Earth Child (Romance Novels of The Fae Realm) (11 page)

            “Welcome Mother Alexa” she turned to me dipping into a curtsey before hugging me tightly as well.  “Thank you for bringing Cerus to see me.”

            “I should be the one thanking you for raising such a wonderful person.”

            “Come in, come in.  I was just about to sit down to lunch.”

            “We can’t stay long mother.”

            “You can stay long enough to eat.”

            Not wanting to argue we followed her in.  Her home was much larger on the inside than it looked.  One hallway led to a cozy bedroom.  There was a warm and inviting sitting area and the largest kitchen I had ever seen. Copper pots of every size and shape were suspended from hooks in the ceiling.  There was an old fashioned pot-bellied stove squatting in the corner.  A well used oak table was set with simple clay dishes.  We sat at the table and Cerus’ mother began to dish food onto our waiting plates.

            First was some sort of cold soup.  It tasted like an exotic blend of fruits and berries.  This was followed by a savory risotto with truffles.  It was rich and creamy and I was sad when my bowl was empty.  Lastly she placed a small bowl of fluffy chocolate mousse in front of me.  For the rest of my life, every other dessert would pale in comparison.  Soon the meal was finished, the dishes cleared and we moved to the sitting room.

            “Thank you so much Grace.  It was delicious” I remarked.

            “You’re very welcome Mother Alexa.”

            “Please, just call me Alexa.  Better yet call me Lex.  All this ‘Mother’ stuff gets a little overwhelming.”

            “As you wish, Lex” she smiled hesitantly.  I could tell that my request made her uncomfortable.

            We chatted for a few minutes about the usual trivial things.  I discovered that Cerus was an only child.  Grace was in charge of the royal kitchens, that we had met at her house because she didn’t want the first time we met to be while she was working, and that Cerus’ father had died when he was very young, and although Grace was proud that he was a ceffyl gard she was also worried that her son would die young like his father.

            “How did he die?” I asked.

            “It was in the great divide, the first war with the Shadow Fae” Grace answered.
            “I’m sorry.”

            “He died with honor.  There is nothing to be sorry about.”

            I turned to Cerus, “I wish you could have known him better.”

            “In a way I do” he replied, “He was your mother’s ceffyl gard.  I am following in his footsteps.”

            “Excuse me” Grace said, rising quickly and leaving the room.

            “Did I say something wrong?” I asked Cerus.

            “No.  Talking about my father is hard for her, even after all this time.”

            “What happened?”

            “Your mother returned to us after your father was killed.  She was still pregnant when she arrived.  The Shadow Fae attacked shortly after you were born.  My father helped your mother to escape.  Together they hid you in the orphanage.  However, it wasn’t long until the Shadow Fae found them again.  My father died while fighting them off so that your mother could run.  It was futile though.  There were too many, and once he was overtaken it was a matter of minutes before she was cut down as well.”

            I heard Grace, softly crying in the hallway.  Standing I walked to her and wrapped her in my arms.  “Thank you.  Because of your sacrifice I’m still here.  I promise you I’ll make it up to you.”

            “Just keep Cerus safe.”

            “I promise.”

            We embraced once more, Cerus joining us for a group hug.  Laughing and crying we said our goodbyes and soon Cerus and I were heading back to the royal compound.  I located Cassia, retrieved my old clothes and together we headed back to the portal between the realms.

            We emerged in the forest to hear various people shouting our names.  I turned to Cerus.  We looked too clean.  Whatever story we concocted would not be believed.  As if reading my mind we began to streak dirt on our clothes, hair and faces.  Then I took a few steps, perfecting a limp as if I had sprained my left ankle.  Nodding in approval Cerus took my arm and we began our hobbling limp-walk toward the search party.

            “We’re here!” Cerus shouted in reply.

            Soon we were surrounded by Fish and Wildlife officers, police, and various other volunteers.  We were wrapped in blankets and give bottles of water to drink.  I was carried out on one of those orange rescue stretchers, Cerus clutching my hand perfectly playing the part of worried boyfriend.  Together we stuttered through a crazy, yet believable story.  We snuck off at campfire for a few moments alone to just look at the stars.  I tripped over an exposed root and fell down the bank into the river, which swept me along so far from the camp.  Not wanting to lose me Cerus jumped in and helped me to shore.  We spent the night, freezing and huddled together before slowly starting back toward camp, crippled by my ankle it took us almost the entire day.  Truthfully the chaperones were so grateful that we were alive that no one questioned us too closely.

            I was carted off to the nearest ER, where Richard and Nancy were anxiously waiting for me.  After a typical long wait the doctor finally released me, told me to keep my ankle wrapped and to stay off of it for a few days.  It was a pretty shoddy diagnosis considering that there was nothing wrong with me at all.  Once all the paperwork was done, we piled into Richard’s car and headed home.  Grateful to be home, when I didn’t think I would ever see Richard and Nancy again I didn’t argue too much when they insisted that I was grounded and should spend the next few days convalescing at home.  We pulled into the driveway and I hobbled my way inside and up to my room.

            “Lexi, you’ve got a visitor!” Richard yelled up the stairs.

            Soon Sam was booming up the stairs, bursting through my doorway and plopping onto the bean bag.  “I can’t believe that worked!  So, what happened, was the Terra Council cool?  What’s next?”

            “The Terra Council was – interesting.” I recounted what had happened, detailing my test and subsequent collapse, the next day and all the mindless droning and finally the news that I would have to be back next weekend for training.  “I’m hoping that between now and then I can come up with a new plan.  I don’t think Outward Bound is going to cut it anymore.”

            “Just tell them the truth.”

            “It’s not that simple Sam.  The truth could get them hurt.”

            “A lie always hurts more.  They’re your parents, Lex.  They deserve to know” he stood, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead, “Glad you’re still around.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            It was full dark now.  I snuggled into my familiar blankets and just listened to the sound of the late spring night.  Maybe Sam was right.  Maybe I should just tell them everything.  It was a conversation that I didn’t even know how to start.  With a sigh I rolled over letting sleep claim me.

*          *          *          *

            I was able to talk my three day sentence down to two and soon found myself on the way to School.  I needed to talk to Cerus and after this last weekend Richard and Nancy were less than pleased with him, making his visits awkward and brief.  After two days to think about it I was starting to agree with Sam.  The only way I was going to be able to please both sides was to tell everyone the truth.

            “Absolutely not” Cerus disagreed with me over lunch.

            “Why?  And don’t bother telling me that it’s too dangerous.  My life is dangerous now.  They deserve to know why.”

            “The human realm and the fae realm are meant to be separate.  You know better than anyone the dangers that occur when they are mixed.”

            “They’re meant to be separate, but they’re not.  I’m not.  I belong to both worlds.  Richard and Nancy need to understand that I will always love them.  Don’t ask me to lie to them anymore.”

            “I don’t think it’s a good idea.  But I trust you and I will support your decision.”

            “Good.  Thank you.”

            “When will you tell them?”

            “Tonight, at dinner.”  Once I made that announcement to the universe the rest of the day was spent in what felt like warp speed.  Before I knew it school was out, my workout with Cerus was done, and I was helping Nancy set the table.

            “Cerus will be here soon.”

            “I’m still upset at that boy you know.”

            “He didn’t do anything wrong.  It was my idea to leave camp.”

            “Well he should have talked you out of it.”

            “Please mom.  Be nice” I had barely stopped talking when the doorbell rang and I could hear Richard greeting Cerus and Sam.  A moment later they were crowding the doorway to the dining room.

            “Look who I found” Richard joked.

            We sat and began eating.  I was so nervous that I just pushed my food around on my plate.  I could tell that Sam was just waiting for me to say something.  He was trying not to be obvious but he kept glancing from me, to Cerus, to my parents, and back at his plate.  Richard noticed it too.

            “What’s wrong Sam?”

            “Huh?  Me?  Oh nothing, nothing at all Mr. Kassabrov.  Just – just – is this a new casserole?”  It was the lamest cover I had ever heard.

            “No, no, it’s the same tuna noodle that I’ve always made” Nancy answered.

            “It’s really good tonight.”

            “Thank you.”

            “Actually mom, there is something that I wanted to tell you.”

            “Oh?  What’s that Lexi?”

            “I found my birth mom” at my announcement Nancy’s fork clattered to her plate and Richard sat back, with a stunned expression on his face.

            “I thought you didn’t want to look for her” Richard said.

            “Well I didn’t, and I didn’t really look for her.  She – well she kind of found me.”

            “I see.  Can we meet her?”

            “No.”

            “No?” Nancy asked

            “She’s dead” I replied.

            “I don’t understand why you’re telling us this Lex. Did you just want to upset us?” Nancy continued, reaching a shaky hand out for Richard.

            “I’m telling you because I learned some things about myself, about my heritage that is going to take me away for a long time, and you need to know why.”

            “What do you mean, take you away?  Where are you going?”

            “How do I say this – Mom, Dad, I’m half-human and half-fae.”  Rip the band-aid off, one clean simple statement.  At least that’s what I thought.

            “Fae?  As in fairy?” Richard asked.

            “This isn’t funny Alexa.”  Nancy said.  Her use of my full name spoke at just how much I was upsetting her.

            “It’s not meant to be funny.  I am Fae.  My mother was
the
Mother, as in descendant of Mother Earth.  She died trying to protect me.”

            Cerus cleared his throat, “Mother Alexa is telling the truth.  I was sent here to find her, teach her and protect her.”

            “Protect her!  You’re the reason she was lost and hurt!” Nancy exclaimed.

            “Actually – I’m fine.  We made it up”

            “Made it up?  Alexa I don’t like this.  Stop it right now.”

            “I had to.  I didn’t want to lie to you and I’m sorry that I have.  I had to meet with the Terra Council and claim my right to the throne.”

            “Alexa.  What are you saying?” Richard asked, remaining calm despite all the unbelievable information that was flying around.

            “I am telling you that at the end of the week I am going back to the Fae.  I have a responsibility there and I didn’t want to lie to you anymore.”

            “What about school?  College?  Will you be back?”

            “College isn’t going to happen.  I’ve accepted that and I’m asking you to as well.  I plan on being back.  I made a deal that I would go every weekend until graduation, after which I would stay with the Fae permanently.”

            “Permanently?  Are you telling me that we’ll never see you again?”

            “I don’t know.  I hope not.”

            “I’m not ready to say goodbye” Nancy whispered, “There’s so much we haven’t done yet.  I was supposed to help you plan your wedding, welcome a new baby, teach you how to be a mother.  I’m not ready” she started to silently cry.

            I stood and wrapped my arms around her.  “I’m not ready either mom, but I have to go back.  You are my parents.  I love you both,” I reached out to grasp Richard’s hand, “you’ll always be my parents and I will do everything I can to come back to you.”

            We stood huddled together in the kitchen, just crying and holding each other.  After a few minutes Sam stood and joined us.  He’d been part of our family for a long time anyway.  I saw Cerus sitting awkwardly on the side and was grateful to Richard for reaching out, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him into the group hug.  Telling them was the right thing to do.

            The next two days I spent at home.  Knowing our time together was short, Nancy and I packed as many mother-daughter activities in as we could.  Evenings were spent watching old movies and eating popcorn with Richard and Cerus.  No one talked about the weekend and my imminent departure.  No one wanted to say good bye.  That’s why when Saturday morning dawned clear and bright I left before Richard and Nancy were awake.  I didn’t think I could handle another tearful farewell.  I felt a little sleazy for leaving like that, but all I could do was hope they would understand and forgive me the next time I saw them.

            Taking a deep breath I joined Cerus in the driveway and we headed to the woods and the Fae realm.