Evils of the Night-Chapter 5

Jayden's Heart

Finally, Jayden went down the stairs. He raced all the way to the bottom and went to Frederick's chambers. The old elf was seated on his throne, mumbling over some papers that sat at his desk.

“Frederick?” Jayden called.

“Bust my buttons and hang it all! What is it!?” the elf jumped and flopped his hands on the desk. “Oh, it's you, Jayden. My apologies. What can I do for you?”

Jayden bounded up the steps to the throne. “Well, I need your wisdom.”

Frederick picked up his pointy hat and peered at Jayden. “Yes. There is a light in your eyes that wasn't there before. What is it?”

Jayden sighed. “Well, you know Sylvia?”

Frederick snorted. “I should have known. You young elves are all alike.”

“No, this is different.”

Frederick stood up and shuffled to a bookshelf. He pulled out a dark purple book and set it on the table.

“Let me predict your problem.” he said, perching his spectacles on his nose. “You are feeling the call of the power color.”

“The what?”

Frederick looked over his glasses at Jayden. “The call of the power color. I suppose it could be a pull too. See, the power color purple is a powerful color. Only the night elves and fairies are able to tap into it. The Moon Queen bestowed purple on her favorites, her most loyal subjects, and she gave the color extra power.”

“But Sylvia...” Jayden tried to interrupt.

“Sylvia and you are the only elves at present who have that power color, otherwise the pull would be less. The two power centers inside of you want to be together. That's what keeps the colors so tight. That's why the blues stick together, that's why the greens stick together. That's why the only way a relationship will last is if the power colors match.” Frederick spoke softly, almost reverently now. “Since your power center is more matured than Sylvia's, you are able to sense this pull. She has not completely tapped into hers yet.”

“So what I'm feeling isn't real? It's just my power center?” Jayden was almost disappointed.

“In a way, yes. Your feelings for Sylvia are mostly the pull of the power centers trying to be together. It's like a magnet. If there were three or four more purples, you probably wouldn't feel this way.”

Jayden's brow furrowed slightly.

“You want to be in love with her, don't you?” Frederick observed.

“I don't know.” Jayden said, resting his forehead on his hand. She's pretty and smart and happy, but it seems like Lucia has a thing for me, and I just don't know.”

Frederick laughed aloud. “Lucia? The black elf? Don't worry your head about her, Jayden. She will never be right for you.”

Jayden looked up. “So Frederick, what's in the book?”

Frederick tipped his head to one side, then looked at the book. “Ah, yes. This book is all about the purple power color.” he handed it to Jayden. “Any more questions, read this.”

Jayden took the book back to the night elves living space and started reading at page 1. The girls remained in their room, the guys were in theirs, so he wasn't bothered. He read halfway through the book before Damian got his attention.

“Jayden. If you're going to the ball tonight, you should come get ready.”

Jayden looked up from the book. It was already dark. He'd been reading all day. “Oh, um, OK.” and he got up.

Jayden sent one look at the girls' room as he entered the guys'. He could hear them laughing, and Frederick's words echoed through his mind. “Your feelings for Sylvia are mostly the pull of the power centers trying to be together.” Jayden shook them away.

Alex, Felix, and Jayden shared a room, and they were already ready.

“So, Felix.” Alex, suddenly in a good mood, began. “Who's your first dance tonight?”

“Cynthia.”

“Oh? Got some chemistry goin' on?” Jayden teased, trying to snap himself out of his mood.

“No.” Felix said, but his face turned red.

“Dude, she's a blue!” Alex poked.

“Yeah, Felix. You'll have to marry a green wood elf, or worse, a green night fairy, or, even worse yet, a green wood fairy.” Jayden's voice dropped to a hiss.

“Oh you'll give him nightmares!” Alex whispered.

“You're spunky tonight, Alex.” Felix said, trying to change the subject.

“I had a couple shots of moon juice.” Alex admitted.

“So, Jayden.” Felix turned on him. “Who's your first dance?”

Jayden only smirked. “No one I'm telling you.”

“Please tell me it isn't Lucia.” Alex groaned, flopping dramatically onto his bed.

“No. It's not.”

“Well, since I'll be dancing with Cynthia, it's obviously Sylvia!” Felix said, in a haughty tone.

“Sylvia?” Alex sat up, suddenly interested. “No way.”

Jayden pulled on his black jacket. “Not telling.”

“You're wearing purple, Jay.” Felix said.

“So? It's my power color.”

“And Sylvia's.” Alex commented.

“It was mine first.” he said, and sent a single streak of blue lightning at Alex.

“Hey!”

Jayden gave him the “don't mess with me” smirk and nod, then ducked out of the room. The girls were still in their room. Jayden headed down the long flight of stairs. Once he passed the wood elves' level, music filled his ears. A small orchestra was already playing, the fairies were entering the tree with wisps of pixie dust floating after them. Some of the elves and fairies were dancing. Even old Frederick had ventured from his cave to watch the merriment.

After a few minutes, Alex and Felix came down the stairs, followed by Brett, Isa, and the rest of the water fairies. Damian followed them, then Cynthia and Lucia. Sylvia was behind Cynthia a ways, but when Jayden saw her, he suddenly knew that what he felt for her wasn't just the pull of the power center.

As promised, Felix asked Cynthia to dance with him. Alex immediately went for another shot of moon juice, and Damian was swept off by a night fairy.

Brett found Sylvia and introduced her to all the water elves. Sylvia instantly clicked with a spunky elf named Fuchsia. She was a blue, and she was full of fun. She and Sylvia could be seen frolicking around on a shot of moon juice, teasing, entertaining, and laughing.

The lively song the elves played ended, and the tree erupted into applause. Finally, a group of fairies took to the platform. The lead fairy instructed the group to play a fairy dance that didn't sound familiar to Sylvia. She watched for a moment as a group of fairies and elves began to dance. It was a sweet, soothing song, and Sylvia found herself swaying back and forth as she listened.

Suddenly Jayden was by her side. “Would you dance with me, Sylvia?” he asked.

She looked up at him and smiled. “Sure, but I don't know it.”

“That's alright. I do.” he took her hand gently in his and pulled her into the group of dancers.

Sylvia watched the other girls, and soon got the hang of the dance. Jayden only watched her. Even Frederick's eyes were turned toward the two purples. Sylvia suddenly felt a pull toward Jayden, and she looked up at him. Soon they were locked in each other's eyes. That's when Jayden saw that glimmer of sadness he'd seen when they first met. Her gray eyes were normally sparkling and happy, but for some reason now they were sad.

Sylvia searched Jayden's stare as well. She saw in his deep blue eyes the depths of some emotion that she couldn't identify. It felt like he was searching her soul for some hidden answer to an unasked question. The song ended too soon for Jayden. When Sylvia left, and ran off with Fuchsia again, he knew he had more than power control feelings for her.