The Cypher Wheel

by Alison Pensy

  Faen took his charge by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “Faedra, you need to fight it. Do not let Savu's essence overtake you. You are stronger than that.”

  “Who says I am, Faen? I have been fighting it with every fiber of my being for months and I'm tired. I'm so flippin' tired.” Faedra closed her eyes and let her shoulders sag. “I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting it. I have all these mean thoughts, all of the time. I'm finding it harder and harder to keep them confined to my head.”

  Faen leaned down and scooped Faedra into his arms, taking her by surprise and earning him a squeal for his efforts.

  “Put me down. We're in the middle of a busy street.”

  Faen gave the Custodian a knowing smile. Faedra narrowed her eyes at him and looked around her. No one was paying them any heed. People were passing by the couple as though they weren't even there. Then Faedra realized. To the passersby they weren't really there. Faen had hidden them with glamour.

  “Well, it's about time,” Faedra snapped.

  Faen's eyebrows rose prompting Faedra to drop her gaze. “Sorry, I'm doing it again, aren't I?”

  Faen gave her a little nod.

  “Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut from now on, coz it's obvious nothing nice is going to come out.”

  Faen turned and started walking down the street, enjoying the feel of his Custodian in his arms.

  “Faedra, everything will work out just fine, you will see. As for right now, we should make our way to the church.”

  “Well, what are you waiting...?” Faedra stopped herself and closed her mouth tight, making a sign with her hand like she was zipping her lips closed.

  Faen smiled as his wings started to beat and they rose above the path.

  They flew over the castle and past the cathedral.

  “Faen, my car is down there.” Faedra pointed at the car park next to the pub they had started the treasure hunt from. She didn't even want to hazard a guess as to how much the parking ticket was going to be now.

  “It is much quicker to fly, Faedra, and time is of the essence.”

  Faedra agreed. The roads around the city were snarled up with traffic. The way to the church, as the crow flies, certainly was a much quicker option.

  They continued on over shops and offices, then apartments and houses. Eventually concrete and brick gave way to trees and fields. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange. It wouldn't be long before they reached their destination. They were almost to the church when Faen felt his charge stiffen in his arms. He looked down, eyebrows wrinkled.

  “We need to make a quick detour,” Faedra said. “I just realized my dad doesn't know what happened, and he'll start to worry. We have to let him know we're okay. I'm not sure what kind of time distortion Drofoz has. We could have been gone for days.”

  “But what about Todmus?”

  “Todmus can wait a few more minutes. He has no idea what's going on anyway. Five minutes is not going to disrupt our plans.”

  “As you wish,” Faen said as he changed direction and headed to the Bennett cottage.

  Henry Bennett was sitting in his arm chair next to the fireplace in the cozy living room of the quaint country cottage Faedra loved to call home. He looked up when he heard the latch on the door chink and his daughter and her Guardian walked in. A smile almost split his face in two.

  “There you are, darling. I was starting to worry,” he said.

  Faedra turned to look up at Faen. “See, I told you.”

  Faedra turned back and smiled at her father.

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Did you have fun at the treasure hunt?” Henry asked. “Did you win the car?”

  Faedra took hold of Faen's hand and led him to the sofa where she plonked herself down and blew a breath upwards that fanned the fringe on her forehead. Faen took a seat beside her.

  “No, Dad. Didn't win the car, got kidnapped instead.”

  “Oh, well, better luck next time,” Henry said.

  Faedra counted in her head. One one-thousand, two one-thousand.

  Henry's eyes grew wide. “What? What do you mean kidnapped?”

  There was something endearing about the way it always took her dad a couple of seconds for the penny to drop.

  “Don't worry, Dad. It's all good. I just wanted to let you know we were okay before we go and tell Todmus we rescued his wife, who, it turns out, isn't actually his wife. It's Vivianna. So we'll be back when we can, and don't worry about us, okay?”

  She got up, Faen followed.

  Henry's jaw dropped. “Princess Vivianna is Todmus's wife?”

  She knew as soon as she said it, that she shouldn't have. Until I get this power under control I really must learn to keep my mouth shut. Faedra thought, then said out loud “Well, kinda sorta.”

  “Darling, you're not explaining yourself very well.”

  She sat down again. Faen followed, again.

  “Well, you see. It's like this, Dad. We got transported with the cypher wheel to the realm where Todmus, it turns out, used to rule. But it got taken over by an evil tyrant sorcerer, called Arawn, who was going to kill Todmus. Todmus escaped, but Arawn captured his wife and daughter and kept them prisoner. We rescued Allora and Skylar and were going to take them to Todmus. But it turns out that Arawn somehow switched Vivianna and Allora. So now Allora is in the dungeons in Azran, Vivianna is in a cave in Drofoz and we're about to go and warn Todmus that his wife isn't really his wife and that it's all a trap.”

  Henry opened his mouth to say something, thought better of it, and closed it again.

  “Got it?” Faedra asked.

  “Not really, darling. But I'm sure you have it all under control.”

  In my dreams, Faedra thought. She gave her dad a reassuring smile, nonetheless. “So, we best be off; got to go save another realm, and all that.” Faedra got up off the sofa and wandered over to her dad. She leaned over and gave him a quick hug. “We'll see you soon. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine.”

  “I know you will, darling. Thanks for stopping in and letting me know what's going on.”

  Faen was holding the living room door open for her when she got there. She was about to walk through it in front of her Guardian when she had another thought. She turned to her dad.

  “Oh, and Faen asked me to marry him.”

  Henry's jaw dropped for the umpteenth time in their five minute visit. He directed a wide-eyed stare of shock and surprise at the Guardian.

  Faen gave him a sheepish grin.

  “See you later, Dad,” Faedra called over her shoulder as she exited the room. Faen followed in haste and closed the door behind him, leaving Henry doing an impression of a fish out of water with his mouth.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “I am not so sure that was a very nice thing to do, Faedra,” Faen said, as he scooped her up in his arms and rose above the driveway.

  “Oh, he'll be fine. It's good to keep him on his toes.”

  “Stop right there!” Henry's voice boomed down the driveway.

  Faen stopped flying, hovered in midair for a few seconds, before turning around and lowering himself and his charge to the ground.

  “Told you,” Faen said with a smirk. Faedra elbowed him in the ribs for his effort.

  Henry hurried up the driveway towards them.

  “You, young lady, cannot drop a bombshell like that on me and just leave,” Henry reprimanded, his face a little flushed.

  “Mr. Bennett,” Faen interrupted. “I am very sorry. It was my intention to ask for your blessing, but it just, well, happened rather suddenly.”

  “Faen, how many times do I have to tell you? It's Henry. Call me Henry.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Faen said as he lowered Faedra's legs so she could stand.

  “Are you telling me, Faen,” Henry continued, “that you actually did something spontaneous?”

  “Um, yes, Sir.”

  Henry slapped him on the back, a big smile curving
his lips. “Well, my boy, there's hope for you yet.”

  Faen gave Faedra a questioning look.

  “That was a compliment, Faen.”

  Faen smiled and inclined his head in his usual gracious manner.

  “Come here, you two.” Henry stepped forward, opening his arms wide. He pulled Faen and his daughter into an embrace. “My little girl getting married,” he said with a wistful air. “This calls for a hug. When you've saved this other planet...”

  “They're realms, Dad,” Faedra corrected.

  “When you have saved this other realm, we will have to celebrate properly. Invite your Uncle and Nicki, and your friends over for dinner. But, for now, come here, you two, and give me another hug.”

  Henry wrapped an arm around his daughter and future son-in-law and squeezed them within an inch of their lives.

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  When Henry pulled back, Faedra could see her dad's eyes glisten. He noticed that she'd noticed and quickly pulled himself together.

  “Off you go, then,” he said, shooing them away with his hand. “Go save a planet...sorry, realm.”

  Faedra gave her dad a warm smile and pulled him in for another hug. “You're the best, Dad. Love you.”

  “Love you, too, darling,” he sniffed.

  Faen scooped Faedra up once again and rose above the driveway.

  “Be careful,” Henry called out, as he watched them disappear from view. Faen having cloaked them with glamour.

  “We will.” Faedra's voice rang out through the darkness.

  ***

  “Well, that's odd,” Faedra said, as she looked around. “Todmus is usually here to greet us by now.”

  “Yes, something is not right here,” Faen agreed.

  Faedra took a step forward and heard the familiar scraping of metal on metal. She loved that noise and knew instinctively that Faen now had his sword held in front of him.

  They were almost to the bushes when she heard it. A disgruntled muttering coming towards them.

  “Well, that's just bloody typical; sit down to eat my dinner and someone decides now would be a good time to visit. When am I ever going to get to eat a meal in peace around here?” The gruff voice grumbled in time with his stunted footsteps that crunched through the leaves.

  A second later, a grumpy little man with a pronounced limp plowed his way through the bushes, head down and head on, forcing Faedra to take a step back, lest she be mown down.

  “You're not Todmus,” Faedra stated in surprise when the little man came to a stop and leveled her with a hard stare.

  “Very perceptive of you,” he said, voice laced with sarcasm. He turned his heavy stare on Faen. “And, you can put that thing away. Do I look like I'm dangerous? Now, what do you want? My dinner's going cold.”

  Faen hesitated a moment before putting his sword safely back in its sheath. “Where is Todmus?” he asked.

  “I dunno, do I? He just disappeared one day and I got lumbered with the gig.”

  “What do you mean he just disappeared one day?” Faedra asked.

  The little man rolled his eyes and huffed out a sigh. “It ain't brain surgery, lady. One day he was here, the next he wasn't.”

  Faedra felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle at his rudeness and held out an arm to stop Faen, who she could sense was growing angry at the way they were being treated.

  “Where did he go?” Faedra continued.

  “How should I know? Do I look psychic?”

  Faedra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, expelling it as she leaned over the little man. The amulet freed itself from her clothing and dangled from her neck as she bent over, swinging like a hypnotic pendulum right in front of the grouchy newcomer's eyes.

  “No, you look like a rude and nasty little man with whom I am quickly losing my patience,” Faedra said, using a page out of her half-sister's book, although, she hated to admit it. Her voice was smooth as silk with deadly undertones.

  The little man's attention fell from the Custodian's face to the amulet that was still swaying gracefully from its chain. His eyes widened a split second before he bowed his head.

  “Please forgive me, my lady,” the man said to the floor, not daring to look up from his low bow. “I did not know it was you.”

  “That's no excuse,” Faedra said, “You shouldn't talk to anyone like that.”

  “Yes, my lady. You are indeed correct, my lady,” the little man said, his face getting pinker by the second.

  Faedra rolled her eyes. “Oh, for goodness sake. Stop with the 'my lady's', will you?”

  The little man, still bowing, looked up at her through his eyelashes, uncertain what to say next.

  Realizing that she now had the upper hand, Faedra's mouth curled up to one side. “What's your name?”

  The little man brought his head up and swallowed. “It's Aberthol, my lady.”

  “Look, Aberthol. I won't mention your rudeness to my father if you can give us any idea where Todmus may have gone.”

  Aberthol stood up, emitting a wave of relief as he did. “I honestly don't know where he went, my lady. But he did leave his cottage in a mess. There were papers and stuff everywhere. It took me ages to clean it up so I could use the furniture.”

  Faedra straightened. “Is it still there?”

  “Yes, my lady. I just put it all into piles and stacked it in the corner for when he came back. I'm hoping he will come back. As you can tell, I'm not really suited as a 'meeter and greeter'.”

  Faedra smiled but didn't comment. “Can you show us those papers?”

  “Yes, my lady. Please follow me.” Aberthol turned and headed into the bushes.

  “You know, this being famous thing has its perks,” Faedra said to her Guardian as they followed Aberthol through the bushes. “Shame it doesn't have the same affect in my world.”

  Faen raised an eyebrow.

  “What? I'm just saying,” Faedra continued.

  Faedra was deep in thought as she followed Faen and Aberthol, who were deep in conversation themselves, to Todmus's cottage. They were halfway across the glade before Faedra thought of it. The ear-splitting whistle she let forth from her lips had Faen jerk to a stop and Aberthol covering his ears. They both turned.

  It was obvious from the strained expression on Aberthol's face that he was biting his lip not to say something derogatory. Faedra had to give him credit; she could only imagine the expletives he would like to throw her way by the look on his face and the energy he was throwing off. After a few seconds he managed to smooth out his features to an expression that less implied his intent to see nasty things happen to her. She made a mental note to ask where her father had found such a distasteful creature to be, what was essentially, Azran's version of a Wal-Mart greeter.

  “What was that for?” Aberthol asked, in a much less confrontational way than Faedra would have imagined.

  Faen raised his eyebrows, waiting for the answer.

  “Hold on a minute,” Faedra answered before putting her fingers in her mouth to blow another whistle. Aberthol covered his ears again.

  The two men followed Faedra's line of sight as she scanned the sky above the tree tops ahead of them.

  “Well, wherever he went, he must have taken Aesti with him,” Faedra said to Faen a few minutes later when nothing materialized in the sky. They continued on towards the cottage.

  Aberthol looked up at the sky for another moment before scratching his head and scuttling after the Custodian. “What is an Aesti?” he asked.

  “It doesn't matter. He's obviously not here.”

  The latch on the door made its familiar chink as Aberthol pushed down on it. The door swung open to reveal a halfhearted attempt at clearing up a complete mess. This wasn't like Todmus, Faedra thought as she and Faen ducked their heads to enter the diminutive building. Todmus was meticulous with his things. His cottage was always immaculate. Not now. The wall that housed row upon row of herbs and other ingredients was in disarray. Faedra wandered over and sto
od in front of the shelves, hands on hips. Half empty jars lay on their sides, the contents spilling out onto the work surface. Odd colored concoctions sat in discarded mixing containers. Faedra picked one up out of curiosity, took a sniff and wrinkled her nose at the stench that wafted from it. Whatever Todmus was up to, it looked like he was starting to get very obsessive about it.

  “It is probably not a good idea to smell anything, Faedra,” Faen said.

  “You've got that right,” Faedra agreed, replacing the foul smelling potion back on the counter. Whatever it was supposed to be, she couldn't imagine it being for anything good. She turned to scan the rest of the cottage. “What were you up to, Todmus?” she mumbled under her breath.

  “Here they are, my lady.” Aberthol interrupted her thoughts, scuttling towards her with his arms full of papers and rolls of parchments.

  “Thanks.” Faedra leaned over and took the pile from him and placed it on the table. “Well, I guess we should try and figure out what he was up to; it might help us figure out where he went,” she said to Faen, who had already joined her at the table. She split the pile in two and handed half to Faen. “Here, you look through these and I'll see if I can find anything in this lot.”

  A few minutes later, Faedra puffed out a breath, which lifted her hair from her forehead. “This is useless,” she said. “I don't understand a word of this.” She licked a finger and leafed through some more pages, finally shoving them aside in exasperation. “None of this is written in English.”

  “It is not Azranian, either,” Faen noted, as he continued to leaf through his pages.

  “Hold on a moment,” Faedra said, pulling the cypher wheel from its pouch and laying it on top of her discarded papers. She pointed to one of the wheels and then to the page Faen had come to a stop at. “It's Ogham, that's why. We're not going to find anything useful in this lot if we can't even read it.”

  A wave of excitement hit Faedra. She turned to see Aberthol, who was staring at the cypher wheel with wide eyed curiosity.

  At Faedra's questioning look, the little man said, “I've seen that before, or something very similar.”