by Linda Jordan
He climbed up the stone staircases each step flaming higher until he found himself on the roof. It seemed like the more he panicked about not knowing what to do, the more heat the environment around him produced.
Nine reservoirs of oil were spaced out between stone benches. Fires blazed away on them, the flames whipped around by the breeze. Several sandpits had appeared on the roof. Egan removed the leather pouch and set it on one of the stone benches.
He stepped over a short stone wall and into the sand. Then squatted and began rubbing sand over his skin and scales, scrubbing himself clean.
The sun blasted down from above. It felt hot.
Several fire spirits were clustered around the center of the roof, basking in the heat. Sleeping.
He didn’t want to wake any of them. They probably weren’t who he needed to talk to. Most fire spirits cared little about court politics.
After Egan had cleansed himself, he put the leather bag back on and walked around the back edge of the roof and sat down, crosslegged, leaning his back against a reservoir. He closed his eyes and went deep inside himself.
Throughout his body ran channels of fire. They were leaking terribly. He attempted to thicken the conduits, but as soon as he patched one area, another sprang a leak. There was simply too much energy to handle.
He needed help.
Egan got up and walked around the perimeter of the roof, looking downward at the land he was suddenly responsible for.
He found Skye crouched on the front edge of the roof, overlooking the buried vault with a worried look on her face. The wind blew strong up here.
He asked, “When you’re inside the palace, what do you see?”
She looked at him, a strange expression on her face.
“When we first came it was a meadow with a stream running through it. Tall trees on all sides. The breeze danced between the leaves, making them flutter. Butterflies and birds floated on the zephyrs. Then when you were confirmed as the Luminary, it changed. Now, wherever you are, it’s stone and fire. When you’re not around, it’s still stone. All the other elements become present now and then, but it’s as if water and plant life feel uncomfortable. They can’t breathe around you.”
“That’s what I’ve sensed,” he said. “I don’t want it to be like that. I’ve lived too much of my life where there was no fire around and it’s painful. I don’t want others to suffer the loss of their elements.”
“Perhaps it’s just a temporary deprivation for them. Maybe it’s what they need, to feel the loss, so they can understand what it’s like. Because that’s what’s facing the Earth if we can’t get humans to help take care of her.”
“Perhaps. I need your help,” he said.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around. I’m worried about them,” she said, pointing to the buried Vault. “I don’t see how it can hold them. Even beneath all those rocks I can hear the winds, trying to break free. They won’t give up you know.”
“I know. It was Meredith’s strategy, but none of us had any other ideas. It’s bought us some time though.”
“What do you want help with?” she asked.
“Do you remember when we came to Faerie? The village we stopped at where I got the hot peppers?”
“I remember.”
“Could you find the female fire spirit? The one who gave them to me. And ask her to come here?”
“I think so. If she’ll appear to me. Fire spirits are tricky, sometimes they only appear to other fire spirits.”
“I know. Try, please. I’d go myself, but I need to be here. Coming up with a plan to help us move out into the human world.”
“I’ll go. It won’t take long. Then, I’ll come back and help. Talk to Adaire. She’ll help you. And find a water spirit to join in the conversation. I think that’s what went wrong when the decision was made to close Faerie. Not all the elements were consulted. We need balance. We need people who’ve been out in the world, who understand humans.”
“I agree. That’s why the changes in the palace worry me. I don’t want it to be a place that excludes water and earth spirits.”
She nodded and flew off the top of the building, heading in the direction they’d come from when they entered Faerie.
He felt the flapping of her wings as a small breeze which momentarily fanned his flames. He needed to talk to other fire spirits. To learn how to control himself better. Being away from Faerie and away from real fire, he’d lost the knack. It was as if, in a thousand years he’d forgotten everything he’d learned as a child.
Chapter 37 ~ Adaire
Adaire stood amongst a grove of ancient oaks near the palace. The earth felt cool and moist beneath her feet, although the mosses were drying out. They needed some rain. It hadn’t rained in Faerie in the two days since Egan had been chosen. Normally, it rained every night for a short time.
Still, nearby roses were blooming, their scent perfumed the air. The sound of working bees made a constant buzzing sound. Water sprites floundered around in a small lake down the hill. A diminishing lake, but a lake nonetheless.
Adaire touched the grooved bark of her beloved oak trees. She was finally home again. After a thousand years.
It didn’t feel like home.
It felt as if all of the water in Faerie was focused on healing Meredith. The plants cried out for water.
The land had been neglected. The pools were drying out. The streams running low. Water Fae were growing pale and sickly.
Adaire had no ideas for a cure.
Meredith needed to live.
Even if she was now powerless as many said would happen.
The trees grieved for her loss. Adaire hoped it was worth it, hoped the Fomorians would be contained. Forever.
But that seemed unlikely.
Glenna and Pearce seemed to have disappeared into the woodland somewhere. She hadn’t seen them since the day Egan became Luminary. They must have gone off to heal themselves. They’d never talked about their time as prisoners of the Fomorians. In those cold iron boxes.
Adaire shivered.
Lynette and Dylan were closeted in with several other water Fae, trying to heal Meredith. Skye was off by herself. Egan was busy burning up the world.
Adaire actually felt lonely.
And useless.
After a thousand years living as a human, she’d caught the human need to be doing something. To work.
And yet, there was nothing for her to do here. She couldn’t make water come to the trees and other plants. If this was a human garden, she’d set up an irrigation system. And water. But water in Faerie was becoming scarce.
She was hoping she wouldn’t have to resort to setting up a watering system. Faerie was vast. It would be difficult to cover that much land. But she would to save her beloved trees.
She had no answers and wandered beneath the trees, trying to will them back to health. Her feet cushioned by the soft moss which was growing crunchier by the day. Even the breeze blowing through the grove felt dry and the smell of damp earth she’d always associated with the place had turned to smoke. Everywhere near the palace smelled smoky these days.
Was Faerie burning?
Or was it the Fomorians, come up with a way to escape?
She left the grove and tiptoed along the hot stones of the walkways. The pavers hadn’t felt hot when the five of them had arrived.
Adaire made her way to the palace. She decided the best way to find Egan was to follow the heat. She passed through the throne room, the colonnade of trees, now withered and turned to stone. The throne which had been made of tree roots was blackened rock. The pool beyond, which Meredith had appeared out of, was a circle made of smooth, carved obsidian. Now it was filled with flames.
She found Meredith in a bathing room. Nothing had changed.
Dylan held up his hands in helplessness, looking at Adaire with a strained look on his pale face. Lynette sat, holding Meredith’s hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Two other water Fae, who must be healers considering the knotte
d strands of seaweed they wore around their necks, sat by Meredith’s head and feet. Adaire could feel the energy flowing through Meredith. It was as if they were keeping her blood flowing. Or perhaps her water.
Adaire left the room. She sought the heat and found it centered on the roof. Egan sat on one corner of the roof, the wind fanning his flames.
He was black and red, his body had almost completely covered itself with scales and he had an aura of fire. Except it wasn’t really an aura. It was him.
“Hi,” she said. “Can you turn down the heat a little? I need to talk to you.”
“That’s the problem,” he said. “I can’t turn it down. I don’t remember how.”
“You need help.”
“Yes, I do. I’ve sent Skye to get someone. At least I hope she’ll be able to help.”
“What’s your backup plan?” Adaire asked.
“I don’t have one.”
“You need one.”
“I can’t think clearly anymore. It feels I’m just beginning my life. Everything I’ve ever known is gone. I can’t even control the smallest thing and I used to own a cafe employing a hundred people. Now I can’t even regulate my temperature. It’s as if my brain is burning up.”
“Have you been eating or drinking?”
She watched him think.
“Uh, I ate most of those peppers. Before we talked to the Luminary. I only have half of one left and don’t remember when I last drank something.”
“Eat something. Drink something. I don’t know if it’ll help, but even Fae bodies need nourishment and you’re running explosive amounts of energy. I’d guess you need more than a normal Fae.”
He nodded. “Any other advice?”
“Don’t fire spirits have elders or healers?”
“Not very many. We tend to be loners. That’s why I had Skye go find the woman who gave me peppers and ask her to come. She has some knowledge. Of peppers at least.”
“Was it the peppers that made you lose control?”
“No. I don’t think so. They healed me. Brought me back to life. I think it was becoming the Luminary. Faerie has filled me with power that I don’t know how to control. Yet,” he said.
“Well, the trees are feeling the heat, as are the rest of the plants. They’re drying out, parched, blistering. We need some rain. I’m feeling the heat. It’s painful to be near you. I can’t stay much longer. I need coolness and dampness. It feels as if all the water in Faerie is being used to heal Meredith.”
“I know. I wish I could do something. About Meredith, and my lack of control. I will get this taken care of. Soon.”
A blast of wind preceded Skye’s arrival.
She was panting and flapping her wings.
“That felt great!” she said.
“Flying?” asked Adaire.
“Yes. I haven’t been flying enough. I’ve been worried about the Fomorians, Meredith, and Egan.”
“Is she coming?” asked Egan.
“Yes. She said you need to closet yourself away till she gets here. Find a room of stone, with a pool of water. Sit in it until the water’s sizzled away. Then add more water. And keep doing that.”
Egan’s face scrunched up.
“That sounds counterproductive,” he said.
“That’s what she told me. She was already packing when I found her. She knew there was a problem,” said Skye.
“What have you got to lose?” asked Adaire.
“All my power,” said Egan.
“That would be bad,” said Skye. “But so would the death of Faerie. Let’s get going.”
The three of them stood and went towards the nearest stairwell. Adaire stayed well behind them, away from his heat.
On the main floor they found an empty bathing room with a fountain and pool in it. Egan went inside. The room changed its colors from lavender and white to an icy gray blue when he entered.
“Call us if you need more water,” said Skye.
Adaire and Skye went a ways down the hallway and sat on the nearly cool black tile floor. As far from the heat as they could be, but still within shouting distance.
“Do you think it’ll work?” asked Adaire.
“I don’t know. I don’t quite understand the problem. But his energy’s way off.”
“He says he can’t control it.”
“That’s pretty obvious,” said Skye. “When I was pretending to be a human, I worked as a healer. I did a lot of energy work. Every now and then, I’d come across someone who needed an excess of what was wrong with them for their body to find balance. Then there were other people who needed the opposite of what their problem was. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Lassair, that’s her name, seems to know what he needs. I sure hope so.”
They stayed there all night, occasionally checking on Egan and getting others involved to help carry water to fill up the pool.
Finally, Skye kicked Adaire out because she became so overheated her long black hair was singeing.
Shocked, because she hadn’t even smelled it, Adaire left the palace.
She retreated to the lake below the oak trees. She fell asleep with her feet in the too warm water.
Chapter 38 ~ Fiachna
Fiachna was helping move heavy wooden buckets of water to fill the pool. The fountain in Egan’s bathing room had stopped working. The water refusing to go where asked.
Stone Fae were earth spirits who could handle the heat. The fire spirits couldn’t handle the water. The water spirits were all fading and couldn’t even come near Egan. But the stone Fae were strong.
Fiachna moved four large buckets, floating them along and keeping them level so as not to spill. He entered the bath. The room was steamy and smoky at the same time.
Lassair arrived with another fire spirit. A very young Fae. Skye accompanied them, fanning her wings to clear the hot steam out a window.
Her actions helped Fiachna see the pool again. It was almost dry. He set the buckets on the floor and began pouring the first one in. As soon as the water from the buckets hit the tiled pool, it began to sizzle and turn to steam.
Fiachna’s mouth felt dry. The heat was affecting even him. He bent down for another bucket.
Fae young were few. Since Fae lived such long lives they didn’t have many offspring in order not to outgrow the land. Even Faerie had limits.
The pool kept drying out. As the water hit Egan, it turned to steam.
“Oh dear,” said Lassair. “It’s not working, is it?”
Egan said, “I don’t know.”
Skye said, “He seems confused.”
Lassair said, “Step out of the water.”
Egan did and was almost instantly dry.
Lassair walked around him and turned to Fiachna, as he emptied another heavy bucket of water into the pool.
“Do you remember how long it’s been since a fire spirit has been the Luminary? It hasn’t happened in my lifetime.”
“Not since long before Faerie was closed. We’ve only had three Luminaries in the last thousand years. Water, air and lastly earth.”
“Can someone tell me what happened the day he became Luminary?”
Skye told her all that had happened; Egan’s night spent in the fire, the encounter with Varion, Meredith’s arrival and the burying of Varion, the three court officials and the Fomorians. Then Faerie’s acceptance of Egan as the new Luminary.
Lassair said nothing.
“Mama, I know what’s wrong,” said the young one.
“What dear?”
“He has air, water and earth running through him. I can see them. They’re cutting holes in him.”
Lassair stared harder at Egan, then touched his hands and closed her eyes.
“Aine’s right,” said Lassair. “Somehow with the spell, he absorbed the other three elements and wasn’t able to slough them off. He’s carrying them and they’re killing him.”
“How do we remove the other elements?” asked Skye.
“We need a water spirit. One who�
�s very strong and can handle a little fire. And you for air and you,” she said, pointing at Fiachna, “for earth. And we need to do a cleansing ceremony. Now, or we’ll need a new Luminary soon.”
Skye said, “I’ll go find the water spirit.”
She fled from the room.
Fiachna stood watching Egan. He looked weak, but was still spouting flames.
It wasn’t long before Skye returned with Dylan. He looked tired.
Would he even be able to complete the ceremony?
Lassair said, “You, stand in the water.”
Dylan didn’t argue.
“You stand by the window.”
Skye went over to the open window.
“You,” she said pointing to Fiachna, “lean against that stone wall.”
Lassair moved Egan so that he was in the center.
She asked Aine to stand outside the open doorway and keep anyone from coming in.
Lassair placed herself in the fourth corner.
“I want each of you to ground yourself in your own element. Feel the fullness of it. Revel in the touches, the smells, the sounds, the tastes, the different ways it can look. The vibrations of its energy.”
Fiachna lost himself in the earth. Rich, moist soil. The feeling of cool, hard rock. The salty taste of rocks by the sea. The sounds of rocks growing and moving. The beauty of mottled jasper and ornate marble. The heaviness of iron, the lightness of gold. The high energy of the metals compared to the languor of sandstone The changing light of opal.
He could feel it when Lassair touched him with her energy. She drew a line of power between him and Egan. Turned it into a tube. Fiachna could feel her drawing out the earth energy from Egan and transferring it down the tube into himself.
In response Fiachna’s energy created a suction. Kept the energy flowing into him. After a time, she finished with him and made the tube and line disappear.
Fiachna grounded the excess energy, sending it down through his feet, through the stones in the palace and down to the earth beneath the floor. He felt the earth receive it and transfer the extra energy to the bedrocks beneath the palace.
It felt pleasant to give back to the Earth in that way.
He opened his eyes and stood quietly, feeling full and content. Watching Lassair do the same to Skye. Dylan stood in the fountain, trying to get his strength back so he could withstand his turn.
