People of Fae

by M.M. Gavillet

  Chapter Ten

  Eli

  Elijah stood with crossed arms and looked steadily at Eli as if he didn’t answer Merlin correctly, he would squeeze the right answer out of him.

  “I was taking it to the Isle of Stars. That’s where Zoey and I were planning on taking it in the first place.” Eli still had a hard time calling Lil Zoey like if she had changed into someone else, and maybe she had.

  Merlin held the book in both hands and stepped closer to Eli. “My young, naïve Fae, you don’t have the Everspell.”

  Merlin tossed the book to the floor, and gave him a sympathetic smile. Eli looked at the book wondering how that was possible and second guessing Merlin’s judgment.

  “You were close to the Everspell, but you missed it by a long shot. You see, the Everspell is pure magic that hasn’t been used by anyone and to put it into something so…nonliving…it would never survive,” Merlin said as he walked around the room in circles with his hands behind his back. Eli gazed down at the book.

  “How do you know?” Eli questioned and looked at Elijah who refolded his massive arms and shifted his weight as a warning. Someone as famous as Merlin should never be questioned, but Eli was so sure the Etherling put the Everspell in the book.

  “Because, it would have dissolved and been lost forever if it didn’t have a vessel to survive in.” Merlin stopped and gazed hard at Eli. “You had the Everspell in your presence, and didn’t even know it.”

  Eli looked away towards the ground. The book laid on the ground with its pages curled under it, as if it was a piece of trash. He was so sure he had it and his uniting with the Etherling’s mark proved it. She kept all of her important things in it. Where else could it have been? He thought of the girl and her mark. An Etherling with a mark never made sense, and Eli thought it was some trick that Zoey played to mislead him. His sharp sentry skills should have questioned everything, but he didn’t, and wanted a quick answer. It could have been in only one other place.

  Eli looked into Merlin’s eyes. “It is in the Etherling girl.”

  Merlin’s eyes twinkled as he turned away from him.

  “Zoey thought you would have figured it out and now she is risking not only her safety but the Everspell as well.” Merlin’s words hung like an omen in the room. “She has as many friends as foes, Eli, and she was hoping you, an unimportant sentry who got caught stealing keys in the Fae Museum could surely find and bring the correct Everspell to us.” Merlin kicked the book causing it to skid across the floor and swallowed by a darkened corner. “Especially with the funding of the Muses’.”

  “How was I supposed to know?” Eli stepped closer to Merlin as Elijah took a step closer as well. “If that was what she wanted me to do, why didn’t she just tell me? Why didn’t she just tell me about everything here?” Eli waved his hands in the air, and turned from Merlin as the room grew silent.

  “She loves you Eli.” Merlin’s words were soft and in all the languages he probably knew, that statement sounded unnaturally foreign to Eli. “She chose not to tell you because she wanted you safe. If you were caught with any connection to the Rebels you would’ve been tortured to death.”

  Eli let out a sigh that led into a small chuckle. “So she was hoping for a quick death then?”

  “You don’t see it, and I don’t have time to explain it.” Merlin left with his cape swirling around him like a shadow.

  Eli was alone with millions of stars twinkling at him through the glass ceiling. He gazed at them in their innocence they have probably witnessed thousands of things in their lifetime. He wished one of them could talk and tell him the best course of action.

  The Everspell was in the Etherling girl, and now Zoey is after her. Eli had to intercept her before she could bring her to the Rebels. His promise which was something so deep it has become a part of him, Eli could never break.

  Eli swiftly descended the staircase through the now empty kitchen. He heard Merlin’s voice echo addressing everyone in the dining hall. He pushed open and went in. He stood in the back behind Lizzi and Wes. Everyone had made a circle around Merlin.

  “…That is why our swiftness in this matter is important. We will act as one. The portal is just about complete and now with Zoey’s message of urgency…we must act quicker. Our salvation depends on it.” Merlin waved his hand in the air and turned, parting the crowd only to be swallowed by the darkness of the hallway behind him.

  The band of young Faes scattered going every which way leaving Eli stranded and confused.

  “What’s going on here, Elijah?” Eli asked looking up at the grey faced giant.

  “Zoey sent a message.” He started to say. “There was an ambush involving Drakes and she’s headed here.”

  Drakes were the Fire People that came from the shadows when the Fae first made their new world. They were the stowaways and have always been a thorn in their perfect world. If Drakes would get hold of the Everspell, if they even had knowledge of it, there would be no compromising.

  “We have to help her,” Eli said, feeling he should take action.

  “The best we can do is prepare for hiding and hopes she brings the Everspell with her.” Elijah placed his heavy hand on his shoulder and left Eli alone with the crackling fire and dragon mantle staring blankly at him.

  Lyssa

  “I know you don’t like Zoey,” Lyssa said to Gwen who moved the shelves in her pantry revealing the hidden passage.

  “It isn’t that. I don’t share her views and Lyssa you are too important to me to just trust anyone.” Gwen went down the staircase with Lyssa at her heels.

  “Yeah, but she dated dad for a long time.”

  “I didn’t say that she wasn’t good to you. You are my family Lyssa.” Gwen turned to her in the dim light looking into her eyes.

  Lyssa let out a sigh. “Sean thinks differently. He thinks I should go to the Rebels.”

  “We know nothing of the Rebels. For all we know they might have relations to the Muses.’” Gwen climbed a ladder to get a red glass, square bottle down. “Besides, it’s my decision, and no other.”

  Lyssa wanted to protest, and make Gwen understand. Gwen had no idea that the Everspell was in her and trying to keep such an important thing from her was hard. Maybe if she said something about it that would change her mind.

  “Ah, here we go.” Gwen looked at the bottle like she was reading cough syrup. “This is an old protection spell.”

  “Gwen,” Lyssa felt bile rise in her throat. “Have you ever heard of the Everspell?”

  Lyssa bit her lip. She just let the question roll off her tongue in one breath. Maybe by seeing what Gwen knew would sway her decision.

  Gwen’s eyes lifted slowly like a snake catching sight of its prey. “Yes.” She answered slowly. “How do you know about it?”

  Lyssa wasn’t expecting a question in return. “I heard the others talk about it.”

  “It is fable and too dangerous to even mention. It is something those treasure hunters are after and it’s nothing more than a myth,” Gwen said guiding Lyssa up the staircase.

  “But it could be real right?” Lyssa stopped on the stairs and turned to face Gwen.

  “No, it isn’t, and I won’t have you going after it.” Gwen crowded behind Lyssa to go upstairs.

  The sky was filled with blazing oranges edged in a purplish rim from the sun that had sunk past the horizon. Gwen turned on a light and opened the bottle.

  “How does that work?” Lyssa really didn’t want a protection spell.

  “You drink it.” Gwen poured the liquid into a mug. “I have to do some other things to it though.”

  Lyssa was glad the protection spell wasn’t done cooking yet, and discreetly exited, leaving Gwen humming to herself. She wanted to be alone, and found solace in the autumn twilight.

  She walked in circles kicking the leaves up in the air watching them fall gracefully to the ground. She wrap
ped her arms around herself trying to keep the cold air from flowing through her sweater. She looked up at the sky. Stars were slowly appearing forcing the sun deeper into the horizon. The sun was shining somewhere else now. She wondered if and how it shined in the Fae world.

  Lyssa thoughts began to drift to everything from her father to the Everspell. She wondered where the key was and what did it look like and more importantly how did it work. What about Gwen and Sean. Sean was in agreement to Lyssa going with Zoey. She wanted to tell Gwen that the Everspell was in her.

  Soon she discovered she was nearly at the crest of the hill behind the house. A giant oak tree stood at the top like a watchtower to the timber below. The light had faded giving to the darkness. Lyssa stood under the tree and looked at the darkened timber. It was beautiful and dangerous looking at the same time.

  Then from the pit of her stomach she felt something. A warning. Lyssa stood straight up. Something was watching her from out in the blackness, eyes were on her. Her skin prickled and she felt paralyzed to movement.

  Suddenly, something cinched down her arms to her waist like someone had lassoed her. It was quickly followed by a laugh, a woman’s laugh.

  “Got you!” Lyssa heard from behind her right before being knocked to her feet, and pulled backwards on the ground.

  Lyssa struggled, and managed to turn her head up to catch a glimpse of a smiling girl with blonde hair and eyes twinkling with a mad delight.

  It was Cinnia. She had come back for her. She held her close and whispered something in her ear that she couldn’t understand. Lyssa felt strange and tried to move, but CInnia more than likely put a spell on her.

  Cinnia extended her gloved hand cradling a glowing ball in it. Lyssa’s body was pressed against her, and felt the vibrating of her voice as she threw the ball in the air with a thousand sparks.

  A growl erupted beside them as they moved closer to the blinding light. Lyssa fell to the ground as Cinnia was jerked away. Lyssa heard the mumbled screams, growls, and the metallic smell of blood.

  “Lyssa!” Gwen was followed by Sean, Deravon and Zoey.

  Lyssa moved her stiff arms trying to reach them as they ran towards her with glowing balls in hand. They threw them over her head at whatever was behind her. The air sizzled and sparked as they flew through the air and hit the ground with an explosion.

  Gwen grabbed hold of her as Zoey with a flip of her wrist, expelled a slender blade waving it through the air at a tall darkened figure. With a burst of light, Zoey was suddenly thrown backwards through the air. Lyssa screamed as Gwen tried to drag her back to the house. Deravon and Sean were no match to the towering figure that seemed to come straight towards Lyssa.

  “Run Lyssa! Go to the spell room and have the keeper keep you safe there.” Gwen flicked her hand and expelled the same blade as Zoey did.

  Lyssa stood frozen in the surreal surroundings. She knew she should run, but felt compelled to stay. Zoey laid crumpled on the ground while Deravon stood close to her trying to bring down the dark figure that towered over them.

  The tall figure slashed at Gwen throwing her through the air. Lyssa stood mesmerized by the creature. Everything grew in silence. She looked at Sean, Gwen, Deravon and Zoey who laid motionless on the ground. She wanted to run, she wanted to fight, and she wanted this to end.

  A burning sensation filled her right hand like she had clenched a lit candle trying to put it out. The figure slowly moved towards her like it was liquid. Lyssa stood her ground and raised her hand that glowed so bright, she thought she could see the bones in her fingers.

  The figure laughed in more than one voice and like a spring its arm snapped up and grabbed her wrist jerking her closer to him.

  “Stupid Fae girl. I don’t have time for games.”

  “No!” Gwen suddenly got up and ran towards the creature that extended his arm releasing a sharp blade that sunk into Gwen.

  “Gwen!” Lyssa screamed trying to loosen the grip he had on her. “Gwen! No!”

  Gwen sat on the ground with her knees bent under her and her eyes focused on Lyssa with her hand extended. Lyssa struggled to free herself only to be practically squeezed so tight, she couldn’t breathe.

  Light filled around her as the image of Gwen and the others, was swallowed by a white light. Lyssa felt herself turning in what seemed like circles until she was released and thrown to the ground.

  She huddled on the cold floor trying to catch her breath in the darkness. She pushed herself up with shaking arms and tried to stop her head from spinning.

  “Feisty little thing, isn’t she?’ A voice hissed behind her.

  “Yes, brother, she is. Like a scared cat.” Another voice answered.

  “Be quiet both of you! We don’t have time for any of this.”

  Lyssa sat with bent knees trying to get up and instead did a crab walk on her hands and feet trying to scramble away from the voice. She ran into something hard making it shake and causing something glass to fall off and crash beside her.

  “Clumsy too,”a voice said as a light flicked on.

  The looming figure stood beside a tall lamp and gazed at Lyssa. Lyssa didn’t move, and looked around at her surroundings. The figure stepped closer to her, and then stopped in front of her. He bent down gazing at her from the blackness of its covered face. Lyssa wanted every trembling muscle in her body to coordinate into the fastest run she’d ever gone. But, she couldn’t as either fear or a spell had her entrap and scared.

  The dark figure flipped back its hood so fast, Lyssa didn’t even see his hand push it back. The face smiled back at her. It was a man with greying dark eyebrows that looked like two caterpillars. His cheeks were full when he smiled and his chin square. He didn’t look frightening at all and almost reminded Lyssa of the principal at school, only this man was stouter in size. The only thing different about him was his eyes. One was blue and the other green.

  “Don’t be frightened girl.” His voice was thick and soft like melting butter on toast.

  “Let me see her!” A voice suddenly demanded, and the man’s head turned quickly to the right like someone was trying to twist it off.

  The face was squished like invisible hands were pressing on either side. His eyes were two black holes that stared back at her. Lyssa gasped, and the face’s lips curled into what it could to smile.

  “Me too!” Another voice said and the head turned to the left showing an identical face.

  The man’s head then turned center smiling at her as he extended his hand and like a gentleman helped Lyssa up. She stood amazed looking up at the man.

  “I am really sorry you had to see that first thing, and not even being properly introduced.” His voice was sharp as if trying to scold the other two faces. “My name is Orzan and…”

  “You’re the Muse brothers or one of them.” Lyssa was speaking her thoughts remembering what Gwen had told her about Orzan. Orzan tilted his head smiling.

  This was the man that killed her mother and took her father. She wanted to punch him and even eyeballed a letter opener on the table beside her. She knew it wouldn’t be of any use, he would over power her. She had to be cunning instead.

  “My reputation precedes me then. Good then, but don’t listen to the rumors. As rumors usually end up being lies.” Orzan put his hood up covering the other two faces that were silenced.

  “I’m sure I have already been labeled the bad Fae here, but I am not anything close to being bad. You see out that window there.”

  Lyssa looked out the window. Tall buildings illuminated the dark sky in the distance. They sat in a cluster like carved icicles hanging from an eave on a house. They were all silver and shiny like diamonds. Their sharp edges of the roofs looked like knives that could slice the night sky releasing all the stars from the heavens to pour out like blood. They were beautiful, like something from a snow globe except they had a dark overpowering feel that made Lyssa shiver
.

  “This Lyssa is Avalon and this city I love very much, like a child to their father.” Lyssa looked up at him, but he never let his eyes off the cityscape. “I have nurtured this city from its infancy and unfortunately it has a blight on it.” Orzan’s stepped away with his back to Lyssa.

  “Avalon—like King Arthur.” Lyssa thought out loud.

  “Not exactly.” Orzan laughed with amusement. “Though, from time to time our world and the Etherworld do intertwine. Kind of like a vine on a trellis.”

  Lyssa thought she could try to run, but where would she go. She estimated that she was at least two or three stories up in Orzan’s house, and who knew how much security he had. Orzan turned on a light and shuffled papers on his desk trying to find something.

  “I knew your mother, Lyssa.” His voice stuck a cord in her. She didn’t expect him to say that. She stood speechless. “I loved her very much and I want you to know that.”

  “You killed her.” Lyssa simply stated looking into Orzan’s smiling blue and green eye.

  “I am sure I automatically got the blame for that. Let me show you something.” Orzan went over to one of the many shelves that lined the dimly lit room and pulled a simple wood box down. He gently ran his hand over the top removing the collection of dust that coated its top. “I don’t clean much at least not on the top shelves.”

  Lyssa really didn’t know what to make of Orzan. He didn’t appear the villain she thought he would be. He seemed all too normal, except for the other two faces on each side of his head. Lyssa watched him open it slowly and took a step back just in case he threw something at her. She looked at the letter opener again and then at Orzan who only smiled at her.

  “I believe you have the other half.” Dangling from Orzan’s finger was a silver necklace with a round jagged edge pendant. Lyssa gasped, lifting the other half that hung around her neck.

  “It was your mother’s when she was at one of my facilities.” Orzan extended it towards Lyssa.

  She looked at hers with the engraved word hope. She felt her skin prickle as Orzan smiled back at her.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Lyssa. I’ve been trying to get you here to tell you the truth. I have been searching for a long time and there is much I wish to tell you.”

  Cautiously, Lyssa stepped closer, took the pendant, and clenched it in her hand. It was cool to her touch, and its sharp edges pricked her skin. She looked at Orzan who patiently waited for her to look at it. Slowly, she opened her hand and gazed down at it. Engraved was the word Muse.

  “She broke it when she got mad at me. She was at the place I call Muse Hope.” Orzan pulled out a chair that had a high cushioned back and sat down. “You see when I say she was at one of my facilities, I mean she had a problem. She was addicted to opium, and in my attempts to clean up Fae society, I established many facilities to harbor and correct these plagues that have inflicted our growth. I met Kearlyn on one of my visits, and slowly, our relationship grew into something more. We fell in love, and then she became pregnant.”

  Lyssa felt her head spin and bile rise in her throat. What was he getting at, she wondered, as her eyes stayed focus on the pendant that she thought only said hope.

  “I offered marriage to Kearlyn, and she denied me.” His voice for the first time had a light constriction to it. “I know she was scared and young and maybe overwhelmed, but you Lyssa are my main focus now as any parent would do anything for their child.” Orzan smiled with a slight venom to it.

  “What do you mean? I was told you killed my mother in a fire and kidnapped my father. I just want him back.” Lyssa looked around the room. She wanted to run and run away fast.

  “You were told this and you were told that. Anyone can make a story up to suit them. What was your mother going to do? What would she say to Gwen and Sean and that Etherling she fell in love with? That the child she had was not his and belonged to another.” Orzan stood up, and held Lyssa on each of her arms as if he knew she wanted to run, and he wouldn’t even let her get the chance. “Look at your palm.” He flipped it over. Her mark glowed brilliantly like it was perfectly tattooed on her. “You don’t get a mark from only being half Fae, daughter.”

  Toby

  “I think I am going to puke!” Craig said between the jarring bounces of the creature’s steady run.

  “You believe me now?” Craig answered with a moan.

  “If I didn’t, this would be one hell of a nightmare.”

  The creature had run for what seemed like hours. He wondered where it was taking them. Maybe it belonged to Gwen and Sean—a watchdog of some sort. In the darkness he couldn’t make anything out except that they were in a heavily wooded area and could be anywhere.

  The creature then stopped. Toby shot Craig a glance in the darkness. The creature didn’t let them go and breathed heavily trying to catch its breath. He then let out a noise that sounded like he was saying a single word that was followed by a flash of light. Toby heard Craig scream as the wind rushed around them in a blinding light. Toby could do nothing but hang on and close his eyes hoping it would be over soon.

  The pulsating light was replaced by a still darkness. A calm surrounded them, but not for long. The creature let go and suddenly Toby hit the hard ground and began to roll down a steep incline. He tried to grasp hold of the tuffs of grass and even thorny twigs that littered the rocky ground to stop. It was no use. Toby could hear Craig scream through each rolling tumble. Frantically, he tried to hang on to each passing object only to have it slip through his hands or unearth itself from his weight.

  Suddenly, the ground gave way and he was falling through the air. Toby saw the sharp-edge cliff framed in a starry, night sky fade from sight. He yelled out just as something hard smacked against him.

  Water filled his nose and mouth his flesh stung with a thousand pins as the air was knocked from his lungs. Coldness filled in as he sank deeper into the black watery abyss. He tried to swim upward hoping to reach the surface. Then, something slender wrapped under his arm and began to pull him through the water. Toby gasped in the cool air as soon as they broke the surface.

  Whoever or whatever had him, began to tow him through the water. The water became shallow until the coarse sand rubbed against his back. They stopped and the saving arms released their grip. He caught his breath letting the small waves brush past the side of his face and then turned his head to see who had saved him. In the darkness was a faint outline of what looked like a rounded head with long hair that was small in size. Good, at least so far it was friendly and close to being human.

  “Let me see,” a female voice said at his feet.

  Suddenly, a light illuminated them. The light pierced his vision and he tried to keep his eyes open. Between forced blinks, Toby saw two figures loom over him. He put up his hand trying to block some of the light so he could see who they were.

  “It’s a boy!” The voice exclaimed. “Do you think we can keep him?”

  “If we do, we’ll have to hide him. You know what mother would say,” a second voice said.

  “True,” the first voice replied.

  “Who are you?” Toby demanded propping himself up.

  The two figures jumped back and huddled together. The light dimmed illuminating them. They were two girls, one with dark blonde hair, and the other with slightly reddish blonde hair. They appeared to be human, until Toby looked at the hand of the reddish haired girl. She held a small ball of glowing light cradled in a human looking hand except thin webs connected her delicate fingers and where their legs should have been, a brightly scaled fish tale took their place. Their shocked faces softened into a smile.

  “Mermaids,” Toby barely whispered.

  Both girls let out a giggle.

  “Did you just call us mermaids?” The blonde hair girl asked. “You’re not from around here are you?”

  Toby let his gaze switch between them. “Yes an
d No.” He finally answered.

  “Where are you from? No one travels in these parts very much and certainly not on the White Cliffs.” The red haired girl asked shoving the ball of light in his face.

  “I don’t think he is an intruder, just flow with the tide and calm down, watchgirl.” The blonde hair girl gently lowered the other girl’s arm and then smiled at Toby.

  “My name is Nessa, and this is Jules.” She motioned with her webbed hand.

  “What are you doing? We do have duties to do,” Jules scolded as she glanced back at Toby. “What if he’s dangerous? And not just some lost boy?” She looked down and shook her head. “What then, I don’t want to explain to Mother.”

  “Don’t listen to her.” Nessa flicked water at Jules. “Now, why don’t you tell me your name for starters?”

  “His name is none of your business,” a deep voice said behind Toby.

  Toby twisted around and tried to jump up, but his bruised legs only became entangled in one another. He fell back into the cool water with Jules and Nessa giggling at him. Two strong hands then lifted him from the water and to the shore in one graceful and quick movement. There were two guys who grabbed hold of him one on each side.

  “We found him though.” Nessa protested to the giant man who stood with his back to Toby.

  “And thank you for doing so or I would have had to swim after him.” The giant man replied.

  The girls both looked back at Toby with sad eyes. They looked like two kids giving up a lost dog they’d found, fell in love with and then had to return to the owner. Then Nessa leaned forward slightly looking at the guy to Toby’s right.

  Toby followed the gaze to the blonde hair boy with slightly angled features. He smiled back at the girls and gave a small nod and wave.

  “Wes!” Nessa exclaimed and smiled back. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  All eyes were on Wes. He looked at the large man in front of them who crossed his arms. Toby could tell that Wes had to answer to this man and he did with only a shrug of his shoulders.

  “Even Merfolk?” The man to the left of Toby said.

  Toby looked back at the smiling girls.

  “I like to keep my allies—allies. What can I say? I’m just a likable Fae,” Wes replied stepping closer to the girls who hardly blinked gazing up at him.

  “Come on Wes. Say goodbye to your sweethearts!” The giant’s voice boomed as he moved closer to Toby.

  “You were lucky we got here in time or you would’ve been their pet,” the giant man said as he passed by Toby.

  The man to Toby’s left, gently tugged on his arm and they began to walk towards the thick timber. Wes had called himself a Fae. He had to be in the Fae world then.