Soul Master

13. Amèlie

'We need to get rid of your bond with him.' The moment Blitzen had left, Mum had grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs and sat me at the table as she made all of us tea. 'We need to undo a wrong and make it right.' Her hands trembled as she poured water from the kettle into four mismatched mugs. 'I know what he's like, he won't be gone long.'

'We?' Asha snapped, ignoring the fact Mum seemed to be going into an unprovoked frenzy, his attitude was volatile.

'We,' I spoke loudly, stopping them from engaging in another argument, 'are not going to do anything.' I glanced at them, Mum slammed the kettle on the counter, turning to look at me.

'Look at you both!' I scolded. 'You are right in front of me, discussing things about me like I am invisible, like my say doesn't matter.'

Penteluck reached for my arm to give comfort, I pulled away. 'You entrusted me with this bond for my seventeenth birthday because you believed I could handle what the conditions were, and now you are treating me like I'm a child.' I paused. 'The three of you may have forgotten it was my birthday only hours ago, but I hadn't, and neither had Blitzen.'

'For good reason.' Asha growled under his breath.

'What was that?' I asked agitated. 'If you have something to say, say it louder.' I looked at Mum who looked like she wanted to say something too. 'Both of you.'

A silence fell around us, Mum turned back to continue making the tea, the sound of the spoon clinking off the edges of the cups as she stirred.

I scoffed. 'Right,' I shook my head, 'poor little Amii, we must protect her, all this spiritual magnetism and strange abilities, with no guidance.' I said in a mockingly bitter tone. 'Well you know what, I have a guide.'

Penteluck looked at me, the only one of them at this moment in time to meet my gaze.

'Blitzen will guide me.' I said determined, meeting his gentle brown eyes with a look that I hope conveyed confidence.

'For a fee.' Mum added, she put cups down in front of us and joined us at the table.

I shook my head. 'Anything is better than this secrecy, what are you all hiding from me?'

'Anything?' Asha lifted his head, he sat opposite me, for most of the time he had sat with his head hung low, his fingers intertwined from both hands as though in prayer. His single word caught me off guard, there was a darkness behind his voice. Something he was trying to conceal. I refused to look away.

'Anything.' I echoed

He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping the kitchen floor. Without saying another word, he grabbed his parka from the coat hook, and without looking back, left out the front door.

Fine. I thought bitterly.

'Amii.' Mum said softly, using Asha's nickname for me, I looked back to her. 'Blitzen's fees,' She began.

'Are out of your budget.' Penteluck chimed in.

'Sex.' I said simply, with a shrug.

They both stared at me, I looked back unflinching. 'I'm not stupid,' I tried to keep my voice from showing my annoyance at them. 'I'm not a child.'

'You don't understand.' Mum interrupted. 'It's the way it's done.' She pressed her fingers to the sides of her head. 'Amèlie, Blitzen isn't some spirit guide that will love and protect you, that's not what he is like at all.'