Guardians: The Last Elder

Chapter 16: Five-legged Reindeer

(A/N: Above is a picture of Kace. Handsome, isn't he?;P)

"...I told him a story of two people. Two people who shouldn't have met, and who didn't like each other much when they did, but who found they were the only two people in the world who could possibly have understood each other."

― Jojo Moyes (Me Before You) 

                                                                        ____________________

My eyes fluttered open as the dream slowly receded from the edge of my vision. Outside, the sky was still an inky black, scattered with stars, twinkling playfully, seemingly mocking my dismal mood.

I felt sweaty and gross but most of all confused. Blissfully restful land my ass, I thought faintly.

What was that dream? And did I actually go back in the past? And that jade pendant, it couldn't possibly be the same one as...

I snapped open the drawer and heaved a relived sigh at spotting the necklace, still seating exactly where I left it. For some reason, I had expected it to disappear. At least, it was safe. But that still didn't answer the question about whether it was the same one that I saw in my dream. Even if it was, how did come into mom's possession?

I exhaled deeply and for the umpteenth time wondered maybe I should drink that mead. It might be able to tell me about the pendant and its possible history. Biting my lip, I gingerly touched the vial. It was just a drop, after all...

At the last moment though, I chickened out. I couldn't do it. I wasn't sure what it was that stopped me. Maybe it was the thought that I might not like what I find. Chewing on my lip, I put back the vial and snapped shut the drawer. I stole a look at my phone beside me. The time showed 3: 50 am. My eyes fell on the date displayed right below the time. I realised with a start that today was 10th October – my birthday (I always did like my birthday date by the way – 10/10.) 

If anything, my mood became even gloomier. I recalled mom's plan to spend my birthday weekend together. Just us – mother and daughter. But now she was gone. 

"Happy birthday, Ava," I whispered to myself. I was responded with the eerie quiet and darkness of the room. I sighed and thought, Well, so much for a happy birthday.

I crawled back into bed and was hovering in between consciousness and sleep, when a sharp urgent knock snapped me awake. I sat up straight, wondering who it was. Sighing, I got up and opened the door.

Standing at the threshold was Josh, almost a silhouette in the dim light of the corridor behind, that is, until the moonlight streaming in from my window caught his face as he turned to look at me. I sucked in a breath, struck with the abrupt and unexpected thought of how angelic he looked with his tousled black hair, his iridescent stormy blue eyes, the long lashes and the slight flush in his cheeks. For a moment, we both stared at each other. I could only guess the clammy, bedraggled mess I looked like. However, I caught something in his expression – something he must have assumed would be obscured in the dark – that suggested otherwise.

"Josh?" I asked softly, my voice betraying my surprise.

"Yup, it's my awesome-self all right. And you, Ava, look particularly pretty tonight, if I do say so myself," Josh drawled with his all-too familiar arrogant voice, eyeing my hair that resembled a bird's nest, I was sure. My eyes narrowed. So maybe I was wrong about the look in his eyes.

"God damn, don't just stand on the doorway, let us in before someone spots us!" whispered a voice behind Josh. I realised that there were two other figures standing behind Josh that I hadn't noticed before. Kace and Vanessa.