Soul Mate: A Novella

Ch. 12 Samael

Unfortunately, I’m not going to get the date I wish to have with Khloe. After confirming a time and place to meet up with her, I received a phone call from Rim. He asked if I wanted to go on a journey with him. Hearing the anger in his voice I didn’t hesitate to say yes. With a heavy sigh I sent Khloe a text and let her know that Rim needed my help with something and wouldn’t be able to make our date after all. She sends a response quickly back to me with a sad face emoji but with words of understanding and a small smile slipped across my lips as I can vividly see her bottom lip pushed out in a pout as she wrote the message.

The Fates dwell somewhere between the shadows and the stars in an uncharted realm that most supernatural beings have dubbed Fates Realm. Rim and I step into the realm, and I hear him burst out laughing. Giving him a scowl, I say, “don’t know why you’re laughing at me when you look like you’ve been soaking in a vat of fairy dust yourself, asshole.”

Rim’s once white t-shirt sparkles like the vampires from that one movie and glancing down at his shirt, he bends over laughing so hard that he can barely breathe. Damn The Fates and their distraction techniques! As he rights himself, both Rim and I attempt to shake the glitter and dusty from our bodies and in doing so look like two pathetic wet dogs trying to get dry.

“Damn those dastardly bastards!” I growl out after running a hand through my hair to loosen as much fairy dust from it as possible. “If we’re not careful, we’ll be singing songs and reciting poetry before this day is done. Let’s make haste in this journey to their abodes before I find myself spouting sonnets!”

I give Rim a shove in his back just between his shoulder blades to encourage him to start moving. “Stars above,” I hear him say. “We definitely don’t need to be tortured by you rattling off sonnets.” He then proceeds to elbow me in my side as I watch a wide grin take hold of his face.

“Fuck off, dude!” I grumble though I can’t keep the smile tugging at my lips at bay. Feeling like we are just wandering aimlessly as my black combat boots leave indentations upon the open field of grass, we’re walking across I decide to ask, “I have never visited The Fates before, do you even know where they live?”

Seeing Rim shift his gaze to a forest about a mile away from where we currently are he points to the wooded area. “I’ve a few acquaintances who reside in the treetops within that forest who I’m sure I can convince to guide us to where The Fates live.”

Rolling my eyes I say, “oh, really? Do pray-tell, what kind of creatures do you consider acquaintances of yours live among those trees, Rim?” Crossing my arms over my chest I add; “so help the stars, if you say the Chaneques, I will punch you!”

“Ha, dude chill. I’m not a complete moron!” Rims says indignantly at my words. “I would never trust those wrinkled faced, toddler looking creatures to such a task. Those little buggers are known for misguiding and getting people lost. And, trying to break Cassie’s soul tie to that wretched Fallen One is way too important to me to blindly think they’d willingly help me.”

With a curt nod I continue walking not asking my next question until we are at the very edge of the forest. “So, you gonna tell me what creature I need to be on the lookout for?” Turning my head to look at Rim, I see him stare up at the trees with their limbs dangling overhead as they block the sunlight trying to infiltrate in between the vibrant green leaves.

“Her name is Rusalka and she’s a Woodland Sprite. She and her family have dwelled in these trees for the last few years after I helped them escape from the Dae-ward lands Realm during the Great Shifter Siege.” As he spoke, images flashed in my head as I recalled the siege. Sprites, Nymphs, Pixies, and other magical creatures were pushed out of their homes, off their lands and if they didn’t want to be killed, out of the realm completely. Nodding my head, I tilt it skyward so that I’m able to search the treetops as well.

Moving my eyes across the fluttering leaves as they try to dance with the wind, I push Rim to elaborate. “Wouldn’t want to give me a description of what she looks like would you?”

Keeping my eyes focused on the trees, I listen as Rim begins to describe Rusalka. “Hmm, let’s see. She’s about the size of my hand if I were to flatten it outward. Her wings are in between white and being translucent. Insanely bright green hair while her skin is a pale glittery shade of green. Rusalka’s eyes are mesmerizing if you are lucky to get close enough to see them. So blue in color that it they nearly indescribable but to give it my best wordage, I would say picture powder blue and iridescent and merge the two together and that is the blue of her eyes.”

Huffing a laugh I say in a perplexed voice, “So basically what you’re telling me is that I shouldn’t even bother looking for this little Sprite?” I run a hand through my hair as I contemplate what is essentially a wild goose chase Rim has tasked us with.

Grinning widely at me, Rim smirks and retorts, “yeah, pretty much!”

Half-heartedly I give him a growl, “So, do we shout her name to get her to come to us or does she have some sort of magical sensory and just knows we’re here waiting for her to show up?”

Laughing at my question, Rim responds with a shrug. “I’m not sure about magical sensors but I’m sure she knows we are here. Rusalka has the sight and can see the future.”

Suddenly we hear a “hullooo” in a singsong voice like the tinkling of windchimes. “Rim? Is that you I spy?” A shift in a low hanging branch catches our eyes before we see a head of bright green hair poke out from under the leaves. And then Rusalka emerged standing proudly on the tree limb in front of us.

My eyes widened in surprise as I looked the little sprite over. Untamed green strands of hair stuck out every which way upon her head and Rim wasn’t joking when he described her. Rusalka’s skin shimmers an opulent pale shade of green making it look like she had decided to bathe in a bath of glitter. “It’s been a long time my friend,” she says to Rim though her eyes are focused on me in curiosity.

“Apologies my sweet pixie,” I hear Rim say and watch as Rusalka narrows her eyes, turning her attention towards him as she does so.

Rusalka growls indignantly, “Sprite! I’m a Woodland Sprite,” she snaps in jest. “Do I look like some mischievous fairies set on leading people astray to you?” She gives Rim a harrumph and I do my best to keep the smirk from my lips as I watch her cross her tiny arms over her chest and attempts to glare at him.

Rim chuckles before turning to look at me. “Sam, I would like you to meet one of my favorite Sprites, Rusalka. Rusalka, this is a good friend of mine, Samael.” I offer her a small wave and she in turn gives a small curtsy. But as quickly as she does this, her gaze is once more back on Rim.

“So, Rim. What brings you to Fates Realm?” With arms crossed once more across her chest, Rusalka arches an eyebrow as she waits expectantly for a response.

Gasping, Rim places a hand flat against his chest in mock shock. “Am I not allowed to just swing by for a visit?” The bastard has me yearning to punch him for teasing Rusalka, but I watch him smirk and she simply rolls her eyes at him.

“I cannot recall the last time you ‘just swung by for a visit,’ Rim.” Rusalka harrumphs and Rim raises his arms as though surrendering.

“Haha, you’ve got me there my dear Rusa. No more goofing I do have a favor to ask of you... would you be willing to escort us to the courts of The Fates please?”

Rusalka’s expression turned to one of surprise and she arched an eyebrow in curiosity. “Whatever for? Why do you wish to be taken to Them?”

As Rim tells her she need not worry why, the little Sprite raises one of her small little fingers to her chin, placing it just below her bottom lip as though considering his offer of being paid for her time and owing her a favor in return. It only takes her a few seconds to think about the offer before she agrees with him and then we begin our journey.