by Jaci Miller
It must be my imagination playing tricks on me.
Turning she followed the ledge out to the other side of the waterfall before Elyse could inquire further.
The small white buildings, Marlee had seen from the courtyard were shaped like a beehive, the structures simpler than the ones below and much less ornate. Gossamer fabric blew gracefully from open windows. A knocker at the middle of the door, located below a small window, was the only gilt on the white-washed wood.
“This is where the fae resided,” Rafe said rationally. “Their dwellings if you will.”
He reached for the doorknob of the house nearest them and turned it. When the door swung open, he gestured for the others to enter.
The dwellings were much grander on the inside than they appeared from the outside. While the gold gilt was minimal on the exterior, the inside gleamed with its presence. Gold wrought-iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling and matching washbasins and jugs sat pristine on gilded trays. Floor to ceiling bookshelves, trimmed with gold-leaf accents, circled the walls. In the bedroom, two four-poster beds sat across from one another. Fluffy white comforters, the edges trimmed with gold braid, were folded neatly at the bottom of each bed. No color existed anywhere in the dwelling, just a palette of white, gold, and wood the same as the rest of the city.
Tariedrelle was simple, yet elegant, tranquil even, nothing revealing the mischievous and deceptive nature of its inhabitants. Maybe that was the point—misdirection.
“Come,” Rafe said, “It must be time to eat. I can hear Brannon’s stomach rumbling from here.”
Brannon chuckled. “I could eat.”
They left the dwelling and headed down the moss-covered cliff on the backside. The incline at times was steep but wooden steps built into these slopes helped make the trek less treacherous. The warm night breeze rustled the long grass that edged the stone path. Tiny purple flowers dotted the tips of the blades. Like the rest of the foliage in the city, a pleasant fragrance rose from its vividly colored flora.
Marlee ran her fingers through the blades of grass. They tingled.
At the bottom, a small gilded gate gave access to a tunnel which passed under the city walls and back into the courtyard.
As they entered, Rafe sensed they were not alone. His eyes searched the darkened area as he raised his hand motioning to the others for silence. He clasped the grip of his sword and pulled it with ease from its sheath, signaling Brannon to follow. Together, they walked toward the entrance gate.
The woods on the other side darkened the area outside the gilded fence and although nothing was visible, Rafe knew something lurked there. He tightened his grip on his sword as the gate creaked and the shadows hid whatever moved among them.
Rafe glanced at Brannon who nodded and raised his sword, waiting.
The gloom parted as the moonlight lit up the courtyard and Diego trotted into the city of the fae followed closely behind by Stevie.
Chapter 6
“I hope that’s not for me.” Stevie pointed at the sword still held aloft by Brannon.
He grinned and sheathed his blade.
Rafe’s eyes searched the blackness beyond the gate.
She placed her hand on his arm and shook her head as the others surrounded her.
Kai offered to take Diego and get him something to eat, so they could speak in private. The others, taking the hint, made themselves scarce.
“What happened, Stevie? Where is Dane?” He asked the moment the others walked away. “An uncontrollable rage surged through me earlier. It was Dane. Because of the binding, I experience it with her.”
His eyes held the worry he tried to mask in his voice, but she understood how intimately their emotions entwined and how devastating that must have been. After seeing Dane’s response to her mother’s death, she knew her reaction must have brought Rafe just as much suffering.
She explained everything to Rafe, not leaving any details out. At moments, the anguish flooded back, and she stopped to compose herself. No one had any idea where she went, not even Dane’s father, who Stevie spoke with before entering the portal.
Rafe remained silent as he listened, worry etching his handsome face. She too was worried, but the prophecy could not be wrong, Dane would find her way back to them.
If nothing else, Stevie must believe in that.
Across the courtyard, Kai observed their interactions with concern. She knew that look. Whatever Stevie was telling Rafe, it wasn’t good. Sighing, she walked to the table where Diego lay chewing on a bone and began stroking his head.
Tauria and Gabby had set a big outdoor table for dinner. They prepared the meal with some food they found stored in a pantry in one of the market buildings. It seemed the fae, adept at infusing each part of their world with elemental magic, had managed to keep much of their food from spoiling, even after all this time. Although variety was scarce the plates of greens, wild rice, and loaves of bread were a welcome sight. A flask of wine sat at each end of the long table and Tauria had picked some fragrant flowers for a centerpiece. Kai studied the table. The display was picturesque, normal and strangely of place under the circumstances.
Drow circled the edges of the courtyard. His cabernet eyes never left Stevie as she spoke to Rafe. Kai noted a change in the royal a few days prior. The way he hovered near her friend trying to be inconspicuous and the subtle way his hand brushed against her arm when they spoke. How when she was near, his pale skin seemed to glow with a faint tinge of color. The prince was smitten with her, but Kai was not sure she even noticed.
She grinned at the thought—Stevie royalty. That would be something.
Killenn took a seat at the table beside her. “What are you thinking about?”
“About the past few days.” She said not wanting to discuss her observations about Drow. “It’s all happening so fast and sometimes it seems we react more than think.”
“Many of us have had knowledge of the prophecy for a lifetime, but your destiny has been thrust upon you without warning. It must be daunting. Our worlds are so different from yours.”
Kai smiled, nodding in agreement. “It’s not been easy, but for me personally it brings me closer to my mom. To the person, you knew.”
“Your mother was a warrior. You remind me of her. She would be proud of you, how you are handling your destiny.”
“Thanks,” she said as Rafe and Stevie joined them.
“Shall I gather everyone?”
“Yes. I think it will be easier if I tell them all at once.”
Kai and Killenn left to find the others and within moments, they had assembled around the fountain.
Stevie repeated her story, glancing at Rafe every so often. He stayed silent, his face a hardened and unemotional mask. Kai and Elyse had numerous questions, which she did her best to answer. Unfortunately, she had no answers for why Dane left or where she was now.
“What do we do?” Elyse asked.
“We continue on as planned,” Sebastian answered. “Dane will find her way back to us.”
“And if she doesn’t?” Kai’s eyes welled with tears.
“She will.” Stevie’s voice broke and Drow put his arm around her.
“It’s been a long day for everyone. We can sort this out in the morning after we have rested,” he said.
Thanking him, she smiled her eyes shining with something Kai had never seen before. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Stevie did know how he felt about her and maybe she felt the same. Her eye caught Killenn’s who grinned and winked in return. A silent acknowledgment that he too had observed Drow’s growing affection for the newest member of their clan.
Tauria and Brannon brought out the food and placed it on the long table motioning for the others to join them. Taking their places, they spoke amongst themselves until the conversation lulled and each became lost in their thoughts about the past and what was to come.
After a few hours, empty wine bottles littered the table, and many were yawning. A full belly and a long day of travel were taking its toll.
Moonlight cast the courtyard in a silver hue. Dancing sparks floated amongst the beams like tiny fireflies; small, flashing pins of light weaving lazy patterns above. A peaceful serenity began to lull some of them into a false sense of well-being. Sebastian recognized the effects of fae magic, infiltrating the senses and disarming those not from this world. It was simple yet intoxicating and no one used it better than the fae. Although they were skilled on the battlefield, they preferred using their powers without provocation and prided themselves on their ability to gain an advantage without overt bloodshed.
Even in stasis the magic still defended the city.
As the others cleaned up and headed to their respective dwellings for the night, Sebastian pulled Rafe and Gabby aside.
“I do not believe the death of Dane’s mother is a coincidence. I believe it was a way to push Dane toward the darkness.”
“For what reason?” Gabby asked.
“To interfere with the ancient prophecy. To change the course of her destiny.” His bright jade eyes narrowed. “We must not let it. Darkness cannot consume her, or the future will be lost. For the prophecy to unfold the way it is meant we must find Dane, otherwise I’m afraid fate will not be kind.”
He turned to Gabby. “You are the only one who can find her.”
Gabby agreed. Only she could track the ancient bloodlines.
“I will return to the new world in the morning.”
She met Rafe’s gaze. “I will find her.”
He nodded, a simple gesture of gratitude.
“You must continue to the Druidstone, activate it and then go straight to the Druid sanctuary. When I find Dane, I will meet you there. Find out as much as you can from the old texts. The Druids had their secrets. Maybe they too had some answers.”
Marlee tossed and turned, unable to sleep. There was a murmur on the wind filtering into the city, beckoning to her. She tried to ignore it, but it had a way of luring her mind. The whispering ebbed and flowed, drawing her into its cadence, enticing her to listen.
She sat up as it suddenly disappeared.
Glancing across the room she noticed Elyse was still fast asleep, her face peaceful under the moon’s glow. She got out of bed and tiptoed from the room, moving through the shadowy fae house toward the door. Stepping into the warm night air she looked up at the star-laden sky. They twinkled in the inky blackness. A serenity surrounded her as a warm breeze tickled her cheek, but it rapidly diminished as a prickly shiver crept over her skin.
Her heartbeat quickened as the whispering returned beckoning to her as it floated through the city on the evening breeze. It pulled her attention toward the thunderous sky off to the east, where lightning continued to flash over the dark lands known as the Oberon Fen.
She cocked her head and listened. The whispering was coming from those cursed lands—calling to her.
“Can’t sleep?” Elyse asked, startling Marlee by her sudden appearance.
“Did I wake you?”
The whispering had ceased immediately upon Elyse’s arrival as if it did not want to be heard by anyone but Marlee.
Elyse shook her head. “I think there’s too much going on to sleep well, if at all.” She gazed at the night sky. “It’s so quiet here.”
Marlee frowned realizing maybe Elyse couldn’t hear the strange whispering. “I never got a chance to talk to you before we came here. Have you spoken with Cal?”
Elyse smiled at the mention of her husband. “I called him before we left. He is good. Work is keeping him busy, which helps. He doesn’t ask a lot of questions.”
A sadness edged her words. Marlee knew what she was thinking. Unlike the others, she and Elyse had families not connected in any way to magic. Their destiny would create a huge problem for them back home. Although Elyse seemed confident and sure about her immortal future, Marlee could sense there was uncertainty below the surface. But like everything else in her life, Elyse Simms would deal with those hurdles when she had to.
“Let’s go back to bed. We have quite the day tomorrow.” Elyse yawned, stretching her arms above her head.
“I’ll be in shortly,” Marlee said, smiling as her friend squeezed her hand and disappear back inside the house.
Her eyes turned back toward the flashing sky in the distance. It was quiet. There was no longer any whispering floating across the breeze, calling to her. The occasional rumble of thunder accompanied the bright flashes of light as the two danced in the night sky above the Oberon Fen. The silence surrounding the city of Tariedrelle was unsettling.
It left her feeling anxious like something terrible was about to happen.
Chapter 7
The Temple of Air stood upon a tall pillar of rock, the spire on its roof partly hidden by a bank of swirling golden clouds. It looked like a small marble gazebo; the base surrounded by five round pillars holding up the thatched roof. Sturdy vines curled around the columns, weaving their way up toward the roof where they blossomed into a multitude of orange and purple flowers. The effect caused the thatched roof to look as if it wore a crown of blooms. A staircase of bleached wooden steps led up the side of the rock to the temple. Moss griped the slopes, the rock wet from rivulets of water running across their surfaces.
Marlee could sense a shift in the air around the gazebo as she and Elyse ascended toward it. Sebastian and Drow accompanied them to the top while the others stayed at the foot of the staircase.
Kai shifted uncomfortably her eyes darting to Tauria. “Can you feel that?”
“The Temple recognizes the blood of its people. The air is awakening.”
Goosebumps appeared on her arms, and she rubbed at them absently. The sun, still low in the sky, provided the morning with plenty of warmth but a cool chill crept across her skin.
“Why does it make me feel anxious?”
Tauria’s green eyes narrowed. “Air magic affects people in different ways. We breathe it in, so it is difficult for us to control how our chemistry reacts to it. It is at its most potent near the temple because the realm is in stasis. The temple holds the magic in condensed form. Once the Druidstone has been activated and your friends have received their birthright, it will disperse across this world evenly. Your body will be able to absorb it better and the feeling of malaise should fade.”
Kai’s eyes shifted to where Brannon, Rafe, and Killenn stood. Like Tauria they did not seem affected by the concentrated magic swirling in the air around the temple. Stevie, on the other hand, looked a little sweaty and pale.
Another wave of nausea rolled through her. She wiped her brow and lowered herself to the ground, thankful Gabby had left earlier to go back to Etheriem. Otherwise, Kai would have to endure smart-ass comments about how weak her race was. The sun blazed in the sky, and she shielded her eyes watching Marlee and Elyse scale the pillar of rock, silently wishing they would hurry.
As they neared the top, Elyse could see the gazebo clearly. There was nothing of interest inside. The floor was made from the same bleached wood planks as the stairs. At the center stood a small basin atop a pedestal. Golden water filled the basin. It shimmered in the bright morning light that found its way into the shade of the gazebo. Flecks of light danced on its surface.
“How do we activate the Druidstone?” she inquired as they stood gazing at the stone basin.
“It requires mixing the blood of both races,” Drow said picking up the small silver athame laying on the lip of the basin and holding it out toward Sebastian. The gold water rippled in response, as if it anticipated what was to come. He took the blade and reached for Marlee’s hand. Instinctively she pulled away, her blue eyes full of doubt.
“It must be done,” he said, his face softening.
Trembling she lifted her hand pla
cing it palm up in his outstretched one. Sebastian raised the knife and sliced into her index finger. She winced at the sting as the blade cut her skin. Bright red blood rose from the open gash. He lowered her hand until the bleeding wound was inches above the basin’s golden water. Tilting her finger, a single drop fell into the water and disappeared under its depths. Sebastian drew the sharp blade of the athame across Elyse’s outstretched finger. A single drop of her blood fell into the fountain and vanished.
The basin stilled and the ripples on the surface faded. In mirrored symmetry, the golden water reflected their faces back to them. The breeze whispering through the gazebo also faded. Everything in the gazebo was calm, silent.
Minutes passed before the golden water began to bubble. It churned, its direction becoming deliberate as it funneled at its center as if swirling down an unseen drain. The golden hue also began to change, darkening until the water in the basin became blood-red. It sloshed recklessly over the side as the churning increased, becoming more violent. A crescendo of voices filled the air as the golden clouds descended on the gazebo wrapping it in a golden fog. The air swirled funneling around Elyse and Marlee and trapping them in its midst until they were swallowed up by the golden vortex.
Drow and Sebastian stepped from the gazebo back into the sunlit day. Away from the roar of the whirlwind, all was peaceful. They glanced down at the others who waited patiently below both concern and awe etched on their faces.
The vortex inside the gazebo continued to swirl, a chorus of voices, rising and falling with each rotation.
There was nothing to do now but wait.
Elyse saw the fear in Marlee’s eyes as the golden mist closed in around them. She reached for her hand but grasped air.
Marlee was gone.
She heard a song in the distance and turned toward the sound. Reaching blindly in front of her, she moved through the mist. After a few steps it thinned, and she emerged into a ravine. Stone cliffs, the shade of a stormy sky, banked a crystal blue river. Sparkling lights of gold danced upon its surface. At the far end embedded into the rock, was a door. The song she heard was coming from behind it.