by Heidi Skarie
Her face was blotchy and swollen from crying, but to him her compassion made her more beautiful. He handed her some tissues from the box on the nightstand and she blew her nose, then lay in his arms. They were silent for a long time, just holding each other. He didn’t have adequate words to express what he felt or to give her comfort.
Finally, he said, “I should go see Koriann. Do you want to come?”
“Yes, I don’t want to be separated from you.”
When they entered the royal bedchamber, Michio was surprised to see Erling’s body hadn’t been removed. He still lay on the bed with his head uncovered. Toemeka started shaking and Michio put his arm around her, afraid she might collapse.
Embrosa, Dr. Leyran and Dr. Tenzing were trying to convince Koriann to let them remove the body. Hendora stood by the window, staring at the ocean.
“Dr. Tenzing is right, Koriann,” Embrosa said. “You are Queen. You have your country to think of. War rages and you’re here with a clay shell that Soul has left. You know Erling will always be with you in your heart and in your thoughts and memories of him. The body should be cremated and the memorial service should be planned.”
Koriann looked at Erling. “He’s not hard and rigid. He looks like he’s still alive and his body’s still warm. How can I cremate him?”
“Perhaps there’s something in the poison that delays rigor mortis and preserves the body; arsenic does that,” Dr. Tenzing said. “But the body must be cremated. We’ve allowed you to sit with him long enough. Death has to be accepted and the living must go on living.”
Michio released Toemeka and crossed over to the bed, thoughtfully looking at Erling. He detected a dim light around Erling and faintly felt his life energy. “Hendora, were you able to get the antidote?” he asked.
Hendora turned to him, her face drawn. “Yes, but I was too late.”
“Give it to me.”
She took the vial from her pocket and handed it to Michio. “It has to be injected into his muscle. But it should be tested first. I got it from Seetva who can’t be trusted.”
“Seetva!” Michio exclaimed. “The witch!”
“You know her?”
“Yes, we know her,” Koriann said. “Erling and I fought her once. She’s a powerful sorceress.”
Michio held the vial up to the light. He could feel its life-giving energy—it probably was the antidote. Testing could take hours. His gut instinct told him to use the antidote immediately. If Erling wasn’t dead, but merely in a coma, the antidote should be used before he detached completely from his physical body. He turned to Dr. Tenzing. “Inject the antidote.”
“But he’s dead!” the doctor exclaimed. “He’s been dead for hours. Don’t raise false hopes.”
“Inject it.”
“I’ll do it,” Dr. Leyran said. He put the antidote into a syringe and injected it into the muscle of Erling’s upper arm. Everyone stood in tense silence as minutes dragged by. There was no response.
Koriann broke down weeping on Erling’s chest. Michio held Toemeka against him, closing his eyes. He felt sure he’d sensed a faint life force in Erling, but even if he had, it may have been too late to bring Erling back or perhaps the vial didn’t contain an antidote. Had he just needlessly reopened Koriann’s grief?
Suddenly, Koriann stopped crying and looked up. “I can hear his heart beating.”
Dr. Leyran pressed his index finger against Erling’s wrist. “He’s alive. His pulse rate is becoming more regular and color is returning to his face.”
Erling’s eyelashes fluttered, then he opened his eyes and looked at Koriann. “I’ve come back to you, Kori,” he whispered. Koriann leaned over the bed and hugged him with tears streaming down her face.
Everyone else in the room started laughing, crying and hugging each other. Then they all gathered around the bed until Dr. Tenzing sent everyone but Koriann out of the bedchamber, telling them to give Erling a chance to recover.
22
Captured
Onolyn wrinkled her nose as the smell of moldy basement and animal excretions assaulted her nostrils. Curled into a ball and shivering, her temple still ached where Zac hit her. When she started to stretch her legs, her shin banged against something hard. She opened her eyes and saw vertical bars.
She sat up and realized she was in a cage—a cage so small she couldn’t stand or stretch out. Nearby, other cages contained dragon lizards, horned toads, snakes and other strange-looking, off-world creatures. The only light coming into the dark room was from a small window near the top of one wall.
The room appeared to be a workroom. Various sized bowls sat on a counter and jars of potions and leather-bound books with singed pages stood on the shelf above it. An unlit stone fireplace had herb bundles and dead animal bodies hanging from hooks above it.
Onolyn realized Zac must have brought her here after knocking her unconscious. The witch must have taken control of him. How could she save him and herself? Right before passing out, Erling had told her to protect her Soul.” Did he mean protect her Soul from Seetva? Had he seen the future? She wondered if Seetva had already trapped Zac’s Soul in the dark regions of the Inner Worlds after taking possession of his body.
Onolyn put her attention on Master Bakka and chanted HU to calm her rising panic. Before long she felt the Master’s inner presence. Don’t let fear enter your heart, he whispered inwardly. Focus on God and no power can harm you.
She leaned against the cold bars, rubbing her arms for warmth and reflected on his inner message. Seetva wouldn’t have any psychic control over her if she stayed strong. But how could she keep fear from entering her heart?
Hours passed and Onolyn began to panic as she imagined all the terrible things that might happen to her. Would she be left in this cage to die, slowing starving to death? Or become possessed like Zac? She focused on Spirit and tried to still her thoughts.
Long after it had grown dark outside, Seetva walked into the room carrying a lantern. Zac followed her in and Onolyn was comforted by his presence until she got a good look at his eerie, vacant eyes and expressionless face. The witch walked over to Onolyn’s cage.
“I see you’ve awakened,” Seetva said in her silky voice. “I’m sorry Zac hurt you. You and I are going to be friends.”
“I will never be friends with you!”
Seetva laughed mirthlessly. “Do you think you can resist me?” She studied Onolyn with a thoughtful frown. “I feel your inner strength.” Her voice turned harsh. “But you aren’t strong enough to fight me and my powers. Take a good look at Zachary. You can choose to be like him or me.”
“I will never be like you—or him!”
“You think not, but a few days in that foul-smelling cage without food or water will change your mind. You’ll weaken as fear overtakes you.” Seetva picked up a jar from the table with a large toad and sea snake in it.
“Zachary, light a fire, then kill these creatures and put them on the fireplace rack.” Zac lit the fire, then opened the jar and the snake slithered out. He chopped off its head with a sharp cleaver and began roasting the body on a rack.
“The toad was left with the snake to increase the strength of poison in its body,” Seetva said, glancing at Onolyn.
Onolyn remained silent. She didn’t want to be drawn into a conversation with a witch until it occurred to her that Seetva might reveal useful information. “What are you making?” Onolyn asked. Her voice sounded timid to her own ears and she resolved to speak with more confidence.
“The poison used on Borithon Swords. A wound from the sword can be very small and still deliver enough poison to kill.”
“How fast does the poison work?”
“It varies. A day or two at most. The victim always dies unless given the antidote. Before dying, they pass into a state where the metabolic system is so low that the victim appears dead. Even doctors can’t tell the difference and the person is often buried alive. After burial, we can retrieve the body and revive the person if we choos
e.”
Onolyn’s stomach churned; it occurred to her that Erling might not have been dead when Hendora arrived with the antidote. But because he was in a death-like state, they wouldn’t have used the antidote and he could be buried or cremated while alive.
“Someday,” Seetva said, breaking into Onolyn’s thoughts. “I’ll teach you to make the poison.” She held out a jar with two lizards inside, one iridescent, the other blue, and gave them to Zac. “Roast these on the grill.”
After killing them, he placed them on the grill beside the snake and toad, then put another log on the fire. The heat radiating from the flames took the chill out of the air and Onolyn started to warm up. She watched with horrified fascination as Seetva continued to make the potion, which consisted of freshly killed reptiles, a poisonous puffer fish and several toxic plants. All the ingredients were cooked to an oily consistency of charcoal, then placed in a mortar and crushed with a pestle. Onolyn covered her nose and mouth as the burnt stench filled the room.
When the poison was done, Seetva put the mixture in a vessel, then said, “Come, Zachary, we’re through here. We’ll leave Onolyn with her fears and nightmares.” She turned back and looked at Onolyn. “You will have nightmares. You can’t escape me, even in sleep.”
“Wait!” Onolyn cried. “Is Erling alive?”
“How would I know?”
“Was the vial you sold us really the antidote?”
With a self-satisfied nod, Seetva said, “Yes, and if they administered it in time, he’ll live and come to Haklute to find you and Zachary. When he does, you’ll help me gain control of him so I can rule Jaipar through him. If you’re not successful, I’ll kill him.” Seetva walked out of the room with Zac. The door shut with a resounding thud and Onolyn huddled helplessly in her cage, afraid it might become her tomb.
Two days after Erling was given the antidote, Koriann entered the entertainment room where Michio and Toemeka sat watching a movie on a large screen. She envied their contentment when she was so distraught. She sank into a chair.
When she was a child, she played here with her sister, brothers and Zachary. She remembered her father coming into the room, burdened by concerns about his country and Samrat Condor’s rapid growth in power. Now it was her burden.
“How’s Erling doing?” Toemeka asked, pausing the movie.
“He’s recovering physically, but he’s changed. He doesn’t seem happy, but he’s not sad either. There’s a distant look in his eyes and he says as soon as he’s well enough he’s going to Kumba to see the Master. He contemplates for long hours at a time, but what concerns me most is he’s no longer interested in the war.”
“Almost dying can cause major spiritual awakening in people,” Michio said. “It will take him awhile to readjust to this world.”
Koriann sighed deeply. “I know and I should have expected it; it’s just that he’s so different.”
“He’s the same,” Toemeka said. “Nearly dying just caused him to become more inwardly focused. Give him time.”
“He didn’t want to return to this world and wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for me.” She felt a guilty twinge for being impatient with him instead of just being grateful he was alive. “What am I to do? Samrat Condor and King Zanton could attack at any time and Erling, who’s been leading the whole planet’s defense, is detached and uninterested when we need him most.”
“Koriann, this is something Erling has to work out for himself,” Michio said. “I’ll take him to see the Master when he’s well enough. He’s still recovering and troubled spiritually. Sometimes it’s necessary for a person to take time to rebalance after a trauma. The life of a Coalition agent didn’t allow Erling much time to focus inwardly. Now he needs to find himself. In the meantime, I’ll handle the defense of the planet.”
“Thank you. I appreciate all you have done and are continuing to do.”
At breakfast, Toemeka noticed Michio absentmindedly pushing his titzle lizard eggs and vegetables around on his plate. Toemeka wondered what was bothering him. Finally, he excused himself and walked out of the dining room, leaving a still-full plate of food.
Toemeka also excused herself. Koriann was so engaged in a heavy conversation with General Dursky, Captain Flint and Captain Orneil that she hardly seemed to notice. Toemeka slipped out of the room and followed Michio into the study.
“May I come in?” she asked at the doorway.
“You should finish your breakfast. You’re eating for two.”
She ignored his remark, knowing how much she ate wasn’t what weighed on him. “What’s bothering you?” she asked, coming over to him and putting her hand on his arm.
Their eyes met and he looked as if he was trying to decide what to say. “Zac and Onolyn disappeared on Haklute without a trace. Hendora has gone there to see if she can locate them.”
“Oh no! Something must have happened. Erling was right; they were both too young and inexperienced for the mission. We shouldn’t have sent them.”
“They were the only Coalition agents available. I’d like to go after them myself, but that’s impossible now that I’m head of Jaipar’s defense.”
“Has the information Erling and I stole been delivered to the Coalition?”
“No, we’re trying to figure out who can deliver it. It has to be someone the Coalition will trust enough to let aboard their starship in the middle of war.”
“They trust me.”
He winced as if in pain. “I know.”
“It wouldn’t be that dangerous.”
“Yes, it would. The travel route between Borko and Alandra is filled with Condor’s starships.”
“True, but trade ships and ordinary passenger ships travel that route as well. Too much is at stake to delay any longer. I’ll fly to the Coalition’s military space station outside Alandra.”
“What if you’re intercepted on the way and the ship is searched?”
“Then I’ll destroy the information. There will still be a copy of it here on our computers.”
“Are you physically up to it?”
“Yes, I’m fully recovered from my last mission.”
His shoulders slumped in resignation. “I don’t want you to go, but I don’t see a better solution. You can travel on a large military spaceship with a full crew and military personnel.”
“That will arouse suspicion and invite trouble. I’ll take a one-person aircraft. I can leave in a few hours since I won’t have to wait for a crew. The information should’ve been delivered days ago. I know who to contact at the Coalition and how to get results.”
“You can’t go alone. You could faint or get motion sick.”
“I’m past the first trimester of my pregnancy. I feel much better now.”
Michio’s brow wrinkled, but he didn’t put up any further argument. “Maybe it’s for the best. It’s no longer safe here either. Samrat Condor or King Zanton’s air fleet could attack at any time.”
A flood of energy flowed through Toemeka. She wanted and needed to be part of the war effort. She immediately left to make arrangements for a spacecraft.
Onolyn sat in the cage, rubbing her arms for warmth. Her legs were cramping and she wished she could stretch them out. Two days! Seetva’s left me here for two days without food and water. The heartless bitch!
Her throat felt parched and constant hunger pains clawed at her stomach. Not having water worried her more than not eating. A person could live without food, but they couldn’t survive long without water. She felt her body weakening and tried to rest, but terrible nightmares came whenever she slept. When she was awake, it wasn’t much better; her thoughts ran wild. Did Seetva plan to make her into a zombie like Zac or starve her to death if she continued to resist her?
She didn’t want to die—she was too young to die! Someday she wanted to get married and have children. Tasting salt, Onolyn realized she was crying again and wiped away her tears. She was done with crying. She’d shed enough tears the day before as she sank into deep d
espair: worrying about Erling being cremated alive, that Zac would never escape Seetva’s power, and Jaipar might be under attack. She’d failed miserably in her mission to spy on King Zanton and could do nothing to help.
Today she’d done better. She’d sang HU constantly while focusing her attention on Master Bakka.
The dim light coming through the small workroom window faded as the sun set. Everything was worse when it was dark and her terror heightened. The door creaked and a chill shot up her spine. Onolyn began shaking. Was Seetva back to torment her?
Instead, Zac entered carrying a burning candle set in a brass candlestick holder. His shoulders tensed as he glanced outside before shutting the door behind him. Then he crossed over to her. After setting the candlestick holder on the floor, he passed a glass of water to her through the bars. Their fingers touched; her eyes met his and held for a moment in the flicking candlelight. In his eyes, Onolyn saw her own distress reflected back. She drank half the water in a few gulps.
Zac glanced around the room, twitching nervously. “Hurry! I can’t leave the glass. Seetva might find it and know I’ve been here.”
Onolyn drank the rest of the water then handed back the glass. He pushed a pouch thorough the bars and into her cage. She untied the string holding it shut and found a piece of cheese, a chunk of bread and a few squished berries inside. Her eyes filled with tears as she shoved the cheese into her mouth. “Thank you.”
He reached his hand through the bars and touched the spot on her temple where he’d hit her. “I’m sorry.”
She clasped his hand. “I’m sorry, too. I sensed Seetva had gained some power over you in the swamp. I shouldn’t have left you alone at the hotel.”
He jumped as if startled and pulled his hand away. “I have to go. Seetva’s looking for me. If she finds me here, she’ll hurt you. I’ll bring more water and food when I can.”
“Find the key, Zac, and free me from this cage. We can escape together.”
“She carries the key on her.” Sweat appeared on his brow. “She’s too powerful for me to take it from her. Most of the time, I’m completely under her control. I can’t fight her spells.” He looked away apprehensively, then turned back at her. “Today I fought it. I focused on the Light. I knew you needed food and water.”