6
Six nymphs chattered in my face. They had not been happy when I’d explained to them that I was going away and the Arcana tree would have to fend for itself. They didn’t appear to be any happier now that I was back.
I walked while I was being scolded and found a trespasser on my turf. “Peter?”
My Herbology teacher was watering the Arcana tree in his trademark coveralls. “You’re back.”
“Tomorrow is the first day of school after all.”
He took off his fisherman’s hat and scratched his head. “Oh right. I guess that makes sense.” The nymphs flitted around him. He smiled as though he could understand their high-pitched wailing. “You’ll be wanting your watering can back.”
Not really. I enjoyed looking after the tree but the harassment I could leave in a heartbeat.
“Now, I’ve had to snip off a few of the lower leaves,” he said. He pointed to where he’d taken off a lateral branch to ensure the main stem grew upright. “It seems to be sulking a little. Like it’s had a bad haircut. It should perk up a little now that you’ve returned.”
I knew better than to comment on him talking to the tree like it was alive. It made weeding and pruning slightly uncomfortable. Thankfully, our other professor, Thalia, was a bit more pragmatic.
“I’ll leave you to it. See you in class.”
I never knew how such an old man moved so quickly. I’d barely gotten a grip on the handle of the watering can when I turned around and he was gone. Muttering to myself, I stowed the watering can away amidst a narrative of irritated squawking.
“You know what?” I shouted. “If you dislike me so much, why’d you even trick me into looking after the tree?”
There was blessed silence. It lasted all of two seconds before the nymphs really started in on me. I sat down and dropped my head into my hands. Screaming into them probably wasn’t the greatest idea, but it was either that or use one of the nymphs as a kickball. As if I could ever catch them. They were bloody fast.
“Are you alright?” I heard Astrid say.
Nooooo. This couldn’t be happening. The nymphs went absolutely nuts. When they spoke to me, their voices were shrill. The sounds they made now were much lower on the register. It was almost moaning.
I saw a spark of green light through my fingers. Why didn’t the ground just open up and swallow me whole? On second thought, I could actually make that happen. I really did consider it rather than open my eyes.
“What’s going on?” Kai said. “Blue?”
The nymphs cracked it big time. Out came the acorns. It didn’t occur to me until Kai copped one in the head that they were trying to defend me.
“Stop it!” Kai roared. They pelted him. I burst out laughing. How the tables had turned. The first time I’d trespassed in here, I was the one they attacked. His wings shot out and formed a protective barrier around his body. Before they obscured his face, I could see the edge of irritation in the hard line of his mouth.
It was all fun and games until he moved to stand in front of Astrid. She wasn’t even the focus of the pelting. All of the mirth in my chest disappeared.
“Ladies,” I said. “If this is for my benefit you really don’t have to.”
The purple nymph whistled in my ear. A cloud of purple dust enveloped my senses. An image appeared in my mind. Kai and me dancing on the night of the Solstice ball. His arms holding me tight like he didn’t want to let me go.
When the image disappeared, my face crumpled. The nymphs resumed their attack. I swatted my hand around them. “Stop,” I whispered. “Stop, please.”
Maybe it was the tremble in my voice. Maybe it was because they sensed how pathetic I was. They hovered in front of me, their perfect cherubic faces puffed up with annoyance. I held my hand up, palm out. The purple nymph landed on it. She pointed at Kai.
I shook my head. She flashed a devious smile. I swore I saw fangs.
No, I mouthed, not wanting Kai to hear. She rolled her eyes and signalled for the others to follow her. They disappeared out of the clearing.
“You can lower your defences,” I said. I put all of mine up.
Kai’s dark blonde hair was tousled. Aside from after a battle, I’d never seen him that dishevelled.
“What was that all about?” he snapped.
I shrugged. “How am I supposed to know? I don’t control what they do.”
“It was my fault,” Astrid said. “I shouldn’t have come here without an invitation.”
“You shouldn’t need one,” Kai said. “You’re Nephilim.”
It was seriously like taking a bullet to the gut. When I’d come here the first time, he’d almost ripped my arm out of its socket trying to get me out.
“I’ll leave you guys to it,” I said, pushing myself up to a standing position.
Kai stepped in front of me. “Wait.”
My eyes twitched at the underlying command in it. Instead of sniping, I dug my nails into my palms and breathed in and out slowly.
“What’s up?”
It was Astrid who answered. “I just came to check that you were alright,” she said. “Some of the things Brigid was saying were awful.”
I shrugged again. Could I get away with not speaking if I simply answered with ambiguous gestures? They both watched me. I guess not.
“I’m fine. It’ll take more than that to hurt me.”
Like you, for instance. I knew it was unfair, but I just couldn’t help it. “Thanks,” I added, thinking it would make things better.
She smiled at me. But it was a knowing smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Maybe it’s me who should let you guys talk.”
I was going to protest, but she disappeared in a flash of baby blue. And then there I was alone with Kai. I retracted my hands into the sleeve of my
