Humans had forgotten too, and so they were destined to go over and over and over those puzzle pieces, looking at them again and again until they were finally able to see the pattern and put it back together the way it was supposed to be. What was fractured would one day be whole, for some sooner than others.
Dark figures moved into the meadow near the edge of the forest.
Sam started to point, but I pushed her hand down. "Shhh, it's okay," I said softly. I smiled. The elements were bringing me messages, and I was sending messages out. It might have looked serene and calm in the meadow that day, but it wasn't. Not even close. I was putting every single cell of my body into action. I called to everyone. This was going to take everything we had.
"What the…" Sam spun around and put her hand up. Her wand was out and ready to cast magic out into the air.
I took it away from her, dropping it to the ground.
She looked like she was going to protest, but I shook my head, stopping her thoughts from going in that direction.
She nodded and took my hand again. "Okay. I trust you."
Behind us were The Others—also shadows, like the Forsaken, but those of light. I could feel centuries of energy trapped inside them, these winged warriors. They did not fight with darkness as their weapons like the Forsaken did. They fought with love. They loved with love.
I raised my hands toward the coming shadows. They brought with them fear and hate, desperation and anxiety, judgment, self-doubt and depression, loneliness and marginalization, bigotry and racism, objectification and isolationism. They brought everything our world had created to block out the one thing we ever needed in order to fully ascend, to fully become who we were really meant to be—Love.
My voice carried with it the power of the elements and the depth of my love for the fae of this forest and those who lived beyond it. I left behind my self-doubt and fear, my ego and my pride, my worries and my need to control everything around me. I faced darkness with my soul laid bare. And I smiled.
"Welcome, Forsaken. Welcome to the Green Forest. I am Jayne, and I welcome you here with open arms, an open heart, and love as my offering." I closed my eyes and imagined every bit of goodness in me sent out into the space in front of me to encapsulate the darkness that was coming.
The winged warriors to my left and right came to me. They surrounded me and entered my body. For only a moment, they were part of me, but then they too went rushing toward the creatures who had no faces, who had no bodies. The Forsaken were dark energy Itself, not much to look at, but as powerful as a black hole that consumes everything in its path and turns it into nothing.
I couldn't see anymore as the dark spirits, the Forsaken, got closer. Their power was mightier than mine. The winged warriors' energy and my elemental love were not enough.
But then I heard a song. A siren song. And I heard Tim shouting my name. I heard Abby too and then Willy. "I need my Lellemental!" he yelled. "I'm a ayygent now and I want to go be with her!"
I sensed the green elves nearby as they laid down their weapons in the grass, joining hands to share their love with one another and me.
Water sprites and wood nymphs, ogres and buggane. Fae of every race, not just here in the Green Forest but elsewhere, joined hands with the humans nearby and sent their love out to us. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, but there were still dark spaces between them.
Angels from the Overworld came down, legions of them. They stuck their swords in the ground and spread their wings, shining the light of heavenly love across the lands.
And then someone appeared at my sides, taking my hands in theirs.
"Hi, Mom," said Little Abby.
"Yeah. Hi," said Little Tim.
I looked to my left and my right, able to see again. "Hey, babies. I love you. You know that, right?"
They both nodded.
We faced the darkness together and held up our hands, locked tight, our fingers woven together. We said the words that appeared in our minds together, reading them as if we'd been handed a script written by someone who'd seen this situation play out long before we'd even dreamed it could happen.
Our words came out separately, but when they reached the meadow in front of us, they merged into one voice that could be heard by every being in every corner of the world.
Love is perfect. Darkness is flawed.
Love is whole. Darkness is fractured.
Love is everywhere. Darkness is only where we invite it in.
Love is strong. Darkness is weak.
Love conquers all. Darkness conquers nothing.
Love IS. Darkness is not.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
WIND, FIRE, EARTH and Water battled and raged around us. My children and I held fast as the elements roared through the meadow, their forces fueled by the energy coming from fae and humans around the world who embraced the idea that love is the ultimate power, the only thing that can overcome the absence of itself.
Winged warriors, The Others who had joined us from the shadows, met the Forsaken and wrapped them in the energy they had absorbed from all the living creatures sharing space on Earth, on the land, in its atmosphere, and in its oceans.
The Forsaken fought hard. There was plenty of darkness to feed their needs, to fuel their rage, to quench their thirst for power and desolation and pain.
But in the end, they couldn't fight hard enough. Because we had love on our side, and love conquers all. That's the way it has always been, and that's the way it will always be, so long as there are fae and humans willing to work side by side to spread the message, to walk away from the lures of power and the corruption that it brings, and to open their hearts and minds to the idea that we are all part of the same amazing, crazy, beautiful existence. We are all One.
The End.
EPILOGUE
"You got everything?" I asked, standing next to Spike in front of the RV.
He started ticking off his fingers. "Sleeping bags, road snacks, barf bags, barf thimbles…"
I held up my hand. "Wait, what? Barf thimbles? What is a barf thimble?"
"In case Baby Bee upchucks. You know how he is." Spike shrugged. "It's a 'If you're gonna spew, spew in this,' kind of thing."
I nodded. "Yeah. I know how he is. If there's trouble out there, he'll find it." I rubbed my belly. It was just starting to get a little round, and I'd switched from jeans to stretchy pants more suited to a water sprite's getup.
Becky came walking up as if on cue. "Here. This is for you. And don't feel like you have to share it with anyone, either." She handed me a small sack made of fabric that was tied closed at the top with a purple bow.
I gave her a hug. "Thank you. What is it?"
"Candy. I made it myself. It's for you and our godbabies." She patted my belly.
"Seriously?" Becky never ceased to amaze me. "Changeling? Transporter of world leaders? Dragon rider? Candy maker? What's next?"
She shrugged, smiling. "I don't know. I was thinking I might start hypnotizing poisonous snakes or wrestling gators or something."
"I think you've been spending too much time with your redneck lover. Please tell me you're kidding."
"I'm kidding." She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me so hard I started to lose consciousness before she let up. "Be careful. But have fun. But be careful, too."
"I will, don't worry. We have an itinerary that's being monitored by the gray elves, and we'll be checking in daily. First, Western Europe, then Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and finally the US. It's a world tour, baby."
She looked up at the giant RV that was loaded with junk. "I have to admit…I'm a little bit jealous of you guys, you know. Taking a big ol' vacation, traveling the world…"
I sighed. "With Tim and Abby and their annoying baby Willy McPainInMyAss."
"You jus' said ass," Baby Bee said, doing a fly-by. "I'm telling." He disappeared around the side of the RV. "Maaaamaaa!!! The Lellemental is saying bad words agaaaaain!"
"Tat
tletale!" I yelled after him.
"Yeah. Good luck with that." Becky patted me on the cheek and started to walk away. But then she stopped and came back. "Remember when I asked you to find out if D.J. regretted what he did to Binkley and Amber and the others…like, when you go to be with Biad in the Underworld?"
"Yes."
"Don't bother. It doesn't matter."
"Really?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "I learned recently that the choices other people make don’t need to affect my life. Only if I let them, and I'm not letting them anymore. His battles aren't my battles. I have chosen not to let darkness into my life anymore. Our time in the Here and Now is too short for that nonsense."
I gave her a quick hug. "Proud of you. Love you."
"Love you too." She left me and walked back to her man.
Finn waved as he took her hand. "Don't forget them postcards! I'll be askin' my brownie every day if there's one in the box!"
"I won't!" I yelled back. Tim had assured me that he knew how to get mail to the compound, and Finn and I were counting on it.
Brad walked over slowly and carefully, still using a cane to get around. His skin color was a lot better. He'd lost a lot of weight, but he was going to be okay. He had a succubus twin on either side of him, and he was smiling. "Hey…you," he said.
"You were just going to call me a name, weren't you?" I smiled.
"Me? Naahh." He sighed. "I do miss butting heads with you, though. I have to admit."
I shrugged. "I won't be gone forever. And I think these two will be happy to keep you busy until I return."
They both smiled at me. "See you around, elemental," Theresa said. "It's been real."
I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Take good care of him for me," I said in her ear.
She nodded quietly.
I faced Felicia. "I know you're sad about Tony. But he's doing great, and he's watching out for you. Everything's going to be okay."
She nodded. "I know. It's just tough sometimes. He was such a great guy."
"One in a million." I pointed at Brad. "But he's not so bad, as long as you can stand to look at his ugly face every day." I pretended to shudder with revulsion.
The girls smiled and Brad reached up to rub my prickly head. "Look who's talking, cue ball." He grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me in to a strong hug. His whispered words warmed my heart. "Don't change. Stay exactly how you are. Don't take any shit from anyone. You're a good person." He pulled back a little and looked me in the eye, resting his forehead on mine. "Thanks for saving my life."
I punched him in the chest. "You saved your own life, dude. Just don't start acting like a dick again, or I'm going to have Mike Hulk-smash you about twenty times in the face…ugly you up a little bit."
"It's a deal," he said, letting me go and giving me a fist bump.
The twins helped Brad turn around, and he limped back in the direction of the compound, Theresa and Felicia each with an arm around his waist.
Sam came over next. She handed me a stick.
"Uh. Thanks? Forrrr tthhhhe…stick?"
"You're welcome. Be careful with it. Don't go waving it around at stuff unless you mean to."
I looked at it more closely. "Hey, wait a minute… Is this your good wand?"
She shrugged. "Not anymore."
"Oh, Sam." I hugged her softly, wishing I could express to her how much she meant to me. I had treated her so badly in the beginning of our relationship. And in the middle of it, too. I was just glad I hadn't screwed up the end of it.
She patted me on the back. "I get it. Don't worry."
Tears fell from my eyes. "I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. Look what you made me do."
She sniffed loudly. "It's not me, it's you, you jerk."
We both laughed through our tears. She backed away slowly, holding my gaze for several steps.
"Thanks, Sam. For everything."
She lifted her hand once and then turned around, disappearing into the trees. Old Granny Maggie was there and she raised a gnarled hand in my direction. I waved back and sent her a message on the wind. "See you later, you old bag."
She cackled in response, toddling around in a half circle to head back into the forest. She had about a thousand-year beauty sleep to get started on, and I for one hoped she'd hurry up and take it. This world didn't need any more of her or her sisters messing around with fae's destinies.
Dardennes and Céline approached me, both of them smiling serenely. I grinned back as I wiped the stupid tears off my face.
"Dearest Jayne," Céline said, taking my hands.
"We are so very proud of you," Dardennes said.
More tears joined the party. "Dammit, you guys, stop. I can't get into that RV all soggy like this."
Céline pulled me into a hug. "We love you. We are just so happy for you and your little family…"
I stepped back, breaking our connection. "Have you heard anything about Little Abby and Little Tim?" The Council had ruled that they needed to go back to their realm in their time, and I hadn't argued against it. Time-slipping was dangerous business, and I didn't want my children to be hurt by it. At least I knew I was sending them back armed, not just with knowledge, but with love.
"As far as we know, they're back where they belong and Tony is watching over them," Céline said.
I nodded. It was the best we could hope for. I was confident that my children were finally able to experience the real love I had for them in the days before they left here, so the bullshit story that Malena and Leck had fed them would no longer have a hold over their lives.
"I'm sorry we couldn't…locate…well, you know." Céline stared at the ground.
Her shame would never completely go away. "Hey," I said, trying to distract her from her sadness. "Don't worry about it. Malena and Leck can't hurt me anymore, remember? I don't give a shit where those two are." I understood the power of love now. Nothing could ever take that away from me, not even those two turds.
Céline looked up and nodded. "I know. Thank you, Jayne. You have taught us so much."
"Me? Ha. That's funny. It wasn't me running the show out there."
Dardennes and Céline shared a look, but as usual I wasn't in on their little silver elf games. But I didn't want to be. I liked having a little mystery in my life. There would come a day when I would know everything about everything, but I wasn't in any hurry to get there.
I pointed at the RV over my shoulder. "Anyway…I've gotta hit the road, so…"
"Take this," Dardennes said, pulling something out of his pocket and passing it to me.
I opened my hand, and he deposited a ring into my palm. It looked like a smaller version of the one I always wore—my changeling amulet. "What's this?" I asked.
"Just a ring." He smiled serenely at me.
I laughed. "Yeah, right. Just a ring. And that's why my butt hairs are now standing on end. What should I do with it?" I was definitely getting the feeling that I wasn't supposed to wear it.
"You'll know when the time comes," he said cryptically.
I let out a long sigh and smiled. I hated to admit it, but I was looking forward to this mystery unfolding in a very slow and relaxed way. I didn't feel the need anymore to have all the answers or to desperately try to control everything that was going on around me. Dardennes said I would know when the time was right, and that was good enough for me. "Thanks, Anton. I appreciate everything you've done for me. Sorry I was such a pain in your ass."
"You were never…that, my dear. Challenging, stubborn, and willful…but never that." He smiled and bowed deeply, slowly backing away. Céline kissed me on the cheek and went with him.
"Time to hit the road, babe," Spike called out from the driver's side of the RV.
I waved to my remaining friends—Scrum and Long who were holding hands while they stood in front of Mike who was waving like a little kid at the RV, Finn and Becky, arm in arm, Naida with Aidan, both of them staring at me with sadness in their eyes—they wer
e really going to miss me, apparently, Shayla and Garret hovering as barely there ghosts off on the fringes of the crowd, an entire contingent of green elves with Robin in front, Red and his lady witch friend Celeste who looked confused as to why she was there, Gregale, standing alone with his arms dangling at his sides, Niles who was wiping tears off his face with a hankie, and two little gnomes. One of them turned around and bent over to pick up a shiny rock, and I flinched at the view that assaulted my eyeballs.
"Oh, that was…so wrong," said Tim, hovering at my shoulder.
"Talk about terrible timing." I rubbed my eyes, trying to make the image of the ass end of a gnome go away.
"You ready to blow this popsicle stand?" Tim asked.
"Hells yeah, pixieman."
He stared at the group of fae who'd come to send us off. "I sure am going to miss this place."
"Yeah, me too. But we'll be back." I didn't know when, but it was true. I could never leave the fae compound for too long. These were my people.
"Yep. As soon as we're done spreading the good word all over the world. Gotta keep the evil at bay, and all."
"All you need is love, baby." I held my hand out for Tim to ride on as I turned away and walked to the RV.
"I want to thank you again for letting me bring the fam on this trip," Tim said. "It would have been tough to leave them behind, but now I don't have to."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." I loved the fact that Tim just assumed that he went wherever I went. I could do a lot worse than having a badass pixie king as a wingman.
"Willy's going to need a lot of training out in the field, and this is just the perfect opportunity," Tim said. "Too good to pass up."
I didn't respond because I wasn't sure 'perfect' was the best word to describe the idea of a baby pixie unleashed on the world.
"He almost ruined the entire world-saving gig you had going on there in the meadow, though," Tim said. He tried to laugh it off, but I knew it was still giving him seriously high blood pressure just to think about it. "He sure is a stubborn little fella."