26. Ecco

26

ECCO

T he butterflies in my stomach are doing loop-de-loops as we stand in front of the sprites' front door the next day. I can't believe we're finally about to do this. That we've finally figured out who my stalker is.

The warm, woodland colors of their house make it stand out of the surrounding forest like an enormous fruit or flower, its patchwork of colorful shingles and climbing vines all coated in freshly fallen snow. It sets a cheery, pleasant scene—a stark contrast to my burbling anxiety.

I glance back at Graeme looming behind me, his features etched in a familiar scowl, those stone-carved cheekbones somehow even more brooding than usual.

"I still think we should've brought the police with us," he grumbles, muscular arms crossed over his chest.

I wave him off. "Oh, it's fine! I've got this."

But inside, my mind is racing ahead to the confrontation awaiting me. Taking a deep breath, I rap sharply on the door. The sound echoes through the afternoon stillness.

After a few tense seconds, the door swings open.

A smiling sprite woman stands before us, her iridescent wings fluttering behind her. Time for my show face. I plaster on a huge smile.

"Hi, are you Karisse's mom?" I ask, my voice surprisingly steady despite my jittery nerves. "I'm, err, her temporary choir director."

The woman's eyes widen, mouth forming a surprised ‘o'.

"Oh! Wow! You're Ecco Waverly!" she exclaims. Leaning in conspiratorially, she stage-whispers, "Karisse is obsessed with you, such a huge fan."

I exchange a loaded glance with Graeme, our suspicions solidifying by the second. His already tense shoulders tighten, jaw muscle flexing.

Clearing my throat, I keep my voice carefully neutral. "Is she here right now? I wanted to chat with her about something for, uh… choir."

"Yes, of course! Come on in." Karisse's mom steps aside and gestures for us to enter.

We step inside and my mind whirls with possibilities of how this conversation will unfold. Could I possibly be right about this? Or is it far too outlandish to be true?

I follow Karisse's mother down the hallway, taking in the homey, lived-in feel of the house. The walls are covered in family photos and colorful artwork, some of which looks to be by Karisse herself. The air is filled with the sweet scent of baking bread.

We stop outside a door adorned with a glittery nameplate that reads "Karisse's Room" in looping, girlish handwriting.

Karisse's mother knocks softly before pushing the door open, revealing a space that's every inch a typical 11-year-old girl's room. It's a haven of pink and purple and sparkles, filled to the brim with stuffed animals and posters.

Amidst the sea of color, one thing stands out like a beacon: the poster of me that I signed just a few days ago, hanging in a place of honor on the wall.

Karisse herself is sitting on her bed. Her eyes widen with shock and delight as she takes in the sight of me standing in her doorway.

"Oh my gods, Ecco !" she squeals, her voice high and breathy. "What are you doing here?!"

My gaze darts around the room, taking in every detail with a critical eye. My senses are on high alert as I search for any clue that might confirm my suspicions.

And then I see it: a half-melted magic-working candle sitting on Karisse's desk, its wick still smoking faintly. The candle is hard to focus on, as if it's vibrating in and out of existence as I watch.

I try to keep my voice calm and measured as I turn to face Karisse and her mother.

"Well, Karisse, I wanted to talk to you about something… and I think your mom should probably stay for this."

I'm painfully aware of the delicate nature of this conversation, the way I need to approach it with tact and sensitivity. But I also know that I can't back down, not when the safety of myself and those around me could be at stake.

I look Karisse directly in the eye, my gaze unwavering. "I need to ask you something serious, Karisse. Have you been… following me?"

The words seem to hang in the air, the room suddenly charged with a palpable tension. Graeme tenses beside me, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. But I keep my focus on Karisse, watching her face with bated breath.

"What are you talking about?" Karisse's mother demands, her voice rising with indignation. "Karisse is just a kid!"

But Karisse's face has drained of color, her eyes wide and panicked.

"I don't know what you mean!" she cries, her voice trembling, eyes darting back and forth.

I take a step forward, trying to keep my tone gentle but firm. "Karisse, I've had a stalker for the past month. Someone who keeps showing up in random places where they shouldn't be. Like my apartment back in the human lands, for example."

I pause, letting my words sink in before continuing.

"This stalker hasn't done anything to me, and it's hard to tell who they are because their form is all distorted and kind of winks in and out of existence."

I glance at Graeme, who gives me a small nod of encouragement. His presence beside me is a comfort, a reminder that I'm not alone in this.

"But Graeme was able to catch a scent of them… and we're pretty sure it's you, Karisse."

The room goes silent.

And then, Karisse bursts into hysterical tears, her small body shaking with the force of her sobs.

It's like a dam has broken, all of her pent-up emotions pouring out in a torrential flood.

Karisse's mother and I rush to her side, our arms wrapping around her trembling form in a gesture of comfort and support. I reflect wryly to myself that I never thought I'd be hugging my stalker, offering them comfort.

We stay like that for a long moment, the only sound the hitching of Karisse's breath and the soft murmur of her mother's soothing words.

Eventually, Karisse's sobs subside, and she lifts her head to meet my gaze. Her face is blotchy and tear-stained, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. But there's a glimmer of something else there too—a hint of relief, perhaps.

"I'm a chronos sprite, just like Mom and Dad," she whispers, her voice hoarse. "It means I can cast a projection of myself through time and space."

She takes a shuddering breath, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"I'm just such a huge fan, Ecco. I've been trying to go watch all of your performances. I never meant to scare you! I wasn't even sure if you could see me!"

I frown. "But you're showing up at a ton of random times, not just when I'm performing."

Karisse's face crumples, and she bursts into a fresh wave of tears.

"I suck !" she wails, her voice high and melodramatic. "Gods, I'm the worst sprite that has ever lived! I have no control over my powers, and I'm never going to learn how to control them, and I'm going to be an outcast for the rest of my life, and no one will want to date me , and I've made an idiot out of myself in front of my hero, and I should just go live in a cave !"

Her words tumble out in a frenzied rush, each sentence more anguished than the last. It's such a quintessentially tween speech.

I press my lips together, holding back a smile, not wanting Karisse to think I'm making light of her pain. But I remember all too well what it's like to be out of control, to worry that your powers will never be tamed.

To fear that you'll always be an outsider, never quite fitting in.

I wrap my arms around Karisse, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I've been there, sweetheart," I murmur, letting just a touch of my soothing siren powers into my voice. "I promise that most people your age who are coming into their magical powers are also struggling with them. Have you ever heard about the time I enchanted half the town?"

Karisse shakes her head against my shoulder, and I smile despite myself.

"It's true," I say. "I was about your age, and I was trying to practice getting my enchantments under control. But it all fell apart, and suddenly everyone in Elderberry Falls was following me around and even dancing in the streets."

Karisse pulls back, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Really?"

I nod, my expression serious but kind. "Really. It took days to undo the enchantment, and I was mortified. But you know what? Everyone forgave me. Because they knew I was learning, just like you are now."

I pause, hoping she'll take my next words to heart.

"Here's the thing, though. It's important to be careful with your powers until you know how to control them. So maybe no more trying to come visit me throughout space and time?"

Karisse nods, embarrassed and relieved. The tension drains from her small frame. I glance up at her mother and see the same relief echoed in her face.

I grin and step back. "Tell you what—I'll get you some concert tickets instead. Front row seats, backstage passes, enough for you and a few friends to all come. How about that?"

Karisse's face lights up. "Really? You'd do that for me? Even after…" she gulps, "what I did?"

"Of course," I say, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Anything for my biggest fan."

The crisp wintry air nips at my skin as Graeme and I step out of Karisse's house and onto the path out of the forest. I breathe in deeply, savoring the refreshing chill that fills my lungs. Now that the confrontation is over, it catches up to me in a rush, making my heart pound in my ears.

I turn to Graeme, unable to resist teasing him.

"See, I always knew that stalker wasn't such a big deal," I say, my voice light and airy. "I told you, sometimes things have a not-scary explanation after all!"

Graeme rolls his eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile on his chiseled features.

"You got lucky this time, Ecco," he grumbles, but there's no real bite to his words. "Let's just hope there's not a next time."

I merely grin in response, lacing my fingers through his as we leave the forest and reach the outskirts of Elderberry Falls. The cobblestone paths have been shoveled countless times but are once again dusted with a layer of fresh snow, and we step carefully, watching for icy patches.

As we walk, hand in hand, my mind drifts back to my own tween years. I remember the struggles of coming into my powers, the constant fear of losing control.

Deandra's words from the other week echo in my mind, her voice as clear as if she were standing right beside me. " You have a gift, Ecco. You should embrace it. "

My whole life, I've been focused on trying to rein in my powers. Too scared of what might happen if I let them run wild.

But now, as I think back on Karisse's struggles, on the way she'd broken down in tears, something clicks into place.

In my quest to control my powers, to keep them locked away and hidden, I may have been holding myself back. Maybe I've been denying a fundamental part of who I am, a part that's been yearning to break free.

And in that moment, I realize what I have to do.