“Yet again, JoAnna’s destination has been communicated through the communal pathways. There is still the earlier attack on her we have not been able to solve. I have asked for a contingent of guards to escort us to the portal. Solfa also has to research if Traves had any family. We do not want any upset siblings coming after us.” Koel was not going to take any chances with his soul mate’s life.
When he returned from the penal world, finding who fired that laser shot at JoAnna would be his first priority. There was still someone out there who wished to do harm to his soul mate. Koel only hoped it was a single individual and not a band of rebels who viewed her in the same light as Jeryl Jarlyn.
Chapter 21
The Troyk Penal Colony World
JoAnna was not sure what she had expected in the Troyk penal colony world, but not the rudimentary huts, which made up the village her cousin lived in. There were children living in what she could only call squalor. When she returned to the Troyk universe, she would have a discussion with Jeryl Jarlyn about the horrible poor living conditions the prisoners had to live in. How had Candy ever survived here for weeks?
Very few people were in the village when they arrived. She figured the majority of the occupants of the settlement were out foraging or hunting for food. These people had to work for everything they had. A number of older women welcomed them and brought them refreshments. They must have thought they were prisoners sentenced their world, although no one asked about the armed guards who had accompanied them. JoAnna had imagined they would have recognized Shirl and the others who had helped save their lives during the earlier attack.
“Where is everyone?” JoAnna asked. “We are looking for Chartail Adholm, this is her father and I am her cousin.” The two women who stayed behind with them did not seem surprised by her announcement. They must have recognized Prime Adholm, since he had held a position in the Troyk government for over twenty years. Most of the surviving inmates of this world had been dissidents against the government.
“They will return after they harvest fruit, chop wood, or hunt the animals we will have for dinner,” one of the women answered. “Ours is a constant battle to survive. Except for the children, there is no time to relax and take it easy.”
JoAnna had no idea what she had done to offend the woman, but the hostility in her voice had been clear. She would have no idea of her relationship with the Prime Ruler. JoAnna had thought they would be welcomed with open arms, since they had brought much needed supplies
A striking blonde entered the encampment from JoAnna’s left side. She immediately made a beeline for Shirl and Candy. The woman had to be Chartail. Prime Adholm had momentarily stepped behind one of the huts and had missed his daughter’s entrance. Chartail glowed. This environment, as rustic as it was, certainly agreed with her.
“Chartail,” Prime Adholm cried after he rejoined them. JoAnna saw she was momentarily taken aback by her father’s presence. Once she recovered from the surprise, Chartail ran into her dad’s arms. JoAnna felt a stab of pain in her heart, she missed her own father dreadfully.
“Benko and Darden, do not enter the camp. We have company. My father has arrived with a number of CT Guards. Starc, Shirl, Candy, Solfa, and Koel are among the group.” JoAnna heard Chartail’s warning through the warrior channel, loud and clear.
JoAnna looked up to see Cassie Jarlyn walk in her direction. The girl stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw JoAnna. A variety of looks passed over Cassie’s face, until an expression of total boredom replaced the more dramatic of the expressions.
“Who are you guys?” Cassie asked. She eyed the area where the natural portal existed. “Are you new prisoners sent because you oppose the current Troyk ruler?” JoAnna was relieved the girl had asked the right question. No one would imagine she was anyone other than a child of a dissident born in this world.
“My name is JoAnna Carlson,” she answered. “We have been allowed to visit my cousin Chartail.”
“We?” the girl asked inquisitively.
“I am Prime Adholm, Chartail’s father.” The Prime Representative still had not released his daughter. JoAnna had not seen this side of the man before, he seemed so loving.
Cassie alternated between glaring at Chartail and Prime Adholm. “Will you take her back to the Troyk universe with you?” There was a hopeful tone to her voice. Perhaps Cassie was jealous of Chartail’s beauty and feared Darden would prefer her. That seemed highly unlikely, since the two were soul mates. Regardless, there was some kind of tension between the two women.
“I wish that was possible,” Prime Adholm answered. “For now, I just have to be content visiting with Chartail. We will come often, we will bring supplies with us. Let my niece JoAnna know what you would like and she will make sure we bring it on our next visit.”
Prime Adholm’s directions gave JoAnna the perfect opportunity to steer Cassie away from the group and talk to her alone. “Why don’t you show me around and you can share with me whatever you would like brought on our next trip.”
JoAnna and Cassie left the camp and walked along the lake shore. The sun was shining, causing the water to shimmer. It was such an idyllic scene, compared to the chaos she imagined normally was present in the village. JoAnna hoped the lake had fish in it, which would feed the people in the village. On a hot day, she imagined the water would be refreshing.
“I thought you came here to see Chartail,” Cassie said. “Why are you not worshiping at her feet like the rest of them?” Boy, she had nailed Cassie’s jealousy of Chartail right on the head.
JoAnna knew she would not be able to reason the girl out of her feelings about Chartail. Those would have to wither with time. Alex had told JoAnna about her initial negative impressions about Chartail, which were quickly replaced with gratitude after she stood up against a man who had been stalking her. For now, JoAnna knew she needed to focus on Cassie and her needs.
“What is really bothering you, Cassie? You are obviously here by choice, although some modern conveniences would be a tremendous help.”
“I have waited so long to be with Darden,” Cassie confessed. “When he came here to live, I thought we would finally be together. But, no! We kiss and all, but he won’t go beyond that. It’s not like I’m under eighteen anymore.” The normally chatty girl dumped her body on the sand and sulked.
With everything she had been through with Koel, JoAnna could understand how Cassie felt. She wondered if Darden held off having sex with her for the same reasons her soul mate had. JoAnna joined Cassie on the sand and took her hand. Cassie turned and JoAnna could see the tears in her eyes.
“Are you a mind control telepath?” The girl looked suddenly frightened and merely nodded her head. “I thought so. How powerful are you?”
“Too powerful,” Cassie whispered. “I see how the villagers look at Chartail in fear because of her gifts, I don’t want them to be afraid of me.”
“I thought Chartail did not have mind control telepathic abilities,” JoAnna said.
“The baby transferred his or her power to her for the time being. As soon as the child is born, she will no longer be burdened with the abilities. I wish I could rid myself of them as well.”
A thousand thoughts flew through JoAnna’s mind. Chartail had been through so much, she hoped the child was conceived in a non-violent act. Her stomach started to churn just thinking about it. JoAnna needed to spend some time alone with her cousin before they returned to the Troyk universe.
“Cassie, in this world they know you are Benko Jarlyn’s daughter. They have to know you have power. You need to learn to control it, not hide it. If you unleash the power without training, you may end up doing something you will never be able to live with. Darden probably senses that and is fearful of providing you further enhanced telepathic abilities the first time you make love. Fear is uncontrollable if you can’t see or measur
e what you are up against. Chartail is a very brave woman. If you go to her for help, together with your soul mate and your father, you will mature into an incredible woman.”
Cassie’s eyes seemed to get a spark in them and she embraced JoAnna. “You need to come back and visit often. I have had no one to talk to and I have been so alone. It is funny how you can be surrounded by people and feel so isolated.”
“Let’s head back to the village. We are supposed to be strangers. If we are gone too long, they will start to suspect something.”
They walked the short distance back to the village. Cassie was back to the vocal child she had ridden to Sedona with. For the time being, the issues that had been troubling Cassie were forgotten. JoAnna made a mental note of all the things Cassie wanted them to bring from the Troyk universe on their next visit.
When they returned, the CT Guards, Solfa, and Prime Adholm were gone. “What happened?” JoAnna asked Chartail, who appeared to be awaiting their return.
“My father was overwhelmed by seeing me again and how I was living. He got over excited and Solfa determined it was best Shirl return him to the Troyk universe and return for you after they get my father medical assistance.”
Cassie stood beside them, rocking on her feet. She was like a puppy, with too much energy. “I need to find Darden,” Cassie finally said. “Chartail, I want to talk with you later.” The girl leaned in and gave JoAnna and then Chartail a kiss before she ran off.
“What did you say to her?” Chartail asked. She looked like someone who had just opened a birthday present and got exactly what she wanted. “I have tried to develop a relationship with her, but it has been next to impossible. Cassie takes everything I try to do the wrong way.”
“I don’t know what things would have been like in the Troyk universe, but being a teenager on Earth was no picnic. At eighteen you have many of the responsibilities of an adult, but very little experience to properly function as one. To add insult to injury, Cassie is burdened with powers which terrify her. Can we take a walk?”
Chartail looked around the village and finally nodded. Rather than returning to the beach, they headed toward the forest on the far side of the encampment. It was warming and the wooded trail offered relief as well as protection from the sun.
“Cassie tells me you are pregnant and have developed mind control telepathic abilities.” JoAnna put it all out there at once. From this point on, she could somewhat relax as they talked.
JoAnna was not sure what type of reaction she was going to get from Chartail, but she had not expected laughter. “I can see you grew up with Alex, Shirl, and Candy. Those three do not hold back. Yes, I am pregnant with my soul mate’s child. And before you ask, it is Benko Jarlyn’s.”
The tables had certainly turned, JoAnna was overwhelmed with the news. She had not been aware Benko Jarlyn was now residing in the penal world, until Chartail had provided the earlier warning through the warrior link. It made sense for him to leave the Earth realm after JoAnna entered the Troyk universe. There would have been too many questions about Benko. She imagined Jeryl Jarlyn’s gatherers were scouring Arizona, looking for his son.
“At first the power terrified me. I had been bitter about how I was treated as a child and came to despise the ability. Then I realized, it was not the telepathic gift, but how the possessor used it. Benko spent most of his adult life on Ginkgo Terra and only leveraged it for self-defense purposes. An occasional gatherer would find him and Benko had to deal with convincing the crystal telepath he was not the person he sought.”
A woman shouted some distance behind them. JoAnna and Chartail stopped walking and tried to determine what was going on. Candy and Koel ran toward them. “Get down,” Candy shouted and launched herself at Chartail, driving her to the ground. A spear came flying in JoAnna’s direction. Had Koel not tackled her, the weapon would have landed in her chest.
Chartail hit the ground hard, with Candy landing on her with little grace. She was not sure what had happened, but she knew of Candy’s talents, she imagined the warrior woman of Troyk legends had saved her life. It made sense not to move until Candy got off her and advised it was safe to get up. There were various people shouting around her, the loudest of which was her soul mate.
“Find the bastard who threw that damn spear,” Benko Jarlyn ordered, “Secure the area. Keep Chartail and JoAnna down until we know it is safe. I want to know what the hell is going on.”
“The immediate danger has passed,” Clarke informed Benko. “Whoever threw the spear is no longer in the vicinity. He may have doubled back to the village or gone deeper into the woods. It is one of our spears.”
Chartail knew the weapon had been either stolen or one of the villagers had attacked her and JoAnna. Since no one knew who JoAnna was, Chartail was the likely target. Thank goodness Candy had been part of the Troyk party who had accompanied her cousin to the penal world.
Candy rolled off her and Benko offered Chartail his hand to assist her in getting back on her feet. Her savior brushed off dirt and leaves from her tunic and leggings, as Chartail righted herself. “Thank you, Candy.”
“Frankly, I do not know who the intended target was,” Candy admitted. “Most of my visions have been related to JoAnna. She was introduced as your cousin when we arrived. There may be someone here who had a score to settle with Prime Adholm. All the CT Guards left with your uncle. I stayed around to guard JoAnna. Feelings kept nagging me that something was going to happen.”
She turned to see her cousin clutching onto her soul mate. Koel tried to calm JoAnna. Chartail was between the attacker and his prey, she had to be dealt with in order for him to get to JoAnna. Candy had brought her down because Chartail was in immediate danger.
“Feelings or not,” Benko said, “I want both women guarded until JoAnna exits this world and protection to continue for Chartail until the culprit is caught.” Her soul mate finally took her in his arms.
Chartail was getting used to Benko being a leader first and a soul mate second. It was something she would have to come to terms with if their relationship was going to work. She had been a spoiled brat most of her life, not unlike Cassie. He had a world to ultimately govern and she was destined to be by his side, supporting his path in life.
“It was probably one of the stray lunatics who still wander through the forest,” Chartail said. She did not want to burden Benko with worry related to her safety. The poor man had enough on his shoulders.
“There is also the possibility word spread to another village on the outskirts, where all telepathic usage has been outlawed.” Benko was in his element, he used his superior intelligence. “Knowing we have people with mind control telepathic powers may have put them on the offensive. Either way, we need to strengthen our troops. I want Darden to start visiting worlds where they sent dissidents and bring those willing to fight here. They can act as reinforcements until we are ready to make our move.”
Koel came alongside Benko and the two started to plan their next steps. Darden soon joined them. Chartail waited for her cousin to catch up with her, she too had been temporarily abandoned by her soul mate.
“Are you all right?” she asked JoAnna.
“I have had someone try to kill me with a laser blast, suck my telepathic abilities from my skull, and now tried to skewer me with a spear. I’m just peachy!”
“And we don’t know what the Prime Ruler has planned for you,” Candy added.
“Oh yes, let’s not forget about Jeryl Jarlyn. Chartail, do you know that monster blackmailed Koel to make love to me with his sister’s life? One minute I think I am in the most remarkable dream of my existence, the next I am in a nightmare.”
“Things have not been easy for any of us for some time,” Chartail admitted. “I doubt we will see matters improve until Benko is back in the Troyk universe and has liberated his people. We have a long and
hard road ahead of us.”
“Jo Jo has been able to link into our private channel, Chartail,” Candy said. “We still do not know what it represents, since so far only you, Alex, Shirl, Jo Jo, and I have been able to enter. We are unaware of any Troyk legends related to a channel populated with a select number of women. There has to be some significance behind it. Someone needs to study the old legends. Alex likes that type of crap, I will have her start researching when we return.”
“In the meantime, Candy, you need to become JoAnna’s shadow,” Chartail said. “I know you have been assigned to Shirl, but that particular woman does not need someone to protect her. She is probably the most powerful being in any universe. JoAnna’s weapon is her mind. I am sure it is impressive, but it has its limitations when someone is out to kill her.”
Why these women all of a sudden looked to her as their leader, was beyond Chartail’s comprehension. Shirl and Candy had both saved her life, yet they abdicated leadership to her. Surprisingly, it was a natural role for her to play.
As they made their way into the village, there was a commotion around the center gathering place. Several people held a struggling man. Benko, Koel, and Darden went to investigate. Chartail’s eyes immediately sought to find Cassie. To her relief, the girl was safely with a group of young women preparing dinner. They had temporarily abandoned their task to watch the confrontation.
Candy placed herself in front of JoAnna and Chartail. JoAnna placed her hand on Candy’s shoulder. “They may need me,” JoAnna communicated through the channel the three women shared.
“It is too dangerous. Besides, Benko has the ability to use mind control telepathic techniques.” Candy responded through the same pathway.
“Benko and Cassie live in this world. The community is already freaked out about Chartail’s new gifts. I will be leaving through the portal and will not represent a threat to them.”
The Mind Control Telepath Page 18