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“Then tell me the right one.”
“Where did this idea come from?”
“My head, where do you think?” I lie.
I’m not a good liar. I never have been, and truth is I don’t know why I’m lying to him anyway. What do I care if he knows about my friend Moira? None of that matters though because right now I want to prove him wrong. Wrong in every way possible if for no other reason than he pisses me off. His attitude rankles. The absolute and complete arrogance. It’s been four days and all we’ve done is cardio. Where’s the magic? Where’s the vaunted training? Every muscle quivers with pent-up rage. A tingling sensation dances at the edge of my awareness, like a phantom itch, but I ignore it.
“I told them you are not ready,” he says at last.
The Druid turns away, showing me his back in an obvious display of disdain. The rage I was barely containing explodes. I grab his shoulder and jerk. He’s surprisingly solid and doesn’t move when I pull. Time slows as his head turns so he can stare at my hand gripping him. A sick sensation rumbles low in my belly and I expect him to do something, but he only steps forward, breaking my grip as if it is of no more consequence than gossamer threads.
“Ready for what?”
I don’t mean to scream or sound hysterical, but I do. My voice cracks and that crack breaks the dam. I’ve had my fingers in a leaking dam for too long. Exhaustion, frustration, and confusion burst free and carry me away with the flood.
Tears of rage stream down my face as I clench and unclench my fists. I’m trembling, struggling against an urge to hit him. This isn’t my life. I didn’t ask for this and I don’t want it. Who am I to be entrusted with world impacting decisions? A Midwest girl, through and through. Nothing in my life has ever prepared me for this. I’m from Missouri, and if there’s one thing all Missourians hold at our core it’s the state motto. Show me.
I’ve seen the Fae realms. I’ve seen the darkness encroaching, but I don’t understand what it means. I know what the Fae Queen claims, but what does that mean for the world? My world, not theirs.
The illusion shatters and we’re back in the alley. The world seems thin. It’s almost like everything around me is not quite real. It looks stretched, like an overworked dough that’s at the edge of its limits. As reality stretches, I have the idea of something different, something behind or perhaps underneath it. It’s as if reality is layers upon layers, woven together.
“Do you see?”
The Druid whispers in my ear. I never saw him move but he’s next to me, too close. The odor of dried sweat and urine assaults my senses, making my eyes water, but that blurring of my vision enhances the thinning of the world.
“What is it?”
“Power.”
“How is this power? I don’t understand.”
“Because you’re not ready.”
I spin on my heel and I’m face-to-face with him, so close our noses are almost touching.
“Do not say that again.”
Anger has my throat clenched, making my words sound like a growl. My hands are balled into fists and it’s all I can do to keep from punching him in his stupid face.
“Look.”
I don’t want to look away from him. I want him to acknowledge my anger. I want him to tell me I’m right and he’s wrong. I want to do whatever it takes to make him see it, but he doesn’t say or do anything else. He doesn’t resist me, and with nothing there to fight the rage dissipates.
I turn my head and look at the world. It does look like there are layers. I remember seeing how the old Disney cartoons were made back when they hand drew every scene. They used clear sheets and each one added a layer to the image they were creating. This is reminding me of that. At least that’s the only comparison I have.
“What is this?”
“Finally, she asks a good question.”
“You know, being a jerk doesn’t make you a good teacher.”
He grunts, smacking his lips and ghost chewing.
“What is reality?”
“Reality? What does that mean? What is reality? How do I know. I’m not a philosophy major,” I snort. He doesn’t answer, waiting in silence so I think about it. “Reality is what is, I guess.” I look back at him for confirmation but he’s frowning and shakes his head. “You have a better idea?”
“Of course I do. I am not blind.”
