My parents had always maintained lighthearted personalities, and to see my dad so hell-bent on ending someone’s life so casually was sort of freaking me out, even more so than the talking owl.
“It’s going to be okay, Dad.” I looped my arm through his and leaned on his shoulder, trying not to let my worries increase his own.
“Damn right, it will be. Nobody threatens my daughter and gets away with it. You’ll also need to resume training. You have the hand-to-hand part down, but now we need to teach you how to control your magic and bend it to your will. I had a plan for that, but I’m not sure that’s going to work out anymore.”
Glancing between him and Mom, I saw more concern etched into their faces. “Why? What was the previous plan?”
“Let’s not worry about that now,” Mom said. “I bet you’re famished. How about some lunch? Time changed some with the travel, so it’s now the thirtieth and one in the afternoon.”
Food didn’t exactly sound good, but I knew I’d have to get my body and mind acclimated to the new time adjustments, so I figured I could at least snack. It would also appease my frayed mom, so it was a win-win.
“You ladies enjoy lunch. I forgot I need to go check on something.” Dad kissed my forehead and then did the same to Mom before walking out the back door.
My hand reached for the necklace she had given me, and I let out a strangled cry. “It’s gone.”
She raced to my side. “What’s gone, sweetheart?”
“Your gift, the necklace. Did you take it off of me?” I was going to feel awful if I’d lost my mom’s gift so soon after receiving it. I should have waited to wear it until after we arrived in Arvayta.
She grasped my shoulders. “Calm down, Kaliah. The necklace wasn’t meant to survive. I gave it to you so that it could ease your transition. It is, or was, a conduit of magic. When your powers began to seep out, the necklace filtered as much of them as it could before exploding. I knew what would happen when I gave the gift to you, and it was worth it.”
“But it was your mother’s.” Guilt still assaulted me no matter what she said.
“And she would have made the same choice as I had. Now don’t worry about it.” She went back around the counter to the food she was sorting and let the subject go, but I worried there was something more wrong than what had already been said.
As I watched her closely, the worry lines around her eyes grew deeper. “Mom, spill it.”
She plastered on a fake smile. “Spill what, dear?”
“Don’t play coy with me. I know there is more. Dad wouldn’t have left so soon if there wasn’t. Plus, Jordan took off with that other guy. By the way, is he related? His eyes were eerily similar to mine. How many relatives do we have here?”
I’d always believed we had none, but maybe that was a lie to keep me from asking questions as a child. I wouldn’t have minded having an aunt, uncle, or even some cousins. Hopefully, the Ryland guy was not one of them, though. I really didn’t want to have to remind myself not to ogle him at family functions.
“Arvayta is very different from Earth. We have problems to worry about here that are much greater than normal human ones. Your father and I used to be part of the council, but we stepped down when we found out we had to leave for your safety. I’m sure your father is just going to check in with them.”
My brow raised. Her answer was plausible, so I let it pass for the time being and inquired more about my other questions. “What about Ryland? Who is he?”
She focused really hard on cutting the fruit in front of her and didn’t answer for a minute. “He’s one of the top guardians of Arvayta. He used to be assigned to us when we had to travel for missions, and he’d stay close if there were threats near.”
“So, not a cousin?” I needed confirmation so I wouldn’t feel guilty anymore.
“Your father and I were only children and, as you know, your grandparents passed away in the Dark War. So, no, Ryland is definitely not a cousin.” She grinned. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Just curious. So, where do I stay?” I changed the subject. I had zero desire to talk about guys at the moment. It had already been a long enough day.
“Well, we have a guest house. I figured you and Jordan could stay there. It’s smaller than your old one but should work for now.”
I may not have had a job before, but I just remembered, I was leaving behind a lot of belongings. “Speaking of houses. What about all of my and Jordan’s things?”
“That house is paid for. Your stuff can sit there for as long as it needs. Once you have your own place here, we can collect your things and the old house will likely be turned into a workplace for other guardians if needed.”
Interesting. I always thought I was taking advantage of the parental system by letting them pay my way when I wasn’t in school. Good to know I’d just been utilizing resources.
“So, am I good to go get a nap in before Dad gets back? If so, don’t let me rest for too long. I’d prefer to be able to sleep tonight.” I’d only done major travel once before and remembered the jet lag like a bad dream. Assuming this adjustment was going to be similar, I wanted to do my best to avoid it if possible.
“Of course. Let me just clean up here and I’ll take you over there.”
Glancing out the back door my dad had used, I saw the house that I assumed was where I’d be staying. “As long as it’s that place over there, I think I can manage.”
She nodded. “Alright, well, I’ll check on you shortly then.”
Grinning, I waved goodbye and headed out the door. That was the best part about my parents. They weren’t overbearing and understood the importance of space. While crossing the wood deck, I dipped my fingers into the cool water of the fountain and a tingle ran up my arm. There was definitely something in the water, and I hoped it was good that my body reacted the way it had. I really didn’t want to die again so soon.
Moving across the yard, I took in the small guest house. It was a mini version of the main house with the same rock siding, but only a single story and with much smaller windows. It sat higher up on the hill, though, so I assumed the view would be just as impressive.
The door opened up into a small living room that included two couches, a TV on the wall, and a coffee table in the middle with an assortment of board games tucked underneath it. Immediately to the left was a small kitchen with barely any counter space. Major cooking would definitely be taking place in the main house.
Off to the right was a short hallway and three doors. Opening the first one, I entered a bedroom with a double bed, dresser, and small closet. A smirk lifted on my face. Jordan was going to hate this place. The closet wouldn’t even fit her shoes.
I found the second bedroom to be the exact same, and the bathroom was nothing to write home about until I caught my reflection in the mirror. Moving into the small space, I held on to the counter as I peered closer. Cheese and rice, my ears were pointy. Okay, not like those of an elf, but there was a noticeable change.
Running my fingers through my hair, I realized it was silky and wavy in all the ways I had always wished. After spending however long in the water, it should have been a tangled mess. Even my skin had a slight glow to it, but thankfully, my eyes were still the same.