by Daniel Huber
"Clea Colletta, how did you manage to get yourself on a Tal-Min Courier ship?" Krisel came up from behind, imitating Kendrick's voice, the guard who had turned them away. One of the visual displays flashed with random shots of the exterior of the ship, and it looked for all the world like a different vessel. Clea craned her head back and smiled up at him.
"Is the cargo ready to go, Krisel?"
"Ready and waiting, Clea."
She flipped the controls to auto pilot, now that they were in their final descent, and swiveled out of her chair.
"Projection ETA, Gannet?"
"Eighty-seven minutes."
"Plenty of time." Clea gathered her necessary data reader and protective goggles, tossing a pair to Krisel. It was midday on Tal-Min, and both suns were high in the sky, blazing much too brightly off the desert terrain for the naked eye to comfortably stand for more than a few seconds. "We'll drop Ryder's jewels, I'll get a couple buckets of sand, and we'll catch up with our image in no time at all." Duplicity hovered briefly, then set down in the beige sand.
"Stealth and smooth, just like when Kalis stole energy from the planet Hechron," Clea muttered under her breath. There was silence in the cockpit for just a minute, then Delora spoke.
"But that's not how the legend of Kalis goes," she said, and immediately Clea mentally chastised herself for her loose tongue. "Kalis was a hero, a savior to Tal-Min Vista. When the planet fell out of alignment with both its suns, he was the first to bring light back to the planet, and from that, Tal-Min sprung to life from what would have been certain death in a matter of days. He traveled the stars and through great strife opened up a pathway to bring the suns back in alignment with the planet. The people of Tal-Min feel very strongly about their legendary hero, Kalis. They wouldn't like anyone referring to him as a thief, Clea."
Clea stared straight ahead, looking out the forward viewers even though she knew Delora was watching her for a reaction. "Oh yeah," she said casually, remembering a different version of the story that Avalon had told her. "Right."
CHAPTER 14
As Quade walked along the clovered knoll, he took in the scenery around him, stopped for a minute to scan the land. The Castle of Sighs, whose name had sprung from a legend that told of how people swooned upon glimpsing it for the first time, was perched proudly atop the plateau that had filled his sights all his life. Quade had left his land transport at the base of the foothills as he sometimes would, when he wanted to think while he walked or when the weather was particularly favorable.
It was time to tell the Keystone everything. Quade had decided when he woke up that the time had come to put his faith into the man that he trusted more than anyone else, a man who had been nothing ever but kind and understanding toward him. His sleep had been deep and dreamless, and he'd awakened with a new perspective. Surely Aushlin would have a solution for Quade and by the time Twilight Bloom came around, this would all be a memory.
Quade's thoughts took him to memories of many Twilight Blooms past, and he pondered what the scene in the castle would be when he arrived. The Keystone would likely be working on his speech for the celebration, and the castle would be filled with activity, rich with the scents of baking breads, savory smells from the enormous kettles of stews and cooking herbs. The celebration of Twilight Bloom and the festivities afterward were open to all and the masses would gather within the mantle wall that stretched out far and wide. The wall had deep and wide archways along it, so people could wander in or find a place outside and still be able to see what was going on inside the grounds.
Quade felt a creeping sense of nausea in his stomach as he neared the castle. Nerves, he thought to himself. Anticipation at revealing all that he had to tell the Keystone, and with every step closer to this confrontation, he felt the nausea deepen. Just keep thinking of the memories of past, he commanded his mind as he walked.
The Twilight Bloom celebration was perfectly timed, impeccably planned, and Quade had taken part in it for so many years that they no longer needed to rehearse. The flawlessly painted horses became living art from Trina's own hand, the flowers that would traditionally bloom that very night replicated to absolute perfection on the canvas of their hair. Trina, Quade and Clea would ride out to the rising sound of cheers. In the past, Twilight Bloom had represented each family differently, some processions being long and numerous including all the daughters and sons of the Keystone, other family members and friends. But Aushlin's lot had always been small and intimate, never more than a few featured riders. For most of the years Quade could remember, it was always himself, Trina and Clea, and it always felt like family to him. The kingdom would let go their prejudices during Twilight Bloom, would cheer at him as he rode the same as how they cheered Clea and Trina. And when their ride around the applauding crowd was done and they came to stand on opposite sides of the balcony, the Keystone would make his appearance just at the moment when the moons fell into perfect alignment with the planet, and an absolute hush would fall over the crowd.
Quade stopped for a minute, as a dizziness swelled within his brain. Clutching his forehead, he breathed deeply, fighting off the wild sense of disorientation. He stumbled a little then bent to kneel on the grass. Looking down the center of the open courtyard that lay some hundred meters before him, he analyzed the shape of the artfully designed hedges that lay on either side of the grand fountain that sprayed and gurgled in the center. But it took several minutes before he could compose himself enough to stand again after the wave of light-headedness had finally passed. When he could, Quade continued toward the castle, now able to clearly make out the shape of the massive front doors. Above those doors was where the Keystone would stand for his speech during the Twilight Bloom.
Everyone would stand in rapt concentration as the moons aligned and the blooms of the flowers began to spread open. Vines of blossoming ivy would snake slowly from the ground, their tiny shoots and twining leaves coming to spectacular life, growing from the intensity of the planet's life force. The air, already ripe with sweet pollen, would be overwhelmingly heady, and the breeze would always pick up just then to carry the scent across the flourishing land. The strongest phase of the bloom would last about ten minutes, but the growth would carry on throughout the next couple of hours.
After the speech the Courtyard Of the Moons would be opened up to the kingdom. Music would lilt gently on the air and mingle with the delicious feast that was spread for all to partake, and the Keystone would walk among the masses, speaking with everyone and anyone who wished to speak to him. Trina and Quade would wander together and Clea would drift about the crowd, smiling mysteriously, politely rejecting the many men, young and old alike, who would seek her attention. As with past years, the night would probably end with Quade exhausted but sated in Trina's bed, without even having to climb the castle's south wall.
A wrenching sickness in his side and with a startled gasp, Quade fell to the ground from the pain and dizziness. He clutched his stomach with his hands, gasped for the breath that had stolen from his lungs. The sickness shot throughout his body, a painful seeping poison. He groaned through clenched teeth, the searing pain a fire through his nerve endings. Just like last night, just like that day at the nexus. Eventually his breath found him. His nerves were acclimating and gradually, he was able to stand straight, then walk, but not because the sickness was diminishing; because he was somehow learning to tolerate it. When he found that he could breathe normally and walk without clutching his stomach, he made his way toward the castle doors, nodding politely, suffering through feigned pleasant smiles to the castle groundskeeper. Quade stood before the mammoth wooden doors of the castle, dusted off the dirt from his clothes and took a few deep, calming breaths, then reached to the bell-rope and pulled the chime for entrance.
Aazrio answered the doors, gave Quade a skeptical once-over before he'd even said anything.
"I need to speak to the Keystone, Aazrio." The family guard paused for a moment before allowing him inside. "It's a p
ersonal matter."
Being close to the Val-Vassu family all his life, Quade didn't require an appointment to see Aushlin, nor did he need an escort to walk within the castle or around its grounds, but Aazrio led the way toward the Keystone's study, the thick embroidery on his cloak what Quade paid attention to as he followed behind. He was glad that Aazrio hadn't questioned him any further on what reason he wished to see Aushlin, and though the pain and dizziness showed no sign of diminishing as he neared his destination, Quade kept his outward mannerisms in control by breathing evenly and concentrating on the flowing hem of the guard's heavy cape as it billowed out behind him. As Quade had expected, the halls of the castle were alive with activity. The path from the front doors to the study came close to the kitchen and the air was thick with rich cooking aromas. Several members of the staff passed him as he walked, humming contentedly in their work and wishing him spirited greetings; "Good morning, Quade," "joyous morning, Quade," "come have some breakfast now, Quade!" It wasn't hard to return their kind gestures with a warm smile, even through his suffering. Here, he was among friends; people who had known him and taken care of him for the majority of his life. But as he and Aazrio climbed the staircase to the second level of the castle, it seemed the longest walk that Quade had ever taken. When he saw the doors at the end of the hall, he entertained the thought of simply collapsing to the floor as soon as he walked inside the study, letting go his false façade of wellness and just imploring the Keystone to help him. Aazrio didn't slow his pace as he came to the door, and from a gesture that Quade couldn't see, opened it with magic and without looking back shut it behind Quade after he'd stepped inside.
Chaos filled the study. Both viewers were activated over Aushlin’s desk, a holographic diagram of the galaxy was projected in the center of the room, its green grid which displayed the web of all the leylines, a confusing tangle to look at, even to someone familiar with their routes. Usually only a few sectors would be open at once while studying the complicated diagram but the Keystone had the entire thing open and each system displayed. Numerous books were strewn upon his desk, each open and piled one on top of the other, and the huge, pull-down map that Quade hadn't seen him use in years stretched high and wide in the corner. Aazrio shot Quade a sideways glance as he assumed his position at a window, staring out over the grounds of the castle.
"Aushlin?" Quade looked around, but didn't see the Keystone anywhere among the riot of projections and clutter of the galactic virtual displays that filled the airspace.
"What business have we, Quade?" His voice came from behind the pull-down map and as Quade crossed the room the green and red lights from the display grids flickered over his skin, wavered and warped across his hands. He shut his eyes, unable to look upon the unsteady glow of the lights as they fluttered over him, the burning of his nerves and the creeping sense of nausea washing through him again.
"None, Keystone." Quade was a little taken aback by Aushlin's official tone, his lack of warmth.
"I wanted to speak with you about something. A personal matter."
Aazrio turned his head to look at the young man, suspicion filling his eyes. Quade walked with one hand covering his side as though protecting it, and hesitant steps replaced his usual confident and comfortable stride. He moved toward the chair he usually occupied when having meetings with the Keystone, but was obviously puzzled at the amount of commotion in the room from the various programs that were running. Granted, the Keystone did not ordinarily access so many sources of information at the same time, but Aazrio was not one to question the Keystone.
"What personal matter is that, Quade? I'm very busy at the moment." Quade looked over to the map, startled and confused. "I'm sorry Keystone, I didn't mean to interrupt if this is a bad time." From behind the map there came a stirring, movement from whatever the Keystone was doing. "If you don't mind my asking, what is it exactly that you're working on? I think you have every information source running right now." Quade turned and looked over his shoulder at the display grid, glancing over the tangled mass of leylines that spread across the space of the study, the hundreds of flashing lights that signified nexus points and the dizzying movement of planetary systems as they revolved around their virtual suns, as each world's moons orbited their respective planet. He could see Aazrio's scrutinizing gaze from beyond the riot of the galactic maps, and he tried unsuccessfully to make a connection with the emotionless stare. Quade's arms and legs filled with anxious tension.
"What I'm working on is nothing that concerns you, Quade." He heard Aushlin moving from behind the map and heading to his desk and he turned back around to face him.
Quade gasped as he looked at the Keystone. It was Aushlin who came to sit across from Quade at his desk, Aushlin who methodically began shutting the massive volumes of galactic history that littered the tabletop. But encompassing Aushlin, pulsating like an inky, black heartbeat all around him, was the same creature Quade had seen at the Bet/Kos nexus, the same creature that had entered his ship and tired to attack him. This same dark entity now inhabited the body of the Keystone, and Quade could see as it leached and throbbed from what seemed to be Aushlin's very existence. His breath coming in little gulps, Quade twisted around to see Aazrio's response. The guard merely stared back, his usual suspicion growing deeper as he analyzed the young man's strange behavior. Facing forward again, he covered his mouth with his hand. His skin felt clammy and cold. His fingers were visibly quivering. He looked up again, struck silent by the horror of what he saw before him.
"Well then Quade," Aushlin closed the last book and folded his hands on the desk, and Quade could see the outline of the shadowy entity first look up, the holes of its eyes blacker than the blackest pit. Aushlin followed the creature’s moves just a second behind, seeming only unnatural to Quade, as he realized that he was the only one who could see it. "What is this personal matter that seems to be so dire?" Quade looked into the bottomless pits that were the eyes of this entity, the bottomless pits that masked the eyes of the man he trusted most in the world. And he wanted nothing more at that moment than to just get away from it.
"I've been feeling sick as of late, Keystone," Quade bent over, raking his fingers through his hair and staring at the floor. What to say, how to cover? "And I fear that I might not be well enough to ride at Twilight Bloom." Simple, and not entirely untrue. He didn't look up again, fearing the creature that possessed the Keystone would notice his façade.
"And you've come telling me this why, Quade? Ride or not, I've no care in the matter. Speak to my daughter. Go home and seek a healer. I've no time for such things as this."
The words were cutting and foreign. They were not the words of the Keystone that Quade knew, the compassionate man that he'd grown up around, who treated him like family. Turning his head to the side he stole a glance at Aazrio and saw that he'd cocked a curious brow at the Keystone's comment but he said nothing. Taking a deep breath, he sat up straight again. Aushlin was facing one of his readout displays, studying it nonchalantly but the dark face of the wicked entity that enveloped him still stared at Quade, it's black pit eyes narrowed into hateful accusation, the pulsating gape of a mouth chilling him to the bone. The Keystone then turned his head to look back at Quade, and was obscured by the inky darkness that controlled him.
"Yes Aushlin, you're right. I should speak with Trina and tell her I've been ill. Perhaps all I need is to rest." He forced a smile, the burning in his nerves nearly blinding him with pain. "Do you know where she is right now?
"I've no idea, Quade. It's not my habit to keep track of her whereabouts."
The Keystone turned back to analyzing the display in front of him, and Quade craned his head to see the readout. He startled as Aushlin quickly jerked his head and scowled at the unwelcome visual inspection.”
"Kitrina is out at the stables, as she would be Quade," came Aazrio's voice from behind. Startled again, Quade turned to face the guard, realizing how jumpy he must seem, and nodded. When he glanced back to the K
eystone though, Quade had to fight from losing his balance and falling from the chair in reaction at what he saw.
The blackness began moving away from Aushlin; separated in a strange, stretching cloud, snapped apart and floated across the room. The entity remained upon the Keystone, but a part of it had broken off and drifted away through the door.
Perplexed and horrified, Quade rose from his chair and walked hastily to the door, forcing himself to look at the riot of displays that filled the room. Leylines, nexus points, all data on the navigation of the galaxy and its planets highlighted Aushlin's research, and Quade had a sickening dread with how that tied in with what it was that he saw hovering around the Keystone.
"Thank you Aushlin, Aazrio." He tried once again as he walked out the door to make a connection with the family guard, his eyes searching and hopeful, but all Aazrio did was watch him leave, the usual scrutinizing gaze upon his face.
As Quade left the room, Aazrio approached the Keystone's desk, fueled with annoyance at the young man's anxious manner. Once standing before the Keystone, he started to speak, expecting to be silenced before the words left his lips. He was not, and he faltered slightly from surprise.
"That was… unusual, don't you think, Keystone?"
The Keystone didn’t respond. After a moment of strange silence, Aazrio added, "Perhaps I should pursue the matter?" He would be brushed aside as usual he knew, his suspicions dismissed by the trusting regard that the Keystone held toward Quade.