by D. N. Leo
Kannitha staggered back and fainted into Phala’s arms.
Michael figured that the energy that had poured into him was from her. He felt Lyla’s hands on his shoulders.
“Are you okay, Michael?”
Phala shouted something. Guards from outside rushed in.
Michael stood up, pulling his gun. “I haven’t used it here yet, but you don’t want me to try this weapon on you.”
Phala carried his sister in his arms. “Please don’t leave,” he said and rushed away.
Michael looked at the guards, knowing he could take them all out with a few shots. “Was that a polite invitation?” he asked Lyla.
She smiled at him. “If you want to stay, then yes.”
Chapter 13
“Are you okay?” Lyla asked.
Michael stood up from the stone bench in a small courtyard next to the castle. “I sucked the energy out of that princess. I’m more than okay. I feel stronger.”
She chuckled. “She’s going to be okay. You’re here to check on her, right?”
“We stayed because Phala knows where Lythe’s jar of ash is. He can help us get it.”
She smiled. “Is that so? You don’t care for the princess at all?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lyla.”
“I saw the way you looked at her. It was like first—”
“Oh no, don’t go there, Lyla. I’m not that kind of guy.”
“Of course not…” She twirled her finger in a lock of her hair. Hearing a faint sound from the corner of the courtyard, she turned and saw Phala step in through a small stone arch. Others wouldn’t have to bend, but with his height, he had to. He looked tired and troubled, she thought.
“Thank you for staying. I didn’t mean to call the guards earlier. It was a poor reaction on my part.”
“We understand. You’re concerned about your sister. What’s the real reason you invited us into your home?” Lyla asked.
Phala sat down on a stone bench. He sighed and looked into the distance.
“Kannitha and I were born in the West. Our father was royal here. He traveled a lot, and in the West, he met our mother. When we were born in the West, he took us back to see the Kingdom of Champa, only to find out we weren’t wanted there. So he sent us back to our mother. Two years ago, our mother passed. Before she died, she told us she wanted us to Kingdom of Champa, reunite with Father, and take back our birthrights.”
Lyla smiled. “I guess you were successful in claiming your connection with the royals.”
He nodded. “Simply speaking, it cost our father’s life. But we got what belongs to us.”
“I’m sorry,” said Lyla.
“What happened to Kannitha?” Michael asked.
“She was blind at birth, but she has a sort of vision. She can see things we can’t. Things in the future. For the last few months, she’s been telling me she needs to meet the travelers from the West. When the servant from the market told me she met you in the market, I came to check you out. You know the rest of the story.”
“So she didn’t explain why she needs to see us?” Michael asked.
Phala shook his head. “I’ve asked several times. But all she said was that it has to do with our future—hers and mine. We know we’re being cast out by the royals. That’s why we’re living on the border. I always wanted to take her back to the West, but she wanted to wait here. For what, I don’t know.”
“How can we help?” Lyla asked.
“She asks for you now, Lyla.”
“All right.” She headed to the exit of the courtyard. Michael followed.
“She asked for Lyla only. She didn’t even want my presence.”
Michael shrugged. “Well, it’s true she’s a princess, but that doesn’t mean she can always get what she wants.”
“It’s okay, Michael,” said Lyla. “I’ll talk to her.”
“No, you saw what happened.”
“I won’t touch her, okay? Please stay here.” She turned and left Michael, who she was sure was silently cursing her out. She followed the long, dark corridor of the less-than-glamorous stone castle. Phala hadn’t given her directions to the princess’s room, but in a corner of her mind, she could hear a call, and she just knew where to go.
She pushed open a heavy wooden door and stepped into the room.
The room was warmed by a large fireplace in the corner. There were no windows. No decorative items on the walls. The furniture was plain. Kannitha sat at the edge of her bed, her long dark hair cascading around her perfectly oval face and caressing her delicate shoulders. Lyla had never seen an angel. But if she were forced to imagine one, this would be it. Maybe everything in this castle looked plain because of Kannitha’s beauty.
Kannitha smiled. “Lyla, I’ve seen you before.”
“Phala told us you have vision.”
She nodded. “I can see destiny.”
“Of other people and yourself?”
“Yes, but I can keep the talent only if I don’t interfere with what I see.”
Lyla was puzzled. That principle applied to time traveling as well. She knew her father was working on a time-traveling device, but he would never admit to it because he knew it was dangerous. Lyla had always thought about time traveling as the ultimate science. Through that travel, people would be able to see past and future events.
But she was sure Kannitha’s vision had nothing to do with time travel. It was merely a talent, and it might even be magical.
“What can I do to help, Kannitha?”
“Let me first talk about what I can help you with, and then we can discuss what I can have in return.”
Lyla nodded, but then, being mindful that Kannitha couldn’t see, she said, “Yes, of course.”
“In my vision, I saw a vast, empty field covered in bones and ashes. I don’t know where it was, but I know it’s a land where no human or other living creature could walk.”
“Am I among the bones and ashes?”
Kannitha shook her head. “No, you are living on Earth by yourself. You’re exiled from your world. The aura and energy I can feel from you now didn’t appear in my vision. You must have been stripped of all of your power and privileges.”
“Are you saying someone I care for is in the field of bones and ashes?”
Kannitha sighed and nodded. “I know your pain. I can feel it. And the answer is yes. Your siblings were among the bones and ashes.”
“I have only a brother.”
“No, I saw the spirits of your twin brother and your little sister.”
Lyla felt her knees weaken, but she stood firm. “I don’t have a sister.”
“It’s only a vision. You can choose not to believe. But your brother died trying to free you from your exile. And your sister traded her soul to save him. Not only couldn’t she save him, but she was tricked and ended up in the field of bones as well.” She paused and then asked, “If you don’t believe me, why are you crying?”
Lyla wiped away the tear that had escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. She knew Kannitha was right. She knew about the sister she thought she’d never had. But if her father was able to manipulate variables using the time capsule, she could imagine what he would do if he had the ability to reverse what had happened to her sister. And if that were the case, she would have a sister for real.
“What can I do, and what do you want me to do for you in return?”
“If you do what I say, you will save your brother, sister, and hundreds of thousands of innocents who otherwise would have died… burned into bones and ashes. In return, you will have to take care of my brother. That is all I want.”
“What about you, Kannitha?”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I will receive the ultimate reward. Any reward comes at a cost, but considering what you are going to get, I think it’s a fair cost.”
“What is it?”
“It will cost Michael’s life. You can’t escape fate at such a scale without casual
ty.”
Chapter 14
Southern Vietnam - tropical forest - present time
Jaxper pushed the stone door open. The candle still shed some light, but it was flickering and would soon go out. On the floor next to the door, Gale lay still, semiconscious, his body temporarily paralyzed because of the potion she had asked him to take.
She needed to act fast before the effect faded and he started moving again, and not in her favor.
She kneeled next to him.
He was beautiful. His striking blue eyes were glazed, but he still tried to focus on her.
She brushed a stray dark hair out of his face. “You did what I asked without knowing the consequences. Why, Gale?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“No, you know.” She bent and whispered into his ear. “It’s because you love me.”
“Really… I do?”
She cupped his face with one hand and kissed his cheek lightly. “Yes, you do. You love me, and you will always love me.”
He tried to sit up, but she pressed his chest so that he laid back down.
Then she kissed him, long and deep. She was persistent. She pinned his hands down. She straddled him, and she kept kissing him until he responded with the same level of intensity she was giving.
She was playing with fire.
She knew it.
But she didn’t have a choice. The potion he had taken was compounded by her mother using the flowers of darkness. It was a potion that combined the power of toxic nature, dark magic, and the hatred her mother had carried on her shoulders for a long time. The combination made this potion a toxin without cure. Jaxper knew it and wished she’d never had to use it on anyone. It poisoned the mind with love.
How ironic, she thought.
If an individual responded the right way by falling in love with the poisoner, the poisoned person would be bound to the poisoner for life. If the poisoned person was strong enough to resist the power of the dark magic, then the poison would do its job and kill.
If her theory was right, and ten percent of Gale’s human brain was fighting for control over the evil robotic part of him, then all she needed to do was to make that ten percent love her and then force the potion effect down into his body. She didn’t know what would happen when the robotic part Lyla had programmed woke up, but for now, she had only one option— to make this beautiful creature totally surrender to her.
She kept pushing. She kept urging. She worked until his body stopped resisting and totally submitted to her. She tore his shirt off. His toned muscles both intrigued her and turned her on.
She wanted him.
She let him penetrate her deeper. She kissed him harder. And when she felt the right level of response, she stopped. She lightened her kisses and let her lips linger on his. His striking blue eyes opened. He was fully awake and totally engaged with her. She let go of his hands. As soon as her body eased off an inch, he grabbed her and pulled her close.
His hands roamed over her body. He flipped her over so she was lying on her back, and then he took charge. He gave back what she had given and more. He made love to her with complete obsession. She was sure there was no calculation on his part. He worked to please her. He loved her until she was sated. Jaxper no longer knew who was giving and who was taking.
At that point, she knew he was hers for life—mind, body, and spirit. The evil robotic part of him had been totally converted. She had helped him kill it. Not that he would know. But that didn’t matter. For now.
She smiled with satisfaction and snuggled into his arms.
Chapter 15
Vietnam - Middle Ages
Michael sprang to his feet when he saw Lyla coming back to the courtyard followed by Kannitha and a servant. After Kannitha settled on a bench, the servant left.
“Are you okay?” he asked Lyla.
She nodded.
Something was bothering her. He could see it in her eyes. Phala came to Kannitha, and they had a conversation in their own language.
“Can you tell me what you and the princess talked about?” Michael asked Lyla. He knew the answer would be negative, but he asked anyway. He was worried. The look on Kannitha’s face suggested she had many agendas. But as long as no harm came to Lyla, and they could take the jar of Lythe’s ashes back to their current time, he didn’t mind people playing games.
Phala returned to them. He looked even more troubled than before.
“What’s up?” Michael asked.
“Kannitha wants to perform a ritual now, with both of you involved.”
“What sort of ritual?” Michael asked. Then he looked at Lyla, who was silent. “Is this what you talked about with her?”
Lyla nodded. “Yes, she said she usually performs this ritual at the full moon. It’s magic. She doesn’t want to force you to do this, Michael. But judging from the way you drained the energy out of her before, she thinks you have the power to draw and hold the energy inside you.”
“She said you’re one of the sons of Fire. You’re the Fire Keeper,” Phala said.
“I could do with fewer names and labels,” said Michael. “But if it’s that simple, why couldn’t she simply talk to me? Why did she have to negotiate with Lyla about things that are my decision?”
“She can’t communicate directly with you because of the energy connection. It will harm you both,” Phala said. “What concerns me most, however, is that this is not the right time for her ritual. I have never seen her do this outside the full moon. I don’t know what will happen.”
“What exactly is this ritual? And why do I have to do it?” Michael asked.
Phala smiled bitterly. “That’s the thing. You don’t have to do it at all, and so, to motivate you, she asked me just now to promise to help you get the jar of ashes regardless of what happens with the ritual. She has never asked for anything before, and nothing so specific.”
“What do you think, Lyla?” Michael asked.
“I don’t think you should do it.”
“But if I can draw the energy and keep it, wouldn’t it be useful later on?”
“Yes, Michael, but we don’t know anything about this place or the ritual, and considering the risks, I don’t think it’s worth it.”
“Well, it’s not just energy you’ll gain by doing the ritual. You’ll also save a lot of people, and that’s good for Lyla’s redemption of her exile,” said Kannitha from behind them.
Phala turned around and gently nudged Kannitha away from Michael.
“And you didn’t think to tell me this could help with your exile, Lyla?”
“It’s my exile. It’s not worth risking your life for it.”
He shrugged. “Well, if you have to live here forever, then I have to be here with you as well. I think it’s worth the risk to see if we can both get out of this situation.” He looked at Kannitha. “I’ll do it.”
Kannitha smiled. “Let’s go.”
Phala held Kannitha’s hand, leading her, but his face didn’t express approval.
In a short while, they arrived at a large lake. A small temple sat on an island in the middle of the lake. The island was just large enough to hold the temple, so from a distance, it looked as if the temple was floating on the water.
It was so quiet it was eerie. There were no guards or servants, and no one else was around. There wasn’t even the sound of insects or birds—except for one familiar coo. Michael looked up in a nearby tree and saw that their blue bird guide had parked himself on a small branch. Lyla saw it too. Now Michael was more determined than ever to do this ritual, whatever it was.
A narrow hundred-yard bridge connected the shore of the lake with the mysterious temple. The eerie steam rising from the lake was so thick it looked as though the bridge was floating on a cloud. They had to walk single file. Michael hung onto the wire rail to keep his balance. The wooden floor of the bridge bounced slightly under their steps, and the bridge swayed as they walked.
Up close, the temple looked more imposing t
han it did from a distance. It was round, and its walls were painted red. A heavy wooden door slid open when Kannitha approached as if it had motion sensors, but Michael didn’t have to be excellent in history to know that there were no electronic doors in 1258.
As soon as she stepped inside the temple, Kannitha seemed at home. She moved much more efficiently than a person with perfect eyesight. She sauntered toward the middle of the round hall with massively high ceilings and approached an enormous round table with a reflective surface.
“Don’t tell me the next thing we’ll see is King Arthur,” Michael muttered to himself.
Kannitha walked around the table and to the far end of the room. Then she turned back toward the trio.
“I am going to engage with my vision. What you will see on the surface of the table is the reflection of my mind’s eye, and it will project the future. You will see what will happen if you choose not to alter that reality. I won’t be able to communicate with you while I’m engaged. Lyla, as we’ve discussed, I trust you’ll guide Michael through the process and honor our agreement. Brother, I trust you will take care of what you promised me.”
“Is there anything apart from doing this ritual that I need to know, Lyla?” Michael asked.
She smiled at him. “That’s all there is. Have you changed your mind?”
“Oh no—I just want to be fully informed.”
She nodded and looked at Kannitha. “We’re good to go.”
Kannitha smiled. She stepped a bit farther away from the table. She stood still for a second and closed her eyes. Michael felt a vibration in the air, and the temperature rose. A light beam streamed down from above and encircled Kannitha. Michael was sure it came from beyond the roof of this temple.
Kannitha’s hands were raised in the air. Her eyes were open now, totally blank.
The shiny surface of the table in front of them flashed a few times, and then the image of a devastated field of bones, ashes, and dead bodies appeared.