The Amulet (10 page)

“Please, look at me,” he asked again. She
opened her eyes and looked into his. He could see embarrassment and
confusion warring in her expression. “Whatever is the matter?”

Faedra swallowed hard. “All this time, I
thought you were a dog.”

“Yes,” he said, willing her to go on.

“I can’t even begin to imagine how many
times,” she paused, “I got undressed in front of you,” her voice
quivered.

Faen looked at her with a confused expression
at first, then slowly the realization of what she had just told him
started to sink in. “Oh, Ms. Faedra, I assure you that I always
looked away any time that you were, um, how shall I say, not
decent.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Faedra exhaled, she hadn’t realized she’d
been holding her breath all this time. She smiled down at Faen and
he smiled back at her. It almost took her breath away how his smile
lit up his face. It was the first time he had smiled at her in this
form. When she thought about it a bit more she could remember
noticing that her dog always turned away from her when she was
getting undressed. She’d never paid it much attention before, but
it made perfect sense now.

“Are you sure you never peeked, not even
once?”

Faen’s eyes widened with alarm at her
question. “No, Ms. Faedra, never. I swear to you.”

She studied his face and decided she believed
him. She let out a giggle. “Phew.”

“Although, the impromptu hairbrush concerts
were always entertaining,” he said, his lips curling into a wry
smile.

Her shoulders slumped and her cheeks flushed
again as she recalled the endless times she had danced around her
room. Singing at the top of her lungs into her hairbrush to
whatever was playing in the CD player at the time. She bopped him
on the arm; it was a spontaneous reaction.

“Faedra,” her dad called from the top of her
stairs a split second before he knocked on her door. She turned her
head sharply in the direction of the door then turned back to Faen.
He was sitting in front of her wagging his tail.

“That was quick,” she whispered to him then
narrowed her eyes. “Where on earth do you put that sword?”

“Faedra?” her dad asked again.

She looked behind her and threw the bed
covers over the letter and her dismantled figurine.

“Come in, Dad,” she answered.

The door opened and her dad walked in
carrying a tray with a cup of tea and a present on it.

“Happy birthday, darling,” he announced,
beaming a big grin at her. She got up and walked over to give him a
kiss.

“Thanks, Dad.”

CHAPTER SIX

“You didn’t have to bring me tea, Dad. I
would have been down in a minute,” she told her father, knowing
full well she had forgotten all parameters of time, as well as the
fact it was her birthday.

“If I can’t spoil my only daughter on her
birthday, I’m not much of a father, now am I? I’ve made you bacon
and eggs, too.” He smiled and then froze as his eyes caught sight
of the amulet hanging from her neck.

Faedra felt her stomach knot. It hadn’t even
occurred to her that she would have to explain where she got her
mother’s necklace from, especially since they had both been
searching for it for the past eleven years.

“Your mother’s necklace!” he exclaimed.
“Where did you get it?”

“What, you didn’t leave it for me?” she
asked, thinking quickly on her feet.

“Me? No,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at
her.

“Well, it was hanging on the chimney stack of
my doll’s house this morning, along with this ring. She held her
hand out for him to see. I thought you had sneaked up last night
and put them there as a surprise.”

Please fall for it
, she thought
desperately. It was the only story she could think of; he had to
fall for it.

“Well, that’s just plain odd,” he raised his
eyebrows. “I’ve never believed in ghosts, but you know, Fae, every
now and then I sense something quite odd in this house. Maybe your
mum put them there.”

Faedra inwardly released a sigh of relief.
That was close.

“Could be,” she agreed, with just a little
too much enthusiasm.

“Well, come on, let’s go and have some
breakfast before it goes cold. I even cooked some up for Faen,
too.”

She looked over at Faen and winked, a knowing
smile curving her lips. Faen’s ears pricked up at the sound of the
word bacon.

“Come on, boy,” she cringed at her words. A
boy he most certainly was not.

Henry still had hold of the tray and turned
to carry it back down the stairs, followed closely by Faedra and
Faen.

“Not quite sure why I brought this up to
you,” he muttered. “Just thought it would be a nice gesture.”

“It was a wonderful gesture, Dad,
thanks.”

They wandered into the kitchen, and Faedra’s
heart swelled.

“Oh, Dad, you didn’t have to go to all this
trouble.”

He put the tray down on the table and she
wrapped her arms around him to give him a big hug. Laid out across
the table were plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and
pancakes. All of her favorite breakfast foods were there. She
noticed three plates set out on the table; she looked with
curiosity at her father.

“I told you one was for Faen,” he answered
her questioning look. He leaned over to pick the plate off the
table and lay it on the floor in front of his daughter’s shaggy
white dog.

Not being able to help herself, the newly
appointed Custodian giggled. The image of the beautiful prince-like
fairy that was in her room just a few minutes before, and was now
eating off a plate on the floor, was just too ironic. She didn’t
know whether to laugh or cry, and decided laughing was the better
option.

“What’s so funny, young lady?” her dad asked,
a bemused expression creeping across his face.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she
said with a sigh. Faedra could hardly believe it herself. Looking
down at her beloved dog, she wondered whether it had all just been
a daydream.

They sat at the table and tucked into the
breakfast that her father had lovingly prepared for her birthday.
Today was going to be a very unusual day, of that she had no
doubt.

“Open your present,” her dad said, passing
her the colorfully wrapped gift.

She took it and opened the wrapping with
care. She always hated to tear the paper and wondered why; it
wasn’t as if she was likely to use it again. Inside was a square
velvet box. She opened it and gasped.

“Oh, Dad, it’s beautiful. You shouldn’t
have.” She picked up the bracelet and gave it a closer look. It was
a silver bangle, which had a Celtic design that ran the whole
circumference of it. “Thank you. I’ll wear it always.” Along with
the Battle ring and the Amulet of Azran. She was getting quite a
collection of Celtic jewelry given to her that day.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I’m glad you
like it. So what are your plans for today?” her dad asked.

She finished her mouthful before she
answered. Her mum had always taught her it was rude to talk with
your mouth full of food.

Well, I was going to go shopping with Amy
and Zoë and buy an outfit for going out this evening, like any
normal eighteen year old on her birthday. But I found out I’m the
Custodian to an ancient fae amulet, and my dog turned into a fairy,
so I have a feeling those plans are going to be cancelled.
She
was relieved her dad couldn’t read minds.

“Haven’t really thought about it, I’ll
probably go and take Gypsy out for a ride,” she answered him with a
smile. She needed more time alone with Faen. She hadn’t anywhere
near had all her questions answered yet. They were piling up so
fast she thought her head might explode if she didn’t get them out
soon.

“Well, as long as you’ve got something
planned and you’re not going to be spending the day alone.”

How ironic
, she thought,
I’m never
going to be spending the day alone again.

“Your Uncle Leo asked me to go and help him
with something. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll be gone most of the
day,” Henry continued, pulling Faedra from deep inside her
thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, no problem, Dad, that’s fine, I’ll
have plenty to do.”

“Good. Well, I’ll just go and let your uncle
know I’ll be there in a little while.” Henry got up from the table
to go and use the phone.

“You have got a lot more explaining to do,”
she told Faen as soon as her dad was out of earshot. Faen’s ears
drooped and he raised a furry eyebrow.

When her dad returned to the table, they
finished their breakfast. Faedra helped him clear up and load the
dishwasher.

“I’m off now then, darling,” Henry announced
and leaned down to kiss his daughter on the forehead. “I’ll see you
later.”

“Okay, Dad. Have fun with Uncle Leo. Tell him
hello from me, and I’ll see him and Nicki soon.”

“Will do. Bye then.” Henry disappeared around
the corner; she heard the door close behind him.

She looked at Faen who was still in his dog
form and shook her head. Maybe it was all a daydream. She got up,
padded through the dining room and went up the stairs to her
bedroom, followed by her faithful companion. When she reached the
top of the stairs, she opened her door and turned to look at
him.

“Oh, no you don’t. You’re staying right here;
I’m going to get dressed.” And closed the door behind her, leaving
him sitting on the top stair.

She rested back against the closed door for a
moment, looked at the messy covers strewn all over her bed, and
blew out a long breath.

“I have a feeling my world has just been
turned upside down,” she mumbled to herself as she wandered over to
the bed to straighten it out. She picked up Arianne and the horse
and slotted them back together, taking care not to break them, and
replaced the reassembled figurine in the cabinet. She picked up the
letter, folded it, and placed it back in its envelope, then slid it
under some other papers that were inside her nightstand. She would
figure out what to do with that later. She was sure she would have
to read it over several times more before everything sunk in.

There was a scratch at the door.

“You’re not coming in, Faen, and that’s
final. I’ll be out in a minute.”

She wandered over to her closet and turned to
look out the window. It looked like it was going to be a warm,
sunny summer’s day, and she chose a t-shirt and shorts, throwing
them on quickly. She had to admit to herself, she could not bear to
be parted from her dog for very long, and was itching to have some
more questions answered.

When she opened her door, she was startled
and took a step back. She was expecting to see furry Faen sitting
there waiting, but it was Faen in his true form. He was standing,
waiting for her in the doorway, and had a very imposing presence
that took her by surprise.

“This is going to take a bit of getting used
to,” she told him.

“I apologize, Ms. Faedra, I startled you.
That was not my intention.”

“No worries. So what now?” she asked. She was
not quite sure how to continue from here.

“Our priority is to find out what your power
is and how to control it,” he said very matter-of-factly, as if it
was the most normal thing in the world to inherit a power on your
eighteenth birthday. “And I believe that would be better done
outside. Things have a tendency to get broken upon initial
attempts.”

He stood to the side and gestured for her to
pass. She did, and walked down the stairs, and they headed
outside.

It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining
and it was pleasantly balmy.

Faen sat down in the shade of an impressive
oak tree that still had a swing hanging from a large bough. The
same swing Faedra had sat on when they first met eleven years ago.
She took the same spot now, letting her legs dangle freely in the
warm breeze. Faen leaned his back up against the gnarly trunk and
focused his attention on her.

She was looking at him a little differently
now. She was not so dumbstruck by his beauty, but was more
contemplating the fact that he was even there at all. She couldn’t
help but keep looking around expecting her dog to be right next to
her. A strange feeling of loss crept like tendrils around her
heart. She would never be able to have the same relationship with
her dog again. He would now, and forever, be this incredible man
that was sitting before her, even when he was in his dog form.

Faen could see that she was trying to digest
the information she had received so far this morning; he wasn’t
sure how much more she could handle in one day. He knew she was
strong. He’d spent eleven years watching her grow from strength to
strength, but he had also seen her vulnerable side, and he didn’t
want to push her too far. So they sat in silence for a while; he
would let her talk first when she was ready. He would be patient.
He had all the patience in the world for the precious young girl he
had watched grow up into a beautiful young lady.

It sounded like Henry was going to be out for
most of the day, so there was plenty of time before she was due to
go out with her friends this evening.

Faedra drew in a breath, as though she were
getting ready to say something, thought better of it, and exhaled
again. A few moments passed and she did the same thing. She was
itching to know what those eyes had belonged to in the woods and at
the graveyard, but knew she would not like the answer, and was
putting off the inevitable.

Finally she bit the bullet. “What were those
things in the woods and at the graveyard?” she asked.

“Redcaps,” he replied.

“What are redcaps?”

“They are Unseelie, evil and murderous. There
are not many Unseelie left. The few that remain usually wreak havoc
in realms other than Azran since the king has tried to wipe them
out. They can be mercenary and will hire themselves out if the
prize is right. Do not worry, you were warded, and they could not
have hurt you. Jocelyn and I just did not want them to get anywhere
near you. Their features would certainly have frightened you.”