would allow into the nearest seat. Powers waved Marcus and Axel
into the chairs and disappeared into the house to make more coffee. Zora really
hoped it was lunch time because she was again ravenous. All the excitement of
the day she supposed, that and the little gathering of supernatural beings in
close proximity.
Hearing
her name called she focused on Axel, her eyes skittering past the amused blue
gaze of Marcus. He sat as still as a statue in the chair, almost as though he
was not alive. Well he wasn’t was he? Vampires were dead weren’t they? Deciding
now was not the time to dwell on it Zora plastered a smile on her face and
pushed down her errant thoughts.
“Little
Zora, I wonder could you tell us what you saw when Marcus arrived just now?”
Marcus
glanced sharply at Axel who continued to smile serenely at Zora. Swallowing
down a sudden lump in her throat Zora looked past him to where she had seen the
cloud.
“There was a small
cloud, or maybe it was a patch of fog, and then Marcus appeared.”
Marcus sat
up from his relaxed position, the amused expression wiped from his face.
“You saw a cloud? You
saw me materialise? No human has ever done that, not even a defender.”
Zora stared
speechlessly at him, was this a bad thing? He looked like it was a BAD THING.
“She can
see my aura too when I am using magic, and even the colour, and that was before
I took away her block. But that I think is because I am the one who bespelled
her family, there is a connection stretching back generations.” Axel’s voice
was smooth as honey and unconcerned. “She is strong Marcus, I think the
strongest defender we have ever had. We need this now, and we are all on the
same side.”
Relaxing
as suddenly as he had turned serious, Marcus sank back into his seat and the
amused glint returned to his eyes. “You, little Zora, are the most interesting defender
we have had in many generations. Clearly you were born for just these times. I
wonder, if you can see the tells of the fairies and the vampires, can you see
the tells of the other supernaturals as well?”
“Stands to
reason she can,” Axel said cheerfully. “Ah here comes Powers, we’ll test it on
him.”
“Test what
on Powers?” the man in question asked. Powers was holding a tray on which sat a
large pot of coffee, milk and sugar, and extra mugs. He placed it on the coffee
table and began to collect the empty mugs already there. “There are sandwiches
and salad also, I’ll bring them out. I bet you at least are hungry Zora.” He
smiled at her as he spoke, his eyes resting on her face for a beat too long but
Zora didn’t care. In this strange new world Powers had become the only thing
familiar and she needed his support.
Axel held
up a hand to stop Powers from going back into the house. “A moment please
Powers, I would like to test something with you.” At Powers raised eyebrows he
continued, “Zora can see my aura and Marcus’s fog. As you know only we the
fairies can see the tells of all supernatural beings, and among yourselves only
like can see like. Some defenders could see the aura of the fairies but not the
tells of any other beings. Zora here is different. So we are wondering if she
can see your tell?”
Powers
stood staring at Zora, a stunned expression on his face. Marcus laughed good-
naturedly. “Come on Powers, get a grip, stop looking like a stunned fish. Just
begin the change and we will see if Zora can see your tell also.”
Powers
closed his mouth and focused his gaze intently on Zora. She shifted
uncomfortably, she hated being put on the spot. But she tried to focus, tried
to see something. She had no idea what she was looking for of course, but she
supposed it would be something on or near Powers. As she watched his face she
was distracted by a strange movement that seemed to be coming from under the
skin. She stared in fascination. It was like his skin was softening. No that
wasn’t it. Something was moving, no not something,
into the chairs and disappeared into the house to make more coffee. Zora really
hoped it was lunch time because she was again ravenous. All the excitement of
the day she supposed, that and the little gathering of supernatural beings in
close proximity.
Hearing
her name called she focused on Axel, her eyes skittering past the amused blue
gaze of Marcus. He sat as still as a statue in the chair, almost as though he
was not alive. Well he wasn’t was he? Vampires were dead weren’t they? Deciding
now was not the time to dwell on it Zora plastered a smile on her face and
pushed down her errant thoughts.
“Little
Zora, I wonder could you tell us what you saw when Marcus arrived just now?”
Marcus
glanced sharply at Axel who continued to smile serenely at Zora. Swallowing
down a sudden lump in her throat Zora looked past him to where she had seen the
cloud.
“There was a small
cloud, or maybe it was a patch of fog, and then Marcus appeared.”
Marcus sat
up from his relaxed position, the amused expression wiped from his face.
“You saw a cloud? You
saw me materialise? No human has ever done that, not even a defender.”
Zora stared
speechlessly at him, was this a bad thing? He looked like it was a BAD THING.
“She can
see my aura too when I am using magic, and even the colour, and that was before
I took away her block. But that I think is because I am the one who bespelled
her family, there is a connection stretching back generations.” Axel’s voice
was smooth as honey and unconcerned. “She is strong Marcus, I think the
strongest defender we have ever had. We need this now, and we are all on the
same side.”
Relaxing
as suddenly as he had turned serious, Marcus sank back into his seat and the
amused glint returned to his eyes. “You, little Zora, are the most interesting defender
we have had in many generations. Clearly you were born for just these times. I
wonder, if you can see the tells of the fairies and the vampires, can you see
the tells of the other supernaturals as well?”
“Stands to
reason she can,” Axel said cheerfully. “Ah here comes Powers, we’ll test it on
him.”
“Test what
on Powers?” the man in question asked. Powers was holding a tray on which sat a
large pot of coffee, milk and sugar, and extra mugs. He placed it on the coffee
table and began to collect the empty mugs already there. “There are sandwiches
and salad also, I’ll bring them out. I bet you at least are hungry Zora.” He
smiled at her as he spoke, his eyes resting on her face for a beat too long but
Zora didn’t care. In this strange new world Powers had become the only thing
familiar and she needed his support.
Axel held
up a hand to stop Powers from going back into the house. “A moment please
Powers, I would like to test something with you.” At Powers raised eyebrows he
continued, “Zora can see my aura and Marcus’s fog. As you know only we the
fairies can see the tells of all supernatural beings, and among yourselves only
like can see like. Some defenders could see the aura of the fairies but not the
tells of any other beings. Zora here is different. So we are wondering if she
can see your tell?”
Powers
stood staring at Zora, a stunned expression on his face. Marcus laughed good-
naturedly. “Come on Powers, get a grip, stop looking like a stunned fish. Just
begin the change and we will see if Zora can see your tell also.”
Powers
closed his mouth and focused his gaze intently on Zora. She shifted
uncomfortably, she hated being put on the spot. But she tried to focus, tried
to see something. She had no idea what she was looking for of course, but she
supposed it would be something on or near Powers. As she watched his face she
was distracted by a strange movement that seemed to be coming from under the
skin. She stared in fascination. It was like his skin was softening. No that
wasn’t it. Something was moving, no not something,
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