Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy) (25 page)

             
"
Honestly, I was going to, but there has been so much going on, the time was never right. He’s powerful El.
"
Aylin continued turning her fingertips in circles on her temples.

             
"
I don’t know. Something is fishy about him, but he’s right, Blake’s a part of this. I just wish those other nosey fae could have kept away, so he could’ve told you what he meant by what’s at stake here.
"

             
"
I know, I know.
"
Aylin stood.
"
Should we go looking for him?
"

             
El shook her head.
"
My impression is you don’t go looking for him. He comes to you, when it’s convenient for him. How has he managed to live so long and remain hidden?
"

             
"
I don’t know. He is a mystery. But we need to focus on the problem at hand. What to do with Blake and now his role as the Storyteller.
"

             
"
And the fact that you have the hots for him.
"
El winked.

             
"
One track mind.
"
Aylin rolled her eyes and walked out of the kitchen.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

             
Row after row of buttery pastries were laid out before El. Each one of them called to her to sink her teeth into them. The sugary aroma was almost more than she could handle.
"
Would you like one to go with your coffee?
"
the girl behind the counter asked, motioning to the glass case.

             
El licked her lips, and nodded.
"
I’ll take a chocolate croissant,
"
she pointed to the crescent shaped pastry that had chocolate oozing out of.

             
"
Good choice. They are my favorite.
"
The girl grabbed one with a piece of wax paper and set it on a plate. El paid for her coffee and croissant, and then found a table near the window. She had taken her first bite when she saw a man sitting at the next table, watching her.

             
"
Hi,
"
El said, her mouth full.

             
He flushed and gave his head a little shake.
"
Sorry. You seemed to be enjoying that so much, I was just thinking I should get one.
"
He had brown hair that was a little too long, and fell into his eyes when he looked down. His wool sweater looked to be about ten years old, and he was wearing corduroy pants with faded worn knees to boot. She had him pegged as a nerd within five seconds.

             
She smiled.
"
You should. Really good.
"
She took a sip of the scalding hot coffee. The man didn’t appear to be much older than her, and he was attractive enough. His table was stacked full of books and notes.
"
Are you a teacher?
"
She motioned to his mess.

             
"
What?
"
He looked down at his table.
"
Oh, no. I’m doing some research of the town. I’m a writer slash historian.
"

             
"
Oh.
"
She raised her eyebrows and returned to her croissant. Bells rang in her head, but she gave no reaction. This is the man that Terra had spoken about.

             
"
I’m Corey.
"
He held his hand out to her.

             
She wiped her hand with the napkin and put her hand in his.
"
Eliana.
"
She kept her focus on keeping her palms cool.

             
"
Are you from around here?
"
He turned in his seat toward her.

             
"
No.
"
Normally she loved attention from the opposite sex, but he made her nervous. She had wanted a quiet morning in the café before she tried to talk to Aylin again. She didn’t want to push Aylin on Blake, but the attraction was so strong that she wanted to bust it wide open for them.

             
On the other hand, she could try to get a read on this guy to find out if he was just innocent or not. He didn’t look to be any kind of witch that she had seen. They normally had a pendant or ring announcing what coven they were loyal to, or had a symbol of their own if they flew solo. He bore no symbol, and if he were a witch and knew who she was, he wouldn’t have shaken her hand. Although, if he was an enemy she could take him out with a slight flick of her finger, she thought after assessing his thin build. He would be no match for her.

             
"
That’s too bad. I’m interviewing people that have grown up here, and have family history here. You know, there is a lot more to this town than what meets the eye.
"
Oh yes, he definitely knew something. She needed to talk to Aylin about this. Maybe Aylin could seek him out and get a read on him to find out how much he really did know.

             
"
That’s great.
"
She started pulling on her jacket.
"
Nice meeting you, Corey.
"

             
"
Wait, I’m sorry,
"
he held his hands out in defense.
"
I get over enthusiastic when I’m in the stage of gathering information. You probably came in for some alone time and I’m intruding. I’ll leave you alone.
"
He turned to face away from her.

             
"
Thanks.
"
She pulled her arm back out of the jacket and returned to her coffee. She finished it off after awhile and stood to carry her dirty dishes to the counter. When she returned to her table he faced her again.

             
"
If it wouldn’t be too much trouble for you, sometime I would like to interview you.
"
He held out a business card that had a bent corner.

             
"
I told you, I’m not from here,
"
she sighed.

             
"
Yes, but I bet you have a story to tell.
"
He smiled.

             
She finally took the card from him. Corey Gregor Historian of the Unexplained. 
"
Fine, I’ll see if I can fit you in.
"
She shoved the card in her coat pocket and left.

             
Blake had spent the entire night reading up on the three faeries he was now deemed to write about. His eyes felt like gravel, and he lay down in bed near five a.m. His eyes drooped, but his mind was spinning in circles. Each time the Moon, Sun, and Earth fae come together the ending ha
d
been the same each time. He had to find a way to change that ending.

             
He finally fell into unconsciousness, and went into a deep sleep.

             
He walked down the shore of the lake, climbing over rocks that were slick with moisture. In the distance Split Rock Lighthouse stood erect on its tall cliff. No longer a beacon for ships it was a beautiful landmark and his favorite lighthouse. His eyes drifted down the steep cliff below the lighthouse to the end of the beach. He started when he noticed someone watching him.

             
Aylin stood on the beach, her eyes on him. Her hair whipped around her head with the wind, and the dress she wore had been pulled tight against her body from the wind. It left nothing for his imagination on her curves sending a wave of heat through him. He smiled and waved but she didn’t seem to see him. He stepped toward her and realized she hadn’t been looking at him; instead she looked through him. A shadow darkened her eyes, and a crease formed between her thin brows. Her expression was hard and cold, an expression he hadn’t seen before.  Blake turned around to look behind him, to see what she focused on.

             
Three women were crawling on the rocks toward him. They were older, and their skin sagged off their faces in thin folds. They dressed in black, and were snickering with a wickedness that sent a chill up his spine. He knew immediately that they were there to harm Aylin and he could feel the shield they had produced around themselves. It was an ice cold barrier that blocked out any sound around them, even the waves crashing against the shore. It was hard to breathe in the shield, and his breath came out in puffs of steam.  As they passed through him, he heard their wicked thoughts. One even thought of dissection.

             
They had ropes of dried vines hanging around their necks, but he couldn’t see what kind they were. A protection from fae, he assumed. Blake rushed through them, moving like a ghost, screaming to Aylin, "Get out of here!" He stumbled and slid on the rocks. He was barely ahead of the witches and could feel their shield skimming his back. "Aylin! Run!" His heart beat wildly. He couldn’t touch the witches, couldn’t throw them into the lake. If only he could grab them. He would crush anyone that came near her. He had to protect her.  He had to save her.

             
Aylin’s frown deepened, and blinked several times. Her eyes looked straight into his for a split second and he sighed. Her frowned disappeared, and in place was a calmness that had his own heart slowing. She did see him. She would run.

             
She turned her back toward him and he gasped. Iridescent wings moved with the sound of the wind on her back. They made two large arcs above her shoulders and the tips dipped down to her knees. The wings looked to be made out of streaming feathery petals. She took a breath and the wings stretched out six feet on either side of her. The wings trembled until the wind caught underneath them. In one step she was off the ground and flew into the woods.

             
Where she had been standing now sprouted large brilliant blue flowers, much like the ones that grew in Terra’s garden on the island.

             
The three women shrieked in fury and Blake jumped. He hadn’t realized they had passed by him and stood in front, watching Aylin disappear. He had been so enchanted with Aylin he didn’t feel the stinging cold of the witch’s shield. Once they made it to where she had been standing, they pointed their fingers to the flowers, and the
blue
petals shriveled and shrank until they were no more.

             
   Blake woke up gasping for air. He had the feeling of the witches slithering through him still on his flesh. He needed to scrub their filth off of him immediately.

             
After his shower and coffee he sat down on the couch again. He couldn’t read the Seanchai anymore and his eyes deserved a break. It had been difficult deciphering some of the handwriting. It was time for fresh air.

             
Aylin walked on to the gravel, leaving Sable’s Point. The wind blew just right so that the waves crashed against the rocks, some swallowing the point altogether.
"
I keep running into you here,
"
Blake said, standing in her path.

             
"
Oh, hey.
"
She smiled at him. She stopped a few feet from him, out of reach. He looked so natural standing on the uneven rocks with the lake at his back. She couldn’t see him wearing a three-piece suit when he looked so natural in cargo pants, flannel and fleece. She blinked and looked away from him when she felt heat rising to her cheeks. She didn’t need to be thinking about what he looks good in. This was Terra’s brother for goodness sake. She cleared her throat and shook the thought away.
"
What are you doing out here? I thought Terra said you worked today.
"

             
"
I did. I
went in for a few hours
. What brings you out here?
"

             
She looked behind her, toward the lake.
"
I love your lake,
"
she shrugged.

             
"
Me too. She can be unpredictable though, depending on her mood. One minute she’ll be calm and soothing, then the wind will change and she’ll capsize your boat in a fit of anger. Some even say they can tell when she is sad and lonely, and those are the most dangerous times on the lake. That’s when she takes the large cargo ships, some are still keeping her company on the bottom.
"

             
She narrowed her eyes.
"
That sounds a little overdramatic.
"

             
"
It does until you see it. If you’re here another month you will see her violent ways,
"
he said.
"
Where are you headed?
"