Folk Lore (15 page)

Sera’s compassion and anxiety began to grow and she felt a warm swelling feeling inside her chest similar to the one felt while heeling and it overtook all other feelings. Almost immediately Sam made a choking sound, clutching at his throat. Sera, horrified at his sudden distress went on her knees as he writhed on the ground in obvious pain. As she got closer the heat in her chest intensified and Sam appeared to grow worse.

“Sam, what is it?”

“I told you your power
was
stronger than you thought,” Nermo’s voice came from behind her as he approached them through the forest.

“Did you follow us?” 

Her worry disappeared and the heat began to subside to be replaced with irritation at Nermo.

“Yes, I was coming to see you to enquire as to how you were feeling when I saw you both head to the forest. I was simply watching in case he tried to kill you.”  His matter of fact tone indicated he expected nothing less of a vampire.

“He wouldn’t hurt me” she told him with as much conviction as she could muster.

Sam sat up and sprung to his feet. Whatever had been causing him grief had passed.

“You don’t need to protect her from me, pixie,” he growled.

“I beg to differ and by the way Seraphina was the reason for your discomfort just now.”

“Impossible,” Sam replied with little certainty.

“Her power goes beyond healing. It appears she can also disable folk as well.”

“I doubt that,” she mumbled not so sure now.

Nevertheless when this strong feeling surfaced so had Sam’s pain.

“Do it again. Try and emulate the same feelings.”

As Sera concentrated on her concern for Nermina, her anxiety over her change of relationship with Sam and her confusion over Keelor, the same warm feeling filled her chest and produced the same result on Sam. Nermo appeared impervious.

Seeing Sam’s pain again intensified the feeling and he moaned loudly, so Sera concentrated again on her annoyance at Nermo and the feeling subsided once more.

“Wow that is one powerful weapon you have there, Seraphina” Sam told her after recovering and adeptly jumping to his feet.

19

The Verdict

Nermo and Sam both invited her to dine with them but she declined them both. As much as she loved Sam it was going to take a little while to get used to his new transformation. Try as she might she couldn’t use vampire and Sam in the same sentence just yet.

It appeared as though the elders had much to discuss as she’d still not sighted her mother so Sera went to the courtyard and ordered her usual salad. As she sat playing with its contents, Tiana and Farina asked if they could join her. Surprised and curious Sera told them to pull up a chair
-
or bench to be precise.

“We understand the difficulties you would be facing today. I cannot imagine how I would fair without my Tanner although it does help that he is my chosen mate.”

“Thanks, Tiana
,
but I don’t feel that way about Sam. He’s my best friend and it’s a little strange.”

“I can cast a binding spell that will prevent your scent being appetising - for lack of better word,” Farina said.

“Thanks but it will be okay.”

“We haven’t had a chance to learn more about each other with your lessons and today
...” Farina stopped not sure how to proceed.

“No
,
we haven’t, maybe when Nermina is safe we could spend some time together. You may or may not have heard I like to ask questions. I’m afraid
curiosity is my middle name.”
She tried to smile but her heart wasn’t in it.

“We would be happy to answer any questions you have as we understand this is probably quite strange for you, right, Farina?”

“Absolutely.”

“You are probably feeling a little lost at the moment seeing you have not found your life mate yet,” Tiana said.

“Right now I don’t really know how to feel.”

“We in the circle are all here for each other, all of us. We as a group of eight are much closer than our protectors who all love to
hate each other and hate to rely on each other, it is a boy thing,” Farina told her offhandedly showing her incomprehension of males.

“I have noticed they like to fire shots at each other.”

“Oh yes it is always fun to watch them during training, trying to outdo each other. It really is quite amusing.”

They chatted amicably over dinner and for the first time that day she felt light-hearted while enjoying her new friends.

Sera eventually gave up on her mother or any other longed for visitor that evening and attempt to sleep with little luck. Eventually she slept fitfully and dreamed about Sam seducing and then biting her with Keelor watching them preaching about the law and Nermo talking about destiny.

As the sunrise gave its usual wakeup call though her window, Sera woke with her head feeling thick and her eyes heavy. Rubbing them sleepily, she swung her legs around to drag herself out of bed and hit an obstacle. Keelor looking beautiful in the morning light and wearing his circle meeting attire was standing ramrod straight at the edge of her hammock bed. Startled she cried out.

“What are you doing in here?” she asked trying modestly to cloak her sleeping attire.

“I am going to escort you to the meeting of the circle.”

“Why? You could have knocked, by the way.”

“I did, you did not answer so I thought I should ensure you were in one piece.”

“You mean to ensure my best friend hadn’t drained my blood while I slept.”

“Not funny, Seraphina.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny, it could happen.”

“Not while I am alive.”

“Oh, so you have decided you want to protect me now.”

“You are frustrating, Seraphina. I will wait for you outside while you prepare for the meeting.”  His tone remained even and she wondered whether he was actually as frustrated as he said. His face showed no emotion as usual. How could he feel things and not show them? It was all or nothing for the ethereal Keelor.

“I doubt you feel anything but indifference,” she mumbled as she forced herself to leave the sanctuary of her comfortable bed.

“Hmm,” was his only response before leaving her alone to wash up and
dress.

They walked in silence towards the garden, her still annoyed at him and him trying to avoid anything that could nurture his irreversible love for her. They were first to arrive and as they were both unsure of themselves and each other, Sera stood awkwardly and Keelor like a statue with an impassive expression.

“I discovered a new element to my power yesterday,” she broke through the electricity pulsing in the air.

“I was unaware humans were able to utilise their power differently.”

“Could you not be serious for one moment and perhaps for once show some sort of emotion? It is confusing.”

As he turned to her his face filled with emotion, his total turnaround and dropping of his stony facade generated the warm glow within her chest again. The feeling grew until she was consumed with it and as Nermo was he was unaffected. She contemplated what this entailed as the feeling dissolved.

“What was that?” he asked intensely.

“Did you feel it?” she whispered.
“I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“On the contrary I felt
...
I can’t explain
...
it was
...
pleasant.”

“Well it seems so far the only folk it affects badly are vampires, ironically.”  She smiled without humour.

“It could be useful against our enemy. I, on the other hand, found it agreeable and made it all the more difficult to distance myself from you.”

“Don’t then. I haven’t changed my mind. I’m going to push for Sam and Angelique to be allowed to stay and for you to become my protector. Keela will not need you anymore and I do. I trust you with my life and you were born to do this, seems like everyone wins to me.”

“I believe you have too much faith in folk you do not know well. Kalar is just and fair as is Annaphina, however there are other elders
who are not so liberal and will vote against the idea. All discussion pertaining to the law and a decision regarding the law is put to vote with all eight elders, princess and protectors. Majority wins.”

“I’m willing to try.”

“Your mistake to make.”
 

He took several steps back and his cool expression returned.

“What will you vote for Keelor?”

A moment later the remainder of the circle started to arrive and he avoided having to respond.

Kalar as usual addressed the group who had taken their spots within the circle.

“As you are all now aware Sampson, with permission from Princess Seraphina, was changed to a vampire to save his life. As this is a direct violation of law eight and as is custom we are to vote upon the decision of Angelique and Sampson’s future within the circle. It has also come to light the feelings shared before this transformation which is against law one.”

“We shall vote upon law eight and one as a whole instead of separate issues because in essence they are integrated. Princesses, you shall cast your vote first. Seraphina, do you vote to stay or for banishment?”

“I vote for them to stay.”

“Angelique, as you are involved you cannot vote.
Tiana.”

“Stay.”

“Farina.”

“Stay.”

“Mimi.”

“Stay.”

“Audrey.”

“Stay.”

“Keela.”

“Stay.”

“It seems our princesses continue to vote and remain loyal to each other, this is comforting to see.
Now protectors.”

“Angeles.”

“I only vote this way because it will cause me to stay so, banish.”

“Angeles,” Angelique turned to him in confusion.

“I’m sorry. I have to look out for myself now. If you are banished I will stay with the new princess.”  She glared at him as Kalar moved on.

“Tanner.”

“Stay.’

“Malena.”

“Stay.”

“Masseno.”

“Banish.”

“Andre.”

“Banish.”

“Nermo, your vote counts as Nermina’s as well so
think
carefully abou
t what you would both decide.”
Without hesitation he answered.

“Banish.”

“Nermina would agree with us,” Tiana informed him.

“Nermina believes in the law as vehemently as I do.”

“Keelor.”

Seraphina watched him without turning her head and knew exactly how he would vote.

“Banish.” 

She looked at him now aghast as he was fully aware how much this would hurt her.

“The vote is nine stay, six banish, now to the Elders.”

The vampire and Anna voted stay whilst the witch, pixie, fairy, nymph and hazer all voted for banish. The count was now eleven for each decision the final vote from Kalar would be the decider. Sera held her breath and turned to look at Sam who, even though he was no longer human and her protector, still stood behind her. She held her hand back for him to take it and waited impatiently for Kalar’s decision.

“The law was broken before Sampson was bitten which we have concluded from Angelique’s declaration of her love. This law is
intolerable and should never be broken. I believe law eight was violated as a means to an end and we are grateful that Sampson is still with us. Under these circumstances I believe law eight was not violated, nevertheless law one was, so my vote, with a heavy heart, is for banishment.”

Sera inhaled loudly in shock as she truly believed the vote would go in Sampson and Angelique’s favour. Sensing Sera’s mood and possible reaction Sam squeezed her hand harder than he intended and Keelor whispered her name as a warning under his breath.
Seraphina being who she was paid no heed.

“With all due respect, Elder Kalar but if Sampson is banished then I will give up my place in the circle or quit or whatever it is that princesses do in this situation. Sampson is a loyal and kind man and deserves to stay. If he can’t continue to be my protector, I believe he should stay as Audrey’s. The only mistake they made was falling in love and while Sam was still human they did little to cause any sort of problem as far as mixed folk are concerned. Now they are both vampires it is not forbidden and if Angelique hadn’t declared her love he wouldn’t be still be staying with us.”

“Seraphina, you cannot leave your chosen position.”

“What if I refuse to help? Without me you cannot save Nermina.” 

Guilt racked her body as Sera knew it was a harsh ultimatum. In her heart she would never do anything to risk the life of Nermina, even if she wasn’t acquainted with her but only two people present would know that being Sam and Anna and neither denied otherwise.