by Dale Furse
Kandar arrived beside her. ‘So this is what became of Mother's furniture.’
A noise like laboured breathing floated to her ears. ‘Did you hear that?’ she asked Kandar.
‘No,’ he replied, as Nell's father and Sam came up the stairs.
‘Nice,’ Sam said.
‘Shh.’ She put her finger to her mouth and listened. There it was again. She followed the sound to behind the sofa. In the corner, Tanat sat hunched and unconscious.
‘Dad! Here.’ She ran and fell next to the Wintar. He was bruised and bleeding from a gash in the side of his head. The blood had dried into an ugly blotch. She shook him. ‘Tanat. It's me. Nell.’
Her father knelt beside her. A feeble groan escaped Tanat's mouth.
‘Is he all right?’ Sam asked, peering over the back of the chair.
Nell's father picked Tanat up and placed him on the nearest armchair.
‘Why would Nadar do this to one of his own men?’
‘He isn't one of Nadar's men, Nell,’ Kandar said.
She opened her mouth to protest.
Holding up his hand to silence her, Kandar said, ‘He befriended Nadar at my request.’ Kandar's face looked guilt-ridden. ‘We, your father, Tanat and I, believed there was some truth in what you said.’
‘Some?’ Huh. More like everything.
‘Nell,’ her father said. ‘At first your growing abilities alarmed us.’
‘Because of the other girl?’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘However, we had to take your visions seriously. Tanat agreed to pretend to hold Nadar's belief that you were a danger.’
‘He wanted to find the book for you,’ Kandar said.
She thought about that for a moment. ‘That's why he didn't try to stop me when I took Cay-reace to the bridge and that's why he went with Nadar when the scum left the ship.’
‘Yes,’ Tanat said in a small voice.
‘I'm so sorry,’ she said, kneeling beside the chair. ‘I should have known I could trust you.’
He gave her a weak smile.
‘I think you'd better take Tanat to the restoration,’ Dar-tern said to Kandar.
Kandar nodded. ‘Perhaps you should all leave before Nadar returns,’ he said, as he placed his arm under Tanat's shoulders.
Nell moved away, expecting Kandar to disappear with Tanat. Nothing happened. Her eyes widened in a question. As if the reason dawned on him, Kandar’s baffled expression became troubled.
‘Why aren’t you going?’ Nell asked.
‘There's been an enchantment placed over the house. I can’t travel,’ Kandar said solemnly.
All in the room looked stunned. ‘I thought only Grarls used enchantment,’ Nell said.
He murmured, more to himself than to the others, ‘Only Grarls do.’ He nodded to Dar-tern to help him and they proceeded to carry Tanat down the stairs.
Sam elbowed Nell as they followed. ‘Cay-Meka said not to trust Grarls. She said that they’re evil. Orenda's the only Grarl we know, so I suppose it was her.’
Nell didn't want to believe it. There was something about the rat-fairy she liked but she wasn't up to arguing that there were many other Grarls on Corl.
As soon as they stepped into Nadar’s sitting room, Kandar pushed his palm against the same spot on the wall and the door disappeared. Tanat didn’t look too comfortable on one of the sofas.
Dar-tern said, ‘I don’t think the time has come to admit Grarlon into the United Council.’
Kandar shook his head and Nell asked, ‘What is the United Council?’
‘Many neighbouring planets have petitioned for the formation of a United Council,’ Kandar said. ‘The three councils of Corl, Gramlax and Linque have agreed, and are in the process of selecting the worlds to be included in the first assembly.’ He clicked his teeth together. ‘Dar-tern, you and the children take Tanat to the restoration. I will wait for my brother.’
Nell wasn’t sure if she heard, or sensed, the front door open. A presence was coming their way. She tried to gain Sam's attention. Her eyes drilled into his brain until he finally looked her way. She jutted her chin at the entrance. He backed up against the wall and slid along, stopping just before the opening. Nell positioned herself on the other side of the doorway. In the same instant, a skinny, Phib woman stormed into the room and rounded on Tanat. ‘I warned Nadar not to trust you.’
‘Cay-tatel,’ Nell's father said.
She remembered that was Cay-Meka's aunt's name, the one who tricked Cay-reace to work on Nadar’s ship. The woman was bony, and although she had a large, angled nose, her face appeared pinched. Her cheeks were hollow and the expression on her face was the same one Cay-Meka tended to have when she didn't like something. If her cousin wasn’t careful, she might look like that one day.
As if the woman had only just realised there were others in the room, Cay-tatel sneered. ‘Dar-tern, if you will not restrain your child, we are happy to do it for you. And Kandar,’ she said. ‘You of all people must realise how dangerous this child is. Do you want more people killed because of your ludicrous sense of what is right? Isn't that what happened last time? You refused to listen to the councils. You brought that child here, to your mother's house.’
Kandar flinched as if his face had been struck.
‘That's enough, Cay-tatel,’ Nell's father said. ‘Step aside and let us leave.’
‘You must realise the child is different, Dar-tern. She is neither Wintar nor Phib. She is a curse from Wexkia. She is the source of the return of the most murderous race in the known universe. Nadar has translated most of the book he found. It was written by the Elders of Wexkia and it will soon be complete.’
Nell and Sam stayed still. Without even a glance towards her friend, she knew Sam was as interested in what Cay-tatel was saying as she was.
The woman continued, ‘And from what Nadar has already told us, his actions are more than justified. When he releases his findings all the inhabitants of all the worlds known to us will stand with him.’
Kandar spoke at last. ‘We don't know that what is written in the Book of Wexkia is fact.’
‘Even if what you say is right,’ Dar-tern said. ‘That was a long time ago. It has no relevance to my daughter, or the present.’
She ignored what they said. ‘You can all go,’ she said, and pointed at Nell. ‘However, she stays.’ She didn't seem to care that she was outnumbered.
‘Not likely,’ Sam said, and jumped forward, grabbing Cay-tatel's arm.
Nell seized her other arm. ‘We should call the police,’ she said.
Glowering down her pointed nose at each of her captors in turn, she sniggered and sniffed.
The woman didn't seem the least bit afraid of her. Nell bit her cheek. She realised why when Nadar, accompanied by Orenda, appeared in front of the hidden door.
‘Orenda,’ Kandar said. ‘What is this?’
Nell glared at the Grarl. Cay-tatel obviously knew they were coming. She tried to penetrate what appeared to be a wall of steel surrounding Cay-tatel. Although she was concentrating, something made her take a sideways glance at Orenda. The Grarl had her eyes closed. The crazy Phib was protected. Nell knew it was pointless to try anymore. She withdrew her grasp on Cay-tatel as a jab of pain pushed through her stomach. Ow. She had to learn when to back off.
Cay-tatel disengaged her other arm from Sam's grasp and moved to Nadar's side.
Kandar and Nell's father moved towards Nadar and his accomplices, but before they could even take a step, Nadar raised his hand and the two men stopped in their tracks.
Sidling up to Nell, Sam whispered, ‘You okay?’
‘Yes, but look. Kandar and Dad can't move. Orenda's put a spell on them.’
Nadar said, ‘You are all trespassing.’
‘Why are you with my brother?’ Kandar asked Orenda.
Her rat face twitched. ‘If the child keeps growing in her abilities and is allowed to remain free of containment we might all be in peril. I don't necessarily agree with
Nadar's means, but I have to yield to his conclusions. As he is a linguistic scientist, I am certain his translation of the book is precise. We will take the book to Grarlon before we bring the transcribed work before the United Council.’
‘And what do you mean to do with Nell?’ Dar-tern said.
‘The king has invited Nadar to bring the child to the palace.’
Tanat tried to stand, but fell back with a groan. Kandar and Dar-tern turned their heads at the sound.
Kandar said, ‘Let Dar-tern take Tanat and the children to the restoration while we continue this conversation, brother.’
‘There will be no conversation,’ Nadar rasped, as he gave Orenda an unspoken command. ‘No one will be leaving this house until the child agrees to go to Grarlon.’
Nell tried to move, but her head was the only part to respond.
Sam grunted. He couldn't move either.
Glaring again at the rat-devil, Nell said, ‘She's put a spell on us too.’
‘Let us take the child to Grarlon,’ Orenda stated. ‘She will be safe there and controlled.’
‘Never,’ Dar-tern sputtered.
Nadar produced a piece of paper from his belt, unfolded it and read, ‘We, the people of Wexkia, have long held the belief that all the worlds’ inhabitants will bow down to us. All they produce is ours. This is the way it has been through the ages. If any stand in our way, they will be cut down as a cane of sugar at harvest.’
Nell followed Nadar's glance around the room. Sam's eyes were as wide as serving platters. She couldn't see the others’ reactions, but supposed they would look much the same. The familiar thump, thump, thump of her heart filled her ears. Rage and confusion swept through her. Nadar’s words suffocated her mind and she fought to obliterate them.
Tanat stood shakily and spoke with some difficulty. ‘We don't … know that Nell … is … a child of Wexkia.’
Nadar glared at him as if he’d only just realised who he was. ‘You are not worthy to speak, traitor.’ He clicked the heel of one of his boots on the floor and tipped his head towards Orenda once more.
That exchange had Tanat rise and float abruptly backwards. Turning as he did so, he was dropped into a corner with his face to the wall as if he was a child in need of punishment.
‘I don't believe it,’ Nell roared, and before she’d realised she had escaped from the enchantment, she cleared both sofas and snatched the paper out of Nadar’s hand.
Orenda jumped aside and shrieked, ‘Impossible.’
‘Go ahead,’ the grey Corl said, as if he wasn’t in the least concerned about what had just happened. ‘Read it.’
Nell knew at once the paper was torn from the book. It was the same script as she had seen in her visions and the same words he had just uttered. She was desolate. It couldn’t be true.
‘I have the Book of Wexkia and I have translated it. There is no mistake. Listen to me. Her abilities are still developing. We cannot risk her loss of control. She is more than Shahs ever was. Only on Grarlon, with its many enchantresses and spellbinders, can she be contained.’
Nell shook off the haze in her mind. She knew she could never harm anybody deliberately, no matter what that stupid book said. The notion struck her that Nadar wasn't quite telling the truth. She needed to read the whole book and find out what it meant to be Wexkian.
‘If I agree to go with you, will you free everyone?’ she asked.
Her father was adamant. ‘No, Nell.’
‘Yes, yes, of course,’ replied Nadar, appearing uninterested in anybody else.
‘Dar-tern,’ Orenda said. ‘You see what she is capable of. I give you my oath she will be unharmed. I will personally watch over her and if she maintains her senses, I will instruct her in the control and use of her abilities.’
‘You can do that here,’ Dar-tern said.
Nadar crossed his arms across his meaty chest. ‘You must realise I could just take her. Orenda has placed a protection over me. The child cannot harm me. However, Orenda would much rather she came willingly.’
That was true. He didn't need anyone's permission to take Nell. ‘I'll go if I can read the book,’ she said.
He weighed the request for a moment before answering. ‘If that is your price. I have to collect it for the king anyway.’
‘It is,’ she said.
Holding out a gloved hand, he spoke in a satisfied tone. ‘We have a contract.’
‘What about the others?’ Nell asked.
‘Orenda will remove the bonds after we have gone.’ He was obviously pleased with himself.
She paused to hug her father. ‘I'll be okay, Dad.’ She rose up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek before striding to Nadar.
Before he could take her hand in his murky grey glove, she glowered at the Grarl enchantress. Alarm flashed in the Grarl's eyes and Nell smiled. ‘I do hope we can get together soon, Orenda,’ she said as politely as she could.
Not replying, the witch took a step back.
Nell enjoyed the reaction immensely and her body tingled as if she'd put her tongue on a nine-volt battery.
‘Where is the book?’ she asked Nadar.
‘It's safe,’ he said, still holding out his hand.
‘Where?’
‘I said it's safe.’
She made a face that was meant to show courage and backed up a pace. She wanted her father and Kandar to know where she was going.
Nadar shrugged. ‘It's at the Pole.’ His arm straightened. ‘Come. Tanat cannot wait any longer.’
Twirling around, her eyes rested on Tanat lying on the floor, unconscious. She nodded and took Nadar’s hand. Impulsively, she threw over her shoulder, ‘See you all later.’
In less than a second, she was in a vortex and once again, all the colours of the rainbow surrounded her but the colours seemed pale and old. Apparently, Nadar wasn’t taking any chances, because he held her at arms’ length.
Although only minutes passed, it felt much longer in the murky Corl’s company. They arrived in a large, cold room. The only colour came from a brightly burning fire in the wall behind the table.
‘Stay here. I will get the book,’ he said, and left through an arched doorway.
She walked over to a rotting wooden table and sat in the only unbroken chair. She held onto the armrests and closed her eyes. Her eyes flew open again and she jumped up, nearly knocking over the chair. An assortment of emotions coursed through her body. Love and compassion drowned under the weight of fear, hate and revenge. For a race that is supposed to be so peaceful and generous, some Corls were neither. Nadar's cold heart had sat in that chair. She shook her whole body vigorously to rid herself of the hateful feelings.
Sliding her hand over the wall, the pale blue ice was cold but not wet. A hole in the opposite wall about shoulder height caught her eye. When she stood in front of it, she remembered the one on the ship. Kandar had gotten drinks out of it. Not really expecting anything, Nell spoke to the hole. ‘Hot chocolate.’ A cup of steaming hot chocolate instantly appeared. Although taken aback by the sight of it, she took it and inhaled its aroma. The hot liquid tasted sweet and rich and warmed her body.
With cup in hand, she returned to the table, choosing a chair without a back. She surmised only the lowliest accomplice would sit there.
Glad her senses weren’t affected by the chair, she wondered why Nadar hadn't returned. Had he left her there? She didn’t have a bracelet like Corls did or the natural power to travel like Grarls. Even with what abilities she had, she was stuck there.
There was only the one door opening. She strode over and looked through it. A short hall of ice ended in a T-junction. Which way did he go? Left or right? She took a step through the arch, stopped, turned around, and went back to the table. Orenda was helping him with enchantments. Wherever he was, he was probably invisible to Nell anyway.
The Grarl wanted her out of the way as much as he did. She didn't dare do anything that might jeopardise her getting the book. He could just disappear w
ith it to who knew where. She’d find a way to escape Orenda and Grarlon.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
NELL BRUSHED HER WILD CURLS OFF HER face and repeatedly tried to poke them behind her ears. She gave up and waited.
The simulator provided tomato soup and more hot chocolate. She had asked for a Vegemite sandwich but the Corls probably hadn’t discovered that yet. She asked for a hair-band and was given a cup of sand.
She couldn't believe she was actually glad to see Nadar when he finally appeared. The book she wanted … needed was tucked under his left arm. Her pulse quickened.
The chair scratched the floor as Nell moved to snatch the book from Nadar.
He held it in the air. ‘Do not come closer or I will leave with it.’
Nell stopped. He meant it. There was an evil glint in his eyes and she wondered if it wasn't what he intended doing all along. ‘I won't touch you,’ she said.
‘You and I have something in common,’ Nadar said. ‘Our mothers were murdered and our fathers never cared for us.’
‘My father does care for me,’ Nell said, but wondered if it was true.
‘Really?’ He lowered his arm as if the book was too heavy to hold aloft. ‘Why did he spend most of your childhood here or on Linque? My father was like-minded. He never wanted the responsibility of children. As a scientist, he preferred to spend his time travelling the universe in a slow explorer, searching for useless planets and under-evolved beings. Perhaps if your father spent more time with you, he would have noticed the changes in you sooner.’
‘It is Dad's duty to serve on the Council of Linque, you know that. And what do you mean, noticed changes?’
He laughed louder but quickly cut it short. ‘You had begun the changes before your twelfth birthday.’ He seemed to like the confusion in Nell's face because he said, ‘When you were eleven you fell into the river. It took some time before your Human friend reclaimed you. Much longer than any Human could have survived.’
