Precious Stones

by Brandi Bell

  "That's right," Antoine says.

  "How much time has passed in the human realm while we've been here," I ask anxiously.

  "Maybe twelve hours? It should still be the next morning, " he replies.

  My jaw drops, I'm super happy that it was shorter than I had feared.

  "We have plenty of time left," I say excitedly.

  "Yes we do, lass," Seamus agrees.

  "The portal is on the other side of this hill, the pookas have to stay here," Dorian says.

  Six pookas respond by growling at him.

  "You can't come looking like horses, I guess if you stay in dog form and agree to wear a collar and leash..." he says trailing off.

  "I'm sure if they wear collars and leashes they would fit in fine. They look like Great Danes to me," I chime in.

  "Fine, but no transforming there," he says shaking his finger at them.

  I giggle at the thought. People would totally freak out if they saw that. We arrive at the portal and dismount. Zeus transforms before I have a chance to take his saddle off, it falls to the ground.

  "Worried you'd get left behind," I tease him.

  I'm rewarded with a lick. Talia's men take the tack from all of the pookas coming with us and place it on their own mounts. It's interesting that Talia's the only one with a pooka who choose her. She walks up to the rock we are standing by and chants. Suddenly there is a door in front of us. I gasp.

  "That's some crazy stuff," I say.

  "Now remember, everyone join hands and don't let go until we are out the other side, like when we came in," Antoine says, ignoring my comment.

  "What about the pookas?" I ask concerned.

  "They will be fine, this is more of a precaution than anything, my dear," he answers.

  "Ok," I reply.

  We join hands and enter the portal behind Talia. It's the same as when we came into the realm. Totally pitch black, until we reach the door and she opens it. We come out in the store room of a shop.

  "We own this tea shop, a tall brownie runs it," Talia explains.

  "Good morning, Princess," a short woman says as she comes through the door.

  "Good morning, Eunice," Talia tells her.

  "There are clothes in the box to the right, and a car is waiting out front," Eunice explains, then goes back through the door to the front.

  “The pookas will have to stay here. There’s not enough room in the car for all of us and them,” Flynn says.

  Flynn moves to the box and starts passing out clothes. Thankfully they are simple t-shirt and jean combos. I turn around to dress, giving me the fake sense of privacy. Once we are finished, we go through the door Eunice had used. Her tea shop smells wonderful, with notes of different spices. I take a deep breath and smile.

  "My secret is I bring some spices from back home, deary," she whispers to me.

  I grin at her, loving her warm personality immediately. I see why she's the one to work here. We make our way through the small shop and out the front door. It hits me how wrong the air feels here. I'd never realized it before, but then again it was all I've ever known, until I went to Caestia. There is a black limo parked in front. Dorian heads for the drivers door, while Beck opens the door for us to get in.

  "I wasn't expecting a limo," I say.

  "It was the easiest way to get us all in one car," Talia replies.

  "It's the only way royalty should travel, lass," Seamus says.

  I sat back and closed my eyes as the car pulled away from the curb. I'm sitting between Grady and Antoine, it feels right.

  We arrive at Liam’s house, Elias jumps out of the car and runs into the house. We exit the car and Elias is opening the door from the inside by the time we make it up the walkway. He’s followed by a blurry eyed Liam. He must have run in to wake him up and warn him we were here.

  He steps back and we enter his house. His living room seems tiny with all of us in it, but thankfully the guys are already heading down the stairs. The basement has a lot more room, even with the band equipment. Felix is asleep on the couch, which surprises me.

  "He has abandonment issues, so I told him to stay here when he found out everyone left without him," Liam tells me with a glare.

  I shrink down, not knowing what to say. I feel bad because I'm part of the reason we left, but I don't regret doing it.

  "Don't you dare guilt her, she did the right thing, and you know it!" Elias growls at Liam.

  "Don't fight, please. Liam doesn't know we just spent the last few days trekking through another realm looking for a cure," I tell Elias.

  "You were only gone for like twelve hours, don't exaggerate," Liam snaps.

  "Did you not listen to the fact that time moves differently in the other realm? Quit being an ass, like you said we left twelve hours ago, so no harm done to either of you," Grady speaks up.

  "If all of the testosterone can calm down, I will fix it so these two can return with us. Now, allow me to introduce myself, I am Princess Talia of the Summer Kingdom. I can make your sleeping friend a born vampire, and bless you to follow us back into Caestia. This must happen," Talia tells them.

  "Huh? They said that it couldn't happen yesterday," Liam says sounding confused.

  "It couldn't happen yesterday, I'm the only one with the ability to do it," she tells him. "So let's hurry up so we can go remove the curse from their dad."

  "Ok, what do you need me to do," Liam asks.

  "Just stand there, I'll wake up your friend first," she answers.

  She walks over to Felix, bends down, and places hands on either side of his head. She chants in a strange language that is very melodic and beautiful. Felix sits up with a gasp. His fangs drop, then Talia is pulled backwards by her men.

  "What's happening?" Felix asks anxiously.

  "I made you a born vampire from a changed one, so you can come with us back to Caestia," Talia says.

  "Who are you, and how are you back already? I thought you guys left us," Felix says confused.

  "We did leave yesterday, then spent a few days in Caestia. We found Talia who can fix my dad, and she made it so you guys can go back with us for the second part of the agreement," I spit out fast.

  "So I can be awake during the day if I want to be now?" Felix questions.

  "Yes, and your hunger should be better," Talia answers him.

  Felix smiles, lost in thought.

  "Now it's your turn," she smiles at Liam.

  He sits down next to Felix, an anxious look on his face. I smile knowing we won't have to separate Ruby and her guys again. Talia approaches Liam, and places her hands on his head and chants the same melodic language she had with Felix. A glow comes off of Liam, I gasp. Just as quickly, he is back to normal.

  "What did you do to him?" I ask.

  "I basically made him a witch without magic. He won't notice any differences except he'll age slower and live longer," she explains.

  "This is awesome! You guys won't outlive me by so long now," he exclaims, a huge grin on his face.

  "Awesome bro!" Elias tells him, grinning also.

  "Let's go save your dad," Antoine speaks up.

  "Yes, let's get moving," Talia agrees.

  We head back to the limo and drive to my parents’ house. I'm anxious, my stomach is in my throat and my heart is beating out of my chest. I hope Talia can break my dad's curse as easy as she changed the boys. I need to have faith that she'll do it.

  We pull up in front of my house, I get out and run up to the door. I fling it open, and shout, "Mom, I've got someone here to cure Dad."

  "You just left yesterday, honey, how did you find someone so quickly?" she asks, apprehensively.

  "Time is different in Caestia, we were there for days, but it'd only been twelve hours when we got back," I explain. "Let me introduce you to Talia, she's the Summer Kingdom princess, and she's agreed to cure Dad for us."

  "Thank you, Your Highness," my mom says.

  "My pleasure, can you take me to him please? Jade come with me," Tali
a commands.

  Mom leads the way to the bedroom, while the men all wait in the living room. Talia walks up to my dad, and lays her hands on his chest, closes her eyes, then gasps.

  "It was a Spring sidhe alright! Don't worry I can do this," Talia says.

  She starts chanting, a black smoke starts lifting from him. She chants louder, the smoke rising faster. Raising her voice so she is almost yelling, the smoke shoots up and disperses. She slumps back and I barely catch her from hitting the floor.

  "Why aren't you in California rescuing the girls?" my dad asks my mom.

  I nearly start crying, he's actually awake. Talia regains her feet as I run and hug my dad.

  "Well, you guys certainly got here fast," he comments.

  "Oh Daniel, you were under a sleeping curse, and the girls found this woman to lift it off of you," Mom says to him.

  "Oh, thank you. Who put a curse on me?" he asks.

  "It was a sidhe from the Spring Kingdom," I answer.

  His eyes get dark, a chill goes down my spine. My dad rarely gets mad, but when he does it's terrifying. Talia's men come running into the room, and throw themselves between her and my dad.

  "Don't worry, my anger isn't directed at her. She has my eternal gratitude," he tells them.

  "What is it, Daddy?" I ask him.

  "So this is a long story so sit down for a bit. I was born in Caestia, the world the girls went to and found the Summer Princes" he starts.

  "I didn't tell you she was was a Princess," mom accuses.

  "I lived in the Winter Kingdom, but I met a Sidhe named Audrey from the Spring Kingdom. We courted for a few years, then decided to run away to the human realm together," he continues.

  "Why is this the first I've ever heard of this Audrey," my mom barks with her hands on her hips.

  "I'm getting there. Now when we arrived in the human realm, Audrey immediately regretted it and wanted to go back. I had already cut ties with my family so there was no going back for me. She chose to go back and I stayed," he explained.

  "Ok, so?" I ask.

  "As impatient as your mother. So I picked up and made a life here, two years later I met your mother, and we've been together every since," he says, "Three years ago Audrey showed up out of the blue saying she misses me and we should be together. I told her I'm happy with my wife and children and she should forget about me. I thought that was the end of it."

  "Apparently she held a grudge. I wonder why she waited so long," I say.

  "That's easy, time moves differently between the realms, but not always at the same pace. To Audrey it could have been a week for Daniel’s twenty years. It could have been day for her, but three years for him," Dorian explains.

  "We were super lucky we returned when we did," I say amazed.

  "Yes you were, now tell me what kind of deal you made. I know Talia wouldn't be here if it didn't affect her world as well," Dad says furrowing his brow.

  "Do you know of the prophecy?" Talia asks him.

  A look of recognition crosses his face, "No, it can't be them. They share a body."

  "I've dreamed of Jade for the past ten years, though Ruby was a shock," Talia replies.

  "That's an understatement," Flynn says.

  "It's them, and they've agreed to return to Caestia with me to fulfill their parts," she explains.

  "Can we come too?" Mom asks.

  “I don't see why not,” Talia answers.

  "Princess, surely..." Dorien says, but Talia cuts him off.

  "They can come, they are the parents after all," she says while staring him down.

  "You don't get told no very often do you?" Grady asks.

  "Of course not," she replies with a smirk.

  "Let's go if we're going," Felix says, still in a daze.

  We shuffle out of the house and back into the limo. Flynn resumes his role as driver as the rest of us cram into the limo.

  "Are we returning to the tea shop?" I ask.

  "Yes, it's still the closest return point," Beck says with a grin.

  "Tea shop?" Felix asks.

  "Yeah, there's a tea shop run by a brownie that’s tall, which means she appears to be a short human. There's a portal to Caestia in the storeroom," I tell him.

  "That is strange," Liam says.

  "Welcome to the paranormal life," Elias says, punching his shoulder.

  We ride in silence for a while. I'm secretly glad we are returning, and hopeful that Talia can separate us. I haven't told anyone yet of our conversation, afraid I'll jinx it.

  We pull up in front of the tea shop, and filter inside. Eunice is still at the counter. She gives us a big smile.

  "Looks like you picked up a few stragglers, do you need any help?" she asks.

  "No, thank you, Eunice. I appreciate the hospitality," Talia tells her smiling.

  We follow her to the store room, where Talia walks up to the door. Beck goes to the box of clothes for Caestia and starts passing them out. Zeus runs me over, pissed that we left them here in the store room.

  "We couldn't fit you all in the car with us. See it was only a little while," I tell him.

  "You've been claimed by a pooka?" my dad asks in shock.

  "Yup, so did these four guys, and the princess of course," I replied.

  "It is true then," he says sadly.

  "Why are you sad, Dad?" I ask him.

  "I'll explain later, honey," he replies.

  We finish getting dressed, Zeus glued to my side.

  "Ok, everyone, same drill. Form a chain and don't let go of anyone's hands until we exit the other side," Flynn says.

  Talia starts chanting and opens the door. We form a chain and make our way through the darkness together. Zeus stays pressed up to my leg this time. The door opens and we come out of the side of the rock, the pookas we left still sitting there.

  We saddle our respective pookas as I ask, "How are my parents, Felix, and Liam going to get to the castle?"

  "They can share my pooka, I'll double up with Beck," Dorian offers.

  "I'll ride with the princess, if Deysi lets me," Flynn says.

  "Thank you," my dad tells him.

  "Yeah, thanks," Felix says.

  My stomach chooses this moment to growl. I blush, but say nothing.

  "We haven't fed Jade all day. How is she still functioning?" Seamus teases me.

  "I can't help it, food fuels me," I say with a fake pout.

  "Awe, look how cute she is when she tries to pout," Antoine comments.

  "Stop picking on the poor girl," Felix speaks up.

  "Nice to actually meet you, Jade, sorry I didn't say anything sooner," he tells me.

  "It's been a bit crazy since you woke up," I reply.

  "That it has. How you doing, Liam?" Felix asks him.

  "I still can't believe we are in another realm," he says in a dazed voice.

  "Believe it, traveling through kingdoms is wicked," Elias tells him.

  "Why?" he asks.

  "Each kingdom is named after the season of weather it has in it," I say.

  "That's just weird," Felix comments.

  We are close to the castle, and it appears we weren't gone for long. This time between realms thing is strange. We stop in front of the door, and a few brownies come out to help us with the pookas.

  "You still haven't named your pooka," I tell Antoine.

  "That's because she already told me her name, you didn't ask me what her name was," he says.

  "What's her name then?" I ask.

  "Her name is Mercy," he tells me.

  "Nice to meet you, Mercy," I tell her.

  Chapter 52

  Felix

  Being awake when the sun is out, isn't something I've experienced since before I was turned. I'm amazed at how different the world is during the day time, now that I haven't seen it in so long. I want to go back home, but we have to repay the debt for Ruby's dad. I'll do anything for her.

  "You ok, bro?" Elias asks me.

  "Yeah, my world changed a lot
today. Just trying to catch up," I answer him.

  "If we are still here, Ruby comes back an hour before sunset here," he tells me.

  I decide if we are still here, I'll watch the sunset with Ruby. Nothing would make me happier.

  Chapter 53

  Liam

  Being in this strange world is overwhelming. Everything is more, I can't even describe it. Brighter, louder, smells are stronger, that kind of thing. I wonder if that's how people with autism feel in my world.

  "What do we need to do now?" I ask.

  "Feed Jade," Grady answers.

  "Ok, after we eat, then what?" I question.

  "Then we will sit down and discuss the prophecy and your parts in it," Talia tells us.

  "Sounds good," I say.

  Chapter 54

  Seamus

  I’m worried how this prophecy is going to affect my lass. She needs to be free of her sister, that's the only thing I care about. I haven't had a free moment to ask yet, but I will. If anyone will know, it'll be Talia.

  "Let's go get you fed, lass," I say.

  "Can you take her, I want a word alone with the princess," I whisper to Antoine.

  "Got it," he says then walks up to Jade.

  "Excuse me, Princess, can I ask you a question?" I say just out of earshot from Jade.

  "You're separating me from her, so what do you not want Jade to hear?" Talia asks me.

  "Is there anyway to separate her and Ruby? They shouldn't be crammed in one body like that," I explain.

  "I can't answer that yet, but let's get through the prophecy talk then we will discover the answer to that together," she tells me.

  "I had to ask," I say.

  "I know," she replies, then continues walking to the dining hall.

  Jade

  Antoine grabs my arm, "Let me escort you to the dining hall, my dear."

  "Ok," I say, not sure why the unusual behavior.

  I glance over my shoulder and notice Seamus has stopped Talia to talk to her. Now Antoine's behavior makes sense. He's a diversion. I shake my head and pretend not to notice. If he wanted me to know, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of getting me away first. We reach the dining room and my stomach growls again. We sit at one of the tables and a brownie comes out with water immediately.