While most of the Flyers in the room had small light meals, my tray was piled high with the juiciest, heaviest options on the menu. I wasn’t planning to do any flying in the near future and went all out.
“Jesus,” Aaron marveled as I sat down across from him. “Is there any food left up there?”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.”
“So, is it just me or is everyone here giving us the stink eye?”
I cast a quick look around before digging in. “It’s me. To these guys a genetic suppressant is basically a screw you. They disapprove.”
My boyfriend nodded thoughtfully, his timid green eyes giving the room another once-over. “Maybe you should let your wings out before the place catches fire.”
“I would, but there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
His face lit up. “You’ve made up your mind? Are you ready to let me claim that ass?”
I shook my head. “Still deliberating. The thing is… I’ve been thinking a lot lately. Ever since we came here and met these people, I’ve been feeling conflicted.”
“Understandable.”
“I feel like I’m at a crossroads and I don’t know whether to go left or right.”
Aaron nodded. “I know the feeling.”
“I was so sure that Earth was the only home for me, but now that I’m here, I can’t imagine shutting the door on this world forever. Last night, I tired making a pros and cons list, but I kept arriving at a draw. And at the end of the day, whatever I chose, I’m going to be losing something.”
“So, why chose?” my boyfriend asked simply.
“What?”
“Why go left or right? Why not straight?”
“I think you’re missing the whole ‘a fork in the road’ analogy. There is no straight.”
“So, make your own path. If neither option suits you, create a new one.”
“As in…?”
Aaron looked mildly exasperated, but also determined. “Why do you have to chose between Antomia and Earth? Why not chose both?”
“When the portal closes, I’ll be trapped on one side or the other. When that happens, I want to be sure I’m on the right side.”
“But if you had access to a portal that doesn’t close…”
“Only the High Ruler has access to that one.”
“And how long has it been open?”
I shrugged. “Over 15,000 years.”
“Well, something must be keeping it open.” By now my boyfriend had finished his light breakfast. I still had a little ways to go.
“That would make sense,” I mused, suddenly deep in thought. “Then again, it could just be a massive coincidence.”
“Come on.” Aaron raised a skeptically eyebrow. “Portals are opening and closing all the time yet that one remains? What’s the likelihood of that?”
“So, how do we find out?”
He smiled as if it were obvious. “Uh, we go to the High Kingdom and take a peek at its portal. If something is keeping it open, we’re bound to find it.”
“You’re insane!”
He licked his lower lip seductively. “You think so?”
“We can’t just go to the High Kingdom.”
“Why not?”
“Because… because. Because it’s the High Kingdom. Only the ruler has access to the portal there.”
Aaron was clearly enjoying this. “But the new ruler hasn’t taken the throne yet, right? What’s to stop us from just slipping in and taking a quick peek?”
“I can’t believe we’re even discussing this.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s like… it’s like entering the White House uninvited.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
“Aaron…”
My boyfriend’s face turned serious. “Uriah, you need to take charge. I know that you’re still effected by what your mother did. The decisions that she made. That’s understandable, but you’re not a little kid anymore. You don’t have to let life happen to you. Now you can take the reins. If you can’t decide between the red pill and the blue pill then take both. Or neither. Make the rules up as you go.”
Once again I was blown away by Aaron’s genius. I truly couldn’t decide between my world and his. If we really could find a way to keep the portal by my childhood home open, then I’d be free to pass between both worlds freely. Leaning across the table, I kissed him. It wasn’t just a kiss, it was a message, telling him how much he meant to me.
“You never cease to amaze me.”
“Glad I could help.”
When I finished eating, we went outside and found a small patch of grass by the edge of the canyon. My boyfriend was eager to see the High Kingdom, but first I needed to digest. If I could’ve predicated his genius, I wouldn’t have consumed so much. After that meal, I’d definitely be grounded for a while. As I lay on my back, soaking in the sun, Aaron sat beside me, his fingers drawing circles on my abdomen.
“Do you know what the High Kingdom looks like?” he asked after several minutes of silence, his hand pausing for a moment.
“My mother has shown me pictures.”
“Like photographs?”
“No, sketches and paintings and such. I’m not sure what it looks like close up. Supposedly only Flyers and the ruler’s closest advisers get to see the palace up close and personal.”
“With the High Ruler returning, does that mean you’ll start working there?”
“Don’t know. I mean, a Flyer’s traditional role is spreading the word of the High Ruler, but that’s not their only purpose. Jeremiah is desperate for me to work for him.”
Aaron’s eyebrows furrowed. “Who’s Jeremiah?”
I couldn’t help chuckling. “I forget you guys can’t hear when we communicate. Jeremiah is the one who runs the transportation business.”
“Mr. Green?”
“That’s what you’ve been calling him?”
“Well, I didn’t have a name, did I?”
“Touché.”
My boyfriend scooted closer to me, his entire hand now caressing my full stomach. “He wants you to offer rides to travelers?”
“Yeah. He can’t wait to get me strapped in. At my full strength, I’ll be able to carry the two-seaters, no problem. I’m worth three of his current employees.”
“Any chance he’ll pay you three times as much?”
I raised an eyebrow. “There’s an idea. I’ll have to ask.”
Aaron lay down beside me, his head in my chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll be your manager. I’ll make sure they treat you right.”
I wrapped my arm around him and kissed the top of his head. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but it looked like this might actually work. If I could make enough to purchase a new genetic suppressant and find a way to keep the portal by my parents’ house open, everything would be perfect. I was trying to remember what all my mother had told me about the High Kingdom when Aaron suddenly raised his head. Looking down, I found him studying a group of Flyers who had settled down not too far away. They gave us a quick, but friendly wave before turning their attention to a bundle of long thin sticks. After just a few minute’s observation, I saw that they were weaving baskets. Interesting. I was about to lay my head back down when Aaron started to speak. He was still watching the Flyers, a far off look in his dark green eyes.
“When you were young, how did you communicate with your parents? I mean, before your mother brought you to Earth.”
“I’d point at whatever I wanted. Usually my mom and dad understood, but if they didn’t, I’d have to get more creative.”
“Creative how?” my boyfriend asked, finally tearing his eyes off the group to look at me.
I shrugged, resting my head on the grass and looking up at the sky. “Requesting food was easy enough, but if I wanted something like a toy, I’d act it out. Sometimes my parents understood and sometimes they didn’t. And of course, the more complex my wants, the harder it was to communicate. There were so many th
ings I wanted or wanted to say, but couldn’t.”
“Like what?”
“Things I wanted to do, places I wanted to go. I remember one day, some of the other kids in town were going to observe a hunt. Hunters won’t usually bring spectators, but that day they’d decided to show us kids how it was done. I think mainly they were trying to ready the young Hunters in the village and word got out. You know how it is. Anyway, I overheard one kid talking about it so of course I wanted to go. Tracking down my mother, I tried to illustrated what I wanted through gestures and pantomime, but she didn’t understand. I remember trying so hard to find a way to make her see. I even tried to find the kid who I’d overheard, but he was long gone.” I took a deep breath and let it out, trying not to let the memories of my childhood disappointments consume me. “That’s just one example of many. For the most part, if I couldn’t point something out directly, chances are I wouldn’t get it.”
“That’s rough.” Aaron's voice was soft and sympathetic.
“It was.”
“What about your father? Where was he during all this?”
“Working. I forgot he was a Builder. I guess I should’ve known. When I was little, he seemed so big. I remember thinking he was invincible. He used to carry me around on his shoulders. At night, after he got off work, he’d read me stories about superheroes and villains. The only super power I ever wanted was speech.”
“Did you tell him that?” my boyfriend paused. “Sorry. Stupid question.”
I shook my head. “Not stupid. My parents would frequently ask me questions to gain insight. Usually yes or no questions. When my father asked what power I’d want, I pointed to my mouth. He understood. He said if he could have any power, he'd give me a voice.”
“So, what was your life like before Earth? Do you remember?”
“I remember a little. I didn’t know what he did at the time, but my father worked in town. He would leave early and come back late. Being a Teacher, my mother would earn money downloading people with information. Mostly she worked at the school. Weekdays, she’d take me with her. I would play around the school. I would also accompany her when she went shopping. I remember wanting to go with my father to work. I wanted to see what he did. One day, when he was on his way out the door, I hurried after him. My mom grabbed me and said I couldn’t go. She said his job was no place for a child.
“I remember people would stare a lot. Like they do now. Whenever my mother took me into town, they would watch us with pity in their eyes. They felt sorry for her. What with having a Flyer for a child and all. When they looked at me, they saw all my… shortcomings. I couldn’t do things other kids my age did.”
“Like what?”
“Like go to school. In class, children learn to read and write. I could do neither. Because of this, people assumed I was stupid. It didn’t help that my parents tended to over-explain things to me. Outsiders assumed I had trouble understanding stuff. It was actually my parents’ way of answering any questions I might have. I remember going to the village once on my own… against my mother’s wishes. I had some money and wanted to buy something. I don’t remember what. I understood money and how it worked, but the vender still spoke to me like I was an idiot. You know, slow and loud. When I lived here, people always treated me like I was stupid. I hated it.”
“Did you ever believe it?”
“That I was stupid? No, not really. My mother frequently reiterated that my condition was a product of my genetic group. More than anything, I learned to hate being a Flyer. I spent countless hours wishing I was a Teacher like my mother. Or a Warrior or a Hunter. Anything, but a Flyer.”
“And you still feel that way?” Aaron asked, raising his head so he could look at me.
“Sometimes.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I like you just the way you are.”
“Thanks,” I muttered half-heartedly.
“No, I’m serious,” he insisted, sitting up, his eyes intense. “I’m sorry about everything you’ve been through. You’ve had some pretty shitty days, but like I said before, if not for the bad days, we might never have happened.” He placed his palm flat against my chest while drawing mine to his. “So yes, I’m glad you’re a Flyer. It not only makes you beautiful, it’s what brought you to me.” Seeing the sadness in my eyes, he added, “What’s your happiest childhood memory?”
“Don’t have any.”
“Come on. Everyone has at least one happy memory.”
I racked my brain. “I remember my parents taking me to a city.”
“A city? Where?”
“Not sure, but it was far away.”
“How did you get there?”
I thought for a moment. “We had to go up the canyon a ways. There was a bridge crossing to the other side. I doubt it’s still there. It was old and practically falling apart. I remember being terrified.”
“Jesus,” Aaron said. “Sounds deadly. Why risk it?”
“In the absence of the High Ruler, that’s the only way non-Flyers can travel. Because of the danger factor, most people don’t risk it, but some do. Things can get pretty isolating pretty fast. Anyway, we made it to the other side in one piece and we walked the rest of the way to the city. I don’t remember how long it took. To my young mind it seemed to take forever, but it couldn’t have been more than a few days. I didn’t mind. It was a nice break from getting bullied. After living outside a small town my whole life, the big city looked infinite. There was so much to see and do…” I trailed off as new memories flooded my unsuspecting mind. “It’s all coming back to me! That was a real adventure! I had so much fun running up and down the streets. There were people everywhere and the food was amazing! My parents took me to this museum. I’d never seen a building that big before. It was full of all these weird gadgets…” Blinding realization hit me. “That museum was full of technology… from Earth.” I paused, gathering my thoughts. “Once upon a time, I knew our planet couldn’t support electricity. I simply forgot. Since this planet is technology-free, Earth gadgets are extremely fascinating to the people here. As a kid, I was blown away. Not a lot of Antomolites get to see that kind of thing. Certainly not small-town people.”
“That museum sounds pretty cool,” Aaron mused. “Maybe you can take me there someday.” In the wake of those newfound memories, I almost forgot he was there.
“Definitely. I think it’s in Metro City, but with the power of flight, the journey’ll be a piece of cake.”
He moved closer to me. “I’m glad you have at least one happy memory.”
Sitting up, I took his face in my hands. “I’d completely forgotten about that ’til now. If not for you, that experience might've been lost forever.”
“Glad I could help.” Looking into his eyes, I had to kiss him. And not just a peck on the lips. I didn’t care that we were in plain view of over a dozen Flyers. I wanted them all to know how much I loved this boy. But more specifically, I wanted him to know. And since words didn’t come close to describing how I felt, I would have to show him. I kissed Aaron until even that wasn’t enough. He let me go deep, but when I started getting handsy, he pulled away, his ears going bright red as his eyes darted around.
“Easy there cowboy. If things get any hotter we’ll set this place on fire.”
“Sorry.”
He swept my hair from my face, the tips of his fingers lingering at my temple before migrating down my cheek to my jaw. “There will be plenty of time for that later. Right now we have a kingdom to visit. Are you ready to fly?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter 18
Aaron
Now that Uriah was finally done digesting, we borrowed another chariot from Jeremiah and prepared for the trip to the High Kingdom. According to my boyfriend, it’s a three-day journey and we would need supplies. Not just changes of clothes, but also food. Lots of it. That much flying would take energy. When we were all packed up, I wasn’t sure he’d be able to support the weight of the carriage. Before we left
, he had a brief chat with Jedediah. Despite his mother’s eagerness to re-open channels of communication, Uriah still regarded her coldly. Instead, he filled his father in on our plan. I expected Jedediah to tell us we were crazy, but he just nodded, smiled and wished us good luck.
The trip to the High Kingdom was filled with amazing scenery and picturesque landscapes. At one point, I wished that I’d brought a camera before remembering that, like my watch, it wouldn’t work here. We were flying for about three hours at a time before Uriah had to stop for breaks. At night, we would get a room in the nearest village at the cheapest Inn. He tried to hide it at first, but the closer we got to the palace, the more excited he became. As we continued to travel north, the landscape gradually changed. Everything was getting bigger: the forests, the mountains and the canyons. The settlements were starting to look less like villages and more like ancient cities.
One evening, we had dinner at the edge of a ravine while the sun set in the distance. The multi-colored light painted the clouds and illuminated the sky. It was incredibly beautiful and romantic. Sitting cross-legged on the grass, looking at Uriah in the fading light, I had to pinch myself. I still couldn’t believe that this was real. That he was real. This is what dreams are made of. With no distractions or interruptions, I decided to get to know him better. Despite everything he’d already told me, I still felt like I’d barely scratched the surface. He’s such an amazing individual, I wanted to know everything about him.
“What was young Uriah like?” I asked, breaking the silence. “In your early teens. What were you into?”
He shrugged, his golden eyes sparkling. “What most kids my age were into. In jr. high school I hung out and goofed around.”
The Flyer (The Flyer Series Book 1) Page 24