by Dale Furse
The tall man’s voice sounded familiar, but Nell’s foggy brain couldn’t place it.
He let out a throaty laugh.
She figured he could see her confusion through the material covering his face. ‘Who are you?’ she asked, trying to grab his hand. Her hand wouldn’t move. She ordered her arm to rise. Nothing. Not even a twitch of a muscle. She focused on her legs. Still nothing. The only part of her body she could move was her head. She couldn’t even scratch the itch that had appeared on the side of her nose. ‘What did you do to me?’
‘We can’t have you touching anyone, can we? Once you’re well we will free your limbs.’
‘I’m not sick. At least, I wasn’t before someone jabbed me with a poison dart.’
‘Ah, I see we have different opinions on that issue.’ He started to turn away, but said instead, ‘By the way, the dart wasn’t poisonous, and it was a mild sedative.’
Unless Nell could move, she was at the maniac’s mercy. Nell shut her eyes and racked her brains to recall where she had heard his voice before. It gave her a headache so she gave up and switched her concentration to what was happening to her body at that moment. The fluid dripping into her bloodstream was a paralysing solution.
The tall man returned to the remaining figure and they resumed their murmuring. Nell concentrated on the bag. It moved. Of course. Although the bag towered above her like an evil presence, it was inanimate. Should she explode it with her mind? No. Exposing more talents was useless. They would only replace the bag.
The short accomplice had been gone a long time. Maybe he couldn’t find a physician. The tall man opened the door and leaned out.
‘Where is he?’ he hissed to the empty hall.
‘Should I go and find him?’ The other’s tone was soft. He didn’t sound like a madman.
‘It’s about time,’ the tall man said into the hall. Both hooded figures backed out of the way to allow someone to enter.
Cay-Reace, handcuffed to Mer-petrale, walked through the door followed by the missing accomplice.
He was the physician they had waited so impatiently for. Nell’s lips rose in a snarl. And the traitor had caught Mer-petrale too. Who else had they caught? Nell eyed Mer-petrale. She hoped the young doctor would let her connect to find out what had happened.
After unlocking the cuffs, the short man pushed Mer-petrale toward the table.
She picked up something metal and held it up to Cay-Reace. ‘Is this what you want?’
The instrument was a metal rectangle and about the length of her little finger.
Cay-Reace took it and looked at Nell. There was no life in his eyes and she couldn’t read his expression. His face was like stone as he approached her.
‘I need to take a little blood. It won’t hurt,’ he said, pressing the metal utensil against her neck.
Nell didn’t feel a needle enter but her blood gushed from her jugular vein into the tool.
He withdrew it.
Anger rose in Nell’s chest and heat belched from her core to every extremity. If she could have touched them at that moment, she would have happily killed them all. But instead, she had to be content with spitting at Cay-Reace. Although she aimed for his face, her missile only reached his hand.
He jumped and yelled out in pain.
She stared, eyes wide. Huh?
He grimaced as he inspected the back of his hand. After a breath, he turned his wrist to show it to Nell.
She stared at the small hole in Cay-Reace’s hand. She had burnt him.
The rest of the room moved around for a better view. They inhaled audibly as one at the sight.
‘Tape her mouth shut,’ the tallest of the hooded men grunted.
Mer-petrale pulled about a half a metre of silver tape off a roll. She looked apologetically at Nell and placed it over Nell’s mouth, leaving the ends to dangle either side of the chair.
‘Did you get it?’ the leader asked Cay-Reace.
‘Yes, Varlor,’ he said.
Nell blinked. Of course. The Elder. She should have recognised his voice. She tried to visualise the Corl as he was when he visited Cape Hollow and focused on any feelings she might have had about him then. His colouring; pale-blue, the colour of a shirt washed too many times. He had acted as if he was better than anybody else was, not on Corl, but in the entire universe. She wondered why she hadn’t thought that was stranger at the time. However, she guessed all elite rulers felt that way. Queens and kings on Earth did, she was sure. Too much power given to one person was not a good thing.
The ruby necklace warmed against her throat as she gazed at Cay-Reace. He dealt with his duties in a detached formal manner. She turned her attention to Mer-petrale who was fidgeting with some kind of medical instrument that she had in her hand. Cay-Reace’s eyes darted to Mer-petrale’s hands then back to his own, clutching the tool that held Nell’s blood.
‘Have it tested at once,’ Varlor ordered Cay-Reace, while he signalled to Mer-petrale with his gloved hand. ‘You go with him.’
They bowed and left.
The short figure followed them.
‘Now that you know who I am, we won’t need these anymore.’ Varlor pulled his hood off and threw it on the table. ‘And with your mouth taped, you are unable to hurt anyone.’ He moved closer. ‘Unless you can cut us down with a look as your ancestors were known to do.’ His laugh suggested he didn’t believe that was possible. ‘Brother, you can remove your hood now.’
He did so, but didn’t appear too happy with the order.
Nell frowned. Corls obviously weren’t the peaceful and loving race they professed to be.
The accomplice had a strange look of innocence about him. He was young, not much older than Kale. His mosaic skin was the colour of a newly picked ripe orange and his eyes were slightly darker. Behind the fear, there was a spark of defiance. He stared at Nell with his hands clasped in front of him as though he had never seen anybody from another planet before. Thoughts appeared to come and go in his mind and with them, his eyes and the set of his mouth adopted different expressions.
At last, he seemed to make a decision and the spark of defiance converted to a blazing fire of rebelliousness. Maybe he had his sights set on being the new leading Elder.
‘I apologise,’ Varlor said. ‘My manners have not been what they should lately.’ He threw a careless arm around the young man’s shoulders ‘This is my youngest brother.’ Varlor’s lips serrated into a mean smile. ‘My half-brother. Say hello to the cursed child.’ He pushed his brother forward.
Fear returned to young Corl’s red-orange eyes. Varlor had placed himself right behind him and the Corl had nowhere to go. ‘He ... hello,’ he said, as if ready to leap away at the first sign of danger.
In spite of the anger simmering in her stomach, Nell felt sorry for the young one. He must have seen or sensed Nell’s feelings because a small smile appeared at the corners of his mouth and his body visibly relaxed.
The squat assistant, still hooded, returned, which gave the other a chance to sidestep away from Varlor as he turned.
‘Take off your hood,’ Varlor said.
He did as ordered. The Corl’s skin and eyes were the same sky-blue as Varlor’s but a little brighter. Even for a Corl, he was short. Much shorter than any Nell had ever seen.
‘I would like you to meet my full brother.’ Varlor said the last with a distinct tone of adoration.
Smugness washed over the short Corl’s features and he nodded his head once toward Nell.
‘Go back and see what our guest is up to,’ Varlor said to him.
Shorty’s forehead creased into an annoyed frown, but he bowed and left the way he had come without a word.
A friendly chuckle rattled in Varlor’s throat and at the sound, the young Corl turned his back and began moving things about on the table.
Varlor said. ‘My real brother hates being told what to do.’
‘What do you want with me?’ Nell pushed the question out of her mind and into Varlor
’s. No response. She drilled into his mind with her eyes and pushed the question again. Nothing. Right, then. What had she done that time she tried to force her way into her father’s mind and had hurt him? She closed her eyes, and in less than a second, opened her eyes and screamed at Varlor. ‘What do you want with me?’
Varlor looked as though someone had slapped his face. His squalid-blue colour lightened as loathing filled his eyes. ‘You can speak without touching.’ It was a statement more than a question.
The young man spun around, catching a bowl with the sleeve of his cape. The bowl clanked on the floor spilling its contents of green liquid around his boots.
Under the silver tape, Nell smiled at Varlor’s panic-stricken face. ‘Answer me,’ she said, her words flowing more easily.
Varlor straightened.
Huh. Nell’s smile broadened. He was annoyed for showing fear.
He let out a scornful laugh. ‘Of course you can,’ he said out loud, his eyes brightening. ‘You are true Wexkian. We don’t need blood samples to prove that. Your blood will be used in a much more beneficial way.’ He clasped his hands behind his back. ‘You will be the last child of Wexkia the universe will see.’
Menare stopped re-arranging the table and, still with his back to them, stood still.
Nell mind-moved the tape from her mouth and glared at Varlor.
He leapt back, but his lips curved into a cruel smile. ‘You won’t hurt me,’ he said. ‘I am the leading Corl Elder and you will do as I say.’
‘You’re as mad as Nadar,’ Nell said, remembering Nadar’s unreasonable fear of her and the way he too thought he was above scrutiny.
‘Ah, yes ... Nadar.’ He paced the width of the room and he spoke proudly. ‘He was easily deceived. Fear had blinded him to the truth, but you touched him with that truth and he, like Shahs, had to be looked after.’
‘What do you mean? Like Shahs?’
He stopped and looked down at Nell with cold but amused pasty-blue eyes. ‘He is closeted in the Kafir restoration as Shahs was here.’ He waved his gloved hands around to show his meaning. ‘I realised, once he began to regain his wits, you had touched him. Oh, I don’t mean physically, although that was your intent, I mean, you touched his soul. He connected with you so deeply; empathy and understanding grew in him. He, like Shahs, was removed from the worlds of the Three World Council. There was no need for the populations of the worlds to concern themselves with the details of what we had to do.’
‘You’re keeping Nadar drugged so he can’t talk.’ She glared at him. "You are truly evil.’ Nell heard the other Corl’s quick intake of breath at her last words.
Varlor shot him a look of irritation and began to pace the width of the room once more. ‘You are the one who is evil.’ He spoke slowly with precise diction. ‘You, and the whole of the Wexkian species. We will not allow such a people to exist again. Your blood will be used to make the antigens once more.’
What did he mean ‘once more’? Nell narrowed her eyes, wanting to ask, but not wanting to interrupt his declaration. She pressed her lips together.
‘The formula has been in my family for generations.’ He stopped and held his hands above his head as if in reverence. ‘It is my family who kept the worlds free of murderers such as the likes of you. And if we have to, we will again set free the virus.’ His tone had a nasty edge.
‘What virus?’ Nell couldn’t contain herself any longer.
‘The virus, if left unchecked, would, and should, have wiped out your species. My ancestors were wrong to make the antidote. They should have left your people to die. We would not be here now if that was the case. However, I am out-voted. You are not to be infected but you will be disarmed. ‘
Pigs. She glared at Varlor. ‘Corls infected the Wexkians then pretended to save them by separating them into and Phib?’
‘Yes, separately they were no danger to us or any other world. No one is safe if they ... you, are allowed to return.’
‘I’m not a danger to anyone.’ Nell felt as if she had to defend an entire race of people she had never even known about before the book. ‘I am not a threat to Corl or any other world. You have read the book. You know the Wexkians were no longer dangerous. They were peaceful. They wanted to learn from, and about, other worlds and beings. I know you have the last pages. Why don’t you let me read them? What are you scared of?’
He sniggered. ‘The pages were destroyed. However, you now know what they contained.’
‘So they told how you lot eradicated an entire species.’
‘Yes. We could not chance another change of attitude from the Wexkians. It was my family’s belief that they and the rest of the known universe would be happier if the people of Wexkia stayed separate races.’ He leant forward. ‘And that is how it would have been but for you. You are a cursed child and with the help of your blood, we will inoculate all mixed children.’ He leaned back and laughed. ‘Have no fear; you will be well taken care of. We are not the barbarians of Earth or the murderous people of Wexkia.’
‘No. You are worse.’ Nell felt the familiar heat rise through her core. She was sure if she could control it, she might be able to knock them out with a thought, but she worried that if she couldn’t contain the depth of power, she would kill them. That would prove they were right – trusting Wexkians would prove fatal. Now she had to save every mixed child as well as herself.
‘Listen to me, child,’ Varlor persisted, as if he could gain Nell’s agreement to his methods. ‘You or any like you will not be harmed. With your blood, we can set the marker once more and screen all children. If they have your marker, they will be given an antidote that will either make them or Phib. Both races have unique abilities and the children will attain only one set. Having never known any different, they will be happy with their talents. Shahs and Nadar have good lives, albeit in custody, but they are well looked after. You too shall be treated as such.’
‘I won’t,’ Nell spat. ‘You won’t keep me drugged up to my eyeballs in la la land for the rest of my life.’
‘See?’ He smiled his foul smile. ‘You are already talking as if your mind has escaped you.’
Nell thought for a moment. She quietened her hot blood, slowing its rush around her body. She wouldn’t make it easy for the lunatic to have her put away. All she could think at that moment was, if she could keep him talking, she might come up with a plan.
‘Kandar will be glad to hear his brother is well,’ Nell said, but wished she could have thought of something more interesting to say.
‘Kandar will never know Nadar is well. Nadar might believe you are not dangerous, but he still believes Shahs killed his mother. That in itself is reason to keep him an in-patient.’
‘You won’t get away with what you’re doing to me or Nadar. You killed Kandar and Nadar’s mother. What did she ever do to you?’
‘Frilldar was inquisitive.’ He sniggered. ‘She was too trusting of Tergor and thought us estranged. She told him how she had overheard me relay my theories to my lead scientist. Therefore, she knew that I needed a mixed child with either Phib or traits as a specimen if we were to learn what DNA a Wexkian child’s blood might carry. Shahs was visiting with Frilldar at that time and the opportunity presented itself. Frilldar knew too much and Shahs had proven herself not to be Wexkian. However, she was a mixed child so would be ideal for our control specimen. The twofold problem was solved simultaneously.’
‘You’re sick,’ Nell said, but a thought struck her as she spoke. ‘How can you be sure every Wexkian infected with your vicious virus was killed by it? What if their bodies were able to make their own antidotes? From what I read of The Book of Wexkia, some Wexkian leaders stayed and refused to take your antidote.’
‘That is not possible,’ Varlor said. ‘My forefathers were as thorough as I am. They had ways to be sure.’
‘You’re a little ahead of yourself; Shahs is free and a lot of people already know what you’re up to.’
Varlor gurgled a
laugh. ‘As I said, I like to attend to my problems simultaneously. Your friends are being taken care of as we speak. They won’t—’ He turned to the door. ‘About time.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CAY-REACE ENTERED THE ROOM WITH MER-petrale on his heels and Varlor moved away to speak to him.
That was what he meant when he had come to Nell’s house in Cape Hollow. He had told her, her ken would change. He was right. Her understanding had changed. Now she understood perfectly.
Nell wanted to strike Varlor, but instead, sank deep into her mind. She had to find her friends. But the first impression she had was Mekie’s fear, not only for herself, but for Sam, Kale and Tanat. Nell’s heart quickened. She needed to see them – to connect with them. But how? Her mind’s eye could not see past this room. The string of rubies around her neck warmed once more. She sent her mind out. The largest gem was the hottest. As she concentrated all her energy on it, it quivered. Thank you, Deesc.
Her awareness expanded, taking her into the narthex and to Mekie and Kale crouching behind the reception desk over a prostrate Shahs. Nell gasped silently, her heart rate sped up. They plucked metal instruments out of a box beside them in turns and threw them like darts at the five acrobatic Corls attacking Tanat. What the crap was going on?
Mekie was a blood relative so she sent her mind out to her first. Nothing. Nell could have hit herself. Why hadn’t she practised with her cousin? Panic gurgled through her chest. She widened her vision.
Tanat fought the Corls around the front desk. Each time he descended on one, his prey either bounced or back-flipped out of the way. He was concentrating on evading a lasso. Nell left him to it. Please be safe. With her heart now beating wildly, she groped around the narthex for Sam. He had been her only successful practise partner.
She heard him before she saw him.
‘That’s cheating,’ Sam reprimanded the three Corls he fought. He punched and kicked, even finding his mark every now and then, but they too, jumped, dived and somersaulted out of his way.
A howl of pain roared near Tanat. He’d torn a Corl’s shoulder and blood spurted from the wound. Nell felt bad for the Corl’s pain but it was his fault for getting mixed up with Varlor. She had to help her family and Tanat was her family.
