Gabriel Stone and the Wrath of the Solarians

by Shannon Duffy

  As Piper leaned forward and grabbed Gabriel into a hug, his gaze wandered across the room. Lanterns lit Leejor’s cave, the dim lighting casting eerie shadows dancing along the rock walls. Flossie hovered in the corner with Leejor’s wife, Marta, their words only whispers. Marta patted Flossie’s shoulder, and Flossie leaned in and hugged the little woman, as if they were comforting each other.

  This can’t be good.

  Gabriel’s stomach bottomed out. Pulling back from Piper, he asked her, “Is everything okay?”

  Piper shook her head.

  “They’re not … they’re not dead are they—”

  “No,” Brent whispered, his gaze on his shoes. “They’re not dead, but I think they will be soon.”

  Cadence spoke up, addressing Leejor and Eric. “The boy told me the empress and princess are sick and that you think I may be able to help?”

  Eric and Leejor hovered over a long table, the wizard towering over the shorter scientist. Eric looked up from where he had been scanning through a tattered book, and Leejor stopped mixing some kind of solvents held in clear glass vials. Leejor’s gray cloak dusted the ground, and he tugged on the end of his curly black beard as he spoke. “I’ve not seen this illness before. Although I heard stories passed down from my ancestors, this sickness is foreign to me. The empress and princess are so weak and unresponsive to any potion known to me”—Leejor ticked his chin toward Eric—“or medication from the humans either.”

  “I don’t know if Gabriel here told you,” Eric said to Cadence. “But the empress and princess were kidnapped and taken to a planet called Solaria. We figure their illness is an unusual bug they caught there.” Worry lines creased Eric’s face. “Is there anything you can do?”

  A small gasp escaped from Cadence’s lips that made Gabriel’s stomach tumble. “Lead me to them,” she said, searching the room with her pale eyes.

  Leejor led them toward the back and into a narrow finger of the cave. Gabriel remembered sleeping there one night the last time they’d been in Valta, but now it was the empress and princess who lay on their backs in the hammocks, their faces as white as paper, their breathing shallow and raspy.

  A lump grew in Gabriel’s throat that he couldn’t swallow back. Cadence kneeled beside the empress’s hammock. The row of lanterns lining the rock walls sent shimmers of light flickering across their faces. A knot twisted in his gut. Empress Malina had always been so nice to him and his friends, and now she was dying.

  Piper slipped a hand into his and squeezed while Brent pressed in on Gabriel’s other side. “Dude,” he whispered. “You did it—you got the witch out.”

  Gabriel only nodded, too worried about the royals to talk about his well adventure.

  Cadence ran a dirty hand against the empress’s forehead, pushing her fingers through Empress Malina’s blond hair and examining her face. Methodically, she turned the empress’s head to the side and ran long fingers over the base of her neck. Her fingers lingered a little longer along one spot, before she repeated the process on the princess.

  Gabriel couldn’t take it any longer. “What’s wrong with them?”

  Cadence stood. “The Solarians have implanted them with what they call cydra.”

  Gabriel had heard that word before. He racked his brain trying to remember where, when the memory hit him. Dacho had said it back at the portal.

  Something about needing the cydra.

  “What’s cydra?” Eric asked her.

  “It’s a mechanical device created in the Solarians’ futuristic labs,” she replied. “The cydra have unusual abilities. It looks like a bug with many legs. And it’s those legs that attach themselves to the nervous system of the host and absorb their immunities. Immunities are what you need to fight disease. Without them, your body grows weak and will eventually die.”

  Gabriel gasped. He remembered seeing the old drawings in the black witch’s cave and one of the sketches had looked like a bug with a million legs.

  Piper rushed to Princess Evangeline’s hammock and dropped to her knees.

  Cydra. “Immunities … ” Gabriel said, thinking out loud. “Dacho said he wanted to find immunities for some virus he blames on humans. He’s desperate to get them from anywhere, so that must be why they’re using those bug-looking creatures called cydra!”

  “Kind of brings new meaning to the term flu bug,” Brent said. “That’s what his robots were trying to do by collecting blood from Crimson Lake. They were trying to find immunities in the blood. I knew something was up with those suckers.”

  Piper turned pleading eyes on Cadence. “There’s an alien-made bug inside of them? You have to take it out! Please!” One fat tear tumbled down her cheek as she picked up the princess’s hand.

  “There isn’t much time,” Cadence said. “I need you all out of here to let me work my magic—magic that was passed on to me by the ancient witches in my family.”

  Piper gave a quick kiss to the back of Princess Evangeline’s hand before Cadence ushered them back out to the main part of the cave. Then Cadence turned and disappeared into the shadows.

  Flossie and Marta hurried over. Flossie ran her hands up and down Gabriel’s arms. “You poor boy,” she said. “You’ve had far too much to worry about for a young boy. And now this.” Her eyes glazed over before she pulled him in for a hug.

  “Hush now,” Marta said, her pointy ears twitching. “He’ll be fine. He’s a tough boy.” She led Gabriel to a seat at a small table and offered him a glass of water. He took a giant gulp to wet his dry throat, and soon chanting drifted out of the finger of the cave, ringing through his ears like a melody. There was something soothing about Cadence’s voice, her words magical, soothing his pounding heart. He said a silent prayer, wishing it would also work its magic on the empress and princess.

  ***

  An hour later, Cadence stepped out from the inlet in the cave.

  Gabriel jumped up from his chair and stared at the witch. A moment later, Empress Malina and Princess Evangeline shuffled out behind her.

  “Empress!” Gabriel called as Piper ran and hugged the princess. They still looked pale with dark circles under their eyes, but they were standing!

  Flossie looped her arm through Empress Malina’s and led her to a chair. Piper did the same with the princess.

  “That was unusual,” Princess Evangeline said, taking a drink that Marta had offered her.

  “The portal,” Empress Malina said. “The Solarians—we need to stop them.”

  “I destroyed it,” Gabriel said. “They’re gone, and the locusts too. Prince Oliver asked us to come and help when the Solarians kidnapped you guys, so we know about everything.”

  Empress Malina gave a weak smile. “Thank you, Gabriel. I am so sorry I misled you with my wishes while I was on Solaria. When I advised you to destroy the planet of Solaria, I was not myself … and now we know why.” Gabriel knew she meant the cydra had made her sick, and that when she’d said for him to blow up the planet or whatever, it was the sickness talking, not her, not really. He was only glad he hadn’t done something really stupid and destroy a whole freaking planet. The empress took a drink, then cast soft eyes on Brent and Piper. “And you two as well. All three of you are so special. My son was wise to have asked for your help.”

  “I’m feeling better by the second,” Princess Evangeline said.

  A smirk twisted Cadence’s lips. “You’d think it was magic or something.”

  “I think we should have a victory meal at the palace,” Empress Malina said, the color already returning to her cheeks.

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Brent said with a laugh.

  “But wait!” Piper gaped from Cadence to Gabriel like they were two cards short of a full deck. “Where’s Finley? He has the soul vase.”

  Gabriel slapped his forehead. They couldn’t forget Jasra’s essence, along with all of the other souls that were still trapped in the vase. Where was his monkey friend? He thought about it a sec and finally
remembered. He blew out a sigh of relief. “Finley’s at the palace with the vase and the prince,” Gabriel told her. “They’re waiting for us. I’m sure they’re totally freaked out wondering what’s going on.”

  “Well now.” The empress pushed her chair back from the table and stood. “Then I say we get going.”

  ***

  The castle already hummed with party music. Workers rushed around cleaning the stained-glass windows, polishing the white marble floor, and singing while they worked. Gabriel was sure everyone was happy for the return of their empress and princess.

  After the prince was reunited with his mother and sister, Flossie headed to the kitchen to help the chefs prepare for the feast. Gabriel was glad about that because there was no better chef in all of Valta or Willow Creek than Flossie.

  But before they could eat, they needed to release Jasra and the others from the vase. Finley jumping up and down with the colorful thing was an added reminder of the one very important task left.

  Piper took the vase from Finley and held it out to Cadence. “A very good friend of ours is trapped in here. Can you get him out?”

  “It’s Jasra,” Gabriel told the empress when she eyed the vase with curiosity. “And lots of other souls, too.”

  “Cadence,” Empress Malina said, stepping forward. “Thank you for helping Gabriel and for saving my daughter and I. For this, I offer you asylum from your sister right here in this palace. But if you could find it in your heart to help save those lost within the vase, I would be eternally grateful.”

  Cadence, still covered in dirt and with exhaustion covering her face, replied, “I know what it’s like to be trapped, dear empress. It would be my honor to release the souls trapped in the soul vase by my wicked sister.” She gently took the vase from Piper.

  Everyone followed Cadence outside onto the cobblestone walkway in front of the palace. She held the colorful vase up to the sky. Reciting a mystic poem that sounded like another language, her eyes rolled back in her head and she tilted her chin upward. Halfway through her incantation, steam began pouring out from the vase, shimmering into a rainbow mist.

  “Whoa,” Brent said in amazement.

  And then the weirdest thing happened. The mist turned to shapes. Some forms were people, others were animals, and some a mix of both—like Jasra. Laughter and giggles filled the air from the entities. Best of all, Jasra appeared and slid toward them, his form a ghostly silhouette.

  “Thank you, my friends,” he said, his voice full of happiness.

  Piper’s face lit up into a giant smile. “Jasra!” she said. “You’re free!”

  “I am,” he said, reaching a vaporous hand out that dusted over her face. “Yes, I am. Thank you, sweet girl, thank you all.” Then he tilted his head back, his antlers dipping backward. His face shone with a humongous smile. “Mother!” he called.

  Gabriel searched the sky that was now full of ascending souls. He spotted a familiar misty image. It had the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a moose—the same species as Jasra.

  “Jasra,” the figure called. “It’s time to go, son.” She reached her arms out and Jasra floated skyward.

  “Good-bye, my friends,” he called.

  Gabriel kept blinking, feeling like he had dust in his eyes.

  And then, all the souls were gone, released and safe in the place that Jasra had called the ever-after.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  The scent of food cooking filled the palace and made Gabriel’s mouth water. They all took baths, and by the time he got out of the tub, the crystal-clear water had turned dark and murky. Gabriel dried his tired and achy bones, and dressed in clothes the prince had given him. He eyed his reflection in the mirror, admiring the new threads. He pushed the white shirt sleeves to his elbows and tucked the shirt’s long tail into the black pants before buttoning up the navy blue vest. Then he cinched the belt and rolled the long pants up. Even though the clothes were too big, he had to admit it was pretty cool to dress up as a prince. With a quick run of his fingers through his wet hair, he was off. Food was calling his name.

  The huge dining hall hummed with happy voices and soft music. Princess Evangeline rushed up and grabbed his hand. “This way,” she said, giggling and tugging him through the crowd of people. He laughed with her, happy that she seemed to be herself again. The princess pulled out a seat for him at the giant table that was decked out with a burgundy silk tablecloth and golden candleholders securing ivory-lit candles. The food and all the amazing smells nearly made Gabriel faint with hunger.

  “Wow,” he said, eyeing the massive turkey, the stuffing, and every vegetable imaginable that lined the table. It was like Thanksgiving dinner on steroids. Brent held up a turkey leg from the end of the table. “Dude!” he called, waving the meat into the air while his white shirt sleeve dipped into a tub of gravy. “Best food ever!” He gnawed off a giant bite, sending juices dripping down his chin.

  Gabriel’s eyes widened when he saw a girl sitting beside Piper. The girl’s long, dark hair hung over her face as she picked at the food on her plate. He knew that posture, that hair. “Tahlita?” he called.

  She raised her head, shoving her hair behind her ears. “That’d be me,” she said, grinning. “Glad you made it back safely.”

  Gabriel looked around the room. He wondered where Dane was, if all of Tahlita’s memories had come back, if she was happy to be back in Valta, and if she’d completely made up with her dad.

  But Dane was nowhere in sight.

  Gabriel’s stomach tumbled. Did Tahlita remember something bad about Dane? That concept was easy to imagine. But if she did, was she planning on ditching her dad for good—in Willow Creek? That couldn’t happen.

  As if sensing how Gabriel was feeling, or maybe reading the goofy expression that was most likely plastered across his face, Tahlita spoke up. “You looking for my father?” She downed her drink, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and adding, “He went in the kitchen looking for something.”

  Gabriel took a gulp of his iced tea to wet his sandpaper tongue. He cleared his throat. “Is, um, everything cool with you guys now?”

  Just then, Dane sauntered out from the kitchen with a huge peppermill. As if the dude wasn’t spicy enough. “Yes, Gabriel. All is well,” Dane answered for her. “My darling daughter remembers everything, and Valta is at peace. Finally.” He smirked as he took a seat beside Tahlita. With a smile, she rested her head against Dane’s arm a second as he continued talking. Just that motion alone made Gabriel heave an inward sigh of relief. Things were definitely cool between them.

  “I figure the powers I gave you and your friends were paramount in achieving what was accomplished,” Dane said, once again taking credit for any success. “Zeverons are a marvelous species—the best in fact, wouldn’t you say?” He twisted the peppermill above his plate, the large device making loud crunching sounds as he did. Oddly, as the pepper sprinkled out, the stuff suspended in mid-air like black dust, twirling in circles.

  Dane’s eyes pulled to his left. “Tahlita … ”

  Piper giggled, followed by Tahlita and Princess Evangeline. Gabriel realized that Tahlita was messing with the stuff with her magic. He stifled a laugh.

  “Zeverons are marvelous, father,” she said, “But so are humans. Right?”

  Dane grumbled, but didn’t answer.

  “Father?” Tahlita pressed, the pepper swirling in faster circles now.

  “Yes, darling,” Dane finally answered. “I suppose you’re right.”

  The pepper dropped on top of his food.

  Brent and Gabriel joined the girls in laughing. Gabriel was relieved there’d be no pepper fight that day.

  “Yo,” Brent said to Gabriel, waving a spoonful of mashed potato in the air. “You gonna eat or what? Seriously, this food is, like, amazing.”

  “And the pizza is too,” Flossie said, scurrying out of the kitchen and laying a huge pepperoni pie in front of Gabriel. “Human children always need pizza
for backup, right?”

  “Yes!” Gabriel grabbed a piece of his favorite food and sank his teeth into the ooey, gooey awesomeness just as Finley hopped up onto the back of his chair with a happy squeal.

  “Me happy Gabrul not hurt,” the monkey said.

  “Me too, Fin,” Gabriel answered. “Mmm. Thanks so much, Flossie.”

  “Mrs. Lethbridge,” the empress called from across the table.

  Flossie wiped her hands on her apron. “Oh, call me Dorothy or even Flossie is fine, Empress,” she said.

  “Flossie it is.” The empress lifted a golden goblet from the table with a smile. “You represent the human race’s cooking skills very well. Thank you so much for this lovely preparation.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing, honestly.” Flossie took a seat beside Gabriel and winked at him.

  Gabriel was so busy stuffing his face, he almost missed it when Cadence walked in. Piper nudged his arm. “Is that Cadence?” she asked.

  The white witch was now dressed in a red satin dress that brushed against the floor. Her ivory skin was scrubbed clean, and her white hair had been braided down her back. He couldn’t believe it. The witch actually looked pretty like her sister now that she had cleaned up—well, except for her freaky white eyes.

  “Thanks for helping us,” Gabriel said to her as she took a seat across from him.

  She began scooping food onto her plate. “And thank you for rescuing me from the well. I would have never gotten out without your help.”

  Gabriel didn’t tell her that he had been terrified of wells since he was five years old, and just what a miracle it was that he had gone down there to get her. Instead, he inwardly grinned that somehow he’d faced his darkest fear all alone.

  Well, he thought. Not completely alone. Andimian had helped him. He searched the room for the big cat and found him lying on the floor close to the empress. Gabriel sliced off a giant mound of turkey and brought it to the tiger. Andimian dug in. “Thanks for saving me back at the fire,” Gabriel said, patting the tiger’s back. “And for not leaving me alone at the well. You’re awesome.”