Chapter 4

In a flash, the rest of the band had made it to Meridian’s.

“Ridge is waiting at the bar,” Pramlee quietly stated.

“Why is your dad doing this?” Meridian asked Pramlee.

“I don’t know, Meridian; I wish we could tell you more. The sad thing is Chance knows more about things than we do. My father has hardly anything to do with me, and he barely includes Slaten in anything. We know what your parents did, but even with that, none of us feel this is right. Your parents are good beings and have always kept to the law. I wish we could do something,” admitted Pramlee.

Slaten broke his silence.

“Look, Meridian, she is telling you the truth. The only reason I may know even a little more is through Chance.”

Grimly, Slaten ushered Meridian toward the door.

“We need to get out of here. Once word gets out, everyone will be here.”

“Why can’t I go to Relic’s?” demanded Meridian who was getting angrier at the situation.

Relic interrupted, “You can’t. We have to take you somewhere you don’t know, where no one can read your thoughts.”

“What! Why? My father said to go to Ridge’s. I have to do what he said!”

“NO!” yelled Slaten. “That was a cover. You will have to be taken out of here and not told where you will be taken. Relic will take you where you are going and will stay with you.

“I want to go with her and Relic,” Kieren said.

“Why? Why would you want to put yourself in that position? You would be better off going home,” Relic said.

“No! I care about Meridian, and I want to go,” Kieren demanded.

The band members stood in shock and confusion as they looked at the newest member of the group. Kieren and Meridian didn’t know each other hardly at all.

Meridian was surprised at his desire to help her but she was flattered. Suddenly the sadness she felt momentarily was quelled at the thought of someone else besides her parents and Relic to be worried for her.

“I want Kieren to go, and nobody is in charge of me,” demanded Meridian.

Everyone shrugged and looked to one another in confusion but went along with it if it meant Meridian doing what was needed.

Rolling his eyes, Relic said, “Take her hand.”

Looking confused, Kieren and Meridian did as he said. In a flash, they were standing in a small, dark room.

“Where are we?” Meridian said.

Relic gave out a sigh. “Both of you sit here and don’t leave, and don’t do anything stupid,” Relic said as he looked at Kieren with a raised eyebrow.

In an instant, Relic vanished leaving the two alone together.

Relic arrived in the quarters of the fairy queen who was doing the spirit guides a favor by allowing them in her realm.

“Relic! It has been so long! I see that things in the realm are not as they should be for you to be here. I take it the council took action?” questioned the cold and mysterious fairy.

She was a tall, thin and frail-looking creature with transparent skin, black hair, and bright blue cat like eyes. They glowed, and something about her eyes always made Relic feel uncomfortable.

“Yes, Selena, you have it right. I am sorry I couldn’t give you more notice, but the council, meaning Warrick, acted sooner than anticipated.”

“Don’t worry about that; they will be fine here - as long as they are kept in the dark as to exactly where they are. I do not think anyone would ever suspect that they would be here, not even her parents. Even if they were to find out, their thoughts are not easily read by anyone from the realm. It also doesn’t hurt that fairies have a few tricks of their own up their sleeves.”

Selena gave a coy smile and a wink, and Relic nodded in appreciation.

“You have always been gracious to us, Relic. More than your kind would ever be, and I told you that I would be here for you if you needed something. I just hope the other two here share your gratitude. We fairies don’t take kindly to ungrateful gestures,” Selena said.

“Your unspoken message has been heard and I will see to it that your kind gesture will be returned.” Relic bowed as he finished speaking.

“Very well. Anything here you need is yours, and if there is anything you need that you do not see, all you have to do is ask. My daughter is particularly interested in helping you, as she has always been fond of you, Relic,” Selena urged.

“Yes,” Relic uncomfortably replied.

In an instant, she was gone, and Relic stood alone in the bright room full of the smells of anything anyone would want to eat or drink.

Relic left going back to Meridian and Kieren. He knew the favor would need to be repaid to Selena at some point. He just hoped that it was not for Luna. Luna had always had a crush on Relic. His charms always worked on anything female, but at this point, he realized that some of a being’s greatest gifts could become its downfall. He had lived in the realm for so long and had seen so much; he knew that the one person he truly wanted was Meridian.

As he made it back to the old jail cell where fairies kept menacing beings of different realms, he stood in silence before opening the door. His mind ran wild with thoughts of Meridian, wondering how he could make her see how he felt. He realized that Meridian was coming into her own and that her eyes had fallen on Kieren.

“Okay, look. I still can’t tell you where we are and please do not ask. Kieren, I hope you realize that you could be here for a while, and I have no way of knowing when you can go back. That goes for you too, Meridian. Which makes this very unfair in a lot of ways. Warrick, for some reason, has had it out for Caius for some time, but no one really understands why. If Caius knows, he is not telling. The time frame could take just a few days maybe more. I need to go back to try to put more together,” Relic said as he watched Kieren staring at Meridian. “They have set up a small arrangement with two rooms and a living space. You will have to make the most of it.”

“Yes, I understand, and I know that Kieren does too. I am just afraid that I will never see my parents again. I’m scared. I just need to know that I will see them again, Relic,” Meridian insisted.

“Yes, you will see them again. You just have to trust me and do as I say.”

“Of course, we will, Relic. I am thankful and appreciative of what you are doing for my family.” Meridian moved to Relic with open arms and embraced him as he and Kieren locked eyes.

Relic, who had been a bit tense and worrisome himself, perked up and seemed to feel as though he could conquer anything.

As the silence descended upon the three in the room, Kieren and Relic locked eyes and exchanged their own silent messages as guides did when sharing thoughts.

“Kieren, I know how you feel about Meridian. You can’t hide this from me. I hope you don’t look at her as just another notch on your rockstar belt. You and I are friends, and I want it to stay that way, but I am the one who will be with Meridian someday. I am giving you a friendly warning that you better not lay a finger on her while I am away. If you do, I will know it without a word said. I love her and care for her, and I am not giving her up that easily.”

Relic’s message was loud and clear in Kieren’s mind and he was offended.

“Relic, just because I have not known her as you have does not mean I care less than you do. Besides, Meridian does not see you that way, and everyone else knows it.”

A knock on the door and broke the stare down.

“It’s time to go, Meridian,” Relic said as he broke his glare from Kieren.

“Please hurry back with news,” Meridian said.

Relic nodded and unusually didn’t offer anything to say. He shut the door and turned around. Luna had appeared. She made herself visible, and she smiled at Relic.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” Luna said as she put her arm around him.