Chapter 14

That friendship didn't last long did it?

Abigail walked silently in front of me. Her feet pushed through thick grasses with each step. Zachary’s small hand was firmly placed in the center of mine. Steam spewed from my nose as the morning air formed around us. The stream glittered in the morning light next to us. I watched my reflection become distorted in the ripples. Dark circles had begun to appear under my eyes and I could see the strength leaving my body. I took a deep breath to try and calm myself.

A snap sounded next to us. Abigail and I both froze at the same time. Zachary’s arms wrapped around my leg, slowly I bent down and started to lift him up my side. Abigail started to do the same with Tori. “Bonjour?” A woman’s voice called from behind the trees.

Abigail’s silver eyes looked over my body waiting for my reaction. I shot her a confused look and we both waited again, “Bonjour,” the voice came again a little louder. Abigail and I again didn’t move. Our eyes stayed on each other’s trying to decide what to do. Through the bushes appeared a face making the four of us jump. Her pale face pulled the rest of her body through the leaves. Blonde hair fell to her shoulders in long waves. Her silver eyes glittered over the four of us as she walked closer. I saw that Abigail was staring at the woman trying to recognize her face. The tall woman looked very young and very beautiful. Her cheek bones were sharp, her features were flawless. She was very magnificent. Her long thin hand fell into mine and she spoke, “Oh, il est vous, Zane m'a dit que je vous trouverais finalement.”

Every eye shot to me, “Zane told you we’d be here?” I tried to get the right sentence from the French.

“You know French?” Abigail whispered tome.

I nodded slightly, “A little.”

“English?” the woman asked and we sighed as she spoke the words. “Sorry, I thought maybe you’d speak French.” The accent escaping from her lips was very strong. Her small palm was still in mine as she spoke. The silver gems snapped over to Abigail, “Your uncle told me I would find you here and that we would find the portal together.”

Suddenly Abigail’s mouth spread open, “I know you. You’re Josephine Bellamont.”

The woman slid her hands from mine and carried it over to Abigail, “Yes I am. I’ve seen your face before.”

“I’m Abigail Oreson, you’ve probably heard of my family before.”

The blonde hair whipped behind Josephine’s head beautifully. “I’ve seen your family, that’s where I know you.”

My throat cleared the phlegm from within, “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are?”

Abigail gasped loudly and slowly turned her wide eyes to me. “You don’t know Josephine Bellamont?” My head shook in a confused answer, “You mister classical music boy?” Again my head shook. “Josephine Bellamont is a famous French violinist. You should actually be idolizing her. She’s in an openly gay relationship with a daughter who’s our age. She is also a very, very famous hero.” Abigail used her hands to emphasize the word very.

“I’m sorry that I don’t know you.” My eyes were watching Josephine carefully hoping I hadn’t offended her. She put her hands up as an acceptance to my apology.

Abigail shook her head at me. Her head tilted and she looked down to her so side, “Oh I’m so sorry. This is my niece Tori and my nephew Zachary.” She pointed as she introduced each one.

Josephine smiled and waved to them both. Then her eyes went up to me, “You look rather familiar yourself.”

“He should,” Abigail busted in. “This is Zander Khorry, or also known as Zander Khtulu. He has the traits, can’t you tell?”

Josephine froze in place. Her silver eyes never left my face for a second. Abigail froze up also trying to figure out what was going on. Josephine’s head tilted and she took a step toward me. Her soft hands came to the side of my face. “Khorry,” she asked carefully. My head nodded between her hands. Slowly each finger ran over each individual feature of mine. “You are so beautiful.”

I cleared my throat again, “Thank you,” I mumbled quietly. My face twisted in confusion and shifted towards Abigail. Her shoulders rose as she watched what was going on. Josephine quickly realized what she was doing and pulled her hands away.

“Sorry, it’s just hard not to look at you.” For a moment I thought I saw a tear swell up in her eye but her sleeve came up and wiped it away too quickly for me to notice. She slapped her hands on her thighs and took a deep breath, “Shall we get started then?”

My head bobbed up and down and we started walking. As Abigail took her first step she stumbled and caught herself on a rock. My hand went to her elbow. She shoved me away and picked herself up. She shrugged it off and started walking. “It really is beautiful out here.” Josephine looked up as she walked.

“I guess you could look at it like that, although I see it more as a trap.”

Josephine shook her head, “You kids are really looking at things so pessimistically. You really should look at it like it’s the most beautiful place on earth. I mean, what if you die would you remember your death in some sour place or in what you thought to actually be heaven in the first place.”

“You’re my Idol,” Abigail groveled from the front of the pack.

Josephine’s silver eyes looked back at me. Zachary was folded in my arms. She smiled a deep motherly smile and turned back around, “You kids are so amazing.”

Abigail laughed, “What are you talking about?”

“Look how far you’ve come all on your own. It’s quite amazing. When I was your age the only thing I could think about was who I was going to the winter formal with. The two of you can save the world and survive this. It’s just really magnificent.” Abigail and I both laughed.

“Zander doesn’t even know he’s a hero, so I can probably bet that all he thinks about is who he’s taking to the winter formal.”

Suddenly the mood changed, “shut up, Abigail.” Everyone froze in their exact positions.

Abigail spun on her heels and glared at me.  “What did you say?” her words hissed through the center of her teeth.

My shoulders squared and I sat Zachary down on the ground. “I said shut up. The whole time we’ve been out here you’ve been talking down to me like you’re so much better than me. From what I’ve seen I’m more capable of anything that you could even imagine.”

Tori walked away from her and stood next to Zachary and Josephine. “You think that because you can use your powers here that it means you’re stronger than I am. Zander you really are an idiot aren’t you. The only reason you can’t use your powers is because they think you aren’t a hero.”

My head shook, “don’t deny what you know is true Abbi.”

Everyone could see the flames shoot out of her ears the minute I called her Abbi. “What did you just call me?” She wasn’t really asking she knew exactly what I had called her. The dust surrounding her feet puffed up as she ran towards me. She leapt with all of her strength towards me without thinking, purely reflexes, I stepped out of the way sending her flying past me into the dirt below. She let off a screech as she plummeted into the earth. Tori and Zachary screamed and ran after her. As I realized what had happened I quickly picked up my pace toward her.

She was lying in a pile of dirt with Tori and Zachary surrounding her. My knees bent and I lowered myself next to her. Tears were streaming down from her face that was now covered in a light layer of dirt. My hand lightly stroked her brown hair away from her face. Her hand grabbed my wrist and bent it uncomfortably, “Don’t ever call me that again.”