by J. C. Lucas
Why did she even ask me? Obviously, she could read my mind if she wanted to.
“Teagan is a nice guy. He’s helped me a lot, and I think we’ll be pretty good friends. I haven't gotten to meet many other people yet. There is this one guy, though, Hunter. He’s so strange. He instantly hated me, and I can’t figure out why. Teagan didn’t seem to like him very much either. The school itself is okay, I guess,” I said, not wanting to be too optimistic.
“Well, I think you ought to invite Teagan over for a little while after school, and anyone else you’d like. It would do you good to spend time with someone your age. I can grill burgers for dinner, and the weather will be so nice. You can eat outside or have a picnic! What do you think, Andie?” she asked excitedly as if it was the best idea since sliced bread.
“I don't know if he’d want to come over Celeste. But sure, I’ll invite him. Just make sure Charlie doesn’t say anything inappropriate.” I laughed as I went up the stairs to bed.
“Andie?”
I stopped and turned around.
“Don’t forget your music tonight. You don’t want to tempt the nightmares...”
I wasn’t surprised at all that she knows about those too. The way she said it sounded almost ominous, causing a shiver to run up my spine and the hair on my arms to stand up.
No... I didn’t want to tempt the nightmares.
I settled in bed for the night, reading another book I found in Celeste’s library. It was intriguing, and I had a hard time putting the story down. When I got to an intense part of the book, a noise from the backyard startled me so much that I almost fell out of the bed. It hadn’t been loud, but I was so focused on who killed Mrs. Brisby that I tuned out everything around me. The slight noise sounded again, and then I heard whispers.
Quiet as a mouse, I slid out of bed and tiptoed to the window. Pulling back the curtain just enough to see, I peered down at the yard. There were four figures hunched together, all dressed in blue robes.
What are they doing?
As if they heard my thought, all four heads turned to look up at me. Celeste, Anne, and Sari. The fourth person kept their face averted, but a blonde ponytail poked out from the blue hood. I let the curtain drop, belatedly realizing that it didn’t matter since they had seen me already. They weren’t chanting or dancing in circles, so I suspected that they were just visiting and being weird old women. My imagination already cooked up all kinds of scenarios. I was seriously too tired to worry about what those women were doing.
Crawling back into bed, I switched off the light and turned my music on. It wasn’t long before sleep pulled me under.
Chapter Six
The next day at school flew by, and luckily, I didn’t run into Hunter at all. I also made another friend, Presley. She was the total opposite of me: blonde hair, blue eyes, and much more feminine in her fashion tastes. She had approached me in the library during our homeroom period, plopped herself down in the chair in front of me, and we struck up a conversation about our favorite books. It blew me away that she enjoyed fantasy books as much as I did.
Despite her looks, she seemed brilliant and kind. We immediately hit it off, and I was embarrassed that I had stereotyped her. I had to work on that. Come to find out, she was also a friend of Teagan. She had grown up down the street from him and told me a few funny stories. I would have to tease him about them later.
Remembering what Celeste had said about inviting Teagan for dinner, I shyly asked them if they would like to come. To my surprise, both said yes, so we made plans to meet there after school. I was excited to get to know them better, to maybe have a chance to actually have close friends. I’d never been interested in building relationships with other kids my age before, and it was a strange but exhilarating feeling.
That afternoon, as I sat with Charlie trying to teach him how to say “wowza,” someone pulled in the drive.
“Hey, Charlie, I’ve got some new friends for you to meet!” I hollered at him as I rushed outside.
“New friends! New friends!” he sang.
I ran to the front door and flung it wide open. But it wasn’t Teagan and Presley standing on the doorstep. It was Hunter. Both of his hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans, his dark hair hanging over one eye with a mischievous grin on his face. My mind raced to figure out what he wanted, and my excitement faded, replaced with tension and wariness. How did he even figure out where I lived?
A sleek black and chrome motorcycle sat parked out by the road. Figured. A motorcycle would be something he would drive. Dark and dangerous.
“Uh, hi, Hunter. Did you come here to try to scare me away again?”
I was abrupt and blunt with him because I wasn’t about to give this guy the satisfaction of being rude to me again. Nan always taught me to know my worth, and I knew I didn’t have to put up with any crap from him again. I could give it back just as well as I could take it.
He shrugged, the smile on his face slipping, and his eyes turned stormy. The change in emotion was unexpected and familiar. I recognized my own attitude in him. Trying to be tough to cover up emotions that we thought would make us seem weak.
And just as quickly, that show of emotion disappeared, the mischievous look appearing again in his eyes, and with raised eyebrows, he leaned forward, tugging on my hair.
Swatting at his hand, I ground out, “Quit! Tell me what you want before I slam this door in your face.”
His face fell once again as he took a step back, putting distance between the two of us
“Listen, I didn’t come here to scare you or tell you to leave town. I didn’t come here intending to make you mad. I’m not very good at this. I came to apologize, but if you’d rather I didn’t, I’ll leave...” he trailed off, turning to go.
“Wait, what?” I stuttered. He turned around slowly, a resigned look on his face.
“Why would you suddenly feel bad about how you treated me the day we met? You obviously have something against me. It’s hard for me to believe you had a change of heart since I didn’t do anything in the first place.”
I put my hands on my hips, waiting on what lie he might come up with now. He seemed like the kind of guy who lied a lot.
“Andie, I thought you were something you aren’t. I’m sorry—really, I am. I’m not an easy guy to get along with, and when I think someone is a threat, I have a hard time curbing my instincts. I know you don’t understand, but I had to come and apologize,” Hunter stated plainly. He seemed sincere, and I reluctantly sensed that he told the truth.
“Well, I guess only time will tell who the real Hunter is. If you can prove you’re not that mean jerk from the first day of school, I might consider your apology,” I stated.
“Ohhhh... You’ll consider, huh?” His eyes sparkled again, and I knew he was amused. Turning to walk back to his motorcycle, he spoke over his shoulder, voice dripping with arrogance. “You’ll accept. I know you will.”
He slipped his helmet on as another vehicle barreled up the driveway. Dust from the white rock flew in the air behind the black truck before it came to an abrupt stop behind Hunters motorcycle. Teagan and Presley hopped out, and the looks on their faces as they stared at Hunter were priceless. Presley’s mouth hung open wide, and Teagan was furious. Uh-oh...
“Teagan, Presley,” Hunter acknowledged them.
They both stood there, still as statues, staring at him. Teagan showed open animosity, while Presley looked a bit star struck. Hunter glanced back at me once before sliding smoothly onto his bike. As he turned the ignition on, the bike let out a roar made louder by him revving it up. Giving us a salute, he drove off, kicking up dust behind his tires as we watched until we couldn’t see him any longer.
“What the heck was he doing here, Andie?” Teagan asked as we walked up to the porch. A frown creased his eyebrows, and I could tell he was really worked up about it.
“Well, he basically told me that he was sorry for the way he treated me when we first met. I’m not sure why, but I be
lieve him. I wanted to slam the door in his face when I first saw him, but something about the way he acted made me think that this tough act is just that: an act. I kind of felt sorry for him, guys.”
Teagan rolled his eyes but calmed down some. He was trying hard not to say what was on his mind.
“What, Teagan? What has you so wound up about him being here? I don’t understand what the deal is between you two. If I didn’t know any better, I would guess you thought he was some evil villain,” I joked, attempting to lighten the mood.
“He’s hot in a kind of evil villain sort of way,” Presley said with sass, looking at Teagan from the side of her eye. She was trying to work Teagan up even more, and the look of shock he gave her was amusing.
I laughed, and she joined me, but Teagan didn’t seem to find her funny at all. I agreed with Presley, though. Maybe it was the mystery surrounding him or the bad boy vibe he embodied. Something drew me to him regardless of how he acted.
Rather than staying out here talking about Hunter and letting Teagan get worked up more than he already was, I steered them toward the house. “Oh, you’ve got to meet chatty Charlie! He’s been waiting to meet you both, Celeste too! She’s around here somewhere.”
Chapter Seven
While I lay in bed, I thought about the fun evening we all had together. Celeste was so excited to meet Teagan and Presley, and Charlie wouldn’t shut up. I thought Presley would never stop laughing when he shouted “wowza” at her. Talk about hilarious! Teagan had helped Celeste grill the burgers, and then we all sat outside on the patio enjoying each other’s company. It just felt comfortable and right.
Presley informed me I just had to go to Moonlight and Magic. I remembered seeing the sign on the office door and asked her to tell me about it. She had said it was a dance where everyone dressed up as a mythical creature, sort of like a costume party with a theme. Ironic, but I agreed it sounded fun. If only I weren’t off doing whatever Eira and Balwyn thought I needed to do to save the world. Sighing, I flipped on my music and turned out the light.
As I drifted off to sleep, my brain screamed at me and I jolted up in bed.
Oh, crap! I had forgotten to go to the tree!
Sitting straight up, I flung off the covers and tore the earbuds out of my ears, scrambling up, I threw on some clothes. Balwyn and Eira would be so disappointed in me if I didn’t show up as I promised. I couldn’t let them down. Grabbing a flashlight, I slapped on my beanie and left the house.
The night was darker than usual, the moon hidden behind heavy clouds. Coyotes howled in the distance, and the air was chilly. Thank goodness I had the foresight to put on my hoodie. Hurrying, I flicked the flashlight on as I entered the woods, hoping I didn’t have an issue finding the tree again. Leaves and pine needles crunched under my feet; the smell of damp earth tickled my nose. Five minutes into my walk, little lights flitted in and out through the trees ahead of me, lining up, illuminating a path, and showing me the way.
As I got closer, I realized the lights came from hundreds of fairies. The number of them made me stop and stare in sheer amazement. One sat on a low branch close to me, and I bent down to study it. A smile lit the tiny coffee-colored face, and a small orb glowed from the belt around its waist. I wondered what they made the spheres from. Standing back up, I glanced around, and all the fairies were waving and smiling, excited and happy. Each fairy looked like a miniature human with wings.
Catching myself staring, I remembered the task at hand and resumed walking. They all fell in line behind me as I followed the bouncing lights from the ones stationed in front of me. The tree loomed enormous, this time lit up brightly. The dancing lights shone on every branch, and the hum of hundreds of wings fluttered around in excitement. I didn’t understand what was happening, but the fairies knew something I didn’t. My heart raced as I wondered what they had in store for me.
The group of fairies in front of me parted, making an opening, so I could walk to the tree. I halted in my tracks when I saw who sat against it, confused. Why was Anne here? At least I thought it was Anne.
She wore a long violet gossamer gown, flowers twined through a crown on her head, and fairies flew around her face, stopping to kiss her cheeks every few seconds. Lifting a hand, she motioned for me to come closer.
“Anne? What’s going on?” I asked, my voice trembling, and my stomach felt as if butterflies were flying around erratically in it. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why she would be here.
“Andie, there is so much for you to learn.” She chuckled, and the fairies joined her merriment. Their laughter was like the tinkling of a million little bells. “Everything that has happened, and almost everyone you met recently has been for a reason, all leading you to this moment.”
Throwing her arms wide, she motioned to the tree and the fairies before continuing. “My real name is Aine, Queen of Fairy. I was sent to keep you safe on your way to Celeste. She knew I could use my gift of persuasion, and my fairies could scout ahead, looking out for any danger to you.”
I remembered her talking to her purse on the drive down, and it hit me that she must have had fairies inside of it. So she wasn’t crazy after all! I snorted and shook my head, wondering who else I would discover wasn’t really who they said they were.
Aine tugged my hand, pulling me down to sit beside her as I gazed at a little fairy bouncing on one of her curls. Up and down, and she didn’t notice or care.
“Listen close, Andie, because in a short time your whole life will change. You may seem like a teenage girl right now, but there is a war coming, and you will save us all.”
She held up her hand to hush me as I attempted to interrupt. Instantly, I clamped my mouth shut, biting my tongue to hold back the words I wanted to say. Inside my mind, I screamed them anyway. How could I save everyone?! I didn’t even understand what I was supposed to be protecting them from!
“There are many creatures you never could imagine are real. So many of the books you read, whether they were about fairies, werewolves, trolls, banshees, or more, are very real creatures. Many of these groups are on our side. But one group, the Fomorians, or Fomori for short, are trying to persuade some stronger packs to join with them to crush us all. Your human world, as well. I can see you do not understand what the Fomori are, correct?” she questioned me.
“No. I don’t understand who or what the Fomori are except for what Celeste has told me.”
“Fomori are beings that came from the sea and underground to run amok and cause havoc in our worlds. They are the personification of chaos, darkness, and death. At one time, there were a few that broke away from the larger group, who joined and married some Tuatha De Danann, or Fae. That gave many other Fomori reasons to hate us more. Many years ago, during a bloody battle, we defeated them after they had oppressed our people for so long. We lived once again in harmony, and they retreated to the sea and underground. Until they came back, charging into the woods and began searching for your family. The ruler of the Fomori had learned your family descended from Nemed, a gray-eyed warrior king who had won many battles against the Fomori. Every descendant in your family has had gray eyes like yours.
“When Nemed and his people settled in Ireland, they brought four magical treasures with them. Each one from the four cities they hailed from. The treasures are Dagda’s Cauldron, the Spear of Lugh, The Stone of Fal, and the Sword of Light. The ruler of the Fomori knew this and coveted them more than anything in this world or the next. He thought if he could only gain these four treasures, he could rule the world and rid it of all he hated. Especially the Tuatha De Danann.
“Traveling many miles to where our people had fled, he captured some of your ancestors and killed them when they wouldn’t disclose the whereabouts of the treasure. But one escaped: your grandmother. Celeste helped her. She would not have managed had she not been as strong as she was. She mentioned earlier tonight that she heard your thoughts about the painting of the Goddess Diana. Well, Andie, you’re living with the real-life Dian
a. She is the Goddess of the hunt, the Moon, and nature. To hide your nan safely until they were out of the woods, she called upon all the magic that she could. She called to the animals, to the water nymphs, and the moon to hide their flight far away from there.”
Aine sighed, reaching for a leaf beside her that held delicate dewdrops on it. She lifted it, studying it, and then touched the drop, which expanded to fill the whole leaf. Tipping it to her mouth, she drank.
All the information she had given me swirled in my brain, so much now made sense to me. One fairy played with my hair, braiding it gently. In my haste to leave the house, I had left it down. The featherlike touch of the fairy soothed me, and my shoulders relaxed as I realized Aine was not yet finished with her tale.
She turned to look at me, her eyes serious, as she put her hand to my cheek.
“Your Nan hid for many years. She hid who she was from your grandfather. He had no idea. She had your mother who, until she was your age, had no idea either. That’s when your nan told her about her heritage and where she came from. Your mother thought she could find the four treasures or, ‘Keys’ as we like to call them. Despite your nan’s warning, she was determined to save us. In her travels, she met your father. A handsome man, different from anyone she had ever been around before. He was not Fae, no, not Fae at all. She became immediately taken with him, and that he could help her with her journey only sweetened the deal.”
I sat up straight.
“But if he isn’t Fae, then what is he? And, where is he?”
I wanted to hear more about this mystery man Nan had refused to tell me about. Who I had given little thought to throughout my childhood. I had just accepted that he had left. I figured he didn't want me; therefore, I didn’t want him. Though, something in my heart ached to learn more about him. To understand why he left me.
