Creatures Of Witchery

Chapter 21 - Golden Flakes

Avernus had left to join the rest of the group, leaving me alone with the stars. Uncle Noel is very intrigued by constellations — he tried teaching Kylon and I but I could never connect the dots. The only one I can make out is the southern cross.

When a was six I used to tell everyone that when I died I wanted to be a star.

Dead but still beautiful.

Morbid for a six-year-old, I know.

Footsteps crept up behind me and hands landed on my shoulders. "How was your alone time with Mr. Handsome? Should I be planning a wedding already?" Rina teased and sat where Avernus once did.

"The only wedding we should be planning is yours and Rem's — you two seem to be getting along well."

"I'm not the biggest fan of bestiality, but I'd keep him as a pet."

"I doubt he'd let you even call him a pet." We both laughed.

Rina started picking up pebbles and throwing them into the river, splashing through the water, never to be seen again. I took in her appearance — the under-eye bags became more prominent than they usually were, she carried a tired look on her face but her hair stayed perfect as always.

"You know," I started. "You kind of surprised me back there in the cells. No offense, but out of all of us I wouldn't have thought you would be the one to get us out."

She lightly chuckled and continued her pebble throwing. "I learned it from Jameson, my ex with the curly red hair who was paler than white paint. He used to pick locks with bobby pins so we could have little make-out sessions in locked classrooms. They were fun times."

"Jameson..." I went through the many memories in my head to try and put a face to the name. "Was he the one who got a bunch of horses to roam around the school?"

"No, that was Bradley. Jameson was the one that got angry at Pete Munch and shoved a plate of mashed potato onto his face and a cup of raspberry soda on his head."

"Because Pete said you had a nice butt! Now I remember him — he used to always give me his leftover ravioli because you hated it."

"God, I don't know how you could eat that." She cringed. "It was so cold and had probably been in the fridge since our parents went to school."

"And hopefully it'll still be there when we have kids, just to make it a tradition." I giggled but silently cringed at the thought of thirty-year-old ravioli being served to kids that just didn't want to starve to death. They would probably be better off starving to death.

"I kind of miss him," Rina said more to herself than me.

"You say that about all of your ex's. But I kind of miss Jameson too — I lost my ravioli buddy."

"Well, maybe you have a new one." She nudged my shoulder and gave me suggestive eyes. "You two were out here for a while."

"We were just talking."

"About future kids?"

"About life. He told me about his family in Latross and I told him what Krista told me."

"What did Krista tell you?" I told her the whole story and watched as her facial expression when from a sweet smile to mild confusion. "So you think your father's a bad guy?"

"It sounds that way." I nodded. "But, that's just her side of the story, so she doesn't have the bigger picture, y' know? I know they have their reasons."

"And I'm sure they are great ones." She said sarcastically. She picked up a hefty rock and started tossing it around in her hands. "We should get out of this place. Go to Frostworth and live out our best lives away from this shithole."

"Frostworth? That's across the country."

"Exactly. Sounds perfect."

"It does but... I can't leave Kylon."

"You can, you're just not ready yet."

She's right; Being away from Kylon for long periods scare me. But I know I will have to leave and spread my wings one day but, honestly, I'm hoping that will be in another five years or so. Or I can start traveling with Aunt Echo and Uncle Noel — that could be fun, but I'd probably get in their way.

"But one day we — Adria Willows and Rina Rise — will take on the world, and nobody will be prepared." She wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer.

"I'm already tired and we haven't even started." I murmured, playing with the ends of my hair.

"Yeah, I'm going to be sleeping a millennium when we get home." She sighed and rested her head against mine.

My eyes started to droop as we listened to the chirping of crickets and the occasional flapping of bat wings. "I think it's time we call it a night. There's going to be a lot of walking tomorrow and my back hurts." I stretched my back, hearing an unsettling crack.

"Yeah, good idea."

We hopped up and walked hand in hand through the trees and danced around like we were kids again. We laughed, giggled and shushed each other so we couldn't wake the others and whatever else was out there.

Calming down, we started walking at a normal pace again and I stared into her eyes.

My blood went cold.

How had I not noticed?

She looked back at me, confused. "Adria? You good?"

"Farco-" I was ready to put up the field, but she was quick to raise her hand holding the rock I had forgotten all about, and slamming it into the side of my head.

My vision went blurry and my head started screaming. I moved to get up on my knees but another blow was given to my head.

This whole time with her and I had never noticed.

Never noticed she wasn't Rina at all. She wasn't the Rina with the cute freckles that she and everyone else adored. She wasn't the Rina that listened to French songs while dancing in the kitchen with her dad.

She was the Rina with mystical golden flakes in her big chocolate brown eyes.

x
Vote, Comment, Share

Did anyone order some Adria and Rina content with a side of betrayal?