“I won't deny we need Shep and his knowledge of Kelsha to beat her, but I can't leave James in Neveah, and truth be told, I am just not ready to face Shep yet. Leah, you go find Shep and bring him back. I will stay with Denali. We will figure things out here while you're gone.” I hoped I spoke with enough conviction that they would believe I was ready for this, ready to face Shep. I had to believe it myself. I was anxious to find James, face Kelsha and more importantly stop Kelsha. I wasn't ready to face Shep nor was I ready to forgive him. I didn't want to think about Shep or my feelings for him. I just wanted my son back.
I was surprised at Leah's response. “I understand, Lilly. I will go for Shep and feel out the situation with him. I will bring him back to you, Lilly.”
I cut her off. “No, Leah, bring Shep back to help get James and to save Neveah, don't bring him back for me.” She looked at me with sadness in her dark eyes. I knew she was hoping for a happy reunion for Shep and me, but I had no intention of running straight into his arms.
Butterflies began to flutter in my belly at the thought of seeing him again and not all were happy butterflies. In fact, most were rather angry, eclipsing any feelings of joy at seeing him again. Shep's betrayal played on a loop over and over in my mind, planting a deep seeded anger inside me that I wasn't sure I could get over. I knew I was being slightly irrational, knowing he was not my Shep when he did those things, but what my brain knew was very different from what my heart felt. My heart was shattered, and I wasn't sure it could be mended.
“I'm willing to work with him, see him, hear him out even, but please don't expect more than that, Leah. Not right away, possibly not ever.” The last few words were nearly a whisper as I didn't want to believe there was no chance for Shep and me, but it was a fact I had to face and so did Leah.
She hugged me tightly. Her strong arms wrapped firmly around me. I hugged her back with a fierceness that surprised even me. Being in her arms like that, like my mother would have done, made me feel vulnerable, and I let down my guard for a moment. In that moment, I was a little girl again and felt protected. The moment only lasted a second, though, before she broke away, kissing me on top of the head and backing away.
“I know you are hurt, Lilly, I just hope it's not beyond repair. I love you as my own, though. Regardless of the outcome, you will always be like a daughter to me,” she said, her voice choking back a sob.
“Now, you stay safe and stick close to Denali, trust no one, always have your guard up. I will be back as soon as I can.” She paused, turning to Denali.
“Good luck, my friend. Take care of Lilly, keep her safe until we return.” He nodded his head in agreement, taking her hand in his own.
“I will keep her safe. We will do what we can here until you get back. You be safe as well, Leah. Good luck.” She smiled at both of us before she turned away. She disappeared into the dense foliage of the island, and I said a silent prayer for her quick and safe return.
Denali turned to me. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, where are we going first?” I asked, anxious to move on. He was already heading into the jungle, the opposite way Leah had gone. He was marching his way back to our awaiting transportation. I followed behind, listening as he told me we would first go back to the Levannah manor.
“Why are we going back to the house?”
“Vivianna will travel with us. I would also like to check on my parents,” he told me, and I detected worry in his voice. I was surprised Vivianna was going with us, but happy to hear it. My aunt always came across very loving and gentle, not one to be fighting a battle. I was happy to have her along. The worry in his voice was clear when he mentioned my grandparents, causing my internal alarm to sound.
“Well, I for one am happy Aunt Vivianna will be coming with us, but do tell me why you sound so worried about Meme and Papa.”
“My father is having a difficult time dealing with the entire situation. He is not a fighter, Lilly. My mother is the strong one in that respect. Knowing baby James is in the custody of Kelsha worries him sick and having his land in constant turmoil is nearly killing him. He has been ill and bedridden since we departed.” I was surprised by this and wondered how Denali knew. We had not seen anyone outside of the Asrais and Calista since we left the manor a few days back. Calista had not mentioned my papa when I spoke to her.
“How do you know this, Denali?” I asked curiously.
“Vivianna's Aria came to me last night and brought me this,” he said, handing me a folded piece of paper. I gently unfolded the fragile paper and found Vivianna's soft handwriting.
My dearest Denali,
I write to you with the deepest concern and pray my Aria finds you with ease. Your father has fallen ill with worry. He has not been out of his bed since your departure, and your mother is most worried about him. I know you have enough to worry about, but the situation here is dire, and I think seeing you are safe may give him a little burst of hope. Also, I miss you greatly and hate just sitting here waiting for word when I could be useful to you on your journey. I would like you to come get me, so I may travel with you. Please stay safe, my love.
Love always,
Vivianna
I finished the letter with a heavy heart and handed the paper back to Denali. I hoped we would get there in time. My papa was rather aged, making him fragile. I thought of Calista so frail and pale and wondered if the imbalance of Neveah was causing him to be ill as well. Maybe he was more connected than we knew.
It seemed to take forever to find the dragons we had flown in on. Travel via dragons was much faster than foot, but Neveah was rather large and the flight back would take a good deal of time. It was a two day walk, and a one day flight. If we flew without stopping, we might make it late the same night, but the dragons would tire quickly at that rate. Making it by the next morning was more realistic.
After at least an hour of walking we found them at the edge of the island. The sight of the enormous beasts was still breathtaking. I didn't think a day could come that the sight of these mythical animals would cease to amaze me. Highly misunderstood when told in the stories of the Ordinary World, these beasts were neither scary nor disgusting. They could be dangerous, sure if provoked, but they were as gentle as a domestic dog. They were a beautiful sight to behold as they frolicked at the edge of the land, clearly playing some kind of dragon game. If they could smile, I would have sworn I had witnessed it.
They turned at the sound of our footsteps. Outside of their beauty, they were incredibly intelligent, with keen senses. The game immediately ceased, and they came to Denali and me. They were dripping wet from playing in the water and shook their entire bodies frantically in an attempt to dry themselves, drenching Denali and me in the process. Denali wore a look of scorn as I giggled and wiped the water from my face. I was aware that this was not the time for games, but I was thankful to the dragons for lightening the dreary atmosphere. The sky had still not yielded any water, which was worrisome to an island that thrived on the liquid. It would have to rain soon or the wonderful vegetation that called the island home would begin to wilt and die. The dry sky was a reminder that the time for a fight was near. Getting my son back would be difficult, but saving this land would be the greatest challenge.
Denali mounted the dragon called Zackary, while I climbed aboard the dragon Paeris. I thought momentarily of the dragon Lucy and her gentle loveliness and the liking she took to Shep. I wondered where she ended up. She was a wonderful little dragon. She was smaller than these two, for sure, and absolutely gorgeous. The dragons flew side by side while Denali and I remained silent, both lost in our own thoughts. I was anxious to reach the house. Word of my papa being ill weighed heavily on my mind and nearly crippled Denali. Worry had washed over him since reading the letter, and his only focus was getting home.
I admired Denali's commitment to his family and his loyalty to Neveah. He would make a fine soldier when the time came if he could reign in his enthusiasm just a tiny bit. I was concerned h
is commitment might drive him too hard, leaving him vulnerable. He would have to learn to fight with his wits, his mind, and his body while pushing his heart to the back. He would have to have the heart to fight, but he wouldn't win a fight with heart alone. If he ran into battle, fighting on pure pride and heart, he would quickly be injured or worse yet, killed. I hoped he could put all he knew aside in order to become a soldier.
We had been flying for a long time, and I could feel Paeris begin to drag and slow down. I motioned to Denali, signaling that I was going to land the dragon, and he shook his head in agreement. We landed side by side almost in unison. It occurred to me that though these two dragons were deeply contrasted in appearance, they were oddly in sync with their actions.
“Hey, Denali, are these two brothers?” I asked, pointing toward the beasts. I saw that, for the first time since my arrival in Neveah, a smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
“Twins,” he replied.
“Huh, I wouldn't think that was possible,” I replied and he actually let a tiny chuckle escape.
“Yes, well, it is rather difficult and rare. It is difficult for one dragon to be born, let alone two at the same time. Their mother belongs to your aunt Vivianna, and the two of them are rather close. They have been together since Viv was a little girl. Viv calls her Talini due to her stark white scales. She resembles a giant snowball,” he said and giggled again before continuing.
“Anyway, she got loose and was missing for days. Upon her return, we discovered she was pregnant, but we still have no idea who the father is. Viv was beside herself with excitement until Talini fell ill during the delivery. I will save you the gory details. Just know there was a lot of blood and tears. Viv got right in there, laying her hands on every part of Talini while I helped dislodge these two. When they entered the world neither mother nor sons were breathing and I thought for sure they had passed on, but Viv wouldn't let that happen. She channeled all her healing strength first to Talini and then to her sons. She saved them, but nearly killed herself in the process. She had tired herself greatly as she pushed all her strength out of her. She fell into bed, exhausted and weak, but happy. She slept for three days while her body and power recouped. Now here they are. They really are great dragons,” he said as he patted Zachary on the head.
“Yes, they are,” I agreed.
We let the dragons rest their wings and drink from a nearby stream while we fed ourselves. “Where are we?” I asked. The landscape was lovely. The trees bloomed hundreds of pink flowers while the land was covered in a blue grass that grew dense and long. The trees were numerous, creating an umbrella of pink that felt like being sucked inside a giant wad of cotton candy. The flowers emitted a wonderfully sweet smell that made me actually crave a stick of cotton candy. We found a place to sit and rest near the stream. The grass was like feathers, soft and light. I stretched out, waiting for Denali to answer my question. I had come to learn that he did so in his own time.
“We are just slightly east of the Southern Mountain, home to Brontes and Hannah. They watch over all the lands below them. They are spring Giants, therefore their lands are vibrant in color and lush vegetation,” he said and was going to continue had it not been for my interruption.
“I met Brontes and Hannah when I first came to Neveah. You say they are spring Giants, are all the Giants specific to one season?” I asked. My curiosity piqued.
Denali smiled. “Yes, that’s right. Cyrus and Abigail are the winter Giants, hence all the snow on the Northern Mountain. Edward and Elizabeth live atop the Eastern Mountain and are the summer Giants, while George and Liselle live on the Western Mountain. They are the fall Giants. When Neveah is in harmony, the Giants work together, to keep the right balance of weather in the land. I intend to visit all the Giants. I am curious to know if their harmony has been disrupted by the recent events.”
I sat in silence for a while, trying to process all the information I had. Clearly, the land was in trouble. The constant threat of evil and terror was enough to make the Fey very ill. I was beginning to worry that if we waited too long other creatures and Specials would begin to lose their abilities. Judging by the look on Denali's face he was worried about the same things. Those that ruled the weather were highly important in Neveah. Any imbalance could cause catastrophic weather changes. The situation was getting worse by the minute.
“Well, it appears to be spring here. Maybe the Giants have not been affected yet,” I said in hopes of soothing Denali's fears. He didn't answer, just looked around lost in thought. I was on a mission to find my son, but I was well aware of the toll Kelsha's battle was taking on Neveah. I didn't quite understand how her evilness could cause an entire land to wilt away, but it was happening right before my eyes. When I first came back to Neveah to find my son, that was my only goal. Now I knew I had to help save this land.
“Come on, Lilly. Let's get up to Brontes and Hannah's home. We need to know how the imbalance is affecting them.” He strode over to his dragon and hopped on board, and I followed suit. The flight to the top of the mountain was fast, though I noticed these Giants lived much higher up than Cyrus and Abigail. Hiking up the mountain would have taken many hours.
“We must make this visit brief considering the state of my father's health. We must make it back to the Levannah house as soon as possible. We were so close, though, it is wise to check on them,” he said as we were landing outside of the giant structure in the woods.
The home was made of what appeared to be clay, and it dwarfed the surrounding trees. The land around was much like the land below, vibrant and colorful. Flowers bloomed in an array of colors while the trees boasted shades of blue and green with specks of pink and red. The beauty left me breathless. Bright green vines climbed the walls of the clay home and produced deep red flowers that were in the shape of a heart. I reached out to touch the blooms and found them to be deceivingly rough, and the vines bore hidden thorns. One poked my finger, causing a small pool of blood.
“Ouch, damn it,” I cried. Denali glanced over at me and smiled.
“That is called a bleeding vine, Lilly. It is beautiful to look at, but protects the house from intruders. Come on.”
I stuck my finger in my mouth and gently sucked, willing the blood to stop flowing. Just when I thought I had seen everything, something new, like beautiful but dangerous vines, shocked me, reminding me to never let my guard down.
I followed Denali to the massive door and waited while he pounded his fist. The size of the door made his normally large hands appear childlike. After only a few seconds, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard pounding their way to the door. The door swung inward with a loud swoosh, and the entrance produced Hannah, the magnificent Giant I remembered. She had her jet black hair tied back, secured with a red flower that made her dark hair appear even darker. Her mouth curled into a smile at the sight of Denali. She moved to the side, signaling us to enter her home.
The decor was plain in contrast to the vibrant colors that painted the outside. Despite the muted colors and lack of furniture, the inside was warm and inviting. We followed Hannah in silence until we were in a sitting area. There were pillows scattered around the floor which was where we found Brontes sitting, carving something into a chunk of wood. He didn't stand in greeting, but held his giant hand out to Denali for a handshake. Denali's hand was swallowed up by the Giant's hand. I stood behind Denali, watching, waiting for someone to break the silence. The silence was unnerving. The handshake seemed to go on forever before Brontes finally spoke. “Hello, Denali. Hello, Lilly. What brings you here?” The question was clear and to the point. I couldn't help but feel less welcome here than I had at Cyrus and Abigail's home.
Denali stepped back and found a spot on one of the smaller pillows. I found one close to Denali and sat as well. We were both enveloped by our seats, and I felt slightly silly sunken into the pillow, my feet dangling. Even Denali, who was not a small man by any standards, looked like a little boy. I glanced at his face, w
hich didn't give away feelings of discomfort, if they were there. I tried to hide my own feelings, not wanting to offend the Giants.
“My father is ill,” Denali began, “we come from the Asrais’ cave where Calista the Fey has fallen ill as well. I have observed many living creatures falling ill, including the vegetation. Your mountain seems untouched.”
“Yes, we have yet to feel the effect of the evil imbalance that is threatening life as we know it,” Brontes replied.
“Have you any word on Kelsha or her followers?” Denali asked.
“No. We only know that they have left what used to be Jax's compound.”
“Yes, we have been there and have reason to believe they have relocated to the island Ellurrah.”
“What? That island is frozen! How can they sustain life on Ellurrah? If the frigid cold doesn't chase them away, the spirits can't be welcoming,” Brontes said, disbelief clear in his deep voice.
“We are not sure why Kelsha chose that island, or how they are able to live on it, but we intend to find out. She has my great nephew and I intend to get the child back.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Leah has gone in search of Shep. It seems the mind control Kelsha was using on him has failed. He has gone back to the Ordinary World in search of himself and Lilly. We believe he will have some answers for us. He lived with her for a good amount of time and trained her army. He is the key to defeating Kelsha.”
“What do you need from us?” It was Hannah who spoke this time, and I could detect fear in her voice. She was worried about her home, her land, and rightly so. The imbalance was slowly sweeping across Neveah and would eventually make its way here, unless we got to Kelsha in time.
“Just keep watching. Inform us of any changes to your lands. Report to us should you gain knowledge that may be helpful. Just stay safe,” Denali said with concern deep in his words. “We just wanted to see how you have fared until now and I am most pleased to see you have not been touched by the evil yet. I pray we stop it before it infects the entire land.”
Neveah Box Series (Neveah Box Set Book 5) Page 41