by L. R. W. Lee
We reached the fourth landing since beginning our climb and Aunt Ta turned right. We’d reached the top. There were no more stairs to climb. There were thirty-five floors… for now.
We entered a space unlike the other. Shelves upon shelves upon shelves populated it, but these didn’t stretch to the ceiling. They stopped waist high, allowing light from the windows and ceiling to shine and illumine the gold that gilded the shelves. It was beautiful. A place of the gods.
Kovis tensed beside me.
If they’d brought us here to find Velma’s and Alfreda’s devices…
My breath hitched with the thought. I doubted my timepiece was still here, but it had been? I was a child of gods, but I had no notions of being one.
The several tan-robed attendants scattered about the space looked bored. They ambled between the shelves, wings slumped, with no task to occupy their hands.
“We rotate our attendants around every now and again, so they don’t have to endure the monotony of immortals. Animals and other creatures are favored amongst the attendants. They keep them hopping. Us too.” Aunt Ta chuckled as we started between the shelves.
Name plaques lined the shelf edges. I furrowed my brow.
What’s wrong? Kovis asked.
I don’t recognize any of the names.
“This is Ares’s section,” Aunt Ches indicated, breezing her hand through the air to the right. “The devices of all of the god of war’s immortal children, legitimate or of love, are here, lest you wonder why some of the names don’t look familiar. This is Nike’s section to our left. She definitely lives up to her name as goddess of victory.” She cleared her throat. “Seems she’s had a ‘victory’ or two from time to time.” She laughed. I snickered. Kovis tried and failed to keep a straight face.
On the top of each shelf sat a circular bowl carved from a chunk of rough-hewn rock. The primitive vessels seemed out of place and at odds with the finery of the rest of the space. Perhaps the roughness of them was because the Ancient One had crafted each god from the ground itself. I’d no idea, but my theory would have to do absent confirmation or dismissal.
I peeked over the top of one and saw that the rock had been hewn out and made smooth, and water swirled around and around inside—I couldn’t determine what stirred it. Mine had no doubt been like this. I swallowed. What had happened to it the heartbeat I’d become human?
I pushed the thought away as Aunt Ta turned left and we entered my family’s section, or so she said. I pulled a hand to my chest when I spotted Mother’s name on a nameplate we passed. I found “Dion” on another—my great-grandfather. Mema’s, then Grandfather’s name, then Father’s. I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Could they just stop Fathers device? No. No. Not that. I backpedaled even as the thought formed fully.
As if overhearing my inner turmoil, Ta looked over at me. “You know not what would ensue if you changed time itself for one, no matter their deeds. You argued the same on behalf of your beloved, did you not?” She glanced at Kovis whose eyes had gone wide.
I hadn't seen it that way at the time. Kovis was good. But she was right, best not to change things no matter the nature of the being.
My breath hitched as we stopped. The top of the next shelf held vessels labeled in order of our births: Velma, Wasila, Challis, and so on. It felt so intimate to see every one of these basins. They controlled the very lives of my siblings.
I scanned the length of the shelf and my stomach tightened. Twenty-three vessels, or there would have been had there not been an empty spot down a ways.
“There you are.” Aunt Nona’s exclamation emanated from behind, and we all turned. She was furling her wings just inside the door. She’d made it back quickly, especially for one so ancient.
She straightened her hair and then her gray shawl and strode toward us, then shook her head when she reached us. “Defective calican. One of our recent shipments had parts not up to spec, but she should be all set for the rest of her time.”
I’d no idea what a calican was, but it definitely sounded important.
“Does that happen often?” Kovis asked.
“Oh every now and then,” she replied.
“What do they do to keep life going if the part fails completely?” I asked.
“An attendant keeps the device going manually, doing their best not to speed it up.”
Aunt Ches interjected, “I tolerate a bit of additional time added to a life, but never less, especially not with humans who possess such a keen awareness of it and orient so much around it.”
Kovis bobbed his head.
“Alissandra,” Ta said, recapturing our attention. “Your request for help was to locate your two sisters. It implied that a time device is somehow geographically connected to the being in question.”
Nona started bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“There’s no way you could have known whether it does or doesn’t. You were hoping, I think.” She raised an eyebrow at me.
“Yes, I was.”
Nona couldn’t control herself any longer. “You’re very smart to think that.” She puffed up her chest. “Because it can. I make all those connections when I install a new device. It's a simple hookup actually.”
I sucked in a breath. Was she really saying what I thought she was? Hope filled me as she went on to explain how she did it, but it all sounded foreign to me. Kovis just smiled and nodded. So did I, while my heart pounded.
Nona approached Velma’s vessel. “So then, let’s have a look-see.”
She frowned as she looked in. “Wipe, please,” Nona commanded a nearby attendant. The female returned with a square of fabric in a heartbeat, and Nona reached inside.
“This won’t hurt her, will it?” I squeaked.
“No, child,” Aunt Ches reassured.
I peered over the edge as she wiped a round disc in the center.
“That’s better. So where are you, Princess Velma?” Nona talked to herself as she scrutinized the disc. Hums and harrumphs flowed from her as she studied it further. “Oh, there you are, you tricky little princess.” She smiled and looked up.
Part IV: Night Terror
Try, Try Again
By Thomas H. Palmer
Kelso, Scotland Wake Realm
’Tis a lesson you should heed,
If at first you don’t succeed,
Try, try again;
Then your courage should appear,
For if you will persevere,
You will conquer, never fear
Try, try again;
Once or twice, though you should fail,
If you would at last prevail,
Try, try again;
If we strive, ’tis no disgrace
Though we do not win the race;
What should you do in the case?
Try, try again
If you find your task is hard,
Time will bring you your reward,
Try, try again
All that other folks can do,
Why, with patience, should not you?
Only keep this rule in view:
Try, try again.
The sun was halfway back to the horizon as Kovis, Baldik, and I flew north along the coast. We’d dispatched Rowntree to rouse the rest of the family, let them know where Nona had said Velma and Alfreda were located, and ask them to meet us there. He would also get word to Dyeus and beg him to please, please, please come to the location specified in our note. I prayed Dite had spoken with him as well as gotten a favorable response. We didn’t care which order he did the tasks, as long as they were done as quickly as possible. We planned to get a feel for the area Nona specified while we waited for the others.
Nona had tracked Velma to a sea cave just north of the mushroom caves that I loved so much. She’d also examined Alfreda’s vessel and found the same. Small mercy, they were at least together. Father had no doubt held them there the whole time, which explained why no one had been able to find them in his usual haunts. I loved spending tim
e at the mushroom caves, but it wasn’t a place to stay for moons. What had he put them through in a cave not far away? And in what condition would we find them?
We’re coming, sisters!
My aunts had bid us Godspeed after hasty farewells and a promise that I would not fail in my pledge, Kovis’s really, to provide them reading material, no matter where I ended up. I thought it was their way of keeping in contact more than anything, and I was glad for it. I put a hand over the pocket in my leathers where I’d stowed the keepsake. A part of them would go with me wherever I went. The thought made me smile despite the situation.
The weather had not improved. The dark clouds of earlier seemed to have darkened further, and we kept hitting patches of rain. Even the water below was rough and peppered with whitecaps. I hoped it wasn’t foretelling some doom awaiting us. Nothing would be simple; so much could go wrong. I stopped myself and pushed the thoughts aside. I would stay positive. We’d rescue them, Dyeus would bind Father, and then we’d take my sisters home—and we’d all try to forget this whole nightmare.
For his part, Kovis was being silently supportive. His mind flowed with thoughts of Kennan and hopes for a positive outcome. So much rested on our success.
I hadn’t appreciated the dark clouds until the white cliffs marking our destination came into focus—at least this looked to be the place Aunt Nona had described. Hopefully they hid us from any mare soldiers that no doubt guarded Father’s stronghold.
We touched down near the trees on the windswept cliff above the sandy beach and surveyed the area. Baldik drew his sword and crouched low, then scurried over to the edge of the cliff. Without a word, Kovis drew his blades and handed me his last dagger before we followed.
On our bellies, we peered over the edge. Rain had washed away much of the beach’s tells, but I could still make out the divots of large feet. I glanced over at Kovis, and he nodded. We were so close.
“Out for a stroll on this stormy day?” The growl came from behind us, and we whirled around and scrambled to our feet, raising our weapons as we did.
Six mare soldiers stood in a line, weapons trained on us, blocking any escape. Who knew where they’d been hiding. Perhaps they’d assumed the form of snakes—getting back to their true selves, my mind added.
Their leader, a hulking brute in a uniform, stood just forward of the other five and scanned us up and down. This would be a challenge but not insurmountable. Their first mistake, they hadn’t just taken us. They’d had surprise on their side but squandered it. They’d decided to size us up first.
Just how much sand was this cliff made of, I wondered.
Ready? Kovis asked.
Ready. Then turning my attention to our foe, I thought, Go to sleep. Go to sleep.
Nothing happened. Our enemies didn’t so much as bat an eyelash, let alone yawn. There had to be sand in the ground. Or were mares immune to my powers?
I tried again and again without result.
It didn’t work, I reported. I’d never mastered the sword, but I’d do anything for my sisters.
The leader rushed Kovis and chaos erupted. Baldik was on two more mares in the blink of an eye, felling the runt of our enemies in a heartbeat—runt being relative.
I held a ready position, dagger poised, rather than charging ahead. Comparatively, I was small and certainly posed no threat. I hoped they’d ignore me.
Kovis’s blade found their leader’s stomach in short order. He extracted his sword in one smooth motion, stepping forward and engaging two more foe. Baldik raced for me but didn’t reach me before the last enemy feinted to the right, bringing his blade whistling past my ear a hair’s breadth away. He’d made me flat footed, and I couldn’t recover before he grabbed my left arm, knocked my dagger away as he spun me around, and pulled me against himself. He pinned my arms and wings and brought his blade to my neck… but not near enough. And that was all I needed.
I’d learned how to escape holds by slamming my heel down on an instep, so I gave it everything I had. But this mare had no reaction other than to pick me up, squeezing me tighter, making it hard to breathe as well as impossible to use the ground for leverage. Not to mention crushing my wings. I froze as the blade now kissed my neck.
Kovis!
Baldik’s eyes bore into the brute from where he’d skidded to a stop. Kovis slowly stepped over the corpse of the last mare he slew and drifted over. He held up a hand as he walked, blade still raised. “Let her go.”
The landscape was eerily quiet, only the clouds moved, drifting by, completely oblivious. Waves thundering against the sheer, white cliffs in regular rhythm were the only sound far below. Five mare corpses lay sprawled at odd angles. It was just the four of us, three of which engaged in a staring contest. My captor pulled the blade closer as Kovis neared, and I felt a trickle of warmth run down the front of my neck.
“You will come with me or I will finish this one. Drop your weapons and move.”
Go with him. We’ll stall until the others get here. Wherever he’s taking us, we’ll probably find Velma and Alfreda, I suggested.
Kovis frowned as the mare nodded toward the cliff, but he and Baldik did as commanded and left their weapons behind before taking flight. My wings ached at the mistreatment, and I still struggled to breathe trapped against the brute’s chest.
A heartbeat later, the mare launched from the cliff. I let out a grunt at the force of impact, despite it being a sandy beach, as my captor regained his balance. He clearly had no prior experience juggling a passenger at sword point. I looked about. A fissure ran up the face of the cliff not far away and footprints led toward it.
“In there,” the mare commanded.
Baldik led the way, Kovis followed, and I with my captor brought up the rear as we entered the narrow-mouthed cavern. My captor sucked in his breath and pulled his wings close as we squeezed through the narrow entrance. As much as I hated to, I shrank back into his chest. It was that or lose skin. My wings felt numb.
“Bate, what’s this?” another mare soldier asked just inside as my captor set me down. Air. Sweet air. I sucked it in and ruffled feeling back into my wings as I looked around. Blue crystals lined the wet cave walls and cast a glow that offered only dim light. Where were my sisters?
“Commander Lethold, we found them spying on the cliff. When we surrounded them, they engaged. The rest of my patrol is lost, sir.”
The commander frowned. “These three bested five of my troops?”
“They did, sir.”
Lethold looked Kovis and Baldik up and down, seemingly trying to understand how that could be. He ignored me. Clearly, he perceived me as no threat.
“Who are you? And why were you spying?” He directed his question to Kovis.
“Why are you holed up way out in the middle of nowhere?” Kovis replied.
“That’s not an answer.”
“Very well. We were taking in the sites,” Kovis replied.
The commander stepped forward and struck Kovis across the face, making him reel back and sprawl across the rough rock floor.
I yipped.
Kovis rubbed his jaw as the brute strode to where he’d landed and kicked his side, it was no nudge. Kovis balled up, clutching his middle.
Are you okay? I moved to Kovis and squatted.
“That’s what we do to those who don’t cooperate.” Turning to Bate, he said, “Take them back. If they found us, no doubt more will follow.”
Bate saluted. Then fingering the top of his sheathed sword, he narrowed his eyes and growled, “On your feet.”
Kovis grunted as I helped him up and grimaced as he put a hand to his side. Baldik extended his hand.
“I’m fine,” Kovis said, declining the guard’s help.
We passed two more guards and approached another standing at attention beside a figure sitting on the floor. My heart sped as our eyes connected. “Velma!”
I raced forward and fell to my knees onto the bed of moss she sat on. “Is that really you?”
/> “Velma, who is it?” Alfreda. It was her voice from the other side of the wall!
Velma looked me over, and I her, in the light of several torches that reflected off the white stone of the low ceiling. I sucked in a breath then drew my hands over my mouth. “Your wings… Oh, Velma. I never…” Tears found my cheeks in a heartbeat.
“Ali?” Recognition dawned, and she reached over and fingered my hair.
“Ali? It’s Ali?” Alfreda shrieked. “Let me go!” she protested to someone.
“You will remain here. Sit down,” a gruff voice echoed through the space.
“Yes, it’s me, Alfreda. We finally found you,” I called out, then leaned forward and enveloped Velma in a hug. I bumped a bandage on her back, and she sucked in air.
“Oh, sister, it’s good to see you, but you shouldn’t have come.” Her voice wavered as she clung to me. I let her hold me until she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
I sat back, and we both wiped our cheeks but smiled. How I missed her, but her wings…
Kovis shifted, reminding me of his presence, and I looked up. “Velma, I’d like you to meet Kovis.”
Kovis nodded. “Princess Velma, Ali has told me much about you. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Velma replied. Despite her wings, her raven hair being in disarray, and dirt marring her dress in spots, she managed a warm smile. “Ali’s told me much about you too. I’m glad to finally meet you. I just wish it were under different circumstances.”
“All right, enough,” Bate interrupted. Then pointing at Kovis and Baldik, he said, “You two, into the other room.”
“Prince Kovis!” Alfreda exclaimed the heartbeat he disappeared around the wall. She’d seen enough of his and his brother’s dreams to know who he was.
“You’re my brother’s sand maiden?” I overheard him ask, wonder filling his voice. “It’s very good to meet you.”