Chapter Four
Lyssa
Whiteness slowly filled in through Lyssa’s closed eyelids. Her ears absorbed the muffled sounds that filled them. Still smelling Lysol, Lyssa opened her eyes that stuck together like glue.
“Finally, you’re awake,” a voice said beside her.
Lyssa turned her head to see Toby sitting in a blue vinyl chair that looked uncomfortable. He smiled and scooted closer to her.
“What are you doing here?” Lyssa asked as her medicated head swam with suspicious wonder. “What happened to me?” Lyssa looked away and slowly uncurled her palm looking at her freckle.
“I was the one who found you,” Toby said valiantly.
“You found me?” Lyssa’s mind was muddled and fragmented.
Looking at her freckle she remembered the blonde hair woman and the scale covered creature that carried her. The coldness of its body made her shiver.
“Are you alright?” Toby asked suddenly with concern.
Lyssa looked back at him. “Yeah, I’m ok.” She smiled covering her lie.
“I was in the woods and got lost; I think I hit my head,” Lyssa stated trying to believe it herself.
“I found you by the caves,” Toby said as Lyssa gave him a confused look.
“The caves? That is…” Lyssa stopped trying to remember how she’d gotten there. “How did you find me anyhow?”
Toby sat straight up as if he got caught doing something he shouldn’t. “I uh, lost my watch and had to go back and find it. It’s really expensive and I just happened to come across you.”
Lyssa slowly leaned back on the rough textured pillow and covered her eyes with her hands. Her hair must look terrible right now along with her puffy eyes she thought to herself.
“Are you feeling any better?” Toby asked. Lyssa could hear the awkward tension in his voice.
“Yeah, just sore,” she replied as a nurse came in bringing in a tray of food.
“Visiting time is over and our young lady needs to rest.” She sang.
Toby looked at Lyssa trying to conceal a chuckle from the nurse’s comment. Lyssa couldn’t help but to do the same.
“Uh, Toby’” Lyssa said as he stood up. “Thank you.” Her cheeks felt hot as the nurse started to take her blood pressure, which she sure was through the roof at this point.
“You’re welcome,” he simply said and went out the door.
The nurse told her that her dad had been notified and she could leave later in the afternoon. She sat alone in the room looking out the window. All she could see was the large yard that surrounded the hospital and the highway in the distance.
How did she end up by the caves? She closed her eyes thinking back to when the rest of the class was leaving. Something took hold of her. Her freckle glowed and she fell to her knees trying to call for help. Then there was the blonde hair woman that looked like an angel, but she was no angel, she was Lyssa worst nightmare.
Then there were two guys dressed in capes with alien like angled features that were similar to the woman’s. The dark hair one said she had the mark too. Uncurling her hand, she gazed at it. It is nothing more than a dream, a hallucination. She pushed her thoughts away as the nurse came back in.
“Good news. The doctor signed your release papers and you can go home,” she said, smiling.
Lyssa couldn’t wait to get out. She got dressed and then was taken by wheelchair to the front lobby, and waited and waited. Her dad wasn’t the fatherly type. Most parents would be concerned of their child being left in the woods where a mountain lion could’ve torn them to pieces or even freeze to death. Not Lyssa’s dad whose responsibility of her was as scattered as the leaves outside.
There were two nurses who sat at the desk together and were discussing something between themselves in hushed whispers and occasionally looking up at her—with a smile of course. Lyssa guessed they were trying to contact her dad again. One of the nurses came over and bent down to her level.
“Does your dad still see that real nice red-headed girl?” She asked meaning Zoey.
“No, but if you’re looking for someone to pick me up, my neighbor can. He’s usually home.” Lyssa just wanted to get home.
“No, that’s ok dear. We’ll contact him again. It won’t be long.” She tried to be encouraging.
Lyssa knew different as she peered out the window when a familiar truck caught her eye—Toby. Just then, the phone rang at the nurses’ station, and the sound of approaching sirens could be heard.
“Hun, we’ve to go, but your dad is on his way. Have him sign the release papers at the bottom,” the nurse said, getting up from her chair and joined the nurse that already left.
Lyssa looked out the window to see Toby just getting out. He was coming to see her again?
“Oh, don’t forget to make a checkup appointment!” Her friendly voice echoed through the hallway.
“Ok!” Lyssa replied back as she got up out of the wheelchair.
She went out the door and into the crisp air that hurt her lungs. Toby didn’t see her yet as he looked back at the ambulance that arrived with some unfortunate victim. Her eyes were steady on him. Why was he coming to see her again? What about his girlfriend Megan? She wouldn’t like him coming to see her as Megan was the jealous type. It was too much for her to think about right now. Toby had a truck and she needed a ride home. That was all she cared about.
“Toby!” she yelled taking him by surprise.
He stopped in his tracks gazing at her.
“Lyssa, what are you doing?” Toby asked almost in disbelief.
“Escaping,” Lyssa said, in a slightly teasing voice.
“You shouldn’t do that.” He was serious as he touched her gently on the arm.
Even through her coat, she felt sparks from his warm touch. She shook her head dumbfounded as he gazed at her.
“I’m just kidding. They said I could go, but my dad isn’t here. Could you please give me a ride?” She raised her eyebrows with a smile.
Toby smiled. “Yeah, a ride, sure,” he said, heading towards his truck all silver and polished just like a carriage for a princess only Lyssa wasn’t the princess, and she was treading on waters she wasn’t used to. She got in the still warm truck, and without her release papers being properly signed, they headed down the highway to her house.
Eli
“You Idiot!” Eli yelled standing in a thicket of trees. “We had the Everspell,” he held his hands in front of the Mog, and shook them frantically, “right in our hands!”
“But Master, the scent starts here,” the Mog said, unfazed by Eli’s tantrum pointed at the steep pitched roofed house.
Eli turned, and gazed at the darkened house. Could she be hiding in this dwelling? A Mog’s scent usually doesn’t lie. He ordered the Mog back, and thought a stake out would be more beneficial than going all over the country side.
In the darkness they waited without much commotion of any sort. The remaining Mog was curled in a ball on the ground sleeping as Eli listened to his gentle breathing.
He thought of Cinnia. It was a horrible thing to do, feeding her to the Muses’ empty handed. They wouldn’t be happy when or if she went back to their home. They wouldn’t be pleased with him either, and would hunt him wherever he went. He was released on a deal and that deal would be kept.
“Varkin are awful creatures to fight and when they are dead make the most nauseating smell you could imagine,” Deravon said suddenly behind Eli who shot up like a released spring. “Easy sentry!” Deravon stepped back with hands in front of him as Eli pointed his dagger towards him.
“Then don’t come up on me like that, especially on a mission.” Eli put his dagger away.
“What happened to you anyhow?” Deravon asked. “I had the Etherling, easy little things to trick,” he said, with an amused chuckle. “Then from nowhere, I was attacked by Cinnia’s little pet and after that go around thro
ugh the woods, I came back and the Etherling girl was gone.” Deravon looked at the house through the trees along with Eli. “What are you doing now? Peeping in on unsuspecting Etherlings?”
Eli looked at Deravon in a annoyed sideways glance, and then back at the house.
“If you must know ,my Mog led me here. I believe it is the girl’s house.” No sooner had he said that, two lights pierced the darkness.
Deravon and Eli backed up crouching in the thicket, watching the large, humming carriage pull up in front of the house. A boy Ethrling got out one side and then let the girl out the other.
The Mog had led him to girls dwelling. Watching them go up the sidewalk, something about her enticed him with a sudden pang—something about her was familiar. Had he seen her before in Avalon? She had a mark and his mark alerted him. There was something more than that, it went deeper and he couldn’t shake it off.
They both stood in front of the door. He could only hear mumbled voices, when suddenly the door opened and slammed shut. The boy left and the house was illuminated with the light from behind the door.
“I have to get in there,” Eli said, slowly standing up.
“What are you going to do, knock on the door or ring the bell?” Deravon said. “If you’re going to do this right, you have to have the right equipment.”
“I don’t have time for this,” Eli said, stepping out of the thicket.
He hardly made it a step when Deravon grabbed hold of his arm. Eli was uncomfortably close to Deravon, his back now embedded into Deravon’s chest, he was probably smiling, Eli tried to squirm his way loose. He could hardly breathe from Deravon’s super Fae strength. A flash of light blasted before them and then he found himself standing in an apartment surrounded by abstract paintings, chairs and couches filled with pillows and the smell of lavender.
Deravon released Eli as the sound of city life filtered through the cracked window.
“I don’t have very many portal spheres left, but it was worth it. I always wanted to get you to my apartment,” he said, jerking the curtains shut and giving Eli an uncomfortable seductive look.
“What in the name of all Fae are you doing?!” Eli could hardly contain himself.
“I thought you would like my apartment. It’s much better than that shack you’re staying in.” Deravon plopped onto the puffy blue couch with hands behind his head and feet propped on a matching ottoman.
“I don’t have time for games Deravon! Take me back to the Etherling’s house,” he demanded.
Deravon smiled gazing at him. Eli paced the floor infuriated. “You know sentry, I didn’t bring you here for my amusement.” Putting his feet on the floor, he leaned forward giving Eli a serious look. “If you are going to be successful, you need the right implements. I am surprised though, I thought Lil would’ve beaten you to the Everspell.”
Eli stopped suddenly like he was caught in a spider’s web. “She has no business with it. She’s no better than the Muses.”
“I’m going to be to the point with you Eli because I care about Lil too. She loves you and is hurt as well. She did what she did to protect you.”
“Spending a year in the bowels of Avalon with criminals that I once chased after isn’t my idea of protection!” Eli yelled wanting to say that out loud for so long. It was a relief to do so.
“You are blinder than I thought, thinking only of yourself. What do you think Lil went through? She was with the Muses,” Deravon said now eye to eye with Eli.
Looking away he knew the Muses were ruthless, lawless when it came to certain things. They could get away with anything, they were above the law, untouchables and power was a commodity to them.
“She never planned on giving them anything, only using them to fund her treasure hunt. She was alone and escaped to the Etherworld as a refuge. I offered her my assistance; she declined not wanting anyone else to be hurt.” Deravon’s voice softened. “Eli, she was trying to save our world single handedly.”
Eli turned away peering over the cityscape of Avalon. Through the small kitchen window he could see a small section of the tall buildings. The city looked clean up high with its sharp edged buildings, cool lights piercing the black sky and the intricate architecture visible only up high by the privileged.
“Where is she?” Eli asked breaking the silence.
“I am not sure, Lil is allusive. Our best bet is to get the Etherling and take her to the Rebel’s compound,” Deravon said getting up.
“The Rebel’s compound?” Eli thought the resistance had been dissolved years ago.
“Yes, they’re still around and I don’t think we should discuss anymore here,” Deravon’s voice tapered to a whisper.
His attention turned to the small mirror beside the door that showed someone was standing outside. Two figures loomed side by side dressed in long cloaks, faces shielded as one of them rang the bell. A jaunty tune began to play. Eli joined eyes with Deravon. “The Muse’s henchmen,” Deravon said.
Scrambling to his bedroom, he came back with a waded up piece of dark, mesh-like material Eli thought could be a glamour suit. The door rattled under one of the henchmen’s heavy fists. Deravon grabbed hold of Eli, pulling a portal sphere from his pocket just as the door busted open.
The henchmen’s shaved heads bore tattoos of swirling designs that Eli had never seen before. Their eyes met and they smiled crudely at Deravon and Eli. With a flip of their palms came a slender black blade.
“Hang on!” Deravon yelled.
With a flash of light, Eli felt the plush carpeting dissolve under his feet just as one of the Henchmen’s blade caught Eli on the arm, ripping through his sleeve stinging his skin. Clutching the wound the light slowly faded settling them in darkness. Eli looked around realizing they were in front of the Etherling’s house.
“Made it just in the nick of time,” Deravon triumphantly said noticing Eli clutching his arm. “What’s wrong?”
“One of the Henchmen scratched me,” Eli said trying to bunch up the sleeve of his shirt to stop the bleeding.
“Here,” Deravon said, grabbing hold of his arm.
Eli didn’t like Deravon touching him at all. He was in the same training class as Eli when he decided to become a sentry. Deravon was wealthy, arrogant and the wedge that always stood between Lil and himself. He didn’t think Deravon liked Lil in a romantic way, but something bonded them as friends that couldn’t be severed, no matter how hard Eli tried.
“Ouch!” Eli yelled a little louder than he intended. “Stop, I can do it myself.” Eli jerked his arm away after Deravon put something cool on his wound that made it tingle.
“Not a good patient, are we?” Deravon said crossing his arms.
“I’m a grown Fae,” Eli said, with one strip of cloth in his mouth and the other in his hand pulling it tight.
Eli felt his cheeks flush. He didn’t look at Deravon only at the house in front of him.
“How am I going to get in?” Eli asked.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Deravon said, handing him the black piece of clothing.
“A glamour suit.” Eli held it in his hands running the coarse material between them. “Where did you get this? They aren’t just handed out to mock sentries.” Eli had wanted to call him something mean, jabbing at his pride. Deravon only smiled.
“Being a guard at the Palace isn’t something you take lightly. It is filled with tradition and tact, something some sentries lack,” Deravon said, stepping back slightly. “For your information, I got the glamour suit while working at the Fae Museum. It’s an old one. They’re replacing them with new and improved ones, so I thought this would do for you anyway.”
Eli looked at it and then at Deravon.
“Go ahead, change into it. I promise not to look more than twice.” Deravon smiled, obviously enjoying himself.
Eli walked past the Mog ordering him to stay put using him as a changing screen. The suit was per
fect. Its scale like covering shifted from black to dark blue and green, depending on how he moved. The pants were separate from the long tunic shirt that had long sleeves. In the lower corner of the shirt was a small emblem, but one of great importance. It was the Crest of Liviana, the last winged Fae. The small circle was filled with interlocking and looping lines of silver thread. It had no end and no beginning just like the magic she had found and mastered. Her reign was over though, and times had shifted to darker ones.
As if the suit had a mind of its own, it began to tingle on Eli’s skin. It was becoming a part of him. He felt its magic awaken, concealing him to the Etherworlders. Eli stepped out looking at Deravon.
“Well,” Eli said, wondering if Deravon could see him.
“I can’t see you, and it is a shame, because I love a Fae in uniform.”
Eli shook his head and looked at the girl’s house. He was close to the Everspell. After everything he’d been through, he would finally be free. The magic would be protected at least from the Muses. He would still have to get it to its final destination.
It was a place Lil and he decided so long ago. The Isle of Stars. It was a beautiful place of lush green foliage, beaches of white sands untouched by anyone. Protected by the treacherous Sea of Murk, it is the home of the Three Graces, who are the protectors of all magic. They were born of magic and are its keeper.
With the shroud of a glamour suit, Eli walked up the sidewalk and into the girl’s house.
Toby
“It doesn’t look like your dad is home yet,” Toby said looking at the dark house.
“He’ll be home soon. Thanks for the ride,” Lyssa said starting to open his door.
“Wait!” Toby jumped from his truck and went over to her door.
Suddenly, he felt like he should open the door for Lyssa. Quickly he went around the front of the truck and opened the door for her. He watched her slide out gazing at him with confusion.
“What are you doing?” Lyssa asked shaking her head.
“I am opening the door for you. Surely you didn’t hit your head that hard,” Toby thought he would try to be humorous.
“That is very chivalrous of you.” To Toby’s delight, she was amused. “I don’t think I ever had any one do that for me.”
“You deserve to have that done more often,” Toby said not believing he actually said that. His mouth and brain were not his own anymore.
Lyssa laughed slightly. Walking up the sidewalk, he noticed all the flowers surrounding it. He wondered if Lyssa liked flowers and actually recognized one that had one small bloom on it still struggling to bloom as if in protest to winter.
It was a yellow daisy called a Rudebeckia, and his mom had them in her garden. Lyssa bent over pulling a gold key from under a resin mold of a warty, fat toad.
“Don’t tell anyone,” she said, lifting the key up before she put it into the lock.
“You have a lot of flowers,” he said, gazing over them.
Lyssa didn’t answer him right away. He looked back at her watching her eyes glance over them like they were tombstones. Her smile faded and her blue eyes filled with a shade of grey.
“They’re my dad’s,” she said, turning to unlock the door only to drop the key.
He bent over the same time she did banging her forehead on his chin. She let out “oh” snatching the key before he did.
“I’m sorry Lyssa.” Toby stood up and gazed at her with concern.
Lyssa looked away rubbing her head and fumbling with the key.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No!” She yelled with a pain in her voice. “Look, why are you doing this? I am just…I’m just…” Lyssa looked like she could cry. He didn’t want her to do that.
Suddenly, she began to wobble. Steading her with his hands, their eyes met. She was hurt by something he didn’t understand. He could see it in her like a distorted figure through frosted glass. She pushed herself away and thrust the door open.
“Sorry. I mean thanks for the ride,” she said stepping inside.
“Lyssa are you sure you’re O.K.?”
“I’m fine. Thanks,” she said through the cracked door before it went shut.
Toby stood there for only a moment. Raising his hand, he almost knocked on the door, but instead withdrew. What had a hold on him? Confused by his own actions, Toby walked hesitantly to his truck and got in. Looking back at the prism like glass door, he started the ignition and drove away.
People of Fae Page 7