Agathon was not happy to be here. Arna was quiet. Too quiet. Looking around, she let her body pick up on the surrounding area to sense out the danger.
All was calm and quiet. The birds continued their chirping. A squirrel ran up a tree to their left, tail twitching, and another followed right behind.
Squirrels. Huh. I wonder if they’d let me pet them? she thought.
They were cute creatures. Yet, from what she understood, humans didn’t treat them as pets. Just a quick, they disappeared, and the world went silent.
“Maybe I should check it out before you reveal yourselves?” she offered.
A loud sound banged through the air. Hands flying to her ears, Maezy could sense the danger now. She felt the presence of someone who didn’t want them.
“What?!” Maezy shouted.
Arna squeaked and ducked.
“Oh dear,” Agathon gasped.
“Stop now, if you know what’s good for you!” a woman’s voice called out. “You’re trespassing, and I’m gonna call the police.”
“Maggie!” Agathon’s voice returned the shout.
Silence.
“Maggie, I know you know me! Arna’s with me. We need shelter.”
Expletive.
“She seems friendly.” Maezy turned to them with her hands on her hips.
“Who’s the third girl?!”
“A friend, Maggie. She saved our lives. We need your help.”
Another expletive.
“Anywhere else we can go?” Maezy questioned.
Agathon shook her head.
“Great. Crazy woman from Missouri is our best option. Earth seems a little less homey now.”
Agathon shook her own head, and Maezy picked up on the message. She shut up.
“Fine. Come on in, and make sure you wipe your feet!” Maggie hollered.
“She won’t shoot us, will she?” Maezy couldn’t help asking.
“No. She’s predominantly bluster. Osvaldr loved her sense of humor, and although he’d deny it, her heart.” Agathon walked forward, pulling Arna with her.
“Osvaldr? Osvaldr is your husband?”
Weary, Agathon nodded.
“This explains so much. It explains Brandalfr’s powers, why my father chose him, everything! Where is he? Why didn’t he rescue you?” Maezy chattered, excited.
Taking a breath, Maezy realized her blunder. The reason had to be very sad by the looks on their faces. Wishing she could take her questions back, instead, she began walking again and pretended she hadn't asked anything.
“Let’s get inside,” she said. “I’m glad she’ll help us. I have to get back soon. My father has my mother, and I don’t want things to get worse in my absence.”
Agathon nodded again as they resumed their walk. Maggie was there to greet them at the edge of the porch. Rifle in hand, she didn’t look as Maezy expected. Wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a frown, she invited them up.
“Well, it seems a bad penny always turns up. So, where’s my deadbeat brother?”
Maezy took a peek around the porch but bolted her eyes onto the family reunion in front of her with that question.
“Not here,” Agathon told her.
“What? Did he leave you? I knew he would. Something was wrong with that boy. Never right in the head. Come on in. Are you thirsty? Hungry?”
“A little,” Agathon allowed.
Arna nodded, and Maezy did likewise.
“Hey, newcomer. I’m Maggie. Come on inside. I’ll get something into you. All three of you look like you could do with some fattening.”
Maezy watched the woman amble forward. Her manner relaxed and welcoming, if a bit gruff. Her brown, curly hair was pulled into a ponytail. Maggie reached her chest and no further. The older woman’s figure was filled out, wrinkles crinkled her eyes, and skin browned.
“Watch out for the dog. He’s being lazy today and plopped himself in front of the door. I think his arthritis is acting up again. Gave him a pill with his snack.”
Inside, Maezy noticed the cool air first. Hitting her in the face, another smack of reality. This time a pleasant one. Deep breath, the tightness in her chest eased. She saw the dog before tripping and stepped over him. The large, brown and black blob didn’t move except for his tail, which banged against the floor on repeat.
“He’s sweet!” Arna cooed, got down on all fours, and rubbed his fur.
“He likes you, too,” Maggie replied, leading them through the small room and into the kitchen.
White walls everywhere. Black cabinets and counters. It was so different from the open houses and castle of her own realm. Maezy took in every nook. She’d have a lot to share with her mother when she returned.
Return.
“Agathon, I need to go soon.”
“Yes, I didn’t forget.”
“Go? Go where? You just got here!” Maggie waved them to the table and chairs in the left corner.
“She has to meet up with her mother, Maggie,” Agathon clarified.
“Well, have something to drink before you leave.” Maggie went to the sink and washed her hands before taking glasses out of the cupboard.
“Thank you,” Maezy told her as Maggie set a glass of ice water in front of her.
“You all want sandwiches? I have some lunch meat and cheese. Or peanut butter and jelly.”
“What’s that?” Arna wanted to know.
“What? You don’t know— never mind. I’m make you a sandwich. Sit down there and relax.”
A few minutes later, they were introduced to what a sandwich was, and Maezy enjoyed the lunch meat. In her realm, as well as Agathon’s, they never ate meat. Although she tried it, she noticed Agathon and Arna stuck to the peanut butter and jelly, as it was called. Maezy found she liked it as well. Maybe more than the meat and cheese.
“Thank you, Miss Maggie.”
“Just Maggie, girl.” The older woman corrected her. Again.
“Thank you, Maggie. Do you mind if I freshen up before I leave?”
“Go right ahead. Agathon, you recall where the guest rooms and baths are, right? Show the young lady along. You and Arna may want to nap, yourselves, after she leaves. Do you need a ride, Maezy?”
“Oh, no, thank you.” Maezy smiled.
“Right, then. I’m gonna clean up here. Agathon, you girls go right along. Make yourselves at home. Let me know when you need something.”
Escaping to a bedroom upstairs, Maezy looked at more white walls and pink ruffled bedspreads. “I like her,” Maezy said, before she sat on the bed.
“She’s a little less hostile than the last time we were here,” Agathon revealed and shut the door behind them.
“That’s good to know. Will this room be safe?”
“I think so. Arna will help keep an eye out and waylay Maggie if she tries to enter. It’s the room I stayed in the last time we were here.” Agathon nodded her daughter to head out the door.
“Alright. It’s time I return. Brandalfr is probably running out of excuses and wondering how you all are. We’ll find a way out of this,” Maezy told them.
Agathon nodded, and Arna reached over to give her another hug. Maezy had never been hugged so often before this. She might grow to like it.
“I’ll miss you,” the young girl told her.
“I’ll miss you, too,” Maezy replied.
“Be safe,” Arna whispered before heading toward the door, where she paused.
“I will,” she told them.
“Maezy?” Agathon called as Maezy lay on the bed and closed her eyes.
“Yes?” Looking at the older woman, she could again see the resemblance to Bradalfr.
“Please be careful,” the older woman requested.
“I’ll do my best.” Rubbing a hand against her chest, Maezy felt a hitch inside. A strange pull she’d never felt previously. Deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried not to register the fear her mother’s words brought back.
Fading into the darkness, she heard a voice.
“Come back to us, Maezy.” Arna’s last words warmed her heart.
She held onto them as the inky twilight enfolded her.
11
You learn a lot when you come out of the darkness. First, furniture was not your friend. Second, neither were warlock hybrids.
Owowowowowowowow!” Maezy cried as she stubbed her toe against a side table in the same room she’d disappeared from not that long ago.
“Can you stop your infernal yelling! I can’t concentrate!”
Sticking her tongue out at his bowed head, Maezy rubbed her toes through her shoe and stood back up. “Thanks for the concern.”
“What happened? Are they all right?” His head raised and eyes met. Frown lines creased his face and wrinkled his brow.
“No one died. Which is a plus in my book. I managed to get them out. They’re at a safe place,” Maezy revealed.
“Good.” A sigh followed, shoulders relaxed.
“Do you want to know where?” Maezy asked him.
“I think for their safety, not at the moment,” he told her and shook his head.
Maezy nodded and looked at the books he had stacked on the table. Thick volumes were spread open and covered the whole surface.
Knowing they were going to be up against a lot more fights with her father, she told him, “His men know I was there.”
“What?” Brandalfr stared up at her, before standing up. His hair was mussed, pieces sticking up and crossing over each other like an electric puff.
“His men saw me. It will only be a matter of time before they tell him I was there in this form. I had to reveal myself to your mother and sister. For them to see me, it meant I wasn’t invisible to the elves. Of course, they sensed my presence almost immediately.”
“Did they follow you? Are my mother and sister in jeopardy?” He leaned his hands on the books and stretched across the table to grill her.
“No. They won’t have a clue. Your mother helped me find an elf path. They’re safe. We weren’t followed.”
He let out a long breath. “I see. However, if they tell your father that you were there, he’ll know I sent you.”
“Exactly,” she agreed. “We need to come up with a Plan B asap. Any ideas?”
He shook his head.
“Where’s my mother?” Maezy inquired.
“In the dungeon. King Ingvar had her taken there when she refused to tell us how to wake up you. For which, I’m grateful, since I didn’t know how your rescue was going. Now your father has me pouring over books trying to find a way to wake you. Any chance you know what would do the trick?” he requested.
“No, my mother isn’t exactly the sharing type. Actually, how long do you think you can stall?” An idea started to form, and she wanted to know.
“Stall? The king?” Brandalfr’s eyebrows raised.
“Yes, the king. If you can stall him, maybe I can talk to my mother and free her. We need to have a plan for when you do wake me.”
He seemed to consider it. At that point, Maezy had to flicker her eyes back up so he wouldn’t catch her staring. At his lips.
“Do you think it will work? If you can free your mother?” He glanced at her.
“I don’t know, but if I find her and ask, maybe she’ll have an answer. Do you know how she got captured? She’s always been so powerful; I can’t bring myself to even imagine what happened.”
Clearing his throat and looking down, Brandalfr said, “I was able to use what I know to help the Seekers break through. Once they were in, I could concentrate my efforts on Maleficent. She is very, very strong, but I’m stronger.”
Mouth dropping, Maezy had no response. No one had ever won against her mother. No one. Ever. No one.
Except Brandalfr.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes,” Maezy told him. “I’m confused but fine. I just can’t imagine you defeating my mother. No one has ever won against her. Ever.”
“I have a different strength of magic, and I don’t see why it’s that hard to believe. You know, my father could have vanquished her. If he wanted. He always told me he respected your mother. They had an agreement. He stayed in his realm, she stayed in hers, and neither would go against the other.”
“My mother knows your father?” She was surprised.
He shrugged. “Of course. Why wouldn’t they know each other?”
“She never mentioned him.”
“And that surprises you because?” he wanted to know.
“I don’t know. You know about my mother. He talked about her, didn’t he?” She took a few steps forward and rested her hands on the back of the couch.
“Yeah, a long time ago,” he responded.
Something in his voice had her snapping her mouth closed. Walking forward, she kept her gaze on the books. They were easier to look at than the elf behind them. Stepping up to the side of the desk, she watched as he straightened and took a step back.
Funny, he’s more powerful than my mother, but he’s backing away from me.
Her eyes on the books, Maezy reached out a hand and perused its contents. Fingering a page closest to her, she took in the words and symbols. A few of them were recognizable, thanks to her mother, but she couldn’t read it.
“Do you know what it means?” Brandalfr asked.
She shook her head. “My mother would know.”
Peeking up, she smiled at him. He didn’t return the smile. Instead, his eyes seemed to narrow as they stared at her with their eerie golden hue. They seemed to be cognizant of what she was thinking, and she couldn’t stuff the inconspicuous thoughts away. Swallowing, she blinked and took a step back.
“It’s time for me to go,” she said. “I’ll be as quick as I can. Who knows how long we have before King Ingvar gets the news that your mother and sister have vanished.”
“Good point. Be quick,” he instructed, turning back to the books.
She nodded, before she closed her eyes, and focused on her mother and the dungeons. It was only a few minutes before the world shifted, and she opened her eyes to a dark hallway similar to the one she’d just escaped from with Brandalfr's mother and sister.
Torch lights flickered as wisps of wind tunneled along the dimly lit hall. Trailing her fingertips along the stones, she descended, keeping an eye out for guards or her father. Even if they couldn’t see her, elves had an uncanny way of sensing others.
Maezy traveled along until the hallway took a turn to the left. Following it, her ears picked up on a low rumble of voices. Slowing, she hugged the left, stone wall and glanced around the corner.
Standing in his purple and gold robes, his profile in view, she spotted her father. He was the only one there. Looking backward, she saw no one else approaching. Turning her gaze forward, Maezy leaned against the wall and listened in on his conversation with her mother.
“You used to be the most powerful person in the world, Maleficent. So sad you have fallen from the top. How ironic that a boy managed it. You might recall his father though? Osvaldr? Such a powerful warlock. I believe he left this realm because of you?”
Maezy strained to hear her mother’s response. She was eager to find out some information of her own, but her mother didn’t say a word.
“Reluctant to share secrets? I thought we were past all that, Maleficent. Us being old friends.”
“We were never friends, Ingvar,” Maleficent ridiculed.
“Tisk, tisk. I’m sorry you don’t see us as friends. You really are beautiful, Maleficent.”
“You are poison, Ingvar. We were lovers, never friends. If you think compliments will sway me or reminiscing over old times, you are mistaken.”
Ingvar’s fist hit the cell bars, and Maezy jumped back. Hand on her heart, she inched forward a bit. “Don’t test me, Maleficent! You will come out the loser. Brandalfr is working on the answer right now. He will have it soon. The boy is smart.”
“Another one to add to your collection?” Maleficent snarled.
“You can never have
too many strong allies,” Ingvar smirked.
“Except when they’re being held against their will,” Maleficent hit the bars this time, with great force.
Unmoved, the king chuckled. “We could do this the easy way, but you refused to wake our daughter up.”
“My daughter will stay the way she is until I am ready. You will never find out how to wake her, and I have no plans to help you.”
“Maybe I don’t need your assistance. Brandalfr will find out what needs to be done.”
“He will never find out. A spell can’t break this spell,” Her mother’s words were angry but satisfied.
Maezy held her breath. What? How was she going to wake up?
“What do you mean it won’t take a spell?” All play gone from his voice, Ingvar leaned forward and snapped.
“That’s all I can say. It’s all I’m going to say,” her voice sneered.
“Then, you leave me no choice. If a spell won’t wake her up, I will have to resort to other measures. I dare say, measures you won’t like.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wait and see.” He turned and headed in Maezy’s direction.
Terrified he’d sense her, she stepped back and looked around. Doors spread out along the walls to other cells. Closing her eyes, she pictured herself in her mother's cell.
“There you are!” Maleficent scoffed.
“Sorry. I didn’t think it’d be a great idea to pop into your cell until I inspected the area. It turned out to be the best idea since father was right outside and would have sensed my presence.”
“What has been going on? You were supposed to stop the boy!” Green eyes glowing, Maleficent’s red lips flattened.
“He can see me.”
“What?”
“Brandalfr can see me. He tried to hold off as long as he could, but he had no choice. When I got here, he saw me, but said nothing until father left the room. After, we talked,” Maezy informed her mother.
“The boy didn’t tell your father?”
“No, Brandalfr hasn’t told him.”
Maleficent crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Why? What kind of game is he playing?”
“The reason he’s helping is because father had his mother and sister locked up in another realm. I went to find them and set them free. After, I returned to find you here,” Maezy explained.
The Four Tales Page 73
