by C. J. Abedi
Alderon smiled directly at me. A menacing smile. Filled with evil. But I knew this had to be impossible. There was no way he could see me…
Or was there?
“This meeting is over,” he said, snapping his fingers. The Fae disappeared.
But this wasn’t over.
It was only just beginning.
C
I walked into my house and immediately bent down to greet Famous, who bounced up and down. I scooped him up in my arms and planted a kiss on his soft head.
“You have no idea what kind of day I had.” He licked the side of my face in response.
“Mom?” I called out. I could smell the food wafting through the house. Spaghetti. One of my favorites.
“In here, honey.”
I ran into the kitchen and gave her a giant hug.
“Wow,” she said. “Rough day?”
“Words can’t explain.” I pulled away from her and smiled. My mother was still a very attractive woman. She was tall and blonde with bright blue eyes. My father had that exact coloring as well. It was a wonder why I was so petite with darker hair. It was a complaint that both my parents had become accustomed to hearing.
“You want to talk about it? Or do you want a bowl of spaghetti?”
“Spaghetti.”
She pulled me into the kitchen. It was my favorite room in the house, especially when my mom was cooking. She had a strong passion for everything rustic, so it felt like being in an old world home in Italy. I sat down at the table and marveled as she scooped up a hearty portion of spaghetti for me. She grabbed the fresh Parmesan cheese out of the refrigerator and grated some on top. I dug in with gusto. She sat across and cradled Famous in her arms.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” I said between mouthfuls. “Just usual school stuff.”
“Lots of homework?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be fine,” my mom said supportively. But she was staring at me. “You look different.”
Different again. What was wrong with everyone?
“What do you mean?”
“Your hair, clothes…just different.” I looked down so she couldn’t analyze my face any more.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
I knew that my quick denial was sure to lead my mother to believe the exact opposite of what I was saying. Her next question proved me right.
“Did you meet a guy?”
I shoved the bowl of pasta away. “No.”
My mother watched me carefully. I knew she had to be disappointed. She was the kind of mom that wanted to hear about boys and crushes, but unfortunately for her I had never talked to her about those typical girl problems. Instead of asking her to go shopping, I’d ask her to go to the bookstore. I didn’t think I was that much fun for her.
“That’s too bad.” I knew she meant it.
But what was I supposed to say? I met a boy, mom, he was arrogant and rude. I would sound like such a loser.
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Oh Caroline, you never disappoint me. You’re perfect.”
“Love is blind.”
My mom’s look said it all. “Honey, you’re a beautiful young lady. When are you going to see yourself the way that others do? The man who gets to be with you will be the luckiest guy in the world.”
I stood up and walked over to the sink to get a glass of water.
“When I do meet him, I’ll make sure to bring him straight over so you can fool him into believing that.”
“Honey, don’t you think you’re being a little harsh on yourself?
If you’ve lived through what I have the past two days…
I smiled at her. “Let’s change the subject.” My mom looked down at Famous and patted his head. This time I noticed the strain on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she quickly responded.
Something was definitely wrong. I couldn’t believe I had been so selfish and not noticed right away.
“Mom, don’t lie to me.”
She sighed then leaned back in the chair. “We had to let three people go today. It’s not anything to worry about, but it was hard. They were all like family. Not to mention, they have their own families to support. But we just couldn’t afford to keep them on. Business has been so slow lately.”
I knew it had been slow, but I guess I didn’t realize that it had been this bad. My parents never wanted me to worry about money, and they shielded me from everything. But I appreciated her honesty tonight. It must have been really bad if she opened up so easily. I couldn’t bear to watch her struggle.
“So when does my shift begin?”
“You’re not working there. You’re too busy with school.”
“You know that once I put my mind to something, I always end up doing it. So you should just accept it. I can come by on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I can help out on the weekend.”
“Honey—” I knew she needed my help but didn’t want me to feel obligated.
“Mom. I’m showing up whether you like it or not. Besides, just think about how much extra time we’ll get to spend together.”
She smiled. “That’s true.”
“See? It’s done. And I’ll get to make some extra money waiting tables. Maybe I’ll even use it to buy some new clothes!”
“Only if I get to come with you.”
I nodded my head and started to walk out of the kitchen.
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you too, mom.”
D
As I strode toward the large wooden doors of our house, they opened of their own accord. Odin must have known I was home. I walked into the massive foyer and looked up the spiral staircase hoping I’d find him there waiting for me. There was a lot I had to talk about with him.
Instead, I found my half-sister sliding down the wooden banister. I hadn’t seen her in a while and couldn’t hide my surprise.
“Hi Devilyn,” Tatiana said, beaming at me.
I tried not to roll my eyes. Tatiana was one of the most beautiful fairies in the kingdom. She had long, curly blond hair and cat-green eyes. She was tall, like most of our race, and graced with the physique of a supermodel. She knew her appeal and used it whenever it benefited her, playing endlessly with the mortal boys that adored her. She loved being worshiped.
And it showed in her every move.
Every action.
Every word.
“How was school?” She laughed, seeming quite pleased with herself. Her laughter even sounded like music.
“Fine. When do you think you’ll finally make an appearance?”
“He wants me to start as soon as possible. But I think I may need a few more days before the torture begins,” she said, annoyed.
“Great.” I was not looking forward to Tatiana showing up at school. She had a propensity for bringing trouble along with her.
She made her way over to me and smiled mischievously.
“Did you miss me, brother?”
“Not particularly.”
“That’s too bad,” she pouted. “I missed you.”
“I’m sure you found a way to amuse yourself.”
“Always, Devilyn.” She twirled around in a circle and then made her way to a round marble table. She sat down on top of it, crossed her legs, and stared at me deviously.
“Did you see her?”
Tatiana was the last person on earth that I wanted to discuss Caroline with. Not just because it was a personal matter, but also because of the danger it would inevitably bring to Caroline. The Dark Fae would undoubtedly use Tatiana to their advantage, and when they were around, she couldn’t be trusted to be loyal, not even to her brother.
“I won’t discuss this issue with you.”
“Does that mean yes?”
“If it suits you to believe that.”
She uncrossed and re-crossed her legs on the table, sighing
dramatically. “You’re so boring, Devilyn.”
Before I could answer, Odin materialized in front of us.
“Hello, children.”
Tatiana stood and kissed him on the cheek. “Hi, Father. Miss me?”
“You know I did.”
Tatiana looked over at me pointedly. “I’m glad someone did.”
“Did you have a nice vacation in the Cote D’Azur?”
“It was alright. I got bored after a few days.”
I glanced at her, annoyed. “We all know how short your attention span is.”
“That’s not very nice, brother.” No, it wasn’t, but I didn’t feel like being very nice today. Odin tapped Tatiana on her arm.
“Why don’t you leave your brother and me alone for a minute? We’ll join you soon in the drawing room for some tea and sandwiches.”
Tatiana smiled at Odin and danced away. “I hope you can change that attitude of his. It’s getting old.”
I waited until she was gone before I turned to Odin.
Before I could speak he snapped his finger and suddenly the two of us were standing on a cliff overlooking a beautiful ocean. I guessed we had to be on one of the Hawaiian Islands, one of Odin’s favorite places.
I looked out on the ocean and couldn’t help but admire the magnificent view.
“You’re angry.” It was a statement, not a question.
I chose not to deny it. “Yes.”
“I appreciate your anger, Devilyn. I do. I can even understand it, but as I have told you a thousand times, you must control that anger around Tatiana.”
I closed my eyes, knowing he was right.
“Do you foresee my half-sister’s betrayal?” I asked.
“I have not,” Odin began quietly as he stared out at the roaring ocean. “Not yet. But the love I feel for her can be blinding, though I have faith that she will make the right choice.”
“And yet you still warn me.”
“I would be failing in my duty if I did not. Tatiana will ultimately face the moment where she will have to choose between the life that I have shown her and the one that she was born into. No one can help or make the decision for her.”
“You ignore the anger she will have when she realizes she is not who or what she was led to believe,” I replied, softly.
“I hope she will realize why I kept this from her. I hope my love will calm her soul.”
“I don’t have the same faith in her that you do.”
“I hope you are wrong.”
We were quiet as I took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. My mind immediately drifted back to Caroline and how she’d haunted my every move. Odin must have read my thoughts.
“I wanted you to be as close to her as possible. And you know, that posture isn’t going to win you favor with her.”
“It appears that you don’t have faith in me. I made a promise, and I intend to stand by my words.”
“You cannot protect her if she doesn’t trust you,” Odin chided.
“I know what I’m doing.” I turned to face the ocean.
“Dear boy, you need to protect her from what is coming. The consequences of anything other than this will be grave for all of us.” His voice was suddenly calmer, soothing like the sound of the waves below.
I turned quickly and fixed him with a stare. “When are they coming?”
“They are close, I am sure.” He took a deep breath. ”I love the smell of the ocean. There is nothing like it. The sea can be so calming. It is too bad the humans don’t embrace this natural remedy for the soul.”
He took in a light breeze, inhaled the air deeply, a small smile on his lips. He remained so calm when the fate of our world rested on the life of a single girl. He must have sensed the turmoil in me, standing beside him, ruining his peaceful moment.
“I say these words to you because you seemingly oppose your chosen direction. Although you must know that I’m not worried because I know you’ll ultimately look after her in the right way.” He opened his deep blue eyes and looked at me. “Your presence here is already shielding her. Making it harder for them to find her.”
I found it hard to believe that my mere presence near her wasn’t exposing her to greater threat.
“They would never assume that you would be so close to her, especially given the time. Her age. It would be natural for you to keep a distance. The smarter move. With the powers you have, you have placed a cloth over their eyes. And together with my great cloak, we are shielding her. But you must stay close, so that she isn’t devoured by them.”
“What if I can’t—”
“You will.”
“You sound so confident.”
“I believe in you, Devilyn. Even if today you do not believe in yourself.”
It was so easy for him to stand there and act magnanimous with his words. He was a God. He wasn’t the monster I was. His ancestors were not evil creatures that created havoc and misery wherever they went.
He was a different being.
He was all-knowing.
He was all good.
“The sins of your ancestors are not yours, Devilyn. That is something you need to understand. It is something that I’ve tried to teach you, to show you, all these years.”
“You do not walk in my shoes. You do not live in my mind. You are not made of darkness.”
Odin smiled and pointed at the sea. I watched as the waves begin to swirl magically.
“In the beginning of time there was a great battle,” Odin began, the waves spitting out shapes above the sea. “We fought for all mankind against an evil force.” As he spoke the battle took form before me, unfolding above the ocean. “Warriors fought against a treacherous monster. Sons and fathers fell together for the hope of something good. There was bloodshed, tears, and then in what seemed like a fleeting moment, all was quiet. The battle had been won.”
The shapes that Odin conjured fell with a splash to the ocean. Enormous waves rose and crashed in their wake. “There came a new birth. One filled with hope and the promise of a greater tomorrow. This hope, Devilyn, this promise of what could be, was worth fighting for. It was worth defying the heavens for. Sometimes we have to take fate by the hand and trust that it will guide us in the right direction. And then it may surprise you.
As we stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast and endless ocean I tried to block out his words. He was wrong. Our fate had been written in the stars before we even existed. I knew what my fate was; there were no surprises. I had known my purpose since I was a babe. I had known what would be. And now he told me this?
“I will not be swayed from my decision.”
“You are trying to guide a fate that will not be guided, Devilyn. When will you understand that it is not your decision to make?”
Just as quickly as we had arrived at the cliff, we stood once again in the foyer of our home. He said, “You cannot fight what will come naturally to you.”
“Caroline.”
“Your love for her.”
Chapter Four
“Life is what we make of it.”
Kingdom of the Light Fae
Light shined everywhere in the beautiful glen, glistening from the electricity dancing around the trees.
She was coming.
A sweet breeze rustled the leaves, fluttering at the excitement of her arrival. The Goddess, Dana. Revered by all. Worshipped. And most especially, loved. Her long white muslin gown flowed behind her. Her smile made the flowers bloom, the birds chirped to see this miraculous sight. And even with all of her ethereal beauty and otherworldly knowledge she truly loved life. Every species that breathed and lived, she worshipped and embraced.
She brushed her brown hair away from her face as she leaned down to run her hand against the water in the stream. It sparkled with pleasure at her gentle touch and she laughed as a few fish swam happily around her delicate fingers.
“Why the secrecy, my frien
d?” She smiled radiantly at Odin. He stood before her majestically, more God than man, with his trademark cape and winged helmet.
“I cannot risk her life. If there is anyone among your court that could be a traitor—”
“I would see through their souls,” she finished as she stood to face the mighty Norse God.
Dana lifted her hand, and as she did, she closed her eyes. A light moved from her palm toward the center of his forehead. His third eye. It opened instantly, a blue circle forming where Dana’s energy hit.
“You worry for his soul.”
“Yes.”
“His fate will lead him down the right path. His path.”
“He doubts himself. I see the struggle. Every day. Every night when he sleeps, he believes he will be overcome.”
“It is a strong calling, the Dark. The hunger. The need to do bad things. Humans have lived with this conflict since their creation. And then there are the Fae. We have been blessed to be either one or the other.”
“He is my son,” Odin said quietly.
Dana smiled. “Yes, Devilyn is a unique soul. Given both the dark and the light. He is much like a human. He can feel empathy for them. The love. The hate. All of the emotions that they possess, Devilyn understands. That is why his bride will be part human. That is why she is his fate. She is his salvation.”
“But will he choose her?”
Dana was quiet.
“That is not for us to decide. Or to see.”
“And her life? The danger that is coming for her, how can we protect her? Should we take her away and hide her here?”
“You know we cannot. She is human.”
“She is more Fae than human.”
“But human, nevertheless. We will wait to see what tricks Alderon plays. He still does not know her identity. We must see what he plans, and then we will act accordingly,” Dana pulled her hand away from Odin’s third eye. “This indecision, it is unlike you.”
“I know,” Odin replied. “I always knew this day would come. But I am not sure if I am willing or able to see him in such great pain.”
“Your strength, courage, and foresight guides us all. As you said, you knew this day was coming. How long have you prepared for it? How much love have you given the future King? How much guidance? He could not have asked for more.”