Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Monster

HEIDI

A tomb. A hole in the ground. A crown. A young boy.

I saw these things in my dream and in that order. I would wake up right after the young boy. His pale face, green eyes and crying for me.

I never told Tristan about this young boy. Ada once asked me about him.

"It's just a dream," I told her. I never knew what it meant either.

Breakfast was quiet. Tristan was busy poring over the street map of Plainsview while Mrs Embers sat Ada into her baby chair. She was hungry, she said, before proceeding to make her 'baby pancakes'.

"What are 'baby pancakes'?" I asked, watching the old woman bustle about the kitchen.

She opened the refrigerator door and stuck her blonde head in. "Pancakes that aren't too sweet. You don't want her to be addicted to sugar before she learns to eat healthy."

I turned to look at Tristan who was still scowling at his map. He didn't hear a word.

"You're out of eggs, sweetheart," Mrs Embers spoke to no one particular. She pulled her head out of the refrigerator and shut the door.

"I'll go get them later," Tristan responded without looking up. Was this how families communicated during breakfast?

Mrs Embers cracked the eggs into a bowl of flour. "I'm going with you, remember? I want to see how Plainsview's supermarket looks like."

Tristan lifted his head from the map and smiled. "I remember, mother."

I brushed my daughter's hair, soft and brown like her father's. There was something about the warmth that surrounded us that morning. I was seated in the middle of a kitchen with three generations of a family around me—

—and a sharp pain in my stomach. I flinched.

"All right, here you go, my love," Mrs Embers placed a plate of 'baby pancakes' onto Ada's little baby table.

Tristan folded his map and pocketed it. "Ready to go?"

Mrs Embers turned to the coat rack and put on her winter jacket. Then she shouldered her handbag and her green eyes flickered to me. Tristan planted a kiss in Ada's hair and one on my lips.

"I'll see you both later," he said and slid his wand into his black coat pocket before exiting the door in his usual Tristan haste.

His mother, on the other hand, closed the distance between us and lowered her voice. "Need me to get you anything from the supermarket?"

"Milk would be great," I shrugged. "I think that's about it."

Her green eyes darted to my stomach and then back at me. "I think I'll get you what you really need, dear."

I stared after her as she walked out the door to join her son who was already waiting. I turned to Ada who was wolfing down her 'baby pancakes'.

Another jolt of pain.

"Mommy will be right back," I said to her and raced to the bathroom.

I checked my jeans to see if there were any stains. Nothing. It must be the mushrooms from yesterday. I left the bathroom and headed straight for Ada who was beginning to whine.

"I'm here, sweetie."

I lifted her from the baby chair. I walked to the window above the kitchen sink and watched the sun rise. The snow on the ground and trees shimmered in a golden hue. Ada's hazel eyes darted as she stared out into the forest with curiosity.

And then she threw her hands to her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, shaking her arms but they would not budge. She was silent and afraid—like she saw something.

I scanned the white forest. Nothing out of the ordinary. I brought her away from the window and the second I did, a black crow slammed right into it before dropping. We both startled and Ada shrieked. She had tears in her wary eyes.

I suddenly thought of the djinn from last night. They could smell her a mile away.

"Let's go to your room and turn on the radio, okay?" I put on a cheerful voice and we headed to her room. I put her in her playpen before shutting the door.

She was picking up her toys around her and I sat on the edge of the bed and watched. We had moved Mrs Embers' bed into her room so Ada would not be alone when she had her nightmares.

"Ada," I said slowly, resting my hands and chin on the top of her playpen, "what did you see?"

She looked up at me with her doe eyes. "A monster, mummy. It's calling you."

"What did the monster look like?"

"Black and white eyes."

I exhaled shakily. "Was it big? Like a bear?"

She nodded. Khûl Nir.

I brushed her hair. "Well, as long as I'm here, it can't hurt you. I promise."