Flicker

by Arreyn Grey

  Elise glanced around, considering, before striding over to a striking grove of kwanzan cherry trees. Settling her attention on one, she rested her hand decisively on its smooth, shiny bark and breathed deep, reaching for the fizz in her chest.

  Elise was used to the ticklish ache originating just above her heart, but this time, it started in her palm. Still, she didn't let that throw her off for more than a moment; concentrating on the increasingly familiar sensation, she took a deep breath. As she slowly let it out, she relaxed the muscles in her shoulders and neck, closing her eyes and focusing her mind on the tree. She heard its leaves rustling over her head, imagined she could feel the branches swaying in the breeze. She pressed her hand firmly to the trunk, and felt the tingling spreading through her wrist, humming up her arm and shoulder and down into her chest.

  Elise jumped, startled, as the numb tingling turned to a jolt. She felt her heart clench, stutter for the briefest moment, then beat again-- she could swear it felt stronger than it had a moment ago. She was suddenly very aware of the path her blood took coursing through her body, and as she stood there with her eyes closed, leaning against the tree, for a second she wasn't sure whether her veins were roots or the other way around. Life flowed from the tree into her, strengthening her, steadying her, filling her with a deep reserve of calm and patience.

  Elise's hand slipped, the smooth bark scraping against her palm, and her eyes flew open. She was breathing fast, her heart thundering in her ears. Backing slowly away from the tree, she stared up at it with wide eyes. She wasn't really afraid, though-- the brush with the tree's energy, she supposed it was, had left her feeling rooted and serene. It was just that, aside from exchanging energy with Alex, she had never consciously made an effort to feed directly-- but there was no doubt in her mind that she had just done exactly that.

  She paused a moment to take stock: aside from a slight disorientation over the unfamiliar direction of her energy flow, she felt good. Better than good, in fact-- she felt invigorated, vibrant, and so very alive. Oddly enough, as full of life as she felt, though, she was hungry. It took her a moment to realize that it was her physical body-- she hadn't eaten breakfast this morning, and her body was letting her know that it objected to the oversight. Alex had told her that if she kept up on feeding, she would find herself needing less actual food, but that she would still need to consume it. All the same, it was an odd feeling, to be both empty and full at the same time. She sighed. It was a nice morning for a visit to the coffee shop in town, she decided-- she could get something to eat there. Turning on her heel, she cast one last glance at the tree before walking away.

  She hadn't been to The Treehouse since Labor Day, when she'd seen Alex for the first time. It wasn't that she'd been avoiding it, precisely, just that she'd been busy. She hadn't realized just how comfortable she'd become in Willowdale until she heard the jangling bells as she opened the door and felt like she was coming home.

  Elise was smiling as she ordered a mug of tea and a breakfast wrap, and was pleased to see the barrista's eyes sparkling as she grinned cheerfully in response. If she had nothing else to be grateful to Alex for, she'd thank him for the rest of her life for helping her to open up to people again. She couldn't even articulate how much she'd missed real connection with other people.

  She hadn't brought any homework with her this morning, so on her way to a seat near the center of the room, Elise plucked a book from one of the shelves kept waiting for patrons, joining the dozen or so people already sitting among the mismatched tables squished haphazardly into the circular room. She'd loved to read for longer than she could remember, and had long ago mastered the art of holding a book with one hand and eating with the other. Taking a bite of her wrap, she opened the book-- a worn copy of Pride and Prejudice-- and began to read.

  She was only a few pages in, and halfway finished her breakfast, when she felt more than heard someone approaching her table. She didn't give the sensation much thought at first, assuming the intruder was simply another patron edging through the maze of chairs to his own table. But after a few seconds, she realized whoever it was had stopped at her table. Recalling the day Alex had dropped in on her like this in lunch, she looked up with a smile-- and froze.

  Right in front of her, wearing an impeccable navy-blue suit and a pleasant smile, stood Rashid.

  “May I join you, Elise?” He asked politely. Of course he knew her name. Without waiting for a response, he pulled out the chair across the tiny table from her and helped himself. The book fell from her cold hand with a thud, and Elise swallowed hard, her mouth bone dry and her mind racing. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest, and her eyes darted around from the girl behind the counter, to the other people in the cafe, to the door, and back to him. His smile widened.

  “Now, kitten, there's no need to look so frightened-- I only want to talk,” he all but purred. There was almost a hint of seduction in his voice, and Elise swore that for a second, her heart stopped. She tensed, preparing to jump to her feet. She knew there was no way she could get to the door if he got it into his mind to stop her-- not if he was able to move half as fast as Alex could-- but maybe she could make enough of a fuss that he'd have to leave her alone. After all, he wouldn't kill the nearly fifteen people in the shop just to get to her, would he? She had to admit to herself that she had no idea-- and could she take that risk?

  Rashid sighed. “I see you'll require some convincing,” he said, sounding bored. He raised the steaming mug he'd brought with him, and she had the absurd thought that he was going to make a toast-- and then he opened his hand. The mug fell and shattered on the hardwood floor with a crash that made Elise jump and let out a little shriek-- but no one else even glanced over. She stared at the people around them-- there was a man calmly reading the newspaper not two feet away-- and down to the shards of broken pottery on the floor-- and back to the other patrons. No one had so much as twitched at the sound, no one seemed to notice the widening pool of hot coffee on the floor-- it was as if Elise was the only one who had even seen it happen.

  When she returned her gaze to Rashid, she was shaking so hard the table rattled. His smile reminded her of the Cheshire Cat-- if the Cheshire Cat was preparing to slaughter and consume Alice. “You see,” he said softly, the words a caress. “I just don't want to be interrupted. But honestly, there's nothing to be so afraid of. I have this feeling that you and I,” he waved his hand vaguely, as if trying to find the right words. “We got off on the wrong foot yesterday, so I wanted to come have a nice chat over coffee. Isn't that what civilized people do these days?”

  Elise found herself nodding, her terror making the movement jerky. She swallowed again, and when that didn't help, forced herself to reach out and take a sip of her tea. Alex would be brave, she told herself sternly. She wiped her hands on her skirt. “So,” she managed to keep her voice steady. “Talk. Say what you want to say.”

  “My, aren't you direct? So very American,” he lamented. Placing his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers, Rashid leaned forward to meet her gaze. “Getting straight to the point, I wanted to come and make sure you aren't being taken advantage of.”

  Suddenly, it was all Elise could do not to laugh. Her fear, his power-- that statement made it all seem so ridiculous. She blinked at him. “Who on earth would be taking advantage of me?”

  Rashid smiled slightly. “My dear friend Alexander, of course,” he said simply, as if speaking to a child. Elise frowned at him.

  “You're out of your mind,” she said loftily, looking at him hard through narrowed eyes.

  “Your loyalty is commendable-- and of course, you only know what he's told you about me, about our world, and about yourself. So certainly, you're on his side.” Rashid managed to sound both admiring and disgusted at the same time.

  “Alex cares about me,” Elise sniffed, feeling oddly defensive. She knew Alex kept secrets from her, but really, she had from him, too. And besides, was she really going to let his enemy-- th
e man he'd said was his enemy, her mind whispered-- get under her skin? She lifted her chin and replied in her best Elizabeth Bennett impression. “He's helped me a great deal, and he's teaching me how to use my abilities. So I'll thank you not to cast aspersions on his intentions.”

  “Of course not, kitten-- far be it from me to lead you astray,” Rashid leaned back, studying her. “It's just that, well, for someone with your past, I would think that the personal relationship he expects in return for your training wouldn't be appropriate.”

  “It's not like that,” Elise snapped, struggling not to react to his allusion to a history that was supposed to be her deepest secret. Her composure would be more convincing if her hands would stop shaking.

  “No, of course not,” Rashid said, his voice kind. “In nine hundred years, he's settling down with you because he's finally found true love at last. Your power, of course, has nothing to do with it.” Elise blinked at him.

  “What would my power have to do with anything?” She asked, trying to hold her dismissive disgust in her voice and reminding herself that she was only sitting here talking to him because he was forcing her to. Still, she was curious in spite of herself-- before now, she'd never gotten to talk to anyone but Alex about all of this, and there was still that little voice in the back of her mind that worried over taking his word for everything.

  Rashid looked at her sympathetically. “Oh, you sweet little thing, he doesn't give a damn about you. Didn't he tell you about the Queen?" He didn't wait for a response, but continued immediately, already sure of her answer. "She's an omnivore, as are her heirs; in fact, the four of them-- the Court-- are, aside from you, the only practicing omnivores we're aware of. I suppose this makes you fifth in line for a very wealthy and powerful, albeit secret, throne-- not that they'll be dying anytime soon. But still, having you under his thumb would make my friend Alexander a very powerful political player, indeed.”

  Elise couldn't stop her eyes from widening in shock, but somehow, she managed to breeze past the subject as if she already knew all about it. “And that's different from what you want, how?” She demanded archly, her eyebrows raised.

  “I won't make you sleep with me,” he said simply, and Elise felt a shiver run up her spine at the menace in his tone-- though it wasn't, she realized belatedly, directed at her. “What I have in mind is purely a business relationship.”

  Elise gave a rather unladylike snort, and Rashid raised his eyebrows at her in mild reproach. To escape his piercing gaze, Elise took another hurried sip of tea, and realized it was getting cold. Her stomach suddenly churned with nausea, and Rashid heaved his heaviest sigh yet.

  “I know this is a lot to take in,” he said, the sympathy in his accented voice edged with mockery. “You think it over-- I'll be in touch later.” Elise frowned at him, thrown by the abrupt change of subject. He made a shooing motion with his hand. “Now run along, kitten, and give my regards to Alexander.”

  Her heart still pounding and her palms slick with sweat, Elise rose from her seat. Leaving the book and her breakfast on the table, she stepped over the coffee spill and walked toward the door. It took all her courage just to turn her back on him and keep her pace measured. She felt his eyes boring into her, and refused to give him the satisfaction of letting him see her hurry-- but once she was outside and had walked past the windows, she lifted her skirts, broke into a run, and didn't stop until she was almost a mile away, and had reached Alex's front door.

  Alex answered her frantic knocking within seconds. It was clear she had woken him-- he was wearing nothing but a loose pair of dark blue plaid flannel pajama pants. Still, his eyes were alert and clear. Any other time, Elise might have paused to appreciate the sight of his bare torso; just now, it was all she could do to keep her shaking under control.

  “Elise? What's wrong?” He demanded, looking up and down the street as if he were checking whether she was being chased. She was gasping too hard to speak, trembling from head to toe. He took her hand, and his skin was on fire-- she realized abruptly that she was freezing cold, and that her eyes were streaming tears. “Here, come inside,” he drew her up the stairs and ushered her in, shutting the door firmly behind them.

  “Now, what happened?” He asked, his concern palpable in the air.

  Elise crossed his living room and sank into a leather, antique-looking armchair in the corner, regaining her breath enough to whisper, “Rashid.”

  Alex was a blur-- Elise blinked, and he was on one knee in front of her, one of her hands held tightly in both of his. “What did he do?” Alex pressed, murder in his eyes. “If he hurt you--”

  Elise cut him off with a shake of her head. “No, he just-- he just wanted to talk,” she panted, but she could feel her heart slowing and her composure returning. Now that she was with Alex, she felt safer. “I was at the coffee shop in town, and he came and sat down--” She went on to describe, briefly, their interaction, focusing more on things like his display of power than on what they'd actually said or how it had made her feel. Away from Rashid, with distance between her and his terrifying manner and strangely seductive voice, she was overwhelmingly ashamed of having doubted Alex for those few moments-- even if he hadn't told her about a queen and a throne and other practicing omnivores.

  When she finished, Alex was quiet for a moment. Then, slowly, he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead with such exquisite tenderness that her throat tightened and her heart skipped. “I will keep you safe,” he whispered.

  And then he was on his feet in another blur. “Would you like to take a field trip with me today?” He asked briskly. Once again, the abrupt change left Elise reeling.

  “Um, where?” She blinked up at him.

  “Do you think your parents would mind you coming up to New York? I'd like you to meet Gregory,” he said, his voice deceptively cheerful. Elise would almost have believed his tone, if not for the tightness she could sense in him, a coiled sense of preparation.

  “Let me call them,” she said, digging in the pocket of her outermost skirt for her cell phone. “I would like to meet him,” she added as she turned on the seldom-used device and hit the speed dial.

  Her mother picked up after a few rings. “Hello?” Marie sounded worried, and Elise didn't blame her-- Elise carried her phone out of habit, but used it so infrequently that a call first thing in the morning was most likely bad news.

  “Hey, mom,” Elise said cheerfully, turning away from Alex. She could always lie better when she didn't have to look anyone in the eye. Behind her, she heard Alex moving around, and had the impression he was making preparations for their trip. “Question for you. I met Alex at the coffee shop this morning-- did you see my note?-- and he wanted me to ask you if I could go up to New York City with him for the day. His cousin goes to school there, remember, and he wants to meet me.”

  “Oh!” Her mother sounded simultaneously relieved and more worried. “Do you have any homework this weekend?”

  “Nope,” Elise chirped. “And it would just be for the day-- I have absolutely no intention of trying to stay out super late or anything.”

  The line was silent for a moment, and Elise had to resist the urge to say something. She had learned that when she wanted anything from her mother, the best course of action was usually to present her argument and then just wait. After a few seconds, her patience paid off.

  “If you promise to be up for church tomorrow morning, I don't see why not,” Marie said finally. “But be careful!”

  “I will, thanks mom!” Elise forced a smile into her voice. “See you later! Love you, bye!” She hung up forcefully and paused for a moment, staring blankly out the window at nothing, before she turned back to face Alex. She didn't know what she expected, but he was leaning against the doorway to the dining room, watching her sadly. She still sensed that coiled tension in him, but for the moment, he was just looking at her tenderly.

  “I'm sorry,” he said softly.

  Without pausing to think, she went to him, sl
ipping into his arms and resting her cheek against his warm, bare chest. He still smelled like sleep, a detail that made the embrace even more intimate, but she realized that didn't bother her right now. Whatever else she felt with or about him, he made her feel safe.

  Several minutes later, Elise found herself sitting on his bed while he showered. She couldn't resist looking around curiously, but his bedroom sported none of the mess she would have expected from a teenage boy. But of course, she reminded herself, he wasn't a teenager, and hadn't been in more time than she could fathom. In any event, his room was neat and clean, the only messy portion being the unmade bed he'd clearly rolled out of to answer her knock at the door. The sheets were white, the comforter was done in stripes of gray. The shelf was full of books, only some of which were written in English, but there was no organization or pattern to them that she could see. There was a mirror, warped and spotted with age, in a black wood frame hanging on the wall. A dark wooden dresser for his clothes stood beneath it; the matching bedside table held nothing but a lamp, an alarm clock, and a half-full glass of water. A black laptop computer rested on the floor, tucked between the bed and the nightstand. There were no photos anywhere, no personal touches, nothing. In a bleak way, it reminded her of her own bedroom-- and for a moment, she recalled her old room in Allison Springs, where she'd had pictures of herself and her friends wedged into the frame of her mirror and taped in an arc around the headboard of her bed. Those were all gone now, part of a different life. She wondered if, when Alex moved from one place to another, he felt like he was starting a new life, too.

  Elise heard the water shut off in the bedroom and realized after a second what that would mean. Seeing his bare chest while she was panicked and upset, and even embracing him in an attempt to comfort them both, was one thing. Rather than be confronted by Alex wearing nothing but a towel, Elise fled down to the kitchen and busied herself making a few sandwiches for their trip.