Seducer Fey

by Cullyn Royson

  The scarlet clouds of a spectacular sunset greeted him when he awoke. As he drove to the Tolymie’s house, he briefly fantasized about driving into a lake he passed, but there was too much at stake, with Dr. Savali hot on the trail to finding both pieces of the journal. The Tolymies will never get rid of that stupid journal. If Cassidy won’t abandon her friend Danny, maybe she can at least help me keep track of the Tolymies and Danny.

  CHAPTER 13

  WHEN SOMEONE WANTS

  YOUR ARTIFACT

  WHEN THEY ARRIVED HOME from the beach, Cassidy collapsed on the guest bed. Her body ached from the feel of the turbulent water pounding against her skin.

  Downstairs, Ms. Reyes poured some tea into a cup for herself and left the pot for Danny. “Cassidy is probably sleeping, so try to be quiet,” Ms. Reyes said, “And don’t use the whole jar of honey this time.”

  Danny jumped on the counter by the sink to get a mug from the high cupboard and poured herself a cup of tea. She jammed a spoon into the honey, enjoying the sweet aroma of a honey made from lilacs. The label said that the honey came from a variety of flowers, but she could tell which variety of nectar the bees had chosen—she approved of their decision. The honey sparkled just like Cassidy’s beautiful eyes whenever she saw Taban. Danny knocked her tea cup to the floor. Her ears ached after it shattered. The dark liquid pooled around the victim of her frustration. Why doesn’t Cassidy ever look at me that way? I wish I could’ve been the one to help her with the rescue. Danny kicked her reflection in the tea, slicing her foot on the broken cup. The addition of blood to the tea turned the liquid a disquieting rusty shade. Again she viewed her image in the spilled tea, but when the blood swirled into her reflection it cast a red aura around her face and turned her dark eyes to a deep red. Terrified by the warped visage at her feet she threw a dish towel over the spill.

  She heard a bird’s chirp at the window. A song bird flapped its cinnamon-sprinkled wings against the glass, its curved black and yellow beak opened as though it were laughing.”You’re right, you stupid bird,” she snarled, stooping to carefully pick up the shards. “She’s not into me. And here I am telling her not to care what other people think.” She confessed to her own hypocrisy.

  “Is everything alright down there?” her mother shouted from the top of the stairs.

  “Just dropped a mug. Don’t worry. I cleaned it up.”

  “Again? You need to be more careful.”

  “I will! Promise.” Danny called in a voice that sounded so convincingly jovial she wasn’t sure it was her own.

  “You need to wake Cassidy up soon.”

  “I know.”

  Danny ran out of the house into the driveway, she ran through a few forms, trying to burn out the wild energy that coursed through her veins. I think Mom put me in martial arts when I was a kid so I’d have more control—I guess it’s helped a bit, she thought.

  ***

  “Are you sure you remember the way to the Tolymie’s house?” Danny asked from the passenger seat next to Cassidy.

  “Yeah, turn at the gigantic trees,” Cassidy laughed. Soon after her comment, Cassidy passed the dirt driveway and did a U-turn on the vacant highway. Ms. Reyes’ car admonished her for performing such a maneuver.

  Danny shivered as the trees closed in on them once more.

  “Good evening,” Eadowen called through the open door. “So glad you could make it.” He skillfully moved his wheelchair to hold the door for them to enter. “I heard about your heroism on the news.”

  “Taban helped,” Cassidy explained. She removed her boots under the tri-crystalled chandelier in the hallway.

  “Cassidy performed the CPR.” Danny set her tennis shoes below the golden tapestry. “She’s the one who probably saved the guy’s life.”

  “I’d love to hear more. Come to the dining room. I have something to show you both.”

  The crystal prisms dangling from the ceiling captured the candlelight, reflecting multicolored radiance in a glass display case on the table.

  Wearing a wrinkled sleeveless shirt, Donovan sat with his elbows on the table, pressing the surface of an electronic game player rapidly. When she and Danny took chairs next to each other, Donovan padded out of the room stepping on the tattered bottoms of his faded pajama pants as he went.

  “This is the journal I mentioned.” Eadowen indicated the glass display, which contained remnants of ancient stone tablets.

  “We usually keep it in a safe, but I brought out the remainder of the original to show you. Here’s the best paper transcription copy and here’s a translated English copy. I assume you can’t read Latin, so here are some dictionaries if you want to check me. I’d rather you didn’t use your Oghams. Latin’s really tough to check word-by-word, I’m afraid.”

  “I took a semester of Latin because I was interested in science,” Danny said. She stacked some of the dictionaries on her chair to get a better look at the stone pieces. “I’m not very good, but I might be able to check some of it.”

  “I’m so relieved to hear that,” Eadowen replied. Resting his chin on folded hands, he allowed Danny and Cassidy time to inspect the materials he’d given them. Cassidy carefully selected random words and phrases Eadowen had translated and checked them with the Latin counterparts. Once satisfied that he’d done an admirable translation, she inspected the tablets. Danny attempted to decipher the content of the English version. In his translation, Eadowen had retained the Latin grammar structure, which made the content a challenge to decode. Eadowen assisted Danny by explaining the genetic significance of the encounter the soldier recorded.

  “Do you have any other questions?”

  “What do we need to do to keep Danny safe from people who want full access to her DNA?” Cassidy asked.

  “Well, as long as no one knows where this part of the journal is we should be fine, though it would be wise to subscribe to Savali’s news articles and Me-Site.”

  “There’s another part?” Danny remarked.

  “Well, there was an addition to this piece that indicated the Roman officer wrote a journal on wax tablets while he was in ancient Scotland. This is the second half, which he had transcribed onto stone when he returned to Rome. He bestowed it to his daughter when he passed on. His great granddaughter managed to disguise herself as part of the military in order to travel north to Scotland and Ireland in search of her Celtic identity. She must have reproduced and remained in Ireland, because my father’s family brought this journal over from Ireland during the potato famine in the 1800s.”

  “I’ve been doing a little reading about Ireland, since the lecture,” Cassidy said. “Didn’t the Irish send children over to North America during the famine?”

  “Yes, though it is distinctly possible that older members of our family came over on those boats, due to our youthful appearance.”

  Donovan returned, balancing a polished tray of tortilla wraps, a platter of egg rolls, a serving bowl of miso soup, a plate of spinach salad, and a silver pitcher of vinaigrette. Impressed by his ability to balance the soup bowl on his head, Cassidy rushed to assist him.

  “You didn’t have to bring everything in one trip,” Eadowen commented.

  When Danny stood to help, she felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen. “Ugh,” she said, placing her hand between her hip bones as she bent forward. “I’m sorry, I need to go lie down for a minute.”

  Her sock chafed the cut on her foot, as she hobbled to the living room with the fireplace and the game consol. What horrible timing, she thought. Groaning, Danny sprawled on the sofa encircling the hearth. She felt the pleasant cold of the leathery texture through her loose shirt.

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Cassidy asked, hurrying to her friend’s side.

  “Cramps,” Danny explained.

  “I take a pill once a month that deals with mine.” Cassidy sat on the couch next to her. “I don’t have anything with me for the pain, sorry. Maybe the Tolymies have something.”

  “No, thanks. The
cramps only started a few months ago. I don’t actually bleed yet. Nothing has worked so far.”

  “But you turn eighteen in September. Aren’t you a bit late?” Cassidy said. “I guess your muscle to fat ratio and longevity genes probably delayed it.”

  “From what I understand from my mother, the GF genes should only have made you a little later than average, maybe fifteen at the latest. But I agree with Cassidy’s assessment that it was probably a combination.” Eadowen added as he joined them. “Here, put this where it hurts.” He handed her the pillow that smelled of lavender like Cassidy’s perfume.

  “Thank you.” Danny rested the pillow on her abdomen letting the warmth and pressure ease the sharp pain.

  “Ginger root tea can help with pain too,” Eadowen suggested. “Would you like some?”

  “Make sure you put more honey in it, more than you think is possible,” Cassidy instructed, too concerned for her friend to consider a polite request. “That’s how Danny likes it.”

  Through the paneled window, the sky brightened from blue to scarlet. Cassidy admired the rosy pink ambiance the shift caused on the foliage outside.

  “You want to go look at the sunset, don’t you?” Danny mumbled.

  “Yeah,” Cassidy conceded. “But you aren’t feeling well and I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I’m fine. I actually wouldn’t mind. I’d kind of like to talk to Eadowen about something.”

  “Oh?” Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “You want some alone time with Eadowen?”

  “It’s not like that,” Danny sighed. “I just need to ask some advice.” She waved Cassidy to silence because she heard Eadowen’s wheelchair coming down the hallway. I wish Cassidy wouldn’t coddle me so much, Danny thought.

  “I’m just kidding.” Cassidy shoved Danny’s shoulder lightly. “I’ll get out of your way for a bit, have fun.” Danny’s brow furrowed. “I’ll be back soon,” Cassidy added quickly.

  “There’s a lovely place to watch the sunset just behind the house.” With his back to the fire, Eadowen arranged his wheelchair to face Danny. He offered her a large mug filled with a tea so saturated with honey, it looked like soup.

  I bet Danny wants to talk something that has to do with being a GF that she doesn’t want me to hear, Cassidy thought as she put on her boots. I feel kind of left out, but she needs this and I should respect that.

  Shifting to accommodate her discomfort, Danny listened to Cassidy’s footsteps leading away from the house. During her moving around, her hair got caught under the couch headrest and she felt a jolt of pain all the way from her scalp down her spine. To her surprise, the discomfort she experienced was far worse than when she had broken her arm in middle school. The rhythmic tapping of Donovan’s game controller on the other side of the room occupied her attention, until she heard the familiar crunch Taban’s car made in the driveway.

  “How’re you feeling?” Eadowen asked.

  “During someone’s period do they become really sensitive to pain?” Holding the pillow to her stomach, Danny sat up, her scalp still throbbing.

  “I don’t think I’m the right person to ask, but I’d be willing to look it up for you,” he said. Then he blanched. “Did you say you’re suddenly hypersensitive to pain? If that’s the case you need to make sure you don’t get sick. Please, start taking care of your health as though you have an immunodeficiency disorder.”

  “I’m sure it’s just hormones,” Danny lied. Uncomfortable by Eadowen’s sudden interest in her selfcare habits, she decided to change to another subject. “Could I ask a favor?”

  “Anything,” Eadowen replied in a low voice. His face shifted to the bright intensity Danny had seen once before.

  “Since you have a boyfriend, I thought you might …” Danny started to say, but stopped when Eadowen shook his head. “Taban’s not your significant other?” she asked.

  “I would not consider my relationship with Taban a healthy one, though, it is symbiotic in some ways.”

  “Okay … Well, I think you’re wonderful.” To Danny’s confusion Eadowen frowned when she added, “Which means other people must too.”

  “Thank you, I—”

  “You’re hot too. Especially when you make the sexy face you just did a minute ago,” she remarked excitedly. “You and Taban deepen your voices when you talk to Cassidy and me too. It’s interesting how much of a change those little tweaks make.”

  Eadowen began to distance himself from her. Without thinking Danny grabbed the closest part of his body, which happened to be his thigh, to hold him in place. He flinched. She looked down, realized she’d done something socially unacceptable for their level of acquaintance, and retracted her hand. “Sorry.”

  “That’s alright.” Eadowen dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “What was that favor you wanted?”

  “I guess I just sorta wanted to talk to you. I have a crush on Cassidy and I don’t think she likes me back—” Danny tilted her head. “I just heard another car turn off the main road and it sounds different from Taban’s. Did you hear it?”

  Eadowen froze. “Donovan,” he hissed. “Pull up the security camera on your screen and come over here.”

  Donovan’s race car game changed to an image of two people walking up the steps. Danny recognized one of them. “Savali?” she whispered. Eadowen held up a hand to signal that she shouldn’t speak. There was a rapping on the door. Donovan crouched behind the couch watching Eadowen over Danny’s shoulder.

  “Hello?” Savali said through the door. “That’s funny, I just saw someone through the window,” she commented to her partner when no one came to the door.

  Oh no. She already knows we’re here, Danny thought. Good thing she probably didn’t get a good look because of the fireplace blocking us from the window.

  Beside her, Eadowen scribbled something on a pad of paper he produced from his pocket. He showed her the writing on the paper which read: Do you have lipstick? Danny took the pomegranate lip balm out of her pocket and passed it to him. Eadowen ducked in thanks and started to sign rapidly to his brother. The only gesture Danny could decipher was when Eadowen tugged on his own collar to indicate “clothes.” Widening his eyes, Donovan shot his sibling a dubious look and mouthed “heck no,” or something less polite. Sighing, Eadowen’s hands blurred as he continued to communicate in sign language. Danny understood the signs for tall, big, and walk. Grudgingly, Donovan removed his shirt and allowed Eadowen to dab a speck of the lip balm on his mouth. As Donovan lumbered to the door Danny gave Eadowen a puzzled look even though she had already guessed the plan.

  He confirmed her suspicions by scribbling: Invoking a cliché to distract Savali and make her uncomfortable. On the television screen, Danny observed the security feed. Savali and her companion took a step back when an unshaven, muscular, and door-frame-tall, Donovan responded to their knocking. The steel-death glare intended for Eadowen, was instead redirected at Savali and her companion, who were noticeably taken aback.

  “Oh goodness, are we interrupting?” Savali asked, glancing at his mouth.

  “Yes.”

  “Hello, my name is May Savali this is my colleague Gregory Andrews, an archeologist. We tried to contact your father by Me-Site, but he seems to be unavailable. We have reason to believe your family is in possession of a historical artifact. Namely, a journal.”

  “Eh?”

  “You don’t know what we’re talking about?”

  Donovan delivered a perfect blank look.

  “Is a Dr. Daray Eldin here?”

  “No.”

  “When will he be home?” Savali asked.

  “Don’t know.”

  “Is there someone else home we can talk to?”

  “No.” If forced to hire a person to play a brick wall, Danny didn’t think she could find a better candidate than Donovan.

  “Should we come back at a better time?” Savali tried. “Uh, could we have your contact information?” Donovan showed her his empty wrist. “Oh, we’ll just find t
hat later.”

  “Thank you,” he said. Instead of slamming the door in their face, Donovan watched them walk up the driveway, before he slunk back into the hallway.

  “You know,” Danny heard Savali say. “My son and that young man would get along well.”

  “He looked pretty grouchy to me,” Andrews replied.

  Two car doors slammed and a few minutes later Savali pulled onto the main road.

  “Here’s your shirt.” Wrinkling her nose, Danny offered Donovan the sweaty garment. He snatched it from her and picked up a device that resembled a silver remote control.

  “What’s that?” Danny asked Eadowen.

  “Spyware scanner,” he whispered. “Donovan will check for any spyware they may have used.”

  Shaken by the turn of events, Danny tried to enjoy her long-forgotten tea.

  “Nothing there,” Donovan confirmed when he returned from outside.

  “Good, that buys me about a day to come up with something better, but that was way too close. I had no idea they’d tracked us this far,” Eadowen replied. “Thanks for watching them closely, Donovan.”

  “Whatever.” Donovan flopped down in front of his video games.

  “Where’s Cassidy,” Danny asked “… and Taban?”

  CHAPTER 14

  A SEA SEDUCER’S PREY

  CASSIDY TIED HER TRENCH COAT around her waist. The Tolymie's didn’t have any semblance of a cultivated yard. Instead, the ground was covered in a sea of moss and the trees’ gigantic roots snaked through the driveway. Passing a gazebo sheltering a covered hot tub, she followed a worn path in the moss behind the house. An owl hooted high above her, sending a chill down her spine. Cassidy jumped as a crack and flash of movement in the fading light caught her attention. Surrounded by a circle of tiny mushrooms, Aydan twirled a black whip. He threw a silvery card and hit it out of the air with the bullwhip. His movements were graceful and powerful in a short lace dress. Not wanting to interrupt his work, Cassidy quietly stepped over the shreds of cards, and continued up the path. Rona-Mom would like him, Cassidy thought.