Chapter 8

Masen

Well, that was fun. It’s always a good thing when I can surprise Fadden with something he doesn’t know. Garron stepped in when Fadden had to leave and he was an excellent teacher. He never came with me when I did my Allie watching though which was strange. I guess I’d have to wait to find out why. We ran as fast as we could through the deepening chill towards the compound. There was so much to do and so much to plan. Part of me wondered if we could do it all fast enough. I had no doubts in our fighting ability especially now that Allie and I were together. I needed to tell her though that there was one way to get our powers even stronger together but I didn’t want her thinking I was only interested in her that way, although I really, really was. I knew that Chris and Jimmy had to really come through with their promise of help from the outlands. The unicorns were more important than they actually realised. Out of all Allies friends Chris was the one wild card. Very little was known about him. The same with Jimmy, but Jimmy was an easy read once you talked to him. Chris was able to keep himself hidden from most people. I had my own advantages in being able to see beyond the outside and I still struggled to get a read on him.

We reached the compound and waited for the guards to open the gates for us. As we walked through I reached out to Allie with my mind hoping she would hear me.

“Are you doing okay?” I sent with a surge of light.

“Hey!” Allie said out loud. “What the hell? Really? You couldn’t just ask?” Snarky wasn’t a strong enough word to convey her tone. “Honestly, use your voice instead of your mind crap. That’s kind of creepy.”

“Allie, for gods sake, we need to practice this so we can use it to our advantage.” There were times when I really struggled with my exasperation with her. It was like she deliberately pushed at me to piss me off. And it worked. “ Can you please just try to be reasonable. I know you’re stressed and worried but we need to focus so we can get Manny home.”

Allie just looked at me like she had never seen me before. “Whatever. We need to get to the training room.” She strode off ahead of me with her back ramrod straight. Something was wrong but I couldn’t figure out what it was. So much for my all powerful mind reading skills. Obviously Allie was able to shield from me better than I thought.

I walked in to the training room once again to find that conversations stopped as I got there. Jimmy looked as cranky as ever while Chris looked mildly worried.

“We haven’t been able to leave to get to the outlands yet.” Chris stated. “ The Powers That Be kept us here. They won’t explain why no matter how much Sala bugs them. I can’t even get to my community to ask them to help. Every time I go to leave the door won’t open for me. Fadden finds this amusing, which is not amusing at all!” He glared over at the fairy who was sitting by his Queens side.

“It is funny watching you try to fight a door. In all the many years I’ve known you, this is the first time I’ve seen you lose your temper. It’s amazing to watch.” Fadden was laughing outright as he stood and walked towards Allie. He reached out and touched her forehead. She immediately slapped his hand away and stomped over to Jenny.

“Tell him to stop touching me.” She demanded of her friend. “It makes me feel freaky.” She leaned her head against Jennys and sighed. “ What do I do now? I’m so lost for answers. They took her, Jen. Manny is far too young to have to pay for whatever it is that I am. Can you please explain why I’m so important?” She looked at the fairy Queen with hope and despair. It was hard to see that look on Allie because she was always so positive and the first to stand up and fight. Her talents at calming situations was becoming the stuff of legends. I had seen two angry grass dwellers, who are known for their tempers and love of fighting, suddenly hug each other and walk away from a land dispute. That never happened. Never. Until Allie the Tamer.

“Allie, I’ll tell you what I can.” Jenny stood and walked over to the window. “ As you know The Powers That Be decide on and create each of you. Many, many years ago I went to them and told them of a time when The Darkness would get bolder and would attempt to take over our world. In the grand scheme of things, we are a small world but we hold all that is good and fair and this enrages The Darkness. It cannot stand light and yearns to extinguish all that is beautiful and true. When I spoke to The Powers we decided that we needed to have a plan and a person to carry out that plan. But this person had to be so pure and so bright that their aura alone would be painful to our enemy. And so the thought of you was conceived. We all helped with what we thought you would need but something strange happened. You took on a life of your own from the very start. Fadden was right earlier when he said you like to go your own way. You always have, almost before you were even thought of. Sometimes I wonder if you actually were the one in control from the beginning. We didn’t know for sure when we would need you so once the thought was in place we waited, but once again you took control and you spun yourself into being when you deemed it was time. I still don’t know the extent of your abilities, I don’t think anyone does. The Powers are more than content to let you run this any way you choose. They very rarely get involved in these battles so I was surprised when they sent Sala in with the rest of us. She is very beloved by all the Powers. When she meets her One we will be so much stronger because their connection will be nearly as powerful as yours and Masens. You are the strongest and most talented person I have ever met, Allie. You completely underestimate your own powers and soon you will only have yourself to rely on. I am supplying all of my kingdom to you in preparation of our upcoming battle. Look inside yourself and find the power you have hidden. Open yourself to Masen because you need that connection with him, more than you think. Masen has spent his whole life waiting to be with you. Don’t think that his life has been easy and that only being able to watch you wasn’t hard. He has suffered more than any of us know. To be so close to someone you love yet being unable to touch, to talk to and to live with has been torturous for him. He has never spoken of it and he very rarely showed any pain but I know what it’s like to be separated from the one you need, want and love.”

Fadden’s head jerked around at that last sentence and he stared at Jenny with surprise. Allie’s head swivelled between the two of them, her eyes wide.

She looked at me and mouthed “Wow!” I smiled at her but my thoughts were still on all that Jenny had just disclosed, plus I wasn’t really happy that she shared all that stuff about me although I wasn’t going to argue with the one person  who essentially made sure I had a life worth living.

“What do we do now?” I asked. “We need a plan to get Manny. How are we getting the unicorns here? Because we really need them. If Chris can’t get to them, how can we let Amell know she needs to be prepared?”

Allie asked quickly “ Who’s Amell?”

“She is the leader of the Unicorn clan. They look after any and all unicorn needs and anyone who wants help from them has to go through Amell and her court.” Jenny explained to Allie. “Our first thing though is to start the march towards the Dark Lands. Go now and gather The Few.  Fadden and I will take care of provisions needed on the way. Chris, you will find that your way is not barred now. Both you and Jimmy need to go and round up the grass dwellers. We have need of their knowledge of the ground where we will be travelling to. Allie, you and Masen will leave before us all as your fight is one that must happen before we can be involved. After you have your people together it will be time for you to leave us. Masen,” Jenny looked at me and it seemed that she could see right through to my very soul, “You know what you have to do. We are always available when you call. Between Fadden and Garron you have been given the very best of training. Use your knowledge and your skills to protect Allie.” She turned once again to Allie. “Go now. I’ll see you before you leave.”

In the blink of an eye Jenny and Fadden were gone and all that I had been trained to do, my life of lessons and hours of watching Allie, were about to finally be used. My time with Allie was truly about to start.