Yara: Civil War

Chapter Seven

    Nightflame turned his body to face Phoenix, and hissed louder than Yara thought was physically possible for such a sound. But it filled the room, and she thought her skull was going to start vibrating. Nightflame bowed down, an action nobody expected except for Phoenix, who bowed down in return. 

    “It’s good to see you, my friend,” Phoenix purred, touching her beak to Nightflame’s nose. 

    “Likewissssse,” Nightflame responded, and half purred, half screeched at Phoenix, who ruffled her feathers. 

    “What was that?” Myra asked her familiar, and Phoenix responded instead, her excitement evident. 

    “He spoke my true name! It’s been some time since I’ve heard it,” she purred, closing her eyes and settling her large body on the floor, crossing her paws in front of her contently. 

    “Where have, your travelsss taken you?” Nightflame inquired, flicking his fluffy tail. 

    “Oh, here and there. I’ve traveled here to Earth because a vampire murdered my beloved brother,” Phoenix hissed, flames shooting from her nostrils. “So I’m paying a visit.” 

    “Vampiressssss,” Nightflame hissed. “I’m not very, fond of them, either,” the deamon shrugged. “Very messssssy, creatures.” 

    In their conversation, Yara had noticed that her father was fidgeting and getting antsy. Something Phoenix had said was starting to bother him. Soon, Jorrund and Myra had noticed too, while Ivar was still in shock at all the new magical lessons and creatures he was seeing and learning about. 

    “Dad,” Yara ventured. “Are you okay?”

    “Yes, yes, I’m fine,” he said, trying to be reassuring, but his response came too quick. Yara gave her father a stern look, and he patted his daughters hand. “When the room clears a little bit, I’ll tell you, but right now it’s a lot.” Yara nodded her head, Nightflame and Phoenix too into their conversation to hear what was had been said. 

    “I’m going home,” Nightflame yawned, nudging Myra’s cheek. “Ssssend me home.” 

    “Bye, sweets,” she giggled, and Nightflame rolled his eyes at her. She softly blew over his nose, and he faded out into a million tiny lights that faded from existence. 

    “Oh, it’s good to see a familiar face once in awhile,” Phoenix purred, and shifted back into her human form, only now she was wearing the clothes Yara and her father gave her to wear, which was a comfy maroon tee-shirt and an old pair of jeans that had belonged to Yara’s mother, clothes that no one had the heart to get rid of after all these years. “I haven’t seen Nightflame since I visited his home world to help stop its destruction.” 

    “What?” Myra squeaked. “He’s never mentioned anything like that before.” 

    "It was eons ago, little one,” Phoenix laughed. “I was still a young phoenix, barely out of my fledgling years. Earth hadn’t even existed yet.”

    “This is wild!” Myra squealed, bouncing with excitement. “My familiar is practically besties with a phoenix!” Her statement made Phoenix laugh. 

    “I wouldn’t say we are ‘besties’, as you have put it, but I think he considers me a friend. I would like to think so, since I saved his life.” Everyone was drawn now to Phoenix’s story, as she explained what had happened to Nightflame and his home. When she was done, Myra was in tears from hearing about her beloved familiar being saved in an epic tale, and Ivar was grinning from ear to ear, his golden eyes bright with excitement. Yara and Jorrund had subconsciously sat together on the sofa to listen to the heroic tale, and Jordan had finally relaxed in his office chair. Footsteps could be heard approaching the door, and everyone looked in anticipation as it opened carefully, Logan sticking his head in before cautiously walking into the room, avoiding Yara and Jorrund entirely. 

    “That was quite an epic tale,” he commented, standing by his father. “But, maybe next time you should check your pack link,” he chuckled, and Ivar’s eyes widened.

    “I had no idea,” he breathed, gently face-palming his forehead. “I got so carried away  by everything, I guess I just let the link go.” 

    “Everyone is captivated by your story, Phoenix,” Logan said, laughing at his dad. “They want to know how you’ve been to these places. As shifter’s we never knew it was possible to have multiple dimensions and worlds, until your story.” Phoenix beamed a beautiful smile, jumped up and clapped her hands together. 

    “Well, I’d be happy to tell your pack many tales of my adventures,” she cooed, delighted. She waved goodbye to the room, and flounced out the door, followed by Logan and Ivar. Yara blew out her breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding in, relaxing her tense body. Jorrund rubbed her shoulder in support before standing up to stretch. 

    “That was a pretty good story,” Jordan said, breaking the silence. Myra sighed contently. 

    “Yeah, I had no idea Nightflame even knew any phoenix’s. I guess I didn’t think he would, they’re so different.” 

    “If Phoenix travels a lot, and has lived before even Earth, she was bound to come across Nightflame eventually,” Yara yawned, getting sleepy as the night became later. 

    “Yara, what I was going to tell you is about Phoenix,” her father started, leaning against his desk. The three teens perked up, wanting to know why he was so nervous before. “Her brother that was killed, I think it may have been your mother’s familiar.” 

    “What?!” Yara screeched, not believing her ears. “Since when did mom have a phoenix as a familiar? And how on earth did a vampire kill a phoenix??” 

    “I know you were young, and there’s going to be things you don’t remember well. But he came to your mother’s aid when Dorran attacked, trying to protect you.” Jordan sighed, and Yara’s eyes started to brim with tears. It didn’t matter how many years had passed, the pain of watching her mother be killed was always fresh in her mind. 

    “But I don’t ever remember a phoenix,” she whispered. “What happened?” 

    “Honey, I think this story is better told if we get some sleep first,” her father told her gently, knowing she was full of questions. She doesn’t even know we suppressed some of her memories, he thought, a twang of guilt in his heart. His daughter had horrific nightmares, loosing sleep and not wanting to eat, that he felt it was in her best interest if he blocked some of the worst incidents. 

    “Dad,” Yara started to protest, but her father held up a hand. 

    “Sleep first, and we’ll tackle this tomorrow. We still have to figure out what to do next about the Enigma.” 

    “Promise me,” she blurted, standing up quick. “Promise me that you’ll tell me.” Her father wrapped her up in a tight hug, wishing so much that her life could have been different. 

    “I promise. It’s not going to be easy,” he warned her, holding her out at arms length to give her one of his parent looks. “If we are going to go down memory lane, I need you to have an open mind.” His words confused her a little, but she nodded, eager to know what had happened. 

    “I will, dad.” With her response, Jordan kissed Yara’s forehead, and told everyone goodnight. 

    “The two of you will need to be with her tomorrow,” he instructed, and the three teens were uneasy by his serious tone. The second the door closed, Myra jumped out of her seat.

    “What was that about?” She asked. “Not that I’m protesting, I was going to be here for support regardless,” she shrugged her shoulders, “but he acted like you’re going to really need us tomorrow.” 

    “I don’t know.” Yara was puzzled. “I didn’t know mom even had a phoenix. Like sure, we all have had strange and powerful familiars. I mean, look at your’s,” Yara said, looking at Myra. “And Jorrund’s is the biggest crow I’ve ever seen in my life.” 

    “But Yara,” Jorrund cut in. “You still haven’t been able to summon your’s.” Yara sighed, rolling her head back and groaned. 

    “I know, it’s stupid. I’m supposed to be this all powerful witch, and I still can’t quite grasp it. I feel like I’m on the cusp, though. I think I tried to summon mine unintentionally when I escaped from Dorran’s creepy castle, when I tried to call out for help.” 

    “I finally felt your signal the morning after you finally returned,” Jorrund chuckled. Yara laughed. 

    “Can you imagine if Phoenix hadn’t come? I’d still be stuck over there.” 

    “Yara!” Myra screamed, grabbing hold of Yara’s arm and bouncing excitedly. Yara and Jorrund looked at her, wondering what could be so important. “What if, when you were trying to summon a familiar, Phoenix showed up, and she’s supposed to be your familiar!” 

    “Oh, please,” Yara scoffed. “There’s no way. She was already here looking for revenge on a vampire.” 

    “And yet, she’s still hanging around here,” Myra said, waggling her eyebrows at her. Jorrund thought about it for a moment before speaking himself.

    “It kind of makes sense then, the way she appeared to you. And she hasn’t left yet, which mean’s she could be waiting for your command, unintentionally.” Yara shook her head in disbelief. 

    “Phoenix’s are one of the most powerful creatures ever known to our kind. Why would they ever stoop down and lower themselves to aid us? It makes no sense.” 

    “Maybe it’s more than that,” Jorrund spoke softly. “If your mother had one, there’s a good reason. I’m sure we’ll know more about it tomorrow.” He cupped Yara’s face in his hands and softly gave her a kiss. “Let’s go to sleep, and we can worry about all of this tomorrow.” Yara sighed, knowing he was right, though she didn’t know how she was going to sleep now, her mind too full of questions. 

    “Okay, sound’s like a plan then,” she whispered, his face still lingering close to hers. Jorrund went to place another kiss on her lips, when Myra cleared her throat. 

    “Hey, if you two need a minute, I can totally leave,” she said, sounding a little awkward. But when Yara and Jorrund turned to look at her, she was beaming from ear to ear. Yara’s cheeks turned pink and Jorrund fluffed Myra’s hair.

    “Nope, you can have her,” he chuckled, and Yara was soon pulled out of her father’s office, being led by a giddy Myra. 

    “Goodnight!” Yara called to Jorrund, and was pulled into her room.

    “Okay, girl, I know the betrothal caused a lot of trouble, but it’s good to see you two finally getting along. So, please tell me, what happened that you two are getting all kissy now?”  Myra was practically begging for the information, so as they both got ready for bed, Yara told her the events that had happened when she finally returned home. 

    “I can’t believe your dad caught you two kissing,” Myra giggled, both of them now settled into their beds. Myra was over all the time it seemed, so Yara’s bed was a trundle, and a second bed pulled out from under Yara’s bed frame. 

    “I can’t believe I’m kissing Jorrund,” Yara had yawned. “I feel like it’s too soon sometimes. But then I think, I have to marry him, so then why not?” Yara got quiet. “So why does it still feel like I’m cheating on Logan?” she whispered. Myra rolled over to face her friend. 

    “You guy’s were pushed really fast into this. And it’s not like we’re adults, Jorrund is the only one of us about to turn twenty, the rest of us are still technically teenagers. Your dad and his dad pushed this on you guys when you were fourteen, and even then you defied that and still tried to be with Logan. Nothing ended fairly, nothing started like a new relationship should. I think at this point, feelings like that are probably normal.” Myra yawned when she finished, and Yara sighed.

    “What would I do without you?” 

    “You’d be up s**t creek,” Myra laughed tiredly. Yara giggled, yawned once more, and finally drifted off to sleep.