Seducer Fey

by Cullyn Royson

  “I missed you all. It’s good to be home,” Eadowen added in a voice that sounded more like a farewell than a loving remark.

  Daray touched his cheek to cheer him, a gesture to which Eadowen responded by lovingly resting his hand on his father’s hand. As Taban watched the sappy display, something seemed to block his throat making it impossible for him swallow his mouthful of rice. Daray’s steel-grey eyes focused on Taban, he tilted his head as if to say, Did you want to join? Hastily, Taban found his plate of sweet potatoes fascinating, but not before noticing that despite his father’s comfort, Eadowen looked more upset than Taban had ever seen him.

  ***

  “Should I help with the dishes?” Eadowen asked.

  “Spend time with your friend,” Daray said. “Aydan and Donovan can take care of it.”

  Taban followed Eadowen into the living room. Once he thought they were out of earshot of the rest of the family he ventured to repeat his earlier question. “Are you okay?”

  “Well, for now I guess I’m fine.” Eadowen gazed into the fire.

  “Look Ea, I really care about you. I know you’re not fine.”

  “I want you to enjoy your first evening in Nova Scotia. I think I need to turn in early, though.” Eadowen went to the lift next to the staircase. Taban took the stairs and met him on the second floor.

  “Ea, what’s going on? Something happened to your mom didn’t it?”

  Eadowen hid his face.

  “Tears? Ah! You’re crying!”

  “Thanks for clarifying.”

  “You can’t cry!” Taban said. You’re the one who comforts me—and everyone else. I have no idea what to do, he thought.

  “I’m going to bed. The guest room is behind you.”

  Ignoring the hint, Taban watched from the doorway as Eadowen got into bed without changing his clothes. Taban looked around the unfamiliar room and noticed a closet. Fumbling in the dark, he rummaged for something that resembled pajamas. He draped soft clothes over Eadowen, who was lying motionless on his bed.

  “Here change into these.”

  “Wait,” Eadowen said his voice muffled by his arm. “Shut the door.” Taban pulled on the knob. “I won’t be going to Smith, anymore.”

  “What? Why?”

  As he walked back toward the bed, Taban stumbled on a woven rug, and fell on top of Eadowen. The clothes he had laid out sloughed onto the floor.

  “Ow. What’re you doing?” Eadowen said angrily.

  “Don’t hurt me. I fell.” Fearing Eadowen might misinterpret his clumsiness as an assault Taban quickly explained, “I’m one of those people who makes walking look challenging. I don’t belong on land.” He rolled over and lay next to his friend so that he could see Eadowen’s profile in the dark. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Eadowen assured him, but his voice cracked.

  “So.” Taban propped himself up on his arm. “Why aren’t you going to the school you tried so hard to get into?”

  Eadowen tapped a message into his Ogham and showed it to Taban: Do you know sign language?

  “Only a few signs,” Taban replied verbally.

  Eadowen wrote another message: This house isn’t very soundproof. Dad’s going to take Aydan to his performance soon. Then we can talk.

  The flash of headlights in the driveway answered Eadowen’s message.

  Taban felt in the dark for his friend’s shoulders and waist. He sat up pulling Eadowen with him as he leaned against the headboard. Eadowen’s hot tears ran down Taban’s neck into his shirt.

  “I told my dad I’d stay and take care of my brothers,” Eadowen said in a strained voice.

  “Is he going somewhere?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where? For how long?” Taban asked, his curiosity growing.

  “Probably Scotland, and no idea,” Eadowen gulped.

  “He wouldn’t leave. I saw how much he loved you.”

  “Someone knows how old my dad actually is. My dad really is ninety-three. You know how my dad said he didn’t meet my mom again for many years. It was forty years. That’s how they knew they were the same.”

  “The same what?”

  “We’re fairies.”

  “That’s funny. I’d almost believe you if your whole family looked like your dad. He’s like a high elf infused with anime character.”

  “Physical beauty isn’t part of it. That’s just Dad.”

  It was hard not to believe someone as honest as Eadowen. Taban decided to at least pretend he accepted the idea, which wasn’t hard to do after what he’d learned about himself only recently.

  “So, why does he have to leave?”

  “As you could probably tell, my dad isn’t functioning so well. He probably has a neurodegenerative disorder from his human genes. Aydan has to help him dress and I had to do most of the meal we ate tonight. If someone comes looking for him and we aren’t around, he won’t be able to defend himself.” Eadowen mumbled into Taban’s shirt.

  “Who do you think is after him?”

  “The same people who murdered my mother.” Eadowen mumbled into Taban’s shirt.

  “What?”

  “My mother was shot a few weeks ago in the UK, but Dad didn’t tell me until now because he wanted to tell me in person.” Eadowen explained in a strained voice. “The police think it was a mugging gone wrong, but my mother managed to escape. Before she died of her injuries, she told a trusted friend in Scotland that her assailants were discussing her longevity. That friend contacted my father.”

  Taban cringed, it wouldn’t surprise him if his aunt had tried to kill Dr. Tolymie so that Dr. Tolymie couldn’t interfere with the use of her DNA. In fact, it seemed the likely turn of events. “So why do you think these people also know about your dad?” he asked.

  “There was a break-in at the apartment in the town that my family uses to get our mail. Based on the information they stole they were interested in my father, not commodities. The person trying to locate my father probably doesn’t have this address, which makes sense because we try not to report this address anywhere. I doubt they’ll try another break-in, because the police now have their prints and DNA on file.”

  “I think you’re right,” Taban agreed. His aunt seemed to have refocused her energy on a nationwide scale instead of just targeting the elusive Tolymies. That fake hair sample I gave my dad probably convinced my aunt that Eadowen doesn’t have the genes, Taban congratulated himself on accidently foiling her. “Should you all leave?” Taban whispered.

  “That would raise suspicion. Donovan, Aydan, and I are much better documented than our parents. We do still minimize our online footprint though, and our parents were able to veto our genome sequencing.” Eadowen’s body shook in his arms. “I know I can take care of my brothers. I’ll take a year off from school and then transfer to Dalhousie—it’s a great school. If Dad sees me like this he’ll never leave!”

  “Just let it out.”

  “I miss my Mom. I feel so alone” Eadowen cried, gripping Taban’s shirt in his fist. Taban felt the elastic fibers of his shirt stretch. Maybe Eadowen would be safe for longer if I stay close to him. It might be possible to convince my father that Dalhousie is the best place for Abigail to do her research instead of Dartmouth, Taban decided.

  “You won’t be alone,” Taban said into his friend’s hair. “I’ll live with you. I’ll go to Dalhousie. They have, like, a chemistry program, right?”

  “Will your dad let you go to Dal?” Eadowen asked.

  “Yes. After I talk to him,” Taban assured him. Taban had already concluded that he could persuade Abigail to submit her research proposal to Dalhousie.

  “You don’t have to.”

  “You’re gonna need money.”

  “I can work and my parents have money to leave us too.”

  “You’re going to need more than that and with me you can still afford to go to school. I have a bank account that my father doesn’t know about. It’s where I put the money from selling the cars an
d other gifts my lovers give me.”

  “Where did your family get all your money anyway?”

  “Originally, tricking people out of their money; from what I understand, it was white collar crimes,” Taban explained.

  Eadowen groaned and shifted his weight.

  “What’s wrong?” Taban asked letting his embrace slack so Eadowen could move more freely.

  “Something’s digging into my hip.”

  Confused, Taban felt his pocket and identified the culprit of Eadowen’s discomfort. He took out two stone rings that he’d found surfing. Since he had no need for them at the time, he’d turned them in to lost-and-found. The morning he boarded the plane for Florida, he’d received a package from the lost-and-found with a note saying no one had claimed the items. To see if one fit, he wriggled it onto his finger. Since Eadowen was still crying, Taban wondered if he could distract him with the trinkets. Taking Eadowen’s hand, he slid one of the rings onto his finger. It was loose, but it fit.

  “Pretty sure this is made out of bloodstone. It’ll look nice on you. Uh, you’re going to have to take my word for that until morning.”

  “Rings?”

  “Sure, why not? There’s two. Guess we were meant to be together.”

  “This isn’t a separate ring, see the rough edge,” Eadowen answered running his hand over the smooth raised stone. “There must have been a flaw in the manufacturing.”

  “Aren’t you going to ask me how I got these?”

  “I’m accustomed to you doing this kind of thing.” Eadowen sounded exasperated, but Taban could tell he wasn’t shaking as much as before.

  ***

  Taban opened his eyes, his mouth tasted sour and he realized he hadn’t brushed his teeth the night before. Running his tongue over his unclean teeth, he sat up. His clothes felt crusty, he noticed stretch marks on his shirt from the night before and realized he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Stretching his hands over his head he looked to his left and saw Eadowen fast asleep next to him. Shivering, Taban slid back under the covers, resting his head on Eadowen’s bicep to enjoy his body heat.

  “Eadowen, it’s time to wake up,” Daray called from the hallway. Taban wasn’t sure how to answer, since he wasn’t Eadowen and it didn’t look like Eadowen was going to wake anytime soon. Eadowen’s father opened the door and stared at Taban, who became cognizant of the condition of the bedding. The sheets were spread in all directions and only a corner of the quilt remained on the bed. To make matters worse the clothes he’d gotten out for Eadowen lay sprawled across the floor.

  “We’d prefer you used the guest room.”

  “Sorry, I guess I’m so used to living with Ea—Eadowen.”

  Daray surveyed the scene trying to piece together what had happened the night before. Taban was relieved that both he and Eadowen were fully clothed, even if their attire wasn’t in the most presentable condition. He wasn’t sure he liked the Tolymie household. Aydan, Daray, and Eadowen didn’t react to him the way everyone else did.

  “I’ll show you to the guest room.” Daray beckoned Taban.

  “Dad, wait,” Eadowen said groggily. “I was stressed and Taban stayed to help me. We just fell asleep.”

  “Well, Eadowen Ursula Tolymie, make sure it doesn’t happen again,” His father scolded. “Breakfast is ready.”

  The ring Taban had given Eadowen had fallen off on the bed sometime in the night. He retrieved it, hopped back on the bed, and shoved his legs under the sheets.

  “Ah! Your feet are freezing!” Eadowen yelped. “I guess it’s decided then. You’re going to live with me.”

  Taban wrapped himself in the blanket. “Yeah,” he replied returning the ring to Eadowen’s finger.

  “What’d I ever do to deserve this …” Taban brightened until Eadowen concluded with, “—nightmare.” In a split second Taban watched Eadowen shift back to the dark alluring Eadowen he’d discovered during his misguided exploration of his abilities. Eadowen laced his fingers into Taban’s newly bleached hair, pulling just hard enough that Taban could feel the tension in his roots. “And just to make one thing clear, you can kiss me, but if you ever ignore when I or anyone else says ‘no,’ I will make sure you have to answer to authorities. Understand?”

  Eadowen’s hand still dictating the majority of the motions he could make with his head, Taban gave a stiff nod. “I’m surprised you’re even willing to do that much with me,” he commented.

  “Contrary to what you seem to think, I have physical desires and with you I don’t have to worry about heartbreak.”

  “Ha. Well, this seventy-two hour wait thing is harder than I thought. I’d be fine having some fun. Just promise you won’t fall in love with me.”

  “It’s a deal.” Eadowen released Taban who massaged his own tingling hair follicles.

  The sound of someone clearing his throat made them both look toward the hall. “I really hope Donovan has better taste in guys than you do,” Aydan remarked to his older sibling from the open doorway. “Dad told me to check on you two. He won’t let me have breakfast until you are downstairs so hurry up.”

  PART THREE

  PRESENT: IN WHICH THERE

  IS SABOTAGE

  “The sea is also a place of life. Do not let the monsters that dwell within it deter you from experiencing the wonder of the ocean.”

  –CASSIDY ADISA

  CHAPTER 11

  RISK TAKER

  THE GREEN SEA SHIMMERED below Cassidy as she soared through her dreamscape. Thin streamers of cirrus clouds wove around her bronze arms. She surrendered herself to the velocity of a downward spiral; the wind blew marks on her face away—she was perfect plunging through the atmosphere. The ocean reflected this image, as it swirled upward to consume her. She drew in her breath, titillating with anticipation for the caress of water, but Danny yanked her out of the dream by slamming the door as she raced downstairs.

  “Mom says we need to get up if we want to go to the beach!”

  Cassidy removed her face from her pillow. Heavy rain washed against the window at a slight angle. Well, it’s probably not going to be crowded, Cassidy thought as she headed downstairs. I don’t really mind the rain. Not looking forward to the wind though.

  “Mornin’ Cassidy,” Danny’s bushy ponytail stuck out behind a precarious stack of pancakes covered in bacon.

  Cassidy took a seat next to Danny but not too close, so as to avoid flying chunks of pancakes. The savory flavor of butter melted together with the sweet syrup. She tried to ignore the carnivorous noises from Danny’s direction.

  “Thanks for letting me borrow your surf kayaking gear,” Cassidy said to Ms. Reyes. “Danny, are you going to bring a wave ski?”

  “A what?”

  “I showed you one at summer camp. It’s a flat kayak that looks like a surfboard, except it has indentations to sit in,” Cassidy explained.

  “I’m not bringing one,” Danny mumbled. “I just don’t like being in water when I can’t see the bottom.” Leaving her chair wobbling, Danny raced upstairs.

  “Okay, your loss,” Cassidy responded, steadying the chair.

  “Which one did you pick?” Mrs. Reyes asked.

  “Martinique Beach. I searched it on Taban’s recommendation,” Cassidy replied. “It looks like a nice spot.”

  Cassidy neatly scraped the last morsel of pancake off her plate and spooned up the last drops of maple syrup. The sweet woody flavor remained in her mouth as she took her plate to the sink and sponged the sticky surface. Real maple syrup tasted completely different from the light-brown sugary substance she used on her pancakes back home.

  Unzipping her suitcase in the guest room, Cassidy pulled out several layers of clothes, in preparation for the torrential rain. She sighed and tried on a bright red halter top over a one-piece swimsuit. She turned in front of the mirror. Usually she would ignore the colorful concentric circle design across her waist, but today she felt self-conscious about her voluptuous figure. She sighed and picked up her
journal.

  Hello Self! she wrote. It doesn’t matter what clothes Taban would want to see. I pick what I like. He’s not going to be at the beach anyway. Why does he fill my head like this? It’s annoying. We barely know each other … why am I so into him? Now I know what my friends were talking about when they described their first love …

  Cassidy stared at the page and hastily blacked out first love.

  “Are you ready yet?” Danny said as she entered the room, a towel draped over her hair. Cassidy noticed Danny’s defined abdomen and hid her stomach with her arm.

  “Does your tummy hurt?” Danny hopped around trying to put on a black peasant skirt while standing.

  “No.You’re slim and buff,” Cassidy said. “I’m not.”

  “You’re curvy.”

  “Curvy is just a nice way of saying fat.”

  “No, It’s not! You take great care of your health and it shows.” Danny gazed at Cassidy intensely. “I think you’re really beautiful Cassidy.” she said, her dark eyes shining. The fervor with which Danny spoke made Cassidy feel flattered and a little anxious at the same time.

  “I can see why you always used to get mistaken for a male-bodied person at camp,” Cassidy said. “Wait … I didn’t mean that. Sorry, I’m just upset about my figure.”

  “I know. I do it on purpose sometimes. When people mistake me for male they seem to like me better. Honestly, I just wish I could get clothes that fit me. My boy hips, huge shoulders, and being short make it impossible for me to find anything that fits and I can’t afford a tailor.”

  “I’m really sorry. I think you look amazing,” Cassidy said trying to make amends for her tactless comment. “Let me go take a shower and screw my head on properly.”