Page 18 of Living Legend

I flicked my wrist as I freed her from darkness, but not without whipping at her exposed arms a bit, leaving small red marks. She rubbed her arms, moving them around a bit.The Enchanters came to her aide immediately, looking her up and down.

“Tell Jonah I’ll fix the portals. It’s the least I can do,” she said with surprising sincerity.

Nicholas gave her one quick nod as he made his way towards the door. Elise looked from him to the Enchanter. “So that’s it? We aren’t gonna kill anybody?”

I smirked, placing my hand on her shoulder as I shook my head. She shrugged away from me, muttering something I couldn’t hear. We’d started to follow Nicholas towards the door when Natalia asked a sudden question back.

“And your name?”

He turned on his heels. “Nicholas?”

She cocked her head. “Your last name doesn’t happen to be Cassial, does it?”

He arched an eyebrow. “It is. What’s it to you?”

“Our mothers knew one another back when the lines weren’t so thick. I think I remember seeing her here. I could be wrong, but you share the same eyes.”

Nicholas paused, as if his heart stopped beating. He looked at Natalia, almost through her, as he absorbed her words. I wanted to shake him, but he resumed his stoic face quickly. “My mother left my family when I was a boy, so I’m not sure what to tell you.” He slapped his hand against the doorframe and rushed out.The unshakeable angel wasn’t so put together after all.

Reese slid his bow behind his back and followed, Elise stomping out after him, directing her words at him. “Are you gonna admit I was the slightest bit right about your shitty weapons?”

I went to follow, and I ducked my head down as I made my way to the door. I stopped dead in my tracks, though, when I heard a strong, booming voice outside. My companions were frozen with me as I watched a large man with broad shoulders, muscles pulsing down his arms, tattoos scattered along his skin, long, shiny hair in a braid down his back. He was intimidatingly tall and had a look of utter confusion and complete rage on his face.

“What the hell happened? Where is she?” he shouted, pushing Enchanters out of the way and barreling towards us. He stalked over to Nicholas and shoved a finger in his face. “You have no business here! What have you done to–.”

“They were just leaving,” Natalia interrupted, her voice completely calm and maybe a slight bit irritated. “I have it under control.”

“Under control? Look around, this is not under–.” She cut him off as she raised her hand. “We’ve talked about this; I am not a damsel in distress.”

Maybe I could learn to like her.

Natalia looked over and motioned for us to go ahead. The man just heaved a frustrated sigh and swiped a hand down his face. We shuffled around him, watching as other Enchanters gave him a wide berth. Natalia eyed me before I got too far out of sight.

“Don’t worry, Soul Seether. We’ll meet again.”

Chapter Four

NICK

Ihad to wait a whole day to speak to Jonah when we got back from Oculus. I assumed he’d have wanted to see me immediately, but Ariel shooed me away from his office and told me the high executive would see me the next day. I honestly didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts; the last words out of Natalia’s mouth remained front and center.

My mother.

I had no interest in entertaining the idea of her, let alone talking about her with someone who’d hog tied me with a tree vine. I had no quarrel with Natalia, but what she said ate at me, like a worm slithering its way through an apple core. Dani and Elise had taken to being by themselves, and Reese had decided he’d nap away the exhaustion.

The Skies offered its sentries rooms if they decided to remain permanently. Flying home while your eyes fluttered closed from lack of sleep wasn’t always the safest bet so they had decided to give us rooms here instead. Unlike my best friend, I’d opted to go home. I hadn’t seen my father, Maurice, in weeks, so a visit was much needed.

The flight to the North Village was filled with breathtaking scenery. I let the wind hit my wings as I relaxed into it. The leaves on the trees tickled the tips of my feathers, and the breeze sent different aromas through my nose: fresh bread, running streams, even a slow burning fire. Everything seemed so small up here; I was so high, I could touch a cloud if I wanted.

The North Village came into view quickly enough. All the villages were distinct. The South was in the countryside, and when it rained, it poured. East was secluded in the mountains with some of the best hiking trails. The West, on the same side of the map as Oculus, faced the water. The summers there were the best, with a few monstrous beaches I’d only been to a handful of times. The streets in the North were flooded with cobblestone, each house constructed with the sturdiest wood with brick chimneys. The houses were connected to each other by small gates with a narrow grass patch in between. The weather varied from village to village, but the North was usually a constant autumn. The leaves were no longer green, but various colors from orange to red to deep brown.

I started my landing, weaving a bit so I wouldn’t hit any tree branches. Stone crunched beneath my sneakers as I planted my feet on the ground, a breeze rustling my hair, surrounded by my home. I realized I’d landed behind the village, a short walk from my house, so I began to walk. I could see one of the two large fountains that proudly remained no matter how expansive this place became. I heard children laughing, old creaking doors opening and closing, the faint chime of bells in the distance. It made my heart hurt being back here, realizing I hadn’t been home in quite some time.

I noticed the two-story building and large green lawn my father and I used to spar on first. Once Reese and I became close, it became the three of us clashing fake swords and ending up in a wrestling match of fists and slaps. Then we got older, and I got a better sword with actual weight, Reese got his first bow made of cedar, and my father set up targets for us to practice with. I felt my chest swell with pride at the nostalgia, and I walked a few steps up to the back door and knocked. I heard him grumble something from inside, then nothing but silence. I looked around awkwardly, my fingers tapping my thighs. I was about to knock again when the door swung open and my father’s tired but youthful face stared back at me. His bored expression melted into a happy one as he took me in. Despite his age, he still looked spry.

“Nicholas! It’s been too long!” he yelled, embracing me in a tight hug.

“How are you, dad?” I muffled into his shoulder.

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