Cosmic Twists 1 (Old Version)

Part Two - Eirah - Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

When we leave the palladium, we are surrounded by crowds of cheering Haledonians, all individually dressed in their respective colours of each of the twelve zodiac groups.

We march forward in the procession, waving to the people, until we reach the ferns where Cali and Peyton wait for us. Cali is dressed in a floral dress which cuts off at her knees at the front, and trails long behind her, and Peyton wears a flame-coloured tunic with a feathered cape; his olive skin glistening under his dark hair in the moonlight.

Before we step out of the parade, I look at Nasira for approval and he nods with a smile.

“We’re allowed to leave?” Lara asks.

“Yeah, of course. They can let us act our age. We’re off duty tonight anyway.” I laugh. I take Lara’s hand and we skip out of the line towards the ferns. “Cali, Peyton. This is Lara, my sister. Lara, this is Cali and Peyton. They’re my best friends.”

“Cali and Peyton stand wide eyed in shock as they look at Lara’s outstretched hand, quivering ever so slightly in the space between them. Peyton suddenly lifts her in a giant hug and Cali joins.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” they both say, looking at me quizzically, all wide eyed. Their eyes skip between our identical faces.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Lara says.

“I hope you’re the better twin,” Peyton jests. Cali punches him lightly in the arm.

“Of course,” Lara says, and looks at me with a small, sly smile.

“Ooh, she’s sassy. I like that.” Peyton giggles with a cheeky smile.

“Sorry about him Lara. He’s like an annoying little brother. You get used to him. Now let’s go!” Cali pulls Peyton and they walk on ahead.

“You’ll learn to love Peyton. He’s a character. Remember, we’re all family here. He means no harm. Consider it an ongoing joke we have here; we know our purpose,” I say with a wink, but I can’t help letting Ronan slip into my mind.

Everyone begins to run down the paths towards the field that has been carefully decorated by the elders. Streams of ribbons reach overhead of the tents from poles standing in the grass. Lanterns hang in the trees, creating a warm pink-orange glow on the radiant smiling faces of the people dancing under the lights as the band plays. Peyton heads straight for the food.

Everyone begins to pass around the ale in bottles and flasks. I pass one to Lara and she swigs without a second thought. Everyone begins to dance, twirling and jiving and stamping to the beat of the band, and when the effect of the ale sinks in everyone gets a little louder and faster and happier. The moving crowd of dancing colours parts to make more space for Lara, as her and Peyton spin and sway in time to the music. Everybody watches as the smile on her face catches to everyone else like a spark, until soon she is dancing to her own crowd, oblivious to their watching eyes who watch her long golden hair sway and sparkle under the glow of the lanterns.

The Praefectus watch over us from the long oak table on the raised platform, decorated with flowers and leaves from the woods. Jenna catches my eye and smiles at me with her rosy lips together, until they slowly part to reveal her pearly smile, twinkling like her eyes under the lights.

As the night goes on, we meet the other juniors from the other Zodiac regions. We dance the night away until the crowds begin to drift away into the night.

“Let’s go to the lake! Come on!” shouts Cali, as we head for the path, but they all run ahead, leaving Lara and I alone as we walk together. She looks around in complete awe as Halneon shines in all of its neon beauty. I look ahead at the flailing arms and echoes of laughter and squeals as items of clothing fall onto the bank, followed by loud splashes as Cali looks back at me, smiling, before diving into the glowing water. The moon shines like a spotlight on the lake, shimmering on the moving surface. 

I reach into the pocket of my gown and hear the quiet jingle in the layers of material.

“Come on, get in!” Cali yells in her high pitched voice when she resurfaces, flattening her wet hair away from her face.

“Hold on! I just need to…,” my voice trails off and I turn to Lara. “Lara, I think I have something of yours.” I pull it out just as she turns towards me, half smiling. Her eyes widen with delight but suddenly her face drops into a confused frown. I feel myself tense up.

“My necklace… wait, but how?” Where did you find it?” She paces quickly towards me and I place it in her hand. She snatches it from me. I watch her eyes widen, her face glowing under the pale moonlight. It feels so strange to exist on the other side of her thoughts. She holds it in front of her face, dangling the two intertwining fish of pure silver between us, as she attentively watches them spin slowly, suspended on the chain.

“I found it in the shallow waters of the pool the night before you came here. The pool was a portal for you to come to Halneon. That is how I knew you would be here.”

“You were expecting me?” she says defensively as she holds the necklace in her palm, inspecting it intently before fixing it around her neck so that the intertwining fish of silver dangle between her protruding collarbones.

“I didn’t know when the day would come, but I’ve been waiting for you to find me.” She watches me carefully as I approach her, reaching under the lace around my neck. Slowly, I pull out my own necklace and hold it away from my neck. I hold the cobalt crystal teardrop in my palm, and I reach for hers. I put them close together and slide the tear between the twisting fish until it becomes fixed with a click. A strange buzz shoots through us like a rush of energy, sweeping us off our feet and knocking us backwards in a flash of sparks and white light. All I can see for several moments is flashes and bright light until a final explosive thud causes us to crash to the ground as everything spins around us.

All is still again, but the energy still buzzes through me and everything slowly comes back into focus. I see Lara a few paces away from me, pulling herself up as she stares at me with wide-eyed shock.

I instantly hear Jenna’s voice from behind me.

“Eirah. The Praefectus wish to speak with you.” Her voice is sharp and she glares at Lara as I stand up, brushing the grass off my gown. I skip hurriedly past Lara so as not to make Jenna wait, and Lara shoots a worried glance at me. Jenna raises her hand towards the Palladium and I pace ahead. Walking with Jenna, I notice that she only looks at my feet, but avoids my eyes. I notice her frown as she looks down towards her own feet, and then her face softens. I wonder if she’s angry. Jenna looks back at Lara as she remains in the long grass. “Lara, follow the path to the Night Trees. You will find an empty hammock next to Eirah’s. She won’t be kept for long.” She must have seen what just happened, but she remains unreadable.

What did just happen?

The air hangs heavily around me as I try to ignore the dizziness in my head. I don’t know what it was, but something feels different. Something has changed.

I look back at Lara, watching the distance grow between us.