Mareike perched the steaming cup on her satchel bag, and looked around the room once more. The only couch in the room was brown leather and positioned between two armchairs, while the third of the triplet set sat opposite it forming a triangle. All had different colours of wool linen draped across them, probably to hide their condition, as well as a wooden coffee table on each side of each.
At one end of the room, a small glass bookshelf lined with books stood proudly against the wall. Half of the books were wide open, while others looked old and dusty–like they hadn't been opened in years. One stood out though; The History of Meissa–An Antarctican adventure. It was a closed one positioned at the edge of the shelf, and its white cover was embossed with gold letters which looked like they were moving.
Mareike squinted her eyes, and tried to look closer when a small cat ran across the bookshelf. She gulped quickly, and raised her legs trying to calm herself. When she looked back, both the furry creature and the book were gone leaving neat, dust free arranged books on the shelf.
She shook her head and diverted her attention to the ceiling, where tiny bulbs hung from different sections casting a soft yellow light on the room. Sadly, it was made unnoticeable by the natural light coming in through the open shutters. The room had a light feel to it, and in one word, it was cozy and smelled like hot bread.
She bounced her feet on the intricate rug, marvelled by its abundance of spiral patterns when a voice floated past her.
"Drink the tea, Mareike, before it gets cold. You won't like it when it's cold, dear," the old woman told her.
Mareike did not like to classify people by age, but this woman had surely lived a long life. Small eyes guarded by square glass frames stared back at her as she sat in the third armchair, her feet crossed with a wooden cane between them. A shawl lay across her lap, a hook in one frail hand while she extended the other towards Mareike, urging her to keep drinking.
She nodded her head and took a small sip, closing her eyes tightly as she fought the urge to grimace. It felt like she was drinking sand, sweet sugary sand.
"It's guatada tea. You'll learn to like it...eventually." Ace offered, clinking his raised glass to hers in a toast.
He walked over to their host, Ravka, and sat on one of the coffee tables. Mareike heard the soft creak it made, and looked on as the small chair wobbled under his weight.
"Ace, you'll break the table." Chiara pointed out immediately, but was replied with a chuckle.
"Nah, it won't. Watch." Ace responded and lightly touched one edge of the table, leaning back as the table turned into a wooden chair spotting another coffee table.
Priya clapped her hands in delight, and sat on another table trying to redo the trick. In less than a second, she was casually resting on a chair with her legs laid across the accompanying furniture.
Ace gave her a thumbs up, and turned to the woman with a grave expression on his face. "Ravka, you sent us a message to see you immediately we landed. Is there any trouble?"
She picked up the cloth laid across her lap and continued crocheting, her fingers moving at a leisurely pace as she wound and unwound wool. "There's always trouble, Larique, the problem is usually in the solution."
He gave a sigh and frowned. "You know what I mean."
She paused briefly and looked at him, shaking her head. "You didn't even clear the tables, boy."
Ravka raised her cane and rapidly mumbled a few words, while Mareike and the others watched as the cups flew upwards and zapped towards another room in a straight file.
"So magic is actually real," Chiara whispered excitedly beside her, gazing at the cutlery till they moved out of sight. "I wonder what else she'll show us."
"Now, what were we saying?" The woman asked, focusing her attention on the rest of them sitting opposite her. Mareike felt a chill in the air, and a vibration in her left side as the woman squinted her eyes in her direction for the second time.
Instinctively she touched her leg, and felt the rough texture of the note in her pocket. She felt the woman's eyes on her, and immediately put a finger into her mouth putting her teeth to work. Her gut instinct did not want anyone's eyes on that note, and neither did she.
They were still staring at each other when Ravka replied Ace, "Our crystals are quickly fading, while Jeshan is becoming stronger. You need to reach the castle as soon as possible, and claim your family's abilities, before they strike."
"Abilities? We get other abilities?" Femi asked, sitting forward for the first time since they arrived.
"Yes, my child. Come closer," she beckoned to him and he walked towards her till he was crouched at her side.
"You're different from the rest of them," she continued calmly and grabbed his hand before he could stand up, "I don't mean your colour child, we have crisiants like you here, you just have a different aura."
She released his arm, and placed her hold on his face as she closed her eyes and started to sway from side to side. Tihan motioned Femi to stay calm, and everyone observed them in silence as the woman let out a loud breath and opened her mouth.
"The path you walk is not the path you seek,
But the one that’s behind you is the one you must find,
In a circle where life and death meet,
There you’ll discover the rest of your kind."
Ravka released him and collapsed onto her chair, breathing heavily while they all stared at Femi in curiosity.
"That was a prophecy, wasn't it?" Priya asked quietly, moving to his side to help him up.
"Yes, it was." Ace moved to the woman's side and helped her up. "What does that mean, Ravka?"
"Son, I've never known what the goddess, bless her life, means by what she says." She paused and laid her shawl on the table beside her, "But I know he's an integral part of Meissa's victory or defeat."
The woman opened her mouth like she wanted to say more, but she shook her head instead and stood up balancing her weight on the wooden cane. Beside her, Femi's eyes still shone wide and he kept muttering to himself repeatedly.
"I think it's time Ace took you to Nevada. The gifting ceremony needs to be held as quickly as possible."
"We're going somewhere else?" Chiara questioned, just at the same time as Tihan complained, "How do we even know they're really from here?"
Both of them looked at each other and hissed, not very quietly. Ravka simply smiled and touched Tihan's shoulder,
"Their energies are from Meissa, and it's obvious that they are our kindred. And to answer your question, child," she turned to Chiara, "Yes, there's more to come."
The woman sighed quietly, "The goddess welcomes you home, and wants to give you her blessings. Come, children."
"I don't believe in that," Eryk replied adamantly.
Ravka shrugged and moved past him, raising an eyebrow when he made the sign of the cross. "She knows, but that won't stop her. You're her child too, no matter how much of the other world you possess."
"Ahh, my dear child." The woman smiled when she reached Priya. She touched her face affectionately, but quickly drew back as if she had been burned.
"What are your abilities?" She asked quietly, and when Priya shook her head, the woman recoiled and touched her palm.
"It's not possible, it cannot be. Your path will be quite a lonely one, but there is still hope for Meissa, because of you," the woman said, and gave her a small smile as she walked past her.
When Ravka got to Mareike, she bent down and grasped one hand tightly muttering rapidly to herself. Within seconds, her face and body had changed to match Mareike.
She gasped and drew out her hand, sinking further into the couch again. She had never met anyone who looked remotely like her, let alone a carbon copy. They stared at each other again with different expressions; as Mareike recoiled in shock while Ravka cocked her head in amusement.
"Is that another one of your abilities? To mimic others?" Eryk asked firmly, sitting forward as the woman advanced towards them.
It was the first time he had spoken like this throughout the entire encounter in the house, and Mareike jumped at the sound.
She shook her head, feeling faint and rubbed her eyes but nothing changed. The figure looked so much like her, and yet nothing like her. The gait and posture was different; more free and casual than she could ever get away with without a scolding from her mother. Walk like a lady, you are not a boy.
"Rarely, but this is a gift from the goddess. She admires you, child, you should too." The woman simply replied, and reverted into her real body.
"Oh. Thank you, I guess." Mareike wrapped her arms around herself and shrank into the chair as everyone else in the room gave them curious stares.
"Alright. Off you go, children. Ace, there's a ship at the back of the house. You know what to do." Ravka ordered suddenly, quickly ushering them out of the house.
Not surprisingly, the others were eager to leave the house, and Mareike quickly found herself alone with the woman. She managed a soft smile and reached for the door, but Ravka drew her back and thrust something into her hand.
"Your path ahead is bright, daughter of the sea. Stand up for what you believe is right, and trust your instincts. Even if it's against everyone else."
Mareike stared at the sparkling stones in her hand. They were as black as three a.m nights, and shaped like pearls...large ones.
"What are these?" She asked, feeling their weight as she pushed them into her right pocket.
"Elpira coins. Use them at the right time and try not to lose them," the woman warned, and gave her a slight nod before retreating into her house.
"May our mother guide you, child." The woman smiled, and shut her door.
Mareike continued to stare at the large oak door, long after it closed. She didn't know whether to feel scared because of the ominous messages the woman at the market gave her and how Ravka seemed to know everything about her, or feel elated that someone liked her and found her beautiful. No matter if that someone was a goddess, supposedly.
"Hey, goddess's favourite," Priya called out to her, "aren't you coming with us?"
She broke into a smile and walked towards them, pausing to hold her side as the pearls jiggled noisily in her pocket. Two items given to her for safekeeping, and no idea on what to do with them.
"Good. You're here," Ace said once she reached them, "now let's get this vehicle moving. We spent a while in Ravka's house, and I've received a message that the royal family is requesting our presence."
"Royal family? Is this some kind of medieval time?" Femi asked, dusting his trousers as he helped Ace and Eryk untie the boat from the docks.
"Of course not." Tihan huffed, and folded his arms indignantly. "Meissa is more modern than where you're from. We just work with nobility, and it's more peaceful that way."
"Hmm. If you say so."
"Why did she call you Larique?" Mareike asked the one question that remained unanswered in the woman's house.
Ace turned to her and shrugged a shoulder. "That's my family name. Every crisiant is identified by that."
"Ohh," she gave a deflated response. It sounded less significant than she thought, but..."so, what is mine then?"
"That's our next stop; to find out," Tihan replied, guiding her into the boat.
*****
Word count: 2,034 words
*****
Finally another update after three weeks. To my faithful readers, thank you for your patience and to new readers, I hope you enjoy this book.
Remember to share your thoughts with me in the comment section.