Alliance of Blackbirds Read online

  Chapter Eleven

  “You have to concentrate and if you’re going to learn, you have to listen,” Liam’s voice was stern as he stood over Claire who was sitting on the ground beside the pool that contained Alicia.

  She looked the same as the day she entered the fountain of youth. Her skin was the same shade and her hair fanned out around her still face.

  “Why can’t you do it?” Claire stared at Alicia with fear.

  Liam drew in a deep breath and knelt beside her. “It works best when the Alfheim undoing the spell knows the person involved. Believe me, the outcome is better.” He pulled Claire up by the shoulders and talked quietly to her.

  “She can do it,” I said quietly standing in front of Gabe looking up at him over my shoulders.

  “Of course she can. She just lacks confidence and none of us can give it to her.” Pandora stood beside me with crossed arms and dressed in a glittering green gown with a matching pin in her hair. “Believe me, I tried all last night.”

  Liam was still talking to Claire and they walked around the stones as he pointed to each one with instruction. Ian sat a ways away, as he always does.

  I let go of Gabe’s hand and walked over to him waving my hand at Gabe to not follow.

  Ian’s blue eyes met mine and then shifted back to Claire.

  “She needs you, she needs your strength.”

  “I’m not strong,” he said in my head.

  “Yes, you are and Claire needs you right now. Go to her.” I tried to not sound demanding.

  Ian let out a sigh and continued watching her.

  “You’re hopeless,” I said leaving Ian and back to Gabe’s arms.

  Liam had Claire start at the foot stone and touch it as she chanted. She then went to the next one and the next one as Liam walked behind her chanting as well. Soon Pandora joined in chanting from the sidelines and watching with a smile as Claire with shaking knees went by each stone extinguishing the light it emitted.

  Now only five stones remained and the water slowly began to sparkle until I could hardly see Alicia. I could see Claire’s arms shake and a few times she could barely get up. I looked over at Ian and watched him look eagerly on. I wanted to send him a message, but didn’t. He needed to do this on his own.

  Suddenly, Claire lowered herself to the ground and gasped as she chanted. Liam knelt next to her vigorously chanting trying to encourage her up.

  I leaned forward wanting to help when from the shadows Ian whisked over grabbing her other hand. Claire, still chanting, looked up at him with her weak eyes that suddenly began to sparkle. I tightened my fingers around Gabe’s and watched as Ian held Claire’s other hand until all the stones were out and the pool of water faded into a glittering mist.

  Claire stepped aside as Ian wrapped his arms around her and Liam parted the mist with his hands. Alicia was still, like she was just sleeping on the ground. Zach ran up to her but was stopped by Liam.

  “No, give her time.” Liam looked down at Alicia and began to walk around her waving his hand gracefully in the air and over Alicia.

  I saw Liam’s mouth move, but no words came out. Zach stood by looking eagerly on and kept glancing between Liam and Alicia. He could hardly hold himself back when suddenly Alicia twitched and gasped for air. She rolled to her side as Zach knelt next to her pulling her into his arms. Liam stepped back and watched for a moment before walking towards us.

  “The stones I’m taking,” he said gazing steadily at Gabe who nodded with agreement.

  “I know they were yours and not supposed to be in the Port Blue vault. They’re Alfheim made and should be with you.” Gabe nodded his head towards them. “Do you want a crate to put them in?”

  Liam pressed back slightly, looking surprised with mouth hanging open slightly. “No, we’ve come prepared.” He nodded as Rasmus came and placed his hand hard on Liam’s shoulder startling him.

  “Are you ready?” He asked.

  “Yes, just about,” Liam said looking between Gabe and Rasmus.

  “David has the ship ready—are you sure you don’t mind taking the long route?”

  “Wait, David is going with you? Where are you going?” I asked with a smile from Rasmus.

  “We decided to travel Atlantis—all of it, and bond in brotherly love.” Rasmus waved his hands out with a smile. “Oh, and David wanted tell you thank you—for everything.”

  I shook my head. “Why didn’t he tell me himself?”

  Rasmus smiled. “Because he wants to be a pirate, like me and if he returned to the ship all red-eyed and blubbering…well, let’s just say that wouldn’t be a good start for starting a reputation.” He stepped closer. “He’s very thankful though for believing in him.” Rasmus’s voice was noble as he bowed slightly. “And if you ever need us, you have our services.”

  I nodded my head hoping I really never did need their services—whatever that consisted of.

  “Please do hurry, I want to go before it gets too dark,” Rasmus turned to Liam. “My lady,” he said with a twist of his hand and then was gone.

  Liam nodded to Rasmus who faded into the underbrush towards Port Blue.

  Liam then turned back to Gabe and bowed slightly. “You’ll make a fine leader of the Blackbirds Gabe Fairchild and one I hope to work with in the future.”

  We watched him leave as Pandora let out a whistle. “Wow, he practically invited you to bed with him!” She laughed. “I’ve never heard an Alfheim say anything like that before. Well, you’ve better hold up on that because I wouldn’t want to go to war with them.” She shook her head going over to Alicia who stood up with Zach’s arm wrapped around her.

  “Pandora’s right,” I said turning to Gabe. “You’ll make a good leader.”

  A month can go by quickly when you’re in paradise. Gabe is learning how to be a leader and hopefully within the next year, he will be inducted to the Alliance. My mom and I are starting to talk more, but things go slowly and someday I know she’ll tell me more about her life in Eutopia. Alicia gained her strength back and is the same girl that I’ve always known though now she smiles more and started making stained glass windows again, just like the ones at the mansion at Kangee. She’s working with Ian to make glass portals for the new portal room at the vaults in Port Blue. David sends messages telling us where he’s at and spent a lot of time with the Mers before returning Liam back to his home. The Alliance gave the box containing the amulet to Pandora for her keeping since the vaults of Meropsis were being revamped.

  Claire and Ian are going slow at their friendship and I’ve caught them holding hands from time to time. Jimmy, Alice and Thomas are knitting slowly into the family they once were creating new memories to replace the old. Karinna is planning for Abe’s retirement and trying to get him to join her in her homelands away from the Alliance and the responsibilities that he’ll always feel are his. Zach and Alicia are the same couple they’ve always been—Zach teases Alicia and Alicia gets mad, but it usually ends with a kiss. Caleb is still with us and happier than ever with Alice and him trying to find a spot in Port Blue to open a restaurant. Jimmy and Thomas are even helping and slowly without them realizing it, they’re becoming a family.

  I wear the pendant that Gabe gave me every day as a reminder of how important he is to me and I to him. It is a magnificent shade of blue that twinkles back at me and shifts with many shades.

  “What are you doing out here?” Gabe said behind me. “Alice and Caleb made another dish they want us to try. It involves fish,” he said wrinkling his forehead.

  “It’s alright, I’m learning to looovvvee fish,” I said with a smile as I wrapped my arms around Gabe’s neck and gave him a long kiss.

  “Glad you kissed me before eating the fish,” he said twisting his fingers through mine.

  “I’m nice that way,” I replied pulling him closer through the garden.

  “Really Em, we should get in there, Alicia’s hungry
and she gets nasty when she is.” I pulled Gabe through the underbrush until we reached the tiny point overlooking the now lit Port blue.

  Small dots of yellow lights flickered in the town and the horizon still burned with slowly fading colors of reds, gold and oranges. I pulled Gabe close to me and without a word I kissed him as something pulled at the back of my head.

  I pulled away from Gabe and looked around at the slowly encroaching darkness.

  “What’s wrong?” Gabe asked.

  I let my gaze flow through the trees feeling something was there. “Nothing, just thought I heard something.” I turned back to Gabe, smiled and started to kiss him again.

  I could always get lost in his kisses, like it was an instant vacation, but something this time bothered me. I could feel eyes on us that could penetrate the darkness with topaz colored light.

  I pushed the thought away and concentrated on Gabe running my hand over his strong arms and him running his fingers up and down my spine just like the tiny crabs that run from the beach to the crashing waves.

  Suddenly, I could feel the eyes burning stronger and coming closer. I pulled away from Gabe’s kiss and peered into the darkness. Everything was still and then, slowly, I could see two points of glowing light.

  “Em, what’s wrong?’ Gabe asked as I stepped away from him and towards the lights.

  They intensified and I ran towards them with Gabe yelling at me as he followed. I reached the garden and stopped to catch my breath.

  “What are you doing? Am I that bad of a kisser now?” Gabe tried to be funny.

  “I saw something in the woods.” I turned to him. “Two lights that looked like—eyes,” I said trying not to think they belonged to Quil.

  “I can see them too.” Gabe smiled as I wrinkled my forehead.

  “You can?”

  “Yeah, they’re right behind you,” he said pointing to the several amber glowing solar lights that Alice seemed to have an addiction to since her garden looked like a runway for planes.

  I put my hand to eyes and moaned. “I’m stupid,” I announced to Gabe.

  “Yeah, but you’re my stupid.” He wrapped his arms around me and finished his kiss.

  I let his kiss take me away when something tugged at the back of my head again. Whatever it was, was relentless. I shooed it away like a fly until it buzzed so loud I had to pay attention to it.

  “Princess,” it said and then like a speeding car, was gone.

  About the Author

  M.M. Gavillet lives in west central Illinois with her husband, two children, one dog, three cats, several ducks and two demanding guinea pigs where she drinks more tea than any sane person should and likes to play in the dirt planting flowers. She has been spinning stories since she was little, but only recently discovered her passion for writing.

  Watch for new releases and excerpts from her books or see what she’s up to at

  mmgavillet.blogspot.com