“Well, you girls have fun.”
She gets up and shuffles sleepily into the living room. A few seconds later I hear the sounds of the morning news drifting past me. It won’t be long until she’s out and snoring softly in her armchair.
I go upstairs to get dressed, shove my new phone in my bag and sling it over my shoulder. Maggie has no idea that I’m coming over, but I doubt it will that big of a shock to her. We were supposed to meet Derek at Nyla’s to go over some basic rules about Faery keeping and some other nonsense. I was only half listening to him when he explained it.
When I get to their apartment Parker answers the door.
“Oh, Kate, I didn’t know you were coming over. Come on in.”
“Thanks, Park. Morning.”
“You too. She’s not up yet, by the way.”
I nod. This is no surprise to me. Maggie isn’t exactly a morning person, per say. Something we have in common to an extent. She’s just much worse than me.
I walk down to her doorway, which is closed flashing stickers she’s plastered on it for years with band names and logos, the largest of which reads ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK I roll my eyes at it and turn the knob.
“Maggie,” I call. “Hey, wake up sleepy head.” I peer around the door.
“Hey don’t you know how to knock?” she snaps, just pulling down the hem of a light blue T-shirt over her navel. She turns and looks at me. “Oh, it’s you. Sorry, I thought you were my brother.”
I raise my eyebrows at her. “I did call out, didn’t you hear me?”
“I was a little preoccupied.”
“Uh-huh. You’re ready, I take it?”
“Obviously.” She gestures to her outfit.
The walk to Derek and Nyla’s house takes less time than I thought it would. When we arrive there I knock on the door while Maggie stands to one side, shifting her weight from one foot to another and fiddles with her long blond hair. I wait two heart beats and start gnawing absently on my thumb nail. Five. Eight. Finally after about twenty seconds, the door cracks open and Nyla’s amethyst eyes look out at us.
“A very good morning to you,” she greets with a smile. “Would you like to enter?”
“Yes, please,” I say politely. Maggie rolls her eyes.
“Always a pleasure,” Nyla says and I swear there’s a note of sarcasm in her voice. But it’s too coated with sugar and honey for me to be sure. Maggie smiles an angelic smile at her, one that promises trouble if you say anything about it. I blink and walk past Nyla into the brightly lit house.
The sunlight looks beautiful through the huge panes of glass in the ceiling and golden rays bathe everything in the room in a golden honey hue. The plants soak it up, they look revitalized and a healthy, springy green. Flowers have bloomed and they dot the gold with purples, blues, oranges, yellows, and pinks. I breathe in the aroma of their blossoms.
“I see you favor plants,” Nyla says, noticing.
“They smell amazing.”
“That they do. But do you recognize any of them?”
“No,” I shake my head.
“I would not think so, as they are not from this world.”
“How—”
“OK, can we skip this idle banter about the flora?” Maggie cuts me off. “We’re not here to smell the roses. Where’s Derek?”
“He’ll be along in a moment. Tea, anyone?”
“Yes.”
“No, I don’t want any tea.” Maggie harrumphs and plops herself on the sofa and crosses her arms over her chest.
I shoot her a quizzical look.
“What? In my opinion it’s too early for tea. Coffee is OK. But tea? Blech.”
Sometimes I think my best friend is the strangest person in the world. But don’t ever tell her I said that.
“Would you like some coffee?” Nyla asks Maggie with a sparkling smile.
“Sure.”
With that she bustles off to the kitchen to make our refreshments. I hear her banging around in the cupboards and smell a fire which I hadn’t really noticed before now. It reminds me of camping and the great outdoors, making smores and sleeping under the stars in just a sleeping bag. Something I haven’t done in years.
Soon the smell of coffee brewing practically masks the smell of burning wood.
“Derek will come in soon,” she yells after a particularly loud clatter of a pot or pan.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help in there?” I ask, rising from my seat.
“No, no, no. I am fine, I assure you.” Her voice is closer and louder and sure enough a fraction of a second later the door opens and out she comes with two mugs clasped in her willowy hands.
“Here you are,” she hands them to us. As her hand touches mine for a brief second I can’t help but notice that her fingers are trembling. I catch her hand in mine and set my mug down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Wrong? Noth—wro— there is noth—” she stutters, struggling with her words.
“You’re lying. Faeries can’t lie, remember? Oh wait, you know that.” My voice is thick with sarcasm. “Where’s Derek?”
“He is just— He is—”
“Where. Is. Derek?”
“The Queen ordered him in for questioning!” she wails, purple droplets pouring from her eyes, in what I’m assuming is tears.
“WHAT?” Maggie and I gasp simultaneously, mouths agape. “Why? Why would she—? What if—? What will she do to him?” it’s my turn to splutter.
“Please! We cannot do anything. He has to worm his way out of this himself. He has done so multiple times in the many moons I have known him.”
“Why is she questioning him?” I demand, unable to keep a quaver from my voice.
“She is querying all those who were there the night you two escaped. Derek is able to lie to him; he will get himself out of this jam. I swear to you. We need be patient and pray to our ancestors for assistance in our time of need. I have not known a situation where Derek did not weasel himself out of it.”
“But—”
“No buts! We will sit here and wait patiently for his return. Understand?” Her voice was firm and had a “there will be no tolerance” tone.
“Fine,” Maggie grumbles. “But are you sure there’s nothing that we can do?”
“I am positive.”
“Maggie will you please just relax and stop! Please?” I intervene before she starts arguing with Nyla again. “Obviously there is nothing that we can do or Nyla would have us doing it already.”
“Not if Derek made her swear to keep us here. I’m pretty sure she listens to him more than us. They are family after all.”
“Master Carson does not want you girls in anymore danger than you are already in,” Nyla said angrily. “Now would you please for the love of all that is Fey, forget any inclinations you two may have of going after him! He can look after himself. Now kindly drink your tea and coffee and quiet your mouths.”
“I will, but I want it known that I am not happy about it. And I will give Derek a piece of my mind when and if he returns.”
With that there is dead silence with the occasional sounds of slurping from our mugs. We sit on the old brown couch as tense as boards and clasp our cups with white knuckles. Nyla tries to appear busy and walks to and fro from room to room. It’s obvious that she is trying to keep an eye on us so we don’t go anywhere, her green eyes are piercing and if we make even the slightest noise while she’s in the kitchen, she’s back in a heartbeat, bearing down on us with the polished wooden tea kettle with the black burned rim on the bottom that quite frankly I’m getting tired of seeing. Not to mention I’m in the desperate need of the lavatory.
“Crazy old bat,” Maggie hisses in my ear after one particular visit where she nearly scalds her hand with hot liquid as she accidentally overflows Maggie’s mug.
“Her intentions are good,” I counter.
“Yeah, but how are we ever going to learn if Derek keeps here with her as a babysitter?”
&nb
sp; “Considering what happened last time we were in Chrysantha’s midst, I don’t blame him. Do you?”
That gives her pause. “I suppose not. But he could have warned us.”
“How? I doubt he had any warning himself.” I whisper back.
She never says so, but I think she realizes that I have a point and we go back silence after that.
The day passes with agonizing slowness. Around the violet hour, so named for the beautiful tint of the sky as the sun descends on the horizon, I begin to doze off.
The large room looks all too familiar to my eyes. I have that strange sensation that it is a dream but not really, and in someone else’s' body. Like I’m floating in midair.
Spindly wooden chairs line the walls and they all face one direction, towards one grand chair that’s bejeweled with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies and upholstered with rich and plushy fabric. Sitting on the extravagant throne is none other than Queen Chrysantha herself. She’s talking to a figure kneeling beneath her and her face is livid. You’ve never been afraid of a faerie before you have seen them fully enraged.
“WHO HAS DONE THIS, IF NOT YOU, DEREK NATHANIAL CARSON?” She bellows. “WHO HAS BETRAYED ME? IF NOT YOU?” Her voice echoes with deafening power throughout the room. “TWO PRISONERS MISSING AND THE ANTIDOTE TO THE POISON I ADMINISTERED TO THEM, GONE! I MUST KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE!”
“I assure you that it was not me,” Derek says calmly, head bowed. If he is scared of her, he does not show it. He keeps his composure perfectly. “I did not aid those humans in their escape. You are questioning the wrong person.”
“Those “humans” he says. Do you shun your own kind, Derek Carson? Do you not consider yourself human? Do you think yourself Fey, like those around you? You fought me when I carried out their punishment. Who better an accomplice than the one who questioned my authority and judgment? Why would you not help your own kind, I ask myself. And it became clear who the culprit was. You.”
“My lady I believe you are mistaken. Why would I turn my back on my own family? Humans shunned me so I have shunned them. What would I want to do with those who tossed me off their doorsteps like trash? Sent me to that place to rot until someone else came to claim me or better yet; to die. What would I have to give in return to them? Nothing.”
“Lies, all lies. Human weakness allows it! How can I believe you when I cannot be sure you are telling the truth? You are just like the other vermin of that world. You spit venom in our faces just like the rest of your kind. Lies!”
“My Queen! I take offense to your words! Do you not trust me? I would never lie to you! How can you say such things? I would never betray you!”
At that her face seems to soften the tiniest bit. “I seem to have overstepped my bounds. Do not take offense, for you are not the only one I have questioned today.”
At that, Derek looks up at her. I can't see his face but I can imagine the look in his eyes as he gazed at her; surprised and a little disbelieving. “Who else have you questioned today?” he asks.
“That is none of your concern.” Sternness is back in her voice. “You may go before I change my mind about you.”
“Thank you, your majesty. Your lenience becomes you, I am eternally grateful.” He bows and stays bent, walking backwards out of the room.
I jolt awake.
“Hey, hey, what's wrong?” Maggie asks from beside me.
“Bad dream. Only I don't think it was a dream.”
“Would you like to explain that, fortune cookie?”
“I— I think I just had a dream or a vision? I was where Derek is and I saw everything that happened. How is that possible?”
“You know, I don't think that's the question to ask anymore. It'd be more productive to ask what isn't possible.”
“It is a rare trait among Faery Keepers,” Nyla says, entering my line of view, her wings which she has not made visible before now are unfurled behind her and beating furiously stirring up a warm wind that splays our hair out in an almost halo. They are a beautiful violet with golden veins that sparkle like metal in the sunlight. “But not unheard of. It is said that you have a sort of connection between yourselves where you can enter each other’s minds with practice and concentration. Usually it takes years to master that kind of magic.”
“You say that we can enter each other minds?” I ask.
“Indeed.”
“But it wasn't what that was like. I wasn't seeing it as he was seeing it. It was like I was there, in the room with him. Not seeing it through his eyes.”
“Hmm. Perhaps you were projecting your magic there without meaning to. It is strange, I confess. But as I said, not unheard of. For you to have done it while unconscious is extremely rare, and without any practice. I think we can expect great things from you.” Is it just me, or did Nyla actually sound impressed right there? I have to be imagining things.
“Well isn't that just great,” I mutter as Maggie glances at me with a bit of jealousy in her eyes.
“Hey don't look at me like that, it isn't like I asked for this, I told you that before.” I resist the urge to smack her on the arm. “And who knows? You could be all powerful and amazing too; we just don't know it yet.”
“Nice save,” she smiles, poking me in the side. “I suppose we'll find out, huh? Who knows, maybe I'll have twice the power you do.”
“Well, what are friends for?” I ask with a smile in return, wrapping her in an awkward hug. “And you're right, who knows?”
Nyla looks between the two of us and shakes her head. “Humans. I will never understand you completely.”
12. Keeper Lessons
A full hour passes of sitting and waiting before the infamous return of Derek. I'm embarrassed to say that I actually missed the idiot.
He enters in through the back door and we all jump from the sudden noise. But as soon as we see his drained face, we forget about all of that. Nyla is the first to react. What do you expect, he is practically her son. “Derek!” She jumps up with the aid of her wings and gives him a huge bear hug. “Thank the Fey you are alright!”
“There is an extent to which my ribs will crack from your strength, which you do have a lot of despite your willowy looks. So you can let go now, Nyla.”
“Sorry,” she apologizes as she lets him go, brushing a stray tear from her cheek.
“Good to see you back,” I say with a small smile.
“Oh, so you did miss me,” he grins. “I assume that Nyla told you where I was.”
“You were gone? I hadn't noticed,” Maggie rolls her eyes and snorts. “Duh. You think we wouldn't try to get it out of her? Der, you definitely need to get to know us better.”
“So how did it go?” I ask a little too innocently. I try to fake a cough to cover it up, but it's too late. The damage is done.
Derek narrows his eyes, instantly picking it up. “What do you know that I don't?”
“Nothing,” I say truthfully. “I know exactly what you know.”
He looks flabbergasted. “Would you care to explain that?” A raised eyebrow.
“Um, well. . .” I rub my arm nervously. “I'm not really sure how to go about this but. . .”
“She projected her magic to you while you were with the Queen.” Nyla supplied so I didn't have to fumble for words any longer. “While unconscious, nonetheless.”
His eyes widen. “Wow.” He glances at me then back at Nyla. “Really? I thought I felt something when I was there, but I wasn't really sure given that I haven't been around another Keeper in my life. That was you?”
“I guess so.”
“Well isn't this spectacular?” Maggie grumbles.
I lay my head on her shoulder comfortingly.
“I suppose we should get started on our lessons then, shan't we?”
“First and foremost, you need to know what a Faery Keeper is before we begin our training. What is in our job description and what we can do. Would either of you like to venture a guess as to tha
t?” Derek asks, looking back and forth from me to Maggie.
We're standing in Nyla's living room all the furniture is pushed to the walls, careful of the plants that sit on top most of it, so now we have one wide open space. Mostly. The curtains are drawn to give us an air of privacy.
“I’m going to take a guess and say that we protect them,” I say, uncrossing my arms. “Would I be correct, Mr. Carson?”
“Please, call me Derek,” he winks. I make a gagging noise at him, and he ignores it segueing into his next sentence without pause. “Yes, you would be right to an extent. But we are so much more than that. Maggie? You've been awfully quiet over there.”
She shakes her head. “Nope, I think I'll just wait this one out for you to explain yourself.”
“Ah, the oh so noble cynic. Well, going with what Ms. Moore said, we do protect the Fey. But from what you ask? They surely can deal with such dilemmas themselves for they are properly equipped. We, my friends, are here for the human threats. Things that deal with iron and humans intent on killing the Fey for vigilantly reasons. Or like the current threat, the Zion's, who think one of God's own creations shouldn't be here because they believe they are not God's creation. Granted, they do come from both sides of the Heavenly war, but what can we do about that?”
“But if we're here for human threats, what's to say we don't get killed by said humans?” I ask in concern. “I mean, we aren't indestructible. Who's to say we aren't just offering ourselves up as a sacrifice? What do we have that they don't? I don't think reading each other’s minds and projecting our powers so we can see other situations are that great of a defense.”
“Well that's where you would be wrong. Have you ever watched any war movies? It's always an advantage to be able to see things you ordinarily wouldn't be able to without your powers. At least safely. We could spy on the enemy without actually having to be anywhere near them.
“As for reading each other’s minds, it gives us stealth. We don't have to utter a word while in the midst of battle. Just think it and it's heard. And not just by anybody but by your allies, and only them. It has come in handy many times in the past and I'm sure we can use it to our great advantage, don't you?”
The Faery Keepers Page 11