Karlol

by Phoebe Nix

  Before she could take a better look, the city hurtled past her as Karlol beat his wings to lift them higher. She could barely see ahead of her from the rippled force field that glittered more intensely the stronger Karlol flapped his wings. She looked up at him, and his eyes were entirely dilated, focused on the destination he was taking her.

  “Are we going to see the King?” she asked. “I don’t think I’m ready.”

  With her wings shot back, Lore drew level with the Prince. “You’re not meeting the King. At least not yet.”

  “Says who?” Karlol protested.

  “Take her to my cabin,” Lore advised. “She needs proper attire and an oxygen mask. If we take her any higher, she’ll lose consciousness.”

  Jocelyn had forgotten how weak she was compared to this species that packed wings strong enough to lift twice their weight in the air. She was also perplexed by Lore’s sudden change of heart about her. She had stopped shooting her glares and instead avoided looking her in the eye. Jocelyn presumed that Karlol must have chastised her for how unfair she’d been.

  But even as she spoke to her, Lore’s voice was strained, like she was holding back her resentment. Jocelyn felt there was more to her unexplained hostility than being a stranger – it was more personal. She had sensed it when Lore’s eyes twitched as she explained that her demeanor should not be taken personally.

  The Vogels clutched onto a branch with their talons. At the end of it was a cabin sculpted into the tree trunk with a round entrance that was barely big enough to fit the girth of one of them.

  “Follow me,” Lore said sternly, hovering over Jocelyn and landing in front of her.

  Jocelyn’s first couple of steps were careful. She’d expected to wobble on her knees as she tried to tread on the bough she stood on, but it was staunch and stood still despite the weight it now carried. She descended to her knees and crawled to the side, carefully tilting her head down.

  She marveled at the vastness and compactness of this city. Hundreds of houses of various sizes were layered on the branches, and along the bark. Vogels were perched on the branches with their knees drawn to their chests, many of them whistling tunes to their rowdy children, some of whom had two angled scars across their backs where their wings had yet to develop.

  “Are you coming?” Lore impatiently called out from the archway.

  “Sorry,” Jocelyn sighed as she rose to her feet, trotting her way to the treehouse.

  “Shut. Up,” Jocelyn blurted as she walked through the entrance.

  “I wasn’t even speaking!” Lore answered.

  “It’s just an expression,” Jocelyn mumbled under her breath, distracted by the commodious interior of this home.

  Tree trunks pierced through the floor and into the ceiling, forming decorative posts. The house was much bigger than it looked on the outside, comprising one massive room with sectioned areas separated by short palisades.

  On her left was a table that protruded from the wall, above which was a small round window with a string curtain made of tree leaves. Handmade patterned rugs were scattered on the floor, which comprised of wooden panels strung together with dyed rope.

  Ahead of her was a round bed that looked as though it floated a few inches above floor-level with a crown-shaped headboard; on her right was a wooden wardrobe with double doors embellished by wreaths and dried plums.

  “If I ever lived here, I would never leave this place,” Jocelyn sighed, pacing toward an archway in the corner that gave entrance to a spacious terrace. The area was shaded by cascading leaves forming a curved ceiling overhead.

  Jocelyn leaned forward, resting her arms on the railing as she regarded the city in disbelief. "This is amazing.”

  She heard Lore’s talons knocking on the wooden floor behind her. “I understand you’re seeing all of this for the first time, and that you’re excited, but you really need to wear this mask.”

  Jocelyn turned to the guard, whose hands held a peculiar device with two wide openings for eyes and a long beak; it was black, resembling a mask that would be worn by a plague doctor.

  “You want me to wear that…on my face?” she asked as she took the device, flipping it around to examine it further.

  “You’ll faint otherwise. We’ve had to learn that the hard way,” Lore explained. “Come, there’s more for you to see than a balcony.”

  On their way out, frescoed paintings on the wall caught Jocelyn’s eyes, her head turning as her eyes followed the works of art. Some of them were portraits of Vogels with their wings spread and their vampiric teeth bulging out of their lips. Others were simple depictions of the Vogel city.

  “You’ll have plenty of time to look at my paintings, let’s go,” Lore shot, handing her a long coat with leather straps.

  The Vogel patiently watched as Jocelyn slipped into her coat, the silver straps spreading like blades along her torso. She let her hands fall to her sides, and Lore looked as though she was trying her best not to burst out in laughter.

  “It’s a little oversized,” she commented, snickering.

  Jocelyn looked down upon her body, her slender figure barely visible and only her fingertips sticking out of the long sleeves. “I look ridiculous. Is this your dad’s?”

  Lore’s smile disappeared. “It was.”

  “Sorry,” Jocelyn mumbled.

  Although her tone retained the same hostility, it now came across as maternal and a little officious rather than hateful. Jocelyn was still wary of her, but she no longer felt like the woman planned to stab her in the back with one of her longswords the moment she turned away from her.

  With a hand on the hilt of her sword, Lore saw Jocelyn out. Her eyes clamped shut at the sight of the shining sun before she slowly parted her eyelids again.

  “The mask,” Lore prompted.

  “Oh, right,” Jocelyn said, perching it on the bridge of her nose. It had no straps, but it seemed completely secure on her face.

  What is this magic?

  She felt her nostrils flare up, taking in enough oxygen to snap her out of her grogginess. She suddenly felt more alert than she had been since she found herself on Lookar. A surge of adrenaline ran through her veins, like she packed enough energy to leap off one of those branches and fly amongst the Vogels.

  “Don’t let the mask trick you into thinking you’re energetic,” Lore warned, as though she could hear her mind at work. “It’s an instantaneous side effect. You’re still weak. But we’ll take care of you once we ascend to the Palace.”

  The fucking what now? How the hell do you build a Palace on a tree?

  “Yeah, of course.” Jocelyn shrugged.

  Everything they said seemed to strike her as a surprise, but she contained it, knowing it would probably grow old very quickly. She had been enough of a burden and didn’t wish to make them feel like they were dragging a child along with them.

  But even those prepubescent wingless Vogels beneath her seemed to have a better grip on reality.

  She couldn’t see her own reflection, but she could guess how ominous she looked once Vogels began peeking their heads out of their windows to peer at her, their gazes exuding more shock than disgust. They were likely wondering why Karlol had brought an enemy home.

  “Also,” Lore noted, treading toward Jocelyn. “You’ll feel more comfortable without your hair constantly slapping your face.” She swiftly twisted her hair up in a bun, securing it with a wooden stick.

  Jocelyn nodded with a faint smile, the female guard nodding back and turning away. “Now we can go to the Palace,” she said, addressing Karlol.

  “Actually,” he replied with a grin. “I think it’s best we show Jocelyn around before we go.”

  “Do we have time for that?” Darneel asked, concerned. “Fareej must be on his toes.”

  “He’s been waiting for a few days,” Karlol said with a dismissive wave. “He can wait a while longer.”

  Jocelyn’s cheeks pushed against her mask as she smiled. Karlol turned to her, and stret
ched his arm out to her, twiddling his fingers as he shot her a grin. She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as he swept her off her feet and kicked himself into the sky.

  Karlol spread his wings wide, furling them ever-so-slightly to slow himself down. Vogels beneath them tilted their heads up and pointed before gossiping amongst themselves.

  Bigger houses were erected on more flying boulders nestled between the clouds. Karlol would sometimes descend to one of the rocks just to give himself a strong kick that would send him higher into the air. The flight was far more enjoyable with a mask that protected her sight and sifted out the strong winds that had hit her face and stung her nostrils.

  “This city,” she said. “It’s so beautiful. How could anyone want to destroy that?”

  Karlol landed on one of the boulders, all of which were interconnected with steep bridges.

  They stood next to what looked like a mansion. It seemed that Royalty and elites resided higher up in the sky. The architecture looked similar to the smaller houses, but it must have been a four-story building with a zillion rooms.

  “If you have wings, why so many bridges?” she asked.

  Karlol shrugged. “They were primarily designed for younger Vogels, but it has become part of our tradition. You could say that it symbolizes something bigger. That we’re all connected regardless of our position in the community,” he explained. “The Palace here,” he gestured to the mansion. “It has its doors open for everyone. Whenever these bridges are drawn, that’s when Vogel folk know they’ve got trouble. This is only done during wars.”

  I take it back. Those people are definitely not cavemen.

  Chapter 14

  Karlol rolled his talons back as he cautiously snuck through the main hall, his bare feet padding across the granite floor.

  He heard something squeak, and looked over his shoulder, glancing at Jocelyn’s shoes and shooting her a playful glare.

  Really?

  She shrugged, lifting her ankles up to undo her sneakers and slip out of them. She held them by their laces in one hand, and clutched onto Karlol’s fingers with the other. He held a finger to his lips, and she nodded.

  He slowly folded his wings back, making sure they didn’t unfurl and clap like soft thunder and alarm the guards. Karlol planned to go straight to the throne room to surprise his father with his discovery before anyone else gave him the news.

  He swerved right into the waiting room, hiding behind a decorative tree trunk as a servant passed by.

  “Why are we hiding?” Jocelyn whispered.

  Karlol gestured another hush with a mischievous grin.

  Jocelyn pressed her fingers on her mask to secure it, then followed Karlol’s cautious steps, and he imagined her face wrinkled with worry behind her mask. Her lips were curled in a shaky frown, clearly concerned of what would become of her if they got caught.

  “If I’m not allowed to be here, I might as well leave now before it’s the courtyard execution shit all over again.”

  “No one will ever harm you again. Now, will you be quiet?” he whispered, tiptoeing to another empty hall.

  His father’s voice echoed behind the great double doors that led to the throne room, but just before he pushed them open, Fareej came trotting from behind.

  “Where on Lookar have you been? We’ve been worried sick about you,” he said, before his eyes fell on the human. “Well, what do we have here?” His eyes scanned her from head to toe.

  Karlol had already gotten a good beating by a human in a cell. He certainly wasn’t prepared to get scolded by his uncle in front of Jocelyn.

  She quickly pulled her hand away from Karlol’s grasp and attempted a curtsey, her knees wobbling under her coat. “Greetings, my King.”

  Karlol smiled at her attempt. “That’s my uncle. Fareej, this is,” he paused to clear his throat, “a human the twins and I found.”

  “A human you found?” he queried, crossing his arms.

  Jocelyn straightened her back. “Sorry, hello, erm, Your Majesty?”

  He raised his chin. “You’ve been gone for days, and you come back with a human you so casually come across. What is this tomfoolery?”

  “I can explain,” Karlol replied, his tone firm, glancing at the double doors behind him.

  “I’m waiting.” Fareej folded his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.

  His gray moustache was curled at the ends, and his teeth were a shimmering bright white. Around his neck was a long chain, a human tooth hanging from it and encased in glass. His head was clad in a wide-brimmed feather hat comprising of his own plumage – such was a tradition that Karlol never followed. The idea of collecting his own fallen feathers and handing them to the Palace’s dressmaker was too narcissistic for his liking.

  Karlol had always possessed mixed feelings about his uncle; he would have been a reliable leader if it weren’t for his short temper and his unquenched desire to constantly be showered in praise for his efforts to keep the Kingdom on its feet. He had once led an army to victory against humans, and he never let anyone forget it.

  “Lia managed to catch me,” Karlol intoned. “This human was in the neighboring cell and we started talking. She said something about-”

  “Wait a second,” Fareej interrupted. “You let the humans catch you?”

  “The twins managed to save me before they shot me in the eye, so it went smoothly,” Karlol explained.

  “They were going to shoot you in the eye?!” Fareej bellowed.

  “Shh. Shh.” Karlol raised his hands, glancing at the doors. “Please, don’t let father hear you.”

  “Why did you bring a human home?” Fareej hissed through his teeth, clearly seething.

  Karlol shifted his gaze to Jocelyn, who quickly slid the mask on her face, securing it on her head.

  “If I’m not allowed to be here, I can try to find my way home. I’m just not sure I can find the spaceship,” her voice faltered.

  Fareej’s frown morphed into an intrigued grin.

  Karlol nodded. “Jocelyn here has found herself in the forest. She said she felt herself falling before she landed here.”

  “I see,” his uncle said, offering his hand to Jocelyn, who slowly and reluctantly took it for a hearty handshake that made her whole body stagger.

  Although Fareej was known for being unorthodox, something was especially strange about his demeanor today, as if his concern for Karlol was forced. His eyes hadn’t lifted from Jocelyn’s face since she took off her mask, and the way he purposely raised his voice to let the king overhear Karlol being chided was anything but reassuring. Usually, he would often cover for him and let his father know that all was going well.

  Karlol didn’t give it further thought. He took Jocelyn by the hand and thrust her through the double doors.

  “Father!” He greeted the King.

  King Mendius was perched on his stone throne, where illegible writing was etched. He was much more herculean than Karlol’s lean figure, and was clad in baggy pantaloons and a long, velvet coat with slits for his wings, which spread and twiddled upon seeing that his son was safe and sound.

  The king rose, spreading his arms for an embrace. Karlol rushed to him, swathing his arms around his father, who swayed him around before pulling back to playfully mess up his combed hair.

  “I’ve been worried about you,” he shouted. “Fareej told me you had gone missing. I’ve sent my guards after you.”

  “The twins have already saved my life,” Karlol explained with a smile to masquerade his embarrassment.

  “As usual,” the King playfully snarled, nudging his son in the chest. Karlol let out a chuckle as he lovingly gazed at his father.

  The King glanced at Jocelyn loitering behind Karlol, distracted by the lavish surroundings, her eyes fixed on the tiered stone seats across the throne before they shifted to the long table along the wall where delicacies were piled up on wooden plates.

  She was setting her lips as she eyed the food when the king ask
ed, “And who might we have here?” He was seemingly unbothered by her species.

  “She’s a human,” Karlol clarified.

  “I can see that, but she’s dressed in,” the King paused, furrowing his brows. “What is that?”

  “Lore gave it to her for warmth. She’s barely wearing anything underneath.”

  “That’s unlike humans. They pile up clothes until they’re wearing twice their size in linen,” Mendius noted.

  Karlol grinned. “I don’t think she’s one of them. She found herself in the forest. Said she fell from a spaceship and has no idea where she is.”

  “Fell, you say?” the King asked, stepping forward to take a better look at Jocelyn. Karlol smiled at how miniscule in size she was compared to his father.

  Karlol leaned in to his father’s ear. “Her name is Jocelyn,” he whispered.

  “Jocelyn!” the King roared with a smile.

  She jumped, her shoes dropping at her feet.

  “Greetings, my King!” she repeated, attempting another failed curtsey with her baggy coat.

  The king let out a laugh. “My god, you are endearing. Come here, let me take a better look at you.”

  Jocelyn glanced at Karlol, who reassuringly nodded at her.

  She slowly paced toward his father with her hands behind her back, as though scared of an undue punishment.

  “Why, you’re so small!” the King commented.

  “I’m tall where I’m from,” she protested, although with a faint smile.

  “And that would be?”

  “Earth.”

  The King glanced at the floor.

  “Planet Earth, that is. You know, where humans have also nearly destroyed the entirety of nature and are now awaiting their inexorable demise,” she blubbered.

  “She’s a funny one. I like her,” the King said, turning to Karlol.

  “I’ve had the same impression.” Karlol shot the human a seductive look.