The Light of Asteria (10 page)

“Are you sure she said ‘the Nora’ … not just
Nora, or Ms. Nora?” Gavin asked. I had no idea why that could be
important. Sophie giggled.

“It was funny … calling Ms. Nora ‘the Nora’ …
it sounds silly, doesn’t it?” Sophie clapped her hands over her
mouth and giggled again. Gavin smiled; his concern twisted through
me.

“Sophie!” Kathy’s voice rang out, and
suddenly arms and legs eagerly let go as she bounded to the ground,
running toward her mother. Sheriff Conway and two deputies followed
closely behind Sophie’s mom and Mrs. Brown.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Gavin whispered. I
reached for him, but he had already slipped through the crowd.

“Where have you been?” Kathy’s muffled voice
demanded as she kissed the top of Sophie’s head.

“A shadow made me to go into the woods. It
was scary. Molly kept me safe, and then I ran to Ms. Nora.” She
explained in first grade fashion.

Suddenly, all eyes were on me; I tried to
filter six-year-old logic into an adult explanation.

“Look, there’s something out there. I only
saw a blur, but I thought it might be … a panther.” The deputies
chuckled; I grimaced. Sheriff Conway smiled.

“Nora, those are just legends.” Stories of
large black cats had circulated through the mountains for
years.

“Well, I know I saw something.” I insisted.
Sheriff Conway nodded to the two deputies.

“The shadow had one of the baby sheep,”
Sophie chimed. The men in tan uniforms quickly walked toward the
back of the field. Kathy kept Sophie in her arms.

“You’re going home, little missie. I believe
I’ve had as much fun as I can handle.” Sophie giggled and wrapped
her arms around her mother’s neck.

“Ms. Nora, if you see Molly, will you tell
her thanks for me?”

“I sure will.”

As they walked away, I started searching for
Gavin, but his emotions never registered.

All of the rides stopped at nine, giving
everyone a chance to bid on the silent auction. Edna donated a
basket of her famous jams and jellies. The proceeds went to help
with the Appalachian Christmas Project.

“You coming, Nora?” Judge Alan was the last
to head toward the front. I smiled and waved.

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Cheers rang from the alleyway as Mr. Vernor
announced the winning bids. Warmth nudged my heart, and I looked
back at the distant trees. I found him easily before I actually saw
his outline—that was my cue. Putting all of my hard work this past
week to use, I aggressively emptied my mind, leaving only sky blue.
The emotions pounding through me were the strongest yet. I knew
what I felt, but I refused to name it. Knowing he could hear my
thoughts, I simply allowed my entire being to fill with emotion.
The color forever blue kept my thoughts at bay, and I concentrated
on the pounding of the heart Gavin had healed.

“Would you like to explain?” I murmured,
getting right to the point. One eyebrow rose, as he registered my
lack of thought.

“Not here,” he whispered, lacing his fingers
through mine. Electricity shot through every nerve, and the blue
sky shattered. My thoughts flooded through.

“I missed you too,” a smile played at his
lips, but his eyes never left the forest wall and his voice had an
edge to it.

“Were you on Edna’s mountain?”

“Not in the literal sense—but I could hear
your thoughts, and yes, everything was real.” We rushed to the
parking lot and headed for a black Tahoe. Gavin opened the
passenger door, but I let go of his hand and took a step back.

“Where are we going?” I stared at the hard
emeralds of his eyes.

“Get in … I promise I’ll explain.”

I still didn’t budge. His frustration burned
through me.

“I thought you were out of town ... and how
did you know about Sophie?” The underbrush of the forest stirred,
as if a group of deer were running. I shivered; fear ebbed into the
mix.

“Nora, I cannot express to you how important
it is that you get in the truck now,” he commanded. His protection
surged through me. His eyes blanked for a moment and he growled,
“please.”

I climbed in, and before I had the door
closed, he already had the truck started and we sped away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 7—The Castle in
the Trees

“What have you been doing the past few days,
if you haven’t been out of town?”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Gavin
knew more about my life than I did his, and it wasn’t fair. I
allowed those thoughts to ring clear. He tried to control his
emotions, but his understanding registered in the form of a
transparent shell around my heart.

“We got back earlier than expected. My
brother and I have been working on a problem.” That was all he
said. Protection filled the transparent shell making me wary of
what the problem could be and why I would need to be protected from
it. His hands tightened on the wheel.

“This is so complicated,” he growled.

Gavin, I can’t continue to share everything
with you and know nothing in return. It feels extremely unfair.

Every emotion imaginable squeezed me, making
it hard to breathe. They eventually slowed and floated around our
feet, like the snow in a globe.

“You’re right, it’s not fair,” he murmured.
His eyes narrowed and became hard as stone. The blue was back;
Gavin sighed.

“I don’t like it when you keep your thoughts
from me. It just feels wrong,” he admitted; I grew frustrated.

“I couldn’t possibly imagine what that must
be like. Not knowing something about me—wow—that must drive you
nuts.” Sarcasm drenched every syllable, and the blue once again
dissipated. Was I really supposed to keep opening up to him and
have no idea who I was giving my inner most thoughts to? Really? My
brow furrowed.

“Please don’t be angry,” he pleaded. “I don’t
keep things from you because of a lack of trust, or because I’m
playing some sophomoric game. I’m trying to keep you safe.” As he
spoke, his overpowering emotions caused my eyes to well with tears.
What on earth could I possibly need protection from?

The sky blue shield all but forgotten, I
turned in my seat.
Whatever it is, don’t you think at this point
I should know? You forget, I’m a survivor, and I’m stronger than
you think. What is it you’re keeping from me, Gavin?

Conflict raged, taking my breath with it, but
I held my ground. He took the interstate, and adrenaline kicked in.
I had no idea where we were going, and Edna would be worried. He
didn’t say anything but pulled a phone out of his pocket and hit
number one on speed dial.

“Tell Edna you’re all right and not to wait
up,” he ordered.

I riled at the demand. He reached for my hand
and brought it to his lips in an apology.

“Hello?” Edna’s sleepy voice whispered.

“I’m gonna be home late tonight. Gavin got
back in town early and surprised me at the fair.” My voice shook; I
hated not being completely honest.

“Sunshine, don’t worry about me. Just have a
good time,” she chimed mischievously.

“I’ll see ya when I get home.”

I handed the phone back. My gaze returned to
the dark farmland passing by. What could be out there? I lived on a
mountain in the middle of nowhere … this was North Carolina, for
Pete’s sake.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, as we passed the
Asheville exit, completely ignoring the questions circling my
head.

“Not really … what’s going on?”

He grew uncomfortable.

“You know what really happened the day we
met, don’t you?” I decided to just come out and take the direct
approach. There were too many mysteries surrounding him, and I
couldn’t take it anymore. “Gavin … please … I truly think I am
going crazy.” I finally admitted. His alarm coursed through me.

“You’re not crazy … you’re gifted,” he
murmured. My heart skipped a beat.

“What?”

“Have you noticed anything strange since that
day? Anything at all?” I searched his face as he turned onto an
unmarked road.

“Well, I can understand Shakespeare for
starters.” His cheek pulled into a smile.

“Anything else?”

I took a deep breath, and looked blindly out
the window. “If I tell you, you really will think I’ve lost my
mind.”

“Try me,” he challenged.

I turned back, staring at his profile. “All
right … these birds seem to be following me. I can’t stand the
smell of cooked meat, and the thought of eating it makes me
nauseous. I’ve convinced myself that the small voice living in my
head is actually a newly developed instinct. Animals seem drawn to
me. Last week, the deer started coming to our porch to wait for
feed. I’m finding my ears cringe at anything other than classic or
renaissance music. Babies and small children are comforted by my
touch, and the Carolina lily I swore wouldn’t make it to Christmas
has now outgrown four pots. Still think I’m not crazy?” Surprise
and humor tickled me for a moment as he grinned.

“Believe me, you’re mind is perfect.” His
hand tightened around mine in assurance. The dark road gave way to
a cobblestone drive.

“Where are we going?” I asked, now
concerned.

“To a place where I can assure your safety.”
His protection surged.

“You keep alluding to the fact I’m somehow in
danger. You’re starting to freak me out a little.”

He looked straight ahead—the silence
stretched.

“You were right,” he muttered. “There was
something in the woods tonight.” My heart missed a beat.

“What shadow was Sophie talking about … and
who is Molly?” The truck slowed.

“We’re here.”

I was surprised as we rounded the last bend.
A large manor made of rough-hewn stone rose from the mountainside.
Rows of arched windows lined the western wall, and the front façade
held only two walnut doors that were almost two stories in height.
Gavin drove as close as he could.

“This is my home.” He answered the question
running through my mind as we hastily entered.

The living room ran the length of the entire
first floor; the open space was staggering. Landscapes in gilded
frames adorned the walls, and formal furniture was strategically
grouped throughout. The arched windows lining the back wall were
reminiscent of pictures I had seen of classic Italian
cathedrals.

“What does it say?” I ran my fingers over
strange etchings gracefully carved in the granite mantle.

“It is the original language of my people. It
is a reminder to me of my purpose … my responsibilities.” His voice
trailed away; his emotions were mired in turmoil.

Gavin started a fire, and I made my way to
the couch. The warmth seemed to ease his anxiety a bit. He sat next
to me and took my hands in his.

“How’s your elbow?” he asked. In all of the
excitement, I completely forgot. Resting my wrist on my shoulder, I
looked down. Unblemished skin was all that could be seen beneath
the ripped material caked in dried blood. I pulled up the
sweatshirt’s sleeve and inspected the area again.

“Is there an explanation for any of
this?”

A strong sense of insecurity warred with
protection. He hesitated.

“I’m not what you think I am,” his voice
became husky, and I realized he was making himself truly
vulnerable. I gave into my need to comfort him, and I opened my
mind as I did on the mountain when I said goodnight. His eyes
widened in surprise, his hands tightened around mine. The energy
running through me was instinctual, and a primal urge to build
it—to allow it to arc to him gripped my heart. Gavin closed his
eyes and held his breath. The power strengthened, until I could
hear it hum through his body.

“How can you do that?” he asked, astonishment
ringing in his voice. He opened his eyes. They were hard and
shining, like emeralds in the sun. His hands were shaking, and his
left knee bounced up and down as if he was about to explode. Odd, I
didn’t feel any difference, except for the fact that every nerve in
my body was on fire, begging for his touch. I brought back the blue
as that thought raced through my mind. His emotions rushed around
me, strengthening. I was sure he was making an effort to redirect
them. Had they pierced through me, it might have hurt.

I kept my mind blank until I could feel his
emotions dwindle to a manageable level.

“How do you know?” he asked, truly
bewildered. I sighed and met his gaze. Instinct whispered, and my
hand made its way to his chest. He startled at the touch. I could
feel his pulse race under my fingers, and a calm determination
warmed my heart.

Instinct guides my path. It will guide you
now… you must trust me … I’m not afraid.

“I am,” he whispered, taking my hand from his
chest. He studied it for a moment, turning it over and mindlessly
tracing the lines of my palm. The silence stretched, and I bit my
lower lip trying to be patient. I could feel how difficult this was
for him. It was like a weight sitting on my chest. He stood to
stoke the embers back to life; his eyes never left the flames.

“My people are called the `Alfar,” his soft
voice cut through the silence. Adrenaline rushed, and I willed my
mind blank. “We track our history by centuries like you track yours
by decades. We are similar to humans, made by the same Creator, but
were given different gifts.” Gavin rested his hand on the mantle,
tearing his gaze away from the flames; his eyes met mine. My pulse
pounded in my ears, but I kept my thoughts emptied.

“We are more powerful in strength and live
longer than your race. Some say we are immortal, but we do age with
time. Telepathy is our primary source of communication. Since you
are the only human I have heard clearly, I’ve discovered our minds
work differently in that we have many thoughts that run parallel at
the same time.” His anxiety grew, and he turned back to the
flames.