Oaken

by Melody Robinette

  “Would you like to go to lunch with us today?” Autumn asked him.

  Victor frowned. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  “Well how about just you and me then?”

  He smiled at her. “Now that I think I can do.”

  Autumn found Victor waiting for her outside of the History Tree before lunch, watching her with that mysterious look he always wore, his green eyes reflecting the sunlight. She smiled in spite of herself.

  They ate at a small restaurant near City Circle. Victor asked her question after question about her family, her likes and dislikes, her favorite color, her hopes and fears. She felt a little self-conscious talking about herself like this, but every time she tried to ask him something he seemed to redirect the question back to her. She quickly figured out that he didn’t like talking about himself or his past, which was understandable given the way he grew up.

  When they returned to campus they ran into Avery, Luke, and Crystal. All three of them wore looks of surprise when they spotted Victor walking beside Autumn. Avery and Luke looked mutinous. She felt a surge of guilt as she realized she had forgotten to tell them she wouldn’t be joining them for lunch. This was the first time she wished Undergrounders used cell phones.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Victor murmured, obviously sensing the tension. He kissed Autumn’s hand and left her side. She couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t feel a surge of energy or warmth at his touch, as she knew she would have if Avery had been the one kissing her hand.

  Autumn stood there awkwardly for a minute before saying, “Sorry. I should have told you guys I wasn’t coming.”

  Luke narrowed his eyes at her, Avery looked at the ground, and Crystal said, “Don’t worry about it. We didn’t wait that long. Charlotte told us that she saw you leave with someone.”

  The four of them stood in uncomfortable silence for another minute until Luke grumbled, “Come on, Autumn, we have Healing.”

  She walked beside her brother in silence until she said, “Look, I’m sorry you waited for me, but—”

  “It’s not about that,” he snapped. Autumn looked up at him, confused. “You shouldn’t be hanging out with that guy. Avery told me about him and, as your older brother, it’s my job to keep you safe. You can’t see him anymore.”

  “Excuse me? I can’t see him? Why, because he has Atrum blood? Okay, one: you have no say in who I see or don’t see and, two: you don’t even know him. Victor and Avery hated each other long before you and I came here. You are basing this solely on hearsay. I didn’t know you were this close-minded, Luke.”

  Luke was silent for a minute before he said, “I guess I can reserve my judgment. Avery just really seems to hate him. I figured he had a good reason. Just be careful, okay?”

  Friday was Autumn’s first Melodies class. Charlotte was the only person she knew by name there. Crystal was taking Art and Luke and Avery were both in Sports. Victor hadn’t told her what class he was taking, of course. Magistra Halphnote immediately informed them that they would be performing a Fall Concert in two weeks, which included a group performance and a solo for each 4th quarter elf.

  Autumn had a mini panic attack when she heard this. No one had said anything about a mandatory solo. Even worse, Magistra Halphnote announced that their solo piece must be an original. Meaning they had to write it.

  Her fears temporarily abated when the whole class sang together for the first time. The sound was like nothing Autumn had ever heard before. Music floated up the Melodies Tree like bells in a tower. Now she knew why her father had been so in love with music.

  Autumn continued to eat lunch with Victor, though she secretly wished she could be with Avery, Luke, and Crystal. They asked fewer personal questions and talked quite a bit more freely. But that was before. Now, Avery wasn’t even speaking to Autumn and spent all of Powers talking to everyone BUT her—and Victor, of course.

  Crystal approached Autumn and Luke after Powers, wiping sweat from her brow and panting. “I hate being paired with Bryan. He’s so fast.”

  “I would hope so,” Luke said, “since his Power is Speed and all.”

  Crystal punched Luke playfully and turned to Autumn. “Hey, I don’t know if you have plans with Victor tomorrow or anything, but at lunch today we decided that we would all go up to Steam Springs for the day.”

  “Did you say that you’re going Steam Springs?” Forrest called from behind them.

  “Yeah, tomorrow,” Crystal said.

  “Sweet! We should all go. I’ll tell everyone,” he said.

  “I’ve already invited a few people,” Crystal called, but Forrest ignored her.

  “Do you want to come to my workshop and meet my mom?” she asked Autumn. “You can pick out one of the swim suits I’ve made to wear tomorrow.”

  “That’s okay,” Luke said. “I don’t think a bikini would be appropriate, although I would look damn good.”

  As they walked down the path toward Arbor Castle, Crystal looked over at Autumn with an anticipatory expression.

  “What?” Autumn asked.

  “Well? What’s going on with you and Victor? I thought something was happening between you and Avery earlier in the week, but then you started hanging out with Victor.”

  Autumn sighed. She had been expecting this interrogation. “Well, Avery and I are just friends, except right now we aren’t really talking. And Victor and I are just friends too, I guess.”

  Crystal grinned. “I can tell he likes you.”

  Autumn’s heart leapt, her thoughts shifting to Avery. “Who?”

  Crystal looked confused. “Er, Victor.”

  Autumn tried to keep her face from falling as she said, “Oh, right. Well I just felt so bad that he didn’t have anyone to talk to. Everyone seems to be afraid of him just because of his Atrum background.”

  Crystal nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ve tried talking to him a few times, but he’s so closed off and secretive. All of the girls think he’s gorgeous, of course, but most are too scared to talk to him. You seem to have broken him out of his shell.”

  “I guess.”

  “So do you like him?”

  Autumn shrugged. “He’s really nice and definitely not bad to look at, but…”

  “But what?” Crystal asked. Autumn stayed silent. “You can tell me, Autumn.”

  “All right,” Autumn said with a sigh and her words began to spill out like a waterfall. “I think Victor is great. He’s smart, witty, unbelievably handsome. But with Avery…” She hesitated, feeling her eyes cloud over, her mind venturing somewhere else. “With Avery it’s different. When we’re around each other, there’s this electricity between us and all I want is to be closer to him. When he’s around I don’t see anyone else and when we touch—even if it’s just us brushing up against one another—there’s this warmth that spreads through my entire body. But I can’t do anything about any of it because Olympus told Luke and me that we’re forbidden to have a romantic relationship with anyone who works in the castle. Avery’s already in trouble with Olympus for getting into a fight with Victor, and I would hate to be responsible for him being fired. So that’s why I’ve been distancing myself from him and that’s another reason I’ve been focusing on Victor, to get my mind off of Avery, but it’s not working quite as well as I’d hoped.”

  Autumn took a deep breath and looked to see Crystal gaping at her. “Whoa,” is all she managed to say at first. “Maybe you should tell King Olympus how you feel. He might understand.”

  “No, I can’t do that. We barely know each other and I can’t ask him to revoke one of his only rules just because of some crush. I’m just making a big deal of nothing, really. I don’t even know if Avery feels the same way. Don’t worry, I’ll be over it by tomorrow and we can all go back to hanging out together.”

  Crystal nodded. “I hope so because Avery’s going to be at Steam Springs tomorrow, and I invited Victor too.”

  Autumn and Crystal traveled down into the roots of Arbor
Castle. It was quite a bit darker down there, seeing as how there were no windows. Sconces filled with the familiar pulsating light were placed every few feet.

  “What is that?” Autumn asked.

  “What?”

  “That light. Where does it come from?”

  “That’s fay light. It comes from fay fairies.”

  “Oh,” Autumn said, not sure what fay fairies were.

  Servants greeted them as they ambled down the narrow hallways. Many bowed down to Autumn, and she tried to look gracious about it rather than uncomfortable. A large wooden door stood at the end of the passage and Crystal pushed it open.

  “This is my workshop.”

  Autumn entered the room to see a pair of long wooden worktables taking up most of the small space. One was very neat and tidy and the other was covered in all sorts of different fabrics in every color imaginable. A wooden mechanism that looked like an antique spinning wheel of sorts stood between the two tables.

  “You mean our workshop,” a misty voice said from the corner. Autumn turned to find a woman who looked so much like Crystal that Autumn had to look behind her to make sure her friend hadn’t moved. Crystal’s mother had the same long, silvery blonde hair, the same dazzling blue eyes, and bright smile. “Hello, Autumn, it’s so nice to finally meet you. My name is Glenda Everly.” Glenda approached her and, rather than bowing, pulled Autumn into a hug. “Crystal has told me so much about you.”

  “Crystal’s been amazing. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

  Glenda beamed at her daughter.

  “I was just going to show Autumn some of the swimsuits I’ve been working on,” Crystal said. “We’re going up to Steam Springs tomorrow.”

  “That’s a lovely idea,” Glenda said.

  “They’re over here,” Crystal said, moving toward the organized table. She opened one of the many drawers and pulled out an armful of swimsuits. “Pick whichever one you want,” she said.

  “Which one are you going to wear?” Autumn asked.

  “I think this one,” Crystal said, picking up a one piece made out of a silvery material, which looked like it had been spun from liquid mercury.

  Autumn spotted a gold two-piece with red roses stitched into the material and red lace lining the bathing suit.

  “I like this one,” she said.

  “That’ll look good with your hair color,” Crystal said.

  “Yes, the gold will look lovely with your skin tone as well,” Glenda said from the corner, not looking up from a dress in her hands that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

  The next day, Autumn and Crystal were the first to arrive at Steam Springs, which was basically just several pools of hot, steaming water scattered sporadically around the top of a steep, forested hill. The two of them clambered into the largest hot springs pool. Steam rose steadily from the springs, so much so that Autumn and Crystal had trouble seeing one another.

  Victor arrived soon after them. He wore green swimming trunks and a plain white shirt that he pulled off before entering the water, making Crystal’s mouth drop and Autumn’s face blush. His olive skin was completely flawless. She didn’t think she’d ever seen a man’s body that perfect in person before. This would certainly make her “getting over Avery plan” much easier.

  Victor waded into the water and sat on a smooth rock beside Autumn. She smiled shyly up at him and thought she saw him flush as he took in her gold bathing suit. She sank a little deeper into the water and Crystal giggled silently beside her.

  Not long after Victor arrived, Luke, Avery, Jastin, and Forrest showed up with a dozen other people that Autumn had met in some of her classes.

  Her “getting over Avery plan” slipped a little when Avery pulled off his shirt and moved into the water. His ivory skin was almost as smooth and flawless as Victor’s and that persistent pulling feeling kicked in. This was going to be more difficult than Autumn thought.

  Before long everyone was splashing around and laughing. Forrest made up a game that involved climbing up a nearby tree and swinging into the water, trying to splash as many people as possible. Crystal joined in while Autumn and Victor watched from the edge. Autumn kind of wanted to play too, but she didn’t want to leave Victor alone.

  “I’m surprised you came,” she said to him.

  “Why?”

  “Well, you don’t really get along with a lot of these guys.”

  “Yes, but I knew you’d be here.”

  “Hey, Atrum!” Drake called towards Victor, hanging from a branch.

  Autumn and Victor glared up at him.

  “How ‘bout you join us? Atrums are used to heights, right? You did live in the Hollow Mountains on Alder Island, after all.”

  Victor’s jaw clenched.

  “Why are you even here?” Bryan chimed in as Drake splashed into the water. “Are you planning on calling a herd of Shadows to kill us all?”

  Bryan and Drake burst into malicious laughter.

  Victor stood to leave and Autumn grabbed his arm. He looked down at her with an expression full of pain and anger.

  “Don’t listen to them,” Autumn said. “You know you aren’t what they say.”

  “Maybe I am, Autumn.”

  “No! You aren’t,” she said, standing up. “There’s nothing evil in you. Your blood doesn’t make you who you are. I see the good in you. I do. If they opened their minds they would see it too.”

  Victor’s eyes bore into her then, looking at her in a way he never had, like he was seeing her for the first time. Autumn’s breathing became quick and shallow as he moved close to her, pressing his lips to hers as he ran his fingers through her hair. She was suddenly very aware of their lack of clothing and the fact that they had an audience.

  Then there was a loud exclamation of anger, causing Autumn and Victor to break apart. At the same moment, something like lightning struck Victor and threw him out of the water just as heavy rain began to pour down on them and wind swirled Autumn’s hair around her face.

  Autumn looked wildly around at the others who had all stopped what they were doing and stood gaping, not at Autumn or Victor, but at Luke who was staring at his hands in amazement. The rain and clouds disappeared as fast as they came and Autumn’s eyes widened in realization.

  Luke had found his Power.

  The Shadow

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Luke wore a huge grin on his face for the rest of the day as everyone came up to congratulate him. He spent most of the day testing his Power—Weather. Making it rain, snow, hail, conjuring up wind, and then sending it all away again. No one said anything about Autumn and Victor’s kiss, although Avery seemed to be in a particularly foul mood.

  Since Luke’s Power wasn’t strong enough yet to do any real harm to Victor, Autumn decided to drop it and let her brother enjoy his newfound gift. Victor left soon after the lightning incident, kissing Autumn softly on the forehead as he did. Avery flashed them a look of disgust.

  As the sun sank lower and the sky turned a soft shade of pink, people began to leave with pruny skin and dripping hair. Autumn, Crystal, Luke, and Avery traveled back to the castle together. Luke rambled on and on about his Power as they trudged down the steep hill. Autumn was happy for her brother. Really. But she couldn’t help envy him just a little bit. Being the only one without a Power was beyond depressing.

  “Dude! Weather. I can’t believe it! It’s so powerful. The girls are going to love this!” Autumn and Crystal exchanged exasperated glances. “I mean seriously, though,” Luke continued. “It would’ve been cool if I just had lightning or something. But with Weather, it’s like I have tons of Powers instead of just one. I can make thunder and lightning and rain and snow and hail and wind and—”

  “Okay we got it,” Autumn interrupted.

  “Jeez, what’s your problem?” Luke said. “You don’t have to act like a jerk just because you are the only one without a Power now.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “You’re lucky I
didn’t pulverize your little boyfriend with hail the size of baseballs.”

  “Shut up, Luke,” Autumn said through gritted teeth.

  “I’m serious. I could have conjured up a hail storm just like that,” he said snapping his fingers.

  “Just shut the hell up, Luke!” Autumn shouted, dashing off the path into the woods.

  Autumn ran, stumbling and falling every so often. A few tears leaked from her eyes, but that was it. She was not going to let him see her cry. Yes, she was jealous and yes, she kissed Victor, but that didn’t give him the right to humiliate her even more.

  She stopped running after a few more minutes, collapsing onto a fallen tree branch. The giant trees were thick around her, making it seem darker than it already was. The sun had almost set and Autumn began to realize that running off the path was probably a bad idea seeing as how she was now alone in an interminably darkening forest full of unknown threats.

  She sat there for a few more minutes waiting for Luke or Avery or Crystal to come after her. It didn’t seem like they were. Right now would’ve been a great time to discover her Power. Maybe she was one of those Navigators that could find their way out of anything or maybe she would be able to change into a bird or something and fly out of there.

  Suddenly there was a rustling in the distance. Finally, someone had come for her. Then she heard a strange wheezing sort of sound. Like an asthmatic trying to breathe, unable to get any air. A dark figure emerged from the trees. It wasn’t an animal exactly, or an elf, or any creature Autumn had ever seen or heard of. It had the brusque body of a large man, covered in a layer of coarse black hair. It was definitely taller and wider than any man and its head was similar to that of a ram with large curling horns protruding from its skull. It also had hooves for feet and hands. Autumn couldn’t make out any features otherwise. It was as if the creature was covered in a shadow. A Shadow.

  Autumn scrambled off of the fallen branch and backed up slowly.