Chapter 2

Lexi confides in Cedonia about the mysterious boy she met in the woods.

~2~

 

 

 

Early the following morning, Lexi dressed and left the house before her parents were awake. With her satchel at her hip, she hurried up the path that led past the forest towards the village on top of the hill. She scurried along beside the trees for a short time, peering into the darkened depths of the wood, but he was nowhere in sight.

            Lexi frowned into the forest before racing into the undergrowth, determined to find him. She paused once to tie back her fair, almost white hair to stop it catching on the low branches. Every animal she passed �" sparrows, foxes, hedgehogs, wild dogs, owls �" all gazed at her curiously, and she locked eyes with each of them, wondering if they could be the boy in his animal form. None, however, acted abnormally.

            She stopped where the trees ended and the village began, disappointed. With a defeated sigh, she carried on up the hill to the square. Lexi looked up as an eagle flew overhead, squawking in the early dawn. One corner of her mouth lifted in a half smile, wondering if the eagle could be him. She stood and watched the bird circle the village once before it flew back north, across the bay to the Valley.

            The streets were relatively empty, and those she happened to pass in the alleys kept a great deal of distance from her. This suited Lexi just fine, for they were not gossiping about her or spreading rumours when they were too afraid to meet her eyes.  

            Lexi sat in the porch in front of the tavern, watching the shadows on the ground grow steadily smaller as the sun rose higher. The square grew gradually busier, each of the villagers giving Lexi a wide berth whilst they whispered to their companions. She ignored the looks and the whispers and focused all her attention on memorising the scene in front of her.

            When she was still young, she got on well with the other children of the village, because her race was not noticed. All children run and play; what caused the rockiness was Lexi’s continuous tomboyish attitude.

            Lexi lowered her eyes as a group of women began to gather nearby in front of the tavern’s door. She listened to their gossip, which grew continuously more blunt as they were unaware she could hear.

            “I heard she was born a witch,” one of them said, whose voice Lexi recognised as the tailor’s wife. “And she was bitten by a vampyre three years ago.”

            “Both of her parents are human, Berta,” another replied. “They had to prove themselves before they were allowed to settle here. How could she be a witch?”

            “And her eyes are blue,” said the third. “Vampyres have red eyes. And they have fangs; the mayor demanded to see her teeth yesterday and her teeth are just like ours.”

            “Look at her,” the tailor’s wife snapped. “Anyone can see she is not the daughter of the blacksmith and his wife. She looks nothing like either of them, unless Veran became a little too friendly with a Traveller.”

            “That does not explain how she could be a vampyre,” the second said doubtfully.

            “Helen, witches can deceive whoever they want. What the mayor and the crowd saw was an illusion; if she was proved a vampyre, she would be staked without a chance to talk herself out of it.” Lexi sensed the four women turn to look towards her. She was not afraid for the moment; their guesses were wrong and they could never prove her to be something she was not.

            “Illusions take energy, Berta,” said the fourth woman in a timid voice. “I have never seen her with red eyes, and as young as she is, such witchcraft would slip every now and again.”

            “Since when did you become an expert on Neäkan, Dafney?” Berta asked coolly.

            Dafney muttered an unintelligible reply.

            “I was there yesterday,” Helen said softly. “She looked half possessed, like an animal was trying to take over. Even your husband likened her to a predator, Berta. I don’t think she’s a vampyre or a witch.”

            Lexi swallowed nervously, but kept her gaze straight and unwavering.

            “What, a shape shifter?” Berta asked. “Don’t be ridiculous. Shape shifters are barely human at all; bloodthirsty beasts, they are. We would know if she was one of them.” She lowered her voice to almost a whisper, and Lexi strained to hear. “Look at her there. If she were a shape shifter, she would have heard us, and she would not be able to control her anger. Worry not, Helen.”

            “I’m not so sure,” Helen argued.

            “You appear lost in thought.” Lexi jumped as Cedonia dropped into the seat opposite her. “Or are you just listening to the latest rumours? Some of the villagers think you’re a witch, you know.”

            “I have heard,” Lexi replied.

            They were speaking loud enough for the four women to hear them, and the group shuffled away, looking sheepish. Cedonia watched them until they had rounded a corner, as did Lexi.

            “What happened yesterday?” the faery asked.

            “I attacked Tom,” Lexi replied bluntly. “I was whipped and tied up, and accused of being every Neäkan under the sun before my father rescued me.”

            Cedonia said, “You would think a Neäkan in the village would be chased away with pitchforks. After all, humans aren’t stupid, are they?” Her bright eyes glimmered with silent sarcasm and Lexi fought an amused grin. The pair of them were still being watched by the lingering people in the square.

            Lexi leant forwards and spoke in a voice so low not even an eagle would hear. “How long do you think I would have had before they realised what I actually am?”

            Cedonia raised an eyebrow. “Would have?”

            “I’m leaving,” Lexi told her coolly. “My mother is sending me to Rosavale, to an outpost where shape shifters reside. In relative safety, I assume.”

            “I can’t imagine Veran sending you to a place more dangerous than here,” Cedonia pointed out. “When are you leaving? And more importantly, how are you getting there?”

            Lexi shrugged. “I don’t know.”

            Cedonia tapped the tip of her nose thoughtfully. “Unless I’m mistaken, you don’t know much about your race. How do you know other shape shifters are in any way like you? They may actually be the bloodthirsty creatures all humans think they are. You have been surrounded by humans all your life, so it makes sense you are like them in some ways.”

            “I’m not an exception to my race,” Lexi told her. Cedonia raised her brows. Lexi leant further forwards and lowered her voice further. “I met another like me yesterday evening.”

            “How do you mean?” Cedonia asked, leaning forwards also so that their noses were almost touching. “Like you as in you have similar personalities, like you as in you looked the same, or like you as in…?”

            “As in, my race,” Lexi corrected her. “And he was very much like me in personality also. At least, what I saw was similar to how I am.”

            “A ‘he’ was it?” Cedonia said with a smirk. “What was he like?”

            “Like me,” Lexi said with a frown. “I just said-”

            “No, no,” Cedonia interrupted impatiently. “What did he look like? Did he have white hair and pale skin like you?”

            Lexi rolled her eyes. “Not all shifters come from Enderwice, Cedonia.”

            “Then tell me.”

            “His hair was black, and he had a long fringe,” Lexi explained, trying to remember every detail. “His eyes were yellow. He had a complexion like yours and he was…lean, but built strongly.”

            “Was he armed?” Cedonia asked. “Did he threaten you?”

            “I did not see,” Lexi told her. “He ran from me. He was dressed in black and I did not see any weapon, not even a knife.”

            “He ran?” Cedonia repeated with a laugh. “That doesn’t sound so bloodthirsty to me.”

            “We aren’t beasts,” Lexi told her coldly. “I don’t know why we have been depicted as such, but it is not true.”

            “Okay.” Cedonia held up her palms in submission. “Did you learn his name?”

            “He told me a name, but I believe it is an alias.”

            “Why do you think so?”

            Lexi thought for a moment. “The way he said it. He said that most call him Hunter.”

            “Most,” Cedonia repeated thoughtfully. “Well, I suppose that is true for everyone. If you were to come across a stranger, they would not address you as Alexia. So, not everyone can ever call you so.”

            “I don’t think he was being pedantic, Cedonia,” Lexi said tiredly.

            The faery smirked and leant back in her seat, slouching a little. Lexi looked up at the sound of someone approaching and greeted the tavern keeper with a nod. “Good morning, Ruthos.”

            “Good day, ladies,” he replied politely. “Could I get either of you a drink?”

            “I have no coin with me this morning, I’m afraid,” Lexi said apologetically. “But if you would let us shelter under your porch, I would appreciate it.”

            Ruthos looked about himself for a short moment before stepping closer. “If you don’t mind me being so blunt,” he murmured, “I heard you were leaving this village shortly.”

            Lexi grimaced. “Word travels fast.”

            “It certainly does,” Cedonia agreed. She glanced up at the tavern keeper and smiled. “I would not mind that drink.” Ruthos smiled and hurried back into his tavern. Cedonia looked back to Lexi. “Unless you would like to be bombarded with questions you cannot answer, I suggest you leave.”

            Lexi nodded grimly and stood. “If I don’t see you before I leave…I hope you live long and well.”

            Cedonia smirked. “Of course I will. It’s you that needs to watch your back.”

            Lexi nodded and hurried back to the forest where she would not be disturbed by humans. Also, a small part of her hoped she would find the boy, even though she had not spotted him that morning.

Author's Note

I'm open to any criticism.