The Moonstone (Enchantment Book 1) (40 page)

I take off my shoes and dip my toes into the silty bottom of the lake. Feeling the mud between my toes reminds me of how lucky I am that they all came and saved me. I'm alive. As much as I would like to think Zach would never hurt me, I can't say the same for his malicious friend. I'm under the impression, though that this is just a reprieve. Now we know there’s a traitor who knows the location of the city, as well as my actual gifts.

I hear a faint, recognizable mewing and I turn to find my old friend Nyx behind me. She’s there, nearby, sitting on the grass. Even if I now know her true identity, seeing her in her feline form comforts me greatly. I sit beside her and pet her for a few moments before she backs away and metamorphoses into Gertrude.

"Oh! Gertrude, I’m so happy to see you. If you only knew how much I've missed you over the last few days."

"My dear," she says, wrapping her arms around me.

"I’m so sorry not to have been there when you needed me. If I had only known what Black tried to do to you...I would never have let you go there in the first place."

"Gertrude, I learned about Black and what happened to him in his life that made him who he is now, but I promise you, the real traitor in all this is Zach. Black only did what he did to save his wife."

"Save his wife! As if Black is capable of love!"

I want to tell her he is capable of it and that I wish he would love me the way I love him, but I know that he’s the worst person in the world to Gertrude; he took away the love of her life.

"I know, I understand."

"Are you ok, my dear? Do you want to stop? I will understand if you decide not to take this any further."

"No, I'm ready and I want to find the tablet."

She smiles and pats my head like a grandmother to a granddaughter.

"Perfect, but if ever you change your mind, I’ll be there for you, I just want you to know that. Now, go and find Charles, he's waiting for you."

Charles is sitting alone in his office with a small chest-like box in front of him.

"Sit down, Lou."

I close the door behind me, and sit where he indicates.

"We're going to meet the others to discuss how things are going to work going forward, but before that, Black asked me to give you this and to make sure it worked."

He hands me the box. What in the world could Black have for me? Another spell? I don't know if I should, but I give him the benefit of the doubt, he gave the box to Charles since he knows I trust him implicitly. I open the box and inside is a small note, clearly scribbled while he was on the plane as the sheet of paper has the logo of the aircraft on it.

"Lou, I’m so sorry to have imposed all this on you. You’re right, you and I, it's impossible and I don't want to put you in a position that might harm you. I’m returning all your powers to you with this vial and I’m freeing you from our arrangement. I won't force you to do anything and I release you from any promises you made to me. A bird in a cage is no longer a bird; so fly away.  Black"

I stand up, unable to believe what I 've just read. He released me! That means he trusts me, but also that he doesn't want to see me again. My heart hurts, I can't disappear from his life like that. I know he exists and my world has been turned upside down. And what about his wife? If he is releasing me from our bargain, he's losing his only chance to see her again; he's sacrificing that so as to protect me from danger, to not restrict me. Impossible! I’ll rescue his wife, even if it means losing Orpheus forever.

"Drink the contents of the vial, Lou, now. I don't want you ever to risk your life like that again."

I drink the brownish liquid and feel it running down my throat. My body fills with a sense of joy as if I were coming back to life. Each cell of my body is tingling and I know the magic is back where it belongs. Without thinking, I create a storm of snowflakes that tumble down onto Charles' desk.

"Perfect."

He takes his phone and sends a quick message.

"Who are you texting?"

"I sent Black a message to let him know it worked. He asked me to write as soon as it was done. You know, Lou, I think he was terrified. He was certainly a heel to have done what he did to you in the first place. Believe me, we had words about that. I know he put you in danger, but from his crazed search for you last night, I can assume that hurting you was the last thing he wanted. His logic was indeed impaired, but I think he’s desperate to find his wife."

Charles and I are of the same opinion, obviously.

"What's more, he tried to make things better. He gave me a substantial cheque to finance our mission to find the Emerald Tablet, no matter what we need. He told me clearly that he expects nothing in return."

I can't believe it; Black is officially pulling out of the mission! And he's giving me back my powers and the means to accomplish our task to Charles. I’m sure never to see him again, but I must find a way to tell him that I will bring him back his wife, whatever the cost.

"Ok, let's go join the others and give them the good news!"

Our four friends are seated in Charles' superb living room, all holding a glass of whiskey in one hand, chocolate pastry in the other. The sight makes me smile, I can tell who the hosts are in this house. I sit down and grab one of each for myself. Charles goes over to stand by the chimney and lights a cigar. He offers them around, but nobody accepts his offer.

"So my friends! I want to tell you that I’m highly impressed with the team Lou has formed. I know it's late and that you all need a rest, but what you all accomplished today was fantastic! To battle against necromancers and wipe out his horde of the living dead...Wow! I’m very optimistic about the future of this mission."

"I think that even if we missed our team exam at the Academy, we could honestly say we passed a test as a team today," replies Flicka, turning to the others and taking a bite of her treat.

"In fact, my dear niece, I've already spoken to Bethany about what transpired. She is very upset to hear about Zach, but she’s impressed by your team spirit and asked me to tell you that you all earned your diplomas," affirms Charles, grinning.

"Wait a minute! You told Bethany that I’m a Moonchild?"

"Not at all! I just told her that Zach lost his mind and forced you to follow him because he thought his friend Aaron in Vegas would want to see someone with such powerful Ether skills. I made sure not to tell her about any of your other capacities, and for all of you, it’s essential that nobody else find out the truth or we'll risk a repeat of what happened here today."

"And what should we do about Zach and Aaron?" asks Pyros, stretched out on one of the sofas, hand under his head.

"For now, I've lost their trail. But, Bethany has put the city in lockdown for the moment. They won't be able to see or enter the city's mirage, which will keep the location more secure until we can find them."

"But Charles! My parents are coming back from their trip tomorrow. They'll wonder where I am!"

"I thought of everything, darling. I sent tickets to your parents for a cruise around the world that lasts one hundred and twenty days. I took care of all that while you were in training. I met them at one of their stops and had them drink a conviction potion. It doesn't do much on enchanters, but for humans, it's infallible. I convinced them that you were already in Greece on your course and they think they were the ones who purchased the tickets for their next cruise. They won't be coming home tomorrow."

I feel sudden sadness at the thought. Why didn't he tell me about this?

"Lou, I can tell by the look on your face that you aren't happy, but we need to spend a lot more time together and you won't be at home. It would be dangerous for your parents to suspect anything, and frankly as risky for them as it is for us. Also, given the events of this morning, it's possible that Aaron will try and find them to lure you out. Since they’re on a cruise, they’re impossible to trace and in that way, they remain protected."

I hadn't thought of it like that, but Charles is right, of course. They will be safer where they are.

"Also, I gave them a cell phone and they’re convinced that you’re the one who will call them, and not the opposite. You can call them anytime you want, but don't forget, according to them you are in Greece for six months."

I nod to Charles and try to hide my disappointment. I would really like to have seen them before leaving for the city.

"Ok, now that we’ve exhausted the subject of happy families, can we get back to the pressing matters at hand? What is going to happen with our mission to find the Emerald Tablet?" interjects Pyros, always ready with a snide comment.

"Right, I also wanted to tell you all that Lou has been returned her full powers, and that to beg our forgiveness, Black has given me a substantial amount that will allow us to finance our quest. Some humans and wicked enchanters are looking for the Tablet to gain the powers of the gods and use them for their own nefarious purposes. We want to find it before them so as to avoid the imminent war that would leave an indelible mark on the planet. We must use the power of the tablet to bring back the Earth's balance and avoid injustice for all parties."

I can tell that everyone in the room, including Pyros, seems to agree with Charles' statement.

"Lou, you need to tell us, now that your team is formed and that you have your full potential, have you had a vision?"

There is complete silence in the room and all eyes turn to me for an answer.

"No...not yet."

"Ok, well tonight I’ll put a whole bottle of dream oil on your pillow, so be on the lookout for clues. While we wait for results, I would ask you all to return to the city tomorrow and do any necessary research on the subject. I’ll join you there on Wednesday to give you the results of my own research. I found a little house there for you all to be together. It's very important that we be able to move immediately as soon as Lou finds the trail. It will also be easier for us to speak with full discretion there."

Pyros sighs while Flicka and Pax send each other a wink. The idea of living in the same house as my friends makes me happy. But part of me misses Black's manor, or rather misses Orpheus.

"My sister and I didn’t sign up at the Academy to become researchers. We want to fight!" says Pyros in a condescending manor.

"I understand, Pyros, but you'll have to be patient. As soon as Lou receives her visions, you'll see, things will develop quickly. For the moment, I will be assigning very specific tasks. Pyros, as you seem to like the action, you’ll be in charge of Lou's security detail, a very critical role since our mission would be lost if Lou were to be captured by someone with evil intentions."

Pyros seems pleased with Charles' assignment and sits down, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Flicka, I’m putting you in charge of logistics, and I want you to make up a list of all that we’ll need: equipment, clothing, transportation to any destination, anytime. I also want you to work in collaboration with Pyros to prepare our weapons. Pyros, I know that you’re incredibly talented and I want you to equip each member of the team with a weapon that is specially developed for him or her. Don't worry about costs, money is no object."

Flicka claps her hands and seems excited by her assignment. Even Pyros is smiling now, or as close to a smile as he can muster.

"Pax, I know that you’re from China, so I want you to find out as much information as possible about your country, but also the rest of the world. Find out everything that has been written or said about the Emerald Tablet in every country. This will be useful when we need quick information. I will give you a tablet that is undetectable and inviolate. All the results of your research will remain secret."

"Ok, Charles, that works for me. I’m a technological whiz, I have my own tamper-proof tablet," says Pax, proud of his contribution.

"And finally, Éloï, I want you to be our eyes and ears. Walk around the city, and I mean the whole city. We need to know who knows anything. With your bionic hearing, we’ll be able to find information without you being suspected."

"Perfect! My gift will finally serve a useful purpose."

"Fine! Ok, well I wish you all a good night. Flicka, please show them to their rooms. Lou, here’s the vial to put on your pillow. We'll meet again tomorrow morning. Oh, by the way, I bought you all new untraceable cell phones. I don't want our two bozos from this morning to be able to find you."

I go up to my room, completely exhausted, and fall asleep right away, the dream oil sprinkled on my pillow

“We need to love each other, it was written in the stars. The sister souls end up finding each other when they wait long enough.”

Theophile Gautier

His hands…there is unbearable heat everywhere. There are screams and tears and an odor of sulfur in the air. I try to walk, but my feet don’t want to move properly. I cry out, but there’s nobody to hear me.

I wake up with a start in the middle of the night. I had that incessant nightmare once again, the one that’s haunted me since childhood, but this time, for the first time, it was crystal clear. I feel something strange, but familiar come over me; the same familiar emotion, but indescribable. It’s what I felt when Black plunged that shaft of metal into me instead of Zach. I wonder if…this dream, it’s so familiar; this emotion is so deep. Was it actually a dream, or might I have lived it? It’s strange, but at the same time, each time I experience this horrible vision I have the impression that it’s true. I have an idea…

Maybe I can chalk it up to being a dream that came out of my exhaustion, but I need to be sure. I’m going to use that emotion and try to go back in time. If ever I did live that experience… I will surely see it. If not, I can assume it’s the beginning of my path to the Emerald Tablet.

I close my eyes and concentrate on the traumatized look on Black’s face when he pierced me with the metal shard. I’m immediately transported. Since it is a negative emotion, the event should come back to me quickly, if indeed it is a past event. I focus all my energy and feel an intense heat and unbearable sensation forcing me to open my eyes. The décor of the space around me is exactly like the one in my dreams, but in more detail. I’m in some sort of large fiery red cavern. It must be what the inside of a volcano looks like. I’m standing on a large stone platform that overhangs a great precipice. Simply looking down makes me dizzy. I can hear the cries of torture and unbearable pain. Where am I? And at what time in my life? I have no real memory of this, other than when I’ve experienced this in my dreams, but since I’m here, I assume I must have lived it at some point. If I can go by my other experiences with time travel, I expect to see myself soon, and that should help me clear things up. I look around, but I can’t see anyone or anything. I hear the cries, but I seem to be the only soul alive here. Then I turn and my heart stops. In front of me, only a few steps away is Black. He’s dressed differently and his hair is not the same, but it’s definitely him. How is that possible? Then I can see that he’s holding the hand of a young woman, Eurydice. I know who she is from the portrait in his dining room. How have I come here, to this moment in Black’s life?

I watch them walk past me, completely oblivious. They stop walking for an instant and I see the panic written on his face. I want to cry out “don’t look!” but even if I could, he wouldn’t be able to hear me. He does look back and the woman vanishes, blowing him a last kiss as she disappears. Black screams and drops to the floor, crying out in agony. In a flash, I make perfect sense of it all. My memories return like lightning hitting my brain. I know exactly why I’m here…I am Eurydice!

I exit my time travel in a fraction of a second and I feel a rush of air escape me as if I had been suffocating. I say his name…Orpheus. Now it all makes sense and the pain in unbearable. I can remember everything, my life with Orpheus, and the moment he came for me. I can’t remember the four thousand years spent in the underworld. It’s as if I slept the whole time. He came back for me; he waited for me this whole time. He even hired a master of illusion so that the new me, Lou, would hate him so as to prevent him from betraying me, his wife. He built the manor for me and created that wonderful garden to comfort me after years spent in hell. I want to run to him to tell him that I don’t blame him for what happened to me there and that I didn’t suffer. I get up from the bed, ready to go and find him immediately.

Four thousand years for him and a few years for me…But I’m suddenly frightened. I’m no longer Eurydice, I can remember everything, but a bit like someone watching a movie. I am still fully Lou, and I feel as if he’ll be disappointed. The other thing I realize, and it kills me to think about it, is that I can’t tell him a thing before we finish this mission. If I am here now, it’s because of the sacrifice of another woman, my mother. If I tell Orpheus I came back thanks to her, he’ll prevent me from accomplishing my mission to keep me safe. I can’t quit, or she’ll have died in vain. I pace my room, wanting so badly to run to him, and I can feel despair filling my soul. Now that I know, I’m caught between the need to tell him and what I owe my team and my mother. My god, Orpheus… why has our story been so tragic? I want so much to ease your pain and sadness, to tell you that everything will be ok, but I can’t, not before fulfilling this mission. I must try and go back to sleep and dream some more, dream about this damned tablet to end this torture as soon as possible.

After a few moment of restless tossing and turning I fall back to sleep.

The next morning I wake up with only one vision, an island, a huge island…Atlantis. I join Charles in his office with a knot in my stomach. I must go and see Orpheus. I don’t know what to tell him, but I must see him, for my sanity and for reassurance.

“Good morning, darling. So, were you enlightened during the night?”

My god, if only I could tell him the truth…the night was so helpful, yet so disturbing all at the same time.

“Yes, Charles, but I only saw one thing, one place…Atlantis.”

“Atlantis! I should have known. I’ll go there as soon as I bring you all to the city. If you get any more clues between now and then, let me know.”

Later that day we all travel to the city together and Charles brings us to our new home. It’s a magical house, full of towers, each one a little crooked. It could have been the set of a Tim Burton movie. We each pick our own room and I’m surprised to realize that one of the turrets offers a view of Orpheus’ manor. I automatically choose that one

If I can’t be with him, at least I can be near him. I go back down the stairs, telling the others that I need to go to Black’s manor to get the rest of my things.

“I’ll go with you,” says Pyros, getting up from the well-worn sofa.

I want to tell him he doesn’t need to, but I know he takes his role as bodyguard seriously and I wouldn’t want to quash his enthusiasm.

We walk over to the manor in absolute silence. I ask for him to wait for me outside and tell him that it’s non-negotiable. He leans up against the iron fence, signaling for me to go despite his wishes.

My hands are clammy at the thought of seeing him again. I can’t imagine what I’m going to say to him, but I know I must see him. Knowing what I now know…I’ve waited my whole life, even entire lifetimes, to see him again. I walk up to the front door and knock, not sure of the welcome I’ll receive. Sadly it’s Justin who answers the door.

“Hi Justin, is Black here?’

“Mr. Black told me to tell you that you are no longer welcome here.”

Oh no, please no! I push open the door and push past him. He doesn’t bother trying to stop me; I think he’s happy I’m here. I get the feeling Orpheus is upstairs and climb the stairs towards my destiny, one by one. I hear, to my great surprise, music coming from my room and the door is ajar. The music I hear is now so familiar since it was the song we were listening to under the shower. “Give me love”…I wonder why he wants to torture himself with that song, and why he’s in my room? I open the door and find him curled up in a ball, head on his knees and hands in his hair. When he hears me enter he lifts his head and the look on his face tells me everything I need to know. He’s suffering and it breaks my heart. I would love to bring an end to his suffering. He is so tortured by his love for Lou and the devotion to his wife, between the culpability of what he’s done and the need to be constantly unhappy. If only I could tell him that I am she, and that she is me; tell him the reason for his torment. I remind him of the one that he loves because we are one in the same person.

“Go away, Lou. I gave you your freedom; you have what you want and the means to complete your quest. You don’t owe me a thing. Please, just leave.”

He gets up and tries to put on the mask of a man who nothing can touch, but it’s too late, I saw the crack in his armor.

“Black, I wanted to thank you, thank you for everything.”

And in my heart, I think of everything, all the love he’s given me, his loyalty, his courage.

“I came to get my things.”

I can read the disappointment in his eyes…for a moment, he thought I had returned to him. It’s better like this.  But I will, at least, answer one of his questions.

“Black, I didn’t really come back for my things, I came back to talk to you.”

“I have nothing to say to you, Lou. Everything has been said. Please, go.”

He walks towards the window and turns his back to me.

“I’ll ask my chauffeur to bring you your things, you need to leave.”

“I will leave, but there is something I must say to you. You asked me something when we were in the cabin on the plane and I never answered you because I was afraid it would hurt me. But Black, it’s too late for that now, it doesn’t hurt anymore, but it’s too late to deny anything.”

Orpheus turns and I can tell that he can’t decide whether he wants to know or not. I approach him without getting into the danger zone.

“Black, I have to tell you that I …I love Orpheus. I love you for who you are. And your wife is part of that; she’s one of the reasons I love you so much. You are ready to sacrifice yourself to save her and you’ve waited your whole life for her. Your devotion to her is what made me fall in love with you. Oh, of course, you charmed me with your mystery at the welcome cocktail party and you conquered me when you showed me your vulnerable side in the room that you keep for honoring your wife. The night spent with you making sundaes…and…” I stop myself because I can see that he’s finding it hard to breathe, but I need to say everything because it will be a while before I’m able to see him again.

“The time we spent in the shower was perfect. I won’t ask you to give up your wife for me, Orpheus, I couldn’t bare having only half of you. Your heart belongs to her and I respect that. I just wanted to be honest with you and answer your question.

I get a little closer to him.

“Orpheus, I love you. I know that you love me too, in a different way, in another place, another lifetime…”

And with these words, I stop myself because I realize the truth of my words. I could die on this mission and we would be separated forever.

“I also want to thank you for my freedom and for relieving me from my obligation, but I’m a woman of her word and I can promise you that you will have your wife. I will make sure that we find her for you…and for her as well.”

I can see the relief on his face. I don’t know if it’s because I told him of my feelings for him, or for my promise to return his wife. Maybe it’s a little of both…

“Lou, I never meant to put you in danger. I wasn’t thinking, I’m so sorry.”

He’s tormenting himself, why does he torture himself like that?

“Orpheus, I ran away, I made my decision knowing what the consequences were and I don’t want you to think about that anymore. You saved me and you succeeded. It’s the same for your wife, even if you failed, you went to hell and back for her and fought for her. You’re still fighting for her.

“Thank you. I accept you offer; you’re my only hope. I want to help, though, I want to be a member of your team, if you’ll have me, that is.”

Incredible, I’ll be able to be near him despite not being able to be with him.

“Well, if you think that you can resist me, it’s a deal.”

I can see a brief smile play on his lips and I’m happy to see that he’s still capable of a smile. He’s so incredibly handsome when he smiles, it’s as if he were fully alive for a moment and I can’t resist him.

On impulse I stop time for an instant and Orpheus is standing there, in front of me, stock-still. I walk over to him and do what I’ve been dying to do since our first dance at the Academy. I bring my lips close to his…they are both soft and firm. I kiss him with all the love that I feel for him as if it were our first kiss and our last, and that might still prove to be the case. I back up to admire him for a moment before returning to my original position and wait for time to start once more. Orpheus wasn’t aware of a thing, but my lips are still tingling from the feeling of having his lips on mine. I stare at him and see that he’s watching me too.

“Goodbye, Orpheus.”

“Goodbye, Lou.”

We look once more at each other and I leave to join the others. I must begin this mission that separates me from him.

The End

**DON’T MISS THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE ENCHANTMENT SERIES: ATLANTIS**

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