Child of Fire, Child of Ice-A Sci-fi Romance Series

by JB Trepagnier

  She thought Tati and the others might have some sort of beef with Soelva and the others, even though they seemed to have been working together so far. She thought Tati might refuse to be on the same ship as them and whatever punishment they were going through wouldn’t stop. She hoped it didn’t mean they weren’t getting their answers.

  It turned out she didn’t need to worry. Tati and the others were waiting the day everyone was meant to board to leave and everything was packed. Tati gave that same huffing noise when she found something funny when people looked afraid of her. They had different voices, but Tati and Soelva seemed to have a lot in common. The bond animals boarded first and seemed to know exactly where to go.

  Isolde and the others patiently guided everyone aboard and when the ramp door closed, they all ran down to the hall the bond animals were staying in. The air was static and her long hair stood up like she had some sort of shock. Some of the electronics and computer systems in the room seemed to be shorting out a little. A voice came over the loudspeaker that take off would be delayed while they figured out some computer issues. She knew they meant from this room.

  Tati and Soelva met each other, as did the other bond animals. They seemed to pair up. The large cats started rubbing their faces on the bears and winding themselves around them. Isolde didn’t know if she was getting dizzy and was going to faint, but Tati and Soelva seemed to blur together. She couldn’t tell where one ended and the other started. The blur seemed to get smaller, thinner, and a little shorter.

  When the blur stopped, there was a woman standing there. She was tall, muscular, and had a fierce face. Her skin was darker than the bronzed skin of the Cendians. It was a dark shade of ebony and her hair was closely cropped. Her eyes were a startling shade of lilac. When Isolde looked around, there were sixteen people standing around, male and female, who were similar to this woman. They all had dark skin and faces of a warrior. Some wore their hair closely cropped and some had long, wild hair.

  The woman that formed from Soelva and Tati walked over and embraced Elan and Isolde. When she spoke, she had the same accent Tati and Soelva had, but her voice was deeper than Soelva’s. It sounded like a rich dessert and was a smooth as Elan’s voice.

  “It’s good to see both of you. Thank you for ending our punishment and returning us to our rightful forms. Elan, you know me as Tati and Isolde, you know me as Soelva. My real name is Jelani, though you both also know me as a different name. Elan, you know me a Qua and Isolde, you know me as Styrkur.”

  “You’re the Goddess of Strength? How did you end up as a bear on one planet and a cat on the other?” Elan asked.

  “We all did. It was punishment for what we did with the humans that left earth too soon. Our people thought we should not have given that technology so soon and they felt like our attempts to right the situation were made from ego instead of logic. Our essence was split and forced onto two planets in two different forms. We were meant to be guides, but we made errors then too. The people made war instead of peace. They were stripped of their abilities and we could no longer guide them.

  “We thought we would be forced to spend eternity like this. Zuberi intervened. He saw the factions trying to make peace. He saw two men about to knock on the door and tell their king about the planet. He knew neither planet was ready for the alliance. Both kings would have destroyed their people trying to claim that planet. A celestial event was created by taking the hearts of all sixteen of those men and he and several others created you.

  “Elan, Zuberi is your father and Isolde, your father is Jabari. You’ve been demanding to know what you are. You are all the children of very powerful beings. They gave you back the fire and ice you had before, but your mental abilities come from your fathers. We all have a chosen way to appear, but we are both male and female. We have mates too. The beings that fathered you thought you would create a better society if you knew love. Your ability to bond with each other is a trait you inherited from us.

  “Elan, your bond with Isolde is what it is because the two of you were fathered by the strongest of us. Neither of your mothers could have possibly been pregnant that night. Zuberi and Jabari visited them that night and touched their stomachs, creating you and also linking you. All of you are chosen, but Isolde, you and Elan are special to all of us. You are almost like royalty to us.”

  Isolde collapsed in a heap on the floor. If her father was some all powerful being, why hadn’t he said something to her or tried to help her? If she and Elan were linked, why did everyone try so hard to botch up their first meeting? Soelva or Jelani sat right next to her and put her arm around her shoulder like it wasn’t above her to just sit on the floor.

  “You’re not the first child sired by one of us. It’s never easy at first for any of you. The trials are meant to be hard and every obstacle is thrown into your path.”

  She wasn’t thinking about all these stupid tests. Her hand went to her stomach. “Did the same thing happen to me the night Elan and I bonded? Am I carrying some god’s children instead of Elan’s? Is that why they already have names?”

  “Little warrior, your children are very special, but not because they were sired by one of us. We aren’t really gods, that’s just how humans chose to see us. The babies inside you were created by you and Elan alone, despite everything you did to stop it.”

  “And are they going to be beaten and tested like I was? Are they going to have to hide and pretend like Elan did? Are they going to have to go through all the crap all of us did instead of just getting to grow up like normal children?” she asked bitterly.

  “I suspect you disliked being beaten so much that when they misbehave, you’ll find other ways of disciplining them. They will be doing a lot of pretending and hiding, just not like Elan did. They will play hiding games and make up all sorts of pretend stories when they are playing. Their purpose growing up is only to be happy and learn their gifts. They will be given a choice when they are your age, but no matter their decision, nothing bad will happen to them.”

  “What choice, Jelani?” Elan demanded. “Something bad may come to all of us if the Dysdaimons come for us. If we are part whatever we are, aren’t they?”

  “Don’t think of us as being all knowing and all powerful. We were all created the same, but some of us are weaker than others. None of us are above punishment. Zuberi and Jabari had no idea the Dysdaimons would happen when they created you. Mara and Than are young compared to the rest of us, but they’ve never been fond of humans. They were being punished when you were born, so they didn’t know.

  “Mara and Than are mates, but they are not very strong. Their mothers were human. They don’t have certain abilities the rest of us do, but they have always been very intelligent. Than was the one who sired all the Dysdaimons after plotting with Mara. We are cut off from them, so I don’t know much. Than couldn’t have created them the way all of your fathers created you. Than would have had to have raped all of those women in their sleep. That’s not how any of our kind works, but it’s been known to happen. You’ve probably read stories and mythologies about some of us who broke away and behaved improperly while pretending to be a god.”

  “How many of there are you anyway? What are you?” Elan snapped. Isolde had stopped talking altogether. She was still listening because she needed to know what she would be up against when the Dysdaimons came for her and her children. But after hearing what she had so far, she wished now more than ever she had just been born a normal child.

  “You don’t mean that, Isolde,” Jelani said gently. Isolde was starting to see how other people felt around her when she commented on their private thoughts. She didn’t say anything back because she knew it would hurt Elan. He would take it to mean she wanted to be normal even if it meant never meeting him. It wasn’t that. She wanted to grow up and meet Elan like two ordinary people. She knew it would have been almost impossible unless everything bad happened and that was the only reason she wasn’t on her feet trying to fig
ure out what fighting style she could best Jelani in.

  “We can spar if it makes you feel better. I may actually let you land a punch, but I really wish you’d avoid using your fists in your condition.”

  “Stay out my head, Jelani!” she snapped. She tried to stand up to leave and Jelani just jerked her back down to the floor. Elan growled and went to stand over them.

  “I don’t care what or who you really are. Don’t lay hands on her like that. She’s upset and wants to leave. Let her come with me.”

  Jelani sighed. “I’m not listening to make you angry. I’m trying to find the right words to say to you after everything both of you went through. Look around you. Everyone just wants to understand. I know why you’re angry, Isolde. Neither your father, nor myself wanted you beaten and would have stopped it if we could. Once the humans decided to do that, neither of us could interfere in your path. If it gives you peace, your father is quite proud of you and Fjola didn’t want to.”

  “My mother chose to let me hear those awful things for years and my father has never bothered to show himself to me. They can both go to hell and leave me alone once we get to Ragnis Crystal.”

  Jelani didn’t stop her when she tried to leave this time. She could feel Elan at her heels and she knew she needed him. She just didn’t know what he could possibly say to make any of this better.

  Chapter 47

  Elan was chasing Isolde through the halls of The Voyager, but much like when she was fighting, she was like lightning when she wanted to get away. He knew he would catch her in their room and he was just hoping neither of them ran into her mother after everything they’d just heard. Fjola’s eyes never left Isolde since she got to Avala, like she was just hoping that minute would be when Isolde agreed to hear her out.

  Isolde was pacing when he finally caught up with her in their room. The Voyager still hadn’t taken off yet. Whatever happened when the bond animals were merging and turning back into people had shorted out a few things in the ship and they kept making announcements they were working on it, but there would be delays. Another announcement came up that they were still working to restore the systems when he burst into the bedrooms.

  “These beings must be the most inconsiderate things in the universe. I half think they merged in there on purpose so they could short out the systems and trap us here so we’d have to hear them out,” she snapped.

  “I’m pretty sure they did,” he admitted, taking her in his arms. “If everyone was half as angry as you and me, we’d just land and avoid them.”

  “I don’t think you’re angry for the same reasons I am, Elan,” she sighed.

  “I’m angry because of everything I heard. I’m angry because I understand why you’re upset and it pisses me off when someone hurts you. Can I give you a massage, Isolde?”

  “It’s not going to calm me down, but it may distract me.”

  He had a totally different idea that may calm her down. They had been on their feet ten days across two planets arranging cargo and assuring everyone they would be back for them. He was sure her feet hurt just as much as his did. He followed her to the bedroom and she had already started unhooking her corset. He stopped her.

  “Later. I’m trying something different tonight. Lay on your back.”

  Her brows knitted in confusion, but she laid on the bed fully clothed. He pulled her boots off and squirted perfumed oil into his hands. He started working his thumbs into the balls of her feet. He heard her moan like she might have forgotten all about Jelani and her father.

  “Have I told you how much I love you and all the Cendian things you introduce me to? We may have formed an alliance and married anyway without all the celestial involvement.”

  “Isolde, either my mother or the king was infertile. They had been trying so long. He didn’t visit the courtesans because they tried every night just in case. Your mother and mine are the same age. Even if your king was really in love with that courtesan, he would have known he needed an heir. Either he was straying too much or they were in the same situation mine were. I don’t know about the Avalian king, but from what I know about the man I thought was my father, he wouldn’t have agreed to the alliance. We either never would have been born or neither of our parents would have agreed to us being together.”

  “It’s hard to argue with you when you’re doing that to my foot. I think you did that on purpose. I don’t get why they would create any of us then just ignore us. Our fathers expected us to get everyone to Ragnis Crystal, but what have they done for us? Are we going to ever see them? What are they anyway? I don’t recognize any of the names. And she never said what she really was.”

  His thumbs went to her arches and he got another soft moan. She appeared to be softening and wanting to talk theories. Jelani had those answers, but he wasn’t letting her anywhere near Isolde right now.

  “Maybe they are aliens, who knows, and we think they are gods because it’s something we can comprehend. I think they’ve all been given several names and attributes throughout history. They probably all have certain gifts and we inherited some of them, but if Jelani was an official goddess of something, she would have told us when she was telling us we knew her as the Goddess of Strength.”

  “She didn’t correct us when she told us what names we knew her by.”

  “Probably because she was already dumping so much information on us. And she’s been your bond animal for so long, she probably knew you’d get angry.”

  “Or, she knew how I’d react because of who my father really is. I wonder if all of them are going to make an appearance now that we know. Or maybe we haven’t passed enough of their stupid tests yet.”

  She was starting to get angry again, so he moved up and started to massage her claves. “If he’s your father and he’s been watching you, I’m sure he expects you to at least break his nose when you meet him.”

  Isolde start giggling. “If Jelani and the others got split and turned into bears and cats, what do you think my punishment will be for breaking his face?”

  “Are you kidding? Jelani said this is standard for the children they create. You’re probably not his first child that punched him in the face.”

  “I guess I’ll have to make it memorable then. Aren’t you angry with your father?”

  “Furious and grateful at the same time. Come on, Isolde. Once the systems are back up, we’re going to be on our new home. Everything they did, all the tests, all the future tests, they are worth it because I’m with you and we’ll have two babies to spoil. We already know how we don’t want to raise them. Nothing that happened to us will ever happen to them.”

  “I’m sorry about what I said when I asked Jelani if they were yours. I needed to know and it was going to break me if they answer was that they weren’t.”

  “My thought process hadn’t gotten that far yet, but I wanted that answer just as much as you did when you asked. Someone was going to get hurt if I wasn’t the father.”

  “I guess I’m going to have to eventually go back and try to hear Jelani out in addition to finally having that conversation with Fjola. We still don’t know what we are if our fathers weren’t human.”

  “We are an ancient race from a solar system that no longer exists. Our people fought much like humans do and destroyed everything. There are not many of us left, even if it is hard to kill our kind. Both of your fathers were leaders and strong warriors. Isolde is quick to anger because her father is and Elan is deadly in battle, but gentle like his father. Both of you will have the chance to meet your fathers and tell them how you feel. Be together now and be joyful that we will set boots on Ragnis Crystal soon.”

  Elan and Isolde’s eyes met. She wasn’t angry, she looked like she was trying to understand.

  She shook her head and just tried to joke. “I’m not sure what’s worse. Thinking your father is a god or finding out he’s some sort of ancient alien.”

  The intercom went off again and interrupted Elan bef
ore he could speak. The systems were up and running again with help from some new guests. Jelani and the others must have decided to fix the issues they caused. The Voyager was pretty high tech and the only reason Elan knew they had lifted off was that the controlled climate system got audible during lift off and right after they used the blink drive.

  “Are you ready, Elan? Forget Jelani and our fathers. I don’t want to be angry when I see Ragnis Crystal for the first time.”

  Index

  Cendis-Fire planet found after fleeing Earth. One ship settled here with people from a desert region on Earth. No seasons with a consistently hot temperature. One large landmass was found on the planet surrounded by water as well as an entirely built planet devoid of people. All the structures are made from shiny, black rock. The people of Cendis evolved to have bronzed skin, white hair, long lashes, and red eyes. People on Cendis became suspicious and turned to religion after they lost their fire after attacking Avala

  Avala-Ice planet. The second ship that left earth settled here. One large landmass surrounded by water was discovered when people landed. Tall structures made of unbreakable glass were found, but no people. The Avalians evolved to have black hair, green eyes, and blood red lips. Avalians turned to science after the truce was called during the war with Cendis and Cendians lost fire and Avalians lost ice. Has short seasons, but constantly cold with a long freeze in the winter. Over the years, water has gone rancid and no fresh sources have been found. Water is rationed and snow is boiled during the deep freeze.

  Ragnis Crystal-Paradise planet discovered by Avalian faction members after the development of a blink drive allowed them to jump through a wormhole