The Broken Destiny

by Carlyle Labuschagne

  “Ouch!” I exclaimed a little too late.

  He laughed slightly as he bent down to retrieve my brush, his eyes lingering on it for a while before handing it to me. I snatched it back, shaking my head at his odd behavior. He stepped aside for me to enter the bathroom, his eyes not meeting mine. I guessed he didn’t want anyone to see us behaving ‘badly’.

  “All yours,” he said, and I blushed.

  Sam and I offered to help Anaya with lunch. Arriana was sitting outside where the storm had left behind a fresh breeze and wet flowerbeds for our pleasure. Almost quietly, her pottery wheel spun its rhythmic tune, one I was getting used to. Tatos and Willard hovered over Anaya as she took the bread out of the stone oven for lunch.

  “Guys, please!” Anaya said irritably, shooing them away with a cloth.

  “Lunch is early.” Enoch commented on entering the room all innocently. He was better at hiding things than I was, because upon being in the same room as him, I inevitably felt myself blush.

  Sam bowed to greet him, a proud smile on her face for remembering their customs. Our eyes met and I smiled. The village would become a part of her world too, but how long before the Council stepped in and prevented her from coming here – if they knew she was here at all. Sam was also very good at hiding things when she wanted to. If not for her, I would never have sneaked out of our apartment successfully.

  “Sam, Enoch. Enoch, Sam.” I introduced, clearing my throat shyly.

  My stomach quivered at the mention of his name.

  Enoch grabbed a slice of warm bread and kissed Anaya on the cheek.

  “Thanks! It smells great,” he said as he made his way past us, bowing to his friends in greeting.

  Enoch took a bite from his bread and we exchanged a look. My stomach performed another somersault, sweat beading my forehead. How long could I keep it a secret before it ruined me? At the slightest movement he made, my body was fully aware of his. I needed to hide my thoughts from Anaya, from Arianna, from them all.

  “Sam…” he started, his eyes still lingering on mine, inspecting my demeanor and checking if I wouldn’t crack under the pressure. “Are you staying for the day? Ava has not stopped talking about…” he ceased talking when he saw the suspicion in Tatos’ gaze.

  “So, tell me what brings you here for real?” I asked her, trying to defuse the suspicion.

  “Boredom and loneliness, I guess.” She looked down as she spoke.

  “I’m so sorry that you are alone. I feel…”

  “No, Ava. I won’t let you make this about you,” she mocked.

  We exchanged smiles.

  “I hear it’s time to cut that silly thing off your arm,” said Kronan, as he came through the door.

  There was something about Kronan that didn’t match his exterior. Was it the look in his eyes, or the way he walked? I pondered.

  Sam clapped her hands together. “Oh, goody!” She exclaimed.

  “Hi guys!” Maya hobbled in, hanging onto a pair of wooden crutches.

  I saw the look on Sam’s face and tried to stop her before she put her foot in it. She was infamous for saying things at the wrong time.

  “You and the boyfriend been at it again?” She joked.

  I was too late.

  “Something like that,” Maya answered, a goofy smile on her face.

  Maya and I exchanged a relieved look. No one had noticed the word boyfriend. Willard was too busy hogging the loaf to have noticed while Tatos examined the saw Kronan had brought along to cut my hardened bandage cast off.

  Saturdays were one of the busiest days in the Minoan Village. Pretty much everyone had something to do that day leaving Sam and I alone for most of the afternoon. I showed her around the little cottage, not entering anyone else’s room but Maya’s. We sat casually in front of the fire talking about all kinds of things and I somehow couldn’t stop myself when Sam asked about me and Enoch. I wasn’t sure what to say, so I told her the truth. She understood the attraction as Enoch was a very attractive man, but warned that anything that is kept a secret was never a good thing and I, of all people, should have known that. My only defense was that like Sage, my concern was that people were not ready for interracial relationships; our age difference was bad enough. After talking about it some more, she assured me that she’d keep it a secret for as long as she could and I was happy with that. I asked her not to talk about Troy. She knew that I was not yet ready to discuss whether or not I would have jumped if there hadn’t been any blood magic involved on the night of the bonfire. It was late afternoon when we heard the roar of an engine outside.

  “Oh, my lift is here.”

  Sam leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. I pulled away when I recognized the familiar sound of a particular red motorbike. I glanced down at my arm, my skin pale and flaky now that the bandaged cast had been removed. Sam moved to the door. I immediately stood up taking a couple of steps away from the couch. I shot her an angry glare from across the room. She knew I was jealous and enraged and hurried out the door with nothing more than a wave. I rushed over to the window, my stare hard on her back as they drove off together. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmingly betrayed. It should be me on the back of that motorbike, not her, I grumbled to myself. For a second, I hated Sam and for the longest second, I wanted Troy to be mine. I found myself alone in the confines of the cottage. The warm fire wasn’t warming me at all and the white stone walls were collapsing in on me. I walked over to the couch, folded the blankets and sat down on top of them. I listened for the slow hum of the market place, the ocean’s roar, the breeze raking through the treetops. There was nothing to sooth my anxiety. As I gazed at the red hot coals in the fireplace, I was reminded of the tremendous heat that had seared my eyes after the Zulus had tried to grab me on the beach. My mind jumped back to that day. It was so tangible it felt as if I had gone back in time. I could feel the burn of the coarse sand against my skin, my mouth flooded with the bitter taste of the poison, the scar on my cheek pulled open underneath my skin and the numbness in my legs had returned. My eyes were suddenly on fire once more, my heart pounding as I felt the cold metal on my cheek and sensed warm blood flowing from the wound. I abruptly snapped out of my nightmare and instantly ran my hand over the tender scar across my cheek. When I looked at my fingers, they were dripping that same bright red. I jumped back and did a double take – it was gone. I am driving myself crazy. My throat pulled closed. I was feeling the anxiety as if it were a new thing for me. Dizziness clouded my mind. I drew in deep shallow breaths as Kim had taught me, in deep and out slowly. I got up from the couch and grabbed my jacket. I needed distraction to free me from my attack. This was exactly why I hated being alone with my mind. Things will catch up with you eventually, I heard someone say within my mind – warning me once again. I shook my head even harder in an attempt to clear it of all the clutter within. I wanted to run to the kitchen, grab a knife and stab myself to prove that I was not this alien I could feel trying to crawl its way out of me. I bolted for the door. I was suffocating myself with insanity.

  “Where are you off to?” Maya inquired, as I pulled the cottage door closed behind me.

  She was sitting alone. I glared at her, startled that she’d been there at all.

  “Mom and Anaya are seeing Kronan off for the day. Won’t you wait until they come back?” She stared at me solidly. It was strange to hear her say ‘mom’ as if they had adopted me into the family already.

  “Would you like some company?” I asked her.

  Her eyes fell on something behind me. I turned to see Rion closing the small gate behind him, a basket filled with differently colored jars in one hand.

  “Rion and I are going to paint some of mom’s pots. Why don’t you join us? It’s very therapeutic.” She smiled.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “Nonsense,” she protested. “You’re family now.” Her smile widened.

  I smiled back gently, my gaze flicking over to the path that
led down the narrow valley. Fog crawling in over the lush ferns made me shiver. Hugging my jacket for warmth, I still felt like I desperately needed to escape the cottage. I was used to being confined, but my sudden freeness had to be explored.

  “And, mom will be very angry if she knew you were going anywhere unaccompanied.”

  “I’m not a child,” I snapped, my chest tightening. “I’m sorry, Maya,” I apologized, immediately realizing I was wrong to snap at her. I bit down on my lip.

  “Don’t worry. I know how you feel,” she said and looked over at Rion. “I need my space sometimes too. Just promise to keep your eyes open.”

  “I will,” I agreed, nodding.

  Rion and I greeted each other with a bow as I turned to leave.

  “You need to be careful, please,” Maya stressed.

  I started to make my way past Rion and noticed that for a young boy, he was very tall.

  “Wait!” She called back, drew a dagger from her one boot and handed it to me.

  I frowned at her. I had never used a weapon before.

  “Take it.” She insisted.

  I stared at the twirling patterns engraved into the blade and the turquoise stones inside the hilt. It looked ancient. I nodded, and slid it into my boot as I walked down the stairs. Having a weapon with me suddenly made me feel nervous.

  “You shouldn’t let her…” Rion started to say.

  “Rion, please. You wouldn’t understand,” Maya said to him as I closed the gate behind me. Once again the gems adorning the gate glimmered as I walked away. I thought that maybe it was just a protecting spell on the gate.

  “Fine, but don’t come crying to me when your mom finds out you let her go off on her own,” he retorted.

  I snickered at that. I was getting tired of being treated like a fragile, little girl. Their voices became muffled as I set off for the beach. I passed no one when walking through the village. I had a suspicion the villagers were in a meeting once again. Leisurely, I walked on feeling the excitement of freedom, of being able to sit on the beach by myself, not having to worry that the keepers were spying on me. When I eventually arrived, I pulled myself onto a rock and felt the last bit of heat soak through my jeans. The wind sang over the smooth surface of the rocks behind me as I stared into the surf. The beach had been swept clean from any evidence of the bonfire. I tried to keep my mind away from that night. I stared into the fog creeping over the water, carpeting the cold, damp sand beneath my dangling feet. I picked up on the soft chimes of the Minoans’ little enchanted artifacts dangling from nearby trees to ward off bad spirits. Silly people, I thought, then retracted my statement. I had seen magic happen with my own eyes, and I had felt it pull me and tug at me. The black hand of magic had almost taken my life. I should not be so quick to dismiss other people’s beliefs, I told myself. I had also witnessed the ‘wonders’ of science. I knew that what was happening to me was real, yet I still remained cautious, because these supernatural events still seemed hollow and surreal to me in spite of everything. My people did things differently. They kept secrets from each other. My people believed that by not telling someone something that could hurt them, you were protecting them. I had fallen into that trap, so I didn’t want to trust in that approach. The Minoans kept to themselves and didn’t ever talk about those kinds of things, but at least they knew the truth about who they were and who we were; never being afraid of being who they were. I was stuck between two places and neither of them comforted me any more than the other. I didn’t belong anywhere. I crossed my legs, shifting my position to the flat part of the rock and straightened my back. I would try meditation. Arriana believed it would separate the mind from the Change, keeping me as sane as I could probably be under the circumstances. It was hard to separate my mind from the genetic mistake of the change, and to make matters worse, there was blood magic running through all the corners of my mind. I contemplated how I had gotten exactly what I had asked for. I had wanted drama, change and purpose, and I had gotten it. The meaning of ‘be careful what you wish for’ became very clear to me in that moment. I shook the thoughts away, trying to still my mind again. I focused on my surroundings once again. The strong breeze picked up the scent of the salty mist and combed it through my hair, the icy air gripping my cheeks. Shivering, I pulled my legs in close to my chest, not taking my gaze off the ocean. I wondered about the creatures in the ocean and tried to imagine what swimming beside a shoal of fish would feel like. I wanted to touch the coral. It had seemed so beautiful in all the pictures I had seen of it, wondering if Poseidon’s ocean housed the same creatures as those of Earth. I drew in a deep breath of the crisp ocean air allowing it to calm me from the inside out, shutting my mind off, trying to steady my breathing, so I could take control of all the emotions welling up inside me. I was sad and angry at what had happened, the deaths of those students, the disappearance of Sage. I was angry with Sam, too. I was also lonely, because no one knew what I had seen or gone through with each attack. It hurt, but what hurt the most was Sam betraying me like that. She knew how I felt about Troy and there they were interacting behind my back. It was as if the negativity brought it on; the familiar scent of black magic. I recognized it immediately. I should not have walked out so far, I scolded myself. Panic swept over me in waves of fear, almost immobilizing me. I quickly looked behind me. The beach was deserted. Hurriedly, I jumped from the rock, scanning any and every inch of bush. I crouched down beside the rocks, trembling. Think, think, think! There is no one here but you. My skin burned from the adrenalin pumping through me, but my fear left my mind blank. And, like a tap turned on, my senses became super sensitive once again. I could feel the vibration of the water pulling away from the coarse sand, the wind rushing over every surface. My heart was beating fast – too fast. I tried to slow it down as Kronan had instructed me to. If a search spell had been put on me it would not only lock on my blood, but my heart. I was a walking target once the first blood magic had penetrated my system. Even the transfusion could not unbind it. The sharp odor stung my nose. I gagged. He was nearby. I slowly bent down and grabbed a rock near my feet, the coldness of the stone stinging my palm. I jerked myself up again. My fear still left me vulnerable. Not being able to think straight, I had forgotten all about the dagger in my boot.

  “Come and get me!” I yelled.

  I stood trembling, hoping it was my insanity and not another attempt at kidnapping. A sharp pain shot through my head – like lightning, a white fire burned in my mind and as the air blew out of my lungs, I knew what was coming. But I held my ground, squeezing down harder on the rock, trying to push the threat from my mind. For a moment, I had won. Silence once again.

  “Coward!” I screeched. “Come out and face me!” I yelled, although deep down inside I was hoping he wouldn’t.

  My throat pulled tight. I will not cry, I adamantly told myself. The breeze twirled around the bushes beside me, the air thick and stifling. I focused on pulling the silence in, using nature to soothe my fear, just as the Minoans showed me. It worked. Everything lay silent once more.

  “Just as I thought,” I murmured to myself.

  I knew something was lurking nearby. I needed to make a run for it if I was going to get back to Arriana’s alive, but once again pain shot through my head. I fell down to my knees, dropping the rock, and gasping for air, I held my head between my hands. The pain was insane. It felt like my head was about to burst open. There was nothing but the pain. It blocked out all my other senses. With all my might, I tried my hardest to squeeze the white fire from my mind.

  “Help!” I yelled as loudly as I could, hoping someone nearby would hear me. But the fire kept coming. It was as if I was in one of my dreams where I kept calling out, but no one could hear me. The sharp pain hit me once more, but this time it did not come alone. Somehow, I had crossed over to his realm. There, in my mind, was the white painted face. It taunted me with its big, jagged, yellow teeth and its hard empty black eyes. I have been here before and I have won. I will
win again, I tried to convince myself, but the doubt crawled back in. No one knew where I was. Panic and fear took over again. I screamed as the pain shot into my chest. The white fire in my mind intensified and the face’s prominence tripled. I’m losing consciousness, I realized. He was forcing himself on me. I could feel my feet going numb and the sounds around me were disappearing. I’m dying. I yelled for help again. A moment later, I opened my eyes frantically searching for the rock I had dropped. The potent odor still hung in the air. I noticed a pair of legs walking over to me. I knew it was him. The smell was settling in the sand before me. At first, I didn’t register the red bike standing in the background. I lay coiled up on the cold sand, my hands still clamped over my head in an attempt to push the pain out. I drew on every shred of courage I had and swung myself up, fully ready to strike him with the rock as hard as I could. I hoped I could knock him down before I passed out from the pain. I tried to focus on the figure in front of me, but the white face was too close, leering, laughing, gaping and threatening to consume me. Is it real, or is it still in my head? I wondered. Confused, I lunged forward swinging wildly. I felt a warm hand encircle my wrist. As soon as I felt its warmth on my skin, I let go. The white fire burned into my brain and the face, that horrid face, imprinted itself in my mind. I yelled out in frustration, or it might have been pain. I felt myself being lifted off the ground. I stopped resisting when I realized how easily my body cradled around his. It was Troy. I still couldn’t see his face, but I could smell his signature scent of sandalwood, the ocean and something sweet. I no longer fought for consciousness, but let myself drift away and into him.