by Stacy Lee
Chapter Thirteen
Dropping the calm I step fully into the sand and begin to drag it into my body with each step I take. The Ranoy have begun to stand up again by the time we are halfway to the front of the dunes keeping the left grass in my sights. I head to a spot beside the grass and further back from where the spheres had been not wanting to be too close to them yet. I had to leave room for them to advance or this would be over to quickly and Axel wouldn’t have time to get the King out.
When I reach a spot directly in front of the dunes I stop and turn towards the enemy lines. My breath catches as I see hundreds of Ranoy lined up in front of us. Beside me Xavier draws in a shaky breath as he steadies himself into a fighting stance. Before us the Ranoy in the center part to allow someone to pass through their ranks. Raider.
“Well, I see you didn’t take me seriously on my threat and decided to bring him to his death. Hello son.” His smile is anything but humorous as he rakes his eyes over Xavier who visibly shutters next to me.
“I’m no longer your son.” Xavier growls out to Raider’s low chuckle. He was enjoying the defensiveness and tension in Xavier way too much.
“It won’t be us that die today.” I staet calmly, which surprises me as I am anything but calm. He laughs, throws his head back and burst out laughing like that was the funniest thing he has ever heard.
“Oh, my dear Evangelina, I am going to love breaking you once our bond is complete.” Xavier’s breath catches next to me but I try to ignore him.
“I told you, my name is Samantha! There will be no bond between you and I. I still don’t know how you are doing it, but it isn’t a true bond and you know it. You will never have me, Raider. I belong to Xavier.” A wave of pride hits me from Xavier distracting me for a second before I focus back on Raider. Even with the bond not complete we were still linked together and it was getting stronger each day. I glance to the moon and am both relieved and panicky over its position. It wasn’t high enough yet but it wasn’t far from it. I was running out of time.
“Such a foolish child. I always get what I want and since you haven’t completed the bond with him I can only think that you know the truth. You are mine! Kill the boy, bring the girl.” He shouts making the Ranoy surge forward.
With a calming breath I raise my hands in the air pulling forth five spheres to encircle us and lighting the area. Even before they come into view I already know we are surrounded. I could hear them moving into position behind us. Xavier has turned to put his shoulder against mine, ready to fight to the death. I hurriedly push power into the spheres making them grow rapidly as the Ranoy draw closer. The bigger they get the slower their steps become. Having seen the others explode they are a bit more cautious this time.
“Don’t leave your position.” I whisper to Xavier then feel his nod as his shoulder muscles clench with the movement. With the leading Ranoy ten feet from us I split each orb into five smaller orbs, the effort it takes make me scream. Panting now, unable to truly focus I fight to maintain my control. Xavier’s left hand slides over my waist gripping my hip, grounding me for just a moment before he pulls back with a curse. I feel him shake out his hand as if I shocked or burnt him. However it was enough to regain my focus. The Ranoy are almost upon us.
I catch sight of the bubble heading rapidly towards the grass and sigh, he made it. With another scream I split the spheres once again into fives making the Ranoy stop dead in their tracks eyeing the balls with trepidation. Then with only a thought I activate them. Each ball shoots a bolt of power like lightening into the chest of the nearest Ranoy, disintegrating them. A yell goes up from the ranks and they begin to back away from the balls, however with a flick of my wrists I send half of the spheres after them. Each ball contains three strikes, each taking down anything in its vicinity.
Hoping I gave Axel enough time to leave the bubble I send the remaining spheres half to the right to clear him a path and the other half to the left so I can reach the grass. “Stay here. I’ll only be a moment.” I order Xavier as I follow the left spheres. Once I reach the grass I expel the bad and draw in the good deftly closing the bubble for the Kings safety. Then immediately turn and flea back to Xavier’s side before the Ranoy have any clue I left him. Axel joins us moments later.
“The moon, Sam.” I glance up and cringe, I was out of time.
“I see it. Stay together so I don’t catch you in the cross fire and be ready Axel. It’s time to keep that promise.” I plant my feet firmly in the sand and draw in the power, way too much power.
“What promise?” Xavier says behind me but I’m too busy gritting my teeth to answer and Axel doesn’t even try.
I hold my hands in front of me, one on top, the other on the bottom, palms facing each other to form a sphere between them. I glance out to see the Ranoy moving in once more, however Raider has moved further back showing his cowardice. Keeping my hands evenly spaced I begin to walk in a circle around me and the boys dragging the sphere, elongating it, to make a ring of light around us, almost like a glowing hula-hoop. Once the ends are connected I step to the middle.
“Put your shoulders to mine.” I pant out. Once I feel both their shoulders touch mine I hold my hands by my sides and breathe. In then out, in then out, once more in then out. On the out I throw my hands out pushing the energy out in a complete circle of power that rolls over the Ranoy taking out the first two rows and knocking the rest to the ground. As soon as the power leaves me I turn to Xavier. I grab his shoulder and turn him to face me.
“Do you trust me?” I ask quietly.
“Yes.” There is no hesitation this time, no sounds of ‘maybe’ instead I hear an unequivocal ‘yes’. I nod.
“Now, Axel.” I rip my glasses off even before I hear his mumbled ‘got it’ and meet Xavier’s eyes. Our breath catches, my heart speeds up, my brain goes foggy but this time I do not fight the inevitable. I let it happen.
My vision swims with his silver eyes then goes dark, an image floating to the surface. Standing in the Great Hall the first time our eyes met. His shock when I pulled away, his disappointment also. It changes to the day on the mountain the first time Raider and his Ranoy attacked. Him standing to the side watching as the red energy spewed from my hands killing the enemy. Again his shock washes over me then fear as I fall unconscious. The image changes once more to the night I protected the building. The fighting was done; he surveys the area to make sure there are no more Ranoy then he turns to me. He stands there for a split second his mouth hanging open as he admires the shield I created. Pride wells inside him as he watches me fight to stay on my knees and not give in to the darkness. It’s only a moment before he runs to me to let me know it’s safe but the moment fills me with relief. He could have been so many things after that fight, angry, jealous, disgusted, but instead he was proud of me.
One last time the image changes. We are once again in the Great Hall standing on the platform the door enters onto. Two small blue winged girls are hanging on an older version Xavier. He looks at them with love and devotion in his eyes before glancing over his shoulder at me as I walk to his side. He wraps an arm around my waist before slinging one child into my arms and the other onto his hip. The image fills me with peace as it fades away. Then just like that we are both standing on the battle field once more, gasping for air. The sound of metal clashing draws my attention to Axel who is fighting off two Ranoy who have recovered from their daze.
“Noooo! Kill them! Kill them all!” Raider furiously screams.
Pulling back the energy I make a sphere and throw it at one of Axel’s opponent’s leaving him with only one. I look over to Xavier who is still standing there a little dazed still gasping for breath. I step up to him and take his hand in mine.
“Let’s kick a little Ranoy butt, shall we?” I ask with a smirk. He grins and nods. “I’m going to share the power with you. You call the wind to us while I gather it. It will burn when it enters, but whatever you do, don’t pull away from me.” He nods then closes h
is eyes. Not even a second later I feel the air around us begin to move. Digging deep I pull the energy to me letting it flow to him through our connected hand. He gasps as it leaves me, dwindling into him. The wind falters for only a moment before he gathers it once more. Latching onto the wind, using his powers as my own, I begin to direct it into a spin around us. Faster and faster it moves picking up the Ranoy and flinging them out. I can hear guttural screams as they fly through the air, then bones crunch as they hit the hard sand. Some shrieks stop there, others get louder mingled with pain. I really didn’t want to kill them, injured they couldn’t fight and that was fine with me. We just needed to survive this night.
“Axel, to me!” I demand. He swings his sword decapitating his enemy and rushes to my side. “Let it go, Xavier.” Immediately the storm drops to nothing. I throw my hand up in front of me unleashing a wave of power so strong it makes the ground under our feet rumble as it rolls over both the downed and still standing Ranoy incinerating them. With a cry of outrage Raider takes flight before the wave reaches him and soars away from the dunes into the night sky. Wow, that did more damage than I expected sending a small amount of guilt through me for taking so many lives. I shake it off knowing it had been their choice to turn bad.
Very carefully I pull the power from Xavier’s body then kneel to send it back to the earth with a silent thank you. As I stand I hear Xavier’s voice in my head. ‘Close your eyes Sam.’ Without question I do as he asks. An image that isn’t from me floats in the darkness solidifying gradually.
It’s me, standing as I am now, my hands clasped in front of me, my eyes closed, my head tilted down, covered in sand. Then I catch my breath as I see the wings spread out around me. Bright blue in color. I grin as a small giggle surfaces, instantly the wings change to violet. I frown a little confused, why did they change? Again they change to amber. A wave of emotion hits me from Xavier, stronger than any has before, infusing my body with happiness. Once more the wings turn violet in color. That’s when the realization hits me.
“Mood wings!” I shout opening my eyes in horror. I had a hard enough time keeping my feelings off my face, now I had wings that showed my feelings. I throw my hands over my face as the boys try to cough instead of laugh. I put my hands on my hips and glare at them. “Not one word you two! Not a single one!” I shout as I turn and trudge towards the King, the boy’s laughter following me.
As I stomp towards the grassy patch I pass many Ranoy who didn’t succumb to death trying to regain their footing. When they see me coming they bolt towards the dunes shrieking in terror. At least someone was still frightened of me. How the heck could this happen? Multi-colored wings that show my feelings. Just wonderful! I will have to make sure the boys don’t share that little secret with anyone. It could be detrimental to me if we face another battle, which I’m sure we will, Raider was still alive after all. If my enemies know that yellow means I’m upset or red means I’m angry or even black means I’m nervous I will be so screwed!
Stepping onto the grass I immediately pull the soothing blue energy inside me and sigh. I don’t have to look at my wings to know I am finally calm. I approach the bubble cautiously. The figure inside is slumped over looking unconscious or dead. My heart begins to beat rapidly at the sight. What if I didn’t close the exit in time and a Ranoy managed to kill him beforehand? Placing my hands on the shield I draw the power into me till nothing remains. Slowly I sit in front of the prone figure and tentatively reach for his neck. I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel a steady heartbeat. I let my gaze rake over his body taking in the odd angle of his wings, the bruises across his arms, ripped clothing and visible cuts. I couldn’t see his face but I was sure it was probably just as bad as the rest of his body. Gently I take his hands in mine and let the energy loose slowly inside him sending it to his wings first. Instantly an image seizes me dragging me into darkness before it lightens to a video clip in my mind.
I am inside a sterile baby nursery, machines, small incubators and basinets surround me. A large glass window is in the front of the room, several men and other family members looking in at the babies, pointing towards theirs with happy expressions. One baby lays alone a few rows away from the window, no one is looking at her. A man dressed like a doctor walks into the room gaining the attention of a nurse holding a baby up for family to see.
“I’ll be right with you, Dr. Stone.” He nods, his back to me. He searches the small portable cribs till his eyes lock on the lone little girl. Hesitantly he makes his way to her side then takes in a sharp breath as he looks down at the quiet form. Her extremely blue eyes are open, taking him in just as he takes her in. “I see you’ve met Samantha.” The nurse says as she joins him. My breath catches on the name. Is that me?
“Samantha?” He asks, confusion evident. The nurse purses her lips like she tasted something nasty.
“Yes, well, we had to name her since her mother didn’t tell anyone what she was going to be called.” She says sadly.
“Why can’t she tell you now?” His voice is deep and unsteady like he doesn’t want to know the answer to that question but must ask it anyway.
“She passed about five minutes after the birth. They placed Samantha on her chest. She looked down and smiled at her then closed her eyes. She never woke up.” She runs her hand over my head in comfort as she talks.
“I see. What will happen to her now?” He asks quietly.
“Social services will be here in two days to place her in a home. The mother never said who the father was so they will do some checking but if he isn’t found she will be placed up for adoption. We have been taking turns holding her, if you have a minute it’s feeding time. I’m shorthanded and could use the help.” She holds a bottle up and he takes it without question lifting me to his chest and taking a seat in a rocker close by. The nurse walks off to tend to another infant as he sits and holds me close to his body while I eat.
“Don’t worry, Evangelina, I will take care of this.” He whispers quietly making my head snap back with the name like I had been slapped. Very slowly he lifts his eyes to mine and stares directly at me. His unearthly blue eyes glow in the hospital nursery as a tear slides down his cheek. Blue eyes I know well, the same eerily beautiful eyes that haunt the only memory I have, my death. “I promise.” He says directly to me.
The image fades then brightens on a backyard. A small child of around two runs through a sprinkler laughing. She is only dressed in a pair of silk panties as she jumps back and forth over the spray of water. Her mop of red curls sticking to her head, her blue eyes bright and happy. A movement out of the corner of my eye drags my gaze to a man leaning on the fence watching her play. She sees him the same time I do and runs toward him giggling. He keeps his head bowed as he talks to her, hiding his face from me.
“Happy Birthday, Samantha.” He pulls a container of bubbles from his pocket and hands the bottle to the child who gurgles a ‘thank you’ and runs for the house. When she turns her back to him he draws in a sharp intake of air at the birthmark spread across the child’s back. From shoulder blade to shoulder blade is a perfect set of wings. He looks up to the door where a man stands watching him. He nods towards the guy at the fence who nods back before he turns to leave. He takes two steps then stops and looks over his shoulder, directly at me. Those glowing blue eyes pierce me as he holds my gaze for almost a full minute before turning back to the street and strolling away.
It grows dark again then several scenes flit through my head rapidly. Birthday parties, a man with bright blue eyes in each scene watching sometimes from a distance, sometimes sitting right next to me. Age three he is standing towards the back smiling. Age four he is closer, talking to who I believe is my adopted father, the man from inside the house. Age five he sits beside me while I blabber away about something he can only grin and nod to. Age six we walk hand in hand into a room filled with people for a surprise party. Age seven it’s a party at a skating rink and I’m beside him pulling him with me trying to show him
how to skate through my tears of laughter. Age eight I’m surrounded by young girls while opening presents, the blue eyed man is not far away watching with pride. Age nine he sits with a woman and my father with their heads together whispering while I play with friends. There is one thing the same in every flash, the shirt I wear shows my back and in every scene the birthmark is smaller than the one before. Also in every scene the man looks up directly at me right before it fades to the next one.
Once more I’m plunged into darkness only to lighten on another scene. This time I’m around ten. The man who stood in the doorway is helping me onto a pink bike with a big bow on the handle bars. He steadies me then pushes gently letting me go reluctantly to pedal on my own. I wobble then correct it before wobbling again and smashing into a trash can. I jump off just at the last second to avoid getting hurt. A deep laugh comes from behind my vision self and I turn sharply to find the blue eyed man staring at the younger me.
“Good save, Samantha.” He laughs. I grin at him then run to give him a hug.
“Dr. Stone! You missed my party this year! What happened?” I ask looking up at him with wide eyes.
“I was unattainably delayed. I know I’m late, but I’m here now.” He pulls a hand out of his pocket to reveal a small black box. “Happy Birthday.” He says cheerfully. I grab the box and open it cautiously, even at ten I can tell it is some kind of jewelry box and I don’t want to damage it. When finally it clicks open I gasp and smile bright. A small angel pendant hangs from a silver chain, its wings the deepest cobalt I have ever seen.
“An angel!” I say with awe.
“No, my child. That is a Phranoy, not an angel.” I give him an incredulous look, scrunching up my nose like I smelled something rotten.
“What’s a Phranoy, Dr. Stone?” I ask with the innocence of a child. He removes the necklace from its confinement and places it around my neck.
“I can’t really explain much about them but just know that they are the good guys. You are a part of them and they love you and are waiting for you to join them, just like me. Now let’s see you ride that bike again, shall we?” I grin at him and nod cheerfully. Ten year old minds are easily distracted because my older self wants to yell at him to answer the question! I grab my bike and hoist myself on it. Dr. Stone helps me to get going, his hand lightly brushing over the even smaller birthmark, then he watches as I pedal away furiously down the street like I had been doing it for years. My father walks up to him and stands beside him, their backs to me.
“It gets smaller every year. Have you found out why, sir?” The man asks Dr. Stone.
“I believe when it is gone she will be ready to join us. However it is only a guess, Duncan. You and Ally are doing a wonderful job with her. Thank you for taking this on, I know you miss home.” He pats Duncan on the shoulder appreciatively.
“She is a wonderful child, sir. As we weren’t blessed with any ourselves this has been a most amazing experience for us. We should be thanking you. Even if we have to be in this world and not our own, it is well worth it.” He grins at the other man then looks away before speaking again with a rigid back and colder voice. “Was there a problem with your transport today?” Dr. Stone sighs.
“The Ranoy attacks have become more insistent. I may not be able to visit as much in the coming years. I wouldn’t want to accidently lead them to her. If I don’t show up next year please buy her something from me and apologize to her that I wasn’t able to get away. I’ll contact you as soon as I think it is safe. If there is an emergency you know how to reach me, but please do not try unless it’s life threatening. Things are getting progressively worse in Da-Nigh.” He sighs again, his shoulders slumping then rubs his face like he is bone tired. What amazes me is this man, my adopted father, knows Dr. Stone is from Da-Nigh, knows of the Ranoy and Phranoy and if I was to guess he might even be one. “I must go. Tell Evangelina good bye for me.” He pats Duncan on the shoulder once more then turns to walk off. Before he even takes one step he looks back at me with his piercing gaze. “I never wanted to stop coming.” He says directly to me, then he is gone and so is the vision.
Laughter draws my gaze to the front porch of the same house in the other visions. I stand watching a car pull to the curve dressed in a long, cobalt blue strapless, backless gown that matches the Phranoy pendant around my neck. My hair is piled on my head and my feet shoved in high heels I’m sure I couldn’t walk in now if I wanted to. A young man jumps out of the car and runs up to me laughing.
“Hey there, Sam. You look gorgeous. You ready for dancing?” He does a little jig making me laugh harder at him.
“You crack me up, Timothy. That’s the fun of going with your best friend to prom; we will have a blast no matter what!” Timothy’s face darkens a bit and I wonder how I can’t see that this young man does not see me as a friend but more. The look quickly fades and he grabs my hand hurrying me to the car. When I turn to wait for him to open the door I see the birthmark on my back, well I try to. It is barely the size of a half-dollar. I tuck myself into the car while Timothy runs around to the other side. As we pull away Dr. Stone steps from behind a tree watching us go. My father comes from the door to meet him in the drive.
“Sir, I’m surprised to see you.” He says a near panic look on his face.
“Don’t worry Duncan, it’s not time yet.” Duncan’s face and body relax with the words, almost.
“It will be soon though, wont it?” Dr. Stone nods. “She is only sixteen, too young for this fate if you ask me.” He spits out then catches himself and tries to apologize but the doctor brushes his words aside.
“I agree. However we have nothing to do with the timing only what happens afterwards. Keep an eye on that mark. I’m sure she has less than a year now. I will know when to come for her just as I knew I needed to be here today. I have put off listening to that sense telling me when something important was happening to her for six years now, but I couldn’t miss her first date and dance. It meant so much to her. She is beautiful, isn’t she?” His smile was thoughtful yet proud.
“Yes she is, sir. And not just on the outside, she is a beautiful person all around. Sixteen years in this world has taught me a lot about these people. They aren’t all nice or helpful or accommodating. Honestly they are mostly testy and angry but not our Samantha, she is remarkable. She will make a fair ruler of Da-Nigh.” He says proudly.
“I agree. We just have to get her through the storm to come without her losing those qualities first.” Dr. Stone’s cobalt eyes narrow then his head turns slowly to me, making eye contact. The scene goes dark.
The sun shines bright on a street, I’m running full tilt towards a stop sign, ear phones in, I-pod in hand, music blaring so loud I can hear it from where I stand across the road. I slow as I close with the connecting road. A four way corner with only two stop signs, I pause to look before darting out off the sidewalk. Tires squeal as a car careens up the road taking the corner without stopping or slowing down. A sickening thud sounds as I bounce off the windshield and roll off the hood to the pavement below. A man steps out of the car, a beer can in his hand. He looks down at me and curses jumping back behind the wheel. In another squeal of tires he backs up and flees from the scene leaving me alone on the pavement, dying.
Dr. Stone steps out from behind a tree and walks calmly to my side, kneeling. Only a few seconds pass before the tension in my body fades and I relax back on the pavement staring up at him with a small smile on my face. Then my eyes close. His body shutters as he stares down at me, a tear running over his cheek before he gathers me in his arms and stands. With one look across the road at my frozen, shocked, vision self, he is gone taking my body with him. I stand staring at the road for only a second before my vision sways then darkens completely.
Slowly I open my eyes to meet the concerned silver gaze of Xavier. Relief quickly floods me from him as he runs his knuckles over my cheek. “You alright?” I nod but can’t find my voice, my throat is scratchy and my mouth feels to dry.
Someone’s hands tighten in mine and I glance down to see I’m still passing power into the King. Quickly I pull it in and send it back to the earth with a silent thank you before hesitantly meeting the cobalt eyes I knew would be waiting for me.
“Evangelina.” He whispers in awe as he searches my face then his gaze flits to my wings. Wings that are rapidly changing colors with all my emotions and Xavier’s combined. His eyes narrow then widen before swiftly meeting mine again. “Ambieanic? Interesting.”
“Ambieanic?” I cock my head and stare at him. He chuckles.
“Always curious, always needing answers. Even when you were little you had to have the answer. I had to distract you with other things to get out of answering questions.” He grins at me but still he doesn’t answer the question. I tighten my mouth in a thin line and raise my eyebrow at him. He barks out a laugh. “You are more determined now I see. Ambieanic is the correct term for why your wings are changing colors. You pick up the ambience of the room, the people, the moods of those around you. At first it will only be your own but as you grow into your talents you will be able to pick up on others faster and you will be able to control…that.” He points at the rapidly changing colors with a grin. “Humans call it being an empath, I believe.”
“So it’s not just my moods?” I glance at Xavier then back to the King. He shakes his head.
“Right now, probably so, yes. You will learn.” With that dismissal he pulls himself up with Axel’s help, leaning heavily on the young man’s shoulder. His wings are now straight, the bruises fading but not gone, the cuts and scratches were no longer bleeding but not healed completely.
“Let me finish healing you.” I say stubbornly, staggering to my own feet, breathless.
“No, Evangelina, you are exhausted. This is enough to get me home. I may be King, but I can heal naturally just like anyone else can. Save your strength.” For some reason the name he keeps using grates on me. I know it’s who they think I am, but it’s not who I feel like.
“Please call me Samantha.” I say quietly hoping not to offend him. Even though I state it meekly I meet his gaze evenly not breaking it as he considers my words. Finally he nods.
“For now.” With that he turns and walks off with Axel, a few steps later they are in the air leaving me alone with a very nervous Xavier. I take a deep breath then turn to face him, my knees falter but he catches me before I hit the ground. His nervousness turns to concern before he sweeps me into his arms, pinning my wings behind me.
“We’ll talk at home. You need to rest.” With that he launches us into the air. Gladly, I cuddle into his chest inhaling his scent of basil and let the darkness surround me.
