Immortal Souls (The Immortal Souls: Magic & Chaos)

Chapter 43

Meaning that this girl had the ability to shield herself from Sam.

Which no one should have the Power to do.

Sam looked over the girl's body. Assessing the threat level. She was pretty small, barely five feet. And she was young. Perhaps thirteen, maybe fourteen. Her species of origin wasn't obvious by her appearance, though she did have some form of markings on her face. One across her forehead, just around the area of her third eye and two identical markings under each eye. Sam had never seen marks like those before, but she was sure they probably meant something important.

Her left hand was wrapped up in a bandage that looked like it hadn't been changed in years. It was torn and had both red and black stains on it.

"Poison," the girl said when she noticed Sam looking at it. Sam looked the girl in the eyes. She was smiling in a friendly manner, which just made Sam feel uneasy. Something is seriously off. "My blood is poisoned," continued the girl, "it makes it turn black."

"Will it kill you?" Jamie asked. Sam jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. In all the time she'd spent looking at the girl she had forgotten there was anyone else in the room.

"Eventually," the girl said conversationally, turning her head to the side to look at Jamie. Assessing him the same way Sam had been assessing her.

Sam stepped in front of her gaze, taking her attention away from him. If this girl was a Faerie, Sam didn't want her to pay that much attention to Jamie. He wouldn't last here. And if she wasn't a Faerie, she still didn't want her to pay that much attention to him. He probably wouldn't last anywhere on his own.

The girl gazed at Sam and smiled as if she knew something that Sam didn't. She placed the jar down on the countertop. "But everyone dies eventually."

"My blood can heal," Jamie said and held his arm out to the girl. "You can take some if it will help."

The girl smiled. "Thank you Jamie," she said. Sam looked at her in surprise. He never introduced himself. "But I'm afraid I'm immune to Vampire blood. It won't help."

"How did you know my name?" Jamie asked, allowing his arm to fall back to his side.

"'Cause I know everything," the girl said as if it were obvious. She walked past Sam and tugged on Jamie's arm to make him lean forward. Sam turned and watched as the girl stood on the tips of her toes and whispered something to him. She couldn't hear what was being said, but halfway through whatever it was Jamie looked up at Sam. And spent the rest of the time the girl was whispering staring at her.

The girl finished speaking and slipped something into Jamie's hand before she stepped away. She smiled at Sam, as Jamie put whatever she had slipped him into his pocket. "Bridget's back," she said. "You can get your things now."

"What did you say to him?" Sam asked accusingly, taking a step towards her.

The girl just smiled and walked to the door.

"Effie?"

Sam turned at the sound of the voice to see Bridget behind the counter. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes," she said quietly, with a barely noticeable glance towards Jamie. "I did."

Sam watched as the girl walked out of the store. Then she turned to Bridget.

"Who's that?" she asked as if Bridget was in on some kind of conspiracy with that girl. Though couldn't help being paranoid; that girl was creepy and Bridget knew her.

"That was Effie," Bridget said, as if that was all the explaining that needed to be done.

"And who is Effie?" Sam asked. "What is she?"

Bridget took a moment to think, then frowned. "You know . . . I'm not sure. I never really thought to ask."

Sam sighed and closed her eyes, wondering what that girl had said to Jamie.

She turned her head to look in his direction. He was staring at Bridget unabashedly, his eyes wide. He must be having a system overload with all the things he's seen today.

Jamie always seemed to have a hard time coming to terms with anything that didn't appear normal. He'd either deny the existence of anything that was inhuman, or, when he had been proven to be wrong in his denial, stand there and stare open-mouthed in a state of shock.

She could understand why Jamie appeared freaked out by Bridget. She still looked more humanesque than most other Faeries, but her skin had taken on a pale green glow as had her once chestnut coloured hair. Which gave her an aura of pure undiluted unearthliness. She would be a shock to anyone's system if they weren't used to seeing things like that.

"The usual," she said, turning her attention back to Bridget.

Bridget smiled and started gathering Sam's usual items.

Jamie looked away from Bridget and turned to gaze at Cayden through the window. "Um . . . so, why was he asking you about his ballad?"

Sam sighed. "He writes songs about everyone, and there's one about me too."

"Oh."

"Here you are," Bridget said, and placed a paper bag on the countertop.

"Thanks." Sam took the bag and squished it into her backpack.

Bridget removed a glass jar from the shelf behind her, twisted the lid off and placed it on the table. Sam positioned her hand over the jar and projected some energy waves into it. She took her hand away when the energy inside turned a shade of lightning blue. Bridget put the lid back on, trapping the Magic inside, and replaced it on the shelf.

"See you next month," she said with a smile.

"Bye." Sam roughly pushed Jamie out the door in front of her and walked out behind him.

"What was that?" Jamie asked. "Don't you have to pay?"

Sam smiled. "I did," she replied. "They have no use for money here, things are paid for with Magic or bodily fluids or favours. I choose to pay with Magic."

Jamie didn't say anything in response. He was too busy watching Cayden.

Cayden smiled at Jamie before he turned his attention back to his mandolin and started singing.

"Her heart was filled with sadness—"

Sam grabbed onto Jamie's arm and pulled him back towards the woods, where the portal was. She could still hear Cayden singing as she walked, with Jamie trailing along beside her. His melodic voice sounded through the streets.

"Yet tears would never flow

Her eyes that shone like sapphires

Were filled with wisdom's glow

Childish thoughts of laughter

With time hath fade to dust

Come gather 'round me passers-by

For listen now you must

The worlds lay on her shoulders

Such a burden for one to bear

Come listen to the ballad

Of the girl with golden hair—"