by Cate, Marnie
As she walked away from us, she stopped and said, “And give her more than verijuoma. The poor girl is starving for more winter before my eyes. If I would have let her, she would have drained my magic.”
Chapter 39
Cole led me through the foyer, past a library filled from floor to ceiling with books and into the kitchen. The staff were rushing around as they prepared for tomorrow. A baker laid a square cake on top of a tier of seven other layers. The squares had been frosted on each side with exquisite ruffles that began as a slate gray color and faded to white. When the man saw Cole, he put down the piping tube and rushed to us.
“Your excellency,” he said, bowing before Cole. “To what do we owe this great honor? Did you come to see the cake? I hope it meets your expectations.”
“Lestop, meet Marina, your Vizier,” Cole said. “You have fulfilled my wishes and more. Do you have a sample of the cake for her to see if she approves of the flavor?”
“Yes, yes,” Lestop said, scurrying back to the cake and cutting a piece off. Seeing that he had destroyed the cake, I stared in shock.
“Do not worry, min Vizier,” he said, motioning to the cake. “It will be as good as new for tomorrow. Please tell me what you think.”
Taking a small bite of the cake, the flavors swirled in my mouth. My heart began to beat fast and I found my vision began to blur.
“So what do you think?” The voice of my grandmother said as my vision cleared. Standing before me, she held out a fork with a small bite of cake on it. “Do you not like it?”
“I'm not sure,” I said, hesitating.
Surprised by the sound of my voice, I looked around the kitchen I was in. I was home in Starten. My grandmother was in front of me and she was alive. Hopping off the chair I was sitting on, I ran down the hallway to Gram's room. When I entered the room, I could see the silver nest mirror high above me. Jumping to see my reflection, I could not reach it.
“What are you doing, Mara,” Gram said, entering the room. Picking me up in her arms, I was able to see myself in the mirror as she carried me out of the room.
What was going on? I was now a small child. Setting me down on the chair, she gave me a stern look.
“Here try another bite,” she said, feeding me the cake. “We need to decide soon. Your birthday is tomorrow. What has gotten into you today, little one? You are being peculiar.”
Taking another bite of the cake, I smiled and said, “I love it. This is the one I want.”
“I am most pleased,” my grandmother said, as her appearance shifted into Lestop.
I was no longer in Starten but in a kitchen three times the size of my home with dozens of strangers milling around me.
“Then, I will finish the cake right now,” Lestop said, as he bowed and returned to the cake.
“Are you alright?” Cole said, taking my arm. “You seem off balance.”
Christina appeared holding a glass of dark liquid. “Drink this,” she said. Turning to Cole, she said, “She will not make it to the ceremony if she does not rest. Her body is fighting the winter's chill.”
“She will be fine,” he said. “Your job is to ensure she is okay for tomorrow. Bring more of the tavi veri.”
“Yes, mi Shah,” she said, bowing and leaving us.
Slowly drinking, I felt my body freeze. I could not move. Cole held my hand as I stood in a statue-like state.
“It will fade soon,” he said.
Trying to move my fingers unsuccessfully for minutes, I felt relieved when I felt them move again. Anger filled me when my body regained its normal state.
“Do not give me anything like that again to drink,” I said, glaring at him. “You could have killed me.”
“Your body will not react the same way next time,” he said, touching my face. “You will need to drink more or you will find yourself in a weakened state.”
Christina returned holding a golden container. “I have brought you the tavi veri per your request,” she said, giving it to Cole. “She looks very weak. She should rest.”
“She will be fine,” he said. “Now we will continue our tour.”
Taking my hand, he said, “If that is fine with you, Marina.”
“Yes, please continue your tour,” I said. “I am anxious for tomorrow to come.”
Laughing, he said, “You are always so impatient. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. Now let me show you home.”
Cole led me up a staircase to the second floor stopping in a large open foyer. The marble flooring was a swirl of black and silver. The high ceilings were covered with a delicate web design. The metal double doors on the right had a snowflake etched into the steel. The double doors on the left were open showing a red carpet that extended down a long hallway leading to a closed door.
“This is our wing,” he said, walking through the open doors. “Each room has their own master bathroom. We will have plenty of space for our children here and this will be our room.”
The room was decorated with exquisite furniture. The small sitting area had blue chairs with a small silver table in the center. The bed had a tufted headboard and matching footboard made of a blue fabric with silver buttons evenly spaced throughout. It was framed with a dark black wood that was engraved with floral designs. The white comforter sparkled. Running my hands along the fabric, it turned to frost. The room would be fine for the short time we were here. It would be like staying in a hotel but this was not a place to raise a family. A child couldn't run free and explore here. There were too many things to break or for sticky hands to dirty.
Setting the tavi veri onto one of the silver dressers, Cole poured a glass and handed it to me. “Why don't you have a seat and drink this?”
Would my child also have to drink tavi to be able to live in the cold temperature? Would they turn into Vetur?
“I really feel fine. Why are you trying to force it on me? I will drink when I am thirsty,” I said, wanting to resist drinking anymore of the veri. I was beginning to feel different. I felt an anger inside me that I didn't want to control. I wanted to hurt him like he hurt me in the alley. My mind began to race. Would I soon be turned like Cole? Would I abandon my family like my mother? Did he love Snowystra? Was he only marrying me because that was her will?
“Trust me, Mar,” he said, interrupting my thoughts. There was a sadness in his eyes. “I would never give you anything that would hurt you. So drink this…please drink it for me.”
Relenting, I sat down on the bed and drank the full glass of liquid. Frost formed on my eyelashes and my chest burned as if my inside were a blazing fire. Slow pulses of electricity sparked from my fingertips and the room began to spin.
Guiding me to lie down, Cole whispered in my ear, “Sleep, Marina, soon your body will stop fighting it.”
Unable to speak, I watched him walk away from me. Before I fell asleep, I saw Snowystra standing above me talking to Laura.
“Make sure she drinks enough tonight,” Snowystra said. “I do not want any problems tomorrow. They will marry and she will promise her loyalty to me.”
Chapter 40
My sleep was interrupted by Vetur lifting me up and Laura forcing me to drink the tavi veri. Each drink gave me a different reaction—feelings of being trapped under water, loss of feeling in my legs and even my hair freezing were some of the side effects from the drink.
Christina lifted me and tilted a drink to my mouth. Whispering in my ear, she said, “This will counter everything they have given you. Just remember that they must think you are full of darkness when you wake.”
Touching my forehead gently, she swiped her finger from temple to temple. “You will remember,” she said.
Nodding, I did not resist and drank from the glass. Her eyes stared into mine. Unable to keep my eyes open, I fell asleep. When I awoke, I found myself in a misted area. The feeling of wetness on my face revived me. As I walked, I tried to gather my thoughts. Feeling a sense of familiarity, I wandered unsure where I was going. Then, I noticed a tree that I had been at be
fore. I was at the entrance to the elemental's home.
Stopping at the tree, I pushed my hand onto the bark and was glad to see my hand went through. Stepping through the tree as I had done before, I walked into the darkness. The bu dum bu dum sound of the tree was like a heartbeat in my ear. When I entered the Water elementals cave, I noticed that my hands were not solid…I was translucent. I wondered if I had died and now I was going home to Danu.
Focusing my heart on finding the Goddess, I walked past the Water elementals. They were full of life. They splashed and played in the water as if I was not there. Resisting my urge to join them, I walked past. As I followed the path that I had taken the first time I was in this realm, I walked down the tan stone hallway into the Fire elementals area. Sparks of fire were around me as they floated through the air. Leaving the warmth of their cavern, I began climbing the stairs to the Air elemental's platform. The sky was filled in a rainbow of colorful feathers as the elementals in their bird form soared above me. When I reached the edge of the stand, I tried to see the ground through the treetops. Even though I could not see it, I jumped and floated to the ground, landing near the Earth elementals, I watched as they ran their fingers through the lush grass making flowers bloom. Even though none of the elementals were aware of me, I felt at peace here. Their knowledge, passion, joy and love surrounded me.
Leaving the elementals, I entered the center of their world. Walking past the mirrors, I could see my reflection. I glowed a transparent blue color. Am I dead? I stopped in front of the mirror that I had seen my sister in when she had been taken by the Drygens. The same mirror that I had seen Miles for the first time. Placing my hand on the glass, I hoped that something would appear. I needed to be shown anything that would confirm that my family was safe.
Holding my hands before me, I called to the elements:
With my hands to the east, I call Air to give me wisdom and insight.
With my hands to the south, I call to Fire to give me strength and passion.
With my hands to the west, I call Water to provide me with peace.
With my hands to the north, I call to Earth for protection.
With an open heart, I call to the Goddess of Life, Danu. I beg for your assistance. Please show me that my family is safe and
my determination to save Cole has not been in vein.
The mirror before me began to glow and then faded to an ocean blue color. As the image cleared, I could see Meg and Miles. They were playing in the water of an ocean. As the waves came towards them, they ran back to the beach laughing and screaming. My father and Essie were stretched out on beach towels watching my siblings play.
When Hazel joined them, she said, “Any news?”
Essie shook her head. With her voice full of worry, she said, “I hope she is okay. I haven't been able to connect with her since the day we left. I keep trying to reach her and I will keep trying.”
“My Caterpillar is strong. There is nothing to worry about,” my father said, squeezing her hand. “She is just in an area we can't reach her but she is fierce. She will never give up her faith in the Goddess and what our families have been protecting. She will never let the winter consume her.”
“What about the boy?” Hazel said, “I don't know him well enough but you said that he was changed.”
“I know Cole,” my father said. “The love he has for Mara is stronger than any magic or spell that has been or will be put on him. She will not give up on him. They will both return to us and we can go home.”
Tears filled my eyes as the image faded. My family was safe. With the knowledge that they were not in harm's way, I could focus on how to save Cole. Even if I was dead, I needed to find a way.
Leaving the mirror, I went to the center stone in the middle of the room where Breeze, Blaze, Bay and Daisy were sitting in their chairs. They did not see or sense me.
“I have no word of where she is in there,” Blaze said. Her voice was not its normally strong tone. “I have elementals guarding the perimeter and watching for any signs of her. All she has to do is give us a sign that she needs help and will be there.”
“How is she supposed to tell us?” Bay questioned. “We should never have let her go alone. How do you expect her to tell us that she needs us?”
“She does have a way to tell us if she truly needs our help,” Daisy corrected her. “There are two people in there that will help her and Arianolwyn's blessed will not let any harm come to her.”
“We have already turned two of her sons that are more than willing to help Mara escape in exchange for their protection,” Blaze said, “Cerin helped Kai escape. He made a choice to save his life and hasn't been seen since.”
“How do we know he's not returned to her side?” Breeze said.
“She will never accept him back,” Blaze said. “She will use him as an example for the others if he returns. Snowystra has never forgiven anyone.”
“She needs to contact us soon. Her grandmother needs her,” Bay said.
“Mae will be fine once she sees that Mara has returned. There has been so much pain for this family because of the gift,” Breeze said. “Danu will know what we should do.”
The elementals held their hands out, sending a thread of light to the stone I was sitting on. I could feel the warm light surrounding me as the shimmery image of the Goddess appeared.
“Mara, how nice it is that you are once again in my home,” Danu said with a warm smile. Sitting down before me, she took my hands. Her touch was gentle and I could feel the magic she held slipping through my fingers.
“Am I dead?” I asked, unsure that I wanted to hear the answer.
Throwing back her head, she chuckled. Her laughter was like music to my ears—a warm, comforting song. “My, you are one to get right to your questions. You are certainly not dead,” she said. “You called to me and I had your spirit brought to me. Much like the last time you visited, your human shell is sleeping. So, tell me why you called to me.”
“I do not know what to do,” I said to her. “If I marry Cole tomorrow and say that I am choosing to follow Snowystra, I am afraid I will not be able to return.”
“I cannot tell you what the right choice is. I know your true heart,” Danu said. “Do not fall too far into the darkness, my love. There is no way out. However, know that any promise you make tomorrow will just be words. Your actions will be the true confirmation of whom you follow. If you choose that world, choose it openly, knowing you will always be welcome in my home.”
“But, I'm not choosing that world,” I said, fighting back my tears. “My choice is only to save Cole.”
“Like your mother, you will need to make this choice on your own,” she said.
“My mother had no choice. She was a child when she was forced to follow Snowystra. Why didn't you stop her?” She stared at me with only a look of love but no words. Realizing that she was not going to tell me what I should do, I asked, “Can you at least tell me if my grandmother is okay? They were talking about her. Is she sick?”
“Mae is fine,” Danu said. “She is at home with me.”
“Can I see her? She will know what I should do,” I begged.
“You are the only one that can decide what path you will take, Mara,” Danu said, as she disappeared.
“I don't know the answer,” I cried out to her. “Please come back.”
Lying down on the seat of Danu, I fought back the emotions running through me. Fear and anger were not going to solve my problems. Standing up, I noticed that one of the mirrors was glowing. Thinking back to my first visit to this world, I knew what I should do. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through it.
The mirror I stepped through disappeared but a new one formed before me. The circular room was made of a hard stone. The ceiling was at least forty feet high above me and made of the same rock. I had been in this space before. The first time I was here, I flooded the room with my anger and almost drowned. Since then I had learned that my emotions did effect everything around
me and even though there were no exits, I was calm. I knew I would be safe in the home of the Goddess. Sitting on the floor, I waited patiently for a sign. After several minutes when nothing happened, I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs in frustration. Against everything I had learned, I found that I was unable to silence myself. My cries echoed and bounced off the walls. The mirror before me began to ripple and then shattered, sending shards of glass at me.
Wiping the broken bits off me, I went to the hole in the wall that once held the mirror. On the other side, I could now see a room. As I moved closer, I could clearly see my grandfather, Chester Veracor. My grandfather sat on a chair next to my grandmother, who was rocking and staring off into an unknown place.
“She will be okay, Maesi,” my grandfather said, using the nickname he had given her. “She is just like you. Our girl is smart and she is a fighter.”
“None of it was worth protecting if we lose her,” she said, as tears streamed down her face. “We've lost another child to the darkness.”
“I'm here, Gram,” I said, as I tried to enter the room. Instead of going through the image, I was thrown back into the room.
Shaking off the stinging sensation, I slowly approached the hole in the wall, staying far enough back to not touch the field that was keeping me out.
“I'm here, Gram,” I said again. “I am not lost. Please don't cry.”
My words were not heard. It made no sense to show this to me if I was not meant to help her.
“Eliza was lost but she has returned to us, love,” my grandfather said, trying to comfort her.
“But, not until after so much time was lost,” she said. “Our child did not get a chance to know her daughters because I failed her. My promise was the reason we lost her and the reason Mara is now gone. How can you say any of it was worth it, Chester? The girls lost their father for so many years and our grandson was raised by Drygens. The price our family has paid for the gift was too high.”
“So, you are giving up on what you have always protected?” he said, as he took her hand into his. “We both know that is not going to happen. You are just tired, my love. You know in your heart that it has been worth every sacrifice.”