The crown rotated in the astral plane, slowly, as if it was showing her all perspectives of the future. White gold filigree swirled around in front of her as she admired the workmanship. Once the crown had completed a full rotation, it stopped and Triena saw the center-piece. A large pearl, with a hint of pink swirled in the whiteness, set like a teardrop. She knew the twelve crowns of the Queens, and this one in front of here wasn’t one of them.
What’s the Energy telling me? Normally she would’ve had to have the help of the flowers to go this deep into the energy. Now, she had another access point to the Energy Field because she absorbed Pernally’s energy. The crown floated in front of her. Triena tried to change the image, but the etheric molecule wouldn’t change. She went to go elsewhere, but the crown was always there, stopping her, forcing her to look. As if it wanted her to take it. Claim it. Wear it. But, it wasn’t possible. There was no way she could ever be a Queen. Triena knew that now and accepted it.
She reached out with her energy. The center pearl shone with wisdom. There were thirteen smaller pearls set around the main pearl, as if they were petals of a flower. The overall shape reminded her of a flower she had first worked with, Downy Pearl. A harmless flower, full of sweetness, with soft fluffy petals that came in the colors of white or pale pink, but the shape was ugly.
Together the petals formed a bulge, which looked like the double chin of an overweight man. It was said if you ever found a bud, then you could take it home, put it in a vase of water, and leave it on the windowsill, never changing the water, only topping it up. The flower needed more. Even though it looked innocent, it was carnivorous. Each night, you needed to add a drop of your blood. If you gave the right amount of blood, not too much, and not too little, then when the flower opened, a pearl would drop out. A gift from the flower for looking after it.
Triena remembered one of her teachers said there was a black flower, and if you found one, leave it there, it would only bring you bad energy. Next, she remembered running around the Queens’ castle, and finding a Downy Pearl bud. It wasn’t black, so she picked it, and took it inside.
The flower bloomed from her blood, but never opened. She kept it in the cellar, by the grate, so no one would take it from her. But, someone discovered her secret and took her gift. That’s what it was like with the other girls. Nothing was sacred, even though they had been selected because of their skill with the Energy, and trained to be a priestess. There was a level of malignant competition between them all to become one of the twelve Queens. To be part of the group who ruled over everyone else.
The crown came into focus again. The Energy tried to tell her a story. A main crown, a thirteenth, which ruled the other Queens, the story was fuzzy in her memory. The Queens never spoke of this. They didn’t want anything to change, they wanted to keep their power, answerable to each other and not be told what to do. The Queens wanted this story to be forgotten.
Triena reached out to touch the crown, to press the wisdom, to connect with the pearl. Thunder grumbled in the background and broke her concentration. She left the Energy Field, wishing she had at least touched the pearl. Electrical lights flashed in the darkness causing her eyes to ache. Braklen’s grip tightened around her waist Her heart thudded and her mind considered feeling more of him, naked, just the two of them alone.
“Right, let’s find somewhere else to hide for a bit.” Braklen’s voice broke her daydream.
Triena lifted her head and sighed. It only felt like a minute since they’d found this hiding place.
“Come on, best thing for us is to keep moving.” Braklen opened the door. Once again, Triena followed him through the back pathways of the ship, trusting a man the Queens had wanted her to kill. A man who wanted to take her to the Queens. Her stomach churned as if wanting to stop her.
You can trust him. The rabbit wriggled.
Triena felt the tilt of the ship as it plummeted through space and grabbed hold of the metal railing. The coolness in her palm gave her some awareness, just enough to stop herself from passing out.
You don’t get it, do you?
She couldn’t even answer the rabbit, as she held her breath, hoping it would be enough to stop the bile from rising.
Quem tea. Bring in the energy of the Quem tea.
Triena couldn’t even do that. She just held on to the railing as if her life depended on it.
“Fuck the Queens. Trust me to be stuck with someone who can’t tolerate space travel.” Braklen came back and slipped his arm around her waist. “Come on.”
But, Triena couldn’t move. He peeled her fingers off and lifted her into his arms.
“Come on, honey, let me take you across the threshold.”
Triena didn’t laugh. “Where to this time?”
“Dunno, so hold on. Who knows what’s around the corner?”
Chapter 9
“No, you can’t,” said Braklen.
It was the third attempt Triena made to try and take the pack. She wanted another pill for the space-sickness, but Braklen wouldn’t let her.
“You’re no good to me drowsy. I need you alert.”
They sat cramped together in a store cupboard near the engine room. The smell of fuel nauseated Triena even more.
“I’m not going to be any good like this.” She dropped her head to her knees and rubbed her forehead. “Just one pill.”
“No.”
Think of the Quem tea.
Triena held her breath as a wave of bile began to rise from her stomach.
“It won’t be long now.”
“You’ve been saying that for hours now.” She immediately regretted talking and struggled to stop herself from dry-retching.
Go and hug him. You’re not so sick then.
The idea tempted her. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about putting her hands around Braklen many times since hiding here. But, she was annoyed at him for not giving her another pill. And she was tired of being in a confined space with him and the rabbit. Her stubbornness prevailed.
“The engines are powering down. It won’t be long. Concentrate.”
Triena closed her eyes and imagined drinking Quem tea. It didn’t help. They’d changed hiding spots four times so far and she didn’t want to move again. At least they managed to get some food, second quality as it was, when they hid near the kitchen. She felt like a rat trying to survive. She longed to take out the object she’d found, but it was too risky. Secure in her belt, it throbbed near her waist, begging her to taste.
They sat in silence, waiting for the ship to stop, listening for footsteps. She was lost in her own thoughts. His hands were raw and crusted with blood. They found another medical kit and raided the contents. He made sure she didn’t take any more pills that would end up making her sleepy. He had to clean his own wounds because of her weakness at the sight of blood.
Triena took a deep breath and nearly choked on the oily fumes of the engine room. Tea, that’s what I need. A fresh cup of tea. It’d be the only thing to restore her balance. But, it wasn’t going to happen. Besides she wanted her tea, the dried flowers she’d spent years collecting. Blessing Buds would be perfect to help me feel better, especially if it was laced with some gin, or maybe some Huckery root powder. No, the leaves of Huckery would be better, a little tart in flavor, but nothing a little sweetener wouldn’t fix.
“We’ve dropped out of warp speed.” Braklen’s voice broke her daydream. “We’ll be stopping soon.”
“Do we need to move again?”
“Hopefully only to get off the ship.”
“Let’s get ready then.”
“Hold on honey, we gotta a lot more waiting to do. There’s no point hurrying off the ship before the cargo, they’ll see us for sure.”
“But, then they’ll find the men and will know they had stowaways. We got to get off quickly.”
She just wanted off this ship, and a decent meal, a shower, and to be allowed to sleep for two days. But, she didn’t have such a luxury
now that she was wanted by the Queens. Once off the ship, she had to make sure they were actually on the planet Soneria and then get passage to Inite, when they only had stolen money chips, and they looked like the sort of passengers only illegal traders would take. That was the last sort of ship Triena wanted to be getting on. Her head hurt from all this thinking. There aren’t enough options.
The rabbit sat cleaning his body. Braklen will know someone here who can help us.
Do we have to trust him? She really didn’t like the idea of having to keep on trusting him.
Yes.
“It’s all in the timing.”
“You’re not going to hand me over?”
“No. Unless you annoy me.” He winked at her.
“Do you always manage to keep your sense of humor in these situations?”
“It’s part of my job.” He stopped. “Was part of my job.” He looked down at his hands.
“The Energy did say you were going to have a new change of direction.”
“Yeah, well, this wasn’t what I had in mind.”
“That’s what happens. Any sort of Energy is unpredictable and fluid.”
“Hey, you never finished my reading. So how do you know?”
“Now’s not the time.”
“Reckon we could find time on Soneria.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not.” Triena remembered the two dried flowers in her pouch, waiting for him, all because she planned to try and kill him later, to get back in favor with the Queens. That’s not going to happen now. There was no way she was going to kill him.
“I don’t see why not.”
Triena’s fingers nervously played with her hair. The oily feel made her cringe. I need a shower. “I don’t have the flowers with me,” she lied.
“I’m sure we could source some on this planet, Soneria is much more abundant than the shit hole Oberon where you were living.”
“Don’t have enough money. Besides we need to get to Inite.”
“I’m sure we have pilfered enough money chips from the bodies.”
“Yeah, but we need food, water, lodging, and passage to Inite for two people joined by a prison chip. Expensive holiday.”
“Oh, honey, I’ll miss being with you. Do you want to get rid of me so soon? You know you really haven’t given me much of a chance.”
Listen.
Triena listened. “There’s nothing.”
That’s the point. You two better get off the ship while you can.
“Time to go.” She stood up, wobbling as her leg muscles buckled from being cramped. She’d spent too much time confined in small places for the last twenty-four hours and her body complained as she tried to walk. The space-sickness had stopped at least. She felt much more balanced without the movement of the ship. “You know where to go in Soneria?”
“Wait up.” Braklen quickly stood, grabbed the rabbit and put him in the pack. “You got to follow me here. I know ships better than you.” He pushed past her. “Come on. I’m sure you’re itching to get off this ship.”
“So how are we going out?”
“In a crate.” He swung the pack on his back.
“That’s too risky. We can’t go out the front door. Someone will be bound to recognise us.”
Triena didn’t like the idea of being in a crate, but she followed Braklen. The chip in her arm made sure she kept close to him. She felt the pulse of electricity at her waist, through the leather pouch, from the object she found before. The buzz increased her energy. She longed for solitude and space to investigate her find. She was certain it would give her more information about the Queens and at least what they were trading in. She stumbled, her oversized shoe catching the edge of a metal stair.
“Pick up your feet.” Braklen turned around, stopping while Triena regained her balance. He kept moving quickly through the back ways of the ship down towards the loading bay.
Machines chugged into life and men were running around getting ready to off-load the cargo, so they could re-load the ship and move onto the next planet. Time was money for the traders. The inside of the ship was a roar of engines grumbling about the work, and the clunking of metal cogs turning, pulleys and ropes grinding together to lift the heavy crates.
They hid behind some barrels at the end of the loading area. Triena desperately looked for a way out.
“We should’ve been here earlier,” said Braklen.
“This isn’t going to work,” said Triena. There were too many people working and someone would see them if they tried to hide between the crates, let alone in one, which had been the plan.
“Fuck the Queens.” Braklen kept looking out from the barrels, as if that would help him to think of another plan.
Triena’s heart pounded hard and fast in her chest as she leaned on the metal barrel. The noise of the engines puffing steam and the yells of people working made it harder for her to think. It was nearly impossible for her to slip into the Energy Field to try and find a way out. “So what now?”
Braklen took a deep breath. “Let’s try the back door then.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“You got a better idea then?”
“No.”
He took her back to the maze of platforms weaving up and down between the different levels. She had no idea where she was, or where she was going, she just kept walking. Her motivation to get off the ship helped her to keep up with him. She didn’t know how he knew the ship so well, or if it was a standard model. Once you knew one ship, you knew them all. Bit like working with Energy, the energy of animals and plants were different, but it was easy to switch between them, if Triena could stomach the sight of blood.
Triena saw someone ahead on the runway. She felt her body go cold and the hair on her arms prickled. This is it. There’s no way out of this one.
Braklen just squared his shoulders and kept walking. The man stopped, his arms to his side, he stood to attention and let them pass.
“Sir,” said a worker.
Braklen gave a quick nod, but didn’t slow his pace.
Triena kept her eyes down as she walked past. She felt the man’s eyes burning into her with his energy. She knew what he thought she was, and why she was on the ship. But, he didn’t say anything and once she moved past him, she heard his footsteps on the metal as he walked off.
“That was too close.”
“Shhh.” He stopped at the landing platform. There was a guard checking off people as they left the ship. “Fuck the Queens.”
We’re going to get caught for sure. It wasn’t the first time she’d had such thoughts about never getting off the ship and being caught.
“Right then. I guess there’s no other way.” He took her hand and walked towards the guard. Braklen moved swiftly, his head high, shoulders back, as if he was meant to be on the ship.
“Braklen, no.” She strained her weight backwards trying to stop him. He was too strong for her and he just kept moving. Her feet dragged along the ground as she tried to resist.
You told me I could trust him. She sent the thought with a charged energy to the rabbit, aimed at giving him a small electric shock. You are as bad as the Queens with the games you play.
Triena kept pulling against the direction Braklen forced her.
“Stop making a scene.”
Listen to him.
I swear I’m going to take your tail.
Triena yelled in frustration. “No, please don’t.” The fire burned deep in her belly and rage fuel her movements as she struggled to break free.
Settle down. You’ve over-reacting.
Braklen stopped in front of the guard and Triena kicked him in the shins. Braklen didn’t even flinch.
Over-reacting? She lifted her foot and kicked him again. He tightened his grip on her causing her to gasp.
“Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble?” The guard kept a dour expression on his face as he looked at Braklen. “They’re all the same. They realise
they still have crimes to pay, yell and carry on as if they expected to be pardoned. She’d be the fifth woman we’ve helped to transport who is on the way back to the Queens.”
Triena stopped struggling. What? But, she didn’t say anything out loud. She bit her bottom lip as she processed this information. The Queens are rounding up Energy Readers? What on earth for?
Listen.
Triena kept quiet. This wasn’t right. In fact everything had been wrong ever since Braklen turned up. She felt herself rebalance, now the ship was no longer moving, she found it much easier to anchor herself and think.
“Thank the Queens for the prisoner chips. Otherwise this wild one would’ve been lost ages ago.”
“Can’t let the upstarts loose now, wouldn’t want to upset the Queens,” said the guard. “Gotta teach ‘em who is boss.”
“We’ve got a right to be free.” Her voice came out softer and weaker than she’d wanted.
“Shut up, or I’ll hit you one,” said Braklen.
She knew she couldn’t trust him.
“Should ‘ave gagged that one,” said the guard. “Fuckin’ hell, those girls who are doing the Queens work, mucking about with the Energy are the worst to deal with.” He took a step towards Triena. She forced herself to meet his gaze. “Don’t go using your voodoo on me, woman, it wouldn’t work anyway. I’m stronger than most.” He glared at her. Triena put up her energy walls, making their surface shiny like mirrors to reflect his heat.
“I’d better get going, don’t want to keep the boss Queen waiting,” said Braklen.
“Keep an eye on this one, mate.” The guard stepped back wiping his forehead.
Braklen tugged Triena away and all she could do was to follow. It was late morning here at Soneria. The trading for the day was busy, especially with another ship in. No one bothered them or even took a second glance.
Flower Readings Page 11