The Crystal Rainbow Ch. 21-25

"What? Where? Why is my hand so cold? Diamanté? What just happened?"

Diamanté did not reply and Helen found her silence more disturbing than any of the spirit's caustic comments could ever be. Helen's hand flew to her wrist and groped at it.

"Still there …."

She sighed, relieved.

"Merci, Dieu! I do not know what I would do if I lost … wait! Diamanté? Where are you? Diamanté!"

Helen held her breath, the sound of her racing heart thundering in her ears.

"No! This cannot be! Please! Why will you not answer me? Diamanté?"

Helen felt a shudder wrack her body, but knew that her emotions had not caused it.

"Diamanté?"

The softly spoken word, coaxed and soothingly cajoled, as she allowed her voice to work its magic.

"Yes, Helen?"

Both women sighed in unison.

"What is wrong? Something happened and I cannot remember what. What I do remember is that I was pacing here in my room. I was trying to walk off my foul temper before I retired for the night. Khalid made me so furious today. And, then I found myself losing my balance and landing here on the bed. Something … no, someone …."

"Yes … someone … it was he. I felt him near me. I called out to him and I became lost in my memories …."

Helen's eyes grew wet with tears as the spirit's grief overwhelmed her. Her sorrow evident in the uncertainty Helen heard for the first time in Diamanté's voice.

"You called out to whom?"

Helen prompted after Diamanté failed to continue.

"I called out to him. I thought, no, I heard him call my name, too. Can it be true? I swore an oath that I would find him again and now, at long last, he comes for me! He was lost to me so long ago that even I cannot remember how long it has been. Years? A trifle! Decades? A pittance! Centuries? No! Millennia? Oui, it was no more than six or less than four, I believe. But, the presence I felt and the voice I heard, I could live an eternity and still know that it was he. I have no doubt for my heart will never forget the sound of his voice. Oh, sweet love! My Cadmus!"

"Cadmus? Who is he?"

"Were you not listening when I told the girl how I came to be a part of the bracelet you wear?" Diamanté scoffed. "Cadmus was my teacher, my mentor, my world. He was the man I loved."

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Chapter Twenty-Four – Clarity

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To distinguish a single voice from amidst the roar of the crowd

is a moment of clarity unique in a life otherwise filled with useless noise.

"A Fool's Book of Wisdom"

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The young woman sat cross-legged, her skirt rumpled, on the blackened stump of a tree long dead, surrounded by a deep blanket of red, orange, gold and brown leaves. She sat with her eyes closed, head bowed slightly forward and her hands gently cupping her knees. A sudden gust of wind lifted her mass of curls and sent them fluttering about her head, before they settled in disarray about her face.

"So much has happened over the last eight months. Little did I know the night I decided to leave the chateau that decision would change my life in ways I never imagined it would. I found family. I found music and, most importantly, I have found love."

Another gust of wind whirled around her and brought her thoughts back to her reason for sitting here in the forest. She sighed and with eyes still closed, she stilled her errant thoughts and wrapped herself in a blanket of calm, allowing it to penetrate her and become one with her.

"It is time."

She raised her head, opened her unseeing eyes and lifted her hand. As she raised her hand, every leaf that lay on the ground around her lifted into the air. Without lowering her hand, she curled all of her fingers into a fist, but her index finger, which remained pointing straight up to the heavens. Then she began to swivel her wrist. The leaves swirled around her faster and faster, matching the increasing speed of her rotating wrist. And, then she stopped and the leaves stopped as well. The leaves hung motionless in the air with bits of twigs and dust suspended along with them. Suddenly, the young woman thrust her arm above her head and clenched her fingers into a tight fist. The leaves flew upwards and then seemed to explode. One corner of Christine's mouth lifted in a satisfied smirk as she watched all of the bits of leaves drift lazily to the ground. Her head tilted to one side and her chin lifted, as she seemed to listen to an inner voice. She quirked an eyebrow.

"Well that certainly proved my suspicions. I should feel triumphant, but I do not. I now hold the key to the magic, but so many things could go wrong." She straightened her head and blinked. She repressed a smirk. "Yes, Jacob. I know you are there. I have known all along." She paused. "So, what do you intend to do now?"

Not expecting an answer, as she knew the man could not hear her thoughts, she lowered her hand to her lap and closed her eyes. She continued her one-sided conversation.

"Ah, yes. My actions today place you in quite a bind. Have they not?"

She cast her senses out into the woods that surrounded her and found him. She felt no threat from him. In fact, she felt an odd sense of protectiveness emanating from him. She shook her head almost imperceptibly and she felt waves of sadness and affection, tinged with the smallest amount of fear, sweep through her at the same time.

"Oh yes, Jacob. So, you saw what I am able to do. Will you report what I have done? Or, will you keep it to yourself as you have about so many other things you have witnessed here. I wonder when you will decide what to do about your dilemma. All too soon, I suppose, as today's demonstration shall force you into making a decision. What I allowed you to witness today was too out of the ordinary. Too unusual. If you do not tell, you endanger your life if your employer discovers your treachery, but the goodness in your heart holds you back. Time runs out for you, Jacob. Cadmus awakens and soon he shall remember everything. Your employer believes he knows the forces he unleashes and expects to use Cadmus as bait. He unwittingly sets free more than he realizes. I only hope it is enough …."

Opening her eyes, she rose, brushed off her skirt and after allowing her eyes to sweep sadly across Jacob's hiding place, she returned to the cottage.

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Christine lay on her bed. Her mind awhirl with excitement. After the time she spent in the forest that afternoon, she knew she was ready. And, she felt the beginnings of a plan taking shape in her mind. She wrapped her arms about her body, hugging herself as a shiver of pleasure coursed through her. She giggled quietly.

"I cannot believe it, but I know I am correct. I simply cannot believe that I am the first one to think of this. Now, the question is, what do I do? I have a secret, but I am uncertain whether it is a good secret or not. I know something that none of the women who came before me ever puzzled out. And yet, I cannot help but wonder. Who am I to think that I can know this thing as a certainty that hundreds, perhaps, a thousand or more women never understood? But, I do. I do. I know this as surely as I draw breath into my lungs. I know it as surely as the sun rises in the east and as surely as I am mortal, I know it. My secret can set my family free, but I am hesitant to tell them. I do not want to let them go. I am selfish. I lost my family once and just found them again. And, now I must set them free. I am Persephone and it is autumn. Hades comes for me. I can feel it. There is only one person in whom I may confide and it is time. I must before I lose the moment. I must speak with Erik. He and Helen have known one another for a long time. His perspective on how he thinks Helen will react can help me decide on what I should do next. So, hmmm … where exactly is Erik right now?"

With no conscious effort, she sent out small tendrils of thought, searching for Erik. She felt Helen in her room. Khalid and Edgar were in the new barn. At the outer corners of her awareness, she felt Jacob. He was perched in a tree, clutching his cloak tightly about him to keep out the cold. He sat there and watched. He watched and reported. He reported and prayed that the man paying him to watch, would continue paying him to observe them and not pay him to act. Christine shook her head. It was a futile hope that Jacob held. Whoever knew to keep watch over Helen, must know something of the power and it was only a matter of time before Jacob's employer would make his move against Helen. Her lips twisted into a wry smile.

"Whoever it is that employs Jacob is sorely mistaken if he believes it is a power he can steal. And, if he thinks that he can force Helen into using her power for him, he is an absolute fool. I am uncertain whether I am fortunate or not that he is of the opinion that I am no threat to him. I should feel insulted, but misjudging me could be the one crucial miscalculation he makes. It could tip the scales against him."

She bit her lip and shuddered.

'I hesitate to think of what Erik would do to him, if he attempted to kidnap me or, worse yet, harm me. But, unless he catches me completely unaware, I feel he has little chance of accomplishing that task. Hmmm …. So, just where is my beloved?"

Christine once again sent out what she thought of as her invisible fingers, feeling for Erik's presence and smiled when she sensed he was in his room. She wanted to wrap the man within the touch of those fingers, but knew that if she did, he would feel it. Erik was the only person that could sense her spirit touch and she feared he would resent her intrusion into his private place. So with great effort, she restrained her desire.

"Well, all I have to do is stand and walk to his room. Now that I know what I know, I am no longer a danger to him." Her heart sang out its joyous anticipation of their next meeting. "Time to go to the man I love and see what he thinks about my ideas."

She leapt from her bed and strode over to the full-length mirror standing in the corner of her room. Gazing into the mirror, she inspected the flushed face that looked back at her and smiled.

"I look just like all of those girls back at the chateau that I so scornfully dismissed as foolish twits that mooned over a man. I never thought I would look this way or, that I would feel this happy that I do! Oh! Erik, hold on to something, mon amour, here I come and here goes everything!"

She twirled this way and that for a moment, her hands playfully holding onto the sides of her skirt as she twisted and dipped before the mirror. Her eyes shone brightly and her cheeks flushed rosy red. She gleefully curtsied to her reflection, turned and hurried to Erik's room.

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Erik paced back and forth along the length of his bed, his mind in an emotional turmoil. He felt an ever-present desire to be with Christine. A desire that seemed to grow stronger with each breath he drew into his lungs. One that he was not certain he would be able to control for very much longer. Then, there was the worry he felt for Helen, she had begun to act strangely right around the time of Khalid's arrival, withdrawing into herself and holding herself aloof from everyone. Her normally sparkling ice blue eyes seemed as flat as death and it frightened him. Helen left the cottage each day just as the sun peeked over the horizon and would not return until dinner was already on the table. She spoke to no one and when spoken to, answered with a yes, no or noncommittal grunt. No amount of teasing, cajoling or angry words could coax her into confiding in Erik. After supper, she locked herself in her room, allowing only Christine to enter for an hour's lesson. When Erik asked Christine if she knew what troubled Helen, the young woman became evasive and quickly changed the subject. Erik also had to admit that Khalid had been acting strangely as well. He seemed constantly to be underfoot, asking if he could help with the household chores or cooking. Khalid seemed nervous, yet, at the same time, excited and it puzzled Erik greatly. And now, Christine had been acting strangely, especially during this last week. However, none of those things was the cause of his current pacing.

"No, even with all of the tension I have sensed in this household over the course of the spring, summer and, now, autumn, there is something else that is wrong. Something of which I am completely unaware. Something about which I have no knowledge other than this sense of dread."

He paused in his pacing, placed his fingers to his temples and massaged the bare flesh of his face. His thoughts were interrupted and his pacing halted by a knock at his door. His eyes darted about the room, searching for his mask. He saw it lying discarded on the mussed bedclothes and walked to retrieve it, as he did a second knock sounded.

"Yes? Who is it?"

He swiped the mask off the bed and settled it atop his ruined features, when the muffled response to his inquiry caused him to freeze.

"Erik, it is I, Christine. May I enter? I need to speak with you. Please?"

He blinked in surprise and then ran his hands through his dark hair to smooth it, then tucked his loose shirttails into his trousers as he moved to the door. Taking several deep breaths to calm himself, he opened the door.

"Christine …."

He began, but she cut off his words with her mouth as she passionately pressed her lips against his. Erik moaned as he felt the curves of her body mold against him and her hands ran up his chest, around the back of his neck and on into his hair. His manhood, already standing at half-mast, sprang to full attention when she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips. Erik bit back a groan and carefully disentangled himself from her embrace. He held her at arm's length and studied her.

"Ma chéri! What are you doing? Although I want you more than I have words to tell you, we cannot do this, please!"

His eyes widened at the mischievous grin she wore and the smoldering fire he saw blazing in her brown orbs. He felt his throat go dry and gulped.

"Christine!" He croaked.

"Yes, mon amour?" She purred.

"We cannot do this! The storm …." He panted.

She smirked and leaned into him once more.

"Oh, Erik, I see things clearly now. I have embraced the storm and we need fear it no more. Later tonight, we must talk, but now is for the two of us. And, I need you to take me. Please, make me yours! We have waited so long and been so patient. I feel that if you do not love me, I shall explode. Take me, Erik, unless you do not want me, of course. Otherwise, shut up and kiss me! Now!"

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Chapter Twenty-Five – Bliss

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Is it better to wallow for a day in bliss, or wander for a lifetime in woe?

Perhaps, the more apt question, does one really need to ask?

"A Fool's Book of Wisdom"

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She sat stiffly wrapped within the rigid embrace of the wooden rocking chair and stared blankly out her bedroom window, her mind lost in silent contemplation of how different her life was from the one she envisioned as a child. As a girl, she believed she led a charmed life and dreamed of the day her handsome prince would come to claim her heart, then carry her away to their happily ever after. Instead, as a young woman, she lost her childish notions of happiness and love one bright afternoon. Her treasured hopes and dreams ripped away from her along with her innocence. It was at her weakest moment that Helen allowed her anger to take control. She shuddered at the memory of her blind rage and the power of the storm it released. In less than a minute, the sunny day turned dark, the sky filled with roiling thunderheads. In less than two minutes, the first raindrops fell, pelting the carnival revelers and causing them to flee. In less than five minutes, the carnival grounds became deserted and the single bolt of lightning raced from the heavens, pierced through the canvas tent and bore through a man's heart. Those five minutes decided the course of Helen's life. Those five minutes tested her character and found her unworthy of the power entrusted to her. With the knowledge afforded by her years spent in penance, Helen looked back and for the first time, felt the true horror of what she caused that day.

"No matter what he did to me, I did not have the right to take his life. I wonder if he had a wife and children. I gave no thought that my actions might affect others. I acted as a child does when it is hurt and struck out blindly without thought. What he did was vile and wrong, but he did not kill me. Others have suffered the same horror I did and survived without seeking vengeance. Others used the goodness of their souls to forgive. Instead, I used my power to exact my revenge. I guess the fates decided my face should reflect the ugliness of my blighted soul. I have no right to bewail my unrequited love. All these years I paid lip service to my crime, but never did my heart accept my culpability. No wonder I have not found forgiveness. I never asked for it. I allowed hatred to fester in my heart and I wallowed in self-pity. But, Khalid …. Oh, Khalid. You are the other half of me. The two of us destined to meet and be together. I have no one to blame for my life alone, but me. And, now I understand the worst thing I did that day is that I condemned you to that same fate. A lifetime alone. I am so sorry for everything. I am such a fool."

At that moment, the last blocks of the wall around Helen's heart became dust and disappeared. The woman wept, but not for herself. She wept for the murdered man and she wept for Khalid. She wept for Khalid and remembered.

For years following that fateful trip to the carnival, Helen kept her heart locked away from the world. She performed the rituals required by her power and used her gift of healing as needed, but she refused to feel anything for the people with whom she had contact. It was not until her travels brought her to Persia that everything changed and her carefully built wall cracked.

"It did not take much, either. It only took looking into your eyes and my defenses began to fall apart. It only took you, Khalid. Just you." She mused sadly.

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One day after dismissing her guide, Helen set off to explore the city of Tehran. The woman donned robes similar to those of the native women, but instead of covering her face with a veil, she shielded her face from view within the folds of a deep hood attached to the shapeless gown. From her previous forays into the city, she knew of the city's three different sectors and decided to avoid the governing sector. An unescorted woman walking down the street would attract unwanted attention and Helen wished to avoid any unnecessary confrontations with the Shah's representatives. She spent the morning wandering through the residential quarter and marveling at the dwellings there. The gold domed roofs, lush gardens and tempting fountains amazed Helen with their beauty. Continuing to walk along the same narrow, crooked street Helen found herself standing in the central square of the business quarter's bazaar.