by Kristen Pham
All too soon, Gideon bowed to the class. “Excellent. You are all progressing well. Practice what you have learned each day, and I will see you next week,” he said in a soft, low voice that hummed with power.
As the class departed, Valerie approached him. “Thank you for letting me join your class today. It felt wonderful.”
“You have a talent for this,” he replied.
“Because of my power, you mean.”
“Not only your power. You have the spirit of a great warrior.” She flushed, deeply flattered yet embarrassed by his compliment. “But you did not come here today to take this class. What would you like to ask me?”
“First, I wanted to tell you that yesterday I saw Zunya. I heard that he is a wanted criminal, and I thought the Knights should know that he’s in Arden.”
Gideon’s face darkened. “This explains much. We have suspected that someone has been spying, watching the Knights’ every move. It may be that Zunya has been observing us undetected. I will tell Kellen what you have seen.” Then, seeing the expression on Valerie’s face, he said, “Is there something else?”
“Three days ago, my friends and I were attacked in the forest by Zunya’s gang. We were outnumbered, but as I fought them, my power rushed through me, and I felt like I could take them all on and win – easily. But then the leader brought out a power-eater. It didn’t even touch me, but for a moment when he turned it toward me, I felt all of my magic abandon me. It was scary. I felt so weak and defenseless, and I realized how vulnerable I am without my power, not only to Zunya and his gang, but to anyone or anything that could take my power.”
“You are wise to realize this so young.”
“I wondered if you could teach me to fight both with and without my power. I want to know that I can defend myself, even if my power fails me. I wouldn’t take up too much of your time. Would you give me permission to participate in the classes you teach – even if I decide that I don’t want to become a Knight?”
“Yes. And my classes are open not only to you, but to anyone who wishes to learn combat for self-defense.”
“Oh thank you! I think my friends might come too.”
“I will tell you this, because I can sense that your spirit is old, though your flesh is young: a battle is brewing. The Fractus attack us more frequently, and they even dare to attack us in the heart of Arden, not only on the borders. There will come a time when we will need everyone who is able to defend our land. It would be my honor to train you and your friends as warriors.”
Valerie was thrilled that she would have the chance to train with a teacher as skilled as Gideon, but the thought of Sanguina and Zunya having such powerful allies at her command dampened her mood. She was determined to make the most of every day to build her fighting skills, so she lingered at the guild until dinner so that she could attend Gideon’s afternoon class on swordplay. The class was made up of craftsmen who were older and more experienced than the apprentices in the class that she had attended in the morning. Gideon patiently taught her the basics of how to use her sword while the rest of the class sparred.
“Someday you’ll have to tell me how you inherited the Edge of Pathos,” he said. “Its last owner was a master of the craft. She was a fine warrior and an exceptional person.” Hearing the obvious emotion in his voice, Valerie looked up at him in surprise, but before she could ask him about the sword’s history, he moved on to correct the way that another student held the hilt of his sword in his hand.
By the end of the class, Valerie’s shirt was soaked with sweat and her arm and leg muscles felt knotted and tight. Gideon had given her a temporary sheath for Pathos, so that she wouldn’t accidentally hurt anyone when she carried it around. Having the elegant sword strapped to her side made her feel like a warrior, and dreams of rescuing Henry in a duel with Sanguina flashed through her mind. In her imagination, she fearlessly, effortlessly defeated her arch enemy, but in the back of her mind Valerie knew that fighting Sanguina would be much more difficult.
As Valerie headed back to the dorm, she remembered to pick some pink flowers from the edge of the forest for Dulcea. It wasn’t much, but she wanted her to know that she hadn’t forgotten what she had done. It was easy to apologize to someone, but it was much harder to truly earn forgiveness. Valerie didn’t want to be like the people who had disappointed her in the past, so she vowed to show Dulcea that she meant it when she said she was sorry.
Dulcea accepted her gift graciously, but after a quick dinner she sternly reminded Valerie, Kanti and Cyrus that they had to clean the bathrooms before bed. Starting at the top, the three began the arduous process of disinfecting showers, toilets, and sinks.
“I knew Dulcea wasn’t one to cross, but I never imagined she’d make us do this,” Cyrus said disgustedly as he pulled a hairball out of a shower drain.
“I gotta admit, I never knew how spoiled I was until this moment,” Kanti said, scrubbing a toilet. “I never thought I’d see the day when I got this close to a stranger’s skid marks.”
Valerie was tempted to laugh. This was definitely not the nastiest bathroom she had ever cleaned, she thought, remembering the time she lived with four boys in a foster home that was so filthy that she waited to go to school to use the toilet. When her foster mother finally made her help clean the bathroom, she had almost gagged. Compared to that, these bathrooms were hardly dirty at all. Kanti had explained on her first morning on the Globe that the bathrooms were completely sterilized every three days by magic, so not a lot of dirt had accumulated for them to clean yet.
“Guys, you don’t get it. Dulcea’s not only mad at us, she’s hurt. We really scared her. And with good reason – look what happened to us. We weren’t gone for more than a few hours before Shade attacked,” Valerie explained.
“I know, I thought about that. And I feel really bad,” Cyrus said, repentant.
“Me too. And this is definitely a punishment I’ll never forget,” Kanti added.
“I think that’s the point,” Valerie replied. “But let’s take our minds off the grime. I had an idea I wanted to ask you guys about.”
“What’s up?” Kanti asked.
“I hate the thought of waiting around while Azra looks for answers. So I was thinking that I could make Thai one of those protective charms so that no one from the Globe could find him except for me. At least I’d be doing something, not sitting around waiting for Azra to find a solution. And I don’t want Sanguina hunting Thai down like she hunted Henry,” Valerie said, wincing at the thought of her brother still being tortured by Sanguina, while she, his own sister, couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
“Sure, we can do that. There are some caves on the southern edge of the forest that have the crystals that are needed to make the charm. We can collect some tomorrow,” Cyrus said.
“I’ve got a class tomorrow morning that I can’t skip,” Kanti said, obviously disappointed to be missing out on the adventure. “You guys should wait till I’m done – strength in numbers, after all.”
“How will we ever survive without you to protect us?” Cyrus said sarcastically.
Kanti was about to snap back at him, but Valerie interjected, “I don’t want to delay this, even by half a day. If I wait too long, he could be lost to me, like Henry.”
Kanti’s expression softened. “I understand. Anyway, at least I can help after you find the crystal. I know someone back home who can help craft the charm for it,” she offered.
“Thanks, Kanti. It’s frustrating, after a lifetime of wishing for a family, to find out I have a brother but I can't help him, or even talk to him. I can’t wait until we find out where Sanguina is hiding so I can crush her and get the charm she made to block Henry from being found.”
“Now we have to convince Dulcea to let us go,” Cyrus said gloomily.
“I’ll talk to her. Maybe it’s time I shared my secret – I think after everything I put her through, she has a right to know.”
That night, after Valerie finished scrubb
ing the last bathroom, she went to Dulcea’s room and quietly knocked on the door. When Dulcea called her in, Valerie entered and breathed in the sweet smell that always clung to the room, a welcome scent after working in bathrooms for the past three hours.
Dulcea was busy in her kitchen, carefully painting a layer of chocolate onto plump, juicy cherries. When she saw that it was Valerie entering, she looked up at her with eyes that were no longer full of anger, but without the unquestioning trust that had been there when they first met.
“Good timing. The chocolate on these cherries needs to set,” Dulcea said, licking some chocolate off of her index finger. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to tell you a story – about me. I’ve been thinking a lot about how what we did must have made you feel, and I want you to know why it was so important for us to go to Ephesus.”
Valerie described everything to Dulcea, from her lonely life on Earth to her trip to the Globe to what her prophecy revealed about Henry. Dulcea didn’t say a word, but her face was so expressive that Valerie could read her reactions as clearly as if she said what she was thinking.
“I should have told you all this from the beginning.”
“I’m glad you told me now,” Dulcea said, her voice full of an emotion that Valerie couldn’t name. “It will seem so strange to you, but I know how you feel. I lost my parents when I was a baby – they were hit by lightning while they were crossing the mountains in Dunsinane. After that I was on my own, like you. I yearned for a family so much that it seemed to eat me up inside – until I became the dorm matron here, that is. Now this is my family, and you are all my little brothers and sisters. Being a part of this family finally filled up that hole inside of me. So when I thought I could lose one of you, it was more than I could bear.”
“Azra told me that we had a lot in common, but I had no idea that you were an orphan too.”
Dulcea nodded thoughtfully. “I think Azra likes us to discover these things for ourselves.”
“That makes sense – it means more hearing your story from you.”
“So what’s next in your search for Henry? You must be desperate to do something to help him.”
“Yes, I’m going crazy with all this waiting. I know that technically we’re grounded, but I was hoping to create a charm for Thai to keep Sanguina from finding him. At least I can protect him, even if I can’t help Henry. Could Cy and I have your permission to search the caves for the crystals?”
“With the increase in attacks in Arden from the Fractus these days, I can’t send you alone.”
“I understand,” Valerie said, her face falling in disappointment.
“So I’ll have to come with you! I’ve had my share of experience getting out of sticky situations. I’ll make sure that we stay off the Fractus’ radar,” Dulcea said, bringing the tray of cherries over and giving one to Valerie.
“Thank you!” Valerie said, popping a cherry into her mouth. She shut her eyes as the chocolate melted on her tongue. It tasted rich and milky at the same time, making her tongue sing. “You make the best treats in the universe, without a doubt.”
“I lace my candy with magic that brings out the best qualities of the ingredients and also adapts the flavor to the unique tastes of the person eating it.”
“Wow, the result is delicious beyond anything I’ve ever tasted!” Valerie exclaimed. “And it’s nice that you included the cherry too – it’s the first Earth-food I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
“Now that I know you’re from Earth, I’ll make sure we have some food you recognize at the dinner table.”
Valerie’s heart warmed at Dulcea’s thoughtfulness, and also with the knowledge that Dulcea viewed her as a little sister. She felt like her dreams of having a family of her own were finally within reach.
“Not to be a party-pooper, but it’s time for lights out. I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
“I can’t wait. And Dulcea – thanks for everything.”
Valerie walked back to her room, relieved that the weight of her guilt wasn’t squeezing her heart. But before she could collapse into her bed, there was one more visit that she needed to make.
Quietly, so as not to wake Kanti, Valerie slipped into her bed and concentrated. Moments later, she was on a dark, deserted street on Earth, watching Thai peer around a corner.
“What’s going on?”
Thai whirled around, surprised, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was her. He motioned her to be quiet, and then hurried down an alley. It was strange to follow him, allowing her mind to effortlessly drift behind him without any effort required from her body.
“That stench is disgusting,” Thai said, looking like he might gag. Valerie expanded her mind-to-mind connection with Thai, sharing his senses. She breathed in a nasty, familiar smell that filled her with dread.
“Venu. You have to get out of here!”
“Don’t you see? Sanguina might have sent him to find your brother. I have to stop him.”
“But if he sees you–”
“I can take care of myself. This time he won’t have the element of surprise.”
Valerie was about to argue when Thai tripped over a dark shape on the ground. A pained groan pierced the night, and she realized that the shape was a woman. Thai rushed to the woman’s side and felt for her pulse. Yellowish-green slime dripped down her arm.
“I’ve got to get her to the hospital right away,” he said, squinting down the street to see if he could make out Venu’s enormous shoulders in the distance. But Valerie could see nothing but shadows.
Thai dialed 9-1-1, and within minutes an ambulance rushed down the street, lights flashing. He turned to Valerie and said hurriedly, “You better get out of here. I have to explain to the paramedics that somehow she has poisonous frog venom in her system so they know how to treat her. The story is going to sound crazy – I don’t want to accidentally talk to you and have them think I’m nuts.”
“Okay,” she said reluctantly. “But when can I talk to you?”
“Come tomorrow night. Unless I find Venu’s trail, I’ll be in my tent at the Yosemite National Park. No one will be around to hear us talk.”
Then Thai turned to talk to the paramedics, who were rushing over with a stretcher, and Valerie let herself return to the Globe. Her heart was still thumping in her chest when she burrowed under the covers of her bed.
Chapter Thirteen
The next day, Valerie woke up early after dreaming that Sanguina had found Thai and sent Venu to kill him. Her dream made her all the more anxious to create the charm to protect Thai as soon as possible.
When Cyrus and Dulcea met Valerie in front of the dorm the next morning, their mood was much different than hers. They were both excited for the trip, and they talked and joked as they walked into the forest toward the caves. But Valerie couldn’t join in, unable shake the sense of urgency and danger that had gripped her last night when she visited Thai.
Venu and Sanguina were acting more openly, attacking a stranger on the street. Valerie wondered whether Venu had targeted that woman, or if she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, Venu was getting bolder, and if he discovered that Thai was trailing him, Valerie knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to attack with full force. She shivered, remembering how pale Chisisi looked lying in the hospital after the attack. With a little more poison, who knew what would happen to Thai.
She was abruptly distracted from her thoughts by the sight of a glinting waterfall in the distance. The water rushed over white rocks and sent up a spray that caught the light, creating dozens of little rainbows. She veered closer, curious to see the waterfall up close.
“Hey, where are ya going?” Cyrus called.
Several yards away, Valerie stopped. A screen of vines hanging thickly from the surrounding trees blocked her path like a curtain. When she pulled the vines aside, the sight behind them made her breath catch in her throat. Spreading out before her was a spectacular garden. Fo
ur white marble tiers were stacked on top of each other, each containing thousands of flowers in brilliant shades of purple and gold, creating a cascade of petals that seemed to be flowing all the way down to her feet. Elegant waterfalls gracefully flowed down the marble tiers, adding to the sensation of movement within the garden. Without a doubt, it was the most beautiful sight she had ever witnessed.
Valerie heard Dulcea and Cyrus’ steps as they came closer to see what she was looking at. Dulcea gasped.
“What is this place?” Cyrus asked, his voice full of wonder.
“You don’t know?” Valerie said, surprised, as she stepped into the wonderland with Cyrus and Dulcea behind her. Inside, the garden was still, and Valerie felt as if she had entered a church. There was something almost holy about its intense beauty.
“I think you found Babylon, Valerie,” Dulcea said.
“I thought that was a story,” Cyrus said, confused.
Dulcea shook her head. “This was a really popular vacation spot a long time ago. Conjurors traveled from all over the world to rest here for a few days and take in the beauty. And then one day, it vanished, as if it had been wiped off the map. No one knew exactly what happened, but it would take a very powerful Conjuror to seal off this garden from the rest of the world.”
“I wonder why we found it now,” Cyrus mused.
Valerie noticed that between the flowers, a set of stairs wound their way up to the top tier. Despite the urgency of her mission, she had to see where they led. She quickly ascended the steps, and the sight when she reached the top made the detour worth it. An enormous waterfall rushed down into a pool surrounded by trees with leaves in every color imaginable. The leaves were reflected in the pool, turning the water into a liquid mix of colors.
Valerie heard Cyrus shout, and then he came running past her and cannonballed into the water below. Seconds later, he bobbed to the surface, laughing. “It’s warm, like bathwater! You guys have to jump in!”
