by Laura Emmons
“You missed three weeks at the end of the term. Are you going to be able to make up enough in your classes to graduate?”
“I spoke to Mrs. Donnelly about meeting requirements for graduation. I won’t be able to make up enough classwork before the end of the school year.”
I gasped. “What are you going to do?”
“She said I have two choices. I can take the GED exam or repeat my senior year.”
“So when’s the exam?”
“Actually,” he said, a little hesitantly, “I told her I’d repeat the year.”
“Why would you want to spend an extra year in high school?”
“Well, think about it, Mags, what have I got to look forward to after high school?”
I’d never given it any thought. My plans revolved around going to college and medical school, but I wasn’t a leader of my community with all sorts of responsibilities to others. At least I wasn’t a leader yet.
He spelled it out. “After high school, I get to stay right here. I’ll work more hours in the store, I’ll spend more time on council issues and I’ll transfer from the Sleepy Creek youth chorale to the adult choir. Why do I care if I do that this year or next? If I stay in school, I’ll get to graduate with you, I’ll have a real diploma, and hopefully I’ll have a date for the prom.”
I looked at him mockingly, “Whom are you taking to the prom?”
He didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he asked if I would drive him to the sacred meadow.
“I have to talk to Llew,” he explained.
“You’re gonna have a casual chat with a god?”
He shook his head. “It’s important.”
I drove him to the clearing.
***
Once we arrived, he made me wait for him at the altar table in the center of the clearing. He pulled a necklace out of his pocket and put it around his neck. It looked remarkably like the moon necklace Fiona had given me last summer, except Evan’s necklace had yellow and orange stones, and gold instead of silver. The amulet depicted a sun, not a moon. He stood in front of the portal to the heavenly realm and called upon the King of the Sun.
When Llew arrived, it was as magnificent an entrance as it had been the first time I’d seen him. He floated above Evan and listened to his animated presentation. Even with my Hunter’s hearing though, I couldn’t hear what Evan said. Eventually, the god spoke back. Llew flew back through the portal and Evan walked back to me.
“How’d it go?” I asked, tentatively. I knew better than to ask what the conversation entailed. He’d tell me when he was ready.
“He granted one of my two requests. We’ll just have to wait and see on the other one.”
“Okay.”
The next night we spent watching a DVD in his house and went to bed early.
“I’m missing the bonfire jumping show,” he grumbled.
“I would have thought you’d had enough bonfire jumping.” I referred to the Litha celebration last summer, where he’d tricked everyone into thinking he could fly over the fire by using astral projection.
“No,” he chuckled, “the idiots like me don’t jump the bonfires on Bealtain. The McFadden family puts on a display using their Hunter athleticism. It’s kind of like watching Cirque de Soleil with live fire.”
“It sounds great. I’d rather you be around to see it next year.”
“Point taken,” he sighed.
***
I woke him up around 4:30 AM. We stopped at the Well of the Young. Following clan custom, we made our pilgrimage and asked for Dariene’s blessings for the growing season. To our surprise, she didn’t just speak to us from the bucket of water. This time she flew out of the well and faced us in person. I took the opportunity to thank her for saving my brother’s life.
“There are things I must share with the two of you,” she spoke urgently. “You should know that when I originally saw your brother in my vision in 1850, I didn’t know what I was seeing. If I had, I never would have shared it with the old Queen. That one vision has driven her to do so many horrible things. She fears your brother above all else.”
“But why,” I asked with confusion. “When Corey tried to hurt her, he couldn’t. Why would she fear him at all?”
“You two must find a way to help Corey defeat the old Queen. You must bring this future to pass.”
“Why would we want to destroy the balance between Day and Night? That would lead to the destruction of the whole planet!”
Evan shifted uncomfortably next to me.
“You must have faith, Young Healer that the Grand Design has anticipated such an event and the world will survive. After I had told the Queen about the Destroyer, I couldn’t take it back, so I told her the children of Healers and Seers would be born without magic. I lied. I’d hoped my deceit would allow you and Corey to survive until you both had strength enough to face her. The time is now. Do not fear. This is the right path.”
I accepted her edict.
She turned to Evan. “Great Seer, you will be invaluable in the coming war. I will do everything in my power to support you. You must support the Young Healer and the Destroyer.”
He nodded.
She smiled at him. “Have faith, Seer. Your union will create a glorious dynasty, and millennia of peace. The two of you will do more to restore the balance than all of your predecessors combined. I have seen it.” She disappeared back down the well before I had the opportunity to ask for clarification.
“What did she mean, ‘our union’?”
Evan didn’t answer me, but he walked with a happy swagger as he led me toward the sacred meadow.
***
Dariene was not the only magical being to give us advice. Llew arrived in response to Connor McCoy’s incantation in fiery splendor. He cast his blessing on the clan for a prosperous and fertile growing season.
Then he announced a decree. “It has been brought to my attention that the law restricting Healers and Seers from forming unions is against the laws of nature. It was created selfishly by the Queen of the Night to try and prevent the birth of someone who could defeat her in battle. This restriction is wrong and I decree it is now lifted. Healers and Seers are free to join. However, I will not agree to release the Great Healer and the Great Seer from their vows to the heavenly realm. They are not allowed to marry nor have children. But,” he paused for effect, “I have decided to grant these two,” he pointed to Evan and me, “dispensation to engage in an informal union as long as no children come of it.”
Like I’m ready to have kids, I thought, sarcastically. It occurred to me I’d been given permission to date Evan by a god. I was pretty sure no one in the clan would challenge us now. This was why Evan went to Scottish Mount. He wanted to show Llew historical evidence of the invalidity of the Healer/Seer law. He’d been successful. Llew left in a ball of fire and I threw my arms around Evan and kissed him in front of everyone. They applauded. I wanted to do my happy dance but thought it was undignified and Evan had once laughed when he saw it. Instead I led him to the maypole for a dance of a different kind.
Rose had helped me weave hawthorn branches into a crown. I’d decorated it with fresh spring flowers and ribbons. Bob had given Evan the family’s headdress of deer antlers.
He took hold of one of the ropes attached to the top of the maypole. Other guys grabbed hold of the other ropes. When our turn came to dance, I took off running. Evan chased me. I weaved in and out of the other ropes and Evan followed, weaving the rope as he did so. Given my Hunter athleticism, I could have made the dance a challenge for Evan. I chose to make it easy, allowing myself to be caught and laughing in his arms. He took the crown from my head and slid it up the rope. By the time all of the ropes and wreaths had been braided together, it was clear that my crown and his rope were permanently intertwined. I liked the symbolism.
“You’re still convalescing,” I chided him playfully.
“I am.” His blue eyes twinkled at me.
“I should take you home.�
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“You should.”
“I should tuck you into bed.”
“I agree…the sooner the better.”
“You know I’m serious, right. You are too medically fragile for hanky panky. I’m really going insist you get some sleep.”
“I know, but it also means you’ll be there next to me, and that’s good enough for now.”
I hugged him gently and took a hold of his hand.
As we left, I noticed we were not the only couple making a hasty getaway. Rose and Pat left, too. The food, drink and song belonged to the married people, the elderly and the children. Corey was welcomed by Evan’s family. Tomorrow a battle loomed on the horizon…but not today. Today was for love, and I loved Evan. I heard a strange sound overhead and looked toward the sky. Overhead, a pair of eagles flew wingtip to wingtip. I touched the tips of Evan’s fingers with mine and, stretching our arms out, we imitated them.
About THE Author
Laura started writing fiction at the age of nine, when a class at the West LA Parks Department seemed more fun than doing nothing all summer. After high school she gave up the hobby in lieu of a career in computers and telecommunications.
It was only after she became a stay-at-home mom to care for her two special needs boys that she found comfort in writing again.
Laura lives with her beautiful family in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. She loves feedback and can be reached at www.facebook.com/lauraewrites.
Coming EARLY 2015
Book Three in the Queen of the Night Series
Maggie Stewart was a fifteen-year old California city girl when she was sent to spend the summer with relatives she'd never met in the wild Blue Ridge Mountains. Every aspect of Maggie Stewart’s life changed when her mother died.
More than a year has passed and Maggie has developed the crucial skill of energy-touch therapy so she can become the next great spiritual healer of the Cacapon coven of Appalachia. She discovered that the moon goddess has murdered members of her family for seven generations, and has decided to kill Maggie and her brother next.
Her brother can kill any living creature with a single touch, but the goddess isn’t alive and she’s built an army. Maggie and her coven must fight back or they will all die. The only way Maggie can protect her loved ones is if she outsmarts… the Queen of the Night.
Visit http://www.facebook.com/seeingmagic/.
IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST VOLUME…
Book One in the Queen of the Night Series
Fifteen-year old Maggie is a California city girl. When she’s sent to spend the summer with relatives she's never met in the wild Blue Ridge Mountains, she finds herself surrounded by strangers with odd rituals and frightening habits.
Her Great-Aunt is brusque and regimental. Her only companion is a gorgeous seventeen-year old psychic, but he treats her like she just ruined his life. The villagers are slightly more than human, and other residents aren’t human at all. Maggie discovers the natural world is filled with magic and not all of it is good. Humans, magical beings and animals are becoming deathly ill but no one knows why. As the epidemic spreads, a desperate act unlocks Maggie’s dormant gifts. She must learn to control her powers before they destroy her. Only she can solve the mystery, but she has to act fast, or hundreds of people will die.
Visit http://www.facebook.com/seeingmagic/.
