Mathieu (White Flame Trilogy) - By Paula Flumerfelt Page 0,32
she’d probably like that.” He tried to deter her.
Laughing, Avian parked the carriage. “Narrie hates going to gatherings. She can’t help from being her normal…charming self.” Getting out, she waited for him before going into the building.
It was dark inside with random knickknacks pressed tightly together: on shelves, on the floor, on counters, everywhere. It was an interesting sight, everything from obscure weaponry to soft clothing and cuddly objects. Some things squeaked with life while others lay there, waiting to be lifted and given purpose.
“I used to come here as a kid whenever I was healthy enough. The owner is a nice older man with a son he never hears from. We all just call him Grandpa.” She edged around a rack of weird, slimy looking things.
Mathieu lightly touched a ball of bright purple light that sat on a shelf as he passed. It made an ‘eep’ sound before skittering away, floating a few yard back. Staring at it, he waiting, keeping his hand where it was.
Slowly, it cautiously floated forward until it had passed his hand and was a hairsbreadth from his face. It looked fluffy, yet also seemed to be made out of some sort of swirling, ethereal mist. He knew this was a façade for he had touched it a mere moment ago and it had been very solid.
“How odd.” Mathieu smiled as it brushed against his cheek warmly in an affectionate gesture, making a soft ‘murr’ sound.
“Well, little fella, you finally got your glow back.” A wizen old man came out from behind a shelf and smiled. He held himself up with a cane and really did seem like the grandfather type. One of his eyes was blank with blindness.
Avian squeaked with delight. “Hi, Grandpa! How are you today?” She hugged the man around the shoulders.
“Good, good. Haven’t seen the likes of you around here lately. Not in a good while, that’s for sure. But who’s this? And where is that lovely Narrie?” Grandpa said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
“Narrie stayed at the house. This is Mathieu. He’s my friend.”
The man gave Mathieu a once over before nodding in approval. “The shop seems to like him. Tesla has been out of glow for a while now, but perked right up when your friend entered. As did Nikola.” Pointing with his free hand, a red ball of light that looked identical to the other floated around a nearby corner. “They’re a set you know. Shadowriders.”
“Huh?” Mathieu said lamely. He would swear this man was speaking in one of the languages the Professor had been talking about earlier.
Smiling, the man allowed the red ball to rest in his palm. “These creatures have many forms. This is their most useless. All they do is float around and sleep. They have a bigger form, like a cat, yet not; more skeletal but kind of fluffy. Shadowriders have two other forms, a medium form about the size of a large dog and finally, an armored beast body that stands taller than you or I. They’re pretty amazing. They can even communicate telepathically with those gifted enough to hear them. I personally can’t, but I’ve heard of times when their species have saved those that were listening.”
“Shadowriders, huh…” His eyes were full of wonder at the small creature now resting in the crook of his elbow.
Releasing the one that he held, Grandpa patted him on the back. “Tell you what, for bringing Avian to see me again, I’ll let you have them. They don’t do me any good anyway.”
He left out that we can teleport, too. The purple ball seemed to be pulsing as the deep voice filled his head.
Of course he did. He doesn’t know our secrets. This voice was softer, feminine.
The first voice snorted. It’s not our fault that they are so ignorant. Useless, I swear.
“That was rude.” Mathieu said aloud.
Avian gave him a quizzical look. “Uh?”
“Can’t you hear it? It said we’re ignorant.”
Grandpa laughed. “That’s wonderful. You can hear them, can’t you?”
“Hear who?” Avian asked, feeling left out.
The man rolled his eyes and smacked her in the shin with his cane. “You don’t listen, do you? He can hear them, the Shadowriders.”
Mathieu laughed, severely doubting the man’s words. “I really don’t think that I’m capable of doing that.”
Wow, said the feminine voice, he sure has long hair. The red ball nuzzled against his hair.
“Quit that.” He swatted at the light.
It made a squeaking sound before hiding behind a nearby shelf.