Chapter Ten
Bracken and Kendra sat in the crowded living room, waiting for the Knights to return from England. The other Eternals waited with them, their shape-shifters sitting or standing at their side, as well as all four of Kendra's grandparents and both of her parents. Bracken and the Sphinx engaged in quiet conversation, but for the most part there was no socializing. Despite Kendra's assurances that all six were truly Eternals, they looked at each other suspiciously.
When Tanu had called an hour ago to report that they had landed, he had been deliberately vague, saying only that just he and Seth would be returning to Fablehaven. Kendra knew it was wise not to discuss such things over the phone, but it only made her want to know more about the mission. First and foremost, did they get the artifact? Why weren't the others coming back with them? Were they all right? And who was the mysterious Knight Trask had recommended for the mission? Kendra consoled herself with the fact that they were due back any minute and refrained from tapping her foot impatiently.
The front door opened and Tanu entered, Seth right behind him. "We're back!" Tanu called, smiling pleasantly. The other Eternals may have interpreted the smile as the sign of a successful mission, but Kendra only needed to see her brother's face to know that they had failed. Bracken saw it, too, and took her hand reassuringly.
Tanu shot a glance at Grandpa Sorenson that said they needed to discuss what had happened in private. Grandpa shook his head. Kendra agreed; they needed to trust the Eternals, and they had e very right to know what had happened at Lakemist. With a resigned sigh, Tanu entered the room and found a space to stand. Seth leaned against the wall. All the chairs and sofas were taken.
Tanu came right out with it. "We lost the artifact," he said. "The other Knight with us, Melanie Johnson, is a traitor. We got right in to the heart of the vault, and she got the Sword ahead of us. She killed Mara and teleported away using the Translocator."
"Wait," Warren interrupted. "How did she have the Translocator?"
"The artifact from Hidden Glade," Seth explained. The dismay in his voice was almost palpable. "At least, that's what we think. Remember how we thought Estelle's walking stick as the key to the vault? It was actually the Lakemist key. That's why I thought it looked so familiar when Melanie had it. They had already retrieved the artifact from their preserve and they somehow had the key from Lakemist."
"Melanie is the caretaker's sister," Tanu said. "She had been to the preserve several times before. When we spoke to Sarah – the caretaker – after returning from the vault, she admitted that the key had gone missing after Melanie's most recent visit. She pretended she still had it to discourage us from going after the artifact and to hide her failure."
"We must act quickly," said the Sphinx when Tanu finished. "Our enemies have the Sword of Justice and the Translocator; if any of them have been to Fablehaven before, they can move against us immediately."
Kendra stood up. "We need to leave." The other Eternals also left their seats.
"Is the Fairy Queen going to let you guys live with her for a bit?" Seth asked.
She exchanged a glance with Bracken. "No," she answered bitterly.
"We shouldn't rush this," Grandma Larsen protested. "We have no save hideouts arranged."
"I would feel better on the move rather than sitting here," said Eric.
"I agree," Antoinette said.
"Wait," commanded Bracken. All heads turned to him. "We need to think this through a little. Sit down, let's discuss things."
Those standing obliged. They still kept their eyes on Bracken. Clearly they weren't going to suggest any ideas themselves.
Warren spoke and heads swiveled to him. "We need to split up, but no Eternal should go anywhere alone. Alone with only their shape-shifter, I mean. An extra set of eyes and ears is always handy. I propose we move cross-country. Think of a preserve, or a sanctuary, or an obscure place somewhere in the normal world where you don't think you'll be found. Drive, fly, whatever it takes, but I would suggest travelling legally to avoid attracting attention."
"Does everyone have a coin of some sort?" Bracken asked. He quickly collected a pile of change and cupped it in his hands. His hands glowed white for a moment, and then he redistributed the coins. "We can use these to keep in touch."
"Everyone got a plan?" Warren confirmed. The Eternals nodded hesitantly. "Great, let's move out."
As the other Eternals headed for the garage and their respective vehicles, Kendra approached her parents. She hugged them both. "I'm so sorry," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "For becoming an Eternal without asking, for getting kidnapped, for running off to the Fairy Realm without coming home first, and for having to leave again so soon."
"You did what you thought was best," said her dad awkwardly. Kendra guessed that they were still mad at her, but that there wasn't anything else they could say under the circumstances.
"We still love you, honey," her mom promised.
"Will we be able to visit?" her dad wanted to know.
Kendra shrugged. "Probably," she answered. "I'll call you when I get settled somewhere, okay?" Her mom nodded and hugged her again.
Her dad turned to Bracken. Kendra worried for a second about what he was going to say. Thought it had never been discussed in the open, he was probably aware that there was something going on between the two of them.
But he didn't embarrass her. He only said, "Take care of her."
Bracken nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir." Kendra wanted to roll her eyes at both of them, but she knew Bracken meant it and that her dad needed to hear it.
Warren poked his head back into the living room. "Are you two coming?"
Kendra nodded. "Bye," she said to her parents.
She and Bracken were the last ones to enter the garage. Most of the other Eternals had driven off. Vanessa slid behind the wheel of her sports car as Warren climbed in on the passenger side. The car backed out of the garage, turned around, and sped off along the long driveway.
Bracken surveyed the remaining vehicles. "Do you have a preference?" he asked Kendra.
"Not really." This all felt surreal to her. Only a few minutes ago she had been eagerly awaiting Seth and Tanu's return, anticipating the news that they had gotten the Sword of Justice. Then everything had turned upside down and suddenly they were on the run. This was the part of being an Eternal Kendra hadn't prepared for. "I have the keys to my car, though," she said. It wasn't really her car, of course, but it was the car her parents had trusted her with since she had learned how to drive.
She got in the driver's side and started the engine while Bracken sat down in the passenger seat. Gratiana, now in phoenix form, perched on Kendra's armrest. She pulled out of the driveway and soon they were cruising down the dirt road that lead to the preserve.
"Do we have a destination in mind?" asked Bracken.
"I haven't really had a chance to think about it," Kendra replied. "Where are the others headed?"
Bracken closed his eyes, probably listening to telepathic conversations with the other Eternals. After a few minutes he reopened his eyes and said, "Warren and Vanessa are heading to a preserve in Nebraska. Warren knows the caretaker, but he won't reveal anything. Antoinette is going to meet up with her sister in Detroit and see if she will travel with her. Jim and Eric are also seeking out relatives and friends. The Sphinx is traveling alone to Living Mirage. I tried to talk him out of it, because he is at more risk by himself, but he insists that Eliza will defend him. He intends to appeal to Agad."
"I think we should find someplace in the 'normal' world," Kendra decided. "I feel like if we don't associate ourselves with magical creatures, maybe we won't attract attention."
"We should drive a ways first," Bracken advised. "Put some distance between ourselves and the last place our enemies know we were."
"Sounds good."
They lapsed into silence. Bracken reclined his seat and closed his eyes, listening for reports from the others. Kendra was alone with her thoughts. She tried to ignore the fact that she was alone with Bracken and focus on the task ahead. She had no idea where she wanted to go, what she wanted to do with her life. Most girls her age would be finishing up high school or starting college. In what felt like another lifetime but was actually only a few years ago, she had considered going to a university. Now, going to school was the weirdest thing she could think of. After all she had been through, she couldn't imagine hanging out with 'normal' people. It made her sad to think how small her world had become.
They had been driving on the highway for a few hours and were currently in upstate New York when Bracken sat up abruptly. "Get off here," he instructed.
"Here?" Kendra repeated, startled. The nearest exit was approaching rapidly and she wasn't even in the correct lane.
"Yes, quickly," Bracken urged. Kendra swerved to the right without signaling, earning a honk from the minivan behind her.
As they coasted down the ramp, she looked at Bracken curiously. "That was sudden," she remarked.
"I sense something," he said, frowning slightly. "It feels like – but no, it can't be…" He trailed off.
"Is it a good something?" Kendra asked nervously. She comforted herself with the fact that Bracken wouldn't have her drive toward something dangerous.
"I don't know that I would use the word good, but I'm fairly certain it's not evil."
Kendra waited, but he didn't elaborate. "Where do you want me to turn?" she finally asked. They were approaching a town.
Bracken thought for a moment. "You're going to turn left," he said. "I'm not sure exactly where."
"Just give me a little warning this time," Kendra said.
After a long series of turns, Kendra had decided that either they were lost or Bracken had imagined whatever he was sensing. He could have just been paranoid since their enemies had the Sword of Justice and were probably hunting down the Eternals. But eventually he told her to park in front of a small, picturesque café.
"What are we doing here?" Kendra asked, slightly exasperated.
Bracken muttered to himself, "If it is her…"
"Who?" Kendra demanded.
He left the car without replying. A few moments later, he entered the café.
Kendra sighed, frustrated. Wondering if unicorns could go crazy, she climbed out of the car and headed for the café. As she shut the door, she heard Gratiana sniff indignantly. Her shape-shifter had been a little put out since Kendra had gone to the Fairy Realm without her.
As soon as she set foot inside the cafe, she was overwhelmed with the scents of coffee and pastries. Her stomach rumbled. Seth and Tanu hadn't arrived until early afternoon, so she had been too worried to eat much for lunch. She ignored the internal growling and searched the room for Bracken.
She found him sitting at a table near the window with a dark-haired woman, a half-full cup of tea between them. Kendra thought she looked familiar, but she couldn't place her with the everyday, modern scenery around them.
"Brynn, what are you doing here?" Bracken cried.
Kendra did a double take as she realized that the dark-haired beauty was Bracken's eldest sister. She could hardly recognize her in street clothes rather than the formal attire worn in the Fairy Realm. Brynn looked uncomfortable in her jeans and T-shirt, and she kept glancing over her shoulder. Why on earth was she here, in New York of all places?
"I wanted to apologize," Brynn said awkwardly.
"Apologize," Bracken repeated, his tone emotionless.
"For the way I acted before." Brynn took a deep breath. "You were right. I was caught in tradition. I could only see you as unicorn and Kendra as human. I couldn't imagine that you could actually… love her."
"Because you spend too much time with your books to fully understand emotion," Bracken muttered sourly.
"No, don't," Kendra protested, coming over to sit with them. There was no need for a family argument. "I know what she means. She was blinded by her prejudices and couldn't see what was really going on. Or it could be sort of like what you said a few days ago – she couldn't conceive of such emotion, since her life is almost passionless. Your time in the human world – particularly the dungeon at Living Mirage – has changed you, I bet, and allows you to experience new things."
When she finished, she cringed, waiting for both of them to blow up at her, fearing she had gone too far. But Brynn shocked her by chuckling a little.
"You're the most perceptive human I've met," she said. "But as you said, I haven't met many humans."
Bracken visibly relaxed, sitting more comfortably in his chair. "Apology accepted. And I suppose that I, too, should apologize. Now I can see it from your point of view. I understand why you said the things you did."
"But why are you here?" Kendra asked Brynn. "Why didn't you just come directly to Fablehaven?"
"That was my intent in the beginning," said Brynn. "Just before I left the Fairy Realm, however, I decided to ruminate on what I was going to do first. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to say, or how to get Bracken on his own to avoid a scene. So instead I traveled to a shrine on a preserve near here."
"Why did you decide to come to Earth in the first place?" asked Bracken. "You've always expressed your feelings about unicorns coming here quite… vehemently."
"I would prefer to remain in the Fairy Realm, it's true," Brynn admitted. "However, after your recent conversation with our mother–" (Bracken and Kendra cringed at the memory) "-I deduced that you would not be returning in the foreseeable future. Additionally, for the first time in many years, I felt inclined to be somewhere that Mother was not. She was… upset, to put it mildly."
"So now what?" Kendra wondered. Bracken looked at Brynn expectantly.
"I disagree with Mother about the Eternals," she said. "She should have sheltered the six of you. Normally I would disapprove of housing humans, but under the circumstances, it would have been wise. Now, obviously, seeking refuge in the Fairy Realm is not an option. Since you are here and not at Fablehaven, I have drawn the conclusion that you are traveling to a safe place for Kendra to say. Perhaps I can be of assistance."
"There's more to it than that," Bracken said. Kendra waited for him to explain the events of the morning, but he only gazed intently into his sister's eyes. She realized they were communicating mentally.
After a few minutes, Brynn said, "If that's the case, I should certainly go with you. Between the two of us, we can protect her from most dangers."
"We'd be too conspicuous," Bracken argued. "Two unicorns together in the human world – every magical creature within fifty miles would notice us."
"No more conspicuous than one," Brynn pointed out. "Kendra alone will attract attention, because of her unique aura."
"If that's the case, it sounds like I should go alone with Gratiana," Kendra said.
"Absolutely not," Bracken and Brynn said as one. Bracken glanced at his sister, surprised. Brynn looked a little startled herself. Apparently they didn't often agree.
"We can compromise," Brynn said. "We don't have to travel together – I rented a car. I don't have to stay permanently, either, just long enough for the Knights of the Dawn to recover the Sword of Justice."
Bracken looked to Kendra. "What do you think?"
She shrugged. "That's fine with me," she said. It made her a little nervous to have Brynn with them, since she had disliked Kendra up until recently, but she couldn't see any harm in it.
"Brynn and I will drive together," Bracken decided. "We may arouse suspicion, but if we aren't directly associated with Kendra, she won't be in any greater danger. Kendra, do you have the coin I gave you?"
"Shoot, I forgot," she groaned. In their haste to leave Fablehaven she hadn't had the chance to grab anything.
"I think if Gratiana stays in fairy form…" He trailed off, concentrating. "Yes, we can communicate that way."
"Is this safe?" Kendra asked. He had specifically told the other Eternals not to travel alone.
"We'll be right behind you," Brynn reassured her.
"Let's go," Bracken said, sounding somewhat impatient. "Lingering here is making me nervous."
"What is it?" Brynn asked, concerned. Apparently more had been revealed in Bracken's thoughts than he had said.
He frowned slightly. "It's nothing in particular. Just a feeling."
Kendra glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but perhaps it would be best to get moving.
"We should leave," Brynn said, echoing Kendra's thoughts. She placed a few bills on the table to pay for her tea and stood. Bracken and Kendra stood, too, and the three left.
Once outside, Brynn walked toward her rented car. Bracken lingered beside Kendra for a moment longer. "Be safe," he instructed softly.
"We'll be fine," Kendra promised. After a second's thought, she added, "Stay close. Just in case."
"Don't worry," Bracken murmured. He hugged her close and kissed her on the lips. Kendra felt her heart speed up as she returned the kiss, wishing the moment could last forever.
Brynn cleared her throat quietly but pointedly.
The two broke apart. Bracken shot a teasing glare at his sister, who maintained an air of innocence.
"I'll find us someplace to stop for dinner and spend the night," Kendra said. "We'll see you again shortly."
She got into her car and started the engine. Gratiana sat on the edge of Kendra's headrest, seeming fixated on braiding her turquoise hair. She only looked up when Kendra pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the road. "Now unicorn?" she asked, surprised. She appeared to have outgrown her initial infatuation with unicorns, becoming more and more casual around Bracken. Kendra wondered if she was jealous and felt a little guilty.
"Bracken's riding with his sister," Kendra explained.
Gratiana perked up. "You mean I can finally perform my duties as protector and companion?" she asked.
"Gratiana, you have always fulfilled your duties," Kendra said. "I couldn't ask for a better friend."
"But Bracken-"
Kendra cut her off. "You're both special to me. I couldn't get through this without either of you."
"I know I haven't been especially helpful since you returned from the Fairy Realm," Gratiana apologized. "I suppose I was a little envious of Bracken."
"Don't worry about it," Kendra reassured her. "I promise not to ignore you anymore."
Feeling better with that out of her system, Kendra turned the radio on and whistled along to a familiar pop tune. Gratiana relocated to her shoulder and, after listening intently for a minute, joined in, singing an octave above the melody. Driving along the highway, singing with the radio, Kendra felt so normal that she almost laughed. She relaxed for the first time in days.
She just wished she knew what she was doing.
Author's Note:
My original plan was to end Eternity with ten chapters, but chapter ten got so long that I just split it in two. As a result, both are on the shorter side, but there are worse things. I could bore my faithful readers to death, for example. This is the first installment, and the second should hopefully be posted soon.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Was it too random that I had Brynn show up again? I had that thought as I was writing this, but I am determined to recreate a certain scene that I have envisioned since I wrote chapter five. All I'm going to say is that when I was discussing this story with my friend, the subject came up that Bracken was a rather flat character (and yet I managed to write two paragraphs on him for an assignment xD) and she said that I needed to make him more "angsty." All shall be revealed in the eleventh (and final!) chapter of Eternity!