The Ta'e'sha Chronicles 2: Shards of the Mind

by Theolyn Boese

  “Excellent!” Condezl chuffed softly with satisfaction. “Now, can we talk about raw silk cat beds? I’m thinking teal…”

  Thea laughed; this was going to be fun. “Of course! Shall we adjourn to my workroom, kind sir?”

  Daeshen stared after his wife as she walked calmly beside the huge cat. “What’s next? A wolf?” he asked no one in particular.

  “You barfed in my shoe!” Kyrin suddenly bellowed at the cat.

  Mental laughter floated through everyone’s mind as the door to Thea’s workroom closed gently.

  Epilogue

  Gaia landed on her ass. She looked around irritably. More points of color appeared around her. Skye and the Ta’e’shian Lithen popped into existence and also landed on their best-padded parts one by one.

  She stood up and rubbed her abused seat. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Kashka flicked her tail and propelled herself upright in a fluid motion. “I don’t know.”

  The Great One appeared with a theatrical shower of multicolored sparks. “I wanted to talk to My children,” boomed a sexless voice filled with pleasure. “I have been watching your shenanigans and I am pleased with the way you worked together during the trial. It was truly an example of give and take. I am proud of you. And now I have another task for you.”

  They gathered around the Great One and listened.

  “You will go to Earth and prepare my lands,” the Great One said at length. “The Ta’e’sha will need what I have hidden. They will need it soon.”

  “Which lands need to be prepared?” Gaia asked.

  The Great One began to fade from view. “Atlantis.”

  ~ * ~

  Glossary of Terms

  Arkaa ‑‑ planet where samples are to be collected

  Arkaana ‑‑ ace of humanoid spider people

  Asana ‑‑ Priest(s) and Priestess(es) of the Lithen; group term

  Byasuen ‑‑ Goddess of Craft and Arts (Ta’e)

  Cerebcom ‑‑ technology implanted in the brain to allow communication between a ship’s artificial intelligence and/or another individual who also has an implant

  Chosen ‑‑ individual of Ta’e’shian society who is born with markings showing they are favored by the Gods

  Com ‑‑ to send a communication to someone using an implanted cerebcom

  Corgan ‑‑ motorized object used to pull someone through water at high speed

  Creamstal ‑‑ powdered shell of a sea snail, used in cooking

  Crystalshroom ‑‑ type of mushroom that secretes a liquid that hardens upon contact with air, used in artwork

  Chrystarea ‑‑ sea flower, blooms once every seven years

  Deema ‑‑ affectionate term for “father”

  Dorya ‑‑ small fish that travel in large school, also known as nibblers

  Ecoha ‑‑ God of Craft and Arts (Ta’e)

  Felbos ‑‑ messy sea creature; similar to a monkey

  Gaia ‑‑ generic name used to refer to Lady of Witches (Goddess)

  God-marks ‑‑ features used to identify Chosen of the Gods

  Holoreader ‑‑ a small flat computer used in place of paper

  Iliria ‑‑ Goddess of Healing (Ta’e)

  Kashka ‑‑ Goddess of Warriors (Ta’e)

  Kyen ‑‑ Gentleman, or gentlemen

  Kysout ‑‑ God of Soul Renewal (Ta’e)

  Lavoya ‑‑ dinner dish made with seafood, dish title, not an ingredient

  Lith ‑‑ single set of Gods and Goddesses of the Ta’e’sha

  Lithen ‑‑ Gods and Goddesses of the Ta’e’sha as a whole group

  Meecha ‑‑ animal native to Ta’e

  Mo’aton ‑‑ God of Healing (Ta’e)

  Samonan ‑‑ Goddess of Soul Renewal (Ta’e)

  Saras ‑‑ shape shift; to change one’s form

  Sea Fern ‑‑ food plant, grown and used similarly to wheat

  Sha’ki ‑‑ moon of Shya, to be terraformed

  Shaysha ‑‑ Goddess of Spiritual Balance and Mental Healing (Ta’e)

  Sho’bi ‑‑ moon of Shya, to be terraformed

  Shoomoe ‑‑ dinner dish of fish fillets and fried vegetables

  Shya ‑‑ planet to be terraformed

  Skye ‑‑ generic name used to refer to Lord of Witches (God)

  Solune ‑‑ God of Spiritual Balance and Mental Healing (Ta’e)

  Sparker ‑‑ wire suit, used as a sex toy

  Tabet ‑‑ Goddess of Atlantis

  Teirnan ‑‑ God of Atlantis

  Vosh ‑‑ God of Warriors (Ta’e)

  Theolyn Boese

  Theolyn Boese lives in Oregon with her wide assortment of animals, which include two cats, Goblyn and Stupid (yes that really is his name and well earned), a Border Collie named Fuzzbutt, a few ducks, and her pheasant, Samurai.

  She has been writing since grade school, staring with a poetry class her teacher enrolled her in to help her learn to work with dyslexia. Bolstered by her teacher's faith in her she quickly learned to love reading and writing instead of being afraid of it. Soon after she was reading voraciously and scribbling poems on everything.

  She would love to hear from her readers and invites them to write to her at Sabrielle@gmail.com, and to check out her website at http://www.theolynboese.com.