Greysons of Grimoire

by Tpaul Homdrom

  “You’re going to make me new clothes?” Isabelle asked, looking up at Gwen with wide, sparkling eyes. She still wore nothing but a plain white dress — she didn’t even wear shoes or socks, though her bare feet seemed completely unaffected by the many surfaces they’d walked on. They weren’t even dirty, much to Delilah’s surprise.

  “That’s right,” Gwen said, smiling at Isabelle. “So, make yourselves at home.”

  “Can I play your piano?” Isabelle asked.

  “You like to play?” Gwen asked.

  “I love it!” Isabelle said happily.

  “Well, would you allow me to play with you?” Gwen asked. “It’s been some time since I’ve touched the keys, so I may be rusty, but —”

  “Oh yes please!” Isabelle said, taking Gwen’s hand and leading her down the stairs. “I haven’t played a duet in so long!”

  As the pair headed downstairs, laughing and talking, Delilah stopped at the balcony, leaning on the rail and looking out over the hill. Lorelei and Chelsea continued further down, leaving Delilah alone with her thoughts.

  It really is a wonderful place.

  The fragrant aroma of the lilacs brought a smile to her face. Gwen and Isabelle began to play the piano, starting and stopping here and there as they talked, laughed, and worked on getting into a rhythm. Apparently they weren’t using sheet music, but making it up as they went along.

  I really don’t know anything about Isabelle, do I? I think… she played a Piper’s Flute outside the library, didn’t she? She tried to counteract Anastasia’s music with her own, and that’s what sent us all to Hollow Island. But even though she plays a Piper’s Flute, she isn’t bad. She’s… kind of refreshing. She reminds me of Shana, in a way. So much energy and curiosity and happiness.

  I wonder how Shana’s doing. She and Shias probably know Caleb and I are missing by now. Are they okay? Did they go looking for us? Did they stumble into the Enchanted Dominion in their own way, too? I know Shana would love it in this world, but… I hope they’re still back in Grimoire. Mom and Dad are probably losing their minds already about Caleb and me, they don’t need more of their kids to disappear.

  So… what am I going to do?

  That was the question that kept coming up for Delilah. She’d been swept off to this world because she just couldn’t leave Hunter business to the Hunters. She’d trained a lot against weak little Snifflers and thought that was good enough for her to challenge real danger.

  And now… what? Why was she here? Could she even contribute to protecting Isabelle and getting her home? On Hollow Island, her Felines had been woefully unprepared to defend the group against the Hollows. And against Anastasia, she’d been useless.

  Should I just ask Gwen to take me home?

  That would be remarkably selfish. It would probably derail the rest of the group from getting Isabelle home.

  That’s what’s really important. That girl… she’s been gone from home for a really long time. She doesn’t really know how to express or understand time, which makes me think she’s a lot older than she looks. But she still has the mind of a child. Whatever her age in terms of years, she’s effectively the youngest of us all, and the most vulnerable.

  Plus… Caleb told us not to worry.

  He also said to “have fun” but, I mean, that’s classic Caleb.

  I thought he just meant not to worry about him, but did he mean not to worry at all? About anything?

  Did he sense that I was doubting myself, and tried to offer some encouragement?

  If only her brother would come back. But he was off training, because he’d taken his Time Magic too far.

  I thought Caleb was invincible.

  Gwen and Isabelle’s music had found its way, blending into a delightfully cheerful tune. Without looking, Delilah could tell who was in charge of the melody as the two traded back and forth. At times, the song was driven by a bouncy, bubbly, childish energy that had Delilah tapping her toes despite her mood — Isabelle. Other times, it had this refined, soaring joy, sweeping Delilah into a sense of adventure, wanderlust, and excitement — Gwen. Isabelle’s harmonies when Gwen was in the lead had a percussive, enthusiastic energy, while Gwen played under Isabelle’s bubbly melody with a warm, mature softness, giving the feeling of a mother watching over her young child.

  Music really was an infectious thing, Delilah realized, as her doubts and worries started to drift away. She smiled, before she even thought of a reason to smile, and the happy duet brought to mind memories of her and her family. She thought of Caleb ruffling her hair, of Shias studying with her, of watching Great Feline Adventures with Shana. She thought of shopping with her parents, and of how she’d sit up on her dad’s shoulders when she was younger and felt like she was flying.

  She thought of when she’d first brought Felix into the world. He was a tiny little swordmeowster then, barely coming up to her knee. And then she thought of the Wood of the Wisps, and all that she’d learned about where her Summons came from.

  They all found their purpose in her. If Delilah was directionless, how would they feel? If she felt worthless or like she couldn’t hope to do better, what would they do?

  Caleb didn’t smile and laugh so easily because he was invincible, Delilah realized.

  He smiled and laughed because there’s beauty in the world. There’s always hope to do better. Despairing about your own weaknesses doesn’t help you improve.

  Delilah grinned, leaning out farther over the balcony’s rail, rising up on tiptoe to take in the golden light above, the purple flowers and green grass beyond. Gwen and Delilah continued to play, and the piano’s heartwarming tune did just that — it warmed Delilah’s heart, until she felt full of life and hope and energy.

  I’ll do better. I’m already so much stronger than when I first started training. Caleb said he was proud of me, and he meant it.

  I can’t give up now. I have so much farther to go.

  Turning back from the rail, Delilah headed downstairs. Chelsea and Lorelei were relaxing on the couch nearest the piano, with Chelsea’s owl perched on the back of the couch right behind her. His wings were tucked in, and he leaned down and forward, cuddling against Chelsea’s hair with his stomach as Chelsea kept one arm up, rubbing his chin with a finger.

  Delilah smiled, taking a seat next to Chelsea. She watched as Gwen and Isabelle played their duet, and she let the music wash away her worries and fears.

  — G —

  Chelsea found herself in a slightly awkward situation.

  Sitting on the couch in Gwen’s house, listening to the lovely piano duet, she’d been doing just fine. Having her owl Summon cuddle up against the back of her head was adorable, if a bit awkward at first. She’d gotten used to it.

  But then Delilah had sat down next to her.

  The two hadn’t said anything, just sitting there and listening to the music. After a while, Delilah started to drift off, eventually sliding sideways, her head resting on Chelsea’s shoulder as she fell fast asleep.

  Out of Caleb’s siblings, Delilah was the one that Chelsea had seen the least often, and shared the least amount of words with. She barely knew the kid.

  “Looks like she’s grown attached to you,” Lorelei said, smiling.

  “I can’t imagine why,” Chelsea said. Despite how awkward she felt, she smiled, too, as she looked at Delilah. Her mass of blond curls shielded part of her face, but her mouth was visible, slightly open as she breathed softly in through her nose and out through her mouth. “She’s so capable. It’s easy to forget that she’s only fourteen.”

  “I didn’t notice before,” Lorelei said, “but looking at her now, she’s so small.”

  Chelsea chuckled at that. “And she’s even had a growth spurt since I first met her,” she said. “But yeah. She’s still just a kid.”

  “It’s amazing that she commands three Summons at her age,” Lorelei said. “I only know one other Summoner who has more than two. Most stick to a single Summon.”

 
; “And those Felines are no pushovers, either,” Chelsea said. Delilah shifted in her sleep, leaning more into Chelsea, and Chelsea found that awkwardness growing again. “I didn’t think I made a good pillow.”

  “I think she realizes the two of you have something in common,” Lorelei said.

  “What’s that?” Chelsea asked.

  “Did you see the way her face lit up when Caleb told her he was proud of her?” Lorelei asked. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen someone so happy. You both love Caleb so much, and think so highly of him.”

  Chelsea smiled at the memory.

  “I bet she isn’t used to being awake for so long, either,” Lorelei said. “It was almost one in the morning when we were sent to Hollow Island, and so far we’ve been in the Enchanted Dominion for, what? A full day? Maybe more?”

  “Caleb’s pocket watch would be handy about now,” Chelsea said wistfully. She’d checked her phone a few times on Hollow Island and in the Wood of the Wisps, but it wasn’t even registering time, stuck ever since they arrived at 12:48 AM.

  “He’ll come back,” Lorelei said, smiling. “He did say not to worry about him, didn’t he?”

  “Hard not to,” Chelsea said, pursing her lips. “He always was too carefree for his own good, and look where it got him.”

  Gwen and Isabelle’s playing slowly faded away, and Gwen turned to face the girls on the couch. Seeing Delilah sleeping against Chelsea’s shoulder, Gwen smiled. “Well, if the rest of you would like to take a nap, feel free,” she said. “I’m going to start putting your clothes together. When you get hungry, let me know.”

  Isabelle hopped down from the piano bench and wandered up to Lorelei, placing her hands on Lorelei’s knees and looking up at her with those big, curious eyes. “Can I sleep on you?” she asked.

  Chelsea knew Lorelei was screaming with delight internally at how adorable Isabelle’s request was. Ever the external face of calm, Lorelei smiled warmly and nodded, scooting over to make room for the little redhead.

  I don’t know how you keep your cool so well, Chelsea thought, watching as Isabelle climbed up to the couch and nestled up against Lorelei, falling asleep shockingly fast. I know you well enough to know that inside you’re going nuts over how cute this is. So how do you look so calm?

  “Maybe I’ll drift off, too,” Lorelei said softly, leaning her head back. Chelsea felt her owl shift behind her, crouching down and leaning back so as to provide Chelsea with a nice, feathery pillow.

  I don’t know why you chose me. But I am so thankful for you.

  Soon, Chelsea drifted off to a dreamless sleep. It was easy, and she was surprised at just how relaxed she was. The scent of lilacs wafting in through the open windows, the warm golden light coming in from the window behind her, the lingering echo of Gwen and Isabelle’s duet, all came together to wash away Chelsea’s stress, anxiety, and worries.

  She still wondered after Caleb, and had so many thoughts in her mind of all the things she needed to say to him, but any worries or cares relating to these thoughts were far away.

  Finally, Chelsea could rest.

  When she awoke an unknown amount of time later, she found she was the first one awake. It was still daylight outside. Delilah was still conked out against her right arm, and Chelsea noticed that the girl had been drooling. Some of it had run down her chin and onto Chelsea’s sleeve, but she just laughed softly, amused at just how utterly contented Delilah was.

  And against Chelsea’s left side, there was Lorelei. Sometime while they were all asleep, her friend had drifted sideways until her head rested on Chelsea’s left shoulder. Isabelle was now curled up on the couch, with her head in Lorelei’s lap. Behind her, Chelsea’s owl pillow let out soft little cooing sounds of contented breathing.

  Well, I guess I’m not getting up just yet.

  Chelsea sighed, closed her eyes, and slowly drifted back to sleep.

  The next time she awoke, she heard the sound of Isabelle’s laughter from somewhere outside. Lorelei was gone as well, so the two must be playing together. Delilah stirred, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before she opened her eyes and sat up. Blinking, she looked around blearily, eventually looking up at Chelsea.

  “Hey,” Chelsea said, smiling. “Have a nice nap?”

  Delilah nodded, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, then letting it out. “How long was I out?” she asked.

  “No clue,” Chelsea said. She sat up straighter, raising her arms overhead and stretching. “I don’t see any clocks in here. Either it’s still the same day we arrived, or we slept through the night.”

  “You fell asleep, too?” Delilah asked.

  “We all did, except Gwen,” Chelsea said. “Unless she took a nap in her bed. She’s been upstairs, said she was working on our new clothes.”

  Delilah blinked a few more times, then looked down at Chelsea’s sleeve and the stain left from Delilah’s drool. She blushed, eyes widening, and she looked up at Chelsea, clearly about to apologize. Chelsea burst out laughing.

  “It’s fine,” she said, shaking her head. “You needed the rest.”

  Delilah looked away. “Thanks,” she said softly. “So, um… your owl doesn’t want to leave, huh?”

  “Doesn’t seem that way,” Chelsea said, leaning back and looking up. Her owl tilted his head down so that their eyes met. “He’s clingy.”

  Delilah giggled. “My Felines were like that early on,” she said. “They still are, kind of. But I guess they’ve… matured? It’s hard to know when they can’t use words and only communicate through thoughts and emotions, but they feel like they’ve grown up and mellowed out a bit.”

  “When did you start practicing Summoning Magic?” Chelsea asked. “You surprised us all with how strong you are. We spotted you when we were on our way to the library, and you should’ve seen Caleb’s face. He was so shocked, and proud.”

  Delilah blushed again, turning away completely to hide her face. “I was six when I started reading about it and learning the theory,” she said. “I was eight when I first Summoned Felix. Nekoma and Redmond weren’t far behind — I had the whole trio by the time I turned nine. We started training in the practice room at home, in the middle of the night when no one would notice, or days when I got home early and was the only one around. When I was ten, we started going out into Grimoire during Hollow Hour and tracking down Snifflers. I’d heard plenty about how much of a pain they are from Caleb, but also about how weak they are, so I thought that was something we could handle, a way we could help. Over time, we kept getting better and stronger. I don’t know when I got it in my head that I could get rid of all of the Snifflers, every night, but when I tried, I found out we really could.”

  “You took a huge weight off the rest of us,” Chelsea said, grinning. “Those Snifflers are a pain. They’re no challenge for us, but we can never ignore them. I’ve seen them get to kids and adults alike, and it takes a really talented Healer to get their minds right again. Thanks.”

  Delilah nodded, her blonde curls bouncing with the movement. “You’re welcome,” she said. She looked up as the sounds of Isabelle’s laughter came again from outdoors. “That girl’s such a mystery. But she seems so happy and carefree… I really hope we can help her get home.”

  Chelsea stretched again, then stood up. “That’s the plan,” she said. “Dunno where we’ll start, but I bet Lorelei’s got an idea or two. And Gwen knows a lot, so she probably has a thought about where to go next.”

  Delilah’s stomach growled, and both of the girls laughed. “Gwen said to let her know when we’re hungry,” Chelsea said. “I’ll look for her.”

  “Hey, Chelsea?” Delilah asked, and Chelsea looked back at the girl.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  “I, um…” Delilah bobbed from side to side as she gathered her thoughts. “I’m glad you and Caleb are together. If… I mean, when we get back to Grimoire, do you think… do you think you and I could hang out now and then?”

  C
helsea felt her heart swell, and she nodded. “Sure thing,” she said.

  As she turned away from Delilah and climbed up to the second floor, though, she felt a tiny nagging doubt crawl back into her mind.

  Caleb and I might not be together much longer. Not if he reacts the way I think he will to all that I have to tell him.

  Do I… do I have to tell him everything? I don’t know if I can. And even if I can… does he really need to know?

  Chelsea shook her head, looking out from the balcony at Isabelle and Lorelei racing around among the flowers. She let Isabelle’s contagious laughter do its work, and by the time Chelsea had climbed up to the second floor, she was smiling again.