CHAPTER 6

Panic reproduced in my blood. I messily briefed them on the dreams and my death, how I even began looking for answers which made them like fish out of water. "Why would you even go into that tent, have you no common sense," "Well I didn't see answers coming from you Rosalinda, for all I know if Emerson hadn't opened his trap, I would still be clueless."

The heat of the conversation and Rosalinda's efforts focused on blaming me made me pissed. I launched forward at her, but Emerson grabbed me by the waist holding me down. "Hey, hey stop Aila, do you solve everything by taking a go at everyone," He shouted.

I took a breath and easily relaxed into his grip around my waist, turning to look at him as a plea to release me, "I'm not letting you go until you fully calm down, I know your tricks." "What tricks?" she eagerly but harshly asked, and this caused Emerson to immediately release me.

The silence between us forced her to move to the problem at hand, "Never mind that, Aila this isn't your fault I should have told you sooner, I'm sorry dear." I pushed my chin forward, "I suppose I could forgive you," and with a small smile which was as close as she could get to kindness she said, "Thank you."

***

Albi, my dad and Lucas returned from camping the following day and the three of us spent all night finalizing what might be happening. Amidst all the complications there were some pockets of peace. I finally had answers to many questions I had. I now understood why my mother visited here once a year, she was an heir of the sun and had her duties.

Her radiance and happiness always seemed like magic to me so there was that fulfilling thought, and I was beyond happy to know I would be continuing something of her. The downside to this realization was that Lucas and my dad can never know just as I never knew.

From our night of searching for answers Rosalinda and Emerson both concluded that it most definitely was someone from Ciana, they were sure the tarot reader knew about Ciana's magic but was not directly involved in the workings of it. Rosalinda was positive with all her pride the tarot reader was a non-lander, which apparently is someone born into Ciana but without any form of magic, trying to make a quick dollar.

Through this thrilling time I learnt Rosalinda was also a professor at Evester, the academy I would soon be attending in order to learn how to use my magic, which I was strictly told I need to do fast as I was responsible for the sun's presence which by the way is totally not a lot of pressure.

***

I spent the next few days with Emerson. He told me everything about Ciana and Evester and further explained the whole heir and keeper dynamic. We usually took long walks, talking about it, more so me asking a million questions which he happily answered, or he would stay late nights with me as I sketched and interrogated him.

The last weekend before we left for Evester we decided to go have some fun and lighten up from the week's bullets fired at us. Emerson had the brilliant idea, as he would say, to take us to a carnival. "Is anyone else coming?" I nervously asked, socializing was not my strongest attribute and I was quite anxious to make friends.

"No, it's just us, I figured you needed to relax in peace," He looked at me and said with a caring tone. "And what made you think I'm at peace with you, all I want to do is bury you." "I'm just kidding, no need to get so tense," I laughed, and he let out a sigh followed by a puff of misted air which drifted into the cold night.

Our first activity for the night included Emerson trying to shoot at rubber ducks which he failed miserably. "Attention everyone, behold the magnificently charming and precisely alarming shooter of the year, Emerson Haines," "Shut up you bloody monster," he wrapped his hands securely around my waist and muzzled my mouth with his palm.

He bent down, now that his lips are grazing against my ear and I could feel his warm breath trailing my neck and he said playfully, "Do that again and I'll- "Hello Emerson." He hastily dismantled himself from me as the sarcastic voice spoke over the crowd, I hurriedly turned around to see Novya looking as angry as a bull with a gaze that could gut me.

"What are you doing here?" she scanned my body with a twisted grin and asked. "I'm enjoying a night out, I didn't see any sign saying I'm not allowed to be here," I immediately stepped back upon realizing what I said, especially to Novya. "What's your problem? I brought her out for one night before you can torment her when she gets to Evester."

Novya stepped back with a shocked expression, the look on both their faces made it crystal clear that had never happened before. "If that's how you speak to me, don't even bother coming back to apologize and make sure the lover-girl here knows who she's dealing with." She spun around, her straight black hair spiraled around her and just like that she disappeared into the ground."

I stood there like a yard mole getting eyes for the first time, "Okay firstly, what the heck just happened, secondly, lover-girl?" I asked loudly, squinting with a scowl in his direction. Emerson looked exhausted as he rubbed his temples, and I suddenly felt horrible for my attitude, which seemed to surface with him and everyone in this place. "I'm sorry," "No it's honestly fine, it's not your fault, umm Novya is the succeeding heir to the throne of earth so she can do that, it's part of her magic, as for the lover-girl I don't bloody know." He closed his eyes and bent his head backwards in frustration.

The lack of talk on our way home created an odd tension between us which I wasn't sure he felt as well. "I apologize but can I ask you something?" "You just did," he said smiling,``''Emerson, that's corny," "Yes you can,'' he announced, "Is Novya your girlfriend?" He stopped in his tracks and looked down at me once more.

"She is my ex-girlfriend, Novya and I have a complicated past. We used to fill each other's cup but recently she just blames me for everything that goes wrong." "That day at the shop, when you met her, I broke things off with her because well, it's complicated." I nodded in acceptance of his answer as I could see it was a touchy subject for him.

That night we sat in the garden shed as a part of our redeeming the night plan and played a couple rounds of cards as Emerson sipped a beer which he nudged me to try as I was past the drinking age in England but I took to coke instead. The night actually took a turn for the best as it started pouring the minute we got in.

We talked about each other's life for hours and I learned about his love for plants, books and his piano playing skills. "It's not like I can hate books, I'm a keeper, it's my job," "Well being in a relationship with an heir of earth explains the love for plants," I teased him. "Your true identity is definitely a piano playing, trespassing keeper then," we joked. Cheers on the last pack of beer and coke and we were both out like a light in that very shed for the night.