Chapter Seven
Hannah
“It was quite by accident,” Sophie blurted out. “We didn’t mean to, and we’ll be gladly on our way if you please release our friend.”
I glared at Sophie. What was she doing?! Did she really expect that saying I’m sorry didn’t mean to intrude in her accented voice would get us out of here? We didn’t know who this woman named Maggie was except that she counseled guardians and had a hidden portal in a hidden room. If we wanted out of here, we would have to fight our way out.
Maggie smiled at Sophie. She had let her guard down, and I wasn’t going to let the opportunity go to waste. I grasped the wand from her hand pointing it at her.
“Let—” Ringing filled my ears, and I was forced to my knees. The wand slipped from my hand as I sat nearly paralyzed by the sudden surge of what felt like electricity.
“Here,” Maggie knelt beside me. “As you can see, my wand wasn’t meant for anyone beside me to handle.” She picked up the wand, flashed it at Beannca releasing her bonds. With a smile towards me, she slipped it into a leather holster that hung delicately around her waist. “Help me get her up, Sophie. The paralysis will only last a couple of minutes, but I think she’d more comfortable on the couch.”
Maggie and Sophie put me on the couch. I tried to push myself up, but I couldn’t coordinate my muscles. I was frustrated for letting myself get into this position. What if Maggie called the guardianship? I tried to speak, but my voice was gone. I looked at Sophie and Beannca. They sat like two obedient cats gazing at Maggie. Was I the only one here with any sense? We had to get out of here.
“Hannah, the paralyzing sensation will go away on its own, but will take longer if you struggle with it.” Maggie gazed down at me and then lifted my head tucking a pillow underneath it. “There,” she said and then walked over to the corner of her desk.
“As I’m sure you overheard in my counseling session, my name is Maggie. I’m not a librarian and I’m not a guardian, though I did train in the medical fields of the librarianship. I help the enchanted community providing services not only to them, but the librarianship as well. I am from Avalon and of the Fae race. I hope that we have come to a peaceful existence in our meeting of one another. I do not like violence, but I’m not afraid to use any means of containment to protect myself.” She walked over to her desk and picked up a small crystal bowl. “Even touching any of my implements delivers a dose of their own protection as Hannah here experienced.” She smiled with a nod of her head. “Mixed nuts?” She asked casually. “They are really good—not too salty.”
What were we, at a party?
“Oh, I will,” Beannca said pinching a large cashew between her painted fingertips.
Maggie offered some to Sophie. She took a tiny peanut out of frightened respect, and held it in her palm with a smile.
“Those are good,” Beannca said as Maggie offered her another one.
I wanted to yell at her to stop eating them. What if they were poisoned?
“You’re Fae?” Sophie asked.
“Yes,” Maggie replied. “I’ve lived in Deadwood here for a few years finding it a pleasant home. The rural setting is really charming, and the slower pace of life a relief.”
I began to wonder where this conversation was headed. “What are you going to do with us?” I asked feeling the circulation return to my fingers.
“Feeling better, Hannah?”
I pushed myself up with my eyes steady on Maggie. I shook my head. She gave me a reassuring smile as she offered me some nuts. I turned them down as I squirmed trying to move my legs. They were still tingly, and I wasn’t sure if I could even stand yet.
“By any law in the librarianship, I’m supposed to turn you in. But I am also Fae, and live by another set of rules. Each situation is unique requiring a specific set of rules. What happens to you depends on your actions. I know you’re sirens. I feel you no threat to me so far or Deadwood. But what I’d like to know is how you got in my office.” She casually ate another nut.
“We came through your portal in the hidden room,” Sophie said pointing behind her. This girl was way too helpful.
“And why were you traveling by portal unattended by the guardianship with a calling shell?” She held the shell in her palm in front of us. “These are rare to come by much less have one that is functional.”
Strength returned to my legs. I glanced over at Sophie and Beannca who gazed at Maggie like school children caught doing something they shouldn’t.
“You said you’re not with the guardianship or librarianship. So, what are you? A collector or something,” I said trying to turn the tables on Maggie. I could just do an enchantment on her. I knew I had enough siren power in me, but would it work on her?
Maggie tilted her head, and sat the shell on her desk. “I’m sure you noticed everything in my relic’s room. And yes, you can sort of call me a collector, but that title doesn’t exactly fit me. I like to think myself as a preserver of lost or illegal implements keeper.” I felt a sense of ease with Maggie now. She wasn’t a tattletale to the librarianship; she was what I would call a collector. And most of them were wanted with a hefty reward if brought to the librarianship. “You see,” Maggie continued. “I hate to see things of our past destroyed just because the librarianship deems it so. Our history must always be preserved and protected. I guess you could call me an archeologist rather than a collector because most collectors sell their implements to the highest bidder. They don’t care what happens to the relics, only how much they can earn from their sale. I keep mine safe in hopes one day they can be in a museum where they will be remembered, not destroyed or sold.”
“That’s amazing, and very noble of you.” Sophie complimented.
Maggie smiled and then picked up the calling shell again. “Which brings me to this,” she looked at each of us. “How did three sirens end up portaling through a decommissioned portal with a calling shell in hand and end up in Deadwood, Kansas?”
Sophie, Beannca and I exchanged looks. Maggie didn’t emit a threatening vibe to me, and I felt she was one who could be dealt with, but we had to be honest with her.
“We are trying to get to Atlantis or actually, to Murk Island. We were given the shell by a friend willing to help us. We need a fourth siren to work the portal to get us there.”
“Yeah, Sophie and I are the connections, Hannah is the navigator, and we need another siren to communicate with the portal.” Beannca spouted off almost like she was trying to impress Maggie. “And it was…”
“The calling shell lead us here,” I said cutting off the all-too-informative Beannca. “I believe the woman that was here, Mae, was it and is a siren.”
“Yes, she is, and is married to an ex-guardian,” Maggie said even toned. “They are trying to start a family, and like I said before, I help those of the enchanted community who need help.” Maggie sat back in her chair examining the shell. “I would love to help you, but I also like to be reimbursed when I can.”
She smiled at me as she held the calling shell up to the light. It glowed and sparkled like it was made of diamonds. Maggie wanted our calling shell as compensation for helping us.
“You want our shell, but how are we to get to Murk Island without it?”
Maggie twirled her chair back around. “You can use it to get to Murk Island, but I will come for it later. Once there, make sure you keep the shell. I will be traveling there on other business matters, and I will seek you out then.” Her eyes glistened. “All of you will get safe passage to Atlantis and I will gain another relic under my protection. Everyone wins.”
“What about this fourth siren, Mae? Will she be willing to come? The shell chose her as communications.” I asked.
Maggie handed the shell back to me. “She has been troubled by her past since I knew her. The shell chose her for a reason, now it’s up to you three to convince her to go
with you.”
Mae
The storm had passed, but it still raged inside of me. I tossed and turned all night with dreams of violent waves crashing against black rocks. Voices called my name, but I couldn’t answer them. I felt such a strong connection to the scenes that filled my dreams that they almost were like distant memories. I began to wonder if they were.
“Mae,” Nolan came in from outside. He was sweaty and dirty from cleaning up our nearly destroyed barn. “I have to run into town to get some supplies.”
“Are you going to be back for lunch?” I asked. “I’m making chicken salad.”
I got into the fridge to find the mayonnaise, but then caught the peppery smell of Nolan’s summer sausage that he likes to eat with Ritz crackers. I pulled it out and sat it on the counter.
Nolan stood there smiling at me. “What?” I asked as I sliced off another slab of the sausage and shoved it in my mouth.
“Nothing, it’s just that you look really pretty.” He sounded like an awkward boy talking to a girl he had a crush on rather than the man I’d fallen in love with.
“Well thank you, Nolan Gorick.” I smiled, and then he smiled. I knew I couldn’t possibly look anywhere near pretty. Our electricity had been knocked out due to the storm making our house hot and humid from lack of air conditioning. Everything was covered in moisture.
For convenience sake, I had pulled my hair up which was now in a sticky sweaty mess with tiny strands that fanned out like peacock feathers around my face. It probably looked like I had been electrocuted enough to power the house. And now my breath probably smelled like the summer sausage I had ate.
We both stood there gazing at one another. I held the jar of mayonnaise in my hands and twisted the lid open until it popped. I didn’t feel like lunch right now. I locked my eyes with Nolan as he took the jar from my hands with a smile. Was he going to go to town and was I going to make chicken salad? The odds didn’t look very good.
I had never felt such a rush of energy run through me. I pulled Nolan close. His skin was as sweaty as mine only it had tiny bits of grit stuck to it. I felt the coarseness of the dirt, the slick sweat that covered our bodies, and the thick scent of our musk that mingled as one. I had never been so spontaneous, passionate or destructive to our kitchen table before.
Nolan and I laid on the floor with the rhythmic sound of the ceiling fan that twirled over our heads. The electricity had come back on. The air cooled my skin as Nolan laced his fingers with mine. I rested my head in the crook of his shoulder as I watched the fan blades cut through the humid air.
“That was…” Nolan’s voice trailed off, and I smiled.
I propped myself up, and looked at the old wood table that now had a broken leaf that sat on the floor. “Destructive,” I said with a giggle.
“You know, that was an antique.” Nolan raised his eyebrows.
“I know,” I said standing up. “We probably shouldn’t have given it such a work out.” I put back on my bra and tank top. “It was your grandmother’s.” I picked up the leaf and placed it on top of the table.
“I can fix it, and maybe reinforce it…for next time.” He raised his eyebrows leaning across the counter as I washed my hands.
I smiled flicking water in his face. “Hey,” he said wiping the droplets away.
I gave him a mischievous smile. Then with a playful giggle and flashing eyes, I dared him to follow me into the garden. I darted for the hose first thing, and turned on the hydrant. Cool water blasted from the end covering both of us in what looked like a rainstorm. We ran around like misbehaving children, but I didn’t care.
We laughed, yelled, and sprayed each other with the refreshing coolness of the water. I stood there letting Nolan douse me. Tiny rainbows arched around me framed in the blue sky overhead. The air blew, cooling off my already cold skin. The sun’s rays filter down in yellow and white crystals. I never felt this way before. It was like something had sprouted inside of me that felt so alive. I could had flown away so easily in the breeze.
Nolan dropped the hose, and the final drops of water smacked to the ground. He gazed steadily at me, and before he reached me, I ran towards the pumpkin patch.
He yelled my name, and I replied with girlish giggles until I let him catch me between the pumpkin vines. Our bodies hit the ground. Dirt clung to us like flour to chicken ready to be fried. The prickly leaves of the pumpkins barely concealed our love making act as dark clouds rolled overhead, and thunder growled with pleasure in the distance.
Sophie
“I don’t trust her, and now she’s got the calling shell.” Hannah paced the floor in Maggie’s study. Since she went to go and bring Mae to us, Hannah had been questioning her decision to let Maggie take the shell and show it to Mae. “Why did we let her take it? I should’ve kept the damn thing and we’d be finding Mae on our own.”
“I’m telling you, Hannah,” I said stepping in front of her. I had to convince her that she made the right choice. “Maggie is on our side.” Somehow, I’ve noticed, Hannah has a way of dividing things up as either on our side or not on our side. “I can feel her intentions and so can Beannca.” I placed my hands on her shoulders letting my eyes rest in her gaze. “You can too, and you are doing the right thing.”
She drew in a deep breath and released it. I felt her worries dissolve upon my reassurance. I never knew of my abilities until now. At the same time they fascinated me, they also put fear into me. It was an unknown thing we were treading into, and all I could do was hope we’d make it to Atlantis.
“I guess,” Hannah said with a shake of her head.
“Maggie did say that the storm Mae had put a stop to alerted the guardians to investigate. They are all over town, and I don’t think I’d like to walk into their search party with a calling shell in hand.” Hannah studied me for a moment.
“What if she brings them back here?”
“Why would she do that when she could take us to them? Maggie is a collector of magical implements, and hovers in a grey area between the laws of the librarianship and the enchanted community. If she turned us over to them, she’d have to have a pretty good excuse as to how she stumbled upon us.”
Hannah shifted her eyes to the floor then to the window. Outside was about bright as any day could be. The view of the countryside was magnificent, and I could find myself easily getting lost in it.
“What do you think Murk Island is like?” I asked switching the tune of our conversation.
Hannah shrugged her shoulders with no reply.
“You don’t have any idea or hopes of what it will be like?” I stepped beside her.
Hannah, with her long auburn hair and rounded face looked like she was still caught somewhere between an easy to enchant little girl, and a strong woman who had faced many dark nights.
“It has to be better than the life I had before,” she said staring into the peaceful landscape.
I felt her comment was an invitation to press deeper removing the shell that had protected her all those years.
“What was your life like before?” I asked staring out the window with her.
She didn’t reply at first, but turned to me. I looked into her eyes that nearly matched the wet grass outside.
“Before I met you—lonely,” her voice was barely a whisper that I could hardly hear.
I stood speechless. It was like a chord had been struck, and I didn’t know where it would stop or where we were headed. For the first time in my life, I had no plans, no direction, no schedule, no rules set by the librarianship, no certain way I had to be…
“You guys need to check out Maggie’s kitchen. It’s…”
Beannca’s voice brought my thoughts to a screeching halt. I stood in front of Hannah so close, that all I could focus on was her green eyes.
“Uh, what’s going on?” Beannca asked.
Hannah pushed herself away from me. “We were looking out the window
waiting for Maggie to return. You know this isn’t some vacation we are on. We are trying to get to Atlantis without getting caught.” Hannah grabbed the bag of cookies Beannca had in her hand as she went out the door. “Come on you two, we need to come up with a plan to impress Mae.”
Beannca folded her arms across her chest and set her eyes back on me. I smiled as I shrugged my shoulders.
“We’d better go help her because I don’t think she has enough charisma to do the job herself.”
Beannca
It was obvious to me Hannah and Sophie had something going on. Not only was it visually noticeable, but I could sense it. And it didn’t bother me as much as it bothered them. That was something they had to come to terms with. I had more important things to worry about. We had to get to Atlantis, not only to change our lives, but I didn’t want to end up in a book. Other than Jack knowing I was accused of murder, I tried to keep my cool about it so Hannah and Sophie couldn’t pick up on my emotions. I wasn’t totally sure how sensitive they were, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
“She should be back by now. It isn’t like we are in Chicago and can blame it on traffic.” Hannah peered out the leaded glass door with all of its swirling designs.
I thought of Mae, and even though I didn’t know her, I had felt her emotions.
“You know guys; she really has it for her boyfriend or husband or whatever he is. She won’t want to go behind his back or put him in danger to help us. They want to have a family, and are happy with each other. I guess you could say they are in irrevocable love.” I smiled to myself relishing the feeling that Mae had emitted.
“And you know this…” Hannah raised her eyebrows.
I looked at them. They didn’t have a clue what I was talking about. “You mean you didn’t feel her emotions when she was here talking to Maggie? It was all over the room.”
Hannah and Sophie exchanged glances. No, of course they didn’t, they had a connection to each other. I could see it as clear as a long satin ribbon binding them. They didn’t feel Mae’s emotions because they were too busy in tune to each other’s.
I shook my head. “If we want Mae’s help, we are going to have to convince her that she’d be just helping us. She won’t want to go to Atlantis because she found happiness here.”
“Are you sure?” Sophie asked.
I shifted my eyes between Hannah and Sophie. They kind of did look like a couple.
“I’m sure. I’ve never felt emotions like that.” I stepped closer to them. “I’d bet my life on it.”
The sound of a door opening echoed down the hallway. I started to go out the door when Hannah stopped me.
“Wait here,” she whispered glancing back at Sophie. “Just in case.”
We stood silently in the kitchen. I closed my eyes for a moment, and reached out like I had long arms with sensitive fingers that could not only see what was beyond solid walls, but what they felt.
Apprehension along with curiosity, were the first two feelings that came to me. Like a familiar scent, I could tell it was Mae.
“It’s Mae,” I said going out the door.
“Beannca,” Sophie and Hannah said in unison like parents of a runaway toddler.
I stepped out catching Mae’s and Maggie’s attention. They both gazed at me as Maggie locked the front door. Mae’s large brown eyes nearly matched her long hair. She was dressed in a flower print dress that showed her skinny, bare, arms that looked like they were covered with a rash.
“Ah, this is Beannca,” Maggie said. “She is one of the sirens I was telling you about, Mae.”
Awkwardness filled in around us. I had nearly burst out of the kitchen door to meet Mae like I had known her all my life. I couldn’t let my first impression be like this.
“Pleasure to meet you Mae, my name is Beannca White.” I smiled extending my hand out in a friendly handshake.
She tilted her head, gave a small smile, and then shook my hand. I deepened my smile.
“Your last name is White. Mine is too.”
I felt our awkwardness fade. We were both labeled as “White” sirens which meant we had a good standing with the guardianship—a clean record. Sophie was a White siren too, but Hannah carried a Black label. I continued to smile and hoped that didn’t discourage Mae from helping us.
Hannah and Sophie loomed behind me.
“This is Hannah and Sophie.” I stepped aside motioning towards them. “Hannah and I are from Chicago, and Sophie is from the U.K.”
They greeted each other with smiles and handshakes like we were just gathering for some social event, not trying to get Mae to join us in something that could get us all in trouble with the guardianship. We needed her to pull this off, and I needed to escape this world.
I knew more about Mae than Hannah and Sophie. I don’t know why Mae’s emotions reached out to me like that, but they did. And I was going to use that to my advantage.
“Please ladies; let’s go into the study where we can discuss things.” Maggie smiled as she led us back to her library.
Hannah and Sophie, like two magnets, sat next to each other on one sofa, and Mae sat in a chair. I took the chair next to her that was separated by a small table. Maggie took her spot behind the desk. Everything seemed normal as they made small talk at first. Sophie jumped right into being the spokesperson of our group talking about herself, introducing Hannah and me and the purpose of going to Atlantis. I listened at first, but something tugged my attention away from the conversation. I tried to ignore it, but it was no use.
Mae’s emotions ran past me like a gentle wave. I thought she might be frightened or uncertain of us, but she wasn’t. She was more curious than anything, and happy to be here. She wanted to not only help us, but herself as well. She’d been having visions that were getting stronger. Everything about Mae came so easily to me as if I was meant to pick up on it. I could only concentrate on one thing at a time, and I read Mae’s emotions like randomly going through a book and reading different pages. I tried to connect things together, and I wasn’t paying attention to Maggie.
“Beannca, isn’t that right?” Maggie’s voice broke through my siren probing. “You worked at restaurant in Chicago and are seeking truths to your past in Atlantis.”
I glanced at Mae with a smile. “Yes, I did.” I was going to say how I liked it there, but wanted something more and so did Hannah and Sophie. I planned on putting a thick layer of sincere charm about going to Atlantis to disguise the real reason I had to go there. I didn’t know how strong Mae’s abilities were, and hoped she didn’t see through me.
“And now I’ve had these dreams…of sandy beaches and waters so blue you’d think an artist had painted them. I knew it was something from my past calling and I couldn’t escape them. My desire to find a way to Atlantis grew, and that’s when I found Hannah and Sophie.” I motioned towards them.
A light went off in Mae. I wanted to escape to Atlantis and hide from the guardianship, but she wanted to find her family’s past. I saw it clearly in her childish brown eyes. I haven’t had a single dream of what Atlantis or Murk Island was like, but Mae took the bait wholly. She was our fourth siren, and my only key to a hidden sanctuary.
“And so have Hannah and Sophie. We all have had these visions of Atlantis, and desires to find out about our families. But to get there, we need a communicator to connect with the portal. This is a chance of a lifetime that many sirens never get to take, and it’s sitting right in your lap.” I may have been laying it on a little too thick, but I wanted to play on every angle I could to get Mae to come with us.
Mae took a sip of iced tea Maggie had served like we were just a group of ladies gathered to organize a party, not plan and commit a crime in the eyes of the guardianship.
“You’re lying,” Mae said plainly as she sat her glass down. I nearly choked on an ice chunk that I rolled in my mouth. I’ve just ruined our chances with
Mae, and our passage to Atlantis was shot to Hell. I had to say something in defense, but before I could, Mae smiled at each of us. “Well, let me rephrase that. You are lying about the visions, but not about wanting to go to Atlantis. I can see in each of you your desire to go to Atlantis.”
“You’re right, Mae.” Sophie sat up straight and looked at Mae with her hand sitting on Hannah’s lap. Not a good time to show your affection to your lesbian lover. Things were getting worse. “We haven’t had a single vision.” She slid her scolding eyes to me followed with the equally scolding eyes of Hannah. “And really, we don’t know each other’s secrets—secrets are meant to be private. What we all have in common is a safe passage to Atlantis. It is our homeland, and we have a right to go there even if it goes against the librarianship and guardianship rules.”
Mae nodded with a smile acknowledging what Sophie said, and then took another sip of tea. Was Mae dragging this out for a reason? I squirmed in the chair, and took a sip of tea with my eyes on Mae. She looked like nothing bothered her, but I knew it did. Her boyfriend or husband, whatever he was, she had strong emotions for. I bet even Sophie and Hannah through their feelings for each other could sense it.
“You don’t have to tell me about the librarianship or guardianship. I’ve had plenty of their rules and regulations, and unlike all of you,” Mae glanced at each of us, “I’ve had strong visions and dreams of our homeland.” She looked away. Something glimmered in the corner of her eyes that she quickly dabbed away with her finger. A pang of sadness ran through me like a passing train. Mae was in love, and it was a strong love, but she couldn’t hurt him anymore. He deserved someone better. Her past was calling her…her lover can’t follow her there severing the ties they had bound together—that is why she was going to Atlantis. We didn’t have to convince her. She made that decision before she came here.
“This is a way, and I must say, a very rare chance for sirens to return to Atlantis.” Maggie broke in our conversation. She had been just sitting there, watching and listening to us. “I have the portal to provide safe passage and you have the calling shell to open the portal.” She stood up gazing like an eager child wanting to go outside and play. “Now, why don’t we give it a try?”
Sirens Page 7
