Relics and Runes Anthology

by Heather Marie Adkins

  Wesley helps Andrea up. “You had me so worried.”

  “We didn’t say anything to your parents but if you didn’t come back at all, we would have had to.”

  Wesley can’t help himself. He hugs her.

  “You can let go, Wesley.”

  Emily just notices that Andrea is wearing a different top. “Where did you get those clothes?”

  “From a healer named Hylda.”

  “Why did you go to her?” Wesley asks. “What happened to you?”

  “Nothing that Prince Cornelius couldn’t fix.”

  Emily takes Andrea out of the garden and back towards the house. Wesley remains by the fountain.

  “I see I have to fix things.” He pulls a pocketknife from his pants pocket. He cuts the tip of his finger. He lets the blood drip down into the water. He climbs into the water and goes down.

  Wesley explodes out of the water and finds grass too green to be real. He gets whacked in the face with a branch. Everything above him is spinning. The sun is blending with the clouds, the trees, and all around him is closing in. He gets up and steadies himself. Then he walks down the dirt road before him.

  He approaches the village where Hylda lives. He doesn’t knock. He goes right in. Hylda comes out of her bedroom with a shocked expression. “You were told to stay out of our affairs.”

  “Tell that to the prince. Tell that to yourself.”

  “And since I’ve hurt myself, I can be healed by you. Only you are allowed to heal someone like me.”

  “You are lucky that the Vale would allow you back here for that reason alone. Come here, boy.”

  “I’ve come here to warn you that if you help anyone else again, I will come back to skin you and sell your hide to the leatherworker.”

  “Why are you threatening me?”

  “Because I can. Andrea is not allowed in this land ever again.”

  “Take better care to see that it doesn’t happen.”

  Wesley leaves.

  9

  Four years later.

  Andrea is on the hunt for a Halloween costume but her cousin has insisted that she’d be the one to pick it out. Wesley has come along for the sheer joy of teasing Andrea.

  They walk down Main Street in East Hampton.

  “Whatever you choose is going to look good on you. I don’t understand all the fuss,” he says.

  “You’re not a girl,” Marie says. She’s eight. She reminds him of Andrea when she was little. “Wouldn’t expect you to understand anything.”

  They come to a shop called Little Bit of Everything. It has become a big tourist attraction for its ever-changing merchandise. The shop changes the décor and merchandise every month, selling all sorts of things.

  Abbey Martin greets her old friends. “I’m happy to see you guys.”

  “I’m seventeen and I want to look like a goddess. Can you help me find something that will make me look like that?”

  “You will get a normal costume and look like you’re seventeen.”

  “Wesley, my fearless protector never stops protecting.”

  “I think it’s adorable.”

  “It’s frightening,” Marie says.

  “Good. You can have him then.”

  Abbey shows her wedding band.

  “Lucky you that you found a good man.”

  Andrea is shown various age-appropriate costumes.

  “I can show you more revealing costumes but I doubt Wesley will approve.”

  “You do not assume that Wesley and I are a couple?”

  Abbey nods.

  “You are wrong. He’s my best friend, nothing more. He leaves for Europe soon. I think Paris is his first stop. There’s a big family reunion that he has been invited to. Since he has family all over the place, there are individual ones being held in various counties. He will be gone for at least a month.”

  “I suppose you being seventeen and he being twenty-one does seem silly to be romantically involved. But I am sure that he has feelings for you that are not friends.”

  “I’m only seventeen for a few more months.”

  “Find anything good?” Wesley asks.

  “I am thinking of being a fairy princess. A more adult version.”

  “Ooh, fairies!” Marie looks through the children costumes.

  “You will not. I will choose.”

  “You are not my older brother. You are not choosing some stupid costume that no one wants to wear.”

  “I’m a man. Clearly I’d want to see you in something very revealing upper body wise, and something that is very clinging lower body wise.”

  “Wesley, I am shocked.”

  “I am kidding.” He thumbs through the costumes, smiles, then grabs one. It’s a very pretty blue that looks like fairy dust has been sewn into it. “This is the one!”

  Andrea looks it over, seems pleased, then reaches up to grab his face and plants a kiss on his cheek. “Where would I be without you?”

  Andrea forks over fifty bucks and Abbey whispers to Andrea, “You would do well to never let him go.”

  Andrea and Wesley take Marie trick-or-treating.

  “Wesley, you should dress up.”

  “I will not.”

  Marie runs along to the first of the homes.

  “I can’t help making this joke. We look like parents waiting for our child.”

  “Yes, I fear our child would be rebellious and adamant like Marie.”

  “So you think we shall have a child?”

  “Anything is possible.”

  “You’re teasing me. You always tease me.” Wesley looks around at the other people. Most of them are families.

  “Hello there,” Jacob says.

  Wesley’s body stiffens.

  “Andrea, you are looking lovely. What are you supposed to be?”

  “Just a fairy-tale princess.”

  “And don’t you look the part? Eh, Wesley? And what are you supposed to be?”

  “I am her protector.”

  “Without a sword or some other weapon?”

  “I don’t need any.”

  “I am waiting for my brother-in law’s kids to be done so that I can hit the bars. You fancy a drink, Wesley?”

  “I do not drink.”

  “I’ll be on my way then.”

  Wesley grabs his arm and whispers into his ear, “Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

  Jacob whispers to him, “A few more months and she’s mine.”

  Wesley’s body relaxes a little as Jacob returns to his group of friends and family.

  “What a foul man,” Andrea says.

  “Too bad he didn’t stay with the massacre at Coral Gardens.”

  “Don’t speak of that place.”

  Andrea prepared herself for Wesley leaving. And then he goes and changes his plans to leave closer to her birthday. Saying that his family is working around his schedule. “I cannot believe him. I swear he does this to set my nerves on fire.”

  Marie lays out dresses on her bed. “I agree. Do you think these will be all right for the party?”

  “We have two weeks to decide.”

  Wesley walks in.

  “Oh, Wesley, I’ve been meaning to say something to you,” Andrea says.

  “I’ve asked my father to delay my leaving until your eighteenth birthday is over. If that’s all right with you, that is.”

  “You don’t need to. You can leave right now.”

  “You’re angry.” Sighs. “You will finally be an adult. Hopefully you act like one and stop your visits to the fountain. I’ve arranged for a good therapist to see you.”

  “Everything that has happened to me is because of the fountain.”

  “Everything that has happened has caused a rift between you and your parents. We all must grow up.”

  “Will you at least dress up?” Marie asks.

  “I’m not going to dress up like some flower or tree.”

  “We don’t do that. It’s all about how flowery the masks are, not ourselves.�
��

  “I fear there will be tons of men eager to dance with you that night, Andrea. All hidden behind their various flowery masks.” His voice sounds weak. Not like his own.

  “Well if you were dancing with me, then I wouldn’t have to be subjected to tons of men with their octopus hands all over me. But you are adamant in your dislike for dancing.”

  “It’s most distasteful. Most inappropriate for a gentleman to grope a woman in public.”

  Andrea laughs madly at this. “Oh dear Wesley, you are too old- fashioned. If we were all to act like you, babies would never be born.”

  “You would enjoy being courted by someone like me. It would be pleasant. It would be suspenseful. I do not say there wouldn’t be some sort of affection shown, after all, we’d be betrothed practically, but I would still wait until it was of proper time to engage in - -”

  “Wesley, you honestly believe everyone was chaste back in the old England days?”

  “Indeed not. There were many whom would have sex with multiple partners and in many places. I’m plainly stating that it’s more proper to wait until in love, above all things.”

  “There’s a child in the room.”

  “I’m okay, Auntie.”

  Andrea mopes around the house. She has a few hours before her party.

  “This is horrible. Call Wesley.”

  “He is getting ready to leave.”

  “He said he will stay until her eighteenth birthday is over. Call him. Don’t make me ask you twice, Michael.”

  Michael takes out his cell phone and clicks on the portrait of Wesley. After a few rings, Wesley picks up. “I need you to come here straight away. Andrea is miserable. And I fear she will find a way to the fountain. We can’t let that happen. I’ll let the guards know that you are on your way.” Michael walks past his wife. “Happy now?”

  “Can you refrain from calling the help, guards?”

  “When this party is over and we have a talk with her, we are going back.”

  “No. We have to wait until she’s twenty-one. Remember, Scarlet said so. It’s why we left when we did.”

  He hugs and kisses his wife. “If we believed everything that that witch says, we would have lost our home by now. Andrea goes back after her party. I’ve been making the arrangements.”

  “Wesley can’t return.”

  “That’s his family’s problem. We can.”

  Andrea walks around the back yard. To her surprise a good friend of hers is walking towards her.

  “Riley?”

  “Hey there, girl.”

  The two women hug. Riley is like a tomboy that never grew out of the phase.

  “I thought you were getting ready to head off for college?”

  “I decided to take a year off to party.”

  “Lucky you that you got to graduate a year early. I wish that my parents would let me take on more schooling so I can be done as well.”

  Riley shows her pictures on her cell phone. All the places she’s travelled and the men that she has met. “I can hook you up with one of the men, if you’d like. Or has Wesley claimed your heart finally?”

  “Never.”

  Andrea looks to the garden in the far back. Riley immediately senses the need to be near it.

  Melanie and Michael appear on the balcony attached to their bedroom on the second story. Riley waves to them.

  “Your parents still won’t let you go into the garden?”

  “Every garden except the garden I want to be in. I have snuck in a few times but one of our servants always finds me and takes me out.”

  “It’s your birthday. You are an adult.”

  “Shall we play a game?”

  “Let’s.”

  Andrea and Riley grab tennis rackets and start playing.

  “Riley?” Wesley is more than surprised.

  “Dear Wesley. Care to join us?”

  “I hate tennis.”

  “Then perhaps you can indulge us another way. By leaving.”

  Marie runs down the steps to the tennis court. “Uncle Wesley!”

  She wraps her arms around him and he pulls her off. “I am not your uncle.”

  “Yes you are.”

  Marie takes all of Wesley’s attention.

  “Do you think Wesley will dress up for your birthday or will he be chaperone? Boring and unnecessary.”

  “He will surprise us.”

  “Do you like or love him?”

  “He is my dearest friend. I love him, of course. He is like a brother.”

  “He doesn’t think of you as a sister.”

  “He has been there for me for so long. But that doesn’t mean I have to fall in love with him. I have my fantasy of the man I want to be with. I just have to wait to see him again.”

  “And you will see him. Today. But I bet that Wesley will ask you to marry him before the fairy prince does.”

  “What?”

  Riley takes the win. “I win due to a hot guy distraction.”

  During dinner, Riley and Andrea sneak out to the forbidden garden.

  “There it is.” She tries to get in.” What is with the locked gates?”

  “My parents.”

  Riley spots something. “They aren’t very clever.” She grabs hold of a vine that is attached to the tall hedges.

  “Riley, get down before you break your neck.”

  Riley is up and over the hedge.

  “Brilliant. Now, how are you going to…?”

  The gates pop open.

  “They weren’t locked?” Andrea quickly goes through and pulls the gates shut. “I can’t believe they didn’t really lock the gates.”

  “They probably forgot to. If they haven’t caught on to us leaving the dinner, they won’t notice you gone during your party. Now, where is it?”

  “This way.”

  Andrea can find it in her sleep.

  The fountain is lit up by garden lights around it.

  Riley runs up and streams her fingers along the base. She steps up and touches one of the cherubs.

  “No, Riley, you mustn’t.”

  Riley reaches up to touch the second tier.

  “Riley, get down. No one must touch the fountain like that.”

  Riley is taken by the beauty of the fountain. She can’t hear Andrea.

  Andrea has no other choice. She tries to grab Riley. Her friend stops moving. “Riley?” Riley slowly turns. Her eyes are gone and a ghostly white is in their place. “Riley?” Andrea steps back.

  Riley jerks forward and lunges for Andrea. Riley is on her, scratching at her clothes. Andrea screams.

  Riley is flung off her. Wesley picks up Andrea. Riley comes after Wesley. She tackles him to the ground. He fiddles around with his belt, trying to get it off. Riley’s nails grow into long talons. She raises a hand, ready to plunge her talons into a fatal spot. He gets his belt off and wraps it around Riley’s hand. He flips her over. She lunges with her free hand. He grabs it and bounds both hands in the belt. He secures it and drags her to her feet.

  “Wesley.” Andrea goes to hug him but he holds his arm out to stop her.

  “This is what you get for going near the damn fountain. You never listen, Andrea.”

  “What are you going to do with her? What’s wrong with her?”

  “Send her back.”

  “Where? What are you talking about?”

  Wesley drags Riley to the fountain and throws her down into the water. Holds her down. She kicks and screeches. “She’s going to bring everyone out here.”

  Andrea walks towards them.

  The kicking slows. Wesley loosens his weight on Riley. The kicking stops. He lifts his entire weight off. Andrea looks down into the water. Wesley smacks the water off his clothes.

  “Where is she?”

  “You know where she is.”

  Her parents, his parents, and the guests walk over. Wesley nods to them.

  “I don’t want to know. Let’s celebrate the season,” Thomas says.

  Wesle
y is about to wait for Andrea, but his mother pulls him away. Andrea’s parents come forward to take her away from the fountain.

  Andrea comes into her aunt’s bedroom and Marie has on her spring celebration costume. A cute robe with a crown of green and brown branches and white flowers on her head.

  “Aren’t you a tasty little treat for the goblins?” Andrea plays with Marie’s braided bun. She is still traumatized by what she saw. Her poor friend Riley. She can’t get her mind off it.

  Downstairs, everything is decorated for the season and Andrea’s birthday. There’s more flower wreaths this time and large bowls of fruit.

  Wesley is greeted by numerous guests. He smiles at the sight of his friend. “Terry, you made it.”

  Terry Lomax is dressed in a white toga with a holly branch crown on his head. “I wouldn’t miss Andrea’s birthday and the spring celebration.”

  “I wonder which will be more memorable this year.”

  “How come you aren’t dressed up?”

  “Because it’s insulting.”

  “Good god, old man.”

  They walk around to say their hello to everyone else they know. Terry is more eager to say hello to all the young women.

  They get a glass of fruit juice.

  “Heard about what happened. Glad that you were here.”

  “I won’t always be. I am going to Europe. What will happen to Andrea when I’m gone? No one will care to watch her. Her parents have indicated that they must go away soon after I leave.”

  “I can look after her.”

  “Thank you.”

  A woman comes into the dining room that sends Terry’s eyes wide with lust. A lot of the men take notice. Wesley can’t believe his eyes. The woman is wearing a red dress with a red feathered mask.

  Andrea comes downstairs with her aunt and cousin. Her aunt is wearing a simple green dress with a white feathered mask. Marie holds her mother’s hand as they greet guests. Andrea is wearing a white dress with a mask of green and white feathers.

  Andrea notices the woman who is getting all the attention. “Susan.” She walks right over to her. “Susan Appleton, what are you doing here?”

  “I was invited. Good to see you, Andrea.”