Page 20 of Witch's Exile
9
DEJA
Ash wasn't kidding when he said Air was the most difficult element to grasp.
I stood in the clearing just outside the house-- breathless, sweaty, and with more than a few bumps and bruises. While practicing my newfound magic, I became quite good at literally knocking the wind out of myself.
I had gotten up early in the morning, sliding out from under Sal's warm embrace to make myself coffee--blech--and immediately headed outside to become acquainted with this power. Unfortunately, I gave my hot headed demon a rude awakening by rattling the window panes with a heavy gust of wind. He woke up so suddenly and ready to fight, he nearly set a real fire in the bedroom.
After a few strenuous hours, I found the best use of Air to be enhancing the other three elements. Mixed in with Earth, I could heal faster, create a stronger life force and choke it off just as quickly. My small flames became roaring infernos and I didn't dare practice on Sal to see how much faster I could drown with water.
My stomach rumbled as I dropped my arms, heaving and aching from hours of casting. Sal went back inside after watching me for a while and I hoped he was getting lunch started.
"Caw! Caw!"
I stopped and turned to the raven perched on a tree branch. It tilted its head at me, its glossy feathers creating a metallic sheen in the sunlight.
"What, Raum?" I shrugged and held my hands out with my palms open, frustration creeping into my voice. "Are you ever going to actually talk to me or just keep cawing from a distance?"
He said nothing from either his beak or from his aura, his emotions completely closed off to me. My fists clenched at my sides while my teeth ground together.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel his arms around me and inhale his smell again. My teeth cut into my tongue as I fought the urge to yell pleas and apologies up to the bird watching me. I had to remember that I was not the one who needed to apologize. Asking for space was not the same as deserving a week-long silent treatment. This distance between us washisdoing, not mine.
Before letting tears spill, I turned toward the house and hurried to the front door. Just as I stepped a foot inside, a flash of movement and color caught my eye.
I jerked my head to the side and froze, watching and listening. When nothing stirred I called on my Fire magic to reveal what was hidden, and asked Earth and Air to show me where the ground vibrated under footsteps, no matter how soft.
There.
In my minds eye I saw a boy no older than ten. His hair was redder than Sal's, more of a vibrant orange. He watched me with wide, curious blue eyes from the dense brush of the forest. I turned my body toward him and he took off running with speed and agility that no human child should have had.
I ran after him with no time to hesitate or call for Sal. That shock of bright red hair barely stayed in my vision as he zigged, zagged, jumped over rocks, and ducked under fallen branches, all while running as fast as his skinny legs could carry him. Only my magic guiding me kept me hot on his trail.
Who or what the Hell is this kid?
My lungs labored with every breath and my muscles cramped with fatigue as I tried desperately not to lose him. If he was human, I'd have to wipe his memory of witnessing my magic. If he was a witch, I'd have to find out which side his family was on. We couldn't afford to be neighbors with a bunch of demon hunters.
"Fuck," I cursed as I saw a massive fallen tree straight up ahead. It was practically a wall, its trunk way too big to climb over. I'd have to run around it, which meant losing precious time.
I veered off to the right, hoping the top of the tree got skinny enough to jump over soon. The boy jumped and vaulted himself over the widest part in two steps. He was out of my sight and I had to hurry. I scrambled over the wall of soft, rotting wood with all the grace of an elephant. Broken branches slashed at my clothes and face as I slid on my ass down the other side. I'd have to do some self-healing when I got home.
Fuck, where did he go?
I looked to my right and left. No sign of him. In the various shades of greens, grays, and browns of the forest, the shock of bright orange hair disappeared. No way he could have just vanished. I was right behind him. Cursing and wheezing, I spun around in a circle then paused to listen.
A high-pitched yelp echoed through the woods. I found myself spinning furiously again to locate the sound. It sounded like strange, animal laughter.
My heart nearly stopped when a curious face peeked out at me from behind a tree and yipped again, followed by a short howl. The blue eyes were the same, but this face had a long muzzle, slender canine jaws, triangular ears, and a face covered in rusty orange fur.
I was looking at a goddamned blue-eyed fox.
The small animal yipped again with its high-pitched laughter and bounded away into the woods, barely making a sound. I was so stunned, it took me a moment to get moving and follow him again.
My legs protested as I trudged on but the fox-boy paused several yards ahead of me, looking back with alert eyes and pricked ears. Before I got too close, he took off again at a leisurely trot rather than a run this time.
So he wants me to follow him,I realized.Might be a good idea to have back up.
Hey Sal,I reached out to his aura with mine.Something's odd about our new neighbors. I just saw a boy turn into a fucking fox. He's leading me through the woods toward the yurts.
