Ethon (The Other Worlds Series Book 2)

by M. L. Greye

  He glanced back at Tiara and held out his hand to her. She slid her fingers over his and allowed him to pull her forward before he dropped her hand. “Queen Tiara’s cousin, the Princess Olinia Reien, is in peril,” Sazx told the courtyard. “The Velvitors seek to overthrow her people, the Eves. Should the Velvitors succeed, they will then move on to the Saerds. King Talik will not cease until he is sovereign of the Other Worlds. He must be stopped!”

  Sazx took a deep breath. “For the good of the realm, Queen Tiara wishes to aid the Eves, to aid her cousin. Princess Olinia is a Wend and would make a powerful ally to Tlaid. Even though she was raised a slave under Kendren rule, she holds no ill will toward her cousin, and thus none toward you.”

  It was time for Tiara to finish the proposal. Sazx turned to her and bowed at the waist, whispering, “Call your people to victory.”

  She blinked at him, clearly surprised. He hadn’t mentioned that she’d also be speaking. However, she didn’t hesitate for long. In a loud voice she cried out, “We are Saerds! For generations the Saerds have relied on the strength of other breeds. Even the devices that gave the Kendrens so much power were crafted by Velvitors. Because of our dependence on the advancements of others, Saerds have been wrongfully observed as a lesser breed amid our realm. The Eves and Craeles view us as ordinary, but they misjudge us!”

  Tiara closed the distance to the edge of the platform. “The Velvitors believe that after they gain advantage over Evedon, the Saerds will fall quickly and with hardly any fuss. Talik thinks we’ll be an easy target. Well, now is the time to prove him wrong. We have the opportunity to show that the Saerds aren’t a breed to be pushed to the side as an after-thought.”

  The wind picked up, fanning Tiara’s gown out at her ankles. With more intensity than before, she shouted, “We must help the Eves for the survival of our world and perhaps even our breed. I cannot guarantee your safety should we do so, but I do promise you that unlike my predecessors I won’t sit in a tavern while you do the fighting.”

  She let out a short, bitter laugh. “I haven’t been trained as you have. I’m horrible with a bow and practically useless with a sword. Yet, I’ll be Stretched before I stand by and watch the Velvitors take control of our realm!” She paused. “And for once, wouldn’t it be great to know that the Eves will owe the Saerds? What say you, my men? Shall we fight for our breed?”

  There was no hesitation. As one, the four vattes that filled the courtyard saluted Tiara and bellowed, “To death and victory, my queen!”

  “General Voiel,” Tiara turned, “take us to Evedon.”

  : : : : :

  Will stood at one of the double sinks in Olinia’s bathroom, brushing his teeth while watching his reflection in the mirror. He’d cut his hair short again a couple days before, but that almost seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had happened between then and now.

  Following the conversation with Hillary and her cousin, Olinia sent them both home for the night with the intention to regroup in the morning. Olinia wanted to figure out a way to free the rest of the DS slaves. If the only way was for Hillary to remove all of their Beads, then so be it. That was a job for tomorrow, though. Both Olinia and Will were in desperate need of some sleep. The nap on the couch in Sivean wasn’t cutting it.

  As Will finished up in the bathroom, he glanced over at Olinia. She was lying diagonal across her bed on her stomach, her head resting on one arm. Some Indie Rock band was playing softly in the background. She was in her pajamas – a gray t-shirt with blue and green plaid pants. Will wiped his mouth on a hand-towel and joined her on the bed.

  “You look like you could fall asleep just the way you are,” he commented.

  She pushed herself up. “I could, but I won’t.”

  “Too much on your mind?”

  “Sort of.” She smiled. “I still owe you a birthday present.”

  He blinked. “I wasn’t expecting one.”

  “I know.”

  Olinia reached her hand beneath a pillow at the top of the bed and slid out a thick, dark blue, leather-bound book. It was a sketchbook, but it didn’t look like that was what Olinia used it for. Papers other than the book’s own pages slipped out of its edges in some places. Olinia’s fingers brushed over the cover before she returned her attention to him.

  “After a week or so of you being away, Trenton suggested I keep a diary of my time in Ethon.” She extended the book to Will. “This is what I did instead.”

  Will opened the cover. She’d converted the sketchbook into a makeshift scrapbook. There were pages filled with Olinia’s handwriting in Saerdian and an assortment of other items taped beside her words, ranging from pictures to brochures of national parks to ticket stubs from movies she’d seen. Any new adventure Olinia had experienced in Ethon was recorded in her book.

  He glanced up at her and noticed she’d been watching him, a strange look on her face. “You did a lot while I was gone,” he commented lightly.

  “You haven’t read any of it yet, have you?”

  “Not yet.” He shook his head. “Were you wanting me to?”

  She let out a short laugh. “It’s written to you, Will. All of it. I wrote you letters, telling you what I did, what I saw, what I thought – everything.”

  “You wrote me?” He blinked.

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “Why?” The word was out before he could stop himself.

  “Because I still wanted you in my life,” she said quietly, running a hand through her loose hair. “I wanted so desperately to talk to you, and this was the only way that I knew how.”

  Will stared at her. “I don’t deserve this.”

  “It was always meant for you.” She shrugged. “Happy birthday, Will.”

  He leaned over and kissed her gently. “You’re beautiful, you know that? Thank you. I love it.”

  “I hope you still like it when you’re done reading it.” She fingered the Silver Heart at her neck. “Some of the entries I probably should have censured first.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t. I want to read exactly what you were thinking.” He turned through a few more pages before a sketch that had been torn out of another book and taped inside Olinia’s caught his attention. It was a portrait from the neck up of a face that matched his own. Will raised an eyebrow at the depiction of himself. “Where did you get this?”

  “From Legann,” she replied. “It’s one of his many illustrations and doodles. I kept this one because it’s obviously you. He did it by memory.”

  “He’s a pretty good artist,” Will mused.

  She nodded. “I’ve looked at this page a lot. In fact, this was how Porter saw the picture of me at the beach in my mind. I was looking at your face that morning.”

  The adjoining page to the sketch was another letter from Olinia with a picture of her and Legann in swimsuits, standing at the water’s edge on a beach. Will grinned down at it. “I’ve never seen you with so little clothing on before.”

  “I don’t know how to respond to that.” She blinked.

  Will laughed. “Have you thought at all about where you want to get married?”

  “Not really.” Olinia yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “All I want to do right now is climb beneath these covers and sleep for a while.”

  “Go ahead,” he told her. “I think I’ll just do some reading for a little bit.”

  Olinia nuzzled up to her pillow as Will sat beside her on top of her bedding. He propped himself against the headboard and turned her diary to the beginning. Olinia watched him as he read. His eyes scanned the pages, but his expression didn’t change. After a few minutes, Olinia felt her eyelids grow heavy. Before long, she drifted off.

  What seemed like only a moment later though, she jerked awake. Her room was dark now. Will must have shut off the lamp on her nightstand. She could hear his even breathing from beside her. He’d joined her beneath the blanket and had clearly fallen asleep as well.

  She rubbed at her eyes with her hands, wo
ndering what had woken her. Even though her bedroom’s door was closed and locked, as far as she could hear, the rest of the house was silent. Releasing another large yawn, Olinia shut her eyes again, attributing her arousal to nothing after all.

  Olinia! Hillary shouted inside her head.

  She sat up, surprised. Hillary didn’t know how to send her thoughts across distances, which meant that she’d entered Olinia’s hundred-yard radius. Didn’t I send you home?

  Yeah, well someone else had other plans for me, she retorted.

  A rush of images flooded through Olinia’s inner eye. Aeorin sought out Hillary at her home while looking for Porter, only to find him there. He’d spent the night on her family room couch. When Hillary’s mother answered the door, an unfamiliar face to Olinia that Hillary recognized as Jeremy Staden put her mother to sleep by grabbing onto her wrist. It was done at the request of Aeorin. Jeremy tried to do the same to Hillary, but she’d sent out a small simultaneous jolt of electricity through him to offset his gift. Even though she’d acted like his gift had worked, she really was fully conscious during Aeorin’s quick discussion with Porter.

  Aeorin and Jeremy left with Porter in tow. As soon as they were out the door, Hillary dragged her mom to the couch and took off on Porter’s motorcycle. He’d taught her to ride it since she was twelve, unknown to her mother. She’d managed to get to Olinia’s house before Aeorin by ordering the streetlights to work in her favor. There wasn’t much time, though, until Aeorin arrived.

  Olinia blinked. She was a little confused. Wait, why does Aeorin want Porter, and why is she coming here?

  I took out his Bead, Hillary replied. He went black to the DS systems instantly. I don’t think that’s ever happened before.

  And they’re coming here because…

  Because Aeorin said this was the last place they tracked his Seeker Watch. She wants to know why he took it off.

  Seeker Watch? Olinia repeated.

  DS gives wristwatches to the gifted who become Seekers, saying location devices are inside in case they ever get stuck in a bind, Hillary explained. But it’s a lie. The Beads are the location devices. The watches just make the Seekers feel special.

  Hillary was scared about something. Olinia could feel her fear. As she saw through Hillary’s eyes the backside of her house, near the deck, Olinia sent, There’s something else you’re not telling me.

  I’m pretty sure Aeorin has Camille and Braxton with her. I overheard Jeremy mention them to Aeorin on their way out of my house, Hillary told her. They’re Seekers, so basically brainwashed puppets to DS.

  What are their gifts? Olinia asked.

  DS calls them The Twins, but they’re not actually related, Hillary answered, shutting off Porter’s bike. Camille can fry your nervous system just by looking at you, and Braxton does basically the same thing except to your skin by his touch. His grip can leave burn marks.

  Oddly enough Olinia wasn’t all that terrified. She wondered if anyone had ever given Braxton a taste of his own medicine. Hillary left the bike for the deck, glancing upward at the house. Could you come meet me out here?

  Give me a minute.

  “Will,” Olinia hissed, shaking him, “time to get up.”

  “What?” He moaned groggily.

  She felt a little bad for waking him. He’d slept less than she had. “Hillary’s outside waiting for us.”

  He pushed himself up. “Why? What’s going on?”

  Just then, five other voices entered Olinia’s head, including Aeorin’s. Olinia winced. “Aeorin’s here.”

  “Here?” Will stood out of bed and Olinia did the same. “Didn’t we leave her with a concussion in California?”

  “All I did was knock her out. I didn’t give her a concussion,” Olinia retorted. “And I’m sure she has a Sinith.”

  Olinia grabbed a hoodie she’d tossed over her desk chair a few days back and picked up the shimmer stone from her desk beside her laptop, slipping it around her neck. Porter’s thoughts rang out a warning to Olinia – unaware Hillary was already there – while the other three Ethons dwelt on individual topics. Braxton was thinking about his Economics class as he drove his black sedan up Olinia’s driveway. In the back seat beside Porter, Jeremy was distracted with how hot Camille looked that night, and Camille was thinking basically the same thing about Braxton. The three of them apparently didn’t really think anything was going on with Porter and their director. They assumed they were just going to find Porter’s watch.

  As for Aeorin, she was focused on the yellow amulet dangling from her neck. Olinia had seen its like before – around the neck of Aeorin’s lover, Talik. Had he offered her a similar amulet as a wedding gift? For some reason, Olinia couldn’t really picture Talik as the sentimental romantic. As far as she knew, romance didn’t ever involve eating the woman you married after you grew bored of her.

  While Olinia donned a pair of gray Toms, she sent Hillary, They’re out front now.

  Great, Hillary grumbled. What should I do?

  Wait there. We’ll be down in a second. She turned to Will. “We’ve got to make a run for it. Aeorin and her posse are getting out of their car now.”

  “After you.”

  Olinia tore through her house as quickly and quietly as she could, with Will hard at her heels. She and Will managed to make it through the dark to the back door just as Aeorin and the Seekers walked through the front.

  Hillary greeted them with a frown, but Olinia could feel her slight relief at seeing them. Now what? She thought, afraid that if she were to speak someone inside would hear her.

  “This way,” Olinia whispered. They needed to get off the deck before the interior lights were turned on. She led them around the side of the house, just as the inside lit up.

  Braxton released a low whistle. “What happened here?”

  “Yeah, it looks like someone partied a little too hard,” Camille added, hoping Braxton would find her funny.

  Will peeked inside through one of the shattered windows on the side of the house and Olinia moved beside him to do the same, careful to avoid the circle of light the interior cast outside on the grass. Porter stood between Camille and Braxton by the open front door, while Jeremy and Aeorin were several steps ahead.

  At Camille’s comment, Aeorin rolled her eyes and said in Eveon, “Initiate.”

  Hillary gasped as three of the five minds inside went blank to Olinia. Will turned to her. “What’s wrong?”

  “My Bead,” she blurted, “it’s never done that before.”

  “Done what?”

  “It tried to switch off her brain,” Olinia answered for her.

  “Just as I expected.” Aeorin’s voice carried out through the window. She pointed at Porter. “Where is the ball you pulled out of your neck?”

  “What’d you do to them?” Porter’s eyes bounced between the three Seekers. He was slightly terrified and somewhat relieved that Hillary had eliminated his Bead earlier that day.

  Aeorin grunted, placing her hands on her hips. She’d gone through a costume change since the last time Olinia had seen her. Instead of the bright gown she’d worn at the labs, she was now all in black – jeans, turtleneck, belt, even the beanie she’d stuffed her blonde hair into. The only item not black was the amulet. “Did you feel the ball under your skin? Is that why you removed it?”

  Porter put on a confused look and answered honestly, “I didn’t take anything out of my head.”

  Olinia had had enough of this. She ran around the corner to the back door, swung it open, and shouted, “Aeorin!”

  The Relivaynt spun around so fast she nearly crashed into Jeremy. At the sight of Olinia, her jaw dropped. She quickly recovered though, shifting her shock into a smirk. For some reason, she suddenly felt empowered. “Well, it is my old friend Olinia.”

  “I’ve never really thought of us as friends, and especially not lately,” Olinia retorted.

  She let out a light laugh – the sort she’d used to charm men back in her home w
orld. “I am so glad we have always felt the same way about each other.”

  Olinia could hear Hillary move up behind her at the foot of the deck, and saw through her eyes that Will was there next to her. Unfortunately, Olinia wasn’t really sure what to do with Aeorin and the DS slaves. She was so tired of the whole situation. All she wanted to do was get back to the Other Worlds and save her brothers. Dealing with the annoying Aeorin hadn’t been in her plans for the evening, or really ever for that matter. Olinia had far more important enemies to keep her busy.

  Releasing a sigh, Olinia said, “Porter didn’t take out his Bead. If you just let him go now, I’ll allow you to walk away so you can avoid any further humiliation. Haven’t you suffered enough in the last twenty-four hours?”

  It was a taunt that Aeorin received the full meaning of. Her face became a bright red as she grasped her amulet. “Initiate,” she ordered again in Eveon, glaring at Olinia.

  Hillary winced a little behind Olinia, but other than that nothing happened. “Initiate,” Aeorin repeated.

  Still nothing. “Initiate!” Aeorin yelled, putting the amulet next to her mouth.

  It finally dawned on Olinia what the amulet was. It was the controlling device for the DS slaves. Aeorin’s thoughts were racing. She was alarmed. The amulet was supposed to work on Olinia. Her Bead was supposed to be alive and well.

  Olinia blinked. “There’s not a Bead in me.”

  Did she remove hers? Aeorin was visibly disturbed.

  “I never had one put in,” Olinia replied her unvoiced question.

  Aeorin’s mind briefly flickered over a figure at the labs – dressed all in white and with a face that was almost Olinia’s. “Tiara,” Olinia moaned. “You put a Bead in Tiara?”

  “Who is Tiara?” Aeorin thought out loud.

  Olinia rubbed her forehead with one hand. She could feel a headache coming on. It was time to end this. With her other hand, Olinia reached out and yanked the amulet away from Aeorin through the air to land in her palm. Aeorin cried out from the pain of the chain breaking across her neck. Olinia held the amulet in front of her face. “What’s the word to release them?”