ZARAMANNI (BOOK ONE)

‘There she is.’ That voice jolted her so much that the cup of soda in her hold became unstable and spilled its content all over the floor of the auditorium.

She had been standing in that spot for a while with a troubled mind. Her plans to join the school’s drama club were already foiled without her getting to make a move.

She could already hear the voices of the Drama club members. Their vile name-calling and judging eyes would surely accompany her should she try something as simple as picking the club’s audition form.

Zaramanni wished to encourage her frightened self by hoping that they wouldn’t be that cruel. But, even her inner self found her rare optimism ridiculous and she quickly urged herself to give up and go back to class.

Before doing that, Zara had decided to take a good look at the stage in the auditorium but Gavin just had to walk in and ruin a perfect moment for her.

His appearance killed her soul.

Staring into the eyes of the man whose smile suggested he was about to do something annoying, Zara wondered if it would ever end.

She had been counting days, and months but it seemed like she still had a long way to go.

‘I was looking for you,’ he spoke again, his fingers running through the very hair he once spat at. ‘I kept thinking about you in class and I just had to look for you before my mind lost it.’

Zara bit into the insides of her mouth. Her lips twitched. So did her hands before they formed a fist. ‘Why?’ Narrowing her eyes at him, she hoped that moment would end earlier than she hoped. ‘Are you that obsessed with me?’

With her tinted sight, she watched as his lips wore a smile. His fingers were still running through her styled ponytail when he said, ‘I heard that you tried to change schools.’

Zara, now irritated by his touch, grabbed his hand and tossed it to the side. His eyes fell in the same direction and a loud scoff escaped him.

Zara dared to take a step closer to him and said, ‘Congratulations, I won’t be leaving this school until I graduate.’

‘Did you really think it would be that easy? No one out there is willing to take you. We have been kind enough to let you stay in this school and you should appreciate us for that.’ He looked into her eyes and she saw it… the evil he carried with him.

‘Zaramanni,’ his vile voice called, ‘I am glad you are not going anywhere. We are yet to have the best of fun and it would be disappointing if you run away before you and I could-’

In a fit of rage, Zara pushed Gavin but, as she did that, a sharp pain embraced her right arm. Shockingly, the pain persisted and her eyes began to water.

Taking a look at her right arm, Zara saw that two deep lines had been dug into her flesh.

Blood was streaming down her arm.

‘ I told you,’ Gavin smiled wider as his right hand exposed two glass pieces whose tips were stained with her blood, ‘we are yet to have the best of fun.’

‘You bastard!’ Zara charged at him, her scream capable of waking up the dead. Swiftly, she grabbed the glass pieces from his hand. Miraculously, she was able to pin him to the ground and once she had an advantage, she positioned the weapon close to his neck.

The fragments placed at a vital point, her body shuddering as she winced, all Zaramanni did was wait for that voice that would tell her to go ahead and get rid of him.

Gavin laughed immediately, his face now wearing dots of thick blood that came from her dripping arm. With confidence, he dared her. ‘Do it,’ he said.

‘Kill me,’ he urged her and Zara wanted nothing more.

Unrecognizable at that point, Zara was beginning to imagine how free she would be if she was able to end Gavin’s life.

She chuckled insanely as the picture delighted her.

Getting rid of Gavin meant that she could go to school without worries. She would no longer live in fear since he would be deep into the ground, rotting.

’What are you waiting for?” Gavin didn’t stop daring her. ‘You can’t do it, can you? You are so weak and stupid.’

‘Shut up!’ she screamed and the next second, Zara lifted her arm, ready to strike…

~~~

When she recovered from that dream, a mumbling voice reached her ears.

Before Zaramanni opened her eyes, she wondered, for the second time, why she was having flashes of her past.

And why they felt so real.

Her hands turned into fists as she recalled all the blood and anger from the flashback. Her heart ached as well.

“Snap out of it, little girl. Anyone could walk in right now!” It was King Darren that owned that commanding voice.

Instantly, Zara’s eyes flung open and she was greeted by floating objects which immediately fell and made noises that filled the room.

“Huh?” Sitting up sharply, Zaramanni’s face wore confusion as she looked at the floor which had just suffered a terrible hit from the objects. “Did I make these things fly?”

King Darren took his pressing knee off the edge of the fairly large mattress and stepped back. “You are okay,” was all he said, ignoring her question.

But, his statement made her recall why she was in bed in the first place. And… why her chest felt like it had just been pierced by…

“An arrow,” Zara completed the statement out loud. With worry in her eyes, she looked up at King Darren and said, “Someone is trying to kill me.”

”We are investigating the matter.”

”No, you don’t get it.” Zaramanni pushed the thick blanket off her lower body and held her bandaged chest dearly as she shifted out of the bed.

With folded arms, the King silently watched until she was on her feet and in front of him.

Zara was glad she didn’t ask for his help.

She had a feeling that he would have insulted her or dropped an annoying comment.

Before the hand on her chest fell to her side, Zara rubbed her fingers over the two-lined scar on her right arm.

“Last night…” She wasn’t sure what day or night was in Zenrada. “Someone tried to suffocate me to death.”

”I know. Sham told me you were almost killed.’

“So?”

”So?”

”When am I leaving for Mount Hermos?” Zara’s exclamation was stronger than the question. “I need to get home before I die in a place that I can’t find on Google Maps.”

The man wore a frown instantly. “I have no idea what that is, but you are going nowhere.”

”What?” Zaramanni lost it. “That was not our deal. I was supposed to follow you to Zenrada. And from here, I would be on my way to Mount Hermos.”

“That is not my concern. You are going nowhere,” he insisted.

Hands on her waist, her ears not believing the trash she was hearing, Zara asked, “Why?”

King Darren sighed. Silence raided the room as his heavy steps walked him to a close-by chair in the moderately sized room that possessed discoloured walls.

Walking after him, Zara let out a scoff. Soon, she was standing in front of him, her hands still on her waist.

“I can’t let you go out there because of the ritual.”

”That voodoo thing Ezeman and his creepy boss did? What about it? I destroyed the entire thing with my scream.” Zara almost patted herself for a job well done.

“It worked.” Zara squinted her eyes as she tried to understand him. “That ritual is the reason I now have a wolf.”

“Isn’t that what you have always wanted?” Zara asked as she wondered why he lowered his voice suddenly.

“Yes. But because of that ritual, a part of me is raging and thirsting for blood.” Without thinking hard, Zara took a few cautionary steps backward. “Zaramanni,” he called, his voice wearing that tone that made her name sound special, “you are not getting my point.”

”What is your point?”

”You are a half-fairy, for the goddess’s sake!” his whispered voice shouted while his buttocks sharply left the chair. “ Because of the success of the ritual, it is confirmed that you are a half-fairy. So, you will not be going to Mount Hermos.”

Zaramanni was tired of hearing that phrase over and over again.

She was half-fairy… She was not human.

She was tired of hearing it.

But, a part of Zaramanni knew that was possibly the truth.

Despite that, something within her stayed adamant.

Her shoulders were buffed with confidence as she confronted his words. “Who are you to decide such a thing?”

The King didn’t find her stubbornness amusing. His firm stance was maintained and the sternness in his dark eyes didn’t waver.

”In case you haven’t heard, half-fairies are a big deal in this universe. If you go to Mount Hermos and they find out that you carry both human and fairy blood, they will never let you go.”

Zara’s forehead didn’t cease to wear a deeper frown. ”But why would Alisha tell me to go to Mount Hermos?”

“Alisha’s knowledge is obviously limited.” As a form of gesture, his right hand flew into mid-air and Zara noticed how veined they were thanks to the bright-yellow illumination in the room. ” Let me break it down for you. The attempt to kill you is being done by someone who knows that you carry special blood.”

”How do I know that you aren’t the one?” Zara asked with an accusing tone.

He ignored her… again. “Apart from the fairies that held us captive, Alisha knows about you. If Alisha hasn’t told her people about you, that means someone else has heard about the half-fairy and has decided that you would be better off dead than useful to Zenrada.”

”How on earth would I be useful to Zenrada?”

”Your life is in danger. I swore I’d protect you and I will do just that.” He took a step forward and held her shoulders firmly. “So, do me a favour and stop thinking about going to Mount Hermos for now.”

Zara scoffed as she jerked his hands off her shoulders. With a serious look, she stared into the man’s eyes and said, “Darren, how do you expect me to believe you? Besides, do you think I enjoy being here? I want to go home right away. I don’t want to be a person with special blood.”

”Zaramanni,” he held her chin firmly but not too hard, “if you love your life, you need to do as I say. If you don’t want to drown in regrets, suspend any thought related to Mount Hermos. When things are sorted out, I will make sure you get home safely.”

Zara noticed that he didn’t react to her calling him by name. That was mildly surprising since he was all about showing the King some respect when they first met.

So, because of that, she entertained the thought that the king was not trying to deceive her.

Eyes darting to the side, she replied gruffly, “I will think about it.”

“You don’t have the time to-”

Her hand shot into the air and she shut him up with that. “It is my life. I will decide whether to stay here or go to Mount Hermos.”

Without wasting a second, his hold on her chin was withdrawn. “I urge you to make a wise decision, one that won’t involve you ending up dead.”

”I hear you,” Zara replied, her back now facing the man.

“I will leave you to your thoughts. The doctor will come soon to check on your wound. Make sure you eat as well. And, try to keep your true identity to yourself. The more people that think you are purely human, the better.”

Zara was about to turn and question his words of concern but the door closed and after a second, it was as though he was never there.

Approaching her bed with slow steps, Zara’s mind quickly spiraled into a circle of thoughts.

While she pondered on King Darren’s words, she pictured her life back home, and she questioned the terrible fate she was forced into.

It was just her damn luck that she wasn’t purely human. If she was, she would have gotten out of that damn universe before blinking an eye.

But, what could she do?

It was already clear that staying in Zenrada and risking a journey to Mount Hermos was the same since she was going to be exposed to danger in both scenarios.

But, what path should she take?

Which road will ensure that her life and journey back to Earth will be assured?

The more Zaramanni reasoned it, she soon realized that she would never get an answer.

Her attempt to find one would be like a lost dog that refuses to follow the directions of its owner while looking for a way out of a thick forest.

To reach a decision, she needed to know about that universe.

That need was sure to lead her to two choices.

She could blindly follow King Darren’s orders. Or, she could seek other people’s help and risk exposing her true identity.