“Did you ever meet any of the faeries again?”
“No. I kept trying to find a way to reach Arawn or anyone in Faerie who would help me. Though no matter how many visits I paid, I never saw the little man again and I wouldn’t go into any of the raths. They would definitely take me then. I kept up the visits for over twenty years.”
“Why did you stop?”
He rubbed his chin, scratchy and in need of a shave. “I had to keep my part of the bargain.”
“What was that?”
“In exchange for getting my son back, I had to give up my soul. To Arawn.”
Blood drained from my face and I stared at my Grandda. He’d loved my father enough to risk it all and give up his life and his love.
“By that time, you were born and were a—”
“Year and a half old,” I said.
He nodded. “Aye, and a smart little tyke even then.” A smile lit his face, making it seem almost boyish for a second until the memories flooded back to him.
“And you didn’t die of a heart attack,” I said.
He looked at the floor. “No, it was more of a rough end than that. Our ship went down off the coast. There were no survivors. He came for me, Arawn did, and he also took the rest. They hadn’t done anything wrong. He called them spares.”
“I never knew.”
He looked up at me. “Your Gran, she probably didn’t want you to worry about going into the water, didn’t want you to be afraid. She was thoughtful like that,” he said, a wistful smile on his face.
“Yeah.” Sorry, Gran, I should have known. Grabbing the small book, I waved it at him. “But what does Stephen have to do with the second part of the prophecy? He’s not in the book. There’s nothing mentioned about him at all.”
“I’ve told you as much as I can. There are parts of this that you’ll have to find out for yourself.” Tai scratched his head and seemed to swivel slightly on the short squat wooden chair. “We tried to take you with us, to get custody of both you and Roger. Alistair tried to pull every string that he could after your mother died.”
After the horror of finding Gabe’s car, being ripped from Cali’s side, and nearly run over, being with my Grandda filled me with emotion. Complete polar opposite compared to the crushing numbness that had kept me moving forward for so long.
“Have you gone to Faerie and looked for your real son?” I asked again.
Sighing, Grandda came and sat down next to me, looking much more solid than an apparition should. He seemed real and I could feel warmth coming off of his body.
“I can’t leave the Cusp. If I could, I would go to Faerie myself, but I can’t. I’m forever trapped here.”
“If I get out of this, Cali and I will go and look for your real son.”
Grandda laughed as if I’d given him the most wonderful news. “So you call her Cali, do you?”
A small smile escaped me, but I couldn’t keep it up. Worries about Cali, where she’d gone to, if she’d been trapped, haunted me.
“You two are going to have a rough time of it,” Grandda said.
Let’s state the obvious, why don’t we? “I think we’re already having a rough time.”
He laughed again. “We’ve all pretty much taken sides, all of us in Faerie and the Cusp. You’ll have to trust your gut because you’ll not be able to tell who is for or against you. In your darkest hour, I’ll be there though.”
“I’m sorry, Grandda.” I looked at my shoes, tears filling my eyes because I would have to leave soon and because he’d saved me.
“But you did nothing, my boy. Everything that has happened has only hurt you. You didn’t bring it upon yourself.”
“Yeah, but I’m sorry you had to go through it.” My words sat in the room like a third person. For a moment, Grandda placed his arms over my shoulder and I was filled with warmth that uplifted me. In that moment, I didn’t doubt that everything would eventually be all right. We would be okay. He removed his arm and I was cold again, though some of the unexpected warmth of his touch remained.
When I looked at Grandda, he seemed a little fuzzy around the edges, as though he were a TV with bad reception, or a pixelated image stretched beyond its resolution.
“I have to go now, don’t I?” I pushed my hands down into my pockets.
Grandda’s voice sounded thick again. “Yes, my boy. When I open the door, you’ll be on your own. You must get to the top of Cadillac Mountain. A portal there will take you back to Ireland. Lugh will be waiting.”
“Why can’t he just come here and get us?”
Grandda seemed to be taking on more transparency by the moment. “There’s a barrier around this entire area keeping Lugh and Brigid out.”
“Aren’t there other gods and goddess that could help? Aren’t there people in Greece or something?”
“That’s the problem with young people today. Nobody wants to get involved. They all keep to themselves,” Grandda scoffed.
“But can’t Arawn impact them as well?”
“They’ve all turned a blind eye. We’re on our own, lad.”
The time had come to ask the hard question. “So Arawn’s alive…He’s been the one trying to get to me all along, isn’t he?”
Grandda nodded. That was the only answer I needed. My knees grew weak at the prospect of seeing Arawn again, but I had to finish what I’d started.
He opened the door. Cautiously, looking around, I took one step outside of Grandda’s cottage, turned and looked at him.
“Don’t ever forget who you are, Kellen. Each of us lives our own life; our past is only one part of who we are. Never forget that you have a choice about who you want to be.”
As the door closed behind me, I watched the cottage fade away. Turning, I took my next step and found myself on the front porch of my father’s Tudor mansion in upstate New York.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CALI—CLIMB
Oh, Kellen!
They all stood there staring at me. Hundreds of faeries, all staring at the goddess turned mortal. Was it possible that I had been a goddess only a few days ago? That I’d stood in my wedding dress, waiting to marry Kellen?
Now I stood on the road, alone. Just me. No one came to help. My body had become a weak and weary shell again. I could not see any way out. Not as a mortal against an army of immortals.
I reminded myself that Fire was on my side. Having Fire as a partner certainly increased my chances, but I couldn’t help but think about how much more useful it would have been if I could shape shift.
Shifters were much more difficult to figure out. There were so many different types; some inhabited Faerie and some did not. Either way, it would have been easier to reach my goal if I were an animal or a bird.
As a test, I called Fire with my mind, but only enough to warm my hands, wary of using my gift so close to the trees. If I were to set them alight, it would be disastrous and I couldn’t be responsible for that. Maybe if I made it to the top of the mountain, the trees would begin to thin out.
“So we meet again, my dear niece!” Cana stepped out from behind the army, taking confident steps into the space that separated us. “It’s a pity what happened to dear Walter, but it was his own fault.”
She threw something at me then. It landed only a few inches from my person. I refused to look down and tried to block out the peripheral image and the scent of the charred faerie. Only my inner strength kept me from vomiting. I would have no choice; I would have to kill to save Kellen.
“You’re a disgusting disgrace to our race, Cana.” My voice rose as I spoke.
“Our race? You know that I am no longer one of you. I am something so much more.” Cana’s voice reflected…what, false pride? She certainly didn’t seem happy with her lot if she’d been so focused on getting the amulet from Kellen to restore her looks.
Cana walked closer to me; her sly smile dripping like melted wax on her face. Taking a step further to meet her, I spat out: “You are nothing.”
Cana’s one eye widened in surprise, before reverting to cold blankness. Her voice sounded placid when she spoke next. “Kill her. This time, get it right.”
My heart pounded. There was only one option, for I needed a diversion. “I’m sorry, Cana. Truly.”
Her eyes registered shock for an instant before turning to horror as I raised my hands and used my gift of Fire to destroy her on the spot, fire shooting out of my hands with all of the power of a gift that had been restrained entirely too long. When I stopped, I’d done the same to her as she had to dear Walter.
Tears and soot clouded my vision as I looked up to the army flying toward me. Most halted in mid-air when they witnessed what I’d done to Cana. They fell sideways, stumbling into one another in an effort to avoid me.
For a heartbeat, we stared at one another and then many of the army, fled into the woods upon realizing Cana’s death. Scanning the group, I searched for a second-in-command, but only came up with Bob, who seemed shaken. He probably didn’t want to be there any more than I did. His eyes were bloodshot, and Walter came to mind. I’d live because Walter had given me a chance.
Maybe trying the same approach with this group would work. I hadn’t had much experience speaking to large groups, but I had to try. Clearing my throat, I addressed them. “Children of Danu, friends, you have been misled! My father is not the one responsible for trapping you. Arawn is. He’s the one that imprisoned you, with the power of an amulet, Danu’s amulet.”
There were whispers from the group, but I continued. “You’ve been told that Kellen St. James has the amulet. This is a lie. Willock has it and he is going to give it to Arawn, who lives. Unless you help me!”
There was a collective gasp across the group as many took this in. The local members of Faerie, who were not part of my family, seemed confused. They looked around to one another for an explanation.
“Remember The Call? He used the amulet to pull you back into Faerie. The amulet is the reason he’s been able to trap you, to maintain that much control over you. My uncle Dillion stole the amulet to protect all of you, but now Dillion is dead and Willock has it. When he returns it to Arawn, Arawn’s power will be restored and you will become his prisoners once more.”
Several outraged cries arose from the group. “Why should we believe you?” This came from a faerie that stood just behind Bob. He was short and squat, but that was the most that I could make out. I missed my goddess eyesight, which would have allowed me to see every characteristic in minute detail.
“You should believe me because I’m telling the truth.”
A small faerie, probably a member of the local tribe, stepped forward. He danced on the spot, his voice squeaky as he spoke. “My family would have helped you.”
“I’m afraid that we were unaware of your existence. We do tend to stay amongst our own kind, do we not?”
There were murmurs of agreement from the group again as they processed what I said. A taller faerie, at least four feet tall—a giant compared to the rest of them—moved out from the group to stand in front of me. “I don’t hold with the beliefs of the Children of Danu. We’ve been free for as long as I can remember. We’ve only been involved because of Cana’s threats.”
“Then stand with me and fight Arawn. I am only trying to protect my family too. If you align with me, I can help you. Against me, and you’re on your own.”
For a brief moment, I worried if anyone would believe me, if any of them cared. In the next instant, half of the group joined me, some of them walking but most of them flying over to stand behind me.
My heart soared. Kellen! I’ll find you, my love! Though I still didn’t know if I could trust the army standing behind me, I realized that I had no choice. Turning back in their direction, I whispered, “Welcome, friends.”
Stepping forward from the opposing group walked a man I had never met before. He was tall, about Gabe’s height, and had long snow-white hair, much like Dillion’s in color. He was dressed in a white robe. Would he, too, be on my side? Then he spoke. His voice sounded smooth, elegant. “So now that the weak have chosen sides, it’s time that we go about killing you.”
Before I could speak or react in any way, paralysis gripped me. I couldn’t move a single muscle in my body. One thought slammed into my mind: This was a trap.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
KELLEN—ALONE
Standing on the porch outside of Stephen’s house, my legs went numb with remembered fear. Try as I might to shake it off, the all-encompassing emotion soon overtook me. I searched for an escape.
The last time we’d met, I hadn’t known about what he’d done to my mother. On that day—incidentally, the day of my graduation—I’d thought of him only as a self-indulgent ass. Now he’d graduated to murderer. Being here and knowing how my mother died…It ripped open the wound again. It burned my heart, tore at it, a festering mass across my chest.
I didn’t want to go through the door and see him, for if I did, I was afraid I would kill him after what he’d done to my mother. If he even tried to mock my words, I would have to kill him and risk my life. There could be no choice.
Turning, I looked out across the lawns of Stephen’s estate. Maine had ceased to exist, at least for me. The cottage had only been a respite. It would seem that I’d truly ended up at Stephen’s. Though what Stephen had to do with all of this, I still didn’t understand.
Reaching up, I touched the pendant that my mother had given me, where it rested against my chest. It comforted me, though it held no power. Letting go, I turned toward the door and tried to move my hand forward. My body shook so much that I could barely move.
I just couldn’t bring myself to go in. Could I get anywhere walking? The short answer was probably not. Stephen’s house was a bit out there, and it would be a risky walk in the dark. My head hurt as I tried to plan my next move. Thoughts of Cali assaulted me.
As I walked down from the porch, I heard her name with each step. Cali. Cali. Cali. Cali. Ignoring the voice, I backed away and walked toward the garage, which stood off to one side. I noticed that the further I got from the house, the stronger I became, almost as if the house drew energy from me. I kept moving.
Reaching the garage, I opened the box that hung directly next to the door and took out the spare key to the garage that Stephen’s driver usually left there. Stephen, of course, had no idea. Otherwise he’d probably have had the man fired long ago for posing a security risk. Reaching into the box, my hand clasped around the door key and pulled it out.
Slipping the key into the lock, I opened the door and quietly moved inside, doing a scan of the interior. There didn’t seem to be anyone around. A low utility light in the corner illuminated several sets of keys which hung in orderly rows on the wall nearby. Stephen had several cars, though I couldn’t say that he particularly loved them. He never seemed to particularly love anything. Glancing at the cars in the garage, I searched for the least conspicuous vehicle there.
Snatching a set of keys to a grey Lexus, which I identified by the tidy label attached to it, I walked over to the car. Cali. Cali. Cali. Cali. My weary mind kept repeating her name over and over. Repressing my thoughts again, I slid behind the wheel, cringing as the garage door opened a little too loudly for my taste. Starting up the car, the engine turned over smoothly and I floored it, memory guiding me through the open gate and down the twisting, turning drive that would take me away from Stephen’s house. With every inch that I drove, the anxiety that had attacked me on the front steps gradually evaporated.
The final turn and then I’m out. Then I’d be home free and could get on the highway. But where was I going? Oh right, Cali. My heart pounded as I realized that for a moment I’d been on the verge of forgetting.
Who’s Cali?
The question entered my mind just as I turned the last corner and slammed on the brakes. My father stood at the exit, his arms extended out in front of him. The second set of gates was closed behind him.
The tires squealed as I fo
rced the brakes, willing myself to stop. “No! Father!”
My father’s eyes widened in that final moment before the car slammed into the locked gates.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CALI—BATTLE
Come on, Cali. Forcing my eyes shut, I tried to move the muscles in my jaw, to do something, anything that would help us. Yet I found to my infinite distress that I couldn’t. Not a single muscle would respond to my mental command.
Not a single finger, not a single toe. Kellen, will I die without seeing you again? My mind replayed the last time we’d been together, the passion with which he’d kissed me, the heat that passed between us. To die never knowing what it would be like to be his wife, never knowing life as a fully-grown mortal woman. I would never be a partner, or a parent. My life would just…end.
Opening my eyes, I looked at my captor. He seemed to be assessing us all. This situation reminded me of the time when Kellen and I had been trapped by the Soul Snatchers in Faerie—the invisible creatures that paralyzed you with depression until you ended your own life, after which they claimed your soul.
The power of the one who stood before me seemed to be much like that of the Soul Snatchers. If they were the same sort of being, then I would be able to break free of the paralysis as soon as I recognized that its control only extended to my mind and not my body.
Closing my eyes again, I focused on the paralysis that held me. I’m not really trapped, I’m free. I’m not really trapped, I’m free. As I said this mantra in my mind repeatedly, it seemed as though the paralysis lessened and I could feel my fingers and toes again. In very rapid succession, I gained full use of my body and I once again found myself in control.
Having taken a good look at us all, the man in white walked toward our group. “Now that we have our little rebellion under control, I think it is time that we put an end to this. It would be most enjoyable if we could execute each of you, individually.” He’d been walking as he spoke and had come to a complete stop in front of me. I pretended that my paralysis still held. “We will start with you,” he said, raising his hand to touch me.
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