The Gypsy & The Fae (Helvinski Territory Book 1)

Chapter 17

A/N: So...this is the part before Chapter 18. I accidentally clicked 18 on the publish instead of save&preview. Dummy me. Well here's the Chapter 17!!

The forest canopy was dense to the point that Shelly couldn't tell if it was night or day. Tree branches stretched up to the sky. Many looked like pine trees and oaks. Pine needles and acorns littered the floor. It was completely silent. Not a bird or bug made a sound. She gulped and stood, spinning around in a circle. "Okay...if I'm on the stage for Harry Potter in the Forbidden Forest, I'm good now!" she yelled. She hoped giant spiders didn't really exist. 

SNAP! Shelly spun around in the direction of the noise. There were many shadows that traversed the dense brush a few yards away from the clearing she stood in. She felt her heart palpate like it was about to burst out of her chest. A flash of silver-blue eyes and she instinctively calmed. Heaton Chrys appeared first, followed by Patrick, Burton, and Charlotte. The first guy that stomped through her storming out of her Grandma's house appeared next, Crow Leader York. He had a prominent nose that slightly hooked at the tip. His eyes were sharp and tracked his surroundings. 

Terrence came into view. He was not wearing his butler uniform anymore and was in combat boots and dark colored clothes, like everyone else. When he moved to the side, Shelly paused and just stared. She knew that he couldn't see her, but it felt like he was looking right at her. Gavril. He now looked older than he did compared to the last memory. His hair was longer too, around shoulder length, like he purposefully grew it out to make people think he wasn't still a teenager. Looking at his eyes, Shelly could feel that he had to grow up faster than she ever had to. He wasn't the giggly baby. Nor was he that other Gavril she saw arguing with his Father. He also didn't give off the vibe that the Gavril she knew when she first came to Helvinski Territory who was at least approachable. This Gavril in front of her seemed world weary and someone you had to be careful not to say a wrong thing to. "Gavril," Heaton called. He walked forward to stand next to his Father. "You've come in contact with the Overlord on the mission in Miami. Do you still remember his trace?"

"Yes Father."

"You know how to set up a direct trace lacing it with detections for others?"

"Yes. Uncle taught me."

"Do it. Keep it open. Any other traces you pick up, let me know." Gavril nodded his head. Slowly, the temperature dropped slightly as a fine mist blanketed the floor then dispersed. Shelly walked up to Gavril and crouched down. She looked closely at the forest floor around him. She made out little fine threads of blackness snaking out and into the dirt below. "Air and darkness...the magic feels so smooth here," she touched the area around Gavril's feet. Shelly never felt anyone else's magic besides her Mother's and her Grandmother's. It was something they decided to keep secret and now she knows why. Normally, a person can only interact or literally, feel only their own magic when they used it to set an enchantment, trap, spell, or, in this case, a trace/tracking spell. Instead of just being able to feel the presence of other people's magic like Gypsies are naturally able to do, Shelly could also literally reach out and interact with other people's magic with her fingers--a trait demons were rumored to be able to do. "How do you feel?" Heaton suddenly asked. Gavril turned his head in a questioning way. "I feel fine, Father."

"I'm talking about the Seal of Solomon cell you recently took down. Your Uncle informed me of the destruction you encountered." Shelly felt a pang in her heart. She rubbed at it as Gavril remained silent as his eyes dimmed drastically. Rocks settled in the pit of her stomach. He closed his eyes and his head fell slightly forward. "Destruction isn't just the word I would have used for it. More like massacre. I apologize for how I've acted the past few years. I also apologize for the...the words I spoke to you that day. I didn't really know..." Heaton turned his head to the side to look at Gavril. He looked over his son decked out in the dark attire of the Guardians. He knew every single detail. Every single event that had occurred while Gavril was under his Uncle's tutelage. Heaton knew that it was too soon to make him see the things he did in Europe, but he had no choice. He was losing his son. Gavril had turned into someone he didn't recognize once he hit puberty. Heaton wished he could help to wipe the sorrow and regret Gavril now felt for his past actions. "So long as you've learned. That's all that can help heal past actions we are not proud of."