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

by Alex Temples

  I listened with rapt attention as Aiden translated, nearly falling off my seat as I leaned forward.

  “The Spanish thought the Tairona must be a people with vast treasures if they were so willing to throw them carelessly into a lake. In the villages they looted, they saw all the Tairona families had gold. There was no starvation in any of the places they lived. All the people were well-fed and cared for. It was obvious to them that they’d encountered a wealthy people and these white men in their metal clothes wanted the wealth for themselves.”

  The old man paused, waiting for Aiden to finish translating. He rubbed his chin with a weathered hand, looking at me as if he could see straight into my soul. I stared back, calmly and without expression. The old man nodded, acknowledging my challenge. The story continued.

  “One of the Tairona elders had a vision that showed Cristobal’s men coming for them. They knew it meant the end. He saw his tribe decimated, their villages burned and their people murdered. On the day he was supposed to become the new leader of the tribe, he made sure all the Tairona gold was out of the reach of Cristobal’s men. Then, as they’d done many times before, the tribe met at the lake to crown what would be their last leader. The great chief knew the tribe guarded a treasure far more precious than any of the gold and emeralds the Spanish craved”

  I listened eagerly, in awe of the fact that I was hearing this version of a story I recognized from elsewhere. The old man was telling us the legend of El Dorado. I sensed we were nearing a part of the story no mortal outside the tribe had ever heard. I leaned forward, impatient to hear the end.

  “What else were they guarding?”

  Aiden didn’t need to translate, the old man understood what I wanted to know and continued.

  “The Tairona were the Keepers of the gates between worlds. Little did the Spaniards know, they were protecting mortal from fae. So, they sought to destroy them in an attempt to gain mortal treasure. The Tairona held golden tablets, said to be inscribed with magic – magic that could be used to fortify the wall, to tear it down or to inoculate mortals against the magic in the Eden air.”

  Aiden translated quickly, his voice full of excitement and then a sudden realization. It was he who spoke first.

  “They weren’t after the gold.” He said it in a whisper.

  I realized then he hadn’t known about the tablets, that he too was hearing this part for the first time. I knew suddenly what this meant. The old man sat patiently, watching us.

  “It wasn’t a mere mortal in search of gold.” I said in an awed voice, considering the implications.

  “Gethin.” Aiden spat the name. “Gethin was trying to get the tablets even then, to bring down the wall.”

  At this revelation, Aiden and I looked at each other, both seeking answers in the other’s eyes. Finding none, we turned to the old man.

  Aiden asked the question I was too afraid to consider. “What happened to the tablets?”

  The old man spoke only one word. “Guatavita.”

  Aiden and I looked at each other and then back to the old man, who spoke slowly, this time in Spanish so I could understand.

  “You will find what you seek at the Lake where the king ceremony was performed. The tablets can only be revealed to one who is worthy, descended from a keeper of the gates.”

  With that the old man stood with a flourish. He was finished. He looked to us both once more and then stood and walked away.

  We sat silently, feeling the eyes of the Kogi upon us, the weight of the responsibility on our shoulders. I understood what I needed to do.

  “The tablets will tell us how to make the elixir to cure Oren and the others.”

  Aiden nodded, his expression serious. “Yes, or it will tell Gethin how to bring down the walls entirely.”

  “We must find them first.” My voice was hard, determined. Before we could make the elixir, we had to find the plant, and we were running out of time.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  I hefted my pack over my shoulder, trying to ignore the dull ache in my in my spine. The late afternoon sun beat down on us with a ferocity I didn’t think possible. Sweat trickled down the middle of my spine, soaking my thin tank top and sports bra.

  Yesterday’s rain was evaporating, and the air was heavy with moisture. As we mounted yet another hill on our final leg to the lost city, I felt as if I were walking in a cloud. Aiden walked in front of me, while Diego and his men brought the donkeys up behind us.

  I hadn’t slept well last night, tossing and turning with thoughts of how we were going to find the plant and the tablets. I spent thirty minutes talking with Sam and my father after Aiden and I had arrived back at camp. Sam had been treated and discharged and she was now camped out in Oren’s hospital room.

  Luckily enough, thanks to Sergio’s quick action with the antivenin, she would suffer no lasting effects from the snakebite. I’d welcomed this news with a sigh of relief, quickly asking how Oren was doing.

  My father had been quiet when he’d spoken to me, assuring me Oren was stable, though he was still in a coma. The doctors said it was best, that his body was preserving energy as he recovered, but I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that wouldn’t go away.

  “How are you doing up there, Brin?” Diego called from behind me.

  I swung around and smiled at the handsome Colombian. “Not too bad, Diego. It’s way too hot, but I think I’m adapting. I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out anymore, but I sure could use a cold beer.”

  Diego laughed and my smiled widened. He had the carefree spirit of youth, balanced by the analytical mind of a scientist. He was still untarnished by the cruelties of life, shiny as a new penny. Ah, the idealism of youth. Perhaps he was a reflection of what I would have become if I hadn’t lost my mother at such an early age.

  Shaking my head to clear the morbid thought, I re-focused my attention on him, having missed whatever he’d been telling me.

  “I’ll make sure we get you a cold beer later, Brin.”

  He winked at me. “When we find the plant, we’ll celebrate.”

  Ah, the plant. He made it sound so easy, as if we were just going to walk right up and spot it.

  “Do you think it’s going to be hard to find?” I asked, more to give him an opportunity to offer his professional opinion than anything. As far as he knew, the plant was growing all over the place as it had been in the photo Aiden had shown us.

  Diego shrugged. “I’ve never had a problem securing a sample like this before. Mistletoe is a very interesting plant though. I’ve been planning on applying for a fellowship with a Washington D.C. lab where I can further delve into my study of parasitic plants.”

  I smiled and nodded. “That’s great, Diego. Washington D.C. is beautiful. I have a friend who works for the Pentagon. He’s always talking about how much he enjoys living there. What better place to go to further your studies? It seems like there are as many research labs in D.C. as there are coffee shops.”

  Diego laughed.

  We chatted about Washington for a few more minutes. I shared some of the things I’d heard from my friend Tomas, tips on where to find a cheap apartment and the best happy hours. Soon enough, the conversation turned back to our task.

  “Mistletoe is interesting. This is a very unusual species, but I think we can assume a few things about it based on what we know about European Mistletoe.”

  Diego nodded. “Yes, you’re right. We know that it prefers to feed on certain species of trees. We’ll start there.”

  Before I could reply, Aiden interrupted. “We’re almost there!” He shouted.

  I spun around to see what he was talking about and realized we’d come to another bridge over the Buritaca river. Wary after our last river crossing, I carefully examined the woven rope railings and the wooden planks that made up the bottom of the bridge.

  It looked like it had seen a lot of years. The worn paint curled in some places and was missing in others. We’d spent the last fifteen minutes w
alking along a cliff face without much shrubbery. The brush here was lush and verdant, thickening with each step we took towards the river.

  “The base of the steps is 30 minutes from this point. The donkeys must stop here.” Arjani called from the back, where he was pulling a bag of pineapple out of a saddle bag.

  Neil chatted with the man leading the mules. If there was one thing to be said about this trek, it was that we were fed very well. Not only were the meals at lunch and in the evening large and delicious, we were offered fruit every few hours as we stopped for breaks. The produce in Colombia was incredibly diverse and I had already eaten several colorful fruits I’d never tried before.

  “Thank you, Arjani.” I smiled as I took the pouch of pineapple slices from him.

  Diego excused himself to answer nature’s call, and I found a rock to sit on as I nibbled on the sweet, juicy pineapple.

  Aiden walked up just as I took a big bite. Juice ran down my chin. I smiled sheepishly at him, using the back of my wrist to wipe my mouth.

  Things were a lot more relaxed here in the jungle. It was something I was growing accustomed to. I didn’t have to wear a mask here. The people I met were without pretense, and despite the weight of my task, something in me had relaxed in a way it never had before. As I stared up at Aiden, who was equally sweaty and dirty, I felt a decade younger.

  “What are you smiling over?” Aiden asked, sliding onto the rock next to me. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re enjoying yourself.” His voice was playful, but there was a note of question in it.

  I considered him for a moment before replying. “You know what? I think I am enjoying myself. I don’t know if that’s inappropriate, given the situation we find ourselves in, but…I haven’t felt quite so carefree…ever.” I sunk my teeth into another chunk of pineapple.

  Shaking his head in amusement, Aiden put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’re almost there. Soon we’ll have our hands on that plant and the real work will begin.”

  I nodded, taking a swig of my water and standing abruptly, ready to get on with it. “You’re right. We should be moving.”

  Arjani, Diego, and Neil moved forward, while the other men waited with the donkeys. Seeing I was ready, Arjani said a few words to the group and we began crossing the swaying bridge.

  When it was my turn, I reluctantly started across, clutching onto the rope sides as I went. It was a rather invigorating feeling, crossing a rope bridge. It certainly got the blood flowing.

  As the wind blew, the bridge swayed back and forth, creaking with each step I took. The water below me rushed over the rocks and swelled, lapping at the banks on either side. There must have been a lot of rainfall recently, I mused, taking the last few steps and breathing a sigh of relief as my feet hit solid ground.

  We trudged on, the air ripe with anticipation. We all looked forward to arriving at Teyuna. Further down the trail, I saw a cluster of men in army fatigues, carrying assault rifles and fell back a few steps in alarm.

  “Don’t worry, Brin. They aren’t here to harm us.” Diego patted me on the shoulder and walked ahead to talk to the soldiers.

  The men greeted Diego like an old friend, and I was embarrassed at my initial fear.

  Diego smiled. “They are with the Colombian army.” He answered in response to my look of curiosity.

  “Oh.” I wasn’t sure how else to respond. It wasn’t every day you saw a national park guarded by soldiers toting M-16s

  Seeing my confusion, Diego chuckled. “After that kidnapping in 2003, the Colombian government keeps a military presence here to ensure the safety of tourists, though there haven’t been any issues in quite a while.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should feel better or not, but I had a job to do, and I supposed it didn’t matter if there was danger here. Greater danger faced me elsewhere. “Okay then, shall we get on with our mission?”

  Aiden, Neil and Diego were chatting in Spanish. I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but I could tell they were talking about me. My Spanish was too rusty to defend myself so I continued in the direction of the park entrance.

  A set of twisting, mossy, stairs wound their way upward into the lush jungle. Branches hung low, creating a canopy over the path. Not waiting for the rest of the group, I mounted the stairs and began climbing. With each step, the forest around me seemed more untouched. Sprawling green trees stood watch on either side of the trail, thick vines hanging down around me.

  The steps were made up of individual stones, fitted into the packed earth. I couldn’t imagine how long it had taken the Tairona to build a staircase like this. It was perfect in the meticulous care with which it had been arranged, and yet there was a wildness to it that spoke to something deep within me.

  The stairs were covered in springy green moss, sprinkled with twigs and pebbles and worn in places where I imagined many men and women had walked before me. The path wasn’t wide at the beginning. It was made to allow one person to pass at a time. I heard the rest of the group following behind me and kept moving, not wanting anyone to break the spell that had fallen over me.

  As we moved along, the path widened in some places, allowing enough room for three people to march next to one another, where in other places it nipped in sharply and you had to take it slowly, so as not to lose your balance and tumble backwards.

  Up we went, silently, steadily. I didn’t have to worry about anyone speaking. We were all too busy trying to catch our breath. The trek up the stairs took thirty minutes. Finally, I could see we were nearing the city. The trees parted and I saw the lower ruins of the city. My jaw dropped in awe.

  Aiden came to stand at my side and I felt a tingle run up my spine. It was hard not to react to his presence. Side by side, we surveyed what lay in front of us. It was smaller than I’d imagined, but no less breathtaking.

  As we wandered further, I noted another group of Colombian soldiers sitting on a stone wall playing cards. It must be tiring hanging out here all day, I mused. The soldiers glanced up and gave us a slight wave. I waved back.

  There were several round circular platforms, raised to different levels. Intricately woven walls formed from thousands of tightly fitted stones surrounded us. Rock paths made of fatter stones wove throughout the complex, twisting from one platform to another. The entire area was surrounded by towering trees.

  I noted wild palms swaying above the highest platform. Coniferous trees and other varieties were clustered beyond the walls. I spotted a cacao tree and moved towards it eagerly. I’d seen cacao trees at botanical gardens before, but I’d never had the chance to view one in the wild. My fingers slid over the bright golden fruit, and I hefted its weight in my palm, careful not to separate it from the vine.

  “I see you’re a chocolate fan.” Aiden commented, a teasing note in his voice.

  “You better believe it.” I replied. “It’s incredible seeing trees like this in their natural habitat.”

  Aiden nodded his understanding. “One of the great downsides of living in your concrete jungle.”

  I nodded sadly. It was true. Though I loved New York, it wasn’t the best place for a nature lover. I shook off the thought and decided to focus on the task at hand.

  “Well, let’s find that plant.”

  “Don’t you want to hear about the city?” Arjani had snuck up behind us, and I jumped a foot in the air at the sound of his voice.

  “I’m sure she does, Arjani. She meant we would begin looking for the plant after you have told us about the history of the city.”

  I resisted the urge to shift impatiently. Instead, I smiled at Arjani and nodded my agreement. “Please, do tell us about the city.”

  This seemed to please him, as his mouth stretched into a wide smile and he launched into what sounded like a practiced speech.

  “In 800AD, the Teyuna began to lay the foundation for what would become a large civilization for the time, with between 4,000 and 10,000 people living on a ridge that sat about 4,265 feet high in a v
alley near the Buritaca river. They had a series of advanced drainage systems and bridges that have kept the city in remarkable shape over time.”

  He went on to tell us about the structures we were looking at, gesturing here and there as we walked around the stone platforms. I was fascinated by how much of the civilization was still buried under vines and foliage. Once he finished his lecture on the Tairona civilization, he released us to wander around the site.

  Neil and Diego were in the midst of a fierce discussion about where to set up their mobile lab, so Aiden and I wandered around the edges of the city, surveying the trees as we went.

  “Do you have any idea where we need to start looking?” I asked, plucking a leaf from an overhanging plant and examining it closely.

  “Not a clue. That’s why I brought you.” Aiden said, winking at me.

  I laughed. “Great. So, you have no idea what the plant looks like, but you think it is around the stone circles?

  He nodded. “Exactly.”

  “It sounds like I have my work cut out for me.” I said, sighing.

  We spent the next three hours walking in circles, slowly moving further and further out, examining the foliage, combing through vines, searching for some sign of the parasitic plant.

  After doubling back for the third time, thinking we must have missed something, I began to feel frustrated. This was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

  “Brin, you have a call.” Neil called out to me as he crossed a winding path and jogged down a couple stairs to bring me the satellite phone.

  My heart leapt in my throat. Maybe Oren had woken up. I smiled as I took the phone. “Hello?”

  Sam’s voice came over the line. “Brin. How are you guys doing? Have you found anything yet?”