“We’re the ones who are fighting for truth and justice,” Fehin said. And then he smiled.
Mr. Crandall’s pompous expression crumbled as his gaze met Fehin’s. “There’s someone you might want to meet before you shut me down,” he said, pointing down the hallway. “He lives in apartment seventy-two.”
Fehin’s gaze narrowed. “Wolf,” he muttered and then he was striding along the hallway, Airy and Carla hurrying behind him.
When Fehin knocked he looked completely calm but Airy felt his frayed nerves as though they were her own. She was terrified, her mind filled with all sorts of horrible scenarios about what Wolf was up to.
Carla stood apart, her gaze going from one to the other. “Should I be here?” she finally asked.
Fehin turned. “I won’t let him hurt you,” he said, and then the door opened.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Wolf asked, staring at Fehin.
He was dressed in a dark suit, his hair slicked back and oiled. His nails were manicured and he had the air of someone who has the world by the tail. The view into his living room revealed black furniture and a lot of glass and steel. Abstract monochromatic oils adorned the white walls. He’d definitely come up in the world.
“You’ve been undermining what Airy and I accomplished,” Fehin said, pushing past him into the hallway.
Wolf looked stunned for a moment watching the two women walk by. “I was only saving what’s mine. You were on the way to ruining it. Look, I’m expecting a guest any minute and I’d like you to be out of here before she arrives.”
“No can do,” Fehin said, staring at him. “Sorry, Wolf, but the bottom just fell out of your investments in prostitution, drugs and all the rest of it.”
“I don’t think so,” Wolf snarled, his eyes going dark. He closed the door behind him, his bulk filling the narrow hall. His expression hardened. “Not if I have anything to do with it. You do realize I have my powers now.”
“I figured as much.”
“You can’t go against me, Fehin. I will always win.” He sneered and then looked over at Airy and Carla. “And why did you bring them along? You must know I’ll kill them first.” He laughed. “And I’ll enjoy every minute of it,” he added, his gaze moving across Airy and Carla as though deciding the best method of murder.
“Look at me, “ Fehin said sharply, drawing Wolf’s attention. Fehin had an expression on his face Airy had never seen before. He seemed to be concentrating and at the same time holding his brother’s gaze. For his part, Wolf seemed nearly hypnotized, all his focus on his brother.
“Who let you out of Svartalfheim?”
Wolf laughed, breaking the connection. “Are you still on that? Not that it’s any of your business, but the man’s name is Pryderi.”
“Pryderi?” Airy turned to look at Fehin. “He’s the goddess Rhiannon’s son, a demi-god. My mother’s told me about the horrible stuff he’s pulled over the years.”
“That’s right,” Wolf agreed. “His powers put Rhiannon’s to shame. She’s never been able to control him.”
Fehin’s expression darkened. He stared into the distance and muttered some words no one could hear. It was only a few seconds later that the door flew open and a hurricane force wind whirled and tore through the hallway, pulling at their clothing and making a high-pitched whistling sound. “What the hell?” Wolf yelled, moving to close it.
But before he reached it a voice boomed, “Time to face your next exile. And this one will not be so kind.”
A pale face appeared and then the rest of the body materialized. A sparkling long black dress made of some fine material clung to her curves and her head nearly touched the nine-foot ceiling. She was fearsome to look at but also beautiful in a dangerous sort of way, especially for one so old. Her hair was all white, long and wild like a witch. But this was no simple witch.
Her dark eyes pierced downward, focusing on Wolf and pinning him like a bug. “If you do not recognize me, son of sorcerers, I will introduce myself. I am Skuld!” The room reverberated with her words. By this time Carla had paled and moved to the door.
Airy felt Fehin next to her and heard him in her mind.
I brought her here.
She heard the pride that went along with this accomplishment. She reached for his hand.
By this time Wolf was cowering against the wall. “Don’t make me go back there,” he whined like a little boy.
Skuld laughed, her lips turning up to reveal strong white teeth. “I have no intention of taking you back to Svartalfheim.” Her eyes narrowed as she reached out, her claw-like hand taking hold of Wolf’s upper arm. Wolf let out a piercing shriek and tried to pull away but she hung onto him. “I am taking you to Helheim where you will be as dead. You will never see the world again. Your father and his consort will be lost to you as will everything you have worked so hard to bring forth.” She smiled wickedly and then turned toward Airy and Fehin. “I am in your debt,” she said, nodding her head once in acknowledgment.
Wolf’s expression contorted into one of abject fear, his mouth opening in a scream. But before the sound could come into being the two of them disappeared. At the same time Carla slumped to the floor.
Airy hurried toward her. “Carla? Are you all right?” she asked, kneeling next to her.
The older woman’s eyelids fluttered for a moment and then opened. “Is she gone?” she whispered.
“They’re both gone,” Airy assured her, helping her up.
As they moved into the hall a fleshy sallow skinned woman arrived, her overly plucked eyebrows rising in surprise. “Where’s Wolf?” she asked, her hand going to straighten her wind-blown, heavily bleached hair. Her tight polyester blouse had popped a button, revealing a tired-looking chemise. The word floozy appeared in Airy’s mind, although she had no idea what it meant or where she’d heard it.
“He had an emergency appointment,” Fehin told her. “I wouldn’t expect him back anytime soon.”
She stared at the three of them suspiciously and then entered the apartment. Apparently she didn’t believe Fehin because they could hear her calling, “Wolfy? Where are you, Wolfy?”, as she headed into the living room.
They stopped by Mr. Crandall’s apartment/office on the way out to tell him that Wolf was no longer on this earth. The man visibly paled, his hand going to his throat.
“You killed him?”
“He isn’t dead but he may as well be,” Fehin answered. “I don’t know how much you know about him, but Wolf is not of this world and the Norn who meted out his punishment isn’t either.”
Mr. Crandall looked like he might be sick. “Norn?”
Fehin nodded. “Norns are supernatural beings who control the destinies of gods and men. This one comes from a place in the future and that’s where she’s taken our friend from room 72. Rest assured, you will never see him again.”
Mr. Crandall’s mouth opened, but when he began to protest what Fehin had said, Airy interrupted.
“And I would suggest you stop your efforts to undermine what we did on that mountain.”
His eyes widened. “What you did? That’s impossible! Have you seen the footage? It’s completely faked. Don’t know exactly how but photo shop can do wonders these days.”
Airy placed her hand on his arm for a moment and when she removed it Mr. Crandall’s expression had gone from anger and disbelief to one of wonder and happiness.
He reached out to shake both their hands and then said, “I’ll be sure to include this meeting in the next newscast I’m involved in. You two have changed the face of the planet and I’ll do everything in my power to help the cause.”
“Make sure you keep it this way,” Fehin told him before glancing at Airy. He reached for her hand and nodded to Carla and then they headed toward the elevators.
56
Fan was waiting by the door when Carla, Fehin and Airy entered the townhouse. “Where have you been? The people out there have been coming in and out, using the shower and all sorts of stuff. I didn’t know how to stop them!”
Carla grabbed her daughter and hugged her close. “I’m sorry we left you alone with this, Fan. You did the right thing. They deserve our help. But right now I need something to calm my nerves.” Carla went to the cabinet over the sink and took down a bottle of dark liquid. “This was the scariest experience I’ve ever had, including the time I washed overboard on a rafting trip.” She laughed weakly, her hands trembling as she poured brandy into a shot glass. She held the bottle up. “Anyone else?”
Airy looked over at Fehin who shook his head. “No thanks,” she answered.
Fan sat on the couch next to Fehin. “What happened to you guys?”
Fehin turned. “You don’t want to know,” he said. And then he reached over and playfully messed up her short hair, making her laugh.
After Fan and Carla left the house to do some shopping Fehin pulled the book out of his pack and opened it to where he’d left the bookmark. “Look at this,” he said, handing it to Airy.
The factions driving the unrest and disinformation surrounding the April fool’s day miracle disappeared a few days after they began. Sadly, when the hordes of followers searched for the two young people responsible for what happened that fateful day on the Medicine Wheel Mountain in Wyoming, they were never able to locate them.
“I’d say it’s time for us to leave,” Airy said, looking up. She closed the book and handed it back.
Fehin stuffed it into his pack. “Are you ready to share where we’re going?”
Airy giggled and moved toward him. She put her lips to his ear.
“What about your parents? My parents? Are we going to say goodbye?”
“I’ll leave a note for Carla but as far as my parents go they can do without me. They never apologized or even hinted that they might be wrong about you. If this was about our being related they could have been honest.” She shook her head. “When the time’s right I’m sure I’ll see them again.”
Fehin stared into the distance. “As long as we have the moonstone we can visit the future whenever we want, right?”
Airy nodded. “I’m pretty sure we can go to any time we want.”
When Carla and Fan returned an hour later there was no sign of Airy or Fehin or any of their belongings. A note lay in the middle of the kitchen table.
Fehin and I have gone walkabout. We both love you and Fan so much. Thank you for everything!
Epilogue
“Where have you taken us?” Fehin asked, scanning the dense hardwood forest surrounding where they’d landed. There was the scent of decaying wood, acorns, moss and damp earth and the sound of a creek murmuring over river stones in the close distance. It was daytime although there was barely any sky visible through the thick canopy. Beneath the trees, shadows danced and moved, changing from moment to moment. A bird chirped in the distance, and another answered, the only sounds other than the water moving gently by.
“I told you already where we were going.” Airy tilted her nose up in the air and sniffed. “The air here smells so fresh after Milltown. There are animals all around, Fehin!”
“How do you know?”
“I just know.” Airy scanned through the trees. “They haven’t been poisoned,” she said, her eyes bright.
“Don’t get your hopes up, Airy. If this is the fifth century people hunt for their food.”
Airy pulled open her pack and took out her phone. “Cell phone doesn’t work here,” she announced.
“Surprise, surprise,” Fehin chuckled.
There was the sound of laughter and then a man and a woman burst out from under the trees. The woman had leaves stuck in her thick chestnut hair and she was busy adjusting her bodice. When they saw Airy and Fehin they stopped dead and stared. And then the man said, “Merlin, where have you been? What happened to your beard? The King’s been asking for you. And what in Uther’s name are you wearing?” The man peered closer. “You look very rested for a man your age. Could it have anything to do with this comely lass next to ye?”
Fehin brushed at his jeans, trying to think of a suitable reply but before he could come up with one Airy had taken hold of his arm and they were moving through the ether again.
This time the woods looked different although several large boulders and a group of standing stones remained from the last timeline. The oaks and maples and dogwood were smaller and less packed together. Fehin‘s eyebrows pulled together as he tried to right himself from where he’d fallen. “That was abrupt.”
Airy stared at him with her lips pursed. “Don’t complain. This is only the third time I’ve done this. When that guy called you Merlin it freaked me out. Is it possible you are Merlin? When he mentioned the king I realized I hadn’t gone back far enough. It you really are that wizard I want to see the young you, not the old one.” She smiled. “But what happens if there’s two of you?”
Fehin let out a laugh. “I don’t know, but I do know that jeans and T-shirts are not the correct attire for fifth century England. What shall we do about that, M’lady?”
“Fehin, the clothes those people were wearing were just like in my vision.” She looked down, placing a hand on her lower abdomen. “But I’m not pregnant.”
Fehin watched her, his mouth quirking. “Maybe you’re going to get pregnant later,” he said, waggling his eyebrows up and down.
Airy let out a gasp, her eyes going wide. “What kind of birth control did they have in the fifth century?”
Fehin chuckled. “Maybe you should go back and forth to Planned Parenthood.”
“Not funny.”
Fehin turned serious. “You know a lot about herbs, right? I’m sure that’s what they used. This is a violent place, I hope you realize what we’re getting into.”
“And where we just came from is not? At least here they don’t have nuclear bombs and AK47’s. I’ll take my chances with bows and arrows. Maybe I’ll learn to be an archer.”
“Don’t forget about swords,” Fehin said.
She stared at him and then began to giggle and then they both turned giddy, laughing so hard they had to sit down. And that’s when they heard the neigh of a horse and the clatter of wheels on the rutted dirt road a quarter mile away. They stopped laughing as they listened to the coach draw close and then go by, the rattling diminishing until it was gone. They both breathed a sigh of relief.
“If you’re Merlin in this timeline, who am I?”