THE WORLDS OF AMBRÉ ,Book 1, The Awakening, By Axi Stark & Ragel Levi

~ 2 ~

THE WORLDS 

OF 

AMBRÉ 

Book 1 

! 

The Awakening 

By 

Axi Stark & Ragel Levi 

Copyright © 2015 Axi Stark LLC. All Rights reserved 

~ 3 ~

Disclaimer 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, legends, 

events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used 

in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or 

actual events is purely coincidental. 

! 

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted 

in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other 

electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval 

system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in case of 

very brief quotation embodied in critical reviews and certain other 

noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law 

! 

~ Enter The Worlds of Ambre ~ 

at Your Own Risk 

! 

Book, Cover design and production by Axi Stark LLC 

Editing by Cicely Thompson 

AxiStark.com 

AxIStarkLLC@gmail.com 

ISBN: 978-1-942826-00-2 


~ 4 ~

Table of Contents 

~ THE STORM AND THE SUN~ 5 

~ A GUEST IN THE NIGHT~ 8 

~ CHARTREUSE ~ 16 

~ VENI VIDI... ~ 30 

~ UNREAL KISS ~ 50 

~ AVE ATQUE VALE ~ 62 

~ ...VICI ~ 85 

~ TÚATHS ~ 104 

~ REGARDS FROM HELL ~ 113 

~ EARTH FLOWERS ~ 142 

~ THE LAKE ~ 158 

~ ICE AND OBLIVION ~ 176 

~ PAYBACK ~ 204 

~ CHANGES ~ 211 

~ SURPRISE ~ 225 

~ EXCURSION INTO HELL ~ 244 

~ BIRTHDAY ~ 257 

~ SWEET NOTHING ~ 275 

~ SHATTERED SNOW ~ 284 

~ AMBRÉ ~ 292 

~ HOME ~ 305 

~ Judgment Ball ~ 317 

~ SHINING EMPTINESS ~ 329 

~ ASHEN SKIE ~ 350 

~ 5 ~

! 

BESIDES THE FOUR ELEMENTS, 

THERE IS THE FIFTH, 

PROBABLY THE MAIN ONE 

~ LOVE~ 

~ 6 ~



Love is like fire… 

It can warm you 

And it can burn you down to ashes. 

It does both with relish. 

PROLOGUE 

~THE STORM AND THE SUN~ 

! 

Through the frosty grey storm clouds, the moon resembled a 

bitten apple. Its ghostly light crept into a wide hall—through the 

cracks of the rotten boards—onto the tall rapidly boarded window, 

then slowly settled on the wooden floor, which was covered in a thick 

layer of dust. The curtains that were once blue were now damp 

withered scraps, feebly swaying with the slightest draft. 

The heavy oak door at the end of the room squeaked deplorably-- 

hinting nobody had opened it in a long time--and let in a dark 

silhouette so blurry it looked more like a faceless shadow. With every 

step the old wood reverberated with a creaky whine. The figure made a 

few more steps and stopped in the middle of the illuminated portion 

of the room. 

A big bundle of a snow-white blanket, weaved in a pattern of big 

snowflakes, seemed to be the only bright spot in this dismal place. 

The man adjusted the hood on his wide baggy anorak and 

continued to walk forward. 

~ 7 ~

The streams of scarce light, which slid down his figure, captured 

individual fragments of his appearance within the darkness: his dark 

hair with a web of sparse grey streaks, a pointy nose with a small 

hump, a birthmark in the form of a moth on his right thumb. The 

bundle suddenly budged and groaned. The silhouette froze in place 

and slightly raised the corner of the blanket with care. 

The eerie ray of moonlight caressed the ringlets of chestnut hair 

that framed the fair face of the baby. It cast a shadow on her thick 

black eyelashes then onto her cheeks, but froze, not daring to move 

further. A raspy roll of thunder resounded, accompanied by the flashes 

of lightning that shone through the cracks. 

The chandeliers, wrapped in cobwebs, seemed to shudder and 

tremble with every clash and roar of thunder. The girl had hardly 

opened her sleepy chrysolite eyes before she shut them again. 

Relieved, the stranger sighed and uttered a few words in a melodic 

foreign language; the baby’s angelic lips, floppily half-opened, alluded 

to Morpheus’s tight embrace. 

Rapidly gaining strength, the hurricane drummed on the boarded 

windows with its heavy raindrops. The gusts of wind crashed violently 

into the wooden walls and furiously scraped at the roof. 

The man pressed the bundle to his chest, hunched over, and hastily 

left the shelter. With rapid steps, he crossed the big hall and 

disappeared through latent doors concealed behind the leaning 

Chinese sideboard. 

A single lamp dimly lighted the garage. The morbidly yellow light 

cast crooked shadows onto the rows of cars. 

The figure stopped in contemplation by a luxurious black sedan. He 

made a few resolute steps and sat in a white Jeep smudged with dirt. 

The stagnant air in the cabin reeked with benzene. The keys flashed in 

the man’s hands. The car’s engine sounded with a few coughs and 

finally roared as it drove off into the raging weather. 

The windshield wipers diligently brushed away the water, barely 

able to handle the pelting rain. The narrow mountain road continued 

to twist in abrupt loops around the cliff. 

~ 8 ~

Suddenly, the disheveled clouds swallowed the moon, and for a 

moment, everything dissolved into a haze. The man shuddered in fear. 

His alarmed grey eyes--surrounded by a net of deep wrinkles--watched 

the rear-view mirror. 

Once again the sky burst with a chain of blinding flashes that 

illuminated the empty road. Relieved, he shifted his gaze onto the 

snuffling bundle. 

Even the deafening roars of thunder and cracking of ice Bdid not 

seem to wake the soundly-sleeping child. 

Having switched off the headlights, the car came to a stop by one 

of the dead-end roads in the city, which was plunged into absolute 

darkness. There wasn’t a single working streetlamp. 

Only the blurry yellow patch in the window of the house across the 

road shed some light onto the wet asphalt covered in cracks. 

The figure exited the car and shivered. Splashing through the deep 

puddles in his moccasins he circled the car, opened the passenger 

door, and hid the child underneath his wide anorak. 

He crossed the street--still holding the precious load—and took 

cover from the rain under the canopy of the house. The stranger’s 

perplexed grey eyes tensely scrutinized the road dissolving into the 

night as if waiting for something. 

He continued to press the baby towards his chest while slightly 

rocking from side to side. 

Far away headlights gleamed, and though refracted through the 

millions of raindrops, the light from the distant car broke into golden 

beads briskly bouncing off the asphalt. 

For the last time the man looked at the child’s pale face, smoothed 

her wavy lock of hair, and squeezed with his fingers the silver amulet 

on a thin delicate chain; the intertwining wavy lines formed an elegant 

letter L enclosed in a thin circle. 

The adornment glowed ever so slightly, and the tiny grainy 

sapphires on the letter were like little drops of water. 

~ 9 ~

With his frozen lips, the stranger sorrowfully uttered two obscure 

words, slowly and delicately, as if it were beyond his strength. He laid 

the bundle on the threshold, and without looking back, walked away, 

disappearing into the night. 

~ 10 ~

CHAPTER ONE 

~ A GUEST IN THE NIGHT~ 

! 

Today was like any of the previous hundreds of days--the 

heartrending shrill of the alarm clock, and the even more vile shouts 

from Marge resounding. She was banging on the chipped dirty-blue 

door. 

“LEELA! WAKE UP, LAZYBONES! You’ll be late again! And 

don’t think I’ll be feeding you your whole life, you loafer!” 

Oh, please! I feed you! I thought, but didn’t dare say a word. It was 

best not to anger her. 

She knocked on the door again, and a piece of plaster fell off the 

wall. The thin rotting walls barely muffled sound. I could clearly hear 

her heavy retreating steps and exhaled. Sometimes she would barge 

into my room, and in those cases, the day was instantly placed in the 

one-of-the-worst-days category. But because today Marge remained 

outside my bedroom the morning looked rather promising. 

“I am no loafer,” I mumbled indistinctly and covered myself with 

my blanket. 

I worked three days a week at a local café, I wrote small articles for 

the local newspaper, and I walked Miss Hoggins’s dog every day. Also, 

I was an excellent student. Of course, I hated some subjects, but it 

didn’t make a difference when it came to business. 

I knew from early childhood life would not be an ice cream sundae 

every day; you can’t love everything. Now, I was trying to find, at least, 

the slightest positive thing about everything. My life’s alphabet seemed 

to consist of the N’s: Need to do that, Not enough money, Nasty job, 

Marge is a Nuisance, and so on. 

Nothing was ever enough for her. When it came to finding new 

expense items for me she had no problem. If there was an award for 

the most impudent extortion she would have definitely won, but again, 

there was that big fat BUT, I am bound by my commitments. 

~ 11 ~

There was nothing I could do. She also demanded I pay for my 

room. I was turning 18 in a month, and then, goodbye Marge! Perhaps 

that was why she had gone completely hysterical recently. 

I looked around the room, if you could even call it that. It was 

more like a shoebox–old shabby walls, squeaky rotten floors, and 

mice. My one advantage was my personal bathroom with its very own 

tiny rusty shower. Marge had plans to rent the room above me, but no 

one showed any interest. Not surprising, to be honest. Who would 

want to live in a bug-infested room for a disproportionately high 

price? She thought because I paid others would pay, too, but I was 

paying for my freedom, not for the room. When I graduated from 

school, I planned to leave this little town with the money I had been 

diligently saving and hiding from that witch. 

Let me start from the very beginning. Marge was my guardian. We 

had a simple relationship. She received money for “bringing me up,” 

and I paid her everything I earned. I was going through psychological 

and social adaptations in her house. It was funny, but true. Marge was 

the best quench–nothing else would ever terrify you. I had no idea 

who my parents were. Some casual passers-by found me at night on 

one of the streets in town. I was hardly two years old, and all I could 

say was my name, Leela. That was when my wandering between 

families began. 

Foster home was definitely not a place I wanted to end up. It 

wasn’t Disneyland. Maybe it was my fault as well. My stubbornness 

didn’t make situations easier. 

I had passed from one family to family three times. What amazed 

me most was how the adults appeared to live in their own world of 

illusions. 

In their eyes, a child was a pretty little doll with green eyes and dark 

silky curls. No one ever cared about what I wanted. Perhaps it was my 

bad luck that caused me to constantly cross paths with the wrong 

people. Nobody ever listened to me. Everyone always encroached 

upon my most valuable possession, my freedom. 

~ 12 ~

That was something I never let anyone take, and now I had ended 

up with Marge. Bingo! I wouldn’t move again. After all, she was ideally 

indifferent, but all she was interested in were the payments for 

supporting me. 

I remembered when I had just turned elevens years old; it was 

something very important to me--the only person who would ever care 

about me was me. 

So, I asked Marge to let me live with her until I came of age, and in 

return, I would find a job and give her all my earnings. In addition, I 

would help her around the house by cooking, cleaning, and anything 

else that was needed. 

It wasn’t too difficult to convince her. Freedom was the sweetest 

thing in the world, and I was ready to pay any price for it. Therefore, 

we lived together, heart and soul to one another, for seven years. 

Marge was descending the squeaky stairs, which meant I had to 

quickly get up and make breakfast. I wanted to lie in bed for a few 

more minutes, but I wouldn’t have had time to walk Portolon--he 

would’ve dropped his load by the door. 

Say goodbye to the remainder of my money. Besides, today was 

Thursday. I would spend tonight in the kitchen at the café. I sighed. 

Why couldn’t I take an easier job? I’ve known myself for as long as I have 

been alive, and it’s always been hard to force myself to put up with the 

role of dishwasher at the café. I physically loathed touching dirty 

dishes. 

The sound of broken glass brought me back to reality. It was hard 

to believe this clumsy woman, who could barely boil an egg, somehow 

managed to survive in these severe conditions before I entered her life. 

I quickly turned on the icy water and splashed it on my face, quivering 

from the cold. A puddle splashed the chapped tiles under my feet– 

guess the pipes were leaking again. The washbowl migrated habitually 

from the shelf, to the floor, and under the sink collecting the lazy 

drops. 

~ 13 ~

I brushed my teeth and looked at my reflection in the mirror-- 

slightly almond-shaped green eyes emerged from behind black 

eyelashes. The fair face was framed by long, dark, chestnut-colored 

hair. It flowed past my shoulders, in thick locks, covering my waist. I 

never enjoyed cutting my hair. Actually, I hated it. That witch, Marge, 

always wanted to cut it in a bowl-shape, but after a few unsuccessful 

attempts she finally gave up. 

I took one last glance at the quote written with eyeliner on my 

mirror: ‘You just can’t beat the person who never gives up’. My 

mornings always started this way. 

“Leela!” Marge yelled heartrendingly. 

I quickly fixed my hair in a ponytail, rushed downstairs, pulling on 

my jeans on the way. Marge was already in the kitchen extremely 

dissatisfied with the absence of breakfast. 

“The sink is leaking again,” I tried to find an excuse, but instead hit 

a brick wall. 

Two brown eyes sat on a tanned, almost brown, puffy face. She 

was about a head and shoulders shorter than me in height with a 

salient belly and frog-like legs. 

Marge pursed her lips and fidgeted with her pendant. This was a 

sign she was enraged. On the silver chain, woven like a spider web, 

hung an orbed pendant incrusted with blue gems. Inside there were 

only a few intertwining wavy lines. In the middle, the lines formed the 

letter L or a reflection of the letter E nestling up to it with its back. 

I made her an omelet and a cup of coffee. 

We had individual food items. The refrigerator was divided into 

two sections--one for her and one for me. My shelf was the bottom 

one and often empty. At the café, we were adequately fed, and I 

preferred not to go on a hunt for food the rest of the time. 

A glass of kefir usually sufficed. I finished my coffee--the only thing 

Marge indulgently let me have–swallowed my egg and hurried to the 

neighboring street to get Porto. The huge black dog was already 

prancing restlessly by the door. 

~ 14 ~

I made it, the words flashed through my head. I let out a sigh of 

relief. Portolon cheerfully wagged his fat sausage-like tail and 

slobbered all over my clothes. 

“Porto, look at me! Now I’ll go to school decorated in your drool!” 

Downcast, he lowered his head. He was very sensitive to criticism and 

always took umbrage. Ashamed, I stroked his wrinkly back. 

“Sorry, buddy. I know you didn’t mean it. You were just excited to 

see me. I can imagine what it’s like being a dog--just sitting at home all 

day, waiting for your owner, you can’t go outside by yourself, throw a 

ball, or go to the bathroom. But you are twice as deprived. Your 

owner works all day long and often leaves for extended business trips, 

but she loves you!” 

Porto looked deep into my eyes. He really missed his owner and 

felt the separation keenly. I understood like no one else what it felt like 

to be alone; to feel empty when there was no one. He obviously felt 

the short walks with me were not enough. 

I often wanted to take him into my room, but knew I would be 

unable to feed and support him. 

Besides, Marge would never allow me keep a dog, not even for one 

night. She didn’t like animals and considered them useless burdens. 

He dragged me outside. I could barely keep up with him while 

trying not to trip over his leash. 

“I am warning you right now. We only have 10 minutes today,” I 

told him. Porto looked at me with intelligent eyes, as if understanding 

my every word. I always felt he had a very profound look, which 

seemed smarter than most people. 

~ 15 ~

Combining walks with Porto and my morning runs was one of my 

favorite activities. The gray path went forward past the blooming 

jasmine bushes. This spring happened to be warm, and even the early 

mornings were comfortable. A rabbit jumped from behind the tree, 

flashing its white tail, and disappeared into the nearest bush. Porto, 

noting its prey, briskly tugged on the leash. I fell, letting go, as he ran 

head-long after the rabbit leaving me on the asphalt. I instantly 

checked my losses. Blood oozed through my clothes, but most 

importantly, my jeans were intact. Porto quickly returned, jumping 

joyfully. I grabbed his collar and slowly got back on my feet. 

“The walk is over for today. I think I really bruised my knee,” I 

mumbled as I limped back, wasting precious time. At this rate, I 

wouldn’t make it to school on time, and I had a math test first thing 

this morning. 

I left Porto a big bone and rushed back home to quickly change my 

clothes. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, I realized my leg 

refused to obey me--guess it was hurt more than I thought. Beneath 

the dirty jeans, I found my knee was swollen. Trying to bend it only 

increased the pain. I was already late for my test. Maybe it wouldn’t be 

so terrible if I missed the rest of the day. 

Marge was grumbling discontentedly and was more livid than a hail 

storm. I was always aiming to get as far away from that hole as 

possible, but today plans had changed. Deciding not to waste any 

more precious time, I surrounded myself with books. Nevertheless, I 

needed to study for my tests. Possibly this was for the best because 

now I had some free time. 

“You’re still in bed, lazybones? Mind you, if I don’t see you 

downstairs in the morning you may as well pack your things. I am not 

planning to indulge your whims,” griped Marge. 

I sighed and glanced at my knee. It didn’t seem to be getting any 

better, but it wasn’t worse either. The only way I could be absent from 

work tonight was if I was dead. 

It’ll get better, I told myself and forced myself to get up. Since the 

pain was tolerable, I carried out my household chores limping. 

~ 16 ~

The sky was dark by the time I arrived to the café, though it was 

only 5:45 p.m. I placed the bicycle by the emergency entrance and 

walked through the dimmed narrow corridor. 

Michael was arranging the white napkins into cones. 

Crowds of people were rushing into the café as if they were waiting 

for me all along. It was dinnertime, after all. The volume of my work 

increased in a geometric progression. As always, I toiled over a 

mountain of dirty dishes, piercing it with my stare. 

“Trying to hypnotize it? Well, if you do succeed be sure to teach 

me!” Michael said with a smile. He was a tall, lean guy. Perhaps he was 

the only guy with whom I had a friendly relationship; or at least he was 

the closest I had to a friend. 

“I’m trying to overcome my nausea when touching it,” I said 

crinkling my nose in disgust while putting my hands back in the sudsy 

water. 

One day, I would move to a big city and get a job in a magazine 

office. I don’t care if I am the tenth assistant of the thirty-fifth 

assistant. In a year or two, they would evaluate my abilities and offer 

me a promotion. I just needed to get out of this swamp, and with time, 

I would rent a beautiful apartment on the highest floor with a new 

sink, a dishwasher, and freshly painted walls. And then my garage 

would become home to a clean black sports car with an enraged bull 

on its hood. I would have a completely different life, and I would only 

belong to myself. I have arms, legs, a bright mind with an ardent desire 

to advance in life. 

Finally, the last clean dish was put onto the shelf. It was amazing! 

When you are thinking about something positive even washing dishes 

becomes a tolerable task. 

“What are you doing after work?” Michael asked leaning against the 

nearby wall. His tousled fair-colored hair was sticking out in every 

direction. 

“Considering the fact that I get off at eleven and have to wake up 

at five to do all my tasks, I am hoping to be fast asleep after work.” 

“Perhaps another time then?” he fixed his baggy blue sweater. 

~ 17 ~

“What’s that?” 

“We could go somewhere,” Michael awkwardly scratched his head. 

“Oh, yes, of course we will…sometime,” I dried my hands with the 

towel and glanced at the clock. Time to go home. 

“Want me to walk you home?” Michael stood by the door. 

“It’s not far. I can walk by myself, thanks.” 

“All right,” he uttered with disappointment. 

“I’ll see you on Wednesday,” I smiled. 

“Till Wednesday,” Michael mumbled and traversed his ground. 

I went outside and inhaled the cool night air while wrapping myself 

in my coat. It was quiet. The small town was sleeping. I sashayed 

towards home, or should I say Marge’s home. I never had a place to 

call my own. Shelter, refuge, haven, yes, but home was where someone 

was waiting for you, it was somewhere you couldn’t wait to come back 

to, it was somewhere your soul could find rest. At Marge’s, I didn’t 

even feel like a guest. As of late, it felt like I was at the crossroads of 

something, constantly expecting for something better behind the next 

turn. 

Oh, how I longed to know who I was; how did I end up on the 

street where I was found? Who were my parents? Did they love me? 

Why did they leave me? Maybe they were still looking for me! I felt 

empty and frighteningly lonely inside. The windows, shining like 

yellow lollipops in homes where whole families gathered for dinner, 

stirred up a wave of melancholy and a scary feeling of suffocation. 

How exciting it must be to go somewhere where someone is waiting 

for you, where there is someone in your life, who makes you want to 

reach for the stars. 

~ 18 ~

Something flashed behind me like a shadow from a bird in flight. 

Nothing ever happened in this town. I wasn’t frightened to walk 

around by myself, but instinctively, I increased my pace. This was part 

of forest, after all. The leaves of an old cottonwood rustled on the 

right and a warm breeze, which was unusual for a spring night, blew in 

my direction. I stopped and stared into the darkness of the forest as it 

stretched to the east of the town. It lay at the foot of the mountain on 

one side and was surrounded by the endless forests of the nature 

reserve on the other side. The air smelled strange and attractive. I took 

a deep breath. 

This time I clearly saw the shadow flash to my left. The animals 

moved almost silently. My heart beat resonantly in my chest. The 

forest was rich with bears, wolves, wild cats, and a whole legion of 

other animals. 

They rarely appeared in town--fearing people--but the chances of a 

desperate hungry bear or a weak wolf attacking a lonely passer-by was 

still quite high in my opinion. 

Only five minutes, at an increased walking pace, separated me from 

the house. Usually, I could run that distance, especially at night since I 

loved running, but especially when I’m being hunted. 

The injured leg immediately throbbed, and a few yards later a walklimp 

was all I could do. 

Having tuned in to my surroundings, I picked up on the most 

subtle of sounds coming from the forest. Nothing other than the 

rustling of the leaves and the beating of my terrified heart, but the 

steady feeling that I was being watched refused to leave. I gritted my 

teeth, trying to overcome the pain, and made my last spurt towards the 

front door. Reaching the threshold of the house, I exhaled a big sigh 

of relief. For the first time, it felt good to be there, even if it was 

Marge’s house with Marge’s rules. 

~ 19 ~

The forest was absorbed by the darkness, and I couldn’t see 

anything. I didn’t know why I turned to look once more. Something 

flashed again between the trees. Frightened, I pulled the handle of the 

door and disappeared into the house. My joy instantly faded. A 

mountain of dirty dishes towered in the kitchen. The floor, the worn 

out sofa, and armchairs were covered in clothes. It reeked like 

someone had died. I took a deep breath, flinched with disgust, and got 

to work. Two hours later, I fell on the sagging mattress and instantly 

fell asleep. Morpheus tightly embraced me, and I slowly floated to a 

place where I was always happy. 

~ 20 ~

CHAPTER TWO 

~ CHARTREUSE ~ 

! 

In the twilight, the forest was the most picturesque place on 

earth—sunset’s illuminating emerald leaves with its pink rays, the 

fringes of light flowing from opalescent skies and tincturing the small 

glade with warm shades. I rested on the grass, and my head sunk into 

the verbena flowers. The air was rich with their sweet fragrances. The 

lace-like leaves of an ancient oak tree rustled ever so slightly while a 

cool breeze played with my hair. I wanted to close my eyes. I could 

hear the distant rumble of the waterfall. There was nothing better than 

the sounds of water–the roar of the surf and the raindrops--playing on 

the roof. Water was the best cure, for me at least, from depression. 

When times were tough, I always pictured myself being water, which 

would definitely find a way out and squeeze through the tiniest of 

cracks. If there were no cracks, well, the water would erode whatever 

stood in its way. Water was without equal. It could be amazingly soft, 

yet unfathomably strong. 

There was a sudden rumble like the crackling of logs in a fire. The 

birds went silent as if some unknown force switched off nature’s 

sound effects. My heart thudded. Fallen twigs and branches cracked 

dolefully underneath something’s heavy paws. Whatever it was, it 

stopped by my head and noisily inhaled with its nose, sniffing the air. 

Terrified, I froze. A jaguar stood before me. Its two golden and green 

eyes glistened in the impenetrable darkness. The beast was massive. It 

stared at me with interest, and I slowly stood up to move backwardsmaintaining 

eye contact with this beast. A few timid steps later, my 

back hit the trunk of the oak tree. 

~ 21 ~

The jaguar was approaching me and cutting down the distance 

between us until its face was close to mine. I could feel the warm 

currents of air coming out of its nostrils. All I could see now were its 

glistening eyes. Their soft radiance hypnotized me. 

I couldn’t help but glaze deep into them. Overcoming fear, I slowly 

raised my hand and touched its neck. The fur was soft and warm. I 

brushed my hand up towards its head and felt its muscles tense. A 

smooth roar resounded from the beast’s chest as if it was a house cat 

purring. I noticed that I was smiling and catching every sound it made. 

The precious radiance abruptly disappeared, and the gentle roar was 

replaced by a cacophony of sounds. I woke up. 

“Leela, wake up!” Marge furiously yelled. Today she was especially 

enraged. 

“What happened?” I asked, quickly jumping out of my bed. My 

heart was still banging noisily in my chest. 

“You’re asking me? Your alarm clock has been buzzing like crazy 

for the past forty minutes! I had to wake up just to shut it off!” Marge 

said incensed while shaking her fat short arms. Relieved, I rubbed my 

sleepy eyes and sat on the bed. Thank goodness nothing happened. 

The house wasn’t on fire, we weren’t drowning, and the ground was 

still intact beneath us. 

“I’m so sorry, Marge. I must have been exhausted last night,” I 

replied as calmly as I could, shifting my gaze away from “September”, 

a thick book with a worn-out binding. Oh, how I wanted to introduce 

classic literature to her repulsive face! 

“You can take that exhaustion and stick it up yours!” she screamed. 

I focused my eyes on the clock. It was 5:40 a.m. 

“Crap!” 

I jumped up like a scalded cat, forgetting about my knee and fell to 

the floor with a moan. A stabbing pain pierced it from the sudden 

movement. 

“Simulator!” Marge shouted as she exited the door, then slammed it 

so hard the old handle broke off and rolled under the bed. 

~ 22 ~

“Toad,” I hissed. 

“I will be downstairs in ten minutes. If my breakfast is still not 

ready, you can…” Marge started. 

“…pack your things,” I mumbled in unison with her as I slipped 

into my sweater. Big, fat toad! I thought. 

“It’s Friday. I don’t care if you can or can’t, but the money for the 

week must be on the table by the main door,” her squeaky voice 

resounded again. 

Ever since she forced me to pay for the room, I haven’t saved a 

dime. This is very, very bad. I need to find an additional source of 

income, but how? I have to think of something, I sighed. Just one more 

month. 

Marge was stuffing herself with pancakes, honey, and jam. The 

sight of her nauseated me. As quickly as possible, I left to walk Porto. 

Miss Hoggins’s white Toyota was still in the driveway. Miss Hoggins, a 

young, lean woman with short fair hair, opened the door the moment 

I touched the doorbell. Her black pantsuit fit her perfectly, and she 

smelled of expensive perfume. 

“Leela, I’m so glad I caught you,” she said hurriedly. “I have an 

urgent business trip today, and I’ll be gone for a week. Porto will be all 

alone, and you will have to walk him in the evenings, too--you know 

how lonely he gets when I’m away. He always sleeps at my feet. I 

thought maybe you could stay at my place? It’s only for seven days. I’ll 

pay you well, and if you stay here you will make it easier on him to 

bear the separation. Do you drink coffee?” she asked and, without 

giving me time to reply, handed me a cup of black, robust coffee. The 

tart aroma filled my lungs. Calming down, I took a delightful 

mouthful. That’s the way I like it! 

It will be like a paid holiday! I smiled at my thoughts. Two weeks in 

a wonderful house away from the importunate Marge and the shabby 

walls! Even though no one cancelled my servant duties, I was still 

delighted. 

“With pleasure!” I responded. 

~ 23 ~

“Here is some money for expenses, and here is payment for your 

help,” she handed me two envelopes. 

“The standard pay for walks should be more than enough. I’d be 

happy to look after Porto,” I felt uncomfortable taking money from 

her for a holiday from Marge, even though I could use the extra cash. 

“Leela, I know that any job must be repaid, and I can see you are in 

no position to refuse an honorarium. You really need some new 

jeans.” I looked at my clothes and found nothing to object. I hated 

these old rags, but new clothes could wait. I needed to get out of this 

hole. 

“Thank you,” I smiled gratefully. 

“Thank you! You know Porto is my family; I have no one else. 

And if he is suffering, I have a hard time concentrating on my 

work, but when you are with him I am absolutely confident he is 

happy!” she put her hand on my shoulder. 

The energetic clatter of heavy paws echoed from the living room. 

Porto ran into the room, wagging his tail, and jumped on me. I stroked 

his huge head, which looked like a cauldron. Porto was my friend, and 

I shared all my feelings and secrets with him. He was the only one I 

could trust with my bitter deluge of resentments and disappointments 

that had accumulated over the years in my soul. 

“It’s a pleasure being with you, but if I don’t leave now, I’ll miss my 

plane,” Miss Hoggins grabbed her black briefcase and a small suitcase, 

kissed Porto goodbye, and left. I hastily finished my coffee. The dog 

sat in front of me looking deep into my eyes. 

“What? Do you also like coffee?” He wagged his tail in response. 

“Sorry, but dogs can’t drink coffee. We should get going.” I sat on 

my knees, level with his eyes, and said in all seriousness, 

“Today’s marathon is cancelled, and please don’t chase any rabbits 

today, I’m begging you!” During the walk, Portolon walked perfectly 

by my side ignoring the temptations from squirrels, rabbits, and small 

birds. 

~ 24 ~

“You know, sometimes you amaze me. It’s almost as if you really 

understand what I’m saying.” He looked at me, as if trying to say, did 

you doubt me? His face expressed what looked like a smile. 

“You’re a very smart dog,” I said as I stroked his wide back. He 

wagged his tail. It saddened me to imagine I wouldn’t be able to see 

him anymore when I left. I wasn’t planning on ever returning. Nothing 

was keeping me tied to this town. My eyes watered. Porto buried his 

wet nose in my palm, and I swallowed a lump in my throat. Today’s 

walk wasn’t like any of the others. He probably sensed we would be 

parting soon, and that was the reason why he moved his paws 

unhappily trying to snuggle as close as possible to me until the end of 

our walk. 

Normally, I traveled to school on the great-grandfather of the 

modern bicycle, which Marge courteously gave me on my 15th 

birthday. It was left behind by the previous owner of the house and 

has been collecting dust in her garage for years. 

This piece of scrap metal, as Marge called it, functioned quite 

tolerably. It’s better than traveling by bus, where clearly specified 

relationship rules have been established. 

The dutifully polite manner of conversation irritated me much 

more than indifference. Most people talked to me in precisely that 

manner, hoping that if they press me hard enough, I would let them 

copy my tests or lend them my notes. 

Today, I was going to have to take the yellow jalopy. To be honest, 

I wasn’t quite sure which was more ancient: my bicycle, or the school 

bus? Sternly puffing, it stopped in front of me, and I quickly climbed 

the steps. The lively chirping subsided. With the corners of my eyes, I 

noticed how everyone exchanged glances. I nodded my head in 

greeting everyone. I sat in the empty seat, and just stared out of the 

window. 

“Did your Ferrari break down, Leela?” Monica Lake’s laughter 

resounded. Her provocation surprised me, but I decided not to get 

involved in the squabble. She was always a complete ass. 

“Stop it,” her friend Melanie elbowed her. 

~ 25 ~

“Chill, I was only joking.” 

I sat with my back to her looking intently out of the window. 

Silence was the best answer to questions that made absolutely no 

sense. 

The sun was shining a bit brighter today and seemed like it would 

be an especially warm day. The bus entered the school parking lot and 

stopped, coughing one last time. I got out and walked leisurely 

towards the school. A silver Honda, barely tucking into the corner, 

flew into the parking lot with a squeal. I recognized the car by the torn 

off bumper and the scratched paint on the sides. It was Jennifer. She 

dashed into an empty spot and buried her bumper into someone’s 

Toyota. That’s Jennifer. Even I found our friendship very illogical. 

Jenn and I were as different as North and South, yet we loved 

spending time with each other. 

At first, I could hardly stand being around her, but soon I was 

attached to her. I remembered the day when we first spoke. It had 

only been a few months since I started living with Marge and began 

attending a new school--a thunderstorm was in the air and heavy 

clouds were blocking the sun. 

I had another appointment with the school psychologist. The 

teacher thought I had an unhealthy need for solitude. Of course, I 

really did avoid the other children, but only because they were never 

truly interested in me. 

Besides, the company of a smart person (myself) suited me well 

enough. 

The fact that I preferred books to friends was not aberration or 

pathology of some sort like schizophrenia. But who cared about the 

opinion of an eleven-year-old girl. 

~ 26 ~

Nevertheless, I was sent to the school psychologist, and realized 

from the first time I saw the doctor there was no way she would ever 

earn my trust. Dr. Smart was a woman of an indefinite age, with a 

short boyish haircut, and piercing eyes. She blinked frequently with her 

almond-shaped eyes and brushed the inexistent dust with an unhealthy 

diligence. That morning was like every other: typical questions, 

standard answers. 

There was a knock on the door. Dr. Smart turned with displeasure 

and went outside. I slightly peaked at the file with my name and 

attempted to speed read it to understand what I was being accused of. 

From what I gathered, I apparently had a hidden accentuation of 

personality as the result of psychological trauma that I suffered as a 

child, and this was where my distrust towards the surrounding world 

originated. Seriously? There was not a single person here towards 

whom I could feel any attraction, but I liked her notes even less than 

the company of the local children. I left her office with a firm 

intention of never stepping inside again. 

“Hello,” said a delicate voice nearby. I turned around, and Jennifer 

sparkled with her braces. 

“Hi,” I said. 

“Would you like to sit with me at lunch?” 

“Sure,” I replied trying to put on a smile. 

“Are you having stomach cramps?” she asked wrinkling her nose. 

“I’m just really hungry,” I said as we walked to the cafeteria. 

And that was how our friendship began. Now, six years later, I 

couldn’t imagine spending my weekend without her buzzing and 

resounding laughter. 

On some level, she completed my boring part. We don’t see each 

other very often; I hardly ever had time. 

When I was not working, I was studying, and when I was not 

studying, I was working. At first, Jenn was offended and would sulk 

for days. 

~ 27 ~

She would blame me for choosing to spend time with books rather 

than her, but with time we learned to accept each other the way we 

were. I didn’t like big loud parties, unlike her, and even if I did, what 

would I wear? 

My only pair of worn out jeans, or my stretched out pullover with 

my old tracksuit pants? 

Teenagers have their whims. They judge books by the cover. They 

look at who your parents are, how much allowance you receive, what 

vehicle you drive, and what brand of shoes you wear. I have a witch 

instead of parents, a rusty bicycle for a car, and my mobile phone, 

which resembles a coffin, can be used to thwart criminals. 

She saw me, waved, and jumped out of the car slamming the door, 

which opened again with a creak. Jenn swore and slammed it harder. 

The door recoiled and opened wide. 

“Be gentler,” I suggested. Jenn made a face, curtseyed, feignedly 

and slowly pressed the door to the car’s body. 

“It closed!” she exclaimed not believing her eyes. I waited for her 

to catch up. As always, she was dressed in something incredible of her 

own making. Her dream was to become a famous designer. 

“You bumped into someone’s car,” I said adjusting the strap of my 

backpack that dug into my shoulder. 

“Bumped? I greeted it with a friendly kiss,” Jenn theatrically rolled 

her eloquent gray eyes. I laughed. 

“I see you decided to ride the cart today?” she pointed at the bus. 

“I had no choice. I injured my leg.” 

Jennifer raised her eyebrows and examined my limp. 

“Oooh,” she drawled. “I thought you needed to go to the 

bathroom. You know, number two.” I made a face at her and took a 

deep breath. 

“Why the low spirits?” 

“My mood is somewhere in between lousy and foul. And then 

there’s Monica.” 

~ 28 ~

“Just ignore her. You do realize it’s not because of her bright mind. 

She needs to stand out somehow,” Jennifer tried to comfort me. 

“I think she found a way to do that a long time ago and is 

successfully using it,” I threw a quick glance at Monica. A lean figure, 

baby-blue eyes, and blond hair--a perfect set for attention. Jennifer 

smiled leniently. 

“You are ten times prettier than she is, but you refuse to notice it,” 

Jenn said. Flattery, in any of its forms, nauseated me. I shook my head 

with displeasure. 

“Look at yourself in the mirror. Philip Adams is running after you!” 

she added. Phil was the hottest guy in school, the son of the mayor, 

and the doubtful and unreachable dream of every girl in senior high. 

“No, he isn’t,” I responded. 

“Yeah? What about that time when he asked you to help him with 

his school work, or did you think he was interested in anything other 

than sex?” 

“He actually did have problems with chemistry, and I simply helped 

him,” I said in my defense, having no idea why I was continuing this 

conversation. 

“Yeah, except he doesn’t give a damn about chemistry. Can’t you 

see all the teachers give him good grades just because he’s an 

irreplaceable quarterback on the football team? That was the exact 

reason why the university was offering him a scholarship. Someone 

blabbed that he wanted to go into journalism,” Jennifer said as she 

fixed a piece of her hair. 

“Journalism?” my jaw dropped. “He can barely string two words 

together!” 

“Are you kidding me? He never shuts up!” Jenn laughed. “Perhaps, 

he only stutters when he’s around you.” 

“Don’t be silly. I meant he can’t even keep a conversation going.” 

“I know what you meant. He might be a jerk, but he’s an 

astounding jerk. Take an inconspicuous glance to your right, by the 

stairs.” 

~ 29 ~

I took a quick glance and saw most of the team had assembled. Phil 

was looking at us while the others were discussing something loudly. 

He smiled and waved at me condescendingly, royally. Phil always 

behaved as if he was of royal blood and nothing less. 

“Are you going to continue arguing? Wave back to him! Let’s go up 

to them, pleeeeeease?” 

“No! They are all egoistical and vain fools. All the normal ones 

already have girlfriends.” 

“You are a dull, boring, tedious philanthropist.” 

“Define what a philanthropist is, and I’ll agree with you,” I 

smirked. 

“Enlighten me,” she cringed. 

“I think you wanted to call me a misanthrope--someone who 

doesn’t like anyone around them, roughly speaking. A philanthropist 

cares about the good of humanity as a whole.” 

“You ruined my morning and the prospect of hooking up with a 

popular guy,” Jenn made a kissy face. 

“These guys are like disposable gloves, gently speaking. What do 

you even find in them? They’re stupid, egoistic, hopeless gorillas 

stuffed with testosterone.” 

“That’s why they’re so cool. You know, testosterone?” 

“Please don’t!” 

“Why, what’s so bad about it? I read it in a magazine and…” 

“Why don’t you try browsing through fewer images in magazines 

and read more classical books, or at least modern literature once a 

week?” 

“I get the urge to vomit just by thinking about it.” 

“Did you read Hosseini?” I inquired about our literature 

homework. 

“Yep, I’ve been up all night reading it.” 

“Our teacher will definitely ask you today.” 

~ 30 ~

“Oh, don’t be a prophet of doom,” she scoffed. “Why don’t you 

quickly tell me what it was about?” 

I opened my mouth in astonishment. 

“I’m kidding. I’ll probably get indigestion from this bore. So, what 

did Monica do again?” 

“She cracked a joked about my Ferrari.” 

Jenn burst out laughing and said, “Of course, you pretty much took 

Philip from her.” 

“You’re delirious,” I replied. 

“Nope. He broke up with her. You know why? He said it to her 

face that he was interested in you now!” 

“Sounds like a badly written script for a soap opera. What even 

made you think that?” I chuckled. 

“A little birdie told me,” she narrowed her eyes slyly. “If only 

someone was less engrossed with their stale books, perhaps they 

would know more about what was going on around them.” 

“It’s just stupid gossip,” I said. 

“Look! What’s going on there?” she pointed towards the south 

section of the parking lot. 

“Why is everyone crowding?” I asked 

“Let’s go see,” she uttered with glowing eyes. 

Regardless of her fragile looks, Jenn pushed people out of her way 

like a bulldozer, and I walked behind her catching fragments of 

enthusiastic comments. 

In about a minute, we made our way to the center of the ordeal. On 

the cracked asphalt stood an aggressive sparkling supercar. The black 

raptorial body, with red accents, ideally fit in with the dynamic 

construction. It looked more like an alien spaceship than a car. The 

wide bloated wings were still warm from the recent drive. The brutal 

power, the phenomenal design, the super-light construction from 

carbonized fiber, the consummate accuracy of control….I sighed. 

Before me stood my dream, a Lamborghini Aventador. This was the 

peak of the sports car evolution. 

~ 31 ~

“Oh my God! What is this?” Jennifer’s eyes were on the verge of 

popping out of their sockets. 

“Whose is it?” Luke Johnson’s shaggy head popped out of 

nowhere. I was staring at it like a child stares at a delicious treat in a 

candy store. A moment more and I would have started drooling. I was 

saved by the bell, and the crowd instantly dissolved. Everyone headed 

towards the school building. I was the last one to leave. How could 

this beauty end up in this godforsaken place? 

We took our seats, but the classroom was still filled with whispers 

and murmurs. I was trying to concentrate on literature and today’s 

lesson swiftly looking through my notes. 

“Good morning,” Miss Anderson, the school director, greeted us as 

she walked into the class. “Let me make an announcement,” she raised 

her voice in an attempt to quiet the hum of conversation. “You have a 

new student joining your class today. Please, welcome Eli Alfhield!” 

she was almost shouting. 

“What an honor!” I voiced my astonishment, and then I thought, 

This is crazy! Nobody changes schools a few months before they 

graduate! 

“That’s his car!” someone whispered on my right. The voices 

quieted down, and I lifted my head. A torrent of heat passed through 

my spine, splashing waves around my body, as if someone was 

drawing on me with hot coals. The new boy stopped at the door 

taking a good look around the class with narrow golden and green eyes 

on tan skin. It was almost as if mischievous fiery demons were dancing 

in his eyes, giving out his heated nature. 

A complacent smile played on his sensual lips, accentuating his 

manly chin. The whispers began to grow again, but mainly among the 

girls. 

“Oh my God!” mumbled Sarah. “Do you see what I see?” she 

turned to her friend. 

“I don’t know,” Emma shook her head, “but whatever I am seeing 

is definitely making my knees tremble!” 

~ 32 ~

“This is crazy! He is so handsome!” she sighed. “Look how tall he 

is! I bet he is a model for some underwear line!” 

“Definitely!” Their buzzing and humming was distracting me. The 

topic of today’s lesson wasn’t exactly inspiriting me or leaving a place 

for any emotions other than the bitter aftertaste of reading this book. 

“Could you please just be quiet?” I hissed at them. 

Nina sighed, “You are either blind or lesbian!” 

Eli raked his hand through his dark hair. It was cut short on the 

sides and longer at the top with a stylish fringe hanging over his eyes. 

His hair was really great, I had to admit. Eli winked at Monica who 

was staring at him like a dog drooling over a luscious sausage. I rolled 

my eyes and tried to concentrate on my notes. 

Our literature teacher, Mr. Gordon, with light blue eyes and slightly 

gray hair at the temples, finally walked into the class. Miss Anderson 

bent towards him, mumbled something, and hastily left the class, 

loudly clanking with her ugly ankle boots that resembled pig’s feet. Eli 

sat in an empty seat in the third row and impressively lounged in the 

chair. 

“I am guessing, by your cheerful faces, that only a few of you did 

your homework. Shall we proceed with the execution?” Mr. Gordon 

rubbed his hands together with a smile on his face. Literature was my 

favorite subject. 

I would wait impatiently for the lesson every day, but today was an 

exception. The book we had to read left an indelible oppressive trace 

in my soul. Maybe that was why I didn’t want to talk aloud to discuss 

it. What I experienced, along with the protagonists of the book, was 

something personal. I understood my problems were mostly farfetched 

and even insignificant in some places. I have to thank fate for 

what I have. 

“Can someone remind me what we will be discussing today?” Mr. 

Gordon asked while sweeping the class with his eyes. Nobody 

volunteered to answer. 

“Anyone?” he tried again. 

~ 33 ~

Ringing silence. 

“Leela?” 

“A Thousand Splendid Suns,” I uttered. 

“Precisely. Who would like to share their first impressions and 

thoughts about the book?” 

The silence in the room was so intense, I could hear Jennifer, who 

was sitting in front of me, gulp. 

“Mr. Alfhield, perhaps you have also read the book and have an 

opinion about it?” Eli clasped his hands behind his head and welldefined 

muscles formed under his olive skin. He maintained a long 

pause. No wonder! I doubt he ever held anything mightier than buns 

and Men’s Health in his hands. 

“In my opinion, Hosseini’s novel is food for thought,” he began, 

“and it infers thoughts that people often try to avoid. It makes you 

think about the inviolable and obvious, yet forgotten values. It impels 

you to look for verity in the current of the all-consuming horror that 

permeates every line of the book. It helps us understand a world 

outlook of people belonging to a different culture; to a completely 

different world. Hosseini clearly showed the fate of a whole nation 

through the prism of two fragile women who were united by only one 

thing, the desire to live.” 

Eli was silent, his face serious. I glared at him, amazed. I must 

admit that if he was acting, he was doing a very good job. 

“Wonderful!” Mr. Gordon nodded impressed. “Would anyone else 

like to add something to Eli’s comment? Miss Winsed?” he fixed his 

eyes on Jennifer. She froze in her chair. “Leela, why are you so silent 

today?” 

“I guess the new guy has impressed our goody-goody!” Monica 

laughed loudly. 

Phil threw a fierce look at her. It was her second biting remark 

today, and it was way over the line. I was beginning to get agitated. 

~ 34 ~

“Unfortunately, you are unable to solve a problem more complex 

than choosing the color of your lipstick and judging the physical 

appearance of an individual of the opposite sex. Judging by the fact 

that your brain is still in your brainpan and not exuding in a gas form 

out of your ears, I can only assume you haven’t read the book and 

pondered about the topic it touched. Therefore, you would’ve 

obviously found it hard to understand my current state,” I retorted. 

Monica arrogantly raised her chin. 

“I have more interesting things to do in the evenings, but I doubt 

you would understand,” she fixed her hair and raised her bright 

eyebrows. 

“Beauty disappears faster than you can imagine, but the absence of 

a brain lasts a lifetime,” I cut her off as the class burst in harmonious 

laughter. Phil was the loudest. 

“Enough!” Mr. Gordon ended the squabble. “Let’s get back to 

today’s topic.” 

“Monica, I’m assuming you have something to say. What 

impressions did the book leave on you?” 

I gratefully glanced at the teacher. 

“I didn’t like it,” Monica tried to get out of the question. 

“What an elaborate answer! I love your eloquence.” 

“What exactly didn’t you like?” he tried to elicit an answer. 

“There were no pictures!” remarks began resounding around the 

class. Everyone chuckled, and Monica began fidgeting in her chair. 

“I didn’t read it,” she admitted discontentedly. 

“Thank you for your honesty,” Mr. Gordon said as he made a note 

in his class journal. Then turned his attention towards me, “Leela, did 

you read the book?” 

“Yes,” I replied. 

“Why am I not surprised?” Monica smirked. 

Eli studied me with an ironic grin. 

“The book left me with an indelible impression,” I paused, trying to 

find the right words. 

~ 35 ~

“For me, Afghanistan was always associated with terror, war, drugs, 

and innocent lives put under the guillotine of discord. When I read the 

book, I realized, first and foremost, it was a beautiful and mysterious 

country with a tremendous history that goes back for centuries. It was 

a country that was ground to dust of internecine wars and hatred. I 

was engrossed in its beauty and traditions.” 

“What do you think of the protagonists?” Mr. Gordon inquired. 

“I was of the impression the main characters were just decorating 

the general picture of the horrifying chaos. They were secondary to the 

story,” I responded, fidgeting nervously with the sheet in my notebook 

and sensing a sour taste in my mouth. “The main character of the 

book,” I continued, “is Afghanistan. 

The staunch, invincible, independent, mysterious, and picturesque 

Afghanistan. Once a strong country, now it is fighting in dying agony 

against the background of mass terror and the lapse of human values, 

and…” 

“Thank you,” the teacher stopped me. “A brilliant answer, as 

always. Today we will start a new topic—Ancient Egyptian literature. 

There was no way I could concentrate on literature right now. How 

could I when his glare was literally burning a hole through me. I could 

almost physically feel it on me like currents of hot breaths tickling my 

skin. Eli sat to my right in the next nearest row. From beneath his 

thick eyebrows, bright eyes were drilling right into me. I definitely 

couldn’t tell whether they were green or honey-colored, but they were 

hypnotically attractive, and very familiar. It made no sense. It seemed 

like I knew him from somewhere, but we had never met. If we had, I 

would have remembered him. 

~ 36 ~

CHAPTER THREE 

~ VENI VIDI... ~ 

! 

Can a man take fire in his bosom? 

And his clothes not be burned? 

Proverbs 

6:27 

By the end of the school day, continuous talks revolving around 

the newcomer made my head swim. He was omnipresent; everybody 

was discussing him during the class hours and breaks, in the cafeteria, 

and in the bathroom. Any arrival was considered a great event in our 

town, with the population being less than ten thousand people, but 

now it seemed like the President of the Intergalactic Alliance had paid 

us a visit in person. I had to admit he really looked like somebody of 

that kind who enjoyed basking in adoration. Apart from my theory, I 

heard a group of others trying to explain who he was, where he was 

from, and why he was at our school. 

Monica said he must have been a diplomat’s son. Some other girls 

from the same class gossiped that he was a Norwegian prince in 

temporary exile, probably punished for his disruptive behavior. 

Somebody else assumed he was a relative of oil tycoon and billionaire, 

Rowny Hopkins. However, everyone agreed he was damn handsome, 

quite charming, and extremely rich. Intuitively, I felt he was trouble, 

and was inclined to stay away from him. 

Finally, the clock showed 3:30 p.m. I limped in a hurry to the exi,t 

putting more pressure on the healthy leg. 

~ 37 ~

“Leela!” I heard Phil’s voice from behind me. He sped up to catch 

me. 

“Oh, hi, Phil.” 

“It was hilarious when you snubbed Monica today!” 

“That was not my aim, and I hope she didn’t take offense,” I 

increased my speed trying to leave the grounds as quickly as possible. 

“And what you were telling about the book was cool, too.” 

Like you’ve read it, I thought. 

“I saw you came by bus. Do you want me to give you a ride?” Phil 

put his hands into his pockets and tried to maintain a semblance of 

disinterest. 

“No, thanks. I am just going to walk,” I answered as politely as 

possible. 

There was nothing to do but wonder how much I had been taken 

with my problems. How could I have missed these obvious things? It 

took Jennifer rubbing my nose in the facts. 

Monica was leaning on the door in front of me laughing. She was 

coquettishly shaking off the invisible dust from Eli’s shoulder. As she 

cast a glance at us, her face went pale for an instant, but then forced a 

sweet expression. 

“It will take you two hours to get home, and limping like this you 

will get there in maybe three,” Phil got ahead of me to walk backwards 

facing me. 

Rays of sunlight reflected in Phil’s dark hair giving it a brassy hue. 

His bright hazel-like colored eyes were glowing with boyish fervor. It 

puzzled me. Why did he decide to take a chance on me now? We 

belonged to different social groups. He was a tempting target for all 

the girls--eye candy dressed in the latest fashion trends and a 

passionate partygoer. As for me, I wore the same clothes year after 

year and rode an ancient bike. My image did not fit into his idea of 

beauty, but, there he was, standing in front of me attempting to show 

his interest. 

I stopped and looked him straight in the eyes. 

~ 38 ~

“Haven’t you heard? Walking with a limp is in fashion this spring?” 

I said it with a straight face. He squinted. 

“No,” he uttered shaking his head. 

Monica, who was apparently listening to us, burst into laughter. 

Phil winced, annoyed, realizing someone overhead us. 

“The weather is nice today. So, it would be fine for me to walk 

down the short road through the forest. I really need some time to 

contemplate, and walking is the best way for me to do that.” 

“I could accompany you if you want.” 

Oh, I was eager to disappear into thin air from the embarrassing 

inability to give him the superficial, but somewhat reluctant to bruise 

his feelings. To bring hope of the possibility of us was also senseless. 

We were on different roads and they did not cross. 

“You can accompany me to the end of the parking lot,” I answered. 

He smiled with delight taking it as flirting. We left the school 

premises together. He told me about the upcoming game while I was 

counting the footsteps to the edge of the parking lot. I wanted to 

explain to him, without witnesses, his attempts were useless. 

“Phillip,” I commenced, but he scrunched up his face as if I said 

something totally impolite. 

“Call me Phil. Phillip sounds like an old guy.” 

“Ok, Phil. No big deal,” I said. 

A broad smile brightened his face, and he took my hand. 

“What do you mean?” he seemed like charm itself. 

My heart pounded with excitement, but by no means because I 

reciprocated. It was because no one had ever held my hand like that 

before, and he did not try and tiptoe around his intentions. He was 

ready to fire away and to take a chance on me. 

I gently freed my hand from his. 

“Look, it is just what I said. Sorry, Phil. I have to go.” 

“See you tomorrow, Leela,” he said smiling. It was like my words lit 

an even bigger fire in him. 

~ 39 ~

Monica was sitting on the hood of the Lamborghini and leveled her 

interested eyes on us. It seemed to me she was pleased when Phillip 

and I headed in different directions. I hardly believed he was her oldtime 

sweetheart, although she undoubtedly liked him. Her only true 

love was herself. Both she and Phil were adherers of that egoistic, selfadmiration. 

They were bigheaded idols of the local youth who were 

convinced about getting everything they ever wanted. Maybe, this very 

extreme self-confidence made Phil seek me out since I stood apart 

from the rest by my refusal to adore him. 

With great relish, I casually sauntered along the well-trodden forest 

path. The warm sun signaled the beginning of spring, and the 

passionate warble filled the fresh air. The centuries-old fir trees caught 

drifting clouds on their tops. Fallen needles were crunching 

underneath my feet; I deeply inhaled the fresh pine aroma. The path 

cut to the right behind the rock ledge and then passed close to the 

small lakelet signifying I was half-way home. 

Closing my eyes and leaning against the old broad pine, warm air 

tickled my nose with the smell of the outdoors. 

It was pleasing. The wind tossed the pine crowns, and they 

produced a whispering sound as if they were speaking to each other in 

their own language. 

How splendid it was here! By spending just half an hour in the 

forest, I had already felt a surge of energy running through my veins. It 

was as if I drank a cup of double espresso. Every sound--splashes of 

water, gusts of wind—and the drifting clouds gradually filled my inner 

energy vessel. After my little rest, I took to the road again. 

Adjacent to the house, I noticed the black Lamborghini parked on 

the side of the road. The car was glimmering in the sunlight with its 

big and intimidating splashboards. My surprise was carried to the 

outmost. I quickened my pace and reached the front door in a few 

seconds. When I turned the door handle, which squeaked habitually, I 

was abruptly dragged into the house. Somebody pulled the handle 

from the other side causing me to fall inside. 

~ 40 ~

I squeezed my eyes shut, already imagining how my body would 

smash against the wiped-out plank floor, but suddenly somebody’s 

strong hands caught me in the middle of me falling. I opened my eyes 

just in time to see a radiant, rather impudent smile on Eli’s dark face. 

A piece of hair was playfully covering one of his eyes making him 

unbearably attractive, even more attractive than I remembered. 

“Hi!” he said. 

“Hi,” I mumbled straightening myself. 

He was quite handsome, unlike anyone else in this town. He 

smelled so good. My knees started shaking, and my mouth filled up 

with saliva as if I was going to have a bite of a delicious fancy cake. Eli 

smiled even wider, and flickers of fire appeared in the bottom of his 

eyes. There was some magnetism in his glance. No! I decided to stay 

away from him, and I never give up on my principles. 

Starting the conversation with the phrase “What are you doing 

here?” would be absolutely unmannered. So, still being slightly 

confused by the pause, I decided to introduce myself. We had never 

talked at school. 

“I am Leela,” I said feeling more confident. 

“I know, Leela,” he said placing emphasis on my name. His 

seductive voice was soft and smooth like velvet. Its sounds crept deep 

into my head, conquering my mind and making my entire body 

tremble. 

A raving flame, as uncontrolled as my heartbeat pounding out an 

alternative rhythm in my chest, arose from the bottom of my soul and 

from the very depths of my being. 

“You've got a very beautiful name,” his inexcusably stunning eyes 

slightly blinked. 

~ 41 ~

I pulled all of my strength together and blocked all unnecessary 

feelings, leaving no opportunity to develop a crush on him. He was 

obviously a player, rich, and spoiled. Yet another member of the ‘I 

want’ family and the ‘all mine’ subspecies that were characterized by 

the absence of the word no in their vocabulary. He was not coming my 

way! 

I caught my reflection in the square mirror across the room: shifted 

eyebrows, a careful look, crossed arms. Eli smiled. A game is dull and 

boring when an opponent does not strike back. It’s like soup without 

salt. I felt like a mouse wildly inclined to run away as far as possible, 

but I couldn't afford myself such a weakness. I am better than that. 

“Thanks,” I said in a cool tone trying to pacify my heartbeat. 

“Welcome to the town, if there is anything welcoming about it at all,” 

I added seriously. 

His ringing and infectious laughter magically filled the empty room 

of this miserable house, as well as my soul. 

“Thanks! It’s a very lovely town,” he replied. 

Of course, especially if one feels like a god in here, I thought. And he 

laughed again as if having read my thoughts. 

The door was left open, and one could hear Marge grunting in the 

garage. 

“Leela!” she yelled, “Are you back?” 

“Yes, Marge,” I responded. 

“Come here, quickly!” she cried out. 

I sighed and headed towards her. 

Marge, all sweaty and dusty--a big surprise--was digging through the 

trash she had forced me to put into the garage earlier that morning. 

Since I took over all of the chores, she pretty much helped with 

nothing except the bed we moved together to a room under the roof, 

which was similar to a closet. 

She attempted to rent out this closet with little success. 

~ 42 ~

Then she ordered me to drag an old oak bed upstairs, which turned 

out to be physically impossible for me because of my delicate 

constitution. 

She never really cared about that minor inconvenience. 

Nevertheless, she had to help me. 

Even a month after that event my lexicon of obscene language was 

increasing with her generous contribution. The gist of her blistering 

tirade was me being an armless slacker. 

“Bring this to the attic,” she said pointing at the almost decayed 

piece of foam plastic. 

“Fine,” I answered, “I just have to leave my stuff in the room.” 

For me, Marge's behavior and everything happening around me, 

was void of any sense. There was no point in asking her about what 

had happened. All I could hear in return was her scolding. 

“Drag your stuff to the attic!” She ordered sharply and turned her 

back on me. 

“What for?” I hardly squeezed the words out, having a bad feeling. 

“You live there now!” 

“So, this mattress is for me?!” I dropped my books and notebooks 

in bemusement. 

The place she wanted me to live in was smaller than my former 

bedroom. The attic was hastily hammered together from rotted panels. 

With the same success, I could be put into an empty doghouse. By the 

way, I had no idea why she would even have one because she never 

had any animals except cockroaches. 

“Are you putting me in the attic?” I couldn't believe my ears. 

She turned to me and evil sparkles appeared in her eyes. 

“Maybe packing your things would be a more pleasant option for 

you?” 

Rage and resentment rose up inside of me. 

~ 43 ~

“I have been following your orders and fulfilling your wishes my 

whole life! I cook for you, I clean, I wash your dishes, I give you all the 

money I earn, and you've never thanked me. No kind words, 

whatsoever. And now you are sending me to the attic?” 

“Yes,” she answered surprised with my indignation, “move faster!” 

“I handed over your room. To Mr. Alf...” Marge fought a losing 

battle trying to remember his surname. “Eli is moving into your room 

today.” 

I felt like air could no longer reach my lungs, and words became 

stuck in my throat. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Eli stood 

next to the wall and looked at us with interest. 

“Such a lovely house. I like it,” he smiled brightly and winked at me 

in response to my gaze. 

“Are you kidding?” I said when I restored my ability to talk. 

Nobody would ever choose to live in this cave with a spiteful troll 

by his own will and pay with his own money. I could hardly imagine 

why Eli would want to live in this place. 

He laughed, and Marge slashed me with her look. I was terrified by 

the thought there was someone else now to give me orders. 

Eli slowly approached us, picked up my books from the floor, 

stood straight full of pride, and put a hand on Marge's shoulder. 

“You said you wanted to move in the room above, and I would live 

in yours, didn't you?” My eyebrows went up. She would rather hang 

herself than move to the attic. 

She turned to me and hissed, “Why are you standing here? Bring 

the mattress into my room!” 

“Which room?” I stared at her. 

“To the attic, of course!” she barked. 

“You carry it,” Eli tapped on her shoulder. “Leela will show me 

around the house and walk me into my room.” 

Marge grabbed the mattress and dragged it upstairs. Before turning 

away she cried out to me, “Move, you lazybones! Show him around 

the house!” 

~ 44 ~

I was nearly paralyzed, as if I was rooted to the ground. Everything 

had just turned upside down in front of me. 

“I am ready for the excursion,” Eli smiled. His golden-green eyes 

blinked, and I felt tingles all over my body. 

Eli handed me my books. One of them was Husseini, and the other 

one in a red cover with the word Chemistry on it was mine. Once, 

Marge had thrown one of my manuscripts into the fire claiming if I 

had time to write I had too much free time. Since she felt I had free 

time, I could have done something more useful with that time. Ever 

since that incident, I employed some small tricks like using fake 

covers. Marge could hardly pronounce Organic Chemistry let alone 

find an incentive to look inside such a book. 

The novel Eli was holding in his hands was finalized quite recently. 

I was going to enter it in the Committee of Young Writers’ 

Competition today. The first prize was a publication in a very 

prestigious edition that would be the first crucial step in my career. 

“Organic Chemistry,” he read. “May I read it?” Eli smiled in a 

rather impudent manner as he opened the book. 

“No!” I said and tried to pull the book out of his hands, but he held 

it strongly with two fingers. 

“It's a pity,” he smiled and dragged me, along with the books 

toward him. “Seems to be quite interesting,” he said. 

“I have ten minutes to show you the house,” I said sharply trying to 

look indifferent while trying to maintain a distance between us. 

He stood so close, my heart was beating stronger in despair. I 

wanted him to disappear, to evaporate, to vanish. Yet, here he was in 

my absolute vicinity--so divinely handsome and magnetically attractive. 

His chartreuse eyes flickered, mysteriously luring me into a dangerous 

abyss. 

“Then let's spend some quality time together,” he whispered almost 

directly into my ear. His warm breath penetrated under my hair. I 

pulled myself together; I took my books away from him, and stepped 

aside creating a comfortable distance. 

~ 45 ~

“Listen, if you live here you have to embrace one rule. Keep your 

distance,” I said. 

He smiled playfully, turned away from me, and went inside the 

house. I unintentionally admired his entire body--his wide chiseled 

back, sharply outlined muscles under the thin light gray shirt and the 

shapely, firm bottom in the tight dark blue jeans sitting low on his 

hips. 

I followed him on rubbery legs. The excursion was going to be 

short since there was nothing special to show. I had to leave in ten 

minutes in order to enter the manuscript and to bring the finalized 

articles to the editors. 

We came to the ground floor. 

“Here's the kitchen,” I waved to the left. “You'll get it later. The 

restroom is here, and there is a tiny hall with an ancient television.” 

There was a lot of stuff in the hall, some unnecessary and nonaesthetic 

trash, in my opinion. However, Marge liked it. Then we 

moved on to the first floor. 

“There are two bedrooms on the first floor--my room and Marge's 

room.” 

“You meant to say my room,” he smiled happily. 

I shrugged my shoulders. 

“It's up to you.” 

“Now it is,” he smirked. 

“The staircase leads to the attic, to the third bedroom.” 

I could hear some sounds coming from above. So, I realized Marge 

was improving her new place. Her behavior was really off after all. 

“That's it,” I said meaningfully after checking my watch. “If you 

need any further help you know where to find me.” 

“Sounds hopeful,” he winked at me. 

I was short of time and had a full agenda. I grabbed my stuff from 

the room and ran out of the house. I was very pleased to notice my 

knee had recovered, and I decided to take the bike. 

~ 46 ~

After twenty minutes of riding, I stood at the doors of the 

publishing house. Well, it was an exaggeration to call this a publishing 

house. There were three small rooms occupying the first floor of the 

office building, and underneath the office, it looked more like a wornout 

old barrack. Despite all of this, Alternews Newspaper circulated, 

and I received an unthinkable payment for working as a field journalist 

for them. I said ‘unthinkable’ because I could not think up what to do 

with this money. 

I knocked on the wooden door of the editor's office. 

“Leela, please enter,” I heard a dull voice from behind the door. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Johnson,” I replied and entered the smelly 

room full of smoke. 

Fred Johnson, a scrubby man in his late fifties, had been working 

there for most of his life. His dense gray mustache, as well as the 

whites of his eyes, appeared yellow due to the excessive smoking and 

alcohol consumption. The day had been spent in the usual manner, 

judging by the smell of cheap brandy. 

“Have you brought it?” 

I nodded. He asked that same question every time. 

“Put it on the table,” he commanded skimming through his papers. 

“Mary will give you money.” 

“Have a nice day, sir,” I didn't want to disturb him any longer, and 

there was nothing left to discuss. 

When I was almost at the door he called for me in his curt manner. 

“What's in there?” 

“Just as you asked. One article is dedicated to spring, and the 

second tells about the advantages of jogging. It can be used in the 

sports column, and...” 

“I got that,” he interrupted. 

I shrugged my shoulders and left his office entering the narrow 

corridor painted in a nauseating yellow color. The floor planks were 

dried out and had large cracks. 

~ 47 ~

Mary’s office was on the right side across the hallway. I knocked 

cautiously and then pushed open the squeaking door. 

“…She took him home and…I’ll call you later, Sandra,” she 

interrupted her story after noticing me and smiled like a brewer's 

horse. 

Mary resembled a fluffy muffin lavishly topped with cream, sweet 

and bright. She would spend all of her free time on the phone 

discussing the latest news with the whole town. The everlasting source 

of her inspiration remained a complete mystery. Personally, I thought 

anything could happen here, but nothing actually did. 

“Hello, Leela,” she said getting up from the chair, “will you have a 

cup of coffee with me?” 

“No thanks, I’m in a hurry.” To stay for a coffee meant more 

wasted hours. I would be bound to listen to the latest gossip and hear 

the bitter truth about Marge for the umpteenth time. Even though I 

felt sympathy for her, I had no inclination to discuss her. I kept my 

opinions to myself and didn’t like to drag someone in the mire behind 

her back. 

“Five minutes only,” she insisted and put me down in the chair. 

Then she placed a cup of fragrant coffee and some layered cookies 

right in front of me. 

“How is Gargoyle?” 

“She is doing just fine,” I answered. 

“Yeah, right, why won’t she,” Mary waved with her plump hand. 

“Have you heard about the cute Richie Rich who came to our 

town?” she said conspiratorially. 

I took a gulp of the astringent coffee. 

“Yes, and I have even seen him. He is in my grade.” I decided to 

conceal the fact that we were neighbors. It would have been a treat for 

such a gossip girl. Mary inhaled loudly through her powdered nose and 

stared at me like Galileo at a night sky. 

“What?” I asked puzzled. 

~ 48 ~

“I might as well ask. Tell me. What is he?” She was excitedly pulling 

at the large red beads in her necklace. 

“Well,” I uttered, “he doesn't look silly.” 

“Oh, Gosh! I don't care if he's silly or smart. Tell me if he is really 

as handsome as they say? Sexy?” Mary jiggled her heavily penciled 

eyebrows. 

“I have not seen him up close. Sorry, Mary, but I really am in a 

hurry,” I replied standing up from the worn chair. 

“What car does he drive?” she almost shouted after me. 

“A black one,” I answered shortly. 

“You're weird,” Mary sounded disappointed. She put the envelope 

of money on the table. 

“Thanks.” 

“Yeah,” she nodded, losing interest in me. She took out a mirror 

and lipstick from her handbag. 

I came out into the street in a good mood having escaped from 

Mary without any losses. I still had half an hour of spare time and 

decided to stop by Madam Olshevri's bookstore. It was like visiting a 

candy store for me, and having the pleasant and sophisticated 

company was a cherry on the top. 

There was a Help Wanted sign on the bookstore’s door, which 

squeaked as I entered into the dark room with thousands of books 

jammed from floor to ceiling. Light was coming through the stainedglass 

windows, and refracted colorful spots played on the light gray 

walls. The air was stuffy and filled with the smell of dust and old 

books, but I liked it. 

An elderly woman was sitting in an armchair and looked like she 

was expecting an arrival of honored guests. Her snow white hair was 

elaborately arranged. She wore a necklace with a blue cameo. 

“Leela!” she laid the leather-bound book aside and stood up to 

welcome me. 

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Olshevri,” I smiled. 

~ 49 ~

“You haven't dropped by for quite a long time,” she said and took 

my hand. 

“I am sorry. I should have visited you more often.” 

“Oh, Leela, I know perfectly well that you have had no time for 

making social calls. Marge is still raging, isn't she?” the woman 

adjusted her stylishly framed glasses with her long thin fingers. 

“Sometimes,” I replied evasively. “She was in a good mood today.” 

“Marge's good mood is just like Faye's Comet. It visits us only once 

in several years. Would you like some tea?” 

“No, thank you. Mary gave me coffee.” 

“Tried to ferret something out of you?” She shook her head. 

“I am not the best company. I left her disappointed.” 

“You are a wonderful person to talk to, and I am convinced your 

interests just lie in different fields.” Mrs. Olshevri laughed. 

“How is Mr. Olshevri doing?” 

“Thank you, dear, he is fine. Even better than a man of his age 

could do. Still pursuing his research and being busy with it all day long. 

Such an old crazy scientist,” she summarized jestingly, “he has always 

been married to science, and I have resigned myself to my fate.” 

“There was a sign on the door that said you needed help?” I asked 

sitting down across her. 

“Yes. There are thousands of things to do. I need to compile stock 

lists and to re-arrange books. It seems like it will take some time,” she 

drew a circle with her thin hand around the room. “Unfortunately, I 

cannot manage it all alone. Although, I do offer a little reward there 

are still no volunteers.” 

“I'd be happy to help you! How about Saturday morning?” I asked. 

“Excellent! Thank you ever so much. You are my savior once 

again!” She folded her arms across her chest in a nice and very childish 

manner. “Then please, come over tomorrow whenever it fits you.” 

“Fine,” I smiled and waved her goodbye. “See you tomorrow!” 

“See you tomorrow, Leela!” Mrs. Olshevri was smiling radiantly. 

~ 50 ~

The fresh outside air seemed unusually chilly to me as compared to 

the stale air inside the bookshop. The evening was approaching, and 

the sun was setting. 

An old Native woman came out of the food store across the road. 

She was wearing a long black dress embroidered with beads, and 

despite her age, was pacing with a lot of energy while only slightly 

leaning on a crooked stick decorated with what looked like feathers, 

bison’s teeth, and opalescent shells. 

A girl carrying plastic bags walked alongside her. In contrast to the 

old woman, she was wearing the quite conventional jeans and a t-shirt. 

We bumped into each other at school more than once. When our eyes 

met the girl gave me a friendly nod, and I waved my hand to her. I 

seemed to remember her name was Kate. She had a swarthy skin tone. 

Nobody in the town was surprised meeting people who lived in the 

neighboring reservations. Native Americans often visited the town to 

buy groceries. Small tribes were scattered all over the entire district 

although some of their members had mixed with local residents and 

assimilated like Kate’s parents. But some people, mostly the older 

generation, continued living in the old manner. They populated vast 

territories of the forests within the state. 

Our district was inhabited by the mountain and river Kalanorsami, 

Bochaveno, and Shidasta tribes, but I could not tell the tribes apart 

very well. I had heard the mountain Kalanorsami were actually 

dwelling in the mountains, whereas the other tribes had settled farther 

into the forests and appeared rarely in our region. Those who visited 

the town more often usually belonged to the river Kalanorsami tribe. 

They lived several miles away from here and nearby the so-called Devil 

Lake, which had formed in the crater of a dormant volcano. The 

Natives themselves called the lake Ambré. However, the locals 

nicknamed it after the Father of Lies because people sometimes 

disappeared from that area. 

~ 51 ~

I explained it quite simply. The missing people--who were mostly 

hunters--had drowned in the cold waters of the lake. Local storytellers 

needed something more mysterious to entertain the public. In my 

opinion, that was how all of those stories originated. 

The old woman gave me a strange and anxious look. She started 

speaking to Kate fluently in an unfamiliar language with a lot of 

accents while gazing at me with her dark eyes. 

I wanted to leave, but felt strangely stupefied as if my feet were 

stuck in concrete. The Indian woman raised her stick into the air, 

shook it above her head, and closed her eyes, whispering something. 

Instead of running away from this woman, I approached her being 

attracted by the mysterious force. The old woman opened her eyes and 

pronounced several phrases in the same unfamiliar language. 

“Shtamologami kvikvodlatsa prolamennu kovaroka dulu, vim, vim, 

zhaarasa nahgvinikvagvegi!” She poked me in the chest--next to my 

heart--with her stick and rolled her eyes upward whispering as if 

someone was eavesdropping. 

“Itannanavasti mitaya didivalakuta panomakati! Siis Leela, otoka. 

Siis!” She almost hissed in the end. Kate rounded her eyes. 

“Vendzhigizhigokve gimivanakvad.” 

The woman turned to Kate and whispered threateningly. 

“Okhlamagimi kvategava naokvegizhig ginivegizhig.” 

“OK”, replied the girl and looked at me with an apologetic 

expression. 

“This is my great grandmother. She is from the river Kalanorsami 

tribe. She communicates with the forest spirits,” Kate explained rolling 

her eyes. 

“They inform her about various things. However, they failed to 

have a glimpse at my test last week and did not disclose where to find 

a cool guy.” She said. She looked like and dressed like the average 

teenager. 

“She says I’m the successor to her. She probably means the female 

lineage,” Kate said. “So, I guess I will go crazy, too, when I grow old.” 

~ 52 ~

“What did she say?” I asked her to translate while a feeling of 

anxiety started rising in my chest. 

“Take it easy,” the girl brushed aside, “be more careful. I mean, 

check both sides when you cross a road, and do not open the door for 

strangers. Things like that,” she chuckled light-heartedly. 

“Amatomano gopotiva? Kvinmi Kate!” 

“Kauapi lodimapi! I’ll say!” The girl rolled her eyes again and 

turned to me, “She says that when you look for fire you find it 

together with the smoke. When you scoop water out of a well you take 

the moon with you. Please, don’t ask me what that means. I don’t 

understand.” 

”Ok,” I said. 

“Don’t sweat it. She always intimidates me, too.” 

I nodded; my dry throat was burning. 

The woman took my right palm with her calloused hand and drew 

three wavy horizontal lines over it with her fingertip. Her skin was dry 

and flabby covered with a net of tiny wrinkles. Something flashed in 

her eyes like a glint through the thick fog. She was still silently staring 

at me, and it seemed like she was looking through me. Her lips didn’t 

move, but in my head I heard her whispering. It resembled the rustling 

of leaves. 

“Saaan timaa…” The woman snatched my left palm and drew three 

wavy vertical lines over it. Then she took my hands into hers-- palms 

facing up--and breathed out, 

“Isaa”. 

The symbols she drew on my palms manifested themselves. The 

horizontal lines on the right hand kindled a soft light blue glow and 

gave me a pleasant feel of coolness, while the vertical lines of the left 

hand were blazingly orange and were perceived as hot breath. 

“Aqua et ignis,” the old woman suddenly pronounced in Latin. 

“Fire and water,” I echoed her. My scant knowledge of the dead 

language sufficed to understand what she was referencing. 

~ 53 ~

Having heard the familiar words, my heart started pounding 

quickly. I was blinking and didn’t know whether to believe my eyes or 

not. The symbols on my palms were shining as if they were smeared 

with fluorescent paint. How was this possible? 

The lips of this old woman formed a thin line that looked like it 

was painted with a piece of coal. Without giving me chance to recollect 

my thoughts, she joined my hands tightly, pressing them palm to palm. 

It seemed to me she squeezed a burning coal between my hands right 

in the place where the lines touched each other. I screamed from 

blazing pain and tried to detach my palms, but it was impossible. They 

seemed glued together. A green shine started emanating out from my 

fingers. 

She rolled her eyes upwards as if she expected to see something 

totally different. I suddenly managed to separate my hands and began 

swinging them like they were wings in an attempt to extinguish the 

invisible flame burning through my skin. The woman nodded 

approvingly and said several phrases. Kate translated her words 

watching all that is happening in front of her eyes in disbelief. 

“Ertsetu, the life that gives birth will regenerate in you. Remember, 

you will be able to subdue the elements if you follow just one rule. 

There are no rules. You have his strength, you have his weakness, and 

you have the answer.” 

The old woman made a bow and said, “Raando Ninandzhlon, vi 

kadira”. 

She tore off one of the amulets from her stick and put a long 

leather lace, which she took off her wrist, through it. The slender 

wrinkled hand offered me this small round charm made of thin willow 

twigs and ornate beads and feathers. The woman touched me with her 

warm palm, and then headed towards the car. 

I squeezed the amulet in my hand. It resembled a miniature dream 

catcher with abundant decorations. 

“Thank you,” I said quietly following them with my eyes. They got 

into a mud-covered Rubicon that disappeared from my sight in a 

minute after it turned around the road bend. 

~ 54 ~

I entered the manuscript and swiftly treadled towards home 

thinking about my upcoming exams. A lot depended on the results. 

So, I needed to focus on studying. I promised myself to start reading 

today after work. 

Now, I had thirty minutes to carry some things to Miss Hoggins’s 

house and still walk Porto. At 8:00 p.m., I had to be at the café. 

The road leading to the house was empty. When I got home, Eli 

had left, and I breathed a sigh of relief. He had triggered a feeling that 

scared me. The further I was from him the better. I was going to 

spend a week at Miss Hoggins’s house. I thought once he became 

extremely bored, he would find a more decent house to reside, or 

maybe just disappear as quickly as he had appeared. 

I entered the room and began to pack textbooks, exercise books, 

and all other necessary things into a small box. Having finished 

packing, I examined the contents with satisfaction. Miss Hoggins’s 

house was in the neighborhood, and I could always come back and 

fetch anything I still needed. The sounds from the room upstairs 

subsided, and then I heard snoring. With the box in my hands, I 

tiptoed downstairs and left the house. 

Miss Hoggins’s house was more spacious and light-filled. I found 

Porto in the bedroom. He was peacefully resting on the bed. I fell next 

to him and stretched myself on the quilt. Porto was happy to see me. 

He started licking my cheeks and neck with his rough tongue. 

“That tickles! Stop it!” I was laughing. 

He started jumping on the bed and wagging his tail while 

continually hitting me with it. I was playfully pushing him away, but he 

was landing even closer and touching me with his paws. At a moment, 

having started playing pranks, Portolon jumped too close to the edge 

of the bed, slid off, and hit the floor with a loud crash. I burst out 

laughing and looked down. Porto’s big square muzzle was smiling with 

satisfaction. He turned around on his back and offered his belly. 

“So cunning, you are!” I said scratching his sides. “Stand up. It’s 

high time for a jog.” 

~ 55 ~

Porto jumped up and ran to the door. When I went out he already 

had the leash in his mouth. We were cheerfully running along the 

forest roads and frightening squirrels for about half an hour. 

Afterwards, I led him home and warmed up a full bowl of his favorite 

beef meatballs. 

By 8:00 p.m., I was already at the café. It was Friday, and we 

expected it to be busy night with plenty of dirty dishes. 

“Hi, Leela!” Michael greeted me joyfully. “We’re going to have a 

hard evening.” 

“Yes, we are. We are not leaving before midnight,” I said. 

“The weekend starts tomorrow, so, we’ll be able to have some 

rest,” he replied and ran out to the hall. 

Someone was going to rest this weekend, but that someone was 

definitely not me. I had planned to start preparing for my final 

examinations that night. 

“Ciao, Leela! Buona sera (Hi, Leela! Good evening).” I heard the 

baritone of Flavio Bartolloni’s voice. He was the owner of the café. 

“Buona sera, Flavio (Good evening, Flavio),” I answered. 

“Sei bellissima come sempre (You are beautiful as always),” Flavio 

gave me a compliment and a smile. 

It was always pleasant to hear a compliment from him. I trusted his 

cheerful brown eyes, which had something sincere in them. I believed 

he could see the good inside every person and the silver lining in any 

situation. 

“Grazie. Se qualcun altro ha detto, non avrei mai creduto (Thank 

you. If someone else said it, I would’ve never believed it),” I said. 

He began to laugh. 

“Are you ready?” He asked excitedly and left the kitchen without 

hearing my response. 

~ 56 ~

Tonight we had twice as many customers and three times as many 

dishes. Flavio was happily running from the kitchen to the hall trying 

to maintain order. His business was his main passion, to which he was 

totally devoted. It was nearing midnight, and the guests were leaving. 

My hands started to itch. I wanted to dry them with a towel as soon as 

possible and just go home. At a certain moment an agitated Flavio ran 

into the kitchen. His cheeks were glowing. 

“Our guests express desire to stay longer. The signora in a red dress 

has a birthday party today, and they want to continue the celebration. 

Your working day finishes in ten minutes. So, you may go home if 

you’d like, but I will pay double to those who choose to work longer.” 

Nobody wanted to stay. 

“I’m staying,” I announced. Flavio smiled thankfully. 

“Me too, then,” Michael added. “Somebody should bring Leela 

home tonight.” This statement made me feel uneasy, but I said 

nothing. 

“Thank you, guys,” Flavio tapped us on the shoulders. 

“Then let’s get back to work!” 

The next three hours were extremely difficult. The kitchen was 

understaffed. Michael and I were delivering both the orders and 

cleaning the tables. The guests left at about 3 a.m., and I returned back 

to a Mount Everest of dirty dishes. 

“Thank you so much, Leela!” uttered the voice with the familiar 

accent. 

“You are welcome,” I smiled feeling exhausted. 

“Michael would not have stayed if it wasn’t for you.” 

I nodded. Possibly, it was true. Flavio took a towel and started to 

help me with the dishwashing. 

“Done,” Michael crawled into the kitchen. His messed up hair 

pointed in all directions. Sweat was dripping down from his red face. 

“We’re also finishing,” Flavio leaned his elbows on the old wornout 

table. I put down the last plate and wearily threw myself onto the 

chair. 

~ 57 ~

“Tutti avete lavorato bene (You both have worked well),” Flavio 

put two white envelopes on the table. 

“How about a late dinner turning into an early breakfast?” He gave 

us a smile. 

“No thanks. I have to get up early,” my tongue faltered as I spoke. 

Flavio placed a plate brimmed with my favorite mussels in garlic sauce 

on the table. 

“Cozze alla marinara!” He announced quietly. 

“Pshaw!” Michael made a face. “Snails?” 

“It is shellfish,” I said chewing a mouthful, “and it is incredibly 

tasty!” Flavio cracked a satisfied smile. He also fancied shellfish, unlike 

many people who got sick at the mere idea of eating mussels. 

“I’d rather make a sandwich for myself,” Michael shook his head. 

Having the larger part of my dish eaten, I gave a wide yawn. Now, I 

could hardly keep my eyes open. My eyelids were drifting down. I had 

to leave soon because the next day was going to be fully charged. I 

stood up from the chair and dragged myself to the exit. Michael 

followed me. It was a cold night outside. It seemed even colder since I 

was tired and sleepy. White clouds of steam burst out of my mouth 

and dissipated in the darkness. An owl hooted far away in the forest. 

“It’s even darker today than usual,” Michael said peering into the 

skies. 

“The moon is behind the clouds,” I echoed. 

“I’ll drive you home,” he said firmly, and I gladly agreed. 

I was so weary that I couldn’t take a step. I decided to retrieve my 

bicycle tomorrow. So, I jumped into the pickup truck and sat in the icy 

cold seat. My teeth chattered. 

“Put it on,” Michael passed me a jacket. 

“Thanks,” I said with my lips shivering, and wrapped myself up in 

it. 

~ 58 ~

In any other situation, I would have rejected his offer, but not 

today. It was fiendishly cold, I was terribly sleepy, and couldn’t have 

cared less what Michael would have hoped for or thought about me. If 

I had frozen to death it all would be the same to me at this point in 

time. He started the engine and turned on the heater. Hot dusty gusts 

of air came from the vents and poured over me with warmth. The old 

pickup truck drove jumping up and down along the road. 

“Get up, Leela. We’re here,” Michael tried to wake me, but all I 

wanted to do was sleep. 

He opened the door from my side and stretched his hand toward 

me. I approached the door of Miss Hoggins’s house staggering and 

yawning. Poor Porto! He had to spend most of the night alone. 

“Thanks for bringing me home, Michael. Otherwise, I wouldn’t 

have made it by bike. I would have fallen asleep and ended up in the 

nearest bush.” 

“You’re welcome,” he smiled. “We could go out sometime on 

Sunday?” 

And there it was. I had to agree in order to not appear ungrateful. 

“Ok. Let’s talk about it again at work tomorrow,” I suggested not 

without misgivings. 

“Fine! Sorry,” he exclaimed feeling exhilarated. 

Michael waited until I entered the house and then drove away. 

Porto slept soundly in his bed. I slipped off my jeans and threw myself 

on the bed still wearing my pullover. In an instant, I drifted into a deep 

sleep. 

~ 59 ~

CHAPTER FOUR 

~ UNREAL KISS ~ 

! 

The aroma of freshly baked bread, probably tasty cinnamon buns 

or airy pancakes with syrup, lingered in the air. I tossed in my bed and 

covered my head with the blanket. Perhaps this was a dream? How 

could buns and pancakes possibly materialize if I was the one who did 

the cooking? It couldn’t be a dream, but a marvelous mirage. My nose 

poked out from underneath the blanket letting the delicious scent 

penetrate my nasal passage. I threw off the blankets and let the 

sunlight gently warm my skin through the bedroom window. Then I 

stretched out my hand in order to reach Porto, but he was not there. 

Maybe a fairy godmother from Wonderland had visited me and made 

breakfast. Anything could happen in a fairy tale. I smiled because it 

was all fine with me. A man was as happy as he chose to be. 

A few more minutes of blissful idleness and then I would have to 

force myself to get up--no alarm-clock and no Marge for the day. This 

day, for me, was about lying in a soft bed and inhaling the whiffs of 

freshly baked buns. Let it be a dream, an illusion, or a phantom, I did 

not care. 

The morning was perfect. I thought of Marge’s face contorted with 

anger was quite entertaining. Time with her was coming to an end 

anyway. Soon I would be free. Clattering of dishes and water splashing 

could be heard throughout the house. It was definitely coming from 

the kitchen, and it was quite real. 

Remnants of my dream had been replaced by alerted curiosity. Was 

there a burglar in the house? What burglar would come in a bake 

bread? This didn’t seem plausible. There must be a simple explanation. 

Most likely Miss Hoggins left on an unscheduled trip and had not 

notified her housekeeper. I grabbed an iron poker from the fireplace-- 

for the sake of safety--and went towards the kitchen. The smell and 

the sounds were becoming more obvious. 

~ 60 ~

As I tiptoed into the kitchen and glimpsed around the corner, I 

stood still at the view of the back of a shirtless male--this staggering, 

sexy man. Was he really the housekeeper of Miss Hoggins? A ruched 

red and white-dotted apron was carefully tied around his athletic torso 

in a bow. When he moved left towards the oven and almost 

disappeared from my sight, I had to lean forward to get a look at him 

again. He took a tray full of biscuits out of the oven with his bare 

hands and then turned around with a playful twinkle in his green eyes. 

Was this Eli? 

I was wondering what was more stunning: the fact it was Eli or 

maybe that he was shirtless wearing a flirty red apron, or that he had 

handled a hot baking tray without a wince. Red lace underwear was 

generally perceived as the sexiest outfit, but I beg to differ. They 

hadn’t seen Eli in that apron. 

“Are you snooping around?” he asked mockingly as if he had 

caught me trying to sneak out of the house. 

A corner of his attractive lips curved. 

“What are you doing here?!” my voice sounded perplexed as I 

stepped out of my ambush. 

“Good morning to you, too!” he replied with a big smile. “You 

look stunning!” he continued. 

I glimpsed at my full-length reflection in the golden-framed mirror 

across the room. It was...huh...thrilling. Waist-long awry hair curled 

down my back. Well, this part was still fine, but then I suddenly 

realized I was standing there barefoot in a pullover just covering my 

backside holding an iron poker in my hand. 

Just don’t let your embarrassment show, was my immediate 

thought. 

“Can’t say the same about you,” I uttered. 

“And I find this little piece quite pretty,” answered Eli in a prunes 

and prisms voice adjusting the ruches. 

“Take it off! Enough of this circus!” I shouted. 

“If you say so,” he replied. 

~ 61 ~

The apron was instantly thrown onto a chair, and Eli stood in front 

of me with just jeans on sitting low at the hips. 

“Is this better?” 

I remained speechless. This was indeed mesmerizing. He was a man 

of an ideal built--nothing out of place, no imperfect lines. 

I noticed goose bumps on his divinely beautiful chiseled torso and 

swallowed nervously. 

“What happened to your shirt?” I asked. 

“It is in the dryer. I washed it after it got dirty. It is a bit chilly in 

here, but if you like it more like this, I can rough it.” 

“Get dressed,” I said with a snort. “What are you doing here 

anyway? It is unlawful entry. I could call the police!” 

“You could, but you won’t, right?” he said with a smile in his eyes. 

“Just admit it. You are enjoying this little surprise.” 

Eli stepped towards me, and Porto was following him loyally 

wagging his tail. Traitor! He had betrayed me, his best friend, for a 

piece of cake. 

“I told you to keep your distance.” 

He took one more predator-like step. 

“Don’t come too close!” I said. Just in case, I clenched the poker in 

my hand. 

“Is this too close?” he replied playfully and instantly appeared so 

close to me his lips were almost touching my earlobe as he whispered, 

“This is really much closer.” 

The nice sensation of his breath on my skin gave me shivers; his 

voice was magically creamy and soothing. He chuckled playfully. I 

wanted to push him away, but my straightened arm merely touched 

the air. He was suddenly standing a few steps away from me at his 

previous spot. My heart was beating with fear whereas a grin had 

appeared on his face. 

“How do you do this?” I asked warily. 

He lifted up an eyebrow and twisted his face into a smile, which 

was his typical manner. 

~ 62 ~

“Don’t you believe your eyes?” he asked. 

“I am a down-to-earth realist to my fingertips who only believes in 

what she can see and touch,” only after saying that did I realize I just 

had laid an egg. I just had seen him disappear from one place and 

reappear in another. 

“Ah, you wanted to touch me. Just tell me next time, I don’t mind!” 

Eli was laughing. 

“What kind of person says that?” I demanded. “And why are you 

bothering people here?” 

Eli was again standing near me almost touching my body. He had 

done it again. 

His ability to move at lightning speed, beyond my sight, left me 

scared and almost catatonic. He ran his hands down my hair, barely 

touching it. I was losing myself in his hypnotizing golden-green eyes. 

Their shine was luring me into a dangerous vortex of swirling passion 

and lawless games, in which emotions were bargaining chips. With 

exaggerated slowness, he let a lock of hair fall back. He pranced back 

to the table as gracefully as a dancer. I felt frightened and attracted all 

at the same time. 

“Could you please find another counter player for this game?” my 

shivering voice had revealed my anxiety. 

“Wanna biscuit?” he asked presenting the pan to me. 

“Stop ignoring my words!” 

Eli wolfed one down then gave one to Porto. At that moment, I 

noticed the biscuit were bone-shaped. 

“Where did you get these?” I questioned. 

“From the freezer,” he answered while swallowing the next one. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“This is dog food.” Without moving a muscle he devoured another 

biscuit. 

“Well, do you want one?” he handed me the tray. 

I took it from his hands and emptied it into Porto’s bowl. The dog 

started munching happily and wagging his tail. 

~ 63 ~

“Take your shirt and get lost!” I answered. 

Eli pressed the button on the coffee maker, and it started to warm 

up with its characteristic hissing noises. 

“Did you go on a date last night?” he asked disregarding my last 

words. 

“Whatever happens in my life is none of your business!” 

“You came back very late.” 

I took his shirt out of the dryer and handed it to him. 

“You have to go, and I have a lot to do.” 

“Tell me, and then I am off.” 

“No, there was no date. I was working.” 

“Till 4:00 a.m.?” 

“Are you keeping tabs on me?” 

“No, just observing,” he answered calmly and put a cup of coffee 

in front of me. 

No one had ever brewed me coffee before. Even though he 

pursued his own self-interests and baked dog biscuits for breakfast 

instead of crispy buns, I was pleased. The freshly brewed coffee was 

delicious. 

“I had to work late, and Michael was kind enough to give me a lift 

home. Make a note that I do not do dating at the moment. First of all, I 

don’t have time for it, and, secondly, I have different priorities. You 

really have to go now.” 

Eli was slouching in the chair across from me and looked at me 

with a strange fainting smile. His shirt was still hanging on the chair. 

“Haven’t finished my coffee yet,” he said taking small sips. 

“I made it very clear.” 

“I told you I would leave, haven’t said when though.” 

I quickly finished my coffee, rinsed the cup, and headed back to the 

bedroom. 

“What’s the rush?” he asked. 

~ 64 ~

“Hope I won’t find you here when I return,” I yelled from the 

bedroom. No reply. 

Porto was spinning around letting me know he wanted to go 

outside. 

“Let’s walk to the café and pick up my bike,” I suggested to him. 

He gave a loud bark in response and followed the leash in my hand. 

We were alone in the house. Eli had left leaving his dirty cup. This 

made me angry. 

“Wait a sec, babe, I have to wash the cup first.” The pooch barked 

again hurrying me. 

“Ok, let’s go then. I’ll do it when we come home.” 

****** 

Despite the sunshine, it was much cooler than yesterday. It was 

nice to go for a run in such weather; the icy chill in the air speeds you 

up. Shiny dewdrops on the grass and the fallen leaves were reflecting 

the sun, and the morning mist had left the ground soft and humid. 

Birds were singing loudly as if they tried to out-sing the other. We 

changed our pace from a brisk walk to light jog. Slick soil dragged 

under my feet while cold flurries of wind forced me to run faster. 

The coffee place was still closed, and the parking lot was empty. My 

bicycle was nowhere to be found. 

I looked around confused. There was no way somebody could’ve 

stolen it, which meant it was somewhere nearby. I carefully checked 

near the back door, around the corner, and even looked in the garbage 

bins. Somebody could have thrown it away as trash. After I had given 

up all attempts in despair, I slowly went back home. My mood was 

completely down. Even though the bike would have only lasted for a 

few more months, I could not go on without it. 

~ 65 ~

The totally outdated public transportation system of our town 

consisted of two buses. These breakthroughs in prehistoric technology 

followed two routes that did not ever coincide with mine. I could use a 

public bus to get to school, and could likely get to the café by foot, 

whereas the editorial office and the library--as well as many other 

places--could only be reached in an hour’s travel. A journey back and 

forth would cost me at least two wasted hours. 

Once again, I poked around and finally noticed a piece of plastic 

that looked familiar. Something vaguely resembling my bike’s treadle 

was laying on the pavement. It looked like it was spat out. Just a 

couple of feet away, I spotted several rusted pins. I followed this sad 

trail all the way to the bushes and found the wreck of what used to be 

my bicycle at the forest border. The crooked frame leaned against a 

tree, and a twisted wheel with bite marks was hanging on a sunwithered 

shrub. I heaved a sigh and tears welled in my eyes. After 

disposing the remains of my bike into a trash can, I dragged myself 

home. If only I had ridden the bike home last night it would not have 

become a bear’s prey. 

The way back seemed three times as long. Icy wind was cutting me 

to the bones instead of refreshing me, and mud squished under my 

feet. Porto was running ahead of me scaring away woodland animals 

with his thundering bark. 

When we arrived home, I kenneled him and went upstairs to pick 

up the coat. I had a long walk ahead of me and would have shown up 

to Mrs. Olshevri’s shop frozen like a Popsicle had I not put on warm 

clothes. While I was holding the door handle a thought of fury 

awaiting me behind the door made me flinch. I quietly tiptoed inside 

hoping to sneak in without being caught. Absolute silence governed 

the place. It was as oppressive as the usual atmosphere in that house. 

It seemed abandoned. 

I went to my room, in order collect the money I had for Marge, 

only to find the box empty--more proof she regularly went through 

my belongings. 

~ 66 ~

I suspiciously approached the secret place with my money stash. 

The wooden plank squeaked and gave way revealing a small niche. It 

was empty. She took all the money I had saved. I sat down on the 

floor and stared at the hollow space. Tears ran down my face and left 

dark marks on my worn-out jeans. 

Without making any noise, Eli appeared out of nowhere. He 

squatted next to me. 

“Leave me. Go away!” I said trying to wipe my tears without being 

noticed. 

I rarely indulge in such weaknesses and did not like others to 

witness such moments. 

“Is it because of the bicycle?” he asked. 

“What?” 

“Are you sad because of the bicycle?” he asked again. 

“How do you know about that?” I asked watching him raise his 

eyebrow. 

“Stop spying on me.” I commanded. 

“I can’t,” he said somehow melancholically. 

I looked straight at him. His beautiful face showed no shadow of 

cockiness. He seemed a different kind of man. 

“You know, I think you are not right in the head and suffer from 

split personality disorder. You are crazy! First, you enter somebody 

else’s house half-naked, stalk me, and disobey all norms and rules of 

behavior. And then you act like you care!” I said sternly. 

“I follow my own rules,” he replied. 

“Well, do so, but keep your distance from me.” I was looking him 

straight in the eye, and their enchanting inner glow was stealing my 

breath away. I could not turn away, and why was I willing to drown in 

their depths? 

“You are scaring me. This is spooky,” I said. 

With a deep sigh he turned his back to me, walked to the window, 

and pressed his forehead against the glass. 

“Keep away from me,” I uttered before leaving the room. 

~ 67 ~

He continued to stand in my bedroom, my former bedroom. Right 

then, I had decided to leave this house forever. I donned my coat and 

went outside. The sun was hiding behind dark storm clouds. 

Icy blasts of wind whipped my cheeks and spread my teardrops as I 

quickly walked down a path through the forest. It started to drizzle 

and then rain. In a moment, I was soaking wet with hair stuck to my 

cheeks. 

I heard a motor rattling behind me. A black Lamborghini 

masterfully pulled over next to me without splashing mud around me. 

“Leela, get in!” shouted Eli through the open window. 

Large raindrops were beating loudly against the car roof. I picked 

up my pace and almost switched to running. 

Go away! GO AWAY! pounded repeatedly in my head. 

“I won’t say a word. I promise,” he called out to me again. 

I was moving as fast as the resistance of slick muddy soil would 

allow me. My feet came close to stumbling as they propelled me 

forward. Tears dripped down my face leaving the taste of salt water in 

my mouth; the taste of my weakness. It felt like an icy chill had gotten 

trapped in my bones. 

Now, I was shivering and biting my numb lips in order to stop my 

teeth from chattering. It started to hail, and frozen balls rattled as they 

bumped against the car that was still following me. 

When Eli realized the futility of his efforts, he left the car by the 

road side and ran towards me. He took off his jacket and spread it 

over my head to shield me from the elements. Raindrops were 

streaming down his face and falling from the well-defined sharp jaw 

line. His light shirt was immediately soaked, thus exposing his chiseled 

torso. 

~ 68 ~

We walked along without saying a single word. Wet feet splashed 

through abundant puddles. The hail stopped, but pouring rain was still 

drenching the ground. It flooded across the road in the low spots 

turning the track into an oozy mess. Suddenly, I lost my balance and 

fell down into the icy cold brown sludge. Laughing out loud, Eli made 

haste to help me. 

“Stay away from me!” I shouted pushing him away. 

He fell next to me and began to laugh even harder. I could see his 

breath in the air. His loud catching laughter seemed to warm up the 

freezing atmosphere. Eli was all covered in mud. This view gave me a 

smile, and I started laughing as well. Here we go--first symptoms of 

insanity. 

He easily lifted himself up and extended his hand in an elegant, 

extremely attractive gesture. 

“Get up quickly,” he said with a big smile. 

I put my moist slippery hand out and got up, but stumbled and fell 

back down. My hand was sliding out of his. I instinctively grabbed his 

shirt, lugging him with me. We both fell, but Eli landed on top of me. 

His face was so close our breath vapors mingled. A faint smile touched 

his lips while his enchanting glowing eyes were luring me to him. At 

the base of his irises a golden flare was flickering, making his eyes 

glimmer. Or was it just my imagination? He emanated an intoxicating 

smell of sweet freshness. 

Beads of rain were dripping from his hair and onto my face. He 

leaned in closer and stared at me awaiting my reaction. I couldn’t 

move since I was mesmerized by the golden radiance of his eyes. His 

sensual warm lips closed on mine, and his fervent breath invaded my 

mouth. Waves of intense heat rushed through my body. 

The wildfire within sped so furiously, I expected the puddle I was 

lying in to start boiling any time soon. I moved my lips in time with his 

following avidly the movements of his tongue. The kiss intensified, 

and soon I was dictating a more urgent tempo having forgotten all 

common sense. 

~ 69 ~

It stopped suddenly as if it had never happened. Eli was still 

towering above me almost touching my face, making our frantic 

kissing nothing more than a mere vivid hallucination. 

A smile spread across his face when he said in a creamy voice, 

“That was amazing. The real one will be unforgettable.” His lips were 

approaching mine. 

My knee moved as if on its own, setting out the permissible limits. 

Eli gave a hollow sound. 

“Hope you won’t end up with brain concussion,” I said pushing 

him off me. I was quite sure his brain was right in vicinity of the spot I 

had just hit. 

“Well, you need a better stone to defeat Goliath,” he replied 

mockingly, straightened up, and then offered me a hand. Each 

movement of his was astonishing. I had no clue what it was, but I 

absolutely did not want to ask. Two people cannot share a 

hallucination, but I could not name what in fact it was. 

We were halfway to the shop, but I did not dare to show up all slick 

and muddy looking like a Boogie Man from child nightmares. I stood 

up without accepting his hand and carefully turned in the direction 

back home. My thoughts were entangled. 

Questions popped up, one after the other. All of them were 

revolving around Eli, but failed to retrieve any answers. 

He caught up with me. Walking alongside, he took off his shirt and 

wrung out the dark water from it. His entire posture screamed comfort 

as if it was a hot summer day. I was intoxicated by his presence--fever, 

racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, and even visions--but this poison 

was like a perfect drug forcing my body to crave for more. Always one 

more glance, one more gesture, one more word. I was too far in this 

game, which I had not chosen to play in the first place. 

~ 70 ~

Cold wind blew through my wet clothes. I was shivering and 

scolding myself silently for being so stupid. Eli glimpsed at me with a 

scowl on his face. In the next moment, I lost sight of him. I stopped in 

the middle of the road looking around. He had just vanished into thin 

air as if he was never there. I would have gone completely crazy if it 

hadn’t been for the fresh footprints leading far ahead down the 

pathway. Being pushed forward by merciless wind, I went further 

following his trail. The prints had pronounced toe-caps and were 

pressed into the ground in a manner characteristic for runners. 

Ripples expanded across the water in his footsteps, intensifying 

with every moment; then the water started to splash out. The reason 

was obvious as a Lamborghini was fast approaching me growling like a 

wild animal and making the message clear to the public. The braking 

tires squealed demonstrating perfect road-handling qualities, and the 

calescent jet pulled up a few feet away from me. Black doors swung up 

like wings of a hawk letting the pilot step out from it. Eli was wearing 

a black leather jacket over his half-naked body that was still covered in 

mud. 

All of a sudden, he appeared right next to me in the same way he 

had disappeared, and gently pushed me towards the car. I resisted and 

gave him a quizzical look because I was feeling like a prized idiot. He 

stopped. 

“I hope you have no intention to freeze to death out of your own 

free will.” 

Perplexity made my mental cup run over, and I dared to ask a 

question despite my overwhelming fears. 

“I am just trying to understand how did you manage, in two 

minutes, to cross the distance we made earlier in half an hour by brisk 

walking? Moreover, you even came back by car.” 

Eli smiled condescendingly. 

“This is a very fast car,” he replied. 

“I do not doubt a Lamborghini can make it, but what about you? 

Were you manufactured in the same factory?” I uttered arduously 

through my numb lips. 

~ 71 ~

“Fancy fast cars?” he raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

“No fancy, the truth.” I demanded. 

“Indeed, that is your favorite pastime. You are hiding a romantic 

novel under the organic chemistry book cover and supercar journals 

below the mattress,” he replied mischievously smiling. 

“And what did you expect? A book on gardening? Besides, I do not 

have the word ‘pastime’ in my vocabulary. So, please don’t stand in my 

way, and do not waste my precious time!” 

“Just a few minutes ago you were so passionately wasting your time 

with me that even I started to sweat.” 

He starting laughing, celebrating his victory in the struggle between 

sense and sensibility. 

I felt he was masterfully cutting the ground from under my feet. 

One cunning strike after the other. 

His eyes were glowing with desire. 

“Resistance is pointless. Sometimes the only way to get rid of 

temptation is to yield to it,” he murmured while moistening his lips 

carnivorously and leaning towards me. 

“You have just swept me off my feet by your intelligence. You have 

read Oscar Wilde!” 

“Well, Gray is an interesting character,” he said. 

“Two of a kind. You both are as bad as each other. Some 

temptations cannot be fought. One must close one’s mind and fly 

from them,” I struck back. 

Then I turned on my heels and headed home. My feet were 

drenched; the sound of squishing mud was coming from my shoes 

with each step. 

“I am so impressed by your intelligence! You have read The Keys 

of the Kingdom by Archibald Cronin!” he yelled. 

I looked back in silent surprise. 

He just threw his head back and was laughing. His dark hair was 

sparkling with a cognac hue. One lost battle does not mean a lost war. 

I never surrender, simply change strategies. 

~ 72 ~

“Nothing really happened,” I stated. 

“But you did not know that and enthusiastically partook in my 

fantasy,” he said. 

I could not find the right words. My heart was pounding hard, and 

my only wish was to disappear. So, I took a deep breath and hurried 

off. 

“Do you still want to know the answer to your question?” he asked 

me. 

I stalled and turned my head waiting for his response. 

“I will answer any question of yours if you allow me to drive you 

home,” he quipped. 

~ 73 ~

CHAPTER FIVE 

~ AVE ATQUE VALE ~ 

! 

Hail and Farewell 

“Sorry, I have stained your seat,” I said apologetically. 

Eli kept smiling happily. 

“It is so easy to fix. It’s just a piece of plastic,” he replied casually. 

This car was a masterful embodiment of pure motion. The thought 

flashed in my head, Stains on such a car was as painful for as the 

desecration of the Mona Lisa to an art lover. 

He burst into laughter. Once again, I had a feeling he knew exactly 

what I was thinking. 

“Is this your question?” 

I looked at him with a puzzled expression. Questions were 

plentiful, and this was just one of many. Are you reading my mind? I 

wondered. 

“Well, not exactly. It is you who is transmitting your thoughts into 

my head.” 

Gosh! How terrible! He knew about my every contemplation! 

Eli squinted cunningly like a cat and smiled at me. 

“Lots of them have stricken my fancy,” he said. 

I blushed again wishing the ground would swallow me up now. 

“I am sorry for your bike,” he changed the topic. 

“I can hardly imagine that you could gnaw through the metallic 

frame, unless of course, you could turn into a bear,” I said. 

“No, I cannot, at least not into a bear,” he chuckled. 

~ 74 ~

This response was perplexing. 

“What animal can you change into?” I inquired and only afterwards 

realized how absurd this question really was. 

“Nope, this is your second question already,” he cracked a sly smile 

as we were entering the driveway. The Lamborghini growled 

menacingly and then stood still. The doors were locked. 

Open the door, I gave him a mental order testing the truth of his 

statement. 

“Your wish is my command,” he responded. The doors went up. 

“So it is for real then. Is there any way of shielding my thoughts?” 

“It is very, very complicated,” he shook his head and grinned. 

“And I will find how!” I assured him. 

He looked conceited as he muttered something like ‘Yup’ and 

stepped out of the car. We went up to the second floor and each 

headed to his own room. I took my sweet time warming up under the 

shower. The first thing I did after that was grab the phone and dialed 

the book shop. 

“Madame Olshevri’s Bookstore. How may I help you?” her gentle 

voice poured through the receiver. 

“Hello, Mrs. Olshevri. It’s Leela.” 

“Hello, darling. Have you changed your mind?” she asked. 

“Oh no, of course I haven’t. My bicycle broke down, and I was 

bound to go by foot. I was caught in the heavy rain on my way and fell 

in a puddle. So, I had to return home to change. I will definitely come 

in, but just a bit later.” 

“Oh my!” she gave a sigh. “The weather is quite bizarre today. This 

sudden rainfall, and the hail…this is all so weird. The silver lining is 

that it at least stopped as abruptly as it started. But how will you get 

here without your bike? Maybe we should wait until it is repaired?” 

“No, it’s beyond repair; a total loss,” I responded. “Please don’t 

worry. I’ll change my clothes, and the road will have dried out by the 

time I’m done.” 

“Thank you so much, Leela.” 

~ 75 ~

“See you very soon, Mrs. Olshevri.” 

“L-E-E-L-A!” Marge howled banging on the door. 

“So horrible!” exclaimed Mrs. Olshevri. “When will she finally give 

you a break?” 

“Sooner than she thinks!” I exclaimed. “Excuse me. I have to go 

now.” The door opened, and a quite enraged Marge barged into the 

room. 

“Since when have you made a habit of locking the door?” she 

shouted. 

“Ever since I started to pay for my stay here,” I countered calmly. 

“But you did not give me the last earnings from the café!” she 

stretched her hand, with dirt under the nails, toward me. 

“It seems to me, you took even more than you were entitled.” She 

twirled the pendant on the chain around her neck. “I am entitled to 

everything that you have earned!” she looked over my shoulder. “What 

are you doing?” 

“Packing my stuff,” I answered. 

“Are you leaving?” she asked with a terrified look in her eyes. 

“I am,” I said while continuing to pack my books into a box. Marge 

scrunched her face maliciously. 

“Why do you assume you can just leave?” she asked. 

“And why not? Slavery was abolished long ago!” I retorted baffled 

by her question. 

“You are under eighteen!” She huffed. 

“My advice to you? Start looking for a job!” I concluded and went 

off to the door holding the box with my humble belongings. 

“You are not leaving!” Marge cried. “You are biting the hand that 

feeds you! I brought you up; gave you food and shelter. And now you 

are going to abandon me?” 

~ 76 ~

“Do you believe your own words? You never so much as thanked 

me! Whenever I was sick and feverish you forced me to carry out your 

tasks. The only thing I have ever received from you was the bicycle you 

were going to dispose of anyway. My obligations toward you are 

fulfilled. I have served you for five long years and have never said a 

single bad word to you. And now, I just want to leave. Let me 

through!” 

“You are not going anywhere from here!” she growled and clawed 

at the box. “Give it to me!” she screamed and suddenly grabbed me by 

my shirt. 

Trying to escape her grasp, I pushed my palm against her chest and 

accidentally touched her necklace. The pendant unexpectedly kindled a 

light-blue shine that diverted my attention from the row. I was 

enchanted by this circular disk and stared at it not knowing whether I 

should believe my eyes. 

Eli had appeared in the room wearing only a towel wrapped around 

his waist. I had an impression that piece of cloth was fairly loose. His 

body was all wet after the shower, and water drops were streaming 

down following the muscular outline on his perfectly built body. 

Marge took her hands off me, and I had immediately forgotten about 

the pendant. 

I hope his towel wouldn’t fall, the thought flashed in my head. I 

averted my gaze while blushing. Eli could not help snickering. Marge 

stared at him with an open mouth. So, I seized the moment, sneaked 

out of the room, and hid behind Eli’s back. Her lecherous eyes, under 

the swollen eyelids, were wandering all over his muscular torso. 

What a pathetic view! Hopefully, I do not gawk at him like that. Eli 

turned to me and said quietly, 

“I don’t mind.” 

I felt like the ground had opened up, and I could not stop falling. 

Embarrassment suddenly poured over me. I didn’t know how to stop 

my thoughts--on their wild track--or at least how to hide them well. 

He took the box from Marge’s hands and instructed her, 

~ 77 ~

“You came here to give Leela her money back. Do it, and go 

away.” 

Without saying a word, Marge took some crumpled banknotes out 

of her pocket and handed them to me. 

“Say thank you,” he ordered. 

“Thank you,” she uttered with a puzzled expression on her face. 

I wasn’t the only one who could not rationalize her behavior. 

Marge herself looked completely disoriented. 

“You may go now,” he continued calmly, and Marge made few 

steps out of the room in bewilderment. 

“Hmm, wait a minute,” Eli stopped her. “Why don’t you wash my 

car first,” he commanded and gave her the keys. 

“Why don’t I wash your car!” she replied as if the idea had just 

stricken her. 

“So sweet of you!” Eli smiled. “And we will drink coffee in the 

meantime.” 

“And you just enjoy some coffee in the meanwhile,” she repeated 

and left in a hurry. My brain was almost melting trying to find an 

explanation for this. None of it made any sense. 

“Any more questions?” he suggested with a smile. 

I whispered while trying to look away from him and fighting the 

embarrassment and fear. 

“Thanks,” I replied. 

For some reason he was strangely entertained by my behavior. Eli 

took few steps towards me. 

“Who could have known that one simple six-letter word does not 

come very easy,” his soft voice lapping in my head like sea waves 

against the shore. 

“Could you please get dressed,” I squeezed these words out of my 

mouth while I was pressing my back against the wall. 

~ 78 ~

“As you wish,” he whispered into my ear and took a deliberately 

slow walk back into the other room. Inevitably, I caught yet another 

view of his athletic body and the whippy buttocks pocking through the 

washed-out towel. I grabbed my box and hurried to Miss Hoggins’s 

place. 

So far, I had no idea what I was going to do when she returned 

home. Somebody likely could rent me a room. One just has to set the 

goals, and the means of achieving them would pop up by itself. As I 

opened the door, the irresistible scent of freshly brewed coffee-- 

second to none--had tenderly embraced senses. An unexpected scene 

awaited me in the living room. 

Eli was sprawled in a soft armchair next to the fireplace holding a 

cup of coffee. I had no idea how he could put on his clothes in an 

instant, get here before me, and even find time to make coffee. He 

pointed at a second cup that was standing on the round tarsia table. 

This day had already delivered me with more amusements than my 

entire lifespan thus far. He stretched himself in the chair like a cat and 

was smiling contently. 

“Will you have coffee with me?” 

“Save your trickery for someone else,” I begged him. 

“That’s the point. No tricks. I want you to know who I am without 

any cover-ups or smoke screens. I do behave naturally.” 

“For whom is this natural?” 

“For me!” he replied squinting. I paused, forcing these words out, 

“Who are you?” 

Something flickered in his eyes like a tongue of a flame trapped 

inside amber. 

“Before posing this question, make sure you want to hear the 

answer,” he remarked in a low voice that turned my heart into ice. 

“The world is abundant, but you have chosen such a tiny, petty 

playground for your games. Don’t you feel cramped?” I snorted. 

~ 79 ~

“One sees a splash of water in a puddle, whereas the other one 

notices stars in the same puddle!” he took a sip and looked at me. “I 

have never been so cheerful before.” 

“Well, you have had a lot of fun here. You have turned my life 

upside down,” I breathed out these words and then finished my warm 

coffee in few sips. 

“It’s not that bad, I presume. Don’t be so pessimistic.” 

“You insist that you have eaten my bicycle, and I do believe you. 

How is that not ultimately absurd?” 

He exploded with laughter. 

“I wanted you to take a ride with me, and that rusted piece of crap 

was not a good bike anyway. It was dangerous to sit on. And, for the 

record, I did not eat it.” 

“In my opinion, it is much more dangerous to drink coffee here 

with you.” The smile vanished from his face. 

“Do you want me to leave?” his voice sounded unnaturally calm as 

he questioned me. I felt feverish, and then a blood-chilling icy wave 

zipped down my spine. The room was stifled by heavy silence. 

You surely don’t want that!my inner voice was desperately trying to 

reach out to me and dissuade me from the affirmative answer. 

I raised my eyes level to his and said as firmly as I could at that 

moment, 

“Yes!” 

My heart was now beating rapidly, repeating, No! No! No! 

In the next moment, I was looking at an empty chair. Eli was gone. 

The imprint of his body was still visible on the seat of the chair. I felt a 

lump stuck in my throat each time I took a breath. At that very instant, 

I realized my life would never be the same. He came into it like a 

beacon of light and left having burnt it to the ground. 

The ring of the telephone brought me back to life, and I jumped 

from the chair. 

“Hello,” my lips could hardly serve me. 

~ 80 ~

“Hello, Leela”, Miss Hoggins spoke in a hurry, “this is Gina. How 

are you and Porto doing?” 

“Everything’s fine. Porto is doing great, but he is almost out of 

food.” 

“Oh, forgot to tell you. I usually buy his food at Green Paw. Could 

you please drop by there, if it’s no trouble for you?” 

Green Paw was located in the town center just like all the other 

shops, but not far from the bookstore. By car one could reach it in ten 

minutes, but not by foot. I also doubted I could bring a big bag of dog 

food back home on my shoulders. 

“May I buy a small bag instead?” I asked hopefully. 

“But then you’ll have to go there every day. Porto is such a hog. 

Don’t worry, Mrs. Boggins will help you to tie the bag to your bike’s 

rack,” she replied. 

“I don’t have a bike anymore,” I informed her without any further 

details. 

“Well, then take mine from the garage. It is longing to hit the road, 

and please take into account that Porto only eats beef!” she explained. 

“Yep, I remember.” 

“Great!” A male voice called out to her on the other end. 

“Ok, Leela, I am off. Enjoy yourself,” she said very quickly before 

hanging up. 

An almost brand new white bicycle was standing in the garage. Its 

pedals moved smoothly, and it took me to Mrs. Olshevri in the blink 

of an eye. 

She was sorting out books and making notes when I entered. 

“Good afternoon,” I said with a smile. 

“Good afternoon, Leela.” she rearranged her glasses and looked 

straight at me. “You seem gloomy. Are you in a bad mood? Has 

something bad happened? Is it about Marge again?” 

“No. We are done. I moved out today with all my stuff.” 

“Where are you staying now?” 

~ 81 ~

“For now, at Miss Hoggins’s place. She is on a business trip until 

Thursday and has asked me to look after her dog. So, I still have five 

days to find something appropriate.” 

“If you like, you may stay with me and Mr. Olshevri. Our children 

moved out long ago, and we have two extra available rooms.” 

“Thank you so much!” 

“Our pleasure, Leela. We would be immensely happy to welcome a 

young girl in our old man’s house who would bring some motion of 

life in our routine. By the way, my apple pie is delicious,” she assured 

me with a smile that emphasized the laugh wrinkles in the corners of 

her blue eyes. 

“I am so grateful.” I was smiling too. My main problem was solved. 

I gave heed to my inner voice expecting the feeling of rejoicing relief. 

It was not there. Instead my soul was tormented by sadness and 

emptiness. All my thoughts were revolving around him. Apparently, I 

did realize what I actually wanted the most. He left, but it did not 

make me happier. Instead, the opposite was true. 

“We can start now if it’s fine with you. I have a shift in the café 

tonight.” 

“Sure, let’s start. First of all, I need you to sort out those books,” 

she pointed at the piles that seemed as tall as a man. “Fantasy goes in 

the last row next to the window. The historical literature will be in this 

row. The crime stories stay to the right of the cash register. Then we 

will have to move these books to the upper shelves. I cannot climb up 

the ladder, so, this will be your task. And then finally, the educational 

materials will end up in the outermost left corner.” 

“The sooner we start the sooner we finish,” I summarized and 

lifted up the first pile of books. 

After several hours of strenuous work, the lion’s share of work was 

accomplished. I was continuously moving the books--moving them to 

the upper level and arranging them on the shelves--while Mrs. 

Olshevri was sorting and cataloging downstairs. 

~ 82 ~

“That’s it! We have finished even earlier than I thought,” she 

adjusted a piece of hair that came out of her impeccably coiffured hair. 

“Would you like some herbal tea?” 

“Gladly. I am extremely thirsty,” I replied wiping the sweat from 

my forehead. 

The physical workout was great for removing heavy thoughts from 

my mind. I had banished these contemplations, but still could not find 

my peace. Every moment was now spent trying to persuade myself I 

had made the right decision. I wanted to believe the obsession with 

him would disappear as soon as the man causing it was gone. 

The last book pile stood on the floor. 

“Where do we take these?” I inquired. 

“Put them in a box, please. I want to donate them to the library. 

Those are not for sale anyway,” was Mrs. Olshevri’s response. 

“What are these books about?” 

“Local history. Unfortunately, nobody is curious about them except 

for me. I have not been able to sell any of those in a very long time. 

Maybe the library will give them a second life.” I found a box and 

started packing the books. They were so dusty, I suddenly sneezed and 

dropped a few volumes on the floor. 

“Bless you, darling,” exclaimed Mrs. Olshevri. 

“Thank you,” I replied picking them up one at a time. One had 

open and was lying aside. The title--Legends of the Kalanorsami Tribes-- 

printed in bold attracted my attention. 

I browsed through the richly decorated pages with pictures of 

Native American charms. One of them reminded me of the charm 

that I had received from the old Native woman. 

“May I borrow this book until tomorrow?” I asked. 

Mrs. Olshevri waved her hand in immediate approval. 

“You can have it for good, if you’d like. The tea is ready. Please, 

join me.” 

~ 83 ~

My only desire now was to sit comfortably in a chair and read my 

newly acquired book. Tea was simply not fitting with these urgent 

plans. So, I quickly slurped it and prepared to excuse myself. Porto still 

needed food, and I had to arrive on time for my evening shift at the 

café. 

Mrs. Olshevri hailed me over when I was almost out and rushed 

towards me, “Leela, please, take it,” she was handing me money. 

“No, please, no. I just wanted to help you. Also, you gave me a 

book.” 

“It is not how I do things,” she really insisted. 

“Goodbye! Please pass my regards to Mr. Olshevri!” I replied 

hurrying out of the store. 

After a short visit to Green Paw, which was in the vicinity of the 

book shop, I rode home. The food bag was so heavy it took me about 

ten minutes to pull it into the house. Pouring sweat, I dragged it into 

the storeroom and came bent down to the floor brushing aside drops 

of sweat. Well, I never was physically rigorous. 

It was 7:20 p.m. according to the kitchen clock. I placed the books 

about myths on the coffee table, and decided to read it after work. 

My glance rested on the empty coffee cup Eli had left in the 

morning. My heart sank. Being a perfectionist—as if I could somehow 

make his presence in my life and in this house remain—I did not want 

to clean it. My mind kept telling me my decision was right, but my 

heart disapproved. 

I touched the cup, ever so slightly, running the tip of my finger 

along its rim where his lips were just earlier that day. A bout of misery 

took an unyielding hold of my heart. Then came a regretful realization. 

We value people not for an amount of days spent together, but for the 

place they occupy in our hearts. We had been acquainted for two days, 

and I already missed him as if I had known him all my life. He was like 

a breath of fresh air. 

~ 84 ~

I exhaled in order to withhold tears and decided to banish all 

thoughts of him over and over again even if I had to do this a million 

times per day. First, I took Porto for a walk and then headed to the 

café meticulously repressing the sadness to the back of my mind. 

It was a surprisingly quiet Saturday evening--a few couples and a 

group of five. Flavio blamed the treacherous weather for the low 

turnout. We had almost nothing to do. So, we gathered around a small 

TV in the kitchen and watched the news. The news anchor was 

babbling about a shooting in a small town similar to ours, about a 

political meeting, and then even more gibberish. Her voice made me 

sleepy. I tried to disregard her and the bleak news reports. 

“The hailstorm scared away all of the guests,” lamented Flavio next 

to me. 

“A rainstorm in March is no wonder,” calmly objected Michael. 

“What’s wrong with you, Leela?” Flavio expressed his concern. 

“Do I have a stain on my pants?” I asked and looked at my 

reflection in a small mirror. Flavio made sure all his employers were 

neat. I saw my pale face with red eyes. He touched my forehead. 

“You are burning up! You have fever,” he knitted his thick brows 

together. 

“I probably caught cold under the rain,” I mumbled in response. 

“Michael, take Leela home. I’ll try to find a substitute,” requested 

Flavio. 

“I am fine,” I insisted. “I have been much worse.” 

Weakness was not a deal breaker. I did not want to stay home alone 

trapped within my thoughts. Work was a pleasant distraction from Eli. 

“Let me know if you feel worse,” said Flavio. 

“I will,” I managed a weak smile. 

~ 85 ~

Clients were sparse, and I spent the remainder of the evening 

resting. Flavio nurtured me with hot tea, while Michael helped me with 

the dishes. He was spinning around me and asking numerous times 

how I felt. Michael was a great guy, kind and attentive. I was really 

sorry I could not reciprocate his advances. His tender eyes and quiet 

voice left me indifferent, and my heart was silent in his presence. He 

would have become a dear friend for somebody else but me. 

All of a sudden, Flavio looked at the television screen with interest 

and turned up the volume. 

“Literally, hot news is coming from our reporter, George!” the 

anchor addressed a guy with messed-up hair whose image had just 

appeared on the screen. He was standing in the middle of field by a 

geyser, well-known among us. Dreadful sprays of steam ejected 

through the surface vents, creating thick mist that covered the ground. 

From the scene everyone immediately understood something had gone 

severely wrong. The reporter was jabbering very fast and constantly 

looking around. 

“Today, in the afternoon, we have been informed about resumed 

volcanic activity in Willowstone National Park. This active super 

volcano has been dormant for the past 600,000 years…Researchers 

recently found that only two eruptions took place over the past one 

million years…The specialists have expected its activity to resume over 

the period of 50 years…the volcano has been carefully 

monitored…nobody was ready for the unveiling course of events…all 

scientists agree there were no preliminary indications of the present 

scenario...Professor Hugh McGonagall comments on the topic,” she 

reported as an elderly man with an anxious look had appeared in front 

of us. 

“So far,” began Professor Hugh McGonagall, “we cannot explain 

what has triggered the volcanic activity…We are investigating the 

possible causes right now…If the activity does not subside we will be 

bound to perform mass evacuation from the area. 

But frankly speaking,” he adjusted his glasses and paused, “this 

measure likely won’t help. 

~ 86 ~

The power of volcanic gas injection can vary…However, in any 

case, the volume of the volcanic gases could suffice to cause a volcanic 

winter on the planet…implications may be catastrophic and 

devastating for all of us...the similar kind was followed by deadly acid 

rains, which poured down on Earth for many years…thick dust clouds 

shielded the planet from the sun. It is supposed this cataclysm 

involved the demographic crisis documented by the 

anthropologists…sources claimed that merely 10,000 people 

survived…Let’s hope for the best and pray!” 

We all exchanged looks. I felt my knees go weak. 

“We are just sitting on top of this volcano!” exclaimed Michael; his 

face was pale. 

“It does not matter. When it starts to erupt it will affect everybody, 

even the antipodes,” I whispered realizing my thoughts again turned to 

Eli. 

Maybe in a few days, I wouldn’t walk the earth anymore, but still I 

couldn’t help thinking about him. His hazel eyes, his adorable smile, 

the warm feeling in my chest when he was near. And his scent. I lost 

the ground under my feet when I inhaled his scent. 

“Leela! What are you smiling at?” Michael gave a cry of surprise. 

I erased the silly dreamy smile from my face, which was most 

inappropriate in lieu of the terrible news. Michael and Flavio looked at 

me bewildered. 

“Are you all right?” Flavio asked suspiciously. 

A shout was ready to escape my throat, I am not fine! I feel terribly 

bad! I probably have just a few days left on this planet, and I will never 

see him again! 

“I am fine,” I answered reservedly in a quiet voice. 

Half an hour before closing, and the café was already completely 

deserted. Flavio allowed us to go home early. I left the building at the 

same time Michael left. It was even colder outside. I knew I was sick. 

The icy northern wind was blowing from the mountains making the 

tops of the old pine trees bend and squeal under the wind flurries. 

~ 87 ~

“Do you want a lift?” Michael’s voice was resonating with hope. 

“No, thanks. I’ll get there. I am feeling much better already,” I lied. 

“I’ll ask Flavio which magic potion he poured into your tea,” he 

tried to make a joke. Michael was oddly shuffling his feet. 

“Bye then,” I said getting on the bike. 

“Leela, we perhaps won’t see each other tomorrow,” he uttered, 

hoping for the opposite. 

“I am not sure, but I guess I’ll feel better tomorrow.” 

I did not want to go on a date with him, but a word spoken is past 

recalling. I had to keep my promise. He was a nice guy, and I did not 

want to use him. I was just going to explain to him why romance was 

out of my nearest future plans. 

“Well, see you tomorrow then,” his face was shining with a bright 

smile. I felt uncomfortable and awkward. Maybe he wouldn’t get the 

hint. 

“At 5 p.m. Is that fine?” he suggested adjusting his coat. 

“Fine,” I replied, waved at him, and rushed home. 

The piercing wind crawled underneath my coat and messed with 

my hair. My condition was worsening. Fighting the weakness, I forced 

my undutiful feet to press down the pedals. 

Home was right around the corner. In a minute, I sighed in relief 

and put the bike against the wall. 

I was shivering from cold although my body was burning like a cup 

of boiling tea. Curiosity was stronger than sickness, and as soon as I 

entered the front door, I switched on the floor-lamp and sat in a chair 

with the book. The dimmed light did not offend my inflamed red eyes. 

Porto huddled up next to my feet and was snoring. I was skimming 

through the faded pages. A black-and-white image of the charm had 

almost immediately popped up in front of my eyes. This was the same 

amulet the old woman had given me. “Imotki charm,” said the 

inscription below the picture. 

~ 88 ~

I was too exhausted to read the entire text, but so far the curiosity 

was winning over my drowsiness. The main message of the text 

overlapped with what I already knew. I had no clue what I was 

searching for, but I continued to browse through the text until 

something caught my eye: 

The amulet of the Great Spirit Imotki is widespread among the 

Kalanorsami peoples. It is believed that the charm helps to resist evil 

spirits and casts away nightmares. 

Every moment of our lives is saturated with the powers that can 

harm us and the powers that can support us. 

If one is in tune with the benevolent powers, the latter will assist 

him in finding the right way. 

But if the choice is wrong, one can get into trouble. The charms 

are worn around the neck or hung above the bed to repel nightmares 

and apparitions. The virtuous thoughts will reach the person through 

the center, while the evil ones will get entangled in a spider web and 

vanish into the thin air with the first rays of the dawning sun. 

There was nothing else interesting on that page, so I turned it. 

The religion of Kalanorsami, just as those of many other Native 

peoples, is based on worship and awe of nature deities and forces of 

nature. The Kalanorsami believe in an arcane supernatural world 

populated with earth spirits that has a direct connection to nature. The 

legend teaches this world lies nearby and that Ambré Lake is its gate. 

A human being cannot walk through the gate. Only deities can enter 

the dimension of spirits. The Natives acknowledge they are purported 

to protect the gate to the other world. 

For the Kalanorsami, fire, water, air and earth are sacred. Some 

deities which embody these powers are particularly esteemed. 

For instance, there is a myth about a divine being called Makichi 

who can change its appearances. In their vernacular, he is a young man 

whose beauty makes the stars fade. Makichi is a patron of fire and a 

fertility god impersonating the male sexuality. Like many other Native 

deities, Makichi is not idealized. He does not obey the general rules of 

the supernatural world nor live by his own code... 

~ 89 ~

…According to Kalanorsami’s beliefs, each spring Makichi enters 

the world of humans where he turns into a rampant wild animal that 

expels the winter with its thundering roar and thus gives the way to 

spring. Leaving no chance to the frosts to overpower, Makichi favors 

for the well-timed seeding and a prosperous year… 

Enough. I was not able to read any more. My heavy eyelids were 

closing by themselves. I gave up and snuggled deep into the chair. 

I woke up from a strange chattering sound. In a second, I realized it 

was coming from my teeth. It was unbearably cold in the house, and 

my entire body was shivering trying to warm itself. Sweat beaded on 

my brow. This was the price for walking under the rain. 

Cursing my own ignorance and fighting with overbearing weakness 

in my weak legs, I slowly stood up and went to the bedroom, wobbling 

along the way. My head began to swim; the ground was opening under 

my feet. 

Clinging to the walls, I finally reached the bed and dove underneath 

the blanket. 

My eyes closed shut, but I could not fall sleep. I was dreaming 

about being stuck in a freezer like a piece of meat. I curled up and was 

trembling from being cold until something suddenly made me very 

hot. 

The heat was so extreme, I removed the blanket and took off the 

jeans and the pullover I was wearing. I was standing there in a tight 

thin shirt and panties. My skin was burning as if my body was 

enveloped by invisible flames. My chest heavily rose and fell loudly 

inhaling and exhaling the dry scalding hot air. Every breath scratched 

my throat. I was not one to melt away from any cold. On the contrary, 

I always endured sickness bravely because there was no time to turn 

mushy. But at that moment, I was feeling very bad, and every in-take 

of air caused a weird hissing sound in my lungs. 

My head was splitting from a pulsating headache. It felt like 

somebody was hitting my temples with a baseball bat. I was balancing 

between shallow sleep and moments of clear consciousness when I 

was gasped hot air with my cracked lips. 

~ 90 ~

I became thirsty and dry, like cobwebs stuck in my throat. An 

insatiable thirst was growing by the moment, overpowering all other 

sensations. I managed to sit on the bed, with a great deal of effort, and 

dangle my undutiful legs. I perceived everything now in slow motion 

through a thick veil. Attempts to focus my glance on objects around 

me became totally futile. 

The thought of help not coming prodded me forward. I was getting 

even thirstier and undertook fruitless attempts to make a few steps, 

which completely exhausted me. I slid down the wall and onto the 

floor. The world was swirling around me like a long merry-go-round. I 

was not even in the bed, and my body limply dropped down on the 

cold floor. Tears were running down my cheeks when I realized how 

helpless I was. 

Most likely, I passed out because in the next moment, I found 

myself standing on my favorite clearing in the woods. I had always 

dreamt about those woods as long as I could remember. This was my 

secluded paradise--a getaway from all troubles--where the sun was 

shining for me only. 

Not this time though. It was a dark night, so dark I could barely 

distinguish the tree silhouettes. The blazing headache still was not 

gone and prevented me from standing firmly on my feet. 

The place was governed by heavy silence. The only noise was 

coming from below my feet--the rustling of dry leaves. 

Nothing could divert me from the right direction. I had to reach 

the old oak tree. I could not tell how I’d come to know that and what 

it was all for, but I knew for certain, I had to be there. Somebody was 

waiting for me, and finally here it was! I slid my finger along the thick 

rough bark noticing all the abrupt cusps and punctures. Then I pressed 

my forehead against it and relaxed. 

~ 91 ~

Large leaves murmured as if they were rejoicing for me. I had a 

feeling of tender arms that encircled me in an embrace from behind. 

Pain finally subsided, and it put me at ease. I turned around to see who 

was there with me, but the pitch darkness was hiding him from me. A 

warm palm cupped my cheek, and my nose inhaled an exhilarating 

smell. My hands reached out to hug him and… 

When I woke up the sun was already shining bright. Flashes of 

sunlight were twinkling all over a glass full of water resting on the 

nightstand. Dazzling rays of light tickled my nose. I turned over on 

another side. 

Porto was sleeping soundly next to me with his head underneath 

the blanket. His paws were twitching while he grunted in his sleep. He 

probably was dreaming about chasing squirrels. I stretched my body 

and discerned for myself why was I so content. 

Had I dreamt about Eli? His adorable sweet smell was still trapped 

in my nose. I got a lungful of fresh air and held my breath in order to 

keep his scent inside as long as I could. Despite my efforts, it faded 

away just like all other illusions did once I exhaled. 

Sitting on the corner of the bed, I became aware that I was 

completely healed. I was so proud of myself. Even being delirious 

from sickness, I managed to get myself a glass of water. The cold was 

miraculously gone meaning my body was strong and weather-beaten. 

After the set of vaccinations, courtesy of Marge, nothing could stop 

me. 

Porto and I took an enjoyable walk in the forest and scared away 

the wild animals within a radius of two miles. The air was chilly, and I 

tried to stay in the sun, which was warming me up quite nicely. In a 

while we reached the place where 

I fell down yesterday. I was brought here by some uncanny power 

and stood still staring at the vanishing signs of past adventures. There 

were no traces of mud on the road, but the dry frosty ground was still 

bearing a few slight prints. 

~ 92 ~

I recalled the rousing excitement that overpowered me when our 

lips met and felt suspicious light-headedness. It was a mere illusion, 

but so be it. Truth be told, we spend most of our lifetime fantasizing. 

It makes no sense. I can still sense the untamed energy emanating 

from his eyes. A mere recollection made me tremble; made me feel his 

hot breath on my skin. How could it get even more real? 

I let out a deep sigh. The day had just started, but he and he alone, 

was already spinning inside my head. He conquered my heart and my 

thoughts making my desperate attempts to resist the temptation pitiful 

and minuscule. Snowflakes started to land on my nose, but instantly 

thawed. The weather seemed to be as crazy as I was feeling. 

Suddenly, Porto barked loudly and stormed forward. Fortunately, I 

dropped the leash just in time and remained standing upright. The 

dog, splashing balls of mud as he ran, soon disappearing behind a hill. 

I followed in that direction at a brisk pace. Usually, he always came 

back, but not this time. 

“Porto! Porto!” I called for him. I walked faster and then switched 

to running. At a distance, I noticed a man running behind Porto. 

“Porto!” I cried once again. “You come back now!” 

The dog was too enthusiastic about the chase to pay attention to 

me. I started to worry. The dog looked quite threatening despite his 

open-hearted and kind character. I ran after them both as fast as I 

could. Porto caught up with the man and barked at him very 

aggressively. The man turned around, pulled off his hoodie exposing a 

long dark ponytail. I came close enough to see him. He had a dark 

complexion and an expressive countenance. His shinny dark-brown 

eyes were framed with dense eyelashes that reminded me of feathers. 

He looked a few years older than me. He took off his headphones and 

squatted down to pat the dog. For no obvious reason, Porto bowed 

his head with veneration and gratefully wagged his tail. 

“Please forgive him,” my voice was breaking since I was trying to 

catch my breath. “I have no idea what got into him.” 

~ 93 ~

The young man drew himself up and appeared to be a head taller 

than me given that I was about five feet nine and a half inches. A darkgray 

pullover emphasized the curves of his athletic body. 

His broad shoulders and big palms made him look like a basketball 

player. 

“No problem at all,” he replied with a smile showing a row of even 

teeth. “He was just playing.” 

I was profoundly grateful to the stranger. You cannot expect 

everyone to have no problem when a 132 pound dog is running after 

you to play. From his straight face, I discerned he really did not mind. 

“Nit,” he introduced himself giving me a hand. 

“Leela,” I replied accepting his hand. It was hot and twice as big as 

mine. 

“And this is Porto.” 

“We already got acquainted,” remarked Nit scratching Porto behind 

his ear. 

“Are you new here?” I felt slightly embarrassed posing such an 

indelicate question. 

A creaking sound came from deep within the woods like the sound 

of a large dry branch cracking. Nit looked in that direction, and a faint 

smile touched the corners of his mouth. 

“Yeah, I came to visit my relatives,” his voice was low and a bit 

weighty as he moved to stand on my right side. He was quite likeable, 

in my opinion, and it meant a lot given that generally a 6 foot 5 inch 

tall stranger in the woods does not usually provoke good news. 

He probably was of Native descent judging from his skin color and 

dark thick hair. 

“Nice to meet you, Nit,” I concluded, taking Porto by the leash. 

“You too,” he replied with a smile. 

I turned around and went in the direction of home. I could feel his 

glance on my back as I walked away. 

~ 94 ~

The day was free except for the date with Michael. I nervously 

checked the time, anticipating that pleasure. I scolded myself for being 

so meek. Why did I agree? Before going on the guilt trip, I decided to 

spend time preparing for my exams. Covered in books and notes from 

head-to-toe, I tried to immerse myself into studying. It was all in vain 

since my thoughts keep returning to Eli every time I dismissed his 

image. I was fed up with algorithms, algebra, and my inability to 

concentrate. 

I went to the kitchen assuming a glass of water would do some 

good, but felt strangely dazed. 

There was no one to help me to shake this feeling. Eli left a gaping 

void in my soul that nothing else could fill. 

My tears fall down onto the stone-gray tabletop. This was not like 

me at all. I furiously wiped them away with my sleeve, but they only 

ran down faster. I broke into loud sobs from frustration, and it echoed 

throughout the empty house. Deep inside, I was hoping for some 

relief after letting out some of my pent up frustration, since, after all, I 

was just a human being; a teenager. 

After I drank two glasses of water and washed my face in cold 

water, I felt better. At least I stopped whining and wiping my snotty 

nose. What was going on with me? I could deal with anything before 

and endure hardships. Where was that strong resolute Leela now? It 

seemed to me my second strong side was gone, leaving me only with 

the vulnerable sensual other half. 

I gave up composing myself and pressed the button on the 

coffeemaker. I was walking back and forth trying to relieve distress 

while filling my cup—two or three times--with fresh coffee. Shortly 

before 5:00 p.m., I was actually looking forward to seeing Michael 

because he could distract me from the green-eyed heart snatcher. The 

time had arrived. It was 5:00 p.m., then 5:30 p.m., and then 7:00 p.m. 

Michael did not show up. It was almost dark outside. So, I decided to 

take Porto for a walk. We walked briskly along the familiar road 

watching the surprising snow fall. 

~ 95 ~

“It’s going to be a short walk, so, please finalize your urgent 

business sooner,” I asked Porto. “I don’t want to turn into an ice 

figure.” 

We followed the path a bit further. I twirled on my heels and gave a 

shriek. Nit was standing right next to me. At dusk, this shadowy figure 

seemed menacingly huge. He howled with laughter and put his hands 

up as if he surrendered in front of the police. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said apologetically. 

A heat wave rushed through my body. I was breathing deeply trying 

to cope with my emotions. 

“No big deal,” I squeezed out an artificial smile. “Now we are 

even.” 

Nit burst into laughter again. 

“I am going home. Want to be there before nightfall.” 

“Do you mind if I see you safely home?” he asked. 

“No, it is fine if it’s on your way.” 

“Is the weather always so foul here?” wondered Nit catching 

snowflakes in his large palm. 

“Well, speaking of the weather, no, it is usually fine,” I responded. 

“And speaking of the rest?” 

This tiny town only brought me melancholy and sometimes even 

made me sick. Nevertheless, I was not going to talk down on the place 

where I grew up and learned to be my own person. Sometimes, I had a 

feeling the town reciprocated, and it was our own mutual secret. 

“It was always,” I started, carefully choosing words before 

continuing, “very quiet, predictable, and unchangeable.” 

“I see,” resumed Nit. “So, it’s a total swamp and it sucks. I thought 

so.” 

I smiled, but did not respond to his comment. 

“Your dog is nice. I like big dogs, especially the Neapolitan 

Mastiff,” he explained clasping his hands behind his head. Muscle 

definition was visible through the thin jacket. 

~ 96 ~

“He is not mine, unfortunately. I am just looking after him.” 

Nit slightly nodded. 

“Do you attend school?” 

“Yes, I’m in my senior year. We have exams soon and other 

nuisances like the prom. The prom is my personal nightmare because I 

have no partner, no dress, and no idea what am I going to do there. 

I probably will spend the night staring at teens convulsing under 

terrible music from the Holy Inquisition times.” 

I had no clue why I opened my heart to him like that, but it was too 

late to keep my mouth shut. Nit was bending from fits of laughter. 

“I had similar impressions,” he uttered after taking a deep breath. I 

looked at him suspiciously. One could not imagine that about him. 

“What do you do for living?” I inquired. 

“I am working…” he likely wanted to elaborate more, but changed 

his mind at the last second. I lost track of time and had not noticed 

how we approached the house. I was feeling at ease with him. 

“Here we are,” I pointed to the house. 

“A beautiful house,” his words sounded slightly sad. 

“It is not mine as well,” I said with a smile. “Maybe that is the 

reason why I am so estranged. 

Everything here belongs to somebody else. Perhaps, I will find my 

place elsewhere.” It was again too late to hold my tongue. 

“Well, you would likely be missing your parents.” 

“I don’t have parents,” I whispered. Many years of loneliness had 

soothed my grief. Now, I felt just melancholic sadness. 

Trying to figure out why I could not just bite my tongue, I held the 

lips firmly together. Sometimes you meet people so pure and insightful 

you just want to stick to them, look deep into the fathomless depths of 

their eyes. They give you warmth you had been craving for a long time. 

That was exactly how I perceived Nit. He was like a close relative to 

me. I trusted him, definitely trusted him. 

“I am so sorry,” he replied sincerely. 

~ 97 ~

He rested his glance on me. I gathered something else was on his 

mind. 

“I am not going to stay here for too long, but even over a short 

period of time, I will grow moss from boredom here, I’m afraid to 

say,” he finally pulled himself together. “Maybe you could find time to 

be my guide and show me around a bit?” 

“We don’t have any attractions except City Hall. It is also not that 

attractive.” 

“Well, we could visit a neighboring town and have a dinner over 

there?” he was not going to give up easily. 

“I’m busy this weekend,” I tried to sound convincing, but I just was 

not a skilled liar. 

“I am really bored, and I can tell you are, too. We could help 

distract each other from our problems. It would be a friendly dinner,” 

he smiled charmingly and added, “it is officially not a date!” 

The idea to catch a break was not bad otherwise I would have 

probably gone crazy. Moreover, I was in danger of dehydration from 

crying all the time. Eli. I swallowed hard and turned away with a deep 

sigh. Please, not now! But the treacherous tears already began to form 

on my cheeks. This was a proverbial example of the open-your-heartto-a-stranger-effect. 

I was ready to share the most precious thoughts 

with him like with a piece of paper that can be burned afterwards. 

“Can I help you?” he asked with sympathy. I shook my head no. 

“Is it because of a guy?” 

Don’t say another word! 

“I see,” he sighed. “Then we will get along great. I have the same 

problem.” 

“Also with a guy?” I tried to make a joke. He laughed. 

I raised my red eyes up at him. 

“Did he stand you up?” he asked. 

“No, I asked him to leave me, forever.” 

Nit smiled sadly. 

“Why did you do that if you cherish him so much?” 

~ 98 ~

“Because he is not the right man,” the last word did not come easy 

because I doubted whether Eli was human. “He seems too dangerous. 

I think he did everything to make me want him to leave. I don’t know. 

It’s complicated,” once again I made a confession in front of a 

complete stranger. 

“Do you love him?” he asked unexpectedly in an apologetic way 

because he was questioning about the private matter. 

“No!” the reply came too quick and too indignant. 

Nit gave a knowing toss of the head. It started to snow. Denial of 

my own weakness was a mere castle on the sand. I had to admit it. I 

was in love with him, and this feeling was burning me from within. I 

did not know what was yet to come. 

“I am sorry,” I whispered blushing like a rose. “I’ll do my best to 

distract myself from this. What about Saturday at noon?” I proposed 

when he had already lost his hopes. 

“Great! Saturday at noon,” he confirmed with a bright smile. Nit 

pretended he did not notice my pre-hysterical condition. 

I waved at him and disappeared behind the door. Porto ran to his 

bowl begging for food. As soon as I fetched a tin can the telephone 

rang. 

“Leela, please forgive me for not coming over,” Michael’s voice 

was tired and sad. “Three tires burst at once when I was on my way to 

get you. I had to change them. There was no phone coverage for a 

good while.” 

“Oh, that’s horrible! Don’t worry about me. I was prepping for my 

exams.” 

I was not going to tell him I walked in the forest with a new 

acquaintance, then lamented about my sorrows, and finally agreed to 

go on a date with him. It was, in fact, weird how these handsome and 

mysterious men suddenly invaded my dull stagnating life. 

“Could we perhaps move our meeting to Sunday?” Michael was 

trying to make the best of it. 

“Hmm, yeah, sure. If you like.” I answered. 

~ 99 ~

“Great! My apologies again, Leela.” 

“It’s fine,” I reassured. 

“See you soon!” 

“See you, Michael. Take care,” I replied and hung up the phone. 

I harnessed my bravery and approached the textbooks again. My 

glance intensified at the empty cup on the coffee table. I squinted 

from the thought of never seeing Eli again, but simultaneously dreamt 

about our next meeting. My heart jumped expecting such happiness, 

even such an elusive one. For the first time, I could not come to terms 

with my decision. He left a hole inside filled with gloom and hurt. 

When I tried for the thousandth time to chase away his image, I 

clenched my teeth, picked up the cup, brought it into the kitchen, put 

it under the hot water, and cleaned it. 

~ 100 ~

CHAPTER SIX 

~ ...VICI ~ 

! 

I remember the next day being as in a haze. My eyes would eagerly 

search through the crowd of people at school in a vain attempt to find 

Eli. He did not show up that day or the next. 

Mrs. Hoggins called me on Wednesday to inform she had to stay 

for another week. It really did not matter anymore. I executed my daily 

chores on autopilot--walked Porto, went to work, and wrote mundane 

articles due to a total lack of inspiration and creativity. The volcanic 

activity carried on at the same intensity, and everybody was simply 

hoping for a miracle as the weather became more inclement. 

It was a long, almost never-ending week, and I thought of him 

every minute. He did not return to school. As the gossip about Eli 

subsided little by little, female attention to Phil resumed and restored 

him to alpha male status. Worth noting was Phil did not show any 

annoyance when Eli came into the picture–he was too confident in his 

own charms. 

Jennifer and I left after class together on Friday. She had a few 

math questions to ask me so we decided to study at her place. She was 

babbling on about new fashion trends for spring the entire way. 

Suddenly, I noticed a familiar tall figure standing at the far end of the 

parking lot. It was Nit leaning against his car. Jennifer swallowed hard 

after he waved at me. 

“Do you wear a pheromone perfume?” she interrogated with a 

long, wide-eyed stare. 

I giggled. 

“It is not what it looks like.” 

~ 101 ~

“I see a 6 foot 5 inch tall breathtaking cutie on a red Porsche, and 

he’s waving at you. What else could it mean? Speaking of cuties, do 

you, by chance, know whatever happened to Eli? Maybe he is sick and 

would probably enjoy a visitor?” Jenn said wiggling her eyebrows. 

Most likely, I was the sick one since my obsession with Eli was 

driving me insane. If I only knew where he was, I would have paid him 

a visit. Jennifer and I walked over to Nit. 

“Hi!” I exclaimed in surprise. 

“Hi!” he welcomed me with a smile. 

“Nit, meet Jennifer. Jennifer, meet Nit,” I introduced them to each 

other. 

“Are you looking for someone?” I asked Nit. 

“Yes. Actually, I was looking for you,” he shook his head and 

smiled showing his snow-white perfect teeth. 

“Oh, really,” I became a bit flustered. 

“Waiting was driving me crazy—wouldn’t have lasted another day. 

So, I decided to pay you a visit. You mentioned you were finished by 

3:30 p.m.” 

Did I actually mention that to him? I asked myself tacitly. 

“Do you need a lift?” 

“Sorry, Nit, I promised Jennifer that I’d help her with math.” 

Jenn stepped on my foot. 

“We could meet tomorrow instead, or on Sunday,” she put a tight 

smile on her freckled face. 

“No, I am working tomorrow, and I already have plans on 

Sunday,” I was not going to revise my arrangements again. 

“Ok,” he smiled rather disappointed. “See you tomorrow then.” 

“See you tomorrow,” I confirmed. 

He swiftly moved towards me and pulled me in a strong embrace. 

It was very unexpected, yet pleasant. I contemplated that if I had a 

brother, he would have locked me in his arms just like that. 

“Don’t be sad,” Nit whispered into my ear and released me. 

~ 102 ~

Nit went to get into his car, and Jenn and I continued on our way. 

“You drove today?” I asked completely surprised when Jenn 

walked towards her Honda. 

“Sometimes I forget to put gas in it then, of course, it just won’t 

start. Today was my lucky day,” she explained as she crossed her 

fingers and put the key in the ignition. 

The motor of the old piece of junk started to rattle, and Jenn 

screamed in triumph. We left the parking lot followed by the baffled 

stares of Monica and her girlfriends. Phil, who was chatting with a 

fellow teammate diligently put on an act of being at ease. 

“Do you realize you just made their heads spin for an entire week? 

I bet Monica is drooling over him!” said Jenn. 

I just shook my head. I was not interested in all the gossip. 

“Who was that guy?” Jenn was dying to know. 

“I don’t know for sure. We met in the forest.” 

“You take the cake! I’ll go live in the forest! Hey, what’s planned 

for tomorrow?” she asked me. This story was keeping her on the edge 

of her seat. 

“We are going to dine together.” 

“Wow! That’s great!” 

As for me, I was not equally excited about it. I enjoyed his 

company, but that was it. He probably had nothing else to do and 

entertained himself as best he could. Jennifer noticed my thoughtful 

expression, and remained silent for the duration of the drive. She lived 

in a big spacious house with her parents, a little sister, and two 

Pekinese dogs. 

As we entered, greasy noses welcomed us making snorting noises 

and wagging their twisted tails. We went up to her room to tackle 

algorithms. Jenn was at war with these equations. So, I spent two longs 

hours just explaining and demonstrating. I was erasing her errant 

solutions over and over again until the entire table was covered in 

pieces of eraser. After the time had passed, Jenn gave a long tiresome 

sigh, “I got that.” Simultaneously, her stomach murmured unhappily. 

~ 103 ~

“Wanna snack?” she asked. 

“No, thanks,” I lied while my stomach produced a contradicting 

sound. 

“Well, then my specialty sandwiches, A-la Jenn, are on the menu,” 

she proposed with an inviting smile. “You helped me out with algebra. 

Let me repay you with food.” 

She quickly retreated to the kitchen and returned in about ten 

minutes with a tray filled with sandwiches and two cups of steaming 

fresh coffee. I had a few bites and put the sandwich back on the tray. 

“Don’t like it?” Jenn asked concerned as she crammed her mouth 

with food. 

“It is very tasty. I already ate,” I excused myself. 

In fact, my thoughts went back to Eli. My existence was denying 

his absence. Food seemed to be tasteless. 

The watch alarm beeped. Two hours until my shift at the café. We 

were sitting on the floor and enjoying the last sips of coffee. 

Jenn settled herself behind me and ran her fingers through my pony 

tail. 

“Your hair is amazing!” she exclaimed with admiration. 

I enjoyed her touch and closed my eyes taking in the heavenly 

aroma of coffee. Jennifer loosened my hair, and dark strands rippled 

down to the floor. 

“Have you ever cut it?” she asked while in wonderment with the 

length of my hair. 

“No, never,” I said shaking my head, “but Marge tried to a couple 

of times. She gave up after I had slammed her fingers in the door 

while running away.” 

“Ready!” announced Jenn, moving a large full-length mirror next to 

me. 

I stood up and looked at my reflection. She proudly stood next to 

me. 

“And you are trying to deny the obvious? You are a beauty!” she 

uttered with admiration. 

~ 104 ~

I was stumped for an answer. Apparently, Jennifer was a wizard 

with her fingers. Large curls of dark hair ran down to my waist. The 

strands in front were in a French braid, and the ones on the back 

streamed freely down. My skin was so pale it seemed to glow. Against 

this light background my slightly pouty lips were clearly noticeable. 

Full almond-shaped eyes with a malachite green hue were shining. This 

was the first time I had gotten a good look at myself in a while. 

It seemed I had lost even more weight, although that seemed 

impossible. My weight was no more than 110 lbs., given my height, it 

probably was not much. Immediately, I felt a craving for a sandwich. 

Jennifer stood next to me looking very tiny. Her sanguine face with 

cheerful gray eyes was framed by light-blonde hair. The watch beeped 

again. I came back to my senses. Time had passed unnoticed. 

“I have to leave if I don’t wanna be late at work.” 

“I’ll drive you,” Jenn picked up her keys. 

“First, I have to walk Porto.” 

“No prob. We can go together if you’d like. I’ll give you a lift 

afterwards,” she said in her usual high voice. 

“Sounds great,” I agreed with a smile. 

At 7:50 p.m. the Honda parked near the café. We both left the car. 

“Thanks a lot for helping me out!” Jenn gave me a hug. 

“You are always welcome.” 

Just then, Michael’s white pickup truck entered the parking lot. He 

got out and waved at me, smiling in his typical calm manner. 

“Is this the guy you work with?” Jenn whispered. 

“Yep, that’s Michael,” I indeed had mentioned him a couple of 

times in our previous talks. “Want me to introduce you?” I asked with 

a smile. 

“Are you really asking me that?!” 

We walked closer to him. Today, Michael was not wearing his 

terrible baggy pullover. 

“Hi, Michael,” I greeted him. “Meet my friend Jennifer.” 

~ 105 ~

I noticed from the corner of my eye, her face was beaming with joy 

when I called her my friend. 

“It’s just Jenn,” she extended her tiny hand for a handshake, 

smiling brightly. 

“Michael,” he said as his face was also wreathed in smiles. 

“Well, Leela, see you in school,” Jenn gazed once more at Michael. 

His lips involuntarily formed another smile. 

“See you, Jennifer.” 

“Bye!” Michael was still smiling when we entered the café. 

I had no time for sadness since I had to handle dirty dishes and 

provide clean ones like a conveyor belt. I found this time liberating 

because it left zero time for self-destructive thoughts, and I could 

manage to push Eli to the back of my mind. 

Michael recalled Jenn in his speech few times as if by accident. 

“I could give her your number,” I suggested out of the blue, which 

left him perplexed. He was confused, likely because we had already 

planned some kind of a date. 

“She will like it,” I emphasized, and Michael could not contain his 

joy. His confusion amused me. He felt embarrassed as if we actually 

had something going on between us. 

“If you’d like, we can go out all together on Sunday,” I suggested. 

“Great idea!” he replied thrilled at the suggestion. His eagerness 

really bettered my lot, and I felt even happier than he. I would have 

been truly content if they became an item. 

Thirty minutes before closing and only a drunk company of four 

youngsters remained, and I recognized one of them. It was Ian. He 

was in my graduating class and we sometimes had the same classes. 

The guys made a lot of noise laughing and making fun of each 

other. They were quite rowdy. Flavio was bound to remind them—at 

least twice--to wrap it up because it was past closing time. 

Finally, Flavio just turned off the lights, and everyone went outside 

to disperse in the parking lot. 

“May I give you a lift home?” Michael asked me as usual. 

~ 106 ~

I refused his offer. Yes, it was cold outside, but it was not windy. 

Plus, I needed some alone-time to think about my current situation. 

So, I decided to take a refreshing walk home and walked along the 

well-preserved dirt road, which ran through the woodlands. My hope 

was that the brisk air would clear away the cobwebs in my head. 

Suddenly, I noticed an unfamiliar car parked on the side of the 

road. It looked like a silver Mercedes, but I could not tell for sure 

because its parking lights were off. My path ran right next to the 

vehicle, and there was no chance to divert. The car windows opened, 

and a gust of wind carried an echo of laughter and indistinct voices. It 

was followed by the unmistakable piney-like smell of marijuana. I 

stopped dead in my tracks, quickly crossed the road, and turned 

around. 

The next moment, a spotlight from two distant lights flashed 

directly on me. I heard the ignition start and the rustling sound of 

approaching tires. My home was just few minutes away. I sped up. 

Unfortunately, so did the car. As it came abreast of me, Ian stuck his 

head out of the window on the passenger side. His red face, dopey 

eyes, and lethargic smile did not leave any doubt he was totally wasted. 

Three other guys, who looked a bit older than Ian, were also in the car. 

I had seen two of them before, but never had spoke to them. The 

three of them were members of our town’s golden youth club. The fourth 

one, who wore a red cap and was driving the car, I did not recognize. 

He was a stranger. He seemed to be the oldest in the group and 

assumed a leader’s position. 

“Hey there, pretty!” he addressed me with a lively smile. These 

words made me squirm, but I kept silent in order not to anger them. 

The rest of the guys cracked up laughing at his words, as if it were a 

really good joke. I continued to run forward without stopping and 

could feel the blood hammering in my temples. 

“Leela!” Ian called, his tongue tripping the words. 

“A close friend of yours?” interrogated the leader. 

“Not as close as I would like,” Ian replied with a grin, and his 

buddies laughed again. 

~ 107 ~

“Don’t rush away! Let’s catch up!” 

“Sorry, Ian. I am in a hurry!” I answered politely, but firmly. 

“What’s the rush? No folks, no hurries! Let’s have fun!” he 

mumbled. 

“So, she is an orphan?” the driver asked with a sly smile, and I felt a 

slight hint of a threat in his voice. Chills ran down my spine. 

“That’s a lucky strike--such a cute babe alone in the woods at night. 

Feels like winning the lottery. We have to comfort her, guys! Are you 

in?” he shouted. 

His suggestion was accompanied by hoots of excitement and bursts 

of evil laughing that morphed into a wild cacophony. 

“Come on, let’s go to Anchovy. We do have hotties to pick up 

there,” suggested somebody in the car. 

“My chase is over for today,” stated the driver in the red cap. 

The car took me over, stopped abruptly, and hogged the road. Ian 

jumped out and approached me wobbling. He grabbed my hand. 

“Ian, stop, please. You’re drunk,” I said quietly so the others would 

not hear me. “Please,” I begged him. 

A shadow of a conscience and sensibility flickered in his eyes then 

disappeared. 

“What’s taking you so long? Drag her in here!” cried the leader. 

“And you idiots, what are you waiting for? Help him!” he ordered, and 

two other guys crept out from the back seat. 

This really sucked, and I felt trapped. There was no way to dissuade 

them. They lost their last bit of senses in weed fumes. If only these 

creatures had some reasonableness. 

I have to run! the thought was banging in my head. But where? Not 

along the road since they have a car. To the forest? It is pitch black 

over there, but still better than idle submission. 

I quickly glanced at the dark row of trees trying to figure out my 

escape route. 

~ 108 ~

“Don’t play hard to get! Let’s have fun, and then everybody goes 

his way. No offense taken,” commanded the driver with mild irritation 

in his voice. 

My knees were trembling preventing me from moving steadily, and 

my brain was paralyzed by fear. I failed to coordinate my movements, 

stumbled, and fell down. 

Two guys from the back seat seized my arms and dragged me to 

the car. I swash buckled the wet ground with my feet in a vigorous 

attempt of last-ditch effort of defense, but they held me tightly by my 

wrists hurting them. I bit the arm of the guy on my right and felt the 

sickish salty taste of blood filling my mouth. He screamed and released 

his hold. 

“Bitch!” he shouted pressing his hand against the wound. 

I made a fist with my free hand and took a poke at the second 

violator’s crotch. He squealed in pain and doubled over holding it. I 

turned over ready to run for my life, but it was too late. Something 

heavy smashed over my face causing tears. The last sensation, before I 

fell to the ground, was my burning left cheek and overwhelming 

ringing in my head. 

“I’ll kill her!” a shrilling voice said in anger. 

“Later!” replied the driver. “I am not a bloody necrophile!” 

He approached me and picked me up by my chin with his stinky 

hand. He looked at my face and swore. 

“Was pretty as a picture, but not anymore,” his voice sounded 

fierce and disappointed. 

“Don’t stand around like girl scouts at a flag raising! Pack her in the 

car!” he shouted at his friends. 

They restrained my hands, and I moaned from the pain. 

“The best is still to come, bitch!” spat the one I had bitten. “You 

could’ve been better off, but not now.” 

They squeezed me in the middle of the back seat. One abuser was 

choking me so the air went in and out with a hissing sound. The car 

went off the road into the forest and started to bump on tussocks. 

~ 109 ~

My gaze wandered from one offender to the other and finally 

stopped on Ian. He looked more sober than before and was clearly 

down. His eyes reflected inner struggle, fright, and belated awareness 

of what was going to happen. He noticed me and turned his attention 

elsewhere. Tears were silently pouring down my face then anguished 

sobbing involuntarily escaped from my chest. The man to the right 

elbowed me in the stomach, and I drowned in pain. 

“Shut up!” he said between his teeth. 

My death wagon stopped. We got out of the car. The men dragged 

me through the thorny grass and threw me down on the ground. 

“That’s not right!” suddenly cried Ian who came to his senses. “The 

game has gone too far. It’s over. Let her go!” 

“He’s up! What a moron! It is not a game. Nobody is letting her go. 

You said yourself that she’s an orphan. So nobody will be looking for 

her.” 

“I‘m not a part of this!” he yelled hysterically. 

“Then get lost!” ordered the leader; the rest laughed. 

Ian clutched his head and disappeared from my sight. 

I could hardly focus my stare on the three older men towering 

above me. I felt faint and was desperately trying to compose myself. 

Never give up! I thought while trying to crawl backwards, but it only 

triggered frantic laughter. 

“We got a spicy chick today!” one of them giggled. 

“I like it!” echoed the driver. 

I found a large stone by groping the ground and grasped it firmly 

behind my back. 

“Hey, Jack. Who is gonna unwrap the present?” mocked one of the 

violators. 

“A stupid question! Me, of course!” shouted the leader throwing 

off his red cap. 

So, it’s going to be Jack, flashed in my head. I was ready to attack. 

He leaned towards me with a cunning grin. 

~ 110 ~

“Let’s get started, babe!” he announced. At that very moment, I 

pulled out my hand with the stone and banged it against his head. 

He shrieked and shrank without buckling. He covered the wound 

with his hand, and streams of blood ran down his fingers. Jack looked 

at his hand in such a way that it became clear to me these were the last 

ten seconds of my life. He darted to the car and fetched a half-emptied 

beer bottle. Then he broke half of it against a stone and approached 

me with its shank above his head. The sharp edges floated above my 

throat. I closed my eyes awaiting the blow. Instead, he suddenly gave a 

wild short shrill. I opened my eyes and saw Jack’s body falling down 

almost eleven yards away from me. The bottle was sticking out of his 

mouth. 

Eli pushed himself up ready to strike back again. His eyes were 

furiously burning with absolute rage; his gritted teeth and twisted lips 

made him look like a wild animal. Two men looked at each other in 

fear and started running in every direction. One tried to get back to 

the car, but Eli effortlessly intercepted him. We heard a hollow 

crunching sound, and a guy collapsing to the ground like a sack with 

his head unnaturally drooping aside. 

I could hardly follow Eli’s movements. He seemed to appear and 

re-appear every second in a new place. The other offender tried to 

save himself by hiding in the woods, but very soon his blood-curdling 

screams tore the silence before fading away into the darkness. My gaze 

moved to Ian who was leaning against a tree and watched the scene 

through terrified glassy eyes. 

“No!” I yelled, but no sound came out of my mouth. 

Eli grabbed Ian by his neck and pulled him up into the air. He was 

groaning and pleading and helplessly twitching his legs. 

“Let him go!” I called out for Eli. “He is just a spineless, tool!” 

Eli was holding Ian with just one hand, whereas the other one was 

trembling, giving away the overpowering rage and inner struggle that 

was boiling inside of him. His chest heaved as if peals of thunder were 

trapped inside. 

Then he released his grasp. Ian fell on the ground. 

~ 111 ~

“Ru-u-un!” Eli roared ferociously and landed his fist on the hood 

of the ill-fated Mercedes. The car concertinaed like it was made from 

paper. Ian peed his pants, shrank backwards, and then ran away into 

the forest stumbling. 

Eli stood still clenching a thick pine-tree branch, but even that 

couldn’t hold back his aggression. He was like a compressed spring 

ready to be released. 

“Thank you,” I sniffed and burst into tears. 

My mind commanded all clear. Tight muscles relaxed and loud sobs 

shook my frame as my heart was overpowered by a strange mixture of 

happiness, from seeing him again, and pain from releasing what had 

just happened. 

He looked at me and snarled as if he could feel my pain as his own. 

The branch he was holding creaked and fell broken to the ground. Eli 

clasped me in a tightly affectionate embrace. My head was resting on 

his chest--I could hear his heart beating rapidly. He tenderly caressed 

my hair and touched the top of my head with his tender lips. Little by 

little, I relaxed. His regular heavy breathing conveyed warm feeling of 

security and confidence. 

I looked up at him, and our eyes met. He passed his hand across 

my injured cheek and winced. His big black pupils looked like they 

were floating in the middle of two blazing lakes in his ardent eyes. 

Flames of wrath danced on its surface like in a volcanic chimney. 

Suddenly, I felt confused, and he closed his eyes clearly disappointed 

by my reaction. 

“I am sorry. It’s always like that when something makes me 

furious,” he calmly explained, but his hoarse voice exposed his inner 

turmoil. 

“I want to go home,” I said as exhaustion overtook me. My 

trembling voice sounded entitled. He smiled and picked me up in his 

arms like a child. 

“I can walk,” I protested, but he pretended not to hear me. 

“I just rescued you. Why can’t you allow me this?” 

~ 112 ~

I got a hold of his neck and nestled my nose in his shoulder. What 

a wonderful smell! When we passed the breathless corpses, I 

instinctively shuddered, and my heart became heavy. 

“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I tried to hold back.” 

And if you hadn’t, body parts and guts would’ve been hanging on 

the branches, I contemplated. 

“Maybe,” Eli replied with grim laughter. 

I almost forgot he could sense my every thought, but did not have 

time to figure out how to abort that transmission. 

“What is going to happen when they find out?” I asked. 

“I will take care of that. Don’t you worry,” he answered without a 

shade of doubt. 

We walked a bit farther when he stopped to look at me again. His 

lips were so close I could not help looking at them when he spoke. His 

smooth voice sent waves of happiness that moved through every part 

of me. I accepted everything I went through because it brought me to 

this point. 

“You almost got yourself killed, yet you are trembling with joy 

while holding me! Who is the one who lost her mind?” he asked 

smiling at me. His eyes turned back to green. 

What could I possible say to that? I thought. 

“Don’t be scared,” he begged me. 

“I won’t,” I promised. 

Reality was blurring before my eyes. I did not notice anything 

except for bone-chilling flurries of wind. I had an impression that I 

was sitting on the nose of a jet without a proper outfit. Within a few 

seconds we approached the house. 

I felt like vomiting and was gasping for air. Still, I was glad to know 

he could move as fast, inconspicuously fast, as he had tonight. 

“Are you ok?” his voice was touched with emotion while his eyes 

were evaluating my reaction. 

~ 113 ~

“Now, I understand your obsession with sport cars. It hits close to 

home,” I replied breathing heavily. He softly kissed me on my temple. 

We were somehow already standing in the bathroom. 

“You can put me down now,” I ordered. 

He reluctantly put me on my feet. I glanced at myself in the mirror 

and was terrified with a huge bruise that covered half of my face, a 

blood drop hanging on my temple, and my split lips. The display was 

truly hideous. 

“You look amazing!” he contradicted my inner train of thought. 

I pushed him out of the bathroom, moaning indistinctly, and 

retreated in the comfort of a warm shower. I lost track of time sitting 

there and nursing my knees. Yet, I was thrilled, once again, trying to 

find sense in the total chaos of my thoughts. Steam soon filled the 

room hiding me in the thick white fog. 

Uncontrollable joy from seeing him again was finally taking over, 

and a silly smile appeared on my face although I also wept. I wanted to 

believe my meek reactions were caused by stress alone. Where was my 

willpower, my gumption, my backbone, and all other traits that helped 

me through life’s tough circumstances? It was just too much to start 

crying happy tears when reunited with a man, even with the most 

fabulous and breathtaking man in the world. 

Eli knocked on the door, and his content smile lightened the room. 

I lowered my eyes. 

“Have you drowned? It would be such a pity to find your body 

floating in the bathtub after I put so much effort into saving your life!” 

It did not occur to me that he put any considerable physical effort 

into defeating my attackers. It took much more inner conviction and 

self-control to let Ian go. 

“It seems at times you are reading my thoughts as well,” he said 

handing me a towel through the curtain. 

~ 114 ~

I must have been going insane. Here I was standing naked in a 

bathtub and next to me was a complete stranger. The only thing I 

knew about him was that he could move as fast as lightening, could 

read my thoughts, and could break a tree in pieces with his little finger. 

And the worst part was I did not mind. Eli burst into loud laughter. 

Wrapped in a white bath towel, I entered the living room leaving wet 

footprints along the way. It was dark in the room, and the only line of 

light was protruding from a crack below the door. I sat down on the 

corner of the bed and started to comb my wet hair with my fingers. A 

sigh came from behind me. 

I turned around and saw Eli lying on the bed with his arms locked 

behind his neck. His unblinking stare was sweltering with desire. He 

bit his lower lip. 

“I need to get dressed,” I said somehow self-consciously. 

“Then get dressed,” he nodded. “I am not embarrassed.” 

“So very funny! Look, I appreciate your humor, but now get out or 

fly out, or whatever it is you usually do.” 

Eli half-raised himself off the bed and leaned over to me. My heart 

started to race. He took my head between his hands and pulled it 

towards his. I lost my breath. 

“Forgive me,” he whispered flinching and ran the back of his hand 

over my cheek. 

“What for?” I was surprised. 

“That I did not show up in time,” he said with a bitter expression 

on his face. 

“You appeared just in time. I am safe and sound.” 

Eli furrowed his brows and glanced at my bruises. 

“These are just scratches. No big deal,” I objected. 

~ 115 ~

He closed his eyes and placed his lips on my cheek, covering it in 

gentle kisses. His hot breath on my skin made me quiver happily. He 

pressed his cheek against mine causing strange tingling sensations, but 

I did not move in an effort to make this sweet illusion last. Everything 

seemed surreal and fragile. I was afraid to scare it away with one wrong 

move. 

“I am not going anywhere,” he whispered tenderly. “Even if you 

asked me to go.” 

I would never make that blunder again! flickered in my head. 

He smiled and moved his lips down my neck. I closed my eyes 

feeling the ground dropping from under me. All unnerving thoughts 

faded away as I allowed pure feelings of joy to sweep over me. The 

realization that my cheek no longer hurt came as a sudden revelation. I 

touched it with the tips of my fingers and looked at Eli in surprise. 

“You can also heal?” 

“You would be surprised by the variety of things I can do,” he 

replied and passionately kissed my neck again. 

I closed my eyes and buried my face into his. Our lips finally met. A 

guttural sound came out of Eli’s throat. 

“You are playing with fire,” he stated quietly, although not letting 

go of my lips. His voice sounded like snow rustling under careful 

footsteps. 

“I know,” I was trembling. 

“It could burn you down.” 

“I know,” these words came out as a sigh. 

“Aren’t you afraid?” he asked while teasing my earlobe with his 

warm lips. 

“I am afraid,” I opened my eyes as if to face my fears. “I’d rather 

burn down with you than live my life without you.” 

He scooped me in his arms, placed me on the white sheets, and lay 

down next to me while softly stroking my back. His even breathing 

was lulling me to sleep, and I fell into the deep waters of dreamland. 

For the first time in forever, I did not feel alone. He was with me. 

~ 116 ~

The next morning, I woke up, opened my eyes, and stretched out 

nicely on the bed to discover that I was lying alone wrapped up in a 

sheet. I recalled instantly what happened yesterday--fell asleep from 

exhaustion without putting on my night clothes. The bath towel was 

lying on the floor next to the bed. 

Last night’s events stirred in my memory making my heart sink. I 

quickly looked around searching for Eli, but he was gone. Had he left 

again? My feet ran ahead of my thoughts, and in the next moment, I 

was standing in the middle of the kitchen holding the sheet, which was 

almost falling down. 

The room was empty. I felt a lumps in my throat and tears almost 

welling in my eyes when he suddenly sneaked up from behind, locked 

me in a tight embrace, and buried his face in my hair. I was lucky to be 

supported by his muscular hands, otherwise I would have fallen due to 

the sudden weakness in my feet. He gently turned me around to meet 

his gaze--I had to really look up. A content smile was on his face, an 

expression that swept me off my feet. 

“I missed you too,” he responded. 

I smiled like a child. His glance moved down my body. He 

swallowed hard, closed his eyes briefly, and continued smiling. 

“Don’t give me a trial, please. I had a hard time last night. I was 

trying to turn in, but when I tucked the sheet around you, you almost 

immediately tugged it off. It was becoming unbearable!” A simple look 

into his glimmering eyes removed all of my doubts. 

Despite the chilly spring morning, he was wearing a tight red T- 

shirt and faded dark blue pants. Every muscle was visible under the 

thin fabric. I allowed myself to touch him for the first time. My fingers 

ran across the outline of his chest. His breath quickened and sparks 

danced in his eyes. When I reached his abdomen he caught my fingers 

and leaned down to kiss my palm. 

~ 117 ~

Then he pulled me toward the table. Only then did I notice it was 

decorated with a fresh perfectly cooked omelet sprinkled with herbs 

and cups that were emanating the magical aroma of freshly brewed 

coffee. My stomach saluted these wonderful gifts of the gods with a 

grumble. 

The omelet was gone in less than five minutes. Eli observed me 

finishing off the breakfast with a smile. He remained silent, but my 

heart swelled under his glare. I had never felt so good in my entire life. 

Happiness was flowing inside of me, my heart was beating faster, and 

my cheeks became tired from smiling. 

After breakfast we went to walk Porto. The sun was shining so 

bright that my eyes hurt. It was the first time, after the long row of 

rainy and snowy days, all the animals came out of their burrows and 

nests. Birds were singing so loud we sometimes had to shout just to 

hear ourselves talk. It was pleasant. We walked slowly down the 

narrow paths in the woods, and I became randomly curious how he 

felt moving at such a pace. 

“You are probably bored to move at my speed.” 

“I am very happy to walk next to you,” he replied with a smile. 

“Does it take much effort?” 

“Try to move like this, and you’ll get a feel for what it takes,” he 

said and started to step at a snail’s pace as if it was in slow motion. I 

started laughing. 

We walked around the forest for some time just having fun playing 

around and enjoying each other’s company. Finally, I sat down on the 

ground next to a tree in complete exhaustion feeling all my muscles. 

He sat next to me in silence touching his shoulder to mine. 

“Why did you come back?” I asked with my eyes still closed. 

“To save you and spend a night next to you drooling and covering 

your naked body with a sheet,” he replied laughing. I started to blush, 

which intensified his laughter. 

“No, seriously!” I made another attempt, still not opening my eyes. 

~ 118 ~

He responded with a strange kind of hissing noise. I had to open 

my eyes to see what was happening. Eli was slowly scorching the 

words I love you on the bark of the tree. He moved his finger against it 

writing in beautiful calligraphic letters. I astonishingly followed the 

movements of his fingers noticing sparks igniting on the rims of each 

letter. Only later could I comprehend the inscription. 

“Because I love you, Leela; I love you more than life,” he confessed 

in a voice that made me quake. I was breathing deeply. 

Could I die from happiness? My head dropped down on my knees. Eli 

embraced me firmly, and I came back to my senses in his warm arms. 

He gently adjusted a strand of my hair and carefully brushed away a 

tear from my cheek just like brushing away a dewdrop. What is this 

feeling that is overpowering me? I questioned silently. 

“It’s love,” he explained. 

Then he softly covered my face with numerous kisses and closed 

his lips on mine. His fervent breath conquered my body causing 

burning waves of bliss to surge through me. My entire body was 

electrified by his heat, and I felt intense energy forcing my heart to 

beat faster as if trying to escape from my chest and unite with its 

object of adoration. I literally stopped breathing as our kiss intensified. 

Eli’s hands dove into my hair, and my hairpin gave way. I turned and 

straddled myself atop of him. A cascade of my dark curly hair fell on 

him covering his face. I followed his movements eagerly. Heavy 

breathing and gurgling sounds began to come from Eli’s chest. I was 

amazed how skillfully I was at kissing considering he was the first 

person I had ever kissed. 

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by weakness and even felt like 

fainting. Eli recognized my condition and pulled back. His hazel eyes 

were glowing like fire, almost creating an amber hue. He paced his 

breath and whispered anxiously, 

“I am sorry.” 

Maybe he just did not like it? I thought. 

Eli smiled and caressed my cheek with his hand. 

“Look at me! Do you see a man who did not like it?” 

~ 119 ~

“No,” I replied readily. 

A shadow of sadness flashed across his face. 

“It is all very complicated. I will tell you in due time. Now, I have 

to calm down, and if you keep sitting on top of me, I won’t be able to 

walk for a very long time,” he commented cheerfully. 

I swiftly moved away and leaned back against the tree trunk. Eli put 

his head on his knees trying to regain control over his breath. My 

fingertips barely touched his neck, but already felt the strain in his 

muscles. He was so hot. 

“Are you ok?” I expressed my concern. “You are burning.” 

“I do, literally,” he replied. “My normal body temperature is higher 

than humans. Usually, it’s above 107.6 Fahrenheit. And compared with 

you, I am just an overheated comet.” 

That was right. My body temperature was always below the median, 

about 95 degrees, but doctors in the orphanage never detected 

anything abnormal. They just attributed it to the individual 

characteristics of my body. He seemed to have been agreeing with my 

recollections. 

“How do you know?” I asked. 

“I know a lot about you. Your favorite dish is grilled mussels. You 

add one spoon of sugar to your coffee. You like jogging, especially at 

dusk, and you want to leave this town because it is too small for you. 

You like writing novels, and the last one was about time-travel. It 

always rains when you are sad. I know even much more!” 

I listened to him as my mouth dropped. He was right about the 

raining, and I always tried to find a logical explanation for that 

phenomenon. I actually turned it around assuming my body responded 

to the rain by sadness. After all, everybody feels melancholic when it 

rains. On the other hand, the day my bicycle broke and Marge stole 

my money, I realized Eli stole my heart. However, that day was 

marked by awful rainfall and hail. Those thunder clouds came out of 

nowhere, and today the sun was shining like it was happy to the pitch 

of ecstasy. Just like me. 

~ 120 ~

“How do you know all of that?” 

“Told you I was watching you. Of course, I knew something about 

this even before we met, but that’s another story. I could give you a 

quarter for every time I wanted to rip Phil’s head off to punish him for 

his dirty thoughts about you. Michael, too, although he probably 

deserves a rope.” 

“Don’t say that. Michael is a good person.” 

“That says it all about you,” he smirked. “You believe there is some 

good in everyone. You even tried to find it in such a narrow-souled 

person as Marge!” 

“I do believe a wise man is tolerant toward others.” 

“Then I am the king of fools! Tolerance isn’t my strong side.” 

“Tell me about yourself.” I asked. 

“What do you want to know?” he replied. 

“Everything,” I was incapable of taking my eyes off of him. “Start 

by telling me what you like, how old are you, where were you born?” 

Eli looked up remembering. 

“I am 21 years old, live in Ambré, love to swim in cold water, and 

run at dusk. I like Italian cuisines--spaghetti with tuna, and chicory and 

fennel is my favorite dish. As for the color,” he narrowed his eyes, 

“black is the choice when it comes to cars. My downsides are I can set 

things on fire, and I sing in the shower. I am a terrible singer! I can’t 

say ‘no’ to myself and often fail to stop in time. I am a short-tempered 

person, and sometimes don’t even know myself what I am up to. 

When I feel completely down volcanoes activate. Eh, and I sleep 

naked.” 

My vivid imagination immediately held a graphic image of that part 

before me. Oh, Gosh! 

Eli started laughing. 

“I think I’d better stop before I put you off entirely.” 

~ 121 ~

He moved his finger down my cheek while looking at me 

attentively. It was strange to see him like this. He was tender and 

caring although fire and energy were swirling somewhere deep inside 

of him. He was not as impudent and sassy as in the beginning when 

we first had met. 

“Sometimes I get lost in my own game--that time I had to explain 

my presence in the house. So, I let my behavior speak for itself.” 

“Why did you leave me that day?” 

He raised his eyes to the sky. His whole demeanor became sad. 

“For a moment, I really thought it would be better for me to 

leave,” he paused, and I realized he had a secret. 

“There are some very complicated things I can’t change or 

influence no matter what I do,” Eli said as he exhaled, “but then I 

decided they can go to hell!” he blurted out passionately. 

“I saw the sky crying with snow and hail the entire week because 

you had missed me,” a smile formed on his face. 

“I was longing to see you, too, and it was driving me crazy. The 

awakening of the volcano was the last straw. I made up my mind and 

came back. I am selfish, and I don’t shy away from that. I love you and 

will fight for this love till the end. I would do anything to be with 

you!” 

I was totally confused and did not understand what he was 

referencing. Many new questions started stirring in my consciousness. 

“So, you have been near me all this time?” 

“Yes and no. I was trying to find answers and luckily got back in 

time,” he grimaced at the thought of what could have possibly 

happened otherwise. 

“Have you gotten any answers at least?” 

“No,” he shook his head. 

What did this all mean? I thought. I had no clue. 

~ 122 ~

CHAPTER SEVEN 

~ TÚATHS ~ 

! 

A part of me was longing for answers, but the rest of me didn’t 

want to hear anything for fear I would ruin the beautiful dream my life 

had just become. While waiting for him, I decided to relax in the chair 

and sip my delicious coffee. Eli was taking a cold shower in an attempt 

to cool off under the cold water. The delight was so overwhelming, I 

literally expected to start glowing from it. 

The doorbell rang, and suddenly I remembered about my lunch 

with Nit. I glanced at my watch. It was already 11:50 a.m. 

Damn it! It’s definitely him, I sighed. 

There wasn’t a time in my life that I could recall where I had ever 

been in a more idiotic situation. I went to open the door and realized I 

was dressed inappropriately for a lunch date--a top and gray warm-up 

pants. 

In contrast, Nit’s appearance was impeccable. He was wearing 

elegant dark-gray dress pants and a pale yellow shirt. His hair was 

perfectly arranged, his chin looked freshly shaven, and he was even 

holding a bunch of lisianthuses. Also, he smelled great, and 

demonstrated perfect manners as he gave no sign of being surprised 

by my appearance. I covered my forehead with my palm--as a sign of 

guilt--because I actually felt very ashamed. How could I forget? I thought. 

No way I could confess to him I had only agreed to this date out of 

hopelessness. Back then, it seemed to me that I would go completely 

crazy if I hadn’t distracted myself somehow. 

I was about to utter my apologies when the sound of Eli’s footsteps 

came from behind me. He was almost completely naked except for a 

tiny towel wrapped around his waist. I swear he did it intentionally 

because there was another big towel hanging in the bathroom. I had 

hung it there myself. 

~ 123 ~

His fit body was covered with hundreds of transparent water drops. 

I was already stunned at this sight, but to intensify my uneasiness, Nit 

was also there to witness it. I felt totally lost. 

Eli walked next to me and kissed me in the curve of my neck giving 

me chills. 

“Hi, Nit! Came to check up on me?” he asked casually, yet with a 

slight tone of a challenge. 

“I came to pick up Leela. We were going to have lunch together,” 

Nit explained. 

He wasn’t outraged by the presence of an attractive naked man in 

my house. 

“‘Were going’ and ‘are going’ makes a great difference. How did 

you get here? With your red toy car? Don’t disgrace yourself, get back 

in it, and get lost while you still can!” Eli’s voice sounded provocative, 

but not threatening. 

“Unlike you, I prefer to ask the girl’s opinion on it!” 

“Unlike me, you don’t have a girlfriend,” Eli said with a smirk. 

“Time to change it,” Nit responded with a bright smile. 

Eli huffed threateningly, “Keep your paws off her!” 

During this squabble, I was standing still while looking at them in 

surprise. The last words poured over me like a bucket of cold water. 

“You are acquainted, aren’t you?” I felt myself a prize idiot. 

“I have known this scum for as long as I remember myself,” 

answered Eli. “Meet Nit again, now as my best friend. I would have 

called him my brother if he wasn’t standing here all dressed up 

flamboyant and smelling of cheap cologne!” 

“It’s not cheap! I have spent $200 for a tiny bottle. It’s the real 

deal!” contradicted Nit as he sniffed the air with clear resentment. 

“That trendy thing will be shoved up your ass if you stay here for 

another two seconds!” Eli promised 

Then he stepped towards Nit and said, “You should’ve spent that 

money on a hair dresser who would cut off your ponytail…” 

“What do I need a hair dresser for if I have you?” Nit interrupted. 

~ 124 ~

I hadn’t traced the connection between Eli and hair dresser. 

“Wait!” I said. “So…you are friends?” 

They both raised their eyebrows. Eli crinkled his nose as if he 

sniffed smelling salts. The progress of the situation started to boggle 

my mind. 

“Does it mean that Nit is also…” I made a gesture with my hand as 

if inviting one of them to explain me the rest. 

“Yes, he is, too,” Eli confirmed. 

“So, we did not meet randomly in the forest, did we?” I questioned 

Nit looking straight into his brown eyes. 

“That is indeed a very interesting question,” Eli cocked his head to 

the side. 

“Of course, it was intentional,” Nit answered. “I was curious to see 

who made his Excellency lose his head.” 

“Get lost! You shouldn’t even be here!” Eli said passionately. 

“I know, but since my best friend--my brother--is a troublemaker, a 

lawbreaker, and a dare-devil, I had no other choice. Evil 

communications corrupt good manners …” Nit put up a forced 

disappointment. 

“Has Jordana stayed at least?” Eli interrupted calmly changing the 

subject. 

“Do you really doubt? She would rather shave herself bald than 

break the rules.” 

Enough! I reached the boiling point. 

I didn’t even really know who Eli was when Nit suddenly stepped 

into my life. Now, I found out it was not accidental at all. Moreover, it 

seemed a certain Jordana was also involved in this, and I would really 

like to know her relation to Eli. Also, I was dying to know the place 

they had left and were not allowed to leave, yet somehow left anyway. 

Eli, who was following my train of thought, took me by the hand, 

and squeezed it gently. 

“Come in!” I waved to Nit inviting him inside the house. Eli 

opened his mouth indignantly. 

~ 125 ~

“Your friend is my friend, too!” I smiled mischievously and 

followed after Nit. 

Can Nit hear my thoughts as well? I contemplated and looked back 

at Eli. He shook his head no. At least that’s good. I had so many 

various thoughts when I opened the door in front of him. He would 

not be pleased to know about them. 

“Well, I was pleased to receive them,” Eli whispered into my ear. 

“I’ll be back in a minute.” 

We settled ourselves in the living room, and Eli appeared a minute 

later fully dressed. 

“I suggest we all have lunch together,” I proposed, but did not 

notice any enthusiasm in their eyes. 

I was very upset that two friends started a quarrel because of me. I 

had to resolve this issue. 

Eli sat down next to me on the sofa and was gently stroking my 

shoulder with his finger stirring up a pleasant warm feeling inside of 

me. 

“Let’s race to Nosgess. The one who arrives first chooses the 

restaurant,” he suggested trying to ameliorate my guilt for their 

recriminations. 

Nit smiled brightly at the suggestion. It became clear he loved a 

good challenge and competition. They both seemed to share a passion 

for speed. 

The powerful engines of the shiny red Porsche Carrera GT and the 

black sparkling Lamborghini Aventador were furiously roaring and 

making the ground tremble with fear under their wide wheels. Eli 

revved the engine a few times so the Lambo rumbled ferociously, 

scaring away the birds from the nearby trees. I flung myself into the 

seat cursing my decision to partake in such a risky venture. 

“Count on me,” Eli said gently and pressed his cheek against my 

palm, “you’ll like it!” 

“How do you know?” I asked with fear. 

~ 126 ~

“Some things are very obvious for us. You’ll get it!” he explained. 

Things obvious for US? I repeated in my head, and he squinted. 

“Are you ready for your shameful defeat?” he screamed out to Nit. 

“I’ll put you on your knees!” Nit hurled back. 

Eli burst into laughter. 

“I run faster than your jalopy crawls!” 

“Let’s check that!” Nit shouted. 

Eli rolled up the window. 

“It’s getting hot in here,” he stated and floored the accelerator. Earsplitting 

tunes of Nickelback’s song “Animals” filled the inside of the 

car. 

We’re going out with a bang, flashed in my head. 

Eli laughed loudly at that and firmly grabbed my hand. Fire 

flickered in his eyes as he gunned the car. The tires let out a startling 

squeal, and the two cars darted off raising clouds of dust. 

“Get a feel of a real super car!” Eli shouted and immediately passed 

Nit’s car. I got pressed back into the seat and couldn’t take my eyes off 

of the speedometer. Its hand instantly shot up. 

“Uuuuhu!” Eli cried ecstatically. 

The race saturated my blood with adrenaline, and I found enough 

courage to glimpse out the car window. My heart was pounding so 

hard as if it was trying to break free. The outside world was shooting 

past at an incredible speed. Why doesn’t he buy a jet instead? The 

pitch-black cockpit of the carnivorous beauty was cutting through the 

upcoming pockets of head wind. The car was growling like an 

infuriated wild beast. 

The view became entirely distorted with details merging into an 

abstract grayish and greenish mass. My fear was subsiding with each 

second; fading away like raindrops on hot asphalt. Instead, I felt a 

growing rush of excitement. Soon my anxiety was completely gone. Eli 

was driving so masterfully. He had become one with his car. 

~ 127 ~

The Porsche was keeping up with us. Nit was constantly trying to 

overtake Eli from one side or the other and finally caught up with the 

Lambo grinning in satisfaction. Eli sent his greetings to Nit with his 

middle finger and pressed the accelerator hard once again. 

The Lamborghini pressed its belly against the asphalt road and 

dashed forward like lightening leaving the Porsche behind in its dust. 

It now looked like a small red dot on the horizon--bright red like Nit’s 

angry face. 

We arrived even sooner than I wanted. The tires squealed clutching 

at the ground and the Lambo stopped dead in its tracks. The doors 

flew up, and Eli extended his hand to help me even before I set my 

foot on the pavement. With the first gasps of fresh air came the 

realization I was feeling even better than before the trip. I could have 

never imagined it was adrenalin I was missing out on in my life. I was 

craving adventure. It was the breath of my life just like plants needed 

water. 

“Told you so!” Eli commented on that closing me in his tight 

embrace while covering my neck in multiple kisses. 

We were completely at ease with each other. There was nothing 

standing between us anymore. He became an indispensable part of my 

life. A feeling evolved I had known him all my life, ever since my first 

breath. With that first intake of oxygen, the vital necessity to be with 

Eli came into my life. It almost seemed to me my love for him was 

born with me. 

I could not hide my thoughts from him, and Eli was hungrily 

feasting on them. He started to breathe heavily while I remained in his 

embrace. 

He grabbed me by my waist and lifted me to the roof of the car 

and softly pressed his face against my stomach. I ran my fingers 

through his hair caressing his locks. 

The Porsche squealed to a halt, and Nit jumped out of the car. He 

was annoyed. 

"I'm hungry!” I uttered quickly trying to suppress a squabble from 

gathering momentum. 

~ 128 ~

"We've won, so, we are gonna choose the restaurant." 

Eli was staring at me without blinking. 

“How about some fish?” 

"I love fish." Nit licked his lips. 

"Let’s order for take-out and have a picnic," I suggested. 

"I'm in,” Eli sided with me and looked at the dressed-up Nit with a 

smirk. Nit frowned, but agreed without any complaints. 

We chose to have our picnic in a large meadow basin with the sun 

shining right on top of the mountain. We were surrounded by the 

forest; it shielded us from the rest of the world. The glistening crystal 

clear water from the narrow stream had carved its way through the 

meadow. Nit and Eli had each swallowed three large portions of food, 

and Nit was going non-stop. I had never seen anybody eat so much 

before today. 

Eli was feeding me warm pieces of delicious baked fish while gently 

adjusting locks of my hair that had been re-arranged by sudden gusts 

of wind. Time after time he placed sweet kisses on my cheeks. At the 

sight of this affection, Nit grumbled, 

"Stop spoiling my appetite.” 

"Do you really want me to stop spoiling his appetite?" Eli asked me 

playfully and pushed me gently to the ground. 

My head rested between the wild flowers and I noticed nothing but 

his brilliant ever-changing green eyes. I shook my head. Eli buried his 

face in my hair showering it with kisses and gradually moving his lips 

towards mine. 

Suddenly, the ground trembled. I quickly jumped up like a scalded 

cat. Nit smiled with satisfaction and continued to inhale his spaghetti 

and seafood as if nothing happened. Eli raised his hand--palm up--and 

a shimmering fireball flashed on it. The view was so impressive, I felt 

like a child at a magic show. 

"May I warm up your lunch?" Eli asked mockingly, and the fireball 

flew into the Nit's plate. 

~ 129 ~

A small explosion followed, and food splattered everywhere. 

Spaghetti was hanging from Nit’s ears and shoulders. Nit’s smile faded 

as he brushed off the remains of food. 

He raised his fist into the air and smashed it against the ground 

with brute force. The ground under me bounced, and I moved aside in 

fear. 

Fire ignited in Eli’s eyes, and he instantaneously moved me farther 

to the other side of the meadow--at lightening-speed--keeping me 

away from Nit. He assumed his position and lured Nit with both 

hands. Nit attacked. He stopped just short of almost eleven yards from 

Eli and threw his huge fists on the ground with a loud shout. The 

ground heaved up, wrathfully shaking, and rolled towards Eli. He 

skillfully ducked and approached Nit with a double flip. 

Eli landed and fired two huge fireballs into his supposed ‘friend.’ 

Nit dodged them, chuckled, and flashed his winning smile. Then he 

jumped up very high, and with a battle cry, banged his fists against the 

ground again. When he landed, it was with such absolute power the air 

even vibrated. The ground under Eli almost exploded, and he was 

tossed backwards. He immediately recovered onto his feet and 

shouted bursting into laughter. 

"You're good for nothing!" Eli said. 

He stretched his hands making some room between them. A 

sphere of fire, about the size of a billiard ball, started to grow. Nit 

engaged in laughter. 

"That trick won’t work this time!" 

~ 130 ~

Eli raised an eyebrow and twisted a corner of his lips in a wry smile. 

His hands pushed the sphere towards Nit. The ball of fire grew to the 

size of a terrestrial globe in its flight, as if it was sucking in air with 

every rotation. Nit rounded his eyes, but it was too late. He had no 

time to duck. The burning hot mass collided with him. He yelled and 

started to wave his hands in abandon attempting to extinguish his 

burning clothes and hair. Eli bent over and laughed even more. When 

the fire became dull, Nit stood in front of us looking like a scalded 

chicken. Parts of his clothes were burned, and its dark shreds were 

hanging. He touched his almost bald head and stared at Eli with a 

murderous look. 

"Oops!" said Eli, “A new fancy hairdo, a-la baldness! And please 

note, absolutely for free!" 

A shout of rage came out of the burned giant’s chest, and a deep 

crack appeared in the ground under Eli. Nit frowned angrily and 

headed towards him at an accelerated pace. Eli yelled while still 

smiling, 

"Calm down! You’ll only make it worse!" 

Nevertheless, Nit did not want to hear him. He ran over to Eli like 

a derailed locomotive. They disappeared into the woods making 

horrifying sounds of smashing and uprooting trees along their way. I 

could hear the sounds of a ferocious fight as I was running back and 

forth across the meadow biting my lower lip in despair. 

Unexpectedly, Nit flew out from the trees breaking through some 

pines and loudly crashing into a rocky hillock. Eli came after him. 

Allowing Nit no time to recover, he pressed him against the rock with 

one hand and placed his other hand on a few stones causing them to 

immediately turn red-hot like glowing coals. Nit cried in pain. 

"I'll fry your balls on a stone pan!" Eli growled. 

~ 131 ~

In the next moment, he was, however, tossed aside by a powerful 

stream of air. Both he and Nit looked bewildered in the opposite 

direction. I, too, turned around. A delicate small girl in a white flowy 

dress was gracefully walking across the meadow. A heap of copper-red 

hair framed her face and shoulders, and light-blue eyes under frowning 

brows darted flashes of anger. 

"Are you nuts?" she hissed pressing her lips together into a thin 

line. 

"We are glad to see you, too! Though I am very surprised you dared 

to leave the sanctuary," Eli said folding his hands and rolling his eyes. 

"What have you done? Somebody could have seen you! I’m not 

even going to mention the fact you have no right to waste these powers 

in vain! It's all wrong!" she lectured them and shook her head. 

"It's wrong to have loved this bald geek for all these years," smirked 

Eli while pointing his finger at Nit. 

The girl glanced at Nit, and her eyes widened at first then narrowed 

again. She slowly turned her small head back to Eli. 

"He asked me himself," he shrugged with some childishness. 

She threw her hands in front of her setting off a mighty stream of 

air. Eli flew back like a rag doll. He got up effortlessly though and 

pointed his finger at her with his head slightly bowed. 

"Don't force me, Jordana!" 

She smiled unkindly and moved toward them easily crossing the 

mountain’s stream. The water hit her mid-calf. She halted right at the 

edge of the stream and started to curl a lock of her hair around her 

finger. As a result, a small tornado appeared in front of her--growing 

bigger and bigger--devouring stones and other particles. Eli wanted to 

move, but his feet remained frozen to the ground. He shook his head 

in aggravation. I let out a quiet breath of anguish. The two of them 

were fooling around, but Eli is the guilty one? Furthermore, it was two 

against one. 

~ 132 ~

The astonishment of all of this quickly disappeared and gave way to 

rage that seemed to completely envelope me. Powers awakened inside 

me. I felt the strongest desire to quench the fury of the red-haired girl. 

The tornado had reached Eli's feet when I flashed my glare at Jordana, 

clenching my jaw in anger. All of the sudden, water from the stream 

rose up exposing a rocky bed. Twisting and swirling like a cobra 

controlled by a faquir’s reed pipe, the ribbon of water overhung the 

girl. I stood there with my mouth opened in bemusement. I realized 

this was my creation. For a moment, the water became an integral part 

of me like my right hand. My anger became mixed with stupefaction, 

and I lost my concentration causing the tons of icy water to pour 

down on Jordana. The tornado disappeared at once. 

She sighed deeply and loudly. She was drenched. Water had 

completely soaked through her clothes and hair. Jordana turned her 

attention towards me along with Eli’s and Nit's stares. Her mouth 

formed an O, likely from indignation, I assumed. Eli's face was 

glowing like a full moon in the night sky; he uttered a yelp of delight. 

"You're wonderful!" he exclaimed, suddenly appearing next to me. 

"Have you all seen this, given that Leela has never even suspected a 

thing?” 

"What haven't I suspected?" 

"You've found her!" Jordana shrieked and rushed toward us. 

"Me?!" 

She gave me a hug, then hugged him, and then me again. Her eyes 

were flooded with joy and warmth. I could bathe in those emotions. 

Nit joined us. He stood next to the redhead while scratching his ashcovered 

bald head. Eli measured burned Nit and wet Jordana with his 

eyes and could not keep from laughing. 

"You're two of a kind!" he said shaking his head. 

~ 133 ~

CHAPTER EIGHT 

~ REGARDS FROM HELL ~ 

! 

Hell is empty and all the devils are here. 

-William Shakespeare 

I stepped backwards. My head was swimming. I allowed my eyes 

to interrogate Eli since I needed answers. 

“What does this all mean?” 

“We all have special powers,” Jordana jumped ahead of him. “Eli is 

fire, Nit is earth, I’m air, and you are water,” she pointed at her wet 

hair. 

“Who am I?!” I lost the sensible rational foundations of my life a 

few days ago, but I still could not grasp what she was saying. 

“You’ll get it,” Eli said in his easy-going manner. His words assured 

me that it would become easier with time. 

“Is it that simple?” 

“I’ll tell you.” 

I wanted to fully embrace this easiness with which he treated things. 

Eli gave me his hand. He then turned to his friends and said in an 

authoritative tone, 

“Go back!” 

Nit’s expression showed his displeasure at the request. 

“I like it here. I’m staying,” Nit said. “Consider it a moral payback 

for the inflicted injuries.” 

Eli wasn’t happy with Nit’s response. He scowled at him and 

abruptly said without even giving another glance, 

~ 134 ~

“We’ll discuss it later.” Then Eli and I walked towards his car and 

sat down. 

********* 

“So you are fire?” I asked while the Lamborghini was making a turn 

from the dirt road to the paved highway. Eli nodded with a smile. 

“You’ve already suspected that,” he stated. 

“Yes, I had similar thoughts. I even tried to pull information from 

the legends of the indigenous peoples. They depicted a deity called 

Makichi. Kind of rings a bell.” 

“Kinda is the keyword,” he shook his head. “Those legends are as 

far from truth as those depictions. Have you seen the pecker they 

attributed to me?” 

I covered my face with my palms and giggled. 

“Trust me. It’s not even remotely close to the truth!” he said 

laughing. 

“I did not even think about it,” I said with my head still reclined. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. He couldn’t help but smile, “but it’s just so 

funny when you blush.” 

“Then enjoy this last occasion because I’m finally getting used to 

your jokes.” 

“Beware,” he narrowed his eyes. “I like to enjoy a good joke to its 

fullest,” he blurted. Our duet of loud laughter sang from inside the car. 

When we both calmed down, I asked, “So, are you a fire god or 

some sort of nature deity?” 

“Well, if you understand the notion of a ‘god’ in the same way as 

most people do, then I’m certainly a god. One could come up with 

different names for us without changing the actual meaning. I like to 

characterize us as representatives of the elements.” 

“So, you are not fire itself, but its high-ranking official 

representative?” I continued with my investigation. 

“Exactly,” he confirmed with a smile. 

~ 135 ~

Endless forest landscape seemed to pass by the car windows like a 

set from a fantasy movie, in which I was occasionally starring. I 

recalled us sitting under a tree this morning. Eli was telling me, with a 

painful look in his eyes, that “…at a certain moment I was convinced 

that I had better go away. There are circumstances, very difficult 

circumstances, which I cannot influence and change… Fire and 

water…” I remember turning to Eli with an unspoken question; it 

made my heart beat fervently. 

Suddenly, his face darkened and his teeth clenched. The car slowed 

down, and we soon pulled over. Eli turned to me and adjusted a few 

strands of my hair. 

“I want to regard this as a problem we can solve. I believe we can 

solve it. The problem is there’s a certain someone who really doesn’t 

want us together,” his voice filled with grief. 

All I wanted now was to see his face in front of mine; to drown in 

his shining eyes, lose myself in his embrace, feel a swelling heat inside 

of me whenever we kissed. It did not matter to me if being together 

upset this mysterious ‘someone.’ I simply wanted his love. I needed 

him like breathing. 

He framed my face with his hands, but then hesitated for a split 

second before pulling me in closer to kiss me. His soft golden 

cinnamon colored fingers dove into my hair like diving into the ocean. 

My breasts tingled at his ambrosian smell. Heat waves entered my 

body, starting with a gentle pleasant warmth then developing into a 

fever, which increased my body’s temperature. I was literally boiling 

inside. Eli sprang back. I opened a window and exposed my face to 

the chilling wind, breathing deeply. 

“Are you all right?” he asked worriedly. 

I nodded. 

“What was it?” 

“The first encounter of our elements,” he answered with a clear 

tension. I swallowed hard to moisten my dry throat. 

Eli concentrated on the road, pressed his lips together, and hit the 

gas. The tires hissed loudly. 

~ 136 ~

We finally made it home. After entering the house, I slouched in a 

chair still feeling weak. There was a stack of textbooks piled up on the 

table. I was going to graduate in a few months and leave this place for 

good. 

What would happen to us? My heart flinched like a homeless dog 

awaiting a blow. 

Eli smiled cordially. 

“You have your whole life ahead of you, but you cannot leave even 

if you wanted to right now. Túaths are bond slaves to their calling, to a 

certain extent. We don’t always have a choice as to where we will or 

won’t go.” 

I became perplexed, and my face showed it. 

“Your main task for now is to learn to control your powers.” 

Over the past two days my everyday routine and goals—things I 

was planning to achieve--became totally void of meaning. 

I felt completely lost. This complete change of focus left me 

terribly disoriented. 

“Are you sure I belong to your kind? I mean because if that were 

true, Marge wouldn’t have any pipes intact in her house. She always 

drove me mad,” I said. 

He laughed again. 

“You’re one of the most powerful Túaths, and that’s why you need 

to learn.” 

“So, WE,” I said cautiously, “are called Túaths, right?” 

“Yes. Besides, there are also Grolls and Malves. Your home is in 

Ambré.” 

“How did I end up here?” 

“I don’t know,” he thoughtfully shrugged his shoulders, “but I do 

know for sure someone made it happen.” 

“Are there many beings like us?” 

“Yes,” Eli leaned on the armrest next to me. “Ambré is a huge city 

with millions of inhabitants.” 

~ 137 ~

“Where is it located?” 

“Much closer than one could imagine, but you won’t find it on any 

map.” 

“And my parents?” I asked as my stomach churned. 

Eli shook his head no. 

“I’m sorry. Your parents perished.” 

Tears began to form in the corners of my eyes as a sign of my deep 

sadness. Apparently, one could feel pain over losing something one 

never had. 

“When did it happen?” I asked. 

“When you disappeared. You were considered dead, too, all those 

years,” Eli put his hand on my shoulders. “They died in a plane crash.” 

That’s how absurd and unfair life was. Even if one was a deity, 

death could still come for you, I thought. 

“We’re not immortal,” he said confirming my ideas, “but it is not 

easy to kill us either.” 

I rushed into the bathroom and put my face under cold water 

washing away all approaching tears. 

Who are you? I asked my reflection in the mirror. 

The completely lost girl simply gazed back at me, You definitely don’t 

know. 

I reclined against the cold wall covered in ivory-colored tiles. Eli 

approached me and cupped my face tenderly like handling a precious 

stone. 

“I am your family now,” His lips touched my cheek, “and the bald 

one, and Jordana, too.” 

“It was a bad idea to shave him like that,” I said. 

“Don’t worry. It happens regularly. His hair grows much faster 

than mine, I mean really fast. By the time we return back home his 

braids will be hanging again.” 

“Do you live together?” 

~ 138 ~

“Yes, the three of us. Hopefully, you’ll also join us. You would like 

it a lot,” his eyes shined bright while he was talking. “We’ll head out as 

soon as we are ready.” 

My head was buzzing from my mental efforts. I still had so many 

questions to ask. Did Túaths only live in Ambré, or here as well? How 

does one tell them apart from people? How do we know when we 

have to be in a certain place? What would generally be expected from 

me as a Túath? How much time would it take for me to master all of 

this? And so on, and so on. 

“Time!” I woke up. “I have to go to work.” 

I rushed to the door, and Eli intercepted me. 

“Your task now is to train.” 

“That’s great, of course, but I have obligations.” I took another 

step towards the exit. “Flavio is waiting for me. I cannot just not show 

up when he is expecting me.” I said. 

Eli gave me a serious look. His face lost all playfulness. 

“Your first priority is to master your power as soon as possible,” 

Eli said and took my hands into his. “Since the death of your parents, 

Ambré has not had a strong enough water Túath who was fully 

capable of controlling the elements. Just think, all of those natural 

calamities occurred over a span of sixteen years. Ambré has plenty of 

water Túaths, but none are capable of what you are capable of doing. 

This is your birth right. You could trigger a new great deluge if you 

wanted to.” Eli stared at me. “Money is not a question. First of all, 

your parents left you sizeable means of subsistence. So, you won’t ever 

have to worry about that. Secondly, Túath’s like us have very good 

incomes.” 

“What if you are wrong? What if I am an ordinary human?” I 

asked. 

“You will go a long way. You just don’t realize it yet,” Eli said 

confidently. “Think about feral children like Mowgli. Their behavior is 

consistent with the requirements of their environment. They can’t talk 

and walk on four feet. In the same way, you behave like a human 

because you knew nothing about Túaths.” 

~ 139 ~

I was scared by the high expectations he had about me. 

Eli smiled. 

“You don’t know how it works. Nit, Jordana, and I and the rest of 

us were taught from an early age. You’ll have to catch up, but as soon 

as you sort things out it will be as natural for you as breathing.” 

“Look!” Eli opened his hand, and a flame rose up from it. The fire 

jumped impatiently like a mischievous child. I slowly approached it 

and touched. 

“Ouch,” I quickly pulled my hand away. “It’s an actual hot burning 

flame!” 

Eli chuckled. 

“I’m not a toy-like creature either.” 

“Impossible!” I exclaimed. “Just incredible!” 

“Only prophesies, prophetic dreams, déjà vu, black matter in the 

Universe, the female body, and yawning cannot be explained. This,” 

he closed his hand, “is simple.” 

“Isn’t it hot for you?” I asked. 

“I feel hot when I am close to you.” He smiled and then regained a 

serious facial expression. 

Eli took a glass and filled it with water. 

“Try to do something with it. For example, lift the water out of the 

glass and straight in the air.” 

“How? You may as well ask me to fly!” 

“First, you have to build up a projection in your mind on what you 

want to do, and then you just push your thoughts outside making it 

happen.” 

I closed my eyes and imagined the water rising up and out of the 

glass. I opened my eyes and nothing happened. Then I tried to push it 

out of the glass by mind power, but with similar negative success. Eli 

was patiently waiting. 

“Maybe it would help if you thought about how you drenched 

Jordana.” 

~ 140 ~

“I don’t understand how that happened. I was very angry, and it 

just happened by itself,” I explained. 

“Right. The reason comes first and only then an implication. 

Initially, everything takes place on an emotional plane, and then you 

can execute it without relying on your senses if you understand the 

working principle.” 

Eli shook his hand--as if he was brushing off ash--and 

consequently, set the doormat in the bathroom on fire. I fetched the 

glass of water, but he stopped me. 

“Try to extinguish the fire without touching it,” he ordered. 

“The house will burn down while I’m trying!” I exclaimed with a 

horrified look. 

“You can do this,” he stated without a shred of doubt. 

I became so tense my forehead began to sweat. Anxiety was 

hindering my concentration. The fire started spreading quickly. I 

exhausted a dozen possible combinations and was determined for it to 

work. Eli stood next to me and remained one hundred percent 

confident in my abilities, which caused me to feel energized. I was 

encouraged to actually make this work, and then I felt angry at myself 

for the quick surrender. I needed to direct my energy of fury to my 

task. In my head, it sounded like a humble plea for help. 

The water in the glass vibrated, and Eli’s face brightened. Elated 

with success, I repeated my request a bit more confidently. The liquid 

shifted upwards, but did not spill out of the glass. For the third time, I 

formulated my inquiry loudly and clearly and directed the water 

upward. The substance slowly moved up and hovered above the glass. 

I did it! 

Courageously, I uttered a loud order in my head. The whistling 

sound informed us of a broken faucet as unrestrained water spilled out 

onto the floor. Eli was beaming with joy. Panic-stricken, I hurried to 

the faucet and tried to block the water flow, but it did not help much. 

“Help me!” I squealed. The puddle on the floor was steadily 

growing. Eli shook his head no and pointed to his forehead. 

~ 141 ~

“Not now! I’ll flood the house.” 

He made a helpless gesture saying, “Too bad. What to do?” 

It was cruel. I gathered my thoughts and tried to pacify the water in 

the same manner I just had engaged it–by transformation of my 

emotions into energy. The flow became weaker and soon vanished. 

I leaned against a wall and a broad smile from relief formed on my 

face. I was wet, proud-hearted, and happy. 

“I managed!” I smiled being grateful for Eli’s idleness. “Thanks for 

not interfering.” 

“Obstructions appear when you doubt your strength and stop 

concentrating on the goal. Always keep focused.” 

A valuable piece of advice, I thought while taking a towel wipe up 

the spilled water. We cleaned the messy bathroom together. In the 

meantime, Eli told me stories about his learning process that made me 

double over with laughter. 

“It’s so easy to hit your funny bone. It’s easier than walking!” he 

concluded very amused. 

Indeed, I had not noticed before how easily I laughed, but this time 

I exploded. My mouth even started to hurt. Eli gladly pulled off his 

shirt. His wet body was glimmering with the remaining transparent 

droplets that had almost instantly evaporated from his internal heat. 

“Oh, this is my prize,” I assumed giggling. 

“Your prize is a hot shower,” Eli hugged me affectionately pressing 

his blazingly hot body against mine. 

~ 142 ~

My fingers slid down his back. His skin was so velvety smooth--like 

luxurious fabric, yet hot like a stone heated under direct sunlight. He 

closed his arms around me and hugged me to his chest. My hands ran 

over the tense muscles in his back and neck and then found their way 

entangled in his hair. A low roaring sound came from deep within his 

chest. His lips touched mine in such a deep and passionate way; I was 

delighted. He exuded warmth that penetrated my body. It made my 

heart thump with absolute joy. Negative thoughts faded away like 

sugar melting in hot water. I pulled his face closer to mine with both 

hands, nibbled on his lower lip, and then moved to his earlobe. Kiss 

after kiss, without willingness to stop, made my heart soar. 

“Leela, it’s time to stop,” he moaned, panting obscurely. But his 

glowing gaze told quite the opposite. 

Eli’s scent was like a drug clouding my mind. We both had no 

intentions of stopping this sweet madness. Something in him, well, 

actually everything--his eyes, smell, movements, and voice— 

hypnotized me. 

“I thought I had the copyright on that phrase. Why all this 

chivalry?” my hands were still resting on his chest. 

“Oh, it’s not about me at all,” he uttered with a loud sigh. “This is 

physically impossible.” 

“Ok,” I agreed, “just one more kiss,” I teased him with my tongue 

moving from his earlobe down to his lower lip, which I tenderly 

pulled. 

Eli rolled his eyes and groaned. His irises flashed like bright-red 

flames, and his body kindled an almost unnoticeable bronze-colored 

glow. His fingers clasped around my waist, and he lifted me up above 

him. I wrapped my legs around his back supporting myself with one 

hand pressed against his shoulder. The other hand took a tantalizing 

journey through his hair. Eli pushed the door open with his foot and 

brought me in the bedroom. We could not stop kissing for even one 

moment. 

~ 143 ~

Burning hot surges of his panting breath invaded my mouth, 

driving me out of my mind. He gently laid me on the bed, and his 

insatiable kisses continued down to my stomach where he encircled 

my belly button with his tongue. These endeavors increased the depth 

and rate of my breath. 

“Tell me to stop,” he exhaled. The previously announced ‘one kiss’ 

had far more dramatic consequences. My problem was I simply did 

not want him to stop. I could not stop. I pulled him closer. Eli’s hands 

crawled down my back, unlocking my bra easily as if at his command. 

He stuffed his palm into the rear pocket of my jeans and drew me 

even closer. Then I could hear the intruding sound of the doorbell. 

Eli’s face became sour. 

“I’m not expecting anyone,” I breathed heavily. 

“It’s Nit.” 

“Is he spying on us?” my lips still kept the memory of our last kiss 

alive. 

“Seems so.” 

“But why?” 

“Nit is afraid you won’t last too long next to me.” 

My heart skipped, but I tried to chase away the sinking feeling. My 

consciousness simply refused to recognize any threat in him. I outlined 

his burning chin with the tips of my fingers. 

“I think Nit has no reason to be worried.” 

“I’d love for that to be true,” he lifted his head. 

His dark locks raggedly fell over his face, “But the question is what 

would have happen to you if Nit had not interfered now?” 

I was perplexed. Eli’s eyelashes trembled showing his tension. 

“Sorry. I should have told you from the beginning,” he said with a 

guilty expression on his face. 

“Tell me what?” a foreboding grasped my heart. 

Shaking off the obsession, I hurried to put on my shirt. My head 

cleared a little. 

~ 144 ~

“The elements we represent interact in a definite way--they inhibit 

each other. Fire and water are incompatible, irreconcilable,” he 

explained with a sigh. I was thunderstruck and sat still nursing my 

knees. 

“So, we cannot be together?” a worm of fear slowly, but steadily 

crawled into my head. 

Eli’s face became heavy and serious. He rubbed his temple and 

heaved another sigh. 

“There must be a loophole, and then again,” he smiled, “if we want 

humanity to live to see another day, we simply have no choice. I don’t 

feel like experimenting with volcanic activity anymore.” 

“Sounds comforting,” I smiled painfully, “but how was this 

problem solved before us?” 

“There was nobody before us. Túath couples like us do not exist. 

The matches are uniform: water to water, air to air. Very rarely, and it 

is generally not encouraged, does a marriage between complementary 

forces happen. For instance, water and earth or fire and air. Unspoken 

prevention exists against partners who mutually neutralize each other. 

There has never been beings like us before.” 

I crouched and exhaled, deeply swallowing the salty tears running 

down my nose and cheeks. I felt a growing sense of frustration settle 

within me. Eli drew me into his arms. 

“We will make it work,” he promised confidently. 

I enclosed him in a tight embrace and pressed my cheek against his 

breast. He tenderly stroked my hair. We were breathing almost 

concurrently, breaking the gravy silence, and tried to figure out what to 

do next. Nit wrestled the door with his mighty fists almost blowing it 

off its hinges. 

“Is he really your best friend?” I asked. 

“He’s my twin brother, Eli answered. 

“I would have never guessed!” I exclaimed in surprise. “You are so 

different.” 

“Just like our parents.” 

~ 145 ~

“What kind of Túaths are they?” I asked. 

“Earth and fire.” 

“They are not complementary ones,” I was completely confused. 

Eli let out a nervous laugh. 

“This is the beginning of our story. Breaking the rules is in my 

blood.” 

“Why are mixed couples banned in the first place? Who cares?” 

It seemed so barbaric. Nit banged on the door even harder. 

Eli huffed, “Sorry, I’ll have to open it or otherwise he’ll unhinge it.” 

He left for a moment and re-appeared again. 

“It is generally accepted that intermixed deities thin out the blood 

and produce weak descendants. ‘Half-breeds’ are less vigorous, 

therefore, the whole lineage degenerates in the next generations.” 

“Sounds like a tangible argument.” I replied. 

“There is more to it. Nit and I are a living rebuttal of that theory. 

We are even stronger than our parents and demonstrate abilities 

superior to ordinary Túaths and...” 

“It won’t work in your case,” Nit interjected Eli as he entered the 

room. 

“You represent the opposite elements, which poses a life threat. 

Besides, it is dreadful not only for the two of you, and you know it as 

well as I do!” Nit’s face became contorted with anger. He threw such a 

fervent glance at Eli, I was even flattened by his glare. 

“This will all lead to nothing good. They will come after you, AND 

you know very well that neither I nor Jordana will stand aside and 

watch you get executed. You are signing a death sentence for us all, 

Eli!” Nit almost cried out the last words. 

“We’re the strongest in Ambré. They have no match against us.” 

“Ulmance will find a way to bring you down. You’ll indulge him 

with tremendous pleasure,” Nit bent towards Eli and raised his index 

finger like a dagger. “You should not have come. I could have picked 

up Leela, but you have to do everything your way, like always.” 

~ 146 ~

“This would have changed nothing! We still would have met in 

Ambré. Some things are meant to be. I love her!” Eli declared firmly. 

“If I am fated to die in the name of love, so be it. At least I won’t 

waste the rest of my life away from the most precious person I know. 

It’s all or nothing!” 

“Oh!” screamed Nit raising his massive arms up to the sky. “This 

sounds just like you! 

You’ve never taken anything in life seriously, but at least think 

about Leela! You could kill her!” Nit yelled at him. 

“Don’t overdramatize it,” Eli looked at his brother with stern 

intensity. 

“Do you even realize what could have happened if I hadn’t arrived 

in time?” 

Eli stared at him without saying a word. He lifted his chin and cut 

his eyes. 

“Sometimes to truly love somebody is to let them go no matter 

how blazingly painful it is,” Nit said these words as if they were tearing 

his heart apart. 

“Just like you let Jordana go, right?” Eli struck him. “So, who is 

happy after that? You cannot live without each other and yet cannot 

be together! Do you want the same to happen to us?” Eli’s voice was 

trembling with rage. 

“You have no choice,” Nit stated. 

“There is always a choice.” 

“I just want both of you alive.” 

Tension outlined the muscles on Eli’s neck and hands accentuating 

his pronounced biceps. A bulging vein popped out on his forehead. 

“I don’t want to live like that!” he blurted out. “I don’t call 

permanent self-torture a life. You would be wasting your energy 

suppressing the feelings you have for Jordana. Five minutes in your 

company and your thoughts about her start driving me mad.” 

Eli got up from the bed and took several steps towards Nit. 

~ 147 ~

“I love her and she loves me! I’m going to fight till the end, till I 

win. And if the system stands in my way, I’ll burn it down to the 

ground!” he shouted. 

Fear overpowered me chilling the blood in my veins. My heartbeat 

changed to slow and rhythmic. My hand reached for Eli, and our 

hands tangled in a tight knot just like our lives were becoming. I knew 

for certain I wouldn’t backtrack. I wanted to be with him until the 

end--hopefully the victorious end. Nit silently sank down onto the bed 

and squeezed his head between his hands. 

“We’re in complete shit! As soon as UImance learns about this, it’s 

time to make a will,” he mumbled. 

Nit raised his head and looked at me with a flicker of hope. 

“Leela, at least you should stay reasonable. One of you should have 

their head screwed on right.” 

Nit’s plea to support him died in vain. My behavior was not 

dictated by common sense. I could not recognize myself, I wasn’t 

myself. What I became was a conundrum I still had yet to unravel. 

Nit paced the floor and flung his arms excitedly. 

“You cannot physically be together since your powers tend to 

extinguish the other. There are two options: either he burns you, or he 

drowns in his own blood. Even if it does not get that far, there is still 

Ulmance who cannot see you together. Throughout the history of the 

Túaths there was only one couple of neutralizing Túaths–our parents. 

Let’s skip the sad part where they were sent into exile and narrowly 

escaped death, thanks to the interference of your mom, Leela. That 

story had a happy ending, but not for everyone. Your own parents 

ended up dead!” 

“Nit!” Eli tried to interrupt him. “Nobody knows that for sure. 

Those are only wild speculations.” 

“But if they contain at least a grain of truth, Leela ought to know 

about the length she has to go. She has a right to know what kind of 

people will bear a grudge against her.” 

~ 148 ~

I hung on Nit’s every word, and he continued explaining with 

enthusiasm. 

“The government system of Ambré is close to meritocracy. Three 

members of each species occupy the pinnacle of power. The most 

powerful Túath is Ulmance Grey, who obsessively concerns about 

purity of blood. He has devoted his life to the crusade against mixed 

couples; hence our parents and we are like a burr in a saddle for him. 

Although it is obvious that talented and powerful Túaths are born in 

such marriages, we are still his number one enemies. We coined us a 

‘chancy lapse.’ 

“Ulmance and Ares Oltour were the ones who initiated the 

prosecution of our parents many years ago. At first, they wanted to 

conduct a public execution to make an example out of them, but your 

mother, Elis, personally intervened to protect them. She went to 

Ulmance and persuaded him to somehow cover up the scandal. 

Rumor has it he was in love with her, and Elis exchanged their lives 

for her reciprocity.” 

Nit flopped down in a chair across from us and continued his 

storytelling. 

“But the love story had a bitter end. Elis met Tim, they got married, 

and then you were born. 

No happy ending though since Elis and Tim died in a sudden plane 

crash on their way to Thailand. Everyone assumed you were with 

them. For some unknown reason you were not on board and ended 

up here. Some time ago we noticed strong activity indicating a 

powerful Túath. We were sent to investigate, and Eli almost 

immediately found you.” 

Nit shifted his gaze away from mine and said, 

“I want to believe your story will have a different ending.” 

My heart pounded rapidly in my chest. I actually had loving parents 

whom I lost without even lodging their faces in my memories. The 

thought about them pierced me right to the core almost causing me to 

stop breathing. 

~ 149 ~

“Were they killed?” my numb lips uttered this question counter to 

my will. 

Every word was branded on my tongue. Someone mercilessly 

seized sixteen years of my life and stripped me of everything and 

everyone dear to me--my parents, my home, my family. This left me 

with a gaping hole instead, leaving me to mourn over the current 

emptiness of my existence. All nice childhood experiences drifted past 

me. I did not blow out the candles of my birthday cake, I did not 

unwrap Christmas gifts, I did not help my dad grill sausages for a 

picnic or roll around in the grass, I did not count stars. My mom did 

not read me bedtime stories and kiss me good night, and my dad did 

not teach me how to ride a bike. 

My previous life was a pitiful attempt to survive in an alienated 

indifferent world, where I struggled alone for sixteen long years 

fostering slim hopes for a better tomorrow. And so it came true, that 

long-anticipated tomorrow. I finally had a family and found myself in 

the strong grip of the most wonderful man in the universe. Now, they 

were telling me I was on the verge of losing it all, again. 

My empty look was fixed on Nit’s swarthy face demanding for 

further explanations. 

“I think the crash probably could have been engineered, yes.” 

Eli knuckled his fists as if he was going to attack Nit. 

“You think so? These are mere speculations. There is not a shred 

of evidence that Ulmance had something to do with the accident. 

It’s bad enough for Leela already, and you keep on making it worse 

with your suspicions!” 

“What kind of evidence do you expect? The plane was struck by a 

lightning. This happens. It would never raise any suspicion in the 

human world. Grief, woe, for sure, but never a question. Who couldn’t 

come to terms with Eli’s denial? Who controls air flows and lightning?! 

Ulmance does!” Nit hopped to his feet again and started pacing the 

floor. 

The overwhelming torrent of information no longer swirled within 

my head. It suffocated me instead filling my eyes with tears. 

~ 150 ~

“You suggested that Ulmance could not forget my…” I wanted to 

say ‘my mom,’ but the words got stuck in my throat like a painful 

lump, “… Elis, and killed her and Tim?” 

Nit drew a sigh and continued, “He could not forget. Túaths fall in 

love once and remain together forever. They remain faithful until they 

draw their last breath,” Nit spoke discretely throwing every word like it 

was a stone. With barely displaying his pain he was telling me his and 

Jordana’s story. 

“For some it is a curse, for others it is a blessing. Sometimes, with 

Ulmance’s highest permission, marriages are determined among the 

complementary beings. Those who were unlucky to fall in love with 

neutralizing ones are bound to love discretely, leading two separate 

lives. A couple like the two of you is impossible to imagine. Such a 

situation would be entirely unthinkable in Ambré, but destiny walks its 

own path and has its own quirks. 

“You grew up in the human world, and Eli never abides by the 

rules. So, they’ll quarter him first as soon as an opportunity presents 

itself. Such a fortunate twist of fate for them!” Nit raised his brows 

and looked at his brother. 

I was able to forgive, but not this time. I had no desire. My only 

wish was to pull out the heart of the man who allegorically did the 

same to me many years ago. If Nit was right and Ulmance was 

involved in their murder, I would…and suddenly, I noticed Eli’s 

restless stare towards me. I was reading my own thoughts with mixed 

feelings. 

Eli grabbed Nit by his shirt and said, 

“Watch your tongue when you don’t know what you are talking 

about!” 

Nit forcefully pushed him away, and they started to fight. I could 

not be bothered by such actions. 

~ 151 ~

I left the room. It was like a bad dream. I needed oxygen and now. 

I passed the terrace and entered the spacious yard fenced by a midhigh 

hedge. My lungs became filled with cool evening air, but it did 

not ease the anxiety. In a futile attempt to run away from myself, I 

increased my pace and walked deeper and deeper into the wildwood 

where I could be alone to finally give way to the pain that curled up in 

my chest like a thorny bush. 

The usual carpet of fir needles was now substituted with last year’s 

faded foliage. The air brought a moist ill-smell, which concerted with 

the memories invading my head. Wet soft soil squished underneath my 

feet, and every step became more and more troublesome. Struggling 

with heavy legs, I tried to run faster and faster until the forest, 

drowning out the last rays of sunlight, had blurred like an 

impressionistic landscape by Monet. 

I was moving at the pace of a Túath, which I had only realized 

later. Overshadowed by sadness, this newly attained skill did not excite 

me. I was face to face with the absorbing emptiness that engrossed me 

with renewed vigor. The burden of twisting truths lay on my shoulders 

like a stone ready to crush me with tons of anguish. 

I gave up resistance, fell to the ground, and began to sob. So many 

times, I forced my thoughts about my parents deep into the 

subconscious. I prohibited myself from recalling my mother’s face--a 

glimpse of her smile, the sound of her laughter--and banished the 

reflections of why they left me or whether they even loved me. 

Nevertheless, the truth was finally revealed. They were ruthlessly 

killed, and now the offender was aiming at depriving me from the 

most precious person in my life, Eli. The perpetrator wanted to rip out 

my soul, throw it over a bridge, and into a swamp of unrealized 

dreams. 

Flashbacks began to snowball--rolling down the slope of my 

memories--picking up every recollection, insult, and hurt, turning it 

into an avalanche of suffering. My barely audible sobs seemed like 

claps of thunder in the dead silence. 

~ 152 ~

Wait, the thunder was indeed rumbling. I lifted my eyes to meet the 

dark sky covered with incumbent storm clouds. 

In an instant they burst with a heavy down pour of rain, drenching 

me along with the blasts of thunder and lightning returning me to 

reality. The light became trapped in the thick tops of the coniferous 

trees, and it seemed the day had turned into the night, omitting dusk. 

I looked around attempting to assess how far I was from town. The 

landscape seemed vaguely familiar, although I had never recalled 

seeing it. I noticed a small lake ahead of me. 

A rocky ridge hung over it, and a waterfall was streaming down 

from the cliff. Fallen leaves rustled loudly under the rain. The air was 

scented with the fresh smell of thunderstorm. The lake’s surface, 

crinkled by the tracks of heavenly tears, appeared like the face of an 

old man. 

“Leela!” Eli called out for me, then suddenly appearing next to me. 

“You scared me! Please don’t ever run away like that again.” He 

unfolded a jacket and placed it over my head, but it, too, became 

soaked in a moment. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how I got here,” my voice was lost in the 

rumbling sound of the rainfall. Eli’s face darkened. 

“Nit should not have mentioned it.” 

“No, I needed to know,” I retorted removing the wet hair from my 

face. 

“Too much information has been dropped on you lately. I was 

going to tell you about it later. I’m very sorry,” he gave me an 

endearing hug, but it was so hot I lost my breath. The air became dry 

and feverish. It unpleasantly scratched my throat. 

I squeezed out a stiff smile concealing the grimace of pain. I was 

ready to break into tears again. 

Water and fire cannot co-exist, Nit’s words hammered in my head like 

eternal damnation. 

~ 153 ~

“You know what? If our days are numbered, and Nit is pretty sure 

about that, then I suggest we spend this time usefully and pleasurably,” 

Eli said pulling my sleeve. His narrowed eyes were very cunning. 

“I’m already afraid. Where are you going?” 

“To have fun!” he moved his eyebrows playfully. 

“And how are we going to have fun?” 

“Oh, the possibilities are plentiful, and my favorite one is 

temporarily out of the picture. So, we will choose the one free of any 

danger. I’ll teach you how to drive a car!” 

“That’s the least dangerous one? At night?” 

“Anything that does not entail bodily contact is not dangerous.” 

Eli cheerfully headed south in direction still holding me by my 

sleeve. 

“Just saying you are a fast learner won’t cut it. I’m hardly ever 

distracted and found out you had already crossed a little over fifteen 

miles into the forest.” 

“How many?” I asked wide-eyed. “How do we get back now? 

Damn! What time is it?” 

Eli looked at his mobile phone, “Almost 7 p.m. So what?” 

“Damn it! This is the first time I won’t make it to work on time. 

How could I fail Flavio? There’s no way we’ll make it in time.” 

Eli grinned at my distress. He turned to me, put his hands on my 

shoulders, and looked seriously into my eyes. I felt a slight skin 

irritation at the spots where his hands touched me. 

“Leela, I told you already you are not working there anymore. Flavio 

was informed of it, and they have already found your replacement.” 

I looked at him with distrust, but then he pressed the mobile phone 

to my ear. I listened to the dial tone with a questioning look since I 

had no clue when he called. 

“Hallo!” the familiar voice with a heavy Italian accent greeted me 

through the phone. 

“Flavio,” I forced out of my mouth. 

~ 154 ~

“Ciao bella! Mi permetta di congratularmi con tu!” 

“Grazie, Flavio,” I thanked him not quite understanding why he 

was congratulating me. 

“I’m so glad you have found your relatives! Sono molto felice! Che 

meraviglioso!” he said joyfully. 

“Ah, that’s what this is about,” I said looking quizzically at Eli. He 

leaned against a broad tree trunk with the most content facial 

expression. 

“Do you like them?” 

“I’ll say,” I smiled, keeping it to myself that I was head over heels 

for one of them. With one look he made my body tingle. “It would be 

priceless, though, if they did not butt into everything!” 

Eli laughed. 

“It comes with the package, dear. Relatives always bring piles of 

problems, but it is much better than not having them at all. Plus, yours 

are wealthy! I’m so touched. They talk about it on every corner!” 

“Oh, really?” I asked as my mouth dropped. 

“Yes, and Marge is doing just fine. She manages it all very well. She 

really needed a job.” 

“Reeeally?” I questioned staring at Eli who was roaring with 

laughter, I suppose being very proud of himself. 

“Mi dispiace. I have to go. You know well how busy Saturdays are 

for us. Baci, cara! Bye!” he exclaimed and hung up. 

I was utterly stunned and looked into Eli’s eyes without blinking, 

which were now seductively gleaming. 

“Why did you not ask me? What if I really liked this job?” 

“I have enough money to purchase this café and the entire town on 

top of it. Who needs it, really?” Eli twisted his face, but even then he 

looked charming. “I could not ask you, a person with an exaggerated 

sense of responsibility and propensity to self-torture. Have a look. 

Everyone is fine. Marge found a job, Flavio found an employee, and 

you found your peace. Let’s take our minds off these things and take a 

ride!” 

~ 155 ~

“We won’t reach the car till morning.” 

“If we walk, we won’t. But if we run, we have a chance.” He 

disappeared, emerging approximately fifty-five yards ahead of me. 

I waived my hands and said, “I cannot do this.” 

“Can’t you?” he stood very close, towering a head above me in 

height. His lips whispered something to me almost touching my skin. 

The sharp contour of his lips magnetized me so, I had to bite mine in 

order to maintain the distance. Eli noticed my torment by the desire, 

and his mouth opened in a wide smile. He leaned shockingly close and 

asked, “How did you get here then?” 

“It happened by itself,” I replied. 

Eli moved further, teasing me. 

“Of course, by itself. You are a Túath. It’s only natural for you.” 

“I’ll give it a try,” I promised not knowing what to expect. 

“You have no choice, or maybe you do want to spend a night with 

me in the forest,” he winked. 

“Don’t even dream about it!” 

Eli disappeared from my sight, and I increased my pace while trying 

to recall how I did this the first time. Nothing happened. My mind was 

flooded by my emotions, which sucked me in like quick sand. 

Thoughts about my parents and Ulmance Grey clouded my 

perception. I was petrified by the mere recollection of his name. 

Sooner or later, I had to meet him face to face. The idea was 

horrifying. 

A patch of fading lilac and golden sunset sky poked through the 

tops of the pine trees. 

The formidable trunks, appearing like giant obsidian columns, 

lined up in an almost perfectly straight corridor. The falling darkness 

had almost completely swallowed the forest and its remnant sounds of 

life, leaving only the rustling fir needles underneath my feet and my 

frequented breathing. 

~ 156 ~

Eli was still gone. Those several moments of solitude, in the now 

nocturnal forest, seemed like an eternity. I pushed all somber 

contemplations aside hoping he was pulling yet another joke. A branch 

cracked behind me. I turned back peering into the darkness. 

“Eli, this isn’t funny!” my body instinctively tensed as I stepped 

backwards. There was no movement or sound around to attract my 

attention. I heaved a sigh of relief and was ready to continue my 

journey. When I turned back around, a tall man of dark hue stood 

across my path. His silhouette was barely distinguishable in the 

murkiness of the forest, but I could see that his skin was smooth, 

almost wax-like, with a red hue. A cry escaped my lips like a distraught 

bird. 

Against the background of the dusky forest--in an hour when the 

play of light and shadow reached its culmination--the stranger’s face 

seemed to be roughly carved out of a big boulder by a talentless cutter. 

His nose with a crook, gallows-look of black eyes, and large wide 

mouth, which had twisted in a grin made him look like a troll. I 

noticed a tattoo on the right side of his massive neck: phosphorescent 

tongues of fire crawled from under his shirt up to his ear and farther 

on his bold bald skull. Strange symbols--maybe runes--were coarsely 

depicted around his snagged ear, which resembled oysters. The man 

stretched out his big palm, so huge his muscles flexed on his hands, 

and fixed his face in a smile. 

“Good evening, Leela” he said. 

His black eyes burned right through me like coals as he awaited my 

response. My fingers trembled. I stuffed my palms into my rear jeans 

pockets to conceal my fear, and stepped back. 

“Let’s try again,” the bouncer-like man lifted up an eyebrow. “Hi, 

I’m Cole.” He remained still with an out-stretched arm. 

I made a few steps back. 

All my thoughts were on Eli--where was he and what happened to 

him? My restless eyes scoured the darkness hoping to see him. 

~ 157 ~

“Looking for Eli?” he snorted. “I’m afraid he is a bit busy at the 

moment,” he ecstatically rolled his eyes. “But, well, maybe not 

anymore!” 

Cole said it so explicitly, I realized what he was implying--Eli was 

already dead. My heart sank and started to pound crazily that Cole 

seemingly could hear the drumbeat of my fear. A loud crackling sound 

came from far away, and a bright flare illuminated the forest for one 

second then faded. He was alive! My fearful glance flashed back to 

Cole. 

“What do you want?” 

“Nothing,” he snickered. “We just want to pass friendly regards 

from one very important person. He wants to meet with you and 

dearly hopes the new member of our society will remain prudent.” 

“Tell him that he can stick his prudence up his butt! I will decide 

for myself what is good for me and behave accordingly!” I snapped. 

He started laughing. 

“It’s funny. Alfhield said the same.” 

He slowly walked around me. Dry branches squeaked dolefully as 

they broke under his weight. “I see the two of you became the best of 

friends,” he said curiously. “I did know it was possible. So, how do fire 

and water do this?” his eyes showed his genuine interest as if he was 

gazing at a unicorn. 

“None of your business.” I snapped. 

Cole stopped in front of me and leaned forward supporting his 

hands on his knees. His dark eyes, with an amaranth hue, poked 

through me. I wanted to run away as fast as I could, but this was 

exactly what he wanted. Cole was inundated in his own solemnity. 

“Wrong answer,” he stated. 

He came even closer to me, but I could not move, just clenched my 

fists. My hair was glued to my sweaty forehead. The rush of adrenaline 

was mixed with fear and some rage. 

“Stay away,” I said unnerved. 

~ 158 ~

“You’re threatening me?” he snorted, mockingly examining me 

from his height. 

Very loud deep snapping sounds came from close by. The noises of 

fighting and trees breaking were approaching us. I looked in the 

direction of those noises holding my breath. 

“I understand Eli,” Cole said touching my face with his dry 

sandpapery hand. “You’ve got a certain something.” 

His hands smelled of cinder and some other disgustingly sweet 

substance. From this thickening scent, my mouth filled with saliva. 

“Take your hands off me!” I hissed pushing his hand away. 

Cole grabbed my chin and pulled me closer. I could smell and feel 

his bad breath. It reeked like an old sepulcher. 

“Stop fighting me. Then you’ll be fine!” he commanded. 

I winced and kick him full force in his shin. A dull sound of the 

blow was accompanied by his angry mumbling. Cole bent down to 

hold his leg. I fetched the first thing I could lay my hands on. It was an 

extremely heavy branch. I lifted it over my head, like the Heimdallr 

sword, and forcefully swung it. Unfortunately, the crumbly piece of 

wood fell into pieces after making impact with Cole’s head, failing my 

expectations. He sneezed thunderously and threw up. 

Caught by surprise, I leaned back, stumbled over a root, and fell 

down into the foliage. The bouncer attacked me in an instant. He 

grabbed me by my neck and pressed me down. His thick fingers 

gripped around my neck to strangle me. I shook and tried to dodge his 

face hovering over me. He squeezed harder, smothering me. I could 

only guess what would happen next. I would either suffocate or have 

my neck broken and still suffocate. 

“Didn’t I ask you to be quiet?” he yelled. 

~ 159 ~

I could not answer. A faint squeal escaped my throat and tears 

streamed down my cheeks. My palms ineffectively pushed his chest. 

Cole slightly released his grip. A new intake of breath brought me a 

whole palette of unknown sensations. Everything was different. His 

heavy breath, my agitated heart beating, his furious red eyes–this all 

filled my bandwidth. I paid attention to every little detail. 

Cole seized my slender body quite roughly so that I grunted. 

“Let me go!” I screamed, kicking and trying to break free. He 

covered my mouth with his hand and impaled me to himself making 

me contort from pain. I lost my breath again. Cole was effortlessly 

carrying me through the woods like a four pound package of sugar. He 

was hurriedly trudging through the forest. Did I really give up and let 

this beast kidnap me? Rage boiled inside of me switching my brain to 

emergency mode. Blood hammered in my head like the pendulum of 

an old clock. I felt a stab in my right temple, then again, and then a 

stronger one. Both of my temples were prodded by pain. 

Then a bout of blazing pain struck me, and I sensed a cold electric 

charge flow through my body. 

A sudden blast of light illuminated the world around me, and 

sparks flickered behind my eyes. Cole made a squeaky sound and 

released me. I sank down like a bag. I was disoriented from blindness 

and the noise in my ears. Listening to Cole moan, I crept away by 

touch. 

The white mist gradually cleared up. Familiar contour appeared in 

front of my eyes and objects progressively regained sharpness and 

depth. I could finally see Cole, who was bent on the ground, and now 

holding his nose. Blood dripped onto the dry fallen leaves. I could 

barely manage to stand to my feet. The ground started to drop out 

from under me, and I had to lean on the adjacent tree trunk for 

balance. My knees were shivering, and my legs were rubbery. 

I must move at whatever cost! 

~ 160 ~

Cole wiped the blood from his nose with his palm then 

straightened up. His face lost any sign of friendliness and was 

contorted by anger. He rushed after me. With overwhelming fear, I 

heard branches crunching close to me, but I could not move any 

faster. Cole was rapidly approaching me. All I could imagine was his 

weight crushing down on me at any moment. Instead, Cole produced a 

loud screech. Limply, I turned to look. 

A big fireball knocked down Cole--his body rammed into a tree and 

broke it in two. The trunk fell into the mud, splashing Cole’s face. He 

mumbled something. Eli entered the scene at a fast pace rubbing 

splattered blood from his face. He was readily approaching Cole, but 

stopped a short distance away. He waited for him to get on his feet. 

“C’mon, finish it! Or you don’t kick a man when he is down,” Cole 

moaned in a tone of contempt. 

“No matter how I beat you the result will be the same,” Eli’s voice 

sounded menacing. “You knew where you were going.” 

“I just passed the word and…” 

“Go! Now!” snarled Eli. “I won’t give you a second chance.” 

“Playing the noble knight?” Cole snorted. 

“If I were playing with you,” Eli took a step toward him, “you 

would be begging for your life just like your former friend.” 

Cole looked into the murky forest, which was as black as his eyes. 

“Your dead friend,” Eli said distantly. Cole twitched and knuckled 

his fists. 

“I’ll kill you!” he screamed and attacked. Eli momentarily emerged 

several feet behind Cole. 

A thick red-hot chain flashed in Eli’s hand. He smashed it against 

the grass, and it immediately turned into ashes. 

“I’ve heard this phrase somewhere, just recently. Got it!” Eli tapped 

his head. “Max’s last words.” 

Cole growled in anger so loudly the old leaves fell from the trees 

like dirty snow. His body gleamed and spurts of combustions 

impatiently danced around him. 

~ 161 ~

Thick darkness surrendered the light from the flames. Night forest, 

fire, and the smell of coniferous tress could have made this evening 

quite pleasant if not for the self-igniting creature. I could not get my 

tongue around to call it a Túath. Cole cracked his fingers and reclined 

his head. 

“Alfhield, you are dead.” 

“So predictable,” Eli said sadly. 

Cole clenched his massive jaw and raised his hands. His face 

seemed to beam with inspiration. Strong fire flared in his palms like in 

sacramental vessels. Tongues of fire jumped high attempting to lick 

the pine branches. Then the fire subsided as if it fell asleep and left 

Cole standing with two gigantic blazing hammers. Cole’s skin looked 

purple-violet in its light. 

The adversaries stood across from each other burning the ground 

under their soles. Hot vapor steamed out of the ground here and 

there, nervously spurting out and then quickly retreating. 

Cole shifted from one foot to the other, firmly squeezed the 

handles of his weapons, raised them up, and ran directly towards Eli 

with a battle cry. Eli remained still like a sculpture. His shirt was gone-- 

only few burn shreds hung over his glowing skin. His muscles were 

outlined even under the layer of sweat and soot. 

Eli’s movements were too fast to be observed in detail. Swaying 

arms, chains flying up like light ribbons, a golden trail behind them, a 

crackling sound, and Cole collapsing on the ground with a thud. The 

chains wrapping around his body trapped him. 

“I don’t want to kill you, Cole. Go back, and tell them the rules 

were not violated.” 

Cole pressed his lips together, shaking with rage. His eyes moved 

from Eli, to me, and back to Eli, while he reflected on those words. 

He probably gave up trying to reason since he slightly nodded. 

“I don’t believe you, Morgan. Swear it!” 

Cole’s face twisted. 

“You’ll die, son of a bitch!” he hollered. 

~ 162 ~

A chain crawled around Cole like a fiery snake burning down the 

remainder of his clothing and enclosing him into a deadly grip, which 

was growing tighter and tighter. He frantically groaned and spat the 

most obnoxious swearing. Eli observed his victim with vehement 

enthusiasm. Devils were dancing in his eyes. 

“Obscene vocabulary will only make things worse. I start to lose 

patience, my bald friend.” Eli quipped. 

The chain became violent and twisted itself in several loops around 

Cole’s thick neck. He shook and narrowed his eyes. 

“Faber est suae quisque fortunaue--everyone works out his own 

destiny,” Eli purred quietly. 

Cole Morgan’s massive palms banged on the split ground like 

blades. Eli pierced him with his gaze and loosened his grip a bit. The 

captive uttered a phrase in an undecipherable but strangely familiar 

language. The chains instantly disappeared. Cole inhaled loudly and 

sank lower. He supported his neck with his hands as if his head was in 

danger of falling off. Then he panted. 

“Now, you go!” Eli demanded. 

A smile, dangerous like a snake’s bite, flickered on Eli’s 

bloodstained face. He turned around and walked to me in silent steps. 

His facial expression changed and became mild and concerned. Out of 

the corner of my eye, I noticed a motion. As soon as Cole’s fingers 

reached the hammer, he jumped up and ran towards Eli. 

“Eli! Behind you!” I shrieked. 

I couldn’t breathe, and cold air became trapped in my lungs, 

burning them. The hammer was already hovering over Eli’s head. His 

scream of anger blasted in my ears like glass shattering. 

~ 163 ~

I finally managed to inhale, and suddenly time slowed. I saw veins 

popping from Cole’s neck like lianas, tensed biceps on his shivering 

arms, his lips twisted in a crooked line, and exposed large teeth. I 

exhaled--I was in a strange meditative state where the usual notion of 

time did not hold true anymore. My hands moved forward all by 

themselves and unfolded like flower buds. My lips started to whisper 

the words in that bizarre language Cole used for his oath. His face 

twisted with hatred and suddenly agonized in a painful scowl. He 

slowed down as if swimming through a thick medium. His dark skin 

was covered with frost that shinned like a diamond placer. Cole froze 

on the spot like a sculpture with a gapped mouth. 

Air escaping my mouth veiled a spell that exploded as a ringing 

flap. A blinding flash illuminated the sky and singed my eyes. It felt 

like a handful of sand had been thrown into them. Then I sensed 

freezing electric charges running down my spine. I wanted to scream 

from the intense pain, but my spasmodic throat could only voice a 

husky moan. I heard a terrible crackling sound and the noise of falling 

stones. My eyes watered, and I dabbed them trying to see what was 

behind me. 

My own scream reverberated in my ears. Like an apple with a bite 

taken out of it, Cole’s head was lying next to my feet. Dimmed beads 

of his eyes gawked at me. 

I screamed till I lost my voice. I was shaking like a marionette and 

did not even realize when Eli grabbed me into his strong embrace. I 

buried my face in his shoulder, which absorbed my sobbing. I tried not 

to look at the remains of Cole. 

“I did not…did not want to kill him,” I repeated in a husky voice. 

“It’s all right,” whispered Eli hugging me even tighter. 

“It’s was an accident. I would never do that,” I broke free and took 

a step back clutching my head. 

Blood wildly pounded in my temples. 

“Leela! You just saved my life! He did not leave us any other 

choice. Don’t you get it?” 

~ 164 ~

I was not able to understand and accept various things when 

sunken glassy eyes stared from a broken skull like rotten black olives. 

Why did I even look at it again? Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale… I 

forced myself to take deep breaths hoping to calm down. Instead, I 

felt even dizzier and started to sink down to the ground. 

I sat down, cuddling with Eli, until the earth stopped revolving at a 

chaotic pace around me. He was breathing normally as if nothing 

happened, as if a recent fight with two bodies, and a smoking 

battlefield only existed in my imagination. 

“Are you ok?” Eli’s hot lips touched the cold sweat on my 

forehead. 

His warm fingers moved the hair stuck to my cheeks. 

I shook my head in denial withholding the tears. 

“No, I am not. I killed a man with my own hands.” I answered. 

“He was not a man, not in the least. You should not blame yourself 

for his death. He was condemned anyway. 

First of all, he disobeyed the order and almost killed you. 

Then he had broken the sacramental oath, and finally, I was going 

to rip off his stupid head anyway.” 

He put on the most careless of smiles, “I am more concerned about 

how you did it.” 

“I don’t know,” I squeezed words through my trembling lips and 

rattling teeth. “I thought I kicked him, but from the inside out, it was 

as if he was electrocuted.” 

Eli chuckled. 

“I froze him first and then struck him with lightning.” 

“With lightning?” 

“Yes, it’s strange. Very strange. Only air Túaths can generate 

lightning, but what does that have to do with you?” 

Eli looked at me reflectively. 

“Why did they? To check whether we are complying with the 

rules?” 

~ 165 ~

“That was the order, but Ulmance chose the wrong messengers. Or 

maybe that was his plan all along.” 

Eli, absorbed in his own thoughts, stared fixedly in front of him. 

“What plan?” 

“I never got along with Cole and Max. Ulmance knew that. So, I 

think they were chosen with that fact in mind.” 

“Did they want to kill us?” 

“No!” exclaimed Eli. “Just me.” 

“What? Why are you talking about it so casually?” 

“It does not make me sweat because it is impossible.” 

“You wanted to say ‘difficult?’ Or are you immortal?” 

“Of course not, but it is extremely difficult to exterminate me,” Eli 

arched his eyebrow and smiled. “We make a great team,” he pushed 

me with his shoulder and fell on the ground with me in his embrace. 

“Sweeping changes are coming, Leela. Nobody can pull it off but us. 

Those idiotic outdated rules are good for no one. So many Túaths 

suffered because of someone’s sick ambitions. We’ll be pioneers, and 

the rest will follow us.” 

“Are you engineering an insurrection?” I asked. 

“If necessary. In fact, all I want is just to be with you; to hold you 

in my arms.” 

Our eyes met. With a blossoming smile and a swelling ocean of 

confidence in my beloved’s eyes, a trigger was pulled making my 

ecstatic heart pound. 

“It’s getting cold,” I shivered. My breath misted and slowly 

dissolved in the dark air. 

“Well, I guess camping is out of the question. What a pity! We 

could grill sausages and…ouch!” he exclaimed scenically when I 

elbowed him, “I’m sold.” 

Eli graciously jumped to his feet and stretched his hand out to me. 

“Are we going to crawl or do we try to run?” 

~ 166 ~

At first, I hardly moved my legs at their usual speed because my 

feet constantly slipped on the wet soil. Eli danced around me at an 

imperceptibly high speed, dragging a light flow behind him, which 

illuminated our way. I remembered in childhood we used to put prods 

in fire, pull them out as soon as they caught fire, and swing them in 

the air outlining glowing ribbons and figures. A fire trail created by Eli 

was by far more impressive. Each one comprised of millions of 

shimmering particles that sparkled in the velvety night sky. 

I focused on my senses, trying to stimulate and accelerate myself. 

Suddenly, a powerful surge of energy filled my body, thrusting me 

from within, and I darted off, surprisingly not bumping into anything 

along the way. Eli remained in step with me, and we raced hand-inhand 

through the thick forest pushing through the flows of the 

freezing air. 

The windows of the dark house greeted us. As soon as I opened 

the door, Porto, who had been patiently anticipating his evening walk, 

stormed into the yard, almost knocking me off my feet. He first visited 

a nearby shrub and then came to welcome us. I was astonished he 

addressed Eli before me. The dog was likely moved by the taste of 

those dog biscuits Eli cooked for me. 

“Sorry, pups, that you had to wait so long for us,” I said stroking 

his thick black hairy back. Its large folds amusingly rolled under my 

hand. 

Tiredness weighted me. I yawned widely and dabbed my closing 

eyes. 

“I feel like a freight mover who pulled a dozen cars.” 

“You trekked over twenty-nine miles, launched lightning, and came 

onto me. No surprise you are feeling tired!” Eli held the door inviting 

me in with a gesture. 

“I came onto you?!” I resented forcing him to laugh again. 

“Exhaustion has a bad influence on your memory. You have to 

turn in now, otherwise you may not remember me tomorrow.” 

~ 167 ~

I could not help yawning once again, and I dragged myself into the 

bedroom. Eli stretched himself out next to me and lulled me to sleep 

with his calm, even breathing. 

~ 168 ~

CHAPTER NINE 

~ EARTH FLOWERS ~ 

! 

The hands of the clock were lazily climbing up to midday. The 

curtains on the window carefully shielded us from the rich daylight, 

keeping the illusion of early morning hours alive. I stretched and then 

sat up leisurely on the bed tossing my hair away from my face. Eli 

gently opened the door. 

“You are finally awake. I could hardly wait.” 

Eli rolled in a tray topped with various foods. His eyes exuded 

sparkling heat. He blew a kiss to me. I caught it with excitement and 

pressed it to my lips. 

“This is a wonderful way to start a Sunday.” I said. 

Eli handed me a cup, which was spreading an inviting aroma of 

coffee. 

“It will continue in an amazing way,” his eyes were very bright. 

“I have no doubts about that. You know how to amaze!” 

He opened wide his arms as if he were ready to encompass the 

entire universe with his soul. His appearance, behavior, and traits 

directly reflected his inward man who was not ideal, but very real. This 

delightful handsome person was incredibly sharp-witted, had tones of 

charm, and much charisma and... 

“…and is madly in love with the most amazing girl! You clearly 

overestimate my virtues,” he said contentedly, interrupting my 

thoughts and slouching next to me on the bed. My cheeks turned red. 

These words were not meant for you to hear! I managed to block 

my thoughts yesterday, and you told me you did not receive them. Do 

you now? my thoughts inquired. 

~ 169 ~

“Yesterday you blocked me, but likely opened today,” he brushed it 

off and swallowed a piece of croissant, being happy with what he had 

overheard. 

“Have you been to the town center today?” I asked. 

He started laughing loudly, and I could understand why. 

“You said it in such a way as if I visited the North Pole. This town 

center of yours is two minutes away by car and half a minute away by 

running.” 

As soon as one delicious airy croissant melted in my mouth, Eli 

gave me another. 

“Take it. You need to recharge your batteries. We will train on 

water conquest today.” 

“Sounds ambitious.” I quipped. 

“This is officially your first day.” He said flatly. 

I rolled on my belly. 

“And how do Túaths usually learn all of this?” 

“In schools. It is just like here--dead-boring with a mean principal. 

Only special disciplines are individualized for the different types of 

exceptional Túaths. There is some other awesome stuff like the art of 

controlling one’s energy, the development of one’s potential, and 

martial arts when one has the official permission to kick someone’s 

ass.” He explained. 

I gathered myself up, jumped out of the bed, and walked towards 

the closet. I was excited to begin training. 

“We have a double date with Jenn and Michael today,” I told Eli, 

peering from behind the closet door. 

He remained stretched out on the bed and was staring at the 

ceiling. 

“Is it gonna be fun?” I enquired. 

“Hmm, I don’t know about that.” He answered. 

I put on jeans and a pullover, tied my hair in a ponytail, and then 

washed my face. The narrow cold stream of the running water 

attracted my attention. 

~ 170 ~

Water is the most miraculous and unique substance in the world, 

which conceals plentiful mysteries and secrets. Maybe I am the one 

who will be able to unravel them, I pondered. 

I focused on the stream, trying to change its direction. The water 

submitted and moved forward, then flew up, moved to the left, and 

then moved down obediently following my will. The movements were 

smooth and elegant. I was floating with delight when I managed to 

create various figures with the water. I played with breaking the 

element into small beads and swirling it into little vortices, totally 

losing myself in this game. Water floated in the air as if it did not obey 

gravity anymore. Eli peeked into the bathroom. 

“Why have you started without me?” he queried. 

“Just a workout. I wanted to give a fine account of myself in front 

of my gifted mentor.” I replied. 

“I’ll be waiting for you outside,” he lifted his green eyes like a 

shrewd cat. 

The dusty Lamborghini was resting in the driveway. Eli reclined on 

its hood like he was reclining in a lounge chair. He closed his eyes 

relaxing in sunlight. It was a warm spring morning, but nonetheless, he 

was clearly underdressed for this weather--shorts, a light striped T- 

shirt, and droplet-shaped sunglasses. A shadow of a smile flashed on 

his face as I approached him. He lifted his hand, abruptly throwing 

something in the air. The launched black object flew in my direction in 

slow motion. Eli’s hand briefly moved forward, and in the next 

moment, the car keys were lying in his palm. 

“You’re cool!” He said. 

“No! But if you intend to miss the destination point you can let me 

drive this monster. Isn’t that a great idea?” I suggested. 

“Come on,” he pushed me forward. “Get it. You’ll cut it. You are a 

quick learner. You catch everything on the fly faster than Nit’s hair 

burns, and to steer this baby is a piece of cake. Even the bald one can 

do it.” 

“Nit is very talented. I saw how he drives his car, and you keep on 

taunting him!” I said. 

~ 171 ~

“His one and only talent annoys me.” Eli remarked. 

“You are always teasing him. It is not fair.” 

His chin went up, and uttered quite authoritatively as if he were 

speaking the ultimate truth, 

“Fairness is a rather arbitrary and idealized notion. I’d like to avoid 

empty rhetoric on this subject.” 

Suppressing a smile, I crossed my hands on my chest and gave him 

a meaningful look. 

“I thought that burning looks were my privilege?” he asked jokingly. 

“I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am not going to sit behind the 

wheel of this mechanical beast. I cherish my life and don’t want to lose 

it any time too soon.” I countered. 

Eli gave orders like a general, “This is a part of the training 

program.” 

“Are you kidding me?” I snapped. 

“No!” he rounded his eyes in a bout of fake sincerity. “Everything 

we do pushes your limits, encourages you to unfold your potential.” 

I looked at the keys once again trying to find the right decision, but 

Eli had already slouched in the passenger seat. 

“This is like embarking on a suicidal mission.” 

“What to do! This is payback for my companionship,” he said and 

gave me a wink. 

The briefing for aspired racers consumed two hours of our time. A 

stickler, I was, I tried to understand the configuration of the device 

meticulously, and Eli answered the same questions over and over again 

with surprising patience. When the theoretical part was finally over, I 

turned the key in the ignition with my trembling hand. Lambi’s 

deafening engine roared, increasing the adrenaline in my blood. The air 

and my heart reverberated in a symphonic tune of limitless power and 

best technologies. 

~ 172 ~

I slowly put my trembling foot on the accelerator searching for the 

best way to make contact. The touch was as gentle as a stroke, but the 

car murmured excitedly and took off causing the rustling of gravel. Eli 

enjoyed the car ride in silence while drinking coffee from his travel 

mug. He heedlessly looked outside as I was struggling with 

contradicting desires to press the gas pedal to the metal and to remain 

a clear-headed follower of the saying ‘The slower you go, the farther 

you get.’ I had to get along with the car, which purred so seductively 

and reacted so willingly with every slight touch. I gave the car some 

juice every now and then, yet still remained within the limits of my 

non-existent driver experience. 

“Just what do you want!” exclaimed Eli. “Carpe diem! Do not be 

afraid to savor the moment!” 

“You are insane!” I said with passion, and he smiled even more. 

“And you know what? It’s really contagious!” 

My heart flapped like a butterfly trapped between one’s hands. The 

road was temptingly empty and plain. I gripped the wheel harder and 

pressed down hard on the accelerator. The car growled, flattened itself 

against the asphalt, and gunned forward. Eli spilled coffee right on his 

shirt. 

“Did you burn yourself?” I asked, and he replied with a laugh. 

“Me burning myself would be like Humpty Dumpty hanging 

himself,” commented Eli as he pulled off his shirt. 

Ten minutes later, he asked me to take a turn into the forest. An 

uneven bumpy dirt road substituted for a paved road. We were bound 

to leave the car and take a walk into the picturesque woods. Soon we 

came out on a small clearing surrounded by rows of gigantic pines. 

The light-gray soil bore almost no vegetation. Tiny bodies of water 

enveloped the forest opening like bright patches of blossoming 

flowers. The largest body of water was not more than ten feet in 

diameter. Its ragged copper-red edges had a white lacey stripe. A 

yawning hole in the middle of each lake led somewhere deep into the 

bowels of the earth. 

~ 173 ~

“I’ve spent my whole life in this region, but never knew of such 

‘flowers’ in our woods.” 

Each lake had a bright blue color in the middle that lightened to the 

rims, gradually morphing into orange-colored banks. The clear blue 

waters seemed almost transparent since one could see the roughness 

of the bottom. 

“These woods were a training ground for Nit and me. We know 

every detail within a radius of several tens of miles.” 

“So, these holes in the ground are the aftermath of your training? 

Did you explode bombs in here?” I asked. 

Eli laughed. 

“At first, I had no idea about the flowing underground river. Once 

I played here with Nit, and then discovered the water when we 

returned. This is an ideal spot for you, for today. From tomorrow on 

you will be practicing in your natural environment--at school, at home, 

everywhere you go. Most often you will have to take action when you 

are surrounded by people and still remain unnoticed. This will be the 

main challenge in the beginning. You have to merge with the crowd. 

All of these tricks with balls and fountains are just a child’s play. Water 

Túaths also specialize in weather and tidal fluctuations. Sometimes 

they have to deal with tsunamis and monsoon rains. And this is only 

the tip of the iceberg. Great responsibilities devolve on you since the 

most devastating natural disasters will be your field of expertise.” 

Eli walked around a lake, stopped across from me, and continued, 

“Your primary goal is to control your powers. Human lives depend 

on that. Natural calamities evolve according to various scenarios and 

can begin with an earthquake, an eruption of a volcano, with 

monsoons, hurricanes, or tornados. 

But quite often they all end up with water disasters. The four of us 

are not just a family, but also a very powerful team.” 

“Like a security squad?” I asked smiling. 

~ 174 ~

“Something like that. We often have to act together since natural 

phenomena are interconnected. For instance, the eruption of Krakatoa 

in Indonesia caused a giant tsunami. A mighty earthquake in the sea in 

the vicinity of Samoan islands created a wave that destroyed all villages 

within a half-mile radius in the central South Pacific. Hurricane 

Katrina caused wide-spread floods and the failure of the levee system 

in New Orleans. 

“The city became almost entirely flooded, and most of the city’s 

population was displaced. Many people lost their homes and their 

lives. Each event, of such sort, entails hundreds, sometimes thousands 

of causalities. Without us, the consequences would have been even 

more catastrophic, and the number of deaths would have 

tremendously increased.” 

“How will I be able to deal with it all?” I inquired. 

“You should not and cannot take care of everything. For this 

reason, Túaths with various capabilities settle down in various corners 

of the world.” 

“Sounds like military service.” 

“It sort of is. Fire Túaths guard the most dangerous active 

volcanoes and also inhabit fire-hazardous zones and territories with 

hot, dry climate. Water and Earth Túaths reside in seismically active 

coastal zones since that’s the region where earthquakes that cause killer 

tsunamis are located. A good friend of mine lives in Venice preventing 

it from inevitable demise. Sooner or later the city will sink down 

anyway, but so far she has managed to prolong its existence although 

this mission requires too many of her resources to be spent.” 

“I’m already afraid.” 

“Trust me. It is true happiness to follow your calling and to do your 

job. We can’t live without it. It’s the call of nature for Túaths to allay 

the elements.” 

“Well,” I sigh, “I think we better start with it before I completely 

lose my courage. What do I have to do?” 

~ 175 ~

“First of all, you have to learn how to interact with nature and fully 

understand and feel it. What do you feel now? Take a listen to your 

heart.” 

I sat down on the unexpectedly warm and soft ground and pressed 

my palms into it. I inhaled deeply with my eyes closed. What I felt? 

What I felt was strange warmth being emanated by Earth and heavy 

moist air that smelled slightly off. And a sound--dimmed murmuring 

somewhere deep underground that resembled the sounded of a 

heartbeat. I clearly perceived the direction of the flow and even its 

mood. The serene nonchalant waters unhurriedly streamed through 

the underground riverbeds like veins following the directions 

established long ago and filling up the earth with life’s blood. 

My thoughts carried me far in the distance. People often failed to 

understand our planet was like a living organism. The words humanity 

most often utters is ‘give it to me,’ and we forget it is a two-way street. 

Little do we realize careless mining, destruction of forests, water 

pollution, and even everyday littering kills the planet that gave us birth. 

We keep forgetting we are interconnected with this planet and depend 

on it. We remember only when something irrecoverable happens. 

Unfortunately, that’s the only way Earth managed to point out our 

wrongdoings; asking us to stop and reconsider. Humanity forgot its 

past, lost harmonious bonds with nature, and probably has no future 

henceforward. Nobody knows how long Earth will endure such 

consumer attitudes. 

The soothing purl of water and chirping of balm crickets brought 

me back to reality. Eli leaned against a tree not far from me, likely 

trying to pretend to be invisible. He did not want to disturb me while I 

was deciphering the signs of water. I had realized, by now, it was a 

living intelligent substance. It was water itself that directed the train of 

my thoughts in some unusual way beyond regular perception. 

~ 176 ~

I observed the underground water so clearly as if I could see it 

moving through a piece of glass. Then I directed its flow upwards to 

me. The stream obeyed and followed my wishes like it were its own, or 

maybe those were its wishes because I felt in that particular moment 

we were connected. My hand rested on the ground though I did not 

need a support. I liked the sensation and the smell of soil, the feelings 

of tranquility and confidence that Earth gave me. Eli attentively 

followed me. 

“The warm earth gives me a nice sensation that helps me 

concentrate,” I explained. 

“That is why Nit and I have quarreled. He believes the both of us 

could possibly make a good couple of complementary Túaths,” the 

way he pronounced this showed his feelings were injured by this fact. 

“But he said himself that he loves Jordana and that Túaths are 

constant lovers!” 

“It’s complicated. Nit has some feelings for you, too. It’s strange, 

but it is a fact of life. His relationship with Jo is quite troubled. They 

are faced with a very slim chance of being allowed to have a legal 

marriage. Nit probably could rebel against the system, but he won’t do 

it alone. On the one hand, Jordana has her own quirks. She is 

extremely upright and has an almost servile attitude toward laws and 

rules. For example, she has entomophobia and is in horror of beetles 

and other insects. However, she would rather eat a beetle than break a 

rule.” 

“It is terrifying! I am feeling like I’m in the Middle Ages with 

slavery as convenience and public executions on the main square.” 

“Ulmance is driven by fear of world-wide disaster and 

extermination of humanity. At least this is what he says. In his 

opinion, mixed unions make us even weaker. Túaths have vital 

responsibilities, and one can only guess what would happen if we 

became too weak to control the elements.” 

“Global eco catastrophes could wipe out humanity from the face of 

the earth,” I uttered being horrified by this thought. 

~ 177 ~

“Exactly, and Ambré already lacks strong Túaths. We can be 

counted on the fingers of one hand. Degeneracy is taking place 

anyway.” 

“That’s the point!” I had a hunch. “Maybe we should mix. I mean, 

to be happy first of all, like your parents did.” 

“A single example is not convincing for Ulmance. He treats it as an 

exception and refuses to believe in its potential.” 

“Nothing is impossible. He should be faced with such 

circumstances and arguments that he would not be able to deny.” I 

stated. 

“The key is to set the goal. Sometimes solutions come from 

unexpected sources.” 

A tiny fountain of warm clear water trickled up from the ground. 

Eli touched it slightly, taunting the element, and then lifted up his 

palm so that the water would not reach it. 

I sent the water up higher so it managed to reach his palm. He 

moved his hand again, playing a game of tag with me. Then he gave 

me a crafty smile and suppressed the stream of water with his hand 

down to the ground. The water ran over his hand, through his fingers, 

and returned back to the ground. 

I increased the water pressure, but his hand did not move. Then I 

attempted again and pushed the water a bit harder. Water sprayed 

from underneath his hand and splashed stronger. Eli was dripping wet 

when he surrendered and moved his hand in an upward motion. A 

fountain was exploding from of the ground. 

“You are consenting!” I said exasperated. 

“Well, you don’t want two elements to fight against each other,” Eli 

snickered, sheltering himself behind his hands. 

Warm water from the fountain showered us, and a bright rainbow 

arched over us. I enjoyed the iridescent hues that melted one into 

another in a fabulous play of light. The droplets kindled bright 

sparkles here and there reflecting sunlight and the blue sky. 

~ 178 ~

“I ought to practice more to be able to protect myself in case 

Ulmance sends someone after us.” 

Eli’s face contorted when I mentioned Cole. 

“Look,” I wanted to show off and forced the shape of a pole over 

the fountain. Suddenly, whistling air and sounds of several explosions 

in my vicinity divided my attention causing me to lose control over the 

water. It poured over me. Dark spots left from the fire balls outlined 

the soil. Eli, content and dry, held his sides from laughter at the safe 

distance of ten yards from me. 

“Lesson one. Always be ready. You should maintain control 

disregarding any diverting activity. Whatever is happening around you, 

you should not get side-tracked,” Eli tried to suppress his laughter 

while explaining. 

Water was dripping down my hair, and soaking wet clothes stuck to 

my body like a waterlogged papier-mâché. Thank God, I was not 

wearing make-up. Eli could not stop laughing. He supported himself 

with one hand over his knee and stretched his other hand towards me 

in a mute request for me to wait until he calmed down. 

Did I really want to wait? I wondered. 

Pressurized water rushed out of the ground and knocked Eli off his 

feet. Of course, I had no chance for such a dramatic effect if he would 

have awaited this, but this time… 

“Lesson one. Stay alert!” I exclaimed. 

Eli was doubled-over by a nearby shrub in fits of laughter. 

“My fault! I’ll mend my ways! ” the last sounds of his speech got 

lost in sizzling flames that suddenly surrounded me. 

I stood enclosed under a hood of fire within up-rushing walls of 

flames. The fire kindled golden-pink shades against my wet skin and 

was far enough not to burn me, yet close enough to make me feel 

warm. My hair was drying out and curling into dark brown locks. I 

whispered words that resembled Latin like a verse learned in a parrotlike 

fashion. 

~ 179 ~

The water from the artificial tiny lakes rushed outside their beds 

and silently crawled towards me. When the waters almost reached me, 

the fire which had trapped me, suddenly moved aside and attacked the 

flow of water. They began to evaporate with querulous hissing, 

forming a huge white cloud. 

The cloud of mist rapidly increased in size, and having consumed 

all water vapors, fell down on the fire like a curtain. Red flames were 

immediately extinguished. Eli approached me clapping his hands. 

“Deep inside, I feel something else, but it is not a river. It 

resembles a river because it also moves, but the sound is different. It is 

heavy and dull. The enclosed energy is much more powerful. ” 

“It’s a volcano,” explained Eli in a matter-of-fact tone. 

I felt uneasy since I recognized a volcano’s deadly power. 

“Do I see fear in your eyes or am I mistaken?” his voice gave away 

he was teasing me. 

“A gigantic sea of hot magma is buried under the entire valley, right 

under our feet. Damn right I am scared!” 

Eli laughed. 

“It’s not dangerous as long as I am in a good mood,” Eli smiled 

bigger. 

“Ok. I’ll keep it in mind that I should not upset you.” I teased in 

return. 

“Would be even better if Ulmance would learn that.” Eli stated. 

“That’s your smoking ace. If he is so concerned about the wellbeing 

of humanity, why doesn’t he do us a favor?” I asked. 

“This fact alone cannot tip the balance in our favor, but we can 

definitely use it as a forcible argument.” 

****** 

The phone rang. It was Jenn. 

“Hello!” she sang in her high bright voice. 

“Hi, Jenn!” 

~ 180 ~

“Are you ready?” She was clearly in high spirits. 

I examined myself, “Almost.” 

“That means you’re not,” she concluded with a sigh. “Get dressed 

quickly. It’s half-past three already.” 

“We have plenty of time…” 

“Leela,” Jenn interrupted, “time is aplenty when one has two 

weeks, and when one has a date in two hours. There’s no time left at 

all. I’ll be at your place in twenty minutes to help you,” she insisted. 

“Maybe you guys could go on your own?” Eli whispered while 

gagging on a cookie he was eating. His face clearly showed he was 

siding with Jenn. 

“Are you kidding me or what? You are sitting home all day long. 

You need a breath of fresh air.” I replied. 

“I want to go on a normal date, at least once,” Eli whispered in my 

ear. 

“I thought you and Michael would have more fun together.” I said. 

“Trust me. The moment I think your presence is too intrusive…” 

Jenn began to say. 

“Jenn! Skip the details!” I interjected. 

She broke into laughter. 

“I bet on a bottle of skin cream you are blushing now! Are you still 

staying at Hoggins’s place?” 

“I am.” I answered. 

“I’ll be there in a second!” she hung up. 

In half an hour she knocked on the door. Jenn stood in the 

doorway holding a large, puffy beauty bag. She was wearing a gray 

dress and high heels. 

“What is this?” she pointed her thumb at the Lamborghini 

narrowing her eyes and raising her eyebrows. 

“Oh, that’s Eli’s car,” I shrugged my shoulders. 

Jenn fluttered her thick brush-like eyelashes and closed her opened 

mouth with a theatrical gesture of her slender palm. 

~ 181 ~

“Is there something I don’t know?” Jenn whispered in a 

conspiratorial voice. 

You know nothing, I thought. 

“We are having a double date. So, I’m bringing Eli.” 

“Wow, that’s peachy. What about that swarthy cupcake with the 

Porsche?” she asked when we entered the living room. 

Eli was resting on the sofa. He smiled at us in his most charming 

manner and stood up to welcome Jenn. 

“Today is my turn,” he responded to Jenn, making her jump out of 

her skin. 

“Oh! Hi!” she seemed slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, I just did not 

expect you here. I mean here on the couch,” she turned to me. “Leela 

never invites anybody over and…” 

“Want some tea?” I asked interrupting her. 

No, I was not ashamed to have spent previous years alone when 

the rush of hormones around me were building and breaking up 

numerous couples. I did not think I was a wallflower. I just had not 

met the right man yet or a man at all, as it became obvious now. That 

was it! I did not need a human being by my side. That’s why I was on 

my own. Now, Jenn was eager to tell Eli about me although she did 

not mean to put me in an awkward spot or to insult me. 

“I’ll make you tea,” he said softly leading her toward the kitchen. 

“Enjoy yourself, gals. I am on it,” said Eli. He gave me a wink and 

disappeared. 

“Thank you,” Jenn squeezed out the words following him with her 

eyes. When he left she stared at me. 

“What a hottie, and you are trying to sell me crap the two of you 

are just drinking tea in this empty house all day long?” 

“What do you have in your bag?” I tried to distract her attention 

from me and Eli. 

“Ah, yeah. We’re gonna fix you up. Can you please do me a favor 

today?” 

She looked at me with a strange expression. 

~ 182 ~

“What?” I dared to ask, but had already understood without further 

comments. 

Jenn’s life dream was to become a fashion designer, and she gave all 

of her free time to developing a clothing line. Sometimes she created 

truly interesting pieces, but sometimes there were gowns I wouldn’t 

have worn even for a Halloween party. 

“Well, this means today I’m your model again,” I made a sour face. 

“I’ve spent the last two weeks sewing this one,” Jenn folded her 

hands in an appealing gesture. 

“Oh, please!” 

She unfolded a thin cotton khaki-colored dress on the bed. 

“It is pretty, but sorry, no offense meant.” 

“Why?” she asked vehemently. 

“Why don’t you wear it yourself?” I asked. 

“Because my height could rival only Smurfs and, contrary to you, 

not every piece of clothing sits well on me.” 

“Still no.” 

“You are an obnoxious friend!” 

I showed her a fist. 

“I will make you a deal. You wear this dress, and in turn, I will read 

any book you choose. Pleeeease!” 

“Ok,” I agreed sighing. 

If she agreed to read something it was clearly a serious matter. The 

gloomy expression had momentarily disappeared from Jenn’s face. 

“You are a faker!” 

“It’s called doing business, babe!” Jenn pushed me into the closet 

and handed me the dress. “Don’t you think a painter is excited to see 

his painting exhibited?” 

“Of course.” 

“That’s how I feel when somebody gives justice to my creation. 

And this dress will get the best approval if they see it on you. Ready?” 

she said zipping me up. The dress was so tight I could hardly breathe. 

~ 183 ~

“I can’t breathe,” I uttered, fearing that the fabric was about to 

come apart at the seams. 

“Then suck in your stomach!” Jenn tapped me on my fallen belly. 

“Frankly speaking, I selfishly expect to attract my first clients with 

your help.” 

“An interesting strategy. Are you going to put a sales tag on me?” 

“You are only making fun!” she made a face. “What if someone 

asks you where you got such a nice item that is so different from the 

pieces of rug that are on sale in our stocks? What would you say?” 

“I’ll certainly tell them you made it.” I retorted. 

“That’s it! She will be my first client. Then her friend asks her and 

so on. I need to start from somewhere. I need a beautiful model for 

that, a girl on whom any dress sits perfectly. 

OH MY GOD!” she exclaimed and adjusted the dress on me in an 

expert manner as if I were a cloth hanger. “Thank God for sending me 

such a friend. I already feel rich and famous.” 

Eli leaned against the door and looked into the room. 

“Save me,” I moved my lips tacitly, but he only smiled in return. 

The old white pickup truck sputtered in front of Miss Hoggins’s 

house. Jennifer looked out the window, then peeked in the mirror for 

the last time, and hurried to the entrance, adjusting her hair on the fly. 

“Do I have anything between my teeth?” she exhaled worriedly 

putting on the right shoe. 

“No,” I tried to hide my amusement. 

“I think it stinks from my mouth.” 

“I don’t smell anything.” 

She suddenly shrieked in such a high pitch that it jabbed me in my 

forehead. 

“Are you ok?” 

“No, no, ten times, no! Not like this!” Jenn bent over looking 

closely at her leg as if she was trying to determine the structure of her 

skin. 

~ 184 ~

“What’s happened?” I asked. 

“Have a look,” she pointed with her finger at her shin. 

I took a close look, then moved even closer, and uttered 

sarcastically after not seeing anything unusual, “Well, you have a right 

leg.” 

“No, not there. Here!” Jenn was not impressed by my sense of 

humor at all, but Eli was way ahead of me. She poked at a smooth 

piece of skin with her thin finger. 

“Here! A huge hair!” 

I burst into laughter when I finally noticed the hair Jenn was 

referencing. A barely visible light gray hair as thin as spider web 

resided right below her shin. 

“What are you laughing at?” she asked now beginning to sulk. 

“What if he touches me, and I am hairy like a husky?” 

“Never mind. Michael likes fluffy dogs. He told me,” I joked. 

Jenn’s face became long, and I quickly slipped outside through the 

door in order to avoid retaliation. 

Eli stood next to the wall pressing his forehead against it. I put a 

hand on his shoulder. 

“Eli?” 

He turned, and I noticed he was silently laughing. Well, at least 

someone appraised my joke. 

This was one of those evenings that could be classified as splendid. 

Gales of happiness in a simple friendly atmosphere was just what I 

needed the most. The night was truly delightful. Warm land breezes 

fondled my unfastened hair. Jenn and Michael could not take their 

eyes off of each other. I was so happy for them. Their awkward, 

sloppy touches, shy smiles, and glowing eyes brightened up the 

evening. 

“Let's make a fire,” Jenn suddenly proposed. “I know a wonderful 

spot nearby.” 

~ 185 ~

Eli lifted up his eyebrows and smiled since a fire was always to his 

liking. I had nothing against it, and we walked through the dark thick 

forest. 

A magnificent panorama of the valley bathing in magical moonlight 

unveiled in front of us from the top of the hill. The air was laden with 

the aromas of sweet flowers and pine. 

“Do you have a lighter?” Michael asked, remembering he did not 

have one. 

Eli shook his head no with a barely visible smile. 

“Neither do I,” responded Jenn with an unhappy voice. She really 

wanted to start a fire. 

“I once saw in a movie where they did it by rubbing sticks. We 

could try,” said Michael who really wanted to please Jennifer. She 

expressed her gratitude with a warm smile. 

Eli gathered thin dry branches and put the heap on the ground in 

front of Michael. He started rubbing the sticks together patiently and 

courageously, but quite ineffectively. Suddenly, the pile ignited. The 

fire was a bit stronger than it should have been, and Michael was 

alarmed. 

“Guess you overdid it a bit,” I told Eli quietly. 

“No. I did it just right,” he followed them with his eyes. 

Jennifer, who was positively impressed by Michael’s abilities, was 

cooing into his ear. 

“They are good guys,” commented Eli, “although her imagination 

runs far ahead the reasonable.” 

I laughed having a clear idea what her dreams were. 

“How does it feel to be able to read minds?” I probed. 

“Funny to a large extent, sometimes also informative.” He calmly 

answered. 

“Can you switch it off?” my curious mind wanted to know. 

“No, but if I need to I can stop paying attention.” He replied. 

~ 186 ~

The corners of his lips moved seductively, and I was longing to 

touch them. Eli abruptly pushed me down on the soft grass. His dark 

hair tickled my face. His sultry eyes were glowing in the light of the 

fire. I tried to block my thoughts; to keep my secrets intact. I imagined 

I was covering my head with a thick dark hood. 

“Are you hiding from me?” he asked. 

“Don’t want to be yet another buzz in your head.” I said. 

“You’ll never be. Everything you think about is important to me,” 

he promised. 

Eli rested on the ground with his weight on his elbows and looking 

at me. The play of light and shadow on his perfect face sharpened his 

ideal features making them even more beautiful. My gaze moved to his 

masculine chin, then to his straight chiseled nose, and finally stopped 

on his seductive lips--not being able to look away. 

Jenn kicked me with her leg and adjusted Michael’s jacket that was 

slipping down from her shoulders. She gave me a glowing glare and 

pronounced by the movements of her lips thanked me. I nodded 

smiling. 

The crescent moon sluggishly crawled to the other side of the 

heavens, giving us a hint we should take account the times when we 

were happy. Jenn was comfortably relaxing in Michael’s embrace while 

he caressed her blond hair. 

“Don’t want to be a party pooper,” I said in apologetic tone, “but 

we have a test in English later today, and I would like to be in a right 

from of mind for that.” 

~ 187 ~

CHAPTER TEN 

~ THE LAKE ~ 

! 

The morning couldn’t have been anything but good. An alarmclock 

was buzzing on the nightstand, but we lay motionless under the 

saturated influence of last night’s events. Eli’s spread-eagled body 

occupied half of the bed. He was not bothered by the alarm at all. 

Porto, who peacefully snored at Eli’s feet, shared his opinion. The dog 

opened one of his brown eyes, just to close it back in an instant. Oh, 

sure. He did not have to go to school. 

It took a great deal of effort to stand up and turn off the alarm. 

Afterwards, I had to struggle with the insidious desire to lie down just 

for a moment more. Everyone knows it is never just a moment. This 

sneaky bastard called A Moment invites his dear friends called Five 

Minutes, who in turn bring over Ten Minutes, and so it goes until one 

jumps up from the bed at the sudden realization all appointments have 

been missed. Then one must dress hastily, trying to locate the second 

sock, and why the car keys are hiding under a heap of wrapping paper. 

After talking sense into myself, I dragged into the kitchen and 

pressed the on-button of the coffee maker. Hypnotizing the device 

with my stare, I groggily observed the thin stream of coffee filling up 

the pot. Just in a short while this heavenly aromatic liquid would fill 

my body with much needed energy. 

“Good morning,” said the beloved voice behind me. I could not 

help but smile. 

~ 188 ~

Eli slowly shuffled his bare feet along the wooden floor. His 

disheveled black bangs hung over his eyes putting emphasis on the 

sharp lines of his chin and perfect lips. Long shorts hung low on his 

hips almost uttering the threat to slip down. He smiled cheekily at my 

thoughts. 

I could not understand where the cloak to concealing my thoughts 

disappeared to. 

My eyes were again drawn to him, and my heart pounded faster, 

stirring up a storm inside of me. It awakened the most primal feelings. 

He leaned toward me, bringing his lips in my immediate vicinity, but 

did not touch me. I bridged our distance and pressed a quick kiss on 

his lips. The coffee maker beeped, and I glimpsed at the clock. We had 

to hurry up. 

“We don’t want to be late,” Eli poured coffee in the mugs and 

handed one to me. 

“I didn’t know you were coming with me.” 

“Why not? I love learning!” he leaned his elbows on the table top. 

“What are you up to?” 

“You smell so delicious,” he said bending over me as if he did not 

hear my last words. 

******* 

On our walk to school, Eli provocatively buried his nose in my 

hair. The dropped jaws of our study partners polished the old 

pavement. The day rushed by us in a flash, but it felt like a nightmare 

to me. All gazes were anchored on Eli and me. People whispered to 

each other and sneered at us. Some of them approached me and asked 

very straightforward questions about the wealthy relatives. I explained 

those belonged to my real mother’s lineage, which was partially true. 

~ 189 ~

The most aggravating was Monica’s nosy look that almost screamed 

out, “I hate you!” I could not understand why. I never went after her 

fame or beauty, let alone her worshipers. We resided in different 

planes of existence. She should not have even paid any attention to 

me, but for some reason she did. The bell rang announcing the lunch 

break. I tried to be the first one to sneak out of the classroom. Eli 

joined me. 

“Do you feel uncomfortable?” he asked. 

“Well, I am far out of my comfort zone because they do nothing 

else except gossip about us.” 

“What else could they do? There are zero forms of entertainment in 

this far away village, and now, oops! A sudden windfall. Let them have 

their fun,” he waved his hand. 

“You really don’t care, do you?” I was elbowing my way to the 

cafeteria through the crowd of teenagers. 

Eli gave me a puzzled look and said, “Do you even doubt this?” 

Although I tried to arrive with the first batch of students the 

cafeteria was already full when we entered. A group of local beauties 

occupied the central table, the athletes took the big table next to the 

window, whereas nerds and geeks dispensed along the “outskirts” as 

nobody cared much about them. 

“What are you going to get?” asked Eli when we stopped at the 

counter. 

“I think I’ll have yogurt and a bottle of water.” 

The lack of appetite made me doubt even more if I would be able 

to swallow the strawberry product. 

~ 190 ~

Eli topped his tray with three courses, compote, and dessert. 

Moreover, he took double servings of chicken and salad. I had already 

witnessed his unlimited craving for food back in the meadows when 

he and Nit consumed more food than I could consume in a month. 

Even a tenth of that amount could cause serious digestive issues in my 

case. We chose a separate table for just for the two of us. Eli slouched 

in the chair with his foot resting on his knee. His brazen appearance 

was intensified by the unblinking stare of his narrowed green eyes that 

seemed to follow my every move. He demonstrated a very special sort 

of boldness that made him look infinitely charming. 

“Taste it,” he said tenderly as he brought a piece of fried chicken to 

my lips. 

“Are you kidding me? Are you going to hand feed me in public? 

Well, probably it is not so surprising since you seem to be recharging 

your batteries with their attention.” 

He lifted his brows and retained his confidence. That smile…that 

smile could still make my legs go weak. 

“No,” he answered very seriously. “I don’t really care who thinks 

what.” 

I could not object his statement. He was being his usual self. He 

behaved naturally in his own fashion and was quite relaxed and 

laidback. 

“I can well believe it,” I said. Well, it was a little difficult to 

comprehend since he could not only see the looks, but also hear the 

thoughts behind them, yet still remain completely indifferent. 

“Is it ok if I sit here?” sang Jenn, joining us at the table. She held a 

drawing pad in her hands. It was her inseparable companion. 

“Have you heard about Jon?” she asked in a cushioned voice as her 

face hardened. 

Good heavens, how could I not know! I swallowed hard, glimpsed at Eli, 

and then turned my attention to my yogurt cup pretending it required 

my undivided attention. 

~ 191 ~

“So what?” Eli said heedlessly. He looked at Jenn with great 

interest waiting for her response. 

“They say that he and his buddies got high over the weekend and got 

into some trouble in the woods--not far from here,” she lowered her 

voice to whisper. “Two bodies were found. They took Jon into 

custody as a suspect. He landed in a loony bin since he kept on saying 

they got attacked by some maniac with fiery eyes,” Jenn reclined back 

on the chair and shook her head. “Well, anyway, he is not coming back 

to school any time soon. I could not have guessed he was doing drugs 

since he held the receiver’s position on Phil’s team and showed great 

promise. Now, they lost a good player. Also, I heard them getting 

scolded today because the championship is nearing. Without Jon, 

they’ll most likely lose.” 

I was startled and could not utter a single word. Do the police know 

about any other people at the crime scene? I thought. 

Eli confidently raised his brow, reminding me about his intention 

to take care of everything. I ached for them despite what they were 

going to do to me, even in spite of the fact that I was not their first 

victim. 

Jenn got distracted for a moment exchanging a couple of quick 

conversations with a girl from another group. They discussed the 

biggest upcoming event of the year, the party at Mark’s. It came 

through the grapevine that something truly superb was being planned 

this time. Eli leaned towards me and said quietly enough for only me 

to hear: 

“Such bastards do not even have a right to exist! If I had to do it 

again, I would without any hesitation. Only this time, I would not have 

been as creative by having the broken bottle poke out of that dirt bag’s 

throat.” 

Jennifer returned back to us and continued to inform us casually 

about the other news. I had stopped listening. The sounds of the 

outer world rolled by me until I heard a thin piercing voice coming 

from the side. 

~ 192 ~

“Hi, Eli,” Monica said in a high-pitched voice as she approached 

our table. Her hips, stuffed into a pair of skinny jeans, seemed like they 

were performing pirouettes when she walked in order to capture Eli’s 

attention. Her entourage of girlfriends kept her pace. 

Monica’s hand with brightly painted nails landed on Eli’s broad 

shoulder and started to massage it. She tossed back her blond hair, 

which was the color of ripe corn, smiled indistinctly and glared at me 

with the hope of my possible hysterical breakdown. 

Don’t waste your time, I thought and casually took a few sips of water. 

She enclosed her arms around his neck, drew her pouty lips to his ear, 

and whispered, 

“If you want some help with your homework, here is my number.” 

This witch put a folded piece of paper from her memo pad into the 

rear pocket of Eli’s jeans with her two fingers. 

“Thanks, I have no problems with PT lessons,” he replied with 

subtle mockery by not even glancing at her as his words drifted into an 

empty space. 

“Look at it from my side...What?” the last word was addressed to 

one of her friends, Melanie who whispered something into Monica’s 

ear, and then her face contorted with disappointment. 

“I’ve got to go,” sighed Monica. “Such a pity. We were having a 

nice chat.” 

She gave Eli a languishing look and walked towards the entrance-- 

being urged by Melanie. 

“What a slime bag!” Jenn’s exclamation brought me out of my 

daze. 

Eli was finishing his lunch as if nothing happened. I tried to 

conceal my churning anger pretending to be calm and distant. I 

reached for a dry bland bread roll and started to chew it diligently. 

The day was almost over, and the unpleasant encounter was quickly 

forgotten. Before I left the campus, I had to go to the restroom. Right 

as I was about to turn the door knob, I heard familiar voices. 

~ 193 ~

“I don’t understand what he found in her!” squeaked Monica. The 

second voice chuckled hesitantly. 

“…and Melanie is like a loose cannon protecting that dog-poor 

bitch...She is sore at me...and all because of that petty piece-of-nobody 

cares!” 

I lost the ability to breathe at that moment. How dared she to call 

me a dog-poor bitch! 

“Yep, you really got her back for this today. It is the first time I 

have ever seen her so angry.” 

I recognized the second voice. It belonged to Cassidy--a tall 

swarthy girl from a similar social group. Her family moved into our 

town that summer. Her father was a volcanologist, and he was sent 

here on a research mission to observe our caldera. Tough luck for a 

teenager from a big city to be sent to such a hole in the ground, 

especially in her senior year. It always struck me as odd that such a 

nice, friendly, and smart girl had joined Monica’s ladies in waiting. 

“We had never quarreled with her until today.” I heard how she 

struck a match, and soon stinky smoke clouded the stall. 

I looked at the smoke detectors. “Out of Order.” 

“Melanie has a strong sense of justice.” 

They all paused. 

“So, you are saying that I am unfair?” hissed Monica. 

“I think you are bullying Leela for no reason,” Cassidy replied very 

calmly. 

A bold move. Usually, nobody contradicts Monica in our school. 

“Did you forget that Phil broke up with me because of her?!” 

Cassidy kept silent. 

“Do you know what he said?” Monica demonstrated masterful 

command of the obscene lexicon. 

“Rough,” remarked Cassidy. 

Damn it! I thought. 

~ 194 ~

“And now Melanie? She did not even join us for a smoke, was 

snuggling with her idiot instead. It bugs me that she pulled away from 

me. She is spending all the time with him. She did not even stay for 

the sleepover last Friday,” whined Monica. 

“It’s just this particular period in their relationship. Soon everything 

will return to normal,” Cassidy replied. 

“They’ve been in this phase for a year already. I am waiting way too 

long for her to wake up. Now, I have to interfere,” said Monica. 

“What are you up to?” Cassidy asked with caution. 

“Something. I have had enough of this. They are like geeks, holding 

hands and dining with parents. Boo! Melanie was always mine, and will 

be mine forever.” 

“Monica! You are overdoing this. Let them be!” 

“Sorry, forgot to ask your opinion! Know your place!” Monica 

started to shout. 

“And where is it? On a doormat at your feet?” Cassidy’s voice 

conveyed undisguised contempt. 

“You are smart,” Monica spitted. 

“Screw you…” I heard the sound of quick steps and the banging of 

the door. 

“You’ll crawl back on bended knees tomorrow, begging for 

forgiveness! I nurtured this snake…” Monica’s brooding faded in 

splashes of running water. 

Eli was probably already tired of waiting for me. I estimated my 

chances of leaving unnoticed were very slim to none and leaned 

against the wall. 

“C’mon, leave already! How long can one possibly stay in a loo, 

sniffing the stinky sewage waters? She is probably drawn to such 

places by her particular mindset.” 

Monica scurried, and her heels clanked on the floor tiles. But she 

started moving in a different direction than where I would’ve liked for 

her to go. 

~ 195 ~

“Freakin’ maize,” she squeaked as she sat on the toilet bowl in the 

adjacent stall. 

I heard the typical sounds of bowel movements and covered my 

nose with my hands. Gods descended from Mount Olympus to 

asperse an earthly crap house with their holy turd. Apparently, they 

can also suffer from diarrhea! 

Monica grunted, “Oh shit!” 

Shit, indeed, I pinched my nose with both hands trying not to dry 

heave. My impatience had run out. “I’m out of here!” But as soon as I 

grabbed the door knob, Monica cried out, “Hey!” 

I jumped back. My heart thumped against my chest. 

“Here you are finally.” Huh, it was not addressed to me. 

“Got it...Everything I asked for...yes, of course, bozo...Shut 

up...What about coke...How much? Are you damn crazy or what? Ok, 

calm down...I agree...In an hour...at Anchovy.” She hung up. 

A seedy place on the outskirts of town was called Anchovy. It was a 

night club in a basement of a converted warehouse. I had never been, 

but heard enough about it. The club’s reputation was doubtful and 

kind of honky-tonky. 

“Uggh! Is it too difficult to restock toilet paper?” 

The torn pages mournfully rustled in the adjacent stall and 

something heavy plopped on the floor. I noticed a slashed glossy 

magazine on the dirty floor. A movie star carelessly demonstrating her 

white smile on its cover being unsuspicious of Monica’s cruel 

intentions. If only she knew what was going to happen with her face in 

a second. Page by page, the magazine disappeared in the depths of the 

toilet bowl accompanied by Monica’s groans. 

“How she manages to thrust so much paper in a bowl…” 

“Oh… what a terrible day!” she whined almost shedding a tear. 

~ 196 ~

The bowl suddenly vomited the muddy substance unlike anything I 

had seen before in my life. The slush leaked out of her stall and 

flowed into mine. I tightened my hands on the walls and climbed up 

the bowl. My foot suddenly slipped, and I loudly banged the door with 

my elbow, nevertheless, managing to keep my balance. Monica 

stopped brooding. 

“Who is in here?” she asked alerted. 

Please, just go away! I pleaded in my mind. 

Her manicured hand with a tiny mirror appeared from below the 

partition between the stalls. Our eyes met in the reflection. 

“You?!” she yelled like a warning horn. I wished to sink into the 

ground at that moment. I did not intend to eavesdrop on her 

conversation and hoped they would leave soon. 

“You’ll pay for this!” she cried out from her stall. 

I kicked the door with my foot and jumped out, leaving the 

approaching puddle behind. I did not want to collide with her and 

stoop to the level of a mundane catfight. So, I quickly exited. Monica 

was screaming at me and offending me nonstop. 

“Your parents were freaks like you and left you on a street like a 

crumby dog!” 

I froze in my spot clenching the door handle. Boiling anger rose up 

inside of me. She had no idea who I was, who my parents were, or the 

cause of circumstances. 

These words were too mean even for Monica Lake. I stopped 

listening to her clamor. I stood with my eyes closed trying to quench 

the rage because the only wish pulsating in my temples was to grab her 

by the empty vessel that was mistakenly called a head and crash it 

against the wall with full force. 

“You’re a dirty, bedraggled, pot-massager from a third-rate 

beanery…” 

~ 197 ~

Suddenly, an explosion interrupted her and Monica shrieked. Water 

was spurting from broken faucets and tubes. I timidly peeked out from 

around the corner. Monica stepped out of the stall. Her appearance 

was ridiculous--insane eyes framed by a raccoon-like mask of smeared 

mascara and fuzzy wet hair covered in suspicious shards. 

I was saved by the layout of the restroom that had a bell-like shape. 

In the moment of the explosion, I was able to stand behind the corner. 

Monica threw off a piece of the magazine page that was stuck to her 

face, adjusted her pants, and moved towards me with the 

determination of a paving machine. I stepped back aligning myself 

with the exit. I was driven not by fear, but mostly by disgust. The mere 

thought of Monica touching me with those dirty hands made me gag. 

Fortunately for me, random people started to come into the 

restroom attracted by the noise. So, I had a chance to sneak out. I 

could still hear the laughter, acid remarks, and Monica’s hysterical 

screaming. Her scream could shatter glass. Oh, well. I walked away. 

Eli stood leaning against the wall with one shoulder and browsing 

the internet from his phone. Maybe he contrived this entire event 

because he immediately rushed towards me with his eyes looking 

down when I rushed out of the restroom. 

“I already began to blame public catering for your absence, but 

apparently you just decided to practice your skills,” he glimpsed at the 

restroom door and burst into a loud contagious laughter. I turned back 

and saw Monica again. It seemed like she was ready to attack me at any 

moment, but she composed herself and walked away with a proud 

lifted head. I quivered, but it was a pleasant experience. Monica 

opened herself up for trouble. 

We crossed the long stuffy corridor, with numerous ugly greengreyish 

drawers, at a steady pace and entered the school yard. Emerald 

green exuberant foliage was swinging in the warm south wind 

emanating mild rustling. 

~ 198 ~

The air was filled with the chirping of insects, melodic fluted 

sounds, and the chatter of teenagers that streamed out of the school 

building. They moved from one group to another like colorful glasses 

within a kaleidoscope. 

“Hey!” Jenn popped up next to us. She was in a state of euphoria. 

“Have you seen Monica?” 

I nodded without saying a word while Eli rocked with laughter. I 

punched him in the ribs. 

“She had it coming. When one consumes tons of fat-burning pills 

it’s not surprising that it results in lavatory explosions.” 

Somebody laughed, and the nearby standing girls immediately 

picked up the idea about the pills. Giggling conspiratorially, they 

settled down with the new gossip. By the next day it would be retold 

all over the school, and everyone would go nuts. 

“Leela,” a light girly voice called me out. I turned around and saw 

Melanie. 

“I wanted to apologize on behalf of Monica. I don’t understand 

what’s gotten into her lately. She is not being herself. Mark is giving a 

party at his house tonight. You likely have already heard,” Melanie 

tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear with a child-like gesture. If I 

did not know she was in her senior-year, I would have never believed 

she was older than fourteen. 

“Of course, we do! Everybody is talking about it!” Jenn interfered. 

“The party is an unofficial celebration of our one-year anniversary,” 

she smiled and tiny dimples appeared on her cheeks. “Please, come 

over.” 

“Thanks a lot for the invitation,” I was going to politely decline it. I 

knew that Monica was definitely dropping by that party and did not 

want to spend the evening in her company. 

“We will definitely stop by!” Eli exclaimed joyfully, drawing me 

close against him. 

“Great!” Melanie brightened up. “See you there!” 

~ 199 ~

I put a smile on my face and casually waved at her before she 

disappeared in the crowd. Afterwards, I pierced Eli with a biting look. 

“What?” A corner of his lips playfully flew up. 

“This is a bad idea.” 

“It’ll be fun!” 

“This is great! I was afraid they wouldn’t invite us,” cheerful Jenn 

was again being intrusive. “We’re gonna attend the best party of the 

year!” 

She jumped up, probably impersonating the dancing Shiva. 

“Then the two of you go, and I’ll stay home.” 

“You meant the three of us. Michael will be there, too.” 

“Any line-up of your liking.” 

“Leela,” Jenn looked out of the corners of her eyes menacingly. 

“We all will go together. I don’t take no for an answer!” 

“You don’t understand. I don’t…” 

“No, you don’t understand because you have never been to such a 

cool party!” 

“I haven’t ever been to any party because I don’t like them.” 

“Give it a try first. Then you can argue that you don’t like them.” 

I was out of arguments. Two against one. I pressed my lips in a thin 

line without saying another word. 

“Don’t kill the mood,” Jenn jokingly gave my shoulder a tweak. 

“Michael should be picking me up any minute now.” 

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Eli winked and headed to the parking 

lot giving me and Jenn some space for gossip. 

“He’s sweet,” she whispered. 

I directed my eyes at him. He walked at a leisurely relaxed pace, yet 

every movement spoke of infinite self-confidence. His staggering butt 

and wide muscular shoulders… 

“Sweet,” I declared. 

~ 200 ~

“Here he is!” Jenn screamed waving her hand at Michael. He was 

rapidly approaching us from the south side of the parking lot and 

smiling very brightly. 

“Oh, Leela! He kisses like a god,” she said rolling her eyes up and 

putting her arms around her shoulders. 

“You kissed him on the first date?” 

Jenn raised an eyebrow. I could only laugh. 

“Yes, we kissed. We kissed big time so that all windows in the car 

fogged up. Did you know he does rowing?” 

I made a sign of negation. What did I actually know about him? 

Nothing at all. 

“So, everything is perky underneath his shirt as it should be,” she 

aspirated. “I won’t let him go home tonight. My folks have left for the 

whole day and took my sister with them. 

They will be back quite late. Huhhh!” she exhaled. 

“Don’t rush it!” 

“I know. I know. See you tonight!” sang Jenn reminding me again 

about the planned crusade. 

My eyes located Eli who was waiting for me in the car. Little firedrakes 

began to hover in my stomach. I quickly descended down the 

stairs to the parking lot and headed towards him mixing in with the 

crowd. 

Suddenly, someone grabbed my hand. It was Phil. Oh, great! That’s 

all I needed now. His tanned skin and dark hair were set off with the 

pink color of his shirt. The print on it said, This thing really sucks and 

was highlighted by a picture of a powerful vacuum cleaner. Oh, gosh! 

I was ready to throw up. Besides the fact he showed up to school in 

that piece of crap, he was now trying to pick me up in it. Pathetic idiot! 

Well, other girls probably did not mind at all, and even liked it. 

Cheerleaders standing a few feet away from us gazed longingly at him. 

It was truly awful! Making it clear he had overstepped certain bounds, 

I stepped back and folded my arms across my chest. 

~ 201 ~

“You look great,” he said ogling me. His gaze paused at my eyes, 

then went down to my lips, glided over my small breasts and slender 

waist, and stopped on my thighs. After examining my body he lifted 

his glance. 

“As usual, Phil. I always look like this,” I said and walked towards 

Eli. I still had to cross about twenty meters. Phil followed me. 

“I know, but you always look cool. I don’t care which jeans you are 

wearing. The thingy underneath them is what matters.” 

I gapped my mouth from indignation. Phil chuckled trying to turn 

it all into a joke. 

“I’m sorry. It’s not what I was going to say. I just wanted to tell you 

that you are pretty and smart and kind-hearted and…” 

“Enough, Phil. That won’t get me. I bet you throw those lines at 

every girl in order to get what you want.” He did not even try to deny 

it. 

“Is there anything wrong in being popular?” 

“No, but there is something wrong in trying to get into everyone’s 

panties. Well, if this is what you want, and your persons of interest 

don’t mind, it’s none of my business.” 

He took my hand again. This time he was gently squeezing it and 

caressing my fingers. It startled me, sending shivers up and down my 

spine. A sudden gust of wind caught up dust, leaves, and branches 

from the ground and swirled them, in what looked like a little tornado, 

in Phil’s direction. 

“What the…!” he barked shaking off the debris. I used his 

distraction as a chance to hurry off. However, he caught up with me in 

just a few steps. 

“I was just looking for the one,” he lowered his voice. His big hazel 

eyes were resting on me. “You aren’t like them.” 

“Am I supposed to burst into tears?” I contemplated mockingly. 

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. You aren’t my type.” 

“Then who is ‘your type’?” his lips were still curled up in a smile. 

He cocked his head and moved closer to me. Was I flirting with him? 

~ 202 ~

“Find out right here,” uttered a tense hoarse voice to the right of 

us. Eli’s face had no sign of his usual playfulness. Instead, it expressed 

anger and disgust. Phil exhaled, changing his soft glance into an 

annoyed one. 

“So, that’s him?!” he asked with a mocking grin. “Do you really 

think that predatory muzzle of your dark angel has never been covered 

by someone else’s perky butt? Take a better look at him,” his words 

punctured my soul like ice splinters. 

I began to sweat just thinking of the possibility. It was none of my 

business what he had done before we met, nor did I want to ask those 

supposed meaningless questions--they were very hurtful. Phil’s words 

hit close to home. I sensed a cobweb in my throat, but I diligently hid 

under the mask of absolute indifference. 

“We have to go,” I said taking several steps in the opposite 

direction. 

However, Eli did not join me. He came very close to Phil, towering 

a few inches above him. Eli grit his teeth in anger. His eyes flashed 

with fire. I was afraid he was going to break Phil’s neck. 

“What are you gonna do, Alfhield? Try to stop me now!” Phil spat 

aggressively and moved even closer. He was provoking a fight. Their 

foreheads nearly touched and large fists clenched on high alert. 

“Such a gluttonous buck should seek out other company for 

himself. Check that nympho out,” Eli pointed at Monica who was 

getting into her car. She was alone for the first time. 

She did not even pause to look at the fight in the making. “I guess 

she is doing it better than the device on your shirt,” Eli jabbed his 

finger into his chest. Phil reeled and blared with laughter. 

I turned around and began walking in the direction of my home, 

with or without Eli. I had to leave. 

“See you, Leela!” Phil shouted in my direction. 

Without looking back, I raised both my hands and showed him 

both middle fingers. I wanted to say a few things in a fit of temper, but 

was immediately horrified by my sudden rudeness. 

~ 203 ~

“I’m surprised. He did teach you something after all!” 

“Today will bring you even more surprises. Bring your ding-dong 

into bed early tonight, then your disgrace tomorrow won’t be so 

devastating,” Eli advised menacingly. 

I was mostly silent on our way back. What a damn rough day! We 

were almost home when the car had abruptly changed directions. 

“Why are you doing this?” I asked wearily. 

“Just want to cheer you up a bit.” Both of his hands clasped the 

steering wheel, and he fully concentrated on the road ahead of us. 

“Leela…” he commenced. 

I knew what he wanted to talk about, but I did not want to discuss 

it at this time. I did not even want to contemplate how many girls he 

dated before me. It was too painful. I dealt with this problem like a 

moron. It actually was none of my business. He was a fire deity of 

some kind, or a fertility god who exuded pheromones. Since it drove 

me crazy, it must have had the same effect on other women. And then 

again, if this was his calling, or how did they say--his purpose of 

existence--then it likely felt like a drug for him. He could not help 

doing what he was created for, like a bird cannot help flying, or a 

dolphin cannot help swimming. 

“Let’s not dwell on it,” I turned away and looked out the window. 

“Sometimes I don’t even have to read your thoughts because they 

are so obvious,” Eli sighed. 

“Just an exhausting day,” I pressed my head against the cold glass 

and closed my eyes. 

The Lamborghini pulled over. Eli got out of the car, stopped to 

peer into the depths of the forest, and then invited me to follow him. 

We were surrounded by giant pine trees. 

Their thick and smooth trunks recalled the half-ruined columns of 

the Parthenon. 

~ 204 ~

There were no trails that could indicate occasional presence of 

people. Sunlight was glittering through the sprawling tree tops and cast 

golden shadows over the grounds. The moist air spread a mushroom 

smell. 

I distinguished a distant sound of water lapping against the rocks. 

We were approaching a waterfall. A warm feeling overwhelmed me. 

Eli knew quite well how to release my tension. I adore the woods, and 

the sound of splashing water always entranced me, making me forget 

about my problems. Eli stopped in front of the huge willows and 

pushed aside the curtain of branches. 

I stood still fascinated by the view. Crystal-clear water was 

streaming down a rock into a sky-blue lake. It broke into shiny beads 

when it hit the surface. Thousands of transparent droplets were 

shimmering in the sunlight forming a rainbow. They became brighter 

or dimmer as if they were breathing. A medium-sized rock in the 

shape of a horseshoe overhung the lake, concealing this treasure from 

prying eyes. The cobalt waters were illuminated by the golden rays of 

sunshine peeking through the canopy of trees. 

“It’s incredible!” I was wide-eyed from delight. I turned to Eli and 

saw him standing behind me. He was silently enjoying the sight of me. 

“I knew you would like it,” he said and sat down on the ground. I 

reclined down on my elbows next to him. From this perspective, the 

lake resembled a bright-blue pearl enveloped by a rocky shell. 

I threw back my head, and my dark hair rained down on the coarse 

sand and gravel. The melodic rumbling of the waterfall engulfed my 

senses. My pale skin gratefully absorbed the sunlight poking through 

the patches of puffy clouds. Eli tickled my hand with a thin blade of 

grass. He moved it over my cheek, my lips, down my neck, and my 

arm. I closed my eyes seizing the moment. Then I felt his hot breath 

near my ear. 

“I love you,” he whispered, inhaling and exhaling deeply. The hot 

air reached the skin on my head, giving me goose bumps. He was so 

close and smelled divine. I took a deep breath of his enchanting scent. 

~ 205 ~

Instead of the words that were ready to escape my lips, I opened 

my heart and my mind to Eli. My feelings could tell him a more 

memorable and beautiful story than my words. I closed my eyes and 

allowed my frequent breath to transport me into another dimension 

where he and I were secluded. 

A spring evening dawned over the dense forest. Against all odds, 

the air became even warmer. A woodpecker was diligently working far 

away accompanied by chirping of crickets. We lay motionless on a 

beach and enjoyed each other’s company. The running water 

magnetized me with its perfect symphony. 

Eli stood up and went to the lake. I heard the rustling of stones 

underneath his shoes. Something fell to the ground. I opened my eyes 

just to squeeze them again blushingly. It was his clothes. He stood 

absolutely naked with his back towards me. His tight attractive bottom 

seductively poked out beneath his broad muscular back. Every line of 

his body was close to perfection as if it had been drawn by a great 

artist using a golden-bronze palette. I swallowed rather loudly, and he 

uttered his typical energetic contagious laugh. 

He walked deeper into the lake, and his swarthy body slowly 

submerged into the cerulean waters. Then he dove in a gracious 

manner. The blue expanse of the lake rippled and then stood still 

again. 

At first, I was quietly waiting until he resurfaced, but he did not 

emerge any time soon. Oh, my God! I rushed to the water in an 

agitated manner. There was no sign of activity, no air bubbles, nothing. 

I sat on a rock looking narrowly into the depth of the lake. 

“Did you lose something?” his suave voice came from behind 

catching me off guard. I turned around and yelped, nearly jumping out 

of my skin. Damn it! How could I forget about his nudity? Eli looked 

around. 

“What happened?” he exclaimed. “Did you notice something?” His 

impish laughter rang in the air. 

“You are unbearable!” 

~ 206 ~

“I love it when you blush,” having said that he took another dive, 

but emerged momentarily and pulled me in. Screaming, I fell in the 

water and submerged into the refreshing paradise. Air bubbles hurried 

back up tickling my skin. I opened my eyes wide. My long hair slowly 

danced around me. Eli’s face emerged from the darkness. He smiled 

and stretched out his hands to me. 

You dragged me under water right in my clothes! I lost my temper in my 

thoughts and pushed him in his chest. I likely would have heard him 

laughing if I could hear under water. We ascended one after the other. 

“Would you prefer me to drag you under water without any 

clothes?” his eyes were gleaming. “That would have been too 

dangerous.” He came closer to me. 

I set my hands against his chest. He narrowed his eyes, enclosed me 

playfully in a tight embrace, and drew me closer. His hot lips covered 

mine, but it did not suffice. Eli’s hands ran down my thighs. He pulled 

me even closer to him; slowly cherishing every second he kissed my 

neck, my shoulder, my arm. He took a dive. His hair tickled my belly. I 

touched his firm abdomen with the tips of my fingers, arched my 

hands around his shoulders and pushed off his body. I reached the 

water’s surface and took a lungful of evening freshness. It was almost 

dark. The last rays of sunlight reflected off of our wet hair. Soon the 

rays hid behind the rock, and the land surrendered to the chilling 

thickening of twilight. 

Eli closed his eyes. The inexcusably long shadows from his black 

eyelashes lay on his dark cheeks. He was breathing deeply, and a faint 

smile stirred his lips. The temperature of the lake water was steadily 

increasing. 

“Do you want to cook me before eating?” I asked swimming away 

to the flat stones that looked like toast. 

“Well, if it enhances your taste.” 

~ 207 ~

I laughed and climbed upon the stones. Mild air stroked my skin 

and fondled my hair. I bent over the water’s surface and drew patterns 

on it barely touching it with my finger. Eli pushed off the stones and 

swam toward the opposite bank. It was clear to me he was actively 

cooling down his engine, so to speak. He crossed the lake multiple 

times. I gave up counting on number ten. 

“Does it work for you?” I asked when he swam next to me for the 

umpteenth time. He smiled, leaned on his hands, and jumped on the 

shore graciously like a wild cat. 

“Why are you still wet?” Eli pointed at my soggy clothes. 

“Do I have a choice?” 

“One always has a choice.” 

Eli uttered these words of wisdom like a philosopher who grew 

tired of the vanities of the world. 

“Fine then,” I responded like an attentive disciple. “Enlighten me.” 

“Dry it out.” 

“Just like that? Take it off and hang on the stones.” He hooted 

with laughter. 

“Stop trying to seduce me. My patience reached the ceiling for 

today. Water can evaporate.” 

“Watch me!” I said loudly pointing at water. Eli leaned forward. 

The water, which looked like dark golden sludge, gurgled as if a 

large stone plopped into it and showered over Eli. Streams of water 

dripped down his hair and disappeared in small cracks. Eli shook his 

head and turned to me. 

“I did,” he nodded and attacked me. 

He grabbed me so fast, I could not resist, and threw into the water. 

The wind swished in my ears. When I resurfaced, I tried to move the 

mass of entangled hair away from my face as quickly as possible. In 

the darkness, I noticed his silhouette somersaulting into the water. It 

splashed like a red-hot meteorite had fallen into the lake. I tried to 

swim away, but merely managed to change the course when he 

emerged next to me. 

~ 208 ~

“Now, it’s your turn to show, by personal example, how to dry out 

wet clothes,” I splashed water in his face. 

“For the record, I did not start this,” Eli roared and jumped on me 

from behind. He pressed his lips to my neck and tickled me with little 

kisses. I was eager to plead for mercy, but failed because of 

uncontrollable laughter. I was laughing wildly until tears ran down my 

face. 

“Are you giving up?” he whispered in my ear right as I thought he 

could make me die from laughter. 

“I am,” I grunted. 

Eli helped me to climb up to shore. We spent some time sitting and 

chatting about all the things possible. That small talk was so 

exhilarating. 

“We have to go. The party must be in full swing by now.” I heaved 

a sigh. The hope he had forgotten about it was obliterated. 

“Do you know why it is bad to be the last one to arrive to a party?” 

Eli gave me his hand. 

“Because everyone will already be drunk?” 

“Nope, because you are still sober!” 

~ 209 ~

CHAPTER ELEVEN 

~ ICE AND OBLIVION ~ 

! 

Parked cars outlined the side of the gravel road like an endless 

ribbon that turned around the bend. The driveway led to a wooden 

house that was seemingly rising up from the lake and merged with the 

shore. It was a modern bungalow built in the style of organic 

architecture. It looked long and stumpy at the first glance with its 

broad flat roof, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a spacious terrace 

hanging over the lake. Its compartments stretched out in the forest, 

and the third building already got obscured in the darkness. 

A palisade of giant coniferous trees flanked the house from one 

side. On the side of the lake it was enveloped by gray rocks crowned 

with the opalescent shine of a crescent moon. 

The air in the huge hall smothered the guests with the smell of 

sweat, perfume and alcohol. It was a shade area illuminated only by 

chaotically arranged light spots and ice-like silvery flecks from discoballs, 

hanging from the ceiling. It was surprising to realize the house 

was bigger on the inside. In daylight it must have been flooded with 

natural light that penetrated through the tall windows. At that 

moment, only stars and ghostly lilac clouds peeked into the hall. 

Before my eyes became adjusted, I could not recognize the faces 

and only saw fuzzy silhouettes. I immediately found Jenn dressed into 

a short black sequins dress. She probably camped on the doorstep and 

waltzed to us. 

“Finally, here you are!” she was holding a plastic cup in one hand 

and a tiny lacquer black leather purse in the other. “Where have you 

been keeping yourselves?” 

She disapprovingly looked at my jeans and shirt and shook her 

head. 

“You could have at least pretended to care.” 

~ 210 ~

“Why?” I asked. 

“Indeed, why?” she swung her arm. “Have a drink!” loud music 

muffled her high voice. 

I squeamishly glimpsed at the bowl with the booze called punch. 

Everyone had already rinsed their hands in it, so I refused to follow. 

“May I steal Leela from you for a short while?” 

“Only for a short while,” Eli’s fingers that had clasped my hand 

firmly slipped down. 

“Michael is over there,” she pointed toward an impromptu bar 

installed next to the kitchen entrance. 

Eli raised his hands in a sign of consent and headed to Michael, 

unhurriedly making his way through the crowd. 

Sweaty teenagers convulsed in death throes they called dancing. A 

guy to the left of me clumsily jumped around a voluptuous brunette in 

a bright-green dress. Another couple whirled behind us--sweat drops 

and awkward smiles caused by a drug haze glistened on their faces. I 

recognized many of my schoolmates in those absent faces. 

“I guess it’s not just beer.” I said. 

Jenn shrugged, not being surprised at all by my guesses. Although 

all windows and doors were wide open, it was hot inside. We were 

threading our way through the jungles of twisting, sticky bodies. 

“Where are we going?” I asked Jenn and looked back to trace Eli, 

who remained in the kitchen, being engaged into a chat with Michael. 

“A little excursion,” Jenn dragged me inside. “You weren’t planning 

to hang out near the door for the entire evening, were you?” 

“I don’t find that idea too appalling,” I said, and she elbowed my 

back. 

“Leela!” somebody clamped their wet fingers on my wrist. 

~ 211 ~

I strained my eyes and recognized a guy from the parallel group 

who went under a nickname Pimple. He was much taller than I, had a 

crooked nose, and long thin arms. Pimple adjusted his tangled nutbrown 

hair profusely smeared with hair gel. By doing this, he lifted up 

his hands and exposed his armpits into my face. He crushed my world. 

I was knocked off by his foul odor that could have only come from a 

person unfamiliar with bathing. 

“Hi, Will,” I squinted. 

“Are you dancing?” he asked and, before getting any answer, 

dragged me to the center of the make-shift dancefloor. 

“Hey!” Jenn rebelled, but a black guy in a white shirt had already 

concealed me. 

“Will, I can’t dance,” I tried to free my hand. 

“No sweat. Neither can I!” Will said, shaking his fuzzy hair, poking 

into all directions like those of anime characters. Then he stepped on 

my foot. I shrieked and jumped aside. 

“There you go!” Will smiled approvingly. He thought my move was 

a dancing step. “Have no worries!” 

Speakers vibrated with intensity as the music blared throughout the 

house. Will convulsively shook his head. I liked him more in the 

Pimple mode. He moved very close to me and twisted like he was 

writhing with stomach pain. I balked not knowing what to do. Jenn 

came to my rescue and pulled me out of the crowd. I followed her 

through a long corridor decorated with bamboo. 

We went outside on a large terrace overhanging the lake. Fairy 

lights crawled around the parapet, and hundreds of lights reflected 

from the dark waters. Thick blue-gray fog wreathed on the opposite 

side of the lake, at the bottom of the ancient mountains. Stars serenely 

glistened in the sky, which attained anthracite-like color over the 

pinnacles. Something poked inside of me. The same stars were shining 

above me, the same people smiled to me, the sun unchangingly rolled 

into the sky from behind those mountains, but my life took a dramatic 

turn. 

“Hey,” Jennifer pushed me. “Where are you?” 

~ 212 ~

“Just fell into a muse. It’s so beautiful here,” continuous 

modulations of a frog chorus broke through the heartrending bubblegum 

rock. 

“Could’ve been perfect if not for mosquitos,” she tapped her 

shoulder and squeezed her nose, pointing to the side. “As well as other 

parasites.” 

Monica entered the terrace in the company of a tall, broadshouldered 

man. They stopped a few feet away from us, near a soft 

beige couch. She sat down, leaned back, and crossed her legs. A lit 

cigarette was in her hand. Its light lit up Mark’s face. He brushed away 

the smoke, took a few steps to the parapet, and leaned on the railing. 

Monica followed him and wrapped her hands around him from 

behind. 

“You are drunk,” Mark said, taking her arms off him. 

“It’s not that bad,” she giggled and fell into his arms. 

“I’ll ask Oliver to give you a lift.” 

Mark’s posture clearly conveyed Monica’s presence was annoying 

him. 

“Oliver?” she lifted up her eyebrow, trying to remember. 

“Yes, Oliver. My younger brother.” 

“Ah, little Oliver, now I do recall him. Still obsessed with me?” 

“You have to go,” he stated in a husky voice. 

“I need to talk to Melanie,” her tongue tripped, and she spread over 

the railing. 

“You won’t crawl to her,” he snapped. “Not now, not later. You 

are not her equal. I hope she will get it soon.” 

Monica was seething. 

“I was going to leave anyway. This place sucks! A friend will pick 

me up. I just need to give him a buzz,” Monica delved into her purse, 

but heaved a disappointed sigh. “Looks like I lost my cell.” 

Her hand sneaked into his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone. 

“Easy!” 

~ 213 ~

“Or what?” she asked mockingly. 

“Leave the phone on the table when you’re done,” he ordered 

shortly and left the area. 

When the door closed behind him, Monica spun on her heels, 

grabbed her own phone from the purse and dialed. She was holding 

Mark’s Android phone in her other hand. 

“I’m on the terrace,” she said in amazingly cold and sober voice. 

Jenn and I exchanged looks waiting what would happen next. A 

slender, short guy appeared on the scene in a minute. Monica dangled 

Mark’s phone and Mustang car keys before his eyes. 

“You got it!” the guy exclaimed admiringly. 

Monica snorted contentedly and handed him the keys. 

“What do I get for this?” he asked playfully. 

“Oh, it’s a surprise,” Monica clenched his shirt with both hands 

and pulled him close. “You won’t be disappointed.” 

He submitted like a puppet, and she sank her rosy candy-like lips 

into him. 

“Now let’s get it over with.” 

They quickly descended the stairs leading to the front yard and 

disappeared behind the corner. 

“What is she up to?” 

Jenn was nervously biting the thumb nail on her right hand. 

“Don’t waste your energy,” I dragged her hand off her mouth. “I’ll 

find Eli, and you try to find Mark.” 

“Do you think she is gonna mess with his brakes?” 

“No,” I stated looking into Jenn’s gray eyes, “Monica is not the 

most descent human being, but she is not a killer. But she is about to 

make a jerk move.” 

“Shit on the driver’s seat?” Jenn contorted her lips. 

“Monica is a bad loser. She wants to get at Melanie. Whatever is on 

her mind, it is connected with Melanie and Mark.” 

~ 214 ~

We returned back to the house and diversified our activity. Jenn 

dove into the crowd of teenagers enjoying electro-house music, and I 

headed to the kitchen. Chances were slim that Eli was still there. In the 

darkness, I again and again stumbled over honored guests of each 

successful party--drunken bodies that polished the floor and reacted 

with indistinct muttering. 

Neither Eli nor Mark were to be found in the kitchen, but instead I 

witnessed a bizarre performance by the members of Phil´s team. The 

guys were imitating the Dance of the Little Swans on the bar counter, 

hooting with laughter and throwing chips into the audience. 

Chad Watson flung opened the front door. 

“Dude, are you coming?” he shouted. “We can’t start without you.” 

Brad was the first one to jump down from the table. He kept on 

wearing the awkward tutu. The rest followed him kicking each other, 

and the horde soon occupied the meadow in front of the house. Of 

course, this was perfect timing for drunkball! This game, as old as the 

sea, had only one rule: sober players were not allowed to participate. 

The sportsmen started to run after the ball in zig-zags, trampling the 

grass with the enthusiasm of a hound chasing a rabbit. I moved from 

the building to the field. 

Few garden lamps kindled poor light in the murky darkness that 

encompassed the forest and the house. In an attempt to rectify the 

situation, somebody suggested to use headlights for illumination. 

Mark´s red Mustang with wide opened doors stood closest to the field. 

Snatches of a song recited by a famous rap performer and spiced up 

with edgy expressions came from the car. 

My eyes found Eli, and then located Mark frolicking in the crowd. 

They were moving chaotically as well as the others and threw the ball 

to each other. I would’ve bet they did not know to which team they 

belonged, if any team was formed at all. It was just a group of agile 

teenagers who wanted to blow off steam and satisfy their hunting 

instincts. 

“The most stupid of all human games,” said someone next to me. 

His pleasant voice was loaded with sarcasm. 

~ 215 ~

I turned around and was startled, losing my train of thought. A tall 

young man with fiery-red hair stood next to me. He was wearing 

skinny black leather pants, a thin black shirt with long sleeves, and a 

fury waistcoat. His neck was covered in multiple chokers with various 

length and styles. It seemed he put on everything he could get his 

hands on--feathers, silver anchors, jasper and green stone strings of 

beads, raven feet, and glimmering shells. 

He was thin-faced and had slender emerald-green eyes with circles 

of golden dots shinning around the pupils. They glistened faintly when 

he smiled. His skin was pale like moonstone. 

Why does a man get such skin? I thought wistfully. 

He smiled seductively, and dimples appeared on his cheeks 

highlighting his exotic beauty. It left no doubt he was indeed a Túath. 

The redhead pulled a thick strand of hair back from his face. His hair 

covered his shoulders and streamed down his back like flares of fire. It 

was clear he had deliberately started a conversation with me. I felt 

chills running down my spine. 

“Guess you already know my name.” I said turning to watch the 

field while trying to put up a disinterested face. 

He nodded, “I pictured you to be like that.” 

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he was scrutinizing me. 

“Do you all get my photo over there with the inscription Wanted?” 

He laughed and graciously folded his long fingers on the back of 

his head. His elegant Túath beauty distinguished him from the rest, 

but it was the opposite of brutality. 

“There are only Túaths here except for me. One of them is running 

now across a field almost in a birthday suit, and clearly cannot be 

considered a slender seventeen year-old girl.” 

“There are a great lot of girls here…” 

The stranger interrupted me abruptly, “One should not compare a 

pony and an Arabian horse,” he swept his smoky eyes over me and 

smiled patronizingly. “We’re different.” 

“We have two arms, two legs and two eyes…” 

~ 216 ~

“That’s where similarities exhaust,” he interrupted me again, “and it 

is no compliment for humans.” 

“If we regard you, then you are most probably right. But I am a 

human.” 

“You’re not eighteen yet,” he looked over me as if he estimated 

something. “So your skills and your appearance cannot be foreseen 

with great probability. Only time will reveal,” he said. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked becoming frustrated. 

“Have you ever seen whelps of the Afghan hound breed?” 

“No,” I replied with annoyance. “Why is this about dogs?” 

“Because one is going to weep just having a look at those bald 

rascals with flat muzzles, but they turn into magnificent royal 

specimens when they come to maturity.” 

“Wonderful analogy. So, according to you, I am a bald rascal with a 

flat muzzle!” 

“You are quick-witted,” he sneered. “I will check the ‘quickness’ 

box for you.” 

“You know, a reference to the ugly duckling would have been less 

insulting.” 

“I don’t like stereotypes. Dry, boring, and not tasteful.” 

He looked towards the field and found Eli. A corner of his lips rose 

up as if for a smile, and his eyes sparkled with fire flakes. 

“He is good, this bastard,” he shook his head and licked his lips. 

Then the guy pulled out clear lip gloss from his pocket and brushed 

on several applications. My eyebrows jumped in surprise. 

“I recommend you to try it,” he said without turning to me. The 

redhead mockingly emphasized the absence of make-up on my face. 

“Take the style icon for a model.” 

“I’m already determined about my future plans, and a traveling 

circus is not on my list.” 

He stopped staring at Eli, and I noticed a glint in his eyes. 

~ 217 ~

“I am starting to like you,” he said and turned back to the field. 

Then he added impatiently, “Enough!” 

He lightly clapped his hands, and an explosion like a blast of 

thunder happened. The ball ripped in two right in the hands of one of 

the players. He shrilled and jumped aside. Eli momentarily turned to 

us and cast his eyes in amusement. My companion sent him an air-kiss. 

It was difficult to make sense out of the mess on the field, but the 

game stopped after a row of exclamations, jokes, and bouts of impish 

laughter. People dispersed in different directions. 

“Jaroldino,” said Eli smiling as he approached us. 

“Just call me Jared the Great.” 

He opened his arms and enclosed Eli in embrace. 

“You’ve got lip gloss on your lips?!” smirked Eli. 

“Strawberry. Just how you like it.” 

“Take your hand off my butt,” Eli asked in a good-natured manner. 

Jared trilled with laughter and tucked his fingers below his belt. 

“Just checking whether you’re still in good shape.” 

“And what’s your verdict?” 

“Gorgeous as always,” Jared exhaled contentedly. “Hope that one 

day I’ll get my hands on you.” 

Eli laughed and tapped him on his shoulder. 

“I’ll think about it if you get rid of these shit-kickers.” 

I glimpsed at Jared’s feet and could not help heaving a sigh of 

amusement. He wore red high heels with thorns on its toes. 

“I’m sorry, pretty boy, but I cannot sacrifice them even for your 

sake.” 

Eli’s face became serious when he asked, 

“I’m glad to see you any time, but I can’t help asking how. Are you 

here on business or did you miss me?” 

“I always miss you, candlewick, but today I do have a more valid 

reason. My father wanted to check on you. Gossip is spreading at a 

speed of Túaths.” 

~ 218 ~

“I thought Ulmance was worried about the disappearance of his 

messenger boys.” 

His father is that very Ulmance? pierced in my head. 

Jared gave Eli a blank stare and narrowed one eye. 

“As far as I am concerned, he did not send anyone. So who was 

that?” 

“Cole and Max.” 

Jared imitated a dry heave and demonstrated superb knowledge of 

swear words. In combination with his racy appearance they sounded 

extremely flamboyant. 

“He did send them, but he sent them to hell! Those two barbarians- 

-for a long time—haven’t been on his team. You should know that. 

They switched over to Oltour.” 

Jared rubbed his pointy chin. 

“I will certainly inform my father about this act of highhandedness. 

This is a wild violation of rules.” 

“Better if you don’t,” Eli said softly, “Otherwise, I’ll have to 

partake in the crime reenactment--show them where I hid the bodies, 

you know?” 

“Of course, I know you better than anyone else does. You nailed 

them, didn’t you?” Jared said hysterically. 

“Yes,” Eli responded calmly. 

“Ah, well done!” 

Jared shook his red bush of hair, and smacked Eli’s butt. 

“Hey!” Eli pointed his finger ahead like a sword. 

“Sorry, I’m so naturally direct in my joy,” Jared said ruefully and 

winked at Eli with his cat-like green eye. 

“We have to celebrate this. Do they have decent booze in this 

barbaric limbo?” 

“Follow me, Jay, I’ll seduce you with alcohol.” 

~ 219 ~

“There are nice things here to be seduced by,” murmured Jared, 

having a peek at two guys. One of them, who wore a tutu, was 

smoking a strange smelling cigarette. 

“My jealousy is furious,” Eli pushed him forward with his shoulder. 

At that moment Jared’s shoes literally played a slippery trick as his foot 

tripped, lost his balance, and fell on the guy in a tutu. He looked at 

Jared in bemusement as if he was an alien, and even dropped his jaw 

when he noticed the shoes. 

“I’m profusely sorry, my dear gentleman,” said Jared, taking the 

cigarette out of the guy’s hands. 

Jared took a long pull at the cigarette, and ran his hand with black, 

artificially flaked nails over the teenager’s chest. 

“By the way, cool skirt!” 

“You are a rock head, dude! I told you to take off this piece of 

crap,” the second guy whispered to the first one. 

******* 

Loud music drifted through the wide open doors. The guests 

divided into small groups according to their interests. 

“I’m off for a little hunt,” Jared announced with a hint of mischief 

in his eyes. 

“Don’t make a mess,” Eli warned him. 

He was bound to shout to be heard. One song substituted for 

another, and several groups of drunken teenagers merged again into a 

homogenous mass in the middle of the hall. Jared noticed something 

or someone who attracted his attention. He raised an eyebrow, 

adjusted the silvery fur on his coat, and pranced in the direction of the 

kitchen, which was basking in bright light. Sounds of laughter trailed 

from that direction. 

“What does it all mean--a hunt, a mess?” I asked. 

“It’s all right,” Eli stroked my cheeks with his fingers. “Jay is 

absolutely harmless. Decipit frons prima multos.” 

~ 220 ~

“Latin is not my forte, but, sorry, he is not to be distracted.” 

“Appearances are deceiving, Leela. I only let very few people get 

close to me, and I trust him. Does that mean anything to you?” 

“Yes. Probably, yes. Just promise me he won’t eat or burn anyone.” 

“Jared is a determined vegetarian and an air Túath.” 

Eli dragged me into a dimly lit study. I looked around. Rows of 

shelves topped with various books stretched along the high wall up to 

the ceiling. Brown scuffed spines showed off their famous names. 

“If I only had known about this room before, it would have been 

my hiding place.” 

Eli jumped on a sofa and draped his legs over the back. The golden 

light from the fire, trapped in a crude-stone fireplace, poured onto the 

room. The floor was covered with a cappuccino-colored rug with 

pallid complex ornaments that resembled cavemen drawings. The 

library was decorated with three large armchairs, a sofa, and floor 

lamps guarded its perimeter. The latter were made from Philippine 

shells and their pivots had a shape of dancing nymphs. Reflections of 

light played on their shiny bodies. A dark wooden coffee table was 

supported by a free-stone granite piece that was placed there as if by 

chance. 

I sat down, pulled my legs into my chest, and wrapped my hands 

around them. Flames from the fireplace reflected off of Eli’s dark 

smooth hair like pieces of amber. 

“You mentioned Jared’s father by the name of Ulmance, right?” I 

asked. 

“Yes, Ulmance Grey.” He replied. 

“Is he the same Ulmance who is the governor of Ambré, with 

whom you are not getting along? The one who purportedly took hand 

in…” I swallowed the last words, which left a bitter aftertaste in my 

mouth. 

“Yes, that’s him, but he has nothing to do with Jared or me. Jared 

also has a rocky relationship with his dad.” 

~ 221 ~

“Huh, why am I not surprised? Of course! The guy likes high-heels 

and strawberry lip gloss!” 

“He’s complex, that’s true, but all his quirks are fully compensated 

by other traits. Give him a chance to prove himself.” 

The door swung open like a slap bringing me back to reality. A man 

was peeking into the library from the doorstep. I recognized the 

person whom Monica had spoken with on the terrace. I had never met 

him before and was certain he did not attend our school. He was 

looking for someone and closed the door shut after he had quickly 

swept his eyes around the room. 

“Damn it! Because of all these events I totally forgot. I have to find 

Jennifer!” I momentarily stood up. 

“What have you forgotten?” Eli asked. 

“Help me to find Jenn. I’ll explain on our way.” 

“Ok,” Eli reluctantly left his place on the sofa and followed me. “If 

this is really more important than what I was going to do…” a flicker 

of a smile appeared on his face. 

****** 

Eli listened to my brief gist of the today’s events in the restroom 

and an occasionally overheard conversation on the terrace, but he 

remained unimpressed. 

“I won’t bother too much about that,” he smiled condescendingly. 

“Maybe this is not as important for you as it is for me. She always 

schemes cunningly and irrationally, making others look guilty. And 

now she is going to put down her best friend’s boyfriend! You have to 

help me!” 

“Your wish is my command,” Eli bowed his head. I took my cell 

phone out with its worn buttons in its silvery scuffed casing. Jenn was 

out of the coverage. 

~ 222 ~

“This is bad,” I uttered and walked at a brisk pace along the long 

corridor decorated with black framed photographs. A soft strip of rug 

on the dark shiny floor muted my steps. Eli followed me without 

making any sounds like he was simply hovering in air. 

We almost reached the turn, towards one of the lounges with a 

lake-view, when he suddenly grabbed my shoulders and pressed me 

into the wall bending above me. His hair seemed pitch-black in the 

darkness, and his eyes had malachite color. 

“Not now,” I wanted to say, but Eli closed my lips with his finger. I 

was silent. The dialog was in full swing. 

“Give it to Mark,” Monica was talking hastily as if she was running 

late. 

“How did you get his cell?” 

“He gave it to me to make a call. Mine got discharged. So you’ll 

give it to him?” 

“Yep, sure,” Melanie’s voice sounded embarrassed. “I am sorry 

about today. Don’t know what got into me.” 

“Ok, we’re over it,” Monica threw heedlessly. “Friends then?” 

“Friends,” quickly agreed Melanie. 

Judging from the sound, they hugged. 

“See you tomorrow in school,” said Monica. 

“Are you leaving already?” 

“Yes, someone is waiting for me.” 

“Well then. See you tomorrow.” 

“Ah, yeah,” she said for the before leaving. “He’s got a text. Check 

it.” 

“I don’t snoop in his phone,” Melanie was indignant. 

“You should. Something about that text could be of interest to 

you.” 

“I trust him, if this is what you’re implying.” 

“Sure, baby, if you prefer to be so trusty, go ahead!” 

~ 223 ~

They paused. The silence was disturbed by Eli’s breathing and 

distant traces of music. 

“This can’t be true,” whispered Melanie. “Must be a wrong 

number.” 

“Of course, it’s a wrong number, and your Mark is a saint.” 

“Did you read this text?” 

“Yes,” Monica replied with a poker face. “Don’t look at me like 

that. If I didn’t read it he would keep giving you the go-around.” 

“He won’t do this.” 

“Then go and check. It says that someone forgot something on the 

back seat of his car. If the text was sent by mistake, then you’ll find 

nothing in Mark’s Mustang. Right?” 

“Yes,” the girl could hardly squeeze words. 

“Do you wanna know the truth?” 

Eli was right in time to shield me with his body when they appeared 

from around the corner. He drew me closer to him. It was dark in the 

corridor and easy for them to just walk past us. 

“I deserved a little gratitude,” he whispered touching my lips. 

“Yes, but you’ll get it a bit later,” I slipped from his embrace and 

looked behind the corner. I dialed Jenn again, but still could not reach 

her. 

“May I ask what you are aiming at?” Eli unexpectedly asked. I 

turned to him with a perplexed expression on my face. He was leaning 

on the wall with one shoulder and lazily examining his hands. 

“What do you mean?” 

“What are you going to do?” 

I froze in confusion. 

“I’ll tell Melanie that Mark is innocent. Otherwise, they will quarrel 

because of Monica!” 

“Quarrel, reconcile, break up. Humans,” he pronounced the last 

word in such a way as if he was talking about something insignificant 

like slugs on potato tubers. 

~ 224 ~

“Humans?” I repeated. “Did you fall under Jared’s influence, 

because I haven’t noticed such inhumanity in you before?” 

Eli snorted in surprise. 

“Inhumanity? Leela, I’m a Túath.” 

I took a step back. When I began to talk, I realized I was 

whispering from vehement. 

“You told me yourself we ought to protect humanity! We’re born 

to help them.” 

He lifted his hands and chuckled. 

“On the global scale, yes. We save cities, sometimes even countries, 

but we don’t get involved in teenage squabbles--the red panties found 

on the rear seat of a Mustang. Count me out,” he retorted. 

“What? Did she plant panties in his car?” I asked. 

“As far I as could hear. Hey, where are you going?” he questioned. 

I did not want to listen to another word he said and was already 

running into a shadow vibrating with loud music. I heard shouting and 

laughing again coming from the kitchen. So, I rushed in and stopped 

dead in my tracks. Jared and Jenn stood by the long oval table with 

their arms around each other and drunk brotherhood. 

“Drink, drink, drink,” the crowd around them chanted. Jenn 

swigged the glass pouring its complete content down her throat. Then 

she showed the empty glass to the crowd and started swirling around 

her axis on the table with excited screams. She was laughing like a 

madman and finally fell into Jared´s arms. He caught her, and they 

started to dance not noticing anything around them. I pinched her 

ankle with full force. 

“Ouch!” she screamed and turned her blurry eyes to me. 

“Leela! Where have you been? I was looking for you!” she sat down 

on the table, wobbling with her legs hung over the side. 

“I noticed. I could not find you and asked a companion to help 

me!” 

I gave Jared a glare. 

~ 225 ~

“And what about him?” Jenn bit her lip. “He’s hot, huh?” she said 

breathing deeply and probably even slightly whimpering. 

“Are you kidding me? He mauled Eli, he wears lip gloss and highheels, 

and just look at him!” 

She looked at him, and her eyes were glistening from excitement. 

“Well…” 

“Well what? Where is Michael?” I shook her trying to bring her to 

her senses. 

“Michael,” she uttered his name in such way as if it got lost in thick 

fog. “He left almost immediately, said he was not feeling well.” 

“Let’s go,” I pulled her hand. 

Jenn crept down from the table. Some sequins from her dress fell 

down on the tile floor like glittery snow flowers. She tucked her hair 

behind her ears, barely keeping her balance in heels, and took a deep 

breath of air shaking off the illusion. 

“Hey,” Jared called her. Jennifer turned towards him. 

“Come back!” 

She smiled like a fool. 

Half of the guests gathered around the redhead. He told funny but 

barely trustworthy stories, laughed loudly, and told jokes. 

Jared’s new friend, in the tutu, was sitting next to him without any 

shade of doubt, hanging on his every word, and laughing just as loudly. 

The last sound I heard before walking outside was the crackling of 

plastic cups. 

The grass behind the house looked like black bristle. The dew had 

already dampened my path, and my feet were getting wet with every 

step. Mark’s car, with its opened doors, looked like broken beetle’s 

wings. Jenn and I stopped at some distance. 

Melanie was clenching the rear car door as if someone pulled the 

carpet from under her feet. Her eyes full of tears were focused on a 

small piece of lace on the seat. 

~ 226 ~

“Are you still gonna insist that this,” Monica lifted up the panties 

with her finger tips and waved it before her friend’s eyes, “has nothing 

to do with Mark?” 

Melanie’s lips were twisted in resentment, and tears streamed down 

her pale face. Without saying a word, she turned on her heels and 

rapidly walked away. Monica smirked with satisfaction watching her 

leave. 

“What now?” Jennifer’s voice sounded lost. 

“I’m going to tell her the truth.” 

“It’s useless. She won’t listen to you.” 

“But I know who she would listen to.” 

***** 

“You want me to make her forget about it? I’m not wasting my 

time for that,” Eli refused. 

“This is unjust! You can do it just like that. Please, talk to her!” 

“Justice doesn’t exist. Everybody talks about it, but nobody knows 

a damn thing about it.” 

“Eli!” Jared and I said simultaneously as Jared had just approached 

us. I turned to him and said crossly, “What is it now?” 

“You have guests.” 

Jay’s voice sounded emotionless to me. It was flat and tranquil like 

the calm sea, but Eli perceived much more from it that I did. His facial 

expression did not change, but unpleasant astonishment flickered in 

his gaze. 

“How many guests do we have?” an indifferent grip curled up on 

his face. “I want to know how many places I should set at the dinner 

table.” 

“Three,” Jared smiled. “Don’t forget the chef’s specialty, the spicy 

sauce.” His soft voice was slightly hoarse. Eli laughed. 

“Don’t you worry! The sauce tonight will be really special!” 

~ 227 ~

“Could you wait for me in the library?” Eli asked me. “I don’t want 

it to be like the last time, if it comes to this.” 

Cole’s broken head with lifeless eyes and an opened mouth covered 

with frosty icicles recurred to me. 

“Fine,” I whispered. Eli caressed my cheek with his finger. 

“I’ll be back soon.” 

“So, you don’t worry about me? You’re ready to shelter behind my 

rear?” Jared narrowed his eyes. 

“You kept on boasting about its multifunctioning ability. Time to 

give it a try.” 

“It’s not what I meant!” 

Eli forcefully tapped him on his back pushing him forward. 

“Hey! Easy!” 

“It’s time for rough games. Hurry up!” 

The study was empty. It was warm and quiet. Loud music seemed 

like remote noise of construction work blocked by formidable ash tree 

doors. I crossed the room stepping on each drawing on the area rug 

thinking up its meaning. The dying fire lazily kindled honey-colored 

flashes. Flames jumped up and tiredly reclined back on the cracking 

wood. 

I glimpsed at the book spines and pulled out an opus by Marquez. 

The volume smelled of old paper and dust. It always seemed to me 

that books start to smell when they are being read, when they are 

being lived through. I liked this smell of dust, chocolate, wisdom of 

the past, a cozy evening, and a fireplace topped with cinnamon, strong 

coffee, expectations, the aroma of eternity, time, traveling, and dreams. 

Printed works always smelled of overwhelming intrigue with anything 

you wished, but loneliness. 

I squeezed my eyes, guessed a page, and poked with my finger into 

a random line. 

~ 228 ~

…It was as if God had decided to put to the test every capacity for 

surprise and was keeping the inhabitants of Macondo in a permanent 

alternation between excitement and disappointment, doubt and 

revelation, to such an extreme that no one knew for certain where the 

limits of reality lay… 

I got distracted by a faint sound that seemed like a play of wind 

wafting the sweet smell of tangerines and carnations. I looked around 

and found the library as empty as before. Nobody was to be seen 

except for me and a thick fly crawling over the apples, but it was a 

delusion. A rustling sound came from behind the book shelves. 

Somebody was turning the pages of a book. Out of curiosity, I moved 

closer and looked behind the shelves. 

Apparently, the shelves did not touch the wall as I had originally 

assumed. It separated a small part of the room from the rest of the 

room. This area, concealed from the spying eyes, was a small reading 

corner decorated with two armchairs standing on elegant crooked legs 

and upholstered in lilac velvet. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a sliding 

door isolated the space from the outside. 

A girl was sitting in one of the armchairs. Her straight hair--black 

like an abyss--covered her figure down to the waist. Even in the warm 

light of the fire it had a cold-blue hue. She was holding a book of 

verses by Pushkin in one hand and reciting a fragment from one of his 

poems: 

All this time the Tsar's own daughter 

Quietly, as Nature taught her, 

Grew and grew, and came quite soon 

Like a flower into bloom: 

Raven-browed, of fair complexion, 

Breathing kindness and affection. 

And the choice of fiancé 

Lighted on Prince… 

The girl heaved a sigh and abruptly shut the book. 

~ 229 ~

“They often read classic literature to me when I was little. Still 

makes me nauseated,” her voice was ice-cold like arctic wind. 

The girl graciously turned to me and threw back her hair. It rained 

down her back. Her facial lines and proportions were perfect--a pointy 

chin, high cheekbones, a straight nose and outlined arching eyebrows. 

Her skin was white like the first snow and contrasted profoundly with 

her large black eyes. 

I slowly approached her and sat down in the armchair across from 

her. I was driven by curiosity. She had some sort of hypnotizing power 

that lured me closer. We silently observed each other. She reminded 

me of oleander flowers--equally enthralling and deadly. 

“Marina Oltour,” she proudly introduced herself, stressing the first 

O. 

“Based on how you pronounced it, I should be already rolling on 

the floor with excitement”?” 

Her laughter sounded like rolling stones--heavy and loud. 

“Based on the fact that you’re not rolling on the floor from 

excitement, you don’t know who I am.” 

“Positive, except for the fact that you’re a total bitch.” 

She stretched out her long legs in high leather boots. 

“You know the most important thing about me. Don’t disregard 

that.” 

“I’ll take it into account,” I cocked my head. 

“You will if you’re smart enough, although Eli likes to entertain 

himself with silly bimbos.” 

“Is this your sophisticated way to imply that he entertained himself 

with you as well?” 

“If you have a sharp tongue, first make sure you have power 

superiority as well. Otherwise, your wit may be fatal for you.” 

I was no longer scared by the presence of Túaths. Marina even 

seemed interesting; dangerous, but interesting. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked. 

She smiled. 

~ 230 ~

“The reason is trivial. Eli,” she moved her finger along her pointy 

collarbone. Her nails were painted graphite gray. 

I remained silent. Marina was ravishingly beautiful, and she seemed 

smart as well. So, I found no reason why Eli would not like her. 

“I miss him. Is this not a good reason?” she said suavely. “It is 

impossible to not miss him, isn’t it?” 

Marina looked into my eyes as if she crawled into my soul with 

both hands and sensed the weak spots. Her heavy gaze gave me a 

freezing chill in my bones. 

“That’s true.” 

She smiled softly. 

“I’m not disappointed he decided to play with you. On the 

contrary, Eli will learn to cherish some virtues after the comparison. 

Then again, platonic love is a myth. It does not exist in the same way 

as nothing can exist between the two of you. You’re opposites!” her 

chin flew up. I did not want to respond. 

“I can understand him,” she continued. “We always wanted to have 

what we lack, but often it happened that when we have attained what 

we wanted, the realization came that we wanted something else. You 

have everything that he lacks--uprightness, purity, femininity, but who 

needs it in our times? Nobody,” she shook her head. 

Marina looked lifelessly beautiful as a porcelain doll. 

“Those virtues lost their attractiveness long ago. It is like trying to 

pay with Frankish deniers, which passed out of use a thousand years 

ago, in today’s shops. He is different, Leela,” she whispered, folding 

her legs. “A wolf can wear a rabbit’s skin as a disguise, but he won’t 

eat carrots. Now, Eli believes in what he wants to believe, and he 

wants you.” 

“What are you doing here then?” I asked. 

“Whatever he wants, I came to take mine,” she smiled sharply. 

“Take it, if you can,” I uttered with motionless countenance. 

~ 231 ~

She smiled in such a manner, I bated my breath. Something 

flickered in her eyes like a moonlight reflection against the black 

surface of the night ocean. 

“You are giving up so easily,” Marina narrowed her eyes 

disdainfully. “I believe one who does not fight for her happiness does 

not deserve it.” 

Rage swirled up inside of me in a loud protest. Eli was not just a 

thing. We could not just toss a coin and chose who was going to own 

him. 

“He will decide himself, what’s the best for him,” I said firmly. 

“Let’s check,” she said peeking out from the chair. “If he resists, 

kick me, but if he complies, never come close to him again.” 

Marina jumped from the chair graciously like a wild cat. She 

approached the book shelf and threw all books on the floor clearing 

up the view for me. I noticed Eli and Jared, entering the library. 

“I don’t get where they went. They were there!” Jared insisted. 

“We’ll find out. First, I’ll take Leela home.” 

“I saw…” Jay commenced. 

Marina clasped the shelf with both hands and playfully looked out 

from behind it. 

“Marina!” Jared blushed and made a face of sheer surprise. 

“You told already?” said Eli and his face contorted. Then he saw 

Marina and smiled tenderly. He came close to her and gave her his 

hand. 

Marina entered into his embrace and put her head on his chest. She 

looked at me and smiled victoriously. Eli caressed her hair and kissed 

her lips. The girl pulled her hand behind her back and showed me a 

middle finger. I was disconcerted and grasped the arm pads of the 

chair. The scene before my eyes required no further commentaries. 

The way his eyes shined when he looked at her, the way he gently 

wrapped his arms around her--Eli was happy. 

~ 232 ~

There was no place for me. I quietly stood up and walked 

backwards to the entrance. I wanted to run as far as I could away from 

the disgusting feeling that was topped with bitterness--miserable 

proprietary attitude to someone who was not mine. He belonged to no 

one. Freedom of choice was the best virtue, something that nobody 

could ever deprive me. If I surrendered to jealousy, I would be more 

of an animal and would lose the right to be called a human being. 

Phil’s words about the black angel and the façade popped in my head. 

Was he right? Was it just a game? Adrenaline rushed through my veins 

encouraging the most humiliating thoughts in me. I was in pain, strong 

pain. I could not bear seeing how he hugged her. Eli looked at her just 

the way he had looked at me. 

Having taken a few steps towards the entrance, I could not take my 

eyes off of him. I wanted to, but I could not. Trying to leave as soon 

as possible, I hardly understood what I was doing. 

Just open the glass door and dive into the emptiness of the night, I 

thought. 

“What the hell are you doing?” I heard Jared’s voice asking, but did 

not care. 

My rubbery legs were already slipping down the wooden stairs. 

They brought on a narrowing pathway winding into the forest. It was 

pitch-black in here since the house’s illumination did not reach this 

place. 

I rushed through the forest pushing and tossing shrubbery and tree 

branches aside. I did not know where I was headed. The branches 

lashed my face and opened skin. Horrible feelings were boiling inside 

me--rage spiced with offense and defeated hopes. It was a cocktail that 

could smother and shred to pieces, explode, and tear apart all things 

good and virtuous. My only wish was to sink into the earth; to dissolve 

and fall apart into atoms. I wanted to scream from pain. 

~ 233 ~

A series of lightning traversed the skies like light-blue cracks. Then 

a down pour followed so furiously as if somewhere in the sky a 

hydrant got loose. Blinding flares alternated with rumbling claps of 

thunder. The earth was trembling under the angry cries. I had no 

doubt Eli would realize the reason behind this rain. 

Another branch slapped my face right in my eye. I moaned and 

covered the injured spot with my hands. A tear fell from the eye. It 

wasn’t because of Eli, I tried to persuade myself. It’s just because it 

hurt. 

I looked around me trying to understand where I was and where I 

could go. I was surrounded by darkness, but had to continue moving-- 

mechanically move on to get to the place where Eli was no more, 

above tears and piercingly sarcastic remarks about him. I needed time 

to calm down. I sensed jealousy as a bitter taste in my mouth and 

emptiness in my heart. 

Sudden light glimmered far away, impearling in the rain drops. I 

went in that direction elbowing my way through the shrubbery. My 

feet were sinking deeper and deeper in cold mud as I progressed. 

Finally, the light brought me to the roadside. The road was leading to 

Mark’s house. A car with its engine running stood across the road in a 

groove formed by a braking path. The trembling hood of the car was 

smoking. Rain drop drummed against the car, gathering into torrents, 

and poured down its side. 

I sniffled, wrapped my ice-cold arms around myself, and headed to 

the house. 

“Leela,” a female voice called me out. 

I turned back and could decipher MlovM on the plate covered with 

mud. This was an identification number that Mark presented to 

Melanie. Mark Loves Mel. 

Melanie was sitting in the car with her nose blue like a plum. Her 

messed-up hair stuck out in various directions, and a mournful mask 

of streaming mascara was smeared on her face. Well, I did not look 

any better. A wet, dirty scarecrow with soaking hair clung to my back. 

Probably that was how the stories about wood goblins were born. 

~ 234 ~

“Get into the car, faster,” Melanie said. 

I was shivering under the streams of warm air, slowly beginning to 

warm up. I could not stop trembling. 

“What happened to you?” she sniffled. 

“I was looking for you,” she combed my hair with my fingers and 

braided it. 

“Given the way you look it sounds threatening,” Melanie mumbled. 

Melanie’s cell phone buzzed like a bee. It was Mark. She shifted her 

gaze. I noticed his picture flashed on the screen. A smiling Mark 

reclined on a pillow with his fingers buried in his messy hair. He 

looked sleepy. His photo was likely taken early in the morning 

enjoying a cup of coffee together and cuddling. The buzzing stopped 

and a message appeared notifying Melanie she had sixteen missed calls. 

She put her phone back in the glove compartment and looked at 

me. 

“Why were you looking for me?” 

When I stopped recounting the night’s events, Melanie observed 

traces of rain drops on the windshield with a faraway look. 

“I know that is hard to believe.” 

“Not at all. It was just difficult to reconcile with it. We’ve been 

friends for the largest part of our lives--for ten years.” 

At least it is better to know the truth, I thought, but did not say it out 

loud. Melanie seemed melancholic. 

“Thanks,” she whispered. 

The ringing sound of her cell came from the glove compartment. 

She picked it up resolutely and accepted the call. 

“Mel, where are you?” Mark was almost yelling. 

“Not far from the house. With Leela. We had to talk.” 

“You could let me know!” he said with annoyance. 

“Sorry,” she gave me a quick look. “I’ll be there soon.” 

~ 235 ~

“Ok,” he told Melanie, and then cried so loudly that she had to pull 

the phone away from her ear. “Eli! Leela is with Mel not far from the 

house.” 

“Drive there, and I will walk.” I opened the door letting a wet blast 

of wind into the car. 

“Are you crazy? Look at the weather!” 

“I have to go home immediately, and you cannot give me a lift 

anyway,” I pointed at the fallen tree trunk blocking the road. 

“Take it,” Melanie handed me a warm coat with a hood. “What do 

I tell Eli?” 

“Tell him the truth. That you know nothing.” 

I put on the hood and hurried away. Strong wind brushed my 

cheeks and crawled under the hood. I was dripping wet and trembling 

like leaves under the pelting rain. I had no idea where I was going. 

When I stopped, I realized I was looking at the scruffy front door of 

Marge’s house. She never locked it, so, I entered freely. But why? I 

didn’t know. Probably it was my hope Eli would not come to look for 

me in this place. 

I tiptoed in darkness as quietly as I could, but the rotten floor 

boards squeaked anyway like a grumpy old man. Garbage also 

crunched under my feet. I took the staircase up and walked into the 

room where I had spent the last five years. I swept my palm over the 

dusty table and sat down on the bed. The place was stinking with 

loneliness and was empty as my soul, again. 

Dead silence was disturbed by the rattling sounds of an old 

refrigerator in the kitchen. It seemed to cough, and the cans on the top 

of it produced a ringing noise. Marge always snored very loudly, and I 

could not get along with that awful sound until my last day in that 

house. It was quiet now, meaning she was at work. 

Scanty moonlight painted the room in a monochromatic gray 

palette. All other colors died away. Something shiny blinked next to 

the bathroom door. I walked closer and took Marge’s pendant from 

the floor. She likely lost it during our last encounter. 

~ 236 ~

The jewelry piece began to kindle soft blue light after I touched it. 

It was getting brighter, and I instinctively closed my palms around the 

pendant as if afraid to be caught with it. A glow poured through my 

fingers like picking up a fallen star. The pendant looked familiar. The 

braided lines reminded me of something very important. The light was 

so delicate that I recalled my mother, and for some reason, I wanted to 

hug her so much. She probably smelled of vanilla or something else 

very kind, the way only mothers can smell--with love. 

I shrieked. Probably from cold. My clothes were still wet, and I was 

feeling cold. Some old clothing was stored in the backroom. I could 

use a few of those pieces until my jeans and the shirt were dry again. I 

dug in the box with old stuff just to find nothing better than old 

pajamas with terrible pink rabbits. I went in the bathroom, switched 

on the light, and took off my shirt. I had a birth mark on the lower 

part of my stomach next to my right thighbone. The spot resembled 

the mirrored letter E with wavy lines. It looked like a sand figure that 

became distorted by a flurry of wind. 

I looked back at the pendant lying on the bed. Surely, the ornament 

on the pendant was following the lines of my birth-mark. I fetched it 

and pressed into my mark. Exact fit. In addition, the pendant bore one 

more symbol that became clear now. The right symbol was the letter L 

corresponding to the first letter of my name. The left symbol was a 

copy of my birth-mark. 

This was my pendant! That’s why it glowed every time I took it, but 

how did Marge get it? I asked myself. 

Well, this was not surprising since she always confiscated things 

that did not belong to her. Maybe this was one of the few things found 

together with me. 

The entrance door whined downstairs. Heavy feet scuffled on the 

floor. Marge! I quickly grabbed my clothes and opened the window 

letting a gust of ice-cold wind into the room. I had to be quick not to 

be found here. I hoisted my leg over the window sill and climbed out 

on the slippery canopy. The rain had stopped, and snowflakes were 

falling from the sky. They thawed before they hit the ground. 

~ 237 ~

To the right from the canopy, I noticed a crumbly fruit-frame that 

long ago likely supported a rose garden. Now, only gray lifeless ground 

covered with foliage was to be seen. Hoping the wood could carry my 

weight, I stepped on the first plank and climbed down trying not to 

breathe. The rotten wood cracked, my foot slipped--cracking the next 

plank--and the rest of them broke, too. Trying to break my fall, I 

grabbed at the remaining plank, but it gave way. I fell on my back. It 

was such an unfortunate landing. I lost my breath. 

My palms chafed from numerous splinters. I was lying on the wet 

ground without moving and looked up into the abyss of the night sky. 

Freezing cold chilled my bones, but I felt so done that I could not 

even stand up. 

I breathed a heavy sigh and thus exhaled the bitter sadness in the 

white vapor of my breath. Tears were rolling down my cheeks, but I 

could not surrender to them. I told myself it was going to be fine--I 

just had to live through that horrible day. Tomorrow the sun was 

going to raise again while now tiny snowflakes were falling down like 

silvery dusk in the light of a street pole. It barely kindled visible light 

like a firefly agonizing in a spider web of snow. 

A shadow fell over me. He kneeled next to my head and pressed his 

lips against my forehead. I felt the heat of his palms on my cheeks. Eli 

dried my tears. 

“Don’t believe everything you see,” he whispered. “Sometimes it is 

the only way to have vision in our world.” 

I closed my eyes and started to stand up. Before we exchanged 

looks, he froze in his spot because I was too late in hiding my 

memories. They pulsated in my head like a fresh, bleeding wound. 

“Leela,” he shook his head. “It’s not what it looked like.” 

Eli’s hair covered his eyes. White snow glistened on it; pure and 

beautiful like his love. And it was as unreal as his feelings because it 

thawed immediately and streamed down his face like tears. He was so 

mesmerizingly handsome. I wanted to run away in order not to see 

him. Apparently, what hurt the most were the shatters of my own 

happiness. 

~ 238 ~

Frequented heart beating hammered in my ears. Eli tenderly took 

my hand and pulled me towards him. We sat face-to-face. My heart 

was pounding fervently that it could have jumped out of my chest, but 

I stopped hearing its beating. I was drowning in the vortex of his gaze, 

and found myself trapped again. 

“I’ll explain everything,” Eli promised. 

“Did I ask for explanations?” I said calmly, waking up from my 

dreams, and turned away abruptly. 

Focusing my eyes on the pathway in order to avoid seeing him, I 

headed in the direction of Miss Hoggins’s house. The shortest path 

crossed a patch of forest. 

“You are even more ravishing when you’re jealous.” 

Eli stood before me. My face did not reflect any emotions, but it 

was too difficult for me to emote. 

“I need some time alone. Please,” I said hardly composing myself. I 

was barely breathing. 

The chill had cost me too many efforts. Tears were tickling my 

nose, I was almost drowning in the anger cooking inside, and he was 

provoking me on purpose, looking at me in those silly pajama shorts 

with stupid rabbits. He smiled as if he had gotten his favorite icecream. 

“If you only knew the pajamas fit you perfectly.” 

“Eli,” I said warning him. My voice came from afar like through a 

thick wall. 

“Leela,” Eli said softly. 

He gently moved the backside of his hand over my cheek. Time 

slowed down, and only the fierce pounding of my heart was out of his 

control. Something clicked like a pulled trigger, followed by a flash of 

light. A blue thread of lightning hit the ground between us like a spear 

made of icy rage. Eli stopped. He certainly did not expect anything like 

that, and I rushed away from him. 

“Do you want to kill me?” his shout followed me. 

~ 239 ~

Eli moved faster than I could move, so much faster. When he 

suddenly emerged in front of me, I bumped into him, moaned from 

pain and suddenness, and clasped my hands. 

“What are you doing?!” I shouted trembling. 

The corners of his lips curled up in a shrewd smile, and he crushed 

me with a hungry fire in his eyes. Eli roared and tucked away the 

strands of hair darkened from thawed snow and crashed into me 

clenching me in his arms. He moved like lightning that struck the 

ground, next to his feet, a minute ago. Eli’s hand descended on my 

back. The other hand pulled me closer to him by my neck. He held me 

so tight I could not move. Before I could understand anything, he 

pressed me into a tree and opened my lips with his. Electric charges 

surged into my body. 

I tried to break free, but his tongue impaled me, moving inside my 

mouth with overwhelming passion and intoxicating my mind. 

Seductive husky sounds came out of his chest making me boil inside. I 

sensed weakness in my knees. Eli arched his hand below my hip and 

shamelessly embarked on a journey under my shorts. His lips were 

assertively sliding down my neck. I threw my head back and mumbled 

indistinctly. A waterfall of dark hair draped on my shoulders. 

My thin fingers slipped under his shirt and pushed against his chest 

either repelling or attracting him. 

His body became solid and hot like sizzling stones. His scent, 

which made me lose my mind, intensified. Inhaling it, I realized I was 

sinking and did not know how to stop; did not want to stop. 

“I love you so much, I could devour you at once,” he moaned 

haltingly. His breathing was deep like a storm. I could not resist 

looking blatantly into his eyes. 

How could one lie so plausibly? I thought. 

“Go away,” I pushed him. 

He stayed where he was burning me with his eyes. 

“Is it so difficult to respect my choice?” I asked. 

~ 240 ~

“What choice?” Eli pressed his forehead against me. “To leave me 

even without listening. Not giving me a slight chance to explain 

myself?” 

“Oh God!” I breathed turning away from him. “What are you 

talking about? It’s your right and your free choice, and I am doing my 

best to come to terms with it, to respect it despite anything. But please, 

do respect me in return! I need truth! I deserve it!” 

“You deserve it like no one else, and here is the truth,” Eli said 

holding my shoulders. “I didn’t know it was Marina. I was sure you 

were standing before me,” Eli leaned against a tree. “Marina is a Groll, 

and not just an ordinary one. She is a very powerful Groll. She’s the 

daughter of Ares Oltour.” 

Again, his name. Always loaded with plentiful implications, which 

infuriated me. 

“I don’t care who she is!” 

“Grolls transport souls of the deceased from the world of living to 

the underworld, Lower Ambré. Our tasks are similar to some extent, 

although Túaths belong to certain places, while Grolls to certain 

people. They sense when their mentee is about to pass away and come 

to pick up his or her soul. They are collectors. Do you understand?” 

“Barely, but I don’t understand at all how this is exactly connected 

with the fact you kissed her?” 

“Grolls can induce hallucinations and apparitions. Marina pulls out 

such tricks effortlessly. It’s as easy and natural for her as breathing. I 

saw you and kissed you. It’s you who waited for me in the library, and 

I came back for you. Only when Jared yelled at me, did I realize what 

had just happened,” he sighed, “but you were already gone.” 

I listened to him in silence not knowing whether to believe him or 

not. I wanted to believe him beyond all reason. 

“So, she can so easily pretend to be anybody?” 

~ 241 ~

“Yes and no. I can block her if I know she is there, but I was not 

ready this time. Marina has never done anything like that before, at 

least not with me. In Ambré, such an act would be considered a severe 

crime, like a willful murder in the human world. And what is even 

more important, is that such an invasion drains them a lot.” 

“It has not stopped her.” 

Eli shrugged his shoulders. 

“I regret not telling you about Grolls in general, and Marina in 

particular. They are the most vicious liars and smooth operators that 

have ever existed. They were created like that by Nature itself.” 

“But it’s no accident she clung to you! What is going on between 

the two of you?” 

“Nothing. She is not to be trusted. That is a given. One should 

trust Grolls under no circumstances.” 

He looked at me and tenderly smiled. 

“What is so funny to you about this whole situation?” 

“Hurricane, thunder, rainfall, and snowfall. Oh, right. Also the 

lightning with which you wanted to kill me. One more invaluable 

proof that you love me very strongly.” 

He hugged me tight and buried his nose in my neck like a child. 

“As strong as I love you,” he whispered. 

~ 242 ~

CHAPTER TWELVE 

~ PAYBACK ~ 

! 

School was bustling like a bee hive. Everyone was making guesses 

and speculating who was going to replace Ian on the football team. By 

the time we arrived the excitement of the team reshuffle had reached 

its climax. Some people even made bets on possible choices of the 

enviable spot of receiver. I always stayed away from brutal men’s 

games, and therefore, had no idea what was happening on the field. 

But even I could guess there was probably no other strong players on 

the bench who could replace Ian. 

Eli and I walked along the school corridor discussing my day’s 

training. He took it very seriously and put his whole soul and energy 

into helping me. I was extremely happy the talks about football had 

drawn attention away from us. 

The teenagers dispersed into clusters with respect to their interests. 

The tall muscular team members of the Alter Braves were standing in 

front. They always kept to themselves with the only exception made 

for girls. Phil was having a heated argument with the running back. 

“Shut up, Jake!” he shouted in an irritated manner. “I know what’s 

best for the team!” 

He caught sight of me and blushed. Jake continued to vindicate his 

position, but Phil stopped listening. He stepped towards us in full 

confidence. 

“A hard head,” I mumbled. 

“Don’t like saying this, but he has developed a serious crush on 

you.” Eli said. 

Phil approached us with a broad smile. 

“Hi, Leela,” he greeted me ignoring Eli on purpose. 

“Hello, Phil,” I answered stiffly. 

~ 243 ~

“Are you here for the game today?” 

“And what about you?” Eli questioned threateningly. Phil lifted his 

eyebrow. 

“What do you mean?” Phil winced. 

“If you ever come near my girlfriend again, I promise you that you 

won’t make it to the field today.” 

Phil gave a loud laugh and turned up his face. 

“This guy is a comedian!” 

“You have no idea,” Eli said as an evil grin appeared on his face. 

“You shouldn’t go there, especially if you don’t want to make fool 

out of yourself, or have you decided to give it a try?” 

“Hmm, sounds tempting,” Eli smirked and narrowed his eyes. 

“Hey! Guys!” Phil called out in a loud voice and clapped his hands 

to engage all attention. “Alfhield has officially thrown out a challenge 

to me. I want everybody to hear that I accept it,” Phil was triumphant 

and shining with confidence that he was second to none on the field. 

“You won’t back out now. Everyone will witness your defeat.” 

“See you on the field,” Eli shot a grin at Phil. 

Phil nodded, gave me a wink, and rejoined his team. 

“What’s your plan?” I asked Eli when we entered the classroom. 

“Just to have good fun!” 

I raised my eyebrows and could only wonder about his intentions-- 

hoping nobody would get hurt. 

“Phil was trying to take away my passion, so, now I will do the 

same with him.” 

The bright midday sun was blinding my eyes. I was trying to shield 

them from the direct light with my hands in order to clearly see what 

was happening on the field. All of the players had already gathered 

waiting to play. No one wore their uniform or protective gear. The 

game reminded me more of an unscheduled practice than an actual 

game. It was terribly hot. 

~ 244 ~

Most of the guys were just wearing shorts, and some were even 

shirtless. It was an eye-catching display of tanned bare chests of the 

school jocks that attracted all the girls to the stadium. Even a herd of 

the school’s bashful geeks occupied the back rows. I had a simple 

explanation for that: when it came to basic instincts, such as 

reproduction and survival, everyone wanted to be in the public putting 

all other tasks aside. Natural selection. Driven by this very force 

humanity had populated the entire reason. 

Eli decided to try-out for the team. I understood his reasoning 

behind it very well. We had to stay here at least until graduation, or 

even longer if circumstances required that. 

It would be useful for Eli to dedicate himself to something else 

other than training. I was indifferent to football, but I thought it could 

be a good distraction for him. Eli once mentioned he had played on a 

team. Such a hobby was not highly respected in Ambré as it was here. 

In Ambré, different tasks took the highest priorities. Eli explained the 

most popular games there had to do with powers, their development 

and improvement, but since Túaths and people lived next to each 

other both cultures inevitably began to mix. 

Warm wind was playing with my hair. Closing my eyes, I deeply 

inhaled the freshness of the air. Eli was still sitting with me caressing 

my hand with his fingers. The other players had already assumed their 

positions on the center of the field. I glanced at him and was again 

amazed by his chiseled and angular facial lines. Dark stubble appeared 

on his face making it look even more masculine. He was thoughtfully 

looking in the distance with a serious and composed expression. He 

furrowed his thick almost pitch-black eyebrows. I did not think he was 

contemplating about the game. Given his speed, power, and skills he 

could have easily substituted for Phil and his entire team. My biggest 

concern was they would need multiple replacements due to injuries. 

Eli snapped out of his deep thoughts and smiled at me. 

“Have you noticed your eyes are changing colors?” 

I quizzically raised my eyebrows trying to figure out what he was 

talking about. 

~ 245 ~

“The eighteenth year links the transition from puberty to adulthood 

for a human being, but for Túaths we gain full access to our powers 

and complete our inner and outer development. I couldn’t believe you 

could be even more beautiful.” 

His bright eyes, framed by dark eyelashes, magnetized me so that I 

could not divert my look and became paralyzed. I was enchanted by 

him, and the heat of his fingers got under my skin. Eli closed his eyes 

as he was reaching for my lips. 

His hot breath was already scorching my cheek when I suddenly 

perceived a sharp whistling sound and then a loud clap right next to 

my ear. I opened my eyes shivering. 

Eli was holding the game ball in front of his face. The cries of 

indignation and laughter could be heard from the field; the opinions 

about the play Phil had just executed caused a divide. Some players 

made whistling sounds to show their respect to Eli’s rapidity. 

“You are such an asshole!” shouted Chad, an outside linebacker, to 

Phil. “Eli was not even looking your way!” 

“Shut up, Chad!” barked Phil who was extremely disappointed with 

the failure of his plan. 

“You could have hit Leela!” uttered Eli in icy tones. 

“I never miss!” responded Phil in a bold manner. 

“If you don’t mind, I need to leave for just a little bit,” Eli 

whispered to me. 

“Of course, go,” I swiftly moved my palm over his hair and smiled. 

“Why don’t you give the ball back,” called out Phil. 

Eli’s face hardened. 

“Are you ready to catch it?” Eli asked very seriously, but Phil 

laughed in a daring contrived manner. Eli’s muscles looked like strong 

pythons rolling underneath his skin. Everyone remained motionless 

watching him. Eli absorbed the attention from all of the girls, and I 

held my breath. 

~ 246 ~

A grin appeared on his face as he stretched his hand. The ball 

moved as fast as lightning and made a loud whizzing sound. It hit Phil 

with enormous force. The impact was so intense, Phil flew a few yards, 

with the ball in hand, then fell to the ground doubled over in pain. The 

ball smashed right into his stomach. Phil was now gasping for air. 

Astonished cries came from everywhere. I was sure the real show was 

just getting starting. Phil stood up with great effort and spit. He still 

had the ball. 

Eli removed his shirt, initiating wild cries of admiration behind our 

backs, and jogged down to the field. When he moved, every muscle on 

his sculptured back became prominent. He stopped next to Phil. They 

exchanged a few words, which seemed quite unpleasant judging by 

their facial expressions. Then the players divided themselves into two 

teams. Eli and Chad were among Phil’s adversaries. A toss of a coin 

would determine which team would start first. The air was electrified 

by emotions as the coin was tossed. 

The players dispersed and then regrouped ready to start. The 

silence governed the field for what felt like a very long pause. Phil 

showed Eli his middle finger. Eli responded very loudly, 

“You can start to warm up with your finger now, to get ready for 

me taking you down,” Eli pointed to the ball, and everyone burst into 

laughter. A daring, self-confident smile was beaming on Eli’s face. 

The whistle blew, and both teams immediately turned into a mess 

of bodies crashing into each other. The game was in full force. Biting 

my lower lip nervously, I could not take my eyes off of the players. 

The kicker kicked the ball to the other team’s side. The tailback caught 

the ball and swiftly rushed with it to the opposite side of the field. 

Other players tripped, aligning their muscular bodies to form a 

defensive line. 

~ 247 ~

Boys from Phil’s team attacked the tailback. A strong black guy 

pushed him off his feet, but the tailback managed to send the ball 

towards Eli in the last second before falling to the ground. Eli raced in 

the direction of the ball, masterfully evading the opponents--leaning 

aside and ducking. His face was glowing with excitement because he 

enjoyed the game to the fullest. 

Eli did a flip to evade crashing into Jake then swiftly stretched his 

body and jumped spectacularly high to grab the ball flying over their 

heads. I stood up from the bench with a deep sigh and observed how 

five bulky players were approaching the ball in what seemed like slow 

motion. In the moment of Eli’s jump, four of the players slammed 

into each other, including Phil. He was trying to knock down Eli. 

He pushed off Phil’s shoulder, and his size eleven shoes smashed 

Phil’s nose. After catching the ball, Eli elegantly landed on the ground. 

The audience burst into exclamations, but Eli was too immersed into 

the game to even notice. Phil stopped the blood pouring from his 

broken nose and rushed towards Eli with a cry having in mind to kick 

him in the back. This would have been a prohibited move. A crowd of 

agitated players went running after them. I realized they were 

completely overwhelmed by the game and enjoying the adrenaline 

rush. 

The moment Phil’s hands were about to touch Eli’s back, Eli 

suddenly ducked causing Phil to trip over him and fall on the grass. Eli 

momentarily rolled to the side, and the group running after him 

crashed into Phil who had just stood up. Eli laughed in triumph; his 

voice was mischievous and joyful. He stretched his hands high above 

his head and spun the ball toward Chad who was on the opponent’s 

side of the field. 

It was the first splendid touchdown. The audience celebrated 

exuberantly. I was joyfully jumping with the crowd. 

“Hooray!” I shouted louder than anyone else. I was astonished by 

my excitement because I had never particularly liked football before 

the new player came into the game. 

~ 248 ~

Even the coach was applauding Eli’s performance. The players on 

his team roughly embraced each other with shouts of joy. Eli could 

blend in with any group and quickly be accepted despite any previous 

circumstances. His larger-than-life charisma captivated people. 

Eli’s team promptly realized he gave them an enormous advantage 

and gave him the position of quarterback. Their movements and 

tactics were synchronized as if they became one person. I could not sit 

down anymore until the end of the game and was jumping excitedly on 

the bench, cheering at every touchdown. Eli’s team was winning by 

miles. The coach couldn’t help showing his approval either. He 

touched the bill of his cap during his seemingly heated argument with 

the principal. 

The game was approaching its inevitable end. It became clear Phil 

lost. After catching yet another ball, Eli rushed through the field easily 

avoiding the opponents. A red-faced Phil stood in his way. Phil bared 

his teeth and sped towards Eli. The distance between them was swiftly 

vanishing. He attacked Eli with a wild roar. Their bodies crashed into 

each other at a high speed, and the loud cry of pain cut through the 

air. Phil fell down, bent over, and covered his crotch with his hands. 

He rolled on the grass groaning and rolling his eyes as if an invisible 

force gripped him from the inside. Jake, Chad, and another player 

came to stand around him. 

“My balls,” Phil groaned hastily writhing with pain. Eli smirked 

carelessly. 

“When I see you cutting corners, I wonder how they are still 

hanging on. 

“YOU…” Phil yelled and made an angry gesture at Eli. 

At this moment the team coach, Mr. Hendrickson, approached 

them. Phil got on his feet, bent over like a hunchback, and scrunched 

up his face from the pain. Hendrickson clasped his hand on Eli’s 

shoulder. 

“Nice game, Alfhield. Haven’t seen this for a while. What team 

have you played for?” 

“Ambré Eagles.” 

~ 249 ~

“Hmm,” the coach said puzzled. “Never heard of them.” 

“It was abroad.” 

Hendrickson nodded showing that he did not really care. 

“I suggest you play quarterback on my team.” 

The reaction from the crowd was not unified. Hoots of joy, angry 

clamor, and indistinct voices were heard all at once. Phil shook in fury. 

“What does this all mean?” he asked. 

“This means you will take Ian’s former position, and Eli will take 

yours,” the coach replied roughly. 

The principal interrupted the conversation. 

“Mr. Hendrickson, with all due respect, you can’t do this. We have 

just discussed the matter and…” 

“We have just discussed it, and I see that you, Mrs. Anderson, have 

not understood what I said. I don’t care who this guy’s dad is. It has 

nothing to do with me. Besides, what’s going on with my team has 

nothing to do with you…” the coach responded in what seemed like a 

long-winded speech. His commanding, abrupt, and assertive manner 

was most likely his professional trait used to subdue teenagers. 

“Thank you for your proposal, Mr. Hendrickson, but I have other 

plans.” 

“If you change your mind you are welcome on my team.” 

Eli and the coach shook hands, and he began to walk towards me. 

His plan was simple, yet twisted at the same time. Phil was offended 

and defeated by the person who was not even going to take his place 

on the pedestal. Before he left, Eli turned to Phil and said in a cold 

manner, 

“This is the last time I am going to warn on a kinder note. Next 

time, I will burn your world down to the ground.” 

Phil winced, but remained speechless. He had likely realized Eli 

meant business. 

~ 250 ~

The ray of sunlight was trapped in the emerald-green crowns of the 

tall trees. Thick creamy clouds were slowing sailing through the skies 

casting light shadows on the ground. Eli approached me at a brisk 

pace under the undisturbed attention of the audience. His bare chest 

was blistering with sweat. His dark, wet, tumbled bangs were hanging 

to one side of his face. He swooped me up like a tornado, lifted me up 

in the air while holding me by my waist, and pressed his lips against 

mine. His kiss was intense. The heat from his breath flooded my body 

making my heart race to the beat of a wild dance. 

“This was cool,” I whispered into his ear once he put me back on 

the ground. 

Eli gave a heavy sigh of discontent and gave Phil such a look that 

Phil had to retreat from the field in a strange stride as if he had just 

filled his pants. 

~ 251 ~

CHAPTER THIRTEEN 

~ CHANGES ~ 

! 

I turned off the water in the shower and stepped out on a soft 

mat. I took a towel from the rack and started to dry my hair. The 

steam began to fade. The air smelled of shampoo and mint paste. I 

caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and stared astonished at 

myself. It was definitely me and my general usual appearance, but now 

some subtle alternations were undeniable. This was my usual glance, 

my usual green eyes, my usual dark hair that curled into large waves, 

my usual pale skin, but somehow it all appeared different. The girl 

looking back at me in the mirror had a gracious posture I had never 

possessed. Her eyes were glowing with molten-honey hues, and the 

pupils were surrounded by a halo the color of golden sand. 

Eli explained that all Túaths undergo similar transformations when 

they approach their eighteenth birthday. Well, this meant the date of 

my birth was estimated correctly, and my documents concerted well 

with the actual changes in my appearance. 

I glared at my reflection once more before leaving the bathroom 

and put on sweat pants and a shirt then headed towards the kitchen. 

Eli was sitting in an old leather chair, in the living room, reading a 

book. 

I took a deep bowl from the kitchen drawer and put in it eggs, 

cocoa powder, and milk and started to knead the dough. For the first 

time in my lifetime, I was cooking so eagerly out of my own free will. I 

wanted to fill the house with the smell of homemade cookies and 

chocolate. 

“What are you doing?" Eli asked me, putting the book away on a 

bandy-legged deal table that looked like an unsolicited guest among the 

modern kitchen equipment. He approached me from behind, put his 

hands around my waist, and peered over my shoulder. 

~ 252 ~

“I am baking chocolate cupcakes,” I said leaning my head back to 

rest it on his chest. Eli towered above me– he was almost a head taller. 

“Do you want to help me?” 

Without saying a word he caught my hand, took the whisk, and 

continued to stir the dough himself. 

“You smell of camellias,” he said in throaty voice. 

“It is just the shampoo,” I smiled and put the bowl aside. “Could 

you pass me the baking cups from that drawer, please?” 

He reluctantly drew back complying with my request. 

“What’s next?” 

“Now, we play the waiting game,” I shoved the baking pan into the 

oven, set the timer, and turned to face Eli. 

“Your shirt is dirty,” I pointed at brown stains. “It is not so easy to 

remove them from a white shirt. Let me send it to the wash.” 

Eli gave a sly smile and obediently took off the shirt. 

“I’ll bring it myself,” he turned on his heels and walked away. 

In the meanwhile, I cleaned the mess, erased the farina traces, 

disposed the egg shells, and checked the stove once again. The 

cupcakes started to rise up. I noticed Eli out the corner of my eye and 

stopped at the kitchen doorway to stare at him gimlet-eyed. His naked 

torso tensed defining the outline of each and every muscle on his 

abdomen. He was like a predator ready to jump and snatch his prey. 

He took a steady step towards me. His movements were swift and apt, 

but simultaneously cat-like, gracious, and soft. Before I took another 

breath, he confidently grabbed me by my waist and lifted me up on 

top of the table. My eyes leveled off with his glowing gaze. 

My heart bounded hastily in my chest. Eli’s hands sneaked 

underneath my shirt and stroked the bare skin on my back. His palms 

were hot, but nevertheless, they gave me shivers. His fingertips barely 

touched me, tracing imaginary ornaments on my skin. It felt like he 

was casting a spell, and the world became even fuzzier with every next 

curl. Soon the only sound I could distinguish was the blood pounding 

in my head. 

~ 253 ~

Eli pulled my body closer to his and grasped my hips firmly. His 

intoxicating attractive smell intensified, affecting me like a drug. The 

distance between us almost vanished, and I could feel his tension. He 

was solid as a rock. His eyes were flooded with desire that superseded 

any other thought. 

“You are driving me crazy,” he whispered and threw back his head. 

Was he attempting to regain self-control? 

My common sense was torpidly trying to get my attention; babbling 

indistinctly that the whole matter was too risky and that I could not 

foresee how far it was going to take me…I caught sight of his sharply 

defined lips and a distinct dark line of bristle over them. This made me 

forget everything, and I grabbed him by the belt loop of his jeans to 

pull him towards me. 

Eli hung his head down as if he had given up. His eyes were 

burning with desire. His hands went down my back, rubbing my skin 

tenderly. I closed my eyes and held my breath then let it all go. Gentle 

moaning unconsciously escaped from my mouth. Eli’s breaths were 

heaved with groans. He closed his lips on the sensitive skin behind my 

ear, and then moved down my neck caressing it passionately and 

impatiently. I vibrated at his touch that surged waves of heat through 

my body. I stroked his earlobe with my lips, and then teased it gently 

with my tongue and my teeth. His breathing fastened, and I could feel 

his heart bouncing madly in his chest. 

Eli paused, took a deep breath, and hawked me like a bird of prey 

feasting on his catch. He pulled his shirt up over his head, and the 

fabric smoldered under his fingers. His touches were not so delicate 

anymore; his strong hands seized me firmly and even aggressively. His 

lips hungrily took hold of my mouth, and our tongues entwined. I 

dared him to take a step further and was overwhelmed by wild waves 

of energy emanating from his body. This chthonian tidal wave spilled 

over me, flooding my entire being, burying me underneath scorching 

tar! 

~ 254 ~

Every little cell in my body was on fire. It was literally burning me 

down from inside. Every attempt to inhale a little oxygen turned into a 

torture of invisible sharp blades hacking my throat only allowing rattlelike 

sounds to come from it. I clenched my teeth trying to suppress a 

cry, and tears ran down from my eyes. After a few futile convulsive 

attempts to breath, I finally gasped and loudly inhaled heaven-sent 

oxygen into my lungs. Along with the temporary relief, the in-take 

caused a searing pain that shot up my chest. It seemed to me the hot 

air was melting down my pipes. Through the buzzing in my eyes and 

pain-induced haze came a distant voice of Eli full of fear and remorse. 

I wanted to calm him and reassure him I was feeling much better, but 

it was not granted as I was sinking deeper and deeper into the dark 

gulf of unconsciousness. 

I came to myself on the kitchen floor. Eli’s fearful glance was 

simultaneously one of terror and relief. 

“Alive," he panted. 

I wished to confirm I was feeling fine, but could only produce a 

husky cough. My mouth felt like a desert, and my lips were dry and 

cracked. 

“I almost killed you!" he uttered in despair, and then took my hand 

into his again. I shrieked and pulled it out. It hurt as if he was trying to 

brand me. A red mark appeared on my skin where Eli had touched it. 

Now, even his touch was destructive. 

He dropped his head in his hands, and then whispered, 

“Forgive me. I should have stopped in time.” 

His brows furrowed with compassion while looking at me. He 

swallowed nervously, rubbed his face, and then sat motionless on the 

ground. My temples throbbed like the beating of drums in a climactic 

movie scene. That was it; the beginning of the end. Suddenly, I had 

nothing to inhale--the room was hot or cold to suffocation. In fact, I 

was too horrified to think. 

~ 255 ~

Eli read the fear in my eyes and shared my pain. I knew it for 

certain because his involvement reflected in his glare. In that moment, 

I was one hundred percent positive he was convinced about the 

unavoidable end of our relationship. It was the first time I realized 

how much he truly needed me in his life. Eli was completely deserted 

and defeated. He had lost interest in life. The glow in his eyes faded 

away along with that realization. 

“It has happened after all,” he said throwing back his head. His 

Adam’s apple convulsively jumped up when he swallowed. “It’s not 

the end. There must be a way out!” he continued trying to compose 

himself. “There should be at least a solution!” 

He gazed at me intensely as if he was taking a long breath before 

diving into deep waters. I could not even move. Then he closed his 

eyes. Only his black lashes trembled. 

“I like the motto on the plate in your bathroom,” he said with a 

smile that embraced all his sorrows. He looked so lost and soulful. 

I put my arms around my body preventing myself from falling. 

“You just can't beat the person who won't give up.” 

I attempted to stand up, but it seemed like the ground was 

crumbling under my feet. I leaned to the left and then shifted to the 

right realizing in the next second I was going to throw up. I held my 

breath, covered my mouth with my hand, and headed to the 

bathroom. Eli supported me and wanted to join me, but I slammed 

the door in front of him. Inside, I instantly sank to the floor. I did not 

want him to see me vomit. 

After a while, I did feel better. At least I did not suffer from qualms 

anymore. I went to the shower and let the cold water run over me, 

which alleviated me from discomfort. When I finally left the 

bathroom, Eli was still waiting for me at the doorway. 

“I am fine,” I told him. It was true, disregarding debilitating 

weakness. A sudden ring of the doorbell came expectedly and 

inappropriately. I reacted with a startle. 

“Let me guess. Must be Nit?” I looked at Eli’s hands. He was 

twiddling with the string of the black bracelet. 

~ 256 ~

“I asked him to bring me something.” Eli’s voice sounded very 

distant. He was not in the mood for guests, not even close friends. “I’ll 

get it,” he said quietly. I followed him. My rubbery legs were almost 

bogging underneath me. 

Outside was pouring rain. Heavy streams of water whipped Nit’s 

back. His black skinny jeans and charcoal-colored shirt were soaking 

wet. He wore light dark blue textile moccasins. Nit stood leaning 

against the doorframe and looked askance at his brother. 

“May I come in?” he asked grumpily. 

“You came at an inappropriate time,” responded Eli, but stepped 

back letting him through the door. Nit left wet shoe prints on the 

floor. A small puddle spread beneath his feet where he stood. 

“And I am so very happy to see you,” Nit pointed at the puddle. 

“Schlepped here from you know where, for your sake only.” 

Nit made a wry mouth and moved his glance from Eli to me. 

“You don’t look so well,” Nit approached me looking worried and 

peering straight into my eyes. Then he gave me a sad smile, “Your hot 

boyfriend has a cool brother. Hasn’t he mentioned that?” 

“You are an asshole,” commented Eli. He stood in a 

confrontational mood crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Please notice, I am only one cup of the two,” Nit answered 

grinning. 

Nit came closer to Eli and imitated some boxing lunges as a sort of 

welcoming gesture. Then he gave such hit to Eli’s ear it reverberated 

even in my ears. 

“I am not in the mood for this,” Eli threateningly roared and 

pushed Nit away with full force. 

Nit grabbed Eli from behind and tried to throw him onto the tile 

floor. This attempt was quite inept, in my opinion, taken into account 

Eli’s low spirits, but Nit did not seem to agree. Eli escaped the tight 

embrace, ducked, and punched Nit in the stomach. Nit doubled over 

and groaned. Then he suddenly opened his arms like a trap and in an 

attempt to catch Eli. 

~ 257 ~

“Don’t you understand plain English?” Eli said with a glare that 

could have burned Nit to the ground. 

“Sorry, can’t understand your whining!” Nit wanted to squeeze his 

arm around Eli’s head, but failed to exceed the speed of his brother. 

Eli undercut Nit, and he lost his balance, fell flat on his back, and let 

out deep painful groan. Eli jumped over him and pressed him into the 

floor. His face was boiling with wrath while maintaining his firm grip 

on Nit. 

“Stop the moping and self-pity! There is no way out of Lower 

Ambré. Only…” exclaimed Nit not finishing his sentence. 

Eli loosened his grip, and his facial expression relaxed. “There is 

always a choice in all other cases!” 

Eli’s face showed his brain was in a whirlwind. He looked at his 

brother with stern intensity, as if he was repeating his words over and 

over again in his mind. Nit seized the opportunity and swiftly pushed 

Eli aside on the floor. Then he quickly jumped up and arranged his 

clothes. 

“So, live your life to the fullest. We are all finite,” Nit pulled a 

crumbled double-folded brown envelope out of his rear pocket. “Do 

you still need this?” 

Eli reached out for the envelope. 

“More than ever.” 

“Glad to hear it,” Nit replied standing up. 

Nit pottered off in the direction towards the door. Eli was so tall--I 

barely reached his nose--but then noticed Nit was a head higher than 

Eli. Before leaving he turned back to me and gave a cordial look. 

“See you soon," Nit said and kissed me goodbye. “Wow! You really 

smell fantastic. 

Ufff!” his last words were inaudible since Eli gave him a powerful 

kick. 

“Move it,” Eli ordered fiercely. 

~ 258 ~

Right at that moment the phone rang. Looking around for the 

receiver, I turned to Nit again. He smiled thievishly and disappeared 

behind the front door. The new ringing sound came from close by–the 

device was hiding underneath the pile of newspapers. 

“Hello,” I said finally answering the call. 

“Hello, Leela.” It was Ms. Hoggins. She was talking in her usual 

crisp voice, but somehow I could feel that even in the distance she was 

emotionally down. 

“Good afternoon,” I greeted her. For some unclear reason, I was 

longing to give her a hug. 

“How is Porto doing? I have neglected him for so long,” she 

reproached herself. 

“Don’t take it so hard,” I encouraged her. “Portolon is doing just 

fine.” 

“Leela, I’m arriving at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Would you be able to help 

me with my stuff?” 

“Sure, no problem.” 

“Thank you, dear. You are a big help.” She intended to add 

something, but only gave a sigh instead. “See you tomorrow, Leela.” 

“See you tomorrow, Ms. Hoggins,” I echoed, but she had already 

hung up. 

****** 

Gina. Hoggins was diligent as always, and at 5 p.m. sharp her car 

entered the garage. Her face was wan and drawn. She looked very 

exhausted. 

Eli was waiting for us outside the garage. He greeted her, and then 

went to clean the inside of the car as if preparing for a long road trip. 

“Leela! I must have been absent for quite a while. I don’t recognize 

you! Such a stunning beauty!” she said with a sincere smile. “Is he your 

boyfriend?” 

“Yes, he is.” 

~ 259 ~

“Haven’t seen him in the town before.” 

“Eli has arrived from far away,” I offered a vague explanation. 

“I am truly happy you have someone close now.” 

Porto rushed out of the house to welcome Gina. He jumped on her 

like a fluffy pillow and put his paws on her shoulders pushing her with 

his weight. She kneeled and gave him a tight hug. 

“I was missing you so badly, my itty-bitty doggy,” her eyes were 

moist with tears, and Porto kept on licking her hands. “Next time, I’ll 

take you with me.” 

“We need to talk, Leela,” she started. “I seem to have told you that 

I was going to have a decisive business trip. It was about an opening 

of a new branch in a strategically important city. I did my presentation; 

they liked it and me, and have promoted me to the chief executive 

officer of this new branch.” 

“That’s great!” I exclaimed. “I am so happy for you.” 

But her face was not shining with joy typical for those whose 

dreams had come true. 

“Maybe,” Ms. Hoggins uttered in weary voice. “I don’t even know 

whether I am content or not.” 

She cringed as if she had just swallowed a bug, and then rushed into 

the house. Porto accompanied her. I turned to Eli in total confusion 

not knowing what to do. Without saying a word, he nodded in her 

direction. 

She was sitting at the kitchen table crying bitterly. I sat across from 

her and was afraid to move. I had always thought of her as this strong 

and energetic woman who knew precisely what she wanted in life and, 

moreover, knew exactly how to achieve her goals—much like a 

machine rather than a weak human being. Now, here she was whining 

loudly like a little girl, sobbing so piteously. I got up, walked over and 

closed my arms around her. I held her tightly in my embrace until she 

stopped crying. 

“Has something bad happened?” I asked fearing to learn of bad 

news. 

~ 260 ~

She shook her head no. 

“Everything is going according to plan. As always, I wanted it and 

aimed for this promotion, but when I accomplished it, there came this 

realization that I am actually longing for something completely 

different.” 

Gina wept again. I silently remained until she calmed down a little. 

“I was always sure about what I wanted in my life,” she sobbed, 

“but it was an illusion. I am so lonely. I have nobody except for Porto 

near me: no children or the loving husband.” 

Overwhelming loneliness. I knew the feeling well. It caused panicdriven 

suffocation at my worst moment. I did not know for sure how 

old Gina was, but she definitely was not older than forty maybe even 

in her thirties. 

“Long time ago, when I was studying at the university, I met my 

great love. His name was Lorenzo Bellini. It was a fine and passionate 

romance,” Gina smiled at her dear memories. “We were in the same 

graduating class, but he was two years older than me. By the time I 

graduated he already had substantial work experience and a good job. 

In the evening after my graduation party he proposed to me. We were 

standing on a small wooden bridge, and the river was quietly flowing 

below. The air was sweet with the aroma of big white roses blooming 

nearby,” Gina shook away a tear drop that fell down on the table. 

“Lorenzo asked me to check what was shining so bright in one of the 

flower buds. I leaned down and noticed the ring,” Gina burst into 

tears again, but continued her story. 

“He kneeled and asked me to marry him. Despite the great love I 

had for him, I refused. I thought it was not the right time to start a 

family. I wanted to build my career first. I had the example of my 

mom who married for love, but was abandoned by my dad seven years 

later. She was left with two children, while my father was running after 

his new flame, had disappeared for good. He has never tried to reestablish 

contact with us, never cared to know whether we were in 

need or not. And we were growing up in great hardship. I remember 

the days when we went to bed hungry. 

~ 261 ~

“My mom just could not move on and forget about my dad. She 

never married again and even went out of her mind in her old age. 

Now, she is living out the rest of her life in a specialized mental health 

facility, and she is convinced, in her own world, we are all still together 

with my father. I swore to myself nothing like that would ever happen 

to me. I decided to hit it big first--to ensure my financial 

independence--and only afterwards let love into my life. I lost myself 

in my work and parted ways with Lorenzo. He moved to another city 

and has achieved remarkable success in his field. 

“Finally, he insisted that we not keep in touch anymore. He wanted 

to start a family, have children, and a loving wife by his side. I could 

not give him that. I perceived him like a burden from my past that 

would only drag me down. 

Lorenzo was my main weakness--the linchpin--and strong people 

are void of weaknesses. I wanted to remain strong, unlike my mom.” 

She paused for what felt like eternity. “There were other men in my 

life, but nobody could compare to him. I had never loved like that 

again.” 

“Do you still love him?” I asked. Shadows of inner pain reflected in 

Gina’s eyes every time she said his name. 

“It does not matter now. Fifteen years has passed. He likely won’t 

recall me at all. He most likely is a happy husband and father by now. I 

betrayed him by my love for money.” 

“Please don’t say that. It’s just not true. Everyone walks in his own 

way. It is like playing the piano. One is bound to press black and white 

keys alike.” 

“I was probably always punching the black one,” she commented 

with a heavy sigh. 

“Have you kept track of him?” 

She shook her head. 

“He used to live in the same city where I am about to move,” she 

gasped. “That’s likely the reason why I am having a meltdown now.” 

“Call him!” 

~ 262 ~

She was shocked by my suggestion. 

“No! It is absolutely impossible!” 

“Why not? Maybe he has been missing you, too. What if he still 

loves you?” 

“Oh, Leela. This is life, not a soap opera. It just does not work like 

that.” 

Gina just was not quite herself. 

“One never knows before one tries. Maybe Lorenzo still lives in 

that city.” 

“No,” she said with confidence. 

“Do you know his number?” 

“No.” 

This was not an insurmountable obstacle in the era of the prompt 

development of digital technologies. 

“May I have your iPhone please?” 

She gave me a quizzical look full of doubt, but still handed me her 

mobile device. 

I typed in the name and the city into the Google search field. The 

system immediately yielded the required profile--Lorenzo Bellini, chief 

architect in a large company. His contact data was listed on the 

company’s website along with his phone number. I dialed it and 

handed the phone to Gina who could not come to her senses. I 

cheered her with a comforting gesture. 

“Hello,” his velvety pleasant voice came out of the receiver. Gina’s 

hands were trembling so she could hardly keep the device. 

“Come on,” I mouthed. 

“Lorenzo,” she said quietly as if she was afraid to scare away the 

miracle that manifested itself from her dreams and illusions. 

“Gina!” he exclaimed in bemusement. 

I made sure to leave them alone. 

~ 263 ~

It was already dark outside, and a gravel of bright stars scattered 

over the ink-black skies. It was a tranquil majestic evening turning into 

a splendid windless warm night. Chirping insects, rattling leaves, and a 

lonely singing bird comprised a wonderful, yet bizarre musical 

performance. Eli was sitting at the door step looking up at the sky. I 

relished the moonlit view of the well-defined cast of his face, and then 

sat next to him. 

“I am proud of you,” he declared as flickers of flames danced in his 

eyes. We were sitting so close to each other that our shoulders 

touched. I felt the heat coming from his body and was desperately 

craving for his touch. But now I knew his touch could kill me. 

Almost a half-hour later, Gina called me inside. She was glowing 

from happiness. Whatever he told her it had to have been good news. 

“Thank you so much, Leela. I would have never dared to call him 

myself. He had been waiting for my call all those years. Can you 

imagine?” she took my both hands into hers. 

“Now, you can see each other any time when you move.” 

She could not help but smile as she shook her head. 

“I was such a fool!” 

“Please don’t be so hard on yourself. You now have a great job and 

a great love. Don’t forget about the wedding invitation when the time 

comes!” 

She laughed and waved her hands. 

“The only thing that really matters is that I see him very soon. It is 

all I want.” 

Gina’s phone beeped signaling an incoming text message. 

“I have to go. I wanted to pick up Porto and some of my stuff. 

Could you please look after my house? I don’t want it to stay empty. I 

know you well and trust you.” 

“You can count on me, but I will be leaving after graduation.” 

“Well, that’s still two months away. We’ll deal with it then. I believe 

my own situation will become clearer in the very near future." 

“One more thing,” I hesitated. 

~ 264 ~

“Do you want to ask about the guy?” she chuckled. “He may visit 

you at any time and stay as long as you like. It would make me happy 

to have love finally settle down in this house.” 

“Thank you!” 

We hugged, and then I helped Gina pack her belongings. She 

grabbed Porto and vanished as quickly as she arrived. It was almost as 

if she hadn’t arrived at all. 

The rest of that Friday passed by in a flash. I finally fell down on 

my bed. Quite unexpectedly, Eli brought me a cup of coffee. I looked 

at him with round eyes. 

“I thought bedtime was nearing.” 

“We have a field trip in the off-time,” his eyes sparkled 

mysteriously while he was drinking from the cup. 

I just opened my mouth to utter a question, but he was already 

heading decidedly to the door. 

“Tell me what is going on,” I inquired. 

“We are already late. I’ll explain on the way,” he promised in 

passing. 

“You know, you are just shooting fire from…” I said, and Eli lifted 

up his eyebrow. 

“Yes, exactly from over there. The saying is right about you.” 

He burst into laughter, and I contemplated his expression could be 

used almost literary to describe him. I began to laugh myself at this 

thought. Eli was already standing by his car. 

“You constantly pull the same trick. As soon as I start to 

understand something you obscure the issue immediately and realize I 

have no clue! This is perpetual confusion of my mind.” 

Eli stopped and said, resisting the laughter, 

“The antimonic style of your self-expression obstructs the 

paradigm of cognition!” 

“These antimonies are just a normal reaction on the persistent flow 

of perplexing events that cause the numbing of my brain muscles.” 

~ 265 ~

“There are no muscles in the brain!" Eli called me on this 

inconsistency. 

“Fire coming out of various body holes is an equally rare event!” I 

retorted, and we laughed simultaneously. Eli moved closer to me 

presenting me a tender smile. 

“It feels so good when you are near…” he swallowed the last word 

because a big lump of clay crashed into his back. 

“Here comes our bald shrewmouse!” Eli cordially opened his arms 

welcoming Nit. 

He answered with a frowning groan. I looked over Eli’s shoulder 

and saw Nit. 

His hair grew a bit longer compared to the previous day. 

“I’ve told you that Rapunzel would have died from envy,” 

Nit fondled his own head. 

“Any hairdo suits me!” he said confidently. 

“Told you so, brother. Don’t shy away from risky experiments and 

remarkable highlights. Life is too short!” Eli gave his brother’s hair a 

swift smoothing down. My eyes could hardly follow his movement. 

The slightest hint of a smile vanished from Nit’s face. He 

swallowed hard and checked his head. A bald patch stretched from his 

forehead to the back of his head. The sides were covered with black 

scorched bristling hair. 

“Try out Papa Carlo’s style since you look good anyway!” 

proclaimed Eli as if he really was a great hairstylist who had just 

accomplished something extraordinary. 

I shrank my head into my shoulders awaiting yet another fight. Nit 

clenched his teeth, and his lower jaw moved forward belligerently. He 

closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and showed his middle finger 

to Eli. 

“Pass my sincere regards to your animal tamper!” Eli mocked him 

implying Jordana’s assistance. 

~ 266 ~

“I promised Jordana we wouldn’t fight anymore," Nit said in stiff 

voice, “but just you wait! When we get back home, I’ll take you to the 

world’s end and beyond!” he rolled his eyes in anticipation and took a 

deep breath. 

“Then I’ll make sure to have no delays!” Eli’s eyes glared. “And 

now please accept my apologies, but we have to go.” 

Eli took the dirty shirt off and threw it in the trunk. He pulled a 

clean but wrinkled white shirt out of his travel bag and put it on. We 

got into the car; he started the engine, and pressed the accelerator with 

gusto. The supercar revved and pierced through the twilight like a 

shaft of lightning. 

~ 267 ~

CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

~ SURPRISE ~ 

! 

“Now, can you tell me where we are going?” 

Eli’s green eyes were radiating with excitement. He was clearly up 

to something. 

“It is a surprise,” his face was shining. 

“I am afraid to think of what it could be.” 

He laughed and exited towards the highway. 

“That means your surprise is outside of town.” 

He was smiling enigmatically in response, and I was impatiently 

fidgeting in my seat. It was nightfall, and the streetlights illuminated 

our way through the mist. The headlights of passing cars smeared into 

red patches. I realized it was going to be a long drive and made myself 

comfortable in the seat by tucking my legs under me. 

“Do all Túaths live in Ambré?” 

“No, some live among people,” he replied. 

“Why? 

“It is like military service, but far more exciting. Túaths are 

dedicated to the calling; we do what we were born to do.” 

“And what is the usual life mission for a Túath?” 

Eli turned to me with a wide grin, “It is my favorite part! The 

mission of each Túath is to be happy!” 

“How so?” I asked not really getting the point. 

“Do you know why ancient people tried to appease gods by any 

means possible, offered them sacrifices and rituals and festivities with 

singing and dancing?” 

~ 268 ~

“Of course, I know. They tried to get the gods into good spirits so 

they would be granted various goods and blessings for the people.” 

“Exactly! So it was, and so it is now, as well. Only the mechanism 

has become a tad more complicated.” 

I clapped the leather car seat. 

“I kind of noticed that!” 

“I told you that we are very special in that respect. The sky is the 

limit for us!” 

“And you just simply take advantage of that?” 

“Yes, I do,” Eli laughed. “Why should I push the limits of things? 

Well, you are right in some sense,” he looked over the inside of the 

car. “I just haven’t tried it here yet because there isn’t enough space, 

but it’s good it has crossed your mind. One day we’ll try to expand the 

boundaries of its functioning ability.” 

He took me aback again, and I turned away perplexed. 

“You are turning everything into a joke.” 

“It means I am a professional. I make us both happy; two-part 

job.” 

“What does it have to do with the personal happiness of each 

Túath?” 

“The inner world of a Túath is interconnected with natural 

phenomena. When we are happy the natural harmony is preserved. 

Things take their natural course.” 

“And what if a Túath is unhappy?” I asked. 

“Then natural disasters, like hurricanes or earthquakes, may occur 

depending on the Túath’s type, but if one like you or me is feeling 

miserable, major calamities may enter the stage.” 

“Like a volcanic awakening?” 

“Yes,” he confirmed with a smile. “My sour mood did not go 

unnoticed.” 

~ 269 ~

“It was hard to miss. The whole population had been glued to their 

screens for a week awaiting the evacuation alert. A super volcano that 

had been dormant for half a million years does not just wake up every 

day.” 

“I felt so shitty without you that my miserable fortune ignited the 

biggest pimple on Earth’s spine!” 

“I missed you a lot, too,” I turned my face to him and feasted my 

eyes on his delightful smile. 

“I saw it. That’s why I came back,” he answered staring at me. 

“Does this mean Túaths induce all natural calamities on Earth?” 

“In fact, we do it rarely. Usually, it’s a result of ordinary natural 

forces. We interfere only if the situation is urgent. Earth is wise and 

takes care of its inhabitants, but sometimes human ignorance and 

arrogance brings her to the end of her tether. Then Earth expresses 

her wrath in accessible terms. I call it ‘informative wrath.’ 

“She is trying to point out the mistake to people through the 

punishment, but it is largely useless since humans are blindly selfabsorbed. 

Túaths try to alleviate the negative implications to decrease 

the number of victims or to avoid casualties completely, if possible.” 

The Lamborghini slowed down as we entered the city. Tall 

buildings with reflective walls, which mirrored city lights, flashed in 

front of us. Eli took his foot off the gas so I could study the streets 

sinking in the ocean of glimmering illuminations. Skyscrapers pierced 

the amethystine skies, luminous shops and restaurant signs reflected 

from glib, black glassy pavement. Stylish pedestrians strolled along the 

avenues. I clung to the window to relish the view of the fairytale world 

outside. We stopped at a street light. Eli was smiling victoriously. 

“If you like it here you will definitely find Ambré pleasing to your 

eyes.” 

“Are we going to Ambré?” I asked feeling my heartbeat increasing. 

“No, today we are headed to a different place; one of my favorite 

places.” 

~ 270 ~

I could not even tell whether I was disappointed or not because the 

thirst for adventure was overpowering all of my other feelings. I was 

craving to see the place Eli was so fond of. Everything about him was 

of great importance to me. It triggered a storm of emotions and 

consumed my interests. A sign towards an airport had appeared ahead 

of the car. 

“Are we going to fly somewhere?” I asked feeling my hands shake. 

Eli smiled and nodded without saying a word. 

He parked on the second floor of the parking garage maze, and we 

went to one of the bridges that led to a white airport terminal. Similar 

bridges propagated to the left and right like a thousand legs of a wall 

fern. The terminal, which looked gigantic from outside, appeared even 

bigger on the inside. Indistinct chatter came from everywhere--agitated 

people with many pieces of luggage were talking to each other, 

children were laughing. Some passengers were wearing shorts and 

Hawaiian shirts, whereas the others were packed into warm winter 

clothes and boots. We dodged in between mountains of bags and 

suitcases. 

Eli, who noticed my confusion, held my hand tightly and led me 

through the endless corridors. We crossed a few terminals before 

finally stopping at the counter. A girl raised her hazel eyes at Eli and 

stood still. Her cheeks blushed, and she moved her glance to me. She 

took our documents and gave us a polite smile. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Alfhield, we were expecting you,” she replied, and 

placed a CLOSED sign on the counter then invited us to follow her. 

“Mrs. Alfhield?” I whispered quietly and noticed out of the corner 

of my eye a smile flourishing on Eli’s face. 

“Documents were required, so, I fixed some things once they were 

issued. In any case, your surname was not the right one. Moreover, 

you will become Mrs. Alfhield sooner or later. So what’s the big deal? I 

did it now.” 

“Basically, you did what you wanted?!” I asked Eli. 

“Don’t you like my surname?” 

~ 271 ~

“I do…” 

“Great!” he exclaimed giving me no chance to continue. His face 

looked so hopeful I could not remain exasperated. Just like that he 

could quench my resentment with a simple look. The girl stopped at a 

glass door. 

“Sue, these are Mr. Lonald’s guests,” she explained to the lady at 

the reception desk and quickly returned. 

Sue, a voluptuous rose-cheeked blonde, guided us to a room that 

looked like an executive suite. It was executed in pure lines with 

absolute minimalism and characterized by elegant simplicity of 

furnishings. A handsome blond man stood in the middle of room. He 

was likely less than twenty-five years old, and his blue eyes struck me 

as iceberg, both light and cold. 

“Thank you, Sue,” he addressed the lady who hurried, then 

disappeared behind the door. 

As soon as she left, the man had changed his stone-wall 

countenance into a friendly smile. 

“Eli!” he cried excitedly. The friends had approached each other so 

swiftly, I expected sparks from their collision. 

“So glad to see you, Joseph,” Eli said patting him on the back. 

“Where did you go, man? It has been two months!” he turned his 

gaze from me to Eli. 

“I was busy,” Eli commented briefly. 

“I would also get lost with such a girl,” Joseph remarked. 

“If you don’t stop staring her down, I’ll take care of you getting 

lost!” Eli retorted, and both erupted into laughter. 

“What brings you here today?” asked Joseph. 

“We are paying a visit to Maria,” Eli smiled. 

“Oh man, it is guaranteed to be one perfect weekend. I have really 

been missing her. I am going to drop by on one of these days. With 

some luck we’ll see each other there.” 

“That would be great.” 

“Please wait a bit,” asked Joseph smiling friendly. 

~ 272 ~

Eli and I reclined ourselves on the large leather sofa. Sue appeared 

at an instant carrying a tray with three cups of coffee. She gave us a 

polite smile, while serving coffee, and then retreated to her desk. 

Joseph made some orders via the phone and then joined us. 

In a quarter of an hour, we were already advancing through the VIP 

corridor having skipped all formalities and queues. 

“Is Joseph an Air Túath?” I finally dared to ask. 

“Yes. How did you pick up on it?” 

“It was easy. Sherlock Holmes-like intuition never fails to yield. He 

is a Túath, he holds a leading position in a large airport, and therefore, 

he must be an Air Túath. This is the medium used to transport 

planes,” I finally started putting things together. 

“You grasped it in a single flash,” Eli complimented me with a 

proud face. 

We were finally left to ourselves as we lay back in the soft armchair 

in the business-class compartment. 

“Where are we going?” I asked turning my face to him. 

I felt like losing myself in the luring depths of his staggering green 

eyes, which blazed in excitement. Eli was truly happy. 

“To the place I have always wanted to visit with you.” 

“Very informative,” I could not help smiling. 

The flight attendant welcomed the passengers through the 

speakers, and then turned it over to the pilot. 

“Flight…” started the aircraft commander, but then the words 

vanished in a sudden loud buzzing within the speaker system. Eli 

began to cough trying to disguise his laughter. 

“It is a surprise!” he looked at me with a mischievous twinkle in his 

eyes. “I’ve told you.” 

~ 273 ~

I nodded. I did not mind at all as long as he was with me. I did not 

particularly care about our flight destination. It was such a fulfilling 

and measureless happiness to just enjoy each other’s presence. 

Caressing that thought made my heart jump because his beloved gaze 

took my breath away. His endearing silky voice emitted waves of 

warmth inside of me. Making each other happy was so easy. 

We simply had to be together to express our feelings unlimitedly, to 

hold one’s breath in order to keep the lover’s scent for one more 

instant of time. He lowered his head down on his arms. 

“Is everything fine?” I asked. 

Eli exhaled loudly. 

“This is far better than just fine. Such strong emotions are 

sweltering inside of me that I have a fear of burning out or 

incinerating everything around me.” 

He shook his head and gave me a look full of adoration. The fire of 

his feelings also emblazed my blood. I leaned closer to him and 

inhaled his scent. 

“If you only knew how good your scent is,” he murmured into my 

ear. His warm breath tickled my skin. 

“How good?” I whispered feeling like I would drown in his 

essence. 

“Mmmm,” he hummed like he was going to devour me. “A sensual 

aroma of the waters mixed with a sweet tone of purity,” he let out a 

deep sigh and closed his eyes. 

I smiled back and yawned, covering my mouth with my hand. It 

was nighttime, after all. 

“Rest well,” he said quietly. 

Eli put a small pillow beneath my head, covered me with a 

travelling blanket, and turned off the lights. The smell of delicious 

food interrupted my dream. 

“Have you slept?” I asked Eli, stretching in my seat. 

“I had more important things to do.” 

“I wonder which ones?” 

~ 274 ~

His smile became even larger. I rubbed my sleepy eyes. 

“I hope I didn’t snore or drool in my sleep and didn’t utter any silly 

nonsense.” 

Eli laughed. 

“No nonsense, just my name,” he whispered. 

“I saw you in my dreams tonight,” I admitted. Eli’s face glimmered 

as bright as Christmas lights. 

“I should have also turned in, then we could have met in our 

dreams.” 

At that moment, the flight attendant opened the curtain and 

wheeled in the food cart. It was the tasty source of the tempting 

aromas. 

My stomach murmured in response, and my mouth watered in 

anticipation. I found the meal so palatable, I consumed it quickly like a 

sea-gull, and then enjoyed the full-flavored coffee. 

Suddenly our aircraft jumped. 

“We are descending,” Eli explained. 

He lifted up the screen on the window, and delicate pink rays of the 

setting sun poured into the cabin. Mountains of fluffy clouds spread 

from miles away. At dusk they attained a golden hue, thus representing 

a remarkable contrast to the deep blue color of the sky. Night was 

nearing. 

“So beautiful,” I sighed and turned to Eli. All his attention was 

drawn to me. He had no interest in clouds. 

“Incredible,” he echoed smiling. The jet dove into the airy jelly of 

clouds, and for a while, we were travelling through thick fog. The 

aircraft vibrated poking through the chunks of atmospheric vapors, 

and finally a splendid view unfolded in front of our eyes. It was a reel 

of fine pink clouds against the background of the deep blue sky with 

myriads of flickering lights below like sparkles diverging from the fire. 

~ 275 ~

Now, I could make out the landscape resting over the golden 

watery surface that stretched up to the horizon in every direction. The 

sunset turned the seawater into a gilded plate sweeping the mainland 

shore. 

The jet buzzed as it extended its landing gear and slightly boggled. 

In a few minutes, we landed softly and soon disembarked the plane 

ushered by the friendly smiling members of the crew. 

Stars shimmered in the clear sky; the air was fresh and chilly. The 

aromas of the sea and flowers engulfed us. The sounds of the familiar 

language reached my ears–people were speaking Italian. 

“Are we in Italy?” I cried out in excitement. Eli nodded 

contentedly. His face reflected an array of emotions. He seemed to be 

as happy as I was, and my heart bounced blissfully. 

“I have been here dozens of times, but this time is the most joyful. 

In some sense, I am here for the first time, too.” 

Despite the late evening, life was pulsating around us. We saw 

plenty of tourists and easily distinguishable locals. All Italians were 

dressed quite fancy. Flavio told me earlier that Italians consider it 

beneath their dignity to show up in public slovenly or poorly dressed. 

Even a pair of jeans looked like a masterpiece of art. I moved my 

ponytail to the back and swiftly inspected my appearance. 

“You have nothing to worry about. Look around.” 

Indeed all the men we encountered were looking at me. They 

followed me with excited eyes, and some of them even stopped. 

Unlike me, Eli did not feel embarrassed by such barefaced 

demonstration of interest. 

“In some other countries, street gazes may be interpreted as an 

insult, but not here in Italy. The adoration of beauty is in their blood. 

Your beauty is so natural it is simply enchanting. One can state the 

obvious.” 

“What city is this?” 

“Venice,” Eli replied. 

~ 276 ~

“Venice!” I echoed in exhilaration. “Never knew they had an 

airport.” 

“We are in a suburb. The center is still about eight miles away.” 

I felt like I said a blunder, but Eli only laughed. 

“One can’t know all about everything!” 

When we left the airport, Eli waved to somebody. A man came out 

of a group of greeters. He was likely the same age as Eli. Hazel eyes 

sparkled against the wheat-colored tone of his skin. He looked straight 

at me and seemed strangely confused. The whole palette of emotions, 

ranging from amazement to indignation, had flashed in his gaze within 

a second. 

Eli stepped towards him. He was heavenly handsome just like all 

Túaths. The only point of criticism I could think of was the excess of 

hair gel he used to arrange his raven black hair. Eli and the young man 

greeted each other with a friendly embrace, and then their eyes turned 

to me. 

“Ciao, Eli! Come e’ stato il tuo volo (Hi, Eli! How was your 

flight?)?” asked the stranger. 

“Meglio del solito (Better than usual),” replied Eli. 

“Questo e’ Leela!” Eli introduced me. “Leela, meet Pietro.” 

“Tanto piacere!” I responded. 

“Parli italiano?” asked amazed Pietro. 

“Si,” I confirmed, and Pietro nodded smiling politely. 

We left the airport and went to the parking lot where a silver 

Mercedes was awaiting us. 

“You took your mom’s car?” Eli commented with a grin opening 

the door for me. 

“Well, if you prefer to run after a car, I should have taken mine,” 

said Pietro. 

“Then your Ferrari would have lost the race!” 

“I am Italian, so, I am car savvy.” 

~ 277 ~

“You are a Túath who is unhealthy, partial to self-tanner, and wash 

your hair with shoe polish--does not look good on you!” 

Pietro pursed his lips vehemently. 

“Next time, you will have to order a taxi,” the car pulled away 

abruptly as Eli was closing his door. “And for the record, I don’t use 

self-tanner,” spat Pietro. 

He was continuously telling stories during our entire ride, but I 

remembered almost nothing. I was glued to the window, captivated by 

the views. The car pranced through picturesque narrow streets, and 

then entered the long cobble-stoned bridge with molded street lights. 

Every thin pole was topped with two lights framed by wrought petals, 

which looked like shining bell-flowers. 

“Venice is connected to the mainland via this bridge.” 

“It is such a long one. It goes on and on,” I was surprised. 

“The length of his bridge is almost two and a half miles,” explained 

Pietro. “There are about four hundred bridges in the city that join all 

the islands, on which Venice is located, with the coast. These islands 

are plentiful. I don’t know for sure…umm…about one hundred and 

twenty in total. We use boats for transportation within the city. There 

are strict speed limits so street racers won’t destroy the 

embankments.” 

Pietro gave a look to Eli. 

“The last remark was meant for you.” 

We took a turn on a street, with a typical Italian vibe, in Santa 

Croce and began to maneuver in the flow of small cars. Everything 

looked more neat and comfy there--narrow quays and promenades, 

two-lane roads, and a load of two-seater cars. 

“We have arrived at the one and only parking area in Venice. It is in 

the western part of the city. Here is where we will change for a boat,” 

commented Eli. 

~ 278 ~

We left the car on Piazzale Roma, which wasn’t far from the main 

railway station, then floated farther along the wavy ribbon of a Venice 

channel in a boat. The water’s surface kindled bright flashes of lights 

like silvery scales, reflecting city lights and moonlight. The night air 

had cooled significantly. I shivered and wrapped my arms around my 

body. 

“You are cold,” noticed Eli, and a wrinkle crossed his forehead. 

“Just a little,” I mumbled while gazing at the passing gondolas. The 

couples within them sat close to each other like birds in a nest. I bit 

my lip so strongly it became painful, but hardly noticed because a 

feeling of cold had engulfed me. 

Eli sighed and leaned towards me. His body emanated comforting 

warmth like a heater, but it did not suffice. The mere reminder of our 

incompatibility intensified the trembling of my members. When I tried 

to suppress it my teeth started to chatter even more. The bitter 

thoughts permeated my mind and poisoned me from inside 

overshadowing all the joy I had once experienced. I forced a contrived 

smile and pushed these destructive thoughts deeper into the back of 

my mind. The very reason why we undertook this journey was to 

distract ourselves and enjoy each other’s proximity despite any 

circumstances. Our goal was to be as free as we possibly could afford. 

We tried to be together in spite of any obstacles. 

Pietro gave us a brief stare. We stood a bit aside and did not hold 

hands although the boat rocked slightly on the waves with the biting 

wind blowing in our direction. Pietro took off his jacket and tacitly 

handed it to us. Eli voiced a sound that could have been a snort or a 

sigh, but nevertheless, helped me cover my shoulders with the jacket. 

It was so big; I managed to wrap myself in it. The piece of cloth had 

accumulated the warmth of Pietro’s body and smelled of bergamot 

and nutmeg oil. 

He concentrated on steering. A pair of scarce phrases faded away in 

the roar of the motor. Pietro remained silent for the rest of the trip. 

Silver splashes of moonlight danced on the mirror of water. I raised 

my head and looked into the sky. 

~ 279 ~

It is a full moon tomorrow, the thought crossed my mind as I stared at 

the milky white disk. It resembled a giant gemstone. Somehow I had 

always been attracted to the moon. The more I focused on it the 

stronger the lure became of its uncanny shimmering light. 

Our boat wandered through the roads of water and passed below 

an abundance of bridges. A great variety of wooden and stone elegant 

and formidable bridges, and tiny overpasses--with elaborate wroughtiron 

railings--arched their backs over the channels. 

Despite the late hour, night life in Venice was at its climax. The 

streets were crowded with tourists and lovers holding hands. 

Richly decorated churches and palaces guarded the banks of the 

channels towering over colorful shop windows and charming Venetian 

mansions with flower pots on the narrow window sills. 

The motor halted, and the boat docked at a small pier. Our vessel 

was dancing gently on the waves. The air was saturated with the smell 

of salt water and wet wood. I stood up, but quickly grasped the side of 

the boat because I lost my balance. Eli was about to give his hand, but 

instantly pulled it away. Pietro looked at us confused. His facial 

expression undoubtedly revealed his impression, “You are both so 

strange.” 

Eli did not pay attention to his companion. He jumped into the 

boat and helped me get to shore by supporting me from behind where 

I was shielded by the jacket. I stepped on the bank and gave him a 

grateful smile. 

When we were about to enter the house, a plump dark-haired 

woman rushed out to welcome us. 

“Eli!” she pulled him into a tight embrace. She was as high as his 

chin. Then her look moved to me, and she produced an excited shriek 

closing her face with her hands. I gave a start out of suddenness. 

~ 280 ~

“San Marco!” she exclaimed and approached me. “Now, I get it! 

Finally, you have brought a girl with you. I have already started to 

develop various opinions about you while you had been just searching 

for the one!” she wagged her finger at him. “Hopefully, you will make 

your mom happy one day as well,” Maria slightly hit Pietro’s back with 

a towel out of mere play, “because you have never told me about a 

single girl ever.” 

“Mom!” grumpy Pietro mumbled. 

The woman invited us into her cozy house. Soft light illuminated 

small spaces under low ceilings; the wafting smell of delicious homecooked 

food teased my nostrils. 

“Such an incredible beauty. She is like an angel,” Maria´s eyes were 

examining me unceremoniously. “What is your name, honey?” she 

spoke very fast, but the smooth sounds of the Italian language made 

her speech very amiable. 

“Leela,” I replied with a smile. 

“Leela?” her look jumped from me to Eli and back. Eli, who read 

out her thoughts and nodded affirmatively. Maria rounded her eyes. 

“You found her,” she exhaled in a whisper. Her eyes were shining 

feverishly from excitement when she closed me in a tight embrace and 

squeezed out a grunt from me. 

Her olive-colored complexion and sanguine face was enclosed in a 

halo of short-cut black hair. She rolled her large hazel eyes as if 

permanently interested in everything. 

“Maria,” said Eli, freeing me from her strong hug, “don’t suffocate 

her. Leela has not relished your mussels yet!” 

“Oh,” she threw up her hands. “You like Italian cuisine?” 

I was rather stiff, but Eli helped me further and replied for me. 

“She adores it. We actually came here for that very reason. This is 

the place where one can get a cup of real cappuccino and feast on the 

best mussels in the world.” 

“Sounds just like you; to travel to another continent in order to 

simply drink a cup of coffee,” Maria tenderly patted his shoulder. 

~ 281 ~

“It’s fun!” Eli let out his outmost charming smile, and I also could 

not help smiling. 

“How long are you staying here?” Maria asked. 

“Just for a couple of days,” he said casually while we were taking 

our place around the big round table. It did not quite fit into the 

dimensions of the small kitchen and was likely meant to accommodate 

frequent guests. A load of chairs surrounded it. Vintage colored glass 

bottles with oil and spices and a woven basket with bread rolls stood 

in the center of the table. 

Thin beige curtains, tied up playfully with red ribbons, decorated 

the round-headed window. Its sill hosted a vast flower garden: lightpink, 

lilacs, pearly violas, several sorts of orchids, and unusually lush 

azaleas covered the wooden plank like lacey foam. 

Pietro sat across me and sometimes sneaked a glance at me as if I 

were a strange animal he had never seen before. Our eyes met once. 

He swallowed hard and looked away, putting on an act that all his 

attention was dedicated to the mussels. However, the mussels were 

indeed the best I had ever tasted. 

“This is the best dish I have ever tasted!” 

“Maria is the world’s best cook!” stated Eli and hugged her. Maria 

burst into careless, almost childish laughter, which was like the sharp 

high-pitched sound of a dinner bell. 

Eli’s behavior was very direct, and he instantaneously vocalized his 

thoughts without any preliminary filtering. Therefore, his compliments 

were truly breathtaking. I got the feeling I was resting among members 

of my closest family who I had known for ages. Maria irradiated such 

warmth and love, I could snuggle in these positive emotions like in 

front of a fireplace. Let alone her bread rolls tasted fantastic. 

~ 282 ~

So far all Túaths I met…well…almost all--to be precise--brought 

love in the world. They were like a big family circle where everybody 

cared about the other. Such a difference from the human world as I 

knew it. Eli and Maria were teasing and making jokes one after the 

other, so, I had to snatch my mussels in short pauses between laughing 

out loud. I drank almost all of the transparent wine with a slight rosy 

hue, and already after a few sips my mind became foggy. I put the 

glass aside and asked, 

“Do you protect Venice?” 

Eli had already mentioned once that he had a friend who took care 

of Venice. So, my question sounded more like a statement. 

“We do and for many years now. The city is slowly sinking, and we 

are doing our best to slow down the process. I don’t think about it as 

my job,” Maria adjusted a curly lock of hair behind her ear. “Venice is 

my home. My parents lived here, and my son and I grew up here as 

well. No matter how hard we try, we cannot prevent the drowning. 

Unfortunately, this is an irreversible change.” 

“Why is it drowning anyway?” 

“The industrial acquisition of water from the artesian wells has 

played a vital role. In fact, this was just one out of many contributions. 

There is a lot of work still to be done here, and even I cannot manage 

it at all times. You would have been much better in this position,” 

explained Maria. I was astonished by the fact she knew so much about 

me. Moreover, she thought I had potential. Everybody believed in me, 

but me. Exhaustion overpowered me, and I yawned widely. 

“Excuse me,” I whispered, drying out an occasional tear. 

“We have been so ignorant,” cackled Maria. “You are naturally very 

tired after the long-haul flight. Come on. I’ll show you your room.” 

“Not this time, thank you,” Eli stood up and pushed his chair 

under the table. “We are staying in Cipriani”. 

“It is splendid,” she flung her arms up, “isn’t it, Pietro?” But he was 

not listening to her. Pietro, who looked really lost, kept poking at the 

empty shells with his fork. Maria waved her hand and shrugged her 

shoulders. 

~ 283 ~

“You’ll like it there. It is a wonderful place.” 

We said goodbye to Maria and Pietro then embarked on the motor 

boat they lent us. It leisurely took us through the maze of channels in 

the Gulf of Venice. Eli masterfully steered the boat just like his car, 

and the vessel maneuvered smoothly between gondolas and fishing 

boats. 

“Pietro did not like me,” I said randomly. These words made me 

feel sad for no obvious reason. “Did you do something wrong?” 

“Never mind,” replied Eli, but I could not define the tone of his 

voice. It sounded slightly irritated. He clearly did not like the turn in 

the conversation, and I made sure to not dwell on it anymore. It was 

quite common, after all, to have people baked from different dough 

placed on a blacklist on a whim. 

Tourists were still strolling around, although the night was not 

young anymore. The notions of day and night-time had probably lost 

their distinct meaning over here, and the everlasting longing for bliss 

overtook them. Our boat diverted into a narrow channel leaving the 

lively streets behind, and then we docked at a small wooden pier. 

“We are on Guidecca Island, or the Garden of Eden as our 

predecessors coined it,” said Eli as he was holding my arm through the 

thick jacket, helping me get to shore. It still played a role as being a bit 

of a safety wall between us. When I stepped onto the bank, our eyes 

met. I was instantly lost in the depth of his eyes, losing the connection 

with the world around me. It no longer mattered we were in Venice, in 

the middle of a secluded tranquil paradise redolent of jasmine flowers 

and grapevines. 

Our faces came closer to the alarming vicinity, so that I could 

clearly hear the pattern of his sizzling breath. Our lips stayed just a few 

inches apart. I closed my eyes listening to the fierce pounding of my 

heart. Eli put his arms around me and felt his hands through the thick 

fabric that still bore Pietro’s smell. When I finally opened my eyes, Eli 

was smiling sadly and looking down as if he did not dare share a look 

with me. It was too much for him. 

~ 284 ~

“Let me show you our room,” he said, picked up the suitcase, and 

headed towards to the hotel along a narrow pathway paved with 

polished gravel. 

Grape vines crawled over snow white marble columns at the sides 

of the road and formed a crown above our heads. Tiny white flowers, 

for which I did not even know the name, were scattered over the 

flower bed like beads of a precious necklace. They spread an 

enamoring fragrance of love. 

The road took a sharp turn to a building that had an appearance of 

a real palace. We passed through the main hall with magnificent cutglass 

chandeliers suffused with golden light. Still the interior of our 

room superseded my expectations. A panoramic dreamscape over the 

Gulf of Venice and neighboring islands unfolded in front of my eyes. 

Delicate Murano glass shimmered in the light of antique Chinese 

lamps. Intricate tapestry reflected in the multiple standing mirrors with 

amber-colored frames. Exquisite room-design manifested itself in wellthought 

details such as Rubelli Gobelin tapestry, wooden folding 

screens coated by the lacquer technique known as Coromandel, huge 

bathroom finished with rose marble, and gilded decorations. 

Eli was waiting on me on the balcony. The stars framed his sharp 

silhouette, and this shining halo poured silver splashes onto his dark 

hair. He leaned against the balcony railing and looked into the sky. His 

mind had been carried away from this place. I quietly sat down next to 

him on the frame. A steel-gray stripe spread over the horizon. The 

night breeze brought the salty smell of seawater while the wind played 

with my hair. So, I gathered it into a bun on the back of my head. I 

caught sight of his lips twitching. I had seen him smiling so many 

times before, but this one was very special. He smiled vulnerably 

without any sign of a daring arrogant expression. He opened his eyes 

and turned to me--the moonlight reflected from his pupils. In this 

dimmed light he looked like a very young boy. 

“Thank you,” he whispered almost indistinctly as if he was afraid to 

break the blissful silence. 

~ 285 ~

Everything cringed inside of me when I heard the lack of 

confidence in his voice and looked into his eyes. They were wide open 

and endlessly deep like an ocean. Eli raised his head to the stars again. 

Then he continued his monologue in such a low voice it overlapped 

with the play of the waves. 

“I used to have everything I could think of, but the one most 

important person I was longing for was missing. I had not had you in 

my life. I tried various things to fill this void,” his face became serious. 

“Do you know how it feels when you can fulfill all your desires 

except for the one you care about the most? When I could not have 

what I really need?” he squeezed the corner of the balcony railing so 

strongly that the knuckles of his fingers became white. “I am drowning 

in despair. I feel emptiness. It is spreading inside my body like 

permafrost. I had not noticed the entire beauty of the world before I 

met you. I could not value the splendor of life,” his hand ran over the 

patch of marble my palm had just touched. “All I want is to 

reciprocate, at least somehow, to give you back a small portion of 

delight you are giving to me in abundance,” he uttered, almost 

touching me. I closed my eyes. 

The vision of our lips meeting triggered spurts of excitement 

throughout my entire body. I fantasized how his hot palms would 

caress my skin and how he would pull me towards him. It felt like we 

spent an eternity sitting on the balcony. The saying goes that one can 

be enchanted by the dancing of flames and cannot take his eyes off the 

fire. That was exactly how I felt looking into his eyes. 

~ 286 ~

He invited me to follow him--with a gesture--and walked me 

through the dark room illuminated by the sparse thin rays of the 

moonlight. We ended up in the bedroom where he lay next to me on 

the bed with his head reclined upon his hand. The silky satin sheets 

were so soft. It seemed as if they were made out of cotton-like clouds. 

We were as close as humanly possible. Eli put his hand below my 

pillow, and I fondled his hair. He closed his eyes and long eyelashes 

cast shadows on his cheeks. What could possibly be more ordinary 

than regularly inhaling and exhaling, yet these very sounds, produced 

by his chest, nestled me in waves of happiness and tranquility. 

****** 

“Grazie mille!” the sound of the beloved voice dragged me out of 

my sleep. Something clanked, and the door clapped. 

“You are awake, Sleeping Beauty.” 

His face was the first sight I caught through my half-lifted eyelids, 

and my lips stretched into a smile almost involuntarily. It was 

wonderful to open my eyes to a view that took my breath away. 

“What time is it?” I asked, hardly moving my lips. 

“I don’t know,” he replied with a happy smile then flattened my 

hair, which was sprawled all over the white sheets. 

Eli moved a silver tray with pancakes in cherry syrup and two 

coffee cups towards me. My mouth immediately watered, and I sat 

straight up on the bed. 

“I have just learned the most effective way to wake you up. 

Pancakes with cherry syrup.” 

“Maybe also strawberry,” I added very seriously and stretched my 

hand toward the plate. Eli laughed and sat across from me with 

crossed legs, and grabbed his cup. 

“The best morning in my life!” he proclaimed. 

“Mine, too. Except for the one when you were wearing the red 

apron, and then took it off!” 

~ 287 ~

He burst into fits of laughter. 

“It is fairly easy to repeat,” he took off his white shirt. “Like this? 

Voila!” 

I squeezed my eyes. 

“There is something still missing.” 

“I even know what that is,” he leaned closer to me with an artful 

smile. “A loud laughter is missing.” 

He pulled a long feather out of the pillow and started tickling my 

feet. I didn’t even have time to put the pancake back on the plate and 

was still holding it in my hand. 

“I will give you jelly stains!” I tried to utter this threat through the 

bouts of laughter and fell on my back. 

“Sounds tempting, especially if you like it so much!” 

Eli towered over me with a winning smile. Supporting his body on 

his arms, he hid his head in my hair. 

I tried to use the situation to my advantage--to try and take the 

feather from him--but he was just waiting for this move. Eli reached 

his hand with the feather very high up so that I could not reach it. 

“That’s not fair!” 

I tried to put on a serious face, but the corners of my lips went up 

involuntarily when I looked into his mischievous eyes. 

Could this happiness be all mine? my heart was beating in the rhythm 

with these words. Eli stood up, took the sheet, which I was lying on, 

by the corners and pulled it toward him. We ended up face to face. 

“Could this happiness be all mine?” he echoed in the voice full of 

adoration, and suddenly began to tickle me again. I writhed myself 

free, grabbed the pillow, and launched it at him. His reaction made me 

laugh even harder. 

“You have declared war!” cried Eli, snatching two pillows at once. 

~ 288 ~

I yawped and tailed off, but his vengeance quickly followed before I 

could even take a few steps. Eli knocked me down with the pillow in 

bull’s eye shot. I fell down on my bottom, and the elastic mattress 

sprang under me. While Eli was hooting with laughter, I drew the 

sheet he was standing on towards me. Eli was caught off guard and 

came crashing down onto the floor. He held his sides with such a loud 

laughter the pendants on the cut-glass chandelier started to shake. 

I ran to the far side of the seemingly endless bed and threw one of 

the pillows at him. It blew up mid-air before reaching its target. The 

fall of the white zephyrous feathers congested the space of the room. I 

lifted my eyes to observe the dance of the hovering feather-flakes, but 

in the next moment my foot slipped. I fell down from the bed 

swinging my arms. In my mind’s eye, I foresaw the collision with the 

luxurious hard wooden floor, but Eli caught me with the blanket 

before I lost courage. He leaned over me. His torso, face, and hands 

were covered with the sticky syrup, but Eli looked content. 

“Now, I do know what the cherry syrup is for. Certainly not for 

pancakes,” I whispered panting. I was dying to kiss him. 

Eli let out a deep sigh and reverted his eyes. 

“We should not risk it,” he helped me stand up, and then headed to 

the bathroom. 

“There are many other enjoyable things,” he added, as if he was 

running away from me. 

“Are you kidding me? You are half-naked, stained with jelly, in the 

room full of hovering feathers? What could possibly be more 

enjoyable?” But the running water obscured the sound of my voice. 

~ 289 ~

CHAPTER FIFTEEN 

~ EXCURSION INTO HELL ~ 

! 

The next day, Venice greeted us with morning mist. Rays of 

sunshine peeked through wooly clouds. Narrow channels, which 

reflected colorful building façades, meandered through the cityscape 

without any underlying logic. The winding streets along the water ways 

were flecked with happy faces. I swept the panorama of the city. 

It struck my eye that the architecture was a fusion of various styles 

and epochs. Only the modern was underrepresented. The veil of 

centuries rose, and Venice stepped out of the past with its weatherstained 

buildings with peeling plaster, uneven cobbled pavements, 

worm-eaten window frames, wooden bridges that should have decayed 

long ago, but stood tall contrary to all expectations. This ancient-old 

permanence was misleading: against all odds, the human genius 

courageously challenged the laws of nature and the power of elements. 

A small boat took us to Piazza San Marco. I had never seen so 

many pigeons before in my life! They were cooing everywhere, 

fearlessly landing on heads and shoulders of the passers-by and picking 

grain directly from our palms. 

At that moment, I fully realized why the square is considered the 

most beautiful in the world. My heart skipped a beat from the mere 

view at St. Mark’s Basilica--with the tall slender Clock Tower piercing 

the sky. 

The square-faced old-fashioned promenade near the waterfront 

offered a splendid view of the nearby islands and undisturbed still 

water. The atmosphere of the square reminded me of an aristocratic 

salon surrounded by intricate galleries and the magnificent cathedral, 

whose beauty was second to none. I stood across this gorgeous 

building with my eyes wide open and my heart pounding loudly in 

excitement. 

~ 290 ~

The basilica was captivating, astonishing, and dazzling. The pure 

white lacy round-arched portals with mosaic walls and slender marble 

columns had gilded capitals, which dominated the square. Ancient 

Byzantine bas-reliefs completed the façade. On a balcony above the 

central portal, four gracious bronze horses--each with one slightly 

raised front hoof--were installed. 

“This is one of my favorite spots,” said Eli taking off his 

sunglasses. “Maria once told me a story about the traveler, Franz 

Grillparzer, who visited Venice in the 19th century. When he 

witnessed the beauty of this basilica, he exclaimed, ‘The one whose 

heart does not start to beat faster on St. Mark’s square should let 

himself be buried because he is dead, ultimately dead.’ The one, whose 

heart does not beat faster on St Mark’s square, does not have a heart.” 

“I am definitely very much alive. My heart is ready to jump out of 

my chest,” I was deeply moved. 

“Do you want to go inside?” asked Eli. 

The interior of St Mark’s Basilica was even more inspiring. I could 

not believe such splendor could exist before my eyes. The vaults were 

entirely tessellated in mosaics, whereas the floors and columns with 

golden capitals, were carved from deep green marble. We approached 

the high altar, which comprised of an urn with the early remains of St 

Mark. The superb masterpiece of jewelry, Pala d’Oro, was installed 

above the altar. This utterly refined retable--accomplished with 

Byzantine gold and enamel and decorated with emeralds, rubies, and 

topazes--was considered the main treasure of the cathedral. 

Eli came very close to me and said under his breath, trying to not 

break the silence, 

~ 291 ~

“In 828 AD two Venetian merchants stole the relics of St. Mark 

from Alexandria and transported them to Venice. In order to keep the 

relics away from Muslims, they hid it in a basket between piles of 

vegetables and pork carcasses. The citizens of Venice bestowed great 

honors on St. Mark, and the doge ordered to erect a basilica on this 

very place in order to provide a sanctuary for the priceless treasure. 

Since then the attribute of the evangelist St. Mark, a winged lion, 

became the symbol of Venice, and the saint is the patron of the city.” 

“You could be a city guide!” I admired his detailed knowledge 

about the city. 

“I visit quite often, and Maria keeps on repeating herself every time. 

So, from now on you will also share this burden.” 

“I am very interested, and ashamed I have never heard about all 

this.” 

“This information is not included in the educational programs in 

your school.” 

“Ah, the schooling program is a pure shame. It is hard to say what 

it does include.” 

“You are lucky for not being the Minister of Education,” Eli 

grinned. “Otherwise you would have had many haters.” 

I made a funny face. 

“Are you hungry?” Eli asked. 

“I could eat a horse!” I responded eagerly. 

“Well, I can’t recommend a good horse-eating place, but I do know 

gourmet espresso is a guarantee at the legendary Florian Café.” 

“Why is it a legendary one?” I asked while we were walking towards 

the café. 

“It was founded three hundred years ago, and its walls witnessed 

the great men of the past like Byron, Hemingway, and Giacomo 

Casanova.” 

~ 292 ~

We made our best effort not to linger anywhere for too long. We 

had a quick cup of coffee and a snack, and then took off to our next 

location. I was surprised at how good Eli had organized our day. It 

seemed we had check-marked all the possible boxes. By the end of the 

day, my mind was overloaded with new impressions. One did not have 

to search for attractions in Venice; it sufficed just to take a stroll or a 

ride through the marvelous city and keep one’s eyes wide open. I 

feasted my eyes on palaces, old churches, and bridges while a river 

tram was carrying us via Grand Canal toward Murano, the Glass 

Island. 

******* 

The river taxi stopped at a tall red brick tower on Murano Island. 

The time was a quarter to six. The water-- with bizarre white-bluish 

hue as if someone splashed milk into it--light-heartedly splashed the 

bank. 

We leisurely strolled along the narrow promenade enveloped with 

glossy shop-windows. Tiny white balconies with blooming lobelias 

decorated the front parts of the buildings. 

The ground levels were occupied by ubiquitous glass shops that 

looked like little museums of glassware. 

Every artisan had a personal trademark. Some decorated their 

products with images of flowers, and others preferred fish or abstract 

geometrical patterns. 

We stopped at each and every craft shop. Eli waited patiently until I 

satisfied my curiosity and examined all glass kitten figurines, life-like 

butterflies, and elegant tall vases. The souvenirs glimmered in the 

artificial lights of their showcases like transparent lollipops. 

“It is amazing how sophisticated glassmaking can be. One can turn 

simple glass into unbelievable things!” I said. 

~ 293 ~

“This glass is actually not that simple. In the centuries ago all 

Venetian glassblowers were moved to Murano in order to keep their 

special techniques a secret. Before that, this craft had been spread over 

all the Venetian islands, but in the thirteenth centuries the city council 

ordered the set-up of all foundries on this island. Glass artisans also 

were granted topless privileges, but were not allowed to leave the 

Republic. Their children could even marry into Venetian blue-blooded 

families.” Eli replied. 

He halted at one of the workshops, opened the door for me, and 

invited me in with a gesture. Multi-colored items of glass jewelry were 

on display glistening brightly with the most unexpected color 

combinations and shapes. 

One full-wall vitrine hosted refined ballerinas, angels with spread 

wings, and dolls representing the characters of Venetian comedy. Flirty 

Colombina covered her face with a fan, while blue-eyed Pierrot 

thoughtfully looked into the distance. 

Figurines of various animals, fat cats, prancing horses, and proud 

cranes huddled in between. But I was stunned when I saw a toy hyena 

crouching among the angels as if placed there by mistake. Her hungry 

eyes shined carnivorously and seemed quite realistic that I expected a 

roar to come out of its gapping mouth. And just then, a gray-haired 

old man with kind brown eyes walked through a curtain of countless 

blue glass beads that looked like tinkling dew drops. 

“Signore Alfhield, signorina,” he welcomed us. “Would you like to 

pick up your order?” 

Eli nodded in a friendly manner and handed him a four-folded 

piece of paper. The glassblower took it, adjusted the glasses on his 

crooked nose, and went back limping. 

“What have you ordered?” I was intrigued. 

“It is a surprise,” Eli narrowed his shining eyes. 

~ 294 ~

Even the sparkling shimmering brilliance of the glass around us 

could not outshine his eyes, but a shadow of well-hidden anxiety 

suddenly flickered on his face, as if he had locked his fears into a cell 

deep within the far corners of his mind and threw away the key hoping 

to never face those worries again. 

“Eli,” I called trying to put all the feelings I had for him into the 

sound of his name. 

He lifted up his palm and covered my eyes. A glass heart lay there 

in a brilliant halo of a golden chain flimsy as a cobweb. Countless 

sparkling gold grains were caught in the light green glass like amber 

relics. The arabesque pattern of their frozen dance created a fabulous 

scintillating effect. Carefully, without even touching my skin, Eli 

placed the chain around my neck, fastened it, and handed me a small 

oval mirror. 

I enjoyed the reflective shine for a minute, and then lifted up my 

eyes to look at myself… 

“My eyes…” A placer of topazes at the bottom of a green lake. 

“…are just like this heart,” Eli echoed, admiring my reflection in 

the mirror. He ran his finger along the reflection of my eyebrows, my 

temple, and my neck. Finally, he uttered a sub-audible sigh. I bit the 

inside of my cheek so the pain prevented me from crying. I did not 

want to show my weakness. 

Clatter of shattering glass and a deafening sound of something big 

and soft falling came from behind the curtains where the glassblower 

was. Eli turned around, and for a second, I felt relieved it put an end 

to the awkward silence. 

“Luigi?” Eli called out for the salesman. His voice sounded 

alarmed. 

~ 295 ~

Eli swung towards the doorway leading to the foundry, but 

suddenly sprang back when he was just three feet away from the 

curtain. His face was distorted by astonishment and rage. A wiry guy 

entered the room through the hanging threads of glass beads. Eli’s 

face lost its color when their eyes met like colliding cars. Eli took an 

abrupt step to the right, shielding me from the stranger. The stranger 

smiled forbearingly and slightly nodded in greeting. He stroked his 

blue-black hair in an upward motion. The cold and sharp gaze of his 

pale blue eyes was threatening like shatters of a drifting iceberg. 

The air in the small room became dead, and my throat dried out. 

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the pinched features of Eli’s 

face. His body tensed like an arrow waiting for release from a bow and 

leaned forward. Lingering silence governed the room. I was only 

hearing the panic-driven feverish beating of my heart. It beat so loud it 

was likely everyone could hear it. 

Another man entered the room through the curtain and stopped at 

some distance. He was short of stature, but proportionately built. He 

gave the impression of a friendly guy next-door, an ideal companion 

for a movie night out. He had dark blond hair and deceitfully soft lines 

for lips. Then his gray eyes grew cold. 

“I am very sorry to interrupt your holiday,” he said, taking a few 

quick confident steps towards us, but stopping at the counter. He 

moved graciously like a powerful wild cat. “Frankly speaking, this 

whole thing does not interest me, but business is business, as they 

say.” 

I felt how the atmospheric electricity around Eli had increased to 

the degree where he could burst into flames. Nevertheless, he paused 

waiting to see what would come next. 

“You could introduce yourself first, since you have decided to join 

our company,” said Eli in a low and very calm voice. 

~ 296 ~

“My name is Adalrick Winterhalter. You probably have already 

heard of me. And this is my partner, Kay, although all these formalities 

are useless since you won’t remember me anyway,” Adalrick grabbed 

the glassy hearts from the dusty velvet and crushed them in this hand. 

Jewelry pieces helplessly clattered under high pressure and 

decomposed into shiny powder that showered from under his fingers 

onto his black shoes. 

“Nothing personal, Eli,” repeated Adalrick as if it was an excuse, 

but his eyes were laughing. 

“You have got a shitty name, Adalrick. One cannot get a good job 

with such a name.” 

He accepted the joke with a subdued grin. 

“I have heard a lot about your sense of humor, pal, but I have no 

time for your quirks today.” 

The second man with black hair remained silent the entire time and 

focused his gaze on me. 

“She is leaving,” stated Eli pointing at me. His voice sounded like 

roaring thunder. 

“Sorry,” Adalrick’s soft voice was so deceiving. “Two people are on 

the menu today.” 

I felt nauseated. Blood hammered within my temples, and my knees 

treacherously started shaking. It felt like my wobbly legs would sprawl 

underneath me like the legs of a newborn colt. The dark-haired man 

had already blocked the entrance. 

“Who placed the order? Enlighten me. I am not leaving his place 

anyway.” Eli asked. 

Adalrick chuckled. 

“It is against my principles to ask the name, especially when I know 

my head will be ransacked and fumbled like a basket of dirty laundry.” 

“You’re right, Adalrick,” Eli’s eyes glared furiously, “digging into 

your head is like treading in a pile of manure with bare feet.” 

~ 297 ~

Eli set back his broad shoulders so abruptly, it looked like he was 

going to spread invisible wings. The following happened so quickly, I 

had no time to be afraid. The hit men attacked us simultaneously on a 

signal. Kay grabbed my shoulder with his long bony fingers that 

pierced my skin like sharp needles. I screamed and started sinking to 

the floor. Eli kicked him into a jar at lightning speed. Kay fell down 

and bumped the back of his head against the wooden floor. 

Before I knew where I was, Eli took me by my jacket and threw me 

into the farthest corner. I slid on my back picking up splinters and 

groaning along the way when my shoulder and head crashed against a 

wooden beam. My back hurt like it had been scratched with a fine 

grater. The world went dark before my eyes. I curled up into a tight 

ball panting. 

I forced myself to first kneel, and then stood up with the support 

of the beam. The voice in my head seemed to be quarreling with my 

thoughts. One thought was pushing me forward, and the other 

thought pathetically persuaded me to stop. Eli did this to me in order 

to protect me, and I could only distract him if I interfered…but then I 

saw THEM. Both entities inside made it shut up. 

Adalrick was holding Eli by the neck with his right hand. His other 

hand was spread on Eli’s chest like a giant spider. Adalrick was much 

shorter, but his power seemingly was not in his physique. I observed 

them in terror. 

The whites of Adalrick’s eyes became blurred, and these foggy 

clouds invaded Eli’s mind to poison it. 

The killer was looking into his victim’s eyes with passion and 

enjoyment. Eli remained motionless. 

“Eli!” my scream fainted in the sounds of breaking glass. A strong 

blast of wind flung open the old crooked door and knocked out the 

showcase glass with a fierce crushing blow. A shudder passed over the 

walls. Hundreds of little figurines fell from the shelves filling the shop 

with its powerful crescendo. 

~ 298 ~

The turmoil had distracted Adalrick giving Eli an advantage. Eli 

shook off the numbing fog that was clouding his mind and delivered a 

strong blow to Adalrick. He flew through the curtain and into the 

workroom destroying the glassy threads. Eli rushed after him and 

disappeared from my view. 

Broken glass shattered behind me being crushed under Kay’s feet. 

He was approaching me like a cyborg with set glassy eyes on his pale 

face. Dark red blood was streaming down his broken nose and lips. I 

took a deep breath, trying to hold some air within, and moved back till 

I hit the wall with dusty oak shelves. I fetched one of the statuettes, 

which resembled black sharp tentacles belligerently poking upwards, 

and held it in front of me. My hands were trembling. 

Kay grinned victoriously and set his chest against the peak of my 

weapon. I squeezed my eyes shut fighting with myself. 

Do it! Common Sense encouraged me, but my hands disobeyed. He 

raised his hand above me and slapped my cheek with full force. I had a 

vision of myself screaming and falling against the shelves like I was not 

a part of what was happening. I hit the rim of a shelf with my temple, 

and the running blood struck me blind. I was suffocating from the 

nauseating salty taste of blood in my mouth. 

Kay jumped on me, pressing me into the wall. I kicked him in the 

stomach, but it had no effect. It was like kicking a stone block. He 

intercepted my hands and immobilized me by pushing them towards 

the wall. I lost my grip on the weapon making my last hope shatter 

into many pieces on the floor. 

Kay’s face intruded my personal space as if he was going to kiss me. 

His breath stank of blood. He caught the sight of my eyes, and I 

refused to shift my gaze. I felt like a rabbit being hypnotized by a boa 

constrictor that planned to swallow me whole. 

~ 299 ~

My inner voice screamed, but I could not even move a finger or 

blink. Instead, I submissively stared into his haunting blue eyes. Tears 

ran down my cheeks, and it was the only movement I could execute. 

These hot drops fell down on his hands that impaled me to the wall. 

His power obfuscated my mind. The air suddenly became dense and 

sticky like slime. 

The color of his eyes intensified with energy. Kay smiled and 

started to suck in the air as if he was taking a very deep breath. His 

eyes glowed brighter as he drew in even more air, whereas my strength 

was leaving me. I would have fallen on the floor had he not held me 

firmly by my shoulders. All the colors had darkened, and I was close to 

fainting. 

A whistling sound came from the distance. Kay hiccupped, and his 

head leaned down on my breast. His body slowly slumped down onto 

the floor. The tip of a glass chandelier had penetrated his skull. I lifted 

up my weary eyes. Eli was standing in the doorway. He was covered in 

blood; his skin was cut. His shirt was torn in many places, and his 

knuckles had turned into a bloody mess. He heaved a relieved sigh 

realizing I was safe, and walked towards me reeling and staggering. 

A light smile formed on his beautiful lips. He joined his hands 

together and suddenly bent over moaning. A knife handle stuck out of 

his back. A bending Adalrick appeared in the doorway and leaned near 

the door frame. His face resembled mincemeat. He pushed himself 

forward with a great deal of effort and took a step in our direction. 

Eli attempted to extract the knife, but could not reach it. 

“Pull it out,” he groaned. 

I shook my head, No, no, no! I could not. My teeth chattered 

furiously. I was afraid I would bite off my tongue. 

“Faster!” yelled Eli. Adalrick was just a few steps away from him. I 

grabbed the handle, closed my eyes, and pull it towards me, feeling 

how the blade had traveled through his flesh. Eli growled from the 

pain and took a step aside trying to help me. The bloody knife 

remained in my hands. 

~ 300 ~

Adalrick raised his hand aiming exactly at the point where the knife 

had just been, but Eli ducked. The blow hit his chest. He slid to the 

side, hardly keeping balance, and then attacked Adalrick. Eli bent 

down and smashed his fist into the enemy’s stomach. 

Afterwards, he took a sharp turn around his axis, as if he was 

curling into a spiral, and quickly unfolded back putting all force into a 

blow that sent Adalrick to the floor. In the next second, Eli was on 

top of his adversary. They clawed into each other snarling and 

smashing everything in their way. The remaining pieces of furniture 

broke apart covering the floor in fragments. 

Eli grabbed him by his shirt and threw him towards the formidable 

beam that supported the bleached ceiling. His body bumped into the 

column, and Adalrick screamed. I thought I heard his bones cracking. 

White shards fell from the ceiling like snowflakes. The walls of the old 

building squeaked. A deep crack ran through the entire wall between 

the showroom and workroom. Eli rushed to Adalrick and closed his 

hands around his neck pushing him into the beam. The veins in his 

face became more pronounced and looked like crooked branches. 

Quite unexpectedly Adalrick picked up some glassy dust from the 

floor and threw into Eli’s face. 

Eli uttered a guttural sound that froze my blood. Taking advantage 

of the situation, Adalrick took a crescent-shaped piece of glass from 

the floor and leisurely strode towards Eli with a smile. He stood across 

from him and laughed; the sound of Adalrick’s nefarious laughter 

vibrated in my head. Then he grabbed Eli by his hair and punched him 

in the stomach. Eli knelt down like a blind kitten. 

The piece of glass outlined the contour of Eli’s neck. I felt a spasm 

in my gut as I lifted up my trembling hand, which was still squeezing 

the knife handle. It moved forward by its own will. It cut the air with a 

whistling sound and jabbed into Adalrick’s back. He shrieked in a 

futile attempt to pull the blade out of his body. 

~ 301 ~

I expected him to fall, but he stood firmly on his feet, then swiftly 

turned towards me. Flurries of fear and relief simultaneously gripped 

me. Eli was safe, for now. Adalrick had decided to finish me off first. I 

turned around and ran. The room was so tiny. I had nowhere to go. 

Adalrick snatched me by the sleeve, but I freed myself leaving a 

bloody piece of cloth in his hands. 

I became entangled between the threads of the curtain and 

experienced his tight grip from behind. He pushed me into the 

workroom. I flew into room and hit the corner of the brick furnace. I 

started coughing blood and losing my breath. There I was, standing on 

all fours gasping for air. 

The covered glassblower was lying shattered in the far corner. His 

broken glasses had fallen next to him. His gray hair tumbled down 

onto the concrete floor. 

Adalrick, with the knife sticking out of his back was already close to 

me. His eyes, which were blurred like steamy windows, had narrowed 

in horrifying threat. He leaned towards me. At that moment, I finally 

managed to take a hungry lungful of air--smelling the metallic scent of 

my own blood—and pushed myself up to kick him. He fell backwards, 

and I rolled to the side then jumped to my feet. There was nowhere to 

run. Blinded Eli was in the next room, and both our lives depended on 

me. 

Suddenly, my brain was on ice. My mind had cleared up; fear faded 

away. I fetched a tool that resembled a shovel from the wall and hit 

him in the head right in the moment when he was trying to stagger 

back onto his feet. The bone in his temple was crushed, and blood 

spurted out of the wound like dark ink. Motionlessly, Adalrick lay on 

the floor with his arms sprawled. 

I retreated, releasing hold of my weapon, and leaned against the 

sidewall of the furnace closing my eyes. The heat from the stove 

penetrated my body. My body was shaking so fervently it seemed to be 

breaking apart. The heat became unbearable. I opened my eyes and 

screamed, since I saw Adalrick’s injured face right in front of me. 

~ 302 ~

He twisted his mouth in a grin baring his blood-stained teeth. I was 

terrified to see a sizzling-hot metallic prod in his hand. His reaction 

was fulminant, and the trajectory of the launched weapon was easy to 

foresee. He targeted my heart, but I managed to move to the left 

causing the prod to pierce my shoulder instead. It impaled me to the 

furnace like a pinned insect. 

My scream was so intense that it rang out through my eyes. My 

throat became sore, and my voice faded. Only barely audible hissing 

came from my mouth. The burning pain channeled through my body. 

Adalrick pulled the pair of tongs out of the furnace and prepared to 

jab them into me. 

“That is how it ends,” he said in a husky voice. 

Eli banged both his hands over his head. He clenched Adalrick’s 

head, twisted it to the side, and then pulled it off in one powerful jerk. 

Blood splattered on my face. 

The decapitated body dropped. I let out a sob, but then composed 

myself in order not to scream. 

My body was quivering; it hurt so much as if it went through a 

mincing machine. The pain pulsated in my shoulder. My legs could not 

hold me anymore, but I could not move because of the poker still in 

my shoulder. 

“I have to extract this thing,” said Eli in an apologetic voice. 

I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and clenched my teeth tightly 

together that my lips went numb. I nodded. Overpowering pain spiked 

through my shoulder for a moment. I sank down and sat directly on 

the glass shards, wrapping one arm around my body. The injured arm 

lay on the floor like a useless rubber hose. Eli dropped to the floor 

next to me. The skin on his body and his face was shredded by 

countless cuts. His lip was dissected, and the whites of his eyes looked 

like red currants. Red tears were streaming from his eyes washing away 

the glass splinters. 

I shook my head, then dropped my head into my chest, and burst 

into tears. 

“It is all right,” he said hoarsely. “It is all over.” 

~ 303 ~

I raised my head, glimpsing at the beheaded corpse. 

“Who are they? Why did they want to kill us?” 

Eli only shook his head wearily. 

“I don’t know, but somebody went the extra mile to get it done. 

Adalrick was one of the best. He never shows up for no good reason.” 

“They will be back,” I was shivering. 

“And we shall be ready,” Eli replied confidently. 

He stood up, looked around and said, “We have to clean up the 

mess.” 

I looked at the corpse and felt dizzy again. 

***** 

“I am quite lucky Luigi specializes in large assignments,” Eli forced 

the black shoe into the furnace and closed the iron door. “The 

temperature in there is five hundred degrees higher than a cremator. 

There won’t even be dust left.” 

With barely enough strength to move, I approached the 

glassblower. He was breathing. 

“He will be all right,” confirmed Eli as he took a pen out of the 

glassblower’s lapel pocket and signed a check. I was surprised by the 

amount of money. 

“We have pulverized weeks of his hard work and destroyed his 

workroom,” he explained putting the folded check back into the 

pocket. 

Eli fetched an object wrapped in white paper. The item was as high 

as a tall floor-standing vase. Afterwards, we rushed out of the artisan’s 

shop. 

~ 304 ~

It was dark outside. Sun had yielded to street lights a long time ago. 

The darkness was to our benefit, and we managed to flag down a river 

taxi without attracting too much attention. The driver, confused about 

our odd appearance at first, refused to transport us. However, a few 

colorful banknotes quickly encouraged him to change his mind. He 

even helped me to descend into the boat. For the rest of the trip he 

was totally disinterested. Maybe he convinced himself it was 

Halloween. 

The boat engine chattered in tandem with my teeth. I felt both cold 

and hot. I was very scared. In order to cope with my fears, I leaned 

back on the worn-out seat and buried my face in Eli’s shoulder. He 

was sitting on my right-hand side and looking either at me or through 

me. Those eyes that had become so dear to me were shining in the 

darkness. The dried out blood stains on his cheeks were the only 

reminders of the battle. His wounds had already skinned over, and his 

eyes appeared normal. He put his hand next to mine and outlined the 

contour of my palm with his fingers. Our hands stretched to meet 

each other, but stopped just in a few inches away. The invisible 

boundary we could not breach held them apart. 

I wanted to fall into his arms, to feel his warmth and strength, to 

feel secure. To be so close and yet so far was a real torture. I turned 

away and tried to compose myself. The chilling air helped me just a 

bit. Despite all my efforts, a single tear rolled down my cheek leaving 

its wet trace. Nocturnal Venice reflected upside down in the water like 

a distorted mirror. Eli caught the tear drop as if it were a diamond. It 

nestled in his palm. I felt myself falling into a chasm of ultimate woe. 

Eli folded his hand into a fist and heaved a groan. The sea was rocking 

the boat trying to calm us in our cradle. 

“Everything is going to be all right,” sang the lap of the waves 

against the sides of the boat. 

Everything is going to be all right, I persuaded myself. 

“Everything is going to be all right,” Eli whispered to me. 

~ 305 ~

CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

~ BIRTHDAY ~ 

! 

The hotel lobby greeted us with a sea of lights coming from the 

lavish lamps and reflections from the marble floors. Our steps echoed 

in the silence, and fortunately, we had not encountered anyone along 

our way. We passed the formidable columns and reached the elevator. 

Eli pressed the gold button, and the elevator slowly carried us to the 

second floor. 

We walked down the long carpeted corridor. My feet were sinking 

in its soft thick pile. Eli reached out for the door handle, and opened 

the door in front of me. We stepped into the darkness. Suddenly, the 

lights went on. We were stunned by buzzing and sounds of explosions. 

Fear spread in my increasing heartbeat and devastated me. 

“Happy birth…” familiar voices shouted, but faded abruptly when 

we came in sight of the people. 

Frightened, Jordana covered her mouth with her hands. Nit could 

not help swearing. 

“Have you booked an excursion to hell?” Pietro quietly uttered. 

Nit rushed towards me and began to examine my injuries. I 

moaned when he touched my shoulder. Every member of my body 

and every centimeter of my skin agonized in searing pain. Nit cursed 

even louder when he noticed the wound in my shoulder. 

“I’ll be fine,” I said. He assisted me to the couch. 

“What happened?” whispered Jordana. Her voice was trembling. 

She leaned on the back of the chair and clasped her hands. The 

bright light in the room blinded me so that I only saw spots and 

sparkles before me. I closed my eyes and slumped back on the couch. 

Pain droned and pulsated in my entire body. 

“We have to cure Leela,” Eli said. 

“I can do it,” Nit volunteered. He stayed glued to my side. 

~ 306 ~

“Pietro is a water one like Leela. Nobody heals better than he can,” 

Eli’s face darkened when he pronounced the last words, as if he was 

totally appalled by the idea. 

Pietro nodded and sat next to me. His soft cool hand ran down my 

back. It felt like a piece of ice. Then he enclosed me in an embrace, 

which made me cower with unknown fear. The intimacy of this act 

kept me in suspense. 

“I need your permission,” he whispered into my ear. His quiet 

voice relaxed me like the sound of waves lapping against the shore. I 

sensed a mighty flow of energy entering my body with the first deep 

breath. It felt like a flurry of refreshing icy wind uniting us as a whole. 

I panted, inhaling the energy, consuming it so hungrily that I began to 

shake, and experienced an overwhelming thirst I could not quench. I 

yearned for a glass of water like a person who spent a week in a desert. 

The chill spread over my entire body, poking me with thousands of 

icicles, but washing away the pain. I did not perceive myself or him 

separately. Instead, I dissolved into the pure energy of water--feeling 

its limitless power and freedom. 

He took a deep breath like he was savoring a meal. Pietro looked at 

me in surprise as if he failed to believe it was possible. I sensed his 

heart beating faster, and in the next moment, Nit stood in between us 

quite untactfully. Hence, he broke the bond between us. It was a 

hurtful experience. 

I shook my head trying to get away from the strange state of mind, 

but it lured me back like a wafting smell of delicious sweets. Mutually 

contradicting impulses were splitting me in half. My body was shaking 

from almost unbearable desire, while my mind was vainly trying to 

retain a sensible view of things. I caught sight of Eli. His eyes seemed 

dull, even in the bright lights. His appearance momentarily sobered 

me. I jumped up from the couch, tingling with shame, and rushed to 

the bedroom. I slammed the door with such unexpected force a 

Venetian carnival mask fell from the wall and broke in two. It was a 

weird display of two halves of a face--one standing against the wall and 

the other lying on the floor. 

~ 307 ~

However, it was a rather accurate depiction of my inner state. I was 

looking at my reflection in the mirror while leaning against the 

wardrobe. I was falling apart and failed to recognize the person I was 

seeing. She looked like me, but she was not the person I knew before. 

The last weeks witnessed a dramatic transformation in me, and I was 

wondering whether I could be someone else while remaining myself. 

My skin was ghostly pale against the background of bloody stains 

and contrasted with dirty black hair. In this monochrome image only 

my eyes preserved the color of golden fire. They were beaming like 

arctic lights with over brimming energy. 

I heard a gentle knock on the door. I knew it was Eli, but I was 

ashamed to look into his eyes. The thing I had just shared with 

Pietro…so very intimate. And Eli was bound to have witnessed it. 

“May I come in?” he asked. 

I bowed my head to my chest. 

“It’s open.” Yes, he knew about it. 

“I had no time to brief you on the peculiarities of the healing 

process. You lost too much blood,” Eli looked straight at my 

reflection. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t have to be,” he said lifting his eyebrows. 

“It felt like…” I stammered over the word and dropped my eyes. 

He sighed and cleared his throat. 

“Energy exchanged. You became one for that one moment.” 

“Yes,” my voice was almost indistinct. My temples throbbed when 

I recalled the feelings that had overwhelmed me. “I could not stop.” 

“That’s how it goes. No one never knows in advance what will 

happen.” 

“Have you had a similar experience?” 

~ 308 ~

“No,” he shook his head, “we exchanged several times with Nit, 

and it felt like an energy drink; gave me a strong rush of energy. We 

have not done it with you. So, I had no clue how it would go. They say 

Túaths with high energetic compatibility demonstrate such reactions as 

you did.” 

I swallowed a lump in my throat. 

“How do you feel now?” Eli asked. 

“I feel like I need a good bath,” I scratched my shoulder in support 

of this statement. 

Eli touched a curl of hair hanging over my temple. 

“I will not likely forget the day of your eighteenth birthday.” 

“The eighteenth birthday?” 

“Your real birthday is today. The date stated in the documents is 

wrong.” 

“That’s why the guys are here and…” 

“I also completely forgot about the surprise,” Eli stood behind me 

and kissed my hair. “You have come of age now.” 

“Yep,” I smiled, “just don’t know yet what to do about it.” 

Eli laughed, “I have a plan.” 

“Hopefully an idyllic and quiet one.” 

“A dinner with friends in a tiny café?” 

“Ideal. I just have to cleanse myself from this blood first.” 

Eli blew me a kiss and returned back to the rest of the gang. I 

grabbed some clean towels, which lay folded on the bed, a bathrobe, 

and went to take a shower. 

I probably spent an eternity in the bathroom because I had lost 

track of time washing off dried blood and fishing glass shards out of 

my hair. Finally, I dragged myself back into the bedroom and toweldried 

my hair. Jordana was hovering around the ivory console mirror 

and setting out brushes, cosmetics, and creams. 

“Be seated,” she clapped over a padded ottoman with lion-paw 

feet. 

~ 309 ~

“I thought I was already tortured enough for one day.” 

“Here you go,” she moved a glass with a tall stem filled with white 

wine closer to me. 

“Thanks.” 

“Eli told us everything while you were taking a shower.” 

I suppressed moaning. 

“We have no idea why they keep on attacking us, but it is clear now 

the reason is not us violating the rules. We don’t even touch each 

other anymore!” I commented. 

“This evening is yours; turn over a new leaf and draw anything you 

like on it. Whether it will be sunny or gloomy depends solely on you.” 

Jordana said. 

“I had enough moist for today,” I commented with a smile not 

wanting to cry. 

“So it begins,” she turned me towards her and covered the mirror. 

We clinked our wine glasses, and Jordana got down to business 

with a comb. 

I turned in upon myself while she was styling my hair. 

“Do you and Eli really have the same surname now?” she tickled 

my face with a brush. 

“Yes, I still can’t believe it myself. He just did what he wanted.” 

“Well, and he will share his patronymic with you on his whim. You 

have no idea what a pain he is in ‘their’ asses,” she pointed her finger 

up in the air. 

“Do you love him?” 

“Eli? Of course I do. He is like a brother to me…” 

“No, I am asking about Nit.” 

“Oh,” she dwelled on words. “It’s complicated.” Her voice 

trembled. “You wouldn’t be able to understand until you plunge into 

everyday life in Ambré. To love a ‘different’ one is like committing 

social suicide.” 

“But would you be with him if you could?” 

~ 310 ~

She looked straight at me like she was contemplating on sharing her 

most precious secret with me. 

“I would give everything for it.” 

Knitting all my strength, I uttered the most frightening question. 

“They won’t let us to be together, will they?” 

Her hand failed her as she was putting mascara on my eyelashes. 

“Let’s not talk about the sad stuff. This is a festive day anyway.” 

The answer to my question was very obvious. 

“The way Túaths experience love is different from the human way. 

Our feeling of love is much, much stronger. We fall in love once and 

forever. There are plenty of Túaths like me and Nit whose love is 

forbidden and plenty of those who reconcile themselves obediently to 

their lot,” Jordana looked at the dark expanse of sea. “I always 

admired Eli for his way of living his life, following his own laws 

despite any risks. He is like a trapeze artist without a safety net. He 

always balances on the edge, and so far, he has not fallen. He is a lucky 

bastard.” 

Rays of moonlight penetrated the room through the tall French 

window and crawled over the floor toward Jordana’s feet. However, 

they faded away in the direct light cast by floor lamps. Jordana sat 

hunched like an old woman bent with age. The words she was 

preparing to voice had a decisive influence on her life. 

“I hope Eli’s luck will hold because I have made my choice, and I 

side with him.” 

Jordana had decided to fight for her love. She was eager to protect 

her right to be free; to be able to live her life the way she chose. 

The bedroom door opened wide, and Jordana and I shrieked. It 

was Nit. 

“Are you coming? We’re dying from hunger,” his open-animated 

smile made him look childish. 

“We’re ready,” she replied standing up. Nit gave her a wink and left 

the room. 

~ 311 ~

She zipped the back of my dress, paired it with elegant fleshcolored 

peep-toe heels, and placed a full glass of wine in front of me. 

Maybe it was the wine kicking in, but the turmoil of that day started 

to slowly disappear in the mist of new impressions. Actually, maybe I 

was already a bit tipsy. 

“Are you ready to see yourself?” 

The color of the dress resembled cherry blossoms and emphasized 

the paleness of my skin. My dark hair cascaded down my shoulders 

like a waterfall and shimmered in the yellowish lights of the floor 

lamps. My cheeks were the color of rose buds. My chin and 

cheekbones became sharper, thus putting more emphasis on my big 

golden-green eyes that looked like the meadows in summer. 

I had never felt more beautiful, but then I had never looked so 

fragile yet felt so strong before now either. This was the real me. 

“It’s time,” Jordana’s cold fingers touched my shoulder. 

“Sure,” I smiled and took her hand. 

When we entered the room laughter subsided. I blushed under their 

admiring stares. 

“Shut up, you two,” said Eli who read Nit’s and Pietro’s thoughts. 

The tone of his voice was rather marveled than angry. 

“I’m glad you’re all pleased!” Jordana smiled quite nervously and 

emptied one more glass of wine. 

“Does it also seem suspicious to you the redhead is leading the 

wine drinking field tonight?” Nit asked Eli loud enough for her to 

hear. 

“Today is a really special day,” Jordana said seriously looking at Nit. 

The day to make life-changing decisions, I contemplated. 

Probably nobody else had noticed how Eli nodded to show his 

affirmation and gratitude. His eyes were smiling as he slouched on the 

sofa with his hands folded on the back of his head. His brushed back 

hair seemed to twinkle with rich brilliance under the light of the lamps. 

Eli looked at Jordana like a general who was committed to lead his 

troops into the battle, a battle he was going to win. 

~ 312 ~

Jordana was still holding my hand tightly as if she was afraid she 

would lose her courage if she let go. I did not want to release her hand 

either. I rarely gravitated to anyone. Well, I was never particularly 

interested in people, but with Túaths it was an entire different story. I 

sensed a strong emotional connection between them and me--they 

were like my real family that had always been by my side and always 

enriched my life. 

Nit stood up and joined us. He was dressed in a saffron-colored 

shirt and black pants. 

“We’re going all out tonight! Not every day is one’s eighteenth 

birthday!” he gave me a strong hug. 

“Do you mean you are gonna devour the cook as well?” Eli taunted 

Nit. Everyone knew about Nit’s extraordinary appetite. 

“Yes,” he agreed licking his lips, “and afterwards, I will eat the 

guests. You’ll be my dessert course.” 

“You’ll get a twisted bowel.” 

I laughed and hugged Nit with one arm and Jordana with the other. 

“Thank you for the surprise.” 

“In fact, Jordana’s intent was to organize a BIG party, and Eli 

barely managed to dissuade her and to replace it with a dinner in a 

café,” Nit explained. 

“At least he did not dissuade me from buying presents!” she 

exclaimed in excitement. Her golden locks jumped as she moved. 

I dabbed my eyes and found them wet. I missed the moment when 

tears appeared in my eyes. I lowered my head to conceal them, but it 

was too late. Eli came close and leaned into me. The expression of his 

stunningly beautiful face demonstrated the full understanding of our 

situation. He smiled at me with the most spellbinding smile. It melted 

me like ice cream under direct sunlight. He knew I was crying from 

joy. 

“Can’t be any sillier,” I felt angry with myself. 

“Did you wanna have a party?” Jordana wondered. 

~ 313 ~

“No,” I waggled my head drying out the remaining tears, “this all is 

so touching. I have never before had a birthday celebration. Moreover, 

have never received any presents.” 

Their countenance spoke compassion, and I realized I had put my 

foot in my mouth. Only weak people felt sorry for themselves. 

Eli caressed a lock of my hair again. Well, that seemed to be our 

alternative way of expressing feelings. 

“So, tonight you will make up for all the lost years,” he stated. 

A smile brightened on my face. I had everything I could have ever 

dreamt about. I had a family! 

“Happy birthday,” Eli said tenderly. 

“Are you going to unwrap your presents?” asked Jordana 

impatiently. Eli laughed. 

“You are hopeless!” 

“I did my best choosing them. So, I have a right to know whether 

Leela likes them or not.” 

I glimpsed at the heap of boxes carefully decorated with ribbons 

and bows. 

“Start with the blue one,” she pointed at the large rectangular box 

with a silver bow. 

I did, indeed like them. After the majority of the boxes were 

opened, a mountain of clothes were covering the sofa and the 

armchairs. I received dozens of high heels, ballerina flats, dresses, and 

jeans. 

“Gosh! This must have cost a fortune, you guys!” I was bemused 

looking at designer label tags attached to each item. Each pair of jeans 

cost more than $1000 US dollars, and there were at least ten of them 

in total. “I cannot accept these.” 

“Don’t you like it?” Jordana questioned. She was perplexed. 

“I do like it, a lot! But it’s too much!” 

~ 314 ~

“You bought plenty of clothing for yourself, and now you’ll do the 

same for Leela. Soon we won’t have any room left at home. Every 

spot serves as storage for your dresses, shoes, purses, and…stuff!” 

complained Nit marking his displeasure with a frown. 

“I only have bare essentials!” Jordana replied narrowing her eyes. 

“Indeed, that’s why you haven’t worn the majority of them even 

once,” he said mockingly. They were quarrelling like an old married 

couple, and it cheered me up. “You even occupied my study and 

organized an additional clothes room over there.” 

“You gave it up yourself!” she stood with her hands on her hips. 

“Well,” he lifted his big hazel eyes to the ceiling, “your request was 

extremely persuasive.” 

She blushed as red as a beetroot. Nit winked. 

“I still have two more rooms left.” 

“You’ll repent of this!” Jordana was so outraged she spoke in 

hissing whisper. 

“Sounds so arousing,” Nit said playfully moving his eyebrows. 

He dashed forward supporting his elbows on his knees. Nit 

compensated lack of grace with brutal acridness, combined with the 

kindness his eyes kindled in plenty, he was quite charming. 

“Keep your family recriminations to yourselves,” Eli tapped Nit on 

his chest. “It’s my turn for the present now.” 

Eli handed a small black chest to me that was no bigger than a 

jewelry box. It contained a silver key, which looked very ordinary and 

was even a bit worn. It could fit many different locks, and I was left to 

figure out which lock it opened. 

“The key to your heart?” Nit said with a grin. 

“No, his heart must be encrypted with a password,” suggested 

Jordana. 

“So, Leela must be a world-class lock picker then,” concluded Eli 

who was reclining on the couch with his feet propped on the coffeetable. 

“What does it open?” I was prey to curiosity. 

~ 315 ~

“I’m not telling,” Eli was smiling cunningly, “but I’ll show you.” 

“Today?” 

He narrowed his eye like a cat and shook his head no. Everyone 

was intrigued by the mysterious present, and curiosity was just killing 

me. 

“And not to forget about this,” Eli pointed toward the object 

wrapped in white paper we picked up in the glass shop. 

I came closer to the table making guesses of what it could be. 

“May I open this?” I asked Eli. 

“Come on!” cried out Jordana. 

I tore the thin paper to discover a figurine of two cuddling lovers. 

Fire and water. They stood holding each other, or to be more exact, 

entwined into one being. A fiery-red haired young man leaned his head 

on the light blue silhouette of the young girl. Flares of flames rose up 

from underneath his feet and embraced her slender figure. In some 

places red and blue glass fused, creating a phenomenal play of color 

and depth of perception. 

“My God!” I covered my face with my hands. “They are majestic! 

This is just…is just…unbelievable!” 

“I didn’t order this as a birthday present for you,” commented Eli, 

and I froze on the spot from amusement. He burst into laughter. 

“You didn’t?” 

“This is for both of us. We’ll place it in our home.” 

Those words were the very meaning of bliss for me. I knew Eli 

occupied the same house as Nit and Jordana, and now I was going to 

live there, too, when I would move to Ambré? Still, the act of 

purchasing the first common thing for our home felt very special to 

me. I probably would have been excited even if it were a package of 

milk or a cooking pan. It was not surprising the glass masterpiece, 

depicting us like a family portrait, left me totally stunned. 

“I approve of this,” smiled Nit. “And now comes my present,” he 

handed me a red pencil case, which also had a key inside. 

~ 316 ~

“Another key,” I concluded, but this one was not a riddle. It was a 

car key. Actually, to be precise, an Audi car key. 

Eli whistled appreciation. 

“R8.” 

“For sure,” Nit confirmed with a smile. 

“Are you giving me a car?” I said with a high-pitched voice. 

“Just a car,” casually remarked Nit. 

“I cannot accept this,” I shook my head. They all laughed as if I 

told a really funny joke. 

“Of course you can,” said Jordana, smiling. 

“I bet you’ll be truly astonished when you find out what that small 

key opens,” Nit stretched out on the sofa next to Eli. They were so 

different. One could not find any signs of kinship even if one was 

determined. Big and swarthy Nit resembled an American black bear 

while Eli had traits and grace of a jaguar. 

I was holding the car key in my hand not knowing what to do. 

“Today is your eighteenth birthday. It is the most important day in 

a Túath’s life, and a car is just an eye-pleasing set-dressing.” 

Then Pietro approached me and handed me a blue velvet hard case. 

“Happy birthday,” he engaged me with a smile for the first time, 

although a shadow of alertness still flickered somewhere deep in his 

eyes. 

I lifted the lid and found a bracelet made out of braided wavy bars 

of a white metal. 

Sapphire droplets hung down from the bars and shimmered in the 

soft illumination by Chinese lamps. Pietro helped clasp the bracelet on 

my slender wrist. Every touch of his fingers surged waves of heat on 

my skin. 

“Thank you,” I expressed overwhelmed by the present. 

“I had almost forgotten about this!” exclaimed Eli. He ducked into 

the bedroom and re-appeared with a small parcel. The wrapping paper 

was decorated with images of Afghan hounds. I had never seen such a 

weird drawing before. 

~ 317 ~

“This is from Jared. He was going to drop by, but he was sent on a 

mission last minute.” 

I stared incredulously at the gift. For some reason, I had the feeling 

it should not be unwrapped in the presence of company. 

“I’ll open it later.” 

“Do it now!” Jordana insisted. “It is the first time, on my account, 

that Jared is congratulating someone. Usually, one doesn’t even get a 

postcard from him, let alone an actual gift.” She gave me an imploring 

glance. 

The thin wrapping paper immediately gave up and exposed a 

brown envelope. I tore it along the rim and looked inside. 

“What’s in there?” Jordana was tormented with impatience. 

I took out a tube of strawberry lip gloss. 

“Your favorite one?” I turned to Eli. He was the only one who 

knew what I was referencing. Eli started to laugh recalling my 

acquaintance with Jared. 

“There is something else in there!” shouted Jordana and pulled the 

envelope out of my hands. 

“Don’t!” I asked her. 

“Wow!” she already picked up black uber-lacy underwear. 

“Lovely!” Jordana exclaimed examining the panties. 

I grabbed the scandalous piece and pushed it back inside the 

envelope. Eli’s eyes were pleased. Most likely this present was meant 

for him. 

Another glass of wine almost swept me off my feet, and I was 

wearing high heels. My stomach grumbled. I was so hungry my navel 

felt glued to my backbone. Eli graciously jumped on his feet, and the 

others followed. At the entrance, Jordana stopped Nit and handed him 

a large bag. 

“What’s this?” he said grumpily peeking inside the bag. “Let me 

guess. The bare essentials?” the biting tone of his voice put a smile on 

Jordana’s face. 

~ 318 ~

She came within a hair’s breadth to him, arched her arm around his 

head, and pulled it towards her. His earlobe as well as his entire 

essence surrendered to her lips. 

“You are so smart,” she whispered in sarcastic manner and walked 

away swaying her hips. Nit licked his lips hungrily, shook his head, and 

followed her. I did not know the details of their complicated affair, but 

I saw clearly the air around them sparkled with tension. 

“This is just the beginning,” commented Eli laughing. When I gave 

him an inquisitive look he smiled even bigger. 

A velvet nocturnal veil dropped over Venice filling the air with the 

measured beat of waves and the chirping of crickets. A full moon 

encompassed by glimmering stars bestowed its magical silver light 

down on the land and the looking-glass of channels. A small 

motorboat took us to Piazzale Roma. 

A shiny white car, with interlocking circles on the logo, welcomed 

us in the empty parking lot. To say the car was remarkably beautiful 

would still be an understatement. It seemed the smooth lines of the 

body were drawn by wind itself. 

My palms were sweating from excitement. It was a two-seater car. I 

assumed Eli would join me, but I still him asked out of politeness, 

“Who will be my passenger?” 

“Definitely not me,” Pietro replied without any hesitation. 

“Why not?” Jordana grinned leaning against the passenger door. 

“You have just emptied a wine bottle. Are you really expecting 

someone to sit in a car with you?” 

“Yes,” I said confidently. 

“No!” he refused. 

I found my ridiculous stubbornness funny and fully realized Pietro 

was right, that one of the guys should take the wheel. But prudence 

was hopelessly imprisoned somewhere deep in my consciousness. So, I 

decided to steer myself, and was flabbergasted by the flavor of novelty 

the inside of the car emanated. 

~ 319 ~

“No way! I am not giving up my place behind the wheel,” I 

declared. “After all, it can’t be more dangerous than that encounter 

with henchmen today.” 

Jordana hoisted her feet over the car door and crashed next to me 

giggling. She adjusted her dress and buckled the seat belt. 

“Crank it up!” 

“C’mon,” Eli reclined against the closed door from my side. His 

hair covered half of his face, however, exposing a playful smile. “I 

believe I would be honored to take the passenger seat.” 

I dove into his tantalizing sex-appeal glance and sensed electrical 

charges penetrating my skin. It sent shivers up and down my spine, 

and the chilly wind only encouraged them. How incredibly handsome 

he was! The sharp symmetry of his facial lines was heightened in the 

moonlight. It was as if his face was painted by distinct brush strokes. 

He seemed like a character from a black-and-white film with bleached 

cheekbones and eyes with onyx eyelashes glowing within the frame. 

His smile was captivating. In order to extinguish the sudden thirst, I 

fetched the wine bottle from Jordana’s hands and took a swig. 

Thoughts cheerfully galloped through my drunken head as my heart 

joyfully bounced to every beat. 

“There are four seats in total: two in the Ferrari, and two in the 

Audi. Am I supposed to run along?” Jordana arched her fine 

eyebrows. 

“You can sit on my lap,” Nit instantly suggested. 

“I’ll think about it,” she purred, “on the way back.” 

I turned the key in the ignition. The engine gently roared 

encouraging me to press the gas pedal. 

“Do you at least know where we are going?” asked Eli in a smartaleck 

manner. 

Confidence slowly vanished from my face. 

“Do you know where we are supposed to go?” I passed the 

question over to Jordana in a quiet voice. 

She froze to the spot, 

~ 320 ~

“I think there is only one road here,” she said pointing and 

sounding less confident. 

“Where were we going anyway?” I asked in even lower voice so 

that only she could hear me. 

Eli spluttered with laughter. 

“Oh, you pretty things,” Eli jumped into the car and perched 

himself right in the middle behind us. I felt his breath on the back of 

my head and neck. His scent intoxicated me. 

“Go for it, curly,” he whispered. 

I hit the accelerator, and the screeching car launched forward 

leaving behind the puzzled onlookers. Jordana roared with 

amusement. 

“It’s much cooler than it seemed at first!” 

I noticed the Ferrari headlights in my rear-view mirror. It 

approached us like white eyes of a monster piercing the darkness. The 

most uproarious engine sound was fast approaching, and in a second, 

Nit’s red car sped by ushering us with victorious exclamations. 

Jordana stood up hastily, wrapped into a fiery cocoon of red hair, 

and opened her arms. 

She uttered a cheerful shout, “Take them over!” 

“Hold on!” I yelled very loudly hoping she would hear me. 

I pressed down on the sensitive pedal, and the engine bellowed like 

a wild animal. A hot adrenaline-filled capsule suddenly exploded inside 

me. The Audi’s belly kissed the road like a cheetah before its final 

jump, and jerked forward. Jordana fell down in her seat with a cry of 

admiration. 

The Ferrari forged ahead like an unattainable goal, whereas my 

baby, or just simply I, did not have enough guts to overtake it. I 

decided to cool the Italian’s beautiful ardor and concentrate my efforts 

on the content of its gas tank. Besides, learning more about my own 

abilities in extreme circumstances was definitely a necessity. However, 

I noticed we were rapidly approaching the Ferrari, which clearly 

slowed down, and then stopped. 

~ 321 ~

“Are you cheating?” Eli teased me. His voice was carried away by a 

gust of wind. 

“Just a bit.” 

We pulled level with the car. 

“You’re losing with the rules,” Pietro said strictly lecturing me like a 

guilty schoolgirl. 

“Did we even set up any rules?” I gave him a wink and pressed the 

accelerator. The sounds of laughter sang around us like a flock of 

hummingbirds. 

We reached Lido di Jesolo in a matter of minutes. The white sand 

beaches of this small gem of the Venetian Riviera stretched over 

several miles--accommodating numerous hotels, cozy cafés, and 

restaurants. Their lights gleamed on the reflection of the sea like 

iridescent raindrops. 

“Over here,” Eli pointed at two empty parking spots in front of the 

building with red marquees. Some of the light yellow paint scaled off, 

and its shreds were hanging over the façade like spider webs. A row of 

wooden tables covered with white sheets stood in front of the house. 

Bread baskets and spices spread such a delicious smell that my head 

began to swim. It’d been ages since I properly ate. 

The restaurant area was divided into compartments and halls. The 

walls were decorated with framed photos and bas-reliefs; some bore 

frescos with picturesque beaches. The place of honor was given to the 

portraits of the owners who were running the place well into the third 

generation. 

Dusty wine bottles and figurines rested on the shelves. All tables, 

except for one window-place, were occupied. 

“They offer one of the best cuisines on the entire coast,” explained 

Pietro. It was his task to choose the eating place, and he had 

accomplished it perfectly, since he has been living here for his entire 

life. He knew the region as well as he knew his ten fingers. 

~ 322 ~

The owner personally came out to welcome us in the full glory of 

Italian hospitality. We purchased a bottle of the best wine and a 

plentitude of food. I never thought until now I was able to eat so 

much. 

Every meal was unbelievably delicious. By the time the desserts 

came, I was torn apart by the desire to try them all, or fear I would 

burst open if even a humble crumb fell into my over-stuffed stomach. 

We left the café and noticed the huge yellow sphere of the moon 

hanging above the sea. The melodic sound of waves playing with fine 

white sand lured me to the water. I took off my shoes and followed 

the music of the wash. Warm, fluffy sand spread beneath my bare feet 

like butter. The splashing of waves cordially approached me and 

retreated back to the sea whispering. Eli came and stood next to me. 

We stopped at the water’s edge allowing the waves to caress our 

ankles. The moon glade shone on the water like a diamond placer. The 

sea was still warm. 

“We need music,” Jordana walked into the water mid-leg and 

started to swirl with wide spread hands. 

“I could sing a song,” Nit offered. 

“Then I will end up in a hospital with eardrum rupture tonight,” 

she thoughtfully glanced at the parking lot, sixty-fiveee feet away from 

us. 

“Bring the car here.” 

I howled with laughter. The moon, the wine, and the sea all turned 

my head upside down as well as my whole world. 

“This is not a boombox!” I said finding Jordana’s words absurd. 

“Good idea,” Nit headed towards the car leaving huge footprints in 

the sand. “Which one do you want?” 

“Are you kidding me?” I burst into loud laughter. I was choking on 

a hearty laugh. 

~ 323 ~

But it was not a joke. In a minute, the Audi was displaced like a toy 

car made out of carton. It stood by the water’s edge and transmitted a 

song of a well-known R&B performer. Jordana and I danced in the 

moonlight. 

My body followed the song’s rhythm, and every cell of it was 

overfilled with energy and a fierce desire to move. Wet sand nicely 

tickled my feet. I migrated deeper in the water, which reached my 

ankles first and then crawled up to my knees. I was feeling hot from 

rampant dancing. The droplets splashed around us like beads from a 

broken necklace. 

We were drunk on happiness and wine as we moved concertedly in 

tune with new melodies without ever feeling tired. At some point, we 

held hands and revolved so quickly we fell down in the water. It was 

shallow and warm. We undertook several futile attempts to stand up, 

drowning in loud laughter. That silly laughter without any good reason 

and enjoyable splashes in the nocturnal seawater made us infinitely 

happy. 

At a certain moment, the water around us suddenly retreated, and 

we were lying open in the sand. Sopping wet dresses were pasted to 

our bodies like second skin. Jordana stared at me with an indistinct 

question in her clouded eyes. 

“What a show!” Nit admired. 

“Pietro!” Jordana booed. “Get the water back in place!” 

“As you wish!” 

The waterfall rained on us, impaling us to the sea bed. Loud 

laughter came from the shore. 

“You ruined my hair!” She pulled apart soggy locks that looked like 

icicles. 

I sensed the power and happiness of the water around us as if it 

was inviting me to play with it. I raised my hands in a theatrical 

gesture, although it was not necessary, and engaged a wave. 

~ 324 ~

Before the guys could even realize what was going to happen, they 

went under the water. Now, it was our time to laugh. I collapsed with 

much laughter seeing their quizzical expressions. 

In a split second, the water pulled back from our feet, rose up 

overhanging us, and streamed down on our heads. This time 

everybody was shaking with hilarity. 

“You are a fast learner!” cried Nit bolting to his feet running 

towards us. 

“The credit goes to my teacher,” I uttered through laughter and 

created a water wall between us when Nit was just a few steps away. 

He literally rammed into it. 

Jordana gave me her hand, and I dragged her after me. We were 

now behind Nit. He was desperately trying to find us by groping 

through the water curtain. Joining forces with Jordana, we pushed him 

inside. He disappeared behind the opalescent barrier causing a new 

burst of merriment. The water collapsed on Nit. 

Dripping wet, he drew himself up and took off his shirt exposing 

his torso. Nit’s eyes gleamed, and he attacked Jordana who stood on 

my right side. After she ran away screaming, he suddenly turned 

towards me. Unexpectedly, I was in his strong arms. He lifted me up 

in the air, disregarded my pleas, and threw me into the water. I made a 

dive of several yards. When I emerged he was already chasing Jordana. 

She was almost to shore when he grabbed her, and they both fell in 

the water. After they resurfaced he pulled her closer and pressed his 

lips against hers. She struggled at first, but gave up very soon. I saw 

her legs embracing his hips, and her fingers buried in his short hair. 

The kissing couple submerged under water. 

When I returned back to shore, the water was dripping from my 

soggy clothes. I sat down in the warm sand next to Eli. A fire broke 

out in front of us. 

“It will warm you up,” Eli keenly eyed my body shining through the 

wet, transparent fabric. His lips curled in a bad-boy smile. He bit his 

lower lip, but then smiled even wider as he reclined back onto his 

elbows. 

~ 325 ~

Nit joined us near the fire, whereas Jordana hurried to the car to 

retrieve two wine bottles. 

My hair started to curl up as it dried. I leaned back and looked up 

into the starry sky. Small dots were flickering on the dark blue canvas 

of the universe like fireflies. Eli moved close to me. His eyes were 

smiling. 

“More wine?” Jordana handed us a bottle. 

“Perhaps only a small sip,” I said realizing I would lapse into 

unconsciousness at the next stage. Still, I did not want to stop. 

Eli rose half-way to fetch the wine for me and unintentionally 

touched me. He likely had not noticed. However, I sensed nothing, 

absolutely nothing. He did not burn me. For the first time in all our 

history, I turned to him and ran my fingers over his shoulder. Nothing 

again. Amazed, he followed my movements. 

“Is everything fine?” 

“Even better than fine,” I whispered and caressed his chin with my 

hand. Eli raised his eyebrows. 

“You don’t get burned?” 

I shook my head no, and my lips moved into a smile. I rejoiced like 

a prisoner who had finally released after a long sentence. This was the 

most wonderful birthday present. 

With a shade of doubt, Eli cupped my face with his palms. We 

slowly lounged in the sand. His face approached me, and his lips 

slightly nibbled my neck. He still could not believe it. His hot breath 

pleasantly prickled my skin. The same fire was glowing in his eyes. 

Every touch surged breathtaking waves of desire through my body. 

The overwhelming power of attraction drew us closer and closer to 

each other. His lips finally covered mine, and sweet passion clouded 

my mind like fog. 

“It is dawn,” said Pietro bringing us back into the realm. “Guess we 

have to go back.” 

But, I wanted that night to last forever. 

~ 326 ~

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

~ SWEET NOTHING ~ 

! 

We quickly returned to the hotel and retired to our respective 

suites. Nit and Jordana were staying in an adjacent room. I could 

hardly move my tired legs, which caused me to stagger on the junglelike 

pile of carpet. My skin was in need of a good shower from all of 

the sea water, and a good shower would probably help bring me back 

down to earth, too. 

I reached for the zipper on my back with a great effort to try and 

unzip my dress, but the fastener would not budge. I struggled with it 

while looking backwards into the mirror. It was frozen in the same 

position and refused to give up. After a few arduous, but fruitless 

attempts, I had to acknowledge my utter defeat. 

“Could you please help me?” I loudly called out for him. No 

answer. A futile peek into the bedroom confirmed that he was not 

there. 

“Eli!” 

He still did not appear. Softly treading in my bare feet and harking 

to all noises, I headed from the bedroom to the living room. The floor 

was rocking like the deck of a ship. The suite was spacious, but one 

could not hide in it forever. Eli was likely in the smaller bathroom. 

~ 327 ~

I reached for the door handle, and the door opened wide. I could 

hardly keep my balance and almost bumped into an absolutely naked 

Eli. I lost my breath and stopped dead in my tracks. Instead of giving 

him a bit of privacy, I was staring at his impeccable body covered with 

diamond-like drops. He obviously just came out of the shower and 

had not even dried himself yet. I inhaled a deep breath of his intense 

entrancing scent and immediately felt weakness in my feet; goose 

bumps on my skin. He represented an ultimate biological weapon. The 

mixed aroma of peppermint, pink pepper, and grapefruit filled my 

nostrils. This was the smell of desire and temptation--seductively spicy 

and refreshingly light at the same time. 

Eli reached for the towel that was hanging behind my back. His 

naked torso almost touched me. I was captivated by his scent, which 

got entangled with the fresh and harsh odor of soap. 

“You don´t mind, do you?” he said. Muscles of steel were rolling 

under his baby-soft skin when he moved. He had a divinely beautiful 

male physique with every line being ideally proportioned to the whole. 

He was even more confused with my presence than I. So, he hastily 

wrapped the towel around his waist. The drops of water had already 

evaporated from his chest. 

“Were you looking for me?” he asked in the low husky voice, or 

maybe it was just my corrupted perception by the bout of hormones 

infused into my blood. His charms were engulfing me, dragging me 

into a gulf by invisible bonds. I felt myself as a bomb ready to 

detonate. Eli´s scent spread throughout the room. The air was sweet 

and spicy, and it was driving me insane. 

Moments like these often turned one into a primitive prehistoric 

ape driven by basic instincts only. 

Suddenly, Eli laughed so loud that I shuddered. My throat was 

completely dry. A glimpse into the mirror revealed I was not just red, 

but purple. 

~ 328 ~

“I´m sorry…so silly...” I mumbled desperately trying to get out of 

the bathroom. The words did not come easy. “My zipper is stuck, and 

I called your for help so you could unzip me. And when you did not 

answer, I went to look for you, and...” 

“Found me,” he smiled carnivorously. “So, you were looking for 

me to help you undress?” 

“No, of course no,” I muttered. “Well, in fact yes, but only because 

the zipper...” Wait a minute! Why am I seeking justification?! I questioned 

myself. 

“I don´t know,” Eli cracked a sly smile and turned me around. 

His hot, heavy breath hit my neck and went down my spine 

together with the released zipper. The dress fell down from my 

shoulders with ease. Eli stiffened with astonishment. 

Leela, get your dress and cover yourself at least! The thought flickered in 

my head, but faded away a second later. 

I turned my face to him and feasted my eyes on the fiery flashes 

glowing in his eyes. They moved so frenetically he seemed like he 

would burst into flames any minute. 

“What are you doing?” he asked, inhaling deeply. His hoarse voice 

sounded rapaciously and frightened at once. 

I remained silent not knowing the answer myself. 

“Leela, please get dressed. It doesn’t mean much that I can touch 

you right now. Most likely the defenses were weakened because of 

alcohol, but we don’t know when it will get restored.” 

It seemed more like he was trying to persuade himself. 

“Besides, I also had some shots. So, I’m not sure I would be able to 

draw the line in this condition,” he summarized with a great deal of 

effort. 

Eli was convincing, but he stared at my body like a hungry 

predatory cat hypnotized by its fated prey. His glance was wild, scary, 

and a bit estranged. Eli closed his eyes giving me a chance to leave and 

put on my clothes. He was breathing quite heavily as if he just had ran 

a marathon. 

~ 329 ~

I retrieved my dress and headed to the bedroom at a brisk pace. I 

did not get far. Eli was standing in the doorway blocking my way. He 

was fired up beyond anything I had seen before. Was he struggling 

with himself? Not only were his eyes burning, but his entire body was 

glimmering, emitting an unfamiliar shine. Instead of getting alarmed, I 

developed a swell of heat that flooded all fortresses of common sense 

in my mind. 

I put my palms on his firm chest. My fingertips gently traced the 

outline of his abs. I bit my lower lip when I started caressing the skin 

in the dangerous proximity of his hips and the sensitive skin on his 

abdomen. Eli grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me hard 

against the wall. He pressed his thighs strongly into mine so that every 

inch of our bodies came into contact with the counterpart, causing 

waves of bliss to rush through my veins. He parted my lips thirstily 

with his, and his ardent breath invaded my mouth, together with his 

tongue. 

Tremendous amounts of electric current soared through my body 

uniting us into a magic circuit. He uttered a tense sigh that made my 

knees fail. I started to kneel down, but Eli caught me by my waist. My 

legs went up, clasping around his hips, and the towel fell. This was the 

point of no return. 

I licked his hot neck, and then gently bit and tenderly sucked on his 

earlobe. He moaned, and his sound drove me over the edge. My 

fingers were lost in his locks of hair, but then found their way down 

his back. 

One picture frame got loose and fell to the floor with a clear sound 

as it broke into two pieces. He lifted me and brought me to the 

bedroom, kicking aside everything that was in his way. Our lips had 

not parted for even one second. We became like one entity. 

~ 330 ~

Eli placed me over the snow white silk sheets and laid himself over 

me. This sweet heaviness was delightfully fulfilling. His hand 

supported my back pulling me towards him. His other hand rested at 

my bottom. He seemed to be moving deliberately slow to get the full 

taste of each moment. A hurricane was growling inside of me causing 

short moans every time his lips touched my sweet spots. Eli groaned. 

His chest was excitedly moving up and down. 

His tongue impatiently and passionately caressed my neck, then 

followed the collarbone, and traced the voluptuous lines of my breasts. 

He finally reached the last stand down in my lower area. His touch 

triggered gushes of energy vibrating all over me. 

Eli paused, raised himself on his hands, and looked at me. 

“Now is your last chance to stop me,” his glance was searing me, 

longing for an answer. I was silent. I was speechless; completely 

molten down under his hot and stone-hard body. 

Eli pounced on me like a lion attacking its prey. His lips clung to 

the sensitive skin of my abdomen. He pulled the thin strap, and my 

bikini piece fell apart under his command. His touch was not so tender 

anymore. 

His tongue was now moving persistently, and I even felt his teeth 

on my skin, which was becoming helpless from pleasure. Warm tingles 

remained as a reminder of the places he had just touched. His hands 

moved impudently, grabbing my members. Eli’s lips were hungrily 

feasting on mine, and our tongues entangled, encouraging me on. My 

lips met his earlobe again. I teased it with my tongue and teeth. His 

breath quickened. I could feel his heart pounding feverishly as my 

hands pressed against his chest. His whole body rained down on me. 

His thighs assertively pinned me to the bed… 

******* 

~ 331 ~

I heard his heavy breath through my sleep. It was so close his 

breaths tickled my neck. I opened my eyes. Eli was lying next to me, 

resting his head on his elbow, and inspecting the birth-mark on the 

lower part of my belly. 

He smiled at me when he noticed I was awake. His hands crawled 

below the sheets, and it was then, I realized I was completely naked. 

Probably this revelation flashed somehow through my face since he 

starting laughing. 

“Remember,” he said as the corners of his lips curled up, “You’re 

blushing cheeks are speaking for you.” 

“Has it happened?” I asked barely moving my lips. 

“What happened?” he echoed doe-eyed. 

I could not say it out loud no matter how hard I tried. 

“Did we still make that?” I recalled nothing. 

“Make what?” he asked again with a foolish grin. 

“Love! You wanted me to say it! Did we make love last night?” 

“Uhhhh,” he exhaled loudly and raised his eyes up to the ceiling. 

“That sounds so…” 

He deferred with the answer. So, I began interrogating my own 

senses in order to find the answer. 

I covered my head with the sheet and groaned. 

“I don’t remember anything!” 

“Because nothing happened.” 

“How come?” I courageously peered out through the sheet. 

“You fell asleep at the most important moment.” 

“Fell asleep?!” 

“Yep,” he laughed. “Somebody was really drunk last night,” he 

poked my belly with his finger, “and I was bound to spend several 

hours swimming in the pool to get back to my senses. Well, at least 

partly.” 

I reached my hand towards him and touched his prickly chin. 

He didn’t burn me anymore. 

~ 332 ~

“I guess my security system is off,” I said with a smile. 

Eli lifted his eyebrow and took a predatory move towards me. 

“And you are admitting this now while you are wearing nothing?” 

“I am wearing a sheet,” I said giving him a cunning side-glance. He 

was towering over me, and the thin piece of cloth remained the last 

border between us. 

Eli’s hot lips pressed against my neck. 

“Where were we last night…” he uttered quite raspingly. 

Suddenly, a loud bang came through the wall. I jumped up on the 

bed in amusement. 

“A usual morning after a good party. Now, Nit and Jordana will 

pretend for the hundredth time it was just a one night stand. You 

missed out on such a show after you turned in. It wasn’t easy for me 

to hear all those noises.” 

“I haven’t heard anything.” 

“Lucky you,” he smirked and again reached my lips for a short kiss. 

“Are you hungry?” he adjusted his hair with his hand, and moved a 

tray with pancakes and two cups of coffee closer to me. 

“Pancakes again?” 

“I liked the jelly-inspired scenario yesterday.” 

I dipped my finger into the jelly and wanted to taste it, but Eli 

grabbed my hand and slowly licked the jelly drop off. Then he took 

my other hand and rolled over on the bed. I was above him. Eli picked 

up the sheet and pulled it off me. 

“Wanna see you,” he whispered. 

The door suddenly opened, and Nit entered the room without 

knocking. He was only wearing a pair of jersey shorts, and his sleepy 

face bore indentations from the pillow. His hair was messed up on one 

side. 

“Good morning, guys,” he said sleepily with a broad smile. “Don’t 

get distracted.” 

Eli sunk his head on the bed and mumbled a curse. 

~ 333 ~

“Didn't they teach you to knock?” he said discontentedly. 

“Pancakes!” exclaimed Nit ignoring his brother’s comment. “Carrot 

cake? Come over! They have coffee and French pancakes for 

breakfast!” Nit called out and settled himself on the bed next to us. 

“I am so hungry,” Jordana said as she stormed into the room with 

her bushy red hair. She was wearing flannel pajamas with printed 

elephants. 

Eli covered me up with the sheet and embraced me tightly. 

“Like it wasn’t enough you banged all night like crazy rabbits and 

forced me to stay awake. Now, you are here to eat our breakfast?” 

“What was this sound, Jo?” Nit turned to her. “I felt as if a mouse 

farted somewhere.” 

“Indeed, I also heard that, “she replied and took one of the two 

coffee cups. In the next moment, she had to put it back with a cry 

after spilling coffee over the rim. 

“You burned me!” 

“Order your own breakfast.” 

“See, the mouse did it again. Haven’t you heard?” Nit was laughing. 

“We can call and order more coffee and pancakes and eat all 

together,” I suggested. 

Nit and Eli simultaneously looked at me, but with different facial 

expressions. 

“Leela, you are naked!” he grinned and turned to Eli. 

My breath got stuck half-way through my throat, which was 

burning from embarrassment. 

Eli grabbed the top pancake without saying a word and smeared it 

over Nit’s smiling face. It was now stuck to his forehead, then slowly 

loosened, and slid down to his stomach leaving jelly traces on his skin. 

Every bit of friendliness was swept from Nit’s face. He snatched a 

pillow and threw it at Eli. Then Eli grabbed it and punched Nit with it 

so hard the pillow case burst with feathers. When the cloud of 

feathers, which at first hindered the view, landed on the floor, I started 

laughing. Some feathers stuck to the jelly spots on Nit’s body. 

~ 334 ~

“Who grazed you, chick-a-bidy?” asked Eli while laughing. Even 

Jordana could not help but join in the laughter. 

Nit roared threateningly and attacked Eli. They rolled on the floor 

headed towards the balcony, crashing all pieces of furniture along their 

way. Nit grabbed Eli, threw him down, and jumped over the rail. I 

shouted fearing they would jump to their death. I rushed to the 

balcony. They both landed in the swimming pool, which was right 

below our window. The sounds of fighting spread outside. 

An elegantly dressed elderly woman came up to the balcony next to 

our suite. Her husband accompanied her. 

“What’s going on there, dear?” he asked trying to focus his bad 

eyes. 

“Oh, two youngsters are cuddling in the pool,” she explained after 

putting on her glasses. 

“Wonder why they make such strange sounds?” the elderly 

gentleman asked curiously. 

“Maybe this is a love play. Don’t you know these modern young 

people? Everybody can freely choose to do what they want in their 

own backyard,” the elderly woman quipped. 

“Damn it!” the old man spat furiously and hobbled away as soon as 

he could. His wife followed him. 

Jordana and I burst into fits of laughter. I doubled over and tried to 

wipe the tears as they involuntarily appeared in my eyes. 

“They just mistook you for a couple of lovers making out in the 

pool.” 

Nit and Eli, who were still holding each other tight, stopped 

fighting and turned to us. They immediately swam apart creating a safe 

distance. 

“Who cares, guys? You just go on. Maybe someone will film your 

‘foreplay’ on a mobile phone through a hole between the curtains. 

Then tomorrow you both will be YouTube stars!” 

Nit quickly swam to the margin of the pool and got out. 

~ 335 ~

“I am still not done loving you, my pretty!” Eli said languidly, and 

we started to laugh again. 

Eli blew me an air-kiss and stretched himself on top of the water 

spread-eagle. 

“The fact you don’t sink just proves you are a piece of poop,” Nit 

grumbled making himself comfortable in a type of hammock-chair. 

Eli crossed through the length and breadth of the pool underwater 

and then emerged, adjusting his wet hair that appeared even darker. 

“Come down here!” Eli beckoned me with his hand. 

We spent the first half of the day sun bathing and swimming. The 

quarrel around breakfast did not resume because we ordered food 

directly to the swimming area. When breakfast was served, one could 

see a flicker of astonishment of the faces of the well-trained waiters. 

The amount of food was indeed enormous. Their appetite was 

unbelievable. 

When the sun was at its peak, the time was almost half-past two. 

Eli started to prepare for the departure. The plane was leaving at 7 

p.m. Nit and Jordana disappeared behind the door of their suite, and 

we also went to pack our belongings. 

I sprawled out on the bed quite contentedly. 

“This was an incredible trip,” I said smiling, replaying my thoughts. 

Eli flopped down on the bed next to me. He laid sideways with his 

head resting on his hand. 

“One of the many. We will travel a lot.” 

I stretched so that my shirt moved up exposing the flat belly. 

“Are you teasing me?” 

He kissed me, and his heated breath spread over my skin. I was 

ticklish and giggled. He enjoyed my reaction and repeated it once 

again. I chuckled provoking more kisses. 

~ 336 ~

My joy-filled laughter tinkled like a bell. I was trying to duck, but 

Eli kissed my stomach, and then moved up to my neck. He began to 

sniff my ear. I curled up--shaking from unstoppable laughter--and 

attempted to jump out from beneath him. He gave in, and I straddled 

him laughing so hard that I had to wipe away my tears. 

“Never do this again!” I ordered putting on a serious face, but the 

corners of my lips involuntarily moved into a smile when I was 

looking into his mischievous eyes. He tenderly and passionately 

covered my lips with his. It was not just a kiss saying I love you. It was a 

kiss crying out I cannot live without you! This sweet union was burning 

deep and intoxicating; full of delicious touching and arousing sounds. 

My finger nails sunk into his naked back so the inner, untamed, bizarre 

flame broke free and engulfed his eyes. 

“We will miss the plane if we don’t leave right now,” Nit’s voice 

came from behind the door. The time was relentlessly moving 

forward, and again, we had to pause at the most perfect of times. 

~ 337 ~

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

~ SHATTERED SNOW ~ 

! 

Paradise is disinterested. 

Hell is overcrowded. 

Nowhere to go — 

I am stuck in here. 

In the headlights, the road pavement acquired a black satin luster. 

The cars piling up behind each other on the fast lane followed the 

meandering road like a ribbon. It had recently rained. The air was 

saturated with humidity and the specific heavy and musty smell of rain. 

The impenetrable forests around the town stood in breathless silence 

as if time had simply stopped. 

Two cars pulled up near Gina Hoggins’s house. The loud bangs of 

the car doors broke the theatrical silence, and we slowly got out 

stretching our swollen members. The mansion, surrounded by stagy 

darkness, stared at us morosely with empty windows. I noticed my 

Audi parked in the drive-way, which seemed absolutely impossible. 

How could it be delivered here in less than a day? 

“How did it get here?” I asked. 

“As if by sorcery!” responded Nit with a stretch. 

His long muscular hands went up exposing his lower abdomen. I 

could not let it go this time. My inquisitive mind was striving for 

answers to every question, and my curiosity was just killing me. 

“Exactly how?” I questioned again. 

“I rented the exact same car in Venice while yours was delivered 

here yesterday,” clarified Nit. Thus all magic was reduced to rustling 

green banknotes. 

~ 338 ~

We entered the empty house, and sudden melancholy gripped my 

heart at the thought of the days when Porto met me at the doorstep, 

pinned me to the floor, and slobbered all over my cheeks, was coming 

to an end. I heard the phantom patter of his paws scrabbling and 

stretching on the chair. I turned the lights on in the living room and 

stood frozen in my spot. The sounds were not just my imagination. An 

unfamiliar girl was slouching in an armchair. She had such a lean and 

tiny physique, I first mistook her for a child. Immediately, I realized 

my mistake when I met the voracious and penetrating gaze of her icy 

blue eyes filled with unhidden disgust. I slowly rose up, approached 

the fireplace, and sat on its rim. The fire instantly ignited within the 

chimney. 

I was staring at her narrow bony back without saying a word. Her 

shoulder blades poked out as if they used to bore clipped wings. 

“Come on, ask me. Aren’t you dying to know who I am?” she 

murmured, turning her head towards me. 

Her soft leisurely movements and contrived languish posture could 

not fool me. Her extremely light and cold eyes were more than 

unpleasant; she stabbed me with their ice as she stood up. Her petite 

face was framed by shortly cut dark hair with a long bang that covered 

her forehead. A mocking smile twisted her lips. 

The long histrionic silence exploded as Eli and Nit entered the 

room discussing their plans further in a very animated manner. Their 

facial expressions turned hostile in an instance when they saw the girl. 

A sudden fear flickered in her eyes. We faced each other squarely, and 

I observed her turning pale when Eli spat her name: 

“Rita!” 

She arched her back like a cat, but it looked like an attempt to cover 

her anxiety. 

“You are not glad to see an old friend?” Rita asked pouting her lips 

in fake sympathy. Her acting was not worthy an Oscar nomination. 

“Have we ever been friends?” Eli retorted back with a squeamishly 

sneer. 

~ 339 ~

She patted her hair. Something in her appearance was familiar, but I 

just could not pinpoint it. 

Jordana tripped into the room, holding a glass of water. She choked 

over her drink when she saw Rita. 

“What the crap!” she exclaimed wincing. 

“In the flesh,” Eli remarked, standing in line with me. “Get to the 

point!” he addressed Rita. 

“Ulmance wants to meet her,” Rita replied and gave me an arrogant 

look. She took a crumpled beige piece of carton out of her pocket and 

off-handedly threw it on the table. “Sorry, it got a bit dirty.” 

“I bet it did. You used it to wipe your butt after you crapped all 

over yourself waiting for us,” retorted Jordana. 

“Enough of your sarcasm, Knowles! You don’t want to have me on 

your enemy list.” 

“You are a sleazy slime bag capable of lighting a fire in a fireplace 

only. Don’t even mention me in the same breath!” Jordana grew 

savage. Rita tensed. 

“What’s in the message?” Eli inquired in a matter-of-fact tone. 

Rita unfolded the letter. 

“Yada-yada…Mumbo jumbo…Greetings from the honored Túath 

…Here! Leela shall be summoned to Ulmance’s quarters tomorrow at 

9pm.” 

My heart was madly beating as if it was trying to jump out of my 

chest. 

“In Ambré?” the question passed my lips. 

Rita poked me with a look full of hatred and disdain. 

“No, babe, in Hawaii. You are feeble-minded just as your mommy 

who tried to reconcile all parties!” 

~ 340 ~

Rita irritated me, and I was trying to reconcile with this feeling up 

to the moment when she insulted the memory of my mother. I failed 

to maintain my composure. The plentitude of my ardent and dreadful 

rage spilled out on her like sizzling hot magma. My fingers shivered 

from anger that clouded my mind. Rita shrieked in pain and clutched 

her head, but I could not let her go. My intention was to kill. 

A purple bloody thread streamed out of her nose. Through the 

indistinct groaning and rattling, I could barely decipher her plea to 

spare her life. But I could not stop. In my mind, I concentrated my 

wrath into a visional bombshell and launched it. The fragments 

scattered to the winds. Rita squalled and sprang backwards trying to 

stop the blood pouring out of her nose. Her breath was heavy and 

discontinuous--broken by sobbing. 

“You are insane!” she shouted at me. 

“Get lost and tell Ulmance we will attend tomorrow,” Eli ordered 

formidably. 

Wobbling, Rita swept her bizarre eyes over us, got back on her feet, 

and flicked the blood drops off her fingers onto the carpet. Before 

leaving she turned back to me and said, 

“You are as sick as he is,” she pointed at Eli. “I hope one of you 

will wipe out the other very soon.” 

After saying that, she quickly disappeared behind the doors. 

I leaned down on the chair feeling run-down. Eli patted me on my 

back. 

“It’s gonna be fine, Leela. You are ready by now.” 

******** 

~ 341 ~

I was trembling from a nervous fever throughout the night. 

Incapable of falling asleep, I started counting the dimmed rays of 

moonlight seeping through the slits of the curtains. A colorful 

patchwork of reminiscences was swirling in my head--Rita, Kay, 

Adlarick, Cole, Max, Marina, and Ulmance Grey. I contemplated about 

the upcoming meeting with the latter, about the fortune awaiting me 

and Eli. Was he going to accomplish his undertaking? Something was 

broken inside of me. I felt a horrible emptiness. 

The dryness in my mouth became even more annoying than 

insomnia. I went to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and 

sat on the table. I stared out the window. The outside nocturnal world 

was pitch-black like an ink stain, and silent. So stony silent that my 

own breath sounded like heavy whistling. Suddenly, a shadow 

soundlessly flickered behind me, or was it my imagination? I turned 

short just to find out I was alone in the kitchen. Nevertheless, bitter 

cold crawled into my heart. I was becoming paranoid. 

After jumping down from the table, and I went back to the 

bedroom. It was a windless night. The trees behind the windows stood 

motionless like in a scratchboard illustration. Impenetrable darkness 

devoured some parts of the living room. The polished floor was cold 

and slick as if it was made of ice. 

I reached the bedroom and felt relieved when I stepped over its 

threshold. Eli was sleeping here, but he was not alone. A shadow--a 

murky, tall, angular silhouette--was arching menacingly over his lifeless 

body. 

I heard the phantom inhaling loudly and it recalled the Grolls. 

Long entangled members were stretching forward to Eli like 

tentacles of a horrid cephalopod. Eli remained immobile and pale like 

a wax work. His eyes were closed and chest paralyzed. Was he even 

breathing? 

~ 342 ~

The hard, cold floor had momentarily turned into a liquid hot mass. 

The pulse hammered in my temples like an alarm bell. My eyes caught 

a sight of a bronze sumo-wrestler figure standing on a high coffee 

table. He rested his arms on his knees, and his massive belly was 

hanging down. I always thought it was an ugly unaesthetic piece of 

craftsmanship. Besides, completely useless till that very moment. 

There was no time to take aim especially because the silhouette was 

protected by the darkness. So, I grabbed the figurine and skirted it into 

the enemy. Without any loss of time, I rushed towards the shadow. 

The bronze lusus reached the target as was announced by a stifled cry. 

A second later, I smashed into him at full-force. We went head over 

heels onto the floor and crashed into the sliding mirror wardrobe. The 

glassy doors broke, showering a rain of small transparent shards over 

us. I firmly grasped at a larger chip of glass and held it to the 

adversary’s neck. I probably squeezed it too hard since blood streamed 

down my wrist. My hands were shaking, but felt no pain. I was only 

praying for Eli’s life. 

“So, you don’t fancy my present?” asked the familiar gruff voice, 

heaving a groan. I focused my eyes on him. 

“Jared!” I gasped in bewilderment, lowering my hand with the 

weapon. “Never thought I would be so glad to see you again!” 

I grabbed him into a tight embrace and sobbed into his fiery-red 

hair, “It’s just you!” 

“Just me!” he snapped a cutting remark. “Get off me!” he added 

grumpily. 

“I am so sorry, Jay.” I started to shake off the fragments of him. 

Eli clasped my shoulder and lifted me up. He turned me towards 

his sleepy and alarmed face and was searching for the signs of injuries. 

“I am fine,” I tried to calm him down while putting my bleeding 

hand behind my back. I felt sticky blood running down my fingers. 

“What are you doing here, Jay?” Eli looked very anxious. 

“Well, you used to say you were glad to see me anytime,” Jared said 

arching his eyebrow. 

~ 343 ~

Eli offered his hand to Jared to help him to stand up. 

I turned on the light. What a wreckage! The floor was covered with 

glass shatters and blood stains and my own blood. Jared only had a 

few cuts. He shook off the shiny silvery bits and grinned. Eli glimpsed 

at the old grandfather clock that showed a quarter to three, and then 

gave an inquiring look to Jared. 

“What has happened?” he interrogated wearily sitting down on the 

bed. Jared replied with a knowing glance of his green eyes, 

“So far nothing has happened, and it won’t if all of you follow my 

advice.” 

****** 

The next day in school passed like being in a haze. When we finally 

returned home at half-past three, I was completely exhausted by my 

inner turmoil and could hardly move my feet. 

“Are you ready?” asked Eli when the hands of the clock 

approached four. 

No, I was not ready. I had no clue how to behave myself in front of 

Ulmance or what to tell him. I had no idea what to expect from that 

meeting, but something inside of me was screaming after I had crossed 

the border between the two worlds my life--it would never be the 

same. The life I knew had permanently changed. 

We got into the car and drove west. I mutely observed the flecks of 

sunlight dashing the gray pavement and the trees swaying in the wind, 

while asking myself whether I would ever see them again. Soon the 

Lamborghini diverted from the asphalt road and into the wildwood 

headed into an unknown direction. The earth clods mixed with grit 

stone were rattling unsettlingly beneath the wheels of the car. We were 

driving for a long time, quietly submerged into each other’s thoughts. 

Once in a rare while, Eli tried to encourage me with some jokes, but I 

could not decipher them. 

~ 344 ~

The forest thinned out, and we were now headed south along an 

opening between dried-out stunted growths. The tree trunks poked 

out from the ground like bare bones. A quick turn unraveled snowcapped 

cliffs with a narrow gorge in between them. The temperature 

had abruptly fallen. 

“Is it far?” I asked. 

“We’re almost there.” 

Eli covered my knee with his hand and gave me a reassuring smile. 

“I’ll be with you every minute. Everything will be all right.” 

He looked tired. Maybe the incident last night had worn him out, 

or maybe the upcoming meeting with Grey affected him. 

Everything will be fine, I repeated these words like a prayer whereas 

the car entered the gorge just wide enough to accommodate it. 

The rocks seemed like they were ready squash us like a vice. The 

gorge was twisting like an eel’s trace, meandering and suddenly going 

upwards. My stomach cramped as we moved along the serpentinous 

road. 

“Do you want us to stop?” asked Eli holding my cold palm with 

great care. He drove as carefully as he could so that I would not throw 

up. 

“No, I am fine.” 

We soon passed the gorge and came into a forest growing on a 

mountain top. The road led through the tunnel framed by a wooden 

fence of giant pine trees. An endlessly long two-story house appeared 

in front of us. It was built from single sticks and looked like a chancecomer 

in the impassable depths of the forest. 

The Lamborghini halted and stood still waiting for the gate to 

open. The yellow light beaconed the yard with few parked cars. 

Among the unknown ones, I noticed Nit’s Porsche. 

“Whose cars are these?” I asked looking around. 

“They all belong to Túaths.” 

~ 345 ~

“Is this the portal to Ambré?” I inquired. The house looked so 

dilapidated and abandoned. The chunks of dust covered the empty 

shelves. Fust and cold governed the place as if it had not been 

inhabited for ages. 

“Yes, it is. Every town has its own portal. Some places even have 

several.” 

It was so simple. Here stood a house in the middle of the forest, so 

unexpectedly, that it looked like a visitor from another dimension. 

Anybody could enter it in theory. 

“What if tourists occasionally bump into it?” 

“People will only make it out as a tumble-down house. A human 

being cannot be transferred to Ambré. It is impossible.” 

Moldy smells invaded the garage. Gray mops of spider webs hung 

down from the ceiling. Carton boxes were piled up in the corner, and a 

braided chest with rusted hinges stood nearby. 

Eli headed towards a white painted door. Some of the paint had 

peeled off because of high humidity. Eli opened the door and invited 

me inside. 

I stepped into a spacious room. An old Chinese cabinet stood on 

the right-hand side. Our vague reflections appeared in its dusty glassy 

cassettes. One of the cabinet legs was broken, and a piece of furniture 

crooked like a limping old man. Dull light was pouring through the 

large window. Several planks could be seen outside that likely had been 

shutting the glass earlier. A few were still nailed to the window frame 

while others were hanging flaccidly supported by only one nail. The 

colorless decaying remains of the curtains were fluttering in a draft. 

There was almost no furniture in the room, and the sparse pieces were 

covered with white sheets. They looked like speechless ghosts who 

kept the secrets of the house alive. 

Eli made a few steps forward and stopped waiting for me. He 

thrust out his hand, I grasped it like a life rope, and followed him. The 

floor boards squeaked at every step as if they were complaining about 

humidity and loneliness. We halted at a formidable oak door with 

brassy handles. 

~ 346 ~

“Are you ready?” he asked with a serious expression. His eyes were 

shining bright. 

“Yes,” I confirmed putting on a brave face. 

Eli pulled the door handle and stepped into the darkness. 

~ 347 ~

CHAPTER NINETEEN 

~ AMBRÉ ~ 

! 

A man should always close his lips, as far as he can, 

To the truth that has the face of a lie. 

--Dante Alighieri 

I was in a dark corridor, even the meagre light was unable to 

penetrate. Breathing required increased effort. The sound did not 

permeate into the dark space either, and we could no longer hear our 

steps. It was as if we were threaded into the dense air that was now a 

viscous silvery medium. Suddenly, I had a feeling my feet were sinking 

deeper into the soft and sticky ground with each step. I felt dizzy and 

lost orientation in this space. Eli squeezed my hand harder and called 

my name. I mumbled something indistinct and blacked out. 

Rhythmic heart beating. Clear and confident. It was so warm. My 

cheek was pressed against something soft. I tried to open my eyes, but 

the world swam before them. I closed my eyes again. 

“Eli,” I whispered faintly. Everything seemed to reel before me 

even with my eyes closed. I felt nauseated. 

“Here, with you,” he said removing locks of hair stuck to his 

sweaty forehead. 

“Are we in Ambré?” 

“Yes,” he confirmed and strengthened his embrace. I smiled. The 

throbbing in my temples intensified. 

“You fainted upon the transition.” 

~ 348 ~

“Does it always happen?” I asked wondering if I would feel like 

vomiting every time I came to Ambré. 

“No, I don’t think so,” he replied with less confidence. “It probably 

happened because you are not used to it.” 

“I hope the next time will be much easier.” 

“I’m sure it will,” he stated. 

I attempted to open my eyes again. Bright light poured from the 

high white ceilings. I was lying in a reclined position in his arms; my 

cheek was touching his chest covered with a pleasantly ticklish gray 

mohair pullover. 

“So, this is Ambré?” my voice gave away my disappointment. 

“We are still in the parking lot,” Eli chuckled 

I looked into his face. His eyes filled with joy, and confusion was 

the only guiding star in my sky. His heart seemed to be whispering, 

Confide in me! That powered me up with its every beat. Then he leaned 

in closer and bowed his head so our lips aligned. 

“May I?” he asked in a quiet smooth voice. 

I moved towards him. 

Eli enclosed me in his arms like the wings of a guardian angel 

wrapping around its subject. His eyes appeared so fathomless. I wished 

to dive into their depths, passing through the pitch-black eyelashes. I 

wanted to sink in that depth. 

He pressed his lips tenderly against my cheek, and his hot breath 

excited my skin. I caressed his silky-smooth curly hair, and my mind 

instantly became clouded with emotions. Eli looked straight into my 

eyes and covered my lips with his mouth. A moan escaped my throat 

as I felt waves of happiness surging inside of me. This feeling was 

incomparable to any previous experience. He was charging me with 

delight, bliss, and love. We had become one being, and the space 

around us was bustling with pure energy, unlimited power, and 

freedom. 

~ 349 ~

This kiss was unprecedented. It felt like the delicious foam of a 

refreshing cappuccino, yet the very core of it was different. Eli’s hands 

were nestling me like a child in a cradle. My palms ran over his hands 

and shoulders, and I realized he was exceptionally relaxed and 

introspective. Then he leaned back slightly without breaking eye 

contact. My fingers were shivering, and my head was spinning from 

these new emotions and streams of energy were filling me up to the 

brim. 

My heart pounded so fast it could have punched through my rib 

cage. Eli’s pupils, widely dilated--encircled by the glowing ring of his 

iris; the look of a drug intoxication. I did not know the reason for this 

change. 

All signs of my weakness had faded away as if I had consumed an 

energy drink. I felt so animated and content like never before in my 

life. Fears, concerns, and qualms vanished into the thin air. 

“Now, I know what I should replace my morning coffee with,” Eli 

smiled excitedly. 

“We are sharing the same thought,” I responded, standing up. 

The oval shaped parking level had a glass-covered shaft in the 

middle. I could see dozens of levels below us through the transparent 

safety screen. Every floor was enveloped by rays of golden light. We 

stood almost at the top of the building. Eli pulled my hand and guided 

me through the countless rows of cars. Our steps echoed, bouncing 

off the walls, and the liquid tones permeated through the enormously 

vast premises that resembled a bee hive. 

We stopped near a black motorcycle with blotted shiny mudguards. 

The vehicle’s mighty shapes indicated its extra stamina. It reminded 

me of a monster under chitinous carapace. Matted black tubes crawled 

around its case like tentacles. Broad tires were dented by a geometrical 

pattern that looked like slashes from a whip. Eli saddled it up. The 

engine roared joyfully welcoming the master and tires squeaked in 

excitement leaving behind the place of its imprisonment. 

~ 350 ~

We drove on the metal platform in the middle of the parking 

structure and started to descend level by level. When the elevator 

platform stopped, Eli half-turned to me and gave me a playful wink 

and warned, 

“Hold on!” 

He gunned the motorcycle out of the car park and entered a well-lit 

street crowded with Túaths. The view that unfolded before my eyes 

was totally unexpected. In my imagination, Ambré was a peaceful sundrenched 

paradise valley with little cozy houses with tiled roofs and 

colorful window shutters. Where did this image come from? Maybe it 

was derived from fairy tales and movies. I believed nature deities 

should live close to nature, whereas this city resembled Tokyo. 

Giant skyscrapers illuminated by myriads of colored lights poked 

into the cobalt sky. The latter accommodated a placer of such bright 

stars they seemed artificial. We raced along the street embraced by 

glass buildings covered with colorful ads. They shined brighter than 

the sun competing for a street walker’s attention. 

I had never seen so many pedestrians at once. Túaths just walked 

down the streets. Teens were dressed in bizarrely bright clothes such 

as pink wigs, plastic skirts in combo with high knee socks, and 

glimmering fluorescent spectacles. 

They looked like tropical birds or cartoon characters, and they were 

making fun of each other, laughing loudly. 

Numerous makes and models of cars, I had never seen before, 

cluttered the broad eight-lane highway. Ambré seemed a different 

world, another dimension. I did not know what to focus my eyes on in 

that plentitude of lights reflecting from wet black asphalt like from sea 

surface at night. Our motorcycle moved so fast, I was afraid to be 

blown away from my seat by a gust of wind. A colossal bridge stood in 

front of us. This seemingly endless manifestation of an architect’s 

untamed imagination connected two sides of the channel. An airy castiron 

frame was supported by beams propped in graceful arches. These 

columns were lit by blue light, which source was placed somewhere 

under the calm deep waters. 

~ 351 ~

Soon skyscrapers from glass and concrete yielded to smaller yet 

more luxurious buildings. Sumptuous mansions and villas hiding 

behind elegantly lit-up hedges competed with each other in their 

grandeur. 

We approached a high gate decorated with ornamental ironwork 

and crowned with a coat of arms. The shield depicted a snow leopard 

and a horse standing on their feet on both sides of a tower. A crescent 

and a sun shined over their heads, whereas a mandrake crawled under 

their feet. In the middle of the field, a mighty oak and a sign of three 

braiding wavy lines completed the image. The coat of arms resembled 

something, but I had not the chance to look closely because the gate 

opened letting us in. A Romanesque fountain marked the center of the 

yard. The tile garden path led us around the water feature directly to 

the marble stairs at the front door. Ulmance certainly was not humble. 

His wealth and high social status were clearly put on display. Eli cut 

the motor, jumped to the ground, and gave me his hand. So this was it. 

I was about to meet the monster who probably killed my parents. 

Standing in front of his lair’s doors, I had no clue what he planned to 

do with me. 

The only ability I retained well was breathing. Holding each other’s 

hand we ascended the staircase and rang the bell at the tall double 

door. 

The high pitch stabbed my ears like a needle. A short man almost 

instantly opened the door. 

The butler, named Edward, resembled a dwarf with a kind face. His 

small stature with petite hands and feet made him look like a teenager. 

His gray eyes with crow’s feet glimpsed at me somehow frightened, 

although it likely was my imagination since I was strongly agitated 

myself. 

“Hi, Edward,” Eli clapped the butler on the shoulder. I was 

surprised how steady the little man stood on his feet. 

“Good evening,” Edward welcomed us. “Jared would like to 

inform you that he is waiting for you in his room,” he addressed Eli. 

~ 352 ~

If Eli had not been squeezing my fingers firmly, I would have run 

away, full sail, that very second. Instead, I followed him through the 

hallway clutching his palm in mine. The magnificent lay-out of the 

lobby’s empire-style interior had dawned on us. A gorgeous multilevel 

golden chandelier glistened high on the ceiling. Fancy patterns 

assembled from tiles of valuable wood species led to a marble 

staircase. We went up the stairs, turned into the right wing, and 

entered a corridor. 

The walls were decorated with an infinite series of portraits. Men 

and women dressed according to old-fashioned styles of various 

centuries had one feature in common--their eyes had a pistachio-green 

golden hue. I was carried away by this sight and did not realize Eli had 

already stopped at a door. I bumped into him. 

“Sweet kinsmen,” commented Eli with a grin while pointing at the 

portraits. 

“Sorry. What?” I mumbled waking out of a strange trance of some 

sort. 

“I am saying here are Grey’s ancestors and relatives.” 

Why was there a sudden cobweb blocking my throat like a dirty 

piece of rag? This house, these paintings, and even that look the butler 

had given me infused disturbing feelings, maybe even fear. 

I shifted my gaze from Eli to the double wooden doors. He 

reached out for the door knob. 

“I can manage it further,” I interrupted him. 

Eli made a sour face, but removed his fingers from the knob. 

Just like we agreed, I uttered in my mind. He looked straight at me 

and did not move. 

"C’mon, go,” I whispered. “It’s gonna be fine.” 

At least it was what Jared promised us. 

“I’ll drop by Jay,” said Eli as he released my hand unwillingly. 

Before leaving he gave me a worried look and disappeared into the left 

wing of the building. 

~ 353 ~

I closed my eyes and heaved a deep sigh. I just had to turn the door 

knob and enter, but this task was seemingly beyond my strength. 

How could I look him in the eyes? Would I be able to conceal my 

emotions, to pretend I have no hunch as to what’s going on? 

Jared assured us the attacks on us had nothing to do with Grey, but 

I do not believe him. Ulmance likely just did not include his offspring 

into his plans. 

Or maybe…besides, what does it matter now? I am here now. 

Damn it! 

After another deep sigh, I pushed open the door and stepped into 

the room. 

It was a spacious library with a round-headed shaped window, 

wood-carved furniture, and white crown moldings on the high ceilings. 

A large writing desk stood to the right. The room was crowded with 

numerous books; some shelves in the middle accommodated a 

collection of horse figurines. Grey, by all appearances, was a 

gentleman of virtue. Many antiquities--such as vases, paintings, and 

furniture pieces--were stuffed into the room. All items were exquisite 

and expensive. 

Light coming from the fireplace and the two floor lamps failed to 

illuminate the entire space. The library was hiding in shadows. 

Ulmance Grey was sitting in an armchair with a high carved back that 

was across from the fireplace. He was submerged deep into his 

thoughts—staring into the fire and twiddling with a round object—he 

hadn’t noticed my entrance. 

I stopped behind him and allowed myself to study him closer for a 

few seconds. He was a broad-shouldered man above average height. 

His dark hair was streaked with gray at the temples. There was 

something royal in his face, and his noble curved nose reminded me of 

the profiles churned on ancient Roman siliques. 

“Good evening, Mr. Grey,” I said softly, making him aware of my 

presence. 

~ 354 ~

He was so taken by surprise, a piece of amber fell out of his hands 

and rolled towards my feet. I bent down to pick it up and was met by 

his astonished look when I lifted my eyes. His gaze sent shivers down 

my spine. He stared at me as if he met a ghost. 

“Here you go,” I handed him the stone, swallowing hard like 

swallowing a bitter pill. 

“Yes, thank you,” he said putting a smile on his shocked face, then 

added, “Leela.” 

Grey spoke with a slight accent that softened his speech. My name 

sounded quite unfamiliar. 

“Be seated,” he pointed at the chair next to his. “What can I get 

you? Tea?” 

“No, thank you,” my voice was ice cold. These chills made me feel 

frozen inside. 

He sat back in his chair and folded his hands. 

“I am glad you are back,” he smiled sweetly probably noticing the 

flicker of fear in my eyes. 

“You are completely safe here. I give you my word,” he pointed to 

the chair again. It was so soft, I sat and unexpectedly sank into its 

cushion like in a featherbed. 

Grey watched me trying to make myself comfortable in that dust 

catcher. Finally, I found my balance on the edge of the chair, put my 

hands on my knees, and sat still. My heart was full of misgivings from 

the way he looked at me. 

He withdrew his eyes and started to observe the sand dust stuck in 

the amber. The light generated by the fire transmitted through the 

stone and made it shine on Ulmance’s hands like a small sun. 

“You resemble your mother so much. I get the feeling, after all 

these years, I am looking at her again.” 

~ 355 ~

These words were like a deep cut into my heart. I needed my 

mother so much, and I needed her now. Yet I could not remember the 

color of her eyes or the sound of her voice. Nothing. I saw sadness 

boiling in his eyes even if he was trying to disguise it. I wanted to spit 

the words into his face, Are you happy now that she is gone?! Did it make you 

happier?! I did not think it actually did. He looked worn out. It certainly 

was not easy to carry such a burden throughout life, and on top of 

that, to look into the eyes of his victim’s doppelganger. 

Now, I could take a good look at him. Two deep wrinkles cut 

through his forehead. Livid rings lay under his eyes—a color I could 

not even define. I just assumed they were light green with golden dots 

like those of Jared and all of the Greys. Ulmance’s eyes had the color 

of withered leaves. He looked haggard. 

“I am very sorry you lost your parents, Leela. It is not the right time 

yet, but I wanted you to know this. I have been mourning their deaths. 

Please accept my sincere condolences.” 

Was he kidding me? He was lying through his teeth. I was 

becoming angry. 

“Is this why you have summoned me here? To accept your 

condolences?!” 

Taken by surprise, he raised his eyebrow. Then Grey stood up. I 

became tense. He was taller and bigger than it seemed at first glance. 

Ulmance headed to the book shelves. 

“Elis was a close acquaintance of mine. I could even say we were 

friends.” 

“I have no doubts in that!” I said spitefully unable to contain 

myself anymore. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I lost control. 

He stood still like a statue, squeezing a thick book in his hand. I 

could not see his face since his back was turned towards me. 

“We were on the same team,” he heaved, but I was not listening 

anymore. The book in his hands looked like an old photo album. 

Bingo! It was indeed. 

I sprang up from my seat and almost ran towards him. 

~ 356 ~

Will I be able to recognize her face? Of course I will. He just said I 

resemble her so much. And my dad, what sort of man was he? Did I 

inherit any of his features? 

I was drawing on emotions and endless questions. For the first time 

in forever, I had gotten a chance to see an image of my mother. I 

contemplated for countless times how she looked, but failed to 

imagine. Her blurred image lived only in my dreams. 

I placed the album on the smooth table’s surface, touched the dusty 

cover, and opened it. The smell of dust and old paper tickled my 

nostrils. Grey was patiently standing next to me while I was skimming 

through the pages in the search of a familiar face. Various shots 

flickered before my eyes; some were black-and-white, and others were 

in color. Blurred faded photos memorized my whole life. I turned the 

pages--checking their faces one by one--and was already losing hope to 

find her…when I finally saw her on an old withered picture. This is a 

photo of a school class, maybe from her senior year. She stood not far 

from Grey. I also easily recognized him as he had not changed much. 

Tall and broad-shouldered, he stood out from his peers. Smiling Elis 

wore a white dress. Her lively, naughty eyes and dark wavy hair made 

her very distinguishable from the rest. Our mutual resemblance was 

indeed striking although her eyes were golden-brown like caramel. 

“She is ravishing,” I whispered, moving the tip of my finger over 

her face as if trying to feel at least some heat exuding her body. Grey 

nodded. 

A tear fell on the page right on my mom’s face. I immediately 

brushed it off to prevent any further damage to the precious picture. 

But tears continued to stream down my face, itching my cheeks, and 

dropping onto the photo. 

“I am very sorry,” said Grey putting his hand on my shoulder. My 

heart bounced hard. I was startled. It felt like somebody had pulled the 

emergency cord on a fast-moving train. I turned to him, dried my 

tears, and with an abrupt move hissed through clutched teeth, 

~ 357 ~

“Don’t play the innocent with me! It is disgusting!” I shouted, my 

chin was trembling from anger, hurt, and fear. I doubled my fists since 

I wanted to lodge a blow to his obnoxious snout so much. 

Ulmance stared at me alarmingly. He lost his composure. His eyes 

glistened sickly. 

I continued, “No! Such a man is not capable of love and sympathy. 

He is a merciless killer and oppressor.” 

“I am very sorry,” uttered Grey with such a touching voice that I 

released the grip of my fists. 

Either he was a brilliant actor, or I was a prize idiot. I believed him. 

He, not me, looked now like a wild animal at bay--like a pitiful 

tormented animal with a haunted look. I had déjà vu that I had already 

encountered this look before. He stretched out his hand to brush the 

tears from his cheek. “I have to tell you about something…” he 

started, but in that same moment the door opened with a loud bang. 

Eli swiftly entered the library. Jared remained standing in the 

doorway. He looked puzzled as if he was trying to stop Eli. 

“Alfhield!” Grey’s voice sounded annoyed. “Did not they teach you 

to knock before entering?” 

Grey eyed his son keenly. Jared shrugged his shoulders indifferently 

showing he could not prevent it from happening. 

Eli stood between us. He shifted his gaze from me then to 

Ulmance and noticed the open photo album. His face released from 

tension. 

“Everything is fine,” I said taking a step back. 

“I heard a scream.” 

“It is really fine. Trust me,” I gave him a smile. 

Eli kept his promise. He indeed was within call, he was beside me 

all the time. It sufficed to raise the tone of my voice, and he was 

already by my side to save me. 

“Let me apologize for my indelicate behavior,” he said to Ulmance 

in cold voice. “I’ll wait behind the closed doors.” 

~ 358 ~

“Stay here,” ordered Grey authoritatively. “We have stuff to 

discuss.” 

******* 

Eli looked back at Jared, and Jared looked at him. 

“You can go now,” Ulmance dismissed his son like a troublesome 

fly. 

Jared ran his eyes over us stopping at Eli and waiting until he 

nodded. After that, Jay closed the door behind him. 

“My son is always choosing wrong company,” Ulmance shut the 

album and put it back on the shelf. Then he sat at the table and put his 

hands together. 

“Why are you still standing?” he inquired with great annoyance. “It 

is going to be a long talk.” 

His voice and his gaze lost any trace of warmth he previously had 

during our conversation. We sat across from him. Eli crossed his legs 

and pierced his look into Grey. Ulmance reciprocated him with bare 

dislike. 

“I keep on asking myself whether your bad manners rubbed off on 

Jared, or vice versa.” 

“It is symbiosis,” replied Eli without a shade of a smile. 

Ulmance pursed his lips. 

“Well, that is why we are here,” he pulled an envelope out of a 

drawer. “Since you are here anyway, I would like to express my 

gratitude for your assistance in finding Leela,” he addressed Eli with a 

polite ice-cold smile. “Here is your reward, and now you may go if you 

like,” Grey stabbed his gaze into Eli. 

“I am very grateful, but I am staying. My duty is to transport Leela 

back home.” 

“She will stay here for the short haul. Edward has already prepared 

the guest bedroom for her. Afterwards, we will take care to arrange 

permanent accommodation. Your service is not required anymore.” 

~ 359 ~

“Leela is coming back with me,” Eli said putting emphasis on his 

words. His hands rested on the arm pads of the chair quite peacefully, 

but tension exaggerated every muscle and blood vessel on his arms. 

“The content of this envelope can easily change, Alfhield. You 

won’t like to cross that border.” 

“I am very indebted to you, Mr. Grey, for your generous care, but I 

prefer to stay with my friends.” 

Grey’s face began to turn red, and his eyes scintillated with anger. 

“You have no right to choose!” 

“You have no right to order me!” 

I stood up half-way. 

Somebody knocked two times, and the door opened. Jared pranced 

into the room carrying a silver tray and beaming with joy. His smooth 

movements resembled a gracious dance. He even slightly swayed his 

hips and bottom as he walked. He masterfully placed the tray with four 

steaming cups of coffee in front of us. Then he dipped his finger into 

the jelly pot and licked it. 

“Blackberry jam,” he said with a dreamy voice. “I love blackberry!” 

“What are you doing?” groaned Grey in uncontrollable anger. 

He looked really aggravated. 

“Brought you some tea,” replied Jay with an innocent look in his 

eyes. He pretended to be surprised by the father’s reaction. “All of you 

are so tense, and stress destroys you from within. A cup of tea can 

help you.” 

Eli was the first one to fetch a cup and a pot of jam. He scooped 

some jelly with his finger and put it into his tea. Then he licked his 

finger and turned to Jared. 

“It is not blackberry!” 

“It is!” insisted Jared. 

“No. Blackberry has bitter aftertaste…” 

“Enough of this,” cried Grey. “Hence with it!” 

The door opened again, and Edward stormed into the room. 

~ 360 ~

“What else?!” Ulmance wondered, throwing back his head. 

“Excuse me, sir. You have an urgent call.” 

Grey slapped his forehead and swept his cold look around us. 

“I’ll take care of you later,” he uttered through his teeth and quickly 

left the room. 

Eli folded over in his chair with convulsions of soundless laughter. 

“You are such a moron, pal! He will skin you alive!” He playfully 

punched Jared into the stomach. 

“Do you think I don’t know?” replied Jared hitting Eli’s shoulder. 

“Especially when he learns it was just a drill.” 

“Have you bribed Edward?” asked Eli with laughter. 

“The dwarf will do anything for my dad, you know that. It is easier 

to kill him than bribe him,” Jared drank his tea in one go and 

contorted his face. “I had to ask someone else.” 

“I owe you,” they solidified it with a bump of their fists. 

“You are in debt up to your armpits, candlewick. My services are 

quite expensive.” 

“Mail me the invoice.” 

“Don’t you worry. Now, take your girlfriend out of here and hit the 

road while the warlock is away.” 

Dwarf, warlock, candlewick! Where was I? I thought to myself. 

“Take off this shit. You look like a cheap starlet,” Eli plucked him 

by the light pink polo shirt. Jared’s jeans were sitting quite low on his 

hips, and I noticed a birthmark in the vicinity of his right thighbone. It 

had a shape of the reversed letter ‘E’. 

“What is this?” I looked up at Jared. 

He glowed with pride. 

“My pumpkin head, these are hours of fitness, tanning, and 

waxing,” he moved his fingers over his abs. “Have you ever heard 

about it?” 

He fluttered his eyelashes like brushes. 

~ 361 ~

I neglected his insult. I had no idea why he disliked and taunted me, 

but this was not what interested me in that moment. 

“I asked about this,” I poked his birthmark with my finger. 

“Ah…that,” Jared’s lips formed a thin, crooked, wire-like line, 

“That is a small genetic imperfection.” He pulled his polo shirt down 

with clear annoyance in his look. “You have to go.” 

“Let’s go,” Eli pulled my hand, but I kept looking at Jared until we 

turned around the corner. 

~ 362 ~

CHAPTER TWENTY 

~ HOME ~ 

! 

We passed the same landscapes, but this time in reversed order-- 

the mansions, the lacey ironwork of the bridge, the skyscrapers with 

wall mirrors, the freaks in colorful wigs, the multilevel roads with 

glossy black pavement. Continuous chains of cars on the highway 

looked like a slithering luminescent snake. 

A serpentinous road enveloped in greenery unveiled in front of us. 

The motorcycle ascended higher and higher passing sparse villas. A 

single house with brightly illuminated floor-to-ceiling windows stood 

on the mountain top. Our vehicle rushed into the large front yard that 

was lit by the light blue slender cylinder-shaped lights. 

Luxury minimalist interior with clear straight lines, white 

illumination, plentitude of glass and light, reigned in this house. The 

panoramic view of snowy mountain pinnacles unfolded from the 

windows. 

“Home, sweet home!” said Eli jumping from his motorcycle and 

stretching. Home, echoed warmly in my soul. Jordana came out of the 

house to welcome us. Her long hair was tied in a high pony tail. 

“You are finally here!” she exclaimed and hurried to give me a hug. 

We entered the house through the glass doors, walked past the 

living room, which was decorated in exquisite eclectic style, and ended 

up in the kitchen where the minimalist interior was topped with 

refined modern. 

Actually, this was not just a kitchen, but rather a banquet hall with 

countless pieces of stainless steel kitchen equipment and shiny granite 

table tops. Eli opened the fridge and snorted when seeing the empty 

shelves accommodating a lonely water bottle. 

~ 363 ~

“What?” Jordana made a sour face. “You know very well I cannot 

cook!” 

She switched her attention to me. 

“How did it go?” 

“Not so well.” I said. 

“What a scumbag!” Jordana leaned against the island in the middle 

of the kitchen. A loud rumbling noise came from the living room. 

“Where are you?” asked Nit in a low bass voice. 

“In the kitchen!” she shouted in reply to him. 

The house was so spacious people in different rooms could only 

communicate by shouting. Nit rushed into the kitchen to greet us. He 

kissed Jordana’s lips briefly, but passionately. This act took Eli by 

surprise. The guys bumped their fists and clasped each other’s 

shoulders. Afterwards, Nit welcomed me by grabbing my shoulders 

and kissing my forehead. 

“So, babe, how do you like it here? Does it feel like home or like 

‘God knows where I am?’” he asked smiling. 

“It is very cozy.” 

“She has not yet been farther than the kitchen, so, what could she 

possibly tell you if she has not seen her bedroom,” explained Jo taking 

a seat in the chair. 

“I am SOOO hungry!” Nit exclaimed. 

Jordana slapped his shoulder with a towel. 

“Where are your manners?” 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Túaths! I would be delighted to break 

bread with you in this noble house because I am dying from bloody 

hunger!” uttered Nit and hurried to the fridge. In an instant, he could 

not conceal his deep disappointment. 

“Empty. I mean totally empty,” he concluded. 

“Do you have at least any snacks?” I asked. 

“First of all, this is your kitchen not ours. Secondly, there are likely 

some frozen goods deep in the freezer,” responded Jordana. 

~ 364 ~

I inspected drawers and shelves, opened the freezer, and finally 

found a lot of edible goods. 

“I’ll cook a meal,” I promised unloading the products on the table. 

A pretty good paella could be Frankenstein-ed from the frozen 

seafood out of the freezer and from the rice, herbs, and spices I had 

discovered in the cupboard. 

“You can cook?” A bemused Jordana opened her mouth. 

“I can,” I replied amused by her question. 

“Then leave it all and take a rest. You may want to order some 

Korean take-out,” she addressed the guys. “In the meanwhile, I’ll 

show you around the house.” 

“You have Korean food here?” 

She chuckled. 

“Of course. We have every cuisine represented here. Many of us 

grew up in various corners of the planet, hence, Ambré is like a salad 

bar. It offers you everything you could ever think of.” 

“Let’s cook something together,” I insisted. I found this idea so 

endearing and comforting. 

“I’m in,” Nit raised his hand. 

“Me too!” Jordana wrinkled her forehead and folded her hands on 

her chest. 

“Well, I’ve no chance in this case.” 

I started to boil the rice while Jordana sautéed the seafood in a pan 

and gave a distinct groan every time she noticed an octopus tentacle. 

“I am not gonna eat this.” 

“I will! You can count on me,” Nit kissed her cheek. 

They exchanged meaningful looks over and over again. As Eli 

stated, we were pioneers, and others were about to follow us. It was 

the beginning of a great transformation, a breakthrough that had been 

brewing in Túath society for some time. We had just pulled the trigger. 

Nobody assumed it would be a walk in the park, and we were ready to 

fight for our happiness. 

~ 365 ~

I handed an onion to Eli. 

“What is this?” he whispered looking at it in bewilderment. 

“This is Állium cépa,” I replied. His facial expression made me 

laugh. “A widely cultivated vegetable crop of the family Alliaceous.” 

“Ok,” he paused. “What do I do with it?” 

“Peel it and cut it.” 

Eli embarked on the process of peeling and carefully dismantled 

the bulb of its flakes, but the real kicker was when he started crying 

while cutting the bulb into large pieces. 

“I told you that I love Korean cuisine!” 

“Too late!” laughed Jordana bravely poking a fried mollusk with a 

fork. “Relax and try to enjoy it.” 

Very soon the drifting scent of the paella standing on the table 

made our stomachs murmur in joy. Frankly speaking, this was the 

ugliest paella I had ever seen in my life, but it was cooked with so 

much love it seemed to be the most delicious dish in the whole world. 

We ate hungrily without saying a single word. This was such a long 

and eventful day that those ten minutes of silence were exactly what 

we craved. 

“This is my lucky strike,” uttered Eli cramming food into his 

mouth. “I have never eaten anything better in my life.” 

“I agree,” mumbled Jordana, putting a second helping on her plate. 

“You,” she pointed at me, “are a dangerous roommate. I wouldn’t be 

surprised if in a week, I don’t fit into any of my jeans.” 

“True story,” Eli sank back against the back of the chair and 

rubbed his belly. “Leela also makes wonderful chocolate cakes.” 

“Chocolate cakes,” Jordana aspirated. 

“Don’t get your hopes up! No way I’m gonna do that every day!” I 

was laughing. 

In reality, my heart was joyfully twirling at the thought of cooking 

dinner for my beloved friends and eating together. What could possibly be 

better than this? 

~ 366 ~

“Well, I had suggested to lead an excursion around the house 

before we ate,” Jordana said in a sleepy voice and leaned her cheeks on 

her hands, “but now I cannot move a muscle.” 

“I can do this,” Eli volunteered. 

“Nope!” 

Jordana was tagging along behind us. Together we passed the 

immense living room decorated with white upholstered sofas that 

flanked the fireplace in the middle of the room. 

“This is the command post where decisive actions are being 

disputed,” she made a joke pointing to the sofas installed across each 

other. 

I imagined how we would spend evenings in this room discussing 

our everyday chores, and how we would meet here in the morning, 

rubbing our sleepy eyes, drinking coffee, and enjoying the enthralling 

view from the panoramic windows. 

“This is my favorite spot now,” she took my hand and lured me to 

the backyard. 

We slipped through the glass doors. I stopped, looking in sheer 

astonishment at the giant swimming pool filled with aquamarinecolored 

water. This was an infinity pool--it visually merged with the 

illimitable wide-open spaces stretching towards the horizon. 

The waters were virtually floating in the air since the house was 

located on the very top of the mountain. 

The dark valley that nestled the illuminated night city of Ambré lay 

far below us under our feet. The shiny skyscrapers seemed to be far 

beyond our reach. Tender gusts of the warm nocturnal air spread the 

aromatic blossoms of the garden. 

We walked around the pool and took a few stairs up to the viewing 

platform. This area was decorated with rattan furniture covered with 

soft throw pillows and a small rounded outdoor fireplace. I noticed 

some stairs leading higher up and raised my eyes to check for its 

destination. A light two-seater helicopter was parked on the top. Oh my 

God! 

~ 367 ~

“And now comes my favorite spot!” announced Eli and led me 

inside the house. 

We were going down now. The house had three stories with an 

ultra-modern gym and up-to-date equipment, a home theater, a room, 

which Jordana coined ‘a game room,’ with all sorts of weaponry 

ranging from daggers to firearms. Finally, we entered a room that 

appeared to be a music studio and hosted backline and music gear I 

had never seen before. 

“Who is performing here?” 

“Nit and I used to have a band. It was our hobby. It is long gone by 

now, but we still store our equipment in this studio.” 

“Wow! That’s amazing!” 

“Save your excitement till you hear them playing,” smiled Jordana 

with enthusiasm. 

“And who is the soloist?” 

Eli opened wide his arms and bowed. 

“You are?” I asked in puzzlement. I recalled him telling me he sang 

in the shower and that it was an awful performance. Was this yet 

another joke? What else did I have to learn about him? 

“Could you sing for me, please?” I asked with a smile. 

Jordana clapped her hands. 

“Please?” 

Eli brushed off the dust from the mic and gave a look to Nit. He 

nodded and took the guitar. Nit’s fingers confidently ran over the 

strings giving birth to mesmerizing sounds. 

Eli started singing, and my heart bounced harder from his heavenly 

voice, which sounded slightly hoarse, yet extremely sexy. 

He looked straight into my eyes while he was singing. His voice was 

pouring out of the depths of his incomprehensible soul, and its sound 

swirled a tornado of emotions in me. This whirlwind of passion swept 

away all sadness and doubts. 

“It is incredible,” I commented with admiration. 

~ 368 ~

Eli, who was obviously content with the impression he made, put 

the mic aside. 

“Let’s go. I will show you your room. I hope you will like staying 

there.” 

The bedroom had no extras just an enormous bed like a giant flight 

field. It was covered with plain satin linen. The interior was 

accomplished in a subdued tone of steel and glass. Two gray armchairs 

and a round glass coffee table stood across from the bed. 

“This is my lair,” stated Eli executing a running jump into the bed. 

He was lying on one side and leaned his head on his elbow. 

I made my round of the room examining the photos on the walls. 

Those black frames encompassed a whole life. They traveled a lot. I 

saw Nit, Jared, Jordana, and Eli in those pictures. Some likely depicted 

his parents. 

“So, what is your opinion?” 

“This is all very…manly,” I replied taking a seat on the edge of the 

bed, “but I do like it.” 

A gust of wind came through the glass balcony doors. It brought 

the fresh smell of outside. This room boasted with the same splendid 

view as the backyard. 

Eli smiled and stood up from the bed. He opened the doors for 

me. 

“Do you still want to have a look at your bedroom?” 

This equally spacious room was located opposite to his. It was clear 

Jordana had a hand in choosing the interior, which was dominated by 

various shades of gold, brown curtains from strong fabric, and woodcarved 

furniture. Despite the bold color, the interior was really laconic 

and did not look pulpy or overstuffed. The giant closet was cluttered 

with dresses and had an entire wall laden with shoes, purses, and 

headwear. 

~ 369 ~

The numerous amounts of glass in the bathroom reflected a big 

Jacuzzi and light marble tiles on the walls. My bed was smaller than 

Eli’s. Only now, when I looked at the white sheets, did I realize how 

tired I was. 

The only thing I wanted to do was stretch out on the bed and take 

a nap. Eli gently hugged me from behind, and I placed my head on his 

chest closing my eyes. Struggling with the sleepiness, I took a warm 

shower and then fell on the bed feeling completely drained. Eli stayed 

with me. 

******* 

A quiet knocking on the door brought me back into the realm. It 

broke an enjoyable dream that gave me a warm feeling although I 

could not remember what it was about. My head was resting in the 

bend of Eli’s arm. He turned over and stroked my hair. Black stubble 

had formed on his cheekbones and chin. The hair outlined his features 

like a slate pencil. 

“Come in,” I uttered in a sleepy voice, half-sitting on the bed. 

“The warlock is here,” announced Jordana. Her voice was 

emotionless. 

The drowsy expression instantaneously vanished from Eli’s face. 

“Himself?!” 

“Flesh and blood,” she confirmed worriedly. 

“Damn!” 

I stood up and left the bedroom wearing the flannel sleeping gown. 

I took the staircase down to the hallway trying to compose myself and 

hide all fear Grey inflicted in me. Eli jumped up, dressed himself in a 

big hurry, and rushed after me. 

The glassy stairs chilled my feet. Grey was sitting on the sofa and 

looking out the window. His upright bearing, his prominent 

cheekbones, and absent look completely concealed his inner thoughts. 

~ 370 ~

“To what do we owe the honor of having you here, Mr. Grey?” I 

even tried not to sound friendly. 

He turned and stabbed his glare into me. My pajamas were clearly 

frowned upon. Well, even better so, at least now he knew he was an 

unwanted guest. 

“Leela, we need to talk. In private,” he added to Eli. Jordana and 

Nit were coming down the staircase. 

“I have no secrets with my family.” 

“This is in their best interest,” he said emphasizing the word their, 

“to leave us alone as soon as possible.” 

I turned to Eli and hesitated for a second, but then confirmed it 

was fine for him to leave. He shook his head no. 

“Please,” I moved my lips soundlessly. Nit pushed his brother 

towards the exit. 

“We will be outside in case you need us,” he said. Eli kept a sharp 

eye on Ulmance until he disappeared behind the door. The guys stayed 

in the yard. 

“Our conversation yesterday ended out of tune,” he commenced. 

“Well, it was you who conducted that piece of music.” 

He rubbed his forehead. 

“I won’t object to a cup of coffee.” 

“Sure,” I replied indifferently and headed to the kitchen biting my 

lower lip in anger. 

Ulmance followed me in silence, and I was startled when I noticed 

him behind me. Fear burned my stomach like a heat wave and 

provoked sudden dizziness. I stepped back from him. 

“I heard it through the grapevine that you are in a relationship with 

Alfhield,” Grey’s glare could’ve bore a hole right through me. His face 

looked powerful. My lips and tongue became numb, and I could only 

squeeze a couple of bizarre sounds from my throat resembling iron 

rustling. 

Grey pulled his blanched lips into a thin line. 

~ 371 ~

“I hoped till the very last moment this was simply gossip,” he was 

likely trying to squeeze out those ominous words from my lips. The 

words that could give him a weapon to bring us down without any 

hindrances. 

I remained silent and kept stirring the coffee although there was no 

sugar in it. These mechanical actions helped me cope with stress. 

“Probably nobody has yet clarified the rules for you. Mixed couples 

are prohibited in Ambré.” 

“I have heard enough about this already, and I’ve had it up to 

here.” 

He looked at me with great surprise. 

“Then why are you still together?” 

My heart beat like a drum. I took a sip of the bitter coffee and 

turned to Ulmance, 

“Because we love each other.” 

His temper was so bilious, I had an impression he was eager to tear 

me into pieces. I expected to encounter malicious joy and triumph in 

his eyes, but they only turned black from anger like a murky night. 

“Let’s assume I have not heard this,” Ulmance approached me; his 

look nailed me to the spot where I stood. I flattened myself against the 

cupboard and was ready to cry for help, but then it happened again. A 

blast from the past, déjà vu. Ulmance adjusted the collar of his light 

blue shirt in his typical manner. His inquisitive look was still focused 

on me, and I could see his light green eyes with golden dots quite well. 

The eyes were an exact copy of Jay’s eyes, and an exact copy of 

mine… 

Suddenly, I was back into his library in broad daylight. Sunlight 

reflected from the surface of the ancient vases and dashed flecks on 

his face. I was sitting on his lap and playing with the pearl buttons on 

his light blue shirt. My mom was sitting in the armchair across from 

him and crying. Her warm eyes, which naturally had a dark honey hue, 

seemed red now. 

~ 372 ~

“I cannot do it anymore,” she said, brushing off yet another tear. “I 

am tired of hiding.” 

He nervously adjusted his collar and heaved a sigh. 

“Elis, please! You do know that I cannot do it, I am not allowed 

to.” 

She burst into tears. Her loud whining sang so lonely in the pindrop 

silence. I had a sudden flutter of fear. 

“We have a daughter and you’re telling me that does not change a 

thing?! She needs a father!” 

“She has a father,” he answered irresolutely. “Tim is playing his 

part just fine.” 

“Indeed, a part!” her voice was flooded with annoyance. “It is a 

mere part for him! Everything is a lie. Our marriage is a mere stage 

play!” 

“We have discussed it many times. My decision is final!” 

“So, we are bound to sneak into your house through the back door 

for the rest of our lives?!” 

He took me off his lap, went to the window, and stopped with his 

back to us. He was very handsome. 

“No, of course not.” 

I thought I heard a sigh of relief uttered by my mother. 

“We should not see each other anymore,” Grey was burning 

bridges. “Leela is growing. She is not a baby anymore.” 

“But she’s got the sign of the Greys. One day when her potential 

unfolds it will become obvious.” 

He clenched the window sill so fiercely his knuckles become white. 

His head leaned down. 

“You both have to leave...for good!” 

My mom shrieked and lost her breath. Then she jumped up from 

her chair, stretched rigidly, picked me up in her arms, and quickly 

headed towards the door. I started crying and stretched my hands to 

Grey. 

~ 373 ~

“We will never disturb you again!” she spat through the tears. 

“Elis, wait!” he called out for her, but she had rushed out running 

away from the pain he had inflicted upon her. 

The flashback ended as abruptly as it started. I was staring at Grey. 

I felt so devastated I could not even shed a tear although the emotions 

were exploding within me. 

“You,” my voice was trembling. “I remember you!” 

Fear flickered in Grey’s eyes, but then he hid behind the 

impenetrable mask again. 

“You must have misunderstood something.” 

“How dare you!” I whispered hoarsely as if my voice had 

abandoned me, as if my throat had been cut, and all I could do was 

helplessly hiss. “You made her suffer! You betrayed us!” 

“That’s not true!” Grey clenched my hand. 

I looked first at my hand in his grasp and then right into his eyes. 

“I hate you!” my eyes flamed with anger that had been boiling 

inside of me. He jerked back his hand. 

“Leela, your ridiculous speculations can harm not only you, but 

everyone around us. Be careful, and think twice before saying 

something that can backfire!” his voice was laden with threat. 

“Leave now!” I said, but Grey remained motionless as a statue. 

“Go away!” I shouted. His image was blurred because of the veil of 

tears in my eyes. “Your only concern is how to conceal my existence 

from everyone else,” my voice was now cracking. 

He was about to leave, but then stopped in his tracks towards the 

entrance. 

“I am trying to help you, Leela. Your life, as well as lives of your 

friends, depends on that. Forget Eli, and do not fritter away your 

strength. You cannot be together, and under no circumstances will you 

be able to. 

It was cruel of him to give you hope. You are opposites. 

Eventually,” he continued with compassion in his look, “this pain will 

subside, and you will learn to breathe again.” 

~ 374 ~

The sound of his voice was suffocating me like an executioner. I 

almost felt the ax hovering over my head ready to slaughter me. 

“But why?” these were the only words that could escape my lips. 

“Those are the rules.” 

“Who thought them up anyway?” 

“Those rules were settled long before us when the frost-fettered 

earth shrouded in darkness. You have no say in this matter, especially 

nowadays when Túaths are an endangered species. Our powers are 

decreasing with every generation like cinders. We live for people, and 

we have to do our best to save them. That is what we were made for.” 

I did not know what to say. My thoughts were revolving around the 

intention to live my life for myself, egoistically dismissing the needs of 

the others. I just wanted my own piece of happiness I deserved…or 

did I not deserve it? These thoughts were wandering like iceberg 

shards. 

“The world needs you more than you can imagine. Too many 

disasters occurred after Elis’s tragic death, and we had already lost 

hope for a miracle. Nevertheless, it happened. Your power shines 

through like a beacon.” 

“I did not want any of this,” I turned to the window observing the 

speckles of sunlight playing on the broken spider web. “I care about 

my life only. I have a right to be happy.” 

“If your life choices do not comply with the rules you won’t have a 

chance to enjoy your life anyway, neither you nor Eli. Both of you will 

be doomed.” 

“But what about Eli and Nit? Even me who is a half-breed as well? 

Aren’t we a good example that speak in favor of mixed couples?” 

“No! This is a terrible mistake. Such exceptions from the rule 

cannot build up a good foundation.” 

“You have just called me a terrible mistake,” a bitter smirk twisted 

my lips. “Well, this sounds like truth.” 

“No. The Alfhields did a mistake. That does not apply to you. I am 

not your father.” 

~ 375 ~

I hated lies even more than flattery. 

“Then what do you say about this?” I lifted up my pajamas, 

exposing the birthmark of the Greys. Ulmance shied at it like a 

vampire at a crucifix. “Or this?” a bunch of sizzling flashes of 

lightning appeared in my hand. He followed my movements with a 

crazed look. 

“I am not your father. Learn it like an axiom,” he said it in a voice 

full of ice and probably even disgust. 

“Then don’t you dare try to pretend that you care! Get OUT!” I 

launched the electric blob underneath his feet. The impact crushed the 

tiles on the floor and shattered the glasses that hung upside down. 

Grey dropped the coffee cup from his hands, and brown streaks--thin 

like spider legs--ran down his light-colored shirt. 

A concerned Eli and Nit anxiously stormed into the kitchen. 

Jordana stood behind them in the doorway. Fear muddied her blue 

eyes. Grey’s glare froze them on the spot. 

“Self-control is the first skill she has to master,” he shook off the 

glass splits and focused at me again. “The ball takes place on Saturday. 

All distinguished Túaths, Grolls and Malfs are invited. All three rulers 

of Ambré will honor this event with their presence. Such an invitation 

cannot be turned down.” 

Grey was about to leave, but then paused. 

“One more thing. In a day or two, I will appoint a Túath who will 

be your trainer. I’ll send him here.” 

“Eli is helping me train.” 

“Not anymore.” 

I was alarmed. 

~ 376 ~

“You have no choice. You will NEVER be together. The sooner 

you come to terms with it, the lesser the harm you inflict on Túaths. 

The gossip about your relations has spread far and beyond. Your 

chastity is my only trump card I can play in order to prove the rules 

were not broken and to save your lives. This ball will not be just your 

debut, which each Túath of noble descent makes at the age of 

eighteen, this will be a trial. If it goes well, you live. If it does not…” 

he swept his weary eyes around us and marched out. 

~ 377 ~

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE 

~ Judgment Ball ~ 

! 

I did not die and did not remain alive; 

Think now for yourself, if you have any wit, 

What I became, deprived of one and the other. 

--Dante Alighieri 

Two hassle-filled days passed in a flash. Early one morning, Pietro 

paid us a visit. Apparently and quite unexpectedly for all of us, he was 

the Túath who had been appointed as my mentor. Not the worst 

course of events, but definitely a weird one. Nonetheless, I trusted 

him. Pietro stayed in one of the guest bedrooms until he could find a 

suitable apartment. Eli found his arrival such a complete surprise that 

he closed himself off in the game room for hours. 

The door, which was usually left wide open, now remained closed. 

The floor reverberated under my feet as if something heavy smacked 

into it at full force. I pulled the door handle and looked inside. It was 

Eli furiously throwing knifes into some poor mannequin, which was 

now riddled with cuts. 

“May I?” I asked entering the room. 

He put aside his weapon and walked towards me. 

“You don’t ever have to ask me that. I am always happy to see 

you,” he hugged me and scooped me up in his arms. 

I looked straight into his eyes trying to read his mood. 

“Are you mad they appointed Pietro as my trainer?” 

~ 378 ~

“I am insanely mad that I am not allowed to train you, and Pietro 

has just intensified the reaction,” Eli sighed, took the knife again, and 

launched it straight into the mannequin with such brutal force that it 

lost its head. 

“I thought you were friends, aren’t you?” 

Eli turned to tell me something, but instead said nothing. 

“You fell apart because of me?” 

“Not yet,” Eli took another knife, “but if he stays here and spends 

much time with you, we will fall out. That was Ulmance’s plan all 

along. Pietro is a water Túath just like you. Grey is convinced you will 

fall for him if the both of you spend enough time together.” 

“I'll talk to Grey.” 

“It’s useless. We have to stay idle for now, and this is what’s killing 

me,” Eli picked up a hatchet and threw into the wall making a rather 

large hole. “Time is our best ally. We will wait until we have a plan.” 

I approached the heavily decorated wall packed with knifes, blades, 

and daggers of all shapes and sizes and remembered asking myself 

earlier why Túaths—who used their natural powers—needed 

additional weaponry. I glanced towards the armory, and it became 

clear now why Jordana, not arbitrarily, called this place a game room. 

Cold steel, whistling air, and knock-out targets helped to relieve inner 

pressure. 

A thin silver bladed dagger with braided lily petals on its handle was 

also hanging on the wall in the row with the broad serrated-edged 

daggers with massive handles. 

“Nobody has prohibited us to train in other skills,” I said with a 

smile. “Maybe you could give me a couple of lessons on how to handle 

cold steel arms?” 

“I am absolutely sure you will have no problems with that. You will 

master it as perfectly as you did with hot arms.” 

“Implying yourself?” I started laughing when he poked his nose 

behind my ear and inhaled deeply. 

“I officially acknowledge that.” 

~ 379 ~

His burning lips crept up my neck and found their way to my lips. I 

deeply inhaled his sweet kisses and lost my breath. He drew me closer. 

His hand wandered down towards my grasping hand holding the knife. 

He abruptly turned me around so my body was placed right up against 

his chest and hips. 

“Focus,” he whispered. 

“I cannot,” I replied in whisper leaning my head back on his chest. 

“That’s the catch,” he explained. Eli nibbled at the burning skin on 

my earlobe, kissed it tenderly, and squeezed my hand harder stretching 

it up for the throw. 

“It’s not rocket science,” his voice and breath were deep like Baikal 

waters. 

“You focus on the target, you move your hand in a state of 

preparedness,” he slightly pushed my body forward, “and then you 

launch it,” he fired the knife with my hand. 

A sudden blast of air and Eli’s elusive movement made me shriek. 

He stood next to wall and held the knife in his hand. He had somehow 

managed to catch it before it could hit the target. 

“That’s impressive!” I said enthusiastically with a broad smile. An 

important twist of thought then swirled in my mind. 

“What are you thinking about?” Eli approached me playing with 

the knife in his hands. 

“About hidden goals. I was convinced the wall was your target, but 

you switched it around and caught it while it was airborne. It was 

unexpected.” 

“Hmm,” his eyes narrowed. “Sometimes I do miss the sound of 

your voice in my head.” 

I opened myself to him and let the thought out, Love you. 

~ 380 ~

Eli leaned forward to me, just when I leaned towards him, and rose 

on my tiptoes as if I wanted to reach the stars. I closed my eyes. The 

burning hot touch of his lips was gentle and almost indiscernible like a 

desert breeze. He caressed my hair as the curls descended down my 

back and embraced me tightly. The passionate kiss instantly intensified 

like a fire after its consumption of kerosene. I lost the ground 

underneath my feet and felt like I was hovering, free from gravity, in 

the air. 

Eli took his hands off my body and clasped them behind his head. 

His eyes were glowing like two pieces of sunlit amber. 

“Do you have any dreams?” he asked suddenly. “I mean except for 

the one where you stay alive and so on.” 

“Yes,” I responded while adjusting his bangs, which were covering 

his eyes. “I want to see polar lights.” 

“It is worth a dream.” 

“Do you have any dreams, you know, except for staying alive and 

so on?” I asked. 

“I used to have one,” he responded. 

“And what happened to it?” 

“It came true,” he replied and kissed me again. His hands rested on 

my waist. He drew me closer so my feet touched the tips of his 

sneakers. 

He started to move backwards until his back pushed against the 

wall. He leaned down on the floor so that I saddled him. The waves of 

my hair enveloped us; hiding us from the rest of the world. 

“You smell of lily of the valley,” Eli said alternatingly kissing me 

and leaning back to be able to meet my eyes. 

“And you smell like Aurora Borealis.” 

“Like a dream?” he asked with a smile. 

“Like a dream,” I confirmed and put my head on his chest listening 

to his heartbeat. 

******* 

~ 381 ~

Dimmed silvery light of the distant stars poured into the room. 

Before turning in, I was lying on my side staring at the brightest star 

hanging right above the mountain top. It was accompanied by a 

necklace of barely glowing minions. Eli’s fingers inscribed invisible 

ornaments on top of my skin. Then he kissed my neck and asked, 

“What’s on your mind?” 

“Well, Grey said all Grolls and Malves would be attending this ball. 

I got acquainted with Grolls already,” I bit my lower lip recalling the 

encounter with Marina. “They are inhabitants of Lower Ambré who 

guide the souls of the deceased into the World of the Dead, but what 

about Malves?” I asked. 

“They are creatures, which are called muses in the human world. 

Malves live among people and encourage human creativity. They 

appear in one’s life under the veil of a new neighbor, a friend, a 

colleague, and establish a bond or a special sort of love that engages 

creativity. People and Malves often have affairs, in which geniuses are 

born. For example, Caterina, Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, was a Malve 

as well as Giovanni, Giordano Bruno’s father. So was Alexander 

Pushkin’s mother. Many famous people were born as a result of such 

unions--Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee, Michael Jackson, 

etc. Examples are plentiful. I cannot hold them all in my head.” 

“So, Malves are allowed to mix in marriages?” 

“Let it me put it this way. These unions are but a blink in time. 

Lamasses do not live long anyway. They die at their climax almost 

without exception.” 

“But why?” 

~ 382 ~

“Hmm,” Eli furrowed his brows and shook his head, “they are 

hybrids, the species that should not exist at all. Their brains are wired 

differently than those of ordinary humans. Lamasses are being torn 

apart by measureless energy, by ideas cooking in their pot. But their 

unique psyche is enclosed in the mere physique of a human who only 

thinks he or she is closer to the gods. At this point…” Eli said while 

making gesture as if pulling back curtains, “sedatives and other drugs 

appear on stage in order to create the illusion of passivity with the 

highest standards. By a certain age these creatures become completely 

drained, and that is the end of it. Their talents are unparalleled, but 

they undergo the same finale.” 

“Sounds like a curse.” 

“It is a curse. If a Lamborghini’s engine is installed in a Smart, the 

entire mechanism will fall apart.” 

“Poor things,” I said with a sigh. 

“I agree, but this is their way.” 

“Who exactly goes to the ball?” A weird crowd of anime characters 

appeared in my mind’s eye. 

“Elite. The highest ranks of power, but only three of them really 

matter. Oltour, Grey, and De Boer. There is still one more person,” 

Eli cringed as if his nose caught the stench of something dead. “Viland 

Blaze, but he never comes here. I hope this time will be no exception.” 

“Who is he?” 

“The ruler of Sсheol--where souls of all the deceased go.” 

“Is it like hell?” 

“No. It is netherworld, neither heaven nor hell. It is a place where 

nobody is alive.” 

“But I thought Oltour is the one who reigns in the netherworld.” 

“No, he is a delivery guy.” 

******* 

~ 383 ~

The spacious round hall was framed by columns and a vault-shaped 

ceiling. Eli took my hand and led me to dance. Other guests were 

dancing next to us. I listened to the sounds of fabric rustling about and 

the clatter of shoes on the dance floor compose a strange melody of 

our dance. The faces were concealed under masks. Suddenly, the 

silence fell as the guests made way for a black-clad figure. I could only 

make out amethyst-colored eyes and a smirk. The stranger swept an 

inquisitive look over the crowd, and the guests gasped, wailed, and 

snarled. These horrifying sounds could have come straight from the 

underworld. Golden cracks suddenly appeared and ran through the 

marble floor, broadening and splitting the ground apart. We fell down 

into an abyss filled with insufferable heat. Impact. Cry. Sharp pain. 

Darkness. It felt like I was lying on broken glass. The pain was 

becoming increasingly unbearable. 

“Eli!” I called out. 

First, there was silence, but then I heard crunching sounds of steps 

as if somebody was cracking my bones. 

“Where am I?” I asked suffocating from fear. 

“In hell!” 

I woke up sweaty with the blanket rolled around my head and 

moaned. I just dreamt about all those horrible things. It was just a 

nightmare. I half-way sat on the bed and brushed off the wet locks of 

hair from my forehead. The sounds of running water drifted from the 

bathroom. A cup of steaming hot coffee was placed on the nightstand. 

I took a sip surrendering to the warm, soothing embrace of the 

aromatic liquid. The last shreds of the nightmare had vanished. So far, 

there was coffee in this world as well people loving me. 

I will make it. 

The bathroom door swung open releasing steam. Eli, dressed only 

in sweatpants, entered the room drying his hair with a towel. He did 

not notice I was already awake and had approached the window. His 

cheek was iridescent in the sunlight. Outside, the cottony white clouds 

were traveling through the marine-blue sky propelled by the fresh 

smell of outside, the breeze, and the sun. 

~ 384 ~

I quietly tiptoed towards him, and enclosed his body with my 

embrace. 

“Good morning.” 

Eli turned to me. 

“Glad to see you in a good mood.” 

“We probably won’t live another day. So, I cannot waste the 

precious time on affliction.” 

Eli’s smile faded away. 

“I won’t let them hurt you.” 

******* 

A black limousine stopped in the roundabout at the front part of 

Grey’s mansion. The building appeared even more daunting in the 

dark when all imperfections of the façade were softened. The white 

arch above the entrance was supported by tall ornate marble columns. 

We went up the semicircle stairwell enclosed between turned balusters. 

Golden light was pouring out of the high windows and wide opened 

doors as if the treasures of the world were stored inside. 

I took a deep breath attempting to pacify my rapid heartbeat and 

rubbed my sweaty palms over my knees. An assistant in a long tail-coat 

deftly opened the car door letting in the brisk air as well as the sounds 

of a cello. A caravan of shiny cars had already queued behind us. 

Holding our hands tightly, Pietro and I walked down the 

cobblestone pathway to the double doors. Our breath misted in the 

freezing air. I looked back to see Eli following us. His face, with a 

calm smile, was lit by unique beams. He looked very elegant in his 

black tuxedo and bow-tie. This classy appearance was complemented 

by several well-thought but not-so-obvious details, such as cuff links 

incrusted with black sardonyx, a watch with Roman numerals on a thin 

leather strap, and a pair of shoes that clearly cost a fortune. 

~ 385 ~

I was bound to raise the long hem of my dress to prevent myself 

from stumbling. My evening gown was so heavy the straps were 

rubbing into my shoulders. Behind the doors was a small lobby that 

guarded the main hall. We stood there between two high wood-framed 

mirrors. 

“The last look at myself,” said Jordana adjusting her hair. 

The ambiguity of that phrase was nauseating. Blood pulsated in my 

ears. 

“What?” she turned to me. “Why are you so pale?” 

“I’m a bit nervous,” I glimpsed at my reflection. 

My hair was brushed up, and my skin seemed ghostly pale against 

the background of the shiny low-neckline dress with silvery beading 

that looked like frosted dew. 

The color of my eyes dimmed and resembled that of moss. This 

always happened to me when I was anxious. 

“Jared is late as usual,” Jordana said looking around for him while 

twiddling with the red lace on her dress. “Here you are!” 

I turned back to see the familiar traits, but I searched in vain. Jared 

looked different in formal attire. His fiery-red hair was tied back in a 

ponytail, and the black nail polish had disappeared. His accessories 

were reduced to a pair of bracelets and a red tie. He took Jordana by 

her elbow and escorted her into the thick of the crowd. 

We had a plan that we agreed upon: Pietro was my companion 

while Jared accompanied Jordana. Only time would reveal whether this 

distraction would be successful. 

~ 386 ~

We entered the vault-covered hall with its tall walls. A gigantic 

golden chandelier hung in the middle like a bird cage. The white 

staircase was framed by black lacey balustrade, and the banister was 

covered in gold. Luscious aromas were wafting from the hundreds of 

freesias and lilies in floor vases that seemed to dominate the area, 

mixing the sultry air with the strong fragrances of the guests. 

Altogether, it reeked malodorously like decaying onions, but I 

appeared to be the only one bothered by this fact. The guests who 

sipped champagne from cut glasses looked rather content. They smiled 

and enjoyed small talk with each other. 

Ulmance was occupied with an elderly couple--a short fair-haired 

man and a plump gray-haired woman. Nevertheless, he noticed us 

briefly, and his glare nailed me like a harpoon. Grey bowed and headed 

towards us. I felt feverish and could not collect my thoughts, which 

flew apart like champagne bubbles. 

“The plan has changed. See you on the terrace in twenty minutes,” 

Eli’s finger ran over my palm. He disappeared the moment Grey 

approached us. 

“I’m glad you chose the right company,” he said pointing at Pietro. 

“Come with me. I would like to introduce you,” he took me by the 

arm and led through the entire hall. 

The guests respectfully made a lane for us as we moved forward. 

Some greeted and congratulated us although I could not care less. 

Ulmance took a few steps up the staircase. I joined him and looked 

around trying to localize my friends. It was a room full of people. I 

had no idea how to tell Túaths, Grolls, or Malves apart, who all looked 

the same to me. 

Ulmance waved to the musicians, and the annoying tune faded. 

~ 387 ~

“This is a special day,” he commenced with a very inspired voice. “I 

am glad to see you all here tonight, and I am very grateful that you 

found time to welcome the new member of our close-knit family. For 

many years, she was allegedly dead,” Grey paused on the word. 

Everybody remained silent and absolutely motionless, “But today I am 

honored to announce the return of the Túath who was missed so very 

much!” 

The guests burst in deafening applause while I was becoming dizzy 

from the stuffiness and nervousness. My legs went rubbery, and I was 

praying not to fall down in that very moment. The nervous chill only 

worsened, and seemingly everyone in the room could hear my teeth 

chattering. My eyes were desperately searching for familiar faces in the 

crowd. There they stood, trying to encourage me with smiles and 

gestures. Despite Eli’s countenance, I could still read the anxiety on his 

face. 

The music boomed again. Everyone made sure to come close and 

welcome me in person, but their faces and names did not stand out, 

nor did they get imprinted in my memories. I perceived them like 

celebrities from glamour magazines who were mere atmosphere 

players in a stage play. Grey stood by my side the entire time and 

briefed me on every person. 

“Do you always organize such a show for every new Túath?” 

“You are not just an ordinary Túath, Leela. Don’t underestimate 

yourself,” he stopped to look at me. “Now, the decisive moment 

comes. That is why we are all here tonight. You ought to make a good 

impression.” 

“To whom do I owe this pleasure?” 

He heaved an annoyed sigh. 

“You’ve already made too many mistakes. They know about you 

and Eli, and they won’t just let it go.” 

Something jerked inside me as a fish swallowing a fishing lure. 

After we crossed the middle of the hall, Ulmance started to lower his 

voice. He kept his poker face when he spoke. 

~ 388 ~

“If I am such a valuable Túath why do you fear for my life? They 

cannot just get rid of me then.” 

“That is a complicated question. We shall talk about it later, and for 

now, just do what I say.” 

“Do I have to lie if they ask me about Eli and me?” 

“Consider it not a lie, but a life-saving operation for you both.” 

Two men noticed us and turned to walk towards us. The tall skinny 

dark-haired man gave us a distant smile, but his black pitchstone-like 

eyes emanated something deadly and cold. The second man was quite 

an antipode--blond hair enveloped his friendly face with bright blue 

eyes and rosy cheeks. He welcomed me with such a sincere open smile 

it washed-out any animosity. I thought he must have been the ruler of 

the Malves--who know how to charm people and how to get on one’s 

right side. 

I swept my eyes around the guests once again and realized all 

Malves shared similar features, such as blond hair, blue eyes, an openhearted 

smile, and likeable speech. Their skin was light and smooth 

like a pearl. 

“I am delighted to see you!” Ulmance shook hands with both men. 

I noticed some tension when his hand met the hand of the dark-haired 

stranger. 

“Leela, meet Ares Oltour, the ruler of Lower Ambré.” 

When I gave him my hand to shake, a chill came over my heart and 

a part of me became numb. “Well, he is clearly the chief of the meat 

wagon.” 

“Pim de Boer,” Grey introduced the second man. “The ruler of 

Malves.” 

Ares took a step towards me. 

“Glad to see you are alive,” he said taking my wrist. “The 

resemblance with your mother is amazing,” Oltour stared at me with a 

great interest. “If not the eye color,” he said as he narrowed his eyes. 

Something treacherous was boiling in the backyard of his black 

soul. It was as black as his eyes. 

~ 389 ~

“Yes, sir. Mr. Grey has mentioned this,” I uttered trying to keep the 

conversation in the range of meaningless pleasantries. 

“This whole story,” he spread his arms, “is so amazing. It is 

amazing that you happened to be alive, and that you were even found. 

I heard that Alfhield pulled out a great deal of work,” he leaned his 

head and looked straight at me trying to sense any agitation. 

“Unfortunately, I have not yet had the opportunity to express my 

gratitude to him in person. But I will certainly rectify this poor 

omission. He is here tonight, isn’t he?” 

I went hot. 

“Yes, he is.” 

“Wonderful,” Oltour put his palms together. “I’ll have a talk with 

him later. I also heard the two of you have become fast friends.” 

“We are on good terms, yes. He has helped me out a great deal.” 

Ares uttered a laugh, and I felt buried under an avalanche of a 

hundreds icicles. 

“Yes, he has always managed to establish good contacts with girls.” 

“Nowadays, Pietro is mentoring Leela,” Grey interfered in an 

attempt to change the subject. 

A slow mournful song played--created by the moaning of the violin 

and sobs of the piano. Dancing couples started to fill up the floor in 

the middle of the hall. 

“Will you dance with me?” Ares offered me his wiry pale hand. The 

gesture exposed his wrist with a tattoo of an adder that curled twice 

around his arm. The snake’s mouth gaped at Ares’s index finger and 

thumb. Every muscle contraction made the adder’s face move creating 

a threatening realistic illusion. 

I gazed at Grey. There was no approval in his eyes. 

“I am sorry. I am not a good dancer.” 

“Dancing is simple,” he objected while taking my hand. “I will 

teach you.” 

~ 390 ~

Dancing couples hid us behind curtains of lace, Lurex, and sequins. 

I forced myself to examine the evening gowns, especially diamond 

necklaces and tiaras. Anything was better than looking into his 

dreadful eyes. 

“It is surprising Eli has not taught you how to dance. He is a 

renowned expert in that area,” Ares’s horrifying cold voice sounded 

like crackling glass. 

“We spent so much time on training we did not have time for 

anything else,” I gave him a confident look and even a forced smile. 

“How so?” Ares raised his eyebrow. “I was told you shared some 

other mutual interests.” 

He smiled like a predator. He was driving me to the wall, and that 

was as apparent as the fact that it was nighttime. 

“Then you better ask your sources of information once again since 

I know nothing about it.” 

He leaned closer to me, inhaled loudly, and sniffed me like a wild 

animal. 

“It is strange that he did not take it to the next level. He doesn’t 

like to play slow.” 

I missed my footing and felt my legs failing me. His carnivorous 

eyes glistened with dark flames. 

“We did not do it, if this is what you are trying to find out.” 

“That’s good,” Ares sounded satisfied. “That’s good that you are 

not capable of lying.” He squeezed me and whispered into my ear, 

“This piece of shit is a huge pain in my ass, and I am very grateful to 

you for providing me the means to finish it off now.” His heavy gaze 

was pinning me down. 

The music waned. Suddenly, Pietro was standing next to us and 

talking to Ares. I could not make out his words. It was as if I had lost 

the ability to hear. Oltour’s last words were still echoing in my head 

like rumbling thunder that consumed all other sounds. 

“May I have a dance with my mentee?” Pietro asked smiling. 

“Of course, Pietro. She is all yours now. ” 

~ 391 ~

Ares granted me his icy grin and headed towards Grey and de Boer. 

“You don’t look yourself. What happened?” Pietro put his hands 

around my waist. 

I was trembling, and my heart was pounding like waves against 

rocks. 

“Did he really mean what I assume he meant?” 

“Where is Eli?” were the only words I could voice. 

“They are waiting for us on the garden terrace.” 

~ 392 ~

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO 

~ SHINING EMPTINESS ~ 

! 

...Him the Almighty Power 

Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky, 

With hideous ruin and combustion, down 

To bottomless perdition, there to dwell 

In adamantine chains and penal fire, 

Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms. 

--Paradise lost 

The shapes of the nocturnal garden dissolved in the darkness. The 

pathway paved with flat cobblestone wound into its depths and 

disappeared from the sight behind the abelia bushes. Their aroma 

induced a slight taste of bitterness. We were walking almost on a 

hunch, carefully making each step in the dark. For some reason, the 

light posts had been turned off. I stumbled over a couple of rough 

patches of sidewalk when Pietro took my hand in his. A poorly visible 

Roman-style fountain appeared before us. Black spots glistened on the 

water like featureless phantoms, and suddenly we saw a flicker of light. 

As we came closer to our destination, I noticed there was a marble 

pavilion with a classical balustrade and elegant columns supporting its 

vault. Wild ivy coiled around the building like a moth’s cocoon. Only 

the light from a dozen floor lamps kindled the dimmed lifeless light 

like the kindling light of a dying star. 

~ 393 ~

Nit stood with his back to us and his head down leaning with his 

palms pressed against the railing. He became almost invisible in his 

black outfit. Jordana was nervously pacing back and forth across the 

floor next to him. The train of her lace dress dragged behind her like a 

peacock’s tail and collected dry leaves from the marble surface. 

Eli was hiding to the right of the rail and reclined his back against a 

braided column. He lifted his head towards the clear sky admiring its 

clarity that was only visible during a freezing night. 

Stars gleamed in the sky like plankton in the depths of the ocean. 

White vapor streamed out of his mouth and thawed rapidly and 

anxiously. His deceivingly relaxed posture could not, however, hide his 

inner tension. 

Eli was the first one to notice us. He rushed to me, picked me up, 

and pressed me close to his chest. Our hearts beat furiously as if they 

were trying to burst through the obstacles between them and merge 

into one. Eli looked into my face. A fire framed by black eyelashes was 

dancing in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry I implicated you into this.” 

“If I was given another chance, I would not change even one day,” 

I replied, stroking the hot skin on the back of his neck with my palm. 

“No one will give you a second chance. Now, we have to figure a 

way out of this,” Nit folded his hands across his chest. “They know 

about everything.” 

A rustling noise--made by dry leaves--came from the entrance. I 

was startled. The sound seemed so ominous in the deep stillness. 

“Here you are!” Jared huffed. He snatched off his butterfly-tie and 

threw it on the ground. His fuzzy hair stuck out in various directions; 

his whole appearance was bizarre. “Get away! Fast!” 

We stared at him in silence. No one moved being paralyzed by his 

words. Then Eli collected himself first. 

“Is the back gate opened?” he took my hand firmly lugging me 

away. 

~ 394 ~

“It is never locked. Here you go!” Jared gave the car keys to Eli. 

“You will be picked up at the airport.” 

“Are you coming?” Eli emotionally looked at his friend. 

“I have some unfinished business. I’ll get in touch as soon as I 

can.” 

“Thank you, Jay.” 

“Hit the road already! GO!” Jared gave Eli a look full of sadness as 

if they were parting for good. 

“I’m staying,” Pietro said standing next to Jared. “I can help.” 

“All of you are staying,” a ringing voice came from the darkness. 

We turned around. First, we saw pale hands with long thin fingers 

clasping the white railing, and then we saw these hands were followed 

by a face framed with raven-black hair. Marina sat down on the rim of 

the fence, hoisted her feet over it, and sneaked inside like a shadow. 

“Out of my way,” Eli ordered calmly. He took a step towards her. 

Marina carefully backed away. 

“You had a choice, but you made the decision for all of them. What 

a pity! I liked you,” the girl could not take her eyes off of him. Then a 

smile flashed across her beautiful face. “Now, it will end in the same 

fashion for all of you.” 

“Over your dead body?” Eli met her look with a cold, steely 

expression. 

“Over your body,” Ares Oltour said stepping into the conversation. 

He slowly swept his eyes around us. “Your bodies.” 

Icy cold panic sloshed in my gut. I wanted to take a breath, but air 

became stuck somewhere in the pipes as if my throat was stuffed with 

burning sand. 

Grey entered after the Groll. His blank gaze focused on Eli and 

then jumped to me. His chin nervously twitched. 

“Leave us alone,” he made a commanding gesture to the rest 

without even looking at them. Grey became older at once. His hair 

was gray, and his face was ploughed by deep wrinkles. No one moved. 

~ 395 ~

“You’re getting too sentimental, Grey. Why do you bother 

protecting them?” 

“Ambré needs them. They are the strongest Túaths we have.” 

“And how long are these subjects of yours going to abuse this 

privilege? Alfhield has already broken all possible laws and gotten away 

with it. Look at the consequences of his deed!” Ares’s rat-like eyes 

glistened. “He is now followed by the others. One black sheep mars 

the whole flock!” 

Ares threw a bunch of photographs in our direction. The pictures 

fanned out on the marble floor-- dozens of photographs proving that 

Eli and I were indeed together. Some pictures showed even more 

compromising scenes featuring Nit and Jordana. Judging from the 

quality, these photos were taken through a window from a reasonable 

distance. 

Grey did not lose his composure and addressed Oltour: 

“I announce the voting.” 

Ares abruptly turned his distorted face to Grey. 

“It’s time to look for a replacement, Ulmance Grey. Your strategy 

is no longer efficient and neither are you.” 

“I stay within the bounds of law, Oltour. Cast your vote then!” 

Grey said in a cool voice. 

Oltour’s lips twisted in a mocking grimace. He stretched his hand 

and pointed his thumb down--a vote opposed. Ulmance repeated his 

movements, but put his thumb up--a vote in favor. Smiling like a 

predator, Ares pulled out a black envelope, with de Boer’s name, from 

his tuxedo. He ripped it open using the nail on his pinkie and took out 

a rectangular card with his two long bony fingers. He turned so 

Ulmance could see. It was a vote against. 

My heart rapidly sank like a winged bird. I was nauseated. It was 

two against one. 

“The law is the law!” Ares was not even trying to hide his joy. 

“Let’s get started.” 

~ 396 ~

“You won’t lay a finger on them!” Eli stepped in front, shielding 

his friends. 

“A very serious reason is required for that, Alfhield,” Ares folded 

his hands. “Name at least one.” 

“Your death,” he said calmly--in a tone he often used when 

speaking to me--but his ‘calm’ was laced with an edge. It seemed to cut 

the cold air like a dagger. Eli did not bluff and did not try to threaten– 

he stated the obvious. Yellowish light emphasized the cast of his face: 

it painted the lines of the high cheekbones and his chin with 

luminescence. Only a pulsating blood vessel on his temple told of Eli’s 

apprehension. It was like a trapped butterfly flapping its wings. 

“You’ll die last,” Ares said. “I’ll make you watch how your friends 

die, and that will be your fault!” he moved his eyes to me. “Leela,” he 

almost purred, “I think I’ll start with you.” 

“The voting has not been finalized,” Grey’s voice sounded like a 

clash of thunder. He took out a similar black envelope from his 

pocket. The name on it said Viland Blaze. 

Ares distrustfully looked at Grey and the envelope. 

“Viland,” his lips twitched in disappointment. “He was always full 

of surprises. If I recall correctly, his last appearance was a long time 

ago, about twenty years back when the voting about the Alfhields took 

place. So many years have passed. I wonder if Leela knows what her 

mother died for?” his eyes sparkled anxiously. 

Blood was buzzing and building in my ears like a storm. The 

moaning waves broke against the rocks. So, he knew who killed her? 

Maybe he was bluffing and trying to cut the ground from under my 

feet. 

Ares Oltour played on the feelings of his victims with maniacal 

passion, stared into their eyes while he pressed the right buttons, and 

hit raw nerves. 

Grey, pale as if he was drawn with chalk, forcefully opened the 

enveloped, hesitated then pulled out the card. 

~ 397 ~

“You do know what is inside?” Oltour fetched the envelope from 

Grey’s hands and turned the card towards his eyes. The smile vanished 

from his face, and his lips contorted into a crooked line. He threw the 

card on the floor. Viland voted for our lives. Hellfire was burning in 

Oltour’s eyes, and his chin was trembling from wrath. 

“What does he get in turn for this vote this time?” 

“Nothing. It’s his right, and he always chooses as he thinks fit.” 

“Blaze never does anything out of the goodness of his heart.” 

“You know your elder brother better than anyone,” Grey replied. 

Oltour yelled and bitterly grinned. 

“One cannot choose his next of kin,” Ares turned to me. “Do you 

agree, Leela?” 

Three pairs of eyes were directed at me, and Ares continued. 

“The previous day, I was contemplating why you did not encounter 

any insurmountable difficulties in your romance. One says, from these 

wonderful pictures, you both are very comfortable with each other. 

Fire and water are opposites, and as everyone knows, they cannot coexist. 

It’s a given,” Ares leaned on the wall of the pavilion and casually 

examined us with his eyes. “But these two can do it. Why? Alfhield is a 

half-breed of earth and fire, while Leela is… a half-breed of water and 

air. Isn’t that right, Grey?” 

Everybody seemingly lost their breath and looked at Ulmance in 

complete shock. Jared’s eyes opened as wide as a doll’s eyes. 

“I’m aware of your little spree. You,” Ares stabbed his bony finger 

into Grey like a dagger. “You broke the law and will be punished 

together with them.” 

“Your accusations are absurd,” Grey steadily rebutted the attack. “I 

have an impression you put your own ambitions for power ahead of 

the prosperity of Ambré and the human world.” 

“You digress from the main subject, Grey. You, who was called to 

protect the interests of Ambré, are nose deep in a dirty story.” 

“These are unsubstantial allegations. What about the real proof?” 

Ulmance gritted his teeth. 

~ 398 ~

“Do you know,” Oltour addressed me again, “why Elis died?” 

Without even breathing, I glared at him. My own heartbeat 

sounded like it was pounding from a far distance. 

“More than twenty years ago, Ambré was shaken by a gigantic 

scandal. Before that, everyone led a steady life and accomplished their 

work in obedience to the law. Rare affairs between the opposites, if 

any, were kept a big secret. But early one morning, I was informed 

about the Alfhield couple. Not only did they have an affair, she was 

already pregnant. Well, not a big deal, and the sword of justice was 

about to strike them tacitly. However, her great friend committed herself 

to their rescue. Then,” Oltour said shooting a glance as sharp as a 

spear to Grey, “I questioned your loyalty for the first time. An 

unpleasant surprise came up in the course of voting--two votes 

opposed and one in favor. You did that bitch’s bidding. She hung you 

just right, Grey. You forgot everything: the law, the rules, the dignity! 

AND when we opened the fourth envelope, I got stabbed in the back. 

My brother, who had not shown up for years and did not give a crap 

about what happened here, suddenly resurfaced and voted for them!” 

Oltour said as he began to yell. “This skunk could persuade him, too, 

somehow!” 

“Don’t you dare to talk about Elis like that! You don’t have an 

ounce of the kindness she possessed!” 

“You’re right, Grey. I don’t have it at all,” Oltour bared his teeth 

like a wolf. “This is a worthless quality, especially for a Groll, but my 

brother lacks it, as well just like he lacks love. So, I was trying to solve 

this riddle. What did Elis give him in return?” he paused as deafening 

silence fell on us, “She gave him his soul in return for their lives.” 

“No,” Grey whispered. “One for four?” 

Oltour raised his black brows. 

“Blaze is no fool. He knew what he was buying,” Ares folded his 

hands across his chest and started to pace back and forth. “He liked to 

say ‘a soul is like a high-bred horse; the purer the blood, the higher its 

value.’” 

“She could never do that to Leela.” 

~ 399 ~

“When they made the deal, Leela was out of the picture. Elis was 

actually a baby herself. She wanted to save her friends, even at a cost 

of her own life--that was just like her. Anyhow, she was abandoned by 

her beloved. So, she ran into despair trying to rescue her best friends’ 

love and its fruits instead.” 

“No,” Grey shook his head repeating ‘no’ over and over again. 

“She would never do that.” 

“But that’s what she did because you were the one who abandoned 

her. You drove her to suicide.” 

Ulmance stood motionless like a wax sculpture. 

“What happened afterwards, Grey? Did you yield to a moment of 

weakness and then Elis gave birth to Leela? So, then the fictitious 

marriage was concluded, and you broke free again, rejecting her…yet 

again,” Ares laughed. 

“Shut up, Oltour!” 

“After closing the deal, Blaze said he would take his trophy only 

when he needed it. Elis did not know how much time she had, maybe 

a day, or a year, or perhaps twenty years. Blaze Viland is immortal and 

unpredictable. Time has no meaning for him, but that very day when 

the plane crashed, Elis sensed something since she had not taken Leela 

with her.” 

A slouching Ulmance stared at the floor. 

“Didn’t you know?” Ares was laughing into his face. “She saved 

Stephanie, Max, and those degenerates. Now you, Leela, know who is 

guilty in your mom’s death. HE IS!” Ares pointed at Eli. “AND HE 

IS!” he pointed at Grey. “And because of them you will have to die 

now!” Ares narrowed his eyes as if squinting from sunlight. “A family 

drama, but I still have one unsolved riddle. How did Leela get into the 

human world?” 

~ 400 ~

My breathing became labored. It felt like glass splinters were jabbed 

into my throat. The world blurred before my eyes like melting wax. 

Oltour took a resolute step towards me and then stopped right next to 

me. He stared a piercing glance into my eyes. I saw a black, 

unfathomable abyss with not even a shred of light in him. There was 

only endless darkness. 

Eli immediately stepped between us to shield me. He was wound 

tightly like a spring ready to be released. Lift the finger holding him 

together, and he would launch straight into the target. 

“Last wish?” Oltour smiled. 

I noticed a shadow flickering from behind the pavilion, then 

another flicker. They were silent and blistering like nightmares. The 

warriors of Ares. 

“Who tried to kill us?” Eli took the words out of my mouth. 

Ulmance stared at Ares like he was in a fog. 

“Oh, that’s simple,” Oltour bowed like an actor at the end of a 

performance. “I did!” 

“What for?” my voice sounded unfamiliarly indifferent. 

“That’s complex. There is an ancient legend about the power of 

four united elements. Once upon a time, when the earth was bloodred 

and covered with a blanket of volcanoes, there lived an ancestress 

of all gods, Ercetu. She was the sky and the sun, the ocean and the 

wind. She gave life. Her lover Heb betrayed her, and a grieve-stricken 

Ercetu was shattered into four pieces. 

“Before that, she made a prophecy stating she would wander this 

world lacerated until ‘true love’ came to this dead planet and would 

connect the broken pieces back together. A romantic story, isn’t it?” 

Oltour rubbed his hands and lifted his eyes up towards the moon. 

“Legend also says the fusion of all four elements would give 

immortality and power Viland could only imagine. All that is required 

is one must devour it all at once. It seemed absurd before because 

those four elements couldn’t be united, or so we all thought before the 

two of you came to be,” he concluded. 

~ 401 ~

“You are eager to kill the kids because of a stupid legend?” 

Ulmance screamed. 

“No,” Ares laughed, “of course not. I am eager to kill all of you.” 

The following events rolled into being like an avalanche. Eli 

attacked Ares. They both flew over the railing, holding each other in a 

deadly grasp. Eli straddled his enemy and clenched into the Groll’s 

chest. He tried to press down on Ares’s chin with one hand while the 

other hand was burning its way to his heart. Oltour’s clothing turned 

to ashes, and his skin boiled. He grunted and managed to flip himself 

over. Ares caught Eli’s wrist and twisted it quickly breaking the bones 

with a dull sound. Eli screamed, but did not loosen his grip. He tried 

to smother Oltour with the other hand. Eli’s fingers clasped around 

his throat with such great force it caused black-ink colored blood to 

ooze from the torn skin. Blue-blotted veins snaked along Ares’s body, 

but he continued to crush Eli’s broken arm until he surrendered the 

choke-hold from around his neck. Oltour momentarily kicked him to 

the ground. 

Ares’s eyes were glowing like a predator’s. His whole appearance 

was horrifying—streams of blood looped his neck like tentacles, a 

burning hole of carbonized skin on his breast. He pressed his palms 

against Eli’s chest, bared his teeth, and then grabbed Eli’s head with 

both hands. Oltour approached, but a muddy glaze drew over his 

black eyes. 

“Eli, quis ignis,” Oltour whispered in smooth lingering voice that 

poured like quicksilver. His demonic whisper sounded quite 

suppressed. “Dimitte me aspice. Sit vita tua. Suscipe mortem (Eli, a 

child of Fire. Let me in. Quit your hold of life. Accept your death.). 

~ 402 ~

Eli’s panting increased then abruptly stopped. I could not hear 

anything except for the deadly silence. His life was spurting upwards 

like ghostly threads of wind-blown spider webs and dissolving into the 

night. Eli glanced at his enemy with unseeing eyes--filled with hidden 

fear--like a ventriloquist doll. His body went limp and tension fled his 

face turning it into a beautiful porcelain mask. The memories of the 

glassblower’s workshop flooded my mind. I recalled the suffocating 

fear that filled my soul when gazing into the foggy eyes of the Groll. It 

was like being sucked into obscurity behind a wall of thick mist. One 

cannot utter a single sound, cannot move a single member. 

I turned and rushed to them stumbling over every uneven stone in 

the pavement. Shadows continued to flicker behind me. I heard a 

sinister symphony of cackles, screams, moans, and blows, but I did not 

care. I noticed an iron hanger poking from a flower pot with white 

petunias. I tossed the flowers and pulled out the beam with both 

hands--it wobbled a bit. Then I pressed my feet solid into the ground, 

closed my eyes, and pulled the beam back at full force. The hanger 

came out of the soil with a grinding sound, and I fell on my back 

kicking over one of the terracotta vases that decorated the garden. 

Disregarding the scraped skin, I jumped on my feet--leaning against 

the iron beam--and rushed to Eli. 

It seemed all other sounds of this terrible night became muted. 

Only the heavy sounds of my inhaling and exhaling, as well as the 

rapid beating of my heart, occupied my ears. When I approached Ares, 

I firmly clasped the hanger with both hands and struck a forceful 

blow. Metal crushed into his skull with a repulsive crackling sound. 

Ares fell on the grass and sprawled his arms like a scarecrow. Ink-black 

blood seeped on the ground. 

I kneeled next to Eli. His swarthy skin was a pale gray. He still 

gazed at the sky with wide eyes reflecting emptiness. These were no 

longer his eyes. 

“Eli,” I called him. “It’s me!” No response. “ELI!” I did not notice 

my voice elevating into a harsh scream that could have shattered the 

night into a thousand pieces. 

~ 403 ~

Crying my heart out, I closed him in an embrace. 

My tears fell on his face and hung on his eyelashes like they were 

his own. “Eli,” I pleaded quietly, “don’t leave me…” Suddenly, his 

hand shook spastically on my hand, and a terrible roaring sound broke 

free from his chest. It was like a growling winter storm. He gasped for 

air, inhaled hungrily and… his head fell lifelessly back on the ground. 

His eyes closed. 

Terrible pain rang in my head like grinding metal. Feeling lightheaded, 

I stood up on my unbalanced feet, grabbed the hanger lying 

next to me, and dashed towards Oltour. He grunted and turned his 

head to me the moment my weapon hovered above him ready to stab 

through his heart. I didn’t even know whether that monster had a 

heart, but I had no other ideas of how to kill him. 

Tears rolled down my cheeks. The loss of Eli was unbearable. My 

heart was torn apart. I squinted ready to stab Ares, but shrieked from 

pain. I flew off to the side and was crashed into the pavilion. I was 

disoriented and bent over groaning from pain--the wind had been 

knocked out of me. I could not breathe. Suddenly, someone kicked me 

with his foot and turned me on my back. The unfamiliar face of a 

young man emerged from the darkness. He was almost a boy and 

ferociously displaying his teeth. He kicked me in my stomach with the 

tip of his boot. I spat blood, suffocating from the nauseating metallic 

taste in my mouth. The man fastened his hand on my neck and pulled 

me up above the ground. He hissed, 

“Tempus moriendi.” (Time to die). 

“I don’t know Latin!” I hoarsely snapped and hit him into the face 

with my knuckles. I had remembered a TV program teaching women 

how to stand up to would-be rapists by striking the attacker in the face 

with one’s knuckles. 

~ 404 ~

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. He was still above 

me. I locked my wrist in a grip and gave him a blow to the ear. He fell 

on his side, and I crept away making the best out of the invaluable 

seconds. However, I did not managed to crawl far--just clutched the 

banister--when he pulled my dress. I tightened my hands on the beam 

and tried to hoist myself up. The fabric rattled and the larger part of 

the hemstitch was ripped apart. Silvery beads flew around like 

raindrops. The Groll threw the piece away and prodded his nails into 

my legs. Kicking him several times, he finally released one foot. I 

struck him in the eye with my heel. Right on target! He screamed, fell 

backwards, and started to roll in the grass. 

I jumped on my feet and checked my surroundings. There were Grolls 

everywhere! Every one of us had to fight at least one. Nit was 

withstanding three of them. Ares was still lying on the grass next to 

Eli. I had noticed neither Grey nor Marina. My fieldwork was abruptly 

interrupted by a powerful blast against my back with a heavy object. I 

fell forward smashing my knees against rocks. Turning to glance, I saw 

the young Groll again. His lacerated face lacked an eye, and that area 

turned into a blood spot. He attacked me. 

“Blle tørre pom moore,” I screamed in an unfamiliar manner. I did 

not understand the words I yelled, but he halted and batted his one 

eye. I crept backwards while uttering arcane spells. They fell from my 

lips on their own command as if somebody was talking through me. 

“Wann vile være, flai ztil otra lys kai!” 

The young Groll tensed up examining himself with his inner look. 

He heaved a sigh of relief and took a step towards me. Suddenly, his 

skin began to drastically shrink resembling a pan-fried apple. Thinned 

yellow skin crinkled on his skull and bones, his remaining eye sank 

down deep into its socket, and he gapped his mouth grunting horribly. 

He tried to reach me and wanted to utter a cry, but instead his 

mummified body with hollow eye sockets fell down to my feet. 

~ 405 ~

I screamed kicking the corpse away from me. A spasm ran through 

my stomach. I bent over and vomited, then rolled over and pressed 

my burning cheek against the cool ground. It vibrated. Nit and two 

Grolls darted next to me destroying part of the fountain. They fell into 

the water and continued fighting. Pietro followed them jumping over 

the fountain railing. He grabbed one of the adversaries and stomped 

him into a sculpture of some deity that stood in the middle of the 

fountain. It looked like he had crashed a bottle against a shipboard. 

I pulled myself up supporting my body on my hands against the 

ground. A wave of pain surged into my head. I felt faint again, and 

dabbed forthcoming tears. I quickly rose and scoped the area. The 

place where Eli lay was empty. My heart felt sick. Suddenly, another 

Groll’s head was snapped off and rolled to the side. 

Eli stumbled over the mummy, and then headed towards me. He 

hugged me. Then he drew back and carefully examined every scratch 

on my face. He exhaled, 

“Alive and intact?” 

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I think I am.” Joyous tears 

blurred my vision He was alive! 

Eli pressed his palms to my cheeks and wiped my tears. The skin 

on his fingers was hot and rough. Eli exuded feverish heat; he could 

probably self-ignite. Letting it all go for a moment, I reclined my head 

on his shoulder and closed my eyes. Ulmance’s voice pulled me out of 

my otherwise endless meditation. He looked at us scornfully. 

“Not the best time for cuddling,” he spat. 

I couldn’t manage a reply because a sharp cry unexpectedly pierced 

my ears. Ares was holding Marina by her shoulders, but she was still 

trying to resist. He flung her around like an insect that was caught in 

spider’s web. 

“No!” she cried. “Don’t do this, please!” 

“What’s happening?” I asked not believing my eyes. It looked like 

he was… 

~ 406 ~

“He is killing her,” Ulmance responded calmly, even contentedly. 

“He needs energy to fight back.” 

Eli turned to him. 

“Now?” he asked. 

“Now,” Grey confirmed. 

“What’s now?!” I stared at them. 

“We’ll kill them now.” 

Both rushed to the Oltours. Eli attacked from the right while Grey 

attacked from the left. A tall Groll obstructed Ulmance’s advance two 

steps away from Ares. The Groll’s thick neck merged into huge 

muscular shoulders--the type I had seen only in video games. The 

goblin-like creature cocked his head and looked at Ulmance like a bird 

looking at a worm. 

“I’ll take Ares down,” Eli said. 

Ulmance looked at him in disbelief, but did not have a chance to 

reply because he was attacked by the giant Groll. Grey jumped aside 

from his enemy and began to lure him away from Ares. He backed 

away slowly though the Groll followed him and wickedly grinned. 

Then Grey suddenly rammed into his opponent with surprising agility 

for his age and build, knocking the Groll down. In that moment, Eli 

plunged into Oltour. His stretched right palm emitted a golden 

brilliance like a burning hot dagger. 

“Behind you,” Marina groaned. 

Ares was quick enough to duck, and Eli’s palm, which was aimed at 

his heart, got struck between his ribs instead. Burning flesh sizzled and 

exuded a putrid unbearable smell. 

~ 407 ~

Ares threw back his head and growled. However, the wound was 

not lethal. He turned to Eli, gritted his teeth, squeezed the wound’s 

opening with his hand, and limped towards Eli. A blood stain was 

growing on his shirt the size of a poppy flower. An unconscious 

Marina lay behind him with her head reclined to the side, covered by 

fuzzy black hair, and her hands twisted behind her back just how her 

father left her. The arrogant and angry expression had vanished from 

her face. It seemed almost child-like, like a dead child. 

Oltour advanced as if nothing had happened. Grolls can paralyze 

their victims if they manage to establish direct physical and visual 

contact with them. 

Ares jumped on Eli. His wild black eyes, without visible irises, 

looked like two bottomless wells yet shined eagerly. Eli made an 

evasive move. Ares flew to the stairs and tried to grab Eli by his shirt, 

but his hand slipped off the fabric. Suddenly, something in the 

pavilion caught Eli’s attention, and his face became as pale as if 

someone painted it with white paint. He lost his balance and tripped. 

Ares managed to take advantage of Eli’s moment of confusion and 

pressed him into the stairs with a loud sound. Oltour’s lips parted 

showing blood-stained teeth. Eli abruptly folded himself, pressed his 

feet ahead, and overthrew Oltour. The Groll uttered a husky stifled 

cry, but remained on his feet and attacked again. Oltour looked insane. 

Both rivals clasping each other in a deadly hold rammed into a column 

with a thundering sound and then rolled down. 

Jumping over the stairs, I hurried to the pavilion and stopped 

frozen in my spot. A girl was lying in the far corner. Her golden hair 

spread over the floor like dying fire. Red lace on her dress soaked into 

the puddle of blood below her slender, almost transparent body. She 

looked like a broken mannequin. A chill ran down my spine. I bent 

over her checking her pulse. It was barely distinguishable. 

Rumbling noises came from outside. Eli’s and Ares’s movements 

were barely visible through the cloak of thick black fog. They flew by, 

broke several vases, and splintered a wooden arch decorated with a 

grapevine. 

~ 408 ~

Ares, again, undertook a futile attempt to lay hold of his opponent, 

but Eli was faster--he ducked and kicked the Groll in his chest. 

Heavily panting, Oltour doubled over, and Eli pushed him into the 

fountain. In the same second, Eli emerged next to the enemy and 

clamped his hands around his neck lifting his body above the water. 

Red flares flickered in Eli’s cat-like green eyes. His retinas glowed with 

golden flashes. Ares thrashed the air with his feet like a mechanical toy 

and grunted desperately. Eli lifted his hand and said, 

“Die! You swine!” 

Then he prodded Ares between his ribs with his fist like with a 

skewer. Ares screamed violently. His unhuman wail pierced my ears. 

Blood spurted out of the wound like an oil fountain. Ares’s skin 

attained a grayish-carrion hue. His feet failed him and his head 

drooped to the side. Veins popped on his face like a mourning veil. Eli 

released his hand, and Ares’s body fell into the water painting it in a 

muddy red color. 

Eli threw a tired look at his enemy’s back. His body rippled the 

water, and his black hair floated like antennas while his long fingers 

spread apart like bird spiders. Eli raised his head. Water was pouring 

down from his hair and clothing. He noticed me and turned around to 

take a step, but wobbled and descended to one knee. A crooked shard 

of a terracotta vase with sharp edges was poking out of his side. 

I rushed to him jumping over the low rim of the fountain. My feet 

barely moved as if they were submerging. Finally, I knelt next to him. 

The water was freezing cold, and its chill penetrated into my bones. Eli 

coughed with blood and leaned lower almost diving into the water. I 

embraced him and pushed aside the blood-stained hair that was now 

plastered to his forehead. 

“We have to exchange energy.” 

He shook his head no. The movement was almost indiscernible. 

“You are wounded and very weak,” he groaned. “I’m not going to 

risk…” Eli spat wads of blood again. 

“You have to agree, otherwise you’ll die!” 

~ 409 ~

Tears in my eyes hindered the sight of Eli. I wiped them with my 

shoulder. His body felt unusually cold. Colorless drops hung on his 

eyelashes reflecting the fading fire from his eyes. His breathing became 

irregular and labored. 

“Let me do this!” I shook him, but he did not react. A sudden blast 

of wind brushed my face smearing the tears. This dusty flow brought 

the smell of blood, cinder, and snow. Blood rushed within my ears. 

I squeezed Eli in my arms and hoarsely groaned. His live essence 

was fading away like sand through fingers. The sinking feeling of 

emptiness pulled at my heart-strings as I realized a huge part of my life 

was being torn away--there was nothing I could do. 

“Nit! Pietro!” I screamed hysterically losing my voice. “Somebody!” 

My tongue numb from cold did not obey me. “Anybody!” 

He slightly pressed my palm trying to calm me down as if he was 

saying I am here. I am strong. I’ll manage. At that moment, I noticed a 

dark silhouette rising from the dead behind Eli’s back. It was Ares. He 

moved slowly and seemed to be sewed from black smoke. A messy 

bloody wound was open in his chest--his face was contorted by anger, 

his eyes burned with apocalyptic destruction. Oltour quickly reached 

us and wrapped his arms around us. 

A bright blaze deafened and blinded me. The feeling differed 

distinctly from the experience in the glassblower’s shop. Acute pain 

stabbed my spine and inundated my head as if someone struck a gong. 

Dark sinister crescendos rippled quivers through my body and then 

ceased. Sheer blackness. This ultimate lack of light was accompanied 

by the same grade of silence, yet I was still alive. Where was I? Where was 

Eli? 

“Leela,” his sweet voice called me. 

“I’m here,” I responded. “Where are we?” 

“Nowhere.” 

Nowhere?! echoed inside me and recalled the nightmare. 

“This is a hallucination. He united us for the ritual.” Then I heard a 

dull bang, then one more and again. 

~ 410 ~

Eli yelled, released a deep sigh, and continued to attack the invisible 

obstacles again. This was probably how being in a coma felt—when 

one hears and remembers everything, but remains trapped in the 

prison of his own mind. Eli was persistent in his struggle. Immediately, 

a ray of dimmed white light appeared before our eyes. 

We regained consciousness for a short moment. We were at the 

end of our rope. We breathed hard. Our entwined fingers lost contact. 

Our spirits were strong, but our weak bodies were giving up. I could 

not even move my lips and prayed Eli could hear my thoughts. 

I love you, I said in my mind sensing my tears beginning to roll down 

my face. 

Silence. 

“I love you more than life,” his voice finally rang in my head. Eli 

touched my fingers with his fingers tips, and I was instantly blinded 

again by a flash. 

A desert of snow stretched for miles and miles around me. Lace 

silhouettes of the remote tops of pine trees outlined the horizon. On 

the other side, snow drifts waved beyond visibility. An ice-encased lake 

lay in front of me like a portal to another world, reflecting the 

unfathomable sky. It changed colors, fusing together lilac, gold, green, 

and light pink hues. Northern lights. I finally had a chance to see it. A 

placer of silver stars peaked through the pillar of lights. The snow 

shimmered as well, and soon I could not decide whether we ascended 

to heaven or the sky descended to Earth. Eli’s eyelashes were frosty as 

if a few stars landed on them. 

“I will always live in your heart as well as you always living in 

mine.” Breath-vapor steamed out of Eli’s mouth. His lips touched my 

wet cheek, and he looked above me. Severe pain twisted his face. 

Black clouds clotted around us stretching their woolly appendages 

over the ground. Eli’s face seemed to be woven from moonlight. His 

voice was light like a breeze, and his smile was bright like the warmth 

of the morning sun, as well as the vapor that had just escaped his lips. 

“No! Don’t go away, Eli!” I pleaded. Weeping blurred my eyes. 

~ 411 ~

For the last time, Eli kissed me, cuddling me in his arms. And for 

the last time, he harbored hope before we perished in the merciless 

darkness forever. His hot breath warmed me, invigorated me. Now, 

probably for the last time. 

“Don’t let him,” he said taking a break from kissing me. His arms 

closed me in a tight hug. “Don’t let him win. Stay with me,” he said 

pausing then drawing me closer. My feet grew numb from the cold 

snow, but this feeling made me feel alive. Our heartbeats were 

synchronized in rhythm. We were drowning in our feelings, our love, 

and our intimacy. Large snowflakes lay on our heads and shoulders 

like diamonds while we dissolved in each other’s embrace, shielding 

the other from snow like under angel’s wings. This was a moment to 

die for. 

The snowfall became heavier. The air filled up with bright lights. 

My fingers got lost in Eli’s hair. I hungrily inhaled the fresh, breathtaking 

smell of his body and captured the passionate movements of his 

tongue inside of me. 

Waves of joy rushed through my body from head to toe. I loved, I 

believed, I was alive. Our hearts throbbed concurrently creating a great 

melody of love and sacrifice. We sensed a growing power that could 

overcome fear, pain, and even death. 

Thunder crashed more and more aggressively. Its sound filled the 

space with a terrible crescendo of broken happiness, a whirlwind of 

hardheartedness, and unfulfilled hopes. Numerous flashes of lightning 

tore through the darkness blinding us even through our closed eyes. 

Our kiss continued. We held each other close realizing this was likely 

our final kiss. 

All of a sudden, white light exploded with insufferably radiance and 

dissolved the black mist, but it extinguished as abruptly as it had 

appeared. Only murkiness endured. 

~ 412 ~

EPILOGUE 

~ ASHEN SKIES ~ 

! 

The rays of midday sun drew golden ornaments on the looking 

glass of the ocean. Blue hues and blinding blue hues could be seen for 

miles on end. I looked overboard and saw the reflection of frothy 

creamy clouds in the water. It seemed the world had turned upside 

down, and our yacht was floating in the sky accompanied by hovering 

schools of fish instead of birds. 

The yacht was rocking in the water, loudly swallowing the waves 

that became trapped under its bow. A warm headwind disheveled my 

hair. I tied it up into a knot on the back of my head then flipped onto 

my stomach. Eli lifted up his sunglasses and waved at me with one 

hand while holding the helm with the other. I smiled at him admiring 

the perfect lines of his body. The brilliance of the sunrays seemed to 

burst through his skin and hair. 

Jordana was lying next to me reading a book in the shadow of the 

sails. Nit was gobbling cheese crackers and jabbering into his brother’s 

ear. He talked about the sea, yachts, and pressed fiberglass that was 

used for their production. But any topic seemed amazing to me. My 

dear beloved people were here with me, in complete safety. I became 

unsettled, recalling the events of the last days and the horrible night 

when Oltour died, although we all were meant to perish. The legend 

was in fact less fictitious than one could have imagined. As soon as 

Oltour had united the powers of all four elements for the ritual, it 

turned against him. Concerted efforts of interacting water, air, fire, and 

earth incinerated him from the inside. One more argument, which 

proved we all belonged together. 

~ 413 ~

A green island appeared before us. Small overpasses radiated right 

and left from the island and connected it to the line of bungalows with 

thatch roofs and large square windows. We docked and walked to the 

land via a narrow plank bridge. Tall palm trees bent over the ocean. 

The green paradise was encircled by a ribbon of white powdered 

sugar-like sand. 

“Can’t wait!” screamed Jordana and jumped into the water with her 

clothes on. Nit dove in after her creating a fountain of splashes. 

“Join us!” he called out emerging from the water. 

“A bit later,” Eli was already luring me to follow him. 

The pathway winded around a fluffy bust with small leaves that led 

us deeper into the world of blessed silence, which could only be 

disturbed by the splashing of waves and whishing of the wind. Nit’s 

and Jordana’s loud sounds of laughter faded and soon dissolved in the 

tranquility that surrounded us. The warm air was very moist and laden 

with new aromas and sensations. My head swam a bit--probably from 

jet lag. I found an explanation and tried to breathe deeper. My heart, 

however, pounded even harder. 

Eli stopped in front of the door and playfully looked at me with his 

narrowed green eyes. 

“Why does a man need such inexcusably eloquent eyes and very 

long eyelashes that touch the upper eyelid when he laughs?” I asked. 

He smiled. The palm trees above us had cast surrealistic shadowpatterns. 

“Are you nervous?” he grinned. 

“Not in the least,” I assured him pulling the key out of my pocket. 

“I counted on it,” his smile became even broader. 

~ 414 ~

Eli’s hands wrapped around my waist leaving only a small gap 

between us. Even over this distance, I could sense the heat of his 

body…and I pulled the belt of his jeans to drag him closer to me. Eli 

kissed my shoulder, then my neck, and finally gently brushed his lips 

over mine. My body tingled at his touch. I reclined against the door, 

and he pressed me harder making me shiver. Our bodies tangled like 

two complementary pieces of a complex mosaic. 

His hands slipped down my back and halted on the bare skin of my 

thighs below the white tunic. I did not hear his breathing, although his 

chest heaved up and down. I reciprocated and launched my hands 

underneath his shirt. I tried to explore every muscle on his back, every 

muscle on his abdomen. He groaned and grasped my legs underneath 

the hem of my dress pushing me harder against the door. Eli panted, 

and suddenly the door gave up, opening widely. The latch was very 

weak. Eli fell on me, and we both burst into laughter. 

“Haven’t I seen this scene before?” 

“Let’s see. Do I remember how it ends?” I closed my arms around 

his neck. 

Nit’s laughter rumbled like thunder outside on the street, 

accompanied by the rustling sound of suitcase wheels rolling along the 

pathway. Jordana and Nit stepped inside. Water was still dripping 

down from both of them, making puddles on the floor. 

“Look, redhead, they are making out right on the doorstep!” Nit 

shouted so loudly it resonated in my ears. 

“Did anybody ever tell you that you always, always come at the 

wrong time?!” Eli half-turned to him. 

“Yes! You!” Nit threw his words into nowhere because his gaze 

was fixed on the refrigerator through the cracked kitchen door. 

“Where was this picture taken?” Jordana pointed her finger to the 

living room. 

~ 415 ~

I turned back. The refreshing ocean breeze was blowing through 

the large opened windows and bringing in the smell of salt, blazingly 

hot sand, and wood. Sheer white curtains smoothly danced in the 

streams of air like a cloud of fog. A large sofa stood in the middle of 

the room flanked by an ottoman, two large armchairs, and a folding 

wooden screen in the back. Sunlight traversed through the fanciful 

ornament of interconnected loops and decorated the furniture and the 

floor with lace-like patterns. Throw pillows were abundant: round and 

square ones, upholstered in golden, terra-cotta red, and white fabric as 

well as shapeless ones that resembled clouds. 

A picture taken on the day of my eighteenth birthday was hanging 

on the wall across from the sofa, but I did not remember when this 

picture was taken. All of us were playing in the sea. The photo 

captured the moment when Nit grabbed Jordana, and I was running 

away laughing out loud. Eli collapsed with laughter on the golden 

sand, producing lots of splashed sparkling water in the silver 

moonlight. 

“Since the four of us are in the picture, Pietro must have taken this 

shot.” 

“Yes, looks like he knew what he was doing.” 

“Even better than that.” 

“Hey,” Nit called us from the kitchen. “It’s a chow hound’s 

paradise in here--fish, shrimp, more fish, and one of the fish here…” 

his voice sounded disappointed. “…it’s raw!” 

My stomach growled. So, I headed towards the kitchen. Nit was 

eating cheese from a can with his finger topped with pineapple. The 

fridge door was opened wide. 

“Eww!” Jordana exclaimed. 

“Why? Because it comes in a can, or because I am eating cheese 

and pineapple?” Nit mumbled with his mouth full. 

“Just eww!” she glimpsed in the fridge and made a sour face. “What 

is this fish?” Jordana pulled the strange thing by its tail. “It’s all slimy, 

and it’s blue! I hope your supplier has all the necessary documentation 

on these creatures.” 

~ 416 ~

“What do you want to see? The death certificate?” Eli laughed, but 

Jordana was not amused. “They put here what was pulled out of the 

water.” 

“Pulled out of the water?” she found it nauseating. 

“Of course! Fish do not grow on trees!” 

“I thought it is being bred in special farms where its diet is 

controlled. I’m not eating this piece of slime!” 

“Good. We get more. You were talking about losing weight for a 

long time.” 

Jordana’s mouth dropped from indignation, and Eli closed it with 

his fingers in passing. 

“Nobody invited you in here, so, please behave like good guests. 

You may cook food and unpack our stuff.” 

“You are such a bastard!” Jordana lost her temper and threw the 

fish at his head. Eli ducked, and the slimy cold thing hit Nit in his 

head. Eli laughed so loud the wine glasses above the bar counter 

started to ring. Nit stopped chewing and turned to Jordana with a 

quizzical look. 

“I was not aiming at you!” she waved her hands, but Nit threw 

away an empty can of cheese, a semi-eaten pineapple, picked the fish 

off the floor, and ran after Jordana. She tried to get away with a loud 

scream and disappeared behind the door. Judging from the sounds 

that soon followed, she did not manage to escape. I was roaring with 

laughter. I could not stop. 

******* 

~ 417 ~

The sun was lazily submerging into the ocean, painting the 

horizon’s line in a golden and copper-red palette. The iridescent sky 

changed its color from pink to sapphire blue. We were resting on the 

terrace and observing, through the glass floor, the fish swimming 

sleepily between the corals. Fire-like anemones spread their orange 

tentacles. A manta ray passed by, swinging his wings like an angel who 

had descended from heaven. 

When the sun hid behind the horizon the ocean’s surface turned 

into black gold. The waters, however, remained warm. Ocean breezes 

were playing with palm leaves hanging very low above the water. A 

round and unusually yellow moon was rolled up into the sky. Her 

glowing brilliant trail rocked on the reflection of the water like a road 

to the depths of the universe. 

We stayed there--just the two of us--surrounded by the space 

created by moonlight, twinkling stars, snow white sand, and emeraldgreen 

water. Flecks of lights dimly glistened on Eli’s dark hair like 

incandescent flower dust. I almost expected my fingers to glisten as I 

stroked his hair. Eli’s head rested on my knees; his eyes were closed. 

His eyelashes, dark as the nocturnal ocean, quivered every time my 

fingers ran over his cheeks. I could not take my eyes off of him. As if 

after one more moment, after one more breath, he could simply 

vanish into the thin air like a dream. 

Eli opened his eyes and invited me in their endless universe. It was 

my personal paradise of the Chartreux color, the color of life. His lips 

curled up into a carnivorous smile, and his eyes were hungrily eating 

me. Our breathing dissolved in the crashing of waves. He rose up and 

reached my lips. I trembled when he touched them. I held my breath 

wanting this moment to last forever. It seemed like time did not exist. 

Only we, our love, and our union were real and sparkled like the 

heavens. 

“I love you, my Leela.” Eli caressed my cheek with his hot palm 

while still holding his lips above mine. “I am insanely in love with 

you,” he whispered these words right into me. 

“I love you, my Eli.” I put my palm on his chest. 

~ 418 ~

It was so hot to the touch he could have ignited at any moment. 

Eli’s heart was rhythmically beating under my hands, following the 

familiar melody of his soul. He moved closer, embraced me, and laid 

me on the sand that felt quite cool after Eli’s fervent touch. He closed 

my lips with his, and a powerful flow of energy--similar to static 

electricity--surged sending waves through my entire body. We both 

took a deep breath, almost simultaneously, and intensified our kiss. We 

were swallowing each other’s intense heartbeats, and were 

overwhelmed by the mystical feeling of fusion of opposites. Behind 

this arcane confluence stood the universe and its most precious 

riddles. 

I gently bit and nibbled on his lower lip. Then I slowly stood up 

and walked to the water front. Lustrous moonlight highlighted all lines 

and curves of my body and emphasized my velvet skin down to my 

feet that were playfully tickled by the waves. I turned around to stare at 

Eli. His chest was heaving from irregular breath while his ravenous 

eyes were taking an enthralling journey over my practically naked 

body. His eyes were burning with desire. 

The ancient song of the ocean–quiet soft whispering of the waves 

lapping against the shore–gave me some confidence, but my heart was 

still pounding from anxiety. Sand that was glued to my skin shined like 

pearly powder in the moonlight. I slowly unhooked the straps of my 

swimsuit with my fingers and pulled them down. Weightless fabric 

slipped past my hips, which were covered with goose-bumps and fell 

on the wet sand. I stood nude enjoying the sight of Eli casting 

covetous eyes towards every convex line on my body. His eyes were 

thirstily consuming the image of new me, who was born that moment. 

A girl possessing female power and attractiveness. 

~ 419 ~

A gust of warm wind wafted a sweet smell of flowers and citrus 

trees. I walked waist-deep into the water, drew a breath, and dove into 

the silvery ocean. I swam under water until I needed oxygen. When I 

resurfaced, the water was up to my chin. In a second, Eli emerged next 

to me. In the soft nocturnal light, his skin attained a golden-bronze 

hue like the surrounding water, and his hair was inky black like the sky 

above us. I swept my eyes around his face--slightly smiling lips, wet 

hair trailing over his eyes, his broad shoulders and his chest… the rest 

was concealed under the water. Mmm… my heartbeat increased. 

The heat surged up through my body. I took a steady step towards 

him. Soft sand sagged under my feet. My trembling fingers touched his 

stomach--sensing the tension of every muscle. Eli exhaled and pulled 

me close to him, and lifted me up by my thighs. I wrapped my legs 

around him and rested on his hot body. I lost my breath when I 

caught sight of his predatory, a burning gaze that triggered passion in 

me. A few wet strands of hair fell on his golden eyes and dripping 

seawater droplets absorbed his light. It sparkled in the darkness like 

little suns. I smiled tenderly and carefully pulled these stray strands 

back from his face with my finger. Eli kissed my palm burying his nose 

in it. 

“I love you,” he whispered. 

Oh God! He had so much self-control. 

My fingers became entangled in his silky smooth wet hair and drew 

him as close to me as possible. Eli’s lips teased the sensitive skin on 

my neck. Then he squeezed my hips harder and started to kiss my 

shoulders and my breasts and nibble my burning skin. He paced his 

movements. He was slow and gentle. We both had so impatiently 

longed for this moment of ultimate togetherness; we dreamt about 

intimacy. The air between us became sweltering, and his red-hot glance 

filled me up with inner sunlight. I was feeling giddy either from 

happiness or from Eli’s delicious smell. He intoxicated me like drug-- 

my own private drug. Love for Eli flooded every corner of my being. 

“Your scent is driving me crazy,” he roared into my ear nibbling my 

earlobe. 

~ 420 ~

I lost my breath. Desire was tormenting me. Eli grabbed me by my 

hand and pulled me closer. Then he left the water with me in his 

hands. I squealed, now fully sensing his body with my bare skin. The 

lightness we enjoyed in the water had passed. 

Oh God! He is so… 

Eli laughed. This was the most splendid music to my ears. I, curling 

on his chest, felt his laughter reverberating in me. 

We entered the bedroom through the wide opened door and got 

tangled in the transparent curtains. Wet sandy footprints indicated our 

path. I glimpsed at the large bed covered with a blue sheet and then at 

our reflection in the mirror. I was delighted at the view of his swarthy, 

strong, sculptured back and broad shoulders. He was carefully 

supporting me with his hands. Our bodies entwined like two halves of 

a united body. My Eli, my other half. 

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him delicately. I was 

sure we would rush to climax when a moment like this comes. Instead, 

he was stroking me so unhurriedly as if we had an eternity to spend 

together. His ardent lips prompted a torrent of electrical charges in my 

body. He brought me to the bed and laid me on it and stepped aside. 

His look crawled down my shape giving me goose bumps. 

Then he slid next to me, and his lips embarked on a journey down 

my shoulder to my breasts. He tasted my nipples and smiled when I 

moaned. Eli rained kisses upon my belly, and then moved farther 

down making me pant. He traced the inside of my thighs with his 

tongue. I moaned and was startled, reddening with shame. Eli groaned 

squeezing me strongly with his hands so that I could not move. A 

naughty smiled formed on his mouth. 

“Eli,” I was almost suffocating with desire. 

He shook his head no while driving me wild with his deliberateness. 

I sobbed and clasped the sheets with my fingers. Then shortly, I 

dove from beneath him and straddled him. His ravening eyes followed 

my movements, and he swallowed hard. 

“Some water?” I asked giggling. 

~ 421 ~

“Oh yeah!” he roared in arousal and drew me closer to him. 

I sensed his increasing heartbeat. The touch of his naked body was 

the most tantalizing sensation in my entire life, as was his everlasting 

love and openness. All I wanted was to make him happy, and this 

intention had dissolved all my fears. My heart was solemnly beating. 

“Are you afraid?” he asked. 

I closed my eyes and smiled. No, I was not afraid. 

“I want you to love me,” I whispered stroking his bristled cheek 

and kissing him. 

I noticed him swallowing hard again in order to conceal a shudder 

that surged from his body into mine. 

“You’re gorgeous,” he said in quiet velvety voice. 

I was consumed with growing desire that extinguish my 

awkwardness and timidity. I conclusively wrapped my legs around his 

thighs flattening myself against him. His strong tensed up body moved 

upwards, and my hips met his. We merged into one existence. 

My body was joyfully accepting its presence over and over again, 

and a new unfamiliar sensation steadily grew within me. Spirited 

energy was boiling nearly to the brim, depriving me of the ability to 

think and making my body shiver. 

“Oh God!” I screamed when the world, as I knew it, fell into a 

chasm. 

My perception clouded, the tips of my toes became numb, and a 

chilling wave ran up my legs to my stomach and exploded like bright 

scalding fireworks. This feeling carried me beyond the rims of the 

galaxy, beyond the scope of human life. Continuous spasms inside me 

finally unfolded into a relaxing wave of happiness…oh my goodness…all 

thoughts vanished giving way to the unknown heavenly sensations that 

flooded my body. 

~ 422 ~

Exhausted, we reclined and stretched ourselves on the wet sheets. 

Our frequented breathing concerted with the splashing of waves. The 

freezing night wind penetrated through the open doors and cooled our 

burning bodies. A smile graced my lips when I turned my head to Eli. 

Drops of sweat glistened on his forehead and temples. His dark hair 

was disheveled. I leaned on my side, laughed, and ran my fingers 

through his hair. 

You gave me an entire new world. I had not ever suspected it even existed, I 

thought, being magnetized by his shiny eyes. 

A dull sound came out of his chest. A playful smile formed on Eli’s 

beautiful mouth. He pushed me on my back and hovered over me 

supporting his weight on his arms. His lips met mine, and I 

reciprocated the passionate kiss--being scant of breath from his breath, 

his scent, the touch of his skin, his solid body. It was just the 

beginning. We bestowed each other with love and left the whole world 

behind us with its endless ocean, the sky with its myriad of scintillating 

stars…the whole of Universe. 

When I opened my eyes, Eli was holding me in a strong embrace. I 

carefully crawled out from the magical cage of his arms in order to not 

wake him. I stretched out on the bed with great pleasure and looked at 

him. His dark hair was sprawled over the white pillowcase like 

anthracite crystals. I enjoyed seeing his wheat-like complexion and 

perfectly outlined cheekbones covered with stubble. I could not resist 

stroking his skin and touching his thick dark eyelashes. Eli smiled with 

his eyes still closed. 

“Sorry, I woke you,” I whispered. 

“That’s what I had been dreaming for a long time,” he said opening 

his eyes. He seemed to have an internal glow. 

His fingers traced the line of my spine and paused on my naked 

thighs. Eli uttered a guttural sound, which cast away the last shreds of 

drowsiness, and rolled on top of me. He slightly rose up on his hands 

and granted me a long absorbing kiss. 

~ 423 ~

Only a thin sheet separated us. My fingers slipped down his neck, 

the tensed muscles on his back, and then we simultaneously reached 

for each other’s lips concealing our union. My fingers were lost in his 

tangled hair as I drew myself even closer to him. 

He started to kiss my neck and lowered his face farther to my 

breasts and abdomen. We both were breathing loudly as hot blood 

rushed through our veins like wild horses and hammered in our 

temples. Our love was the only realm outside the room; nothing else 

mattered. The bed suddenly jumped, and the pile-supported house 

irresolutely reeled. We were startled. 

“Good morning to you, too!” Eli said loudly. “Quakes are dear 

visitors in our home especially in the morning,” he explained to me. 

“That’s not me!” Nit cried in response. 

At that moment the ocean floor trembled, and our bungalow shook 

like a piece of paper. The water rippled, and a tidal wave started to 

break against the terrace rim with a groaning sound. Water sprayed 

into the open windows. 

“What is going on?” Eli asked entering the terrace. 

I followed him, elbowing my way through the curtains and waving 

in the increasing breeze. Nit and Jordana already stood there looking 

ahead of them with intense attention. New stronger jolts shook the 

land, and waves furiously attacked the bungalow walls like rabid dogs. 

“What is this?” Nit swallowed hard. His Adam’s apple moved up 

and down like a ball. 

“It’s a volcano!” Eli answered alarmingly. 

We heard a dull rattling sound whose source was far away from us. 

The northwestern sky became purple from ash particles reenacting 

Fulvio di Piazza’s paintings. Then powerful tremors followed one after 

the other. I lost my balance and would have fallen into the water if Eli 

had not caught me. In the moment he grabbed me, the beams 

supporting the terrace broke, and their remnants poked out of the 

water like gnawed bones. The platform we were standing on drooped 

into the water carrying us along with it. A large flock of ash hovered in 

the air like black icicles. It smelled of sulfur and cinder. 

~ 424 ~

Black dots flickered before our eyes near the horizon, but there 

were no pieces of ash. Only scared birds could squeal like the sound 

we heard. They formed flocks and soared above us. Panic-stricken and 

completely disoriented, some of them hit the walls and then fell into 

the ocean. 

“We’ll be washed away!” Jordana’s high-pitched voice reached my 

ears as she stared with glassy eyes from fear. 

A giant tsunami was crashing down on us. It was clear it would 

leave not a vestige of this island. My temples throbbed. Trying to 

overcome the terror, I closed my eyes and stretched my hand in front 

of me with an open palm. I bowed my head, as if I was going to tame 

a wild beast, and whispered, 

“Havęnus.” A bloodcurdling chill smacked my face like a slap. I 

lost my breath. The ocean did not hear me and was attacking as if 

someone gave it a kick with spurs. “Være lydie vann,” I persistently 

continued. Every word troubled me causing a sharp pain in my head. 

It was like having my heart roasted. “Bero ditę olige io vrede,” I 

squinted as tears ran down my cheeks. “Shãh. Shãh,” I continued 

despite the dizzy feeling. It was only a matter of time before I fainted. 

“Stoppe til aquam, Lila, domaine.” 

The earth was trembling under my feet. I heard the sounds of 

shattering glass, crackling wooden beams, and moaning of trees 

bending under the flurries of wind. Eli’s screams became indistinct in 

the hellish cacophony. My heart was tossing and turning in my chest 

like a fish boat being tossed in a violent storm. 

“Emeõ cipio vidi,” I blinked to rid my eyes of the tears and 

persistently continued to quell the ocean. “Maa aumquam. An, tuwa 

equita, Havęnus!” Something inside of me broke, and splinters of pain 

traveled down my spine. 

The fiercely foaming wave bristled and exploded. The raging, 

horrifying grating sounds, and the howling of water fused into a wild 

crescendo, sounded like the perfect accompaniment for the end of the 

world. Water splashed—caused by the impact absorbed the ashes--and 

pitch-black rain showered over us. 

~ 425 ~

I had flashes in my eyes. Everything looked white. The ground 

crumbled under my feet, and I fell into Eli’s arms completely wornout. 

“You managed, Leela! It obeyed you!” Eli jubilantly exclaimed 

giving me a strong hug. 

New outbursts detonated, and dreadful streams of ash launched 

into the sky. 

“Faster!” Eli said rushing to the yacht, which miraculously 

remained straight. He was almost carrying me. “We have to get to the 

epicenter!” 

He helped me board, unmoored the boat, and hurried at top speed 

in the direction of the murky horizon. 

On drawing near to the island, it became obvious it was ruined and 

deserted. We jumped out of the boat and ran to the volcano. I could 

have never imagined such a horrifying picture unraveling before us. It 

was a white-and-black world, which lacked any other colors. Gray 

people with ash-grizzled hair walked like the living dead with rugs 

wrapped around their faces. Their gray skin was burnt and cankered. 

Corpses were lying everywhere in contrived poses like dummies killed 

by the puppeteer. Their wide-open eyes and gapped mouths were filled 

with ash. A dying cow was gasping nearby. 

~ 426 ~

I was trembling, but tried to compose myself. This was not the last 

time I would have to deal with the aftermath as a Túath. I had to 

control myself and carefully stepped over the crooked corpses in ash 

up to my knees. Suddenly, I heard a howl coming from underneath an 

ash drift. I moved the cinders away with my foot to notice a man’s 

body arched over a living puppy. It was still on a leash. I closed my 

eyes trying to avoid the sight of the corpse covered in strips of gray 

burnt skin, pulled it by the remnants of his clothing, and released the 

dog. A rotund pup sneaked out with a loud bark. I picked it up by its 

paws before it drowned in more ash. I ran to my friends elbowing my 

way through the insane crowd of panicking victims. People scurried in 

various directions even kicking each other. Some fell down and were 

unable to stand up. The volcano continued spitting ashes and sizzling 

hot stones. A fountain of magma spewed out like red puss. 

“Why did it wake up? I don’t get it!” screamed Nit running to us. 

“It didn’t wake up on its own. Somebody put considerable efforts 

to make it happen,” Eli roared. 

“Why would someone try to wake up a volcano?!” Nit asked loudly 

trying to thunder down the noises. 

“I don’t know,” replied Eli. “I’m just stating the obvious.” 

A slender, swarthy woman of below average height suddenly 

emerged in front of us. She clasped her trembling hands on her chest 

and was muttering indistinctly. Streaming tears left vertical trails on her 

dirty face. She started to cower backwards when she noticed us and 

swallowed her words. 

“I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to,” she repeated hysterically. 

Eli lunged at her and grabbed her by her shoulders. 

“WHAT HAPPENED?” he shouted. 

She continued to repeat the same, 

“I didn’t want to…I didn’t want to…” 

Eli shook her forcefully trying to bring her to her senses. 

“WHAT HAPPENED?” he asked again fixing his eyes on her. 

“She forced me…I didn’t want to…I...” 

~ 427 ~

“WHO?” he yelled at her, losing patience. 

“A pretty girl with long black hair. A Groll. She threatened to take 

my daughter if I don’t wake it up.” 

“Marina,” he whispered. His eyes darkened. 

End of book I 

~ 428 ~

THE WORLDS 

OF 

AMBRÉ I 

! 

Book, Cover design and production by Axi Stark LLC 

AxiStark.com 

AxIStarkllc@gmail.com 

Contact phone: USA ~ 305~332~0921 

USA ~ 818~807~8018 

ISBN: 978-1-942826-00-2 


~ 429 ~


! 


By 

Axi Stark & Ragel Levi 

NEXT ! Book2 

Rising Of Grolls 

! 

~ 430 ~

~ Enter The Worlds of Ambre ~ 

at Your Own Risk 

~ 431 ~

~ 432 ~

THE WORLDS OF AMBRÉ ,Book 1, The Awakening, By Axi Stark & Ragel Levi

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?