Ffity-Six- Nox

A Chapter by Sophie

Romances are developed...

Chapter 56

Nox

I walk to Jasper's house with him, he's letting me stay for while. When I get there his mom wraps him in the longest hug I've ever seen, but I've haven't seen many hugs. We sit down and explain, and it turns out she knew the gist of it, but no details, so she wasn't mad or anything.

It's great to sleep in a bed again, dreamless and without rocks digging into my back.

How do we get Marina out of the trance? What worked with Ray didn't work with her. But mentioning her parents broke the spell a bit. I think seeing her parents would get her out of it, but they're dead, so we're out of luck. But there's no way we'll win against Malum with Water missing. Water is a key element of life, of course we need her.

I sit in silence at the breakfast table, Jasper and his mom just having told his dad and little sister what we are. Vires, 'power' in Latin. But that's just a name, it doesn't explain if we're human or not.

“So, Nox, you were on Malum's side?” His dad asks. “You were planning to kill my son?”

I nod. “Yes, it was all I had known.”

“What made you change?” His mom asks.

If I were a person who blushed, I would, “I saw how genuinely good they all were, and I decided ruining that was not for the best.”

His parents nod.

“Seriously, Jaz? You didn't tell me that you could control rocks?” His sister, who's fourteen, exclaims.

“Sorry?” He tries.

“Sorry doesn't cut it, I want a demonstration, both of you.” Lany says.

“Ooh! That's a great idea!” His mother claps. After breakfast we go out into Jasper's backyard.

“When did those rocks get there?” His dad notices.

“Yours truly, it's how I discovered I could do it.” Jasper says. Then he moves away a bit and demonstrates what he can do, even creating a mini mountain and then shrinking it just as fast.

“My grass!” His dad moans, devastated.

“Sorry, Dad, maybe Briar-Rose will help you.”

“Oh! Speaking of girls, that last part in the prophecy, what does it mean by love?” Lany asks. Jasper looks down an mumbles something.

Lany grins. “Jaz! Did you meet a girl?”

His mom leans forward, excitement on her face, “Well?”

“Yeah, Bry's my girlfriend.”

“Not Ray?” His dad asks, “But I thought you liked her.” Now its my turn to be uncomfortable. “Ooh, Nox, you like Ray? Are you going out?” Jasper's mom urges.

“Yeah, I like her, but we're not going out.” I murmur, really embarrassed.

“Oh, well, anyway, why don't you show us what you can do, Nox.” His dad says, saving me from the questions that were about to pour from the girls' lips. I step forward and do what I can do, they are really impressed with the black hole storage thing.

“I can also turn into darkness. It looks like smoke in the daytime, but at night I'm invisible. But I'm not gonna show you that because when I reform, I'm in my underpants.” I explain.

Jasper has an old cell phone he gives to me, we decided if I'm out or something, the need to be able to reach me. It's night time, and I turn the phone over in my hands, then go into the bathroom and dial Ray's number. She picks up after a few rings.

“Hello?” she sounds like she was sleeping, her voice is slurred.

“Hi, um, it's Nox.” I say.

“Why are you calling at two in the morning?” She asks. It's two in the morning?

“I just- I just wanted to apologize.” I sound vulnerable. What happened to the strong Nox with a wall around his heart I used to be? “For, um, what happened. I just wanted to say I don't expect anything, I, uh, just thought I'd try, you know?” I'm talking about the almost kiss.

“Nox, I...” She starts, then sighs, “It's okay, no need to be sorry.” Her voice catches on the last word.

I think I hear a sob before the line goes dead.

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