A shuddering inhale, then Sarah flashed her eyes open. She was standing in the market with her mother. Her small hand was clasped around Lucille’s larger one.
A woman walked by them in the aisle. She smiled at Sarah.
“She’s adorable!” the woman gushed.
Lucille patted Sarah’s head while Sarah stared up at the woman.
“I bet she’s a good little girl, too, isn’t she?”
Her mother sent Sarah a slanted glance. The woman’s eyes followed the quick look. She broadened her grin and returned her focus to Sarah.
Holding up a single finger, she said, “Now, remember. Good girls listen and always do what they’re told. You hear me?”
The woman nodded and Sarah mimicked the movement.
But inside she revolted.
That’s a lie…
The store was gone. Sarah lay on her stomach in the middle of a forest. She moved to stand but someone weighed her down.
“This is your fault!” Elaine screamed into her ear. She pulled at Sarah’s red curls, creating painful tension around the roots. Tears sprung to Sarah’s eyes.
“You should have stayed away from him. You’re a monster.”
“No one wants you here, Sarah.” Elaine’s friends were shouting at her in the distance. She couldn't see them.
Elaine forced Sarah’s face into the soil.She tried to breathe and her mouth filled with dirt.
“No one wants the monster! No one wants you!” Their chant grew louder, filling Sarah’s ears until it was the only noise she could comprehend. Her emotions welled inside her.
Sarah knew this hurt. She would never forget this memory. And she knew she hadn’t been alone.
That’s a lie. Tom was there. Tom wanted me to stay.
Sarah was standing in the corner of a room. The wind blew outside and the house creaked around her.
A man and woman were there, staring down at a girl strapped to the bed. Sarah’s eyes rounded as she took in the sight, as she realized who the young girl was.
“You should have listened, Lucille.” The woman had spoken first. “We told you stop that evil behavior.”
“Aunt Catherine, please,” Sarah’s mother whined. “I didn’t do anything. It was just pretend.”
The man shook his head. “We can’t have you setting a bad example for your cousins. We took you in because your parents wanted you raised right. Now, it’s time we get to it.”
Sarah tried to move but found she only had the one spot.
There was a lit lantern on a dresser. Another by the door. A breeze blew into the room and tickled the flames.
“This for your own good, Lucille.”
While the man bowed his head and prayed, the woman—his wife, Sarah assumed—revealed a small vial in her palm.
“What is that?” Lucille asked.
“Hush!” the woman barked.
“No, no. Uncle John, Aunt Catherine, please.” She pulled against the ropes. “I won’t do it anymore. I won’t play in the forest or talk to the trees. It was only pretend.”
Her aunt Catherine emptied the vial over Lucille. Both she and John closed their eyes, then began mumbling.
A sharp gust shook the house, tossing the lanterns to the floor. A flame had caught the curtains and suddenly the room was nothing but orange and red.
Lucille shrieked.
“Get the children, John! Go!” Catherine stumbled after her husband, shouting out to her young ones. Sarah could hear them running around the house. The flames continued to spread.
A young Lucille was coughing as she struggled against the rope that held her. She tugged just right and one hand was free. She quickly untied herself and raced into the hall.
“Aunt Catherine, where are you?” Lucille wheezed. “My eyes burn. I can’t see!”
“It won’t move!”
“Try again, John,” Catherine screamed. “Help, help!”
“Lucy, help us get out.” A child’s voice.
“I can’t see you,” Lucille replied. “Where are you?”
“Lucy, please.”
“Lucy!”
The name repeated over and over again with the shrill voice of a child.
Sarah had to choose.
The voice grew louder.
She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She felt her mother’s heart racing inside her.
Truth. It’s the truth…
Sarah jolted awake, sucking in a gasp of air. She clawed at her throat but Jacob’s hand pulled hers away. She turned to him, eyes large and apprehensive.
His eyes had their own dark circles.
“It’s fine, you’re back.”
She couldn’t respond. Her chest continued to jut in and out, seemingly shrinking the rest of her body with its effect.
“Take it one breath at a time,” Jacob warned. He patted her head. “One breath at a time.”
Gradually, Sarah’s breathing evened out. She wasn’t sure she could fully move, so she let her gaze wander.
Skuntz hovered over an unconscious Klara, whispering something Sarah couldn’t hear. He placed Klara’s head in his lap just as she woke up.
There was the sound of sloshing water.
Sarah turned her attention forward. Ellen and Emma stood in their separate tombs, watching the scene in front of them.
“Hello,” they said in unison.
Skuntz got to his feet, pulling Klara with him. “It worked. It worked!” A huge grin pulled at his lips.
“Skuntz?” Ellen and Emma both said. Their brows rose upward.
The elf’s grin faltered. “I forgot how irritating that is.”
The twins moved their focus across the room until it found Sarah, who tried to stand but ended up back on the floor. Jacob lifted her up and she leaned against him.
“And the fallen angel?”
They narrowed their eyes before examining the rest of the room. Their behavior was as if they were searching for someone else. Someone Sarah knew they wouldn’t find.
When they realized the four in front of them were their only guests, they turned to Sarah and Skuntz.
“What’s happened to Serwa?”
Sarah and the elf glanced at one another.
Skuntz sighed. “We have plenty to tell you.”
Chapter 22
Ellen and Emma were slender silhouettes against the moonlight. They sat huddled together by the water, still wearing their thin black dresses. The water moved back and forth across the shore’s edge, along their dress hems.
Sarah wore a thick cloak, long sleeves, and padded pants. She couldn’t fathom how the twins were staying warm. But she understood why they were sitting alone, away from her and the others.
Ellen and Emma had lived with Serwa and Alex for nearly ten years before they left on their journey. They had seen the rise of Serwa and Alex’s kingdom, unlike Sarah. Now, they were being told the same kingdom, their home, was conquered and the rulers, their teachers, missing.
It made complete sense they’d want to be alone. Still, Sarah’s heart weighed in her chest., as well. Repeatedly, she had started to move toward the twins, then slumped back to the ground. They had barely said a word to her yet Sarah wished to grieve with them.
Yes, she had been gone for twelve Lyrican years.
No, she had not aided Alex and Serwa in restoring the old vampire kingdom.
But she felt the loss, too. On Earth, when she had thought of returning to Lyrica, she hadn’t pictured any of the current events occuring, yet she had pushed through them. Didn’t that mean she had as much a right to grieve her friends and the war in Lyrica as everyone else?
Or was she again misplaced?
She groaned.
Skuntz had taken the lead in telling them the entire tale. When he was done, both Ellen and Emma began making their way out of the tunnel, through the forest until they were by the sea.
Sarah rubbed at her eyes. She was exhausted, yet her mind was too full for her to even contemplate sleep. Her gaze traveled down
the shore line.
Klara had propped her sack up and was lying against it. A slow tune poured from her, growing lazier with each hum.
At least someone was getting some rest.
Skuntz and Jacob walked beside one another. Their backs were turned to her and they were several yards away, so Sarah couldn’t hear what they were saying. Still, when the elf declared he was going for a walk and Jacob offered to accompany him, Sarah thought her ears may have been clogged.
Then, she wondered if she was hallucinating when Skuntz nodded and waited for the angel to follow. What did they suddenly have in common?
She cast another glance at Klara, then the twins. It seemed everyone was occupied but her.
The boys moved farther down the beach.
“Curiosity killed the cat, Sarafina.”
A frequent line from one of her mother’s scolding sessions. But now, with what Sarah knew, was any of it really her mother’s fault? Hadn’t she been a victim like Sarah had been?
Though Sarah’s heart twisted with sadness, her hands balled into fists with rage. Her mother had been a victim. In response, she made her own daughter one, too.
Did that make it right?
The boys were moving further along. She shot to her feet and followed after them. Her head was too full to sit. And if her mother’s sayings held any truth, Sarah had nothing to worry about. She wasn’t a cat, afterall.
Stepping behind the trees, Sarah followed after Skuntz and Jacob until they stopped their tread. She squatted down and listened.
Skuntz shook his head. “You were my truth, Jacob. The other two scenes were lies.”
Jacob had cupped his chin between his thumb and forefinger. He steadily bobbed his head.
A vein pulsed in Skuntz’s forehead. Sarah release a silent exhale. His pride was getting in his way again
“Skuntz, what did you see?” Jacob finally asked.
Sarah leaned in a bit more. If what Skuntz had seen, changed his mind about Jacob, she didn’t want to miss one detail.
Skuntz breathed. “You were in two visions. In the second vision. I saw a younger you. And there was a lost child asking for his parents. Instead, you took him away to your realm.”
“I returned that boy. I’d never—”
“I know,” Skuntz interrupted him. “I want to be honest with you, though. As soon as I saw you in the vision, I thought it was a truth. But something felt wrong. You’ve regained Sarah’s trust which made me hesitate. None of your kind have appeared to attack, which also made me reluctant.”
He groaned, before crossing his arms and pivoting to fully face the angel.
“In the third, you helped the child find their way home. I had to decide. What I’m trying to say is no matter how much I wanted you to be the enemy, you’ve proven you’re not. And…if that’s the case, I can’t treat you as one. And I won't.”
With the words finally spoken, Skuntz flexed his shoulders, easing the last bit of anxiety from them.
Jacob chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Skuntz raised his brow.
He shrugged. “I can tell you’re very proud of yourself. You don’t apologize often.”
Sarah’s stomach growled. Both Jacob and Skuntz peered into the trees. She sunk lower to the ground, before making her way back.
As she stepped from the trees her stomach grumbled again and Sarah cursed her hunger. She didn’t want to eat. There was too much to think about and her distraction was gone.
The last vision…memory she had seen was unforgettable.
Her mother strapped to a bed, her great aunt and uncle her captors.
She shivered.
Was her mother the only survivor?
Sarah scoffed, then drew her knees to her chest. Closing her eyes, she pulled at her hair. She already knew the answer. They were all screaming near the end and the flames had moved through the house. The child—
She rubbed at her eyes, not wanting to relive the memory, her mother’s memory. It explained so much.
Another growl from her stomach. She groaned.
“Here.” Klara stood by her, holding out a piece of dried meat. “Your stomach won’t let me sleep.”
“I’m sorry. I was trying to ignore it.”
Klara sat beside her. “That doesn’t seem to be working. We only have time now, so you should eat.”
“Thank you, Klara,” she said with a smile. “I was lost in my head.”
The dwarf sat with her legs straight out. She rocked her head from side-to-side for a moment, letting the silence linger.
“Are you worried about what you saw?” she asked.
Sarah paused for a moment. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Hm. You know, when Da would bring you up, he never mentioned how stubborn you are.”
“I’m not stubborn, I—”
“Can handle everything on your own?” Klara gave her a long side-stare.
Sarah bristled.
None the wiser, Klara continued rocking from side-to-side. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks,” she admitted. “But the way Lyricans talk about you, it feels much longer for me. You’re strong, I don’t doubt that. But no one can do everything alone.”
You don’t understand. Sarah rubbed her forehead. It’s not only that.
“Skuntz and I are not Queen Serwa and King Alexander but—”
“That has nothing to do with this,” Sarah snapped, putting extra bite behind her words.
Still not looking at her, Klara paused. Finally, she turned to Sarah, a gentle look in her eyes. She was being kind and compassionate, which frustrated Sarah even more. No matter how kind the dwarf was, no matter how well she listened, no one would ever understand what it was like to have two homes that didn’t need you. Or want you.
The sound of padded steps drew Sarah’s attention. Ellen and Emma were walking toward her. Both she and Klara stood to meet them halfway.
Sarah reached out to console them, then drew her arms back. It had been twelve years.
The twins seemed to look through them.
Emma spoke first. “We know where Serwa is but—”
“We can’t find Alexander,” Ellen finished. “If what you saw is correct, Sarah, then he is in the human kingdom. But we cannot confirm where in the kingdom.”
Sarah hands were trembling. “Where is she? Where’s Serwa?”
In unison they said, “Beneath the river.”
For a moment, Sarah thought Ree would ask to join them on their journey. She had a free, wild spirit that always seemed up for an adventure. Instead, after they had returned to the sky elves’ village, Sarah and the others rested for a single day before saying goodbye.
Ree waved them on proudly, wishing them the best of luck. Though Sarah didn’t think recruiting unnecessary parties into their group was the best idea, as they marched back across the mountains, she wished for Beaker and the other birds. She was certain with the birds their trip would have been shortened by less than half. To her, that was one less half of a mountain to navigate before seeing Serwa.
Since learning where the humans hid her, the witch had haunted Sarah’s dreams. Almost since the beginning rescuing Serwa and Alexander had been her mission. It gave her a single objective to focus on. But now her goal was within reach and her magic tingled inside her.
Serwa was so close.
Ellen and Emma walked beside one another, taking lead of the group. They still hadn’t spoken much. Sarah had so many questions, but the twins only had one goal.
Her eyes drifted to the silver circles around their ring fingers Serwa had given them. It was how they had found her, using the remnants of her energy to find her last location.
Sarah glanced down at her own finger, then quickly shook her head. Jealousy would do her no good. And it made no sense. Of course, Serwa would have given them gifts as Sarah was sure they had done for her. After all, they had been together for twelve years.
Sarah had only had a few months.
&nbs
p; She tucked her hand into her cloak. Suddenly, it felt naked.
Klara was silent beside Sarah while Jacob and Skuntz talked amongst themselves. Their voices were too low for her to catch the full conversation. Occasionally, a “Yes” or “Agreed” would reach her ears, only for the remaining sentence to fade away.
Narrowing her eyes, Sarah glanced back at them.
What were they discussing?
“Jacob’s not as bad as I thought.” Klara sighed and shook her orange tresses. “I’ll admit, I was suspicious of him at first.”
Sarah laughed. “Was it ever a secret?”
She shrugged, sending her a sidelong stare. “No, but I like to pretend I’m more subtle than I am. He isn’t like the few other angels I’ve met.”
“What have they been like?” Sarah peeked behind her, ensuring the two young men were still lost in their own conversation.
Klara grimaced as if she had a bad taste in her mouth. “Where to begin? So arrogant. Think they know everything and that they’re always right. And selfish! There’s a strong sense of self-preservation among his kind.”
“Seeing them is rare, isn’t it? Why is that?” asked Sarah.
“The few I’ve met here seemed to spend their time observing us other Lyricans. Like we were their experiments.”
Sarah thought of Jacob’s mention of the languages he had studied. The angels must have collected textbooks of information on the other Lyricans during their visits.
The sound of gurgling water drew their attention. If Sarah remembered the map correctly, they were closer to the desert than ever before. All it would take was to cross the river, a day’s travel at most, and the forests would give way to endless sand.
Lyricans believed the deserts were a wasteland. Sarah wasn’t so sure. Once she had stayed after school to ask Ms. Carr more about Cleopatra. The teacher had only mentioned her briefly in a previous lesson but Sarah had taken it upon herself to learn about the woman pharaoh. Like with Queen Elizabeth, Sarah was fascinated and learned what to some was considered a wasteland was home to others.
The gurgling river came into view. Ellen and Emma came to a halt at its edge.
Turning around, Ellen found Sarah’s eyes.
“Can you feel her?” she asked.
Sarah hesitated, the color rushing to her cheeks. Finally, she shook her head.
The Pariah Child- Sarafina's Return Page 21
