The Inner Realm

by Dale Furse

  The throne end of the long table on the left was full of plates laden with food. Cornel, Noor and Derek were already seated on the king’s left side. Vala had chosen to eat in her room and have an early night. That too, made Mike uncomfortable. He tried to shake the unease off. Maybe she was just tired.

  King Horace waved from his chair at the end of the table. “Come, our young heroes, come and feast.”

  His smile was the widest Mike had seen.

  Terni whizzed past Mike and sat on the empty chair opposite Noor. She placed a plate full of roast chicken pieces in front of him.

  Terni grinned at the plate. Mike bowed to the royals. “Your Majesties.” And sat down next to Terni.

  “Hey, I’m still Derek.” He wagged a knife at Mike.

  King Horace regarded Mike with firm eyes. “You and Terni will call me grandfather and, when you return, you will be king.”

  With hands in the stop mode, Mike fell against the back of the chair. “No I’m not.”

  Grandfather frowned. “You walked the streets—”

  “Of heaven, I know. But it doesn’t magically give me the know-how to run a kingdom, does it? Anyway I’m too young.”

  “You are not too young. However, you may have a point. You would need to learn much, but you will have us as your tutors.”

  “I think my mother might have something to say about that.”

  “She would approve, Mike,” Derek said.

  Mike knew he would never win the argument so decided to hedge. He would think of something before he returned. “I’ll think about it after I’ve talked to my parents.”

  “We will await your return,” Grandfather said.

  While they ate, the king announced Ludo’s punishment. He would spend six whole months in the dungeon with only a philosopher and physician to visit with him. At the end of his time, he could stay in the palace, but he would no longer have the position of prince.

  He had been disinherited, and he would have to apply for a position to earn his way.

  The king eyed Derek. “We will have to learn all about each other all over again.”

  Derek held Noor’s hand. “We all will.”

  Chapter 29

  The next morning, Hankley and the Shanks stood beside Mike’s bed. Hankley had told the Shanks to wait until the boy woke of his own accord, but as soon as Mike stirred, Hankley couldn’t wait another second. He pounced. “Good morning, Mike.”

  Mike’s eyes flew open and he sat up. “Wha—oh, Hankley. G’day Shanks One and Two.” He did a double take. “Shank One. Shank Two.” He leapt out of the bed and touched his hands to the Shanks’ arms. His lips stretched into a grin. “You’re alive.”

  “Not really alive as such,” Two said.” But we’re okay.”

  “Yeah, we’re okay.”

  Mike laughed. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “Yeah, so are we,” One said as he threw his arm around Mike’s back. Two did the same and they drew Mike into an embrace.

  Mike gasped and his face reddened. The Shanks didn’t know their own strength sometimes.

  “Let him be, boys, you’re squashing him.” They did, and Hankley ducked his head. “We’ve come to take you to the wall.”

  Hankley tried to sound happy about the fact, but he was going to miss the boys. He would have to wait until Mike needed the wall, or Oln next visited Earth or Salteren to see them again. His god had decided to go to Korapra next. Although after his encounter with Mike and Terni, Hankley would view all mortals differently. He used to enjoy being mesmerized by the magic of all the flora and fauna on the planets. He saw humans as vermin—scouring the worlds and throwing everything out of balance. Now his main interest was the people, especially the children—their personalities, characters, morals, and intrigues.

  A hand on his arm broke into his thoughts.

  “You okay, Hankley?” Mike asked.

  “Yes, yes. I was thinking about how long it will be before we see you again.” Hankley eyeballed the room. “Where are the Shanks?”

  “I don’t know, they wandered off somewhere. What do you mean? Can you get us to the wall faster than horses?”

  “Oln has given us leave to do so, yes.”

  The Shanks strolled back into the room. One said, “Yeah, Oln said we could transfer you and Terni right now if you like.”

  Mike, still sleep muddled, shook his head.

  “So come on, wake up. Where is Terni?” asked Hankley.

  Throwing back the covers with one hand, Mike shook Terni with the other. “Wake up, sleepy head, we’re going home.”

  Terni stretched and yawned. He sprang out of bed and threw on the same tunic he wore the night before. Hankley could feel his excitement. The servants waited, and when Mike had also dressed, Hankley coughed to get their attention. “Are you boys ready?”

  Mike hesitated.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I… we… can’t go without saying goodbye.”

  Shank Two said, “That would be bad manners.”

  “Yeah, bad manners.”

  Whizzing to the door, Terni threw it open and beckoned Mike to accompany him. “Let’s go and say goodbye then.”

  Urging Hankley’s agreement with their faces, each Shank pointed to a different boy.

  Hankley looked at each in turn and, although he nodded, he had a feeling the king wouldn’t let the boys go that easily.

  Once they found the king, Anabel, Derek, Noor, Cornel and Vala in the throne room, he knew he was right. The king wouldn’t let them leave without breakfast.

  After they ate, he made them promise to wait while he left the room for something.

  Hankley perched on the table opposite with the Shanks. He was under strict orders nothing was to pass from Cillian to the boys’ worlds.

  When the king returned, Mike whispered something to him. King Horace looked around the room as if searching for something and Hankley understood immediately Mike had told the king of their presence. He couldn’t see any harm in it, and wondered idly if the king believed Mike.

  ***

  “Don’t look,” Mike warned, still whispering. “Hankley’s smart and he’ll know I’m up to something.”

  The king wrinkled his understanding. “I need you to take this to your mother.” He slipped two small parchments down the front of Mike’s tunic. “There is one for Terni’s father also.”

  “I’ll sneak it to the kid when we say our goodbyes.”

  King Horace hugged Mike. “Thank you, grandson.”

  Mike liked the sound of that. He smirked. Grandad Horace and Uncle Derek. A small frown wrinkled the skin between his eyes. He also had Uncle Ludo and Uncle Ternith on Salteren.

  His eyes roamed to Vala and his frown disappeared. She was pretty as ever in a jade dress. She had hardly said a word during breakfast, and although they were about to leave, she hung back. He blinked and turned away. She wasn’t even going to say goodbye.

  With breakfast over, Maise put down the dishes and closed in on them, hugging first Mike and then Terni. She let go of the kid and said, “I have enjoyed your presence.”

  “Thanks, Maise. We enjoyed it to, didn’t we, cousin?”

  Terni’s face lit up and he gave Maise another hug around her waist. “I’ll miss you.”

  She bent down and engulfed him in her arms. “I will miss you too, little sir.”

  Cornel lifted Mike off the ground and swung him around. “Live your life without fear.” He then lifted Terni so high over his head he had to throw his head back to look in the kid’s face. “You too, little messenger.” Cornels smile was the broadest Mike had ever seen.

  Firmly grasping Mike’s hand, Derek pulled him forward in a natural embrace. “Nephew, I await your return, and I will pray to Azu it will be soon.” He had to extract Terni from Noor’s clinch before he could say the same to the kid.

  Once Derek had Terni, Noor moved in front of Mike. “I will miss you.” She grinned and pinched his cheek. “Thank you for everything,
brave Mike.”

  Rubbing his cheek, Mike tried to look insulted at her actions but instead, laughed and brought her close in a hug. “If it doesn’t work out between you and Derek, let me know.”

  She giggled, moved back, and pinched him again. “Naughty boy.”

  Vala hit Mike on the back of the head. “I heard that.”

  With a grin and a quickened pulse, Mike threw his arm around Vala’s shoulder. His heart trembled as her side pressed against his.

  Derek sidestepped and put his arm around Noor’s shoulders. “What’s going on here?” he asked, brows lifting in inquiry.

  “I was just telling Noor you had better look after her.”

  With his brows raised even higher, Derek tried to look intimidating, but didn’t succeed, a smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. “Is that so?”

  Mike laughed. “Yep, that is so.”

  Hankley interrupted the banter. “We have to go, Mike.”

  Mike moved Vala to his front and kissed her cherry lips. His head swam. Her softness and the smell of roses sank his stomach low. A warm shiver coursed through his body. Not wanting to break the connection, his lips lingered there as he spoke. “Bye, Vala.” He shook his head and moved back. “I will be back.”

  She nodded and let go, but stayed close.

  “Come on, kid,” Mike said, as he took Terni’s hand and gave the king a one armed hug. “See you, granddad.” He only had time to glance at the rest of his family before the grey mist enveloped him and Terni.

  Something heavy hung from his neck. He smelled roses.

  Chapter 30

  The mist evaporated. Vala, arms around Mike’s neck, lips close to his, smiled. “Hello.”

  A return smile formed on Mike’s mouth as he lowered his face towards Vala’s open mouth.

  “Mike, look.” Terni yanked on Mike’s shirt. “Doors.”

  Spell broken, Mike sighed and turned to where Terni gaped. Only a three-door section of the wall between worlds was visible. Doors one and three opened.

  Hankley put something in Terni’s hand before stepping alongside Mike. “The door on the left is yours, and the one on the right is Terni’s entrance to his world. I will take Vala back to the palace.”

  “Oh, okay.” Mike gazed at Vala and wished he could take her home with him. His mother would be rapt to see and speak to someone from her homeland. But no, the differences would be too much for her. Culture shock. He thought that was the expression.

  “What?” Vala wanted to know.

  “Sorry,” Mike said. “I was just thinking how Mother would have loved to meet you, but Hankley’s right. You have to stay here. The cultural change would be too much for you.

  “Funny, it didn’t seem to bother you coming here.”

  “That’s different, we have books and movies about science fiction stuff. My mind is more open to such things.”

  She snorted and faced Terni. “And do you have whatever those things are Mike’s talking about?”

  “No.”

  Vala rounded on Mike. “So why doesn’t Terni suffer from the changes he saw?”

  “From what I’ve heard of Salteren, it’s not that much different than here except here, there are no messengers.”

  Uncertainty crossed Vala’s face.

  “Give her the gem, Terni,” Hankley said.

  Ah, that’s what he gave the kid.

  Terni held out the stone to Vala. “Hankley wants you to hold this.”

  She took the stone. “What is it?”

  “It’s a language gem,” Hankley said. “I needed you to hear me. You are not to travel off this planet and must return to the castle.”

  “Why? Mike’s mother went away, why can’t I?”

  “It is not for us to ask questions, but to obey our god.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, you’re not me. I have nothing, no one here and I… I… luh—like Mike. We get on, don’t we, Mike?”

  Mike nodded. Had she nearly said, love? He silently wished Hankley luck.

  “There, you see, Mike doesn’t mind. Why should you?”

  “It’s not up to Mike and I’m not arguing with you. I’m taking you back myself.” He took her arm and fanned his hand over her hand holding the gem. The gem floated back to Terni.

  Vala struggled, but Hankley held too tight. The next instant, she appeared to give up.

  Mike grimaced. Was she pretending again? He was impressed with Hankley. He had never seen him so intimidating. It made sense he was more scared of his god than Vala.

  “You have to go, Mike,” Hankley said as the wall shimmered once.

  “I’m sorry, Vala. I promise I’ll be back as soon as school is finished.” Mike kissed her quickly; worried if he started he would not be able to stop. He whispered, “Wait for me.” He turned to Terni. “Come here, kid.”

  Terni threw his arms around Mike’s waist. “I will miss you, Mike.”

  Tears stung Mike’s eyes. “I’ll miss you too, my little messenger cousin.” He maneuvered Terni and presented the kid’s back to Hankley and the Shanks. He squatted as he hugged the kid with one arm and shoved the parchment from their granddad down his tunic with his free hand. “Give this to your dad,” he said quietly in Terni’s ear.

  “What is it?”

  “A note, and don’t lose it. It’s important.”

  “I won’t.”

  Although Mike didn’t want to part from the kid, he was more than ready to go home.

  The Shanks and Hankley shuffled forward. “Boys, it’s time to go,” Two stated.

  “Yeah, you have to go now.” One looked bereft.

  They stepped closer and Two’s right arm engulfed Mike while One’s left arm held Terni.

  “We will miss you both,” Two said with a smile.

  “Ye-ah,” One said, as if that one word was too much to voice.

  “We’ll miss you too.” As Mike spoke, the Shanks bent and hugged Terni gently, as if afraid of breaking the kid.

  “Be careful, little messenger,” Two said.

  “Yeah, be careful, little one.”

  They let go of Terni and grasped Mike in another of their bear hugs.

  “Oomph,” Mike gasped. They didn’t seem to think he had to be handled gently. Although the Shanks took him by surprise, Mike noted Hankley saying something to Terni. The kid beamed and nodded as Hankley embraced the kid with one arm, still imprisoning Vala in the other.

  “Goodbye,” Shank Two said.

  “Yeah, goodbye.”

  They let go, tears dripping from their eyes as the bleak, grey mist immersed their body.

  Before they completely disappeared, Mike called out, “So long, mates.”

  He gazed at the remaining servant of Oln. “Thank you, Hankley.”

  Hankley straightened and held out a hand. “No, thank you, Mike. I have learned a great deal from this experience.”

  Mike laughed. “You and me both.” He threw his arms around the servant’s neck.

  Hankley moved back as Mike let him go and patted Terni on his shoulder. “Now go on, Oln will be wondering what is taking so long.”

  “Okay, okay.” Mike smiled at Terni and winked. “See you, kid.”

  “Wait,” Vala said. “Can I say goodbye to Terni?”

  Hankley released her arm, but stayed near enough to grab her if he needed to.

  Vala squatted and cuddled the kid. “I will miss you. Please remember me.”

  “I will.” Terni snuggled into her shoulder for a moment. He let go, ran half the distance to his door and turned.

  Mike let out a laugh. “The door on the right, Terni.”

  “Thanks Mike. Bye. Bye Vala. Bye Hankley.” He scampered through his door and it slammed shut behind him.

  Mike faced Hankley. “Tell your sweetheart I said goodbye.” He gazed at Vala, “I’ll see you in the new year.”

  A lime-green mist settled above them and shivered for a moment before Gart’s face appeared. “Time to get back, Hankley.”

 
; “Sir?” Hankley said, staring.

  “I’m now my brother’s envoy and Oln wants you to get back immediately.” He waved his arm and the mist enveloped Hankley.

  Mike grimaced at Hankley. “Don’t trust him.”

  Hankley shook his head. “He can’t lie, Mike. Oln must want us.”

  “Oh, okay, have fun then.” Mike grinned at Hankley’s disbelieving face. “See ya, Hank.”

  Hankley said something, but his voice was lost in the mist as he faded away.

  Vala wrapped her arms around Mike’s neck.

  “Huh?” His skin warmed at her touch. He tried to take them off him, but she hung on to tightly—or had he not tried hard enough.

  The wall shimmered.

  Mike’s wide eyes looked at Vala.

  She grinned. “We’d better go before it’s too late,” she sang.

  Mike wavered. What was he supposed to do? Hankley didn’t take her back like he said he would and there was no time for Mike to take her.

  He frowned and glanced at the wall. “There’s no time to argue.” He grabbed her hand and they hurtled through the door. As soon as they stepped on Earth soil, the wall vanished.

  Chapter 31

  Hankley left Oln’s sanctum and returned to his position in the wall office. The Shanks were there. “Well, boys, except for Gart spending more time here as Oln’s errand boy, I guess we go back to normal now.”

  Two raised his droopy eye. “Not quite normal.”

  “Yeah, when’s the wedding?”

  Heat filled Hankley’s cheeks. “I haven’t asked her yet.”

  “You haven’t asked Rone?” One said out of order. “You had better ask before she starts wondering if a brown robe is beneath her.”

  Hankley paused.

  “Don’t listen to him. He’s only having a go at you.”

  Realizing Two was right, Hankley relaxed. “You two have been around Mike for too long.”

  ***

  A moonlit bush met Mike on the other side of the wall. He was home. Facing Vala, he said, “How did you know I’d let you come with me?”

  “I have a third eye,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.