Iris Kailen and the Curse of Malachi(Book 1 of the Enchanted Series)

Chapter 4: The Enchanted Fellow of Alvar

"Who are you?" Aunt Robbie asked the stranger aggressively while holding out the dagger.

"No need for violence, Guardian. You know you're safe within the bounds of your home," the woman answered in her melodic voice.

Without further ado, the woman grabbed a dagger with a white hilt from behind her, sliced her wrist and let the drops of blood fall. The droplets started to turn into blue smoke as they reached the threshold.

Iris was too shocked to react.

"I'm clean. Now, can you invite me in?" Iris noticed that the woman's wrist was already healed, her dagger back in place. Everybody was silent.

Her aunt silently pocketed her dagger and breathed a sigh which almost sounded like a relief. Iris felt her gran relax her grip around her shoulders.

"State your business," her aunt asked.

"Sasha Alston, Enchanted Fellow of Alvar. Pendelgolff sent me."

After a whole minute of silence, "Mum," her Aunt Robbie knowingly looked at her Gran.

"You are invited," her Gran told Sasha with trace of reluctance from her voice.

Sasha slowly stepped her right shoe inside the threshold and waited for a while before finally entering, the now-calm Hermes soundlessly trailing behind her.

Without waiting for a word from the residents, Sasha sat crossed-legged at the nearest sofa.

They followed suit. Iris was seated between her Aunt and Gran.

"How did you find us?", her Gran spoke for the first time. "I made sure we left no trace."

"You did your job well, Mortal. I did not find you. The Enchanted presented herself," Sasha was smiling at her, her features exuding awestrucking beauty that Iris was unable to respond back with a smile.

Her aunt and Gran looked at her questioning.

"I saw her at the city. Outside a store and at the theme park," Iris said silently.

"She saw me. Saw through my glamour at the store. Followed her trail from then. Curiously enough, I discovered she's turning into a tween today. Just the right time."

"I wasn't expecting that kind of welcome, though, Guardian," Sasha was looking at her aunt icily.

"We were being careful. I heard stories from our folks. Enchanteds being hunted by the Children of the Fallen."

"Then you should have sought help from Faylinn," Sasha said in a rather raised voice, Hermes hissed silently, "She'll be more protected surrounded with our folk."

"You failed us once," her gran said bitterly.

"I understand where you're coming from. But you must know that she'll be courting danger now and you or your guardian child cannot protect her alone. You were lucky I came here first. The Daemons will be able to sense her now that she's a tween. I was lucky enough to come here without being followed by any element ," the frustration in Sasha's voice cannot be mistaken.

Her gran and aunt were silent.

Iris was looking down at her hands, now clenched in a fist.

"If you're done discussing among yourselves, it would be nice to at least share with me the minutes," Iris could no longer hold back her frustration. The three woman looked at her like they've just realized she was in the room. She felt angry and betrayed. She realized that her gran and aunt have been guarding from her secrets of her own identity.