Crown of Sunlight

by Payton Taylor

  At that moment she had never seen anything more appetizing in her life. Her stomach had rumbled, long and low, and she felt as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. Felt as if she would starve if she didn't eat the offered fruit. As if she couldn't live without it.

  Now, her stomach felt hollow, as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. Her whole body shook with chills, and her hands were clammy with sweat.

  She was worried about Sunny.

  In every book she’d ever read, it was never a good idea to split up. That’s how people died. Just ask any horror movie enthusiast.

  But, of course, Sunny was going to do everything she could to help Jo. Sunny was always looking out for her, especially since their mom died.

  Sunny was her rock, and after Mom’s passing, it was easy for Sunny to step into the role of mentor. Sunny looked just like Eleyna, with the same petite, athletic build and golden blonde hair. They even had the same heart-shaped face. Jo and Sunny both shared their mother's smile and blue eyes, but that was where Jo’s similarity to Eleyna ended, other than her curls. Their mother was so youthful and energetic that people often thought she was Sunny’s sister instead of Jo, who was tall and willowy, with chocolate-brown hair and delicate, angular features. Where Eleyna and Sunny were golden-skinned, Jo was porcelain, burning and never tanning.

  Jo used to feel left out sometimes because she didn’t look as much like Sunny and her mom as she wanted to, but Eleyna had always told her she was beautiful, like her father. Whenever Eleyna spoke of their father, her eyes got a faraway look, and her expression turned sad and, somehow, wistful.

  Jo and Sunny’s father had died when Sunny was almost two, before Jo was born. They never knew their father, but their mother told them he was brave and caring and that he’d died saving people from a burning building. The same fire, their mother told them, destroyed all of their photos, leaving her without any pictures of her dead husband.

  Their father had been the love of Eleyna’s life, and she hadn’t liked to talk about him much. She’d dated a couple of men through the years, but it never lasted long. She always said no one could take their father’s place, and all she needed was her girls.

  Jo wasn’t sure why this place was making her think about her parents. She tried not to, it only made her feel sad and lost.

  But something about this place reminded her of her mother, though she wasn’t sure what it was.

  Probably the fact that you’re sick and a big baby who wants her mommy to take care of her, Jo thought.

  Alone with nothing but her memories, and wishing she had something to pry her eyes open with, she almost didn’t hear the snap of a twig outside the cave entrance.

  Instantly, Jo was on high alert, no longer having trouble keeping awake. She knew it wasn’t Sunny returning because Sunny would have signaled to her in some way. Preparing for the worst, Jo got into a defensive crouch. Knowing she didn’t have much strength, she decided the element of surprise would probably work best in her favor.

  A sudden splitting pain shot through her skull, and she was bombarded with images.

  Gasping, she almost fell backward and had to put a hand on the wall to steady herself. Images she’d never seen before started popping into her brain with increasing speed, accompanied by words she didn’t understand. Different faces with different markings, followed by feelings of urgency and stealth.

  Unsure of whether she was hallucinating or not, Jo watched as a man crept into the cave. His face was one of the visions she had seen in her mind.

  As he got closer and spoke more of that language she didn’t understand, she knew he wasn’t a hallucination.

  Jo tried to back up, but she stumbled and fell to the ground.

  The man had deeply tanned skin and black hair cut into an odd but intricate pattern. He had two streaks of gold paint down his face, cutting through each of his eyes. He wore no shirt and slashes of gold paint decorated his muscular chest. He was wearing loose, dark green pants and brown leather boots.

  Two knives were strapped to his belt.

  He continued speaking to her, and the images in her head started to slow down and become more focused. In her mind’s eye, she saw an elderly woman, then a picture of a building, then him carrying her into the building.

  That image scared her, and she started to scramble backward, but then she watched in her mind as he laid her on a cot and the elderly woman entered the room and started examining her like a doctor. The feelings accompanying the image were calm and reassuring. Somehow, Jo didn’t think they could be faked, though she wasn’t sure what they were.

  The man leaned over as if to pick her up, but jerked back when a terrified scream cut through the silence.

  She knew that scream. That was Sunny’s scream.

  With renewed energy, Jo tried to push the man out of her way and get to the mouth of the cave, but the man grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. Jo pounded on his back, but he was obviously stronger than a sick bookworm.

  “Please,” she screamed weakly. “My sister!

  That’s my sister! We have to find her!”

  But the man just kept walking. He half- jogged for the better part of a mile, Jo bouncing up and down all the way. If she had anything in her stomach, she would have vomited it up, right down his back.

  When he stopped and sat her down, there was a group of warriors around her. They looked like something from a movie, men and women, all wearing similar clothing and gold markings painted on their skin. They all had weapons: some spears, some bows, some large hunting knives. Even some strange device that resembled a gun. She was sure they all had even more weapons hidden on their bodies.

  The man who had carried her there said something to the others in their strange language. They seemed to argue back and forth for a moment before the others nodded in agreement.

  A tall, muscular blonde woman stepped forward and picked Jo up as if she weighed nothing. Her hair was braided back from her face which was spattered with flecks of gold paint. A gold ring encircled her neck.

  As a group, they set off at a brisk pace while Jo made semi-conscious pleas for them to turn back and help her sister and attempted to struggle out of the woman’s grasp.

  A few minutes later the group stopped, and a deep roar shook the forest.

  Three of the warriors charged ahead of the others, toward the sound. What Jo saw when she arrived would give her nightmares for the rest of her life.

  Two warped versions of herself held her sister against a tree while a terrifying dragon stood before her, ready to strike. But neither of those was as heart-wrenching as the look on her sister’s face. Jo had never seen Sunny so scared in her entire life, even when they’d faced the Swarog. Sunny was paralyzed from fear, tears streaking through the dirt on her face. Deep scratches marred her arms, and the side of her head was leaking blood.

  Then, abruptly, the woman holding Jo sat her down and reached behind her, unsheathing a spear from a strap across her back. She wrenched back her arm and threw it with all her might. Jo watched in awe as the spear flew through the air and impaled the dragon straight through its head.

  Just like that, the dragon fell to the ground with a crash.

  Two other members of the group aimed their bows and let loose arrows aimed at the two Jo look- a-likes holding Sunny. There was something disturbing about watching herself get shot through the eye with an arrow, not once but twice.

  Sunny looked back toward them, her eyes wide with fear. She looked like she was about to faint, but then her eyes latched onto Jo.

  The sound she let out was part sob, part relief as she stumbled toward Jo. When they reached each other, Sunny whispered, “Is it really you?”

  Jo could only nod, and they threw their arms around each other, clutching each other so tight she could barely breathe. The members of the warrior group gave them a moment together before two walked forward, speaking their language. Sunny fought as one of them tried to pick her up, but Jo told her they were safe.r />
  She hoped they were safe. She wasn’t sure how or why, but for some reason, Jo felt a protective feeling that came from this group. She sensed no deceit or ill intent.

  But, hey, that could just be the poison talking.

  Chapter 7

  Westin

  Writhia, 5219

  Ettria

  A iroldi, bring the girl. Airoldi, bring the girl.

  It seemed all Westin was good for these days was escorting children back and forth. But if Westin was anything, he was a good soldier. So he followed orders and presented King Azmodeous with Zoë. Just as His Majesty had requested.

  When they arrived at the king’s study, the girl's expression turned wary and she looked exhausted. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, her skin looked unwashed, and she was wearing the same clothes she'd had on the day before. Westin didn't understand why. He had told the servants to take her new clothing just that morning. She also looked thinner, if that was even possible. Nothing about this situation made sense, but the harder he thought about it, the more his brain hurt and the further away an explanation seemed.

  He squinted at her, trying to focus. The more he focused, the more he realized it wasn't as bad as he'd thought. She looked a little tired, but probably from staying up late. She had probably been having difficulties sleeping in such an unfamiliar place. Her clothes were dirty, but on closer inspection, he realized it may have been from playing outside.

  She was fine. He was overreacting. At least, that's what he told himself, though there was still some uncertainty hovering in the back of his thoughts.

  As soon as they walked into the room, the king's head whipped up, sensing their presence immediately.

  "We're going to try this again, my dear," the king said softly from his throne.

  Zoë's shoulders hunched in, but she walked up to the table that held the vial of blood.

  There was only a little bit left.

  Once again, she dripped the blood onto her fingertips and assumed the summoning position. After only a few seconds, her head jerked up. "I can feel them! I need a map!" she exclaimed with far more joy than Westin would have expected.

  The king must've known this ahead of time because he hurriedly pulled out a map from his pocket and flattened it on his desk. Zoë let the drops of red fall onto the map then slammed her hand onto it. The blood and her hand quickly made a path from the castle grounds to the Lorlean lands.

  "They're here!" she said, pointing to pointing to the map. Where she pointed, the blood had formed a circle, indicating their location.

  As they watched, the circle moved forward, bit by bit, and Westin knew they were on the move.

  The king leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin. "Airoldi! Inform the troops of your departure. We're leaving at once." He turned to Zoë. “You’re coming too, my dear.”

  She nodded, staring at her feet in that timid way of hers.

  After Westin let his fellow soldiers know he would be leaving, he made his way toward the hangar where they kept the royal tryst, the flying aircraft that would take them where they needed to go.

  As he walked down the corridor, he came across Councilman Cassavant leaning casually against the wall. Westin nodded respectfully, but as he passed, Cassavant shrugged himself off the wall and began walking beside him. Westin immediately regretted being friendly.

  "So, Wes—can I call you Wes?" Before Westin could say no, Leo continued. "Your new girlfriend’s a little young for you, don't you think?" he asked, voice sweet as sugar.

  "I have many friends who are girls. To which do you refer?" Westin replied evenly.

  "You know, cute little thing. Light brown hair, big hazel eyes, comes up to about here. . ." he held his hand up to stomach height as he trailed off.

  Westin rolled his eyes. Everyone knew Cassavant only talked to someone if they were good looking or had information. Since Westin was pretty sure he wasn't Leo's type, he knew it must be the latter.

  He decided to indulge the Councilman. "Oh yeah, we're going out dancing this evening, but first we're stopping at Golda's playhouse. She's a fan."

  "Who knew the big bad general was such a romantic?" Cassavant said dreamily, putting his hand to his chest.

  Before he could ask any more questions, Westin said curtly, "As always, it was a pleasure talking with you, Cassavant. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." With that, he stalked off, happy that their travel party would not include Leo Cassavant.

  Chapter 8

  Sunny

  Writhia, 5219

  The Lorlean Lands

  Sunny couldn't think straight with so much chaos pounding through her skull. Words traveled through her mind in that same language that everyone except Sunny and her sister seemed to know. She didn't want to confess it aloud, but she knew she was hearing the thoughts of the people around her. She'd heard some of Jo's thoughts throughout this whole adventure. She'd never brought it up to Jo because that would've sounded insane, right? Plus, Sunny’s instinctual defense mechanism was denial, so ignoring the problem entirely felt like her best bet. She'd once read a quote that said, "The hardest prison to escape is the one in your mind." She believed that to be true.

  There was no escaping from this.

  Jo whimpered, and Sunny's head jerked over in her direction. She let the back of her hand graze her cheek lightly, but Jo cringed as if even that small touch pained her.

  She was burning up.

  "It'll be okay, Jo," Sunny whispered, almost adding an 'I promise' before she thought better of it. She wouldn't make a promise she couldn't keep.

  Sunny and Jo were being transported in some sort of gurney. There was one noticeable difference about this gurney, however.

  It was floating. By itself.

  After the people had laid her and Jo onto the long, white slab, it had risen into the air with a quiet hum. Sunny still found herself white-knuckling the side of it in fear that it would drop at any minute and they would go spilling onto the ground.

  The people surrounding the gurney were of all different builds and skin tones. One thing they all had in common was the gold markings painted on their bodies in different areas. Sunny was sure they symbolized something important, but she didn't have the energy to ask, nor would they understand if she did.

  Sunny was glad for the floating cot. Her skin felt as if it would burst open and she knew that any extra movement would have sent her lurching over the side and throwing up what little contents were in her stomach.

  There were bright colors everywhere. Small, different colored stucco buildings outlined the area, and vibrant globes of light floated among the trees.

  The trees. She could somehow feel them as if they were a part of her. Could somehow feel their lifeforce. As if she too were the roots in the ground, growing. As if her arms were branches, reaching for the sky.

  If she commanded the wind to blow east, she had bone-deep knowledge that it would obey. Her ears felt like someone had placed megaphones in them as she heard the cacophony of voices talking over each other.

  Total sensory overload.

  Jo kept screaming, "MAKE IT STOP!" but when Sunny looked over, her sister's lips were compressed into a thin line, her hands were covering her ears, and her eyes were squeezed shut.

  The people leading them took them into one of the larger buildings. The tall blonde woman pushed a button and the gurney lowered itself gently onto the brightly woven rugs. Then, a booming voice rose up above the others, shouting a command that made everyone fall silent.

  A man stepped forward, and though he looked ancient, he stood tall. He had light brown skin, battered by the elements, long gray hair, and a hooked nose. A thick ring of golden paint encircled his entire neck. His penetrating gaze landed on Sunny and Jo, and there was something in the sagacious stare that told Sunny not to lie to this man. It was as if he stared into her and already knew who she was and why she was there. His presence seemed to demand respect.

  He gradually walked towards them
with his hands raised, as if to say he meant no harm. He said something to them in his strange language, but when Sunny frowned in confusion, he just sighed.

  He reached out, slowly, and laid a hand on each of their shoulders. When their skin made contact, it felt like a door inside of Sunny's brain suddenly opened. Words raced through her mind, words she didn't recognize, but the more they circulated within her, the more she began to understand their meaning. The words swelled and grew, and it seemed like they wouldn't stop until, abruptly, they did.

  When he spoke again, it was in a deep, modulated voice, "My name is Orrin. Do you understand now?"

  And, somehow, Sunny did, so she nodded.

  How could she suddenly understand him? His words didn't sound like English—they were completely different from anything she’d ever heard before—but she somehow knew their meanings in her own language, and knew how to form a sentence to reply.

  "My sister's been poisoned by, by—" She flung her arms in the air, then grunted and tugged on her hair in frustration. "Well, I don't know what! But she needs help. Now!"

  Orrin nodded to an elderly woman at his side. "Lib, Rune, you know what to do."

  As soon as the words left the woman's mouth, two of the people stepped forward. One of them pushed the button once more and they lifted into the air. Then, they led them deeper into the building, down wide, breezy halls decorated with brilliant tapestries and into a large room that Sunny knew must be the medical wing.

  The room was large and open, with sunlight streaming in through open windows. Floating orbs of bright white light added further illumination for the ten or so people scurrying back and forth.

  Billowing curtains separated the room into private sections and the walls were lined with medical supplies, everything from clean, futuristic-looking technology to clearly labeled jars of plants and herbs.

  Finally, Sunny thought, some freaking assistance.

  The woman, who was hunched over with age, still appeared to have quick-footed steps, and her brown eyes shone with kindness. She asked if they could walk and, at Sunny's nod, helped them over to two beds.