"You don't think less of me because I'm young, do you?"
"I'm young, too, according to Kaldill," I offered a shaky smile. "Age matters not to me."
"Good. I hope—well, we can discuss that later," he ducked his head and nodded.
"Good-night," I said and walked out the door, closing it softly behind me.
* * *
Called to a meeting on Le-Ath Veronis, Kaldill's note read. He'd left it on my bed so I'd be sure to see it. Don't wait up—K.
His initial was written in a beautiful, formal script, which transformed itself from one shape to another while I watched. Sometimes it was decorated with leaves, other times with flowers or birds. I'd never seen such, realizing quickly that Kaldill employed a bit of his extensive power merely to entertain me.
Carefully placing the note next to my black feather on the nightstand, I went about readying myself for bed.
No, the uneasy feeling hadn't gone away, but I'd resigned myself to the fact that I had no power to change anything past what I'd already done. Siriaa's fate was out of my hands, now, although I was prepared to do my best to protect what I could.
* * *
Vogeffa I
"Lord Cayetes, the ship will be in range early tomorrow. Would you like a vid-feed so you may see the destruction?" Vardil's assistant puttered about the bedroom, straightening things and preparing the bed for his ailing master.
"Yes. Have the kitchens prepare my breakfast to coincide with the event," Vardil heaved himself onto the bed and allowed his assistant to cover him with soft blankets.
"I will see it done, my Lord."
* * *
Avii Castle
Quin
Kaldill hadn't returned when I woke early after a restless night. Knowing that an attempt to go back to sleep would be useless, I rose, bathed and dressed before taking flight to the Library terrace.
No others had arrived yet, so I took my favorite bench and watched the sea as the sun broke through clouds and gleamed across the water's surface. Somewhere, on Fyris' western edge, I imagined that the view might be the same from the spires.
That's when the Orb appeared.
Come, it commanded. I hesitated while questions ran through my brain.
Hurry, it said. Standing, I began to walk as it floated away. By the time I reached the Library's interior, I was nearly at a run.
Dena, who'd just appeared, wore an expression of surprise as I passed her swiftly, following the path the Orb chose. When I reached the steps leading downward into the belly of the castle, I could hear Dena's steps hurrying behind us. The Orb quickened its pace, as did I.
Behind me, I could hear Dena's footsteps become a run as she followed. A growing sensation of dread enveloped me the farther down into the castle we went—I followed the Orb, Dena followed me.
Precious time passed as I raced after the glowing ball, while terror squeezed my heart, making it difficult to breathe. By the time we reached the lower levels, I could hear a roaring in my ears.
Perhaps it was foresight—I do not know. Regardless, the Orb led me onward, and I would have followed it except for Dena's shriek.
"No, Quin! That's the gate!"
The fear in her voice forced me to slide to a stop and turn toward her. "What?" The air around us felt thick, making it difficult for my voice to travel the short distance to my friend.
"The gate," her voice sounded slow. Labored.
That's when time stopped—for the briefest of moments. Suddenly, with a clarity that I'd never experienced, I understood exactly what was happening. That when time resumed, Siriaa and all its people would be blasted into the atoms Berel sometimes mentioned.
There was no time to formulate a plan. No time to determine what would be the best decision. Queen Lissa, I mentally shouted her name. They're firing at Siriaa. I sent the image my mind had produced bare moments earlier.
Time resumed.
Siriaa disintegrated.
Dena screamed as the Orb flashed its light and blew me through the gate.
Chapter 18
Le-Ath Veronis
Queen Lissa's Private Journal
Five years have passed since Siriaa's destruction. Without Quin's warning, its people would have died.
I'd already held meetings with those prepared to help before that unexpected event, should Kondar and Yokaru decide to leave their world behind.
As it was, that decision was taken out of their hands by a vindictive criminal bent on the worst sort of revenge. Today, he still manages to elude even the best Kooper has to track him. Five years ago, it took all our power—Kaldill, Ildevar, Trajan, Kooper and I—to remove the population from Siriaa before it was destroyed.
The worlds Marid poisoned are growing worse, while the rest of us sit and wait as infected dust left from Siriaa's destruction travels through space toward unsuspecting worlds. If this were one of Acrimus' carefully laid plans before his death, it was perhaps his masterpiece. Even now, no solution can be found to combat the creatures creating the poison. I worry that eventually, when all is dead within this bubble of universes, that those of us powerful enough will be forced to leave, closing the door to it firmly behind us.
Quin is dead. Dena, the poor woman, wept painfully as she described Quin's last moments before the Orb took matters in hand and destroyed them both by forcing Quin through the gate.
Perhaps that had been Liron's plan all along. Quin had been placed upon Siriaa, perhaps, to act as its temporary keeper in order to save the people. She'd done everything she could to make that happen. Then, her final task accomplished, the Orb had forced her through the gate and then followed.
Today, on the anniversary of Quin's death and the founding of Siriaa's population upon other worlds, Kaldill holds a memorial for his lost love.
He, like the others, mourns her.
Justis, who acts as Jurris' ambassador to Le-Ath Veronis, attends Council meetings with Berel, who holds the position of New Kondar's ambassador to both Le-Ath Veronis and Wyyld II. Outside those duties, he attends University here on Le-Ath Veronis. Aryn calls Berel his best student.
Still, it is painful for either Berel or Justis to speak of Quin.
Avii Castle stands where Gavin suggested it should, in the sea far to the west of Sun City. In a few moments, I will join Dena, Kaldill, Daragar, Justis and Berel outside the entrance to the gate near the castle dungeon. There, where Quin was last seen alive, we will lay a blanket of flowers. Kaldill will place a spell so the blooms will last until the next anniversary.
I imagine he will do this as long as Avii Castle stands.
* * *
Epilogue
My scream at landing in the dark upon something hard and wet was cut off when a large hand clamped over my mouth. "Shh," he hissed in my ear. "Cayetes is hunting bodies again."
The End
Keeper: First Ordinance, Book 2 Page 26
