Karrew’s deep caw signaled her to join him. She embraced her bird form and, sailing on warm currents of air, soared over the Sekan River and into the foothills. The Dojanack Mountains rose to unimaginable heights, creating a skyline of crystal, obsidian, granite, and rose quartz peaks that caught the sunlight and tossed a medley of colors into the sky.
Landing in Human form, she pressed a hand to her heart and soaked in the magnificence of her new home.
Karrew came to rest on her outstretched arm, ruffled his feathers, and let them resettle along the sleek lines of his body. “The Dojanacks underwent some spectacular changes as a result of the upheaval on Earth,” he croaked. “They are even more impressive than I imagined.”
Almiralyn inhaled the fresh summer air and held her breath until her lungs forced her to exhale. “They are spectacular.” A laugh of unfettered joy burst from her heart. Karrew flapped his wings and cawed. When their chorused response to Myrrh’s beauty faded, she looked back the way they had come.
“We must find the cottage, Karrew. The sun is already past its zenith. Alli has been alone long enough, and I’m hungry.” She shifted once more and soared upward until the mountains, grasslands, and forest formed a patchwork of varied colors, shapes, and textures beneath her. The sheer splendor sent a rush of wonder through her. Swooping lower, she watched a pack of wolves sprawled on a rock, enjoying the warmth of the sun. At the bottom of a steep ravine, a large mountain lion glanced up from his fresh kill. The foothills rolled into the Grasslands where mice, butterflies, bees, and rabbits went about the business of living. In the Terces Wood, trees and forest creatures whispered her name, spreading the word of her arrival in Myrrh.
With her heart overflowing, she swooped over her acreage and alighted in Human form, her gaze taking in every detail. Her eyes came to rest on the barn, already full of livestock—horses, chickens, a dog, and a cat with a litter of kittens. A half turn brought her around to face her cottage, the one she had designed. She had chosen its layout and its magic. It will shift to serve my needs. A smile accompanied the thought.
Circuiting the end of a beautiful pond, she crossed the garden to a tall maple tree where Karrew perched on top of a tree house. “Isn’t it wonderful,” she called, setting a tire swing in motion.
The back door opened. Allynae leaned against the doorframe. “I thought I heard you. Are ya happy?” He laughed. “What a silly question. I can see it in your face. You are in love with the land, and you have only just arrived.”
She strode toward the cottage. “Wait until you have explored more, Alli. The forest, the grasslands, the foothills . . . and the mountains! I can’t wait for you to see the Dojanacks.” She stopped at the foot of the steps. “I’m starving. What have you discovered in the pantry?”
He bowed her into the kitchen, where pale peach walls glowed in the afternoon sun and a fire in the wood-burning stove heated a kettle of water for tea. Arranged on a rectangular table at center of the room, a tempting display of fruits and nuts, fresh churned butter, honey the color of amber, and creamy goat cheese made Almiralyn’s mouth water. A loaf of warm bread filled the kitchen with its mouth-watering aroma. Her stomach responded with a deep, hungry growl.
She arched a delicate brow. “You’ve been busy.”
“Wish I could take credit, but this was all here and ready. All but the bread, that is. It was delivered just before you arrived by a small, stout man who introduced himself as a Wood Tiff.”
Almiralyn nodded. “Tiffs are the caretakers of the trees of the Terces Wood. I can’t wait to meet them.”
Karrew swooped in through the open window and landed on his perch. “Home at last,” he croaked, eyeing the feast.
Allynae set a bowl of fresh berries and nuts near his perch. “Whoever arranged this didn’t forget you.”
Karrew dipped his head up and down and cawed. “I repeat . . . home at last.”
Overwhelmed by gratitude, Almiralyn took her place at the table. Opposite, Allynae spread fresh bread with butter and honey. He caught her eye and smiled. “What’s first on the agenda?”
“The sun will be setting soon. I suggest we pay a visit to your cabin to ensure it meets with your approval. Then I have things to do in my sanctuary. Will you stay there tonight or return here?”
“You have Karrew to protect you. I’ll stay at my own place. I haven’t had time to myself for a while.” He savored the last of his bread and brushed the crumbs from his hands. “Besides, we need to check the connection between the Novisi Crystal and Elcaro’s Eye.” A yawn spread into a full-bodied stretch. “It’s been a long turning.”
“And a thrilling one.” Almiralyn sighed contentedly and enjoyed the final bite of a newly ripe peach.
When the kitchen was tidy, Karrew flew out the open window, cawing for them to join him. Almiralyn jogged down the back steps, linked arms with Allynae, and strolled beside him across the back garden, absorbing the beauty of light splashing across the pond as the sun began its descent toward the horizon.
Allynae grinned. “Race ya to the paddock.”
Chasing each other like children, they arrived behind the barn gasping for breath and laughing. Four horses and a pony whinnied a welcome. A rooster crowed, and a big, shaggy dog bounded in from the field, tail wagging and eyes bright and eager.
Allynae scratched his ears. “Buster, my friend, good to see ya.”
Almiralyn bent to scrub her hands up and down his sides. A wet, pink tongue soaked her cheek. Laughing, she straightened. “Alli, your cabin is midway between the cottage and Demrach Gateway—a substantial walk. Since it’s late, let’s ride. Which horse would you like?”
He opened the gate and patted a large stallion the color of ebony. “Gemlucky was bred for you.” A low whistle summoned a roan mare. “I rather like Saylo.” He scratched the roan’s ear and led her into the barn.
Almiralyn rubbed Gemlucky’s forelock. “I’m glad to see you, my friend.” He snorted a response, tossed his head, and ambled after her through the big, double doors. In almost no time, he was saddled and ready to go. Mounting with the ease of an experienced rider, she guided him from the barn and through the garden to the edge of the trees.
The forest, a very different environment when the turning’s light followed the sun lower in the sky, greeted them with silky shadows and the coolness of coming night. Ahead of her, Allynae scanned the trail, glanced back at her, and frowned. Reining Saylo to a stop, he waited for her. “Something’s strange. Can you feel it?”
Closing her eyes, Almiralyn concentrated. A subtle silence hung like a filmy curtain in the woods. The trees seemed to hold themselves at attention. Wildlife paused in the twilight, alert and watchful. Gemlucky blew out a soft breath, dropped his head, and nibbled the grass at the edge of the trail. A bird chirped. A small critter scurried through dried leaves. Whatever had disturbed the peace of the Terces Wood had passed.
Allynae shrugged. “Guess I was imagining things.”
Almiralyn frowned. “No, something was here. Now it’s gone. Let’s get you to the cabin, so I can return to the cottage before night overtakes us.”
Nudging Saylo into a slow trot, Allynae followed the trail to a large clearing where a cabin sat close to the trees on the far side. Two outbuildings to the left were already dappled in shadow. Karrew flew to the porch and landed on the back of a rocker. Allynae dismounted and led Saylo into one of the outbuildings. Almiralyn tossed Gemlucky’s reins over a bush, patted his neck, and joined Karrew.
Her gaze moved around the clearing. “Did you sense something odd just before we arrived?”
His neck feathers ruffled and settled. “I did, but could find nothing. I’ll keep watch while we wait for Alli.”
With a sigh, she relaxed in the rocker, closed her eyes, and lost herself in the peaceful sounds of dusk.
“He comes.” Karrew’s soft caw snatched her from the verge of sleep.
Beneath half-closed lids, she observed her brother. The KcernFensian Council of
Thirteen had offered him a leadership role for which he had extensive training. But he had never wanted to be rich or famous or powerful. Life on Myrrh appealed to his easygoing nature. She yawned and stretched.
The porch step creaked. He smiled down at her. “Shall we see what there is to see?” Pushing the door open, he stepped into his new home.
She held back, allowing him time alone in the cool dimness. The sound of his boots crossing the hardwood floor called her to the doorway. He stood by a small table, removing the glass chimney from an oil lamp. A snap of his fingers would have ignited it. Instead, he struck a match and touched the wick. The flame flared. A small adjustment softened it to a warm glow that penetrated the shadows of the fading day. He held it up and walked slowly around his domain.
The front room was functional. In the large, fieldstone fireplace on the west wall, a fire had been laid ready to light. An array of comfortable furniture in rich autumn tones formed a semi-circle in front of it. Bookcases filled with all manner of reading material lined the walls on either side of the fireplace. To the left, a nook of a kitchen provided what he would need to cook. Up a steep stairway, a sleeping loft nestled beneath the eaves.
While Almiralyn watched him explore, Karrew perched on her arm, his glowing eyes taking in every detail. Grinning from ear to ear, Allynae descended the loft stairs. “It’s perfect, Mira. I have everything I need.” He put the lamp down and rummaged in a large pack by the door. “One last thing before you go back.” He held up a quartz crystal the size of an ostrich egg. “Novisi.” Setting it on the mantle, he faced her. “Go, Almiralyn. I know you have things to do before bed. When do you want to connect Novisi and Elcaro’s Eye?”
“Expect me to contact you later tonight.” She walked onto the porch and gazed at the fading streaks of orange and salmon arcing above the edge of the clearing. Her brother’s arm around her shoulders made her smile. She glanced up. “Thank you for coming with me, Alli. It means more than you know.”
He gave her a quick hug. “Couldn’t stand to be left behind. Now go so I can unpack.” He scanned the clearing. “Keep your eyes open, Mira.”
“I’ll stay alert and so will Karrew.” She skipped down the steps and mounted Gemlucky. When her protector had settled on her shoulder, she waved. “Until later, Alli.”
Above the canopy, the sun dropped below the horizon. The velvet black of night slipped through the forest like a panther, devouring the color and leaving the greens and browns of the daylight hours muted to gray. Gemlucky paused to sniff the air, flicked his tail, and continued his ambling pace toward the cottage. The sounds of night filled the air—the deep ribbit of a frog, the hoot of an owl, a cricket’s song. On her shoulder, Karrew remained silent. She knew that, as she did, he listened and absorbed.
The barn, a dark shadow against the vanishing light, became visible as they emerged from the trees. Almiralyn guided Gemlucky to the tack room, removed the saddle and bridle, rubbed him down, and released him in the paddock.
As she strolled through the garden, Karrew landed on her shoulder. “Help arrives tomorrow?”
Almiralyn scratched his breast feathers. “A couple from a nearby village are coming to help with chores. They’ll move into the cabin on the far side of the pond.” She entered the kitchen and smiled. “Look, Karrew, the walls have changed color just like I wanted them to.”
Alighting on his perch, Karrew bobbed his head. “They were peach earlier, and now they’re a soft, cozy yellow. You look happy.”
“I am. I can’t wait to see the rest of the cottage and spend time in my sanctuary. Are you coming?”
“You need time alone. I’ll keep watch here.”
She smiled at the ebony eye watching her every move. “Thank you, Karrew.”
After stoking the wood-burning stove for morning, she picked up her oil lamp and stepped into the hall. The quiet of the cottage embraced her. She closed her eyes and sighed. With silence as her partner, she explored the first floor: a study, a dining room, a comfortable living room, a guest bedroom and bath, and an empty room that could become whatever she required. The second floor had an elusive number of bedrooms and baths that she knew would shift and change depending on her need. Now, the most important room of all—my sanctuary. She paused in the doorway. This is where I will track the progress of The Unfolding once it has begun.
As though cued by her arrival, shafts of soft light from the full moon shot through the windows on the eastern wall; washed the room in cool, white luminosity; and bathed the opposite wall in shimmering iridescence, highlighting the map of Myrrh engraved there.
Setting her lamp on a small table, she sank into the room’s only chair. Cushioned softness cradled her. She hugged herself. “I’m finally here.”
With a sigh of contentment, she crossed to a tattered trunk sitting beneath the windows. Tonight I have things to do. Unbuckling the leather straps, she opened the lid. Moonlight etched out the contents. These and my mother’s gift are the treasures of my office—the things that will help me keep Old Earth safe.
She picked up a leather scabbard, not much longer than the length of her hand and withdrew the sacred knife Efillaeh. Amethysts in the gold handle sent prism-like diamonds darting around the room. The blade, forged in the heart of the Evolsefil Crystal, began to grow warm. Shimmering color the deep green of emeralds spun a cocoon around it. Holding the knife high, Almiralyn raised her voice in song.
“Efillaeh, the healing blade,
Bless this cottage, wood, and glade.
Heal all those who wander near.
Open hearts and melt their fear.
* * *
When the Unfolding begins to rise,
Keep my heart and mind apprised
Of whom must next receive your gift
In time to mend the coming rift.”
Green and purple dimmed with the final words. The silver blade cooled. She returned Efillaeh to the scabbard and replaced it in the trunk.
Removing the blue ribbon from around her neck, Almiralyn cupped her mother’s velvet pouch in her hands and closed her eyes. The memory of Mairin Nadrugia’s lovely face teased a faint, sad smile to her lips. I wish you could see Myrrh, Maman. Loneliness mingled with sadness as she tipped a blue gemstone flecked with gold onto her palm. Mined on the planet of Tao Spirian and rarely allowed off the planet, Zullia, known as the Stone of Remembering, stimulated memory, magnified courage, and soothed away fear.
As the smooth, rounded stone began to glow, happy memories washed over her. Grandmaman received this piece from the hands of a Tao Spirian mystic and presented it to Maman at her temple initiation. Now, I am its steward. Again, her mother’s face filled her sight and faded. The stone’s inner light muted. Smiling, she returned it to the velvet pouch and placed it next to the knife.
Chealim’s trunk contained two more precious items. Moonlight highlighted the circular face of the Compass of Ostradio. She picked it up. The red lettering stood out against the white background; and the slender, gold needle jiggled when her hand moved. Turning it over, she ran an index finger gently across the deep blue metal of the case and the sprinkled glints of white representing the stars in the night sky. A small piece of an asteroid, nestled at the center of the compass in a nest of spun quartz crystal, enabled the compass to absorb the geography of any planet or place. She held it up in the light of the full moon.
“Patterns of Myrrh’s landscape rare,
Forests, grasslands, mountains fair,
Absorb these secrets into thee
And all else that we should see.”
The needle spun in a golden blur. Letters blazed the fiery crimson of the Great Central Suns. The glints of white on the back rearranged themselves into the constellations of the Myrrhinian sky. The needle stopped. The letters returned to a muted red. Almiralyn pressed the compass to her heart before returning it to its place in the battered leather trunk.
The last and most precious item in her arsenal of treasures drank in the moon’s rad
iance like an elixir. Just three inches high and carved from the rarest alabaster in The Universe, the miniature fountain, Elcaro’s Eye, glistened as she placed it on the hardwood floor at the center of the sanctuary. For a long moment, reverence held her quiet. Then she took a deep breath and recited the words that would bring it into place and time.
“Elcaro, the All-Seeing-Eye,
Grow to size that I may spy
Within your depths the heart of things
And all that The Unfolding brings.
* * *
Expand your width and height to be
My eyes that I may know and see.
I clap my hands to call you forth.
Spring to size from your true north.”
Three sharp claps rang out. The tiny fountain quivered. Azure mist swirled around it. A flash of blazing white light preceded a resounding crash of thunder. The cottage rocked on its foundation. Darkness enveloped the room. Sudden silence left Almiralyn holding her breath. A dazzling shaft of moonlight shot through the window and pooled around the full-sized Elcaro’s Eye. On the edge of the bowl knelt the sculpted image of the new Guardian of Myrrh. A long braid spilled over her shoulder and around the carved rim. Water trickling from open palms filled the sanctuary with the sound of its rippling arrival in the oval bowl. Coveted by many for its connection to the Evolsefil Crystal and its potential for prediction, the fountain had been placed in her care by the Galactic Guardians with the admonition to protect it with her life. The weight of that responsibility washed over her.
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