TIGHTROPE | fitz vacker

Chapter 1.

AZALEA WAS CRYING when she opened the door. Immediately, Juline Dizznee wrapped her in a hug and led her into her house.

"What's wrong?" Juline asked in a motherly voice.

"Chandler and Monica are going to have adopt baby," Azalea wailed, referring to a human Television show she was watching.

Used to Azalea crying over shows, Juline put her arm around Azalea and rubbed her shoulder.

It had been about six months since Azalea had decided to move to the lost cities. Every week, Juline would come to visit her. Juline said she wasn't comfortable in disguise and revealed to Azalea that she was the snowwoman in the Collective.

Mr. Forkle sent Juline to update Azalea about everything that was going on in the Lost Cities, but Azalea didn't allow her. Everytime Juline tried, Azalea would scream really loud and put her fingers in her ears.

Juline said that Azalea would fit in nicely with the triplets.

The Black Swan also sent another agent to help Azalea adapt. Igor Hankwitz, a twenty year-old Beguiler, son of Al Hankwitz, one of the Council's most trusted Emissaries. Iggy visits Azalea many times a week, using his father as a cover. The younger Hankwitz is supposedly interning with his father. And since his father is frequently sent to the Forbidden Cities for missions, and the Hankwitzs have been helping the Black Swan for a long time, Iggy was sent to make sure that Azalea had a friend.

Sometimes, Juline would suggest bringing Azalea back to the Lost Cities, to remind Azalea that she was still an Elf. Azalea's behavior deeply worried Juline.

Azalea didn't cry, she didn't shout. She didn't show any sign of missing Keefe, or even Elvy. The first thing Azalea did when she came to the Forbidden Cities was to buy furniture. And Azalea was good at it. Mr. Forkle told Azalea to make her place a home, and boy did she do it.

The living room had white walls, with prints of flowers and leaves. Azalea and Iggy had bought potatoes and carved out designs, dipping them in paint and printing them all over her living room. She bought a plain white couch, decorating them with not pillows, but soft toys. There were Winnie the Pooh Bears, Stitch soft toys, and a ton of other animals littered all over the couch. The mat was a soft grey, and there was a glass table in the middle of the living room. The couch faced the Television, which was set on top of a black shelf. Tall potted plants were placed on the two sides of the Television, bookshelves next to them. The bookshelves were full of books, some well loved, and others treasured. Azalea loved to read.

The kitchen was like any other kitchen. Azalea never used it, only when Juline came around. There were baskets of snacks and drinks, the cutlery was store-bought, but the plates were handmade. After finding clay, Azalea got to work and made animal shaped plates. There were fishes, cats, banshees, horses, cows, sheep, and there were all outlined messily in black.

The small apartment had two rooms, one that was used, and the other wasn't.

Azalea's bedroom was simple. It had a closet full of clothes that Azalea bought (Mr. Forkle only got her T-shirts and leggings.). There was a small desk, with a small succulent beside a pink pencil holder. The succulent was planted in a pot with bight dots all around, courtesy of Azalea herself. There would usually be an unfinished embroidery bracelet or two lying around, waiting for Azalea to finish it up while she watches a show. Her bed was simple, there were two pillows, one for Azalea to lie on and another for her to hug.

The other room was empty. There was nothing in there except for a trunk in the closet. It had some Elvin items in there. Elixers, an imparter, a pink leaping crystal, and Carlisle Lysander's journal.