Seneca froze. There was a rustling in the brush just to her right. She leaped to the middle of the trail and quickened her steps until she got closer to the others. Dreya had warned them they could not stop for anything in the woods. It was imperative they reach their training destination. All elementals were counting on the Dominion of Four to bring harmony back to the realm. The four were prominent aspects of numerous prophecies that described them as great crusaders destined to save the Otherworld from the evil Brigara. Seneca refused to accept the idea of four teens having the power to save an entire race of elementals, yet she was compelled to forge ahead. She cursed the entire concept of prophecies.
“Hey, Seneca, has Dreya told you how much farther we have to walk?” said Conner. “I swear we’ve been in these woods forever.”
“Nope, no clue,” said Seneca. “She hasn’t said much for the last hour except to tell us to keep moving.”
“That’s not much help,” groaned Conner.
“’Tis scribbled in a scroll as a prophecy, and all will be revealed in due time,” Seneca chimed. “Great accent, huh?” She curtsied and pursed her lips tightly while batting her eyes.
“It’s okay, but Jake does a better cluricaune impersonation,” said Conner. He smiled at her attempt to make him relax. “Say something, Jake.”
“As Keene Ardara would say, our fate will be known soon enough,” said Jake. He garbled through the last few words to add emphasis to his portrayal. “You must know and take heed that the prophecy is the prophecy of the prophecy. Also note, I am not a leprechaun!” He scrunched his face and pantomimed holding a cane like the stout cluricaune fairy. He liked adding levity to lighten the mood.
“That’s pretty funny,” Shayna said with a snicker. “Although I bet Keene Ardara wouldn’t think so. He’d tell you your fate will crumble because of your mockery.”
“Yeah, probably—right before he made you sit in a man-eating chair,” Conner said with a laugh.
“Thanks for reminding me,” said Jake. “You won’t think it’s funny when he tells you your fate will be dusting his endless scrolls of prophecies for all eternity.”
Conner laughed boisterously, and Jake chuckled along.
“He did have a lot of prophecy scrolls. I wonder if the fate of my feet is written down,” Shayna said, her voice whiny. “I am seriously getting major blisters on my toes. These boots weren’t made for this much walking.”
“I’m sure they’re not that mundane,” Seneca said.
“You’re calling my feet mundane?”
“The scrolls, I mean. It’s probably just life-altering stuff.”
“Ah, but you concede, small fairy, that fate has already been written,” Conner said.
“Not exactly,” replied Seneca. “I just think they write about life-altering stuff—and don’t call me small!”
“As you wish.” Conner snickered.
“Nothing so far makes me believe any of this is a coincidence—too many people know about us,” said Shayna. “It’s like they all attend these big magic folk meetings where all aspects of our lives are the premier topic.”
“Yup, and the sloppy plans have already been written,” added Conner.
“That might be accurate—our lives are forever changed, and maybe the prophecies are right,” said Jake. “Our fate may already be known.” His inflection was somber and serious.
“Let’s hope that’s not the case. I like creating my own drama!” replied Shayna.
The joking slowly died down, and quiet fell upon them. They began moving quicker, with Shayna taking the lead, followed by Conner. Jake glanced over his shoulder to check on Seneca, who was still in sight. He told himself not to worry as long as he had eyes on her.
Seneca made sure not to trail too far behind. Her thoughts immediately began to examine Jake’s words. She had a hard time accepting a fate that was not of her own making. She had other plans for her life. Or did she? She began questioning what goals she actually had. There wasn’t anything she was particularly interested in; she simply did the class assignments, earned high grades, and then moved on to the next subject. Her life had been programmed to take things one day at a time. After all, uprooting every few months and moving to Anytown, USA, wasn’t giving her an ample opportunity to consider a stable future. The only thing she knew for sure was that hiking through a dark forest was not on her list of priorities. She wanted an existence that didn’t include going to war in a strange world or figuring out how to use magic as a weapon. Her head began to hurt the more she dwelled on the unknown danger.
Seneca felt a surge of energy the more she thought about her purpose. It wasn’t about getting the best grades or cramming for the next exam. It was about figuring out her role in the Dominion of Four and what it meant to be an elemental. The countless houses where she had lived were just empty shells, temporary placeholders. The Otherworld was her true home, and it needed protection against someone treacherous and evil. She was determined to uncover a way to stop Brigara from destroying the realm. “So, help me, my family will return to their true home!” Seneca muttered, as though saying it out loud would make it a valid mission.
Her parents had planned ahead. They’d believed she was destined to enter the Otherworld along with the others. Part of their plan had been for her to meet Keene Ardara, a solitary cluricaune and keeper of the prophecy scrolls. He was gruff on the exterior, but her parents had entrusted the Stone of Fate to him and asked that he deliver it to her. The stone had saved her from drowning in the Northern Passages and summoned her gifts. She’d discovered her wings at that moment. She had a soft spot for Keene Ardara and longed to be nestled in one of his overstuffed sofas while sipping on one of his ambrosia concoctions. Seneca laughed when she thought back to Jake being nearly swallowed by one of his hexed chairs. She shook her head to try to refocus on the present. Getting her parents back to the Otherworld would have to wait for now. She was trailing too far behind the others.
“Hey, guys, you’re walking too fast,” said Seneca. She sprinted to close the gap.
“No, you’re moving too slow,” said Conner. “You know how I feel about the dark, and this is darker than dark.” He took even larger strides in protest. He was petrified, and the sooner they got to shelter, the sooner he could relax.
“Come on! Slow down,” Seneca protested. “It’s not that dark.”
“You know she has short legs. Petite but still short,” Shayna said. “She can’t walk as fast as you, Conner. Even I have to skip and jog a bit, and I’m actually taller than average.”
“Whatever,” Conner replied. “Hey, Seneca, I will carry you if it gets us where we’re going any faster.” He trotted backward and zigzagged mockingly. “Look. I will even take one foot out of the equation to give you an advantage.” He hopped around on one foot, and Jake shoved him hard enough to cause him to stumble and lose balance. “Hey!” Conner snapped.
“Cut her some slack,” said Jake. He smiled, knowing Conner was just easing the tension they were all feeling.
“I’m being serious, Seneca. I will carry you on my back with my eyes closed and hopping on one foot.” Conner chuckled.
“No, thanks. I’ll pass,” said Seneca. “Hopping doesn’t seem to be your best ability.”
“That was Jake’s fault. Come on!” Conner twisted his mouth into an overly dramatic pout. “Have it your way, but don’t say I didn’t offer.”
“I’m good to go, but thanks for the offer.” Seneca giggled.
She sped up a bit and then immediately slowed to her previous pace. She preferred trailing a few feet behind Jake so she didn’t have to lead or engage in the others’ conversation. They had begun debating and making guesses as to what they would learn once they arrived at their destination. They discussed how their magical gifts from the Himalayan crystals would be used to defeat Brigara. Since she hadn’t taken any of the enchanted crystals, Se
neca couldn’t completely relate to their experience.
She felt slightly left out and wondered if she was truly part of the prophecy that everyone kept referencing. Perhaps she was just a stand-in until the absent member stepped forward and claimed his or her rightful place. If that were to happen, she could get back to her family.
She longed to see her younger brother, and she even missed her older one, who was often more of a bother than a brother. She wished she could ask him if he knew that their parents were druids and that their mother’s wings had been removed for fear of detection. Her mother had worked hard to keep her daughter’s wings hidden with spells and cloaking charms. Why hadn’t she done the same for herself? Did she miss them? What had her father given up, if anything? Seneca wished she were able to get answers to those questions and many more. Even with more questions than answers, she knew she would forego the interrogation just to feel the comfort and warm embrace of her mother. That was what she missed the most.
Seneca didn’t want to cry, and thinking of her mother’s sacrifice would surely bring on the waterworks. She decided to shift her focus to the other comforts of home. She remembered she hadn’t made her bed before she left for school so long ago; it felt like months ago rather than just a few days. The last morning she was home, she had been in a hurry and tried to catch a ride with her brother. He’d left without her so he could give Jake’s sister a ride, which meant she’d had to walk instead.
She stopped her memory and wondered if her brother had been in on the plans as well, but she decided to save pondering that possibility for another time. She thought back to leaving the house and feeling frustrated with her brother. It was the first day she’d seen Jake up close. She had seen him moving in across the street as well as zipping around corners while riding in the car with his mother. Until he’d sat behind her during biology class, she hadn’t given him much thought. That day, she had felt a surge of energy when he handed her his assignment, but she had quickly dismissed it. She now knew their parents had been working behind their backs to ensure their meeting and solidify their ultimate connection.
“That was obviously a spell,” Seneca said softly, not caring that she was talking to herself. She hadn’t said it loudly enough for the others to hear. “I’m glad it wasn’t some love charm,” she added as she smiled.
It was clear her parents and Jake’s mother were involved, but she didn’t know of any others. She wondered what role, if any, Conner’s parents and Shayna’s father had had in linking the four of them together. Seneca never had been one to buy into conspiracy theories, but she was involved in a huge one. She smiled at the irony.
“You’ve got to keep up, Seneca. I know this sounds familiar,” Jake yelled back over his shoulder. “We should really try to stick closer together.”
“When you say we, you really mean me,” Seneca replied.
“If you say so. You have most definitely mastered the art of lagging behind.” Jake chuckled to mask a sudden wave of anxiety. He chalked it up to exhaustion and hunger.
Seneca acknowledged she was falling too far behind again and trotted up to close the gap to within a couple steps behind Jake. He reminded her of boys she had admired when her family lived in a remote area in New Mexico. She thought about how the warm sun felt on her skin and how the dusty winds swirled about without warning. There in that dry climate, where the boys were fit, strong, and confident, there had been one particular boy who had dark hair and was tall like Jake. His name was Paul, and he’d had a way of making her laugh when she least expected it. He was kind and often bought her lunch. They would spend the entire lunch break talking and laughing so much that they rarely had time to take a bite of their food. He had gathered enough courage as he fumbled through a poorly rehearsed speech to ask her to be his date for the winter dance, and she had accepted on the spot. She’d been excited and looked forward to shopping for her first formal dress. The next day, her parents had announced they were moving. She’d never had a chance to say goodbye. That was the moment she had sworn to never get close to anyone at school again.
She wondered what Paul might be doing at that moment. She snickered and figured he’d probably be eating, since hanging out with her meant he’d missed out on a lot of food. She tried to remember the last meal they’d shared. Images of spicy southwestern food swirled around in her head, and she began to crave a crunchy chimichanga loaded with carne asada, garlic-soaked black beans, rice, and guacamole. She licked her lips as she pictured the slightly charred roasted green chilies inside. The ultimate preparation included hot and creamy habanero salsa blended with cheese that dripped across the top and down the sides. She imagined biting into the crispy tortilla and releasing the aroma. Her mouth watered as she recalled the flavor of the slow-cooked beef with a hint of a charred aftertaste and the melding of the spices. Her stomach growled in protest.
“Hey, Jake, when was the last time we ate?” asked Seneca. “I’m starving and—”
“Wait!” Jake put up his hand to signal he needed Seneca’s silence. “Listen. I heard something.”
Jake took a few cautious steps and then stopped. Seneca came close to bumping into him but tripped over her feet to halt her momentum. He looked around Seneca and then over his shoulders and craned his neck in search of the source of the noise.
“Maybe you just heard the rumbling in my stomach,” said Seneca. “I’m starving! That’s why I was asking.”
“Shh! Not that. It’s a faint buzzing sound. Don’t you hear it?” Jake put his finger to his lips.
She complied and listened intently. “I don’t hear anything,” she whispered in a singsong voice.
Jake nodded as he held his breath.
“Hey, guys, what’s going on?” Conner asked. He grabbed hold of Shayna to get her attention when he noticed Jake and Seneca had stopped walking.
“Jake heard some weird noise or something,” replied Seneca.
“It’s something coming from the air, I think,” Jake said. “Like bees or wasps, except a higher pitch. More like a low hum than a buzz.” He continued scanning the area, looking high and low out into the darkness, but didn’t detect any movement.
“We should probably go,” Conner said.
“I agree,” Shayna said. “There’s so much we don’t know about this world that we might be the next meal for some beast or something. Let’s keep moving.” She didn’t wait for a response as she took two long strides ahead of the pack.
“Wait just a second, okay? I’m just making sure I don’t hear it anymore,” said Jake.
They all stood motionless, waiting to detect anything unusual.
“I guess it’s gone,” said Jake with an air of disappointment in his tone. “I don’t hear it anymore, but let’s get going. The hairs on my neck are telling me this isn’t a place to camp out.”
“Maybe we scared off whatever it was,” said Conner. He shook off a shiver. “Man, I hate the dark!” He kicked the dirt and created a small dust cloud.
“Let’s pick up the pace. Stopping here is probably not a wise move,” said Shayna as she continued forging ahead.
“Shayna’s got a point, so try to stay closer together,” said Jake. He stared directly at Seneca to indicate he meant her specifically. She tried to ignore his glare as she trailed behind him.
“Wait up, Shayna,” Conner called as he jogged to catch up to her. She had moved well ahead of the pack. Her instincts told her to keep moving.
“We’re all moving faster, Seneca. You’ve gotta keep up,” Jake said.
“Fine. I get it—just slow down,” said Seneca. She folded her arms across her chest in protest, raised her knees high, and marched hard to emphasize her dissatisfaction.
Seneca, you must listen to Jake. It is not safe where you are. You have to keep moving, Dreya said. Her voice echoed in Seneca’s thoughts. She huffed in exasperation.
“I just got word from the
bird above,” said Seneca, making no effort to hide her sarcasm. “Dreya has weighed in and says it’s not safe and that we need to get moving.” Her voice was a flat monotone. She knew she was behaving badly, but she blamed it on the hunger.
“I wish I had that telepathic connection,” said Shayna as she paused momentarily and allowed the others to catch up.
“Me too,” Conner said.
“I’d be eavesdropping like crazy! I’d know if a salesclerk wasn’t giving me the best deal or if we were going to have a pop quiz in history.” Shayna beamed at the thought of being one step ahead of everyone.
“Well, if I could give you this mind-reading thing, I would,” replied Seneca. “It’s not as cool as you think. I’d even trade it for a burger if you had one.”
“Seriously? You just don’t know how to rock it to your advantage.”
“Whatever!” Seneca made sure to put an exaggerated emphasis on the last syllable. She didn’t care to get into a debate with Shayna, and she knew this was the one-word way to end an unwanted discussion. Shayna took the cue and dropped it.
Seneca hadn’t asked for the gift to read minds or communicate nonverbally. She hated the idea of not having a say or a choice in the matter. She knew that Dreya needed to use telepathy with her, but she didn’t care for that either. Dreya was quick to interrupt any thoughts whenever she deemed it necessary. Typically, she conveyed warnings, and Seneca dreaded being the bearer of bad news. She wondered if Dreya listened to her thoughts without her knowledge. She didn’t like thinking about it and looked forward to discovering how to block any attempts to read her mind. Dreya had promised that knowledge would be included in her training, but until then, she had to accept that her thoughts were like open airwaves.