Deals and Dangers

by Kay L. Ling

  Tyla did as Olissa suggested. A surge of strength and energy ran through her. She felt as if she could lift a fallen log or roll a boulder uphill.

  “Wow,” Olissa said. “This is amazing!”

  “Try your knife now,” Parcune told Tyla.

  “Good idea.” She unsheathed it and held it up. The blade began to glow but quickly went dark though she hadn’t extinguished its light. Then, it began to shimmer with the same iridescent silver flakes as the alamaria.

  “Whoa,” Arenia said. “Your knife has never done that! It’s reacting to the alamaria.”

  “Jules said his knife did this when he came here with Lana,” Tyla said, then realized Olissa didn’t know that story. “They stopped here to use their oracular powers a few hours before S was defeated. The obelisk amplified their powers so much that Lana got inside S’s head.”

  Olissa raised a brow. “That must have been terrifying.”

  “It was. Lana discovered S wanted to kill Elias.” Tyla looked down at her shimmering blade, and an idea came to her. “We should try breaking through the Emanicus’s mist ward.”

  “Good idea,” Olissa agreed. “We stand the best chance here. Even if we only penetrated it for a moment, we might learn something useful.”

  “We’d better sit down,” Tyla said. “And it might help if we were touching the obelisk.”

  They sat down, their backs against the obelisk, except for Parcune who couldn’t participate.

  “Keep an eye on us,” Tyla told him. “I doubt we’ll go into a trance like Lana did, but if we do, don’t rouse us unless something seems wrong.”

  “How would I know?”

  “In Lana’s case, she was shaking, sweating, and gasping for breath. She was using physical gems, and she couldn’t open her hand. Eventually, she passed out.”

  “I could take your knife away from you, but if Olissa and Arenia are using infused powers, what do I do for them?”

  “Shake us, slap us. Whatever it takes,” Olissa said.

  “All right. I hope it doesn’t come to that.” Parcune looked worried. “Good luck.”

  Tyla closed her eyes, drew the knife’s power, and thought about the missing Emanicus gnomes. Immediately, the jeweled hilt felt hot. For a moment, all she saw was utter blackness. Then she saw the white mist. She’d never had any luck penetrating it before. She clutched the hilt tighter as if doing so would make the knife more effective. Her whole hand began to tingle.

  The mist was still there, but it was thinning. Soon, she could see a hazy image. It looked like a building. She strained to see, but the image remained indistinct. Patience. Don’t give up. While she waited for a breakthrough, her thoughts strayed to Arenia and Olissa. Were they having any luck? Don’t think about them. Concentrate. Think about the mist. Make it dissipate.

  The hilt grew hotter. Before long, she could barely touch it. The mist was thinning, thinning, trailing away like wisps of clouds.

  And then she saw the building clearly.

  It was made of stone and had a wood-shingled roof. The shingles looked new. There was a wooden addition off the back that also looked new. She saw a couple carts and four erum, but no gnomes.

  Why was she seeing this place? Could this be The Emanicus’s hideout? If so, where was it?

  She wished she could see inside the building. It would help if she could determine who the occupants were: gnomes, breghlin, or Outcasts.

  The knife hilt was cooling now. The mist was beginning to return, obscuring her view of the building. She tried to banish it, but it grew increasingly dense. Her hand was shaking, and she felt too tired to continue. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. The others were watching her intently.

  “You were whispering, but we couldn’t make out what you were saying,” Arenia said.

  “I was?” Tyla sheathed the knife and wiped perspiration from her brow. “I broke through the mist and saw a building—a stone building with a wooden addition and a new roof. There were two carts and four erum on the grounds, but I didn’t see anyone, so I don’t know who lives there.”

  “You were seeking insights about The Emanicus, so this may be their hideout,” Olissa said.

  “I hope so. But even if it is, how do we find it?”

  “That’s a problem,” Parcune said. “Describe the land around it.”

  “There weren’t any trees. Just open land. It looked quite desolate.”

  “Like the land near the barrier zone?” Arenia asked, sounding unaccountably excited.

  “Yes, similar to that.”

  “That’s a confirmation,” Arenia said triumphantly.

  “Confirmation of what?” Tyla asked.

  “I didn’t see anything but mist,” Arenia said, “but I got a strong impression that they’re here in the Amulet.”

  “The Amulet! That’s the last place I’d expect them to go,” Tyla said.

  “Exactly,” Arenia said, grinning. “That’s probably why they’re here.”

  “You know,” Olissa said thoughtfully. “It does make sense. It’s a good place to hide.”

  “The Amulet is a large territory, but if they’re in the barrier zone, that narrows it down a little,” Tyla said. “What did you learn, Olissa?”

  “I focused on Sheamathan. If we find her, we find The Emanicus gnomes. I was in her head, but only for a moment. I got a jumble of impressions, but I think she’s still a beetle.”

  “Really?” Parcune said. “That would be good news.”

  “She wasn’t happy, I can tell you that. She’s confined, but whether in a cage or a cell, I don’t know.”

  “Just because she’s confined doesn’t mean she’s still a beetle,” Arenia said. “They might keep her locked up even after restoring her.”

  Parcune frowned. “I certainly would.”

  “She was feeling neglected, mistreated, and betrayed, but she’d feel that way in either form if she was locked up. My most important impression was that Emanicus gnomes are in control, not her.”

  The sun was setting. Tyla stood and dusted herself off. “We should get going.”

  When they left the clearing and entered the woods, it was much darker under the trees’ leafy canopy. Insects droned, but other than that, the forest was silent.

  They were nearing the portal when Tyla heard twigs snap underfoot. The sound had come from behind her.

  “What was that?” Parcune whispered.

  They all turned to look. A bluish light was moving through the trees—someone with a lightgem.

  “Who’s there?” Tyla called.

  A tall form emerged from the darkness.

  “Jules! You startled me,” Tyla said, relieved.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He strode toward them.

  “Arenia needed a break from Elantoth, and Olissa wanted to see the Fair Lands Amulet, so I brought them with me,” Tyla told him.

  “I’ve never been through a portal,” Olissa said. “There used to be several, but they were closed long ago.”

  “So I’ve heard. I’m glad you came,” Jules said.

  The portal wasn’t visible, but anyone coming close to it could feel the air vibrate with energy. “First time travelers usually have trouble passing through,” Tyla told Olissa. “You have to attune your mind and body to the energy field. Hold onto me and I’ll take you through.”

  They stepped through together, and Jules and Arenia emerged seconds later. Tyla activated a lightgem.

  Olissa looked around in wonder. “The trees here are so much shorter than ours!”

  ‘Welcome to the Fair Lands Amulet,” Jules said. “Just ahead is the spot where S was defeated. In our world alamaria drains gem powers, so we filled a pit with it and lured Sheamathan here.”

  “We stopped at the obelisk just as you and Lana did that day,” Tyla told him. “We used oracular gems, and we made some important discoveries.”

  Jules looked intrigued. “What did you learn?”

  “I’ll tell you when Lana arrives. She’ll want to he
ar this, too.”

  Chapter 15

  Olissa rubbed her arms for warmth. “Is it always so cold here?”

  Jules wasn’t wearing a coat, just a long-sleeved shirt. He seemed perfectly comfortable. “We’ll have warmer weather in a few weeks. The last of the snow melted recently. Go inside the Tree Home, if you like. I’ll stay and watch for Lana.”

  “No, I’ll be fine once I get used to it. I’d like to see more of the forest. Can we go for a walk?” Olissa asked.

  “Sure, you may as well see more of our Amulet while you’re here.”

  “You may regret it,” Arenia told Olissa. “Last time I went for a walk, I startled a small black-and-white animal. What a horrible smell!”

  Jules burst out laughing. “A skunk.”

  “Is that what it’s called? Thank goodness we don’t have any in Ahmonell.”

  “I could remedy that,” he teased.

  “Don’t you dare!”

  “If we stay on the trails, I doubt we’ll see any skunks. Let’s go,” Tyla said.

  Olissa fell into step beside her. “I’ve heard this Amulet is tiny compared to ours.”

  “It is. You can walk to the border from here.”

  “That is small,” Olissa marveled. “I wonder what size our Amulet was before S expanded it during The Great Upheaval.”

  “Bigger than this one. Elias and Jules found a map.”

  “Lana just contacted me telepathically,” Jules announced. “Her car is hidden in the woods near the equipment shed. I told her we’d meet her there in a few minutes.”

  “What’s a car?” Olissa asked.

  “A carriage that doesn’t need an animal to pull it,” Jules told her.

  “I’d like to see that,” Olissa said.

  They found Lana waiting by her car, dressed in jeans and a brown jacket. She greeted everyone warmly and hugged Jules. “I can’t stay long. I have a meeting at seven-thirty, but I wanted to bring you the gems tonight.” She took several pouches from her pocket and handed them to Tyla. “You’ll probably recognize all of these gems, but in case you don’t, there’s a note identifying them inside each pouch.”

  “Thanks.” Tyla pocketed them, grateful to have more gems for the clans. “We have news about The Emanicus, if you have time to hear it.”

  “Sure. I don’t need to leave for half an hour.”

  Tyla shared the story of their trip to the obelisk and related what they had learned.

  “I can hardly believe Emanicus gnomes are hiding in your Amulet,” Lana said.

  “The land in my vision looked a lot like the barrier zone.”

  “That makes sense,” Jules said. “They’d want to be somewhere without trees. Otherwise, enemies could sneak up on them.”

  “If you transfer the image to your leebstone book, everyone can look at it,” Arenia suggested.

  “I thought about that.”

  “Are you still coming this weekend?” Lana asked Jules.

  “Definitely.”

  “Tell Franklin he’s welcome to come with you. I got him something from the thrift store.”

  “What did you find for him this time?”

  “A Swiss Army knife.”

  Jules laughed. “That will make his day. He misses the one he traded to the breghlin clan.”

  Lana grinned. “What a trade. A pocket knife and a lighter for an erum. And the funniest part was they thought it was a great deal.”

  Olissa circled Lana’s car, studying it. “What makes it go?”

  “I’ll pop the hood and show you.”

  Everyone crowded around.

  “This is the engine. It’s not as powerful as some, but the car goes several times faster than an erum-drawn carriage.”

  Lana got inside the car. The engine roared to life, and Parcune, who had just bent over the engine compartment, jumped back in alarm.

  “Sorry, I should have warned you,” Lana said when she’d shut it off.

  “Could you give us a ride?” Olissa asked. “Tyla says it isn’t far to the border of your Amulet.”

  “Sure, but it’s like the Amulet in your world. Outsiders can’t go beyond the invisible barrier.”

  “I know, but it’s interesting to see how Amulets work. Once, while ours was still sealed shut, a friend and I went there. The repelling force was so strong that after a while we couldn’t take another step.”

  “You’d feel that resistance with ours, and also a burning sensation.”

  “It sounds like you’ve talked to gnomes who’ve tried it.”

  “No, Elias told me. After he got witnesses, he felt a burning sensation when he passed through, and as time went by, his body changed enough that our Amulet considered him an outsider and wouldn’t let him through.”

  “That’s sad. I’d heard he couldn’t return to the Fair Lands, but I didn’t know why,” Olissa said.

  “He’s done this world a lot of good in the last year,” Lana said. “His witnesses are starting to go away, and I’m sure that’s why.”

  “I’ve noticed it, too,” Jules said. “His skin doesn’t look as lumpy.”

  Lana glanced at her watch. “If we’re going to the barrier, we’d better do it now.”

  Olissa slid across the back seat, making room for Tyla and Arenia.

  “I think I’ll wait here,” Arenia said.

  “Oh, come on,” Olissa called. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

  Tyla got in, and Arenia hesitated but got in, too.

  “There’s room for one in front with me,” Lana said. She got in and started the car.

  “You go,” Jules told Parcune. “I’ll wait here.”

  Lana pointed out the car’s features. “This is the steering wheel. This is the dashboard. It has instruments that tell how far I’ve traveled and how fast I’m going. This is the gas pedal, and this one is the brake. Ready?”

  She drove slowly down the narrow path to the main road, but as soon as they were on the road, the car shot forward. Arenia gasped and Parcune grabbed the dashboard.

  “Relax. I’m only going thirty,” Lana said.

  “How fast does this go?” Olissa asked.

  “Don’t know. Never had it over eighty.”

  Tyla’s jaw dropped. Thirty was terrifying enough. She didn’t want to know what eighty felt like.

  When they neared the end of the road, Lana stopped. “The Amulet used to end here, but the boundary moved after S expanded the Amulet to gain more access to our world. Jules and I found the new boundary by driving through with stones from your world. When we crossed the line, they disintegrated. I didn’t mark the spot where it happened, but I have a pretty good idea where it was.”

  “You’ll stop long before we get there,” Parcune said nervously.

  “Of course. Olissa and I will walk the remaining distance. It’s dark, so if a car goes by, they’ll mistake her for a human child.”

  There had better be a repelling force and a burning sensation or Olissa might walk through and disintegrate like the test stones, Tyla thought worriedly.

  “Amulets are extremely complex,” Olissa said.

  “They are,” Lana agreed. “Tyla found a book of runes in S’s library that tells which gems operate yours.”

  “She did? I heard that information was never recorded.”

  “I’ll show you when we get back.” Tyla said.

  “What about the spell that controls it? Is that written down, too?”

  “Yes, in a different book. Gem masters spent years creating the spell, and when they completed it, they were worried that none of them would be able to make it work.”

  “Obviously, they did. You may have the only copy of that information. It seems I would have heard about it, otherwise.”

  “If you ask me, I think Anen clan gem masters created the Amulet and kept how they did it to themselves,” Lana said.

  “You may be right,” Tyla said.

  Lana pulled the car off the road and turned off the lights. “We’ll walk from here.�
�

  Lana and Olissa got out and started up the road. Parcune shook his head. “It seems risky to me.”

  “I think I’ll go, too,” Tyla said, opening the door.

  Arenia grabbed her arm. “Don’t!”

  “I’ll be careful,” Tyla assured her and ran to catch up with the others.

  “I had to come,” Tyla said. “The others are afraid of being disintegrated.”

  “I can already feel the repelling force. Can you?” Olissa asked her.

  “Yes, and a prickling sensation.”

  “Before long, it will become a burning sensation, and you’ll need to stop,” Lana said.

  Olissa took out a comb. “We don’t have a stone, so I’ll throw this as a test. If it doesn’t disintegrate, we’ll go a little farther.”

  The comb landed harmlessly on the road. They advanced, and she threw it again. It landed safely that time, too. They moved forward again. The repelling force was noticeably stronger, and the prickling was becoming painful.

  “Enough,” Olissa said. “I’m stopping here.”

  “We must be near the boundary,” Lana said. “Do you want me to keep going and finish your experiment?”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Olissa handed her the comb.

  Lana held it up and walked a few hundred feet. “Gone!”

  They went back to the car, and Tyla told Arenia and Parcune, “We couldn’t have walked through the barrier even if we’d wanted to. The repelling force was too strong.”

  “You could ride through in a car, but you wouldn’t want to. You’d be instantly converted to energy,” Lana said.

  “I’ll take your word for it,” Olissa said. “I’d rather not try that experiment.”

  Lana glanced at her watch. “I’ll take you back now. I’m running late.”

  The car leapt forward and Parcune grabbed the dashboard again. This time, Tyla wasn’t afraid. She and Olissa looked at each other and grinned.

  Chapter 16

  Over the next few days, Tyla sent Higgart and Othir to a number of breghlin clans, and they recruited twenty officers. The recruits would live at Elantoth during their training period, and Olissa would help train them. With any luck, that would keep Olissa busy. The opinionated gem master spent far too much time in the office, questioning Tyla’s decisions and offering unwanted advice. Tyla had encouraged her to spend more time in the library. It held a wealth of old books, many of them written in runes, and Olissa could help Arenia translate them. Olissa needed no encouragement to read the book about the Ahmonellian Amulet, and Tyla assured her that when she finished that, there were other rare books on the dusty shelves, waiting to be discovered.