Believe

by Katie Holland

  It was like a little beacon of light that was flashing at her, but she couldn’t figure out what it actually was. She didn’t want to go all the way down there, so the only other option was to bring it to the surface. Taking what she learned from Candar about Stonehenge, she slowly brought the object out of where it was buried deep in the earth.

  As it neared the surface, she created a strong shield that would surround her and the object. Not knowing what was going to happen she wanted to ensure the safety of those around her. When the object was finally visible, she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. It appeared to be a shiny black rock.

  “What is that?” Ben asked.

  “I don’t know yet but it’s what was attracting my energy,” Alix said.

  Not wanting to touch it, she sent her magic into it. As soon as she did the rock started to hover until it was even with her eyes. It kind of blinked then took off towards the edge of the island. She ran after it and everyone followed her. They stopped when they got to where the land ended, and the ocean began. The strange rock moved further out to sea, hovered for a moment and then splashed into the water.

  “What do we do now?” Shay asked, from beside her.

  “I think I have to follow it,” Alix told her.

  “But it’s in the middle of the ocean,” Shay said.

  “I know, but it’s the only thing on this whole island that lit up my magic, so I know I have to find it.”

  “I don’t like it,” Ben said.

  “I don’t either but what other choice do I have?”

  No one had an answer to that.

  “Okay, so you have to find the creepy rock in the even more creepy ocean,” Shay said. “How are you going to make that happen?”

  “I don’t know. Let me think for a bit,” Alix said, walking away from the group. She just needed a few minutes alone.

  Chapter 36

  As Alix walked away, she could hear everyone talking behind her but ignored the noise. She had no idea how she was going to find that stupid rock at the bottom of the ocean. And what was the point of this other than to waste her time?

  She started pacing and thinking but nothing was coming to her mind. It was like it was a total blank. She was about to give up when something caught her attention. A few feet away from her there was a butterfly flying around.

  “How did you get all the way out here?” she said to it.

  As if in response it flew towards her then back away again. It did this a couple of times.

  “Do you want me to follow you?”

  It flew toward her and then back, but this time farther away than before. Alix decided it really was trying to get her attention, so she went after it. She only made it a few feet before she ran into an invisible solid object. She moved to go around it but soon discovered she was in some sort of invisible cage.

  Alix yelled for help, but no one seemed to hear her. She banged on the wall she couldn’t see but it made no sound. She tried to send her magic through it, but it only bounced back at her. She was trapped and knew it was François’s doing.

  She knew getting angry wouldn’t help her, so she took several deep breaths to help her calm down. Being trapped was the last thing she needed right now, so she had to find a way out. Maybe an energy ball would destroy the invisible wall. Creating a small one, she fortified her shield and threw it at the wall. It bounced off and bounced like a ping pong ball all over the cage until it finally hit the ground and absorbed back into the earth.

  Alix stared at where her energy landed. She was shocked at what had just happened and extremely glad it hadn’t hit her. She looked up and noticed that her group was no longer on the beach but now spread out. Most likely looking for her.

  Searching for Ben, she finally found him. She thought that he should be able to feel her, but he looked just as lost as the rest of them. Concentrating on what she loved about Ben she tried sending that out to him. She hoped that would allow him to figure out where she was.

  After a few minutes, she could tell it wasn’t working so she gave up. Sitting down on the ground she watched helplessly as her friends searched for her. She could see the fear on their faces and there was nothing she could do about it. But then she realized she wasn’t helpless. She was the most powerful Nykara on the planet and if there was a way to get out of this situation, she was going to find it.

  Putting her hands down she realized that her invisible cage didn’t extend to the ground. That was going to have to be her way out. She created a bubble around her and thought about descending into the earth below her, the opposite of what she did to get everyone out of the ground the last time they were there.

  All she wanted to do was go down far enough to pop out the other side. It took all of her concentration but slowly she started moving. She opened her eyes and watched as the dirt moved around her and soon, she was completely under the ground. Thinking about moving sideways and coming back up she felt the bubble shift in the direction she wanted.

  She was incredibly relieved when she started rising and the darkness faded as her head finally broke free of the ground. When she was completely out of the ground, she dropped the bubble and stood up. Her biggest fear at the moment was that the invisible cage had gotten bigger when she was underground. Immediately feeling around her, she breathed a sigh of relief when she no longer felt the walls that had been surrounding her.

  Needing to tell everyone she was okay, she turned around and looked at the beach. No one was there. She spun in a circle but didn’t see anyone. She didn’t understand what was going on.

  “Ben,” she yelled. “Shay. Where are you?”

  Alix ran to the beach where she last saw the group. There was no trace of them. It didn’t look like anyone had ever set foot on this island. Dropping to her knees she started to cry. She didn’t know what had happened and was scared and frustrated. A few minutes later, she stood up and wiped away the tears. She needed to be brave and use her head. Crying wasn’t going to help her figure this out.

  Going back to the spot where she first ran into the invisible wall, she used her magic to help her see hidden Grynn magic. Kicking herself for not doing that sooner, she saw the invisible cage. Now she was angry with herself and was going to take it out on the cage. She formed an energy ball and blasted it. The force of the blast sent her flying backwards. She hit the ground hard and was momentarily stunned.

  Then she heard a laugh she’d never forget, it was François. As hard as she tried, she wasn’t able to open her eyes. She felt hands on her and started to struggle.

  “Alix, it’s Ben.”

  She stopped struggling.

  “Can you hear me Alix,” Ben said.

  She nodded and tried to open her eyes. This time she was successful.

  “What happened?” she managed to say.

  “That’s what we would like to know. One minute you were standing here with us and the next you were on the ground and we couldn’t wake you up. You really scared me Alix,” Ben said.

  “So, I didn’t disappear?” Alix asked.

  “No. You’ve been here the entire time. Can you tell us what happened?”

  “Uh, sure,” she said and then told the group about her experience with the invisible cage.

  “Sounds like a very unique Grynn trap,” Gordon said. “I have a feeling the purpose was to keep your mind trapped in there so you would be theirs. I’m guessing the explosion was the reason you were able to escape from it.”

  “What is it with this island and explosions,” Ben said, trying to lighten the mood.

  “I don’t know but I think we need to leave as soon as possible,” Alix said. “How long was I out for?”

  “Not long, maybe five minutes,” Ben told her.

  “It seemed much longer than that,” Alix said.

  “Everyone out of my way,” Shay said, making her way to Alix’s side. She helped her stand up and gave her a huge hug. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so. That was really weird though. It se
emed so real. I have no idea how the Grynn could cause that to happen.”

  “I wouldn’t put anything passed François. He’s the very essence of evil,” Shay said fiercely.

  “You got that right,” Alix agreed. “Now, I think we need to go to the spot where the invisible cage was located. Make sure you all have your contacts in and be extra cautious of everything.”

  Alix led the way to where she first encountered the wall. Now that she was using her magic to see what was hidden, she noticed a small pink spot where the cage had been. The Warriors must have seen it as well since they took up protective positions around it.

  Not wanting to touch it Alix sent her magic out to see if she could tell what it was. At first her magic just bounced off of it but then she remembered that the small white rock from Stonehenge might be able to help. She got it out of her pocket and put it on her tattoo. With the pearl in her hand she concentrated on the pink spot. This time she was able to get her magic to penetrate it.

  She was waiting for another trap to be sprung so she was surprised when an envelope suddenly appeared where the pink spot had been. Just like in Paris she was cautious of it. Forming a protective shield around her she slowly opened the envelope. There was another note from François.

  ****

  Alix,

  Congratulations on surviving my extremely clever trap. I’ve decided that a week is too long to wait. You now have two days to find me. The secret is in the rings.

  The clock is ticking faster.

  Sincerely,

  François

  ****

  The letter seemed to be safe, so she dropped her shield and handed the letter to Ben. He read it and passed it on. Checking in the envelope she found what she thought might be there. Her dad’s wedding ring. She put it on her necklace with her mom’s ring.

  The secret is in the rings. That sentence was playing over and over in her head. What did it mean? Before she really had a chance to think about it, she felt the ground start to shake under her feet.

  “We have to get out of here now,” Alix yelled to the group.

  As they were running, she heard Gordon tell the pilot to start the takeoff procedure. The crew was there to quickly help everyone on board even as the rotors started moving. Alix found the closest thing she could and held on for dear life.

  The whole helicopter started shaking and she knew it wasn’t because they were taking off, but because the ground was falling out from beneath them. Somehow the pilot got the helicopter in the air. Alix looked toward the front of the helicopter and realized she could see out the front window. She watched as the entire island sunk into the ocean. In just seconds it was completely gone.

  Now that they were in the air and stable, Alix went to the closest available seat and plopped down. She was utterly exhausted. A hand reached over and held hers. She smiled when she saw she was sitting next to Ben.

  “How did I get so lucky to sit next to you?” she said, close to his ear.

  “Everyone here knows my place is next to you, so of course you’re going to get a seat next to me. Do you feel like talking?” he asked.

  “No, it’s too loud in here and I’m really tired.”

  “Okay Alix, you need to sleep.”

  Ben put his arm around her, and she let her head fall on to his shoulder. With his warmth next to her and the constant noise of the helicopter it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

  Chapter 37

  Alix slept the whole flight back to the mainland. When they landed and she got out of the plane she knew they weren’t at the airport they left from. This place looked very different.

  “Where are we?” she asked Gordon

  “A United States Air Force base,” he told her.

  “Are we in Florida?”

  “Yes Miss Alix. The pilot insisted we land here after what happened on the island. He wanted to ensure your safety.”

  “Oh, okay. So, what do we do now?”

  “He is going to speak to the base Commander and report what happened. We will be escorted to a room where we’ll wait for further instructions.”

  “But we only have two days to find my parents Gordon. We don’t have time for this.”

  “The base Commander is fully aware of the situation and plans to give us any help we need. I’ve known him for a long time, Miss Alix,” he told her.

  Alix nodded in understanding. The Commander was Nykara and was willing to bend the rules to help her. The pilot asked Gordon to join him while the rest of them were escorted into the nearest building. She was expecting something like an interrogation room and was surprised when she saw they were taken to the Officer’s Club. They were offered food and refreshments as well as very comfortable chairs to relax in.

  Most of the group were asleep in no time as all of them had been awake for over a day. Alix made sure Ben and Shay slept but she was too keyed up to close her eyes. She only had two days to find her parents and they could be anywhere on the planet. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.

  The secret is in the rings. She knew she had to figure out what that meant if she was to find her parents. She started walking around the room thinking about what that phrase could mean.

  “Can I help you miss?” a deep voice said, startling her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “No problem. I was just lost in thought,” she said.

  “Can I get you anything while you’re waiting?” he asked.

  Alix realized she was both thirsty and hungry, so she went with the young man in the military uniform. She sat at a bar while he got her some water and something to eat. Her stomach growled when he set a plate in front of her. She dug in right away.

  “This is delicious. Thank you,” she told him.

  “You guys must be pretty special to get the whole Officer’s Club to yourselves.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked between bites.

  “We were given strict orders to not let anyone in here unless it’s the base Commander himself.”

  “Huh.” Was all Alix said. She didn’t know how to respond to that. It was obvious that he wasn’t Nykara or high enough in the ranks to be given more information.

  “I think it’s the pilot that flew us in,” she finally said. “I don’t really know why we’re here. I thought we were going to land at the Miami International Airport.”

  He stared at her for a minute then smiled. “I guess we both need to be more important to be in on the secret.”

  “I guess,” she smiled back.

  “Can I get you anything else?” he asked her when she was done.

  “No thank you. I’m stuffed. Please tell the chef it was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.”

  He laughed. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded.

  “When was the last time you ate?” he said with a smile.

  “You know, I’m not really sure. What day and time is it?”

  He gave her a funny look. “It’s Saturday about 16:30, I mean, 4:30 in the afternoon.”

  “Then I guess it’s been over twenty-four hours since any of us have eaten. You better tell whoever is back there cooking that there will be about twenty very hungry people when they wake up.”

  “Of course, miss,” he said, very seriously.

  He took her plate and disappeared into the back. Alix took her bottle of water and went to sit at the closest table with a window. Being able to see outside when she was thinking always helped her.

  The secret is in the rings. The secret is in the rings. She repeated that over and over in her head in the hopes that it would trigger something she was missing. She had her mom and dad’s wedding rings as well as their Nykara rings, but she still didn’t know if that meant anything.

  Reaching in her pocket she got out the Nykara rings and placed them on the table. Then she took off her necklace and removed the wedding rings. She set all four of them in a row in front of her and stared at them. She moved them around, putting them in different order
s. She even stacked them on top of each other, but nothing came to her. Finally, she gathered them all up and held them against her tattoo and thought about her parents. But still nothing came to her.

  She sat there for a while until she heard the main door open. Turning to see who it was she saw Gordon, their pilot and a man in a dress uniform that must have been the Commander.

  “Airman, you are dismissed,” he said to the man behind the bar.

  “Yes, Sir Major General Reid.”

  When he was gone Gordon and the Commander came over to Alix.

  “Major General Reid, it is my honor to introduce you to the Kaelneth,” Gordon said.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Major General Reid said.

  “Please call me Alix, Major General Reid,” she told him.

  He smiled at Gordon. “I see what you mean. Okay Alix, then you can call me Owen.”

  “Deal,” she said. “I assume you’re up to date on everything. So, what happens next?”

  “I guess that’s up to you. You have our entire base at your service. When you tell us what we have to do or where to go, we’ll do everything in our power to help you.”

  Alix nodded and was silent for a minute before she had an idea. “Is there a room of rooms here?”

  “Yes. I’ll show you the way.”

  “Do you wish Master Ben to join us?” Gordon asked her.

  “He really needs to sleep, but if he wakes up can someone let him know where we are?”

  “Of course,” the Commander said. He went over to speak to the pilot then motioned for Alix and Gordon to follow him.

  When they left the Officer’s Club, they were escorted to a car by two very serious looking men dressed in similar clothes to the Commander. The three of them got in and were driven to a small building that looked like a storage shed. They walked in and Alix smiled at the shelves full of boxes. Major General Reid went to the back of the building and put his tattoo against the wall. A door became visible and they went through it.

  As was normal with the room of rooms, it was a long walk to the colored doors. Alix went straight to the brown door and into the Map room. She was hoping that she would be able to locate her parents by using their rings and what she learned from her ancestor William about locating people.