Legends: The Folklore Trilogy Book 2

Chapter 34- Where Endings and Beginnings Collide

I sat on the dock, looking out as the sun set over the sea. The wind was softly rustling my hair, and I let out a deep breath. I was still recovering from dinner. I had never been the most sociable person, but now...the crowds were just a little much.

"Hey," a voice said softly from behind me. I looked up. It was Sierra. "Can I sit with you?"

I nodded, and she sat beside me, letting her bare feet dangle over the edge. She looked out at the gently rolling ocean. "What happened to Ore?" she asked suddenly. "I haven't seen him around."

"He's catching up with Mr. Marquez," I responded. "You should have seen Giselle's face when he told her that his entire life's mission was to find her so he could tell Mr. Marquez where she was. I think she started crying."

"Aw," Sierra gasped softly. "That's so sweet. I'm glad. She deserves happiness. After all the crap she's been through, she deserves it."

I nodded slowly. She looked at me curiously. "What about Tinder?"

I laughed and pulled the scroll out of my pocket. "I still can't hear that without thinking of that dating website. But yeah, he's been in my pocket. I haven't needed him." I slipped the imp back into my pocket.

"I'm jealous," she mumbled. "Girls' pockets can't fit anything, much less a golem and an imp."

I laughed. "Sorry."

She pulled her hair over one shoulder, making it shimmer in the sunset. The light glinted off her her necklace.

"I never asked," I said, "but who's the necklace from?"

She smiled and picked it up with her fingers, staring at it lovingly. "Everyone."

"What does that mean?" I laughed.

"Well, the chain is from Abigail, along with this star." She shifted through the charms and showed me a simple silver four pointed star. "The crown is from Seraphina and Primrose, the flower is from Magnolia, the crystal ball is from Genevieve, the black cloth ring is from Audrey, and the braided grass ring is from Sophie. It's so I can contact them," she said, touching the butterfly clip in her hair.

"Oh." I wasn't sure how else to respond. I bit my lip. "Um...so, I found this rock when I was walking around today, and, I don't know, I was wondering...do you want it?" I tried to pull it out of my pocket, my fingers fumbling a bit. "It's got a hole in the middle, so it would go on the necklace, and it's pretty small, but it you ever needed to contact me..."

She took it from my hand and turned it over in hers a few times. Then she set it down in her lap, unhooked the necklace, and strung it on. "Perfect," she said, putting it back on.

"Oh, ok. Cool." I looked away, my face starting to heat up. I hated when it did that. I just gave her a rock for the completely logical and important reason that she might need to contact me, which, knowing our enemy, could be at any point. So why was I embarrassed?

"You've changed," Sierra said softly. I looked back at her. "What?"

"You've changed," she repeated with a smile. When I first met you, you were...awkward. Sorry, it's just true."

"No, I completely agree," I said firmly.

"And I think it's because you didn't know who you were," she continued. "Not sure how to act, or respond, or maybe, too afraid to do something that's not...you." She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Just thinking out loud."

I looked back out at the ocean. "No, it's ok. You're probably right."

"But after we came back," she said, "you were different. More self-assured. More comfortable. I could hardly believe it. It was like you were a different person."

I stared. I didn't know how to respond to that. "Oh. Really?"

"Yeah." She nudged me lightly with a grin. "I like you better this way."

"Oh."

She laughed. Then she looked at me seriously. "And what you did back at Lilituana...taking down the Destroyer...that was pretty amazing."

"I just wanted him to understand," I whispered. "Before you guys, I wasn't living." I looked at her. "Have you ever just been, I don't know, doing something, and then it just hits you: this is living."

She nodded, a faint smile on her lips. "I know exactly what you mean."

"Well, I didn't get that until this journey," I said firmly. Then I laughed. "Wow. I've never used the word 'journey' seriously before."

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "I feel like journey is an overused word. People call everything a journey now. But actually going on one...you walk out changed. Your perspectives, your beliefs, your character...all different."

I nodded. Then I snorted with laughter. "See, now I'm trying to imagine myself as a book character. That's so weird."

Sierra laughed. I found myself idly thinking about how her laugh was the most incredible sound in the world.

Then she looked at me seriously. "You know...when I was taking down Damius the first time, he said something strange to me. He said, 'I don't understand. How can you have such strength, such control. You are teenagers. Your emotions are supposed to be uncontrollable.' I didn't think too much of it at the time, but now...I can't get it off my mind."

"That is a little weird, when you put it like that," I mused. "But transforming has always felt like...the OPPOSITE of controlling my emotions. It's always felt like I'm setting them free."

Sierra nodded slowly. "Which is weird why he would say..." Suddenly she sat bolt upright. "Oh my gosh," she gasped. "I just realized something."

"What?" I asked, turning to her urgently.

Just then, I heard the cantering of hoof beats behind us. We turned around to see a unicorn transform into Audrey. "You guys have to see this," she said, trying to catch her breath.

Sierra and I stood up quickly. "See what?" Sierra demanded. Audrey just shook her head. "Just...come on."

Sierra and Audrey changed into unicorn and began running away. I took a breath. Humility and respect. I started running after them as a centaur.

My mind was running rampant with questions. What was going on? Why could Audrey not tell us? She looked more freaked out than I had ever seen her. It worried me.

As we entered the courtyard, I saw Audrey drop the transformation, so Sierra and I followed suit. I saw Isaac running up and waved to him.

"What's this all about?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," I replied grimly.

We met up with a somber-faced Deynan, a teary-eyed Sophie, and a very concerned looking Mr. and Mrs. Simone.

"What's going on?" Sierra asked.

Mrs. Simone gestured wordlessly to a person at her feet. Sierra and I moved through the crowd.

It was a blonde haired girl. She was missing her left leg from below the knee. I flinched and averted my eyes from the bleeding stump.

Sierra gasped. "Lee," she muttered. She knelt down beside the girl.

The girl, Lee, raises her head, trembling. She held out a small note.

Sierra grabbed it. I read over her shoulder.

"Your time is up. The war has begun."