“We will. I promise. But first, we need to be sure you are well rested and able to withstand what is coming. It’s very different in the other realms. Magic is everywhere, and not all of it is good. Your mother did not make these sacrifices all her life for you to run amok and jeopardize everything. She is strong. She will make it until you are ready.”
He had a point, and in truth, so much needed to be done here that I had to be certain we had covered all the bases. She needed us to be the best we could be and that meant I needed to get moving. The few hours of rest had done me good, and as soon as I got something to eat, the three of us could start working on a plan.
Taryk headed down the hall, offering to prepare food while I got myself together and took care of business. I stood there for a minute, staring at myself in the mirror. Was I everything the universe meant for me to be? Did I have what it took to be the Chosen? Seeds of self-doubt crept in. What if I wasn’t, and I didn’t? Then what?
Giving myself a swift mental shake, I switched from pity party to pep talk. I had already proven I had the capability to do so much, and the potential for more existed inside me. We needed to be sure I could access it, and my mastery of the majority of the skills would come later. With my brother and Taryk at my side, we created a formidable team. We’d get my mom back from wherever she waited for us, and then we would move on to bigger and badder things. I could do this. We could do this.
After a brief shower and clean clothes, I more than felt ready to tackle what we had ahead of us, and briefly wondered if some of my scribe healing abilities had started to make an appearance. The split on the side of my head that I had gotten during my dream walking had healed itself as well.
Both the guys were seated at the table when I walked in, and for a second, I just stared at the two of them, taking in the scene. If it wasn't for the fact that my mother was missing, it would have made my heart swell with joy to see them having a discussion over coffee and tea.
I hastily made myself a cup of coffee and grabbed some food, then joined them to get things going.
“We were talking about where Taryk had been held captive, and what he remembered from it. Maybe it was the place from your dream?”
“Speaking of that dream, it was obviously some sort of vision of the future. And we are pretty sure it is a part of my Fae heritage, not my scribe magic. I wonder if there might be something in the vault of items from my father that would give us some clues?”
The guys shrugged. “Anything is possible, and I think it would be worth a look,” Taryk pointed out and Xavier nodded in agreement.
We finished our meal and headed to the vault. One last look out the front window to the falls, and it broke my heart to see the water tumbling over the boulders as it usually did. There was no purplish hue, no warping of my vision, and I knew my mother wouldn't be walking through until we got to her and brought her back. I don't know how I knew, but I did.
Laying my hand in the imprint which would trigger the door to open, I felt the tingle of the magic working within me and understood the recognition of my power. The light adjusted itself as we stepped over the threshold, and I stood for a moment, taking it all in again.
The fact that we had just been here with my mother, and now we were here without her, made it hard to focus. She was the one person who could have given us an idea of where to start. She had barely given me an idea of what the room contained, and even she didn’t know what was in some of these crates.
“How about we each start opening crates to see what we can find? Maybe keep an eye out for books, or letters, things that might give us some instruction, or tell us what might be here.”
Both the guys nodded, but Xavier held back for a moment. “I suggest we be cautious. If some of these items are meant for Everleigh only, there may be magic that will not only keep us from opening them but could also be very unpleasant.”
“Right. Then maybe I should open them, and the two of you can follow behind and unpack them? We'll just play it by ear and see what we find.”
The first chest in front of me was made of wood. The chisel marks showed that it had been carved by hand. As I lay my hand on the lid, there was a brief glow and the latch clicked open. I was able to recognize the signature magic of my father just by resting my hand on it. Raising the lid, I gasped.
The entire chest appeared to be full of jewelry. Crowns, rings, necklaces, and bracelets nestled amongst each other. Every piece was made with precious metals and set with jewels representing every color of the rainbow.
Xavier stared over my shoulder. “Wow... nothing but the best for his first child, huh?”
All I could do was shake my head. As much as I wanted to dig through it and admire each piece, something told me nothing in there would be of any use in saving my mother, unless we tried to buy her back.
Asking the guys to move it to one side for later, I moved onto the next one. We opened chests and crates, a few fabric sacks, and some miscellaneous piles before coming to one that had my instincts screaming.
“I think this one is important, you guys.”
The chest itself was on the small side but crafted completely of silver. Gemstones were inlaid in intricate designs, and there was not a latch or lock to be seen. I lay my hand on the lid, expecting it to open automatically like all of the others had done. To my surprise, nothing happened.
Looking at Xavier, I shrugged. “Any ideas? You knew him. Did he have a special way of keeping things secure?”
Taryk looked from Xavier to me and back again. “Wait a minute. Xavier knew your father?”
Realizing he had not been told the story of my creation, I smiled. “It's a really long and complicated story, but the abbreviated version is that Xavier is my half-brother. I'll fill you in on the details some other time, but my father raised him, so he is our best chance at some insight on how my father thought and operated.”
Leaving him to chew on that little bit of my tangled history, I turned my focus to Xavier, who appeared lost in thought for a moment. I could almost see him sifting through the memories to find something that would be useful to our current situation.
“I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Let’s see if he left a letter or other instructions in one of the other chests.”
We continued searching, rifling through each, looking for anything that might be helpful. Finally, Taryk pulled a satin satchel out of one of the crates. As he untied the silver cords, my intuition began drawing me to it. By the time I reached his side, he had pulled a handful of parchments from the bag.
He handed them over, and all I could do was stare at them for a moment. They felt dry and rough, each tied with a ribbon. The first two were simply letters to me, his daughter he would never know.
The third one, while not helpful in opening the chest, turned out to be important. I skimmed it, and then read it aloud.
“Here within the trove of items I have sent for you will be many things to help you navigate the the journey as you search for the hidden room beneath my castle. Please make sure you go through them all before you make the trip.”
I looked at Xavier, wondering if he even knew about it. He shook his head, and I kept reading.
“This room contains items that will assist you in the war against the darkness that will be taking over the realms. When the visionary came and showed me our story, she left me with instruction to gather items you would need during your lifetime. Some items have notes attached, if I was able to learn why you would need them. Others are there simply because I was instructed to put them there. I don't know when you will need them, just that you will.”
Pausing from the letter, I looked at Xavier. “I wonder if we can even get to the castle now. Do you know if it was still standing when the dark mage took over?”
For a moment, he looked confused, then gave me a smile. “I think we may be in luck. Some years before we were born, my mother and father had a castle constructed to be used as the family home. It was smaller,
and closer to town and the people of our realm. This is where we lived when the battle with the mages occurred. The old castle was basically abandoned.
“For a few years they attempted upkeep, but it was located high in the mountains, and it became too much of a burden. They laid a spell on it to freeze time around it and left. I believe we could get there.”
I grinned, and then continued with the letter. Finally, something might be in our favor, instead of working against us. “Even if the castle itself lay in ruins, this room will be secure, and the item inside will be waiting for you. You will have the magic to overcome any obstacle, you just need to find your way. Know that I will be watching over you, and from now until my day to leave this realm arrives, I will do whatever is within my power to prepare for your battle and leave you with all the help I can provide.”
Taryk seemed to be ready to move along while both Xavier and I got a little caught up in our father's memory. “Once we get your mother back, we need to make plans to see what is in this secret room,” Taryk said.
“We still need to get that chest open, because there is no doubt that whatever he felt the need to protect so carefully will be of the utmost importance.” Xavier looked around the room as he spoke, trying to piece the puzzle together.
“I've got it!” He looked excited, and I couldn't see why. He hadn't moved or gotten the chest open. “A key. It needs a key.”
“Uh, for what lock?” We had looked it over thoroughly and there was no keyhole to be seen.
He laughed. “It will not look like a key. My father used this trick for many things. Bring the chest of jewels over here.”
He gestured to Taryk, and between the two of them they dragged it next to the chest we couldn't get open. Xavier lifted the lid then sifted through its contents while I silently watched.
He pulled out a couple items, holding them next to the chest, then returning them, frowning as he did. He muttered to himself as he worked, seemingly to have forgotten we were here.
It didn't take long for my curiosity to get the better of me, and I had to ask. “Wanna tell us what you might be looking for? Maybe we can help?”
“What? Oh. Yes. Search the design on the locked chest. We must look over every detail. Somewhere in the workmanship, there will be an unobtrusive area that something else will be able to fit. It won't look like anything is even missing, nothing that obvious. But when you find the other piece, it will be easy to see how they go together.”
He pulled a small gemstone out of the chest we first opened and inset it into a depression in the scroll work design. The design did not appear to be missing a stone, yet when you held the right gem to the indentation you could see they aligned perfectly. The lid did not pop open, but I understood now what he searched for.
“Genius. Although it could take us forever to find the right piece.” I was both impressed by his ingenuity and concerned that we wouldn't find the one we needed in time. Then I had an idea.
“Can I try something?” Xavier moved to the side, and I knelt in front of the jewel chest. Leaning over it, I plunged both hands into the stones. Closing my eyes, I sifted through the contents. The stones were smooth and cool to the touch. I ignored the jewelry and concentrated on the loose stones, somehow sure that would be the piece we needed. I waved my hands back and forth, as if treading water, waiting for one of them to call to me.
After a minute or two, I removed my hands, feeling defeated. I had been so sure that would be the way to find what we needed.
“Maybe you need to hold each one individually?” Taryk suggested. He pulled an empty crate over. “Just transfer them from the chest to the crate, one by one.”
“It's worth a shot,” I agreed.
One by one, I picked them up and moved them over. I separated out the jewelry and put it in another container. We had shifted nearly three quarters of the chest before I picked up a gorgeous teal colored stone. As soon as I lifted it from the others it began to glow. Grinning, I held it up for them to see.
“Gentlemen, I believe we have a winner. Now, let’s see if we can find it's home.”
Chapter Nineteen
I ran my hands over the sides of the chest, waiting for the right place to call out to me. When I didn't get any gut feelings, I sat back, concerned. My intuition couldn't fail me now. I needed all the help I could get.
Deciding to try with my eyes closed, I ran my hands over every inch of the chest. Still nothing. “Would it be on the bottom?”
Each of the guys grabbed a side and tilted it so I could inspect the base of the chest. Even though the smoothness of the metal left no place to insert a stone, I ran my hands over it, just to be sure. Nothing.
“Maybe we should move on and come back to this later?” Taryk shrugged, and Xavier nodded his agreement.
“No. I need whatever is in this chest. I can feel it. I don't know why, but it's important. Something tells me that I shouldn't move on without it.”
The three of us sat in silence for a minute. Frustrated, I held the stone up and looked at it. How the devil could I figure this out? I leaned forward, placing both hands on the chest. As I did, I noticed that the chest seemed to be repelling the stone. There was my clue.
Holding the stone loosely between my fingers, I ran my hand slowly over the chest. It felt like trying to hold two magnets together with their like poles facing each other. Methodically covering each area of the chest, I waited for the stone to tell me where it belonged. When it did, it acted just like two magnets coming together. The stone jumped from my fingers, fitting perfectly into a small space on the front of the chest.
As soon as the stone settled into place, the lid popped open ever so slightly as if waiting for me to raise it the rest of the way. Looking at Xavier and Taryk to be sure they were paying attention, I reached out and lifted it completely.
For a moment, a blinding light shone from the interior of the chest. I scrambled backward, my legs sore from sitting on the floor and landed on my rear end with my eyes shaded.
When I could see again, an ethereal vision of a young fae hovered before me. I glanced sideways as Xavier gasped, then returned my attention to the form before me.
“Hello, my daughter. I began preparing this chest long before you were born. In it, I have included items to help you on this next stage of your journey. You must reach the hidden room below the castle in Amarys. You will not be successful in this war unless you do.
“I regret I will never truly have the opportunity to look upon your face, nor hold you in my arms. Please know, however, that I am doing everything I can to ensure your victory. I am already the most powerful Fae in any realm. From now until the day I perish, I will continue to collect power from those willing to share it with me, so I may pass it on to you.
“Your abilities will know no bounds as you unlock them and master the skills you are capable of. Follow your intuition, and always let it be your guide. It will not steer you wrong. I love you, daughter. You will see victory.”
The light faded, and I sat there stunned. None of us uttered a word, just staring at the chest. Nobody moved.
Finally, I looked at Xavier. “That was our father.”
He shook himself and nodded. “A very young image of him, before he was my father even, but yes. I understand now why he insisted on being by the side of our most powerful as they passed from this world to the next. They were gifting him their magic as they no longer needed it.
“He never explained it to us, but he rarely missed a death. Many times, as their time drew near, they would move into the castle so they could be attended around the clock, and he left strict orders to notify him if they believed the time grew close.”
I sat in shock, trying to wrap my mind around the thought that long before my birth, so many were preparing for this battle and using their lives to assist me in any way possible. These souls, who didn't even know I would exist in the future, were willing to give my father their magic for whatever reasoning he gave to them. He collected it
all with the intention of ensuring I would be powerful enough to put a stop to this evil once and for all.
“That explains why you have so many different types of magic. It's very rare for one of us to have mastery of so many different skills. But Father collected the best of the best, and then handed them down to you. I doubt there are many things you can't do. You just need to realize you are capable of them in order to begin using them.”
“Have you ever been to the castle in the mountains?” I sincerely hoped he would have some idea of how to get us where we needed to go.
“Yes. We went to visit a few times. I believe that if we find someone able to teach you, you will be able to open a portal right into the castle itself. One of the women Father tended to when she passed was a master portal maker.
“She could open one in an instant to anywhere she desired. She just needed to be able to visualize the place in her mind’s eye. The only place that caused her grief was here on Earth, but she could do it all the same. It just required more effort.”
“But how am I going to visualize somewhere I have never been?” I agreed with his concept but putting it into action was another thing. Not to mention finding someone who could teach me to create a portal in the first place.
“I've been there. I can share those memories with you. For now, let’s see what else is in this chest.” He leaned over and pulled out leather straps. I was confused, but he seemed to recognize the item.
Holding them up he smiled at me. “These are thigh holsters for a pair of daggers. I bet yours will fit in them perfectly.”
The next item to leave the chest looked like a simple velvet drawstring sack, cinched tightly closed. He handed it to me to open. Tugging gently on the strings, I pulled out a note first.
Put me on, and never take me off. I am your key to traveling the realms.
Turning the sack upside down allowed a gorgeous ring to spill out into my palm. I gasped at its beauty, slipping it onto my right hand. It fit perfectly.
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