“I will be back. I am going to secure a path and I will be leaving at night,” he said with the shut of the door behind him.
The cool air from the open door curled around Lyssa. It felt comforting to her as Elsa came over and gave her a wet cloth.
“You still have a good amount of poison in you. I will send you something for that.” Her words were tender and motherly, Lyssa suddenly felt a pang for Zoey. “Are you
feeling any better?”
“Yes, I think so now.” Lyssa replied.
A knock at the door broke the silence. Elsa jumped startled as she quickly got up smiling at Lyssa before shutting the bedroom door.
“Please seeress, you must help me!” A woman’s pleading voice said. “My daughter is ill.”
Lyssa heard the whimpering of a small baby. Slowly, she crept over to the door and peeked through the crack. She saw Elsa holding a small bundle in her arms as a dark- clothed woman hung by her side.
“The seers in the city wouldn’t help our kind anymore,” the woman said with a bitter tone.
Elsa gazed at the girl, and then came towards the bedroom door. Lyssa stepped back just before Elsa slowly opened it.
“Do you mind if you help me?” Elsa asked with a distraught look on her face.
Lyssa came out and Elsa introduced her as a beginning seeress. Lyssa stood behind Elsa and looked at the woman. She was no older than Lyssa—just a young girl scared for her sick baby. The girl’s eyes were swollen and wet with tears; she fidgeted with her hands like she didn’t know what to do with them. She barely looked at Lyssa.
Elsa gave the baby back to the mother and began to assemble an assortment of bottles filled with liquid and powers and put them into a small bowl. She worked quickly as the baby began to cry a raspy wail. It made Lyssa jump who stood quietly beside Elsa. She looked at the mother who kept her dark eyes on the infant, rocking it up and down with trembling arms trying to sooth the baby as well as herself.
“Here hold this,” Elsa said handing Lyssa a flat piece of mesh like material held tight in a metal frame.
“This is Milkwort cloth. It is used to strain out any impurities, especially for babies and the very sick,” Elsa said not taking her eyes from the brown liquid that streamed through the cloth to the bowl beneath.
The smell of it was an earthy, like the soil freshly tilled in her dad’s garden. She felt a sudden pang for him. Lyssa kept her tears from erupting and her hand from trembling. She would find him and soon be back with Zoey who would help her. She had to hang onto those thoughts.
Elsa then pulled from her shelf a slender glass bottle with a tapered end. She filled it with the now slightly brown liquid and then handed it to Lyssa as she took the baby from the mother. The bottle was warm in Lyssa’s hand, almost too hot for the baby to drink. She almost said something, but didn’t as Elsa sat down in a chair cradling the baby that looked up at Lyssa with solid black eyes surrounded by dark skin and patches of what looked like silver scales like a fish. Lyssa gave a small gasp catching the mother’s attention for a moment and then Lysa closed her mouth and slightly smiled at the girl.
The black eyed baby gratefully drank the scalding liquid and then closed its eyes in contentment. Elsa smiled at the tiny baby and then gave it back to the mother.
“That should cure her and also prevent any future outbreaks,” Elsa said to the smiling mother.
“I can’t thank you enough seeress… but… I have no…” Her voice lowered as she gazed at Elsa with her large dark eyes.
“No payment is necessary. Just tell anyone else who is ill, and can’t get help that I will help them.”
“I will,” the girl said before nodding at Lyssa as she closed the door behind her.
Elsa, without a word, cleaned the bowls and bottles. The fire crackled, and the Mog, who was at Elsa’s feet, curled beside the flames for a nap.
“Will the scales on the baby’s skin go away as well?” Lyssa suddenly asked. “And its dark eyes.”
Elsa didn’t look at her, only smiled as she sat in a rocking chair off to the side of the fireplace.
“No.” Elsa’s voice was placid as she looked up at Lyssa. “They are traits common to all of us Drakes.”
It was a Drake that attacked Deravon in the timber by Sean’s and Gwen’s house. Lyssa felt confused and stepped a little closer to the door as Elsa put a kettle over the fire.
“I am a Drake as well as my son Dane, the one who brought you here.” She looked up at Lyssa. “We aren’t going to hurt you here Lyssa.” She walked over to Lyssa taking her by the hand. “If we meant you any harm, I would have given you to the Councilmen when they were here.”
“A Drake attacked us in the Etherworld.” Lyssa remembered the scaly creature.
Elsa gave a tired sigh of someone that had a large burden resting on them. “Not all Drakes are loyal to the Council. Things are changing. Just like the young mother that was here…someone should’ve helped her, but views are changing and our ways are dissolving.”
Elsa motioned for her to sit down as the Mog came over to Lyssa and curled up beside her feet.
“The Drakes are a lesser race of Fae—or at least that’s what the Fae call us. We don’t claim to be Fae, but are a separate race called the Fire People. We were born of the first flames of Fae and have existed in peace for many years. We have always been an educated, peaceful and noble race, nothing like the Fae have painted us to be. They call us barbaric and a stagnant race that didn’t develop to its full potential. We choose to live in the farthest reaches of the Borderlands and no one bothered us until our land served a purpose for the Fae. Now, some of the Councilmembers are selling our lands out from under us. Our land was never meant to be owned by any individual, it belonged to all of us with a great respect for it.” Elsa’s dark eyes flicker when she spoke, like embers of a dying fire.
“And they want the Everspell to take over the Fae.” Lyssa felt she knew the end of Elsa’s story.
Elsa didn’t say a word, only looked at her gravely in an unspoken agreement. Before Lyssa could ask any more questions, the door opened with a rush of cold air. Dust particles brushed against Lyssa face as she looked at the dark figure of Dane. His eyes shifted slightly to Lyssa before he spoke.
“We have to go, and go now.” Dane’s cool voice pierced the air with a delicate fog from his breath as his flickering eyes fell for a moment on Lyssa who couldn’t remove her eyes from him.
Elsa gave one last look at the fading blisters on her wrists and gave her a heavy coat with a soft blue grey stocking cap that covered her ears. She thought the ensemble would be burdensome traveling through the forests and whatever terrain they had to cross.
“Dane will take you to the Rebels. I know them well and I will send a message that you will be coming.” Elsa smiled before giving her a hug as they stood outside the door.
Lyssa turned to the boy who stood like a bronze statue between the walls of red rock that surrounded them. He looked up into the late afternoon sky that was turning an indigo blue. His eyes were darker looking and made Lyssa shiver. He didn’t say a word as he came over to her and pulled her body next to his. Gentle must not be a characteristic of the Drakes as he jerked her body next to his. Lyssa gasped and was glad he couldn’t see her face that flushed with blood. He began to put a leather strap around her waist and with a rigid voice instructed her to put her hands into two leather strap that were sewn onto his heavily beaded leather tunic.
Elsa stepped in front of her.
“What exactly is this?” Lyssa wondered what the contraption was, and how they were supposed to even move in it.
“Don’t worry Lyssa, Dane is good at flying and you will be there very shortly.”
“Flying?” Lyssa mumbled and suddenly she heard a whooshing of air behind her.
Her hair blew around her face and she felt heat. It was heat radiating behind her from Dane. Elsa stepped back trying to c
atch her blowing hair. The beating of wings became rhythmic, and slowly lifted them upwards. Her hands wrapped tightly around the leather straps began to sweat, and her heart raced as they slowly levitated over Elsa’s stone-carved house.
As soon as she thought flying wasn’t too bad, they suddenly stopped, hovered and then jolted forward. Lyssa screamed, her voice lost to the wind. The orange-red rock formations flew by like a kaleidoscope of broken colors swirling and changing as they went by. Then, between her whimpering screams, she thought she heard a gentle, humorous laugh. It was Dane, amused by her fear. Aggravation filled her.
“You didn’t think we were walking, did you?” Dane’s voice had a ring of amusement to it.
Lyssa didn’t answer, only hung on as the air curled around them nearly taking her breath away. She held on tight and closed her eyes for a moment. She wasn’t going to show him her fear so he could find humor in it.
Lyssa watched the ground beneath her. Their pace had slowed, and now she could make out individual and detailed designs in the ground below. The weathered rocks gently carved by wind and water had delicate lines that curved and swirled in various shades of red, orange and yellow. Enormous caverns and almost perfectly arched rocks created by nature, filled the barren land with their beauty. Lyssa thought it was magnificent, but wondered how the Drakes survived in such a land. Suddenly, she saw a narrow strip of river nestled between the rocks. It was like a glistening icicle slowly melting between the fires that surrounded it.
As they followed the stream, greenness filled in around it. There were a few trees and some small shrubs, but not much growing in the rocky ground. Slowly, the ground came closer and closer, they were descending.
With a firm landing, Lyssa felt the leather strap dig into her stomach as her feet dangled. Suddenly, she was released, and she fell to the ground with a small chuckle from Dane. The rocks dug into her hands and the spray of tiny droplets of river water collected on her burning skin.
She was going to say something when all she could do was stand in awe of the Drake. Dane’s wings, bat-like, simultaneously folded behind him hidden. His dark eyes pierced through her. His gaze was steady as his lips curled
into a slight smile. Everything was quiet except for the rushing of the river beside them.
“You might want to close your mouth. Mosquitoes will be coming out.” Dane turned, and took something from inside his coat and went towards the stream that gushed by them.
Lyssa didn’t realize she had her mouth opened and closed it immediately feeling like an idiot. Dane bent down and filled a slender, metallic bottle with the rushing blue water. He offered her the first drink and she took two sips of the sweet water. She was surprised of its taste, nothing like the water at home.
Dane shook his head, evidently seeing her reaction to the water. He took it from her and drank the rest himself before filling it again.
“How long do we have to go?” Lyssa asked stepping closer to Dane.
He didn’t reply at first as she stared down at his hunched black figure.
“I asked how long…” Lyssa words were cut short when another black figure appeared from the other side of the river.
Dane immediately stood up, and stood in front of Lyssa. Beating wings overrode the sound of the rushing water. Lyssa peeked behind Dane’s broad stature to see another Drake with eyes of dark blue framed in silver scales that glittered even in the fading light. He smiled roguishly, and tilted his head downward letting his wavy, dull, blonde locks fall around his eyes.
“Greetings brother.” His words were cool. “I see you have something there....a Fae maybe? I can smell her.”
Dane stiffened at the Drake’s venomous tone. “My doings are none of your business, Ethan.”
“Can’t find a Drake to suit your desires, and you have to find a Fae instead? Or is this something else…something more important that you were supposed to find, and now you are keeping all to yourself?” His eyes fell on Lyssa. They were the same color as the water, and glistened with revengeful delight.
Suddenly, two more Drakes appeared across the river. Gracefully, like dark-angels with their bat-like wings, glided across the water and landed behind the fair-looking Drake.
“You’ve gone against your brothers, Dane.” His voice was slow like the calmness before a storm. “I really, really hate to do this, but you leave me, not to mention our father and the whole Drake race at risk.” He shook his head with an evil mixed with amused expression as his eyes were fixed on Dane.
Dane stood frozen with his eyes on Ethan. Lyssa felt a heat begin to radiate from him, kind of like the radiators in her old elementary school. She stepped back slightly just as the two dark Drakes suddenly collapsed to the ground. Ethan looked at one and then the other in a split second of amazement. He then looked at Dane and smiled.
“I see you have at least not forgotten your element of surprise.” Ethan’s voice had a playful tone to it.
Dane replied with a steely gaze, and threw something silver towards Ethan. Ethan swerved to his right letting the object fly past him. It began to ricochet off the cavern walls and finally hit the ground behind Lyssa. She turned to see a small, flat, metallic disk with jagged edges, like a saw blade.
“You don’t have to do this,” Ethan said as Dane drew in front of him a slender, and slightly curved blade made of clear dark glass and waved it in front of Ethan taunting him. “Very well then, we shall fight nobly then.” Ethan pulled from his side the same blade.
Lyssa stepped away as they walked in circles waiting for the first one to strike. Ethan tapped Dane’s blade first, testing him. Dane, like lightning, swung his blade nearly disarming Ethan of his. Ethan smiled, and gave a small laugh, lowered his sword only to have Dane block him. Ethan’s face began to turn red, and his gloating amusement faded as the fight looked more like a deathly dance. They were graceful in their movements, and one seemed to follow the other, knowing where they would try to strike next.
They jumped onto rock ledges and flew through the air acrobatically. Dane stood on giant boulder and Ethan on a lower one, they swung and clashed their swords that made sparks fall around them. Ethan suddenly jumped forward onto the larger rock. Dane stepped back, and fell off backwards, sword flying through the air only to crash against the rock wall and shatter. Lyssa gasped as Ethan laughed, his voice echoed off the rock walls. He jumped down flaunting his sword at Dane.
“This is a pity brother.” He looked over at Lyssa with dark, vengeful eyes.
Dane stood up, and looked back at his destroyed sword. He didn’t look at Lyssa as Ethan stood smiling at Dane relishing his victory.
“I am a noble though and will let you speak any last words.” He chuckled in a low voice.
Lyssa looked around, there had to be something she could do to distract Ethan. Behind her was the disk Dane threw earlier. She wasn’t good at throwing things like that. It would more likely land beside them, or she would accidentally hit Dane. She didn’t have time to think about that. Quickly, she grabbed the metal object that was amazingly light in her hand. She stepped closer to them so she could get a good shot at Ethan. She lifted her hand not knowing how to throw it, and as if it had a course of its own, it flew from her hand imbedding itself into the side of Ethan’s head.
Black blood spurted out when the disk hit him then trickled down his cheek. Ethan never looked at Lyssa only fixed his eyes on Dane. His body stiffened as soon as it hit him. He dropped his sword to the ground, slowly fell to his knees with his head tilted never leaving Dane’s gaze before he fell to the ground with a thud.
Dane looked down at him in the stillness. The rushing water roared past them as darkness began to fall.
Toby
“We’ve been in here for two hours.” Craig announced as if time really mattered now. “How can you just lay there?”
Toby had been staring up at the ceiling most of the time as C
raig paced the floor and kept trying the door to see if it would open.
“Like walking in circles is getting you anywhere.” Toby sat up as Craig went over to the door and tried the knob again.
“I think it would’ve opened one of the other twenty times you tried.” Toby looked at Craig with raised eyebrows.
“At least I am doing something,” Craig said kicking at the door in disgust.
Toby looked at Craig. “You’re right.” Craig sighed. “The door would’ve opened by now.”
A clicking sound came from the door, and then it slowly opened with Lizzi slipping in and closing it behind her. Draped over her arm were several pieces of clothing, all dark and glittery. Her eyes locked with Toby as she smiled at him.
“They are meeting downstairs, and you can put these on.” Lizzi laid her bundle on the bed. “When you are done knock on the door.”
“Why do we have to change? What’s going on?” Toby asked as Lizzi stood with her hand on the doorknob.
“Just change and you’ll find out. It is orders.” Toby could hear her chuckle as she closed the door behind her.
Toby looked at the pile of clothes on the bed and then back at the door.
“What is this?” Craig lifted up what looked like a long shirt. “It looks like someone raided Elton John’s closet. I mean it glitters.”
Toby smiled at Craig’s comment as he changed into the thick leather pants and long tunic shirt. The mesh-like material was very light despite it being thick. The inside was soft, but the outside was rough, like steel wool. Suddenly, the material began to tighten around his torso. Toby pulled on it and it pulled back. Craig stood in front of him as Toby could only hope it didn’t try to strangle him.
Like a slow coiling snake, the material pulled and twisted until it was nearly a perfect fit, then stopped. Toby looked up at Craig who stood with a baffled look on his face.
“You’re going to owe me for this.” Craig, with a ring of humor mixed with seriousness, said as he began to change.
When they were finished, Toby went to the door and gave a small knock to let Lizzi know they were done.
“Good. Come on.” She whispered through her smiling pink lips.
They went down the long, dimly lit corridor until they reached a large room with the dragon fireplace. There were many Faes, about Toby’s age, gathered and encircled a man with dark hair and broad shoulders Standing like a supporting pillar behind the man was the giant. Lizzi told them to stand in the back and near her so they wouldn’t be seen. Toby began to wonder whose orders it was for them to join this meeting.
“The time has come,” the man said, gazing from side to side at the crowd. “Everything that we have worked for and protected, hangs in the balance.”
Toby gazed through the crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of Lyssa or Zoey. The faces of the young Fae no older than Toby, stood quietly with their eyes fixed on the man in the center of the room. Toby and Craig hugged the side of the wall, and exchanged uneasy glances. Lizzi was a few feet away with her back to them.
The man continued to talk, but Toby didn’t pay attention to him, his thoughts were elsewhere.
“I don’t believe it,” Craig said suddenly in a loud whisper getting the attention of a few Faes in front of them, including Lizzi.
Her blue eyes darted at them and discreetly, Lizzi took a step back towards them.
“It’s Megan.” Craig leaned over to Toby and whispered in his ear.
Beside the man, who Toby wasn’t paying attention to, were two girls one older than the other. It took Toby a moment to recognize her. She stood with her chin held up as she looked over the crowd. She looked the same with long blonde hair, but something, like an aura around her was different. She stood by her mother who had the same unemotional appearance to her. Together they both looked like they didn’t want to be there.
“What is going on? You’re not supposed to say anything. Wait until I tell you what to do,” Lizzi said through her teeth.
Megan scoffed at him.
“Look Megan, it doesn’t matter what you are, but what you did. You put spells on me and tried to control me.” Toby tried to make her see that.
“So what, I put spells on you. It didn’t kill you.” Megan rolled her eyes. “You don’t know how good you would have had it if you would’ve let me finish.” Her eyes flared and then she stepped beside her mother.
The man motioned with his arm to go down the hallway as the giant with his booming voice severed the awkward moment breaking up the gathering.
Craig, Lizzi, Megan and her mom followed the man silently down the hallway. Toby looked back at the crowd; a few Fae glanced at him only for a moment.
“Come on, Toby, it looks like we have business with a Banshee Queen to deal with.” The man raised his eyebrows and gave him a nudged towards the darkened hallway.