GYMNOPÉDIE

Chapter 38

         "Nessie!" Alpha and Dumbledore could hear a girl's merriment voice. The strands of grey memory morphed clearer, before them an ivory tent settled in the middle of the woods. A cast of azure flames was scorching between the blackened trees and stygian sky. A brunette was playing with the water-serpent hatchling. Her arm was wrapped by the beast, as it was hissing; it was the size of the girl's palm, lizard-like with four legs and emerald green scales akin to a dragon.

        "How many times do I have to tell you, Gemma, don't name her." scolded Alphard, taking the beast off his sister's hand carefully. "That's it, I'm going to put her back in the lake now." his tone was final, Gemma scowled at the tone before tearing her gaze away. "Don't cross the border I made or—"

Alphard raised his fingers but Gemma rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I know, stay in the circle, and also Afanc tale doesn't scare me anymore."

"All right." the older exhaled loudly, honey eyes peering down to the Oilliphéist on his palm and he stepped out of the white lines surrounding their campsite. Between the primeval curtains of trees creatures of darkness and ancient beast lurked for prey, the line of charmed eggshells and salt was the only thing to keep them away in Ireland's wood.

       With one more glance to Gemma, Alphard buried his thoughts—there was a strange feeling he couldn't brush off—a shadow that was following them. The Irish man pushed past the branches and scattered twigs on the soil was gasping on his steps as he followed the moonbeam, leading to the lake that mirrored the silver light.

Alphard bent down to release the little beast, it squirmed delightfully, crawling with its four dragon-like feet, its neck craning longer like a swan once it reached the water. The wind swirled around him as he got to his feet, though he could feel something was not right. The air felt way thicker and the scent of jasmine misted in the air, after a low mumble of old-English he stirred to the side speaking with clarity.

        "I'm old enough to repel your charms." stated the heir to the nothingness, although his jaw went rigid.

Footstalls came with bushes ruffling, a woman with platinum hair flowed down to her feet. The figure stared at him with doe-eyes beaming to the man. She was ethereal with her porcelain skin—tinged of blue and leaves thatched to her skin; completely bare in the wood's chilling air and she appeared as radiant as the moon. Alphard knew enough it was an illusion from their kin magic.

         A Sidhé.

       "Young Emrys has returned to my land." The Sidhe's voice was echoing between branches but her lips were sealed as she stepped forward to him. Alpha could only look down to avoid looking at her bare body, she rotated the Irish man. "I do not desire you, Emrys." Her fingers brushed Alphard's face like feathers, she breathed to his nape. "I came to see Morrígan's pawn."

       "The Morrígan's pawn?" the word escaped from his lips, he knew it was against the rule to speak with the deceitful creatures. The Sidhé was taking a form fairer than a witch, but beneath the magic she was a deceitful creature lurking for poor souls to feast.

"You brought her with you." she hummed to his ear and her timbre would enthrall man's ear if it wasn't for the spell Alphard casted on himself. He had read about them, some lured man with their magic before they died consuming the man's energy from time to time. Alpha narrowed his eyes as to why the creature spoke of Gammaliel. "Your kin are in a war once again, isn't it—they always crave for power and blood." she scoffed morbidly, resting her hand on his shoulder. "The Druids, they wrote about her long before this. Right after Emrys's failure."

The wizard peered to the Sidhé from the corner of his eyes, although he avoided staring at her crimson irises, knowing well it was the source of their charms. "What prophecy?"