by A. S. Oren
My stare never falters as I look up into Edgar’s eyes. “I know you won’t understand. You’re set in your ways. Perhaps it’s the Angel in me, but I can feel it, I’m not fated for one person and I’m not the girl from that prophecy. You may keep us apart, but know I’ll lose respect for you and I’ll fight you every step of the way until I’m old enough to leave.” My heart hammers, but my voice stays strong. I haven’t stood up to Edgar like this ever, but he needs to know. I may be a child in his eyes, but I’m not in my head.
His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. “In the end, we will see how the future comes to pass. While you’re in my care, you will do nothing romantic with each other. You can and will wait until you’re older. I haven’t needed to be stern with you four. Don’t make me start now.”
Paden clears his throat. “Okay.”
My mouth falls open. “Okay?”
His sapphire eyes turn on me. “Once we enter Spearwood, we’ll be out of his care. It gives me more time to research.”
Maverick takes my other hand. “But we won’t enter Spearwood for four more years! You can’t be serious, brother. Kissing is fun.”
I glance over at Jericho, he stares at the tree, never opening his mouth.
Paden sighs. “I know. But we need to respect Edgar. He’s the leader here, the alpha of us.”
The urge to follow his command is stronger than my want to tell him and Edgar no. He’s really coming into his own now.
I huff. “Until Spearwood.”
Edgar nods. “Thank you.”
CHAPTER NINE
Four years later: October 13th 2012…
I scurry across the lawn. The sun has just started to peek out across the land, turning the sky into a mixture of indigos and dark pinks. The shift back has become quicker as of late, and I’ve learned to wake up when it's happening. It gives me more time to spend with the guys, especially on the weekends. I tug my shirt on over my head and jump on one foot to get on my sleeping shorts, just as I get to the door to the boys’ cabin. Easing the door open, I peer into the dark room. None of them have gotten up yet. Squeezing through the crack I've made for myself, I let the door close with as little noise as possible.
I go to the lower bunk bed on the left and pull back the covers before slipping under them. Paden flinches and pulls his legs up. "Your legs are like ice cubes," he grumbles before placing an arm around my waist and pulling me close.
I smile. "Guess what day it is."
"Saturday." He nuzzles his face into my neck.
I hold my breath, hoping he'll kiss it, but it's doubtful. "Yes, and I'm fifteen. We go to Spearwood tomorrow."
Maverick tosses a plushie rabbit down at us from the bunk bed. "We know. It's all you've talked about for a month. Go to sleep. We don't need to be up at the ass crack of dawn today for class."
I grab the rabbit and play with its ears. I gave them all plushies the year I was obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. Maverick got the Marsh hare. Jericho a mouse, and Paden a cat. "I can't sleep. Everything changes after tomorrow."
"Yeah, we're walking into hell, according to Ed." Jericho groans as he turns over.
"We can handle whatever they try to throw at us. We aren't the top of the trainees for nothing. But I don't care about that." I turn over to face Paden. Even in the dark, I can see that his eyes are open and looking at me. "We don't have to follow Edgar's no kissing rule anymore. How ’bout we celebrate now?"
He grins at me. "I haven't broken the rule in the four years since I made the promise to him. Do you really think I'm going to start now, Lon?”
I pout. "But it's my birthday. You can't say no to a birthday girl."
He pecks me on the nose. As close as he's let any of us get to kissing since we were eleven. "No."
I huff. "I swear, you should be a fucking monk."
"Don't misunderstand me. I'm respecting Ed. Once we are on Spearwood grounds, all bets are off. No matter what they tell us we can and cannot do."
"You better believe it," both Maverick and Jericho chime in at once.
Out of all of us, I'm the one that has struggled with the no kissing rule. None of them have slipped. It's probably because I know kissing them will take away the pain. I can never fully ignore it.
I ease out of Paden's hold and put the brown rabbit back on Maverick's bed before going across the room to Jericho's bed. He's already holding the blankets up for me. I get under them and wrap my arm around his torso, so I can rest my head on his chest. His touch never brings any relief, but I still like being close to him. Occasionally, I'll get a tingle up my spine when he says endearing things to me, but I just don't have the same connection with him that I do with Maverick and Paden. I wish there was, then maybe I wouldn’t always feel like I’m reaching for something.
His hand grasps my arm, his thumb forming soft circles into my skin. My racing heart starts to calm. He presses his lips to my head. "I love you, now get some sleep."
I move my head to kiss the bottom of his jaw, as long as it's not on the lips, it's not breaking the rules. "I love you too, Jer."
Somehow he always manages to calm me down. Before I can try to fight it, the warmth of sleep overcomes me.
I stretch and reach out for Jericho, but only find an empty spot where he should be. Prying open my eyes, I look around. All the boys are gone. Why didn't they wake me up? Why didn't I wake up when they started to move around? I'm a light sleeper. I rub my eyes and kick off the covers before sitting up. I look outside at the sun. It has to be ten in the morning. My heart picks up. They would never let me sleep this late. Did something happen? The child in me panics with thoughts of the blue monsters that used to try and take me when I was younger.
I shake my head. Why would they take them and not me? That doesn't make sense. I push the panic down and get up. I leave their cabin and cross the lawn to the house in a few seconds. I open the front door. Edgar, the boys, and three other people sit around the table. I blink. I've never seen so many people in the main house at one time. Something about them seems familiar.
"Amr!"
I tackle him before he can even fully stand and I wrap my arms around him. "Dear Sun god, is it really you?"
He hugs me back just as tight. I don't think either of us wants to let the other go. It's been too long, far too long. "I've missed you so much," he mumbles into my hair.
I stand on my toes so he doesn't have to bend over as much. I'm still just five-one and he's at least six inches taller than me. Hot tears slide down my cheeks. I finally let him go to brush them away.
"There wasn't a day I didn't miss you, too." My eyes travel to the necklace he wears. The ring I gave him ten years ago hangs on a black thread, just like mine.
My hand comes up to grasp my own. It got moved to a necklace a few years ago and I haven't taken it off since.
He takes my hand. "I've never taken it off, either."
Edgar clears his throat, bringing our attention back to the rest of the room. "Avalon, there's two more surprises for you, too."
I stare at the woman and man sitting at the table, smiling at me, Mom and Dad. Shouldn't I be happier to see them? I smile back before letting go of Amr's hand to move around the table and hug them both. Mom's the same height as me; I must get my shortness from her. She cries into my shoulder. "Oh, you've grown into a young lady, baby girl."
I pat her back, unsure of what to say or how to act with her. "Thank you."
She lets me go and my Dad steps forward to take me into his arms. He towers over me. "Hopefully these boys are keeping their hands to themselves." He pats my back before letting me go.
I touch my hair and look down at my clothes. "I need to get changed." I peer past my Dad to look at Jericho. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner? I haven't slept this late in years."
Paden nods. "That's why we let you sleep. You never actually get to sleep in a real bed anymore, not for longer than twenty minutes."
Edgar tugs on his ponytail. “Why don’t you go get dressed an
d then you can spend time with your parents and brother.”
I can’t believe Amr is here. I hope this isn’t a dream. “I’ll be back down in a flash.”
I take the stairs two at a time and skid along the wood floor of the hallway into my room. Pulling open the drawers of my dresser, I fish out the first t-shirt that my hand touches, a dark ripped hem that says Bon Jour in big black letters, and a pair of dark denims. In nearly one fluid motion, I strip and dress at the same time.
Staring into the wall mirror, I frown at my hair; it’s like a rat’s nest. I don’t have time to wet it down and let conditioner sit in it while I comb out the tangles. Grabbing a hair tie, I wrangle it into one mass. It will have to be good enough for now.
In five seconds or less, I’m back downstairs and in a chair, smiling at Edgar and the boys. “Thank you for this amazing birthday gift.”
Maverick grins and pushes his long white forelock behind his ear. “Do you know how hard it was to keep this a secret? I nearly slipped five times yesterday.”
I arch an eyebrow. “You guys actually told him a secret and trusted he wouldn’t tell me the first second he got?”
Jericho runs a hand over his short copper hair. “We bribed him with cake.”
I laugh. “Your love for cake is strong, Mav.”
Maverick nods. “You know it.”
I turn my attention back to my parents and Amr. “Happy birthday, brother.”
He grins. “Happy birthday, sister.”
Tears fall down Mom’s face again. “It’s so good to see you again. I missed you every second.” I don’t remember her being this emotional when I was a child. She was always so logical and collected. Though, I’ve been more open the last few years, but that’s due to my Dragon side getting stronger than the Angel side.
My hand grasps the ring again. “Did the monsters leave you alone after I left?”
Their gazes move to the table. Dad is the first to nod. “Yes.”
I nod and lick my lips. Well, at least this wasn’t for nothing, not that I regret any of it.
Dad’s brown eyes meet my gaze. “That’s good.”
Mom sniffs and wipes the tears from her cheeks. “How’ve you been coping with your Angel powers?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think I have any.”
Edgar clears his throat. “Except for her acting like a fifty-year-old half the time. When she first got here, I knew she was more mature than me.”
Paden laughs. “Unless you make her mad, then you better stay out of the way and duck for cover.”
Mom nudges Dad. “She got your short fuse.”
I shrug. “I honestly don’t know much about Angels. I only found one passage in Edgar’s books about them, and I’m pretty sure everything online about them is made up folklore.”
She nods. “It is. This should help you understand something, though I’m not sure it will all pertain to you or not.” Holding a hand, palm up out in front of her, she closes her eyes. A white light surrounds her hand before disappearing; a small brown book remains behind. Mom hands it to me.
I thumb through it quickly. It talks about powers, shielding wings, and something called The Fold. “What’s The Fold?”
“Some Angels are destined for more than one life partner. Those Angels gain in power and strength with each new partner they find. I’ve only ever felt a connection with Elex.” She looks to Dad. “You’re brother has already found one for his Fold.”
I frown. “How do you know if you’ve found someone?”
Amr grins. “It feels like I’m struck with lightning every time I touch them, it feels good.”
My eyes widen. “I get that feeling with Maverick and Paden!” It falls out of my mouth before my brain can filter it.
Jericho clears this throat. “Not me, then?”
Heat crawls up my cheeks. I never wanted him to know that. “No, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
He nods and bites at his lips, something he only does when he’s angry. “Okay.”
I swallow hard. Damn it, I don’t know how to fix this.
Edgar hums. “She can’t have a Fold. She’s destined for only the unmarked Royal.”
I roll my eyes, not this again. He won’t let it go. His heart is set on me being the girl from the prophecy. “I’m not that girl, I don’t fit anything it says she is and I’m certainly not monogamous.”
My Dad frowns. “The prophecy of the girl and the unmarked royal?”
Edgar nods. “It’s about Avalon, I just know it.”
Mom shakes her head. “No, it’s not, it can’t be. My father prophesised that one over three thousand years ago. I was there with my sister. That day he made four other prophecies, all about the destruction of our supernatural world. Most of those got lost in the Dead Sea though. Avalon would have to be born twenty-four years from now to fit it.”
My mouth falls open. “How old are you?”
She smiles. “Older than you can comprehend. On my plane, angels age a year for every five-hundred that pass here. I was twelve in my world when my sister and I came here, then I started to age as you do.”
Jericho sits forward. “So you are around six-thousand years old?”
She nods. “Roughly, by this plane’s standard, yes.”
“You have a sister?” I place my chin on my hand. “I don’t remember being around an aunt as a kid.”
Her smile falls. “That’s because she’s no longer here. That’s a story for another time, though.”
Edgar stands and goes to the fridge. He opens it and takes out a pitcher of tea. “So she really isn’t the girl that will save the world?”
Mom sighs. “She’s not the girl that saves the world at that time. That doesn’t mean she isn’t destined for great things. You really should take those things with a grain of salt, Ed. My father was drunk off of wine when he spewed those out and ordered the muses to write them down.”
I frown. “Is your father like the Sun god, or like the Christian god?”
A snort laugh spurts out of her, as she covers her mouth. “No, no. Our origin is complicated and tied into the Moon god, but none of them are my father, or even grandfather.”
Edgar passes out glasses of ice tea. “There was another reason you wanted to come early, wasn’t there, Ingrid?”
She nods. “Well, of course, I wanted to see my daughter again after ten years. Especially, since now I’ll have to let her go again and to the claws of Spearwood. It’s because of that, I want to give you something that’ll protect you, all of you.”
She stands, her long, straight black hair falling over her shoulders. “Give me your hand.”
I hold my right hand out to her. She takes it and turns it over before placing her hand over the middle of my wrist. Heat radiates from her touch, almost burning my skin. I want to pull away, but she holds on tight.
Her magic sinks into my veins, mingling with my own. It’s such a strange sensation. After another second she lets go and I cradle my wrist. Where her hand was stands a gold, almost trident looking, symbol.
Frowning, I look at her. “A rune?” My knowledge of runes is limited. Dragon s don’t use them with their magic.
“It’s the rune Algiz. It will protect you from anything magical that Spearwood tries to do to you. Like warp your mind for their own gain.”
I return to clenching the ring hanging around my neck. “Warp my mind? Like take away memories and replace them with false ones?”
Jericho stands. “I don’t understand, why we are doing this? Why are we willingly going to a place that Ed has called hell on Earth. They want her, to hurt her or do Sun god knows what to her. It doesn’t make sense. Can’t we just continue to live and train here?”
Mom moves away from me and takes Maverick’s right wrist. Good, at least they’ll be protected too.
Dad shakes his head. “If that were an option, trust me, we would be taking it instead.”
Maverick grabs Jericho’s hand and forces him to sit down b
efore patting him on the shoulder. “That still doesn’t answer his question of why.” My mom takes Jericho’s wrist now.
Edgar sighs. “The dragon order is a complicated thing. Long ago, when Spearwood was first built, the man who was the head of us all at the time made an ever bindin’ law that all who are born to the dragon s must prove that they’re worthy of the bloodlines we have. If someone is found too weak to survive Spearwood, they either die or are stripped of all magic and powers before being sent away from the supernatural world.
“At fifteen, when the shiftin’ powers mature, all dragon shifters are sought out and brought to Spearwood, unless they willingly go. The Watchers will take them, if their parents don’t send them.”
I sigh. “So if I and the boys don’t go willingly come Monday, those blue-eyed freaks will come to get us?”
Dad nods. “Yes. We won’t have a choice.”
Paden sits forward in his chair. “But Avalon is protected here from them, that’s why she came here in the first place.”
Edgar shakes his head. “My magic is strong, but after today my wards will be useless with five newly turned fifteen-year-olds under my roof. The leader who created Spearwood commissioned a spell from Agnita the Sea Witch—”
“The same Sea Witch from the creation story?” I sit forward.
Edgar nods. “Yes. She created a spell, or curse, for the Watchers of the school to find Dragon s who have just come into their powers, no matter what might stand in their way. The school opened last month for the new year. Students have a small openin’ to enroll from then until October 15th. After that, they come and get you.”
I smile. I want to go. I want to prove myself to the monsters that chased me away from my family. “Then we have no choice. Like I said this morning, we’ll be fine, Jericho. Ed has seen to it that we’re ready for anything.”
Edgar stands again and goes to the door that leads into the den. He disappears for a second before coming back with the roll of blueprints. “I think we should go over the blueprints again, so you know where all the hidden passages are. You can never be too careful.”
