Evmor: The Calling

Chapter 15

Sorry to keep you guys waiting, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of the chapter before, but here it is! 

Chapter 15

“Nate?” I whispered, my voice rough with emotion. I took a faltering step towards him when Cinæd trotted up to block my path. I stared up in confusion, wondering why he was stopping me. I tried to push my way past him but he stayed firm, looking down at me with his golden eyes.

“Cinæd that’s my brother. I have to go see him!” I protested, finally managing to make my way around him. I half ran half stumbled towards Nate but then skidded to a stop. It was definitely Nate, there was no way I could mistake someone else as him, but he seemed different. He was wearing a long black cloak, his familiar warmth was gone from his eyes, and his lips were set in a cold smirk that he never wore. Uncertainty filled me at how different yet the same this person was.

“Aviara. I’ve missed you.” Nate said in that familiar voice. But there was something wrong with it, his tone too dry, too cold.

“Nate, what are you doing here?” I asked perplexed at how he had gotten to Evmor. I was also worried about his safety and what he could have been through.

“I came to see you,” he responded, “You disappeared and I knew you would want me to find you.” I frowned at that. I thought I had made it clear that I did not want him to look for me.

“You shouldn’t be here. It’s dangerous. What about Emilie?” I asked, thinking about my sister and how Nate could have left her.

“She will be fine. Emilie is old enough to stay at home by herself.” Nate answered calmly, his face serene.

I remembered my parents’ funeral, Nate struggling to stay strong as he wrapped a steady arm around Emilie. She had been shivering and crying uncontrollably, her frail shoulders trembling. Since then, Nate had always been protective of both Emilie and me, to the point where I would complain that he was being over-protective.

I felt like I had been slapped in the face, finally awake and seeing things clearly.

“You’re not Nate,” I muttered slowly, the words feeling thick in my mouth, “Nate would never leave Emilie alone; not after what happened at home.” I continued to stare at this thing that was wearing Nate’s face, horrified as it started to twist into a sneer.

Several thoughts flashed through my mind in mere seconds. How had it known Nate’s face? Was he safe? What about Emilie?

“Clever little girl.” It growled in a voice like scraping rocks, no longer Nate’s voice, and I noticed it had rows of jagged teeth. That was definitely not Nate. Then it pounced at me with unnatural speed so that it was a dark blur.

I knew it wasn’t Nate, that it was some demon that had stolen his face, but I couldn’t bring myself to raise my daggers against it. Instead, I watched, completely stunned, as it flew towards me and struck out, sending me flying back. I hit a tree with a sickening crack and I crumpled to the ground with a pained moan. Everything seemed to spin and I was sure I had a concussion.

Clutching my head tightly, I scrunched my eyes closed against the wave of nausea. Through bleary eyes, I squinted up to see the demon approaching me. When my vision cleared, I saw that it was still wearing Nate’s face.

“Take it off,” I muttered, “That’s not your face!” I screamed, enraged that something as dark and twisted was wearing my brother’s face. In answer, it only snickered, as if amused at my outburst. I saw something flash wickedly in the dim moonlight and saw that the demon was brandishing a knife. I scrambled away, still unable to defend myself against my brother’s face.