The Changeling Princess (3 page)

CHAPTER 4

I slept until ten o’clock the next morning. I recalled the midnight ceremony and how my entire body had taken on a red glow that no one could explain. I looked down to see that Missy had left the foot of the bed and was sitting next to me.

You look tired, Janis.

I bolted upright. “Did you just say something, Missy?” She didn’t answer.

If I really did hear Missy speak, it meant that I had acquired the ability to communicate with animals. I decided to ask Missy again, but this time I was going to do it through thought.

Did you say something, Missy?

I said you look tired
, Missy answered.

This is fantastic!
We’re actually talking to each other.

This is the first time I
’ve ever been able to hear your thoughts, Janis. I really like it.

I held Missy in my arms and hugged her. You
’re the best kitty in the whole world. Missy rubbed her head against my face and purred.

Now that we can communicate with each other, you
’ll be interested to know we’re thinking about going to the animal shelter to find you a playmate. Would you like that?

Sure, I
’d love to have a playmate. We can chase the varmints into the valley and round them up together.

That sounds like cowboy talk.

That’s because I like westerns. I’m a big John Wayne fan.

I recalled Missy seating herself in front of television when the family was watching a western. I thought a cat that likes cowboy movies was really amusing.

I was really nervous as I made my way to my dressing room mirror. If I could talk to animals, what other powers had I inherited?

I started with my morning ritual of growing the length of my hair. I
’d only focused for an instant and my hair was all the down to my waist. “Wow! That was really fast!” I said excitedly. My powers had increased to the point that all I had to do was imagine something and it happened instantly. I restored my hair to its original length and smiled. I knew it was going to be a fun morning.

I concentrated on changing the color of my hair to black. Instead of slowly darkening, it turned black immediately. I wanted to try another color, so I turned my hair platinum blonde. I looked over at Missy
. This is terrific. Did you see how fast I can change the color of my hair?

Missy coul
dn’t resist speaking her mind
. None of those colors are as pretty as your auburn hair
. I agreed and restored my hair to its original color.

I was really nervous as I focused on making myself invisible. I almost lost my breath because I disappeared in the blink of an eye. I was so thrilled I let out a squeal.

I decided to take a walk across the room in my invisible form. I should have been more careful because I stubbed my toe on the leg of a chair. I figured I’d better wear shoes until I got used to not being able to see my feet. I was beaming when I made myself visible. I was really excited.

The next step was to test my shape-shifting powers. I took a deep breath and morphed into an image of my mother. I turned from side to side and gave myself a good going over. The transformation was perfect, but I was amazed to see I was wearing my mother
’s clothes. I had no idea how that was possible.

I did the same experiment with my dad. I couldn
’t help giggling because I was now a perfect replica of my dad wearing a business suit. Just for kicks, I added a long beard and bushy hair. I burst out laughing because dad looked like some of the strange people who hung around the local park all day.

My curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know if I could acquire the skills of the people I morphed into. I carried my testing to the max by morphing into Moira Shearer, the famous ballet dancer from the 1948 film
“The Red Shoes.” I gasped when I saw myself in my mirror. I was an exact duplicate of Moira Shearer in a ballet outfit. I was immediately aware that I was only a replica of Ms. Shearer. I had none of her thoughts or her memories. I was still Janis French with the exception of my new form.

I tested my dancing skills by moving around the room and doing a series of pirouettes. The execution was perfect. I was excited beyond belief. The possibilities of things I could accomplish were endless.

I was so overwhelmed that I had trouble controlling my thoughts. I morphed back to Janis French and sat on the edge of my bed. Missy looked up at me.
This is better than watching television.

I was amused because Missy had a sense of humor.
Okay, Missy, I’m going to try and morph into an animal. I’ll try not to scare you.

I walked to the center of the room and morphed into a small fox terrier. Missy stuck her noise into the air. It was obvious she didn
’t like dogs. I tried something larger and morphed into a four hundred pound tiger. Missy’s hair stood straight up and she ran under the bed. I morphed back to Janis French and tried to talk Missy out from under the
bed. You can come out now, Missy. That big old bad kitty is gone.

Missy crawled out from under the bed.
That’s the biggest tom cat I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t actually afraid; I was just playing it safe.

Of course you were, Missy. I know nothing scares you.

If I now had super morphing abilities, it stood to reason I should be able to keep my normal shape and change my height. I laid a ruler on the floor and then I focused on making myself smaller. The experience was really strange. As I got smaller and smaller, the room appeared to be getting larger and larger. When the process was complete, I felt like Alice in Wonderland as I stared at all the huge furniture. Missy was lying on the foot of the bed staring down at me. She looked calm. I sensed she didn’t have any thoughts of attacking me.

I stretched out beside the ruler I had placed on the floor. I was exactly twelve inches tall. I couldn
’t help giggling. “What a great way to lose weight.” I suddenly realized that I felt weak. It was all I could do just to stand up. I was positive that reducing my size also reduced my strength.

I took the opposite approach and made myself taller. I stopped when my height reached eight feet because I didn
’t want to hit my head on the ceiling. I’d need a lot of open space to continue with this experiment.

I returned to my normal height and sat on the bed with Missy. My new powers were far greater than anything I
’d ever dreamed of. I didn’t know if I should tell my parents because I wasn’t sure they’d understand.

Missy had an idea.
There must be someone in your family who knows about this kind of stuff. Maybe you should talk to your grandparents.

That
’s a fantastic idea! You know, Missy, you’re a really smart kitty.

M
issy held her nose in the air.
Of course I am.

* * *

I walked downstairs and found a note on the kitchen table.

“
I’ll be back at six o’clock with your father. Don’t eat too much because we’re having pizza for supper and birthday cake for dessert. Love, Mom.”

I decided this was a good time to call Grandma Pauline. I waited patiently after I dialed the number.

“Hello,” she answered in a pleasant voice.

“
Grandma, this is Janis. I’ve got to talk to you about something really important.”

“
What did you want to talk about, Janis?”

“
I can’t talk about it over the phone.”

“
Does this have anything to do with your midnight ritual?”

“
Yes, Grandma. Some really strange things are happening to me. I’m scared.”

“
Is your mother home?”

“
No, she won’t be back until six o’clock. I need to see you right away.”

“
I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Grandma Pauline looked concerned as I led her into the living room.
“I’ll bet you’ve acquired some new powers, Janis.”

“
That’s right, Grandma. I won’t waste your time. I’ll give you a demonstration.”

I walked to the center of the room and disappeared.
“Where did you go?” asked Pauline.

“
I’m right here, Grandma. I made myself invisible.”

I shrunk my body down to a foot tall and made myself visible. My grandmother was looking around the room, wondering where I
’d gone. “Look down here, Grandma,” I shouted.

Grandma looked down and s
miled. “That’s amazing, Janis! Can you grow yourself taller too?”

I increased my height to eight feet.
I think Grandma was startled.

“
That’s amazing too!” said Pauline. “There’s never been a member of the Vascadon Clan with those kinds of powers. Did you inherit any other powers?”

I morphed into a ballet dancer and danced around the living room. Pauline was so impressed she had trouble gathering her thoughts.
“Can you morph into anyone you want to be?” she asked.

I did an assortment of morphs that included my parents and a perfect replica of her too.
“I can do other things too, Grandma.”

“
Such as?”

“
I can talk to animals using telepathy, plus I can morph into an animal.”

If you can talk to animals, let
’s run a test and see if you can read my thoughts. Tell me what I’m thinking at this very moment.”

Pauline
’s thoughts came through loud and clear. “You’re thinking of buying a red Buick with leather interior.”

Pauline smiled.
“It’s obvious you can read minds. Let me see you turn into an animal.”

I was wearing a devilish grin as I turned into a tiger. Pauline was so startled she gasped.
“Let me hear a big roar,” she said.

“
Meow.”

I returned to my normal shape and Pauline burst out laughing.
“That meow was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. It also shows you have complete control over the tiger.”

Pauline pulled me down next to her on the sofa.
“The transformation you’ve gone through is truly amazing. What’s even more amazing is that you may even acquire additional powers in the weeks to come.”

“
You’re kidding?”

“
No I’m not. Have you tried using telekinesis?”

“
No.”

“
See if you can move one of the pictures on the wall.”

I concentrated as hard as I could, but nothing happened.
“It didn’t work, Grandma.”

“
Maybe it will later. I have a feeling your powers are just developing.”

“
What does it all mean, Grandma?”

“
In my opinion, you’re developing into an Ivarr.”

“
An Ivarr! But why me? I’m not special.

“
No one can answer that question. It may have something to do with your innocence, plus you never shirk from responsibilities and you’re honest to the core. I’ve always felt I’d been blessed to have you for a granddaughter.”

“
Jeez, Grandma, I don’t know what to say.”

“
You don’t have to say anything. The only important thing at this moment is to try to figure out why you’ve been given these gifts. I personally believe you’re being prepared for a great task. Everything I’ve discovered about Ivarrs tells me they were great warriors. This could be the first stage of grooming, perhaps to fight some kind of impending disaster.”

That last statement left me speechless. As hard as I tried, I just couldn
’t see myself as a great warrior. “I’ve never even been in a fight before, Grandma, so that’s a lot to comprehend. What do I do now?”

“
Go on being yourself and try to enjoy life. You’re only sixteen and it may be a long time before you find out why you are being given these powers.”

“
What do I tell my parents?”

“
I wouldn’t say anything right now. What I’ve told you is only my opinion and I may be completely off track.”

“
So I should just bide my time and see what happens?”

“
That’s what I’d recommend. You may find out more in the near future. Like I said, try to be yourself and enjoy life.”

“
I’ll try. Right now I’m having trouble catching my breath.”

“
One last thing before I go. Don’t be too hard on your friends. It won’t be easy, but try to keep your mischievous streak in check.”

I winked at Grandma.
“I’ll do my best.”

CHAPTER 5

I’d just finished setting the dining room table when I heard my parents’ car pull into the driveway. I rushed to the front door and open it to see Dad carrying the pizzas. Mom was right behind him carrying my birthday cake. “Happy Birthday!” they shouted.

Everyone was in a festive mood as we sat down at the dining room table.
“Your Dad bought two pizzas, so we’ll probably have pizza left over.”

“
You’ve got to be kidding, Mom. The last time we had two large pizzas, Dad and I were fighting over the last slice.”

Dad held up his fork as if he were challenging me.
“I’m the best fork fighter in Charlotte, but I’ll give up the last piece of the pizza because it’s your birthday.”

“
That’s really big of you, Dad.”

“
Don’t let your father’s generosity fool you,” said my mother. “He’ll probably insist on an extra piece of cake.” Everyone laughed, with my laughter being the loudest.

We were having cake and ice cream when my mother turned to my dad.
“I think Janis is going is really like her birthday present. It’s really special.”

“
Jeez, Mom, you guys didn’t have to buy me a me a new Cadillac. I know I’m a wonderful daughter, but I don’t expect you to spoil me.”

My dad chimed in.
“When you’re finished with your cake and ice cream, Janis, we’ll take a walk to the garage. I think you’re going to love your present.”

I jumped up from the table.
“I’m ready to go right now.”

I followed my parents to the garage area and got the biggest shock of my life. Sitting in the driveway was a two-year old two-door Plymouth Belvedere. The 1958 Belvedere was a sharp-looking car and this one was solid black. I was expecting something special, but I never dreamed I
’d actually get a car.

I walked around the car very slowly as I ran my hand over the beautiful paint job. I couldn
’t hold back the tears when I hugged my parents. “You are the greatest. I don’t deserve parents like you.”

“
Let’s all go from a ride,” said my mom.

“
I second that,” said my dad.

I had my learner
’s permit, so I climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine. I looked for the gear shift, but I couldn’t find it.

“
It’s to your left on the dashboard,” said my dad. “It’s a push button drive.”

I pushed the
“R” on the dashboard and we began backing up. My dad was in the back seat with his hands over his eyes, pretending like he was afraid for his life.

I will always remember my sixteenth birthday as being really special. I had wonderful parents and I was a very lucky young lady.

* * *

It was Saturday, the twenty-third of January, the day after my birthday. It was nine o
’clock in the morning and the first thing on my agenda today was to call Sherri Brown, my best friend since grade school. Sherri belonged to the Dunstan Clan, the only other Changeling Clan I knew of in the Charlotte area. She was a pretty blonde with a super personality, but she wasn’t the smartest girl in town. She was always the first one to fall for a stupid joke, but she was a really sweet kid. If the world had more Sherri Browns, it would be a lot better place to live in.

“
It’s your dime,” Sherri said when she answered the phone.

I giggled because Sherri was such a clown.
“Hi, Sherri, it’s Janis.”

“
Hi there, birthday girl. Did you get a lot of nice goodies?”

“
I got a telephone for my bedroom, but the big news is we’ve got wheels.”

“
Really? That is good news. What kind of a car did you get?”

“
A solid black 1958 Plymouth Belvedere.”

“
Wow! That’s a great car. Does it have a stick shift?”

“
No, it’s an automatic.”

“
That’ll do. Well, do you have anything planned for today?”

“
If you’re interested, I thought we’d run down to Baker’s Dairy Bar for a soda later.”

“
How can I refuse an offer to be chauffeured to the best dairy bar in Charlotte? What time are you picking me up?”

“
How about one o’clock?”

“
Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

“
See ya, Sherri.”

I was in a really good mood after I hung up the phone. I remembered Grandma Pauline telling me that I might inherit the power of telekinesis, so I decided to give it a try. I tried to move a glass on the table, but nothing happened. I couldn
’t think of anything else, so I decided to have breakfast and go for a walk. I loved the brisk morning air this time of year.

I smiled at Missy as I was getting dressed.
I haven’t forgotten about getting you a playmate. I’ll mention it to Mom again after breakfast.

Thanks for thinking of me. I
’m really lucky to have you for an owner.

Don
’t think of me as your owner, think of me as your friend. Actually, you’re more than a friend because you’re part of the family...and a very important part too.

Missy followed me downstairs as I made my way to the kitchen. I fixed her a dish of cat food and helped myself to a bowl of Shredded Wheat. Mom walked into the kitchen with her usual big smile.
“What’s on your schedule today?” she asked.

“
I’m going go for a walk after breakfast and then I’m picking up Sherri at one o’clock. We’re going to Baker’s Dairy Bar for a soda.”

“
That sounds like an ambitious plan.”

“
While I’m thinking about it, Mom, let’s not forget about getting Missy a playmate.”

“
We’ll do it early next week.”

I looked over at Missy. I knew she was going to be a happy kitty when we brought home a playmate for her.

The cool morning air was delicious. We’d had a light snow fall, but it melted right away. I wondered what it would be like to have a big snow storm, but I was living in the wrong part of the country. When I saw the snowstorms on television in places like New York, I was perfectly content to be right here in Charlotte.

I was walking along the street when I picked up a strange scent. I was positive I was in the presence of someone who belonged to a Clan. I looked a short distance ahead and saw a young guy leaving the Wilson house. My senses were working overtime because they told me he was a Witch.

I continued walking at a steady pace until we practically ran into each other. We both stopped and stared at each other. “Witch,” I said.

“
Changeling,” he said. We both laughed as we stood in the middle of the sidewalk staring at each other.

“
My name’s Wade Wilson and I belong to the Zandar Clan. I just moved here from San Francisco.”

“
My name’s Janis French and I belong to the Vascadon Clan. I live a couple of houses down the block.”

Wade was a little over six feet tall with black wavy hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a wonderful smile. When you added his slim waist and broad shoulders to the mix, he was an extremely good-looking guy. I felt drawn to him, but it was more than a physical attraction. I don
’t know why, but my senses told me we were destined to meet.

“
Are you related to Miss Wilson?” I asked.

“
Yes, Mildred Wilson is my aunt. My father is being transferred out of the country and I’m going to be living here in Charlotte for the next two years.”

“
Is your mom living with you?”

“
No, my mom died when I was born.”

“
I’m sorry to hear that. What grade are you in?”

“
Tenth grade.”

“
Me too! I just turned sixteen yesterday.”

“
I turned sixteen on the fifteenth.”

“
You’re a whole week older than I am. That makes you an old man.”

“
If I’m an old man, then that makes you a little girl.”

I couldn
’t shake the feeling that there was something special between us. My senses had been magnified a hundredfold and I was positive this was not a chance meeting. My gut reaction was that Wade had something to do with my being an Ivarr. I’d just have to play it by ear.

“
Where were you headed?” I asked.

“
I was just going out for a walk.”

“
So was I. Want to walk together?”

“
I’ve never walked with a Changeling before.”

“
And I’ve never walked with a Witch. We’ll be breaking new ground and setting an example.”

Wade grinned.
“How can I refuse an offer from a pretty girl?”

I think I was blushing, but I didn
’t care. I decided I wanted to get to know Wade better.

The first thing I found out was that Wade
’s father was a chemist. He was being transferred to England for two years, so it was decided that Wade would live with his aunt.

“
A chemist,” I said. “That’s an unusual occupation for a Witch.”

“
I love your sense of humor. I’ve got some good Changeling jokes, but I don’t think you want to hear them.”

“
I’ll tell your right up front, Wade Wilson that you are not the type of person who offends people. My senses tell me you’re an extremely sensitive person.”

“
Wow, I don’t think anyone has ever told me that before. Are you always so direct?”

“
I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“
Not at all. I think it’s really nice to hear someone speak honestly for a change.” Wade suddenly grinned. “If you want to, you can say some more nice things about me.” I playfully slapped his arm and we both laughed.

I made an on-the-spot decision to invite Wade to have a soda with Sherri and me.
“How would you like to have a soda with two good-looking girls this afternoon?”

“
Are you serious?”

“
I’m always serious. My best friend, Sherri and I are going to Baker’s Dairy Bar this afternoon. I’m inviting you to come with us.”

“
I don’t have a car.”

“
I do. I got a car for my birthday and I’m driving.”

“
I must be dreaming. I meet a beautiful girl and now she’s asking me for a date.”

“
It’s not a date and I’m not beautiful.”

“
Okay, we’ll call it a get-together, but you are beautiful.”

“
Am not.”

“
Are too.”

I finally gave in.
“Let’s drop the subject until you get some glasses.”

“
What time are you picking me up?”

“
Twelve forty-five.”

“
I’ll be ready.”

“
I’ll be driving a black Plymouth.”