David put his head on the steering wheel. I could swear I heard him growl, but it must’ve been my imagination.
“Hey,” I reached over and touched his shoulder. “Calm down. It can’t be that bad.”
“Isis… I…”
“Yes?”
He shook his head.
“What do you mean by ‘being placed under surveillance’?” I asked.
“That my family is having trust issues.” He looked at the house for a moment, and then turned to me. “My twin brothers will be joining us for tea, it seems. We’d better not keep them waiting.”
David held the doorknob for a few seconds, but didn’t turn it. He glanced back at me before he opened the front door. “After you.”
He led me to the backyard where Nyx and her other two sons were sitting under a white pavilion surrounded by palm trees and vivid green plants. A peacock displayed its elegant feathers by a fountain.
Nyx met us half way across the yard and kissed my cheeks. The brothers rose and waited for us to join them⎯one blond, one brunette.
“Welcome, Isis.” The brunette stepped forward and shook my hand. “My name is Eryx. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I said.
The blond brother took a few steps around me, inspecting me from head to toe; I felt like a strange creature as he scrutinized me.
“So this is she, the young enchantress?”
“Galen!” Nyx frowned. “You will mind the golden rule.” But Galen didn’t seem to hear her.
“Mhh hmm. You were right, Mother; she does wear the skin of a goddess.” He took my hand and touched his lips to my knuckles. “A pleasure.”
David glared at Galen with a tight jaw. “I see you still haven’t learned how to keep your mouth from making an ass out of you, brother.”
“Ah, little brother!” Galen put an arm around David. “And how are you doing these days?”
David pushed away his brother’s arm.
“Let’s take our tea in the dining room, shall we?” Nyx said. “I’ve prepared some tea biscuits and pastries. I hope you’ll enjoy them, Isis.”
We started walking to the house. It was a short distance across the back lawn. As we walked, I snuck a few glances at the twins. They both had green eyes and looked like adolescent gladiators with their huge biceps, wide neck, narrow waist, and broad shoulders; but other than that, they looked nothing alike.
“I did some research on your house,” I said to Nyx, hoping to break the tension. “I found out it was built in 1937 by some early settlers.”
“Yes it was. Did you learn anything else?”
“There wasn’t much information on it. The house and preserve sit on eighty-two acres of land,” I said. “There’s an abundance of birds and butterflies on the preserve that only…” I trailed off as we entered the dining room. Immense trays of pastries, cookies, and tea sandwiches had been laid out on the table. It was way too much food for five people.
“Well, that also sums the extent of my knowledge on the property,” Nyx said. “The mystery of its history only adds to the fascination.”
“Are you expecting more company?”
“No. It’ll just be us today.” She poured tea into a cup and handed it to me.
Galen took the seat in front of David and me and stared at us with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Tell us about this school we’ll be attending, Dahveed.” Galen’s perfect teeth were slightly visible as he spoke.
“Oh no. You’re not enrolling in school, and please don’t call me Dahveed,” David muttered.
“Well, I’m sorry to rain on your parade… or rather, charade, but we are enrolling, and Dahveed is your given name. Grin and bear it, little brother.”
“You have no right to interfere in my—”
“That is quite enough from the both of you,” Nyx snapped. “Out of respect for our guest, hold your tongues, or I shall hold them for you.”
David and Galen glared at each other. David didn’t touch his food. Nyx looked worried, and I felt more out of place than a clown at a funeral.
Eryx smiled at me, attempting to ease my discomfort.
“Pay them no attention, Isis. You’ll get used to it sooner or later,” Eryx said. “The food is decadent, Mother. You amaze me with your culinary skills every time.”
Galen was still staring. He was starting to get on my nerves. What was his problem? No wonder David had gotten so upset in the car. I could imagine how Galen must make David’s life miserable. With a brother like that, who the heck needed enemies?
As I sipped on my tea, I noticed how fast the twins’ plates emptied. They piled their plates twice more in the time I took to eat three canapés. Then they dug into the pastries. Their indulgence didn’t end there. They wolfed down at least two dozen cookies each.
David handed me a tiny slice of bread with some cheese and pink stuff on it. “Try this.”
“It’s good,” I said. “What is it?”
“Pâté and aged gouda cheese. Would you like some more?”
“No, thank you. I’m full.” It surprised me that goose liver didn’t taste terrible.
“My mother made everything you see here.” Eryx said.
“She’s a master chef,” David added.
“Everything was delicious, Mrs. Chios. Thank you so much for inviting me,” I told her.
“Please call me Nyx, dear.”
“Nyx.”
***
Nyx, David, and I admired the antique furniture in the study while Galen and Eryx spoke by the fireplace. Galen’s brow was creased, as if in thought, nodding every now and then as he listened to Eryx.
“Isis,” Eryx said. “Would you say Galen and I would pass as eighteen year-olds?”
I paused to consider before I answered. “I suppose you would. How old are you two?”
“Much older than David,” Galen answered.
“And that would make you…?”
“In human years, about nineteen.”
“That’s not true,” David began. “They’re closer to twenty and too old for high school. Tell them mother.”
“David, please,” Nyx said. “Can we learn to live in peace? It would mean so much to your father and me.”
“As long as Gemini keep clear of my business, we will,” David said, making it sound like a warning to his brothers.
I knew Gemini meant “twins” because we had studied mythology in school. My zodiac sign was Gemini, too. I assumed David must have been addressing the both of them.
The twins exchanged glances, but said nothing.
“You’re making them babysit me, aren’t you?” David said to his mother.
“Stop being so paranoid,” Nyx told him. “And for goodness sake, stop jumping to conclusions. They won’t involve themselves in your… dealings. I only hope that you have the sense to keep out of trouble.”
“Of course. I just hope they can,” David said, pointing his chin at the twins.
“You leave me out of this,” Galen said. “I intend on getting myself into all the trouble in the world. And that’s a promise.”
“Ugh,” Nyx rolled her eyes. “I think I need a sedative.”
After that, Galen and David settled down. They joked and acted like normal siblings. Galen seemed excited about attending high school. He said it had been far too long since they were able to enter “the social pattern of adolescence”.
“Our high school campus is probably tiny compared to your school in Greece,” I said.
Galen laughed. “We haven’t attended school since the early 1800’s.”
“But what about your transcripts? You need them to enroll in school.”
“Ah, that…” Galen said. “Isis, everyone has a price. All our documentation is in rightful order.”
“What made you think they came from Greece?” David asked.
“You told my mom you had just moved here from Greece. I assumed that meant all of you.”
“We do travel to Greece often, and we own a house there, but that’s not our permanent residence. Our home is in Caelum.”
“Where’s Caelum?”
“Caelum is the realm of eternal life—land of the gods—otherwise known as the heavens by your kind. Even if we decide to live anywhere else, we’re obligated to return for gatherings of the Plenum or other affairs.”
“The Plenum?”
“The Plenum is the legislative group made up of the Council and other deities who serve as the audience and petition on behalf of the people.”
“So it’s a democracy?”
“Yes, much like a democracy.” Nyx ran her hand down my ponytail. “You’re very bright, young lady.”
***
It was a quarter past six when David and I arrived at my house. The porch light was already on. I knew my mom would be preparing dinner. I wasn’t hungry since I’d just eaten; I hoped she didn’t mind me skipping a meal.
“I had a good time,” I said, observing David’s thick black eyelashes. They made the indigo blue color of his iris more prominent.
“Even with the drama with my family, you still enjoyed yourself?”
“It was… interesting, I guess, but nice,” I nodded. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.” He turned off the car.
“Well, I was wondering, you know how you and your mother have these… these… abilities?”
“Right?”
“Are your brothers also gifted?”
“I was wondering when you were going to ask me about them. Where to begin? My brothers are unique. They co-exist, and when I say ‘co-exist’, I mean one can’t live without the other—literally. They’re inseparable. They’re the best of friends. Sometimes, I envy their closeness.
“They were great warriors at one time. Even in their early teen years, they showed prowess and valiancy in battle. They were born with the gifts of healing and inherited a fair amount of my mother’s empathy.”
“Were you a warrior too?” I could imagine him on a horse, but not with a weapon.
“Yes, I was. But those times are gone and, thankfully, I don’t have to anymore.”
“You killed people?”
“That’s what war is about, isn’t it? I’m not proud of it. The uprisings were inevitable and so was my summoning to defend our creed. War is never easy, but I had to stand alongside my brothers—the deity warriors. Those were very trying times.”
“I see,” I said, trying to sound calm. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard him admit. I just couldn’t imagine him killing anyone—well, not anymore. He might have been a three-thousand-year-old deity, but he was still just a boy.
“What about your dad? You don’t mention him much.”
“My father is a well-respected individual both here and Caelum. He’s accredited with being the first engineer. Invention and technology are his magnum opus. He’s the one responsible for gifting the caveman with the first wheel, if you can believe that.”
“How old does that make your dad?”
“Ancient. We’ve lost count. He’s as old as time itself, but not as old as Deus.”
“That old?” I asked, and David nodded.
“My father is also an entrepreneur, a warrior, and a politician. He’s of the first generation of deities—the Primitus—to be entrusted with the protection of humans.” David gazed out the passenger’s side window, viewing the front door of my house.
“Why isn’t he here with you and the rest of your family?”
“Because he has to keep the universe in order, and he prefers our residence in Caelum. As of a few years ago, we hardly see him anymore.”
“I bet you miss him.” I looked down at my lap and straightened my dress skirt. “I miss my dad every single day.” I cleared the lump in my throat and changed the subject before I became Debbie Downer. “You know I’ve kept my end of the bargain, and I haven’t returned to Somnium, right?”
“Right.”
“That means you’ll be leaving as soon as you figure me out.”
“Is that a question, or is it what you’d like me to do?”
“Neither. I’m trying to understand why you’d buy a house if you don’t plan on staying. I mean, it’s kind of a long-term commitment. Is there some other reason you’re here?”
“There is one other reason,” he said. “The reason for the bickering between my mother and brothers and me.”
“And that reason is…?”
David stared at me. I waited.
“Feel free to fill in the blank anytime.”
“I’m going to have to hold that reason back from you because I’m afraid it may affect your judgment of me. It’s nothing I’m ashamed of. I would just rather keep it to myself… for now.” His eyes shifted to the house again.
“That only makes me think that you haven’t been completely honest with me, like you promised.”
“I’ve told you once, and I’ll repeat it: I will never lie to you.”
I stared at him for a long time, and he stared back. For an instant, I thought I saw him moving toward me, but it must’ve been my imagination and a lot of wishful thinking. It was him that broke eye contact to glance at his phone.
“But you’ll tell me when it’s not a huge deity secret anymore?”
“It’s not about telling, it’s about showing.”
Huh? Why did he have to be such a complicated person? I needed to know things, not figure them out like a labyrinth.
“I don’t understand⎯”
“It’s not appropriate for us to be inside the car this long outside of your house. Let me walk you to your door.” David grabbed the key from the ignition and circled the car. He took my hand and held it until we reached the porch.
Why was he holding my hand when he had been so clear that nothing could happen between us? The worst part was that I let him. Hadn’t Nyx warned me?
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” I gazed at our hands still joined.
“You will,” he said, and then he placed his hand on the curve of my neck.
The tip of his nose touched mine, and the joints in my body locked in place. He was so close that I could taste the sweetness in his breath. Somehow, I reacted.
“Wait!” I said. “What are you doing?”
“Plotting a new beginning.”
I set my hand flat against his chest and pushed him away. “Thank you for a lovely afternoon.”
“Right,” he blinked, and took a step back. “My pleasure… always.”
He was half way to his car when he stopped and turned to look at me. “Good night, my lovely.”
“Night.”
My dress swayed in the breeze as I watched him leave, and I wondered what could be if he was just as plain as I was.
I staggered into the kitchen and sighed a little too loud—Claire heard me.
“I’ll bet anything that sigh is worth one thought.” She slid tomatoes off the cutting board and into a skillet. “And I bet I know that thought’s name.”
As usual, she was right. But I’d never admit to it. I leaned against the kitchen counter and watched her chopping away.
“Need some help?”
“Fix us some salad, would ya, hun?”
“Uh, Mom… I’m not hungry. Nyx prepared this ginormous spread of pastries, canapés and some other stuff. It was deee-licious.”
“Better than my cooking?”
“Um… not better, just different.”
“Hmm.”
I picked out some vegetables from the fridge and started making a salad for Claire. My mind wandered off to David and his brothers as I sliced and diced. They’d be enrolling tomorrow. Boy, were the girls at school in for a treat.
“By the way,” Claire said. “Dr. Jameson called. Wanted to know how you were. I forgot to mention to him you were having daydreams about some good looking kid you picked up at the library.”
“Would you stop with that already? What do you want to know?”
“Is his mother younger or older than me?”
“About the same.”
“Is she pretty?”
“Yes.”
“What about his father?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t met him yet.”
“Why not?”
“He’s never there.”
“Well, where is he?”
“Mom, I don’t know. I don’t ask David such personal questions.” Actually, I did, but I couldn’t tell her about Caelum.
***
Monday, I woke up half an hour earlier than usual. The sun wasn’t out yet, but the street lamps provided enough illumination for me to see the stillness of the waking day ahead.
For obvious reasons I was still denying, I took extra time to doll myself up. I put on a fitted black top and blue jeans and a pair of low, wedge heels. I sprayed on my favorite perfume, followed by the scented body lotion—jasmine and gardenia. When I was done, I looked at the girl staring back at me in the mirror. She looked kind of pretty.
Coffee was already brewed courtesy of Claire, who had left about ten minutes earlier; I grabbed a pastry bar from the pantry.
Before walking out the door, I got a text from Andy: “Walking?”
“Yup,” I texted back.
I had only walked three houses down from mine when David pulled up in his car alongside me. He rolled the window down on the passenger side.
“Can I drive you to school today?”
“Can I say no?”
“I’d prefer you said ‘yes’.”
I tugged on the door handle. Big surprise—it was locked. He stepped out and opened the passenger door. When I moved to get in, he closed the car door and pinned me up against it. I took in a sharp breath.
“What? Are you frightened of me now?” His lips were centimeters away from mine.
I hesitated before I answered, “Yes.”
David sniggered. He kissed my cheeks and reached for my waist. The muscles in my stomach contracted. He moved me aside and opened the car door. My cheeks were burning.
I stepped in the Maserati. As soon as he had shut the door, I reached for the visor mirror to inspect my face. Sure enough, I was as red as Rudolph’s shiny nose. David climbed in the driver’s seat.
“That was uncalled for,” I said. “Your mother would disapprove.”
“My mother isn’t here, is she?”
“You shouldn’t play around like that, David. It’s not nice.”
“Why would you think I was playing?”
“Because of your laws, your family… your life?”
He turned to look at me. He was speechless for the first time.
“Well?” I said.
“I would rather we changed the subject.”
***
What had brought on this sudden change in him? Nyx probably told him I thought he was exceptionally good looking. But who wouldn’t think that? He wasn’t oblivious to the fact that I was nervous around him, and he was using it to his advantage. He couldn’t be serious about pursuing me. Or could he?
“Wait.” I grabbed David’s arm before he stepped out of the car. His firm muscles tightened under my fingers. For a second I lost my train of thought.
“Yes?” David asked.
“Oh… if anyone asks, I met you at the library.”
“Right.” He turned to get out of the car again.
“Wait. Where am I supposed to tell my friends you’re from?”
“Why don’t you leave the talking to me?” He winked and stepped out of the vehicle.
Low whispers and stares from the kids sitting on the brick benches followed us as we walked up to the school entrance. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the girls staring in disbelief or envy as David strode by. Too bad I didn’t have any tissues on me to hand them so they could wipe off their drool.
David seemed to grow tense as we walked down the hallway. I wondered if he was nervous to start school. We turned the corner near the cafeteria, and I saw Andy and Bill waiting for me at our usual table. We waved at each other.
“Hey, Isis!” Simon, a football player, greeted me as we passed each other.
“Hi, Simon. See ya later.”
David grabbed my hand and stopped walking. I tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight.
“You’re hurting me,” I said. He loosened his grip but didn’t let go.
“Who—was—that?”
“He’s a guy in my class. Let me go.”
“Do you fancy him?”
“That’s none of your business,” I said, trying to pry his fingers from my hand. He took hold of that hand too. Giving up on the custody battle for my limbs, I looked up at him. Why was he acting this way?
“David?” Eryx’s voice startled me.
David let one of my hands free.
“Hello, brother. Have you enrolled?”
“Yes,” Eryx nodded. “Galen is waiting for his class schedule.”
I glanced over to Andy and Bill who were watching us. Bill stood up and tugged on Andy’s hand to follow.
“My friends are coming,” I said. “Eighty-six the formal talk and act like teenagers… if you can.”
I smiled at Andy as she and Bill approached. Suddenly, everyone noticed David and I were holding hands. David seemed to enjoy the attention.
“Hi,” Andy said.
“Hi,” I said. “Andy, Bill, this is David and his brother, Eryx, and that guy coming out of the office is their other brother, Galen.”
Bill and Andy turned to see Galen strutting toward us. While they were distracted, I elbowed David in an attempt to dislodge my hand, but the blow didn’t seem to faze him.
“Hello,” David said.
“Galen,” Eryx said and put his hand on Galen’s shoulder, “this is Andy and Bill. They’re friends of Isis’s.”
“Bill,” Galen said.
“’Sup, Galen?”
“Andy.” Galen cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Hi!” Andy said with a bit too much of enthusiasm, and Bill noticed. “Let’s all go sit at our table.” She pulled on Bill’s arm.
“Let me go,” I whispered as we followed Bill and Andy.
“Why?” David asked. “You didn’t seem to mind it yesterday.”
“Well, I mind it today, okay?”
“Is this part of your ploy, little brother?” Galen asked, but David ignored him.
“I’m sorry.” He released my hand. “You have no idea how… different this is for me.”
“I don’t really care,” I said. “You stay away from me.”
“Isis, please⎯”
“Shh…” Eryx hissed. We were nearing Andy and Bill.
The cheerleaders at the next table gawked at the Chios boys. I sat next to Andy. David sat between the twins on the other side of the table a few feet away from me. His brow was furrowed.
Andy and Bill started questioning the brothers, but it was Eryx who did most of the talking. Galen seemed too intrigued by the exchange of stares between David and me to answer any questions.
I knew Andy was dying to know what the deal was between David and me, because she kept kicking me under the table every time she noticed us scowling at each other.
“But why not live in a big city? Why Los Fresnos? The town is almost invisible, it’s so small,” Andy said.
“We prefer the quiet and tranquility,” Eryx answered. “Something of which there is an abundance of here.”
“Abundance of boredom is more like it.” Galen decided to put in his two cents. “Tell me, are there many suicide-related deaths in this place? Because I can certainly see how anyone would resort to death over living here.”
“Galen isn’t into small town living,” Eryx said.
“Solitary confinement is more populated than this town.”
Eryx shot us an apologetic smile. “He doesn’t deal well with change.”
“And I don’t think this place could be called a town at all.”
“Galen…”
“A village, maybe.”
“Galen.”
“Or perhaps a six-person book club.”
Eryx glared at him.
“Hell, I’ve seen leper colonies with more life.”
“Galen!” Eryx snapped. “We get it.”
***
Several minutes passed, and David’s face reflected remorse. When he stood up, I had a feeling he’d be coming to sit by me. I pulled Andy out of her seat.
“We’ll be right back. Ladies’ room.”
We were half way to the restrooms when Andy asked, “What’s the deal with you and David? You two are together already? You met him like five minutes ago.”
“We’re not together,” I said. “He’s just a friend.”
“A friend who holds your hand and looks into your eyes the way he does? Yeah right.”
“Andy, it’s nothing. Really. We just hung out a little over the weekend, and that was it. Innocent, friendly socializing.”
“Where’d you guys go?”
“Sunday morning we had breakfast in town, and then his mom invited me over for tea in the afternoon.”
“You met his parents for tea? Fancy.”
“Only his mom. His dad is out of town or something.” I shrugged casually.
“Isis, he introduced you to his mother. Girl—don’t take this the wrong way—but you are either blind or stupid. This guy is into you. Don’t tell Bill I said this, but David is gorgeous. What are you waiting for?”
“He’s not my type.”
“Do you need glasses? What do you mean he’s not your type? Those three boys are every girl’s type. Have you seen them? And Galen…” Andy fanned her light ebony face. “Don’t tell Bill I said that either.”
“Galen? Are you serious? He’s—”
“Oh, I already have a list. Don’t get me started. But that still doesn’t make him any less hot.”
“I can’t believe you.” I shook my head. “Let’s head back. It’s almost time to get to class anyway.”
***
From the hallway, I spied Jean Murphy talking to Galen. Marie Shannon, the co-captain of the cheerleading squad accompanied her. Galen looked annoyed. I wouldn’t blame him. Jean’s high-timbre voice was an acquired taste. Eryx and Bill were deep in conversation, ignoring the cheerleaders. David looked over his shoulder at us on the edge of his seat. He was waiting for me.
“So, Greece, huh?” Jean giggled in a deafening pitch as we reached the boys.
“Yes,” Galen said. “May I ask you for a favor, Jean?”
“Anything.”
“I was wondering if you’d please be so kind as to leave us now?”
Jean wrinkled her nose, her mouth tight. She turned her attention to Eryx. “Eric, what languages do you speak?”
“The name is Eryx. E, R, Y, X.”
“I was gonna ask you about that,” Bill said.
“It’s unique, isn’t it?”
“Uh… Eryx?” Jean said. I don’t think she was used to being ignored. It was sort of entertaining to watch.
“Yes, please excuse me, Jean. I speak Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, Latin and a few other dialects,” Eryx said.
Galen tapped Eryx on the shoulder.
“Brother,” Galen said. “If you feed the cats, they’ll keep coming back. Please. I beg you. Stop.”
Bill and Andy broke out in laughter as Jean and Marie took a hint and walked away.
David hadn’t stopped staring at me the whole time. He stood and walked over to me.
“Can I speak to you… in private?”
I glared at him. I hoped he was smart enough to interpret my silence as a no.
“Please.”
“Fine.” I knew he wouldn’t stop if I didn’t talk to him.
I moved several seats down to the end of the table. Andy turned away, pretending she wasn’t paying attention.
“Isis,” David whispered. “I’m not the type to act out like this. Please accept my apology.”
“Apology accepted,” I said, standing up. “Is that all?”
“No. I have to confess something.”
“Just say whatever you need to say so we can be done with this already.”
“The thing is…” David took a deep breath. “I’m jealous—jealous of every boy that sets his sight on you. And if I could, I would tear out their eyes.”