by Jaymin Eve
“Well, shut the freaking door,” Fury snorted. “Now I’m officially jealous. Sapha’s self-sustaining.”
Sapha’s eyes widened, showcasing every facet of their unusual color. “Are you saying that you all need something more than the abundance of energy in your land?”
A wicked grin crossed my face. Seemed it was time to demonstrate the amazing power of chocolate.
An hour later we had reached the conclusion that food was not Sapha’s thing. The rest of us ate everything that wasn’t tied down in Lallielle’s kitchen, but no matter what the Drone tried, it ended up coming back out of her mouth.
Cerberus and Lina had abandoned the house and were outside on the beach again. I think it was all of the gagging from Sapha which had caused their exodus. I sort of wanted to join them.
“I don’t understand.” Sapha’s dark skin was a strange khaki shade now. It was chameleon-like, changing color at her will. “If I should be able to eat, why does my body reject it?”
Delane – who held a plain bread roll in her hand – reached inside, past her stoic warrior, and found some empathy. “Take your time. You’ll adjust. We didn’t eat on Nephilius – my home planet – either. The clouds sustained us through prolonged contact with bare feet. But I’ve had to adjust since joining with Abby.” She shrugged. “I don’t love food the way the others seem to, but it has its appeals.”
“It took me a long time too.” Talina waved an apple-like-fruit around. “We don’t eat much on Spurn and initially the First World food was too much for my stomach. But now, I love the variety.”
And she did, despite still preferring her cucreamer fruit and krillonia, the shrimplike planktonic crustacean from her home. Each of the half-Walkers ate a variety of food, but for the most part preferred that which was closest to what came from their home planets. Ria, for example, was very big into fruit and root-like plants. Even though she was all about nature, she accepted that this was part of the great cycle; she needed to eat to survive.
Sapha’s dark features paled further. The green was distinct now. She stared down at the foods littering the dining table. “I think it is going to take me a long time to adjust to this. I don’t feel any urge to eat.”
And she probably wouldn’t feel the urge, since she didn’t actually need the food for energy.
“Do you have a sucker thing, like the other Drones?” This was something I’d been wondering since first seeing her.
Sapha shook back her purple hair. It was so straight and silky, not one fly-around strand. Something to thank our half-Walker genes for. “No, I have no need for their archaic way of energy transference. My very skin works in the same manner.”
Fury leaned across the table. “Well, that’s good. That little thing was seriously freaky.” Her lack of tact was in full force today. “I’m going to have nightmares thinking about one of those coming at me.”
Sapha narrowed her eyes, and I wanted to kick Fury under the table. Did she have to insult the girl’s home world? We were already on a knife edge keeping her with us. As a distraction I pushed back my chair and stood.
“Come with me, Sapha, there’s something I want to show you.”
She continued to glare at the Crais half, but did rise to her feet with the others. The five girls followed me into the large front hall bathroom. Reaching out, I gently touched the dark material on Sapha’s shoulders. She jumped, but before she could pull away I guided her across the space, letting her go in front of the mirror. Sapha gasped as our reflections flashed back at her.
“What is this witchery?” She clutched her face, her eyes widening as she noticed the way her reflection mimicked every move she made.
“This is a mirror,” I said. “It echoes back exactly what’s in front of it.” Reaching down, I flicked open the clasp on my necklace. It was time to find out her clan. “And this is the Walker mark I was telling you about, the same as I wear, but yours will only be visible in the light of moonstale.”
Sapha had never even mentioned my permanent marks, but since she and the Drones had stones and such littering their faces … she probably didn’t think they were strange.
“Supes having permanent marks is decidedly unfair,” Fury grumbled. She’d been lamenting this since the moment she’d found out she was half-Walker.
As the yellow light splashed around the room, marks emerged across all the faces in the mirror. Black tribal on Talina, gray swirls on Fury, purple square patterns on Ria, golden sunbeams on Delane and, as we stared at Sapha, white dots started to scatter across her dark skin. A stunning contrast with her coloring.
“Gai,” I breathed. “You’re from the Walker clan of Gai. Your princeps is Jedi.”
Which reminded me that I needed to find the dark-skinned princeps. He was off doing research and trying to find facts about the lalunas and the origin of the Walkers. I was hoping he had discovered something which could help us in this battle.
Sapha was staring at herself. Just staring. She hadn’t said anything, but that look she’d had before, calculating, was still in her eyes.
“Will you stay and help us in this battle?” I decided to go with blunt again. I had a lot of things to do and no time to baby these half-Walkers. “We’re the only thing that stands between the destruction of seven worlds and billions of inhabitants.”
She reached up and rubbed at her face, as if she could remove the white dots littering it. There was no immediate answer, but finally she spoke. “I will stay with you for now, but I promise nothing. I have never trusted anyone besides Marl, and he is dead. So now I trust only myself.”
I forced myself not to curse. Why were these freaking Walkers so freaking stubborn? Frig! Knowing there was nothing I could do to force her hand, I simply nodded.
“Thank you. I would appreciate it if you did stick around, help us develop our powers, and I believe you’ll come to trust us.”
“We’re a family.” Talina smiled, her emerald hair flowing around her. “The only half-Walkers in existence, connected at a cellular level. And we’re so very happy that you’re one of us.”
Sapha tilted her head to the side, her features softening as if something Talina had said resonated with her. Something more than any of the previous information we’d imparted to her.
Delane straightened, her expression unchanging, her stance rigid and uncomfortable. “I think we should get back to the war council. We need updates, and to check in with the training.”
Delane was taking her warrior-Walker role seriously. Which was why she was so fundamentally important to our battle plans. And I agreed: it was time to get back to the war council and see what had been happening.
Chapter 8
Sapha was a quiet, watchful type of individual. She didn’t ask questions. Instead she just observed with those ruby-toned eyes. She showed no surprise when I opened a doorway and everyone, including Cerberus and Lina, marched through. She didn’t even ask about the animals, and I knew they had to be odd to her. She would most probably get her own sacred guide soon. I wondered if that would help or hinder us in getting her to stay. I’d impart this piece of information to her later. I didn’t want to overwhelm her with too many details.
As we traversed the doorway, I wondered if she would freak out inside the vacuum of the Walker paths. Nope, not even one flicker of unease on her face. Either she was unfazed by everything, or she was an expert at masking her true feelings.
The door exited us onto the edge of the war council field. As I straightened and my gaze washed over the scene, my eyes widened, lips falling open. The area had changed dramatically in the time we’d been gone. I could see at least … fifteen distinct areas – zones that had been set up. I knew seven would be for the Walker clans, one for pixies, one for faeries, and another for the woodland sprites. There was an area for Lucas and his First World royal guardians. But I wasn’t sure who else was here.
Fury halted me at the edge of the chaos. “How long are you going to be in the camp, Supes? Can you come with
me to Crais? We need to look at that area.”
I nodded a few times. “I just need to check in with Josian and Jedi. After that, I’m all yours.”
I was also hoping to see Brace, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Being without him was moving past pain to some sort of extra level of torture. If I saw him again, I wasn’t sure I could stop myself from reforming the bond.
Unexpectedly Fury leaned in and kissed my cheek. I blinked at her a few times.
She grinned at my surprise. “You’re doing a great job, my friend. Tether to me when you’re free to leave. I’m going to see if I can track down my father and ask a few new questions I’ve thought of.”
I managed to give her a half-wave as she disappeared into the crowd.
Talina was also blinking at the retreating Crais half. “Okay, who the heck was that?” she finally said as she turned wide brown eyes in my direction. “Do you think Fury’s been replaced by a doppelganger?”
I nodded my head more than once. “I have no freaking idea. But I’m not going to question a good thing.”
Talina chuckled a few times. “Are you okay with me heading back to Spurn soon? I know you’re super busy, but I’d love it if you could pop over there too. We can check those few areas Ladre is worried about.”
“No problem,” I said. I didn’t have much time, but I’d find it for Fury and Talina.
She grinned broadly. “Great! I’ll wait by the lake, near the Doreen area.” With those words, Talina was gone.
That left me with Delane, Ria, and Sapha.
Sapha looked around with interest. There were many milling around us and she appeared to be observing each very closely. “So somewhere in this crowd is my patriarch?”
It took me a moment to understand what she’d said; sometimes her accent was heavy.
“Possibly.” I pushed back a few of my curls. “The man who fathered you will be from the clan of Gai.” I pointed across the field to where the banner of Gai was high and waving in the light, cool breeze. “I have to head to that clan to speak with their princeps. I’ll introduce you.”
I expected her to protest, but to my surprise she simply nodded her head.
“What about you two?” I shifted my gaze to the Nephilius and Regali halves.
Delane straightened, her hands dropping to the twin axes she wore crossed over her armor. We’d dumped the cloaks long ago, which was part of the reason that I was feeling so chilly all of a sudden. First World was rarely cold, but the breeze had a bite to it that day.
“I’m heading to the main tent. It was set up for the leaders of the different races and clans to convene and discuss the impending war. I need to know what’s happened in our absence.” Delane leveled her gaze on me. “I expect you to come for an update before this day is out.”
I sucked in a deep, but slightly ragged breath. The days were getting too short for the list of obligations I had.
“I’ll do my best, Delane. Thanks for keeping on top of the battle plans.”
With a salute she left us, her stunning unicorn following close behind. I reached out and rested both hands and my head against Cerberus’ neck. My faithful hellhound gave me his strength for a moment, allowed me to center my thoughts. I was starting to see that I couldn’t be everywhere, and it was good to have trusted people that I could send out in my place. Finally I straightened – received a lick up the side of the face – and turned to the last two.
Ria was shifting from foot to foot, looking a little more agitated than usual. The vines that emerged from the ivy print across her hair were starting to spring free, which mostly only happened when she was worried. Furrowing my brow, I reached out and gripped her hand. She returned the squeeze.
“I need to head back to Regali.” Her voice was low and urgent. “Call it queen’s intuition or something more but … I have a bad feeling.”
I worried at my lip. “Go, Ria, make sure Artwon is okay. It’s probably time for you to check in on the progress of the sacred tree death and give them some of your energy anyways. It’s important not to abandon your people.”
I didn’t need her right then, and we all knew I could call as soon as anything happened. The beauty of tracing was that we could be in another place instantly.
“Thank you, Abby. Tether to me as soon as you move out again. Or if the Seventine attack.”
I knew she had not forgotten the way the Seventine had possessed those humanoids and severed the tether to her sacred tree on Regali. Now her beloved forest was dying and the only way to reverse that was to lock away the Seventine again.
After Ria had left it was just Sapha, Cerberus, and me.
“Stay close,” I warned her. I was not keen on her disappearing on me.
We set off into the main part of the field. There were so many mingling around that there was no clear path. It was just getting difficult to cross when Cerberus let out a frustrated growl and moved in front of us. Within two leaps he was at his huge size again. I worked hard to hide my grin as those lingering around dived out of his way. It was that or be squished by a ton of puppy.
Cerberus had that twinkle in his dark eyes as he plowed a path through the crowds. He enjoyed his ability to part a mass. And so did I. He led us straight to the front banner of Gai. Clever puppy must have overheard the previous conversation.
There were a few Walkers lingering out the front.
I got a head nod from the first one I stopped in front of.
“Can you tell me where Jedi is?” I asked him.
His reply came without hesitation. “Jedi and Josian are in the research and library zone.” His low voice was rough, his accent thick.
He directed my gaze to a massive white tented area. Unlike the other zones, this one had walls securing the perimeter.
“Thank you.” I returned his head nod and, using Cerberus’ bulk again, we crossed the hundred yards to get to the white tent.
I followed my hellhound around three quarters of the dwelling. So far there had not been a single opening. Going out on a limb, I’d say they didn’t want visitors. Finally we stopped at the first possible entrance we’d seen so far: a thick zipper, which was secured all the way to the ground. How secretive. Reaching down, I took the wide silver zipper in my hands and slowly lifted it upwards. Sapha still said nothing. She was so quiet I kept forgetting she was there. In fact, if it wasn’t for her particular shadowy power brushing against me, she’d most probably blend right into the scenery and disappear.
Her chameleon nature seemed to make it easy for her to go unnoticed. Sure, her unusual looks had garnered a few glances as we walked around, but it was nothing like the rest of us halves usually received.
The zipper was heavy. I had to yank quite forcefully, but I finally managed to get it almost to the top. I wasn’t tall enough to reach any further.
Before I could step through the entrance, a newly shrunk Cerberus nudged me aside and took the first steps into the tented area. Over-protective hound always had to go first.
I followed him in, making sure Sapha’s energy never disappeared from my back. Something told me she was considering doing a runner again. As the sacred animal moved further inside, the large room he’d been blocking from my line of vision came into view. I paused, confusion rushing through me. I had to blink a few times and make sure I was seeing everything correctly. It was a library, rivaling that of the pixie queen’s. The room was well lit – despite the lack of natural light – from a few high-placed energy domes. It was cool and still inside, as if the very air was refined and filtered to keep all these precious books safe.
I started forward, through the high shelves, heading toward the round center that everything else seemed to span out from. There were about a dozen tables and chairs gathered in this section, and camped out at the largest were three familiar Walkers: Jedi, Grantham, and Josian. My father’s head shot up the moment we moved into view.
“Baby girl,” he boomed, before jumping to his feet, a grin crossing his unusually haggard features
.
I ran forward and threw myself into his arms. I really needed some Walker hugs. My lack of melding bond was beating at my shredded heart and soul. The pain was getting a little hard to deal with.
“How are you doing?” I asked as I pulled back a few moments later.
His throat moved as he swallowed loudly. I could see him composing himself before he eventually answered. “Everything’s fine, Aribella. I’ve mended fences with most of the Walker community and the princeps. It’s just … Lalli.” His eyes flicked away for a moment. “She won’t talk to me and she’s blocked me from her mind.” A half-grin crossed his face. “Not that I don’t deserve her ire.”
I was a little surprised that Mom was still so angry with him. “I’ll talk to her, Dad.” I hugged him again, just because he needed it.
He kissed my forehead. “No need for you to get in the middle of this.” And that was the last he would discuss about Lallielle.
In that moment I remembered Sapha.
I turned back to find her so I could introduce the Dronish half-Walker, but she was nowhere to be seen. My heart rate increased minutely and if it wasn’t for the fact that I knew she didn’t possess the knowledge yet to trace to Dronish, I’d have been a little more panicky. As it was, I was about to dash back to the entrance, when a shadow movement caught my eye just to the left of where we were standing. I recognized her blur. It was tucked in between two large book shelves. She hadn’t run. She was cloaking herself again.
I strode across and, as I neared her hiding spot, her shadowy energy called to mine. Even though no one else could sense half-Walker energy, I often felt the girl’s powers. I stopped right in front of her and, like last time, the moment I searched for her in the shadows, I could make out her shape.
I calmed my voice. Already I knew she reacted badly to unexpected noises. “Sapha, you don’t have to be afraid. No one will hurt you in this room. And it’s time to meet your princeps.”