"How was school today?" I asked Gabriel. We were sitting on the park bench, mindlessly staring at others in front of us.
When school had ended Noah insisted to drop me and Gabriel home. He wanted to continue his conversation with my brother from the morning. After picking up Gabriel, we decided to make a stop at nearby park.
Right now Noah was purchasing candies at a stand despite me refusing him not to. He already did lot for me and my brother. The man was intent on spoiling us both.
"It was okay," Gabriel answered, "teacher taught us multiplication. She gave us homework too."
I nodded. "If you need help with it you can come to me."
"Okay," he said, shifting closer to me until our arms touched. Someone missed their sister.
I smiled, ruffling his hair.
I suppose Noah's words in the morning had played some role in making Gabriel let go of the grudge. He was talking to me now, though he was still shy. It was nothing new. It would take him less than a day to get back to his normal adorably annoying self once he got comfortable.
Noah showed up with three cotton candies. "Here you go," he said handing one to Gab.
"You shouldn't spend-"
Noah cut me off by shoving the candy in my face.
I sighed taking it from him. "You're spoiling him. Soon, he'll start expecting treats from you."
"What about you? Am I spoiling you too?" Noah's hand came to ruffle my hair.
I batted his hand away, shooting him a scowl.
"Yeah, it looks like it," he answered himself and chuckled before taking the seat next to Gabriel.
Gab and I thanked him and we all three ate our candies. It had been years since I had one of these. I might've bought it for my brother, but I never indulged myself to watch my weight. I forgot how good cotton candy tasted when I was a kid. I enjoyed the fluffiness and sweetness as it melted in my mouth.
Noah asked Gabriel about his day and that was the only cue my brother needed to start with his childish rambling. I knew Noah was just warming him up to coax information out of him, but he didn't seem impatient when Gab went on about how Matt got a paper cut or the teacher who praised him for getting the math problem right. He enjoyed my brother's long monologues.
"So Gab, you remember what we talked about in the morning?" Noah finally broached the real issue.
"Yeah, I didn't tell anyone about Realm of Magic or you," Gab replied immediately.
"Thanks." Noah grinned. "This all should remain only between the three of us. Okay?"
Gab nodded.
"Gab, tell me how you entered the realm and how you know Gorrie?"
"First time it was accident. I was hiding from Giselle. I didn't know I was even there, until Gorrie found me. He looked scared at first but then he helped me get back. He told me to think about our world. It took me time but I was back. Then Giselle found me.
"Next day I went there again. I did what Gorrie told me, but this time I imagined the realm and I was there. As I visited more Gorrie started talking to me and we became friends. He showed me magic tricks. He can change flower's color, make them grow in a second, talk to insects and birds... he can do lots of stuff that other magicians here can't do.
"He showed me the forest too. There are so many things there that I have never seen before. Waterfalls, large caves, his family's ancient tree. It was fun. But he never took me to Arendell city even when I asked him so many times. He said it was too dangerous. Nobody should know that I'm there. That's why I never told Giselle about it. I wanted to show her the Realm too. But I had to keep it a secret. I can spend hours there but when I come back only few minutes have passed, so she never found out.
"Now I think Gorrie was right. When Giselle found out about Realm of Magic, she stopped me from going there. It was better when she didn't know," he sassed.
I threw him a glare. "My introduction to that world wasn't that great, Gabriel. I didn't have a fairy man to give me a tour. Just after few minutes of getting there, a giant boar literally ran after us to have a bite of our heads. We could've died. Can you blame me that I didn't want my baby brother going back to that dangerous place?!"
"Tezeks don't eat meat," Noah commented, making my glare shift to him. "Of course that doesn't mean they can't harm you. They are big, wild beasts," he immediately added.
"That thing didn't need to eat us to kill us. It can just stomp on our heads to get the job done."
"I don't think it was there to kill you," Noah said, thoughtfully, "tezeks in their free mind don't go after people until you disturb them. It looks like Gorrie manipulated him to go after you. He wanted to chase you out of the Realm." He turned to Gabriel, his brows knitting. "Gab, how did your friend look like?"
Gabriel frowned. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?" He said instead.
"I don't want to Gab, but if he turns out to be some amateur spirit who didn't know what he was doing before putting you and your sister at unnecessary risk, then I might be tempted to," my boyfriend replied honestly. He looked like he was ready to pummel Gorrie, and Gabriel turned even more hesitant to answer him.
"But he'll never want to hurt me."
"What he did could've hurt you, badly," Noah gritted, but his anger dimmed when he looked at my brother's pout. He sighed before relenting. "Tell me how he looks Gab. I won't hurt him."
"Well, he's like a shadow in the shape of human. You can see through him too-"
"Gray spirits," Noah confirmed, "I guessed right."
"What are gray spirits?" I asked.
"Another one of the creatures of Realm. They mainly reside in forests and live in a group of dozen or so. Their cluster is very close knitted. Gorrie did a good job of hiding Gabriel from his mates, if he hid him that is." He again turned to Gab. "You didn't meet anyone else there, did you?"
Gab shook his head. "No."
"That's good, I suppose. Gorrie didn't want to get in trouble either. But the stunt he pulled wasn't right. A gray spirit has to be really seasoned to exercise successful control over larger animals like tezeks. Gorrie sounds like a newly-formed spirit. He's most likely inexperienced."
"How did you deduce that?" I questioned. Apparently, questions were all that I could add to this conversation.
"Old spirits are wicked and selfish. They'll never associate with someone that can get them in trouble. A human in Celestial Realm is big trouble. They even stay away from prime goblins. It's the new ones that are curious and naive like children. That's why they stay in clusters, the old ones look out for their younger counterparts."
"Gorrie could've asked me to leave nicely," I said, taking the bite of my candy, "there was no need to send a hulking animal after us."
"Maybe, he got scared," Gabriel chimed, nibbling on the empty stick.
Noah was deep in thought. His candy looked untouched. We all sat in silence, and when Gab eyed my cotton candy I gave it to him. Like Noah, sweet treats weren't the priority in my mind.
"I think I'll have to pay Gorrie a visit," Noah finally said. "Despite being a newly-formed one, he's still a gray spirit. They are inherently knowledgeable. Maybe, he can help me with the mystery that you two are."
"Can you take me with you?" Gabriel put in the request immediately.
"No," I was quick too.
"Come on Giselle, don't do this again,"Â Gabriel whined, "Noah will be there with me. He'll need me to find Gorrie."
"It's still too dangerous. Besides Noah will get in trouble with that place's authorities because of you. We aren't supposed to be there, Gab."
"I won't get in trouble," said Noah and my eyes narrowed at him. He shrugged.
"You're seriously not thinking of taking Gabriel with you! What if your people found out? I don't want my brother captured in some dungeon or experimented on because he's some kind of freak for you people!" I pointed out. Now there were more serious things to consider about Magic Realm other than the wild animals. If Gabriel and I didn't belong there, then we didn't need to go there. We were nothing against goblins and spirits that could crush us with their magic powers.
"Do you really think that I'll let something like that happen to you and your brother, Martin?" Noah challenged.
"Well, that's not in your control."
"It is!" He snapped.
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Let's just say I'm one of the important people over there," he replied vaguely.
"You're one of the important people here too, that doesn't mean you're above the law," I threw back and Noah looked at me with raised brows. I grunted. Rich people! "Okay, maybe you are. But that doesn't mean you can stop government from capturing aliens. Because that's what we'll be in your world, aliens."
"Martin, I am an alien in your world too. Thousands of goblins roaming here are aliens. Your government doesn't dare to capture us, instead they beg us to get our help. So yeah, I can stop your government from capturing aliens."
"Government knows about you," Gabriel gasped.
"You'll be surprised what else they know."
I'd make sure to milk Noah for more information about the government's x-files some other time, but right now I was controlling myself from smacking him for outsmarting me. I didn't want to take any chance when it came to my brother.
"I don't want to fight you Martin," Noah cooed, his tone turning gentle. "Your fears are valid. I'm not going to take either of you there until you're comfortable."
"I'm comfortable," Gabriel quipped.
Noah smiled and ruffled his hair. "I already got that buddy." He turned to me. "We'll discuss this tomorrow. It's getting late. Let's get you two home."
I nodded. Leaving Noah wasn't pleasant- it never was- but I was ready for home. I had a lot of thinking to do.
Noah gave his candy to Gabriel too, who took it without an ounce of shame after gulping down mine, before we all got up. I shook my head. This kid better not have sugar rush later.
******
You can read two chapters ahead on inkitt. Link is in bio.