The Warrior Woman

by Evelyn Lederman

  Despite the fact that Shirl had three capable-looking men backing her up, Candy aligned herself next to her friend in case Raine Narmouth became violent. She had no idea who Alexia was, but she did not like the man’s history with women. The immediate attraction to the man turned into loathing.

  The second man who had been standing back watching the confrontation came forward. “Shirl, Jeryl Jarlyn’s orders were plain. He wants to meet the girl immediately. If Narmouth’s presence is disturbing you, we will head back to The Palace and you can follow on your own.” The man took an additional step and extended his hand to Candy. “Welcome to the Troyk Universe. My name is Kelog Potts. I carried your friend off this mountain when she first arrived. She had entered the portal with no knowledge concerning how to navigate and had a pretty rough ride. She was unconscious when we found her.”

  Alarmed, Candy turned to Shirl. Her friend merely shrugged. “I did not know what I was doing the first time I stepped into the portal. My first experience was a nightmare. Literally, I was a bloody mess when I arrived.”

  Kelog smiled at Shirl. “I had to throw away the tunic I wore that day. It was saturated with your blood. Do we have a deal, Shirl?” Candy thought Kelog was charming and seemed reasonable. She figured her friend would acquiesce to his plan.

  Shirl seemed to be considering her next steps. “Get Narmouth out of here. We will follow after I talk with Candy a while. She knows nothing about the Troyk Universe or how to use her telepathic abilities.” That had been the second time telepathy had been mentioned. Maybe the voices she had heard in her head were not her imagination after all.

  “Do not be too long,” Kelog replied. “I am trusting your word that you will present Candy to Jeryl Jarlyn within the hour. You know firsthand that he has no desire to hurt her or any children of Benko’s followers.” At this point in time, Candy was so lost trying to understand the situation, she only half listened to the conversation.

  It appeared Shirl was going to argue, then Starc put his hand on Shirl’s shoulder. “We will be there,” he said. Although Starc addressed Kelog Potts, his gaze hammered Raine Narmouth. Obviously there was no love lost between these two men. Starc’s expression reflected true hatred.

  Kelog Potts and Raine Narmouth started their trek back to the city. Everyone in her group seemed to relax, with the exception of herself. She waited for the explanation Shirl had promised.

  “The Troyk universe is full of telepathic beings,” Shirl said. “One ability some possess is to control the minds of others. If there is any doubt in an individual’s mind, the mind control telepath can make the decision for them. You do not even know the decision was not your own. Free will only exists where the mind control government has no desire to sway the general public.”

  “That is terrible,” Candy replied. What type of world had she entered?

  “Our parents thought the same way. Jeryl Jarlyn is the Prime Ruler. He had a son, Benko, who tried to overthrow the government and outlaw mind control. Benko failed in his attempt and our parents left this world with him to save their lives. My mother was the crystal telepath who navigated the portal for them. I use her amethyst now.”

  Candy reached out and pulled Shirl’s amethyst from all the other crystals. As long as Candy could remember, Shirl had worn the purple gem. It was the only thing Shirl had from her mother. That was one item more than Candy had from either of her parents. The only thing they gave Candy was a fear of abandonment.

  She turned and looked at the city below. Purple plants and trees of every imaginable shade covered it. Even the stone was a shade of purple. “The sky is violet,” she said to no one in particular. Talk about stating the obvious. That was all her mind was able to process at this point.

  Tarsea placed his hand on her shoulder. “There was an ordinance passed in the Aster Province a century ago that only purple horticultural species could be planted within city limits. I believe those were the exact words. It is believed the Prime Ruler at the time had an obsession with the color. The pollen is so dense, the sky appears purple.”

  Candy glanced at Tarsea and looked into his beautiful hazel eyes. If they were a shade greener, they would be perfect.

  “We should be heading off to talk to this Jeryl Jarlyn. Before we do, tell me about him and more about the Troyk people’s ability to use telepathy.” Candy was never one to procrastinate. If she had to meet with the Prime Ruler, she wanted to get it over with.

  “Most Troyk citizens communicate through a multitude of communal pathways,” Shirl responded. “Do you feel any pressure in your brain?”

  Candy closed her eyes and concentrated. She had noticed a type of static that had been building since she arrived. She originally thought it was just a side effect of portal travel. It must be what Shirl was referring to. “There is a little buzzing I just noticed. It’s really nothing.”

  “That is the communal pathways trying to connect with your mind,” Tarsea informed her. “As we get closer to the city the noise in your head will grow louder. My brother Tolfer will teach you how to manage the different channels. He is really quite good at it. Tolfer is in great demand to work with children as their telepathic abilities start to manifest.” Candy could see from his expression Tarsea was proud of his brother, and it was obvious there was great love between them. She was actually looking forward to meeting Tolfer.

  “You will meet Tarsea’s brother tonight,” Shirl said. “You will be staying with Tarsea’s parents for the time being. I lived there when I first arrived, but will be moving in with Starc and Darden. Alexia is still there with Tarsea, so you will have female companionship. We have become fast friends in the little time I have known her in the Troyk Universe. Zane and Leenea Childers are wonderful people.”

  Candy did not know how she felt about staying with complete strangers. She liked Tarsea, but it was still awkward imposing on people she did not know. It also bothered her that Shirl did not give their friend Alex a second thought. Candy was still worried sick about her.

  “Things will be all right,” Shirl communicated to Candy. She noticed Shirl’s lips had not moved. Transmitted telepathically. Such an odd sensation. Candy knew it had come from Shirl, but it did not sound like her. Her mind had reproduced Shirl’s voice since the sound was not coming through her ears.

  “How do I communicate mentally back to you?” Candy asked. She was so excited, she put her meeting with Jeryl Jarlyn in the back of her mind. Candy imagined that Kelog Potts would give them some leeway, understanding there was a lot to discuss before they headed to town.

  “When you and I grew up at that orphanage, we opened a telepathic channel. Unfortunately, we did not know it existed. We were born telepathic, but were unaware of our talent. Your words were leaking through that channel and I just leveraged it when I responded. You need to concentrate on what you want to say and then project it in my direction. Currently the channel is just between the two of us. Eventually others will be able to enter since it is a type of communal pathway.”

  Candy concentrated on Shirl and internally screamed words to her friend. She was not sure what projecting involved. When Shirl smiled, she knew she had been successful.

  “From the look on your face,” Shirl laughed, “I bet you were screaming in your mind. You don’t have to use all that energy to communicate with me. Remember, our ears are not involved in telepathic communication. Only the number of people within the telepathic channels will increase the volume in your head. That is why you may get some nose bleeds in the beginning until you learn to manage the pathways. Leenea has an herbal beverage that will also help.”

  Candy’s head was spinning from all the information Shirl provided. They shared a special channel between the two of them that had existed most of their lives and they did not know it. Ironically, Candy had always sensed what Shirl was thinking. She may have inadvertently used the pathway without realizing it. Oddly, she had always had that same reaction with Alex.

  “We should start heading down,�
�� the tall Malibu Ken said. Candy believed he had said his name was Darden. “You should know that when we meet with Jeryl Jarlyn, he is going to use his mind control powers to determine if you are lying to him. It will feel like a minor tension headache. It does no lasting damage.”

  Candy could not believe how calm everyone was. How could they possibly know if the mind control would do no permanent damage? Growing up on Earth could have changed the chemical make-up of her and Shirl’s brain. Maybe that was the real reason why Shirl bled.

  “Only answer what he asks,” Shirl advised. “Do not volunteer any information. If I can help answer a question, I will communicate through our closed channel. Just don’t give away we are conversing telepathically to Jeryl. He does not know about our private channel.”

  To say Candy was overwhelmed would be an understatement. The whole telepathic multiple channel business was confusing. She could also not figure out why the Prime Ruler would want to meet with her or why he would be concerned she would lie to him.

  Then she suddenly remembered Raine Narmouth said she could be the Prime Ruler’s granddaughter. If that was the case, what would that mean?

  Candy enjoyed walking the streets of the largest city in the Troyk universe, Aster Province. There were no cars. Everyone walked. It was quite peaceful. The static in her head increased as they hit the populated area. Candy started to wonder how much louder the humming would get. She started to pick up snippets of conversations. Sometimes strings of voices were layered on top of each other. It was as if she was in a football stadium with everyone talking and not being able to differentiate who was saying what. How could something be deafening if the ears were not involved? Tolfer helping her deal with all the noise in her head was gravely needed at this point. Candy was starting to get a raging headache.

  If the people they passed took notice of her, it was not obvious. She wore jeans, while the residents were in the tunics and leggings Shirl had on. The outfits looked comfortable. Suddenly, Shirl grabbed her arm and pointed to a large building before them.

  The Palace was appropriately named. It was a four-story marble architectural masterpiece. She knew little about different building styles, but she guessed it had a Greek influence to its design. Although that could not be right, since she was in a parallel world.

  The sun shining on the marble made the structure sparkle. Candy pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Ever since she left the restaurant in Sedona, she’d had one surreal experience after another. Her pounding head should have been evidence enough she was wide awake. Now she also had an aching arm. Why did she pinch herself so hard?

  They entered through a side entrance and were told to proceed to the fourth floor where Jeryl Jarlyn had his living quarters. It took little effort on Candy’s part to climb four flights of stairs. She worked out twice a day, before and after her classes. Organized sports over the years had given Candy a sense of belonging. Her athletic ability made her popular wherever she went. Everyone automatically wanted her to play on their team. She was a generous player and always helped her less skilled teammates.

  When they reached the fourth floor landing, Kelog Potts was there to meet them. There was no sign of Raine Narmouth, which Candy figured was an intentional act by Kelog. This was not the place to have confrontations.

  The guys stayed behind as two uniformed men who she assumed were palace guard escorted her and Shirl. The hallway was full of art work which caught her friend’s eye, not hers. Candy never appreciated paintings, sculptures, and other items. She didn’t have a creative bone in her body. Any art assignment she constructed in school was met with more laughter than praise.

  They were directed into a room full of large beautiful crystals. She noticed Shirl almost went into a trance brought on by her surroundings. Crystals had always captivated Shirl. While her friend was absorbed by the rocks, Candy paid attention to its logistics. One of them had to be practical. Were there any exits other than the one they entered? What about improvised weapons? She nudged Shirl to bring her back to reality. Odds were good they wouldn’t be alone for long.

  The door to the left of Candy opened and a man in his mid-sixties walked in. He extended his hand to Candy. “Welcome home, my girl.” At the last minute the man withdrew his hand and took Candy into his arms. She stood still as her body absorbed the man’s warmth. Candy had never been held like this by a man. She closed her eyes and stored the feeling in her memory. Was this man her grandfather? Had Benko Jarlyn been her father?

  “Candy,” Shirl said, “this is Jeryl Jarlyn. The woman standing behind him is Solfa Teflar. She runs Troyk intelligence.” Candy felt Shirl’s hand on her shoulder. It was almost as if Shirl wanted to separate her from Jeryl Jarlyn. She wanted to enjoy this stranger’s embrace another moment. Candy never realized how much she missed not receiving hugs from a parent over the years. The people who worked at the orphanage made sure they were fed and clothed, but there had been no affection or other displays of caring as she grew up.

  The Prime Ruler released his hold on Candy, but took possession of her hand. “Solfa’s niece, Alexia, will be staying with you at the Childers’s household. She is new to Aster Province as well, although she is not from a parallel world.” Jeryl Jarlyn appeared to have a playful side. The man oozed charm. Mind control or not, she could see how the population could swallow anything this man said.

  “It is nice to meet you, Candy,” Solfa said. “Shirl has told Alexia and me all about you. My cousin is looking forward to spending time with you.”

  Solfa was a beautiful woman. She had gorgeous chestnut hair, a little darker than Candy’s medium golden brown. The woman in charge of intelligence had probing blue eyes. In a world of telepathic people, Solfa stare seemed to go even further than what people were thinking.

  Candy would not be surprised if Solfa was able to detect people’s deepest, darkest secrets. It spoke volumes about this world that a woman would be put in such a responsible position. For the first time since arriving, Candy wondered how she was going to make a living here. Did they have physical education in their schools? She imagined if they had organized sports, they would be different from the ones she was used to. There was so much she needed to learn. It was all a little overwhelming.

  “Candy, please join me on the couch.” Jeryl Jarlyn’s words pulled Candy out of thoughts that side tracked her from what was happening in the room. “Tell me what you remember about your parents and any friends they may have had.”

  Candy never liked talking about her parents. It was not their fault they had died shortly after her birth. What she could not forgive was that they had made no arrangements for her if something happened to them. It had been irresponsible. Candy had sworn to herself at an early age that she would never be unprepared for anything life threw at her. Boy, she had not expected this.

  “They died shortly after my birth. I never bothered to find out what happened. My earliest memories revolve around Shirl. She looked after me. If anyone is a parent to me, it would be Shirl. I know how ridiculous that sounds, considering she is only two years older than I am.”

  Candy could feel the pull on her brain Darden had warned her about. That pressure on top of the headache she already had was more than she could handle. She placed her head in her hands. “Does anyone have an aspirin? My head is about to explode.” There was no sensation to make her believe her nose was bleeding. That was a relief. Whether she had the mental fortitude at this point to continue answering his questions was doubtful.

  “Jeryl,” Solfa implored, “release her before she starts bleeding. The girl does not know anything about Benko. Candy, drink this herbal beverage, it will help with the static.”

  Candy could feel the pressure lessen as Jarlyn released his hold on her brain. He looked at her as if she was some specimen in a scientific experience. She certainly hoped this man was not her grandfather. Her head still throbbed, but it was manageable. She took the mug from Solfa and started to sip. It had a nice flavor an
d almost immediately the static was reduced.

  “Jarlyn,” Shirl said, “before we head to the Childers’s residence, I would like Candy to be assigned to me as a CT Guard.” That request was certainly a surprise to Candy. She did not even know what a CT Guard was. She could not imagine working inside all day and escorting people around like the two men who had led them to the room earlier.

  “Women are not Crystal Telepath Guards. It is far too dangerous. I am sure there are a multitude of jobs Candy is qualified to do in our world.” Candy was disappointed by Jeryl’s response. She never liked women not being considered for any position solely due to their gender.

  “Candy teaches self-defense and is extremely intelligent,” Shirl countered. Her friend was like a dog with a bone. She was not going to let this go. “I am the only female crystal telepath and twice I was separated from my guards because I was a woman. Had a female CT Guard been along, I would not have been unprotected. It is time we include women in the guard.”

  Jeryl studied Shirl and then focused his gaze on Candy. He appeared to be angry at first, but quickly masked his reaction. Her friend appeared to have some power over the Prime Ruler. “I have women in all areas of my government. Maybe it is time to have our first female CT Guard. Have Candy report tomorrow for initial training. I want you to return to Terra Nova for the crystals you did not return with last time you went. You, Candy, and I will have dinner upon your return.”

  Candy looked at Shirl who appeared to pale. Jeryl Jarlyn rose and left the room. As soon as the door closed, Shirl collapsed in her chair.

  Chapter 3

  “What happened in Terra Nova?” Candy inquired. Her friend’s reaction to Jeryl Jarlyn’s words concerned Candy. It was the first time she had seen Shirl literally deflate. Candy had developed a lot of self-confidence over the years. Shirl and Alex always seemed to lack it. Alex blended into the background, while Shirl always felt she was judged strictly on how she looked. The mental fortitude Shirl had shown earlier today thrilled Candy. She hoped that whatever happened in Terra Nova was just a temporary setback to Shirl’s new self-assurance Candy witnessed.