* * *
Abrennin waited until he was sure Cadarn and his wife had left. She was brilliant, not to mention powerful, but she might subconsciously miss something. He couldn't fault her if she did. Even with his Training, he was almost out of his mind wondering what had happened. He debated for a moment, then let his intuition override his better judgment. He called the energy, then knocked softly on his daughter's door.
“Go away, Mom, I'm sick, remember?” She didn't sound sick, just angry. In this case, angry was good.
He called through the door, “Well, it’s your father, so I guess I can come in.” He opened the door a crack and peered in. “Do you think it is contagious?”
Haylwen didn't smile. “Very.”
Abrennin opened the door and stood there for a moment, looking around her room. “I don't think I've been in here since we moved, have I? Love what you've done with the place. Very retro-nouveau.” He took a step in and almost seemed to sniff the air. His eyes found her book bag by her small corner desk and paused there for a moment. “Can I have the grand tour?”
Haylwen scowled and sunk herself into the covers, pulling them up to her chin. “Tour? Sure, there's the dresser, the closet, the desk, and the door, that's how you leave. You can close it behind you to get a good look.”
Abrennin smiled, and shut the door. “Sure thing.” He looked at the door. “Yup, that's a fine door.” He walked over to her bed and sat on the edge. He looked at her for a moment, paused, and his eyes widened for a moment. Definitely something in the book bag, and now that he was closer, he could feel she was wearing another! Haylwen didn't appear to notice. His thoughts leaped, connections fell into place. He shook his head internally. This was his daughter, and she came first, no matter what it might mean. “How are you feeling, Hayl?” he asked.
“Not hale,” she replied, “and not hearty.”
Abrennin smiled thinly. One of their typical rejoinders, but even more appropriate now. “Yes, your mother told me. Fever with cold clammy hands, and stomach aches. Could be serious.”
Haylwen nodded.
“You know,” Abrennin started, “sometimes people get physically sick when they are overly stressed. I am sure you have heard your mother and I talk about that before. Do you feel stressed about something?”
Haylwen shook her head.
“It would be pretty unusual not to be stressed, what with our recent move and everything. Trying to make new friends can be tough. But knowing you, you probably have made several already, right?”
Haylwen shook her head again.
“No? Not even one cute boy?”
Haylwen shook her head, but her eyes narrowed.
“Oh, several cute boys are interested, but only one that you like. I am sure he's the cutest one. Tell me, is he nice too, or more of a rebel?”
Haylwen looked at her father. “I don't know.”
“Did you meet him at school?”
Haylwen shook her head. “The boys at school are mean.”
Abrennin nodded. “So this boy, not from school, where did you meet him?”
“Around.” Haylwen was squirming, but Abrennin pressed on.
“What's his name?”
“Ri… ck… Rick.”
“Did you see him on your hike?”
“What? No, that wasn't... I mean, no.”
“Did you see him yesterday?”
“What? No!” She was clenching the blankets now, and getting teary-eyed. Abrennin briefly thought about taking some of her negative energy, or trying to give her some positive, but quickly dismissed the thought. We need to increase the dose, and make sure she takes it though, he thought.
“Are you sure? You came home awfully upset. Sometimes boys can be aggressive...”
Haylwen had tears running down her face now. “Rivenwake would never!”
“Who did it then?”
“It was Mr. Johansen!”
Abrennin was momentarily stunned. “Who?”
“My principal! Ex-principal, whatever. He showed up at school yesterday and tried to grab me, well, he did grab, but I got away, but he put me in his car and almost got my backpack...”
Abrennin couldn't really understand the rest. He offered his shoulder and she crumpled into the hug. Between her voice being muffled in his shoulder, and the sobs, he could only make a few words out. He held her and stroked her hair the way she liked until her crying slowed down and finally stopped. He pulled away enough to smile softly at her and wipe her tears. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief and handed it to her. “So, Mr. Johansen was waiting for you after school. How did he get you in his car?”
Haylwen told him the whole story again. He waited until she had finished before having her go over a few areas a third time. She didn't tell him about the magical item she was still wearing, but he could figure out how that played its role from the pauses in the storytelling. Whatever item it was had saved her! Whoever had given her that item had protected his daughter better than him. What about the one in her bag?
“And you went back for your book bag?” he asked, mental gears whirling.
“I didn't really have to go back. I was more surprised at how he tried to grab it. I would have left it if I thought about it. It’s not like I have any money in there or anything.”
“He wasn't after money, sweetheart.” Abrennin sat back, looking away for a long moment. He couldn't show her the almost overwhelming fear and guilt he was feeling. He shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could do. He looked at his daughter again and forced a smile, a mischievous sort of smile. “I am surprised he didn't take what's around your neck off before he put you in his car, however.”
Haylwen's eyebrows jumped in surprise, and her jaw fell.
Abrennin smiled, sheepishly this time, as he remembered that he took a different something from around her neck. However she got it, maybe there was a good reason she have it. He looked at her for a moment, and in one great epiphany, fully realized that keeping her isolated and ignorant didn’t protect her at all. “I'll be right back,” he said and quickly stood and left. He went into the study, grabbed something off the top shelf, and returned to sit on the bed next to Haylwen.
He held out his hand. “I suppose this is rightfully yours, too.”
Her eyes flicked from the pearl necklace in his hand to his calm face and back.
He waited, then picked up the necklace and put it gently around his daughter's neck. “You can wear the other one too; actually, it would be better if you did.” Getting her nod, he untied the other necklace and pulled it off. A Ring of Fire! He held his face impassive. “I have a few things to explain to you,” he said drolly. Haylwen continued to gape as he gently slid the ring on her finger.
“I can't tell you much,” he started. He took off his glasses, and rubbed his forehead. “And I can't tell you why I can't tell you.” He laughed ruefully. “Let me start with what I can tell you. Once I talk to your mother, there are going to be some changes. It is unacceptable for you not to be safe. Well, at least as safe as you can be. There will have to be some big changes.” He looked at his daughter, who looked stunned. “Sweetie?”
She blinked, then refocused on his face. “Uh, sure, I guess, I don't know. What kind of changes?”
He leaned back, supporting himself on his arms. “Say, not going to school anymore.”
She narrowed her eyes and didn't say anything.
He smiled, and patted the blanket over her leg. “Yeah, it’s kind of a lot. I am not sure what is going to happen. First things first, though, I am going to call your mother and have her get Cadarn out of school and bring him home.”
“He can't go to school either?” Haylwen asked.
Abrennin shook his head. “No, neither of you are safe without your mother or I around. At least until...” he scowled. “Well, at least until your mother and I figure some things out.”
Haylwen looked at the ring on her finger, and touched the necklace. She lo
oked at her father questioningly. “How... I mean… am I...” she sounded like she didn't really know where to start.
“Yes, I know about those. Somewhat. I can't answer some questions, but I can tell you that you are not crazy.” He looked at his hands, the backs, and then the palms. “The things you never think of...” he said to himself. He looked at his daughter and smiled, a sad, small smile. “I will do everything I can, sweetheart.”
Haylwen touched her necklace again, and Abrennin reached over and picked up his daughter's book bag. “Do you mind if I get something out of here, Hayl?”
“Um, no, I guess. What?” she asked.
“Well...” he said, sticking his hand in the bag. He pulled out various pieces of garbage, tossing them quickly in the nearby rubbish bin, pens and pencils went into another pocket. He found what he was searching for, and after wiping the dirt off of it carefully, handed his daughter the ceramics tool. “Here.”
“That thing? I don't even know what it is!” she said.
“Yes, you don't need to know right now. Just put it in your pocket, or in your sock, or whatever, but keep it handy.” He exhaled a deep breath as she took it.
She looked at it, at him, and tears started rolling down her face again. She looked at the stick and then her father. “I don't want it! I didn't ask for this! I just want to be left alone!” she screamed as she threw it at him, hitting him square in the chest.
The stick hit Abrennin and threw him off the bed, across the room, and up against the closet door. His eyes wide as he was hit, his hands came up reflexively in a gesture. At the same time, he blurted, “Danarra loman dion!” The sound of the last word mingled with the noise of him crashing into the closet.
A small blue ball leaped from Abrennin's hands, growing quickly to envelope a very surprised Haylwen. Abrennin looked from where the stick was lying on the carpet to the blue bubble around Haylwen with amazement. “Interesting,” he said.
Haylwen's mouth moved, but Abrennin could hear nothing.
Abrennin looked at her for a moment, and then, making sure Haylwen was watching, stepped forward, putting his hands on the bubble. He leaned on it, appearing to defy gravity. He looked at his wide-eyed daughter. “Very interesting,” he said.
Haylwen looked to be shouting, and threw a nearby stuffed bear at her father. Just before reaching him, it hit the bubble and slid down its surface. Her jaw dropped as she watched it slowly make its way to the floor.
“Sgor,” Abrennin said. The bubble vanished, leaving Haylwen blinking.
Haylwen stared at him and he smiled. He bent down, gingerly picked up the stick and handed it to Haylwen. She took it slowly.
“Like I said, you might want this,” he said.
“What was that? How did you do that?” she said. He could see her looking from the wish wand to him, her energy swirling dangerously.
“It was a bubble of protection,” he said quickly.
“A what?”
He finally had her full attention, the energy diminishing, but he couldn’t believe how he was doing it. He tapped his lower lip, then said, slowly, as if testing the words, “It was an inverse energy bubble. A combination of Earth and Fire. They can be of three variants: one-way in, one- way out, or repel both. That one, as you could see, was both.” He couldn’t help it, a giant grin spread across his face. He then shook his head and the serious look reentered his eyes. “We'll talk more, sweetheart, I promise. I want to call your mother and get your brother home right now, ok? Just relax.” He smiled, and gently teasing, said, “Recuperate from your illness for a while.”
He gave her forehead a quick kiss and ran into the study for his phone. He punched numbers with shaky fingers, deathly afraid, and with a renewed sense of hope.