Without Us

I stuffed a whole samosa into my mouth, pulling back my hair into a bun while munching on the delicious pastry, the kitchen lights bouncing off the walls giving the room a white glow.

"Mavis are you kidding me?!" Mason yelled at me causing me to flinch, immediately noticing my reaction, he looked down. "I'm sorry." He clenched his fists. "Mavis you can't do this."

I tied the laces on my black boots as I took another samosa. "And why is that?" I spoke through a full mouth.

"Firstly you said it yourself that you're not ready! Why would you put yourself in such danger when you know you don't stand a chance?"

I looked up at him. "Mason do not for one second think that I have forgiven you, because I haven't."

"Please Mavis." He rushed, blocking my path to the fridge.

"Move."

He kneeled in front of me. "What are you-"

"Mavis you're my sister. The only one I've got, please don't leave. I'm sorry. I swear I will never ever act that way again. Please."

I looked him over. "This is too cringe." I scrunched my nose. "Get up, jerk." He bounced to his feet, hugging me tightly. "Okay, okay!" He let go and I made my way to the fridge, grabbing the Nutella jar, I turned around to find Mason staring at me. "What?"

"Why're you eating so much?" He pointed at the bread and nutella sandwich I had in my food stained hands.

"Who knows when next I'll be able to have anything like this?" I stepped closer to him, whispering. "Who knows what kind of food they eat over there?"

Mason sighed. "You're still going?"

"And what made you believe I changed my mind?" I raised an eyebrow at him, while pouring out some milk into my second cup of tea in a day.

"Mavis you said you weren't ready."

"And I never will be as long as I stay here." I took a long sip of my tea. "It wasn't my first choice brother, but I figured bad things would just keep happening until I made the decision. There wasn't any other choice for me honestly."

He sat on a bar stool, looking defeated. "And what am I supposed to do when you're gone?"

I dropped the tea on the counter, turning to him. "Whatever you desire, brother. Spend time with dad before he leaves again, take up that cooking career, confess your feelings to Tatiana-"

"Hey!" He cut me off, hitting a palm on the table playfully, the other pointing a warning finger at me. "Don't you dare."

I laughed hysterically, holding on to my stomach. "What's the matter lover boy?" I laughed even more.

He narrowed his eyes before giving me a face splitting grin. "Mavis-"

"Well, well." Wisterio walked into the kitchen, hands in his pockets, his red boots making thudding sounds as he walked around the room to Mason. He sniffed the air around my brother, taking a strand of his hair, twirling it with a smirk on his defined features. "What do we have here? Human?"

Mason took many steps away. "What the hell, man?"

Wisterio followed my brother, his free hand tracing a line on the center table as he stalked him. "I've never been too keen with smell." He said while tapping a finger on his pointy nose. "But I'm sure the elf can sniff out your dirty little secrets." He puts both hand on the table, making a crawling motion toward Mason.

"Thora is an elf?" I asked.

Wisterio looked at me for the first time since he entered the room. "Half elf. Half air elementalist. A bibreed, quite rare I must say." He leaned down, placing his elbows on the table. "You know they're known to be stronger than us monobreeds. So…" He moved further down the table, getting closer to me across it. "What makes you the Nawi? I mean yeah, Elaran big deal." He rolled his eyes. "But aren't you really just like the rest of the monobreeds still?" He stood up straight suddenly, another smirk painting itself on his unusual face. "Or are you?" He tapped his finger on his nose once more. "Secrets, secrets. What are you hiding, dear Nawi?"

"Uhhhh…." I looked at him, wondering what on earth….Naltaniera his story could be.

"MISS TAYLOR!" My ears twitched at the sound of my best friend's voice. Oh no. "Where is she!?" He popped his head into the kitchen and I jumped, cowering away from him. "Don't you dare run away, Taylor." He took long strides toward me. "You where honestly going to leave earth without us?!"

Angelo appeared, leaning against the door frame, a tired look in his soft eyes.

"Tell her how angry we are, Angelo!" Donny looked back at his brother.

"Very angry Mis." He ran a veiny hand through his dark hair. "Very hurt."

My heart throbbed.

"Thank you brother." Donny turned to me. "Really, Taylor? Really?"

"I'm sorry-" suddenly it hit me. "Wait how did you know?"

"Of course that's what you're worried about. But if you must know, we where told by our parents. No further questions until you answer ours."

"I'm sorry Donny, I didn't want you and Angelo in danger."

"But you're okay with putting yourself in it?!"

I nodded slowly.

"Well isn't this interesting?" Everyone looked to Wisterio. "Very interesting." He stalked toward an apprehensive Donny, sniffing the air around him as well. "Ahhh more human than the other one I see." He glanced at Angelo at the entrance of the room, putting a hand over my shoulders, making me stiffen.

Angelo frowned, walking toward us. "Who's this, Mis?"

Wisterio slackened his tall figure, looking down at me. "I must say, you go by quite a number of names, dear Nawi."

"This is Wisterio." I gently but stiffly remove his arm from my shoulder. "He's from Naltaniera."

Wisterio looked Angelo over, stalking toward him. "And what do we have here?" He took Angelo's shoulder length hair, twirling it between his fingers before sniffing again, giving him a grin. "Hmmm definitely much much more secrets here. You definitely need to be assessed by the bibreed."

Angelo pushed Wisterio. "Don't touch me, creep."

"Oohhh feisty." Wisterio rubbed his hands together, his eyes glinting a bright red. "I love feisty."

"RIO!" Wisteria entered the kitchen, taking in her brothers' stance and glowing eyes. "I leave you for ten minutes and you go feral?!" Her small frame made its way to Wisterio, grabbing him by the arm. "I'm so sorry for my brothers' behavior once again, Nawi." She gave me a quick bow, turning to the rest. "Aidos humans of earth, I am Wisteria." She drew the circle along her chest once again, greeting each of my bewildered friends, but doesn't leave her hand open for them. Huh?

"I'll be taking my brother now." She turned to me. "Nawi, Princess Thora said to tell you that we're ready to leave." She took one more bow before leaving the room, her grinning brother in tow.

We all stared at each other with raw unbridled confusion.

~~~

"May the protectors be with you, my child." My mother gave me a kiss on my forehead, taking my face into her hands. "I promise I'll join you there in time."

My dad came up behind her. "You are much stronger than you know, my spell. Do not think you're anything less, ever. Remember we will always find a way to watch over you." He took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

I walked up to my brother and friends who spoke in hushed tones. I gave each of them long hugs, tears welling up in my eyes.

"I'm going to miss you guys. Stay safe alright." They nodded and I eyed them suspiciously while walking toward the Naltanierans who waited patiently for me.

"You ready Nawi?" Thora looked at me, her steel-colored eyes glowing brilliantly.

"Yes." I shuddered.

"Alright. Hold on now." Stretched her hands wide open, and air swirled around us, slowly but surely covering us.

I stumbled, feeling us move incredibly fast in directions I couldn't understand, momentarily looking down, I gasped seeing buildings, people and cars in a blur thousands of feet beneath my feet, the swirling air moving to cover the evidence of us traveling in mid air. I looked up quickly, eyes wide from the shock of what I just saw.

Minutes later, we slowed to a stop, my feet feeling the solid ground and the thick blinding wind dissipating, my eyes adjusted to the rather dark surroundings.

We stood in an open space, like a dessert, a blurry wall reaching up to the skies and as far as the eyes could see on either of its sides.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"The veil." Thora reached for the wall but stopped abruptly, turning around swiftly.

I followed her gaze. "What the hell?!"