by Renee Greene
“Right,” Vanessa agreed. “Even if not, they likely have many more eccentrics we haven’t met yet.”
They hurried back to Agent White’s office, and he called his agents back, informing them that Rayne had been found.
As Agent White waited for them, he again rubbed his head. “I just don’t remember everything,” he complained. “I wish I did.”
“Let’s get to our house,” Vanessa suggested. “We’ll see what we can do there.”
They did all hurry to Bryan and Vanessa’s house and went into the library where they were safest.
There was a huge talk about what to do and quite a bit of debate.
Bryan was very insistent that he and Vanessa go back to Elliad. Vanessa was panicked about Dylan not coming through and insistent that Rayne go back too.
Their mother agreed, and assured them that the agents would protect them well, and she and Trina would spend as much time as they could in the library to be safe.
Agent White again rubbed his head, complaining that he didn’t know what he should do because he couldn’t even think clearly.
“Oh, pamataj!” Bryan exclaimed as he put his hand on Agent White’s forehead. He was honestly surprised that as soon as he did, Agent White blinked his eyes and then said, “What did you do? I remember everything. The fog is gone.”
“Did I speak in magic again?” Bryan asked, showing he was surprised himself. “I just said ‘remember.’”
“Well it wasn’t in English,” Vanessa pointed out.
“Sorry,” Bryan apologized. Then he corrected, “No… I mean… Good.”
Agent White didn’t wasted time, but immediately stood up and insisted, “I’m patting you down, Rayne.”
Bryan shook his head and complained, “I’m not a translator.” Yet, he did pass the message.
“What?” Rayne asked. “What is that?”
Bryan explained and Agent White made Rayne stand for the pat down. It was a good thing that he did because Rayne had a cell phone and a remote. When asked where he got them, Rayne admitted he had taken them from headquarters because he wanted to show his people what technology does.
Bryan explained that the technology would not work in Elliad, as they had no electricity, no cell towers, and no televisions. It didn’t make sense to Rayne.
Agent White scolded him about stealing and asked Bryan if he should cuff him and take him in.
Both Vanessa and Bryan thought that was a bad idea, as Rayne was the crowned prince of the pixies, so Agent White allowed him to go with Vanessa and Bryan, but warned him not to come back.
“But I must,” Rayne corrected when Bryan passed the message. “Vanessa and I are to marry.”
“What!” her mother exclaimed when Bryan translated.
“Don’t worry mom,” Vanessa assured her. “I’ll explain later.”
“Let’s go,” Bryan urged. “We need to go.”
It was an emotional good-bye, as Gail was sending her children into Elliad where their father was captured and they were being hunted. Dylan was stuck there, and no one was really safe on either side.
Bryan, Vanessa, and Rayne stepped up to the arch. Bryan said the words, “Elliad, entrare biblu ridd faeir ali iobairt.”
They were pulled through the arch in the familiar blue light. When they reached the other side, they were hoping to see Nea and Dylan. Unfortunately, neither was there.
Fortunately, there weren’t many enemies either. There were mostly guards of King Giles’s, a few high elves, and several races that Vanessa didn’t recognize.
“Welcome back!” a pixie stated, stepping forward. He was full sized and wearing armor. He stepped up to Rayne and scolded, “King Giles wants to meet with you, but after that, our father does too. He is not pleased that you went through the arch without permission, brother.”
“Niall,” Rayne pleaded. “It was an accident. I did not expect to be pulled through.”
Niall looked at him more sternly. “Father is going to have you talk to the Ritish. He is worried that you are dealing in intrigues you should not.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Rayne defended.
Niall became sterner and insisted, “You will meet with our father and talk to the ritish.”
Vanessa interrupted and asked, “What’s a ritish?”
“A mind reader,” Rayne answered. “I do not fear the truth, but we all have thoughts we don’t want read.”
“Come!” Niall instructed. “We are taking you to the king.”
Bryan looked around hesitantly. “Why aren’t Evander’s men trying to catch us here, and where are Nea and Dylan?”
“We had to fight ogres when we came,” Niall explained. “Honestly, a high elf was very injured during the fight. Hopefully, the pixies can heal him. He was very near death.”
“Where are Nea and Dylan?” Bryan asked again.
“King Giles will answer that question for you,” Niall explained.
That answer set both Vanessa and Bryan on edge, so Bryan hopped on a horse Niall had for him, and Vanessa shrunk to six inches and flew with them.
They hurried to the castle and in to meet with King Giles as quickly as they could.
There was a huge discussion, and Bryan was furious when he found out that because a guard had reported that Dylan had gone with a Tengai lady to negotiate with Evander, King Giles had sent Nea with Cullen to go spy.
“It is too dangerous!” Bryan uncharacteristically yelled.
King Giles told him to calm down and explained that he understood the danger, but that she was a spy for Lady Locklyn, head of the nymphs, and that she was well-trained.
That didn’t set Bryan at ease at all, and Vanessa was panicked about Dylan being gone. Rayne suggested they take some time together so he could calm her down, but she pushed him back and scolded him, accusing him of it being his fault for coming through the arch instead of Dylan.
“I can’t help it if you have stronger feelings for me than for Dylan,” Rayne defended. “Please, come with me to Pixieland. Let’s arrange our marriage. You know that we have magic between us.”
“I don’t,” Vanessa fumed. Then she put her face in her hands and cried, “I don’t know what I feel. I’m so confused.”
“There is no need to be,” Rayne assured her. “You belong with the pixies. We are a good match, and we can unite both worlds.”
“I’m not sure that’s wise,” Vanessa argued. “I don’t know what to think.” She ran from the room.
Rayne and Bryan both ran after her, but the guards at the door stopped Rayne. He tried to shrink and fly through, but they were expecting it and caught him.
Rayne complained profusely, but didn’t get any sympathy. Instead, Niall announced that since the discussion was over that he would take Rayne to his father.
Rayne insisted that as Vanessa’s intended that he should go after her, but Niall would not have it.
Niall escorted his brother to their father, Rex Fafnir.
“What have you done?” Rex Fafnir scolded when his sons entered.
“I went to the human world,” Rayne explained.
His father scolded him again. “It was foolish, dangerous, and could cost us your arranged marriage.”
“It shouldn’t hurt the arranged marriage,” Rayne assured him. “In fact, it has shown her that her feelings are stronger for me than for Dylan.”
Although Rayne seemed cooperative, his father did call the ritish to read his mind. She was winged, shorter than a pixie, and had a very child-like appearance. She came in happily and put her hands on his forehead. She concentrated for twenty minutes before she said anything. Then, she explained everything about his trip to the human world. Rayne had reported that accurately. He hadn’t told his father about stealing the technology or that he was working with Fardoragh, so that was a shock when the ritish announced it.
“What?” Rex Fafnir exclaimed. “You will stop working with that evil man.”
“He’s not evil,” Rayne defended.<
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“Didn’t he have your wings clipped?” Fafnir pointed out.
“No, that was Godric,” Rayne explained. “I don’t think Fardoragh knew about it. He only wants technology for our world, and he wants both humans and fairies to be able to cross through the arch. It is a good goal.”
“No,” his father scolded. “It is not. It would ruin our way of life. It would give evil men too much power, and our people could easily be exploited. Enjoy what you have and stop trying to get something that is not good for you. Our world is better off without their technology or immoral influence. I have talked to Alex many times. He thinks it’s best to not open the arch. He couldn’t if he wanted to, but he thinks it’s a bad idea.”
“Perhaps only bad for humans, not for us,” Rayne argued.
“Enough!” Rex Fafnir scolded. “You will stop working with Fardoragh, and you will get Vanessa to agree to the marriage.” He leaned over him and warned, “Remember that I could make your brother crowned prince.”
Chapter 10: King Dakarai Learns Fardoragh is a Traitor
“Is it true?” Evander sneered, his face inches away from Alex’s. Alex could not see him, as he was once again blindfolded, that time with a non-magical blindfold, so he could not teleport away from those torturing him.
“Is it true?” Evander repeated. “Mahon has reported to me that the key to getting through the portal is connection to you or one of your twins.”
Alex said nothing, so the ankou beside him touched him, sending excruciating pain through him. He screamed out in pain.
“How do we make the connection?” Evander yelled. “I want answers, and I want them now!”
Again, Alex said nothing, and, again, the ankou touched him. The pain at the touches never lessened, so Alex screamed out again. Being in total darkness from the blindfold, made his other senses heighten, so the pain was even more unbearable. Yet, he stayed strong.
Evander leaned over the chair Alex was in and hissed in his ear, “It doesn’t matter if you tell us. We have Dylan coming here to negotiate. It seems a spy of ours, a Tengai, was able to sting him. He is coming willingly.”
“What type of spell was it?” Alex mumbled, too weak to speak normally.
“A love potion,” Evander answered. “He will tell us everything out of love. Now, do you want to help us, or should we get the information from the boy?”
Alex didn’t answer, so the ankou touched him again. Alex once again felt as if he’d been stabbed with a high-voltage knife. There was always a stabbing pain, but it seared through his body. Every muscle hurt and every nerve felt as if it was burning so much it would explode. Still, he said nothing. Only screams of pain came from his mouth.
“Stop!” Alex finally screamed.
“Are you ready to answer?” Evander hissed.
“I don’t know how Dylan came through,” he admitted. “I honestly don’t, but if Bryan said something, it is true. He does not lie.”
Evander raised his eyebrows curiously and asked, “Humans cannot lie?”
“They can,” Alex corrected. “Many do. Bryan does not. Yet, he is just a boy. Don’t bring him into this.”
The ankou again touched him, and he screamed out in pain.
Evander motioned for the ankou to stop and again leaned over the chair Alex was tied to. “I think you can take people through. You had told us that it was impossible, that only those who are part fairy and part human can get through. Obviously, that was a lie as a full human has come through. What did they really do to him? I don’t think mixing their blood will work any better than it does with a fairy. What really did they do? How do we get through?”
“You can’t,” Alex defied. “I honestly did not know it was possible, but if it is, it is how Bryan says and you still can’t get through.”
“You lie!” Evander yelled. As he did, he pulled a knife from his belt. “This will teach you to cooperate. You will tell us or you can suffer pain that doesn’t stop when the ankou stops touching you.” He then stabbed Alex in the gut.
Alex gasped for breath and then screamed.
“Get the pixie girl,” Evander ordered. “Allow her to heal him enough so he lives, but I want him left in pain.” He then motioned to the guards and they sealed the doors.
Nilix, the alchemist red cap, went over and opened the cage the pixie was in. As soon as she was released, she grew to full size and flew over to Alex. She pulled off his blindfold and started healing him. Of course, he didn’t teleport away from her. “I’m sorry,” she cried as she worked on healing. “Maybe Dylan can save us when he comes. I hear he’s a hero, or maybe your son can. I hear he is…”
The ogre watching her slapped her across the face to get her quiet.
Alex forced himself up and grabbed the ogre’s wrist. “Don’t!” he scolded but very weakly, as his wound was bad.
The ogre punched him back down to the floor and laughed.
“Stay down,” the pixie urged. “Quiet.” She continued to heal him. It took some time, as the wound was bad.
When she finished, she looked around. She could shrink and fly off, but the room was sealed, so they would catch her and punish her. There was no way to fight, so she conceded to letting them cage her again. Yet, she sat in the cage crying.
Evander scolded her for making noise and then walked over to Nilix. “Any progress?” he asked. “I want to get through that arch. Agent Hall has said the key to going through is the connection to Alex or one of the twins. Is there a way to connect us with your potions?”
Nilix thought for a moment. A sinister smile crossed his face as he suggested, “If I could get the blood of a two-headed taikrait snake and the help of a Siren and soul-leach, then on a full moon, I could create a potion that you and Alex both drink, and it would combine your souls. That way you could pass through the arch. It is brilliant. I should have thought of it before. I will get on it immediately.”
“Wait!” Evander ordered. “Would our souls be combined permanently?”
“Oh, yes,” Nilix answered casually. “Of course.”
“I do not want my soul combined with anyone’s,” Evander insisted. “There must be another way.”
Nilix hissed back, asking, “How badly do you want to cross through the arch?”
*****
Fardoragh sat in council with Lord Dakarai when Prince Lindir walked into the room.
“Stop!” he called to his father. “I do not think we can trust Fardoragh.”
“That is quite the accusation,” his feeble father responded. “Has not Fardoragh been a good counselor to me for the past twenty years?”
“For some of them,” Lindir agreed. “Yet, now, he is working against Bryan and Vanessa. I hear he has been trying to get them to get him through the arch. He even had Prince Rayne’s wings clipped.”
“I did not!” Fardoragh defended. “That was one of the guards. I only ordered him to take Rayne and Melia away while I talked to Vanessa and Bryan alone.”
“Why was I not informed about this?” Dakarai asked. “I gave no such commands.”
“I did not want to concern you,” Fardoragh explained in a sugary tone. “I know how weak you are.”
“Yes, this past year has seemed to age me fifty,” Lord Dakarai agreed. “Yet, that still does not give you the power to usurp my power.” His voice became stronger with his accusation. “You are not the Lord of the high elves and will not take such actions unsanctioned again.”
“I am sorry, my lord,” Fardoragh replied. “I was only trying to help.”
“No,” Lindir accused, very sternly. “You are after power. I do not trust you. I fear I have been so concerned with my own province and planning my wedding that I have been negligent in helping my father, but if what Bryan and Vanessa tell me is true, you are a traitor, working against the king.”
“Vanessa and Bryan only recently even found out about our world,” Fardoragh pointed out. They know nothing of it. Likely they misunderstood.”
“They did not,
” Lindir insisted. “I have talked to them, and they report that you are trying to get through the arch. You know that is forbidden.”
Lord Dakarai perked up and asked, “Are you trying to get through the arch?”
“I’m not doing anything evil,” Fardoragh defended. “I merely want to help our kingdom advance.”
Lord Dakarai snapped his fingers, and guards from the sides of the room approached. He ordered them to escort Fardoragh to the dungeon
“But I’ve done no wrong!” Fardoragh protested.
Lord Dakarai glared at him. “If Lindir says you have, you have. He is incredibly trustworthy and would not bring such an accusation if it was not true. I could banish you, but instead, I will have you kept in the dungeon until we can take you to King Giles to be tried.
“No!” Fardoragh yelled. “You can’t do this!
“I can,” Dakarai defended, “and I am.”
Four guards led Fardoragh out to take him to the dungeon with him protesting the entire way.
“How deep do you think his treason is?” Lord Dakarai asked once he was out. “Can I even trust my own guards?”
“Not all,” Lindir admitted. “I should have spent more time here.”
“You were working with your own province and have been greatly working with those in Meadowshire,” Lord Dakarai defended. “I understand. Princess Lilian of Meadowshire is indeed a good lady for you.”
Lindir smiled, but replied, “I am worried about Fardoragh. Where I am all for letting people live their lives and us staying out of it, I am concerned that he is up to some bad intrigues. Perhaps we should question him and see if we can figure out how far his reach is.”
His father looked into his eyes and responded, “Let’s hope it’s not too far. Our land has enough troubles. With Evander already causing problems, I fear an enemy within could tear Elliad apart.”
“It may even be worse,” Lindir suggested. “He could be working with Evander.”
Dakarai leaned over and whispered weakly, “I fear there is big trouble ahead. I am going to need you to go on a quest to find out what is going on. King Giles will need our help.”