by Raine Thomas
Leaving them to their privacy, he walked the short distance down the hall to the room he shared with Amber. There was also laughter coming from Olivia and James’ room, though there was a more sensual element to it. Still, it was lifting to the spirits to know everyone was in good cheer after the exhausting ritual they had undertaken. He knew, as did Caleb and James, that the sisters weren’t going to refuse the request to perform the ceremony at the various class homelands. It worried him, but he knew that they all really had no choice.
They would draw upon each other’s strength and get it done. It was all they could do.
With this thought, he opened the door to his bedroom and stepped in, closing it behind him. After a quick glance at the empty table, where he had left Amber eating her breakfast, he shifted his gaze to the bed. She was sitting in the middle of the mattress with her legs folded and her hands pressed to her abdomen.
And she was crying.
Amber rarely cried. Hurrying to the bed, he fought panic and climbed onto the mattress beside her.
What’s wrong? he thought, rubbing his hand on her back.
She looked at him as another tear fell. You weren’t supposed to come back and see me such a mess.
Because he sensed the self-deprecating humor in her thought, his intense panic eased. Then he just gave her a knowing look to prompt an explanation.
I felt it. I felt the baby move.
Shock rolled through him. And then he felt a wide, foolish grin spread across his face. She grinned right back.
It’s like having a butterfly trapped in your hands…fluttering, really. But I felt it. The baby’s really active after all that sleep.
Please share it with me.
So they lay on the bed in each other’s arms as she focused on what she felt in her womb and sent the sensory images to him. And when he felt the baby’s movements…felt the miracle growing inside her that they had created together…he also felt the moisture on his cheeks.
Chapter Twelve
The sisters unanimously agreed that they would perform the ritual at each of the class homelands to extend the barrier of protection to each of them. Skye was actually quite enthusiastic about it. Although she had been physically worn out by it, she hadn’t found it beyond her abilities and she knew that she could do it again.
She could make a difference. And in a very real way strike back at Grolkinei.
The elders decided that it would be best to arrange the visits in order of geographic distance from Estilorian Central, from the farthest to the closest, believing that the farthest homelands would have the weakest existing protections. It was as logical an approach to the plan as any other.
They departed from Central two days after the first ritual. The farthest—and, thus, highest—homeland belonged to the Wymzesti. The class of intuits was very isolative and only rarely adventured out. They had been by far the lowest in attendance at both the Becoming ceremony and the welcome dinner held for the sisters when they arrived at Central. As they were among the lowest in numbers among Estilorians to begin with, the sisters hadn’t met very many of them.
Skye knew after speaking about it with Knorbis that the Wymzesti found it difficult to be among other classes. Their high level of intuitiveness allowed them not only access to the thoughts of others but keen insight into body language, intonation and predictability of behavior based upon experience. They often knew what someone was going to do or say before they did or said it.
Thus, they had earned reputations equivalent to “know-it-alls” among the other classes, making having social relationships rather challenging.
As they departed Central, Skye considered how difficult that would be. She was a social being who enjoyed being around and interacting with others. Differences from one person to the next merely added to the interest, in her opinion. Being around only one kind of person day in and day out for hundreds of years sounded dreadfully boring to her.
She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as they left Central behind and headed up to the Wymzesti homeland. It had been a long while since she had spread her wings and flown in the open air.
The homelands spiraled for miles from Central, up and out. All of them were protected by enchantments that kept them from the eyes of the Mercesti, but they were perfectly visible to her and her sisters, as well as to all other Estilorians. She loved how different they all looked, even from a distance.
Where Central’s main base was like a large human city in design, the lowest homeland of the Waresti looked like a giant mountain floating in the sky. The Gloresti homeland, which they approached next, was a series of small, rocky islands centered around, and slightly above, a larger one. Next came the Corgloresti homeland, which looked like something out of a science fiction movie…lots of black and silver glinting in the sunlight. It was surprisingly small in light of the class’s fairly large numbers. Skye reasoned that was because most of the Corgloresti were usually elsewhere on the Estilorian plane, transitioning to the human plane in an effort to harvest more human souls.
When they got as high as the Lekwuesti homeland, which looked surprisingly like a suburb just about anywhere in the world with the many homes dotting green hillsides, she noted a distinct drop in the temperature. She also realized it wasn’t as easy to breathe. Glancing at everyone else, she tried to gauge if they felt the same.
I do, Amber thought.
Me, too, Olivia seconded.
It didn’t seem that the full Estilorians did, however. Because it wasn’t too uncomfortable, she shrugged it off and pushed on. They flew past the cloudy and ethereal Orculesti homeland a few miles later. The temperature continued to drop. She saw Amber rubbing her arms as though to warm herself up. Their breath left their mouths in visible plumes.
Skye’s breathing grew more labored. She wondered what altitude they were at and marveled over the fact that the full Estilorians weren’t impacted by it at all. She sensed her sisters feeling much the same and wondered if they were communicating the issues to their husbands. When she saw Gabriel, James and Caleb glancing at them frequently, she knew they had.
By the time they reached the Scultresti homeland, which looked like an enchanted forest to her, she was afraid she wasn’t going to make it. Her head was beginning to swim. And when Amber’s gold and blue-gray wings suddenly winked out and she dropped, prompting Gabriel to dive after her and pluck her, unconscious, from the air, her fears were confirmed. Ini-herit flew over to Gabriel and placed his hands on Amber. Although her eyes fluttered back open after a flare of Ini-herit’s silver light, his expression was grim.
Caleb flew over to Skye, unimpeded by her fading wings. “You’d better let me take you the rest of the way.”
Nodding, she moved into his arms and extinguished her wings, allowing him to carry her. She saw James and Olivia doing the same thing. Although she was more used to the cold than either of her sisters, she was vibrating with shivers by the time they finally reached the remote Wymzesti homeland. She barely registered the amazing white, purple and gold landscape as she wondered blearily why they hadn’t been warned to dress more warmly.
Her thoughts grew even more muddled as Caleb landed. Her eyes closed. Her chest felt like there was a band around it.
Then she lost consciousness.
Caleb hurried to lay Skye on the ground beside Amber and Olivia. The elders knelt over all of them. Ini-herit put his hands on Amber first, as she appeared to be in the direst need. Her lips were blue.
“She is not taking in enough oxygen,” the Corgloresti elder said. “She and the baby are in peril.”
Caleb felt Gabriel’s shock and fear and experienced a great deal of those emotions himself. If Amber wasn’t getting enough oxygen, none of the sisters were. Ini-herit touched Amber and released some of his healing energy. She seemed to respond. Her lungs filled more completely and her color started to return.
“That will only temporarily solve the problem,” Zayna said consideringly, looking at each of the sisters.
“Their human blood affects their Estilorian forms differently than I anticipated. I must try to permanently expand their lungs and regulate their body temperatures.”
“We need to warm them up,” James added. “Their skin is like ice. Olivia said she was freezing before she lost consciousness.”
“I will take care of it,” Sebastian said. He quickly raised his hand and created three thick blankets with a flash of lavender light. Then they all hurried to wrap the blankets around the sisters.
What will happen if they don’t get enough oxygen? Caleb thought toward Gabriel.
His leader glanced over with bleak eyes. They’ll die.
Caleb absorbed the two simple words like a blow. He sank to his knees besides Skye’s still form and watched the terrifyingly shallow and rapid rise and fall of her chest. Beside her, the brown light of Zayna’s power glowed around Amber, mixing with the silver energy generated by Ini-herit. While the Scultresti and Corgloresti elders worked jointly on Amber, Skye and Olivia were fading fast.
If only there was a way that he could give Skye some of his breath, Caleb thought a bit desperately.
“Damn,” Gabriel said loudly. He looked up and caught Caleb’s gaze. “Curse me for an idiot. I’m not thinking like a human.”
He scrambled over to Olivia. “James, you’ll have to trust me on this.” Then he glanced at Caleb. “Do the same things I do, okay?”
Confused, Caleb nodded. Gabriel tilted Olivia’s head back. Caleb did the same with Skye. Then Gabriel plugged Olivia’s nose. Again, Caleb did the same with Skye. And then Gabriel bent down and covered Olivia’s open mouth with his.
Blinking, Caleb processed this unexpected maneuver for a brief moment. Then he noticed Olivia’s lungs filling. Understanding, he covered Skye’s mouth and breathed. He gauged how much breath to offer her by the rise of her chest. Gabriel made sure James understood what to do and then turned Olivia’s care over to her avowed.
They continued this for a long minute. Gabriel took over for Ini-herit once Amber was healed enough to be able to respond to Gabriel’s kiss, and in turn, use her healing ability on herself. Zayna worked carefully and methodically, moving her hands along Amber’s upper body with intense concentration. Her brown eyes glowed brightly.
It felt like ages later that she finally leaned back and nodded. Amber blinked up at Gabriel, looking a bit groggy but otherwise okay.
“Oh,” she said with obvious alarm when she spotted her sisters.
Rather than move, she simply threw her arms wide until she touched a part of both Olivia and Skye and then sent out her healing ability. Gold light quickly bathed both sisters.
“They’ll be able to breathe now while Zayna does her thing,” she said in a level voice.
Caleb and James sat back. Zayna went to work on Olivia since she had been the second sister to lose consciousness. Caleb fought the urge to get to his feet and pace.
Finally, Zayna lifted her hands from Olivia. Amber also lifted her hand from Olivia and shifted to place them both on Skye. Olivia’s eyes were open and she looked up at James. Caleb imagined they exchanged a thought, as James gave her a small smile and ran a hand along her hair. His emotions were all over his face.
Sweat glistened on Zayna’s dark skin as she leaned over Skye. Strain showed around her eyes as she focused her power on Skye’s upper body. Caleb had the sudden thought that she might not have enough power left to help Skye.
Then he forced that thought from his mind. Skye needed his faith, not his doubts.
It took Zayna longer with her than it had with either Amber or Olivia, but eventually, Skye slowly opened her eyes. She seemed to focus on her surroundings. The pupils of her eyes normalized. Amber’s healing light faded.
And still, she didn’t move. Her face remained expressionless. Frowning, he edged forward, still on his knees. He leaned down try and figure out what was wrong.
Then her hand snared him behind the neck and she dragged him down for a passionate kiss. He was so surprised that he responded before he thought better of it. Only when the surrounding laughter and applause filtered through his senses did he pull back.
She simply beamed back at him. “Oh, and I’ll be fine,” she thought to add.
“Welcome to our homeland,” greeted the Wymzesti commander, Meda, a short while later.
The tall, imposing female made quite the impression with her long, lean face and body, reddish-brown skin and deep purple eyes. Her long, dark hair was braided with gold ribbon and hung in several separate rings around her head. Her simple, unadorned white robes made Skye think of a human judge. Although her skin was unlined, the ancient wisdom in her gaze made her seem very ageless.
Beside her stood a much shorter and younger-looking female with hair that billowed from her head in a plethora of strawberry-blonde curls. She wore a gold circlet that did nothing to contain the mass of her hair. Her pale skin made her purple eyes look even more potent. She was garbed in a long-sleeved magenta gown in the style of a medieval princess that had Skye sighing with envy.
“My second commander, Leoma, and I are looking forward to joining archigos Knorbis in making you as comfortable as possible during your visit,” commander Meda continued. “We are very honored that you have come.”
Leoma didn’t exactly look like she shared the sentiment. Then again, neither of the females had cracked even the slightest smile. Skye had to remind herself that most of the Estilorians they encountered on this trip would likely be just like this…no expression and very little intonation.
And then that thought made her wonder how the Wymzesti were able to be so intuitive about everyone else when there was so little body language and intonation to apply toward intuiting one’s actions.
Because Knorbis was standing a foot behind his two commanders, she saw his eyebrow lift. He caught her gaze and one corner of his mouth raised. Not knowing what to make of that, she flushed over having thought “too loudly” and turned her attention back to Meda.
“This is our welcome area,” she said, and waved around her.
It was very…white. Skye was rather amazed at just how light everything was. White floors, white ceilings, white walls. Even the opaque windows allowing sunlight to filter through were white. The starkness was broken up a bit with punches of color in the forms of rugs and furniture, but it still looked like some oddly modern museum. She exchanged glances with Amber and Olivia.
“It’s very, um, bright,” she offered at last.
“Very, very bright,” Olivia agreed.
“And spacious,” Amber added. When her sisters looked at her, she shrugged.
Meda nodded. “Our environment is controlled with thought,” she explained.
Then she turned and swept her gaze around the room. The white walls all seemed to fade to nothing. And suddenly, they were standing in the center of a circular area without any walls, surrounded by Wymzesti.
“Oh, too cool,” Skye breathed. “And a bit freaky.”
A bit? Amber thought, glancing uncomfortably around at the silent observers. She never liked being the center of attention.
“We would like to welcome you with a special recitation,” Leoma said in a softly accented, high-pitched voice, “attended by as many members of our class who are available. Would you please take a seat?”
Skye obediently moved forward with her sisters and their Gloresti to sit on the three couches set in the middle of the room in a U-shaped pattern. When Caleb sat down beside her, he was close enough that his hard, muscular arm pressed against hers. She leaned gratefully against him and tried not to think about all of the eyes on them.
The elders, without Gabriel, of course, stood behind Meda and Leoma at the front of the U. Skye knew then that they were showing their support of the three sisters during this welcome ceremony.
Then Meda spoke. “It all began with the Great Foretelling.”
Chapter Thirteen
Meda’s compelling voice was the only sound, it seemed, in the entire Wymzesti home
land.
“Millennia ago, Estilorians and humans lived in relative harmony. We evolved together, developed the groundwork of civilization together. We became friends and lovers, fought beside each other for what we believed in. But though our two types of being were compatible in a basic physical sense, the inherent differences between us soon became clear.
“Where humans aged and grew frail, Estilorians did not. Perhaps as a way to compensate for this fragility, humans could reproduce biologically and Estilorians could not. Before this genetic difference was understood, Estilorians paired with humans as mates and spouses, only to watch those mates and spouses grow old and die, leaving the Estilorians childless and alone.”
Skye blinked back tears as she thought about what an awful experience that must have been. She saw Olivia and Amber leaning in closer to James and Gabriel, and knew they were thinking of it, too.
“And then our powers began to emerge…powers that humans were unable to grasp. At first, humans looked at those of us with powers as something beyond them. Estilorians were revered, immortalized in human literature, song, art and poetry as gods, goddesses and other spiritual beings. Shamefully, there were some Estilorians who exploited this. Thrived on it. They saw humans as their servants, as beneath them. And the class elders took notice. They considered what should be done, as the Wymzesti warned them that things could not continue on this course without repercussions.
“In time, the Wymzesti were proven correct. Humans grew to resent Estilorians. They turned from us and banded together to war against us. Humans inevitably died as we protected ourselves, and this was something that the elders could absolutely not accept.
“The elders of all nine classes met to decide what should be done. The Mercesti elder, Volarius, was the first to suggest the combining of all of their powers to create a new plane of existence. This new plane would forever remove Estilorians from humanity, except for the single purpose of harvesting human souls for the Embrace. After much discussion and planning, they decided to move forward with this plan. It was the only course available to them to stop the warring and protect humanity.
