Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone

by Jacklyn Daher

  “No, no, no.” Evie dug her heels and arched her back making it harder for Luxor to get her inside.

  “Oh boy,” Ayla mumbled.

  “Stop whining, it’ll be a laugh.”

  The twinkling of bells above the tent of the Mystical Emporium invited them into a store of clutter and chaos with books and paraphernalia scattered all over the place. An aromatic scent hung in the air, heady but pleasant. Star cut-outs and angel adornments hung from string which criss-crossed across the tent, stacks of books and were surprisingly piled in categories on the floor. Wiccan and spells on one side and angel related and spirituality on the other.

  Luxor found herself drawn toward the angel section. She scoured the shelves and found little figurines of chubby cherubs ranging in all sizes from palm-sized to ones the size of her arm. She averted her attention to the beige coloured books which looked dusty and ran her finger along the spines. Picking up the first one she pulled out A-Z of Angels and Demons and opened it up. Abaddon was the first one on the list and words associated him with doom and king of the locusts.

  Ew, how morbid.

  She flicked through to the middle, the page landing on Grigori, also known as Watchers and in brackets it said “type”. Can you get anymore vague? Luxor thought and slammed the book shut and returned it back.

  “Oooh, pretty,” Luxor said and reached into a little, cane basket containing a variety of different stones with assorted with labels explaining their meanings. She pulled out her chain from underneath her top and picked up an amethyst stone. The violet colour was glossy, and she matched it against the stones around her neck.

  "Can I help you?" A woman with curly brown hair came up behind Luxor. Her eyes widened at her chain. "Those are some interesting stones," she said as Luxor put back the amethyst stone.

  “Thank you.” Luxor held the stones in the palm of her hand, and she swore they gave a faint flicker of light as if they glowed under her touch.

  "Can I see? I've got to say I've read about them but never seen them. They are very rare, and to be honest, I didn't think they ever existed." Her hoop earrings dangled as she twisted her head to get a better look.

  "I'd prefer not to take it off." She turned her shoulder and hid them away from her prying eyes.

  She continued to eye the necklace, completely entranced. "Could I help you with anything else?"

  "Just browsing really." She glanced over her shoulder. Evie was over in the Wiccan section flicking through the book chuckling and shaking her head. "Actually, would you be able to do a reading?"

  Three minutes later the previously quiet environment shifted.

  "I'm going to kill you!" Evie hissed as they followed the woman through the beaded curtains towards the back of the store for her reading.

  "It'll be fun. I saw you reading the Wiccan books, you seemed like you were enjoying them."

  "I was laughing at the stupidity at what some people are into to."

  "It'll be funny. She might say you'll meet the man of your dreams who's a millionaire and live forever as a princess," Luxor told Evie.

  Once the lady sat down Evie wasn’t able to contain her laughter. "You stating that goes to show you don't know me at all. A princess? Pfft. The Princess of Death, sure, but you envisioning me in a poufy gown, my dear demoness, you have problems."

  "Don’t call her that," Ayla ordered in an irritated tone.

  "Yeah." Luxor stuck out her tongue mockingly and laughed.

  "Or she might say I'll get run over tomorrow, and they'll hold a state funeral for me. Both highly improbable. Or cursed, considering Adam died that way." Evie stomped ahead.

  “Who’s Adam?”

  The wooden chimes clanked as they entered the dimly lit room, the setup was something out of a television show. A star spangled purple-sheeted canopy hung up above, while the woman positioned herself behind the rounded table covered with a purple tablecloth.

  Luxor prodded Evie to the centre while Ayla sat to the left, and Luxor to the right nearest to the door. After Evie handed over thirty dollars, the woman introduced herself as Rayne.

  "Where's your turban thing? And the crystal ball?" Evie sniped. She twirled about her head and slumped back, crossing her arms across her chest.

  Rayne plastered on a fake smile, no doubt used to the cynics. "Give me your hand." She looked from Evie and Luxor. Can you excuse me for a minute?" She left and by that time Evie, Ayla, and Luxor were on the verge of following suit.

  "She's seriously a crackpot. I can't believe I spent my last thirty bucks on this," Evie huffed.

  "I'll reimburse you, now shut up and have fun with it," Luxor told her.

  Rayne returned holding an oblong wooden box and placed it at the end of the table. Small trails of incense smoke wafted from the top, circulating the air. It was warm, misty and heavy and clouded the room giving it a calming effect.

  Luxor coughed and waved her hand in front of her face. "What's that?"

  "Spikenard. It protects our surroundings and will help with the aura reading." Rayne tilted her head to Luxor, her furrowed creasing. Rayne held Evie's hand again palm faced up. "If you're not familiar, an aura is the energy radiating around your soul. They have different colours each determining what your emotions."

  Evie burst out laughing. "This is ridiculous. Do you hear her?" she asked Ayla and Luxor.

  "I'm in the same room," Luxor retorted. Even though she realised it was a rhetorical question Evie's attitude was grating on her nerves.

  Rayne gently massaged Evie's hand, closed her eyes, and began to hum. She opened her eyes. "Your soul is pure and light although your aura is showing it's navy blue and charcoal grey."

  "Did you pick the first colours that sprung to mind?" Evie snatched back her hand, the chair tumbling backwards. "Let's go." She told them on her way out.

  "You miss him!" Rayne called out.

  "What?" Evie whipped around sharply.

  "Navy blue means scepticism which you're clearly showing, but right at the core your aura is charcoal grey...depression." Evie stopped near the doorway. "You lost someone, am I correct? And you feel empty as if a part of you has been shattered. Every day you think of this person and you wonder if they're okay."

  Evie clenched her fists, her body trembling with rage when she directed her attention to Ayla. "You told her?"

  "What? No. Why would I do that?"

  "For a laugh." Her voice cracked, tears accumulating at the corner of her eyes.

  "I swear I didn't say anything," Ayla said.

  Luxor moved to her side, rubbing her back and trying to console her. "You need to relax." She cajoled in her ear.

  Evie took a deep breath in, and shrugged her shoulders away. "You go ahead." She pointed at Luxor. "Let's see what she has to say about you."

  Rayne poured Evie a glass of water, as Luxor kept her eyes on Evie, and willingly sat down in the place Evie had vacated. Her stomach churned, a sign something bad was about to occur.

  "Hand please." Rayne said in a stern voice. Despite Luxor’s reservations she obeyed. Upon contact Rayne's body posture stiffened, her hands starting to tremble. Beads of sweat formed at her temples, trickling down the side of her face. "This is impossible." She gazed intently at Luxor before covering both her hands over Luxor's so now it was sandwiched. "You're constantly in fear."

  Okay it is time to put my poker face on.

  Luxor had to forget about her nightmares.

  "Whether you're awake or asleep you're tormented by a presence. I can see that you're scared. Scared of showing who or what you are." Rayne said.

  Luxor stiffened up, hoping it sounded vague enough that Evie and Ayla wouldn't look too much into it. "Sorry to tell you but it's far off the mark." She disconnected herself from Rayne, joining Evie and Ayla at the door. "Let's go she's crazy."

  "But you've been having nightmares since you were a baby, remember you told us." Evie looked at her, and then she asked Rayne. "What colour is she?"

  "This is crazy," Luxor sai
d. "I want to go."

  She knows I'm not normal.

  "Her aura is not showing," Rayne conversed with Evie as if Luxor was invisible.

  "I have no aura or 'energy around my soul?' Okay well thanks for your time,'" Luxor replied sarcastically. "Evie, now."

  "White. And it sparkles. You're white and indigo...no, oh my god it's black." She widened her eyes and her whisper was barely audible. After a pause, she continued. "Are you pregnant?"

  Luxor gasped. "I'm sixteen!"

  And a virgin.

  "Where did you really get those?" Rayne narrowed her eyes into slits and pointed to the stones. "They are Angelite, Mangano Calcite, and of course Seraphinite."

  Luxor clasped the gems firmly. "My mother."

  What is her obsession with my necklace?

  "The one that died," Rayne stated matter-of-factly.

  How could she possibly know that?

  "Wait, what? Her mother is alive, tell her Luxor."

  Luxor swallowed hard, she could feel Evie's eyes burning holes into her.

  Rayne surveyed Ayla, her eyes widening even wider, and shot out of her chair like a bullet. "You are fully white, with a golden tinge...impossible." She threw the notes back at them, her voice frantic and erratic. "You all must leave at once." They were ushered to the front and all but pushed out. "Don't you dare come back," she said as she zipped up the tent.

  "Well that was interesting," Evie said starting to walk towards where the Jeep was parked. "Looks like all it took was a crackpot to reveal the truth."

  "Really, it's not like that," Luxor defended.

  "Then explain,” Evie said. “I guess that’s why you don’t call Meredith mum.”

  Luxor palmed her chest to ease the heaviness. The time had come to tell them who she really was, she just needed time to construct it in a logical manner. “Let’s get out of here, you want to know all about my tragic life I’ll tell you.”

  Luxor passed the car keys to Evie. She had taken two steps when a heavy hand clasped her shoulder and spun her around.

  “We meet again.”

  Luxor shrugged Hunter’s hand off her shoulder. Evie and Ayla turned around simultaneously. “We’re actually leaving.”

  “No, not yet. The fireworks are about to start,” Hunter said.

  “I think there’s been enough explosives for tonight,” Luxor deadpanned.

  Hunter shook his head and clicked twice.

  Evie stiffened up. “Get a lift back with him,” her voice was monotone. She clasped Ayla by the upper arm and yanked her backwards.

  “Evie, what are you doing?” Ayla yelped out, wriggling her arm.

  “Leaving. Either you come or not.”

  “You better go with her, she looks out of it.” Hunter directed the statement at Ayla.

  “I better go too,” Luxor said.

  Evie held up a hand. “No. Not now. Meet me at my house later,” she said in a flat voice.

  “You can’t leave me with him.” Luxor thumbed back at Hunter.

  “You’ll be okay. He’s a good guy.” Evie skittered off and weaved through the crowd which had accumulated for the fireworks.

  “I’ll fix this,” Ayla said and floated off behind Evie.

  Luxor slumped down on the edge of a bench in complete shock Evie deserted her to fend for herself. She had become accustomed to Evie’s unpredictable nature and her constant praise of Hunter because of his looks, but to leave without her was low act. Scrolling through the contacts in her phone, her thumb hovered over Meredith’s name. She didn’t want to fathom what Meredith would say to find her at a carnival rather at a church youth group.

  Hunter sat beside her and reclined his feet out, crossing them at the ankles. “Where’s your gal pals off to?” There was a smile in his voice.

  “Hopefully to get an apology. Where’s yours?”

  “As you can see, I don’t have any.”

  Luxor nudged him. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “They’re around.” He shrugged. Luxor shuffled her feet and nodded, despondent at the fact he wasn’t alone. “Want to leave?”

  “With you? Not such a good idea.”

  “Aren’t we friends?”

  “Ummm, no…not really. I mean we’ve had our moments.”

  “There could be more,” he said.

  Luxor didn’t want to think if he meant good or bad moments. Even she wasn’t sure what she meant when she said it. “I can’t believe she ditched me. How the hell am I going to get home?”

  “I’ll take you.” He tapped her knee twice and stood and held out his hand. “Isn’t that some kind of broken girl code?”

  “Yep.” Luxor chewed the inside of her cheek, before threading her fingers in his. It was cold but tingles danced upon her palm which tickled.

  “Their loss, my gain.”

  Luxor regretted her decision. Meredith would have been a better option.

  Hunter spun the wheels and sped out of the carpark dirt and pebbles spinning everywhere. Luxor hastily buckled in and pressed the button on the side and closed the window just in time for him to reach Devils freeway on the way back to Brighton Falls.

  “Slow down, you’re going to get us killed.”

  “Fortunately, we’d survive,” he said easing off the accelerator a notch.

  “In what world?” Luxor had survived the collapse of the gymnasium but being killed from the ute barrelling off the edge was another thing entirely. Hunter zipped his mouth and shrugged. “Oh, my God. You’re a superhero. That’s your secret?”

  “More like villain.” His lips quirked to the side. eyes danced with mischief.

  Luxor laughed at his flair for dramatics.

  Hunter took a sharp turn off the freeway to what seemed like a deserted area. The car came to a slow crawl, stopping in front of an enclosed area secured with metal barriers. In the distance, mountains surrounded them, the crashing of the waves below lapped upon the rocks below.

  Luxor rubbed her sleeve against the windscreen minimising the fog. "Is this like a make out point?"

  Hunter parked the car and turned it off, directing his attention to her. "I never understood that concept, if I want to kiss someone, I wouldn't take them somewhere. I'm a right here, right now kind of guy."

  "A simple yes or no would have been great."

  "No, Angel, it's not." Hunter parked the car and switched off the engine. Hopping out, he rounded the ute and released the tailgate, removing the heavy tarp he tapped the side.

  Luxor joined him and leaned against the side just in time to find the back had been decked out in a couple of cushions popped up against the window and a blanket spread below. “Cosy. Pre-planned?” She gave a small smile.

  “Yes, because I predicated your friends would leave you alone in the next town over, at night.” Hunter helped Luxor up. He removed his cap and ruffled his hair before laying back, his head supported by his arms.

  “Fair point.” She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She had no clue what she was doing there. After the day she had sleeping the night away was ideal, but impossible. The night terrors her father inflicted were vicious but adding the letter from her mother hit her hard. She longed to have her mother in her life even though she never met her. So far the ones who showed they cared flipped and revealed their true nature.

  “Want to talk?” Hunter said disturbing her musing.

  “To you?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “No, the man in the moon.” He laughed and pointed upwards to the half crescent.

  “Not really. We’ve established I have crappy friends but…” Luxor couldn’t finish the sentence. She wondered if Evie’s reaction was warranted. She hadn’t been entirely truthful, but she hadn’t lied either.

  “Well if you treat them like you treat me, you deserve it.”

  Luxor faux gasped and slapped his knee. “I’m nice to you. If anything, more than you deserve.” She stifled the laugh bubbling to escape.

  “Hey, I resent
that. You’re lucky I stuck around the carnival. I saved the day,” he said. “Anything remarkable happen?”

  Luxor wished she could boast about the amazing day she had, sifting through all the events from when she arrived. The brief moment on the Ferris Wheel had been a highlight, although Hunter didn’t need to know that, the low point was entering the darn tent and Rayne guessing the unguessable.

  “I dragged Evie and Ayla to see a psychic.”

  Hunter snorted. “You went to a psychic? That would have been interesting.”

  “Damn right it was.”

  "What did she tell you?" He asked.

  "Hmmm let’s see…Evie is a manic depressive which is a crock. If you spent five minutes with her, she is the antonym."

  “And you?”

  Luxor chewed her bottom lip and paused. Hunter poked her ribs to hurry her up. "She asked if I was pregnant, and then threw the money back at us. Actually, mainly directed at me telling us to get out and to never contact her." She relayed the incident. “As if I would.”

  "Aww Angel that must have been horrible. Who's the baby daddy?" He chuckled.

  Luxor rolled her eyes, not surprised by his response.

  Hunter pulled out his phone and after a little bit of fiddling about he put some music on. Placing the phone on his chest his clasped his hands on his chest and closed his eyes. A smooth symphonic piano streamed through the speakers.

  “Beethoven?”

  “Bagatelle Number twenty-five in A minor to be specific,” his voice was low as if he was breathing in the music. His eyes remained closed and he looked rested.

  “Wow,” she mouthed to herself. She expected rock to match his edgy persona, but classical? “Mind blown.”

  “Why?” He said sitting up.

  “I don’t know, you don’t look—”

  “Let me guess, the type?” he cut her off, giving her a smug smile. “Hmmm where have I heard that expression?”

  “I wonder,” she giggled. “What’s going on with you? You’re different.”

  “Nope, I’m still the same old jerk you think I am. Maybe your perception is widening.”

  Luxor hoped it wasn’t the case, she liked this version. There were many unanswered questions and dubious actions he had been a part of, but sooner or later she would wear him down. Better to be on the offensive and ready for any possible incidents rather than defensive.