I raised my hands as I surrendered.
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
I know she’s Niah.
“Is this how you welcome your guests? With a knife on their back? Quite peculiar.”
I have proven that I’m not a righteous judge of character.
“I’m sorry to tell you I’m a better actor than you are. So, tell me. What do you want?” she said with agitation in her voice.
“I never know that Demis are violent without a reason… Put that thing down while I’m still being nice.”
I heard her sarcastic chuckle.
“Really? What are you going to do if I won’t?”
Blood dripped from my nape as she pierced it deeper. I closed my eyes and sighed.
“I don’t like disrespecting women, but you left me with no choice.”
I turned around and held her wrist. She dropped the knife when I dislocated her arm. She groaned as her mouth twisted and her nose wrinkled. I pulled her closer to me and whispered.
“I hate seeing girls in pain. Can we talk without violence?”
She pushed me away and glared at me while touching her right arm.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to die in this place. So please go easy on me, Niah.”
I walked toward her and checked her arm.
“You’re not alright.”
She grabbed her hand away from me. I was guilty. I didn’t mean to hurt her. Should I regret listening to Wagner?
“I’m sorry, Niah. I really am. This is not me. I shouldn’t have hurt you. I feel like a monster.”
I bowed my head while trying not to tear up.
“Are you crying?” she asked.
“What? No… no, I’m not.”
I turned my back on her and wiped my tears.
“I can’t believe this,” she said.
“Me too. I’m not supposed to feel this. I would not appear cool with these tears. But I can’t stop being scared.”
She held my hand and dragged me to the nearest bench.
“What are you doing? Are you really going to kill me?”
She sat on the bench and looked at me.
“Sit down. You don’t seem harmful. I get it. It’s self defense.”
I sat beside her and stared at the flowing gold in the fountain.
“You’re weird. I mean, I’ve never seen someone cried after hurting me or anyone else when you have all the reasons to protect yourself,” she said.
The cool wind blew behind me, which made me feel the pain of my wound. I touched my nape and wiped the blood coming from it. Wagner will not be happy if this leaves a scar.
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
Why do people ask something with an obvious answer?
“I’m fine. This won’t kill me.”
And others always fake their response.
She stood up and walked toward the flowers that glow in the dark. The flowers were shimmering like the artificial ones I’ve seen decorated outside the windows of our house every Christmas. She plucked and smelled it with her eyes close.
“That’s not even real,” I muttered.
She glanced at me and smiled.
“It is real.”
She went back to her seat and handed me the flower.
“It will heal your wound. Mush it with your fingers and put it on your wound.”
“Oh, okay.”
Its petals were so smooth and it leaves a speck of glowing dust on my fingers like those from the wings of a butterfly. After putting it on my wound, the tingling sensation faded.
“Wow. It’s so cool,” I said.
“Things may seem so good to be true, but it doesn’t mean they're fake,” she said.
“Are we still talking about flowers?”
“Well, it applies to people too. From a distance, some people are unbelievably kind that you may think they’re faking it. Not everyone in this world is cruel, so give others a chance to be good and don’t be a pessimist.”
“Oh… So that’s why you almost killed me because you’re being optimistic?” I smirked out of sarcasm.
“Not that part. I just hate men.”
“I like that. Me too, but Trevor and Osca are exempted.”
She looks at me with confusion on her face.
“I-I mean… I also hate being a man you know.”
I laughed awkwardly.
She drifted her attention to the flowers in the garden.
“Every flower here has some sort of magic. I can make a potion out of them after I finish reading the book.”
“Really? Then, can you make a potion that will make me strong?”
“Why? Are you not strong enough? You have a nice build and you seem physically capable.”
“Yeah. I seem like it, but I’m not. I’m scared. When I’m in the middle of danger with Wagner, I automatically turn into a warrior. But after the fight, I’m breathless. I don’t even know how I survived.”
I bowed down and gaze at the dry ground.
“It’s your survival instinct.”
It’s funny how I don’t have those instincts with my bullies. I guess Wagner trained me well, or it’s his body’s reaction toward danger.
“By the way, I want to know more about your kind, the Animies, and Demis. This time, don’t attack me.”
She slightly smiled and faced me.
“Okay. Let’s start with lord Luxferre. He is our protector. If he dies, the entire island will sink and all the magic in this place will lose its power. Without him, we are nothing. It has always been that way.”
I nodded.
“Is he immortal?”
“Nope. But he is powerful.”
“Powerful? But I chained his arms and legs using a spell. He’s not that powerful.”
“Shh,” she hushed while putting her index finger on her lips.
“Don’t say such a word. You’re bad-mouthing him.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“Well, you were just lucky to find the book of enchantment. Now that he has cursed it, no one can read it except for the Demis. Still, the book does not obey everyone. Surprisingly, it obeyed you.”
“It obeys me? What do you mean?” I said with knitted brows.
“Everyone may read and chant the spells in the book. But the spell will not work, unless the book favors you. It’s not an ordinary book. It has life.”
“Can it be destroyed?”
“I don’t think so. If it is, Lord Luxferre must have destroyed it a long time ago because it’s dangerous when held by the wrong hands.”
I thought for a while and digested every detail.
“So… I heard there’s a curse. The Animies have been cursed. Tell me about it.”
“Like what I’ve said, the book of enchantment is dangerous when placed on the wrong hands. Someone from the Animies abused its power. When lord Luxferre knew about it, they turned against each other.”
“Abused? How?”
“The man behind it was Racan. He fell in love with a mortal, which was forbidden because of the different portals. Lord Luxferre was enraged. In the end, Racan cursed the Animies. Their hearts disappeared and they only love once. It has to be with a mortal. Since then, they can’t live without mortals. They need mortals to survive.”
“But mortals don’t always get lost in this place.”
“Yes. I wonder who opened the portal to the mythical world. It gives us hope to live longer.”
I gulped.
The freezing temperature made my knees tremble. Niah hugged herself. It seems like her thick outfit was not enough to warm herself.
I removed my jacket and wrapped it around her body. She looked at me and our eyes were fixed to each other. This is the major event that I was talking about.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Oh… I… I think you’re cold,” I said and looked away.
“Are you not?”
“I can handle it.”
She gapes at me. The next thing she did surprise me. She clasped her arm around mine and laid her head on my shoulder.
“Is this okay with you?” she asked.
Girl… I admire your flirting skills. I need that too.
“Ugh. Yeah. It’s less cold.”