Marcus didn’t respond, but I felt his pain grow more.
“Don’t hurt him anymore,” I begged.
“If you do anything rash, I’ll slit your throat.” I felt the knife’s pressure ease a fraction and I slowly turned my head. Marcus lay on the floor with his hand to his side. I hoped it wasn’t a second knife wound.
A tall, stretched-out-looking woman materialized and removed her hand from the device on her wrist. When she pulled off what looked like a pair of goggles, I knew I’d never met her before. She surveyed the scene, eventually raising an eyebrow at Marcus.
“They’ve stabbed him!” I tried my best to remain still, but I needed to get to him. “We need a Healer. If he dies, you’ll have much to answer for. If you allow him to be healed, then your punishment will be less severe. Please. Let him go and just take me. I’ll do whatever you want as long as you let King Marcus get to a Healer.”
“You’ll give us your word, you’ll come with us. You won’t try to escape?” A man I recognized as Omly, Itury’s second in command, appeared as well.
“Yes. He just can’t die.” I knew my heart couldn’t go on beating if he died.
The kidnappers looked at each other. They spoke Nex, but I was fluent enough I heard it all. “We need a way to get over to the ships without being stopped. If we have her, it will solve some of our problems.”
“Turn her around to face me.”
The man behind me followed directions and I found myself staring into Omly’s brown eyes.
“Will you give me your oath as ruler of Rommader that you will accompany us off the planet? Ensure our safety?”
My eyes strayed to search out Marcus on the floor. He was failing fast, his skin pale and sweaty. I didn’t have time to argue any exclusions. If I didn’t act now, he’d die and they’d take me anyway. With him still alive, Rommader could go on and I’d have a reason to fight to get back home.
“If I can call for a Healer before we leave this room, I will give you that oath, but you must let me say good-bye to Marcus.”
The man nodded and motioned for my captor to let me go. The guard checked me for any more weapons before releasing me. I rushed over to Marcus and pressed my hand against his wounded side, wishing I had been blessed with the gift of healing. My dreams were worth nothing. He lifted his head to look at me and I smiled through my tears.
You must survive. Rommader needs you. They’ll send for Healers the moment we walk out of this room. Hold on. I couldn’t help thinking how much this knife wound was like the one I received from Letni.
Marcus stared at me with eyes full of pain and remorse yet, deep inside, I was sure there was something more.
I leaned down and kissed Marcus gently, hoping it wouldn’t be the only time I kissed him.
“I’m sorry, Amira,” he whispered against my mouth. Sorry for everything I put you through.
I’m only sorry I didn’t realize sooner how much I needed you. You have been nothing but perfect. Forgive me for all my stubbornness. I placed my hand on the back of his neck and transferred the mantle to him. The power flowed through my soul, then gathered in my arms and shifted into Marcus. If it worked like I hoped, Marcus would survive. His color improved immediately and he took a deep breath.
You are Rommader’s true ruler now. This kingdom has always been yours. Take care of her for me. She needs you.
No, Amira. She needs you. He reached for me as if to gather me in an embrace. Instead two hands grabbed me from both sides and I was hauled to my feet. I didn’t struggle, knowing any delay in our exit would mean Marcus might not make it.
I looked at Omly standing to the side of me. “If he dies, I will see to it personally your ship is shot down. Even if I’m in it. I want you to call for Healers immediately.”
He paused then nodded. Omly pulled out Marcus’s communicator from inside a crystal box. It must have interfered with the tracking device. “This is still active. Call for help, but any funny business and I’ll slit his throat and haul you out unconscious.”
I pressed the button. “Marcus has been injured. Send Healers immediately. He doesn’t have much time.”
Omly took the communicator and set it on Marcus’s leg then motioned for the guards holding me to go. I twisted my head, trying to catch one last glimpse of Marcus before I was pulled out of the room. He was speaking into the communicator. When the sliding doors closed as we passed them, Omly spoke to me. “You will walk as if completely free, but my guards here will keep a hold of you. They can break your neck in an instant. You’ll have no idea where to run. If anyone asks what you are doing, you will convince them to let us pass.”
I nodded my understanding. “It won’t do you any good to take me. You have the formula, why not just leave with it? I will still guarantee your freedom.”
“That formula was nearly destroyed when the bumbling idiots screwed up the experiment. We bugged your room during one of our interviews. I know King Marcus was able to help you remember what you read and we know you can get past the error in the formula.”
I closed my eyes, unable to believe we hadn’t been more careful. We’d tried to keep our communication to telepathy, yet we’d still been too sloppy.
“Once you give us what we want, we’ll think about sending you home,” Omly said.
I lifted my head up high as I was escorted from the room. I held my hands clasped together in an attempt to look normal as I walked. Having these invisible guards gripping my elbows made it difficult.
We walked undisturbed through the side doors of the palace to a waiting car. The driver took us to the hanger and we continued on toward the ship Omly indicated. I knew they had made sure all guards were gone. I glanced at Omly. “Where is Delilah? You told me you’d set her free when you were safe. You are safe now.”
Omly smiled. “She is in no immediate danger. The coordinates to her location are in a message timed to be sent to your investigator tomorrow. They will find her in a medically induced coma, easy enough to bring her out of it.”
The news calmed my heart a bit. At least Marshal could be reunited with her and Marcus should be tended to by the Healers any moment now. My world would be taken care of, and I would eventually be able to make it back home.
As the door to the ship opened, I heard a commotion from behind. I turned around slowly, feeling the invisible guards still holding tight. Omly hissed into my ear. “Make them let us go.”
Ryad rushed forward, but I held my hand up as much as I could with the elbow still caught in the vise-like grip of the man to the side of me.
“All is well, Ryad. Stop.”
He pulled up short and looked at me. Are you held against your will?
I nodded and glanced out of the side of my eyes, then down at my elbows. “I am going with them willingly. I have made an agreement in exchange for Marcus’s life. I am oath-bound to follow through. Has he been found?”
“I sent Healers to that location. Marcus told us you were held captive and to come after you.”
“Marcus will be in charge while I’m gone. Your oaths transferred to him when I passed on the mantle. Guard him well.”
Ryad shook his head. “How is it possible?”
“Marcus is your king.”
“Amira, you can’t go with them.”
“Ryad. You must follow this last order of mine. It is the only way to save Delilah, Marcus, and Rommader.”
“But what about you?”
I glanced at Omly. “I will be treated well. They need what I have.” Omly nodded and motioned for me to climb aboard the ship.
“Don’t try to follow us,” Omly said. “If there is any indication we are in danger, I won’t hesitate to hurt her. We can do lots of damage to a body, yet keep her alive.”
Ryad glared at Omly and I shook my head. “There will be no need for such measures. I am coming willingly.”
Omly nodded and pushed me up the ramp into the Nexleen ship. From the corner of my eye, I caught Ryad and the guards with him stari
ng at me. He looked so helpless, and that saddened me. It was a good thing I had transferred the mantle to Marcus, or Ryad would have been honor-bound to end his life at what he obviously felt was a failure.
****
The ship felt spacious, but I didn’t know how many invisible guards were in it. Few of the Nexleen dignitaries were here. I was sure only a part of them had been involved in this deception.
My guards led me to a seat and strapped me in. The takeoff was always jarring, but it soon stabilized and the g-force holding me against my seat relaxed enough I could shift and adjust the strap across my chest. I sat up as tall as I could and looked out the small window to the side of me. Rommader glowed with the light from our sun Zet reflecting off the surface. No matter how many times I had Traveled through space, I always loved the view of Rommader from above. I only hoped it wouldn’t be the last time I saw it.
I would get back home. Either they would return me as Omly had promised, or I would figure out a way to create a Traveling medallion to get back home. That formula had to have the right basis, but until I figured out the exact amounts, who knew when I could create it.
But when I did solve that problem, I’d have to make sure Omly and his buddies didn’t get the real formula to make it possible to Travel anywhere without limits. Too much was at stake.
About the Author
Laura D. Bastian grew up in a small town in central Utah and now lives in another small town in northern Utah. She always loved stargazing and imagining life outside her own little world. Though they grew up only thirty miles apart, she didn’t meet her husband until they went to college. A graduate of Utah State University with a degree in Elementary and Special Education, Laura has been using that training as she raises her children and writes make believe worlds. You can usually find her on her laptop either typing away, or on social media interacting with friends.
Don’t miss the story that started it all!
Chapter One
Neighbors
Bright headlights turning the corner interrupted my study of the constellations. Who would be roaming my neighborhood at three in the morning? I sat up and felt the rough shingles brush against my bare calves. I looked over the edge of the roof and watched the car as it passed. It pulled into the driveway at the house Celia had moved out of last month. Had it sold?
The car’s headlamps turned off, and a man stepped out from the driver’s side. He glanced right, then left, and walked over to the streetlight and placed a hand on the metal post. The bulb flickered before going out completely. The light from further down the street was fine. Had he done something to this one? Impossible. It had to be a fluke.
The passenger door opened, and I realized the car’s interior lights weren’t on. A second man got out. Though I couldn’t see him as clearly as the first, there was enough light to make out a few things. His body appeared big and strong, but something about it gave me the impression of youth. He couldn’t be more than twenty, a thought my seventeen-year-old mind found intriguing. He did a visual sweep of the area and walked toward the two-story house. He pulled keys out and opened the front door, then disappeared inside while the first man moved back to the idling car.
The lights in the house turned on one by one as if the guy inside were entering each room. Soon the stranger exited the house and strode purposefully toward the car. He slowed as he neared it then looked directly at me. Gooseflesh covered my arms, and I held my breath as if that could keep me hidden. It would be impossible for him to see me in the dark, but I didn’t move a muscle just in case. He motioned for the other man to join him then pointed at my roof. The first guy shook his head, and after a moment the younger man turned to the car.
He opened the back door and helped a young woman out of the car. He rushed her to the house, and the two disappeared inside. A second woman got out of the car while the man who’d touched the lamppost opened the trunk. They grabbed luggage and vanished into the house, leaving me once again alone with my stars.
****
“Mom, did you know someone moved into Celia’s house?” I asked.
“Really? I hadn't heard it sold.” Mom put a plate in the dishwasher. “Grab that cup for me, Holly.”
I handed her the cup, trying to cover a huge yawn. “I saw some people go in there last night.”
“Maybe we should take them a plate of cookies to welcome them to the neighborhood.” Mom pulled ingredients out of the cupboard and set them on the counter. “We’ll make some after work.”
I shook my head. “Mom, we can’t do that.”
Mom looked at me as if I was crazy. “Of course we can. We do that for all the new neighbors.”
“But these people are…” I couldn’t help thinking of the light going out or the way the one guy had seemed to look right at me. “Different.”
“I’m sure they are just like anyone else.” Mom went about her normal morning ritual, and I knew it would be useless to argue about the cookies.
“Can I drive today?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
Mom hesitated.
“Come on,” I pleaded. “I only hit one trash can, and it didn't even dent the car. I paid to get the paint touched up too. I'll be careful.” That scratch had prevented me from having a new telescope already.
Mom’s sigh spoke volumes.
I grinned and grabbed the keys from the hook on my way out the door. Mom slid into the passenger side and put her seatbelt on with exaggerated care. I clicked mine into place and backed out smoothly. Mom released the breath she’d been holding. I checked my mirror and stomped on the brake, jamming the gear into park. The younger guy from last night guided a moving van from an upscale furniture store into the driveway of Celia’s old house.
Daylight certainly was good to him. His blond hair and broad shoulders were just begging to be stared at. I glanced at Mom then shifted the car into drive. I peeked at the rearview mirror as I pulled forward. The expression on his face as he stared at my house didn’t look promising.
True to her word, Mom made chocolate chip cookies after we got home from the family-owned plant nursery. I wrapped the plate in cheap cellophane and attached a strip of tape across the bottom to hold it together. I ran upstairs to clean up a bit before Mom made me go meet the hot neighbor. I re-did my ponytail, capturing the strands that had escaped. I double-checked to make sure I didn't have any smears of dirt or potting soil on my face. A clean shirt and touched-up lip gloss completed my makeover before I went downstairs to wait for Mom.
“You can take these over on your own if you want,” she said. “I'll stay and finish the last two batches.”
I hesitated. Having a chance to see that guy without Mom was tempting. She'd probably tell me afterward what I could have done or said to be more friendly, or smoother, or more polite, or whatever. Yet, going alone meant I had to do all the talking, and what if they recognized me? I decided to wait for Mom. A simple smile and a shrug would let him know I did it to humor her, if he thought we were crazy. And with Mom there to do the talking, I could watch and see if anything else weird happened.
We stepped out into the warm June evening and made our way across the street.
“Holly!”
I cringed inside when Curtis hollered at me. He waved the cloth he’d been polishing his classic muscle car with. Since Mom was with me, I couldn’t just pretend I hadn’t heard him. I waved back and continued on down the street.
“Why don’t you and Curtis hang out like you used to?” Mom asked.
I shrugged. “We don’t like the same kinds of things.” Plus, his hands roam way too much when he’s close by.
Mom frowned and shook her head.
The moving van was gone and the house had an occupied feel to it again. Funny what a curtain could do to a home. The yard had a few dead spots of grass and weeds in the flower bed. Good thing Dad wasn't with us or he'd give them his business card.
Mom slowed down and let me walk up the stairs first. She could have done the welcome
-to-the-neighborhood spiel but kept forcing me to practice interacting with people. Apparently since my best friend had moved across the country last month, she thought I needed to get out more.
I ignored the doorbell and used the brass knocker they had added. It felt strange to be knocking. Celia and I had felt at home in either house. A slight movement of the curtain caught my eye. A shadow crossed the half-moon window above the knocker. My nerves rose and I took a deep breath to calm them. I looked up to meet deep blue eyes peering out the window.
The door opened and I was shocked to find the hot guy frowning at me. Close up, he was amazing. The combination of his gorgeous face and the expression on it stole my planned speech. He looked me over with unveiled annoyance, and my irritation rose. He didn’t even know me, and already I felt like summer break was over and I was back at school.
“What do you want?” His deep voice had an accent I couldn’t place.
“I, uh, I'm Holly Adams. This is my mom, Susan. We live down the street a little ways, and my mom — I mean — we thought it would be fun to welcome you to the neighborhood.” I stopped and cleared my throat.
I still held the plate of cookies. He looked down when I thrust them at him. “Here. These are for you.” He reached to take them and when our fingers touched, the same shiver I felt last night as I watched them hit me. I pulled my hands back and shoved them into my pockets.
He stared at the cookies then at me, confusion evident on his face. I glanced back at my mom for help. She smiled, but it looked a little forced. Maybe she'd think twice before making me bring cookies to any new neighbors again. Guess the visit wasn’t a total bust.
Turning back to him, I waited awkwardly, trying to think of something to say. If we waited long enough, Mom might say something. He glanced behind him then stepped into the center of the doorway, blocking my view of a girl gliding toward us.
“Who is it, Jai?” the girl asked. Her accent was thicker than his. He didn't say anything, just stood his ground. She was almost as tall as he was, so it was easy for her to peek around him. Her hair was a little darker than mine, and her green eyes were brighter. I’d need a team of personal stylists to look that good.
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