by Morgan Wylie
Her thoughts were such a blur she didn’t even remember the climb up to her apartment. When she reached her front door she paused, looked around, took a deep breath, then reached down to pick up the beautiful single-stemmed orchid that was lying across her doormat. Tears began to run down her face.
Kaeleigh stood at her front door cradling the delicate and beautiful flower, crying tears of frustration, fear, confusion, and even loneliness. Hearing footsteps, Kaeleigh turned to see Finn walking up the stairs.
“What’s wrong?” he asked with great concern as he ran up the remaining steps.
“THIS!” She strained her voice so he could hear through her tears as she showed him the orchid. And a lot more, she amended internally.
Finn looked at the flower and then into her eyes. “Let’s go inside,” he said calmly as he ushered her into her apartment. After sitting her down on her couch, he went into her little kitchen to make her some tea. “Chel called, Samuel’s parents made an unexpected stop in to visit and he wants her to stay and visit for a bit, otherwise she would have come over with me,” Finn shouted from the kitchen. He came back to where he left her on the couch and handed her the steaming cup of tea.
“Mmmm, smells good. Not what you usually make, what is it?” Kaeleigh asked as she inhaled deeply, letting the soothing aroma calm her frayed emotions.
“It’s just chamomile with a touch of vanilla. Now, what’s going on? You saw him again, didn’t you?” he asked accusingly.
Kaeleigh nodded as she pulled herself together to tell Finn what happened at the restaurant, but he interrupted with his own outburst before she even started.
“I’m gonna kill him! What did he do to you? You’re not going anywhere alone again!” Finn burst out in anger as he paced back and forth across Kaeleigh’s living room, which was not that spacious to begin with. He looked wild and ferocious and reminded Kaeleigh of a caged cat. He was actually starting to make her nervous, which of course caused her to get mad.
Now angry herself, Kaeleigh stood up and marched into the kitchen. “Where are you going?” Finn asked, sounding paranoid.
Kaeleigh turned around and looked at him. “You didn’t even listen to me! Get a grip, Finn. I appreciate your concern but I might feel safer with you if you actually paid attention to me and listened to what I say. I think Daegan listened to me better and he’s a total stranger. What is going on with you, Finn?”
Finn looked at Kaeleigh with one eyebrow raised and steam practically coming out of his nostrils. “Daegan?”
“The stalker guy. If you had let me tell you about how my boss had tried to seduce, dominate, and probably would have raped me in the alley, then I would have told you about how Daegan came to my rescue and handed out his form of justice—even though I had already dealt with the boss-man—and how he walked me home to make sure I was okay. He was decent, and genuinely offered to protect me.”
Again, Finn looked at her, but this time his features were softer and his shoulders that were set and indignant now lowered in defeat. He sighed, dropped his eyes, and put his hands on his waist, “Kae, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. Are you okay?” When Kaeleigh nodded, he drew closer and warmly gripped her shoulders as he continued, “I don’t want you around this Daegan, though. Even if he seems like a decent guy.”
“It’s not like I plan on hanging out with him, Finn. I don’t even know him. Plus, he’s not all there,” she said as she tapped her finger to her head. “Remember, he thinks I’m ‘the one’ or something and wants to take me back to wherever he is from, wherever that is... probably outer space,” Kaeleigh said as she rolled her eyes and shrugged. But something about what she was saying began stirring a longing buried deep within her. She looked at Finn, who now looked like he had seen a ghost. “Finn?”
Finn dropped his hands, backed up to the couch and sat down. “He wants to take you back? You didn’t tell me that part. He can’t... You can’t... You can’t go anywhere with him, it’s not safe,” Finn said, now mumbling to himself lost in his own thoughts. “We have to leave! We should go on vacation. You aren’t going back to that job anyway after what happened, right? Let’s get Chel and go on a trip to... well, I don’t know where yet but it doesn’t matter.” Finn was once again pacing and now rubbing his hands together over and over, mentally forming some kind of plan.
Kaeleigh stood against the wall to the kitchen with her arms folded over her chest, watching Finn in bewilderment having what seemed to be some kind of breakdown. “Finn?” He didn’t look at her but kept pacing, “FINN!” Kaeleigh now shouted at him, which shocked him out of his little tirade. “What are you talking about? You’re acting crazy. God, you and Chel both are acting crazy and I am not going anywhere. End of story.”
Chapter Seventeen
Exhile
The Realm of the Unforgiven Dead
“A gate has been opened,” a monotone voice in the dimly lit cavern spoke.
Hope flared. Cley-una concentrated her magic—what was left of it—with all her strength. She, as well as several others among her with similar powers, was desperately trying to connect, to communicate with others outside their cave. She could have accomplished it effortlessly when her soul had been free, but in Exhile their powers were muted. It took their collective energy to push enough magic through to force what little connection they were making. Cley-una, being the Ferrishyn that she was, felt she should have had a greater ability to connect, but unfortunately she had been fighting to get through a clear message with no sustained success.
“I can’t get through.” Frustrated, Cley-una collapsed the connection she had been maintaining until then. “He is so closed off and guarded. It makes it even harder to break through. Although it is not him alone, there is an outside force that has a connection rooted within him.” She sighed sadly. “I am only able to get through to the girl with images and feelings. If she is vulnerable, she will connect with my words, but it’s harder in the mortal realm and even then it was only with Eva’s added help.”
A tall Ferrishyn warrior stepped up behind Cley-una and put his hands on her shoulders, looking at her with deep love and confidence. “Arileas explained to Daegan that he needed to contact us. We will just have to wait for the opportune moment to try again.”
“He is stubborn,” an older Faerie woman with bluish hair piped up.
“No, he just can’t hear us, Tylna.” An older Elvish woman flippantly contradicted the other woman with a bored wave of her hand, having been over it many times before.
They were somewhere within a system of caves and tunnels hidden within one of the many mountain ridges of the forsaken realm. Small groups had gone scouting—mostly consisting of the few shifters that often needed to roam—to find a way out, but always ended right back where they started. The cave opening looked outside but there was an invisible barrier that was impenetrable. Outside was always overcast with an eerie reddish glow, allowing barely enough light to see the outlines of the other mountain ranges. Inside, it was always cold and dark, but for the few torches that never were snuffed out. Never needing sustenance, somehow stuck in an in-between form—not entirely dead, but not truly alive—they were trapped in an inexcusable form of existence, not able to move on. Not only were they prevented from leaving, but their magic was being suppressed. It felt like a tremendous weight compressing and binding the very core fibers of their magical energies.
In total, there were about ten of them: Faeries, Elves, and Shifters. It had been over fifteen years for the newest of them, but for others it had been much, much longer. They knew who their captor was, although they never saw her, but they hadn’t figured out how she had managed to accomplish it. It shouldn’t have been possible, but it had happened and they were forced to work within their means to still try to help Alandria.
Cley-una gasped, feeling an evil stir. “They are coming for her.” She looked around at the others. “We must find a way to get through to Daegan.” There was desperation in her voice.
“The time is now. He is coming to us,” the same monotone voice floated from the back of the group. “The words of the prophecy are coming to life. Let them help us break through.”
One man in particular, a large Ferrishyn dressed in warrior’s garb from an earlier time, stepped forward. His long black hair was pulled back in a knot at the nape of his neck, a torque around one bicep and his mark on the other. Broad and muscular, he stood regal and authoritative, his eyes focused.
“Together. Now. We must focus all our energies on the words of the prophecy. Our time of restlessness is almost over. Our time of being silenced is being brought to an end and our voices will once again be heard. This darkness will suffer the light.” He paused, looking at each individual, infusing them with strength and courage, willing them to remember who they were as he extended his sword outward toward his fellow captives. “We will not be stopped in death as in life. We are the Orchids. The new age of Alandria has begun. We will be silenced no more!” He struck the ground, driving his sword deep into it.
Chapter Eighteen
Daegan needed direction. He took a watchful post in the only tree he could find that gave him direct sight of Kaeleigh’s apartment. In this realm, his powers were limited, but sitting in this tree, he could feel the earth’s energy pulsing within it. He felt more himself sitting invisible to the world around him perched up in the tree. He would protect her. He knew she was the one—the Sol-lumieth—whether she believed it or not. He had now given his word—and that meant something to him. He could also not deny that he felt something shifting in the air, a slight stirring that no one but perhaps himself in this realm would even notice. The kind of stirring caused when the gates between realms were opened. There were rumored to be more gates than the one that he had entered through, it was just the only one he was aware of. He had a sense that his presence might be needed again soon, but this time he planned on being there in time to act. He tried once more to connect with the Orchids.
A storm of red stains the skies of Alandria
The darkness brings cleansing to a world run thick
with confusion and conspiracy.
Behold, a union of strength rises.
Mystery comes with strength and compassion.
The shadow gives way as the Orchids bloom.
Seats of power are set to the right.
As things once held in sleep and night
Have now crossed over.
Awake, Alandria!
The sword is upon you.
There is hope in the hidden,
Destiny revealed in the unknown.
Awake.
Daegan heard the whispered voices in unison chanting what he assumed had to be the ancient prophecy he was told about. Over and over again the whispered chants rang in his mind until Daegan, hands clutching his head to keep it from exploding, couldn’t take it anymore and yelled out loud, “Silence!” A man a block away turned to see where the shout had come. He could not see Daegan, but apparently he could hear him.
Daegan couldn’t think straight. What is going on? Instantly, the thought ran through his mind: The Orchids. They were speaking to him. The words of the prophecy cycled through his head. This time he controlled it. He paid attention to the words, tried to make sense of them. There was sadness and despair in the undertones of the voices, but as the chant went on they gained strength... and hope. As Daegan reflected upon what his part could be, for the first time in a long time, he dared to believe... and to hope.
All was silent again in his head, just in time for the whisperings of the wind to carry the last words he heard the Orchids speak, “They are coming for her.” And with it the faintest scent of something familiar danced past Daegan’s nose. He inhaled deeply then exhaled with a sigh. The smells of Alandria. Home. But also danger. Then he heard the crack of thunder from a stormless sky.
A gate had opened.
Instantly, his defenses were up. He got that prickly feeling that made the hairs on the back of his neck bristle right before danger or right before he had to carry out one of Maleina’s sentences on someone undeserving. It felt... wrong. Daegan jumped down out of the tree from the highest branch. It was a high jump, but not for him. No longer invisible to this realm, he startled the man on the corner that thought he was alone when Daegan landed without any effort and ran past him. Drawing a knife that was sheathed at his wrist, he ran up the stairs to Kaeleigh’s apartment and without knocking, he flung the door open.
“What the...?” Finn shouted as he grabbed Kaeleigh and shoved her behind him. At the same time Kaeleigh shouted, “Oh my god, Daegan!”
“We don’t have time for pleasantries or explanations. Others have come. I will not let harm come to her,” Daegan said as he strode into the room extending his knife.
Finn turned toward Daegan, keeping himself between Kaeleigh and who he viewed as the potential danger: Daegan.
Kaeleigh gripped Finn’s arm from where she stood behind him. “Finn, stop this. Daegan has already proven he’s not here to hurt me.” She looked at Daegan. “Daegan, this is Finn.”
Finn, never taking his eyes off of Daegan, said with sarcasm, “You’re going to protect her with that little knife?”
Daegan stared intently at Finn, then with a small smirk he replied, “This knife has been through a lot, but no, not just this...” He slipped out from under his other sleeve a second knife. He twirled them both around effortlessly and fluidly in his hands almost like a choreographed performance. “If those don’t work, I also have this,” and from where it must have been sheathed under his jacket at his back, he reverently pulled out a very wickedly dangerous-looking sword with some kind of runes etched into the hilt. It was lethal and magnificent and otherworldly.
There was a glint in Finn’s eyes as he took in the weaponry, nodding his approval even though he knew Daegan didn’t wait for it. He pulled out his own knife—which was really more of a short sword—that had been sheathed inconspicuously under his pant leg. Daegan nodded to Finn and took his position on the opposite side of Kaeleigh so she was in between them both. Kaeleigh stood in shock, her mouth practically on the floor.
“Finn, why on earth have you been hiding a knife like that?” she asked, still in shock. Kaeleigh did not believe that she was truly in danger. They are totally overreacting. They have to be. Aren’t they?
“And who is ‘coming for me’?” She shot a look at Daegan, but it was Finn who shushed her and pushed her to get behind him again.
For the first time in a very long time, Finn could feel the darkness in others from the other realm. His realm. It had been too long. Drawing his knife out in front of him, Finn stiffened. “They’re here,” he whispered.
Kaeleigh was about to ask again “Who is here?” but Finn’s intense reaction silenced her. And WHO are you? she thought, looking at Finn. She had never seen him like this. Now she was getting scared. Suddenly there was eerie silence except for her heavy breathing. She grabbed Finn’s free arm nervously and looked around, not moving, waiting to see who would come through the door. Only they didn’t.
There was a snap and then three of the ugliest creatures Kaeleigh could ever imagine appeared out of nowhere. Kaeleigh stifled a scream, gripping onto Finn that much tighter. About four feet tall, they looked like old men with shriveled faces, big noses, and Einstein-like crazy white hair and eyebrows. They also looked part feral cat with pointy ears, long sharp claws, furry arms, and long tails. They dressed in very simple but homely robes. Each held a jagged, evil-looking dagger as though they were ready to gut open a pig. Huffing heavily and drooling, they looked around the room with wild eyes until they landed on Kaeleigh. One stepped forward from the group.
“Are you the one we search for?” he asked in a low, gruff, inhuman voice.
Kaeleigh’s guards stood poised and ready for action. They stepped together in unison, creating a shield in front of Kaeleigh. She took a deep breath, gained her composure best she could, and stood up straight, not wanting to
show fear, for she had no idea what these creatures were or what they would do to her. Tending to ramble when she was nervous she spoke without thinking. “I’m really getting sick of that question,” she said, trying to put all her strength behind her voice. “How am I supposed to know who you are looking for?”
Finn released a very low growl in the back of his throat that she knew meant for her to shut up and let him handle it. She saw the tiniest twitch of the corner of Daegan’s mouth and suddenly her bravado returned. She was about to say something else to the tune of Get the hell out of my house! when Finn interjected, almost assuredly to keep her from saying something stupid.
“What do you want?” Finn asked. Daegan gave him a brief look of annoyance but didn’t say anything.
The one that had stepped forward came a couple steps closer, sniffing the air like some kind of animal. Which she supposed wasn’t too far off. The boys closed the gap in front of Kaeleigh. Ugly Leader got a sly grin on his face. He looked back at his groupies, who were panting in expectation, and laughed as he said, “She must be it! They guard her too well for a mere human.”
Kaeleigh inhaled deeply as Daegan took a step forward to address Ugly Leader. “What is your purpose with the girl?” He stood casually, yet there was absolutely nothing casual about the way that he asked or the intensity in his eyes. The leader of the uglies seemed to notice and backed up.
