Jewel of the Fae

by Tom Keller

  "But that would mean…" Meg started to say as a huge wave rocked the boat.

  I didn’t answer. I just dropped my eyes. It was everything we could do to hold on. Storm clouds dropped from the sky and heavy rain and sleet appeared. Waves crashed against the boat as Charon fought to keep her steady. Sometime later, as we travelled over yet another 40-foot-tall wave, I thought that this would be the one to sink us. Then, it was over. The dark clouds broke and the river calmed.

  "We have arrived," Charon announced, wiping the rain and sweat from his brow. He pointed ahead, at a great waterfall that fell into the river. The water feeding several tributaries that led into the marshlands.

  There was a shoreline not far from where the water fell. A few Souls wandered about in circles, while others sat on the rocky sand. Many just stood and wept. Most, of course, had moved inland, in search of their promised afterlife, only to get bottled up against the far shore. But a few still remained. The Gods only knew how long they'd been here, with little hope since the Gates of Hades had been closed. Unfortunately for me, none of them were Diantha.

  "Any idea where she might end up at?" I asked Meg, as Charon turned the boat toward the shore.

  "There is no way to tell," Meg replied, taking off her shirt as her wings appeared. "We will have to search for her."

  "Okay then," I said, lifting a foot over the gunwale and turning to Charon. "Wait for us here."

  I jumped down into the shallow water, bident in hand, careful not to say a word. Even though the Nymph of the Styx was long dead. The waters still carried magic within, as evidenced by the fight it had put up as we sailed here. The old Gods swore their oaths on this river, and it was safer for me to keep my mouth shut until I was clear of it.

  "I'll go this way," I said, pointing in one direction as I stepped up onto the sand.

  Meg nodded and took flight. Her huge wings passing over me as she flew off the other way.

  It took what seemed like hours, but finally I spied a lone girl on the shore. It had to be her. She was wearing a long white gown with gold inlay. She sat on the sand crying, her knees tucked up to her chin. I called out to Meg as I ran toward her. I knelt down and held up her head, but her gaze was empty. Her blank eyes stared into nothingness, seemingly unaware that I was even there. After a minute, she noticed me, or at least felt that someone was next to her.

  "I have no coins," she croaked, as her eyes filled with tears.

  I pulled out two obols and placed them in one palm, folding her hand over them. She didn’t say anything, but the sobbing seemed to slow. Then she lifted her closed fist to her mouth and began to rock.

  "She remembers nothing of her past life," Meg said, landing beside me. "It is the way of things here."

  "Let's see if we can fix that," I said, taking out the leather water skin I'd brought from the palace. I pulled her head away from her hands, then brought the waterskin to her mouth, tilting it and letting the water from the pool of the Mnemosyne flow past her lips. She coughed and spit some up, then wrenched herself away.

  "I do not know this place," she said, wide eyed and looking around. Then she opened her hand. "I sit on an unknown shore. Two obols in my palm. Is this the Underworld?" Her eyes turned to Meg as the shadow of her wings crossed the ground in front of her. "It must be. Did I die in battle? I do not recall such a thing. Yet a Fury and a God carrying the staff of Hades stand over me." Suddenly, she threw herself onto the sand, averting her face from my eyes.

  "Whoa, whoa," I said, pulling her up. "It's just me, Diantha, Robert. You're safe now."

  "Robert," she whispered. "What a strange word. My apologies, Lord Hades, I do not know how to respond."

  "You don’t remember me?" I asked.

  "Never have I met the God of Death and Darkness," she replied, shaking her head.

  "What is the last thing you do remember, child," Meg asked, folding her wings to look less intimidating.

  "The last thing I remember?" she asked as I helped her to her feet. "I was sitting in the inner sanctum. On my gilded stool. I was having a vision. It was of the Lord Apollo. He had graced me with his presence and offered a gift… Yes, it was a gift. A necklace with a sparkling green jewel. But… but… How strange. The vision is gone now. I can remember no more."

  "Then you are Diantha, the Oracle of Delphi," I said. It was a statement, not a question.

  "Yes, Lord Hades," she replied with a bow. "That is my name. I am the Pythia, the High Priestess of Delphi."

  Only she wasn't. At least not the same Diantha I had known before. But it was her. Of that I have no doubt. If that makes any sense. Even the freckles below her eyes were there. She just wasn't my Diantha. Not anymore. The lines of worry on her face were gone and her innocence had been returned. Oracle she might be, but also a young girl in her twenties. No longer did 3,000 years of life weigh so heavily on her Soul. Instead, she was as she had been before Apollo gifted her the Eye.

  Never let it be said that Gaea didn’t have a sense of humor, or maybe it was something more. I suppose I should be angry at what she'd done, but it was probably better this way. Having been untouched by Apollo, maybe Gaea would finally leave her alone. While I would certainly miss the old Diantha, the life she could now lead might finally be her own. There was only one way to find out.

  "Come then, Diantha, High Priestess of Delphi," I said, taking her by the hand. "Hades is no place for one such as you. Let us return to the world above. It has changed some since your journey here. But fear not. There you will find wonders that even an Oracle cannot imagine."

  The End

  About the Author

  Tom Keller is a retired cop and former computer forensic expert who's also spent time as a Federal Public Defender investigator. Back in the early days he was a busboy, a cook, and a shoe and real estate salesman. He's taught courses at the local Community College as well as lectured to others in his field on a variety of topics. These days he works as a P.I. in Las Vegas, Nevada. A place he's called home for over 40 years.

  He had a website design business back in the days when you still accessed the Internet by modem. He's sold model airplanes and electronics on the web and eBay. He even had his own TV show for a season or two (okay, it was really low budget, better call it no budget, and it was on UHF for those of you that remember those kinds of things. But, hey, it did snag a 2.0 share one episode). He collects toy space guns, lunch boxes, and coffee cups, among other memorabilia. If he had a personal card it’d probably say something like ‘specialist in generalities,’ or as his brother would say, polymath.

  Tom is still married to his college sweetheart and spends his free time with his family and spare time writing. Jewel of the Fae is his sixth book in the Vegas Fae series. His other books are also available on Amazon.

  Social Media:

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  Email:

  tom@tomsbooks.com

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  Books by Tom Keller

  Return of the High Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 1)

  When ex-Cop turned Private Investigator Robert Hoskins saves the life of ex mobster and casino owner Eddy Milagre he figured that he might have stepped into something he shouldn't have. After taking down two of the 'would be' kidnappers, Robert finds himself in Milagre's office getting the third degree, but that's just the beginning. When Milagre's people start asking him about Wizards and magic all he wants to do is to get out of there in one piece. Mobsters or not these people are nuts!

  But when his dog starts talking to him and he gets a mystical visit from an Aunt and a Dwarf he knows his life has changed, and not necessarily for the better. What kind of world has Robert stepped into when he finds out he's descended from the Gods?

  From disbelief to acceptance, Robert encounters a variety of mythical beings. From Faeries and Norse legends to the Oracle at Delphi, from Mermaids to Werewolves to everything in between,
Robert's world has definitely changed. While his path through that world appears chosen, he soon learns that the beings that reside in the world of myths and fairy tales aren't that much different than those of the mortal world. Good and evil still battle one another and it's time to take sides.

  What should Robert do when the world around him stops making sense? When he finds out from a Dwarf that his dog is descended from Fae hunting dogs. When he knows that corporations and even the mob don’t run Vegas, it's the Fae. When the prettiest girls he meets are over 3,000 years old and some of them drink blood. And that stripper, is she really a Faerie? Let's not even go there. What should Robert do when he learns that strength in his new world is measured in magic and he barely has a clue how to wield it?

  Do Demons, Gods, Elves, and Faeries really exist? Are Vampires truly the children of Lilith? Robert didn't believe it at first either.

  Of Gods and Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 2)

  You see plenty of strange things when you're a P.I. in Las Vegas, but even that couldn’t prepare ex-cop Robert Hoskins for what was to come. At first, he couldn't believe that all those stories he'd been told as a child were true. But hearing that the Fae had taken the casinos over from the mob was something else. Elves, Dwarves, Werewolves and Faeries were just the beginning and battling dark Mages, the opening act.

  Having banished his enemy to the cold hell of Tartarus he'll now have to travel to the Fae lands to claim his birthright. Along the way, and after, there's Demons and Dragons to fight and a trip down the river Styx to the gates of Hades itself is on the playlist if he'll want to defeat the dark Fae's minions and undo an ancient curse.

  From the author of "Return of the High Fae," this is book two in the Vegas Fae stories but a standalone novel in its own right.

  Sin City will never be the same.

  Twist of Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 3)

  As an ex-cop and P.I., Robert Hoskins thought he'd seen it all. Then, while working a simple case, his world changed. The next thing he knew he was battling Wizards, Demons, and even the occasional Dragon.

  Now, with government agents closing in on him in the human world, and the ancient Dwarves threatening the Fae lands, he's got to prepare himself for his most daunting task of all: telling his adult children they are the descendants of Greek Gods!

  But there's more going on than even Robert can imagine when a visit to Fae uncovers hidden secrets that could change everything. To Robert, family comes first, but this time his adventures are a little too close to home.

  Not Just Another Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 4)

  Ex-cop and P.I., Robert Hoskins knows some cases are tougher than others, especially when dark magic is involved. A call from the local pack master about some missing Weres is more than it seems.

  Portals to the Underworld have opened and ancient creatures long thought dead have returned. As a Fae, Robert's faced off with Demons before, but always as the hunter, never the prey.

  What magic force has opened the portals and why is it travelling through the Hells of the Underworld releasing Demons in its wake? Robert needs old friends and new allies to find out.

  But knowing what the problem is won't be enough. He has to find a way to stop it — making this his most difficult case of all.

  Night and Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 5)

  Ex-cop and P.I. Robert Hoskins didn't think twice when an old friend needed help. But little did he know where the evidence would lead him when he dug deeper into the case.

  Demons, Dragons, Monsters and Fallen Angels are only the tip of the iceberg when his old enemy escapes from Tartarus and seeks her revenge. There are wars to be waged and enemies galore as an ancient prophesy resurfaces and the universe attempts to seek balance.

  Even the Gods will step down from the heavens when bloodlines are revealed and Robert faces off with the dark High Fae in an epic battle that will shake the very foundation of the Fae worlds.

  Jewel of the Fae

  (Vegas Fae Stories Book 6)

  It's good to be a God! Unless, of course, you're the God of the Hades. It's not exactly known to be the garden spot of the universe. But that’s the latest twist in the life of ex-cop and Private Investigator, Robert Hoskins.

  If that's not enough to ruin his day, Robert suddenly finds himself embroiled in a desperate search for an ancient talisman. One that could save, or doom, Diantha, the Oracle of Delphi, Robert’s on-again-off-again girlfriend. To make matters worse, it's found its way to Vegas, and he's not the only powerful Fae searching for it. But that's just where it begins!

  The mysterious jewel offers whoever possesses it immortality and unlimited power. The negative effects of the jewel are already being felt in the human world. Robert must find it first to protect the world of man from the world of magic. If he can fit it into his schedule.

  He never asked for the job, but it seems that saving the world from the forces of darkness is just another day in the life of Robert Hoskins, High Fae and Lord of Hades.

  FAE: GENERATIONS

  (Heirs of the Vegas Fae Book 1)

  What do Jay Hoskins, Jasmine (Jazzy) Chibeaux, and Jesse Ordunez have in common? They're all agents of the External Affairs Bureau, the agency that monitors magical creatures for the government. They're also the children of powerful Fae. A Fae warrior, a Werewolf, and a Wizard, they're the EAB's newest Demon Hunter Unit.

  On the surface, their mission is simple. Hunt Demons and creatures that threaten the humans. But not every Demon or Vampire is a threat, and they'll have to weave their way through the hidden society that most humans never see.

  When a simple burglary leads them to a powerful Witch and a Duke of Hell, they realize they're on to something big. A long-lost Grimoire might be the catalyst that starts the Apocalypse, and unfortunately, it's already in her hands.

  As lead agent, Jay will have to follow the trail and stop the Witch that has the Grimoire before she can complete the spell. Along the way, he'll have to pull his new team together and learn a few things about himself he never knew. No one ever said it would be easy, but Jay's got a few tricks up his sleeve of his own, and a team that's unstoppable by his side.

  Fae: Generations is the first book in the new Heirs of the Vegas Fae Series.