my hair was muddy and hanging in grungy strings around my face. My cheeks were red and smeared with dirt and tears and sweat. My pink dress was ripped and dirty.
the spirit- he told me his name was Seth- had lowered his hood and mask at last. He was actually quite handsome. He had skin as black as night, and eyes as pale as the moon. His hair was past his shoulders, pulled into a ponytail. a sharp jaw and long nose accented his face. His eyes were definitely unnerving, but also mesmerizing at the same time.
We had stopped off at a motel in the city. He was in the main room, lounging on one of the twin beds and reading a book. the mask that distorted his voice into a low hiss sat harmlessly on his nightstand. I stood in the small bathroom in front of the mirror, Seth’s black cloak clutched tight in my hands.
“is the water not working?” Seth called, “or is the mud just a fashion statement?”
I grit my teeth and yanked my earrings out. “Just thinking.”
“less thinking.” Seth flipped the page and I wanted to strangle him. Why was he so obnoxious?
I slammed the door to the bathroom, earning a muffled, “how ladylike of you.” I just rolled my eyes and unlaced my dress. I slipped out of the tight corset and turned on the water in the tub. I ripped off the flouncy skirt fabric and pulled off the dress before stepping into the steaming tub.
I ducked under the water, submerging myself. Eyes closed, I ran over everything that had happened. I agreed to tell Seth where Dioval was. And he was taking me home in the morning.
no one would have seen me leave the castle. No one would know where I had gone, what had happened to me.
I shouldn’t have left angry. I should never have gone after a fight with Gwen. Gwen, my best friend.
my mother always had one rule; that you should never go to bed upset. This was so much worse. I know she would’ve been proud that her daughter was matched with the crown prince.
The prince. Marcus.
I sat up again to breathe. Stupid matchmakers.
I slapped the water, making it splash. “URGH!” I yelled, slumping.
“technically difficulties?” Seth called.
“shut up!”
I could hear him laughing. Stupid Seth.
I stood up and stepped back out of the tub, letting it drain. Shoved Seth’s cloak over my head and stared in the mirror. Wet was better than dirty, I guess.
I thought about the Liliads. I thought about my father. I’d be home soon.
I threw open the door. Seth looked up and smiled. “There’s our princess!”
I blushed. “What?”
“you heard me.”
I rolled my eyes and flopped on the bed next to his. “What are you reading?”
“twenty one terrors of the trinity.”
i huffed. “Does anything you do make sense?” Seth shrugged. I turned away from him, pulling up the hood to cover my face. Then he says, “what’s he like?”
I glared at him. “Who?”
“Dioval. What’s he like?” I sighed and turned to him. “For one, he’s a kid. He’s eleven, and I don’t know what you people think he did, but-“
“he’s the incarnation of the blue spirit.” Seth interrupted. I gapped at him.
the dreamscape spirits were the stuff of legends. There were seven of them- emotion (red) fire (orange) storm (yellow) earth (green) water (blue) death (purple) and magic (white). Each represents a single element. They have come to earth in many forms, and will come as many more. Some have seen them as birds, tigers, dragons, people, even gods. They are all born on the same day, every time; February 28th. No one knows why that day. There’s a lot we don’t know about them.
I narrow my eyes. “How do you know?”
Seth sighed exsasperatedly and sits up, flipping his book over on the bed. “I’m a boread, love. Not only that, I’m a seer. I can change my shape and appearance at will. Normally, I wouldn’t be born with magic- none of the Boreads are. But I was lucky enough to be born a seer. Pretty rare.”
“what do you mean, a seer?” He’s peaked my curiosity now.
“it means I can see everything, every thought in every person’s head, every tree on the earth, every possible future.” He laughed as I blushed. “Yes, I can see into your mind. Don’t worry, it’s not really precise.” I glared at him and threw my pillow at his smug little face. “Stay out of my head!” I yelled.
“you can go into mine, if you want.”
my jaw dropped.
he laughed again. Did he have to laugh at everything about me?
“seers are all connected, Liliad. I can recognize one without even looking at them. That’s why that day, in your friends room, I triggered your magic. It was hidden.” He slid off his bed to sit on the edge of mine. “Because I thought maybe you could help. The boread tribe, they’re cruel people. But I’m not like them.”
I rolled my eyes. Seth grabbed my hand and I gasped- his hand was blisteringly hot. “Liliad, come on. I’ve shown you my face, haven’t I?”
“you said you could change your appearance at will.” I reminded him. He hesitated. “I did tell you that, didn’t I.” He muttered. “Okay, you have a point. There isn’t really a way to prove this is my real face without stabbing me.”
now my face was blooming tomatoe red. “Say what?”
“not important. What is important is that you’re a seer too, Liliad.”
I felt faint. “Say what?” I squeaked.
he nodded, handing back the pillow that I’d thrown at him. “That’s why I triggered your magic. I just didn’t think it would be so… explosive.” He chuckled, and I whacked him with the pillow. “That’s not funny! I could’ve hurt someone!”
Seth ran a hand down his face. “Okay, Sorry. Liliad, I really hope you believe me. All of redwood island could depend on it.”
“Seth. I live in a tiny village in a tiny corner of redwood island. What am I going to do about any kingdom-wide threats?”
Seth sighed and rolled his eyes. “Well, you and I are the closest thing to masters of magic in this whole damn kingdom. Plus…” he held out his arms as if for a hug. “We’re spirit siblings! We got this!”
I scoffed and socked him in the arm. He laughed. “See, acting like siblings already!” He leaned in and hugged me. I awkwardly obliged. If I was stuck with him for the night, we might as well be able to get along.
“wait.” I pushed him away. “Can you trigger magic in anybody?”
Seth shrugged. “Anyone on the island, yeah.”
I nodded. “Okay, then tell me the Boreads plan. Maybe I can get you an army.”
Seth’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “All right, Lili!” He jumped over to sit next to me, slinging his arm over my shoulder. “Basically, they’re trying to find the incarnations of all the dreamscape spirits so they can use their power to take over the world.”
there was a solid minute of silence before I looked up at him. “That’s it?”
“well it’s a little more complicated than that but yeah. But the process would kill the kids they use.”
“they’re all kids, then?” I asked. He nodded. “They were all born exactly the same day, so yeah. A few of them aren’t on the island though, so they’d be pretty hard to find if you don’t know where to look.” He tapped his head and grinned. “Luckily, I know exactly where to find them all.”
“what are their names-‘
Seth hauled himself up. “Hey, it’s getting late. We should turn in for the night, but I promise I’ll answer all your questions in the morning.” He plopped down on his own bed, moved his book out of the way, and threw the sheets over his body. “Swear I’m not avoiding your questions.” He added, before blowing out the light.
I sat there for a moment, staring at the darkness. Then I smoothed out Seth’s coat and covered myself in the starch white sheets, up to my head, and fell asleep.
“mamma!” A little girl laughed.
I looked around with a start. I was standing in the center market place of the village. All around me carts and merchants wove their way about. I looked down and saw I was wearing a white dress- no bodice, no laces, no frills. I reached up to my head and felt a wreath of white hollyhocks and ivy leaves.
the little girl ran and jumped into her mother’s arms, her black braids bouncing behind her. I stared in amazement. The girl had blue eyes just like mine. Like marcus. Like my mother.
someone tapped my shoulder and I whirled around, startled. It was a frail old man, wrinkled and missing teeth.
“Dear Enchantress,” He croaked. “Might I implore you to help me with something?”
I choked. Enchantress? Was he talking to me?
“I’m… sorry, this just- this isn’t right.” I backed up. “I’m not supposed to be here-“ I turned and sprinted to the mountains without even feeling it, running but not running and what was I doing-?
and suddenly I was standing in the doorway of the dining in my home. At the table in the center of the room was my father and mother, my mother alive an well and my father seven years younger. They were talking and laughing. I started to cry. “Mother!” I yelled, reaching for them. “Father! I-“
the front door slammed and a twelve year old me stomped into the room, a mess of tears. A chunk of my long hair had been cut to my chin. I gasped, a hand flying to my mouth. I remembered this- Edda and three other girls had held me down and cut it.
my mother took little me into another room. I knew what she was going to do. She had cut the rest of my hair to a curly bob that perfectly framed my face. She said I looked like a fairy doll.
and the scene was changing again, only I couldn’t tell where I was but I was in pain and-
I screamed and fell out of the bed, sprawlings onto the cold marble floor. Seth stared at me from his bed. He was sitting straight up. I was glad it was still dark enough that he couldn’t see me blushing.
“sleep well?”
I huffed and sat up. “Terribly.”
“the nightmares will only get worse.” Seth sighed and laid down. “And there’s not much anyone can do about it.” He rolled over so he was facing the wall, pulled the blankets to his chin, and went silent.
*.*.*.*.*
I didn’t dream the rest of the night. Instead I woke slowly. Seth was still asleep, snoring loudly. I glared at him. He may have been my “brother,” but that didn’t mean I had to like him.
I turned over and got up to open the window. The sun was just rising. I looked down at Seth’s cloak, which I was still wearing, and sighed.
Seth started to mumble in his sleep at around seven. Something about it being a bad winter this year- I didn’t really listen. I was starting to grow impatient.
at eight thirty I started smacking him with my pillow until he woke.
Seth blinked groggily between hits. “What the- sea and stars, Lili! What are you doing?” He sat up and I threw the pillow back onto my bed. “Get up. It’s time to go.”
he blinked at me. “Um. I thought I was calling the shots here, and I saw we get to sleep in-“
“yeah, here’s the thing.” I stood and started pacing. “You told me that you don’t have magic. But I do. Which means that I could electrocute you without a second thought and you couldn’t do anything about it.” I stopped and crossed my arms. “Which means I’m calling the shots.”
Seth groaned and hauled himself out of bed. “I should’ve known this was coming. Alright, fine. You want to see your dad, huh?”
I shook my head. “I told you. Magic army. We’re going back to the castle.”
Seth gaped at me.
“but we have to wait another day.” I added quickly. “So they think I was kidnapped.”
Seth slapped his forehead. “This is going to be a long day.”
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