Juggling bags, her purse, and her keys, Rika eventually got her apartment unlocked. Before she had a chance to grab the knob, the door swung open. Bags tumbled from her arms as hands yanked her inside. She twisted in the grip, training foremost in her mind, until she saw who it was that was moving between her and Ahisu.
She went still, gaze drawn straight to the cobalt head in front of her. For a second, her mind went white, thoughts as frozen as her body. Eyes wide, but grinning fit to split her face, Rika shouted, “Damek!”
The arms around her tightened, and she looked behind and down, into a familiar set of brown eyes. “Elthia! What are you both doing here? And how did you get here?”
“Are you alright?” Damek asked without turning around.
“I’m fine. What’s going on?”
“He leaves. Now,” Conner growled from behind her.
Rika looked at her brother, following his gaze to Ahisu. “What? No!”
“He’s dangerous. You need to stay away from him,” Elthia said.
Jerking herself free of the healer’s grasp, Rika shoved her way past Damek to stand in front of Ahisu, her hands on her hips as she glared at the three facing her. “I don’t know what’s going on, or why you two came here, but I’m not letting you throw him out.”
“Rika, you don’t understand. He has plans,” Damek said through gritted teeth.
Conner clenched his fists. “They told me that this bastard nearly got you killed!”
Rika crossed her arms over her chest. “First of all, me getting hurt wasn’t Ahisu’s fault. It was the demon’s. Secondly, I know what his plans are. I agreed to help.”
“You what?” Damek cried.
Elthia sighed. “Oh, Rika. I hope this wasn’t because…”
She flushed. “Not entirely, no.” A hand on her shoulder had Rika looking behind. Ahisu’s eyes met hers, before flicking towards the other three, then to the family room. Rika frowned, but nodded. She turned back to her brother and her friends. “Rather than argue about this in the hall, we should sit down and discuss it.”
Conner opened his mouth, the look on his face telling Rika he was about to argue with her, so she glared at him until he backed down. Damek shifted, but Elthia grabbed his hand. He glanced at her, and she shook her head. His lips thinned, but he allowed the healer to tow him to a chair. Rika waited until Conner had followed them before she moved forward, Ahisu only two steps behind her.
She joined the mage on the couch, facing the other three, her legs tucked under her. “Alright. First, I’ve got to ask, Elthia, Damek, how did you guys get here?”
After another look at the healer, Damek said, “Onuris sent us. After he,” here, he jerked his chin in Ahisu’s direction. “Followed you. We would have followed, but the spell can only be performed once a year, as you know. If he hadn’t had a demon hook him onto the spell that sent you back, he wouldn’t have made it. After he was gone, we started looking into him. He’s planning on taking over your world!”
“No, it’s just the country. And Ahisu already told me when he asked me to join him.”
“You agreed? Why?”
“He made some good points. I like the idea of there being a country where all mages are welcome. And I want the world to know magic’s real. How many people are there, like me and Conner, who have magic but don’t know it, because the whole world denies the existence of magic? I think the world will ultimately benefit, if magic is dragged into the light. And Ahisu promised to listen to me,” Rika said, smiling at the mage.
Ahisu nodded, before looking back at the others.
“He nearly got you killed!” Conner snapped.
Rika’s chin rose. “And I already told you, it wasn’t his fault. He nearly died himself. And he summoned the demon to save me, so you can’t blame him. Now drop it.”
“You truly think that this is a good idea? That your country, your world, will benefit from a haven for mages?” Elthia asked, her voice quiet.
She nodded. “I wouldn’t have agreed to help otherwise.”
“Really?”
Rika blushed again. “Yes, really.”
“Them, too,” Ahisu said, his voice breaking the sudden silence.
She looked at him, eyes wide, then smiled. She turned back to Damek and Elthia. “How long are you going to be here for?”
The two of them froze before exchanging a look. Damek ran a hand through his hair. “That’s the thing, stranger-girl. The spell is one-way. Without a travel mage on this end, we can’t go back.”
“Well, we’ll look for one for you two. I’ll be glad to return the favour from before. Until then, how would you feel about helping us?”
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FantasíaRika has finally gotten home and is all set to put the events of the past months behind her. That is until Ahisu arrives with an offer she can't refuse. Now she's helping him recruit others and plan a rebellion. He plans to turn the country into a h...
