Reality | Book Four

Chapter VIII

"Focus Cassie," Rowl barks from behind me as my arrow completely misses the bullseye we set up. I growl in anger as it shoots right past the red circles and toss the bow down.

"Why am I learning archery? It's not like I'm Robin Hood!"

"Because it's an easy form of weaponry. You will be going against things that were born in the Renaissance and they know these weapons," Rowl points to the swords laid out on the ground and some stick thing. Where he got all these weapons I don't know but I don't dare question it.

"But why do I? Wouldn't it make sense to give me a gun, something they don't understand correctly?" I shrug. Rowl stares at me for a moment before licking his lips.

"Unless you know how to work a gun, no. I have no idea how those things work. Now come fight me," he motions me toward himself. I groan before walking to him. The ground in front of him is empty of any grass since we sort of adopted the place by the woods to practice fighting. I wince slightly as I rotate my shoulder and it pulls under my skin.

"Do we have to? I'd rather go inside and talk to Mary."

"Mary is at school. She's a freshman and will soon be done with school for the summer this week."

Oh, coincidental. I'm suddenly reminded of my graduation and am instantly saddened by it. What will Ruby think as she wears her robe without me? We planned to scream and hug each other as we finally threw our hats in the air laughing. How I miss Ruby.

"Well...can we take a break."

"As long as you focus on teleporting," Rowl retorts. My eyebrows draw together. "I know you can do it because angels can do it. How though...I don't know. All I know how to do is fly."

"Fly?" My eyebrows raise. I remember once seeing wings on demons all around, only now I see nothing.

"Yes. When we are in our true demon form in hell, we can have wings. Of course, we can have wings up here but it hurts because your atmosphere slowly kills us."

"I've seen demons with wings before. Way before I knew anything like you existed."

"Truth," Rowl points at me. "They sometimes come up here to follow people they believe will join them in Hell soon. I see they were very wrong," Rowl scans me over. I flush slightly and turn away.

"If I focus on teleporting, can I maybe like...go inside and just relax."

"You can," Rowl nods. A week has passed since I got here. We've been practicing my moves a lot and it gets tiring. Rowl doesn't hit me like Azex but he constantly works me out. When I get in a defensive stance, he will come over and move me like I'm a stick figure and correct it perfectly. In that week, I've wanted nothing more than to relax like a normal teenager. Worrying about demons and angels can really make someone tired.

It's only been a day since I felt him though. It seems weird, but for some reason, I could have sworn I sensed Theo by the woods. I was walking along trying to speak to my demon and angel--trying to understand them--when I heard a crash in the woods and the sound of twigs breaking. I instantly was curious and walked closer and that's when I got a whiff of icy mud and the surges of power. I knew Theo was there, but if he was a figment of my imagination I don't know. I find myself hoping it was because that would complicate things to an extreme. Wouldn't it be funny if he came to get me from the safest place on Earth for me right now?

"Great!" I grin, now powered by excitement to go and relax. "So how do I do this?" I look at him. Rowl shrugs.

"I'm a demon, not an angel. Maybe try looking at a place ad picturing yourself being there," he shrugs. I nod and look to the place where Clash, a horse I've grown to like sits by the fence. I suck in a deep breath before closing my eyes and imagining Clash. I think of his muscled legs and long mane, his big...deep brown eyes. I picture his black hair and his perfect smile--damn it.