The Phoenix Grail

by Helen Savore

  Jamie pounded the ground, shaking his head as he pulled himself together. “I can occupy him.” He offered a hand to her. “Fly.”

  She took it, less for the lift and more to steal a moment of comfort from his touch. “Jamie, I can only split my wind focus so far.”

  He grinned. “I suspected.”

  “That means—”

  He grasped her shoulder. “We both do what we can. Go.”

  Alexandrea watched him run towards the dwarf brandishing its hammer with a wicked grin. Jamie dove a moment before the hammer could reach him, sliding past.

  The dwarf turned to follow Jamie, and once out of sight she took to the sky. Air swirled about her, both lifting and cushioning as she climbed higher. It enveloped her like a blanket she snuggled on the coldest nights of winter.

  As she continued to rise her gaze did not linger on the pair for long. She hoped Jamie could lead the dwarf Smith more on a merry dance, than have to heal his way out of those blows.

  Now that she looked ahead, there was no missing the brilliant green rise that took up much of the island, and the stone tower at its top. It was reminiscent of Glastonbury, but wilder. These were no neat lawns along a rippled rise, more than grass covering the hill. She longed to near and walk this tower, to see how it would differ.

  That was where she went, for if the Grail was here, it would be there. In the spot the Phoenix had been summoned for centuries. Humans would reclaim this isle.

  An echo of a scream was her only warning.

  The hammer came at her, first shattering her cushion before crashing into her gut.

  The hammer’s momentum sent her flying back,so she fell towards the ocean instead of the shore. Her mind immediately went to her injuries, staunching the internal hemorrhaging and quelling the impossible ache. Her mind began to clear, but it was too late. The waves rose to greet her.

  “Drea!”

  The hammer caught her mid-flight and she fell towards the ocean.

  “No!” Jamie yelled. He couldn’t catch her, he couldn’t shift the air or the waves, he couldn’t do anything besides patch her up once he got to her.

  He looked towards the dwarf. There was something he could try now. Drea wasn’t the only thing that fell—the dwarf’s hammer, did too. He reached for it; it hadn’t fallen nearly so far, but still he called to it rather than running into the surf. He needed it here beside him, now.

  It came to him with a smoothness he hadn’t expected. The sand shaping issues had him on edge.

  The dwarf’s eyes flashed wide. Jamie did not leave him time to do anything else. He slammed the hammer into the dwarf’s side.

  The dwarf fell.

  Jamie inched forward but stopped. He let him be.

  He ignored the hammer, too, dropping it before he ran for the waves and dove towards Drea. She’d hit the water, but didn’t stay on the surface. He peered underneath, swimming towards her entry point. Jamie wasn’t used to diving into the sea without goggles and blinked against the blur.

  The water was too choppy; he couldn't find anything. He swam, forcing his way through the waves, attempting to keep the edges of black and fuzz from his eyes. As his heart tried to pump harder, he tried encouraging the air to recirculate within himself.

  It was hopeless. He bobbed to the surface, gasping.

  I can heal in seconds, but cannot breathe when I need to. He was heaving too much to dive back in. He tried glimpsing into the water again, but only came out sputtering.

  “Drea!” He couldn’t even summon a good yell. He slapped the water. Once, twice, three times, then threw his arms about in disgust. Drea.

  He stopped thrashing and tried to calm down. It wouldn’t help her if he lost his cool. He took in another breath and let the water take him. He ran into something floating. His words only came out as a roar underwater, but he had her. He dragged them both to the surface.

  Jamie couldn’t make himself breathe, but once they were above the waves, he kept her afloat and forced the water out of her lungs. He hadn’t quite gotten it all when she sputtered and started breathing of her own volition.

  “Drea, don’t scare me like that.” He knew it wasn’t her fault, but he couldn’t help it. “Never, never again.”

  “First let me”—she heaved—“catch my breath.”

  “Yes,” Jamie bobbed his head, and hugged her closer. “I’m sorry, Drea. I’m so sorry.”

  “Not you,” she whispered, grasping him back. “We both had to try.”

  Jamie resisted the urge to shake her, make her listen, but didn’t want to fall back into the water. “I won’t leave you alone again.”

  A smile spread over her face, until a wave caught them both.

  Moralynn flipped backwards to avoid another sideswipe, and her gaze locked onto movement in the ocean. Alexandrea and Jamie thrashed against the waves. Adhomai was there, too. He was skidding against the water, trying to follow the myrial. It jumped out in arcs, and each time it reentered the water, the waves redoubled, growing unnaturally large. She rotated and saw the three Heralds. They were bruised and bleeding, but still on their feet, looking hale.

  This had been a mistake.

  She bounded off the sand, coming back upright, and ran for the surf. When she hit the water, Moralynn saw another myrial; not the Shaper that Adhomai fought. More a ghost, with a head bearing a mess of writhing tentacles covered in wires, eyes a somber black, leaking ink.

  Viviane?

  As water filled her face, the vision retreated. Moralynn gasped another breath before diving past the foam, into the sea. She summoned a water funnel around her, then found her apprentices.

  “Breathe.” Was all she said as her face crested the surface. She hoped it was enough as she wrapped Alexandrea and Jamie into her vortex. She pulled it a few meters away and blinked away the water.

  Air bubbles covered their faces. Alexandrea nodded at her, and after tapping Jamie on the shoulder, he gave her a thumbs-up. Moralynn pointed to the surface, meaning to hunt for Adhomai.

  Then the vortex leaked, and Adhomai peeked through. “Are we leaving?”

  “Yes,” she said, unsure if the water carried her voice. They looked up, but she looked down to a fissure, similar to another she had found not too long ago. Rather than explaining, she grabbed the surrounding water and pulled.

  Into the Waterways.

  Moralynn tumbled over the edge of a pool and slid across an area covered in the merest bit of water. Before she could stop her drift, she crashed into another pool. Her head lolled, but she managed to soothe the pain.

  She had never been more grateful for a headache.

  Moralynn stood, brushing off the water trickle.

  Adhomai and Jamie were recovering on the floor. They looked more pathetic in the semi-gloom of the cavern. Alexandrea was still gasping, but she struggled to her feet on her own. She was recovering, so Moralynn walked elsewhere.

  Viviane was on the ground, too, as if thrust away, but she got up when she caught Moralynn’s eye.

  “I thought you could not pass through the portals on this side?”

  Viviane’s dark eyes swelled. “I cannot. However, Avalon is of both the Earth and fae. There is more I can do there, though still not enough.”

  Alexandrea’s cough lessened. “How did we get here?”

  “Where is here?” Jamie spun, gazing around.

  “The Waterways.” Adhomai had managed to dry himself. He bowed to Viviane. “Thank you for the timely rescue.”

  Alexandrea bowed, too. “Accept my thanks as well.”

  Jamie’s eyes roved about, but he finally jerked his upper body. “Thanks, whoever you are.”

  Viviane twitched, but not as much as she had in previous encounters. She turned to Moralynn. “A word?”

  “Of course. You may have more than that for your timely assistance.”

  Viviane swept out a fin, and the small layer of water rippled, radiating towards the left. “This way.”

  Moralynn sighed and compil
ed, following the direction of the water.

  They passed several pools before Viviane spoke. When she stopped, she was unusually still. None of her small fins waved, and her hair tentacles lay limp. Her arm crossed her body, the trailing fin giving the illusion of a long coat.

  “Moralynn, do you realize how fortunate you are?” she asked.

  Viviane always unnerved her, but Moralynn was not taking it today. “Fortunate? I was just repelled from Avalon. Again.” She stamped her foot, sending a new wave of ripples along the surface water. She wished she had a more solid surface to vent upon. “That is my family’s isle.”

  “Not anymore, nor has it been for some time.” Water swelled over Viviane’s feet and puddled around Moralynn’s too. “They were not trying to kill you. You need to appreciate that.”

  “Of course they were not.” Moralynn crossed her arms.

  “They could have killed your allies.”

  “They would not dare!” Moralynn yelled, not at Viviane, but at them. She feared it of Raebyn, and others, too, but it still was not right. She would not acknowledge that fear out loud. Moralynn did not want to give the fae any leeway in this matter. “Alexandrea is my acknowledged apprentice.”

  Viviane tipped closer. “What about the other two?”

  “The other two?” She motioned towards them. “Adhomai now supports my cause. He will not betray that allegiance. He glimpsed it in Titania’s loom. And Jamie—”

  “So that is his name.”

  “What of it? They attacked me. Not just now. Earlier.” She shook her fists. “They have been on the Earth, attacking my people.”

  Viviane tapped a foot. The water rippled again, and for Moralynn a chill developed in the air. “You do claim them all, then?”

  Moralynn spun and dropped her fists. “You are tossing technicalities at a time like this?” She squared her shoulders. “I have no Smith. Humans are not fae. We do not need to be bound by alloying allegiance.”

  Viviane remained impassive. “No Smith?”

  Moralynn spun again and walked right up to Viviane’s face. She stuck a finger between her black eyes. “No trained Smith, and you very well know that.”

  Viviane did not flinch. “I had a better view of the fight. Teacher or no, he has learned something.”

  It was not a satisfactory answer. But it did lead Moralynn’s thoughts in a different direction. “How did you know we were there?”

  Viviane’s eyes glistened “I saw, from my pools. I spied Trahaearn.”

  Moralynn didn’t know what it meant, so walked to the closest and looked. Wherever it was, it was dark. “How much could you see?”

  “The sea.” Viviane’s hand waved close to the pool, and the darkness receded. Instead it showed the base of a waterfall. Filled with rocks and churning water. The pool leveled out towards the left, a pebbled shallow section. Scrub trees grew and swayed. “A few meters onto the shore. There is a certain amount of distance that I can focus the images.” Her hand waved over the pool again, and now the white foam of crashing water filled it. “If I knew to look.”

  “Why did you help?”

  She did not catch Viviane’s murmur.

  Moralynn leaned forward and tried to grab her arm.

  Viviane slipped away. Her tentacles writhed, and her head tilted forward at an ominous angle. “Moralynn, learn to be grateful for things you do not understand. And learn to better mind your people.” She slapped one fin into the other. “Select an exit. You should know several by now.”

  Viviane dashed away, skating along the surface water.

  Moralynn watched until her figure whipped out of sight, around a bend some distance away. She sighed and made her way back to Alexandrea and the others.

  38

  What is up with that girl?

  Jamie pounded on the plank door again. He had seen her on the phone plenty of times. She was perfectly capable of operating one. Why did she never answer when he needed her to?

  “Drea!”

  Nobody answered. On the upside, Phil wasn’t turning him away, and Adhomai’s face wasn’t gloating at him. It just wasn’t getting him any closer to Drea. That girl! She hadn’t said a word since Avalon, and apparently hadn’t come into town either. He was worried about her, and the accusatory looks he got when he asked around for her did not help.

  He forced down the momentary rush that kept threatening to boil out of himself. If she kept up these antics, then there would never be anything. Not that he had the inclination or the time to pursue anyone else, but he wanted something in return. There had been quiet moments, that dance between the stones, right after Raebyn attacked in the forest, and again in the Waterways when she relaxed around him.

  There were even a few times before all this magical business started, but she always ended up shutting him out for days, so what did he know?

  Today was not about that. He just wanted to check on her. She wasn’t in the best shape when they came out of the Waterways on Tuesday. Regardless of whatever other feelings he might have, he was her friend and had promised to never leave her behind.

  The door pulled open. “Jamie?”

  The way she opened it put his hand too close to her. He gulped and drew it back hastily.

  “Drea, why haven’t you been answering me?” He spoke too fast, immediately regretting it.

  Shadows ringed her eyes, a lazy frown dragged at her face, and she slouched. But she didn’t look deflated until he spoke.

  “As has always been the case, I will let you know when Moralynn returns. But after the last incident, she will be spending quite some time in Annwn, recuperating.”

  “But I—”

  She held up a hand. “Adhomai has not been interested in pursuing anything, either. He has actually taken a brief visit home.” Her eyes softened as they rolled to the side. “It’s a relief to not play babysitter for a moment.”

  She’s alone? Images of all the things he wished to do that Adhomai’s presence had stopped flooded his mind. He shouldn’t blame Adhomai, though he wanted to. It was hard enough with Drea herself to contend with.

  He must have daydreamed too long; Alexandrea interrupted his silence. “So, as you see, there was no reason to come out here. I’m sorry you wasted your time.”

  When he just stared at her dumbly, she sighed, her eyes sliding behind him. “Do you want me to give you a ride back to town?” She stepped back. “Now where did I put my keys…”

  Jamie laid a hand on the door frame and blocked her. “No, I didn’t come here to talk with Moralynn or Adhomai. I came here to talk to you.”

  “Oh. Okay, sure?” Alexandrea waved him in. She walked into the room to the right of the doorway and slid onto a couch, facing the picture windows. She motioned to one of the chairs opposite her. “What did you want to talk about?”

  Jamie sat next to her, ignoring her invitation. “Are you feeling better?” He leaned in, trying to get a better look at her face, but he did not touch her.

  She wouldn’t stay still, flapping her hands. “Jamie, give me a break.”

  He scooted aside, and she settled down.

  “We’re Druids, we’re the best-equipped people in the world to deal with anything.”

  “Anything?” He shifted around. He was having a hard time getting comfortable, the back on the couch was too low. “Avalon was not just anything. It takes more than healing to survive.” He leaned in and patted the cushion between them. “Drea, that was bad.”

  She glanced away and remained silent.

  He followed her gaze to the grounds. In front, she kept the appearance of a normal country manor, with clipped lawns and trimmed bushes. They were such a contrast to the wild woods out back.

  Jamie stretched and threw his hands behind his head. “I had no idea we would get into that kind of trouble.” He lifted an eyebrow. “I mean, you guys made it sound scary, but you have a tendency to do that about everything so far. I didn’t realize this would be different.”

  Drea’s hands dropped i
nto her lap. “Yes. We should never have gone.”

  “Well, yeah.”

  Drea winced.

  “Un-unless, well…” Jamie stammered, trying to figure out what he’d said wrong.

  She shook her head. “Jamie, I never wanted you to be part of this.”

  “Look,” Jamie said shuffling closer, keeping his hands on his own knees. “I’m sorry I let you down. I’m not going to do that again. I’ll take better care of you next time.”

  “Take care of me?” Her brows tilted as she spat her words out. “You waltz in a few months ago and suddenly you’ll take care of me, as if I’m incapable of taking care of myself?”

  Jamie gritted his teeth. “That’s not what I meant.”

  She stuck out her chin. “No, I should have taken better care of you.”

  Jamie leaned back, confused. Were they just talking in circles? “You didn’t think I could handle it?”

  Her fingers dug into the armrest. “We’re not kids anymore. This is serious stuff.” She stopped with her mouth still open, as if she was waiting for words to come.

  “I know. I mean, I thought I knew, but I think I know better now.”

  Her eyes swiveled to his and she blinked. Her wrists shook, causing her cymbal bracelet to chime. Jamie resisted reaching out to calm them, letting her silence linger.

  She looked away. “Jamie, please leave.”

  Jamie stood, not believing he was listening to her, and walked towards the door.

  No. He shook his head and turned around.

  He walked back and sat again, close enough to cradle her face. “Did you spell me?”

  She winced. “Only a little. Jamie, I’m sorry, I dodn’t want to talk about this anymore.”

  He shushed her quiet as he felt her forehead. “You’re not better, are you? You’re trembling. You’re still hurt?”

  She wrenched her head away and stood, stepping behind another chair. “I told you, I’m not.”

  Jamie stood. “I know I should listen to you. There’s so much I don’t know about this stuff. You took this on by yourself for years, with none the wiser.” He shifted to put the chair between them, placing his hands on the back near hers. “Don’t leave me alone with Moralynn, or God forbid, Adhomai.”