by Karen Binnie
Chapter 29
My room is strangely quiet as if the air has stopped circulating and chokes on the lingering dust instead, my heavy heart pounds gently as I lie here. I can’t even think straight, my wandering thoughts find nothing but the distant roar of Jez snoring in the next room.
I know Cooper does not sleep tonight curled upon Eldeens bed where Al’ice insisted she should stay, “you must not be alone tonight cousin” his very words. Yet we are alone each one of us, Jez the only one to find comfort in his dreams, too much kailch I fear.
Al’ice, the man who had calmed my fears less than 24 hours ago, had shown me that emotions are not to be feared and that I can control them. I wish I had known all this a year ago when the fear inside took over at Dave Jinson’s advances, scared of what he might do I had re-acted with unknown power, thrust him off me and tossed him aside against the stone wall of the garden. I was lucky his pride prevented the others from knowing the truth, the truth it had been me that almost paralysed him that night, six weeks he spent in hospital before he was able to walk again and then only with a limp. I didn’t feel lucky though, I was scared and had no-one to turn to when the whispers around school grew worse, my only escape the extended trip around Scotland dad had insisted on to help us move on with our lives. Why did Gran not warn me before she left, I would have known to avoid such difficult situations. I musn’t dwell on the past, Dave recovered thankfully. I had hoped the move to New Zealand would help me forget, it almost had.
So here I am, a freak, part human, with the only family left in the next room. Jez understands he is almost as freaky as me. Cooper my great aunt, that seems weird but she is, has filled in a lot of the gaps, I am hoping she can teach me more as a friend than an aunt but our relationship has barely started, I still find her just a little scary. Al’ice, my Al’ice, still seems odd falling in love with my cat. My first real boyfriend yet it is more than that, our love forms a deeper bond, I wish I could comfort him tonight but he must stay with the spirit of Eldeen for now.
The wake was like being in a dream where you stand aside and watch what’s going on, see yourself taking part but as if you’re not really there. I spent much of tonight playing with the little girl who I had healed at the start of the gathering, it was amazing to see her transformation, from the limp rag doll to the bouncy child laughing in my arms. I told her the story of the three little pigs and she sat on my lap spellbound by my voice, not the words as she had no idea what I was talking about. As I talked Al’ice watched, never taking his eyes from me as he sat on the opposite side of the meeting place, deep in conversation with the men, laughing at their many memories of their great leader. I will have to learn their language, especially if I am expected to heal many of his people, our people. I always knew I was different but never to the extent that I am, I’m glad I have Al’ice at my side to guide me.
I roll on my side and watched the flame flicker on the recessed candle, it knows I am not sleeping and refuses to extinguish the flame until I do. I am supposed to be resting, gaining the strength to heal, Al’ice thinks I should try just one of the villagers first, I hope I can help them, there are 12 now with the symptoms, who knows how many will follow.
Tadge asked I do nothing until his return, I need to keep calm, so much pressure when I hardly know what I am supposed to do but surely an attempt at healing the unknown disease will be acceptable in his eyes, perhaps I should wait until he returns, I feel more confident in his presence.
I wonder what Jez’s plans will be? I have not had time to tell him yet of mine, he’ll be shocked especially after I pleaded with him to help me return home. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. My trouble is I worry too much, trying to please all of the people all of the time, Kate would tell me it’s time I pleased myself, I’m missing her already, this life of mine is just so unfair.
No Jez will find his own way, he still has the coming of age thing with Al’ice in Kamerrean, I hope it helps them to understand each other better but what if he tells Al’ice about the kiss, shit! I always feel as if there’s a punch just ready to break the surface when Jez talks to Al’ice, he might just let his mouth run away with him like he does with me, I wonder why he’s like that?
Al’ice knows how I feel about him maybe I underestimate him, he does not seem to get jealous, he has this calm about him but I know he has a vulnerable side, the part of him that would never turn his back on duty no matter how scared he may feel inside. He is so different from Jez, calm on the outside, no wait I remember when we arrived, that’s not true he was angry with Jez so angry he wanted to fight him. In such a short space of time so much has changed except Jez, he shows his anger, says what he feels, speaks honestly but acts without thinking yet I know there is a depth to him. What am I doing, comparing the two, why do I feel on edge? It has been a strange day, the ceremony at the river, I think I would like to be cremated not rotting away underground for years.
The river, yes, maybe what I saw has confused me, I’m so glad Jez cannot yet see the ghosts of the dead, he would definitely have had something to say about that! The beautiful Venur my great grandmother, I wish I had inherited her looks, she wore the triquetra that Eldeen had given me, I am sure it is the same and when they were re-united side by side in that river, I saw how his ring and the pendant glowed with their touch. Jez owns that same ring now, I cannot comprehend why Eldeen gifted him the ring, it should belong to Al’ice.
I love Al’ice so much but I can’t tell him about the stag, he was so troubled the last time I mentioned it and I don’t want to give him anything else to worry about. I will ask Tadge when he returns, he might understand what the stag wants, why he appears in my dreams.
My hand absently gropes for my bag in the half light of the candle, I need my chocolate, my one source of comfort when I am alone. There’s not much left, I shall have to make sure I secure a decent supply. I can’t bear the thought of running out.
“What troubles you my love?”
Al’ice, how did he get into my head, has he been listening to my thoughts? I look up as the wall at the foot of the bed shimmered like before, Al’ice is outside.
“How does it do that?” I ask him.
“I am not entirely sure, I think it is governed by your will, you must have wanted to see me.”
“But I didn't know you were there, what are you doing anyway?”
“Thinking of you, there is a matter we need to discuss.”
As I slipped from the bed and raced over to hug him, I remembered this time to erect the barrier in my mind, I had forgotten before, lost in my troubles but Jez was not going to invade my thoughts now, not when I’m alone with Al’ice.
I’m more aware of the wall this time as my skin prickles with the cold as I pass through, Al’ice has that look about him, the one when he is worried.
“Another matter, so official, what is it?” I ask.
Alice for once looks lost for words.
“Now you have me worried, what is it?” I place my hand on his shoulder.
“There are two things which I have been thinking of, the first is imminent the second not so urgent.”
“No secrets, no lies.......” I remind him, then mentally tick myself off for saying it, I try to hide my shame as I add, “you're not going back on that are you?”
“No of course not, are you?”
The shock and confusion is written all over my face, I avoid the question and pull his neck towards my face, gluing my lips to his, refreshing my memory of the night before.
“Never!” I manage to gasp when coming up for air, “so what's eating you?”
“Apart from you, you mean?” he replies smiling, “Eldeen made a pact with the Ferimiah, two witches who gave him the elixir which accelerated your growth. The healing gene could not surface until you were eighteen, he thought we could advance that within you if he gave you the elixir.”
“Drug me you mean.” So that explains a lot.
“Kind
of, it was added to the tea you like so much.”
“Is it addictive?” I began to worry, what if it harms me in some way, what if I become addicted, I hated watching Chris tackle his own demons.
“No, it has all gone now, no more for you” he says tapping my nose playfully.
“I thought the tea tasted weird lately, no wonder Jez hates it.”
I hadn’t got the shakes or become ratty, so it’s not addictive, phew! I shrug my shoulders, “so I can heal now, what’s the pact?”
“To send you to the Elaich, where the beast would either kill you and eat you or gift you his magic.”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing, Al’ice holds my hand to his lips, his caring eyes sparkle back, I think he is finding it hard to admit that he had known he might lose me.
“That's nice! Why didn't you warn me?” I ask searching his face.
“I could not, Eldeen forbade it, to face the Elaich and survive you had to be pure of body and soul.”
I understand his pain, how he could never go against his uncle, it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders now he had control.
“Ok, so why do these witches want me to have this magic?”
“They do not, they wanted you to collect it for them.”
“Well let’s just give it to them, can they take it from within my triquetra though, I don't want to lose it.”
His body tensed against mine, this is not a good sign.
“Is that because it binds you to Jez?”
“What?”
So this was the other matter troubling him, he harboured the same fears as me.
“You saw what happened today at the river, I know, I saw the look on your face, the ring and the triquetra are united as one, you are bound to Jez forever.”
I saw the sadness cloud his eyes as he spoke the words, echoing my earlier fears, I took his hands in mine, “I don't want him, I want you, I love you.”
He raised my hands and brushed the backs of them against his lips and whispered, “I know.”
Of course I would be bound to Jez now, he is his brother so why all this confusion, I threw my hands in the air in frustration and walk towards the waters edge, “then why tell me this crap?”
“Because it is true.”
Al’ice came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, his sweet warm breath against my ear, “I was so angry when Eldeen made me promise to give the ring to Jez, it did not glow when I was with you but it glows when you are with him. At first I believed this to be an omen but now I know how you truly feel it is not so bad, he is my brother, he is bound to us both, perhaps the binding has a different meaning from what I first thought.”
“Well that's good then, right?” I try to push all thoughts of the kiss with Jez to the back of my mind, it didn’t mean anything, it had lasted what, seconds? The truth could break Al’ice, I won’t tell him.
Changing the subject quickly I ask, “now what do we do about the Ferimiah?”
“The pact was that you will take the gift from Elaich to them by the fifth day.”
“Is it far, are you coming with me? Tadge said I shouldn't go anywhere or do anything, he is worried about something, perhaps the demon is still hunting me?”
“He is worried about the Ferimiah, he does not trust witches and neither do I but if you do not go then I do not want to think of the consequences, you do not mess with the Ferimiah, their magic is more powerful than ours.”
“Perhaps Tadge will return before then and we can ask him what would be best.”
Al’ice’s words were frightening, the Ferimiah could be dangerous.
“Jol, the last time he was summoned, we did not see him for a month.”
“But he said he had news, I can't wait a month.”
Al’ice held me in his arms, his people are such good liars, their only true fault, this truthfulness, no secrets, no lies, he found hard to bear.
“I cannot go with you”
“Why?”
“Tadge believes I am a liability because of my feelings for you.”
“What does he know.”
“I regret there is truth in his words.”
I can’t believe what he’s saying, he wants me to go without him. I pull back from his embrace, “what!”
“We could both be at risk, emotions get in the way, I have spent years learning to control them but with you I am failing often.”
Holding my hands he pulls me closer, looking deep into my eyes, “my heart belongs to you now, it does not make good decisions when distracted in a crisis. If you are willing to go then I have asked Cooper to escort you, she is a far greater warrior than I.”
“Do you think they will harm me?”
“I cannot be sure.”
“Great! I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't” I snuggle against his chest, “I don't want to leave you.”
“I am not happy with the arrangement either, but we cannot go back on our word.”
“How long will we be gone?”
“Three days, a day and a half to get there and the same to come back.”
“What will you do when I am gone?”
“I cannot bear to wait as before, I will try my best to distract myself and take Jez to Kamerrean, it is long overdue. I will leave Gregorn in charge, he is the head of our army and a trusted friend.”
“Oh! I didn't know you had an army?”
“We used to, in case of attack, there are less healthy participants now because of the disease.”
“If I agree to do this, I must return and see to my father’s affairs, the lawyer will arrive in three days, but then I have promised to heal your people, there is too much to do all at once” I force out a sigh, the enormity of it all too much to bear.
“My people, our people can wait, there are none that will perish soon, you must see to your father.”
“Will you come back with me?”
“I may not be able, perhaps Jez shall wish to return?”
“This is so unfair, I don’t want to leave you.”
“But you must if you want to return to your studies as discussed, we have a lifetime ahead of us.”
We stood there in silence, savouring the closeness we have. I want to ask him how long this lifetime would last, how long I should be expected to live but couldn’t. He is so strong as he holds me against him, both staring at the water shimmering in the moonlight, I could stay like this forever.
“Al’ice, will you do something for me now?”
“Anything, my love.”
“Stay with me tonight.”
I had slept so soundly, I woke with a start, having no window in your room means never knowing what the time of day it is. Al’ice moves beside me, he is talking in his sleep but I don’t know what he’s saying, he’s not talking in English. I feel happy right now looking down at his face. I wonder how long we have left until morning. Afraid of waking Al’ice, I sit forward and hold on to my pendant, concentrating on the wall at the foot of the bed, nothing happens. 'I want to see outside' I stare at the wall and repeat my mantra several times until at last it shimmers transparent in front of me, the gentle morning hues tell me dawn is breaking, 'Damn it!'
Al’ice stirs beside me and opens his eyes onto my back, he sits up and kisses my shoulder, “morning already?”
I can only look at him through misty tears and nod.
Jez was grumpy, his head was pounding from too much kailch from the night before, he was grumpy with Cooper who had begun busying herself with making breakfast, each scrape of the pot, poke of the fire and pouring of water, raked across the inside of his skull, he pulled the blanket back over his head, “can't you be quiet!” he grumbled at her.
“No, serves you right for over indulging.”
His muffled groans could be heard from beneath the thick blanket. It wasn’t just the kailch that bothered him, he had tried to talk to Jol last night, he wanted to know what her plans for the future were, as if he couldn’t guess
already. The barrier to her mind was there again, she only did that when she was angry or with him! Jez guessed it was the latter.
The door to Julianne's room opened and Al’ice emerged, he went over to Cooper and kissed her on the cheek, “sleep well cousin? I see you have already packed for the journey.”
She poured him some tea, “I could not sleep cousin, I fear this is a grave mistake, if only we could wait for Tadge.”
Al’ice took a crancake from the batch she had just made, “have the visions returned?”
“No” she replied.
“Well, we can be thankful for that, if they do then we must abort the mission at once, Jol cannot be taken from me now that she no longer has a second chance. If it happens you must do as we agreed, I will face the consequences with the Ferimiah.”
Cooper raised her finger to his lips and whispered, “sssshhh, Jez will hear, he is wakened.”
Jez pulled the blanket back from his face and glowered at her, “all that bloody noise you've been making and now you decide to whisper, just as it was getting interesting and look at you brother, yours clothes all crumpled, what happened to you last night!”
Jez knew perfectly well what happened with Al’ice and he didn't like it, he was jealous, he didn't like it at all.
Al’ice stared at his brother, he had a nerve, he looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards, Al’ice sipped at his hot tea in silence and dreaded their trip into Kamerrean, once Jez realised his true potential then he was going to be unbearable.
I stretch my arms above my head as I enter the other room to greet the others, wearing my t-shirt and jeans, “hhhmm something smells good.”
I wink at Al'ice, the gesture not lost on Jez as he groans and shoves his head back under the covers.
I look at the lump lying on the floor, “What’s up with him, hangover, again!”
Cooper glares at me, “Jol, we have to enter the realm of the Celts, you will stand out dressed like that!”
She hands me a large bowl of porridge and continues.
“You must eat, we have a long journey ahead of us.”
I stare at the gloopy mixture in the bowl and hand it back, “I’m not hungry, and I'm not going anywhere exposing myself, my jeans are just fine, I'll wear my cloak if it helps.”
Al’ice took my hand and we sat together, “you must eat, you will need your strength.”
I gaze into his eyes, lost in the sea of green, “I can't, I really can't eat a thing, you are all the strength that I need.”
“Bloody hell!”
Jez threw back the covers and stomped out of the cottage calling back as he went, “Cooper, got any fish?”
Following breakfast, Cooper filled a large jerkin with water from the river as Jez watched.
“So where are you going on this girls trip of yours?” he asked.
She placed a stopper in the neck and turned to face him, “remember our kalchai lessons, emotions Jez, you must learn to control your emotions, please whatever happens in Kamerrean, you must remember this.”
“Just what are you getting at and you didn't answer my question.”
She placed the full jerkin on the grass and gave Jez a tight hug almost knocking the breath from his body.
“Hey what's all this for?”
“I will see you in three days, enjoy your boy’s trip and remember Jez, emotions.”
I emerge from the cottage wearing my cloak and thick boots. Cooper rose to her feet and places the water jerkin across my shoulders, “you can take this, I shall carry the pack.”
Cooper hoists the pack onto her back and turns to embrace Al'ice, “we will see you soon cousin, I will look after her for you.”
We head off in the direction of the clearing, Al’ice stands in silence. Jez even thought for a second he saw a tear in his eye but then those emeralds sparkle so damn much it’s difficult to tell.
When we had left that morning the sinking feeling in my stomach was awful, Cooper had told me it was hunger pains and I should have eaten. I couldn’t look back at Al’ice as we walked up that hill, 'don't look back' he had asked, it was a most difficult request.
The sun now high in the sky we have been walking for hours, Cooper walks in silence. That was fine with me, until now.
“Cooper can we rest, I'm tired.”
Cooper sits the pack down on the rocky terrain and looks about her, we had passed through the edge of our land a couple of hours ago, she did not want to stop where we could be detected.
“Do not sit, we must continue, take some water, it will help.”
I wince with pain as we moved on, my legs are heavy and the blisters are beginning to smart on my feet, I’ll be crippled before long.
“How much further, how do you do it? You have so much stamina.”
Cooper pauses to allow me to catch up, “I make sure I eat a hearty breakfast and do not waste my energies in the arms of another!”
“Do you not approve of Al'ice and me?”
She slaps me hard across the shoulders and laughs, “yes I approve, you have brought light to my cousin’s life, the complications are unfortunate, I am sure you will prevail.”
“Yes, it’s not the best circumstances I agree” I add picking my way through the rocky terrain, “I am sure we can make it work. How about you, do you have a special someone?”
“Once”
“What happened?”
“It was not to be, there has never been another.”
I want to ask more but guess she doesn’t want to talk about it, as we carry on across the mountainside, I decide to change the subject.
“What will happen to Jez in Kamerrean?”
Cooper stops to allow me to catch up again but she doesn’t turn, just stares ahead, “less chat and you will not drop behind so, we must make the next mountain range before twilight.”
I look up and follow the line of her finger pointing towards the next peak covered in snow.
“Do we have to climb to the top?” I call after her.
She doesn’t reply and I’m sure those blisters are beginning to bleed, at this rate there’ll be nothing left of me by the time we reach the Ferimiah.
As dusk fell I was so glad the slippery ledge we had taken around the side of the mountain led to a cave, our sanctuary for the night. The air is thin making it harder to breathe comfortably, I’m sitting with my back against the cold hard rock staring at the entrance and waiting for Coopers to return. It is so cold my cloak is not able to keep me warm, even with it wrapped tightly around my body. I wish Cooper would return soon with that fire wood. She warned me to stay back out of sight, I mean as if anyone was going to find me hiding up here in this shallow cave. I squint at the back wall hiding in the shadows and can just make out carvings in the rock. I have not seen such symbols before, they certainly don’t resemble any of the rock carvings I remember from school. I wonder if anyone has discovered them yet, in the future, then I could find out what they mean.
It is so cold, I shove my hands under my armpits for extra warmth, I wonder why Cooper’s taking so long, I’m sure that’s my eyelashes beginning to frost over, where is she, it’s getting dark.
“Jol wake up, you must not get too cold.”
I open my eyes surprised at the sound of her voice and that I had fallen asleep, I never even heard her return. She has lit the fire already and is now warming a leather pouch over the flame.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Warm kailch, here it will stave off the cold whilst we sleep, you should eat, I have crancakes and berries.”
I watch her undo the pack and unravel two blankets, she takes one and places it around my shoulders as I nibble on a berry.
“You must eat more than that Jol, you need nourishment to keep out the cold.”
Cooper begins tucking into the meaty venison leg she has pulled from the inside her own blanket.
I turn my head away and stare into the night, I don’t feel that hungry and watching her tear
at the cooked flesh turns my stomach. I shake my head in disgust and sip the kailch, it doesn’t really help against the cold.
Cooper sucked at the juices on her fingers as she finished and hurled the bone out into the night, it took ages before the bone made contact, the crack echoing across the night as it hit the rock below, so much for keeping quiet.
The fire between us burns slowly as Cooper pulls her blanket around her and curls into a ball.
“You must sleep Jol, if hunger will not kill you then the tiredness will.”
The blanket doesn’t help keep out the cold, I’m still shivering and not for the first time I am unable to feel my toes, there has to be a magical way to keep warm.
Holding on to my pendant I clear my mind until all I can think about is warm thoughts, the warm sun of Kamerrrean, a hot bowl of Coopers soup, a steaming mug of tea. I felt it before I saw the soft haze encapsulate my body, I am cocooned inside my own bubble of warmth, my powerful thoughts have worked but I wonder how long I can sustain this comfort.
Sleep was a long time coming as I struggled to maintain the warmth, my mind racing with images of the last few days, were these my own thoughts or just dreams all mashed up from events. I saw Eldeen flying through the sky with a salmon between his claws, he turned and smiled at me the fish laughing in his clutches, then there was Al'ice kissing me as he morphed into the Elaich, all slimy and wet, then there was the rough embrace of Jez as he pinned me against the rock, licking at the side of my face with his tongue, changing into a spider crawling over my cheek.
I shiver with the reality of my dreams, waking abruptly to escape them, if Jez had entered that dream then he would be disturbed as I was. For only two nights I had slept well since arriving and both of those, undisturbed and spent in Al'ice's arms, only he seems able to exorcise my demons.
Leaning back against the cold hard stone I look out across the dark expanse around, it is eerily quiet here on the mountain.
A movement just above my head distracts me, looking closer I watch as the silvery spider emerges from a crack in the stone, its unusually large body much bigger than its legs. I shiver, frozen to the spot as I watch its every move, I hate spiders, no reason why, they are just small and creepy. I touch my cheek where the spider in my dreams had crawled, the nausea overwhelming, I can’t move as I watch the tiny creature’s legs shimmering against the moonlight, I am paralysed with fear.
“Jol are you ok?”
Oh thank god it’s Jez, so we can still connect from so far apart.
“Jez, it's so good to hear your voice.”
“There's something wrong, you are frightened by your dreams?”
“They were a bit weird, did you see them too? No, it was just a spider that frightened me.” I could hear his raucous laughter as if it travelled across the night.
“Is that all, where are you?”
“In a cave, Cooper is sleeping, Jez, are you with Al'ice?”
Jez groaned to himself, even in these private thoughts, there was no escape, “Yes.”
“Is he ok?”
“Well thanks for asking I'm fine! Yes he looks ok to me”
“Jez I'm sorry, it’s just..............................”
“Don’t cry! Look I don't want to know the details, I'll tell him you said hi, ok?”
“No Jez you can't, he doesn't know about us.”
“Which part the kiss or the telepathy?”
“Jez, don’t tell him please!”
“Look I've gotta go..............Jol, be careful.”
The spider begins work on mending its silken web, repairing the intricate frost covered pattern, it moves swiftly darting this way and that, distracting me from my fear of what Jez will tell Al’ice.
I am reminded by a story once told in history at school in Salisbury, Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland had almost given up in his fight against the English, when sheltering in a cave he watched the efforts of a spider mending its web, this had inspired him to persevere. How ironic, I have my own struggle ahead and here I am an English woman watching a spider in a cave in Scotland.
The spider suddenly drops on his length of silk to just above my chest, my breathing is heavy as I watch, not knowing what to do, too scared to move. It’s only a spider I try to tell myself but it doesn’t help.
My tiny assailant spins round in circles at first before regaining its composure. Its front legs pulsating, the spider falls in jerky movements until at last it sits there on my pendant, I feel as if time has stopped, my heart slows as I stare at it, my breath short and shallow. Can it feel my pulse, is some kind of spider magic stopping my heart? It’s just sitting there slowly killing me.
That moment frozen in time, unable to move as I watch its front legs start rubbing together and then the back two. It’s spinning its web quickly across the polished silver creating an almost curved addition to each point, changing its whole shape as the web and silver merge into one. Once finished it moves jerkily back up the single thread until it reaches the final safety of its home in the rock.
My heart still beats, my own insecurities have deceived my mind, I look down at the triquetra which has now changed, the interlaced web appears like silver and has joined the sides into a perfect triangle shining in the moonlight, my eyelids droop, then open, droop then half open, then close.
My nose twitches at the smell of smoke beside me, I open my eyes in search of its source.
“About time you woke up, handy trick that of yours, I could of used a little of that warmth myself last night.”
Cooper rubs her hands together against the warmth of the fire.
“I'm sorry I didn't realise I could do it, it's very difficult.”
I glance down at my chest, I hoped the spider was all in my dreams but I cannot tell, the pendant has slipped down behind my t-shirt,
“What is wrong?” asks Cooper.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I could look at it later, the thought of that spider makes my flesh crawl, Cooper would only laugh at me. I look up to the crack in the rock overhead where the spider had come from but can’t see it, perhaps it was all a dream but whatever, I can’t wait to be out of this cave and moving again.
“I must insist you eat some crancakes before we leave, you look pale.”
I’m not hungry, I’m more concerned with the pain in my feet, if we’re moving on I need to look at them and see how bad the blisters are. Removing my boots I can see the sores along the soles of my feet and heels, walking is going to be agony unless I can heal them. I take one last glace above, no sign of that spider and pull my right foot up across my other leg until I can grasp it completely between both hands, now to concentrate.
The redness glows, slowly turning into pink, the skin re-joining itself.
“You should stop before the skin becomes soft again, look at the soles of my feet, I am not troubled with such pain.”
With one foot done, I look across at the bottom of Coopers hard calloused feet.
“Euuwe! I can get you some cream for that.”
She laughs, “there is no need, come finish your other foot quickly and let us get these boots back on, see that flat rock over yonder, Kandaris Rock, that is where we are headed.”
“Cooper?”
“Yes”
“How do you say I love you in your language?”
She cocks her head and looks at me then smiles, “Ilch shielpashen du. Now come on, we have no time for silly chit chat today.”
We are now taking it steady up the side of the mountain towards the Kandaris Rock, a large slab of rock which sticks out like a sore thumb, it looks out of place, like a table with no legs has been wedged in the side of the mountain. The ground underfoot is more slippery with the morning frost and I’m struggling to keep up with Cooper. As she pauses yet again to give me time to catch up, I notice her gaze transfixed on the horizon.
“What is it?” I call.
There is no answer, I trace her line of sight and can s
ee a tiny black dot on the horizon, growing larger as it approaches, darting to and fro across the sky. I am reminded of the starlings back home and how they would dance across the sky at dusk, collecting all of the strays until they finally settled down for the night in the trees. But there is no noise like the starlings make, just a huge shadow cast over the ground swallowing up the landscape as it moves.
Cooper suddenly grabs my hand, pulling me tight into a recess in the rock and with her finger against her lips, motions me to be quiet as the sky grows darker with the approaching cloud.
Once passed, Cooper turns and whispers as if afraid we would be heard, out here alone on the mountainside.
“I do not have time to explain, you must climb up the rock and face the Ferimiah alone. Face your fears and do not relinquish your cascelet or triquetra to them. Good luck Jol.”
Before I can question, she bends forward and kisses me on the head and then she’s gone, running back down the mountain.
What was happening? This shouldn’t be happening. I’m not supposed to face them alone, the thought of that cloud sickens me, only something really bad would tear Cooper away. I am torn between the task ahead and fear of what the cloud represents. Cooper was supposed to protect me, now I stand alone to face the Ferimiah, wherever and whatever they are. Could Al'ice be in danger? My stomach spins out of control, can I really do this, should I do this? I close my eyes, wishing none of this had happened, why does nothing ever go right? I really only have one option.
“Jez, Jez, are you there?”
I hear his groan, “Hi, wassup?”
“Jez listen, something is wrong, there was a black cloud, Cooper seemed frightened, she has left me.....”
“What? Slow down, calm down, tell me slowly.”
“Cooper has ran after the cloud, it’s on its way to the village, I think you must be in some kind of danger, she told me I must face the Ferimiah alone.”
“What the hell! I have to tell Al'ice.”
“Then he will know of our connection”
“He already knows, stay where you are, I'm coming for you.”
“Jez?”
“What?”
“Tell Al'ice I said, ilch shielpashen du.”
Jez left my thoughts and I double over, struggling to relieve my stomach of its contents but there are none, just the fowl tasting bile in my mouth. I feel sick, really sick, Al’ice knows of our connection yet he has said nothing unless Jez has told him in Kamerrean. I retch again and reach for the waterskin Cooper left me with. How can I be so selfish worrying about myself when the villagers and Al'ice are clearly in some kind of trouble, I want to return, I should return but Coopers voice echos in my head, she told me I must face my fears. I’m torn between worry for the others and fear of the Ferimiah, both the unknown, my stomach heaves again rejecting the water.
My hands have gone white and I’m shaking, I’ve got to get a grip on reality here, I’ve been sent on this journey for a reason, I splash water over my face in the hope it brings clarity. The skies above are clear now, pure blue, no hint of the evil that has just passed through until I look in the direction of the village. The cloud there hangs thick and heavy as it always does, concealing their very existence.
I begin to edge my way towards the great rock, stumbling over my fears, Al’ice will tell Jez what to look for, I should really wait here for him. Now do I climb on top or sit underneath? Reaching the precipice I lean back against it to catch my breath and gauge what would be the best thing to do. I am blinded by a flash of light as I vanish from sight.
Jez had woken drenched in sweat, it tickled as it poured from his glands, he wanted desperately to wipe it away but feared he would be caught, the sheets of the bed became damp and uncomfortable, he needed help from his angel but she was not there.
Keeping his eyes closed he tried to block his mind to his predicament and thoughts of the past came to him.
He was carrying the girl again, his muscles ached, his mind desperate for a sense of direction. The damp air threatened his life, her life, as he laid her down and looked at her face he remembered her, Jol.
His heart flipped at her image as the air around them became thick, the swirls of red and green lifting their minds, entwined in the magic.
Through the swirl of shadows a soft voice echoed. He followed the echo, searching for the source. Left then right, in his mind he turned as the voice came from all directions.
Another mind had entered his, invading his space, he could just make out the thoughts, a soft voice talking to him, no to herself, but somehow he could understand. Their thoughts became one and they both agreed both minds were searching for the other, I need your help, what should I do?