Immortals Of Byolla Bay
Chapter 12 – Rikki

Beautiful. Breathtaking. Kinsley was looking at me and behind her was a window letting the sunshine through, which was creating a halo of light around her already angelic face. My stars, how am I even suppose to remember not to confess my love for her? How do I not take her in my arms and show her what she already means to me?

The bell rang which broke me out of my trance. We gathered our books and my gorgeous ray of light informs me it is now time for lunch. As much as I don’t want to be away from her, I have to do a perimeter sweep.

I walk her to the lunchroom and tell her I’ll be back after I replace Maggie. Meshella joined her at the table so I no longer felt guilty leaving her alone. I can tell Meshella is a good friend and she also defends the honor of my lady so I know Kinsley is safe with her from that horrid beast named Analya.

I walked down to the gym where I told Mag to meet me earlier. We needed to sneak off and do a quick perimeter run to see if Drakkar had visited anywhere around here since last night. Mag was standing outside the gym doors looking rather annoyed. When she spotted me she rolled her eyes, “Thank all that is written in the stars you have finally come. There is this boy who has been following me around trying to get my number and ask me all these questions. What is a ‘Netflix and chill’ anyways?”

I shrugged. I was just as puzzled as she was. She was more quick to pick up on earthly jargon than I so if she didn’t know then I definitely didn’t have a clue.

We walked by the last set of bleachers that led out back to the trail that we walked here on. Behind the bleachers was a couple kissing rather inappropriately for the public eye. The boy’s back was to me, but the girl was the wench Analya. This must be the Eivan she mentioned earlier. We quietly opened the door and stepped out so we wouldn’t draw their attention.

Mag pointed behind us, “That was the boy I was just telling you about, and wasn’t that the rude girl from this morning who was mean to Kinsley, not to mention flirting with you?” I nodded, “Yes. Apparently they deserve each other. Anyways, have you noticed how some of the teachers here don’t know what they are talking about?” She chuckled, “Yes, I had to correct my calculus teacher twice. What subject did you have to endure?”

I thought back to world history, “I learned about Vikings today.” Mag stopped and turned towards me, “Okay, just what did you learn from these invalids?” I sighed, “The Viking Era was ended after the Norwegian king, Haraldr, attempted to take England and was killed. The raids stopped and the Vikings died out.”

Mag smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead, “I guess the real story of what happened wouldn’t be written down in their history. Drakkar probably made sure of that. Not that they would believe the truth anyways. This realm doesn’t believe in Magic. They read about it and fantasize about it, but as far as truly grasping the fact that it’s real is just not something they can do. Here only hard work, determination or social standards define what you are. Where we come from is a far cry from what this world holds. Drakkar put us here simply because magic does not exist in this place. Speaking of him, are you ready to do a run?” I nodded, not having anything to say. Everything she said was true. Humans don’t truly believe in what they read in their storybooks. It’s just a fantastic escape from their boring, mundane lives. If magic existed here, we would have been gone centuries ago. My heart sank a little as I realized that my Kinsley is one of the non believers. One day I will have to tell her who I really am, but for now I’m glad that today is not that day.

The leaves were swirling around in the rush of wind my sister and I left in our wake as we quickly ran the perimeter of the school. We stopped halfway around when we got to a small glade where the trees thinned out. The fishing port where my father and brother were working at this morning was visible below a steep drop off a few feet from where we were standing. “How do you think their day is going?” I mused out loud.

My sister sighed, “Absolutely marvelous of course. They are not stuck going to this prison some call a school like us. Luckily we only have to go here half a year. Then I wonder how long until the locals start gossiping about how we don’t age and what’s our secrets. We will have to pick up and move again. But now that you have found your bindende sjel you can no longer just cut ties and take off. Have you thought about that by the way? Eventually she is going to meet our parents and realize our mother and father will always look in their 30s and we will forever look 18. What are you going to do about that? Leave it to you to be destined with a binding soul who is a human.”

I stared out at the green, algae infested sea before us. Everything Mag had just brought up is valid and I cannot scold her for putting her nose where it doesn’t belong because Kinsley affects us all. She doesn’t even realize what she already means to me or what she is to me. She’s so young, but her soul is old. She’s the most mature 17 year old I have ever met in my existence.

The stars are never wrong. I don’t know what I have done to be cursed with such a short time with the woman who will be my eternal love, but I will not waste what precious time I do have with her. I’ll love her even after I lay her in the ground. I shook my head. I can’t bear to let my thoughts wander down that path.

“Mag, whatever happens will happen. There’s not a minute that goes by I don’t wonder why my soul was tied to a human, but we don’t question the keepers of the stars. Lunch is almost over, we need to head back. After school we will see if Kinsley wants to come to the docks with us to meet our father and Gene.”

Father was the toughest one to convince of my bindende sjel being human, but after explaining what happens when I touched her skin he came to accept it. My family already loves Kinsley, but this is the first time in our history I cannot act on my feelings as our lore’s command. Kinsley needs to be eased into this and with Drakkar roaming around its for the best.

We walked into the doors just as the lunch bell rang and I met Kinsley in the hallway beside the cafeteria. “Hello love!” My sister called out to her. Kinsley waved a sheepish little wave and her cheeks turned just a slight pink as she responded back to Mag, “Hey, we were waiting for you guys. Where were you?”

Mag smiled and expertly lied, “There was an error on my transcript I got from that tramp you call a secretary in the front office so Rikki came with me to sort it out. We are so sorry to worry you. So what class do you two have next?”

I waited for Kinsley to respond, “American lit and then last is gym.” Damn! I have chemistry then American lit. Maybe I can go talk with the indecent Ms. Tomkin and get my classes switched so I can stay with her?”

Mag squealed with excitement, “Me too! How about that? Rikki got to be in your first two periods, and now I get to be in your last two!” Kinsley smiled and nodded, but I know Mag was saying that to me more than her to subliminally point out that Kinsley is safely covered by at least one of us throughout the day.

“My best friend, Meshella is in gym, too so I can introduce you to her. I think you will like her because you remind me of her just a little bit.” Mag waved goodbye, with Kinsley shyly waving as well as the third period bell rang. I walked down the green hallway thankful that my sister is there to protect her should anything, stars forbid, go wrong.