Only The Young | ✔

Chapter Nine

The interior of the psychic shop was even smaller than it looked from the outside, there was a soft fur mat made out of a fox in the middle of the small room and shelves of strange items and other clutters were in the corners of the room. The psychic, Salome, sat unhesitatingly on the mat and bade them to do the same.

Yurika blinked up at the colorful lanterns and sank down besides Tehani, suspicion in her eyes. She didn't trust this woman who skinned poor animals and used them for her witchy things and the fact that she seemed to appear out of nowhere offering her assistance was even more suspicious.

Tehani on the other hand looked anxious, rocking back and forth in a subtle motion, Yuri was tempted to do the same.

"Ignore the musty smell of books." Salome said, at that Yuri suddenly took notice of the smell and she found out she didn't mind it. "I'm sure you have questions about your abilities." She addressed Tehani.

"I'm not so concerned about that, I'm more concerned about that thing that was following us, how long has it been behind us?" Tehani said, Yuri saw that her best friend barely suppressed a shiver and she felt suddenly cold herself.

Salome waved a careless hand.

"All sorts of things follow people in Eden, lost souls, angry ones." She said. "The ones who cling to every sign of life, like the one that was following you."

Yuri found herself half fascinated, the paranormal always did that to her, it always drew her.

"How do we get rid of it?" Tehani asked, she looked repulsed, face scrunched. She always wore her feelings on her sleeves, unapologetic. It was what drew Yurika to her on that first day of school.

"If you knew more about magic and spirits, you'd know that it is impossible to get rid of a ghost, but there are certain totems belonging to ancient witch families that repulse ghosts." The psychic said with a hint of amusement in her tone, she tugged at the collar of her kaftan, exposing a mark on her neck, like a crescent moon.

"Some totems are birthmarks."

Tehani nodded.

"We have a problem," She began saying, sharing a glance with Yuri who scowled but said nothing. There was a fat chance that this woman knew more about magic and whatever might have transported them to this timeline. It was worth a shot telling about it. Worst case scenario, Yuri thought, Salome thinks us liars and refuses to believe us.

Yuri nodded. Tehani smiled slightly, it appeared more like a grimace.

"It is possible for one to travel through timelines through magic," Tehani added hesitantly, she tucked a stray braid of hair behind her ears. "I and my friends are not from this timeline of Eden."

If Salome had thought so and recognized that Tehani looked awfully like the dead girl just discovered days ago, then she didn't show it. She didn't even look surprised by her words.

"I thought as much, you look so much like Mathilda that it's impossible you aren't related and it's impossible that you are her daughter, since you are too old for her to be your mother." Salome said, and too dead to say if she is, Yuri added.

Yurika noticed the psychic's gaze had turned serious.

"Four years ago, four teenagers came to me. They were witches and they claimed they were not from this universe." Salome said as both girls exchanged surprised looks. "They had awakened an ancient evil from their timeline and ended up trapping themselves and it here."

A shiver snaked down Yurika's spine, this was not the adventure she had hoped for. It was taking a dark turn, fast.

"And I fear you and your friends have accidentally done the same." Salome said with a shake of her head.