Portal Jumpers

Chapter 13

     “He kissed her?” James finally listened to what Takoda was saying.
     “Yes, and she said she pushed him away when he did, honestly you should be talking to her about this, not me.”
     “Why didn't she tell me this?” He asked.
     “Maybe because you stormed out before I could say anything.” I said walking in.
     James looked embarrassed that I had heard them talking about me.
     Takoda looked relieved when I was finally here.
     “You don't ask people things, you just assume the worst. If you would have asked me I would have told you I pushed him away instantly and yelled at him for it.” I rolled my eyes. “Not that I need to justify myself to you.”
     “You could have told me before.”
     “It’s really none of your business.”
     “Do you like him?” He asked quietly.
     “If I did, it wouldn't be any of your business anyway.”
     There was a touch on my shoulder and I was outside.
     I knew the hand, it was Agathon. I turned around to look at him and placed my hands on my hips. “What was that for?”
     “I thought you deserve a break from all the fighting.”
     “Thanks, but you do know they're going to come out here and fight you, because they probably think you kidnapped me again?”
     “Again, when was the first time?” He asked.
     “You helped Liam kidnap me.” I reminded him.
     “I’m sorry.” He said sincerely.
     “I know you didn’t do it of your own free will, it’s ok.”
     The door started opening, James and Takoda were looking for me.
     I turned to look at the door, it was a hundred feet or so away.
     “You better leave now unless you wanna get hit.” I told him.
     He grabbed me around my waist and lifted me up into the sky.
     “What are you doing?” I yelled over the wind. “I have my own wings, you know.”
     “Yes, I do know that, I just didn't know if you'd come with me.”
     “You could have asked me instead of whisking me away. This isn’t exactly safe.”
     “You don't have to be scared, I've got you. I won't let you fall.” He soothed. “Besides we're almost there so you might as well come with me.”
     “Almost where?” I asked, curiously looking up at him.
     “It's a surprise.” He smiled.
     “I thought you were staying away from me?”
     “I was, but then I missed you.” He shrugged.
     I shook my head at him and smiled.
     “Fine, but you have to take me back right after.”
     “Of course.”
     I couldn't see where we were going since we were in the clouds. I didn't notice us slowly going lower either, because of the fog, until my feet hit the ground. I heard the sound of water falling nearby. The fog wasn't as bad now that we were on the ground. I could see grass, trees and flowers.
     “Follow me.” Agathon murmured, taking my hand. He moved branches and there was a big waterfall spilling over boulders into a pond.
     “You kidnapped me to show me water and rocks.” I said trying to not sound awed at the beautiful sight.
     “You sound so impressed.” He joked.
     I rolled my eyes and walked to the edge of the water. I didn't hear him walk up behind me. I knew he was there by his breath blowing my hair. My heart picked up pace. “Do you know what personal space is?” I snorted.
     “Maybe I just don't care.” He muttered. “Besides, I know you like it.” He added.
     “I'm not agreeing, but how would you be able to tell if I did?” I questioned almost as quietly.
     “Your aura gets stronger when your heartbeat rise's.”
     “If that's the reason then maybe I'm actually scared for my life. That also makes my heart beat faster.” I sided.
     “That's a good point, but you're not scared. Or you wouldn't let me be this close.” He ended in a whisper getting closer. His nose in my hair now.
     “Tha-that’s true, I wouldn’t.” I stopped breathing and he noticed.
     “Sorry.” He murmured.
     “It’s… fine.” I said breathing again as he stepped away and looked out towards the water.
     “Do you like James?”
     “Why?”
     “I’m just asking a question.” He turned back to look at me.
     “He’s a friend.”
     “Nothing more?”
     “Nope.”
     He smiled and turned around at the same time.
     “I should go, they're probably worried and looking for me.” I said letting my wings out with slightly more ease than last time.
     “I'll go with you.” He said without room for argument. He grabbed my hand and started flying up. “I can show you the way back.”
     We didn't talk on the fly back, and he didn't let go of my hand the whole way and I didn’t pull my hand back. We landed and he looked at me.
     “I’ll see you around?”
     “We’ll see.”
     “You know, if you ever want to go on adventures to far away worlds let me know.”
     “I’ll keep that in mind.”
     He flew into the air and disappeared.
     I stared for a second or two.
     “Chloe!” Becca was calling in the distance.
     I came out of my daze. “I'm fine.” I yelled walking toward the sounds of my friends.
     “Chloe, are you ok?” Becca asked.
     “Yeah, I'm fine.” I said as she ran over.
     “Hey, you found her!” Takoda said, running up to us.
     “Where’s James?” I asked.
     “Pouting in his room.” Takoda rolled his eyes.
     “He’s still upset? Should I go and talk to him?”
     “I’d let him cool down a little first, he'll come out when he’s ready.” Takoda said.
     “Well, we have the rest of Sunday, what do you guys want to do?” Becca asked.
     “I still don’t know anything about Portal Jumpers and Teleporters.”
     The rest of the day was teaching me everything they knew. Portal Jumpers could not go anywhere without someone touching them and couldn’t get back for the same reason. Teleporters could go anywhere they’ve already been, seen, or could follow aura to. I showed them my wings and flew for them. They stared in awe and wanted to know what it felt like. I told them about my apparent relation to a long line of queens. And asked what they thought about Agathon and his past he told me about earlier that day. James never came outside his house to see us.
     “I should go now, my dads wondering where I am.” It was getting late.
     “Alright, we’ll see you tomorrow at school anyhow.” Becca waved.
     I let my wings out, everytime getting easier for me to do. I took off into the night sky. Besides the white on the upper side of my wings, they blended into the night sky.
     “I learned so much today about my friends, but I still know next to nothing about myself.” I sighed dropping down in front of my front door. I walked in without hiding my wings.
     My dad turned around and gasped. “I was wondering if you’d turn out like your mother.”
     “You knew she was Fey?” I exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
     “You must hide them, he can’t know you’re Fey, he’ll come for you too, like he did your mother.”
     I hide my wings. “Who, who killed my mother.”
     My dad blinked. “Chloe, you saw the car… you know she crashed.”
     “No, you just said someone killed her.”
     He shook his head. “It was a reckless driver.”
     I slapped my hand to my head. “Well, if you won’t tell me who then can you atleast teach me something about Fey, no one else knows anything about them.”
     “Fey?” He said it like he’s never heard the word before.
     “Yes, mom and I are Fey.” I said.
     “Oh, CJ, of course you two are as beautiful as the moon. You do know she’s dead though, right?”
     “What, no.” I brought my wings out again. “I’m talking about this.”
     “Chloe, you’re Fey?” He asked.
     “You said I was a couple minutes ago.”
     He shook his head. “You weren’t home a couple minutes ago.” His brows furrowed. “You need to hide them before he finds you.”
     “Who finds me?”
     “I don’t know his name, but he killed her, I won’t let him kill you too. Now hide them and don’t ever let them out again.” He ran to close the door I hadn’t realized was open.
     I hide my wings once again.
     “Oh, I didn’t know you were home, CJ, how was spending the day at the Hunters?”
     “It was fine.” I stared at him.
     “What are you looking at?” He asked me.
     “Do you know what Fey are?”
     “Is this for your French class at school, cause you should really be asking her that.”
     “Yeah, um I’ll be in my room.”
     “Have fun.”
     I ran upstairs and texted Becca.
     Me: My dad saw my wings and freaked out. He said someone killed my mom, then he told me to hide my wings, I did and he couldn’t remember our conversation.
     Becca: I thought your mom died in a car crash??? Did he say who did it?
     Me: He wouldn’t tell me, he told me to never let anyone see them and that someone would come for me if I did.
     Becca: I bet it was Agathon and Liam.
     Me: That’s the most likely explanation.
     I hope Agathon had nothing to do with my mothers death. I couldn’t sleep that night, I had no way of asking Agathon if he knew anything about my mothers death. I don’t know if I could ever forgive him if he gave my mother to Liam.

That next morning I looked like a wreck, because I didn’t get much sleep. I was awake well before my alarm started beeping. I scuffled to the bathroom to get ready for school.
     “Looks like you didn’t get any sleep last night.” My dad commented when I sat down to eat some toast I made myself.
     I shook my head.
     “Were you up all night studying French?”
     I nodded. “French is hard.” I hated lying to my dad, but he wouldn’t have any idea what I was talking about if I told him why I didn’t sleep last night.

     “Did you get any sleep last night?” Becca asked when I got on the bus.
     “I don’t think so. I was thinking about how to ask Agathon-”
     “If he killed your mother?” She finished for me.
     I sighed. “I hope he didn’t, I’ll never forgive him if he killed her.”
     James watched me sit down with Becca, but looked away when I caught his eye.

     The day dragged on, I was waiting for Agathon to show himself.
     I had no idea where he could be, since his last home was with a sadistic murderer. I hoped he wasn’t with him right now, discussing how to kill me like they did my mother.
     He wouldn’t get the chance to kill me.

     I got off the bus that afternoon and stopped short of my house.
     Agathon was chilling on my balcony, waiting for me to get home.
     I saw his wings flutter in excitement when he saw me. I walked to the door, quickly. I didn’t stop when he flew down to meet me. I slammed the door in his face just as his feet touched the ground.
     My dad wasn’t home yet, thankfully, I could yell at Agathon.
     Agathon teleported right behind me, on the stairs. “What’s wrong, princess?”
     I didn’t answer. I shut my bedroom door and waited, with my back against in, for him to come in.