The Crystal Bridge (The Lost Shards Book 1)

by Pulsipher, Charlie

  No! I can’t leave Aren. I don’t have time for this.

  “Sorry, guys, just remembered something.”

  “What?” Tracy asked.

  “Aren.” He then muttered to himself. “Hope it goes better this time.” He pulled up his Egg and left before anyone could ask another question.

  Kaden popped back into existence. He stood in the middle of the clearing for the third time. The stars and the red gash gave him some light to see by. He squinted into the night, looking for Aren, but really expecting the gold and green man who’d attacked him. The chilled night raised goose bumps on his skin.

  He shook his head. Naked again? I really have to learn how to bring clothes. Even the hospital gown would be better than nothing. Whatever magic Aren could perform had failed him again. “She changed everything. I have to find her.”

  “I will help with that endeavor.” The slender being slipped out of the forest once more. “After you teach me your magic.” He moved toward Kaden with a fluid grace. The creature smiled at him with the same dangerous grimace Kaden had seen moments before, but stopped his approach several feet away.

  Kaden stood tall, ignoring his nakedness and the cold, but he held the tether close in his mind. It’s not safe to show weakness in front of strange animals. “I don’t have time for your games, creature, I have to find Aren as soon as possible.”

  The green man cocked his head to the side and regarded Kaden with a mixture of awe and hate. “Games? I play no games with you, human. As I said before, she is beyond our reach now. She has been taken by the Dwaros. We cannot follow.”

  Kaden frowned. “I must follow. It’s all my fault. What and where are these Dwaros?”

  The creature shook its head with a sorrowful look at the ground beneath them. “No. I will not send you to your death with your secrets. I will help you retrieve the girl once you share them with me.” The being’s hand shot up in a blur of movement.

  Kaden took a step back and prepared to jump back to the hospital, but the hand froze in the air a few feet from Kaden.

  The creature smiled again. “Do not fear me, young human, I have learned my lesson. No need to disappear.” He closed his large, green eyes and moved his hand in a circular motion.

  Kaden frowned. “What are you doing?”

  “Do not feign ignorance of the gifts, arrogant human. Hmm, you are here, but you came a great distance. I can see the line leading off, but I cannot follow it to its end.”

  Kaden’s mouth gaped open. He reached out with his mind to his link home. “Wait. You can see my link back, my tether? No one’s ever seen anything at all, well, besides Aren.”

  The head cocked to the other side. “I am not no one. I am Evandrel da'a Losel, a Light Bringer and initiate to the Order of the Grove.”

  Kaden bowed slightly. “I’m Kaden. Nice to meet you.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but the being didn’t appear to notice.

  Evandrel bowed back, but kept his eyes fixed on Kaden. “I do think meeting you may be fortuitous as well, Kaden.”

  “Hence the strangling?” This time Kaden didn’t even attempt to mask his sarcasm.

  Evandrel’s eyes tightened at the comment, but his reply remained calm and cordial. “Yes, I do apologize for not controlling my anger. It was unwise of me to use force. I was anxious to understand your magic, and you were not cooperative.”

  “I don’t have any—never mind.” Kaden was tired of wasting time while Aren got further lost in this world. “So, let me get this straight. Apparently, Aren has been kidnapped by Dwaros, whatever those are, and you want to learn about my ‘magic’ before you’ll help. That sound about right?”

  Evandrel bowed again and smiled. “Blunt and crude, but the truth in essence. You also appear to be in need of some clothing.”

  Kaden blushed and glanced down at himself. “Yes, and you don’t seem to be my size.”

  Chapter 20: Headbags and Zip Ties

  Dr. Stephens cursed himself as he flipped through the reports at his holo-desk. A dozen security breaches. Eleven different dinosaur sightings. Motion sensors going off in almost twenty labs. Lost productivity. Seventeen vials of serum, worth millions in development, lost in seconds. What have you done, you crazy man?

  James Iverson’s midnight field trip had made today a very busy day for Dr. Stephens. He shoved all the reports toward his pocket and watched them shrink and disappear. “There’s no keeping this from Vander. It would be hard enough suppressing the gossip and rumors floating around the entire complex.”

  The problem was Dr. Stephens had no idea how to explain what James had done. The man’s broken through the antivirus programs. That’s certain. Then he reprogrammed holo-emitters to broadcast images straight from the BOCS throughout the complex. All while asleep.

  Stephens stood from his desk and sighed as he thought of the long walk to Vander’s office. And half the sightings took place in areas where there are no holo-emitters. He’s pushing the impossible past all limits. Stephens frowned and chuckled at the same time. This might actually make Vander very happy. You never can tell.

  Mike paced back and forth in front of the café. He checked his image in the large front windows. He looked horrible, bags under his eyes and obvious shadows across his jaw where he hadn’t shaved. He’d been unable to sleep after the dinosaur attack, seeing giant teeth every time he closed his eyes.

  The whole complex buzzed with rumors about pranks, hallucinations, and hackers. Mike had contacted Angie and James immediately after leaving the park. We need to figure this out before Omegaphil gets too interested in James.

  Mike glanced at his watch. I’m early. I’m never early. What is James doing to me? They’d agreed to meet at 6am sharp for breakfast and discussion, but Mike couldn’t wait to get answers. He also worried about his friend. Omegaphil didn’t react well to pranksters or hackers and James looked very much like both at the moment.

  The neon “Open” sign flickered as Mike paced and he heard the lock slide open. He rushed inside, almost bowling over the waitress who’d just unlocked the door.

  “Whoa there, Mike!”

  “Sorry Cathy. In a bit of a rush this morning. Can we get the usual breakfast fare for James, Angie, and me? They should be here shortly.”

  He showed himself to their customary booth in the corner, sat, and started shredding a paper napkin into a pile on the table, his eyes glued on the front door. He didn’t even glance at Cathy when she placed the coffee cup in front of him.

  Angie arrived first. Her eyes flitted around the room before landing on Mike. She made sure they were alone before moving toward the booth. Mike managed a nervous smile and waved her over.

  “Glad to see no one else is up for breakfast yet.” She stood for a second looking at the door before taking her seat. “Where is he? You don’t think…” she trailed off as the door dinged.

  A middle aged man went straight to the front and slipped into a barstool. He ordered a coffee. Mike and Angie sat rigid, afraid to talk until the man finished his coffee and slipped out.

  “Where is he?” Mike repeated Angie's earlier question. “He wouldn’t…”

  The door dinged again and James walked in. He looked straight at his friends before glancing around the room twice. Cathy tilted her head to one side, grabbed a book, and then sat at the far end of the restaurant. Mike smiled. A very good waitress. And cute. Might have to ask her out. What am I thinking? Later.

  James plopped himself down next to Angie.

  “Heya, Angie, Mike. How about the weather we’ve been having? Crazy, huh?” He smiled, but didn’t look truly amused. Angie scowled at him.

  Mike shook his head. “You’re not getting out of this that easy.”

  Angie spoke up. She tried to whisper, but what came out was more of an angry hiss. “What are you doing, James? This isn’t funny!”

  “Seriously, man. I nearly got eaten by a holo-dino in the park. What were you thinking?” Mike’s left eye twitched. He rubbed at
it. I need some sleep.

  “Nothing! That’s the problem. I was asleep, dreaming. I didn’t do this. If I did, I didn’t do it consciously.”

  Mike glanced over James’ shoulder to make sure Cathy was still engrossed in her book.

  “What?” Angie blurted. “What do you mean, you were asleep? I checked the logs and they say you were in the BOCS.”

  “But I wasn’t. I swear. You know I wouldn’t. If anything, this is more Mike’s style.”

  Mike’s mouth curved up in a half smile. He knows me. “True, but not on Omegaphil’s dime.”

  James nodded, his face white. “No kidding. I’m still the new guy here. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my job like this, not on purpose. Listen. This isn’t the first time I’ve had some strange stuff happen while sleeping. A few weeks ago I had some new genetic code show up on the dragon. The computer logged it around 3am when I know I was asleep.”

  Angie smacked him in the shoulder. “That’s impossible.”

  James laughed. “That’s getting to be a common theme with me.”

  Angie nodded, but didn’t smile. “Why didn’t you tell me right away? About the other night? I’m your supervisor. Anything odd with the BOCS should be reported to me immediately.” She looked down at her hands, folded on the table, knuckles white. “We’re in a lot of trouble here.”

  Mike and James spoke at once. “We?”

  Angie gave Mike an annoyed look. “Yes. We.”

  James laughed. “I’m pretty sure you two are safe. I’m the one holding the smoking gun with no alibi. You’ll both be fine after they kick me out.”

  Angie looked up and met his eyes. Hers had filled with tears at some point. “You think they won’t send you to jail or worse for this? You think I’m going to be okay losing you? You think Mike isn’t going to feel guilty forever that he brought you here?”

  Mike winced as she mentioned him. He spoke up though. “We’re in this together, whether you like it or not, man. We’re out if you’re out, but I won’t do jail.”

  Angie shook her head at him. “Really?”

  “I bruise easy. Jail’s no place for me.”

  James looked at his friends like they were aliens. “Stop it. Neither of you are going anywhere, out or jail. None of us have anything to go back to. Besides, I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s Omegaphil’s stupid chip that’s malfunctioning in my head. Probably spitting off sparks and frying my brain. They’re going to fix this and then I’m going back to work.”

  Angie bit her lip. “No. We’ll go in together, apologize, and resign. The three of us together should be fine on the outside. We’ll figure something out. Start a business together…even though the idea of making Mike a partner is…disturbing.”

  “Hey! I’d make a great partner.”

  “I’ve already sent an email to Stephens.” James cut their brainstorming and arguing short.

  Mike and Angie both sat up. Mike licked his lips and looked at the door for the fifteenth time as he heard a squeal outside. What was that? “We had a plan, James, you didn’t have to—”

  “Yes, I did!” James interrupted. “Your plan would get all three of us fired. No, I’m going to fix this and I’m going to do my best to stay here with you.” He looked at Angie as he spoke the last part.

  Angie opened her mouth to say something, but then the front door slammed open and three men rushed in. They wore black and were armed.

  “Get down! Down! Hands on your head!”

  Cathy had already hit the floor. Mike, James, and Angie followed her example.

  James gritted his teeth as they patted him and his companions down. One of the men spent extra time on Angie and James shouted at him. “Is this really necessary? I told Dr. Stephens where I’d be. Why would we be armed, and how? Really?”

  A quick kick knocked the air out of him. “Shut up! You’re coming with us.”

  Zip ties went around James’ wrists and the men dragged him out the door to a waiting security vehicle, a modified golf cart. Angie sprang to her feet and ran at the door. Mike followed and held her back as she flailed and screamed. They watched through the glass door as the men tossed James into the backseat of the cart, a black bag slipped over his head, and they sped off.

  Chapter 21: Tethered

  Kaden read and reread the note that had been gouged into the top of the desk. The twin moons gave him plenty of light to read by. “Nott sayfe. Nott followe.” He scribbled his own quick note next to this one with a magic marker he found on the ground.

  He ran a finger over where a chunk of the desk had been sheared off, the cut clean. Evandrel had assured him that the Dwaro took it with him along with Aren and both would be relatively safe. Kaden had to admit that plastic would be interesting in a world without it.

  The clothes Evandrel provided fit perfectly. They sat light and warm on his skin in the crisp evening. Kaden didn’t mind the mossy color either. A lot of his clothes back home fell into the earth tone category. Kaden didn’t know where Evandrel found the shirt and trousers.

  The green haired man had darted into the forest and returned about half an hour later with the bundle. The tall man hadn’t initially provided shoes. He’d looked at Kaden like he’d asked for horns to wear in case of rain. Evandrel and his people apparently don’t wear shoes.

  After some arguing about limiting his access to the spirit of Ealdar, the Sidra relented, returned to the forest once more, and returned with boots that molded to Kaden’s feet and were much more comfortable than the tree bark that they appeared to be. He could still feel through the thin, supple sole, but they blocked the chill and the bites of sharp twigs and stones.

  Evandrel stood at the edge of the clearing as Kaden finished his note. The being surprised him at times. So patient and so quick to anger. Just my luck to find a mentally unstable tour guide.

  Kaden knew he didn’t have any other option though. Evandrel had made that clear. Kaden couldn’t keep flitting back and forth between Earth and this clearing while Aren got farther and farther away. Kaden glanced over at his guide who stood without moving, green hair whipping in the wind and eyes far away.

  He doesn’t seem to like humans much, but he also seems sincere about learning my secret. Unbalanced though. That makes him one dangerous elf. Kaden laughed to himself. That’s what he reminds me of. Kaden didn’t trust the elf creature, but he felt compelled to follow him, certain Evandrel would keep his word, despite his deep hatred for humans. The man’s honest. I’ll give him that. Not sure if I should call him a man. He might not like that label anyway.

  Kaden punched what was left of the desktop and looked at the tunnel where Aren had gone one last time, a dark hole in the moonlit ground. “I’ll be back, Aren. I’m so sorry to leave, but I’ll be back.”

  Kaden turned away from the desk and the tunnel. It felt wrong to abandon her again, but his death at the hand of Dwaros would help no one. He didn’t know enough about his wormholes either.

  I’ve never stayed this long. Is my tether permanent? For all I know it could just disappear, trapping us here forever. He shook the scary thought from him and walked to where Evandrel stood.

  “I’m ready, Evan. Can I call you Evan?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, Evan, let’s go then. Is your village far?”

  The elf growled under his breath as he pushed his way through the underbrush. It parted easily enough for him as he muttered softly to himself. Kaden struggled through each bramble and thorn, the forest intent on slowing him down.

  “We are at least three days run from my city, probably longer the way humans move. This would be much easier if we could just travel the way you came. I already know you can take passengers with you.”

  Kaden stood knee deep in a bush he was sure was poisonous. The leaves glinted glossy black in the moonlight and it smelled oily and bitter as his boots crushed branches of it underfoot. “Sorry, Evan. Not the way it works. That was the first time I’d taken anyone along for the ride, and I’m no
t sure how I did it. I also came from very far away, not down the street. I’m not able to jump from place to place once I arrive. Too bad really, that would be neat.”

  “Neat? You are odd, even for a human.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “I’m afraid that would take a very very long time.”

  “Ha. Funny. What do you call your people again?”

  “We are the Sidra A’Keitane. You humans often refer to us as Sidra. That is true in many ways, but we prefer to be separated from our cousins, especially the children of Rho Tynan. You also call the Dwaros Sidra, which shows a great misunderstanding.”

  “Ah. I didn’t follow much of that. There’s more than one type of what you are?” Kaden stumbled over a half buried root. The light of the moons didn’t help much once they’d left the clearing as the trees blocked out more and more light.

  “I am not surprised you cannot follow. Clumsy thoughts as well as footing. More than one type of Sidra, yes. There are three. The Keitane, the Tyninian, and the Edane. We share a common ancestry, but are very different from one another.”

  “Huh. Will I meet some of the others?”

  “I doubt it. The Edane’s lands are to the Northeast. The Tyninians have not been seen in roughly a thousand years. If they still exist, they live far to the North.”

  “How are you different?”

  “I have allowed the subject to wander. I do believe our time will be best spent in silence or teaching me your magic.” Evandrel paused to give Kaden a disgusted snarl. “I’m not sure which I prefer.”

  Kaden laughed. “So, the elf does have a sense of humor. I think you’re going to be disappointed no matter what, but I’ll do my best to teach you what I know. A deal is a deal.”

  “Yes, a deal is a deal as you say.” The Keitane’s tone took on a dangerous edge. “What is an elf?”

  “An elf is a mythical creature where I come from. They live in the forest, practice magic, and are close to nature. Seems to fit you, Evan. Didn’t mean to offend.”