by D P Rowell
Kareena's father, who had been remaining quiet and holding his daughter close during all of this, slowly walked towards the scarred fae and the elite. He gently pulled away the elite’s hands and looked down at him. “My family has a home here in the city. We can stay there for the time being. Please, sir. I would love the opportunity to talk with you and your leaders here. I believe we can find common ground and see purpose behind the crossing of our paths. The faes of Gathara and the Indies have a long history of dispute. Now has come the opportunity to resolve it.”
Sebastian said nothing. He simply stood with his arms folded, listening to the golden fae speak. Ace took note of how fluid Tharuach’s voice was. How concise his points. It sounded like a river on an undisturbed path, gently making its way to the end of the stream. After his composed silence, Tharuach nodded in understanding of Sebastian’s refusal to speak. The tall fae silently suggested all the companions leave Headquarters with a nudge of his head and a timid motion of his hand. Everyone hesitated at first, but the fae’s gift for a gentle command won them over.
Kareena, Trilo, Cameron, Ace, and Tharuach, all left the Simulation Room, into the Trainee Hall, and through the Great Hall. The hunters in Headquarters exchanged whispers and stares as they silently marched through. Rumors of the events which had just taken place so recently. All of them wanted to know why the parcel whom had just been captured weeks ago walked away scott-free; and why two of them were faes with tattoos and robes. Ace hung his head as he followed the line of companions through Indie Castle. He may have escaped the cellar, but he was far from convincing the Indies to join him.
Tharuach led them through the winding paths of cobblestone and brick. Ace glanced up a couple times as the shimmering reflection of gold and silver feathers came over his sight. For two or three taebans had flown across the sky as faes traveled across Heorg.
Tharuach’s home was on the far southeast corner of Gathara. They found a carriage in the Market District and Tharuach paid for all of them to join the rickety ride. Ace tried to relax and lean against the edge of the carriage, but the frequent bumps popped him from his seat. Not to mention, he, Cameron, and Trilo had to squeeze together on one side of the carriage.
The journey to the fae’s house went on in silence. Everyone’s eyes told of their deep, pressing thoughts of important matters. All but Kareena’s. Ace sat directly in front of her. The silver-haired fae stared out the carriage window with grace and composure. She looked to be thinking, but not stressed or concerned. The sun had just begun to rise and it's early morning yellow beamed through the windows of the carriage. It gleamed off her silver hair and highlighted the curve of her neck. All the worry of Ace’s continual thoughts burrowed themselves in the back of his mind as he watched her think. For some reason he couldn’t explain, it made him feel like everything would turn out okay. The feeling faded when his eyes met with Tharuach. The cold, emotionless face of the golden fae surfaced the old, worried feelings in an instant.
They arrived moments later. After letting Kareena out first, Ace nearly fell on the cobblestone ground when he tried to exit. Him being crammed the entire time was like a constant building pressure, and when he finally had the chance to escape it, he popped free.
The faes lived in a humble home nestled in a cul de sac. Concrete pillars of four corners held together walls of white stone and brick. The arched roof fell over in two slants covered in dark shingles. Each home in the neighborhood shared similar characteristics, but varied in size and shape. The carriage driver waved goodbye and strolled away. Tharuach led everyone into his house.
“Make yourselves at home,” Tharuach said. They all stepped through a hallway of a dark hardwood floor. Soft, gray rugs were sprawled on the floor. Ace imagined walking on a cloud felt similar. Candles hung from the walls with a sweet aroma like rich fruit. The hallway led them to a living area. Two, black, leather couches faced one another, a dark coffee table in between them. Fae symbols were carved into it. A circular rug of exploding patterns of silver and gold lay beneath them. Just ahead lay a fireplace, flickering and popping and offering a warm comfort. Glass shelves stood on the walls surrounding them. Some holding books, others trinkets and toys and trophies. Pictures of the fae family hung about the entire house.
All the companions walked to the living area and plopped on the couch. Ace sank right into the cushions, the couch nearly swallowing him whole.
“Clahala, Alia,” Tharuach said, “we have guests.” The tall fae walked away down a different hall.
Kareena and Trilo sat on one of the couches, and Cameron and Ace faced them on the other one. Footsteps pounded in a different area of the house, and Kareena buried her face in her hands. Moments later, a little fae girl, not much more than seven, came running through a different hallway. Her silver hair was curly, and it bounced on her shoulders as she ran to the couches. She reached Ace and Cameron and smiled wide, revealing a missing tooth at the top of her bite.
“Hi! I’m Alia!”
Ace and Cameron half smiled and waved. “Nice to meet you,” Cameron said.
Alia tilted her head and squinted. “You look a little old to be Kareena’s boyfriend.”
Kareena jumped from the couch. “Alia! Stop it!”
Alia shrugged. “What? Everyone’s thinking it.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Alia! Go away!” Kareena said.
Ace couldn’t decide what to feel. He wanted to sink into the couch and let the couch swallow him so he couldn’t be seen, but he’d also never seen Kareena express such emotion. Especially negative emotion.
“Alright,” Tharuach said as he stepped in from the opposite hallway. “That’s enough.” A tall fae woman with wavy golden hair followed Tharuach inside. She brought with her a vibrant glow, hightening the mood of the room she stood in.
“Hello and welcome,” the fae said. “I’m Mrs. Flare. How would everyone like a cup of tea before dinner?”
Everyone nodded quietly. “Yes,” Trilo said, “Thank you.”
Clahala smiled and nudged Alia. “C’mon and help Mommy in the kitchen.”
“But,” Alia said. Her eyes widened as she looked at Ace. The little girl rushed to the couch and sat next to him. “But I wanna meet Kareena’s boyfriend! It’s you isn’t it? Are you really an elyrian?” She grabbed Ace’s arm and examined it close to her face. “I’ve never seen a human elyrian before.”
“Alia!” Mrs. Flare said. She rushed to the couch, picked up the little girl fae, and began taking her into the kitchen as she whined about wanting to meet Kareena’s boyfriend. Ace’s face flushed red as a cherry. Kareena looked at the ground and nervously twirled her hair in her finger. Trilo had his hand over his mouth, holding in his obvious laughter. Cameron nudged Ace and winked; and Tharuach stared at Ace like the kind of person you want to do bad things to.
Trilo’s attempt at holding in his laughter eventually failed. He leaned back on the couch and let out a few good laughs. Eventually, Cameron lightly joined in. Kareena slowly lifted her eyes. Ace nervously chuckled for a moment but it still felt like the temperature in the room had climbed a hundred degrees.
Tharuach pulled grabbed a wooden chair on the other side of the room and pulled it up next to the coffee table. He sat down and glanced at everyone, his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers locked together.
Trilo’s laughter finally settled and his eyes touched the others in the room. “Are we just supposed to pretend like that wasn’t funny?”
Tharuach grinned at Trilo. “Yes.” Trilo and Tharuach swapped stares a moment. “Besides, we have more important matters to discuss.”
“I agree,” Ace said, eager to get to a new topic as quick as possible. “Like, what in the world are we supposed to do now?”
CHAPTER SIX
The Same Story
Mrs. Flare and her youngest daughter entered from the kitchen. The mother had a tray of several cups, and Alia had a chrome pot, round and plump, reflecting the fire and candlelight in the room. T
hey set the cups down on the table and Alia poured them all. Ace watched the puffs of steam rise from each of the stone cups as Alia poured them. He kept his eyes on the little girl, his heart pounding with anticipation of her shouting some other humiliating fact about him and Kareena. How did her family get the impression he was her boyfriend? Had Kareena told them he was? Ace puffed his chest a little. He hadn’t thought of it in such a way before. After Alia finished pouring the cups of tea, Clahala's eyes twitched when she looked in Ace's direction. She leaned next to him and grabbed his forearm. He jolted at the unexpected touch. She gently pushed back his sleeve and flipped his arms so his palms faced skyward.
“Oh my,” she said with a gentle gasp, “look at these scratches. They look fresh as a Spring's Eve flower.”
“They are,” Ace replied. “I spent a while in the cellar, sleeping on the jagged stone floor.”
She eyed him with sadness and extended one of his arms to get a better look at it. She raised her own hand and a pale flame of the elyr came over her palm. She gently rubbed over the cuts and bruises. It felt peaceful—gentle—and caused him to lose track of his senses a moment. When she pulled her hand away, the markings had all disappeared.
“Wow,” he said, eyeing all of his arm. “That’s incredible.”
She smiled and tilted her head in a slight bow. She stood and gently nudged Alia along the hallway opposing the kitchen. “C’mon, Alia, let’s leave your father and sister to discuss things.”
“But, Mom, I—”
Clahala scrunched her lips tight and raised a finger. Her eyes shot bullets. Alia hung her head, set the teapot on the table, and walked away.
“Honey,” she said, eyes shifting to the tall fae, “we’ll be in the other room if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Dear,” Tharuach said with a smile.
Everyone reached for their tea, and soon the room filled with the sound of sipping, resembling a cheap hovercraft trying to start and failing. The tea tasted incredible. It splashed against Ace’s tongue in bursts of sweet and herbal. The colors of the room popped into life. His breathing felt more satisfying.
“Woah,” Cameron said quietly. “What’s in this stuff?”
“It’s made from leaves in Breen,” Tharuach said, “Nothing quite like it.” The tall fae set his cup on the table, folded his arms, and leaned back in his chair, “Enough procrastination. Let’s talk about what’s happening. Ace, is it?”
Ace turned to Tharuach. The tall fae’s eyes were like stone. The boy nodded nervously.
“My daughter tells me you’re The Elyrian. The Chosen. Is this true?”
Ace shrugged, “I guess—I mean—yeah, I’m pretty sure.”
“Oh,” Tharuach shrugged nonchalantly, “that’s reassuring.”
Kareena set her cup down and leaned over her knees. “Father, I promise you he is. I went to the Tree Kingdom with him. King Vinan himself has testified to it.”
“You went to the what?” Trilo said, one eyebrow raised.
Tharuach dismissed the scarred fae and kept his focus on his daughter. “I know. I believe you, Kareena. However, his lack of confidence disturbs me. If he truly is who you and King Vinan say, where is the stone? Why was he trapped in a cellar with the Indies?”
“Father, you know perfectly well that the Indies are deceived into believing the elyr is witchcraft.”
“Do not take that tone with me,” Tharuach’s posture went stiff and broad and commanded everyone’s obedience.
After a moment of silence, Ace chimed in, “Mr. Tharuach, sir. I don’t have the stone because it was taken from me.”
Tharuach’s eyes met with Ace’s. “Impossible. The Emerson Stone cannot be taken by force.”
“Woah, woah, woah!” Trilo said. He stood from the couch and waved his hands in a goofy fashion, “Are you serious right now? The Emerson Stone? What, are we in some sort of fairy tale?”
“The stone is real, Trilo,” Ace said. “And it belongs to me.”
“Then where is it?” Tharuach asked.
“I was deceived by a drake who was guiding us. He tricked me into giving him the stone and two of my family members.”
Cameron’s eyes went narrow. He turned to look at Ace strangely. “Wait. You’re saying Rio is a . . . a parcel? And he has the Peppercorns?”
Ace gave Cameron a look of shock. “Didn’t . . . didn’t you know already?”
Cameron looked like he’d just been punched in the gut after Ace said this. “No!” He turned to Trilo. “Why didn’t you tell me that? All you told me was Keele was a witch and deceived the elite into believing Ace was a sorcerer. ”
Trilo scratched his head. “Look, I didn’t mean to keep anything from you. I didn't really think about it either. I don't know your family or anything like that, and besides, we needed to rescue Ace and I didn't think it was the appropriate time to—”
Cameron stood and faced Trilo. “And now is?”
“Everybody, calm down,” Kareena said. Cameron looked like he might blow a gasket. He turned to face his younger brother. “You let a parcel take Julie and Tamara?”
Ace’s chest went sharp with pain and his eyes glossed over. “Cameron, I didn’t—”
“Grandpa trusted you!” Cameron said. A tube of blue vein popped through the skin on his neck. “If anything happens to the Peppercorns it’ll be your fault!”
Ace stared wordlessly at Cameron for a moment. He choked his tears back and lowered his head. “You’re right.”
“Ace, he’s not right,” Kareena said.
Ace looked up at the sound of stomping feet. Cameron was bolting outdoors. Trilo stood with his hands on his hips facing downward at the coffee table.
“I’m sorry,” Trilo said. “This is my fault, I should’ve told him. I’ll go talk to him.” The scarred fae slowly turned and followed Cameron outside.
Ace turned at the touch of a warm hand on his shoulder. Tharuach’s face came into view at the final turn of his head. The male fae shot him a glance of remorse. “Ace, I understand if you need some time.”
Ace shook his head silently. “I’ll be fine,” he said. The impulse to grieve arose, but he swallowed it back down. It felt like swallowing bricks. “We need to talk about what our next plan is.”
Tharuach and Kareena exchanged eyes of uncertainty for a second, then turned back to Ace. “Well,” Tharuach said, “why don’t you tell me exactly what happened with this drake and King Vinan, so I have a little bit of context.”
Ace nodded. Together, he and Kareena told Tharuach of the day they met in the alley. How Ace spoke fae and Kareena brought him to Shywater. They finished at their parting ways in the Tree Kingdom. After Kareena had taught him the elyr and Vinan sent them away.
“There's something I don’t understand,” Ace said. “How did you get to the Tree Kingdom before me?”
Kareena looked at Ace. “Shywater came to me soon after you’d left for Hillrun. I found Ishvi there and asked him what he was doing outside of the trees. He told me there was urgent news from King Vinan and I should come with him quickly. I later found out that he’d seen you in Shywater and you’d shouted my name out to him. He was wondering why there was a human alone in Shywater and they wanted to bring me in to get the matter resolved.”
“So, you and Ishvi already knew each other?” Ace said.
Tharuach interjected. “King Vinan trained me in the Tree Kingdom. When I was just a boy, I saw Shywater. I had no idea what it was, having been raised in Breen and taught to believe giving up the elyr was the best way to fight the council. There, I met Ishvi. He pops into the other realms from time to time and reports back to King Vinan. It’s his job. He always seems to appear at just the right time. Anyway, I learned directly from him and the Tree King. They are friends of ours.”
Ace gave responded with a half nod, then faced Kareena. “What happened when you returned to Gathara?”
“I ran home and told Father and Mother what had happened. I told them how I met the Chosen, saw
the Emerson Stone, and asked for their counsel.”
Tharuach lifted one leg over the other and leaned back in his chair. “I wasn’t sure what to make of it all. At first, I was worried my little girl had been deceived or something. But, then the witches attacked Gathara. I proceeded to gather our family and retreat into the mountains. My Father passed down his farm in the mountains to us in his will. We were going to hide there but . . .”
Kareena slowly turned her head to Ace. She held a look of innocence. Like a newborn. “I snuck away and back into the city.”
Ace’s face shriveled like a prune. “Why would you do that?”
Tharuach huffed and leaned forward. “Why do you think? She was trying to find you and help you.”
Ace’s heart played tug of war. It leaped at the thought of Kareena risking her life to help him, but fell at Tharuach’s eyes. No wonder the tall fae had been giving Ace such distasteful looks.
“I knew you were going to go back to the city,” Kareena said. “After you told me about the parcel in the elite, and you were closing in on him, I knew you’d be coming back to help Gathara. I wanted to help you.”
“You would’ve used the elyr and gotten yourself thrown in the cellar, just like this young man did,” Tharuach roared. Kareena's eyes fell. Her father sighed and dismissed the matter. “Nevertheless, if you hadn’t come back and forced me to come looking for you, we never would’ve been able to rescue the Elyrian.”
Ace and Kareena swapped eyes, then Ace shifted his glare to the tall fae. “Mr. Flare, you were so uncertain just a minute ago. What convinced you I'm the Elyrian?”
The dominant fae gave Ace a dark look and a half smile. “Your fae hunter friend did. I could tell by the scars on his face. He was a fae who stopped believing in the elyr. Took a vow against his abilities to serve the Indies. Once I saw how convinced he was he'd made the wrong choice, I knew there was something to my daughter's story.”
