During the following weeks, the night trainings went on, despite the lowering of temperature, so that Nerissa and Cassidy could take more confidence with their new powers; and in the meantime, Edward had started a closer relationship with the youngest of the guardians.
There were only two weeks to Christmas, and all the shopkeepers in Heatherfield had already started to get busy with the preparations. On the streets, you could smell the warm scent of sweets, continuously baked by confectioners and bakers, while in the gardens of the houses there were already perfectly decorated Christmas trees.
Kadma and Halinor were strolling along one of the main courses, looking at the windows to look for possible gifts to their friends and relatives, and meanwhile they were having a natter, commenting on the attitudes of their snotty schoolmate Jennifer Ashton, discussing their winter holidays and ideas for a new year's Eve party, and not wasting any nice comment for the emerging pair.
"Have you heard anything from Conner again?" Kadma asked, mentioning a smile.
Halinor snorted. "Well, I see him from time to time at school, he greets me, seems to speak with me, but I have no intention to give him any excuse to keep on flirting. And, between you and me, I don't think he liked the story of Edward.. ".
"Oh, Edward," Kadma commented. "But on the other hand, I believe that in our school people are just not suspecting anything between him and the cub ".
"What do you mean?" Halinor rose her eyebrows.
"Well, I see that you are one of those" Kadma said smiling. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed anything. As long as I'm not sure that she has understood. But we don't exist anymore for him. I mean ... we have met for a coffee, lunch, but nothing else ... but there is someone else who lives much more this new situation ".
At that time a guy came up to them, in a shy way. "Hello girls".
"Hi Steve!" Kadma replied with a big smile. Steve was a tall guy, with auburn hair, a little beard. He was attending the last school-year at Sheffield, and was known to everyone that he wanted to study economics at university. He was a very shy guy, certainly not one of those who were leaders in the group, but probably because of his nature, he had many friends, despite him studying a lot during the day. Had not in fact true friends in common with girls, but he knew them well enough. Since the previous year, Steve was offered as coordinator of the Sheffield band, he organised shows and rehearsals with the rest of the group, mostly; he played sax with other brass instruments, and the typical arrangement of the orchestra during rehearsals and concerts, the group of woodwind instruments was right in front of him. It was thus he had met Nerissa Evans, who at every concert played her flute in front of his eyes. He used to play as if he wasn't thinking, keeping his eyes fixed on her, as her fingers slipped with sweetness and automatism on her instrument. He had never spoken to her seriously, that is he had never done any talk, that is his conversations began with a "Hi" and ended up with an "I'm fine, thanks." If someone had asked why he liked Nerissa, maybe he would not have been able to respond. He did not know merely anything about her. Just a few things, insignificant, how old are you, your class; all things he could read from the registry, quietly. He knew who she used to go out with, but because whenever the classes finished, he looked for her with his gaze, and often saw her laying in the garden with her friends.
He did not know merely anything about her. But he knew she played the flute. And that was enough for him. He didnt know, but when he saw her playing, it was as if he knew everything. It was as if she was in the public eyes, it was as if it were music to adapt itself to her very essence; she closed her eyes and let it go, let her fingers run without ever stumbling, stroking, his tapering fingers as on velvety skin, like on man's shoulders, and the breath was light and deep, all-in-one with the air and the music that she interwoved. He knew everything, and he knew nothing.
Steve came up to the girls, with a slight smile, and eyes that betrayed the disconsolation. He already got to talk to them, Cassidy and Yan Lin, and their neutrality assured him. But he had already seen the girl blush and be bewitched seeing another one in the school, a boy he had never seen before, one that Steve had believed having more chance to seduce her. For beauty, at least. He didn't think himself was bad, and in the past some relationships with other girls had confirmed the fact; but the new one was different. But despite the chances were few, he would have wished, at least, to talk to her and declare his feelings.
"Hi," he repeated. "Did you see Nerissa, by any chance?Yesterday I didn't see her at school ... ".
Kadma smiled, maybe a little for compassion, seeing the blushing of the boy, whom he had not even noticed. "Strange, she always comes to school, she was there also yesterday. She's probably at home, we didnt hear from her ".
Steve nodded weakly, smiling. "Okay, never mind ... fine ...See ya! "and walked off, waving his hand.
Kadma replied, raising her hand. "Sure, Steve. See ya! ".
When the boy had disappeared around the corner, Kadma chuckled, a hand in front of her mouth.
Halinor turned to her, raising her eyebrows. "Why are you laughing?" she asked.
Kadma responded to the look, and rolled her eyes. "Halinor, for heaven's sake, but how do you not understand!".
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Yan Lin had just finished helping her parents to decorate the Silver Dragon for Christmas. It was wonderful now, she was satisfied with her work, as, indeed, her father was. She went into the kitchen, where she found her grandmother Mya preparing some tea in a big kettle. She took two red cups from the cupboard, laid two napkins, sugar, lemon, freshly baked cookies on the table and lit two sticks of incense and vanilla. She sat at the table while her grandmother poured the contents of the kettle first in a filter that would set out the tea leaves, then into the cup.
"Thanks, grandma" Yan Lin said.
Grandma answered with a smile. She sat in front of her niece, at the other side of the table. They sipped the tea, two or three sips, then Yan Lin took a hot cookie and tasted it.
Grandma made quick moves, indicating firstly the cookie, and her cheek after. Yan Lin observed her, smiled and replied. Grandma smiled, satisfied.
The elderly woman began so frantically to indicate her niece and then the kitchen table, taking her hands to the face before and crossing them next.
"No, not today, they're definitely all busy with their work, and, to tell the truth, I have not even invited them. But they're fine, I'm sure of this "Yan Lin responded by gesticulating.
Grandma understood. Then looked at her niece, and gesticulated again, and after a short break, adjusted some movements.
"Apparently nothing" Yan Lin responded the same way "After what happened to Kandrakar we are training our powers for also having Nerissa and Cass taking confidence with their new ones. We've not gone to Aquardas yet, we dont want to be caught unprepared. From what the Oracle told, Karesh is very powerful. And shrewd ".
Grandma looked serious, and continued to speak with her own way.
Yan Lin frowned. "What do you mean?".
Mya responded.
"No, this is not possible. If so, if they would have moved before us, they'd have already attacked. But nothing happened. If we were an obstacle for them, and if they wish to destroy us, they would have done this long time ago ".
Mya gazed upon her, making simple and concise gestures.
"Yes, I said that Karesh is a cunning and formidable opponent, but you think there's already some clear danger around us?".
Mya looked, but did nothing.
Yan Lin sighed, took her hot cup in her hands, and didn't say anything, thinking. "I don't know. I don't think so ".
Mya tapped twice the fist in the palm of the other hand.
"Are you perhaps saying that's all?It seems to me a dismissive answer ... ".
Mya stood up and disappeared into the living room.
Yan Lin was sitting at the table, thinking. Maybe Mya was right. Maybe she should have tried to see things more objectively. She took the pendant of her necklace in her hands. Engraved into the wood, there was an eagle. Her friends had similar pendants too; after discovering the nature of their powers and their own essence, she had gone to a shop near Heatherfield, whose owners were Indians. Each pendant was a different animal. Often, Yan Lin asked her grandmother why those animals, why each guardian could turn right into those ones and not different. But Mya had initially responded something that seemed very dismissive to the young woman, then, the second time, she had no longer responded. She didn't know if it was oriental wisdom or something else; but she would have looked in every place every answer to her reasons why.
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Edward opened the door of the small shop, making the bell at the top of the door ringing. It was a toy store, and from the back door came a lady, about fifty years old, who walked hurriedly to the counter.
"Hi" she greeted, "what do you need, dear?".
Edward smiled, slightly embarrassed by the attention of the woman and the type of request to make.
"I was looking for ... a puppet..." he said.
"And what kind of puppet?A doll, a stuffed animal..?".
"A stuffed animal" he said quickly, sure.
The woman took some of them and laid them down on the counter. "You can take a look, choose what you want," she told him softly.
Edward kept the smile on his face, as he took a bunch of puppets in his hands.
"For your girlfriend?" she asked curiously.
Edward looked at her, not knowing what to answer. Then lowered his head. "No ... it's for my nephew. I don't have a girlfriend ".
The lady smiled, then took the wrapping paper. "No need to despair. A handsome young man like you!You will find thousands! ".
Edward smiled, while holding in his hands a kitten and a stuffed wolf.
"I take them both, if possible," he said at the end, and gave them to the lady.
"But of course dear. Now I put them in a nice package! ".
