Chapter 21

William fell to his knees and laid his head next to the grey-skinned hand. He listened to the raspy breaths and felt the coolness of her flesh under his fingers.

How was this possible? How could she grow so sick so quickly? The wind fluttered his hair gently. Tears would not let themselves fall; it was too much a bewilderment.

“Such a pity, is it not? She was quite a beauty.” The woman sat on the edge of the cot, moving the flowing fabric of the dress carelessly away. “She is not lost yet.”

William looked at the woman. Anger, sorrow, and all painful emotions flowed through his body at her haughty face.

“You remain living for one purpose. I care not for your romantic feelings for her or your knowledge of our kind. You must bring me someone.” She rested her arms back as William shook his head.

“What is it you gain from this?”

“The necklace. And is that not also what you want? Once she is again healthy, her wings will reappear.” She brushed her hair from her neck before adding a paining sentiment. “She is not strong enough for the will of the Raven Necklace.”

His mother’s necklace lay over Evera’s still beating heart. If it did have a will of its own, how was it he held it for so long and she could not? Is it because he did not wear the necklace ever? And what of his mother? She had worn the necklace. Why is it she was able to wear it for years and not end like… this?

William shook the thoughts out of his head. Evera lay still in front of him as a small breeze played around him. He couldn’t let her live without her own will. She believed too much in hope.

“What is it you want of me?”

Evera listened intently, verging on the point of exhaustion. She did not want William to leave but wanted to be free of the necklace. She wished for his safety but she knew the journey would be perilous. Mixed emotions filled her as Tae Kella told William the way to finding the woman she wanted.

“She lives in the woods just past Sileas. You must pass the Sealy people to reach her and bring her back.” Evera’s could feel the nerves in Kella’s body though her face and voice showed nothing.

What did she gain? The spirited Fae wondered if she truly cared of the necklace being returned to Elish. Her Unseelie qualities had always verged on the darker side but she did not seem the sort for total anarchy.

Tae Kella barked at William to follow her out of the room. Evera would not get another chance to speak to him, so she mustered all her strength and became one with her body once more.

“William…” Her voice rasped out, causing a quick intake of breath on the young man’s part. He rushed to her side and brushed her hair from her cheeks.

“Evera you are alive… How…?”

“Listen… Take caution… The Sealy… They live by deception.” Evera could feel the physical rejection on her body but pushed through the repelling. The young man nodded, half retaining the words. “Sealy… bargain… they can’t refuse… ” Evera’s breath quickened. Her body arched and discarded her soul into the air. The air above her body rippled with the energy leaving her. Her form fell limp and her eyes turned expressionless. As her windy form, she circled William, holding her spirit arms in an embrace. His hair fluttered as she kissed his forehead, drying his silent tears before he faced her harsh teacher.

Kella leaned in the doorway, arms folded and nose upturned. Her expression of disgust had not changed, even as she called upon one of the guards hiding behind the closed door.

“Ready one of the Ownah horses and prepare a bag for this Human’s journey. He leaves before sunrise.”

The horse shifted its weight between her four legs as William climbed into the saddle. The fidgeting animal caused him to stumble but eventually his legs rested comfortably on each side and his feet fitted into both stirrups. With his saddlebags packed with food and maps, William trotted the mare to the cave opening.

The sun paled the sky pink as the day broke into view. The fresh air filled William’s lungs and made his head feel light. He did not care though, for he was back into the world.

A violet robed man appeared by his side, his copper hair unnaturally still. William looked down at the man, keeping the animal steady.

“The Sealy people are not as abrasive as we, but do not be fooled. They are still Fae and love to mislead. Take caution.”

“Thank you.” The elder sneered at the remark.

“The use of that term is frowned upon by Fae.”

An uneasy stillness was shared as the sun slowly rose on the horizon. The mare snorting occasionally and the sound of chirping birds were the only noise.

“I…” William ran out of words to say. The elder sensed his discomfort and spoke.

“Once a Human touches a Fallen Angel, they must concede to the Human’s demands as long as they do not interfere with the first ten Heavenly Commandments. But be quick. The influential power lasts for nine days.”

“Why nine?”

“It is three multiplied by itself,” the elder replied. “It is to them, a Holy number.”

William nodded, holding back his words of gratitude.

“May fortune favor you and have God grant you safe passage.” The rider nodded again at the elder and spurred his horse. He galloped away into the trees, branches and roots swiping at the speeding mare. Her hooves pounded against the ground as she galloped through the winding paths.

The stretch of time since he last rode a horse was near a decade and William was not used to the jarring ride. Evera had taught him the basics of riding in their childhood but he was never exceptional at it. The feel of the mare’s shoulders flexing worked his legs raw. The reins he remembered to keep moderately loose and when his horse came to jump over any logs, he stood in the stirrups cautiously. The ride became too much for both animal and man and soon William slowed to a calming canter.

He was alone in the forest again. Moving on a horse that seemed to know their heading, he was able to behold his surroundings. Trees extended on as far as his eyes could see. In this stretch of land, the landscape was smoother, the ground less damp. The air seemed dry, even with summer weather bearing down and trees stood tall and unmoving. It was an eerie place as much as any graveyard or empty home. Animals never crossed their path and birds were silent. Insects flew lazily in the air and spider webs were strewn across lifeless branches.

The mare, Taipa, marched on, oblivious of the uncanny calm. Her hooves thudded the ground at an even pace and her head sway with every step she took.

William spurred the sides of the horse and quickened their pace. He needed to find the outcast woman as quick as possible.

Thoughts and memories of Evera swirled around his mind. He had known this older Evera for maybe two weeks and yet he still found her the same amazing girl his adolescent mind had fallen for. She was stubborn and whimsical and by every standard, she was strange. Being the average boy growing up, he relished in every chance he spent with her.

He loved the way she gazed longingly at the trees and how she smiled in the wind. She tried to hide her Fae side with him but he always sensed her surpressing something. She was still kind and determined; still full of life. He fell in love before he realized who she was and that made him all the more happy.

In spite of all his joyful memories with his fated lover, he could not remove the sickened image of her from his mind. He soon tried to put her from his thoughts and instead directed his thoughts to his journey ahead. He needed to find the Fallen Angel or she would never be free of the necklace’s curse.

After hours of walking, the sun was at its peak. William halted the horse and swung over the side, his hands still gripping the reins. He tied Taipa off to a low hanging branch and raided the saddle bags.

The inventory he found consisted of seven apples, a wineskin of water, four loaves of bread, two considerably large cuts of meat, a copper-handled dagger, a cluster of matches and a folded old map.

Under the left saddlebag, two thick blankets were wrapped and buckled in. An oiled covering to keep off rain was strapped under the right side, just above a bundle of rope. For the horse they had packed a few brushes to clean the mane, tail and fur and a pick to clean the feet of mud. The Fae obviously cared deeply for the horse and expected him to return her in the same state of beauty as she had left in.

The Fae supplied him surprisingly well. He wondered just how important this Fallen Angel was.

He stopped a few hours before sunset to set his camp early and to rest Taipa. She let him off the saddle and bumped his back as he fastened off her bridle. Confused, William brushed her forelock.

The horse jerked her head from his hand and nuzzled her side, biting at the stirrups. The young man took the hint and started unpacking the load from her back. The saddle bags were slumped next to a knotted old tree and the seat was removed leaving a soft blanket on the horse. Taipa bit the corner of the cover and removed it from her back. The blanket was grimy with sweat as the mare handed it over to William with her teeth.

“Lovely.” He took the cloth and hung it to dry on a lifted root. He tried to start on a fire but Taipa stomped her foot angrily, demanding attention. She snorted and whinnied while he tried to tie off the rain cover. William tried ignoring the insistence but caved in.

“What is it that you want?” Surprisingly, Taipa nodded her head to the bags. This horse is amazingly smart, thought William.

“Food?” The traveler took an apple from the pack and cut it in four. He saved one slice for himself and handed the rest to her. She ate greedily and he set back to work. Soon, she stomped her hooves again, this time commanding for the brushes. “Really?”

William ignored the protests until he set camp with a fire blazing and finished the rain resistant cover. He drank water and grabbed the brushes. Taipa shuddered under the strokes of the sweeper, pleased the dirt was being clean from her coat. Her head hung low while he hummed and scoured away the grime.

Eventually, the mare fell asleep and William replaced the supplies in the bags and edged under the cover. With the fire going, there was not much room but he fit perfectly with room to spare. His eyes became heavy and he soon drifted off into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of Evera calling for his help.