Emerson’s Story

Chapter 9

Nine

I go down with a scream, the creature on top of me. Leathery wings flap around me, and a snarling mouth snaps at my face. I fight back with fists and elbows and knees. With a great heave, I manage to kick it off me. It leaps again—but something bright and glittering flashes through the darkness. The monster screeches as a golden blade slashes back and forth, forcing it further away from me. It swipes one wing at the man holding the blade, then darts to the side and flaps away.

The man turns around—and I see that it’s Dash.

I scramble up and back away until I feel the rough surface of a tree trunk behind me. I lean against it, not trusting my own legs to keep me upright. Breathless, I ask, “How … how did you find me?”

“Does it matter?” Dash takes a step toward me.

“Yes. Here I am trying to get back to my normal life, and my stalkerish babysitter shows up out of the blue.”

He lets go of his knife, and it simply … disappears. “I think you’re probably supposed to be thanking your stalkerish babysitter right now.”

I push away from the tree and increase the distance between us. “I’m not thanking you for anything. All you want to do is drag me back to that stupid school.”

Instead of reminding me that he’s just saved my life, he says, “Bad first day?”

“Of course it was bad. This place—this world—isn’t for me. I don’t belong here. Why doesn’t anyone understand that?”

“We do understand. That’s what Chevalier House is for.”

“You’re not listening to me. I don’t. Want. To be here. Okay? I don’t want to have weird lessons with strangers, I don’t care about the history of this world, and I don’t want any of this magic. I just want OUT.”

Confusion crosses Dash’s features. “But … isn’t this better than what you had before?”

“No! I don’t want this!” I yell. I begin pacing, flinging my arms wildly about as I go, not caring that random sparks are escaping my fingers and burning the leaves on the ground. “Two days ago, my life was the same old crap it’s always been. Now I’m magical, I’m in a foreign world, my mom isn’t my mom, and basically I don’t have a f—” I cut myself off before finishing. “I don’t have an effing clue who I am or what’s going on. I just want to go back to my plan where I finish school, move far away from Chelsea, and figure out how to get Mom out of that hospital. And yes, I’m well aware that it was a crappy life, but it was my life and I knew what to do with it.”

Dash’s forehead remains creased. “But you can still do all that. I mean, not exactly like that, but once you’ve got the magic side of things under control, you can go back to normal life. In fact, magic will help you with normal life, if you’re discreet about it. So you shouldn’t be trying to turn your back on it.”

I pause, staring into the darkness and seeing nothing as my brain ticks quickly through something I hadn’t considered until now. I turn slowly and face Dash. “Can magic heal my mom?”

He hesitates, his mouth open, then closes it and slowly shakes his head. “She isn’t magical. It would be too risky to use magic on her body, especially on her mind. We don’t know if it would damage her and make things worse.”

I throw my hands up. “Then what the hell is the point in having these stupid powers? How are they supposed to help me?”

“Um, because of everything else you can do with magic?”

I fold my arms over my chest. “Can I walk through the faerie paths straight into her hospital room and take her back through them to somewhere else?”

“Well, no, you can’t take her anywhere through the paths because humans can’t travel that way. But you can go anywhere. You could visit her right now. I mean,” he adds quickly, “if you thought that was a good idea.”

I hesitate. Clearly Dash doesn’t think it’s a good idea to visit her right now, and he’s probably right. I want to, of course. I want nothing more. But I don’t want to go with him. I don’t want him to see my mother in her current state, and I don’t want him to see me and my reaction when I see her like that. I need to learn this faerie paths thing so I can travel there on my own. “Okay, so I can’t rescue her from the hospital that way,” I say. “But I could conceal myself with magic, right? And I could use magic to distract everyone while I get Mom out of the building, and magic could adjust the paperwork so everyone thinks she was properly discharged. And magic could put my name into the school system to say that I graduated, and it could help me get some money to set up a simple life somewhere and keep Mom safe. Right?”

“Yes, exactly. See? Magic is good for something. Although,” he adds with a frown, “I’m not saying I advocate you doing any of those things. We’re not supposed to mess around with human lives and, like, use magic to illegally get hold of money.”

“You’re also not saying that you would stop me.”

“I’m saying …” Dash scratches his head. “I’m saying you should go back to Chevalier House and continue learning how to safely use your magic. We can consider all options after that.”

I nod slowly. “Right.”

He hesitates, watching me with narrowed eyes. “You’re thinking about doing all those illegal things, aren’t you?”

“I’m thinking about going back to Chevalier House.” Which is the truth, actually, seeing as magic has suddenly become the best way to dig myself out of my crappy life and give Mom a better future than the one she’s currently facing.

Dash sighs. “Well, your motives may be questionable, but if they’ll get you back into Chevalier House tonight, then I’ve done my job.”

“Great. Well done. Should we get going then?” I turn around, and something that looks like a winged lizard leaps off a branch and flies right at me. “Holy sh—”

“Sherbet,” Dash says, catching the tiny creature. “Holy sherbet. That’s what she was gonna say, little guy. No need to get upset.”

“Holy sherbet,” I snap. “What the hell is that thing?”

Before my eyes, the creature begins to change form. One moment it’s some kind of reptile, and the next it’s a kitten. “Ah, looks like a shapeshifter,” Dash says. “Formattra is the official name, I think. These little guys are quite rare. I wonder how he ended up here.”

“Shapeshifters? Terrific. Are werewolves real too?”

“Well, you do get higher fae who are shapeshifters, but I think they transform into other people, not animals. You know, like another faerie transforming to look like me.”

“Because who wouldn’t want to look like you, right?”

“Exactly.” The creature stretches out and sniffs me. I scuttle backwards out of its reach. “Hey, come on, he likes you,” Dash says. “Don’t you want a pet?”

“No. I don’t like pets.”

Dash laughs. “Impossible. Why don’t you like pets?”

“They die, and it’s sad.” Or they run away and never come back.

“That is definitely not a good enough reason.”

“Fine. I’ll soon be leaving, and who will take care of him then? Is that a good enough reason?”

The creature flickers between several forms so quickly I can’t tell what it is until it becomes a kitten again. “He’s just a baby, Em,” Dash says, scratching the kitten’s head. “He needs someone to take care of him.”

I tilt my head to the side. “You said they’re very rare, didn’t you? So can I sell him for lots of money?”

Dash’s face falls. He hugs the creature to his chest and covers its ears. “That’s a terrible thing to say, Em. Don’t listen to her, little guy,” he whispers. “She didn’t mean that.”

“Ugh, seriously?” My hands clench into fists. “Can we go now? You said I need to get back to the house, and now you’re wasting time out here with this weird shapeshifting thing.”

He watches me, his mouth open as if he wants to say something. Then he shakes his head. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.” As he raises his stylus to write a doorway, the shapeshifting creature leaps away and disappears into the darkness. Dash extends his hand to me, and I reluctantly take it. Whoever came up with the physical contact rule for faerie path traveling obviously didn’t take into account the possibility that some people might never want to hold hands.

When the darkness disappears to reveal dim light, we’re standing outside the Chevalier House gate. “You could have just taken us straight into the house, you know.”

“I couldn’t, actually,” Dash says as he pushes the gate open. “The faerie paths don’t open inside the house or anywhere in the garden.”

I swing the gate shut behind us. “That’s weird. Why?”

“Security measure. It’s like that for most private properties. Only the owners can open doorways inside the house itself.”

“Kind of a stupid security measure if anyone can just open the gate.”

“The gate won’t open for just anyone, though,” Dash says as we follow the path up to the house. “If you’ve walked through it in the company of someone who lives here—like the elf who brought us here yesterday—then you’ve been granted magical access to pass through the gate.”

I allow a long sigh to pass my lips. “That all seems unnecessarily complicated. People should just use padlocks and keys.”

Dash chuckles. “Such a human thing to say.”

“Bite me,” I mutter.

We walk into Chevalier House’s entrance hall and find Dash’s BFF teammate Jewel waiting for us. “Oh, you found her,” Jewel says, a smile lighting up her face. “Well done.”

“Are you also part of the babysitting team?” I ask.

She frowns. “What do you mean? I was with Dash when Azzy sent the message to say you’d run. I offered to help look for you.”

“How nice of you,” I say flatly.

Dash nudges me with his elbow, and I take a step away from him so he can’t do it again. Azzy hurries into the room then. “Emerson.” She places her hands on her hips and gives me a stern look. “Running away wasn’t necessary. I hope you know that we aren’t going to force you to stay here against your will. If you’re completely certain you’re not interested in this world, we can send you back to the Guild and they can give you one of those devices that block all magic.”

“Device?” I ask.

“It’s a ring or bangle or something. I’m not sure what form they’re using these days. It’s something that can’t be removed, and it will block your magic entirely.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that was an option.” But as Dash pointed out, magic can help me to help Mom. Especially since the kind of job I could get as a high school graduate wouldn’t pay nearly as much as the kind of job I could get if I whipped up an enchanted version of some higher qualification. If I want to be better equipped to help Mom, then I need to stick around a bit longer. “I’m sorry, Azzy,” I force myself to say. “I’m here to learn now. I won’t run again.”

“Wonderful. Now, why don’t you two stay for dinner?” Azzy asks Jewel and Dash. “Or do you have important cases to deal with?”

“Our team’s done for the day,” Jewel says. She links arms with Dash. “We’d love to stay for dinner.”

“Wonderful,” Azzy says, wrapping an arm around Dash’s shoulders and squeezing them briefly.

“Yeah, really wonderful,” I mutter. “I’m just gonna … clean up, I guess.”

“Of course,” Azzy says, nodding toward one of the doors leading off the entrance hall. “Try not to confuse it with the front door, Em. We wouldn’t want you getting lost outside again.”

I consider rolling my eyes, but it’s too much effort. “I think I can manage.”

When I’m done splashing water on my face and combing my fingers through my hair—which surprises me, yet again, with its bright blue strands—I leave the bathroom and find Jewel waiting alone in the entrance hall. She pushes away from the table. I glance around, but it’s definitely me she’s walking toward. “Um, hi?”

She smiles, and it seems almost genuine. “Look, I really don’t want to do the whole teenage, mean-girl thing, since I know we’re all practically adults around here, but I do just want to point out that Dash isn’t exactly available.”

I decide to play dumb. “Available for what?”

She rolls her eyes. “You know, a relationship.”

“Oh.” I fold my arms. “Why is that?”

“Well, look, it’s not official yet, but we kind of have a thing going.”

“A thing? Really? I never would have guessed that, given the way he tries to charm every female he comes across.”

Jewel’s smile slips a little. “Yeah, I know he’s dated a bunch of girls, but none of those relationships have lasted long, and I know exactly why.”

I feign intense interest. “You do?”

“Yes, it’s obvious: he’s searching for the right person. And he’s so close to discovering that it’s me, so I just don’t want anything to ruin that for us now.”

“Oh, wow, it’s you? How do you know that?”

“Because so much of our lives have been spent together. We trained together. We grew up together. We even played together as babies. We’re meant to be.”

I blink. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Hey!”

“Who cares if you played together as babies? I doubt either of you can remember it.”

“That doesn’t matter! It means we have a history,” she snaps, all trace of her sweet smile gone. “And if we have a history, we’ll have a stronger future.”

“Really? ’Cause Dash and I have a history too, and it’s only ever made me dislike him.”

“Yes, because you have the wrong history. We have the right history, so—”

“Jewel?” I pause to make sure she’s listening. “You can have him. I’m not interested.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Really. I have other priorities right now.” I walk past her and head for the dining room, where loud chatter and mouthwatering aromas fill the air. At the long rectangular table sit the seven other students currently attending Chevalier House, as well as a few fae I’ve seen walking around. Teachers, perhaps, and the man with his hand on Azzy’s wrist, chuckling as he leans closer to say something only she can hear, must be her husband or partner or something of that nature.

“Emerson! You missed something exciting while you were gone,” George tells me as I take a seat.

“Oh, what did I miss?”

“Another new person arrived.”

“And that counts as exciting?” I pull the nearest platter of food closer and begin dishing roasted vegetables onto my plate. They smell a thousand times more delicious than anything Chelsea’s ever cooked.

“That’s two new people in two days,” Azzy says from the head of the table. “That doesn’t happen often here.”

“And she’s old like you,” George adds.

I lower the serving spoon. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, gosh, as old as Emerson?” Dash’s eyes widen. “That’s seriously old.”

George, sitting beside Dash across the table from me, chews his lip as his brow furrows. “Oh, I thought … But isn’t Azzy the one who’s super old? And Emerson is, like, your age?” he says to Dash.

“Okay, and this,” I say, pointing my fork for emphasis, “is why it’s so flipping confusing having people who are a bazillion years old looking like they’re in their twenties.”

Dash shrugs. “We can’t help it if we have magic running through our systems, keeping us young and beautiful.”

“I know, it’s so great, right?” Jewel says as she hurries into the dining room and selects the only available seat on Dash’s side of the table.

“Bazillion? I’m only three hundred and four,” says the man sitting beside Azzy. “I’m Paul, by the way,” he adds with a smile in my direction. “Azzy’s husband.”

“Hi.” I return his smile, pleased to discover that at least some fae have normal names. After tasting some of my food and trying not to moan out loud at how amazing it is, I ask, “So where’s the other new girl?”

“She wasn’t feeling so well,” Azzy says. “Had a traumatizing few days. I gave her something to eat when she arrived just before dinner, and she’s sleeping now. The two of you can begin lessons together tomorrow.”

“Great.” I’m less than thrilled about sharing lessons with someone else—what if she slows me down?—but since I’ve decided to commit myself fully to the Chevalier House program, I should probably be polite to everyone living here.

I turn my attention back to my food, piling a few more delicacies onto my plate when I think no one’s looking. Dash catches my eye, though. I return his smirk with a glare. Spoiled brat probably has a live-in chef at home. No doubt he eats like this all the time.

At the end of the meal, the dishes rise up of their own accord and fly out of the dining room toward the kitchen. I try not to act too surprised, but I can’t help pressing myself back against my chair in fright when my plate first rises into the air. I excuse myself soon afterwards and leave the dining room; all this chatter and activity over dinner isn’t something I’m used to. I’d rather get to bed early so I can focus properly on all this magic stuff tomorrow.

“Em?”

I turn on the bottom step leading up to the bedrooms and look back.

“It’s good that you came back,” Dash says, wandering into the entrance hall. “When you’re kicking butt at all your lessons in a few weeks’ time, let me know so I can gloat about being the one who talked you into staying.”

The only response I give him is another glare.

“Hey, come on, I’m just joking.”

“You know, I’ve been trying to figure out why so many people like you when you’re actually such a jackass.”

He shrugs. “Probably because no one else is under the impression that I ruined their lives, so they’re able to see me for who I really am.”

“Which is what, exactly?”

“Friendly guy, charming smile, not half-bad to look at.”

“I’m surprised they can see anything past that gigantic head of yours.”

He frowns and raises a hand to his head. “What’s wrong with my—”

“I meant your ego, dumb-ass.”

“Hey, I said not half-bad. That should only give me a half-sized ego, right?”

“On you, that’s more than big enough,” I say as I turn and head up the stairs.

“Good night, Emmy,” he calls after me.

“Shut up,” I grumble beneath my breath.

I reach my door, push it open—and jump backward at the sight of a tiger sitting on my bed. The tiger flickers and morphs into an owl, then a crow, and then a kitten. Relief courses through me, followed quickly by irritation. “No,” I say. “No, no, no. This isn’t happening. You were supposed to stay out there in the forest.” The kitten blinks. “I’m giving you to Dash. He can take care of you.” I scoop the kitten up and hurry back along the hall.

At the top of the stairs, I stop. Azzy and Dash are standing close together in the entrance hall below, Dash looking uncharacteristically serious. “We have until the end of the week,” he says quietly, “so there’s no immediate rush. But we’ll get a plan in place, probably for the day after tomorrow.”

“Good. And make sure it looks like an accident.”

“Of course.”

I bite my lip, shrinking back into the shadows, knowing instinctively that I wasn’t supposed to hear whatever they were talking about. Before I can decide what to do about the shapeshifting animal, Dash pulls the front door open and leaves. Azzy walks back to the dining room, her lightweight, oversized top floating behind her.

“What on earth?” I whisper to the kitten. An instant later, it becomes a bunny. “Fine. Dash is gone, so you’re on your own.” I place the bunny on the stairs, then hurry back to my room, my mind already racing through explanations for what Dash and Azzy could have been talking about. Perhaps it wasn’t anything sinister at all. Make sure it looks like an accident. That doesn’t sound good, though. But whatever it is, I won’t be getting involved. I’ve survived this long by keeping my nose out of other people’s business, and that isn’t about to change.

After visiting the steaming hot pool in the bathroom—the best thing about this house aside from the food—I climb into bed and tap the lamp to turn it off. It’s powered by magic, of course—electricity doesn’t seem to exist in this world—and Azzy told me to lightly tap it with my finger to turn it on and off. So far, it seems to be working.

I settle down against the pillows, finding it easier to drift off tonight than last night. I’m almost asleep when a sound—a gentle tap at the door—rouses me. So quiet I wonder if I might have imagined it. I sit up, watching the door through the dim grey light from the window and waiting. When the knock comes a second time, I know I’m not imagining it. “Yes?” I call through the darkness. My door opens slowly, revealing the silhouette of a female figure. “Who’s there?” I ask, nerves fluttering suddenly in my stomach.

“Are you Emerson?” she asks. “The other new girl?”

“Um, yes.” I lean over and turn on my lamp as she slips inside and shuts the door. She hurries across the room and drops onto the edge of my bed. I scoot backwards, putting a little more distance between us as I take in her appearance: a creased robe the same color as the one I found hanging in my wardrobe, pale skin, and eyes a deep blueish purple. It’s the same color that runs through her dark hair, which, if I remember my lessons correctly, mean she’s a faerie, not some other kind of fae.

“Please help me,” she whispers, her eyes wide. “It isn’t safe here. We need to leave.”