COF 2: The Soul Spells

3 | Twin (I)

"Exactly!" June gestured towards Nyxis in agreement.

Xanthy glared at her friends. They're being hostile for no reason. It's just a harmless hug. There's no need to overreact.

The boy gave Xanthy a bemused smile, like he can't be sure whether to laugh or to be insulted. "I am sorry to ask, but who are these people? How on earth can you talk? What happened to your hair?"

Xanthy's hand flew to the strands of khaki hair growing on her head. What's her hair got to do with anything? She resisted the urge to scoff. "I can talk since childhood," she glanced at her companions. "These are my friends, June and Nyxis."

"Who are you? What are you planning to do with Xanthy?" Nyxis narrowed his eyes. Xanthy cast him a withering glare. Not him, too.

The boy cocked his head to one side, his lips parting in some kind of realization. "Xanthy? That is her name?" His Ylanenla sounded nice and perfectly tailored like that of the Nobles in Cardina. Did Xanthy like that? She didn't know.

"Yes, peahead," June crossed his arm, frowning. He was not happy. "Now answer Nyxis's question."

"Fine. I do not plan to do anything to...Xanthy," the boy regarded her as he said her name. Xanthy blinked. What was that? Some kind of fairy etiquette? "I just mistook her for someone else."

"Well, at least, apologize!" Nyxis gestured wildly with his arms.

"Enough!" Xanthy stomped her foot, stirring dust from the forest floor. "No one will be apologizing!"

It's just a hug, idiots!

June opened his mouth to say something when the leaves to Xanthy's far left rustled. "Who's there?" she yelled, dropping into a stance. The leaves continued rustling, sending rich and shaky echoes around the forest. A bird cawed not too far away. June and Nyxis glanced at her. They all froze.

A girl slowly emerged from the shadows. Xanthy gasped. It's like looking at herself without the aid of mirrors.

"What is this?" June looked from Xanthy to the newcomer. He turned to the boy. "Do you know what this is?"

The boy looked just as perplexed. "They look exactly alike."

It's true. The only difference was that the other girl wore a tunic and a skirt with a hooded cape tied around her neck and her luscious, wavy, khaki brown hair was up to her waist, whereas Xanthy only wore scavenged tunic and trousers from the Temple and her shoulder-length hair was dry and brittle. How unfair.

"She looks just like me," Xanthy muttered, more to herself than anyone.

Nyxis nodded in agreement, apparently having heard Xanthy's whisper. "Yeah, but how? And why?"

The girl gesticulated with her hands. The stranger raised his eyebrows.

Xanthy whirled to the boy with her eyebrows knitted. "What happened?"

The boy sighed as he scratched his head again. He seemed to be still processing things. "Ravalee cannot talk so we communicate with gestures. She says I should explain and lead you back to the Capital."

Ravalee. The name rang in Xanthy's ears like a festival gong. "Let me get this straight," Xanthy stepped closer to the new girl. "You are Ravalee?"

"Oh, you know each other? How cool," June muttered. Nyxis just looked back and forth between Xanthy, Ravalee, and the boy.

Xanthy ignored them. She turned back to the girl and raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

I am Ravalee, yes. Welcome to Penleth. Ravalee's voice rang clear in Xanthy's head. She offered Xanthy a small smile.

Xanthy frowned. "So now you decide to open your mind," she said out loud which earned her a curious glance from the three boys.