by Marnie Cate
“I want to find the journals and start going through them.”
“Not tonight, Mara. I'm tired,” he said, holding out his hand.
Reluctantly I accepted it. “Tomorrow then.”
When we came to Gram's room, Cole stopped in the doorway.
I pulled him away from it. “Not here. Our room.”
I led Cole through the patio to the section of the house built for us. When we entered the open area, Cole stared in silence as he followed me up the staircase.
When we reached the landing, Cole said, “Stop.”
“What?” I looked around prepared to call my magic.
Picking me up, he said, “If this is our home, I am supposed to carry you over the threshold.”
“You're ridiculous,” I said with mock irritation. “Put me down before you hurt yourself.”
Nuzzling my neck, he whispered, “I want to carry my new bride across the threshold properly.”
“Cole, I am almost eight months pregnant and I am far from a new bride. The years we have been married couldn't have blown by that fast, dear,” I said, sarcastically.
“You will always be my new bride,” he murmured.
Setting me down by a rocking chair my father must have added to the room, I looked around taking in the changes. Everything I had picked out had been delivered to the room and set up.
“They did all of this for us,” I said, noticing the crib. Running my fingers along the detailed woodworking, I sighed. “All of this effort and she will never sleep here.”
This was the room I had always envisioned we would have. A life of our own but in my dream, my family would still be together. Our home should be filled with warmth and laughter. I needed my grandmother. She always knew how to fix everything. What would she say if she saw how everything was falling apart?
Lying in our bed together for the first time, I rested my head on Cole's shoulder. We were in our home where we shouldn't have to fight to raise our child.
“A daughter,” Cole said. “It is my fault that they even knew she carries the Winter. If I had just left and went back to Snowstrum,” Cole said.
“No, they did this to us,” I said. “I would have gone after you no matter where you went.”
“If you hadn't come after me in the first place…,” he said.
“We wouldn't have a child. You would have died there and I would have died inside here,” I said. “As much as I hate what she did to us, we are together and…”
I couldn't finish the words. We were together but for how long?
You will never keep him. Prepare to lose more people you love, Marina.
* * *
The morning sun streamed into the room. Sleepily, I felt for Cole. The bed was cold and he was gone. Not again. I felt dizzy and forced myself to lie back down. As I slowly inhaled and exhaled, I could hear it: the sound of the shower running. Cole had not left me. I had not been abandoned again.
“Knock, knock.” My father appeared carrying a tray in one hand and a box in the other. “I come bearing gifts.”
“Good morning,” I said, forcing a smile. “Where is everyone? I expected to be bombarded this morning.”
“Nope, we have the house to ourselves.” He put everything down on a small table.
Joining him, I picked up a scone and took a bite. Gram's recipe. My father took a seat at the table across from me.
“I thought we could go through the journals together. Take me through everything I've missed step by step and don't leave anything out.”
I replayed the events from the bird pulling my hair to our return to Starten. My father frantically wrote in a notebook as he listened. When I stopped speaking, he was still writing.
“Tell me again what Danu said to you. Try to remember the exact words. Leave nothing out,” my father said.
“Do not submit to your fear and sorrow. The threads of fate can turn,” I said.
“That's all she said?” my father asked.
“Yes, except she said the threads are fickle,” I said. “Why is this important?”
“I think she wants to help you,” he said, tapping the pen. “I don't think she would want for your child to be away from you. We just need to figure out what she was trying to tell you.”
My father sorted through the journals. He took a silver one out of the middle and put it on his pile. Quickly, he sorted through the remaining books.
“We will find something in here to stop them. You are having a girl, huh?” My father beamed at the idea.
“Yes, Brighid said our daughter.”
Leafing through one of my grandmother's journals, I stopped.
“Can I ask you something?” I checked we were still alone. “Do you think if magic is combined, it could be strong enough to kill a God?”
“I understand why you are feeling this way but do not let the darkness inside your heart. We will find a way to stop them,” he said, resting his hand on mine.
“You're probably right. Thank you for breakfast. I need to get ready for the day.” I stood up.
“Mara,” he called.
I turned and could see the concern on his face.
“I was just asking a question. Don't worry, Daddy. I won't kill anyone.”
Unless they try to take my child.
Chapter 19
Cole and I spent the day reading every one of my mother's journals. If I had found them years ago, I would have understood better why she left us.
My mother had fallen madly in love with Cedric Drygen. How different their life would have been if Snowystra hadn't kept them apart. She manipulated my mother, just as she manipulated Cole. She drove Eliza into my father's arms. No matter how hard she tried to be a good wife and mother she lived with the torment of being apart from the man she loved. Would this be my future, too?
Picking up another journal, the first page was about me.
Mara asked me today why when I put Meg to sleep I did not say a prayer to the Goddess. How could I possibly tell a ten-year-old that I had pledged loyalty to the Winter to save the man I loved… a man that was not her father? One day, we will be free from her. The witch in the forest said that the answer was the Golden King of the forest. The old bat only talks in riddles. She never just answers the questions.
A warm breeze blew in the room. Blaze appeared. Dressed in crimson leather pants and a tank top covered with black shimmery scales, her large cat-like eyes burned with golden fire. She looked ready for a battle. The dragon of my childhood had come to scare off any creatures in the night. She was the one who taught me to summon weapons for the times magic wasn't enough. Blaze wasn't the one to dry away tears. She was the one who taught me to fight back. I knew her words would only make me stronger. So, strong I could do anything… like save my daughter. Could she help me kill Tannus?
“Isn't it time you put the books down and get back to training?” Blaze said.
I threw my arms around the elemental and whispered in her ear, “I am so glad to see you.”
“I see we have a lot of work to get you strong. I knew Breeze would be horrible at forcing you to take your training seriously. I will have a long talk with her about me resuming my duties,” she said. Blaze was not one to let sentiment get in the way of business. Gently, she released my hold on her.
“We are running out of time. Let's see how strong you can be.”
Blaze led me past the picnic tree where I would meet the elementals as a child and instead took me deeper into Starten Forest. I thought about questioning her but decided against it. It was always better to keep Blaze in a good mood than wasting her time with a bunch of questions. She would tell me whatever I needed to know when I needed to know it.
“Now that we are away from the house, I want you to call a winter storm,” she said.
“What? I can't call snow?” I asked.
“If you're carrying Winter. Channel her energy,” Blaze insisted.
Closing my eyes, I tried to find the words to summon Winter. I thought of S
nowstrum.
“Winter, daughter of Arianolwyn, I call your cold power,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. Nothing happened.
“I can't call something I don't have inside me.”
Sighing, she said, “When will you trust yourself? Listen to what is inside you and you will know what to do.”
Taking a deep cleansing breath, I held my hands out. My instinct told me to call all of the elements at one time. Closing my eyes, I spoke from my heart.
“Air, I call your intuition. Fire, please send your courage. Water, I call your calming spirit. Earth, your strength is needed. Danu, spirit, mother of the elements, through your children, please send your blessing.”
A sudden burst of the elemental magic surrounded me. The air was alive with sparks of fire, droplets of water and petals of lavender, enclosing me in a strong, warm wind.
“Now call, the Winter,” Blaze shouted.
Resting my hand on my stomach, I said, “Winter of Snowystra, no longer corrupted and dark, I call you to me.”
Small flakes of white joined the swirling elements and the movement inside me became intense. “Winter of my child, show yourself, I call you to me.”
A sharp pain in my stomach sent me to my knees. Large snowflakes fell, covering the trees. Soon, the limbs drooped with white powder.
“Thank you, Winter. You're released,” I gasped.
The movement inside me calmed. The pain lifted as the snow whirled and blew away.
“Here let me help you up, Mara?” Blaze said with unusual kindness.
The snow around me began to melt from the heat she emitted. Offering her hand, she helped me up.
“I am so sorry. I didn't believe you were carrying the Winter,” she said. “I thought they were wrong.”
“What am I going to do, Blaze? I can't give her away to them.” I grabbed her hand. “We have to stop them. There has to be a way.”
The golden king.
“My mother was told the golden king would help her. Could he help me?”
“Faramond was once called the Golden King but he had been killed by the time your mother was born.”
“That's it,” I exclaimed. “The journal said the Golden King of the forest. Faramond had lived in Eftir forest. Maybe the woman knew he would be restored?”
“I think we need to go to Faramond,” I said. “Can you take me there?”
As I made the request, I realized I knew nothing about Eftir Forest. “Wait… is time different there?”
“Time is fluid,” she said. “Snowystra used her manipulation of time to control the mortals she took. By the time she released them, they had no one to go home to.”
“Can you take me to him then?”
“Essie knows the way.”
“Do you believe he can help me? Help my baby?”
“If anyone can stop Tannus, it is Faramond,” Blaze said with a sour look on her face. “Let him know Danu and the elements support you. Now, let's get you home.”
The storm I had called had blanketed Starten in snow. When we returned to the property, Meg and Miles were throwing snowballs at Cole and laughing. The three of them were like school children on the first day of summer vacation.
“Should I call Fire to melt all of this?” I asked. Starten rarely had snow and this would shut down everything.
“No, let everyone enjoy it tonight. I will be sure to warm up everything tomorrow,” she smirked.
“Mara, have you ever seen so much snow? Come help us,” Miles called. “Cole has a wicked arm.”
“I am sure you can handle him. I'm really tired,” I said.
“All right, I'll come in soon,” Cole called to me. “I have to show these two who is the king of the snow.”
“Go on quit. We are going to embarrass you if you stay, Cos!” Meg yelled.
Scooping up snow, he began to pelt Meg with snowballs. “Victory will be mine, Meg.”
Watching from the doorway, I saw how much love Cole had for my family. I pictured him swooping my daughter into his arms and saving her from the barrage of snow. She would cling to his neck and tell him he was the best daddy in the world.
Chapter 20
Staring out our bedroom window at the snow-covered forest, I knew I was going to stop Tannus from taking my child. If Faramond wouldn't help, I would have no choice but to try to stop him alone. I had defeated Snowystra with the help of my family. I would make them understand I need their help now.
Cole's strong hands were suddenly on me, his fingers massaging my shoulders. “Mar, you're so tense,” he said. “What happened out there? Did you have anything to do with the frosting of the forest?”
“Your daughter did,” I sighed, leaning back on him. “Blaze had me call the Winter and you can see how well it worked. It felt like our daughter was going to rip out of my stomach. She will have powerful magic.”
“Did Blaze tell you how we could stop them from taking her?” he asked.
Twisting around to face him, I shook my head. “I read something in Eliza's journal. Faramond might be the answer.”
“Did Blaze agree?”
“She said Essie could take us and told me to tell Faramond that Danu supports us. Why didn't she support us before they took your gift away? Why would she help us now?”
His eyes shined amber in the light. My anger towards the Gods grew.
“You know she had no choice.”
“Every time I look into your eyes, I am reminded of what they took from you. Why don't they take the gift from me, too? Take it from our baby? Take back their curse and let us live normal lives?” I said.
“Mara, it was never a curse to have the magic. It was a blessing but I don't feel anger towards them for taking it away from me. Don't wish for yours to be gone because of me and as far as our daughter being taken away, I don't believe it will happen. The last time you challenged a Goddess, you freed her people and spared the world from her darkness. If anyone can save our child, it will be you. We are going to figure this out. Our daughter will grow up here. We will watch her from this very window as she has her own picnics with the elements.”
“You're wrong, Cole. I can't stop them. I can't save our child.”
“We can together. You faced Snowystra alone. Now I am strong and healthy. Our child will be raised by us,” Cole insisted.
Our child… our daughter. How cold we sound. We need to give you a name, little one. I may not be able to raise you but I need you to know that you were loved from the minute I knew you were inside me. I want you to hear your name and hear my voice calling you no matter where you are, I thought.
“What about Maesi? It is what Chester used to call Gram,” Cole said.
“What do you mean?”
“We should call her Maesi,” Cole said. “If there was anyone that could face a battle, it was Gram.”
“Was I talking out loud?” I asked.
“Well, I heard you so you must have been. You might want to rest before we go back downstairs,” Cole said, looking concerned.
I was tired of everyone telling me to relax and rest. There wasn't time.
Maesi? How appropriate, my child is named after the twists and turns in the puzzle of our world. But, not spelled like Gramp's special name for Gram. How about Mazie? If you were a boy, I would have to name you Jareth after the goblin king who controlled the labyrinth.
“Or we would name him Toby after the baby stolen by the goblin king,” Cole laughed.
Or Finnegan, Gramp's middle name.
“Finn for a boy? I like it.”
I looked at him in surprise. He had heard my thoughts. I need a glass of water. A soft chime rang and I knew I wasn't imagining things.
“I will go get you one and then you need to promise me that you will take a nap,” Cole said. As he began to walk away, I grabbed the back of his shirt.
When he turned around, I watched him carefully. Cole, I am not talking. Look at my mouth. How can you hear my thoughts?
“I can,” Cole said, his eyes
widened in surprise. “How in the heck? Wait… I can hear your thoughts?”
A small blue light appeared and began to hover over us. The sphere grew larger before a beautiful young woman formed from the light. Her long slender frame was clothed in a simple dress; her straight hair was faded and tangled. Her large cat-like eyes that were once a piercing silver color were now a shade of dull charcoal gray. The once vibrant elemental looked different, as if her spirit was gone.
“Bay, are you ok?” Cole said, reaching out to her. “Are you injured?”
Sniffling, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “I failed you,” she said through her tears. “I should have protected you. It was my job to protect you.”
“You did everything to help me. I wouldn't be here right now if you hadn't helped me heal,” Cole said. Wiping the tears from her cheek, he hugged her tightly. “Bay, I don't have Water magic inside me anymore but it will always be in my heart. I need you now more than ever. We need you. Who else will conjure a ball of water to throw at Mara for me?”
“But, you're an Ateissa now. You are one of Brighid's gifted,” she said, barely choking out the words through her tears. “You won't need my help anymore learning your gift. You will need the Ateissa.”
Crying harder, she held onto him tighter. I had always known she had a strong affection for him but I hadn't considered how she would take this loss.
Gently rubbing her back, I said, “Bay, we can't have you sad. You are our joy. We need your strong spirit more than ever now. Who else is going to tell us the truth and teach us about their world?”
Throwing herself into my arms, she began to uncontrollably sob. I could feel her elemental energy surging from her body into mine.
“Water, of the West, I call you. Your cleansing magic is needed. I ask you to wash away the fears of Danu's chosen. Provide her with the clarity and strength, she will need to guide us.”
Water droplets filled the air and began to sprinkle down. Bay tilted her head back.
“Thank you, Mara,” she said. “I will do anything I can to stop them from taking Maesi away from you.”