Hidden Flame 29

**Avery**
I think that I understand the Trio better. They literally have a split personality. I need to pay better attention to their eyes
so I know exactly who I am dealing with. Also, I wonder what it means when their eye colors evenly combine. It also
makes me wonder about the dragon that marked me. Was he like the Hags or more like the Trio? I just want to
understand why he marked a human child, but I guess that I will never know.
Cassius kept giving me funny looks as he paid for our beach shopping spree. Does he know that I only shopped on the
clearance rack? He must because I can hear him fighting back a laugh. Money or not, I don’t see the point in paying full
price for something that I will only use today. I have never been to the beach so I don’t think I will be back. I feel exposed
and I don’t like it. After I dug the cover-up out of the bag, I put it on. I think that I will wear it until I must remove it.
Cassius can be the half-naked one in his swim trunks and tank top. His skin is flawless unlike mine.
We walked along the boardwalk for a bit. The breeze felt good on my skin and I like the saltiness too. Cassius looks at me, “You have never been to a beach, have you?”
“Is it that obvious?”
He chuckles, “No, but you just confirmed it.”
I nudged him but he barely moved and I knocked myself off balance, “Ass.” He laughed as he reached over to steady me.
“Look, a fortune teller. I have read about those,” he says.
I laugh, “Nerd alert.”
He winks, “Now who is the ass.”
We walked to the fortune teller’s booth. She was an older lady with long wavy hair. Her eyes were such a light blue that
they almost looked grey. Cassius put a few bills onto her table. She fanned out the cards and her eyes began to become
cloudy. “I will read the young man first,” she said in a robotic tone.
She pulled out three cards. She points to each as she speaks, “This is The Fool. In your past, you have been very childish
and made hasty decisions. The card representing your present is The Devil it signifies change or rebirth. Keep changing,
son. The future card is The Lovers. You will find your girl if you haven’t already.”
Cassius looks at me. “She is not wrong. I do regret our past.”
The lady hands me all of the cards and asks me to shuffle them. I did as she asked. Then she had me pick three cards. She
pointed to them as she did before, “Your past card is Nine of Swords. You have a past filled with anxiety and fear. Many
have harmed you. That saddens me, child because you seem to have such a light soul. Your present has been filled with
danger. Something sudden and violent as represented by the Knight of Swords. However, your future looks very bright,
very bright indeed. The Empress tells me that you will rule one day. You are the embodiment of a queen but you are just
waiting for the right regal partner or perhaps he is standing beside you now.”
Her eyes reverted back to their original color. I exchanged a look with Cassius and he shook his head. We both thanked
her and walked to a spot on the sand. “Was she not human?”
He sighs, “She was human but very right.”
“Not about all of mine.”
“Let’s just enjoy our day and me taking your beach virginity,” he jokes.
I blush and look away. This is my second non-date. I need to not make a fool of myself. He reaches into the bag and pulls
out a bottle of sunscreen, “Let me do you and you can do me.”
“Do me, huh?”
He laughs but I can see a faint blush tinge his cheeks, “Not what I meant, Avery and you know it.”
I do, but it was fun to see him rattled for a change. After our lotion was applied, we stood up. He reached his hand out to me and we walked into the cool waves. We waded out until the water came to my waist. He leaned back and began to
float. I just watched him because he looked so at peace. I screamed as I saw a fin stick out of the water. Cassius stood up
and grabbed me and then he looked where I was. He chuckled as he sat me down. “What are you doing? Run, it is a
shark!”
He holds me by my waist, “Avery, that’s a dolphin, not a shark.”
The fin swam close to us and soon I saw that he was right. He smirked as he reached out to it. The dolphin rubbed
against his hand. He grabbed its fin and it pulled him through the water. He looked at me, “Your turn. Just do as I did.”
Anxiety began to course through my veins but I fought it. I replicated his movements and the dolphin took me for a ride.
I have never felt so free. As the sun was beginning to set, we dried ourselves off and went back to his car. Once inside I
said, “Thank you for this.”
He leaned close, “You don’t need to thank me because I have a lot to make up for. It is I who should thank you for
trusting me today.”
Our moment, if that was a moment was ruined by his phone buzzing. He looks at it as he chuckles, “My brothers want to
know if there will be dinner.”
I laughed. “Tell them to have the kitchen make something because we are eating out. I want a greasy burger and some
fries.”
He chuckles, “Your wish is my command, but I am picking the burger joint.”