She waltzed into the bathroom, and her much taller frame hip-checked me as she moved to sit on the counter while I brushed my teeth.
“So, do you want to go to brunch this morning before we head to Bridal Veil?” she asked.
Bridal Veil was a small town outside of Portland where my parents lived. Even though the house was miles from any real store, they’d kept the home for its view.
The story had always been that it was inherited from long-lost relatives before I was born, along with a lifetime supply of money that they’d invested properly. While we weren’t swimming in cash, we’d lived a comfortable life that I assumed had more to do with being inhuman than it did with an inheritance.
The modest house I’d called home for my entire childhood sat atop a mountain facing Multnomah Falls, a monstrous waterfall that was over six-hundred feet in height and absolutely stunning to visit. When I was younger, I remembered going there on many occasions and hiking to the top after hours when nobody else was around. There was always a sense of peace that would settle over me when I did, and I never understood why until the night before.
When Stryx had shown me the falls in Arvayta, the same sense of tranquility became rooted deep into my soul. Once I recognized the feeling, I knew I was home. Even if I hadn’t been raised in the unknown world, my inner being recognized it for everything that it was.
Jordan kicked me from her spot on the counter as I finished rinsing my toothbrush. “So, brunch?”
“Oh, yeah. That would be great. We can swing by Carver Café on our way to Mom and Dad’s,” I replied, and my mouth was already watering. Not only was the café in the middle of nowhere, far away from the craziness of downtown Portland, but they served the best biscuits and gravy I’d ever had.
“Are you still half asleep or what?” she teased while hopping off the counter.
“Pretty sure I’m wide awake.” I rolled my eyes.
“Then what did I just say?” She smirked, and I gulped.
“Uhhhh, you asked about brunch.”
She patted my shoulder. “Nope, but maybe I’ll tell you again later.”
Damn it. The stupid biscuits and gravy thoughts, on top of my looming death, had me distracted. That was definitely still rolling around in my mind, but I was trying to make the best of it. Stryx had promised that while it would hurt, the pain would be dulled as soon as I arrived in Arvayta.
Apparently, I couldn’t begin the transition in the magical world as the passageway would reject me if I hadn’t at least begun the process of having my powers released.
My head still had a hard time wrapping itself around that one.
I was going to be something other than human in less than twelve hours. If I was just learning about all of this on my birthday, I was pretty sure I would have run away from everyone and changed my name. Likely, my appearance as well.
But, given I’d had the opportunity to take it all in slowly, a part of me was excited for the new adventure, especially if my parents and Jordan were still going to be in my life. As long as the darkness Stryx had warned me of on several occasions—the reason I’d worked my ass off for the last year—didn’t completely screw with things, I kept hope that my life would work out for the better.
Jordan left my room, so I could finish getting ready. It was late April, and temperatures were sporadic. While they usually were during all seasons in Oregon, it was almost a guarantee to need an umbrella and shorts on the same day this particular time of year.
Finally, I decided on my favorite ripped jeans, sandals, and my Avengers tee. We weren’t going anywhere fancy, and I preferred comfort over fashion any day of the week, regardless of what my roommate thought.
“You’re wearing that today?” she huffed when I came out of my bedroom.
Peeking at my phone, I feigned shock. “Well, look at the date. I’m pretty sure it says April 29th. You know what day that is? My birthday. So, yes, I will wear whatever I want, and there’s not a single thing you can do about it.”
Her head shook. “One day, you’re going to come to me for fashion advice and it’s going to be the greatest day ever.” She stomped toward the front door in her perfect-fit skinny jeans, strappy heels, and sequined tank top.
The day I did that, hell would have frozen over.
“You still love me anyway,” I called down the empty hallway, then grabbed my purse before following her outside.
First part of my last human day down. Just a few more events to go.
The drive out to my parents’ house was as stunning as usual for the time of year. It was late spring, and the warmer weather was just starting to make its appearance, causing the trees to change from deep forest green to a more vibrant version filled with bright colors from all the budding flowers.
Thirty minutes after stopping for brunch, we passed by Multnomah Falls and made a right turn up the dirt road leading to the wooden home I'd grown up in. The house was two stories with floor-to-ceiling windows and log siding that made it appear more like a weekend getaway than a full-time home.
Jordan parked the car in her usual spot beneath the side overhang, and before we could even open our doors, my mom was waiting just outside my window. Her hand waved excitedly, and her blue eyes a few shades darker than my own shone brightly in the afternoon sun.
"Happy birthday!" she exclaimed when I opened my door.
"Thanks, Mom." My arms opened to her, and her shorter frame stepped into my embrace.
"How was the drive?" she asked when we pulled apart.
"Same as always. Too much traffic until we passed Troutdale, but it wasn’t all bad. Before we hit I-84, we stopped for brunch at Carver’s, so it made the drive a little more bearable with food in us," I answered.
Mom’s eyes sparkled as she licked her lips. "Did you get the biscuits and gravy?"
A grin appeared on my face as I opened the back door of the car. "I did, and I might have even ordered an extra side of them to bring with me."
There wasn't much about my mom that wasn't exactly like me when it came to taste, so I knew she’d be over the moon with the treat. The biggest difference between the two of us was my temper. That, I got from my father, who was barreling his way toward us from the front porch.
After I handed Mom the food, she and Jordan talked about the weather of all things, while I made my way to meet my dad in the middle. He was a gruff man, but more like a teddy bear whenever he was around people he actually liked.
"Hey, sweet girl. Happy birthday," he whispered in my ear as he picked me up off the ground.
"Thanks, Dad," I replied after he set me back down and I could breathe a little easier.
My dad had blue eyes the same shade as my mom’s, but his skin was naturally tanned while my mom’s was fair. Mine was the perfect mix of both. The same thing happened with our hair. Mom was a natural brunette who never greyed, and Dad was a blondie, so I ended up with dark brown strands that had natural highlights thrown in.
As the four of us moved inside the house, I took several deep inhales of the outdoors: pine, sugar, and water. I knew it seemed weird to smell water, but ever since I met Stryx and my training began, my senses had been heightened, including the ability to smell any type of moisture in the air.
I didn’t focus too long on the outside scents, as they were quickly overpowered by the aroma coming from the kitchen. "Are you making sweet meatballs?" I asked my mom.
"Of course, I am. It's your birthday, and I didn't need to ask to know what you'd want for dinner."
Her homemade meatballs were my death-row meal, that final meal I would ask for if the occasion ever arose.
Ha! When I really thought about it, I was getting my final meal. Part of me wondered if that was a twisted joke on my mom's part, because she always glared at me when I called her meatballs my death-row choice. Probably not, though. She was too sweet for a devious plan like that. Jordan may have subconsciously suggested it, though, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
"Why d
on't you girls have a seat in the living room while your father and I go get some snacks?" Mom suggested.
"Sure thing, Daliah," Jordan answered before tugging me along.
Dad's shoulders tensed as Mom drug him from the room.
"Do you think they’re fighting? What if they’re not happy together anymore?" I feigned panic when we both noticed the obvious tension.
Pretending things seemed worse to Jordan was just payback for the hell I went through after learning I wasn't who I thought I was, from a freaking owl of all things.
Jordan choked on the water she'd just drank, then spit it all over her lap. "Excuse me? Why on earth would you think that?"
"They seem really stressed. Actually, all of you do. Do you know something? Is this some sort of last family meal before you all break the big news to me?" My voice rose, and I coughed to cover my laughter as Jordan became increasingly nervous.
"Kali, what the hell is coming over you? Your parents are the two happiest married people I've ever met. They're life goals. Maybe they're just anxious about your gift. Yeah, that has to be it."
My brow raised. "My gift, huh? Do you know anything about that?"
She muttered a few curse words under her breath. "Daliah, Brooks! Are you two almost done in there?" She paused. "What's that? You need help? Gladly."
Jordan raced from the room before I could say anything else, and a smirk tugged at my lips. Maybe I was taking it too far, but all of the build-up from the last year was coming to the surface. This was it. There were going to be no more secrets, or so I hoped, and I wanted to move on to my new life without animosity. Giving them grief was the only way I knew how to move past everything.
Just a few minutes later, I could hear raised voices. They were attempting to be quiet and therefore still muffled, but I didn't mind. I knew their secrets. I was merely interested in how and when they were going to reveal them.
Finally, the three of them came back into the room. "Where are the snacks?" I asked with a grin.
Mom blinked a few times. "Oh, we thought maybe we'd do presents instead, since you had a late breakfast. What do you think?"
Presents. Right.
"Sure, but you guys really didn't need to get me anything. I'm not a kid anymore.” I was barely even human.
"Well, no matter how old you are, you'll always be our baby girl, so let's get started." Mom pulled a small box from behind her back, then handed it to me before taking a seat next to Dad on the loveseat.
Leaning back, I settled further into the recliner while Jordan perched on the arm of it, seeming more eager than me to see what was inside the package.
My fingertips slid under the carefully folded silver wrapping paper and tugged on the tape. Moving slowly, I unfolded both sides of the box before working on the middle.
"Seriously?" Jordan huffed. "The paper isn't made out of money. Rip it to shreds, Walker."
Deciding I'd tortured them long enough, I finally tore through the backside of the wrapping to reveal a black velvet jewelry box. My eyes met my mother’s. Neither of us had ever been big on flashy things. The only jewelry I'd ever seen her wear were her wedding ring and the necklace currently hiding beneath her beige shirt.
The gift threw me off even more, because I thought I was the only one with secrets for this birthday. Turned out my parents were still capable of surprising me.
"Go on. Open it up," Mom encouraged while Jordan was practically panting above me.
My fingers opened the box, and it snapped open to reveal a thick silver chain with an unusually bright amethyst pendant wrapped in thin white-gold wire hanging from it. My breath caught as my eyes traced over the stone. It reminded me of the foggy lavender hue that radiated from the waterfall Stryx had shown me the night before.
"This is stunning, Mom. Thank you so much," I said while I pulled it from the box.
"The necklace last belonged to your grandmother Taliah. It's been passed down for generations, and we thought you were ready for it," she replied.
My throat tightened as guilt for giving them such a hard time poked at me. It was a thoughtful gift, and this was probably just as hard on them as it was supposed to be for me if Stryx hadn’t intervened.
Jordan held her hand out, and I gave her the necklace before bunching my hair together and pulling it out of the way. When the cool metal of the chain hit my skin, I let out a small hiss, but once the stone settled just above my chest, a warming sensation took over.
My parents watched me cautiously, but when Jordan took a seat on the chair next to me, they seemed to relax as well.
“Now, here’s one from the both of us,” Dad said, handing me an unwrapped wooden box.
Intricate filigree and feathers were carved into the dark oak. My fingers traced over the aged wood before I flicked a golden latch open. As I lifted the lid, Jordan leaned in closer again, and since I was still feeling feisty, I turned the other way so she couldn’t see.
Once the box was open, I took a moment to appreciate what lay before me and ignored the edgy silence around me.
This was my life journal. A book that would tell of my birth, my death, and my rebirth, followed by every major event after that until my practically immortal life was over. Stryx had spoken of it before, but he hadn’t prepared me for the connection I’d feel to the book as soon as I touched it.
My fingers slid over the cover as a magic pulsed from it so heavily that I swore I was in Arvayta, but the moment was broken when Mom spoke.
“Kaliah Grace, do you know what that is?”
Deciding to end the façade, I nodded, and chaos descended all around me.
Chapter Three
All three of them spoke in louder-than-necessary volumes, so I ignored their outbursts until they calmed down and only one of them talked.
“Sweet girl, how do you know what that is?” Dad asked more evenly from his spot on the couch in the living room.
Stryx hadn’t said I couldn’t tell them about him once I was ready for the transition, just that I couldn’t do it any day before. If it had been important to keep him a secret entirely, then I assumed he would have reminded me to keep him out of the conversation.
Since he hadn’t, I was going with the old adage that it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
“Well, about a year ago, I had a visitor in my dreams, except it wasn’t really a dream. My subconscious was transported to another world, and I learned everything I know from an owl.”
Nobody moved, and I wondered if I really was crazy. Crap. Maybe I should have played dumb and pretended I had no idea what the book was. Maybe I had just been imagining their nerves and nothing I thought was impossibly real was true.
“Did this owl have a name?” Mom asked.
“Umm, maybe?” I wasn’t giving more info until they showed some sort of emotion. I needed to know with absolute certainty that I hadn’t imagined the entire last year of my life.
Mom’s hands pressed against her thighs as she composed herself. “Kaliah, it’s very important you tell us everything you know. Not everything about your birth was as normal as we would have liked. So, whatever information you have, we need to know about it, too. It could mean the difference between life and death.”
Okay, so they didn’t think I was nuts. I’d just scared them half to death. Super.
Word vomit descended as I told them everything I knew. From meeting Stryx, the small part of Arvayta I’d explored, the history I’d learned, to the training I’d been challenged to complete. When I was done, a weight lifted from my chest and I felt like my true self for the first time in much too long.
I hated keeping secrets from them, regardless of how many they had kept from me. We’d all been trying to follow the same rules, and being able to let it all out was more cleansing than I realized it would be.
Jordan laughed as her body relaxed. “Of course. Only you, Kali.”
“What does that mean?” I glanced between her and my parents.
“Well, Stry
x is from a remote part of the Otherworld, one that is strictly for bonded animals. They’re more human-like, as you’ve obviously learned, and are there to help guide their bonded ones through whatever troubles may be coming their way. The only thing is, they haven’t been around since the Dark War, and it’s cause for concern that Stryx is back now,” Mom said.
My eyes pinched together as confusion ran through me, because Stryx made it seem like my parents were well aware of whatever issues we might be facing. They had even admitted my birth wasn’t normal, so Stryx appearing shouldn’t be such a big surprise, in my opinion.
“What did you mean when you said my birth wasn’t normal? Why was I raised here instead of Arvayta? Stryx wouldn’t tell me much about anything that would have an impact on my immediate future other than my need for training.”
Mom and Dad shared a look, but they weren’t the ones to answer me.
Jordan leaned in closer to me. “Well, for one, you were prophesied to go all Carrie on Arvayta if you were born in the usual ritual as the rest of us.” The smirk on her face told me she was enjoying this little shock factor much more than a best friend should, but that was also why I called her my Satan best friend. Her mind didn’t work like everyone else’s.
“Jordan, that’s enough,” Dad reprimanded, and she slinked back into her seat. “What she means to say is we were told that if you weren’t born away from Arvayta that things could be very bad for our worlds. Though, a lot has changed since we learned of this, and we had hopes certain outcomes had been prevented by choices we’d made, beginning with what happened after the war that ended the hierarchy of our world.”
Ugh. That reminded me. My parents were supposed to be royalty, which meant I was as well. My body shuddered at the thought. I wasn’t one who enjoyed being in the spotlight. That was more Jordan’s calling, and I was happy to let her have that role whenever possible.
Of Dreams and Sorcery (Royal Fae Guardians Book 1) Page 2
