by Dale Furse
I am Deesc. I will meet you one day.
She gaped at Deesc. ‘You!’
‘Yes.’ He pulled her aside and spoke quietly. ‘While I don’t usually experience visions of the future I had a clear one about three days after I arrived on Eldorapal.’ He gazed into her yes. ‘I saw you. That was the day I found my life love.’
Nell gasped. He did love her. Not now, Nell. Concentrate. She broke eye contact, and said in her normal voice level, ‘Go on.’
Sam and Mekie came in and Nell wondered if they had been listening through the kitchen door.
Deesc smiled at Nell as if he understood that it wasn’t the time for such truths. ‘I also saw a female Human I now know as Annet. I couldn’t be sure I would find you in time. While searching for a place where you would find it on Gramlax, I chanced upon the Wintar. It was his home. He was on his way to inform his family of his partner choice. I knew then he was the one who would come to know you through another. After hearing his story, I gave him the box with the letter, a pendant and a gem. When he agreed so readily, I took my mother’s pendant from my neck and gave it to him to give to his bride.’
‘It has to be true,’ Sam said to Annet as he joined the conversation. ‘Soros’s house is where Cedec lives now. That’s why he had it.’
‘Yes. I know,’ said Annet, fingering the pendant around her neck and leaning against Carl’s shoulder. ‘Nell, your great uncle was a good man.’
‘That he was,’ Deesc said. ‘And I am glad you are wearing the pendant. It means a lot to me.’
Annet blushed as her hand shot to the pendant hanging around her neck. ‘I…I’m sorry, I thought the jewels were for me.’
Smiling, Deesc said, ‘Perhaps you have a sense of things because you chose the right pendant.’
‘Thank you,’ Annet said with a shy smile.
He held out the gem. ‘Take it, Nell. Connect with your centre.’
Looking at the letter again, Nell said, ‘There are instructions. Well, I may as well go and give it a try.’ She took the gem off him.
On the way to her room, she examined the gem. It was a dull, non-descript, brown stone, but something about its warmth in her hand reminded Nell of the necklace Deesc had given her when he had impersonated a Bant in the trading corridor. The string of gems helped her find and free Shahs.
At her door, Deesc kissed her cheek. ‘I’ll wait for you in the garden.’
She crossed the threshold and stretched out on her bed with the stone resting over her heart as per Deesc’s instructions, she closed her eyes and waited … and waited. She didn’t know what should have happened but she knew nothing had. She gave up with a groan. She would never be full Wexkian. Would that change how Deesc felt about her? Throwing her arms out wide on the bed, she closed her eyes again and sighed.
The stone changed. It was cold against her skin. She snapped her eyes open. Lights, all the colours and shades of the rainbow, had sprung out of the gem. They were just like those she had experienced that first time she ever travelled in the skark. Circling above her, they formed a ball, the stretched out until they were as long and wide as her entire frame.
She beamed up at them and extended her wings out from under her. Talons replaced her feet. Again, the lights stretched to cover her appendages. She floated up to meet with her true core. Her whole body felt so cold it was burning hot, but it didn’t hurt. This transformation was a much nicer experience than when she had changed to Wintar the first time. She let out a laugh.
Deesc must have heard her because he appeared at the side of her bed. ‘Nell?’
She fell back onto the bed. ‘What are you doing here?’ she said, jumping onto the floor, annoyed at him for breaking the connection. No. If he did hear her, that wasn’t the reason he was there. He had transformed into Eldorap again. She could have sworn his eyes weren’t amused, but they changed to surprise.
‘You found it,’ he said.
‘I had found it, but I’ve lost it again now.’
‘It is still there. Find it and…’ He looked around the room. ‘Shift into … who do you know the best … Sam. Shift into Sam.’
‘Why would I want to do that? Why did you really come in here and why haven’t you changed shape?’
‘Don’t argue with me, Nell. Shift into Sam.’
She huffed a sigh and closed her eyes. Deesc was right. Her centre was clear now. It was simply…her. She filled her mind with an image of Sam and in an instant she was staring from out of him. She was him. ‘Wow,’ she said with her mind.
‘Good,’ said Deesc. ‘Change back.’
She did. His expression had changed again. He was worried. About her? No. Something else. ‘What’s wrong?’
He took her into his arms. ‘I’m so glad you found yourself, and we will celebrate, but not now.’
She pulled back. ‘What?’
‘Annet’s friend, Ray-veris, came with news. The Grarl palace has been breached.’
‘Dad?’
‘I’m afraid he and Kandar are missing. The king is dead.’
‘No,’ heaved Nell. Dad, she screamed silently, sending out her mind. She collapsed in sobs. She couldn’t feel him.
Deesc knelt and wrapped his arms around her. ‘Grarlon is too far away to feel your loved ones. We must go there to find him.’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
NELL FOUGHT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF HER EMOTIONS and wiped her eyes. How could she be so stupid? She couldn’t feel the far reaches of her galaxy let alone into the next one. Standing up, she said, ‘Can you take me that far?’
‘Yes, but the moment we step on Grarlon soil the rebels will know you are there. Don’t panic, my sweet. I have a better way.’ He pulled her in close to his chest and whisked her to Haast and Keela’s front door.
Nell understood his meaning. He could hide from the Grarls, but she couldn’t. She bit her cheek. Did Keela like her enough to agree? She had to. Nell would do anything to save her father and Kandar. If she had to beg Keela, she would. She let out a quick breath of air. One way to find out.
With a wide smile, Haast opened the door before she touched the knocker. He thumped the now real Deesc on the back. ‘Come in. Come in.’
‘Is Keela here?’ asked Deesc. He held Nell close.
Haast glanced at Nell. ‘You are troubled, my friend.’
A silent conversation passed between them and Haast nodded his head and showed them into the sitting room.
Keela sat in her usual spot on one of the deep cushioned sofas and the oval coffee table was already set for a meal for four.
‘I’m so glad to see you two again. Sit down,’ she said, waving them to the opposite sofa. ‘I have prepared the evening meal for us.’
Nell gazed at the table. It was covered in plates and plates of food. Her stomach somersaulted. The last thing she wanted at that moment was to eat.
‘You don’t like it?’ Keela said as her mouth drooped.
Blast. Nell tried to smile. She kicked herself for not remembering how much hospitality meant to Keela. She didn’t want to alienate the Eldorap. ‘It looks beautiful,’ she said.
‘Yes,’ said Deesc. ‘You have outdone yourself this time, my friend.’ He plonked down in his seat and, taking a square of something off a plate, popped it into his mouth. ‘Try one,’ he said to Nell, as she sat beside him.
Keela eyed Haast. Another silent conversation and she gazed at Nell. ‘I am sure your father is safe,’ she said.
‘I am too,’ Nell said, refusing to think otherwise.
‘Deesc can go to Grarlon and find him for you.’
‘I wanted Nell to come with me,’ said Deesc.
‘It is too far,’ Haast said, around a mouthful of food. ‘You have to go alone or Keela or I could go with you.’
‘Nell can now shape shift.’
‘Ah,’ Keela said. ‘Now I understand.’ She stared at Nell.
After immeasurable minutes of what felt like an examination, Nell sucked in her cheek and started rolling the
cold gem she still held between her thumb and fingers.
‘The stone!’ Haast said.
His voice must have broken Keela’s concentration because she blinked. ‘Can you shift without the stone?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Nell said, glancing at Deesc.
‘We had better find out before we go any further,’ Keela said, taking Nell’s hand and giving Haast a nod. In less than a breath, they were all outside. ‘Shift into a ronk.’
It was an order more than a request. Nell frowned. She would do anything Keela said if it meant getting her father back but a ronk was so big.
Keela flicked her wrist and a ronk appeared beside Nell. It made a caw sound.
Nell sighed. Well, only one way to see if she could pass the test. She handed the stone to Deesc. Without taking her eyes off the animal, she took a deep breath. Find your centre. She wished there weren’t so many eyes watching her every move. Another breath. Letting go of all discomfort, she became aware of her whole body. Her frame lightened, her molecules shook and fizzed. Heavier now, she gazed out of a ronk’s eyes. Interesting view. The others glowed white in an otherwise dark landscape. So did the other ronk. It was like seeing their body heat only. She said, ‘How’s that?’
‘Wonderful,’ Keela said. ‘You are so beautiful.’
She returned to her original form. ‘As a ronk, I’m beautiful?’
Deesc gave her a quick hug, ‘You’re always beautiful.’
‘Again I apologise,’ she said, taking Nell’s hand. ‘I sometimes forget how fragile non-Eldorap’s feelings are.’
Keela whispered something to Haast.
Nell waited, scared to move. Keela beamed at Nell who blinked and they were all back in the living room, back in the same seats.
‘We are?’ Deesc laughed. ‘You’re the one who was miffed because Nell didn’t eat the food you so lovingly worked all day to prepare.’
Keela’s trilling laugh echoed around the room. ‘All right, funny face, you made your point. Nell, my dear friend.’ She gave a shake of her head. ‘I was going to offer you my form from the moment I met you and I am offended you thought I didn’t like you enough.’
Nell pressed her lips together. The Eldorap had read Nell’s inner thoughts without her knowing what she was doing. She shot her friend an apologetic smile. No point for her to be equally offended.
***
Sam stared at the place Deesc had occupied only a second before. He let his eyes roam around the room. The news of the palace breach had frozen all the sitting room’s occupants. His mother’s first sob broke the spell. His father held her. Dar-Seldra fell into Tanat’s arms and Mekie buried her wet face in Sam’s chest. He wrapped his arms about her and squeezed.
After a few seconds, he hissed in her ear, ‘Nell.’
She tilted her head back. ‘Go,’ she said.
He took off at a gallop, Mekie’s soft soles beating an affrettando rhythm behind him. By the time he had thrown Nell’s door open she had caught up.
‘They’re gone,’ he said.
‘Do you think they went to Grarlon?’ Mekie said, as she plonked down on Nell’s bed absently straightening the bed cover’s creases on either side of her legs.
He slammed his fist against the wall. ‘Of course, they did. Nell would have fought anyone who got in her way and that I can understand, but Deesc, he’s another story. The idiot. He could have stopped her. Why would he take her? Without Orenda, Ephry and the king’s help, they don’t stand a chance.’
‘You are right.’ Mekie gaped at him, her face full of horror. She jumped up and held onto Sam. ‘We will lose them all,’ she howled.
Sam did love Mekie but, at that moment, the last thing he wanted to do was spend his time comforting her. He wanted to help Nell. Bloody Deesc. He had started to change his mind about the Wexkian, thinking he might be good for his best friend but he should have gone with his first gut feeling. The man was trouble.
‘Shh.’ He kissed Mekie’s head and gently pushed her away. ‘We have to come up with a way to help Nell. Come on.’ He pulled her out through the door. ‘We better tell the others that she’s gone.’ He hoped his mother and Dar-Seldra had pulled themselves together.
They had, and all four were in deep conversation by the time Sam and Mekie joined them. He caught Lesel’s name.
‘We have to stop her,’ Dar-Seldra said.
Tanat shook his head. ‘It will already be too late.’
‘We can’t sit around and wait for her to call,’ Sam’s father said. ‘We have to make the UC go to Grarlon and pressure the rebels to let Dar-tern and Kandar go. I think it’s time everyone else left the Grarls to it.’
Sam’s mother nodded and turned to Sam. ‘Are you two all right?’
‘Yeah,’ Sam said. ‘What’s this about Lesel?’
‘She called and said Varlor was free and told us we all should come together here,’ Tanat said with a frown.
‘I hate when my hunches are right,’ Sam muttered, then said, ‘Like Dad said, the UC could get Nell and Kale’s fathers out if they kept out of Grarlon politics.’
‘Shush,’ Mekie hissed out of the side of her mouth at Sam. ‘Why are all worried about Lesel?’
The others exchanged glances and Dar-Seldra sighed.
‘Lesel is on Gramlax and she saw Varlor meeting with a Grarl. She has followed them to find out why.’
‘Alone?’ Sam said. Their faces answered his question. ‘Why in blue blazes would she do that? Honestly, you lot call us irresponsible. At least we don’t go anywhere with even a hint of trouble by ourselves.’ He absently picked up a bread stick and started chewing on it. Nell definitely took after her grandmother. Always acting without thinking. He knew what Varlor was like first hand. Who knew what he would have done to him and his friends if they hadn’t had the Krolls to help them escape. The Krolls. Of course. They might be able to help Lesel.
‘Back in a minute,’ he said and raced up to the roof.
A Kroll munched on some hay. He didn’t know how they knew when someone needed them, but he was glad they did.
It bowed. ‘Hello,’ a young girl’s voice said. ‘I have little time to waste.’ She wagged her head. ‘There are so few of us left.’
Sam rubbed her neck. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Only the young remain. All others have journeyed far.’ She raised her head high, pausing for a moment. ‘Another calls. Please be quick.’
‘But where have they all gone?’
One thunderous honk erupted from deep inside her.
Sam jumped back. There was no mistaking it. She was annoyed. ‘Okay, I’m sorry. Is Pren still on Gramlax?’ The Kroll nodded. ‘Can you take a message to him?’
‘Yes. What is it?’
‘Tell him Sam said Lesel has followed Varlor, the Corl Elder, and a Grarl. He doesn’t know where but if she’s caught, she’ll be in deep trouble.’
The Kroll tilted her head as if she was listening to something. ‘There is no need,’ she said. ‘Lesel is on her way to Dar-Seldra’s house now. Be warned, she is not alone.’
‘What?’ How could she get information so quickly? ‘Who’s with her?’
‘A blue Corl.’
‘That blue Corl is Varlor. I wonder what he’s up to. Never mind. Tell Pren that and…’ He opened his mouth to relay everything that had gone on but changed his mind. ‘This will be quicker.’ Resting his hand on the Kroll’s neck, he said, ‘Can you read my thoughts and take in what has happened?’
‘I can.’ After a moment, she said, ‘I will tell him that distressing news.’
‘Thanks,’ Sam said, and kissed her. Not waiting to see her go, he fled back home. The young Kroll didn’t say anyone else was with them. He had to make sure the oldies weren’t taken in by the Corl. They were way too trusting.
He stepped out into the hall. Uh oh. A mean looking Grarl spotted him and led four armed Corls his way.
He threw a glance behind him. The elevator was still there. He turned to
flee. His feet wouldn’t budge. Swirling his arms about, he fought to regain his balance over his upper body. Power mad rats.
‘You will come with us,’ the Grarl squeaked.
Sam couldn’t tell if it was male or female by its grating voice. He decided female by the clothes it wore. As far as he knew, only females covered their upper bodies.
She stopped at his side. ‘Move it,’ she said, while the Corls waved loaded dart guns at him.
Pushing Sam into the room without touching him, the Grarl squeaked to the occupants, ‘You are now prisoners. If you move against us, you will be killed.’
The Corls with her surrounded the house’s occupants, who now included Tish, Kale and Nadar, who had stopped in to see Nell.
Nadar’s hand flew to his opposite wrist. Finding nothing there, he growled.
Focusing on Nadar’s wrist, Sam realised he was going for his non-existent travel band. So they still hadn’t given it back to him.
As one, Tanat and Carl stepped in front. Nadar joined them.
‘What is this?’ Nadar demanded.
‘Silence!’ the Grarl growled, making an almost undetectable hand gesture.
Nadar slammed his mouth closed.
Sam moved between Kale and Mekie and held Mekie’s hand. He nodded towards Nadar. ‘What’s he doing here,’ he whispered.
‘Mother told him about father,’ Kale said.
‘Humph.’ Sam wasn’t as sure as Nell was that Nadar could be trusted.
‘Be silent or you all or you will be bound,’ the Grarl said.
Varlor swept into the house with another Grarl and Lesel. ‘I see your friends listened to you and have come together,’ he said to Lesel.
