by M.M. Shelley
Chapter Twenty Three - Mnemosyne
“Then ‘when’ are you from?”
Mnemosyne turned away from Hina, her hands resting on her hips. Without answering Hina’s question she said, “You do not seem to understand the urgency in finding the Painite stone.”
“What makes you believe your general will feel differently towards you if you were able to give him this stone?”
A slow smile crept over Mnemosyne face as she thought the question over. “It is a very powerful stone. If used correctly, it can conquer galaxies.”
“What galaxy does your general want?”
Turning back to look at Hina, she said softly, “All of them.”
“What does he plan to do with this galaxy?” Hina asked. She was beginning to wonder if she had chosen the correct side. She might have been better off never agreeing to help Mnemosyne. The more she learned, the less she liked. She liked the general even less than Mnemosyne. She hoped that she would never meet the general. Maybe it wasn’t too late to switch allegiances.
It was a good thing that Mnemosyne wasn’t looking at her. She looked to be in deep thought. She must be imagining the day when her general arrived for the Painite stone. Hina decided it was time for her to go. Without saying another word, she dove into the pool of water at the base of Rainbow Falls.
Mnemosyne heard the splash. She turned instantly. “Where have you gone?” She was furious. Mnemosyne didn’t care for this disobedience. If Hina thought she would see the last of her, she was mistaken. She made a choice that would make an enemy out of Mnemosyne forever.
Mnemosyne looked to the skies. She longed for her general. She wanted more then anything then to see his handsome face smiling at her. He would be so pleased with her gift of the Painite stone. He would surely make her his wife. How could he not? She would be the one who would be giving him his much desired victory.
It would show him the proof of her love and devotion. It had been so long since she had seen him. She had been kept from him for too long.
Grasiella stood hidden in the foliage. She had listened as Mnemosyne told Hina what her plans were. How long did Grasiella have to get to the Painite stone before the general arrived to claim it? She was so afraid that Mnemosyne would find it before she did.
What would her general do when he arrived? Would he enslave everyone as the Cinerians had enslaved us?
Grasiella wished that she wasn’t alone to face this. She secretly hoped Tatiana would figure out where she had gone and be on her way to the island.
Grasiella watched as Mnemosyne walked around the falls looking into the pool of water. Was she looking for Hina? Where did she go? She watched as Mnemosyne knelt down to get a better look at whatever it was that caught her eye. She seemed very pleased with herself.
“Hina,” she said. Her hand dipped into the water she moved it back and forth in strokes. “Did you make yourself into a fish?” Laughing, she continued, “You cannot hide when I know all your secrets. You are so predictable.” Mnemosyne pulled her hand out of the water. Bracing her arms on either side, she looked deep into the pool.
Her voice became low but Grasiella was still able to make out what she was saying. “Whether you emerge today or tomorrow, I will be able to track you. Once your pledge is given, it cannot be taken back.”
The pool lit up as a green light illuminated from within. The water pushed Hina up and out. The water wrapped around her, securing her from escape. Mnemosyne laughed as she watched Hina struggle to escape. “How funny you look!”
Mnemosyne rose to her feet, “Twice in one day you are captured. First, by a young girl who has no idea what she’s capable of and now by me. You really are useless.”
Hina chose not to speak. She gave up on her struggle to free herself from the watery binds.
“You will do as I instruct. I do not wish to spend my time setting you straight. Do you now understand who is in control here?”
Hina felt her skin stretch and pull away from her body. She could feel it pealing away from her body. She nodded her head in understanding. “Make it stop!” she cried out.
“Alright then, you will find that girl and keep her out of my way. If you fail me again,” Mnemosyne smiled, “you will regret it, for there are things on this earth that I can do, horrible things, which have never been imagined.”
The water released Hina and she was dropped back into the pool. A large splash of water shot out into the air.
Mnemosyne was gone from Rainbow Falls. Hina did not come back up from the water. She remained submerged.
Grasiella made her way back down the mountain. She pulled the Turning Crystal out of her pocket. At least she had this to use, although she couldn’t say for sure that it would work on Hina or even Mnemosyne. She needed help, but she was afraid to ask for it.
The foliage became thicker as she walked down the mountain. She hadn’t paid much attention to which direction she was going. She came to a stop. Moving a piece of foliage out of her way with her hand, she was amazed to see what greeted her eyes.
It was a flower garden, filled with different types of flowers. They grew above the trees, arched over, covering the garden like a canopy. In the center of the flower garden was a small pond. Lily pads lay on the water.
Grasiella walked into the garden. She took a seat by the pond. It was very serene.
“It’s peaceful don’t you think?” a voice asked, startling Grasiella. She couldn’t see where the voice was coming from. “I’m happy you found this place,” the voice spoke again. It sounded friendly.
Grasiella sat motionless but alert. Every nerve was on edge as she waited for the voice to reveal itself. Was it a friend or a foe?
“You’re quite popular around the island.”
“Who are you?” Grasiella asked. Her voice shook a bit.
A wave of air brushed by her, “Don’t worry. I’m not one of them.”
“One of whom?” She asked, not sure how to take that.
“Hina has so many looking for you.”
“But you’re not looking for me?” Grasiella’s eyes glanced around the flower garden.
“Yes I am, but I’m not doing it for her. Someone else sent me to look for you.”
“Who would that be?”
“Not all of us are against you. Some of the faeries are on your side.”
“You’re one of the faeries?” Every faerie that Grasiella met always ended up attacking her.
“Yes. I am.”
“What do you want with me?”
“I told you, silly. I was sent to help you.”
“Sent by whom?” Grasiella voice was anxious.
“Some of us know how your ancestor rescued one of us. She put herself at risk to free Edythe. We know the story very well.”
“You do? Then why was I attacked by Mayrra and why are some of the faeries helping Mnemosyne?”
“I told you, not all of us are against you.” The voice came nearer. She could hear it close to her left ear, “We will help you. You are not alone.”
“Who are you?” Grasiella asked, becoming frustrated. The faerie may have told her that she had help, but she wasn’t about to accept it.
“I’m called Missy.”
“Missy?”
“That’s what I said,” Missy said with a giggle.
“Why won’t you show me your face?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“You’re having fun?”
“Don’t take it personally. Hang out here another five minutes. It will be safe for you to move on after that.”
Grasiella stood. Deciding that she would take advantage of a possible change in luck, she asked, “If you’re here to help me then would you be able to tell me where Pele might have hidden the Painite?”
“Hmmm, I couldn’t say. We don’t talk to her. I can tell you where it may be.”
This faerie may end up being helpful after all. “Where would that be?”
“Mauna Kea is a very sacred place. P
ele sometimes goes there.”
“How can I trust you, Missy?”
Another giggle went throughout the flower garden. A splash in the pond caught Grasiella’s attention. “We didn’t forget what your ancestor did for one of us.”
“Why does it matter to you so much what she did?”
“Edythe gave your ancestor the gift of her magic and her very life. It was passed on to you.”
“To me and Tatiana.”
“No, it’s not the same for both of you.”
“What do you mean, ‘it’s not the same’? What is ‘it’ exactly?”
“You will come to understand. Time’s up. You can go.” The flower garden vanished around her. Grasiella looked around in surprise.
Missy must be wrong. Tatiana and Grasiella were twins. Tatiana would have inherited whatever was passed on to Grasiella. Wouldn’t she?
Missy told her Mauna Kea was a good place to look for the Painite. Could she trust her, or was she leading her into a trap?
Kana’i had been tracking Grasiella. He found her trail, which lead away from Rainbow Falls. Where was she going now? It didn’t look like she had a clear direction. She was wandering aimlessly.
A breeze ran through the trees. A giggle was carried through them. He didn’t like the sound of it. It could have been anything good or bad.
“Kana’i?” Grasiella called as she stepped out of the foliage.
He felt relief flood through him as he saw her face, but he would not show it to her. He didn’t want to let her off easy, “Did you have a good ride in my car?” he asked as he turned on her.
“You have no right to be angry with me, Kana’i! You lied to me. You told me that Pele kept things hidden at Rainbow Falls!”
“I didn’t lie to you. I only misdirected you.”
“Whatever, do you know what I did find up there? Some crazy lady called Hina!”
Kana’i squinted. He had forgotten that Hina would be at Rainbow Falls. “Oh.”
“What are you doing out here?” Grasiella was suspicious of him. She didn’t trust him any longer.
“You stole my car. Where did you leave it?”
“It’s back on the road.”
Kana’i pulled his pack from his shoulder and rested it on the ground. “You can’t stay out here.”
“I didn’t plan it. It shouldn’t take me long to find what I’m looking for.”
“Where are you headed?”
“I’m not saying, because I’m not going anywhere with you.” She began to walk away from him. “You can find your car on the side of the road where I left it.”
“Grasiella, you can’t be out here by yourself.”
“I’ve done fine on my own so far, besides I can’t trust you,” Grasiella declared.
“You can trust me. I’ve been trying to keep you out of trouble.” He caught up to her. Grasiella halted as he took hold of her arm and noticed the pain in his eyes that wasn’t there previously. “I’ve been protecting you from Pele!”
Grasiella pulled her arm out of his grasp, “Why? You’re her grandson. I would have thought you would be helping her, not me.”
Now Kana’i looked angry and hurt. “Pele is furious with you for releasing Mnemosyne, and I have been helping you. Why else do you think I brought you here? ”
“You haven’t done anything to help me, Kana’i.”
“That’s not how Pele sees it. She’s looking for you. It won’t take her long to figure out that you’re not on Kauai. Then she’ll start looking for you on the other islands.”
“What are your reasons for helping me, Kana’i? I’m a Haole, you don’t like Haoles.”
“I don’t want to hear that you died. Kye wouldn’t be happy with me if I let Pele hurt you.”
“Really, Kana’i, you’re doing this because of Kye? That’s your reason?”
“Yes, because Kye really likes Tatiana and she’s your sister,” Kana’i replied, improvising.
“I’m sorry Kana’i, but I’m not going to take the risk of trusting you again.”
“Grasiella, you’re going to have to,” Kana’i replied, grimly.
They made camp a few miles later as it grew dark. Grasiella didn’t trust him. She was waiting for him to turn on her at any moment. For now, she decided that she would stay with him, only until she was able to make her getaway. Then she would make her move. She hadn’t told Kana’i where she thought the Painite might be. She figured she would leave him before they even came close to Mauna Kea. Could it be the place where Pele kept the Painite? Why hadn’t Missy shown herself to Grasiella? If she saw Missy’s face, then she would have felt somewhat better in trusting her.
Was Missy being truthful when she said that there were some faeries that were on her side, because of what her ancestor had done for Edythe? Grasiella gazed up at the stars in the sky. Which one was Edythe? Was she up there looking down on her? Were the stories true? Were all the stars up in the sky faeries that had died? Why had Edythe given her ancestor her power?
Mnemosyne wanted the Painite stone to give to the general, whom she claimed to love. She loved him enough to come to this planet to get the Painite for him.
Edythe loved this man so much that she had been tricked into becoming his slave. Is that what love did to someone? Did it make them risk everything? Looking over at Kana’i, she wondered.
Elsewhere on the island were two hikers who on their honeymoon, enjoying the island. They had been hiking for a few days. They hadn’t run into anyone until Mnemosyne found them. Lovers, she was disgusted by them. The two hikers were startled by her sudden appearance.
“What have I found here?”
“Hello,” one of the hikers said with a friendly smile.
“Hello,” Mnemosyne approached. The look of amusement on her face gave no indication to her true intentions. Before the hikers could do or say anything, Mnemosyne grabbed one by the neck, breaking it with a single hand effortlessly. The woman screamed in horror. Mnemosyne dropped him to the ground. She turned her gaze to the woman who screamed as she fell to the man’s broken body.
“Such a waste,” Mnemosyne said giving the woman a creepy smile. “Love is such a waste. To put all your feelings in another person, only to have them leave or let you down, or die.”
The woman cried. Cradling her husband in her arms, “Why,” she asked, “What did we do to you?”
“Let me put you out of your misery.” She reached for the woman and took hold of her arm.
“No stop!”
Mnemosyne took hold of her neck. The bone snapped easily. Fragments splintered out into the air. Blood squirted up into her eyes. She wiped her eyes, leaving a smear across her face.
