“I’ve never seen such beautiful feathers before!” she said, and stalked over towards the gardens, keeping herself low and her movements still to prevent them from being frightened. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “They’re some completely different species, like we’re on another world?”
“The Starwalkers must have mesmerized us and dragged us off through the star portal.” Talis pointed at the gardens. “I found your room using the Surineda Map. It turns out they put us right next door. It’s an amazingly beautiful jungle outside. Want to see?”
“I want one of those feathers.” Mara chewed her lip in excitement and seized her daggers and went invisible as she stalked towards the shield. Soon the proud peacock shrieked and darted away, surprised at having one less feather in its plumage. Mara reappeared and smiled devilishly with the long feather in her hand. “It’s so light and iridescent and green! Do you know how rare it is to find such a beautiful, green feather? Only in the south and I saw a few in the jungles of Lorello. But we were so rushed I didn’t have the time to go feather hunting.”
She narrowed her eyes as if remembering something morbid. “Where do you think the Starwalkers have taken Rikar?”
Talis pictured the horrified face of Rikar as Jared cast the spell that lulled his mind into submission. Were they torturing him for information? Conducting some strange experiment to understand how the Starwalker essence had been infused into his body? From Rikar’s story of the blood magic spells the priest had cast over him to bring him back to life, Talis guessed the Starwalkers might be worried at the possibility of being vulnerable against the Nameless and his followers. But how could they ever follow them here?
Then the memory of Rikar following Talis through the worlds portal filled his mind. Was it possible for one of the sorcerers to sneak after them into the portal? Did the Jiserians possess the ability to cast spells of invisibility? From his memory of the Order of the Dawn, Talis never recalled such a spell. But Rikar had followed them through two worlds portals unseen, so it was highly likely that the Jiserians knew such a spell.
“I’m guessing they are examining him, maybe trying to understand how the priests cast the blood magic spell? I still don’t know what it means for us, though. And I just want to go home.” Talis sighed and scanned over the beautiful rainforest, wishing he could just enjoy his time here with Mara and ignore all the craziness surrounding Rikar and the Nameless. He wished he had more time with her like the time they’d spent together at the smuggler’s cove.
“With the Surineda Map we have an advantage, right?” She ran her fingers through his hair and he shivered in response. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way back home. At least it’s likely that Naru is safe. With the Jiserians fighting, and the Nameless after the Starwalker’s fragments, they’ll be too busy to bother with Naru, don’t you think?”
You’ve forgotten that you murdered Emperor Ghaalis and killed Princess Devonia’s brother, Talis thought. It was better that Mara remained calm and believed that their city and families were safe.
“They’ll be fine, I don’t think we need to worry about Naru.” He held her hand and strolled along the path towards the waterfall and pool, savoring the sweet scents of fruits and flowers in the air. “Wherever we are, this is a strange and beautiful place, and it feels very peaceful and safe. The Starwalkers have a really advanced civilization; I’ve never seen anything like how this building is constructed. Do you think those are diamonds?”
They stared at the edge of the crystalline building and Mara took in a deep inhalation and spread her arms wide in wonderment. “Whatever it is made of, it’s truly amazing. And that magical shield that protects the rooms…how did it know who you were and allow you to enter my room? Really quite interesting. I’m dying to explore this place. The jungle is so fragrant and vibrant, and all the flowers everywhere. Look!” She pointed at a school of colorful fish swimming in the deep pool and giggled in excitement.
“We should be careful as well. Beauty is deceptive. If the Starwalkers think that we’re the equivalent to insects, then the things on their planet that are of no concern to them might be very harmful to us. Likely this forest is protected by even more shields. This is probably like a secluded palace garden.”
“Then let’s explore and find the way out. There didn’t seem to be a door inside the room, so maybe we follow a path?” She squeezed his hand and pulled him along, squealing at brilliant butterflies that bat their wings and danced from flower to flower. Little hordes of spider monkeys chased each other across the maze-like limbs and chattered and screamed as they approached. Mara sniffed so many strange varieties of orchids and colorful, sweet smelling flowers that she sneezed and flushed red as she wiped her nose from the outburst.
“I’m such a mess!” she said, and chuckled nervously at Talis. “This place is so huge and beautiful. Good thing you have your map, otherwise I doubt we could find our way back.”
“Let’s try over there.” He pointed off to where the path widened and the light seemed stronger than the soothing coolness of the jungle shade. They passed strange banana trees with small, red fruits, and around the corner, the path reached a river that stretched almost twenty feet across. Looking for a way over, Talis noticed that Mara had discovered an invisible bridge that spanned the width of the river, and she motioned for him to join her.
“Seems like they don’t want anything to upset the naturalness of the rainforest.” He stared down at the peaceful river and remembered the crystalline bridge in Vellia. “There’s definitely a connection between the aesthetic tastes of those of Vellia and the Starwalker’s world—if this is indeed the home planet of the Starwalkers.”
“I suspect it is.” Mara studied an orchid the size of an elephant’s head. “Jared mentioned that they would discuss this with their high council. Surely such a body of Starwalkers could only exist on their home planet?”
“But aren’t they travelers and transients by nature? Any home planet would likely just be a temporary place of rest and reflection and meditation—”
“And perhaps discourse and debate,” Mara said, interrupting him. “The high council is certainly not permanent, but reserved for those tired in their long journeys abroad and returning home to share what they’ve found.”
“Imagine what their archives must contain!” As Talis spoke, Mara’s face brightened and her eyes seemed to share in his excitement. “All those collections from their journeys across the vast universe, here on one planet? Their world must have the most amazing museum collection…”
Through the thinning foliage they could see a tall, expansive shield shimmering in a rippling silver light. This was definitely different than their rooms, and from the broad pathway that led up to the entrance, was likely well traveled. As they strode up to the building, the ground seemed to sense their arrival and the shield vanished and revealed a huge, cavernous chamber that looked out over the blackness of space splattered with the milky wash of millions of stars. Talis stumbled forward in wonderment and Mara gasped and exclaimed praises to the gods. What was this place? Gods are we floating in the stars? Am I dreaming?
Talis glanced around and spied Jared staring down at something hidden from where Talis stood. The Starwalker’s amused eyes caught his and the man beckoned them over to where he stood. Mara squeezed Talis’s hand even tighter as they ambled over, still gawking at the stars shining brightly outside the glass. Was it glass or crystal or a diamond? He almost bumped into Jared because Talis stared up instead of watching where he was walking, and the Starwalker chuckled and told him he wanted to show him something.
At first he caught Jared’s beaming gaze, then glanced back to Mara, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted something round and blue covering the sky down below.
His chin fell down to his chest and he gaped at a view he’d only seen in visions and dreams.
A massive blue planet, an entire world filling up half the sky, the oceans and clouds far below, the continents and islands, the
mountains and deserts and green swaths of teeming life.
This was same world that the Surineda Map had first shown him inside the Order of the Dawn.
His world. The Planet Yorek. They were floating in space over his world.
This was no dream, it was real.
Table of Contents
Copyright
1. Resurrection
2. Nightmares
3. Desert Flight
4. The Twin Daggers
5. The Caravan West
6. The Village of Farin
7. The Emperor's Revenge
8. The Sweet Sultry Sea
9. Lair of the Nameless
10. Death and Deliverance
11. Music of the Maelstrom
12. Sowing Discord
13. Night Fever
14. The Historian's Truth
15. The Vengeful Fate
16. Twenty-Second Level
17. Assuredness of Victory
18. Collateral Executions
19. Royal Colors
20. Order of the Dragons
21. The Candle Flame
22. The Servant's Wisdom
23. The Unknowable
24. The Royal Summons
25. Cult of the Dragons
26. The Emperor's Court
27. Starwalkers Summoned
28. Chaos and Obliteration
29. Tears and the Goddess
30. Shelter and Storm
31. The Baleful Hand
32. Temporary Obedience
33. The Skies over Ishur
34. Between the Stars
Star Mage (Book 5) Page 22