Yesterday

Chapter Eleven

"She's awake?" Oberon asked.

"Gaia is eating. She's starving. Two days asleep was unexpected," Aumia replied.

"Now we need to find a way to talk to my dear departed Aunt Tatia. Her passing was unexpected, and no one knows where she hid her shadow book, or where the scrolls of awakening are. I hope Gaia can solve the puzzle."

Oberon paced across the throne room and glanced toward his father. Ollen, King of the fairies nodded.

"I've taken a great risk allowing her free passage in and out of our realm. Don't disappoint me son."

"I won't, sir. Gaia is gifted. She has already found many of the missing in the human world. I'm going to see her now. As Aumia said, she's awake and ravenous. She should be finished eating by now."

Oberon bowed to his father, crooked a finger at Aumia to bid her to follow him and pushed the massive throne room door open. His hand shook, but his soul was sure. This was the right way to proceed.

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Gaia rose from the bed. The silken sheet still wrapped around her, she went toward the mirror standing in the corner of the room. Twice now, something caught the corner of her eye. A fleeting flash of a figure with flowing auburn hair much like her own. Much like her grandmother's and if she was to believe her, Aumia's sister. The warnings of fairy treachery echoed through her head as she approached the spotless reflective surface.

It's huge. Taller than me, and I top Oberon by a few inches. Why would they need a mirror this big? Spells? Maybe. I feel like there's something in me beating against my chest. Like a piece of me wants to break free. There she is again. She looks frantic. Lost.

"Gaia!"

She stumbled, tripping on her trailing sheet, as she whirled to face Aumia.

"Here, the dress I promised. It's blue like your eyes. Hurry and get dressed. Oberon is pacing in the hall."

Aumia toss a lace enhanced bundle of cloth at her

Gaia untucked the ends of her improvised gown, letting the sheet drop before she shook out the garment. Holding it to her shoulders, she realized it would barely cover her knees, and she slid it over her head.

There must be some magic in this. I can't believe how well it fits me.

The dress snugged to her waist and displayed her breasts like they were on an altar. In the mirror, her reflection stood beside a woman half hidden in swirling mist.

"Let Oberon in, I think there's someone here he needs to meet," Gaia ordered Aumia.

Oberon pushed into the room, and Aumia scrambled back to avoid the door.

"Impatient, aren't you?" Gaia teased.

"We're helpless to unlock our children's magic. We're caught in a desperate situation. I had to get you here first before I could let you in on the problem. All those working to solve this disaster must be willing, not forced. Conditions when it comes to white magic, are strict."

Oberon ogled her as she pirouetted in front of the mirror. The dress was a work of art, it fit her as if it were designed by one of the French fashion houses in Paris. The pictures in a Vogue magazine an American tourist left in Murphy's pub couldn't do it justice.

"Don't look at me like I'm a delectable treat you want to devour!" Gaia stomped her foot. "Look in the mirror. Do you see her?"

"You're a stunning woman. Of course, I want you, but this problem needs to be solved, and I know you are not for me," Oberon said as he turned to study the reflections. "Tatia, I think. Aumia, do you remember her?"

"Only from the portrait in the throne room gallery. Your father's sister, right?" Aumia responded.

"Yes, and holder of the Awakening Scrolls. Her shadow book has all the beginnings of magic. The first spoken words to help emerging magic come under control. I can feel yours, Gaia, beating its wings. You have more than just a connection to the spirit world. We'll help you when we find the Scrolls."

Gaia stared into the troubled violet eyes of the fairy in the mirror. "She doesn't want to be there. I need to go into the mirror, but I've never done anything like it before," she whispered. "How do we keep me safe and get her out. She's trapped. Look!"

Tatia beat her hands against an invisible wall. They could see her lips moving and her head kept turning to look back over her shoulder.

"See, she can't get through. Who would do that to her? Why?" Gaia asked.

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Ceili took one look at Harry's miserable face as he pushed through the door and went to the bar.

"It will be a whiskey for our lad tonight. Guinness is for celebration, he's moping."

"Aye, mo gra. Are you faring all right? Do we need to hire help yet?"

Tommy was just a little too caring with this baby. As surprised as she was when she realized she might be pregnant, he was overly protective. Better than some though. At least he cared for her. At forty two she thought it might be the change, but no. A much better reason for the tiredness and nausea.

"I would rather we take on Erin. She's likely to know what's troubling our Harry. The O'Connor family has become like one of our own. Not that Gaia thinks it's a good thing."

Tommy nodded. "I'll speak with Sean next time I see him. The farm is thriving, and I heard there's a couple of lads who are looking for work." He reached up for the aged whiskey. The thunderous scowl on Harry's face as climbed up on an oaken stool at the bar, was murderous.

"Well then man, what's the trouble?"

"Why would Liam and Aine let their only daughter go to the stones on a night like tonight? And she's not even there. Where in the hell has she gone instead?"

Ceili sighed. Harry's obsession with Gaia was a thorn in the girl's side. At least they were on somewhat cordial terms these days. Harry heeded Ronan's advice to cultivate a friendship with her. She certainly wasn't interested in him for anything else, or at least that's what she said. The way she coddled the amethyst necklace she never took off said otherwise.

"Probably to the oak grove," Tommy told him.

"No better. The conniving fairy hill there, they're not to be trusted either."

"Go back later once the moon rises. She's been planning a private rite. Perhaps she'll let you help." Ceili said.

The wrinkles on Harry's forehead relaxed. "I love her so. It's a wonder I can think straight at all. She bespelled me at first sight."

"Didn't take to the idea at all well either." Ceili smiled at the memory.

Harry grinned, and took a long sip of his whisky. "The best things in life are worth working for and waiting for. Robbie keeps pounding it into my head. But onto other things. Erin is expecting."

"Well then, we'll have two babes in the family then, so is my lovely wife. I guess I need to look to the other cousins for someone to help out here," Tommy said.

"Not for the first bit. Erin will go stir crazy on the farm. But can you use a bit of entertainment here, not musical but magic?" Harry asked.

"What are you thinking, man?"

Ceili listened with half an ear as they discussed a close up magic show done for guests at their tables. Friday night, and Saturday afternoon. It would draw the locals, and the pesky American travellers. Some from Europe as well. The hotel was booked full well into the fall.

Gold question, Harry. I wonder where our girl has gone. Gaia was restless these days. I suspect she will fly away from the village soon.