Chapter 11

When you go to Earth and retrieve it, once you are finished with it, the fairies want it here under our protection. It is a natural power for fairies. We gave it to your guides not too long after the dawn of the human race. When Warrick took over hundreds of years ago, there were a select few guides who we gave the stone to, to take to Earth to be watched over and hidden. We knew at some point Warrick would come for the stone. Ironically, you beat him to it.”

Caius smiled, and he relaxed, “Well, of course, Selena. That is the least we could do.”

Selena added, “I will also need another favor from your daughter.”

“I told you, Caius; we are in debt way over our heads,” Relic butted in.

Chance paced as he heard the giggles and the whispers of the invisible fairies that played tricks on his mind.

“Chance, calm down. You have to learn to tune that all out or it will drive you nuts and then the fairies really will have their way with you.” Relic’s voice was low as he glared at Chance.

Caius ignored the banter between Relic and Chance and continued with the fairy queen. “Selena, what are you getting at?”

“I need Meridian to go to the demon realm and find a demon there that has something of mine. Something he took from one of my fairies long ago on Earth. It is a book that is for spell casting and lifting. Fairies can cast spells, and even the smallest spells can take a lot of time to wear off. This book has what is needed to break the spell and to wake the boy. If he doesn’t get it soon, he will never wake up.”

Selena had a small grin.

“Who, Kieren? Meridian’s friend? You cast a sleeping spell on him knowing all this? How could you do this to us? You tricked us, Selena.” Caius raised his voice, “How long do we have?”

“He has already been asleep at least a day, and if I know Luna, she didn’t give much time. I would say you have three days at the most.”

Selena turned her back and walked over to where Relic stood drinking his idea of fairy Kool-aide.

“You already planned to tell Warrick that Meridian and Arianna were in the demon realm; so, instead of lying, at least I am helping make you honest again, or at least partly honest.”

“Selena, this is impossible. Relic and I have to go to Earth to find a human in touch with our world and get this person, whoever it is, to go and get the fairy stone first. Then we have to find Talon and convince him to help us. Meanwhile, Chance and Slaten, and Pramlee will do their part. Even if they can convince Farrah and the other council members to listen, I still have no guarantee that the story we tell Warrick of Meridian being kidnapped in the demon realm can be pulled off. We need to have the masters change the fallen if they will help us.” His voice was panicked and rushed.

“I will help you,” Selena replied. “The human you are looking for is a woman by the name of Tallulah. She is a psychic and owns a palm reading business. She will know where to find the stone and will take you there, but you will still have to get past the family who is keeping it. Once you have the stone, I want you to come back here to the realm. I will know by then if Slaten and Pramlee have convinced anyone of anything, and more importantly, I will know when Chance delivers your terms to Warrick if he takes the bait. At that time, if he does, Talon can take Meridian to the demon realm to collect my book. Once I have it, I will turn the fallen back. I will also see to it that Kieren is awakened.”

Selena seated herself in her large chair and quietly drummed her fingers on the arm rests. Her face was devoid of emotion and seemingly frozen as she continued to keep her eyes on Caius.

“In return, Luna will take your guides back now to start. She will watch over to ensure that Warrick and his people do not find Ridge, Cora and Luna. You will have an absolute alliance with the fairy folk here, and we will do anything needed to see Warrick thrown out and your family spared and protected.”

Selena showed no sign of remorse for her request.

“How will Meridian know which demon? What if she does not make it out? I cannot lose my daughter. Can I send anyone with her? She can’t go alone,” Caius pleaded.

“Meridian will have no problem finding the demon. She can read minds and hear thoughts of others, and she will be able to read in the demon realm where you and I are powerless. She can only take Talon if he is willing. If you cannot convince Talon to do this, then she will not be able to go in, and there is no deal between us. We will not help you.”

Selena’s words struck the heart of Caius. The guides looked down at the ground and without another word, Caius motioned the men out, and it was understood he had to do what she asked. As they walked out the door of Selena’s quarters, the whispering stopped. All that could be heard was the sounds of the dragging feet across the cold, dark floor of the hall.

“Ridge, how dare you follow me out of here. I don’t know who you think you are!”

Cora was really confirming that the old tale of redheads being fireballs was true.

“Cora, we are grateful for your assistance, but you really do not need to be too involved in all this now. No one is upset with you or mad. You and Janus are not the only ones going back to the realm. I am going with you, and you will stay with me. We will need all the help we can get, and this isn’t just about Meridian and her family. This is about all of us, and this will affect all of us,” Ridge snapped right back at the redhead.

“I don’t care; I want to stay here!”

“Why, because of Kieren? We all know you are after him. You follow him around at my place like a lost dog. Did it ever occur to you that he may not be interested in you? Or is it you do see that, and you don’t want to leave him here where Meridian is?”

Ridge was on point, and things were quickly heating up. Janus was always the logical one between her and Cora.

“Cora, really, this has gone way too far! You need to listen to Ridge and stop this foolishness. You always do this when a new cute one comes into the realm. You may just have to accept that your charms and good looks don’t always work on everyone.”

“Cora, listen to your friend. I already caught you down there in Kieren’s room. No telling what would have happened had Luna caught you in there. We are leaving anytime now, and this isn’t the time for you to be pushing your selfish wants on anyone.” Ridge demanded.

Slaten left Pramlee, Meridian and Arianna alone and strolled down the hall to find out why there was so much fussing.

“What the hell is all the hollering about?”

“Nothing, just Ridge trying to tell me we have to go back to the realm, and I don’t want to leave here until things are settled.” Cora shouted back at Slaten.

“Please, Cora, we all know you have the hots for Kieren. Nice try. You are leaving with us, and you will do what we tell you, and there isn’t a choice in the matter.” Slaten said.

Ridge, Slaten, Janus and Cora made their way back to the main room where Meridian, Pramlee and Arianna had been conversing. It was just seconds after they all came together that Caius, Chance and Relic returned from Selena.

Arianna could not wait anymore. “Well, what is it, Caius? Are the fairies going to help us?”

Caius sighed and said, “Essentially, the answer is yes; they will help. However, we must do a couple of things for them first. Selena and the fairies always have a price, and this one I am afraid will be difficult. They already know about the plan to tell Warrick that Arianna and Meridian were in the demon realm. So, I must go to Earth with Relic and find the human or witch who is in touch with our world and get the message out that we need the fairy stone. We must get past the family who guards the stone, find Talon, and then convince him that he needs to go to the demon realm to collect a book that was taken from one of Selena’s fairies many years ago. The book seems to hold some spells and history of the fairy folk. The catch is, Meridian must be the one to go in with Talon and get it from the demon. I have three days to make this happen. In the meantime, we have to hope that Warrick believes all this and that he will agree to my terms.”

Arianna shouted, “What? Why? No! Meridian does not have the skills for something like this, and we do not even know what Talon will be like, or if he will even help. We do not agree to this. We need to leave and go back to the realm and find another way.”

“Arianna, we have to do this. There is more. If we do not get the book, Kieren will never wake up from his sleep.” Caius lowered his head and squint his eyes as he waited for his daughter’s reaction.

“What? They tricked us! I cannot let Kieren just lay in there and die! I am going, Mother! It does not matter; this is not just about Kieren and our family.