hint to the Oriental house.
Aunty gave a smile, her sunglasses atop her head. “Feel like taking a walk?”
Nieves suddenly felt all her tensions disperse. “Yes. Thank you.”
The two of them were heading down the hall chatting about the origin of the Oriental style of the house. She explained that the curse had originated from the fox-maiden who had traveled from Japan to the European countries.
“The house was built by her fox Demons to honor her. Each Demon was granted its own room amongst the house but the largest and highest room of them all was given to her—their maiden queen.
“After our great ancestor betrayed their love, she cursed him to never leave her lands even after she formed herself into a tree—a silver glowing tree that is somewhere among this land. Not many have seen the tree and those who do can never remember where it was. Or how they got there.
“But,” Aunty turned to her with a laugh. “Even if we find the tree, the curse will continue. I’m not a Cursed-One and I’m thankful for that, yet I wish just as much as them for the end of this family’s problems.”
Nieves nodded her head. “I wish I could help.”
Aunty nearly said, “You are helping” but she did not. She swallowed her thoughts.
“Nieves,” someone called from the main entrance of the house. The two women hadn’t realized how far they had walked until that moment. The woman at the door stood there with a dead expression on her face. “Nieves,” she said again.
“Erika?” Nieves’s heart leapt at the thought—her sister was truly alive.
Erika turned from her and headed out the door. “We’re leaving. Let’s go.” Her sister’s expression and voice were still just as empty as ever.
Nieves looked at Aunty then back to Erika who was heading down the steps. “Erika? Where are we going?” Were they leaving back to Boris’s house or were they leaving the Macter land forever?
Erika paused on the last step, the rain falling down as she opened the umbrella at her side. “We are going back to the city. Now get out here so we can go home and pack.” She was dressed in a baby blue sweater—her outfits always included a sweater. She still wasn’t the Erika she remembered, but Nieves was relieved to see her well and alive.
“Go ahead,” Aunty nudged her on. “Get away from this place while you can.” Aunty wanted to know what Nieves would do at the idea of leaving forever.
Nieves nodded her head and headed out the door, onto the porch. The city, she thought mildly. She would once again walk among its streets, its alleys with small coffee shops and book stores. Nieves forgot all about everything in the world but the thought of freedom outside of the walls that surrounded every inch of the Macter estate.
She trotted down the steps to Erika’s side. The feeling of having a sister again was irreplaceable. Her warmth was like fire and her soothing presence was like nothing else in existence. Erika, Nieves thought, was her sister even if she was dead inside.
CHAPTER 15
Leon led Alric to a small white phone that sat neatly in the center of a round dark cherry wood table. The receiver was placed delicately onto the surface meaning someone was on hold. Alric knew who was waiting but he could hardly think of a reason to speak with the person. After all, he was ignored by the person for over a decade.
Alric lifted the cold receiver into his hand, taking in its smoothness. “Hello,” Alric said into the device.
Leon melted away with deafly silence.
There was static then a soft, “Hello, Alric.”
Yes, he thought to himself. That was definitely her—he could never forget the soft gentleness of her voice. It was smooth like a spring wind and it held a witty touch that made her sound intelligent.
“Sailles.” His eyes lowered to the floor, examining its texture.
He heard her take in a breath and release it. “I… just arrived at the airport. I wanted to call you
Aunty gave a smile, her sunglasses atop her head. “Feel like taking a walk?”
Nieves suddenly felt all her tensions disperse. “Yes. Thank you.”
The two of them were heading down the hall chatting about the origin of the Oriental style of the house. She explained that the curse had originated from the fox-maiden who had traveled from Japan to the European countries.
“The house was built by her fox Demons to honor her. Each Demon was granted its own room amongst the house but the largest and highest room of them all was given to her—their maiden queen.
“After our great ancestor betrayed their love, she cursed him to never leave her lands even after she formed herself into a tree—a silver glowing tree that is somewhere among this land. Not many have seen the tree and those who do can never remember where it was. Or how they got there.
“But,” Aunty turned to her with a laugh. “Even if we find the tree, the curse will continue. I’m not a Cursed-One and I’m thankful for that, yet I wish just as much as them for the end of this family’s problems.”
Nieves nodded her head. “I wish I could help.”
Aunty nearly said, “You are helping” but she did not. She swallowed her thoughts.
“Nieves,” someone called from the main entrance of the house. The two women hadn’t realized how far they had walked until that moment. The woman at the door stood there with a dead expression on her face. “Nieves,” she said again.
“Erika?” Nieves’s heart leapt at the thought—her sister was truly alive.
Erika turned from her and headed out the door. “We’re leaving. Let’s go.” Her sister’s expression and voice were still just as empty as ever.
Nieves looked at Aunty then back to Erika who was heading down the steps. “Erika? Where are we going?” Were they leaving back to Boris’s house or were they leaving the Macter land forever?
Erika paused on the last step, the rain falling down as she opened the umbrella at her side. “We are going back to the city. Now get out here so we can go home and pack.” She was dressed in a baby blue sweater—her outfits always included a sweater. She still wasn’t the Erika she remembered, but Nieves was relieved to see her well and alive.
“Go ahead,” Aunty nudged her on. “Get away from this place while you can.” Aunty wanted to know what Nieves would do at the idea of leaving forever.
Nieves nodded her head and headed out the door, onto the porch. The city, she thought mildly. She would once again walk among its streets, its alleys with small coffee shops and book stores. Nieves forgot all about everything in the world but the thought of freedom outside of the walls that surrounded every inch of the Macter estate.
She trotted down the steps to Erika’s side. The feeling of having a sister again was irreplaceable. Her warmth was like fire and her soothing presence was like nothing else in existence. Erika, Nieves thought, was her sister even if she was dead inside.
CHAPTER 15
Leon led Alric to a small white phone that sat neatly in the center of a round dark cherry wood table. The receiver was placed delicately onto the surface meaning someone was on hold. Alric knew who was waiting but he could hardly think of a reason to speak with the person. After all, he was ignored by the person for over a decade.
Alric lifted the cold receiver into his hand, taking in its smoothness. “Hello,” Alric said into the device.
Leon melted away with deafly silence.
There was static then a soft, “Hello, Alric.”
Yes, he thought to himself. That was definitely her—he could never forget the soft gentleness of her voice. It was smooth like a spring wind and it held a witty touch that made her sound intelligent.
“Sailles.” His eyes lowered to the floor, examining its texture.
He heard her take in a breath and release it. “I… just arrived at the airport. I wanted to call you
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