The UnFolding Collection Two

by S. K. Randolph

  A walk to the window presented another drawback. She loved the ocean, the scent of it, the feel of sea air against her skin, sailing… On the other hand, Mairin, whom she adored, and Lanli had left on a perilous journey, one from which they might not return. Their children, Almiralyn and Allynae, now lived on Myrrh. It seemed everyone she loved had left her behind.

  Fingering the silk of the curtain, she conceded that KcernFensia was her home, and she would miss it. More important, however, Almiralyn would not ask if it were not essential. She dropped the curtain and turned to find Corvus standing behind her. He took her hands in his.

  “Do you still want to come?”

  She squeezed his strong fingers. “Tell Mira I’ll join her as soon as I have taken care of a few details here.”

  Corvus flashed a delighted grin. “The babies are due in six Theran moon cycles, and Sparrow will be moving from her dorm to a new apartment one moon cycle prior to their birth.”

  Henri blinked and laughed. “She’s having twins!” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “And they are girls, identical twin girls. I can’t wait.”

  He wrapped her in a warm embrace, then stepped back to meet her gaze. “Now perhaps Mira can stop worrying. I have to go.” A quick kiss on the cheek and his raven form soared out the window.

  She stared after him until she could no longer see even a speck of black in the sky. Pouring a fresh cup of tea, she sat for some time, absorbing the seriousness of what she had agreed to. Doubt nudged her to renege. Laughter gurgled up in her throat. “I said yes, and I meant it. Finally, an adventure!”

  The soft whir of wings made her set aside her memories. A tiny boy landed on a large leaf. A wide grin encompassed the bottom half of his face. “Welcome to Myrrh. Major Jordett sent me to meet you.”

  Pulling large, lavender rimmed spectacles from her pocket, she perched them on her nose and peered at him.

  “You are a Nyti. Am I correct?”

  “Yep. I’m Ashor, and you’re Henrietta.” He hovered in front of her and pointed. “Those make your eyes really big.”

  “They make you bigger, too. My friends call me Henri.”

  “Mine call me Ash. Come on, the Major and Tinpaca Mondago, the RewFaaran captain, are waiting.”

  Ashor zipped through the tent entrance and hovered near the table. “Henri is here.”

  Jordett excused himself and stepped outside. Tottering toward him was a diminutive, elderly woman. Perched on her white curls was a wide-brimmed hat. On top, periwinkle flowers danced to the rhythm of her steps. He couldn’t help but smile. She was a character, one he found not only entertaining, but also knowledgeable and intelligent.

  “Miss Henrietta, you look quite fetching in your hat. Welcome to Myrrh.” He strode toward her and offered his arm.

  She took it and gave him a coy smile from under her wide brim. “I do love hats, Major. It is good to see you, even if circumstances are not the most favorable.”

  He refrained from patting her hand and led her into the tent. The Tinpaca and an emerald Pentharian stood as she entered.

  “May I present Miss Henrietta Avetlire. Henri, Tinpaca Mondago and Stee.”

  She held out a hand. “Tinpaca, it’s lovely to meet you.”

  He grasped it between his and smiled. “The pleasure is all mine. Welcome. We hope you have good news for us.”

  A tip of her head brought her eyes in line with his. “We shall see, Tinpaca. We shall see.” Withdrawing her hand, she craned her neck to look at the towering Pentharian. Hand on heart, she gave him a gracious smile. “Oid eo daizo raa, Stee.”

  He gazed down at her. The corner of his mouth twitched. Kneeling, he brought his golden eyes in line with her deep violet ones. “Oid eo diazo raa, Miss Henrietta. I honor you as comrade. Zeo a doo.” He touched his forehead to hers and returned to standing.

  She pushed her spectacles higher on her nose, stood on tiptoes to touch his heart, and smiled at each man in turn. “Let us share information. I am needed in the Dojanacks.”

  Jordett placed a chair beside his at the table. Everyone settled and looked expectantly at Mondago.

  With a slight bow of his head, he indicated Henrietta. “Please take the lead, Miss Hen—”

  She raised a hand. “Call me Henri, or we will never accomplish anything. Now, this is what I have arranged in Idronatti.”

  Kieel, the leader of the Terces Wood Nyti, sat on a cross member in the Tinpaca’s tent, listening to the discussion going on below him. Soon Jordett would depart for Thera. Kieel felt a twinge of envy. He had never been away from Myrrh. In fact, he had spent the entirety of his life in his forest home. The more he heard about The Borderlands and The City, the more curious he became. Curiosity, he realized, could get him in big trouble. Still, the urge to see beyond the borders of Myrrh grew greater the more he learned.

  When the discussion ended and Henrietta rose to leave, Kieel shot out the door and hid in the sunflowers near the portal. He chastised himself for being silly, immature, and irresponsible; and yet he neither left nor changed his mind. If Jordett’s going to Idronatti, so am I. He wondered if he should tell his granddaughter or ask permission or perhaps give it up—stay in Myrrh and continue to be the staid, excessively tidy, in-control leader he had always been.

  If I thought the Major would take me, I’d ask. If I ask and he says yes, he’ll feel responsible for me . He stroked his goatee. Why am I driven to do this? It is so unlike me.

  Hovering in the shade of a drooping leaf, he watched Jordett say goodbye to Henri and the Tinpaca. The lenses in her spectacles flashed as she looked his direction. He ducked. Did she see me?

  “Paranoia,” Kieel muttered to himself. “She can’t possibly know I’m here.”

  The elder flashed from sight. Kieel gasped when she reappeared some distance from him, well hidden from the RewFaaran camp, and beckoned.

  Curiosity chased Kieel to the out-stretched hand.

  Henri lifted him to eye level. “I believe you are intending to follow the Major. Is this so?”

  Kieel squared his small shoulders and stared into her magnified eyes. “I know it seems foolish, but I feel compelled.” He twirled his walking stick between his fingers, struggling to disperse the obsession that drove him. “If you tell me to stay here, I will.”

  Her reply was soft and urgent. “Go with him and stay out of sight. He faces more danger than he knows. Keep your eyes and ears open. A time will come when your skills will be needed. He comes. Take care, Kieel.”

  He lifted off her palm. She removed her spectacles, held them in a fisted hand, and vanished.

  Major Jordett, dressed in the uniform of the Peoples Plan Protectors of Idronatti, stood near a single lamppost on the outskirts of The Borderlands, the buffer zone between his home city and Myrrh. He had been absent from Idronatti for over one Myrrhinian moon cycle—just short of three turnings in Theran time. Almiralyn had taken him to Veersuni to see if Elcaro’s Eye would show what was occurring in the city. His journey down the stairway of Retu Erath in the Cavern of Tennisca had left him introspective and quiet. What the fountain had seen fit to share made him even more determined to accomplish the mission he had sketched out for Tinpaca Mondago.

  Idronattian born and bred, he had discovered more about himself and life from his time in Myrrh than he had learned during his entire existence in The City. On his Induction Turning at age fourteen, he had been assigned Law and Order as a profession with a parallel path that included training by the PPP. He had enjoyed his studies at the Theran Institute for Diplomacy and Law and excelled in the classes involving interdisciplinary relationships. By the time he had attained his mid-twenties, he had been assigned to a special branch of the PPP, one that gave him mobility within the ranks of both the police force and the military.

  What surprised him about his sojourn to Veersuni was the anger he felt that his home had been invaded. Idronattians were ill equipped to deal with the challenges they were now facing.

  Fadin, th
e Borderlander who had guided him from Antiques by Q to the portal, cleared his throat. “We’re settin’ up a blockade here, Major. When you’re ready t’ come back, send Majeska ahead o’ ya. She’ll let us know you’re comin’ through.” He paused, cleared his throat again, and shuffled restless feet. “I’d kinda like t’ get goin’…”

  “Thanks, Fadin. Keep your eyes open, and let Dom know if he needs to warn Tinpaca Mondago and Almiralyn of trouble.” Jordett held out a hand.

  The man grasped it. “Be careful, Major.” He loped down a quaint cobblestone lane and rounded a curve out of view.

  Jordett took a final look at The Borderlands. As the ends of his third jogged circle around the lamppost overlapped, he found himself in a small park near the Center for Advanced Healing in the Mid-City District of Idronatti. Remaining in the shade cast by one of the few large trees in the city, he scanned the area. No Idronattians, RewFaarans, or PPP patrollers strolled along the deserted streets. The eerie emptiness kept him immobile. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. Still, he did not move.

  Across the street, a gray cat detached itself from shadow and looked at him with amethyst eyes. He met Majeska’s gaze. Her ears twitched. She turned and darted between two buildings.

  Drying the sweat on his uniform sleeve, he sprinted after her. When he rounded the corner, she sat waiting, her tail whipping the air. His appearance sent her trotting further down the narrow inter-building pass-through. She paused by a set of stairs and glanced back before disappearing into the stairwell. By the time he reached it, she was gone. A door at the bottom of the steps gaped open. He ducked through and closed it behind him. Almiralyn’s gray cat sat washing her ears halfway down the hall.

  Henrietta had made arrangements for him to meet with two officers from specialized branches of the PPP. She had spent time with each and felt reasonably certain that both were interested in helping. The fact that they knew about Myrrh and the existence of other planets in the solar system would make his job easier.

  A quick examination of the hallway informed him that there were exits at both ends. His search of the room where Majeska waited was disappointing. Sparse furnishings, a Personal Needs Space, and a closet. One door in and the same door out. Not great if I need an escape route.

  He had just pulled three chairs into a circle when a soft knock announced his first visitor. Opening the door a crack, he studied the brim-shadowed face of a woman. “May I help you?”

  “I’m a friend of Sparrow and the twins.” She shot a nervous glance down the hall. “Major Jordett?”

  He nodded and stepped aside, so she could enter. “I’m Jordett.”

  She removed her cap and lifted speculative eyes. “I’m Anada.”

  Jordett studied the stern face, the nervous fingers twitching her uniform cap, the reticence he heard in her clipped tone. He understood. They were both at risk—more risk than she could even imagine. He glanced at her uniform. The insignia indicated Unit 11. She was a specialist on Myrrh and The Borderlands. Perhaps she understood more than he guessed.

  He indicated the chairs, took a seat, and relaxed his face into an expression of open interest. “We might not have much time. Please tell me why you decided to come.”

  She sat down on the edge of her chair. “How do I know I can trust you? Ending up in the Five Towers is not on my list of ways to exit this life.”

  “I understand.” He kept his gaze steady. “I’m here because I’m concerned about what is happening to Idronatti. If I can help, I would like to. You know that I am an officer in the PPP’s Diplomatic Division, a liaison between the military and the police branches. My job is to make sure both organizations adhere to the rules of The Plan. Like everyone else, when I turned fourteen sun cycles, my mind was adjusted to obscure any memories of Myrrh. For reasons of planetary security when I was promoted to my current job, they were reinstated, at least to some degree. That’s as much as I’m willing to share until I know you are committed to helping.”

  She fiddled with her cap, turning it one way and then the other. “Since the RewFaaran Army took over the city, I have felt helpless, Major. Only a few PPP officers haven’t been indoctrinated by the group calling themselves Rattori’s Brigade. The Plan has made us followers. Without a leader, the PPP doesn’t know how to function. Ordinary citizens are staying inside, afraid to come out, afraid of alien soldiers in the streets. When Henrietta found me, I had already decided I had to do something. Meeting SparrowLyn and becoming friends with her and Teva taught me what it’s like to have friends of my own choosing. I believe it’s time for Idronattians to learn how to stand on their own.” She looked down at her hat and back. “Are you shocked?”

  He smiled. “Not in the least. I’ve also discovered individual freedom of late.” He leaned closer. “Will you help? It will be dangerous, but it could also be the salvation of this city.”

  A sharp rap on the door and the quiet squeak of it opening interrupted. A tall, well-built man whose uniform indicated a special military unit strode into the room.

  Anada tensed, her expression wary. “Sagus. What are you doing here?”

  He scowled. “I might ask you the same question.”

  Jordett cleared his throat.

  The man snapped to attention and saluted. “Lt. Sagus of the PPP Stealth Corps, sir.”

  “At ease, soldier. Grab a chair and join us.”

  Anada edged toward the door. “I can’t work with him, Major.”

  Sagus blocked her exit. “And I don’t want to work with you.”

  Jordett looked from one to the other. Why can’t life ever be simple?

  When Henrietta arrived at Nemttachenn Tower, she sighed, inhaled the scents of moss and mulchy earth and pine, and let the sounds of the forest soothe her. Life in Idronatti left me starved for nature. Time with Deora in the Central Mountains made me long for home.

  Holding her hat in place, she assessed the height of the granite tower, surveyed the clearing, and contemplated Nemttachenn’s pulsating power. My life is about to change… I can feel it. Time to find Paisley and the Intersect. Too much teleporting is fatiguing for this old lady.

  With a purpose to her tottering stride, she crossed to the entrance and paused. A subtle vibration tingled along her left side. Peering through a spell of invisibility, she smiled. Evolsefil . The temptation to touch the glistening crystal almost overwhelmed her. Instead, she scrutinized the two figures who concentrated on a chess board on the opposite side of the tower. The translucent giant, she felt certain, was the Sentinel of Myrrh, CheeTrann. The large man was Allynae’s friend Paisley. His ebony face beamed with an expression of triumph as he captured a rook, set it beside the board, and leaned back in his chair.

  A rumble of frustration echoed through the tower. CheeTrann leaned forward, his eyes squinted in concentration. The men were so involved that they failed to notice as she made her way over the rough floor to the table and stood scrutinizing the board. In unison, they glanced at each other and then turned surprised eyes her direction.

  She donned her spectacles and her most beguiling smile. Looking from one startled face to the other, she nodded ever so slightly, “I’m Henri. Looks like a close game.”

  CheeTrann rose like a specter of doom. “And how did you manage to sneak up on us?”

  Removing her hat, she tipped her head back and stared at the bearded face. “You were very involved in your game. I didn’t want to interrupt, so I was quiet. You are rather tall, you know.”

  He lowered to sitting and shot a sideways look at Paisley. “Can we trust her?”

  Paisley nodded. “Yep. This is Almiralyn’s Aunt Henrietta. Ashor told me she was on the way.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have sent her into oblivion.”

  Paisley shrugged. “We started a new game. I forgot.”

  CheeTrann shook wavy, white hair back from his face. “Good to meet you, ma’am. I apologize if I frightened you.”

  “No harm done. Mind if I watch. I’m o
n my way to the Dojanacks but would rather not arrive there until late evening.”

  CheeTrann waved a hand. A tall chair appeared. “Please join us.”

  Paisley gave her an eager smile. “Ya got any news?”

  Henri perched primly on the seat. “I have just spent time with Major Jordett and Tinpaca Mondago. They asked me to provide you with an update.” Both men inclined their heads to listen. Henrietta began with the message she had received to come to Almiralyn’s aid.

  The time with CheeTrann and Paisley had passed quickly. They were well matched opponents, and the game had been close. Paisley pouted momentarily when he lost. Then he brightened. “After all,” he said, “another turning will bring another opportunity.” The Sentinel’s laugh of pleasure had echoed off Nemttachenn’s walls like the roar of a rushing river.

  The ride through the Intersect had been quick and easy. She had chosen to arrive in Meos at middle-night for a reason—Almiralyn had asked her to keep her presence a secret.

  The empty square was quiet but for the sound of water tumbling down the rocky fountain at its center. It surprised her that in the midst of war no guards challenged her sudden appearance. What did not surprise her was the tall, slender woman walking toward her from a softly lit tunnel.

  Almiralyn’s wan smile and tired eyes told her much about the state of her niece’s emotions. Myrrh’s Guardian joined her beside the fountain. They embraced and then contemplated the cascading water.

  After a few silent moments, Henrietta glanced up at her niece. “Well, my dear, you called and I came. Where can we talk?”