The Heart-Shaped Emblor (The Ewlishash Series) (14 page)

As I ran down the sidewalk, trying not to slip on the ice, the realization that I had nowhere to run punched me in the stomach. I couldn’t escape from this guy. He could get to me wherever I was, he could find me anywhere…
and
he still had my keys.

I didn’t see Alexander following me. It took me a few minutes to calm down before I slowed my pace. I began to shake violently, shock setting in at the most inopportune time. My breathing slowed only after the fear began to subside.

After a moment, I felt Alexander behind me. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and urged me to my car, gently placing me in the passenger seat, and then he knelt next to me. I almost decked him when he grabbed me, but when he opened his mouth to speak, I could see his humble demeanor.

“Please.” His voice trembled. “Be careful… You were almost to the bead shop again.”

“I…” My words refused to come out. I didn’t know if I was more enraged by his behavior or if I was terrified beyond belief.

“Aislinn,” he said, face pointed to the ground in shame.

“What?”

Alexander’s face held an apology, and a great sadness. I tried to even my breathing to avoid panicking, but when Alexander caressed my hand, it calmed me.

“I’m sorry.” His voice cracked as he spoke. “You did nothing wrong. That wasn’t your fault. I just… I can’t talk about her yet. I’m sorry.” He grabbed his hair roughly. “Now I’ve made you afraid. Please, can you forgive me?”

I pulled his face to mine and stared into his eyes. They were full of remorse, fear, sadness, and at the same time, hope. I could see that he needed me. Maybe I needed him as well. I remembered the coffin from my last dream of her. He’d sobbed in front of a window on his knees. Now I understood. She had died.

“I forgive you, but with the condition that no matter what happens, you’ll try to control your temper. I can see it’s a bad one, something I wouldn’t normally tolerate, so I won’t bring up…” I hesitated, “the topic we were discussing, but I need you to try and keep it under control. I may not scare easily when it comes to supernatural forces, but I do when it comes to out-of-control tempers. Deal?” I spoke softly, yet my voice was stern. There were no compromises when it came to dealing with someone’s anger.

He nodded slowly, making sure I saw that he agreed. “I do need to work on my temper,” Alexander admitted. “I think we’ve had enough talk about this stuff today. If you’re feeling up for it, we can go into the shop now.”

“In a minute. My head really hurts, too much stress.” I took a deep breath. “Can I ask one more question first?”

“Sure.” He was careful to keep his voice soft and open.

“Sometimes, it feels like you know what I’m thinking. Do you?”

“No.” Alexander smiled to assure me my question had been okay. “I really didn’t know you wanted to come into the store. I just wanted to show you something inside. But when I’m in my transparent form, I can zero in on someone’s thoughts if they are asking for help. That’s how I help them. But this is as much as I can say right now. Anymore and we are getting into the topics I need to refrain from. Does that give you enough of an answer?”

I nodded. “Okay, I think I’m ready to go shop.”

Alexander’s face had a soft glow, and my comfort level began to return.

He helped me from the car, allowing me to lean into him as we strolled toward the store. With his arm secured tightly around my waist, I felt safe again, despite the subtle shocks every thirty seconds or so.

I couldn’t wait to go inside the store. I only wished I’d brought my Celtic box. My desire to know why my key didn’t match the lock had grown greatly these last few weeks.

THE HEART-SHAPED EMBLOR

O
n the way into town, I hadn’t noticed the name of the store—The Never Ending—displayed on the twisted and knotted wooden sign. I could smell a wonderful aroma seeping from the cracks under the store’s door. It smelled of lemongrass, lavender, and sage. An interesting combination, and very inviting.

Alexander reached for the enormous door. The wood looked thick, and yet somewhat soft. I tried to determine what kind of wood it was, but came up short.

Someone had carved intricate Celtic patterns and symbols into it. It was by far the most beautiful and interesting door I’d ever seen. The stain added highlights to some areas and shadows to others. Images of an old man chiseling out each detail by hand flashed through my head.

Inside, the shop smelled even better. My mood went from glum to pleasant after about two steps. How anyone could not feel happy in a place that smelled so good seemed impossible. Thousands of tiny white twinkle lights strung throughout the store added to the mood and mystery of the place.

The storeowner looked Irish; her wild red hair was a dead giveaway. She looked up at us with eyes the shade of an evergreen. “Can I help you folks?”

Alexander responded before I could find my tongue. “Aislinn wanted to take a look around.” He cast a devious grin back to the shop owner.

She turned her question to me. “Are you looking for something specific?”

“Boxes that lock. Like a keepsake box or jewelry box. Do you have anything like that?”

“On the back wall there are some boxes, but I don’t think any of them lock. Let me know if there’s anything else you need or if you have any questions.” The woman smiled and began dusting off some items toward the front of the store.

Alexander wandered over to where some books were, so I used the opportunity to look around. I headed toward the back of the store where the boxes were, but none of them looked anything close to mine. Feeling disappointed, I surveyed the rest of the area.

The shop had a wide variety of items, ranging from small gifts that looked like souvenirs to knives and swords made from materials other than metal. The blades looked like obsidian, and others appeared to be bone, and all had Celtic knots swirled around the handles. I wanted to touch one, but they were behind the counter.

To my left was an oversized red curtain blowing slightly as a breeze drifted under the door. Behind it, I could make out a table covered in a deep purple cloth with cards on it. They looked like Hope’s.

Wanting to take a closer look, I pulled the curtain back further to find several silver boxes that looked like mine. They were different, but similar in size, color, and design. Why had she not told me about those? With the shop owner focused on her dusting, and Alexander drooling over an obsidian blade, I decided to investigate. I slipped behind the curtain before they noticed.

I knew better than to snoop, but the room appeared to be off-limits and I wanted desperately to have answers about my box. Something inside me urged me toward the ones on the table, and I picked one up to take a look at it. I was just about to open it when the owner yanked open the curtain, and grabbed the box from my hand.

“This is not for customers. Can’t you read?” She seemed rattled.

“Read what?”

She pointed to the sign hanging clearly by the curtain. It read, “Employees Only.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just, these boxes… Where did you get these? I have one, and I’ve been trying to find out why my key doesn’t match the lock.”

The woman seemed nervous as she looked to Alexander, who was now walking up behind me. Her expression softened after she looked at him for a moment, but when I turned to see his face, he merely smiled.

“I think if you explain the origin of these types of boxes, maybe she can put things together on her own.” Alexander looked at the shopkeeper as he spoke.

“Are you sure?” She questioned with tension in her voice.

“Yes,” he replied.

I turned back to the storeowner, who appeared to be contemplating whether to tell me about the boxes. She kept sighing, then shaking her head, and looking to Alexander with confusion. Finally, she spoke.

“I can’t sell these boxes to just anyone. The person who receives the box must be at least half Irish. The boxes are Emblors, and the people to whom they belong are the
Ewlishash
.”

The woman set the box back down and urged us toward the open area of the store while she explained further.

“For thousands of years, the Irish have been passing down the tale of the Ewlishash, those with special abilities. I am sure your friend will tell you about them when the time is right. For now, it seems you must be a Ewlishash, because the box passed to you, which also would suggest that whoever passed it to you was one as well.”

I thought about what the woman said to me, but she had to be wrong. Sure I had an Irish name, but no one in my family had come from Ireland. My parents had just liked the name. There must have been some kind of mix-up. I listened anyway, trying not to be rude by correcting her.

“Ewlish… How do you say it?” I asked, fumbling over my pronunciation.

“You-lish-ash.” The woman clarified.

“Thanks. So do you have to be Irish, then, to be a Ewlishash?” I inquired.

“Yes,” she nodded back to me. “To be a Ewlishash you do, but other cultures call their gifted ones by different names. Really, you’re all essentially the same, just with different backgrounds and stories.”

“Oh.” I appraised her look, realizing that she definitely knew more than I did about this so-called group. I couldn’t help but wonder why Alexander and Hope had not wanted me to go into the bead shop. Would the owners have known about me? “Why do you think the key doesn’t fit?”

She cast a questioning look at Alexander. When he didn’t respond, she faced me again. “I would think that if the key didn’t fit, that maybe it is because you have someone else’s key, and maybe that person has yours. Simple mix-up…”

“Hmmm,” I breathed. “Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.”

She nodded. “Would you like to see anything else? We have some unique jewelry.” She motioned me over to the jewelry display.

The case held the most intricate necklaces and bracelets and rings I had ever seen. They were beautiful. One set in particular caught my attention. It was a ring, bracelet, and necklace that all had matching Celtic hearts. The hearts looked identical to the one on my box. I looked up at the storekeeper.

“How much is this set?”

“Just a moment.” She walked over to the counter and flipped through a book. “That set is kind of pricey… It’s a thousand.”

“Yikes!” I quickly set the necklace back down. “Thanks, but I think that’s my entire savings and beyond!” I chuckled as I thought about the looks on my friends’ faces if I showed up with a thousand-dollar set of jewelry.

The costume jewelry up by the counter fit my budget. I picked clover and fairy necklaces.

“Will that be all for you?” she asked, eyeing the Emblors again.

“I think so.” I smiled, handing her my debit card.

“Can I tell you one more thing before you go?”

“Sure.” I nodded.

“Your box, you said it has a Celtic heart?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you know anything about Celtic knots?” she inquired.

I shook my head no.

“When something is a Celtic knot, that means there is no beginning and no end. It is forever. Eternity. If there is a specific symbol in association, like a heart, that means that love is everlasting. It’s just something to think about.” She handed me my bag. “Thank you for coming in today.”

I looked at her, perplexed. “Thank you.” My words came out slowly as I headed to the door. Her explanation twisted the thoughts in my head like a tornado. I glanced back and forth between the boxes and Alexander.

When we reached the car, Alexander leaned down to gently brush my cheek. “I’m going to see if she has a restroom. Will you be okay here for a minute?”

“I’ll be fine.” I nodded. “But why…?” Before I could finish my question, he was gone.

I waited, wondering why he hadn’t just used it when we were in the store. Suspicion over what he was really doing in there tied my stomach in knots. Were they discussing me?

After fifteen minutes, Alexander finally emerged, walking with a bit of a strut. He ducked into the driver’s side, looking very pleased with himself.

“I was just about to come get you. What’s going on?” I asked curiously.

He smiled nonchalantly. “Things are going better than I planned. A faster awakening than I had, but still moving along smoothly.”

I laughed and shook my head. “You think this is all going well, huh? I’m glad somebody thinks so.”

“You don’t agree?” He turned his chin up, as if he were offended.

“I think I’m handling the information you have given me well, but on some things, I’ll admit that I’m impatient. The ‘need-to-know’ basis is really getting on my nerves. Sometimes I want a full understanding right now. Like in the Matrix, when Neo plugs in, and he can learn to fly in seconds.” I looked out the window, watching the strangers walk by as I spoke.

“Neo, huh? I’m not sure you’d like that method. That would entail you doing things like I did, with almost no instruction, until wham! You change and are filled with nothing but terror as you try to determine if you’ve just died,” he sighed, “or in some cases, disappointed that you haven’t.” His confession made me think this was another no-fly zone.

I quickly changed the subject before his angry side could return. Learning why he had no one to guide him would come up again, hopefully at a more opportune time.

“So…” I turned to face him. “Are you coming back to my house with me? Maybe we could rent a movie or something.” My attempt to distract him with my ridiculous request failed. “Besides, you never told me how you got to my car. Did you just float? In your changed state?”

“I…” Alexander’s face contorted. “I was already with you. I have been since this morning. Are you mad?”

“You were with me the
whole
time?” My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I pictured him watching me shower.

“No!” He quickly corrected me. “Not the entire time. I came after you were ready to leave. I would not spy on you while you dressed or anything. Ever.” He rolled his eyes and blew out a long breath as a half-kidding grin crossed his face. “Besides, I have seen a naked woman before. I don’t need to pull a peeping Tom bit. I’m too old for that.”

“How old are you?”

“I just turned twenty-four.” He looked up at me to survey my face for a reaction of panic.

“Oh,” I said plainly. “Roughly six years isn’t that much of a difference. My mom is seven years older than my dad is, and I have a friend who’s dating someone almost twenty years her senior. It’s okay.” I smiled flirtatiously. “I’m almost eighteen, and I’m mature for my age anyway.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m sure you are. At least you’ll have help with the transition phase.” Again, I wanted to ask why he didn’t have help, but I bit my lip.

“So I will be changing?” I asked quietly.

“Come on, Aislinn, you know better than that. You already dreamed that we meshed energy. What did you think was happening?”

“I hadn’t actually considered that,” I admitted sheepishly. “I’ve been focusing on the things you and Hope told me, but I guess I did have a premonition about us, didn’t I?” I marveled at my own ignorance.

“You really need to start trusting your dreams more, Aislinn. They’re telling you something.” He started the car as he spoke.

We rode in silence, not needing to fill every gap with words. By the time we reached my road, a nagging sensation ate at me. I should have stalled, gotten him to talk more.

“You sure you can’t come in?”

“I’m sure.” He swallowed hard, as if he were holding something back. “I would if I could, but now that you’ve passed your test, unexpected things will begin to happen. I need to be prepared. Kiera and I will need to touch bases.”

“Kiera?”

“Yeah,” he replied, seeming confused as to why I asked. “She was at your council meeting, remember?”

“Ah, yes. It’s just odd. She’s so young. Anyway, I don’t want you to leave yet.”

“I don’t want to either, but there are some things that I need to take care of. Don’t worry. I’ll be looking out for you.” He spoke like a protector.

“You’ll look out for me?” I wondered why he needed to, but felt extremely appreciative nonetheless.

“Of course.” His words fell effortlessly. “That’s sort of my job right now.” His mouth turned up at the corners, exposing his dimple. Alexander pulled over to the side of the road.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m going to get out here, so I can change in the woods over there without anyone seeing me. Don’t worry about your interview. Trust me.” Alexander bent over and kissed my forehead. My heart thudded to a stop as a pleasant heat rushed through my body. “We’ll talk soon. Here… This is for you.” He handed me a small brown box. A lovely expression took hold of his face. “Bye, sweetie.”

“Bye.” Had he just called me sweetie?

I watched Alexander walk around the corner before surveying the small box. A thin red ribbon held the lid tightly in place. Eagerly, I opened the box to find a letter.

Dear Aislinn,

Please don’t freak out that I got you this. I just needed to. Don’t worry about the cost, and please don’t try to return it. I told the storekeeper not to take it back. This is a token of how I feel about you, even though I hardly know you. In this life, anyway.

I wanted to tell you my story, but it is still too painful. So I am writing you in an attempt to explain myself. I hope this helps.

First of all, I am sorry I showed you the angry side of me earlier. I realize that I need to tell you why I feel that way sometimes, so that you will understand.

When you spoke of your dreams about me and the girl, I panicked. I wasn’t expecting to have to tell you about her. Not yet. But when you brought her up, and touched on the one subject I still have difficulty with, I realized that you are much more special than I thought.