed, making me forget all about what might be lurking in the bushes near my home. Before I knew it, Devlin was back, helping me roll my bike the last several feet and getting it well stowed behind the house.

  We reached my door, and I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous. “You are more than welcome to come in and watch that movie with me.”

  He crossed his arms and gave me a curious look. “I’ve heard of movies, but I still am not sure what they are.”

  I smiled. A grown man who had never seen a movie. “Have you ever seen a play? A performance put on by other people?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “Movies are a little like that, only they’re made up of moving pictures with sound. And most of them have awesome special effects.”

  Devlin looked lost again so I just shook my head. “You kind of have to see one to really understand.”

  I unlocked my door and held it open, inviting him inside. Devlin hesitated, then let his shoulder slump a little.

  “As much as I’d love to accept your offer, I’m of better use out here.”

  My disappointment burned like acid. I really wanted him to come inside with me. I honestly didn’t expect anything to happen, but maybe, if I was lucky, he might let me curl up next to him or something. The mere thought of it sent chills across my skin.

  “Oh,” I finally said, my voice bland.

  “The faelah weren’t the only things after you tonight Robyn,” he murmured.

  My eyes shot up, the surprise clear on my face.

  “What do you mean?”

  Devlin let go of a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “Someone from the Otherworld has been watching you, following you. I can’t talk about it here. He may be listening, but it isn’t fair for you to remain in the dark. Can I meet you again sometime to discuss it?”

  After my disbelief evaporated, I found my voice again. “What? Who?”

  Devlin narrowed his blue eyes and leveled them on me. “I suspect the same person who tried to subdue you the night we first met. Perhaps even the same person I hunt; the glamour feels similar. He failed then, so he’s been playing it safe.” He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “You are tainted by his magic, and it isn’t that old. He’s been in contact with you again. Sometime late yesterday or today.”

  My legs turned to water, and I had to lean against my door to keep from collapsing. Oh god. I’d been in contact with dozens of people since yesterday. Every time I handed back change or brushed up against a customer.

  I remembered what Devlin had said to me the last time he was in the mortal world. “And do you still not know what this person looks like?”

  Devlin’s morose expression told me all I needed to know.

  “Can you think of no one who has been paying extra attention to you lately? Maybe someone who has been acting strangely around you?”

  No. I couldn’t. And then the events of earlier that night slammed into me. Evan. My odd, clingy friend from class had been acting strange. In fact, he’d been acting peculiar for a long time now. And then Kelly’s comment about him being responsible for the deaths of the two people found in the creek several weeks ago surfaced. Oh no.

  My face must have betrayed my thoughts because Devlin reached out and took hold of my shoulders to steady me.

  “Who, Robyn?” he hissed.

&nb
sp; I shook my head. Evan had gone to the Noctyrnum meeting, but he told me he’d given it up. Yet his behavior tonight had been so bizarre. Had he lied to me?

  Devlin gave me a gentle shake and I tilted my head back to look at him, my own eyes haunted.

  I licked my dry lips and said, “A friend of mine. Evan. Evan Miller. But he’s not from the Otherworld, and I’ve known him since last year.”

  Slowly, Devlin’s grip relaxed and he released me. “That doesn’t matter, Robyn. Mortals are very easily manipulated by those from Eile. Our magic is so much stronger. The one I hunt could be controlling him, using him to get to you. Will you be seeing this Evan again anytime soon?”

  I had to take a few breaths to clear my head. No. Not Evan. He was like a lost, awkward puppy. He could be obsessive and irritating at times, but I just couldn’t imagine him harming anyone. At least not on purpose.

  Finally, I managed to answer Devlin. “If he comes to the Samhain party this weekend, then I’ll be seeing him on Saturday.”

  “Then I’ll go with you,” he said.

  I glanced up, my head spinning with this sudden bad news. Ugh, I hated losing my cool.

  “You won’t hurt him, will you?”

  Devlin’s blue eyes were like ice. “I make no promises. Why do you ask? Does he mean something to you?”

  I shook my head then answered, “No. Yes. I mean, he’s my friend. When we first met, he was really shy and had a hard time meeting people. His self-esteem isn’t the best, so I kind of took him under my wing; tried to be more patient with him than most people. He’s never hurt me, and I think of him kind of like an awkward cousin. He’s just different, like me. You know, your usual, run-of-the-mill, brooding young adult.”

  Devlin stepped back, his jaw tight and his eyes dark. “Very well. When is this celebration set to begin?”

  I did my best to swallow a wave of apprehension. “This Saturday. We’re having a bonfire at Avila Beach and we plan on getting there early, around four, which means I need to leave here twenty minutes before then.”

  Devlin nodded. “I’ll see you at three-thirty then, three days from now.”

  He turned and took a step toward the darkness beyond my porch light but then paused. Without turning around, he said quietly, almost too quietly for me to hear him, “Your friend may be different, Robyn, but I highly doubt he is anything like you. In fact, I would be very surprised to find anyone in this world, or mine, who even comes close.”

  As I watched him disappear into the shadows, I wracked my brain to understand what he had meant by that strange statement. Tired and mentally drained from everything that had happened that night, I slipped into my apartment and fastened all the locks. Naturally, I couldn’t sleep, so I ended up watching that movie after all. Only instead of choosing something more appropriate for Halloween, I settled on a light comedy. About halfway through the movie, I fell asleep and all my worries about bloodthirsty monsters and brainwashed friends were forgotten.

  -Eleven-

  Daramorr

  Thursday and Friday dragged by at a snail’s pace. I woke up groggy the next morning, my earphones still in place and the cord plugged into my laptop, which had died sometime during the night. Grumbling, I managed to roll out of bed, plug my computer in to recharge, and then shuffle into the bathroom for a quick shower. It was there that the memories from last night assaulted me: getting into costume, meeting Moira’s hot brother, the awkward and worrisome exchange with Evan, Devlin ambushing me behind the cafe and the attack that followed, Devlin’s claim that I was being hunted and then that odd comment he’d made.

  By the time I stepped out of the bathroom my fatigue had transformed into a nice little headache bordering on migraine territory. Scraping together some painkillers, I made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water, frowning at my ruined fairy wings along the way. The wings, along with the rest of my costume, lay sprawled across the futon. Maybe I could fix them when I got a spare afternoon.

  The bus ride to Cuesta only made me feel worse and by the time I got off at the final stop, I was really tempted to run over and throw up into the shrubs. I managed to make it through my handful of classes that day but by the time I reached my apartment door later in the afternoon, I could hardly stand. There was no way I’d be able to work my shift tonight. Once I was inside, I dropped my backpack next to my discarded costume and whipped out my cell phone. I sent a text to Margie, letting her know I was coming down with something and that I’d ask Kelly to cover for me. Next I sent a message to my co-worker.

  Must have been one hell of a night then, she sent back.

  Oh, you have no idea, I thought to myself. I typed in an emoticon expressing my slight annoyance at her comment then added, Thanks for covering for me. Hope to see you Friday.

  Somehow, I mustered enough energy to get up and heat a can of soup on the stove. I had no idea what was wrong with me. After eating, I crashed into bed, barely able to keep my eyes open. Every cell in my body ached, but at least my head wasn’t pounding anymore. That night my dreams took a really bizarre turn. Not only were they swamped with horrific images I could only attribute to the Otherworldly influences in my life of late, but on several occasions I seemed to be running through a forest bathed in emerald light. Eventually, the trees gave way to caverns that twisted into the very heart of the earth. I should have been terrified, but for some reason being in the deep, dark place didn’t bother me.

  By Saturday, I was feeling much better, which was fortunate because I had an Earth Bound meeting I couldn’t miss. More importantly, Devlin was finally going to let me in on all of his secrets. The very thought made me nervous. Ignorance was bliss, right? But it could also be fatal in some cases. All that morning my head spun with thoughts of Evan and what his part was in all of this. I dearly hoped he was like me, just an innocent victim.

  At half past three, a light knock on my door set my senses on high alert. Devlin, in all his Otherworldly glory, stood taking up the doorway, a calm, cool expression on his face.

  “Hi,” I managed with a faulty smile.

  “Are you ready?” he asked.

  No. Yes. Maybe. I couldn’t say for sure, so I just nodded.

  Grabbing my keys and my purse and the pie I’d baked earlier that day, I headed out the door and made my way across the street to where my old car was parked. At times like these I was grateful I’d decided not to sell it after high school. As pathetic as it looked, the old compact still ran as long as I checked the oil often and didn’t drive it too hard.

  The door creaked when I pulled it open, the inside smelling like overheated upholstery and whatever crumbs had managed to escape my notice the last time I’d driven it. Wrinkling my nose, I made a note to buy some car fresheners the next time I went to the store. My car took its time warming up and rattled as I pulled away from the curb. I patted the dashboard, despite its fussiness, and remembered that it was a privilege to own a car no matter how close to falling apart it was.

  Having Devlin in the car with me was altogether a painful experience. For one thing, no matter how hard I scrubbed or how many times I vacuumed, the dark stains and scattering of petrified food particles wouldn’t go away. And of course the rust holes in the floor and the vent that spewed mildew-scented air only added to my car’s special charm. Teetering between mortification and frustration, I found myself uncomfortably aware of Devlin’s presence. Whereas I fit rather comfortably in the decaying vehicle, he was crammed in like an extra-large tuna in a sardine tin. Even with the seat moved back as far as it would go, Devlin had to bend his knees past what appeared to be his comfort level.

  No longer able to stand the silence, I cleared my throat and said, “So, have you ever ridden in a car before?”

  “No,” Devlin answered, “this is my first time in a vehicle this small.”

  “Well, I hope my driving doesn’t scare you away from the activity.”

  I glanced over at him and gave him a quick smile before returning my eyes to the freeway.
Our exit was coming up, and the only thing that would make this situation worse was to miss the off-ramp. Fortunately, I managed to act like a normal human being and exited the freeway, using my turn signal and everything.

  The road leading to Avila twisted between a wooded creek and a cluster of steep hills. The towering sycamore trees, their grey mottled bark reminding me of marble columns, created a natural bower with their arched branches. Most of their leaves had already fallen onto the road, my little car kicking them up into a frenzy as it zipped along. A few miles later, the lane straightened out and a long stretch of sandy beach peeked at us through the spaces between a cluster of multi-storied buildings. I bypassed the main hub of Avila and headed toward the part of the beach spotted with fire pits and picnic tables. Just before the street curved, spanning the mouth of the creek we had followed to this point, I pulled onto the shoulder of the road and turned off the engine.

  “Well,” I breathed, slapping my hands against my thighs, “we’re here.”

  I unfastened my seat belt and climbed out, careful not to get run over by the cars that zipped by on the thoroughfare.

  Devlin mimicked me, unfurling like a dragon out of the passenger side.

  Crossing the street was another adventure, but we managed to make it down onto the sand unscathed. Sophia spotted us first, waving her hand and beaming.

  “Down here, Robyn!” she called out.

  When we were close enough for her to really see Devlin, her cheer quickly evaporated, and a look of pure awe took over her face. Yup. I think I might have had that same reaction when seeing Devlin for the first time.

  “Glad you could make it, Robyn,” Claire said cheerily from the other side of the fire pit. She blinked up at me and her eyebrows rose when she took in my companion.

  “And I see you brought a friend.”

  Devlin smiled and reached out a hand. “Devlin O’Brolaigh. Nice to meet you.”

  Oh, good. He was going to be social and friendly tonight.

  After introducing Devlin around to all of my wide-eyed Earth Bound friends, we made our way over to the closest picnic table, where a display of goodies awaited our arrival.