Abby and the Mystic Dancers

by L. C. Miller

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Groaning, Abby opened her eyes. Bright lights had her squeezing them shut again. “Here, drink this. It will help.” Keeping her eyes closed, Abby took the glass. After draining the contents, she handed it back.

  Opening her eyes again, Abby saw the bright lights fade, almost as if she put on shades. “Better?”

  Abby stared at the woman in a green dress sitting beside her. “Um, yeah. Thank you.”

  The woman helped Abby sit up. “What happened to us?” Carly, Ethan, and Aaron were starting to stir as well. Three other women were sitting beside them.

  “All in due time. Let’s wait for the others, shall we?” Nodding rather groggily, Abby tried to stand up. She swayed for a moment before the woman grabbed her arm. “Steady now,” the woman said.

  Another woman spoke up. “Maybe she should stay seated.” Her voice was rather gravelly and low.

  The woman holding Abby smiled. “No, I think she’s fine.”

  A woman in red had just finished giving Ethan the same strange drink. “So you think these four are the ones, do you? They’re rather young.”

  “So were we, dear sister,” the woman in yellow said pointedly.

  Another woman, this one in blue, helped Carly up and said, “Besides, you saw what they did for the tree.” She gestured behind Abby. Turning, Abby’s jaw dropped. Gone was the tough white bark that protected the tree. In its place Abby saw swirling lights of red, blue, green, and yellow.

  “What is that?” breathed Carly, standing next to Abby. Ethan and Aaron joined them, staring in wonder at the lights.

  “It’s the tree the four of you just saved.”

  The woman in red turned back to the one in green. “You win this time.”

  The green lady laughed. “I told you they would come.”

  The women in yellow snickered. “Yes, you did tell us. If only your timing wasn’t so off.” The others laughed as the woman in green grimaced.

  Abby, Ethan, Aaron, and Carly watched the women talk. “Who would have thought it would’ve been more than a thousand years?”

  “Us, if you would have told us what you were doing in the first place,” snapped the woman in red.

  Abby gasped, staring at the woman in green. “You!” The woman gazed at her expectantly. “You were in the Decisionary with me. You knew about the Mystics in the woods.”

  The green woman smiled at Abby, sadness in her eyes. “Yes, that was me. The Mystic Dancers are in my woods.” She didn’t say it like a question.

  “You were in mine,” Aaron stated, his eyes going to the lady in yellow.

  “We were all with you,” the woman in red remarked. Abby then noticed how they all wore the same dress, just different colors.

  “Green, red, blue, and yellow,” she breathed. She looked questioningly at the woman in green. “Are you the Four Who Changed Things?”

  The woman in red rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe they call us that.”

  “Well, what do you expect?” asked the woman in blue. “We did change things.”

  Red disagreed, “No, we didn’t change things, she did!” She pointed at the woman in green.

  Glancing back and forth at the bickering women, Carly whispered, “These are the Four Who Changed Things?”

  The woman in yellow halted the argument and took a step forward. “My name is Kamalie. I was the leader of the Air tribe, before it split up.”

  The woman in red took a step toward Ethan. “My name is Vesta, former leader of the Fire tribe. The one in blue is Vilmaris.”

  Abby glanced at the woman in green. “What is your name?”

  Smiling, the woman said, “Zantara, but my friends call me—”

  “Zanie!” Abby interrupted. “You used to dance for Orn.”

  The four seemed surprised and Zanie smiled. “Orn is still here? How is he doing?”

  Before Abby could answer, Vesta spoke up. “We have other issues to discuss first, I believe. They don’t have a lot of time here.”

  Zanie nodded quickly. “Yes, you’re right. Here, come sit down.”

  Logs appeared, forming a circle behind them. They all sat. “I bet you are all wondering why you are here … why the four of you heard the trees cries and are now here talking to us.”

  Ethan nodded.

  “Look up and tell us what you see,” Valmaris instructed.

  Abby did as she was told and gasped. The sky, while still blue, was streaked with red slits.

  “What is that?” asked Carly, squinting at the red streaks.

  “That would be my spell breaking,” Zanie answered sadly. Ethan, Aaron, Carly, and Abby jerked their faces toward her.

  “What spell?” asked Abby, stunned.

  “How can it be breaking?” questioned Ethan at the same time.

  “My spell,” Zanie replied. “The permanent placement spell as it is called.”

  “Someone who knows how we cast the spell is trying to break the shield that protects our world, your world, from the outsiders,” explained Vesta.

  “But how can that be? You cast that spell more than a thousand years ago. Who could have learned about it?” demanded Abby.

  “She’s a woman with more knowledge about us than she should have. You know who she is,” spoke Kamalie.

  Carly shook her head. “No, we don’t. I didn’t know anyone who knew Mystics existed before Abby.”

  Zanie stared at Abby. “You know who it is, Abby. She took your father from you. She killed your mother.”

  Abby seemed stunned.

  “Cecilia Ridmore?” Aaron questioned, looking at Abby. “She’s the one trying to end things? But she’s locked up.”

  “Is she?” asked Vesta.

  Ethan nodded, but not very convincingly.

  “She has to be locked up,” whispered Abby. “She can’t be out. Mrs. Queenly helped catch her.”

  Vesta smirked. “Yes, and Wielders have never made a mistake.”

  Ethan exploded then. “What is it with you guys hating Wielders? Just because we have wands and you don’t, you hate us? You’re asking Wielders for help, are you not?”

  The fire in front of them erupted, shooting sparks into the air. “Vesta!” Zanie snapped sharply.

  Vesta looked at her calmly. “It’s not me.” They all glanced at Ethan, who stared at the flames. “Learn to control your emotions a little better and you will become a fine fire elemental,” said Vesta, smiling at him.

  “Spells had to have been cast over us for years to hide the magic from the Normals,” whispered Carly.

  Vesta agreed, “They have and still continue to do so.”

  Carly breathed a sigh of relief. “Then we are safe,” she said.

  Zanie shook her head slightly. “I’m afraid not,” she whispered. “When my original spell breaks, any spell cast after it will break as well.”

  “How do you stop that?” asked Aaron.

  “We don’t stop it. We are dead. You four are going to stop it,” Vesta said pointedly.

  “It helps that the Wielders have begun to notice it.” Kamalie glanced back at them, seeing four pairs of frozen, horrified eyes.

  “We stop it?” demanded Carly. “But how do we stop it?”

  “How did we get dragged into this?” demanded Ethan, vexed.

  “Because you four are the ones who saved the tree,” snapped Vesta. Vilmaris laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her. “Only the chosen four could have heard the tree call for aid. Not even the Mystics can hear it. If you had not been here when the tree was attacked, it would not have survived and we ... Mystics around the world would have been dealt a very serious blow.”

  “Why is the tree so important?” asked Aaron, turning to look back at it.

  Abby explained, “It’s the Mystics’ tree of life. It’s what gives us magic. Without it, magic would be uncontrollable and eventually fade out. That’s why it’s so protected. It moves from tribe to tribe every eight years. In a couple of years it will be moved to a different one
.”

  “It’s so much more than that, Abby. It’s also the last tree of pure magic in this world,” Zanie stated.

  “But you didn’t answer how we all got involved,” said Carly.

  Vesta pointed at each of them. “Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. You four are direct descendants of the four elements.”

  Ethan sat back, stunned. “But how can that be? We can trace our family back generations. None of them were Mystics.”

  Vilmaris shook her head. “You’d be surprised … Either way, the elements don’t work like that. It’s not something handed from family to family, but from soul to soul, heart to heart. Usually there are the elder elements teaching the younger ones, but I am afraid there has not been a true descendant of the elements in many years.”

  “So we’re on our own? How do we stop that?” Abby pointed to the red slits.

  “That is not something we can help you with, but we can give you these.” In front of them, four thick, black leather books appeared.

  “If I was one of the elements, wouldn’t my mother have told me?” she asked, confused.

  Zanie shrugged. “She probably didn’t know. Ever since the tribes split, old tales were forgotten. For instance, your wand, Abby. Mr. Herrin burned his hand when he picked it up, didn’t he? And Mr. Cook’s hands suddenly had warts all over them, did they not?” Abby nodded. “For centuries, the elemental magic was protected. Like Abby’s wand, your three wands can’t be touched by another person. And neither can these books. No one else can use them.”

  “Wands? Plural?” asked Carly. “But it’s just Abby’s wand you can’t touch.”

  Kamalie shook her head. “It is not just Abby’s wand that has the protection on it. Now the four of you have it.”

  They took their wands out of their pockets and gasped. “Stones, there are stones on the ends, just like Abby’s,” breathed Carly excitedly. One red, one blue, and one yellow.

  “Oh wow,” murmured Aaron, touching the small yellow gem.

  Abby’s eyes began to drop, and she became tired. “They’re waking up now,” said Kamalie, glancing at Carly. Carly’s eyes had also begun to look sleepy.

  “We’re already awake,” slurred Ethan.

  “Wait, what are we supposed to do with these books?” Aaron’s voice was groggy.

  “Read them,” answered Vesta. The four women and the tree began to fade.

  “Wait—” breathed Abby, but a voice interrupted her.

  “I apologize about your hand.”

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Abby shot up and nearly fell out of the bed. “We’re in Hospital Hall,” she heard Ethan say, sounding surprised.

  The Hospital Hall was adeptly named, for they were in a long corridor with curtains blocking each bed. Aaron was directly across from her. She saw him stretch as if very stiff. Abby tried to stretch as well, but was suddenly aware of a burning sensation in her right hand. “Oh man …” Abby groaned, looking at the white bandages that covered her from fingers to elbow.

  “You’re hurt,” Aaron exclaimed, jumping out bed. Abby heard Ethan and Carly jump out also and round the curtains.

  “What happened?” asked Ethan.

  “I don’t know,” said Abby. She slowly began to unwind the bandages.

  “Should you be doing that?” asked Carly, hissing in sympathy at the red blisters covering Abby’s hand and arm.

  “I want to see what’s wrong with it.” Abby tried to flex her fingers but found it nearly impossible.

  “When did you get burned?” asked Ethan, cringing at the sight.

  The four of them jumped when a door opened. “I see my visitors are awake now,” squeaked the voice of a much older man. He rounded their curtains. Abby almost shielded her eyes from his lime green-and-orange robe. The old man grinned. “I see you four aren’t the worse for wear, and that you took your bandage off. Can you feel it yet?”

  Abby nodded, choosing to look at her arm instead of his tacky robe.

  “This should help with the pain then.” He took a large jar from beside Abby’s bed and smeared a handful of whitish glue on the burns. Fearing the pain, Abby let out a slow breath when her hand went numb. “Give that a few days and you’ll be right as rain.” He finished applying the glue and wrapped it up.

  The door opened again and Principal Bauble came through. She made a face at the other man’s clothes. “Must you wear that here?” she asked.

  The old man appeared astonished she would ask. “But of course! You never know who may try to invite me to dinner.” He shuffled off, leaving the four students confused.

  The principal shook her head and sighed. “Brilliant mind he has, but he is just a bit loopy sometimes. Excuse him, he’s deipnophobic.” At the students’ blank stares, Principal Bauble sighed again. “Fear of dinner conversations.”

  Ethan let out a little snicker. He quickly covered it when Principal Bauble gave him a stern look. “I hope you all are well rested and feeling better. Abby, how’s the arm?”

  Abby shrugged. “Pretty numb.”

  The principal nodded. “If you four are up to it, get dressed and come to the mess hall.”

  Once Carly, Ethan, and Aaron went back to their beds, Abby jumped as her curtain slammed shut. She faintly heard Carly let out a little squeal. Looking down at her arm, Abby wondered how she was supposed to change clothes.

  As soon as she thought it, the curtain whipped back again and an elderly woman stepped through. She helped Abby change her clothes and ushered her into the hall where Carly, Ethan, and Aaron were waiting. Alone, the four of them made their way into the mess hall.

  They heard voices as they neared. Standing in the doorway, the voices ceased and chairs were pushed back. Mr. and Mrs. Herrin, Ms. Richardson, and Mr. Peterson all rushed forward. Enveloped in hugs, the smell of food made Abby’s stomach grumble. The four of them sat at the table.

  Abby was surprised to see the Madam, Esther, Paul, Mr. Spinner, a few council members, and one unfamiliar blonde Mystic in a silver dress.

  The adults were silent while Abby and her friends ate. “Did the tree say anything to you?” asked the Madam, gazing at Abby. Abby could tell one of the council members thought it a stupid question.

  “Trees talking … humph,” one of them grunted. The Madam didn’t spare him a glance.

  Slowly, Abby nodded. “Yes, she did say something to me.” The blonde Mystic moved suddenly. Abby could have sworn she heard the Madam sigh, but when she looked, the Madam hadn’t moved.

  “Our tree actually spoke to you? The unofficial Mystic-Wielder? What did it say?” Hearing this made Abby like this blonde woman less and less.

  Staring back at her, Abby asked, “What would you say if someone saved your life?”

  The woman sat back, raising her eyebrow at Abby, and said nothing.

  “She said thank you,” Carly spoke up.

  The blonde woman seemed stunned, as well as the Madam. “It spoke to you, too?”

  “She,” broke in Aaron. “She spoke to us.” Ethan nodded. Abby couldn’t tell who was more stunned—the Madam or the blonde woman.

  Paul laughed. “There you have it. Our saviors are three-and-a-half,” he paused to wink at Abby, “Wielders.”

  “What’s that mean?” asked Ms. Richardson. “How do those using a wand have anything to do with stopping a tree from burning?”

  The Madam sat back in her seat. “We don’t know. No one has ever had to save the tree. We need to see it again. How did you break the shield?”

  She was talking to the four students, but Mr. Herrin remarked, “I’m not sure they broke the shield. Do you not remember that you shook the ground? That could have easily done it, and since we don’t know when they got to the tree, we can’t say, specifically, they broke the shield to begin with.”

  The four kids didn’t say much else during the rest of the meeting. Abby kept getting the feeling she was being watched, but every time she looked up at the blonde woman, she was talking to someone else. As they were
leaving, Abby asked Paul who she was.

  “That is Scarlett. She’s on one of the elders’ boards from the Flame Callers. Don’t mind her.” Abby saw Scarlett glare quickly at them.

  Heading back to the Hospital Hall, the four of them were silent. “Did that really just happen?” asked Aaron as they stepped into the deserted hall. Abby knew he wasn’t talking about the dinner.

  Ethan answered, “Maybe it was all a dream.”

  “A dream we all had?” Abby asked.

  “What else could it have been? I mean, us stopping some crazy lady from destroying a thousand-year-old spell? I don’t think so,” Carly replied.

  Aaron interrupted Ethan from saying anything further. “Um, guys … I don’t think it was just a dream.” He was staring at his bed. At the thick, black leather book. There was one on each of their beds.

  “Oh man. It was real,” breathed Ethan.

  One week later…

  Abby waited impatiently for them to finish getting ready. All week they had looked over the books, only to learn nothing. “It’s like a history book,” said Ethan. “I like the phoenix spell it talks about.”

  Carter came home when the Mystics invited the families of Ethan, Carly, and Aaron to the camp for a celebration. Footsteps on the stairs brought Abby out of her reminiscing. Brannon and Ethan stepped out in their black dress robes. “Does this work?” Ethan asked, twirling.

  Carter came down afterward. He was also dressed in his best dress robe. He looked at Abby. “We’re not going to be underdressed, are we?”

  Abby glanced down at her black shoes, tights, skirt, shirt, and the yellow belt. “Nope,” she replied, smiling. The doorbell rang and Aaron, Ms. Richardson, Carly, and Mr. Peterson arrived.

  “Ready to go?” asked Mrs. Herrin.

  “Where exactly are we going again?” Mr. Peterson inquired as he loosened his tie.

  “To the Mystic celebration,” answered Abby. They all followed her outside and into the woods.