by Phoebe Brown
His words surprised her. She’d never heard Tafari mention a sister and she hadn’t heard Kirk talk about her either. It what he said was true, she had been blindsided by Kirk and Tafari. She stopped for a moment and cleared her head. She had promised Kirk that she would trust him. She would trust his character rather than the stories she heard from Nixon.
“Thanks for the advice.” She said.
“I thought someone needed to tell you.” He continued, “Since you’re not very familiar with how these things work.”
Gaia chuckled.
“I guess you’re right.” She said, “Thank you for telling me.”
Not only did she not want him to know that his words affected her, but she also wanted to give him the impression that no matter what he said, he could not surprise her.
They kept walking in silence until they got to Solomon’s private library.
“Here,” Nixon said opening the door for her.
Inside she saw Solomon seated around a wide desk scattered with numerous books. He wore a pair of spectacles and a quizzical expression as he scanned the book he was reading. When they entered the room, he looked up and smiled.
“Ah, right on time.” He said.
Gaia walked over to stand before his desk. The last time she had been here she was a different girl. Today she knew exactly who he was, and she was no longer fearful. She was vengeful.
“I thought they would have chosen someone better suited to royal duties than I am.” She said.
“Ah, this will be a good opportunity for you to learn.” Solomon said, “Don’t worry we have all you need to know.”
He handed her a book and she began to skip through it. There were lists of names and she once again recognized his handwriting. It was the same as the one they had discovered on the list. Her anger began to rise but she did her best to tamper it down.
“That’s the list of all the dignitaries who will be in attendance sorted by nation and guild. You should memorize the names and Nixon will be there to match the faces with the names.”
“Is that all?” she asked.
If that was it, she could go to her room and study. She wanted to spend as little time with them as possible.
“The names are one aspect of the duties.” Solomon said, “You have to start practising your greeting. Did you know that each kingdom has its own specific greeting? We’re such a diverse set of people.”
She wanted to scoff at his words. If he was so impressed by their diversity, why would he be trying to hard to destroy so many people?
“I see,” she replied.
They worked together to perfect her greeting for the leaders of each nation. It was easy enough to memorize since they were all variations of the bows she usually did for her masters. She went down the list of names and saw Master Morrel’s name on the list of Cenobytes. She was about to point out that he was dead when she remembered that she shouldn’t know that. At least not yet.
“I can’t wait to see my master.” She said, “I didn’t know he would be coming to the celebrations.”
“Who is that?” Nixon asked
“Master Morrel. His name is here on the list.”
Nixon looked over at Solomon and nodded.
“I hope to meet him.” He said, “Maybe he can teach me a few tricks to beat you.”
They didn’t need to say anything else. It was clear they thought she knew nothing of what had happened to her master. As the lessons ended, she was relieved to be done with them both.
“You did especially well today Gaia,” Solomon said
She was seated in a corner studying the list of names he had given her. She had managed to memorize most of them using a few tips she had learnt back at the temple. She looked over at Solomon’s desk and caught a glimpse of something that looked vaguely like a map. She remembered Helen mentioning that he had met with Nixon and Radock a few nights before and she thought that maybe they had been discussing what was on this map.
She stood and walked over to his desk as though she was about to set down the book, he had given to her. Instead, she took the opportunity to glance at the map. A thought came to her and she focused on slowing the time around her. She only needed a second to look at the map but she could extend the second to a minute so she could get more than just a glimpse.
As time slowed, she saw through the corner of her eye as Nixon stood. He must have noticed her gaze but he was trapped in the warped time and could do nothing to stop her from seeing what was on the map. A closer look revealed that it was an old drawing of the palace. On it, she could see where the builders had carved an emergency tunnel in the sea in the case of an emergency.
She let go of her hold on time and Nixon almost barrelled into her. She slammed the book on the desk and smiled up at him.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
Her actions had covered the portion of the map that she had seen, and it gave the impression that she hadn’t truly seen anything.
“I was going to tell you that the book is yours to keep until the day of the ceremony. There’s no use in leaving it here. You should study it.”
She nodded and picked up the book without looking down at the desk. More than anything else, she wanted to give the impression that she had not seen anything.
“If that is all, I should return to my room. I need to prepare.” She said.
“Wear something gold.” Solomon said, “Nixon here will be attired in gold and the two of you should match for the sake of coordination.”
She smiled and nodded.
She made her way back to her room where Cettie and Lolita were waiting for her. The two were chatting and smiling as if they had known each other for years.
“Here she is.” Cettie said with a bright smile, “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Gaia smiled and looked at the two racks of dresses that were waiting next to her closet.
“Do we have to do this?” she asked, “Just pick something gold.”
Cettie furrowed her brow.
“That’s not your guild colour.” She said.
“I’ll be a greeter on the day with the king’s nephew. I have to wear what he wears.”
Lolita nodded and began pulling golden garments from the racks. They were all very beautiful and striking. Cettie held them up one after the other and narrowed the options down to three elegantly beautiful dresses. As Gaia looked at them, she already felt out of place.
“Why do they have to be so elaborate?” she asked.
“Come and try them on,” Cettie said.
She reluctantly tried each of the dresses. Cettie narrowed the final choice by its compatibility with her height, complexion, and dark hair.
“Lolita, give us a moment,” Gaia said.
Lolita nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Cettie,” Gaia said, “what is your power?”
Cettie smiled mischievously.
“I’ll show you.” She said.
She grabbed Gaia by the arm and suddenly they were back in Cettie’s home. It was just as Gaia remembered; warm and peaceful.
“Are we really here?” she asked reaching over to touch Cettie’s cot.
“Yes,” Cettie said, “I have the power to be anywhere in an instant. As long as I have already been there.”
Gaia nodded as a plan began to form in her mind. She was very sure that on the day of the Gitreg celebrations, Solomon would try to take the crown. On that day as well, the palace would be taken by the Abyssinians. She knew as certainly as she knew where she stood that they would kill Kieron and Kirk. She would have to rescue them and take them from the palace.
“Let me take you somewhere,” she said to Cettie.
She focused on the destination and a jolt of energy shot through her. Cettie’s excited scream alerted her that they had arrived in the clearing atop the Tarion Mountains.
“Why did you take me here?” Cettie asked.
Gaia turned to look at her and saw that she was terr
ified.
“Do you know this place?” she asked.
“Yes,” Cettie replied “This is my grandmother’s home. She took me here a few times as a child to show me the destruction. She made me vow to never return.”
Gaia felt more anger rise within her. So many of the people she loved had lost the people they loved because of the Abyssinians. Their defeat would be her only goal in life.
“We should go back.” She said.
Cettie agreed and moments later they were back in her room staring at the golden dress.
“I need you to do something for me on the day of the ceremony.” She said to Cettie who was still recovering from the journey into her childhood nightmare.
“What’s that?” Cettie asked.
“I need you to take the king to the place I just showed you.” She said, “You have to do it on the day of the Gitreg celebrations.”
Chapter 27
The night before the ceremony, Gaia was sure what had to be done. She had been thinking about her plan since she realised that Solomon planned to aggressively take the throne and kill his son and grandson. One aspect of her plan however still weighed on her. She wanted it to be just right, but she didn’t know if she would have the strength to do it. She had told the others to meet her at midnight in her room and was now sitting with Lolita.
“Pack only what you think you’ll need and only take food that won’t go bad easily.”
She had convinced Lolita to leave with them. Not only was it to ensure the girl wouldn’t become a victim because she was her maid, but she would need Lolita’s help to rescue the king.
She had packed only the things she would need. She took up the three books she had found since her arrival and looked at them. The first she had found in Solomon’s Library, the second in the student’s library, and the third was Master Morrel’s journal.
She had also packed the black clothes and cloak that Lolita had purchased for her escape from the palace. This along with her Cenobyte gear were the only garments of clothing she needed.
“Are you sure this will be necessary?” Lolita asked.
“Yes,” Gaia replied, “do all this and then go with Cettie. Wait with her and don’t be afraid.”
Lolita nodded. She was much braver than Gaia thought she would have been.
“Remember if anyone asks, you’re taking all these things to keep for the vagrants in the town. Without it, they will go hungry today.”
It was a touching story and she hoped that anyone who asked would believe their story.
“Go,” Gaia said when she was satisfied Lolita understood what she was being asked to do.
Gaia went to stand by the window, but her eyes fell on the bag Cettie had brought. She looked inside and once again was puzzled by what she saw. It looked solid and she knew for certain it was a garment of clothing. Still, she couldn’t grasp it. She reached in again trying and failing to pull anything out.
“What is this?” she asked.
An idea crossed her mind and she reached a hand into the bag to see if it would work. Instead of an empty bag, she was finally able to take hold of the cloth. She pulled it out and marvelled at the beautiful cloak. The colour was the exact shade of fresh blood. It had a hood and a delicate golden rope at the neck. She allowed the cloak to fall to the floor and as it fell, it became a pool of blood.
“Interesting,” she said with a wry smile.
She had figured that if the cloak was something magical, that would mean she would have to use her powers to handle it.
“How did she get a hold of this?” Gaia asked herself.
It was a strange thing for anyone to own and she was glad Cettie had given it to her. She pulled it from the floor and as another thought crossed her mind, the cloak transformed from the deep red it had been to gold. It changed so fast that she almost dropped it.
Her door opened and she watched as Tafari walked in. He looked around the room and his eyes landed on her. She shoved the cloak back into the bag and waved him over.
“Am I the first to get here?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded.
“I’m glad you were the first.”
She hadn’t considered this before but now as she looked at Tafari she realised that he would have to play a greater role than she had anticipated.
“I think that whatever happens tomorrow may have fatal consequences.” She said, “I want you to promise that no matter what, you’ll ensure that the others are safe.”
He looked at her with his usual sombre expression and nodded once. It was the only confirmation she needed; Tafari was always reliable.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” He asked, “Wouldn’t it be easier to just ask the other leaders to help you to fight against Solomon?”
She had considered that. It had been her plan at the beginning but then a question had puzzled her. People had been disappearing for centuries and the other kingdoms simply turned a blind eye. It was either they didn’t know, or they didn’t care. She had concluded that the other leaders would not go against Solomon. If things went badly, they would support him.
“They won’t rebel against Solomon.” She replied, “Not with the Abyssinians threatening them.”
Tafari nodded. He was about to say something when the door opened again and Helen and Khar came in. They closed the door noiselessly and took seats on her bed. Tafari sat in the chair and she stood.
“Is everything in order for the sacrifice tomorrow?” Tafari asked.
“Yup, everything is going as planned,” Helen said with a grim look.
“Good,” Gaia replied.
“What about you?” Khar asked.
She had done all she could to prepare them. Aside from the intense mental strain it took to prepare herself for what was to come, she had finally unlocked her powers in a way she hadn’t imagined was possible. The stunt had taken hours of practice which left her exhausted. The small vial of dark liquid Master Morrel had sent was the only thing keeping her on her feet.
The door opened again, and Kirk walked in. He looked a bit distracted, but she could understand. A lot had happened in his family over the last two weeks. She assumed he was still trying to process it.
“I fell asleep.” He said.
She could sense his fatigue. After confronting Kieron about Anabelle, Kirk had been distracted. She had wanted to talk to him about her plans but something about him had changed. She could see that the strain was weighing heavily on him
“This is our final meeting before the ceremony tomorrow.” She said, “This may be the last time we see each other or the last time we see these walls.”
They were all silent as she spoke.
“After tomorrow, we will all have to band together to find a way to stop Solomon. I wish we could stop him now but there’s a lot we still don’t understand and a lot I have to learn.”
She hadn’t told them that she thought that Solomon planned to execute Kirk and Kieron. She was the only one who knew that. They all thought that Kirk and Kieron would be imprisoned.
“Helen, do you have anything else to tell us about Nixon?”
“I don’t know how to say it but I think he’s more than a Mistral.” She said, “Sometimes I think he may be Dorylus. He often manipulates those around him and I have no idea how they comply so willingly.”
Gaia had considered this for a long time. She knew that Lilian Temple was a Dorylus but she hadn’t realised that Nixon had managed to harness both the powers of his mother and father.
“Be on your guards tomorrow.” She said.
They all looked at her and she felt a bittersweet pleasure at being here. If anyone had told her a month ago that this was where she would end up, she would have laughed. She had come to trust them with her life; something she hadn’t imagined would be necessary.
“I have one final instruction to give you.” she said, “If at any time something goes wrong, you have to come to me at once.”
They looked at her qu
izzically.
“Please, tomorrow, you will have to trust me.”
There was silence in the room as she looked each person in the eyes. They nodded but she could tell that her final instruction had instilled fear into them.
They chatted for an hour after that about what they were doing to prepare for the ceremony. She felt a sense of relief that in spite of everything that had happened, they were still excited about the upcoming event. In her mind, they were still children of the empire even if in the end they would have to be the ones to protect it.
“We should get back,” Helen said slipping off the bed.
Khar nodded and Gaia watched as they left. Tafari went with them and she was left alone with Kirk.
“You’re planning something dangerous.” He said when they were alone, and the door had been closed.
She nodded but said nothing.
“Why won’t you tell me?” he asked.
“I’m afraid you may ruin it.”
This made him curious and he stood and pulled her to her feet from where she had been sitting at the window ledge.
“Do you think I wouldn’t be able to handle the truth?” he asked.
He was holding her hands as they stood inches apart from one another.
“It’s not that.” She said, “I have a theory but if it’s not correct I would be upsetting you without reason.”
He nodded.
“Gaia,” he said.
He took a step towards her and her heartbeat quickened. In the dark room with only the light from the candle and the waxing moon, he looked as handsome as he ever had.
“Trust me.” She whispered involuntarily.
“I do.” He replied, “Do you trust me?”
“I do,” she replied.
He took another step towards her and reached up to touch her chin. She was looking into his eyes as he lowered his head and kissed her gently on the lips. He pulled away and stepped back.
“Goodnight.” He said before turning and walking out of the room.
She stood there for a long time trying to figure out why he had kissed her and why she had felt as if the entire world had shifted. She went to her bed and sat down. As she tried to clear her mind, she remembered that she had one final visitor for the night. As if reading her mind, he appeared before her.