Blackthorn: In the Tween

by Jamie Ott

  Chapter 9

  Lin lay on the ground, bleeding to death. Blair stood some feet away from her, looking pleased. Ilda bent over Lin, blocking Blair from her view.

  She tried to talk, but no sound came out.

  Ilda grabbed her hand.

  Her heart was giving out. Lin closed her eyes to the pain, knowing that she was about to die.

  When she opened her eyes again, it was to find herself lying on the floor of a large white, sparkling hall with short ceilings and small sculptures and plants.

  Lin tilted her head, and saw the Shoester girl out cold, just a few feet over from her.

  Out of the farthest corner of the right side of the hall came two men who couldn’t have been more than four and a half feet tall. They both had the same steely complexion that Ilda had, except theirs was tanner and they looked a little more like Pinocchio dolls.

  “Relax,” said the one who was carrying a green pillow with yellow fringe.

  He placed the pillow on the floor. On top of it was a little crystal vial. He unscrewed its tiny top and squeezed it, pulling a few drops of the liquid out.

  “Open your mouth,” he said.

  He put three drops under tongue. Next he did the same to the Shoester girl.

  A moment later, Lin felt better than she had in years. She stood up as if she hadn’t just been stabbed.

  Ilda said, “This way.”

  “What about her?” Lin asked, indicating the Shoester girl.

  “They will send her on.”

  “Back to Blackthorn? So then you can send me home, too?” she asked hopeful.

  “She will be rewarded and then returned to her family, here.”

  “Her family is in Blackthorn, not here.”

  “Abbey, that is her name, is part Fairy. Her family is here.”

  “Abbey? Part fairy?”

  But as she thought about it, she did have many similar features.

  “I guess that makes sense, but does she want to stay? Did she grow up here?”

  “No, she grew up with her human family.”

  “What if she wants to go home? Are you avoiding my question?”

  “She knows how we feel about keeping our own from mixing with the humans. We cannot allow her to go back.”

  “But she is half human.”

  “It doesn’t make any difference to us.”

  “So what will happen to her?”

  “Her Fairy family will take good care of her. In fact, it’ll be an honor for them. Not only has she lived on the Earth, but she fought the Wackens and protected you from harm for many years, though you didn’t know it.”

 

  Lin didn’t know what she meant by “protected her for many years.” And she didn’t get to ask because Ilda led her into a hall that was too small for her to walk by Ilda’s side. She, then, led her through another door and into a throne room that was, thankfully, large enough for her to stand straight.

  Inside, little soldiers stood along the walls, silent and still, fully dressed and with arms.

  At the back, a little woman in a glistening gown and crusted, shimmering crown, sat on a gold throne. Like Ilda, she had pale shiny skin and glittering black eyes and hair.

  She stood and walked down the carpeted steps to greet Lin who made to bow, but the queen stopped her.

  “That’s not necessary.”

  Lin noticed immediately that this fairy was moving her lips.

  “I can speak your language.”

  She could obviously read minds, too, thought Lin.

  “Are you the Queen?”

  “Yes. I am Morgana, descended daughter of Queen Morrigaine and ruler of Avalon. Ever since I learned you were here, I’ve wanted to meet you.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Come,” the Queen said.

  Lin followed her through another door, down a long small walkway. She was practically on her knees until they went into a large room full of portraits.

  The room was set like a museum; the walls stretched for a mile with perfect paintings of doll like women, and a few men here and there, too.

  Queen Morgana lead her to a photo of a woman who looked much like Lin with grey eyes, except hers were bluish like her grandmothers.

  “This is Princess Mikhila, sister to Queen Morrigaine. She was the youngest of four princesses, but as is our custom, the throne went to the first born lady. In our world, matters of thinking go to the women while men handle matters of the physical.”

  Lin couldn’t help but notice how they all looked alike, and yet, different.

  “In our Avalonian year, 1257, Princess Mikhila met a man who wandered into the mists. He was a lost nobleman whom Queen Morrigaine invited to stay.

  When Princess Mikhila ran away with him to Normandy, where they had a noble family for centuries, Morrigaine vowed that humans were no longer welcome. She was tired of them stealing our magic and our women.

  Still, Princess Mikhila was always Morrigaine’s best friend, favorite sister and favorite princess, and she was popular among the common folk, too. When she died, Mikhila was all she could ask for.”

  “What happened to the Princess Mikhila?”

  “Togther, she and the human had a great line of nobility, until the Christians burned down their home, and vowed to crucify all Fairies, down to the last pixen dust. They went down a long, winding path that took them through Europe, and eventually, to the United States. In those days, she was known by the name of her husband’s clan Olevant. Over the years, the name changed to Olevise. Later, in Middle Germanic, they became Alewise. The latest change in the family name was Helewise,” she paused.

  Lin didn’t know what to say.

  “Your grandfather, William, your father, William, and that leads to you, Lin.”

  Lin remained silent as she contemplated her words, and the chances of her going home.

  “You’ve always known that you were different, and now you know why.”

  “Fairy blood runs in our family,” said Lin, sounding disappointed.

  “Now, you know why you are so powerful. Fairies are a nature race. That is why you have the ability to call the winds and fire without spells. You’re not a sorceress.”

  The Queen paused.

  “You look sad.”

  “I have a feeling that you’re not gonna let me go home.”

  “We, Avalonians, have kept watch over your family for centuries, and with particular interest in you. You look so much like Princess Mikhila. We’re prepared to offer you her revoked title and all that comes with it; it’s what Queen Morrigaine would have wanted.”

  “Thank you, Queen, but I can’t stay. My life is in Blackthorn.”

  Suddenly, the Queen became very serious, as spoke in a loud clear voice. “You have no choice.” Just then, a blonde girlish Fairy woman walked in and bowed. “Now I have appointed Sherif to be your handmaiden. She will instruct you on how to dress properly, and how to conduct yourself in a royal household. Now, off you go!” she commanded, pointing her hand to the exit.

  Just as Lin was about to argue, a short knight walked in and bowed on knee.

  “My Queen,” he said in an alto voice. “There are still people in the town. Golshem and his men are trying to use magic on them, to get them to fight for his cause against us.”

  “Very well,” said the Queen. “You may proceed as planned.”

  “Proceed with what?” interrupted Lin.

  “No longer will you will concern yourself with matters of war, unless you’re specifically invited. In this case, you’re not.”

  “This is my war; these are my people,” Lin said urgently.

  After looking at her a moment, she relented.

  “You may go and help your human friends this one last time, but after, you must return. No excuses.”

 

  Although Lin agreed, she only did so to appease the queen. In her heart, she knew she couldn’t just forget ab
out her family and friends. She felt bad about lying, but her home was on Earth, not Avalon. It occurred to Lin that the queen probably heard these thoughts, too. No problem. She’d slip away when no one was looking.

  She followed the little man, who identified himself as Rik the Warrior, out of the palace. They exited through a side door and made their way across a large green lawn, where they met up with a group of Fairy men on horses.

  “You may ride her,” Rik pointed his arm at a short black horse.

  “Whoa! I’m not riding a horse.”

  Rik look at her with confusion.

  “How do you expect to fight?”

  “On foot and with magic, and with my hands. I don’t know how to ride a horse.”

  Rik hopped onto his miniature connemara and held out his hand to Lin who simply scooted over the back of the horse and sat. Both her feet rested on the ground.

  The horse leapt higher than any normal horse would, into the air and down onto the ground.

  Traveling faster than a motorcycle, Lin held her feet up, scared that her ankles would break if they landed with too much force.

 

  Time to Fight