by Joanne Ellis
“You still could have told me.”
“Would you have believed me? I told you numerous times we will be together.”
“They are going to leave Keelor like this?”
“Yes, he broke the law by being here after being banished. Incarceration is the punishment and the task is already completed for them.”
“They didn’t incarcerate the other banished folk.”
“They are probably not deemed important enough. Keelor breaking the law, particularly to Kalar, was like a personal betrayal. He has always been held in the highest esteem, him letting them down this way has ... shamed Kalar. Although everything goes to a vote, she has a strong influence on the council.”
Sera’s heart broke, shattering into a thousand tiny pieces at her feet. Would they really leave him like this? Would she ever be with him again?
“I have to talk to my mother,” Sera decided. “Maybe she can help.”
Nermo shrugged.
“You really don’t care what happens to him do you?’
“He was always the first to turn in a lawbreaker and then became one himself. I will not miss him, there is no love lost between us.”
“He is a decent and noble man, warrior, surely he deserves better than this.”
“It would depend who you asked.”
“He may have been stringent on the law and done things he wasn’t proud of but he changed.”
“More reason for this to be perceived as a personal betrayal to the council. He has always been an advocate for justice. To break the law the way he did, twice, will not be accepted by the council or Kalar in particular.”
“I’m going to find Mum.”
She turned to lovingly stare at the man she loved in the prison he, in a way, created.
“I love you, Keelor,” she whispered. “I will never stop fighting for you.”
Without further words, she turned and left Nermo, who in her opinion was delusional.
34
Anna and her Vampire
Searching in all the obvious places for Anna, her hut, the gardens and even the council chambers proved fruitless and Sera began to wonder exactly where he mother could be. Her next stop was the forest and as she entered she heard quiet voices and laughter. One voice definitely sounded like her mother’s but Sera had never heard her sound quite so ... she didn’t know what that was in the tone. The other voice sounded melodic yet raspy. She quietly edged closer to listen. She knew it wasn’t polite to eavesdrop but her interested was far to piqued to back out now.
“I have missed that wonderfully seductive laugh, mon cheri, the last twenty years passed much slower than the three hundred before it.” Three hundred? Sebastian?
“They were slow for me too, Seb. I thought I would never see you again.”
“When I heard the Mystic Lands were in danger, I wanted to help and it became an excuse to be allowed back again to see you.”
Sera heard the unmistakable sounds of an exchanged kiss and she frowned. As much as she wouldn’t begrudge her mother some happiness, this was not the time! How could Anna not realise how much Sera needed her right now? It was selfish to feel this way and Sera could understand how happy Anna would be to see her love again nevertheless, her annoyance surfaced. She stepped out from the shadows and cleared her throat.
“Seraphina,” Anna said as she stepped back startled. “This is Sebastian.”
“Pleasure,” Sebastian said as he kissed her hand.
“Should I be letting you get so close to me?” Sera asked astonished he dared to touch his lips to her skin.
“Darling, I have limitless self-control.” He laughed a deep throaty laugh.
Sera studied him for a moment. He was truly beautiful in the way she’d come to associate all vampires. His eyes a bright green held a twinkling tease and his black long wavy hair was tinged with red. His features although angular and sharp, were softened by his boyish smile and pale smooth skin. Sera could see the attraction. Shaking herself out of her scrutiny, Sera’s irritation at Anna resurfaced.
“I completely understand you’re need for this reunion but I really need to talk to you, Mum. I haven’t seen you for days and with Sam ... Keelor ...” Fresh tears spilled over again.
“Sera, honey, I’m sorry. I’m so used to you being so independent and when I saw Seb ... there are no excuses.”
“I’ll leave you girls to it,” Sebastian told them before he disappeared.
“I’m sorry, Mum. I know how long you have waited to see him again.”
“It can wait longer.”
“Nermo told me he saw what was going to happen today, to Keelor.”
“Yes, he told the elders the day he was freed from his incarceration.”
“Why didn’t you believe him?”
“I did. I was one of few who did.”
“How could you let this happen, all those innocent folk? Keelor? Why didn’t you tell me? We could have done something. I would have told him to leave for real. We could have gone together.”
“That is probably why it wasn’t revealed because deep down the council knew you were the key in defeating Mecaldorf.”
“So what was Keelor, collateral damage?”
“Unfortunately yes, for the greater good, he was. You know he would be happy it helped to keep the lands safe.”
“Will they allow him to be freed?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes you do. You have that look you get when you are hiding something.”
“He broke the law again and after he let the council down before, their best warrior and upholder of the law. I don’t believe they will understand.”
“He stayed for me! If it wasn’t for him, it would be me in that damn bubble.”
“These laws have been around for folk centuries, Seraphina; they have always been efficient and useful in the past.”
“Yes but when Mortimer asked for a law to be abolished, it was done without hesitation.”
“He saved Nermina’s life.”
“Keelor saved mine!”
“That is a little dramatic, Sera, an incarceration can be lifted with a spell.”
“Yes but who would have defeated Mecaldorf if I was inside?”
“We are talking in circles. Kalar will have all topics open for discussion at the meeting.”
“I love him, Mum.”
“I know, Sera, believe me, I know how you feel.”
“I know you do. How was it seeing him again?”
“Nothing has changed, apart from me a little, but the love was still there, for both of us.”
Sitting herself upon a moss covered log, Anna beckoned her daughter to join her. Pulling her in close she allowed Sera to offload her heartache and tears. When they subsided she asked about Sam.
“He nearly killed me today.”
“That is a little dramatic again isn’t it?”
“No, if Jeremiah hadn’t come ...”
“Sam may have been able to control it.”
“He doesn’t know if he can. I can’t even hug him like before. He is completely lost to me now.”
“It will take some time. Someone of Sam’s calibre as a human will be a better vampire, like Seb and Angelique.”
“I hope so.”
“Are you ready? It’s time to go.”
“Do you think they will listen to me?”
“All we can do is try.”
“You’re going to help?”
“Yes darling, I am going to stand up for what I believe in this time around, as I should have with Sebastian. Keelor should not be punished in this way.”
“Are you going to stay here, now that it is all over?”
“If Sebastian is allowed to stay then, yes.”
“I want to stay too but without Keelor ...”
“Let’s see what we can do,” Anna said taking her hand.
35
Incarceration
They were the last to arrive so Sera and Anna took their respective places. She n
oted the warlocks Minato and Figalo were also present and she wondered why they were required at the meeting. She dared hope this meant they would be aiding with Keelor’s release. They’d moved Keelor to the garden and she stared with longing at him until Kalar began to speak.
“Our first most urgent task is to restore the shield. As it appears it can be breeched we require its strength to be increased. I have asked our warlock friends to help with a strengthening spell and they will recite this as you all raise the shield.”
She did as asked and brought forth her gem. Having never participated in raising or lowering the shield before, Sera’s apprehension rose. Lifting her gem above her head as the others did, she recited the words. A beam shot from her gem to meet with the others, forming a rainbow of light as it shot straight upwards and outwards. The warlocks were shooting blue rays, like jagged lightening from their hands to meet their colourful beam. As the final words were spoken the beam stopped permeating from the gems but continued its outward journey to blanket the sky until it disappeared beyond the horizon.
“Wow that was cool,” she heard Jeremiah whisper behind her.
The princesses completed the ritual by doing their disappearing gem act, to which Sera followed suit.
“Before we allow discussion and then voting regarding Keelor, I advise you all to think carefully about your vote as once it is done, the decision will be final.”
Sera waited several seconds before she spoke to ensure Kalar had finished.
“Elder Kalar, I realise Keelor has broken the law again by being here today but he stayed to protect me. He is a noble man who deserves to be free. Yes, in the past he has made mistakes because of his unwavering belief in the law and I understand how much of a shock it would have been to you all to discover he then broke the law himself. There is much more to Keelor than a being a disciplined warrior, he is also kind and passionate. This is his home and he belongs here with us all, with me. Now the mixed folk law has been abandoned, I ask you all to reconsider his incarceration and banishment.”
“Is there anything else before we vote?” Kalar asked to which there was no response. “Good, well I believe we know your vote, Seraphina. I will now progress around the circle.”
Anna true to her word, voted for Keelor to be released as did most of the princesses. The protectors on the other hand, including Nermo and Jeremiah voted for him to stay incarcerated. By the time the vote came to Kalar it was tied, her decision would be the deciding factor. With dread and anguish, tears stung Sera’s eyes for she believed Kalar’s vote would be the one to keep her love from her forever.
“Up until today, I was disheartened and disappointed in the recent decisions made by Keelor. He has always been a stalwart believer in our laws and the way of the lands. When he came to us regarding his relationship with Seraphina, my heart broke. His disregard for the law, to which he lived his life by making him the elfin he is, disappointed me.” She paused as Sera’s tears turned to quiet sobs. “Today his bravery and his love for Seraphina saved us and the lands from Mecaldorf. It is for this reason I vote to release him from imprisonment.”
Sera gasped and stared at Kalar gratefully. “As for his banishment, this will be discussed amongst the elders after his release.”
Minato stepped forward to aid the princesses and they began the chant which freed Nermo. Sera closed her eyes and channelled all her power into her words. When she opened them in excitement, upon completion of chant, her discovery caused her heart to leap into her throat. Keelor was as still as before, the spell failed.
“What happened?” Sera asked.
“It didn’t work. The spell must be stronger or different to any we have encountered before,” Anna answered.
“So what do we do now?”
No-one answered as they didn’t have one. Sera looked from one face to the next and saw despair in their expressions. Surely there was something else they could try?
“I will use my power as I did with Mecaldorf, perhaps this will break the shield.”
Kalar nodded her assent. Sera stepped forward and concentrated. She pondered for a moment which emotion to draw on, which would best suit a magic bubble. She fought back a manic giggle at the ridiculous thought. She’d never imagined she would have to burst a magic bubble. Deciding to use sadness as not only was it the easiest to summon right at this moment, it also was the mildest. Short blasts pulsed from her hands but each strike simply bounced off and sizzled.
Closing her eyes and focusing again she summoned fury, not just anger but pure rage, this would produce the biggest current. She lifted her hands and was about to strike the blow when a voice broke through her concentration.
“Wait, you cannot do this.” It was Nermo. Sera turned to glare at him, waiting for his elaboration. “You will kill him.”
“How do you know this?” Sera asked.
“From my vision.”
Sera turned to the Elders. “You all knew and were letting me do this.”
“Nermo didn’t inform us of this detail,” Anna told her.
“Are you making this up, Nermo? Is this some sort of crazy way for you to bring us together as you seem to think we are destined to be?”
“No, it is the truth. I foresaw us being together because you used your power and the blast destroys the bubble and him. Up until this moment I was going to let you do it and pretend I had no idea this was the outcome. I cannot bring myself to allow you to take his life so I can be with you. I do not want to be the one to break your heart and settle for second place. I also do not want to be responsible for his death, no matter how infuriating he is.”
“All very noble of you, Nermo, but how are we supposed to free him?”
“We need to seek out the warlock, Cornelius, have him reverse the spell.”
“You saw this? Really?”
“Yes, I should have told you the whole truth from the start. The elders did not believe my vision so I was unsure as to whether you would too. Everything else I have seen has occurred and I intend for this part of my clairvoyance to be false.”
“Alright so I’ll just go and get the warlock then.” Sera turned to the elders again.
“He won’t be easy to find,” Minato told her. “I know where he likes to hide. I will go with you.”
“So will I,” Sam said as he broke through the trees into the garden, followed by Angelique.
“Where Sam goes, I go,” she volunteered.
“I am Seraphina’s protector, so I will be going too,” Jeremiah said.
“Very well,” Kalar said. “Perhaps leaving first light tomorrow would be best.”
36
The Quest for a Warlock
Filled with anxiety, Sera waited for the party to arrive. She was early and eager to set off. The sooner they found Cornelius the sooner Keelor would be with her again. Thinking of him hurt her heart and the intensity of her feelings for him astounded her. Falling in love with Keelor and with such swiftness surprised Sera but this didn’t deter the fervour. She’d never met anyone like him before. The thought of never being able to look into his ice blue eyes, touch his pale elfin skin or hear his voice again caused despair to warm her hands so she began to pace.
A crackling sound from the forest to her back startled her and Nermo came to stand beside her. He stared at her for several moments, silent as though waiting for her to speak. What he wanted her to say was beyond her. Yes, he’d stopped her from killing the man she loved but this didn’t entitle any praise. He hadn’t been forthcoming and frustrated her with his cryptic clues.
“What?” She asked him, her curiosity won out.
“I did it for you.”
“What? Not telling me the whole truth from the start or for letting this happen to Keelor in the first place? I realise you didn’t let me kill him knowing what it would do to me, doesn’t make what you did before that right.”
“I know I am sorry. Being around you ... I feel calm, love ... euphoria.”
“Only because of my abilit
y. It’s very useful.” She hoped her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him.
“Even before you knew about your powers you could do it. I felt it in the circle that very first day. You dazzled me.”
“You’ve done it to me too. The other day outside Keelor’s hut, you did something to me.”
“I know. I am sorry again. In my vision that was the turning point. I decided not to pursue it and hope this would then change the rest, the future, somehow. As you can see it did not. I still love you if it is any consolation. In my dreams I fell in love with you. I still hope somehow you might choose me.”
Compassion and empathy filled her veins and surged through her body as the familiar heat rose in her chest. She turned to face him and placed a hand on his face which was smooth and warm. His bright, blue eyes darkened and a look of serenity combined with desire filled their depths. In one swift, nimble movement he pulled her close and hard against his strong lithe body.
“Nermo,” she whispered. “I ... can’t ... I ...”
“I know, Seraphina, however if you continue to project such emotions towards me you need to be prepared for the consequences.”
Light kisses pressed against her cheek before he feathered hers with slightly parted lips. He teased her bottom lip between his while his tongue pressed against hers.
“I would love you for eternity,” he whispered.
A shiver shot up then down her spine before coming to rest in her toes, leaving them tingling. Her mind went blank and without thought or control, she kissed him back.
As quickly as they’d begun the alluring feelings ceased. Sera removed her hands which had become buried in his blue waves and attempted to remove herself from his steel grasp.
“Nermo, what did you do to me?”
He grinned. “Dust, my beautiful one.”
“What?”
“It was pixie dust. I sprinkled it on you. See how it feels to have feelings you cannot control.”
“You can’t trick me into loving you, Nermo.”
