Ana gazed above and her face was frightened. "There are three ancient items of magic in the form of golden amulets pure fairies - Priestesses, whose purpose is to keep the balance of life - can wield to make themselves extremely powerful, and become more connected to the Source. For nearly two thousand years the balance was maintained. But then one Priestess forgot her purpose, and it got out of whack. The dark outweighed the light, and things that never should have been possible occurred." Her face took on a sour look. "The Rupture was a side effect of her failure. If she was doing job and keeping the balance, it never would have happened. The vampires would have been stopped. But the result of that failure is clear to see, look at the world we live in."
"You're looking for these amulets," I said, "to try and bring back the balance. But Devlin has other plans. It's like a race."
She nodded. "A bloody sprint to see who can amass the most power before inevitable war. The grimoire, a book of spells has been in the Tribe's possession since before anyone can remember. It would be horrific if a force of evil was able to open it." She shuddered delicately in the grass. "The grimoire is locked, and the key is the three amulets combined, wielded by a pure fairy."
"Why are you guys so worried then? If you have to be pure to-"
"It doesn't matter which type of pure you are. Pure evil can unlock the book just as pure good can."
"Who's the dumbass thought that gem up?"
"You did. Rather, one of your past reincarnations did."
"Ah," I said.
"Breandan lost an amulet piece this morning. It gives protection to the possessor." She smiled at a spider scuttling across her leg. She picked it up and held it in her palm, moved her hand this way and that as the hairy brown arachnid searched for a place to get off. "Its guardian gave it to him for safekeeping as he felt he could no longer conceal it."
The implications of what she was saying hit home. "So, the Tribe now has one amulet, and the rebels have-"
"Officially, none," she said and grimaced. "Lochlann will not forgive Breandan easily for that screw up. He became its protector, and left it unprotected to run around after you since you got lost. Like I said before, I've saw that sticky spot you slid into with Maeve."
I scowled darkly. Everyone sounded so ready to bend over and take it from this fairy Lochlann, but I didn't see him risking his hide to guard the amulet piece. Where was he? He was needed here.
Ana set the spider on the grass, and waved goodbye as it scurried away into the undergrowth.
"Rae, the next time we hear strange noises in the forest, what do we do?
"Go the other way," I mumbled.
"Correct." She beamed at me. "Don't worry, all is not lost. We can even the score. There are two more, hidden with their guardians and we'll find them, just you watch."
I let it all sink in. My hand unconsciously strayed to the pendant, no, the amulet piece lying under my tee shirt. Ana honestly didn't seem to know that I had it. But Conall, Breandan and Devlin did. Ana was a witch and gifted with the Sight. How could she not know that I was a guardian too? Something was off. There were still large gaping holes in the tapestry that was being woven in my mind. Devlin was an evil fairy-lord. Pure evil and he wanted my amulet piece so that he could try to open the grimoire. Lochlann, another bad ass fairy and Breandan's older brother was leading the revolution to bring back the balance, and was therefore fighting against Devlin, which made him the good guy, right? The grimoire was a scary powerful book that Devlin had, but couldn't open because it was locked. Somewhere in the middle of this myself and two other fairies had been chosen as guardians of the key, the amulets. I assume to keep them safe from evil, because though my moral compass was dubious at the best of times, I didn't feel evil, which made me good too, right?
But then why did I not know any of this? Why had I been dumped on the steps of a Temple Priests house, glamoured as a human baby with no memory or knowledge of whom or what I was? Surely, if this amulet were important it would be madness to entrust it to someone who may have just thrown it away one day. Everything was falling into spaces, but some bits didn't fit.
