by S. E. Akers
Kamya took the diamond. She stared at it for a moment, her eyes dripping with fiery tears. They were the most hypnotizing tears I’d ever seen. She locked her arms around me. “Thank you, Shiloh. You’ll never know how much this means to me.”
Kamya extended her finger to Tanner. “Take care of her. But rest assured, Tanner Grey, she will have a ruby one day,” Kamya stated with a crafty grin and then whispered something in his ear. Whatever she had said didn’t sit too well with Tanner. He seemed slightly perturbed or possibly disappointed. One thing was certain, by the look on his face, it would be a cold day in Hell before he would ever tell me.
Kamya dove into the fiery bush and disappeared. We watched the flames settle down until they extinguished all on their own.
Tanner glanced at his watch. “Your flight leaves in a couple of hours.”
“My bags are back at Federo’s,” I sighed.
“That’s going to cut things close,” he grinned and shook his head. “So are you up for a run?”
“I suppose,” I answered almost in a whine. I glanced down at my injuries. “I don’t really have much of a choice.”
“Yes, you do,” Tanner insisted as he whisked me into his powerful arms and transformed into his vapory form. The water from the river below rose up, level to the cave entrance, and formed a fluid mystical bridge. He shot across it like a speeding bullet and headed into the jungle. The heat from his warm, soothing bliss caressed me every step of the way. My eyes closed like a dream I was desperate to drift back to.
This will definitely do…
Chapter 27 — There’s No Place Like Home?
After two bumpy plane rides and one grueling five-hour wait in Atlanta, we finally landed in Charleston with me needing a real vacation and a long overdo saltwater soak. I’d barely had enough time to wipe them all down with a washcloth dipped in the healing solution before Tanner rushed me to the airport so we could make our flight — and I felt every stinging twinge of their ache too, every step of the way.
Instead of catching another flight and heading home, Tanner insisted on accompanying me back to Welch. I wasn’t about to read too much into it. Part of me had a sneaky suspicion that his gesture had a lot to do with Bea. To my knowledge, he hadn’t told her a single detail about the trip, but I’m sure Kamya gave her a courteous heads-up. Couldn’t let the old birdie go in flying blind, now could she? I figured he wanted to do the respectful thing — unleashing his shit-storm on her, in person. The ride to Welch was relatively quiet, aside from his complaints about my car, as well as my driving (which was PERFECTLY FINE). He was just ticked because I wouldn’t hand him the keys in the parking lot. Whatever…My car, my rules.
I drove straight to Beatrix’s house. After all, I had to collect my “best friend” from out of her jewelry box.
“You’re not going to be too hard on her, are you?” I posed to Tanner as we strolled up her walk. “She did send Kamya.”
Tanner grinned. “Shiloh, this is the first time that the self-professed queen of ‘wisdom’ and ‘prudence’ has ever screwed-up. You don’t wish to deny me the opportunity of watching her highness squirm from her bite in the ass, now do you?”
I lowered my head, attempting to hide my grin. “No. Just do it after I’m gone.”
“I make no promises,” Tanner laughed.
We entered after a simple turn of her brass knob. “Bea?” I hollered.
“In here, dear,” Beatrix called from the living room. Sure enough, there she was, sitting in her favorite spot, sipping on her tea and reading the evening paper. She looked exactly the same as she did a week ago, and boy was she a sight for sore eyes. I was thrilled to see that she’d made it back unscathed from her visit with her sister (at least there weren’t any visible battle scars), so I decided not to tease her about the scarf she had tied around her head. It was obviously sweeping her unruly locks back off her face. It made her look like a daggone Halloween gypsy (and I was secretly dying to zing her with a “Trick-or-Treat”).
Oh, well… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I miss the pixie!
Beatrix extended her arms in one gracious and grand sweep. “Ahhh. It’s so nice to have you back,” she declared and gave me a tight squeeze.
An ear piercing “squawk” shrieked across the room. I looked over by the window to see a rather rowdy green parakeet flapping its wings and locked inside an ornate golden birdcage.
“Did you bring back a pet?” I asked, wondering why the bird wasn’t flying free throughout the house.
“Yes. That’s exactly what I did,” Beatrix confirmed with a grin. “Though he hasn’t gotten acclimated to his new home yet, so he’s still a bit unruly.” With a quick snap of her fingers, the bird shut its beak. “That should do it,” she vowed and then blew a tarp down over the cage with a stout gust of air. “Now…you must sit down and tell Katie and I all about your trip,” Beatrix cooed as she pulled “Fake-Katie” out of her pocket and dangled the necklace in the air.
I crouched beside her, my body keeping tempo with my guilt. I knew what she was up to from the eloquent touch of bitchy in that honeyed tone of hers, but I let her continue.
Yep… Kamya ratted me out.
Beatrix pulled the diamond close to her ear, pretending to listen. “What was that, Katie?” she asked, dramatically. I tilted my head, borderline amused. “You want to know if Shiloh brought us back any souvenirs?” Beatrix shook her head and answered, “I don’t know about that, my dear. She’s been awfully busy making new friends,” she remarked. “Yes, that’s what I said. New ones. Yes. Yes. She met them in some voodoo shop.” Beatrix started stroking the face of the gemstone. “Oh, dear… Please don’t cry,” she pleaded. “I’m sure she hasn’t forgotten about her old ones…even though she left them behind.”
I flashed her an apologetic smile as I readied my imaginary fork, all set to eat my slice of humble pie. I just hoped I didn’t choke. “I’m sorry for tricking you.”
Beatrix ran her hand down my cheek. “You didn’t trick me, my dear. I figured out what you had done as soon as you closed that lid.” Beatrix leaned over to pour another cup of tea. “Now, whose performance was more convincing?”
Tanner cleared his throat. “Is it my turn?” he questioned.
Beatrix coughed, choking on more than her tea, and placed her dainty cup back down on its matching saucer. “Enough about that,” Beatrix averted with a wave. “Please tell me that you had some fun on your trip?” Tanner and I exchanged our astonished glances and then shifted our stares back to Bea. “None at all?” Beatrix posed again. “I’m saddened to hear that.” She gave my knee a few brisk pats. “Oh, well. There’s always your senior trip after graduation.”
“No more vacations for me…not for a while,” I stressed. My decree seemed to suit Tanner just fine as well.
“Yes. Kamya briefed me on the details…all the details,” Beatrix remarked and threw Tanner a less than subtle wink. The Golden Topaz Talisman turned to me. “She’s quite the character, isn’t she?”
I nodded. “Definitely an excellent choice for a chaperone.”
Tanner saw his opening and couldn’t resist. “That was the only sensible choice you—”
Beatrix cut him off. “Shiloh, dear… I would like you to come with me, downstairs.”
I raised my brow. “You mean, down inside your armoire?”
Beatrix smiled and headed back to her bedroom while Tanner settled into one of her cushy chairs.
“Aren’t you coming?” I asked him.
“No,” Tanner replied, looking oddly like he was in for a long wait at a packed doctor’s office.
That was short, sweet, and downright curious. “Do you know what this is about?” I asked.
“Yes,” Tanner answered and pointed me towards the back of the house. “I’d go if I were you.”
My eyes remained glued to his as I slowly pivoted back around. Oookay… That’s weird too, I mused as headed off to join my mentor in her hush-hush magical room
. I arrived in her bedroom to find the armoire doors wide open, begging me to climb inside. I entered hesitantly for some unidentifiable reason and started my wary descent. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something was up — no doubt about it.
Beatrix was waiting on me at the bottom of the steps with her hand held out, wanting to see my purse. I handed it to her, no questions asked. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as her hands stroked the leather, almost like she sensed its mystical force.
“I hear this came in handy,” Beatrix commented.
“Yes.” I paused for a moment. “And so did Padimae.” Beatrix lifted her head, mulling over my claim. “She didn’t betray Adamas or the Guild after all.” I reached inside the bag. “Here,” I said as I pulled out the weathered canvas voodoo doll. “I got you this…but Padimae actually picked it out. She said you would know how to use it,” I hinted.
“Padimae Louvieré,” Beatrix mumbled as she tapped the witchy doll in her hand. She turned to me, her eyes blazing with a serious air. “Tell me something, Shiloh…and I want the truth.”
“Okay,” I replied with utmost sincerity (and nervously wondering what the heck I could have possibly done now).
Beatrix exhaled a dramatic huff of air. “Who has kept their figure better, her or me?”
I had to hold back my gasp. With an expressionless stare I placed my hands on her shoulders. “There’s no contest,” I evaded, and left it at that.
“Well,” Beatrix hummed. “For the record, mine is all natural.”
I nodded in agreement. Sure it is… Just like hers.
Beatrix’s demeanor shifted when she reached for my hand. “I want you to know how sorry I am,” she said.
“You didn’t send me into that voodoo shop,” I said. “I opened the lid of that boiling cauldron all on my own.”
“No, dear. Not for that,” Beatrix insisted.
Confusion cast a haze over my brow. “Then for what?”
“For thinking that shielding you from things was the best way to protect you,” she admitted. “I never dreamed you would have so much thrown at you all at once. That was not my intention. Talk about a baptism by fire,” she added with a shudder.
“Yeah,” I agreed in a mumble. “The truth seems to be blowing up in a lot of faces lately,” I laughed, hoping to ease her conscience. “I can’t blame you for the same thing I was doing to Katie.”
“That’s very insightful. Thank you, my dear,” Beatrix replied.
Feeling the lingering sting of her “fire” crack, I posed wearily, “Bea…what does Helio want? Why won’t he come out or even talk to me? I don’t understand what reason he could have…other than maybe he’s pissed at me.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Beatrix exclaimed. “If he truly despised the owner of his temporary abode, he would melt you from the inside out, especially now that we have his stone back.”
Every last one of my muscles seized up like a wrench thrown into an engine. I didn’t quite know how to respond to that.
Beatrix saw the panic brewing in my eyes. “Just kidding, dear. I was hoping your vacation would have recharged your sense of humor,” she huffed. “I see those wishes went to waste.”
“Maybe if I’d gotten a little more R & R,” I insisted with an exhausted eye roll. The vibe in the room suddenly turned silent, straight to the point of awkward and deafening. I scanned her shelves, desperate to curtail my brewing anxiety and sought out any distraction. I casually picked up one of her mystical jars. “Waiting” and “patient” were never two words that went hand-in-hand in my book.
Beatrix’s stare drifted down to the floor. “I think the time has come for you to hear the story,” the Golden Topaz Talisman sighed.
My pupils expanded like a balloon. “Seriously?” I posed, grappling with the glass container that almost slipped out of my hand.
“Yes,” she confirmed. Beatrix eased the delicate jar out of my hands and placed it back on the shelf. She escorted me over to a nearby chair, basically because I was still too stunned by her openness. I mean, let’s face it — neither of my mentors ever volunteered ANYTHING!
Beatrix lowered herself down into a modest wooden chair, directly across from me, and inhaled a stream of air so deep that I doubted she’d left any down here for me. Whatever was about to cross her lips was weighty enough to fuel her forceful breath.
My mentor locked her fingers together and placed her joined hands firmly in her lap. She began, “Since the dawn of time, for every thing good that this world bears, there is an opposing force that longs to destroy it. Light cannot exist without darkness, peace without suffering, no love without loathing, and true goodness is not realized until it wages battle with the most nefarious of souls. This evil pales in comparison to even the most heinous acts committed by men and is driven only by its lust for death and destruction. It constantly seeks to shift the balance of power to its favor and there are creatures it uses to do its bidding, ones which even your awakened mind cannot fathom.” Beatrix took a thoughtful pause. “Even taking in account your two recent acquaintances.”
Worse than Damiec and Lorelei? Now that’s an eye-opener.
“You must be wary of this evil, for your gift is not only the key to abolishing it, but also to strengthening its power. The Onyx seeks to claim your wand, not only for its abilities, but I’m afraid because of what the diamond would allow him to do with it.”
“And what is that?” I posed warily.
“Unleash Hell,” my mentor replied, her eyes burning fiercely along with her profound and irrefutable claim that loitered in the air like a pungent stench. Beatrix leaned down straightaway and with a flick of her hand, she whisked back the round rug lying in the center of the small room. There it was, the cryptic symbol from my vision, lying at my feet.
My eyes flickered. Oh, this is going to be good.
“The four markings you see circling the inner seal signify the elements as they roamed the earth in human form ages ago,” Beatrix explained. “Each of them reigned over these forces using the magic they drew from four sacred stones. Gaia governed the earth, Helio held watch over fire, Nerina commanded the waters, and the Guardian known as Erion reigned over the air. The Guardians sought to bring utopia to the world, a place where the people who roamed across its lands were as equally sublime as the beauty they witnessed and breathed every day. They wanted to bestow this gift to help humanity…to create a perfect world. They used their abilities to heal troubled souls from their aliments and rid them from their demons, but most important…to protect them from the evil creatures that threatened their existence. They knew the only way for their vision to transpire was by restoring order to the supernatural world. All the wickedness had to be vanquished. When the Guardians realized this could not be accomplished with their limited numbers, they divided their powers and placed them within the stones of the earth. They bestowed them to those they felt were worthy of their gifts, lineages that had proven their virtue.” Beatrix paused and expressed a solemn sigh. “Though as you are well aware, some of their choices did not turn out as they had hoped. This is how Talismans came to be, each one of us embodying some of the same powers the Guardians of the elements possessed.”
Beatrix continued, “The diamond was actually the first one they created, the only one they each granted some of their own abilities. By doing so, they created the fifth element, one which would sway even the most savage storm.” Beatrix pointed to the center medallion. “The five intertwined circles represent this bond. The rest were split up and dealt out over time.”
Each of the four elemental medallions was surrounded by three curious symbols. “What do these mean?” I inquired eagerly. As long as she was volunteering, I was going to take full advantage of the new & improved “unbegrudging” Bea.
“These represent the members of the Guild. Those who were entrusted with the more illustrious and powerful stones.” She pointed to the air element. “Erion’s stone is the Labradorite. It draws its power
from the Aura Borealis itself. Air stones are very spectral, my dear. These three markings represent the topaz, the tourmaline, and the sapphire. Erion chose to divide his powers among many souls, so he broke his three allotted stones into several pieces. I, along with all of my sisters, draw our abilities from the topaz. He did the same with the other two. He felt if his magic cast a wider net, it would lessen its owner’s temptation. Power is a potent aphrodisiac. One can easily be seduced into corruption if their soul is not pure.”
“Is that why you dreaded seeing your sister and didn’t want her to know about me? Has she been corrupted?” I posed.
“I think that’s the most diplomatic way I’ve ever heard anyone refer to the covetous, evil bitch,” Beatrix replied with a flat grin. “Does that answer your question?”
I nodded, mouth wide-open.
Beatrix pointed to the water element next. “Nerina placed her most precious powers of the seas into Tanner’s amethyst, Seraphina’s moonstone, and the aquamarine.”
“Lorelei’s aquamarine?” I interrupted.
Beatrix scowled. “She may claim half its powers now, but it was not given to her originally. The aquamarine was bestowed to Arica. Lorelei was granted the abilities placed inside the red coral, NOT one of the three sacred water stones. That she coerced out of its genuine owner.”
“How?” I asked.
“Arica is one of the most selfless and compassionate beings to ever grace this earth, and Lorelei took full advantage of that fact. She tortured Arica’s mother while she watched and vowed not to kill her if she would surrender her powers. Arica felt she had no choice and agreed.”
“What happened after that?” I asked. I didn’t know that much about the Bitch-of-the-Sea, but she didn’t strike me as someone who would “keep her word”.
