by R. A. Rock
They all tromped in. Then he showed them a darker grey rectangle in the lighter grey paint of the wall. When he waved his hand in front of it, a screen appeared.
“You type in your information and it prints out a pass,” he explained. “Very simple and straightforward.”
“Okay, great,” Tess said, moving to the panel. “We’ll do that.”
“No, no. You can’t do it in this room. You must obtain a pass before you leave the room you arrived in. Standard procedure.”
“Okay,” Finn said, also using a patient voice. “Then how do we proceed now? We have a human and a…”
“Hunter,” Ethan supplied.
The Caretaker studied Ethan for a moment and then he got a stunned look on his face.
“And a Hunter with us,” Finn continued on, as if he hadn’t noticed that the Caretaker probably knew who or what Ethan was. “And we’re going to Calgary.”
“This won’t do,” the Caretaker muttered. “This won’t do at all. I monitor every person passing through and I have to approve all non-Fae usage. Come with me.”
“We’re kind of in a hurry,” Tess informed him as politely as she could.
“Should have got passes if you were in a hurry,” the Caretaker said, his tone mildly reproving. “Come along.”
They followed him through the maze of passageways until they arrived in a small room that had chairs in rows. There were end tables here and there with piles of magazines on them.
“You’ll have to wait,” he said.
Tess flopped down in a chair, wondering how long it was going to be. She picked up a magazine and glanced at the cover.
“Not here,” the Caretaker said impatiently before anyone else could sit down. He went to a door on the far side of the chairs that had bright light shining out from the cracks around it. “Through here. Shoes and socks off.”
Tess got up and followed the group to the glowing door.
“Shoes and socks?” Jayde asked, peering at the door. “Why, is that the waiting room?”
“Yes,” he said, opening the door. “Shoes and socks off. I’ll be back.”
They removed their shoes and socks and stepped through the door in bare feet. The door closed and the only sign of it that Tess could see when she looked back was a thin rectangle of bright light that showed its perimeter.
Tess gazed around at the waiting room in amazement. If she didn’t know better, she’d think she was home. In Ahlenerra.
It no longer seemed that they were indoors. Forest surrounded them. Stately trees with large trunks stretched their arms high into what Tess supposed was the sky. She wasn’t sure if they were still inside and it was made to look like outdoors. Or if the door actually led to somewhere outside. Of course, with that sort of door, it could be somewhere between outside and inside.
In the clearing ahead was a shallow pool with a rocky bottom. Tessa’s ears picked up birdsong and she saw what appeared to be sunlight slanting in and sparkling on the pool. Beneath her feet was dark green moss so soft she could have laid down and slept on it. A waterfall trickled down the rock wall that was ahead of them.
The place was so charming, she smiled.
Jayde stepped forward and into the water with a little squeal.
“It’s not deep at all,” she said.
And all of a sudden, Tess understood. “Oh, the wading room.”
Ethan laughed out loud. “Frickin’ faeries,” he said, stepping into the water, still chuckling to himself.
“Wait here,” Finn said, repeating the Caretakers words.
“Shoes and socks off,” Jayde snorted.
“I can think of worse places to wait, I suppose,” Tess commented. She took a few steps into the water and sighed. The water was cool but not too cold, the rocks clean and not slippery at all. She headed over to the waterfall, wanting to go put her hands in.
She loved wading.
But she hated waiting.
How long was the Caretaker going to be?
Chapter 32
Ethan walked through the shin deep water, enjoying the feeling. Leave it to the faeries to make a waiting room like this to wait in. He snickered once more at the waiting/wading room joke. Maybe they thought that people would be more patient if they felt like they were back in Ahlenerra instead of in the Passageways.
Because from what he could remember, this was very much like the Fae land in every way. He could even feel magic in the air, though he supposed that was an illusion.
Ethan wondered briefly if they served lunch here. He had left home after breakfast and hadn’t eaten anything since. A ham and cheese sandwich would taste really good right about now, with lots of butter. And mustard. Maybe some lettuce? I f he was going to dream about food, might as well dream big.
He supposed he shouldn't be thinking about food. They would probably get something to eat when they got back to Jayde’s. Maybe they could pick something up on the way.
Ethan gazed around. The fresh smell of water, moss, and living things filled his nose and he thought—not for the first time lately—that maybe he should move out of the city. He missed being close to nature. Forests really were his natural habitat.
Everyone was exploring the idyllic place. Finn was beside Jayde and they were examining some flowers that were growing at the opposite side of the pond. Tessa had made her way to the waterfall and was letting the clear water tumble over her hands.
As if Tess felt his eyes on her, she turned to look at him, and in that moment, he was lost. She truly looked like a Faerie of the woods, as magical a being as any he had ever encountered. She wore clothes that Jayde had lent her. She had a slightly larger bosom than the human, so the fabric of her green T-shirt stretched tightly across her breasts in a way that made Ethan’s body tighten with awareness.
As she looked at him, those eyes of hers snared him. They were blue. But filled with light. Like two Stars. And he realized that the nickname he had given her the first time he had seen her really fit.
Somehow, he had never really noticed their color before—a clear, bright blue that seemed to see right through him and all his bullshit. Tessa’s chestnut-brown hair hung down to the middle of her back in perfect ringlets, with a few curls framing her lovely face. He held his breath, entranced.
Ethan didn’t understand what was going on. Did she have some kind of spell with her that had been activated now that they were in the Passageways where there was more magic? He wasn’t sure that there was even enough magic here to activate a spell, though. What sort of enchantment was this woman weaving over him?
All he knew was that he had never experienced what he was feeling right now. Never. Ever.
His energy flowed through him, pulsing in his body, and he could barely breathe.
“Hey, Ethan, Tess,” Finn called, breaking the spell or whatever it was. Both Ethan and Tess looked over at Finn. “Do you know the name of this flower?”
“What? A flower from Ahlenerra? No, of course not. Why would I know that?” His voice was irritated, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. He had been lost in Tessa’s eyes and he hadn’t wanted to ever come out.
Ethan took a deep breath and gave himself a mental shake. He didn’t know what had just happened but he wasn’t about to let it confuse him. Or stop him from doing what he came to do. Which was to help these people.
“Sorry, Great Hunter,” Finn said, offended and seeming like maybe he was jealous again. “Didn’t mean to interrupt your gawking.”
“I wasn’t gawking.”
“Do you even know what the word means?” Finn demanded, his tone insolent. “Would you prefer I use the word ogling?”
“I don’t have a universal translator, but I do have an education, and yes, I do know what gawking means,” Ethan said, infusing his voice with just as much attitude. “And I wasn’t doing either.”
Finn gave him a surly look.
“Hey, guys,” Jayde said, her tone placating. “Let’s not do this.”
“Whatever,” Eth
an said, feeling grumpy. He didn’t understand what was going on and he wasn’t used to that. As an immortal being, he usually knew exactly what was going on at all times and he understood everything that was happening.
Before, when the spell or whatever had happened, he had felt as though he didn’t know anything anymore and he certainly didn’t understand what was happening to him. Ethan didn’t like that. It made him irritable.
“Can you tell us what you know about those Hunters?” Tess said, changing the subject, and he lifted his eyes to her face, feeling a little anxious about doing so.
Nothing happened.
Thank goodness. Whatever had been going on had stopped. He felt relief wash over him. He was going to be okay.
Ethan latched on to her question, glad of anything that would take his mind off of what had just happened.
Hunters. Now that, he understood.
“Those weren’t true Hunters. Not anymore. They’re from the group of Hunters that’s loyal to the Church.”
The other three stared at him, perplexed. He tried to explain his train of thought.
“They were made into Hunters, so they are Hunters. But they no longer follow me—or Rebekah. And it seems as though some of them at least aren’t even doing what they’re supposed to, which is protect the humans from rogue paranormals. So, in my books, that means they’re not true hunters anymore. They weren’t made to be relic thieves and kidnappers. That’s for sure.”
“But why don’t they follow you anymore?” Jayde asked.
“Okay, let me start further back,” Ethan said, wading back and forth in the water. “All has been relatively okay with the Hunters for hundreds of years. Although since I left, the Church has always wanted to either get control over Rebekah or get rid of her.”
“Hm.” Jayde folded her arms over her chest, clearly unimpressed. “Patriarchy.”
“Right,” Ethan said. “Of late, though, things have gotten quite messy. The Hunters are now divided between those who are loyal to Rebekah and those who still swear allegiance to the Church.”
“And those Hunters that attacked us are loyal to the Church?” Tess said.
“That’s right.”
“How do you know?”
“The Commander of one of the squads mentioned that Elder John wouldn’t be happy if they hurt you.”
“And?”
“He’s high up in the Church. Always causing trouble for Rebekah.”
“So, the Church was trying to kidnap me?” Jayde said.
“It looks that way,” said Ethan.
“Why?”
“They must be after the Chalice,” Tess said, making everyone look at her where she was still allowing the waterfall to play over her hands with a cheerful splashing sound.
“The Chalice is what the Fae call the Holy Grail?” Jayde asked.
“No,” Tessa corrected. “The Holy Grail is what you humans call the Chalice of Life, which came from Ahlenerra, the Fae land. It was hidden here thousands of years ago by the Faerie King. And we need it for the spell that’s going to end the Severance.”
“What’s the Severance?” Jayde said, splashing a little with her foot.
“Fae drama, Jayde. Major Fae drama.” Ethan rolled his eyes.
“Well, the King and the Dark Queen had a falling out—”
Ethan interrupted Tess. “The short, short version, please, Stars.”
“That’s what I was telling.” She scowled at Ethan, where he had come out of the water and leaned against a tree. His feet were getting pruney from all that wading. “Anyways, after they fought, they split the Fae land down the middle. There’s an enormous Chasm that prevents Fae from crossing. And now there are two courts. The Dark Court, ruled over by the queen. And the Light Court that’s the King’s.”
“And you want to end that?” Jayde said. “Make the land what it used to be? Whole again?”
“That’s right, and it’s a serious spell,” Finn said. “And we need seven magical objects plus the Scroll of Severance to work it. The Chalice of course. And the Unity Blades, the amulet, the Crown of Visions, the potion, the ring, and the mirror.”
“Wow, sounds like something from a—” Jayde stopped and blushed.
“Fairy tale?” Ethan said and smirked.
Finn muttered something about terrible misrepresentation.
“Let’s focus people,” Tess said. “So the Church wanted to kidnap Jayde. Why?”
“They must want the Grail, Tess, like you said,” Ethan repeated.
“It’s the Chalice,” Finn said. “At least amongst ourselves, can we get it right?”
Ethan shrugged. What difference did it make what they called it? It was a damn old cup.
“Why would they want it?” Jayde said.
“My guess?” Ethan said, feeling certain he was right. “They’ve heard of its magical properties and at least someone in the Church believes they’re true.”
“But what would the Church want with the Holy Grail?” Jayde said.
“Think, little scientist,” Ethan said, tapping his temple. “What is the most famous property of the Holy Gr—the Chalice?” He glanced at Finn as he corrected himself.
“That it gives immortal life to the person who drinks from it,” Jayde spouted without hesitation.
Ethan spread his hands.
“Of course, they want it,” Jayde said, realization in her voice. “Because they’re human and they want to become immortal.”
“Plus, another thing they could do with it, of course,” Ethan said, lifting one shoulder and dropping it with a nonchalance he didn’t feel. “Is create an army of immortal Hunters loyal to the Church.”
“Oh,” Finn said. “That doesn’t sound good. What would the Church do with such an army?”
“Who knows?” Ethan said, feeling bitter. “It might be a great thing if they were actually doing what they were supposed to. Instead of harassing Rebekah and the Hunters who are actually trying to get the job done.”
“What do you think they’d do with an army of immortal Hunters?” Tess asked, watching Ethan carefully.
That weird feeling didn’t come over him again, so he didn’t mind.
“If I had to make a guess, I figure they’d want to try to wipe all magical creatures from the face of the Earth.”
The others were silent.
“Not only would the Church have practical value for the Chalice in accomplishing their goals of extermination.” Ethan emphasized the correct word. “But I’m sure they think if they actually found the Holy Grail, that humans would come flocking back to the Church in droves. It would be a triumph.”
“So then the Church believes my theory that the Chalice,” Jayde said, cutting her eyes over to Finn, “is buried in North America. And they must also think it’s real. Most humans don’t, you know?”
At that instant, the door opened, shining so brightly that they could hardly look at it. The Caretaker’s voice came out of the brightness.
“You’re approved,” he said, with relief in his voice. “I’ve got your passes. You can go.”
Chapter 33
The four of them reappeared on the back lawn of a mall in Calgary near Jayde’s apartment. It was the closest Faerie ring to her place. Finn stumbled a little and Jayde put out her arm. He leaned on it until he was steady.
“What is wrong with you?” Jayde said to Finn, her face concerned.
“It’s nothing,” he said, glancing down at the human, his hand still on her arm. “We can explain later. I’m fine. Okay?”
“Sure, you are,” she said, eyeing him and not sounding as if she believed him in the least.
Tess tended to agree. Finn was not okay. But there wasn’t anything they could do about it right now.
The harsh sunlight of a summer afternoon on the Earthly Realm beat down on them, the colors too vivid, the sounds too grating, the rough prairie wind chafing her face. Tess could hardly get used to the merciless feel of this place, so different from the peace and the soft
corners of Ahlenerra. Back home, it all seemed just a little blurry at the edges and the sounds were soothing, the sunlight warm and bright, the breeze gentle.
Here, it was all jarring noise and glaring light that blinded you. And no magic anywhere so that you felt as though you were dying of both hunger and thirst at the same time. Your body desperate for a drop of Starlight but there was none.
Tess blew out her breath. No point in complaining. They needed to get the Chalice and get the heck out of here. She needed to focus on that. Getting the Chalice. That was what would get her and Finn back home.
“My apartment is this way,” Jayde said for Ethan’s benefit, pointing at a beige five-story building about ten blocks down the residential street they were on. It ran behind the mall and parallel to Macleod, which was one of the main streets in Calgary.
They walked on the grass since there was no sidewalk. No one spoke. Tess tried to appreciate the trees and the flowers she saw, but somehow, they were a pale comparison to the ones back home. Even the plant life they had seen in the spelled room—or whatever it was—in the Passageways was a thousand times more beautiful than this.
She pitied the humans and their barren world. She supposed she was starting to feel homesick. It had been a while but she remembered the feeling from when she had left the Light Court. She hadn’t liked the feeling then. And she didn’t like it now.
Thinking about the Passageways made her wonder about that moment back in the wading room when she and Ethan had been staring at each other. Remembering, she felt her face heat and her body tingle. She hadn’t been able to look away from him and it seemed he’d had the same trouble.
Tess knew that Ethan would be so easy to fall in love with. But she certainly would not be letting herself. Her heart still felt sore from losing Finn, and who knew when that would ever heal? She didn’t need to be jumping into a new relationship. Not that he would want one.
She had seen those women at Ethan’s house. She had watched him kick out the one he had spent the night with. There was no way she was going to be next on his list of conquests to get rid of. Sure, Ethan was hot and she had a feeling he was an expert at pleasing a woman. But he clearly never stuck with any of them. Finn said that Ethan thought he was incapable of love. And Tess certainly wasn’t looking for a one-night stand—well, unless it was sex with her ex.