Neeka Featherstone

by R. J. Lucas

  “He most certainly is,” Kephrym agrees.

  He stands and looks at me, examining my face and rubbing his hand through my hair as if he is searching for something. As his hands float across my shoulders and arms, it reminds me of Amari’s healing touch. I miss her and wish she were here.

  “You remind me of someone,” I say to him.

  “Do I?” he says with a smile. “Is it someone you love or someone you hate?”

  “It’s someone who is very important to me.”

  “Then I’d advise you not to speak their name in this place. The things you love tend to be used against you here.”

  I know all too well what he means. I haven’t been here a full day and Solomon is using Papa and Braam to control me. I remember the story of how he stole the Xulgun child and used it against them as well. He’s obviously a master at manipulating people.

  “Other than a few scrapes and bruises, you seem pretty healthy to me,” the healer says, “but you should finish the food anyway.”

  He’ll get no arguments from me there. I didn’t realize how hungry I was, and the food is delicious. If there were more, I’d probably make myself sick eating too much. I devour the remaining morsels as he leaves the room.

  I grab the last berry which prompts Minerva to take the plate from my hand and set it on a small table.

  “Time to get you dressed,” she says. “They are preparing the stage as we speak, and the gathering horn will soon be sounded. Solomon will be here shortly to escort you for the ceremony.”

  “Everything is always a ceremony with him,” I gripe.

  “It will be much easier on everyone if you go along with him,” she says.

  I don’t like what she says, but I know she’s right. And there is something about her I find comforting and soothing. She is just too weak to stand up to Solomon, I think, and I pity her. Then I realize I am also too weak to stand up to him and I return to pitying myself.

  Minerva opens a small closet and pulls a dress from it. “Here we are,” she says, holding the dress up to me to see if it is the right size. “Looks like it will fit perfectly.”

  She slips it over my head and ties it in the back. Walking me over to a full-length mirror, she asks, “What do you think?”

  It’s a gorgeous, blue, hi-low dress with the hemline falling just above the knee in the front and hanging down to my ankles in the back. Golden ruffles snake around the bottom edge like a ribbon snake swimming through water. At the top, my shoulders are covered, but the opening dips low, almost to my breast and is lined with ruffles just like the ends of my sleeves.

  “It’s beautiful,” I say.

  Minerva looks down at my brown, trek boots and raises an eyebrow.

  “Not much you can do about those,” I say. “They’re part of the package.”

  Minerva smiles and pats my shoulders before whispering into my ear. “I think they are beautiful as well.”

  An elegant, young maiden finishes the look by raising my hair high, making me look taller than I am. She intertwines fur lashings into my hair, and they hang to my shoulders as if a couple of squirrels are hiding in the bundle. It looks amazing, adding toughness to the girly ruffles adorning the dress. I must admit, the new look makes me feel significant and important.

  “I have enjoyed our time together,” Minerva says. Her eyes gleam and she nods. “It’s time for him to come now.”

  No sooner has she disappeared than two protectors arrive at my door, standing at attention as Lord Solomon appears, dressed in blue robes lined with golden lace. He smiles as he looks me up and down. No doubt, pleased at how perfectly we match.

  “It turns out we belong together, my child,” he says, leering at how the dress drapes around my body.

  We leave the beautifully appointed room. I feel vulnerable and uneasy, knowing I have been disarmed of my knives, my garrote wire, and anything else I could hope to use as a weapon. I know a swift kick from my proths could kill him, however. And I imagine what his purple face might look like if I used my hands to choke the life out of him.

  I know I cannot attack him, though. Any pain I visit upon him will be visited upon Braam and Papa tenfold. The frustration of that fact vibrates within me and fills me with anger.

  As we walk, Solomon clasps his hands behind his back. “You see, Neeka. This truly is a joyous day for all of Eden and for you. You will become Eden’s first hero, chosen by the Great Creator himself. People will admire you. Children will idolize you. You will have freedom, but you will follow my every command.”

  “The freedom to leave any time I want”? I ask. “The freedom to pursue the things that are important to me? The freedom to love whomever I want?”

  “There are many kinds of freedom,” Solomon says.

  “No there isn’t,” I tell him. “There is free and there is not free.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” he says and frowns as if I have genuinely hurt his feelings. “But you must also consider your Papa and Braam.”

  “What about them?” I ask.

  “They will, of course, remain my respected guests,” he says. “Or perhaps my tormented prisoners. That is up to you. Papa will share his secrets so my protectors can have weapons and armor as amazing as those legs of yours. Braam will, I don’t know, lift heavy things or something. The point is, my child, they will stay alive and well as long as you don’t get out of line.”

  “Why are you doing this? Why don’t you just kill us?”

  “I don’t expect you to see the wisdom in my actions right away, but you will in time. You may even come to like it here. Now, take my arm and walk with me to the Royal Stage.”

  I wrap my hand around his elbow as he escorts me to the stage and try my best to hold back the vomit amassing at the back of my throat.

  39 - The Hero of Eden

  Solomon and I stand on the stage together. It is perched above the wall that separates Faireburne from Vanvale. The Holy Platform of the Sacred Charter sits just below us. It is the same platform that took my legs eight years ago. The same platform that took Eli from me. I stare at it with a mix of anger and fear. But the brightness of the sun seems to chase away my dark thoughts for now. I squint as I look out and try to find familiar faces in the vastness of the crowd below.

  The news has spread, and they have all gathered. It seems as if every person in Eden has assembled here for Lord Solomon’s announcement. Their faces are all expectant, their necks craned and mouths agape. I see some faces I know; Papa and Braam stand, flanked by protectors. Kephrym, the Royal Healer stands in the crowd as does the caretaker who helped me bathe. I feel pity for them all as Solomon begins speaking.

  “But you are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, a people for mine own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of the Great Creator who called you out of darkness into this marvelous light.” Solomon smiles humbly as if waiting for worship before continuing. “This is a most joyous day for all of Eden. For today, we welcome Eden’s first true hero. The only person, other than myself, to survive exile to the Dread Wastes. She has been chosen by the Great Creator himself to be by my side. He has given her to us as a gift, a treasure. An example for us all. A role model for your children.”

  He turns to me and puts his arms out as if he is presenting me to them. There are mumblings in the crowd. They have heard the rumors, but now they see me. I am real now. They lay eyes upon me and begin to decide if they believe what they have heard, or if they will reject me. This is why Solomon has constructed this ritual. He does not want to let the rumor have a life of its own. He wants to control even the thoughts and opinions of his followers. This ritual is to show them exactly what they must think.

  “However,” he announces. “There is one final test she must pass. She must cross the Sacred Platform of the Holy Charter, unscathed. Only then will we know for sure if she was chosen by the Great Creator.”

  Murmurs rip through the crowd. Debate and wagering. My life is no longer mine. In
this moment, it belongs to them.

  Solomon leans over and whispers in my ear. “Remember, the treatment of those you love is in your hands, so don’t disappoint them or me.”

  Solomon waves his hand forward in the direction of the Holy Platform. I walk down the stairs and over to the place of my brother’s death. Before stepping on it, I think back to the last time I was here with Eli. I remember his face when he stepped on the platform, his look of shock and surprise and my feeling of helplessness as I watched him die. I am overwhelmed with feelings of fear and anger.

  I stand there and wonder what kind of Creator would allow such a man as Solomon to exist. I wonder if maybe that Creator will soon take my life in the same way he did my poor brother. And I find myself longing for it. I want it to be over.

  I think of the pain of living a life without freedom, the painful memories of those I have lost. Eli, Ambrose, and Lydia. The constant threat of death. I fantasize that the platform will take it all from me. Maybe this will be the end.

  I take my first step onto the platform. The crowd gasps.

  Nothing happens.

  I continue walking across the platform toward the crowd. Everyone is still and quiet. The only sound is a light breeze brushing by my ear and I wonder if it is death calling my name. When I reach the other side unscathed, Solomon addresses the crowd.

  “People of Eden,” his voice booms, with an otherworldly volume, “I give you your hero, Neeka Featherstone.”

  The crowd cheers and parts for me as I stroll forward. They reach for me and place their hands on my shoulders as if the mere touch will bring forth a miracle in their lives. These poor misguided souls think I am the one who can save them from their misery. I choke back the tears of sorrow I have for them as they chant my name…

  “Neeka, Neeka, Neeka.”

  Neeka’s story continues in book two, “Queen of the Xulguns.”

  Although the tribe has been scattered and all hope seems lost, their resolve to find justice and a better life in Solomon’s cruel world is not diminished.

  Amid their new reality, Neeka and Amari’s relationship strengthens and blossoms into something even more beautiful. New friends are made, while Isaiah and Braam play crucial roles in planning and prepping for Solomon’s destruction.

  However, Solomon’s power grows stronger daily, especially with the help of Jeremiah’s new inventions. The threat Solomon poses to the rest of the world seems almost insurmountable. He sees Jeremiah as an intelligent inventor, but Papa is more than that. Much more. When those he loves are threatened, he becomes a force to be reckoned with.

  As the world prepares for war, a new kingdom will be discovered. The Queen of the Xulguns will be revealed and it will change everything.

  Be ready for tons of action, adventure, romance, and surprising revelations when “Queen of the Xulguns” is released in Winter 2021/22.

  Lexicon of Eden

  Amplicones – Loudspeakers.

  Atomic Toads - Common card game played throughout the world.

  Baldagaars – Huge, modified beasts that roam the wasteland. Half human. Half…something else.

  Blunderbuss - Roughly made six-shooter revolver with a flared barrel. Not always reliable.

  Bobblegash - Common obscene swear word. Equivalent of “bullshit” in the old world.

  Burnoose – Similar to a cloak. Can be worn with or without a hood. Form-fitting or loose.

  Death Wire – Small tightly wound wire used for cutting. Easily concealed.

  Duv - Sort of like what middle-aged men call waitresses in the old world. Like, "sweetie."

  Glippy – Lacking intelligence. Stupid.

  Goatnuts - Common obscene swear word.

  Hzarla – Sweet pastry roll dipped in coconut chips and drizzled with dark chocolate.

  Kandura – A loose, full-length garment similar to a robe or tunic.

  Keffiyeh - A type of scarf typically worn in hot climates.

  Kiju - An expensive alcoholic drink. Usually only the Royals can afford to partake.

  Krum - A cheap version of Kiju.

  Lobcock - Obscene swear word, usually directed at other citizens. Like “nutsack” in the old world.

  Middlers - The middle-class citizens of Eden that live within Vanvale.

  Plebs - The lower-class citizens that live within Coghaven. The outer city of Eden.

  Plugtail - Obscene swear word, usually directed at another citizen. Like “dickhead” in the old world.

  Proth - A mechanical and/or hydraulic limb or body part.

  Quill – World currency. A small round coin imprinted with Lord Solomon’s mark. The currency is minted only under Lord Solomon’s supervision.

  Royal Flower - Servant or handmaid to Lord Solomon.

  Royals - The privileged and wealthy that live within Fairebourne, the inner city of Eden.

  Rozker - Poisonous plant resembling a rock as a defense mechanism.

  Schmendrick – Homophobic slur.

  Sharmootah – Crazy. Neurotic.

  Skitterer – Common desert lizard.

  Shockstick – Handheld weapon consisting of a long pole with two crystals on the end that deliver a paralyzing or even lethal shock.

  Swampweed – Plant that grows only in the swamps on the edge of Terror Valley. Once harvested, it is dried and smoked from a pipe, providing a soothing and mellow experience.

  Tankard - Metal jug large enough to hold six liters of liquid.

  Teyrelsk – Bird-like creature that dwells in the Dread Wastes.

  Thank You

  I hope you enjoyed reading this book. You can find more of my books as well as books soon to be released at the following site: www.rjlucas.com

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