Chapter 12

This is about every guide in the realm and the whole of humankind. I’m going.”

As Meridian ended her statement, she locked eyes with Relic to send the message that she was not going to back down or let anyone interfere.

“When do we start?” she continued. “I am going to see Kieren before we leave, and I don’t care what Luna says. She will get out of my way. I am sick of being here, and I am sick of everything going on.”

Meridian stomped out and Arianna burst into tears and left the room.

Pramlee ran out behind Meridian.

“Meridian, stop!”

Meridian continued to run down the hall in tears, panicked, and looking for Kieren even though she knew she had no idea where to look. She stopped and put her arm up on the cold dark walls and sobbed into her hands as she leaned against the wall.

A low and deep voice spoke. “Meridian, where are you going?” Orion said.

Startled, she stopped and looked around. Pramlee had just caught up and was looking around to see where the voice was originating.

“Meridian, do not be afraid of me; I am Orion.”

His towering appearance and green eyes were intimidating. Meridian had never seen an actual fairy before.

“Uh, I was looking—”

Meridian was interrupted by Orion.

“I know why you have come. We fairies usually know all, especially here in our realm.” Orion gave a grin as he spoke. “Come with me. I will show you where Kieren is. He is safe but asleep.”

Orion nodded to follow him. Surprisingly, Kieren was not that far from where they all had been.

“Here, just go through the door, and you will find your friend.”

Meridian stopped and looked up at the large creature. “Why did Luna and Selena do this? Please, I can’t lose Kieren.”

“Dear Meridian, I do believe I like you, but I find it best not to ask questions that you may not like the answer to. The key is within you and your gifts; you will save your friend. All you have to do is look within yourself, and you will find that you have all the answers you will need.” Orion’s words were sincere, comforting but cryptic.

As always, he was then gone in a flash, and all that was there was Kieren in a deep sleep.

“Pramlee, I am afraid. I do not understand why I should be the one to get this book for the fairies. Why can’t they go? Why does Kieren have to be punished if I fail?”

Meridian took Kieren’s hand and it was warm like she remembered when they played around with each other before everything went wrong. Pramlee, who was usually so talkative, was quiet and stood behind Meridian with her hand on her shoulder for support.

“What if I fail? How will I know this demon? Will Talon even help me out? What if he does not care?”

The questions Meridian posed were just her thoughts finally coming out. She laid her head on Kieren’s chest.

“Kieren, can you hear me? I know you are asleep and you seem so far away.... I am sorry. If you only knew what is happening. The fairies have put you in this sleep spell, and I have to find the spell or potion to bring you back. I am afraid I will not make it or save you. Please hang on.... If you can hear me...let me know.”

Meridian did not get any response from Kieren. Her tears came flooding out of her green eyes.

“Meridian, everything is going to be okay, I promise. I have faith in you. He will be okay. You need to see your mother before you go.”

Without any protest, Meridian stood up and gave a last look at Kieren whom she was becoming fond of. As the pair left, they were met around the corner by Cora and Janus who had been listening to what little was said.

Pramlee said, “What are you two doing down here? You know just because you helped once doesn’t give you any business lurking around in situations that don’t pertain to you.”

Pramlee’s words struck hard into Cora who did not care for Pramlee or take too kindly to anything she said.

“Look, Kieren and I had something going before she showed up and ruined everything!”

Cora pointed at Meridian.

“I didn’t do anything to you or ruin anything! Get out of my way. I am the one who needs to get ready to get him out of this spell.” Meridian retorted as she shoved the redhead out of her way.

As Meridian and Pramlee stormed off, Cora could not help but have the last word. “Yeah! Save him from what you put him in because you like playing Relic and Kieren! We will see about all that once he finds out what you have done to him!”

Cora’s words fell on deaf ears as far as Meridian was concerned. She and Pramlee made their way in, and Meridian wasted no time finding her mother to say her goodbyes. Janus and Cora followed in moments later and were met with Ridge’s cold stare. Caius had been visiting with everyone about the details.

“Okay, this is it. Ridge, are you ready?”

“Yes, we are ready to go.” Ridge confidently replied.

“Good. I think you three should find Luna and head back to the realm. Do not leave your place or Luna until you get word from myself or Chance.”

Without words and only a nod, the trio turned toward the wall and, in a flash, disappeared as if they were never there.

Meridian and Arianna soon came back. Meridian turned and gave her mother one last hug, and Arianna was without words...just tears. Pramlee and Slaten stood together with nervous smiles on their faces.

“Caius, we are going to go on,” Slaten stated. “I will find my mother, and I will do what I can to get her on our side and convince her to go to the council members. Pramlee loves you all, and you know she will do what she can.”

Slaten put his arm around his sister, and they both looked at Meridian with a smile. Pramlee hugged Meridian again and then put her arm around Arianna in an attempt to comfort the woman who had become the mother she never had. In a flash, they disappeared. Silence fell between the last of the guides who seemed to carry the most burden. Chance, who had been silent listening, finally spoke up.

“Caius, I will deliver your terms. I cannot predict what Warrick will do with me once I arrive. I’ll do what I can to hold him off and hopefully, if he thinks Meridian and Arianna are gone, he won’t do much else to me until you come back.”

Caius put his hand on his shoulder.

“I owe you my life, Chance; you are my family. I know you will do what you can. I will hurry. Talon expects me any time now, and he has an idea I need help.”

They gave each other a nod and Chance was gone.

Caius took his wife by the hand. “Arianna, I love you with everything in me. I will take care of our daughter but have faith; she is stronger than you know. She will make it. I know it will be hard for you to stay here alone, but you are safe here, and I will return soon with the stone and the book, and most importantly, I will return with Meridian.”

Caius was interrupted by all-too-familiar sarcasm.

“What about me? Were you planning to leave me on Earth to hang with the fallen? I thought I meant something to this family. I mean, I am kind of cool.”

Relic just could not be happy without his little remarks. He was quickly silenced when Meridian punched him right in the stomach.

“Hey! We needed a break from the serious tone here. It is no big deal. I am not worried at all. I mean, your dad just negotiated our lives with the psycho fairy to find some fairy book that is a fairy’s version of Superman comics. You know, instead of Superman, it is super fairy. Not too hard to imagine, a tall, dark dude with tight pants flying around. The only difference is he has wings and no cape! Right?” Relic snorted. Meridian tried to be angry but could not as she started to laugh.

Caius interrupted the pair. “Okay, this is it. I do not know what will become of us or this situation, but I have faith in us all. We will be back, I promise.”

Caius hugged and kissed Arianna on her forehead. The romantic moment was interrupted by Relic who had partially left the fairy realm for Earth. All they could see was him poking his head back through.

“Hey, where are we going again?”

Relic was about to leave before he even knew where he was going. Caius held his wife and smiled as he looked at Relic. “Earth! There is a city there that we will go to with an old bar there that the fallen and ghosts hang around in. Talon goes there a lot when he is not close to his son.”

Caius walked over to Relic, took Meridian by the hand, and then they were gone. Arianna stood alone again waiting for her husband to return, not knowing if she would see her family again. As tears rolled down her face, she could not help but notice that even though she should be alone, she felt as though she was not.... She slowly turned around, and Selena was casually sitting in the room with a sly smile.

“Arianna, at last, a moment to speak—alone.”