Lost Horizon

by Michelle Hercules

  “Good day, Tamar. So, these are the mysterious guests the regent prince is expecting?” one of the guards asks.

  “Indeed, Kremer.”

  The guard named Kremer focuses his sharp gaze on all of us. When his eyes drop to my belt pocket, I tense a little. Can he sense the crystals? For some reason, I know those three pieces of stone are not something I should lose. His probing stare moves past my belt to land on my blaster, which is hanging from my thigh holster.

  “You must surrender your weapons,” he says.

  I can’t say this wasn’t expected. They wouldn’t allow a group of strangers to enter the palace armed. I give Reo a fleeting glance, my eyes dropping to his mechanical arm. There’s a weapon embedded in his palm, but I don’t see how he would be able to hand that over. My worries are for nothing. Kremer barely spares Reo’s arm any attention before he moves on to scrutinize Kevvan.

  “A hellioncat. I can’t say I’ve seen one from this up close,” he mutters.

  “My name is Kevvan. I’m not an exotic pet to be ogled like that.”

  Kremer’s expression becomes guarded before he exchanges a glance with his companion.

  “Please, can we go in now? My friends and I are weary from our travels.” Darius takes a step forward.

  Toto decides to bark, as if in agreement.

  “What’s that?” The third guard points at my robo-dog.

  On instinct, I bend over to pick him up, hugging protectively. “This is Toto.”

  “Is he dangerous?” Kremer frowns at him.

  “Not at all. Toto is the friendliest dog in all the galaxies.” I kiss his metal head.

  The guards finally deem us unthreatening and let us through. We step into a wide hallway with a high, arched ceiling, punctuated by round columns along the way. If I thought the little glimpse of the Emerald City I caught while riding the speed-train was spectacular, I can’t even use words to describe what my eyes are seeing as I walk through the halls of the Emerald Palace. Emeralds are used everywhere, and in consequence, everything is bathed in green as the sunlight breaching through the stained glass windows hits the multifaceted stones. Sometimes, it’s even hard to look at some of the decor due to the brightness of the gems.

  A few people hang out in clusters along the hallway, their hushed conversations ceasing once we come through. At the end of the hall, tall double doors decorated with more emerald gems are guarded by two men wearing the same type of uniform as our escort. They carry gold spears instead of the disk weapons on the guards stationed outside. The tips look sharp, and the sockets have encrusted emeralds in them. Their grave facial expressions tell me they won’t have any qualms about using their weapons.

  I want to ask them so terribly why there are emeralds everywhere, but I’m afraid to break some protocol. My hesitation is a little surprising. I have never been known to have any tact when it comes to people. Diplomacy has never been in my cards.

  Kremer moves aside, letting Darius reveal himself to the guards. Recognition shines in their eyes, and they lose some of the hardened suspicion.

  “Sir Darius, you are back,” one of the guards says.

  “Yes, I am. I believe my cousins are expecting me.”

  “Yes, they have been most worried. Prince Lennox almost took our heads off when we couldn’t locate you,” the second guard replies.

  I focus on Kevvan, and his arched eyebrows and pinched lips mirror the same surprise I’m feeling. It seems those two guards know Darius pretty well. Without preamble, they open the doors, allowing Darius to step in, but once I try to follow, they block my way.

  “Prince Lennox and Princess Esmeralda are not expecting anyone else.”

  Darius looks over his shoulder. “These are my guests, and they’re coming with me.”

  Once again, the guards trade a surprised glance, but in the end, they decide to allow us to pass.

  The throne room continues in the same pattern of lavish extravaganza. Emeralds, emeralds, emeralds. On the dais at the end of the vast room, two figures sit on their thrones. A young man and a teenager. Both of them wear masks that reveal only the bottom half of their faces. The regent prince has shoulder-length hair the color of straw. The princess has green hair, which, at the moment, is pulled into a bun on each side of her head. She has bangs like mine, swept to the side, covering part of her mask. Both monarchs are wearing green from head to toe, save for some gold and black embroidered here and there.

  Not knowing the proper protocol, I fall behind, letting Darius walk ahead on the deep green carpet. He gives his cousins a small curtsy.

  “You look like shit.” Those are the first words out of the prince’s mouth.

  “Hello to you, too, Your Highness.”

  The prince looks over Darius’s head, his gaze fixing on our group. We don’t look much better than Darius.

  “I see that you’ve made some new friends.”

  Darius quickly looks over his shoulder before switching his attention back to the prince. “Well, you know, strong bonds are made in stressful situations.”

  “Ugh. You two are insufferable.” The princess jumps to her feet, and on quick steps, she approaches Darius. She touches his face. “You do look dreadful, though. What happened to your pretty face?”

  “I discovered that not all munchkins are cheery.”

  “Oh my. A munchkin did this to you? Were they working for … you know?”

  Darius doesn’t answer right away. I confess I also don’t know who the princess is referring to. She could be talking about the Raven Witch as well.

  Finally, Darius replies, “The Red Witch?”

  “Duh, of course. Who else had control of the Munchkin country?”

  “Those individuals weren’t under anyone’s orders. They were nasty on their own,” I say, feeling angry all over again.

  My retort catches the princess’s attention. She walks around Darius, coming straight to me. I tense, not knowing what to do. Should I curtsy or give a deep bow? I hate feeling like a fish out of water. I’ve had enough of that, living with Sabrina and suffering my peers at the academy.

  The princess is shorter than me, and when she comes nearer, I can make an intelligent guess that she isn’t older than fifteen. Bright purple eyes peer at me from behind her mask.

  “You must be the Witch Slayer. The rumors were buzzing about your feat. But I have to confess, they did not describe you well.”

  “Oh? How did they describe me?” I raise an eyebrow.

  “As a tall woman built like a man. But you’re not much taller than me, and your arms look pretty meek.”

  “Gee, thanks?”

  The prince snorts from his throne, but when I switch my attention to him, his hand is covering his mouth, and I can’t see the rest of his face. I’m beginning to hate those stupid masks.

  The princess drops her attention to Toto, who is pretty quiet in my arms. “And who is this little guy?”

  “His name is Toto.”

  The princess extends her hand but stops before touching Toto’s head. “Is it okay if I pet him?”

  “Of course. Go ahead. Toto loves attention.”

  The prince finally stands from his throne, imposing and regal. Despite his face being partially hidden, there’s something quite feral about the way he regards us. He strides toward our group, and involuntarily, my spine becomes rigid. Maybe I’m not the only one picking up on the prince’s dangerous vibe, for Reo and Kevvan both step closer, making a human sandwich out of me. What do they think the prince is going to do? Attack me?

  Princess Esmeralda moves to the side and watches her brother. Thanks to her mask, I can’t tell what she’s thinking. Is she as apprehensive as my friends?

  The prince stops in front of Darius first, inspecting him from head to toe. I don’t know why, but I suck in a breath. I’m afraid the prince is going to chastise Darius in front of all of us, which would put him on my shit list. But instead, the corners of his lips twitch upward before he engulfs Darius into a bear hug, cl
apping his back.

  “I was so worried about you.”

  Darius seems frozen for a moment, almost as if he’s been caught by surprise by the prince’s display of affection. It occurs to me that maybe Darius doesn’t remember his cousin. He finally returns the hug, and after a few seconds of awkwardness, he eases off.

  “Well, I’m back in one piece.” Darius shrugs it off.

  “Good. You’ll tell me later why you risked your life venturing out of the protection of Emerald City, but first, introduce me to your friends.”

  Darius faces us, his gaze settling on me first before moving on to the guys. “The cyborg with a dour face is Reo Kurogane, and the hellioncat is Kevvan Leuw. You can call them Metal Pants and Furry Paws, respectively.”

  “Hey, I take offense to that.” Kevvan puts his hands on his hips.

  Darius raises both palms up and smiles. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought nicknames were the norm in our little group. I didn’t mind when you called me Scrawny.”

  “That’s because you didn’t remember who you were,” Reo adds.

  The prince studies his cousin. “Did it get that bad?”

  Darius glances down, rubbing the back of his neck. “We can talk about it later.”

  Prince Lennox stares at his cousin for a moment longer before he finally pays attention to me. It’s hard not to squirm where I stand as his intense electric-blue eyes settle on my face. Mercifully, he doesn’t linger on me. His stare moves on to Reo, first focusing on the cyborg’s metallic plaque on the side of his head and then his arm.

  “I haven’t seen one of your kind before. Where are you from, Reo Kurogane?”

  “I’m from a planet far away from here.”

  “And does that planet have a name?” the prince presses.

  “Earth,” Reo replies with enough reluctance in his tone to clue me in that he doesn’t wish to discuss his origins.

  I’m not surprised. The man has been nothing but an enigma since I met him.

  “Which one?” Princess Esmeralda asks.

  The hint of surprise in Reo’s arrogant face is priceless.

  “Ah, you didn’t expect us to know about the difference, right?” The prince chuckles.

  Unable to contain myself, I ask, “Does that mean you do possess advanced knowledge about different galaxies and solar systems?”

  The prince’s lips twitch as if he’s amused by my outburst, but it’s Princess Esmeralda who answers. “Oh, yeah. Astronomy is my favorite subject. We know all about Old Earth, New Earth, the age of space expansion, the Milky Way galaxy, the Katarin solar system—”

  “I think they get the gist, Esme,” Prince Lennox cuts in. “Forgive my sister. She has the tendency to get carried away sometimes.”

  “And you have the tendency to always hoard the spotlight.” She sticks her tongue out at him, crossing her arms.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but what do you know about my home planet Hell-Ion?” Kevvan asks.

  The princess’s expression falls—at least, the part of her face that I can see.

  “Sadly, not much.”

  Hope vanishes from Kevvan’s eyes like a candle flame being extinguished. My heart breaks for him. It can’t be easy having your entire culture and race wiped out of the universe.

  “How do you know so much about the history of Old Earth and New Earth?” I ask, hoping the answer lies on their ability to space travel.

  “From textbooks, naturally.” The princess makes a casual motion with her hand, as if the answer should have been obvious.

  Now, it’s my turn to be swept by a wave of disappointment. “So, does that mean there aren’t starships in Emerald City?”

  Even from behind his jewel-encrusted mask, I catch Prince Lennox’s narrowed eyes.

  “Who gave you the impression there were starships here?” He glances briefly at his cousin, giving away his suspicion.

  Darius widens his eyes, displaying his guilt, which is odd since he didn’t say anything.

  “Skooli, the captain of the munchkin army, told me if any nation would have such technology, it would be the folks of Emerald City.”

  “He’s mistaken,” the prince replies bluntly, looking away.

  His words are akin to a sucker-punch. I’m rendered speechless while I digest the news. The urge to cry is immense. If there aren’t any starships here, I’m doomed, and so is Adrian. To keep the tears at bay, I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood on my tongue.

  Kevvan moves closer, throwing his arm around my shoulders and hugging me sideways. He has no idea how much I appreciate the gesture. With Darius treating me like I’m the enemy and Reo acting again like his arrogant self, it’s a comfort to know at least someone in my group still cares.

  “What about the Great Wizard?” Kevvan asks. “Wouldn’t he know a way to get Dorothy home?”

  His concern warms my heart, but he’s missing the point. I can’t return to Kansas empty-handed. I’ll be thrown in jail for the rest of my short life, and Adrian will die young, just like me.

  “No one is allowed to see the wizard.” The prince gives his back to us, walking away.

  “Why is that?” I ask.

  “He’s a private man. He doesn’t care for company,” Princess Esmeralda replies. “Not even I know what he looks like.” She focuses her violet gaze on my face, watching me with curiosity. “Is it true you killed the Red Witch with your bare hands?”

  “Not with my bare hands. I blasted a hole through her chest with my gun.”

  The princess claps her hands. “Amazing!”

  I can understand her enthusiasm. The Red Witch terrorized Munchkin country for years. But all I feel is a hollowness in my chest. I’d never killed anyone before. Even if it was in self-defense, I can’t get rid of the guilt.

  “You must be tired from your travels.” Prince Lennox sits back on his throne. “I’ve arranged guest accommodations for you all. You’re welcome to stay for as long as you wish.”

  As if he summoned his guards with his mind, they come into the room to escort us out.

  Darius makes a motion to follow us, but the prince says, “I’d like to have a word with you in private, cousin.”

  It’s impossible to miss the grimace that crosses Darius’s face. But I can’t ask him about it or even demonstrate that I’m there for him if he needs me. I keep my gaze trained on him as I walk toward the door, wishing he’d look my way. But he doesn’t.

  As soon as we’re out, Kevvan says under his breath, “Well, that was a weird meeting.”

  Reo touches my arm as he slows his pace down. When there’s a big enough gap between the guards and us, he says, “The prince was lying.”

  “Lying about what? The starships or the wizard?” I ask.

  “Both.”

  29

  Darius

  As much as I would like to avoid having a private conversation with my cousin, I suppose there’s nothing for it. I’d feel better if I could remember what kind of relationship I had with him. But my mind is a blank page when it comes to the man. He’s nothing but a stranger to me.

  As I follow Prince Lennox, his sister throws me a glance that says, Good luck, before she veers in the opposite direction. I wish she would join us. I don’t remember much about her either, but she doesn’t make me feel inadequate like her brother does.

  Prince Lennox disappears through a secret passageway behind the throne dais, and I quicken my steps to catch up with him before the door slides shut again. The narrow corridor on this side is lit by mint-colored light hanging from lamps mounted on the smooth stone walls. They bathe everything with a soft green hue—even my clothes and skin.

  My companions must find Emerald City’s obsession with the color peculiar. At least I remember the reason for it. Emeralds—and consequently, all the colors derived from the stone—are what keeps the city safe from the Raven Witch and her horde.

  Prince Lennox doesn’t speak until we reach his private quarters, which is the only place in the palace where gre
en is not the main hue. Cream-colored walls are punctuated by bold paintings in every color imaginable. In one of them, a red-and-blue-striped balloon is flying over Emerald City with a rainbow on its back.

  I choose to focus on that painting for no particular reason. I can still see the prince’s movements from the corner of my eye, though. He stops in front of his dark wood desk and makes a point to adjust the framed photograph of two youngsters. Curious, I move toward it, recognizing the children in them. It’s the prince and me. We must be six or seven in that picture. I’m not sure how old my cousin is, but I peg us to be close in age.

  The prince reaches for his mask, unclasping the back and pulling it off his face. He sets the rich accessory on the desk before facing me, revealing the true reason he wears a mask in public. Part of the left side of his face is green. Has turned green when he started using magic. The final piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. Memories begin to flow back in a rush, like a river releasing from a dam. Now, I remember everything about him and our family. Unlike the magic I yield—which I had to learn—Prince Lennox was born with his gift.

  “You didn’t run away,” he starts. “So, why did you take off in the middle of the night? Don’t you know the dangers lurking outside Emerald City’s walls?”

  “Yes, I’m aware of the dangers.”

  “So?” He raises an eyebrow.

  “I had to see someone in Scrape Town.” I cross my arms, unable to hide feeling like I’m a child being scolded by a parent.

  In a sense, Prin—no, not Prince. I’ve never thought about my cousin with his title, nor do I address him by it—at least, not in private. Lennox, being two years older than me, acted sometimes as a parent figure. I lost my mother when I was young, and my father was as good as dead to me.

  “Scrape Town?” His voice rises to a shrill. “Are you mad? That place is crawling with criminals.”

  Letting out a loud, frustrated exhale, I gaze at everything besides my cousin. I can’t withstand his probing stare. “Yes, I am crazy. Add that to the long list of my faults.”