by L. C. Miller
“There is nothing wrong with wanting to get away from you two ancients. All you two ever do is talk about the old days. Who wants to hear that all the time?”
Abby chuckled at the sighs the surrounding trees gave. “Looks like you are not alone in that.”
“What’s wrong with the old days, I ask you? Things were simpler then,” Orn spoke emphatically.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. They also cut a lot of trees down back then,” said Piney. “Forget the old days for a bit and let’s talk about the now. So, Abby, how’s life on two feet?”
Abby talked to the trees for a bit and they seemed fascinated that she was both a Mystic and a Wielder. Orn asked about her dancing, and she showed him the small emblem necklace she wore around her neck. “It encases a shadow of a former dancer. Whoever wears the emblem is the only one who can touch the shadow. We get new ones every year as only one person can touch it during a season, which is one year. Because of that, we can only wear it when we’re going to practice with one. It’s meant as a dance partner. It allows you to practice as often as you can without necessarily being in group practice. But while it can only touch me, it can speak to our instructor, Mia. She keeps up with all of them to make sure we’re practicing.”
Piney was very interested. He bombarded her with questions about songs she danced to and what they meant.
Orn answered a few of them. “See, it’s helpful to be ancient. If you would listen to us once in a while, you could have answered that.”
While Piney mumbled under his breath, Abby giggled. “There used to be a young lady who danced here. I forget her name now. I was such a young sapling then. Let’s see … I think it was Tara? Or Sara? Helen, maybe? No, it was Rhana.” He was silent for a minute. “What was I talking about again?”
Piney groaned, swinging his leaves. “What did I tell you? You’ll have to excuse him, Abby. Minds go with old age, you know.”
Abby laughed as the tree swung a branch at Piney. “They act like an old married couple,” Barky whispered to Abby.
Abby sat near the creek and talked more with the trees. She told Piney about the school and how they had classes to go to and loads of homework.
She laughed when Piney said, “Oh, homework. How I would love to have that.”
Orn shook his branches vigorously. “I can give you homework,” he said. “Just listen while I tell you what my great uncle Thon used to do.”
“Oh no, not him again,” moaned Piney, shaking his leaves in agitation.
“Didn’t he kick a two-legger one day?” asked Barky.
But before Orn could begin his new lesson, Abby broke in. “I’m sorry, Orn, but maybe you could tell me this story another time? I really need to get back home, or they’ll start to wonder where I am.” Abby said her good-byes while she gathered her things.
When she made it back to the house, Brannon and Michael were dueling Ethan. “Hey, Abby,” called Brannon as he swung his wand in an arc.
“Hey. Hahahaha,” started Ethan, having been hit with Michael’s laughing jinx while dodging Brannon’s. Abby stepped around Ethan while he laughed uncontrollably on the ground.
“Hey, guys. Mr. and Mrs. Herrin home yet?” Abby asked when she made it to the steps.
“Nope, not yet. Mom said they would be home late again tonight,” answered Brannon.
Ethan still twitched on the ground, laughing. Abby giggled at Ethan as she walked into the house. Going to her room, she laid down her bag and picked up Bombers.
“The trees talked to me today,” she told him excitedly. She told Bombers about her conversation with them while she put her emblem in her dresser.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Abby was working on her homework Saturday morning in the kitchen when a letter smacked against the window. Opening the window, the letter nearly whacked her in the face before she caught it. Flipping the letter over, Abby saw it was from the Mystic dance instructor, Mia.
Dear Abby,
I hope all is well and you like your classes. Everyone is preparing for the dance, but one small problem has occurred. I will need to discuss it with you today. Could you come by around 12 p.m.? You can give your reply to Sneaks, for I am sure he is waiting under the kitchen table.
Hope to see you then,
~ Mia
Abby looked down and sure enough, there was a black-and-brown-striped ferret hanging upside down under the table. She quickly wrote a reply and gave it to Sneaks. He clamped his small sharp teeth on the letter and ran out. Abby watched the ferret disappear into the woods and was about to go back to her homework when a rose caught her attention.
Earlier that week Mr. Herrin surprised his wife with a single yellow rose. It slightly drooped when Abby touched its petals. She could feel its life pulse through it. Thank you, it said when she removed her hand, its petals lifting beautifully.
Aaron and Ethan had just gotten up when Abby left the house a little before noon. As the dancers had been practicing three times a week for an hour, Abby wondered what the note could mean. Maybe the other dancers didn’t want to wear the masks for her. Maybe they wanted her out completely.
Wishing she hadn’t eaten breakfast, she arrived at the tree. She saw a black tabby near the base. “Bastian! How did you get out? I know old Nania didn’t let you out. She’d freak if she knew. You’re supposed to be resting this week.”
Picking him up, Abby touched the base of the tree. Once the tents came into focus, she put the cat down. “Here you go.”
As she straightened, she saw Mrs. Queenly leaving the Madam’s tent. Her facial expression changed slightly when she caught sight of Abby. The Madam stepped out after her friend. Abby watched as Mrs. Queenly said something to the Madam and gestured. The Madam looked at Abby, her face upset, and she shook her head strongly. The roses in her hair were nearly gray. The two disappeared back into the tent and Abby continued. She kept glancing back as she made her way to Mia’s bright orange tent.
Someone called her name as she neared. “Abby? Come on in.” She entered to see Arika, Samoan, and Trina sitting at the table with the teacher, Mia. Confused, Abby closed the flap behind her. Bastian ran in before it could close all the way.
“Welcome, Abby. How are you doing?” asked Mia after Abby took a seat.
“I’m fine, a little confused. Is something wrong?”
“Nope,” replied Arika, both her and Samoan grinning.
“As you know,” started Mia, “Arika, Samoan, and Trina are the three leads.” Abby nodded and looked at the entrance when the flap opened. Rollen, Micah, and Natt came inside.
“Well, Trina came to us to let us know she is leaving,” Mia explained. Stunned, Abby turned to Trina.
“I’m sorry for the short notice, but this happened just last night.”
“What happened?” asked Abby.
Trina looked on the verge of tears. “Cain proposed and I accepted.” She held out her hand and showed her ring.
Although Abby could tell Trina was happy, those around her seemed ill at ease. “What about the dance?” demanded Natt. “Will you be able to be here for that?”
Trina shook her head. “We’re leaving tonight.”
“You couldn’t wait a few days?” he asked angrily. Before Trina could snap back, Arika broke in.
“Your parents said it was okay? You’re only sixteen.”
Trina smirked. “Not exactly. They won’t let me marry him for another two years. So for this year, I will be living with his tribe, the Embers. Then next year, we will come back here.”
Natt laughed at this. “You are going to live as an Ember? In the desert?” Micah joined in his laughter.
Trina started to become angry again, but before she opened her mouth, Abby interrupted. “I really am happy for you and all, Trina, but I am not sure what that has to do with me.”
“You’ll be replacing me,” replied Trina, smirking slightly.
Abby wondered why Trina thought the idea was funny, but she was also stunned. “What?” She looked
at Mia. “I can’t be a lead dancer! Technically I’m not even a real Mystic. I’m unofficial!”
Mia smiled at her. “Abby, I have already spoken to your Shadow. He claims you are far better than you let on.”
Abby hung her head. The reason he thought that was because she held nothing back when she was alone, or with Rainy.
“I wanted you here tonight so that the six of you could practice together.” Mia smiled down at Abby.
“Besides,” broke in Natt, “you couldn’t be worse than some people.”
Glaring, Trina said, “She doesn’t know our part yet.”
“Yes, I do,” said Abby, bringing her head up. “I know every part of the dance.”
Mia smiled at her. “Here is your potion, Abby.” Mia handed Abby a vial. “Rainy brought this to me earlier. Go ahead and see if it works.” Abby quickly unscrewed the cap. Taking a sip, she almost choked as something that tasted like cold tomato soup ran down her throat. Trina smirked at the expression on Abby’s face.
Thinking for a minute, Abby made her hair grow long and turned it red. The potion was unnecessary as Abby was an Unrestricted and could change her hair to any color and style she wanted, but since only a few people knew about it, the Madam made her drink one anyway. “Very good,” said Mia, impressed. Everyone but Trina smiled at her. “Now let’s begin.” She clapped her hands and music started. Abby took her spot to the left of Arika. Natt took his place behind her. Abby closed her eyes as the music changed its tune. Opening her eyes, Abby smiled.
The three pairs danced the beginning of the song, the middle, and finally the last part. “Perfect!” exclaimed Mia. “Now for the whole thing.”
It was a little after two before Mia let Abby go back home. Her and Natt’s dancing had gone really well. Arika and Samoan agreed that Abby was the best choice in replacing Trina. Trina was the only one who seemed upset. Natt had taken Abby aside and explained how Trina always thought she was the best dancer and was sure Abby would fail because she wasn’t even a real Mystic. “Being able to dance, and dance well, has nothing to do with being a Mystic,” Abby replied.
The red hair was a refreshing change from the dark brown color. Abby skipped through the trees. She danced some of the moves as her hair changed to a springy bright blue. A meow had her quickly turning around and grinning. “Bastian! You shouldn’t have followed me out. Now you’re stuck out until Nania comes searching for you. And you’re gonna be in trouble!” Abby thought about Nania, the resident cat trainer for the tribe. A night didn’t go by without her calling all her cats in for dinner.
Starting on the trail again, Abby continued.
“Abby?”
She froze. Turning around again, she saw Brannon exactly where Bastian had been standing.
“Brannon?” she whispered. He looked at her just as stunned as she looked at him.
“I didn’t know how close you were to them. So you’re a Mystic, too? What else haven’t you told us?”
Abby said nothing; the color in her face had drained. He laid his hand out in front of him to show the now open and empty potion bottle. “This thing smells a lot like tomato soup.” A soft gasp had her realizing that her hair changed color again. It was almost black now. “You’re actually an Unrestricted! A real Unrestricted,” he exclaimed.
“Please!” Abby whispered, looking up to meet his eyes. “Please don’t tell them. Please!” she begged.
“What?” he asked, seemingly confused.
“I know how they’ll react. I don’t want to scare them. Just please don’t tell them. I won’t do it anymore!”
“Do what? Scare who?” Brannon seemed more and more confused.
“I won’t change my hair color again or anything else.” As she said this, her hair went back to the short brown style. “I won’t change my shape; I won’t ever do it again. Just please don’t tell them. I don’t want Mr. and Mrs. Herrin mad at me. I won’t scare Ethan, Aaron, and Carly. I don’t want them to hate me.” Abby started crying.
Realization came to Brannon’s eyes. He looked horror-struck when Abby started to cry. “Abby, they won’t hate you. The Mystics know you’re one and they don’t hate you,” he pointed out.
“No, they don’t know,” sobbed Abby. “Only a few of them know. It’s considered a bad thing to change who and what you are without the use of a potion or spell. I know you know this. Madam said Wielders think the same.”
She was hiccupping now. “This isn’t a real potion.” She held up the empty vial. “I just had to pretend to drink something. Please don’t tell them,” she whispered. Bombers came slithering up to Abby very quickly. He glanced at her tear-stained face and back at Brannon and hissed at him.
Brannon glanced down at him. “Hey, I didn’t do it!” He looked back at Abby. She seemed defeated. Sighing, he took a step toward her. Bombers hissed again.
“Although I don’t know where you got the notion that being an Unrestricted is to be feared, I promise not to tell anyone.” Abby jerked her head up, stunned. “Don’t look so surprised,” he said jokingly, relieved she was no longer crying. “I have to ask, though,” he started, “can you turn into any animal?” He sounded a little awed.
“You’re not scared?” Abby asked.
“We Wielders aren’t as scared by it as you seem to think we are.”
He sighed when she looked like she didn’t believe him. “You won’t tell them?” she asked, gazing at him warily.
“I just promised I wouldn’t. Can you really change into any animal or only some of them?” Giving a halfhearted laugh, Abby changed into a small calico cat; then into a garden snake. Bombers was still much bigger.
“That is too cool,” Brannon said when Abby took her human shape again. “And the only thing I can do is a cat shape.”
“Hey, you had me fooled,” stated Abby.
“I did? Really?” They started walking back toward the house.
“You were very catlike,” she promised.
“Sweet!” Brannon said, grinning.
Relieved the conversation was no longer about her, Abby started to relax. “Does Mrs. Queenly know you can change now?”
Before they could answer, Mrs. Herrin opened the kitchen door. “There you two are. Where have you been?”
“Abby was just helping me with my shapeshifting abilities,” Brannon lied. “You are now looking at a young man who can turn into a cat.” As soon as he said it, he changed to the big black tabby.
After changing back, his mother hugged him. “I’m so proud! Go tell your father.” She ushered him into the house. Abby followed. Ethan and Aaron came down the stairs. They grinned at Brannon when he told the news.
“About time,” Ethan chortled. Brannon shoved him as Ethan and Aaron followed him into the living room to tell Mr. Herrin.
Mrs. Herrin saw Abby looking at the rose. “I can’t believe how long it has lasted,” Mrs. Herrin sighed. Picking up the rose, she inhaled. “It still smells beautiful. See?” She handed the blossoming rose to Abby, who sniffed it.
Mrs. Herrin laughed when she heard her husband yell excitedly. “I’m so proud of him. I know he would have been so disappointed if he had to change his courses. Thank you, Abby.” She glanced down to see Abby studying her. “What is it?”
Abby was thinking of the conversation back at the woods. “If he could change into more than one shape, would you still be excited?” she asked.
Mrs. Herrin appeared slightly surprised. “Well, of course I would. But I know he can’t. Only an Unrestricted can turn into more than one shape, and they have to be born with that ability.”
Abby didn’t say anything else. Mrs. Herrin kissed them all and sent them to bed. Brannon was still excited as he followed Ethan and Abby upstairs. “I can’t wait for tomorrow,” he said as he bid them goodnight. He looked at Abby and winked.
“So what happened?” asked Ethan, stopping at his door. Aaron waited by his side.
Abby was surprised. How did they know? Did they see me with Brannon and hear
our conversation? she wondered.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Well? What did that lady want?”
Relaxing, Abby smiled. Okay, so they didn’t hear my conversation with Brannon!
“Well?” Ethan gestured. “Can’t leave us hanging!”
“Oh! She made me one of the lead dancers. I’ll now be in the second row. Arika is first, and then Samoan and I are second.”
“That’s awesome! See, I told you there was nothing to worry about!” exclaimed Aaron, grinning. Though they still had their awkward moments, Abby was happy they seemed to get back to their old friendship.
“I know! I can’t wait to tell Carly.”
Abby said goodnight and went to her room with Bombers around her shoulders. As soon as she changed her clothes and got into bed, Bombers stared at her face. He glanced at the door, then back at her. She could tell he was still upset about the conversation in the woods.
“Now, don’t be like that. He kept his promise when Mrs. Herrin asked where we were, remember? I just have to hope he continues to keep it.” She could tell Bombers was exasperated and didn’t understand why.
Sighing, she turned her light off and went to bed. On Sunday morning, Carly came over after breakfast. Abby told her the good news about becoming a lead dancer.
“I have a partner now, too,” Abby explained. “Mine is Nattel, who used to be Trina’s partner. But since she left, I’m his new one.”
“That’s bad, right? I mean, didn’t you tell me how they never got along and were always causing problems?”
Abby shook her head. “Natt isn’t the one who was the problem. Trina thought she should be the main lead, even though she didn’t practice as much. Plus, she had a foul temper if things didn’t go her way. She used to get mad at Natt, saying he didn’t practice enough and it was making her look bad.”
“Boy, she sounds like a real charmer,” said Ethan as he joined them. “Ready to go?”
Abby nodded. “Rainy is going to meet us at the creek.”
Seeing Aaron on the trail they headed toward him. They stopped at the creek and sat down to wait for Rainy.