The Lobos' Heartsong

by Laura Jo Phillips

  Saige turned away from the door and smiled widely at Lariah who sat propped up in the bed against a mound of fluffy pillows, her red-gold hair spread around her. Saige was sure she had never seen such joy in anyone’s face as she saw on Lariah’s at that moment.

  “So, you had those babies without me, huh?” she demanded.

  “Well, you were off playing with your men somewhere,” Lariah replied with a careless shrug. “What was I supposed to do? Stick a cork in there?”

  “If you were a true friend that’s exactly what you would have done.”

  “That’s true,” Lariah agreed lightly.

  Saige hurried across the room and bent to give her friend a fierce hug. “I love you Lariah Dracon,” she said. “I am so relieved that you and the babies are well. I was very frightened for you.”

  “We are fine,” Lariah said, patting Saige’s hand soothingly. “I was more than a little worried about you as well.” Saige pulled back and Lariah studied her face carefully.

  “Don’t you worry,” Saige said. “I am fine. Better than fine. There is something so amazing about this whole linking souls thing. I feel as though I am no longer alone. I feel connected to my men and I love it as I love them.”

  “Yes, I know what you mean,” Lariah said softly. “After so many years of loneliness, it is wonderful to know I will never be lonely again.”

  “Now, let me look at those babies you’ve been hiding from us,” Saige said as she turned away from the bed.

  “Your lau-lotu are beautiful Saige,” Lariah said as she admired the black and white striped wolves now decorating Saige’s shoulders and arms.

  Saige laughed with delight. “Your daughters are beautiful Lariah,” she said as she bent over the bassinets to gaze at the sleeping babies. She straightened up and met her friend’s eyes. “We sure are lucky, aren’t we?” Saige asked.

  “Yes, we certainly are,” Lariah agreed. “My only sadness is for Riata.”

  “I know,” Saige said. “I feel the same. But we both know that Riata would not want sadness to ruin our happiness now.”

  “No, she wouldn’t,” Lariah agreed.

  “Have you named your daughters yet?” Saige asked.

  “Yes,” Lariah said with a smile. “The eldest is Salene, after Eldar Hamat’s Arima.”

  “That is very thoughtful of you,” Saige said.

  “Well, she is my great grandmother, several hundred times removed,” Lariah said with a grin. “The next is Rayne.”

  “After your mother,” Saige said. Lariah nodded.

  “The youngest...”

  “Wait,” Saige interrupted, “let me guess. The youngest is Riata.”

  Lariah shook her head slowly. “That’s what I wanted but Garen, Trey and Val objected. They said that it is bad luck to name a newborn after one who has recently left our world to walk the spirit plane.”

  “So what did you name the youngest then?” Saige asked.

  ““Tanjelia,” Lariah said softly.

  “Angel,” Saige translated, smiling. “In honor of Riata.”

  “Yes, in honor of Riata. Because of her, I am alive and Dracon. Because of her, you are alive, and the Lobos are alive. Because of her, both of us survived today, along with my daughters. There is much to honor Riata for.”

  “Yes, there is,” Saige replied. “And Riata would be most pleased with the honor you have given her by naming your daughter for her.” Saige bent low over the bassinets again. “Lariah, they look identical to me,” she said. “How will you tell them apart?”

  “Their eyes,” Lariah replied. “Salene’s eyes are golden like Garen’s. Rayne’s are blue-green like Trey’s, and Tani’s are the exact same shade of grey as Val’s.”

  “Tani huh?” Saige asked with a grin as she moved to gaze down at the youngest of the three infants. “I like that. Tanjelia is far too big a name for such a tiny girl. And I love that they have their fathers’ eyes. That’s very cool.”

  “Where is Riata now?” Saige asked quietly as she continued to look down at the sleeping baby. “Do you know?”

  “Garen told me that they placed her in her guest room. They could not put her with that...man. Her family will arrive soon to take her back to her Alveria.”

  “She gave me her healing power,” Saige said.

  Lariah nodded. “Yes, I saw that. Do you think you can heal now, the way she did?”

  “I don’t know,” Saige said uncertainly. “Lariah, I’m going to tell you something that will probably sound strange, but I promise you that it is the truth.”

  “Saige, I would never doubt anything you said to me,” Lariah assured her.

  “When I was going through the transformation, I saw Riata,” Saige said in a low voice. Lariah did not roll her eyes or grin as she half expected. She just waited. “She told me that she had been chosen to be my Spirit Guide, and that the Jasani were going to have some troubled times ahead, and that if the wrong choices were made, it could be the end of them.” Saige hesitated, then sighed. “She also told me that she had been chosen to reveal the lost prophecy of Semat Katre.”

  Lariah gasped at that. “Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed. “Can you tell me what it is?”

  Saige turned and met Lariah’s eyes. “I don’t remember,” she admitted. “She told me that I would remember it, and then she recited it, and I asked her if she was sure I would remember, and she said yes, but I don’t. What is it anyway?”

  “On the day that the remnants of the Jasani people landed here, on Jasan, a Seer named Semat Katre was very badly injured. Before he died, he told his brothers a prophecy which, in part, talked about the coming of an Arima for the Dracons. But Semat died before he could finish it. They were never positive that there was more to it, but they believed there was. Now it seems they were correct.”

  “Damn,” Saige said softly. “It is very important then. I just don’t understand why Riata would tell me that I would remember it, and then I don’t.”

  Just as Saige finished speaking the door opened and Faron stepped in, followed closely by the Dracons and the other Lobos. “What is it you do not remember?” he asked as he bent to give her a light kiss on the forehead.

  Saige blushed with embarrassment, but she would not hide her failure. The prophecy was obviously important to the Jasani people.

  She explained to all of them how Riata had appeared to her in her dream and what she had said about the healing power, and about her being a Spirit Guide. Then she told them about the prophecy, and that she had forgotten it.

  “You can remember nothing of it?” Garen asked.

  Saige started to shake her head when suddenly, out of nowhere, it blazed into her mind. She gasped. “Oh, now I know,” she said softly. She closed her eyes and seemed to see the words Riata had spoken burned into her mind in fiery letters.

  She began to speak, reading the words she saw behind her closed eyes:

  In the fullness of manhood, the patience of the royal sons of the third generation beyond this day, shall be met with their soul’s fulfillment in a daughter of a distant sun.

  Have they faith in the three, by the three shall all be blessed.

  Radiant with the glory of lau-lotu shall they descend from the sky in flame before the people, and the people shall be renewed.

  Shall faith be denied, so the people shall be lost, forevermore.

  Shall the people have faith, so shall the people be blessed with a chance for renewal.

  The renewal of the people shall begin with the Soul,

  Who shall call to the soil of her distant home for she who shall be the Heart, and she who shall be the Mind.

  And these shall be the Three.

  Have they faith in the Three, by the Three shall all be blessed.

  By the Three shall be found new knowledge

  Of shadowed truths,

  Of enemies born to be brothers,

  Of Dark Deceivers

  Of schemes from beyond the Veil of Stars to cast the peoples of the suns n
umbering a hundred times ten into the eternal deep.

  Have they faith in the Three, by the Three shall all be blessed.

  Shall the Three endure, the people and their brothers shall banish the Dark Deceivers from the Veil of Stars forever.

  Shall the Three perish, so shall the people be lost, forevermore.

  When she was finished she opened her eyes and looked at the startled faces staring at her.

  “Riata told me that Lariah is the Soul, and I am the Heart, whatever that means. She also said that there is another woman who is the Mind, and whom we must find before the others do.”

  “Did she tell you no more than that?” Garen asked. “Who the other woman is, or where to look for her?”

  Saige shook her head. “I’m sorry, but no, she didn’t. She said only that it is very important that we find her.”

  “Trey?” Garen asked.

  “Yes, I got it all,” Trey replied as he reached up to tap the vox in his ear, letting everyone know that he had recorded Saige’s recitation.

  “Let’s send that to the council, and to Eldar Hamat as well,” Garen said.

  “Can anyone tell me the first part of the prophecy?” Saige asked, very glad that she would not have to worry about remembering that again.

  “You recited the first part and the second, amada,” Faron told her with a smile.

  “Oh,” Saige said. “Well then, that’s good. Does anyone understand any of it?”

  “I can guess what parts of it mean but no, I don’t understand all of it,” Garen replied. “It appears that our future as a people depends on you, Lariah, and this mysterious other woman. I do not know how we are going to find her when we know nothing about her.”

  “Well, the prophecy said that the Soul, me I guess, will call to Earth for her,” Lariah said slowly, thinking out loud as was her habit when she was trying to work things out. “And Eldar Hamat said that a Nahoa-Arima draws certain people to her. So maybe this other woman will be drawn here without us having to do anything about it.”

  “Perhaps,” Garen replied.

  “Riata sounded as though the woman were in danger, or would be. She said we had to find her before the others did,” Saige reminded them.

  “Perhaps it is the other missing passenger,” Faron suggested.

  Saige considered that. “Do you think so?” she asked. “I suppose its possible.”

  “Do you know anything about her?” Garen asked.

  “A little,” Saige replied. “I met her a few times on the trip. Her name is Summer Whitney and she was coming to Jasan to find and marry a male-set. She told me she’d waited a year for a spot at Bride House and she was excited about it. She was very sweet.”

  “Or, maybe its my sister,” Lariah suggested. Everyone looked at her. “Well, other than Saige, the only person I can think of that would possibly want to come see me is Ellicia.”

  Garen considered that for a few moments, then rubbed his face with both hands tiredly. “If it is Ellicia, then we must send a message to the Director and let him know that she may be in danger. If it is this other woman, Summer, then we must learn more about the abductions if we are to have any chance of retrieving her. At least we now know who is behind the abductions.”

  “Who?” Saige and Lariah both asked at the same time.

  “The Xanti,” Garen replied.

  “The Xanti?” Saige gasped. “That’s what the glittery man was, a Xanti?”

  “Apparently,” Faron replied. “Trey collected a few items that the man dropped before he transported off-planet yesterday. One of the items was a transportation remote, as you thought, Saige. He obviously had a personal device on him somewhere, which is how he managed to transport without the one he dropped.

  “We sent it to the council scientists for examination last night and, while they have not finished their study of it, the script and a few other markings indicate it is a Xanti device.”

  “On that subject we need to inform you of a few other developments, and explain some things to both of you,” Garen said to Lariah and Saige.

  “Okay,” Lariah said.

  “First, we want to tell you that the fuel tanker did hit ground, though we were able to slow it and contain the explosion. The men in the ship were able to eject and they are fine. Unfortunately, the explosion destroyed the Lobos’ home.”

  Saige looked up at Faron, Dav and Ban. “I’m so sorry,” she said.

  “It is nothing,” Faron said. “We were not there all the time, so we did not keep anything of value or importance there. All that was lost was the house, furnishings and some clothes. More important to us is that none of the hands were harmed, nor even any of the animals on our ranch.”

  Saige nodded, relieved that they had not lost anything of real value to them, but still sad that they had lost their home.

  “From what you two have told us, put together with some information transmitted to us by planet security, that tanker accident was sabotage--a deliberate diversion. Obviously the intent was to draw us away from the house so that the two of you could be abducted. And it worked.”

  “I am sorry, Garen,” Saige said guiltily. “I should not have allowed Lariah to leave the garden. It’s just that we....”

  “Just you hold on there Saige Taylor...Lobo,” Lariah interrupted her. “What do you mean you shouldn’t have allowed me to leave the garden? Since when are you my keeper? You are not responsible for my actions.” She looked up at Garen. “Tiny left the garden to go up the hill and they shot him. I felt his pain, anger and fear and heard him cry out. I ran to him. I know I should have stayed in the garden, but I couldn’t help it. I had to go to him.”

  Garen nodded. “I understand, sharali,” he said gently. “It is your nature and you could not have done other. But at the same time, we almost lost both you and Saige. The only two known Arimas. This is the second time you have been targeted and we dare not take any more chances. Now, there are the two of you, and our daughters.”

  Lariah nodded sadly. “I know, and I am sorry. If I had not run out after Tiny, Riata would not be gone from us.”

  “Do not take responsibility for what others have done,” Garen said firmly. “It is the fault of those that took the three of you away from here, not yours.”

  “Those two men and Darleen Flowers,” Saige put in.

  Garen nodded. “Yes, they played a part. But the larger picture is far darker. The Xanti are behind this, and they are dangerous opponents, not to be taken lightly. They are very technologically advanced, and they are utterly ruthless. They are also well known for interfering in the politics of others for their own gain.”

  “You obviously know a lot about them,” Saige said. “And I’ve read about them myself, though I don’t remember reading anything that talked about what they looked like. But I don’t understand why you guys didn’t recognize my description of him.”

  “Because that being we saw today looked nothing like the Xanti we have seen,” Garen replied. “The ones we saw looked very much like the native peoples of Pilorat. Large, round bodied with smallish heads and green skin. We have always wondered about the wildly conflicting reports of the appearance of the Xanti, but now we understand it. Val recovered several bits of a strange substance lying on the ground beside the remote, which were also sent to the council scientists. It turns out to be a very advanced form of bio-technology.”

  “Bio-technology?” Saige asked.

  “A form of science which blends biology and technology together to create, in essence, living machines,” Garen explained. “Evidently it has been in use by the Xanti for several centuries. We now believe that they use it to create a bio-suit which conforms to whatever race of people they are dealing with, which explains the conflicting reports of their appearance.”

  “You mean they can look like whatever, or whoever they want?” Saige asked.

  “Yes, it appears so,” Garen replied grimly.

  Saige shivered and Faron put his arm around her shoulders. “That’
s a very frightening idea. I’m not sure the word evil is enough to describe how bad they really are,” she said. “Just thinking of that man makes my skin crawl.”

  “We have long suspected that the Xanti were behind the deaths of our eldest brothers, and the reigning Princes before us,” Garen said. “Now, aside from attempting to abduct you two, they are also behind a large number of other missing women. At this time, we estimate approximately 125 females have been abducted on their way to Jasan. That figure is based on the amount of unclaimed luggage the Bearens discovered being stored at the spaceport. What is more, the Xanti have discovered a method of identifying potential Arimas, and seem to be targeting them specifically.”

  “So that explains the cold metal object and the word berezi I assume,” Saige guessed.

  “Yes,” Garen replied. “We are grateful that you were conscious enough to have seen and heard what you did Saige. Otherwise, who knows how much longer it would have taken us to learn about that part of their activities.”

  “What about the prime controller?” she asked.

  Garen’s face closed down. Saige arched a brow and looked at Faron who sighed. “We are not entirely sure, but it is thought that the device is a particularly advanced form of nano-technology which allows external control of a human brain.”

  Saige felt instantly sick and almost wished she hadn’t asked. “We have to find those women,” she said. “Somehow, we have to find them, and release them.”

  “We are working fast to compile as much information as possible on the women we believe to be missing, amada,” Faron assured her. “I promise you, we will do all that we can to find them.”

  “How are you going to do that when you don’t even know where to start?” Saige asked, trying hard not to remember how close she came to being one of those women.

  “Saige, listen to me,” Garen said. Saige looked up and realized that she was now looking at the High Prince of Jasan. “These women were on their way to our world. Many of them were coming here to mate with our male-sets. As such, they are under our protection. We will exert every effort possible for as long as necessary until we put a stop to these abductions and locate the missing women. We will account for every last one of them before we are finished. That is both a decree, and a promise.”