“I want brownies!” Amber yelled from upstairs. I laughed and grabbed both plates of brownies, hiding one behind my back. As soon as I walked into my room Amber leaped off my bed and grabbed the plate I held in front.

“Hey, save some for me!” Aaron complained, grabbing for the plate. But Amber wouldn’t let go for anything.

“I thought this might happen,” I said, pulling the other plate of brownies from behind my back. Aaron snatched the whole plate and sat next to Amber, both of them stuffing their face. I laughed and sat down on my bed, flipping through the magazine that was laying there. “Let’s watch a scary movie,” I suggested after a while.

“Saw,” Aaron suggested.

“No way, The Exorcist,” I scoffed.

“There is no way The Exorcist is better than Saw!”

“Uh yeah, it kinda is.”

“Halloween?” Amber suggested, always the peacemaker. At least we could all agree on that movie. So we settled down on my bed, Aaron somehow ending up in the middle. I sat as far from him as could and kept my eyes on the screen, falling asleep right before the credits started to roll.

I woke up the next morning around dawn, having fallen asleep early the night before. I could just see the beginning of the sunrise over the horizon through my window. As I tried to get up, I felt a weight around my waist, and I realized there was something holding me to it. Turning over, I came face to face with a sleeping Aaron. His face was relaxed and innocent looking, much different from his waking expression. He was almost cute...I pushed that thought aside and tried to untangle myself, with no success. So I gave up and poked him in the ribs.

“Wha...what?” he mumbled before opening his eyes. The moment our eyes met I stopped breathing. They were such a clear blue color, so deep and open, I just wanted to dive in. He was staring at me with the same intensity, same wonder. Our faces were so close, just a couple inches separating us. Amber’s snore broke the trance.

We both colored a deep red and Aaron let go of me, but when he did, I felt empty. As if I’d just lost an arm or a leg. It wasn’t right. I shook off the strange encounter and headed downstairs to make breakfast. Cooking always helped clear my head.

About an hour later both Aaron and Amber had stumbled downstairs to find a feast. I’d cooked omelets, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, toast, and even some hashbrowns. Amber looked suspicious, but she was never one to turn down food, and Aaron avoided eye contact, but started shoveling bacon into his mouth.

A while later both Aaron and Amber got a phone call from Aaron’s mom. Amber’s mom had been terminally ill for a while, and the doctor was just over to see her and said it was time. Amber burst into tears and I held her, helping her to the car. I helped her into the backseat and slid in with her, trusting Aaron to drive. He got in and started the engine, more quiet than I’d ever seen him.

When we reached Amber’s house she jumped out and ran to the door, throwing herself down on the floor next to her mother’s bed. She knelt there, crying and sobbing while her mother stroked her hair.

“Shh, don’t cry, Tracia,” she whispered in a horse voice, using an endearment I’d always heard her use with Amber. She beckoned for Aaron and I to come closer. “I think it’s time,” she said, looking at us, but speaking to Amber. Amber looked up and shook her head almost imperceptibly. Her mom whispered something in a strange language I didn’t understand and Amber’s face was full of wonder and hope, but then she saw her mom cough a horrible bone wracking cough and fell into a fit of silent tears.

Amber’s mom, Amy, looked at Aaron and I again. “Yes. It is time.” Was the last thing she said before falling into unconsciousness.

I stayed with Amber all night as she sat by her mother’s bed, unable to leave. At two the next morning, Amy St. Clare passed from one world, to the next. As soon as she stopped breathing, I was rushed from the room and into bed, despite my protests to stay with Amber. They just said it was better to give her some alone time to say goodbye. When I woke up, the bed was empty and I was told that Amy’s corpse was sent to be cremated. It seemed a little sudden to me, and I watched Amber closely, helping in any way I could.

“I better get home,” I said as I was finishing the dishes with Amber. She nodded silently and hugged me close. In that hug she told me everything she couldn’t bare to say aloud. How thankful she was that I stayed, how heartbroken she was, and that she was going to be okay, eventually.

After a tearful goodbye I climbed into my car and headed towards home, but ended up turning around and going the other direction. I headed to the library, where I did all of my best thinking. As I parked in my usual space and headed inside, I noticed something strange. The whole place was quiet, too quiet. I know libraries are supposed to be quiet, but the familiar noises of the librarian tapping away at her keyboard, the rustling of pages being turned, and the steady hum of the ceiling fans were all missing.

I checked to make sure they were open, and sure enough, the open sign was facing outward. So I continued on inside, my every step echoing loudly in the silence. I turned away form the desk for a moment to check the time, and when I looked back, a young girl was sitting on the counter, where there had been no one a moment before. She looked no older than eight years old with curly blond pig tails and a little blue dress.

“Hey sweety, where’s your mommy?” I asked quietly, so as not to scare her. She just smiled, her bright eyes twinkling with delight. They were the strangest color, a deep, clear blue with a pinkish hue to them. I was starting to get a little freaked out that she wasn’t saying anything.

“Are you okay? Do you need help?” I asked nervously, searching for another person in the aisles. There was something unsettling about the way she stared at me. Her eyes seemed much too old and wise to be set in such a young face. Still not speaking, she leaped off the counter and walked towards me. When was just arms length away, she pulled a thick, deep purple journal out of her pocket and held it out to me, still silent.

“Do you want me to show you where this goes?” I asked, still unsure. Her eyes sparkled in amusement. They seemed to be saying “take it, take it,” over and over again. So I reached out and took the journal from her. I looked down and flipped the pages. It was blank.

“Hey, there’s nothing-” but I was cut short. She was gone. I wandered away from the front desk, the library feeling much less quiet now. In fact, I could hear someone turning the page on a book a couple aisles down, and there was someone in the lab, typing on one of the computers. Even the ceiling fans could be heard again, whipping through the air to provide a cool breeze. Where were these sounds and people only moments ago?

I strolled silently through the aisles to a comfy, worn chair stuck between two large shelves of old, worn out books and outdated almanacs. I’d never encountered another person here, hidden away from the rest of the library. The little nook I had spent hours in during finals the last couple years, where I came to lose myself in someone else’s problems when the world seemed to be crashing down around me.

I sat down in the oversized arm chair and reopened the journal, hoping to find something I may have missed the first time. The pages were still blank, but I found an inscription on the inside cover I had somehow missed before. “To the Scarlet One, the one who will be our savior.” it read. I read and reread it, trying to decipher the meaning, only to be scared out of my mind when scarlet words appeared on the first page. “The Relms” appeared in bold letters, with smaller lettering below, “Welcome Cassidy, to the world you were meant to rule,” it read. I slammed the book closed, not wanting to see any more.

I sat there for a while, lost in thought before drifting off to sleep. I awoke a couple hours later to find an elderly librarian gently tapping my shoulder.

“Come on Deary, the library is about to close. Lucky I had more books to add to these shelves or I would have locked you in here,” she said with a smile. I smiled back, and gathered my things before saying goodbye and heading out the door.


I was about a couple houses away from home when I saw a light in my bedroom window. I parked in the street and snuck in the back door and up the stairs silently. As I peaked into my room and barely held back a gasp.

Amber was standing there, talking to some guy in a muted voice, but I couldn’t concentrate on the man at the moment. Because Amber didn’t look like Amber. She was dressed in what looked like a dress made from giant rose petals, with her hair tied back in a braid laced with grass. On her feet were two slippers made of leaves, but that’s not what caught my attention. Her feet were also hovering about three inches off the ground, due to two wings practically the same size as Amber that happened to be on her back. They looked strange, very glittery and seamless. As if they had been woven from water and moonlight. There was a pinkish tinge to them near the center of Amber’s back. I was so busy staring at Amber, I didn’t glance at the man next to her until he said my name.

“Yes, Cassidy shows exemplary improvement. Can’t you feel the power that hangs in the air?” he asked her in a deep, rumbling voice, taking off the sunglasses he had been wearing. I caught a look at his eyes and ducked back into the hall. Amber had looked amazing, fictional and beautiful. But this man was scary. His eyes were the color of moonlight on the water, but they were empty. There was no life or love in the gaze. Just cold calculation, and it frightened me to no end. I was about to throw myself in there to protect Amber from such a creature when I heard them start speaking again.

“Yes, but I still don’t think it’s time. No matter what my mother said,” Amber argued, seemingly unaffected by the man’s strange eyes.

“It has to be time. Both sides are reaching their breaking points, and without the Savior and the Protector, all will be lost. It has been foreseen by the Prophets of the Caverns. In half year’s time, if the Prophecy of Seven Ages has not been fulfilled,” he continued gravely, “the realm of Night shall cease to exist.”

“I still think the Prophets like to move up the dates just to keep people wanting their advice, but I guess I knew this was coming. They’re not ready just yet though. Give me until April,” she continued after a confused glance from the man with the strange eyes, “Traum,” she corrected.

“You have spent too much time in this world, it has weakened you, and made you forget where you came from,” he observed. Amber scoffed and walked towards the window.

“Traum,” she repeated before vanishing into a cloud of pink dust, that fluttered out the window and into the night. The strange man stared after her for a moment before muttering something that sounded like “faeries,” and disappearing with a flash of cold silver light.

I sat outside my room for awhile, unable to grasp what has just happened. There was no way, no way that this was happening to me. The new powers, the strange tattoo, freaky little girls that don’t speak, and now THIS? My best friend for years turning into a freaking mythical creature! What next, my biology teacher’s an elf?

I finally made my way toward my bedroom and fell into bed, completely exhausted from the day’s events. The last thing I heard before falling asleep was that calm, smooth voice from the phone call, “You are almost ready.”

“Come on, what’s been eatin’ you?” Amber asks again, unable to pinpoint the issues behind my wrinkled brow.

“It’s nothing, just tired,” I shrugged it off, gathering my books and heading off to French.

“Hold up!” Amber shouted, running to catch up with my fast pace. I looked at the hurt look on her face and slowed, remembering who this was. This was the same Amber who brought me mounds of brownie batter ice cream for every break up, the same Amber that has never let me down, the same Amber that kicked Joey Long in the crotch when he hit me with a football and knocked me out cold for a few hours. I couldn’t just stop talking to her, even if I wanted to, she’s too big a part of my life. And I’d miss her too much.

I smiled over at her, watching the hurt leak out of her expression. “Hey, I’m sorry. I’m just tired.”

“That’s okay. Now! Let us go off to find the French room,” she declared, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hallway, already over the little spat. But I knew the truth behind it, and it was far from over for me.

“Hey, where’s your dad and the evil step creature? Isn’t tonight supposed to be the night they ‘entertain’?” Amber asks as she leafs through a magazine, sitting cross legged on my bed.

“Nah, they went over to someone else’s tonight. But they rescheduled for tomorrow, so it looks like Friday’s are now to be spent as your house,” I replied, barley looking up from my calculous homework.

“Actually, we’ll be spending them watching Aaron’s soccer practices. He needs a ride home while his bike is still in the shop.” Amber mumbled, causing me to look up in surprise. Looks like my Friday nights are now wrecked.

“If we must,” I sighed, going back to my homework, trying to squash the small part of me that was excited. That wasn’t right. I shouldn’t be excited at all, I should be outraged, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“Cool, and then after tomorrow’s practice, we’re going to Molly Bellson’s party!” she squealed, tearing away my book and pulling me up.

“Well someone’s certainly excited,” I laughed. Molly’s party was the biggest of the year and was always the month before prom, kind of like a pre-prom. She and her sister’s have has this party going on for generations, and it’s the last big party before the end of the year parties begin. Couples break up, last minutes dates found, loves rekindled, the whole shabang. I haven’t been since freshman year. It was never really my thing, but Amber made me promise to go our senior year.

“Well duh! This is the year my best friend and I make our big comeback as the coolest girls in the whole school,” she exclaimed, giggling madly. I laughed with her and found myself getting excited for it too. The whole party scene just wasn’t my thing back then, and still isn’t, but this time felt different. Like something big was going to happen. “Let’s go shopping!” Amber shouted, breaking me from my daze. I nodded in agreement and we headed out to the mall.

“Look at this one,” Amber modeled a pink and white frilly bikini in front of me, prancing around in front of the mirrored wall, studying her tiny body from every angle. “Do you think it makes my butt look flat?”

“Honey, you could get one with a padded butt and it would still make your butt look flat. Fact of life Babe.” I said without looking up. I already knew she’d get the bright yellow and pink one she tried on earlier. It made her figure look good and it was her two favorite colors. “Just get the yellow and pink one so we can stop with this charade. I know for a fact that you are standing in the doorway just so the boys standing right outside can stare.” I teased.

She colored slightly and walked slowly back into the dressing room, giving me the finger as she passed by. I just smirked a little and tucked my book inside of my purse. I’d already picked my swimsuit. It was a black monokini with a purple star pattern on the boobs and the ass.

“Let us now go find our mini dressed! I am in need of a brand ne w sparkley pink mini dress or I will just die.” she drawled dramatically, pulling me out of the dressing room and into the store.

“Come on! We’re gonna be late!” I shouted up the stairs at Amber, looking at the clock again. We were supposed to pick up Aaron at practice in ten minutes, and it took at least seven to get to the school. I’d ended up in a turquoise halter top with a pair of black shorts and some peep toe booties.

Amber finally sauntered down the stairs in her pink glittery spaghetti strap dress and four inch heels. I swear to God one of these days she’s going to fall flat on her face and break her ankles in those things. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.” she smiled at me as we walked out the door and got into her car.

Aaron crawled into the back seat about five minutes after we pulled up. He had on a pair of black swim trunks with blue flames, and a dark blue shirt that made his eyes stand out. His hair was wet from the shower and flopper over his eyes in a maddeningly sexy way. I switched my gaze to the sunset out the window when he caught my eye. I felt his gaze on me, but didn’t look back.

When we got to Molly’s house, we had to park a block away because the street was so full. Amber’s heels were starting to hurt her by the time we got into the house. The party was already in full swing, everyone dancing or out back in the huge Jacuzzi. Amber and I went to go find something to drink while Aaron went to go find some of his buddies from school. I grabbed a water, never being much of a drinker, and Amber shot down some tecela before grabbing a coke. This was her ritual, getting a good buzz without having to gorge herself on alcohol.

We made our way into the main room, where the DJ was playing so loud you could feel the vibration in your skull. I put down my water and found a cute boy from St. Peters, the private school downtown. I dragged him to the dance floor and had just started dancing when I screamed. The next song came on and it was one of my favorites. He looked startled, but I shrugged and started dancing in earnest, hands in the air, hips moving against his. He was a surprisingly good dancer and I danced with him for the next couple of songs.

When the third song was over, I kissed him on the cheek and headed over to the table where Amber was sitting, flirting with Jeremy Walters, a junior from our school. Before I got there I looked over to the doorway, where Aaron was standing, his eyes scorching. I felt my whole body heat up and turned my head away. He hadn’t even been looking at me, but at the boy I’d danced with. Amber was tired of Jeremy by the time I got there, so we said goodbye and headed out to the Jacuzzi.

Molly was a good friend of Amber’s and let us use her room to keep our stuff in so it wouldn’t get stolen or stepped on. We stripped down to our swimsuits and ran out into the backyard, jumping into the Jacuzzi to avoid the chilly night air. There wasn’t a lot of room left, so I ended up against one side, squeezed between Amber and Aaron, practically on Aaron’s lap. Normally this would have disgusted me, but...no. This is disgusting and I hate it. I hate it I hate it I hate it. I slid off of Aaron so I was sitting on Amber.

After a little while I got up and sat on the outside edge, feeling the cool wind on my back. Just before I slid back in I felt this searing pain in the middle of my back where the star was. I winced and glanced behind me, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. But then a figure moved in the shadows, getting closer. I turned back and saw Amber and Aaron exchange a look,

“Hey Cassidy, let’s get out and cool off for a while,” Amber suggested, trying to hide her look of worry. I followed her out and into the house, where we got dressed again. My back was still aching, but it wasn’t as bad anymore.

“We’ve gotta head out,” Amber told Molly on our way to the door. Molly looked at the pained expression on my face and looked at Amber questioningly. She hugged her and Amber whispered something in Molly’s ear that I couldn’t make out, but it sounded like it was in the same language Amber’s mom has spoken in right before her death.

When we got outside Aaron was already there with the car, waiting patiently in the driver’s seat. I slid into the back and Amber and Aaron kept exchanging worried looks that didn’t fade until we arrived back at Amber’s house. We were all silent when we went inside, but I couldn’t help but start laughing when we sat down on the couch. Soon enough we were all laughing hysterically at nothing, It relieved the tension some, but I still couldn’t bring myself to ask what happened.

“Ok ok, calm down. Now, I think we’re going to have to play ‘Dare’” Amber said ominously. She was known for her amazingly intricate and complicated dares. Both Aaron and I agreed though, because we had a running competition on who could complete the most dares given by Amber.

“Ok, Aaron first. I want you to do a handstand while trying to lick peanut butter off your chin and simultaneously reciting the pledge of allegiance,” Amber decided after a moment.

“You insult me, at least give me something challenging,” Aaron said after pulling it off perfectly, his shirt falling to expose his well sculpted stomach in the process.

“Ok Cassidy, I want you to fill your tee shirt with pudding, then put it back on while at the same time building a twelve tall, two wide leggo tower and hopping on one foot.” she let loose, smiling evilly.

“Don’t hold back or anything,”I muttered as I left to do my task. I turned around to take my bra on and off, but other than that, I was a all over the place. The leggos kept falling and it took me about three tries to get it right. “There, you happy now? I’m going to have to get this dry cleaned again,” I whined, pointing at my bra, which had chocolate pudding stains. I had abandoned the shirt already because of the gross squishy feeling, but now I felt kind of exposed and wished I hadn’t.

I left to find a new shirt and clean the pudding off myself, and when I came back I found Aaron and Amber with their heads together, whispering. I cleared my throat and they looked up guiltily. Apparently Aaron had done his dare while I was gone, so it was my turn again.

“I want you to do something that would shock us to death and make us doubt all we think we know,” Amber said, not looking at me. I knew what I had to do, and I didn’t want to, but it was all for the sake of the win. So I closed my eyes and kissed Aaron right on the mouth.

It was only supposed to be a short peck, but as soon as my lips touched his my hands flew to his neck and his to my waist, pulling each other closer. I opened my eyes and saw his flash bright blue for a moment, shocking me a little. The middle of my back started to tingle like it did when he’d touched it before, but stronger. Amber cleared her throat, the sound bringing me out of my daze. I pushed away from him and lay back, breathing hard.

Aaron looked shocked as he looked into Amber’s eyes. His breathing stopped altogether. Amber was panicking, I could see it in her eyes, though over what I had no idea.

“I think it’s time for bed,” she said loudly, dragging me with her into her room. I collapsed in her bed, tired and confused. What had that been about, and why did it freak Amber out so much? Sure it scared me a little too, but I was mostly just shocked at my reaction to him. What was her problem? I drifted off into a dreamless sleep, still unable to answer any of my questions, but his face occupied the inside of my eyelids, his eyes flashing electric blue.

I woke up a few hours later, and felt the emptiness in the bed next to me. I got up and rubbed my eyes, looking around for Amber. I saw a light in the hallway and crept over to the door. Someone started talking and I slid down against the door, by back to it.

“You didn’t see it, Larkus. Their very essence’s appeared, and almost melded. It looked like a Recerian light show. This is more serious than we’d initially thought,” she paused to hear the other person’s response. A deep, rumbling voice answered in a ghostly whisper.

“This must be dealt with immediately. The time isn’t right, and if this were to progress now, it would spell disaster. His dosteir has been ordered to command him to return to Camp Blaunka to help train the new recruits. Watch her closely, and notify me the moment she encounters the Second Innocent. Lunaria protertcia luva, Amrosia”

“Keep your protection. My people have better ways of keeping ourselves safe.”

“Visagio and Cercia, then.” he returned with smile obvious in his voice, though I doubt it showed on his face. By now I’d recognized the deep tone of the silver eyed man from that night in my bedroom.

“Visagio and Cercia.” she answered, then a swoosh sound stopped the conversation. Amber left muttering about a broom. I peaked around the door and saw the floor was covered in a silvery dust, and touched it. I felt in a instant shock and pulled away my hand. It was a if there was a current of energy running through each individual, minuscule piece of dust.

I shot back into the room and under the covered when I heard Amber coming back. She got back into bed a moment later and I kept my breathing even, but couldn’t fall asleep again for hours.

When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, and I found Amber eating cereal in the kitchen. I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help wanting to ask where Camp Blaunka was. By now I’d figured out that they’d been talking about Aaron they were sending away, but I didn’t know why. After last night though, I wasn’t mentioning him. We ate in peace for a while, and I considered telling her that I knew everything. I knew what she was and what was going on, until it occurred to me that I didn’t. I didn’t know what she was or what she’s been talking to that strange man, Larkus.

“Aaron is going to be at his old school for the rest of the semester,” Amber told me, almost absentmindedly, as she put her plate in the sink. But I knew her well enough to tell when she was watching for my reaction. So I kept it naively excited.

“Really? Does that mean I get you all to myself again?” I waggled my eyebrows and she laughed, but it sounded forced. I made myself laugh along with her and finished off my cereal, joining her at the sink.

“So, why did they leave? I hope it was something I did,” I attempted at a joke, but it all sounded fake and indifferent.

“Uncle Henry missed his old job, and Aunt Darcy was unhappy with our town’s social groups,” Amber explained lamely.

I nodded slightly and went to go get dressed, still trying to figure out what exactly was going on. I didn’t have much luck, and ended up going home about two hours later.

When I got home I noticed a deep violet book sitting in the center of my bed. I took a closer look and saw it was the journal I’d received from the little girl in the library that day. Before leaving for Amber’s the night before, I’d taken a look inside, and there was nothing in it past that first page. Now I opened it hesitantly, and found that several more pages were filled in.

The first page had the heading “Faeries” and had a illustration of a small girl dressed in grass and sunflower leaves with a pair of large wings. It started with a description, then went on to describe the different types of faeries, and how humans have misrepresented them. Then came the interesting part. There was a description of the “Enchantment Relms” of which they had a section of.

It was said to house the elegant and forest intertwined Feira Slimeria, translation; Scarlet Castle. The actual color of the castle is a beige color, but every brick, every stone, is interwoven with scarlet veins. Their part of the relm includes acres and acres of forest, meadows, and multiple freshwater brooks. Most faeries supposedly lived in tree houses, or small cottages, the only large city being Slimerica, which surrounded the castle. I turned the page, eager to read more, only to find something unpleasant.

It was titled “Lumaneyes” and I immediately recognized the illustration of the cold, emotionless eyes. It told of a race of very intelligent warriors, all very efficient because of their natural lack of emotion. Long ago a Night Relm sorcerer had outsmarted one of them, and they became so ashamed, their leader pledged their loyalty for a millennia. Every since they have served as protectors of the royal Night Relm family, and a powerful ally in war.

I continued to read on and on, about familiar things, like trolls and unicorns, to completely aliens beings, such as draconaus and celestias. There was even a section about magic spells and potions. I got about one fourth through the journal, when the information just stopped. There were no more pages to read, no more illistrations to ogle at.

There was a title page, that simply read “Our History,” but there was nothing after that. Just empty pages. I spent hours going over and over until I could recite it in my sleep. I didn’t want to, but I had this gut feeling I would need all of this eventually. I don’t know why, but my body wouldn’t let me go to sleep until I had all of it memorized. I fell asleep muttering the nonsense words of spells.

“Miss Carson? Excuse me, Miss Carson? Are we interrupting something?” Mr. Larson said snidely, glaring at me from across the room. I had been doodling in my notebook, since I’d already read Romeo and Juliet, which was the topic of discussion today.

“Its Nightraven. Cassidy Nightraven,” I corrected without looking up. Everyone else had adapted to my adopting my mother’s maiden name, but he insisted on calling me by my father’s surname.

“Yes, yes so I’ve been told,” he waved it off. “Well Miss Nightraven, what, pray tell, have the rest of us been talking about while you were off in your own little world?” he was practically smirking. Why did he keep putting himself through this?

“You were discussing the dynamics of the aristocratic lifestyle in the Shakespearean era,” I answered, picking at my chipping manicure. When I looked up I saw that Mr. Larson’s face was just turning back to its original color. I don’t know why he was so set on making me look bad, or why he kept setting me up like that. I’ve read so far ahead I’m already halfway through my freshman reading list. What can I say? I love to read.

“Yes, and lets get back on subject, shall we,” he glared at me like I was the one who interrupted HIM. I went back to doodling, knowing he wouldn’t bother me again. I looked down at my paper and saw ten faeries, a couple draconis, and fifteen pairs of grey eyes. I tore out the page and crumpled it into a little ball, stuffing it to the bottom of my backpack.

Ever since Aaron left, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander back to him. Why did they send him away? What happened that was so dangerous? So terrible? My mind turned in circles, trying to find a reasonable answer. But yet again, I came up with nothing.

The bell rang, and I headed to my locker to get my things for math class. I exchanged a greeting with Amber, but it felt hallow. She knew I was hiding something from her, and I knew she wasn’t telling me something. Our whole friendship was based on complete honesty with each other. Whether it was our first period or cheating on a test, we told each other everything. And now we were keeping secrets, and neither of us knew what to do about it.

Amber and I hugged goodbye, and she walked to class with Kyle, the senior she’d been dating. I personally thought he was a skeez, and had told her many times, but she just fell head over heels for him the moment he winked at her from across the lunch room. She’s been clinging to him ever since. I was hesitant to point out his many flaws to her since our newly fragile relationship.

I spent the rest of the day trying to forget about my dying friendship, and the fact that I may be falling in love with the only guy that I can’t have. There. I’ve said it. I think I’m falling in love with him. And he won’t respond to my texts, or my calls, or my emails. I’ve almost given up hope.

When I go home there was someone there, someone who wasn’t supposed to be. I didn’t know how I knew, but I did. I snuck upstairs, feeling that they were in my room. I grabbed a bat from the closet and shoved the door open, screeching like a banshee. I heard and equally shrill screech and dropped the bat. I ran towards my uninvited guest and embraced her in a huge hug.

“Ashley! Where have you been?! I’ve missed you so much you have no idea,” I practically sang as I hugged my cousin. We’d been like sister’s until her parents moved her to Paris when I was ten and she was fifteen. She was the big sister I’d never had, the one person I could always go to with my problems.

I pulled back from her, aware that I should be furious, and hurt. She hadn’t contacted me since my birthday, and even then it was just a phone call and a card. In the recent years, she’d been calling less and less, pulling away from me. “So, why the sudden urge to drop by?” I asked in a more controlled voice. She started to tear up.

“Oh Cassy I’m so so sorry! I’m such a terrible person for being so distant lately! I know there’s no excuse, it’s just...there are some things that haven’t been going well right now, and I’ve been busy. That’s no excuse for my actions, but its all I have,” she pleaded, and I broke down crying, and we just held each other in tears for what seemed like years until our eyes dried.

“I missed you so much,” I muttered, wishing I could tell her everything then and there. But I decided to wait to see if she was even staying long first. “How long are you going to be here?”

She wiped her eyes and giggled, “As long as you want me. Your latest email said the evil ones were going to be gone for a couple weeks, so I figured it would be a good time to visit,” she explained lamely. There was something she wasn’t telling me, but I was to happy to care. She was here, that’s all that matters.

“Well thank goodness it’s Friday. Now I’ll have you all to myself for as long as I want, and next week is spring break, so we’ll spend so much time together, by the time you leave, you’ll be sick of me entirely.” I was so happy to see her after all of this time, but it did bring up old memories. Memories of the day I was told my mom died. But I pushed those aside, not wanting to spoil her visit.

“I’ll never be sick of my favorite little cousin! So, what’s up?” she asked, so blase, like it was as simple as how school was going, and what the new crush was. It was so much more complected than that. But I’d save that for later. When I was sure what I’d witnessed wasn’t some newly developed mental disorder.

We spent the night talking about the last few years and laughing, watching movies, but never really paying attention. Sometimes I would catch her looking at me funny, and I knew she knew something was wrong, but I just didn’t know how to tell her. And would she even believe me? I fell asleep around midnight, feeling more at home than I had in years.

When I woke up the next morning, and Ash was already up, attempting to make breakfast. That was one of the things that was always different about us. Ash can’t cook, at all, and I’ve been told I’m quite a good cook. I was standing in the doorway, stifling a laugh as she glared at the back of a box of muffin mix, mumbling to herself. When she threw it at the floor, I couldn’t stop myself from giggling, causing her to become aware of my presence.

“Oh ha ha. Laugh at the baking challenged,” she pouted. I kissed her on the cheek and picked up the box, finishing the batter and putting it into the oven. She watched me with a careful eye and looked as though she had something to say.

“What?” I finally asked, not able to take it anymore.

“Where’s the one place you’ve always wanted to go?” she asked, as if she didn’t already know the answer.

“New York City, you know that,” I said, suspicious now. She gave me another calculating look.

“How would you like to spend spring break there?” she asked, a grin on her face. I ran over and hugged her tight, squealing like a school girl. “I guess I can take that as a yes?” she laughed.

“Of course it’s a yes! Oh did I ever tell you how much I love you?” I laughed.

“Never enough,” she smiled hugely.

“Well I do, a lot!” we giggled and ran upstairs to start packing. Turns out that had been the whole purpose of the visit, and I was beyond happy about it. I called Amber and filled her in, and she seemed genuinely happy for me. This time apart will be just what our friendship needs. Just some time to think over what’s happened.

We were at the airport by noon, practically jumping up and down from excitement. But my jumping was just a little forced. On our way here I’d noticed someone following us. Not a single person exactly, but a large black SUV followed us all the way from the end of my street to the airport, and it had me a little paranoid. Everywhere I looked I saw someone else staring at us.

We made it through security and were starting to bored our plane when I saw a middle aged woman coming towards us. She had sun kissed skin and sun bleached hair. She was toned and lithe, like a former Valley girl. She looked at me with dark brown eyes, and smiled. But not a happy, nice to finally meet you smile, more like an I have you now smile.

I looked away, and say Ash looking at her too. She didn’t look confused though, like I’m sure I did, she looked angry, and almost frightened. She told me to get on the plane, that she’d meet me there. I protested, but she ushered me to the gate, and when the attendent took my ticket, it’s not like I could turn around. I glanced back just in time to see Ashley steel herself and walk towards the older woman.

Ashley got into her seat next to me only moments before take off. I asked her what had happened, who that woman was, but she said she was tired, that it was nothing. She fell asleep a couple minutes later, and I pulled out a book to read. I tried to focus on the words, but there was no way I could concentrate. I studied Ash, and she looked drained, like the brief encounter with the sun-kissed woman had taken all of her strength. I covered her with a blanket and stared out the window at the clouds, letting my mind wander.

I looked around. The whole cabin was empty accept for the sun-kissed woman and myself. She sat a couple rows ahead, but she was getting up, coming towards me. I got out of me seat and walked back into the restrooms. I didn’t want to talk to this woman. I didn’t want her to look at me with her deep, hungry brown eyes anymore.

She kept coming towards me, and cornered me near the restrooms. Looking straight into my eyes, she reached around me and pressed her hand to the small of my back, pressing down hard over my tattoo. I winced in pain, and she only pushed harder. I screamed, trying to push her away. She looked as though she was sucking out information. She had a concentrated look on her face, and didn’t look as though she was backing off anytime soon. I gathered all my remaining strength and pushed my hands against her. A jet of dark blue lightning shot from my fingertips and threw her backwards.

She let out a wail and disappeared in a flash of blinding orange light. I woke up suddenly, sitting straight up in my seat. Ash looked over at me, startled.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a bad dream,” I muttered.

“A bad dream? What about?” she asked, trying ot give of nonchalance, but I could detect a panicked undertone.

“Nothing. Just a run of the mill bad dream,” I played it off, thinking that it was her turn to wonder now. She gave a look, but I pretended not to notice. It seemed that the trip had gotten off to a less than perfect start.

The plane landed a couple hours later, and Ash and I started warming up to one another again. It would make the vacation much more fun if we could just start over. We headed over to baggage claim and I found I could breathe again. I didn’t know it until now, but it felt like I’d been holding my breath for the last few weeks. Now I was in a new city, a new state. Where no one knew me and I didn’t have to worry about running into reminders of him. I laughed brightly and hugged Ashley. She hugged me back, glad for my change of mood and we went outside to catch a cab.

As we made our way through the busy New York streets, I found myself marvaling. It was all so hustle and bustle, no one was ever standing still, and I loved it. I watched as we passed Central Park I thought I saw a shadow in the trees, and when I looked at it again, I found I was staring directly into the eyes of a cunning looking raven. It felt as though the dark bird was staring into my soul.

I looked away quickly, and when I dared a glance back, the raven was gone. It shook me up pretty bad though, and I went to bed as soon as we got to our hotel, claiming jet lag. Ash didn’t look like she believed me, but let it go. I fell into a dreamless sleep moments after crawling into the stiff hotel bed.

A bright light shone from under my eyelids. “Up and atom sleepyhead,” Ash said cheerily. I groaned and threw a pillow at her, which she dodged with ease. She had always been a morning person, while I despised mornings. She pulled the covers from my bed and took them with her into the attached room. I groaned again and forced myself out of bed.

After grabbing my bag of toilettries, I shuffled into the bathroom and got into the shower. The shower did wake me up a bit, but not all the way. The only thing that could do that was a nice cup of coffee.

So I dressed hurriedly in a plaid sun dress, some rose patterned tights and a pair of doc martins. Ash already had a pot made when I wandered into the attached room. I drank half a cup, since the hotel’s coffee had a weird aftertaste. Ash helped me put my hair into a loose braid, and I grabbed my black bomber and we hit the streets. Our first stop, a trendy coffee shop. We each got a latte and headed to the subway.

We spent the day in Central Park, getting lost about twelve times, and having the best time eating gross food off of street vendor’s carts. I loved every second of it, and I couldn’t believe we had a whole week of this. On the way back to our hotel, I saw the raven again, watching me with it’s beady, intelligent eyes.

“Are you okay?” Ash asked, noticing my absentmindedness. I just shrugged, not wanting to talk about my paranoia involving a raven and shadows. She dropped the subject but watched me closely for the next few days. I couldn’t bring myself to say the things I’d been thinking out loud, they just sounded so crazy.

For the remainder of our week, we visited Madison Avenue, Broadway, The Met, took a tour of NYU and Columbia, my colleges of choice, and just wandered. It was the most fun I’d every had on a vacation, and I was repeatedly grateful for the disinterest of the people around me. In a small town like home, no one ever left you alone. Every one wanted to know everything.

By the time we were on the plane home, I had my mind set on living there one day. I had gotten used to falling asleep to the blare of care horns and the sound of life twenty stories below me. I had bought a “city noises” soundtrack and plugged it into my cd player, but it wasn’t the same. I spent the rest of the flight trying to decide between NYU and Columbia, since the tours left me more confused on which one I liked better than I already was.

When we landed, I went to get our luggage while Ash hailed a cab, and saw the tan woman from before staring at me from across the room. I looked away and quickly gathered our luggage, ready to be out of there. When I looked back over, she was still staring. She just stared though, didn’t get any closer. She looked weaker too, like her tan had faded some and her stance wasn’t as confident. When I looked closely, I could see the tips of her sun bleached hair was slightly blackened, as if they had been burned.

I thought back to my dream on the plane ride to New York, where I had hit her with some sort of electricity. Could it have been real? No, I must be imagining things, but as I stared on, I could swear I could smell burnt hair. Even though there were about fifty people separating us, I could smell it.

A brief shudder went down my back and I scurried out of there to find Ash, close to having a panic attack. What was going on? We went back to my house and both felt kinda tired, so we ended up go to bed soon after getting unpacked.

“So how was New York?” Amber asked me, trying to get my attention. I’d been distracted all day, looking over my shoulder, sure someone was watching me.

“It was amazing, Central Park is my new favorite place on earth,” I said animatedly, excited to tell Amber all about it. Since I’ve been back, this is the first day she’s been to school. She told me she had the stomach flu, so we haven’t really had a chance to talk about it until now. But our friendship seemed to be back on track.

There was still the lingering suspicion of the other person hiding something, but we decided not to let that get in the way of our friendship. We just skirted around the subject and everything went fine.

“So, is Kyle taking you to prom?” I asked, trying to find a safe subject. Apparently I’d misscalculated, because Amber’s eyes immediatley began to fill with tears. “Oh, Sweety, I’m so sorry,” I pulled her in for a hug and led her into the parking lot, thanking God it was a free period.

“I’m sorry, I really should have told you before, but I just wanted to forget it ever happened,” she sobbed, and I had a growing sense of unease. Amber doesn’t get worked up over boys. Not like this.

“What did he do,” I whispered, hugging her tight.

“I really should have seen it coming, and I knew better! You warned me, and you’ve always been better at reading people than me,” she continued to ramble.

“Amber,” I cut her off, forcing her to look at me, “What. Did. He. Do?” I asked angrily. She looked away from me and muttered something. “What?” she took a deep breath.

“He tried to rape me,” she whispered, silent tears running down her face. I hugged her tight, holding back my anger. I had to take care of Amber before Kyle could be dealt with.

I ushered Amber into the backseat of my car and she layed down, closing her eyes. I could tell she hadn’t told anyone else, and it had taken a lot of effort to tell me.

I told her I’d be right back and stomped back into the school. There was no way he was getting away with this. I pushed through the crowds of kids trying to get the their next class. I marched right up to Kyle, who was at his locker, high fiving all of his friends with a sleezy grin on his face.

I pushed one of his greasy friends out of the way and got in his face. “You think you can just mess with my friend and get away with it? Are you fucking out of your mind?” I said calmly, which I knew scared people more than when I was yelling. The death glare I was giving him obviously affected him, but he was trying not to show it.

“Well you’re not getting away with anything, Bastard,” I muttered before pulling back and punching him right in the jaw. I felt it dislocate under my fist and smirked as his face reddened. He popped his jaw back into place and pulled his own fist back in preparation to retaliate. But before he could even move I got him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain. I leaned down and looked him in the eye.

“This is what happens when you’re a skeez. I hope you rot in Hell,” The words didn’t come from my mouth, but I could see he heard them loud and clear. His eyes widened and he pulled away in fear. I straightened and smoothed back my hair.

As I walked away I heard him mutter “they’re both freaks,” but I didn’t have time to wonder what he meant.

I flexed my hand and examined the bruising on my knuckles, satisfied that I’d done considerable damage to Kyle. Amber didn’t ask why the knuckles on my right hand were turning purple, but she kept eyeing them, as if wondering how much damaged they could have caused.

We didn’t talk on the way home, just rode along in silence. When I pulled into my driveway I remembered that Ashley was there, but thankfully her car wasn’t there. I didn’t want to have to explain this yet.

As I helped Amber into bed, I wondered how she had gotten away from Kyle. Had she used some of her faerie magic or something? Maybe that’s what Kyle meant when he said we were both freaks. In that case, I’d better be more careful, especially with this new ability. But I had more important things to worry about.

I brought Amber some water, but she had already fallen asleep. I took this time to call the school and tell them we’d gone home sick. They didn’t really believe me, but I was friends with the receptionist, so she let it slide. I was just hanging up when someone walked through the door.

“Cass?” Ashley yelled, and I rushed down the stairs, shushing her. I explained the situation, minus the whole speaking in Kyle’s head part. She chastized me half-heartedly for my use of violence, but I knew she would have done the same had it been her friend.

We talked for a while, but she said she had to go to Des Moines for a couple of days, visiting old friends. I helped her pack and she was about to leave when she stopped short, looking me in the eyes. Hard.

“Cass, is everything alright? Is there something you want to talk about?” she asked, sounding concerned and slightly suspicious. I just shook my head and put on a fake smile. I’d considered telling her everything, but ever since the airport incedent, I had a feeling she was in on it somehow, so I held off.

I hadn’t really noticed in the last few weeks, but now that I was sitting in the kitchen alone, I realized my dad and Patricia were supposed to be home a couple of days ago. I was about to call my dad when I suddenly had a chill go down my spine. I had that feeling again, the feeling I was being watched.

I snuck up to my room to check on Amber, not wanting to be alone, and heard her talking. I peaked into the room and saw she was talking to a kind of ghostly image that stood next to the bed.

“I don’t know why she’s here, or what she’d told her, Larkus. We’ve only just started speaking again.” Amber whispered somberly. The ghostly figure, which I could now see to be the blurry outline of a large man, obviously the silver eyed Larkus, started to speak.

“She could ruin everything if she lets even one thing slip. The entire family was told to stay away. It creates a conflict of interest,” he spoke with more emotion than I’ve ever heard before. Ashley’s presence seemed to be affecting whatever plan they had more than I’d realized.

“What do you want me to do? Tell her to leave? Cassidy would stop talking to me again, and would probably follow Ashella,” I was confused at this. Who was Ashella?

“Just figure something out. Has the Second Innocent appeared yet?”

“No, Larkus, I told you I’d notify you if it had. I’m kinda busy right now, so I’ll talk to you later,” he started to protest but she swatted her hand through the blurry figure and it dispursed into the silver dust I’d seen on the floor at her house. With a flick of her wrist, the silver powder was flung under my bed and she collapsed onto the bed crying. I could see how much stress this put her under. And now her boyfriend tried to....God, I wish I could just tell her I know and get it over with. I wanted to, I wanted to take some of the weight off of her shoulders, but I had a feeling that if she knew I knew, it would only put more stress on her shoulders.

I knocked on the door, and she nodded. I ran into the room and hugged her tight, with a new understanding of my best friend.

“Come on, Amber! This is just what you need. Remember in eighth grade when Carson Vellesio broke up with me for Ali Worset? I got a tongue piercing. Fresh start. Now, what color?” Were at a salon downtown that specialized in strange colorings. I’d convinced Amber that she needed something new, something different.

“Um, how about just highlights?” she stuttered, studying the sample colors they had on display. I was here getting my purple streaks redone, so I already had a color.

“No. Full color. And something awesome, like blue or purple,” I told her, grinning reassuringly. She studied the colors for a moment more before grabbing a dusty rose color that was going to look amazing with her skin tone.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she sounded uncertain though. I sat down in the chair next to her and started chatting with my regular hair stylist while Amber stuttered uncertainly to Zeke, the only male stylist here at The Canvas. I turned towards him, saving Amber.

“She wants a dusty rose color, lots of undertones, highlights, the whole nine yards,”

“Oh! Amazing! That will look absolutely fabulous with your skin!” and he got to work. I continued to talk to Starr while Amber relaxed into it.

I got done about twenty minutes before Amber, so I left to get some ice cream, and when I came back, she was standing in the middle of the room with the whole Canvas staff standing around her, ooing and ahhing.

“My idea people!” I shouldered my way through until I got the front and Amber ran up and hugged me, her newly pink locks in my face. I laughed and held her away so I could study Zeke’s handywork.

“Nice. No streaks or uneven places. I still think you could have gone a little darker, but it looks amazing,” Amber grinned widely and started laughing. Soon enough the whole staff was laughing with us and we looked like a bunch of loonies.

“Come on, we gotta get going,” I picked Amber up off the floor and started towards the door, “Bye everyone! Thank you so much!”

“Thank you so much, Cassidy! I never would have made it though this without you!” Amber hugged me again and I laughed. I was so happy I could do something to make that haggard look leave her face. She’s been under so much stress.

We got into my car and drove back into town, laughing and talking like we used to. We even started singing terribly off key with the radio, our favorite past time. When we got back to town I asked if she wanted to stay the night, but she said she had some family stuff to do. So we said goodbye and I headed back to my house. I had promised to make dinner with Ashley tonight anyway. But when I got back, she was no where to be found.

I found a note on the fridge that said she had some urgent business back home, but should be back by Friday, which was prom night. I sighed and headed upstairs to my room to change into my bathing suit. It was a nice day and I really should work on my non-existent tan. So I changed and grabbed a book and a water, setting a beach towel down on the back porch, where I’d get just enough shade that I wouldn’t burn up. After applying a boatload of sun tan lotion, I laid down and started reading my book.

But I couldn’t stay focused. The words were swimming off the page and my sunglasses made it hard to read. So I put the book down and put in my earbuds, blaring the music as loud as it would go.

It was so dark. Everywhere, and then there was a light. A small light, miles away, in the distance. The moon, shining bright overhead. But it was so far away, it barely illuminated anything. Someone called for help. The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I started running towards it, needing to help whoever it was. The cry became fainter and my surroundings became clearer. I was in a dark cobblestone tunnel, and it wasn’t the moon overhead, but a very faint light coming off of a bare bulb. I heard the cry again and started running. I just came to the doorway of a large, circular room when the light went out, and I started to scream.

I woke up covered in a sheen of sweat. It was dusk, I could just see the sun over the horizon. I must have been screaming in my sleep, because my throat was dry and scratchy. I grabbed my water and chugged it, surprisingly thirsty. It was getting dark out, and I could feel eyes on me, so I picked up my things and headed inside. I was getting a little creeped out, being alone.

I usually preferred the night, but tonight was a new moon, and I felt oddly weak and vulnerable. The whole house was way too quiet and all of the lights were off. I’d been sure I’d left the kitchen light on. After grabbing a granola bar I headed upstairs to do my homework. It was only Tuesday, but for some reason I was already tired of school. I wanted to be somewhere else, but I couldn’t really pinpoint where I wanted to go. It was the strangest feeling.

I thought I heard a footstep, but when I listened there was nothing. I felt like I was losing my mind. I wandered into the kitchen, turning on the lights. I glanced at the clock. It was only seven, but I felt as though I didn’t get any sleep, even though I’d slept for hours. So I turned the lights back off and headed up to my room, finding the small purple book in the center of my bed. But this time it looked slightly grimy, like someone had been pawing through it. I grabbed it off my bed and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

I waited for a moment, then it started. Something was clawing at the bathroom door, screeching. Whatever it was, I knew I didn’t want it in here, so I unleashed the power I could feel sparkling at my fingertips. I heard the rushing in my ears and there was a tug in my core, then a light blue sheen stretched from my fingers, encompassing the bathroom and keeping the...thing out. It screamed again and I heard a strange whoosh, and I knew it was gone.

The blue sheen disintegrated and I collapsed. I’d never kept steady stream of magic going before, and it was exhausting. I could feel the energy draining out of me, and I blacked out, the darkness consuming me.

When I woke up the next morning to a slight “tap, tap, tap,” and I panicked, thinking the thing was back, but it was just a bird at the window. I sat up, stretching. Sleeping on the bathroom floor, not a good idea. I hesitantly opened the door and saw the outside was covered in scratches. The creature, whatever it was, had made it halfway through the door before I’d chased it away. Any longer and I’d have been dead for sure.

How was I going to explain this to Dad? Where was he anyway? They’d been scheduled to be back weeks ago, and while I’d been glad for their absence before, it was starting to get strange. It’s not like they were rich by any means, so they didn’t have the money to stay down there for long.

I considered bringing it up with Amber, but I was sure it was nothing. They’d come back when they were ready. It’s not like I was wanting for cash or anything. The house and utilities came straight out of their card and I had my mom’s life insurance money stored away in a savings account.

I wandered idly into my room, remembering that the thing had been in there. It didn’t look as though anything had been disturbed, other than the drawer that had held the purple book.
It had obviously been the reason for this break in, but I wondered why they hadn’t just taken it. I’d brought it from the bathroom with me, but it still seemed grimy and vulgar, as if it had been violated by something very impure.

“I wonder...” I though aloud, concentrating hard. I’d never deliberately called on my powers before, and it was difficult. It took me a moment to center my energy and find where they were. I took a deep breath and focused on purifying the book, but nothing happened for a long time. Only after twenty minutes of agenizing mediation did the book finally look slightly cleaner. There were still a few dingy pages, but it had worked none the less, and I felt a sense of pride in myself. I’d called on my powers and it’d works...more or less.

I attempted once again to call on them, but I felt so drained. After last nights debacle and sleeping on folded up towels, I was exhausted and stiff. I looked at the clock and saw that I was already late for school. So I logged onto my dad’s email and sent an email to the school, saying I was sick and would be out of school for the rest of the week. It was two weeks til the end of the year and we’d finished finals, so its not like I was missing much.

After putting on some cotton shorts and a large tee shirt, I sent Amber a quick text and fell into bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I woke up about one, thinking vaguely how I really should get on a regular sleeping schedule again. I wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of blue berries, ready for an afternoon of television and relaxation. But I guess it just wasn’t in the stars, because just then there was a knock on the door. I groaned and glance in the hallway mirror. My hair was in a neat pony, so that wasn’t too bad, but my eyeliner was smeared under my eyes and I had drool crusted on my cheek. I shrugged at my reflection and headed to open the door. It was probably only some salesman.

But when I opened the door I got the shock of my life. It wasn’t a person at all, but a fairy, about four feet tall with a petite figure and glittering gold hair and wings. She looked about fifteen, but it was hard to guess, because her glare looked as though she’d been working on it for decades.

“Um, hello?” I said uncertainly, and she grinned up at me, the glare disappearing. I opened the door wider and motioned for her to come in. She did so gladly and perched on the couch.

“I apologize for my earlier attitude, but I was prepared to meet your father, who is not a very nice man,” her voice was innocent and cheerful, like the giggle of a new born baby.

“It’s alright, he’s not very nice. Um, can I get you anything?” I asked, thinking this may be a dream. I mean, aside from the mute little girl, no magical creature has every revealed themselves to me. It was surreal.

“Oh, if you had any sparkling water that would be absolutely wonderful!” she exclaimed, and I nodded, getting some out the drawer in the refrigerator reserved specifically for Patricia’s sparkling water. The fairy sipped it and settled further down into the couch. I figured I’d better start asking questions.

“Um...what did you say your name was again?” I asked stupidly

“Oh dear me I’ve forgotten myself!” she giggled daintily. “My name is Lucindana, but you can call me Lucy,” she thrust out her hand, and I shook it uncertainly.

“Okay Lucy, so...um, why are you here?” I felt terribly rude, but it was just so odd. She looked startled, as if my question surprised her.

“What? You mean, you didn’t know I was coming? I though Amrosia was supposed to inform you, oh dear this IS bad.” she started flittering her wings and was flitting across the room quickly, almost as if she was pacing. “But you weren’t surprised to see a faerie, so Amrosia must have exposed herself already,” she looked at me for conformation and I felt my face turn red. She immediately became panicked. “But then you aren’t supposed to know anything yet! Oh dear what a mess I’ve made!” she turned to me.

“And you! Sneaking around and spying on your best friend! How shameful,” I felt myself go darker red, but I became indignant.

“She shouldn’t have kept that large a secret from me!” I cried, suddenly very angry at this small girl for accusing me.

“She was protecting you until the Scarlet Solstice!” she retorted, but immediately covered her mouth with her hands, as though she’d said too much.

“The what?” I asked numbly, knowing the name sounded familiar.

“No, I’ve said too much already, I must go!” she said before flying out the door, leaving a trail of glittering gold dust in her wake.

“Wait!” I called after her, but it was already too late. She was gone. I slumped onto the couch, practically reeling from the encounter. What in the hell had just happened? What was the Scarlet Solstice? Why was it that every new discovery led to more questions than answers?

I was so tired of being lied to, of having things kept from me. I was about ready to just go find Amber and demand all of the answers. But from the reaction I got from Lucy, I doubt that would do anything to help me. She’d just deny and run. This was getting complicated, and I was just so overwhelmed. I needed to do something NORMAL, something that didn’t involve all this screwed up mumbo jumbo that my life seemed to revolve around. So I did what any normal teenage bookworm did. I went to the library.

The librarian waved at me as I walked in, and I sighed in relief, glad there would be no mute little girl today. I found my little corner and settled into the worn leather chair with a good book about a normal teenager with normal teenage problems. It wasn’t long before I heard the clock ding out seven chimes, closing time. But I had a key, remnants from my days of working here, and I knew the desk librarian had already forgotten about me. So when she turned off all of the lights, I waited until I heard the lock click in the door and turned on the desk lamp next to me. I stayed there until ten, finishing my book and starting on another. But I was getting hungry, and I knew it was time to go.

As I was walking out I noticed a book lying on the librarian’s desk, and thought she might have forgotten to put it away. I grabbed it and was looking for the dewy decimal number to put it away when I saw the name. I screeched and through it across the room on impulse. It couldn’t be. I had the only copy, and I’d burned it. There wasn’t another one in the whole wide world, at least, that’s what my mother said.

I approached the small book timidly, as if it would bite me. Picking it up, I realized it was the same copy I’d supposedly burned. But that was impossible. I opened it carefully, gazing at the inscription on the inside cover. This was so surreal, it just couldn’t be happening to me. This book in my hands was a pile of ashes tucked away in a box under my bed. How did it get here?

I turned the page and began to real aloud to myself the story that was always skittering on the edges of my childhood, always in the back of my mind. The Ivy Wall.

“Once upon a time there was a young princess by the name of Celestia, who loved her kingdom very much. She lived in a beautiful shining palace called ‘Lunessia Versal’ with her parents, Queen Lucielia and King Lucas. She had a happy childhood, filled with royal balls and parades, but her favorite thing to do was to play with her faerie friends, Bontan and Bell, who were twins. She played with them all she could, but was careful not to get to close to Bontan, for it was forbidden for Royalty to fall in love with a faerie. And so they only played.

Years later, on Celestia’s twentieth birthday, she received terrible news. Her father had been out battling giants and had been killed. The only one there to comfort her was Bontan and Bell, for her mother had to attend to the funeral plans and console the Kingdom.” I paused, remembering how my mother would get tears in her eyes when she read this part.

“During the time when Celestia had to be around her people in the Kingdom, she always had Bontan and Bell at her side, holding her hands tight. She began to fall for Bontan, and Bell could see it happening. She advised her against it, warning her of the danger and stress it would cause, but Celestia was naive, and ignored her friend. It was about half a year after her father’s death when the Kingdom in the east attacked. They knew the Kingdom would be weekend without Lucas’s expert defense plans, and planned to overtake them. But the Kingdoms defense held strong.

Two years into the attack, Celestia found out she was pregnant with Bontan’s baby, and knew she had to flee the Kingdom. Bontan was out fighting in the war, and would not leave his post. The day Celestia planned to leave, she heard of Bontan’s death. She wept and wept, only muting her sobs when fleeing the castle. Bell helped her escape and they had to lie low for a couple of days at Bell’s Aunt’s house while the shock wore down of the princess running away. The kingdom flew into a panic, but Celestia didn’t stick around to see it. Bell helped her to the border of their magic world and saw her through to the other side. Bell wanted to stay with Celestia, but Celestia insisted that Bell go home and explain. Celestia knew she’d be home eventually anyway, because the war couldn’t last forever.” here Mom would chuckle a little, but it was an dry laugh and contained no humor.

“Celestia was now left alone to find a way to live in the human world, a place she’d only heard stories about. She was alone and pregnant, but she made it through, got tough and lost most of her princessly characteristics. All but her kindness and understanding that is. She had her baby and named her Cassandra Lucille. Cassandra for Bontan’s mother and Lucille for the human interpretation of own mother’s name. Her daughter was born with beautiful red hair, which, while common enough in the human world, was almost nonexistent in her magic world, The Realms. When Cassandra was two, Celestia married a human, if only to blend in more and to make a better life for her daughter. Celestia knew she would have to one day bring her daughter into the Realms and introduce her to her magical heritage, but she was selfish and wanted to keep her daughter to herself.

So Celestia raised her daughter with the human, trying to make sure Cassandra would know everything she’d need for the day she’d have to meet her destiny. For by this time, Celestia had connected an old prophecy to her daughter. This meant that she couldn’t wait for the war to end to go home, because Cassandra was the key. She was the key to the end of the war.”

I wiped a tear from my eye that I didn’t know had fallen. I turned back to the inscription, “For my beautiful daughter Cassie, I hope this book will guide you.” My mom had written novels for a living and this was the one children’s book she’d ever written and she only had one copy made. It was our special thing, and whenever I was feeling sad or scared, I’d ask her to read it to me. After her death, it was just a constant reminder of what I used to have, so I’d burned it. Though I couldn’t bare to get rid of the ashes. But if this was here, what had I burned so long ago? Were the ashes under my bed just another book that I’d mistaken for this one?

But how was that possible? I didn’t want to think about it now and tucked the book carefully into my bag, locking up and practically running to my car. With all these odd things happening to me, I was going to have a nervous breakdown. The whole way home I couldn’t stop my mind from reacting to the story. What if my mom wasn’t just telling a story, but giving me a history. What if all of these changes have something to do with this book and the story it’s telling. I mean, the inscription did say she hoped this book would “guide” me. No, I couldn’t do this to myself. I can’t give myself false hope.

When I got home I tucked it under my maitres and collapsed into bed, exhausted. There was no way I was going to escape this experience without a nightmare, so I relaxed and braced myself for the terror on its way.