“It’s the most incredible farm I have ever seen!” I finally effused.
“I’m glad that I got to show it to you.” He smiled and led me over towards the little check in stand. When we got to the front of the line, an elderly witch in a plaid green top and her hair braided in a crown smiled brightly at us.
“Hyperion!” She cheered and came around from behind the stand to give him a hug. “I haven’t seen you in almost a month.” She swatted him playfully on the arm and then noticed me and gave me a once over. She smiled at him knowingly. “Now I see why you haven’t been to visit us. You have been busy wooing.”
Perry laughed heartily. “Glinda, this is Khlorie.” I reached out my hand to shake hers, but the witch pulled me into an embrace instead.
“Welcome! Welcome!” She said as she released me. “Hyperion has never brought a girlfriend here before...you must be very special.”
“She is,” Perry replied, still smiling brightly. “Alright Glinda, the line is getting pretty long. I don’t want to upset the boss. I am going to show Khlorie everything, but we are going to pick apples in the orchard first and foremost.”
Glinda laughed heartily and handed us a beautiful wicker basket. “Make sure she tries some of the cider before you leave.”
Perry assured her that I would, and we walked off with the basket toward the orchard.
“Oh, I want to see everything” I finally said as we walked towards the fruit trees.
“We have the whole day to explore,” Perry said quietly. “Let’s pick apples.”
Walking over to the orderly rows of trees, we leisurely began selecting an assortment of apples. It quickly became a game to find the most perfect apples at the top of the tree and secretly use our elemental powers to get them. Perry was effectively using air to knock apples off the branch, while I preferred making the branches come down to me. Being very careful not to be spotted, we collected our treasures in a brown, wicker basket with a large handle.
All around us, couples walked past. An elderly witch gave her husband a kiss when he helped her pick an apple from the tree. Two kids younger than us were making out against the trunk of one of the trees. A middle-aged witch with curly brown hair and her wife were holding hands while trying to corral three kids. Perry and I would not have the chance to grow old together or have kids. We had only today. Reaching the final row of the orchard, I looked down at our basket to distract me. It was overflowing, which only deepened my melancholic state. These apples would outlast my time at Spindlewick.
“I hope you have some apple recipes! I didn’t realize how many apples we had picked. It looks like we are the only people who made it to the end of the orchard. This row is totally deserted, which is a shame because these are the oldest and most beautiful of all of the trees.”
“With so many great apples, few people walk the whole orchard,” he replied. “I’m glad to get you to myself, though.” He leaned in and put the hand that was not holding the basket against my waist. My breath caught at the nearness of him. He smelled of lavender and cinnamon and I could feel his heart beating through his shirt. My hand ran up his chest and neck and found itself cupping his cheek.
“Let’s cook an apple dinner tonight. I haven’t been to your cottage since your birthday,” I whispered against his chest as I turned to look up at him.
His breathing got shallower as he looked at me. He pressed his forehead against mine. “If it was up to me, you would live in my cottage. I miss you when we are not together.” He leaned down and kissed me again. This time, though, he was not in a hurry. He held me close, pressed against me, and his lips held mine. Every inch of my body was aware of him and we walked together towards a nearby tree. I felt Perry put down the basket under its cover and his other hand joined the fray. I was so engrossed in the kiss that I didn’t notice when my back pressed against the apple tree behind me.
As I touched the tree, I gasped. Perry startled and released me. My vision grew cloudy as I felt the pull of the tree. As if it was reaching out to show me something, a scene appeared in my mind.
Walking through the orchard were the fairies from Spindlewick. It was dark and they were standing in the oldest row of the orchard talking to Perry’s mother.
“We tried to get Madame Spine out in time, Pomona. The new protections on Spindlewick made it impossible to get on the island.” The white-haired fairy said sadly. “She got taken this morning.”
Pomona’s hand rushed to cover her mouth. “No! Not Jane. The ACC will kill her for this or tear her mind apart until she wishes she were dead. That poor woman. Has anyone told her wife?”
“She’s been notified,” Aella began.
Evans, the fire elemental, put his hand on Pomona’s shoulder. “No one wishes that we could save her from the ACC more than us. Now, though, we need to focus on the safety of you and your son. What does she know?
Pomona’s eyes widened with fear. “She knows about my husband. She knows that Perry is aware of his lineage. Oh, gosh.” Her voice began to shake with panic. “She knows that I send food to the fairy refugee compounds.”
Evans looked meaningfully at Aella. “You need to get word to your son. He needs to find a way to get to the farm tomorrow. We are going to have to get you both somewhere safe.”
“Leave the farm?” Pomona cried.
Aella gave her a hug. “We know how hard it is to be displaced. But, if you stay, you and Perry will get taken and they will confiscate the farm as government property. It’s better to make the choice where you both stay free. Besides,” her eyes darkened. “If they find out who you are married to…”
Pomona nodded sadly. “I’ll get a message to Perry.”
The vision was interrupted by the sound of Perry’s voice. “Khlorie, sweetheart, what is wrong?” I leaned away from the tree and collapsed on the ground. My eyes cleared and I saw the grass beneath my feet. I gasped for air and noticed that Perry and I were no longer alone.
“What is she doing here?” The familiar woman’s voice asked. “When Glinda told me you brought a girl, I didn't believe her. How could you be so reckless?”
“I wasn’t going to leave her behind, Mom.” Perry responded. “I couldn’t. They were planning to take her back to Boston and track her every move, turn her into a weapon.”
“We will talk about this inside. You should have told me she can see tree memories.”
“What do you mean tree memories?” Perry asked. “Is she alright?”
“I’m fine. There is also nothing wrong with my hearing.” The beautiful silver haired woman walked over to me while I eyed her son pointedly.
“Are you alright? Did I hurt you or startle you?” He asked with a pained look in his eyes.
“Of course not,” I said standing up. “The tree had something to show me.” He reached out and grabbed my arm to help me up. Turning I greeted Perry’s mother. “Merry meet, Ms. Prentice.”
“Hello Khlorie,” she added, looking concerned. “My name is Pomona. But you already know that.” Perry reached out to hold my hands.
“Yes, I do,” I replied, turning towards Perry. “You are leaving today with the Inner Circle?” Hurt laced my words as I looked at the man who was just kissing me so tenderly. His eyes widened with shock and he moved closer to me. I pulled away, yanking my hands free from his grasp.
“Khlorie,” he began pleadingly before Pomona cut him off.
“Not here. Inside.” Pomona Prentice’s tone made it clear that conversation on this topic was done until we were inside. She picked up our basket of apples and began walking out to the empty field behind the orchard. Perry and I followed behind her in silence. When she reached the edge of the field, she glanced side to side to see if anyone was around.
“Ekphantoria ,” she called out into the field. I had heard this spell used before. It was for revealing hidden places and, sure enough, as if a curtain lifted a beautiful, old, two-story farmhouse was revealed to be in the center of the field. Not meeting my trainer’s conce
rned gazes, I followed him and his mother up the steps onto the beautiful wrap-around porch. Each window was framed with white shutters and had window boxes filled with beautiful flowers and herbs. On the porch were two rocking chairs decorated with embroidered pillows. The bucolic setting fit with what I knew about Perry, but was at odds with the unease flowing through my system. We walked around to the back of the house and entered through a large mud room, the walls of which were lined with stalls and cubbies. Raincoats, boots, and gardening gear were tucked neatly away. Pomona reached down and removed her tall green work boots, trading them for a pair of moccasins. My senses kicked into high gear, as I took in the details of the house. The mudroom led straight into a cozy kitchen in which the content of a cauldron cooking nearby was putting off the most delectable scent. Baskets filled with produce lined the countertops. Pomona placed our basket of apples on the center island and went over to give whatever was cooking in the cauldron a quick stir.
“Looks just about ready,” she said to no one in particular. “Perry please get three bowls and set the dining room table.” Her words set my boyfriend right to work as he collected three yellow ceramic bowls from one of the cabinets and small wooden spoons from a nearby drawer. As he walked out of the kitchen, he grabbed a few white cloth napkins embroidered with herbs around the edges from a basket next to the refrigerator.
“Ms. Prentice, with all due respect, I am not interested in food right now.” Pomona ignored me and ladled her soup into a tureen shaped like a pumpkin.
“We have a lot to discuss. I would rather do it over lunch.” Her voice was tense, and she looked angrily at her son. Perry grabbed glasses and instructed me to sit down at the small wooden table while his mother brought out the tureen.
“I hope that you like Autumn Vegetable Soup,” Pomona added.
I assured the witch that I did. However, I was not inclined to eat at the moment. Perry circled his spoon around the bowl, but never brought it to his lips. The silence was pregnant with tension.
“Khlorie,” he said reaching out and taking my hand. “What happened out there?” Pomona looked warily at Perry’s hand in mine and then up at me. Pomona sat silently watching her son. She was easy to read, unlike my mother. Her stunning features were creased with concern.
“I saw a vision, something the tree had witnessed.” I began.
“Khlorie, if the ACC found out about this power with everything going on right now...” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “You need to be careful.”
“She is going to be careful,” Perry replied fiercely to his mother. “Tree memories,” Perry repeated. “That is what you called them, mother.”
“Yes,” the Garden Witch replied simply. She turned to me. “What did you see this time Khlorie?”
“I saw you meeting with the two members of the Inner Circle. They were the ones that I saw at Spindlewick. You were discussing Madame Spine and planning to take Perry and leave with them.” I paused seeing the guilty looks on each of their faces.
“Well, you backed us into a corner on this one, Perry.” Pomona replied angrily. “You have no idea what you are going to unleash by bringing her here today.” She looked at me and back at her son. “It was going to be difficult enough with you as her trainer, but a relationship?” Pomona tsked at her son. “You should have known better.”
“I do know better,” he replied sadly. “It didn’t matter.”
“Um, I am right here.” Perry walked over and sat next to me, holding my hands. “I’ll do anything to keep you safe. You know that.” Perry sighed and stood back up running his pale fingers through his dark hair as he paced in a corner of the dining room.
“Perry, I know that you both are planning to leave today,” I continued. “Do you and your Mom work with the Inner Circle?” The words were a whisper. “Are you a fairy spy?”
She glanced at him meaningfully and he nodded tersely in response.
“We are not spies, Khlorie. In fact, we have tried for many years not to take any sides at all. I know the fairies because I provide food for their compounds. Anything I can spare, I send to their refugees. A lot of people have been displaced because of ACC laws. They need to be fed. In return for the food, they look out for Perry.” She paused. “Madame Spine is a neighbor. She knows enough to get both Perry and I locked up.” The unspoken words “or worse” hung in the air.
“So, they are going to get you both out and keep you safe? Are you sure that you can trust them?” I asked, looking at Perry. He nodded and I smiled. “That’s good.” A tear came to my eye, but Perry brushed it away with the pad of his thumb.
“I won’t go without you Khlorie. That’s why I brought you here today.” My breath caught at his words.
“What? No.” I stood up, tears now streaming freely. “I don’t want to be separated, either. But, I can’t just leave everything and go into hiding with fairies.” The very idea was so ludicrous that I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or run away.
Undeterred, Perry came closer, taking my hands. “We can’t be parted, Khlorie. Can you feel the tether connecting us?” I nodded, concentrating on the anchor of our connection. “It is a magical bond. We need to stay together.” He paused, licking his lips. “You are my dieramai. ”
Pomona gasped and turned to her son. “Why would you say that to her?”
“You know why, mother.” Perry answered calmly.
“Dieramai are exceedingly rare. No,” she said sternly. “You are too young.” She put her head in her hands. “It’s too dangerous.”
Perry put his hand gently on his mother’s back. “I cannot control this, mother. But I am sure that Khlorie is my dieramai. We are magically linked.”
“That word...My grandfather used to say that in his stories about the fairy princess he loved. He said that he could never love anyone else because he had already found his dieramai. When you called me that before, I couldn’t place where I’d heard the word.”
“It means true love or true mate in the ancient fairy language.” He paused scanning me for a reaction, but I just kept listening. “It is more than a saying though. Dieramai are a mated pair connected magically. I read about them once in a book my father rescued from an ACC purge.”
“Magically connected, like sensing where the other person is when you are not together?” I said, realization starting to come to me.
He nodded and tears filled Pomona’s eyes.
“From what I have read, our connection will grow stronger over time and new powers will develop,” Perry said happily. He paused before continuing in a quiet voice “Dieramai are mated for life, for forever. How do you feel about that?” He was scanning my face.
“The idea of being with you makes me so happy, Perry. I can’t go live with fairies, though. That is crazy!” I hung my head. “They killed my father. I am all my mother has left.”
“How can you still believe that?” Perry asked incredulously. I looked at him, my head spinning.
“Witchy, I’m sorry to say that you don’t have a choice on this one,” a voice called from the kitchen door. Standing there in her Inner Circle uniform was Aella. Behind her was Evans and one more Inner Circle fairy I hadn’t seen before. “You know too much now and the dieramai tether means that you will be able to locate our compound once we take Perry there. You have to come.”
“I can promise you that we were not responsible for the death of your father, though.” The unknown male fairy said kindly. “He looked at a clock on the wall. We need to get going. I want to be out of here hours before the witches send out their search party. Khlorie’s disappearance is going to bring a lot more heat than we were planning for. Evans and I will collect the food stores. Aella, can you handle loading up the Prentices and Ms. Lethestone?”
“On it, boss.” She said with a smile. The two men left, leaving the four of us standing together. “Well, if there is anything really important to you, grab it now. You have about twenty minutes.”
Pomona smiled. “I have a couple of g
ardening books and seeds that I think would benefit the community out in the shed. Can you help me grab them?” Pomona asked warmly.
“Of course,” she replied, pausing as she passed me. “Behave witchy.”
When the women were out of earshot, I turned towards Perry. His face was still serious. He knew I was upset.
“You cannot just declare that we are fairy mates and force me to come with you!” I began. “I am just supposed to trust them now? Some fairy that I don’t even know tells me that he didn’t kill my father and I am just supposed to go and live with them.”
“I thought you would rather stay with me than be Virtue’s pet in Boston,” he replied, hurt filling his words. “I’m sorry if I was wrong about that!”
“How did you even know about that?” He looked at me sheepishly and I knew that he used air to listen to my conversation with Virtue. “Of course, I would rather stay with you. I made that deal to keep you safe.”
“My way keeps us both safe and together.” Perry responded pleadingly.
“Your way is shortsighted. What do you think is going to happen to the people we left behind at Spindlewick? What is going to happen when the news starts reporting that Morrigan Lethestone’s daughter is missing months before she is supposed to vote at the Council of the Harvest Moon?” His face paled at my words and he knew that I was right.
“There is always another option,” came a low male voice from the doorway. “We could ransom your girlfriend here in exchange for our freedom from that ridiculous bill.”
“Dad, don’t!” Perry’s shocked voice came out in a low growl. “What are you even doing here?”
“I live here, son. A contact told me about Jane Spine, and I came to check on my family.”
Turning around slowly, a face I knew came into view. His sandy blonde hair and blue eyes had been on the cover of every witching newspaper across the world. Standing in the kitchen of the farmhouse was the ACCs most wanted man.
I had fallen in love with the son of Linus Boreas.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Elements of Power (Council of the Harvest Moon Book 1) Page 25