Divine Destiny: Serendipity Saga Book Two

Chapter Thirteen

Babui Aka held her arms out as Eolis threw himself into her lap. It reminded me of what I would see from a young child and a grandmother. Babui Aka surely looked the part.

She was heavily aged, her skin sagging and discolored. She bore an identical pair of blue eyes to Eolis' own and grinned adoringly at him. It occurred to me then that there was something physically different with these people, at least the ones I had met so far. Babui Aka, Eolis, even Mailene and Akalya, had long tapered ears. At first glance, I hadn't noticed since Eolis' hair fell over them, as did Mailene's and Akalya's. Babui Aka however, had her hair pulled away from one side of her head, exposing long, delicately pointed ears protruding from her.

"Oh, Eolis, I knew you would get tangled up in this," she said, holding him at arms length. He hunkered forward, his back arched as he forcefully didn't pull away from her in her seated position. She had a long wool blanket pulled across her lap but made no move to rise. She touched his face and finally released him, letting him step aside.

Eolis stood behind her shoulder, his arms crossed over his chest. If I had a better view, I would swear he had a rosy blush spread across his cheeks. He grinned down at the old woman admiringly.

"You know me, Babui. If I don't find trouble, trouble finds me."

Babui Aka chuckled to herself, covering her mouth daintily, like some Elizabethan era woman. After a moment of joy, she settled further into her chair, looking Carson and I over. She stared at us for several moments, longer than felt comfortable. I fidgeted, tugging at my oversized coat sleeves. Carson stood stoically still beside me.

"And you, Carson and Kyra, is it?" Babui Aka said.

I froze, staring at her with wide eyes.

"How do you know our names?" Carson asked, watching the old woman warily.

Babui Aka laughed again. "I am Babui Aka. I lead this community. And I am far more than just an old woman," she replied with a smile. She reminded me a bit of my grandmother, though older and more frail. There was something calming about her presence, though my body fought to stay rigid and alert.

"What are you?" Carson asked, not beating around the bush.

"Quite straight to the point, eh?" the old woman said, leaning one arm against the chair and watching him. She played with her braid absently with her other hand. At long last, she cleared her throat. "I am Babui Aka," she repeated, "I am a mage, like several others of this community."

Eolis went stiff behind her, staring down at her. "Babui Aka! They are outsiders!" he exclaimed.

Funny, since coming here was his idea. He didn't seem to think we were outsiders then.

Babui Aka nodded slowly. "They are outsiders, yes. But, there are many things they need to know. For one, that we do not support the witches in this ordeal."

I perked up at that phrase, for once believing this woman may know more than she appeared. "The witches," I said, "what do you know of this war?"

Babui Aka nodded slowly, as though expecting this from me. She watched me warily before finally rising to her feet. The movement was slow, careful, lifting herself from her chair and approaching me.

I wanted to shrink away from her, feeling...odd in her presence. But, I refused my body that opportunity and stiffened, keeping my feet planted where they were. The old woman rounded Carson and myself, looking us over from all directions. I hadn't felt it coming, but jumped when a wrinkled finger pressed through my hair, to the back of my neck.