The Way Read online

  Starters began arriving at the tables. As her plate arrived in front of her, Beth heard a familiar voice; “Lady Macbeth, order’s up.” Toby, in waiter’s garb, had appeared at their table, ably balancing the meal tray on his arm.

  Toby put down the dishes with ease and raced back to the kitchen to pick up the next orders.

  The Lobster Mac was creamy and delicious served in small white dishes. Beth was finding the sea air had given all her senses a boost and everything she ate had taken on enhanced flavor. She found herself tuning out to Maggie and Lionel’s familiar banter and returned to watching Logan on stage. He had such a magnetic presence and, with a voice that was liquid gold to her ears, he seemed to be singing to her soul.

  Toby leaned in and broke her concentration, as he leaned over to collect the plates. “Dreamy, isn’t he?”

  Beth blushed, as she knew Toby had caught her looking at Logan, again. “Yep, he certainly can capture one’s imagination. Do you know much about him?”

  “As much as most people around here. Lives out in the wilds, brilliant muso, age unknown, has looked the same age ever since I knew him when I moved here as a second grader. Relationship status and preference—definitely unknown. He tends to go away for a few months at a time, to where I have no idea, on the road with bands I suppose. Just elusive, the best way to describe him, I guess. I’ll chat later. Better get back to the kitchen before the boss sees me slacking off. I’ll come see you at the lighthouse tomorrow if you like. It’s going to be warm and a good day for a kayak – are you up for that?”

  “Sounds awesome, thanks.”

  Toby raced back with his tray of stacked plates to the kitchen.

  The mains were served and, in between, Maggie introduced Beth to a few of her card-playing friends. Beth watched Logan every chance she got and hummed along to the tunes she recognized. There was a change of musicians and three quite elderly men joined the line-up. They sat on stools, tuning their instruments. Logan and Jerome bantered with them, obviously sharing some jokes as their laughter echoed about the stage.

  “Now the craic will begin,” Lionel stated.

  “He means ‘fun,’ Beth, and you’ll soon see why. This lot are a treat to watch and to listen to. Are you familiar with reels and jigs?” Maggie asked.

  “I don’t think I’ve heard much of this type of music before.”

  “You’ll love it. Oh good, they’re starting.” Maggie’s face lit up as they started playing.

  The music was evocative and the attention of the audience was fixed on the stage for some lively toe-tapping tunes, and some haunting slow ballads. A steady, humming introduction began and several people were up from their tables and forming lines.

  “Come along Beth, it’s time to work off our dinner.” Maggie was up and grasping Beth’s hands.

  “I can’t, Maggie. I don’t know how.”

  “Well, this is the perfect time to learn. Up you get and just watch. They’ll run us through a few steps to get us started.” Maggie held Beth’s hand and headed to the line of women on the left of the dance floor.

  Beth’s heart was racing, as dancing classes had not been part of her educational agenda. She felt eyes upon her as she made her way to the back of the line. Sure enough, Daybian’s blonde friend was glaring and whispering to a dark-haired friend.

  “Don’t you be concerning yourself with the likes of that lot,” Maggie said quietly into her ear. “Jealous, that’s all, green as the grass on the lawn out front.”

  One of the older men took the microphone and, in a thick Irish accent, gave a very quick rundown of how the dance was to go. It sounded something like…“Line up in trios facing trios, with the man in the middle. Reform the circle, boys find the beat, back to steps and overs with sevens and threes, throwing the other end out.”

  Throw the other end out? What on earth does he mean? Beth could hardly understand a word as the Irish accent was heavy and her confidence didn’t increase as he gave a final directive and picked up his instrument.

  The pulsing rhythm moved straight through her heart and matched its racing beat. She found herself in motion without choice. The lines moved with such intense speed that she felt carried away amongst it. By the third tune, Beth was surprised at how light on her feet she was. Her feet were moving in time and she was able to keep up in the partner changes. Lionel had her in fits of laughter as he spun her around and readied to hand her onto the next man in line. She couldn’t help laughing as the exuberant pulse and motion in the room was infectious. Beth looked up as she spun into the next man’s arms; it was Daybian.

  He looked down at her with a bemused grin. “Well look at you, dancing like a local already. You’ll need to for this next set. It takes it up a notch or ten.”

  “You mean it gets faster than this? I think I need to sit down.”

  “No time for that. You better be ready to hang on.”

  Daybian drew her in close and they started spinning around the dance floor. Beth felt her head become dizzy as their movements became faster and more frantic. She couldn’t feel her feet on the floor and was trying to focus on a point in the wall that kept rapidly returning. She went faster and faster until the wall became a blur, she couldn’t feel Daybian’s arm around her anymore.

  The music faded to a muted roar, as though she had put on noise-cancelling earphones. Beth looked for her spot on the wall, and she looked again and found she wasn’t staring at a wall at all. She was looking at the bark of a huge tree in a forest that looked similar to the ones in the pages that had come alive in the book. Beth looked down at her feet and found the polished parquetry dance floor replaced with a thick carpet of dense, springy moss.

  She started to tremble. Okay, just breathe, I must have passed out and hit dream scape.

  CHAPTER 3

  Ellucidae

  “What is to give light must endure burning”

  – VICTOR E FRANKL

  Beth closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She peered through one eye at the ground. Nope, the moss remained. She remained motionless, just digging her nails into her clenched palms, waiting to wake up. After a few minutes, she realized that no waking was imminent. She looked around at the most gigantic trees she had ever seen in her life; their massive trunks equaled the size of small houses. They stood in an imposing circle enclosing the glade. A hazy, filtered light showed small white, pink and violet flowers, sprinkled among the ground moss like bridal confetti.

  “Hello, is anyone there…? I seem to have lost my way off a dance floor. If someone can explain what’s going down, I’ll be most appreciative. Hello? Can someone help me please?”

  From behind one of the trees a sleek, striped feline figure appeared.

  “Maple?”

  Maple rubbed around Beth’s legs and then stepped forward, looking up at Beth with a loud meow as if calling her to follow. He then took a few steps and turned back to look at Beth. He meowed again.

  Beth walked behind him across the glade.

  As they approached the base of one of the huge trunks, an illuminated outline of a tall, double door etched into view on the rough bark. There were heavy hinges and, as the door opened wider, they made a low creaking sound. A spiral staircase lit up in golden hues once they were inside. Beth followed the cat up the steep, twisting steps. There was a delicately carved oak rail of leaves and vines following the line of the stairs and Beth kept one hand on it. The air was surprisingly clear and the light emitting from the stairs gave a warm glow to the space. Maple stopped at about twenty-five steps in. Beth had been counting them, mainly to keep her mind off the fact that she was following a cat up the center of a tree.

  Honestly, these dreams were becoming more and more bizarre. They had arrived onto a landing space and Maple sat looking up at the roof, again meowing loudly.

  Beth looked up and saw a circle illuminated in the center of the trunk with the words “Pull Down” in golden lettering. A thick arrow pointed down to a handle. Maple kept looking at the circ
le and meowing so Beth took this as a cue to follow feline direction again. She grasped the handle with both hands and pulled down. She felt the ground they were standing on rise quickly, like an elevator, speeding up through the trunk about two hundred feet. She kept a tight hold on the handle as she would a trolley strap. The platform glided to a halt, and Beth found they were in a large, timber-walled room with candles in silver holders. There were several passageways off the room and a cool breeze whirled around.

  In the center of the room, a setting of elaborately carved, very high-backed chairs was placed in a circle, continuing with the intricate leaf and vine theme displayed in the stairs’ rail.

  On one of the chairs, Beth saw the rear view of a longhaired figure.

  “Thank you, Maple. You can leave us now. Come Beth.” The elegant hand beckoned. “Take a seat here and I can give you some answers to those questions I can hear roaring around in your head. I promise you’re quite safe here. Still that racing heart and know this to be true.”

  The voice was deep and smooth with a soothing, hypnotic quality.

  Maple looked up at Beth and she was sure she saw him wink before he turned and padded up one of the passageways.

  Beth watched as the silver-sleeved arm and graceful hand motioned her forward. She felt dizzy and clammy after the speedy ride and her legs shook as she attempted to move through a gap and into the circle of chairs to meet the face behind the mysterious voice. Her feet felt heavy and she closed her eyes to focus on her breath. She opened her mouth to speak but no words could escape. She repeated to herself a little mantra that one of her therapists had instilled. “Breathe and believe…. it’s all just a dream.”

  The voice spoke again. “Beth, take a few minutes and please catch your breath. I can hear your heart thumping from here. You’re not going to come to any harm, I promise you. I’m sorry your transportation here took place in such an unconventional manner. It was necessary, as it’s the only safe way… at this point in time.”

  Beth stood for a few moments focusing on her mantra. Having not been able to wake, she made her way through a gap in the circle and sat down on one of the chairs, sinking into a dark blue, velvet-cushioned seat. She found herself transfixed on the figure’s composed, peaceful, yet striking face with sculpted cheekbones, azure eyes, a well-defined chin, a serious set mouth and a glimpse of elfin ears, peeping through long silver hair. His age was difficult to determine as, although he had some character lines around his eyes, forehead and mouth, his skin had a youthful glow.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Llandyr, of the White Mountain Realm.” His voice was deep and soothing. “I understand your deep fear and disbelief, but I ask that you trust in me, as things will start to make sense as they unfold – one piece at a time. Hold out your hand, Beth. I have something very special that you can hold while you’re visiting; it will help to settle your nerves.”

  Beth held out her still-trembling hand and felt a small round stone of what looked like rose quartz crystal placed in her palm. She was fascinated as the surface glittered in the dim light, showing tiny dazzling threads running through the center of the stone. Beth was familiar with hundreds of types of rocks and stone. Never had she seen any with these characteristics. It was warm to touch and the threads appeared to move as she held it. A deep sense of serenity came over her, then her hand stopped shaking and a fuzzy warmth, emanating from the object, travelled up the veins in her arm and then right through her body. The stone orb began to glow and a shimmering gold ring surrounded it. When she picked it up with the other hand, she could see a line of gold dust, like a strand of spider web attached to her skin. She waved her finger through the line and found it wasn’t solid and she was absolutely mesmerized by it.

  “Where am I? And…what’s happening here? I feel so…so weird. Can you please tell me what is going on?”

  Llandyr watched the interaction of the stone in her hands with intense interest. Then he spoke slowly and calmly, again with a hypnotic tone. “Beth, you’re in our forest sanctuary, high among the treetops of the White Mountains. Our Realm has been based here for many an age. It’s the ancestral home of the maternal side of your family. This meeting has been a long, long time planned, Beth. Your arrival, just as you are, in this moment in time, is exactly as the Faeble foretold. I can hear the fear, shock and disbelief in your thoughts. There is much for you to take in. You have always sensed there’s something unknown, untold and unfathomable about you. I need you to try and trust me and understand that all the pieces will come together, the unfolding has begun.” Llandyr’s eyes, even in the dim candle light, were shining.

  Beth’s composure was broken as her nagging self-doubts about her entire history came thundering in, memories from meetings with well-meaning medical specialists advising her to ignore the illusions as best she can and that one day – she would grow out of all this nonsense.

  “Look, you seem a really nice figment of my imagination but firstly, can we just get one thing straight? This is all just part of one of my crazy dreams—right?” Beth’s voice sounded thin and distant. “And as far as your family tree and Faeble theory go…even though this is all a dream…I definitely think you have the wrong girl. According to my therapists over the years, I just have a radioactive imagination. So it’s been grand chatting to you and you’re a nice change from the types I most often encounter in my dreamscapes. However, if you can just disappear now and I can wake up, that’d be great.”

  Llandyr smiled kindly at her. “Well, in answer to your first question—yes and no, your dreamscape is so real because it’s the dimension where much of your growth, education and training takes place. However, your interactions and experiences in this dimension appear dreamlike, as this was the only way to ensure you made it this far undetected. And the Faeble theory, Beth, is no theory. It’s a truth that has prevailed through many eons. This time, this seventh millennium, is your time.”

  As Beth watched Llandyr’s face as he spoke, she found herself entranced by his beautiful voice, and although more questions were racing around in her head, she couldn’t verbalize them. Her stomach was beginning to form knots and no amount of repeating her mantra seemed to diffuse the unsettled sensation. Her hand closed around the orb, and again she felt a huge wave of warmth and calm flow though her.

  “You’re one of the Ellucidae, chosen to save the Earth at this time of impending doom. You’re the daughter of Fae…”

  Llandyr’s voice started to fade from her ears—as did the room from her sight. Beth felt two soft hands tapping at both sides of her face. The muffled sounds became clearer.

  “Beth, Beth, can you hear me? Please, please wake up now! Has someone called 911?”

  Beth peeled opened her eyes. Maggie and Lionel, looking very concerned, were both kneeling by her side. Toby, Daybian and a crowd of onlookers stood around them.

  “Oh, thank my Lord and stars! She’s coming to!” Maggie, beating her palm to her chest in relief, reached for Beth’s pale, limp hand and, as she picked it up, a round pink stone rolled across the dance floor.

  Beth’s eyes were blurry, but she was sure she saw Logan leap off the stage, in seemingly record time, and make his way across to where the stone had rolled, collecting it from the parquet floor in a swift, smooth gesture before pocketing it.

  Beth’s senses were trying hard to connect with all the goings on. It took a few seconds for her eyes to regain proper focus and from her floor view, she could see now that Logan was on the stage, restringing his guitar and apparently in deep conversation with Jerome.

  Maggie was busy fussing over her and fanning her face with one of the crisp, white linen table napkins.

  Lionel’s concerned voice interceded. “Think we best get you home, young Beth. You’ll need a fair rest after that spill.” Maggie and Lionel helped her to her feet and with an elbow each, gently walked her to the entrance doors.

  Toby followed, and as they were leaving the building called out, “Lady Macbeth! I’ll drop i
n about ten and see if you’re still up for a kayak tomorrow. If you still look like this, I doubt you’ll be in.”

  Beth smiled weakly, “Give me a couple of hours rest. I’ll be ready.” She turned to Maggie. “How long was I out for?”

  “Oh, only about a minute, dear, though it felt like an eternity. You just dropped like a rock to the floor. How you didn’t hit your head, I have no idea. You gave that lad you were dancing with the fright of his life too.” Maggie continued, “Come along now and we’ll get you safely home and tucked in, Lionel has brought the car up so you don’t have to walk too far.”

  As Beth hopped into the back seat, a throbbing headache seemed to be settling into a bleak rhythm playing on her temples. As soon as they were back at the lighthouse, Maggie and Lionel guided Beth inside. Aristotle made his way ahead of them to Beth’s room.

  “Carry her up please, Lionel,” Maggie directed.

  Lionel scooped her up in his arms to carry her up the stairs.

  “I’m okay to walk, honestly,” Beth protested.

  “Nonsense dear. Just let us get you sorted out,” Maggie said firmly.

  Beth had already learned it was best not to argue when that tone presented.

  “Here you go, safe and sound; you settle in now and rest up.” Maggie loosened the laces of Beth’s boots, tugged them off gently and tucked her in before quietly turning back to Lionel who was waiting in the doorway. They began whispering in hushed tones.

  Beth closed her eyes as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  CHAPTER 4

  Depth

  “For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it’s always our self we find in the sea”

  – E.E. CUMMINGS.

  Beth had been lying awake under the snug covers for about ten minutes, just enjoying the fact that her headache from last night had disappeared. Maple had curled into the small of her back and not only could she hear his deep purr, but she could feel it through the covers. Beth wished she could ask him about the strange turn of events, but apart from not being able to speak cat-tanese, she was sure it was all a dream anyway.