Heartless

❆ Eighteen ❆

Eighteen

Hands clawed at me with an urgency that made me scream. Arms trapped me in a tight hold and crushed the breath from my lungs. Fingers plunged and ripped at my hair.

    "Happy birthday!"

    I stilled. Felt my heart stop beating. I turned toward the figures and searched their familiar faces. I nearly screamed again. "Hendric!" I threw myself at him. He rocked back on his heels and staggered back several feet. I nearly knocked him flat on his back but I didn't care; he was alive and well and not dying. "Oh, thank God."

    His arms tightened around me. "Actually, thank Lumea," he said with a laugh. The sound of his voice made my chest shake. "She's been quite the healer."

    "Much better than you, at least," said another, smaller voice. I followed it the tiny arms still clinging onto my waist.

    "Kenji!" I curled an arm around him and pulled him between Hendric and me. "I've missed you guys so much." Tears rolled down my red cheeks, still numb from the icy cold. I looked at both of them, my head spinning from the confusion. "But the letter..."

    Hendric's chocolate eyes glinted with laughter. His smile widened. "Did you really think I would die before your big birthday?"

    Kenji giggled, pressing his cheek to my stomach. He even seemed taller. "We missed you, Ada."

    My heart fluttered. How I'd missed hearing them say my name. It felt like centuries had passed. Hendric's face had filled in, his cheeks no longer hollowed out like a wraith's; Kenji's curly brown hair fell way past his ears and down his neck. I turned the locks over in my fingers. "I missed you, Kenji." I pecked the top of his head and fought back the tears as I pressed my face back into Hendric's chest. "I was so scared that you were already gone. I thought you were..." I couldn't bring myself to say the word.

    Hendric chuckled. "I'm fine."

    I nodded into his neck. "Good— because I am going to kill you." I gave his shoulder a hard punch. His wince was exaggerated but it made me smile. "You almost gave me a heart attack. What were you thinking sending me a letter saying you were going to die?"

    "It was the only way he would let you come."

    Kenji agreed. "It was Lumea's idea; she helped us plan an entire day for you."

    I opened my mouth to retort but froze at the sensation of another hand slipping around mine, too soft and small to be either of my brother's. I glanced down to follow it, meeting two pale blue eyes and a wide, toothy grin.

    "Hi," said the strange little boy. He looked no older than eight years old, much smaller than Kenji yet somehow oddly familiar.

    His hand remained inside mine. "H-hello. What's your name?"

    "Kip. Are you Kenji's big sister?" I gave a slow nod. Suddenly he flung his arms around me, bouncing on his toes and squeezing me tight enough for it to be painful. Surprisingly, all I wanted to do was hug him back. The pale eyes turned up to smile at me. "You're really pretty."

    I chuckled. "Uh, t-thank you. You are very—"

    "What is going on here?" a dark voice snarled.

     The four of us untangled ourselves and faced the dark voice. Hendric carefully pushed the rest of us behind him, but Kip ran out before he could stop him. "Beast!" His little feet rapidly crossed the floor. He threw himself into Beast's arms and squealed as he was swept up. "You're here! I missed you!"