Little Phoenix
I

It was a normal day, if you choose to ignore the fact that it was the day that would forever change my life. It was a sunny afternoon, so I decided to go outside with Maewyn. That was when I first saw her. Devika Wolfesbain. Devika was looking around, completely lost as one of the Daiemonium children that had just gotten adopted by a nice pair of Alis parents.

After I told my mom, she told me that I should become friends with her. Telling me that it’s hard for a Daiemonium child to make friends after being in an orphanage for so many years of their childhood. How my mom knew about that was beyond me; but I listened.

The very next day, I went out to where I saw Devika before and asked her if she would be my friend. With shocked eyes and a barely gaping mouth—revealing that she was taken aback—Devika hesitantly agreed and we’ve been friends ever since.

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“Who’s your target today?” Devika asked as I walked inside our house, the bottom of my wings dragging against the wood flooring.

It’s been almost twenty years since we first met that day. Much has changed since then. I became a legal assassin of the government after my ex-girlfriend, Zephyrine, was murdered for some reason. Devika became an actual legalised citizen, allowing her to adopt other Daiemonium if she wished.

Almost immediately, Maewyn made a ‘scra’ sound at the sight of me and flew towards me, landing on my right shoulder. She let out a small sneeze, fire blowing out of her nostrils and mouth. The smell of fire and smoke bombarded my nostrils. Devika sighed and told me, “Hold still,” as she stood up from her chair.

I did as she told me as she grabbed the fire towel, pressing it against my hair. The smell of fire disappeared, leaving the short smell of smoke.

Maewyn wrapped her tail around my arm and she laid on my shoulder. Her front paws latched onto my collarbone and shoulder as her back paws latched onto my shoulder. Pain stung in my shoulder from her claws. I lifted my left head up, patting Maewyn’s head twice. She let out a quiet trill of content as Devika walked back to her seat.

“I don’t have a target at the moment,” I finally answered, setting down my bag of supplies on the table. I took off my knife holsters and set them on the table.

“Weapons don’t go on the table,” Devika says, glaring at me for a second before she goes back to reading her book. I sighed, “I know, alright? I’m just settin’ them there temporarily. Aye?” Devika rolled her eyes, “Alright.” I barely nod my head, hearing Maewyn begin to snore. Maewyn’s small wings fall to hide the right side of my back and the right side of my torso.

“How’s the adoption goin?” I asked as I carefully took off my shoes, not wanting to wake Maewyn. Devika sighed, “It’s going, I guess.” I looked at my best friend as I asked, “What’s wrong?” Devika answered, “It’s harder because I’m a Daiemonium and I don’t have a partner. Usually Alis couples are the ones looking to adopt on the islands, not a single Daiemonium.”

I nodded—understanding her point. I set my left hand on Devika’s shoulder and comfortingly squeezed it. I told her, “Yeh’ll win this fight. I know yeh will, Devi.” Devika nodded, “Thanks, Eli.” I nod in reply, “’Course, Devi!” Devika went back to reading her book as I grabbed all my knife holsters and picked them up.

“I’ll be in my room!” I told Devika as I walked away, heading up to my room. With every step I took up the stairs, my large wings hit the bottom of the stairs, small shocks of pain going through my coloured feathers. I reached my room, grabbing the door handle and twisting it open. I pushed my door open and walked into my room, shutting my door behind me.

I grabbed my notebook and a pen. I outstretched my wings to the sides and sat down on my circle bed. My wings fell down onto my bed and I opened my notebook. I went to a blank page and one of the poems I wrote recently caught my eyes. I look at it, beginning to read the recently finished poem.

“Remember,

honey and wildfires are both

the colour gold.

So just because you’re soft,

it doesn’t mean you’re not a force.”

My smile widens just barely, I love that poem. It’s such a great reminder. Just because I can be soft and sweet like honey does not mean that I can’t be like fire, a force to be reckoned with. I open my pen and move it to the blank page. I began to write a new poem as I hummed the Daiemonium song that Devika taught to me when we were kids.

“Give your daughters difficult names.

Give them a name that can’t roll of the tongue,

a name that people will always struggle to pronounce correctly.

Give your daughters a name that requires full command of the tongue.

I don’t want my name to roll off the tongue as easily as it does.

I want everybody who can’t pronounce my name

to watch out for the wrath that can follow.

My name makes you want to tell the truth.

My name doesn’t allow me to trust anyone

who cannot pronounce it correctly. ”

I lift my pen from the paper, tapping the end of my pen against my chin—trying to think of a better way to phrase the written words. No ideas came to my help and so, I flipped to a blank page. I began writing another poem, the poem practically writing itself—this one being about roses but it wasn’t about love.

“You shall find that people are like roses.

Roses are just as lovely to look at,

and rose vines are the same,

even as they wrap themselves tight around your limbs,

the same way that people drown you in their own toxicity.”

If only I knew the stars of my fate were still crossed.

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