A wave of icy air passed by Alek's face. The air was colder than winter nights, almost as if it was brought from a snowing mountain. She even felt a layer of ice forming on her cheek.
"Here is your tea." A voice of a boy finally made Alek open her eyes and see the frozen glass in front of her.
Jesper told the person standing right behind Alek, "Jack, if you come like that, she'd be afraid."
"Apologies." the boy apologised and finally stepped into the girl's sight. He had snow-white skin as if he was a deceased person but with soft blue hair in a bun. His eyes and nails were of the same colour as his hair. He also had pointy ears like the leader of elves, Terance, but a different thing from him was that his skin reflected snowflakes and fern-like patterns depending on the direction of the light.
The servant bowed once and repeated the previous sentence. "Here is your tea. It is iced peach tea. Enjoy." He then bowed again and walked out of the room with Alek's eyes following him.
As soon as he was out, Alek asked the king of pixies, "Is there a chance that he is Jack Frost?"
"He is Jack Frost."
"Oh man, I gotta get a picture with him." Alek looked back at the door where the boy exited and nearly forgot the purpose of coming to the castle. Who could help it? Jack Frost was one of Alek's favourite mythological creatures. He was depicted as mischievous and always brought a smile to her face.
The king replied in an amused tone only noticeable to his wife. "Maybe you can ask him that later."
"Sorry about that." Alek immediately turned back to the king and apologised.
"No need." He said and waved his hand graciously. "My wife couldn't have made a mistake in the spell as I also know it and didn't spot an error."
"I really don't know what to do. I don't want my friends to be involved in this world." She looked at him, desperate.
Jesper touched his shaved clean-shaven chin and said, "Let me put the spell on you again for additional protection."
The girl looked at him with a frown. "What if they are able to see again?"
"Then there is a high chance that they are supernaturals, just like you and I." He told her with an emotionless face.
"I really hope not." She took a sip of the cold tea.
"Why is that?" He asked kindly.
"I've been attacked once and it is a terrifying experience. Someone wanted me dead and they can harm people important to me in the process. At least my family knows how to protect themselves but my friends don't. I don't know what to do if they come for Alex or Mel. I don't even know self defencing moves and we are going into war. I don't want anything to happen to them because of me."
The pixie listened silently and spoke two minutes after Alek finished talking. "If I were you, I'll take this differently."
Alek frowned and slightly tilted her head to the side.
"There is a bright side of being supernatural. We become physically strong, get wider views, the ties between families, friends and people get stronger and firm, mentally developed, and so many other things.
"Yes, there are many people out there that want you dead and may use your friends as the start but your friends can be prepared and may not need your protection if they are one of us and know what is coming.
Jesper continued, "And this... For you, this is your way of protecting them but this can be seen as your selfish desire. There is a possibility that will change their lives and most probably also their families but because you don't want that possibility to be true, you are taking that chance away from them without them knowing. It is their choice and their lives. They have the right to know what is happening."
Alek looked down at her drink to see that the surface of the glass was covered in droplets of water. The pink tea inside was foggy with the ice cubes not so rocky as before.
Jesper allowed the girl to take time as he stood up from his chair and walked to the tall window.
In about thirty minutes, a perfect mixture of happiness, charm and excitement came from the door. "I'm back, dear."
Tinka spotted the back of the girl sitting at the table and dashed to her with a full of enthusiasm. "Alek! You were here?! I didn't know. Anyway, welcome!"
"Hi. Thank you." Alek brought out a smile a little forcefully and stood up to give the pixie a hug.
"Jesper, why didn't you inform me that she was here? I would have flown back from that boring meeting the second you called me."
"And that's why I didn't call you. A meeting is a meeting." The husband walked to her side and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before going straight to the door. "I have to go now."
The wife asked after she took the seat that he was sitting in a while ago, "Are you meeting the titans?"
"Yes. They want some help in building their new place." Jesper replied and looked at the next head of Minazuki. "Alek, I hope you'll keep that in your heart before making the decision. Enjoy the stay."
After the king closed the door after him, Tinka got closer to the girl and asked with a whisper despite there being only two of them in the big room. "Did Jesper say something to you that hurt your feelings? If so, let me go and teach him a lesson."
Tinka almost rushed out of the door if it wasn't for Alek, who held her wrist and made her stay in her position, "That didn't happen."
"Then what did?" The pixie's hot pink eyes stared into Alek's brown eyes.
"He just gave me some advice. Open up my eyes to things that I tried not to see..."
"Mmm." Tinka nodded and sat back in the chair. She also waved her hand with a little bit of magic that brought Jack Frost again to serve her.
Jack Frost also served Alek a new glass of the same peach tea and walked out of the door with frosty air surrounding him.
Tinka sipped on her drink and asked, "Did you have a problem, but Jesper already solved it so there is no need for me?"
From the way Alek tittered, Tinka knew her husband solved it.
The pixie put her small hands at her temples and said in a dramatic tone, "At least could you tell me what the problem was then I can pretend as you came here for me and I can 'solve' it?"
The shapeshifter chuckled and felt finally relaxed since entering this place and told the queen the problem she thought she had.
"Well let's just check the mark, shall we?" Tinka didn't seem to be offended by the fact that Alek doubted her ability.
"D-do I need to strip?" Alek asked after standing up and making space between her and the table.
"No need, dear. Remember, I gave that mark from the top of the clothes." Tinka giggled delightfully and beamed. Just the existence of her could make someone feel at ease.
"Oh... yeah," Alek removed her hand from her top and faced the queen directly.
Tinka was quite short as she seemed, about one-forty centimetres, and that was why Alek had to bend her head to see her.
The pixie rested her hand lightly in the centre of the girl's chest and murmured something in a stilly way.
After a pink glow, the queen retracted her hand, stepped back and looked up to the girl with an expression like a doctor trying to tell the patient that they had a severe illness, "There seems to be no problem with the cloaking spell I put..."
Some part of Alek was still hoping that there was a problem in the spell and Mel ad Alex saw it because of that.
"Got it. Thank you."
"No need to thank me. If I was in your shoes, I'd want to be sure of every possibility." Tinka smiled warmly before sitting back on the chair.
"Are you gonna go now?" The queen asked after there seemed to be nothing to keep the next head in the castle.
"Ah, yes," Alek answered.
"Do you have plans after this?"
"No. I don't want to bother you anymore. I already took a lot of your time and you are a queen so you must have many things to do."
Tinka stood up from the chair at once and blocked Alek's way like a small child when the girl took a step towards the door. "I don't have anything to do also. And I want to sow you around if that's okay."
This pixie knew that she was very charming and no one could stop her when she acted coy, even the cold king of pixies let her do anything when she was like this.
No need to say, Alek obviously couldn't resist the offer. "Of course it's okay. More than okay."
"Here," Tinka gave Alek the tea as she also grabbed hers and dragged the girl out of the room while skipping. "Let's go!"
-----
"... So yeah, none of our human friends saw the tattoo. How did it go for you?"
"I met the king and queen of pixies and got some advise and stuff." Alek replied to Rin on the phone. She just came back from the pixie castle.
"Good... We've gotta go but we'll talk more about this soon."
"Sure. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Bye."
"Bye."
The phone screen instantly showed went back to the contact list after the call ended. On the top two, were the names and numbers Alek didn't need to think to remember as they flowed out of her mind like water.
She stared at the contacts for some time before pushing the power button and resting her head against the wall of her room.