Life - Life & Death Book 1

Chapter 21 - Part 1 - Zivena

"What? No, I'm not!" What the hell is happening?
I sit frozen. Shocked.
"Yes, you are! Your hair it-it's green. Only Life has natural green hair!" Mika insists. "You didn't dye it otherwise I'd be able to smell all the chemicals. And hair doesn't just grow half way down someone's back over night," Mika gives me a pointed look and gestures to my hair as if I don't know its attached to my head. "So just admit it! You're Life!"
I jump off my bed, rushing into our bathroom. I scream when I catch a glimpse of my hair. It's the same kind of green as Isis's. Different shades shine in the light above my head. I take my hair tie out and watch as it pours down past the middle of my back. Yesterday my hair sat over my shoulder blades. And it was black.
No amount of hair dye is going to cover this up.
"This can't be happening," I mutter. I run back into my room and look directly at Mika. She's wearing a giant grin that irritates me so much that I want to punch her in the face.
"You can't tell anyone. Do you understand me?" I almost laugh at how I sound. So much authority!
"Are you kidding me? Of course I'm going to tell everyone. This is going to be the biggest news out there and I'm going to be the one who knows you best. Then I'll get recognition for beating you in the Arena Challenge!" Mika laughs, almost manic.
"Whoa. First, you are not going to open your mouth about this. Second, you don't know a thing about me! And third of all, I was the one to beat you and I can easily beat you again."
"Okay, okay. I won't tell anyone. But on one condition." Her smile is evil, her eyes glint.
"One condition?" I snort.
"You tell everyone that you cheated in our fight."
I try hard to hold in my laughter. "You think that people will believe you?"
"Of course they will. I'm a far better fighter then you are regardless of who you are."
This time I don't hold it in again. I laugh so hard that for a moment I forget about why we're fighting. "God, you are funny. I was going to take you seriously for a second there."
"I am being serious."
"Oh, of course you are," I say sarcastically. "You think that you're a better fighter than me regardless of that fact that I am a goddess? You want me to say that I cheated just so you can snatch back some of the dignity you lost in the arena? Are you an idiot?"
Mika's face warps with rage. I've beaten her again and, like last night, she lunges at me, ready to get her hands around my neck. But this time, I'm prepared.
She hits a thick wall of air, rebounds and is thrown onto her bed. At least she's smart enough not to get up again.
I keep the wall in place while I quickly throw some clothes on. My phone is thankfully in my jeans pocket so I don't have to go near her.
I flick through my contacts and find Taregan listed as Obi-Wan and hit dial.
"Zivena?"
"Yeah, it's me. I have a problem." I explain to him what happened and reluctantly about Mika being trapped behind a wall of air.
"As shitty as this situation is at least you have good timing; Artemis is out in the forest at the moment so we can't do much other then wait for her to finish."
"Will you be able to help?" I ask.
"I'm sure we can figure something out. I'll be there in a moment." Taregan hangs up and I'm left with Mika again.
In the silence, I hear Mika chuckling. "You're screwed. There's no way I won't tell everyone, even if you shave your head."
"And why would anyone believe you?" I try to feign indifference.
After a few minutes of frantic pacing, there's finally a knock at the door. I rush to open it, peering through the gap.
Taregan peers back with a casual smile on his face. "So how's you're morning been? Personally, mine has been uneventful."
"Oh, shut up," I step back and hide behind the door. Taregan strolls in but before I can close the door, someone else slinks inside.
My mind suddenly jumps to last night and the stupid kiss and I momentarily forget why Mictain is even in my room.
"What are you doing here?"
Mictain looks at me but doesn't reply. His eyes are glued to the hair I don't want. His hand reaches out to touch it but I smack it away.
"Well?"
Mictain blinks as if he's only just realized what he was doing. "Oh, sorry. Taregan told me you were in some sort of trouble so I thought I might be able to help."
I glare at Taregan and watch him wilt a little.
"Damn," he breathes, "just lost a hundred bucks." He speaks up louder before I can question him. "Well, the only thing I can think of is you learn to glamour."
"Glamour?"
"Well it's that or your old friends hair dye, wig or shaving your heads."
"Heads? I'm not a hydra."
"Could've fooled me," Taregan mutters.
"What?" Mictain flashes a look at Taregan then me. "You can't shave it off!"
I frown at him. "And why not?"
"Because... Because you just can't."
"That's great reasoning, Mictain."
Another voice cuts through the room. "You have got to be joking. This is Death?"
We all turn to look at Mika who I had forgotten about.
"This guy is a complete freak! How is he supposed to be Death? He can't even talk to people without turning broody." Mika's tone grates me.
"If you say one more word about Mictain, I swear I will ruin you." I turn back to see Mictain's emotionless face and a grin on Taregan's. "So, moving on! What are we going to do?"
"The quickest and easiest thing would be to shave it," Taregan eventually says.
The look of devastation on Mictain's face confuses me. He flat out turned me down last night, and now he suddenly cares? About my hair? If I didn't know him I'd think he was a creep.
"No, I won't shave it. I like my hair short but I've never wanted to be bald." I don't look at Mictain as I say this but I can sense his relief. "And I have a feeling hair dye isn't going to work."
"Then that leaves us with the wig option."
"Yeah, cause that won't be obvious," Mika snorts.
"I'll be dealing with you soon Mika," Taregan says coldly. "But for the time being I advise you to keep your mouth shut." Her demeanor changes completely as he turns back to us. "Or we could organize for Skuld to teach you how to use a glamour. It's not the best option but it'd do for the next few months."
"I don't really want to wear a wig..." I trail off.
"Then it's settled," Taregan says. "I'll speak with Mika and Skuld. We'll see what we can do."
Mika chooses this moment to pipe up. "I'm still going to tell everyone. You should never have messed with me."
"I think it'll be best if I speak with her alone," Taregan says, a grim look on his face. "If you can find something to cover your hair with, Zivena, then maybe you can hide out in Mictain's room until Skuld is free."
Hint taken. I grab a nearby beanie and try to shove my hair underneath it. Before I can leave, Mictain grabs my arm.
"What?" I say as I turn back to him and see Taregan and Mika watching us.
Mictain's hand comes up and pushes a few strands of hair under my beanie. The gentle gesture sends waves of confusion through me.
"Mictain, you'll still need to come to classes and training today," Taregan says quietly. I don't meet either of their eyes as I leave the room.