Body

by Mary Duke

  The man held his hands in the air. “I mean you no harm,” he assured us.

  “Who are you?” Zavery questioned.

  “My name is Evander. I am the keeper of the Grove,” he introduced himself.

  “Really?” Illiah said. “In all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never heard of you.”

  “That’s because times were different before,” Evander explained. “Keepers are rarely seen. It is our job to protect and maintain, not to interfere.”

  “What makes now so different?” Illiah asked.

  “I believe you know the answer to that, Miss Nyrana.”

  Illiah rolled her eyes and walked past him before turning around to ask, “Well, are you going to help us do what we came here to do, or are you just going to stand there?”

  A smile spread across the old man's wrinkled face. “You are impatient, just like your father, you know that Illiah?”

  Illiah stopped and turned around. “You know my father?”

  “Indeed I do,” Evander replied as he walked towards her. “I’ve come to know him quite well, in fact, over the past couple of months.”

  “Really?” Illiah said, the tone of her voice changing to match the glimmer of hope that appeared in her eyes. “Is he here now?”

  “I’m afraid he’s not,” Evander said, saddened to crush her hopes. “He left last week,” he continued, as he slowly walked past Illiah, and signaled for the others to follow him. “Without so much as a goodbye or a thank you.”

  “He was here last week?” Illiah said, baffled.

  “Yes, he said—” Evander started to explain.

  “He was here with you, but he couldn’t help me?” Illiah said grabbing a hold of Evander’s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

  “There’s nothing more your father wanted to do, child. Every day. Every hour. You’re all he thought about.”

  Illiah’s hands fell to her hips. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What doesn’t?” Evander questioned. “That fact that you were all your father could think about?”

  “No,” Illiah stated. “It doesn’t make sense that he was here, and able, but did nothing.”

  “Please come with me,” Evander said, extending his hand.

  “We don’t have time,” I said. “We came here so Illiah could regain her powers. The Queen is out of control; we have to get back to our realm.”

  Evander sighed. “The three of you know only a part of what is going on. A mere fraction of the consequences and stakes. Illian was clear when he came here. Now please, Arwen, my wife and fellow keeper, should have food ready. If you could join us, I would be more than happy to aid in your journey.”

  “And if we decline?” Zavery asked.

  “THE GROVE is a large forest, and one could easily lose their way if they do not know its paths,” Evander said taking Illiah’s hand in his and turning back towards the path ahead of him.

  Zavery and I exchanged glances.

  “I suggest we hear the man out,” Kegan said.

  “The longer we spend here instead of fighting my mother, the stronger she gets,” Zavery said turning around to look at Kegan and Tork.

  “I’ve told you,” Tork, his guardian, said. “There is another power at play here, there’s something we are not seeing. Perhaps Evander has our missing piece.”

  “What makes you believe he does?” Zavery continued to question.

  Tork shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not saying he has all the answers we need, I’m not even saying he has one of them. I’m just saying we’re not in the position to be turning down help.”

  “Whatever,” Zavery mumbled turning around to follow Illiah. “At least there’ll be food.”

  I looked at Tork as he trailed behind Zavery past me. ”What’s wrong with him?” I asked, reaching out to him like I do Kegan.”I don’t know,” Tork responded. ”He hasn’t spoken to me since we left the cave.””I can’t believe I’m saying this,” I said to both Kegan and Tork. ”But I’m worried about him. When we worked together to heal Jayantha, he just felt off. I don’t know what it was, but it didn’t feel right.”

  Tork nodded. “He’s been through a lot. Not just in the last week, but in his whole life. It’s nothing new for him to disappear within himself every once in a while.”

  Kegan put his arm on my shoulder as we followed the others. ”Let’s not push this issue.””I can’t do this alone, Kegan. Don’t you remember that we, Zavery and I, have to do this together?” I said, reminding him. ‘I need him to have his head on straight.””I know, and I’m sure it will be. I just don’t believe now is the time.”

  Before I could argue with Kegan anymore, Evander’s home came into view, and I was left speechless.

  His home was everything I could have ever wanted. A cabin on a little island at the foot of a thunderous, yet oddly peaceful waterfall.

  Illiah turned towards Evander. “I’ve been here before. I don’t remember there being a house…”

  Evander smiled. “That is because we did not wish for you to see it. Watch,” he said holding his hand up and blowing across his palm as though he were blowing his home a kiss.

  “Incredible,” Illiah said, as the house began to disappear.

  Zavery rolled his eyes, the attitude pouring off of him. “If you guys are good, why the secrecy?”

  “As I’ve already said,” Evander pointed out. “Our job is not to interfere.”

  “Then what are you doing now?” Zavery questioned.

  “This is different,” Evander said, taken aback by Zavery’s tone.

  “Hey,” Tork said stepping in front of Zavery. “Why don’t we take a walk? I’m sure it will just take them a few minutes to clear all of this up, and then we’ll be on our way.”

  Zavery’s eyes remained focused on Evander.

  “This is a waste of time,” Zavery repeated.

  “Come on,” Tork said stepping between them, breaking Zavery’s stare.

  A little woman appeared in the doorway of the house, her hands on her hips. “Are you guys going to eat while it’s hot, or shall I just find some others who’d enjoy it?”

  “We’re comin’ Ma,” Evander yelled back.

  “It does smell delicious,” Kegan said with his nose in the air as he took another deep breath.

  “You know, I’ve been around…well, a really long time, and I can say wholeheartedly that I’ve never tasted food as good as Arwen's,” Evander said as he opened the gate for us to cross the bridge.

  The table was filled with bowls, bread, and pots.

  Evander kissed his wife on the forehead before he took his seat at the far end of the table. “What’ve you made today, dear?”

  “Creamy potato soup, and vegetable, and of course we have the bread, wheat and rye,” she replied, pulling three bowls from the stack and handing one to each of us. “I thought you said there were five?”

  “There were,” Evander said dumping another scoop of potato soup in his bowl.

  “Were?” Arwen questioned. “Where did you lose the other two?”

  “The boy is troubled,” Evander said, dipping a piece of his bread into the soup. “I believed a walk among the trees would do his head some good.”

  “I see,” she said grabbing a bowl for herself.

  “You were right, Evander,” Illiah said. Eating the soup and bread induced silence. “This food is amazing.”

  “Arwen never disappoints,” Evander replied.

  “Now, I don’t intend to be rude,” Illiah said fiddling with the piece of bread she held in her hands.

  “But you want to know why I brought you here,” Evander said finishing her sentence.

  Illiah nodded, the question burning a hole in the pit of her stomach.

  “Before I begin, I want it to be clear that I do not claim innocence in what has come to be. I know there is more I could have done to prevent our current situation, though I let myself follow my heart, instead of the facts.”

  “Okay,” Illi
ah agreed, confused.

  “You’ll understand,” Evander said carefully placing his spoon in his now empty bowl, as he leaned back in his chair. “I just don’t want what I say to come across as an excuse, or for you to take it as I’m pushing the blame off on your father.”

  “Blame?” Illiah repeated, leaning her elbows on the table.

  Evander pressed his lips together, as he ran his hand through his beard brushing the crumbs out. “It was nearly five hundred years ago when Illian came here, and he didn’t come alone. He actually came with one of our more frequent visitors, Thanatos.”

  Illiah nodded her head and smiled.

  “You know of him?” Evander questioned her, curious.

  “Only from the stories my father used to tell when I was a child.”

  “What do you remember?” Evander pressed.

  “Umm,” Illiah said, the smile fading from her face. “Just that my dad really looked up to him, and that they were good friends. It took a lot out of him when Thanatos died, but that’s also what brought him and my mom together.”

  “I see,” Evander replied. “Do you know any of the circumstances revolving around Thanatos’ death?”

  “No, I don’t. My father didn’t like talking about Thanatos; he said it reminded him too much of what would never again be. The only time he brought him up was to remind me what the others are capable of, the good and the bad.”

  “The bad?” Evander questioned.

  “You know,” Illiah explained. “How the other Gods and Goddesses, Thanatos’ brothers and sisters, came together to destroy him.

  “And your father told you this is what happened?”

  “Not exactly, but one can piece together the remaining bits of history and pair that together with my father's inability to trust anyone.”

  Evander opened his mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it, in an attempt to choose his next words more carefully.

  After a moment Illiah spoke. “I thought you brought me here to tell me something, not for me to answer your questions.”

  Evander nodded and looked at his wife. “I’ve rehearsed this in my head a million times,” he started. “Gone back and forth with Arwen about how direct I need to be, and what details are unnecessary at this time. However, as I sit here before you, the words I want to use elude me.”

  Illiah sat in silence, staring back at him for a moment. “If my father is dead, you need to tell me.”

  Evander sighed, repositioning himself in his chair. “If only it were that simple,” he said. “To my knowledge, Illian is very much alive. As I said, he was just here a week ago.”

  “If my father is not dead, what is it you fear to tell me?” Illiah questioned, growing inpatient.

  “What do you know of how your father came into power, as ruler of the underworld?” Evander asked.

  “Thanatos chose him to inherit his powers as he died.” Illiah answered. “That is no secret.”

  “You are right,” Evander responded. “It is not a secret, but it is a lie...well, part of it is.”

  Illiah’s eyes narrowed, but before she could speak Evander continued.

  “It is the truth that upon being cursed by his brothers and sisters, Thanatos became desperate for a solution to save his own life. In this desperation, he turned to your father, his best and only true friend, for help.”

  Illiah sat impatient, her eyes never leaving Evander’s, as Arwen cleared the table.

  “Thanatos was unable to heal himself; something in the spell cast by his mother made it impossible. In Thanatos’ final days, the thought occurred to him; though he couldn’t use his magic, his magic was still there, and it was more than enough to break this curse. Feeling as though there was no way out of his situation, he turned to your father as he had for many times for advice,” Evander said handing his wife his own bowl.

  “I know of that night,” Illiah replied. “It’s one my father talked about often.”

  Evander again combed his fingers through his beard and continued. “It is a night I remember as well. It was here in the grove, where Thanatos spent much of his time after being cursed. A lot was said that day, though it was your father's words at the end of the night that changed everything.”

  A smile spread across Illiah’s face; she knew the words well. “He said, ‘If only I had enough power, I’d cure you, and end all of this.’”

  Evander nodded.

  “I don’t get how those words changed anything though. My father didn’t have the power and didn’t get it till after Thanatos died, and his magic was given to him by the others when he accepted Thanatos’ role in the underworld,” Illiah said, leaning back in her chair.

  Evander shook his head. “Well, you see, that night…” he paused. “That night two things happened. There’s what really happened and what was told happened. When your father said that ‘If he had enough power, he would heal him,’ Thanatos found the loophole he’d been searching for. The plan was perfect, and as far as Thanatos could tell it was fool-proof.

  Thanatos would bestow his powers onto your father. Your father would then use his powers to break the curse put on Thanatos, and when Thanatos healed, your father would give his powers back, and together they would put an end to the chaos once and for all.” Evander uncrossed his arms and sat up straight in his chair. “However, as it so happened, Thanatos’ fool-proof plan only turned him into a fool.”

  “So his plan didn’t work, he died, and my father ended up with his powers?” Illiah stated, jumping to conclusions.

  “No,” Evander corrected her. “Thanatos’ plan worked perfectly. He brought your father here, doubled the power of the pendant, which he had given your father many, many years before, to be sure his soul would be able to handle the amount of magic that was going to bind with it. He then used nearly every ounce of the life he had in him to transfer his magic into a ring, which he placed on your father's hand before he pushed him into the well which, as you know, has the power to grant immortality.”

  Illiah nodded, watching as Evander fiddled with his beard.

  “When your father emerged, he found that he was not only immortal but that he had all of Thanatos’ power. Your father kept his word and began to heal Thanatos’ and care for his friend. However, as time passed, your father grew rather fond of the power and the fame that came with it. Every day that Thanatos grew stronger, Illian felt a pit in his stomach grow deeper. He knew that soon he would have to give up this power, and that all his new friends would not only turn their backs on him because he would return to being a nobody, but that they would also see him as an enemy for restoring power back to the man who wanted nothing more than to see them all dead, for the role they played in his ‘death.’”

  “Wait, so you're telling me that my dad, the man who preached honesty and integrity every time he opened his mouth, got power and instantly became friends with his best friend’s enemies?” Illiah questioned.

  Evander rubbed his eyes, his heart racing and sinking in his chest, with the burden of this truth. “This did not happen overnight, this is over the span of months,” he began to clarify. “Once the initial step worked, Nyx, Thanatos’ mother, came to your father. She knew her son's powers had been transferred to him, and she wanted to know how. Of course, your father lied to her, as Thanatos had told him to. Illian told Nyx that upon her son's death, Thanatos had given his powers to him as well as the role of King of the Underworld. With the ring containing Thanatos’ magic cloaked on Illian’s hand, Nyx had no way of disproving Illian's story and offered him a place that she had reserved for Thanatos in the high court. With Thanatos’ approval, your father later claimed that seat and befriended the others who sat around the table governing all the realms in which they oversaw. In Thanatos’ eyes, this would make it easier for him to exact his revenge when Illian gave him his powers back.”

  Illiah interrupted him, “But he never gave him his powers back, did he?”

  Evander bowed his head slightly as if in shame and shook i
t no. “It had been nearly a year since your father had taken the seat in the high court. For a year, he had played a double life, while carrying the burden of being the King of the Underworld. It took a toll on him, but at the same time, it filled a void he had always had. For one of the first times in his life, your father felt valued, needed, and a part of a very large and very powerful family. This is when he met your mother, and soon thereafter she became pregnant with you.” Evander paused, leaned across the table reaching for Illiah’s hand. “Now, I don’t want you to take this as it is your fault. This was your father’s choice, and though you now bear the consequences, the blame does not fall on you.”

  Illiah nodded, her eyes watering out of fear and frustration.

  “It became evident that Thanatos was growing stronger, and that he would soon want his powers back. However, life had never been better, not only for your father but for all in the eleven realms in which he was able to reach. The more Thanatos spoke of the pure and utter destruction of everyone that betrayed him and everything that those people cared about, the larger the pit of doubt grew in his mind. Your father came here, seeking the counsel of the ancestors, as well as myself. He was troubled, his mind tangled in a web of what ifs. The biggest what if being, what would happen to you, if he gave Thanatos back his powers? If Thanatos attacked everyone and destroyed everything, what would happen to you? But, he had also backed himself into a corner. If he came clean about Thanatos still being alive, he feared that it would also come to light that he had been planning the downfall of the high court and the death of everyone in it, therefore losing the trust of those who he now called family.”

  Silent tears crept down Illiah’s face, as she now doubted everything her father had ever said to her.

  “This is when your father came up with a new plan. He was unsure what would happen to his power if Thanatos died, and he was unsure if his spirit would truly find someone else and alert Nyx. After confiding in your mother, she had the perfect answer. Her family were Keepers of the Dark Mountain. Since its creation, her family had protected the hidden vaults containing the gods’ and goddesses’ deepest and darkest secrets. Together, they fortified a vault for Thanatos, locking him and his plans away from the outside world.”