Hidden Magic

by Emmy Oakes

  *

  Alexia sat in the floor of the shower, with closed eyes, allowing the water to spray down onto her face. Water had always calmed her, but not today.

  After her shower she dressed and joined her friends downstairs. They were sitting on the couch with blank looks on their faces. Ava turned to Alexia.

  “Feel better?”

  “Little bit,” Alexia said, forcing a smile.

  “I might make some coffee,” Ronda said as she stood up and walked into the kitchen. Alexia sat on the couch next to Ava.

  “Have they had any more news reports on?”

  Ava nodded solemnly. “More reports of people acting like zombies.”

  “Do they know what is actually causing it yet?”

  “I think you are probably the only person that knows that.”

  “Why would I know?”

  “Well I think you know who is responsible.”

  “I might know yes. But I can’t do anything to stop him.” Alexia thought about Temorvick. All she knew was that he was very powerful and was constantly taking over planets in search of an ancient amulet. She didn’t even know what he looked like. She hoped badly that he wouldn’t be successful in taking over Earth.

  “Why can’t you? Can’t you sort something out with the Sians?”

  “My real mother is supposed to be coming back here. All I can do it wait for her.”

  “What about Cynthia though? Where is she?”

  “I’m pretty sure she’s being held hostage.”

  “What?” Ava sputtered.

  “I don’t know if she’s in any immediate danger. All I know is that I should wait for Lacier to get here.”

  “How can you sit here and do nothing? You have magic, you should use it to save Cynthia.”

  “But I’m not very good at using it yet! You saw the cow.” Alexia thought about the giant cow and wondered what she was going to do with it. A cow was an unusual pet but she supposed it could work. “Besides,” she continued. “I’ll probably be way outnumbered.”

  “Maybe not,” Amosa Sian said from the door way. Alexia spun around and dropped her mouth open in shock. Ava stood up excitedly.

  “Amosa, what are you doing here?” Alexia stood up and walked closer to her sister.

  “Helping my sister of course.” Amosa took the mask off of her face and tucked it into a pocket.

  “I thought you hated me.”

  “Listen, I was in shock. It must have been a shock for you too,” Amosa said, sounding guilty.

  Alexia nodded and said, “It was. But I was kind of excited to find out I had a twin.”

  “After much thought, I feel the same way,” Amosa said. “I think,” she quickly added and smiled.

  Alexia smiled back. “This is my friend Ava. And another friend Ronda is in the kitchen.” Alexia introduced Ava who was in awe of Alexia’s identical sister.

  “Nice to meet you, Ava.”

  Alexia wondered what had gotten into Amosa. She was acted horribly on Sian and was extremely polite on Earth. “Amosa, where is Lacier? I was expecting her back by now.”

  Amosa looked at her awkwardly. “Well,” she stalled. “She isn’t coming.”

  “What?” Alexia felt her heart sink.

  “It isn’t her fault. She’s being punished by the Watchers for letting Earth become under attack.”

  “So we are under attack!” Ava yelled next to Alexia’s ear making her wince.

  “What’s going to happen?”

  “Polly has already arrived with a group of Sians. Everything should be okay now. They are searching for Temorvick’s landing site. There are thousands of shades waiting to possess people.”

  “That has already started. It’s all over the news.” Ava reported.

  “Damn,” Amosa said angrily. “I have to tell Polly that we’re going to need more fighters.”

  Just then Ronda walked into the room carrying a tray containing three mugs, a jug of milk, sugar and a pitcher of plunger coffee. Amosa heard her enter and spun around and swiftly pinned her against the wall, sending the tray smashing to the ground. Coffee spilled out onto the floor, sinking into the cream colored carpet. Ronda gasped.

  “Amosa! That’s my friend Ronda! Let her go!” Alexia yelled.

  Amosa suddenly looked embarrassed and released Ronda. “I’m so sorry,” Amosa said guiltily.

  Ronda stared at her, shaking wildly.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” Amosa said. “I’m on edge. You know this planet is in trouble right?”

  “Alexia, what’s going on?”

  “This is my twin sister I told you about.”

  “What’s she doing here?” Ronda turned to Amosa. “I thought you hated Alexia.”

  Amosa looked at Alexia and said, “I see you don’t keep much from these two.”

  “They're my best friends.”

  “I don’t hate her. It just took me awhile to adjust. I’m used to being an only child you know. All women on Siania are supposed to be only children. Alexia was a mistake. No offense,” she said, turning to Alexia.

  Alexia huffed, “How do you know you weren’t the mistake?”

  “Because I wasn’t sent to Earth,” Amosa snapped back.

  “Girls! There are much more important issues right now,” Ava said, taking control. “The important thing is that Amosa is here and that she wants to have a relationship with you, Alexia. But first, you guys have to deal with the slightly bigger issue of Earth being taken over as we speak.” Ava took a deep breath and sat down. Ronda, who was still shaking, sat next to her.

  Amosa nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right.”

  “I am?” Ava looked surprised. “Of course I am. Earth is being taken over! What are we going to do about it?” Ava said valiantly.

  “I’m going to send Polly a message. Just be silent for a minute.” Amosa placed a finger to her right ear and pressed hard against it. “Polly? Can you hear me?”

  “I’m on Earth, look, you’re going to need reinforcements. The attack on Earth has already started. Many people have been taken over by Temorvick’s shades already.” Amosa seemed to talk into thin air. But Alexia knew that Polly was getting the message.

  Ronda and Ava stared at her perplexedly.

  Amosa lowered her hand and turned back to the girls. “Right, what are we going to do about Cynthia?”

  “You know about Cynthia?” Alexia sounded surprised.

  Amosa nodded. “Yes. You think she’s been abducted by Temorvick’s guards right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s go get her then.”

  “You sound confident.”

  “I am.”

  “What if there are lots of guards?”

  “What if there isn’t?”

  Alexia thought for a minute and then said, “Of course there will be heaps. They know that we will be going after her.”

  “Maybe,” Amosa replied. “I haven’t had much trouble with guards before.”

  “How did you get kidnapped then?”

  Amosa sighed. She wished that people would stop mentioning that. “I was tricked,” she said, irate.

  “Okay, okay. What do think we should do then?” Alexia didn’t want to ruin her only hope of saving Cynthia so she just agreed with Amosa.

  “Well I will scope out the building. Then once we know a bit more, we’ll play it by ear.”

  “All right.” Alexia stood up. “You guys stay here,” Alexia said to Ronda and Ava.

  They nodded in reply. Ronda stood up and started to pick up the fallen tray.

  Amosa laughed at her. “It must be awful being a human!” She chortled and waved a hand in the air. The coffee stain vanished from the carpet, the sugar flowed back into the bowl and the mugs arranged themselves on the tray.

  “Wow!” Ronda exclaimed.

  Ava clapped excitedly. “That's awesome!”

  Alexia laughed, “You’ll have to teach me that.”

  “Maybe,” Amosa
winked. “Let’s go.” They walked toward the exit. “By the way,” Amosa paused. “Why do you have a cow in your house?”