It had been an amazing day at school, it was good to hang out with Arizona and Fallon although I was wary of not letting them too close. Having them back in my life was risky. I had to take care not to drag them into my life but had to equally not make it too obvious that I roused suspicion that encouraged them to snoop.
I had agreed to plans I had no intention of going to. It wasn't that I didn't want to go but I know Cronus needed to me to attend training. He wanted to get me up to speed urgently. I was pretty sure he wouldn't allow me time off to socialise anymore than necessary.
It was awkward when they both expected me to walk home with them and I had to explain, I needed to be somewhere else. Somewhere that was on my way home.
We reached the hotel and I quickly thought up an excuse.
"I've started piano lessons." I lied. It felt so wrong to lie after they had forgiven me and not asked me to explain myself. It was just not spoken about. But, I saw the way Fallon looked at me and I could tell she saw right through me.
"Why did you start that when you have exams to sit. You should have waited until they were out of the way." Fallon judged me. She had already passed her verdict.
"I heard it helps to process the exam nerves."
"Really?" Arizona smiled, "I hadn't heard that. I wish I was learning piano too."
"I best get going," I casually waved over my shoulder as I walked onto the hotel grounds. I walked with my head held high before they could ask me anymore questions. I let out a long sigh like I had dodged a bullet only to be met by Cronus' frown.
"This way missus!" He snapped.
"What did I do?" I gasped, "I came here straight from school, just as you instructed."
He didn't answer but he tightened his fist and I could feel it as if he had gripped my wrist. He Marched down the corridor and I felt myself being dragged along. I ran to keep up with his big strides. I must have looked odd to anyone watching us but nobody could see how Cronus was hurting me.
Once in the lounge we had occupied the previous day, he swung his hand and the door slammed shut.
"I've been told that you have been abusing your power!" He said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I've been told that you attacked a mermaid. Princess Mariah."
I laughed. I had to laugh. I couldn't believe it. Mariah was a fucking princess. Of course she was. She couldn't be an ordinary girl that stole my boyfriend, stole my brother and god knows what else she wanted. She could have it all. She was a princess. Mother fucking royalty. I felt my blood boil at the injustice of it all and the room darkened as my sarcastic laughter halter, "And, what about it."
Cronus growled. "You can't do that. As the law, we have to uphold the standard. We are role models to the whole hidden world. We need to be trusted to do what is right."
"Sound frigging boring to me." I snorted.
The wind was hit out of me as my body was lifted up into the air and slammed into one of the mahogany bookcases. The books toppled form the shelves onto me. I looked up at Cronus stunned and scared.
"Do you want to fight me?" He asked, "I am an ancient. I've had years to master my power and I can out power you every time." He rubbed his temples as if speaking to me wore him out, "This is why we should kill children."
My breath caught in my throat with the chill of his cold words. I was scared. He began walking towards me and I waved my hands to lift the books from the floor and throw them towards him. Cronus laughed as he dismissed the books with a wave of his hand sent them flying off into different directions. "Cut it out, before you get hurt."
"Isn't that what you want?"
"No, I am order. You are part of my order. I need you to obey the laws. What possessed you to attack Mariah."
I felt incredibly juvenile as I admitted, "She stole my boyfriend."
Cronus lifted me from where I cowered on the floor. His laugh rumbled and filled the room. I drifted across the room as if cradled in invisible arms and he placed me down on the sofa. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
I nervously smiled. His sudden shift in mood did nothing to ease the tension. I was scared of him. I could feel his power buzzing in the air around me. Cronus waved his arms and the books began lifting themselves off the floor and returning themselves to where they had come from.
"You need to grow up chick. There are much bigger things to deal with than bitches. You are more important than some stupid boy."
I got the impression that his words were supposed to comfort me but I sat rigid where he placed me using all my strength to prevent me from bolting.
"Thankfully you are still in training. You couldn't have known our ways and this is the defence I gave the council to get your pardon."
"What would have happened if I hadn't been pardoned?"
"Death. We can't have that." Cronus smiled, "We need to seek revenge on that wolf that marked you. You need to kill him so you can full transition."
There was that talk of murder that I didn't like. The idea that my stupidity almost got me killed was quite terrifying, "I thought you said we cannot die."
"It is rare." He admitted and then changed the subject, "You impressed me today." I looked up surprised that he was proud of me after the little display that had just taken place. "You put up a good fight for a novice. I had to think fast."
"Thank you," I smiled. His good mood now was met with suspicion. His violent outburst has demonstrated to me that I couldn't trust him. His moods could change so fast. He was unpredictable. That made me feel uneasy.
"You need to be better. We have wasted enough time this evening dealing with your misdemeanor. Back to training."
****
Cronus had kept me late training. He had bought me dinner and made me cut up my food and eat without using my hands. It was tricky and a little messy at times but by the time dessert came, I was starting to get the hang of it. When he finally let me fly home, it felt like the attack had never happened. Even the bruises had healed. It had happened and it got me thinking about whether I could trust him or not. He had promised that tomorrow night, I could hang out with the other crows.
At school my days slipped back into old. It was comforting the familiarity even with my upcoming exams. After school I enjoyed taking my detour to the hotel to meet my new family. Their company was new and exciting and with each lesson I was getting better at controlling my powers.
People are cowards. Or maybe they are sheep. They are certainly fickle. Seeing my friends forgive me for my lies, encouraged others to follow suit. Soon, I was surrounded by friends although now I had a new awareness. I knew some of them were not real, they just went along with the masses. As the numbers grew, those left stilling hating had to turn face, realising their view was out numbered. It takes great courage to stand up to others and I admired Fallon for her tenacity. She was like a warrior Queen telling people to back off, get a life, leave me alone. She stood proudly as my friend and if anyone dared to challenge her she gave them some home truths that caused them to scurry back into the hole the climbed out of.
My home was eerie. Seeing my over happy parents was a reminder of all I had lost. The absence of my brother weighed heavy on my heart. I was now aware that he had been interfering in my love life but i kind of got why now. He just wanted to protect me. Part of me felt very vulnerable under Cronus' eye and desperate for Murray's protection. Cronus' regime left my very little time alone. I felt heavily controlled.
When the final bell rang to signal school finishing, I tried to leave without my friends but they saw me leave and hurried to catch me up.
"Wait up Kya," Fallon called. I could see the look on her face, she was suspicious of me. "What's the rush."
"My piano lesson." I lied.
"Again?" Arizona's eyebrows raised.
"Yep, I got a special deal for a batch of lessons but they all have to be taken in one month."
"That's really weird," Fallon said. "Who is teaching you?"
"Um..." I couldn't think of a name for my piano teacher, "You don't know him."
"Try me," Fallon pushed. Then she turned to Arizona, "Ari is interested in lessons too."
"He's not that good. I think I'll give up after the month trial and I wouldn't recommend him."
"Why bother going then?" Fallon pushed.
"I dunno." I shrugged. Her interrogation was starting to unravel me. I thought I was good at lying.
"Just give me a name?" Fallon demanded, "Stop being so weird about it."
"Cronus. You won't know him as he has just moved here from Scotland."
"Interesting." Fallon said with a smile. "Let us know how your lessons go. And, if Cronus does discounts for recommending a friend."
"I will." I nodded.
"You'll ask for me?" Arizona asked happily. "Find out how much and if he does a twin discount, incase Phoenix is interested too."
I nodded, "Okay." I wanted to cry. They didn't realise how their interest was putting them in danger and also I had no idea how mad Cronus would be that I gave them his name. He had a thing for keeping their world secret and that wasn't very secret.
I was relieved when we reached the hotel and I could say goodbye to my friends.
***
Cronus had me practicing my shadowkinesis again but he promised that tomorrow I could have a little respite and we would all go out together for a bit of fun. I was keen to hang out with the others again but I was wary of the atmosphere would be different with Cronus around. I was sure I wasn't the only one to see his ugly side.
I knew the routine. Get through a day at school and then I could get to the hotel for training. Today, I was extra excited as this evening we were going for a night out, on a school night.
Cronus sent Morgan to meet me in reception. We hurried up the stairs to her room where I was able to get changed out of my uniform and borrow some of her clothes. She had been shopping and their were store bags everywhere.
"You didn't hold back." I chuckled as she pulled the tag off a black sequin dress for me to wear.
"There aren't many shops here. This has been a lot of hard work to collect."
Once in her dress, Morgan got me to sit on the foot of her bed. She gave me a smokey eye and a red lip. It was the sort of look that Fallon would say was too much but around my new friends, it was perfect.
"Beautiful." Morgan said admiring her work.
I smiled at my reflection. "Is it okay if I agree."
"Of course it is," Morgan laughed. "Love yourself and don't give a damn what anyone else thinks. Be you."
"Thanks," I blushed.
We then headed out of her room and down the corridor to Cronus' room. I was kind of surprised that the room wasn't more extravagant. It was nicely decorated in style with the rest of the hotel but it looked exactly how I had seen in the brochure. Part of me thought that Cronus would have somehow managed to have bent the rules to make his room his own.
Cronus opened the window and we all shifted into crows. It felt good to be in my crow form. We hopped onto the window ledge, one by one, and flew out. Cronus lead the way and we followed him. We sailed through the air, past my school and up the dual carriageway. We flew into the centre of Ipswich. I'd always wanted to go out in Ipswich and my friends and I had spoken about it but worried about not getting home and the amount of trouble we'd be in with our parents. But, here I was and I had no worries about how I would get home.
As we walked in, I noticed how guys turned and looked at me. I loved the way the dress shimmered. We headed to the bar and Cronus ordered a round of drinks. He carried the tray over but when I looked more closely, I realised he was brazen and the tray was hovering just in front of him. It glided down to the table undetected by the regular punters that anything unusual had just happened. Well, all except one guy that was slumped in a chair across the room. He looked like he might have had too much, rubbed his eyes and after what he had seen, got up, scratched his head and stumbled out of the establishment.
To my disappointment, everyone had fancy cocktails. Cronus slid a coke in front of me, "You're not old enough to drink. There are laws before our own."
Callum began choking on his drink. Cronus gave him a serious look. He tried to explain himself, "Come on Cronus, do you seriously think she hasn't ever had a drink?"
"Not without my say so," His eyes flashed electric blue and Callum slid down in his seat.
Once Cronus was distracted chatting to some of the punters at the pool table, Callum whispered, "Please don't tell him about the other night."
The bar had pool tables and Cronus challenged two young lads to a game. Cronus slipped on some dark sunglasses before they began. It didn't take me long to figure out he was hustling them. With the sleight of hand he was able to cause their balls to curve and miss the intended pockets. Whereas his own shots were gently tapping multiple balls into the pockets.
"You must be a pro!" One of the lands demanded. "Nobody is that good."
"Are you cheating us?" The other lad asked. "That was magic man!"
Cronus laughed and casually responded, "I used to play way back."
"What's your name." The first lad said, "Maybe we've heard of you."
"Doubt it. You probably weren't even a twinkle in your fathers eye."
"Oh come on man," The second land said waving his mobile phone at Cronus, "I'll google it."
Cronus laughed, "Beat me and I'll tell you."
The guys gave up after being beat three games in a row. Then Cronus suggested they play me. The second land bowed out, said he was done losing. The first lad checked me out. I saw the way his eyes ran up and down my body and he nodded.
Cronus passed me his cue. As I chalked it up my, his voice tickled my neck, "Beat them and I'll get you a cocktail. I know you want one."
I did. I had been watching the other crows enjoy fancy drinks all evening whilst I drank coke. The guy that had accepted the challenge was slightly older than me. The sort of guy that would peak Fallon's interest. An older guy.
"You can break." He stood back and watched me lean over the table to take the first shot. The triangle broke and the colours spun around the table. I saw the black racing towards a hole, my heart fluttered and I quickly waved my hand in front of me. The ball suddenly changed direction and shot across the table.
"Woah, I've never seen that before." He said stunned.
"Me neither," I gasped and then giggled, "Must be my guardian angel. I made a note to myself that I couldn't let the movements be too sudden or it was too obvious that something was going on.
He wasn't too bad a played and for the next shots, I let him pot a yellow on his turn. "So, I'm yellow," He confirmed like I was some kind of novice that had never played pool before. I wanted to pot a red to show him I was no novice but I was nervous about making it too obvious so I just tried to hit it myself. When I didn't pot a ball he laughed, "You need that guardian angel to come back.
I looked at Cronus and mouthed "H E L P" but he just laughed and shook his head. I was on my own and realised this was another test.
The guy took his shot and potted two. I was going to lose if I didn't figure this out. I leaned over the table eyeing up the ball and figuring out my shot. I was aware the guy was checking out my arse and then realised that this was how I could win. I wiggled my bum to distract him and took my shot. I encouraged four reds down holes and when I spun round to face him, I grinned, "I guess she's back."
The guy quickly looked at the table and I saw the surprise on his face. He hadn't been paying attention and now I have levelled the playing field. As the guy took his shot, I strolled around the table and as I passed Cronus, I reached up and swiped his glasses. Now, I didn't need to worry about distracting the guy, I could like him straight in the eye and use my powers.
Cronus chuckled as I had fun, cleaning the table with my next shot. The guy watched in silence as I strolled along the table, stroking the wood but encouraging that white ball to keep rolling, into the black and then guiding the black into the pocket, right before his eyes. I did it gently, slowly, so it wasn't obvious. I grinned at the guy when I won.
He shook his head,"I'm glad you said just for fun!"
Cronus walked up to the guy and shook his hand, "I never play for money. That's a poor man's game. You are good. We are just better." The guy laughed and shook his head He couldn't believe it but he couldn't deny that after being beat four times. Cronus slid an arm around my waist, "I'm going to get this little chick a drink."
Cronus walked me to the bar and ordered me my first ever Daiquiri. As I sat at the stool and took I sip, I loved it. This was the life.