Broken Read online

  Ava and a few other guardians had a long journey ahead of them, so were eager to get a head start. Ava had one last piece of advice for Caitlin. “Always remember that you are in possession of a unique gift—everlasting youth, an elixir humans are constantly in search of. You also possess immense power. You must protect your secret at all costs.” Already deeply stung by the warning of the Wraith, Caitlin would go on to hold these words close to her heart and use them as a guiding principle in her interactions with humans.

  Many of the other sorceresses followed Siobhan until only a handful of remained standing alongside Caitlin.

  Trying to hide her misery, Caitlin looked around at the others hoping for a smile or some small show of solidarity, but now that Siobhan and Ava had left, the remaining guardians revealed their true colours. The twin masks of politeness and sisterhood were cast off. Being a guardian was a demanding job. The slightest chance of discovery and their families on Earth would be at risk. They had truly been happy and proud when Caitlin first emerged from the well, but now their feelings and expectations had undergone a sea of change. They did not trust her anymore.

  “Siobhan is wrong about this one,” said one guardian, rolling her amber eyes in Caitlin’s direction. “She has stayed away from Earth for too long. Her judgment is off. She shouldn’t let this new sorceress become a guardian.”

  A tempest raged inside her. Caitlin wanted to say she had a name they all gave her. She wanted to ask why they had forgotten it so quickly. But she kept her bitter thoughts to herself and stayed silent.

  “What about Ava? She always supports Siobhan, right or wrong,” claimed another. “Siobhan’s right hand. It’s as though the rest of us are useless.” Caitlin realized Ava and Siobhan were facing a backlash for supporting her. She was filled with anguish to see their names being dragged through the mud right alongside her own.

  Then someone addressed Caitlin directly, making her wish they had continued ignoring her. “You are an anomaly, someone who has induced the sentinels of death to break tradition, and we want to have nothing to do with you. Stay away from us, no matter what!”

  The vitriolic looks the guardians threw her way hit Caitlin like ragged spikes tearing through her skin. She felt raw and exposed. Not everyone had misgivings about her. Ava and Siobhan still believe in me, she tried to convince herself.

  But the worst was yet to come. Another opinion expressed without a thought to what it did to her. “I don’t think Siobhan trusts her either. She is only waiting to see what the prophecy is. Until then, she cannot completely abandon this poor dear, can she?” claimed a guardian who had been envious of the attention Siobhan had showered on Caitlin.

  Unfortunately, her bitter words did their work. Caitlin choked back a sob. A seed of doubt was sown in Caitlin’s mind. Was Ava and Siobhan’s support just a façade to hide their true intentions? Caitlin did not know what to believe anymore.

  Resolve flowed through Caitlin. The prophecy of the Wraith would come to pass only if she digressed from her path, but she would stay true to her purpose. She would look at humans as vile and evil creatures and keep them at a distance. Her vulnerability made her cast a cloak of icy indifference, one that no man, no human, could cross. Or so she believed.

  CHAPTER III

  Mother, why did you hide the truth from Siobhan? Was it fear? You chose such a difficult path for yourself. Isolated by your own family, you distanced yourself from the only ones who could have offered you solace and comfort—humans. You were trying to be loyal to your sisters even if they were not loyal to you.

  Talia

  ALONE - CAITLIN

  Every few years, Ava made it a point to call upon Caitlin, no matter where Caitlin was. Siobhan would send her messages of love and support through Ava. Caitlin looked forward to seeing Ava and always received her with great warmth, but each time, an irrational fear haunted her. Would Ava bring up the prophecy? Would Ava try to persuade her to confide in Siobhan?

  The poisonous comments of the guardians had long cast a shadow of doubt in Caitlin’s mind, and even though she treasured Ava’s friendship and Siobhan’s concern, Caitlin still couldn’t bring herself to open up to Ava. Caitlin badly wanted to be able to confide in her friend, but her own fears and doubts froze the words in her throat. Ava went away each time knowing that something lay unsaid between the two of them.

  The truth was, Ava and Siobhan had grown to care for Caitlin, and it was only concern for her welfare that made Ava return again and again. Ava was a true friend and never divulged Caitlin’s secret to Siobhan. Sometimes Caitlin saw the unspoken questions in Ava’s eyes: Why won’t you tell Siobhan the truth? Why are you lying? Tell her what the spirits told you? But Ava never voiced her concerns aloud. Year after year, decade after decade, it became easier for Caitlin to pretend there was no terrible secret gnawing at her heart day after day, sometimes almost paralyzing her with fear. She would never tell another soul what the spirits had warned her away from. She maintained only the barest and most fleeting of contact with humans, and she intended to keep it that way.

  Caitlin stayed away from the gatherings and Siobhan never pulled her up for it. Who could blame Caitlin after what had happened at the first one? She may not recover from another confrontation with the spirits. Besides, Siobhan had never been able to patch things up between Caitlin and the rest of the guardians. Time had not changed them. Their hearts remained as cold as ever towards Caitlin.

  Despite admonishments from Siobhan, the guardians, who were supposed to be the ones closest to Caitlin, treated her as tainted and broken. They saw her as a pariah, a castaway. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t committed any crime. She had been judged and found wanting. It suited them to forget her existence.

  Caitlin’s self-imposed exile from humans further isolated her. It seemed that she could not escape many lifetimes of loneliness. Countless years passed, but thanks to her immortality, Caitlin did not age. She looked the same as she did when she first emerged from the Well of Creation.

  Ava’s past words of warning had chilled Caitlin to the bone. Because of the profound impact they’d had on her, she was determined never to become a tool for any human to exploit. Wherever she went, she focused on two things: ensuring that she blended into the background; and avoiding relationships of any sort.

  As Caitlin learned to live with both the curse and blessings of immortality, she gained enough confidence to start exploring the planet, which held her in its sway from the moment she emerged from the holy water. She would not allow the Wraith or the guardians to take this joy away from her.

  Every sorceress had a gift, and during her travels, Caitlin discovered hers. She had so much love to give and a heart so pure that no creature ever harmed her. Bereft of the company of her sisters and wary of humans, she found solace in the uncomplicated friendships of Earth’s humble creatures. They did not scorn her like the guardians. Nor did they want anything from her like humans would if they knew her powers. They accepted her for who she was. The tiny creepy crawlies in the rain forests did not run from her. The fierce snow leopard prowling the slopes of the snow-covered peaks did not induce her to flee, nor did it seek to attack her. In her presence, even the lizards and snakes hiding in the cracks of rocks emerged. She petted crocodiles from the thickest swamps almost as though they were nothing but gentle Maltese dogs. In the magnificence and beauty of these creatures, Caitlin finally found a semblance of peace.

  Time moved ahead in a relentless march, but to Caitlin, each day began to look the same. Revelation dawned that the more things changed, the more they remained constant. She had nothing to look forward to other than the occasional defiant supernatural she came across and had to deal with. Caitlin felt unfulfilled and yearned for something more. Was she denying the truth that was staring her in the face? Was it time for her Rite of Passage and for her to move on to the next world? Even after all this time, it still felt like her journey was incomplete.

  Until Michael…

  CHAP
TER IV

  Mother, was love worth risking it all for?

  Despite all that happened, I suspect that if I ask you that question today knowing what you do now, you may still answer in the affirmative. My father, Michael, was truly a man worth loving and giving up everything for.

  Talia

  FINDING LOVE - MICHAEL

  Michael loved the crowded town square of Jaesdan in the country of Masun. He was drawn to it because it was crammed with people of varied shapes and sizes from all walks of life. This was where the townsfolk gathered for all major or minor happenings in their lives, from theatrical performances and public speeches to sporting and ceremonial events. It was also where vendors peddled their wares, from jars of honey and spices to clay vases, textiles, and figurines. Cobblers, potters and various artisans jostled with each other, calling out loudly in an effort to stand out. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, Michael felt alive.

  Michael was a merchant who travelled frequently. He always stayed for a while in the places he travelled to. There was nothing calling him back to his home country of Aberevon except a palatial but empty mansion. When in Aberevon, the silence in his opulent house enveloped him and a fog of unhappy childhood memories returned. That was why he always moved, never staying long in one place.

  When Michael was a teenager, both his father and mother passed away within days of each other. Sympathetic visitors bemoaned the matter of his being all alone in the world. He had accepted their condolences graciously, never letting on the truth that he had been alone for a very long time and was hard-pressed to feel any grief for two strangers who had brought him into this world but had never acknowledged him as their own, neither in words nor actions. His parents had merely tolerated him because he existed; yet Michael knew that he was luckier than most children.

  Standing over his parents’ graves, he’d made himself a promise. He would always try to better the lot of the less fortunate children of the world.

  Now it so happened that the market place of Jaesdan was also refuge for all the homeless, abandoned and orphaned children of the city. This was the place they came to spend the few pennies they had, to peddle wares, or sometimes just to beg.

  The sight of their tired, hungry and often desperate faces made Michael’s own dull and lonely childhood seem like a time of rapture indeed. He couldn’t abandon them. They became Michael’s salvation and he theirs.

  Once, on a whim, Michael gathered all the children together. They all sat at a roadside stall spooning steaming hot bowls of frumenty, a thick wheat porridge boiled in a meat broth and seasoned with spices. The children had never eaten this delicacy before. They sat staring at Michael. Seeing him hurriedly digging into his food, Mehdi, the youngest, no longer needed an excuse and followed Michael’s example. Barely had he spooned the first morsel into his mouth when his brother, Beni, followed him.

  Since that day, Michael found himself heading to the market place every day around the same time. Some days it would be dried fruit and nuts and vegetable tagines. Other days it was a rice pudding. The children were an odd medley of varied ages, but at the mere sight of Michael, each and every face would light up.

  The single hour soon began to stretch into a couple more, and Michael soon found himself engrossed in telling the children stories and teaching them the alphabet. His continued presence brought some stability to their lives. He also salvaged a little bit of their childhoods. They were a rough lot who had toughened up much earlier than they should have had to, but they opened their hearts to Michael. He knew this the moment they started calling him ‘Baba’, meaning father in the local dialect.

  So what if he didn’t have a family of his own. For now, Jaesdan was home and this city had had gifted him a beautiful family.

  One early morning as Michael stepped out, the streets were unusually empty and quiet. It was so early that the first light of the sun had yet to break through the cloud. Michael loved the beauty of the dawn and decided to head out for a walk to be the first one in the market to see the stalls being laid out.

  Absorbed in his own thoughts, Michael did not notice the subtle change in the aura around him. He came to an abrupt halt when he realized that someone was obstructing his way. The tall, well-built man blocking his path was less man and more some kind of creature. Time seemed to slow down and Michael noticed every little detail of the nightmarish stranger.

  Dark, waist length dreadlocks covered the man-creature’s head. Thick side-burns dominated his cruel face. His mouth outlined by sharp, slightly curved teeth, was caked with spots of red, which Michael belatedly realized in horror was blood. Low-pitched, dangerous sounding growls emerged from it. The creature was bare from the waist upwards, but its disproportionately large and muscular torso was covered with long hair peppered with black and grey strands and matted with a mix of blood and mud. Its shoulders were hunched forward as if it was in extreme pain. Its long arms, also covered with hair, ended with sharp claws. The worst thing was that the creature’s confused and unnaturally bloodshot eyes were trained on him—on Michael.

  “Do you need help?” Michael croaked. Fear had almost stolen his voice. Even as he asked the question, he realized how absurd it was. The creature was not in need of any help; Michael was. The hour was still young and there was no one around. He was now in a lot of trouble. Furthermore, he was in an unfamiliar neighbourhood, so even if anyone saw him, it was likely they would run for cover rather than foolishly try to come to his aid.

  The creature obviously ignored his question. Michael was not even sure if it understood him. Instead, he took a couple of steps in Michael’s direction. Michael knew he should do something—probably run or call out for help—but he instinctively sensed that the creature would be upon him before he would be able to do either.

  Suddenly Michael was not alone any longer. A beautiful stranger stood between him and the creature. Caitlin stared eye to eye at the creature. As both man and creature, watched, Caitlin raised one hand and gently lowered the hood she wore over her head. Michael started in awe at the forest of blue that flowed right in front of his eyes. He had never seen hair of this rich hue before. It felt as though the sky was melting and flowing down in rivulets.

  Michael was overawed, but seeing the blue haired lady had an even stranger effect on the creature. It lost most of its bluster. The bloodlust seemed to fade from its maniacal eyes. Michael avoided eye contact but was still determined to stand his ground.

  Stubborn werexol, Caitlin murmured to herself. She had watched the werexol heading towards the human with dismay. Werexols were half man and half wolf. Shy and aggressive, these shape-shifting wolves were said to be descendants of a cursed king. This particular rabid creature must have got through a hole in the Veil, an invisible barrier that separated Earth from Htrae. The Heichi had fashioned the Veil as a shield between Earth and Htrae. The Veil was invincible only as long as good triumphed over evil on Earth. Bursts of hate, war, slavery, and other crimes against humanity caused sporadic gateways and passages to materialize in the shield, with supernaturals often making their way through. Caitlin had dealt with a few creatures in the past. She would deal with the werexol too.

  Her concern lay in a different direction. She knew discretion was not possible at this stage. Her bachelor in a bind would learn her true identity and his memory would have to be wiped. Something urgent, curious and unfamiliar tugged at her heart at the mere thought that this handsome stranger wouldn’t remember her anymore. What is the matter with you? she chided herself. That is the way it is meant to be. Don’t you supposedly hate humans anyway? He was a stranger, but for some reason, she already knew more about him than she should. His eyes were bright with anxiety but she somehow knew that usually they shone with love and hope. The corners of his mouth were turned down with concern and displeasure at this moment, but they were typically set in a lop-sided grin. His head, which he ducked in apprehension, was frequently thrown back in a deep-throated laugh.

  “What are you do
ing?” Michael exclaimed, aghast at seeing her standing in front of him. His protective instincts kicked in and he snapped out of his dreamlike state. “He will hurt you,” he shouted as he tried hard to pull Caitlin behind him. He didn’t want her to die. His own death was acceptable to him, but not hers, not this beautiful stranger. As delicate as she looked, she hadn’t budged an inch despite all his efforts to push her behind him. Instead, she gently removed his frantic hands from her arm and, turning her head towards him, smiled calmly. It was incandescent, imploring and mysterious all at once.

  “Hello,” she said. “I’m Caitlin, and I need your trust for just a little while.”

  His manners kicked in and he quickly muttered, “I am Michael.” It seemed wrong to add, I very badly don’t want you to die. The control and calmness in her voice disarmed him.

  As if reading his mind, she smiled again and said, “I won’t let anything happen to either of us. I’ve just found you. I’m not about to lose you. This man is a werexol—not that you know what it means. I’m going to send him home, but for that, I need you to step back.”

  Ignoring Michael’s confused expression, Caitlin turned her blue-eyed hypnotic gaze on the werexol. He seemed to resist her initially but gradually started to fall back. As soon as he bowed his head as though in submission, she raised her right hand towards him, her palm spread, whispering soft words in a strange language. The air around the werexol began whooshing and spiralling faster and faster until Michael could see the man-creature no more.

  Michael began to feel slightly light-headed, so he closed his eyes to regain his balance. When he opened them again, the street was empty. The creature was gone, but so was the lady with hair like the sky. “Caitlin!” Michael screamed in panic. He dashed into the nearby alley to search for her, calling her name. Had the werexol snatched her and run away while his eyes were closed? She seemed more powerful than the creature; if so, where was she now? “Where are you? Please don’t be gone. Don’t leave,” he shouted, his eyes darting around, but she was nowhere to be seen.