by Marnie Cate
* * *
I had just fallen asleep when a warm breeze roused me. The tube Meg floated in began to flash. The curtains blew as if there was a breeze but the window was shut. Cautiously, I went to the tube. My sister was gone.
Silver threads twisted from the container. From the window, I could see them travelling to the big tree in the backyard. There was something out there. Squinting hard, I forced myself to make out the image. It was Meg. Cole and the twins were still sleeping soundly. I knew I didn't have time to ask for help. I had to get to my sister.
When I stepped into the backyard, I was surrounded by the silver essence. I could feel the energy of the elements pulsing through it, like they were guiding me to my sister. As soon as I thought I had reached her, she darted off. She was just out of reach. From the picnic tree to Gramp's shed and into Starten forest. I followed until she disappeared. She was nowhere to be found.
Stopping, I scanned the tree line. Where did you lead me, Meg?
Chapter 53
My heart began to beat fast. I was in an area of Starten Forest I had never been before. This wasn't completely accurate. I had been here many times but this time I was awake. I had never been here in my human form.
I looked around expecting to see Meg or one of the elementals. I was alone and standing outside of Danu's tree. Resting my hand on the trunk, I felt for the entrance. I had no idea how to get in. It was solid but I was convinced there had to be a way. I circled the tree, the rough bark scraping against my skin confirming I was not dreaming. My search for an entrance seemed useless. I had never realized how big the tree was. Every time I had arrived in this world, I just walked through it.
It has never been this much work. Focus, I thought.
My hand slipped through. I jerked back. Maybe this was a trick – a way to lure me.
Poor Marina. Always chasing after the dead. Are you sure you should trust them? Look what they did to me.
I shut out her words. Pressing my ear to the solid part of the tree, I listened. Bu dum bu dum. The heart of the tree soothed my apprehension. Taking a deep breath, I put my hand through the portal again. This time I followed it. It felt different. The hair on my arms stood up as the pure magic of Danu brushed against my skin. Abruptly, the soothing beat of the tree stopped. I was left in a dark silence. Picking up my pace, I felt the need to leave. Danger and darkness filled me.
When I stepped out into the Water elementals' play pool, my apprehension was not calmed. There was no joyous greeting, or roomful of happy elementals at play. No giggles or teasing splashes. Not a single elemental in the room or even the feeling they had ever been there.
Running out of the room and through the stone hallways, I found the same emptiness in the Fire cavern. Instead of the warm heat, I found an ice-cold tomb. They had to be here somewhere. I followed the trail to the Air platform.
The walk was much steeper than I remembered and my lungs were burning by the time I reached the top. I had hoped to see the brightly colored elementals in their bird forms waiting to greet me. The sky above was empty. Reluctantly, I peered over the edge of the platform. No Earth elementals below. But I did see something… someone lying in the grass. My sister.
I had jumped off the edge many times knowing it was just my spirit. This was different. I didn't know if my Air magic would work but I had to try. I had to get to Meg before she ran off again. She needed me or why else would she lead me here? I didn't understand why there was no one here helping her. She shouldn't be alone now.
I coached myself to jump. “Just go for it, Mara.”
Stepping off the ledge, I began to fall too fast. “Air, I need you!” I cried.
My body jerked back, as if a parachute had opened. Air stopped my freefall and I began to float to the ground.
“What are you doing here, Meg?” I asked, as I landed.
Sitting up, she shrugged. Meg was disheveled. Her hair wild and her clothes muddy and grass stained. “I don't know. I was just thinking.” She rubbed her hand along the ground growing purple and yellow flowers.
“You know you don't have to take the Winter, Meg. Everyone will understand if you have changed your mind.” My words felt like I would choke on them. She had to accept the Winter. If not, who would? They might try to take Mazie again.
“Accept my death?” she questioned.
“Yeah,” I said. “But you will be with Gram and Gramp and I am sure Eliza will be there. You will not be alone.”
“But what about Mazie? She will be taken from you,” Meg countered.
“She no longer carries the Winter.”
“My body holds it. If I die, there will be no balance,” she said softly. “They will probably take Miles to replace me.”
He was just a boy and the only magic he had was dark. He couldn't be the Winter. He wasn't strong enough.
“Why would you think Miles?”
“Just a guess. We have the same magic.” She sighed.
“I carry that magic, too and they said I couldn't take the Winter,” I argued.
“We have different fathers.” Her words felt like a slap across my face.
My sister would never intentionally be cruel. I could not let her words hurt me. “You're right. Our magic might be different. Whatever you decide, I will support you.”
“I made my decision. I chose the Winter,” she said.
Relief and sadness filled me. It would be over. I wouldn't have to worry about my daughter's safety anymore but what would happen to Meg? She was just an innocent girl, too.
“It is a big responsibility, Mara. I am not sure I understand it. I will be immortal. I would be a goddess. I barely had my first kiss and now I am saying I will be the Winter,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Then, don't accept it, Meg.” I had been the ruler of the Winter Goddess' dark kingdom. I understood how conflicted she felt.
“I wish I could just stay here,” she said. Her eyes welled with tears.
“Where are the elementals? Have you seen any?” I asked. “It is empty. Where have they all gone?”
Gazing into the distance, she said, “They are scared… and they should be.”
Meg wrapped her arms around herself. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said, “The Mrak are strong. Too strong.”
“How do you know this, Meg?”
“Can't you feel it? They are growing stronger even as we speak. I won't be able to stop them,” she whispered, curling back into herself.
Glancing around, I saw nothing. I didn't understand why my sister had changed from so confident in her choice to frightened. My sister was falling apart in front of me. The Gods were all afraid of the Mrak. Could she be seeing something I didn't?
“It's so cold, Mara,” she said. “I feel them. They are everywhere. They are coming for me.”
An eerie feeling overtook me and I suddenly knew what she meant. Black tendrils of smoke oozed from the ground, twisting around my ankle. The mist covered Meg's legs and slithered up her waist.
“This area feels wrong. We need to go.” I jerked her up out of the smoke. “Now, Meg.”
Danu. Take her to Danu, said a whisper on the wind.
“We need to go to Danu's chamber,” I said, tugging harder on her. “Come on, Meg.”
As we left the grove, the smoke followed us. It was slow, taunting us. When we reached the end of the forest, I dragged Meg through the wall of transparent multi-colored water. Blaze was not here this time to turn the falls into a cool mist. Instead, we were doused with the falling water.
“Meg, you have to make your choice soon. Sarika said your body won't last long,” I said, dragging her into the tunnel leading to Danu.
Chapter 54
When we reached the chamber, each of the silver framed mirrors were playing a scene from Meg's life. We stood in front of a mirror showing an image of our mother holding baby Meg in her arms and offering her to me.
“I will always protect you, Meg. I am your big sister. You and me forever,” m
y young image said.
“Oh Mara, I am so sorry for what I said to you about our father. We don't have different fathers. Cedric will never be my father. He was just the mistake our mother made,” she said, squeezing my hand.
Squeezing her hand back, I said, “You are not a mistake, Meg. Nothing will change the fact that I love you.”
This time Meg dragged me to the next mirror. It displayed Gram dressing Meg for her first lunar dance. The little girl in the mirror bounced eagerly as each ruffle was put in place. When Cole appeared and presented her with a moon necklace, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. I watched as Meg danced her solo and I relived the experience of her first performance again.
Leaving the joyous scene, we found the third image. Meg and Miles shared the journal, which revealed Cedric was her father. Unshaken, my father said, “No matter what nonsense any piece of paper says I am your father. I am both of your father and I always will be.”
The fourth mirror was an image of Meg's birthday party.
The crowd began singing.
Fifteen years you've sung your tune.
Fifteen years around the sun.
Fifteen years blessed by the moon.
Your journey has just begun.
Your path will soon be chosen and soon you will be grown.
But never forget your heart is forever young.
Fifteen years blessed by the moon.
Fifteen years around the sun.
Thank you for the blessings given to this treasured one.
Meg's attention was drawn away from the crowd as the song continued and even after Faramond's speech. Dunn was coming towards her. Their eyes were locked.
“Meg, I have a gift for you,” he called. Her cheeks flushed.
I watched Dunn take Meg's hand. He looked at her with such affection. Placing a small silver box into her palm, he smiled. Meg was trembling. I could see the love in her eyes for him.
“There isn't a spider in there. What are you waiting for? Go on open it,” he said.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You will have to open it to find out, won't you?” he smirked.
Carefully opening the box, she held up a small glass sphere on a silver chain necklace. The globe contained a purple flower nestled on top of a white substance.
“Snow? Where would you find snow around here?” she questioned.
“You said you wanted to see where I had lived,” he said. “Instead, I brought Snowstrum to you. When I went to gather it from my favorite spot, I saw this small flower peeking out from the deep snow. It reminded me of you.” Dunn had gone to Snowstrum for her.
“Dunn, that is so sweet,” she said. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't unhook the necklace.
“Here, let me help you,” he said.
As he put the necklace on her, she smiled softly. The necklace fell on her décolletage and he leaned in closer to her. “I hope this is the best birthday you have ever had.”
“It is already so much more than I could have ever expected,” she said.
Kissing her softly on the cheek, he whispered, “And you will have many more just like this, sweet Meg.”
A throat cleared behind us. I was the one ruining their special moment.
“We are being watched,” Meg sighed.
“Min Vizier,” Cole said, bowing at my sister.
“Stop that nonsense,” I chided. “Meg, come see all we have planned for you. I am sure Dunn understands you have other guests that would like to see you.”
With reluctance, Meg left Dunn and we walked away towards the buffet. But when she turned to see him, he was still watching her. She placed her hand on her cheek where he had kissed her and smiled.
The mirror rippled. Meg was leading Dunn away from the crowd into the forest. When they were out of earshot of everyone, he stopped her.
“What is going on?” Dunn asked. The light from the party flickered in his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she blurted out. “Dunn, I know you think I am too young for you and I might be. But despite everything, I have fallen in love with you. I have no doubt it is love I feel and the thought of being kept from you is breaking my heart. Let's leave and go to Snowstrum. We can live there for a few months and when we come back, I will be old enough in their eyes.”
He didn't respond. He just looked at her with a pained look on his face.
“I can't mislead you, Meg. You're very special to me but we can't run off. You would miss so much here. We can't—”
“We can't what? Have a life together because you're immortal? Because my sister thinks it is a bad idea? Tell me you don't love me and I will let it go,” she said.
“Meg, our timing is not right. I will always be here for you but you need to listen to your family. They are right. I am too old for you and you still have many years to fall in love,” he said.
“Your age is irrelevant. Look me in my eyes and tell me that you don't feel the same way I do and I will walk away now.”
Gently stroking her cheek, I could see his hesitation. Staring into her eyes, he used his thumb to wipe away a tear that had broken loose.
“There is no doubt in my mind that one day we will be together, Meg. I am sorry but today is not that day. Please don't cry. I will be here for you until then.”
Impulsively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him firmly on the lips. He hesitated before kissing her back. Dunn pulled Meg closer. The ground began to shake as if she called her Earth magic. Releasing the hold he had on her, his lips lingered. Shamefaced, Dunn backed away from her.
“No matter what you say, my feelings won't change and I know you feel the same.” She didn't give him a chance to say anything. She just walked away and didn't look back.
“I know you love me, Dunn,” she said to herself. “We will be together one day.”
Guilt filled me. I had tried to stop their relationship. She was so confident in her love. I envied how free she was to share it.
The final mirror rippled. No image to be shared. Yet, Meg scrutinized it intently. After several minutes, tears slowly fell down her face.
“I am scared,” Meg said. “I am strong enough to face the Mrak but I am still scared. My fear will not stop me. I'm ready. I accept the Winter,” Meg said with resolve.
“You don't have to do this, Meg. You don't have to take the Winter,” I said.
“Oh, Mara. I know what I am doing now. I love you, Mara,” Meg said, hugging me. “No matter what happens. We are going to be sisters forever, right?”
“Nothing is going to change that… ever. Even when I am old and gray, I will be your big sister. I don't know what this means for us but we will figure it out. You are Meg Stone. There is no one in the world stronger than you.”
We both looked at each other and laughed, saying, “Except Gram.”
“You have her fighting spirit, Meg. There is no way that you will not succeed at this. You will be the most incredible Winter ever,” I said.
From the hallway, a hissing noise sounded.
“Go, make your choice, Meg,” I said, releasing our hug.
“But what about you?” she asked.
“I know the way out. Remember I have done this before,” I said.
As I watched my little sister step through the mirror, my breath caught. The image of Meg slowly began to change in front of me. Before I knew it, the teenager had begun to transform into a young woman.
Chapter 55
I heard a noise behind me but I didn't want to take my eyes off Meg. I had missed my little sister grow and change for five years of her life. We wouldn't have the awkward teenage years where her body would mature and her feelings would be so intense. The late night talks about boys she liked or how unfair our father was being. Our relationship would be different.
“She will be a beautiful Goddess.” A woman that I had never seen before stood beside me. With her red hair and brightly color dress, she had to be one of Danu's Fire elementals. I gla
nced around to see if she was alone. She had no right to be here. I ignored her, hoping she might go away.
With each clicking second, Meg changed. Her arms thinned and lengthened. Her face lost its roundness, her cheekbones becoming more prominent. It was as if her next five years were speeding before my eyes.
“How sad it must be for you to lose another of your family members,” the woman said.
“Do I know you?” I glared and shifted away from her.
“I know of you, Mara. You were once the dark queen. It must have been so sad for you to have your husband love a powerful Goddess like Snowystra. How could you compete?”
I sucked in a breath. I began to argue but I couldn't. I was not as beautiful or strong as Snowystra. She was evil but she went after what she wanted. I was so weak I had to be taken care of by my little sister when things became too hard. I hadn't even been a proper mother. I let Cole take care of our babies. He would grow tired of having to pick up the pieces.
“You have had so much pain in your life. Your mother left you. Your father left you. Everyone leaves you, Mara. I can't imagine how you can be a mother to those poor children. You're so torn apart inside. What can you offer them?”
What would I offer the twins? How would I be their mother? All I knew was loss. I was to blame for all the bad things that happened. They were my fault and I could have stopped most of them.
“You're not ready to be a mother. Come with me. You can stay with us until you are. They won't miss you. They barely know you.”
She slid her fingers along my skin, sending an electric current through me. “With us you can stop blaming yourself for letting your grandmother die.”
Eliza had forced me to restore the magic Gram had bound. With it returned, she became mad from the sudden burst of power. She attacked me and I responded. She had been smarter with her magic, casting enough to make me fall to my knees and writhe in pain. When Eliza had thrown her remaining magic at me, intending for me to die, Gram threw herself in front of me and returned her own magic at Eliza. Gram accepted my death sentence and took her own daughter's life to save me. I should have died instead. It might have stopped the cycle. Cole wouldn't have been taken. My sister would have Gram to care for her. I would not have children. My babies were poor and defenseless. I would not be strong enough to protect them. They would all be better off with me gone.