Still the discomfort continued. She did care.
Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing if the curse set in and turned her into a mindless killing machine. The dark marks on her palms mocked her now. She didn't even have her headband anymore to cover her forehead elmis.
Matthu and his bruin broke through the brush to her left. Shon followed behind. "Standard deshma protocol and formation," Matthu explained. He scrubbed his hand at his collar, removing some of the sticky green venom Naatos had spat. It had gotten on both Shon and Matthu as well as their bruins, but it seemed to wipe away without leaving any visible traces. "Everyone's paired up and going a different way." He pulled one of the javelins out of the quiver on his bruin's side. "Nothing to worry about. Quick thinking on getting them to come back for WroOth. I didn't know they'd break off like that."
"You all right?" Shon still held the razor bow in hand, but his quiver was nearly empty.
Amelia nodded, pushing her hair out of her face. A few strands clung to her sweaty forehead. "The gun didn't work. I'm sorry."
"It was a long shot, and it got those three out of the palace," Shon said. "The Ayamin are freed. We rescued everyone who was there."
Amelia nodded, less relieved than she expected. All was quiet now. Too quiet. "Something feels wrong."
"That's why we're not taking the shortest route back," Shon said. "It's strange. None of the Ayamin were killed or as badly wounded as we expected. Not even Beshel, and he took that big fall. His leg's broken pretty bad as well as a couple ribs, but he's still alive. The physicians will be able to mend him. It was pretty easy, all things considered."
"It didn't feel that easy," Matthu said.
Amelia nodded, increasingly unsettled. It was possible that Naatos had chosen to follow another group. But he wanted to find Inale, and she had made her position as the only one who knew where Inale was abundantly clear. Giving up didn't seem like Naatos. But where was he?
A falcon screeched in the sky. The wind rustled among the branches and leaves like a thousand whispers. She couldn't smell any hint of dragon or fire. The wind had carried all those odors away, and only the scent of fresh grass and overturned soil remained. That didn't mean the Paras couldn't smell them.
"I sent the others…to Plaohi." Amelia glanced once more through the canopy of leaves, seeing only birds and a couple stick bugs. She couldn't risk using Alita's and Josiah's names, but even though she wasn't certain what Shon knew, she hoped he understood this was important.
"Good. Sounds like this was mostly successful," Shon said, but he maintained a somewhat grim expression.
Shon led the way through the forest, taking them down invisible paths and around clearings. After a short while longer, he slowed down so that his bruin, hers, and Matthu's were side by side. "Have you thought about what you're going to tell the queen?" Shon asked.
"No." Amelia stared straight ahead. "Now isn't a good time. All she needs to know is Inale is safe." Until they were safe too, there was no sense in risking being overheard.
"For now." Matthu sighed. "But you know you've got to tell her eventually. No time is really going to be good."
"A time when the king is not a prisoner and when the queen hasn't almost lost her son would probably be better." Shon placed his hand over hers. He squeezed for a moment, his grip warm and strong.
The connection startled Amelia. She looked up as he smiled, his hand lingering. "Whatever you decide to say, we'll support you."
"Thank you." Amelia wasn't sure how she felt about all this or what she would say. In all the times she had pondered returning to Libysha, she had never seriously considered that time wouldn't pass at the same rate despite what Uncle Joe had said. It hadn't made sense to her. And while she had known the truth for several hours, it was only now that the time gap was beginning to sink in emotionally.
Uncle Joe had never let her call him "father." The term "uncle" he only allowed because it provided a better cover. Whenever she objected, he reminded her that her family was waiting for her in Libysha. Except they weren't. At least not in the same way. She had barely been their daughter before. Now she truly was a stranger. And she was at least a few years older than Alita. What connection could she possibly have with them anymore? They'd feared her when she was a child. How would they respond now?
Matthu ducked his head to avoid getting struck with an overhanging branch. "What do you think is gonna happen when Naatos finds Inale?" He cast an almost nervous glance at Shon and Amelia as if half expecting them to correct him. Amelia almost smiled. If they were being followed, this was a good course for continuing the ruse, and this was a discussion she was interested in obviously.
"He'll lock her up somewhere," Shon said. "Drain her of her mindreading abilities. Absorb those to make himself stronger. Take whatever he can from her. Restore the Tue-Rah. Take over it. Then kill her."
The nauseating knot in her stomach wasn't improving.
"Good thing he has to catch Inale first. She's pretty good at taking care of herself. Considering her age and all." Matthu smiled as if he hoped to encourage her.
Amelia struggled to return the cheer. Somehow she'd have to untangle this whole mess of Naatos thinking Inale was separate from her. Hopefully, she could figure out how to kill him and avoid the conversation altogether, but what was the likelihood of that?
"Regardless, we can't afford to let Naatos get stronger," Shon said. "He can do far more than we were ever led to believe. What he did to those bruins…"
"What did he do?" Amelia asked.
Shon explained how Naatos had transformed the bruins into crudons. This new information troubled Amelia even more than the possibility that crudons had randomly appeared in Libysha. She had grown up believing that Elonumato would help her to defeat Naatos and his brothers, but how? Leonas had warned her it wouldn't go as planned. Still, that warning only went so far.
"Maybe I shouldn't go with you," Amelia said. "I can set up camp somewhere else. If Naatos is following us…" She glanced around once more.
"No. It isn't safe. If Naatos is tracking us, he's going to find us one way or another." Shon gave her a reassuring smile. "Besides, we're bound to protect you. That's much harder to do out in the open."
Amelia wanted to accept the comfort he offered, but her thoughts remained troubled.
They traveled on a ways farther. The sun's warmth intensified when they at last entered a clearing. There were still no signs that they had been followed.
Large stone foothills of the lower Mallakish Mountains rose up ahead of them. Shon dismounted from his bruin and brushed aside some of the hanging grey moss. He pressed the palm of his hand on a slight bump. "This is one of the lower side passages," he said. "Get off the bruins. They know where to go." The stone rolled back, revealing a long narrow stone staircase that descended.
Amelia slid down, rubbing Marel between the ears. "Where are the Ayamin?"
"Hidden," Shon said. He looked around, then knocked on the inside of the wall eight times, alternating the pacing. "Come on. Watch your step. Matthu, follow her."
Amelia held her hand out to touch the stone wall. She made her way down, feeling her way with her foot before setting her full weight on the cold stone. Her nervousness increased. What am I going to say to Alita, she wondered. She couldn't think of her as her mother any longer. It was too strange.
"Don't rush the steps," Shon said in front of her. His voice echoed in the cavern. Darkness enclosed them when Matthu pulled the door shut. "We're almost there."
A dully lit torch appeared at the bottom of the staircase. "Shon," a raspy voice said. "Is your brother with you?"
Amelia tilted her head, focusing in on the dim light. Linufe? Worn and tired, shoulders slumped, posture weary, dark-blue robes tattered. Yes. It was Linufe. Joy filled his face when he saw his sons though. He looked like an older version of Shon, his mussed hair a greying brown and his posture a little more stooped. The two embraced, and then Linufe and Matthu hugged as well.
> Amelia stepped off to the side. Several of the Ayamin appeared. It was odd to see them again. She vaguely remembered their faces and yet they all were like strangers. Some wore the traditional ceremonial attire, deep blues with gold accents and faint purple shading on the bruin emblem. Others wore the combat uniforms with dark browns and crisp-hunter green. They made her miss Uncle Joe. He'd told her stories about the Ayamin he served with, but these were essentially unknown faces, solemn and serious, barely lit in the sickly torchlight. Why did it all feel so wrong?
"Now then, who might this be?" Linufe asked, turning to her at last. He frowned slightly, but his expression was not unkind.
"Someone you will want to speak with in private." Shon stepped alongside Amelia and took her hand in his. "One of the sub-chambers if possible."
Curiosity flashed through Linufe's eyes. He swiftly masked it, then nodded. "Very well. May I at least inquire as to our guest's name?"
"Amelia." Offering her hand, Amelia came forward. She forced herself to look at him. Him she remembered better than many of the others. On the rare occasions she was allowed in public, he had slipped her soft ginger cookies so long as she promised to be still. He'd never seemed particularly afraid of her, merely cautious and quiet.
"Come with me." Linufe motioned to them and started down the hall.
The closeness of the passages came down so low that occasionally Shon and Linufe both had to stoop, passing multiple chambers and other passages. Even though Amelia had never been here, Uncle Joe had told her about it often. In a time of emergency, Plaohi and other locations like it could house a few hundred families, complete with supplies and soldiers.
As they passed one of the low-roofed chambers, a young voice shouted, "It's her! It's her!"
Turning, Amelia paused, startled to see Josiah running toward her. The orange light brought out the redness of his hair. He had always been afraid of her before, avoiding even touching her. But this time he tackled her, throwing his arms around her waist and burying his face in her side.
"Whoa there." Amelia pressed him back, her hands on his shoulders. "Are you all right?"
"Yes." Josiah clung to her, his eyes still wide. "You saved Momma and me. Did you kill the shapeshifter? Momma says you know where Inale is. Did you bring her here? She needs to be someplace safe."
"She's safe right now." Matthu crouched next to Josiah so that he was at eye level. "Amelia knows where she's at."
Josiah frowned. "But she's safe? Really? I don't think she can fight them yet. She's littler than me."
"Josiah." Alita walked into the room. She now wore a fresh pink dress, though it was in the peasant rather than the royal style. She held her hand out to him, but she looked at Amelia. "Is she…"
Amelia stood, the knot in her throat tightening. Alita appeared more like a queen, confident and composed despite her youth. But her hands shook slightly as did the corners of her mouth, the only indications of her apprehension. "Inale is fine, Your Majesty…" Her chest tightened. "She's fine."
Shon placed his hand on Amelia's shoulder. "I know where Inale is as well, Your Majesty. But for your safety and Josiah's, we can't tell you where she is. Not until the crisis has passed. But I give you my word. She is as safe as if she were here with us."
"Yeah." Matthu grinned at Josiah. "You take care of your mother and everything will be fine."
Amelia couldn't say anything else. The memories crashed around her, not nearly so comforting or as vivid as she had hoped. She remembered how much she wanted to spend time with both Alita and Josiah. How hard it had been knowing she terrified her adopted mother. Yet even now she could feel that they cared. Somehow. Perhaps her mindreading was at last coming in.
Backing away, she turned her face and folded her arms so that her elmis were pressed against her red camisole. That blocked some of the awareness, but it did not bring much relief.
Shon and Alita spoke a few minutes longer before she and Josiah at last left. "The room we need is up here," Shon said softly.
Amelia nodded and drew in a deep breath. The walls were closing in on her. It was all so small and tight, the air too warm, the smells of sweat, perfume, wet cloth, and blood too strong.
The room they entered was even smaller. Shon scraped his head on the ceiling at the lowest points. Other than some sacks of grain, a couple chairs and a rickety table, the room was empty.
"It's going to be all right," Shon said.
Amelia nodded. She was not going to break now.
Linufe closed the door after Matthu entered, then set the metal mount on the wall. "It seems we have a lot to talk about."
Amelia set her hand against the wall, her head spinning. I can do this, she thought. "Yes," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "It has certainly been an eventful day…" Her mind blanked. What could she even say? How much should she say?
Matthu leaned in next to his father. "So, Father, how many times has the Tue-Rah taken people away and not…you know…" He shrugged. "Kept the times synchronized? You know, time passes one way in one place, and it moves faster somewhere else."
Well, that was one to say it. Amelia almost smiled. Matthu's sincerity and transparency was refreshing.
Linufe's forehead creased as he nodded. "Well, it's hard to say. The Tue-Rah is an interdimensional entity. It's connected to the core of all the worlds. Before the Tue-Rah fell, all the worlds were linked together and moved at the same pace. It's been rumored that since the fall, they do not do so any longer. There are also legends that the Tue-Rah has acted outside of such parameters before. After all, what is in our temples is only the mechanism by which it can be accessed, not the Tue-Rah itself. More akin to docks on a river. Unfortunately, no one yet lives who has witnessed the Tue-Rah acting on its own and taking people, and there is no one who knows of the Tue-Rah's full powers. Other than Naatos and his brothers…" Linufe paused as he studied Amelia. "Oh…" His eyebrow lifted. "Inale?"
Amelia nodded.
Linufe relaxed, a slight smile spreading over his face. "When the attack happened, I wondered how Elonumato could expect such a young child to survive. I suppose that’s been answered." Linufe pulled one of the chairs out from against the wall and set it in front of Amelia, then chose one for himself. "Sit. Tell me everything."
Amelia shared the relevant details with help from Shon and Matthu. For the most part, Linufe listened with quiet attention, only asking questions at key points. When it was at last finished, he pressed his hands together and leaned forward.
"This situation is now much clearer," Linufe said. "Amelia, you must go to Polfradon. While these efforts were successful in rescuing everyone from the palace, we were not able to take it back. Polfradon is the only other place where copies of the prophecies remain. What information we have on the Salvation of the Third Nalenth is also stored there as well."
"And what is the Salvation of the Third Nalenth?" Amelia asked. That at least sounded promising and hopeful.
"The prophecies say that when the time of the Tue-Rah's restoration comes, the Salvation of the Third Nalenth will be revealed. It will help you succeed in your tasks. It is some sort of weapon, most likely. You need to get there quickly. Naatos must be going there already."
"Yes," Amelia said. "Naatos was going to send me there."
"Then you must go with caution. It is also where the Machat hid the kolagro. If you can find it, then you should take it. Only you will be able to remove the kolagro, Amelia. It will be fastened into some sort of holding device. You should be able to remove it even before it is used to prepare the Tue-Rah."
"Well, her or either of the other two Nalenths," Matthu said.
Linufe nodded. "But given that the king is imprisoned and we do not know who the second is, Amelia is our best choice. Presuming they have not already found, unlocked, and used it."
That was a lot to assume. Amelia bit the inside of her lip.
"No one else should know about this," Shon said. "What we have to do is dangerous enough, but so long
as Naatos thinks Inale is a little girl, we have some small advantage. The three of us should be able to slip into Polfradon and get out, making it easier than the palace, even if Naatos has taken over."
They discussed more of the details for a while longer, but at last it was settled. Linufe promised to get them supplies and set everything up.
All of this planning seemed to last forever for Amelia. She sat there, her hands gripped tight, her body tense. She repeated all of her training with her purpose in mind, reminding herself this was only a phase. Just a period of time that had to pass.
When at last Shon, Matthu, and Linufe left, they told her to go to the south entrance where the bruins were stabled. Being alone did not make it easier to translate everything. It was a massive knot of tangled emotions and conflicting thoughts.
But as wrong it all felt, she knew she could not remain long in the quiet room. She slowly made her way out. When at last she emerged, the sunlight blinded her for a few moments, painful in its golden brightness.
Lifting her hand to shield her eyes, Amelia blinked. Three bruins, including Halig, stood beneath the thick sycamores. Matthu waved at her and continued to pack the supplies. Shon stood a short distance away with Linufe, speaking in hushed tones. Both still wore the uniforms they had stolen from the Talbokian guards. The venom Naatos had spat was wiped off, though when the sun struck their garments just right there was a faint patchy sheen.
A few other Ayamin worked, packing supplies in multiple bags, presumably for more journeys than the one to Polfradon. Three others stood on guard, their weapons ready.
It was almost time. Amelia stepped beneath the shadow of the sycamore and lifted her satchel. The well-worn leather top fell back, and she removed a bandage for her forehead elmis and her fingerless gloves. Sliding them on again made the world dim, and while her problems did not become any less, they felt further away. As she finished lacing them, she caught sight of the tablet. Her journal.
Identity Revealed: The Tue-Rah Chronicles Page 17