by Delia Roan
When she saw Rebecca, Farrah waved, and scrambled back down. “Isn’t it beautiful? It’s like a holovid!”
Rebecca walked to the edge of the pool. The crystal clear water contained shimmering aquatic creatures darting between rocks. At the very bottom sat multicolored gemstones.
Farrah pointed. “Those are lumi.”
“Like that little computer you carry around?”
“The lumis are named after the lumi stones. Some of them are really valuable, but those ones don’t look precious. If they were, people would have taken them away.”
“They are pretty though.”
Sighing, Farrah nodded wistfully at the gems. “Yeah, they’re lovely.”
Rebecca studied the girl’s face. “Want one?”
“Oh, yes!” Farrah replied. “But I can’t swim.”
“I figured. You can’t really fit a pool on a spaceship.” Rebecca pulled off her boots and flight suit. “But I can.”
The water chilled her when she jumped in, and she gasped.
Please, oh, please, don’t let any of the fish be carnivorous, she thought, as the creatures darted away.
She had to wonder at her sanity. It wasn’t healthy to frolic in unknown waters. What if she got sick? Or, worse yet, caught a parasite that burrowed into her brain to lay eggs?
On the shore, Farrah chewed her lip. Rebecca sighed. A band tightened around her chest. What if she left Farrah without a way to remember her?
Rebecca dove. Kicking her feet, she worked her way down. It was deeper than the community pool she’d frequented as a teenager back on Earth, but she made it to the bottom without trouble. She grabbed a handful of the bright pebbles, and made for the surface.
Her fist broke the water first as she held up her treasure. “Ta-dah!”
“Yay!” Farrah grabbed her arm and hauled her out.
They rinsed algae and dirt off the stones, and Farrah crowed with delight at the colors and patterns.
“Oh, Rebecca! They’re perfect! Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Farrah.” Rebecca shook out her hair, and rubbed her hands over her chilled skin. The expression on Farrah’s faced warmed her almost as much as the sun.
“You were amazing,” Farrah said, clutching the stones to her chest. “I wish I could swim.”
Rebecca responded without thinking. “I’ll teach you sometime.”
Farrah’s glee faded. She crouched down and let her hair fall over her face.
Well, crud.
“I-I mean, I’ll talk to Verdan. Maybe he can get you lessons some time.” Rebecca pulled on her clothes.
Farrah sniffed. “I don’t want you to leave.”
A lump formed in her throat. “I know, Farrah. But-”
“But you belong on Earth. Not here.”
Here? Here was heaven. Better than the rotting-fish stench of the ferry terminal where she’d worked. Better than the reek of cigarette smoke from the apartment next door. Better than her empty bed, and her boring days. How could she go back to all that after seeing all this?
Maybe when I get back to Earth, I’ll visit Thailand.
But she knew it wasn’t the sun and sparkling water that made this moment special.
She cleared her throat. “We better head back. Before your dad knows we’re gone.”
They took a wrong turn on the way back. They emerged at another clearing, but this one held the remains of an old house. Time had left nothing but a hollow framework, propped up by crumbling bricks. Plants grew from the empty window frames, and through the cracked cobblestones underfoot. A slow-moving reptile blinked at them before slipping under a rock.
“Huh, I guess people lived here?” Rebecca kicked at a stone, and it skittered away into the darkness of the door.
“R-333 used to be an Ennoi mining settlement,” Farrah said. “Guess people left when the war came.”
“You learn that when you researched the place?”
Farrah nodded. “Maybe we can find some artifacts. Come on!”
Rebecca grabbed her arm. “No way, kid. That wreck looks like it’ll fall down with a breeze. Besides, if we’re lost, we need to find the way back.”
“We’re not lost,” Farrah replied. “You took the wrong path at the mossy stone.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
Farrah shrugged. “I wanted to explore. I knew we wouldn’t get lost.”
“Now how do you know that?”
Farrah held up a small red cylinder and drew a squiggle on a tree. “I marked the path.”
“You’re a genius, you know? Show me the way back.”
Now that she knew of the marks, Rebecca led them back to the ship. It was closer than she’d expected. She stood and stretched her back, then froze. Farrah bumped into her.
“Wh-”
“Shhh,” Rebecca hissed. She pointed.
A pair of Dorians stood outside the ship’s ramp. Their attention remained fixed on the open hatch.
Rebecca’s heart thundered, and her body seemed locked in position. She flinched as a box flew out of the open door with a clang. The Dorians were raiding the ship. The Dorians outside scrambled for the box. A third stepped down onto the ramp. He looked up, squinting, and raised a hand to his eyes. Dorians lived in low light habitats. The sun was blinding him, but that wouldn’t last.
Gotta move now.
“Back,” whispered Rebecca. She fluttered her hand behind her until it made contact with Farrah. Then she nudged the girl. “Get back. To the pool.”
Rebecca wanted to dive back into the bushes, but her body alone shielded Farrah. The Dorian would notice her, yes, but maybe she could buy Farrah some time.
The Dorian froze. His body tensed.
“Run,” hissed Rebecca. She heard Farrah scurry away into the bushes, the sound of her movement fading rapidly.
The Dorian on the ramp shouted, pointing at Rebecca, and the other two Dorians turned in her direction.
For a second, Rebecca wanted run, but she had to stall them. Protect Farrah! Rebecca crouched and grabbed a stone. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it flying at the Dorians. Her aim was terrible, but the stone hit the side of the ship with a clang, and the Dorians ducked instinctively.
A second stone followed the first, but by the time she reached for the third, the Dorians had rallied. They strode toward her, leering.
“That’s a boring game, little Human,” said one in a sing-song voice. “Come play a better game with us.”
Rebecca hurled the third stone, and to her glee, it struck the Dorian directly in the face.
“Hah!” she yelled. “You wanna play? Come find me!”
She spun around and crawled back into the trail. At a sharp bend, she stopped and waited. The first Dorian made the turn and met her booted foot. The sound of his nose cracking made Rebecca grin. Falling back, he filled the air with curses.
Rebecca kept going, following Farrah’s red marks. When she reached the mossy rock, she paused long enough to grab a fallen log. Heaving it onto the trail, she blocked the path to the pool. She prayed it would be enough to conceal Farrah. Then, she continued on down the path that led to the ruins.
Bursting into the abandoned homestead, Rebecca froze. She needed a hiding spot. She needed to keep running.
She needed-
She screamed as a Dorian grabbed her shoulder, digging his sharp claws into her skin. The sound echoed through the jungle, and for a moment, she swore she heard someone yell her name.
“Got you!” The Dorian shook her. “You’re trouble!”
Rebecca jabbed the Dorian in the throat with the heel of her hand. He gasped for air, and she yanked her arm away. With a snap of her foot, she kicked him in the knee, making him drop to the ground.
“You don’t know the half of it!”
The other two Dorians emerged from the trees, and Rebecca felt grim satisfaction at the blood coating one’s face. The Dorian by her feet lurched fo
r her ankle, but she dodged him.
Rebecca searched for an exit. Only one way. She fled into the darkness of the forgotten house.
CHAPTER TEN
VERDAN
As he tore through the jungle, Verdan amended his list of greatest fears to add Rebecca’s scream. Maybe on the same line as Farrah’s. Despite his panic, he understood the implication.
He loved her.
He loved Rebecca.
His fear powered him through bushes and around trees. The scales along his body rippled and his skin grew warmer and warmer. He followed some sort of trail, but he didn’t have the time or patience to creep through. Over the freshness of flowers, he smelled a sharp, acidic scent which made him wrinkle his nose.
Dorian blood.
Pride filled his heart. His girls fought back.
Following the scent, Verdan burst into a clearing. Three Dorians were clustered around a dilapidated building, shaking the rough beams. The house groaned.
Verdan roared in challenge.
The Dorians turned, hissing to each other.
“Charge him! Now!”
Verdan broke into a sprint. As he ran, he unleashed his Virtue of the Avowed. Between one step and the next, his body buckled and snapped, switching between his Latent form and his Virtuous one. He dropped to all fours, his body expanding and his neck elongating. His scales overlapped his body like armor, tough and impenetrable.
As the Dorians charged, he dug one clawed foot into the ground and whipped around, smacking them with his tail. Two of the Dorians ducked, but the third flew back in the direction from which he came.
The pair remaining leaped onto Verdan. The first went for his eyes, while the second climbed onto his back, trying to peel back a scale so he could sink his teeth into Verdan’s flesh.
Amateurs, Verdan thought. These are not soldiers. Merely scavengers.
Throwing his weight to the side, he rolled, and felt a satisfying crunch as the Dorian on his back met his demise under Verdan’s bulk. The stink of Dorian blood and fear filled the air.
Back on his feet now, Verdan flicked his head from side to side, trying to shake off the Dorian clinging to his face. With a curse, the Dorian dropped and scrambled away, trying to make a break for the trees.
Verdan pounced. His claws slammed down on his enemy’s back, and pierced his thick hide. The Dorian thrashed for a moment, and then was silent.
One more to go.
Verdan looked up in time to see the last Dorian straining with a beam on the building. His heart lurched. He ran towards the Dorian, but he was too late.
With a crash, the building tumbled down.
No! No!
Verdan slammed into the Dorian, finishing him off with a quick snap of his jaws.
He dropped his Virtue, and stood once more on two legs. Grabbing the nearest stone, he began hauling debris away.
“Farrah! Rebecca!” To his horror, a groan answered him. The words were incomprehensible, but they were not Ennoi. “Hold on, Rebecca! Hold on! Is Farrah with you?”
Silence answered him.
Dust filled the air as he worked. Panic pounded in his chest. What if he shifted a stone wrong? What if he crushed Rebecca? What if Farrah was in there, and what if she…
“Farrah! Farrah, can you hear me? Answer me!”
A crash in the forest behind him made him spin around.
“Here! I’m here!” Farrah emerged from the trees, and relief flooded his body. She wore a mech suit, and with a few quick bounds, she crossed the clearing and reached his side.
“I’m okay. They didn’t get me.”
“Thank the Moon,” Verdan said. “I thought you were inside.”
Farrah didn’t reply. She merely grabbed a stone and threw it aside. “Let’s go get Rebecca.”
For a moment, Verdan was mesmerized by the determination in his daughter’s eyes. When had she grown so big? When had she stopped being the little girl who only needed him? No, she was old enough now to need more than he could provide.
Pulling his focus back to his task, he and Farrah worked to free Rebecca. Even with the mech suit, he knew Farrah must be struggling. Despite the dirt and sweat on her brow, she kept going.
“There!” Farrah pointed. “Her hand!”
Quickly, they cleared the area. When her face appeared, Verdan felt a flood of relief.
“She’s still breathing!” He patted her face gently, carefully avoiding the bloody area on her temple. “Rebecca?”
With a groan, she opened her eyes. “Verdan? I dreamed you turned into a dragon.”
“I’ll explain later. Are you hurt?”
“My leg…”
“Let’s get you out of here.”
***
Verdan paced the corridor outside Tumal’s spare bedroom. He longed to be inside, with Rebecca, but Farrah had burst into tears at the sight of Rebecca’s mangled leg. So instead, he paced outside while a doctor tended to his beloved.
My beloved.
Mine.
He didn’t quite understand it, but he knew it to be true. For the first time, in a long time, his heart beat again. For the first time, in a long time, his heart felt big enough to hold love for both Farrah and another.
He had a lot of time to think on the long ride from the clearing back to Tumal’s house. To his friend’s credit, he’d not said a word as Verdan had carried in a bloody Rebecca. He’d led them to the spare room while his son raced off to find the doctor.
Now they waited to see if an Ennoi doctor with no experience with Humans could patch up Rebecca.
Farrah sat in a chair, her head bowed. Her fingers fidgeted with a handful of shiny stones, and occasionally she sniffed.
Only infants weep, he thought, before pushing aside the sentiment. She might cry, but Farrah contained an Ennoi warrior’s spirit. She had come through when it mattered most. He had to admit that he felt like weeping himself, though whether of pride or sadness he could not tell. He sat beside her, and pulled her close, tucking her into the curve of his arm.
Stay little for a while longer, Farrah.
The door opened, and the doctor stepped out.
“How is she?”
“She’ll live.” The doctor rubbed her brow. “I’m not sure we can save the leg, though.”
Verdan’s heart sank. “Can I go see her?”
“Of course,” the doctor replied. “She’s awake and asking for you. For you both.”
Verdan’s hand trembled as he opened the door. He remembered opening another door, to another patient, a lifetime ago. Yet, the room beyond was not sterile hospital quarters, with solemn-faced doctors and sober nurses.
Bright sunlight streamed in from the wide windows. The bedspread across Rebecca’s legs was decorated in a bold geometric pattern, and outside, Verdan heard the laughter of children.
Rebecca opened her eyes. “Hi,” she said. Her voice croaked, and her words slurred, but her smile was strong. “Boy, am I glad to see you guys.”
Farrah dove into Rebecca’s arms. Rebecca winced as Farrah’s weight dropped onto her, but she wrapped her arms around the girl and patted her back.
“I am so sorry!” Farrah wailed. “If I hadn’t wanted to go out…”
“Then, we would have been trapped in the ship with Dorians,” Rebecca replied. “You have no reason to apologize. You didn’t do this.”
Farrah sniffled. “You’re not mad?”
“Not even a little bit. I’m just glad you didn’t get hurt.”
She looked past Farrah at Verdan’s face. A thousand words flitted between them.
“Hey, Farrah,” Rebecca said. “Can you do me a favor? If I’m going to be stuck here for a while, I’d like something pretty to fancy up the place. Could you find some flowers for that vase?”
Farrah bit her lip. “I guess?”
Verdan cleared his throat. “I am certain Tumal’s children can help you find the best flowers.”
; Farrah nodded. “Okay. You got me lumi, I’ll get you flowers.”
When the door shut behind her with a click, Verdan took Rebecca’s hand.
“Are you in much pain?”
Rebecca shrugged. “I dunno. The doctor gave me something. I’m flying right now.” She stuck out her free hand like an airplane wing. “Wheeeee.”
Verdan lowered his forehead to her hand. “I’m sorry.”
Rebecca sighed. “You didn’t do this either.”
Verdan shook his head. “No, I did not. But I also didn’t listen to you.”
She laughed at that. “Oh, my word! Am I still dreaming? Are you going to turn into a dragon again?”
“What is a dragon?”
“A mythical beast with wings and tail.”
“That… wasn’t a dream,” he said. “But no wings.”
“Oh.” She absorbed the information. “So, that’s a thing Ennoi can do? Become dragons?”
“It’s called the Virtue of the Avowed, and yes, Ennoi who have found their Avowed can change their forms.”
“Huh. Kinda badass.”
He frowned. “Is that a good thing?”
“Yes, Verdan. It’s a good thing. You’re a good thing.”
“You are the best thing.” He kissed her hand, and she closed her eyes and murmured happily.
“Say that again,” she said.
“You are the best thing of all things that exist.”
“Small joys,” she said, with a smile.
He shook his head. “No, not a small joy.”
She cracked her eye and stared at him. “Huh?”
“What we have could never be a small joy,” Verdan continued. “You have spent so much of your time seeking out scraps of happiness that you have missed the great big joy before you.”
“What’s that, then?” she asked.
He brushed a hand over her brow. “Love can never be small.”
“Love?” Tears glistened in her eyes.
“Yes. I love you.”
She closed her eyes, and a tear trailed down her cheek. “Not bad for broken words, Verdan.”
“My words may be broken, but you have healed me. I wish to return the kindness. Together, we could be whole.”