“That’s what Rhen looks like in my visions,” Erfce told Ceceta, when he saw the fierce looking animal.
“Andres is going to turn Rhen into this creature,” Lilly said.
“I’ve never seen this before,” Ceceta told them. She turned the book over to examine the cover. “They don’t have this book on our planet.”
“Perhaps the King banned it?” Rachel said.
Ceceta nodded. “He has banned a lot of books. They keep a very close eye on what we’re allowed to read.”
Sage felt impatient. She was pregnant and wanted this whole problem with Rhen resolved immediately. “You have to help us Ceceta,” she said. “You have to keep Andres from turning Rhen into this God of War. You have to give us information about Rhen that will help us reach the Thestran side of him and turn him away from…” she was about to say Surpen, but at the last minute decided not to, “from his desire to kill,” she finished.
Ceceta pointed at the picture in the book. “Don’t worry. Rhen won’t turn into this. It’s just not like him.”
James, who had followed them into the library, stepped up beside Ceceta. “We think Andres will brainwash Rhen or do something else to him, to force him to change into the Surpen God of War. We don’t think he’ll have a choice in the matter.” Ceceta frowned at the prospect and looked back at the book. After Punishment Island, she knew anything was possible. If Andres had his mind set on it, Rhen could very well be vulnerable.
“Did you know that Rhen is already called the God of War by the planets he’s conquered?” Sage asked her brother.
James nodded. He’d heard as much from his spies. Over the last few months, he’d become very aware of the fighting prowess of his younger brother. Rhen’s superior abilities on the battlefield terrified him. “Ceceta, I’m worried about Rhen losing control of his sense of self because of the King’s tricks. I’m worried Andres will turn him into a killing machine.” From the expression on her face, James could see that Ceceta was also worried.
“Ceceta, you know you’re in Andres’s way. Don’t you?” Lilly said. “You’re Rhen’s connection to… to reality, to humanity. Andres will have to kill you in order to turn Rhen into the Surpen God of War. Your life is in danger.”
James considered Lilly’s comment and realized she was right. If he wanted to succeed, the Surpen King would have to eliminate Ceceta. He made a note to put some soldiers around Ceceta to keep her safe.
“You also know,” Lilly added, “that if Rhen turns into the Surpen God of War, we’ll have to declare war on Surpen. You don’t want that to happen. You don’t want Thestran to be at war with Surpen. Please Ceceta, will you help us? Will you provide us with information on Rhen, so we can keep him, and Thestran, safe?”
Tgfhi, Crystam and Latsoh stared at each other in shock. They had had no idea that any of this was going on. They had thought the Royal Family was following Rhen around to get to know him, not because they were afraid he would kill them. It was hard for them to believe that Rhen was expected to conquer the Universe as some strange dragon beast. He was their friend, a nice, funny guy, who was shy around new people.
Ceceta stood up and walked towards the door, her friends following behind her. Just like Rhen, she had been raised on Surpen. There were many things about Surpen that she despised, but like Rhen, she still considered Surpen to be her home. She loved her planet. Ceceta felt her skin prickle with anger. How dare they ask her to betray Surpen. Pausing by the library door, Ceceta turned to look back at the Royal Family. “You want me to betray Surpen and Rhen, to help you? You want me to spy on my husband, so you can defeat him?”
“No!” Kate shouted from the hallway behind her. She had been listening to the entire conversation outside the library door. Kate approached Ceceta with her hands out. “No, Ceceta. All we want you to do, is to work with us to prevent a war that will kill billions of people. We don’t want to hurt Rhen. We want to protect him.” Kate glanced over at Lilly. They hadn’t spoken since Lilly’s outburst.
Ceceta stood with her hand on the door, mulling over Kate’s words. Perhaps she could help the Thestrans, without hurting her husband or her planet. Perhaps they could protect Rhen from whatever plan Andres had for him. It was worth a shot. “If I tell you a little bit about Rhen, it will stop the war between Surpen and Thestran?”
“Yes,” Kate told her.
“Okay,” Ceceta said. “But you can’t tell anyone what I tell you. He would be furious with me, if he knew I was giving away his secrets.”
“Of course,” James said. “You have our promise. We will keep the information you give us a secret.”
Ceceta pursed her lips as she considered what to tell them. It occurred to her that Lilly was always asking her why Rhen didn’t pay attention in class. Turning towards Lilly, she said, “You wanted to know why he doesn’t pay attention in class?”
“Um…” Lilly said. That wasn’t necessarily the information they were hoping for. Lilly caught James’ eye, and at his prompt, nodded yes.
“Well, he doesn’t pay attention in class, because he can’t read or write,” Ceceta told them.
“Seriously?” Tgfhi asked, looking stunned. “Rhen’s illiterate?”
“Yes. Andres believes that if he can control the information Rhen has access to, he can control Rhen. No one on Surpen, except for Andres, Orpel and Bosternd know that he’s illiterate.”
“By the Genister Gods,” James said. “How deviously clever of Andres to use illiteracy as a way to control Rhen.” Ceceta gave him a nod.
“He doesn’t know how to read or write?” Latsoh asked, feeling dumbfounded. She just couldn’t believe she had heard Ceceta correctly. She tried to think back on all of her classes and study sessions with Rhen. As Latsoh thought about it, she remembered that Rhen had never written anything in her presence. He had flipped through their textbooks many times, and it always looked as if he were reading them, but maybe he was just looking at the pictures. How had he fooled them for so long?
“No, he doesn’t,” Ceceta told her with a smile. She thought their reactions were funny.
“But Reed said the Surpen soldiers mentioned he had a special tutor growing up,” Sage blurted out.
Ceceta laughed. “A special tutor? That’s rich. No, he had no tutor, except a weapons expert and a fighting expert. Those two men trained him mercilessly in all forms of battle and weapons. Why do you think he’s such an amazing warrior? They spent every minute of every day for years training Rhen to kill. Andres wouldn’t let him learn anything else. They kept him in a room in the dungeon. He was never let out. He ate and slept in that room and he learned how to kill. He’s a killing machine. That’s what he was raised to be.” Ceceta looked over at Tgfhi. “You’re always asking Rhen questions about his childhood. I’ve wanted to tell you the truth, but he didn’t want you to know, so I couldn’t. Tgfhi, Rhen didn’t have a childhood. Please stop asking him about it.”
Tgfhi had begun to suspect as much.
Ceceta noticed Erfce’s face seemed paler than normal. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he murmured.
“But, how will he pass his exams?” Crystam asked.
“I read and study the textbooks and he pulls the information out of my mind when he needs it. All of those times, when you guys made fun of him for not studying, he’s been reviewing the stuff I’ve been taking in by reading my thoughts.”
“He can read your mind?” Erfce asked.
“Yes,” Ceceta said. “He also has an amazing memory, so if the teacher tells us something in class, he locks the information up in his mind for future reference.”
“But how will he write his exams?” Sage asked.
Ceceta shook her head. She was finished with the topic. She wanted to tell them how wonderful Rhen was. What an incredible person he could be. “Have I ever mentioned to you that he’s an amazing musician. In fact, if he had stayed on Thestran, he probably would have been called the King of Music. He’s truly gifted. Un
fortunately, we ended up in a society where Rhen was beaten, if he ever attempted to let himself create. Pity, isn’t it? The Universe would be a much more beautiful place today, if he had been free to show his talents.”
Ceceta tapped the wooden door with her fingertips as an idea formed in her mind. “I can’t really remember what Debrino’s punishment is for playing music. I should check it out someday.” She turned to Lilly. “It’s sad that you will never get the chance to experience Rhen’s gifts.” She pushed the library door open a little further and said, “You know, it really is unfortunate that our school doesn’t force all of its students to learn an instrument. Perhaps if it did, some musician with talents beyond your wildest imagination might burst forth and free himself from the ties that bind him.” Ceceta winked at Lilly. “If you know what I mean.” She turned and walked out the door, her shocked friends following along behind her.
“What did she mean?” Rachel asked.
“She wants us to find out what the Debrino Code’s punishment is for playing music. If it’s not something terrible, she wants us to start making music available to Rhen,” Lilly told her.
“Interesting,” James said, drawing up a schedule for everyone to keep an eye on Ceceta. “Lilly is absolutely correct in her assumption by the way. When the time is right, Andres will want Ceceta out of the way. She would be a liability to him, as she is an asset to us.”
“Where’re you going?” Rachel asked Lilly, once James was finished with his ‘Ceceta’ schedule.
“To talk with the Headmaster about moving the music classes next door to Rhen’s classes,” Lilly said, with a mischievous smile. She pushed her medium length brown hair behind her ears. “I want Rhen surrounded by music.”
“So he can’t escape,” Kate said.
“Precisely,” Lilly said with a wave as she left the room.
Ceceta and her friends returned to the University through the Council Chamber’s portal. As they made their way to the lawn, Tgfhi asked, “Rhen is musical?”
Ceceta laughed at the way he said it. It was obvious he didn’t believe her. “You have no idea. He’s amazing!”
Tgfhi considered her words. “I guess I just never pictured him as a musician,” he admitted. “Soldier yes, musician, no.”
“What instrument can he play?” Crystam asked.
“Everything,” Ceceta told her. They exited the school building and walked out onto the lawn. Ceceta was relieved to find that Rhen and Reed hadn’t returned yet.
“Everything?” Erfce repeated.
“Yes, Erfce,” she confirmed. “He can play any instrument in the Universe.”
“But how did he learn how to play them, if he wasn’t allowed to touch any instruments?” Crystam asked.
Ceceta glanced around to make sure no one else was on the lawn. “Remember when you asked me if he had any powers?” She waited until Crystam nodded. “Well, that’s his power. Music.”
“Genisters’ balls,” Erfce laughed out. “You’re kidding me? The musical soldier? How funny is that?”
“Not healing?” Crystam asked. She had already been blown away by Rhen’s ability to heal. She couldn’t believe that music was his main power.
“No,” Ceceta told her. “It’s music. He’s… well, you’ll see. If the Royal Family picked up on what I was hinting at, we’ll all be able to enjoy Rhen’s powers soon.”
“His main power is music,” Tgfhi said to himself. “A fighting musician.” He chuckled at the idea of Rhen killing people while playing the violin.
“So, Rhen’s illiterate,” Crystam said, in the silence after they had sat down on the grassy lawn outside the main University building.
“Yup. Andres wanted him to be the strongest warrior in the Universe, but he also wanted Rhen to be reliant on him.”
“Didn’t Rhen want to learn how to read and write?” Latsoh asked.
“Sure,” Ceceta told her. “But he loves his father, and like any obedient Surpen child, he would never challenge what his father tells him to do. I think he’d do anything for his dad.”
“Including conquer the Universe,” Erfce said quietly.
“Yes,” Ceceta said. “Although, I admit I don’t know anything about Andres turning him into a ‘Surpen God of War’. That’s just… wrong. And, it was wrong of you not to tell us about your dreams,” she said, jabbing at Erfce’s chest with her finger.
Erfce flushed. “I’m sorry.”
“Just don’t do it again,” Ceceta chastised him.
After they had been sitting on the lawn for a while, Ceceta asked Latsoh the time. “They’d better get back soon. I don’t want to have to entertain Andres, if Rhen’s late,” Ceceta murmured. She smoothed her pale blue robes down across her legs and glanced, with apprehension, towards the Teacher’s Residence Hall.
“Hey,” Charlie shouted out, walking over towards them from the dorms. He laughed for no reason and fell into a pile on the grass beside Ceceta. “Want a drink?” he asked, pulling a silver flask from his jacket.
“Really, Charlie, why are you always drinking?” Ceceta asked.
Charlie shrugged before giving her a lopsided grin.
Sage joined them a few minutes later. As she sat down beside Latsoh, they heard two jet bikes coming down the path from the Wood Elf Castle. The bikes seemed to be moving slowly. When they cleared the woods, Ceceta and the others saw Reed on one jet bike and Rhen, following him, on a second bike.
From the way Rhen’s bike kept jerking forward and stalling, it was clear he was having trouble with it. Rhen fell off his bike several times as he progressed across the school’s lawn. After what seemed like an eternity, Reed and Rhen finally arrived on the hilltop in front of them. Rhen fell off his jet bike again right at their feet. He hadn’t had a chance to put the landing gear down, so the bike toppled over on top of him. Charlie and Reed jumped forward to help.
“Why’s he shaking?” Sage asked, when she noticed Rhen’s legs shake underneath the bike as Reed and Charlie lifted it off him.
Rhen stood up and removed his helmet. He was laughing so hard, there were tears streaming down his face. “That was fun,” he exclaimed.
Reed stared at Rhen with wide eyes. “Yeah,” he agreed halfheartedly. He couldn’t believe Rhen had enjoyed it. Rhen was terrible at driving a jet bike. If he didn’t have healing powers, he would’ve been dead from all his accidents.
“Can we do it again?” Rhen asked.
“Sure,” Reed said. “No one else in our family seems to appreciate jet bike riding. I’m glad you do.” Rhen nodded with approval and held out his helmet to Reed. “No, you keep it,” Reed told him. “I’m giving you this bike too,” he said, tapping its seat.
Rhen paused a moment, and then, in one quick movement, hugged Reed while slapping him on the back. “Nice,” he said, stepping back. “Thank you.”
Caught off guard by Rhen’s hug, Reed stuttered, “Y..y..you’re welcome.” He wondered what his mother’s reaction was going to be, when she learned he’d been the first one hugged by Rhen. Clearing his throat, Reed said, “I’ll give you lessons every night, and maybe next Sunday, you can join me in one of our races. We have them every third month and everybody, except for my immediate family,” he threw out, glaring at Sage and Charlie, “joins in.”
“I’d like that,” Rhen told him. He was about to say more, but Ceceta coughed interrupting him. Rhen gave her a puzzled look. Ceceta nodded her head at something behind him, handing him his weapons belt. Turning, Rhen saw his father standing with his legs wide apart and hands on his hips. He was glaring down at them from the steps of the Teacher’s Residence Hall. Rhen sighed. Andres was angry.
“Thank you again Reed,” Rhen said. He buckled his weapons belt around his waist. “I need to go.” He nodded to his friends then strode off towards the Teacher’s Residence Hall, with Ceceta following along behind him at a respectful distance.
They watched Rhen hug his dad in greeting. After they had disappeared into the Teacher’s Residence H
all, Rhen’s friends bid the Thestran Royals goodnight and left.
Glancing around, to make sure they were alone, Sage said, “You’ll never guess what we just found out.” Reed and Charlie gave her puzzled looks. “Rhen can’t read or write. Andres kept him illiterate in order to control him. Can you believe it? And, Ceceta thinks Rhen is an amazing musician. Isn’t that funny?”
“That’s interesting,” Reed said vaguely while his blue eyes dropped to the ground. “I’ve also got something interesting to tell you.” He paused as if considering his words. “Let’s… let’s keep this a secret for now, okay?” Glancing back up at them, he asked, “Can you do that?” Sage and Charlie nodded. “Okay,” Reed said. “I decided to explain the jet bike’s engine to Rhen while we were halfway through one of the Wood Elf Courses. When we got off my jet bike, we felt the ground shift, no it, it kind of shuddered underneath us. Both of us nearly fell over.”
“Was it a mini-earthquake?” Sage asked. She’d never heard of the Wood Elves having earthquakes before.
“That’s what I thought at first, but then I noticed the land around us had changed. The grass appeared greener, fuller and healthier and there were buds and flowers on all of the plants around us. Oh, and get this, this totally shocked me.” He reached around his bike to the seat bags. Opening one of the bags, he pulled out several, long-stemmed, scallop-shaped, white flowers with dark blue centers. Sage gasped at the sight of them and grabbed them out of Reed’s hands. “Exactly,” Reed said.
“Is that important?” Charlie asked.
Reed sighed. “Charlie, Giy flowers only bloom once a year during the summer festival.”
“Oh, yeah,” Charlie said. “I forgot about that.”
Reed turned to Sage. “Why do you think I would find Giy flowers deep in the woods, months before they’re supposed to bloom?”
“I don’t know,” Sage said. She held the flowers up to her nose and sniffed their intoxicating scent. “Perhaps it’s a new type of Giy flower?”
“Does it smell the same,” Charlie asked, reaching up to take one. Sage pulled them away from Charlie in a protective gesture. When she saw Charlie pout, she realized she was being selfish and handed him and Reed one of the flowers.
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