books 1 - 3

by Ella J. Smyth

  Honi carefully sent his mind further out, towards the middle of the river. He savored the refreshing coldness, the absolution of the dark water. The river had its own elemental consciousness—not comparable with how humans understood it. The river didn’t care if people were good or evil, if it was polluted or clean. It just was.

  Elemental powers operated on a different timeframe than humans. The water flowing through the Neckar was the same liquid that dinosaurs had drunk hundreds of millions of years ago. It would still be here when the last human had thrown poison into it. It would carry on until the earth itself was obliterated. There was something reassuring about the thought that mankind could do its worst, yet earth, water, air, fire, and spirit would continue until everything disappeared together at the end of times.

  Honi moved on, refreshed and absolved of whatever psychic stains he’d picked up in the faerie realm. His mind continued onwards into the deep forest beyond. Trees were not quite as timeless as elementals. They had a limited lifespan, even though it lasted hundreds of years.

  Honi was easily able to tell the difference between the plodding life force of ancient underground fungus systems and the quick, short-lived brilliance of insects, tiny dormice and squirrels. And there, amongst all the confusing hustle and bustle, was a benevolent presence, calling him like a beacon.

  Honi didn’t have Adi’s ability to see Ho’neo’s energy signatures as colors, but he felt the draw deep in the forest. He focused on the soothing vibrations that pulled him forward, deeper and deeper.

  In no time at all, his mind touched the familiar sensation of his spirit wolf. The animal didn’t seem alarmed, nor even a bit sorry for not seeking him out earlier. Honi couldn’t bring himself to bear a grudge, though. He was too relieved to have found his companion. Their minds touched for a moment, and Honi felt the same sense of love and support he’d received every day since he’d met Ho’neo so many years ago.

  “So you found him?”

  Honi’s eyes flew open.

  “Whoa!” He reeled after being pulled back to consciousness without warning. A hand touched his arm, and Honi was glad for the grounding presence. When he looked up, a familiar face smiled down at him.

  “Rasul?” What was he doing here? And what did he mean by his question?

  “What did you just ask me?”

  The Middle Eastern man smiled. “Have you not figured it out yet, Honi? I’m an emissary of the queen. There are many of us in the human world, assisting her.”

  Honi’s eyes widened, and he shivered. Damn. He had seen him in the book. Rasul had stood next to the white woman in the Codex Manesse. Shit! When Honi jumped to his feet in alarm, Rasul raised his hand in a calming gesture.

  “I mean you no harm, human. Even though I am allied with the queen, I am not a faerie.”

  Honi’s eyebrows pulled together sharply above his nose in distrust, and he stood up. He felt the need to tower above the small man. Memory fragments of his time in Emain Ablach came rushing back, and he shook himself hard to rid himself of the residual fear rushing through him. Rasul’s voice dropped low, as if speaking to a spooked animal.

  “Calm yourself. Please believe me, I am here to help you. I watched over your spirit animal when you were trapped in the other realm.”

  Honi looked down, and as if nothing had happened, Ho’neo sat next to him on his haunches, looking at the stranger with trusting eyes. Huh. If the wolf wasn’t spooked, then maybe it was okay.

  Before Honi could open his mouth to ask any questions, Rasul continued, “I will not bother you any further. My job now is not to watch over the spirit wolf or to follow you, but to take charge of a new spirit walker. Your friend Gerald has finally manifested his ability and acknowledged it. This will make both our worlds safer, but he has a lot to learn.”

  Rasul smiled as if knowing something that Honi didn’t. “You and Adi have much to think and talk about. Remember why she came to Heidelberg in the first place.”

  Honi remembered. Adi had left him because he wouldn’t commit himself to her. And as a result, he’d nearly lost her. If it hadn’t been for the faerie queen, she might very well have met somebody else by now. She’d been so angry when she’d left that it was a pure miracle that they were together again. Rasul was right. Honi needed to go back and speak to her.

  “Thank you. Thank you for looking after Ho’neo, and thank you for helping Gerald.”

  Rasul smiled knowingly. “I’m sure we will meet again, Honi. Take care of Adi, and she will grow ever stronger. Kl al’umur saebat qabl ’an tusbih sahla. ‘All things are difficult before they become easy.’ A proverb from my culture. Your lives will be hard but never boring.”

  Ho’neo suddenly whined, and Honi reached down to pet his head. He looked up again, wanting to ask why Rasul’s likeness was drawn into a seven-hundred-year old text, but there was no sign of the man.

  The sun was hiding behind dark clouds, and Honi pulled his jacket tighter around his frame. A sudden gust of cold wind brought a flurry of fall-colored leaves. He looked up at the darkening sky. Black clouds swirled and twisted, threatening an autumnal downpour.

  With long strides, he rushed back to Adi’s flat. He couldn’t wait to talk to her. There were so many questions he wanted answers to—what had happened during the time he couldn’t clearly remember? Were they back together? He sure hoped so. A broad grin spread over his face. What had Rasul said? First things are difficult, then they become easy? They deserved some “easy” after the time they’d had over the last few months. Still grinning, he rang the doorbell. Lukas buzzed him in just as the first heavy drops began to fall.

  41

  The next morning, Adi was escorted back to the queen’s private chambers. For once, she felt rested after sleeping several hours. The guard walked her right up to the queen, then withdrew, leaving her alone with the ruler.

  After having made her decision, Adi took the time to appraise the faerie creature. Her face was ageless, and Adi might have guessed her age at anything between twenty and fifty. She smiled to herself, knowing full well that the creature was thousands of years old.

  The ruler, fully fitted out in her ceremonial garb, raw silk embroidered with silver threads, stood tall and pale. Now that they were so close to reaching an agreement, the hostility and rage seemed to have been replaced with a more benevolent attitude.

  The constant pushing against Adi’s mental boundaries, that she had become used to, was gone. As a result, the urge to crumble, or worse, to fight back against the queen, had also disappeared.

  “Good morning, Adi. I trust you had a restful night?”

  As Adi nodded, the queen smiled and continued, “I saw to it that a spell was woven around you last night to make sure that no dreams or hostile thoughts intruded.”

  And there it was again. Just when Adi thought she was safe from the queen’s manipulations, she did it again. Adi had to be honest, though. It was nice to feel rested, her mind calm, and for a change, nothing hurt. So she remained quiet and waited for the queen to continue.

  When she didn’t, Adi eventually felt compelled to say something.

  “So what? Am I supposed to address you as Your Majesty?”

  The queen threw her head back and laughed. Her tinkling voice conjured up sunbeams reflecting off ice, snowflakes landing on metal.

  “Oh, child, this is why you’re still alive. You do amuse me!”

  Then she turned serious very quickly. “Mind you, don’t overdo it. You are strong, spirit walker, and you’re becoming stronger every day. I have much use for you, but as of yet you are no match for me. Cross me, and you will regret it. Do we understand each other?”

  Adi swallowed. That was clear. And even though what she really wanted to do was stomp her foot and tell the queen to get lost, she thought better of it. She might have been impetuous, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d been lucky to beat the queen last year. The ruler had been unprepared and taken by surprise. Adi doubted she would win again if it came to a di
rect conflict.

  “I understand,” she finally replied. Adi really wanted to get out of here now. “So, if I agree to your terms, will you grant me safe passage back to the human realm?”

  The queen nodded. And that was that. Everything happened very quickly after that.

  Adi was escorted to her room and handed back her human clothes. She’d hoped that they would be cleaned, but apparently faeries didn’t go for washing people’s clothes. Wrinkling her nose, she pulled on her sweaty top and dusty jeans.

  An hour later, she stood in front of the hole that connected the two realms. When the guard stepped closer to her, she watched him wearily. Once bitten, twice shy.

  “Would you mind standing back, please? I know the way, and I’d rather not be pushed again.”

  The tall faerie did not retreat. Instead, he grinned and grabbed her arm. Given that he was twice Adi’s bulk, there was nothing she could do about it, even though she pulled hard to see how firmly he held her.

  “The queen commanded us not to let you out of our eyes until you had entered the portal, human. And I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if we had a little fun while doing our duty.”

  Quickly, he picked Adi up off the ground, and before she could yelp, she was flung into the dark, dank hole in the ground, trying her best not to squeal. As she was losing that battle, she heard the two brutes laugh until she was so deep through the portal that she could see light on the other side.

  42

  Adi closed her eyes and focused inward. She pushed all her thoughts away until her entire being was subsumed by the darkness behind her eyelids. After a couple of inhales and exhales, she mentally explored her surroundings.

  Honi’s hand covered hers—warm, a little rough and calloused, making her feel safe and cherished. Her hand rested on the armrest, and the cool plastic dug into her palm.

  Next, she focused on the seats. The slight sag in the middle and the broken lumbar support promised stiffness and backache by the time they’d crossed the Atlantic. Another deep breath, and the discomfort disappeared and left behind tranquility. The strong vibration of the airplane motors, the subdued hum of passengers talking—it all created the impression of a cocoon.

  Slowly she allowed herself to drift back up to the surface, and when she opened her eyes, Honi looked at her with tenderness.

  “Did you enjoy your little break?” he asked quietly. Adi returned his smile and nodded. She closed her eyes again and pondered the events of the last few days.

  By the time Honi had returned from his walk, Adi had had another discussion with Gerald and Lucas in the tiny kitchen. She’d observed Gerald’s progress with some amusement.

  His ability to see other spirit animals was still a little spotty, and he needed a lot more training. He was such a quiet guy usually, but suddenly he’d run off at the mouth in a blow-by-blow commentary as he discovered their spirit companions.

  “Oh my God, I can see something. There under the table. It’s brown and white and black, but it keeps moving around, so I can’t see exactly what it is. No, wait! There it is. It looks like Peter!”

  “Yeah, I don’t know why you both have chipmunks as your spirit animals. I’ve never seen this before.”

  “Is that bad?” Gerald had asked quickly.

  Adi laughed. “Honestly? I have no idea. If I had to guess, I reckon that it’s a good thing. Maybe it explains why you were drawn to each other, and why your relationship is so strong.”

  Gerald was sitting on the floor with his spirit animal running up his arms and chattering excitedly into his ears. Lukas wasn’t able to see his companion, but the broad smile and the fond look on his face as he watched his boyfriend made Adi confident that they were going to be okay.

  Rasul had shown up a few hours later. Honi had already returned and explained to Adi that a teacher was going to appear. Adi was excited, and when the doorbell rang, she ran to get to the door first.

  The man outside, barely taller than her, bowed his head. Adi stepped aside to let him in. There had been no need for introductions. Adi knew exactly who he was. Maybe spending so much time in Faerie had sharpened her perception, but she recognized immediately that he wasn’t quite human.

  “Thank you, my friend,” Rasul said. “I am so happy to finally meet the girl who has caught my friend Honi’s heart.”

  A blush rose in Adi’s cheeks. The little man was charming, but also dangerous. There was an edge to his aura, and crossing him surely was not a good idea.

  “Thank you. You must be Rasul.”

  Without waiting for Adi’s invitation, Rasul entered the hallway and made a beeline for the kitchen. She had no choice but to follow. When Rasul opened the kitchen door, his eyes fell on Gerard, who was still playing with his little mate.

  Rasul seemed to grow a few inches. Adi instinctively moved back a little, watching the proceedings with wide eyes.

  Gerald had no inkling that something might have been wrong. He looked up, then stood and stepped closer to welcome the stranger. Rasul stretched out his hand, and the little chipmunk jumped from Gerald’s shoulder straight onto Rasul’s palm. Gerald’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. He threw a frantic look at Adi, who was only able to shake her head.

  Then Rasul spoke up, his voice with its pleasant lilt dropping into a lower register.

  “Don’t worry, Gerald. As you can see, your spirit animal is quite safe with me. This is your first lesson—your companion senses danger better than you, so you must always listen to what he’s trying to tell you. See?”

  Rasul tickled the little rodent under his chin. The chipmunk chattered excitedly, with no indication of being afraid. He dropped onto his back, sticking his four tiny paws in the air, allowing the strange man to pet his tummy with his index finger.

  “If I meant you harm, your spirit animal would be hiding inside your shirt by now. I am here to teach you. Will you accept me as your teacher?”

  Rasul looked into Gerald’s eyes without blinking until Gerald nodded.

  A huge weight dropped off Adi’s shoulders. She had no idea how she was supposed to have been teaching Gerald what he needed to know while being on call for whenever the queen needed her. She also wanted to spend time with Honi and rebuild their relationship.

  After all she’d been through, Adi was no longer sure that she wanted to work as a teacher or in academia. It all seemed so mundane and boring compared to what the queen expected from her. And what if she were in the middle of exams, and the queen summoned her to flush out another reluctant spirit walker?

  The Faerie ruler had made it very clear that Adi’s wishes were of no importance. If the queen called and she refused to answer, Honi’s life was on the line. And that’s what it really came down to. Her life was no longer her own. Her inheritance offered her a modest living for the rest of her life. If she had to give up her own professional dreams that didn’t seem that important anymore anyway, then so be it.

  Honi seemed to be just as keen to discuss their future as she was. He took her to a lovely place called Café Journal, a well-known student establishment in the center of the pedestrian zone. There were plenty of tables and chairs in the back of the building, giving the illusion of privacy. They ordered simple food, and while they waited for their salads to arrive, Honi was obviously building himself up for a big speech.

  He played with the menus and napkins. His eyes showed his nervousness, and when he opened his mouth, his voice trembled. He cleared his throat and tried again.

  “Adi, I came so close to losing you this time. I can’t go through that again.”

  Adi squeezed her eyes shut. Her worst fears were coming true. This was it—he was breaking up with her. And who could blame him? His life had turned into a shitfest ever since she’d turned up in it. A single drop of moisture worked its way out from underneath her eyelid and trickled down her cheek.

  Honi’s finger caressed her skin and wiped it away. His voice changed, and he said, “Hey, come on. It’s not that bad. I just want to st
ay with you and make sure that you’re okay. So I was wondering… would you like to come with me and meet my tribe, my family?”

  Adi’s eyes shot open. That didn’t sound like he wanted to break up with her after all. A huge weight lifted off her heart, although she wasn’t sure whether she was quite ready to meet the parents.

  She still wasn’t. Yet she found herself on the long flight back to Oklahoma, gearing herself up to meet Honi’s family. He was so excited about going home, she hadn’t had the heart to tell him that she wasn’t going back to university. She couldn’t tell him about the deal with the queen either.

  Sooner rather than later, the call would come, and she’d have to travel wherever her presence was required. There were still six hours’ flight time remaining—enough time to come up with a plan. Honi’s hand squeezed hers. She turned her head, and his lips brushed sweetly over hers.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” he whispered.

  She looked into his gorgeous eyes, melted chocolate-brown with honey accents. She was taken aback by the wave of protectiveness that swelled inside of her.

  “You know I’d do anything for you, right?”

  Honi’s lips twitched in pleasure at hearing her words. She wasn’t lying. She would do anything in her power to protect him, even if it cost her her happiness, or her life.

  She lifted the armrest and snuggled against his side. Her head cushioned against his chest and held securely by his arm, she closed her eyes and allowed the plane to take her to an unknown future.

  THE END

  Spirit Warrior

  Book Three

  1

  The wind picked up, carrying with it the smell of late fall, of damp vegetation and sour apples. It played with Adi’s hair, although she barely noticed the cold breeze. Too many eyes were staring at her. Adi’s skin itched with the attention. She wasn’t usually this shy, but the weight of all the glares made her afraid to lift her head.