“What are you doing with him?” I demanded.
“I promise, he will be taken care of. He can stay here with us as long as he desires.” I considered what she said and then nodded. “Now, what say you?”
“We just want to go home,” I finally said.
“Very well,” Iris inclined her head towards us.
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing inside Jeremy’s garage, Jodi still trembling in my arms. Everything was exactly as we had left it, except the sylph and Jeremy were gone now. If even five minutes had passed, I would have been surprised.
I hugged Jodi a little tighter to my body, suddenly feeling all of the terror and relief flooding through her now that we were back in our own world. I had always wanted to visit the Sidhe, it was one of my greatest wishes as a little girl, but now that I had been there for an execution, I felt different. With the death of the sylph, of a fae creature, something had died inside of me as well.
Chapter 21
I had a lot of explaining to do when the cops got to Jeremy’s house. A nosey neighbor called to complain about the noise we were making. Officer Adams wasn’t too happy to find out that I was at Jeremy’s house in the first place and was even more put out when he found out that Jeremy was gone again.
When I saw the look in the officers’ faces, I was grateful to Iris. The thought of Jeremy safe in the Sidhe pushed the image of the dead sylph out of my mind just for a moment. Really, the poor kid just needed some friends and none of this would’ve happened.
I can’t even tell you how angry Deb was with us when she saw us on the late night news as a camera spied Jodi and me being walked out to a police cruiser. I’ve never heard her use that kind of language; just more things for me to explain once the feathers finally settled. Our parents weren’t too happy with us either once we were dropped off at our homes that night.
I insisted that I be allowed to walk Jodi to her door when we pulled up to the curb in front of her house and had my empathetic powers turned up full charge when her mother opened the door. Before she could even change her facial expression, I unleashed my power on her, making her forget her anger and simply be happy to see her daughter safely home. Jodi’s father was a harder nut to crack at first and he was halfway down his front walk, barreling towards the waiting officers, before I had my hooks in him and changed the direction of his energy into the intense desire to shake the hands of the officers that delivered his daughter home in one piece.
I was more than a little drained by the time we got to my place and it took the last of my reserves to keep my parents’ anger at bay when I came through my front door. I focused most of the little energy I had left on my dad, figuring I could just tell my mom most of the truth in order to calm her down, which, to my great relief, worked. I reminded her it was her fault I was what I was because it was her genes that had passed down the family “gifts” as she liked to call them. I had to promise not to go off trying to reason with a manic depressive bent on killing me ever again though, but that was an easy promise to make, even if I did secretly know there was always the possibility of breaking that promise in the future.
I all but collapsed on my bed, fully dressed, once I got inside my bedroom. My cell was resting on my bedside table and vibrated briefly against the wood, telling me that I had a message. I groaned as I rolled over to reach for it, knowing it would just go off every ten seconds if I tried to ignore it. I saw on the front display screen that I had missed over twenty calls in the last couple of hours. Had it only been a couple of hours? I flipped it open and saw that it was an almost even split between Jensen’s and Steven’s calls. Before I could decide who warranted the first call back, the phone shook in my hand and Jensen’s picture flashed on the screen.
“Hey,” I said, hearing the gravel tone of my voice and became very aware of how dry my throat was.
“She lives! Amazing!” Jensen replied with a little more sarcasm than I wanted to hear just then.
“I just got back. I was dialing your number just as you called me,” I half lied.
“Well, at least I beat out Steven,” he said grumpily.
“Keep it up and I’ll hang up and call him instead,” I warned as I fell back on my pillows, closing my eyes and rubbing them with my free hand.
“I’m sorry, you’ll have to speak up, it’s kinda hard to hear you,” he said, reminding me of our earlier altercation.
“Maybe next time when my best friend is dying feet away from me, you’ll get your ass off of me and let me get to him,” I snapped at him, all my earlier guilt very suddenly gone. I hear the crackle of static as my anger tried to slip through the electrical lines and bite at him. We were silent for a few tense moments before I heard him sigh.
“I’m sorry, it’s just I’ve been freaking out over here knowing something was happening, something bad, and couldn’t get to you to help,” he said and I could hear the hours of worry in his voice.
“I know and I am sorry. I really did just get home, I wasn’t going to wait until morning to let you know everything was okay,” I managed to say before a huge yawn escaped me, not really sure if I was still half lying, but was too tired to care at that point.
“No apology for nearly busting one of my ear drums?” I heard the slight annoyance in his voice, but I realized I really wasn’t sorry.
“No, I’m not sorry for that,” I said bluntly and when he didn’t automatically respond, I continued. “You shouldn’t have tried to keep me down when Steven was so badly injured; I don’t care what your reasons were. I could’ve done so much worse, so you should be grateful I controlled myself as much as I did.” I heard him huff over the phone and right then, I knew there would never be anything more serious between us than a casual thing. He still didn’t understand me.
Jensen sighed lightly before saying, “I guess I’ll let you get some sleep. I’ll pick you up in the morning and we’ll grab Jodi and Steven for breakfast before rehearsal.”
“Oh shit, that starts tomorrow, I totally forgot,” I said. It’s funny how the mundane things don’t stop when the extraordinary take over your life.
“I thought you might’ve, that’s why I said something.” He was trying to be casual, but the damage was done; now it was just a matter of time. “Just think of it this way, at least classes aren’t until after lunch.” Since graduation practice was in the morning, they’d granted the rest of the school a half day schedule all week until Thursday when graduation happened for real; then the school year would finally be over. Jensen offered to text both Steven and Jodi the invites to breakfast in the morning so I could just pass out without bothering. After we said our goodbyes I thought seriously about going to sleep, but Steven had been calling, I couldn’t ignore that.
“Terra,” Steven’s voice was rough and tired through the phone, but just hearing him speak was a salve on my emotional wounds.
“Drake,” my voice caught in my throat as tears sprung to my eyes. I had to swallow before I could speak again. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you,” he rasped. “The doctors don’t understand why I healed so quickly but mostly I just look like I had a really bad sunburn and my skin peeled.”
“So it worked then, the water?”
“Yeah, it worked,” his voice was softer now and even across this distance I could feel his relief giving way to the fear he’d been afraid to feel. He’d come incredibly close to killing himself.
“Drake, listen,” I started to say, but he stopped me.
“Terra, I don’t really remember what happened, but I know you saved me, please don’t feel bad, okay?”
I nodded, tears spilling down my cheeks, before I remembered he couldn’t see me, so I said, “Okay.”
“I know you’re half-lying, but I’ll take it.”
“Drake,” I whispered, my voice breaking, “thank you.”
“Thank you, Terra.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I woke
up the next morning still exhausted and feeling very grungy in my clothes from last night.
I barely had my hair combed out and caught in a ponytail before I heard the knock at the front door. I grabbed my bag, blew a kiss to my mom, and hurried out the door. Jensen was standing on the front step with a Starbucks coffee cup in his hand and smile on his face.
“Thought you’d like this a bit better than flowers,” he said, with that grin that had won my heart last fall, and handed me the warm cup of coffee.
“Thanks,” I said as I took a deep breath of the intoxicating aroma.
I started walking towards his car. Usually I liked to drive my car, maybe it was a control issue with me, but I felt like death warmed over and didn’t even think twice as Jensen held open the passenger side door for me and I fell inside. The day was little more than a blur to me. I felt like I was on auto pilot and just going through the motions until I found myself saying goodbye to Jensen, taking my car home from his house.
When I got home, I went to my room and tore off most of my clothes just to collapse in my bed again for an afternoon nap. The light from my window was fading when I finally began to stir and wake from my near coma. As I swam up into consciousness, I heard a familiar tinkling of bells just outside my window. I smiled and crawled out of bed, grabbed my discarded jeans and pulled them on and slipped on a pair of tennis shoes, not even bothering with socks, and walked over to the window.
I popped the screen off and climbed over the sill a little clumsily and made my way through the backyard and up and over the back fence, dropping down into the orchard behind the house. Inspiration hit and I slipped off my shoes, letting my feet sink into the moist earth before taking off at a jog through the trees, reveling in the feel of the waxy leaves that brushed my arms as I passed. I followed the sound of the bells without paying attention to where I was going and yet somehow knowing the way.
Finally, the urge to run fell away and I felt an odd tingling shoot up through my bare feet as I took one more step forward. I stopped and looked around, still hearing the soft chime of bells and yet not seeing anything. Confused, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before whispering, “In this the early evening light, I open my eyes with second sight.” Slowly, I opened my eyes, almost reluctant with the fear the incantation wouldn’t work, but when I blinked my vision clear, I saw Tegan’s smiling face floating just inches away from mine.
“There’s the lass,” he said, his fall leaf wings beating as furiously as a hummingbird’s.
“Why did I have to re-do the spell?” I asked.
“Most likely because you drained your powers last night, love,” he said, beginning to drift slowly backwards, away from me. “Let’s be off now, she’s waiting.” And before I could ask who was waiting, he was off like a fallen leaf caught on the wind. I followed quickly after him and was suddenly very aware of all of the life in the trees and air around me. When I took a moment to look as we hurried through the trees, I could see the hidden faces of other faeries watching us as we rushed by.
“Well met, sister.” I nearly fell in my haste to stop short when the honey sweet tones of the Faerie Queen, Iris of the Shattered Light, shocked me as we came around one last bend of trees. I heard the answering laugh of dozens of faeries, gnomes, and all other manner of magical creatures. I just stood there, staring stupidly at the beautiful creature in front of me, surrounded again by her entourage of fae creatures, taking comfort in the presence of my familiars, the frog faeries and gnomes.
It was surreal to see her there, calm and beatific as if last night had never happened. The Iris from last night was cold and ruthless, dealing out a death easily. It made it hard for me to like her as much as I thought I had originally, but somehow I was still glad to see her. It was the power of the Fae. I knew faeries could be malicious, but when you think of the diminutive faeries, it’s not that big of a deal. When they were as large as humans, their malicious sides were bigger as well. I shook my head, wanting out of that train of thought.
“Did you call me sister?” I asked when I finally managed to find my voice again.
“Yes, we did,” she answered and her voice was that of a large, deep bell that reverberated somewhere deep inside of me. I had to concentrate so much harder this time not to become lost in her light and dark beauty; I must really have depleted my stores of magic and power. “You and your sister Fae have proven yourselves worthy of your gifts and the favor of the Faeries and their Courts.”
“Thank you,” I said and heard how the words sounded more like a question. The memory of last night kept flashing behind my eyes, confusing me.
“Do not be nervous,” Iris said, stepping forward and reaching out to take my hand in both of hers. Her skin was smoother than silk and warm, hinting at the magic contained therein. “We wished to extend our thanks for ridding our two worlds of the Sylph you banished last night and wanted to grant you the debt of our court.”
“What does that mean?” I cringed internally at the stupidity of my question, wishing for once in my life I could just be smooth and catch on a little quicker.
“Should you ever find yourself in need of help, we are in your debt and will answer a favor if you should ask it,” she said and I heard no note of condescension for having to explain herself to me. My mouth was suddenly dry and I could only blink stupidly at her for a few moments before I could remember to say thank you.
I was having a very human moment, trying to reconcile the two versions of Iris in my mind. It was so easy to just bask in her beauty, but I was still terrified of her. She gave me one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen in my life, that made my heart ache at the sight of it, before she gave my hand a final squeeze and began to fade away, taking all of the little faeries with her.
“Well done, lass, I had all the faith in the world in you,” Tegan said from behind me. I turned to see him floating nearby again. I held out a hand for him. He alighted on my palm and I was again surprised to feel the weight of him before moving him to my shoulder and started walking back towards my backyard. I felt the familiar power thrumming through my body again, as if I had been recharged, and glanced down at the ground to see a ring of the darkest purple irises had sprung up around me.
“She grants you her favor,” Tegan said appreciatively.
“It’s like she recharged all my power.”
“Yes, it is very much like that,” he said with a knowing smile.
“What about Jodi?”
“Who?” he asked in a teasing voice.
“Fae, the Child of Air,” I said a little exasperatedly. “She showed a great amount of power last night that I’ve never seen her show before. Is that going to stick around?”
“Oh, I believe you and your small coven will surprise us all in the very near future,” he said mysteriously, both annoying me a little and sending chills up my arms at the same time. It looked like Jodi was going to get her wish after all and was going to be catching up to my powers faster than we ever expected.
Tegan stayed with me for the rest of the week and I came to realize his presence was mostly due to the fact that the Faerie Queen wanted to make sure Jodi and I had control over the quickly developing powers we had kept after the banishing of the Sylph. Once satisfied, he faded away, promising to always just be a simple call away. I was sad to see him go, having become accustomed to his presence, but grateful to know the Faeries themselves had faith in us. Jodi joined me in weekend lessons with Deb that summer, needing to control the electric ability her enhanced powers brought with them and I was happy to see she took the responsibility of new powers with great seriousness and didn’t take to showing off.
Graduation and Daisy Chain went off without a hitch, all the girls dressed in pretty white dresses and Steven looking very dapper in his chinos and crisp white shirt. By Friday you couldn’t even see a hint of red on his cheeks from his burns. The only interesting point of the afternoon was when Jodi and I gathered up the swag to spread out between the two lines and th
e plastic leaves shuttered and fell away to reveal a real chain of ivy and beautiful white flowers sprung up along the vine. We laughed it off and didn’t draw attention to it, remembering to try out this new trick in the safety of our favorite forest glen this summer.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my mom, my first and most dedicated fan. Thank you for encouraging me to read anything and everything I ever wanted. Because of your love of books, I grew up loving books and because of that I became a writer. Without your encouragement these books would never have been.
Thanks to my husband. My best friend and the love of my life, you live with my crazy every day and still stick around. Thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement to sit down and make up stories every day.
Thanks to my editor, Cassie Robertson. You have helped me make my stories so much stronger and I cannot thank you enough for that.
Thanks to Juanita, my new favorite. Thank you for reading and for your insight. Because of your keen eye and suggestions I found new layers of love between my characters, I am so grateful for that.
Thanks to the amazing book bloggers who have helped me along the way. To Cade, Trish, Julie, Deb and Savannah, you ladies were the first to help me support my first book. Your kind words gave me the confidence to keep going and to publish Air. Thank you all so much.
Thanks to my friend Deputy Adam Garnier. Thank you for answering my endless questions about procedures and protocol. And thanks for the tour of the jail, that wasn’t creepy at all.
And to everyone else, who has offered their love and support, or even just your time by reading my books, you mean so much to me and I hope you keep going with me on this journey with Shay and her friends.
Awesome blogs: Braintasia Books, YA Bound, A Tale of Many Reviews, I Heart YA Books and Books with Bite.
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