Extraordinary (15 page)

“Rachel Ryan. Well, Edwards was her maiden name.”

“You are them!”

Tristan paced around the room, occasionally glaring in our direction like one of us was the Queen of England and he was flabbergasted that she was in his kitchen. Running his fingers through his wonderfully messy hair, he mumbled incoherently to himself until the awkwardness had us all squirming in our chairs.

“Why are you acting weird?” Sadie asked. 

“Yeah dude, what’s up with you?” Blaze grumbled, causing me to snort at his use of the word dude.

"I just didn't put it together," Tristan answered. "How could I be so..."

Tristan halted his pacing and returned to his seat at the table. His fingers combed through his hair another time before he clasped both hands together and rested them on the table.

“Katerina is the reason your mother left this world,” Tristan said. “Every part of the story is unusual and fascinating to us all. Especially since it is extremely difficult to travel through worlds and is nearly impossible survive out of this realm.

“The magic in this world runs much deeper than visions and hypnosis. The true power of this realm is stronger than any power you, outside of this realm, can imagine. Certain people possess the ability to break through realm barriers and alter a person’s genetic material so that they may live in an otherwise lethal environment. These are the people who helped your mother.”

“Lethal environment?” I asked.

“Wait,” Blaze blurted. “Can we survive here?”

“It is obvious that your half-human, half-magic DNA allows you to live in your realm but maybe not here for very long.”

“For very long?” I asked. “You mean, we will die here?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Tristan said. “I can only speculate. Our atmosphere was constructed as a form of protection for us. There’s never been anyone like you here or in your world. Who knows what your genes are capable of? If it’s true then it won’t be immediate, obviously.”

“You didn’t think to mention this sooner?” Blaze yelled.

The three of us had been handed a death sentence and, not surprisingly, the news caused severe reactions. Blaze punched the countertop, Sadie started to cry, and I jumped up so fast that my chair slid clear across the room.

“I’m sorry to have caused such panic,” Tristan said, recognizing the error in his delivery. “This has never happened before. It’s new territory. But if it is true, it won’t be instant. You have time.”

“Oh, well that’s reassuring!” Blaze exclaimed angrily.

My head was spinning. Just as I’d grasped one ridiculous concept I was hit with another that turned out to be even more absurd. I was starting to miss being at home, moping around alone. Now we were hunted teenagers with a special talent for magic and attracting evil with a score to settle.

“I don’t want to die!” Sadie yelped.

“You aren’t going to die,” Blaze, Tristan, and I said together.

Silence fell on the dining room. The four of us gazed around the table at one another, somehow comforted by our simultaneous declaration. The tension that once hung in the room like a heavy fog, suffocating us and impairing our emotions and thought processes dissipated into an almost comfortable uneasiness.

“Okay, one thing at a time,” Blaze said. “We’ve got to try to stay calm.”

“Says the guy who is never calm!” I joked.

“Can you blame me?” Blaze asked.

“If we’re only doing one thing at a time I vote we get the hell out here!” Sadie exclaimed.

Each of our mouths dropped open at Sadie’s unexpected potty mouth. Yet, she remained unflinching. Her resolve never faltered, she sat board straight, unapologetically owning her words.

I’m her big sister. I probably shouldn’t find this so endearing.

“Oookay,” Blaze said. “Let’s figure out how to get out of here.”

“The hell,” Sadie corrected. “The hell out of here.”

Sadie’s giggles erupted from a place deep within her. A pure, wholesome place that I predicted took up the majority of her. She was Sadie again. When the laughter faded and her eyes opened they glowed with forceful determination. Sadie was more than a sunny disposition.

“
So all we know is that our mother had to leave here because of Katerina,” I said. “She wanted our mother dead, but why?”

“Power,” Tristan answered. “From what I’ve heard your mother and Katerina’s feud was a long one. Katerina hated your mother and wanted to destroy her by taking her magic.”

“So they took her power and let her leave here?” I asked.

“And she separated us so our power would remain hidden from Katerina?” Sadie added.

“That does not surprise me,” Tristan said. “Considering your mother’s departure was to protect herself, it is not unheard of that she would go to such lengths to protect you from that same threat.”

“Yeah but a little heads-up would’ve been nice,” I said.

“A person is born into magic, it is not learned. Magic is in your genetics and that didn’t change because of your location. But separating you did allow your abilities to remain dormant and therefore hidden.”

“So we’re walking around with magic beacons?” Blaze asked. “Alerting all enemies of our location? This just keeps getting better.”

“Katerina’s power centers around dark magic,” Tristan said. “While things like crossing borders are not impossible, they are forbidden. But when your soul is evil, following the rules goes against your character. I would imagine that Katerina wasn’t aware of who she was chasing. If I had to guess, I’d say she didn’t know your mother had passed until she arrived.”

“What does Katerina want with us?” I asked. “Is this some kind of payback for the drama between her and our mom?”

“I really don’t have an answer,” he said. “From what I’ve heard Katerina has spent the past twenty years or so consumed by her desire for revenge. Now, for whatever reason, she is putting her energy into you three.”

“Stupid evil beacon!” Sadie yelled.

“Well since we’re here we should find out!” Blaze announced. “I know I don’t want to get home then feel like I have to constantly look over my shoulder.”

“I agree,” I added. “We need help. We need information!”

“That’s the best part,” Tristan said. “I know where to get it—your grandfather!”

“We have a grandfather?” Sadie asked. “Well I mean I know we do but are you saying he’s here?”

“He’s the reason I knew you were coming. He’s the gatekeeper.”

“Jiminy Christmas,” I mumbled to myself. Only Blaze seemed to hear me, raising his right eyebrow in confusion. I shrugged, not wanting to clarify it was just something meaningless I would say on occasion. We had a hard enough time staying on topic. Knowing Blaze, he was not concerned with an explanation anyway.

“Can we meet him?” Sadie asked, practically shrieking.

“Absolutely,” Tristan said. “He will be thrilled. He can also answer your questions better than I am able to.”

“So let’s go,” Blaze demanded.

“It will be dark soon,” Tristan said. “It’d be best if we go first thing in the morning.”

“If we’re alive then!” Blaze exclaimed then stormed out of the room.

Tristan peered at me through squinty eyes leading me to wonder if my expression showed the anxiety that had my heart pounding and my brain melting into mush.

Don’t waste your time buddy. I can’t even figure myself out
.

Tristan walked over to me, took my hand and led me out onto the patio.

“You looked like you needed some air,” he said.

“Air that can kill me?”

“Are you always so contemplative?”

I shook my head side to side, even though it was a blatant lie. Tristan was free to assume but there was no need for me to confirm my tendency to think too much. My behavior was best kept between me and those who loved me in spite of it.

The worry over my unfortunate state of affairs began mixing with the anxiety of just being next to him. The sun was beginning to set as the afternoon air swirled around us. The world seemed tranquil, yet I was a tangle of overactive butterflies and accelerated heartbeats. I mutely stared back at Tristan. For the life of me I could not think of a single comment or observation to make, clever or otherwise.

The rush was unlike anything I had ever encountered. I wondered if it was the feeling I had waited eighteen years to have—or, rather, spent eighteen years avoiding. The heart-pounding, head-spinning connection you experienced with the person you were meant to be with. That was what fairytales were made of. I was not sure that could exist in real life...or whatever our situation was considered.

The utter ridiculousness of leaping headfirst into a storybook existence with a person I had just met delivered a blow to my typical logic. Premature emotions were not my usual forte and although the daydreams were exciting, they were far from practical. Not to mention that we lived in worlds that would slowly kill the other person—well, we all hoped it was slow.

My hands went numb and the tingles trickled into my forearms. My vision blurred like a pair of sunglasses smudged by oily fingertips. A flash of heat rushed from my chest and spread throughout my entire body within seconds. I was rapidly falling victim to a panic attack.

“Oh!” I managed as the blackness devoured me from all sides.

I could hear Tristan’s voice. The scene was foggy and his words were muffled. No matter how hard I tried, I could not seem to compose myself or understand what was happening. All I could see were intermittent flashes of Tristan and darkness.

“Alex? Come back to me,” he said. “Alex, open your eyes.”

I’m right here, Tristan.

After an unknown period of time, I awoke to him holding me. The two of us were sprawled across the patio just past the door we had stepped out of. Tristan’s beautiful face stared down at me and not even the concern written all over it could diminish his handsomeness. Flecks of gold sparkled within each of his brown eyes. His soft, messy hair wisped across his forehead, framing his smoldering gaze and weakening what little resolve I had left.

“What happened?” I whispered, hoping this time my words weren’t in my head.

“You fainted.”

“Well, that’s new.”

I had thought myself into a state of unconsciousness.

Therapy? Anyone?

I stayed in his arms though the dizzying in my head had subsided. I knew I’d have to walk away from him eventually but for that moment, I had the perfect excuse not to.

“Are we going to die?” I asked.

“Not if I have anything to do with it.”

“How can you be so confident?”

“Alex, we have time to find you a way home. Now, stop worrying so much before you faint again and hurt yourself. Maybe I should stay nearby in case you need me to catch you.”

Perfect.

Everything about him was perfect. He was gorgeous and kindhearted. He said the right things and seemed to mean every word. I would have felt self-conscious were I not wholly consumed by every perfect part of him.

The harsh reality of our situation formed a knot in my stomach. The ugly truth was that he wasn't perfect. My heart began to break at the recognition of his one flaw—he could never be a part of my world.

There was no possible future that would end with both of us together and happy or alive.

He leaned closer to me, positioning his face mere inches from mine. For a split second, I let his eyes gaze deeply into mine. I imagined that the impossible was possible and allowed myself to hope he would kiss me. But not every story had a happy ending.

Our moment was over.

“I should go lie down,” I said.

“I’ll show you to the guest room,” he said curtly.

Aside from the fact that he sounded like a proper hotel concierge, the disappointment in his voice was impossible to ignore. And I agreed with him completely. 

Tristan led me down the hall, still supporting me even though I could not have been more alert. Entering the last bedroom on the left, I was once again taken aback.

The ceiling was vaulted and two doors on the far wall overlooked the portion of the patio I was unable to see due to my black out. In the center of the room rested a majestic four-post bed that must have been built for royalty. Pillows of varying sizes, decorated the top of the bed while the rest was draped in a plush, lavender lace down comforter.

“This is quite a girly room,” I said. “Is it yours?”

“Oh, a sense of humor! For your information madam, my mother decorated this room. She said I may have a guest one day and they deserve the utmost level of luxury.”

“Well, thanks Tristan’s mom. It’s lovely.”

Ugh, lovely again. Where’s a thesaurus when you need one?

“Stephanie. My mother’s name is Stephanie and she would have loved to have met you.”

“I know without a doubt that it would have been an honor to meet her.”

The second Tristan left the room I missed him. An ache appeared in my chest, and then faded to an overwhelming sense of emptiness. Crawling into the lavish bed, I knew that its magnificent coziness would be wasted on me.