“That would be cheating.” She gives a devilish grin. “Perhaps I can ask her.” My aunt vanishes before I can protest.
Dad sits back against his seat, smirking. He furrows his brow, as though he’s pleased.
“So, what…you think now that I know how to shift, I won’t keep it under control and spoil the whole trial?”
“We get one shot at this, Wynter. You fail, there is no do over.”
“You say this as though if I shift, the whole thing is finished.”
“Yes. That’s precisely what I’m saying.”
“I don’t understand any of this.”
“You’re not supposed to understand. You’re supposed to follow directions.”
“Don’t ask, just do. Is that it? How am I supposed to work with that?”
“Well, yeah. I am your Dad.”
“A dad that has had his share of deception.”
“Have I ever steered you astray?”
“No. But you did keep a big secret from me. Am I supposed to forget that, even though you thought what you were doing was right?”
“I can understand your concern. But knowing what you know now, can you blame me?”
“No. But can you blame me for questioning you?”
“I understand. Trust me. This must happen this way. If you shift, the balance of power will shift, too.”
“I still don’t understand how, but if you say so, then fine, I guess you do what you feel you need to, so I can finish this successfully for the sake of the kingdom.” Fran pops next to me, nearly having me leap out of my skin. “Really?”
She laughs. “Why so jumpy, dear niece?”
“Did you find out anything?” Dad asks.
“Yes,” my aunt answers.
Dad leans back in his seat and smiles. The carriage drops us off in front of an old wooden building that looks like it belongs in a western movie. “Here we are. Scale Café & Grill. They make the best Trek steak.”
The thought of devouring the Trek imposter at Rory’s home comes to mind and my nostrils flare. “Do they have to cook the meat? I like them rare.”
“Well,” Dad begins, “it appears the taste of blood she’s had is sticking.”
“We may pull this off after all, dear brother in-law.”
“Again, with the third person…hello, I’m right here!”
“No shifting,” Dad reminds me, ignoring my outburst.
Chapter 24
Rory Fernshadow
The past:
In the Hall of Secrets
Stella, the others, and I wait for Blair and Cory. The dwarves appear irritated like me.
“Game of cards?” I ask. I point to a table behind us where a deck sits atop. I was intending to sound facetious, but the dwarves took me seriously and grabbed them.
Dom gives a smirk.
Stella observes us quietly, with brief glances back and forth.
“So, Stella, how long have you lived at the manor?” I ask.
“About five years.”
“What’s your story? How did you come to be under the thumb of Madame Moyer? I’m mean, I get that Blair found you and brought you here, but I can’t help but think you’re not being completely honest with everyone. Like you know something we don’t.”
She again glances at the twins, as they stop what they’re doing. They, too, are interested in hearing what Stella has to say.
“I’d rather not talk about it right now.” Stella smiles.
The door to Ladorielle opens. The light is bright at first as the Hall of Secrets is dimmer than any usual room should be. Aoes comes through, wearing the same robe as earlier and carrying the same staff.
“Good to see you again, Rory," he says. "Where is Cory?”
“He's apparently having a one-on-one conversation with Blair, leaving us here to rot.”
“Such dramatics, Rory. I can understand your impatience, but you must realize this is strategic. Going in halfcocked will not do any of us good.”
I tilt my head in confusion, and he gestures to his glowing crystal ball that sets atop his stick.
Aoes comes near Stella. She shy’s, not meeting his eyes. “You must be Stella.” He puts his hand out for her to shake, but she doesn’t return the gesture. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you.”
She glances up at him, giving a slight nod.
“Master Aoes, this is Stella, and she’s been under the care of Isalora.”
“Yes, I know who she is. My dear, I’ve seen your future. You will do great things for Ladorielle. I need you to know we will keep you safe.”
The door to Ladorielle opens again and standing in the threshold is—"Mom? Is that really you?” I ask, stunned. I run to her side, and we give each other the biggest hug. Tears flow uncontrollably down my face. “I didn’t know for sure. But deep down in my heart, I had hoped you got out safely.”
“Let me take a look at you,” Geneviève says, as she pulls away. She beams. “It takes a little more than a goblin or Trek to stand in my way. I could have left at any time, but I wasn’t going to leave Jeff. He was the one trapped, not me. You think a valiancium cuff can hold in my magic?”
“It held in mine.”
“No, it didn’t. I think you thought it did because your friends were trapped with you, but that steel doesn’t take the magic away from us like the rest on Ladorielle. We elves were born with a little resistance. While, yes, it might drain our power to not be as potent, it cannot keep our species down forever.”
The dryad sisters come to mind. Was their escape all a ploy? The cuffs they wore meant nothing. Suddenly, I’m beginning to see the bigger picture. “Those double crossing wenches.”
I see confusion cross my mother’s face. “Mother, I need to ask you something.”
She looks me in the eyes with concern. “Go on, what is it?”
“In the Grengore Mines, Gretta and Kyla were there. I thought they were vanquished?”
“As far as I know, they were.”
The pieces begin to fall into place. “They were tasked to make sure Wynter was prepped to marry King Zeelx.”
“Something fishy is going on,” my mother murmurs. She looks to Aoes. “What do you make of this news?”
The wizard’s expression is firm. “I say we have more than Sarmira we’re dealing with.”
The door from the Hall of History opens, and we watch as Cory returns.
“Geneviève,” he says, appearing surprised. “I thought you were dead.”
“It takes a lot more than a battle of the lords to get me down.” She smiles, and they give each other a hug.
“Shall we all sit,” Aoes suggests. “I imagine some of you might be a little hungry?”
“No, we just ate,” I say. “Where is Arryn and Akira?”
“Oh, they will be here. Sara has them taking a little detoured task.”
I don’t press the issue and take the same seat I did earlier when we first met around this table, working out a plan to rescue the Storms.
“Shall we begin?” Aoes asks. With the snap of his fingers, a map similar to Isalora’s, appears, reminding me to ask, “Wait a minute. Should we wait for Wynter’s mother?”
“She cannot pass through here without grave risk,” Aoes reminds us. “As an undead herself, she could have her soul stolen to the dark side.”
“That must be why she stays near the cottage,” I say.
“Yes. As the gatekeeper and protector of this realm, she holds the magic that prevents evil to penetrate. We cannot risk losing her to the underworld.”
“What’s our next step, Master Aoes?” Geneviève interjects.
“We must get Stella safely to Ashengale. If we can somehow send more with you, the better. We only have two opportunities to pull this off.”
“Two?” I ask, confused.
Aoes folds his hands, saying, “Yes, you and your mother. Moyer hasn’t a clue of your porting secret, but Geneviève, she is aware of. That evil witch has been trying to locate her for years.”
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“And nearly succeeded a couple days ago,” Geneviève says.
“Okay, so what’s the plan?” I ask.
“First, Rosie. You must get her back. She has a responsibility to keep Stella safe.”
“What about Derek, Chad, and Daniel…Casey and Cole?” Cory asks.
“Redmae,” I burst out, infuriated that she is conveniently being kept out of the loop.
“Rory, we will get her,” my mother asserts. “I want her safe, too.”
“Okay, settle down,” Aoes cries. “We will do our best to get everyone out.” He looks at Cory. “Do you think you can pull it off?”
“Yes, but Blair said there weren’t any orphans left.”
“There are three that remain. My crystal ball shows a little girl and two boys in the basement chambers below the manor. The first step is to bring Chad and Derek here. They need to know what’s going on, and we can’t risk Sarmira finding out our plan,” Aoes says.
“Blair is already on that. She plans to bring them all here before tomorrow night,” Cory replies.
Aoes paces forward to a chair. “Good. Furthermore, what’s stated in this room stays in this room.”
“And my sister?” I ask, my head fuming that she still hasn’t been on the priority list.
“We find Redmae and give her the potion I gave you. Having her on our team is a top priority…and being lucid will help. She is no good to us if you do not succeed in getting her that serum.”
“How many more days do we have on Earth before Wynter is to start her trials?”
“Not including today, you have two more days, Earth time,” Aoes affirms.
Realizing the time difference, I say, “That can only mean it’s already the next day on Ladorielle.”
Aoes firms his lips. “They have already begun. Wynter started her first trial this morning, and a dinner to celebrate will be this evening. You must be back by tonight, before that second trial begins. I’ll remind you, that’s two days’ time on Earth.”
“How do we get back here, once we have all our party together?” I ask
“You don’t,” Aoes answers. “That’s where the stone you were given comes in.”
I look at Zak. “I get it,” he says. “It’s the only way to get my sister safely back to Ladorielle. She can’t pass through to this hub, nor can she see the cottage.”
“Nor, Casey, Cole, or my malevolent cousin, Daniel,” Cory adds.
“Am I to assume you want me to wait here with Stella?” Geneviève asks.
Aoes nods.
“Rosie will probably be the easiest to get back here,” Cory adds. “Derek, not so much. He’s had chances in the past to flee, yet he stays. And Daniel…” He chuckles. “He’s further gone than my brother, Cole. Daniel has been Moyer’s puppet from almost the very beginning, from the stories I’ve been told. He’ll turn you to stone before you have a chance.”
“These potions might do you some good,” Aoes interjects, pulling liquid vials from his robe. “There’s enough there for you to use a few times but use them sparingly.” He sets the vials down for each of us to grab.
“What are these?” I ask.
“Invisibility potions. Rory, you, of course have a natural ability. These are for the others.” He looks at Stella and Geneviève standing behind me. “You two are to remain in this Hall, overnight.” The wizard moves his hand, and two cots appear a few feet from the table we sit at. “Hopefully, these will give you enough comfort, should you need sleep. As for the rest of you,” Aoes continues, “back to the cottage you go. Prepare and get our allies back.”
“What about Arryn and Akira?” I ask
“They will not be far behind,” he says.
I see that Cory stays seated at the table. “Are you not coming?”
“I’ll catch up. I’m staying to help get as many people to safety as I can.”
“Right. Be careful.”
Chapter 25
Wynter Storm
The Present:
Scale Café & Grill in Ashengale City
Dad opens the door, and a hostess greets us. People of all ages are drinking, laughing, and eating. I feel like I’ve walked into a rowdy sports bar and grill. There are televisions on the walls showing football playoffs while others have on basketball. I focus in more on one of the screens and notice they’re American games.
The memory of this place comes back to me. Dad and Aunt Fran used to take me here when I was a kid. “Is the train set and tracks in the kids’ section still here?”
Dad grins. “You remember. Would you like to sit in there, for old times’ sake?”
“Why not?” I smile.
“A table for three please, in the kids’ area,” Dad tells the hostess.
She gives a surprised grin. “Sure, let me see what’s available.” She leaves to check on the section.
Dad pulls my arm, and we sit down on a bench near the door, waiting.
“It will be about ten minutes,” the girl says, coming back. “Can I get your name please?”
“Jeff,” Dad says.
“I thought everyone knows who you are. Are you not a celebrity around here?” I observe her jot down his name, but not before I see a hint of red in her eyes. Her hair is long and black, and she wears an all-black uniform. She notices me staring and smiles. Fangs peek out on either side of her mouth, but they are not extended. I don’t need any more hints to know she’s a vampire.
Dad seems to notice I’m staring. “Ashengale is the city of dragons. I don’t normally shift into this”—pointing to himself— “so no, to answer your question, many do not know me. All are welcome to live under the protection of the kingdom, as long as there isn’t any trouble. That’s the beauty of a shifter. No one living under this grand, protected city can see who a dragon is and who is not. It’s our way of patrolling under cover, weeding out those that don’t belong.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Our kingdom has the ability to tap into Earth’s network, as well as some other planets. Many of our people enjoy…human sports. As for the royal guard near the castle, they remain in dragon form, always on high alert,” he explains.
I observe families with children eating in booths while in the bar area brutish-looking men sit on stools. Some folks are mesmerized by football playing on the big screen. Shouts roar out as I watch one team make a touchdown. In the back of the restaurant, people play pool in another room while others throw a game of darts.
“Talk about your catch-all diner,” I mumble, although it’s still as I remember.
“Yeah, this is a popular hangout for the townspeople, always has been,” Fran says.
Another group of people come in the entrance doors, seek the hostess, and take a seat opposite from us: a man, his wife, a teen girl, and a child. I can tell they, too, are vampires, including the child. The kid appears shy and props upon the mother’s lap while the teen stands against a wall engrossed with her phone.
Two more people enter the restaurant before the hostess comes up to us, saying, “Excuse me, folks, your table is ready.”
We make our way to a booth in the corner. As we sit down, the hostess hands us our menus. “Your server will be with you shortly.”
I pick up my menu. “Do they still have the cricket burgers?”
“A niece after my own heart.” She laughs. “Yes, they do.”
I squint, trying to read the menu, and I think Dad notices. “Don’t tell me you forgot to read Elvin?” he asks.
“Is it that obvious? It’s fine, I’m sure it will come back to me. I just need practice.”
“Here, allow me,” he says, taking the menu from my hands. “I’ll order for the both of us. Any clue what you want, Fran? Oh wait, that’s right, you’re dead.”
“Ha, ha, I almost forgot to laugh. Whatever, Jeff, I’m immune to your teasing. Besides, it does pose as good practice to try and fool others that I’m still human. Order me a calamari.”
“Hmm, that was always y
our favorite, wasn’t it?”
“Would you two stop badgering each other and play nice for once?”
The server approaches. She has a pen and pad in her hand, chewing gum. “Hi there, my name is-s Halle, may I take your order?” Her dark hair and scaly, yellow-brown skin reminds me of Nora’s features when she pushed me against the wall that day she caught me in the hall at the manor. Her eyes have a snake-like look, too, and I immediately recognize her as being an Iknes Shaw.
“Why’s she in this town? I thought they’re the enemy.”
Dad gives me a glare, saying to the server, “We aren’t quite ready yet.”
The girl stares me down, as though she can see my thoughts. “What about drinks-s?”
Because my aunt is a ghost, she can filter out the invading thoughts of others and answers me. “Some Iknes Shaw have sought asylum from the brutal poisonous clan in the mountains,” my aunt answers. “I might remind you, Wynter, some Iknes Shaw have the ability to read thoughts.”
Distracted by the glare of the server, I begin to stutter, “I-It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. Do you still serve Moggle Pops?”
“Dad, who is she? She shouldn’t be making me nervous.”
Halle, the server, grins. “Sure do darlin’. What’s-s your flavor?”
Dad ignores me. “Oh, honey, it has been a long time for you, hasn’t it?”
Halle says, “We have Pink Lily, Gooey Green, Tropical Tangerine, and Black Widow Berry.”
“You mean there is more than root beer, now?” I ask, amazed.
“Mmm, Black Widow Berry sounds great,” Dad cuts in.
I stare at him, thinking he’s nuts. Even the sound of spiders gives me the chills.
“Try the Pink Lily Moggle Pop,” my aunt says.
“Have you had it?”
“I have. It tastes like a Shirley Temple but with a kick.”
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