Banished To Earth Book two, Souls Adrift (24)

 72

 

    Her face glistened with tears. Beth snatched her up and squeezed her tightly.

 

  “Oh, Mommie, I had the scariest dream.”

 

  “A dream, yes, yes, a dream, just a dream, that’s all it was.”

 

   “I woke up all by myself, and…”

 

   “We are here now,” Pry said, sidling up to Beth. Her hair swaddling their bodies as she hugged them…

 

    “We will never leave you alone again,” Pry said just before she planted a kiss on Nikki’s head.

 

 

    Back at the oak, the others watched an incredible light show. Hundreds of golden fairies swooped and swarmed above their heads. It was like watching living clouds of shimmering gold dust joyfully celebrating their mere existence.

 

    They sang and danced beneath the great oak’s sheltering canopy with such passion and glee that it did not matter that their words were a complete mystery to their human audience gawking up at them. That was about to change…

 

   Davin stepped away from the group when he noticed one of the fairies gently coiling toward him. Its glow was dull but more defined than the rest. Older. And as it neared, Davin sensed a gravity about the creature. It. He was male.

 

   Long white hair spilt across his broad, muscular shoulders. A luxurious white beard hung down to his barrel chest. There were no lines in his handsome face, but time had still managed to leave its impression.

 

    Davin smiled. The old fairy hovered right in front of his face, opened his arms, and bowed his head. His eyes were emerald and deeply imploring.

 

   Without thinking, Davin said, “Yes.”

 

   He hovered closer and laid his hands on Davin’s nose and pressed his forehead against it. Cool air rushed from his nose. The faerie's nostrils flared. He was inhaling Davin’s breath. Moments crept by. Davin stood and waited for whatever was happening to finish.  

 

    The old Fairy finally released his nose and fluttered back. “Davin Dar Thobay.” His English was perfect, though the accent had a sweet musical lilt. It was pleasant and soothing to his ears.

 

  “You know my name.”

 

73

   “Yes. And you know mine. You can say it.”

 

   Davin wasn’t sure if he was giving him permission or the power to do so. “Sava.” The name popped into his head and out of his mouth at the same moment.

 

    “Your little one is safe. You call her Nikki”

 

  “Her mother named her.”

 

  “No, her father insisted.”

 

   “Oh, didn’t know that. How did…”

 

   “Davin, you are older than I; why do you know so little. Fear.”

 

   Davin blushed. He suddenly felt naked.

 

   “Seer, you must do more than see. You must embrace, ingest and grow brighter.”

 

   By this time, the others had noticed Davin was actually talking to one of the fairies.

 

   They carefully made their way over the rooted ground, sensing that the roots were living creatures and deserved respect and kindness.

 

    Sava swerved away from Davin and bid them to come. “Your friends, your family.” Sava looked around, “and these are mine.” His eyes lovingly surveyed the dancing golden cloud. “Now you, as well, are my family. Her mother freed us and punished the evil ones. Our debt is great.”

 

    “Beth, you know about…”

 

   “We were trapped. We did not slumber. We saw. We heard and were sickened. I must thank Beth, such a pretty name. She must be with her daughter, for now. The child is powerful, like her mother. But she is still a child. But why are you? Fear.”

 

   “You keep answering your own question.”

 

   “It is not my question. It is yours.”

 

   “I reckon he told you,” Tucker said as he and the others walked up to Davin.

 

    “This is so cool,” Silhouette gushed. “You, you’re a real fairy.”

 

   Sava smiled, “I have been real for a very long time, nearly as long as Davin has been real.”

 

   74

 

   Silhouette leaned in and gave Davin a long, exaggerated once over, “You don’t look that old.”

 

  Sava laughed, “Every family should have at least one clown.”

 

  “Hey!”

 

  “I gave you a high compliment, you make others laugh,” He paused and sniffled, “to hide from your pain.”

 

  “Have you guys been here all along?” Trudy asked. “I always knew something was strange about this place.”

 

   “The oaks have deep, deep roots.”

 

  “Not really.” Said Tucker.

 

   “There are roots, and then there are roots."