Chapter Eight – Doubts
“If Eros was as powerful as he claimed then how could anyone have been able to take anything from him? For that matter, if Sita Knook was as powerful as to be able to take something of Eros’, then how could G possibly manage to capture her, if she even had?” Tatiana wondered as she went over everything that Eros shared with them at that table. She wasn’t sure if she should trust what he had told them. After all, Kye didn’t like him and he must have a reason not to.
Obviously, if any of this was true than G wasn’t telling them the truth. Tatiana couldn’t help but feel guilty for doubting her grandmother and she didn’t want Grasiella to know it. G had claimed not to be practicing magic, yet there was that letter their mother had burnt. Why had they been sent here? And what did they need to be tested for?
Tatiana decided that if she was going to learn anything, then she was going to have to summon a Gnome as she needed to ask one a few questions. Gnomes were the messengers for magical people. They would know about all the correspondences going on between them. She felt sure that they would know about Sita Knook. They must have heard something. They must know something.
That night Tatiana stepped into her grandmother’s garden. It was filled with azaleas, perennials, orchids and of course roses. At the far end of the garden was a grouping of Queen of the Night flowers, a flower that bloomed once or twice a year. The Queen of the Night’s branches reached up from the ground. They were thin, nearly looking like it had died long ago.
Sitting down in the center of the garden Tatiana began her spell, closing her eyes. She clutched her hands tightly together as she held them in front of her chest. Within moments she heard something. The sound of a gnome shifting its feet back and forth was heard throughout the garden. Tatiana was afraid to open her eyes to see one this close. This would be a first for her.
Finishing her spell, Tatiana opened her eyes. She saw the gnome, it sat right in front of her and he was as small as the tiniest bird. He had a long beard as white as snow. It covered his whole chest. He wore black pants and a green cap upon his head.
Clearing her throat, she announced, “I’m Tatiana Najera. I would like to ask you a few questions, if that would be alright with you?”
The gnome cleared his throat as well. “Proceed,” it said, as if they were sitting in a courtroom. “You may ask.”
“Thank you.” Placing her hands on her knees, she wanted to sit more comfortably, her legs crossed. “Can you tell me who Sita Knook is? What she is? And why are so many looking for her?”
The gnome sat in much thought, “I know of this name. I’ve heard mention of it before. Many have been corresponding about her. She is missing, so they say. They say she was taken as she slept some nights ago. No one knows by whom. It was noted that nothing in the home was out of place. Her bed had been slept in, and the fire was out. What else would you like to know?” he asked, ready to answer with whatever he could.
“Who is Sita Knook?” She had to be careful with how she worded her questions. She knew that with the gnome you need to be as exact as possible. The gnome may be called away at any moment.
“Trade is what they want.” The gnome stood with his hands placed behind his back, “I have been given a message, a message which is to be given to you.”
Surprised by this she asked, “You have? Who is it from?”
“It is not signed. The writer wished not to be known. Shall I proceed?” he kindly asked.
“Yes.”
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a piece of parchment, handing it to her. “Have a pleasant night, Ms. Najera.” The gnome winked at her, and then was he gone.
It was much to dark to read the letter in the garden. Standing, she went into the house. Once seated at the table, she opened the parchment;
My charm has been removed from your home.
I gave you fair warning!
The letter held no signature. But Tatiana knew who had sent it, the faerie from the night before.
The next morning Tatiana wanted to try and uncover some answers on her own and she didn’t want Grasiella to know what she was up to. She left the house before Grasiella awoke, saying a quick goodbye to her grandmother while she exited through the kitchen. Tatiana was headed towards the library. Upon entry she approached the clerk at the computerized information station. A little use of her magic would be in order. Tatiana’s eyes shined white as she asked the lady at the desk for her passwords to access restricted information.
The clerk, under the influence of Tatiana’s charm, immediately replied with the passwords and username.
Releasing the clerk from her charm, Tatiana observed the clerk shake her head, as if clearing it from a fog. Seeing Tatiana, she asked kindly, “May I help you?”
Tatiana only smiled; leaving the lady seated at the desk, and went in search of a private computer access station. As she made her way down the hall, she hoped that she would find out just exactly what she needed to know.
While Tatiana was out, Grasiella was doing some checking of her own. Inside her grandmother’s office, she sat at the desk, opening the drawers. Finding nothing, she decided to check in a different manner; she would use magic.
Sitting on the floor in the middle of the office, she closed her eyes so she could focus. A minute or two and she came to her feet. Her feet moved with no control by her until she found herself standing underneath the green iron birdcage.
Her head rose. Opening her eyes, she noticed a piece of metal sticking out. Giving it a tug, she pulled open the bottom of the birdcage which detached. It revealed a hidden compartment. Grasiella sat the top of the metal piece which she had just removed and set it down on top of the desk. A letter had been taped to the metal.
Sitting back at her grandmothers’ desk, she read the letter. It was addressed to her grandmother;
Anna,
I was given word that Sita Knook was on the island. Find her and place her in this birdcage.
Then wait.
The letter was not signed. Grasiella reaffixed the letter back in place. Once done, she reattached the bottom of the birdcage. At least this time she managed to find something, however the letter created more questions than it answered. Who else was looking for this Sita Knook and why did they think her grandmother could capture her? Why would she want to for that matter? Just more questions with no answers Grasiella thought in frustration.
Examining the birdcage more closely, “Is anyone in here?” she then asked, “Sita?” No response, not that she really expected one. Knowing a faerie could be any size and would easily fit through the birdcages bars, she figured if one was in there, it would have escaped, unless it had been charmed, yet no magic worked on the Fae.
Heading downstairs with a single purpose, Grasiella knew she would find G in her garden. She found her hunched down with her tools. Grasiella bent down to be at eye level with her grandmother, who was pulling up weeds.
“These things keep growing.” Her grandmother said, then asked, “Is there anything you need dear?”
The weeds were in a pile near her so Grasiella asked, “Why don’t you just use your magic, G?”
“I don’t use magic anymore, dear.” Collecting the weeds, she began to put them in a plastic bag which she had pulled out of her pocket. “Where’s your sister gone off to?”
Helping her grandmother, Grasiella began to collect the weeds. “On an errand,” she replied. Although she didn’t know where her sister was, she thought she might have met up with Kye. They both held onto the plastic bag as they rose. “I wanted to ask you something, G.”
“Let’s go inside and I will make some iced tea. Would you like that?” G asked. Nodding her head, Grasiella followed her grandmother inside. The plastic bag was left in the trash bin outside. “I enjoy iced tea on hot days like this.”
“Why don’t you use magic G?” Grasiella asked her. She took a seat at the kitchen table, watching her grandmother as she collected the ingredients fo
r the iced tea.
“Would you like raspberry iced tea?” G asked, halting with the tea bags in hand.
“Sure.”
“Now what did you need to ask me, Grasiella?” She began to boil water on the stove.
Just be blunt. Grasiella thought about just saying, ‘I know about Sita Knook, G. I know that a charm was placed on this house and then removed.’ But that’s not what she said. Instead, Grasiella asked, “Your magic, G. What made you stop using it?”
“Oh, there’s been no need for it here, and I enjoy using my own hands to accomplish things.” Selecting the tea bags she wanted to use for the tea, G placed them next to the pot and continued, “This is a really good blend. I think you and your sister will like this one.”
“That’s your reason? There’s no need?” That didn’t make sense to Grasiella. She and Tatiana always had a need for magic, everyday in fact “Crazy,” she said in response to her grandmother’s statement.
“Not crazy, just practical.” She took out a pitcher and opened the fridge for the ice. She then tied the tea bags together with their strings and dumped the tea bags into the boiling water. “When you use magic, then you’re asked for favors and with favors come headaches.”
“What favors were you asked, G?”
Leaning against the counter, she gave it some thought, “When your sister comes home, I’ll share something with you. It’s rather long so I’d rather do the telling all at once.” With a firm nod of her head G turned back around, her attention on the tea.
Grasiella watched as G turned the stove off, took the tea bags out of the pot, poured the hot tea into the pitcher which she had filled with the ice, and then poured Grasiella a tall glass of raspberry iced tea.
The moment Tatiana walked through the door Grasiella took her arm to pull her aside. “Ow,” Tatiana cried out.
“It’s about time. G wants to talk to us, and we’ve been waiting for you.”
“Oh, well, I went to see what I could dig up on Eros’ properties, and I found nothing useful. I even used the lady at the help desk’s passwords and user usernames to help me gain access to the restricted database. I still couldn’t find anything.” Tatiana had been disappointed at not being able to find any useful information. “I’m going to go see Kye on the beach in a bit, so I hope whatever she has to say won’t take long. Is she in her garden?” Tatiana asked, heading into the kitchen to go check.
“Nope,” Grasiella replied.
“Office?” she asked.
Grasiella took her sister by the arm again, “When she starts, don’t interrupt because you always jump in.” They went into the living room. G was sitting on a red chair drinking her iced tea and reading the paper. When she saw the twins come in, she placed the paper down on a side table. “Tatiana would you like any iced tea? It’s raspberry and very refreshing.”
“No I’m good G.” Tatiana sat on the sofa with Grasiella beside her.
“You said you wanted to tell us something when we were together G,” Grasiella prompted. She had been waiting to hear it.
“It’s been some time since I stopped using magic, and I have many good reasons. I told Grasiella that magic can create headaches.”
“Magic can cure headaches too. It can do all kinds of great things if you know what you’re doing,” Tatiana said in defense of magic. Grasiella gave her a sharp look to stop talking and to listen.
“Like what?” Tatiana asked.
Continuing on G said, “I have seen many great things, and I imagine you two and your brother Xavier will as well. Who can say what they will be. I told your mother that you two will need to be tested, as your mother once was and as I once was.”
“What kind of test?” Grasiella asked, remembering the parchment she had saved from being completely burnt.
“Now if I told you that then how would you pass?” G’s iced tea was finished. She rose from her chair and began to pace, “I know you have not heard the story of your namesake, Grasiella. She was the very first human to be born with magical power. No, I should say she was the very first in our line.” G came to a stop. “She came to the aid of a Fae who had been enslaved by humans as the humans were being enslaved by creatures called the Cinerians. They hunted down the humans and put them to work. Cinerians were the worst kind of magical beings. Their power was beyond what the Fae or any other magical beings were capable of,” she began her pace again, “until Grasiella. When she freed the faerie Edythe, she was rewarded with the Fae’s magic. The joining of that magic with the magical power Grasiella already possessed made her unstoppable, allowing her to vanquish the Cinerians. It was a great battle. It spanned the globe and lasted for days. The last of the Cinerians fell into Pele’s volcano on the Big Island of Honolulu.”
G took a seat. Her hands resting in her lap she continued, “The goddess Pele took offense to Grasiella using her sacred volcano Kohala as a trash compactor. She rained down her fury upon Grasiella, who had no choice but to leave the island with the army she had raised to fight against the Cinerians.”
“What were the Cinerians, G?” Tatiana asked softly.
G’s eyes were on her hands, which were clasped together. A worried look was etched on her withered face, “They were horrible monsters. They lived in the shadows.”
“Are they all gone?” Tatiana asked as she rose from her seat to sit on her grandmother’s armchair draping her arm around G’s shoulders. She looked upset.
“No one can say for sure.”
Grasiella came to her grandmother to knell at her feet, “Don’t worry G, if there are any Cinerians, we will find them and finish what our ancestor started.”
“You don’t understand, yet girls.”
Tatiana, wishing to put her grandmother at ease suggested, “You can tell us the rest later, G.”
“Of course,” G replied. G thought it would be best to hold off the rest of the telling until they needed to know. They would not want to hear it, nor did she want to be the one to tell them. Yet they needed to be worried. As G went out to her garden and the girls sat in the living room in quiet as they were not exactly sure what to think or even to say to one another.
Grasiella sat pensively, her hands on her knees. They inherited Fae magic. That was crazy. Did this mean they could use magic against faeries? She wasn’t quite as scared to face that faerie who threatened to come back for Sita Knook.
How did it differ? How did it make her stronger? What about this ancestor, the one she was named after, the very first to ever wield magic? Grasiella wanted to know more. She wanted to know if they shared anything other then a name.
She might have been over thinking it, yet she had always been too curious for her own good. This was one of the reasons she wanted to learn self defense, just in case one of her adventures landed her someplace unpleasant. Grasiella excelled with her martial arts training.
“I think she grows more than flowers in that garden of hers,” Tatiana said, bringing Grasiella’s thoughts back to the present.
“Tatiana, don’t forget she’s our grandmother.” Hearing the door to the garden close, she waited one minute more, “I found something up in the office. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Grasiella showed Tatiana the letter she found hidden underneath the green birdcage. “I knew it,” she said pleased. “We are that much closer to finding Sita Knook. I’m sure you’ll find more, but I have plans with Kye, so call me or text me if you find anything else.”
“Have fun.”
Grasiella wouldn’t be home either that night. She was determined to learn more. If she knew how to summon the faerie back, maybe they could help each other, especially now that Grasiella knew that she could defend herself against anything the faerie threw at her. Also, it would be nice to learn the name of the one who had dropped by unannounced with threats and taunts.
She heard Tatiana yell up from downstairs to say goodbye. It would be a good time to try out some charms. The island had many places tucked away that she could pra
ctice in without anyone around to see or hear her.
The sounds of the night greeted her as she stepped outside with a cloth bag in hand. It held a few things that she might need. Deciding not to follow a path, to instead, venture out on her own, she would let the night lead her.
The island seemed to embrace her. It covered her tracks the further she walked into the lush greens. She didn’t go far until she knew she found the right place. It wasn’t much of a clearing. It was a small enclosed space surrounded by trees and bushes, yet she felt this was where she needed to be.
Dropping her cloth bag onto the ground, she raised her arms shoulder height. Then she tilted her head back, closing her eyes. The sounds of the night came to a stop. The air became still.
A great sadness over-whelmed her as her eyes opened. She clutched her arms against her chest as she took deep breaths, not understanding why such feelings came over her. Sinking to her knees, she lowered her head. Reaching down for her cloth bag, she jumped to her feet running back to the house.