“I’m with you, Girlie.” Ambrosia said.
“I am too.” Sage agreed.
“You know where I stand, Hybrid.” Jade stated.
“Well, Green, you know I can’t let you go off and have all the fun, so no matter what you decide- I’ll be there.” Galadriel winked.
“I guess I’ll help too Jewel.” Zephyr said. “As long as Rain is okay with the idea as well.”
Jewel’s eyes met Rain’s, and she looked at her friend questioningly. Rain was the only one who hadn’t said anything, and as she looked at her friend, she couldn’t help but notice the worried expression.
“Raindrop……..what do you think?” Jewel asked hesitantly.
With a roll of her blue eyes, Rain said, “Chocolate sauce, Spitfire. You know I’m with you. That’s no question, but I’m just worried about you. I know that we can’t stay here in the Meadow forever, but you have no idea what it’s been like to watch you get kidnapped and almost die on more than one occasion. You are like a sister to me, so my first instinct is to hide you here and keep you from harm.” She confessed with a sigh. “But I know I can’t do that, so no matter what you do, just know that I am with you.”
Jewel nodded. Her heart was overflowing with emotion. This was her family that was yet again standing with her. No matter the danger, no matter the consequences, they were choosing to do whatever they could to help her, and Jewel had no idea how she would repay them- only that someday, she would. But for now, it was time to bring the rest of the group up to speed, and it was a conversation that Jewel wasn’t very excited to have.
Jewel stood up and forced a smile. “Well….let’s go tell the rest of the group what we’re planning.”
“Yeah. And hope for magic sakes that they won’t lock us up somewhere.” Jade quipped, but truth be told- Jewel wouldn’t be surprised if they did.
Chapter Four
Good Intentions
“So, let me get this straight.” Winter said in exasperation as she ran her fingers through her curly, platinum-blonde locks. “You want us to agree to this plan that will not only be dangerous, but one that depends on a power that you have little to no understanding or control over?” She finished with a raised brow.
Jewel looked at Winter with a pained expression, full of apology and pleading, as she gave a small nod and shrugged. She knew that what she was proposing sounded crazy, but what choice did they really have?
Jewel eyed the four Protectors, waiting with bated breath to see what their final response would be. She had only just explained what she had learned from Ambrosia and what she wanted to try and do with visiting the other worlds, but it was obvious that not everyone was convinced that it was a good idea. Dream, Lyric, Foster, and Teagan had readily agreed, but the four Protectors were another story altogether. Winter was now pacing back and forth, stopping every so often to pinch the bridge of her nose with her fingers; Skye was chewing her bottom lip as she played with her gemstone bracelet, glancing between the other three Protectors and Jewel a few times in the process; Ryker was standing as still as a statue, and was glaring at the mossy ground as though if he stared long enough, the answers he sought would somehow be revealed to him; And then there was Zekiel, who was now spinning in circles with his arms outstretched as if he was trying to fly.
Zekiel was the first to speak but was a little off balance as he had just been spinning like a top. “Time ticks on, places all around, the search must continue, or nothing can be found.” Zekiel said before repeating the same thing three times- each time in a different tone of voice.
Winter and Ryker looked at Zekiel with unreadable expressions, but it didn’t deter him in the least. He just stood there, swaying back and forth like a tree in a gentle wind with a peaceful smile plastered on his face, as though he didn’t have a care in the worlds.
“I think……it might be worthwhile to try.” Skye spoke slowly.
Winter whipped around to face Skye with a flabbergasted expression. “You can’t be serious. We have no idea what is out there, or what we will find in those other worlds. For all we know, it could be something that is way worse than what we are already dealing with in this world.”
“That’s true, but it might also help us gain some allies which could help give us the numbers needed to put the kabosh on everything that’s going on in this world. Not only with the Horde, but with all of Shade’s nonsense as well.” Skye stated, holding up her hand to keep Winter from arguing. “For sparkles sake, Winter.” She started. “Yes. We have no idea what we will be facing. So yes, you’re right- it’s going to be dangerous. But we are getting absolutely nothing done by staying here in the Meadow. You said it yourself that Steele won’t last much longer in his current state. It’s going to be hard enough as it is to wake him up after being frozen this long, but without the potion to get rid of the poison, it won’t matter because he won’t make it anyway.” She reasoned.
“Sharp, evil, must get it away……no, no longer, can the object stay.” Zekiel said in a sing-song voice as he made circles with his arms and intermittently pointed at Jewel’s belt which held Slayer.
“Exactly.” Skye agreed. “Not only do we need allies, but we need to get rid of the dagger too and how are we going to manage that if we don’t go to these other worlds? We need the Council’s help, and they clearly aren’t going to come to us, so it’ll have to be us that goes to them.”
Winter stood with her arms folded for a few moments, narrowing her ice blue eyes in Skye’s direction. But Skye was completely unaffected, and just looked right back with a ‘you know I’m right’ expression. The two Protectors stayed in that same stance for what seemed like hours, even though it was mere minutes, and right when Jewel felt as though she couldn’t possibly take the tension any longer, Winter sighed deeply and allowed her arms to fall by her sides. She looked at Skye with a torn expression, wringing her hands on the hem of her shirt. She shook her head slightly and opened her mouth as though she was going to finally speak, but instead she merely shut it, thinned her lips, and began pacing again. Zekiel was busy jumping from one foot to the other, and Ryker appeared calm, but was looking at Skye incredulously.
Jewel watched the situation unfold and couldn’t help but see the irony. Only a couple of weeks earlier, the four Protectors had been arguing back and forth about how to proceed, and this was no different, except for the fact that now Ryker and Winter appeared to be on the same side, which Jewel was a little shocked by.
“I pledged my allegiance to be a Protector and to keep the one from the prophecy safe from any harm in their endeavor to create peace.” Ryker began. “And I believe wholeheartedly that the one from the prophecy is Jewel, so I will support her decisions.” He said to the group, before turning to Jewel and speaking to her directly. “But- it would be irresponsible of me to readily agree to something without first stating my concerns. I know you’re line of thinking, and I agree that some of your points are valid.” He paused. “However, I also feel that you are thinking more emotionally and being led with you heart versus taking all things into consideration and looking at this from a rational point of view. We need to know definitively that we are not going to get ourselves into a situation that we cannot get out of before we make any final decision.” He stated, before chuckling and glancing at Winter, who was now looking at him approvingly. “And I must say, that while normally, Winter and I are at odds in the way that we think about and approach things, we are more in sync right now than ever before.”
“It is surprising, indeed.” Winter said with a small smile.
Jewel mulled things over for a few moments, before speaking. “I hope that everyone can understand where I’m coming from with what I’m about to say.” She said, pausing as she looked between the four Protectors and the rest of the group. “While I can certainly appreciate everyone’s points of views when it comes to this topic, I want everyone to understand that I didn’t come here to ask for permission or to face judgement. I’ve already made my decision
. I am going to travel to these other worlds, and I am going to attempt to gain allies while also trying to find the ingredients needed to counter the poison from Slayer. And if I can get rid of Slayer while doing it, then great, but I’m going either way.”
“I know you are hurting right now, Jewel. I know that you want your dad to be okay, but this is dangerous. You must know-” Winter started.
“It’s not just about me wanting my dad to be okay. I mean, of course I do, but this is more than that.” Jewel paused, trying to put into words what she was feeling. “It’s about getting answers to the million questions that run through my head every day. Everything from why he’s been absent, how he could have left me with Gertrude all those years, where my Mom is, is my Mom still alive, how he could have done some of the horrible things he did while with the Horde, was anyone else in our family other than my Aunt Starr an Immune?” She said, emotions swirling in her emerald eyes. And there’s countless more unanswered questions which simply won’t do. Now, I have no intention of going to any of these worlds without at least some knowledge of what we might find but make no mistake- I am going.”
“And how are we going to obtain said knowledge?” Ryker asked curiously, obviously resigned to the fact that Jewel wasn’t going to budge and that he might as well get on board.
“Well, we sort of have Ella to thank for that.” Jewel started.
“Ella? Ella- the woman who went stark-raving mad not too long ago. That Ella?” Winter asked dubiously.
“Yes. That Ella.” Jewel said as she motioned for Ambrosia. “Thanks to her rare book collection and the fact that she left all of them in our midst, and thanks to Ambrosia searching what was there, we have acquired this.” She said, pointing to the book, The Worlds Around Us, that Ambrosia was now holding up for everyone to see. “This has information about the worlds that are separate from ours. We can study this, bring it with us, and hope that things haven’t changed too much from when the authors visited and recorded the details.”
“May I, Love?” Skye asked as she pointed towards the book.
Ambrosia waited until Jewel gave her a nod to hand it over. Winter, Ryker, and Zekiel all huddled around the book, searching its contents.
“This is a very detailed account. It could prove to be quite useful.” Ryker began.
“Soooo………does that mean you four agree with going to these other worlds?” Jewel asked tentatively.
“Visiting worlds beyond, may just be what needs to be done.” Zekiel said, giving Jewel a knowing look.
“I believe that it’s at the very least, worth a try.” Skye stated.
“I would first like us to come up with a list of which worlds we plan on visiting, and then a plan on how to move forward once there.” Ryker said.
“I have no problem with that.” Jewel said, before turning towards the only Protector that hadn’t yet said anything. “Winter? What do you think?”
“What I think is that this is very foolish. We are very literally putting you in harm’s way, and that is something that I am having a very difficult time wrapping my head around.” Winter started, before softening a bit. “But that is the mother in me talking, and as I think of you like a daughter, it is hard for me to even contemplate doing something like this. However…..I will agree to this plan of yours, and will even accompany you to each and every world I can, but on one condition.”
Jewel eyed the Protector suspiciously. “What condition?”
“That you will practice the use of your Keeper of Tempus powers for at least a week so that you have a little more of a handle on how to use them, and so we have time to research each of these worlds and come up with some viable options.” Winter stated. “Can you agree to wait just a week?”
Jewel paused. She knew what Winter was asking wasn’t a lot, but she had an itch she couldn’t scratch until she was in these other worlds, working towards doing something and not just hiding out in the Meadow. Jewel hesitated, not wanting to seem ungrateful, but not altogether wanting to agree to waiting a week either.
“I think Winter has a good idea, Green.” Galadriel started. “One week isn’t going to make or break anything but having Winter with us would be a really good thing.”
“Not to mention that you’ve never tried to open a portal between worlds before. We should probably try that a few times and work on your time freezing power before leaving the Meadow. It couldn’t hurt, Girlie.” Ambrosia pointed out.
“Fine.” Jewel agreed reluctantly, which instantly brought a radiant smile to Winter’s face. Upon seeing how pleased the Protector was, Jewel quickly added, “One week. That’s it. No matter where I am with my powers. That’s what I agree to. One week.”
“I’ll take it.” Winter grinned and pulled Jewel into a hug.
Jewel was stiff at first as Winter embraced her, but little by little she allowed herself to relax into Winter’s arms. It felt safe, and what Jewel could only assume was exactly how it was to experience a mother’s love. She wouldn’t know from memory, as Gertrude had stolen Jewel away when she was just a baby, but Winter was as close to a mother as Jewel had ever had, and it was that line of thinking that brought on a rush of emotions. The internal dam which had kept Jewel from truly feeling anything since the incident at Shade’s, and the barrier that she had worked oh so hard to perfect came crumbling down. Jewel’s breaths came in short gasps as she struggled to get herself back together, choking back the sobs that were threatening to break free. The last thing she needed was to have everyone in the group get a glimpse of how emotional she really was. But she knew there was no hiding it from Winter anymore. The Protector could feel her body shaking as she held her, and she knew that Jewel wasn’t as put together as she had led everyone to believe. But what other option did Jewel have? With everything that had happened, she had to make a choice- either shut her emotions down altogether or be willing to feel an overwhelming, all-encompassing, gut-wrenching, heart-ripping pain over and over. She hadn’t chosen the latter, that was for sure.
“We are going to figure this out, my dear.” Winter soothed. “We are going to help your dad and make the worlds different for everyone. No more division- only unity and peace.”
Jewel sighed. “I want to believe that, but I’m not sure I can right now.”
“Then I’ll believe it for you.” Winter said encouragingly. “You just worry about practicing and learning all you can from that book of Ella’s. And know that I am always here for you, should you ever want to talk or if you just need a hug. They do wonders, hugs. It’s almost magical the way they can release someone from their pain or grief, if only for a moment. And Jewel, just know that I meant what I said….I think of you like my daughter and I would do anything and everything to help you find stability and joy in your life.”
Jewel nodded into Winter’s shoulder, not trusting herself to speak without breaking down completely. A few moments later, Winter gave her one more good squeeze before ending the hug. Winter’s aura was a beautiful mix of silver and red, her ice blue eyes were full of love, and her smile was full of warmth as she looked at Jewel. Love and warmth- two things that Jewel had been desperately devoid of when she lived with Gertrude, and although she knew there was a rocky road ahead of them, she couldn’t keep herself from smiling back at Winter.
“Alright, Girlie.” Ambrosia started, breaking the silence. “Let’s get to training.”
And training they did- morning, noon, and night. For the next four days, all Jewel did was read The Worlds Around Us and attempt to control her newfound powers. The first wasn’t difficult at all. The author’s, Willow and Sienna Vistore, had done an amazing job of making the book an easy read and the group had already narrowed it down to seven worlds that they thought would be beneficial to visit. They based their location choices on two things- access to potion ingredients, and level of willingness to fight against the Horde, Shade, and the Dispatchers. Each world the group had chosen had something to gain from fighting alongside Jewel, and Jewel hoped that it
would be enough of an incentive to obtain their support.
Now, attempting to control her newfound powers, on the other hand, was something different altogether. It wasn’t that Jewel wasn’t trying to do it but seeing as how no one else in the group had the same powers- it made it difficult to figure out. It was the mind control power situation all over again, with a lot of trial and error and so far, it had been a whole lot of error.
“Try it again, Girlie.” Ambrosia said, her lavender eyes set determinedly. “We only have three days until we need to leave, and at this rate- we won’t need to worry about what we might find in a different world, because we won’t be able to get there anyway.”
Jewel groaned. What Ambrosia was saying was absolutely true. Jewel hadn’t the slightest idea what she was doing when it came to her Keeper of Tempus powers, and forget about opening portals. She hadn’t even been able to freeze time once within the four days she had been training.
“Chocolate sauce, Ambrosia.” Rain began. “Give Spitfire a little break. It’s not like we’re getting anywhere with the way we are doing things right now. We need a new tactic.”
“I agree.” Frost said with his signature scowl directed at Ambrosia. “Let Gem have some time.”
“She could have all the time in the worlds if she would concentrate and focus the same energy on her Keeper of Tempus powers as she is right now with being frustrated.” Ambrosia quipped snarkily. “She doesn’t need a break. She needs to get this done.”
“I think Ambrosia’s right.” Sage said. “Jewel has to be pushed to get her powers under control. It’s always been that way. First, the telepathy-mind reading power during her break in at the School of Sorcery; Then the mind control and pain powers at the Hordequarters; And even her Empath powers didn’t come to the surface until the debacle of Mr. Trellis catching us at Trellis Manor. She’s always been in a stress-filled situation when she has really been able to tap into her abilities or for new powers to surface. I think she needs to continue to try.”
The Council Page 5