Up above the world so high

Bianca March 3rd, 1989

"You said we'd be gone by now!" I cry, my hands balled into fists, glaring at Xavier, who glances at the front door. Afraid that someone might come through, but I couldn't hear anyone. "You promised we wouldn't be here by the new moon! That's in four days!"

"I know, but it's taking longer to get everything ready." Xavier gently lays his hands on my arms, rubbing up and down in a soothing motion. "I will get you out of here, Bianca. You have to believe that."

All of this was hell. I'd wanted to leave on my birthday, go to my room, grab everything I could carry, and go home to my parents and beg for forgiveness, but Xavier stopped me. He said if I did that, everyone would know, and they'd be after me in seconds. The problem was, I had to be gone before the night of the new moon, or I'd be trapped here forever. I didn't know anything about the Shurakai culture except what my father taught me, but I don't think he knows about this custom. According to Xavier, the new moon would be my wedding day.

Eighteen was the most crucial year in the Shurakai culture. Not because it was the age that a person was legally an adult. They could care less about human laws. It was because the number was one of the most potent symbols to them. Unvanunvehdrux, the awakening, that's what they call the time when someone turns eighteen. To the Shurakai, your birthday wasn't complete until the following new moon. 

It was the year a born Shurakai came into their powers, and as Xavier explained, it was when they 'saw' their mate. I grew up knowing the stories, but I couldn't imagine how bad the tradition was. Shurakai weren't born with a soulmate because they don't have a soul as we know it. Instead, they're born with something they call Ungisgtalundrux, the atman life force. It's through that life force that Shurakai can do the things that seem impossible. For example, they can defy the laws of nature because they are the reflection of the universe.

"You said we'd be gone yesterday!" It was getting harder to pretend everything was alright. Now that Raidne was awake, all her abilities and instincts were conscious in me. Everything I'd been blind to was in vivid colors, and I couldn't handle being in the same room with any of them anymore. "Xavier, they're going to... I can't do this anymore."

"Bianca, we need money, and I need to make sure they can't find you. Stephanie always knows where you are because of the connection you share. So unless you find your real mate, she'll just have to think of you and know where to find you."

"Then how are we supposed to run?" My insides were spinning. I didn't feel like I wasn't in my body. Was all of this really happening, or was it a nightmare I couldn't wake up from? 

"I need to get your rabbit back." That startles me. My rabbit? Instinctively, I put my hand to my neck, and my necklace was still there. Stephanie gave it back to me months ago. Hadn't she? 

"But I'm wearing it."

"No, you're not." Xavier puts his hands around my neck and unclasps the chain. I nearly cry out when he pulls it off, but it gets caught in my throat when he holds it up to the light. "This isn't your necklace."

"What is that?" When you looked at the piece of jewelry, it looked identical to the necklace my father gave me. But it isn't.

"Do you know about the wise monkeys?" As the diamonds hit the light, they change from the image of my white rabbit to three monkeys in a row. "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?"

"It's a human saying." Scowling at the pendant, I'm not seeing what three monkeys have to do with my necklace. Where was mine if this wasn't it?

"Yes, but there's more to it than that. Brian made this himself. It's meant to keep you from seeing the truth. To blind, deafen and keep your voice from speaking out." 

"I don't feel any magic from it." That's a powerful amulet, you'd think it would radiate power, but it didn't.

"Shurakai magic is pulled from the void. Unfortunately, the rules aren't the same. You'll only be able to sense their magic by not feeling it."

"That doesn't make any sense, Xavier." Scowling, I take the pendant from him, staring at it and trying to understand it. I feel nothing from it already. It's not affecting me, either. Even Raidne doesn't seem phased by the monkeys. "It's just a necklace to me."

"Trust me, it's got power, and so does your necklace." Xavier shifts from foot to foot for a second before sighing. "Whoever gave it to you gave you a Shurakai medallion."

"What?" the monkeys fell from my hand onto the floor. What had he said? "No, my father gave me that necklace. He would never associate with Shurakai."

"You sure about that?" Picking the pendant up, Xavier takes it off the chain. "It's made from the same magic, and the style is similar. Your father must have asked an Archangel to make it for him."

"Okay, now you're talking crazy, and I've been willing to listen to a lot of what you've said. How would my father get an Archangel to make me a necklace? How would he even find one?"

"You did." That shut me up, and I could only stare at him. 

He was right. I found the house of Mikha'el. The highest choir. And yes, the Shurakai did use the name of the Archangels from human religions. Seven houses, all named after the Seraphim. 

Sitting down on the couch, I bury my face in my hands. This was too much. It was one thing after another. First, the disaster on my birthday, Xavier. Then, I discovered that the girl I thought was my best friend was the future queen, who was planning to make me her consort. Now, this?

"I don't know how much more of this I can take, Xavier." My throat feels dry, and there's a pain in my chest. "I'm not strong enough to face this alone."

"You aren't alone." Xavier sits beside me, pulling me against his side. Finding comfort in a guy I hardly knew might be weird, but he was the only person I could trust, and Raidne enjoyed his affection. Not in a sexual way, but like family. I couldn't explain it. "We'll be out of here. We just have to be careful."

"What if they find out what we're doing? Stephanie noticed I'm not eating much." 

If all the things I'd learned weren't enough, I had to face other horrifying realities. Things that seemed odd before made sense, and it wasn't because Xavier told me. No, Raidne opened my eyes to what my so-called friend had done to us. It's a terrible feeling to realize someone you trusted didn't deserve that trust. One of the betrayals was as simple as drugging my food. How hadn't I realized that?

The delicious foods Stephanie fed me were laced with so many concoctions. Even Raidne didn't know what all of them did. Every time I'd fallen asleep, it wasn't because I was tired, and I didn't want to think about what she did to me while I was unconscious. With Raidne's senses, all my senses screamed at me. Everything in this house was overcharged with shadows. That opened up other possibilities that scared me.

"That doesn't matter. Stephanie's distracted with preparing everything. We just need to keep eating out." I wasn't the only one who was treated differently. His brother dotted at him in an inappropriate way, and Stephanie treated him like a pet. Even the way she spoke to him was how someone would talk to their dog or cat. The only one who didn't was brian, but what he did might be worse. When his children weren't looking, he'd give Xavier dirty looks. 

"Can I ask you something?" Resting my head on his shoulder, I close my eyes for a second, entirely at ease. 

"Of course."

"Why are you helping me?" The question had nagged me for the past few days. Why had he waited until my birthday to talk to me and not before? Why risk his life to get me out of here? Xavier had to know there was no going back if we did this. "Why wait until my birthday?"

"Because... I was asleep, and you woke me up." Of course, that doesn't tell me anything. When I look at him, he has a far-off stare, and I wonder what he means. 

"What did they do to you, Xavier?" His grip on me tightens, the distant gaze replaced with a flash of fear and sorrow. Did he know himself? Or was he like me?

"They..." Swallowing, Xavier glanced at the door, letting me go. "They're here. Go upstairs. They shouldn't see us together."

"Xavier..."

"It doesn't matter what they did, Bianca. What matters is they won't do the same to you."