by Mia Fox
I turned to Daniel. “Take good care of her.”
“Be careful yourself. When you get Charlotte, you come back here. I’ll get you out.”
I nodded.
“Oh and Suki...one-way portals...they only open once.”
* * *
Finding my way back to Charlotte was much easier alone without worrying about Samantha’s safety as well. I merely envisioned the butterflies that brought peace to the troubled and within seconds, I was one with nature, floating in and out of time on the wind like a winged beauty until I was back in the dark forests where I had last left Charlotte.
I made my way to the lake and crept around to the side closest to the rock. It was still at least an hour before dawn and the sun had yet to materialize, but the rock where Charlotte had been placed jutted up empty causing an immediate panic to stir in my soul.
If only you were here... I thought to myself, wishing for James.
I am here.
I shook my head, not wanting to hear his velvety voice, not wanting to feel the longing in my heart.
Suki, let me in.
“How can I?” I shouted aloud.
It was only a momentary lapse in judgement, but it was enough. Raven’s disciples, hundreds of birds, flew at me, attacking from every angle. I tried to cover my face with my arms, but they continued to dive bomb me, their sharp beaks breaking the skin and with every drop of my blood that escaped, another would join in to lap it up.
The cuts emerged now on my face and shoulders, my neck and upper back. The birds were relentless, forcing me backwards to the same pier that brought Charlotte to a frigid suffering.
“What a predicament.” Raven’s voice sounded from above.
I turned suddenly, but saw nobody. Still the birds forced me farther and farther along the pier until I found myself mere inches from the edge when Raven chose to materialize before me.
“You should have never come here, Suki. You were under no obligation. Leave now and I’ll let you live.”
“Listen to you...you think the sun comes up just to hear you crow. Charlotte and Samantha are my obligation -- my Releasors.”
Raven took a step closer. Her dark eyes burned with hatred. “There’s been no wish cast, no desire for your interference.”
“The very fact that you think my presence is only warranted if they present a wish...” I shook my head in exasperation. “That’s indicative of why you are so void of humanity.”
Raven laughed. “Save your preaching. You know Charlotte is gone.”
“You’re lying. I would have felt it. I’m their guide, their muse. I provide more than wishes and I’m happy to serve them. The fact that my part in their life ends when their wishes are used up is the one thing that weighs heavily on my heart -- for I love them.”
Raven clapped her hands in a slow rhythmic beat. “Believe what you want, but take a look.”
She pointed to the rock, completely void of life. “She’s gone. Gone to the bottom of this lake where she’ll stay until the end of time.”
“It’s not true,” I insisted.
“You are such a martyr, and as such, you will be martyred.” She threw her hands up in front of her and a bolt of electricity hit me square in the chest, bringing me to my knees.
“I came here willingly, Raven, and nobody is going to send me home without them!” I narrowed my eyes and fought back, just as James had taught me. I summoned the elements and rain poured down upon Raven, every droplet punctuated by a bolt of lightening. The electrical storm was far more impressive than Raven’s attack and it took her attention off me long enough for me to regain my footing and move a safer distance from the edge of the pier.
“No you don’t,” Raven said, her patience obviously wearing thin. “That was a warning. This is your end.”
The blast took me completely by surprise. It was so strong that I wasn’t even sure what hit me, but I felt the wind knocked out of me and the bright light that followed left me momentarily blinded. It was enough time for the Buraqs to charge the pier, with one after the other, pounding against my body. They kicked me down to my knees and then took turns stepping on my small frame until I could no longer move. Just before I was rendered unconscious, the last gave me one final, swift kick, and then rolled me into the water.
Raven smiled at them, and allowed them to nuzzle her neck. “Well done, boys.”
She looked at them appraisingly. Their muscular bodies showing their excitement and glimmering with sweat from the endeavor. “One more assignment and I’ll release you from this existence.”
They snorted and butted their heads against each other, showing their disappointment. Raven moved toward one of them, opening her arms wide in an offering. He immediately wrapped his leg around hers, his hardness pressing against her. “Yes, I’ll make it worth your while.”
They stood at attention, once again pledging their allegiance to Raven. The message was clear. They were at her mercy. Their disfigured bodies -- half men, half horse -- belonged to her along with their instincts. They mellowed and waited for her instructions.
“That’s much better,” she praised. “Now, we just have the little matter of Phineas to deal with. It would certainly be a shame if he betrayed me.”
* * *
I plunged into the lake, hovering between consciousness and sleep. My body grew heavy and I began to sink lower and lower. Hands reached around my waist and began to drag me through the murky water at a speed faster than was humanly possible. The force of the water caused me to regain consciousness and I instinctively fought against the pull of whoever or whatever had its hold on me. Although I tried to train my eyes on the object that had me within its control, focusing at such a high speed was impossible.
I tried to reach for the hands that I had felt before, but now all that I saw was a shiny, smooth body of grey with a round girth, much like a dolphin, but stronger and faster. It continued to draw me through the water, pushing me above the surface at regular intervals at which time I would draw a quick breath of air.
The air helped me to regain my bearings. But, as much as I tried to catch a glimpse of the watery world rushing around me, I just couldn’t make out whether Charlotte was nearby. The creature shifted its body against me suddenly, pulling me under once more and ending the small reprieve that I felt against all hopelessness. Again, I fought against the creature, trying desperately to kick and bring myself back up, but it was futile.
Forced under the surface for what felt like an incredible distance, I felt myself thrust both down and forward until to my surprise, the creature released its hold on me. I found myself in an underwater cavern, where the water was notably warmer and there, sitting on a rock as poised as she could be was Charlotte.
“Oh my god, Charlotte!” I swam to her and threw my arms around her. “You’re okay. How did you get here?”
Before I heard the answer, a splash sounded behind me. The slate grey animal bounded near, and I instinctively placed myself between it and Charlotte. The previous moment of warm water and the chance to rest had restored my energy and I put up my hands, ready for another fight.
“No Suki. It’s okay. We’re safe.”
“What is it?”
“A dolphin, so to speak.”
I watched it with wary eyes and indeed it moved like a dolphin, but there was something different about it. It was somehow a bit faster, stronger, and then the real change occurred and it jumped onto the rock next to Charlotte and nuzzled her face.
Charlotte smiled serenely and patted its back. “Show yourself. It’s okay.”
The dolphin shifted and wavered, its massive body flitting in and out of reality until it seemed to reduce in length and girth, and once noticeably smaller, it shifted completely into the form of Shadow.
“An Encantado?”
Charlotte nodded. “But that’s not all.”
“There’s more?” I took a closer look at Shadow and noticed for the first time, the little girl looked much more human lik
e, in spite of the fact that she had just transformed from a dolphin. “It’s kind of ironic, but she actually looks...normal.”
“She’s wonderful,” Charlotte said with more emotion than I felt comfortable with.
I leaned closer to Charlotte and whispered, “What happened to the creepy snakes that used to make up her hair?”
“That’s only in the Romani Realms. It was Raven’s tricks to make me stay away from her.”
As if the very idea of Charlotte’s leaving upset her, Shadow moved closer, sitting on Charlotte’s lap as they perched on a rock.
“Come with us; we want to show you something,” Charlotte said and then with Shadow they dove back into the water and swam to the opposite end of the cavern, to a small beach.
I watched as again Shadow transformed to a dolphin and then just as quickly regained her form as a girl once she and Charlotte walked onto the beach. I took a quick glance at the peculiar surroundings -- a cave hidden below the lake, away from the prying eyes of the Buraqs, Raven, and any of the others. It was a shame to leave when we finally had a moment of reprieve, but then again we couldn’t stay forever, so gathering up my mental stamina, I dove under the water and swam through the claustrophobic cave toward the hidden beach paradise where Charlotte had followed Shadow.
There were various places to stop and catch our breath -- hidden ledges along the walls of the cave where we could sit before having to dive under the surface once more and swim to the next rest point. It was a matter of trusting Shadow, a challenge as far as I was concerned.
“Charlotte, I can’t see that there’s another rest point,” I indicated the direction that Shadow had taken. “It’s fine for her...she’s a dolphin!”
“She’s not a dolphin. Don’t be so derivative. She’s an Encantado...and she’s my...my...” Charlotte shook her head, as if she couldn’t bring herself to say what was on her mind. “Anyway, she saved your life. The least you can do is trust her, so come on!” Charlotte dove under the water and then popped up once more. “Come on, Suki, the water is even warmer when you get to the beach. It’s amazing! You’ll love it!” And with that last exclamation, she was off again, leaving me no choice but to follow.
Suki ... where are you? I need to know you’re okay.
Maybe it was time to put this fight behind us. After all, it was James, the man who stole my heart, was a supernatural Shade, my protector. Shouldn’t I trust him?
I’m fine. Samantha is safe and so is Charlotte. There’s no need to worry. You can go home.
There. That should satisfy him. At least he wouldn’t worry.
I’m not leaving you. Where are you?
I’m going for a swim.
His voice. How I missed the smooth, baritone sound. I remembered what it was like when he would whisper in my ear after...
“Suki, are you coming?” Charlotte interrupted her thoughts.
I looked around. The cave up ahead was even darker than the last. A narrow passage led to it in which we had to wade through waist-high water single-file. Something that looked very much like a sea eel slipped past and I caught my breath and jumped, grazing my head on the ceiling that rested just inches above us.
“By the way, Shadow says the sea snakes won’t hurt you,” Charlotte replied.
“Oh, if Shadow says...” I started, but Charlotte had already dove under the surface and was headed toward the mouth of the next cave.
I heard the sound of Charlotte’s kicks as she dove into the water again, making her way farther into the cave to where ever it would end. I dove in after her, but as I plunged under, something wrapped around my ankle and pulled me backwards, under the surface and down into darkness.
Charlotte heard the sounds of what sounded like a struggle, and called out, “Suki?”
When no answer came, she began to panic. “I can’t see her. I’m going back.”
Shadow clung to her, throwing her arms around her waist. “But we’re almost there. We can be together...forever.”
A warning sounded in Charlotte’s mind. “Shadow, I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me. But if this is going to work, you and I...you have to trust me.”
Shadow nodded her head solemnly. “But you still can’t help her. Look.”
Charlotte turned, but saw nothing except the calm, smooth water. The passageway was completely dark and not a ripple could be seen on the surface. It was as if I had never been there.
“No, no, no...” Charlotte closed her eyes, and without thinking of the consequences to herself or Samantha, she did the one thing that I warned her against. Without a second thought for herself, she uttered a stream of words without thinking of the recourse and changed everything.
“Please, let Suki out of this watery hell. Don’t let her drown. She’s done so much for Samantha and myself. I beg of you to make it true...”
“Charlotte stop!” Shadow instinctively knew what was coming next, but it was too late.
“I wish it to be.”
* * *
Chapter Eighteen
James and Phineas arrived with a splash. They found themselves in a crystal blue lagoon, just outside the mouth of the first cave.
“Something tells me that’s the way in,” Phineas said.
James swam easily to the opening and paused upon seeing the darkness that awaited them. “After you.”
“Always the gentleman,” Phineas replied glibly. “No biggie,” he said and swam inside.
“What do you see?”
“Nothing. It’s pitch dark.”
James shouted into the cave. “Use the flair, Einstein.”
Within a moment, the whistling sound of the flair gun could be heard and the opening became illuminated.
“Hey James, you coming or should I tell Suki you wimped out?”
James adjusted his dive belt, grabbed a waterproof flashlight and held it between his teeth before diving below the surface. When he got inside, Phineas was sitting comfortably on a rock shelf. “What took you so long?”
“You see how far in this goes?”
“Nope,” Phineas accentuated his response by shaking his head, letting his wet hair spray James in the face.
“You’re like a dog. Let’s go.”
“The extra torch?”
James rolled his eyes and threw another flashlight Phineas’ way, which he easily caught behind his back.
“Hey hot shot, you up for this? According to Maebeline, her vision indicated that we would find a series of interlocking caves.”
He recalled Maebeline’s description of the caves...narrow passageways that fed into wider lakes like mouths, only to twist and turn into darkened caverns again.
“There’s no telling how many we have to go through to find Charlotte and Suki.”
“It’s a walk in the park,” Phineas answered, smoothing back his hair.
“No fear,” James answered, serious for the first time, and held up his fist.
Phineas bumped his fist against James’ and nodded his head. “No fear.”
* * *
I had my eye on the next passageway and started to wade through the water toward it. This part of the cave had given way to a claustrophobic tunnel like section with rock formations on either side as well as low hanging rocks above. One would think that having spent centuries confined to a bottle would make me impervious to small spaces, but this wasn’t the case. My bottle was home, decorated in fine silks and pretty girlie colors with a light smell of perfume always wafting through the air. It embodied my favorite things.
This experience and space couldn’t be more opposite, however. I shuddered to think about what lurked ahead, never mind under the surface of the water.
Keep your thoughts positive.
James’ advice before I left for the Romani Realms came back to me as if he were speaking right now. Was he?
Your safety has been granted.
His voice was different. More like a hallucination....it didn’t sound the way it usually did inside my head. He didn�
��t speak to me in the way of my lover, but more like my Shade. I had never felt his protective quality over me so strongly, but I was troubled by it.
Instinctively, I knew that Charlotte had instigated this through a wish. I tried to ignore her request...I couldn’t let her waste it.
“Okay, I can do this.”
I readied myself and then after taking a deep breath, ducked below the surface to try and swim through the opening that wasn’t much wider than my own torso. Whether I tried to do the crawl or the breast stroke, my arms kept hitting the sharp rocks around me.
As I gave it one more try, a sharp pinch sliced just above my elbow, telling me I had just broken skin. I brought my arm up to my mouth and gingerly licked where I felt pain. Blood. A new fear crept over me. It was ridiculous to think that anything that had the ability to eat me could dwell in such a small space, but the idea planted itself firmly in my mind, along with something else...what sounded like laughter.
I stopped and listened, but only heard the occasional drip from the stalagmite above me.
“It’s just a little scrape. There’s nothing that can hurt me,” I told myself knowing that fear in the Romani Realms was something that would spread like a virus. Once it entered one’s mind, it could easily fester. I guided my way through the water, this time trying to wade rather than swim. It was still slow going as the bottom was sandy, forcing my feet to sink into the sludge. The sensations caused my mind to betray me again as I wondered what lived in that muddy sand. Instantly, I felt something slither around my legs. Seconds later the long body of an eel glided past me, only to dive below the surface again.
I could have sworn I heard the caw of black birds, but that would have been impossible. I had only traveled a few miles since leaving Samantha in the safety of Daniel’s hidden cottage. Certainly this hidden cavern was still off the map, hidden from Raven. I would rather deal with an eel than Raven...at least she wouldn’t have the satisfaction of bringing about my doom.
The thought gave me strength and I tried to make my way through the passage way to the exterior of the cave, but the area was too narrow to swim effectively and the water was too deep to wade through. I pressed myself against the rock sides of the cavern, hoping that by being in more shallow water, the eel wouldn’t be able to reach me. But the rocks were slippery with moss and I slid easily back into the water only to have the massive eel wrap itself around my waist this time, squeezing the air out of me. I was plunged under the water and dragged a few feet, only to have the creature lift me above the surface for a momentary breath of air. It was toying with me, giving me only enough air to keep the life in me, but brutally weakening my body. With every time it lifted my body above the water, it would then counter by throwing me underneath, until finally, I was thrown against the rocks. The eel continually pummeled my body against the rocks, scraping my arms and torso. Blood appeared and with it, new threats.
