by Sue Duff
They reappeared in a basement. With a wave of his father’s hand, Jaered lifted from the concrete floor and crashed into the wall. He slumped down, robbed of breath and unable to cry out.
“What is this?” Eve demanded while running down the stairs.
“He made a side trip to Thrae,” Aeros said. “I had to retrieve him.”
She paused at the bottom step. “What did you do to him?”
“Keep him alive until I get back,” Aeros said.
“Where are you going?” Eve scoffed. “I want nothing to do with your bastard son.”
“I didn’t say to make him comfortable.” The room brightened as Aeros made to shyft. “I have a hunt.”
“No!” Jaered made to rise but collapsed at Eve’s feet. A sonic boom, and the room darkened. His father was gone.
Eve crouched down. “Oh, Jaered.”
“He’s going after Rayne,” Jaered said.
“She’s alive?” Eve closed her eyes. “Oh, thank God.”
He leaned against the wall and tried to straighten his legs to stand, but didn’t get very far. Eve threw his arm over her shoulders and hung onto his belt, hoisting him up the rest of the way. He clenched his jaw at the unbearable pain. “How could he know? They hid her before he got there.”
Eve leaned him against the wall to examine his back. She stilled. “There’s a mark on your side, in the shape of a handprint.”
“The second he lays eyes on her, he’ll know she’s the one. He’ll kill her, just like he did Kyre.”
“Right now, you’re my concern.” Eve adjusted the sconce on the wall. “I waited for you after you left. Then flames burst from the vortex on this end and snuffed out. I’d never seen anything like it. Mac called about an hour later, told me what happened. I’ve been frantic, not knowing where you ended up or if you were both even alive.”
“We’ve got to do something,” he said.
“Is she with Gwynn and Sophenna?” Eve asked. Jaered nodded. “Then we trust that my sisters will keep her safe.”
{28}
The people shuffled toward the various doors that led out of the cavern. For the third time, the column of energy shimmered bright. Everyone froze. After a couple of seconds, it returned to its rhythmic, low hum.
A sea of panicked faces turned toward Gwynn. She gestured for everyone to sit.
“What’s wrong,” Rayne whispered.
“He came back,” Gwynn said with unease and squeezed Rayne’s hand. They sat on their rock. “Remain very still.”
Rayne stared at a young family across from her. When the wife met her gaze, Rayne smiled and the woman gave Rayne a subtle nod. The couple wasn’t much older than Rayne. The boy in their lap looked to be about three. The child had been resting against his mother’s chest for what had to be half an hour, without stirring.
No one in the room moved. The Thraens’ patience and self-control was astounding. Had most of the Thraen populace grown up living in fear? It struck Rayne that people from war-torn countries back on Earth would have more in common with the Thraens than she did.
The longer Rayne sat, the more she saw Jaered through a different lens. She was the mirror image of his murdered wife. It explained his strange drive to protect her over the past several months—and his tortured eyes whenever he looked at her. What had Jaered done that drove Aeros to kill his wife? Was Jaered’s hatred for Aeros his motivation to join Eve and her rebels? He had told Rayne once that the rebels’ fight was with Aeros. She thought back to the events of the previous night. What had they done to Patrick? Why force her to drain Ian’s core, only for Jaered to restart it? The unanswered questions brought on a headache and restlessness set in. She shifted her weight on the rock to combat the numbing sensation in her buttocks, but at the sound of her shuffling, fearful glances shot her way.
Rayne studied the faces. An entire world’s population had been reduced to this? Jaered was their Heir. These were his people. Gradually, Rayne grew to understand the source of his rage.
After what felt like an eternity, the column shimmered, then drew still. A collective sigh filled the cavern.
“He’s gone,” Gwynn said.
The dread in her voice stilled Rayne’s heart. “Maybe he didn’t—”
“He never leaves without taking a life.” Gwynn slowly rose from the rock like it pained her to stand. The floor and walls of the cavern came alive with rising bodies.
“Two coming, two going,” rang through the gathering crowd.
“Gwynn, why two?” a woman asked. “Did he take two lives this time?”
“Is she why?” A man pointed at Rayne and gave her an irritated look. “Cause she’s no ghost.”
“We’ll convene and share what we know later, I promise. Meet back here at dusk,” Gwynn said. “In the meantime, let us bury our fallen and embrace those who are left”
They removed the iron bar from the thick, planked door. Those closest held back, with downcast eyes, allowing Gwynn and Rayne to exit first. The Pur Weir back on Earth treated Ian with similar solemn reverence.
She took Rayne’s hand, and they led the procession out of the tunnel. From over her shoulder, Rayne noticed that some groups separated at the various forks in the path, and their numbers thinned to just a handful by the time they reached the pantry door.
Gwynn paused before opening it. “Liem, we need to locate Sophenna as soon as possible. Bring her to my apartment when you find her. Trae, you and the others check on the control room, and then make a sweep of the perimeter wall.” She pulled a lever next to the door and it popped open. The tall, wiry man she called Liem hung their straw cloaks on the hooks.
The pantry’s pungent assortment of cinnamon, onions, garlic, and basil sent Rayne’s stomach gurgling.
Gwynn stood at the bedroom doorway, gripped the edge of the jam, and hung her head.
“What is it?” Rayne looked inside. Jaered was gone and the vat sat empty. “Did Angus move him to a safer place?”
“No,” Gwynn said. She approached and ran her finger along the inside of the vat. “The Lavolae, it’s gone.”
The vat didn’t have a drain. “Why would Angus remove it?”
“He wouldn’t.” Gwynn left Rayne and set the kettle on the stove but when she went to light a match, her hand shook and she couldn’t strike it. She bent over the counter and her chest rose and fell with heartbreaking sobs.
“Two coming, two going,” Rayne whispered. “He took Jaered—”
“And then came back for Angus,” Gwynn said.
“Is he going to kill them?” Rayne hugged herself at the thought of losing Jaered. Her concern wasn’t only for her return trip to Earth.
“Aeros can’t kill Jaered. He needs him.”
“Then he must have realized Jaered’s injuries were too severe, and came back for the doctor,” Rayne said.
Gwynn composed herself enough to light the match. When she turned the knob, flames flickered like a blue flower. “Aeros took the Lavaloe for Jaered.” She stared at the fire. “He took my husband as retribution.”
A knock at the outer door. Liem poked his head in. “I found her.” His voice softened. “She’s in a bad way.”
“That sadistic animal,” Gwynn said under her breath. She gripped the edge of the stove with white knuckles.
Liem glanced around. “Gwynn, where’s Angus?” When she didn’t respond, he looked at Rayne. She slowly shook her head.
The cruel reality left the man visibly shaken, and he stared at a worn, overstuffed chair at one end of the room, as if waiting for the old doctor to materialize in what must have been his favorite seat.
Rayne brushed at a tear, not for a man she barely knew, but as if Dr. Mac were suddenly struck down. Angus was clearly respected and loved. He didn’t deserve to be murdered, not when he’d devoted his life to so many.
“How do you want me to announce this?” Liem asked gently.
Gwynn swiped at her face and placed the kettle on the stove. She set about rinsing out th
e mugs from the sink, keeping her back to the rest of the room. “When I address everyone tonight, I’ll let them know.”
He looked stricken. “I can meet with them, Gwynn. Under the circumstances.”
“Help Trae and the others.” Gwynn held a hearty pinch of tea leaves between her fingers and stuffed them into the walnut strainer.
“I wouldn’t leave it past that bastard to damage our life supports,” Liem said.
“Aeros isn’t stupid enough to kill his bargaining chips,” Gwynn said. “We’re the only thing keeping the Heir under his thumb.”
He turned to leave, but he paused with his hand on the doorknob. “I’ll be back to escort you to the meeting.”
“Liem.” Gwynn looked at him from over her shoulder. “Thank you.”
He walked out and closed the door behind him.
A moment later, the kettle whistled with a burst of steam. Rayne startled. Gwynn filled two thermoses with the hot tea. She screwed tops back on that looked like they could do double duty as cups, then handed the thermoses to Rayne. She opened a cupboard and pulled out a blanket and medical bag from the closet. The weathered appearance told Rayne it had made thousands of house calls.
Gwynn paused at the door to the apartment. “Come, Rayne. My sister needs us.”
Any remnants of lingering doubt vanished. Rayne knew Gwynn was indeed Ian’s mother.
{29}
Gwynn led Rayne through the winding tunnel. They passed the door of the storage vortex room. Someone had secured it with an iron bar. The light bulb above the door emitted a steady amber glow.
They soon came to another door and Gwynn paused. She let herself in without knocking. The apartment layout was identical to Gwynn and Angus’s, but unlike their sparse and simple furnishings, Sophenna’s apartment was filled with antiques. It felt as if she’d stepped into a museum. Ancient furniture, paintings, sculptures and trinkets littered every inch of space; a few were kept on display in glass cabinets.
Gwynn gently knocked on the bedroom door and a second later, a plump woman opened it.
“Catherine, thank you for coming,” Gwynn said.
“That tyrant,” Catherine hissed. She stepped out into the living room and closed the bedroom door behind her. “He’s sick and twisted. Why does he target her?”
“Because she is the one thing he can’t have in this universe.” Gwynn patted her arm. Go home to your family. We’ll meet in the cavern at dusk.
Catherine nodded and grabbed a sweater from the back of an intricately carved chair. When she turned, she caught sight of Rayne and paused with parted lips. “Oh, lordy.”
“This is Rayne,” Gwynn said. “She’s from—”
“Earth. Has to be, right? Unless I’m dead and don’t know it,” Catherine said. “Welcome.” The woman dropped her face and scurried by Rayne, exiting the apartment.
Gwynn hesitated and gave Rayne a pained smile. “Sophenna will be shocked to see you. But I’m hoping you will also bring her some comfort.”
“How?” Rayne said.
“Because she is Jaered’s mother,” Gwynn said. They entered the bedroom with quiet steps, but Rayne held back near the doorway. Unlike Angus and Gwynn’s apartment, this didn’t have a vat full of Lavolae. The bed had pillows and a thick, lacy comforter that had seen better days.
A woman was nestled in the covers. Her long, golden hair had streaks of honey and gray. When she opened her eyes, they were the most beautiful shade of blue she’d ever seen. The woman was striking. She gave Gwynn a weak smile and raised her arms to her sister.
Gwynn set her supplies down at the foot of the bed and embraced Sophenna. They hugged tight for several minutes, not speaking.
Pictures on the dresser caught Rayne’s eye and she wandered closer but drew back with her hand to her mouth. The photos were of Jaered and her, but it wasn’t her. Rayne stared at a life that she had never lived.
It struck her that she’d never seen Jaered smile, not once. Rayne picked up one of the frames and drank in a side of the man he’d never revealed. Happy, loving, content, and carefree. The black-and-white photos ranged from his childhood all the way up to a wedding that looked simple and intimate. Jaered and Kyre stood in a field, a ring of woven flowers in her hair with a darkened sky as a backdrop. The couple held hands and gazed into each other’s eyes. A scattering of people flanked them with Sophenna, Gwynn, and Angus among them. Rayne’s stomach twisted at the sight of Dr. Mac’s paral. What was Aeros doing to them? Were they even still alive? Rayne pressed the thermoses against her chest, but their warmth couldn’t stave off a shudder.
A shared sigh and the two sisters separated a moment later, but pressed foreheads as if unwilling to break their bond just yet.
“Jaered brought someone with him,” Gwynn said.
“He begged me to help hide them, but it had been so long.” Sophenna whimpered. “I couldn’t leave him.”
“Shuuush,” Gwynn hushed. “As injured as he was, he looked good,” she said, but chuckled at her own oxymoron.
Jaered’s mother nodded and laughed. “He did. A little weathered.” She leaned back. A curtain of tears clouded her eyes. “He never could stay out of the thick of things.”
Gwynn cupped her sister’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead. “He’s fighting the good fight for all of us.”
Sophenna’s tears dampened her stained ringlet bedspread. When Jaered’s mother turned to swipe at her face, she caught sight of Rayne across the room.
Gwynn tucked her sister’s hair behind her ear. “This is Rayne.”
Sophenna’s gaze fell to the photo in Rayne’s hand. Self-conscious, Rayne placed the picture back where she’d found it. Jaered’s mother slipped out of bed, but cringed and pressed a fist to her lower abdomen. She bent over and grabbed her comforter. It took a couple of seconds for her to stand upright. Bright-red splotches dotted her loose-fitting nightgown.
Gwynn rose from the bed. “Let me check—”
“It’s nothing I haven’t lived through before.” Sophenna approached Rayne with unsteady steps and held out her hand. “Welcome,” she said softly, gently. Rayne took her hand. Sophenna stepped close and pressed Rayne’s hand to her chest. The woman’s heartbeat was rapid and strong. “In another life, I adored you, loved you as if my own child.”
Rayne swallowed as words escaped her. The lines of a hard life were etched as shallow curves in Sophenna’s features. None of this was familiar. There wasn’t a history between them, yet Rayne felt at ease.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Rayne said with more emotion than she would have guessed.
Sophenna gave her a radiant smile. “The universe is nothing but fluid. We can all take comfort in that.”
Gwynn took her sister by the shoulders and guided her back to bed. “Rayne, why don’t you give us a few minutes, so I can attend to my sister.”
Rayne left the bedroom, but leaned against the closed door, at a loss for how to help. She had been thrust into an unfamiliar world that needed more than she could give.
A sword with a gilded handle caught her eye and she made her way through the apartment, peering at the museum-quality artifacts. Some items looked to be hundreds of years old, others from the early fifties, at least back on Earth. She glanced about the room and it dawned on her what was missing. No color photos. There wasn’t anything modern about the things she’d seen thus far, other than Angus’s miraculous Lavolae. Thrae was a parallel world to Earth, yet their differences extended way beyond the color of the sky. It felt as if Thrae had stalled in time, by fifty, sixty years or more.
Rayne rubbed her arms to ease the jitters. Claustrophobia had set in the longer she moved about windowless dwellings. She wondered if she’d ever see a blue sky, or feel the warmth of the sun on her face again.
{30}
Jaered stood at the edge of the path focused on the upright door nestled in a field of crimson poppies. Invisible walls held it up with a blue sky as its backdrop. A bright ray of sunshine beckoned
him from the keyhole in the six-paneled door. Warmth churned inside him and peace embraced him like a glove.
He took a step toward the door, and then another. More than anything, he wanted to find Kyre inside and leave the path that surely someone else could walk in his absence.
An invisible force stilled his hand as he reached for the knob. At that moment, Jaered knew he couldn’t—shouldn’t enter. He retraced his steps, each one agonizing and strenuous, taxing his muscles and his sheer will, but he persevered and returned to the trail. One final glance at the door, then he turned down the path and headed for the distant void and its unknown.
Jaered rubbed his face back and forth across the bed, erasing the image and blocking out the inviting door, pitching his world into darkness. The physical world returned with an ache and buried Kyre’s memories under a pile of agonizing pain.
Someone placed an icy compress on his back, and then another across the back of his arm. The pain eased and then vanished. A hand patted the back of his leg. “He’ll heal, thanks to the Lavolae,” Angus’s gravelly voice announced. “But his burns were quite severe. It takes a tremendous toll on the body. He would recover better, faster in his boost.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Aeros snapped.
“He can’t use the boosts on Earth,” Eve said. “If he was placed in one, he would be susceptible to the Curse.”
“We need him to be able to move freely among both the Pur and Duach.” Aeros’ voice grew closer as he approached the bed. Jaered’s father fingered the pillowcase next to his head. “I’m shocked at how comfortable you made him,” Aeros said.
“That’s what makes us such effective partners,” Eve said. “What little humanity I still possess, cancels out what you lost centuries ago.”
“Still, he’s not in your favor,” Aeros said. “At least that’s what you would have me believe.”