by Andrea Engel
He squirmed in his bonds then turned to look at Sadie. “You think you can stop me, wretched girl?”
“Slugs, take care of that yap trap, please.” Sadie put her thumb and index finger together and motioned across her lips.
One set of vines crossed over Finn’s mouth and silenced him.
Sadie focused her attention only on Thelo. A silver shimmer appeared over his chest.
She wiped her eyes to see more clearly, and an ounce of hope calmed her sadness. A crystal slowly formed over Thelo’s heart, settling down gently. Sadie gasped, too afraid to touch it, for fear that it might disappear. She carefully read its message: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
“Thelo, come back to me. Please come back. I’m not sure whether this crystal is for me or whether it’s supposed to help you.”
She placed two fingers on his neck and checked his pulse for the tenth time.
Nothing.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
Treasure and Travail
“Nice work subduing Finn, Sadie. I know it wasn’t easy.” Barnaby made his presence known.
Standing up, she asked him, “Where have you been?”
“It wasn’t time yet.”
“Wasn’t time yet?” Her skin flushed bright red. She faced Barnaby, hands on hips, leaning in. “What does that mean? Thelo’s dead. Where were you?”
“Sadie, you arrived first, and the damage was already done. I know it’s hard to accept, but Thelo had faith in you,” reassured Barnaby. “Trust his wisdom. He told me you would know what to do and not to get in your way.”
She took Barnaby’s words as a challenge. She held on to her leadership crystal, remembering what it represented. I’m stronger than Finn, she reminded herself. She looked at the treasure in her palm. She felt the pull of its power; it lurched from her hand toward Thelo’s body and landed on the crown of his head.
She knew what to do. She called to the four crystals that were hidden in her sock drawer. One by one they slowly appeared over Thelo’s body, aligned in a row from head down throughout his torso. With the six crystals levitating in place, Sadie waited, certain this was what Thelo needed.
Nothing happened.
I don’t understand. I can feel their power. They have to work. This has to work.
Sadie held her breath, trying not to move. She willed the crystals to heal Thelo. The sensation of needles marched up her body, starting from her feet.
Nothing changed; Thelo remained motionless.
It’s not working. How could it not work?
Heartbreak and frustration filled her, and all her emotions surged forth. Thelo was gone, and Sadie’s murderous uncle stood bound and gagged by the Slugs just a few feet away.
The Slugs yelped and released the vine that covered Finn’s mouth. “He bit us. Pull tighter.”
Sadie’s voice began softly, edged with tension. “You don’t belong here, Finn Montgomery.”
The closest vine smacked Finn on the back of his head.
Finn’s head jerked forward as he spat, “You can’t do anything to me here. I lived in Mystashan once. I know the rules.”
Her eyes locked on his. “‘Once’ is a long time ago, and besides, who said I’m going to do anything to you here?” The needles subsided. Visible arcs of crackling electricity emanated with indigo fire from her fingertips.
As Finn struggled against his living bonds, the briefest expression of fear flickered in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. “You’re just a child. What could you possibly do aside from these weak carnival tricks?”
Sadie’s voice picked up steam as electric energy fueled her body and the auric field around her. “When I say, ‘Go,’ you will leave!”
She kept the volume high. Her last words were thunderous, reaching a crescendo that no being in Mystashan could ignore, especially the Slugs. She thrust her arms toward Finn.
“Here! You want Thelo’s jewels so badly? Keep them. I’m releasing you from Mystashan. Get the hell out of here. Go!”
Clawing the air in front of him, Finn was sucked backward by such a powerful force that the Slugs almost didn’t have time to let go of him. Before her last word died away, an enormous, black, swirling vortex opened up and swallowed Finn whole. There was no trace of Finn Montgomery anywhere in Mystashan.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
Can’t Keep a Good Plan Down
“I’m very proud of you, Sadie,” a strained voice called from behind.
She almost tripped over her own foot as she spun around. “Thelo? I can’t believe this is real. Thank goodness. I thought I’d lost you forever.” She knelt beside him and gently took his head into her lap.
“You cannot get rid of me that easily, kiddo,” a frayed, raspy voice emerged.
A fresh crop of tears blurred Sadie’s vision as her smile stretched as far as it could go.
Cheers from all quarters echoed off surfaces at every height. The populace of Mystashan gathered, speaking softly in excited tones on their way out of the Atrium.
“But how, Thelo? How did you finally come back?”
Thelo opened his shaking hand and held out a seventh crystal for her to take.
“This is yours now.”
She held it up to see the life-saving word: COURAGE.
“I knew you could do it,” Thelo congratulated her.
Sadie handed the crystal back to Thelo. “This belongs to you. You’ve shown courage beyond what I would have thought possible.”
“No, Sadie. You earned it. It’s yours.”
“Then it’s mine to do with as I will,” she said, placing it in one of the vacant spaces in Thelo’s wounded hide. Immediately the stone filled the void by expanding just the right amount.
Sadie stood and watched it happen, then shuddered and looked into his eyes. “Thelo, Finn could be back any second.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
Banyan’s Offering
“What are we going to do?” Sadie asked Thelo.
She leaned in to hear his strained words.
“Something tells me we do not have to worry about Finn coming back anytime soon.”
Sadie looked long and hard at the courage crystal, now a part of Thelo. It represented a dark moment that she had helped turn to light. It would help her remember she always had the ability to face darkness.
Thelo tried to sit up, but Sadie placed her hand on his arm. “Should you be moving yet?”
In the next moment, he sat up, appearing stronger. His color returned, now a deep cobalt.
“How are you healing so fast?”
“Those were old wounds, Sadie. What happened with Finn was necessary in a way. It let that pain go so I could make room for what comes next. Once your crystals brought me back from the Calm, our Atrium crystals set the healing process in motion. We heal more quickly in Mystashan.”
As Sadie nodded, her thoughts drifted to Banyan. “Banyan should be fine with a little time too, right? I need to see him. I need to know he’s all right.”
“Yes, I knew you would. I will go with you.”
“Really? Are you up for that? I want you to take care of yourself.”
“I can make it there for Banyan.”
He struggled to find his feet.
“Thelo, please, you must rest,” Sadie pleaded, reaching out to help him steady himself. “I’ve lost you once already today. I don’t want to lose you again.”
A gleaming walking stick made of polished ash materialized at Thelo’s side. It was a sturdy branch, simple and unadorned. The top half spiraled in a gentle, sloping way that made the handle easy to grasp.
Thelo hobbled at first, but after several minutes of walking through the village, he learned to trust the staff and was soon able to keep up with Sadie.
Two moons illuminated the night sky, and the cool breeze tickled Sadie’s hair. They saw a far-off golden glow that turned out to be their friend as they came near.
When they arrived, Banyan was resting.
His stab wounds were piteous
. It was unimaginable how much golden sap he contained, as it still flowed like slowing lava from deep within the earth. His light was dimming by the minute. Many of his branches lay on the ground beside him; only a few stubs were left.
“Sleeping already, old friend? It is not even moondown yet.”
Banyan opened his eyelids and gave a strained smile. Thelo sat on the grass beside him.
Banyan drew a slow, deep breath. All the while Sadie looked into his thoughtful green eyes. She used her intuition so she could see Banyan clearly: the wellspring of peace he contained and something else besides.
“Are you okay, Banyan?”
She waited for him to speak.
No words came.
“What can I do to help you? Do you heal quickly like Thelo?”
The silence continued. For clues, she looked to Thelo, who lowered his eyes and shook his head.
It struck her in the heart: the realization that something was seriously wrong with Banyan. In order to remain standing, Sadie planted her feet and paid extra attention to her balance. As bad as this looks, everything’s going to be okay. Everyone heals in Mystashan, right?
The ground rumbled. At first she thought it was the sound of her world crumbling, but when she looked again, the cause was clear.
Where before Banyan had stood still and flush with the earth, now he rocked from side to side, slowly at first. With effort that was excruciating to watch, he heaved one of his deeper roots completely out of the earth, followed by another. Sadie was surprised to see how even the slenderest root fibers were undamaged by the process. Each lengthy root was intertwined with a variety of colorful crystals.
Come closer, please, Sadie.
“Oh, thank goodness. Of course, Banyan. Anything for you. I was afraid I might never hear your voice again.”
May I hug you?
Sadie thought she saw the area around his face lighten.
“Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”
Nothing can hurt me anymore, Sadie. Now, about my hug…
Sadie moved closer to Banyan’s face. His eyes looked particularly bright and expressive, despite his wounds.
She wrapped her arms around his wide, cool trunk. Banyan’s few remaining branches came down to embrace her. His crystal-laden roots rose up and around her. Soon Banyan’s arms surrounded her from above and below.
Sadie closed her eyes and breathed in the ebbing green of Banyan’s essence. She placed a kiss under his left eye, where she thought his cheek might be.
They held their embrace for an extra-long moment, and then Banyan released her, holding her at branch’s length.
I want you to have something. It might seem small, but I assure you it is not.
A low-lying branch reached down and scooped some of the warm liquid gold into a crystal vial the roots had fashioned.
Please take this golden sap. It has served me well, and I know it will treat you right too.
“Do you honestly think I would consider this a small gift? It’s huge, Banyan. It’s almost as incredible as you are. I guess it is you, in a way. But won’t you need it all to heal?”
My body knows how to create more. Don’t worry. Please take this gift from me. It is warm, so you can shape it tonight. Be as creative as you want. Think of me, and I will think of you. Please bring it with you when you return.
“But how can I get back to Mystashan without the music box?”
Meet me on earth, Sadie. I will show you how to transport back here at that time. Don’t forget to bring what you made with you.
Sadie nodded. “I’ll remember.”
Whatever else has happened, good has come from today’s events, and you were crucial to most of it. Never doubt that you are a part of our family…as well as your own. Be happy, dear Sadie. We all must rest. I will see you in a few days.
Sadie wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Good-bye for now, Banyan. Please take care. I love you. I’ll definitely see you soon.” He has to be okay. He just has to.
Good night, Sadie. Good night, Thelonius, old friend. Find me on the inside if you need me.
She did all she could not to cry. She wanted to stay, to help bolster Banyan’s recovery with her love and friendship.
As Thelo and Sadie moved toward the Saponi Straime, she stopped to take one long look back. Banyan appeared so odd with his large roots out of the dirt, spread topside with shimmering liquid gold all around. His eyes were already closed, and she wished he breathed like humans so she could see that he was alive.
A scream rippled the air in front of them.
“What was that, Thelo?”
“It happens from time to time through the different dimensions. It is most audible here since this is the gateway.”
“Why haven’t I heard anything like it before?”
“That is a discussion for another day. Let’s get back, Sadie. The others will wonder where we are.”
Once through the Straime, Sadie stopped again to face her companion.
“Thelo, I know Banyan will be okay, but I’m worried. I wish I could do more.”
Thelo nodded with understanding. “It could go either way, Sadie. I think we will know more in a few days. For now, the way we can help him most is by letting him rest.”
Sadie gently shook her head. “I helped you, Thelo. I know I can help him too.”
“You can help. You’re right about that, although it might not be in the form that you are imagining.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
Back to Basics
Finn landed hard on the ground. He took a tumble, almost hitting his head on that leaking tree. He lay still, assessing each part of his body to make sure all of him was still there. He glanced up at the broken branches above him and admired his handiwork. The tree looked nearly dead.
He pushed himself to his feet, only to stagger backward as Basset embraced him with enough momentum that they toppled over.
“Get the hell off me!” Finn growled.
Basset stood and retreated a few steps. “Sorry, sir. I’m glad you’re back safely.”
Finn’s tone softened. “I have good news to report.” He dropped a hand into one of his pockets and smiled, the last remnants of pain from his reentry fading away. “Basset, come look at what I brought back for us!” He pulled out two handfuls of the stunning diamonds that he had dug out of Thelonious. “I won. After all they did to me, I came out on top. I won. We won.”
“How did you do it, Mr. Finn?” Basset’s face brightened, in part from the glow of the jewels in Finn’s hands.
“That purple-haired one really thought she had me. To think some flea-bitten girl could overpower everything I’ve done and can do. But she was sadly mistaken.”
The mood took a sudden turn as Finn threw his head back and burst into high-pitched laughter.
“Yes! I did it. I did it! I killed Thelonious and retrieved his jewels,” he yelled to his devoted man. “Can you believe how lustrous these are? How many I got? How much they’ll be worth? Never another thing to worry about.”
He watched as sunlight danced from one gem to another. They were even more marvelous than he’d remembered from long ago.
I finally did it. Their glow mesmerized him. Then, even as he looked at them, he thought their brilliance faded a bit. Must be a trick of my eyes.
Now they were clearly fading. This can’t be happening.
The diamonds lost all radiance. They turned dull, dark, and finally were no more than common granite.
“No!” he howled. “It isn’t fair! They can’t be gone!” Yet even as Finn debated the outcome, the stones turned to a fine powder. The last specks blew away. They were gone.
Finn dropped to his knees, tears of disbelief streaming down his face. “It isn’t fair. It isn’t…”
He tried but couldn’t finish his last word. Something was happening. He could no longer speak. He stood frozen, a silent scream echoing inside.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
Oh, Mission!
> As Sadie stepped out from the straime, she looked up at Thelo. “I need to ask you something. It’s been on my mind, and after all that’s happened, I want to know.”
Thelo smiled and nodded. “I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. Go ahead.”
“All this time, and you’ve never explained why I’m here. Mr. Felix mentioned something about it, but he never gave me a straight answer I could understand. What does it mean that I’m part of a long line of individuals? Who are these individuals? How does what I did today fit in with Mr. Felix’s explanation about protecting both worlds?”
“Come over here, Sadie.”
Thelo motioned toward a couple of boulders off to the right so they could sit. The ground was covered with ivy and periwinkle, visible by moonlight and the Silars, who had returned to Thelo’s side, should he need help.
Tingles of excitement mixed with anxiety scurried over her skin. Even with everything she’d been through today, she had no idea what this talk would reveal. She settled herself and looked up with anticipation.
“Sadie, the cloffuls tell us who will fill that role.” Thelo rested his chin on his walking stick. “They let us know who is next. Your grandmother was one in line to protect us.”
“Gramma Rose came here? When?”
“As a child, of course, with her brother, Finn.”
“And she was one of…the individuals?” Sadie shook her head in disbelief. “But how could Gramma protect anybody’s world?”
“The same way you’re going to. Rose lived here for a while. She came here when she was a little younger than you are now. Many times our crossovers come from the same family line but not always. It’s a long story, but ultimately your grandmother chose to return to earth. Many years after her departure, the cloffuls began showing new signs to give us direction. They led us to you.”
Sadie sat quietly, absorbing this revelation.