by J. C. Lucas
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I hugged him as he launched into the air, his wings beating against the wind. Before long, we were so high up that the figures below looked like ants, and I couldn’t tell who was who. I hoped with all my might that my friends were ok and able to hold Freya off without being hurt badly.
I let myself relax for a moment while we glided through the air, the castle looming ever closer. It had been huge when I saw it from the beach, but now it was gigantic. My bracelet glowed an even brighter green than it had been before, radiating warmth. There was no doubt the treasure was there. I just had no idea what I would be facing to get to it.
One thing was for sure though: I was going to do whatever I needed to get this first Key. My group had been hurt, and maybe worse, to get me here. They didn’t question anything, but pushed forward, braving death and injury for me. I had never done anything in my life this important, and I had never had anyone count on me or need me like this. It was an incredible feeling and a terrible feeling all at once. But I would do this for them.
Looking again at the bracelet, the tattoo above it caught my eye. The black lines of the Unalome glittered in the sun, and I thought back to what Aine had told me. I knew that I was transforming with each new experience, and no matter how scared I felt at the unknown, this was a journey I had to take.
We were almost to the castle when Charlie looked back at me in mid-flight. “I’m going to drop you off on the shore, then I have to get back to Emric. He and the others need me.”
I could hear the apology in his voice, and I gently patted the side of his head, the rough fur tickling my hand.
“It’s okay. I honestly don’t want to be alone, but I need you to make sure they’re all right. I’ll figure all of this out. By the way, what exactly is this form that you’ve taken?”
“A Peryton. It is a demon of the Celestial Corps. They are impervious to all weapons and can play mind games, but not all Perytons are evil just because they are considered demons.”
“Good to know...” I wondered how Charlie and Emric decided what to change to. I guessed it depended on the situation.
His head bobbed in acknowledgment before he glided down onto a beach that was strewn with black rock. It was so different from the beautiful white sand from earlier. Sliding off his back, my feet crunched on the rocks as they moved underneath me. I stared in awe at the drawbridge that was lowered over a moat circling around the castle. It was only about five feet away from me, and I thought it was weird that there was one, seeing as how the entire island was covered by the castle, and surrounded by ocean.
Stepping up to the wooden drawbridge, I ran smack into something, my forehead hitting it hard, causing me to bounce backward.
“I forgot to tell you that there is a protection spell around the castle to keep anyone out.” Charlie chuckled as he took a leap into the air. “I have all the confidence that you can break it!” His voice echoed as he soared away.
It was deathly quiet here, except for the waves splashing against the rocks. I felt totally alone. Turning, I faced the invisible barrier. I reached out and ran my hand over the shield, studying the energy and magic that weaved through it. I racked my brain for the words that Teagan had used when we went through the mirrored wall in the red flower field.
Quieting my mind, I blocked out the crashing waves and closed my eyes. As I ran my hands over the barrier, the tingling began. Focusing hard, I whispered words that I hoped were correct. I chanted them over and over as the energy in my hands became stronger, and the pinching feeling began. I could feel the barrier pushing back, resisting. This was going to take a lot of power. I reached even deeper inside myself, pulling all the energy that my body would allow.
I WILL not fail! The thought bellowed in my mind.
I screamed with all my might, pushing hard against the force and using all the anger, despair, anxiety, and worry that I had bottled up inside. For Hunter, for my friends and for me, I would get through this.
The resistance in the wall began to falter, and I felt it slide down, my hands pushing right through it. Exhausted from the exertion, I took a moment to catch my breath and still the beating of my heart. Squatting down, I rested my head in my hands, resting both on my knees.
I did it!!
Mentally, I tried to pump myself back up because this was far from over.
I approached the drawbridge with cautious steps. Heavy black chains attached it to the top of the castle, and spikes hung down from the opening. I shuddered to think of them falling on some unsuspecting visitors. The wooden planks on the bridge creaked as I shuffled across, eyeballing those spikes to make sure they weren’t going to fall on me as I passed through the opening.
Once through, I let out the breath I had been holding and swept my gaze around the inner courtyard. It was barren except for a statue of a sword. A green vine with black roses wound around it. Not having a whole lot of time to examine it, I scanned the walls, noticing that several doors were on each and pondered which one I should enter. None of them really called to me.
Near the back of the courtyard, I could see a set of stone stairs leading up to a third floor, and directly at the top of the stairs was an ornate doorway. Two dark wooden doors with metal studs and brackets stood open, a soft, glowing light filtering from the darkness within. As I stared at those doors, I began to feel the energy pulsing through the air, and the hairs on my arms stood up.
Rushing toward the steps, I took them two at a time until I was standing in front of the doorway, breathing heavily. Inside, a fire glowed in the middle of a vast room. Despite the light coming from the flames, the space was shadowed in darkness. I steeled myself for traps that might be in there because there would be. I was sure of it. There was no way this was going to be easy. Anyway, who would magick a castle to keep people out, and then make it easy to get the treasure?
No one, that was who.
Man, I wish I had my flashlight with me, or Teagan’s spell to make light.
As I crept into the room, my body tensed, just waiting for something to jump out at me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t see into the shadows, so I kept my eyes focused on the fire in front of me. The flames licked the ceiling, crackling and spewing sparks into the air. The energy that I had felt in the courtyard intensified with each step I took closer to it. The heat wasn’t what I had expected; it was warm but not unbearably so. It was a magical fire but nonetheless would burn me if I got too close.
I kept approaching, wary and alert. When I was within fifteen feet of the flames, I realized that it was a ring of fire, and through it, I could see a slab of stone with a large book on top of it. Magic pulsed like music in the air from the book, and I felt the pull to go to it grow stronger. I took a few more steps closer, the heat becoming more intense as I tried to figure out how I was going to get through it to the book.
A rustling noise came from the darkness on my right and I instantly went into defensive mode with my hands out in front of me. I couldn’t quite make out what it was, but the distinct sound of something sliding across the floor had my mind in overdrive.
I didn’t have to wait long before an enormous black snake slithered around the circle of fire, hissing and baring its fangs at me. I jumped back, startled, and my instant thought was to run, but I couldn’t. Frantically, I searched around for some kind of weapon, but there was none. All I had was my fledgling magic. Magic I hadn’t yet mastered and really had no idea how to work.
The monster snake had red eyes that glowed in the firelight, making it look even more menacing if that was even possible. It seemed to stare right into my soul as it settled down, curling around the fire as if the heat didn’t bother it at all. Black scales rippled over the length of it like armor.
Guess I’m going to have to wing it like before. If I died, so be it, but at least I tried.
As I began to gather what energy I had left after dissolving the shield outside, I felt the magic from the book pulsing toward me. The snake lifte
d its head up from where it rested, hissing. It did not like me doing that. Lunging at me, I screamed, throwing what power I had at it as hard as I could.
And absolutely nothing happened.
Fear bubbled up in me as the creature loomed, ready to strike. I couldn’t move fast enough, and I knew this was the end. I had failed.
A screech sounded behind me, and just as the snake moved to bite, a black body slammed into its head, knocking it away from me. Slashing and tearing at the snake, the figure went berserk on it, and then another black figure joined in. Growling and hissing, they attacked the snake with precision, causing the snake to not know which figure to attack first.
Back and forth it went until black blood began to flow from the gouges and ripped areas of the snake's body. Within only a few minutes, the battle was over, and the snake slumped to the ground before dissolving into black smoke that drifted away over the flames.
The black figures pranced over to me, and in the firelight, I could see that my saviors were Charlie and Emric. I had never been so relieved.
My arms shook, and I fought back the tears as I dropped to my knees beside them, reaching out to hug both around the neck. “Thank you,” I whispered to them as I got myself under control.
“You’re never alone, Andie. Even when you think you are. We know when you need us,” Emric purred. I rubbed a hand over his head. I think I prefer their panther forms, but I won’t tell them that.
“As much as I’d like to be tough about all of this, I really thought I was a goner. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t pee my pants.”
They both chuckled and rubbed against me.
“Where are the others? Please tell me they’re okay?” I asked quickly, a different type of fear invading my heart.
“They are hurt, but not dead. Teagan and Killian are in the courtyard where we left them. They will sleep for a while with the magic we wove over them to help them heal. Right now, it’s just us. Freya is not dead, but she was wounded before she fled. Teagan and Killian killed the rest of her group before she took off,” Charlie said.
Relief warred with the need to rush out there and check on them myself, but I knew that Emric and Charlie wouldn’t let anything happen to them.
“Thank you for taking such good care of them, guys. I can’t tell you how much of a relief that is to hear. I don’t trust Freya to not try to stop me, even if she is hurt. So... any thoughts on how to get through this fire?” I asked them, hopeful they had the answer.
They glanced at each other, then back at me, and I knew that they didn’t have any great ideas. How in the heck was I supposed to get to a magic book standing in a ring of fire? There had to be some trick, some magic words. Something!
Emric cleared his throat and sat in front of me, his yellow eyes sad as they looked into mine. “I’m sorry, Andie. There is no other way through the fire except to walk right into it. It has been magicked so that no counter spell can weaken or diminish it. This will be your greatest trial yet.”
I knew his words were true; he wouldn’t lie to me. I stared into the fire, knowing that if I walked through it, I would be burned badly, the pain from my previous dream even more terrifying in reality. I knew I might not make it, especially since I would have to walk through once to get the book, and then back out again. But here I was. I was meant to get the treasures, at least that was what everyone told me. I had to trust that Emric and Charlie would take care of me and heal me from whatever happened to me next.
I couldn’t think. I just had to do it.
Taking a deep breath, I imagined that I was on that mountain again, silence surrounding me, and a soft, cool breeze blew over my skin. And then I took a step. And then another. Before I knew it, I was two feet away from the fire, the heat almost too much to stand. I closed my eyes and bit my lip as I pushed myself to hurry through the flames, steeling myself for the pain that would follow.
I waited for it—I was ready. But I felt no heat. I felt no pain at all as I passed right through.
Wonder filled me as I ran to the book, picking it up from the cold slab. It came off easily, and a melody tinkled in the air. As I held it to my chest, the adrenaline still high, it shook and wiggled against me. A glow came from the knotted symbol on the front of it as I held it away from me. Before my eyes, the book slowly transformed into an intricate silver sword, the symbol welded in the middle. The weight from it tugged my arm down, but I found I could easily heft it back up.
The Sword of Light! The first treasure to be found of the Tuatha De Danann. I held it reverently, studying every inch of it as the fire roared around me. I couldn’t believe I had done it. How had I not gotten burnt? The heat was real, but the fire hadn’t touched me! Feeling more confident, I grasped the hilt of the sword and turned back to where Emric and Charlie both sat, watching me with smug looks on their panther faces.
Those rascals! Somehow, they knew that I would be okay.
I walked faster this time through the fire, and after I passed through the bright flames, the sword began to wiggle and shake again, this time transforming back into the book, only into a smaller version that fit in the palm of my hand.
Well, that’s handy, I thought as I slipped it into a pocket over my heart where I knew it would be safe. I patted it gently and knew that I would continue to do so until we got it back where it belonged.
“You two have some explaining to do.” I plopped down on the ground in front of them, exhausted from all the emotions that I had gone through in one day.
“We obviously couldn’t tell you if it would burn you or not. We really did not know. Legend has always been that the one who would save us would be able to walk through the fire with nary an injury. Anyone else would burst into flames to join the rest of the fire in protecting it. Luckily that was not you, yes?” Charlie said.
“Yes. Lucky it wasn’t me,” I agreed.
After I had gotten my wits back to me and caught my breath, the three of us went to find Teagan and Killian. Both were still out of it and looked horrible. Gashes and bruises covered their bodies, and I cringed. The panthers assured me that they would be fine before slinging the teens over their backs, and we took off out of the castle. I followed them to a spot in the courtyard that I hadn’t noticed when I first came in. Had it even been there? Who knew? Things were never as they seemed here.
There stood a doorway that was made of branches in the form of a circle. It had to be the circular doorway that Coeus mentioned. If what he said was correct, we would be able to walk through it, think about where we wanted to go while we did, and we would end up there on the other side. I guess Emric and Charlie had the same idea because they sauntered up to it stepping right through without a thought. Emric called over his shoulder. “Tell it you want to go back to Aine’s Oak Tree.”
And that was just what I did.
As I stepped through, I promptly fell out the other side, landing hard on my hands and knees. I brushed the hair back from my eyes and looked up to see Aine, Celeste, and all the fairies gathered around inside the oak tree, waiting on us. Balwyn and Eira ran around the room making sure everyone had drinks and snacks. Many different emotions showed on their faces. Glee that we had gotten the treasure. Worry about Killian and Teagan, and confusion when they noticed that one of our group was missing. My heart ached as Hunter’s absence finally had a chance to hit me.
Aine and the fairies directed Charlie and Emric to take the boys to get healed and rested, and as I held back my tears at the thought of Hunter, Celeste came over and helped me up, pulling me into her arms and holding me tightly. The dam fell, and all the tears that I had held back for so long welled over, and I sobbed. Because of me, he was dead.
Celeste rubbed my back and hair, gently murmuring into my ear words meant to soothe. When the tears began to dry up, and all I could manage was to hiccup, she set me back from her, looking into my eyes with a serious expression.
“What happened was not your fault, Andie. Not at all. You cannot let your mind trick
you into thinking that. You know it’s not what Hunter would want. And for all you know, he may still be alive. I’ve got someone looking into it, I promise.”
My emotions were all over the place, but I knew I had to get the book to where it belonged. Hiccupping again, I wiped my runny nose and eyes, then reached into my pocket. Pulling out the book, I told her about the larger version changing into the sword, and then back into this smaller book. She patted my hand and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
“I know just where it needs to go. Come.”
Chapter Eighteen
The next few days were a whirlwind of activity within the fairy community. Celeste had whisked us back to her house, where she pulled out the large book I always caught her reading and the one that Aine used to talk to as “Anne.” When she opened it, she whispered a few words while holding the miniature book over it. Sparks and magical energy exploded from the treasure before completely disappearing from her hands. Before I was able to exclaim, she pointed down to the large book in front of us. As my eyes landed on it, I saw that where there had previously been a blank page sat the first treasure.
To someone unfamiliar with the treasures, the book would have looked just like any book. This particular page might seem a bit odd, with only the picture of one book in the top corner, no passage or words, but no one else would suspect what it was if they were to open it.
Who would think to look for a priceless treasure inside of a book? I certainly wouldn’t have.
Celeste glanced up at Teagan, Killian, and I as she reverently closed the book and took it to her large bookshelf, sliding it in between a million others. We watched as she gestured with her hands, speaking words that would seal it there as an extra measure of security.