“Oh my God, Lilly, I don’t understand. How did they move so quickly? How did they know we were coming? Kelsha has no idea I am alive, and she would have no idea you were in Neveah. What made her go? What is she planning?” Leah sat on the edge of the window sill. She looked as though the air had been punched out of her as she tried to decipher what was going on.
“I don’t know, Leah, but we have to find her. We have to get James back,” I said, trying to keep the pleading at bay. I knew whining would do no good, and I needed to remain strong.
“Okay, come on. Let’s go help Denali search for clues. Maybe we can figure out where they fled to.” I suggested and Leah nodded in agreement.
We were searching the rooms that lined the dark halls, each of us with a candle in our hand to light the way. I had searched three rooms with no luck. I walked into the fourth, which was a bedroom. The walls were dark. The bed was dressed in dark linens, and heavy fabric hung over the window. I felt a shiver run down my spine when I stepped into the room. I began searching the room, sure I would find something in there. There was a painting hung above the bed that depicted a couple. I could only see the outline and instinctively moved closer. I couldn’t explain why. I had probably seen dozens of paintings hanging throughout the other rooms I explored, yet this one drew me in. It wasn’t until I held the candle close that the two figures took shape and identity. It was Shep. His arm draped lovingly around another woman’s shoulder, her pretty face turned up at him, her arms around his waist.
I stood frozen, memorizing the painting. What tiny bit of hope I had of finding Shep and bringing him home was shattered as I gazed up at this portrait of a seemingly happy couple. My emotions were tied up in knots, and I jumped when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I turned to find Leah gazing up at the same painting.
“It’s not Shep, Lilly,” she stated. I laughed sarcastically. How was she able to deny his identity to me?
“Of course it is, look, Leah, it’s Shep and he appears to be happy with her,” I replied, sounding a bit mad.
“No, Lilly, I know it’s physically Shep that much is obvious, but it’s not your Shep. That’s not my Shep. That man is Kelsha’s Shep and I will get my son back,” she said, her voice echoing in the empty room.
I couldn’t look at the portrait any longer and did a quick once-over of the room. I had to get out of that room. I couldn’t stand being in the room he shared with another woman. It made me sick to my stomach and I had to swallow the bile that was threatening to escape. I was almost to the door when I heard Leah yell my name. I turned to her, “I’m right here, Leah, no need to scream,” I replied rather snottily. If she detected my tone she didn’t let on. She came to me quickly with a piece of paper in her hand.
“I found something, Lilly, read this,” she demanded as she thrust the paper in my hand.
Dear Lilly,
I can only assume you will come here looking for your child. I am ashamed to admit that I had any part in this game. I am the reason Shep has been away from you for so long. I have helped Kelsha keep him trapped here with his memories of you safely kept in the depths of his mind, behind a wall we thought was impenetrable. We were wrong. I was wrong. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am for my part in this. Although, I know at this point my apology is the last thing you want to hear. What you need to hear is this. Shep has gone to try to figure out who he is and why he is dreaming of you and drawn to you. He remembers his love for you, but not the details. Kelsha has fled to Ellurah Island with your child. I have gone with her, not because I believe in her, but to watch her and your child. I am terribly sorry for any pain I may have caused you and hope to make it right by doing my part to end this insanity. I look forward to meeting you one day Lilly.
Fionna
When I finished the letter, I handed it to Leah, who read it while I found a place to sit before I fell over. My legs felt soft and weak, as though they couldn’t hold my weight. The tears had come in full force while reading the letter. My heart was twisted with emotion. I was so hurt that Shep had been committed to another woman, yet here she was telling me he went to find me. Telling me he had no real memory of me, only of his feelings. I felt the hope that had been crushed slowly repairing itself with the thought of Shep looking for me. I felt a strange kinship with my husband’s other wife, but was resentful that she was with my child, even if only to offer him safety. I so badly wanted to hate the woman, but I couldn’t, not after her proclaiming letter. Then a little voice came into my head. What are you doing, fool? You can’t trust this woman. She’s just tricking you. How do you know you’re not walking into a trap? I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. Leah finished the letter and looked at me, hope reflected in her dark eyes.
“Do you believe her?” I asked. I wanted to believe her, very badly.
“I don’t know, Lilly. I don’t think we have a choice at this point. We at least know where Kelsha is and that James is safe.”
“We have to find Shep,” I said.
“Yes, I think we will need him with us before we rush to Kelsha’s newest residence. We need to find out what she is really up to.”
“What about James? I can’t just leave him with her,” I reasoned.
“We can’t go in unprotected and unaware of the situation. Getting ourselves killed in an attempt to rescue him will do him no good either. He will remain with her forever if that happens.” I knew she was right, but the thought of leaving my child with that evil bitch, even temporarily, made my blood boil and my insides twist in knots. We didn’t have a choice, though. We had to be smart. We had to win this.
“We should find Denali, tell him what we found.” I suggested. Leah simply nodded and followed me out of the room, with the letter folded neatly in her pocket. I had to keep reminding myself that I was not the only one desperate to get Shep back. Leah missed her son greatly and would stop at nothing to save him from Kelsha and himself.
We found Denali by the front doors. His search had proven a waste of time, but he seemed to perk up when Leah handed him the letter.
“What are you thinking we do next?” he asked.
“Well, we have a lot of preparing to do if we are to be successful at finding my grandson and getting him away from Kelsha without killing ourselves in the process. We have a lot to learn about this island. I have heard of it and know it is a frozen chunk of land floating in the northern sea. Beyond that I know nothing about the terrain or what kinds of creatures call it home,” Leah replied.
“Well, I think we should make our way up the mountain to Cyrus and Abigail. We can sleep and eat there. They may have useful information for us. We can decide on where to go next in the morning.” Denali suggested in a tone that said we had no other choices tonight. Leah and I both agreed and followed him back to the three dragons. It wasn't long before we were in the air, flying toward the home of the Giants.
~Chapter Twenty-Two~
Shep had been traveling for two nights. He had fed off the land and slept under the cover of the trees. He had deliberately taken his time, trying to jog the memory of his life before that morning he woke married to Fionna. Nothing had sparked his mind, and he knew he had to find the girl. He had to find Lilly. He made his way to the portal, intent on finding her. He arrived at the portal while the sun was high in the sky, throwing a rainbow of rays across his eyes. He raised his hand to shield his eyes while he climbed the last few feet to the portal. The portal sat high on a mountain of rocks and was well hidden. He turned to look over Neveah and felt a deep sadness inside. He couldn’t identify the source of his sadness, which made him crazy. He took one last look before stepping into the portal.
He arrived on Earth just as he had the time before. He didn’t waste time making camp, he headed directly to Lilly instead. He was unsure of the state he might find her in, missing her child and all. He was hoping to rectify that, but first he had to learn exactly what she was to him. He made it to the edge of the property that lined the big white house and settl
ed into the same spot he used to watch her last time.
It was near dark and all the house lights were off, but her transportation was still there, so he thought it likely she was there as well. He waited for a very long time, anxious to catch a glimpse of the girl with crimson hair. The moon was shining high above him, and he had yet to see a sign of life. No lights flickered on when the darkness settled, and he began to worry. He hopped down from his spot in the tree and marched toward the house. He made no attempt at being sneaky. He didn't care if she heard him approach.
Something caused his heart to kick up a few notches, telling him something was wrong. Without thinking he strode straight up the front porch and was disturbed to find the front door open. He charged into the house, knowing before he went in that she was gone. His heart was leading him, though, and he shivered when he entered the dark house. It was eerily quiet and still. He felt his heart pounding hard beneath his skin as he began searching for her, room by room. His gut knew she was physically gone, but his heart told him to keep looking. He was looking for signs of her, signs of where she may have gone.
He had turned the house upside down when he saw the stairs leading up to another floor. He followed the stairs on high alert and stopped just inside the door. He gazed around the room amazed by all the books and suddenly felt a searing pain shoot through his head. The pain dropped him to his knees. He stayed there, cradling his head in his hands. Images of the room, of him, and of the strange lady who had come to visit him at the compound all flashed through his mind. The images were fast and confusing, but told Shep he had been there before. He lay on the floor, willing the pain away.
The pain finally subsided, but he still felt a nagging soreness in his skull. He walked around the room and saw the letter she had left. He saw the words ‘Shep took James’ and ‘I am going to Neveah to get him back.’ He skimmed the letter, unable to read it word for word. His eyes were failing him, causing the letters to blur together. The words he saw said enough. She knew he had been there, and she traveled through a portal to go after him.
He left the room and began his search of her home. He felt uneasy invading her this way, but couldn’t think of another way to learn about his past. The first two rooms didn’t provide much information. The baby’s nursery was the same as he had seen the first time he came and the second room had remained untouched as well. The third room, though, Lilly’s room, was like finding gold. In the drawer next to her bed, still unmade from their lovemaking, he assumed, was a stack of letters. All of them were addressed to him and were held neatly together with a satin ribbon.
He sat on the floor and untied the letters. Some were written on white paper, others on colored, and some on pretty stationary. Some used black ink, while others used pinks, purples, and reds. The first he found was written on white paper with red ink. The handwriting was messy, and he really had to concentrate to read the words. His vision was better, but his eyes still proved to be blurry. The words read:
Dear Shep,
I am back home, and you are not. I am pregnant with our child, and was told you probably knew! They say you left for a good reason, you were protecting me! Well, to that I say bullshit! How can you protect me when you’re so far away? I am so pissed at you right now I could spit in your face. You have created a hole in my heart that I don’t think will ever heal. You left me alone to have this baby and raise it by myself. I ask again. How is that protecting me? Well, fuck you, Shep Wagner, we will be better off without you.
Lilly
The words stung him deep inside. His head was starting to pound again. He rushed to read the other letters before his eyes failed him again. Some told him about her day, of the baby growing inside, of the artwork she was selling in town, of his father, of his grandfather, of the food she ate for dinner. They ranged in time from when she first returned from Neveah until a few days before he stole her baby.
While most were general chatter, some were heartbreaking as he realized the pain she felt, the pain he had caused. When he realized the child he stole was his own child, he felt his heart break into pieces. Tears were flowing freely now, and his head was exploding. Bits and pieces were flashing in his mind. It was as if the memory of Lilly was clawing through the sand, trying to clear his mind and make him see. The pain was overwhelming, and his eyes were failing him. Within minutes, the room was black and Shep was out.
He woke the next morning, nicely tucked in the bed with the sun shining brightly through the window. His head was pounding and felt like bricks as he tried to lift it off the pillow. His brain was cloudy, and he was trying to make sense out of his current situation. He didn’t remember getting into bed and felt a sudden jolt of fear. Someone had been in the house. Someone found him here. He forced himself to sit up despite his protesting skull. His feet found the hardwood floor and felt a chill run up his body. He tried to stand on shaky legs, but they were too weak and he was laid out on the floor, unable to lift himself. He heard footsteps bounding up the stairs and just lay there, bracing for a confrontation.
The voice came loud and booming. “Shep, are you okay?” The voice belonged to a man who was now kneeling down to help him up. Shep was too weak to resist the strange man and let him lift him onto the bed.
He looked into the man’s kind, but sad eyes and asked, “Do I know you?”
The man smiled a sad smile and nodded at Shep, his green eyes filling with tears. “Yes son, you do know me,” he said, “I’m your dad, don’t you remember me?” Shep shook his head, confusion filling his mind. This man looked nothing like him, yet he felt a strange connection to him. He studied the stranger with sandy gray hair, hazel eyes, pale skin and large frame. No, he held no physical resemblance to Shep, but he believed him.
~Chapter Twenty-Three~
Kelsha arrived hours ahead of the colony. The dragon Lucy landed gracefully on the icy ground near the entrance of Kelsha’s new home. The building was made of rock with four pillars reaching up toward the sky. The walls were nearly as high, with windows lining the most upper edge. The structure appeared to be a perfect square and a thick wooden door was the only visible entrance. Kelsha spent many years building and perfecting her fortress. She had hoped to never need it, but was never a woman to be unprepared. Besides, she liked the cold weather and felt at home on the island. Heren climbed off Lucy first and reached up for the baby. Kelsha gently handed him down before gracefully sliding off the dragon’s back.
Heren had been with Kelsha through the years when she came to the island. He had used his own hands to help build the fortress. He too felt at home and was at once relieved to have arrived.
The fortress was magnificent. The island was the perfect backdrop for the cold building. Trees were in abundance with most reaching toward the sky. They stood tall in white and blue but yielded no vegetation. The naked branches hung from the trunk, twisting menacingly this way or that way. They were not brittle, though, and could not be broken from their trunk. The entire island was strong. The little bushes that covered most of the land were a bright shade of white with little pink berries. Thorns surrounded the berries, making it nearly impossible to pick the fruit. However, for one hour every night, the bushes retracted the thorns and allowed the berries to be picked and enjoyed. Kelsha knew the hour and planned to utilize the little bastard bushes for their fruits.
They approached the door together. The air around them was crisp and silent. The only sound being the crunching of frozen snow beneath their feet. Heren had yet to see the finished masterpiece and was anxious to tour his new home. Once inside, Kelsha let out a sigh, the sight of her creation took her breath away. The building could house at least one hundred fifty people, and she had built smaller homes around the fortress for those who didn’t wish to stay in the main house. There would be plenty of space for the colony that followed her to the island. There was extra space for new followers.
“You have outdone yourself, my dear,” whispered Heren.
“Oh, do you love it? I am quite
fond of it,” she replied, clearly pleased with her accomplishment. There were multiple sets of stairs shooting in every direction and leading to different floors. Some stairs went directly to a door that held a room built into the stones. Others led to entire floors that held many rooms. The main floor held a mammoth kitchen, three eating rooms each with their own twenty foot table, and a large gathering room. A fire pit stood in the center of the gathering room that Kelsha encouraged Heren to light.
“It gets cold here, love. We will need to keep the fire burning day and night.”
“Of course, love,” he replied and set about building the fire.
Once the fire was roaring and warming the stone fortress, Kelsha led Heren up a spiraling set of stairs that flowed into a wall. Heren looked on, weary of the situation, but Kelsha ran her hands along the wall. Suddenly, she hit a spot and the wall slid open, revealing a magnificent room. The room was encased in windows and rock overlooking the entire island. They were high above the ground, keeping them safe from intruders, yet able to enjoy the wonderment of this frozen chunk of land and watch the colony from above.
They stood side by side, the baby in Kelsha’s arms, admiring their home. “We will be nearly invincible here, you know? People of Neveah are not accustomed to icy terrain, nor will they be expecting such a magnificent stone fortress,” she said proudly.
“Yes, we will have the upper hand here. You have outdone yourself, my love,” he replied and kissed her cheek, then the baby’s cheek.
“I have stocked the house with food that cannot be found on the island. The island surprisingly produces a wonderful food supply.” Heren was surprised by this. He hadn’t thought too much could grow or thrive on the frozen oasis.
Neveah Box Series (Neveah Box Set Book 5) Page 37