by S. E. Akers
“Nerina has been like a mother to me,” Tanner remarked. Even if he hadn’t spoken a single word, his eyes had already given him away, glinting an indisputable maternal love. Out of all of our conversations, this was probably the most personal thing he had ever expressed so openly. I was sincerely touched and found myself truly hoping that more disclosures like this would come in the not-so-distant future.
“She looks very caring and protective,” I agreed. My gaze shifted to the opalescent moonstone glowing in front of me. Speaking of “protective”… “Do you think Seraphina has healed by now?”
“Most likely,” he guessed.
“When can I meet her?” I asked anxiously. Every day I went without extending the Moonstone Talisman an in-person “thank you” and hearing a hopeful “you’re welcome” back bothered me more than the last. A part of me felt like she regretted her life-saving decision. I hadn’t heard the first peep out of the Moonstone Talisman since her intervention, and that was driving me crazy with guilt. One way or the other, I had to find out.
A doubtful look glazed over Tanner’s eyes. “Shiloh, Seraphina isn’t that fond of company.”
“Why not?” I questioned, rightfully bewildered. She can spend a seven-month stint recuperating from the lapis lazuli poison she ingested to save the Diamond Talisman, but she won’t roll out a WELCOME MAT?
“Paranoia,” he assured, sensing my confusion. “An untold number of supernaturals would kill for one of her moonstones. The essence of a full moon in the palm of the wrong hands would be disastrous. She’s fully aware of the risks roaming free attracts and is equally insecure about guests and the likelihood of them being followed. No one but Nerina knows where she is, but when Seraphina does decide to meet you, she will summon you,” he explained.
I could feel my pupils swelling to a standstill. Held up in seclusion for who knows how long? My mind flashed with images of a supernatural shut-in who was prone to involuntary twitches and quirky one-sided chats. “That’s a lot of cabin fever.”
Tanner sighed a light laugh. “I agree, though Seraphina does venture out from time to time to keep her sanity — but only in disguise. Her physical appearance can transform as easily as the moon waxes and wanes. She usually choses a very dowdy disguise so she can go unnoticed. The beauty she radiates truly makes her stand out.”
I glanced at the moonstone ring on my finger. “I’ve never heard a single word from her. Maybe she doesn’t want to meet me at all,” I theorized. “I did poison her.”
“No,” Tanner corrected. “She willingly took that noxious blue-bullet for you.”
“For the diamond,” I clarified. “Not for me.” Maybe that’s what it was? The idea that a complete stranger had done something strictly out of bureaucratic duty, and I felt like I owed her a debt that I had no way of repaying. But this wasn’t some casual tab hanging over my head — she’d saved my life. That was a biggie in my book.
Tanner took my hands in his and gave them a stirring squeeze. “Who wouldn’t want to meet you?” I started to reply with a concise list when he interrupted, “Supernatural creatures excluded, of course.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
“I know Reiki and Fray do,” Tanner assured, attempting to boost my frown. “Kamya took great pleasure rubbing in the fact that Bea called her personally to act as your bodyguard. Fray still isn’t speaking to her.”
My mouth lifted into a smile. I could picture the Ruby Talisman doing it too. “That doesn’t sound good,” I remarked, fearing a group gathering of the fiery trio would probably resort in someone having to haul out a fire hose.
I poised my hand over the misty sea-blue aquamarine. “You might be right. I bet Lorelei would want to hook up,” I joked. “Maybe I should give her a call?”
“You could just as easy head upstairs and raise any of the windows,” Tanner smirked. “I’m sure those freshly-formed feet of hers are tromping a heated path somewhere outside as we speak.
I retracted my hand with a flinch, knowing he was probably right. My eyes drifted back to the Water Guardian’s figure. “Why didn’t Nerina return Arica’s powers herself?” I’d wondered that ever since Beatrix revealed the reason the half-Red Coral Talisman / half-leviathan still held any claim to the illustrious aquamarine she’d swindled out of her sister. Nerina was the supreme Guardian who reigned over all the water elementals. With all that mystical-mojo, why on earth wouldn’t she have just bibbity-bobbity-booed them straight back to Arica, the stone’s fated and rightful owner? Deal or no deal?
“She couldn’t,” Tanner revealed, sounding just as disappointed as his admission. “Talisman’s powers may be born from the Guardians’ Veil magic, but Earth magic dictates our stones’ abilities and limitations. The Guardians infused their four stones with a substantial portion of their essences. They had to, just so they could keep an open connection between The Veil and our realm. The powers they placed in our gemstones are much more pure and whole here on earth. But above all, they’re completely separate from The Veil. We’re not bound to it, not like they still are. Earth magic ensures our survival. They wanted it that way so we wouldn’t be affected by any threat to The Veil’s magic down the road. Destiny itself makes up a great deal of The Veil and drives its force. Believe me, Nerina tried . . . but fate simply wouldn’t allow her to undo what had been done because it wasn’t in its plans. The only punishment that proved successful was having Seraphina bind them each to the moon.”
“Is Arica still alive?”
“Yes, but she’s in hiding,” Tanner assured. “Lorelei would slaughter her on sight if she knew where she was. Arica is still a Talisman by right, even though she doesn’t claim a stone, but that makes her just as fragile as any other human I’m afraid.”
A naked feeling devoured me. And here I thought having Lorelei breathing down my supernatural neck was bad; subtract all of your stone’s protection and add being much more “human” to the equation seemed way worse. I wouldn’t know Arica if she happened to tap me on the shoulder right here and now, but my heart truly feared for her life.
“Has she ever tried to get her stone back?” I asked.
Tanner shook his head. “No. Despite her sister’s heinous actions, Arica would never kill Lorelei for it. She loves her too much.”
My eyes froze as an image of a wide-eyed female with daisies spraying her hair and peace signs painted on her face sprang forth. Who could still love someone that killed your father, tricked you out of your powers, enslaved your mother, and was presently hunting you like a prized November buck? Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and a handful of hippies were the only people who came to mind. Add Arica’s name to the list, I noted with a definite nod while my thoughts lingered with visions of white feathery wings and shiny gold halos. I couldn’t help but feel a little envious of that much benevolence, especially towards someone so evil. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that nary the first monster from The Darklands had ever grazed an inch on her forgiving soul.
I glided the tips of my fingers across the last water stone, the amethyst. The vibe it resonated was identical to the one lying around my neck, but unlike my pendant, the glowing totem only emitted a dash of delectable bliss.
Wanting to test his one-way communication claim, I playfully prepared a mental-message while my fingers remained on his totem. “You know, the Talisman who reigns over this stone can be a bit of an ass,” I said, my eyes glued to the totem and mouth firmly locked.
His hand sought out my signifying diamond in the center of the medallion, lying there like an awaiting target and dense with anticipation. “More than a bit,” he assured telepathically and leaned closer. “But you’ll find that out soon enough, little girl.” That part he chose to whisper into my ear and then shored up his claim with a bump to my chin when I turned towards him.
I have no doubt, I affirmed quietly as we exchanged several seconds of unbending stares. I’d come to know this look uncomfortably well. It held the promise of demanding physical bout
s complete with searing pain and end-of-the-day collapsing exhaustion. Part of me couldn’t wait.
My focus eventually shifted to the other male figure, Erion, the Air Guardian. He was roughly the same height as Helio, though his gleaming and smooth head didn’t possess a solitary hair. His face was another story. The Fu Manchu moustache framing his mouth dipped every bit as low as the fire elemental’s lengthy strands. That, shamefully, combined with his soft & symmetrical classic Asian features made me start craving a steamy bowl of chicken fried rice on the spot (not my attention span’s proudest moment). All in all, Erion looked as sagely as any other philosopher throughout recorded history. He hovered in front of his collection of air stones like an unyielding gust of wind. All of them were glowing, but not like any of the others. These three distinct totems alternated their colors in a specific procession. The sapphire cast a series of five specific hues, the tourmaline tallied six, and the one I knew represented the topaz beamed a longer stream of nine varying colors that each signified their Talismans with a select glow of their very own.
“Erion felt there was unity in numbers,” Tanner said, though his scowl argued an opposing opinion. “That’s why he crafted so many.”
My finger reached for the topaz totem as soon as the glassy cabochon clouded into a rich golden hue. The stone never changed its color, almost like I’d magically pressed a “pause” button. It was building in brilliance the longer my contact held. Slowly, I outlined the totem with delicate circles, watching the tiny tail of its glow trailing behind my touch. I would have liked to think it was Tanner’s patience that waited for my childlike intrigue to play out, but I knew the truth; he was secretly reminiscing too.
I finally removed my hand and turned to him. “Finished.” The flecks of violet in his eyes had lightened several doleful hues. That was his strong and steely front’s only admission.
“Erion’s air stones are very spectral. Their magic tends to revolve around anything that affects the seeing eyes. Beatrix and her sisters were issued reign over the topaz, but not all at the same time. Topazes are the only stones that can give or take away eyesight — hence its hallmark of invisibility.”
Its calling card served as a bitter reminder of the hag Beatrix had for a sister, the one who currently claimed the white topaz and had taken my fallen mentor’s vision when she was younger. Then again, it also prompted a sly smile, seeing how Beatrix had got the last laugh on old Helaine right before her death.
All traces of color soon faded from the totem, leaving a dreary and drained white topaz. “Do you think she’s still miffed?” That was as delicately as I could phrase the revenge-bent bitchy tirade we’d witnessed.
Tanner bit his lip to suppress a laugh. “Definitely. I’m actually surprised that thing isn’t bright-red and burning hot.”
“Good,” I nodded. Serves her right.
I turned my gaze to the tourmaline totem next, which shifted mystically from a chartreuse-yellow to a bubble-gum pink, then into a mallard-blue and onto a dewy grass-green, just before it smoked into a chocolaty-brown and then finally rounded out to a slick licorice-black hue. “There are six of them,” I announced. Beatrix had made a point to introduce these during one of her lectures, seeing how all the Talismans had renamed themselves upon receiving their stones and chosen ones that reflected a collection of her favorite things — birds. I even knew which color went with who. “Sparrow’s is yellow… Starling’s is pink… Lark’s is blue… Wren’s is green… Finch’s is brown… And of course, Raven’s is black,” I rattled off proudly.
“I’m not surprised,” Tanner grinned, “and I take it Ms. Audubon Society acquainted you with their powers too?”
I straightened my frame. “Tourmalines control positive and negative ions connected to the earth and its energy field. They manipulate electricity in the air and can serve up one hell of a wicked shock.”
“Yeah,” Tanner agreed, looking bitterly acquainted. “Their jolts carry a different flavor, but can smart as much as your lightning if they’re strong enough. So take it from me and don’t piss them off.”
My head rocked with several slow and assured shakes, feeling certain that whatever char the sometimes cocky and very vocal Amethyst Talisman had received was probably coming to him. I, myself, had even relished in several visions as a result of his wisecracks — and they all ended with well-aimed electrical bolts too.
I ushered away my grin and continued, “Physically they all reverse aging and can boost a person’s vitality.” Just one little tourmaline could put a slew of plastic surgeons and Viagra out of business.
“Oh, and it shows. They span six generations, but none of them look or act a day over thirty,” Tanner grinned. “Tourmalines are all about pleasing the eyes.”
“Emotionally they clear negativity,” I added. “But Bea didn’t elaborate too much on their specific medicinal remedies.” Surely there was more to them than just promoting beauty and boners.
“Don’t worry,” Tanner assured. “By the end of the summer, you’ll know all the ins and outs of every stone in this hall.”
I figured that was coming, but the quantity of all the ones yet to be covered and their various intricacies seemed so overwhelming, particularly here and now. Their glows felt like tiny spotlights that highlighted all the things I still didn’t know. Bea’s lectures could be exhausting at times, but I cringed at how comprehensive “Professor” Grey’s would likely be. I rubbed the side of my middle finger, already feeling a callous forming.
The colors of the last air totem altered from a vibrant royal blue hue to an equally arresting pink, then shifted into what I called jumpsuit-orange, followed by a yellow so intense you could stripe it down the center of a road, and then finally ended with a clear and colorless hue that came a close second to one of my diamonds.
“There were originally five Sapphire Talismans,” my mentor stressed, “but despite the numerous glowing colors you see, just one Talisman now claims them all.”
I sensed a story looming from that admission, but not because I was the only one the Guardians had supposedly decreed could legitimately claim another’s stone. The riled tenor in his tone was enough of an alarm. I watched Tanner as he vehemently eyed the sapphire totem, waiting for it to crack at any second.
“Beatrix didn’t touch on the sapphire,” I remarked truthfully and maybe hoping to stir the obvious pot a little. “How do they affect the eyes?”
“By deceiving,” the Amethyst Talisman grumbled. “They were solely meant to play tricks on them through vivid illusions . . . ones real enough to drive the sanest person mad.”
“Like Federo’s amber?” I questioned.
“No,” he swiftly replied. “There are limits to what an amber can trick a person into believing. A sapphire’s reach is boundless. It can seduce a being with their most desired daydream or torment them with their worst nightmare. The power behind the smoke and mirrors a sapphire can conjure rivals what you’ve already experienced in the vortex.” Tanner yielded an agitated sigh. “And unlike the amber, there is no escaping its hold.”
I cringed straightaway, reflecting upon my past venture into the vortex. Now those frightening figments fought back, hard. You couldn’t just wake yourself up out of those kind of visions or even wish them away with warm thoughts.
Tanner noticed my worried daze. “You should be extremely grateful that the diamond is the only stone immune to its deceit.”
My smile swelled with relief. Thank goodness… I would hate to experience another mystifying round of my own subconscious trying to kill me. Now those were the mother of suicidal thoughts.
The gaze my mentor was shooting the sapphire had intensified to the point where I found myself waiting for the damn thing to explode. “That proved extremely dangerous in Solomon’s hands,” he sneered.
I remembered the name “Solomon” from the vision I’d had back in early December when Adamas was venting to Helio. He had referred to Solomon as one of his betrayers. The sapphire totem wa
s still glowing, so out of curiosity, I just had to ask.
“Where is Solomon?”
“Tucked away in a safe place,” Tanner smirked and then laid his hand on the sapphire totem proudly. By the devilish gleam in his eyes, he was sending a message to the traitor that looked sure to pick a supernatural fight. My eyes remained dubiously fixed even after he’d wrapped up his one-sided pissing contest.
“What?” Tanner charged, aiming for innocent. “Can’t a Talisman extend a courteous ‘hello’ to an ex-comrade?”
I folded my arms at my chest. “If that’s what you were really doing.”
“You’ll learn more about the sapphire soon enough,” Tanner insisted with a rigid lock seizing his shoulders. He abruptly pointed to the marble figure of the last Guardian, officially nixing the prickly nature of the sapphire-subject.
Case-closed…
Now Gaia’s image came as a complete surprise. Witches referred to her as “Mother Earth”, and saw her as this all-knowing and all-seeing, powerful being (though they were cluelessly off-base with respect to her Guardian-status). Bethesda had several figurines of the treasured icon lying around her apartment, but none of them bore even the slightest resemblance. Gaia was svelte and stunning, and nowhere near as short, pudgy, or simple as any of the images lent by the witch-world had depicted her to be. She reminded me of a skinny runway model, but in a slightly grungy-rocker sort of way. Her hair had a lot to do with that assessment. The front was all spiky, while the rest hung loosely in varying lengths, dangling in woven clumps of ribbons and braids. If anything, the funky style expressed “nonconforming variety”, and quite possibly that she’d had her fair share of lively frolics in her day. Possibly a total fun-loving, party girl?