by Janean Worth
Behind her, Zandra yowled with laughter, the sound followed by a hearty splash, and Kara couldn’t help but imagine how much such joyful, gentle creatures must have suffered at the Sovereign’s House, in constant pain, with no one to care enough to even try to alleviate her misery. Much like the orphaned Strays who had no one to care for them and hadn’t been as lucky to escape the House as she had been.
Sorrow joined the ache in her heart, solidifying her desire to help free those kept so cruelly under the Sovereign’s thumb.
Everyone deserved to be loved by someone. The Strays and tracken deserved the chance to have that, too. And a chance away from the House, and the lies and purposeful poverty and subjugation of GateWide.
By the time they’d arrived at Mathew’s fire, she was even more resolute than ever about her plan to seek out the Sovereign’s House as soon as possible. Deep in her heart, she knew it was the right thing to do. It was, perhaps, the most right thing she’d ever done.
The Sovereign had caused enough misery to the helpless orphans, widows and animals in his House. It was time to free the innocents so that they would suffer no more. She only wondered how she would accomplish this task.
Chapter Eleven
Mathew used Kara’s knife to carefully skin and gut the fish before he wrapped them in leaves from a banana tree as Otto had shown him, and then placed them over the fire in a thick iron pan that he’d found earlier in the building’s old kitchen area.
Earlier, after Otto had assured him that he would watch over Kara while she lay unconscious, Mathew had thoroughly explored the building that held the orangery, and he had found many exciting and amazing things. There had been so many things from Before the Fall that he’d found in the well-preserved building that he’d had about a thousand questions for Otto when he’d returned.
He’d learned that, in the time Before, people had used a power that ran through lines in the sky to make many of the things that he’d found inside the building work. This power had been called electricity. With it, Otto had said that the people in the time Before had been able to do many astounding things, such as keep their food cold inside the large, metal box that Mathew had found in the kitchen, or freeze their food, even in summer, so that it would be preserved longer. Otto had said that this food box had been the least of the amazing things that electricity had made possible. He had also told Mathew that having control of this power and the things it could do had gone to some people’s heads, causing the people to think that they were more mighty than they really were, making them think that, because of their cleverness in using the inventions of man, they were, somehow, more powerful than their own Creator.
Otto had said that, ultimately, this way of thinking had led to The Fall. It had been those people, drunk on their own power, who had released things that Otto had called bombs, and poisoned the clouds, water and earth.
Hearing this, Mathew had been both sad and happy that this power called electricity, which had led to so many wonders and evils, was no longer available.
Mathew glanced at Kara where she sat beside him on a small wooden stool that he’d found in one of the many rooms inside the building. As the fish cooked in the pan over the small fire, he cleaned the knife with a scrap of cloth he’d gotten in the kitchen and began to cut up a couple of lemons to use to add flavor to the fish.
“There are so many interesting things inside this building, Kara. Otto said that he has been the caretaker here since The Fall, overseeing all that his Creator had made, and he has preserved all of that which it was possible to preserve. Some of it is almost unbelievable,” Mathew told her. “Did you know of this thing called electricity?”
Kara shook her head, watching him with interest. She plucked a small onion from the bowl of vegetables that he’d gathered earlier and began to peel away the outer layer as he told her what Otto had said.
He enjoyed watching the way that Kara’s face lit up when he told her of some of the things that Otto had said that electricity could do.
“It washed their clothes for them, cleaned their floors, fetched their water and it kept them warm in winter and cool in summer?” Kara asked. “How could something so amazing be responsible for The Fall?”
“Otto said that it was having control of this power, and control over the things that this power helped them to create, that corrupted the minds of some of the leaders and led to The Fall,” Mathew explained.
Mathew stood up and leaned over the pan where the fish were cooking, enjoying the delicious scent that rose from the food. He took a metal tool that he’d found in the kitchen and cleaned in the fishery and used it to flip the fish over.
Kara handed him the onions that she’d peeled, and he added them to the pan too.
“Like the Sovereign. His mind is corrupted by the power he has over others,” Kara said, sadness in her voice. “If not for Maude’s warning, I would be in the House right now, if I was still alive, that is.”
Mathew shuddered at the thought. Kara probably wouldn’t have lasted long in the House. Her compassion for others, coupled with her need to do the right thing, would not have gone over well with the Sovereign.
“I would be there too, if not for my mother,” Mathew said. Suddenly, he realized that, until the very end of her life, his mother had cared for him. With her dying breath, she had saved his life. And, at the time, he hadn’t even been grateful for her last unselfish act. No, he’d been angry that she’d left him alone. Mathew felt almost disgusted with himself to realize that he had ever been that selfish.
“She was a good woman, wasn’t she?” Kara asked, as if she could sense his thoughts.
“The best,” Mathew said. “And she died not knowing how much I loved her. Her death was my fault, you know.”
Kara gasped, “Oh, Mathew, no. Surely not.”
“Yes, if I hadn’t stolen that sword, maybe the merchant wouldn’t have made her chest pain her, and she might still be alive,” Mathew said.
“You don’t know that for sure, Mathew,” Kara said.
Mathew shook his head sadly, “No, I don’t know for sure, but I suspect it is true.”
Suddenly, he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and especially not with Kara. She already had a low opinion of him, if she thought that he’d even consider leaving her for the Fidgets when she’d been unconscious and helpless, and he didn’t want to lower it even more.
“I found something for you while I was looking around the building,” Mathew said, quickly changing the subject.
He moved over the saddlebags that he’d placed not far from the fire when he’d unsaddled Gallant earlier, and took out a bright pink blouse that he’d found inside one of the many trunks of clothing tucked away in a room on the top floor of the building. The shirt was woven out of some strange thread that reflected light. The weave of the cloth was tight and sturdy, but the material was as soft as anything he’d ever felt.
“Here,” he said, handing the blouse to her. “I thought you would like this. And, Otto said that I could give it to you, so it’s not stolen,” he added self-consciously.
Kara wiped her hands on her tattered leggings before she reached out to gingerly take the shirt from him. “It’s beautiful, Mathew. I have never seen fabric of this color before. It’s so bright and shiny.”
Kara stroked the blouse with her finger, and then hugged it to her chest. “Thank you, Mathew. It is so fine.”
Mathew felt his face heat up a bit at her praise of his gift. “I’m glad you like it.”
In the pan, one of the packets of fish leaked juice, which sizzled on the hot iron, breaking the moment. Mathew quickly retrieved two plates he’d found in the kitchen.
“Look what else I found,” he said, holding them up. The plates were made of glass, smooth on the top, and cut into a geometric design on the bottom that caught the light from the fire and made them glitter, casting a rainbow reflection upon Kara’s face.
Kara gasped. “They’re beautiful, too.”
Ma
thew nodded. “I told you that I found amazing things.”
He quickly removed the fish and onions from the pan, added the sliced lemons to each plate, and then handed one of them to Kara.
“And, Otto gave me this for our supper,” Mathew said, holding up a green glass bottle that was stoppered with a cork and still contained the residue of what must have once been a paper label on the outside. “It’s ginger ale! From Before the Fall!”
Kara grinned at him. “This place is amazing.”
Mathew grinned back, “Wouldn’t it be nice to just stay here? Forever?”
Kara’s smile faded suddenly, and she looked away from him.
Mathew could tell form her expression that, once again, he’d said exactly the wrong thing.
“But what about the other Strays?” Kara whispered. “And the other tracken?”
Chapter Twelve
Not waiting to see what other fine and wondrous things that Mathew had found in the building, Kara ate her fish in silence, then quickly thanked Mathew for the meal and the blouse and excused herself to go find Otto.
She, like Mathew, had already been tempted enough by the luxuries that surrounded them. She could not really hold Mathew at fault for wanting to stay. Since she had awoken in the orangery, she had felt a niggling of that same desire. The place seemed like a small paradise to her, containing luxuries that she had never imagined.
If she left soon, then perhaps she could avoid any other temptation. Besides, every moment she reveled in the safety and magnificence of the place was another moment that others were suffering at the inhuman hands of the Sovereign. And she could not bear to think of that and still do nothing.
She just didn’t know how she would rescue them alone, since Mathew had changed his mind about accompanying her.
She found Otto near the back of the orangery, in a cluster of nut trees. The metal man was reaching high up into the branches and gathering the tree’s bounty.
“Sustenance for your journey,” he said when she approached.
“Thank you, Otto. I don’t know what I’ll do without you,” Kara said, truly wondering what she would do without him. The metal man was remarkable. “Are you sure that you cannot accompany me back to GateWide to free the Strays and tracken?”
“No, I cannot go against the rules of my Creator, Kara. But I regret that I cannot, though I know that this is something that you must do,” Otto said. “But I have a gift for you before you leave. It will help you with your task.”
Kara was relieved. Though she was sure she had the determination to return to GateWide and go into the House, she wasn’t sure at all that she would make it back out with the Stray and tracken, or even with her own life. If Otto had a gift that would help her, she would be more than glad to receive it.
“What is it?” she asked, intrigued and more than a little excited.
“I have repaired one of the devices that you gathered from the Fidgets’ hoard,” Otto said. “It is a unique device. It bends the light and sound waves in the air around the person who uses it, then focuses them to make a barrier in front of the one who possesses the device. In effect, it makes an invisible shield of sorts, which is impenetrable to all projectiles as well as those who wish to get close to you to do you harm.”
“So, nothing can pass through it?” Kara asked.
“Nothing except for light, heat and air, Kara. This means that you must beware of fire when you use the device, as it will be the only thing that can harm you when you are inside the barrier,” Otto told her.
Kara nodded. “This will be a great boon, Otto. Thank you.”
“I apologize that I have not yet been able to repair the other devices for you.”
“You’ve done more than enough to help me, Otto. I am forever grateful. I am grateful too for your help in rescuing me from the Fidgets earlier,” Kara said.
“It is my pleasure to serve visitors of the city, Kara, and you provide a greater pleasure than most. I am proud that you are intent on doing the right thing,” Otto said.
“Will Mathew be safe here while I am gone?” she asked. “And may I bring the other Strays and tracken back with me if I return?”
Otto handed her the bag of nuts that he had gathered from the trees and then gently took her hand in his cold metal one.
“Mathew does not intend to join you on this quest?” Otto questioned.
“Sadly, no, he has changed his mind. He would rather stay here, where it is safe, not that I can blame him for that.”
“This is saddening, but you will persevere, Kara. I know that you will. And, you and the Strays and tracken are always welcome here, for as long as you would like. It would give me purpose to be around the living again after so many years without any companions to care for.”
Behind her, Mathew’s voice spoke, “I have not changed my mind, Kara. I never intended for you to think that and I won’t let you go alone to rescue the others. I simple said that it would be nice if we could stay here forever. I didn’t say that’s what I planned to do.”
Kara immediately felt chagrined. It seemed that, once again, she had misjudged him. She was always so ready to think the worst of Mathew that, sometimes, it was hard to see how he was trying to do the right thing too.
“I’m sorry, Mathew,” she said.
Mathew moved over to her side and took the sack of nuts. “That’s okay. I know why you have such a poor opinion of me. I’ve earned it. But, Kara, I’m trying to change, I truly am.”
His genuine honesty only made Kara feel worse. Always thinking the worst of Mathew was not the right thing to do.
“I know you are, Mathew, and it isn’t my place to judge you. Truly, I know that. I’m sorry,” Kara said.
Mathew just nodded glumly. “You didn’t even drink your ale, you were in such a hurry to get away from me.”
Kara felt her face grow hot with emotion. She didn’t want to admit to her own temptation to stay, but how else could she let Mathew know that it hadn’t been just him that’s she’d been running away from after the meal?
“I didn’t want to know how delicious it was, Mathew. I didn’t want to know. If you want to know the truth, I am tempted to stay here too, though I know it is not the right thing. It would be so easy not to go to the House and try to save the Strays and tracken. I didn’t want to be tempted to stay with you here.”
Mathew’s face showed his surprise. “You were tempted, too?”
Ashamed, Kara nodded. “Yes.”
“It is not the temptation that shows the character of the man, or girl in your case, it is how he or she responds to the temptation that matters. Do not be disheartened for wishing for the easier way,” Otto said. “You did not waver in your decision to do the right thing.”
“So, when do we leave?” Mathew asked.
Kara straightened her shoulders and tried to armor herself against the battle that she knew was to come. She sighed, and took a long look at the bounty that surrounded them both. “Now?”
Mathew nodded.
Kara turned to Otto, “Will you watch over Jax for me? I fear that it is not safe to take him with me.”
The metal giant nodded, “Of course.”
“I’ll saddle Gallant,” Mathew said.
“I have something for you, Mathew,” Otto said. He reached behind his own body to touch the place where Mathew had inserted his father’s Old Tech.
Kara heard a slight click then a quiet mechanical purr.
Otto removed the device and handed it back to Mathew.
“It seems that the device cannot be removed until it is fully restored to power, as it is now,” Otto said. “It has recharged itself from my main power source.”
Mathew took the device from Otto and placed it carefully in his pocket.
“This device of your father’s is very powerful, Mathew. You must take care that it does not fall into the hands of the Sovereign, because, in his hands, it would be capable of great evil.”
“But, what all does it do?” Mathe
w asked.
“Even I do not know the extent of its capabilities,” Otto said. “Just know that it can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Keep it safe and use it only when you must.”
Kara felt a frisson of fear skate up her spine at his pronouncement.
“If the Old Tech is so dangerous, Otto, perhaps we should leave it here with you?” Kara said.
“That would be the safer option, but I fear that you will need it on your journey,” Otto said.
Chapter Thirteen
Kill, kill, kill… Ket savored the word as he hid from the sun. He had finally scented the others he sought in the forest, and they were not far away. They were drawing nearer to his hiding place. He huddled in his underground burrow and thought of how delicious their bones would taste as he feasted upon them.
They had stolen Ket’s prizes. No one had ever stolen from Ket before. The prizes were his reward for good hunting. He’d eaten those he had killed and taken their treasures and the treasures were his. Even those treasures gathered by his clan were his. He was leader. All was his.
And the tall others had taken them. But he could smell them, and they were near. And they would taste good.
Very soon it would be dark again, and the hot sun would not burn him when he rose up through the cool earth to find them.
He flexed his long claws, flicking away the dried dirt that clung to them. He was very hungry. They would make a good meal.
His clan was hungry too. They had not hunted or killed their food since the tall others had invaded their home and taken their prizes. He was leader. He wanted to hunt the others. His clan must obey. Or die.
Ket shifted in the burrow, and the others of his clan shifted too to allow him more room. All around him, he could hear their heartbeats. They were many. The others were few. The others would die easy.
The beasts of the others were good food, too. His clan could have them. They knew that he wanted the small female who had touched his treasures. She did not have much meat, but her bones would nourish him, and he would take his prizes back from her.
