“True, the experiment your father was carrying out at the time provided her with a clearer, more accessible victim. I’m sure Dwenn was delighted when your mother was lit up like a nova by the unfortunate side effects of it.” He almost cackled at this point but managed to stop, and as he searched Katheryne’s face he became saddened as he saw the effect the news was having on her.
“He could never have suspected anything like this would have happened, my dear, so don’t judge him harshly,” he said. “As a matter of fact his experiment was a total success, except for the unfortunate consequences of course.”
His bright manner angered Katheryne, but he laid his hand on her arm as he realized that yet again he had gone just a little bit too far. “I’m sorry Katheryne; I need to mind what I say. I apologise for being so...flippant.”
Katheryne felt the sincerity and regret flowing from him, so she reached and patted the hand smiling.
“So,” she said, “now what? If I’m too late to stop B’ran and Dwenn now, can’t I go back further?”
“There is no need,” Olumé explained. “Everything we need is in place now. I just have to show you what to do.” He continued in his bright voice, but Katheryne sensed something change. She had a brief glimpse of something she didn’t understand. Olumé was hiding something from her, but she couldn’t imagine what, or why he would do so. But she had a task ahead of her so she decided to let it go, for now.
“OK...show me what I have to do,” she said, hesitantly.
There was no hint of deception on Olumé’s part as he continued, so Katheryne thought she must have been imagining something.
“First you have to understand that if your mother’s soul stays in the Never, it will be found by Tenybris. Part of Dwenn’s spell is causing it to linger for much longer than it normally would.”
“So I have to hide it? The same way that Derren hid me?” she asked.
“No,” replied Olumé. “No trick of concealment would be enough to fool Tenybris. We have to send the soul somewhere else.”
Katheryne looked at Olumé, confusion on her face.
“But there is nowhere else,” she said. “The Never is all of existence isn’t it?”
Olumé paused. He had a thoughtful enigmatic look on his face now.
“It...used to be.” He was smiling that smug smile again.
“Ah, is this another of your plans?” Katheryne smiled back at him.
“Yes, and another of my better ones again,” he laughed as he rubbed his hands together. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Veiled Lands?”
She nodded. “The place where you hid the magic from Tenybris, right?”
“Yes, yes...well in a few moments, if I have...planned it right,” another chuckle, “a rift will open in the Veil, and you will have the opportunity to transport your mother there.”
“We’re going to send her to the Veiled lands?” Katheryne’s heart soared as she saw a way to save her mother. “You mean she’ll be alive?”
“She will survive yes,” said Olumé, his tone not conveying total confidence, and the feeling he was hiding something reawakened inside her.
“But she will be unaware of who she is until much later in her life. She needs to be mature enough to accept the tasks before her at the proper time, which is why we have to send her back in time at the same time as we transport her through the rift.”
“But isn’t that dangerous?” asked Katheryne, remembering the conversation with Krista back in the Chapel. “What about the risk to the future if she does something wrong?”
Olumé swelled with smugness. “All planned for my dear. She’ll not be in this universe, so any action she takes there will have no effect here, you see?”
“Right...I think,” said Katheryne doubtfully, but another question arose urgently.
“OK, you say whatever she does won’t affect this universe,” she pondered, “but what about the Veiled Lands? Couldn’t she somehow damage them?”
Olumé smiled, and looked on Katheryne with an expression of the utmost pride.
“You have exceeded even my greatest expectations my dear,” he beamed. “Yes of course, you are right, but that is also something I have planned for.”
He might have been about to say more, but Olumé expectedly looked around, as if he tasted the Never, before fixing Katheryne with an intense stare.
“It’s time, are you ready?” he asked.
“But I don’t know what to do,” she said, panicking.
“I told you, that’s what I’m here for,” laughed Olumé, as he reached out and took her hands, grinning and somehow managing yet again to take her concerns and worries away.
He took her hand and guided her, as she used her mind to search for the image he painted in her head. She began to see it, a slight tear in the fabric of the Never, and as she concentrated, it expanded outwards. Before her a window in the void opened into a green and bright world.
There was a forest stretching below them for as far as they could see, and Katheryne marvelled at the sheer vitality coming from it. The power and intensity of the life coming from this world dwarfed anything she could ever have imagined.
At Olumé’s mental suggestion she shifted them, and they dropped down into a wide meadow.
Here at ground level the force was almost intoxicating, and she was almost caught up in it, but she knew she had a job to do, and so drew her awareness back into herself.
Katheryne felt Olumé inside her mind, guiding her actions as she shifted the view in the rift.
As she looked upwards the sun began to speed across the sky, blue turning to black as night sped on before day. Faster and faster it became, before it was a blur of greyness.
“How far does she have to go back?” Katheryne asked. Her casual tone surprised her as she realized what she was asking. How far should she…Katheryne, send her mother’s soul back in time?
“Oh, about sixteen years should suffice, time works slower in the Glade,” Olumé replied.
As the blur slowed again to become a beautiful sunny day, Katheryne felt her mind grasp onto the soul of her mother and move it over the threshold. She looked on in wonder as the globe of light crossed over into this amazing place, drawing energy from its surrounding, using the increased vitality available in this world to transform into a baby girl as she gently lowered her to the ground.
“She’s so beautiful,” Katheryne whispered, crying freely.
“Your mother said those exact same words when she first laid eyes on you.”
Katheryne looked across in disbelief at Olumé.
“I have been ‘keeping an eye on you’ since before you were born Katheryne,” he revealed, smiling gently, but there was a hint of something else there, and Katheryne sensed a shadow pass over his heart as the rift began to close.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, all of a sudden concerned for her mother again. She looked back as the rift shut. “Won’t she be safe there?”
“Yes my dear,” Olumé said, but his head was bowed, “Your mother will be safe in the Glade, until it is time.”
“Then what’s wrong? Haven’t we done what we set out to do?” asked Katheryne.
Olumé seemed to deflate, all the happiness and mischief he previously projected seeming to evaporate.
“I’m sorry to say that yes, we have done everything exactly as I...planned it.” There was no glee or satisfaction this time, and panic and confusion set in within Katheryne as the remnant of Olumé turned to her with tears in his eyes.“I’m sorry Katheryne,” he said solemnly. “Your mother’s soul would never have been found by Tenybris, for he would not have been drawn to the innocence he so savoured.”
Katheryne didn’t...couldn’t know what was happening. She had saved her mother, moved her across time and space to ensure Tenybris had no way to find her.
So why was Olumé so melancholy when they had won?
“Separating them was the only way. If there had been any other possibility, please believe me I would n
ot have done this. I have watched across the ages for any opportunity that would have prevented the need for this...travesty, but my plan, my greatest ever plan relies on it, if you are to triumph eventually.”
What did he mean eventually? What other way? Why was he sorry? Who had he separated whom from? Her mom had been the only soul here.
The old man became transparent, as if with his task complete he had to return to the energy he truly was. As she watched him return to the Never, and dissipate throughout the whole universe, she sensed a feeling of great sadness and regret, before at last Olumé was gone.
Katheryne was alone again. Her mother was safe, but what had Olumé meant? What had he done to feel so tragically sorry for?
She felt lost and confused for what seemed like hours as she wandered the Never, but just as she decided she should return to her own time and face the aftermath of what she had done, she was overcome with a feeling of utter terror.
All around her there was a presence, a malevolence that dwarfed the power of the beast by several levels of magnitude.
Katheryne searched for the monster bound within herself, intending to release its fury and power, only to realize this thing around her was capable of swatting anything she threw at it like a tiny insect.
Her horror mounted. How could she fight this thing? Derren and the rest had been wrong, their prophecy utterly flawed. She felt the consciousness that was Tenybris approaching, could sense the ravenous hunger and thirst.
For a second the voice of Olumé whispered in her head, ‘You are hope, Katheryne…use it.’
She didn’t fully understand, but her strength renewed as final defiance manifested itself within her. She felt Olumé guiding her again as the presence faltered and shifted its attention.
What could it be shifting to? Katheryne was alone here, now that Olumé and the soul of her mother had gone.
Then she realized the dreadful truth. She wasn’t alone. There was another presence here, and she turned to behold a tiny globe of light. So tiny it could only be one thing.
It was a light as pure and bright as a sun, and familiar to her as she recognised the voice which had saved her from her own monstrous rage. It was a soul so innocent, that as she had deflected Tenybris’s attention, he had been drawn to it.
Katheryne looked on in horror as Tenybris moved toward the infant soul. All she had time to do was reach out and touch it for a fleeting instant, desperately joining a shard of herself and her hope to her sibling, before she watched helplessly as Tenybris dragged her baby sister’s soul away across the Never, screaming in terror.
The Glade—FaerHaven
Gwenyth and Amilee stood gazing in awe at the sight before them. They’d walked most of the day, leading the Brownies along seldom travelled paths through the forest, but now they stood at the edge of FaerHaven, the home of the Faer folk.
Both of them had been here before, but the sight was always breath-taking in its magnificence. In a clearing stretching up through a large opening in the canopy above stood the Tree, and the light from it lit their faces and the forest around. Hues of gold and silver mixed with the rich greens. The aroma of life and freshness was everywhere.
The Tree was the vitality of the forest, and the essence of every bud on each and every living plant was bound to it, flowing and ebbing throughout the boughs that stretched towards the sky. It was huge, dwarfing the other mighty oaks at the edge of the clearing, and pinpricks of light could be seen flitting through the branches above, resembling hundreds of tiny fireflies.
Both of them knew these were in fact the Faer themselves, and as they left the cover of the trees, several of these tiny figures flew swiftly toward them. As they approached, Gwenyth saw them take shape as they seemed to grow. Indeed, by the time they had reached the pair, the figures had grown to normal size. As they landed lightly on their feet they folded a pair of gossamer wings in against their backs.
There were three of them, and as they looked at Gwenyth and Amilee they smiled brightly and happily, giving of an aura of carefree purity. Unfortunately, Gwenyth was only too aware of how thin this shell of innocence could be.
The Faer were by no means evil, but their peculiar definition of fun could have stretched the imagination way beyond anything even she would dare to try.
And the power they wielded was multiplied tenfold when they were in the clearing close to the Tree, so it was with caution that Gwenyth began the greeting.
“My Queen,” she bowed toward the figure dressed in gold and green robes of silk.
“You do us a great honour in meeting us like this. Thank you for accepting our request for audience.”
The Queen looked across at the male wearing a silver and blue robe, and the other who was attired differently. His crystal armour shone with a magical light, and his sword, also crystal, burnt with a blue flame at his side.
“So Cantror,” she teased with a musical tone, “Do you still feel threatened by these two younglings? Their courteousness alone belies the wild rumours I have heard of them.”
Cantror took his hand off the pommel of the sword to point at Gwenyth and Amilee.
“This pair have led me a merry dance for years, Majesty,” he scowled, “If it’s not stealing ambrosia to intoxicate the bees, it’s fighting running battles through the streets of the Citadel with our own younglings. They are a menace and even that one’s father agrees.”
The third person chuckled and Cantror glowered at him.
“It sounds much more like younglings having fun than an attempt at widespread destruction my friend,” laughed Thomyne, the prince consort. The sound was melodious and merry. He turned to the two girls.
“I know I shouldn’t say this, but Cantror has just reminded me how funny your trick with the bees was…Do you know it took the herders three days to sober them up? Oh the furore they raised was so hilarious, I haven’t laughed so hard in years.”
Gwenyth looked across at Amilee, who wore an incredulous expression on her face.
“Actually your highness,” smiled Gwenyth, “We didn’t mean to get them that drunk...we sort of, dropped the barrel into the hive.”
The Queen and Thomyne chuckled their musical laugh, as Cantror continued to glare grumpily at them.
“You see?” she grinned at Cantror, “Hardly a case for capital punishment my old friend, simply younglings making merry.”
Cantror reluctantly shrugged his shoulders.
“They do seem to have perfected a degree of respect that we seldom encounter in their people,” he grunted, “Perhaps they have grown out of their foolishness.”
He gave the girls a look which told them he suspected this about as much as he thought he could breathe underwater.
The Queen looked at them, the smile still on her face but with an air of curiosity.
“So, what brings you to the Tree Gwenyth? I sense this isn’t a social visit, although your other, visits could hardly be called this either.” She grinned mischievously at the pair.
“You’re right of course your Majesty,” she replied, “I...we, have a favour to ask.”
“Hmm...a favour.” The Queen smiled as she glanced over at Cantror and saw his face redden.
“Why should we grant a favour, especially to you Gwenyth, daughter of Hallor,” she asked, smiling enigmatically. “You and your friend here have caused quite a bit of disruption among my people, so why should I feel the urge to help you now?”
“Because it’s not for us,” replied Gwenyth, “We found some...friends who need assistance, and we thought you might like to help.”
The Queen stared back with her head tilted to one side, as if she was listening to something far away.
“Ah, yes…the Brownies.” She smiled at the shocked expression on the girl’s faces. “None can approach the Tree without permission, whether consciously sought or unconsciously granted.”
“We have been watching and assisting the Brownies for a few days now,” the Queen continued, “We have ensured that when th
ey camp it is always within a stone’s throw of a stream or spring, and we have taken care that their route has been close enough to plants which could provide them with fruit and berries.”
Gwenyth was amazed but warmed by the generosity of the Faer Folk. They were not often known for their hospitality.
The Queen seemed to hear her thoughts.
“Brownies are part of the forest, as are we. Though distant, they are kin to us, and we would never allow harm to come to them.”
She turned her enigmatic smile on Gwenyth, “But I suspect that you are thinking of a more...permanent arrangement?”
Gwenyth smiled in relief. She had expected a lot more animosity and resistance than was apparent here.
“Yes, my Queen,” she admitted, “They are fleeing from darkness at the root of the forest and have no home to return to. If somewhere safe could be found, nearby where you could perhaps keep an eye on them? I would be...in your dept, Majesty.” Gwenyth bowed again.
The Queen’s face darkened for a second, but it was Thomyne who spoke next.
“We are aware of this shadow at the heart.” He frowned. “We have lost a scout who went to investigate and are readying a force to journey in search of him.”
“You’ve lost a scout?” blurted Amilee in alarm, “but the Faer can’t get lost, this is your forest!”
The Queen turned to her. “Indeed my child, it would take something most unfortunate to prevent one of my people from returning to FaerHaven. And there is a sickness growing on one of the branches at the heart of the Tree itself that remains untouched by all our healing arts.”
The smiles and veneer of happiness were gone now as Gwenyth realized something had changed between them. In caring for the Brownies, they had shown the Queen and her consort they had a concern for the health and wellbeing of their forest.
“Is there anything we can do to help, Majesty?” asked Gwenyth.
The Queen pondered for a time before speaking, “Thank you, Gwenyth for your kind offer. I would appreciate it if you could carry warning to your father and the Council of the situation. I cannot leave the Tree while it is sick, for fear of it weakening without my bond, and I have no one else who can be freed. Your appearance here today is indeed fortuitous.”
Souls of the Never Page 18