Decklen and I both jumped. My aunt was breathing heavily and staring at Decklen with wide terrified eyes.
“How. How did you get in here?”
“You can see me?” Decklen whispered.
But instead of answering. She reached out and with surprising strength dragged me away from Decklen. She pulled a chain from her neck that a pointed dagger on the end. She held it out to Decklen threateningly.
I pulled free from her and walked back over to Decklen.
“Rheya, please for your own safety. Come back here.” She said.
“How can you see Decklen. Is this an Alacourt thing?” I asked.
“Our family has always been able to see his kind. Step away from him Rheya he is dangerous!”
“His kind? So there’s more?” I asked surprised.
I looked at Decklen and saw that he had become silent. His eyes however held shock and disbelief. A bead of sweat covered his neck and I saw that his hands were shaking.
“That dagger.” He murmured. “It’s the same one I saw the night I died.”
“It can make you, and it can end you.” She said.
“You made Decklen?” I asked.
“Others did, not I.” She said staring at him still. “How did you get in here? My house is protected from your kind. The Griffin on the gate should have sent you away.”
She came forward and latched onto my I pulled back. Automatically I reached for Decklen and he placed his arm around my side and pulled me to him.
“Decklen isn’t a monster.” I stated.
“He is dangerous.”
“You’re the one with the weapon.” I said.
“That’s not true. I still have this.” Decklen said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Lark’s gun.
I stared, “You kept it.”
“Yes. I wasn’t sure what this whole thing was about. I felt it was better to be safe than sorry.” Decklen said. He placed the gun down on a table separating us from my aunt.
My aunt stared at it quietly. She looked up at me and I saw that she had genuine fear in her eyes.
She truly thought Decklen was going to hurt me. And her.
“Look, Decklen isn’t a monster. He’s lived with me for a year now. He’d never hurt me. I said firmly. Decklen’s grip tightened and I squeezed his arm reassuringly.
“This is impossible. Our kind befriending his.” Her hand rubbed the chain around her throat.
“What do you mean, our kind.” I asked.
“No, it can’t be. If he was one of them, he wouldn’t have been able to get past the gates.” She shook her head and slowly lowered the dagger. “Please excuse me, I haven’t slept in days. Come to the kitchen. I have soup cooking for you. If you would have some.”
And with that she turned from us and headed towards what I assumed was the kitchen. I looked at Decklen shocked to my core. He stared at me to before looking at the doorway my aunt had disappeared into.
We followed intent on getting some answers.
She was bustling around filling a bowl with soup and setting it in front of a chair at a table. Instead of sitting, I looked at her.
“No one else can see him besides me and you.” I said deciding to get straight to the point.
She froze. A second bowl was in her hands and her fingers turned white from the force she was squeezing it with.
“But it’s impossible. He should have never been able to make it past the gates, let alone the house.” She said frantically.
“I don’t understand. What are you so scared of? Decklen is harmless.” I said.
My aunt laughed. “You are quite wrong. Your friend Decklen is the furthest thing from harmless. In fact, he is the most dangerous creature you could possibly imagine.” She replied.
“I have never hurt anyone.” Decklen said. “While I have been like this anyway.” He added.
“Because they could not see you. But your kind has always destroyed those who could see you. Don’t you have any idea what you are?” She asked.
“No.” we both answered.
“Decklen has no idea what he is.” I said, but my aunt was shaking her head.
“Not what he is my dear, what you are. You are an Eshu.”
“An Eshu?” I asked.
“The ones with the ability to talk to them, are Eshu.” She said.
“And what is them exactly?” I asked her exasperatedly.
“Halfway between the world of the living and the dead, he has been touched by the spirits. He has many names, but in Europe they are called changelings.”
I stared at her before a smile began to form and I started to laugh. It took me awhile to realize that I was the only one and I stopped. I looked at Decklen and saw that he had a look of horror on his face.
“This is no laughing matter!” My aunt said.
“No,” Decklen said slowly. “it’s not. To say that I’ve been touched.”
“Come on. That’s one of the first things I looked up when I met him. I mean yeah, he’s got a dickish sense of humor.” I looked at Decklen and shook my head grinning, “ but he’s not a fairy.
“The meaning of Changeling has been misconstrued through the years, but it is true.”
“Why can I see him then. Because I have the sight?” I asked sarcastically still laughing.
“Because our family has always hunted and destroyed his kind.” She declared.
I stopped laughing at once.