Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (23 page)

“Thank you,” I replied. “Today’s my birthday. I’m six.”

An angelic smile crossed her face
, and her gray eyes grew watery.

“Happy Birthday, Cheyenne
,” she whispered.

“Sweetheart,” a man just behind her called out.

I moved to see him. His blond hair fell into his eyes.

“We have to go now
,” he told the woman.

“Cheyenne, it’s time to come in now,” my teacher called out. “Your parents are here.”

“I have to go now,” I told the pretty brown-haired lady. “We’re going to have my party.” I smiled.

“Goodbye,” she whispered, close to tears. “Be brave, Cheyenne, and always follow your heart.”

The vision disappeared, and I felt my cheeks soaked with tears.

“Sahara…”
I whispered.

Callon turned
to me, his eyes probing. “What did you do?”

I blinked. “I—I didn’t do anything…I don’t know.”

“You had a memory?”

“Yes, it was so clear, like it took place…”

“Yesterday.” He finished my sentence for me.

“Why? How?”
I couldn’t form my questions into words.

“You took one of my powers, that’s how.”

“What?” I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”

He sighed and looked down, his fingers stroking my wrist.

“I’m able to enhance memories.”

“Enhance memories?”

His hazel eyes met mine. “I can’t create new memories, only bring old memories to the surface with clarity. And though I wanted to comfort you, I didn’t help you produce this memory.”

“It was my mother, Sahara. She
came to see me on my sixth birthday…” I looked up, my eyes widening.

“What?” Callon said.

I pressed the small box to my chest.

“I received this on my sixth birthday.” I swallowed, fighting to
stop more tears spreading. “It held my Servak ring, Callon. My parents gave me this…my real parents, Sahara and Qaysean.” I couldn’t hold back, and I choked out a sob. “I got to see them…they were still alive when I was six.”

Callon pulled me closer
, and I curled into his hold, hugging the box tightly. Subconsciously I had known all along. It was one of the few gifts I’d ever received that wedged its way into my heart. Just having it around was soothing, and now I knew why.

Slowly, I calmed down. Wiping my eyes, I looked to Callon.

“You’ve done this before, helped me relive memories?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“At the cabin, when I didn’t want to get out of bed because I missed my parents.” I drew back. “You brought me the memory with Colt on my birthday, and you got me to speak again.”

A faint smile rose. “I did. I
didn’t know how else to help you.”

“You’ve helped me in so many ways, Callon.”

“Just as much as you’ve helped me,” he said.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing mine. My fingers moved to his silky hair. H
e brought his lips to mine. It’d been too long since he kissed me like this—way too long.

“I—I never knew I could feel so much for you,” he muttered
against my mouth.

My eyes fell closed.
I too didn’t know I could feel so much for another after Colt.

His lips covered mine
, and he pressed me closer, his hand sliding up the back of my shirt. Goosebumps rolled down my spine, and my breathing hitched as he parted my lips.

For too long I had held back from him, afraid of betraying Colt’s memory, but now…now I needed
to let go and give Callon back what he’d given me—life. He’d given me hope as well, hope that I, we, could move on.

He tilted his head, pressing the kiss deeper, and butterflies erupted in the pit of my stomach. Raw, untamed passion poured out from him as our breathing grew ragged.

Footsteps sounded in the hall, and Callon stilled. He drew back, a faint grin rising. “I think we’ve been found.”

He pushed my hair behind my ear
, and I looked up to see Daniel, Koda, Bree and Skylar standing in the doorway.

“Everything okay?” Daniel asked
, glancing around.

“She found her jewelry box, Daniel,” Callon replied.

Daniel’s eyes grew wide and he knelt beside me.

“I’m so sorry, Cheyenne,”
he said. “I—I forgot that Gene and Alexis had shipped some of your things over here. The caretaker had told me, and I said to put it in storage…I—I just forgot.”

“It’s okay, Daniel,” I whispered.

Daniel remained still. He was still fearful of pushing me over that edge.

Callon helped me
stand and drew me into his side, and I wiped the remnant of a tear from my cheek.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I can bring the rest of your boxes to your room,” Daniel added.

“There’s more?” I looked around.

Daniel twisted a box around. “Anything with a big C on it is yours.”

“I’d like that,” I told him. “Thank you.” It would be wonderful to have some of my own things.

Callon took my hand as I
cradled the pink and white box close to my chest. The hall was no longer dark as we left the storage room, and I kept my head lowered as we passed Koda, Skylar, and Bree.

“We’ll help Daniel,” Bree
offered.

I nodded and followed Callon out into the hall and up the stairs to my bedroom. I sat on the corner of my bed
, waiting for the boxes to arrive. This was the last piece I needed to move on. I’d missed so many things from home; which may have been why I’d never really found the courage to move on completely. Now though, that would change. I wouldn’t get caught in the past, but take it with me into the future.

Chapter 12

Five large boxes were delivered to my room, and I couldn’t have been happier. Clothes, sweaters, jackets, scarves, gloves, jeans, boots and a few blankets lay at my feet. I’d finally have something warm to wear.

I smiled as I dug through the last box. I remembered packing some of these things with my mom; it’s what we always did when the season was about to change. I just never expected that I’d have
all this stuff here with me. But then again, my mom always thought ahead, was always the planner. For that I was grateful.

My fingers ran across something hard, and I quickly pulled it out.

“What is it?” Lilly asked, folding some of the sweaters.

I carefully unwrapped
a book-sized package. Once the paper fell away, I gasped.

“It’s a picture of my parents,” I whispered.
Tears that I thought had disappeared were fresh again.

Lilly moved and placed her arm around my shoulder. “And it’s in a nice silver frame,” she added.

I traced the outline of my mother’s face, before sighing and setting it on the table beside my bed. At least now I had a picture.

“Alexis was very thoughtful in sending things
here ahead of time,” Lilly said while she tucked some clothes into a drawer. “The picture of her and Gene is sweet, thoughtful.”

“It
is,” I replied, putting the last of the jeans away.

Lilly placed her hands on her hips, smiling.
“Since we’re done here, Dex has asked for you to meet him in the library.”

“Oh?” What was this all about?

“He wants to make sure you’re up-to-date with some Timeless history. We’ve made huge mistakes not sharing our heritage with you. It’s time we fixed that.”

My eyes lit up.
It was about time! At last, I could finally learn more about my family and the clans. All the things Callon had promised were coming true.

I dashed for the door. “I’m on my way then!”

Lilly laughed, and I hurried through the hall and down the stairs, pausing at the library doors.

“Where you off to in such a hurry,
princess
?” Brogan grumbled.

I turned,
giving him a blank look. “Me?”

“Yes
, you, princess.” He crossed his arms over his large chest.

Great, now Brogan had a nickname for me…

“I’m meeting Dex.”

“And?”

What did he care? “We’re going over some history.”

A smirk rose. “It’s about damn time somebody listened to me.”

“That’s right, love. We all need to listen to you,” Layla swept into the hall and hung off his arm, her eyelashes fluttering.

“I think I
should go with her and make sure…”

Layla cut him off. “Leave her be
. I need help with some herbs.”

His lip twitched, but when he looked down on Layla, his eyes filled with warmth. I had to blink twice to make sure I’d seen it right.

A sly smile rose on Layla’s lips, and she led him towards the dining room. I swallowed. That was a disaster averted. I pushed open the library doors and walked in. Callon peeked out from behind a bookshelf.

“Hey there.” A warm grin emerged. “Looking for me?”

“Always.” I glanced behind him. “Is Dex here?”

“No.” His head tilted
, and he moved closer. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh sure, it’s just that Lilly told me Dex wanted to see me in the library.”

Callon chuckled. “He’s in the other library.”

“Huh?”

He grasped my hand. “I’ve been wanting to show you, but I needed to make sure you were ready.” He tugged me along into the hall and headed towards the dining room. He stopped at the metal studded doors and pulled a key out of his pocket. Unlocking it, he ushered me inside.

T
his time there was more light, a trail of small hanging sconces lit the way. The corridor was windowless, and the gray stones made it feel like the walls were closing in. Our feet padded against the long red runner, its pattern more Asian than the other rugs in the manor.

“This is where I was last night?”

“Yes, this hall not only leads to the storage room, but a gym and another library,” Callon explained.

The cool draft
made me shiver, or maybe it was the gloom from the dark shadows…

“So why keep it under lock and key?”
I asked. A gym and storage room didn’t seem like it needed to be guarded.

“This library contains information that doesn’t need to fall into the wrong hands.”

I twisted to see inside a well-lit room as we passed. It had small, high windows giving it light. Gym equipment filled the space, and a punching bag oozing sand lay on its side. Had Colt come here to work out? I wondered how many other secrets the manor held.

“Like?”
I asked.

“Like enchantments,
things that protect the manor.”

“Like?”
I repeated.

“Secrets of the rings, Timeless information that Marcus could use against us, things like that.”

“Oh.”

We rounded a corner and stopped at another set of metal studded doors. They resembled something
from a medieval movie. Callon touched the door with his hand and spoke just above a whisper. A lock snapped open, and he twisted the handle. Instantly I was hit with the smell of dust and leather. We stopped just inside the doorway.

“The door has a spell?” I looked at the tarnished handle.

“Of course.” Callon pressed me forward.

Would Callon give me the spell someday? I felt giddy. It was my turn to learn, to understand about the Timeless.
Would it make me happy, or bring more despair?

I looked around at my new surroundings
. Dark wood shelving lined the walls, and several bookcases were neatly arranged in the center, all filled with books.

“Ah, here she is
!” Dex rose from a chair near the fireplace. “I’ve been waiting for you, Cheyenne.” A mahogany desk with a small green lamp lay behind Dex’s chair. The light’s pull swung back and forth.

Callon kissed me on the cheek. “
I’ll leave you to it. Have fun.”

He turned and left
, and the heavy doors clicked closed. Dex pointed to the upholstered chair across from him. He sat on the edge of his chair while he stoked the fire and added another log.

T
here were no windows in the room—to protect the information or preserve the books, I guessed.

“
I assume Lilly’s told you why we’re here, Cheyenne?” Dex asked.

“To learn Timeless history,” I replied. I was starting to feel the warmth from the fire and shifted my legs closer.

“Correct. I felt it was time you knew some of our most important secrets, given your position as Kvech leader.” His hazel eyes softened. “I really wish we could’ve gone through this sooner. It might’ve helped. But we’re here now, so we’ll go through everything I think you need to know.”

“I’d like that.”

“If Lilly and I had raised you…” He trailed off, deep in thought, then released a heavy sigh. “Anyway, feel free to ask questions if you don’t understand. I’ll try and explain as best as I can.”

I nodded, anxious to get started.

Dex dropped a large leather-bound book onto the small table and flipped it open.

“I want to start with marriages.” He looked up. “I want you to understand your betrothal first, since that has caused you the most heartache.”

I swallowed. Memories of that day in Dex’s house after my trip with Colt rose to the surface. I quickly pressed them down. What was done was done. I couldn’t dwell on it.

“It’s not just some random thing, Cheyenne. There is purpose behind it, and it’s deeper than you realize. The Kvech are the ruling clan for a reason
. They bring stability to the Timeless,” Dex said.

“What do you mean
, bring stability?” I asked.

“
You have seen for yourself what we—you—are capable of. Callon’s ability with memory, Daniel’s jumping, Andre’s aura sensing, Maes’ shifting, your own powers with air…these have all been inherent with the clans since their original founding. But over the last few centuries, and especially since the war with Marcus began, our powers have waned.”

“Waned?”

Dex sighed.

“
It is rare now for a Timeless to inherit powers. This becomes particularly important for the clan leaders, whose job it is to regulate the power between clans. They need stronger powers for this purpose, but in order for this to happen, they also need to choose strong partners. This is why marriages are arranged.” Dex paused. “Are you following so far?”

“I think so,” I said, rubbing my
temple. It was quite a lot to take in. “How do the clan leaders control the clans’ power, then?”

Dex off
ered his hand, showing his Coltooro ring.

“The rings,” he said. “These allow us to merge our powers with the other clan leaders, so we can plug the weak gaps with strong ones.”

I nodded. Strong with the weak; a theme Brogan loved to repeat. It made sense. It also explained why Callon had been so upset when I’d gone to open the safe deposit box in Helena. I always thought my Kvech ring was just a symbol of being Timeless. Yet both that and my Servak ring were far more important than I could’ve dreamed.

“L
ook here,” Dex said. He pointed to the book again. “This is a listing of all the clan leaders throughout our history. It’s a pairing, strong with the strong, though the Kvech lines are a bit more complex.”

I pulled the book closer,
scanning the page. The Coltooro and Consilador clans were listed with the most recent leaders, their spouses and children. There were also blotches beside some of the older names. I pointed to them.

“What are these?”

“At one time we had each leader’s power listed, but it fell into the wrong hands and their powers were used against them.” Dex lowered his head. “It was heartbreaking to know that someone we trusted would go as far as they did.”

“
Was Marcus behind it?”

“
No. Makhi was.”

“Makhi?” That name sounded familiar.

“Makhi was Marcus’s father. He was a good man, once.”

Dex quieted for a moment as he gathered his thoughts and moved back in his chair.
I blinked. This topic seemed to have made him uncomfortable. Finally he sighed.

“
What am I about to tell you is very important, Cheyenne,” Dex said, his eyes intent. “You won’t like some of the things I say, but hopefully it will help you understand.”

I nodded and sat back myself, curling my legs
beneath me in the comfortable chair.

“The Kvech are the Keepers of Power
. Their rings are the strongest, but it wasn’t always this way. At one time, the clans were equal, and there was no fighting. Powers were maintained through family lines, because they were arranged accordingly.”

“
So what changed?”

Dex hesitated.
“Your grandfather, Jorell, Sahara’s father. He was a very powerful Timeless, known for his abilities with enchantments. The original enchantment here was modified by him for Kieran, Callon’s father.”

I nodded.

“A long while ago, something happened between Makhi and Adalmund, Qaysean’s father. They both wanted to stop the clans’ powers from disappearing, but this divided the clans. Five of the clans gave a portion of their power to the Kvech, as Adalmund and his family were known to be pacifists. We trusted the Kvech to regulate the balance. Makhi was angry with this, as he felt he should have been chosen instead.”

“So that’s when the Quaysaar and Servak joined the Sarac
,” I whispered.

“Yes
, and this was what would eventually lead to war. Makhi then convinced Jorell to experiment with his enchantments to increase their power…increase Makhi’s powers. Makhi was determined to prove Adalmund was the wrong choice, and he wasn’t afraid to do this by force.”

“What happened then?”
I sat up, captivated by the story.

“
This is where the rings come in again,” Dex said. “In addition to allowing the clan leaders to maintain balance, they also protect them, as otherwise they’d go mad. Jorell and Makhi’s experiments bypassed the rings, granting them stronger power, but at the cost of their minds. Jorell eventually betrayed us, using the clan leaders’ powers against them. This is how the Sarac have gained so much strength, and why we have struggled to defeat Marcus. He is draining all of us, and if he isn’t stopped soon, we will have nothing left.”

I sat back,
absorbing everything that had been said.