Chapter 4 A Promise and a Betrayal

"What are you talking about, Raye?" Rae asked as she looked at Raye with confused eyes.

"I was young when my parents were killed. The Wood Nymphs, my mothers kin, took me in," Raye started to explain.

"What were they like?" Rae questioned.

"Who? The Wood Nymphs?" Raye asked, confused.

"No, your parents," Rae answered sadly.

"My mom was of no royalty, but my father was a prince. They met when my father's horse spooked on the woods and my mother rushed up to calm it. They were happily married a couple of months later. They had me, and then they were killed," Raye trembled as tears rolled down her cheeks. "It was so long ago, but it burns fresh, the pieces I can remember. The Fairies and Nymphs taught me to control my magic. They also gave me that box," Raye explained as she pointed to a plain box on the shelf. "It gives me a stone for every mage.

"But I'm alone on this. All my people have been killed off slowly. I haven't seen a unicorn in almost a year! And. I'm a human. I'm not an Elf, a Nymph, or a Fairy. Just a human, but I have to save them all." She gave a long sigh, not looking up from her hands, which lay twisted in her lap "Rhiannon, my name, it means 'rising' in Elvish. Rising Raye." She gave a sad laugh. "Yeah, right. How Ironic." "Oh, Raye. I'm sorry," Rae exclaimed as she enveloped Raye in a hug. "You won't tell, will you? Please don't!" Raye cried as she pushed away from Rae.

"But Raye, we." Rae tried to answer.

"But they need to know. Then I'll have tell them," Raye groaned.

"Well, now we know the whole story," Damson answered as everyone stepped through the doorway.

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"You already knew? Why didn't you confront me about not telling you?" Raye stammered in confusion and surprise.

"Because we knew you would tell us when you were ready," Rae smiled.

"How did you find out?" Raye asked.

"What, you're the only one with a familiar?" she laughed "Pegasus has been my messenger with a Fairy in hiding. We've been talking for some time now. I'd really like to meet her," Rae added. "We started talking about all the Mages, and she asked for a picture of all of us, so I sent her one. Then she saw your face and told me that you looked like Queen Haegwathien Elan."

"Then how did everyone else find out?" Raye asked with her eyebrow arched.

"Someone was eavesdropping when I was telling Damson, because I didn't tell anyone else," Rae declared.

"That someone would be Kat," Damson declared as he glared at the cuprit.

"I'm sorry! You know I can't help it when I hear good gossip! I swear by. by.. by the animals that I didn't tell anyone but us mages!" Kat defended herself. "You should have told us anyway."

"You're right.. At least you guys didn't hold it against me," Raye sighed.

"Yeah, well, Raye I'd love to stay and chat, but it's getting late and I promised Rae I'd walk her home," Tendai stated.

"Yeah, bye everyone. And sorry about the whole gossip thing," Kat waved. "Alliah!" And she was gone. They all trekked down to the main level.

"Bye, guys!" Noelle said. "Alliah!"

"Bye!" Yasmin and Amberle called at the same time, and then climbed down the ladder, since it was a warm summer night, and they lived nearby.

"Bye, Raye! Bye, Damson!" Rae said as she gave each a hug. "Ready Tendai?"

"Yup, see you guys later!" Tendai called as he waited for Rae to reach the bottom of the ladder. Raye collapsed on the couch as soon as the door closed over them, silent tears streaming down her face.

When they were finally alone, Damson leaned over and pulled Raye into a long, gentle, and comforting hug. Raye let the tears fall freely, because she knew this moment could never last.

Damson hugged Rye tightly and rocked her side-to-side until he knew she had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently picked her up and held her close to him when she stirred, but she quickly fell back to sleep as he carried her to her room, laid her down on the bed, and pulled the covers up to her chin. As he looked down upon her sleeping body he whispered, "If only this could last." He lovingly pulled the hair off of her face and tenderly kissed her forehead.

Damson left Headquarters with a single tear silently sliding down his cheek, which he refused to allow himself to wipe away.

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"I had fun tonight," Tendai said as he and Rae walked hand-in-hand down the street toward Rae's house.

"Me too, but we could've done without a few events," Rae responded with a smile and a glance at Tendai.

"Like what?" Tendai prodded.

"Like me not having to chase after Raye and be really worried about what was wrong." Rae stated pointedly.

"Here, let me make it up to you," Tendai said as he turned Rae to kiss her.

It was a good kiss, but he wasn't kissing her like he normally did. He would usually kiss her gently, but tonight he was just rough and unloving. And when he pulled his head away he looked like he was seeing someone else's face instead of hers.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked back.

"I mean you're acting different tonight."

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about," but she'd known him long enough to tell he was lying.

"Whatever. Good night," Rae shot over her shoulder as she walked to her front door.

"See you tomorrow!" Tendai called back as he continued down the street to his own house.

But Rae wasn't ready to go to bed. She needed to think about why Tendai would lie to her. He's never ever lied to her about anything! So why was this different?

As she was walking, she heard voices at her rival, her most hated enemy, Zanadi's house. When she looked to see who was talking, she almost dropped dead with shock.

Tendai was sitting in a lawn chair with HER sitting in his lap! Oh my God, he's kissing her! Rae balled her fists in anger as the wind started to blow harder and harder.

"Rae?" Tendai asked as he peered into the darkness.

"What are you doing!?" Rae exclaimed as she started to stalk toward him. "It isn't what it looks like, honest," Tendai stammered as he jumped up and backed against the wall.

"Why did you think you could do this to me? Me! You know what I can do to you!" Rae screamed at Tendai.

"Rae! Stop!" It was Damson. As he was walking home he thought he heard Rae screaming, and ran ahead to check it out.
"Go away, Damson! This is between me, Tendai, and HER!" Rae screamed as she pointed at the now trembling Zanadi.
"Rae, you know that a problem with one Mage is a problem for all Mages. Go back to Headquarters with Raye and spend the night," Damson whispered into Rae's ear so that only she and Tendai could hear. Then he swept a forgetting spell at Zanadi. She crumpled to the ground in a deep sleep. Rae gave her a swift kick as she debated wither or not to listen to him.
"Damson, what are you going to do?" Tendai asked with a little fear in his voice. It was the first time he spoke during the ordeal.
"That doesn't matter right now, does it?" Damson glared at Tendai. Rae leaned over and whispered into Damson's ear, "Don't hurt him any more than I would." Then she leaned over and whispered into Tendai's ear, "You're lucky. I would have killed you, and you know I could." Rae stormed off into the darkness as Damson took a step forward.
"Tendai, you're in big trouble now!" He sneered.

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"Rae? What are you doing here?" a sleepy Raye yawned as Rae burst into
her room.
"Sit down, Raye. This will take a while," Rae gasped between sobs as she closed the door.
"Tell!" Raye demanded instantly. Rae burst out the whole story, including all her thoughts and emotions, and leaving no details out. As soon as she finished, Rae burst into great heart-wrenching sobs that shook her whole body.
"Rae, you can't help how stupid Tendai is," Raye whispered. "No one can." Raye continued to whisper soothing words until she was sure Rae was crying in her sleep. So Raye covered her up, grabbed an extra pillow and blanket, and curled up on the floor to sleep.

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