Gaia's Secret

by Barbara Kloss

  “That’s okay. I’ve got it now, and, believe it or not, I like them. By the way, have you seen Alex?”

  A suspicious look passed over his face. “He went with Fleck to the lake. We thought Fleck should look more…presentable for our arrival. And when your little friend found out by presentable we meant a bath, his shaking was so inconsolable that Alex decided to go with him.”

  I ginned, picturing the scene in my head. “I guess Alex didn’t tell him about Amadis.”

  “Glad to see you two are getting along again.”

  His grin made the heat rush to my cheeks, and there was no way I was going to discuss this sort of thing with my dad. “How long till we get to King Darius’s castle?”

  He smiled then, knowing he’d caught me red-handed. “One day.”

  “One day? But it took us almost a week to get here.”

  “Tran’s offered to return the horses so we can take the Vox. It’ll be much safer, and will put us there by late afternoon.”

  “So fast?” Only a week ago I’d been impatient for my fate, but now I wasn’t ready for it. Especially if it meant going to a palace to meet this grandfather king of mine.

  Dad placed his hand on my shoulder. “I thought we could ride together. I’d like some time alone with my daughter before I’m forced to share her with the rest of this world.” His tired blue eyes studied me a moment. “Of course, I understand if you’d like to ride with Alexander.”

  The heat rushed to my face again. “Dad, I—“

  “Look at me!” shrieked a little voice. Fleck came bounding towards us, cheeks pink, freckles bright, and eyes wide in admiration of himself. “I thought those stains were permanent!”

  Alex followed after him, hair dripping around his face. He looked particularly gorgeous this morning. Our eyes met and my heart skipped a beat.

  “Well done, Alexander!” Dad chuckled. “Fleck has turned into a presentable human being.”

  “Lady, that Amadis is so nice. How come you didn’t like her?” Fleck appeared very disturbed.

  “Who says I didn’t like her?”

  “Alex. He said you—“

  “—didn’t exactly get along,” Alex interrupted, stopping before me with a smile in his eyes.

  I narrowed my eyes at him, unable to hide my grin. “Hopefully he told you why?”

  “Because she’s so beautiful?”

  Alex laughed.

  “Of course not,” I said. “It’s because—”

  “Time to go, I’m afraid,” Tran interrupted.

  Dad reached out a strong hand. “Tran Chiton, how can I thank you for all you’ve done.”

  “For now, by keeping my existence quiet. There is more I must do before the world realizes I’m still in it.” He shook my dad’s hand.

  Cicero and Sonya joined for goodbyes. I was grateful to see Sonya’s energy had returned. Her features looked refreshed this morning.

  And then Tran turned to me.

  His eyes were kind, studying my face as if wanting to remember it just as it was. He placed his withered hand on my shoulder, his grip surprisingly strong.

  “My dearest Daria, it has been a pleasure and honor, and I shall look forward to seeing you again.”

  “Thank you, Tran. For everything.” I reached my arms around his slight frame.

  He laughed and patted my back. “That’s enough, child. You’ll squeeze the rest of my life from me.”

  I stepped away from him as he moved to Alex.

  “Alexander Del Conte. I’m glad Daria has such a devoted companion in you.”

  Alex caught my eye. “And I’m glad you have Grool.”

  Tran laughed and Grool glared through the slit in his helmet.

  “Until we meet again!” Tran mounted Calyx.

  Tran and the horses left with Grool walking behind, swinging at the air with his makeshift sword.

  “Strange, those two.” Cicero stared after them.

  “Strange, but brilliant.” Sonya smiled. “Tran was always eccentric. It was one of the reasons I trusted him. And now—” she turned to me “—are you ready?”

  She was always so kind. I almost wished she were angry with me so I didn’t have to feel so guilty for how I’d treated her. “Sonya,” I began.

  She waited, those tender eyes patient.

  “I…didn’t have a chance last night to say thank you, for…”

  She held her hand to my lips, a smile in her eyes. “All’s forgiven, my darling. It is time we took you home. To your real one.”

  It wasn’t long before we were sailing through the air on our flying black stallions. Amadis fell behind, hiding itself beneath the trees. The majestic rock spires began to shrink as we gained altitude, and soon, that extraordinary and peculiar Arborenne looked like nothing more than a thick green blanket covering the earth. From these heights I was able to note the actual scale of the forest. It was enormous—spanning all the way to a mountain range whose silhouette I could just make out in the distance. We had walked through a small fraction of that endless green. No telling what else had been right there with us.

  Just beyond, far off towards our right, was a wall of enormous jagged mountains.

  “Orindor.” Dad pointed, calling over his shoulder.

  “Lord Commodus?”

  He nodded.

  So that was where he’d been. One of the first requests I’d make would be to get a tour of this land my grandfather ruled. It was disorienting observing a landscape but not knowing any landmarks. Where was the ocean? Which way was north?

  As we flew, I felt Dad’s anticipation. It was one thing for him to tell me about my new life. It was something entirely different for me to experience it. The day to day, the people. I was anxious for it too.

  I shut my eyes, feeling the wind as it flowed over me. Air whistled past my ears. The flapping of the Vox’s wings was hypnotizing as they beat out my thoughts, my worries. My fears.

  A few times I turned back to look at Alex. Fleck rode behind him, holding on to him for dear life.

  What would happen to us now? My grandfather couldn’t be that controlling, could he? It was cruel realizing my feelings for my greatest friend in the world when it was too late to act on them. It had to be possible. Maybe Alex was wrong. He had to be wrong, because I was afraid to think what would happen if he wasn’t.

  By late afternoon our powerful Vox had descended into a deep valley, shaded by grand mountains on either side. My stomach jumped as we dipped down farther and farther as the landscape ran to greet us. With strong wings spread, our Vox glided to the ground as gracefully as a bird might land in water. And we stopped.

  I jumped from the horse, my legs trying to remember their balance on solid ground. We had landed in a narrow clearing. Thick, towering trees surrounded us on all sides except for a single path ahead that wove deeper into the forest. Everyone else landed right after, and when Fleck’s eyes opened, he smiled his toothy grin.

  “I’m alive!” he said as Alex helped him down.

  “Of course you are.” I chuckled.

  The moment we all dismounted, the Vox leapt into the air with beating wings, soaring back in the direction we had come. I watched the black shapes grow smaller and smaller until they were nothing more than dark specks in the sky.

  Dad smiled at me. “How are you feeling?”

  I raised a brow. “How should I be feeling?”

  He placed a sturdy hand on my shoulder. “Scared out of your senses.”

  “Gee, thanks for the pep talk.”

  “Daria, don’t listen to your father.” Sonya smiled, grabbing my hand. “You’ll do beautifully. Everyone will adore you.”

  Great, just what I wanted. Everyone’s adoration. I gave Sonya a face that said as much and she laughed.

  “I say listen to Alaric.” Cicero’s grin fell when Sonya nudged him hard in the ribs.

  “Is Stefan here?” Alex asked my dad.

  “He should be.” Dad stared ahead. “I wrote to him earlier this morning.�
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  Alex glanced at me before turning to walk ahead. The rest of us trailed after him. Fleck lingered by my side in a pensive silence. I wondered what a boy of his age could be so pensive about, but then I remembered he had an incredible—and inconvenient—amount of insight for one so young.

  There was a light tug on my sleeve. “Lady?”

  I glanced down at him.

  “Don’t be scared.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Once those people see what you can do, they’ll be the scared ones.”

  I paused, crouched at his side, and smiled. “Just as long as I don’t scare you.”

  “Oh, no, lady. But I think you scare him.” He nodded towards Alex.

  Just as he scares me, I thought.

  I patted Fleck on the arm and held his hand as we continued. Both going to a place neither of us had been. Both strangers in our own land.

  A wall came into view, stretching in either direction. It was built of stones and stood so tall there was no way of telling what existed beyond. There was a large wooden gate embedded in the thick wall and as we neared, I felt smaller and smaller. The gate was wide enough for all of us to walk through side-by-side with plenty of room to spare, heights reaching up at least fifty feet. How the gate ever moved was beyond me.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the shadows of the forest. I felt it then—a presence, one that felt familiar to me somehow. Stronger and stronger it came until a young man emerged from the trees. His bronze hair shone in the sunlight, bordering a pair of striking blue eyes I would recognize in any crowd. They were my dad’s eyes.

  He was of average height and his fitted black attire showed off his muscular frame. He was an exact replica of my dad, albeit much younger. There was a rigid structure to his face, but it was no reflection of his spirit. That, I could feel, was pure and good and honest. Even if no one had told me, I would’ve known that the young man standing before me was my brother. And I couldn’t have hand-picked someone better.

  My legs began walking towards him.

  We stopped a few feet from each other. His blue eyes twinkled and he beamed at me. A few of his bottom teeth were turned in the wrong direction, but their imperfection was somehow more endearing. Then, without warning, he pulled me into a tight embrace. His love and joy wrapped around me then, even more powerful than his arms. When he stepped back, large, prominent dimples framed the smile that spread across his face.

  “Daria.” His rough voice sounded proud.

  I took a deep breath. “Stefan.”

  I didn’t think it was possible, but his semi-crooked smile widened. And his dimples deepened.

  “It’s about time you arrived. I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you.”

  I liked the sound of his voice. It was strong and confident and…kind.

  “I wish I could say the same,” I said. “I’ve only known you existed since yesterday.”

  He looked past me at Dad with a smirk on his face. “Father.”

  Father. Strange hearing someone else calling my dad “father.”

  Stefan looked back at me with a spark of humor in his gaze. “He’s a bit overprotective.”

  “You think?” I grinned. “Don’t tell me he has thermal sensors around this place, too.”

  Stefan arched a brow. “You’re serious?”

  It was decided, then. Life really wasn’t fair.

  “He left that bit out.” Stefan glanced over at my dad—our dad. “I guess we know who the favorite is.” He smiled back at me. “Well, I can hardly wait to get to know you myself, especially after everything Alex has told me…”

  “Um, I’m not so sure I’d trust everything Alex has to say. He’s a little biased.”

  Stefan looked thoughtful. “He was right about one thing. You are beautiful. And that’s something I know for a fact he’s biased about.”

  He studied my now red face and his suspicion surged. Then he glanced back at Alex and a smirk appeared. Dad joined us, his face full of love and pride, and his joy was overflowing at having his children finally united.

  Dad and Stefan embraced, with firm smacks on the back. “Thank you, Stefan. I know it hasn’t been easy.”

  Stefan smiled and the dimples returned. “I only did it for her.”

  “Already uniting against me?” Dad asked.

  I grinned. “Dad, you can’t postpone the inevitable.”

  Both men beamed. It was like looking at two versions of my dad at the exact same time. Would I ever get used to this?

  Stefan continued, “Grandfather’s waiting for you in his chambers. He dismissed the Council for the rest of the afternoon after I told him you were on your way, but beware. They’re all lurking about, wondering what in the blazes caused the king to shorten yet another pointless meeting.”

  “Good, you haven’t mentioned Daria then.”

  Stefan shook his head just as the Del Contes joined us, Fleck trailing behind.

  Heartfelt greetings were exchanged all around, Stefan and Alex slapped each other hard on the back and Stefan’s smirk reappeared. Alex just shook his head.

  Stefan froze and his smile fell. “A Daloren child?”

  Fleck hid behind Alex’s legs.

  I took a step forward. “He was being held prisoner and he helped me escape.”

  There was fear in Stefan’s eyes. “But he needs to be taken to the Keep,” Stefan said.

  Fleck began shaking again.

  “But he doesn’t know anyone—he doesn’t even know his real name. I promised him I’d help him figure it out.” I grabbed Stefan’s sleeve. “Please.”

  Stefan held my gaze. His fear faded and he crouched low, speaking in a voice that was softer. “What is your name, lad?”

  Alex tried to comfort Fleck, but Fleck wouldn’t budge. He was resolute in his position behind Alex’s legs.

  “Whoever you are,” Stefan continued, “seeing as you saved my sister, I think you deserve a grand reward. I’m thinking—” Stefan rubbed his chin, staring at the sky “—a table filled with roasted meats, sweet breads, and all the callaberries you could fill your mouth with.”

  I could’ve kissed him. Fleck’s little flecked eyes peered around Alex’s legs. And then his nose appeared, followed by a mouth that was wide-open and grinning.

  “Really?” his little voice whispered.

  “All in celebration of your bravery.” Stefan smiled. “But I must have a name to give the cooks so I know where to deliver your food.”

  “Fleck.” He all but shoved Alex over and bounded toward Stefan.

  “Fleck.” Stefan smiled, extending a hand. “It is a pleasure.”

  I mouthed the words “thank you” to Stefan, who nodded and stood.

  “Let’s proceed, shall we?”

  We stood before the guardian to my fate—the gate—and as my curiosity surged, the gate slid sideways into the stone wall, just wide enough for us to pass through. A mountain of a man blocked our passage. Master Durus.

  Why was it, out of all the people in this crazy world, my family had trusted this man? Maybe it was punishment.

  “Thank you, Master Durus.” Stefan nodded.

  “Sire.” Master Durus bowed.

  Stefan walked through.

  The others said their hellos, but when it was my turn to walk through, Master Durus held up a massive hand.

  Of course he would do that.

  His black eyes bore down upon me. “A caution, princess,” sounded his familiar low rumble. “King Darius has no tolerance for differing opinions. I might advise you not to speak…unless absolutely necessary.”

  Well.

  I stalked past him after the others with Master Durus on my heels. The gate closed silently behind us. Power poured through my body as I walked through the thick stone wall and ended the moment I was on the other side.

  There must be other defenses in place. Magical ones.

  On the other side of the wall was a bustling marketplace. Stone and wooden building
s lined the inner wall, separated from others by narrow walkways. People gathered in the streets, in the buildings: chatting, trading, and pushing through the crowd. Some wore armor, others wore cloaks, and some wore clothing like ours. It was like I was looking at a movie set for King Arthur’s Camelot. Only this was real.

  Spending days in a forest while coming across the occasional guard was one thing. Looking at this…I wouldn’t have believed it if I wasn’t standing there staring at it.

  Green and black banners hung from every high window, green and black flags crowned the tops of buildings. Fruits and oddly shaped vegetables filled stands as their tattered owners argued over price with others dressed in velvets. Other stands boasted an assortment of weaponry, tools, strange looking books, maps, objects I’d never seen before in my life strangely hovering over their counter.

  Master Durus led our small caravan down a narrow alley; the Del Contes positioned themselves around me and Fleck. Alex walked right at my side. This part of town was quiet and eerie. The walls were too tall for the narrow lane, leaving only a thread of blue sky visible up above. Eyes kept peaking through high windows but I could never catch their faces. A curtain would ruffle or a window would close and the person would vanish.

  “Where is he taking us?” I whispered to Alex.

  He tilted his head towards me. “To the palace. We’re using back roads.”

  “Back roads?” I motioned to the dark alley we were walking through. “I keep feeling like a ghost’s going to jump out and scare me. No, wait. Considering the circumstances, it’d probably be a gypsy. You don’t have any gold, do you?” I smirked.

  Alex stepped closer to me. “I think they’d be satisfied with you.”

  I pretended to look offended. “You wouldn’t.”

  A grin twitched at his lips as he stepped away and looked ahead.

  A couple people rushed by us in the opposite direction. They recognized Master Durus and ducked their heads to hurry past. I didn’t blame them. The man was supposedly on my side and I was afraid he’d strike at any moment—either with words or something worse. Much worse.

  But when they passed me, I felt a surge of their curiosity. They paused to glance behind them—at me—and then walked away even faster.