Snow Heart (15 page)

Zeit hunched over a bit, sneaking up to a small square window that looked into the house. Nieves snuck up next to him and took a peek inside. The whole place was rather barren. There was a small Japanese futon rolled up in the corner of the room. A small cooking fire sat in the center of the room with a large black pot for soups and stews. Cobwebs were in every corner available—which was every corner.

“There they are,” Zeit informed her.

Standing in the doorway was Alric who leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He looked upset about something. Another figure stood near the center of the room only a few steps away from Alric.

She simply shook her head and returned her attention to the siblings in the house. They were both incredibly silent about something. Then the sister, who was called Sailles, said, “You’ve grown so much.”

Alric nodded his head.

This left Sailles with nothing much to work with. She sighed. “This house brings back so many memories. It’s the only place on the Macter land that makes me feel safe. Grandmother was… so happy. All the time.”

Alric’s jaw tightened. “You weren’t here when it happened so I don’t expect you to understand that this place is everything but positive.”

He stood against the wall next to the window and thought of the word to describe himself. “I’m something you people would call a… psychopomp.”

Nieves raised a brow at the alien word. “You are a… psychotic ceremony?” Psycho meaning crazy and pomp meaning ceremony as to what Nieves’s logic was. She just couldn’t understand how that worked to be used to describe someone.

Zeit tried to douse his laughter as much as possible. “Not at all. In better terms I’m your modern day ‘Grim Reaper’. I used to be anyway. Right now I’m working for Alric.”

Zeit tried to think of a way to explain his obligations to Alric but there didn’t seem to be a way. Was there any form of explanation for the unexplained? “Think of this as my extremely long vacation. I cannot go back to being a ‘Grim Reaper’ until Alric dies.”

Zeit cupped his chin in deep thought. “He sort of… owns me in a way. Alric was the one who summoned me from the… ‘Afterlife’ and now I’m here to serve him.”

Nieves slowly nodded. “I guess I understand that. Then—”

†

“Do not dare act as if I am the one who has done something wrong,” Alric yelled from the house. “You left me alone for all these years! And now, suddenly as I am dying, you decide to visit me?”

Sailles took a step forward unsure how to explain. “Please, Alric… it’s more complicated than that.”

“Oh?” Alric grinded his teeth, eyebrows furrowing in the center. “I’d like to hear your explanation but I don’t want to see you anymore.” He went to leave the house but a hard painful slap across the face stunned him in his place.

“Don’t treat your sister like that,” Nieves barked. “She’s still family even if she did abandon you.” Nieves thought slowly of Erika—her sister also abandoned her just like Sailles had left Alric.

Alric couldn’t figure out if he should yell at her for leaving his room and slapping him or yell at Zeit for letting her leave his room. “Where the hell are you Zeit?”

Zeit was just in the process of plucking a yellow dandelion when Alric called his name. He poked his head from around the corner of the house and smiled. “Me? Oh, I’m just picking flowers,” said Zeit casually.

Alric spun around with full rage. “Stranger? The only stranger here on this land is you Sailles. You haven’t been here in eleven years and you suddenly think you belong here?”

Sailles was stunned—she couldn’t figure it out. Nieves lived here… And she slapped him but he didn’t do anything about it.

Nieves shoved Alric’s shoulder. “Stop it, Alric. She’s still your sister.”

Alric glowered at Nieves as if trying to stare into her thoughts to understand the secrets and crux of her mind. He realized Nieves was having the same difficulty with her own sister. His expression softened from angry to calm emotionless.

“Sailles,” Alric said bluntly. “You can bring… your child and… husband onto the grounds.” He never kept his eyes on Nieves as if letting her know this was on her shoulders not his own.

Alric turned to Sailles with diplomacy. “But they will remain in the main house. They are not to leave the house until you leave the grounds permanently. I don’t want them prying their way into Macter affairs.”

Sailles gave a weary smile and headed passed Alric towards the white path. “Thank you, little brother,” she said before departing from them for the gate.

Nieves beamed happily.

“As for you, Nieves…” Alric was not pleased with being disobeyed. Not only had Nieves went against his orders but also Zeit, whom was under his control. “You are to return to the room.”

Nieves rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Alric raised a brow at Zeit. “Remember who your master is.”

Zeit smirked. “Does this mean you’ll torture me for my bad behavior, ‘my lord’?” If there was anything Zeit loved it was mocking Alric and being tortured by the people around him. He was somewhat of a sadist and masochist rolled into one.

The Grim Reaper tried to put back on his smile as Nieves walked to his side. She was talking to him about something along the white path that made Zeit laugh. His worries about his wings were being melted away by the words of the girl.

“I have something else I need you to do,” Alric informed Zeit. “I need you to bring me Bartolemé immediately. It’s now your top priority.”

Zeit folded his arms. “I’m just running errands all day, huh?”

Alric glared.

“Would you like me to drop off Nieves at your room first or after I find Bartolemé?” Zeit was obviously not one for being told to do something by another person. In a way he was like Alric—giving orders but never one to take them too well.

Alric replied, “Leave her here. Bartolemé is more important.”

Nieves looked up at Zeit with a small smile, one that said she was admiring him and encouraging him to take the order without back-talking.

Zeit turned to her, mussed up her hair like an older brother would do then walked away. His body shivered and shimmered with light until nothing was left but a white bird flittering away.

CHAPTER 20

Alric and Nieves walked up the white stoned path until they stood feet away from the north gate that led to the city—the gate just outside the main house. It was the same gate Nieves had entered through. Boris had forced her into the car, even as her grandparents were sorrowfully standing idly by. They had wanted her to stay but Erika had custody.

“If you want I can return to your room,” Nieves offered.

“No.” Alric held his hands together in front of him. “I… don’t want to be alone when dealing with them. I hate meeting new people.”

Nieves pursed her lips to keep from smiling.

“What do I say?” Alric looked over into the waving grass that rustled and hushed in the wind. He found her presence next to him to be calming—making this meeting not so difficult.

“The truth?” Alric narrowed his eyes. “I hate children. Their disgusting and unkempt—you want me to say that to Sailles and her husband.”

Nieves ran her fingers through her hair trying to think of the right words to say. “How about you say to the husband, ‘Hello. It’s nice to meet you.’ Then tell them they have such a lovely daughter or son.”

Alric looked Nieves in the eye unsure what to say.

The crunch of gravel drew their attention to a slick black vehicle that rolled up into the long thin grass. It slowed to a stop then cut off. Sailles exited the vehicle and went to the back doors where her daughter sat impatiently.

“Thank you,” Alric said looking away from her—as if ignoring the fact that he just said those words aloud to someone.

Nieves noticed his actions and softly replied, “You’re welcome.”

Sailles held her daughter on her hip with her husband at her side. He was dressed in a graphic t-shirt and faded blue jeans—the husband was. He looked like a person ready for a good vacation.

“Hi there,” he said with a wide smile and greeting visage.

Alric looked to Nieves out of the corner of his eye then turned his attention to the husband. “Hello… It’s… nice to meet you.” He had a hard time saying those words but he did his best. “You have… such a lovely daughter.” He eyed the child, resisting a disgusted expression.

Sailles smiled—she felt shocked how kind her brother was being.

The husband grabbed hold of Alric’s shoulders and forced him into a hug. “Hah, right on ya, little brother-in-law.”

Alric’s body tensed at the touch of another person. The last time he’d been held was with Aunty but even she knew that a full on hug was too much for Alric. He hated being held. It made him worried and self-conscious about the scars along his back. Never once had Alric been bold enough to wear a short sleeve shirt.

“The name’s Jeff.” He smiled pulling Nieves into a hug, letting her go to pat her head. “You remind me of my little cousin, Diana.”

Alric glowered away, ready to be gone with Jeff, Sailles and their daughter. “We should get you inside,” he said, pulling Nieves away from Jeff. “You most likely need rest after your journey here.”

Jeff stretched, pulling his arms behind his head. “Yeah, dude. I’m tired of airplanes and cars. I need a real good nap, you know?”

Alric slowly nodded his head. “Sure.”

“Be nice,” Nieves muttered under her breath.

“Nice?” Alric blurted, unable to keep his calm composure. “Tell me why I should be nice to someone who I’ve never met, who happens to be married to a sister I haven’t heard from in eleven years then got her pregnant?”

She seethed out the words, “You’re so heartless.” Nieves balled her fist with irritation.

“What?” Alric yelled, “She abandoned me to be abused by my parents! She never came back to see me. She never wrote me or invited me to her wedding! She never called me to tell me she was having a child!”

Alric spun around and grasped her wrist. “Don’t ever touch me again.” He threw away her wrist and angrily walked back to the main house. He was too enraged to think about anything else but the pain in his chest.