by Jaymin Eve
“Children of Gods, born unknown and alone,
the seven are needed to eliminate. Take heed,
for baby will not live till four and one year
unless removed from the world here.
The youngest and strongest to collect.
Lost and alone, a god-man is the key.
Gather the Halflings, stone and fear.
The end of days is written in mineral.”
The words filled the room as light shone from her sightless eyes. Lallielle gasped, before reaching out a hand and pulling the baby carriage closer. The white woman collapsed onto the cushions, grief wracking her features. The scene was rushing away from me. I tried to stay in the room. I wanted to know what was about to happen but everything blurred.
And then I was back in my own head, staring around the room in confusion.
Lallielle was on the couch, watching me closely.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to the sensation, and eventually be able to stay aware of your surroundings.” Her eyes were slightly downcast. “When you entered my mind, you left a rift and I could see some of your life.”
She took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry – it was a hard life I left you in – I need you to know I’m so proud. You’re strong, beautiful and brave. I could not have asked for more.”
She smiled.
“And Lucy. We’d better find her soon, because I can’t wait to meet her. She is quite the character.”
I nodded, my throat tight with unshed tears. The memories, losing Lucy, it was emotionally overwhelming. I cleared my throat.
“Do you know the memories I saw?” I asked her.
She nodded. “Yes, but once you learn how to block your thoughts I won’t sense anything.”
Well, that was interesting.
“So, the white-haired woman, what happened to her? What does that poem mean?”
Lallielle shook her head. “She disappeared. I didn’t realize at first because I was in panic mode – that’s when I sent you away. By the time I went back to question her she was gone. The rest of the poem is a mystery to me, though Josian and I have theories.”
“So how do I block my thoughts?”
She looked at me closely. “Take your energy and wrap it tightly around your mind. Encasing it will protect your thoughts. It will be hard at first, but just keep practicing; eventually it will be second nature.”
I reached toward my inner spot again. Pulling at the taffy substance, I imagined it winding round and round my thoughts. It was difficult. The moment I stopped concentrating, the energy would slip back and again I’d feel the less guarded nature of my mind. It was definitely going to take practice.
I glanced up again toward the doorway. It had been some time since Josian and Brace had left. Where were they? I was ready to go to Earth.
I faced Lallielle again. “How do the Walkers travel between the worlds?” I asked for curiosity’s sake and to fill in time.
A mild fear crossed her face. “It’s a guarded secret, Aribella. The only reason I know is because of your father.”
That increased my interest.
At that point Josian walked back in. In the time he’d been gone I’d forgotten how tall and impressive he was. His presence filled the room again, and I couldn’t believe I was related to this extraordinary creature. If I hadn’t seen the Walker mark, I would be seriously questioning that. And the extraordinary continued as Brace followed. His otherworldly beauty, controlled power – maybe that’s the attraction. I was half-Walker, a race of beings that valued power.
“So the men are done for the day. They offered to come back tomorrow, but I told them we would handle it ourselves.”
Brace stood in the entrance. I jumped up. Finally the lock-down was over.
Josian’s expressive features lifted in a half-smile. “Let’s head to Earth now, find Quarn and see if we can figure out what happened.”
Lallielle stood. “Yes, let’s get my son and other daughter,” she smiled at me, “Lucy back.”
Finally we were moving, but first I wanted to warn them.
“Earth is very chaotic. I have no idea what we’re going to walk into. But since I know New York, let’s start there.”
Josian straightened. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll open the doorway. Should we take anything with us, Aribella?”
I wasn’t sure at what stage I’d just accepted the name Aribella. In reality, it had never seemed odd to me.
“It’s violent and dangerous. Do you have any weapons? And food? You never know where your next meal is.”
Lallielle clapped her hands together, part of her gentle mannerism. “I’ll have some packs done immediately.”
Josian turned to me. “We don’t use active weapons on First World, except for our powers. We’re just going to have to wing it.”
I sighed. “We may have some weapons at the compound. If the security access hasn’t changed, I might be able to find something.”
Brace crossed his arms. “Worst case scenario, Josian, you open a doorway and get us back to First World.”
Josian agreed. “Let’s not forget they can follow us through the doorway.”
Brace laughed, and not in a nice way. “They will regret that decision.”
Lallielle straightened, breaking the mood. “I’ll gather the food and I have a little something for Aribella.”
She left the room.
“They can follow us through the doorway?” I stared up at my mesmerizing father.
His memories were the ones I wanted to examine. I couldn’t even imagine the things he had seen.
Josian nodded. “Every time I access the energy stream I leave a rift behind. It’s temporary. The universe corrects it. But for a few days it’s basically a black hole – anyone can fall through.”
Interesting.
I turned to Brace. He’d made no move to enter the large room. Sometimes his face was such a distraction; I tried not to stare at it any more than courtesy demanded.
“You don’t have to come, Brace. You’ve done more than enough.”
His broad shoulders shifted as he straightened. “Don’t you worry about me, Red. It’s my duty to help, and I’m curious about this planet you grew up on.”
Lallielle distracted me as she walked back into the room. In her hand she carried a small white box tied with a purple ribbon. As she approached me, she held it out.
“Just a little gift I had made. To keep you safe. You’ll always have a small piece of your people.”
My eyes widened – my first real present.
Hesitantly, I reached out. My hand trembled as I took the light package.
I unravelled the ribbon and it fell free. Lifting the lid off, I gasped at the gorgeous necklace nestled inside. A globe locket, two-tone in color and medium-sized. It was the perfect replica of a miniature world. Looking closer, I didn’t recognize any of the land masses, but they looked larger with less water than Earth.
“It’s First World.” Lallielle spoke, smiling brightly. “Open it; there’s something special inside.”
I lifted it free. The long silver chain trailed behind. I spun the locket to find a small clasp. When I pressed the raised area, it popped open – a perfect half-sphere on either side, connected by a small hinge.
Yellow light washed over my face. Nestled in both spheres were moonstale crystals.
I felt a strange inner relief.
I’d always have the identification crystal on me now. I could see my mark anytime I wanted.
Closing the locket, I slipped the large chain over my head. It fell to rest between my breasts, forming a perfect representation of my heritage.
Having had no experience with accepting gifts, I had no idea what to say. I faced Lallielle and Josian. Letting my joyful expression speak for itself, I kept it short.
“Thank you. I love it.”
For the first time since returning, Brace stepped into the room.
His expression was full of an une
xplained emotion. “Your Walker mark is amazing. So detailed and ... beautiful.”
He looked away for a minute and then his normal smile was back.
“Thanks. I think it’s amazing too.” I smiled wistfully. “I kind of wish it was always there.”
His cocky grin was back. “Then your name would be Red Lace.”
I rolled my eyes at him. I still hadn’t found the perfect nickname.
“I feel much better knowing you have some moonstale now.” Josian lifted his right hand. Wiggling his pointing finger, he showcased a large flat ring. “This ring encases my crystal. Traditionally, Walkers are given a gift of moonstale from the elders.”
“Everyone is given one?” Brace asked, his brows furrowed, his head tilted slightly.
Josian threw his hands about, in his usual grand gesturing. “The crystal is our essence. It’s part of who we are. Without an actual world to be tied to, these energies are our anchors.”
As he spoke, the sun made its final descent and sank below the horizon. All of a sudden the room was awash in light from various sources. Lamps, candles, strange speckles of ascending lights imbedded in the walls. Of course, I hadn’t seen anyone touch a switch. They just automatically came alight at sunset.
Another arrival distracted me. A small cart entered the room under its own power, in a similar manner to the baby carriage in Lallielle’s memory. Four large black bags sat in its caged centre.
Lallielle moved forward. “Excellent. Our packs are done. The supplies will be evenly spread, so just grab one each.”
Moving forward, I lifted one free.
It was really light. I could strap it to the top of my other pack, no problem at all.
“Are you sure you packed enough? My bag is really light.” I bounced it in one hand.
Lallielle smiled. “They’re full; they only feel light because this design of bag is energy-touched. The carbon in the air helps to take the burden of the weight.”
I smiled. “That’s great here, but we’re going to Earth. I don’t think your energy thing is going to work there.”
Josian, moving faster than fast, expelled the bags from our hands. “You’re unmanning me. I must show brute strength and carry all packs,” he joked as he threw both into this crazy extra-large pack, custom-made for a nearly seven-foot man.
Lallielle blew him a kiss before turning to me. “I know you are going to say no immediately, Aribella, but I think you should consider freshening up before we leave.”
Looking left and right, I attempted to subtly sniff my armpits. Did I smell that bad?
“I just think it might be a while before you have the chance again, and you’ve already been on the road for a couple of days.”
Since I’d just gagged a little at the smell of my shirt, she made a good point.
“Great idea, Lalli love. Brace and I will discuss some tactics while you show Aribella to her room,” Josian arrogantly ended the argument.
They both dropped their bags and sank onto the couch.
Now that I’d noticed, the smell seemed extra bad. No way was I sneaking up on anyone right now. I faced Lallielle. She was waiting patiently for me.
“I have a room?”
“Of course you do. I change it from time to time. But essentially it’s the same as when you were born.”
She waved me through the arched doorway. At this point I realized that front living area was the only room I’d seen in this massive house. I was about get a first-hand view of what I had missed out on.
Chapter 10
Lallielle led me quickly through her sumptuous house. I wanted time to explore each and every amazing room, but that would have to wait for another occasion.
From the small glimpses I was getting, the house was stunning. Clean and uncluttered, it still had that homely feel to it. We moved along a hallway. The walls were lightly colored and covered in elaborate paintings. On top of that, every corner, crevice and spare indent held a bright sculpture. Colors I couldn’t even describe, but Lucy would be in her element – color chart in hand.
“I love the art work. It’s so bright.” Each piece further captured my attention. “The artist is amazingly talented. They have a real eye for color.”
Lallielle laughed in delight. “Why, thank you. Josian does love to display my work throughout the house. And I’ve been lucky enough for others to love my work as well. I had a thriving gallery; people would come from all over for my sculptures and paintings.” Her smile dimmed a little. “But lately I haven’t been able to reach my same levels of creativity. Everything feels substandard.”
Well, color me shocked again. Lallielle was the artist? I would never have expected such passionate, vibrant pieces from a woman who was so proper and contained. There was true passion and joy in this work and it opened up a side of Lallielle I hadn’t even realized was there.
I was jealous – as a child I had struggled with paint-by-numbers and color-in-the-lines. I couldn’t draw a straight line and my people were stick figures at best.
“This wing is yours and Sammy’s, along with your childhood playroom. There’s also a theatre room.”
I bounced a little, well ... on the inside. When I found Lucy we were spending an entire day watching movies. Of course, I didn’t have a clue what type of programs were here, but I was going to find out.
Lallielle continued to talk as we walked.
“There’s a games room with all the interactive tech devices. They’re probably a little outdated now. Sammy loves gaming. He kept us up to date.” Her hands flew, pointing out different doorways as we walked. “The library – both electronic and old-fashioned books. I know it’s not trendy to clutter your house, but I just love books, something about the sight and smell of a roomful.”
I agreed wholeheartedly, except, of course, I had no idea what an electronic library was.
“When you have more time you can explore the entire house. Josian and I have the wing on the floor above. There is nothing off limits, so don’t hesitate to snoop.”
“It’s no fun snooping when you have permission.”
Lallielle laughed. “Even as a child you were a troublemaker. That’s your father’s influence.”
She stopped at a rose-pink door. The word ‘Aribella’ was etched deep into the material; the name glowed for a moment.
“Touch the door, Aribella. Connect.” She smiled. “You will be able to control the energy once you connect.”
During our walk, I’d continued my attempts to pull energy to surround my mind. It was becoming a little easier to leave it there for a minute and still perform other tasks.
Letting that go, I took a breath and reached out a hand. Hesitantly, I pressed it to the door. My name flared, and a surge of vibration traversed my arm. The material was smooth; there was nothing under my hand to give texture.
Then that spot, my coiled energy, started a low vibrating hum. I felt a response within the door, a similar hum. It took no effort to connect. My strand flew out and intertwined. After that I knew instinctively what to do.
The door slid open.
I clapped my hands. Finally I had figured out these crazy doors. “Will I be able to open any door that way?”
Lallielle seemed to shake her head and nod at the same time. “It really depends on where you are and the security they have. At night, I set the outside perimeter and you will not be able to open any doors or remove the iso field unless you either have a pre-approved energy pattern or you know the combination.”
“Deralick mentioned iso shield when he captured us.”
She flicked an odd look in my direction, before smiling. “They are simply energy shields to add a little more security. Most people do not bother with them.”
It would take me another eighteen years to learn the inner workings of this world.
Unwilling to waste another moment, I stepped into my room. The creamy white carpet was soft under my boots. I sank into the luxuriously fluffy depths.
I took a moment t
o look around. The pale pink walls were covered in painted art, but instead of abstracts they were portraits. Lallielle had painted a timeline mural. I recognized myself as the chubby-cheeked baby, a dark-haired young boy and a few of my parents. I must have spent lots of time at the beach and crawling awkwardly around a lime-green field.
I could trace the days, weeks and months I’d been on First World.
“I painted this once you were gone; I needed something to hold on to until we got you back.”
Her presence was strong in the room; she appeared to have spent a lot of time here over the years.
A large balcony ran along the front of the huge room, with three sets of double doors ready to be flung open. The centre of the room was dominated by a massive bed with four large white posts, over which was draped filmy white netting.
There were mountains of pillows and cushions in lilac and pinks. Basically, this room was any girl’s fantasy room.
I wanted to take my time, to explore the many shelves of photo frames, toys, stuffed animals, little trinkets. But Lucy was my priority. Lallielle, sensing my urgency, moved toward two side-by-side doors.
“This is your bathing room.” The first door slid open. “And here is your dressing room.” The second door opened. “Every few years I donate the old clothes and go shopping for a new wardrobe.” She paused. “It’s probably not your taste, but I hope you’ll find something suitable.”
Considering I’d left my other pack downstairs, I wasn’t going to have much choice. My current clothes were done. Their only use was kindling for a fire, if anyone was brave enough to touch them.
“I’m sure I’ll find something.”
Lallielle smiled. “Off you go, Aribella. We’ll wait for you downstairs.” She left quickly.
Wasting no time, I entered the room. As I looked around, I gasped in pleasure.
It was spectacular and massive, with white and aqua tiles chequered throughout. A mirror framed the back wall, starting halfway and ascending to the ceiling. Just beneath the mirror were two large sinks about two feet apart. They were opaque and shaped like glass bowls perched on a marble shelf. The corner held a tall set of built-in shelves. A glass front protected the contents.