“Is there still food left?” Gavin asked as he and Anali walked into the dining room.
“Are you afraid I wouldn’t make enough?” Maggie asked as she ladled the pumpkin bisque into bowls.
Gavin grinned. “No, I was afraid after spending all morning jumping rope, Kayin would eat everything before we could get here.”
Kayin ducked his head and blushed, not that they could tell with his dark skin. Gavin did have a point; he’d started eating a lot more in the past few months.
Anali patted his arm as she sat. “Kayin, don’t listen to him. We have more than enough to eat. Anyway, you need plenty of food. You’re so much taller than when you got here, and you’ve put on a lot of muscle too. Now tell us all about practice.”
Kayin looked at his adults. “I had fun. I managed to do a flip while jumping double dutch.”
“Congratulations. I’m so glad you’ve decided to join their group. Aren’t you glad I talked you into going to jump rope class this summer?” Anali teased.
“I am, thanks.”
“You seem to be doing a lot better,” Anali said.
Kayin nodded. “I still miss home and my family, but New York is amazing, and life goes on. Even if I could go home, I can’t imagine being able to give all of this up.” Sharp pain shot through his chest. Images, sounds, and smells of his village filled his mind, calling him home.
“Kayin,” Gavin called out gripping Kayin’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, sorry. I think I was hit with some homesickness.” Kayin rubbed his chest. “I do feel better most of the time, and I’m glad I’ve made friends. I feel a bit bad, since we’re leaving in December, but the jump rope group needed one more person to round out the routine, and they are still trying to find another jumper to join them.”
“It’s difficult to do a routine that relies on timing and rhythm without the right number of people. I know they are looking at two of the teens about to complete the jump rope class as possible members,” Gavin said.
“Here you go,” Maggie set the grilled sandwiches in front of Gavin and Anali. “Kayin, would you like more?”
Looking at his empty bowl and plate he nodded. “Yes, please. Can I have both?”
Maggie glowed. “Of course you can.”
“Lunch is wonderful Maggie, thank you,” Anali said.
Gavin hummed and nodded his agreement around a full mouth.
* * *
“Halloween is still three weeks away, but the sooner you give me a menu of what you want me to make for the Halloween party, the better,” Maggie said as she gathered the lunch dishes.
Gavin rubbed his flat belly. “Well, it’s potluck, and Michael asked for people to bring finger foods. So how about the mushroom crescents and cupcakes?”
Maggie nodded. “Those are both easy enough. Any special type of cupcake?”
Gavin shrugged and looked at Anali.
“You made some great cupcakes last year when you experimented with different recipes. Since it’s autumn how about the spice cake with maple frosting?”
“Oh, that one was good,” Gavin said. “And the dark chocolate cake with the salted caramel frosting?”
“No problem. Now you guys need to pick costumes,” Maggie said
“What are you going as?” Gavin asked.
“Steampunk.” Maggie left with a tray of dishes.
“I like steampunk,” Anali said. “Maggie lent me one of her books a while back, it was very fun. I liked the airships and corsets.”
“Corsets are good,” Gavin said. “What do you think, Kayin, want to dress up in steampunk?”
“Sure. Maggie said she created a character, but I’m not sure what that means.”
“It’ll be fun,” Gavin said. “Imagine if you lived in a steampunk world, what would your job be? What would you wear? Stuff like that.”
“You can even use elements traditional to Zimbabwe if you want,” Anali added. “I think I’m going to use my dark green sari with copper beading as the base for my costume.”
Gavin grinned. “I’m not sure if I want to go English Victorian or Wild West.”
“Let’s do some research.” Anali stood and headed for the computer in the living room.
* * *
The wind whipped around him, stinging his eyes. Kayin pulled on his goggles and looked over the prow of the ship. Green fields lay beneath them, and thin brown lines marked the roads the farmers used.
“Enemy ship ahead!” a voice called.
Kayin lifted a telescope to his eye. A large black dirigible loomed in the blue sky, like a storm cloud.
Crack!
Kayin gasped and looked down—a harpoon had pierced his chest. He screamed as the rope tightened and yanked him off his airship.
Dirt filled his mouth. Coughing, he looked around the smoke filled hut. The round room had mud walls and was topped with a thatched roof. An old man chanted while sweat ran down his wrinkled brown skin, smearing the white lines painted on his chest. “I cast you out, demon. Leave this boy alone. Let him return to his mother and his father. You have no right to steal this boy for your evil ways. Remove your taint, restore his hair to the black of our good people. I call upon the ancestors of Kayin Mangwiro.”
Pale blue-white lights filled the air around the n’anga.
Kayin scooted away from the holy healer. What was happening?
“Go, I beg you, go and save Kayin from the demon that possesses his body. Protect his soul. Cast the demon out. Make this family whole again.”
The lights swirled then rushed at Kayin.
He screamed, his back arching as the lights pierced him. Something pulled his hair, and icy fingers dug into him trying to rip pieces of him away.
The fire pendant warmed, melting the ice, healing the pain. Flames surrounded him, protecting him from the n’anga. The most beautiful bird song wrapped around him and lulled him back into sleep, promising he would be safe and protected.
Chapter Eight
Kayin didn’t think he’d ever been greeted as enthusiastically as when he entered the circus center carrying a tray of Maggie’s cupcakes.
Ducking under fake cobwebs and rubber spiders, he headed for the tables of food which lined one wall. Walking towards them he was careful to balance the large heavy tray around dancers and other groups of people talking and laughing. The ones Kayin knew said hi as he passed by, and everyone eyed the cupcakes.
“You look great. I’m guessing steampunk pirate,” Selena said, looking over his costume of fitted red and black brocade sleeveless coat with skulls and gears woven into the pattern, which hung to knees and left his arms bare. Black trousers tucked into black leather boots with gold buckles. He wore two belts—one held a sword that wasn’t sharp but was real, and the other held an ‘aether pistol’ in a holster. Around his neck hung a pair of goggle with copper frames and dark lenses.
“Thank you, you make a great Egyptian goddess,” Kayin guessed from her gauzy white pleated shift, thick khol rimmed eyes, and jeweled gold headdress with cat ears. Her straight black hair and deep copper skin made the image complete.
Selena rolled her eyes. “I’m Bast, the cat goddess. It was mom’s turn to pick our family theme. Are you going to come to practice on Saturday?”
“Yes, unless you’ve filled my spot.”
“No, the two jumpers we are looking at haven’t finished the level one class yet, but I think they're coming on Saturday. They’ll see what we do and decide whether they might be interested in trying out.” Selena snagged a maple spice cupcake once Kayin set the tray down.
“I’m glad I decided to take jump rope over the summer.”
“I’ll be sad to lose you from the group, and as a friend, but at least we have a few more months together.”
Kayin blushed. “I’m having a lot of fun, I’m so glad you asked me to join.”
“Hey guys, is there room for more food?” Gavin asked.
Kayin and Selena shifted things to make room for the tray o
f chocolate caramel cupcakes Gavin held and the bowl filled with crescent moon shaped pastries that Anali was holding.
“Kayin, how could you?” Selena asked.
“What?”
“How could you let me waste space with a spice cupcake when you knew chocolate ones were coming?”
Anali and Gavin laughed.
Kayin rolled his eyes. “I’ve seen you eat, one cupcake would never fill you up.”
Selena squinted at him in fake anger, then turned to Gavin and Anali. “You guys look great! Next year it’s my turn to pick costumes and I’m choosing steampunk pirates.”
Gavin grinned, making his skin bunch around the telescopic eyepiece made from copper and glass. He wore a black tri-corner hat trimmed with copper and brown feathers, a brown shirt with billowy sleeves, and a copper brocade vest with a pocket-watch tucked into the front pocket. His black pants were tucked into brown boots with copper buckles and on his hips he wore two aether pistols.
Anali had shortened her dark green sari so you could see her brown heeled boots which laced up to her knees. On her left hand she wore copper fingernails, her right hand had black painted nails tipped with copper glitter. Jeweled daggers hung on her belt, and a clockwork parrot sat on her shoulder. Her hair was pulled away from her face with clips decorated with copper gears, which matched her necklace and earrings.
“Thank you, and you make a wonderful Bast,” Gavin said.
Anali took Gavin’s arm. “We’ll see you two later. I see some friends I need to talk to.”
Gavin smiled, and his face softened as he looked at his wife. “Of course, dear.”
“Want to go dance?” Selena asked pointing to where a group of teens moved together.
“Sure, I don’t know how but I’m willing to try.”
“Maybe you should take the sword off first?
Kayin grinned. “Yeah, let me put it in Michael’s office.”
* * *
“You’re a great dancer,” Selena said as they headed towards the drinks.
“Thanks.” Kayin wiped the sweat from his brow. “I’m surprised people liked my traditional dances so much.”
“Selena, Kayin, can I ask a huge favor?” Michael rushed towards them. “Can you run to the store and get more napkins and plates? We’re almost out.”
“Sure,” Kayin said. “I think I know where it is.”
“I know right where the store is,” Selena said taking the twenty Michael held. “We’ll be back in a minute.”
Kayin enjoyed seeing the different costumes as they walked down the street, until a group of zombies jumped out of the shadows. He screamed and jumped back, his fingertips warming and ready to protect him with fire. The people laughed. “Sorry, man, didn’t mean to scare you that bad.”
Kayin pulled his powers back in. “It’s okay. The last group was dressed like the Wizard of Oz so I wasn’t expecting rotting flesh.”
“Happy Halloween,” they called as they walked down the street.
A bride looking like her throat had been cut rung them up at the store and warned Selena to make sure to choose her husband well.
Kayin shivered at her blue painted skin.
“Are you okay?” Selena asked.
“Yes. I’m just having trouble remembering this is pretend.”
Selena took his hand. “Let’s wait out this crowd in the alley then.”
A large group moved under the street light, their masks and paint transforming their faces into hideous monsters. “Yes, please.”
Kayin's back twitched but he refused to turn around to look at who or what was walking down the street. He wasn’t scared, just deeply unsettled.
Selena looked over his shoulder, her eye grew wide and her breath stopped for a moment.
Kayin tuned. Four men came into the alley, none in costume. The hair raised on Kayin’s arms.
The older man grinned. “Ah’wan Ik’e:na:we Ah’kok:shik’yanna, Hom Cha:we, Dapnimde’ – Doh Hatlikwinah Its’ummedin:nah.”
“Zuni witches,” Selena whispered.
“Zuni?” Kayin asked. Witches he understood, and his hands shook with fear.
“We’re a Native American tribe.”
“Yes, little girl and had you been living in the Zuni Pueblo, keeping our traditions alive you would have been safe,” the old man said. His two black and gray braids slid over his shoulder like a snake.
Kayin’s stomach clenched, and he reached back and took Selena’s hand. “We should get back to the party.”
“Why are you leaving so soon?” the old man said. “I have two new apprentices who need a second heart, and finding a little Zuni girl slumming with her magical friend on Halloween night? It is truly a blessing. ”
The younger man began to chant. His eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and he reached out his hands.
Selena pulled Kayin away from the witches, but there was nowhere to go, the alley was a dead end.
The men began to walk towards them. The chanting grew louder. Selena shrieked, then covered her nose and mouth with her hands. Black smoke slithered around her, trying to get into her body.
Kayin held his fire pendant, his body warming as extra power flowed into him. His hands burst into flames. “Stay back, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“What are you?” the old man asked.
Your worst nightmare, Kayin thought but kept his mouth shut, unsure if he could pull off witty one liners. “Leave us alone.”
“Kayin,” Selena said her voice shaking.
“It’s okay, I’ll get us out of here, just stay behind me.”
Selena grabbed the back of his jacket. “I will.”
Kayin held up his hands sending more power to the flames. They grew, dancing, as if showing how dangerous they could be.
The old man wove his hands through the air saying words in Zuni that made Selena whimper. Wind howled through the alley.
Kayin’s flames sputtered. Growling, he pulled more Phoenix energy from the necklace’s connection to Akasha. His palms filled with fire. With a flick of his wrist he sent it at the old man. His dirty denim jacket caught fire along the bottom.
“Yes,” Selena said. “Again. We need to get away from them.”
Gathering more fire, Kayin threw a fireball at the three other men. They backed away from him as he moved towards the street, careful to keep himself between the witches and Selena.
“Can you run in your costume?” Kayin asked.
“Yes, once I take off my shoes,” Selena said.
Kayin stood still while Selena took off her heels.
The two older men chanted louder. Kayin screamed. Cuts appeared on his hands and arms. His fire flickered and died.
“You are no match for me, little boy.” The old man advanced.
“Ready,” Selena whispered.
Kayin closed his eyes, please let this work. Inhaling deeply, Kayin filled his body with the hot Phoenix energy. His necklace burned, and his skin felt like it would burst. Opening his eyes, he exhaled and sent a wall of flames at the screaming witches. Yes! Shaking the flames off his hands, he turned and grabbed Selena’s hand.
They burst out of the alley and ran down the street. The picture windows of the circus center glowed, beaconing them to safety. The bells on the door chimed loud and sharp.
“Selena, Kayin are you okay?” Michael asked rushing towards them.
“Witches! Witches attacked us and wanted to steal our hearts,” Selena said.
“How many?” Michael looked out the window.
“Four, but I don’t think they’ll follow. Kayin stopped them.”
Michael arched an eyebrow. “Oh.”
Kayin touched his fire pendant. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Anali gasped. “Kayin, you’re all cut up.”
Blood streaked his arms.
“Come on,” Gavin placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go to the locker room and get you cleaned up.”
Kayin nodded, he shivered, and his vision blurred a bit.
He focused on Gavin’s hand, warm and stable on his shoulder, and on his breathing.
“Can you wash your arms while I grab the first aid kit?”
Kayin blinked in lights reflecting off the white tiles. “Um, yes.”
“Are you sure?” Gavin asked, his brow creasing in concern.
Nodding, Kayin turned on the water. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” His fingers shook as he poured soap into his hand and began to wash. Thin cuts criss-crossed all over his hands and arms. It looked as if he’d fallen into a thorn bush.
“Anali said you needed some juice,” Gavin said, handing him a glass. Then he set down a large white box with a red cross on it. “You drink, and I’ll put ointment on your other arm.”
“Thanks,” Kayin said. The sweet fruit punch soothed his agitated stomach.
“Tell me what happened,” Gavin said as he spread a clear gel onto his cuts.
Kayin nodded and explained about the witches. “I didn’t mean to use my fire in front of Selena,” Kayin said when he finished telling the story. “I’m sorry.”
Gavin shook his head. “No, you did the right thing. It is more important that you two are safe than our secret is.”
Kayin finished the rest of his punch. “We should find out what happened to them, I mean what if they are really hurt?”
Gavin snorted and started on the other arm. “If it’ll make you feel better.”
“Hey,” Michael said. “I walked to the alley. Wow, Kayin, that was some fire you created. There are scorch marks on both buildings and on the pavement. Nothing was still burning when I got there, and I didn’t see any real damage. The witches are gone.”
“So they could attack again,” Gavin said, his jaw clenching.
Michael nodded. “They could. I’ve alerted the Children of Fire I know, maybe one of the Dreamers can help pinpoint their location. For now, let’s go back to the party. I think Selena wants to make sure Kayin is okay.”
Selena hugged Kayin around the waist as soon as he left the locker room. “Thank you.”
Before Kayin could answer, three more sets of arms surrounded him. Selena’s family, all dressed as Egyptian deities, thanked him for protecting her and hoped he wasn’t hurt too badly.
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