The Heir of Secrets and Sorrow

Chapter 1 - Coffee Thieves and Autumn Leaves

NORAH

It wasn't that Norah didn't like people, it was just that every word that was spoken, whether it was near or far, sounded like a clap of thunder within her eardrums, and she was sick of it. Sure it was normal but that didn't mean she liked it. Or ever would.

Norah squeezed her eyes shut and focused on her cup of steaming coffee cradled in her hands. The embodiment of her survival in a world of chaos. After a mindless moment longer of listening to a group of girls on the other side of the cafe decide if Harry Styles or Chris Evans was hotter, Norah had had enough.

"Nor," a pitched voice called from the glass entrance doors.

Norah leveled a glare at Jasper, her best friend and consort in all things save fashion for that was what she helped him with. And yet he still seemed to not take her advice.

Jasper sauntered over to her, a scarf hanging loosely from his neck, he wore ripped jeans and a t-shirt that hung too loosely on his thin frame, emblazoned with the emblem of some random, undiscovered rock band. His pointed ears were hidden behind his shoulder length raven black hair. And if it wasn't already obvious that he was Fae from his stunning brown skin and his averagely tall, lean figure, then one could easily guess from his eyes. One a glaring bright blue, the other an amethyst that glowed just as radiantly.

Once he reached the table, Norah scolded him on his clothing choice, to which he shrugged and dropped down into the seat across from where she was standing.

"Jerk," Norah said as Jasper slipped her coffee mug from its place on the table and downed the remaining drops.

Norah yanked out her phone and tapped out a message to her friend that Jasper was with her and they would in fact be going to the party that night. Norah knew that as soon as she brought it up, Jasper wouldn't not let her go. And she was exactly right.

"Oh we're going," Jasper said with an heir of finale, crossing his legs and wrapping his scarf into his hands. "And you are going to talk to Kye tonight."

Norah glared at him. "Are you talking to yourself in the third person again, because I'm pretty sure you're the one in love with him. Not me."

"Mmm hmm. Okay," he said, placing the empty mug back on the small table.

Norah rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. "Are you coming with me or not?"

"To the party or on your errand?"

"Hmm let me think Jas, just the idea that you would let me go to the party alone would be enough to set you on edge and I so desperately need you at our best friends birthday party or maybe that I would need your help searching for that ancient book my mom spoke about before she fled the country. Maybe you should think on that for a minute."

Jasper leaned over and flicked her arm. "Order me another coffee?"

"Order it yourself dimwit," Norah said, gathering her things. "Your turn to pay." She smirked at him as she stood and waded through the cafe, throwing up a mocking fist in his direction as she stepped out into the cold autumn streets of town.

Jasper jabbed his tongue at her back but stood to order more coffee anyway. She'd collect him later. First, she had to go see her father.

The paved streets were clogged with tourists, longing for the cooler weather and the fall colors that, while late this year were still beautiful and enthralling. If it wasn't for that, they were visiting for the chance to see the Festival of Lights held every autumn in town. An annual thing but Norah didn't much care for it herself, it was always too crowded.