“What’s a Mist?”
“Mists have the ability to turn themselves into light fog. It’s thought that the early tribes used them as guides because they could scout up ahead without being seen. I’ve never met a Mist, but I’m sure they’re out there.”
“That really blows my mind! So what happens if I marry a Witch?”
“As I said before, marry a normal human and your children lose half of their power. If you marry a Witch, your children will be completely stripped of their powers. When you add up all the different ways a Clan can lose its power, it’s easy to understand how they’ve diminished down through the ages.”
“Jeez, that’s kind of sad.”
My mother’s lips tightened. “Yes, it is, but who’s to say these restrictions haven’t been placed on our Clans for our own good? Maybe nature intended it to be this way because we’ve served our purpose. The special skills we possess are no longer needed for our survival.”
“I have one final question. “What about Vampires?”
My father spoke up. “Sightings of Vampires were probably nothing more than a Changeling trying to scare someone. On the other hand, a deranged Changeling with exceptional powers could grow fangs and kill someone if he or she wanted to. That would really be sick, but who’s to say it hasn’t happened.”
I was overwhelmed. “I can’t believe how involved everything is. I’ll just take it one day at a time and try to do my best.”
My mother nodded her head. “Of course, that’s the way it has to be.”
My father jumped to his feet. “It’s time for everyone to get some sleep before your grandparents arrive. I told them to be here by eleven o’clock at the latest.”
“All of my grandparents are coming?” I asked.
“Yes. It’s customary for the grandparents from both sides of the family to be present for the ceremony.”
“I’m not going to be able to sleep, Dad.”
“Sure you will. Set your alarm for ten o’clock and concentrate on falling asleep.”
Missy followed me up the stairs to my bedroom. She took her place at the foot of my bed as I set the alarm clock for ten o’clock.
I thought about reading something to try to relax, but decided against it. I loved books of all kinds, especially the Nancy Drew mystery stories. When I was little, I imagined myself solving mysteries and being a heroine.
My mind was racing as I climbed into bed. I tried to imagine what the night had in store for me. I had always had exceptional concentration, so I closed my eyes and focused on falling asleep. The midnight ceremony was going to be one of the most important moments of my life, but I had no concept of the world that was about to open up to me. My wildest fantasies were about to become a living reality.
CHAPTER 3
I woke up at ten o’clock when the alarm went off. I remembered my mother’s instructions. “Dress as plain as possible and don’t wear a drop of makeup.” I put on a pair of jeans and a plain shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror and giggled. I certainly wasn’t dressed to please the boys.
Mom and Dad were waiting for me when I entered the living room. We had been making small talk for about fifteen minutes when the doorbell rang. The first of my grandparents to arrive were James and Pauline French. My grandfather owned a large architectural firm in Charlotte and my dad was the vice-president.
“Are you excited about tonight?” asked Pauline.
“I sure am. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Just don’t get your hopes too high.”
“Maybe I’ll end up being an Ivarr.”
Pauline lifted an eyebrow. “I see your father’s been telling you stories.”
“Do you think the Ivarr is a silly story?”
“I didn’t say that. My research has convinced me they existed, but the last one I researched lived a thousand years ago.”
“Maybe I’ll get lucky.”
“That’s what I’ve always like about you,” said my grandfather. “You have a positive attitude and you don’t discourage easily.”
“Thanks, Grandpa. You’re as sweet as you are handsome.”
Pauline laughed. “Janis, you don’t need the power of an Ivarr to wrap your grandfather around your little finger.”
The doorbell rang again, announcing the arrival of my mother’s parents, George and Martha Greer. George Greer owned a construction company and Martha looked fifteen years younger than her age. She was the talk of the Clans because her powers had only diminished slightly with age. I didn’t see anything wrong with using your powers if you wanted to look younger. Sometimes my parents would go out dancing and they’d shave a couple of years off their age just for the fun of it. I was just the opposite because I wanted to look older. I was only in tenth grade and I felt like a dork around the juniors and seniors.
“This is a very special night,” said George.
“I know, Grandpa. I hardly slept last night.”
“Everyone goes through the same thing,” said Martha. “I remember when I had my ceremony, but that was a long, long time ago.”
“Aw, come on, Grandma. You don’t look a day over forty and you’re a beautiful woman. I bet you had so many boys chasing you when you were my age, you had to carry a big sick to beat them off.”
“There she goes with the compliments,” said George. “She’s a real charmer.”
“Don’t you dare tease her,” said Martha. “All women love flattery, especially when they know someone’s telling the truth.”
My grandmother managed to keep a straight face until everyone burst out laughing. I was surprised at my grandmother’s sense of humor. She was the serious type who usually didn’t joke around.
Everyone was making small talk until the clock read five minutes to midnight. My father stood up and made an announcement. “It’s approaching midnight and we should take our places at the dining room table.”
My father dimmed the lights and placed a box containing the red Vascadon Stone on the table. Every Clan had its own ceremonial stone that was used to celebrate when a member reached the age of maturity. This was my time in the age-old tradition of Clan acceptance. If I married and had children, my children would go through the same ceremony when they reached their sixteenth birthday.
My father removed the Vascadon Ceremonial Stone and placed it directly in the center of the table. When the minute hand of the grandfather clock approached twelve o’clock, everyone at the table joined hands. When the clock struck twelve, my father began the ritual that had been passed down through the ages by members of the Vascadon Clan who had preceded him.
“We, the remaining members of the Vascadon Clan, have gathered together because the time of rebirth is upon us. We welcome Janis French to her time of maturity and we rejoice in accepting Mother Earth as our spiritual leader. It is our hope that this ceremony will open Janis’s heart to the traditional teachings that have kept our Clan intact. We implore the spirits of our Clan to accept this newest member and gift her with all the power and love you have to offer.”
The lights suddenly dimmed and the red Vascadon Stone began glowing. The glow was faint at first, gradually growing brighter until everyone seated at the table was spellbound. My instincts told me that no one seated at this table had ever seen the stone this bright before.
A beam of light shot out from the stone and hit me directly in the chest. My entire body was glowing and the light surrounding me was as bright as the ceremonial stone itself. I turned transparent, but only for an instant. Suddenly, the glow was gone and everything returned to normal. No one spoke at first, unsure of what had just taken place.
“Has anyone ever seen anything like this before?” asked my father.
Everyone appeared speechless as they shook their heads. “What I really find intriguing is that Janis’s entire body took on a red glow,” said Grandpa Greer.
“Yeah, that was really something,” said my mother. “It has to have a special meaning.”
Pauline st
ood up. “There’s only one way to find out. We have to have a test. Janis, please join me in the center of the living room. Everyone else, please be seated in the living room and make yourselves comfortable.”
I stood motionless as Pauline made a circle around me and looked me over. She paused and then asked, “Janis, please try to make yourself invisible.”
I concentrated as hard as I could, but all I could do was make myself transparent. It was the best I’d ever done, but I wasn’t invisible.
“Okay, Janis, concentrate on reading my mind. What am I thinking right now?”
I went into deep concentration, but I couldn’t hear any thoughts. “I don’t hear anything, Grandma.”
“Okay, try to change your appearance by looking ten to fifteen years older.”
I did the best I could, but I only aged a year or two. “I guess I’m not doing very well, Grandma.”
“Don’t be discouraged. It may take several days for your new powers to improve.”
Pauline’s right,” said Grandpa French. “It took me almost two weeks before I received my full powers.”
“I went through the same thing,” said Grandmother Greer. “It takes time, so hang in there until your powers blossom.”
I put on a fake smile to give the impression everything was okay. I was disheartened, but perhaps tomorrow would be better. I hugged everyone and thanked them for coming to my ceremony.
I was lucky to have family members who cared about me. My mother had always told me that family and friends are your most valuable assets. As I would soon learn, my mother was a very wise lady.
CHAPTER 4
I slept until ten o’clock the next morning. I recalled the midnight ceremony and how my entire body had taken on a red glow that no one could explain. I looked down to see that Missy had left the foot of the bed and was sitting next to me.
You look tired, Janis.
I bolted upright. “Did you just say something, Missy?” She didn’t answer.
If I really did hear Missy speak, it meant that I had acquired the ability to communicate with animals. I decided to ask Missy again, but this time I was going to do it through thought.
Did you say something, Missy?
I said you look tired, Missy answered.
This is fantastic! We’re actually talking to each other.
This is the first time I’ve ever been able to hear your thoughts, Janis. I really like it.
I held Missy in my arms and hugged her. You’re the best kitty in the whole world. Missy rubbed her head against my face and purred.
Now that we can communicate with each other, you’ll be interested to know we’re thinking about going to the animal shelter to find you a playmate. Would you like that?
Sure, I’d love to have a playmate. We can chase the varmints into the valley and round them up together.
That sounds like cowboy talk.
That’s because I like westerns. I’m a big John Wayne fan.
I recalled Missy seating herself in front of television when the family was watching a western. I thought a cat that likes cowboy movies was really amusing.
I was really nervous as I made my way to my dressing room mirror. If I could talk to animals, what other powers had I inherited?
I started with my morning ritual of growing the length of my hair. I’d only focused for an instant and my hair was all the down to my waist. “Wow! That was really fast!” I said excitedly. My powers had increased to the point that all I had to do was imagine something and it happened instantly. I restored my hair to its original length and smiled. I knew it was going to be a fun morning.
I concentrated on changing the color of my hair to black. Instead of slowly darkening, it turned black immediately. I wanted to try another color, so I turned my hair platinum blonde. I looked over at Missy. This is terrific. Did you see how fast I can change the color of my hair?
Missy couldn’t resist speaking her mind. None of those colors are as pretty as your auburn hair. I agreed and restored my hair to its original color.
I was really nervous as I focused on making myself invisible. I almost lost my breath because I disappeared in the blink of an eye. I was so thrilled I let out a squeal.
I decided to take a walk across the room in my invisible form. I should have been more careful because I stubbed my toe on the leg of a chair. I figured I’d better wear shoes until I got used to not being able to see my feet. I was beaming when I made myself visible. I was really excited.
The next step was to test my shape-shifting powers. I took a deep breath and morphed into an image of my mother. I turned from side to side and gave myself a good going over. The transformation was perfect, but I was amazed to see I was wearing my mother’s clothes. I had no idea how that was possible.
I did the same experiment with my dad. I couldn’t help giggling because I was now a perfect replica of my dad wearing a business suit. Just for kicks, I added a long beard and bushy hair. I burst out laughing because dad looked like some of the strange people who hung around the local park all day.
My curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know if I could acquire the skills of the people I morphed into. I carried my testing to the max by morphing into Moira Shearer, the famous ballet dancer from the 1948 film “The Red Shoes.” I gasped when I saw myself in my mirror. I was an exact duplicate of Moira Shearer in a ballet outfit. I was immediately aware that I was only a replica of Ms. Shearer. I had none of her thoughts or her memories. I was still Janis French with the exception of my new form.
I tested my dancing skills by moving around the room and doing a series of pirouettes. The execution was perfect. I was excited beyond belief. The possibilities of things I could accomplish were endless.
I was so overwhelmed that I had trouble controlling my thoughts. I morphed back to Janis French and sat on the edge of my bed. Missy looked up at me. This is better than watching television.
I was amused because Missy had a sense of humor. Okay, Missy, I’m going to try and morph into an animal. I’ll try not to scare you.
I walked to the center of the room and morphed into a small fox terrier. Missy stuck her noise into the air. It was obvious she didn’t like dogs. I tried something larger and morphed into a four hundred pound tiger. Missy’s hair stood straight up and she ran under the bed. I morphed back to Janis French and tried to talk Missy out from under the bed. You can come out now, Missy. That big old bad kitty is gone.
Missy crawled out from under the bed. That’s the biggest tom cat I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t actually afraid; I was just playing it safe.
Of course you were, Missy. I know nothing scares you.
If I now had super morphing abilities, it stood to reason I should be able to keep my normal shape and change my height. I laid a ruler on the floor and then I focused on making myself smaller. The experience was really strange. As I got smaller and smaller, the room appeared to be getting larger and larger. When the process was complete, I felt like Alice in Wonderland as I stared at all the huge furniture. Missy was lying on the foot of the bed staring down at me. She looked calm. I sensed she didn’t have any thoughts of attacking me.
I stretched out beside the ruler I had placed on the floor. I was exactly twelve inches tall. I couldn’t help giggling. “What a great way to lose weight.” I suddenly realized that I felt weak. It was all I could do just to stand up. I was positive that reducing my size also reduced my strength.
I took the opposite approach and made myself taller. I stopped when my height reached eight feet because I didn’t want to hit my head on the ceiling. I’d need a lot of open space to continue with this experiment.
I returned to my normal height and sat on the bed with Missy. My new powers were far greater than anything I’d ever dreamed of. I didn’t know if I should tell my parents because I wasn’t sure they’d understand.
Missy had an idea. There must be someone in your family who knows about this kind of stuff. Maybe you should talk to your grandparents.
/> That’s a fantastic idea! You know, Missy, you’re a really smart kitty.
Missy held her nose in the air. Of course I am.
* * *
I walked downstairs and found a note on the kitchen table.
“I’ll be back at six o’clock with your father. Don’t eat too much because we’re having pizza for supper and birthday cake for dessert. Love, Mom.”
I decided this was a good time to call Grandma Pauline. I waited patiently after I dialed the number.
“Hello,” she answered in a pleasant voice.
“Grandma, this is Janis. I’ve got to talk to you about something really important.”
“What did you want to talk about, Janis?”
“I can’t talk about it over the phone.”
“Does this have anything to do with your midnight ritual?”
“Yes, Grandma. Some really strange things are happening to me. I’m scared.”
“Is your mother home?”
“No, she won’t be back until six o’clock. I need to see you right away.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
Grandma Pauline looked concerned as I led her into the living room. “I’ll bet you’ve acquired some new powers, Janis.”
“That’s right, Grandma. I won’t waste your time. I’ll give you a demonstration.”
I walked to the center of the room and disappeared. “Where did you go?” asked Pauline.
“I’m right here, Grandma. I made myself invisible.”
I shrunk my body down to a foot tall and made myself visible. My grandmother was looking around the room, wondering where I’d gone. “Look down here, Grandma,” I shouted.
Grandma looked down and smiled. “That’s amazing, Janis! Can you grow yourself taller too?”
I increased my height to eight feet. I think Grandma was startled.
“That’s amazing too!” said Pauline. “There’s never been a member of the Vascadon Clan with those kinds of powers. Did you inherit any other powers?”
I morphed into a ballet dancer and danced around the living room. Pauline was so impressed she had trouble gathering her thoughts. “Can you morph into anyone you want to be?” she asked.
The Changeling Princess Page 2
