Devon Thiele
Published by Devon Thiele at Smashwords
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Dust to Dust
-Chapter 1-
Have you ever had one of those days where you wake up and just want to bury your head under your pillow and let the world pass you by? But you pull yourself out of bed and decide to give the world a chance? Then the world totally screws you over and you wish you’d followed your instincts and only gotten up to lock your bedroom door? Yeah, I was having one of those days.
It was the small things first. I slept through my alarm clock so I was running late. Then the hot water clonked out two minutes into my shower. After speeding to get to school I made it to my high school graduation practice. In my crappy jeans and a sweatshirt I was dismayed to hear about the class picture. And don’t even get me started about my hair.
I wasn’t invited to the senior class breakfast at the town’s only restaurant but I was okay with that. I went home and showered in lukewarm water so I could make my hair presentable. At least this time I had time to style my hair and do my make-up.
I took the time to study myself in the mirror. There were some days I hated my curly, auburn hair. The curls were tight spirals, perfect finger cages as my best friend Shayla would say. I just call it auburn because it really has so many colors that I can’t pick just one. I’ve got some blonde hairs in there, every shade of brown, and I’ve even found a black hair once or twice. But combined and added to my red undertones, it looks… well, red. But sometimes it looks brown. I get the occasional dark brown comment. And one time a guy I had a crush on told me it looked like unvarnished gold, which was flattering. Now, looking back on it, I think he was trying to get my answers in geometry.
The make-up highlighted my high cheekbones and strong jaw. My blue eyes stuck out on my pale ivory face. My eyes were another odd thing to label. Yes, they looked blue but the base color was actually grey, then there’s like a large blue starburst that blended in with it. Then there was another smaller green starburst right around the pupil. To top it all off, there were tiny gold flecks around the outside. But it all blended together to look blue.
On my way out I stopped in the kitchen to grab something to eat and to grab a cold can of pop. Now that I was back on schedule I was cheerful enough to be humming my favorite song of the moment.
All whistling stopped when I saw my car. “Oh, you’re kidding me,” I grouched at the flat tire. I wasted fifteen minutes trying to air it up but nada. That left me with one option.
I went back inside after the spare keys for the piece of crap car I’d just parked for good. Now my new shiny car was out of commission and I was back to… this.
I sighed and opened the door. I had no other alternative. That didn’t make me feel any better in the stifling black interior car. And the air conditioner hadn’t worked since 1998 so the windows were rolled down. “I hate this car,” I sang when the radio went out. It came and went on good days.
After some lovely traffic, and I’m being sarcastic there, I was yet again running late.
I parked my car and sprinted for the building where I was supposed to be taking my Spanish placement test. I burst through the doors and breathed a sigh of relief. Everybody was still chatting and the professor was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly there was a gasp and everyone looked at me. I was confused but I doubted it was because I looked cute at the moment. I looked above me and sighed. I had entered through Door F. I’d just broken one of the University’s cardinal superstitions by coming in through Door F on a test day. According to legend, I was now doomed to fail.
I could feel myself reddening as the giggling and chatter started. I walked down a few rows and sank into the first seat I saw.
“Smooth one, Cortland,” I said to myself quietly. “Real smooth.”
“Well, I was unsure about sitting next to you since you’re now a bad luck charm,” someone to my right said. “Now I’m unsure because you talk to yourself.”
“Like I’m the only one who walked in through that stupid door,” I turned towards the voice. And I immediately wanted to die. This guy was CUTE.
His hair was a light brown, a little on the long side, but that was okay because it was adorably curly. His eyes were a light hazel. “Oh you’re not,” he grinned. If possible he looked even cuter. “Why do you think I was sitting alone way back here?”
I glanced around and sure enough, there was at least a five row radius around us. “That’s so dumb. Like there’s any actual proof that walking in through that door makes you fail.”
“I totally agree that it’s all about the mindset,” he said. “But I’ll let you know how I feel after I get my results back.”
“Well, I suck at Spanish so I know I’m failing.”
“Smart girl like you?” he said skeptically. “You’ll pass with flying colors.”
“Ha. You obviously never met my Spanish teacher.”
“I haven’t even technically met you,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m Campbell.”
“I’m Cortland,” I shook his hand. “Also known as Clumsy, Cursed, or sometimes Unfriendly.”
“Well, Cursed, here comes the professor, so let’s just see how you do.”
Had I not been sitting next to Cutie Campbell I would have been mumbling negatively under my breath or contemplating pulling out my hair or falling on my pencil. But since he probably already thought I was a freak I was on my best behavior. Okay, so my best behavior didn’t include not guessing “C” whenever I was clueless. Which was a lot of the time.
I was done with my test so I walked up front and handed it in. I smiled at Campbell as I headed for the door.
I was halfway across the mall when I heard a voice calling my name. I turned and saw Campbell jogging after me. “Wait, Cortland, I was wondering, do you want to go out for a cup of coffee or lunch or something?”
I smiled and got that happy feeling. Someone liked me. But unfortunately I mean, too bad for Campbell, I already had a boyfriend. But coffee, that would be harmless.
My phone rang, blasting out TikTok. I didn’t recognize the number but I knew it was from my hometown. What the heck. It would give me a chance to justify going for coffee with Cutie Campbell. “Hello?” I answered. Oh, what do you know, it was justified.
“Cortland, this is David, from the store.”
I held back the sigh. David, my boss. Calling from a number that was not the store’s. Ooh. This meant one thing and one thing only. “Hi David.”
“Can I get you to come in and work for a few hours until next shift starts?”
“Well, I…” Campbell was standing there patiently. “I’m at my college. I just got done with a placement test.” Dang it, I shouldn’t have said that I was done.
“The day checker just went home sick. I can have someone cover for you for an hour while you’re getting here. That’s better than having someone work for five.”
I looked at Campbell. It looked like fate had made the decision for me. I really didn’t want to go to work but David had been really good about letting me go to the graduation parties. And I’d called in sick a few weeks ago so I owed the cosmic forces at the store. “I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
I hung up and looked apologetically at Campbell. “I have to go. There’s an emergency at work.”
“Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“No. Our last day was yesterday since we graduate on Sunday. How long are you here?”
“I’m not sure. As long as my brother needs to be.”
“Oh, cool. Well, it’s nice to have someone you know here.” Unlike me, who was deathly afraid of coming here and not having any friends.
“It would be even nicer to have two someones,” he said. “So I’ll take a rain check on the coffee and your cell phone number as sort of a consolation prize.”
I laughed. “I guess that will work.” I scrounged around in my purse for a piece of paper and a pen. I wrote my number down and handed it to him.
He took it. “Now I know who to call and blame when I get my scores back.”
I smiled. “You walked through the bad door too.”
“Good point. I’ll be talking to you later, Cortland.”
“Sounds good, Campbell.”
The euphoria of having a guy show interest in me quickly faded once I got to work. I understand that people may be having bad days so they let a little barb slip into their conversations. They’re a little rude to make themselves feel a little better. Whatever. But it hurts that person. Just a little but when a bunch of people are rude, it all starts adding up.
My boyfriend’s grandma came in, that last ten minutes of my shift. I greeted her warmly because she is a sweet old lady and she adores me.
“Hi honey,” she answered. “How are you doing?”
“Fine,” I answered.
“I knew you were a strong one. But still, the way my grandson betrayed you…if you need anything you let me know.”
“Um, okay.” I was totally confused.
“And that girl is not as pretty as you. What the boy was thinking I will never know. Just hold strong, dear.” Okay, now I was intrigued.
Luckily next shift showed up and I was allowed to leave. I stepped outside of the store and its vacuum of cell reception and called my best friend, Shayla.
“I have no idea what is going on,” she said. I could hear lockers slamming shut and loud chatter. Ugh, school. “Hang on, there’s Tish.”
Tish is his younger sister. “You can’t go and ask her because she’ll know you’re asking for me.”
Shay gave a frustrated sigh. “What am I supposed to do then? Wait. Monty!”
Monty, or Montgomery, is another good friend. But Shayla and I are inseparable so Monty would cause less suspicion.
I heard Shayla mumble an explanation and Monty say something else. Then Shayla’s focus was back on me.
By now I was sitting in my car, waiting for things to unfold before I started driving.
“Ok, Monty is approaching the target. She has engaged the target. They’re talking… talking…more talking…”
“Shay!” I cut in. “I don’t need a complete rundown.”
“Sorry. You know, maybe his grandma is confused. She is like ninety.” Typical Shay, trying to make me feel better.
“She’s not even seventy.”
“No way.”
“Yes.”
“She sure ignored her daily skin regimen.”
“What’s going on between Monty and Tish now?” I asked, fidgeting with my keys. The woven bracelet I wore over my left wrist moved, revealing the tiny tattoo on my wrist. Fairy wings weren’t really my thing but there it was, in all its blue shimmery-ness.
“I thought you didn’t want a rundown.”
“Shay, don’t screw with me.”
“Okay. Monty is flipping her gorgeous blonde hair like the goddess she is. Tish seems to be giving some lame excuse about having to leave. And… here comes Monty.”
“We’re going to kick his ass,” Monty fumed. “And then we’re going after little miss hare brain over there and we’re going to kick her ass.”
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Cortland wants to know what’s going on,” Shayla said to Monty.
“Give me the phone.”
“I want to know too.” I could hear them wrestling over the phone.
“You can hear me as I tell her over the phone, whereas if I tell you, you will have to repeat it to Cortland.”
I rolled my eyes as the struggling on the other end of the line ceased. “I hate it when you make sense,” I heard Shayla say.
“Cortland, before I begin, know that we love you and Burke never deserved you.”
“Monty, just get to the point.”
“Tish informed me that her amazing, god’s-gift-to-earth of a brother is engaged to some sweetheart of a southern belle. And a shotgun wedding is in order.”
“You’re kidding me,” Shayla and I said at the same time.
“How long has he been cheating on me?” I asked. Right now the pain had me withdrawing, to hide somewhere and lick my wounds. But once the rage kicked in his ass is grass.
“To quote Tish, when wasn’t he cheating on you?”
I sighed and put my head against the steering wheel. “What is wrong with me? All American Mr. Nice Guy cheated on me. I drove him to cheat.”
Shayla quickly snatched the phone from Monty. “Oh no, you are not blaming yourself for that douchebag’s choices.”
And the conversation pretty much went downhill from there. Somehow it progressed so that at nine thirty the three of us, plus our good friend Asher, were in front of a Wal-Mart.
“Guys, this is a bad idea,” I said. I was being the voice of reason and for once I was losing.
“No, it is an amazing idea. We all go in and you and I buy the supplies then leave. Asher and Monty stay and buy something to provide us with a good enough alibi to satisfy the folks back home. All while you and I go get him.”
“I don’t want to egg his car,” I protested.
“Yes, you do.”
Okay, she had me there. “I want to be the bigger person. I want everyone on my side. Heck, I’ve got his grandma on my side. I don’t want…” At that moment I got a text message. From Burke.
‘Hey babe. What’s up? I miss you.’
And if that wasn’t enough a split second later my phone beeped again. ‘I love you,’ I read silently.
“Oh, hell no,” I mumbled.
Shayla was staring at me. “You don’t want to what?” She prompted.
“I don’t want to leave one inch of that car uncovered.”
Three grinning faces turned in my direction. There was Shayla, with her black, adorable curls and mischievous green eyes. To go with it was her perfect porcelain skin. And a wicked sense of humor.
Monty had long golden hair that was naturally wavy. Add that to her golden skin and legs that were miles long, she always looked fresh off the beach. The beach of gorgeous blue eyed blondes.
Asher was brought in by Shay’s humor and my sarcasm and stayed for the hope that Monty would one day see him as more than a friend. Personally I couldn’t see what was taking so long. Ash was tall and lean, in shape and tan. With his sandy blonde hair and startling blue eyes, he was freaking cute. He has six pack abs for god’s sake. Sometimes I wanted to smack Montgomery and tell her to open her eyes.
Anyway, forty minutes later under the cover of darkness, Shayla and I approached Burke’s unprotected car.
“I feel bad about this now.”
Shayla shot me an annoyed look. “His car is parked at the curb, away from all streetlights. He’s practically asking for it. Plus you went all softie on me in the store and made me buy saran wrap.”
“Well, it’s double the pain in the butt minus the peeling off of his paint,” I sniffled righteously. “Sorry that I’m a nice responsible girl.”
Shayla rolled her eyes and opened up the saran wrap. “Get on the other side of the car. We’re going to do this the smart, efficient way.”
Cut to Shay rolling the saran wrap, me picking it up, and then rolling it across the top of his car. Once the doors were firmly wrapped shut we super glued the end to the plastic and then whipped out the eggs.
“Do you feel better?” Shayla asked once we were back on the interstate, a Ke$ha CD blaring through the stereos.
My cell phone beeped and I flipped it open. ‘What’s up? Still waiting on that coffee.’
A tiny smile played on my lips. “Yes. I’m feeling much better.”
-Chapter 2-
Okay, so it seems like my day ended on a good note. It seemed like it until I nailed my head on the car when getting out. It was probably Karma getting back at me for egging my ex’s car. I unlocked my front door and turned off the porch light. Then I stumbled up the stairs and changed into my pajamas. No sooner did I fall onto my bed and close my eyes than there was a searing pain on my wrist.
“Not now,” I groaned.
There’s something I may have left out when describing myself. Remember that fairy wing tattoo that just wasn’t my style? Yeah well it was actually to summon me to the secret part of my life.
I reluctantly got to my feet and made my way through the dark to my vanity. In the reflection of the mirror I could see my silver eyes glowing. That was a sign that my fairy self was near the surface.
Yes, I did say fairy.
But not like Tinker Bell. I’m actually more Tink meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I looked crappy in my sweatpants and tank top but I couldn’t care less. I grabbed my wand, for lack of a better word, and swirled it around. Suddenly I wasn’t in my dark bedroom; I was in a light, very open room. Everything sparkled or shone. Cheerfully. It made me want to hurl.
In Fairy land, or Whisper, I am what they call a Seeker. Basically my job consists of hunting down monsters in the human world and the fairy. I’ve been trained since I was six to do this job. I’m proud to say I’m one of the best.
“It’s good to know you take pride in your appearance,” said a cheerful voice that sounded like a melody. Puke.
“Maybe if you gave a little notice before flipping on the summons to the highest power, I would have made myself more presentable,” I said sweetly.
The perfect little blonde looked me over. I felt like a beast around my keeper. She’s 5’1’’ to my 5’ 7’’. She is dainty and petite where I’m strong. Her platinum blonde hair and brown doe eyes made her look like a doll. I hated her. But for more than her looks. She is judgmental, harsh, and heartless. But I’m better.
She eyed me. “No, you wouldn’t have.”
“Can you just get to whatever was so urgent that you summoned me in the middle of the night?” I suggested not so nicely.
She sighed. “Since you’re never here, you don’t know much about Whisper’s situation. The Queen is weakening and the other lines are disagreeing over who should replace her. She fears it will come to an all-out war. Already there is a Seeker who has been assassinating all possibilities. The Queen has decided…” she sighed dramatically, “that you are to be her replacement.”
I burst out laughing. “That would be believable except I’m like…” carry the six, subtract the four, “twenty seventh in line for the throne. Now, seriously…” I waited somewhat patiently with a smile on my face.
“You’re the only one she believes can protect yourself and stamp out this little problem.”
“Little?” I repeated. “I have been trained to kill every creature under the sun, not rule a country full of disgruntled fairies.”
“There’s really nothing you can do about it. Rule has already been transferred to you.”
I sighed and lowered my head dejectedly. “Look, when you forced me into training when I was six, I cooperated. When you told my line that not all of us could resign and turn in our wands, I cooperated. When you people took my brother when I was eight, I dealt with it. I have done more than my fair share. You cannot force this on me. I didn’t want any of this, let alone the crown.”
“It’s too late,” she enunciated. “It’s already been done.”
“Take it back and give it to whoever is number twenty eight.”
“Once the powers are transferred there’s really nothing you can do. Except…”
Here it comes. The real reason I was being stuck with the crown. I refused to be baited. “If you could take out the Seeker and whoever is ordering her around, you could perhaps convince the next heir to take over.”
“How does one transfer a Queen’s powers?” I asked. “Theoretically speaking, of course.” So I could do it immediately and save myself a whole busload of trouble.
“I wouldn’t worry about that. I would worry about surrounding yourself with some backup you can trust.”
“Since I’m Queen I can restore powers right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I have just the team in mind.”
Part of my job as Seeker was to keep a close eye on all situations that could have an Otherworldly behind it. There’s been a rash of violent killings about two hours away. The media was screaming about a serial killer. The police were baffled. There was no pattern, no MO. That screams Otherworldly, a collective name for monsters from any of the other realms.
I parked my car two blocks away from the most recent attack. To track this sneaky devil I needed to track him fairy style. My glowing silver eyes would be a little conspicuous so I needed to be cautious.
I got out of my car and got myself set up. I was in black jeans, a black V-neck tee, and black heels that came up to my calf. In one boot went my wand, which was shrunk to protect it, in the other went a sheathed dagger. A medium length sword went in a sheath down my back and I put on my black jacket. If I got caught, they’d probably think I was the killer.
I snuck into the back yard, which was luckily surrounded by a tall wooden fence. With my keen fairy senses, I hit pay dirt immediately.
Anything not from this realm leaves behind a trail of dust, power dust that can be traced to a specific someone. This one was big.
I poked around a little more and found a trail that seemed a little fresher. I followed it.
After being led around a little it led into a house about four blocks over. Oh, this was not good. I followed the trail in a circle around the house and discovered an open window. By now I was completely covered with darkness. I wouldn’t be seen by anyone or anything unless they were right next to me. Unfortunately the same could be said of my sighting anything not good lurking around.
Obviously it had gone in through that open window. I did the same. I never left windows open anymore, not after seeing some of the nightmares that roamed around. The teenaged girl I found in that room hadn’t believed in the monsters hiding under your bed, or in your closet, or watching from the darkness outside your window. And that one had gotten her.
I was horrified by the blood splattered around, the girl’s open eyes, and the loss of someone so young. I followed the dust trail through the open door. There was another trail of blood. I compartmentalized all of this. Right now I would focus on getting the creature responsible for all of this and later I would deal with my human emotions.
The next body was the father. His body was sprawled in front of the staircase. Okay, so he’d gone to his daughter’s room to save her but he’d been unprepared and probably too late anyway. He’d run here. Why here?
My gaze went to the top of the stairs, following the dust. I crept quietly up the stairs. Thanks to my mad fairy skills not one of them squeaked. Another blood trail started at the top. The smell of blood, death, and horror was about to make me ill. I followed this trail down a hallway that used to have pristine white walls. It would forever be stained with the dark red handprints and splatters.
This person ended up in the bedroom farthest down the hall. The mother in this now ruined family. She was sprawled face down in the middle of the room. Why had she run here?
I turned in a circle in the room. The only thing that stuck out to me was the closed door in the back corner. Well, it had been closed, now it was splintered and basically open.
I peeked in the doorway and my heart broke. A little girl, perhaps eight or nine years old, had tried hiding behind the shower curtain. Now her tiny body was sprawled in the tub, shreds of a bloodied shower curtain around her.
My fairy-self faltered for a second as I was sickened by this little girl’s death and the horror she must have felt those last few moments of her life. She had hidden here and listened to a nightmare kill her older sister, then her father, then her mother in the very next room.
My senses came back in a flash as there was a strange sound. I stiffened as I heard it again. After a quick sweep of the other room I realized that there was nothing dangerous in here. At the moment. I listened for it closely the next time. It sounded like…someone struggling to breathe.
I tucked the wand I’d yanked out of my boot reflexively back and ran for the bathroom. I leaned over into the bathtub to feel the little girl’s pulse. It was weak but it was there.
“Hang on, sweetie,” I said. I wracked my brain for a way to save her. Obviously the Otherworldly had taken off for parts unknown. I needed to get this girl to a hospital. But I didn’t want to move her and make things worse.
There was a low, spine tingling growl from somewhere behind me. I knew it was spine tingling because it happened to me, right before the hairs on the back of my neck prickled.
I straightened and turned around. Glowing red eyes gleamed at me from the doorway of the bedroom. Unless this was a bug-eyed freak monster, this thing was big.
I pulled the dagger out of my boot and tossed it in the general area that I figured the thing was. Judging by the lack of reaction, I missed. I used that as a little diversion to get out of the enclosed bathroom. I kicked up my fairy-ness a notch. Silver eyes glowing, finger tips tingling with pent up magic, I was in full Seeker mode.
The Otherworldly, sensing a challenge, growled and rushed at me. Luckily I could see in the dark now.
This thing was huge. Picture a buffalo sized mangy coyote that was perfectly comfortable running around on all four legs or two. I say that because it rose to its full height, eight feet I’d guess, and saliva dripped from its mouth. Apparently it thought I was the next dinner. There were sharp claws, pointy teeth, and oh, I’d say about 500 pounds gunning for me. I could definitely outmaneuver it, but it could definitely squish me.
I pulled out my sword just in time for it to rush me. I managed to avoid impaling myself with the sword but lost my grip as I was slammed into the wall. The Otherworldly whirled around and slashed at me. I cried out as it sliced my thigh. Yeah, the outmaneuvering thing wasn’t working.
It went to ram me again but I dove to the side. I hit the floor and rolled under the bed. Maybe it was a stupid Otherworldly and would leave if it couldn’t find me.
Or it could be really smart and immediately go for the bed.
My dagger? Stuck in the door frame. Sword? Out of reach. Well there was one weapon that couldn’t be lost.
The Otherworldly tried swiping at me from the gap between the bed and the floor. To my shame I squealed before rolling out of reach. Well, almost out of reach. It grazed my arm.
It gave up on that and jumped on top of the bed, furiously scratching and growling. The wooden bed frame was quickly splintering. Great, I would get impaled and then eaten.
There was now a hole in the mattress. I was wracking my brain for a way out of this but it’s hard to concentrate when some big creature is breathing on you with hot stinky breath and drool is dripping in your face. I couldn’t reach my wand so any magic I did would not be controlled. But in this case that might work for me.
I waved my hands around a little to gather the power and then released it upwards with a push of my hand. The bed frame shattered upwards, a piece of it embedding itself in the Otherworldly’s chest. I scrunched my eyes shut as blood poured out of the wound. The Otherworldly struggled to get at me weakly then finally stopped moving.
“Sick,” I muttered, rolling out from under the bed.
In normal mode I picked up my sword and pried my dagger out of the doorframe. I checked back on the little girl. She was still breathing. I quickly went downstairs to find a phone that couldn’t be traced back to me. I found one and quickly snooped through some drawers to find mail to get the address. I called 9-1-1 and pretended to be a teen girl freaking out. I managed to tell them there were people dead and the little girl upstairs was barely breathing, told them the address, and hung up. Then I wiped down everything I might have touched. I slipped out the back door as sirens could be faintly heard.
The sound of sirens split the night as the blue and red lights flew past me. I huddled in my jacket down the block, ignoring the pain in my arm and leg. I needed to know that the little girl would be safe. I’d broken one of the golden rules, I’d let this get personal.
The two police cars had screeched to a halt and parked haphazardly in the driveway. Several officers went into the house, guns drawn. I waited impatiently as the ambulance parked at the curb. Two medics got out.
I was still waiting when a medical examiner’s van pulled up. Crime scene tape was now up, keeping the nosy neighbors at bay. The paramedics had gone in a while ago; hopefully they were keeping the little girl alive.
I was at the back of the crowd of neighbors when I heard the front hush. I craned my neck and saw that they were bringing out a body bag. A few minutes later another followed. Now the whispers and speculating was starting. Eventually someone would realize I wasn’t a neighbor and that I was bleeding. A third body bag was wheeled out. Okay, any time now they would be bringing out the little girl.
I saw the paramedics coming out of the doorway, wheeling a gurney. I hung back, wanting to see her one last time. Then I saw that the sheet was pulled up over her little face.
I turned away, my heart crashing to the ground. I quickly headed for my car. I held myself together until I closed the car door after me. “Goddammit,” I whispered, hitting my steering wheel. “Dammit!” I shrieked, hitting it harder.
The ambulance glided past my car, lights and sirens off, because there was no rush. I hit my wheel one more time before slumping over it and crying my eyes out.
I woke up the next morning, feeling sore. I stumbled to the mirror and groaned. Not only did my hair look like nightmare but I was bruised all over my back. Then there were the cuts on my left arm and leg. “Perfect,” I mumbled. These were the finishing touches to my graduation dress. Thank goodness for those hideous yellow robes that would hide the bruises until they super-healed.
I changed the bandages on my cuts after I showered, and then began doing my hair and make-up as best I could. Nothing looks good with yellow and me so it was fairly hopeless.
I grabbed my white heels and went downstairs.
“Hi Mom, hi Dad. Bye Mom, bye Dad.”
“Wait,” my dad stopped me. “You need to eat something so you don’t pass out when they hand you your diploma.”
“Dad,” I whined, taking a seat at the table. “I’m not hungry.”
He pushed a piece of toast at me. “Eat.”
I took a bite. “Happy?” I asked.
“My daughter is now the queen of Whisper. I’m not happy at all.”
Yes, my parents knew about Whisper. They’d actually been inhabitants once upon a time. But everyone gets a chance to decide whether to keep their powers and live where ever or give up their powers and live in the mortal realm. Both of my parents had gone mortal. But the fairy DNA was still present. My older sister was totally mortal but my older brother had been a Guardian. He’d been taken when he was ten and I was eight. Apparently Seekers and Guardians couldn’t train in the same household.
“I’m not going to be Queen for long,” I said reassuringly. “And I think I can swing it so that it ends positively. While I’m Queen, not only am I going to find Ethan but I am going to change the stupid bylaw that says at least one person from each line must keep their powers. I win.” I took another bite of toast.
“Cortland, you’ve got assassins after you.”
“I can take them,” I said confidently. “Plus I had some powers temporarily reinstated.”
My mom sat her cup of coffee down with a thump. “You didn’t.”
“I am sure that Monty, Shay, Ash, and Kendall will understand. Okay, Kendall won’t understand. But once I explain the situation and tell them how much I need them, they’ll at least cooperate.” I took another bite of toast. “And if that doesn’t work I’ll guilt them about me being the one to take the fall by keeping the powers.”
My mom’s mouth dropped open again. “That’s horrible.”
My dad just flipped open his paper again. “What were those people thinking when they made your daughter queen of the realm?”
“Oh, now she’s my daughter? When she’s being crowned Homecoming Queen or giving a speech at National Honor Society, she’s yours, but when she’s blackmailing her friends…”
I looked at my phone. “Oh. Got to go.”
“Wait.” This time it was Mom that stopped me.
I sighed and turned around. “What now?”
“Cap and gown?”
“In my car.”
“Stole?”
“School.”
“Bobby pins?”
“In my purse. I thought this through, Mom.”
“Really? How are you going to explain the bandages wrapped around your arm?”
“Umm…”
“Blue jean jacket, hanging on the front door.”
“Thank you, Mom. Love you.”
“There are extra bandages on there too. Blood will show on that cute white sundress.”
I rolled my eyes. She really did think of everything. Maybe I should have asked her how to tell my best friends I’d re-gifted their powers to them and how to avoid them until I figured out what to say.
The senior class crowded into the auditorium to wait for our cues. Well, crowding wasn’t really involved since there were only 38 of us. But it felt crowded when you’re trying to avoid two of the people in the room with you.
I chatted in the auditorium for about an hour. The bandages on my leg were itchy so I decided to go change them so I wouldn’t fidget through the entire ceremony.
I hung my robe on the door of the stall and hiked up my skirt. It took some talent but I finally got it rewrapped.
My senses started tingling as I was putting on the finishing touches on the bandages. There had been some chatter but now it was completely silent. I flinched when I heard the clicking of heels against the floor. I was pretty sure I knew who belonged to those strappy black heels that were too high to be sensible. I was wearing them in white.
“Cortland, you can come out. I know it’s you.”
I made sure that my skirt was fixed before I stepped out, robe slung over my arm. “Hey, Kendall. What’s up?”
“Would you mind telling me why this pain in the ass is back?” Kendall showed me the fairy wing tattoo on her wrist, identical to mine. It was even less her style than it was mine.
“Well, I’m no doctor, but if something on your wrist is causing a pain in your ass, you might want that checked.” I tried to get past her. Kendall sidestepped and blocked me.
Kendall crossed her arms and glared. The only thing we had in common was the dark shades of our hair. Where mine had red throughout, hers was a dark brown, almost black. Her hair was perfectly straight, falling to her shoulder blades. Angled bangs really emphasized her big brown eyes that were perfectly made up. With her tan skin she was the only one who could pull off these hideous yellow robes.
“No, Cort, what I need checked is why it is back. It was gone.”
“And now it’s back?” I said innocently. “Huh. That is really weird. I have no idea…”
“Cut the crap,” Kendall interrupted. “I know you have something to do with it.”
I weighed my options. Kendall was the hardest out of the group. She was edgy, she was tough, and she wouldn’t fall for the guilt trip. She was also persistent so she probably wouldn’t let me out of this bathroom until I told her the truth.
I sighed and quickly explained the situation.
“So they make you Queen and the first thing you do is drag us down with you?” Kendall exclaimed angrily. “What a great friend.”
“No, they forced me to be Queen and I needed backup that I could trust so I can take out this rebel group.”
“Or the rebels take you out and then go after your closest friends.”
“Kendall, it was kind of sudden and I had no idea what to do.”
“Here’s a thought, think things through before signing your friend’s death warrants.” Kendall turned to storm out.
I sidestepped around her and it was my turn to cross my arms and block. “First of all, my life expectancy as a Seeker wasn’t too great but I never get any concern from you guys. And, I already made a ruling that if I die you guys are exempt from Whisper and can turn in your powers whenever you want.” Then I stormed out.
It’s hard to avoid someone when you’re walking in together since your last names follow each other alphabetically.
I didn’t even look in Kendall’s direction. I was more focused on the nervous butterflies in my stomach. There were the kids that I’d grown up with. We’d argued like siblings and helped each other out. We knew each other’s secrets and dreams. Yeah, at times we didn’t get along. But we always cheered, we always supported, we always cared. I was going to miss them.
The song started. Every pair paused in the doorway for pictures for the yearbook. Kendall and I were second to last.
“Cort, when are you going to tell the others?” Kendall asked quietly.
“I’m sure they’ve noticed that their marks are back. Maybe I could just send a text and then…” I broke off at Kendall’s look of disapproval. “Fine. I’ll tell them tonight.”
“Good plan.” Kendall glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. “Why are you fidgeting?”
“Because I’m nervous. And this is a big step,” I snapped defensively.
“Oh look.” Kendall and I could see into the packed gymnasium. Graduation is the event of the season. “There’s your ex and his baby mama.”
I raised my chin and refused to look. “That was very nice of you, Kendall.”
“As you will recall, I never liked that d-bag. I’ve been predicting heartbreak from the get-go.”
“I just can’t believe he’d do-“
“You on breaks and her every day in between?” She said frankly.
I was shocked but it was so funny I laughed. “Oh, I have missed you.”
Kendall and I stepped into the doorway and the cameras rose. We were the belles of the senior class. I’d been Homecoming Queen and she’d won that honor at prom. I was head cheerleader at the sports she excelled at. I rocked out in band and choir and in the plays and Kendall rocked out in art. I smiled while checking out your groceries and Kendall smiled while finding your filled prescriptions. The town knew us and they mostly loved us.
Kendall and I tipped our heads towards each other and smiled brightly. Click. And there was a keeper for the yearbook.
After an extremely boring ceremony I finally had that diploma in hand, I waited, still numb, at the end of the cafeteria. My dad was the first to spot me, since he was the tallest. “Hey, kiddo. We’re so proud of you.”
“I didn’t trip or knock anyone over,” I said. “And I didn’t drop my diploma.”
“Did they sign it?” Dad asked.
“Yes,” I wrinkled my nose at him. That had been the first thing I’d checked. Well, that and to make sure it said my name on the front. We’d been warned to check that.
Mom whipped out the camera and started taking pictures. Kendall’s parents were next to us, doing the same. Then they had the brilliant idea to take photos of the two of us. Then Monty and Shay walked by, trying to leave, when they got pulled in too. Ash was hunted down and added.
I felt trapped. Shayla and Montgomery knew. They were ticked. They were ticked at me. Oh, if the rebel assassins didn’t kill me, the four smiling faces around me would.
“Oh come on, guys,” my dad called, grinning widely. “Get a little closer.”
Monty and Shay, on either side of me, each put an arm around my waist. I plastered a smile on my face. As pictures were snapped their grips slowly got tighter. “Ow, guys, that hurts,” I said, not losing the smile.
When their iron grips didn’t slacken their hold, I snapped at the cameras. “I think we’ve got enough pictures.”
“Yeah. We’ve got grad parties to go to.” Monty smiled dangerously at me. Clearly the grad parties were not first on her list. But torturing me probably was.
Uh oh. “You know, mom, I think you should take some pictures of me around the school. For memories. And I’ll just catch up with you guys later.” Much later, I thought as I took in the daggers shooting from their eyes as I stood between my parents.
Dad pursed his lips thoughtfully. “No, I think we’ve got enough pictures. Go, kiddo, have fun.”
“Whose side are you on?” I hissed at him.
He just arched his brow. “You need to answer for your actions.”
There was no way to get out of this one. I was totally screwed.
In the midst of my panicking and looking for an escape route I caught a glimpse of someone I did not think I’d be seeing. “Campbell,” I said happily.
He caught me looking and waved, then politely shoved through the crowd. “Congrats, Cortland,” he greeted me, wrapping me in a hug. “I hope you don’t mind me showing up here but you texted me that you were graduating today and I wanted to see if I could get that coffee.”
I could feel some glares pointed at me. Shay was going to make this horrible later. “No, I don’t mind,” I said. “But you’re going to have to settle for punch and homemade mints in purple and gold.”
“I’m okay with that,” he smiled.
Mom smoothly dove in. “So, Cort, who is this?”
“Oh right. Mom, Dad, this is Campbell. He sat next to me during the Spanish placement test that I failed. Campbell, meet my parents, Shayla, Montgomery, Kendall, Asher, and their parents.”
Everyone mumbled greetings. Campbell nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets.
“So what’s the schedule for today?” my dad asked. “So I know where to direct the search parties.” He made it sound like he was joking but Shay and Monty and especially Kendall could be quite evil.
“Just making the rounds,” Shayla smiled sweetly.
“Don’t worry, Daddy, I will text you every half hour.” Monty smiled and rolled her pretty eyes. Make that a phone call to Dad every fifteen minutes.
“So, Cam, ready to go?” I nudged him with my elbow. Hopefully I could make the rounds and avoid the Cortland-haters.
“Yeah, ready when you are.”
“I’ll ride with you guys,” Shayla volunteered.
I smiled at her and waved at my parents. Shayla was going so I wouldn’t escape. She would keep tabs on me and keep Kendall, Ash, and Monty informed of my whereabouts. I was going to be hunted down like a rabid dog.
Shayla settled in my backseat as I tossed in my diploma. I went to get in the driver’s seat and she eyed me. “Are you going to take off that hideous robe that makes you look like a giant glob of mustard?”
Campbell leaned in the passenger seat to survey me better. “I don’t know… with the cap she looks like a hunk of cheese.”
I reddened a little and unzipped my robe. I tossed it in the backseat and started to pull out the bobby pins holding my cap in place. “Do I have cap hair?” I asked as I slid in. Ah, the joys of curly hair.
“Just fluff it a little,” Shayla advised. “It kind of flattened a little on top.”
I pulled down the visor and flipped open my mirror and fluffed. “So Shayla…” Campbell began. “You have a pretty unusual name.”
“Says the one named after a can of soup,” Shayla shot back rudely. She was taking out her anger towards me on him. I narrowed my eyes at her via the rearview mirror as I started the car.
“Parents are weird,” he said easily. “They named my older brother Cael. And their names start with a ‘C’ so the pattern had to continue.”
“How long does your brother have to stay?” I asked, joining the stream of cars heading for the exit.
“I don’t know. He’s being very vague about it.”
I finally got on the highway. “Okay, Shay. What parties do we have today?”
She ran off the list and their attributes. “I just want cake. So let’s do this the easy way,” I mused. “If we go to Ty’s, we can hit the three on the way in and then the ones in town are within three blocks of each other.”
I parked at the end of a long driveway which was as close as possible with all the cars that had beaten me here. “Geez,” Campbell said.
“This is the social event of the year,” I said to him. “It’s like summer in the Hamptons.”
Hours later I was waving at Campbell as he left. “Ugh, I think I overdosed on sugar.”
“Maybe if you’d said no to some of those homemade mints,” Shayla suggested. “So… got any plans tonight?” she leaned against her car.
“I actually have to go do some Otherworldly hunting. But I’ll call you later.” Or never. Whichever comes last. I hopped in my car and locked the door, barely rolling my window down.
“We’re going to catch you and make you talk eventually,” Shayla said. “We know you know something.”
I waved at her and put it in drive. “Ugh,” I groaned as I pulled out of the parking lot again. “I really don’t want to talk to them.” But I knew I had to.
I parked my car in front of the house and went around back. Mom hated having my Seeker gear in the house so I was forced to keep it in this old barn. Since it was empty and spacious I also used it for training.
I perused my gear, mentally taking inventory since I was Queen now and they did that sort of stuff. I needed to be prepared. I pulled a map out of a drawer and spread it out on a rickety wooden table. With a quick focusing job my Seeker vision came about and I looked at the map that I’d long ago charmed to show Whisper dust. Only high levels that indicate something big.
“Hmm…which one, which one,” I mused out loud. I closed my eyes and randomly picked one. That’ll do it. Then I studied the map closer. That dot was me. That dot was too close to me for comfort. It was probably Kendall coming to kick my butt. I still had time. I could get away.
I shook off the Seeker vision and went into the little tack room turned dagger storage.
I was humming cheerily when I stepped into the doorway again to go into the main room. Then a small board smashed me in the face. I was stunned for a second and that allowed the Board Swinger to shove me in the tack room, turn off the lights, and slam the door shut.
“Ow,” I moaned, tilting my head back to stop the blood gushing out of my nose. There went my white sundress.
I crawled across the floor and pulled myself up at the door. I tried the handle. Nothing. I tried pushing it open. It didn’t budge at all. “This is just great.”
Ignoring the twinges of my surely broken nose I slipped into Seeker senses so I could see in the pitch black room. And so I could be prepared if whatever had disfigured my face with that board came back.
I rubbed my hands together. I could totally do this. I was the Queen now. I didn’t need my wand to unlock a door. I had fairy power out the wazoo.
I focused and did what I would normally do with a wand only with my bare hands. The tack room door exploded outwards, shattering into a million tiny pieces.
I stepped through. “Oops.”
“I think that was a little much, don’t you?” came Monty’s clear voice.
I turned towards her. Ash, Kendall, and Shay were beside her. Their eyes widened at the blood stain down the front of my dress. “Like whacking me in the face with a two-by-four and then locking me in the tack room wasn’t?”
“We wouldn’t nail you in the face with a board,” Shayla said. “Where’s the first aid?”
“Same place as always,” I waved my hand in the general direction.
Asher led me to a seat. “There’s blood running down your hand.”
I thought back. “I probably reopened my fight scratch when I was shoved to the floor.”
“Dammit, Cort, you need to take better care of yourself.”
“I’ve been doing pretty well for the past eighteen years,” I snapped.
Shayla was back with the first aid. You wouldn’t think that we’d get hurt in training but at times we’d managed to. And even with our super healing gauze was a must.
“I can do this myself,” I said, snatching away the wipe that she was using to wipe the blood off my chin.
Kendall and Monty were back from investigating. “Enjoy the attention,” Kendall said. “Now explain why someone trashed our good weapons.”
-Chapter 3-
Cut to me in some back alley an hour and a half later. I’d changed into my butt-kicking skinny jeans, my favorite heels, and a black shirt that was angled at the bottom and hung off one shoulder. So I didn’t show too much skin I had on a red tank top underneath it. I was on my cell phone so Monty could give me directions to the dust trail I was tracking. This was one of three that were close enough to have beaten me with a board.
“You’re getting closer,” Monty said. I could hear the map being shuffled around. “Yeah, closer.”
“You’ve been saying that for the past hour,” I said peevishly.
“Maybe I was referring to your proximity to my last nerve.”
“Oh, good one,” I said sarcastically. But really, that was a good one.
“Take a right in like ten feet,” Monty ordered.
“What are you eating?” I asked, my own stomach growling to remind me that I hadn’t eaten since the mints. It was now ten thirty at night and I was starving.
“Mint chocolate chip ice cream,” Monty answered. “Your mom offered it.”
I bit back the sigh. I’d been looking forward to that ice cream. But now I was looking down the next alley I was supposed to be going down. If possible it was worse than this one. At least from here I could see the streetlights. This new one was a dead end. Dumpsters lined the sides, trash spilling over everywhere. Plenty of shadows. An army could be hidden back there. “I don’t like this,” I said, mostly to myself.
“What?” Monty asked.
“I smell a trap.” And old puke but that didn’t matter. “There’s only one dust trail here right?” I kept a wary eye on my surroundings.
“Yeah, about ten feet ahead of you, to your left.”
“Stay on the phone with me,” I ordered, kicking on my Seeker senses.
Monty stayed silent. The only sound in this dark alley was my heels on the cement and rats scurrying around in the garbage. Faintly I could hear traffic. I was only about six blocks away from my future college. Mental note to avoid this alley in the future.
At Monty’s heads up I paused in front of a door. I could hear the sounds of music and chatter. A bar? What kind of Otherworldly goes into a bar? Human-looking ones. This had to be who had attacked me.
I quickly relayed the message to Monty. “I’m going to poke around this alley and see if I can set up an ambush,” I told her.
“What if it goes out the front?”
“Then I follow. I just want to give this a shot.”
I was ten feet away from the door when I heard it open. I quickly let my eyes fade from the glowing silver to normal. “Um, Cort,” Monty said.
“What?”
“It’s behind you.”
I turned quickly. A super cute guy was looking back at me, curiously. Okay, so Seeker assassin was out but maybe this was her Guardian pal. I’ve always been a sucker for the eyes and I found myself really liking this guy’s grey ones. From this distance they reminded me of rainy skies. He had dark brown hair that was spiked up at the moment but could also be smoothed down. His face was tan, chiseled, and strong, which totally matched the rest of his muscular body. I was betting he had nice six pack abs. I shook my head to lose those thoughts. I was here to seek revenge for my face, not get a date.
Okay, so Guardian guy was going to be strong and probably fast. He had about three inches on me. That meant he’d have reach on me. I was so going to get my butt handed to me. But I’m always up to a challenge.
“Call you back in…” I looked him over again, “fifteen minutes tops, Mon.” I hung up before she could say anything.
I was ducking to save my face before I could even put my phone in my pocket. And it wasn’t even because my jeans are so tight it’s hard to use the pockets. No, this guy threw himself at me that quickly.
I dodged another punch and aimed one at his face. He ducked and aimed one at me. I didn’t duck. Okay, now I was ticked.
I threw him off when I just tackled him. Girls don’t normally use that move.
I pummeled him in the face a couple of times before he realized that I only weigh 106 pounds and then rolled. He had a grip on my upper arms and I had a grip on his so neither of us could really hit. Pretty much we were just rolling around in the garbage.
His eyes were glowing gold and he looked super ticked. Mine were glowing too, just waiting to unleash some power on him.
He overpowered me and had me pinned. I struggled to knee him in the gut but I was pinned well. I couldn’t budge more than an inch.
In the back of my mind I registered that my phone was ringing over and over. “Who sent you?” he demanded.
“The Queen of Sheba,” I said sarcastically. My mind was racing. He had the upper hand and, as much as it pained me to say it, I couldn’t take him on alone. I needed to distract him and blow this popsicle stand.
“Funny,” he said sarcastically. “I guess that means you’re coming with me.”
Oh shit. “Only if you let me see your six pack,” I said, batting my eyes coyly.
The gold eyes flickered for a second. Ha! I quickly head-butted him, aiming for his vulnerable nose. Payback for the board. Then he was distracted enough for me to knee him in the gut and push him in a pile of garbage.
My phone was still ringing so I lunged for it and answered, scrambling to get to my feet. “What?”
“Cort, there’s two.” Monty sounded a little panicked.
“What?” SHIT.
Then I was tackled at the knees. My phone went flying. My face hit the pavement with a crunch. Now I didn’t have to worry about my nose being pointed to the left because that little face plant had broken it back into place.
I didn’t know if this was the new one or if Six Pack had picked himself out of the garbage but I knew I needed to get out before both of them were functioning. I tried to fight back but I was being firmly held into the pavement.
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