The Cypher Wheel (20 page)

“Another good reason I should go, just in case she
can't be trusted,” Etyran said.

“Okay, hands up. I admit you have a good point,”
Faedra conceded, garnering her a smug smirk from her friend.

“What about Allora...I mean Vivianna?” Jocelyn asked.
“She knows Alyssa's cover has been blown.”

“That's easy,” Faedra said, a wry smile curving her
lips, allowing a slight pause for effect.

Faen, Etyran and Jocelyn looked intently at the
Custodian, waiting for her to continue.

“She escapes, of course.”

Jocelyn screwed up her forehead at the reply and
looked at Etyran who responded with a shrug.

“We cause a commotion in the main chamber and make
sure everyone sees us discussing the fact that Alyssa has escaped.
She will approach Allora and tell her that she has escaped and that
she's on her way to Arawn to give him a progress report. Allora, or
rather Vivianna, will not suspect a thing.”

“So who goes to warn Todmus?” Jocelyn continued.

“Faen and I will go. We can use the guise that I can
sense Alyssa and we are going after her to try and cut her off
before she gets to Arawn's castle. Allora will be expecting us to
do something; she would be suspicious if we didn't try and find
her,” Faedra explained. “Jocelyn, I need you to stay here and
explain what is happening to Vivianna, I mean Allora, urgh, I'm
getting all confused now. Anyway, try and keep her occupied. We
don't want her leaving the cave until everything is in place.”

Jocelyn nodded her agreement.

Faedra had to give Jocelyn her dues. She could sense
the sadness enveloping her friend like a blanket, but the young
fairy was doing an excellent job of putting on a brave face.

“Okay, Jocelyn. You go out into the cave with Etyran.
It will look suspicious if they haven't seen us all for a while.
I'll come and join you in a bit, leaving Faen to...” Faedra
motioned some in-the-air quotation marks with her fingers.
“...stand guard.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this show
on the road,” Etyran said as he pushed himself up from the
ground.

“I just hope Alyssa will go for it. We haven't told
her the plan, yet.”

“Oh, she will,” Etyran said with an air of confidence
Faedra hoped wasn't premature.

“And you know this from spending five minutes with
her after having just wrestled her to the ground the night before?”
Faedra said, trying hard to keep the sarcasm at bay but failing
miserably.

Etyran scowled; there was no other word for it. He
pulled a face like a five year old and scowled.

“Sorry, that was uncalled for,” Faedra apologized.
“I'm finding it harder to keep nasty thoughts out of my head just
lately.” She was relieved when Etyran gave her a smile of
forgiveness.

It was becoming a problem for her, though, and she
knew it was one of the side effects of having Savu's power. More
and more she would find herself thinking mean things about people,
something that was alien to her. She just hoped it was something
she could keep under control. She would hate to say something that
would really upset someone, especially someone she loved.

Faedra brought herself back to the task at hand.
“Faen, let's go and find out if Alyssa will help us.”

Faen nodded and stood up, holding out a hand for his
charge, which she accepted with a smile as he helped her up off the
ground.

“Thank you.”

“Pleasure.”

Etyran rolled his eyes at the pleasantries.

“Don't knock it, Etyran. Girls love a bit of chivalry
every now and then,” Faedra said with a smirk. “You'd do well to
remember that.”

Etyran blushed a little before turning to offer his
hand to Jocelyn, only to find she was already standing. “Guess I'm
going to have to brush up on those skills.”

Jocelyn gave him a smile. “It wouldn't hurt.”

As the four wandered down the corridor, they saw
Carina heading towards them.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked when they came
together outside Alyssa's cell.

“Yes, thank you for coming,” Faedra said. “We have
a...situation.”

Carina's eyebrows rose with interest.

“In here.” Faedra opened the door to Alyssa's cell
and motioned for Carina to enter before she and Faen slipped in
after her, leaving the others to continue on to the main cave.

***

A little while later Faedra was sitting on the floor
teaching Skylar, and Jocelyn for that matter, how to play
'pat-a-cake'. Both girls were enthralled with the clapping game,
which put a big smile on Faedra's face. Her mum used to play it
with her when she was a child. The warm memories associated with it
came flooding back. After a few more minutes, Faedra noticed that
along with the happy memories, the meanness she'd been experiencing
dissipated. She realized she was so relaxed playing with the little
girl, whose trust she had now earned, that she almost forgot she
was in the middle of a plan to thwart an enemy sitting right next
to them on one of the benches in the main cave. Etyran stood
watching the three girls, chin in hand, giving them strange looks
at the clapping game they were playing.

Prickles ran down Faedra's back a few minutes later,
a shift in the atmosphere that was undeniable. She could feel a
wave of nervousness flow around her just before Allora sat up with
a start and stared straight ahead. Faedra turned her gaze from
Allora, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Good
, Faedra thought. Alyssa must have 'escaped' and was now
whispering her plan to Allora.

She sent a subtle glance in Jocelyn's direction to
let her know the plan was unfolding, garnering a barely discernible
nod of acknowledgment from the young fairy. Etyran's energy and
attention also shifted behind her; she knew that Faen must be
entering the cave to start the show.

“Faedra,” Faen said with an urgent tone, as he
reached them.

Faedra put on her best acting face and feigned
concern at her Guardian's worried expression. She got up off the
floor, leaving Jocelyn to play with Skylar.

“What is it?” Faedra asked, as Faen pulled her and
Etyran to one side.

They stood in a huddle and pretended to whisper for a
moment.

Faedra broke from the huddle and whispered to
Jocelyn, who faked a great shocked expression. Fairies, it was
turning out, were talented actors.

Skylar's happy expression dropped. Faedra hadn't
expected her to have such good hearing. Jocelyn's excellent
mock-look of worry cemented the act even more.

“That lady got away?” Skylar cried. “She will tell
him where we are. He will take us back.” Skylar's eyes started to
glisten with unshed tears and deep-seeded fear etched itself onto
her innocent features. Faedra took one look at her and felt awful.
She didn't stop to think of the effect their plan would have on the
little girl.

Faedra kneeled down in front of Skylar and took hold
of her shoulders. “Now don't you worry. We won't let that
happen.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.” Faedra gave the little girl a reassuring
smile that shone all the way up to her eyes.

Skylar nodded and smiled back; trusting what the
Custodian was telling her. Faedra was relieved when she felt the
little girl relax.

Faedra stood up and addressed Jocelyn. “You stay
here; she couldn't have got very far. We should be able to find
her.”

“But she's invisible, how will you find an invisible
person in a forest?” Jocelyn was acting the part to perfection.

Faedra could see Allora in her peripheral vision. The
smirk planted on her face was undeniable but quickly vanished when
Faedra turned to talk to her.

“We have to leave for a while. When we get back, I
promise we'll make our way to Azran and reunite you with your
husband. I just have to make sure it is safe first,” Faedra
said.

The last thing Faedra heard as she was leaving the
hall with Faen and Etyran was Jocelyn explaining what was going on
to Allora. Faedra's smile widened with the knowledge that she was
finally one step ahead of her vengeful half-sister.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Faedra and Faen exited the cave along with Etyran and
Alyssa. They traveled down the path far enough that they could be
sure they weren't being followed. Alyssa
unwrapped
herself
while Faedra pulled the cypher wheel from its pouch.

“So you know what to tell Arawn?” Faedra asked
Alyssa.

Alyssa nodded, her nervousness quite apparent in her
expression.

Faedra put a hand on her shoulder. “You'll be fine.
Etyran will be with you the whole time. He's not going to let
anything happen to you.”

Alyssa looked up at Etyran and gave him a weak
smile.

“She's right,” Etyran reiterated. “I won't let
anything happen to you.”

“We'll meet back here before going to the cave to
continue the plan, okay?”

“Okay,” Etyran and Alyssa answered.

“Faedra, we should be going,” Faen said.

Faedra nodded. “Yes, you're right.” She turned to
Etyran and Alyssa just before they wrapped the light around
themselves and disappeared from view. “Good luck, guys.”

“You, too,” replied a bodiless chorus.

Faedra returned her focus to the cypher wheel and the
piece of parchment Carina had given her with the reverse
coordinates written on it in Ogham. She hoped it would work and
take them back to the last place they were in the World of Men.

Faen linked his arm with his Custodian's, ready for
when she turned the dial for the last letter.

“Ready?” Faedra asked.

“Always,” Faen replied with a smile.

“Here we go, then. Faedra turned the dial. The flash
of light was blinding, then, complete darkness.

***

“It must be night time, I can't see a thing,” Faedra
said, feeling around her. “Hold on a minute. Urgh, I don't believe
it. The cypher wheel dumped us in a cupboard?” Her hands felt the
wooden walls surrounding them. “I can't find a door. Do you have a
door on your side?”

“I do not believe it is a cupboard,” Faen said.

“What else could it be? It's cramped enough to be a
cupboard.”

Faen moved around trying to find a way out.

“Faen, watch where you're putting your elbows,”
Faedra grouched when Faen lifted his arms and bumped her on the
side of the head.

“I do apologize, Faedra. Like you said, it is very
cramped in here.”

Faedra started rapping on the wall with her knuckle.
“It sounds hollow. Is it hollow on your side?”

Faen rapped on the wall. “Yes, it sounds hollow here,
too.”

“Well, maybe I should just blast us out, then,”
Faedra mused.

“That might not be the best solution. We have no idea
what is on the other side.”

Faedra sighed; she was starting to enjoy blasting
things to pieces. “Good point. Much as I want to get out of here, I
would hate to hurt anyone standing on the other side.”

Just then, Faedra heard a creak from above and was
momentarily blinded by the light that poured in over them. Faedra
blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the sudden
brightness. It was then she noticed the light wasn't the only thing
that poured over them. Several pairs of eyes belonging to some very
bewildered owners were looking down at them. One pair, in
particular, belonged to someone she recognized. A tour guide. He
still had hold of the latch on the lid he just lifted up.

“Err, hi.” Faedra gave the onlookers a sheepish smile
as Faen quickly jumped out of the treasure chest, forcing the
wide-eyed tour guide to take a hasty step back. He leaned over and
held a hand out for his charge.

True to the ovate's word. They had been transported
back to the place from whence they came; the treasure chest in the
cellar at Dragon Hall. Only Faedra hadn't expected Carina to be so
literal.

“What...? How...?” the tour guide stuttered, pointing
first at them, then at the treasure chest.

“Sorry, no time to explain, we've got a bus to
catch,” Faedra said, grinning at the bemused tourists. “Excuse us,
coming through,” she continued, as she and Faen pushed their way
through the stunned gathering who were taking a tour around the
ancient building. The confused tourists parted to either side,
letting them through.

“Faen, we really should remember about the whole
glamour thing before dropping in on anyone else, don't you think?”
Faedra asked, as they left the cellar and the tourists behind.

Faen couldn't help but notice the wry smile curving
her lips. “Yes, Custodian. It was very remiss of me. Although,
considering you made enough noise to wake the dead, glamour would
not have done us much good.”

Faedra stopped. “Faen, was that an attempt at
sarcasm?”

“I thought I might give it a try. What do you
think?”

Faedra looked thoughtful for a second then shook her
head. “Not really you.”

“No, I thought not.” Faen gave his charge a cheeky
grin, which she returned.

A wave of confusion hit Faedra straight between the
shoulder blades, followed by some urgent muttering. She turned. At
the other end of the corridor, some of the tourists were poking
their heads around the archway from the cellar, watching her and
Faen intently.

She turned back to her Guardian, stifled a giggle,
and said. “Come on, we better get out of here.”

Faen and Faedra picked up their pace and carried on
down the corridor to the exit, leaving several sets of curious eyes
in their wake and a befuddled tour guide standing over the empty
treasure chest scratching his head.

Faedra burst out of the door onto the path outside,
causing an older lady, who was laden down with shopping bags, to
side step around her.

“Oops, sorry,” Faedra apologized, but all it garnered
her was a hard glare as the lady continued on her way down the
street.