Forever Misplaced, page 4
She spent a long time working sticks and twigs out of her curls with the bar of soap and a comb she found in the drawer under the sink while snooping before Tristan returned and knocked on the bathroom door. She stuck her head out of the curtain. “Yeah?”
Tristan opened the door a crack and shoved clothes and a sack through the gap, setting everything carefully on the tile. His eyes were closed and Kody couldn’t help but smile. “Uh, I got some clothes and some, um, hair products and other things. I’m just gonna set them right in here. She gave me like, three kinds of conditioners or something. The red one is a wash-out, and the blue is leave-in. And there’s a cream. I don’t know what it’s for, but my neighbor said it was important.”
Kody covered her smile, trying not to laugh. “Thanks, I think I can figure it out.”
“Okay, I’ll be . . . not in here.”
“Sounds good.”
When the door closed, Kody stepped out of the tub and dripped on the mat while digging through the bag. There were several bottles and a jar, along with a toothbrush, and what she suspected was a bundle of feminine hygiene products.
She couldn’t help her “awww” when she realized he’d gotten her pads, just in case. He couldn’t be that perfect, could he?
She finished her shower, infinitely faster and easier with the proper hair products, and wrapped a towel around her body and a second around her hair. Then she set to work cleaning the shower of hair and leaves and wiping up the water she’d gotten everywhere. She cleaned and dried his comb and stuck it back in the drawer, then inspected the other contents of his cabinet. She found something in a jar that reminded her of an all-natural deodorant one of her old roommates had made, and she smeared it on her armpits before using something she was nearly positive was a dissolvable toothpaste tablet to brush her teeth. Another bottle proved to be lotion, and Kody coated her skin, half mesmerized and half disgusted by how her freshly moisturized green skin glowed in the magical lights.
At last she dug through the clothes and found something resembling a sports bra and a pair of orange underwear. For pants, there were lightweight brown trousers, made of something like linen or cotton, that were loose over her legs. They felt intentionally loose but synched at the waist with a long drawstring that hung halfway down her thigh. The shirt was flowy and yellow with short sleeves. It would be perfect for the weather, but Kody didn’t think she could handle so much skin showing, even if yellow did compliment her green nicely. It was all more color than she ever wore, and though everything was lovely, she cringed at not being able to blend into the background.
Wanting to stall emerging from the bathroom for as long as possible, she took the towel off her hair and fussed with her curls until they came back to life, and she again felt like herself.
She glanced in the mirror to make sure everything was in place and didn’t recognize herself. Her hair looked the same, but everything else was different. Every day for ten years she smothered herself in foundation, and now without it a stranger looked back at her. Her swirls came up each side of her face and flowed over her cheeks and across her nose. Another swirl arched over one eyebrow and across her forehead as others wound over her chin and around her neck. Scratches covered her face and neck, breaking the flow of green. She took a deep breath and met her eyes. They had always been that odd green-brown mix of hazel, but now the green overwhelmed the brown, and in spots the green nearly shimmered, but maybe that was the light.
She could never go back, her life was over. Even if Tristan didn’t say it was impossible, there was no way to hide how different she’d become. Long sleeves and foundation wouldn’t be enough. She’d need gloves and the sort of thick concealer people used to hide tattoos.
Kody pulled her eyes away from the mirror. She’d seen enough.
Chapter Six
Finished in the bathroom, Kody took a deep breath. Tristan would provide the information she needed about how this world worked and what she could expect, and she would make a plan on what to do next. Centered and focused again, she stepped back out into the sitting room. Tristan wasn’t there.
A thump came from the bedroom, and Kody glanced through the door. Tristan stretched out a sheet on the bed and jumped when he noticed her.
“Sorry, I wasn’t sure what to do with my dirty things,” Kody said, holding up the bundle of her clothes.
“Right, you can toss them in the hamper over there.” He gestured to a basket with soot-streaked clothes piled high, sitting between a wardrobe and coat rack. “The building has a laundry service.” Tristan threw a blanket into the air over the bed and smoothed it into place. Kody unfurled a corner and helped him stuff pillows into clean cases. It embarrassed her at how much her heart raced while making a bed, the only bed in the apartment, with a handsome and kind stranger. She fought hard to keep her mind surface level and not let it run away to places better not thought of in mixed company.
She tossed the pillow at the head of the bed and glanced at Tristan. He watched her as he covered the last pillow, but looked away when she noticed.
“If you’re okay with it, you can sleep in here and I can take the couch.” He grabbed a second blanket and a pillow and headed for the bedroom door. The little flame that danced merrily in the middle of Kody’s chest went out. He looked back at her. “If you aren’t comfortable here, I have a friend who runs an inn in town. He’s a good man, but that place is usually packed.”
“I would prefer here, if that’s okay,” Kody said quickly. “I don’t want to take your bed, though. I can sleep on the couch.”
She tried to take the blanket from him, but he snorted and moved around her to the living room.
“Please, I keep early hours at the forge. You’ll be more comfortable in the room.” He gestured to the couch. “Have a seat so I can look at your cuts.”
“They’re fine. I washed everything out well.”
“I can see two from here that look inflamed. Sit.”
Kody sat.
Tristan disappeared into the bathroom again to wash his hands before joining her on the couch and sitting a little too close. He opened a jar and the chaotic scent of an essential oils shop hit her.
“Wow, that’s strong.”
The edge of Tristan’s mouth curved into a brief grin. “Sometimes magic used to enhance the strength of something enhances more than just the healing effects. But don’t worry. You should only smell like a spice cabinet for a few hours.”
Tristan dipped his finger in the cream and held out his hand.
Kody placed her hand in his, and he pulled her arm closer.
“So this is some magical ointment, then?” She winced when he dabbed the cream on the largest cut on her forearm. It stung for a long moment, then went numb.
“Of course.” Tristan looked up at her and grinned. “I know it takes some getting used to, but there are some things about this world that are better than the one you left.”
Kody nodded and winced as Tristan moved on to another cut. “That conditioner was fantastic. Who’d you get them from, a girlfriend?”
Tristan hovered over a fresh cut for a moment too long before moving on. “Uh, no, she’s taken, and her girlfriend would probably kick my ass if I tried anything.”
Kody tried not to grin.
“She said she’d bring by a few more things later today, since one change of clothes won’t last you long.”
“That’s really kind, but I don’t have any money.”
Tristan gave a small wave of his hand before scooping up more ointment and starting on her other arm. “It’s been handled.”
“Thanks, but I don’t like to owe anyone. Should I be repaying this friend or you?”
Tristan sighed, then pulled up the flowy sleeve of her shirt and plopped ointment on a thick cut that made Kody wince.
“I’ve spent a lot of my life popping between Earth and this world. On Earth, I was a foster kid, relying on the system for everything. Then I travel here and again I can do nothing but accept charity. There used to be a law that any who encountered one of the Misplaced in need offered what aid they could. That means I’ve spent most of my life depending on others for everything.” He raised his eyebrows. “So believe me when I say I get where you’re coming from. I’m not from this city, but I came here and apprenticed with a blacksmith so I could have a trade, so I would never have to accept handouts again. If I now finally have the chance to help someone else, would you take that from me?”
She met his caramel brown eyes and tried her hardest not to melt. Tristan leaned in and brushed her hair behind her ear, which didn’t work very well, and lightly ran his finger over a cut on her cheekbone. Kody held her breath while he moved on to her neck and pulled her hair back so he had better access. His fingers flashed over the scratches on her neck and collarbone.
He cleared his throat and grabbed a strip of white cloth. “Let’s see if it’s working.” He dipped the cloth in the bowl of water and rung it out, then lifted the first arm he’d applied ointment to. He turned it, revealing her worst scratch, and Kody blanched.
“What is that?” Something yellow brown and gooey lined the top of her cut, and Tristan wiped it up with a corner of the cloth before folding it and wiping again. The cut under the gunk looked a week old, as if the ointment had hurried her healing. She lifted her arm closer to examine the healing cut. Was it really magic?
“That cut was infected, probably with some plant toxin. The ointment helped your body purge itself.” Tristan took her arm back and whipped at another gooey spot.
“Ew, so that’s poison you’re wiping up?”
“Poison and puss, probably.”
“Gross.” Kody went to cover her face with a hand, but stopped when she noticed a cut on that hand also gooping. She grimaced. All romantic feelings gone.
Tristan chuckled. “It’s normal. I get scratches all the time from metal and things. The cuts that aren’t infected will be totally gone by morning, and the others, the morning after that.”
“I can’t believe I’m in some magical world and supposedly some elf or Elv or whatever.”
Tristan chuckled again, and it made her feel a tiny bit better. “What did you think you were before knowing about all of this? I mean, your ears aren’t as sharp as a full-blooded Elv, but the green must have been an issue.”
She’d never talked about it so openly with anyone before, but what did she have to lose? Tristan could clearly see her, had put his fingers all over her green and brown arms in the bright glow of the magic lights. She took a deep breath. “It wasn’t this green before.”
Tristan paused and looked up at her again, his eyes so focused as if he could see straight through her. “What do you mean?”
“It started when I was ten. The swirls were only really visible in sunlight, then got a little darker over the years. I used foundation on my face and neck, and wore long sleeves year around, and that pretty much took care of things. It was an oddity, but only something people really close to me ever noticed, and I didn’t let many people that close.”
Tristan nodded and broke his intense eye contact, then returned to wiping her arms clean. “When did it change, then?”
Kody sighed. “When I fell into that stupid forest. My skin started glowing, like the spirals were literally glowing green for hours. When I woke up, the glowing was gone, but they were still this vivid. I don’t think foundation would even cover them now.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t have to cover them anymore.”
“Are you kidding me? I look like a weird candy cane. Why wouldn’t I cover it? I was just thinking how I hope your friend brings me something with long sleeves or I need to get my hoodie washed before I leave this room.”
“Roll up your pant legs for me,” Tristan said, scooting back for a better angle. She did what he said, hoping her cheeks weren’t noticeably blushing. She hadn’t shaved in a while and her legs were badly scratched and welted all the way up her thighs. Tristan didn’t seem to care. He scooped out more ointment before setting to work. “It’s too hot this summer to wear long sleeves for anything other than sun protection. An Elv in town would be an oddity, but other than a few looks, no one is going to bother you. Besides, some people like candy canes.” Tristan looked up at her with a charming smirk, his hand holding her calf. She had to look away as her stomach did little cartwheels.
“How do you know I’m an Elv if no one has ever seen one?”
“It’s not that we never see them, just that it’s rare. They have a long bloody history with the Hu. But people know what they look like. We have a way of telling stories here in the Twoshy. It’s kind of like magical telepathic TV, and people use it to share stories. I’m not good at it, but I’ll take you to one sometime.”
Kody sighed and watched the poison ooze out of her leg cuts with sick satisfaction while she thought. “There’s a lot I don’t know about this world.”
“Well, I can’t share a tale, but I can give you a brief history if that helps.”
“Anything would help at this point.”
Tristan sat up and moved to the floor so he had a better angle to tend to her other leg. “Let me think where to start. I guess the beginning is best. The continent we live on is known as the Kingdom of Sixteen, more commonly called the Twoshy. Back when it was founded, it was mostly occupied by Elvman, Dwarvman, Aviman, and dragons.”
“Dragons?”
“Yes,” Tristan said with a bemused grin.
“Sorry, go on.”
He cleared his throat. “Humankind occupied most of the remaining world. The other races don’t like us, so wherever we went they left, until the only place remaining was here.”
“Why don’t they like us?”
“Knowing what you do of mankind, do you like us?”
Kody said nothing, and Tristan picked up another clean cloth and dampened it.
“So anyway, when this land was all that was left, a bunch of rich selfish Hu got together and invaded. Excuse me, I mean colonized.”
Kody chuckled.
“There were sixteen colonies planned, sixteen being seen as a magically strong number, and when they arrived and the war began, there were significant losses on all sides. Two of the leaders died along with a good portion of their people, and so two of the colonies were never established. We ended with fourteen nations, two short of sixteen, hence, we call it the Twoshy.”
“Aw, that’s catchy.”
Tristan grinned. “So the Elv, Avi, Dwarv, and dragons all supposedly left the Twoshy, and the Hu took over.”
“Why supposedly?” Kody asked with a wince as Tristan wiped a particularly nasty gash on her shin. He applied a second coat of ointment to it.
“The Avi took to the mountains and the Elv disappeared, though we hear rumors of them living in the forests, and every now and then there are sightings. The Dwarv are most like the Hu, so some of them integrated, and well, loads of people don’t even realize they have Dwarv blood.”
“What of the dragons?” Kody whispered.
Tristan smiled, and Kody hoped he didn’t notice her heart skip a beat. “People say they left and went to more desolate lands, but I have it on good authority they just moved south, to the other side of the mountains, where most Hu don’t bother to travel.”
“You’re gonna tell me the story you have there, right?”
“Maybe eventually. But we’re getting off track. Back when we were babies, there was a powerful wizard who got pissed off at all our parents, the leaders and rulers of the Twoshy. That’s the other thing us Misplaced have in common. All of our parents were leaders.”
“So you’re a prince?”
“No, my parents were elected officials.” Tristan frowned.
“Oh.”
Something caught Kody’s eye and she frowned. “Your desk drawer is glowing.”
Tristan didn’t even glance over his shoulder. “Probably one of the others trying to get in touch.”
“You mean one of the other Misplaced? Shouldn’t you answer it?”
Tristan shrugged and rubbed more ointment into her leg. “They’re always calling and checking in for no reason. Thomas is probably just fussing.”
“Sounds like they care about you.”
Tristan rolled his shoulders as if uncomfortable with the thought. “They shouldn’t. Just because we were all trapped by the same spell doesn’t mean we’re friends or family.”
Kody understood what he meant. Just because she’d been in the system with other kids didn’t mean they owed each other anything, but she still felt like there was more behind Tristan’s words than a pragmatic worldview. He guarded himself by keeping others at arm’s length, just as Kody wanted to do after her break from Roger.
Kody still wanted to believe intrinsic relationships were possible, she just wasn’t sure she could ever find one.
Eventually, the drawer stopped its pulsating glow.
Tristan continued his history lesson as if nothing had happened. “So this bad wizard casts a spell on all the heirs of the Twoshy and traps them in what we know of as Earth. The heirs being just the babies of the current leaders. It would take too much power to trap older kids or adults, and babies have more of a shock factor.”
“But that doesn’t explain me if the Elv aren’t a part of the Twoshy.”
“I’m getting there. Thomas, the guy from the orb, made it his thing to track us all down, find everyone and help them transition, especially those of us like you who didn’t know what you were until the spell was broken. We thought we had everyone because we were just thinking of those lost from the fourteen nations. And it’s easy enough to tell who is who. We all travel back within the borders of our own lands. I’m from Pundica, which is further west of here. This nation, Rohap, the ruler didn’t have any heirs, so I knew you didn’t belong to this kingdom, and the only other nation within walking distance is to the south, and I know who the Misplaced from there. She’s already happily sitting on a throne and ruling with her new husband.” When he said this, his face grew broody again, and Kody wondered what history existed between him and that queen. Not that Tristan’s past mattered to her at all. She was just curious.
