Not Your Average Fairy Tale (Not Your Average Fairy Tale #1) (13 page)

Ash

Seeing Cameron and Kendall talking in the hall had me on edge. I wouldn't admit I was jealous, because I wasn't. I was just an observer, and everything I'd seen between them wasn't right. No chemistry. No sparks.

Maybe I was getting too involved. It bugged me that she still cared for him.

I was grinding my teeth and drumming my fingers on Kendall's bedside table when I heard the front door open.

I knew it was Kendall by the way she walked. She was light and elegant on her feet. Like a dancer. Her mom walked really fast wherever she went, and Ellie had a skip to her step.

"Hi, Ash," she said casually when she saw me. She closed the door to her room, threw her backpack on her bed and looked at me closely.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," I said.

"You sure?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

"Yep. Everything's fine." I stood, stretching, and clenched my jaw at the tightness in the middle of my back.

Now that I thought about it, my wings had been bothering me. I'd had them tied down every day since I started the whole fairy godmother fiasco. I'd just noticed how tender they were a few days earlier. I wasn't about to tell Kendall that, though.

"You're hurt. Something's hurting you."

My eyes widened. She could read me too easily. I shook my head, trying to stay mad at her for ditching me and going with Cameron. Not that we had a date or anything. I’d just gotten used to hanging out with her after school. It was in our routine. Well, mine anyway.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Don't lie to me."

I stiffened as pain shot through my body. "It's nothing, Kendall. Leave it alone."

She walked over to me, and before I knew what she was doing, poked my back with a finger. I tried to stifle a groan, but it escaped.

"Take off your shirt," she said.

I gritted my teeth and shook my head. "No way."

She glared at me. "Do it, or I'll wish some horrible disease on you for my last wish."

"Nice try," I said.

"Ash, take off your shirt, or I won't ever make my last wish and you'll be stuck with me forever." The corner of her mouth twitched.

"And that would be a bad thing?"

Her mouth opened a little, and I thought I saw something in her eyes that told me she felt the same way. But then she just rolled them, and picked up a shoe instead.

"I'll do it."

"You wouldn't dare," I challenged.

"I've hit you with stuff before." She swung her arm back, and I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact. When the blow didn't come, I opened my eyes.

"Just take it off okay?" she said, throwing the shoe on the floor. When I didn't move, she smiled. "You really thought I was going to hit you?"

"I don't know what goes on in that crazy mind of yours," I said.

She glared at me again. "Just take it off, Ash. Let me see what's wrong with you."

"I don't want you to see them."

"Forget about being Mr. Macho for a minute, and take it off! Now!"

I hesitated, and then sighed. I lifted my shirt gingerly over my head, and heard her gasp when she saw my back.

"Is it bad?" I asked. I was glad there wasn't a mirror in her room.

"Ash ..." she whispered, "Why would you do this to yourself?"

I hung my head. "I hate them. That's why."

She found the end of the rope and started untying it. Her fingers barely touched my back, but I flinched anyway.

"The rope dug into your skin pretty bad. You need lotion or aloe or
something
on it."

"Gross. I hate lotion. You can't ever get it off of your hands."

She smiled, but it looked like it was forced.

"What's wrong?"

"You really want to know?”

I nodded.

“They're beautiful."

I knew she was talking about my wings. The rope fell away and I felt them straighten out. It felt good actually, stretching them.

"They're girly," I said. "Guys aren't supposed to have wings. Especially ones like mine."

"What's wrong with them? They're silver and blue. Like your eyes. They remind me of blown glass." She reached out, hesitant. "Can I touch them?"

I met her eyes and nodded.

She reached out, her hand shaking slightly.

I stiffened at the contact, but relaxed as she slid her fingers down the edge of one wing. I shuddered, feeling heat course through me. They were much more sensitive than any other part of my body.

Her fingers barely touched it, but I could still feel her shaking.

"They're tougher than they look," I said.

"Really?" She looked skeptical.

"Yes. Believe me, I've tried to get rid of them. It's impossible."

Her mouth drew into a thin line and her eyes narrowed. "
You're
impossible." She still touched them lightly. Like she would handle a butterfly or flower.

"Speak for yourself."

"They're amazing. I don't see why you don't like them." She traced a few of the swirling veins, making me shiver.

"You have no idea how good that feels. I've had them tied up for weeks."

"Please don't ever tie them up again." I could tell she was still afraid of poking a hole through it. She barely let her finger rest on it for more than a few seconds. "Your back looks awful."

I jumped as she touched the angry welts on my back. A shock of pain jolted through my wings. "Ouch!"

"I'm sorry," she said, scooting away.

"Don't be sorry. It's my own stupid fault." I flexed my wings, feeling the blood flow through them again. They were still pretty stiff.

"Can I get something to put on them?"

"No."

"Why did you tie them up in the first place?"

I couldn't believe I was about to admit this. "I was embarrassed. Guys don't have wings where I come from. I mean, there are tooth fairies and stuff, which is a little more manly, since you're handling gross teeth and everything, but fairy godmothers? I'm the first male one. Ever."

"Really? As in ...
ever
, ever?"

I laughed. "Yes. Ever, ever."

"Huh."

"What does that mean?"

"It just explains why you're so weird."

My mouth dropped open, and she reached a finger out and closed it for me.

"I'm joking."

"You'd better be."

"And just for the record? I think they're beautiful. It's okay for you to have wings."

I frowned.

"You
are
a fairy,” she reminded me. “What kind of fairy would you be if you didn't have wings?"

"You've got a point. I guess."

"Besides, you get to hang out with me!" She smiled, her eyes sparkling.

"For now," I said, feeling my eyelids droop.

She started tracing my wings again, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. What was going on? I hadn't even been tired a second before.

"You look tired," she said, watching me.

I yawned.

"Why don't you take a nap, since you're already half asleep anyway? I have to clean my room," she said.

"Like that would ever happen," I muttered. I lay my head on her pillow, smiling at how good it smelled. Vanilla and strawberries.

I fell asleep faster than I ever thought possible, and as soon as I did, they started coming.

Strange images. Sounds. Things I would never ever be able to forget.

Bright lights shining in my eyes.

My dad screaming right outside my room.

People running, footsteps echoing down the hallway.

A swirl of dark sand, blurring my vision. Waves of darkness covering everything in sight.

I cried out for my dad, but he never came.

Only darkness.

Then there was a woman. A woman with the face of an angel. Locks of light hair swirled around her as she held me in her arms, racing through the sea of darkness. She glowed slightly, lighting our way. I memorized every detail of her face. Her dainty nose, her thin lips squeezed tight, not daring to make a sound. Her eyes, wide and afraid. Silver eyes like mine.

"It's going to be okay, Ash," she whispered. "I won't let him take you." She pressed her warm cheek against mine, and I saw a bright light flash before my eyes.

I heard her scream.

And then I was alone.

Dax was suddenly there, dressed in black, pointing and laughing at me. "Some day you'll figure out what you are," he said.

Sand flew around me and the floor opened, swallowing me into a black void where I feared I would never find my way out.

I screamed, falling further into darkness. Arms flailing, my wings incapable of working. Dax's voice echoing all around me.

"Ash!"

Someone else called my name as well. I struggled to get back to the voice. The worried and panicked voice. It was different. Not the woman from the dream, but a girl.

“Ash!” Louder this time. Kendall. I saw a light, her beautiful face above me.

I was jolted from my dream. My body shook, and I was covered in sweat.

Kendall leaned over me, her eyes wide and afraid. "Ash?"

"What happened?" I asked, getting shakily to my feet. I swallowed, trying to calm myself down.

"You um, fell asleep.” She took a trembling breath. “You had some kind of nightmare. I tried to wake you, but you just kept tossing and turning. You screamed." Her voice squeaked on the last word, and she put her hands on either side of her face. "I didn't know what else to do."

"I have to go."

"Wait! Are you okay?"

Before she could say another word, I grabbed my shirt still lying on the bed, and left.

***

"Where is he?" I demanded, holding Gerald by his horns. His feet dangled several inches off the grass, and terror filled his dark eyes.

"I ... I don't know. I swear!"

"I'm going to ask one more time." I lifted him even higher.

"I don't know! He was here a while ago, but I don't know where he went!"

"Gerald, if you don't tell me where Dax is, I'll–"

"You'll what?" Dax's voice sliced through the courtyard.

I stiffened and dropped Gerald to the ground. He scampered past me. I turned slowly around and whipped my wand out, ready to do some serious damage.

"
You
," I growled.

"Relax, Ash. It wasn't that bad." Dax stood a few feet away, eyes glittering. Gerald huddled near his feet.

"Do you have any idea what you've started? I haven't had that nightmare in years. It's one thing sending me dreams, but another altogether using my own memories to torture me!"

"Did Kendall comfort you?"

My eyes narrowed. "Don't ever say her name again." My voice sounded scary. Even to me.

Dax looked surprised, but recovered quicker than expected. "Or what?"

"I'd rather not say, since I'd scare the satyr even more." I glanced at Gerald, who was shaking in his hooves.

"That's all you are, Ash. A lot of talk, but no action," Dax said. He pulled a little brown bag out of his robe and dumped black sand into his hand. He swirled it around with his finger, making a tiny funnel cloud.

I knew that sand. I'd studied it before. It was dark magic, banned from our world. I wondered where he had gotten it.

"Do you have any idea what that is? You're abusing magic you have no idea how to control. You're going to destroy everything. Me. You. This entire world."

"Oh, stop with the speech already. You break as many rules as I do."

"Fine. But I'm warning you. If you mess with my mind again, I'll make sure you're out of here forever. You can go live with your own kind."

"Still think I'm half djinn?" he said, smiling.

"Golden eyes, dark magic." I gestured toward him. "You fit the picture." I smirked at him. "Either that or you're some kind of goblin."

"Don't insult me," he said. His eyes narrowed and I knew I had struck a nerve.

Goblins were the lowest of our world. Scavengers without a shred of magic in them. Djinns weren’t much better, since they were bound to a master. But at least they had power.

"Stay out of my head," I warned.

He took a step closer. "Make me."

"Ash." A new voice echoed through the clearing, and I saw Sam striding toward us, his eyes locked on Dax.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. Timekeeper himself."

"Shut up, Dax," Sam said.

"Why don't you two run along and play. Suck up to the professors or whatever you do to have fun," Dax said.