Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two) (6 page)

Kaeleigh gave a slight gasp, causing all of them to look to her expectantly. But there was nothing more.

Hunter shifted in a chair that he sat in next to the table, suddenly looking older than he had moments before. The magic he had stirred up and released was powerful indeed and took more out of him than he had prepared for. The outcome, however, was not what he had hoped it to be; he could still
feel
Kaeleigh’s presence coming from her body and suddenly could sense something else, as if...
well, no that could not be!
He gasped with revelation and all eyes now focused on him.

“She is caught in the In-between,” Hunter said as he rose from his chair and grasped ahold of one of Kaeleigh’s lifeless hands positioned carefully next to her body. “Not only between the what was and the what could be, but between realms,” he said more to himself as an explanation. “She is not dying, but she may be there indefinitely,” he added remorsefully as he looked at each of them, “if we cannot find a way to reach her and pull her back to her body.”

Perplexed, Chel, holding her hands to her mouth trying to keep herself from crying, said almost too quietly, “What? How do we do that?”

Daegan growled under his breath as he gave away his frustration and bore eyes of anger at Hunter as if he had just said that she was dead. Maybe it was the same to him. He looked as if the only possible thread of hope had just been unraveled.

Finn pushed away from the table, running both hands through his hair several times out of frustration and worry. He turned his back to the group as he looked out the window and said with such deep emotion he practically growled, “We can’t, she’s stuck there!”

“Actually, that’s not entirely true,” Hunter somberly contradicted him. “It has been done before, but only once in our history that I am aware of.” 

Flexing his hands, Daegan said through gritted teeth, “Who?”

“Andreinna.”

Confused, Chel looked back and forth between the two men as they seemed to be having some kind of a nonverbal communication with their eyes. Finn stepped up from behind Chel and stood next to her watching the silent communication. Seconds later, Hunter nodded and his shoulders slumped as he sat back down. Daegan spared a quick glance at Kaeleigh and then strode feverishly out the door, slamming it behind him.

“Where’s he going? What the hell was that about?” Chel finally shouted.

Hunter looked back at Kaeleigh and sighed. “Where are you, Kaeleighnna? Come back to us.” Then he looked to the remaining two and answered Chel. “He is going to see if he can learn from Andreinna so we will know what to do to help her.”

“Who is Andreinna?”

“Why would she help us?” Finn growled at the same time.

Hunter snapped his head up at Finn, clearly feeling intolerant of Finn’s tone. Finn backed off and slightly lowered his head. The old man relaxed and answered Chel, “She is the watcher of the Ancients from Lenoria, but also known by many names. Perhaps you came across her path on your journey here; however, it is not always a pleasant encounter to cross her path.”

With sudden understanding, but needing to make sure, Finn asked, “The Dryad priestess?” Then he went on, stammering, “If she even would let herself be found by Daegan, she has no reason to help us...” Then remembering Kaeleigh had encountered her in the forest, he went on, “But if she knew it was for Kaeleigh maybe she would help. She seemed to be taken with Kaeleigh when we entered the forest. She actually spoke with her!” Finn was rambling but now his words held some hope in them. 

Chel looked at him, baffled, then looked to Hunter. “Would this Andreinna speak with Daegan?”

Hunter nodded slowly and said, “Yes. They have spoken before. I believe Andreinna is fond of Daegan. He may in fact be the only one she would be willing to offer assistance to. Plus, if memory serves, she may owe him a small favor.”

Chel, feeling a little out of the loop, asked Finn quietly, not wanting to disturb Hunter’s concentration, “What is this ‘In-between’ place?”

Finn looked to her, annoyed at first, but then softened to his friend. “I’m sorry, Chel, I forget that this is new to you as well. It is in between the realms. It’s a place for the souls of the fey to go while they wait to be escorted into their afterlife... kind of like, um... a purgatory or a place of limbo. But the
living
are not supposed to be able to get there!” Finn suddenly said with more vehemence as he glared at Hunter. Maybe to Hunter or maybe to no one in particular he said, raking his hands through his thick hair, “How did she get there? She’s not supposed to be there!” Then he started pacing again.

Hunter looked directly at Finn. “No, she is not supposed to be there!!” he shouted, expressing his own anger. “I do not understand it! Nothing went wrong with the magic...” He too started pacing back and forth in the small space used as a kitchen.

Chel, suddenly feeling claustrophobic with two angry men taking up the space in the already small cottage, decided to sit in one of the chairs in front of the fire. But suddenly even that wasn’t comforting. She had so much pent-up nervous energy and frustration, her legs were bouncing. Her skin felt like it was crawling. She felt so helpless and out of control, it was making her edgy. She scratched at her skin, rotating her shoulders and cracking her neck, and her eyes grew wild. Chel needed to do something. She bolted to her feet, shocking Hunter and Finn out of their thoughts long enough for them to stare at her. She glared at them both. “I
have
to do something! What can we do? There
must
be something!!” she shouted angrily.

Hunter’s eyes grew wide with sudden understanding. The shift was upon Chel and by her reaction, he believed this was new to her. But the timing couldn’t be worse. Stopping before Chel, he stood tall and regal. He understood the dynamics of the shifter clans somewhat, and Chel’s family specifically. His hand on her shoulder, he stared into her eyes unflinchingly. He infused her with a calm energy that he was able to impart as an Elder—filling Chel with hope and peace. Her shoulders relaxed a bit and he stepped back.

She nodded, then her eyes filled with despair as she whispered, “What can we do?”

His eyes grew sad and he sighed. “There is nothing we can do but wait and hope that Andreinna gives Daegan something useful or that Kaeleigh finds her way back to us before she is lost.”

That was unacceptable to Chel. She stomped her feet like a child throwing a tantrum and turned to storm out of the much too confining cottage. Finn started to go after her, but Hunter gripped his arm to stop him. Finn looked up at him questioningly. “Let her go. She will be all right. It has been a long time, Finnlan, I had hoped that we could talk and put some of the past behind us. There is much I wish to know about my granddaughter,” Hunter said, extending a figurative olive branch to Finn.

“Yes, there is much I would like to say.” Finn nodded respectfully but then added a bit stubbornly, “But as far as Kaeleigh goes you can ask her what you wish to know when she is awake.”

“I see. You are quite loyal to her,” Hunter added with a slight knowing twinkle in his aging eyes. “That is good, Finnlan, she will continue to need you as her future here continues to unfold.”

Finn looked suspiciously for a moment at Hunter then resigned himself to a chair in front of the fire. He was tired. He was concerned about Kaeleigh. He was concerned about being in Alandria himself and whether he would be able to be there for her when she needed him most. He was also leery and mistrusting of Daegan, which he intended to ask Hunter about.

They talked of all that had transpired in Alandria since Finn’s unfortunate departure. At some point during their discussions, Chel had returned looking flush and a little more subdued. She didn’t say much but Finn gathered that she had gone running... again. Now knowing she was beginning to transition, that made more sense to him. She eventually jumped into the conversation, asking questions and getting Hunter to talk about Alandria, the history, the people, others of her kind. Talking may have seemed a little too casual while their friend lay on the table just beyond them, but they were worried and the only way to distract from the current situation was to talk.

CHAPTER FIVE

Kaeleigh stared into Eva’s sad eyes with confusion. Thoughts of what her mother said ran through her mind and as it suddenly dawned on her she gasped. “
I’m
not dead... but you are, aren’t you?” Kaeleigh finished with a strangled whisper as her head and shoulders dropped with defeat.

A single gold tear slid down Eva’s face at the sudden emotion shift rolling off Kaeleigh; elation at finding the mom she never had to the gut-wrenching tear of immediate loss once again. Eva would have spared her daughter this turmoil if she could have, but she believed it a necessary torture.

Refusing to waste her limited time with her mother grieving—she could always grieve later—Kaeleigh regained her composure, pushing her emotions back into an airtight compartment tucked away in a dark corner in the back of her heart. Taking a deep cleansing breath, she looked back to her mother’s beautiful face. “Why are you in this place—the In-between? Are you a lost soul?” Kaeleigh lowered her voice at the last part, afraid if she said it out loud it would be true.

“No, sweet child, I am not lost... but yes, I am no longer among the living. I found a way to pull us both here together when Hunter’s magic was released. I’ve been watching, anticipating a shift in your energies, looking for an opening. Being where you are at the cottage, our connection is strongest. You see, your father and I hid there when I could not keep you hidden in my womb any longer; and after you were born, for a time, that was your home. I knew he would be the one to perform the ritual needed to return you to your original state. I guess you could say I intercepted his spell.” Taking a deep breath, she admitted, “I know it was risky for both of us, but I had to take this, my one and only opportunity to see you, to hold you, and to give you what knowledge I could.”

Before Eva could continue, Kaeleigh jumped in. She had to know. “How did it happen?” At Eva’s confused face she clarified, “How did you...” Looking rather uncomfortable, she amended, “How did you end up here, well, not here, but where it is that you are? And where is that exactly?” Kaeleigh bit her lower lip and wrung her hands with the sudden nervous energy.

Eva gave a small laugh. “So many questions, dear daughter.” She paused but nodded her head at her own resolve. Eva clasped Kaeleigh’s hand between both of her own, took a deep breath as if it pained her to talk about it, then went on to share with Kaeleigh the story of how she died.

“There had been a battle,” she explained, “one of several in the history of Alandria, but this time we were outnumbered and unsuspecting. It was a time of unification among the kingdoms and peace.” Her gaze became far off as she remembered, “We had been outnumbered before, but this time was different. There was too much dissention among the territories—too many beings working for both the side of the light and the side of the dark. The king of the Faeries and the king of the Elves had been working together for unity and peace, when there was an uprising among the people who did not want to see this union come to pass.”

Eva looked down at her slender hands folded in her lap. “Sadly, the king of the Faeries—my father—was being deceived. He was impressionable and fearful for his family and his people. He planned to back out of the agreements, but unbeknownst to him...”—Eva blushed and looked away shyly—“your father and I had our own secret ceremony of union.”

Kaeleigh’s eyes were big and she looked around, slightly uncomfortable, with a blush creeping up her neck at her mother’s admission.

Looking at Kaeleigh’s awkward display, Eva suddenly realized why her daughter was uncomfortable and clarified, “I believe what we shared was what you would call a marriage ceremony.”

“Ah. Thank you for clarifying the much too intimate details that I was afraid you were sharing with me regarding you and my father.” Kaeleigh chuckled.

“I told my father of my union with an Elf of Adettlyn.” Eva looked up to the sky and shook her head with a small smile. “He was outraged, of course, but eventually came around and agreed to go forward with the agreements to preserve peace and keep his family together. I had not yet told him about you, however. What he (and we) did not know was that the uprising was growing and getting stronger. They had a plan for the night of the agreements to make a statement. The darkness got the upper hand that night.” Eva’s hands were shaking as she remembered.

“What happened that night?” Kaeleigh’s voice was breathless with the suspense of not wanting to know the answer, but
needing
to know it.

Looking straight into Kaeleigh’s eyes, Eva must have seen some resolve there because she nodded then said, “It would be better for me to show you.” She paused to see Kaeleigh’s reaction and when she gave none she added, “May I share my memory with you, Kaeleighnna? I warn you it is not something I would have you witness, except that I believe it would benefit you to see faces of those involved. I will try to alter some of the... incident I do not want you to see,” she said quietly. 

Kaeleigh straightened her back and shoulders in preparation for what she was about to see and nodded. Even though she knew it would not physically pain her to receive this vision, she felt definite apprehension about witnessing the very act that took her mother from this world. Still, she had to know the truth.

“I’m ready,” Kaeleigh simply said as she held out her hands once again for her mother.

The vision blurred into focus with a slight buzz in her mind’s peripheral:

Her father and her mother stood in the center of a large crowd at a large, round, flattened and chiseled boulder that appeared to be used as a table. Also standing around the table were two additional older couples on either side of each of them. They were dressed regally and wore a cloak of confidence and authority. The man to the right of who she had recognized as her father was a man she had already met, her grandfather, Hunter. He wore simple yet elegant red velvet robes and wore a simple band of twisted metal with a deep blue stone in the center of it upon his head. They appeared to be in the middle of a discussion. There were sudden shouts and outbursts from varying members in the audience surrounding them, almost like a public debate, sometimes peaceful, but sometimes unruly that would demand a reaction from one or both of the elder men around the table. Trying to get the agreements back on track, they would bend over and talk animatedly regarding a scroll of old parchment laid out before them upon the boulder-table. Anyone paying attention could see the love between the two young diplomats amongst the older leaders even though they had done well hiding it from everyone until the time they had appointed to a make an announcement after the agreements had come to a close.