Lost Heart: A Celta Novella (Celta HeartMate Series)

Home > Other > Lost Heart: A Celta Novella (Celta HeartMate Series) > Page 13
Lost Heart: A Celta Novella (Celta HeartMate Series) Page 13

by Robin D. Owens


  Enata looked flabbergasted, her eyes unfocused, her lips parted. She shook her head, struggling to overcome disbelief, Barton thought.

  He rolled his shoulders. So he'd pulled a guess from the farthest, most fantastic edges of his mind and it had been right, still fliggering staggering, but right. He stared at Reglis, who appeared pleased.

  "So we've discovered the who," Barton grated the words out. "We can get to why later."

  "Why is very important," both Licorices said at the same time, Enata's voice squeaky high.

  "No. What's very important is the ill effects this is having on everyone." Barton's gaze bore into Reglis'. The man blinked. "You serve this lady?"

  "The lady avatar of the planet Celta? Yes, I do." He spread his arms wide. "Ill effects? I am fine. The Chosen are fine." He glanced away. "The lady has learned how to deal with human minds." Barton got the impression that the lady had learned by trial and error, like by breaking fragile human minds.

  "Not well enough," Barton said. "Enata's been sick since the beginning of the month, when the lady began messing with her head."

  "What!"

  Barton scooped Enata out of her chair, sat himself, and kept her on his lap. Knowing his face tightened, he kept his voice smooth and quiet. "Do you realize what that . . . what Celta has been doing to your sister? All this month she's been going to that vault of yours to see a new book, The Chosen of Celta." He jutted his chin to a big floating book in the corner. It looked larger than the one he'd seen in the vault. His hands soothed Enata. She rested against him.

  Grit entered Barton's tones. "And every time Enata left, that thing—" He stopped and coughed. "—the great entity who is our home," he said aloud to remind himself he did love the planet, not to mention it could probably crush him with a thought. "That is to say, Celta removed her memories. So she's been bouncing back and forth between remembering you and not. Tore her up emotionally. There have also been physical side effects."

  Reglis stared at them, face paling. "No," he whispered. "I didn't know."

  "Celta has been hard on Enata." He pinned the shocked man with his most intimidating gaze. "I want a Healer called to check her out. You do have Healers, don't you?"

  "Of course." Reglis drew himself up.

  "Look at her." Barton swept a hand along his beloved. Hardened his heart. "Does she match your memory? She's too thin and pale."

  "I'm better now," she murmured.

  Reglis scowled.

  "Speaking of memories. Celta doesn't tell you she wipes you from the memories of all who knew you, even knew of you, does she? She doesn't inform you of that when she calls you and tells you that you're Chosen, or once you're here."

  Pure shock rolled over Reglis' face, trembled down his body. He reached for a chair, groped his way into it.

  "I see you can figure out the ramifications of that — broken minds, fractures in a Family missing one of their members and not knowing that, inexplicable psychological problems, behavioral problems."

  Enata said, "I was mean, really mean to Glyssa, and not just personally, but professionally, in a professional setting." She rubbed her forehead, then she dropped her hand. "The Hazels . . . I don't think they've been quite right for a long time. Functioning, but not right. You have a Calluna Heather Hazel here. Is she a Healer?"

  A white-faced Reglis nodded. "Yes, but not at Celta's Castle. I'll call our Healer. He's very good, especially with the mind . . . he helps us adjust."

  "You obviously remember your Families," Barton said.

  "Yes, of course. We are given the choice to live here or not, accept the vocation offered or not."

  "I'm thinking those who don't take Celta up on the offer don't remember the fact. Choice is a step in the right direction. Celta probably realized that rebellious humans don't fit her needs," Barton muttered.

  Enata asked softly, "How do you feel knowing that we have no memory of you?"

  Now Reglis looked just plain sick. "I'm calling the Healer. He's a native." His head tilted as if he spoke telepathically.

  "The Healer was born and raised here?" Barton asked.

  "Yes." Reglis popped from his chair. "He'll be along shortly. He's working with Captain Mor and the crew. The voyages are hard on them."

  "Maybe because of the memory thing," Barton said. "Maybe it comes and goes with them."

  Reglis' mouth flattened. "I've asked Corylus Hazel and Calluna Heather Hazel, the Chosen before me, to come, too."

  "Good, get this entire mess all thrashed out," Barton said. "You can tell us more of Celta while we wait."

  The sizzle of his anger cycling through their link made Enata nervy, along with his tense muscles. She shifted in his lap, caught a motion from the corner of her eye. "What's that volume floating in the corner?"

  Reglis raised his hand and the book, twice as large as the one in Security Vault One in the PublicLibrary, floated over to them.

  "This is the complete and unabridged record of Celta's Chosen."

  She rose to her feet, stalked over to the book, felt some of Barton's anger fade to her own irritation and his curiosity match hers. "The PublicLibrary has an abridged version!"

  A familiar smile wisped across Reglis' lips. "I know how annoying that is for you." His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. "Perhaps we can provide a copy." He tapped the opened page with a forefinger and Enata saw his small, precise writing.

  "Your notes," she breathed. "And everyone else's?"

  Reglis nodded. "Perhaps I can convince Celta to duplicate this in Security Vault One."

  "How?" Barton asked. "How does this all work?"

  "Magic." Reglis rolled a shoulder. "Celta is a strong planet, not weak like the crippled Earth our forebears left. Intelligent and skilled. Magic, psi power, Flair, call it what you will, but we are puny compared to her."

  "Her?" questioned Barton.

  "Like our Residences, and the starship Nuada's Sword, the planet chose a sex to interact with us better." A quick smile. "I think because the first librarian she picked was male and preferred women. He listened to her telepathic conversation."

  "A powerful planetary being? Anyone would."

  Reglis' brows went up. "You'd be surprised what some people prefer to ignore."

  "I never ignore voices in my head," Barton said, joining her to look at the book. "Unless they're nagging Family."

  They all laughed.

  "So," Reglis prompted. "Questions?"

  "Why us?" Barton flicked a hand toward Reglis, then Enata and himself.

  "I—" Reglis stopped and tilted his head for a long moment, nodded, then met Enata's gaze, looked at Barton. "I was going to tell you my own deductions, but now I will be speaking for the planet, Celta, as we call her. Naturally, she did not think of herself as that until our ancestors, the colonists from Earth, arrived."

  "What did she—" Enata began.

  Barton's hand dropped to her shoulder again. "You librarians get distracted. Keep on topic. Why us? Why the other's she's taken in . . . our lifetimes?" He paused. "Specifically."

  "Specifically," Reglis repeated, an odd note in his voice, then, "Ouch!" A pause. "You're forgiven. Do not forget you can burn out our minds while talking to us."

  Enata gasped, Barton went stiff beside her.

  Reglis flinched and grimaced, then said, "Yes, all mended. Thank you." He turned his head back toward them. "Celta prefers to have a PublicLibrarian in Druida City as a failsafe, should something happen to the general populace of our planet, the librarian would know to bring the survivors here." Reglis cleared his throat. "We are a delicate species to her, and there is only so much changing to herself she is willing to do so we might adapt."

  "All . . . right," Barton said. "So that's Enata. Why me?"

  "For the same reason she chose Savi. Because you are Clovers, the most prolific Family of us all."

  Enata heard him grinding his teeth. "Oh. So she's not giving up Savi?"

  "No, but Balansa can leave." Reglis touched his temple, t
hen his head dropped. Without looking at them, he said, "She confirms that she's tampered with memories. And states that when you leave, you will lose your memories of here."

  Chapter 20

  At that moment a knock came on the door and the doctor strode in. A brusque individual called Heathrun, he examined Enata, then gave her some Healing energy that made her feel better than she had in a long time.

  But he'd riled Reglis. Apparently Heathrun knew of the memory loss, and as a native, knew more than Reglis in general. They began to argue about how to deal with Celta and the planet's habit of erasing memories.

  Barton grabbed her and excused them both for lunch. Neither of the men paid attention to them leaving.

  They descended the tower staircase and walked through the big building to the large front entrance hall. Not a lot of people populated the castle, and they all wore simple trous and embroidered shirts, made of excellent fabric.

  "I want to get out of here, you game?" asked Barton.

  "Absolutely."

  He glanced down at her, and tension left his face. "You're feeling fine?"

  Smiling up at him, she said, "Oh, yes. Heathrun helped a lot. I feel completely on balance." She let a gleam come into her eyes. "Though later we might want to practice that very healthful sex he mentioned."

  "Sounds good to me. You need to change clothes for a tramp around the island?"

  She whisked a hand down her outfit. "There, I've activated the spell for outside. It should handle tramping."

  "Good. I'll call Resup."

  Enata waited at the double front doors as Barton lifted his chin and called, aloud and with his mind, Teleport to me! We're heading out of the castle.

  Whee! I am here! I have been ALL OVER the castle. People love Me, of course. Resup landed on all four paws in front of them. Stuff sticking to his whiskers looked suspiciously like sweet white mousse.

  Barton put the cat on his padded shoulder and they walked up to the doors, which opened for them.

  "Celta's Castle must be on the way to becoming a Residence," Enata said.

  They stepped into sunshine that spilled brilliant light around them. The air smelled of verdant plantlife and crisp ocean. Below she could see the bay and the ship that had brought them.

  And then two people rose from a bench set in one side of the garden flanking the entrance, and hesitantly walked up the gravel path to them. Savi and Balansa.

  Savi made a jerky bow, Balansa a smoother curtsey.

  "We're inviting you to lunch in the village." Savi's chin lifted with pride. "I will show you my house, and introduce you to my girlfriend. We also need to talk to you about . . . things."

  Barton bowed. "I am always at your service."

  Balansa's expression pinched. Enata didn't know if Barton noticed that or not.

  The village was very picturesque, with an odd mixture of architectural styles. Enata studied it, knowing she'd seen images of a village like this before. Then she realized it was modeled after Portmeirion on Earth.

  Savi showed off his small whitewashed cottage and lovely garden, justly proud of it. He preferred to live in the village in a separate cottage. Not at all like the linked houses of Clover Compound. They met his equally lovely native girlfriend at a clothing workshop.

  Lunch at an outside cafe provided excellent food with flavors new but tasty to Enata. They all concentrated on their food, including Resup who charmed everyone he met, including the kitchen staff. He fell asleep before the waiter swept away the dishes.

  Savi shifted in his seat, then stated, "Balansa isn't as happy here as I am."

  Gently, Barton said, "You must know that both of you can come back with me and Enata. We are your Family, and will always welcome you."

  "I'm staying," Savi stated.

  Balansa pleated the cloth softleaf on her lap. "I don't know what to do."

  Savi sat straight. "If Balansa returns, will you promise to place her in a good Clover Family unit, and ensure she's tested for Flair and is given the choice of a good career? Make certain she finds a good husband?"

  "I promise," Barton said immediately. "I'm strongly recommending that those you call the most privileged Clovers don't all live in the original and oldest block of Clover Compound. Walker himself resides in the newer southern block. We'll be spreading out. I promise I will treat Balansa as if she was my sister."

  For a moment Savi stared at Barton, then switched his gaze to Enata. "I will take your word on that." He looked at his sister, reached both hands across the table and held them out until she took them. "I love you, Balansa. You are my sister and can always stay with me."

  "I love you, too," Balansa said.

  "You can always come back here, I promise."

  Balansa bobbed her head.

  But Enata found her eyes meeting Barton's. Neither of them expected that the lady of Celta would let Balansa keep her memories of her only immediate Family member.

  Enata's throat closed so she couldn't say one word after that.

  Savi and Balansa walked back up to Celta's Castle with Barton and Enata, but they went their separate ways in the great hall. Barton watched Balansa trudge toward the storerooms where she'd inventory foodstuffs.

  "Cyfrinach Island is pretty," Enata said. "Tropical. I've never been to anywhere tropical, and I'd like to walk around a little."

  "It's nice," Barton agreed, putting his arm around her waist. "How long do you want to stay? I'd just as soon go home when our questions are answered and our business is done. A quick break would be better for Balansa, too."

  Enata sighed. "You're right. Not a true wedding trip is this. I do want to see more of the island instead of Reglis' library."

  Barton chuckled. "I'd never thought I'd hear that."

  "Well, you did. And now it's time to meet with Reglis again."

  Resup perked up from his seat on Barton's shoulder. I will go with you. I have not been to this interesting library.

  When they entered the room, Resup wandered the chamber, poking his nose into the lower bookcases and jumping on window seats while Enata took her chair, and Barton hitched a hip on the arm of that chair.

  This time Reglis paced, under the guise of keeping an eye on the kitten.

  Still aching from lunch with Savi and Balansa, Barton began the pressure. "By now you know of the compulsion laid on Enata and my obsession."

  Reglis pinched the skin between his brows. "I reviewed The Chosen of Celta and that seems to be standard procedure for those Celta wishes to visit Cyfrinach Island."

  "To visit, not to stay," Barton kept his voice flat.

  "That's right. I, myself, had vivid dreams, as do most who are Chosen. As for compulsions and obsessions, those are . . . ah . . . methods Celta uses to judge people."

  Enata straightened. "I'm tired of being judged, of having to prove myself. Proving myself to Celta, to the Clovers, to the matchmaker T'Willow, even."

  "You never did like being tested, manipulated," Reglis murmured.

  "No, I didn't." She folded her arms and glared at her brother. "I trust, that since we are here, we passed Celta's tests."

  Nodding, Reglis said, "That's right."

  No one tested Me. I am special, Resup said, kneading a window seat. I will watch the ship, now.

  He curled up and slept.

  Reglis' smile at the Fam was brief, then his gaze met Barton's with melancholy intensity. "You, sis, will remember. The PublicLibrarians of Druida do." He cleared his throat. "I've heard that Balansa Clover might return with you to Druida City. Neither Balansa nor Barton will remember anything."

  "Your Celta is very hard on those left behind when the Chosen leave!" Her breasts rose as she inhaled. "I suppose you were chosen because you are the current librarian here?"

  "Yes, the archivist."

  "What of the others Chosen?" Barton asked.

  A knock came at the door and Reglis' shoulders sank with relief. "Enter," he called.

  A couple dressed in the standard work clothes but of
fine material came in, hand in hand. They looked in their early thirties. "You requested we come to Celta's Castle, Master Librarian?"

  "That's right Corylus." Reglis smiled, gesturing for the couple to take the twoseat perpendicular to his and Barton's chair. Enata's face smoothed in professional welcome.

  Gut still tight with anger, Barton reached out and grasped her wrist, tugged. He wanted her close. Maybe he couldn't defend her from a planetary being, but he could try to keep her safe with everything in him.

  This time Enata stood with hands inside her opposite sleeves.

  Chapter 21

  Barton narrowed his eyes. "Surely you're a Hazel," he said to the man.

  The guy nodded. "Corylus Hazel."

  "Another FirstChild? Born before Coll Hazel and Avellana?" Barton pressed.

  "That's right. How is my Family doing?"

  "Well," Barton said, before Enata could explain in detail. They only wanted basic reassurance. They had chosen to turn their backs on their Families and come to this island and begin a new life. Chosen to stay.

  "I study the ocean like my father, Chess Rowan T'Hazel," the guy said.

  "And I am Calluna Heather Hazel, a Healer," the woman said, "The primary Healer in the town of Newdru."

  Studying her, Barton asked, "You're also a member of the FirstFamilies, the Heathers?"

  She nodded, kept her arm linked in her husband's. Probably HeartMates. Which, like the high status — the Rowans, the Hazels, the Heathers were all Families with the greatest Flair — probably explained why the planet Chose them to be its own private stock of humans. Because that's what this all came down to. The planet called the best to this island to keep them safe from the misfortunes that might afflict the people on the continents.

  And, no doubt, to breed them. Did they mind being in a breeding program?

  He caught Enata's eye. She'd sense the anger simmering through him, ready to spark, to roar. To destroy the other couple's complacency. She shook her head.

  "Your Families are doing very well," Enata affirmed.

  "Even Avellana?" Corylus asked. "She was brain damaged at three." His forehead lined.

 

‹ Prev