The Portals of Tartae- the Land With the Two Moons

by Marcia Soligo

  “Good morning, Cordella. I slept well,” Olivia answered with a half-hearted smile. “Everything smells great!”

  “I improvised a quick breakfast for us. Eat, eat! I’ve already prepared some of it for us to take on our trip. As I said yesterday, we will be leaving soon. The others were warned already.”

  “Others?” asked Olivia.

  “Yes. The Guardians.” Cordella shot a sad look at Olivia. The girl was about to burst with questions, but it never happened. They seemed to dissolve in her mouth, dying when they were just about to pop. The scent of the spices Cordella had used was taking over Olivia’s mind, and she started to eat without giving it a lot of thought.

  Everything was truly delicious. Banana and cinnamon cake, hot chocolate with small chocolate chips melting slowly and giving a heavenly creaminess to the drink, pastries, loaves of bread, jams … all of it carefully placed on a beautiful table set by Cordella. Nothing seemed improvised.

  It didn’t take long for Trevor to burst down the stairs, clearly upset and considerably disheveled. He probably thought for a moment that Olivia had left without him, or he simply didn’t remember exactly what happened the night before.

  “Eat a little, Trevor,” said Cordella, leaving the room with her quick pace.

  “Do you happen to know where we’re going, Olie?” asked Trevor, sitting and serving himself a glass of apple juice. Olivia only shook her head, she was quite embarrassed for not asking about this, or even worse, for not discovering anything.

  Trevor looked at her in disbelief. He seemed to be preparing his lecture when she interrupted him.

  “I didn’t ask anything because I couldn’t, okay? I just couldn’t. I know that wasn’t brave, but I wanted to avoid this whole story for a moment and not ask her all the questions I’ve been asking myself since we got here. I don’t know where we’re going yet, but I believe we’re going to know soon enough, and we won’t need to ask much. I believe she’ll soon tell us everything … But I’m not sure we’re going to like it. And, in my defense, I also just got here. I just woke up too.”

  “I’m gonna ask her now. I thought I would wake up at home and this would be a dream or a bad fairy tale where everybody wakes up after the ‘adventure’ and discovers that it was all just a dream … I need to know at least where we’re going. And you should have asked.”

  Trevor left the kitchen in a bad mood and was soon followed by Olivia. He looked for Cordella and found her on the balcony, staring incessantly at the horizon as if she were waiting for something to happen in the sky.

  “Cordella, where are we going?” Trevor asked harshly. Cordella didn’t face him; she kept looking straight at the horizon. From time to time, she squinted her eyes.

  “We are going to meet the others, and then we will go to the Strage Castle,” said Cordella, who didn’t seem worried about what the boy could be thinking. Her body language was very rigid, and sometimes she would stretch her neck, which was already very long, to see a little further.

  A small dot appeared far away in the sky. Cordella relaxed and turned, looking deeply at Trevor for the first time since he arrived on the balcony.

  “We are going to the Strage Castle to destroy the Book of the Portals, and I hope you two can complete this journey with us. It’s time to go.”

  “Strage Castle? Destroy what?” asked Trevor, noticing that the information didn’t help him much after all.

  “We need to destroy the Book of the Portals,” Cordella whispered without paying much attention since she was already getting ready to leave. “Hurry up. It’s not safe to talk about this here.”

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not leaving. Cordella, I have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ve been talking about books and meeting people, and we can barely understand where we are. You can’t expect us to follow you around when we don’t know anything.” Trevor was trying to sound polite and in complete control of it all, but his voice and his wide, desperate eyes gave him away. As he said all of those things, something inside Olivia clicked, and she could see his point more clearly. It was as though she had been numb, maybe because this whole idea seemed more interesting than the life she was living. Or maybe it was something else. Perhaps she was under some kind of spell.

  “I thought I had given you enough information yesterday. I’m so sorry, Trevor, but there’s no way I can say more than that.” Cordella was calm, and her voice was as soft as the morning itself. Olivia felt like she had seen that understanding look before.

  “Well, I need more. And I’m sure Olivia needs more too.”

  “Cordella.” Olivia spoke for the first time, walking toward the woman. “Just help us understand a little more. Why can’t we know everything now? What could happen?”

  Cordella sighed and was quiet for a while, breathing deeply and clearly carefully considering her next step.

  “You’ve always wanted to learn more, and I’ve always taught you,” she whispered very low. “Tartae is now a dangerous place—especially for the pair of you—and things can get deadly quickly. Someone brought you here when they shouldn’t have, and that says something. All I can tell you at this moment is that we will be meeting with other people who can help and protect you. And I promise, if you choose to go back to Leve, you will. I know it may seem too much to ask from you, but I need you to trust. Find it in your heart to trust in me.”

  Cordella finished speaking and walked toward some bags on the balcony’s floor. Apparently, all of their stuff was already there, and they should be ready to go. Trevor took one of the bags from Cordella’s hand and put a backpack on his back. Olivia grabbed some things too. It wasn’t much, and it was very light.

  “Are you sure this is everything, Cordella?” asked Olivia.

  “These bags seem hardly enough for a journey. But, I have no idea of how much someone should take to rescue a book,” said Trevor with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Yes. It’s all here. One of the perks of having magic,” said Cordella with a smirk. It was the first time they’d seen her make a joke.

  There was a strange mood hovering over them now. Olivia and Trevor wanted answers and they felt somewhat guilty. It seemed that they were there to help, but apparently, they had forgotten everything they once knew. At this point, they would probably only be in everybody’s way. They had done next to nothing until now, but the little they did was wrong: getting there by surprise in the middle of the night in a city that was under alert for some reason they still didn’t know. And of course, they couldn’t remember a thing.

  “Your weapons.” Cordella handed the bow and arrow to Trevor and the silver sword to Olivia. As Olivia touched it, a shiver ran down her spine.

  Olivia and Trevor looked at their weapons for a moment. They had no courage to look at each other or to make any questions to Cordella anymore. But inside their minds, they were trying to make sense of it all. How many times had they used those weapons before, for what reason did they use them and why did they have them in the first place? Would the answer to these questions scare them? Maybe some things are better left in the dark.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The Guardians

  They walked in silence. Olivia, Trevor, and Cordella marched down through what looked like the main street of the village. The same street surrounded by houses, restaurants, and stores where they arrived the night before. The difference now was that Cordella wasn’t terrified anymore. Maybe there was no real threat now, no one hunting them during the day; maybe the real danger was only at night. But at the same time, Cordella was measuring her words as if simply saying something wrong could be their doom. Maybe … The enormous number of “maybes” started to suffocate Olivia. The increasing number of unanswered questions was making her stomach turn; it was something physical, it was a fact. Her stomach was probably protesting against the persistent sensation of despair and uncertainty.

  The street was still very empty, and all the stores were closed. Only a few people passed by here a
nd there, and Cordella seemed to be hiding from them. She walked quickly, and Olivia and Trevor were doing their best to keep up with her, but they were also looking around and analyzing all that surrounded them.

  “Why is this village this way … so quiet? It looks abandoned,” said Trevor.

  “Victro wasn’t always like this, Trevor,” answered Cordella. “Victro was once a colorful city, full of life. But when its people felt the changes, they wanted to protect their loved ones, and they started to hide or abandon their homes. Even though no one, except for the Clan, really knows what is happening, people can feel something has changed.”

  Cordella led them to an old building. It looked like the remains of a restaurant, vacant a long time ago. Its signage was falling apart, and the wooden walls were full of mold and dirt, giving the place such an unappealing aspect that it was hard to believe that the restaurant was still operating. ‘Fox’s Mouth’ was written on the sign, and the letter “x” hung by a thread. Some of the other letters were long gone, leaving only a light shadow there to tell the story.

  The small group entered through a door made of glass rectangles blurred by layers and layers of dirt that showed years of noticeable lack of tidiness. Inside, the bar was exactly what one would expect: dark and all made of old wood. Strange music played, out of key and strident. Behind the counter, an old man with long, curly white hair stood with his back to the door, cleaning the glasses on the shelf. Besides him, there was only one other person, sitting at a table. This red-haired man got up as soon as he saw the group enter and proceeded to the back door, holding it open for them.

  Olivia and Trevor followed as though they were blindfolded. The group walked for a while through a green field with some trees here and there. They passed by the bar fences and saw some horses and two men dressed in what looked like Tartae’s latest fashion: dark pants, loose buttoned shirts, and vests.

  “How does it look, Cordella?” asked the red-haired man in an almost inaudible whisper, tilting his head in Cordella’s direction. His hair and beard were so intensely red that they looked like fire. He was of average height and a little overweight, carrying most of his weight right in his belly. His light green shirt was covered by a brown vest, adorned with red embellishments that sparkled when exposed to the sun.

  “Dreadful. We are in the dark. We might as well only have started today. We need to act,” she answered, not flinching away.

  Olivia and Trevor looked at each other. They were aware that the strange man and Cordella were talking about them and their current situation, but that conversation could be the prelude of a more elaborate explanation that Olivia and Trevor so needed. So they let it go on, not even dreaming of interrupting Cordella and the red-haired man.

  They finally arrived where the rest of the group was waiting. Cordella stopped and took a deep breath.

  “Olivia, Trevor, as I said before, we are going to the Strage Castle, and these are our companions. This is Alavro Talbote; he’s one of the Guardians of the Portals and Ourivio’s Keys.” She pointed politely to the men with hair like fire. His small eyes were a deep, bright blue and filled with kindness. He inclined his head in reverence and shook their hands. It was clear that he was trying to make this whole introduction look natural, but his anguish was almost palpable.

  “This is Bran Talbote,” continued Cordella, introducing them to a tall, handsome young man. His hair was black and fell gracefully on his face; he had equally bright blue eyes. “He is Alavro’s son. And this is Kirk Saye, our friend and helper. They are your friends. You can trust them with your life.” Kirk was strong and had brownish hair. His eyes were happy and black, and his nose very small and pointy. He wore a big smile on his face, the only one in the group who didn’t seem bothered by anything.

  “It’s very nice to meet you all,” said Olivia, smiling, followed by an awkward silence that she soon broke. “Cordella … Could you tell us more about this Strage Castle?”

  “The Strage Castle is located east of Victro, our village, where we are right now. We must leave here quickly and keep you two safe. Here, we are nothing but an easy target. You two need to train, need to get back on your feet and remember what you have already learned. I mean, if you choose to come with us to Strage.”

  “I understand you two have a lot of questions, but it’s impossible to discuss them here,” said Alavro, looking kindly at both of them. “We need to keep your arrival a secret, and no one can know you don’t remember a thing about Tartae. This is their doing. Their plan. And that’s why we must make them believe it hasn’t happened.”

  “Wouldn’t it be better if you all go on without us? Wouldn’t it be better for us to just go back to where we came from now?”

  “Maybe, Trevor. And believe us when we say you two have that choice. It won’t be easy to take you back now, but we can always try. Nevertheless, your presence here is crucial, and you knew that, which is why you have always chosen to stay, and then to come back. Our lives are made of choices, and as soon as we find a safe place to talk, you will be able to make yours again.” Alavro finished his speech with an enigmatic look. A mix of hope and disappointment.

  The group started to climb onto their horses. Olivia and Trevor hesitated; it’s been a long time since Olivia last been on a horse’s back and Trevor had never ridden one before, and those two looked particularly huge. Noticing their hesitation, Bran offered to help.

  “Is this horse called Skyscraper, by any chance?” Trevor looked at the brown stallion with disdain. But the animal seemed to know him and was waiting to be petted. Olivia thought to herself that this was what usually happened: Trevor would see his loyal companion after a long time away and pet him a little bit before they were off once again in an adventure of some sort. When Trevor started to climb awkwardly onto the horse, Olivia couldn’t hold in a laugh. “Oh, my furry friend … there’ll be no treats for you today.”

  “Do you also need help?” asked Bran, looking at Olivia, who smiled and nodded. “All right, let me help you. It’s simple enough, you see.”

  Bran was spectacularly strong, and Olivia felt like a leaf while being lifted by the boy. Maybe people could have superpowers in this land, or maybe she was just too weak … And even so, she could be going to war carrying a sword any day now. She smiled at the irony.

  “Thank you, Bran,” said Olivia, still feeling quite uncomfortable on the horse. But the animal was gentle and also appeared to know her well, making her feel more relaxed by the minute. She ran her fingers through the horse’s white mane and golden coat, feeling the pureness of the creature. It made her heart warm.

  They finally left to the east, riding at an easy pace so Olivia and Trevor could follow.

  They rode down a tranquil road. Nothing different or dangerous seemed to prowl around here. The road was nothing more than a road; a place with no surprises. They were surrounded by green fields, grass, and some bushes. From time to time, Olivia felt as if some of the plants were moving and shrinking as they passed by, just like the night before. The plants around that place behaved in a very different way than what she was used to. And even though things seemed to be unexceptional, it was better to be prepared for surprises.

  “How is your wrist?” asked Bran, getting closer to her.

  “It’s okay, but it still hurts. By the way, how do you know about my wrist?” Olivia glanced at him angrily but quickly looked back to her horse, clearly nervous about the experience. The horse was tall and slipping to the sides was a strong possibility.

  “I was with you when that happened. We were all together. You can relax; I heard my father say they will tell you everything soon, and I don’t think I should get in their way.”

  “I happen to think otherwise. I think you should tell us what you know now. We’re in the dark, we don’t know anything, and being very honest, it gets scarier with every passing minute. Look at Trevor!” Trevor was riding just in front of them and complaining all the time. His mumbles were loud and solemnly ignored by Al
avro and Cordella, who were just next to him and talked about trivialities such as the seasonal flowers they had in their gardens, and how they needed to be cultivated with special soil that was only found in Slintor, and how they bloomed beautifully at dawn.

  Bran smiled and stayed by Olivia’s side. Apparently, everyone thought that ignoring them and their questions was the best thing to do. Olivia just hoped that it wouldn’t always be like this.

  Kirk was galloping much faster than the others; he appeared to be too anxious to keep the easy pace. From time to time, he looked back and slowed down, trying to wait for the rest of the group. However, it was noticeable that he wasn’t capable of maintaining that for a long time. At least they were all showing a certain kind of tranquility, and that made Olivia calmer too. She couldn’t help but think that they could have gotten another kind of transportation if they were really in a hurry. It could be something other than fast cars, something that was available in a place like Tartae. Maybe a carriage of some sort would be a good option, considering no one would have to slow down because of the two beginners.

  Since no one seemed to be willing to give Olivia any answers, she figured this would be a good time just to observe. She had learned through past experiences that when she silently observed people, she could discover a lot. Much more than what scratched the surface, much more than what the words chose to show. People would say things when they didn’t mean them. And sometimes Olivia wished that she were a little bit more like that, and a little less transparent. Her eyes would tell everyone everything. Even, and especially, when she just wanted them to stay silent.

  Olivia studied the group, noticing the small details. How everybody was always too close to her and Trevor; how every so often they looked up. Bran was always by her side, and a gorgeous white eagle flew over them. The animal was enormous, and some of the feathers adorning its wings and chest were sand-colored, others almost red.