"WHERE WERE YOU?"
I had just entered the inn, and Yasha welcomed me with a wine in her hand—- or was it? It looked bloody to me, sticky even. I think Yasha was right. I was still in a delirious state.
"Where's Ase?" she asked another question as she sat on the sofa.
"In the school with the fairy," I replied, sitting on the same sofa. "She'll start attending the town's school next year. So, the principal showed her around."
Yasha didn't respond.
So, I expressed, "Are you still against it?" I shifted my body to face her. "The girl's determined to stay here, though. She already set her mind."
The corner of Yasha's mouth lifted. Then, she looked at me and offered me a glass of wine she got from wherever. "Try some. It tastes good."
I hesitated for a bit but eventually took it. I sniffed it first, and upon confirming that it was, indeed, a wine, I tasted it. My mouth twitched afterwards. And I frowned. "I don't like it," I remarked, putting the glass on the table. "It's bitter."
"It is supposed to be bitter," Yasha replied with a stony face. "What do you expect?" She also put down her glass and said, "I've thought about it deeply when the two of you were gone for hours." She paused. "I don't have the right to decide for her."
I blinked. After hours of reflection, she somehow became pessimistic.
"You," she pointed at me, mocking, "need to do something about your expression. You're giving your thoughts away. You're so easy to read."
I coughed.
Yasha rolled her eyes. "Anyway," she crossed her legs, "Aseyana has been an independent child. And I was never in her life. I can't dictate to her or impose on her things that I want for her. That would be unfair."
"You can suggest, though," I shrugged. "You can tell her your thoughts, inform her of the dangers she might face, and guide her. It is never too late to show how you really care. Plus, you said it—- she's been independent. She will understand. And Aseyana seems like not the reckless type. It's just that," I smiled, "Teenagers are impulsive. They leaned on their emotional side rather than their rationality. So, even if they know they're wrong, they will never admit it." I tsked. "Who didn't experience their teenage hormones."
Although I must admit, humans—- regardless of age—- would never acknowledge their mistakes.
"I don't remember," said Yasha. "It's been two thousand years. I don't remember what I was like when I was in Aseyana's age. All I know is I've been impulsive all my life. I never listened to my brothers. They said east, and I would definitely go west, north, south—- anywhere except east." She chuckled.
"You're really that old?"
"Yes," Yasha answered without hesitation. "It's fascinating when you think about it. I don't remember much. But I recall, once upon a time, how I imagined myself living for eternity, watching as generations lived and died and dynasties started and ended. I wanted to watch history itself and become part of it." She sipped her wine before continuing, "So, when presented with the opportunity to live longer than anyone could imagine, I took it without hesitation. I was beaming with joy, too excited to become immortal. Unfortunately, that joy didn't last. You'll live even if people die. I thought I would never care. Then, you'll watch the people you loved pass away over again. It was a vicious cycle."
I didn't speak. I wanted to listen.
"You will long for something 'fate' will never give easily," she continued. And then, she laughed bitterly. She sighed and then stood up. "Initially, I planned to leave the town and continue my endless journey to the unknown. But I've missed a lot during my absence from my family. Aseyana, no matter how much my brother neglects her —- he will never let her out of his sight. Something must have happened. Hence, I will stay here and look over my niece."
"Why not ask her?"
"Did you think I didn't do that for the past days you've been hugging your blanket?"
I rolled my eyes silently. Did she have to keep on mentioning my two days' rest in every argument?
"But she didn't say a word," Yasha continued. "She refused to answer me." She suddenly narrowed her eyes as she stared at me. "Or perhaps you can do me a favour and ask her about my brother."
Or maybe she could visit her brother to check on him. But I didn't say that. I was afraid I would hear another snarky remark from her.
"Why would she tell me about it?" I asked, giving her a 'Are you serious' look. "You're her aunt. Regardless of how minimal you've shown yourself to her, she has known you her entire life. Yet, she said not a word or any explanation to you. What made you think she would tell it to me?"
Yasha shrugged. "You're her friend."
I was one point away from rolling my eyes on her, showing it to her. "Have you had a friend?"
Yasha looked up, thinking. "I don't think so."
"Now, that explains it."
"What?" she asked, raising a brow.
"You've known someone for only a few days. Are you going to trust her for your secret? Even if you consider her a friend—- there is no trust built yet."
Yasha fell silent. Then, she said, "I'm willing to tell you everything. We've known each other for almost a week, yet I'm comfortable with you." The corner of her mouth raised. "I wonder why that is. And Aseyana seemed attracted to you, too." She narrowed her eyes as she began to assess me from head to toe and back. "You look ordinary except for your identity as a bloodling. However, if I set that truth aside, there is nothing special about you, yet I still think you're good—- that it will never matter whether you're a bloodling or a human."
Should I say sorry for being one? Why did I feel like she was mocking me regardless of how thoughtful her last words were? And what was wrong with being human? If possible, I wanted to return to my life before Brittany took me here and showed me that there was life beyond human knowledge could imagine. And that creatures we thought were myths were actually real!
I wanted freedom. To do things I wanted. Yet, look at me now—- standing on edge as I awaited my doom. Well, not really my 'doom'. But with every supernatural being lurking around, planning to hunt me, my end would undoubtedly be hideous.
And I despised the fact that I couldn't even protect myself. I hated feeling weak!
"Hey, are you alright?"
I snapped out of my trance and quickly stood up. I almost forgot the reason I came here early. "We need that witch."
"That pack's witch?"
I nodded.
"What for?"
"We need her as proof that the Moon Pack used dark magic," I explained. "Tomorrow night will be the town's foundation. Principal Stonefield will use that opportunity and officially announce me and Aseyana as members of Arcane Town."
"You'll stay here?"
"Is there a good option for me to stay alive?"
"You want to live that much?"
I gave Yasha a bland look. And she shrugged.
"Well, good thing I let her live," said Yasha, changing the subject. "I hid her somewhere deep in the forest. I had a good time torturing her when you and Ase were away."
"I thought you were mulling about your parental ways?"
"I was," she smiled. "And that witch helped me think."
I scoffed. I didn't know whether I should consider her a good person or a villain since the subject of her torture was an evil witch.
Soon, Yasha and I went to where she hid the witch. I didn't expect to see the lake again, where everything started. I was looking at it when I suddenly saw, in my peripheral view, a big splash and a —- tail?
I quickly moved my gaze towards that side. But there was nothing already. The lake became calm.
"Did you see that?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.
"See what?" Yasha also stopped walking, facing me.
"I think I saw a tail."
"You think?"
"I'm not sure. I just saw some movement and a tail-like object."
"A big fish, maybe," Yasha replied, turning her back as she proceeded forward.
"Don't you think it might be a mermaid?" I asked as I followed her.
I heard Yasha scoffed. "If there's a being there with a tail, I would've known."
"How?"
"Sense."
I rolled my eyes. This time, I made it, not in my thought, but right there. She was facing me with her back. Unless she could also 'sense' it, she wouldn't know.
"We're here," said Yasha, stopping right in front of a cave in a small mountain.
I couldn't help but notice the smell of blood. It was so apparent I had to cover my nose.
"What have you done to her?"
Yasha smiled. "Whatever she deserved." Then, she gestured using her head. "Are you coming?"
I took a deep breath before nodding. Since I was already part of the supernatural world, I had to be accustomed to this sort of thing. And I would start by looking at Yasha's art—- brutality.
"After you, then," she stepped aside, smiling—- taunting at my predicament. I glared at her. Then, I entered the cave.
As soon as I entered the cave, I expected to see a mutilated body or rotting parts of the witch's body, but I was stunned to see nothing but blood. Some sides of the cave had dried blood with flies around it.
"Yasha!" I called out. "There is no one here!"
"What?!"
She was suddenly beside me, frowning as she scanned the inside of the cave. "Impossible!" she exclaimed.
Yasha walked around the place. Then, she squatted down and held the chains left in the northeast part. "Where is she?!" she asked, looking at me.
"How would I know?"
"There's no way she would get out of here on her own," she said, a bit angry. "Someone must have taken her." She stood up, breaking the chain into dust with her one hand.
"Do you think the people in the town helped her escape?" I asked, trying to deduce what happened.
Yasha took a deep breath. "Possible," she said. "That fairy seemed worthless. She didn't even know some of her people were doing dark magic under her nose, and now someone was helping an enemy. She needs to do some cleaning."
"I know who took the witch!"
Yasha and I were stunned when we suddenly heard a shout outside. My companion's frown deepened as she went outside. I followed her immediately.
"Mermaid," I murmured with my eyes wide open when I saw the owner of that voice.
Not far away from the shore, a woman with pale blue hair floated in the lake. We could see a glittering tail behind her, splashing some water.
I didn't know what happened. But I suddenly found myself slowly smiling as I looked at Yasha. "What did I say? I told you so. There's a mermaid."
And would you believe it! I received a wicked glare from my beautiful friend!