I leaned against the door catching my breath. I looked around the unfamiliar room and suddenly had this strange sense that Cronus was watching me. I looked up into the corners looking for a light that might indicate a camera. I began feeling the walls as I moved around the room, searching for signs of a secret entrance. There was no knowing what else was hidden in this house.
Finally, I took the pyjamas Morgan had lent me. The top was made of cotton but had a sweater type look and was a deep read with silhouettes of fairies with a slight sparkle to their wings. The trousers were just plain black. They were comfortable. I sat on the bed ready to get in and sleep when there was a knock at the door and it opened, revealing Cronus.
Where his presence before in my room had excited me, it filled me with fear. Had he found out about my discrepancy and was here to drag me to the hidden basement to rot with Darcia.
"Do you have anything you want to tell me?"
My heart raced. My breaths shortened with the dread that he knew. I tried to hold it together. I had to think fast. Afterall, I was good at lying, that's why everyone from my former life hated me, "The others told me about Reps." I dropped my head to avoid meeting his eyes and to feign sadness. Although part of me feared that perhaps I should be worried for them. I tried to magnify that feeling, to draw it to the forefront, "They said they will kill them and there is nothing I can do."
Cronus sat next to me and placed an arm across my back. "There is much to learn about our ways." I leaned into him enjoying the comfort. "I tell you what, I will stay the night but just as your friend."
He'll turn on you...
I wanted to decline his offer but I was worried it would draw attention to the fact that I no longer trusted him, "Thank you. I think I'm going to bed now though as I'm so tired." I got up and walked around to the other side to create a distance between us.
Cronus rose and pulled back the blanked, "Good. You need your sleep."
With a wave of his hand, he light switch clicked and the room was dark except for the moonlight streaming in through the window. I got in next to him and lay rigid like an egyption mummy, trying desperately not to touch him.
Cronus didn't seem to notice. His deep voice filled the darkness, "The moon fuels the magic of all shifters, whether they be avatars or spiriters."
"What is the difference between the two?"
"Avatars have a soul connected with their body, it makes their immortal life spans have an expiration date although it is far off. A spiriter has no soul, we cannot die. You are truly immortal."
I glanced over at his face gazing out at the night sky. He was smiling and oozing with power. He looked inviting. I turned to my side and watched him for a moment before saying, "Good night, Cronus."
I shut my eyes. There was a reason Darcia was in the basement. That reason could be that she is the one I shouldn't trust.
Keep your wits about you little Chick...
I woke to find Cronus was gone. It made me wonder if his company had been a dream. I ran a comb through my hair and splashed my face with a little water before putting on a dressing gown and heading downstairs.
Breakfast in the dining hall was a buffet style breakfast. There was pretty much anything you fancied and I was encouraged to eat up ready for the big journey ahead. After breakfast, Cronus lead us out of the house. We stood at the edge of the mountain but the way the ledge rose up obscure us from the view of anyone below. One by one, shadows were cast and from the darkness came a crow. I was excited for my turn. I could fill my feathers bristling beneath my skin eager to lift me and feel the wind. The shift was a little uncomfortable but it was more bearable this time as I knew the pain would be over quick and my body to take the form it desired.
As the shadow engulfed me, my sight faded to black but when I emerged a crow and soared up to meet the others, I felt like my world had lit up in technicolour. We soared down to the lake and out through the gaps in the mountain. The beating rhythm of my wings was therapeutic and I found my mind drifting back to Darcia. She was almost ghostlike in her waif form, so slender that she barely was there at all. I wondered if anyone else knew about her and whether Cronus permitted her food. I was happy in my new family but there was something not right. Her warning rang in my ear that at some point Cronus would turn on me, that he was not the protector that I envisioned him as. It made me feel uncomfortable following his orders like I was flying into a trap but he hadn't done anything to me that felt wrong. Except to tell me the terms about my transitioning contract. It sounded like that was out of his hands and just the way it had to be.
That troubled me too. Was I even capable of going through with it. Or was I about to learn shadowkinesis only to meet my end.
These thoughts haunted me all the way back to hometown. As we neared Felixstowe, I heard Cronus' voice, "Do you have a back garden?"
"Yes."
"Will it provide enough cover for us to shift."
I thought about it, "Yes."
"Lead us there Kya."
I had to beat my wings harder to push myself to the front of the formation and lead the crows to my home. The back garden was cast in strange shadows as each crow began their shift. Stretching out the inky darkness to become human again. They looked out of place in their black attire in my back garden and I suddenly felt uneasy by their presence. This was my safe place and as much as I had come to like them in the short space of time we had, I still didn't really know them yet. I felt awkward as they all looked at me with anticipation and I didn't know what they wanted.
"Aren't you going to invite us in?" Cronus asked.
"Of course," I smiled weakly, "This way." I began walking towards the backdoor.
"Is that an invitation. I'd like to hear it so I don't overstep my welcome."
I opened the backdoor, "Please come in."
Mum and dad appeared and greeted my visitors as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world to have your home invaded by goths through your backdoor. Mum busily began making them drinks. Luckily my home wasn't small and my entourage made themselves comfortable on the various chairs in our open plan lounge dinner. Morgan took an interest in the fish.
"I'm sorry have been gone," I apologised, "And, I know I should have called."
"Have you been gone?" Dad laughed.
"I hadn't noticed." Added mum. She looked at Callum, "Was that a latte you wanted?"
"Yes, please."
"Mum, dad, what's wrong with you?" I looked between them, my world was spinning. All the strange faces staring at me. A room full of unknown in my home.
Morgan stood up from where she had been squatting looking at the fish, "They're not really your parents. They're shells. The Rep's have doctored them."
"How do we fix them?"
Cronus' voice oozed authority, "Humans is not our area."
"I was a human." I replied, "We were all humans once."
"You were a werewolf when we came for you."
"No, I wasn't. I never shifted. I never howled at the moon."
Cronus laughed and didn't answer me. I turned to Morgan, her eyes looked sad as if she understood how I was feeling, like she remembered something similar. "I was a mer like your brother but they didn't want me. We are dealt with before we shift to protect the avatars."
I felt like screaming. Once again, I felt like everyone was screwing me over. I had lost everything for a world where my amazing stud of a brother got to have everyone running around to protect him and his world.
Aero greeted me and seemed excited to see me. After I patted his head, he settled by my side but continued to omit a low growl at the crows and my parents.
"I think he's pleased to see you," My dad said. "He hasn't been the same since you and your brother left."
"Murray has gone?"
"He has transferred to an exclusive college."
I looked at Cronus. He smiled casually, "Similar to the one you can go to once you finish highschool."
I groaned. My new life didn't feel liberating, it was my old life but more complicated. "I'm going to my room. I need some space to think about everything that's happened."
"We might take off and check into a local hotel." Cronus said.
"Do stay for some dinner," My dad cooed. "We'd welcome the company."
"We are good," Cronus nodded. "Come on murder."
Murder. I knew it was the word for a flock of crows but hearing him use it to refer to them collectively made me shiver. It almost felt like he was subconsciously trying to warn me that I am far from safe.
***
Finally, alone, I sat at my desk. Aero made himself comfy at my feet. I looked at the shadow of a can of deodorant. I reached out to feel the shadow and felt it cool but inviting like the darkness I channelling to shift. I gently pushed with my fingers and I saw the can sway.
A smile filled my face and my heartbeat excited. This time I moved my hand quickly and the can toppled over. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and saw my eyes were lit an electric blue.
I liked the way I looked. The dark inky hair, the pale white skin and the way my eyes lit up bright like Christmas lights. I practiced casting my shadow, cloaking myself in a pitch-black smoke. I marvelled at my starting blue eyes, spying out. I let the shadow drop before I shifted and stood up.
I wanted to practice moving things.. I created some distance by moving back to my bed. I tried again. Even from further away, I easily knocked the can over.
I stood the can up again. This time, I held my hand up and imitated taking the lid off. "Come on," I groaned. "Lid off!" I tried over and over. Focusing my energy on feeling the darkness but I just couldn't do it. I patted Aero, "It's not as easy as it looks."
I collapsed backwards onto the bed. "Pushing things is easy." I waved my hand at the door and it shut. "See."
Aero jumped up on the bed beside me. I crawled up to my pillow and under the covers. Aero made himself comfortable.
I waved my hands at my curtains. They flapped a little but they didn't draw shut. I groaned getting out of bed to shut them, "Why do somethings work and not others?"
Aero just blinked at me. He's gorgeous brown eyes looked tired. I got back in bed but stayed sitting up in case I had to get out again.
I looked at my light switch and recalled how easy Cronus had made it look. I waved my hand and was met by a satisfying click. I snuggled down into bed.
****
Aero slept on my bed all night. He made me feel safe in a home where my parents were no longer my own. In the morning, I got washed and dressed for school and then made my way downstairs for breakfast. I had not expected to find Cronus in the kitchen eating breakfast with my mum and dad.
"Good morning," Cronus grinned.
My mum behaved like a stepford wife placing pancakes in front of me with a smile and a little jug of syrup. "Good morning beautiful."
"What a wonderful day for learning," My dad added.
"I couldn't agree more," Cronus said. His dark eyes never leaving me.
I sat down and ate my pancakes. I couldn't denythey were delicious. Maybe I could get used to this version of my mum. But, part of me missed the way they got angry and cared about my mistakes. This pair were like smiling zombies that were annoyingly happy thinking everything is sunshine and rainbows.
"So what's the plan today?" I asked feeling that I had lost all sense of control over my life.
Cronus laughed, "Well you appear to be dressed for school."
"Oh, it is a marvellous school." My mum gushed.
"Kya has her exams later this month. She's going to ace them. That's our super smart princess." My dad chimed.
"I'll be lucky if I scrape a pass."
"I will be proud of you just for trying." My mum almost sang.
"You can always re-sit. You have the luxury of all the time in the world." Cronus said. He then pointed to his cup and looked at my mum who smiled and nodded, dashing to the kitchen to retrieve a pot of filtered coffee and then proceeded to pour it for him.
"Well, if I am going to school, I really need to get going."
"Blow those teachers away," My dad cheered.
I threw Cronus a somber look but he just smirked. "Don't wear yourself out. We start training this evening."
I smiled. That was music to my ears. Maybe Cronus could show me what I was doing to improve my skills. He had no idea I had begun practising last night. I would continue to practice every chance I get. Maybe, these powers could keep me safe from the doom Darcia had implanted in me.