Insight

by Tina Engel

  Douglas replied, “The Dark One has been hiding his identity for centuries, Emilee. We have suspected different fey, from time to time, but were always wrong, finding out that they were just following another, and we were never able to discover his true identity.”

  It was quiet for a few moments as Lily and Douglas looked at each other. I was starting to think that maybe I didn’t really want to know who this Dark One was, but maybe I had already met this fey.

  As I looked around the room, everyone was waiting but it was Eagle who seemed to be a bit fidgety, pacing, going from the window to the door as if wanting to go somewhere. When he caught me watching him, Eagle went over to where Brett was sitting and leaned against the wall.

  Lily looked around the room at everyone waiting and it was Brett then, who had had enough of the silence and spouted, “Could you please just tell us if you know or not and if you do, who!? We have a right to know!”

  “Emilee, you have met him, in your dream but the appearance that you saw was just a façade. He is still keeping his identity hidden, to all but a few.” Lily paused and then said, “Stephan is one, who knows him.” As she looked to Brett.

  Brett took a deep breath before speaking. I could feel the anger that was covering his pain. “Where do I find my brother, so I can beat the information out of him? Brett said, with such calmness in his voice that it frightened me just a bit.

  Douglas chuckled, he actually chuckled, and told Brett that it wasn’t for him to go off halfcocked and get himself into trouble, just to get the chance to beat up his brother. It wouldn’t help anything and he might get himself killed.

  Lily mumbled under her breath, “And that would change everything.”

  Brett started to speak again, but this time with bitterness in his eyes and Douglas stood up and bellowed louder than I had heard before, “Brett you will sit down and shut up! You have a role to play, but so does he. If you interfere with this, then all will be lost. Keep your cool and do your duty, by Emilee. That is your job and your responsibility, only to get her to a certain place and then she must go alone.”

  Douglas had a look of sadness then and Brett sat down, but had a look of hate on his face. Douglas said then in a compassionate tone, “Your job is important, but Stephan is a part of this too, it was written a long time ago. This is all I’m going to say now about this.”

  I could feel Brett’s pain and anger, still seething deep down. He didn’t hide it from me, didn’t shut me out. He looked up at me and I saw the fear in his eyes, and heard his thoughts, “I don’t want to lose you.”

  I got up, went over to him and touching his cheek, I said, out loud for all to hear “You won’t, I won’t let it happen.”

  I went back to my chair, as everyone watched and wondered, I was sure, what that was all about, but looking at Lily, she knew. Lily knew and understood much more than she let on.

  “Lily, please tell me who you were talking about, when you said that he was interfering again? And Rose, what is all of this about Rose?” I questioned.

  “You don’t need to worry about him, interfering again, anyway. If he does, he will feel the full power of my wrath, not just my annoyance next time. As for Rose, let her sleep for now. Know that she isn’t in pain and she wants you to focus on your quest. It will all make sense in the end, but we must make it there in time.” Lily said.

  I didn’t want to let it go, about Rose, I was so worried and wanted her by my side. Her strength and sassiness was so comforting to me, but I let it go because I had yet another important question to ask and wasn’t sure if they would answer it or if they even could.

  “Who am I or better yet, what am I?” I asked. “How am I supposed to fix this?”

  “You, Emilee, are not just human or fey, and you know this, deep down inside, so I can tell you without you freaking out.” Lily said with a chuckle and I had to smile. She was right, I did know this, somehow, somewhere along the way, I knew.

  I nodded my head, agreeing, and looking at Brett, he had known it too. I wasn’t upset with him, he had to let me discover this on my own.

  “What am I then, and how can I fix this?” I asked, and Angelina, took my hand in hers, squeezing it softly and said, “With our help.”

  “Yes...” Lily said, “To a point, and then you must finish alone.”

  “But, what am I?” I asked again.

  I knew that I could turn fire red, and now a silver white. With my shield I could protect myself and those around me, and with the ring, given to me by Trevor, I could heal others. The diamond let me stay in contact with the underworld, rocks and lava, and I now had wings. I had needed pixie blood for a while but those cravings were gone, and I only wanted Brett’s.

  Lily smiled and said simply, “You are you.” And at that she continued with the information I needed.

  “That place you dream of, the things you have seen there, are possibilities of the future, but everything must fall into place just right, in order for that to happen. You have seen many different versions of your future, both dark and light and everything depends on your choices, the path you choose to take.

  “I can tell you only so much, but you, Emilee, will be the one to make the decisions and face the consequences, and so must we, with the choices you make.”

  “Where is this place I see in my dreams?” I asked.

  Lily just smiled and told me that I would find it when the time was right.

  It was Douglas who spoke then, before I could question Lily any further concerning my dream world.

  “Emilee and Brett, it is time.” Douglas said as he looked towards Brett.

  Brett turned away from the window and came over to us, and pulling a chair next to me, sat down. When Brett got up, Eagle went over to the window and gazed out, seemingly more interested in what was out there than what Douglas had to say.

  I had an odd feeling about Eagle. Something was wrong, I could feel it, ever since he rejoined us after his injuries when we battled with Stephan and his band, in the goblins’ village. I could not get distracted with this now, though, or should I?

  Douglas continued, “The city of Bermuda is large, with many places that haven’t been inhabited in years. Proteus has kept these places locked, forbidding anyone from entering.

  “Yes, Emilee, he still thinks you are his daughter, well he wants to believe it anyway, and wants you back to rule beside him. He suspects you are the one and wants you there to help him protect his city and people, when the Dark One succeeds.

  “Proteus believes there is no stopping the Dark One, and will make as many deals with him as he can to keep his little piece of Terrafirma safe. With you by his side, he feels that he can do this.

  “He knows that the Dark One wants you, but believes with your powers and his, you both together can keep him out of Bermuda, anyway.

  “We, the council, have strung Proteus along with the belief that we were bringing you to him, but he now knows that we have all along known his plans and kept you from him, long enough for you to acquire your strength and abilities.

  “Angelina was our way into his city and into Proteus’s life from the beginning, when she was sent by the elders, being with child.” Douglas said, as he looked to Angelina.

  I looked to her also and she had a look of sadness, and acceptance and I realized she had known this for some time.

  I asked her, “Did you know from the beginning, when you first left the elders and the lady led you to Bermuda? Did you let them take me away from you, did you do this on purpose? I don’t understand.”

  Angelina, brought my hand to her lips, kissed it softly and told me that she was told the night I was born why she had been brought there, to Proteus. The lady had come to her again, explaining her role in this deception, to keep Proteus thinking that he had the council fooled. All the while, Angelina could search the city until she found the doorway that must be closed.

  “Proteus knew of the doorway, had it hidden from all, for centuries. It was his father, Poseidon
, who first discovered the doorway, deep under the sea, in the humans’ world, and working with the elders’ consent, had the city of Bermuda built and put his son, Proteus, there to protect the doorway and keep it closed.

  “At some point, Proteus became poisoned by the Dark One, no one knows exactly when or how, but the council learned of Proteus’s joining with him, and his work to cause destruction and chaos in the humans’ world.

  “Angelina found it.” Douglas said, “Just before Proteus suspected she wasn’t who he thought she was, and we knew that we had to get her out of there.”

  Angelina, still holding my hand said, “Emilee, we had to keep you safe, that much I knew, but it was the hardest thing I have ever done, letting you go. Your safety though, was all I cared about. I willingly helped the council, played the role I was destined for, I am a member of the council after all, even though they kept secrets from me as well.”

  She looked at Jordan then with sadness and longing in her eyes and said, “I was told you were dead, they lied to me too. I have forgiven the deception and I understand the elders’ worries. If we each knew the other was alive, would we still cooperate and be able to pretend, in order to carry out this scheme, to find the hidden doorway and close it? Would we be able to keep hidden the fact that we knew that Emilee was our child and that she was the one to save us all from him? It was too much to risk.”

  Angelina turned away from Jordan, his anger apparent, and looking at Douglas, she said, “Is this lady who has visited me so many times, my true mother? And if so, why has this been so secretive? Wouldn’t it have been easier if I had known all along?”

  Douglas answered, “No Angelina, knowledge can sometimes get in the way. We needed you to believe completely until the night Emilee was born. We couldn’t take any chances, we needed this plan to work. We have tried many other ways, but lost in the end.”

  Douglas looked to Brett then and said, “We had to make this as real as possible. That’s why all of your lives have worked out the way they have, and why certain fey and humans have come into your lives. It was all planned a long time ago. There could be no errors this time.”

  Lily continued, “The Dark One has been right there every step of the way, knowing things, that we thought were kept secret, but we have been able to distract him, so to speak, at times.

  “The Dark One somehow found you, Emilee, and sent Stephan to evaluate your growth process. For those years you were with Stephan, we the council were in the dark as to what was really going on with you. We could get glimpses of you as we told you, so we knew you were still where you needed to be. But until Stephan left you alone, we had no idea that the Dark One was so close to our every move.

  “We still didn’t know it was Stephan who was with you for those years, until that night when Brett saved you from him, and then all the pieces fell into place and we discovered just how close the Dark One was and is. He seemed to have blocked our view somehow, keeping Stephan’s role a secret. Oh, we did know that Stephan had a role to play, but we didn’t know about this time frame.”

  Brett then began to talk, but more to himself than to the rest of us. “Stephan’s father died, but Stephan always blamed my father and me.” He then looked directly at Douglas and asked, “Did he really die?”

  “Brett, this isn’t the time or place for this. You and Emilee must go down to the city and close the doorway.” Douglas said quietly.

  “This is the time, Douglas, I want to know, was my role planned for me all along?” Brett spouted.

  Douglas had a look of frustration but calmly answered, “Brett I don’t really think you need to know, but fine, Stephan’s father was working for the Dark One, long ago. No he didn’t die, he disappeared when the elders found out. Your father…”

  Douglas paused and Brett bellowed, “What about my father?”

  “He was sent to your village to try and find out where Stephan’s father might have gone, hoping that we could figure out exactly who the Dark One was. Your father was then given the task of courting your mother. Your task of helping Emilee was set forth before you were born.”

  Douglas looked at Lily and continued. “It was all written in the stars, I guess you could say.”

  He looked back at Brett and grumbled, “Now you know and we can discuss it more later, but for now, put that anger that you are feeling to good use, get Emilee down to the city, find the doorway and help her close it. Then, when this is all over, you can strike me, since I know that is what you want to do!”

  I looked at Lily and asked before Brett could spout off again and get us side tracked, “Is Stephan’s father the Dark One?”

  Lily smiled with sadness in her eyes, and said, “No child, the Dark One has been around a long time.”

  When Lily called me (child) again, I knew, I knew who she was and as our eyes connected, she knew that I knew, and I then understood.

  “Who sent the creature to poison me? I asked.

  Douglas stood up in a huff, tired of the questions, I was guessing, but I was going to stand my ground. I stood too, wings out stretched again, staring at him with my arms crossed over my chest.

  “If you want me to go down and shut some stupid doorway, I have a right to know where it opens into, what place? And I deserve to know who is after me, trying to stop me from closing the doorway and taking me for their own?” I said calmly, but with a harsh tone.

  Lily reached out and took Douglas’s hand pulling him back down to sit at the table.

  Lily continued then, “There is a place I can go to see everything below, a quiet place to view all paths. I suspected who it was, but I had to know for sure who sent the creature too soon, who was wanting to rush your transformation.

  “The one who sent the creature to put the venom in you, to speed up your transformation, can go to this place also. There are only a few who can go there, and I dealt with him.”

  “Who?!” I asked more aggressively than I planned.

  “It isn’t necessary for you to know this, it makes no difference in your quest, but if you must know so we can move on, it was Poseidon. Since the doorway is in his seas and he has been responsible for protecting it and keeping those who dwell on the other side, out, he feels that he has the right to interfere just a bit. But he must not.”

  Lily looked at Douglas then and changed the subject, saying, “You found the one who has been his eyes, here on the ship?”

  With a sadness on his face, Douglas said, “I believe we have it figured out, but let’s discuss it later.”

  Douglas bent down and kissed Lily on the cheek and I saw her differently, for a moment, and then it was Lily, my Lily, who put a hand up to Douglas’s face, touched his cheek saying, “Now, now, let’s have none of that. You will ruffle my fur.”

  “Who?” I demanded. “Who is on this ship and working for Poseidon?

  Before they could answer this, I stood up and said, “It doesn’t matter, I want to see Rose. I need to see her before I go down to Bermuda. I saw her in my room when I woke from my dream.”

  Well that brought a shocked look to everyone’s faces, except for Lily’s.

  “She isn’t dead and I need to see her.” I pleaded, looking from Lily to Douglas.

  Douglas looked at me with a strange expression on his face and I knew then, that Rose was the one they suspected, the one working with Poseidon.

  “No.” I whispered. “She wouldn’t.”

  Brett came over to me as I stood, knocking my chair over behind me. I turned as he grabbed hold of my shoulders, and a strange dizziness took over. He was there in my mind and knew what I was thinking.

  Brett looked over my shoulders at Douglas and asked if it was true, had Rose been working for Poseidon all along?

  Douglas explained that they were still not sure, but she may have been, unintentionally. The pixie that Rose became close to on Captain Adam’s boat, on Lake Erie, they believed to be working for Poseidon, and Rose, not knowing and trusting him, may have given information to him. This f
ey now, was nowhere to be found.

  I told them I had to see her at once, and turned, jerked out of Brett’s arms and headed to the door. I stopped then and turned, realizing that I had no idea where she was.

  Lily came to me, took my hand and led me out the door, down to the very bottom of the ship. Behind a locked door in the very back, was Rose. She was in a glass box, filled with what looked like smoke or fog. I went to the box and touched it. It was cold as ice.

  I looked at Lily as she came to me, and she told me that this box was the only thing, along with my special gifts, that was keeping her here with us and stopped the deterioration of her physical body.

  As I looked back down at Rose, she turned her head towards me, opening her eyes, and reached up to put her hand on the glass against my hand. She smiled and I heard her say, in a whisper, that everything would be okay.

  I looked around at everyone and they didn’t see it. Was I seeing things? I was the only one who saw Rose looking at me with her hand against mine. When I looked back, she was as she had been, laying still with her hands down at her side, eyes closed in the cold box.

  “Don’t I need my gifts to succeed in closing the doorway?” I asked as I looked at the diamond resting on Rose’s chest.

  “We think it’s best to keep the diamond there with Rose. If Kimberlite…” and Lily let the silence take over the rest of her sentence as she looked at Brett.

  Brett finished her sentence with a strange calmness, “is under the spell of the Dark One, he is better left there with Rose. He and the lava pebbles are helping to keep her here with us, so let’s let him do something good. We will figure the rest out later.”

  I looked back down at Rose and at the cameo and said, “But I need the cameo and the ring. I can’t close the doorway for good, without them.” And I looked up then at Lily. “I don’t know why, but I know I need them. Please Lily.” I pleaded.

  Lily put a hand to my cheek and smiling, told us all to leave the room. She would meet us up on deck; that it was time to get this done.