Chapter 5
“Wraith? What?” asked Daniel.
Keterlyn spun around suddenly aware again that Daniel was with her and not as aware of things as she was. “Nothing. I need to find the bathroom. Meet me at the Mythical Animals tent?” Keterlyn ran off leaving Daniel to watch after her, more bewildered than before.
Rushing through the outskirts of the Fayre, weaving through the tents, Keterlyn knew she was drawing close. While she didn’t want a showdown in front of all these people, while she was vulnerable to detection, she had to know why they were there. Were they looking for her? If not, they would want to keep their presence as quiet as she did hers so it should be a stalemate.
Keterlyn rounded a corner when a medium build man with long blonde hair, emerged in front of her. She knew as soon as she saw him. He was a wraith. Wraith were powerful beings, malevolent spirits of the dead who had practiced black magic when alive. When powerful and practiced enough, they could take over a person’s body, use it as their own, either indefinitely, or for a particular job they were assigned by upper level beings.
While they stared at each other for a moment, his features darkening, another one with dark colouring and a beard appeared next to the blonde.
Keterlyn broke the silence. “You should know better than to come along to places like this, full of psychics, and half walkers who might know what you are.”
The blonde advanced toward her. “What are we, half walker?” He assumed she wasn’t what she was, fully capable of leveling him on any given day. Except maybe today being the last day she should have to hide in the shadows for a very long time. Bad timing. If this did end in a fight, to take care of them would mean using her power beyond what she should.
She could play, it could work to her advantage them thinking she wasn’t as dangerous as she was. “You are Wraith, soulless beings that take over the living. I know what you are, and your weaknesses.”
The darker Wraith responded from where he still stood. “Hard to kill people without a corporeal body you know.”
“Why don’t you just move along. Neither of us want the attention of the masses.” Negotiating with Wraith. Not her usual tactic. Usually, she would expunge them from the body, then run before they had time to tell Lormorian where they saw her last.
“I don’t think so.” Added the Blonde. “We’re looking for someone, but so far as killing, I don’t mind taking a break to wipe a witch out.” He snarled. “I hate half walkers.”
Keterlyn stood her ground. “Time to go, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Leave the bodies, or I’ll make you regret it.”
Without any hesitation the blonde grabbed Keterlyn’s arm meaning to push her to the ground, only she didn’t move. In a stunned look back at her, the blonde inhaled sharply meaning to warn his friend. Keterlyn took hold of the blonde’s arm in return and a burning blackness crept from her hand up his arm, causing him to drop to his knees in pain by the time it was scorching a path up his neck. She didn’t like having to hurt the host, but it couldn’t be worse than being completely taken over but something as evil as a Wraith.
The dark Wraith hissed at her. “You’re no half walker.”
“No I am not.” She replied defiantly hoping this would be enough to send them running. It wasn’t though.
The blonde grabbed her again a smile taking hold of his features. “You’re Lormorian’s woman.” Keterlyn glared at him and kicked him away. “You are. So using your powers will be limited. I know the stories – use your magic in full, and he can find you.”
When the dark Wraith plunged forward at her, Keterlyn summoned as much energy as she knew she could safely use before setting off alarm bells. She emitted a purple pulse that sent him flying to the ground. Looking unphased, both Wraith stood to their feet.
Keterlyn hesitated for a moment before taking off, running through the tents, the Wraith gaining on her. Looking about, Keterlyn picked a quiet place away from the masses, and headed there. When she felt the Wraith to be too close, she spun around, dropped to her knees and placed a hand on the earth. Muttering under her breath, hoping that the energy wouldn’t be too much to give her away, the ground trembled, the earth cracking along the surface reaching towards the Wraith. As the breaking earth met with the feet of the Wraith, they were thrown backwards, bringing part of a large tent down.
Shaking, and barely able to coordinate themselves to begin with, the Wraith eventually got to their feet. As they stood, exchanging a deadly look at Keterlyn, she smiled at them. Confused, they turned around to see what she had been smiling at behind them.
Over 20 large, beer drinking strongman competitors, were busy mopping beer from their outfits, and brushing food from their laps. They had been drinking and eating in celebration of the championships earlier that day. Some infused from winning, some eager to prove their worth because they did not win, They were all angry at having been disrupted. The strongman competitors took hold of the Wraith by the shoulders.
Keterlyn looked at them defiant and pleased with herself before taking off back into the Fayre. They wouldn’t be able to hurt so many mortals without drawing attention to themselves, so they would either have to take a hiding before being able to continue on, or abandon their hosts. Either way, neither of them would be bothering Keterlyn.
Keterlyn quickly caught up with Daniel who was wandering outside the tent she said she would meet him at. When he saw her he beamed.
“You’re alright? I thought you ran off on me.”
“Sorry, long line. Want to go for a walk?” Keterlyn quickly interlinked her arm with his and pulled him away from the ruckus coming from the Strongman Tent a short distance away. Daniel momentarily looked over his shoulder at the yelling, but then refocused on Keterlyn.
“How are the Mythical Animals?” she asked him.
“It is a mystery how they thought they could get away with charging people for that.” he responded before producing a small cloth bag he handed to Keterlyn.
“What’s this?” Keterlyn stopped walking as she took the bag.
“Something to remember tonight by when you decide you want nothing more to do with me.” Daniel answered.
Keterlyn was devastated at the thought he was hurt. “Are you kidding, tonight’s been great.”
Daniel looked doubtful. “You sure, ‘cause maybe it’s me but I’m not all that certain you’ve been having a good time.”
They resumed walking as Keterlyn explained, or tried. “I have really. I’m just not your typical ‘OMG I’m sooo excited’ type of gal.”
“Thank God for that Caitlin.” There was that name again. Keterlyn looked forward to being able to tell him her real name soon enough. No more shadowy business. She opened the bag and brought out a round bogwood talisman with a boar on one side. Keterlyn tenses, holding her breath as she turned it over. It couldn’t be, but it looked just like the one she had carved all that time ago. Maybe it was fate giving her a sign. On the other side was an etching of a Tree of Life. She relaxed her breath and her shoulders unbunched.
“It’s perfect.” Mused Keterlyn as the two of them reached the edge of the Fayre and walked towards the lake the parkland surrounded.
A young man and a woman ran past obviously inebriated. “I love Mead!” called the man into the dark, the woman hanging off him giggling excessively. Daniel and Keterlyn smiled at them.
Daniel paused to look over the moonlit lake, a touch of mist dancing across it.
“Wow – will you look at that.” he said in awe.
“It is something else isn’t it?” Keterlyn had to admit, though she didn’t have the fondest of memories for moonlit lakes.
Daniel looked at her. “You. You are something else.”
Keterlyn gave him a dubious look. “You’ve known me for all of 20 seconds.”
“I can tell a lot about people quickly.”
Unconvinced Keterlyn simply gave him a thoughtful Hmmm before resuming her gaze over the water.
“But it’s true.” insisted Daniel. “I feel like I’ve known you for a whole lot longer.”
Keterlyn smiled openly now. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the ones that appear and disappear out of nowhere…”
Keterlyn turned to face Daniel with an eyebrow raised indicting her skepticism. “Only the ones you take for walks by moonlit lakes…”
Daniel became aware his pulse was hastening, his breath shallowing when he sincerely looked back at her. “Only the one that make the rest of the word fade away.”
Keterlyn, looked away, her confidence fracturing under his gaze. She shouldn’t be allowing this. She shouldn’t string him along. But then she never got what she wanted, not really.
“I’m serious.” Daniel then said, pained by the fact she might not believe him, as if saying it would make it any more real. Reaching for her face, she looked up at him and he leant to kiss her. Ignoring every screaming reason in her head, she let him.
As they kissed, she let go, reaching for him, hands roaming and kiss deepening until she realized there was a light hissing, crackling sound. Keterlyn opened her eyes. A glow had encompassed them, and a phosphorescence surrounded the trees and plants. She broke off the kiss.
“What? What is it?” Daniel asked. Keterlyn looked up at him and saw his eyes were glowing. The light in the surrounding trees began to fade as she remained slightly open mouthed. Daniel moved to look behind him, but Keterlyn stopped him, taking hold of the side of his face a little more roughly than she would have liked.
“No!” she called out.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“It’s nothing, just me. I need some fresh air.”
Daniel gave her a distrusting look. “Well you don’t get much more than this.” He held out his arms to illustrate the outdoors they were already standing in. Daniel’s eyes began to fade back to normal and Keterlyn was relieved.
Softening, she went into damage control. “That’s not what I mean. Just, come back to the Fayre with me.”
Looking disappointed Daniel nodded and led the way. “You sure you’re alright?”
“Peachy.” she replied unconvincingly. That had never happened before, not that she had really had the opportunity, let herself get so carried away. It was new and she found what had happened less than reassuring.
Later, outside her building, Daniel wasn’t about to try and kiss her again, but wanted to at least leave knowing if she wanted to commit to a place and time outside class. “So did I blow it, or do I get to see you again. I mean other than across a crowded lecture hall.”
“Tonight was great, I was just a bit distracted, that’s all.” Keterlyn jumped on the opportunity to follow through with her original motivation. “Tell you what. Meet me at Connell Reserve, tomorrow at 8:30?”
Not about to quibble over details, Daniel accepted. “Great. I’ll find you.” Keterlyn bobbed her head to leave the car, but double backed and kissed him on the cheek again before ducking out and closing the door behind her. Daniel was left bemused but happy she had decided to meet again. To kiss him like that, then freak out, then kiss him on the cheek again. “Strange girl.” he mumbled affectionately before dropping in to first gear and heading home.
A few moments after leaving Daniel Keterlyn smiled to herself as she opened the door and entered the apartment. Behind her, in the shadow of the door a partial apparition moved, shadowy, almost lacking a solid form. Undoubtedly in the shape of a tall man, it moved around the back of her, regarding her inquisitively.
Keterlyn spun around as though she sensed it, but there was nothing there. Dismissing her paranoia, Keterlyn let herself into the bathroom, and ran a shower. Keterlyn dimmed the lights, a habit she had always associated with luxury. She hated bright florescent lights bombarding the senses unnecessarily. Dimmers were also a hell of a lot more practical than leaving a trail of candles everywhere like she did in the rest of the house.
Again, hovering in the far corner, the shadows picked up form, a dark image shaped like a man moving to the mirror, extending out to touch the glass. A handprint surfaced on the fogging glass as Keterlyn undressed. Keterlyn froze as she reached to undo her bra. Hesitantly, she turned her head behind her to check over her shoulder.