SilverMoonLight (SilverMoonSaga Book 1) (29 page)

I
looked at him and relief flooded through me. Suddenly, Peter seemed like my
safe port in the storm.

The
two weeks until summer solstice passed far too quickly. Calum and I barely had
any time alone together. Peter and Dr. Erickson were constantly on standby,
explaining to me in minute detail what I should expect.

»It’s
very important that you pay attention to all this,« said Peter for the
thousandth time. I groaned and leaned against Calum’s shoulder.

»Peter,
I’m not stupid. You’ve explained everything to me very well, and I know what I
have to do. So it would be really nice if you could leave us alone for a while.«

Peter
looked at Calum as though he wanted to get his consent. When Calum nodded,
Peter stood up and left.

»This
is unbearable!« I groaned.

Calum
pulled me onto his lap without a word.

»They’re
worried about you,« he murmured. »You still have a choice, you know; you don’t
have to come. I’d prefer it that way anyway.«

»I
want to stand by your side,« I said, silencing him with a kiss.

We
were seated on the bench in the back garden, the sun shining down on us. The air
was shimmering and bees and butterflies were fluttering to and fro between the
flowers and bushes. The silence was broken only occasionally, by the barking of
a dog or the sound of a car engine. It was hard to imagine that anything could
destroy this tranquility. As Calum stroked his warm fingers across my face, I
closed my eyes and enjoyed his touch.

Suddenly,
a cough interrupted our moment of intimacy. Peter again. I shook my head
grumpily; he was really starting to aggravate me.

»Emma,
could you come with me please? We have to pack and we’re setting off very
early.«

Trying
to bite back an unfriendly retort, I wrapped my arms more tightly around Calum.

»Come
to me tonight,« I whispered in his ear, hoping he would understand that it
wasn’t a request. He gave me a kiss on the forehead and stood up.

»Peter’s
right, you need to be well rested tomorrow,« he said, more to himself than to
me.

I
stomped moodily behind Peter to the car and didn’t speak a single word to him
the whole way back. Once we arrived home, I went into my room and slammed the
door loudly in the hope that everyone would leave me in peace.

And
they did, for I wasn’t disturbed by anyone until dinner, a miracle in this
household. I had ample time to decide what I wanted to pack, and began to slowly
rummage through my things. How was I supposed to know what taste in clothes
fairies, werewolves, vampires, and the other creatures there would have? For
all Peter and Dr. Erickson’s advice, they hadn’t said a single word about what
I should wear. Should I call Sophie? She would know what to do, surely. But I
decided against it; she might bring me one of her color-crazy dresses. I
shuddered at the thought. She looked phenomenal in them, but I couldn’t imagine
any other woman wearing those kinds of clothes. After lengthy contemplation, I
decided on some slim-fitting brown trousers; a white, ribbed top; and a
short-sleeved, knitted green jacket. Neither too casual nor too formal, and I
wanted to at least feel comfortable in what I was wearing. Bree had given me
the jacket for Christmas; she had knitted it herself, and had given Amelie the
same one in bordeaux red.

Once
I had packed my things and plugged my cell in to charge, I sat in front of my
laptop to finish my essay. I had no idea if I would ever get the chance to
submit it, but I didn’t want to think about that possibility. In a burst of
enthusiasm, I spent the next hour writing down every thought that had ever
occurred to me on Oberon, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia. Once I had
finished, I saved it without proofreading what I had written.

I
looked at the clock. It was half past seven already, so I decided to relinquish
my self-imposed isolation and go down to the kitchen. Instead of the usual
chaotic noise, I was met only by quiet murmuring. The tension was palpable, and
I immediately noticed the feeling of dread in my stomach that had barely left
me over the last few weeks.

Bree
had cooked my favorite meal, perhaps to calm me down—or maybe even herself.
Vegetable pudding and rhubarb crumble for dessert. It was delicious, but we
were all pushing the wonderful food around; no one had even the hint of an
appetite. Our nerves had even rubbed off on Hannah and Amber, even though we
were careful not to speak too openly in front of them.

After
the meal, I helped Bree clear up the kitchen, then retreated to my room. My
nerves weren’t up to any more preparatory lessons or conversations. I got
undressed, then climbed into bed after a quick trip to the bathroom. I didn’t
really expect Calum to come. But because hope is always the last thing to die,
I stayed awake for a long time. Tossing and turning restlessly, I eventually
fell asleep.

I
woke when his warm body snuggled up against mine under the duvet.

»Go
back to sleep,« he whispered softly.

My
eyes still closed, I breathed in his scent as my mouth sought his. My hands
stroked over the muscles on his back as I pressed myself against him, never
wanting to let go. I didn’t want to speak; it might be the very last time.
Calum seemed to feel the same as I, for he didn’t say a word either. He held me
tightly, and our hearts melted into one. Much too soon, he gave me one last
kiss, then got up to leave.

I
tried to hold on to his scent and warmth, then gave in to sleep once more.

Dawn
was breaking as I heard a gentle knock on my bedroom door. I brushed my
disheveled hair from my face and stood up. Realizing that this would be the
most important day of my life, I took a deep breath. Outside in the hallway,
Amelie leant against the wall and smiled at me. She pushed me into the bathroom
and put all her energy into making me look good. First she plucked my eyebrows,
then she put on makeup and a little lip gloss. By the end, I looked fresh and
courageous. On the outside, at least, I looked brave enough to take anyone on.

»You
look beautiful,« she said, once I was dressed and standing in front of her. She
combed my hair until it fell in cascades down my back, gleaming like silk.

For
the last few minutes before we set off, she left me alone in my room. I stood
in front of the picture of my mother and had a silent conversation with her.
How much I needed her at this moment. How I wished she could have had this
chance too. I kissed the tips of my fingers and pressed them softly against the
picture. It wouldn’t be goodbye forever. I had to believe that.

Ethan,
Bree and Amelie were in the hallway to say goodbye to us. One after the other,
they hugged Peter and me. Bree hugged him so tightly it was as if she never
wanted to let him go. Eventually, he freed himself from her embrace and gave
her a kiss on the cheek.

»I’ll
come back, Ma, I promise.«

Tears
were glistening in her eyes.

We
hurried out to Dr. Erickson’s car, which had just pulled up. Ethan quickly
shook Calum’s and Dr. Erickson’s hands in greeting.

Calum
and I sat on the back seat, holding hands as we drove through the Highlands.
Clouds hung heavy in the grey sky, and there was no sign of yesterday’s warmth
now. It soon started to rain, as if the skies wanted to send us an omen. If the
occasion hadn’t been so serious, I would have been more captivated by the
beautiful landscape. Dr. Erickson spoke, seeming to know every mountain, every
lake and every house, but his words just flowed over me.

The
noise of the windshield wipers whooshed relentlessly through my thoughts.

Every
mile that brought us closer to our destination felt like a grip tightening
around my heart. I realized I was grasping Calum’s hand too tightly, but he
just smiled and drew me closer.

»You
look beautiful. No matter what happens today, this is how I will always
remember you.«

Dr.
Erickson turned around to us. »It’s only half a mile to the castle now. Emma,
are you ready?«

I
nodded, sat up and straightened my jacket. Nerves had taken my voice away.

Peter
looked at me in the rear view mirror. »Remember you don’t have to say anything.
Leave the talking to Dr. Erickson. You may speak only when you’re questioned
directly.«

»You’ve
already explained the archaic traditions to me at least a hundred times, Peter.
I’m not that slow on the uptake, you know,« I snapped.

Peter
raised his eyebrows, but didn’t say anything in response. What had gotten into
me? After all, I was happy he was coming with us.

I
looked out of the window with curiosity, but it was impossible to make anything
out. All I could see were green hilly slopes, stretching out on both sides of
the street.

»You
won’t be able to see anything yet,« Calum whispered into my ear. »Avallach is
only accessible to those who are initiated into its secrets.«

I
looked at him, but he just smiled. We passed an ancient stone bridge leading
over a narrow river. Shimmering silver fog rose from the water, enveloping us.
Dr. Erickson drove very slowly. When the fog finally lifted, after what felt
like an eternity, I saw a dark castle between the mountains. The lower part of it
was still encased in fog, so only the tips of its four towers could be seen.
The castle looked eerie somehow, the way it was nestled in amongst the green
mountain slopes. A narrow road wound its way up to the gate.

»Humans
would never find their way here,« explained Calum. »The fog obstructs their
path.«

The
closer we got, the more the grey vapor lifted, and I was finally able to see
that the castle was in the middle of a lake. The path led onto a drawbridge.
Suddenly, the clouds parted and the sun shone down through the damp air. An
immense rainbow stretched out from the lake into the mountains. It was a
breathtaking sight.

»Emma,
this is Avallach, our Council headquarters,« announced Calum reverently.

»Avalon,«
I whispered. Calum had already explained to me that his people use the Welsh
name. As a child, I had so loved reading the stories of the fairies of the
lake, of Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere. Another love story without a happy
ending, I thought anxiously.

»The
door opens not only in Glastonbury, but to Initiates in many other places too,«
explained Dr. Erickson. I had known that for a while now.

We
drove slowly through the castle gate into the inner courtyard. To my surprise,
there were at least twenty cars there. Realizing I hadn’t given much thought to
how the other visitors would arrive, I gave Calum a questioning glance. He
smiled: »There are many of us who really value the comforts of your
civilization. Not even vampires like running around the mountains on foot
anymore.«

»That’s
encouraging,« I said, taking his hand as he helped me out of the car. I looked
around, amazed at how well-kept the castle was. Presumably it was lived in
constantly.

»The
castle has been used for centuries. Young people from the various clans are
educated here together. But the students, if you want to call them that, are
never present during the Council meetings,« explained Dr. Erickson.

»So
it’s kind of like a university?« I asked.

He
nodded.

»You
could call it that. All the young people from the various clans come here to
study history, law, and magic,« explained Calum.

»And
we owe our thanks to you for that, my dear Dr. Erickson,« said a melodic voice
behind us.

Startled,
I turned around. Before me stood a tall, slim man with long blond hair. Only at
a closer glance could you see the pointed ears peeping out from his shock of
hair. To my surprise he was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a cozy-looking knitted
jacket. He looked more like a castle tourist guide. Dr. Erickson had explained
to me that all participants in the Council meeting made an effort to look
inconspicuous for the journey. But still, I had imagined the elves would look
different.

»Wait
until the meeting,« whispered Calum into my ear, noticing my amazed expression.

Then
the man turned to Calum and me.

»Calum,«
he said in brief greeting, before addressing me. »And you must be Emma.« He
gave me a quick but not unfriendly glance. »I’m glad you accepted our
invitation...and it’s brave of you to come,« he added. »I assure you, you have
nothing to fear. You will be allowed to return home safely.«

His
words were ringing so loudly in my ears that I couldn’t think of a suitable
response. I nodded politely and followed him into the castle.

After
just a few steps, I felt like I was in a fairy tale. The stone floors were
covered with thick rugs. There were large amphoras all around, and bowls of
fragrant flowers. An immense chandelier hung down from the ceiling on a long
and thick iron chain, and hundreds of candles cast a flickering light. Large,
ancient pictures hung on the walls. Most amazing, however, were the people—no,
that was the wrong term—the
beings
or whatever they were, standing
around the entrance hall in small groups. Clearly they had all just arrived.