Streamfield Shifters: Hide & Seek

Chapter Nine

Right after pizza, my parents and I, along with Leihalani, retreated to our part of the compound. No one wanted the elf to stay with my grandparents, even if they weren't helpless or had the extra room; nor was it wise for Leihalani to be in close proximity to Lucas for now. So, she was spending the night in Richard's old room. Nobody was particularly happy about the arrangement, but Leihalani hadn't exactly given us any reason to mistrust her. Besides, we were the ones who attacked her. No one could fault her for defending herself.

Leihalani perched on the sofa while Mom and I sifted through items I would be taking with me to the Summer Kingdom. What the hell have I gotten myself into? I wondered for the thousandth time, staring at all the objects strewn across the living room floor. Sure, I was nervous, but I chose to go. I wanted to go. I had to see if there was something better out there for me that didn't involve a desk and a phone.

"Be honest with me," Mom said to Leihalani, "how much danger will she be in?"

"Danger?" the elven woman repeated as if it were a foreign term. She paused and chewed on the side of her thumbnail. "Very little," she admitted.

Mom's sigh of relief flooded the living room.

"The real trouble lies in keeping her humanity a secret," the elf continued. She leaned forward and flicked through the clothes I'd brought down from my room. "Have you no cloak?"

"What if I just pulled my hair over my ears?" I asked, demonstrating.

Leihalani shook her head. "You are too pale to be a Summer elf, and even if we could pass you off as a Spring elf who dyed her hair, there is still the matter of your eyes."

Well, shit. "No purple eyes, huh?" Considering her own were silver, I figured there was a chance.

"No."

I sighed and sat back on my heels. Maybe no one would look at me too closely.

"I suppose I could procure you a cloak at the guard station," Leihalani ruminated, reaching down to snatch up a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup off the floor. The wrapper crinkled loudly in the silence that followed. "You will have to remain silent in public," she told me, gesturing with the candy before popping it in her mouth. A blissful smile creased Leihalani's lips as she chewed. "Might I have another?"

Mom handed one up to her.

"Thank you. The less attention we bring to you, the better—especially if the child thieves stayed close to the Gate. Still, your very presence in my company might be remarked upon—I'm known to travel alone," she added as Mom and I turned identical questioning looks in her direction.

Great. "Can't you say that I'm some sort of assistant that you picked up along the way?"

The elf pursed her lips in thought. "That might work. A mute assistant ..." she murmured, staring off into the distance and trailing off.

Mom and I exchanged worried glances. Taking a deep breath, Mom threw back her shoulders and began furiously organizing the mess on the floor into neat piles. "Stupid ... foolish ..." she muttered under her breath.

I didn't blame her. We really were flying by the seat of our pants. It was amazing how quickly everything unfolded in such a short amount of time. Perhaps that was for the best; the sooner we got to the SummerKingdom, the sooner I could bring Jimmy home.

A loud creak split the silence. Mom and I jerked at the same time as the cellar door opened and Dad appeared at the front of the living room. "Is this big enough?" he asked, holding up a large, but very dusty backpack.

"God, Terry," my mother cried, leaping to her feet. "Take that thing outside! Who knows what's crawling around in it."

Without waiting for Dad to do it, Mom grabbed the backpack and raced outside to take care of it herself. Dad threw up his hands in exaggerated fashion and joined us in the living room.