They Do Exist

They Do Exist (19)

Layla’s POV:

Arguing woke me up out of my deep slumber.

My eyes fluttered open and I realized it was Vance and Gabe. They were arguing right outside my door.

“You were an idiot to even do that to her! Are you insane!?” Vance yelled.

“How was I supposed to know she was that powerful?? She’s only a fourth elf!”

“She’s HALF you idiot. Do you not know who her grandfather was?”

“A human, Vance.”

“No.  Abby got pregnant with her mom when she was married to King Peter.  She is the rightful heir to the Sky Elverin throne, Gabriel.  She can control the weather or did you not see that through your thick skull when you were torturing her?”

“I WAS HELPING HER. You know a human would get eaten alive among the rest of us.  I’m trying to prepare her for whatever this world has in store for her.”

“Well you’ve got a crummy way of showing that you even give a shit about her.  I demand she come back with me to the Winter Realm.  I can keep her safe without screwing up her fragile mind.”

“LIKE HELL YOU WILL. Abby left my mother in charge of her well-being and my mother appointed me to look after her, and therefore I will make the decisions when it comes to her safety.”

“They’ve been going on like that for the past two days.”  I jumped at the sound of another voice.  I looked up to see Alana standing at the foot of my bed with a soft expression and a tray of tea.

She sat the tray on the bed and crawled on the other side and sat criss-cross applesauce.  She gave me a steaming cup of tea.  I sipped on it a little bit loving the warmth that spread throughout my body.

“They’re arguing about me aren’t they?”

She nodded.  “Look, Layla I’m sorry about what happened. Gabe made me distort your mind to think you were back at home and he is the future King.  I can’t go against him when he orders me to do something.  But I promise to never use my powers on you against your will again—King or no king.”

I looked down at my lap and then back up at Alana.  “It’s okay.  So that’s your power? You can make people see what you want them to see?”

She nodded gravely.

“Can you read minds too?” 

“No, I can’t do thoughts, just images.  I haven’t mastered thought control yet.”

I nodded sipping more of the tea.

“Well, I forgive you.  I’m sorry if I scared you with whatever it was that I was doing.”

Alana smiled, obviously relieved.  “You were controlling the weather, Layla.  Only someone related to King Peter could have that special power.”

I shrugged.  “I don’t like it.  This feeling overwhelmed me while I was using it.  I felt really powerful, and invincible.  Like I could end the world with my bare hands… it was scary.”

Alana looked at me.  “That’s because you could.  Controlling the sky is a very powerful gift, Layla.”

I didn’t respond, I just watched the steam rise from my cup as I drank the tea.

“You know...” I began “Gabe says that my humanity is my weakness, but truth be told… I think it’s my strength.”

*

I spent most of the day shooing everyone out of my room.  I sat around accepting my new fate.  So that was the gift my grandma warned me about?  So she knew all along? Why didn’t she tell me all of this? She was trying to protect you. Something in me said, and I sighed.  Life was so difficult without her.  I felt the sudden need to meet my dead grandfather.  My real one.  I wanted to ask him so many questions about our power.  Our ‘gift’.  I sighed, it was more like a curse.  I’d rather just live my life as a maid to nobles like Gabe once told me I’d be doing.