On the plus side, we knew who we were up against. I wasn’t sure my human training would actually do any good against a dark fae who’d likely been plotting my death for years, but it didn’t change my stance on things. I was ready to find out what came next.
“So, what’s the plan now? I have my final meal, I die, and then you guys take me to Arvayta to be born again and we find this crazy dark fae?” I asked.
Mom glared at my crassness. “You’ve been hanging out with Jordan too long.”
Jordan grinned. “What your mom means to say is yes, that’s pretty much how it will go. You were born at 7:46pm, so we have until then to make the best of your last human hours. So, how about we head out to the falls before dinner and chat some more?”
The book I’d been given that began this whole conversation still sat in my lap, and I held it up. “What about this?”
“That you can worry about when we’re settled in Arvayta. Jordan is right. Go explore, but don’t be too long. Your mom has been working on dinner all day,” Dad answered.
Deciding I didn’t want to argue with him, I placed the book back in the box and set it on the table before taking Jordan’s outstretched hand. With one last glance at my parents, I smiled at them then left the house. My mom appeared as if she was about to completely lose her cool, and my dad seemed proud of me.
Suddenly, the fate of a world was sitting on my shoulders. I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for it, but I was prepared to fake it for as long as it took to figure things out and preferably not die more than once in the process.
Chapter Four
When we arrived at the waterfall, Jordan cut through a path we’d never taken before, and when I tried to question her, she shushed me. Secretly, I sort of enjoyed that I didn’t know everything. The elation radiating from my best friend at being able to finally share this with me was too good to have ruined entirely. I’d have to give Stryx my thanks for being the pain he loved to be.
“So, where exactly are we going?” I asked as I pushed the umpteenth branch out of my face.
“To the portal,” she answered nonchalantly.
Air caught in my throat at her words. Even though I already knew there were portals out in the world from what Stryx had said, I didn’t expect them to be somewhere that just anyone could stumble upon.
Of course, normal hikers didn’t go off the beaten path and trudge through thick foliage, either.
When Jordan stopped, I ran right into her back, because my head had been down watching for more stray branches. I grasped her arm before she fell. “Sorry.”
She glared at me. “These sandals are not meant to get wet. You’re lucky I didn’t fall.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have worn them hiking like a city girl,” I retorted.
Jordan ignored my jab and moved over. “Look.” Her finger pointed to a small waterfall that was hidden underneath Multnomah Falls. It was maybe eight feet tall and just a few feet wide, but it shimmered like diamonds with the setting sun shining down on it.
A rock path was set in the shallow stream where water swirled, and little white daisies grew all around us. My foot lifted to step onto the first stone, but I quickly realized my own flip-flops weren’t meant for this kind of activity either and pulled back.
“So, this is how we get to Arvayta?” I asked when I finished my perusal.
“Yep. You won’t remember your first trip, so I thought I’d show you ahead of time. Does anything feel different to you yet?”
My head shook. “Nope. I’m still very human and still alive.”
She grimaced. “The dying part isn’t normal. I didn’t realize you’d have to do that. Most of us grow up in Arvayta, so our magic slowly emerges as we grow. Apparently, yours is going to burst out like a jack-in-the-box.”
“Ugh. Thanks for the visual.” Glancing down at my watch, I saw it was just before five. “We should probably head back. I want my final meal. No way am I missing out on the meatballs I smelled simmering earlier.” My mouth was again salivating at the mere thought of them.
She laughed at me but didn’t argue as she led the way home. It was only about a twenty-five-minute walk back once we were on the normal path, but I wished it was longer. As good as dinner sounded, I wasn’t in a hurry to experience everything that was supposed to come after.
In about two hours, I was going to die and say goodbye to my human life before entering a whole new world I didn’t know nearly enough about.
I was trying to remain positive, but as time ticked by, I really just needed to let out a deep scream and take a nap.
After dinner had been consumed, my dad poured me a glass of whiskey, surprising the hell out of me. “Here, I know you’re not of legal age yet and it’s going to taste awful, but maybe it will calm you down, because you’re starting to freak me out with all of your fidgeting.”
Neither of my parents had ever given me alcohol before, but that didn’t mean I was a complete stranger to it considering I’d been to a handful of college parties. Though, on the rare occasion I had tried to drink, I’d always gagged on the taste. Still, I didn’t decline the glass he offered, and sipped on the smooth liquid that burned its way down my throat.
Mom couldn’t sit still, either, and once my nerves weren’t so frayed, I realized why Dad had given me the alcohol. Standing up, I shoved the remainder of my glass in her hand. “Drink this. For the sake of not only you, but the rest of us.”
Unlike me, she threw down the rest of the contents in one gulp, and I couldn’t stop the laughter that burst from me. My mom had always been so reserved and proper, but watching her down booze like it was water showed me another side of her I wished she’d let out more often.
“Okay, so is everyone calm now?” Jordan teased.
“Not even close, but it’s almost time, so it won’t matter soon,” Mom answered, glancing at the wall clock for the millionth time.
Sure enough. It was 7:39pm and I only had seven minutes left before my official birthday arrived. We all headed to the guest room, and I laid down on the bed. Dad had thought it was best if I was already comfortable “before things began,” which was the polite way to say “before I died.”
My hands were beginning to tingle, and my head spun, but that could have been the effects of the whiskey, so I tried not to let it stress me out.
Jordan pulled out her phone, but my mom quickly yanked it from her hand. “Not happening.”
“It was worth a try. You know she’d want to see it later,” Jordan replied.
As I opened my mouth to respond, my body seized up and no words were able to come out. Though, there were plenty of groans that caught the attention of everyone in the room. The necklace my mom had given me began to burn as everything around me started to glow.
My mind was telling my hand to rip the necklace from my chest when it felt like it was seeping into my skin, but nothing moved.
Mom let out a strangled cry, but I couldn’t see her any longer. It felt as if the sun was right above me and I was going to be fried to a crisp from the bright and hot lights. Closing my eyes, I focused on the training I’d gone through with Stryx. While the heat didn’t disappear, the light did dim.