Changing of the Glads

by Joy Spraycar

  “And I feel this feeling... down below.”

  He took a deep breath and shuddered. “You desire to be with me. I, too, feel this.” He cupped her chin with his hand as he searched her face. “Do you wish to be mine?”

  “What does that mean? Be yours?”

  He took her hands in his. “It means that you would be my wife, the only person I care to spend the rest of this life with and every life to come. We would cleave to each other, become one in body, mind, and spirit. Do you wish for this?”

  Her heart raced. He’d shown her a glimpse of what life would be like with him, and she wanted that more than anything. The thought of spending an entire lifetime beside him took hold of her and caused her mind to soar. It floated amidst the sparkling stars and became as light as the brightest one. She wanted to answer, but the lump in her throat prevented it, so she merely nodded.

  “Then we must be joined in the eyes of the Elders, Selestia, and this world.”

  “How do we do that?”

  “I will show you.” Max rose, strode over to his pack, and removed the pouch that he repeatedly reached into. He turned to her. “Remain here,” he said then walked into the forest.

  As he vanished into the darkness, Zalphia’s heart raced. Panic made breathing difficult, and her mind screamed at her to jump to her feet and rush after him. But he had asked her to wait.

  Fighting the urges warring inside, Zalphia pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. His absence settled around her, adding a chill to the air that even the warmth of the fire couldn’t alleviate. Moisture brimmed in her eyes, but she tightened the grip around her legs and waited.

  ***

  Max smiled as he picked his way through the darkness. They were still at least half a day ahead of the trackers. Should they take the time to become one, completely body and soul? Was she strong enough? This was the first time she had stood on her own. Her brain had healed, but she had eaten very little during her recovery.

  None of that mattered. She wanted to be his. She desired this thing as much as he. This was what he spent the last eight years dreaming, training, and fighting for. This would be the night he was again joined with his other half, his Zalphia. All that was left was to perform the sacred ritual and again become a Selestial pair.

  He paused and searched for the bright star of their home world overhead. It blended in with the other blinking lights in the distance. But just to the left of the constellation Sagittarius, he spied it. Everyone there would tonight witness the ceremony that joined him to Zalphia, and then the two of them would accomplish all they had been sent here to do. It had been no easy task to feel what she felt for so many years, and yet, since the removal of her chip, he seemed to have lost the ability to slip into her mind.

  He rubbed the stubble on his jaw.

  It didn’t matter. She was once again by his side, where she belonged. It would only be a matter of time before he again was as close to her as they had been before starting their mission on this lower planet.

  The mission!

  What could have happened all those years ago? Where were their sons, Vitus and Karaticus? They should have easily changed the path on this planet, but they hadn’t. On Selestia, Vitus was the third strongest mind. Only Mantus and, of course, Zalphia could best him.

  Zalphia stood at the head of the council, and Max had been lucky enough to have gained her favor. If Mantus had won her heart... but no... of course he couldn’t. She sensed something sinister in him. Zalphia kept the suave and debonair Elder at arm’s length.

  Max shook his head, glad that Zalphia picked him all those years ago. Mantus defying the council and interfering on the lesser planets never made sense to Max or Zalphia. Mantus could have been equal to Max and Zalphia if he had chosen one of the available women on Selestia. But when he lost Zalphia to Max, he fell. Then he was stripped of all his powers. Zalphia pleaded for mercy for Mantus, but the council inflicted the most severe punishment.

  Zalphia, dear sweet, Zalphia. She always saw the best in people, especially Max. Without her, he would have been lost. Then she offered to come down and save this planet. Afraid of what might happen to him, she didn’t want Max to join her. No, she didn’t truly need him to turn things around here. She had powers of persuasion that needed no second mind. But he had been afraid to let her come alone.

  He dreaded to think what would have happened to her if he hadn’t been here. She would have eventually been killed in the arena. That was for sure. But now, now they would combine and save this world.

  A smile turned up the corner of his mouth. Zalphia would be his again. He remembered vividly the day she was placed with her adoptive parents. He’d been nearly seven by then, but the feelings of wonder and happiness brought tears to his eyes. At the time, he hadn’t understood what it meant, but from that point on it seemed as if he had two minds. One centered on his father’s farm, and one that experienced things he could not have possibly known about. Seeing through Zalphia’s eyes brought joy he couldn’t express to his human family. Then, one day, all of that changed.

  The day Zalphia was dragged from her mother and placed in the Glad training center loomed dark and dismal. Zalphia no longer possessed her childish wonderment. Now replaced by sadness, she soon disappeared entirely.

  At age fifteen, the emptiness and loss consumed him. Anger burned in the pit of his stomach, and he lashed out at those around him, pushing his anger and unhappiness into random minds and causing much strife in the small village where he’d been raised. He even used his powers to force his older brother to do all his chores. His human father was caring and supportive. But he, too, eventually felt Max’s mind inside his own and recognized what his son truly was.

  The day Max turned sixteen his father marched him the two miles to the church and turned him over to the priest. That was the day Simeon came into his life.

  This Elder from Selestia sat Max down and explained that using his mind in the way he had been was wrong. From that time on, Simeon spent two or three hours each and every day teaching Max about where he was from and what he and Zalphia had come to do. He also helped Max reach out, find the practical side of his future mate, and how he could use his mind powers to sustain her, add power to her own thoughts, and support her through her trials.

  Many times Simeon found his pupil reduced to tears, hiding in the straw pile inside the barn, struggling with all that Zalphia was subjected to. But Simeon taught that even the pain and suffering would be worth it in the end.

  In the third year of Max’s training, he nearly lost Zalphia to the injury which left the deep scar in her abdomen. The one she had tried to hide from him. Simeon lent the strength of his own mind to help heal her, but Max was determined to save her before she was killed in the arena.

  Not long after that, his village was overrun by soldiers. Simeon hid his young charge and used every trick Max had learned to save him from being taken. When they were again alone, Simeon explained that someone had discovered Max had powers, just as with Zalphia.

  Now was the time for Max’s life to change. He needed to focus on Zalphia. Quit using his mind, so no one would sense what he could do. Max was sent to a Glad training center, and within a year was fighting for his life inside the arena. Simeon promised long ago that this part would not last long, but it had been eight years since he’d uttered those words. Eight long years of waiting, suffering, and fighting. But now, here they were, about to take the next step and save a whole planet from destruction.

  Zalphia had suffered so much in her short life. But now, they were finally together. He should have known she’d been chipped, but he was so taken with finding her and escaping that it simply did not cross his mind. That certainly explained why he’d lost his connection to her all those years ago. Platy had used every means to destroy Zalphia, as if she had been informed what means would keep him and his mate apart. But there was no way she could have known that, could she?

  Max shook his head. It didn�
�t matter. All of that was behind them. Platy was gone, and the arena was their past. They would turn this world back to its chosen course. Yes, when Zalphia learned how to direct her powers, they would save humankind and then return home to spend the rest of their days at the head of Selestia’s council.

  The meadow now spread before him. Max paused at the tree line. To be joined together, he must first find the flowers which only bloomed under the light of the moon. It would require some time to gather enough flowers and make the sacred Moonflower wreaths. One for the altar which would hold the moonstone. And the other for his bride. He would place a wreath of flowers on Zalphia’s head as a symbol of their union and its benefits to mankind. Then, with the power of the sacred moonstone, the Elders would witness the rite. If it were approved by the great God above, the cloudy white stone would turn to dust.

  Max felt the growing pressure of anticipation. To be around her and not take her before this ceremony was hard, especially when she thought nothing about sitting close to him totally nude. How strong did she think he was? The power of the stone hidden in the pouch hanging from his waist lent him the strength to keep his desires in check. Merely touching it reminded him of all that was at stake and what would be lost if he succumbed to his passions before the sacred ritual of becoming husband and wife. That torture would end as soon as he gathered the Moonflowers and readied the altar.

  A picture flashed through his mind of what becoming one would be like, increasing the pressure in his loins. He needed to hurry. Using his senses like his human father taught him, he probed the meadow, making sure it was safe to enter. Others were there. Deer, elk, and moose.

  Nothing like the land he’d come from, which was mostly barren, just some sagebrush and a few scrub trees. The only animals around his boyhood home were skunk, raccoon, fox, and an occasional antelope.

  The wars on this planet had taken their toll. Most of the creatures that lived in the jungles and rainforests were destroyed by the bombings, leaving only a few species to repopulate. This land was one of the most interesting he’d visited. He’d never been to Kilapon before, but Simeon told him wondrous stories about it. He couldn’t wait to discover more of it with Zalphia.

  Striding across the meadow, he reached a patch of sacred blooms and carefully plucked an armful before heading back into the forest. He’d seen a tree stump not far from the camp on his way to the meadow that would work perfectly as an altar. They would perform the ceremony there.

  When he reached it, he dropped the handful of flowers on the ground. Taking a soft skin from the pouch at his waist, Max carefully unfolded it, revealing the milky stone. He spread the thin leather over the stump, placed the sacred gem in the center, and then twisted a ring of flowers together, situating them around the edge of the stump. Satisfied the altar was set up according to Selestial law, he gathered the remaining blooms and headed back to camp.

  CHAPTER 9

  Max wandered into the firelight, his arms filled with gentle white flowers, and he sat beside Zalphia on the log.

  “What have you got there?” she asked, rubbing a silky petal between her fingers.

  “These are called Moonflowers. The moon is a symbol of our life cycle. It starts out barely a sliver then grows until completely full. From that point, it begins to fade until only a mere slit remains. So it is with us. We from Selestia flare from a mere speck of light to a glowing being, then fade when our work is done. These flowers represent those here, the humans that will bloom and grow under the light of those from Selestia. As we are joined together, these flowers will show our willingness to alter this world until it blooms in beauty and full life. A life of kindness and love, one that leaves behind the cruel and selfishness they now possess.”

  Zalphia watched intently as Max took the long stems and wove them into a wreath with the tender square flowers to the outside. She marveled that his massive hands could work with such delicate plants and not completely crush them. When he finished, he placed the crown of blooms on top her head then knelt at her feet.

  He took her hands in his own. “My dearest Zalphia, I wish for you to be my wife. Will you do me the honor of participating in the Selestial marriage ceremony that will join us together here on this earth?”

  Tears brimmed in her eyes, and a lump took her voice. She managed to nod.

  He rose and held his hand out to her.

  She took it, stood, and followed him into the forest.

  He stopped when they reached a stump that came to her waist. Spread on top of it was a piece of hide similar to that which he’d made her clothing with, and in the center sat a cloudy-white, round stone. Flowers like the ones making up her crown surrounded the strange rock.

  The night birds and the crickets all ceased their songs simultaneously as if someone had spoken for silence, and stillness settled around them. Max took Zalphia’s left hand and placed it on the stone. Her palm fit perfectly over it, and the stone warmed against her skin. Then he placed his left hand over the top of hers and laced the fingers of her right in his. Overhead, one of the stars grew brighter and brighter until it shone like midday but only around where they stood.

  Max tilted his chin toward the star. “That is Selestia, our home planet. It is time.”

  Zalphia watched Max’s face brighten as he began.

  “I, Maximillion, desire to have Zalphia as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for her and love her. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”

  The words burned into her memory. He wanted her to be his, forever. Happiness like she’d never felt before burst inside, along with the excitement of becoming one with her strange, dark man. She imagined her beloved cello music swirling around them.

  Shards of light slipped from between her fingers resting over the top of the stone. She marveled that a simple rock could glow in such a way.

  “Yes,” a symphony of voices rang out.

  Zalphia looked around. They must have been inside her head because her ears still only registered the peaceful stillness.

  “Do you wish for this union, Zalphia?” Max looked at her expectantly.

  She nodded.

  “Out loud,” Max whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “Now it is your turn. Do you need me to tell you what to say?”

  Zalphia shook her head. She remembered every word. “I, Zalphia, desire to have Maximillion as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for him and love him. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”

  Another resounding “Yes,” echoed in her head.

  “Do you wish for this union, Maximillion?”

  “I do.”

  The strange stone lifted from the stump, taking their hands with it. It hovered above the wreath of flowers, and the petals opened wider then drifted toward the glowing orb. The stems waved and twirled as if they still belonged to a growing plant. The light from the moonstone grew brighter, and then flashed as it melted beneath Zalphia’s hand. The heat remained against her palm, but the stone turned to dust and drifted back to the hide.

  Max threw his arms around Zalphia and pulled her close. His eyes darkened before he closed them and pressed his lips to hers. Heat like she’d never felt, even when he’d done this before, flowed from his tongue to hers. It slid down into her chest and set her insides blazing. She pressed closer, wishing to melt against him, to be closer than just touching the nakedness of his chest. She wanted to entangle her limbs with his.

  Cold seeped between them as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “You are all mine now.”

  The distance formed by his small movement tore at her, and she responded by throwing her arms about his neck. He slid his hands under her bottom and lifted her against his chest. As if on their own, her legs wrapped around his waist, and she buried her nose against his neck, reveling in his musky scent.
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  He picked his way through the trees and returned to the fire where he gently placed her on her feet. Prying her arms from around his neck, he placed them at her sides and took a step back.

  Fear gripped her for a brief moment, and she began to follow his movement, but he held up his hand and shook his head.

  As if that simple movement had control over her body, she froze midstride. Her eyes stayed glued to his, and emptiness washed through her. A shiver slid from her toes to her head. Without him, the air around her felt barren, cold, and empty. Although his essence remained in her mind, her body longed for his touch, the sensation of his skin on hers and the breath from his mouth against her lips. Without those things, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He was part of her, and the foot or so that separated them seemed like miles.

  She gasped as his gaze traveled down, taking in every inch and causing her heart to thump a wild staccato against her ribs. It skipped a beat and almost stopped altogether when he grabbed the bottom of her shirt in his fists and slid it up and over her head.

  He shuddered as he tossed it to the side. A sharp influx of air widened his nostrils as he seemed to really see her for the first time.

  All the scars from the arena no longer mattered because she was sure he saw every inch of her as perfect. He slowly undid the tie at her waist and let the covering slide over her rounded bottom and onto the ground. She kicked it from her feet, and it landed next to the other discarded piece of clothing. Slowly, he took one finger and slid it under her chin as his eyes studied her face.

  Zalphia did the same, taking in the square jaw and prominent cheekbones. The blue of his eyes against the darkness of his skin reminded her of the base of the fire burning in the darkness. It mattered little that she had known him for mere days, she longed for him. There was a connection. A deep emotional bond she knew began before they came here. Now, he was about to show her things she never dreamed could be hers, and she wanted it more than anything.