The UnFolding Collection Three

by S. K. Randolph

  The Mocendi stumbled to his knees in a puddle of black and purple.

  The second man continued to block the entrance. “Teva asked me to remove this man from Myrrh and suggested the Sentinel in Nemttachenn might be able to help.”

  CheeTrann peered down from his immense height. “And how do I know you are who you say you are?”

  “Teva remembers meeting you soon after Almiralyn arrived in Myrrh. You gave her a very special gift.”

  “That I did.” He loomed bigger. The kneeling Mocendi cringed and hunched lower. The tower trembled. A vortex opened in the floor. CheeTrann roared, “Mocendi, should you ever see The MasTer again, tell him Myrrh is not his for the taking.”

  The portal yawned wider. The Mocendi struggled to stand. Lenadi waved a hand. The Mocendi toppled forward into the swirling colors, his cape opening like wings fighting to fly as he plummeted. A howl of dismay clipped short by the loud clap of thunder accompanying the closure of the vortex melted into nothing.

  Lenadi bowed his head. “Thank you, Sentinel of Myrrh. Teva will want to know where you sent him.”

  CheeTrann resumed his normal size and picked up a chess piece. “The Galactic Guardians will chart his course. He will not be returning to Myrrh, Thera, or DerTah any time soon.” He sniffed the air. “Evil still walks the Land of Myrrh.”

  Lenadi crossed to the table. “We have also captured an apprentice Mocendi whom I know would love to make your acquaintance.”

  CheeTrann placed the queen on the board. “Tell Teva Rivan to bring him herself. It has been far too long since her last visit.”

  Lenadi bowed and vanished.

  Paisley sank onto his chair. “Life is too full o’ people comin’ and goin.’ Will it ever be normal again?”

  CheeTrann sat and picked up a pawn. “Normal? Ha. Life, my friend, is an adventure. The best you can do is live it one turning at a time.” He put the pawn in its place and grinned. “And play an occasional game of chess.”

  Sparrow smiled at Allynae’s image in the mirror and then watched herself shift to Almiralyn.

  He shook his head. “I would never have believed it without seeing you make the change. Your illusion is so perfect.”

  She fingered her blonde braid. “When Relevart touched my head and I shifted…” Almiralyn’s laugh filled the room. “He gave me no choice, Alli.”

  His arms encircled her waist.

  She turned and kissed his cheek. “We have work to do. Don’t forget that I am your sister. The minute we leave this room, I am the Guardian of Myrrh. Until I return here, I must embrace my role totally.”

  Stepping away, he gave her one last appraising look. “You never cease to amaze me. Walk or teleport.”

  “I’m too anxious to hear what the team has discovered.” She laid a hand on his arm. Canedari came into focus. Hurrying through the double doors into the Hall of Priestesses, she led the way to the research area. Excitement palpating the space raised the hair on the back of her neck.

  Eyes gleaming, Elae held up the journal. “We have completed the translation.”

  Wilith rose and pulled out a chair. “I can’t believe the resources available to you here.”

  Merrilea’s bemused smile broadened. “Almiralyn, you’ll never guess what we’ve discovered.”

  Sparrow sat down, reminded herself what her role was, and said, “Who wants to begin?”

  Allynae lounged in a chair opposite, taking in the excitement bubbling around the table. Almiralyn’s research team was bursting with eagerness to share. Papers littered the table. The screen on Wilith’s mini-comp glowed.

  Wilith took the lead. “I uncovered a mention, but little new information, regarding birth-mates from my search of the library’s techno-files on the Outer Universe. Although not much has been recorded about the vastness beyond the Rim, El Stroma’s close proximity to the DéCussate makes it one of the few planets on which information has been gathered. The one new piece of information I found suggests that although the Pheet Adole developed Protariflee on El Stroma, the practice may have transited the DéCussate. It appears that prior to the acid rains that destroyed life on the planet, El Stromans fled their home. I am in the process of following a couple of leads. If I find anything, I will let you know.”

  Almiralyn nodded. “Thank you, Wilith.” Her gaze switched to Elae, who squirmed in her chair like an excited child. “I think you should go next, Elae.”

  The young DeoNyte tried to calm her excitement. “Merrilea’s the one who uncovered the truth…”

  Esán’s aunt laughed. “But you’re the better storyteller, Elae. Please don’t keep Almiralyn waiting.”

  Allynae held his breath. Are we finally going to find out who The MasTer is?

  Zugo peeked from between new curtains in Veersuni. Water trickled into Elcaro’s bowl, erasing the image of a moment ago. He pushed the curtain aside with his uninjured hand and walked to the fountain. Pain throbbing in his chest and hand made him stagger. He steadied himself on the alabaster rim. The reflection of his blistered chest and singed fur made him cringe.

  Elcaro’s Eye had called him from his dreams. Ignoring Almiralyn’s warning not to be alone with the fountain, he had managed to sneak away from his mother and Owae. He had tiptoed into Veersuni as Abarax offered The MasTer something for his cough. When Zugo realized whose image occupied the fountain, he hid behind the curtains and eavesdropped.

  To the quiet sound of rippling water, he reviewed the conversation and its startling revelation. The MasTer is a woman. I have to find Almiralyn. The thumping beat of his heart sent a wave of pain shooting through him. Gasping, he sank onto a bench and fought the fatigue threatening to overwhelm him.

  Closing his eyes, he forced his breathing to normalize. When the pain subsided, he rose unsteadily to his feet and made his way to the door. A short rest. His hand found the handle. The weight of wood proved to be a challenge. An aching breath shook his body. He pulled the door open and stumbled through. Vague images melted into nothing as the room went dark.

  “Zugo. Zugo, wake up.”

  Do I know that voice?

  “Zugo, its Elae.”

  Elae. Ahhhhh .

  A small hand gripped his. The heaviness left his body. A shooting pain almost sent him back into unconsciousness. Someone lifted his head. Warm liquid slipped between his lips, slid down his parched throat. The pain grew easier to bear. He inhaled and opened his eyes.

  Elae’s anxious gaze searched his face. “Oh, Zugo, what are you doing out of bed?” She handed a small cup to Owae.

  “Almiralyn,” he whispered. “I need—”

  “I’m here, Zugo.”

  Like an angel, she appeared at the foot of the sofa. Allynae stepped into his line of vision and helped him to sit. Vaguely, he realized that Wilith Whalend and Merrilea were there, as well. He steadied his breathing.

  “I snuck into Veersuni. The MasTer and a winged creature… I hid behind the curtains.” He stopped to catch his breath, to search his mind. A yawn distracted him.

  Almiralyn knelt beside him. “What did you hear, Zugo?”

  He gripped her hand. “The MasTer—she’s a woman.”

  “Did you hear who she is?”

  His eyelids grew heavier and heavier. He couldn’t think. Someone lifted him. Allynae’s rugged features focused momentarily, and then he could no longer fight the healing herbs.

  When Almiralyn and her team returned to the research area, their concern for Zugo melted into palpable expectation. Elae flipped through her notes. Wilith tapped his comp-tab, squinted at its contents, and tapped it again. Merrilea calmly awaited Allynae’s return.

  Almiralyn traced Ari’s infinity sign on the shiny surface of the table and let her mind, Sparrow’s mind, wrap around the news. The MasTer is a woman. I wonder if Relevart knows? Of course he does.

  Allynae’s arrival interrupted her thoughts. He dropped into a chair. “So, Elae, I’m betting you already knew The MasTer was a woman. Did you find out who she is, wher
e she’s from? Tell us everything.”

  Elae glanced at Wilith and Merrilea. Both wore tired but elated smiles. Her startling eyes came to rest on Almiralyn. “Do you want the whole story or just who she is?”

  “I would appreciate knowing what you know.”

  Placing her four-fingered hand on the cover of the journal, Elae began her story. “As you know, the war on El Stroma was hard fought. It soon became clear that the Pheet Adole were winning. The people of the continent of El QuilTran did not have a chance against the industrialized war machine of the RomPeer.

  “Around this time, a male rebel, The MasTer, begins to appear in the writings. Under his leadership the rebels grew angrier and more evil-intentioned. If the Eleo Preda could no longer make El Stroma their home, then no one would. Eleo Predian survivors were smuggled aboard ships headed for the Inner Universe. As soon as they were safely underway, the rebels went to work, turning the RomPeer’s technology against him. Acid rain began to fall. Life on the planet ceased to exist. The remaining rebels, including their leader, escaped on a small ship, which deposited them on the planet of TreBlaya.”

  “Wait!” Allynae came to his feet and paced the length of the table and back. “We know the rebel leader was Rayn. We know the rebel leader destroyed TreBlaya and made it the headquarters of the Mocendi League. Could Rayn be The MasTer?”

  Sparrow wanted to shift to herself, contained the urge, and said in Almiralyn’s voice, “If so, Relevart, the boy in her locket, is her birth-mate.”

  The silence in the Reading Room sizzled.

  44

  Master’s Reach

  DerTah & Beyond

  S udden fatigue weighted Esán’s body. The encounter with Thorlu had taken its toll. The illness that had almost killed him on Thera stirred. Remission had been short-lived. Ignoring his desire to rest, he rubbed his throbbing head. Brie needs me to think .

  Ira cleared his throat. “You’re sick again, huh?”

  “Just tired.” He sighed. “Elf might not make it if we don’t create a distraction. There’s an alarm of some kind on Thorlu’s desk. If he’s got one, there have to be others.”

  Ira thumped him on the back. “Genius. I saw one near the console in the plantitarium when we were hiding.” He shifted.

  Esán ignored his growing sense of lassitude, followed Ira’s example, and crawled after him from their hideout. In butterfly form, they flitted from leaf to leaf. When nothing indicated danger, they materialized behind a bush near the console.

  Ira whispered, “You keep watch. I’ll see what I can discover.” He crept into the open. The sound of an alarm sent him dashing back. “What on Thera!”

  Esán gripped his arm. “Hide.”

  The door shished open. Three men in the black-lined capes of apprentice Mocendi marched into the space.

  Esán shifted and fluttered after Ira’s gold and orange butterfly. Passing it as it dropped into a crevice, he flitted further up the side of the waterfall. Hidden beneath a broad leafed bush, he watched and listened.

  A skinny apprentice scanned the space. “Why didn’t someone notice the illusion in the boy’s cell sooner? Now we’ll never find him.”

  An older stockier man growled, “Spread out. He has to be here.”

  Esán felt his energy leaking away. Sure hope the Mocendi give up before I lose control of this shape. He fluttered deeper into shadows. At least, Brie has her distraction.

  A high pitched, pulsating whistle shattered Thorlu’s concentration. “What in SeDah—”

  The purple lining of his cape tossing light like a prism, he strode around his desk and glared at a dragonfly trapped in a tall, glass box. “Is this your doing, Troms el Shiv?” He pronounced Elf’s true name as though spitting something distasteful from his mouth.

  Vygel marched into the room. “Ira Raast has escaped. It seems we have now misplaced them all. Our brethren are frantic.”

  Thorlu’s eyes narrowed. “The young people are not their responsibility, Vygel. They’re ours. And we have not lost them all.” He stalked over to the glass box. “Your friends, Elf? Where are they?”

  The dragonfly darted one direction and then another. Thorlu leaned closer.

  “If The MasTer didn’t want you for himself, I’d rip your mind to pieces.” He stormed to the door. “Don’t just stand there, Vygel. We now have two boys to find and secure. The MasTer grows impatient.”

  From a vent on the wall, Brie watched the dragonfly’s opalescent wings glimmer teal blue in the soft light. It angled toward the door. Tiny Human eyes stared after the disappearing Mocendi. Its wings beat faster.

  Brie flashed into sight. Concentrating her attention on the ward surrounding the box, she memorized its molecular make up and visualized a tear the size of her hand. When it appeared, she committed the structure of the glass to memory.

  A second alarm sounded. Her fist shot through the ward and penetrated the glass barrier. A dragonfly identical to Elf’s shot upward from her open hand. Elf’s landed on her palm. Curling her fingers around it, she withdrew her hand, returned the molecules of the box to their original pattern, reknit the tear in the shields, and vanished as Thorlu stormed into the space.

  Henri returned to her quarters, dissolved her dupligram of Renn, and assumed her likeness. Thoughts of Esán accompanied her on her walk to the lab. Their first encounter had been in the Holistic Healing Center in Idronatti. She and the twins were helping a young boy return to The Borderlands. Her hand pressed against her breast bone. I ended up in the Center with heart palpitations. Esán was in a room down the hall. She lowered the hand. His powerful presence had enticed her to explore. She found him in the final throws of the disease that she had helped to put into remission. Now it’s returned, reinfecting his system like an arachnid weaving its web. And this time I can do little, unless…

  She entered the lab and hurried to her work station. Renn’s orderly mind had provided her with all the information she required to fulfill The MasTer’s requests and to do some experiments of her own. Holding a small tube of colorless liquid up to the multi-spectrum light, she observed a subtle change, one that made her nod in satisfaction. If I can refine this, it might help— A noise behind her made her jump.

  “Hello, Renn. You seem pleased with yourself. I gather your little nap left you revitalized.”

  Renn cast an irritated glance Vygel’s direction and began entering information in her data repository. “I do my best thinking when I am at rest. You should try it, Vygel.”

  He leaned awkwardly on the counter. “We can’t find your son’s friends, Renn. It seems they have escaped from their security cells. Would you care to speculate on how they managed it and where they are?”

  “One moment please.” She continued to enter data. When she finished, she glared at him. “Really, Vygel, if you are suggesting I had something to do with their escape…” She threw her hands in the air and returned to her work.

  “You are more than you seem, Renn Whalend. I find you fascinating.” He edged closer.

  His boney hand stroking her arm sent a chill up her spine. “You’re not the only one on this ship who likes research, Renn Whalen.” He fingered a strand of her hair. “I have conceived a small experiment. I think they will come out of hiding to protect you .”

  She sighed and stepped beyond reach. “Vygel, I have work to do. Please allow me to do it.”

  He sidled nearer. Long, fingers dug into the flesh of her arm. He pulled her to him. Bulging, bloodshot eyes roamed her face, her hair…

  She wanted to slap his ugly face.

  Shish, shish. The door opened and closed. For a moment Thorlu remained still; then he flipped his cape over his shoulders, where it hung in rich, rippling folds, and observed his fellow Mocendi from half-closed eyes.

  “Renn has work to complete before we leave for TreBlaya, and yet I find you indulging your personal needs instead of allowing her to finish. I cannot imagine The MasTer would approve.”

  Vygel’s grip tightened. �
�I intend to use her for bait to bring those children out of hiding.”

  Thorlu almost purred. “What makes you think they will come out for her?”

  “She’s their friend’s mother.”

  Cool eyes moved from her face to her captor’s. “In case you haven’t noticed, Vygel, we are not dealing with ordinary young people. They are intelligent and perceptive. Obviously smarter than you. Would you come out of hiding if you knew The MasTer wanted Renn alive and unharmed, even if one of his chosen Mocendi threatened to harm her?”

  Vygel’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Uncertainty bristled. The grip on her arm eased. Renn noted Thorlu’s bland expression. He knew just how far to push Vygel. She forced herself to remain quiet.

  Torgin walked next to Wolloh through endless night sky. He glanced at the compass in his hand. The needle pointed straight ahead. Wolloh’s limped stride did not falter. Behind them, Somay and Nomed matched the new VarTerel's pace, their footfalls soundless. Wodash floated beside him, his glacial cold wafting around his almost formless body. Torgin couldn’t suppress a shiver.

  In the far distance, a tiny glow caught his eye. Unlike the myriad of stars, it appeared to move along the same trajectory they traveled. Wonder if Wolloh—

  “I see it, young Torgin. Your eye is good.” Wolloh spoke the soft words from the deformed side of his mouth.

  Torgin noted the stretch and pull of the scars, the strange working of distorted lips. He remembered when the High DiMensioner frightened him. He felt proud that he had grown beyond his fear.

  The distant glow edged nearer. The soft radiance in the crystal tip of Wolloh’s staff stretched toward it. Opposite ends of a pale path glowed. With each step, the gap between grew smaller. At last, the ends touched, blended, formed one glowing pathway through the night-scape.