The Children of When (Complete)

Chapter 20 - Riding Lessons

 Envy snaked its way into Leah's mind as she sat with her friends in the meadow. Raff and Belle were chattering about what it had felt like when they'd used their Gifts. It was so not fair! She knew she shouldn't be jealous, it wasn't their fault. But what if it turned out that she didn't have a special Gift like them? Would they still want to be her friend? She had the blood of all three races, and yet she didn't seem to be able to do anything special!

Frustrated, she tried for the gazillionth time to reach the annoying itch between her shoulder blades, but it was out of reach as usual. She picked up a twig, determined to reach the spot.

"What are you doing Leah?" Belle asked.

"I've had this itch ever since I woke up this morning. It's driving me crazy!"

Belle was frowning. "Maybe it's one of your wounds healing. Don't you dare use a stick; you'll open it back up! Here, turn around and let me have a look."

Belle touched the exact spot. "Yes, that's it! What is it?"

Belle didn't answer. Leah twisted her head to look back at Belle, confused by the look of wonder on the other girl's face. "Belle, what is it?"

"Ummm... I think they might be wing slits."

"Sorry?" Leah's voice came out in a high-pitched, strangled squeal.

Raff scrambled over to have a closer look. "Woah, I think you might be right Belle. So, do we have any idea how they work?"

Leah hadn't moved. She was a fairy? She tried to remember what Gifts fairies usually had, but she'd only skimmed through that handbook. She'd been more interested in the books on elves and mages.

"How do you know they're wing slits? What do they look like?"

"There's like two slits in the skin, about a hand-span apart, and as long as my little finger. They look exactly like the drawing in the Fairy handbook. You know the one?" Belle said.

Leah could feel the heat rising in her face. "Umm, to be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to the handbook on fairies. I mean, who would have thought I'd be a fairy? Seriously!"

Raff chuckled, and shook his head. "So what did you think you'd be then?"

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe an elf or a Mage? Fairies always seem to be so... umm... fairyish!"

She frowned as Belle and Raff burst out laughing. What was so funny?

Belle finally stopped laughing long enough to talk. "Sorry, Leah. It's just... a fairy is exactly what I thought you'd be. What about you Raff?"

"Yep, totally agree."

Leah was even more confused now. "Why would you think that?"

Belle smiled at her. "Well, from what I've read in the handbooks, fairies are usually petite, kind, empathic and beautiful. So, four out of four for you."

Raff was blushing furiously and wouldn't look at her. "Yeah, what she said."

Leah's eyes filled with tears. Here were her friends telling her she was kind and beautiful, when only five minutes ago she'd been so blinded by jealousy she'd been questioning their friendship! She didn't know what to say, so she turned and hugged them instead.

The awkward silence that followed was broken by the lunch bell, and Raff instantly scrambled to his feet.

"Man, I thought the bell would never ring. Let's go - I'm starving!" He brushed the grass off his pants and finally looked into Leah's eyes, a cheeky grin on his face. "You ready fairy-girl?" She laughed, relieved the awkwardness was over. She grabbed the hand he was offering to help pull her up, and they headed off to lunch.