Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two) (8 page)

All of them watched Kaeleigh with great anticipation as a magical multicolored cord of energy erupted from Kaeleigh’s core then frayed at the ends, each color stretching out toward each individual in the room connecting her to them. They were all taken aback at seeing the effects of what was happening. A strong breeze began to blow through the small room, stirring among them all but not disrupting anything within the cottage. Kaeleigh let out one more scream then dropped back to the table. She was still, but not lifeless like before. Shimmering all about her, magic began to encapsulate her, stripping her of her outward appearance. Changing her. Restoring her. Releasing her from the glamour she had lived with, believed in, for most of her life. She was free.

Gasps came from everyone as the magic settled and they were released from the spell and their hold of each other. She had not awakened yet, but there was life in her and everyone seemed to relax a little—except Daegan. He had stepped back on an intake of breath with surprise and confusion. Oliveaé looked at Hunter and gave a partial bow, inclining her head, and gave Daegan a smirky smile then said, “My time is done here. She will be restored.” Daegan nodded in return a silent thank you. The rest thanked her as well and then she was gone, just suddenly gone.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Exhile

The Realm of the Unforgiven Dead

Eva was sucked back into the dark cave so forcefully she was thrown to the other side from where she had started. The connection had snapped much quicker than she had anticipated, but looking around at her companions as golden tears trickled down her face, she realized they had no other choice. All of their energies had been joined together to get her to project her own energy further than she had been able to before, but something had changed... shifted... with the activation of the prophecy and Kaeleigh’s own power. They knew they had their opportunity and acted quickly to take it. Unfortunately, it hadn’t lasted as long as they had hoped. Eva frowned with despair. “I did not get to tell her where we were.” She looked down. “I am sorry.”

“But it worked?” Cley-una asked as she walked up to Eva, extending her a hand to lift her up.

Nodding, she looked up to Cley-una, accepting her hand with a twinkle in he eyes. “It worked. I could touch her and hold her.” More tears flowed as she smiled. “She is beautiful, Cley.”

“Well, of course she is, she is your daughter.” Cley-una smiled sweetly.

An interruption from another of the Ferrishyn in the group: “You were able to enlighten her?”

“I believe so. I did not have much time, but I explained as much as I could.” Eva looked up into the faces of all those who had been trapped with her in this place of darkness for much too long. “She is strong. Much stronger than I gave her credit for. And those she is with will help her.” Eva looked back at Cley-una and Dy’lánd confidently. “Daegan will find his path. I know he will, she is too stubborn to let him fall to the darkness. I saw it in her eyes and in her heart.”

“We have done what we can to make a drastic impression. Now it is up to them.” The old Ferrishyn warrior spoke gruffly with finality.

“I have given her direction. Although she needs to find Brandt—she will need him.” The others nodded in agreement, the only problem being that they hadn’t even been able to find him all these years. “She has
Nithylríth
, it has found her,” Eva mentioned with a victorious smile. “She just needs to complete the un-warding ritual by making her way back from the In-between.” Eva wrung her hands a bit nervously, but then nodded to herself as she came to her own determination that of course Kaeleigh would make it back.

Cley-una stayed by Eva’s side as the others began to scoot away from where they had gathered. Just then they heard a tortured noise and felt the mountain tremble.

“Nooooo!!” Screams echoed from the vast interior of the cavernous mountain.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Kaeleigh’s body relaxed. Her breathing slowed to normal. Color returned to her skin even though she was left with creamy pearlized skin. Everyone stared at her with anticipation and awe as her body, magic still hovering above it, was slowly changing her into her true image. She had traditional Faerie features: the narrow yet delicately pointed ears, sharp facial features that enhanced her slightly rounded face, long graceful fingers. She still had most of her “Kaeleigh” features but they seemed to be more accentuated—everything about her was simply “more.” More defined. More enhanced. More
alive
. She even appeared to be taller, perhaps a bit disproportioned from her human form, but then again she wasn’t human. Even closed, her eyes seemed to be larger and her mouth took on a slight pout; there was an edge to her that hadn’t been there before if you were looking carefully, which Daegan and the rest of her friends were—definitely looking. She was beautiful. Dangerously beautiful.

And Daegan recognized her.

Looking at her now, he wasn’t sure how he had missed it before, but she most definitely was the girl of his dreams. Or rather, the girl from his dreams. The one who he had been visiting random events of the past with. The one he was drawn to, but could never reach. He didn’t know how to react... couldn’t figure out what this could mean or why. He simply stared with a frown.

Intakes of breath came from Chel as she clasped her hands together in front of the big smile she couldn’t hide if she tried as she waited with an impatient bounce. Finn and Hunter both stared as well, each with a slight twinkle in their eyes—Hunter’s full of pride and relief, Finn’s full of relief and something else... awe?

Kaeleigh began stirring, bringing Daegan back from his state of shock. Suddenly he realized that was what Kaeleigh had meant when she had seen him transform on the bridge and had seen his ring. She had recognized him before he had. She had been dreaming about him too. It could only mean one thing to his suddenly foggy brain... The Orchids were getting more involved and that had more repercussions than he could imagine; he just didn’t know what they were yet.

Moaning, Kaeleigh turned her head back and forth like she was having a bad dream. Another single teardrop fell from her eyes and her friends couldn’t handle it anymore. Chel reached to take one of her hands and Finn came up along the opposite side, gripping her other hand. 

Stroking her head softly Chel spoke to her friend. “Kaeleigh? Kaeleigh, it’s all right. We’re here with you.” She paused then tried again. “Time to wake up.” She spoke with a little more enthusiasm than the atmosphere of the room called for. It seemed more like she was waking Kaeleigh up the way she had several times before school so they wouldn’t be late. However, something about that familiarity caused Kaeleigh to settle and release a sigh. Hunter’s hands rested lightly yet purposefully on top of his tall walking stick, but he still stood regally off to the side watching with interest. Daegan, with his arms folded across his chest, his face clouded with confusion, also stood back from the scene of close friends, not hovering and not wanting to make Kaeleigh feel even more uncomfortable when she woke up. They were all filled with the hope and the assurance that she was indeed going to wake up.

With all eyes on her, Kaeleigh’s eyes fluttered and opened. She gasped. Looking back and forth between her two best friends, she smiled. “You’re beautiful,” she said with awe as she looked almost beyond each of them. Chel giggled and released a huge sigh of relief while Finn smiled awkwardly with confusion. “You have so many colors, Chel!” Kaeleigh said with a smile and then to Finn, “You too, Finn, but yours are
different
.” She continued to gaze at them then blushed suddenly, realizing that she sounded a bit loopy. She giggled herself. “Sorry.” They laughed and Chel gave her a huge hug, practically landing on top of Kaeleigh still on the table.

“We are so glad you are back. You scared the bejeezus out of us!” Chel practically shouted as tears of joy streamed down her own face.

Suddenly taken aback, Kaeleigh asked, “How long was I, um, gone?”

From behind her, a throat cleared. Hunter stepped up. Kaeleigh must have forgotten he and Daegan both were here as she seemed a bit startled and then smiled at Hunter warmly before she reached for his hand. “About two days, granddaughter.” Then with a sparkle in his eyes he added lovingly, “Welcome home.”

More tears streamed down Kaeleigh’s face as she launched herself toward Hunter in a tight embrace. Not used to people touching him, especially for the many years he’d been in seclusion, Hunter awkwardly patted her back, not sure of what else to do. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “You are here with us now.” Kaeleigh shook her head in his chest and started sobbing. “Kaeleighnna, my dear, what is it?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“She was there and then she just vanished...” she said in between sobs. All eyes were intensely confused yet focused on her, waiting for her to clarify.

Realization struck Hunter. He sighed then softly said, “You saw her, didn’t you?” Kaeleigh nodded. Then more to himself than to her he confirmed his own suspicions. “I thought I sensed her presence—her magic—a time or two, but I couldn’t be sure. Although it makes sense. If anyone could have intercepted my magic she would have been one of them.” He smiled softly, looking down at Kaeleigh’s head.

“Who? Who is she talking about?” Daegan spoke out of the moment of reverence when the others dared not disturb her. He got a glare of insensitivity from Chel, but there were things to know.

Kaeleigh stiffened at the sound of his voice. She looked up at Hunter with a smile and backed out of his embrace. She turned to answer Daegan, whom she suddenly felt awkward being so emotional around. “My mother,” she answered. She stood up straight and then finally looked into his stony eyes. At least that’s what she expected to see, but when she saw the raw naked emotions swirling in his eyes and a multitude of colors swarming around him she felt extremely confused, and a warm fluttering sensation stirred in her gut. She didn’t know what her reaction to him was, but she felt completely out of control around him and felt lightheaded. Kaeleigh faltered in her step as she reached out for the table to steady her, but a hand grabbed her arm instead, guiding her to the closest chair and easing her down into it. She looked up into Daegan’s eyes with gratitude when he spoke solemnly, “It is regretful about your mother.” The genuine look in his eyes reminded her that he knew that pain. She nodded her thanks.

Rushing up next to her, Chel asked, concerned, “Kaeleigh? Are you all right?”

“She’s probably just weak. She hasn’t eaten anything in days and her body has changed,” Finn interjected, knowing that Kaeleigh and Chel both could rival him in any eating contest. They both had faster metabolisms than the average human.

Hunter brought over a ceramic bowl he had filled with a clear liquid. It turned gold when he combined it with a powder that he had ground with a mortar and pestle. At her cautious expression, he chuckled and said, “It’s an ancient remedy,” then looked down almost sadly, quietly adding, “from your mother’s side, in fact, that will cure what your body needs. It’s made from a plant that grows in both of your worlds and has already had a great significance to you, I believe.” He winked and added, “An orchid.”

Kaeleigh just stared at him with confusion, going through her mind, trying to figure out how he would know anything about the orchids that had followed her throughout her life up to this point. It seemed to only make sense that they would follow her into this new life as well. Her brain hurt from trying to make sense of too many things at one time and she took the bowl from him. After she drank all of the gold liquid, she smiled at Hunter and, well, everyone for that matter. “That’s good stuff!” Kaeleigh blurted out louder than necessary, surprising her friends surrounding her.

Laughing out loud, Hunter took the bowl from Kaeleigh’s hands. “I forgot, you are not used to anything other than mortal food and drink. It will wear off in a short time.” Taking the bowl over to the sink, Hunter chuckled to himself. Kaeleigh kept talking to her friends as they stared at her with mouths gaping. She was still talking loudly and was starting to slur her words.

Walking back to a chair near Kaeleigh and the fireplace, Hunter caught Chel’s gaze and she blurted, “Is she... Is she drunk?”

“In a matter of speaking, yes, but it will fade soon enough,” he said. “At least I hope that it does, we have much to discuss and little time.” Turning to Kaeleigh, he tried to get her full attention as she was looking everywhere but at him in a sort of silly daze. Chel was sitting on one side of her while Kaeleigh petted her friend’s arm. “Chel, why don’t you take Kaeleigh to rest in the bedroom, perhaps she can sleep it off faster,” Hunter said, suddenly deep in thought.

Chel helped a slightly unstable Kaeleigh get up and walked her to the back bedroom. She noticed Finn seemed agitated, as though he wanted to help but didn’t know if he should and couldn’t figure out what to do with himself. He kept eyeing Hunter and Daegan. Distrusting? Or observing? Knowing Finn, it was the former, but she wasn’t sure why he wouldn’t trust  Hunter, so maybe it was both.

Before they had even gotten inside the bedroom she could hear Daegan asking Hunter what his plan was. Right when she was trying to listen, Kaeleigh started moaning about not feeling so good and Chel rushed her to the bed and grabbed a wash basin on the way in case she needed to be sick. Chel had been so worried about her friend, she was content to just lie next her on the bed and make sure she was okay.

⚔⚔⚔

Kaeleigh woke with a start, looking around, confused, at the small room she was in until the memories of everything that had happened since they entered Alandria came flooding back to her. Thoughts of her brief and unfair time with her mother brought unshed tears to her eyes. She smiled, seeing Chel asleep next to her. Her brave and loyal shifter friend. Kaeleigh almost chuckled at the thought of that and of everything. It seemed absurd at first, but then she realized that everything felt right and she felt settled knowing more of who she was and where she belonged. For the first time in, well, quite some time she felt rested and energized.