Surviving the Dark

Chapter 16 - Signs

I couldn't believe it. After all this time Zae wasn't gone. He was right here in Quelia.

It took the rest of the day for Jamie and Xavier to fix the irrigation system, Liv helping where she could. That let me, taking my time to take down the decorations around The Grove. It also left me to my thoughts. I was still trying to work out if that was a good or a bad thing.

They came to find me once they had finished. I was still lost in my thoughts and it took them a while to snap me back to reality. What can I say, I was having a heated debate with myself on whether or not I should stay.

They convinced me to stay with them since it was already dark.

What I didn't expect was to wake up sick.

Not once, in the last thirteen years did I get sick. It was also summer for flipping sake!

Yet here I was in bed, surrounded by tissues, feeling like my head is going to explode.

I haven't been able to leave my bed for about two days now. Well, I have but only when I needed to go to the toilet. Between Jamie, Liv and Xav, when they aren't doing other things they have been making sure I have everything else I need.

While I've been in bed my mental debate has continued. I also worked out that with everything that has happened in the last thirteen years and then in the last few weeks its all just got too much and my body couldn't handle it. But did it have to pick now to get sick and for my mind to debate with itself?

Finding out that Xavier was my baby brother Zae. Instead of putting everything into perspective, it's just made everything even more jumbled.

Should I stay?

Should I go?

Should I tell him?
Since I found out these questions have been running through my mind. Not being able to get out of bed is not helping.

Xav is my brother and with the Black Eyed Soulless Shadows lurking around who knows where I want to stay to protect him. I couldn't thirteen years ago but maybe I can now. But he has also stayed off their radar this long, if I stayed I might just be bringing the danger to him. I couldn't live with myself if that happened.

The same with telling him or not. He deserves to know what happened to mum and dad, and who he is. Who I am. But at the same time, it could just draw attention to him. It's better that I don't tell him.

On top of those questions swirling in my mind, there was one more that would pop up. How the hell did he become human?

Pixies didn't get their Rainbow Moonstone until they turned ten. When the attack happened Zae was one. Unless as it started happening mum and dad gave Zae one of theirs to protect him. But why wouldn't they do that with Thea and Axel too?

My mind was spinning and if I didn't leave this bed soon I was going to go crazy.

I was feeling slightly better anyway so I thought a change of scenery would be good, so I headed to the lounge room.

The others were there, it wasn't surprising, though. It was late afternoon on a Monday.

Liv was watching what was on TV, while Jamie was trying to calm down Xavier who looked like he should be bouncing off the walls. The kid needs to cut back on the sugar.

"Jamie please can we go to the preserve? I've been stuck inside all day at school. I just want to go out into the sun! It's such a nice day out too." He pleaded, attempting at giving Jamie puppy dog eyes.

Jamie wasn't having it though.

"Xav you spent all day Saturday and Sunday there. And anyway, everything that needed to be done today is done. The irrigation system is back up and running." Jamie gave Xav a stern look. "Besides with you spending all weekend there I doubt you got your homework done and I assume you got more today. It might be best to just stay here and catch up on it."

Xav slumped next to Jamie in defeat knowing he was right. When he lifted his head to try again he spotted me watching the exchange.

"Hey, Isa! You feeling any better?"

"Yeah, a bit. Needed to get out of bed, though, felt like I was going insane."

The last part got a chuckle out of him.

"Hey, maybe you need some fresh air! How about we take a walk to the preserve?"

"Dude what did I just say?!" Jamie half yells, a touch of a tone of what a parent would use to scold a child.

I couldn't but giggle. Xavier may be my brother but I wasn't around for him, Jamie and Liv were. They were his true siblings, and it showed.

"Fine," Xavier grumbled getting up from the couch and walking in the direction of his room. "Oh wait, were you able to find my bracelet J?"

Jamie shook his head. "Sorry kiddo. We looked everywhere."

"If I promise to do my homework, and I don't finish it too late can we go try again?"

Jamie nodded his head, and Xavier brightened up and rushed off to do his homework.
"That kid has not sat still since he lost the thing. He always wants to go to the park too. J, I think Xavier has finally lost it." Liv pipes up, obviously not as engrossed in the show as I first thought she was.

"He had a nightmare again last night too. Mum said it seemed like the bad ones he was having when he first came to our family."

"Is Xav okay?" I asked.

Liv and Jamie shrugged.

"Don't know. Since Saturday when he lost the bracelet he has been acting a little strange. I think it's because he knows you are still going to leave once you get better. It might be his way of coping or something." Liv states.

"Strange how?"

"His nightmares have come back for starters. Never wants to be inside for longer than an hour. And he won't admit it but I've noticed the way he is walking around and the way he is sitting and holding himself, the scars on his back must be causing him some discomfort."

I nod and looked to the floor hoping my hair covers my face enough for them not to see the realisation I just had.

"Maybe it would be best if I stay then?" I feel Jamie sit up straighter next to me. I took Xavier's spot when he left. "I mean if he is going to be like this just to cope, I should stay. Give him time to come to terms with me leaving or something? I did kind of make a rash decision the other day which wouldn't have helped."

"Yeah, maybe giving him some time to deal with it might help." Jamie says, trying to hide the grin trying to make its way onto his face.

"Want some tea you two? I am gonna make myself a cuppa." Liv asked, making her way to the kitchen.

I nod and Jamie gets up to help.

Once again I am left alone with my thoughts.

I missed the signs again. I am a terrible sister and friend.

Xavier had a Rainbow Moonstone he couldn't take off, no matter what he tried. If he couldn't take it off then that must have been how he was able to stay off the Black Eyes radar. He has been human for so long his pixie side was probably buried too deep for them to sense.

But from what Liv said. Now that he doesn't have the moonstone bracelet, things could start getting a bit chaotic. He must have been wearing the bracelet long enough and absorbed enough of the magic of the stone, that he hasn't turned into a pixie, yet. We need to find his bracelet and fast before things are revealed. And I don't think I can handle going through that.

If I can keep Xavier in the dark I know he will be safe.

But first I need to find his bracelet.