Heirs of Avalon

by Alica Mckenna Johnson

  “Okay. Stay safe.” I wanted to kiss him goodbye, but the others stared at me.

  He squeezed my hand and left.

  “Come on,” Miu said, tugging my arm. “Let’s get ready.”

  I nodded. My fingers wrapped around my fire pendant. Its warmth increased under my touch. Anali, please stay safe. We’re coming.

  * * *

  “You’re all set,” Philip said. Gavin put the call on speaker phone as he drove the van down the M4. “We have several people working for the National Trust. I’ve told them all to stay back, but are you sure you don’t want any help?”

  Gavin gripped the steering wheel hard enough to turn his knuckles white as the car in front of us slowed. “No, they need to be gone. I’m not trusting strangers. We don’t know what to expect, and I need to get Anali back.”

  Philip sighed. “Okay. I’ll text all of you a number you can call if you do need help. Call me once you have her safe.”

  Gavin cleared his throat. “I will. Thanks, Philip.”

  “Anytime. Call me when you have her back, no matter what time it is.”

  Silence fell, and tension buzzed through the van. They say anticipation is usually worse than whatever is waiting for you. I would agree. Fear, anger, and helplessness surrounded me. I rubbed my arms in an attempt to stop the feeling of ants crawling over my skin. Ramsey laid his arm over my shoulders. I leaned into him, but it was weak comfort as his anxiety coursed through me.

  “Finally,” Gavin muttered turning off onto a smaller road.

  The tension rose as adrenaline began to increase and people prepared to battle. I needed to get out of this van. The GPS gave mechanical directions as we sat in silence.

  We drove to the gate where a man stood waiting. Gavin rolled down the window. The faint hum of Akasha came from him.

  “If you need anything, ring. We’re set up in different places and will keep an eye on things.” His accent so thick I could barely understand him. “Two women and five armed men are already up there.”

  “Two women,” Gavin said. “Was one of them Indian? Did she look okay?”

  He nodded. “Yes. She looked upset but walked fine.”

  “Thanks.” The roughness of Gavin’s voice brought tears to my eyes.

  “There’s no way to sneak up on them,” Shin said. “Glastonbury is on a hill in the middle of a field, even with careful planning and time I probably couldn’t figure out how to sneak up there.”

  Gavin nodded. “Then I guess we’ll walk up there.”

  The moonlight showed the Tor standing tall at the top of the hill. The gray stones looked ghostly in the pale light. I was glad the moonlight was bright enough to not need a flashlight. They made the darkness scarier, because they only showed you a small bit of the world. Anything could lurk along the edges of the light.

  Taliesin pulled the hood of his coat up, trying to hide from the moonlight so his skin wouldn’t glow.

  Pebbles and dirt crunched under our feet. We sounded like a herd of cattle. No chance of having an element of surprise.

  “I’m going to teach you all how to walk quietly,” Shin whispered.

  “I want the door open.” Melusine’s voice carried on the wind.

  “I can’t. I don’t know how,” Anali said.

  We walked faster.

  Gavin stopped as they came into view. Anali leaned against the thick stone walls of the Tor, surrounded by men in black. Melusine stood to the side in a long blue coat which flowed around her legs in the breeze.

  “Now what?” I whispered.

  Gavin and Shin moved further along the path, whispering as they tried to plan.

  “If you can’t open the door then you’re no use to me,” Melusine said. “Well, except for your power.”

  We needed to get Anali out of there. She and the baby must be kept safe. After that something can be worked out. Kneeling, I laid my hands on the ground. My eyelids fluttered at the power hidden underground. The bead on my bracelet glowed a pale blue. I hoped that was a friendly color.

  “Taliesin,” I whispered.

  He knelt next to me. “Yes.”

  “Can you speak telepathically to the creatures underground?” I asked.

  He closed his eyes.

  I waited.

  “Yes.” He opened his eyes, which looked clear in the moonlight.

  “Tell them what is happening, who we are, why we are here, and about them.” I nodded to Melusine and her group.

  “Okay. And what are you going to do?”

  I stood. “Get Gavin’s family back.”

  I walked over to Gavin and Shin. “I can get Anali back. I can trade myself for her with the promise of being able to open the door.”

  “What? No,” Gavin hissed.

  I held up a hand. “Listen. We have to get Anali and the baby back—that is the most important thing right now. Melusine wants the door open. Once inside, I’m hoping the magical creatures Taliesin is communicating with will help me, and you guys can come rushing in after us. This will buy us time.”

  Gavin looked between me and Anali, his emotions so intense and confusing they made me queasy.

  “Okay,” Shin said. “But be careful, and remember what I taught you. We’ll be right behind you.”

  I looked at Gavin.

  He sighed and nodded.

  I brought my hands to my face and removed my contacts.

  “What are you doing?” Gavin asked.

  “She needs to see my power, or she’ll never let Anali go.” Taking a deep breath, I opened my connection to Akasha. My fire pendant warmed and I shivered as hot Phoenix magic flowed through me. I walked to the Tor.

  “What are you doing?” asked Ramsey.

  “Getting Anali back.”

  “Gavin, what’s going on?” Miu asked.

  “I can open the door,” I said. The men turned to look at me, their bodies tense and ready to fight. I ignored them and looked at Melusine.

  She gasped. I guess the fire dancing in my eyes was visible.

  I walked forward. “If you let her go, I’ll open the door to Avalon for you.”

  “Maybe I should take both of you?” Melusine said. “I’m sure my men wouldn’t have any problem acquiring you.”

  I shook my head, letting my power flow. Melusine shivered. “I won’t help you until Anali is safe.”

  “Sapphire,” Anali said, moving towards me. “Stop this right now. Go back to the others and get out of here.”

  One of the men grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Anali cried.

  “Get your hands off my wife,” Gavin yelled. I heard a scuffle. Turning, I saw Shin and Kayin holding Gavin back. I needed to fix this. I sent out my power and intentions. Please work, please work.

  Stones screeched as they grated against each other. I smirked. “Oh look, I opened the door a tiny bit. Not enough to find it, I bet.”

  “Go and get her and let that one go. She is useless.” Melusine said.

  The man who held Anali came towards me. I swallowed and forced myself to hold my ground. He looked like a muscle-covered refrigerator. With his free hand, he grabbed my hair at the base of my braid and pulled.

  I stood on my tip toes. “Let her go.”

  Fridge smiled and threw Anali to the ground. She whimpered and scurried back from him, her hands on her belly.

  “Anali,” Gavin cried. I heard him run to her. She started crying as he soothed her. They were safe. Now, could I get myself out of trouble?

  He pulled and walked me over to Melusine.

  “Open the door,” she said.

  “Let go of my hair,” I said with more confidence then I felt. In fact, I was pretty sure I was close to throwing up and peeing myself.

  Melusine nodded.

  Fridge grunted and released my hair.

  I walked over to the wall and placed my hands on the smooth stone, the door pushed out only a quarter of an inch but its magic called to me. I sent Akashic energy into the stone and to Avalon so they would know we w
ere coming. The stone groaned as it opened.

  Stone steps led into the Earth.

  “Yes.” Melusine’s happiness bubbled around her. “Oh, I’m finally home.”

  The men didn’t move.

  “You two with us,” Melusine said. “And you three kill them, then join us.”

  I turned, and Fridge grabbed my hair again. “Three of them are coming for you,” I screamed. “Get out of here.”

  The other one hit me. Blood ran down my cheek and my head buzzed unpleasantly. Fridge shook me and we went down the stairs. Flashlights illuminated small sections of the stairs and created deep creepy shadows along the walls.

  A primal yell, no a battle cry, filled the air, then screams from outside echoed around us, too faint for me to tell who was yelling. My stomach clenched. Oh, God, what was happening? Had I kept them safe at all?

  Fridge yanked on my hair again as we turned to go down another set of stairs.

  The air became moist, and a gentle warm thrum of energy emanated from the walls around us. I breathed in the energy trying to calm myself as I was forced to go deeper into the Earth.

  The stairs ended at a small room with more cave openings. Some were pitch black and others held flickering lights deep within them.

  Melusine closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “This way.” She pointed to a cave with a faint light flickering somewhere within it. Footsteps echoed above us. “Oh, good. Sounds like your friends have been dealt with.” She draped her scarf on the cave floor showing which one we went into.

  Something watched us. I felt magic and emotions. Whatever lurked in the shadows was wasn’t happy about us being down there and was getting ready to fight to protect its home. I hoped the being understood that I wasn’t the enemy. The energy built as it—no they—prepared to attack.

  I pretended to slip. Fridge jerked me back and wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. Yes!

  “You had best behave,” he growled in my ear. “Not all of my associates are as gentlemanly as I am. You don’t want me to get tired of you and give you to one of them.”

  I threw my head back. His nose crunched and he yelled. Hot sticky drops of blood fell on my neck as I brought my legs up and shoved them to the ground. His arms loosened enough to thrust my arms forward and my elbow back into his rock hard stomach. Ouch, my elbow.

  “You little bitch.” He backhanded me and I hit the ground.

  Growls echoed against the rock walls.

  A pasty white hand reached out and grabbed Fridge by the top of his head, yanking him into the darkness.

  Melusine ran, chanting something under her breath. The other guy pulled his knife and stood still. His eyes darted at each sound he heard.

  A wail started. I slapped my hands over my ears as the wail became a high-pitched scream. A ghostly woman with white hair and a torn black dress soared towards the other man. He struck at her, but she didn’t stop. Grabbing his face, she kissed him. His body shook as she lifted him into the air. His life flowed into her. A bright white light reflected a rainbow of colors.

  “Are you okay?”

  I turned and gasped. A man in a blue jeans and a cable knit sweater held out his hand. The same hand that grabbed Fridge. He smiled, his full lips bright pink.

  I took his hand and shivered. Death and stolen life, no not life, blood. The crystal on Taliesin’s bracelet glowed blue, please be a good sign.

  “Thank you for helping me.” Polite is always a good choice.

  He inclined his head, his dark hair falling over his brown eyes. His features seemed fine like what one thinks of when they imagine old-fashioned royalty. “But of course, welcome little Phoenix. Avalon awaits you.”

  He led me through the tunnel, which opened into a massive cave. “Did Jules Verne ever come here?”

  The vampire laughed. “Yes, actually he did. We tried to wipe his memory but he must have had some magical blood in him. He remembered quite a bit.”

  A meadow, lake, trees, and cottages stood before me, not clumped together, but a large thriving village. Large clusters of crystals dotted the landscape, clear quartz, cubes of green and purple fluorite, and pale yellow calcite were the only ones I recognized. Moonlight glowed above us lighting the valley where bonfires and torches didn’t reach. This wasn’t just a cave where they hid, but their sanctuary, and safe haven where they lived. I couldn’t see the other end of the cave. I jumped as something emerged from the water.

  “Don’t worry it’s just Nessy,” the vampire said.

  “Miss Rayner, I do hope you’re quite all right.”

  “Mr. Monroe! What are you doing here?” He seemed more out of place than the Loch Ness Monster.

  He wore a brown monk’s robe. More men in brown robes followed with women in white robes after them. Several of them had long ash-blond hair. Were they the Fae I saw from the memories of the dragonesque brooches?

  He smiled. “I’m a Druid priest—one of the protectors of Avalon.”

  “Oh.” I wasn’t expecting that. “I thought you were friends with Melusine.”

  “You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” He reached into his pocket and brought out a jar. “Let me tend to your wound.”

  He smeared a thick green paste that smelled of beeswax and bitter herbs, onto my cheek. I winced but didn’t move. “The others.”

  “I fear we were too late to help them.”

  My heart sank. No, oh please, no.

  “They dispatched her henchmen rather efficiently by themselves.”

  The sound of footsteps preceded them, then Gavin exited the tunnel first. His hair was wild as he looked around. The knife in his hand dripped with blood. A slash on his jaw was already healing. Taliesin, Shin and Kayin followed him. All of them were bruised, and their clothes torn and dirty.

  “Sapphire,” Gavin called when he saw me.

  “Is she okay?” Anali said. I couldn’t see her yet.

  “Stay with Miu, Sasha, and Ramsey,” Gavin said, his eyes focused on Mr. Monroe. “Sapphire, come here.”

  I walked towards him. “Everything is okay. This is Mr. Monroe, he’s a protector of Avalon. They helped me get away.”

  His hand reached out yanking me into his arms. “I'm so sorry. I got to you as quickly as I could. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Where are they? Never again, you're never again risking yourself like that.”

  I tried to breathe as Gavin’s arms tightened around me, his fear twining around us both like a boa constrictor. “I didn’t want anything to happen to Anali and the baby—they’re your family.”

  Gavin pushed me away, his pale green eyes hard. “Sapphire, you're part of our family and the thought of losing you . . .” He closed his eyes. Tears clung to his lashes when he opened them. “You are as precious to me, to us, as this baby is.”

  “Let me go,” Anali said. “I want to see her.”

  “Gavin,” Sasha called. “Can I let Anali go before she kicks me again?”

  “Yes, everything seems safe enough for now.”

  Anali flew at us. I stepped back so she could reach Gavin. Gasping, I jerked as she flung her arms around me. “Are you all right? Don’t you ever trade yourself for me again! You were so brave! But you’re grounded for being reckless.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, smiling as she ignored me and began to check me over. Her eyes welled with tears as she touched my cheek. I held her hand. “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

  The others moved into Avalon, each touching me as they came close.

  “Little Sister,” Kayin said as he wrapped his arms around me.

  “I’m fine,” I said, hugging him back.

  He let me go and Ramsey moved in, wrapping me in his arms and burying his face in my neck. “My heart almost failed me when I saw him grab you.”

  “I hate to interrupt, but are you opening the portal tonight?” Mr. Monroe asked.

  Ramsey let me go. I turned to Gavin.

  He nodded. “We can. Now that it’s
safe.”

  “I don’t know where Melusine is,” I said. “She ran off chanting something.”

  Mr. Monroe sighed. “Probably a cloaking spell so we can’t find her. We do have people looking for her.”

  The vampire snorted at ‘people’.

  “Can we get you anything?” asked one of the priestesses.

  “I’d love a glass of wine.”

  I turned quickly and my braid smacked into someone behind me. “Cartazonon.”

  I rubbed the scars on my arm from where he touched me in a dream and froze my skin.

  Cartazonon stood at the tunnel entrance, a smile on his thin lips. He looked out of place. His black hair was cut short on the sides with the top left long in a trendy style. He wore a three-piece dove-gray suit with a mint-green tie, and his polished black shoes looked perfect despite the walk to get here. Why didn’t I feel sick?

  Melusine stumbled next to him. Lee’s hand wrapped around her neck, his fingers touching at the front of her throat as she chanted.

  “You can stop, my dear,” Cartazonon said.

  Melusine stopped.

  I stumbled as the itchy, oily, unnatural feeling swept over me. My skin felt like bugs crawled under it. My stomach clenched in fear and tried to roll with nausea at the same time.

  “So. This is very exciting.” Cartazonon walked towards us, revealing several mercenaries and walk-ins. “Melusine, you were going to keep all of this from me? The one who saved your pathetic life and sustained your for centuries.”

  “No,” she whispered. “Of course not. I wanted to make sure Avalon was here before telling you. I didn’t want to waste your time.”

  He smiled. “Give us a kiss so we can make up and put this all behind us.”

  Melusine walked to Cartazonon. Her body trembled, but she held herself tall and proud. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head up to him.

  I whimpered and backed up, my hand frantically reaching behind me. Her revulsion and his triumph slithered around me. Cool moonlight energy grounded me. Taliesin.

  Melusine started to push at his shoulders fighting to get away. Cartazonon’s arms tightened as he pulled his power from her. He lifted his head, and a black worm of smoke slid into his mouth. Melusine dropped to the floor. She screamed, looking at her withered hands.