When she stops talking, I’m pulled back from the past and remember where I am. “So, what happened between Hades, Gaia and Zeus? Surely Hades can’t get away with what he did?”
She sighs heavily. “That’s just it. If Hades were to die there would be no-one to run the underworld. No-one to make room for re-birth. Zeus cannot kill him without disrupting Earths balance. It would cause the apocalypse. That is why this war must be endlessly fought. No-one can win, but we must die trying.”
Suddenly the weight of my responsibility feels crippling. The world is literally depending on me and my kind. The fear must be evident on my face because she wraps her arms around me. I hug her back and instantly feel better. She pulls back and holds my face in her hands. She’s smiling reassuringly.
“One day at a time. We can do this.”
I smile back feeling a little lighter. We walk for another hour in silence. Feeling the immense energy surrounding us. It calms me. The more I let it in the less alone I feel. I’m a part of the Earth now.
Mum stops as we come to a fallen tree. Its roots are sticking verticality out the ground and its leaning on another tree. My mum runs her hands along the bark then turns to me. “This tree still has life in it. Practice your new power.” She smiles at me reassuringly as she steps aside.
I assess it and see the leaves are still green. I touch it and feel its hurt and despair. It's almost crippling. I run my hands down the rough trunk until I get to the roots. Some are snapped and broken. I picture them growing in my mind. Stretching until they push into the soil. I watch as the roots do exactly as I imagined. I put my hands under the trunk and push as hard as I can. Power pulses through my arms and gives me the strength I need to force the tree upward. I feel the roots grip the soil and pull. Slowly the tree lifts off the one next to it. Finally, with athud the tree stands tall how it should be. A wave of gratitude floods over me. I hear my mum clapping behind me.
“You’re a natural! Your control is extraordinary!” She hugs me.
“I did a similar thing on Friday after the dance. A tree fell in the storm and nearly landed on me and Cassey in her car. I pushed it back up.”
The look my mum gives me is a cross between shock and awe. “It's incredible you’re able to do this so early after being accepted let alone before! I knew you would be powerful. Just be careful. You must keep control. It's such a gift, but also a great burden. Your life has permanently changed and in some ways not for the better.” She looks down but not before I see a flicker of worry in her expression.
“Mum, what is it?”
“Let’s get home I'll explain on the way.” She gives me a comforting smile but it does little to quell the nerves roiling around in my stomach. There's a catch to all this and I think I'm about to find out what it is.
Once we're back on the road mum turns off the radio and the silence fills the car with nervous anticipation. Her hands tighten on the steering wheel and she takes a deep breath.
“This power puts you in great danger. I'm not going to sugar coat it because the risks you face are high. Your purity and power are like a beacon. It draws all kinds of attention. Most people will have no idea what it is that's drawing them to you. It affects them to different degrees depending on the sort of person they are. Cassey for instance will probably just admire you far more than she would have normally. At worst, some men or woman may become obsessed and attack you. If you’re in danger to that extreme which I hope you never are, you have a built-in defence mechanism. Dilitirio Afis. It means Poison Touch. Your skin will release a poison that at its worst can be deadly to yourattacker but in most cases, it will simply incapacitate them for a short while. Long enough for you to escape.” Her voice is very matter-of-fact but I can her the fear in her tone.
I sit in silence as I realise that what happened to Robbie finally makes sense. That is without a doubt what happened. This poison touch reflex my body has developed saved my life, but it could have just as easily killed Robbie... I feel sick at the prospect of being capable of that but not being able to stop it from happening. That wasn't Robbie, although by what my mum is telling me maybe who I am now provoked Robbie into doing it. As I think it I know it's absurd. He wouldn't. There's no way he's capable of murder.
My mum takes my silence as shock. “I'm sorry sweetheart, I know this is a lot to comprehend. I'll explain more when you've had time to process.” Her tone is soft and reassuring.
“No, it's fine. Carry on. I know this is important.” I give her my full attention.
After a moment passes, she nods and continues. “It's going to get crazier, but just keep an open mind OK?” She glances at me then looks back to the road. “Our purity and powers aren’t just alluring to humans but also to other beings like... Vampires.”
What the fuck did she just say?! Like Twilight or Lost Boys? Vampires. She said Vampires. I heard her mention it before when she was talking about Hades’s history but I naively thought they were all gone now. What the hell! Is Tinker bell gonna fly out the glove box next. I giggle and it grows to a laugh. Maybe I'm hysterical. Bloody vampires! Ha!
Mum starts laughing to. My stomach hurts and I have tears in my eyes. “This is one heck of a birthday mum honestly! I'm a Nymph and basically Vampire catnip!”
“Well that's one way of putting it.” She's trying to stop herself from laughing. “I know this is a lot. We'll continue this later. You've got a bit of a history lesson to look forward to.”
“You can't just drop the subject now! I have so many questions!” I've learnt so much but it's left more and more things I want to know.
“Just process what you've learnt so far. I'm sure you and Cassey will come up with plenty for me to answer.” The smirk she gives me tells me that she knows I would have told Cassey everything whether she would have allowed it or not. “This is a huge secret. I know we can trust Cassey and it will be good for you to have someone to talk to that's not me. Just know that this could really change your friendship.”
No kidding. Cassey is gonna go nuts when she hears Vampires are real. “I know. Thanks Mum.” I give her shoulder a hug and she gives me a one-armed squeeze.
I get my phone out and shoot Cassey a text. It's nearly 2pm so she'll be finishing college by the time we get home.
'Oh my days!!! loads of mind blowing info to tell you!!!'
She messages back 20 minutes later.
'I'm coming straight over after college!!!'
I smile and turn up the car radio. Despite my mum’s warnings this is still the best birthday ever! The question is now that I have the answers I wanted do I still meet up with Alistair tonight? A different type of excitement flutters in my stomach. I want to but I'm not sure I should.
Chapter 7
