Folk Lore (29 page)

“Are you alright?” Nermo’s voice startled her.

He stood behind her and Sera, so lost in her thoughts, hadn’t heard him approach. He sat on the mossy rock beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“No,” her voice wavered and the tears which ached to flow, now spilled down her cheeks.
“I ruined everything.”
She almost laughed at the petulance in her tone.

“The elders will consult their visions. They will be shown the way.”

“What if they’re not, he’s in that
...
that bubble because of me. He now can’t get out because of me. If only I could control my emotions. I should have practiced more when Keelor urged me but I was
-
as usual
-
too stubborn to listen.”

“Would practice have made any difference? I think not. You are passionate and volatile by nature they are your most endearing qualities.”

“Yeah, well, fat lot of good it does me now.”

“I am not so sure.”

She turned to look at him, curious.

“Maybe my vision was not accurate.”

“But it was.
The fighting in the village, my defeating Mecaldorf.”

“Perhaps not all of it will occur as I foresaw.”

“The only thing that didn’t happen was me
...
hurting Keelor.”

“What about us?”

“What about us?” Surely he wasn’t trying that again on now.

“It did not eventuate.”

“Yeah, well, it might now
...”

Nermo wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest.
“Sera, I would not, could not take advantage of you, besides I do not believe my feelings were as I first believed. I fell in love with a dream, a vision, it was not real. You need a friend and I want to be that person for you. I think what I interpreted as love was friendship, your beauty and feisty nature simply complicated matters.”

She smiled despite her sorrow.
“I’m glad you’re here. With Sam being a vampire and wanting to eat me and my Mum in love with one
...
well I feel kind of alone. Thanks.”

“It is my pleasure.”

“Do you really think we will be able to free him?”

“I hope so, for you.”

“Why don’t you like him?”

“Long story.”

“Is it about Hallow?”

“So he did he tell you about her?”

“Yes, though I was disappointed when he told me. Ironically, his steadfast regard for the law both endeared and annoyed me.”

“Ironic is the word, particularly because of his love for you. For him to break the law for you, well, it surprised us all. When I teased you about him in the beginning, I did believe it was a harmful flirtation and underestimated both of your feelings for each other.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yes it is because of Hallow. He allowed her to leave the land she loved and did not at all consider what it would do to her.”

“What happened to her?”

“She lives with a group of bandit pixies not far from where we were today.”

“Did you love her?”

“I still do, she’s my sister.”

“He didn’t tell me that, I’m sorry.”

“I still go and see her often. She has forgiven him, however, for some reason, I cannot. Hallow says she is happy, I’m not so sure.”  He paused.
“Then when I thought he would hurt you too
...”

“He’s really not like that.”

“Not anymore, you melted his cold heart. Do you see why I was concerned? I thought he would betray you as he did Hallow when he realised his feelings were not real and merely what you projected onto him.” 

Sera pulled away and scowled at him.

“What?” he asked, a perfect blue eyebrow
raised
.

“You don’t think his feelings are real?” Her hands heated with the rise of her voice.

“Steady
...
Sera,” he breathed out so she calmed herself until he could speak.
“No I did not, until he went to the elders.”

“Oh, sorry.
I’m a little sensitive at the moment.”

“The hour is late, Seraphina. I will walk you home.”

Giving up on her fruitless attempt to sleep, Sera climbed out of Keelor’s large hammock bed. Standing at the glassless window, she looked over the lands and sighed. Since she’d come here lives, including her own, had been destroyed. Sam
-
though she now believed he was happy with his status being the same as Angelique’s
-
Keelor, Anna reconnecting with her vampire and perhaps becoming lost to her forever, innocent elfin killed and finally being responsible for Cornelius’ death. Sure he was an evil warlock who wanted to wreak havoc on the lands but he didn’t deserve to die. Mecaldorf may have carried out his plan even if she hadn’t come but the attack on the village occurred because he wanted to draw her out, so he could follow his plan of obtaining the book through to fruition. Would this have happened without her here?

She sighed again, feeling sorry for
herself
was not helping anyone. Pulling on a jacket she went out into the darkness. Even by night Sera found her way to the gardens, to Keelor. His handsome face appeared serene and this at least helped to appease her guilt. His white flaxen locks fell over his closed eyes and she itched to push
it back as she’d done many times. Her hand reached up involuntarily to do so until she touched the bubble, pulling her hand back when the shield singed her fingertips. She watched as her skin healed and she shook her head, astounded still. The realisation suddenly washed over her. The shield may cause her injury but it didn’t deflect her.

Cornelius’ taunts and Nermo’s words flashed through her mind. Perhaps if she’d used her powers to free Keelor it might have cause his death but what if there was an easy way? The warlock’s ironic grin may have actually meant they could have freed him all along. Everything Nermo saw was true but because he’d stopped her from attempting to destroy the shield they’d change the course.

Nermo may have decided he’d interpreted their relationship incorrectly but what if, by changing part of the future, they’d changed everything after. Nermo had said they were together after she killed Keelor but because that hadn’t happened, perhaps that is why the rest hadn’t, why Nermo’s feelings had changed.

With only a slight hesitation she reached forward again. First her hand then her arm went through to her elbow. She gritted her teeth against the pain as it seared her skin. She touched Keelor’s hand to find it cold. Grasping tight to his wrist, she pulled to find he came with her. She reached in with both hands and eased backwards, bringing him through with her arms. He landed at her feet, out of the bubble but still in a sleep trance. Sera waited a moment while her arms heeled before kneeling beside his head. She placed her healing hands upon his face and waited with bated breath.

His eyes fluttered and then opened to gaze around in bewilderment before they met hers. The relief at seeing his pale blue eyes washed over her. Her stared at her for a moment with his expression stoic before his brow furrowed. He sat up swiftly and took in his surroundings.

Sera placed a hand back to his face.
“Keelor,”
she whispered.
“Thank goodness you’re back.”

He seized her by the wrist, removed her hand from his face then released her before standing up.

“Who are you?” He asked her.

“What?” she asked her voice shaking.

“I said,
Who
.
Are.
You?”
  Sera’s heart plummeted to the floor.

39

Lost Love

“It’s me, Keelor. Sera,” she said standing to meet him.

“Sera?
You are the human princess, Seraphina?”

“Yes,” she answered hopeful, maybe it was the effects of the trance.

“Who sent for you? Keela and I were supposed to retrieve you.”

“You did.”

“Nermina?”

“Is back with us.”

“Us?
You live here now?”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“No. We convened and the elders decided to send Keela and
I
. We were preparing to leave and then
...
nothing.”

“Oh.”

“It is dark, why are you out here in the middle of the night?”

“I wanted to be near you.”

His face became stern then the detached expression
-
the one he wore those first days
-
returned. Sera’s heart ached, he didn’t remember her. Would he ever recall loving her? Could he fall in love with her again? She doubted it would be possible, not starting off this way.

He continued to look at her in his cool, reserved manner and sadness washed over her and of course transcended to her hands. As the pulses shot out from her, he was thrown backwards to the ground. Leaping to his feet he came at her.

“What did you just do to me?” His voice remained as cold as his eyes.

“I’m sorry, sometimes it happens by accident.”

“What does?”

“My powers.”

“You can do more than heal?” He cocked his head to the side. At least confusion replaced the coldness.

“Yes, a lot more. There is so much you have forgotten.”

“You touched me before, you were familiar with me. Why?”

“I don’t think you’ll like the answer.”

“Tell me,” he stepped forward, stony faced again.

“I think maybe we should talk in the morning. I’m tired and emotional, that could be a problem.”

“Very well, I will walk you. Where are you lodging?”

“With you.”

“Now you are being absurd. Why would you be staying with me?”

“Another question I don’t think you want the answer to.”

“Where is your protector?”

“I thought I asked a lot of questions.”

“I will take you to one of the vacant huts in the village.”

“I know my own way, thanks.” 
Her heart broken completely.

She stormed out of the garden and back to Keelor’s hut. Sera grabbed as many clothes as she could carry and returned to her original hut. She threw her dresses to the floor, herself on the bed and let her tears flow freely.

Left reeling, Keelor remained in the garden, confused by his loss of memory and stunned by the beautiful human princess. Little did he know it wasn’t the first
time.
Her dark trusting river music eyes genuinely appeared hurt, broken by his lack of recollection. It wasn’t possible to have feelings for her, mixed folk were forbidden. He would never break the law, not again.

Added to this was her incredible power and totally by accident. What was she capable of when she tried? She’d left him feeling something
...
strong, awestruck? Suddenly irritated with his blank mind, he strode off to locate Kalar and obtain some answers however realising the hour, knew it would have to wait for the dawn.

As he walked back through the garden and into the village, even in the dim light of the moon, he could see remnants of destruction. Many huts were burned or destroyed and most of the tables and
benches in the court yard were in various stages of wreckage. What happened here? Why couldn’t he remember?

In his hut a lingering aroma tickled his senses in a pleasant, familiar way, the human? There were several dresses still hanging in his wardrobe and he fingered each of them and imagined her wearing each one. The deep blue in particular would go well with her eyes. What am I doing? What was the undecipherable feeling deep in his stomach, the ache in his chest? Ridiculous, whimsical thoughts about a human princess with indigo eyes could not be indulged. Though why she left him feeling breathless still puzzled him.

Deciding to rest and seek Keela out in the morning to find out exactly what happened within the lands, instead of the half answers from the girl, he turned from his scrutiny of her dresses and ignored the scent which seemed to be following him.
Seraphina.

Once in his hammock thoughts and images he couldn’t reach within the recesses of his mind frustrated him. The same intoxicating scent assailed him from the pillows and puzzled him further. Was she really staying here with him? How was this even possible? Too many unanswered questions which would have to wait till daybreak.

40

Indecision

“I find this all very hard to believe, Keela,” Keelor told her after she relayed the story from the beginning.