by Marnie Cate
Chapter 10
My plan to keep Roger so distracted he forgot about Brighid's statue worked for six days. On the seventh day since our arrival, Roger woke me very early.
“Will you let me take you to Brighid's statue today?” Roger asked, nuzzling my neck.
“I'm sleeping. Wake me later,” I murmured.
Roger shifted away from me and out of the bed. The warmth of his body was replaced with the morning chill. As I tried to grab the blankets to cover myself, they were yanked out of my hands, and the breeze of the blanket floating above me blew more cold air onto me. The blanket did not fall again to warm me. Instead, Roger stood over me with a mischievous grin.
“Breakfast is on its way. We will eat, and then we will honor the Goddess.”
I slowly ate my meal, even taking seconds of the scrambled eggs and fruit. When I took another piece of bread, I took great care spreading the butter on it. As I meticulously spread jam on it, Roger raised his eyebrows.
“I'm so hungry this morning,” I lied.
He eyed me suspiciously, but didn't respond.
Finally, there was nothing left for me to eat, so I begrudgingly began to get ready. I took my time showering. After Roger's third-time asking me how long I would be, I relented and turned off the shower. Wrapping a towel around me, I joined him in the bedroom.
Still dripping wet, I smiled seductively, and said, “Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay in bed all day?”
“Another day, my love. Today, I want to thank the Goddess for the blessings she has bestowed upon us,” he said.
It was strange hearing him talk about this unknown goddess. Mother had only spoke of Danu, and the deceit by her friends. We did not honor the Goddess, and I knew very little about her. Until Roger, I had not even known Snowystra and Danu were sisters.
“Why have you never mentioned this before?” I asked. “It seems like this should have been something important to share with someone you were going to marry.” As if you can talk. You didn't mention the Winter Goddess' torment of your family.
“I didn't think you would object to my family's beliefs,” Roger said, taken aback. “I thought I would show you the home I was raised in, and you would see our traditions. You don't have to join me if you don't want, Blanche.”
The bubbly excitement Roger had been carrying for the past six days was extinguished. He was somber, and I felt anger, like at our wedding reception, bubbling under the surface. I had messed up again, but he didn't understand my fear. He didn't know Snowystra's anger.
“No, I want to go,” I said, hugging him. “My family has no traditions. You should teach me yours.”
Holding me out and looking down on me, he said, “I find it hard to believe the Drygen's have no traditions. Starten is such a magical town. It is surprising the Goddess Danu is not honored. It always seems full of the elemental magic to me.”
What if she is listening? The cold feeling of dread filled me.
“No, there is no goddess honored. The Goddess Snowystra sounds interesting. Maybe we should erect a statue of her in Starten,” I suggested quickly.
“No, she is not one to be praised. Her path to the Winter has been filled with the blood of mortals,” Roger said. “Danu and her Light would be the right choice.”
Oh, Roger, why didn't you just stayed silent, I thought. Then, forcing a smile, I said, “Come on. Let's see what you have been excited about all morning.”
Roger led me down the path to the beach and to the coppery figure. The ten-foot statute of the Goddess was surrounded by colorful flowers and lit candles. She resembled Snowystra. But unlike the cruel Goddess, Brighid wore a tranquil smile and her metal hands glimmered in the sunlight as if beckoning us.
“Come,” he said, reaching out towards me.
Instinctively, I took hold of his offered hand.
At the base of the statue, he picked up one of the unlit candles. Roger handed it to me before taking one for himself. Lighting a match, he began his prayer. “Brighid, we thank you for your protection and blessing. May your calming balance forever live in our marriage.” He put the match to his wick. The flame grew high, and then lowered, glowing brightly.
Next, Roger drew the flame to the candle I was holding. “Brighid, I ask for your protection and guidance of my beloved.” The candle lit, and then flickered out.
I gasped in surprise.
“No worries, Blanche. Ocean air is fickle,” Roger said, striking another match and lighting my candle.
Once again, the flame quickly went out. My eyes searched around us and I could see a shadowy figure in the distance. Roger tried repeatedly to light the candle, but each time, it was immediately extinguished.
Quickly setting the candle down, I mumbled, “Thank you for your blessing, Brighid.”
“We can try a different candle,” he said quickly.
“Not today. I'm cold. Can we go home, Roger?”
“Of course,” he said, setting his candle next to mine. “How strange, the wind just picked up. It's not time for such weather.” As if on cue, rain began to fall on us.
We moved quickly down the beach. I waited anxiously for her to appear, but thankfully, she never did. Instead, John met us at the bottom of the path. He opened an umbrella and covered us. The rain poured on him as he walked outside the temporary barrier from the downfall.
“Mr. Kingston, there has been a message from the station. The foreman reports there's a problem with the path, and the line can't proceed. He's refusing to give the approval to push forward.”
“Did you tell the messenger I am on my honeymoon?” Roger scowled. “I pay Lewis enough money to be able to make the decisions needed. Where is the issue at?”
John updated Roger on the details of the problem and where the work had stopped. I realized John was more than a butler for the Kingston family. Roger considered his recommendations as if they were coming from a respected elder.
“As always, you're right, John,” Roger said, and turned his attention back to me. “Will you be cross if I leave you here for a day or two, Blanche? I don't think you'd enjoy the drive or the accommodations.”
“Business first. This will give me time to get caught up on some reading,” I replied.
“I knew you'd understand. John, make the arrangements for me to leave within the hour. The sooner I deal with this, the sooner I can return to my bride.”
* * *
When Roger left, the rain seemed to follow him, but the dark clouds continued to hover over Brighid's Landing. Finally, after a week of being trapped in the house alone, the sun shined again, and I decided reading on the beach would be the perfect way to take the chill out of my body. John insisted on carrying down an umbrella and blanket for me. Once he had deemed the set up acceptable, he left me in peace with a book.
The day was too perfect. I should have known it was too good to last. A shadow fell over me. I looked up from my book to see the dark Goddess blocking the sun.
“How delightful. Reading by the ocean. Are you reading a book about the wonders of my sister?” Snowystra asked.
I quickly stood up. “No, I am…”
“I don't care what you read. It won't change the truth about my sisters. I didn't think your husband was a fool, but I was wrong. Someone will pay for this missing information. I would have never allowed you to marry a Brighid follower,” she ranted.
Snowystra's skin was sallow and her eyes were surrounded with dark circles. She continued her tirade about her sisters. Her criticisms were more than her terrible temper. It was as if she was crazed.
Finally, she stopped talking. Cocking her head to the side, she said, “Yet, it may work out. My sister may have gifted his family. Yes. The possibilities are quite intriguing. Does your husband seem to be intuitive? Does he seem to know your every thought?”
Like Jameson? I wondered. I quickly shook my head. “No, I've not seen any signs of him being gifted, Goddess.”
“Disappointing. Would you like me to find a more su
itable substitute?”
“No, I love him,” I said too quickly.
“Love him? I'm pleased you are so in love. It will increase the chances of you bring me a child soon.”
“I'm doing everything I can to keep my promise.”
She trailed her nails along my collar bone and across my shoulder, stinging me with her icy touch. “I do hope you do. I would hate for any accidents to start happening again. Your mother is quite elderly now. She really should be careful with all those steep stairs in your home.”
“Please, I promise you there will be a child soon,” I cried.
“Good girl,” she said. This time, she drug her nails down my arm, slicing the skin. As my warm blood began to flow, it sizzled, burning the surrounding flesh. The pain was almost unbearable. I struggled to not fall to my knees.
“If you fail me, you will receive much more pain before I finally put you out of your misery.” Throwing her head back, she laughed like she had told the most delightful joke, and then disappeared.
With Snowystra's threat looming, and my arm seeping, I needed to get away from the beach. It was too isolated. In her madness, she might return. Sloppily, I wrapped a towel around my arm to stop the bleeding. Forcing myself to dry my tears, I made the climb back to the house. It felt steeper than before. By the time I reached the back entrance of the house, I was completely out of breath.
“Are you ok, Mrs. Kingston?” Mrs. Radcliff asked, taking my things. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood-stained towel. “Oh my, come in. Let me examine your wounds.”
I silently complied, allowing her to pull me along.
Inside the kitchen, she removed my bandage and exclaimed, “This looks serious. However, did you cut yourself like this?”
My tears began to flow, and instead of coherent sentences, I produced bursts of words – all nonsense, and possibly new words to the English language.
“Shh, shh, shh,” she calmed, handing me some tissues. “I'll have you fixed up in no time.”
The plump woman hustled to the pantry and returned with a silver tin. She removed the lid, exposing a purple paste. “This will work like magic,” she promised as she smoothed the goo on my arm.
With each pass of the treatment, I felt the warmth in my arm begin to grow. The room began to spin, and I suddenly felt like I was floating.
* * *
“Wake up, Blanche,” a soft voice whispered to me. Opening my eyes, I found nothing more than a blue light. “Yes, there you go. Keep opening your eyes. She is waiting for you.”
Groggily, I sat up. “Where am I?” I was reminded of the rich green of the trees and the abundant moss of the forests surrounding Sparrow Lake.
“No time for chit chat. We have little time before you are called back,” the light called.
It began to glow brighter, and take shape. It looked human, but something was odd about it. As its form solidified, a blue haired creature with a round angelic face and piercing, silver cat-shaped eyes stood before me. She leaned in close to me and grinned. Without a word, she began twirling. Her aqua colored dress lifted, and began to spray me with water.
“Stop,” I cried, holding my hand out to stop the spray from soaking me. “If you stop, I will come with you.”
Her whirlwind stopped, and she grinned again. “I knew you would follow me, Blanche.”
“You did, huh? Well, you know who I am. How about you tell me your name?” I suggested, holding out my hand to her. What is it with people I have never seen before knowing me?
She grabbed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug. When she released me, she said, “I'm Bay. Now, come along.”
Bay led me through the tree line, deeper into the forest. We stopped at the edge of the woods and I held my breath. Dark black trunks held long twisted branches with sprouted red leaves and black flower petals. The ground was covered with the blood red color of the shed leaves.
“It is just plants. There is nothing lurking, waiting to bite you,” Bay smirked.
“I know,” I snapped. “I just was trying to figure out why you are leading me this way.”
“Stop overthinking. You sound just like your mother. She always questioned everything,” Bay said, furrowing her perfect eyebrows.
Obviously, she didn't ask enough questions, I though wryly before asking, “You know my mother?”
“Of course. Once she was so strong and brave. Did you know she helped save Danu from utter despair?”
I nodded. I wasn't sure I could hold my tongue. The urge to remind her how my mother was repaid grew stronger the more we talked about it.
She led me deeper into the woods, crunching through the trees. Then, I saw her. No, I felt her. Bay ran towards her, a glowing lavender light. I stood just watching as the Water elemental joined a cluster of colorful creatures.
In the center of the gathering, a woman sat. It was Danu, and she was just as my mother had described. Her silver hair shimmered, and I realized she was emitting the violet light. Waves of emotion filled me, because she was the reason for my family curse.
No, it was not her fault. It was Snowystra, I thought. I blinked back the tears threatening to release.
The Goddess put a flower in one elementals hair, and then kissed another on the cheek. She doted on all of them. When she placed a flower in the hair of a girl next to her, my eyes narrowed. It wasn't a magical creature beside Danu, it was Mae Veracor. I felt instantly enraged.
What is she doing here? I wondered. This was my time to meet the Goddess! It was my time for questions, and once again, the Silvers would steal everything.
Before I could confront Mae, an exotic fragrance drifted through the air. A chill ran through me as I recognized it. Amaro was close by. I closed my eyes and inhaled the seductive smell. The scent of lavender replaced his delicious aroma.
When I opened my eyes again, I found Mae watching me. She lifted her hand and motioned for me to join her. Never! I would not follow a Silver. They had already taken too much from my family. This had to be a trap.
“Come to me,” Amaro's low husky voice circled me, and I shivered. “Join me,” he commanded.
Mae narrowed her eyes, and looked around. Suddenly, she stood up as if she knew he was there. She probably wanted him for herself. I searched the tree line. When I found him, my heart skipped a beat. My mind filled with thoughts of his kiss. Amaro. I wanted to be with Amaro. I turned to go to him.
“No,” Mae cried, running towards me. She grabbed my arm. “You don't want this.”
“What do you know about me?” I asked, ripping myself out of her clutch. “Your family has done enough. Go back to your Goddess and gather her blessings. We don't need them, and I don't need your help.”
Mae frowned at me. “You are being a fool. You will end up losing everything if you chase the darkness. You need to leave here and go back to the mortal world. What he is offering is not what it seems.”
Jameson's voice screamed in my mind. Come home to me, Blanche. I will protect you. Do not go to him!
I filled with fear. I looked from Amaro to Danu and back to Mae. Panicked, I turned and began to run. Sprinting away from them, I left with no idea where I was going. The only thing I knew was I needed to leave this place. When I found the tree where I had awoken, I cried into the air, “I want to go home.”
A purple haze surrounded me, and Danu appeared before me. Her hair and long gown were blowing in the breeze of her magic. “Blanche, you will always be my child. I cannot sway your choices, but you must choose wisely. The easy answers are not always the best ones.”
“You let them take her magic. You let her take my family. Why?” I screamed at her.
“I have no control over choices made. You are free to live your lives as you see fit,” she answered. Her calm words infuriated me.
“You can stop her. You are a goddess. Why are you letting her hurt people?”
“I cannot stop Snowystra. You are playing a dangerous game with her guard and Amaro. Only you can change your desti
ny, Blanche. Your future is so uncertain. I will not allow you to carry my elemental gift for her. You are choosing to live in her darkness,” she said.
Danu took my hands into hers, and stroked the arm that had been injured. Her warm touch tingled, and after a few seconds, it was as if small threads were being pulled from my skin. I knew she was taking the Fire magic from me.
My heart ached from the loss. My feelings were silly. I hadn't known I had the gift until a few months ago, but now, I did know about it. I had felt it running through me. Devastated, I was frozen as my magic trickled from me. Desperate for peace, I wanted to fall into her arms and ask her to take the Winter, too. Instead, I closed my eyes, and slipped into the darkness.
The last words I heard were Amaro's. “You can run from me, my beauty, but you will always seek me out. Come to me when you want to be freed. The Goddess of Light has abandoned you.”
* * *
A strong smell of ammonia filled my senses and I gasped for air.
“She's come around,” Mrs. Radcliff cried. “Mrs. Kingston, do you know where you are? You were injured. Tell us who hurt you.”
I pushed myself up, and glared at the woman. “I fell and scraped my arm on a rock. Too much time in the sun.” The tin of salve glinted and I saw the engraving `by Mae' written on the white label. “Where did you get this?”
“Mr. Kingston brought it from Starten. It is quite useful for healing. Look at how well it has already healed your nasty cuts,” Mrs. Radcliff replied.
“I do not want her items brought into my home,” I said, throwing the tin.
“Why be so foolish? It is a great healing ointment,” she said, not backing down. “If you wish, I'll not treat any of your injuries with it, but I am not bound by the whims of silly school girls.”
“I will speak to my husband about this,” I said, storming away.
* * *
Who does this housekeeper think she is? I was the lady of this home and my wishes would be respected. She will see what a silly school girl I can be when pushed too far. She will lose her cushy job with very little responsibilities if I have any say. I paced, trying to process what had happened.