The Quest for the Heart Orb (The Orbs of Rathira)

by Laura Jo Phillips

  “I cannot see how it would have made much difference,” Ren said, dropping her eyes to her hands.

  “I know that it hasn’t been easy for you here,” Adaya said gently. “But you’ll soon discover that there are many people who think much differently than those you’re used to.”

  “I prefer to stay here, where I know what people think of me, and how they feel,” Ren said.

  “That’s understandable,” Adaya said. “We all want to stay with what’s familiar, whether it’s good for us or not. But the return of the Hidden Sister marks a new destiny for you.”

  “I thought my destiny was to remain here, on Nu Senna,” Ren said desperately. “That’s what you told me. You even made me swear to never leave this mountain.”

  “Your destiny was here, Ren. Until the Return. Now, it lies along a different path. The promise I asked of you, as you well know, was not to leave without my consent.”

  Ren opened her mouth to protest further, but could not find her voice. It took three tries, and then the words that escaped were not the ones she meant to say. “I’m frightened, Brai Adaya.”

  “Of course you are,” Adaya said sympathetically. “I wish that I could tell you there is no reason to fear, but I cannot.”

  Ren tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. “What if I refuse this destiny?”

  “No one will force you, Ren. Like all of us, you must make your own choices, and abide by the consequences of them.”

  Ren’s shoulders slumped. “According to the stories, the consequences of my refusal will be the end of Rathira and all who live here.” Adaya’s only response to that was silence.

  Ren turned toward the fireplace and stared into the flames. She did not want to do this. She did not want to be the Maiden of the Heart Orb. She didn’t need one more thing to mark her as different from everyone else. She wanted to return to her warm, safe cabin and stay there for the remainder of her days. Yes, she was shunned by nearly everyone in both Sanctuary and Walshire, and no, she could not claim to be happy with her life. But she was safe. The people here knew her differences and while they didn’t accept her into their homes or hearts, at least she knew that being shunned was the worst they would do. Who knew what strangers might do when all of her differences became known?

  But, she asked herself silently, what is my fear compared to the lives of every living creature on Rathira?

  Ren straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. She’d been called many names over the years. Freak. Fish. Snake. Monster. Names she didn’t like to think about. But the word coward had never been applied to her. Nor would it be, if she could help it.

  “When shall I leave, Brai Adaya?”

  Chapter One

  Princess Kapia of the House of Feenis, Maiden of the Moon Orb, stood watching the afternoon sunlight fade, her heart heavy with worry and indecision. She absently fingered the retracted Moon Orb in her skirt pocket which was, among other things, her sole means of communicating with Bredon, the man she’d loved for as long as she could remember. She’d never prayed for anything as much or as hard as she’d prayed for Bredon’s safe return. Now that her prayers had been answered, it was frustrating to have her happiness tempered with doubt and worry.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” Karma said from behind her. Kapia looked over her shoulder at her brother’s wife, who stood with Nikura the Sphin close beside her. Karma was too thin and too pale, but her eyes were bright and free of pain. This was the first time Kapia had seen her outside without Zakiel hovering anxiously nearby--a good sign, Kapia thought.

  A couple of weeks earlier Karma had been gravely wounded by a harpy. There had been some very tense and scary days for the members of the Orb Quest as they waited to see if the all-important Lady Techu would recover. The day her fever broke was a joyous day for them all, though there was still some concern for the twins she carried.

  “What is a penny?” Kapia asked.

  “A small copper coin once used on Earth as a means of exchange,” Karma said as she moved to stand next to Kapia. “And no, I don’t have one. It’s just an old expression.”

  “I see,” Kapia said, arching a brow in the same manner Karma often used. “Then you’ve just made an offer that you cannot make good on.”

  “That’s true,” Karma said solemnly. “Do you think the Prince will imprison me for my deception?”

  “Zakiel can be very strict, as you know, but I have a feeling you can convince him to pardon you,” Kapia said.

  “Yes, I think you might be right,” Karma said, grinning. Kapia’s answering smile was so faint Karma nearly missed it. “Will you speak with Bredon tonight?”

  “No, tomorrow night,” Kapia said. “I would like to ask you something, if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course I don’t mind, Kapia,” Karma said, hoping her younger sister was about to tell her what was bothering her. Kapia hadn’t been herself for days now, and she and Zakiel were becoming worried.

  Kapia looked away and took a deep breath. “What would you do if Zakiel told you that he didn’t like something about you?”

  “I’m not sure I understand exactly,” Karma said slowly. “Do you mean something superficial, like my perfume or a hairstyle? Or something deeper?”

  “Something deeper,” Kapia replied. Then she gave her head a little shake and decided to be frank. “Specifically, that you join in battle instead of hiding with the other women.”

  “I see,” Karma said. “That’s a difficult question for me to answer. By the time I met Zakiel, I was who and what I am now. I haven’t changed in any significant way, so he hasn’t had to learn to accept anything new. Your situation is different.”

  “You’re right,” Kapia said, nodding. “When we began this journey I was shy and awkward, with no confidence and no skills. Now, thanks to you, that’s changed. I’ve changed.”

  “It doesn’t have all that much to do with me,” Karma said. Kapia stared at her in such open mouthed shock that Karma laughed. “Oh, I taught you things that I doubt anyone else would have thought to teach you, but you were born with battle instincts, Kapia.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Kapia said doubtfully.

  “Kapia, you know and accept that Tigren blood is strong in Zakiel, but did it never occur to you that you have the same parents, and therefore the same blood?”

  “I know we have the same blood, of course,” Kapia replied. “But I’ve never displayed signs of the Tigren like Zakiel does.”

  Karma considered telling Kapia about the Jasani and the lost clan of the Tigren, but decided to keep things simple. “Females usually don’t,” she said. “But there is Tigren in you.” When Kapia continued to frown, Karma went on. “Consider your skill with the staff, and how quickly it developed. Consider your ability to stand fast in battle without benefit of the training that Hunters and Knights receive. In just a couple of months you’ve gone from a sheltered girl to a seasoned fighter and that’s only because it came naturally to you, and you embraced it.”

  “Why didn’t I think of this myself?” Kapia wondered, shaking her head slowly. “It’s so obvious now that you point it out.” She fell silent for a few moments, then turned to face Karma. “I like the changes in myself, and I’m proud of my abilities, regardless of the reasons behind them.”

  “But Bredon isn’t,” Karma said.

  “No, he’s not,” Kapia said. “I told him about my part in the last battle against the harpies and kadjet. I didn’t even think twice about it, but if I had, I would have assumed that he’d be happy I’d done so well. I’d have thought he’d be proud of me. I know now that I would have been very wrong.”

  “I’m sorry,” Karma said. “You’ve got to keep in mind that many of the changes in you that we just discussed took place while Bredon was absent. It must have shocked him a great deal to hear that you fought against demons. Maybe he just needs a little time to get used to who you are now.”

  “What if he doesn’t? What if he wants me to stop being
the person I’ve become?”

  “Then you’ll have to decide whether to be true to yourself, or try to go back to the person he wants you to be,” Karma said.

  “I can’t go backwards, Karma,” Kapia said. “But at the same time, I can’t imagine a future without Bredon at my side.”

  “I understand that very well,” Karma said. “But don’t forget that Bredon has been through a lot these past weeks, just as you have. I imagine you’ll see changes in him, too. It’s entirely possible that you’ll both have to make adjustments. I suggest that you wait until you’ve a chance to spend time together before making any decisions.”

  “You’re right, Karma, that’s a good idea,” Kapia said. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Kapia, though I didn’t really do anything,” Karma said. Kapia raised her arms, then let them fall back to her sides.

  “I want to give you a hug, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt you. How’s your back?”

  “Much better,” Karma said. “The Argiari’s healing ointment really is a wonder. I think it rivals the healing tanks of Earth or Jasan.”

  “I wish I’d thought to ask how it was made before they left,” Kapia said. “I’ve got several jars of it, but once it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s another thing I’ve learned about myself on this quest that I would never have discovered otherwise. I like caring for those who’ve been injured.”

  “And you’re good at it,” Karma said, smiling at her.

  “Someone approaches,” Nikura said. Karma glanced down at the Sphin who, at well over two feet high at the shoulder and at least one hundred and forty pounds, looked like an overgrown, grey and silver tabby cat with the flat face and round eyes of a Persian. It was a comparison to which Nikura took great offense, though he’d never even seen a cat.

  Karma followed Nikura’s gaze. The sun had just touched the horizon and the mountain shadows were growing deep and long, but there was enough light to see a diplo and rider on the trail below.

  “Look,” Karma said pointing at the figure.

  Kapia squinted into the gathering dusk, her heart beginning to race the moment she spotted the visitor. “It’s Bredon.”

  “Bredon?” Karma asked. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” Kapia said, her face lit with excitement. “It’s Bredon.”

  “I thought he wasn’t due to arrive for another few days.”

  “That’s what he said,” Kapia replied with a grin, her troubles forgotten. “Knowing Bredon, he probably wanted to surprise me. Please excuse me, Karma, I’m going to run down and meet him.”

  “All right, but watch your footing,” she warned, but Kapia was already gone, jogging toward the path they’d worn between the Argiari village and the valley at the foot of the mountain during their stay. “What do you think, Nikura? Is it Bredon?”

  “Almost certainly, though I can’t yet scent him,” Nikura replied.

  Karma looked around and spotted a large boulder nearby. She walked over to it and sat down with a long, slow sigh of relief. Her wounds were nearly healed, but her body was still weak. This was the furthest she’d walked since the day of the attack, and knowing she had yet to walk back was a little daunting at the moment.

  “Should I summon Prince Zakiel?” Nikura asked, eyeing her carefully.

  “No, thank you,” Karma replied. “I’m fine. I just want to be sure that’s Bredon down there, then we’ll go back.” They watched in silence as Kapia ran down the mountain, appearing and disappearing as the trail snaked back and forth. A little while later they saw the rider stop his diplo and leap from the saddle. Karma fully relaxed only when she saw Kapia leap into the rider’s arms, proof enough for her that it was, in fact, Bredon.

  “It’s time for us to have that conversation we’ve been putting off,” she said.

  “I was not putting it off. You were,” Nikura said.

  “Actually, Zakiel and I decided to put it off together, which is why I said we,” Karma corrected. Nikura didn’t respond, but he radiated irritation the way a fire radiated heat. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud as she got slowly to her feet. The Sphin had been holding back the worst of his sarcasm since her injury, and while his worry and devotion touched her, she had no intention of telling him it was okay to resume his usual demeanor because she felt better. “Come on, Nikura, let’s go back before Zakiel begins to worry too much.”

  Karma was leaning on Nikura more than she liked by the time they reached the settlement, and she was grateful that he offered his support in silence. She turned toward the dwelling she shared with Zakiel, relieved when he stepped outside, spotted them, and hurried toward her.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked after one glance at her face, his light blue eyes studying her intently.

  “I’m just tired,” she replied, rubbing Nikura’s ears in thanks for his help. “Bredon has arrived. Kapia ran down to meet him.”

  Zakiel nodded as he scooped Karma up into his arms. “You’ve had enough exercise for today,” he said after kissing her forehead. He carried her into their tent which was set up so that it connected one of the Argiari bath houses with the two room Argiari house that they’d been using during their stay on the Hidden Sister. He turned left into the house and set her on a cushion in front of the fireplace.

  “Thank you,” Karma said with a sigh. Zakiel shot her a sharp look.

  “You’re in pain.”

  “I may have done more than I should have today,” she said. “Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure, I’m sure.”

  “You shouldn’t have pushed yourself so hard,” Zakiel said sternly, his tone in direct contrast to the gentleness of his hands as he draped her favorite shawl over her shoulders.

  “I know,” she admitted, surprising him. “We need to talk about Bredon and Kapia.”

  “And whether or not to tell her what we know,” he finished, taking the cushion opposite her while Nikura settled on the one between them. Karma nodded. “Kapia is my sister, and I don’t want to keep something this important from her. But I’m worried.”

  “About?” Karma asked.

  “What if we tell her that Bredon is fudaso, and what that means, and she sends him away?”

  “Sir Bredon cannot be sent away,” Nikura said. “We need him if we are to have any chance against the Djinn, or Marene.”

  “I don’t remember Zabeth saying that,” Karma said. “About the Djinn, yes. But not Marene.”

  “Cadusar Zabeth said, and I quote, Bredon is a conduit of necessity to an enemy you must treat with, else Rathira will fall to the Djinn. Without him at your side, Rathira will be lost to the enemy.”

  “I see,” Karma said. “I wondered why Worrow’s message said the same thing twice. But it didn’t, did it? He meant we’d need Bredon against two different enemies; the Djinn first, and then Marene.”

  “More specifically, I think it means that we need Marene against the Djinn, and Bredon is the means by which we will enlist her help,” Nikura said. “We will need Bredon’s help in dealing with Marene as well. That is why I asked Zabeth if Bredon was a minion.”

  “You’re right, Nikura, we can’t let Kapia send Bredon away,” Karma agreed. “But I don’t see why that means we have to lie to her.”

  “I would not make such a suggestion to you, Lady Techu,” Nikura said with a sniff and a twitch of his tail. “I know you better than that. I only ask that you refrain from telling her all that you know.”

  “If we were talking about something that didn’t directly affect Kapia so strongly, I might agree,” Karma said. “But this is personal. He betrayed her. She has a right to know that.”

  “He did not betray her,” Zakiel said. Karma huffed, her eyes wide with the beginnings of outrage, but he held up one hand, palm out, in a quest for patience. “For one thing, the incident occurred before we left Ka-Teru which was before Bredon and Kapia became a couple.” Karma nodded, forced to admit the truth of that. “For another thing,” Zakiel continued, “
we’ve no knowledge of the circumstances in which he became fudaso. I cannot believe that Bredon would knowingly or willingly consent to such a thing. If he didn’t, then he is blameless.”

  “Like Saigar?” Karma asked, naming the man they’d all thought to be a willing cin sahib, but who, it turned out, had been another of Marene’s victims.

  “Yes, exactly,” Zakiel said. “We know only the barest facts of what happened to Bredon. I don’t think it would be fair for us to tell Kapia about this unless we’ve no other choice.”

  They fell silent as Lashi set bowls and utensils on the low table between them, and Timon served dinner, a rich stew that made Karma’s mouth water. Her appetite was just returning and she seemed to feel hungry all of the time now. If she kept eating the way she had been the last couple of days, her diplo wouldn’t be able to carry her by the time the babies were born. She set that subject aside with a characteristic shrug and began eating while she considered what Zakiel had said.

  “I understand your points, Zakiel, I really do,” she said after a few minutes. “And I understand you, too, Nikura. But understanding, logic, reason…none of that prevents me from feeling that Kapia has a right to know the truth about the man she loves. I know that’s how I’d feel in her place. She’s proven herself to be a strong and capable woman, and keeping this information from her is not only wrong, it makes me feel as though we’re betraying her too. She has to be told.”

  Nikura yawned, his long white fangs gleaming in the firelight, a sure sign of annoyance, but Zakiel shook his head sharply, forestalling whatever the Sphin had been about to say. “I have a solution that should appease everyone.” Karma and Nikura looked at him with matching expressions of surprise. “I agree that it appears as though Bredon has made some unfortunate choices, but I’ve known him my whole life, Karma. There’s more to this than we know. I will tell him what Zabeth told us, and Worrow’s message. Bredon is a good man, and he loves Kapia. I know that once he understands that the fate of Rathira depends on him remaining with the Orb Quest, there is nothing anyone could say or do that would cause him to abandon his duty. Not even Kapia.”