A Lightning Storm of Spark and Flame

Chapter 12

Phoebe doesn't know how long she's been standing there when Chase's sudden hand on her shoulder makes her scream. When she had forced her way from the house, it had been nighttime. But as she whirls frantically toward whoever is touching her, the Golden glow from the rising sun hits her full in the face. The shifter immediately raises both palms to sooth her and takes a step back. Terror instantly melting away at the sight of him, she doesn't hesitate to throw herself forward into his arms. Chase seems surprised by this, but he wraps her up tight all the same. There, Phoebe weeps out every last confusing emotion for the destruction of the only home she'd ever known and for the grandmother who'd raised her but also tried to kill her on many occasions. All the while, the shifter simply holds her, patting her back every so often in an attempt to provide some semblance of comfort. But he need not have bothered. The hug itself is more than enough for the distraught girl. When she finally catches her breath, she lifts her head from his chest and peers up at him. She's swept with a sense of déjà vu since she'd been doing the exact same thing less than 24 hours ago. Upon coming to this humiliating realization, Phoebe scrubs at her face with the backs of her hands and feels herself blush. "I'm so sorry," she tells Chase hoarsely. "This is the second time i've cried on you like this. You must think I'm terribly emotional." He graces her with a kind smile, his dimples making a welcome reappearance when he does so. His eyes are warm as he gently shakes his head and squeezes her once. She takes that as the forgiveness she feels she hasn't entirely earned. "You're too nice," she mumbles embarrassedly. He lifts his shoulders in a mild shrug as if to say, "Oh well". Then he jerks his chin toward the collapsed ruins of the house behind her. His expression clearly indicates he wishes to know the events that had transpired in his absence. Phoebe takes a deep, studying breath and tells him everything. By the time she finishes, they're seated on the dew-damp grass. Exhaustion weighs heavily on every cell in her body. All she wants to do is stretch out right here in the morning sunshine and sleep for the rest of her life. The moment she falls silent, Chase produces a notepad and pencil from his pocket and offers it to her only a moment after beginning to write.
"I am so terribly sorry for your loss."
Looking back up at him, Phoebe attempts to smile. "It's alright, really." she says, trying to convince herself to believe it. "I don't know why I'm so upset knowing she's gone now. She was evil all along, just biding her time until she could take my power from me. That's truly the only reason she kept me alive and in such good health." Chase's next message comes even faster this time.
"You did not know these things for certain until yesterday. You are still processing. You should allow yourself the mercy of time."
She nods dazedly. "I guess you're right." she agrees, just barely suppressing a massive yawn. "what do we do now? I have nowhere else to go." The shifter shakes his head firmly and gestures to himself with such a comically offended expression that a startled laugh explodes from the young woman without her permission. "I would never want to impose!" she protests, but a single quelling look from Chase is all it takes to put a very decisive end to the argument. "Well, thank you." Phoebe whispers reluctantly after a minute. "At this point I think I need stronger words than that. You've truly done so much for me — and probably more things I don't even know about — and it seems that all I've done in return is fall apart." The sigh he emits is so pronounced that his whole body seems to move with it. After a few moments of writing, he extends the notepad for a third time.
"I am happy to do what I can. I am, after all, the one who brought you the awful truth of your grandmother's betrayal in the first place. So in a way, I am equally as responsible for overturning your life as she is. Please, allow me to help you get back on your feet at least."
She looks up, about to deny blaming him for a single thing, but he lays a gentle finger over her lips to silence her disagreement. Instead, he gets to his feet and helps her stand as well. Then he beckons her to follow him. With her whole body aching in overtired protest, she accompanies the shifter as he enters the forest and leads her through the winding trees. Soon, they come across a small footpath she's never seen before. "I have wandered these woods my whole life." Phoebe Muses allowed. "But I've never managed to find this before." Chase grins. As the young woman watches in astonishment, he traces his finger through the air. A shimmering dark purple trail of energy manifests to follow his fingertip, curling like smoke until it forms words. 'It has been well-hidden. Your grandmother was not meant to discover that you had a protector". As they proceed, the forest around them wakes up with the rising Dawn. Small animals begin scurrying around and Birdsong fills the comfortable silence between them. As hard as she tries to take it all in at once, Phoebe's sleepy eyes can hardly focus. When they reach a clearing sometime later, the house that's revealed is somehow simultaneously nothing like she had been subconsciously picturing and yet everything she'd expected. It's a modest size, but very elegant in its structure And seems to radiate safety. Before she knows what she's doing, the girl breathes out a massive sigh of relief upon seeing it. Without hesitation, Chase leads her up the porch steps and holds open the front door for her. When she first enters, she's hit with The scent of peppermint and rosemary. The living room is comfortably cozy, with a wide hearth and brick fireplace dominating the north wall, a well worn couch bookended by tables facing it, an old rocking chair with an unfolded blanket still in its seat in one corner, and a floor-to-ceiling window on the western side that provides a breathtaking view of the forest beyond. "It's beautiful!" Phoebe exclaims, and her companion smiles. 'Home', he writes simply. Then he purses his lips and whistles softly, the sound remarkably similar to the gentle coo he produces in his bird form. Within seconds, a woman enters from another room and stops at the sight of Phoebe. It doesn't take her very long to understand exactly from whom the shifter had inherited his grace. The woman has a slim figure with pale skin and glossy dark brown hair. Her Familiar golden brown eyes sparkle as she beams warmly and approaches her son and his guest. "My name is Ella Starling. Welcome!" It abruptly occurs to Phoebe just how pitiful she must appear right now. With her singed and tattered clothing, tangled hair, and wearily slumped shoulders, she can't Be making a presentable first impression. Despite knowing there's no fixing her appearance, she straightens her spine and offers Chase's Mother the most genuine smile she can muster. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." This only seems to spur Ella forward, because Phoebe is in the other woman's arms in the next second. it takes mere moments before the girl is relaxing and returning the embrace with heartfelt relief. "You must have been through hell, sweetheart." Ella hums as she pulls back to study the newcomer at arm's length. "Come. I'll make you some tea and you can get something to eat. Then it's straight off to bed with you."