by Alison Pensy
“You could at least warn me when you are going to do stuff like this,” she squeaked as her heart lurched into her mouth and her stomach did cartwheels.
The wind blew in her face and whipped through her hair. Jocelyn had hold of one arm and Faen the other, and they were looking ahead, concentrating hard. She had to admit, it was the most incredible feeling to be flying outside of a plane. A bit like being on an amusement park ride without being strapped in. She couldn’t decide at that point if the queasy feeling in her stomach was a product of just being launched off the side of a hill, or the fact that her heart was saddened by the devastation below them.
They were flying low to the ground now and she could see close up how dead everything looked. The queasy feeling developed into a definite knot in her stomach, and her question was answered. Thoughts of the book flew through her mind almost as quickly as the ground passed beneath her. The realization that something had happened to the book was quickly taking shape and that didn’t bode well for anyone in any realm, least of all hers. Remembering what her mother had said in the letter, that combining the book and the amulet would give the user the ultimate power to control not just plant life, but the weather, too. Whomever had the book made it very clear that they were going to get their hands on the amulet, too; only that could not be accomplished unless she were dead.
She closed her eyes and tried to change the subject that had now taken on an obsessive quality in her brain. She felt herself being moved and opened her eyes to see that Faen had taken hold of her. He was carrying her as he did last night when they had returned to the party. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a questioning look.
“Jocelyn was growing tired,” he answered. “She is not used to carrying extra weight when she flies.”
“Sorry, Jocelyn,” Faedra called over her shoulder.
“There is no need to be, Faedra, I am not as strong as my brother. I am glad I was able to help him up to that point,” she said with kindness.
Faedra now understood why they had made part of the journey on horseback. They had an extra body to carry. She assumed it would be much like her trying to carry someone a great distance, and knew for a fact that she wouldn’t have had the strength to do it for very long, either.
“We don’t have too much further, Ms. Faedra,” Faen said looking ahead.
Faedra looked in the same direction and could see the city looming closer in front of them. A huge wall encircled the city in a protective manner. It looked medieval, but in a much more beautiful and less rugged way. As they got closer, Faedra could see another ornate stone archway just like the portal, but this one was several times bigger. Jocelyn slowed and lowered herself to the ground just in front of Faen who did the same. He lowered Faedra to the ground, but her legs instantly collapsed underneath her. They had turned to jelly, what with the galloping and the flying, she wasn’t sure how much more her body could take that day. In a flash, Faen scooped her up before she had a chance to hit the ground.
“Sorry, Ms. Faedra. I had forgotten the affect flying with us has on humans,” he said apologetically. “Your legs should return to normal in just a few minutes.”
They stood in front of the archway for a moment, almost hesitant to proceed any further and have their suspicions confirmed. As though, if they didn’t have them confirmed, everything would go back to how it was. After a moment, they walked forward. Faen was still carrying Faedra and Jocelyn stood closely by their side. The three of them a united front against whatever lay waiting for them on the other side.
Faedra looked up in awe at the underneath of the archway as she was being carried through it. A beautiful mosaic of a fairy kneeling down to admire an exotic flower just like the ones near the portal, adorned the ceiling. They got to the other side of the arch and stopped. Faedra turned her attention to the scene unfolding before her. What she imagined after seeing the mosaic, as once being a peaceful and calming place to live, was in utter turmoil.
“I think my legs will hold me now,” she whispered to Faen.
She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she felt him tremble. This was his home and it was in disarray, it must be having some effect on him. He lowered her to the ground keeping a steadying arm under hers until he was sure she was stable enough to stand on her own.
All three stood side-by-side, just as they had on the edge of the valley, and watched the chaos unfold before their eyes. People were running in all directions, panic and desperation on their faces. Some were crying, some were carrying small children, some had stopped and were looking around with dazed expressions. What were once quite obviously areas of lush greenery, like miniature parks and gardens, were now brown and dying. The city seemed to be dying from the inside out. A lump developed in Faedra’s throat. She was determined that if there was any way she could help restore this majestic place to its former glory, she would move heaven and earth to do so.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Faen and Jocelyn started walking with an urgency Faedra could physically feel in the air.
“Elvelynn’s is this way,” he said to her as they made their way through the panicking inhabitants of the city.
Faedra stuck out like a sore thumb in her World of Men clothing, but no one noticed her. They were all too busy trying to make sense of what was happening to their home. There were many different kinds of people running around them. She realized now that not everyone who lived in Azran were what she considered to be fairies. She also recognized what she thought were elves, dwarves, a few pixies and a leprechaun or two amongst them. It wasn’t hard to figure out that these peaceful souls had never experienced fear or confusion before, and it broke her heart to see the pain on their faces.
As they made their way through the streets, the pandemonium started to settle as the residents made their way into their homes. She looked around to see shutters closing hastily over windows, and doors being slammed shut. It wasn’t too much longer before she could see that the three of them were the only ones left walking down the cobbled lanes. An eerie hush lay over the city like a blanket, and it caused the fine hairs on the back of Faedra’s neck to stand to attention.
“It is just around the next corner,” Jocelyn said, breaking the unearthly silence.
They turned the corner, and out of all the houses that lined the street, Faedra knew instantly which one belonged to Elvelynn. It was the only one with a door and windows that were still wide open and welcoming. It was quite obvious that the inhabitant was not at home.
“Stay here,” Faen commanded as they approached.
Jocelyn and Faedra did as he asked, and watched as he drew his sword and stepped with caution through the open door. His sword, which he held out in front of him with both hands, entered first. A moment later he was standing in the doorway, his sword back in its sheath.
“There is no one here,” he said with disappointment. “It is safe to enter.”
Jocelyn and Faedra didn’t hesitate, they walked up to the front door and entered the pretty house. There had once been a climbing rose framing the front door to welcome guests, but this was now all shriveled and dry. Once inside, they could see that a struggle had taken place. Faen was standing beside an armoire that was intricately carved with Celtic knot work. The doors were open, and one of them was hanging at an angle on a single hinge. There was nothing inside.
“I take it that’s where the Book of Anohs should be,” Faedra whispered, although she wasn’t quite sure why she was whispering. The atmosphere had such a hushed quality to it she didn’t dare speak any louder.
Faen hung his head. It was all the answer she needed, and a shiver ran down her spine. She looked around the room; it, too was in disarray. The chairs were overturned, there was broken glass on the floor, a wilted flower laying in amongst the jagged shards from where a vase had been knocked off the table, and smashed to the ground in an obvious struggle.
“Elvelynn,” Jocelyn spoke with a catch in her voice, and tears welled in her eyes. �
��They would have to kill her to get the book.”
Faedra’s heart sank. Jocelyn had lost someone she quite obviously loved, and she knew first hand how that felt. She put a comforting arm around her friend’s shoulders.
“I’m so sorry, Jocelyn.”
“Come, we can do no more here,” Faen said. “We need to get to the castle. Maybe the king knows something that will help us.”
They turned to leave, but Faedra stopped short of the door. She could feel something but didn’t understand what it was at first.
“No. Wait,” she said and looked all around her. She could feel the amulet heat up under her scarf and moved the scarf aside to see the stone in the center of it glowing.
“What is it, Faedra?” Jocelyn asked.
“I’m not sure,” she held the amulet in her hand. “Mum didn’t say anything in her letter about the amulet glowing.” She looked at her ring. It was not glowing so there was no danger near, but she knew something was wrong, she could sense it. What was it trying to tell her? Think Faedra, think, she told herself. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard on the feelings surging through her body, then a window in her mind opened and she could see a vision as clear as day.
“If whoever stole the book had to have killed Elvelynn to get it, wouldn’t they have just left her body? Why would they have taken it with them?”
Faen and Jocelyn looked at her in confusion.
“She’s still here, I can sense her, and she’s still alive.”
“Where?” Faen said as he stepped closer to her.
“Hold on,” she closed her eyes again and scanned the room in her mind. “There.” She pointed over to the corner of the room as she opened her eyes.
They all looked over to where Faedra was pointing, but there was nothing there. Faedra ran over and lowered herself to the floor, her face just fractionally above it. She was trying to look through a crack in the floorboards.
“She’s under here,” she cried, her heart swelling with hope.
Faen looked for something to pry the floorboard with and grabbed a poker that was resting up against the fireplace. He ran over to where Faedra was lying on the floor, asked her to move aside, and shoved the poker hard between the boards. He pried it open until he could get his hands under and pulled the board up. They had not been nailed down, so once the first one was up Jocelyn and Faedra helped lift some more until they had uncovered what the floorboards were hiding.
“Oh, Elvelynn,” Jocelyn gasped in horror, putting her hand to her mouth.
The body of an old woman lay crumpled unnaturally in a small hole in the floor. She had her hands tied behind her back and had been gagged. Her wings had been broken when she had been shoved into the tiny space. Her eyes, that were full of pain and fear, looked up at the three of them in desperation.
“Stand back,” Faen instructed as he kneeled down and lowered his arms into the hole. He gently moved them under Elvelynn’s broken body and eased her up and out of her tiny prison. He carried her over to a chaise that was positioned next to the fireplace and, after laying her down, removed the bonds from her hands and the gag from her mouth, taking care not to cause her anymore distress. She was barely conscious and mumbling something that was incoherent.
“Who did this to you?” Faen whispered in Elvelynn’s ear, but the only reply he got was unintelligible.
“Why isn’t she healing?” Faedra asked. “You can all heal just like me, can’t you?”
“She has been tortured and poisoned. The poison disables us from using our ability to heal. It makes the torture much more effective,” he explained gravely. “This is the work of redcaps. She would have died fairly soon if you hadn’t found her. We need to get her to Bedowen, he is the only person who can help her now. He may be able to find an antidote to the poison. If he can, she will be able to heal herself in time.” He scooped Elvelynn up in his arms and carried her through the door. Faedra took one last look around at the chaos in the room before she followed them.
“Jocelyn, take Faedra and wait for me outside the castle,” he instructed his sister. “I am going to fly Elvelynn to Bedowen’s house; I’ll meet you there shortly.” He hovered above the ground for a second, turned, and flew away. Jocelyn took hold of Faedra’s arm.
“The castle is this way,” she said, pointing in the opposite direction.
“How was the amulet able to tell you that Elvelynn was still alive and where to find her?” Jocelyn asked a few moments later as they wandered down the empty streets.
“I don’t know,” Faedra answered. “Maybe because the amulet was constructed to be used with the book. And because Elvelynn had been in possession of the book for so long, it saw them as one and the same. Other than that, I have no explanation. All of this is so new to me; I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I’m still awake.”
They carried on through the deserted streets in silence. Faedra knew there was nothing she could say to comfort her friend. People had tried to comfort her with words all the time after her mother had died, but she had wished they would stay silent. Nothing they said ever gave her any comfort; their words just reiterated the fact that she had lost someone she loved, and that person was never coming back.
She prayed that Bedowen would be able to help. Elvelynn had looked like a helpless, sweet old lady, but she knew for the room to have been turned upside down the way it was, she must have put up a good fight.
They walked down streets and around corners for what seemed like most of the afternoon. It was a labyrinth of lanes and alleys, not dissimilar to some she had seen in an old town in Spain that she had visited on holiday once before her mum died. Eventually, they turned a corner, and Faedra found herself once again gaping in awe. The street came to an abrupt end and they were standing on the edge of a huge spacious courtyard. A lavish marble fountain stood in the center. Cascading water was flowing from jugs that were held by statues of fairies, into a basin that had been carved into a marble garden. Ornate stone pillars held up an archway that lined both sides of the courtyard, and even though the once lush vegetation that adorned the courtyard was now brown and lifeless, it was still impressive, even in its starkness.
Further behind the fountain, there was an enormous double door. Faedra let her eyes wander above the doorway to admire what was beyond it. An immense castle towered above it, and them. Its walls were made of white stone that she could imagine sparkling in the sunlight like Jocelyn had described, but even though it had lost its luster for the time being, it was still majestic in every way. She didn’t even want to hazard a guess as to how big it was, but it certainly dwarfed the one back home in Norwich. This one had more beautifully spiraling turrets than she cared to count, with a flag swaying in the breeze from each one. A great swath of burgundy material with what she assumed was a royal crest emblazoned in gold, hung from the main balcony of the castle, and she imagined that that must be where the king held court.
“Wow,” she mumbled, “you guys don’t do anything by halves do you?”
Jocelyn replied with a smile and looked up at the castle, too. “It is pretty impressive, is it not? Come, we shall wait for Faen by the door.”
They walked past the fountain on a floor of mosaic artistry that was so big it must have taken eons to create it. When they reached the door, Faedra sat down on the ground and leaned up against the wall. She yawned and let her head fall back to rest against the wall and closed her eyes. The sun was getting low in the sky, promising the close of another day in a few short hours, and she was beyond tired. Faen was not long in arriving. He made his appearance shortly after they did.
“What did Bedowen say?” Jocelyn asked anxiously as soon as his feet touched the ground.
“He thinks that he can keep her stable until he can find an antidote for the poison, but it might be a while. Unfortunately, she cannot help us identify who did this to her and won’t be able to in time for us to find the book and reverse this damage.” He looked sourly at the dead vegetation around the cour
tyard. “We need to go and see the king and find out if he knows of anything that can help us.”
Faedra got to her feet as Faen walked up to the doors and rapped hard on them three times. Slowly the two solid doors, that must have been at least twenty feet high, opened allowing the three to walk through before they closed again. They were now standing in another spacious, beautifully landscaped area in front of the castle. At one time, it would have been the most elaborate flower garden. Home possibly to every kind of flower that existed, but not now, everything had wilted and died.
They walked up the path that led to the entrance to the castle, up some steps to another set of solid doors, and stood before them. Faen rapped hard three times on these, too, and again they slowly opened, allowing them entry. Faedra looked around to see if she could see any security cameras. She didn’t expect to see any, of course, but it was bugging her that they had just gained entry to a castle without there being any kind of visible security. For goodness’ sake, there weren’t even any guards around. The place seemed deserted. As they walked through this set of double doors however, all that changed very quickly.
As soon as the doors opened, the silence swiftly changed to an inarticulate din that was coming from further down the marble corridor they were now standing in. They walked towards the noise and it grew louder and louder until Faedra could make out that it was lots of angry, concerned voices. They turned through another set of solid oak doors, which were already open this time, and walked straight into a cavernous room that was crammed with people all talking at once. There were lots of them, nearly filling the sizeable room, and this time they noticed her. Some of them eyed her with scrutiny, others looked at her with confusion, some with concern, and others with a knowing expression. She noticed that some of them looked out of place, too. A distinct feeling of unease swept over her, and she subconsciously moved closer to Faen until she was almost touching him.
The setting sun was streaming in through vast stained glass windows that lined the walls and depicted scenes from nature. Floating chandeliers bobbed about overhead, casting sparkles of light on the inhabitants of the room below them.
