Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)

by Wylie, Morgan

  Unflinching, Kaeleigh diplomatically responded even though everything within her was turning upside down. Daegan had said as much to her, but she didn’t really believe it, but to have her mother—her dead mother in another realm—come to tell her the same thing... well, it was a good thing she hadn’t eaten anything in a while. “And what do you and my father believe?”

  But she read in Eva’s soft, saddened yet proud eyes the answer to her question. She didn’t wait for her to respond. “Daegan mentioned something about a prophecy, but he didn’t...”

  Eva interrupted her before she could finish. “Daegan... have faith in this one. There is much in him and he could be a great asset to you if he follows his path. Keep him close and the others as well, you will need them.” Although she was talking to Kaeleigh, she suddenly took on a distant look as if being in two places at once. Startled, she looked back to Kaeleigh. “My time is ending, I can feel their pull on me,” she said with anxiety. “Kaeleighnna, I must get this out quickly. You need to learn where I come from. Trust them. I do not know what this means for you but there is much danger and evil coming. Please be aware. Tell your grandfather—he will help instruct you in any way he can. You need to be trained in the way of the Nithylríth. He is a good man. Give him my love.” Suddenly her eyes grew wide and panicked as she gripped Kaeleigh’s hand. “I love you, my sweet child. I will always love you and be with you. Trust yourself. Listen to your heart...” Even as Eva spoke she began to fade.

  In a panic, Kaeleigh tried to hold on to her mother’s hand. If she could keep a hold on her, maybe she could keep her grounded here like the way she had brought her in. “Wait!” she shouted. “I need more time!” Still shouting, tears streaming once more: “How do I get back?” She suddenly realized that she could be stuck here forever and started shaking with anxiety and fear of being left entirely and utterly alone for eternity... or perhaps not alone—that thought scared her even more; her mother said it was dangerous here.

  Eva broke into her thoughts, causing her to focus. “Kaeleighnna! Focus. You can get home. As I am released from you, you must create a tether of emotion and thought leading you back to where you need to be.” Eva cupped Kaeleigh’s face with what little tangible essence she had left and gazed lovingly into her eyes as only a mother could do. “I have always loved you. You are my greatest accomplishment and gift. I will be with you... in your heart,” she said as she brought one of her hands to rest high on her chest where her heart was. “Be brave. Listen from your heart—for sometimes the voices carried on the wind will be your greatest allies.”

  Kaeleigh tried to savor the feel of her mother’s hands and brand the image of her mother’s face in her mind and sear it upon her heart. Eva was fading. There was almost nothing left of her and she couldn’t feel her anymore. Golden tears were silently streaming once more down her face, giving pause to the warm places where her mother’s fingers had just touched, and still hovered translucently above her cheeks. Her heart was breaking all over again, this time a much greater loss. Her mother was gone.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Kaeleigh fell to her knees, weeping. Devastated, she suddenly felt the icy chill of being alone, very alone. Everything was still. The very air around her was heavy with silence. She didn’t know how long she stayed like that, maybe a few minutes or maybe hours, but she cried all that she had in her to cry and was empty.

  Feeling the whisper of a sound starting to rise out of the white fog, she remembered that this was not a place she wanted to stay in any longer. Frantically looking around, searching for someone approaching her, she got to her feet and braced herself for what could be out there, though she didn’t see anyone or anything.

  The sound, the whisper, was a voice spiraling toward her on a light breeze. Not one voice, she realized, but several. Voices she recognized. Chel, Finn, Hunter, a sound she didn’t recognize that sounded faintly like musical chimes... even Daegan. Their voices soft whispers surrounding her, caressing her, giving her warmth and comfort. Chanting, they were chanting something she couldn’t understand, but their intent was strong. They were calling her home. Kaeleigh remembered what her mother had said about focusing on getting back, creating a tether to their realm, to where they were, to their hearts. It pained her heart to think of her mother and how she was ripped so quickly from her, but then she thought of her friends—her family—that had stood by her, both older and newer alike. Their faces flashed before her and she felt their words and their love create bonds as she unabashedly visualized strong unbreakable cords of colors connecting her to each one of her friends. Orange for Chel. Green for Finn. Purple for Hunter. Brown for the stranger. Blue twisted with black for Daegan; she couldn’t describe why, but that’s what she saw. All those colors entwined and connected to her heart; she held on tightly and started to blindly walk to the other end of the cords that led into the white misty fog.

  ⚔⚔⚔

  Surrounding the table where Kaeleigh lay unmoving but still breathing, Finn, Chel, Hunter, and Daegan held hands with a beautiful young girl with flaming red hair. They were chanting in another language something that the girl had told them say. It was very different from the words Hunter had used before. These words were more like musical tones than actual words. It was a chant with different vibrations of sound. The sounds were mostly mid to low range tones. It was quite beautiful. Magic was stirring in the little cottage, so much that Chel was afraid they were sending a glowing beacon into the entire realm of Alandria. Skin was prickling as magical essence swirled around the room.

  Daegan couldn’t help staring at Kaeleigh’s face. He felt a deep prick of pain in his chest when several golden tears slid from her closed eyes. It was the only sign of life that had come from her in the last two days. It had taken him a while to find Andreinna. However, as soon as Daegan had found her and told her of Kaeleigh’s circumstance, she immediately charged her most trusted companion, Oliveaé,,with specific instructions that Daegan was not privy to.

  There was so much tension in the room, but looking at each one of them he could tell they had no doubt that Kaeleigh would return. He admired their blind faith. Something was happening to her wherever she was. And he wasn’t there to spare her from harm. It was his job to protect her—he had given her his word. His heart was softening to this strange girl and he didn’t know what to do about it. It was driving him crazy.

  Kaeleigh’s back arched up off the table and she screamed loudly. It sounded like she was in so much pain. Daegan’s eyes were wild—he didn’t know what to do, but then realized that he wanted to do something. He imagined everyone else’s eyes were doing the exact same thing. There was so much care for this one girl in this room. She was special. He had to do something. He looked to Oliveaé, willing her to understand, and maybe she did because she gave him a slight nod with an odd look in her eyes. Unwilling to break the circle in case it affected anything, he leaned in close to one of Kaeleigh’s ears. Softly yet commandingly he spoke to her. “Kaeleigh.” She slightly twitched as if hearing him. “Kaeleigh. It’s time to come home. Your friends need you.” Silently he surprised himself by adding I need you. He didn’t understand it, but he felt her energy respond to him.

  All of them watched Kaeleigh with great anticipation as a magical multicolored cord of energy erupted from Kaeleigh’s core then frayed at the ends, each color stretching out toward each individual in the room connecting her to them. They were all taken aback at seeing the effects of what was happening. A strong breeze began to blow through the small room, stirring among them all but not disrupting anything within the cottage. Kaeleigh let out one more scream then dropped back to the table. She was still, but not lifeless like before. Shimmering all about her, magic began to encapsulate her, stripping her of her outward appearance. Changing her. Restoring her. Releasing her from the glamour she had lived with, believed in, for most of her life. She was free.

  Gasps came from everyone as the magic settled and they were released from the spell and their hold o
f each other. She had not awakened yet, but there was life in her and everyone seemed to relax a little—except Daegan. He had stepped back on an intake of breath with surprise and confusion. Oliveaé looked at Hunter and gave a partial bow, inclining her head, and gave Daegan a smirky smile then said, “My time is done here. She will be restored.” Daegan nodded in return a silent thank you. The rest thanked her as well and then she was gone, just suddenly gone.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Exhile

  The Realm of the Unforgiven Dead

  Eva was sucked back into the dark cave so forcefully she was thrown to the other side from where she had started. The connection had snapped much quicker than she had anticipated, but looking around at her companions as golden tears trickled down her face, she realized they had no other choice. All of their energies had been joined together to get her to project her own energy further than she had been able to before, but something had changed... shifted... with the activation of the prophecy and Kaeleigh’s own power. They knew they had their opportunity and acted quickly to take it. Unfortunately, it hadn’t lasted as long as they had hoped. Eva frowned with despair. “I did not get to tell her where we were.” She looked down. “I am sorry.”

  “But it worked?” Cley-una asked as she walked up to Eva, extending her a hand to lift her up.

  Nodding, she looked up to Cley-una, accepting her hand with a twinkle in he eyes. “It worked. I could touch her and hold her.” More tears flowed as she smiled. “She is beautiful, Cley.”

  “Well, of course she is, she is your daughter.” Cley-una smiled sweetly.

  An interruption from another of the Ferrishyn in the group: “You were able to enlighten her?”

  “I believe so. I did not have much time, but I explained as much as I could.” Eva looked up into the faces of all those who had been trapped with her in this place of darkness for much too long. “She is strong. Much stronger than I gave her credit for. And those she is with will help her.” Eva looked back at Cley-una and Dy’lánd confidently. “Daegan will find his path. I know he will, she is too stubborn to let him fall to the darkness. I saw it in her eyes and in her heart.”

  “We have done what we can to make a drastic impression. Now it is up to them.” The old Ferrishyn warrior spoke gruffly with finality.

  “I have given her direction. Although she needs to find Brandt—she will need him.” The others nodded in agreement, the only problem being that they hadn’t even been able to find him all these years. “She has Nithylríth, it has found her,” Eva mentioned with a victorious smile. “She just needs to complete the un-warding ritual by making her way back from the In-between.” Eva wrung her hands a bit nervously, but then nodded to herself as she came to her own determination that of course Kaeleigh would make it back.

  Cley-una stayed by Eva’s side as the others began to scoot away from where they had gathered. Just then they heard a tortured noise and felt the mountain tremble.

  “Nooooo!!” Screams echoed from the vast interior of the cavernous mountain.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Kaeleigh’s body relaxed. Her breathing slowed to normal. Color returned to her skin even though she was left with creamy pearlized skin. Everyone stared at her with anticipation and awe as her body, magic still hovering above it, was slowly changing her into her true image. She had traditional Faerie features: the narrow yet delicately pointed ears, sharp facial features that enhanced her slightly rounded face, long graceful fingers. She still had most of her “Kaeleigh” features but they seemed to be more accentuated—everything about her was simply “more.” More defined. More enhanced. More alive. She even appeared to be taller, perhaps a bit disproportioned from her human form, but then again she wasn’t human. Even closed, her eyes seemed to be larger and her mouth took on a slight pout; there was an edge to her that hadn’t been there before if you were looking carefully, which Daegan and the rest of her friends were—definitely looking. She was beautiful. Dangerously beautiful.

  And Daegan recognized her.

  Looking at her now, he wasn’t sure how he had missed it before, but she most definitely was the girl of his dreams. Or rather, the girl from his dreams. The one who he had been visiting random events of the past with. The one he was drawn to, but could never reach. He didn’t know how to react... couldn’t figure out what this could mean or why. He simply stared with a frown.

  Intakes of breath came from Chel as she clasped her hands together in front of the big smile she couldn’t hide if she tried as she waited with an impatient bounce. Finn and Hunter both stared as well, each with a slight twinkle in their eyes—Hunter’s full of pride and relief, Finn’s full of relief and something else... awe?

  Kaeleigh began stirring, bringing Daegan back from his state of shock. Suddenly he realized that was what Kaeleigh had meant when she had seen him transform on the bridge and had seen his ring. She had recognized him before he had. She had been dreaming about him too. It could only mean one thing to his suddenly foggy brain... The Orchids were getting more involved and that had more repercussions than he could imagine; he just didn’t know what they were yet.

  Moaning, Kaeleigh turned her head back and forth like she was having a bad dream. Another single teardrop fell from her eyes and her friends couldn’t handle it anymore. Chel reached to take one of her hands and Finn came up along the opposite side, gripping her other hand.

  Stroking her head softly Chel spoke to her friend. “Kaeleigh? Kaeleigh, it’s all right. We’re here with you.” She paused then tried again. “Time to wake up.” She spoke with a little more enthusiasm than the atmosphere of the room called for. It seemed more like she was waking Kaeleigh up the way she had several times before school so they wouldn’t be late. However, something about that familiarity caused Kaeleigh to settle and release a sigh. Hunter’s hands rested lightly yet purposefully on top of his tall walking stick, but he still stood regally off to the side watching with interest. Daegan, with his arms folded across his chest, his face clouded with confusion, also stood back from the scene of close friends, not hovering and not wanting to make Kaeleigh feel even more uncomfortable when she woke up. They were all filled with the hope and the assurance that she was indeed going to wake up.

  With all eyes on her, Kaeleigh’s eyes fluttered and opened. She gasped. Looking back and forth between her two best friends, she smiled. “You’re beautiful,” she said with awe as she looked almost beyond each of them. Chel giggled and released a huge sigh of relief while Finn smiled awkwardly with confusion. “You have so many colors, Chel!” Kaeleigh said with a smile and then to Finn, “You too, Finn, but yours are different.” She continued to gaze at them then blushed suddenly, realizing that she sounded a bit loopy. She giggled herself. “Sorry.” They laughed and Chel gave her a huge hug, practically landing on top of Kaeleigh still on the table.

  “We are so glad you are back. You scared the bejeezus out of us!” Chel practically shouted as tears of joy streamed down her own face.

  Suddenly taken aback, Kaeleigh asked, “How long was I, um, gone?”

  From behind her, a throat cleared. Hunter stepped up. Kaeleigh must have forgotten he and Daegan both were here as she seemed a bit startled and then smiled at Hunter warmly before she reached for his hand. “About two days, granddaughter.” Then with a sparkle in his eyes he added lovingly, “Welcome home.”

  More tears streamed down Kaeleigh’s face as she launched herself toward Hunter in a tight embrace. Not used to people touching him, especially for the many years he’d been in seclusion, Hunter awkwardly patted her back, not sure of what else to do. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “You are here with us now.” Kaeleigh shook her head in his chest and started sobbing. “Kaeleighnna, my dear, what is it?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

  “She was there and then she just vanished...” she said in between sobs. All eyes were intensely confused yet focused on her, waiting for her to clarify.

  Realization struck Hunter. He sighed then softly said, “You sa
w her, didn’t you?” Kaeleigh nodded. Then more to himself than to her he confirmed his own suspicions. “I thought I sensed her presence—her magic—a time or two, but I couldn’t be sure. Although it makes sense. If anyone could have intercepted my magic she would have been one of them.” He smiled softly, looking down at Kaeleigh’s head.

  “Who? Who is she talking about?” Daegan spoke out of the moment of reverence when the others dared not disturb her. He got a glare of insensitivity from Chel, but there were things to know.

  Kaeleigh stiffened at the sound of his voice. She looked up at Hunter with a smile and backed out of his embrace. She turned to answer Daegan, whom she suddenly felt awkward being so emotional around. “My mother,” she answered. She stood up straight and then finally looked into his stony eyes. At least that’s what she expected to see, but when she saw the raw naked emotions swirling in his eyes and a multitude of colors swarming around him she felt extremely confused, and a warm fluttering sensation stirred in her gut. She didn’t know what her reaction to him was, but she felt completely out of control around him and felt lightheaded. Kaeleigh faltered in her step as she reached out for the table to steady her, but a hand grabbed her arm instead, guiding her to the closest chair and easing her down into it. She looked up into Daegan’s eyes with gratitude when he spoke solemnly, “It is regretful about your mother.” The genuine look in his eyes reminded her that he knew that pain. She nodded her thanks.

  Rushing up next to her, Chel asked, concerned, “Kaeleigh? Are you all right?”