Between Two Worlds

Chapter 16 Melding of Minds

Neve

I was in the woods again. The familiar glow of the crystal up ahead. I was less cautious this time, moving forward quickly, anticipating seeing my parents once more. I had so many questions.

“Where is she?” Growls a menacing, unfamiliar voice.

I stop dead in my tracks as I listen to the conversation.

“I…. I am not sure,” I hear my father falter. “This is what I did last time to summon her.”

“Try harder!” The menacing voice snaps at him.

What is going on? I creep forward as quietly as possible. My wolf whimpers inside my head. Now is not the time to be a coward! I scold her. She whimpers again and retreats further back in my mind. Great, what help is she? Suddenly a hand clamps around my wrist. My wolf’s whimpering distracted me enough to not notice someone creep up on me.

“Look who we have here?” Cackles a high pitched voice. I look up into the face of a straggly haired man who is missing teeth and smells absolutely vile, his eyes flash black indicating he too is a werewolf. I try to break free of his grip as he drags me into the clearing. My father’s eyes widen in horror at seeing me. I frantically look around and see my mother bound in silver neck shackles, kneeling at the feet of another werewolf. I notice my father is wearing the same neck shackles making it impossible for them to shift and protect themselves. Tears are streaming down my mother's cheeks as she sees me.

The owner of the menacing voice, an extremely large dark-haired wolf, steps closer to me. “Finally! For a second there, Nathaniel, I thought you were lying to me. Now that we have procured the prophesied saviour of the fae kingdom, I can finish her off once and for all so there is no way you can ever reclaim your throne!” he snarls in my father’s face.

I struggle more intensely now realising he intends to kill me, but the vile-smelling man tightens his grip on my wrist and using his other hand to grab a fistful of my hair. Searing pain shoots through my scalp as he pulls my head back and I stop struggling.

“Don’t try and struggle, little one, or you will suffer greatly” The larger wolf hisses, his face so close to mine I can feel the condensation of his breath on my cheek. I adjust my head so I am facing this vile person front on and I spit directly in his face. His eyes widen in rage as he howls loudly, raising his arm and protracting his claws ready to strike.

Within a split second, my mother screams, “Neve, your pendant!” My wolf comes forward and takes control of my body, forcing my hand to push on my pendant. I feel a tingling sensation in my hands and see the same sparkling emanating from my fingers. Suddenly I feel that familiar stomach lurch as I start to travel through the portal, just as the man’s claws connect with my arm.

I sit bolt upright in bed, drenched in sweat. I feel a searing pain in my left arm. I look down frantic to see myself and my bedding covered in blood. The s***h wound was already healing thanks to my werewolf genes.

This is crazy I say to myself! What just happened? I needed to figure out where my parents were so that I could come up with a plan to help them before it was too late. Looking down at myself, I quickly scrambling to gather up my bloodied bedsheets. I cannot let Aunt Angie or Uncle Jonty know what happened just yet. Thank god Duke is away at the Alpha Institute, the last thing I need is his over-protective antics hindering my investigation. I needed to find some solid answers before it was too late.

I began pacing my bedroom. It just didn’t add up. I started going over all the facts in my dream. My parents were clearly werewolves, otherwise, why would they have been shackled in silver? But, my father clearly also possessed magic. But how? If only those books on the Winter Realm didn’t have those missing pages!

 My eyes fell to the envelope Fleur had given me earlier tonight. My wolf took over for a second time and propelled me forward inside my mind forcing me to open it. I ripped open the envelope and a folded piece of paper fell out. It appeared to be ripped out of a book… it was one of the missing pages! I quickly unfolded it and gasped when I came face to face with an image of a white wolf with eery emerald green eyes. The picture was captioned with: “Fae x Werewolves are easily distinguished by their white fur. Royal faewolves have jewel coloured eyes and possess very strong, mysterious magic”

OMG! This answered so many of my questions. I jumped up and down excitedly, before stopping dead. I was a fae v werewolf… but more than that I was a royal faewolf… Aunty Angie said they had all disappeared 17 years ago, which was about the same time that I had come to live with them. And the curious task my mum was undertaking in the woods, pressing her hands on the tree trunks- our people, the fae, were trapped within those trees!

And….

It was up to me to save them.

Finally, my wolf spoke up. Neve, you need to sit down, I need to do something. She was speaking softly, but with a no-nonsense tone, so I obliged and sat on the bed.

What? I asked my wolf.

We need to meld our consciousness as I need to pass on some vital information to you from your father.

Huh?

Remember that evening where you dreamt he came to you in your room? He actually came to speak to me, and entrust me with all your fae powers. He told me to keep them safely hidden until you turned 18 and then to share them with you when the time was right.

And that time is now?

My wolf nodded in my mind. Neve, you need to close your eyes and focus on my wolf form in your mind’s eye.

Ok.

This may feel a little strange, but do not open your eyes until I say so.

I focused as best I could on my wolf’s image. Her amethyst eyes began to glow an iridescent purple colour. I felt a surge of energy running through me, and I could feel that tingling sensation all through my body and I just knew if I could see myself that same iridescent purple glow would be emanating from my skin right now. Suddenly I felt a searing pain inside my brain, which made my whole body tense up. And then I felt my brain flood with literally thousands of fairy knowledge- how to harness my magic, lists of antidotes and powders that I could use to assist me in perform spells. I was suddenly well-versed in fae folklore, and royal codes of conduct and royal family secrets. It was mind-boggling how much knowledge was entering my brain at such a rapid rate.

It is done, sighed my wolf, collapsing with exhaustion. I opened my eyes, knowing exactly what I needed to do. My family and my people were in trouble, and I knew exactly how I was going to save them all. Standing up from the bed I firmly placed my hands on the pendant around my neck, imagining a little cottage deep within the woods of the Winter Realm Fairy Kingdom. My stomach gave the familiar lurch and I was surrounded momentarily by darkness. I opened my eyes to a meek little squeak, I was kneeling on the hearth of a cosy little cottage, nose-to-nose with a very petite fairy, sitting on a stool.

“Princess Neve?” she whispered.

“Errr, yep? I guess that’s me,” I respond, straightening up. I was at least two heads taller than this fairy. “Delilah?” I ask.

The petite fairy nods quickly.

“Good! Lovely to meet you,” I smile at her, extending my hand to shake. “I believe we have some work to do.”