Beyond: Snillotia Trilogy Book One

by Donna Wagner

  Goldie paused, noticing Peter’s face had gone completely white. “Do not worry,” she said to him, “I believe your father is only desperate to find you. When I would not tell him where you were, he became angry and picked me up and shook me. Because he was touching me, I could not leave and return to Storage. It would have brought him with me. He then apologized and took me to his kitchen and offered me water. I told him I did not need water and only wished to leave. He took me back to his copied room, but when we arrived in the dining room, where the room had connected, his wife was in the process of closing the door. Before I could do anything to stop her, it was too late. The door closed and my connection to Storage and all my magic was being severed. I used my last bit of energy to send my magic on. I used it to create you,” Goldie finished, looking at Fey.

  Fey, bowed her head, and stayed quiet. No one else really knew what to say, either. It seemed what had happened to Goldie, had been an accident, but they had no way to be sure. “What did Ronnoc do, one he realized you no longer had magic?” Anna asked.

  “First, he returned me to the copied room. The magic of the Gups maintains the rooms, once they are copied. I only have to control the copy process. There was nothing I could do, and I had to bark and scratch on the door to get his attention. When he realized I could not leave the way I came, he put me outside. I made my way to the castle, in hopes I would be able to use the portal to get back to you all. However, before I could do anything, Kram found me and took me to the rest of the children. I could have gotten away from them, but I decided they needed my protection, being all on their own.”

  Anna and Tim nodded, understanding. Their grandparents looked slightly confused, but before Tim could tell them about the children they’d met, Anna exclaimed, “Wait a minute! Where are my parents?”

  Everyone looked around, just realizing that Einna and Tre weren’t in the room with them. Anna took off and went to the room her parents had been sleeping in. She came back, visibly pale.

  “They aren’t in there. My parents have disappeared!”

  PART IV:

  THE END… FOR NOW

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  “Calm down, Anna. There must be an explanation!”

  Anna nodded, trying to calm herself. Grandma An and Grandpa Leumas went back to Einna and Tre’s room to look for any clues that might help figure out where they went. Tim closed his eyes and tried to listen for them in his mind. He could tell Anna was trying to do the same. After not finding any trace of their thoughts, Tim concluded they were definitely not in the house. Grandma An and Grandpa Leumas returned, and by the expressions on their faces, Tim knew whatever they had found wouldn’t be good. “What did you find?”

  Grandma An sighed. “My visions aren’t helping this time, Tim. All I can see is that they are in a small windowless room. At least that tells us they are okay for now. We do, however, know that the windowless room may not be in this world.”

  “How can you know that?” Anna asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Grandma An nodded at Grandpa Leumas and he held up his hand so they could see what they had found. “This was lying on the floor, right outside the room. I’m sure it was dropped by accident, when whoever did this forcing them to leave,” he explained.

  In his hand laid a portal key. Anna’s eyes shot to Tim’s. Tim could tell what she was thinking without even reading her thoughts and apparently Goldie could, too. “Anna, I do not believe those children had anything to do with this.”

  “But-” Anna started, and Goldie cut her off.

  “No Anna. They are sweet children just trying to survive. They would not help distract you while someone else did this, either.”

  Anna nodded, slightly, believing Goldie, who had spent the most time with them. Tim agreed, based on his limited time with them. Again, sensing his grandparents’ confusion, he explained about the children they had met in Snillotia. The grandmothers, of course, were appalled and wanted to help them. “You need to bring them here, Tim. We will take care of them!” Grandma Eilime exclaimed, while the others nodded in agreement.

  Before Tim could tell them that that had been his plan all along, a voice stopped him. “Aaron.”

  They all spun to look towards the doorway. Adam and Myra were standing in the doorway. Tim had no idea how long they had been there, or what they’d heard, but Adam was staring at the portal key, now lying on the table. “That is Aaron’s coin. My father made one for each of us, when he thought we’d be going back and forth, before they took us prisoner.”

  Anna’s face paled even further. “That’s not possible, not after what I did…” her voice trailed off.

  Tim walked over and knelt in front of her. He took both of her hands in his.

  Anna, look at me.

  Her gaze slowly lifted from the floor and she looked into his eyes. You need to stay strong, Anna. We are going to find your parents. You can’t disappear on me again. I can’t do this without you.

  I know, Tim. I just don’t understand how Aaron’s portal key is here. He’s gone. I know he’s gone. So, it doesn’t help us know who has my parents.

  We know it’s someone from Snillotia. So, that means we go. We will talk to Ronnoc. He will know which Rebels were at the castle that day. One of them must have picked up Aaron’s key.

  But Tim, Ronnoc has no reason to help us.

  He will. I will make him.

  Anna saw the resolve in Tim’s eyes. It was also at that moment that she realized they’d been talking in their minds and that everyone in the room was staring at them. She felt her cheeks redden. Tim also glanced around the room and shifted, so he was sitting next to Anna. He let go of her right hand, but her left hand stayed firmly grasped in his. “We’re going back to Snillotia to question Ronnoc. He’ll know who had the portal key.”

  “I’m going with you,” announced Peter, staring at Anna and Tim’s joined hands.

  Tim started to disagree but stopped when Anna squeezed his hand. Let him. Ronnoc will probably be more willing to help his son, than us. He can also show us where Ronnoc lives. We arrived by way of Goldie last time, remember?

  Tim nodded. “Okay. Let’s get going then. We have no time to waste.”

  Before they left the room, Grandpa Cire added, pointing at the other grandfathers, “We will check the other portal location we know of while you’re gone. If that key was dropped here, unless whoever did this had more than one, they are stuck in this world.”

  Tim nodded, again, and picked the key up off the table and slipped it into his pants pocket. Everyone wished them luck and Anna, Tim, and Peter walked down the hall towards the secret room. Right before they were to enter, a voice stopped them “Wait!”

  They all turned to see Grandma Eilime hurrying towards them. “If it’s safe, dears, please bring those children back with you when you return!”

  They agreed and left her and went into the secret room. After forming a chain by holding hands, Tim led the way through the portal, concentrating, on arriving at the same time they had just left a few hours before. When they arrived, Anna was the first to speak. “How will we know we’re in the right time, Tim?”

  “We’re going to go find the children. If they know us, it’s good enough. That way we’ll know we’re here after we were before.”

  Anna nodded in agreement. They all walked towards the part of the castle still intact where the children were living. They didn’t get very far before Tim heard and excited voice in his head. You’re back!

  He looked around and spotted Yma a short way down the hallway. How long were we gone?

  A day.

  He looked at Anna and pointed towards Yma. “Could you hear her too?” he asked her.

  Anna shook her head. “No, I don’t think she’s mastered talking to more than one person at a time yet.”

  Tim nodded and said, “She said we were here yesterday.”

  By this time, they had met up with Yma and she greeted them with huge hugs. She looked shyly at Pet
er. “I know you.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “Her father was a Rebel,” Tim quietly told him, and Peter understood. Many Rebels had brought their children with them to meetings when they had no other choice. “Hello, again, then,” he said to Yma.

  Yma flashed him a quick smile and yelled, “Come on!”

  She ran back towards her home with Anna, Tim, and Peter following quickly behind. She burst through the door and yelled, “They’re back!”

  Tim couldn’t help but laugh at her excitement. Derf looked up from where he was sitting and Tim could see the question in his eyes. He nodded to the boy. Derf got up and came towards him.

  “Retep. I remember you.”

  Peter nodded, recognizing this boy. “Please call me Pete.”

  Tim watched the exchange and then said, “Derf, we’re going to take you all back with us. But first, we need to go talk to my uncle. While we’re gone, please have everyone gather anything they wish to bring with them. We shouldn’t be long.”

  Derf nodded, and Tim could see the excitement in his eyes. He turned towards the other children. “Okay! It’s time to go! Go get your bags and fill them with anything you want to bring. Remember, important items only! We can’t bring everything!”

  The children started scrambling to do as Derf instructed. Not a question was asked. He must have already discussed this with them. “We’ll be back soon,” Tim told him.

  Derf nodded in understanding and closed the door behind them as they left.

  “Okay, Pete. Lead the way to your father.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  In a short time, they were approaching a group of industrial looking buildings. Peter paused and turned to them. “The center building there is the house,” he said, pointing to the place he was referring to.

  Anna and Tim looked at him, a little confused. “That doesn’t look like a house. It looks like a warehouse,” Anna stated.

  Peter shrugged. “Father wanted to be always be at the center of all Rebel actives. Those other buildings hold the meeting rooms, the arena, and the arsenal.”

  Tim and Anna exchanged a glance. They had run across no other people in the short walk from the castle, but did that mean no one was around or everyone was gathered, ready to ambush them? Anna reached out with her mind, trying to sense her parents, wondering if they were being held in one of the many rooms of those buildings. “Come on. Let’s get this over with,” Peter said.

  He started to walk forward, and then stopped again, realizing that Anna and Tim hadn’t moved. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Uh, Pete, are you forgetting the Rebels don’t like Anna or me much?”

  “Oh right. Well they won’t hurt me. Just turn invisible and follow me,” he said bluntly, and started walking again.

  Anna held out her hand towards Tim, who took it in his own. Peter had stopped again and was looking towards them. “Are you following me?” he asked, being unable to see them any longer.

  He had allowed the power to work on him, so he knew no one else could see them. “Yeah, Pete. Go ahead, we’re here.”

  Peter started towards his house again. No one approached him. Not a single soul actually appeared that Tim could see. As they reached the building Peter had indicated was his house, Tim looked around looking for the front door, and then watched in fascination as his cousin approached a blank wall. Peter reached out and touched the bricks of the building, apparently in a pattern, and an open doorway appeared. Peter walked inside, motioning for them to follow. “Are you in?” he whispered.

  “Yes,” Anna whispered back.

  Peter reached out touched a panel on the wall next to him and the doorway disappeared. “Wonderful. You can become visible again now. No one can get in here except my parents and I.”

  Tim let go of Anna’s hand, but she didn’t reappear. “Anna?”

  Her voice appeared right next to his ear. “Maybe I should stay this way, until we know how Ronnoc will react to us being here.”

  “That’s fine with me. Pete, Anna will stay invisible until we see how your father reacts to me being here.”

  “Good idea. He doesn’t need to see Anna right now,” Peter muttered, leading them further into the house.

  Tim frowned at his cousin’s odd choice of words, but let it go. As they went further into the building, Tim began to recognize it from the last time he’d been there. “Father? Mother?” Peter called out, looking for his parents.

  Arat appeared first. “Oh!” she ran to her son and threw her arms around him. “Teppy! My baby has returned to me!”

  Teppy?

  Anna fought the urge to laugh at Tim’s reaction to Arat’s pet name for her son. Shh!

  Tim smiled and watched as his cousin’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment. “Hello to you too, Mother,” he said, patting her on the back.

  Tim could see he was trying to act cool in front of him but was thrilled to see his mother again. Peter pulled away from his mother and motioned towards Tim. “Mother you remember my cousin.”

  Arat looked at him for the first time, just realizing he was there. “Oh, hello, Tim,” she said calmly, motioning towards the couch, “Please have a seat.”

  Tim walked over and sat on the end of the couch and felt Anna sit next to him. “Would you like a drink, dear?”

  Tim shook his head, his patience wearing thin. Peter seemed to understand. “Where’s Father?”

  Arat looked from her son to Tim for a moment, and then said, “I’ll get him.”

  She turned and left the room. Less than a minute later, Ronnoc burst into the room. “Retep! My son! You are here! Stand up, my boy!”

  Peter stood and let his father embrace him. “Oh my boy, I am so happy you’ve returned to me! I have been searching everywhere for you! Where have you been? It’s been years! Why did you not keep in touch?”

  Tim tensed, hoping his cousin had enough sense to not reveal where they have been. “That’s not important, Father. Tim needs to talk to you.”

  Ronnoc hesitated for a moment then looked at Tim. “Well, nephew! Come give your uncle a hug!”

  Tim stood and let the man hug him, noting that he was now about an inch or two taller than Ronnoc. Since Ronnoc had only seen his thirteen-year-old self’s projection previously, he wondered how Ronnoc would process that. He didn’t have to wonder long. “My! You have grown, haven’t you? Must be our good genes!”

  Tim watched as Ronnoc looked from his son to Tim and back again. He knew Ronnoc noticed that Peter hadn’t really changed, and Tim had changed greatly. He began to wonder if he should have made himself appear younger again, but then discarded the thought. If he needed to use one of his powers this time, he wasn’t going to hesitate. Ronnoc would know, either way, something was different. When Ronnoc didn’t say anything else, Tim decided it was no or never. “I need to speak with you about something serious. In private please?”

  Tim’s eyes had flickered to Arat and he knew Ronnoc understood. Tim didn’t want to talk to his overly exuberant, but loving uncle that Ronnoc became under the influence of Arat’s power. He wanted to talk to Ronnoc the Rebel who didn’t like him much. “Of course! Retep! Please visit with your mother. She’s missed you so. Tim and I will have a chat in my den!”

  Ronnoc led Tim, who felt Anna follow, through to the dining room and stop at the door to his copied room. Ronnoc opened the door and motioned for Tim to enter. Tim made sure he felt Anna enter first before following her. Ronnoc entered and closed the door behind him. “Give it a moment. The effects will be gone soon.”

  While he waited, Tim looked around the room. It was vastly different then it had been the last time. It was painted a bright white and accented with dark greens. There was a desk in the center of the room, which Ronnoc was settling himself behind. The walls were covered in bookcases, but before Tim could read any of the titles, Ronnoc said, “I did not think I would see you again, boy. Or that you would willingly walk right back into my house.”

  “I trust your
son. My cousin and I have become friends in your absence. You cannot harm me. He would not forgive you,” Tim stated, exaggerating slightly about he and Peter’s relationship.

  Ronnoc studied him for a moment, with narrowed eyes. “Very well. What did you come here to talk to me about? I told you everything I could the last time we met.”

  Tim doubted that. “Anna’s parents have been taken. I need you to tell me who has them.”

  Ronnoc laughed. “Oh! Pretty little Anna! How horrible for her. Is she very distraught? Is that why you are without your shadow?”

  Tim said nothing, out loud. Anna, stay calm. If you get mad because of what he’s saying, you’ll make both of us mad as well. We do not want to be in that situation.

  I’ll try.

  Tim refocused on Ronnoc, satisfied that Anna would try her best. He found Ronnoc watching him with narrowed eyes again. When Tim continued to stay silent, Ronnoc finally spoke. “Why do you think I have anything to do with her parents’ disappearance?”

  “I didn’t say that. I just need you to tell me who did. See, whoever took them left this behind,” Tim stated, holding up the portal key.

  Ronnoc’s eyes widened, but he remained silent. “I know this is Aaron’s portal key. I also know Aaron hasn’t been seen since he tried to kill us all in the castle. I need to know who would have taken his key and how to find them.”