Chapter Five-The Harlot's Shoe

“I don’t believe it,” Ashleigh exclaimed as she re-bandaged Ian. “You’re almost completely healed again. You really are a super-fast healer! Which means,” She said as she taped the end of the bandage down, “that we can go shopping today from my prom dress and your tux!” Ian smiled serenely at her. From the moment he woke this morning, it’d been as if he’d just stepped out of the spa. He was relaxed-not a tense bone in his body and very agreeable-and he had a strange glow and peacefulness about him.
“Why are you looking so giddy today?” she asked curiously.
“It is what the healing does to me. I don’t know why, but it always puts me in a bit of a haze. I don’t feel quite awake,” he explained.
“Well, you’re gonna need to be as alert as possible if we’re going shopping today,” she said. “And I know exactly the thing. Come with me.” She took his hand and led him downstairs into the kitchen. She went to the fridge and opened it.
“Here we are,” she said, pulling the tall can out. “Red Bull!”
“Where is a red bull? In that can? How is that possible?” Ian asked, staring at the can. Ashleigh laughed shortly.
“No, it’s just the name of the company that makes these. This is an energy drink. It’ll be like a little pick-me-up.” She tossed it to him and he caught it easily.
“Pull the little tab to open it,” she told him when he eyed the can. He opened it with a crisp snapping sound. He tipped the can up and gulped it down.
“It is very sweet and tangy. It tastes nothing like a bull,” Ian said.
“How would you know what a bull tastes like anyway?” Ashleigh asked.
“I’ve done things I’m not proud of,” he said meekly. Ashleigh eyed him strangely, but he didn’t seem to notice. He finished the drink off and tossed it in the garbage.
“We can go shopping for garments if you are ready,” he said.
“Yeah, sure. Let me just get my jacket from upstairs,” she said. She ran up and got it, making sure her mother’s debit card was in there where she’d put early this morning.
“Are we walking or do you want to take the bus?” Ashleigh asked him when she returned.
“The what?” he asked cluelessly. Ashleigh sighed and took his arm.
“Time for your first public transportation experience,” she said.

lll

“Helloooooo, ma’am,” Ian said sweetly to the old woman next to him. She nodded politely to him in acknowledgement.
“What are you reading there?” he asked.
“The Examiner, son,” she replied in her raspy voice.
“What is the ‘Examiner’”,” he wondered.
“It’s a newspaper sort of thing,” she said.
“What’s a newspaper?”
“Are you mocking me, boy?” the old woman said with an edge in her voice. Ashleigh yanked Ian from where he was hanging from the support handle over the woman.
“Sorry,” she said, “it’s his first time on a bus.” The old woman mumbled something that sounded like, “Seems like his first time in America.” Ashleigh sighed deeply and leaned close to Ian to whisper in his ear.
“Behave, or I will throw you off this bus while it’s moving,” she threatened. He just smiled pleasantly at her. The energy drink had him wired. It was mean, she knew, but she couldn’t wait until he finally crashed from all the adrenaline. His fingers fidgeted and he kept rocking back and forth in his seat, making her rock with him. It was hot in the bus, and his excess body heat wasn’t helping any, especially with him all up against her, clinging like a little child.
“Would you stop? You cannot be that hyper!” she hissed through her teeth. He smiled at her again.
“You’re so pretty, Ashleigh,” he said happily. “I’m so glad you’re pretty. Things would be boring if you weren’t.” Ashleigh stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Did he just say all that? Without any hesitation? He was hyper, not drunk.
“Stop being weird! Have you finally lost it?” she asked.
“I’ve said this before, though. Remember? I said that I took this mission because you’re so pretty. I don’t know. I just felt like saying it. Is it such a bad thing to tell someone they’re pretty?”
“You’re acting so weird. No more Red Bull for you,” she said firmly.
“But I like the bull. It makes me feel so….” He gestured with his hands to search for the word. “Alive!”
“Well, enjoy it while you can, because you aren’t getting anymore from me,” she promised. The bus came to a stop. “Thank God, this is where we get out. Come on, boy-o. We’re gonna find you a nice tuxedo to wear.”
They entered the Jackson Mall and went into Barnes and Ian’s eyes nearly popped from his sockets.
“So many adornments and clothing!” he exclaimed. He walked up to a clothes rack and touched the sleeve of a blue button-up shirt. “Who makes all of these? There isn’t a single mistake in the stitching or anything.”
“They’re manufactured by machines. Do you know what color your date will be wearing? You should probably match her. It would be tacky if you don’t,” Ashleigh said.
“She said something about wearing red. I didn’t think it was her color, but it is up to her I suppose,” Ian said all in one breath. Ashleigh had to recap on his words to understand. Then she was too curious to hold in the question anymore.
“So… Who are you taking?” Ashleigh asked sheepishly.
“Brianna,” he responded indifferently. The name was unfamiliar to Ashleigh. “She wasn’t my first decision-of course you know that you were,” he sighed. Then he shook his head. “I needed a date and she asked me. So, I just took what was convenient. Do you like this?” he asked, holding up a red silk shirt to his chest. It seemed to her like anything would look good on him, but she didn’t want him looking like he just hopped out of the seventies at his first prom. She took it from him and hung it back up.
“How about we get you a white shirt and black tux, but we’ll get you a red tie to match her, okay?” she asked. He nodded and walked off to look at the shoes. He nearly knocked over the woman who tried to smile at him flirtatiously.
“Excuse me,” he said, not sparing her a glance. Ashleigh wanted to laugh at the girl’s crestfallen face. Then she shook her head. Why was she thinking such mean thoughts here lately? She followed Ian to the shoes and looked with him.
“I like them all, but these seem more comfortable,” he said, holding up a pair of shiny black leather dress shoes. Ashleigh nodded because all of the shoes looked the same to her. They picked him out a nice, basic tuxedo and a red velvet tie. Ashleigh smiled awkwardly at the scorned girl as she swiped her mother’s debit card through the machine.
“He’s got a girlfriend,” she whispered sympathetically to the girl. She smiled wistfully and handed Ashleigh her receipt and bags. Next, they made their way down to the Dillard’s across from Barnes.
“Okay, this is gonna be the hard part,” she told Ian seriously. He was looking at all the different people and cars that passed them. “It’s always easy for a guy to find what to wear to these kind of formal dances, but us girls have to have that special dress. It might take me a good hour or two. Are you up for that?”
“Yes, yes, I am aware of you ladies and your pickiness for attire. I will be able to handle it, do not worry,” Ian said dismissively. Ashleigh smiled at his tone. He was already starting to settle down. She knew he’d be in his crash stage soon.
They walked into Dillard’s and Ashleigh’s head spun with all the racks of dresses. Ian himself seemed to be impressed.
“You know,” she said,” it might be useful to have a guy here to tell me what looks bad on me and what just plain makes my butt look big.” Ian regarded her with an absurd look.
“I do know a good bit about ladies’ dresses. I often bought them for my…. Familiars,” he said carefully. His use of words made Ashleigh itch to slap him. “Anyway, I know what colors you should wear of course. Your hair is pale and you eyes are light blue. So anything like a shimmering, pale blue or silver. Maybe even a midnight-blue. But that might be too gaudy. What about something white?” he suggested.
“Anyone can look good in white. It’s a basic color. Why else do you think it’s practically the only color of suit a guy will wear?” Ashleigh said. “Anyway, I like the idea of silver. Maybe they have something here that’s sparkly.”
“Sparkles are overrated for such things. Go with shimmer,” Ian said.
“You haven’t ever been to a prom. What do you know what’s overrated and what’s not?” Ashleigh asked.
“I’ve been to many festivities. Enough to know what’s right. And sparkles, as you say, are not right. Here, this is a nice dress. You should try it on,” he said, handing her a floor-length dress that shimmered with every movement in the skirt. It was dark silver and had a heart-shaped bust. Ashleigh smiled at the dress.
“It’s very pretty,” she said. “But….it’s just not what I’m looking for. I want something sexy and cute,” she said. “Thank you, though.” Ian shrugged and put it back.
“What about this?” she said, picking up a black dress that had a sheer silver veil with tiny roses across the skirt. It had nylon roses sewn as the straps. Ian looked at it speculatingly.
“It’s rather short and frilly,” he said. “It reminds me of a pixy’s dress.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” she asked dryly.
“It is cute, as you said,” he said politely. “But I think you should wear something that would help you live up to your natural beauty. Not something that makes you simply cute.”
“And sexy,” she reminded him. He rolled his eyes, which she’d never seen him do before. Was she rubbing off on him?
“Okay, Perez Hilton,” she said edgily. “I get that you think I’m some sort of world-renowned beauty, but I don’t want to over-do it. This gaudy, long-skirted stuff is pretty, but I want it to be cute and simple. Now is this good or not?”
“It is fine, but I still think-”
“Okay, that’s all I needed to hear. I’m trying it on!” she decided. She got a key to a dressing room from the clerk. She had to stop Ian from coming in with her.
“Wait out here,” she sighed. She locked herself in and started stripping. She
quickly and eagerly put the dress on and fumbled to zip it. When she could only manage to pull the zipper half-way up, she sighed irritably and stepped out of the dressing room.
“Zip me,” she said, turning her back to Ian.
“Do what?” he asked absurdly. Ashleigh rolled her eyes.
“You see that little metal thing where the dress is still open? Pull it up,” she told him. Ian gripped the zipper and pulled it up awkwardly. Ashleigh turned to him abruptly, smiling expectantly.
“So, what do you think?” she asked, doing a little spin. He gave her a half smile.
“It’s nice, but you look like a faerie,” he said. Ashleigh pinched his arm.
“Whatever, I’ll just take that as a compliment. Give me a minute, and I’ll change. Then we can look at shoes!” she said gleefully. Ian looked devastated.
“Must we?” he pouted. Ashleigh flicked his nose.
“Duh, we did for you,” she pointed out. “Plus, I love shoes! Anyway, be right back!”
Ashleigh skipped into the dressing room traded the dress for her Linkin Park T-shirt and blue jeans.
“Okay,” she said, “let me pay for this and we’ll go to Footlocker.” She paid for the dress and dragged Ian behind her. He was definitely in crash mode. He’d have to deal with it. Prom was this weekend and she didn’t have time to go home and let him sleep it off.
They walked into Footlocker. There was heavy hip-hop playing and a man in baggy clothes sat behind the counter with his feet propped up and earphones in his ears, reading a Hotrod magazine. Ashleigh pulled Ian along to look at the heels. He looked out around the store with a bored expression.
“Oooh, I like these!” she said, stooping down to pick up a pair of Chanel onyx heels. They had Chanel’s double ‘c’ emblem in the middle of the three inch heels.
“They look like a witch’s shoe. You should get something more like this,” Ian said, handing her some black ballet flats. Ashleigh shook her head.
“Those are cute, but they’re not prom-ish. I want these. They look like a witch’s shoe to you because there is no such thing as sexy in your world, apparently,” Ashleigh said disdainfully.
“We know what sexy is,” Ian said evenly. “And we also know the thin line between sexy and dressing like a harlot.” Ashleigh gasped indignantly and smacked him across the face. She instantly regretted it. Ian looked at her with surprised, hurtful eyes. Ashleigh made to touch his arm, but he moved away.
“Ian, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she said sincerely.
“Just finish your shopping,” he said in a repressed voice. He walked away from her and sulked at the doorway. Ashleigh stood there, not sure what to do or say. She sat the Chanel shoes back on the shelf. What was the matter with her? She’d been having mean thoughts all day, and now she’d hit Ian and hurt his feelings. She sighed and spotted some cute black wedges that weren’t as showy as the heels. She thought of it as a mix of Ian and her own preferences, so it made them perfect somehow. She picked them up and bought them at the counter.
The walk home was quiet and awkward. Ian was still mad at her, and Ashleigh didn’t really know what to say to make it better, so they just didn’t talk. Ian walked stiffly by her side with his bags and Ashleigh did the same with her own. The day had gotten colder and the sun had almost set completely. Ashleigh hadn’t meant to stay out this late. Things were more likely to be dangerous once it got dark. Ian kept a distance between them, so Ashleigh felt even more vulnerable.
“Ian-”she began, and was interrupted by a loud, screeching laugh. They both looked above them and saw some sort of bat-winged creature flying right at them, laughing wildly.
“Duck,” Ian warned as the thing swooped down on them. They both hit the pavement hard and the creature barely missed them. “Stay down,” Ian told her. He stood and threw out his arm. Ashleigh watched in amazement as his hand became a large, furry claw. He waited with a stern determination focused on the creature. It came swooping down again and he held his ground. When it came close enough, he slashed at it and sent it a several feet down the road.
It wasn’t long before a whole flock started appearing in the gray sky. Ian grabbed Ashleigh up in his still-human arm and ran with her.
“What are those things?” she asked. He didn’t answer her, but just kept running. With a loud thud, a large, ogre-like thing landed right in front of him and blocked his path. He cursed angrily and turned to dash across someone’s lawn. He dived down when one of the flying creatures tried to snatch them both up. The ogre stomped towards them, his spiked club poised to strike. Ian rolled them both out of the way just in time.
“What are we going to do?” Ashleigh cried. Then she went quiet when she saw his face. His eyes were flashing in the darkness and his features were like a cheetah’s. His cat’s tail flicked wildly as he sprung up and ran at inhuman speed. Ashleigh clung to him tightly, fighting every scream each time he scarcely dodged one of the creatures. Everything went past like a blur as he ran. Her hair whipped in her face from the wind of his speed. If they weren’t fleeing danger, this might’ve been fun.
Ashleigh felt him leap up into the air and land on something unstable. It was the tree that grew outside her window. Ian threw the window up and hurled them onto her bedroom floor. He got up and slammed the window shut. A flying creature smacked into it simultaneously and slid down the pane slowly, leaving a grotesque trial of slime behind it.
Ian’s body quickly and fluidly changed back to its normal self. He barely had time to turn before Ashleigh threw herself into his arms. He let her cry into his shoulder, comforting her awkwardly. She cried for a good fifteen minutes before subsiding to sobs, but she refused to let him go. He just sat there with his arms around her, patting her back and brushing his fingers through her hair.
Ashleigh felt something warm and wet run down her hands that were placed on his back. She pulled back to look at what it was. Bright red liquid stained her fingers and palm.
“They got you!” she exclaimed horrifically. Ian shook his head.
“No, my wounds from fighting Jeanquenche have opened from all the running. I will be fine. I cannot believe that Serrano would send all those creatures after us. Does he not know that they could have killed you?”
“And you,” Ashleigh said.
“He doesn’t care if I die,” Ian said.
“I do,” Ashleigh said tearfully. She hugged herself against him again. “I’m sorry I slapped you. I didn’t mean to. I lost my temper,” she said.
“There is nothing to forgive. I overreacted. Which reminds me, I managed to hold on to our purchases, but I do not know the shape they are in.,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m just glad we’re both safe. Let me bandage you up,” she said.
“Very well. We should be safe in regard to the barrier I put on the house,” he said. They both got up and went into her bathroom. The First Aid kit was lying on the counter where she had laid it. Ian took off his stained shirt and Ashleigh fixed him up. She leaned her head against his back and gripped his shoulder tightly.
She squeezed her eyes against the tears that were coming again.
“I was so scared,” she said. “I was so scared that those things were going to….”
“I would never let anything happen to you,” Ian promised, covering her hand with his.
“I’m not worried about me. It’s you I don’t want to see get hurt,” she said.
“It is my job-“
“I don’t care what your job is! This kills me to see all this! I hate to see someone I-” Ashleigh stopped herself before she said things she didn’t want him to know. “Someone I care about get hurt,” she finished. Care was lack of the better word, but he didn’t have to know that.
“Regardless of that, you always come before me,” he said stubbornly.
“I don’t want to argue about it, Ian. Let’s just go get some sleep. We’ve got school in the morning,” Ashleigh said with exhaustion.
“Fine. But it seems that we will need an elite team to help us get to places we need to go from now on,” Ian decided.
“I agree, especially on prom night,” Ashleigh said. Ian nodded shortly. They walked out of the bathroom and Ashleigh walked over to lock the window and close the curtains. She locked the door and got into bed without changing. Ian started shifting into a cat, but Ashleigh stopped him.
“Not tonight. Just come lie beside me. I’ll feel safer,” she said. Ian looked at her almost appraisingly and she smiled. He kicked off his shoes and crawled on the bed beside her. Ashleigh turned off the lamp and tuned to faced him and tangled her fingers with his.
“Good night,” she whispered in the darkness.
“Good night,” he returned, leaning his forehead against hers. They went to sleep and Ashleigh’s usual sweet dreams of the little boy were replaced by nightmares of horrid creatures.
lll

Jeanquenche strode into the hearing room with barely contained anger. It was always so unusually dark and cold in here. The gray marble walls seemed dull and the sky-high ceiling was unable to be seen as it vanished into darkness. Serrano sat in his king’s throne, though he wasn’t technically a king. His frowning mouth was the only thing exposed from the shadows he sat in.
“You seem disturbed, Jeanquenche. What is the matter?” Serrano said in his edgy, dark tone.
“Beg your pardon, my lord, but I believe you know what the problem is,” Jeanquenche said through gritted teeth. “You interfered with my work.”
“You were getting nowhere. I grow weary of waiting,” Serrano said with disgruntlement. “Your methods are taking far too long!”
“You have no patience what-so-ever! What possessed you to send those monstrous creatures after her? They are feeble-minded, blood-thirsting beasts, they almost killed her! If I hadn’t have stopped that ogre, it would have tore down the princess’s house just to get to her. I couldn’t even tamper with her dreams tonight because of the nightmares your monsters bestowed on her. You can’t send a beast to do a man’s job!” Jeanquenche said severely.
“Do not tell me what I can and cannot do, you imbecile! I see that I was wrong to hire you after all. You will immediately be replaced!” Serrano snapped darkly.
“Oh, really? Do you think there is someone who can do this mission better than I?” Jeanquenche asked skeptically.
“I’ll have you know that I am certain there is someone better for my tasks than you,” Serrano said coldly.
“Who might this wondrous person be, I’d love to meet him,” Jeanquenche said sardonically. “Whoever is a better man than me has got to be an amazing person.”
“I do believe you’ve already met Lady Maria,” Serrano said coolly.
“Unfortunately, you’re right, dear Serrano,” a girlish voice said from the shadows next to Serrano. A small girl with auburn, springy curls stepped into view. “Hello, Quenchey,” Lady Maria said in her high-pitched child’s voice. “Pleasant to see you again.”
“I cannot say the same,” Jeanquenche said bitterly. The way she said her nickname for him put a bad taste in his mouth. “You’re replacing me with this brat? Very well then, I am a reasonable enough man to know that this little phase will pass soon and you’ll realize what a bad mistake you made. In the meantime, I’ll find other ways to entertain myself with something other than your little sad-sweet love story that never was.”
The essence of Serrano’s power lashed out at Jeanquenche and threw him back. Jeanquenche vanished right before smashing into the marble walls.
Lady Maria frowned disdainfully at the spot where Jeanquenche had disappeared.
“Such a distasteful man,” she said with a delicate sniff. “Serrano, my dear,” she said, turning to the great lord with her cunning smile, “you know my terms if I am to do this.”
“Yes, my lady,” Serrano said, kissing her little gloved hand. “The cat boy will be all yours. It is my sincerest promise.” Lady Maria smiled devilishly.
“Then I suppose I should get started,” she said sweetly.

lll

“Ian, get up! We’ll be late!” Up, up, up!” Ashleigh ranted. “I can’t believe how late it is!”
Ian rolled over onto his back and looked up at Ashleigh groggily.
“What are you going on about?” he grumbled.
“It’s 7:42! Get your rear end up and get dressed!” she snapped at him. Ashleigh yanked him up off the bed, not noticing when he winced. She walked to her dresser and began snatching her uniform clothes out. Ian slowly made his way to her closet and opened the door to look in it lazily. He pulled out his uniform calmly and unhurriedly. Ashleigh tripped into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth at the same time.
“Are you decent?” Ian said from the other side of the door.
“Yeah, you can come in,” Ashleigh told him with a mouthful of toothpaste. He opened the door and stepped in, fully and neatly dressed.
“Our escorts are already waiting for us outside when you’re ready to go,” he said. He picked his blue toothbrush out of the plastic holder on the bathroom sink and started brushing his own teeth. “I love the taste of this paste,” he said.
“Well, don’t try to eat it. Hurry up,” Ashleigh said, yanking her brush through her hair. “We’ve got ten minutes to make it to the school, and if we’re late-”
“If we’re late, it will be fine,” Ian said assuringly. He rinsed his mouth out and turned to her with a raised brow. “Your record is ruined, so what’s the big hurry? Just relax yourself, princess.” He reached out and patted down her distressed hair for her. Ashleigh looked at him seriously and he stared back. He was really close to her.
“Ian…”
“Yes?” he asked, leaning forward. Ashleigh picked up the towel from the bathroom counter.
“You have toothpaste around your mouth,” she said. She placed the towel in his arms and walked away casually. She heard him sigh behind her and smiled to herself. He was so silly. Did he really expect her to do anything like that at a time like this?
“Let’s go,” she said, picking up her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder. Ian picked his up as well and they both left the room and went outside.
There were three boys in Ashleigh’s school’s uniform and a man in an apron and hairnet waiting outside Ashleigh’s door. One boy smiled at her eagerly, another just acknowledged her with a glance, and the third was busy study some sort of charts, so he didn’t even notice them coming out. The large, muscled man just stood there with a bodyguard’s countenance.
“Princess Navi-uh, I mean, Ashleigh!” the smiling boy exclaimed jubilantly. “It is an honor to finally meet you! I am Govannis Severan Olimistan the Sixth!”
“Nice to meet you,” Ashleigh said, extending a hand to shake his. He kissed it instead. She fought her uncomfortable frown.
“These very rude gentlemen are my colleges. The anti-social one is Feran Kelaso Memanjo; the one who is too busy with his maps and statistics to notice when magnificence has come into his midst is Arnan Coldon Refeldan; and our silent, serious man here is simply called Monjo. He lost his tongue in battle, so he doesn’t say much. But he’s actually rather friendly, right Monjo?” Govannis said, elbowing Monjo playfully.
The man gave a very sudden and unfitting goofy grin. Ashleigh smiled tentively and waved weakly. Then she became serious.
“Oh, crap! We’re late!” she exclaimed distressfully. She grabbed Ian’s hand and ran ahead.
“Princess!” Govannis called after them. Ashleigh heard them pace behind them.
“Ashleigh,” Ian said,” the point of having escorts is to let them take you safely to your destination, not to run ahead of them recklessly!”
“There’s no time for that! We gotta go!” she told him stubbornly. Ian sighed irritably and let her drag him behind her.
They made it to the school just as the tardy bell rang. Ashleigh gave a cry of dismay.
“It’s not fair,” she whined. “We almost made it!” The ‘escorts’ came up from behind them.
“Princess,” Govannis said, “I commend you on your stamina, but that was against procedure in every way! Never does a charge run away from her protectors! You could have been killed!”
“Oh, put a cork in it, you daffodil,” Ashleigh snapped. Govannis gave her a wounded look. She gave an exclaiming gasp of guilt and smiled at him meekly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.” What the heck was wrong with her?
“Ashleigh has been very emotional here of late,” Ian explained. Govannis just nodded understandingly.
“I sympathize for you, princess. This is very hard on everyone. But please do not run off next time. We have to be with you at every minute. And for the record, let us make sure there is a cleared coast first,” he said.
“That the coast is clear,” Ian corrected him, and Ashleigh smiled at him.
“Okay, you goons, let’s go before someone accuses us of skipping,” she said. They all trumped into the school. How ironic that they all had the same classes as her, Ashleigh thought wryly. Except Art. Not one of them had Art with her, and that’s when she needed them most. She suspected that Mr. Jean had something to do with the fact that they couldn’t get into that class with her.
“Ms. Spesky, Mr. Contouro, how pleasant for you to join us. Who are your friends?” Coach Jacks asked. Ashleigh blushed a deep red and stuttered incoherent words out.
“These are new transfer students. They’re all my cousins from….Norway. We were simply escorting them around the school to show them where their classes are. That is why we were so late,” Ian said smoothly. Ashleigh gave him a wry look. Norway? Really?
“All right, have a seat,” Coach Jacks said indifferently. “Introduce yourselves to the class.” Govannis stepped up first.
“I am Govannis Severan Olimistan the Sixth,” he said politely. “This is Feran Kelaso Memanjo and Arnan Coldon Refeldan. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Cool,” Shawn, a jock from the soccer team, said, “Norwegian names.” His girlfriend rolled her eyes at him while rest of the class laughed. Ashleigh noticed that Monjo wasn’t with them anymore. The way he was dressed, she guessed he was a cook in the cafeteria. He was sure to scare people today with his massive size and huge mustache. Ashleigh weaseled her way pass everyone and sat down in her seat. Ian sat in his seat next to her. There were no more seats left for the three boys.
“Pull up some seats from that table back there,” Coach Jacks told them. They all got a metal fold-up chair from the table and gathered around Ashleigh. Ashleigh sat there in awkward dismay when Coach Jacks gave her an assuming look. She shrugged helplessly. He shook his head and went to his desk to fish out his lesson plan for the day.

lll

“Never again,” Ashleigh told them in the hall way. “Never crowd around me like that again. People will think things. You guys have got to give me my space, okay?”
“Yes, princess,” Govannis said dutifully. Ashleigh rolled her eyes.
“And from now on, only Ian calls me princess. It just feels weird when you guys do it,” she said. Ian gave her a pleasantly surprised look and she pretended not to notice. “Okay, next up-English.”
Mrs. Canham was happy that three more gorgeous boys were joining her class. The boys sat only two seats down from Ashleigh, but it was an improvement. Mrs. Canham was in the middle of reading Othello when the door opened and the principle walked in.
“After noon, Mrs. Canham,” Mr. Baits greeted her. “I have a new student who got lost trying to find our school, so she’s a bit late. Come on in, sweetheart.” Ashleigh watched the incredibly short, doll-like girl walk in bashfully. She smiled innocently at all of them. Ashleigh heard Ian give a repressed gasp beside her. She gave him a curiously look and looked back at the girl. Was she someone he knew from his world?
“Hello,” the girl said in a sweet, child-like voice, “my name is Maria Herach Sophinito. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.” Mrs. Canham looked like she was about to have a fit about how absolutely cute the girl was. She didn’t even look old enough to be a junior with her auburn curls and large, green eyes. Those child’s eyes landed on Ashleigh and became sharp and disliking beneath her plastered-on smile. Ashleigh stared back with uncertainty.
Ashleigh watched her eyes drift to Ian and they became affectionate and loving. She felt a pang of jealousy. However these two knew each other, it was obviously an intimate relationship. Ashleigh scowled and looked back down at her copy of Othello. This sucks, she thought. What would Ian want with a little brat like her? Maria sat behind Ian, of course, and Ashleigh saw the girl in her peripheral vision gaze with infatuation at his back. Ashleigh frowned sourly and ignored them both.
Ashleigh was grateful when the bell rang. She stood and turned to Ian. She was indigenous to find Maria attached to Ian’s arm and talking to him in a flirtatious manner.
“Ian, I’ve missed you so much! It has been a lifetime since we’ve seen each other. How are you doing? Did you miss me?” she asked. Ian tried to pry her off.
“What are you doing here, my lady?” Ian asked uncomfortably.
“I came to visit you for al little while. Is that so wrong?” she pouted.
“I’m on a mission, my lady,” Ian said. “This is not the time for visits.” Maria’s eyes shot to Ashleigh evilly for an instance.
“What kind of mission?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you. Maybe you should go home, Maria. Do you even have anyone here to attend to you?” Ian asked. She gave him an innocent look.
“No one knows,” she admitted.
“Maria!”
“I’m sorry! I just really wanted to see you!” she whined.
“Maria-”
“Okay,” Ashleigh interrupted suddenly,” are you just gonna stand here and talk to your little friend, or are you going to escort me to my next class?”
“Who are you calling little, Goldie?” Maria said evenly. Ashleigh gave her a murderous look.
“You, Ginger,” she snapped. “Are you sure you’re in the right grade, pipsqueak?” Maria’s mouth fell open and she searched for a good combat. Ashleigh scoffed and turned away from them with a delicate shrug.
“Fine then, Ian, I’ll just ask Ethan to walk me to class,” she said, making her way to where Ethan was arguing about his grade with Mrs. Canham.
“N-no, I’ll take you,” Ian said quickly. He broke away from a furious Maria and came walking closely behind her. Her other escorts followed closely. Ashleigh must have looked like some sort of Queen Bee with all the boys following her. Plus, she was going to prom with one of the most popular boys in the school. She couldn’t help but feel smug by the way Ian had just ditched Maria to walk with her. She reached over and took his hand in hers. She knew it probably made Ian’s heart flutter as much as hers, but the gesture probably seemed out of friendship in his eyes. He had no idea how much Ashleigh was beginning to love him. That was the way it had to stay. She couldn’t risk complicating things when he would have to leave her. It would hurt too much.
“I guess I’ll see you all next period,” she sighed. She couldn’t wait to make the class period miserable for Mr. Jean. Revenge was sweet. Ian touched her arm warningly. He knew what she intended to do.
“Don’t get yourself in trouble, princess,” he said softly. He walked away slowly and the others followed. With a sigh, Ashleigh entered the Art room. Mr. Jean was drawing an absolute masterpiece with chalk on the board. He drew a tall willow tree, a sunset, rolling hills, and then a girl and a boy standing there together under the sinking sun. Ashleigh stood there and watched him draw in amazing speed. The girl’s hair was canary yellow and blue eyes. Ashleigh’s heart almost stopped when he finished the boy. He had dark hair and only one eye showed-it shone out in a golden glory.
“What the heck is that suppose to be!?” she blurted suddenly. Mr. Jean’s hand paused above a lock of black hair. He slowly turned to face Ashleigh with the politest of smiles.
“Can you not tell? It is a couple, a very infatuated couple,” he explained simply.
“That’s not funny! I know exactly who those two people are! Do you have to be so obvious!?” she demanded. His brow shot up disdainfully.
“Miss Spesky, would you please stop causing a scene in my class and take your seat at your easel?” he asked quietly. “I would also like to talk to you after class.”
“You-But you-Grrrr!” she stuttered. She stomped to her easel and perched on the stool with extreme hostility. He put finishing touches on the drawing, high-lighting the couple’s hair with white and gray chalks. Then he turned to the class not making eye-contact with Ashleigh like he usually did.
“Your subject today-love,” he said simply. “Now get started.” Ashleigh was estranged by the way he did not elaborate as he usually did. He sat at his desk, propped his feet up, and pulled out an old dusty book. Ashleigh watched him suspiciously as she took out her paints. Something wasn’t right. She had so planned to ruin his day. But now the evil mood was gone and she wanted to know what was up with him. She scooted off of her stool and walked up to his desk with a pack of charcoal pencils. She just stood there staring at him until he sighed heavily.
“Yes, Miss Spesky?” he asked without looking up at her.
“I need a sharpener for my pencils. I lost mine,” she lied. He slapped the book down into his lap and opened his desk drawer to rummage through it. He thrusted a sharpener in her direction. She took it hesitantly.
“Thank…..you” she mumbled unpleasantly. She sharpened her pencils over his trash can, staring at him the whole time.
“Is there perhaps chalk on my face, Miss Spesky, or is there yet another problem?” he asked behind his book.
“No,” she shrugged, “I didn’t realize I was staring. Must have spaced out.”
“Indeed, seeing as your pencil is sharp enough to penetrate a dragon’s skin,” he mumbled to himself. Ashleigh tightened her lips against all the smart-elect remarks. She slammed the sharpener down onto the desk and walked slowly back to her easel, throwing glances back at him. She sat down on the stool and began drawing, trying her best not to look at him out of paranoia. She made a light, heart-shaped outline of a face with her pencil, and then she filled in the face of a woman, making the eyes long and the lips full. She put down her pencils and dipped her brush into gold-blonde paint.
She traced the brows she’d drawn and then stroked the brush out into locks of waving hair. She painted the blue of the eyes and the red lips absently, paying too much attention to Mr. Jean to really care what she was doing. She filled in the face with fair apricot colors and a pink-rose for the blush upon her cheeks. She glanced over the painting when she finished and wondered why this random person looked so familiar.
“I’m finished,” she announced. Mr. Jean sighed deeply and dog-eared his page. He lied the book down and looked at her skeptically,
“You have only been working not even a half of an hour. What could you have possibly done in such time?” he asked.
“You drew your little couple over there in a quarter of the time it took me to do this,” she retorted. He chuckled at her.
“I am an experienced professional,” he pointed out
“Well, I guess degrees aren’t everything. In the end, it all comes down to raw talent, doesn’t it?” Mr. Jean eyed her evenly. He walked over to her reluctantly and looked over her shoulder. She felt smug when he said nothing.
“Do you know who this is?” he asked softly. Ashleigh frowned.
“Is it supposed to be someone?” she asked. He breathed out slowly.
“This is your mother, little princess,” he whispered softly. Ashleigh’s heart stopped. Her eyes suddenly stung.
“Now, I’d give you a ‘B’ at best, but since you cannot help but to talk back to your teacher, you get a ‘C’. Place your painting by the window so it may dry.” Ashleigh was angry once again. She grabbed her painting and shoved pass him to place it next to the window. The rest of her class murmured in approvingly when they saw it. Ashleigh ignored them all and walked out of the classroom without consulting Mr. Jean. She sank down against the wall outside his door and brought her arms and knees up around her face. She felt longing and homesick to a place she can’t even remember. A part of her seemed like it was missing all of a sudden, like someone snatched away a piece of her heart. She sobbed hard into her arms, trying to muffle the sounds.
She heard the classroom door open and close beside her. She didn’t bother to look up because she knew who it was.
“These floors are filthy. You should not sit on them, you’ll dirty your uniform,” Mr. Jean said quietly. Ashleigh ignored him and tried to stop her crying. She didn’t want him to see her look weak.
“Is there anything I can say that will make you feel better?” he asked awkwardly.
“As if you care!” she snapped, glaring up at him. His face was uncomfortable and held no humor in them like they usually did. She wondered why he was acting so strangely. He sighed and his expression became tired. He leaned his head back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.
“I think I am finished with switching sides,” he said conversationally.
“What do you mean?” she asked suspiciously. He looked down at her with a familiar gleam in his eyes.
“It seems my employer did not have the patience for my methods. The attack you and Ian faced yesterday was completely his doing. He’s not very smart, seeing as he didn’t predict such blood-thirsty creatures would kill you before they’d capture you. He replaced me. So, I’m done. I am neither side and I never will be. You do not have to worry about me any longer. I am simply Mr. Jean, the Art teacher. But I will give you a hint about who his new worker is: This person is impatient and will try anything to get what he or she-I will not specify-wants. Also, he or she is closer than you think.”
Ashleigh could only stare at him. She could hardly believe it. Was this why he was being so weird?
“I can understand why you would still suspect me. Tell Ian I am deeply sorry for his wounds from our fight. And give this to him, would you?” Mr. Jean took her hand before she could know what he was doing and place something cool and slinky in her hand. She opened her hand and saw a long, glimmering silver chain necklace. She looked up at his grinning face.
“He’ll know what it is for. And you do not have to stay after school if you do not wish it. You will be excused. Now, clean your face up and come inside the room,” he said. He handed her an embroidered handkerchief and turned to go into the room. Ashleigh stared at it and the necklace before doing as he said.

lll

“He is lying!” Ian declared as they walked home later on. The escorts tailed them vigorously, listening to their conversation. “How can you believe him?”
“I don’t know, I just do! He wasn’t the one who sent that attack on us, Serrano was. He also said he was sorry about how y’all’s fight went and told me to give you this,” Ashleigh said. She handed him the necklace. His eyes widened as he stopped and stared at it. Giovannis ran into him accidently.
“What is the matter?” he asked worriedly. Ian began to walk again while mumbling to his self and glancing at the necklace every few seconds.
“Ian, what in the world is the matter?” Ashleigh demanded. He just shook his head and became quiet as he walked on to Ashleigh’s yard. He turned to the escorts formally and nodded to them.
“You are dismissed for now. We will call you if we are in need of your assistance. Thank you,” he said. Everyone just stared at him awkwardly for a moment. Then they bowed and disappeared in thin air. Ashleigh stared at the spot where they had been with amazement.
“Wow that is so cool! Can you do that, Ian? Ian?” she asked again when he didn’t answer. She looked at him and he was just standing there staring at the necklace blankly. She thumped the side of his face and he jumped with surprise.
“What?” he asked irritably.
“Are you gonna tell me what’s up with the necklace? You’re acting so weird about it,” she said disgruntledly.
“Oh, this? Well, we should come inside first. It will be safer that way. Your mother is home. I should change into my other form. Hold this,” he told her, giving her the necklace. She took the little trinket and waited for him to change into his tabby cat form before opening the door and walking in. Her mother was in the kitchen and she could smell roasted chicken, dinner rolls, and macaroni and cheese.
“Hey, Mama, I’m home,” she announced. Her mother leaned her head out of the kitchen and Ashleigh suddenly had the impulse to cry again. Why had she expected a beautiful blonde woman with smiling red lips and bright blue eyes to greet her? Her step-mother was loving and beautiful, but not like her real mother. It suddenly hurt to look at her.
“Hey. Honey, are you hungry? I know we haven’t had a good meal where we just sit down together in a long time. I’ve been cooking up a storm since I got home,” her mother (step-mother) grinned.
“Sure, Mama, just let me go change out of my uniform. I’ll be down in a little bit,” she told her, hurrying up the stairs. Ian followed her promptly. He changed into a human as soon as the door was shut.
“Let me see the necklace,” he said, opening his palm for it. Ashleigh frowned at him and didn’t give it back. “What?”
“You’re not getting it back until you tell me what it is,” she said. He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.
“It’s a very powerful amulet. It protects you from black magic that can deceive you. Now, please, can I have it back?” he asked with agitation. Ashleigh looked down at the necklace with surprise.
“Was he trying to prove a point when he gave this to you?” she wondered. “To prove that he wasn’t trying to trick us?” Ian rudely snatched the amulet back.
“It doesn’t protect you from people who lie through their teeth,” he replied crisply. “Only when some tries to use magic to hide something from you, or if they try to give you false feeling and thoughts, this will protect you. I can’t imagine why he would give me such a tool. The amulet is also a symbolism as a truce between brothers in some tribes. It represents that they would not deceive one another and be bound together by pure truth. Does he expect me to let all he’s done go?”
“Oh, so you two scrapped, big deal! Boys at the school do it all the time over stupid stuff like football games and girls. This seems like he really is serious. I believe him. I don’t trust him, but I do believe he won’t be working against us anymore. He was acting really weird today, like a total different person. Anyway, I’m starving. I’m getting out of these clothes and I’m going to eat me some supper.”
Ashleigh exchanged her uniform for a very comfortable pair of sweat pants and a loose T-shirt that read “Silly Boys, Videos Games Are for Girls”. Ian plopped himself onto her bed and told her to bring him back a plate of left-overs. She waved him away and went downstairs.
“Okay, Mama,” she said, walking into the dining room casually. Her mother smiled at her as she set her plate on the table. Ashleigh sat at the table and started eating as her mother sat across from her.
“So, how was your day?” he mother asked.
“Eventful,” Ashleigh said casually.
“Are you still going to prom with that boy?”
“Ethan? Yeah, I’m still going. I’ve picked out my dress.”
“What’s it like?”
“Like a little faerie dress,” she echoed Ian, not able to fight her smile.
“Sounds cute. What color is it?”
“Black and silver, I guess. It’s pretty.”
“How are your grades?”
“Pretty good. How’s work?”
“Fine.”
They continued the conversation politely as they eat. Without her step-dad, things had been really dull around here-aside from the whole cat-person-protecting-her-from-an-obsessive-monster thing. They didn’t talk much and hardly had supper together. Everything became distant when he was away. Ashleigh suddenly thought of her real dad and what he might be like. It sounded as if he was as bad about working away from home as her step-dad. Ian had said that the queen was depressed terribly because of it. Ashleigh suddenly felt heart-brokenly sad.
“I miss Dad,” Ashleigh said bluntly, not feeling as hungry as before. Her mother grew quiet. There was a long silence.
“I miss him, too, honey,” she said finally. She looked over at Ashleigh’s half-empty plate. “Are you done?”
“Um, no, I think I’ll just go to my room and finish. I have homework. Thanks for dinner.”
“No problem, honey. It’s rather early, but I’m going to go to bed. I’ve had a long day. Good night,” she said. Ashleigh nodded and carried her plate into her room. Ian was sitting up and waiting for her with a sympathetic look on his face.
“Here,” she said, handing him the plate without meeting his eyes. He took it and set it aside. Ian surprised her by opening his arms up to her. She fell into them shamelessly and let him hug her.
“I am sorry about your father. I am sure he is doing his best to complete his task as soon as possible to return to you-”
“No,” Ashleigh said. “I’m not too worried about him. What I meant is…I miss my real family. I painted a picture of my real mother in Art today without even knowing it until Mr. Jean told me. I can’t stop wishing I was with her instead of here,” Ashleigh explained. Ian hugged her tightly and didn’t say anything. She guessed he didn’t know what to say.
“Do….Do I have to stay here? You know, after all of this is over and things are safe again, do you think that I could see them? My family, I mean,” she explained lamely.
“I do not see why not. But that might be a long while. Even if your false father returns, it does not make m world safe for you. You will have to remain here until Serrano is silenced. That could take years,” Ian told her.
“Well, that sucks. I don’t understand why he is so obsessed with me! What is so great about someone like me? I don’t care what people say, I am not pretty enough to start a war over! And I certainly don’t have any incredible kind of power like you do,” she sighed. “What does a big ol’ monster of a thing like him want with me?” Ian laughed suddenly.
“Did you just call him a big monster?” Ian said incredulously.
“Yeah, why?” she asked absently.
“Serrano is the young prince of his country. He is… How can I explain this without coming off as though I am interested in men?” he thought speculatively.
“What are you blabbering about?” Ashleigh asked, looking up at him with a strange smile. He sighed heavily, as if he was having a difficult time explaining something to her.
“Ah! I’ve got it! He is, as you say in your world, a ladies’ man!” Ian exclaimed. Ashleigh stared at him, not sure if she should laugh at him or pinch him.
“So… Serrano is hot?” she asked slowly.
“I am not sure if his body temperature is as abnormal as mine, how could I know such a thing?” Ian asked cluelessly.
“No, that’s another way we say that someone is good-looking. Serrano is not a monster?” she persisted. Ian’s face grew hard and bitter.
“In character, he is the worst of monsters, regardless of his fine features,” he said firmly. “He is pure evil, and if he obtained you, he would force you to be his bride, which would make him a true king. I am positive that is another reason that he wants you, not simply because he is smitten with you.”
“Oh, well thanks!” Ashleigh said sarcastically. “So, you’re saying that you wouldn’t try to capture me and take me somewhere so that you could have to yourself? If you loved me,” she added with embarrassment. Ian looked at her in confusion.
“But I do love you, princess,” he said honestly. Ashleigh felt as though the air was knocked out of her. She couldn’t speak or move and Ian took it the wrong way and seemed offended.
“Is it wrong for me to feel this for you?” he asked unsurely.
“N-no, I just-“
“I don’t think it is right to cause trouble for an entire world, or two worlds in our case, just because someone loves another. There are plenty of people in many worlds who love each other. It isn’t an uncommon emotion. I love you, princess, and it hurts me that it could never be, but I am not on the verge of starting a war between worlds because of it. It wouldn’t be fair to those who have done nothing wrong.”
Ashleigh was in too deep shock to cry or say anything. She could only stare at him, her throat closed and her heart frozen. He looked back at her expectantly, waiting for a response. She couldn’t give him one. This was too much. Both pain and relief filled her. He loved her. He loved her, but nothing could be done about it.
“You’re right,” she said finally. “It’s stupid to try to start things because of something like love. So, um, anyway, I guess you should go ahead and eat. I’m going to go get a shower.” She pulled away from him awkwardly and walked slowly to her dresser drawer to get some pajamas. She turned to walk to her bathroom, but Ian was beside her suddenly. He caught her by the arm and turned her toward him.
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” he said seriously. “What is wrong?” Ashleigh felt her pulse jump and was sure he heard her drumming heart beat. She bit her lip, knowing she couldn’t tell him. ‘I love you’, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. Instead, she said,
“I, um, I’m just really tired and homesick, Ian. It’s nothing-”
“No!” he interrupted angrily. “I know there’s something else. Tell me, please!” Ashleigh felt her face flush. She pulled her arm away gently.
“If I told you, it wouldn’t change anything-” she said carefully.
“I don’t care, tell me,” he said again. Ashleigh felt the tears coming on again. She was so stupid for being so emotional all the time. She couldn’t look him in the eye. Did he already know, but just had to hear her say it? How could he be so mean? Ashleigh felt his hand under her chin. He tipped her face up so that she had to look at him. Had she every really noticed how gold his eyes were? They were usually so serious and intent, but now they gentle and, maybe it was just her imagination, loving. His eyes had a sunset glow to them.
When Ian closed his eyes and started to lean forward, she was reminded of the time he tried to kiss her the day after they first met. The reason he took the mission to protect her was because she was beautiful and vulnerable. That was what he had said. She did feel safe with him. After all the things they’d been through together, she was glad he was here; glad to have had him in her life at least this long. She would cherish the memory of him forever.
Just as Ian’s lips were about to touch hers, there was a knock at her door.
“Ashleigh, you have a friend at the door,” her mother said through the door. Ashleigh wanted to burst through the door and tackle her mother to the floor. Who the heck could it possibly be? If it was Jenny, she would murder that girl a hundred times over.
“O-okay, Mama, I’m coming,” she called back. Stifling her groan of irritation, she wiggled free of Ian and tossed her pajamas onto the bed.
“You should change back into a cat,” she said over her shoulder to him. She heard his repressed sigh and he obeyed her. Ashleigh reluctantly went downstairs to see who it was.
“She’s still waiting at the door,” her mother called from her bedroom doorway. Ashleigh didn’t answer and continued to the front door. There, standing in the front doorway of her home, was someone she’d never expect to see.
“M-Maria?” Ashleigh stuttered. The girl didn’t smile, but regarded her with disdainful acknowledgement.
“I’m here to see Ian. Are you gonna make me just stand here all day, or are you going to invite me into your….cozy little house?” she asked indifferently.