Gregory

Greg aimlessly wandered the streets. When he stumbled upon this village, he’d known it would be promising. He had discovered another tear here. This village was connected to the Novos Forest, south of the city he was from in the magic world. It was a sign that something was here. At first, he’d only discovered a pair of warlocks, but then he had found her. He had found the new keeper and succeeded where so many had failed before, and it had only taken six months. Yet, finding her had created unforeseen problems. She had no idea about magic. She didn’t know what the Heart Crystal was, and she’d kicked him out before he could properly explain. Losing his temper hadn’t helped. What was he meant to do now? There was no way he could contact the council about her yet. He needed to get her to believe first. He needed to get her to listen and let him explain things properly.

The dark clouds that had been threatening to burst finally let loose. Greg pulled his jacket round him. Unfortunately, it seemed to rain every other day on this side of the veil. He shouldn’t have left so easily. He should have pushed harder to get her to listen, but that might’ve just pushed her further away. Maybe he should give the girl a bit of time to process the concept of talking rabbits and try again, or perhaps a new approach was needed. For now, he needed to find some shelter from the rain.

After wandering around for hours getting soaked, Greg came across an old warehouse. It appeared to have been out of use for years. The roof was leaking, and there was a draft, but it would do for the night. In the last six months, he’d come to appreciate the privileged life he had back home. His dad may not have been around a lot and made him jump through hoops all the time, but he had more than most and never went without. He found a dry corner sheltered from the wind to get comfortable in. With a click of his fingers, he summoned his travel bag. Summoning was one of his many specialities. He pulled his wet clothes off and changed them for dry ones. With another click of his fingers, he sent his wet clothes home. Samson repacked his bag regularly and left it in a spot he could easily summon it from. It wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion on the situation. He didn’t want the council to know about Miss Hail yet, but there was one person he could trust not to blab. He leant against a cold wall and summoned his communis device. The small circular device appeared in his hand. With a wave of his other hand, the device activated.

“Hello,” came Samson’s voice. “How’s the search going?”

“I found her,” he replied.

“You what?” shouted Samson. Greg could imagine the look of shock on his cousin’s face. “I can’t believe this. After all these years, you of all people actually found the heir. Who is this person? Did you say ‘her?’”

“Yes, I did say ‘her,’” Greg replied. “Her name is Mellissa Hail, but the thing is, she’s a human.”

“A human? How is that possible?”

“Well, she appears to be mostly human. She has to have some small amount of elf blood in her. Her magical aura is very faint, but it’s there. Oh, and she doesn’t know about magic or the life crystals. I tried to tell her about everything, but she threw me out.”

“Are you sure she’s the one?”

“I am sure. The crystal really wants to be with her, but she rejected it. Who in their right mind would reject the honour of being a crystal keeper?”

“She obviously doesn’t know what she’s rejecting. The humans have been separated from magic for a very long time. Have you spoken to your father yet? He may be able to help.”

Greg sat up at the mention of his father. “Of course I haven’t, and you can’t either.”

“Why not?” Samson asked. “He knows more about humans than I do. He’s been studying them for years.”

“And all his info is well out-of-date.” Greg ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t tell him about her. Not yet. It would be like only doing half a job. Once she’s activated the Heart Crystal, I will call him. I just need you to help me come up with a way to get her to accept the Heart.”

“Couldn’t you just show her your magic? Transform into something. Seeing is believing, after all.”

Greg sighed as he leant against the wall again. “It’s not that simple. You see, she sort of thinks I’m a talking rabbit. She doesn’t know that I’m a changeling.”

“Why would you do that? That is very misleading. You haven’t started off very well by lying to the girl.”

“I didn’t mean to. And it wasn’t really a lie. I just didn’t correct her. She happened upon me when I was trying to sneak in and out of a place. Rabbits are nonthreatening creatures. Although, they are apparently still not wanted in shops in this world.”

“It still doesn’t seem right.”

“She doesn’t know about magic. Appearing to her as a talking rabbit actually worked in my favour. It made her more willing to listen to me. That is until I told her she was the new crystal keeper. That’s when the conversation went downhill.”

“Then your problem isn’t getting her to believe in magic but to believe that she, personally, has magic.”

“Exactly, and like you said, seeing is believing. I have no idea what sort of powers she may have, but I do know where a tear in the veil is.”

“I see what you’re getting at. Only higher-level magic users can cross the veil, but what if she isn’t a high-level magic user?”

Samson had a point. The magic he’d sensed in the girl was very faint. This plan could backfire on him if she wasn’t able to cross, but she was the keeper of the Heart Crystal. There had to be more to her than he first sensed.

“She has to be a high-level user,” Greg said. “Maybe her human blood is dampening her elf side.”

“Even if that is so, how are you going to get her to go with you? You said she threw you out.”

“That’s what I need help with.”

“How about you just show her your pretty face and charm her into following you?” Greg could hear the grin spreading across Samson’s face.

“I don’t think that would work.”

“Have you finally come across a girl with enough wits not to fall for that sort of thing?”

“You know I only have girls falling over me back home because of my father’s title, which means nothing to this girl. She’s quite stubborn and argumentative.”

Samson laughed. “I like the sound of this girl. Seriously though, try approaching her in human form.”

Greg rubbed his chin. “I don’t know.” Why would she believe a random stranger off the street about magic? She was just as likely to reject the idea. It may freak her out even more. “Maybe I could try approaching her friend.”

“What friend? You’re not going to try convincing another human to do your bidding? I can’t see that working well.”

“There are warlocks in this village, and she happens to be friends with one of them. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. She was subconsciously drawn to his magic like she was me today. I’m sure he’ll know about the life crystals.”

“Are you sure this warlock won’t see you as a threat and attack? You know how volatile they can be.”

Greg rubbed his chin again, recalling what he knew of warlocks. “You have a point. He did take an instant disliking to me.”

“Look, you asked for my advice, so here it is. Appear to the girl as yourself. Forget about who she’s meant to be, and focus on who she is now. Approach the warlock only if the situation becomes desperate.”

Greg grumbled. “I guess I can try that.”

“Call me if you need any more help.” Samson said his goodbyes, and the communis deactivated.

Greg now had a plan of action and knew what to do next. Come morning, he would go back to see Miss Hail as himself. He needed to be patient with her. No one would have thought the new crystal keeper was human. He really hoped this worked, because he didn’t want to have to go with plan B. Samson was right about warlocks being volatile. He would probably have to defend against an attack if he approached him. Warlocks were known for their battle magic, and it could manifest in many forms. He had no way of knowing what he’d be going up against. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. He would win Miss Hail over, show her the veil, and make a believer out of her.

After getting lost and going around in circles for hours, Greg managed to find his way back to Miss Hail’s house. He paused at the end of the driveway. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Some random guy she’d never met before, knocking on her door, would probably freak her out. She knew him as a rabbit, and that was how he’d approach her now. He could still do everything else Samson said. Once she accepted who she was, he would explain what a changeling was.

Greg transformed back into a rabbit and hopped up to the house, kicking up bits of gravel along the way. He went from window to window, but no one was in. If only he hadn’t gotten lost, he would’ve gotten here sooner. Where could she have gone? Her light brown skin and clear complexion revealed she was young. Judging by the bright pink décor of her bedroom, the fairy lights, and the paper butterflies hanging from her ceiling, she was sixteen at the most. It was a Friday. She would be at school. He had gone past a school when he was exploring the village on his arrival. That had to be where she was.

Greg shifted into a bird and flew to the school. He glided around the building a few times. It was awfully quiet for a school. He landed on the window ledge of what he believed was the school office. As soon as the lady in the office left her desk, he could look up Mellissa Hail and find out what class she was in. Hopefully, they’d also have a map in there. This place was bigger than he realised.

He was starting to think the lady was never going to leave when there was a loud ringing sound. The woman got up and walked out. This was his chance. He slipped into the room through the small opening in the window. He transformed back into human form. The machine on the desk looked like a giant tabular device. Greg put his hand over the screen. “Search for Mellissa Hail,” he commanded. Nothing happened. What was he thinking? Of course these things wouldn’t run on magic. This wasn’t going to be as simple a task as he originally thought. He started poking the letters on the weird board-like thing. It appeared this controlled what was on the screen. He needed to figure out how to use this thing before the woman came back.

“What do you think you are doing, young man?” asked a high-pitched voice. Too late, she was back already.

Greg turned slowly. He wasn’t sure what to do. He could transform and run, but that probably wouldn’t go down too well. “I was—um. I was looking for something.”

“You older kids think you can do as you please. This computer is off-limits to you, just the same as any other student.” She thought he was a student. Finishing school early had more benefits than he initially realised. He still looked young enough to attend high school. “I don’t see what is amusing about this situation. If I see you anywhere near my office again, you will be in detention.”

“Yes, madame. Sorry, I will go.” Greg quickly slid out of the room.

That had gone pretty well. Although, he thought they had a uniform at this school. The woman hadn’t seemed to pick up on the fact that he wasn’t wearing one. Greg wandered around the school. This would be a lot easier if she had a stronger magical presence for him to sense. He could always try and sense her warlock friend, or he could just go back to her house and wait.

There was another loud ringing sound, and the empty corridors filled with students. The crystal hummed around his neck as Miss Hail walked right past him. She looked back at him, shook her head and then carried on walking. She had sensed him but hadn’t recognised him in this form. She definitely had powers; she just didn’t know it. He followed her down the corridor. He wasn’t sure if he should approach her yet. She would probably think he was some sort of crazy stalker. Greg hid behind a locker when he saw her warlock friend. He definitely wasn’t going to approach her with him around. As much as he wanted to get his job done, it was probably better not to rush things. This wasn’t the time to bring up magic with her again. For now, he would keep his distance and wait for an appropriate time.

Someone tapped his shoulder. “Young man, that is not proper school uniform,” said a stern, female voice. Greg turned round to face a cross-looking woman. She was tall, almost the same height as him. Her blonde hair was tied up into a bun on top of her head. She had thick, black glasses and wore a smart dress with a blazer. She reminded him of a younger version of Lady Gabrielle. “Why do you think the uniform code doesn’t apply to you?”

“Sorry, madame. I will go home now and change.”

Greg went to walk away, but she stopped him. She narrowed her eyes. “My office. Now.” She took hold of his shoulder and led him down the corridor. This was not good. How long before this teacher figured out he wasn’t really a student here? She led him to a small room with a desk and a chair on either side of it. As she shut the door, Greg realised he’d made a mistake. How had he not sensed it before? Her magic was strong. It was that boy’s fault. That warlock boy’s magical presence had masked the approach of another.

The woman flicked her wrist, and a ball of fire appeared. “Who are you, and why are you following Mellissa?”

Greg instinctively put up a barrier between him and the woman. “Who am I? Who are you? Why are there so many warlocks in this village?”

The woman’s eyes widened, and the fire in her hand grew. “I asked first, boy.”

Greg clenched his fists. Warlocks often underestimated his kind. He could fight his way out of this, but it would cause a big commotion. The way she spoke of the girl, it was familiar. She knew her. Greg took a deep breath. Deciding to take a risk, he lowered his barrier. “My name is Gregory Ainsworth. I was sent by the council to find the new keeper of the Heart Crystal.”

The woman narrowed her eyes, fire still in hand. “You seem a little young to be entrusted with the Heart Crystal.” She looked him up and down. “Ainsworth. You’re a changeling, right?” Greg nodded. “Wouldn’t happen to be related to Lord Steffen Ainsworth Elder Knight, would you?”

Greg stood up straighter. “He’s my father.”

She closed her hand, putting out the fire. “Ah, I see. That’s how you got the job.”

“I will have you know, I worked really hard for my position.”

She walked round the desk and sat down. Clicking her fingers, she pointed at the chair across from her. “Sit down.” Greg did as he was told. “My name is Catherine, and as you correctly guessed, I’m a warlock, but here, I am Mrs. Street, the guidance counsellor. So, Gregory, I am going to offer you some guidance. Stay away from Mellissa.”

“What?” Greg leant forward. “I can’t. Do you know who she is?”

“Of course I do. I have been watching over her since she was a baby, and I will not have some council flunky endangering her safety.”

“If you know who she is, then why haven’t you told her?”

“Because, her not knowing keeps her safe. If you hadn’t been entrusted with the Heart Crystal, you never would’ve noticed her.”

Greg opened his mouth to object but stopped himself. She was right. He would have written her off as just another human if it hadn’t been for the Heart Crystal. The elves said the royals had gone into hiding. What they hadn’t said—hadn’t known—was that they were hiding from themselves. This was why Miss Hail knew nothing about her history.

“But the darkness,” said Greg, “it’s spreading. We need her.”

Mrs. Street interlaced her fingers. “Why did you cross the veil?”

“I told you why I came.”

“They have been searching for the elf heir since long before you were born, and they’ve never crossed the veil. Why did you?”

“It was the only logical explanation for why no one had seen an elf. They had been unsuccessful in their search because the heir wasn’t on our side of the veil.”

“And you pitched this idea to the council, and they just accepted it?”

“No, I wrote an essay about it, and my father told the council about my theory. I’m pretty sure Lady Gabrielle had something to do with it as well. What does this matter? The darkness is spreading, which can mean only one thing—Kadon is attempting to break out of his prison.”

“It matters because all of this could have been avoided. My grandfather had the same theory as you.”

“Really? The council said I was the first.”

“Of course they did. My family has been searching for the elves just as long as the council. My ancestor was the sister of Freya’s guardian, Ivan.”

“The warlock who escaped the castle with Freya’s daughter.”

“Exactly. We’ve been trying to find where he went. My grandfather discovered a tear in a cave, crossed over and found a settlement of elves.”

Greg leant forward. “That’s the tear I used. I found the same settlement.”

Mrs. Street shook her head. “Of course the council knew of that tear.”

“But they haven’t used it.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Greg wanted to say yes but couldn’t. He didn’t know for sure. The council only told him what they wanted him to know, but they couldn’t have used it. Otherwise, they would have discovered the elves themselves.

“When my grandfather told the council what he had discovered, they laughed at him. Lord Tyson Smith said he was insane. Why would someone so important be among lowly humans?”

“I’m sorry that happened. But Tyson is no longer on the council. His son Emerson took over years ago. The whole council has changed since then.” Surely she wouldn’t keep Miss Hail from her destiny just because of a slight against her grandfather.

“Them not believing my grandfather isn’t the problem. The problem is that when they sent him away, something followed him—a darkness that attacked the elves and hunted the royals.” Mrs. Street clenched her fist. “Maggie—she—I was meant to watch over her. The darkness got her. I vowed not to let the same happen to Mellissa. I tried to push Victoria and her together. Victoria could protect her if anything ever happened.” She shrugged. “But she clicked better with Matt.”

“That’s why they went into hiding, because of this darkness?” She nodded. “This Maggie was another heir?” She nodded again, her eyes dropping to the floor. An heir she was sent to protect but lost. Greg ran his fingers through his hair. “Wait, you think that darkness was sent by the council?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not just protecting Miss Hail from the darkness. You’re also protecting her from the council.”

“I’m glad to see you understand.”

Greg stared at her, open-mouthed. How could she think the council sent something to hunt down the royals? The council was many things, but they were not murderers. It was their job to protect people. They needed the heir to the elf throne. They needed Miss Hail. He understood Mrs. Street’s concerns, but there was no point in protecting the girl anymore. If Kadon escaped, there wouldn’t be a world to live in. He would surely go after the humans again.

Greg pressed his fingers into the arms of his chair. “Kadon’s return threatens both sides of the veil. Miss Hail is the only one capable of accessing the power needed to stop him.”

“She’s not a fighter. Even with the Heart Crystal, she can’t go up against an evil like that.”

“It may not come to that. If we act before he breaks free, all she will have to do is recast the original sealing spell.”

Mrs. Street grasped the edge of the desk. She looked as if she might burn something, but she slowly released her hand, spreading her fingers. “Is the darkness really spreading?” He nodded. “But Kadon remains trapped?”

“For now, but the spreading of the darkness proves he has awakened, and his powers are growing.”

Mrs. Street tapped her nails on the desk, bit them, then shuffled some papers. She got up and sat back down. She scratched the back of her neck, then tapped her nails on the desk again. “I will not stop you from approaching Mellissa, but there are conditions.”

Greg raised an eyebrow. “Conditions?”

“I can sense you mean her no harm, but understand, I am trusting you and not your council. The rules are”—she pointed to her fingers as if counting—”you do not tell the council anything I have not first approved. Mellissa will need training. It is to be done on this side of the veil. When she is ready to cross the veil, it will only be to cast the sealing spell, and she will promptly return. Do not let that council try to keep her. You will also make sure no harm comes to her while she is on that side of the veil. Lastly, Mellissa must choose this of her own free will. You cannot force the crystal on her. If you do not agree to these conditions, I will set you on fire.”

Her eyes darkened as a slight smile spread across her face. It made Greg want to sink into his seat. He was starting to realise this woman was crazy. “I accept your conditions, but I have one of my own.”

The look she gave him made his blood run cold. “Do you now?”

Greg sat up straighter, trying to hide his unease. “Just one. You help put me in a situation to talk to Miss Hail.”

“Very well.” She spun to the side and started tapping on the board connected to her oversized tabular. Her mood was so erratic it was unsettling. “I can enroll you in all the same classes as her. She is currently in art.”

“Aren’t I a bit old to be in the same class as a sixteen-year-old?”

“Mellissa is eighteen.”

“She is?” That meant she was only a year younger than him. She didn’t look it. Or it was possible he was the old bore his cousin teased him about being. Maybe that was what eighteen looked like on a child who didn’t have ridiculously high expectations thrust upon them by their father.

“I know. She is adorably cute, with those gorgeous curls,” said Mrs. Street, “but she is definitely eighteen, same year as my twins.”

“I’m such an idiot. Her warlock friend is your son, isn’t he?”

“Yes, dear. Will you be joining year thirteen art?”

Art really was not his thing. He would also rather not relive high school. “Is there any other way our paths could cross?”

“Well, she volunteers at the library on Saturday mornings.”

Volunteering at a library? That sounded like heaven. That he could work with. “Perfect. Where is this library?”

Mrs. Street talked him through where the library was. She even brought up a picture of it on her tabular.

Greg got up and walked over to the door. “Thank you.” This was going to work. He’d found something he had in common with the girl—books. This would be his way in. As he opened the door, Mrs. Street called to him.

“One more thing. Call her Mellissa, not Miss Hail. She’ll think you’re weird otherwise.”