by J. B. Garcia
Although I am happy that Travis and his mother had some sort of break through in their relationship, I have no idea how to feel about her now. Is she still trying to kill me? Should I be afraid of her? Is this all and act? With tomorrow being the awakening, there no room for error. I keep thinking about Renee and her words. I would give anything to speak with her one last time. She gave me a sense of security for the short time she was still with me. I lay on a fluffy beach towel on the warm sand in front of the lake house. I can hear my mother swinging back and forth on the porch swing, her glass of ice clinking and she swings forward and back. The dark clouds are still looming in the horizon but they are much closer than yesterday. The wind has a chill to it now that gives me chills and it kisses my skin gently. I close my eyes trying to relax and think of something other than the awakening and Khan. Asclepius pops into mind, I wonder where she is. I havent seen her since the incident with Ares. She told me to call her where ever I needed her. I don’t really know what that means cause she didnt give me a number. I hear footsteps crunching in the sand and I look behind me to see Travis approaching with two glasses of ice tea. He plops down beside me handing me the ice cold glass. The condensation on the glass makes my hands wet and I wipe them off one by one on Travis cargo shorts. “Hey brat! I bring you something to drink and you wipe your dirty hands on me. Not cool” I can’t help but laugh at his tantrum, “Oh don’t be such a baby it’s just water. Hey do you know what Asclepius meant by if I need her call her? I don’t have a phone number for her.” Travis looks at me as I have asked the most retarded question he has ever heard. He begins to laugh hysterically at me. “What I don’t get it? Did i say something stupid?” He runs his hand through his hair as he finishes laughing, “No, you just call her.” I squint my eyes at him, “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“LIke just yell it into the air...that is the only way that I know how to explain it.” I lay my head back down on my towel. It can’t be that easy...can it? “I have said her name numerous times just sitting here with you, why didn’t she come then.”
“Because you’re talking about her you’re not calling her. Why don’t you try it she must he around here somewhere.”
“But what if she isn't here, will she still hear me?”
“It doesn’t matter she can hear you from where ever she is.” I feel kind of stupid just yelling to the air. But I really want to see if it works. I sit up onto my elbows and lay my head back yelling into the air, “Asclepius!” We both wait for a moment but there is nothing but the sound of the branches swaying in the wind and the small lakes waves rolling on the shore. I looked to Travis, “It didn’t work. So I guess you were wrong.” Travis begins to laugh loudly at me. “What? Why are you laughing now?” A small soft voice breaks into the conversation, “Did I miss a joke? I love jokes! Please tell it again!” Low and behold there is Asclepius sitting right next to me. I didn't even see her and now I look like a jackass. “Asclepius!” She smiles widely at me and responds, “Hello young Queen are you hurt?” I shake my head no, “No nothing like that I just wanted to see you. Travis said that if I just called your name you would come but I didn't believe him. I can't believe it worked! Where were you?” She lays in the sand with her white summer dress and puts her hands behind her head, “I was in the palace, that is where I live you know.” I don’t understand, how she could be here in the blink of an eye if she was in the Realm. “How do you get here so quickly?” she keeps her eyes closed enjoying the rays from the sun. “I can port.” That doesn't surprise me. That was almost a dumb question to ask. How else would she get here is she cannot teleport. She chimes in again “But I cannot take anyone with me. I can only port myself. Only the ones that were born with the ability can take others along with them. Renee gifted it to me so that I could be where ever she needed me to be. When you are Queen you can give anyone any gift you want to but never yourself. Renee always said that it was dangerous to give away gifts, but she trusted me.” That makes sense… We lay in silence just enjoying each others company. Travis had long since left us. Tomorrow is a big day for him and he went in the house to sleep a few hours.
“Asclepius, do you know what is going to happen tomorrow?” She rolls over to face me, “Yes I do.” I start to pick my nails as my nerves surface. “What is it going to be like...the awakening I mean.” She lets out a sigh and tries to explain, “Well it is different for everyone. It all depends on what your gift is. Since you’re a Mystic, werewolf and a Royal, your awakening is going to be painful. The less power you have the easier the transition. Plus you’re at Royals Peak and on the Blood Moon...it’s going to be a difficult change for you.” I don't know why thought she would try and reassure me that everything would be fine. She still holds that childlike honesty. She has no idea that what she is telling me is scaring the shit out me. I asked her a question and she was giving me the facts. She continues, “Don’t worry Queen, it doesn't last very long. Once the moon is at it highest spot in the sky, that it when it will begin and it only lasts for about 1 minute. That is why it is so painful because all the power that is awakening inside you. It only has 1 minute to manifest and become permanent. You must remember to keep every part of you body in the light or it will not work. I have never seen it not work...so I don’t know what happens. I try to mentally prepare myself for what is about to happen. One thing has been running through my mind and asking her is probably my best bet, “Since werewolves cannot control their shifting because of a male ruling, what is going to happen to Travis when the full moon shifts him? Is he going to remeber me at all and what needs to be done?” She sits up and stares at me, “You have very good questions Queen.” She places her index finger on her chin and begins to think. There is silence for a moment and then she snaps out of it, “Now that you bring that up, I remember Renee telling me something about the Blood Moon and shifting...but I just cannot remember.” I start to get anxious, “Please try it is very important.”
“AH yes, she told me that because of the Blood Moon and the fact that you will be ascending to the throne, no werewolf can shift until you have been fully awakened. Renee said that is why Khan wants to wait until after your awakening, so that he can shift. Khan has told everyone that it is for the ‘glory of war’, but he is really scared to fight in his human figure. He always has been. He always would wait for a full moon before waging any wars.” she covers her mouth and laughs. After she finishes her giggle fit she continues, “So after you awaken you will be stronger than Khan and gain control over the race, so in turn, werewolfs will again be able to shift on their own and control themselves after shifting.” She claps her hands together and gently punches my shoulder with excitement, “I knew I could remember it! Renee told me that I was to give you all that information but I forgot all about it. Good thing you brought it up!” I can't help but get a little angry with her. This is important information and her not telling me would have been a large mistake. “I still don’t understand something, if I gain control over the race automatically then why does a battle need to happen at all. Why cant I just tell him that he is not king anymore?”
“That would be much easier wouldn’t it...But that is not the way. The universe will recognize you as Queen, but Khan will not and either will the subjects that are under his rule. The Realm was created by the Universe for the creatures it holds, for their safety. When the Realm was created thousands and thousands of years ago, the Universe chose the strongest of all to guide us. Well the first leaders turned it into a monarchy and made the laws that we all must follow. That is just the way it is.” The more I learn about this world, the more unfair and unjust it sounds. If i do become Queen I think that there will be some changes. I look to her and respond, “Do you ever wish that things were different?” She looks back to me and responds immediately, “Never!” She almost shouts it at me. “Why not?” She shakes her head and closes her eyes. “Because, our world is not like the humans world. There are creatures that can never see reason, can never think on
their own, or be trusted. We have a monarchy so that all control is in the hands of the wisest and strongest. Although you get rulers like Khan who lose their mind with power, you also get rulers like Renee who have more compassion than Khan could ever have. There is a reason for everything in our world and you will learn them soon enough.” I can tell that she is getting annoyed with all my questions but I cant help it. She looks back to me, “Queen, I cannot return to the palace, may I stay here with you?” I can't help but be confused by this, “Why can’t you return to the palace you said that you lived there?” She sits all the way up from the same brushing the dry sand from her body, “I do live there, but Khan told me that if I were to ever come to you when you called me would kill me. This forest is filled with Scouts and I am sure that he already knows by now. So can I stay here with you?” I place my arm around her shoulder and give her a gentle squeeze. “Of course you can stay here.” She giggles with excitement and gets up from the shore. “Well what should we do?” I tilt my head to the side, “What do you mean?” She puts her hands on her hips and responds, “What do you mean what should we do!? This is your last day of freedom before you have to become Royalty and there is nothing that you have planned to do?” I shake my head no at her and she throws her hands in the air. “Where is Travis?” I point towards the house and she storms of towards it. I get up and chase after her, “Wait please! He is sleeping!” She ignores my calls and stomps up the stairs. I jump up the three steps and into the front door. Asclepius is standing in the entryway staring at my mother, “You never told me that your mother is a Pyros!” She runs to my mother and grabs her wrists gently, running her fingers down the palms of her hands. She has no fear of anyone I swear. My mother is speechless and she stares at me confused. “Ummm Niki, who is your friend?” Asclepius drops her hand and takes a step back. “I’m sorry, I lost my manors in all this excitement. My name is Asclepius I am the Queens Healer.”
“Its nice to meet you dear.” Asclepius turns back to me and whispers, “Ask her to make the fire!” I look to my mother who could clearly hear what she said. She turns her palms face up and Asclepius was drawn in like a moth. “Mom do the dancers!” I holler over to her. She rubs her fingertips together and them the smoke begins to rise. Small flakes of red and orange flames pop and spark. Within seconds the two tiny fire dancers are floating across her palms. Asclepius gasps with excitement, “You can make fire people! This amazing! I have never seen this before!” My mom looks down to her as she stares at the flames, “You seem very young dear, how old are you?” Without missing a beat she responds, “I know, I am very young, only 230 years.” She looks up to my mom and gives her a smile. “I know what everyone thinks of me. They think because of the way I talk I am stupid or I am a very young but what people don’t understand, is the reason why grown ups are no longer carefree and speak as though they no longer have fun in their lives is because they have had situations that have wounded their hearts and made them that way. That is why they are so sensible and no longer any fun. But I am a healer, so when my heart gets hurt in those situations, it heals to its original state and I get to keep my spirit. Does that make any sense?” She looks down to her, “More than you know.” I never thought of her childish behavior that way but now it all makes sense. When she removed all the pain that I had from Derek, I felt like a different person. There are situations in life that change us forever, but she never has that. She doesn't have to deal with heartache, disappointment or any of the other harsh things that this world has to offer. Every Time that something like that happens she just healers herself. Like rebooting a computer. She remembers the event, but doesn't experience the pain that goes along with it. I dont know if I would want to have that ability. I would rather grow into who I am supposed to be then to stay carefree forever.
Asclepius is entranced by what my mother has created. “How did you hide from Khan all these years?” Mom looks down to her confused by the question. “What do you mean? I thought that Renee only wanted Niki?” She extinguishes the flames to get the full attention Asclepius. She looks at her almost annoyed that she stopped the show. “Well many years ago Khan told everyone that all the Pyros were to report to his Army. This is a huge honor for anyone in the Realm. Of course they all flocked to him to join.” Both my mother and I listen closely, anything that Khan comes up usually ends in death or there is something that benefits him in the end. She continues, “Before all the Pyros were summoned to join, there were only a select few that actually knew what he was doing and Renee was one of them. SHe told me that Khan was terrified by all Pyros because they held the power to end an immortal. He believed that none of them could be trusted.” It seems like he would want to banish them instead of welcome them into his Army. “Khan rounded them all up in the Great Hall.” I interrupt her, “Wait, what is the Great Hall?”
“The Great Hall Is where the king and queens thrones are. It’s also the room where all the Monarchy makes their decisions in regards to the Realm. Anyone who needs help in the Realm can come to the Great Hall on select days to consult with the them. The room is so beautiful. Its great stone walls seem to never end, the walls are lined with gold candlesticks that never go out and never burn down. Its a little spell that an elder placed on them long ago. You will see it for yourself after all of this is over.” This palace sound more like a castle. I dont know if i want to live in a castle. I mean as a girl I always wanted to live in one and be a princess but now I am old and things have changed. She looks to me with wide eyes, “Oh sorry go ahead.”
