Elixir of Eve: The Keepers, Book One - A Fae Series

by Alex Temples

  “We’re staying near the Buritaca River. There are some natural pools where you will all be able to enjoy swimming. It’s the second day that’s the hardest. We will hike for at least eight hours.” Sergio glanced around, waiting for questions.

  “Eight hours, huh? That’s a hell of a hike. Can’t we just take a helicopter?” Sam blurted out, earning a few chuckles.

  Sergio shook his head. “Unfortunately, the government forbids helicopters in that region these days.”

  “Even though we’re here on a public health mission in the middle of what could be a global pandemic?” Brin interjected, a note of scorn creeping into her voice.

  Aiden’s stomach knotted. He really couldn’t have them diving too deep into the nature of the so-called public health crisis, especially when they were liable to ask questions to which he hadn’t yet come up with answers. Damn her for being so inquisitive. This wasn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped.

  Thinking on his feet, he decided to try humor. “Well, the Colombian government isn’t necessarily known for being easy to work with on matters of drug development.”

  The group chittered and he attempted to steer the conversation in another direction. “Sergio, you were saying that the second day is particularly long. Can you tell us what type of terrain we can expect?”

  Sergio looked happy at the change of subject. He nodded. “Sure thing. Well, this is not a technical trek. You won’t need any gear for rock climbing or anything like that. The greatest challenge is going to be the heat and humidity. You will sweat a lot, so it’s important that you are continuously drinking water to avoid dehydration.” He met each person’s eyes as he made this point.

  “The terrain is varied, there are spots where we are hiking through fields and over hills, and then there are steeper spots, areas where we must cross the Buritaca River. The trail winds into more traditional rainforest eventually. There will be bugs, lots of them. You will want to use a bug spray with at least 50% DEET.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle to show them. “None of that all natural crap with citronella or essential oil. It won’t work well and you’ll find yourself covered in mosquito bites.”

  Brin interjected. “What are the sleeping arrangements like?”

  Sergio flashed her a charming smile. “Well, that depends on what you’re in the mood for.” He winked, causing a blush to spread up her neck to her cheeks. Aiden felt suddenly jealous and he cleared his throat.

  Catching Aiden’s sharp eye, Sergio snapped back to business. “As I was saying – camp should be more than adequate. There are several camps with toilets, clean water and sleeping quarters. They all have either hammocks or cots, both with mosquito nets. My men will bring blankets, cooking supplies and other necessities. We’ll take two mules with us to carry these supplies, to avoid weighing down everyone’s packs.”

  Brin sighed with relief. Sam giggled with excitement. Aiden reasoned it was probably good Brin had a friend with her. Maybe it would make everything work smoother for him.

  Sergio continued his lecture on trail-preparedness, running through key challenges they’d face and offering tips for trail safety. Aiden thought most of it fell on deaf ears. The group was growing increasingly intoxicated.

  “It is the rainy season, so expect that it will be raining or you will be wet for most of the trip.”

  Aiden wondered how his mother had selected these men and what they’d been paid for their time. The waitress arrived then, interrupting Sergio’s lecture and Aiden’s musing.

  She set down several steaming platters.

  Aiden examined the food with anticipation. The smell of meat and spices rose from the dishes. Anticipation crackled in the air. Comments over the food sounded around the table, interspersed with sighs of appreciation.

  The Colombians certainly knew how to eat. The feast included fried plantains, fish, arepas, rice, shrimp and yams. The waitress set down a final blue ceramic bowl and bent towards Aiden to be heard over the boisterous group.

  “The chef sent this dish with his compliments. It is called cayeya, and is one of his favorites.”

  Aiden peered down into the bowl. The rich smell of garlic and onion wafted from what looked like a heap of smashed bananas, tomato and onion. He smiled.

  “Gracias, Senora. We will enjoy this very much. Is it made from bananas?”

  Her lips curved into a smile. “Si, senor. It is made with guineos, a type of green banana. You are supposed to sprinkle the queso costeno on top.” She gestured to a small dish with white cheese crumbles. “And the butter.” She added, nodding to another bowl.

  “Wonderful. Please give the chef my thanks.”

  The waitress bowed and disappeared in the direction of the kitchens.

  The arrival of food and the continuous flow of wine gradually relaxed the group. They spent the next several hours laughing and talking as they stuffed themselves on the best cuisine Santa Marta had to offer, finishing with an incredible fruit salad filled with all kinds of exotic fruits Aiden didn’t recognized. It was no wonder there were so many plump mortals, he thought to himself, watching Brin’s face light up with delight at the arrival of a cheese tray with a side of dulce de leche dipping sauce.

  “It’s getting late.” Aiden pointed out, leaning back in his seat with a groan. There was a chorus of agreement around the table and the members of his team made their excuses and bid each other goodnight. Slowly, they began to trickle out of the room.

  Sam mumbled her apologies before disappearing to take a walk with Sergio. Aiden saw it as the thinly veiled excuse to be alone with the handsome Colombian. He winked at her as she passed him.

  She winked back, giving him a purposeful look and glancing to Brin.

  He nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips.

  When they were finally alone, he turned to Brin, swirling his glass of wine in a leisurely motion.

  “It’s just us.” Brin said, glancing around the empty table.

  She seemed suddenly unsure of what to say and Aiden smiled at her shyness. He was about to launch into his rehearsed speech, explaining their true mission when Brin put her hand on his knee.

  They both felt the jolt as she touched him. Startled, he looked up at her, a question in his eyes.

  “Brin.” Aiden’s voice was hesitant, lacking his usual confidence.

  She leaned in. “Yes?”

  He made a move to pull something out of his pocket. Brin looked at him with interest, wondering what he was going to show her.

  Looking over her shoulder and spotting Neil standing in the doorway, Aiden suddenly changed his mind.

  Neil’s arrival appeared to have broken the spell, and Brin straightened in her chair. “It’s late. We should both get some sleep. We hit the trail early.”

  Aiden felt a flutter of disappointment, but he nodded. “You’re right.” And with that the two of them parted ways, turning in opposite directions down the split hall.

  Had Brin looked over her shoulder she would have seen him staring after her, holding in his hand a pendant identical to the one that hung around her neck.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The first light of dawn shone through the trees, casting a rosy glow over the windshield of our car. We were crammed in the back of a rusting jeep with our oversized backpacks, bumping along the winding dirt road towards Machete Pelao. Sam’s coffee kept sloshing out of her thermos and onto my legs.

  “Sam! Please drink some of your coffee so it stops splashing on me. It’s hot.”

  Sam gave me an exaggerated frown before taking a few gulps from the red thermos. “You know I need my caffeine in the morning.”

  “As do I, but you just missed out on half of it. I know, because I’m wearing it. Drink faster. This vehicle wasn’t designed for leisurely sipping.”

  Sam laughed and looked around us. The jeep was at least twenty years old, with a worn leather bench seat and a large cargo space in the back. In the front seat Sergio sat with the driver he’d hired to take us
to Machete, where we would begin hiking.

  A rosary hung from the rearview mirror, the colorful beads sparkling in the sunlight as we bobbed along the country road.

  “We’re almost there, ladies.” Sergio called back, hearing our complaints.

  “Thank god for that.” Sam complained. “I’m dying to stretch my legs.”

  Sergio smiled, glancing back at Sam’s legs, which were bare save the tiny white shorts she wore.

  “You’ll have plenty of time to stretch your legs over the next few days. Enjoy sitting on a cushion for the last time.”

  There was an intimacy between them that hadn’t been there last night and I smiled to myself as I looked out the window.

  We were surrounded by tropical vegetation. Flowering plants dotted the towering walls of greenery on each side of the road. The jungle teemed with all manner of fauna. Colombia was one of the top four richest countries for biodiversity. Lying in bed last night, I’d read there were over 1800 species of birds and I looked forward to seeing some on our trek. I’d had trouble sleeping as worry for Oren kept me in a constant state of alertness.

  Being in nature helped me relax. I soaked in the peace around us, knowing it wouldn’t last. This country boasted rainforests, mountains, tropical glaciers, plains and coastlines, as well as myriad rivers and streams. There was even desert terrain. Few places on earth could compete with Colombia when it came to the spectacular outdoors.

  I’d always wanted to visit, for this exact reason. My work involved identifying chemical compounds and genes in tropical plants that could be used to develop medications for some of the world’s deadliest diseases. I worked mostly from a database of chemical compounds that had been compiled over time. It was the collective knowledge of many years of scientists sharing their findings on the efficacy of chemical compounds found in plants and animals in treating symptoms or disease processes.

  Never had I gone into the wild to locate the plants myself. I felt a thrill at the prospect of doing something so dangerous and out of character. I was doing this to save Oren, but I’d also strive to learn as much as possible while I was out in the wild so I could take that perspective back to work with me. I had hopes I could apply what I’d learned towards my work speaking out against bioprospecting.

  My frown deepened as I thought about the darker side of pharmaceutical research. Bioprospecting was a growing problem. Companies ventured into the wild and systematically searched for products from nature that could be economically prosperous. These companies often devastated the local environment, robbed knowledge from indigenous peoples and exploited economic problems in local communities. Indigenous and local communities received an unfair or non-existent share of benefits from the knowledge these companies gained developing drugs.

  The thought angered me. There was so much to be found in the natural world, particularly in the rainforest. To avoid destroying the very plants and animals that could cure deadly diseases like cancer, we needed to develop a sustainable approach to research and exploration.

  A Blue Macaw flew across the road.

  "Ohhh, wow." Sam said, laughing with delight.

  “Beautiful.” I agreed, staring in awe as two other birds joined the first.

  After two hours of jolting, bumpy roads, we began climbing a winding mountain road. Thirty minutes later, the jeep pulled into a dirt lot. The sign read, Macheta Pelau.

  A small group of men stood around the front of another jeep, laughing and chatting as they unstrapped bags from the top of the vehicle. Two donkeys with large pack rolls on their backs appeared to be the lucky recipients the cargo on top of our jeep. This was it. Excitement fluttered in my belly and I eagerly opened the door and hopped out.

  “Good Morning, ladies.” Diego greeted us, strapping another saddle bag to the donkey’s growing load.

  “Good Morning.” I echoed, looking around the dusty road for Aiden.

  We’d reached a break in the towering trees and I could see fields with smaller plants and shrubbery. Children played soccer in a nearby field. There was no sign of Aiden.

  “I see you ladies are ready to get going.” Diego called, glancing over us.

  We’d both changed into lightweight shorts and tank tops, paired with sturdy hiking boots.

  “You bet.” Samantha crowed, hopping down from her perch on the tailgate of the jeep. “When can we leave?”

  Sergio came around the driver’s side and gestured towards the donkeys. “It looks like we’re still getting packed, but we should be leaving in the next 30 minutes. He raised an eyebrow at Diego in question.

  Diego nodded. “That sounds good. Aiden and Neil should be back by then.”

  “Where did they go?” I asked.

  “To collect their equipment.” Diego answered, helping Sergio pull our duffle bags out of the Land Cruiser and tossing them on the pile.

  He flashed a dashing smile. “Who wants to help pack a donkey?”

  ###

  Aiden and Neil appeared shortly, leading two additional donkeys packed with equipment. At the same time, another group of men, who I assumed to be the team Aiden had mentioned, appeared from the other direction.

  Without much conversation, we set off. Aiden hiked with Neil. They had their heads together the whole time, discussing something with great focus, so Sam and I spent the hour shuffling through the dust, talking with Diego and Sergio.

  Despite the sweltering humidity and the gravity of our mission, I found I was enjoying myself. The scenery was beautiful and much more varied than I’d anticipated. We wove our way in and out of the trees as we made our way deeper into the hilly countryside. Soon enough, the soil became a deep red under our feet and I began to see all kinds of interesting bugs.

  At one point we passed a dead snake. Sergio told us it had probably been killed by a predator. Staring at the shriveling carcass, I shivered in the hot, July heat. I hated snakes.

  An hour into the hike we came to a river crossing. I breathed a sigh of relief, shifting my pack restlessly on my back. With the humidity, it felt like it was over 100 degrees. The cold water looked very inviting.

  The river was wide and appeared to be several feet deep. Large stones poked out of the water, the tops worn smooth by the constant flow of the river. Towering trees crowded the banks, their winding vines cascading downward, where green tendrils lapped at the water’s surface.

  I could see downriver on either side. Over our heads, a thick, black cable ran from one bank to another. From it, hung a rusting metal cage, suspended over the water. I examined it with interest.

  “What’s that?” I pointed upward.

  Sam wandered over to take a closer look.

  “That cable car is for crossing the river when the water level is high.” Sergio said.

  I raised an eyebrow. It looked worn, the metal rusted in several places. I’d certainly think twice before crossing the river in that.

  “How high does the water get?” I asked.

  Sergio pointed to the stones. “When the stones are still showing like this, the water is only two feet deep. We usually have hikers wearing shoes cross at the stones so they don’t have to walk in wet shoes for the rest of the journey. When the water is low like this, those wearing sandals just walk across. Depending on your height, the water typically doesn’t get past your waistline.”

  He turned and pointed to the cable car. “This is used during the rainy season, which we are in right now, though the rain has been light the past few weeks. That’s why the water is still low. Unfortunately, just because the water is low now, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Sometimes, a sudden rush of water comes down the mountain without warning. A few weeks back, the water came as a group was crossing by the stones.”

  Sergio’s expression grew solemn. “We found the body of the nineteen-year-old hiker 100 yards downstream. It took two days to wash up on the bank.”

  “That’s terrible.” I said, looking at Sam, who was suddenly silent. A tingling on the back on my neck told me Aiden
’s eyes were on me. I turned to meet his gaze.

  “We would never let anything happen to you.” His lips twisted in amusement. “Never fear. We’re no ordinary hiking group.” His warm breath tickled the back of my neck as he leaned in. “Besides that, you’re no ordinary woman, Brin Yates”

  Shivering, I glanced around the group, all of whom were looking away as if they hadn’t seen Aiden’s intimate gesture.

  “Well, let’s get across. The sooner we get to camp, the sooner everyone can start drinking and playing cards.” Aiden joked.

  His comment broke through the tension. The men laughed and began pulling the donkeys towards the river.

  Sam and I stood, staring after them. It wasn’t until Neil spoke I remembered he was behind us. “Come on, ladies. I’m sure the cold water will be a welcome relief from the heat.”

  I walked directly into the river after the others, sighing with pleasure as the cool water hit my calves and thighs. I wanted to sit down and let it wash away the dust and sweat of the day. I was dirty, and grimy and bone tired.

  Standing in the middle of the river, the water lapped at my stomach. I decided I didn’t particularly like hiking, at least not in the sweltering, oppressive humidity. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear them shouting at me, until it was too late.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Royal Council Chambers

  Aelwen

  Aelwen sat at the head of the council table, reading Neil’s report. It seemed the girl was cooperating with them so far. If only that were enough. For their mission to succeed, she would have to accept who she was and embrace magic. Aelwen worried it was too much for one person to come to terms with in the short window of time they had to fortify the wall.

  The heavy, oak doors to the council chambers sprung open. Tristan stormed into the room, several people, including Eirian and Nia followed closely behind.

  “We were attacked.”

  Tristan looked tall and golden, his eyes filled with carefully controlled rage as he crossed the room towards her. A large cut ran along the side of his face. Crimson blood ran down his neck, staining the collar of his formerly crisp, white battle robes. Fabric hung in tatters where it had been slashed open.