by P. R. Garcia
To assure no one, human or Terrian, saw Jeanip leave Minnos, he used the secret underground passage that led from his room to the cave. Although he had walked down these steps numerous times since the day he carried Medaron to Minnos, they never seemed as dreary, as dark, as long as they did this day. Finally, he reached the last step and stepped down into the large cavern that allowed him secret access to the ocean. He looked around, remembering when they built this hideaway hundreds of years ago, allowing them a secret, secured way to come and go from Minnos. The cave contained a sleeping area for six, various change of clothing for any Oonocks who wished to come on land, food, medicines, weapons and a large storage chamber where many of Medaron’s things were stored. He made a mental note that certain things would have to be brought down from Medaron’s room and stored down here until they could be taken to Saint’s Isle.
After undressing, Jeanip slipped into the cold, salty water, diving beneath the waves. He swam out a few yards before transforming into a dolphin. Jack and Jill, along with their pod, soon swam alongside him. They would be his escort and protection. Now paranoid a Terrian could be anywhere, Jeanip remained a dolphin and randomly swam outside the bay with the pod until nightfall. Once darkness arrived, he transformed into a Moby and began his dive to the Ocean Complex. For the first time in his life he wished he was not Head Commander, that it was someone else’s duty to advise Enok of the current situation.
When close to the Complex’s entrance, his escort returned to the world above. They would patrol along the shoreline of Minnos, making sure the monarchs inside remained safe. Jeanip uttered several preselected clicks and activated the beacon. He followed the sound and light to the gateway, then followed the tunnel to the Exit Chamber, where he promptly transformed into his true self. It had been a number of years since he had existed in his true form and it felt strange. It took him a moment to remember how to navigate through the water using his wings. As he passed the threshold into the outer chamber he was surprised to see Enok already waiting for him. He sensed Enok knew something was wrong and, by the look of despair on his face, he already suspected the worst.
“Your Majesty,” Jeanip greeted Enok, raising his hand to his forehead and bowed slightly as he floated forward.
“My Medaron, she is gone, is she not?” Enok asked, staring into Jeanip’s lilac eyes. Jeanip could see Enok’s body tense as he awaited the answer, fearing it would confirm his loss.
“Yes, Sire.” Jeanip could barely speak the words. He watched as his sovereign crumbled to the stone floor, a loud scream emanating from deep inside his soul. Jeanip knew Enok had survived through countless tragedies over the years, including the death of his parents and his son, but he wondered how he would recover from this tragedy. He held out his hand and opened it to reveal Medaron’s amulet and chain resting in his palm. “How did you know?”
“I felt her essence in the waters,” Enok said in a thought so small, so soft, Jeanip almost didn’t hear him. Enok reached out and took the amulet from Jeanip’s hand. He held it in front of his face and stared at it, trying to comprehend what the absence of its owner really meant. “I felt her kiss my cheek and I heard her voice tell me she loved me.” Clutching the amulet tightly in his hand, his wings fell to the floor as a new wave of sorrow washed over him.
“I have failed you, Sire. You charged me with her safety and I did not keep that charge. I do not deserve to remain your commander. I do not deserve to live.” Jeanip floated down to the floor and sat beside his grieving leader. All the sorrow of that day came flooding once again into Jeanip as his body shook with grief. Together the king and soldier sat on the floor and cried until they had no more tears left to shed.
“Europa and Earon, are they safe?” Enok asked, his head still hanging down in sorrow as he returned to the present, once more able to control his grief.
“Yes, Sire. Both are well and safe.”
“What happened?”
“It was JeffRa, Enok.”
“JeffRa?” Enok asked, jerking his head up to look at Jeanip to assure himself he heard correctly. “What do you mean it was JeffRa? JeffRa died a thousand years ago. Why do you say it was him?”
“We were wrong, Sire. I was wrong. JeffRa did not die that day he went over the edge with Tiree. I wouldn’t have believed it except Medaron said it was him. She was certain. And there was a lot of Terrian blood at the scene. Plus, we found this.” Jeanip opened up his other hand to reveal the purple oval stone bearing Medaron’s likeness.
Enok reached out his hand and took the stone. He knew no one but JeffRa would have such a stone, which meant he had been there with his Medaron. “The traitor still lives?”
“Yes, Sire, it seems he is still alive.”
“Were there other Terrians as well? Or just JeffRa?”
“I can’t say for sure, but we believe he was alone. Medaron had gone into town without my knowledge and without a security escort. On her way back to the estate she encountered him. He had transformed into a deer and was waiting for Europa.”
“Europa?” Enok asked, a more terrified look crossing his face.
“Yes. Medaron had taken Europa’s red truck and JeffRa believed it was Europa driving it. Evidently, he had come to fulfill his promise to kill your children. Medaron realized who he was and used the truck in an attempt to kill him. From what we can surmise, JeffRa realized at the last minute it was Medaron in the truck and tried to jump out of the way, but Medaron hit him full force. She was thrown from the truck and suffered internal injuries, but somehow managed to crawl over to JeffRa and plunge a shard of glass into his heart. She told me she had killed him, but we could not verify it.”
“Were you the one who returned her to the Waters of Life?”
“Yes, Sire. Medaron asked me to take her so she could flow out and became one with you and the waters.”
“To become one with me? What must she have thought when she flowed out only to discover my essence was not in the water? If only I have been there,” Enok said, the guilt of not being with his life’s mate when she died weighing heavily upon his heart. “She deserved so much better.”
Sensing his guilt, Jeanip added, “Sire, she did not die alone. Runbee’s patrol were there. They gave her all the respect a monarch’s passing deserved.”
“I am glad she did not flow out alone, that she was surrounded by those who loved her. But she still deserved better. She deserved to have me waiting there for her.” Enok paused for a moment, lost in thought. “Did you know Runbee and his group decided on their own to live as dolphins so they could keep an eye on her, Earon and Europa? Over the years, they kept me informed of Europa’s activities and how she was growing into a beautiful young woman. They loved swimming and playing with her.”
“And Europa has enjoyed their company. Of course, she has no idea they are transformed Waters from her homeland. Her friends are always trying to figure out why they only swim with her. She’s the envy of them all.” Jeanip saw the faintest smile on Enok’s face as he imagined his daughter being envied by her friends.
Suddenly Enok’s face transformed from sorrow to anger and realization. “We must assume JeffRa survived and he will try again to kill Europa and Earon.”
“That was my belief also, Sire. Before I left Minnos I made sure both Europa and Earon are under high security lockdown. No one or no-thing can enter the estate, no one can leave. Both wear their amulets. They are safe.”
“But for how long, Jeanip? They cannot stay under high lockdown forever.”
“Medaron requested I take them to FarCore.”
“FarCore?” I don’t believe FarCore is necessary. That would give Europa no life at all. But I do believe she and her brother should be moved to Saint’s Isle.” As Enok thought the words he realized all his and Medaron’s sacrifices, the years apart, all the effort everyone had executed to keep Europa from knowing the truth of who she was, had been wiped out by JeffRa’s
act of vengeance. “She will have to be told the truth of who she really is and the reason for the move, the one thing Medaron and I hoped would never happen. All the sacrifices everyone made these past twenty years to assure her a happy human life wiped away in an instance by a madman’s thirst for vengeance.”
“We always knew this was a possibility and is the reason why Saint’s Isle was built, Enok. And you’re correct. If she and Earon are going to make the move safely, she has to know the truth and understand what is at stake. But I do not have the authority to make that decision. Only her father does. As her father and our Supreme Leader, I need you to tell me how to proceed.”
“You said both my children are safe, but are they doing well?” Enok asked, concerned for the welfare of his children. “I assume it was necessary to inform Earon of where you were going when you left and the reason why? That means you had to inform him I was still alive?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Jeanip replied. “I told him you were alive and well and the reason behind the deception.”
“How did he handle the news?”
“As you might expect, Your Highness,” Jeanip replied, not wanting to add to the Enok’s distress by telling him Earon’s reaction.
Enok turned and stared at his commander. He knew Jeanip was being evasive. “Like I would expect? What kind of answer is that, Jeanip? What I would expect is for him to be terribly angry, to hate me for lying to him and his mother, to spit upon my grave if I had one. Is that how he reacted? Does my son hate me? I have lost my most precious mate; have I lost my son also?”
Jeanip knew he had to tell Enok the truth, but he tried his best to sweeten it. “As you said, he was extremely angry and could not believe you would have concealed your life from him and his mother,” Jeanip replied, as Enok stared at the floor. “But he blames me, Sire, more than you. He believes I betrayed my sister by fulfilling your command.” Jeanip reached out and placed his hand on his sovereign’s wing. “But let me assure you, Enok, he does not hate you. You have not lost your son. He still loves you dearly and, with time, he will come to understand the reason for your decision. He has little knowledge of the Quanundocii and does not understand the repercussions of being separated from the one you are united with. Therefore, he cannot understand why you would make such a decision. He has just lost his mother. There’s an assassin hiding somewhere outside the boundaries of Minnos waiting to end his and his sister’s lives. Give him some time. His anger will subside soon and he will remember how much he loves you.”
“I hope you are correct, Jeanip,” Enok stated. “What of Europa? How is she handling the death of her mother?”
Jeanip did not answer. He expected Enok to give him instructions on how to proceed with the young monarchs’ move, not ask how Europa was handling Medaron’s death. He could feel Enok staring at him.
“Jeanip, how did she react?” Enok asked again, this time with authority in his voice.
“She doesn’t know.”
“What do you mean she does not know? She does not know her mother is gone?” Enok asked, his voice loud, as he rose from the floor and looked down at his commander. “Jeanip, why does she not know Medaron is dead? What else have you not told me?”
“Medaron was still alive when Europa arrived at the accident scene,” Jeanip began to explain. “She knew she only had minutes to live and, in order to preserve who she was and keep Europa safe, she transferred her powers to Europa.”
“What do you mean she transferred her powers? Without any preparation on Europa’s part? She is human, Jeanip. A human cannot absorb such powers.”
“I know, Sire, I know,” Jeanip explained, remembering that terrifying moment in time. “I advised Medaron it was too dangerous, but she would not listen to me. You, more than anyone, know how stubborn she can be and did as she pleased. Plus, she was my queen and she was dying. I could not override her decision. But, Enok, somehow Europa was able to accept the transfer.”
“Her body accepted the energy? She lives?”
Jeanip saw concern cover Enok’s face at the thought of also losing his daughter, the same concern he had felt when Europa collapsed after the transfer. “Yes, Sire, she is alive. The transfer was more than her human body could handle all at once. It put her into a state of unconsciousness, but it appears there was no damage to her organs or her body. Her heart and lungs are strong. Evonic has her sleeping so her body can adjust to the new alien energy that pulses through her body. As soon as I return, we will waken her and my first priority will be to tell her of Medaron’s passing.”
“Medaron must have been truly scared if she did such a transfer. She never would have taken a chance with Europa’s life unless she felt it was necessary to keep her safe. Does Evonic say how the transferred power will affect her? Is she is any danger?”
“He isn’t sure. No human has ever received our powers. But he hopes, by keeping her sleeping, the powers will go dormant and remain that way until she says the words to awaken them. So legends say.”
“Legends? What good are legends here? They are stories about healings and powers that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago on a world far away from this one. Our legends have nothing to do with humans. We did not even know of their existence when these legends were formed.”
“Yes, Sire,” was all Jeanip could say.
Jeanip remained seated on the floor while Enok floating above him, deep in thought, not speaking a word. Jeanip was not sure if Enok was contemplating his course of action or still trying to process everything Jeanip had told him. He watched the gentle swirls of color in the water twirling around him, embracing him, giving him strength. Finally Enok stopped, a look of determination upon his face as he took Medaron’s amulet and placed it around his neck alongside his own.
“JeffRa will not succeed in annihilating my family,” Enok stated. “He will not harm another member as long as I am alive. He fooled me into thinking he was dead, but not this time. This time I will be the one to end HIS life.” Enok looked at his loyal commander, a new determination in his eyes. “Come, Jeanip, we have plans to make. This time we have something JeffRa will not expect.”
“And what is that, Sire?”
“MY REVENGE!”
Jeanip immediately rose and followed Enok, delighted to see a determined and energetic Enok once again. He saw in his sovereign the Enok of old, the leader of a nation, the strategist of war. This was his monarch who would stop at nothing to end JeffRa’s reign of revenge. For the next two and a half days they planned Europa’s and Earon’s transfer to Saint’s Isle, Europa’s new future, what she would and would not be told and, most importantly, the capture and execution of JeffRa.
SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH
