*Elentari*
“What was that about?” I asked her. She shook her head and mumbled something about it not being her place to talk about it. I nodded, confused, but set to planning our menu for the final. We were in groups of 10 and made a full three-course meal. We chose a traditional Italian menu. The only thing I did that wasn’t purely Italian was a spinach salad with walnuts and poppy seed dressing. I can’t eat Italian dressing. I’ve never understood why. Minestrone Soup or salad for the first course, stuffed shells with sweet Italian sausage for the main course, and tiramisu for the dessert accompanied by a cup of espresso. This used to be one of our favorite meals to make as a family before we gave up hope on mom coming back, or if she was even alive. I was 8 years old the last time I made it with dad. The step-witch didn’t let us make it.
Our team took three hours to make the meal. We plate our presentation pieces and felt good about it. “Good job team!” I praise them. We could put Hell's Kitchen to shame. with the good job we just did. I sat down and took a breath just as the door opened. Chef was back. He looked happier.
I swear I could see a silver glint at the edge of his shirt collar but I couldn’t see it again once I blinked. I figured my mind was playing tricks on me. Audra seemed stupidly happy. “Sorry about that, everyone.” He turned to the sub, “Did you get the teamwork and prep grades down?” He asked her. She nodded to him. “Okay, well I’ll take over from here.”
She laughed at him and gave him a look that was almost challenging, “Oh, I see how it is, but my payment is that I get to eat too!”
Chef laughed and agreed. They went around to the four groups and sampled the food. After they ate everyone was allowed to try all the food. Most of these kids I had seen eat full lunches and now they were eating multiple meals. I just wanted to know where they were putting it all.
“Good grief, Audra, what is your plate count?” I ask her as she hasn’t stopped eating in almost an hour.
“This will be my fourth!” She proudly exclaims. “Got one from each group but saved the best for last!” She said, grinning like an idiot. “Yours!” She whispers to me. Everyone knew she was partial to my cooking. I internally facepalmed as I ate my comparatively tiny portions. After “eating hour” is up the Chef clears his throat, getting everyone's attention. I was always in awe of how all the teachers and professors had that ability to make the slightest noise and everyone just obeyed.
“Grades will be out Monday. No school for seniors on Monday or Tuesday. Graduation is Wednesday. Congrats to the graduates. Now all of you get out of here so I can go home!” He proclaimed, with a huge smile on his face. I knew Chef lived alone and was never excited to go home. This was weird. Hell didn’t just freeze over, it became a tropical paradise.
I clear out as quickly as I can, saying goodbye to everyone. I waved at Audra as well, as she was helping clean up too. As I walk to my car I spot Manic and wave at him too. Suddenly both of them are at my side while I’m looking for my keys. I jump, “Didn’t I leave you in the kitchen?” I asked Audra. “And weren’t you just… I think I need to get home and take a nap.” I truly think I’m going crazy,
“I ran, lady.” Audra says with a laugh. “Anyway, open this up after midnight.” She hands me an envelope that looks like it belongs in the 18th century. It’s got a wax seal on it and everything, I feel weird holding it.
“Uh, okay…” I responded quietly. Even my headmates had nothing to say.
“Happy Early Birthday!” They said one after the other and jogged away. I didn't even know they knew when my birthday was. I never made a deal out of it.
My life just keeps getting weirder.
I get home and my dad is still at his computer. He’s been like that for ages. I can’t remember the last time I talked to him and he wasn’t working. Always working. I knew Lyssandra wouldn’t be home for a while so I put a couple of pizzas in the oven and set a timer that would go off on the echo in the basement to let the gaming hellspawn know to get their food. Just because I put it in for them didn’t mean I was gonna serve it to them too. I grabbed a couple of protein drinks for myself and went to my room. I could go the rest of the night without being bothered. I didn’t think I was tired, but suddenly I was sleeping. I opened my eyes to look at the clock. 11:45pm. It was almost my birthday. I took a deep breath and grabbed my mom’s journal that I found.
Here goes nothing.
It was midnight on the dot. Time to begin. I lit two black candles for protection, reading from the journal. It was a full moon. I have no idea how she knew it would be a full moon. I almost feel like so much has been hidden from me for so long. A shadow howled in my head.
“What the fuck…” I said to myself. Serenity laughed, “Sometimes they do that.” I shook my head and began to cast my circle.
“The sun rises to the East,
Bringing fire to the day.
Sets to the West,
As the wind makes trees sway.
The star of the North
Guides the ocean-bound home.
The warmth of the South
Grounds us to the Earth’s warmth.
All together, all combine,
Bring forth spirit Devine.”
I felt as if I were floating. Warm energy swirled around me. I opened my eyes to see a silvery, purple glow coming from the letter in my hands. It starts to open on its own, the wax peeling away and disappearing. Immaculate crimson ink starts to appear in the most beautiful calligraphy I had ever seen.
“Happy Birthday, Elentari Tirisil,
You have come of age. I’m so proud you made it this far. I hope to see you very soon, but there are things you need to know. Trust your inner voices and your intuition. All is not what it seems, or if you’re as intuitive as I hope, it is exactly as it seems. After today, your human life is no longer your life. I hope you will not hate me for having to stay away, for hiding you away. I hope you’ll let me make it up to you. Let us make it up to you. We’ve always loved you and always will.
Love,
Mom and Dad”
‘Elentari?’ I thought to myself, ‘Who is Elentari?’ Suddenly I’m yanked into the zone. It seems bigger now. Fields of grass and flowers, cliffs off in the distance. It looks more like a fairy tale meadow now. There are still mists, but there are now four full figures. Serenity now has huge translucent wings that have rainbow tones in them. The span was huge. Next to her was a gigantic blue dragon with rainbow shimmers on the scales. Next was a wolf, white as snow. Finally, there was a girl that looked just like me, almost like a mirror.
“You know me as Serenity,” she started to say, “I am your fairy and control your magic.” She then gestured to each figure in turn. “This is Arashi, she is your dragon soul, princess of dragons. This here is Lucinda, your wolf spirit and healer. Finally, this is Silk, your sprite. She controls your vampire magic and is the form you’ve been adopting since you were 8.”
I felt like I was going to fall over. “So you’re saying werewolves, vampires, fairies, dragons… it’s all real. And, I am all of them? No this can’t be right. And the way I look isn’t me? What is that supposed to mean?” I’m almost in full-blown panic mode. “And by that reasoning, I don’t have DID?”
Serenity smiles, exuding patience. “Technically, by human standards, you do. But it’s so much more than that. You’re a supernatural and a Royal. And, your outside will change to match the spirit you need at the moment, we all can think independently. Just, we’ve reincarnated many times and have the knowledge of hundreds of lifetimes.”
*Elentari POV* This was so much for me to take in. “Who is Elentari?” I asked them. Their looks were almost as if I had asked the most ridiculous question ever. “What??” I had no idea why they were being so weird. A sing-song voice came from my mirror image, “You’ve operated as me for so long you don’t even know your own name anymore.” She scuffed her foot against the ground. “We got some work to do, girls. She needs a crash course as shit is gonna get real, real soon. Step-witch will know she’s awakened. The stupid man bringing her into the house.” I’m in a daze listening to all this. I couldn’t believe it. “What about Audra and Manic?” I blurted out. My fuzzed brain was trying to slowly click things into place, and they had given me the note. “Manic is a vamp like me.” Silk says excitedly. I swallowed hard, backing away from her a bit. “Oh, good grief you’ve read too many fantasy novels if you’re scared of your own sprite.” “Audra is a wolf like me.” Stated Lucinda, almost a
*Audra POV* Tomorrow was going to be interesting. I left the college and started driving towards my pack house with Manic by my side. My nerves were getting the better of me. “I think we need to report to the King and Queen tonight. That way tomorrow can go a bit more flawlessly. Though I don’t know if anything about this can be considered flawless.” I ran my fingers through my hair nervously. “She’s not going to hate us once she finds out, is she?” “I know when we accepted this assignment we didn’t ever think we would befriend her. I mean she’s a good hundred years younger than us. But we both decided we liked her personality and wanted to be friends. Our friendship has always been genuine and a choice. As long as she can understand that we didn’t have to befriend her to finish out our mission, it’ll be okay. I don’t think she’s so unreasonable that she would not listen.” It didn’t take much to reassure me. I sighed softly, kissing the back of his hand. “This is why you’re the calm
*Elentari POV* Everything was so much to take in. I felt like my world was caving in second by second. I slipped from the zone out of shock and started to move to my bed. All I wanted was to go to sleep and for all of this to be a bad dream. Arashi’s voice echoed in my head as I attempted to lay down telling me I had to pack before resting. I was suddenly really happy I spent the money I got from the life insurance policy on an SUV instead of the cute Prius I had been looking at. Yes, it was blue. I also paid three years of car insurance on it. The rest of my money was split into my stock portfolio that my mom set up for me and my savings account. Dividends were transferred into savings automatically and $300 was transferred to my checking each month so I could pay my phone bill and put gas in the car. It made me laugh that I was seen as the bad kid when I was the one being responsible. The spawns got money and it was gone instantly with video games and trivial crap. I started to pac
*Elentari POV* “This tastes more refreshing than normal.” He comments and looks in the water bottle. “You remembered lemon and mint!” He kissed the top of my head. “You realize it's your birthday, Starlight. I should be spoiling you, not the other way around.” This simple exchange made me happier than anyone could imagine. He hadn’t remembered my birthday in years, no one did, I handed him a plate of food and he sat down to dig in. “Good morning family!” Lyssandra says in her fake sing-song voice, “Smells like someone beat me to making the birthday breakfast.” She looked around at everyone else sitting down, and seemed like she was pouting, “I had wanted to make you breakfast as a treat.” “Thank you for the thought.” I told her. My wheels turned wondering what she had up her sleeve. “I wanted to make dad’s and my favorite breakfast. It’s been so long since we’ve had it, and it’s been years since anyone has celebrated my birthday so I figured if I wanted to celebrate, I had to do
*Elentari POV* “Lunar Guardian? Me? I’m just a normal teenager with nothing special about me. I didn't even know this existed until today. I don’t understand, Selene is real?” As I spoke the twins looked at each other, as if having a mental conversation. Little to my knowledge they were doing just that. They spoke at the same time. “We want to go with you.” Turning towards my parents. My sister pushed the book towards my mother. “If we are magical, we need training. Even though that book is my birthright, I don't want to learn from it. I’d rather it was destroyed.” At this point, I saw my sister in a new light. Almost a light of admiration. “It is not yours yet!” Lyssandra screeched. “I am still alive. As long as I live it is mine!” She reached for the Grimoire as if her life depended on getting the old book back in her hands. Before she could get to it, despite the pain it caused him, my brother grabbed it and kept it from her reach. “The book is evidence. It cannot be destroye
*Alaric POV* Seeing my baby for the first time since she was born overwhelmed me. At that time the plan had already progressed to my wife and Scott’s pretend relationship ending. We only needed it long enough to conceal her birth and for no one to think I was the father. My wife came up with the plan and she was so convincing that I almost severed our fated bond over it. She didn’t warn me first to get the most genuine reaction she could get out of me. It took me a month after they “broke up” to hear her out. I almost missed my chance to hold my child, just once. Home is a magical place. It has a literal living, breathing magic essence that brings the rivers, trees, and all of nature to life. There were very few Fae, or magical beings, that didn’t prefer to live here. Humans tended to believe Fae meant fairy, or that what they deemed to be mythical beasts, weren’t magical. But Fae is all those that belong to the world of Selene and magic. Our architecture, for those that prefer build
*Alaric POV* “Scottie and Stacie, you will need a full blood test done for us to find out your genetic composition. That way you can be prepared. Scott, I’d like for you to get one done as well. That way we can find out your full connection to the Fae world. We couldn’t do it sooner for Elentari’s safety, but I feel like there is more here than meets the eye. You weren’t chosen by random.” The gears in my head are turning and cranking quickly. We lead them up the cobblestone drive to the front of the buildings. The guards standing at attention open the gates for us. Their eyes were the only part of them that could be seen, but they were wide with surprise. The Kingdom knew my wife disappeared at some point and we almost lost our bond. The rumor of pregnancy went around but we refuted it using the living registry as proof. There was no child on record, so the rumor was put down. The castle knew, though. A room had appeared that none could enter. Her name was written in a beautiful, flo
*Elentari POV* Everything had been so overwhelming. Each minute it seemed there was something new to learn. I take in the sights and sounds. The castle is huge. I’ve never seen a building so big. The vivid colors and picturesque scenery has me enchanted. Stacie starts asking me about my drawings and I realize she’s right. I did draw this place. It felt like home. Like it was calling out to me and knew me. “Welcome home!” Serenity pulls me into the Zone. “You’ve finally made it! We’re all here again!” She’s so bubbly, I almost can’t stand it. “Fully energized, eh, Serenity?” Arashi has a smug look on her face. “She’s always like this when we return after being gone for so long. I can’t remember how long it’s been.” “Four hundred fifty years, eight months, two weeks, and three days,” Lucinda replies dryly. “And that was for a very short time.” Silk takes her turn to speak. “If our task is no longer viable with the physical body we possess, we return to Selene. But the four of us