Chapter 10

Memory opened her eyes to see a crowd of people standing over her. “Whoa,” she took the hand Colton offered from where he sat beside her and let him pull her into a sitting position. “Damn it’s like waking in the middle of a photographer’s wet dream.”

Several shocked expressions and a chuckle from Cam and Colton had her continuing in a hurry. “Sorry, it’s just you are all…well damn, you’re all gorgeous.” She brushed back her hair and extended her hand to the dark-haired woman standing beside Clint. “Hi, I’m Memory.”

“Lily. Are you okay? You were out cold when Colton brought you in.”

“I’m fine, thanks and it’s nice to meet you, Lily.” She looked at the other lovely woman, who held Cam’s hand. “And you’re Ellie. I’m happy to meet you.”

“Yes.” Ellie extended her hand then pulled it back. “Sorry, but Eldric…what happened…”

“Oh, yes.” Memory stood and looked at Eldric. “I don’t know what that was, but I need to ask you something—something that’s now stuck in my head. What does it mean to be Whitehorse? And who’s Michael? And why did you call me Elyssa?”

Eldric looked at Ellie and then back at Memory. “Perhaps you should sit.”

“Okay,” Memory sat back down beside Colton. Everyone else found a seat except Eldric and Ellie, who stepped over close to Eldric. “So spill,” Memory said.

“Very well. First, to be Whitehorse…that is our family, our clan, if you will. To be Whitehorse signifies you as Light Fae and the Light—”

“Whoa, back up the truck,” Memory interrupted. “Fae? I’m not Fae. Sorry but regular old born and bred in the USA here.”

“Actually, that’s not true.” Eldric argued with a hint of a smile. “You were born here, but you are not from here.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a little more than that.”

“When Elana—forgive me—Ellie was four, our parents made a sojourn from North Carolina to here, more specifically to the land Ellie now owns. You were born there. Ellie was left in the care of her grandmother on her mother’s side.

“Your birth was difficult for our mother and…and she did not survive. To protect you, our father put you in the care of one of our clan, a woman known here as Angela Starling.”

“Angela?” Memory sat up straight. “She took care of me while I was in the orphanage. Raised me, I guess, until I was adopted.”

“By Mikal Wells,” Eldric added. “A man we placed much trust in.”

Memory shook her head. “Nice story, but it’s a little hard to buy into. No offense.”

“None taken. But it is true. At the time of your birth, I was in the Fae realm with our people. Our father wanted Ellie to be there as well, but our mother could not bear to be parted from both of us and Ellie was very young.”

“Okay for the sake of argument, why did he want you to be there?”

“For fear of the Dark Fae seizing one of us.”

“Why would they do that?”

“The Whitehorse possess considerable powers. If the Dark can turn one of us, they can utilize the power.”

“Okay, so you were there, Ellie was here, and your mother died. Your father…exactly who was that, by the way.”

“Michael,” Ellie said softly. “Our father was Michael. And believe me Memory, I know this is hard to swallow, but Eldric is telling the truth. You are our sister. And you are Whitehorse.”

“Again, that means nothing to me. I don’t have magical powers or wings and I sure as shit can’t pop into another realm.”

“But you do.” Eldric argued. “Have power.”

“Oh? What makes you so sure?”

“How else can you explain what you can do?”

That surprised her but Memory wasn’t about to admit to anything. This guy Eldric could be trying to pull one on her and she wasn’t fooled easily. “Oh? And just what is it you think I can do, Eldric?”

“This.” He waved his hand casually in front of him and suddenly a white rose floated between them.

Memory felt something lurch inside her. The rose was substantial. Real. His ability was far more advanced than her own at manifesting. “What makes you think I can do that?”

“Lies do no one honor, sister,” he said in a solemn tone that made her feel surprisingly ashamed.

She cut a look at Colton and their eyes locked for a long time. Finally, he took her hand. “I think he’s right, sugar. It’s time we were all honest.”

“All?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“Ok,” she gave his hand a squeeze and then turned her attention to Eldric. “Ok, yes, I do have that ability. I can’t manifest things that substantial, but I can project what I picture in my mind onto surfaces—paper, walls, wood, and pretty much any solid surface, and also onto memory cards or hard drives.”

“You are Whitehorse,” Eldric stated. “Your powers are of the mind rather than of the elements.”

“Excuse me?”

He gestured toward Ellie. “She is elemental, of air and energy. She can harness lightning, summon the winds.” He then gestured to Lily. “And Lily also has Fae blood, from her mother’s side. She can command fire.”

“And you?” Memory asked.

He smiled and suddenly a magnificent white stallion stood before her. Memory gasped. “Holy shit.”

The horse vanished and in its place was Eldric. “I possess the ability of transformation and others, such as mental manipulation.”

She considered it for a moment. “Okay, I’m not saying I buy all this, but just for the sake of argument let’s say I do. What kind of power does it take for someone to appear to be someone else and to vanish in thin air?”

“Considerable.” Eldric replied. “Why do you ask?”

Memory cut her eyes at Colton and when he nodded, she looked around at everyone. “This is going to sound a little crazy.”

“Crazy seems to be the flavor of the day in these parts,” Cam quipped, earning a chuckle from Clint as well as Lily and Ellie.

Memory held onto Colton’s hand. “Well then here goes…”

Colton watched his family as Memory told them what had happened. To her credit, she was completely honest and told them how they’d met, about the crystals fusing and about the doppelganger who’d appeared in his home. No one spoke until she finished with, “which brings us here.”

No one said a word for a few moments, then Clint spoke up, locking eyes with Colton. “So, all our lives you’ve had this…ability and you never told anyone?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because you were kids, and I didn’t know what the hell it was and…and I didn’t want people to think I was crazy. Or a freak.”

“So how is that possible?” Cam asked the question of Eldric. “I mean he’s human just like the rest of our family, right?”

“Humans are possessed of rare and unique abilities,” Eldric said. “But no, he’s not. And neither are you. Your father’s father was Fae. He mated with a human. All of you possess abilities, you simply are unaware of them and so have never developed them.”

“Uh no, I don’t think so.” Cam argued.

“Really? So, you believe it is simply your good looks and charm that earned you so much female attention in your life?” Eldric asked. “You possess the ability of manipulation as well.

“And you,” he looked at Cliff. “Have you never wondered why it is that the animals you raise are so much stronger and healthier than others? You possess the ability to give strength and vigor. You wish it into being.”

“That’s crazy.” Cliff argued.

“Why? Because the Fae, a race older than humans who have shared this world since the beginning do not exist and have never mated with humans? We are parents to your race.”

“What?” Memory blurted. “Okay, we’re moving into fantasy land now.”

“It is simply the truth.” Eldric said.

“Maybe. Sorry, but the jury’s still out on that. However, I do want to know more about these Dark Fae, and I want to know why one of them pretended to be Colton.”

“To claim you.”

“Say what?”

“Elyssa, forgive me, Memory, you are—among our kind—royalty. And you possess the ability to manifest. That is a power highly sought. Think about what happened when you combined your energy with Colton’s with the arrow. That could be used to amass power and wealth on a grand scale—or to lay waste to an entire civilization.”

Memory shivered at his words. “Ominous much there, Eldric?”

“Merely stating fact.”

“Okay, fine. So how do we send this Dark Fae back to the other plane or whatever and stop him from doing whatever it is he wants to do.”

“We set a trap,” Eldric replied.

“I’m not gonna like this, am I?”

“He will have to face everyone here who has power,” Eldric stated.

“And you’re confident we have what it takes to defeat him?” Colton asked.

“Yes.”

Memory looked at Colton and after a moment he nodded. She released his hand, noticing just then that her own was wet. She swiped it on the leg of her jeans and stood to approach Eldric and Ellie.

“If you are my brother and sister, then maybe I need to trust you. But I’m warning you now, if anything—and I mean anything happens to the big guy or any of his family there’s going to be hell to pay, if you get my drift.”

“I’d never put Cam or any of his family in danger,” Ellie said and reached for Memory’s hand. “And if Eldric thinks we can defeat the Dark Fae, then I believe him.”

Memory took the hand Ellie offered and when she did, something warm yet soothing rushed from the point of contact and spread throughout her body. “Wow,” she breathed. “Did you do that intentionally?”

Ellie chuckled and with her free hand rubbed her belly. “It’s for the baby and I guess there are residual effects.”

“Baby?” Memory looked down at the small bump of a belly Ellie sported, and then at Eldric. “Maybe Ellie should sit this dance out.”

“She will be fine,” Eldric assured her. “None of us will be alone.”

“That might not make a difference,” Colton said and stood. “Remember, this Dark Fae can assume the appearance of another. Who’s to say it won’t disguise itself as anyone in this room?”

“I have no doubt that it will,” Eldric said.

“And that doesn’t bother you?” Colton asked.

Eldric shook his head and Memory saw something in his eyes that wasn’t there before, something that gave her a bit of unease. There was more to Eldric than met the eye, and right now he had the distinct look of a man eager to go to war. “I am in anticipation.”

“Easy bro,” she said in what she hoped was a teasing tone. “No need to go all Rambo.”

Ellie laughed. “No shit, Eldric. Chill.”

Her words lightened the mood in the room, and after a moment even Eldric smiled. “Okay, enough serious for the moment,” Ellie said. “How about we have a cookout?”

“Sounds good to me,” Cam agreed, and the sentiment was echoed by everyone else.

As Lily started spouting orders and got the troops in motion, Colton took Memory’s hand and led her outside to the lanai. “So?” He asked.

She shook her head. “It’s a lot to digest. I mean, part of me wants to call bullshit, but…but another part believes it.”

“So, you think they really are your family?”

“No, I don’t think it, but I do feel it. There’s something there—some connection.”

“And you’re on board with whatever plan Eldric devises?”

“No, I’m on board with whatever plan we devise.”

“That’s my girl,” he said and smiled.

Memory returned the smile. “You got it, big guy. Just don’t go forgetting.”

“Not a chance.” With that he took her into his arms.