Maggie calls me the next morning, “so dish, what happened last night? I was going to call but I didn't know when you'd be home and I wasn't calling your cell because I didn't want to interrupt anything and oh my gosh, Maggie breathe!”
“Jeez, Margaret would you calm down?”
“Oh don't start that Margaret crap! Come on, you have to tell me! I'm your best friend, it's like law that we have to tell each other everything. Right? Katie? KATE! Why aren't you answering me? You can't just leave me hanging!”
“What? Oh, sorry. It wasn't so bad. Derek was, surprisingly, a perfect gentleman. He even opened the door for my mom. And paid for dinner,” I couldn't keep the shock from my voice.
“Whoa.”
“I know.”
I'm not sure whether or not I should tell her about how Derek had clued me in about his parents nearly killing him. So, instead of saying anything, I stay silent for a few seconds as she absorbs that latest bit of juicy news.
“He must really like you,” she muses.
I groan. “You and my mom really ought to coin a club or something because she said the exact same thing last night.”
“Ha! See? Even she sees it and she's met him all of once!”
“Oh, shut up,” I say, but not with feeling.
“Never. But I—” there's a pause and a garbled voice in the background. “Oh, that's Parker. I gotta go. Love ya, babe.” The phone clicks off on her end.
“Bye,” I mutter.
Later, at Nyla's, I expect Maggie or Derek to say something to me about the previous day but my qualms are moot. Derek starts the lesson with telling us the story of how the first Keeper was made.
“Now pay attention to this, you two. Thousands of years ago . . .”
14. Gwephenlark & the First Keepers
“Thousands of years ago, no one knows for sure how long because they kept time differently then, there was a war much like the one we are amidst today. It was between the Fey and the first generation of Zions. Both sides were diminished greatly but there was no sign of an end to the bloody battles. The Zions believed that they were doing God's work and were brutal and unmerciful with their killings.
“One faery named Gwephenlark, a lowly Fey that was merely a commoner in one of the hidden villages, was commandeered into battle because of the lack of able bodied Fey left.
“He saw horrible things happen to the faeries at his arms. And he, being a mere commoner in the Spring Court, was not accustomed to that degree of violence. But he would have to become used to the idea. He was the only survivor from one particularly viscous battle and he began to question himself on what would happen if all of the Fey were extinguished. He knew that something had to be done or else they would become extinct. And if the faeries became extinct then who would be there to care for the seasons and the animals and what would happen to the balance in the world?
“So, after Gwephenlark fully healed from his acquired injuries, the unwelcome fruits of the heat of battle, he began to search for humans. And not just any humans. Those pure of heart and quick witted, who could be trusted with the task he was going to present them with. They would have the weight of the Feys' world upon their shoulders.
“In the end there were five that he found he could trust. For faeries are very good judges of character when they aren't corrupted like Chrysantha is. Three men and two women, well they were considered adults then. But realistically they were teenagers or just coming into their twentieth year of life. Gwephenlark revealed himself to them as his true self and they believed that he was, indeed, real. He pricked his own skin and blood poured forth from the wound. He explained to them that his kind were in danger of being killed off and that he didn't foresee an end to the war any time soon. He said that his blood would give them extraordinary powers that no human had possessed before and that they, in turn, would have to help in exchange for this precious gift. He stated that their children would be changed, too, but it would be an immense honor to carry on the line of the Keepers. The five agreed, like Gwephenlark expected, and he fed them each a measure of his own blood.
“The blood surged through the humans veins and gave them magic, just as Gwephenlark had promised. And with it, a shining tattoo-like mark on their forearms that discerned them for what they were. Not fully human, but not fully Fey either. A sort of mix of both that had only the attributes. Human resilience, but also the speed and stealth of the Fey.
“And so it was with the five's help that the war was balanced out, not quite won or lost, but left at a stalemate for centuries. An impasse, if you will.
“The first five Keepers are our ancestors. Those three men and two women passed the gene on from generation to generation and made us what we are today albeit a bit more, um, watered down, to say it lightly. They were very powerful and very strong.”
Derek stops and lets the tale sink in, finished with the story of how we came into existence.
“So you can basically say that we're from a long line of vampires,” Maggie snorts.
“Just because they drank faery blood does not mean that they are vampires, Mags,” I sigh “I mean when Chris gave Cathy and the twins his blood in Flowers in the Attic was that considered vampirism? No. It was for survival. Same rules apply. That was the only way Gwephenlark could find to save his race. I think it was rather noble.”
“Good point, Kate,” Derek nods his approval and flashes a pleased smile at me. “He did what he had to. And so, we are faced with the same task as our ancestors. But we're getting off topic. Did either of you happen to notice something that's similar between the first keepers and yourselves?” he asks, looking between our mirror image puzzled faces. “My guess is no.”
“They were really powerful like we are,” I offer after a few silent seconds. It's all so obvious now.
“Correction, you are really powerful like they were,” Maggie grumbles.
Oh not this again! “How do you know how powerful you are since you haven't exactly done anything yet?” I roll my eyes at her in annoyance. “I mean what's the big deal, anyways? You want my powers? Take them. Life was simpler when we didn't know about this faery mojo stuff anyhow.”
“Hey now! Let's not forget that you met me because of it!” Derek interjects before I can go on. “I mean we can't just disregard my whole involvement. It's insulting!”
“No that's not what I meant,” Maggie groans. “It's not that I don't want you to be special, Katie. You are. I guess I just. . . . envy you.” I've never heard Margaret struggle for words like she is now.
“You what?”
“Well I don't appreciate the audience, but I suppose I do. I mean everything's so easy for you. You don't have to work at things like being noticed or pretty or having incredible magical powers. They just are.”
Wait, wait, wait. Rewind. Did she just call me pretty? I gape at her like she's just grown a third eye and is speaking Portuguese.
“Don't look at me like that.”
“But I don't get it you're the—” Pretty one. The one who's got it easy. The beautiful half of the duo. I want to add these but they sound lame and the words die on my tongue so the sentence just hangs there.
“Well this is just fascinating. But, unfortunate as it may be, I cannot waste my time listening to you two blather on about inane things when I'm supposed to be teaching you the ways of our race. So excuse me for my rudeness, but can we please move on?” Derek cuts in as I open and close my mouth soundlessly. I'm a little irked but glad at the same time that he's saved me from explaining myself.
I close my mouth and nod at him silently.
Later, when we're leaving, Derek stops me in the doorway and I wave Maggie on when she looks back at me. “I'm fine,” I mouth at her.
“You're beautiful,” he says simply. It's not like a compliment or anything. He says it like a statement of fact. And then he turns around and closes the door gently after me.
Nonplussed, I leave.
Maggie is in a flurry of activity the morning of the first day of school trying to decide on her perfect outfit and what classes she'll have. It takes her at least twenty minutes to get ready and as I'm in her room waiting for her to figure everything out I point out the fact that all of these inane things are pointless in the grand scheme of things. “So? It's still fun. I mean how many first days of high school will we have?” she counters.
“Um, two left. And that counts today.”
“Exactly. So, is it so bad that I want to look my best today?”
I sigh, “fine, but hurry up will ya? We're going to be late.”
Eventually she decides on a light pink short sleeved blouse, a pleated knee-length jean skirt with a pair of strappy Greek looking sandals that will most likely get her in trouble with the principal. Looking down at my faded jean Capri's, Sketchers and t-shirt that is blue with a giant strawberry diagonally across the front with an animated face like on a cartoon character, I silently vote her outfit as significantly better.
When we get to school, the lot is already crowded with students. Both Derek and Parker offered us rides but we refused, more comfortable walking. Though I think by now Maggie is cursing our choice in those sandals.
“Hello ladies!” Derek pops out of nowhere at my elbow. “How was that walk?”
Maggie makes a face at him, her mouth twisted in something between a grimace and a sneer.
“That good, huh?” He looks at me and smiles. “Nice outfit. I especially like the fruit on your shirt.”
I glance at my strawberry and back up at him disbelievingly. “Thanks?”
“Any time,” Derek chuckles.
“Why do I feel like you were laughing at me rather than complimenting me?”
“No idea. Shall we?”
“Oh, you're walking us to class now?” Maggie asks, snorting and rolling her eyes.
“Well if you're going to be that way about it, I'll just walk with Kate.”
I stare at them both, wide eyed, pleading with Maggie to not leave me with him.
“Whatever. I'm out of here. Later, babe,” she gives me a one armed hug and is off.
“Bye,” I mutter miserably. “Thanks for leaving me with you-know-who,” I call after her when she's down the hallway. Several students turn and look at me and I duck my head like I haven't said a word, face flaming.
“Hey! I am not Voldemort, thank you very much,” Derek protests as we start walking down the next hall to my first period class.
“I beg to differ,” I grumble under my breath.
Later that night, after school, dinner alone, and when I can no longer hear my mom's soft snores from down the hall since she has left for work, I slip on my green Sketchers and pad downstairs.
Out in the backyard I find the old blanket I keep hidden behind one of the bushes for nights like this, nights when I'm feeling claustrophobic and just need to get away, and spread it out on the mercifully cool grass.
I lie down and stare up at the velvety black sky which is dotted with stars that sparkle like diamonds endlessly. I sometime wish that we didn't live in the city. Weren't so smothered by other people’s lives where they barely slow down to really appreciate the beauty around them. Maggie, on the other hand, loves it here. There's a mall within a five mile radius and plenty of people to keep her entertained.
The next thing I know I'm opening my eyes to the sunrise, pink on the horizon. I must have fallen asleep sometime in the night out here. The blanket is twisted around my feet and I am absolutely covered in insect bites. I suppose it's a good thing that I'm not allergic to anything. That I know of.
On our walk to school, a dark green Jeep Grand Cherokee stops beside us on the sidewalk and the passenger window whirs open.
I sigh. “Yes, Derek?” I ask without even glancing in his direction.
“Come on. You two must not like walking all the time. Get in.”
I continue walking, ignoring him. But when I look back, Maggie is stopped on the walk, staring between me and Derek. “Well I don't know about you and your Sketchers, but these heels don't exactly agree with my feet one hundred percent of the time, unfortunately, despite how killer they make my legs look. So I guess I'll accept your offer. Just no funny business, got it?”
“I swear.” Derek promises.
I shake my head and double back. “Fine but if anything bad happens, I'm blaming you,” I direct at Maggie.
“Like what?”
“Oh I dunno, an accident? Deafness from his loud music?”
“Point taken, I'll accept the blame.”
From then on Derek picks us up on Maple Street on the way to school and takes us home every day. And I'll admit, albeit never out loud, that it's kind of nice to have a routine. I even get Derek to turn down his radio every so often. Queue shocked gasps now.
I'm pretty sure that I'm dreaming but the details seem so real that it's hard to believe. I don't even remember falling asleep. But there's no other way to explain the fact that I've somehow ended up back in Ceara's tree when I've made no conscious effort to arrive there.
The place is in absolute ruin. Faeries are scrambling around, screaming horrible, bloodcurdling screams that sound more animal than anything that would come out of something that resembles a, albeit it's a far stretch in some cases, human. But what they're running away from isn't absolutely clear at first. That is until there's a great burst of flames from around a corner that looks as if it is coming from a flame thrower, which is ridiculous because faeries don't have that sort of weaponry. That I know of at least. It catches a less fortunate Fey in its fiery blast and she catches fire, screeching in pain as her skin burns right off her bones, her wings shrivel up like paper and the faery falls to the ground, dead. The smell of burning assaults my nose and my dream self covers her face and fights the urge to vomit. I backpedal and turn to run away from what I can now see is a group of men and women storming the corridor. The one in front holds a gun looking device that I assume the flames have come from. I don't stay there long enough but I do make out the Z shape etched onto the man’s face who carries the flame thrower.
I wake up with a start, a scream bubbling to my lips and the smell of smoke still lingers in the air.
It can't be. That was not just the man that was hunting us down when we were rescuing Miruna.
But no matter how much I tell myself that, I know that it's true.
Groggily, I feel around on my bed side table for my cell phone and open a new text message.
Just had a crazy dream. Can we talk? - K.
I press send.
A few seconds later it beeps with the response.
Yeah. Meet me @ your back door in 5.
I slip on my shoes and go downstairs to the door aforementioned. Just before I open it a figure appears outside the little rectangular windows and sees me. They motion for me to follow them. I shake my head and open the door wide. “You can come in, my mom's at work.”
“Oh.” Derek walks in.
“You want to sit?” I gesture to the kitchen table.
He shrugs and pads over to one of the chairs, looks back at me as I still stand by the doorway. I move to sit across from him.
“So what happened? In this dream I mean.”
I tell him everything.
Whe
n I'm done, he whistles. “Well, I can see why you'd be scared. That's intense.”
“I'm not scared. I was thinking that if this is like the last time, could this have happened? I mean, did I actually witness this?”
“No, I'm sure it's just a dream. The Zions have been looking for our hideouts for centuries and I doubt they've found it this time. Probably just your mind catching up with all the things happening to you. “
Was he really dismissing this so quickly? “I don't believe you. What if it did happen? What then?”
“It'll be dealt with accordingly. I'm sure if they are there, the Guard has already taken them out. Did you see how many there were?”
“Not exactly. Maybe ten, fifteen? But, Derek, it was him. The one who was chasing us before. When you found us in that abandoned parking lot? He had that Z mark exactly where his was.”
“And that's probably just you remembering him. Kate, if I was concerned, I'd be gone already and we wouldn't be having this conversation. I think you should just go back to bed, OK?”
“I'm not a child.” I say more forcefully than I'd intended.
Derek puts his face in his hands. “Look, even if we could do something about it, you can’t go off and be Miss. Heroine. You've barely been trained in fighting yet and you'd only get yourself killed. So just cool your jets and go back to sleep.”
“You can't be serious.” I spurt, aghast. “You can't have come all the way over here at three A.M. just to tell me to go back to sleep and be a good little girl and eat my vegetables. Why can't we do something?”
“It's exactly this attitude that is going to get yourself slaughtered like a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.”
I flinch at the analogy.
“Sorry, I momentarily forgot about your sensitivity to animals. But what are we supposed to do?”
I sigh, momentarily nonplussed. “I suppose you're right. I don't know if I'm going to fall asleep though. . .”
He stares at me for a moment. “Why did you ask me to come, anyways? Why not Maggie?”
The Faery Keepers Page 14