The Crystal Keepers, An Overseers Novel, Page 2

Loki ran to the barn where their horses were kept. She quickly slipped on the pants and shirt, wrapped a belt around her waist and pulled on her riding boots. The energy in the barn felt calm compared to what she had just experienced in the house but she startled at the ‘tweenlings boisterous movements around her.

  There be change in the air, miss, an’ it comin’ fast. Oiyeah.

  “Geez. Don’t you think I know that already?”

  She walked past the stalls that held her mother’s and father’s horses. The next two were empty but they once held her siblings’ horses. She doubted her brother or sister would ever return.

  Then she reached Beno, her own horse. At the sight of her, he tossed his head and whinnied, softly acknowledging her. Then he approached the stable wall. Loki reached over, stroked his neck and cupped his strong jaw in her hand. The horse neighed quietly and lowered his head, soothed by her presence. She nuzzled him with her nose and spoke tenderly.

  “Ready for a ride, are we?”

  As if in response, he softly neighed and dragged his front hoof through the dirt.

  Of course he is, miss. He need’n to run.

  Loki ignored their comment. “I thought you might.” She smiled.

  She opened the barn door, led her horse outside and mounted. As she guided Beno through the mist toward the foot of the hillside, Loki barely held the reins since Beno was quite familiar with the route. The fog brought everything in close, forcing her to rely on other senses. The only sounds were their breathing and the padded sound of Beno’s hooves pressing into the damp, earthen floor. His rhythmic gait beneath her, the warmth of his hide against her legs, and her own calm, slow breathing put Loki in a contemplative state as she thought over the morning’s events.

  She considered the message brought by the ‘tweenlings and the ominous dark form that was apparently looking for a host to inhabit. It was pointless to speculate about the ‘tweenlings’ message and what was about to change. Loki would do what she could to remain vigilant and watchful of signs or impressions that alerted her to what was coming.

  She wasn’t surprised by her father’s outburst. Ever since he sent her older sister, Elwyn, away to study under the Brethren of Darkness, he had become moodier. Loki found it ironic because her father is the one who influenced Elwyn to make that choice in the first place. Elwyn’s whole life was spent in preparation to be just like their father. By the time she turned eighteen, she was well versed in black magic and made their father proud when, to no one’s surprise, she expressed an interest in pursuing the Brethren’s teachings.

  He had once demanded that Tannis, the oldest child, pursue the dark arts but it backfired. Tannis responded rebelliously and expressed his interest in working with the Guardians of Light. This infuriated their father and it also strengthened his expectations of Elwyn. Elwyn did all that she could to win their father’s approval. So why couldn’t he just be happy that Elwyn was following the path he chose for her, instead of pressuring all three children to do the same? Sometimes Loki wondered if his unhappiness was so insatiable that he wouldn’t stop until everyone was devoured by it.

  Now that Loki was the last child at home, her father urged her to follow the same dark path but even though she hadn’t given him an answer, deep down he sensed that she wouldn’t choose the darkness. He knew something was different about their youngest child but it didn’t stop him from pressuring her. Gwynn, her mother, defended Loki and wanted her to choose for herself. Because of this, Loki knew that she and her mother were a threat to her father. He no longer had an ally in the house that shared his views or that manipulated others by using the negative forces.

  He summoned the darkness one too many times though. The destructive forces were toying with him now – as if he were a marionette dangling at the end of a string. He spent more time being drunk than sober and continually cursed Gwynn for not choosing his side, as if sides had to be taken on everything. He was so self-absorbed. He couldn’t recognize that his daughter was an independent, spirited thinker, not to mention her ability to watch over the non-human world – yet another difference between her and her siblings.

  After what she observed earlier with the panther, she began to think that she was no longer dealing with just her father but was perhaps being pursued directly by the dark force. Her father expected an answer from her by the time she turned seventeen, as to whether or not she would study under the dark powers. She had recently turned sixteen, so a year might seem a long way off but to her, it might as well be a week. Her dilemma wasn’t in deciding whether to pursue their teachings. She already knew her answer. Her problem was in dealing with her father’s reaction to her decision and whether he would take it out on her mother. Loki wondered whether this had all changed, however, since the darkness was nearly successful at complete possession of her father.

  They be needin’ your help, miss. The little ones, they need protectin’.

  This was new, this talk of little ones, but Loki would find out soon enough what it was about. She always found out, whether she wanted to or not. The ‘tweenlings made sure of that but she wasn’t anxious to bring more trouble to herself. She only hoped that she would find out in secret, without her parents knowing. At an early age, her communication with the ‘tweenlings not only brought ridicule from Tannis and Elwyn, it angered her father greatly. She was never clear on what her mother’s thoughts were about it but her mother made her promise to never speak of them again. Loki kept that promise. She hadn’t openly talked to or about the ‘tweenlings for many, many years.

  Loki didn’t want to think about any of that right now. It was time to let everything go and to stop thinking. These morning rides, she reminded herself, were for her peace of mind.