Images of the path to follow entered her mind. The life energy of moss glowed a soft green to light her way, a path of metaphorical bread crumbs laid down by the trees to lead her to the sunsrise.
She ran, weaving through the trees and up the hill to the top of a cliff. The twin suns rose above the horizon seconds after her arrival. Two weeks without this ritual was too long.
Beams of energy and light fell around her, lifting her hair, swirling around her bare arms and down her legs. The magic of the suns soothed the pain and stiffness from the fall and run of the day before. It cleansed her skin of the welts and burns left by the dream.
She let the energy flow through her body, easing her troubled heart and clearing her mind.
As the suns rose higher, the magic melted away, filling Talia with peace and hope. Tears streamed down her face as she let the trees’ morning song wash over her.
The sound of Talia creeping through the cave woke Landry. His training kicked in as he lay quietly assessing the situation. Was she running from him and where did she plan to go?
Dropping his mental walls, he reached for her emotions and sensed an urgency compelling her to the door. As soon as she stepped through the cave entrance, he pulled on his boots and pushed the first and second buttons on the underside of his belt, activating his cloaking shield and the pickup call before following her.
He almost bumped into her outside of the cave. She stood there in bare feet with arms spread wide for a moment before running into the woods. Landry paused, frowning as her laughter drifted back to him.
When Talia moved out of site, Landry jumped back into action. He ran light-footed, familiarity with the land at his advantage, following her to the cliff summit.
She stopped and lifted her arms once again.
Landry crouched behind a bush and watched Talia transform again. Her hair lifted off her shoulders and streamed out behind her, and then the light from the rising suns enveloped her. In seconds, she glowed like a third sun. He shielded his eyes as beams of light bounced away from her and encircled him.
The energy was similar to when he touched Talia, but this time his strained muscles repaired themselves. Fatigue and soreness dissipated in moments. When the light returned to normal, Landry experienced a sinking hollowness open up in the pit of his stomach.
Talia stood calmly, her skin clear, her eyes bright and a deeper shade of violet than normal. Her tear-streaked face glowed with beauty. Fresh as the sunsrise after rain. Pure and perfect.
This was her secret, the one he sensed her holding onto even as she shared her nightmares with him.
Landry understood Talia’s desire to keep this gift a secret. She was a priestess appealing to the gods. But unlike the money-grubbers on the nets, the gods answered her. He looked away, ashamed to intrude on her supplication.
Before he could retreat, voices filled the air around him. Time slowed, almost coming to a stop. The wind stopped blowing and the small bird beside him hung suspended in midair. If he wanted, Landry could reach out and take it in his hand. He wondered why he wasn’t locked in the same forever moment as the bird.
The complicated harmonies and rhythms filled the air. Landry didn’t understand the language, but his gift picked up on the emotions they conveyed. Joy, life, beauty, hope—all things good. He scanned the area, looking for the source of the voices but there was no one.
Just as the song reached for the heavens, the melody changed. A new song interrupted the original, but this one was apprehensive, cautious. Time resumed its normal pace.
Landry heard the quadcarrier approaching before he saw it. His team had already responded to the call button he pushed before leaving the cave. Irritated with himself for ruining the moment, he pushed the second button again and the cloaking shield fluttered off.
Talia’s eyes locked on his for a moment before the quadcarrier settled between them.
The trees warned Talia that a transport approached the clearing. She watched as the aircraft flew in low over the hills. It was the standard Royalist quadcarrier, three times as long as the aeroflyers and windowless. Major Sutton’s men had arrived.
As the quadcarrier lowered to the ground, a flickering movement by the trail head caught her attention. Landry materialized, his blue eyes looking straight at her until the carrier blocked him from view.
Talia’s knees went weak. Ready or not, Landry knew all of her secrets. The intensity of his gaze left no doubt that he had witnessed the absorbing of the suns’ energy.
Her mind reeled with questions. She wished for his gift of sensing emotions.
What is he thinking?
The hatch opened and ten men streamed out. The first man grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back as the others spread out. Pain shot up her arms as the soldier turned to face the Lieutenant who stepped through the door last.
Landry walked around the side of the carrier at the same time the Lieutenant reached the ground and snapped to attention.
“Sir!” He saluted his Major.
Landry barked, “Release her. She had nothing to do with the bridge or tram. She did, however, save my life.”
His voice sounded like it had on the first day they met—calm, confident, authoritative. However, he spoke the last with something else. A softness she had not noticed before. Hope blossomed in her heart that he would keep her secret.
“Yes, sir.” The soldier released Talia, who immediately rubbed her sore arms.
She stared at the red marks on her wrists and willed her feet to stay rooted to the ground. Although everything in her screamed to run, there was nowhere to hide. Men scurried over the hill, securing the area.
“Talia, are you all right?” Landry reached out to touch her arm, but dropped his hand midway.
“I’ve trusted you with so much. If you betray me—” Talia swallowed hard and looked away.
“Sir, is there anything you need from the cave before we return to headquarters?” The Lieutenant claimed Landry’s attention.
“No. Wait, yes. Miss Zaryn’s clothes are there. Send someone to collect them and then load up.” Landry reached out and took Talia’s hand. He entered her mind instantly.
I promise we will talk later; please don’t worry.
He brushed her forehead with his lips. With the connection in place, Talia felt the Lieutenant’s surprise wash over her. His eyebrows arched when it registered that she was wearing his Major’s clothes. Talia’s face burned as his curiosity flared.
Her discomfort made Landry laugh, and they were inside the carrier before Talia could get nervous about flying.
The carrier was stark, a bare bones utility vehicle, larger than most civilian ones. Landry pushed open the door to a small private compartment near the front.
“Wait in here while the men regroup. Do you trust me?” Landry stayed in the doorway watching her.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Yes.” He closed the door.
Left alone, Talia paced. Well, she tried to pace, but the room was only four feet across. She finally sat on the bench and reached for her necklace but her fingers only brushed skin.
By the time Landry returned, she was adrift, with nothing to anchor her. She slumped back against the wall and watched him close the door.
He leaned against the wall, folded his arms across his chest, and waited.
Talia couldn’t look into his eyes. Every time she tried, her eyes stopped at his chin. No one knew about the sunsrise, not even her parents. She realized she didn’t know much about the man standing before her, but her future rested in his hands.
Her eyes finally moved to meet his as she thought the words—I don’t want to be alone anymore.
Maybe he sensed the emotion behind the thought, because he sat beside her, taking care not to touch her. He sat a moment before speaking.
“Don’t be angry with me. I shouldn’t have followed you, but I thought—” He paused and searched for the right words.
“You thought that I had deceiv
ed you?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?” Talia clenched her jaw. It hurt that he might think her a traitor.
“You have to understand I’ve been trained to be suspicious. Of everyone. I do believe you. How could I not believe it after this morning?” His eyes pleaded with her.
Talia reminded herself what it felt like to be inside his mind. She had caught glimpses into his world—a world as lonely as hers. Deep inside Landry had a fundamental goodness. And honesty, always the honesty.
“About that. No one knows about the sunsrise. It’s scary knowing my life rests in the hands of a stranger. I—”
Landry interrupted, “I hope I’m a little more than a stranger?”
Talia warmed at the memory of their kiss. “I want to trust you. But trust isn’t something that comes easy for me.”
“Yeah, it’s not my strong suit either. Look, even if I wanted to expose your ability to heal yourself, I couldn’t. Think about it. I’m different too and turning you in would be turning myself in.”
“There is that. Right now, I want to know why you followed me.”
Landry relaxed against the wall and stared at the ceiling. “Instinct? Habit? I woke and thought you were running away, but there was nowhere to go. Can we just say I was concerned for your safety.”
A calm settled over her, and she wanted to tell him everything. There was nothing left to hide or lose.
“How long is this ride? Why don’t you ask me your questions and let’s work on trust.”
“All right. You said your parents didn’t know everything about your abilities. What did they know?”
“They knew about the dreams, and I think my mom suspected some of the other things. She knew I always snuck out to watch the sunsrise most mornings, and always after a dream.”
Talia paused to consider why she never told her mom the truth about the suns effect on her. “When I was young, I didn’t talk about the sunsrise. I thought everyone saw it the way I did. When I turned eight or nine, Mom asked why I enjoyed the sunsrise so much. It surprised me, but by then I had learned from children at school what happened if you were different. I guess I feared Mom would stop loving me if she knew how different I really was. So I never told her the truth. How long were you on the hilltop?”
“The whole time. I followed you from the cave.”
“What did you see?”
Landry pointed to Talia’s hands. “Can I show you?”
She nodded. The electrical shock was barely noticeable, but as their fingers laced together, a different kind of thrill moved through her. Talia closed her eyes and stood with Landry in the whiteness of their minds. He remembered the scene and it settled around them.
Once more they stood on top of the hill, but this time Talia could see herself.
Talia watched as she spread her arms out and streams of tangible light descended around her like rain. It started with only a few streaks of white as the first sun rose. They multiplied as the second sun cleared the horizon, sending a second wave of energy. When the two waves mixed, a burst of colors swirled around her, lifting her hair from her shoulders. Her eyes glowed brightly and then she disappeared into a ball of light.
Talia sighed in wonder at her image. I had no idea it looked like that. It’s as beautiful as it feels.
Landry let the memory fade until they stood in the mind room once more. The energy healed my aches and pains because I stood close to you.
He broke the connection but held on to Talia’s hand. It took all her willpower not to cry out at the sudden emptiness. The safety and comfort of being inside his mind was becoming an addiction.
Talia gave way to her curiosity instead of dwelling on the void he left behind.
“Have you ever experienced anything like that before?”
“No. The sunsrise has always been something easily taken for granted, I’m afraid. Tell me about the singing. I heard voices singing.”
“Really? That was the trees singing.”
“Trees?” He couldn’t mask the tone of disbelief.
Talia laughed. “I know it sounds fantastic, but every tree and plant is alive. They communicate all the time, but no one listens. I didn’t have many friends growing up. Keeta and the trees were it really. They tell the best histories because every sapling comes up into the sunslight with all of it stored within them. The only problem is you have to ask the right questions to get an answer that makes sense. As humans, we tend to think of our history in a linear way, they don’t. The past really isn’t the past for them; I don’t understand why that is, but that’s how it is with trees.”
She smiled remembering her early days of running barefoot through the trees, listening to their jokes and laughter on the wind. Trees were not funny in any way a human could understand, but their laughter always made her happy.
“Did your family know about the trees?” Landry asked.
“No, they never did.” That familiar sadness touched her for a moment. So many secrets kept from those she loved most.
“Can you always hear the trees or do you have to concentrate really hard?”
“They are always humming in my mind. At least they did until I came to Joharadin. I couldn’t sense any trees and as more time passed without them or the sunsrise I felt tired, disoriented, and well, like I was fading.”
“You had changed so much that I didn’t recognize you at first on the tram. Then we left the city, and you transformed. I’ve never seen anything like it. Your eyes glowed like on the hilltop, and the color returned to your skin.”
“I didn’t realize my appearance had changed so much. I just knew I felt younger. Then I saw my reflection in the window and panicked. Thank you for your help.”
“What I don’t understand is how that guy walked away without saying anything about the change.” Landry seemed so relaxed sitting there in his casual pants and loose fitting shirt.
“I thought he was using, but maybe his mission was all he cared about.” Talia looked into Landry’s amazing blue eyes. “Landry, what period were you born in?”
“Why?” He leaned forward as if he sensed the answer was intensely important to her.
“Tell me first and then I’ll explain. It might be nothing.”
“I was born on the fifth day of the first period.” He cocked his head to the side. “You don’t think . . .”
“Yes, I do. I’ve spent most of my adult life traveling for the SEF. During my travels I’ve sought out people born during the first period. Did you know, only three percent of children are born during the first period? Only zero point two percent of those are born on the sixth day. Some historical records say that day was set aside as a holy day because it’s the middle day of the shortest period. Older texts assign pagan rites to it.”
“When I visited Gneledar the midwife claimed the first period is a time of highly concentrated magic. Do you think that’s possible?”
“I don’t know, but everyone I’ve met that was born during the first period has one thing in common—anomalous eye color. None of them hinted at anything else, but then again neither did I. What if everyone born during the first period has some secret talent similar to ours?”
Landry hesitated before answering. “I think it’s a stretch. If people knew they had magical abilities it would be common place. There would be people all over the place working magic and you wouldn’t have to search them out.”
“They’re hiding, like I was.” Talia squeezed his hand tighter without realizing it.
“Think about it logically. Why have you hidden your talents?”
Talia frowned but didn’t give up. “Because when I talked about the dreams as a child everyone shunned me. By the age of five I was marked as the freak girl. Five. And it was the adults who taught their children that I was different. That’s where it started, but as I grew up I knew that scientists in the medical field would kill to be able to do what I can do. What kind of life would I have had if everyone knew about the sunsrise?”
“If everyone born in the first period had these talents more people would know about the sunsrise. There would be others with healing talents and no need to cut them up and study them because it would be commonplace. The best doctors available would be those gifted individuals.”
“But since magic has never been a way of life, maybe those with the abilities are afraid of themselves.” Talia pulled her hand from his and turned away. “I refuse to think I’m the only freak on Sendek.”
Landry reached out and turned her face back toward him. “Hey, looks like I’m a freak, too. I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m just saying it doesn’t make sense.”
“Don’t you think I know that? It’s a part of my life I can’t fit neatly into a box. The scientist in me needs to understand, to label and file it away, but I can’t. I can’t even prove these Dragumon creatures are real. Every day of my life I have to question my own sanity.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy; there’s so much we don’t understand. These creatures may not be real, but they might represent some other threat to our society. I’m going to do whatever I can to help.” Before he could go any further, there was a knock on the door.
The Lieutenant poked his head into the room. “Sir, we’ll reach headquarters in five minutes.”
“Thank you. Can you please have an aeroflyer ready to take Miss Zaryn to her apartment?”
“Yes, sir.” He left as quickly as he came.
They landed before Talia was ready. She wanted to enjoy sitting with Landry longer, but duty called and she knew she couldn’t keep him from it.
Landry escorted her down the ramp and straight to a civilian aeroflyer where he issued directions to the driver.
Inwardly, Talia cringed until she saw the driver’s face. Relief washed over her when she didn’t recognize him from the dreams.
Landry said, “The Colonel will throw a fit, but he’ll get over it.”
“Why?” Talia stood by the door, not yet wanting to leave.
“I’m sure Rankin thinks you’ll be coming with me and no doubt he has many questions for you. Eventually, you’ll have to talk with him, but I want to talk with him first.” Landry absent-mindedly traced circles on Talia’s hand sending a whirlwind of sensation through her. “Can I look through your dream journals? I’d like a team to analyze them. Maybe we can find some clues to their meaning.”
The Magic Wakes Page 12