Exiled Princess

Chapter seven

''I named my gang 'The midnight cats'.'' Lisa says, bouncing on my rocky bed, settled in the corner of the small damp room. The air smells like frost and vintage dust, casting a foggy layer on the floor.

''Ah, interesting. Aren't black cats considered bad luck though?'' I ask her, sitting still, while she braids my hair in return. Her hands flow perfectly through my long hair, separating it into three sections. Left above the middle, right section on the new middle–again and again.

''That's why I fathom the name.'' She answers, ''It feels daring, and I don't mind a challenge–I savor it, really.'' I then truly look at her, oddly imagining my later days with such an unusual girl. I grimace.

''Tell me more about your family–your crew.'' I tap my pale fingers on top of each, their color still not returning to them, still pale from enduring the grief of my loss–as if still mourning my dead family. Perhaps such sorrow is permanent.

She nods, ''As a matter of fact, we are six members–seven now, with you.'' Lisa says. ''We usually pair as a team of two. Hyunjin and my brother. The twins, Felix and Momo. Nayeon and me.''

''All whom are thieves?'' I ask casually, not wanting to seem dodgy.

''Right to the point.'' she says, looking me in the eyes, as if daring me to ask further. I do, not minding a challenge.

''What happened to you and your brother?'' I estimate, pushing the privacy line a bit further. ''You never speak of your family, how you ended up here.''

Lisa pulls away from my embrace, her eyes forming walls, becoming well guarded. But I don't slash my eyes off hers. Instead I look deeply, wanting to find any lick of self-doubt.

''You unwrap your secrets first, and I'll tell you everything you want later.'' Lisa asserts, again speaking of riddles. ''Fair enough, Smutty Head?''

Something suddenly changes in her. Her eyes form flaming gleams, her flawless skin suddenly seems to pour heat to the surroundings, burning and vicious. Her hair lifts from her shoulders making her look like a beautiful goddess.

I suck in a breath. I believe I know what will follow.

''Want me to show you a trick before you decide to make a bargain with a thief?'' She asks, those firing eyes of hers eyeing me. Even though we are of the same height, she is still capable of gazing down at me like a mother waiting for her child to pass a tricky test.

I can't get words out of my mouth, so I give her a rush nod.

Lisa raises her hand, and just then, the lit candle beside me becomes brighter, flooding warmth onto my cheeks. The flame leaves the splint, and lifts into the air. Right here and right now, I am looking at a twinkly fire dancing in midair. It looks fragile, and all the same radiating with power that wasn't there just a moment ago. The experience of seeing her using her abilities personally feels all the same obliviating and extraordinary.

The flame rises further, and lands on my hand. Soft and blossoming pain spreads on my palm. I try moving my arm away from the fire, but Lisa keeps darting it towards me, chuckling softly. Just when she closes her hand with a clap does the flame burst into lighter cloudy smoke, all smelly with the scent of magic and mystery.

''I can't imagine you getting even a bit fucking cooler, Lisa.'' I exhale. ''But here you are, controlling a flame to dance.''

Suddenly, a strange feeling blossoms within my depths, making the hair on my arms rise to form ruddy edges. A voice buried inside me screams at me to examine and look further. I try ignoring it, but the ringing in my ears all the same becomes louder and louder and louder—