Embers & Spells

22 – A Trap

I was twelve years old when I first wore a gown. Erin brought me to her work, a New Year’s End event, and they were allowed to bring their families. I fully remembered that night, as I was invited to dance by someone. He was the only one who had a little girl as his partner in the dance floor.

He was middle aged but still handsome. There were streaks of white hair on his hair, his eyes looked kind. He gently led me, twirling me, swaying together gracefully as we snatched the attention to us. I heard people clapped and I could feel myself smiling from ear to ear. It was the first time a lot of people looked my way.

“You’re really a pretty little girl,” he said, smiling, bending down to say those words to me. “Your mother raised you well.”

The smile on my face froze for a moment. “Did you know my mother?” I asked.

He chucked, nodding. “She was a beautiful woman. But you’re a lot prettier. Men will bend their knees, they will follow you.”

I scrunched up my nose. “I am not a princess for them to bend their knees.” I replied, not really sure what he meant.

The man shook his head. “No. You’re a queen.”

I smiled at his words, liking the idea. “I don’t know what your name, mister.”

He walked me out of the dance floor toward the side, nearing the exit door. He knelt down to my level and pulled out a slim wooden box. “It’s a gift. From your father.”

My eyes grew wide. “You knew my father too?”

His eyes were focused on me, his demeanor shifted. “Not really. But he wishes to give this to you. Promise you’ll take good care of this and only use it to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

 “Tana?” Erin called out.

I waved my hand excitedly at her and she headed toward me with a furious face. “I’ve been looking for you. Why are you here? Who’s that man you’re talking to?”

Turning around, the man was already gone. I showed her the box. “He gave this me. Said it’s from my father.”

Erin stared at the box, her hands running through the cover. “Why don’t I keep this for now and we open it later at home?”

“Okay,” I answered as we returned back into our table.

The box contained the weapon I only had- the dragon glass. That memory suddenly played in my head. Thinking of it now, I should have insisted knowing the man’s name.

“Tana,” Inigo called out, placing his arm over my shoulder. “You okay?”

I nodded, trying to let out a reassuring smile. Looking at the stage, five ladies stood with their gowns under the limelight. My eyes sought Agatha, her confidence unmatchable, but she seemed not the favorite of the emcees.

Stephanie stole the spotlight. She was a senior as well, constant representative of her class, another IT girl. Her long night gown hugged her hourglass body, revealing her back, too much skin that made the audience cheer more for her. Agatha, on the other hand, kept her smile, her red glittering night gown had a long slit at the side, emphasizing her long legs.

I was distracted half of the event while Inigo seemed to enjoy the program beside me. He was attentive, once in a while asking if I were okay. My phone vibrated inside my jeans pocket. Pulling it out, I saw an unfamiliar number calling.

I motioned my hand, gesturing at Inigo that I need to get the call. Heading outside the auditorium, I stopped outside the longue, trying to get away from the noise.

“Hello,” I answered. “Who is this?”

“Tana,” a woman answered, her voice familiar, but I couldn’t tell who it belonged to. “I failed saving Erin.”

My heartbeat suddenly drummed, too fast that I could feel it beating beneath my t-shirt. “Grammie Nah?”

“I’m afraid they’re hunting me too,” she said, tone a bit hoarse. I could hear cars passing by on the other line, guessing she was driving.

“Where are you?” I asked, feeling the weight of her statement. “Grammie Nah, where are you?”

“I’m in your town,” she said. “I need to give you something.”

“I’m at school but I can meet you right now.”

“I’ll drop by,” she answered.

When the line went dead, I run toward the staircase, clutching the mobile phone in my hand. I strode down, gasping for air as I pushed the fear away. I couldn’t always back down, I couldn’t always lose. I needed to put up a fight at some point and I felt like I would be doing it soon enough.

When I reached the ground floor, my feet led me straight to the exit door, scanning the parking area. Many cars were there, almost full by the guests, some of the visitors loitering the area. I could feel thick air swarming the place, tension seemed playing with me.

A car arrived at the drop off area outside the school gate. I jogged toward the car, having a hunch it was Grammie Nah. My steps faltered as I waited for her to come out. A second ticked by, then another one, and another one.

I couldn’t see through the tinted window glass and my nerves started to send me warnings, a low voice inside my head whispering I should step back and run the other way.

I heard the car door unlocked, slowly opening, someone was getting out. I felt like a bucket of ice-cold water washed over me, my flesh shivered, my mind drawing blank for a moment.

Before me was a hooded figure, the same beast I saw the other night, only it seemed to morph into a human form. It had red glinting eyes, a low growl coming its black mouth. Imagining how it could get in the idea of pretending being Grammie Nah to lure me out was an evil doing. I couldn’t picture what it did to the Seer of Ilkar.

My hands balled into fist, anger rushing smoothly through me, mad at the situation I found myself in. In a blink, the hooded beast leaped toward me, and as if my body was helping me, I side-stepped as I lowered my head, dodging. When it landed, I waved my hand, mustering up the force of nature, connecting my power and cast a spell.

“Kardia Ekrixi,” I whispered, my hand stretched out to the hooded figure.

The beast gasped for air, despite it not having a nose, his body crumpled on the ground. But it only lasted a while, as it overcame the spell I threw. Looking around, I saw a group of people on the other side of the parking area, oblivious to what has happening in this part.

“You’re gonna die!” the beast growled, its voice so deep, it felt like it came from the underground, hoarse and uneasy to the ears. “You’re gonna die!”

It launched itself like a missile, and I cast a spell once more, but the beast already landed before me, hitting me with its sharp claw. The stinging pain instantly registered throughout my body, not expecting to be caught so easily. Before I could throw another whisper, a shadow hovered over us, landing behind the beast. In a snap, a hand pierced through the beast’s chest, sticking like a sharp knife, holding a what looked like a heart.

My eyes averted, seeing who was behind the attack the evil minion, as it dropped to the pavement with a thud.

Grey eyes penetrated me, his arm full of black blood, his posture told me he wasn’t just any other normal beings. We had the same t-shirt, only, he wasn’t holding a camera in his hand, but a heart he just pulled out from the hooded beast.

Arawn Rhys.

He tilted his head at the side, staring at me. “How many times should I meddle just to save your life, Tana Axle?” His tone was low but his words were clear.

I had no idea what to answer just as I had no idea how to comprehend what just happened.

Before I could answer his question, Arawn tossed the organ he was holding and pulled out a match from his pocket. He smoothly lighted matchstick and flicked it to the body laying rotting on the ground.

He then pulled me as we walked in haste toward his bike. Without a word, as if it was the best thing to do, I climbed behind and he drove away.

****

Seeing Arawn Rhys inside my house felt all sort of wrong. First, the chime to warn me that another being was within the radar kept its silence. Second, him nonchalantly washing off the dirt of black liquid from his arm baffled me.

“I know you got a lot of questions,” he stated, his back on me, as he thoroughly washed his arm on the kitchen sink.

Yes, third, my questions piled up and my head couldn’t handle it anymore.

“That beast,” I said, remembering how hideous it looked, how it almost killed me. I was standing at the kitchen’s doorway, holding my injured arm. “What is that?”

“They’re the fallens,” he replied almost instantly. “They were once rangers in human realm, tasked to maintain the balance in this world. But they committed a sin, and now they’re slaves of Set.”

Arawn took a bowl and started to fill it with hot water from the dispenser.

“I think it’s after me,” I whispered, almost afraid to say it out loud. “I think something bad happened to Grammie Nah.”

After he filled the bowl of hot water, he motioned his head for me to come. When I didn’t move, he let out a sigh. “I don’t want you bleeding to death just after I save your life, hybrid. Get in here.”

Hearing he seemed back to his old self, I approached carefully.

Arawn held my arm over the sink and slowly poured out the hot water. I watched him curiously, at how normal it was for him to treat my wound.

“Kwi Nah is dead,” he muttered in an undertone.

His words felt like a burn in my wound, my muscles tensed at his sudden news.

“The fallens followed her in this world. They killed her after she tried to sneak Erin out of the underworld.”

“How did you know all that?” I asked, tears filling up my eyes with guilt and regret and anxiety. “Who are you? Just please tell me!”

I flung my arm, getting out of his hold.

Arawn stared at me for a moment. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, or what would his next move be. “I am Arawn Rhys.”

A bitter laugh escaped my mouth. “Your name is not gonna tell me who you really are.”

His mouth was on a thin line, refusing to answer once again.

I nodded as tears fell down my cheeks, my chest heaving. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, wanting to punch him. “You keep saving me from death, wanting me to redeem my soul, and you refuse to tell me who you really are.”

“You’ll run if you’d know,” he replied. “This isn’t the right time- “

“Get out,” I muttered, adding strength to my voice. “I don’t want strangers in this house. Get out.”

“Tana- “

I pushed his chest, biting back my broken sobs. “Get out!” I shouted, desperate to be alone.

Arawn stared at me, a look of indifference in his eyes, which I didn’t know what it meant. He then pulled out another thing from his pocket, an old gold locket.

“Kwi Nah wanted you to have that. Said it’s your mother’s.” He then turned his back and headed to the door, shutting it gently as he left.