by Mary Duke
“Yesterday, you were not looking for my father,” Illiah answered.
“Oh?” I said climbing on Kegan and scooting up so Illiah could fit behind me.
“Yeah,” she replied, climbing on behind me. “Dragons and Gods aren’t the best of friends.”
Kegan reached out to me telepathically, through our connection. “There was a time where dragons ruled alongside Illian. However when Illian threw reason out of his reign, the dragons no longer wanted to play their part. This led him to slaughter thousands of dragons.”
“So he’s the reason there are so few,” I replied.
Kegan nodded, as he followed his brother into the air and our journey to the Dark Mountain began.
“Have you ever been to the Dark Mountain?” Illiah asked.
“No,” I replied. “But I’m aware of what’s there.”
“Aware how?” she questioned.
“Stories, books… My father had been there a time or two.”
Illiah laughed.
“What?” I asked, turning around so I could see her.
“Oh, nothing,” she responded.
“It has to be something?”
She laughed again. “I just think this will be interesting, that’s all.”
“Interesting?” I repeated, questioning her choice of words.
“The beings that dwell within the mountain, the creatures that protect its treasures, they don’t belong in this realm,” Illiah said.
“I am aware,” I retorted.
“Do you know where they are from?”
“The name of the realm escapes me,” I replied. “But I believe it was a type of purgatory, one your father created.”
“Hmmm,” Illiah responded. “Maybe you’re not all talk after all.”
“All talk?”
“You were one of the very few people in this realm my father forbade me to follow. In fact, for many years, he cloaked you, making it impossible for any of us to track you.”
“Why?” I asked, curious as to why the king of death had any interest at all in my life.
“I know it has something to do with you being given a guardian, but I believe there was something else too, I just can’t remember. You’ll get to ask him yourself soon enough.”
“Do you know where he is?” I asked, hoping she had an answer.
“I have an idea,” she said looking away from me.
“So, back to me being all talk?” I said, changing the subject back.
A small smile spread across her face. “As I’m sure you’ve heard, I’m what most call a spoiled princess. So when your name fell onto the list of untouchables, I, of course, wanted to touch, merely because I was told no, and no one tells me no.”
“I may have heard something along those lines,” I said, returning her smile.
“Well, after years of stalking you from the shadows, I came to the conclusion you weren’t worth stalking anymore.”
“Oh yeah? I asked.
“All you did was read books, study magic, and avoid everyone and everything that came your way,” Illiah said, crunching her face.
“To me, at the time, you seemed like a waste of time. I found you full of yourself when anything indeed came into your path.”
“Full of myself?” I asked, somewhat offended.
“You truly believed that you were unstoppable,” Illiah replied. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’ve always been sort of a badass, but you were so focused on the task at hand that you missed what was right in front of your face time and time again.”
“What did I miss?”
Illiah shook her head. “You know what; it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Yes, it does. Tell me.”
“Why?”
“Why?” I repeated. “Because if you don’t learn from your mistakes, you’re bound to repeat them,” I said, letting Kegan’s words spill from my mouth.
“Kegan,” Illiah said, lightly digging her heal into his side. “Would you like to tell her, or should I continue?”
“She was a child,” Kegan said aloud. “What was, no longer is. Let it be.”
I knew that tone; it was the same tone he used with me yesterday. “What else are you keeping from me, Kegan?” I questioned.
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” he tried to reassure me.
“I don’t buy that,” I replied.
Kegan shook his head, his mane flipping in the wind. “As a child, do you remember what your mother would always tell you?” he asked me.
“She told me a lot of things…”
“Whenever you decided to try something new? When you were determined, because you read it in a book or heard someone talk about it, you knew everything there was to know about it?”
I bit my lip; I knew exactly what he meant now. “Sno, we know you know what your destiny holds, and though we fully believe in the greatness that has been foretold, it is our job to remind you that nothing comes without work. We never want you to believe anything is out of reach, and we never want you to live without confidence in yourself…but please don’t forget you need to earn that confidence, and you need to earn the greatness.”
“Yes,” he replied, hearing my thoughts run through my mind.
“But what does that have to do with what Illiah is talking about?” I questioned.
“There was a time, where you only remembered some of your mother's words,” he answered, his tone shaky, as he tried to pull the right words together.
I waited in silence for him to continue.
“There was a stretch of time, where you were overconfident and careless. You dared death to knock on your door; you believed that you were untouchable. During that time, deals were made to keep you safe, I being one of those deals. There were too many things at stake to simply let you fall…too much potential to be lost.”
“What kind of deals?” I asked.
Kegan fell silent.
“Kegan?”
His voice was shallow and his words hollow. “Sno,” he pleaded with me. “I can’t tell you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
For the next several hours, I couldn’t tell you what went on around me. I shut everyone and everything out, barricading myself deep in thought.
I needed an answer, I needed the answer. I needed to be reminded of who I was, not who I was supposed to be.
My mother's voice still ran through my mind. The words she chose to speak to me, time and time again, were the very words I leaned on nearly every day of my life, and right now they stopped me in my tracks.
As much as I wanted to hear her uplifting reminders and her words of hope, those were not the words I heard.
“Trust is earned, not given, Sno… Once you break someone’s trust in you, it will never again be what it was… When it comes to someone you care about, your heart will not always lead you in the right direction. Remember to listen to reason, and trust your instinct…”
Her words repeated, over and over, until I tuned her out too.
My life had been turned completely upside down in the last two days; why should today be any different? What I wanted right now, more than anything, was to talk about everything with Kegan, but he was the cause of my current insecurities; he was the reason I felt so vulnerable.
“Why does life have to be so complicated?” I asked, loud enough I knew everyone could hear me, though I didn’t actually expect anyone to answer.
Tork slowed his pace, falling into place beside us. “Life is what you make of it,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes, but before I could answer, Illiah took the words out of my mouth.
“That is the biggest line of shit I’ve heard in all my life, and it’s been a long one.”
“And why do you believe that?”
“Life is what it is. There is no making it anything,” she said, her voice again arrogant.
“You are in control of your outlook,” Tork tried to explain to her.
Illiah laughed, “You know, everyone can choose
to see anything how they want to see it. However, shit is still shit, no matter which way you choose to see it.”
“Help me out brother,” Tork said reaching out to Kegan.
“I know a losing battle when I see one,” Kegan replied. “I think I will keep my optimistic opinions to myself.”
“Good choice,” I replied to him.
“We are nearly there,” Zavery said looking to Illiah. “Where is this gate?”
“It’s in one of the lower tunnels,” she replied.
“Great,” Zavery shouted.
“The mountain’s tunnels are mazes,” I said looking back to Illiah. “You’re going to need to be a little more specific.”
Illiah shook her head and bit her bottom lip.
I lowered my voice so Zavery couldn’t hear me, “You do know where it is, don’t you?”
“Of course,” she claimed, though the tone of her voice told me otherwise.
I looked back at her, questioning her answer.
“Well, I’m pretty sure,” she said, changing her response. “Anyways, there should be a keeper of the mountain, it’s their job to know.”
“Great,” I mumbled to myself. Just what I wanted to do today, get lost in a dark, confined space, hundreds of feet below the ground. Fan-fucking-tastic.
We landed just below the ridge of the mountain, in the cover of the trees.
“It will be safer if we walk from here,” Tork said, as Zavery slid from his back, and he stood morphing back into a man.
“I don’t sense anyone,” Kegan continued as he changed. “However, creatures around the Dark Mountain have a way of cloaking themselves.”
“This place,” Illiah said, “These people… They give me the chills.”
“Give you the chills,” Zavery laughed.
“Why is that funny to you?” Illiah asked grabbing hold of Zavery’s shoulder.
“Because you’re death,” he stated boldly, jerking his shoulder from her grip.
Illiah sighed and muttered under her breath, “I’ll be sure to remind you of that once I get my powers back.”
“Try me,” Zavery said as he turned from her and walked away.
“Are we just walking through the front door then?” I asked Illiah, as we followed Zavery and Tork up the mountain.
Illiah ignored my question, her eyes focused on the back of Zavery’s head.
The trees began to thin, as an archway into the side of the mountain became visible.
“This isn’t right,” Illiah said. “There should be guards.”
I pulled my sword from my belt and twisted it in my hand, watching as my magic coated its blade.
Looking into the archway, we couldn’t see what awaited us on the other side.
“It’s cloaked. One of us has to go through first,” I said, taking a step into the darkness before he could say anything.
Waiting for me on the other side was an elderly woman, her eyes strikingly familiar. “Welcome to the Dark Mountain,” she said, her voice full of cheer.
The others stepped through behind me, and her face lit up with even more excitement. She held her hands out in front of her, as she reached for Illiah.
“Gran!” Illiah said pushing past me.
“Gran?” I questioned looking to Zavery.
“Where have you been child? Your mother,” the woman said as she cradled Illiah’s face in her hands, “And your father… They looked for so long. They searched everywhere.”
“Where are they?” Illiah questioned.
“Your mother is home I suppose… Before your father left, he convinced her that home would be the first place you went and that she should be there.”
“And what about my father?” Illiah pressed.
“Illian,” the woman said, letting her hands fall as she backed away. “Illian has been gone for several years now. No one knows where he is… I know he hasn’t been here in over five.”
Illiah looked back to Zavery and me before her eyes returned to her Gran. “Can you help me get home?”
“Help you?” Gran questioned, reaching for Illiah’s hands.
Illiah pulled her hands away and walked past her.
“What happened to you, baby?” Illiah’s grandmother asked as she followed close behind.
“Queen Ellyra of the Faye happened to me,” Illiah responded, glaring at Zavery.
Gran cupped Illiah’s hands in her own. “Your magic?” she questioned.
“It’s gone…”
Gran shook her head and turned towards Zavery. “Why did you bring him here?”
“Itheus,” Illiah began to explain.
“That old coot,” Gran spat.
“The prophet,” Illiah corrected her. “He told me how to get my powers back. He also said that it would take the three of us to do so.”
“Nahhh,” she rattled, shaking her hands.
Illiah grabbed her Gran’s hands and pulled them into her chest. Her grandmother paused, her eyes widening.
“Your heart?” she questioned.
Illiah’s eyes fell to her Gran’s hands on her chest.
“Does that mean…” Gran began to ask.
“That I am mortal…” Illiah finished her question. “Yes.”
Her Gran’s hands trembled as she pulled them away. “What do you need from me?”
Illiah sighed, too mortified to look at any of us. “When I was younger, I remember there being a gate in one of the bottom tunnels.”
“Yes,” Gran said, nodding.
“That will take me home, will it not?” Illiah asked, hopeful.
“I believe so. However, no one has been in those lower tunnels since the queen fell. The magic needed to jump realms…” Gran paused shaking her head. “There are no Gods or Goddesses willing to open them… I don’t see how it could be done.”
Zavery chuckled.
Gran’s eyes snapped to him in disgust.
“Zavery and I were each born with Ayana’s magic,” I explained before Zavery could get us kicked out. “If all it takes is the magical force of a God, I think we can handle it.”
Gran ignored us and turned back to Illiah, as though we were not there. “Are you sure you want them to come with you? Are you sure you need them?”
Illiah smiled. “It is not my choice to make, Gran. I’m kind of stuck with them.”
Gran shook her head and muttered something under her breath as she wrapped her arm around Illiah’s waist, and we began our journey into the mountain.
I took one last look at the outside world before I began my descent behind them.
“You okay?” Kegan questioned.
I gave him a half smile, though my insides crawled. Cramped, darkness, with creatures created from nightmares…
It wasn’t long before we reached a dimly lit stone staircase. Gran paused and turned back towards the rest of us.
“I remember every face I’ve ever seen,” she said. “And my eyes have never laid upon your faces, so listen to me when I speak. For whether you heed the warnings I give you, will determine whether or not you live to see daylight another day.”
Zavery shook his head and nudged my shoulder with his.
“I’ve grown up in this mountain, and I am the last Keeper. I am the only barrier that stands between you and creatures who would give anything to feast on every last ounce of flesh that lays upon your bones. Stay close, stay alert, and stay calm. And above all else, do not use magic.”
“Why can’t we use our magic?” I asked, not remembering anything being said about that in the books I’d read.
“The creatures here are not as dumb as many would like to believe,” Gran answered. “They know that with magic comes Demons, and with Demons comes death.”
I nodded, understanding that reasoning well.
One by one by one, we followed Illiah’s grandmother deeper into the mountain, the cold breeze growing harsher with every step.
“I had a friend from the Night Mountain,” I said aloud, hoping to start up a conversation an
d distract my mind.
“And who was that?” she asked, entertaining my attempt.
“Jethero.”
Gran gasped and nearly missed a stair. “We do not speak that name here,” she said just above a whisper. “That family has been erased…barred from this mountain…”
“What?” I asked confused.
“What do you know of that man?”
“Not much,” I replied.
Gran again muttered under her breath, as she shook her head back and forth.
“I knew him,” Zavery said. “He was a great man. One that I was proud to call a friend.”
“Was?” Gran questioned.
“Yesterday he gave his life to the Gods,” Zavery stated, daring her to question it any farther.
“Oh my,” Gran replied. “I am sorry to hear that.”
“Are you?” Zavery questioned.
“Of course I am,” Gran responded, offended. “I helped raise Jethero, Tonks, Krenith, and Jassima. Their family…they were…” She paused. “Their mother took me in as one of her own.”
“Then why do you not speak his name?” Zavery asked.
“Jethero was the youngest,” she began. “He wanted everything his siblings had…always wanting to lead the pack. When he didn’t get his way he rebelled, and the older he got, the farther he pushed the temperaments of his parents. There came a time, I believe it was only a year or two, he left the mountain, and when he returned, he brought with him an outsider…Rayne, I believe her name was.
“Though it was unheard of for an outsider to live within the mountain, Jethero’s mother allowed it. Jethero and Rayne built a life for themselves here, and in no time, Rayne found herself at home with the creatures, and herself with a list of duties. When they began having children, Rayne and Jethero found it hard to balance their responsibilities with the care of their children. This led them to take the children with them on occasion.
“On one such occasion, Rayne had two of the children with her, JJ and Tamara. Though she swore she only turned her back for a second, the little girl got away from her.
“For three days, everyone within the mountain searched for her. It was Illian that found her and brought her to Jethero, and not a word was spoken.
“Illian went to Jethero’s parents, appalled that Jethero had brought an outsider into his mountain, claiming Tamara had broken into the room, making the accusations that she was stealing from him. He demanded on that day that they cast Rayne and the children from the mountain, and that if they ever stepped foot back inside, that he would end them himself.
