Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy) (39 page)

             
Terra felt a little of her heart tear. The playfulness of Owen was gone. Even though he was leaning away from her she could still sense him. The childish ways he possessed were gone, replaced with a serious, cynical man. He had nothing but doubt and disbelief toward them.
"
Owen, please,
"
she pleaded. She desperately wanted to reach out to him, to warm him, but she kept her hands at her sides. She stepped toward him and waited until he looked into her eyes.
"
I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t gone through what I had these past few years. Our father knew what I would become when he passed, and so does my mom.
"
Speaking of her mom brought a bad taste to her mouth that she had to swallow down and not gag. It tasted of iron.
"
It’s why my friends are here. They are helping me.
"

             
"
Those two?
"
he exclaimed.
"
I thought they were different. There was something about them…
"

             
Her eyes lifted in hope.
"
You mean you believe-
"

             
"
No,
"
he snapped. When he watched what his words did to her he stopped himself. Terra’s eyes were brimming with tears, and her large golden eyes stared up at him in desperate need.
"
I don’t know.
"
He crossed his arms.
"
Why are you telling me all of this?
"

             
Terra looked to her brother.
"
We need your help,
"
Blake said.
"
She’s not alone, and they’re all in danger. We’re fighting against something that we don’t know very much about. We only know of one person that can hopefully get into places that could get us the information we need.
"

             
"
We? As in you can do that too?
"
He jerked his thumb behind him toward Terra.

             
"
No, I’m learning I have… different talents.
"
Blake gave a quick shake of his head. He kept his arms crossed and didn’t want to give Owen any more than what was necessary.

             
Owen looked at Blake for a long moment, then he dropped down onto the log and put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. Terra could feel his inner turmoil. What he knew as logical and real was fighting against what they were trying to tell him. He wanted to believe them, but he was brought up like everyone else and knew that magical creatures don’t exist. Magic doesn’t exist. After a long sigh he looked up to Blake and said,
"
Tell me.
"

             
"
It can wait.
"

             
"
No, it can’t. You’ve already hit me with that,
"
he motioned to the plant,
"
what more can surprise me now? Tell me.
"

             
"
Owen, it’s too much to take in at once-
"

             
"
Tell me!
"

             
"
He’s a modern Hercules. He’s very, very strong,
"
Terra said. She swiped at the tears that ran down her cheeks and walked around the log so she could face them, face Owen.
"
And he’s a part of this.
"

             
"
What do you need me to do?
"

             
"
We need you to find us some information.
"

             
"
On the computer? I’m pretty sure they don’t publish stuff like you two.
"
His mind was traveling a mile a minute trying to sort out this new reality. It sounded like a swarm of bees to Terra. 

             
"
No. Not us.
"
Blake shook his head.
"
We can get into the details later. We want you to think about this first. But don’t say a word to anyone.
"

             
"
I’m suddenly in need of some whiskey. Let’s go talk.
"
Owen stood and started walking away from them.

             
"
Owen?
"
Terra didn’t lift a foot.

             
He stopped and looked toward her. There was just a hint of his old self twinkling in his eye masked by the coldness.
"
Terra, I’m not going to lie to you. This still sounds completely mad to me, but you two are my closest friends. You’ve helped me through a lot. I think if I had come to either of you with something like this, you wouldn’t turn your backs on me. There has to be a more logical reason and I’ll work to show you that you’re a normal person, not the mythical creature you believe you are. While I’m going about that I’m also going to help you. It’s the best I can do.
"

             
She fell into step behind Blake who was following Owen, they made a single line coming out of the woods. She couldn’t help but smile, it wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t going anywhere. He had been right, if he had come to her with something like this she wouldn’t have turned her back on him. She never would.

CHAPTER THIRTY

             
Aylin and El had taken a walk in the woods, keeping close to the house and expanded the perimeter. They needed to be extra cautious now. Aylin’s scars were gone, but she could still feel the weight of iron in her blood, and the cold wet rock underneath her. The rock she had laid on had felt dead, just as she thought she would be. She breathed the air with gratefulness to be alive. Her life was a gift, and she wouldn’t take that for granted.

             
Back at the house she settled onto the couch and noticed the light on her cell phone blinking, letting her know she had a missed call. When she flipped open her phone she had a voicemail.

             
"
Hi Aylin, this is Lisa. The owner of Petals By the Shore?
"
Lisa’s cheerfulness was gone and she sounded exhausted.
"
Well, I was wondering if you could do something for me. My daughter had a camping accident last week, and I need to take her to the Duluth to see a specialist. It’s going to take some time for her to recover, and I want to be there for her. So, I know you have experience running a floral shop, and I was wondering if I could have you run my shop for a few weeks? It’s a very special circumstance and I wouldn’t normally do something like this.
"
Aylin’s grip on the phone had tightened, and the plastic groaned under her hand.
"
Please call me back as soon as you can.
"
She left a phone number and hung up.

             
This had to be another trap. Lisa’s daughter was one of the witches that kidnapped her, even though she didn’t personally torture her she was present and now her mom wanted her to run her shop.

             
Although, maybe Lisa didn’t know what Julia had been up to. Lisa could be innocent. Aylin didn’t sense from Lisa that slimy feeling she gets in close proximity to the witches. A strange part of her wanted to help Lisa. If she had been innocent of the situation, Aylin felt bad for her. She didn’t deserve to have a horrible girl like Julia as a daughter, someone that wants to destroy their world.

             
"
Who was on the phone?
"
El asked walking in with two glasses of water.

             
"
Lisa, the owner of the floral shop.
"
Aylin replayed the message on speakerphone for El.
"
What do you think?
"

             
"
She sounds genuinely distressed about her daughters ‘camping accident.’ We don’t know for sure that Lisa is involved. What’s the saying? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer? It’s not too far from the bookstore, and I would always be close by. You’ve taught me enough that I could be of some use. Just in case, we’d all be near if it’s some kind of trap. But I’m just not getting that feeling from it.
"

             
El was right, she could take her along and she didn’t need to be alone in the shop. But it would also take away from focusing on battling the witches. At this point she wasn’t sure if she could take another distraction from their goal.

             
There was something else too. Something that Mary had said. She didn’t want to be imposing on Terra, and she helped out with buying groceries, but she knew the water and heat bill would be surely rising with two additions to the house. Make that three additions with Blake sticking so close to them too.

             
Maybe she would consider it.

             
That night they had Owen over for dinner, and they tried to ease him into their world. It wasn’t a comfortable dinner, and there were times where he would shut himself down trying to come to terms with the thought of what they were. But, in the end he had swallowed down his stubbornness and was slowly on his way to acceptance. Terra and Blake didn’t stray too far from him, and were now in the living room, showing Owen the Seanchai. Aylin and El decided to retreat to the kitchen to give them some privacy. Owen had put up a guard around himself to them, and tried to only talk to Terra and Blake.

             
El washed the dishes while Aylin prepared mugs for tea.
"
He needs to drop his pride so we can get down to business. I feel like we’re wasting time. Precious time,
"
El said with her back to Aylin.

             
"
I know, but if we take the time to do things right hopefully it will help us in the end.
"
She turned the burner on to boil water.
"
I just hope he can find some things out for us.
"

             
"
I agree. Being blind is getting tiresome. Hey!
"
El dropped the pan she was scrubbing into the sink, sending bubbles up in the air.

             
"
What?
"

             
"
There is somebody in the yard!
"
She was ripping off the dish gloves.

             
Aylin was at the window in less than a second.
"
It’s Finn. The Highland faerie I told you about. He’s inside the perimeter.
"
She pressed her hand against the pane.

             
Finn looked up at the house, and made eye contact with her. She felt a wave of calm wash over her and she let out her breath.
"
He wants to talk to all of us.
"
She looked at El.

             
They made Owen stay up on the deck, and the four of them walked down the stairs toward Finn, led by Aylin.
"
Hello again,
"
she nodded to him.

             
In the sunlight he was magnificent. He smelled of the ocean, and fields of heather. He waited until they had formed a solid line in front of him. His smile was kind and reached his eyes, crinkling the skin at the corners.
"
Hello to you. As I have not formally met the rest of you, let me introduce myself. I am Finn.
"
He bowed his head and when he raised it he was looking at Blake. He stretched out his hand to him.

             
"
Uh, Blake.
"
He shook his hand.

             
"
Yes, the Storyteller. Has the Seanchai been useful to you?
"

             
Blake cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable, and nodded.
"
Yes, a little.
"

             
"
Yes, it motivated you to make sure we didn’t lose one.
"
He nodded to Aylin who stood next to Blake.

             
Aylin’s mouth dropped.
"
You knew?
"

             
"
Oh yes.
"
He skipped over Aylin and moved to El.
"
Eliana. The fire, the sun.
"
He took her hand to his lips and touched them softly.
"
You barely have control of that fire, don’t you?
"

             
El was startled by his bluntness.
"
I have complete control.
"
She frowned at her hand, which was warming rapidly.

             
"
Clearly.
"
He patted the back of her hand and dropped it. Then he moved to Terra.
"
Terra, the youngest and continually feels she has to prove her strength to the others.
"
He took her hand to his lips.
"
I’m so very happy to meet you all.
"
Terra stood dumbstruck in front of him, unsure of what words to choose.
"
Don’t worry child, your time will come soon.
"
He looked up to the deck.
"
Please, come down Owen,
"
he waved.

             
"
Wait, you know Owen?
"
Terra slipped her hand out of his grasp.

             
"
Of course. I know all parts of the elements of your quest.
"
Owen had stilled when the man had called to him, but shaking off his reservations, he ran down the stairs and came to stand next to Terra.
"
Owen, you were always meant to be a part of their lives, and will have to come to terms with that. You are going to be vital to their success.
"

             
Owen only watched him carefully, not understanding what he spoke of.

             
"
I’m sorry, I don’t understand why you are here.
"
El crossed her arms.

             
"
Yes, you might think it strange that I am volunteering to help you. But I’m no volunteer; I am linked to The Rune just as you are. I come from the Highlands, where The Rune originated. My story is very long, and one day you will all know as much as you need to know. For now, know that I am here to help you.
"

             
"
How can you help us?
"
Aylin asked.

             
"
And you’re a little late. We could’ve used your help earlier,
"
El said.

             
"
If I had known that they were planning on attacking you so soon I would have come to you sooner. But, you are all stronger than I expected. You performed wonderfully. I am going to teach you,
"
he said simply.

             
"
Teach us what?
"
Terra asked.

             
"
To fight, to heal, to win. To be faeries as they once were, not the modernized clichés we have become, meddling in with witches and humans.
"

             
"
I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you have to teach us then. We know how to fight.
"
El stepped forwards, her hands out.

             
"
You think you do. But each one of you possesses abilities that you have not begun to tap into. I am here to help you understand your potential and your unique powers. We will work on homing your skills. You have much to learn and little time to accomplish this.
"

             
"
Why are you doing this?
"
Aylin asked.

             
He stepped closer to Aylin.
"
As I have said, I am tied to The Rune, but there is another reason. In the cave you saw a hint of a man in the shadows?
"

             
The thought of the darkness around the man brought chills up her spine. She nodded slowly.

             
"
He is an old faerie, as old as I am. His name is Cole.
"
He stopped and let this sink in.

             
"
Cole? As in the faerie that fell in love with a human girl?
"
Terra asked.

             
"
The one in the same.
"
Finn nodded.

             
"
But he’s dead,
"
Aylin whispered.

             
"
He might have been at one point. But the witches found him, and turned his heart cold against all other creatures. They brought him back to life with their dark magic and now it seems he is the one controlling them. He is fighting for the power of the elements. His hatred of human kind is old and very deep and he wants to destroy every last living soul.
"