27 Friends (1/2)

”Aura!” I yelled her name as my eyes flew open to the familiar scene of white-washed walls and daylight's rays peeking through the curtains. ”Dammit!”

I slammed my fist against my mattress. Then I pulled off the comforter in a rush and grabbed my smartphone from the chair so I could dial Ty's number.

Precious seconds ticked by on my alarm clock as I waited for him to pick up.

”H-hello?” Ty answered sleepily.

”Ty, get up... I need your help with something,” I said in an urgent tone.

”Sure...” He yawned. ”It's Sunday... so give me another few hours to catch some zzz's...”

”I need you now, man!” I insisted. ”Get dressed, pick up Arah, and head to my house as quick as you can... please.”

Ty finally registered the tone in my voice. ”A-alright, dude... I'll head over soon.”

”Thanks,” I told him before I put the phone down and dialed Arah's number next.

She picked up at the second ring as I figured she would. Arah was an early riser who liked to exercise in the mornings. After Luca disappeared, she'd taken up the Japanese martial art of Aikido to learn and protect herself. She was probably already deep into her katas by the time I called.

The conversation with Arah was short and quick to the point as she understood that time was important to me. She made a promise to arrive soon.

Finished calling for reinforcements, I rushed down to the kitchen to find that Aunt Lena had already left me pancakes and bacon for breakfast along with a note that explained she was spending the day at the hospital to visit my mom.

Guilt racked me then because I hadn't visited mom since the night I defended the hilltop. Partly because I didn't like seeing her in that fugue state she was in, but mostly because I really didn't want to run into Azuma while on Mudgard. That would be very dangerous considering he wanted to kill me.

I shrugged the guilt off and reminded myself I was doing everything I could to bring my family back together which is why I needed to rescue Luca as soon as possible.

I grabbed a quick bite to eat and downed a glass of apple juice as I would need the energy to prepare my counterstrategy for the tonight.

Ty and Arah arrived just as I'd finished my meal, and I led them from the front door and back to my dad's study, which is where I was about to tell them my plan but Arah stopped me with a raised hand after she'd shut the door into the room.

”Are you okay?” she asked sincerely. ”Because you look like you barely slept and you're still in your PJs...”

”I don't have time to shower now... I'll do it later,” I countered. ”So—”

This time it was Ty who had his hand raised. ”Dude... we've been talking...”

Now I knew why they were both standing so stiffly and had their arms crossed together. I was in for a lecture.

”You've asked us to help you out several times already... to research some really far-fetched stuff in here,” Ty gestured to the stacks of papers and books on the walls. ”And we have said nothing but...”

He looked over at Arah for support.

”We want to know what's gotten into you... do you believe these creatures - these fairies actually exist?” she sent me one of her smoldering looks. ”What's going on with you, Dean?”

”Guys, we don't have time for long explanations... we need to—”

They both had their hands raised.

”We're not helping you anymore until you fess up, dude,” Ty admitted.

Arah nodded in agreement. ”Yeah, what's really going on with you, Dean?”

We were at an impasse. They wanted to know the truth, but I refused to put them in that kind of danger. Besides, I wasn't even sure if I could. I didn't know if Aura had placed on me the same restriction of being unable to talk about fairies as was clearly put on my mother by the fairies who took Luca. But I needed their help. It was only because the three of us worked it out that I was able to find my way into the Fayne, and it was their suggestions that helped me figure out a strategy to defend the hilltop. I needed them.

I sighed. ”Look, you don't want any part of this... I'm keeping you safe by leaving you in the dark... I swear.”

They both looked at each other. Then they turned their eyes on me.

”Ready player two,” Arah said with conviction.

”Ready player three,” Ty added with a grin.

True to form, these guys wouldn't abandon me despite the trouble I could send their way. It's why we were best friends after all.

I sighed. ”Alright... Let's start from the beginning then...”

It turns out Aura had placed no restrictions on me as I was free to tell Ty and Arah everything that had happened to me since the day we discovered the fairy summoning ritual. I also clued them into my family's curse. This explanation took the better part of two hours as they were both stopping me for clarifications.

”So you serve as a commander in this fairy clan?” Arah asked.

”One-hundred Man Commander,” I corrected.

”So, like, Aura's a girl and she's an elf? I'm guessing she's hot, right? Please tell me that every fantasy we have about elves is true?” Ty asked eagerly.

I nodded in response. ”Yeah... she's beautiful.”

At the thought of Aura, I began wondering if she had defended herself after our enemies knocked me out and if she was safe with Edo and the others and waiting for my return.

It was a credit to the trust Arah and Ty placed in me that neither of them asked me if I was lying or even considered the possibility that I was going crazy. I told them fairies were real and they just accepted it just like that.

”So that's why you always look like you lack sleep... and why your grades have dropped considerably,” Arah noted.

”Dude,” Ty reproached her. ”Priorities... you don't have to rub it in that you've finally beaten him academically...”

The three of us laughed at that, and the lighthearted feeling I always had when I was with them returned.

”Fine... we'll table my lecture on how foolhardy you've been, Dean,” Arah said.