portal prophecies 01 - keepers destiny (11 page)

Jade let out a little scream and left for her room.

Malarchy stood silent for a few moments staring at the still blank wall before speaking. “Nyssa, Zebulon, Nebulah, would you please take a few guards into town? See if you can find out what happened. Assess the damage and see if the guards can harvest any food from Willow's gardens. Although I fear not.”

“Why wouldn't they be able to pick our food for us?” Aurora asked.

Malarchy chuckled. “Do you really think that much food grows naturally every day? That fruit trees have new fruit every day? No, I am afraid it was the girl who made it happen. That is why I let her remain on her own and not join the orphanage years ago. Without her, we could all starve.”

“There is still the bakery, Malarchy,” Aurora added.

This time he laughed. “The bakery, yes well out back of the bakery is a plot of land where the grains grow that the bakery uses to make its food. Who do you think makes them grow everyday? And then there is the matter of the weather.”

“The weather?” Nyssa asked as if surprised.

“Yes the weather,” he answered. “Since the day that child was born we have enjoyed bright skies, warm temperatures, only adequate rainfall and at the same time everyday, while we sleep so it disturbs nothing. The sun sets and rises at the same time.”

“Are you saying she controls the weather as well and did so as a baby?” Nyssa asked.

“That is exactly what I am saying. She is a terraformer, a rare ability, not to mention it has been with her since her birth. Something we have never seen before. No, I am afraid if we can't somehow fix this mess, things will get bad. The sooner you get going, the faster we can try to resolve this. The rest of us will work on alternate plans taking the worst scenario into mind.”

When Nebulah, Zebulon, Nyssa and the four guards reached the city, they found the town still congregated in the street. They approached the gathering, sending everyone back to their homes, while the guards looked at the gardens. Some of the townsfolk had moved to their porches but were still watching as the guards returned with bad news. There was nothing growing...nothing at all. Not even a fruit tree, just plain open space.

A chilling scream came from the Shinning house. The Council members hurried to the door and let themselves in. At first glance one might have thought the sight of their front shop was enough to let out such a screech of terror as had just been heard. Glass lined the floor, all of the display cases were destroyed, there was damage to the walls and windows, but after carefully stepping through the mess they saw the Shinnings kneeling over their three sons on the floor. The boys were all having some sort of seizure. The three were all unconscious with a froth coming from their mouths.

“Send for Micca!” Nebulah yelled to the guards behind her. “And quickly there is no time to waste. Your fastest must go.”

“Help is on its way,” Nyssa said to Augusto. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“I don't know. We were outside with the others. The only one who came by was Jade,” he answered.

Opaque stood picked up the broken case which had held Willow's jewelry, looked at the bits of cake left on the table, then turned to Nebulah. “Your daughter did this,” she said

“I don't think now is the time for accusations.”

“The things we made for Willow for the dance are gone...stolen. She threatened she would have them no matter what the cost.” Opaque picked up a plate and took it to Jade's mother. “This cake...she brought it here this morning.”

No one had noticed Martha was standing in the background until she added, “The dress I made Willow is gone as well.”

“Stay here,” Nebulah said to Nyssa and Zebulon. “I will take a guard and return to the castle. If my daughter is involved I will find out.”

Leaving, she almost bumped into Willow, who had come over to see what all the commotion was about.

It only took one look inside for her to see the three boys convulsing on the floor. “What's wrong with them,” she shrieked. “Victoria, she could help. She can heal.”

She felt a hand fall on her shoulder and turned to see Micca behind her. He pushed past and knelt over the boys.

“She can't help,” Micca said. “It's not anything a healer can cure. They have consumed a potion of some sort. The only way to save them now is to find out what the ingredients were and make a counter potion.”

“Who would do this? Why?” Willow asked.

Augusto answered. “We think it was Jade.”

“Is this over me? Did she do this because of me?” Her eyes stung. The pain of the realization that she had been the reason her friends were hurt was too much for her.

Zebulon put his arm around her. “Come now child, you need some air. Let's not have tears and flood the town. We will figure this out. How about you tend to some food for the rest of the townsfolk. There are hungry, scared people.”

Willow looked at him with a blank stare and stepped outside. He knew what she could do. What she didn't understand was why the people didn't just go harvest their own food. She stumbled across the road, still in shock from the sight of the boys and round to her garden. It was empty. She stood dumfounded. There was nothing there.

Clairity and Ashlyn had come to her side. They both were just as shocked by the sight of the empty fields, but what came next was even more unusual.

Willow stood tall raising her arms above her head. What looked like a golden dust rained down on the field. Within seconds there were bountiful fruit trees, bushes of berries, vines with grapes and vegetables of all types fully grown and ready to pick. She turned taking only one step towards her friends. The weight of the day's events became too much for her. Her legs buckled, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Chapter Ten

Nebulah walked right by the other Council members and into the castle. She was keeping a fast pace which didn't slow once inside. She climbed the staircase and went straight to Jade's room. Flinging her daughter's door open, she moved to the bed.

“What are these?” she demanded pointing to the missing items from town.

“Can't knock?” Jade snarled back at her.

“What is going on here?” Malarchy having seen his wife return, followed her. He was standing at the door looking in.

Nebulah turned to him. “These items were stolen from town today,” she said choking back tears.

“They were gifts, daddy, from the Shinning brothers. Go ask them,” she said giving her mother a look of disgust.

“He can't ask them. They are unconscious and having seizures, all three. The only one to see them today was you Jade,” Nebulah replied. “What did you do?”

“Don't be so dramatic mother. I am sure they will be fine tomorrow,” Jade said without concern.

“If something happens to those boys and you have information that can save them.” Her mother's words cut off as she grabbed the dress and gems off her daughter's bed.

“Hey, those are mine. What do you think you are doing?” Jade yelled.

“Returning them to their owners,” Nebulah replied. She was about to leave when Nyssa appeared behind Malarchy.

“I am afraid there is bad news. The boys ingested some form of a potion. Without an ingredients list, they won't make it,” Nyssa said as she passed Malarchy in the doorway and looked at the items Nebulah was holding. All three turned their attention to the girl.

“Why are you looking at me?” Jade demanded. “Fine, it wasn't poison. It was just a little love potion and I didn't make it.” She looked straight at Nyssa and added, “If you want to know what was in it, why don't you ask Camile. Their fate is her fault, not mine.”

“You have broken so many rules...”

Jade interrupted her father with a cold voice. “So change them. That's what the Council does isn't it? Makes things fit the way they want them to?”

“You have no idea what you have done. I am not sure we can help you out of this mess.” Her father had a sadness in his voice, something Jade hadn't heard before.

“I can't believe you are my daughter,” her mother sobbed.

“I wish you were dead,” Jade yelled back at her in a fit of anger.

The three Council members left the room and locked the door behind them. They found Camile in the front sitting room. News of the situation in town had already spread throughout the castle.

“I'm sorry,” the girl blurted out in tears. “I didn't mean to. I told Jade not to use so much. She went crazy over that girl getting invited to the dance, said she need to teach her a lesson or all our futures would be ruined. She said our parents would be proud. I don't know why I believed her. I didn't think she would hurt anyone, honest.”

“Later,” her mother said with a hand on each of Camile's shoulders. “Right now we need to go to town and tell Micca everything you did to make that potion.”

Nebulah told her husband she would join the two heading into town and return the missing items. Before leaving she faced her husband. “Are we being punished for what we have done?” she asked.

Malarchy answered, “I think so. This is my fault I have been so blind. Do what you can in town. Jade is locked in her room. There will have to be a hearing and she will have to answer for her actions.”

*****

Jade looked around. She was less than impressed that she had been locked in her room and even worse that her mother had taken the items she had worked so hard to get. Why didn't they see what she did was for everyone? The Council was getting soft, losing control, letting inferiors have their way and running to their aid. Her anger spiked at the thought of her own parents taking the sides of those nobodies over her.

With nothing to do, she lay down on her bed and hugged her favourite doll. Closing her eyes, she was somewhere between the state of sleep and wake when she heard a voice call her name. Opening her eyes she was somehow in a white room with a man standing in front of her.

“Where am I?” she asked.

“In a dream,” he replied. “My family can all dream walk. We unlocked the secrets to that ability long ago. But that is not important now, what is important is you. I heard your cries, my dear. What has happened to you is unjust. A beautiful talented woman like yourself should be bowed down to, treated as a queen, not locked up like a common criminal. The people around you don't understand your brilliance like I do.”

“You do?” she asked.

He moved next to her and brushed her face gently. “Yes, I have been watching you in your dreams for some time. I have seen your thoughts and desires...your plans and aspirations. You are exactly what I have looked for to stand beside me, to be adored by all as I adore you.”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Forgive me. I am Prince Joseph, son of King Cornelius, saviour of worlds, at your service,” he answered now standing in front of her.

He was beautiful, with short platinum blonde hair, cold blue eyes and stunning features. His body looked chiseled to perfection like a statue, with just enough muscles in all the right places. She couldn't help but feel they would make the perfect couple and have beautiful children.

Knowing her thoughts, he smiled. “Yes, together we could rule worlds. I would give you only the finest jewels and clothes. Others could only hope to be you. Everything your heart desires I could hand you on a golden platter. I will make anything you have wished for come true.”

“Please, I want to go with you,” she answered without thought.

“And I want nothing more than to take you my darling, but I need your help, to enter your world so we can leave together and live the life you deserve,” he answered.

“What can I do? Tell me,” she pleaded.

“Is there someone in your world who can mutate or bend objects like metal?” he asked.

“Yes of course, Neil can.”

“Good, I need you to convince him to stretch the sky,” he said.

“I don't understand,” she answered.

“Yes, of course. When he bends metal he is actually changing the molecular density of the item for a short period of time. If he concentrates hard enough on the sky he can weaken the boundaries between our worlds for a short time allowing me to open a way in and out for just long enough to come for you,” he explained.

“How do I convince him to do this?” she asked.

“You are a beautiful woman. Convince him you know a way to run away with him. Tell him you two will be together forever if he helps you escape the wrath of the Council. We both know their punishment will be severe.”

“Okay, how will you know when it is done?” she asked.

“I will watch the skies my queen. Do not doubt, when it is done I will come and you will have everything you have ever wished for. Oh and one last thing, should the Council wish to impose a punishment on you, they don't have the right. Tell them that only Acacia can decide your fate. It is your right.” He kissed her cheek gently before he faded away into the distance.

*****

By the time Nebulah, Nyssa and Camile arrived back at the Shinning house, the guards had cleaned up all the broken glass and debris in the shop and removed all furniture from the sitting area. The room was now bare with only the three boys lying on the floor and Micca hovering over them trying to do what he could. The way his long black hair was neatly tied back in a pony tail, so it wouldn't get in the way, showed off the other features of his face. His high eyebrows and intense brown eyes, together with the stubble beginnings of a beard made him look almost attractive in a rough manly sort of way. He noticed the new visitors and moved towards them.

“Do we have any information?” he asked anxiously.

“Camile can tell you what was used,” Nyssa offered.

Nebulah motioned she would be back and headed over to Martha's to return the dress and jewels. She had hoped to avoid the boys' parents for the moment until their sons had been cured of the condition her daughter had caused.

Camile stepped forward. “It was a love potion. Jade wanted the boys to ask her to the dance instead of any of them taking Willow.” She took a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Micca. “I told her not to give them too much. I warned her things could go wrong. I would never hurt anyone.”