Kind of Like Life

by McMullen, Christina

  She met her friends at the front door and they all walked downtown together, laughing and poking fun at each other in a lighthearted way. Renee could not remember a time in her life when she had felt this comfortable around people her own age. Though each of her friends had their own distinct personality, they all seemed to click with one another on some level and Renee was no exception. She was part of a group and she liked the way that felt.

  Sage met them at the bookstore and joined their group. Miriam River had decided to close the shop for an hour in the afternoon to prepare for the extra traffic that the arts festival would bring. As they walked to Linda’s Latte Loft, he slipped his hand into Renee’s. An almost electric buzz coursed through her when their hands touched. To Renee it felt like magical energy was passing between them. She smiled to herself. The series Sage had recommended was about telekinetic elementals and one of their abilities was sharing energy with each other through touch. She was once again letting her wild imagination spill over into the real world, but she couldn’t help it. The leader of the group, Saffyre, reminded her so much of Sage that she had to wonder if that wasn’t part of the reason why he recommended the books in the first place.

  When the hour was up, they walked back to the bookstore. Both Sage and Autumn had to work, and Josh had been recruited into helping out for the event. Kate and Troy waved goodbye, saying that they would be back later in the evening to check out the band. Autumn and Josh went into the shop, but Sage hung back for a moment.

  “You’ll be here at seven?” he asked, as if he was worried that she wasn’t going to keep their date. Renee found that his sudden nervousness only made him seem cuter.

  “I will,” she said with a smile. “Should I dress up?”

  “Wear whatever you like, but don’t outclass me too much,” he said with a wink, gesturing to the faded jeans and half tucked in black button up shirt that he wore.

  “I’ll find something appropriate,” Renee replied with a nervous giggle.

  “I can’t wait,” Sage said in a husky whisper, leaning in closer to her. Hesitantly, he put his arms out and Renee stepped in, blushing madly as he pulled her into his embrace. It was a fairly innocent hug and lasted only seconds, but it had been the most intimate gesture he had made toward her yet. The electricity that hummed when he touched her intensified and Renee wasn’t quite sure anymore if she was just imagining the magical feeling.

  Renee all but floated the two blocks back to her house. Her mother was already home because she only taught two morning classes on Fridays. She was in the kitchen, making a salad to go with the pizza that Renee’s father would be picking up on his way back from the university.

  “Hi honey, how was your first week at your new school?” her mother asked.

  “I love it here,” Renee replied, stealing one of the cucumber slices her mother had just chopped. “All of my classes are a lot more fun and interesting, and the kids are way cooler, but I’m totally glad it’s Friday. I need a break.”

  “And I’m sure you’re just a little excited about your date tonight,” her mother teased with a warm smile.

  “A bit,” she admitted with a timid blush. “And maybe a little nervous. Do you think you could help me do my hair? I asked the administrators and there’s no rule against having pink hair at our school. I just want a streak this time. It’s getting too long to dye all of it.”

  “Of course I can. You know,” her mother said, appraising her with a critical look. “I need to see if I’ve unpacked my old clothes yet. I think I have a dress that would fit you perfectly. I think I was madly into The Go-Go’s when I bought it.”

  “Really? That sounds awesome!”

  A minute later, Renee’s father walked into the kitchen carrying a box from their new favorite pizza place. As they ate, Renee told her father about her day at school and he teased her about her date. When she first mentioned meeting Sage to her father, she was sure he wouldn’t approve of her dating a college boy. But to her surprise, he had nothing but wonderful things to say. Apparently, Sage was a model student and respectful to all of his professors. Her parents surprised her further by giving her a curfew of midnight. Previously, they had always required that she be home before ten, which is partially why she had a rather inactive social life in the past.

  After helping her put the pink streak in her hair, Renee’s mother went to dig out the dress.

  “Wow!” Renee exclaimed as her mother pulled the dress out of the garment bag. It was a fifties inspired sundress, but it was definitely made in the eighties. The dress was the same hot pink as the streak in her hair and had a wide black belt around the waist. A black lace crinoline peaked out from beneath the knee-length hemline. Renee laced up her black combat boots and surveyed her reflection with a smile. For the first time in her life, she felt confident. Not just in her appearance, but in herself as a whole. It was a new and overwhelming feeling, but one that she could definitely get used to.

  Renee arrived at the bookstore a few minutes before seven. Already, the shop was crowded and she worried that Sage might not be able to get away after all. But Miriam River caught her eye with a kind smile and tapped her son on the shoulder, pointing to where Renee stood. Sage glanced over and gave her a winning smile before he kissed his mother on the cheek and hopped over the counter.

  “You look amazing,” he said as he held the door open for Renee.

  “Thanks,” she replied, hoping her cheeks weren’t the same hot pink shade as her dress. “So do you.”

  Sage had added a skinny gray tie to his ensemble. Together they looked like they were ready to go to the big dance that always seemed to happen at the end of Renee’s favorite eighties teen movies.

  He took her hand and led her to the old-fashioned ice cream shop that was a few doors down from the bookstore. Inside, they lingered over a shared sundae, holding hands and talking excitedly about the book series. In the week since Miriam gave her the first one, Renee had read the next four and could not wait until the sixth one came out later in the month. Sage boasted that the bookstore would be receiving an advanced copy and promised to let her read it.

  At eight o’clock, they wandered back to the square, where the band had just finished setting up and were checking their equipment. By the time they launched into the first song, a popular hit that was big on the radio, a large crowd had gathered. The song was well received and the crowd cheered and applauded, but it wasn’t one that Renee particularly liked. Still, she applauded politely, but after the third popular rock song, she began to wonder just how much more of this she would have to endure. She glanced over at Sage, who didn’t look like he was enjoying the concert any more than she was.

  With an apologetic smile, he put his arm around her and bent his head so that his lips were against her ear. Renee knew he did this to be heard over the loud music, but it gave her shivers anyway.

  “I’m sorry,” he half shouted. “I had no idea it was going to be like this. Would you like to go somewhere else?”

  Renee nodded and followed Sage out of the crowd, down Main Street, and away from the town center. At the corner, he took up her hand again and pointed in the direction of the waterfront. “Have you seen the lighthouse?” he asked.

  Renee shook her head, no. Sage led her down to the wooden boardwalk that jutted out past the sandy beach and over the rocky outcroppings at the water’s edge. At the end of the boardwalk was an enormous lighthouse.

  “It hasn’t been in use for years, but the catwalk has been turned into an observation deck,” Sage explained. “We can watch the sun set from there.”

  Inside was a set of spiraling stairs that opened into a room where the original beacon had been. It reminded Renee of her circular room at home. Hand in hand, they crossed the room and went out to the catwalk that circled the tower. Because most everyone was at the arts festival, they had the entire lighthouse to themselves, which only made the moment that much more romantic.

  For several minutes they stood, side by side,
silently watching the dying sun’s magnificent light show on the water as a gentle breeze played over them.

  “What do you think?” asked Sage.

  “It’s magical,” Renee answered breathlessly.

  “It is,” said Sage, turning to her with a secretive smile. The flaming light of the setting sun gave his already bright green eyes an ethereal glow. “More than you know. Watch,” he said, pointing out at the water.

  The blaze of color on the ocean’s surface began to swirl and take on the appearance of a flock of flaming birds that moved in perfect harmony against the waves. Renee watched, entranced, wondering what trick of the light was causing the beautiful mirage. She turned to ask Sage, but the words died in her throat as she stared, open mouthed, at him.

  His eyes were closed in concentration and his hands reached out toward the water. The tips of his fingers glowed with the same light she had seen in his eyes just a moment before. From his fingertips, a gossamer thread of the glowing substance stretched out toward the water, conducting the flight of the fiery birds. Just when Renee thought she had seen everything, one of the birds lifted from the surface of the water and followed the glowing thread back, landing softly in Sage’s open palm. He opened his eyes, smiled at Renee, and held the tiny, glittering phoenix out to her.

  Wide eyed, Renee held out her shaking hand, palm up, and the bird hopped gracefully from Sage’s hand to hers. It felt as if she was holding a ball of pure energy. After a moment, the bird took flight, rising high above their heads before bursting into flames, sending a shower of red, yellow, and orange sparks glittering down around them. Completely speechless, Renee turned to Sage and questioned him with her eyes.

  “You might not have noticed,” he began shyly, “but Vera Rimmiri is an anagram.”

  Vera Rimmiri was the name of the author who wrote the series. Renee counted out the letters in her head and gasped.

  “Miriam River,” she whispered, turning her wide eyes up at Sage. “No wonder. Every time I read about Saffyre, I thought he sounded just like you.”

  “Guilty as charged,” he said with a light laugh. “Amarynth is Autumn and Merwyck is mother. If you look closely, you’ll recognize others as well.”

  Renee realized that he was right. Among the myriad of characters were some that very closely resembled all of her new friends. “So you’re saying,” she started cautiously, “the books aren’t fiction at all?”

  “They’re Merwyck’s prophecies,” Sage whispered. Merwyck was described as an immortal priestess and guardian of the Evers, a land between worlds that kept the balance of nature. In the books, an evil army called the Oln was trying to take control of the Evers. “The next book hasn’t been written yet because the prophecies in the last are only now coming to pass,” he added with a knowing smile.

  “You can’t mean…” Renee trailed off, unwilling to voice her assumptions out loud only to find she was wrong.

  In the first book, Merwyck meets with a couple of elementals who are expecting a child. She tells the woman that she carries the Light Guardian, which is also the name of the series. The Light Guardian is prophesized to be the one who will stop the Oln once and for all. Of course, the Oln know this, which puts the child in danger. Because the she is a water and wind elemental, Merwyck instructs the couple to take the child away to a dry and windless land where her talents will not be discovered. In the sixth book, she comes of age and returns to the Evers with her parents. She learns not only about the prophesy, but also that she is soul bound to Saffyre, meaning they were fated from birth to fall in love with only each other. In the books, the girl’s name is Raine.

  “But I can,” Sage whispered, drawing her into his embrace. “Did it not seem strange that after years of protecting you, your father had no qualms about letting you out alone with me? You are the Light Guardian, Renee, and I am the Dark Protector, who swore an oath on the fires of Agmar to put your life above all.”

  Before Renee could process everything Sage had just told her, he pulled her closer and leaned down, capturing her lips with a light, yet intense kiss. His lips were every bit as soft as Renee had imagined and her heart hammered in her chest. Her first kiss was everything she had ever hoped for and more. She felt as if every muscle in her body had turned to liquid, but Sage held her upright with his strong arms as the kiss became even more intense. Around them, the sparkling firebirds danced in the night sky, but Renee noticed nothing, focusing on the strange and new desires Sage was awakening within her.

  After quite some time, Sage pulled away, allowing Renee to catch her breath.

  “I’m sure you have many questions,” he said.

  “That’s an understatement,” she replied with a heavy sigh that turned into a small laugh. “I can’t believe it’s all true. You don’t understand. I’ve spent my whole life wanting to believe that magic was real, yet here I am, completely overwhelmed. I don’t know a thing. You say I’m the Light Guardian, yet I’ve never shown the slightest sign of having any magical abilities at all. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

  “Haven’t you though?” asked Sage with a mischievous smile. “I don’t think Macey’s spill was a complete accident. Your abilities are strongest here. Well, anywhere there is water and wind, really. In Albuquerque, they were less because you were far from your source. You’ll be trained by both your parents and my mother. My job is to protect you throughout your training.” He pulled her close and kissed her again. “But we can talk about that later,” he murmured, running his hands through her hair. “We still have two hours until midnight. Let me prove our bond.”

  With that, he leaned in to kiss her again, but as he did, heavy footfalls thundered up from the lighthouse stairs. Renee looked up just in time to squeak a warning to Sage, who whirled to meet the intruder. He was a large man, tall and muscular, with a gnarled scar that ran diagonally across his face. He glared down at them before breaking into a cruel smile.

  “Thought you could hide, did you, child?” he snarled at Renee.

  “Be gone from here, Lord Rog,” Sage hissed. The glowing light of his hands became a raging fire as he lifted his fists to the man. Renee recognized the name. Lord Rog was the leader of the Oln.

  “Stand aside, boy,” Lord Rog warned, but Sage stood his ground.

  “Boy? I am the Dark Protector,” he bellowed, extending his arms in front of him. The fire leapt from his hands and engulfed the man, but seconds later, the flames spiraled up and away in a destructive tornado.

  “How very foolish,” sniffed Lord Rog dismissively, making a tsk noise with his tongue before he grabbed the end of the fire tornado in one hand. With a flick of his wrist, he spun it back, using the flames like a whip, and hit Sage with a blow that sent him over the edge of the catwalk.

  “No!” Renee shrieked, running to the rail to look over. Sage’s body lay sprawled on the rocks three stories below. “NO! Sage! Somebody help me!”

  “Your protector is dead,” said Lord Rog with gruff amusement. “No one else can help you. The prophecy ends now.”

  He lifted his hands above his head and called down a bolt of lightning. Renee knew she had to do something, anything, but she was frozen in place by fear. As he reared back, intending to strike her with the bolt, a loud crack rent the air and the man fell, clutching his chest, over the railing and onto the rocks below, not far from where Sage had fallen. Renee looked up to see a man in a cowboy hat and an old west style coat staring at her with a smoking pistol in his hand. Behind him, more heavy footfalls echoed on the stairs. He turned toward the source of the sound and then back to Renee. Holding his hand out to her, he said just one word.

  “Jump.”

  Chapter 6

  “Are you crazy?”

  Renee stared at the man in wide-eyed terror.

  “I ain’t got enough bullets left to shoot ‘em all,” he said, jerking his head back toward the stairs. Barely a second later, several large men who were dressed similarly to Lord Rog stomped out onto the catwalk.

 
“And now we’re out of options.” He grabbed Renee’s arm and leapt onto the railing, pulling her with him. “You might want to close your eyes,” he said, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

  Renee didn’t have time to protest before her feet left solid ground. She did shut her eyes, tightly, but it did no good. The sudden weightless feeling in her stomach told her she was falling. She would have screamed, but all of the air had left her lungs. A sharp sting, as if she had been slapped by a giant hand, reverberated across her entire body as they broke the surface of the water. As they continued to plummet, Renee was both relieved and baffled that they had somehow missed the rocks, but she was sure they were going to drown, especially since they were still dropping.

  Think of a safe place.

  Somehow, the stranger’s voice echoed in her head. Renee didn’t have time to contemplate how that was possible before she was slammed forcefully into a wooden floor. It took her several minutes to realize that the out-of-focus, glowing orb over her head was the moon, shining in through the window of her bedroom. She sat up gingerly, noting the growing puddle of seawater that spread across the floor and the fact that she was soaking wet and freezing.

  “I must have been drugged,” she muttered. “At the concert. Someone drugged me and none of that actually happened.”

  “You weren’t drugged, but you are half right. None of that happened.”

  Renee jumped in fright and whirled around to see the man with the long coat sprawled out on her bedroom floor. He had lost his cowboy hat and his dark hair was plastered to his head. With a grunt, he shrugged out of the heavy, waterlogged coat and sat up. Renee was surprised to see that he was just a boy who could not have been much older than she was.