The Elf Girl (13 page)

“She couldn’t because fairies are immune to it.”

I gasped and shut the journal, my eyes darting around the room in search of who made the remark. Standing before me was a burly looking elf with pale hair and the darkest green eyes I had ever seen. What really struck me was his build. He had huge muscles, muscles elves weren’t supposed to have. I was beginning to feel confused again.

“I thought elves weren’t strong,” I commented, unsure of what else to say.

“That only applies to elves who don’t have my ability: strength,” he said, flexing his arms.

I ignored his arrogant gesture and moved on to the important question. What was he doing in my house, in my room, at this hour?

“Who are you?” I voiced aloud.

“I’m Cass, the strongest elf in Birchwood City.” He smiled.

“Um, I’m Ramsey, the
newest
elfen in Birchwood City.” I managed a smile, even though he wasn’t giving me a very good vibe.

“I knew that. Why else would I be in your house?”

“You got me. I have no idea why you are here in the first place,” I told him outright.

“Well,” he said, “Addison told me about your arrival and I thought I should come over and introduce myself.”

“Seriously? And you didn’t think of knocking?”

“There aren’t any locks in the Elf Realm, unless a Spell Master has one. No one knocks here. Addison told me you might be sleeping, so I just walked in to check.”

“That is
really
creepy,” I said, eyeing him warily. “Are you disturbed or something?”

“No…I don’t think so. Why?” He gave the impression of being genuinely perplexed by my question.

“You don’t just walk into someone’s house while he or she sleeps. That’s just weird…stalker weird.”

“Oh, sorry, didn’t know. Guess humans are a lot different than elves,” he observed.

“You got that right,” I agreed, desperately yearning for a subject change. Talking about elfin stalkers was giving me the chills. “What were you saying before…about fairies?”

“They are immune to Zora’s power. Fairies can put humans in trances with their singing, even with just their looks, so it’s not likely anyone could ever put fairies in a trance. Zora’s power affects elves and other mystical creatures, just not fairies.” He said it to me like even a monkey would know that.

“Do fairies each have a special ability like elves?”

“Some do. Different kinds of fairies have different kinds of powers.”

“What kind of powers?”

“Well, the Element fairies each have an element,” he began explaining.

“Yeah, Addison told me, but how many different kinds of fairies are there? She only explained about the Element fairies.”

“I only know a few. Their numbers range in the hundreds, but consist of four main types and then others, called solitary fairies. The solitary ones usually live in the Human Realm. They chose to remain there when the other Realms came to be. The Element fairies are particularly harsh, though. They think they are the best because their powers are easier to access than other types of fairies. Other types of fairies must learn their magic; the Element fairies are born with both the knowledge and ability.”

“Too much pride. That’s one of the seven deadly sins,” I observed.

Cass snorted and nodded in agreement. “Yes, I believe it is.”

“I was told there were four Fairy Realms. Are there other Elf Realms?”

“No, there is just this one. Not many elves are left. Humans had killed off most of our kind by the time we made our own Realm. This Realm is vast enough to hold all of us.”

“Oh. Then how can we fight fairies if there are so many of them and so little of us?”

“Well, the other fairies don’t want to get involved, so that reduces the number by a great deal. Those fairies aren’t interested in losing their own people.”

“So they’re scared, I take it?”

“You are quite right. But the different types of fairies don’t always get along, so it isn’t a surprise that none of the others came to the aid of the Element fairies,” Cass explained.

“Elves, Realms, fairies, war, missing sisters, magical abilities, no knocking…This has been the weirdest day of my life,” I blurted out suddenly.

I hadn’t meant to say it, but I definitely felt it. I had to admit that it felt good to express my feelings.

Cass nodded. “I bet it has.”

“It’s not easy to comprehend so quickly. And Addison expects me to find Zora…It’s hard.”

“Addison doesn’t like waiting around for things. When she wants something, she goes after it. She wants Zora back home, and she won’t let you or anyone else rest until that happens.”

I sighed and nodded. Addison had determination, something I had lacked until now. I realized I needed all the determination I could get if I was going to do this.

“How do you know Addison so well?” I asked when I was finished thinking.

“I’m courting her.”

At this point, I was ready for anything, but not this. I doubled over laughing, my hands clenching my stomach. I laughed so hard I almost fell onto the ground. Addison was with Cass – the macho, manly, over-confident Cass. I barely knew him, but thinking of him with an organized and determined leader like Addison sounded hilarious to me.

“What’s so funny?”

Through my laughter I said, “Nothing. It’s just I never imagined an elfen like Addison going out with you. And for the first time today I have finally heard something remotely funny.”

“I don’t think it’s very funny. What’s wrong with me being with Addison?” he asked, sounding defensive.

“Because you’re buff and strong and think you are God’s gift to elves – at least that’s what it seems. And Addison seems like an elfen who could hold her own and not go for your kind of attitude. She is also very kind. Do the math.”

“Yes, I guess you’ve pinned me pretty well, but Addison isn’t
that
sweet. And she likes the type of elf I am.”

“I’m sure,” I replied, a bit sarcastically. “I’ll have to ask her exactly what it is that impresses her, the breaking and entering or the big muscles.”

“It’s definitely the big muscles,” he said with a smile.

I still didn’t feel comfortable around him because of the intrusion, but at least Cass was lighthearted and able to laugh at things, even when they were about him. I liked that in people…and recently, elves as well.

Cass yawned and ran a hand through his messy pale hair. I guessed it was getting closer to twelve. He must be tired after being up since four a.m.

“You look beat,” I said. He watched me with a puzzled expression until I corrected myself with, “You look tired.”

Cass finally nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I had better get some sleep,” he agreed. “It was nice meeting you, Ramsey.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Cass. See you later.”

He gave a slight nod, left the room, and then left the house. This place was weird, no doubt about it. Strangers came into your home as they pleased, there were different kinds of fairies, and Addison was dating a muscle man. Yes, this place was very strange, and it was my new home.

I knew I should probably get some sleep, but I couldn’t without reading more of Zora’s journal. My mind was spinning. I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep now. So instead, I picked up Zora’s journal and kept reading. Three hours later, I was down to the last couple of pages.

I noticed something odd while reading Zora’s journal. She had written all about her school life, her interests, and her friends. However, the journal held nothing regarding our parents or me, and nothing about their disappearance.

I became alert again as I read the words,
“In closing my journal, I will explain the details of your departure and disappearance of our parents.”

I swallowed and took a deep breath. This was what I had been waiting for, and I was ready to know. Finally, I could read Zora’s words, her own account of what had occurred so many years ago because of my birth:

You were one year old when they took you away. I can hardly remember it myself; I was only two at the time. I am relying on the stories of others to help me tell this to you. All I can remember is Mother saying to me, “Zora, be good while Mother and Father take your sister to safety. We will be back soon. Don’t tell anyone what we are doing, okay?” I nodded, trusting that they knew what they were doing. They took me to Addison’s house and had Aaliyah watch over me while they were gone. I waited for two days and then they returned…without you. They wouldn’t say anything about you until three years later, when they were leaving me for good. I spent the years asking where you went and all they would say was, “Ramsey is all right now.” Before they left, they told me the truth. You are special, Ramsey, so special that they needed to hide you from others of your kind. Why? I’m sorry, Ramsey, but I cannot tell you. I sense them coming here, the fairies. I know they are after me. I think they know about you, Ramsey, or at least they know you have a secret that can affect them. I can’t let them hurt you, which is why your secret must stay with me until you are ready to carry it. I won’t tell them anything, I promise. I can’t leave any evidence of your secret behind except for one thing. You will figure out one day what that is. I know you will. For now, you must be in the dark so you can be safe. I love you, Ramsey, even though I hardly knew you when you left. I know if they take me, and keep me alive long enough, you can find me. Only you can find me.

“How can I find you?” I cried, utterly exasperated by what I had read. “How can I find you if I don’t know this place? I don’t even know who I am anymore!”

I felt completely, hopelessly lost in this Realm, and reading Zora’s journal had brought those emotions to the forefront. I hadn’t understood one word that Zora had written about me in the closing of her journal. What kind of secret made fairies care so much about an elfen? How could I be so important and not know it? How could no one else know? I didn’t understand how I, an elfen who had lived in the Human Realm for so many years, could be so vital to Realms I had known nothing about until today.

My head was swarming with a mixture of pain, confusion, fear, and sadness. I was scared for Zora and for myself. I had no idea what to do. This was just too much for me to handle. I couldn’t save myself from a bad life in the Human Realm, so how was I supposed to save my sister from fairies?

For the first time since coming here, I realized I was entirely alone. I didn’t just feel alone, I
was
alone, even though Addison and her family were only a few steps away. But they didn’t have my confusion or my heavy burden. They expected me to do this, to save Zora, and to find myself. I had no idea how I could do all of it on my own. Supposedly, I was the only one who could save my sister. I was the only one with this challenge that I didn’t believe I could overcome. I wiped my eyes and buried my head in my hands, wishing I could suck it up but unable to stop feeling so helpless.

I sank to the floor, too exhausted to get back into bed, and drifted off once more.

***

When I awoke again, the room was a mixture of darkness and light. My instincts told me it was five in the morning. It freaked me out that I could tell the time already. I had slept another two hours, a colossal record for me. My neck and back were stiff from sleeping on the floor and as I stifled a yawn, I bit my tongue to keep myself from crying out in pain.

Massaging my neck, I walked into the bathroom. I looked into the mirror and frowned. I had deep bags under my eyes, the color of bruises. My eyes were still red and sore from crying. I reminded myself of a ghost, haunted. That had to change. I would have no hope of finding my sister if I continued to feel this defeated.

I splashed warm water on my face and thanked God that this Realm had plumbing, even if it was from a well I had noticed outside last night. Then I took a shower and towel dried my hair.

Feeling a bit more refreshed, I went back into the bedroom and dressed. I chose a knee-length brown cotton skirt and a short green embroidered tunic. It wasn’t my usual style, but it looked fine and fit well. I wasn’t worried about hiding here. I could wear nice clothes and no one would mind. I could even allow my ears to show. After brushing a silver comb I had found in my vanity drawer through my hair, I slipped on a pair of sandals and left the room.

My breakdown the night before couldn’t happen again, that much I had decided. If I was to accomplish anything here, there could be no room for whining and complaining. I had to be strong, and I had to focus. I had to think of the good things, like how I was finally home. Being negative wouldn’t get me anywhere. It was time to put on a smile and face the world…I mean, the Realm.

Before I left the house, I shut my parents’ bedroom door. I didn’t need a daily reminder that they were gone, and I would probably never meet them.

I shut the door to the house behind me as I walked onto the dirt road. The light outdoors was brighter now as the sun rose higher in the sky. The
city
– more like a small town – was already bustling with elves. As I passed them, each one turned to look at me with questioning glances. I guessed Cass wasn’t the only elf who had found out about my return.

The city was charming, in a down-to-earth sort of way. Some areas were modern and other sections were not. I decided to walk around a bit before going to Addison’s house. I was in the mood for sightseeing. I wanted to get to know the town, know my surroundings.

A little shop named
Songbird’s Books
caught my eye as I walked, and I quickly stepped through the front door. This was my kind of shop. I had already found something to relate to in the Elf Realm. Maybe fitting in wouldn’t be so hard. I had to laugh at myself for that. A bookstore wouldn’t change the fact that I was so weird. But hey, at least I was finally acting a bit more optimistically.

A chiming bell announced my arrival. I browsed through the books, my eyes widening at the various titles:
My Human Best Friend
(from the comedy/fiction section)
, How to Catch a Dragon
(from the informational section), and
When the Werewolf Calls
(from the non-fiction section!). This kind of bookstore would definitely take some getting used to. I doubted that I would find any fiction books on fairies or fantasy, because here, it was real.