*****
I was the last one to leave the field that night. I had stuck around in hopes of giving it time for Helen and Rose to cool down. I was hoping that Adam’s speech sparked something in them. Maybe he could make them realize that their balances were slipping. I couldn’t do it, my parents could do it, and so it was all left to Adam.
I put my sword holster over my shoulder and sheathed the weapon safely inside. Turning to walk away I heard footsteps coming up behind me. I fought to get the sword free, I could hear them but I couldn’t see them. I was finally able to secure the weapon in my hand and set the blade a flame. This not only made me feel safer but it also gave me the ability to see what was ahead of me. I gulped back fear as I heard a twig snap under the feet of someone or something.
“Shit.” A male voice said and I threw the blade in front of me hoping that I would be able to see who it was. “I really have to get better at this sneaking around thing.” I took a deep breath, it was only Max.
“Jesus Max, you just about gave me a heart attack.” I breathed my heartbeat slowing.
“Can you even have those?” He asked laughing. I shook my head at the warlock.
“Why you sneaking around out here?” I asked pulling the fire from the blade I could see him by the light of the moon.
“I was looking for you.” He smiled at me.
“Why were you looking for me?” I was puzzled. It wasn’t like it was a big secret where I was. I mean everyone knew I was in the right field, there was no need for anyone to be sneaking around.
“Something came for you today. I didn’t think that it was something you wanted to get into the wrong hands.” He handed me a large envelope. “I didn’t look in it. I just noticed that the post mark was from New Mexico.”
I grabbed the envelope from his hands. He looked at me and back at the moon. Realization crossed his face as he created a floating orb of light to assist me in seeing what was inside.
“Photos?” I said pulling out the papers and looking at them closely.
“Those aren’t photos.” Max said coming up beside me and placing the orb close to my hands. “Those are drawings.”
“They are so beautiful.” I said flipping from one page to the next.
“Wesley is a Harbinger he probably draws best while in a vision. It would appear your boy has found a new way to reveal messages.” Max chuckled. “I don’t know how he is doing it, or if it is even him that is doing it. This is something to be cautious about yet at the same time elated.”
“I can tell by the care he takes in the faces, he wants you to know who it is.” I chose a page at random. “See this one is of a sleeping girl. Most people would just think it was a random person, but look at the face. It’s Helen. He’s never seen Helen.” I gasped.
“You think he sent these to keep them away from Miranda?” Max asked as we both looked through the drawings together.
“You know what, let’s get these back to the house. We can see better in the light.” I quickly put the drawings back in the envelope and put it at my side.
“Want me to get the others?” He asked me as he grabbed the orb and crushed it.
“Naw, there is no need for them right now. Let’s try to make sense of what he has to show us.” I offered my arm to Max and he gratefully accepted. I enjoyed listening to Max talk. He had so many stories and each one was climatic, I kept telling him he needed to write them down, he could make some amazing money making fantasy out of truth. When we got inside we went directly to the study. My mother and father were both there with their heads down on the table. Their eyes were not moving, they had blank expressions on their faces as if their souls were not connected to their body.
“They are following the Reapers. Something else came with this envelope today.” He touched my mother’s hair sweetly and felt both their necks for a pulse. “No matter how long they are not in this form their bodies will always be here to welcome them back.”
“What else came?” I asked looking at the two of them appearing so peaceful in their mock death.
“Mona and the entire staff from your father’s house.” Max said rolling up his sleeves and looking at me then at the envelope. I grinned and pulled the papers out spreading them on the table.
“Mona’s here?” Oh man this was going to be awkward. My mother and Mona in the same house? Who was going to wind up blind first?
“There are things about Mona you do not know. It might be time for a little history lesson, it’s not my place to give it though.” Max frowned at me and began to pine over the drawings. “Look at this one. Isn’t this what happened this afternoon?” Max pointed to a drawing of a dark haired girl. Box bangs and shoulder length wavy hair, pale skin, round face, but my eyes were hidden. Opponents holding weapons one with long straight brown hair and the other with chin length red hair, both with sneers on their faces.
“Yeah, almost exactly.” I frowned. I didn’t want to think about it. It was bad enough I was actually avoiding the demon twins I didn’t want them to become the center of all my conversations.
“The boy has talent.” Max said eyeing each page carefully. “Is this Miranda?” He pointed to a pretty girl with an annoyed look on her face. Her fragile hand was placed under her chin. She was lost in thought.
“Yeah.” I said pulling the page to the top so that we could look at it. She looked the same, those means green eyes and that tight sneer. “When I met her face to face she looked like a normal girl. Dancing eyes, smiling, but that was because in her eyes she had won.”
“Who’s this?” He pointed to another girl standing behind her. This girl looked familiar but I had no clue who she was with her blonde hair and deep blue eyes.
“That’s Dawn.” Mona said walking into the study. She pulled off her hat and looked at me smiling. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”