Science Fiction and Fantasy Box Set 1: The Squishies Series

by Claire Chilton

  She didn’t know what to make of that. Was Derobmi going to be dragged into a war?

  She stood at the fax machine, waiting. Harry had promised to send her some news clippings about Mr. Ernendez straight away.

  She impatiently tapped her nails on the desk. None of this was making any sense to her, but she knew her husband’s killer was somehow tied to it all.

  Bob and Parklon collapsed against the grimy tunnel wall, staring at the boulder they had just spent the last hour moving out of the way, which revealed a small gap in the side of the tunnel.

  “Will we fit?” Parklon asked.

  Bob eyed the gap carefully as he wiped his brow on his sleeve.

  “Aye, in a minute, mate. We’ll go through it. Just let me get my breath back.” He gasped as he slumped against the wall.

  Parklon stood up and brushed his hands on his jeans. Unlike his orange friend, he quite enjoyed the work out. He patiently waited until Bob stood up to lead the way.

  Over the course of the longest night of his life, he was beginning to get used to the shifty orange guy. Even stranger, he was beginning to respect his methods too.

  Bob peered through the gap, and then turned back and grinned at Parklon. “Bingo mate, we’ve just hit the jackpot,” he said before sliding through the gap.

  Parklon followed him through into a massive underground chamber that was lined with bookcases.

  The room contained an ornate old desk beside a large red velvet chair. Ancient coats of arms adorned the walls, and at the center of the chamber was a sunken floor, containing a magnificent circular chest.

  Parklon examined the chest. It was decorated with thick gold clasps. An arch symbol with a spear piercing it was engraved into the lid.

  Both he and Bob moved toward the chest, which was the centerpiece of the room.

  Bob lifted the lid and peered inside, revealing ancient books and aging scrolls that filled the massive chest. The pages were yellowing and fragile, and the dusty volumes each had the arch symbol pierced by a spear emblazoned on their spines.

  “I think what we’re looking for will be in here,” Bob said. “Fancy some light reading?”

  Parklon picked up a book called the Secret Annex of Rhecknaw and flipped it open. The text was ancient, and the words were written in old Dumfollobian. History seemed to come of the pages in waves as he tried to translate the text, reading it aloud.

  LEGENDS AS OLD AS THE PLANET ITSELF TELL TALES OF THE DEMON KARIN AND HER LIFE IN THE HUMAN REALM. IT IS SAID THAT HER OWN OBSESSION FOR A HUMAN MALE BROUGHT HER WRATH ON ALL OF MANKIND. WHEN ABANDONED BY HER LOVER FOR A RHECKNAW FEMALE, KARIN CAST A CURSE ON BOTH GENDERS.

  Parklon shot a worried glance at Bob before continuing.

  BY TAINTING THE WATERS WITH HER OWN DEMONIC BLOOD, SHE PASSED HER DARK POWERS TO THE WOMEN OF RHECKNAW, THUS MAKING THE MALES LESS THAN EQUAL. MANY WOMEN WORSHIPPED KARIN FOR HER GIFTS UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HER GIFT WAS A TREACHEROUS ONE. THE MALES COULD TAKE BACK THE POWER IF THEY TOOK THE FEMALE’S LIFE-FORCE.

  KARIN’S CURSE WAS BOUND WHEN RHECKNAW WAS NEARING EXTINCTION.

  “Wait a minute.” Bob interrupted. “They’ve got demon in ‘em?”

  Parklon shrugged. Carla didn’t seem very demonic. “It’s just a book. Shall, I keep reading it?”

  Bob nodded with a frown knotting his brow.

  Parklon continued reading the story:

  FOUR WARRIORS OF THE TEMPLES SET OUT TO END THE DARKNESS THAT WAS PLAGUING THEIR HOMELAND. THEY DEFEATED KARIN IN A BLOODY BATTLE, AND HER BLACK BLOOD WAS ENCASED IN A VAULT AND SEALED FOR ALL TIME SINCE IT COULD NOT BE DESTROYED.

  RHECKNAW SURVIVED AND THRIVED ONCE THE DARKNESS WAS GONE.

  ONLY ONE WARRIOR SURVIVED THE BATTLE WITH THE DEMON, AND SHE DIED SHORTLY AFTER, TAKING THE LOCATION OF THE VAULT WITH HER.

  IT IS NOW HUNDREDS OF YEARS SINCE THIS LEGEND WAS FIRST TOLD, AND THE RITES OF KARIN HAVE BEGUN TO APPEAR ONCE MORE.

  OUR QUEEN IS INFECTED, AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE OUR LAND IS ONCE MORE PLAGUED IN DARKNESS…

  Parklon put the book down and glanced at Bob.

  “So that’s why they have special powers. It’s from this Karin demon it mentions,” Bob said thoughtfully.

  “Why do I get the feeling that you’re not just down here for Carla?” Parklon narrowed his eyes at Bob.

  “I’m here, aren’t I?” Bob tried to appear offended, but a sheepish expression crossed his face at the same time.

  Parklon shot him a dark scowl.

  After a moment, Bob rolled his eyes. “Okay, I might have been looking for a book in here too, but it still helps Carla. If we find out what they want from her, then we know what they’re going to do next. And, mate,” Bob said pointedly, “Carla’s in trouble.”

  “But she doesn’t have demon blood in her!” Parklon said, defensively folding his arm.

  “Are you sure?” Bob asked. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Any girl from there is in trouble.”

  Parklon frowned. “What’s her special power then, sarcasm?”

  Bob shrugged. “Or chaos?”

  Parklon’s jaw tightened. “If they get near her with Zoremones …” His eyes darkened with anger. “We better find her soon.”

  It had seemed like a lifetime before the modem started bleeping inside the fax machine, and it finally began printing. Amelia knew she was close to an answer, just not how close.

  The page slowly crept into view as it lurched out of the fax machine line by line. The top of the page came out first with a thick black headline:

  TRELL GIVES ITS GRADUATES A ROYAL WELCOME.

  As more of the page regurgitated from the mouth of the fax machine, she saw more text and the top of a photograph appear.

  Her eyes quickly scanned the text. It was an article about a member of the royal family graduating from Trell’s finest university, Sraw University.

  There wasn’t much information, just the student’s name, Constanople Ernendez.

  As the fax continued to spew out the page spasmodically, the photograph became clearer. It was of a young man in a graduation gown and hat. He was triumphantly holding a degree rolled up in his hand like a scroll. Behind him were other students doing much the same while they tossed their graduation hats in the air.

  She inhaled sharply. She knew this man. He was older now, more lined and much stockier, but his face was still the same. It was Lord Foamy, Lord Constanople Foamy.

  She sank into the chair behind Daniel’s desk, trembling with shock. Why would Lord Foamy kill her husband?

  It was definitely him. She’d met him on more than one occasion and disliked him every time. He was false, rude and racist. Of course, he was heading the committee that wanted to end all immigration to Derobmi. It would ruin him if the council knew he was an immigrant, especially an illegal one.

  Daniel must have known. Daniel must have been the only one who had known.

  Fury burned through her veins, and her heart pounded. Lord Foamy had killed her husband.

  She slammed her fist on the desk. He wouldn’t get away with it. She was a Maklaw. In Maklaw, you paid with an eye for an eye and a life for a life.

  Lord Foamy smiled when he read the morning paper over breakfast. The headline blared off the front page.

  MORE DEROBMIS INFECTED!

  He’d always known this colony was a weak one, and he’d worked so hard to fit in to it, but in his heart, he’d always known his loyalties lay in Rhecknaw. This illness was from his homelands. He’d first found out when the research on the illness had landed on his desk. He’d made the information disappear and ensured that everyone was vaccinated, except for Krellin of course. When building the next generation and weeding out the weak, Derobmi would need a good leader.

  Then that purple girl had appeared on his radar. It was fate. It had to be, the perfect bride for his son.

  He allowed a wicked smile to play on his lips. There weren’t any loose ends left in that particular project.

  A troubles
ome Zoolaf—who was loosely connected to the disease—had been picked up for the murder of Chancellor Norris. It had all fallen perfectly into place.

  His past had been deleted, and Norris was finally gone. No longer would the annoying chancellor be bothering him about immigrants and begging him to support them. Since it turned out that the Zoolaf scapegoat could be blamed for the disease too, Lord Foamy was very happy with his progress overall.

  Well, there was that Rhecknaw idiot still running around, but he’d sent the wardens after him again, so that should be all neatly tied up soon, too.

  Lord Foamy didn’t know why Rhecknaw was attacking Derobmi, but he knew which side he was on.

  He thought about Krellin. The boy was a chip off the old block. Krellin choosing a Rhecknaw girl was pretty much the best news Lord Foamy had ever had. It couldn’t get any better than this, but it was inevitable that they’d end up together. They were connected.

  Lord Foamy knew about sacrifices. He’d missed his chance for the rites of Karin. He’d been pushed to marry into some Derobmi money and to gain a place in Derobmi society instead. He had known this was important to the master plan, but what a sacrifice to make.

  So when Krellin had come to him that morning and explained he’d found the right girl, Lord Foamy had been worried at first because he was never quite sure what Krellin was thinking. The chances were it would be some docile Derobmi girl, and Lord Foamy wouldn’t have wished that on anyone.

  Lord Foamy’s smile slipped for a few seconds at the thought of Lady Foamy. If only she had been docile.

  When Krellin said it was a purple girl, he was overjoyed, and even more delighted by the thought of Lady Foamy’s reaction to such news. More Rhecknaw in the family meant she’d kick up a fuss, not that it’d do her any good now.

  He would have liked to find out more about who the purple girl was, but he felt a rushed Blooming would be the best plan. After all, even in a foreign land, traditions must be kept.

  He smiled, happily planning the big event in his head.

  He’d told Krellin a little bit about the Blooming. He’d tactfully omitted the unusually high death rate because he didn’t want the boy backing out over something so silly.

  Lady Foamy smiled while she read the book Krellin had given her earlier. He’d said he had a surprise for her. At first, she had been concerned because she could tell by the look on his face that it was important, but the book he’d given her was quite amazing.

  The book talked of such power, the kind of power that could make Derobmi a colony to be reckoned with. Of course, the girl he liked was purple, but Lady Foamy had checked her out. She was a Derobmi through and through, not some Rhecknaw half-breed like her husband. This one had good lineage and a stable Derobmi background. Why, virtually all the Rhecknaw had been knocked out of her. With Krellin beside her, Lady Foamy envisioned a purple princess on the throne of Derobmi royalty.

  Lady Foamy smiled. She quite admired powerful women, and this one had a lot of strength. What more could she ask for than a powerful daughter at her side in the house of Foamy?

  Carla smiled at Krellin as he played with her hair. He smiled back and kissed her forehead.

  “What would you say if I asked you to stay with me forever?” he asked.

  She had never thought so far ahead.

  Can it happen this fast?

  She’d imagined dating and mini weekend adventures, then perhaps a few years later they’d maybe live together when they were older. For a second, she imagined living with Krellin in a blissful bubble of happiness, and then she panicked a bit. This was it. This was her time. Could they really just leave everything else behind and be together?

  She glanced at him, feeling a nervous bubble expand in her stomach.

  “I’d say yes, but how can we?” She felt a little bit sad when reality burst her happy-bubble. “Can we?” she asked. She didn’t believe it, not really.

  He smiled before he gently kissed her lips. He held her tightly against him for a moment.

  “Yes, we can. Under Derobmi law, you can marry a Lord at your age, and I’m seventeen, so it’s okay as long as my parents say yes,” he said.

  Her heart pounded, and she felt as if she’d had the air knocked out of her. Marriage! Her imagination went into romantic overdrive. Then again, reality popped the utopian bubble, and she frowned.

  Don’t get your hopes up. If it sounds like a dream and it feels like a dream, it probably is just a dream.

  “What if they say no?” she mumbled.

  “They won’t,” he said, reassuringly rubbing her back. “I’ve already asked.” He gently squeezed her.

  “So, will you? Will you marry me?” he asked.

  She snuggled deeper into his chest. Part of her wanted to believe it was possible. She wanted to shout ‘yes’ a million times. Another part of her didn’t know what to say. They were too young. It was too soon. There were a million reasons why she should say ‘no’ and only one reason to say ‘yes’.

  But it was an adventure, a crazy whim that could turn into something amazing. She smiled at him and sealed her fate. “Yes,” she said, feeling so happy she might burst.

  He kissed her again, and then beamed a beautiful smile. “There is one downside to all this, you know,” he said.

  She peered up at him, concern knotting her brow.

  “You have to have dinner with my parents tonight.” He laughed. “Don’t look so worried. It’ll be fine. Oh, and Dad has some traditional engagement ceremony thing he wants to do. Is that okay?” he asked.

  She smiled as nervous energy flowed through her body. “Yes, that’s okay. No, wait. I need a change of clothes. I can’t meet your parents looking like this!” She looked down at her crumpled t-shirt and ripped jeans.

  He tightened his hold on her. “Not a chance. I’m not letting go, even if it is just to change your clothes,” he said gruffly.

  She decided she quite liked his gruff voice and giggled in his arms. This love was a weird drug.

  “But, I can’t meet your parents all skanky,” she said.

  He kissed her forehead again. “It’s okay. There’s a fashion shop of spare clothes upstairs in the fourteen guest rooms. You can take your pick. Until tonight, I’m not letting you out of my sight.” He sounded so serious, but a part of her liked that too.

  “It’s okay,” she said, smiling into his chest. “I like being your captive.”

  He smiled. “I knew you would.”

  “Annette!” Lady Foamy called out to the maid.

  “Yes m’lady.” Annette dashed into the room panting because she’d just had to run up the fifty-two stairs she’d been polishing.

  Lady Foamy spun around to face Annette, and her lilac ball gown swished around her legs. She handed the maid an amethyst tiara.

  “This needs cleaning before tonight. I want the purple to sparkle,” she told the maid sternly. “We have a very important guest staying tonight, so everything has to be perfect. Tell the chef to make a feast fit for a queen.” Lady Foamy smiled when she mentioned royalty.

  “Yes, m’lady,” Annette said as she bowed her way out of the room.

  “And Annette, I want all the staff in full livery, no shoddy feather dusters to be seen,” Lady Foamy added before the maid left.

  “Yes, m’lady.” Annette left the room carefully holding the tiara.

  She sighed with relief once out of Lady Foamy’s sight. She was glad she finished at six tonight. There was something weird going on. It was as if the walls had eyes.

  She shivered and hurried back down the stairs.

  Parklon and Bob watched Lady Foamy through her mirror while she preened and polished herself.

  They stood in a dank, cavernous passageway. They had discovered that the entire mansion was a labyrinth of secret doors and tunnels.

  Bob motioned for Parklon to silently follow him down the passage and into a small empty chamber where they could talk.

  Parklon followed reluctantly. He was eager to find
Carla and get out of here as soon as possible.

  “What’s up?” he asked Bob when they got to the chamber.

  Bob looked thoughtful. “Right,” he said. Then he paused, frowning. “Right, mate. We’ve been through a fair bit now, and I think I can trust you.” Bob eyed Parklon for a second. “So I’m gonna do something I don’t normally do.”

  Parklon frowned, nodding for Bob to continue.

  “I’m gonna tell you some secrets, mate.”

  His interest was piqued, and he waited silently for Bob to continue.

  “But first you have to level with me,” Bob said. “Did you kill Chancellor Norris?”

  “What? No! How did you know about that?” Parklon asked. “I didn’t kill anyone, but I saw someone kill the chancellor.”

  “That’s what I thought when I saw you run from them Gooblies like you did,” Bob said. “But you can’t always be right, can ye’?” Bob chuckled.

  Parklon scowled at him. Bob just chuckled a bit more before being serious again.

  “Okay, here’s what I know. When I got to this colony, I noticed there was a purple girl in it and—being curious—I checked her out.”

  “It turned out that she’s a bit of a mystery in these parts, and me, I like a mystery. That’s why I got to know Carla. She ain’t no Derobmi, regardless of what some folks will have you believe, so I checked out the old purple colony. Rhecknaw it’s called, and a lot o’ vicious sods they are.”

  “I decided to keep Carla in the dark, because it wouldn’t do her no good to find out she’s related to them lot, and she seemed safe enough ‘ere. So life goes on all happy for a while. Business is good, and I got myself a nice new car. A beautiful orange electric one it was. It went like a dream.”

  Parklon wasn’t entirely sure if Bob had gone off the subject or if the car was important, and then he remembered.