them backward.
They hit the ground hard. Both had the wind knocked out of them. Gwen cracked her elbow. Laurel smacked her head. Stunned, they lay there a moment. Then, groaning with pain, they helped each other up.
“We’re too late,” said Laurel.
“It’s been claimed by the other side,” agreed Gwen. “We’re not safe here.”
Glancing around them fearfully, they hurried away.
• • •
Back at Laurel’s, any thought of treats was long forgotten.
“I was afraid of this,” Gwen said, sickened. “We’re failing already.”
“We’re dancing as fast as we can,” Laurel countered, but she also looked grave. “With her school compromised, Dana’s in serious danger. We’ve got to join up with her.”
Gwen frowned. “Granny’s instructions were clear. It’s her mission, not ours. We are just to be like guardian angels. Watch over her from afar.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Laurel argued. “We can protect her better if we are with her. Things are getting serious. And she’s only a kid.”
“She’s more than a kid. She has power of her own.” But Gwen sounded uncertain.
“The situation has changed since you last spoke with Granny,” Laurel pointed out. “The plan must change too.”
“All right, we’ll contact her,” said Gwen, though she didn’t look happy. Talking about Faerie was never easy; could they do it with a complete stranger and a teenager at that? She thought out loud, as much to reassure herself as Laurel. “I’m good with young people. And she’ll recognize you since you look like the High Queen. It shouldn’t be too difficult getting her to trust us.”
“Okay,” said Laurel. “First thing tomorrow, we tackle her.”
• • •
Had that meeting taken place, all of them might have suffered less, but it was not to be. Things were about to get worse.
I t was Aradhana who noticed how ill Dana looked when she came home from her first day at school. Dana’s face was so pale, she was almost translucent, and her eyes had a feverish look. She was sent to bed immediately.
“Are you feeling any better?” Radhi asked gently when she came into the room with a cup of chamomile tea.
Dana smiled wanly but was unable to muster a livelier response.
“Your temperature is very high,” her stepmother said worriedly, placing a cool hand on her forehead. The scent of jasmine was comforting.
In the days that followed, Dana grew worse, as if some poison were working its way through her system. Unable to eat, she complained of mysterious aches and pains. Her sleep was fitful and broken as a recurring nightmare plagued her. She would find herself back at the portal and under attack. Cords of sickly green mist snaked around her to choke off her air. In the distance, a shining figure reached toward her in vain. Dana could hear the terror in her mother’s cries. It was Dana’s attempts to call back that would wake her up. Then she had to face the dreadful truth once more: she was all alone and cut off from Faerie.
• • •
“It’s most likely a virus,” the doctor told Gabriel. “No use treating it with antibiotics. We’ll give it a few days and if there’s no improvement, I’ll order some tests. Between you and me, it could be psychosomatic. Some kids are traumatized by starting high school. They adjust with time.”
Gabriel sighed. He had thought as much himself, though his wife didn’t look convinced.
When the doctor was gone and Gabe had left the room to make dinner, Aradhana sat down beside the bed. Her voice was quiet as she clasped Dana’s hand.
“Is everything all right between you and your mother?”
Dana stared into the dark, thoughtful eyes. Her stepmother’s question showed how special Radhi was. Both Gabriel and Aradhana had discovered the truth about Dana’s mother before they left Ireland. Gabriel soon forgot what he had learned about his first wife, remembering only that she had promised to stay in touch with
They hit the ground hard. Both had the wind knocked out of them. Gwen cracked her elbow. Laurel smacked her head. Stunned, they lay there a moment. Then, groaning with pain, they helped each other up.
“We’re too late,” said Laurel.
“It’s been claimed by the other side,” agreed Gwen. “We’re not safe here.”
Glancing around them fearfully, they hurried away.
• • •
Back at Laurel’s, any thought of treats was long forgotten.
“I was afraid of this,” Gwen said, sickened. “We’re failing already.”
“We’re dancing as fast as we can,” Laurel countered, but she also looked grave. “With her school compromised, Dana’s in serious danger. We’ve got to join up with her.”
Gwen frowned. “Granny’s instructions were clear. It’s her mission, not ours. We are just to be like guardian angels. Watch over her from afar.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Laurel argued. “We can protect her better if we are with her. Things are getting serious. And she’s only a kid.”
“She’s more than a kid. She has power of her own.” But Gwen sounded uncertain.
“The situation has changed since you last spoke with Granny,” Laurel pointed out. “The plan must change too.”
“All right, we’ll contact her,” said Gwen, though she didn’t look happy. Talking about Faerie was never easy; could they do it with a complete stranger and a teenager at that? She thought out loud, as much to reassure herself as Laurel. “I’m good with young people. And she’ll recognize you since you look like the High Queen. It shouldn’t be too difficult getting her to trust us.”
“Okay,” said Laurel. “First thing tomorrow, we tackle her.”
• • •
Had that meeting taken place, all of them might have suffered less, but it was not to be. Things were about to get worse.
I t was Aradhana who noticed how ill Dana looked when she came home from her first day at school. Dana’s face was so pale, she was almost translucent, and her eyes had a feverish look. She was sent to bed immediately.
“Are you feeling any better?” Radhi asked gently when she came into the room with a cup of chamomile tea.
Dana smiled wanly but was unable to muster a livelier response.
“Your temperature is very high,” her stepmother said worriedly, placing a cool hand on her forehead. The scent of jasmine was comforting.
In the days that followed, Dana grew worse, as if some poison were working its way through her system. Unable to eat, she complained of mysterious aches and pains. Her sleep was fitful and broken as a recurring nightmare plagued her. She would find herself back at the portal and under attack. Cords of sickly green mist snaked around her to choke off her air. In the distance, a shining figure reached toward her in vain. Dana could hear the terror in her mother’s cries. It was Dana’s attempts to call back that would wake her up. Then she had to face the dreadful truth once more: she was all alone and cut off from Faerie.
• • •
“It’s most likely a virus,” the doctor told Gabriel. “No use treating it with antibiotics. We’ll give it a few days and if there’s no improvement, I’ll order some tests. Between you and me, it could be psychosomatic. Some kids are traumatized by starting high school. They adjust with time.”
Gabriel sighed. He had thought as much himself, though his wife didn’t look convinced.
When the doctor was gone and Gabe had left the room to make dinner, Aradhana sat down beside the bed. Her voice was quiet as she clasped Dana’s hand.
“Is everything all right between you and your mother?”
Dana stared into the dark, thoughtful eyes. Her stepmother’s question showed how special Radhi was. Both Gabriel and Aradhana had discovered the truth about Dana’s mother before they left Ireland. Gabriel soon forgot what he had learned about his first wife, remembering only that she had promised to stay in touch with
Similar Books
