The Nature of Magic Blogfest: Excerpt from The Treasures of Carmelidrium

Donna Hole is putting on The Nature of Magic Blogfest: We are to post an excerpt from our work in progress or published book. I hope you enjoy mine and I hope you will visit Donna and click on all the other entries. It starts tomorrow, so I'm a day early.

Excerpt from Chapter Fifty of The Treasures of Carmelidrium, now available at Amazon.com, UK, Barnes & Nobles, iBookstore and Smashwords as an e-book. $.99 through April 30, 2011 and then it will go up to $2.99.

“I know you have many questions about your family.”
Surprised, Missie gazed into the brilliant green eyes of the elfin queen. “Yes.”
“There is a way for you to see them. And there is a way for you to see the truth of the past months. Do you wish to gaze into the past and learn what has happened to your family and, what happened to you?”
Excitement tingled within her. “Oh yes.”
“Then come into my inner chamber.”
Together they entered past the flower-laden shrubs that gave entrance into a huge meadow. The trees grew close and leaned in to create a canopy of branches that formed a roof. A few chairs, woven from tree trunks, were in one corner.
Táwien crossed the grass without leaving any mark. Missie followed while Mozart waited at the entrance.
She felt as if she’d taken a few steps when they reached the center of the meadow. A breath later and they stood before another shrub on the opposite side of the inner chamber with a wooden door that hung between two tree trunks. Circular shapes were woven from living vines and grew on the door.
Táwien waved her hand before the door and said, “Tinénduil.” It opened and she stood to the side. Missie stepped through into a vast, evergreen forest. The sensation of wind whipped around her and she felt her body lifted, floating above the ground, and then set down in the grass. A sense of timelessness tingled around her. The shrubbery appeared distant. In the center, a calm lake of crystal blue waters reflected the white clouds above.
“Sit beside the lake,” Táwien said. “When you are ready, touch the waters and it will show you your family. This may be painful for you, my Lady. I will be near if you need me. But while you use the lake, you will be unaware of this place.”
Missie swallowed her concern and took the kerchief Táwien held out for her. She sat on the bank and gazed into the lake. It appeared like any other. The sandy bottom had a few smooth rocks and small fish.
She set her hand in the water which caused a cascade of ripples. The swell increased despite her gentle touch. As the lake grew calm, the waters took on colors and shapes. Then, within it, she saw her parents in their Westminster residence. Her mother wept while her father spoke into the phone. Without hearing, she understood them.
“My daughter has been missing for two days, what have you done?” Jonathan Kersten said to the Boulder, Colorado police.
The officer on the other end of the phone said, “If you come to the station.”
“You’ve done nothing,” her father said.
Their lives slipped by day and night. She watched members of her family, along with her friend Rama and others walk through Boulder and put up flyers in store windows and on poles with her photograph on them.
That evening, a crowd of students held candles outside the music building and sang “Amazing Grace.” Her parents and Rama attended the all night prayer vigil with them.
The days sped up and became months and her birthday arrived in October. Her mother went shopping and purchased a new pair of her favorite blue jeans, a lilac sweater and a gold bracelet with X’s and O’s linked together. Missie started to cry.
“Mom,” she said to the image. “I’m okay.” But her mother didn’t respond.
In December her parents met with the famous host of a TV show that hunted for missing people and criminals. On the day after Christmas, the show aired.
“If anyone has seen this talented young woman, Michelle Kersten, please call…” For the first time in the history of the show there were no phone calls.
The days passed in swift succession and she saw her parents huddled together in their living room. In the upstairs bedroom, which had been hers, Christmas presents were added to the pile of gifts. Her mother had gone gray and didn’t trouble to dye her hair or wear any makeup. Her father’s shoulders slumped.
Then the waters cleared and Missie no longer saw her parents. She hugged her legs and cried, rocky back and forth. After some time, she dried her eyes and blew her nose in Táwien’s handkerchief.
She hesitated, what would happen next? She touched the lake. The waters responded. Renwyk sat at his desk. She recognized his study. The Lord of the Symberveen looked around the room suspiciously. He senses me.
After a moment he stood, and went to another door, and unlocked it. Within, he lit a number of candles. The picture blurred and then reappeared. Renwyk sat at a long table before a mirror within his bedchamber. He had a mask and pulled it over his head. He made several adjustments, peered into the mirror and the image of Prince Healden gazed back.
Missie jolted backwards in shock. “Oh.” For a moment she couldn’t look into the lake. Her heart physically hurt. Did she just see what she thought she saw? Then she took a breath, shut her eyes for a moment, then gazed back into the lake.


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Copyright © 2010 N. R. Williams

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