Changeling

Sleep was exactly what Lexi needed. With a shower and full night’s rest in her system, Lexi’s alarm going off at 6:30 for when she had set it for school didn’t bother her. Instead she pulled herself from the bed, stopped the phone, and made her way down the hall.

The house was silent. Sven was asleep on the couch, feet propped on the arm rest and using his pile of sheets as a pillow. Lexi assumed Roger and Dillon were asleep as well as she headed into the kitchen.

Upon slight investigation, Lexi realized two things about the single men. They couldn’t cook, and they couldn’t shop. The cupboards were almost bare, and the fridge in almost the same state. She checked the cupboards again, however, hoping she’d see something she missed and was pleasantly surprised. Flour, sugar, eggs, milk, apples, and cinnamon. She could make do with that.

It wasn’t too long after that the house was filled with a sweet scent. The first in the kitchen, hair standing up on all ends, was Sven. “What’s that?”

Lexi smiled and fixed him a plate. “Apple cinnamon crepes.” She drizzled a bit of the apple glaze left from the filling over the top. “Want some? It’s a thank you for all your help.”

Sven took the plate from her and sat at the table, still not completely awake. She took his actions as thanks enough. Dillon and Roger entered the kitchen just as Lexi had finished cooking. Soon all four of them were at the table together enjoying the meal.

“You weren’t lying when you said you could cook.” Dillon smiled at her as he fixed himself seconds.

“I try to keep from lying if I can help it. But this is pretty simple really. Thin pancakes and apples.” She laughed. “I figured it was the least I could do since you all are taking me in and helping me.”

“Speaking of which.” Roger picked up his plate and took it to the sink as he spoke. “I figure our best bet from here would be to visit Margeux.”

Dillon made a face at his uncle. “Really? That’s where we should go?”

“Who’s Margeux?”

“She’s a witch we know. She’ll be able to tell if we really need to worry so much about this Warren guy since none of us have met him before.” Roger explained.

“Would she know him?” She turned to face him as he leaned against the sink.

“No. But she has ways of finding things out. She’ll probably sniff around and find out who he is from you somehow.” He shrugged. “Anyways, she’ll be able to tell us if he’s a threat or not. Because as of right now he’s not made a move toward us that I can see. I might have this house enchanted but he didn’t even try and catch up to you two last night.”

The statement still stung her a bit. She didn’t want Warren to find her, but selfishly she wanted him to want to find her. She did spend almost her entire life with him, after all, wasn’t she worth a little more effort?

“He’s probably planning something. Don’t know what but something. You said yourself he had a strong claim on her. If she didn’t mean anything to him…if she was disposable, he wouldn’t have kept such a strong grip on her.” Dillon seemed to sense her unease and smiled at her. “She’s not a pet that just ran away.”

Sven sat back in his seat. “That strong a claim. I couldn’t feel his type. Good at hiding. Probably strong. Have possibly followers?”

“I hope not.” Dillon shook his head. “I don’t want to start an all out war with a bunch of fairies.”

“You’d lose.” Sven said simply. Earning a huff from Roger and a glare from Dillon. “You are two elves. If he have followers, you would be lesser numbered.”

Neither of the two could argue that. Roger thought for a moment. “I guess that’s why it’s very important we meet with Margeux.” He turned to the sink and started washing up the dishes. “And soon.”

Lexi stood up and walked over to the sink. “Let me clean up, I’m the one that made the mess.”

“Cooks don’t clean.” Roger said simply.

Lexi was about to protest when Dillon butted in. “Thanks for breakfast, Lex. You didn’t have to wake up that early just to cook for us.” He smiled warmly, carrying the remaining dishes from the table to the sink.

“Well my alarm went off on my phone. I guess I forgot to turn it off from my school setting. So I just got up.” The three men looked at her suddenly. “What?”

“Your phone?” Roger turned to her. “You brought it with you? Turned on?”

She blinked. “Yeah..? It was in my pocket, I didn’t think to drop it when I left the house.”

“Lexi please tell me you’re joking.” Dillon looked at her amazed. When she didn’t respond he sighed. “Cell phones have GPS locators in them. He might not be able to find us in plain sight or with magic, but technology sure helps him out.”

“But you said he hadn’t chased me. So it doesn’t matter then right?” She pulled out her phone and held down the power button until the screen blacked. She was trying to sound calm but her stomach was turning. How could she have been that stupid. “I forgot. I’m sorry.”

“Probably knew the whole time where were you.” Sven sighed. “If he doesn’t, he’s more dumb than I could think.”

“He does.” Roger said, looking out the kitchen window. “And he’s pissed that he can’t get in.”

Dillon made it to the window before her, making it impossible for Lexi to see what he was looking at. She envied Sven, hovering above the two with his wings fluttering softly as he looked outside. Instead, she walked into the living room, eyeing the window in there.

Lexi took in the sight beyond the glass with wide eyes. Blood stained the grass just beyond the stone walkway. The victim was in a crumpled heap next to the warning left there, a fairy with wings resembling branches. His life was used to leave one message in red on the ground. “3 days.”

Her knees buckled, crashing into the hardwood floor below her. Her mind couldn’t form thoughts. Her lungs hurt as she tried to force her breath into her chest.

Sven flew to her side suddenly. “Lexi... Are you okay?”

Her breath was hoarse. “Who is that?”

Roger walked in an kneeled down to her with a glass of water. “Dillon’s going to find out.” She glanced up at him nervously until he pressed the glass into her hand. “He’s protected. He’ll be fine. It’s only a few steps.”

Slowly and carefully, Lexi regained her breath. “What’s three days?”

The older elf sighed. “How long I can hold up this enchantment.” He stood and helped Lexi to her feet gently. “Then he’ll be able to see us all.”

Dillon walked into the living room quietly. “He’s dead. I don’t know who it is. He’s just some woodland fey.”

“I don’t understand.” Sven whispered. “Why would he kill one of his own?” His face looked pale.

“To show strength. And determination. The lengths he’d go to in order to get her back.” Roger sat in his chair. “He’s been raising her for 14 years almost. She’s too big an investment to give up on easily.”

Lexi stared into her glass. “When do we go to Margeux’s?”

The three sat silent for a moment before Roger spoke up. “Immediately.”

“He’s probably waiting for us, Roger. As soon as we go out there he’ll be waiting.” Dillon leaned against the wall, thinking.

Sven nodded. “Agreed. It is trap.”

“Then he’ll never see us leave. We’ll stay in the car. I’ll keep the enchantment on the house for one more day. I can’t keep it going for three. In the mean time I’ll hold it over the car as best as I can. It’ll be difficult but I can do it at least long enough for us to get a head start on him.”

Dillon’s voice was soft. “You sure you can hold it up?”

Roger laughed. “Nope. But I can damn well try.”

She didn’t understand it. They were going through so much effort for her, and she barely knew these people. She looked between the three of them, chatting on about the path to take and what to pack. None of them knew her a week ago. Now they were willing to exhaust themselves for her sake. She never asked for help. He came to her wanting to save her. Why did she feel so guilty?

“Lex?” Dillon was looking down at her from his spot against the wall. “Are you alright?”

Lexi gulped down her anxieties and nodded. “I’m okay. I just don’t understand why you’re all helping me.”

“Because what he’s done is not okay.” Sven sat beside her. “Not all fairies are like him. Not all steal, and hit, and kill.”

She wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but she left it alone. “I’m ready to leave as soon as we can. Where does she live?”

“North Carolina.” Roger told her. He was quickly met with her alarmed glance. “I know it’s a drive.”

“A drive? It’s almost halfway across the country. There’s not a witch in the state of New York we can go to?”

Roger shook his head. “There are but most of them won’t be willing to help. Witches like to keep their noses out of other species’ problems.”

“Why is the woman ten hours away any different?”

He shrugged. “She’s just a friend. Right, Dil?”

Dillon grumbled. “A friend. I’m not a big fan of her but she can help.”

“Then we can go?” Sven looked at them. “We should leave. Sooner is better. For Roger too. Less time to hold up magic here.”

The elf nodded. “Right. If you are all ready, we should get going.”

Not much time had passed before the four of them slid small bags into the trunk of Dillon’s car. Dillon slid into the driver’s seat. “Sven is sitting in the back with Roger so he can offer some help if he needs it to cover the car.” He looked at Lexi. “So you can sit with me. Keep me awake.” Despite everything, he could still give her that bright smile.

Roger settled into the back seat next to Sven and closed his eyes. “Alright Dillon. You’re good to go. Don’t drive too fast. Don’t stir up too much dust that would give him any hint.”

Dillon nodded. His hands gripped the steering wheel, knowing his job was much more important than for just any road trip. He drove inch by inch to the end of the dirt path that made up Roger’s driveway letting out a deep breath as he reached the end and turned onto the road.

Lexi’s eyes were glued to the window, looking for the man that had cared for her all her life. For the man that hit her two nights ago, and for the man that killed the fairy on Roger’s lawn. She couldn’t put that man together into one person in her mind. It still didn’t seem real that the nice parent she’d grown up with was a fairy willing to kill to get her back under his control and fed her lies and drugs her entire life.

When the house was out of site, Lexi turned back to face the inside of the car. “So am I going to have any magic powers?” She asked.

Dillon chuckled as he drove. “I’m not sure. It’s possible. I don’t know what he was suppressing in you and you’ve been on them for so long it might take a while for the drug to get out of your system.”

Sven leaned upwards towards Lexi’s seat in front of him. “Maybe you’ll sprout wings.”

Her eyes widened as she looked back at him. “Really?”

“Possible.” He smiled at her. “Rare. But possible. They would look like his. But we don’t know what his are.”

She tried to imagine Warren with wings in her head and couldn’t think of how they’d look. Vines didn’t suit him. Nor did branches. However nothing else that the wings could be made of came to mind. She played with the idea of other wings made of things like webs, leaves, and flowers. Nothing seemed to work or suit him.

Lexi looked back at her friend and smiled. “What kind of fairy are you?”

Sven grinned proudly, sitting up straighter before speaking. “My family is long line of forest fey. My mother has wings are the branches of a crape myrtle.”

Lexi saw a tree like that in the park near her house she used to live in. She remembered the name from her sixth grade life sciences class that studied the different trees in the area. It was a tall tree with red, pink, and violet flowers covering it. She tried to imagine that tree into a pair of wings. Large and elegant, flowers draping over the branches that had grown together to create the shape. They seemed beautiful. “I wish I could see them.” She said smiling.

“They are beautiful.” He said, smiling. “My wings are of my fathers. Mandevilla. When I become older, they will sprout many flowers.”

Dillon chuckled. “That’s pretty manly, Sven.”

He glared at Dillon darkly. “They are also poison.”

The elf only laughed. “I’m so scared. I hope I never touch your flowers.”

Lexi shoved him lightly and turned back to Sven. “Ignore him. He’s just jealous.” She told him, earning a scoff from the driver.

The three talked for hours as they continued down the road. Roger kept his eyes closed only speaking to say things like “Remember other cars can’t see you. Be careful.” And when someone asked about him “I’m fine.”

They pulled into a gas station early in the evening when Roger gave them a warning. “Get in. Get out. I can’t cover you all separately so be careful.” He let the enchantment down long enough to get gas, and his face looked pale.

“Do you need my help?” Sven looked at him. “I can’t do much, but I might can give you strength.”

Roger sighed deeply. “I think so. And Dillon, get me a drink.”

Dillon nodded, walking Lexi into the store while the other two remained in the car. “I’m going to grab some snacks and pay for gas. Want anything?”

“Just a drink’s fine. I’m going to the restroom.” She looked at herself in the mirror upon entering. Her hair looked strange lying flat, but she wasn’t in a position to ask for hair products. Despite the week’s events, however, her cheeks were pink, eyes were bright, and she was still full of energy. She smiled to herself. She knew it was probably something to do with not taking the medicine anymore. If all he’d suppressed in her was boundless amounts of energy, she’d be okay with that being the only change in her system.

She left the bathroom to see Dillon with an arm full of snack cakes, chips and drinks. “You’re too used to junk food.” She laughed.

“I’ve worked in movie theaters since I was 16 when Roger started buying them. I love junk food.”

“What’s going to happen to the theater now anyways?” She looked concerned.

He only laughed. “That’s what you’re worried about? We sent a letter into the company that owned it. They probably just appointed someone else to manage it by now.” He took his bag and change and walked her through the doors towards the car.

What Lexi saw stunned her. Sven was almost straddling Roger. Their foreheads were leaned against each other and their eyes were closed. She stopped in her tracks. “I think we’re interrupting…”

Dillon covered his mouth to muffle his laughter, almost dropping his bags. The noise caught the attention of the two in the car. “What is it?” Sven looked at the two of them standing there, Lexi’s jaw slack and Dillon forcefully muffling his laughter.

Somehow the young elf was able to contain himself enough to find words again. “Lexi thought we walked in on a moment.”

“We didn’t?”

Sven made a face and sat back in his seat. “No. I was linking.”

Roger laughed, amused. “I don’t typically go for fairies. Or men for that matter.”
“What’s linking?” Lexi changed the subject, hiding her embarrassment.

Sven was about to speak but stopped. “I can’t explain in English.” With that said he continued in German. “Ich eine Verbindung zwischen uns, so dass er einige meiner Magie benutzen, um Platz für bis die Verzauberung hat er auf –“

Lexi waved at him. “Stop stop. I only know basic German. Only enough for basic conversation. I’m not fluent.” She picked up a few words from the spewed out statements but none of it made any sense. “Roger. Can you explain?”

He laughed and nodded. “The core of our magic is in our mind. So we have to get a link between them by close contact. This way I can use his magic to continue with the enchantment.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay. That makes sense I guess.”

“Terrible guide.” Sven looked at her as she got into the car. “You don’t really know German. Liar.”

“I know German. I’m just not fluent. I never said I was. Just that I could help.” She smiled. “But your German sounds very impressive.”

He scoffed and sat back, closing his eyes as Dillon started the car. Roger did the same as they pulled out onto the road. Lexi couldn’t tell by looking, but she assumed they were out of sight once more.

The sun had finally set by the time they passed the “Welcome” sign into North Carolina. It wasn’t much longer until she’d finally, possibly, find out what kind of person she’d been living with for so long. She stared straight ahead at the road, mind wandering to what the woman might look or be like. She imagined a woman in a dark cloak and warts on her face, but she knew that probably wasn’t the case.

“Hey.” Dillon looked over at her before looking back at the road. “You alright?”

“Just thinking.” She smiled softly. “I’m fine. How much longer?”

He shrugged. “Couple hours. You can sleep if you want. It’s getting kind of late so I understand. I’m awake.” He smiled, holding up his energy drink.

“Those are terrible for you.” He only responded with a light chuckle as she leaned her head against the window. The sound of the road pulled her into sleep soon after.