by Alison Pensy
Derian stood. "I believe we will be traveling via the ruby staff?"
Faen stood and took hold of the staff from where it was resting against the chair beside him. He moved around the table to join the rest of the group. When each person had a hand securely gripped around the staff, Faen uttered their destination.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
"They're back!" Faedra heard someone holler as soon as she felt the gravel drive beneath her feet. As the tiny red laser lights dissipated before her eyes, she watched as the inhabitants of the cottage started piling out of the front door, spilling onto the drive. Her dad was first, followed a close second by Janessa. The anxious look on his face melted as he locked eyes with his daughter. Janessa, her face full of relief, opened her arms and started walking towards them.
Amy and Zoe burst out of the cottage behind the vicar and one of the Messengers. Their eyes widened upon seeing the new arrivals. Amy's jaw dropped. Zoe, without turning to look at her friend, gently lifted her hand to Amy's chin and pushed her mouth closed with the flat of her hand. Both girls continued to stare at the newcomers as Faedra and the group made their way towards the cottage.
Leo was next to push his way through the growing crowd that surrounded the front door of the cottage. His eyes widened, too. Faedra read his lips. Maybe it would be best if she kept what he said to herself.
Janessa reached them and curtsied. "Derian, Jalia," she acknowledged. "It is good to see you again." She turned her attention to the princess. "Eadlin, you look lovely as usual."
Eadlin smiled. "Thank you, Lady Janessa."
Janessa then disposed with the protocol and wrapped an arm around Faen and Faedra's neck, pulling them into a group hug. "So glad you are back safely," she whispered.
Faedra scanned the group as Janessa pulled away. "Are Jocelyn and Etyran back yet?" she asked Janessa, not seeing them in the crowd.
"Not yet, my dear. They should be back soon though," Janessa said as she turned between them and linked an arm through each of theirs.
Faedra turned to Derian and Jalia. "If you'd like to follow us, I'll introduce you to my family. But, please be warned, they've never seen anyone quite like you before, and I'm not sure how they'll react." Faedra gave the King of Umor a strained smile and started off towards the house. "Although," she mumbled under her breath, "Now that they've been subjected to dragons, fairies, and Lightbenders, I'm thinking they'll probably take it all in their stride."
As they got closer to the group gathered around the front door, Faedra watched Amy's jaw drop again. She closed her eyes briefly and breathed in deep; this was all so much for them to take in. Most of the fae and other creatures were well aware of who Derian, Jalia and Eadlin were, and greeted them accordingly, after which they filed back in the house leaving her family staring in muted awe at the people who were made of nothing but water.
"This is my uncle, Leo, his wife, Nicki, and my two best friends, Amy and Zoe," Faedra said, introducing her family and friends. "Guys, I present King Derian, Queen Jalia, and Princess Eadlin of Umor."
"Wow," Amy breathed. "Just...wow."
Well, that was a first... Amy speechless.
"Pleased to meet you," Derian said, as he thrust his hand towards Leo.
Leo took a step back and regarded Derian warily.
Derian turned to Faedra, brow creased. "Is this not the customary greeting in your world?"
Faedra shot Derian a nervous smile. "Yes...yes, it is." She turned to her uncle. "It's okay, Uncle Leo. Derian is one of the good guys."
Leo cautiously held his hand out, regarding Derian with uncertainty. Derian held his gaze steady. If her uncle had offended him, he didn't let on. Faedra knew her uncle was wondering what it would feel like to touch someone made of water. She, herself had wondered the same thing when she was first introduced to them. Her first thought was would her hand go right through them? It didn't. They felt solid, just like everyone else, but cool and smooth to the touch, like malleable glass.
As Leo's hand connected with Derian's, Faedra saw her uncle relax. A smile grew on his lips as he shook the king's hand. Derian reciprocated before pulling away and moving down the line to Nicki, and then Amy and Zoe. Jalia followed her husband's example and continued on with the introductions, encouraging her daughter to do the same.
Just as they were finishing up with their greetings, Zoe's attention was pulled towards the driveway. "Look," she said, pointing past Faedra and Faen.
Everyone turned. Green lights were spinning above the driveway. The group she had been waiting for materialized, safe and well.
Faedra's grin lit up her face, she let go of Faen's hand and ran towards the group, pulling up just in front of them.
"Oh, aren't you guys a sight for sore eyes," she said, before wrapping her arms around Jocelyn and Etyran in a group hug. She let go and leaned over to greet Todmus and his heavily pregnant wife.
"I'm so glad you could come," Faedra said.
Todmus encased her hand in both of his and gave the Custodian a warm smile. "You are a true friend, Miss. I will always come to your aid."
"Thank you, Todmus."
Lady Allora took hold of Faedra's other hand. "We were so very sorry to hear about your father, my dear. Our realm is at your disposal. Anything you need, it is yours."
"Thank you, Allora," Faedra said, "But I'm hoping your husband has everything we need right there." She looked down at the pouch slung across Todmus's body.
"Where's Skylar?" Faedra asked.
"Carina is watching over her until we return," Allora answered.
Faedra nodded before she turned and motioned towards the cottage. "I think we better get inside. Rowan is rallying the troops and I'm sure he's waiting for us."
The smell of freshly baked cookies caressed Faedra's nostrils as she opened the door for their newest guests. Janessa had been working her magic in the kitchen again, keeping the troops fed and watered. For a split second, the aroma made Faedra feel normal, until the sound of impassioned voices coming from the dining room assaulted her ears and shattered the illusion. "We have a control room, of sorts, set up in dad's dining room," Faedra explained as they wandered into the living room. Faen and Faedra allowed Todmus and Allora to enter the dining room first. As they did, the voices settled as all eyes turned on the Custodian.
Rowan spoke first. "Now we have everyone convened, is Your Highness ready to share her plan?"
Faedra glanced around the room that now looked tiny packed full of people from four different realms. Expectant faces stared back at her. Faedra swallowed, she really wasn't cut out for this kind of stuff, but she would do her best.
"I asked Todmus and Derian here because I needed the cypher wheel and the Umorian's ability to manipulate water," Faedra started her explanation. Her audience was listening to her with rapt attention.
"Well, it was Dad's and Uncle Leo's idea really, I just thought of a way we could possibly make it work." She looked over at her dad and her uncle, who looked stunned at her announcement. "The Black Sea has the highest concentration of salt to water. If we can get enough of it into Azran, the Umorians can manipulate it to cover the Alsian army, thereby melting them and rendering them harmless.
Murmurs traveled around the room.
"Actually, Fae," Zoe piped up around a mouth full of cookie. That's not true."
"It's not?" Faedra asked.
Zoe swallowed her mouthful. "No. There's some lake in Africa that has an even higher concentration of salt than the Black Sea. I remember having to answer a question on the subject in high school geography."
"Do you know what the lake is called?" Faen asked.
Zoe stared into space for a moment, trying to find the relevant piece of information in her brain. She sighed. "No, I can't remember. But we could do a search online."
Henry left the room and returned a minute later with his tablet. He handed it to Zoe. "There you go."
"Thanks." Zoe tapped the screen for a few minutes, then, with a look of triump
h on her face, she turned the screen outwards to show the room. "Lake Assal," she stated.
"Well done, you," Amy murmured, nudging her friend with her elbow.
"How do you propose we get the salt water into Azran?" Draconis asked.
"Well, that's where my plan hinges on Todmus." Faedra looked to her small statured friend. "Todmus, I still have the cypher wheel from the treasure hunt. I was wondering if you could calibrate the one you have with the one I have and open up a gateway, whereby, Derian and his people could pull the salt water through from the lake."
Todmus rubbed his chin between thumb and forefinger. After a moment of careful introspection, he looked up at the Custodian. "That is one mountain of a grand plan you have there, miss."
"Can you do it?" Faedra asked, the slightest hint of desperation in her voice.
The entire room diverted their attention to the little man still holding his chin in hand.
"Hmm," he muttered, wiggling his lips from side to side in a show of deep concentration. He pulled the cypher wheel from its pouch and considered it from all angles. "Let us see now," he mumbled to himself. "If I do this, then move this here and turn this one that way..." Todmus continued, mumbling to himself as his turned the various discs that made up the many layers of the wheel. The rest of the room stayed deathly silent. Faedra fleetingly wondered if anyone was even breathing. It certainly felt as though the whole room was holding a collective breath.
After a few more moments of intense mumbling from Todmus, he finally looked back up at Faedra. "Well, I dare say that should do it," he announced. "Now, if you would bring me yours, I will re-calibrate that one to match this."
Faedra turned her hopeful smile on Faen before leaping up the stairs to her room two at a time. When she got to the top of the stairs, she grabbed the latch on the closed door and stopped. Her body froze, unable to move. She hadn't been back into her room since her father died. She closed her eyes and hung her head. Did she even possess the courage to step foot in her room after what had transpired there? Her hand rested on the door latch. As every second ticked by, her heart ached more and more. The thought of opening that door scared the life out of her.
"Faedra?" Faen's worried voice carried up the staircase.
Faedra opened her eyes and looked down at her husband, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He had one foot on the bottom step and a hand resting on the bannister. "I can't do it, Faen," Faedra whispered, her voice small and childlike. Faen started his ascent towards her. "I didn't even think about it, but when I got to the door, I-I just..."
Faen reached her before she could get the words out. He covered her hand that was still clinging onto the latch with one of his own. Her hand was cold, her knuckles white. He looked down into her sorrowful eyes as he peeled her hand from the door latch and held it to his heart.
"Give it time, Adkara. There is no need for you to overcome this now," Faen said. "Tell me where the cypher wheel is and I will get it for you."
Faedra's shoulders relaxed. "It's in the bottom drawer of my dresser," she said, stepping aside to let Faen past. He opened the door to her room. It was dark inside, the curtains were still drawn. Faedra shuddered. Did the dragons clean up her room as well, or was there still blood everywhere? She was relieved it was dark. Faedra doubted she could handle seeing the remnants of that horrific moment in time.
"Got it," Faen said, emerging at the door holding the pouch with the cypher wheel. He stepped out of the room and quietly closed the door behind him, as if that very action would show his humility for what had taken place in his loved one's bedroom.
"Thank you," Faedra whispered.
Faen smiled. He took hold of Faedra's hand and led her down the stairs. Once back in the dining room, he handed Todmus the pouch.
The little man took it and extricated its contents. His mutterings started over as he turned the discs this way and that. After a few moments, he looked up at Faedra. "We will have to test them out. Do you have a lake or some other body of water nearby?"
Faedra considered Todmus's question.
"There's a duck pond at the manor house down the road," Leo stated.
"Oh, yes, Uncle Leo. You're right," Faedra agreed. "Todmus, will a duck pond work?"
"Will there be ducks on it?" Todmus asked.
"At this time of year, I would hazard a guess that there will be," Henry chimed in.
Todmus shrugged. "Well, they may be in for a surprise then." He winked at Faedra before shooting her a cheeky grin. "I promise they won't be harmed," he added, seeing a look of concern creep across her features.
"How are you going to get the cypher wheel on the duck pond?" Amy asked. "The manor house is gated and they have a really high fence." She shot everyone a sheepish grin before adding. "And really big dogs."
Faedra bit her lip to stop from smiling. She knew she should not find it amusing that one of her best friends got her excitement from snooping in places she had no business being, but she couldn't help it. This time it may just help them out.
Etyran held up the ruby staff and gave it a wiggle, answering Amy's question. He gave the young human a playful smirk. "Is there anything else that might be of interest to us in addition to the really big dogs running loose?" he asked, mimicking her previous statement.
Amy flushed and let her eyes drop to the floor. "Well, I didn't really hang about long enough to find out," she said.
Faedra shook her head but allowed a hint of a smile to blossom on her lips as she took one of the cypher wheels from Todmus and thrust it into Etyran's chest. He grasped it with his free hand.
"Oh, I see how this goes," he said with a playful tone to his voice. "I get to play dog's dinner to some mangy mutts."
"Oh, quit your bitching," Faedra joked. "They won't even see you. Although, they may smell you." She wafted a hand in front of her nose and threw him a cheeky grin.
"Hey, watch it, Queenie. I had a shower..." His features crinkled as he tried to recall. "...before your wedding."
Faedra realized by the wink he gave her, that he knew she was only kidding. And, let's face it, they hardly had time to worry about showers, for goodness sake. Even if they had the time to take one, she doubted the two in the cottage would be able to keep up with demand.
"Go," Faedra said. "And come back safely."
"Yes, Ma'am. Good grief, you can be so demanding." He leaned over and gave Jocelyn a quick peck on the cheek before straightening to stand within the red lights that were now encircling him. He shot Faedra another wink and held his free hand to his head in a mock salute. "Be back in a few."
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
"We better do this outside," Todmus said, shuffling towards the door clutching the other device between his stout fingers.
Chairs scraped along the hardwood floor as people pushed back from the table. The room's occupants filed outside behind the little man. Once in the open, Todmus carried on until he was in the middle of the lawn. He bent over and laid his cypher wheel on the grass.
Derian, Jalia and Eadlin moved in and stood around the cypher wheel. Then everyone waited. They didn't have to wait very long. A few minutes later, Etyran materialized on the driveway and joined the group standing around the cypher wheel.
"Why are you soaking wet?" Jocelyn asked as Etyran's boots squelched their way across the grass.
He stopped in between Jocelyn and Faedra, peeled off his boots and poured the water out of them. "I hate dogs," he muttered, as he shook his head and sprayed the pair with pond water.
Jocelyn and Faedra flinched to either side, wiping droplets from their faces. They looked at each other and forced back a wry smile.
In the next second, Todmus drew everyone's attention. "Now that the other wheel is in place, I just need to enter the code and...presto." He stood back from the cypher wheel clapping his hands together and placing his fingertips to his lips, a look of sheer delight shining in his eyes. He looked up at the three Umorians. "The channel is open," he said. "It is in your hand
s now."
Derian acknowledged his part in the proceedings and joined hands with his wife and daughter to close the circle around the newly opened portal.
The three royals stared down at what was essentially a hole in the lawn. Faedra could hear the rush of water a few seconds before it gushed from the ground like a geyser.
"No way!" Amy squealed.
"You have got to be kidding me," Zoe agreed.
It only took a couple of seconds for Derian and his family to control the water but in that couple of seconds, the group was drenched.
"Ha! It worked!" Faedra cried, jumping for joy before wrapping her soggy arms around her husband's neck and planting a quick kiss to his lips. She let him go and ran over to Todmus, her wet hair clinging to her face. "Todmus, you did it!" She threw her arms around the little man and gave him a hug. His cheeks flushed, and he cast a bashful grin to the ground.
"Now that has to be the coolest thing I have ever seen," Leo spouted.
Faedra looked up and joined the rest of the group that was watching in awe as Derian and Jalia played with the water. Eadlin's hands were still trained on the hole, continuing to suck the water through.
The water was now spread the length of the lawn in one big wall. It was like looking at a huge wave that was about to crest and break, only it didn't. It was perpetually moving in the same spot. Jalia trained her hands on the soggy group of onlookers. Droplets of water started to be pulled out of everyone's clothing to join the wave. When everyone was dry again, she concentrated her hands on the puddle on the grass, pulling that to join the wave, until every drop that had come through the portal was making up the massive wall of water that now divided Faedra's back yard in two.
"That's all of it," Eadlin said a moment later.
Faedra hoped the owners of the duck pond wouldn't notice it was completely drained before they had a chance to put the water back.
