Moon Spun (16 page)

I’ll fill Allie in and we’ll devise a plan.”

Ryker hurried off to do Melia’s bidding.

“Um, I haven’t exactly agreed to help you yet. I need more information.”

Melia waited until Ryker vanished down the trail leading to Uncle Davey’s pool before she answered, “I want to speak frankly. That’s why I sent Ryker on an errand.”

“Is there something you don’t want him to know?”

Melia scooted around on her mossy throne so she could face me directly. “Ryker is a brave and wonderful boy. Highly ambitious as well. Perhaps you’ve noticed?”

“I noticed. He said you promised he would be a prince in the Seelie Court, but only if he and I were mated.” I shook my head. “Trust me, that will never happen.”

Melia fluttered her lashes and gave me a mysterious smile. Just for a second, I saw the seductive creature who had totally charmed my grandfather.

“Never say never,” she cautioned. “Ryker’s father was a Love Talker named Galen. He mated with Delphine, a woman from my court. No woman can resist a Love Talker. And, since Ryker is half 329

Love Talker . . . ” her voice trailed off and she gave me a wink.

I lifted a hand in denial. “I think I can safely say never. So, what happened to Delphine and Galen? I haven’t seen anyone here but you and the pixies.”

“And Uncle Davey,” Melia added.

I glanced over at the waterfall. “Oh, yeah . . . him.”

Melia shook her finger at me. “Other than Ryker, Uncle Davey is my strongest ally. We’ll need him when we go to battle.”

I squirmed on my giant flower chair, wondering if she’d ever get to the point. Melia must have noticed my impatience. “To answer your question, Galen, being a Love Talker, is somewhere in Boundless, presumably doing what he does best, charming unsuspecting women out of their faery garments.”

“And Ryker’s mother . . . Delphine?”

“Delphine was my dear friend and served me well. Before I left Boundless, I was Melia, Queen of the Forest Faeries. I had many subjects and a rightful place in the Seelie Court, which, by the way, is full of tricksy faeries trying to better their status.”

I nodded. “Sounds like high school. Minus the faeries.”

“When I stepped out of Boundless and joined with your grandfather, my people were enslaved by Phaedra, whose power comes from the dark side of the moon.

Delphine and Ryker were among those taken.”

“How did Ryker get away from Phaedra?”

“Ryker was just a lad when I left Boundless. As he grew older and more charming, he used the powers he received from his Love Talker father to worm his way into Phaedra’s affections.”

I wanted to know more but the ick factor kept me from asking. Melia continued, “Ryker played a dangerous game. On one hand, he was Phaedra’s darling. On the other, he was acutely aware of how Delphine and our people were suffering.”

“So, he was like a double agent?”

“Exactly,” Melia said. “He earned Phaedra’s trust and waited for the right moment to escape. Before he left, the clever lad covered all his bases. You see, he was afraid that Phaedra, in her fury, would torture and kill Delphine along with the others.”

Caught up in her story, I asked, “What did he do?”

“He left a letter for Phaedra. He said, in exchange for leaving our people unharmed, he would bring back the one thing she desires most.” After a dramatic pause, Melia placed one hand across her heart, her fingers splayed open. “That would be me.”

“You,” I repeated.

“Yes, me,” my grandmother said. “Phaedra has been trying to capture me since the day I returned to Boundless. With the help of my small band of subjects, I have managed to stay free.”

“If your power is gone, why does she want you so badly?”

“She wants me for, what I believe in your world, is called a bargaining chip.”

“Who, or what is she bargaining you for?”

“Power, of course. In the land of Boundless, it’s always about power or unrequited love.”

“I know there’s more,” I said.

“Phaedra is part of the Unseelie Court. Do you know about the Unseelie?”

“Ryker called them dark faeries. He said they’re not of pure faery blood.”

“That’s right. Their mixed blood has resulted in evil mutations. Terrible creatures!” She shuddered. “When she was young and beautiful, Phaedra had a fling with an extraordinarily handsome prince from the Seelie Court by the name of Drake. It was all very hush-hush because Seelie princes 330

are forbidden to consort with the Unseelie.”

“So, they had to sneak around,” I said.

“Right,” Melia said. “As a result of their union, a daughter was born. Her name is Oleander.”

“I guess faeries don’t believe in using protection.”

My grandmother frowned at me and continued, “Oleander is now fully grown. Phaedra believes her rightful place is in the Seelie Court.”

“What does that have to do with you?”

“Phaedra believes I can help her because of my alliance with Queen Luminata of the Seelie Court.”

My mind was getting fuzzy from information overload. “And can you?”

Melia shook her head sadly. “No, the truth is, Luminata will have naught to do with me because she feels I abandoned my people.”

Which you did, I thought.

“The issue here is what Phaedra believes. She truly believes I can help her cause.”

“And this Luminata chick can make it happen?”

Melia said, “Luminata would never agree to such a thing. But Ryker used his love talking abilities to convince Phaedra I can help her.”

“Where do I come in?”

She reached over and touched a finger to the moonstone. “Because of that, one might say you have a direct hotline to Queen Luminata.”

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Chapter Twenty

“So what Phaedra really wants is the moonstone?”

Melia shook her head. “Absolutely not. Ryker said Phaedra knows nothing of the moonstone. He merely promised I had the means to help her.”

“Does that mean Ryker knew about the moonstone? Before he came to get me?”

Melia said, “You need to understand how it is in our world. All my people know a child of my lineage would come to possess one of the most powerful gemstones in your world and mine.”

“Not to change the subject, but why does everyone here insist on calling me Avalon?”

“Names in Boundless are chosen with great care. Have you not heard of Avalon? ”

“I thought Avalon was where King Author found Excalibur.”

“Yes, that is part of the story. It is also known as the magical Isle of Apples,” Melia said.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Luminata possesses the sacred gifts of Avalon. A golden apple and a crystal of pure moonlight. You wear the moonstone, do you not?”

“Yes.”

“And, unless I’m mistaken, you live in the midst of an apple orchard. Is it beginning to make sense to you?”

“That’s it? I’m called Avalon because I live by an orchard and have a moonstone? Seems kind of far-fetched to me.”

Melia flapped a hand at me. “It is the name you were given. Live with it.”

“I guess it’s better than Alfrieda.”

The words had barely left my mouth when three things happened. The pixies zipped up and landed on my left shoulder. Ryker re-appeared from behind a giant fern and Uncle Davey exploded out of the water like an enraged hippo.

I leaped from the rose chair, ready to run for my life. The pixies, still clinging to my shoulder, laughed shrilly, directly into my left ear. Note to self: stupid human tricks equal painful pixie laughter. Think before you act.

“Sssst, I hissed at the pixies. “You’ll make me go deaf before I’m out of high school.” My comment made them laugh even more.

I stopped backpedaling, gathered my courage and faced down the kelpie. Surely he wouldn’t eat me with Maddie and Ari sitting on my shoulder. He turned his head slowly, observed me with one eye, then clacked his teeth and tossed his seaweed mane. After a blaring, derisive snort, he said,

“Queen Melia. Please tell me this pathetic creature is not who we’ve been waiting for.”

Even though I was highly offended by his remark, I almost laughed. He had a British accent and sounded exactly like the dude who’s married to the queen of England.

Swear to God, the kelpie sounded like a British nobleman.

Melia ignored him. She clapped her hands and called, “Pookie! Meg! Come, my darlings. Meet Ava.”

Two heads popped out of the water. One blonde. One red. With seemingly little effort, they emerged from the stream, stood on the bank and fluttered their gossamer wings. Droplets of water flew through the sunlit air like tiny diamonds. Their bodies were draped in diaphanous gowns that caught the light and reflected every color of the rainbow.

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“Whoa,” I breathed, sinking down on my toadstool. I whispered to Melia. “What kind of faeries are those two?”

“Water sprites,” Melia said. She stood and held out her hands. “Come, girls. It’s time to plan our strategy.”

“Yes, Queen Melia,” the sprites said together and my mouth fell open in surprise. Each girl’s voice had at least three tones, so when they spoke, the effect was like hearing a talking pipe organ. Instead of coming to Melia as requested, the water sprites pushed off and fluttered down next to Ryker who grinned and held out his arms. The two settled into his embrace, wrapping their arms around his body and making musical sounds in the same faery language Ryker used when he invoked the image of our trailer. For some unaccountable reason, the sight of Ryker hugging the two water sprites ticked me off.

“Hey, did you know Ryker’s a Love Talker? You two better watch it.”

Why is it when I’m trying to be funny, nobody laughs, but when I’m dead serious, everyone thinks I’ve cracked the best joke ever? The chorus of laughter following my remark was truly awesome to hear. Along with the pixies’ high-pitched squee, the water sprites contributed their tri-tonal giggles along with Adam’s baritone guffaws.

Melia even joined in with a ladylike titter. I was the only one not laughing.

“Well,” I huffed. “Glad you all find me so amusing.”

Melia patted my hand. “It’s all right, dear. It’s just that everyone in Boundless knows Ryker is a Love Talker. It’s not exactly new information.”

I was still bummed out so I glared at Ryker who was enjoying his armload of water sprites way too much. After all, this was serious business.

Melia clapped her hands again. “All right, then. Now that Avalon has arrived, it’s time to finalize our plans. Meg and Pookie, mind your manners and come to me at once.”

Reluctantly, the water sprites disengaged from Ryker and stepped forward. Melia said, “Avalon, this is Meg.”

The blond water sprite examined me curiously. “We have heard much about you.” Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief and, when she smiled, a deep dimple appeared in her right cheek. In her strange musical voice, she added, “And, many thanks for the warning about Ryker.” She gave him a flirtatious glance from under her lashes.

“Love talkers are truly dangerous.”

Aware I’d just been slammed by a water sprite, I pinched my lips together and nodded. The redhead joined her and ran a practiced eye over my body. I had a feeling I’d come up short in all departments.

“I’m Pookie,” she said with a fleeting smile. Her eyes were brown and she had a cute little turned-up nose. Both the sprites were perfectly formed and had an unearthly beauty beyond my ability to describe. They reminded me of the cool girls at school, who seemed to float down the hall, totally unaware of the envious glances following them.

“Nice to meet you both.” Swear to God, I tried to keep the hostility from my voice. Apparently I wasn’t all that convincing, because Melia said, “Now, remember girls, we’re going to work together.”

Little Ari left my shoulder and hovered in front of my face. She hitched up her pink panties, scowled ferociously and squeaked, “You ready to kick butt, Ava?” I lifted my index finger so she could perch on it. With pixies around, it was impossible to be in a bad mood. Maddie flew over and joined her. She did the twirl thing again and squeaked, “Her royal highness, Princess Maddie says, ‘Are you ready to rumble?’”

I cracked up laughing. “Where did you learn that?”

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“From TV, of course. Ari and I have our favorite shows. Bet you never even knew we were there.” She grabbed her sister’s hand and they flew to a giant scarlet flower, almost disappearing as they skidded to a stop inside the blossom.

I looked over at my grandmother. “Not that I’m questioning your judgment, but is this is your fighting force? Two hedgerow pixies, a couple of water sprites, a kelpie and a Love Talker?”

Melia folded her arms and glared up at me. “Plus you and me. Why? Is there a problem?”

“Depends on the plan,” I said, refusing to back down.

“All right, then. That’s what we need to discuss.” Melia stood and waved her arms. “Everyone, come! Gather around.”

Uncle Davey snorted and pawed the ground before clopping over to stand behind Melia. His proximity caused me to scurry away and stand next to Ryker, who gave me a knowing smirk. Meg and Pookie sat at Melia’s feet. Maddie flew over and latched onto a lock of my hair. Ari, armed with a sharp pine needle, perched on Ryker’s ear.

I asked Melia, “Earlier, you said the moonstone was a direct hotline to the Seelie queen. What did you mean by that?”

She frowned. “I am currently out of favor with Luminata. She will not take my calls.”

Her comment made me wonder if they had cell phones in Boundless. Not wanting to be the butt of faery humor again, I didn’t ask. “But, you believe Luminata will take my calls?”

Melia brightened immediately. “Oh, yes. I think if we get backed in a corner, you’ll be able to summon Luminata by using the moonstone.”

“You think? Does that mean you don’t know for sure?”

Ryker threw an arm around my shoulder, earning me dirty looks from the water sprites. “There are no guarantees in Boundless. What we plan to do is dangerous.

Phaedra is dangerous. But, if we don’t free our people, they will die. Already, many have died of starvation. I fear for the life of my mother, Delphine. It’s true, I desire to see Melia regain her power, but first, we must do the right thing and save her people.”