by Dale Furse
She sighed, and said, ‘There is no one here I trust with such a scheme. I probably should explain to you that Corls don’t believe Phibs should practise in restorations such as this.’ She waved her arm to encompass the building. ‘They believe we don’t have the strength for caring for lunatics and I must admit, Phibs don’t generally pursue such paths. Phibs like Dar-Seldra prefer to heal those who can be healed, but I was drawn to this path when my mother was incarcerated for attempting to kill my father.’
As she paused, Nell sensed sadness fill Mer-petrale. Staying quiet, Nell put her hand on Sam’s arm so he would do the same.
Mer-petrale inhaled deeply. ‘It was a terrible time and although I was young, I knew my mother had reasons for doing what she did. I also knew that a closed restoration wasn’t the place for her to find the help she needed. Nor did it have the people who would listen to her.’ She bent her head, shaking it slowly. ‘I’m sorry.’ Looking up again, she added, ‘Yes. I would be a willing undercover scientist in such an experiment.’
Nell believed her and a rush of joy filled her as she grabbed each of their hands and pulled them into the woods so she could explain what she and Shahs had done.
Once she had finished, Sam just widened his eyes at her then let out a laugh. ‘Bloody hell.’ he said. ‘Now what do we do?’ He aimed his question at Mer-petrale who appeared stunned by the news.
‘You have already performed the experiment?’
‘Yes,’ Nell said. ‘I’m sorry, but I had to act when I had the chance and I honestly do thank you for giving me that chance.’ She smiled.
‘But that would mean the Physicians know,’ she said, holding her cheek as if she had a toothache. ‘At least, her original Physician in Charge would have discovered her lucidity upon examining her. He or she prescribed her treatment.’
‘Exactly,’ Nell said, looking at each in turn. ‘And whoever is continuing to prescribe her medication either is taking his or her orders or is in on it.’
‘Someone needs to know about this,’ said Sam.
‘They will, but we need more proof,’ Nell said.
‘What would you have me do?’ Mer-petrale said.
‘First we have to get a trustworthy Physician to examine her before whoever is involved in the cover-up finds out she’s not taking her medication. And then, if I’m right about her, we have to find a way to get her out.’
‘Dar-Seldra’s the best Physician,’ Sam said. ‘Let’s go.’ His Kroll floated to him as if it had heard his words.
Another Kroll came down from above, and Mer-petrale said, ‘I have business in Kafir and will travel with you.’ She gave Sam a warm smile.
‘Good,’ Nell said. ‘We can try to come up with a plan to save Shahs on the way back to Tish’s house.’
CHAPTER TEN
MEKIE SLAMMED THE BOOK SHUT AND THREW IT on the sofa beside her. ‘You told Mer-petrale?’
Kale seemed interested in Nell’s news, but at the sound of Mekie’s voice, pretended he was engrossed in his studies.
‘I had to,’ Nell said. ‘She’s our only way into the restoration if we need it, and she said she would only be there two more weeks before she goes back to Linque.’ Nell sat on the other sofa opposite Mekie. ‘We have to get Dar-Seldra to examine her.’
‘Tonight?’ Kale asked, raising his head from his notes.
‘No. Apparently there’s gunna be a big inspection of the place by the Corl council tonight,’ Sam said, sitting beside Nell. ‘We don’t want to stand out to anyone high up who might be involved. It’ll have to be another night.’
‘And when we prove Shahs is okay, we have to save her,’ Nell said. ‘Mer-petrale said a staff conference will be held in about a week and there’ll only be a skeleton staff scheduled. She’ll be working alone on Shahs’ floor so we’ll have plenty of time.’
‘I don’t like it and I don’t like Mer-petrale,’ Mekie said, screwing up her nose.
‘You’re jealous,’ Sam said, throwing a cushion at her.
Mekie threw it back so hard it flew over Sam’s head. ‘I am not jealous, you beet.’
‘I’m what?’ Sam guffawed.
‘Small, smelly animals like Earth’s skunks,’ Kale said.
‘Phibs have good instincts about other people and my instinct is there’s something wrong about her. Your instincts are supposed to be stronger, Nell. You should feel what I do but even more so.’
She was right. Nell had sensed something wrong about Mer-petrale until the girl spoke about her mother. She couldn’t have pretended the emotion Nell had felt from her. Anyway, Mekie had been wrong more than once before so she shrugged her cousin’s statement off.
‘Where were these instincts when you thought Tanat wasn’t to be trusted?’ Sam said.
‘That was different.’ Mekie sat back. ‘Anyway, Tanat was keeping something from me and I knew it. He was seeing Mother, so I was right.’
‘That’s true,’ Nell said.
‘Hmmm.’ Sam thought for a moment. ‘Okay, you’re right, we don’t know Mer-petrale that well, but I think we can trust her.’ Mekie’s eyes snapped to him. ‘But,’ he said, stopping Mekie from saying anything. ‘We’ll all keep an eye on her.’
‘Of course, you will,’ Mekie said.
‘That’s settled,’ Nell said, as she sprang to her feet. ‘We have to talk to Dar-Seldra.’ She started for the front door but wheeled around to Mekie. ‘She did say she’d be home today, didn’t she?’
‘Yes,’ Mekie said. ‘ But Mother won’t agree to see Shahs.’
‘Why not?’ Sam asked.
‘Because she doesn’t like her for what she did to Kandar’s mother and she believes Physicians would never betray a patient like that. Don’t panic though, I know a physician who will agree to see her.’
‘Who?’ Nell wanted to know.
Mekie’s eyes were bright. ‘My uncle. Cay-Reace,’ she said, as if their agreement was a foregone conclusion.
‘I’m thankful he told you where Shahs was,’ Nell said. ‘But, I’m sorry, Mek, no body knew Cay-tatel was working with Nadar until it was too late and Cay-Reace is her brother.’
Sam shot a short frown and grimace at Nell as if Mekie was mad for even suggesting Cay-Reace.
‘Although, he did seem nice when Nadar had us locked up on his trading ship ... and at the restoration when I didn’t know how to change back from ,’ Nell said slowly. ‘But there’s something weird going on with Shahs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cay-tatel didn’t have something to do with it.’
Mekie sat back in a huff and snorted. ‘My aunty doesn’t. Anyway there isn’t anybody else.’
Nell ignored her. ‘I agree with Sam. I don’t think we can trust anyone other than your mother.’
‘It’s Dar-Seldra then,’ Sam said.
***
Mekie opened the door and Nell was the first in the room. Dar-Seldra and Tanat stood at the dining table.
Tanat saw them first. ‘Hello.’
Dar-Seldra turned and held out her arms. ‘I’m sorry I’ve been working so much.’ Nell was closest but Mekie rushed between them and flung her arms around her mother.
Nell was close enough to hear her aunt whisper, ‘Be nice to Tanat.’
Mekie rolled her eyes and let go. ‘Hello, Tanat,’ she said, and curtsied in front of him. She moved behind her mother and tightened her lips.
Ugh. Nell couldn’t keep up with the girl. One minute her cousin was okay with her mother and Tanat being together and the next, she reverted to her spiteful ways. Ha, she’d have to suck it up and get over it by the look of the intimate table setting.
Giving Nell a quick hug before patting Sam on the head, Dar-Seldra said, ‘Hello, Kale. Your father and Dar-Tern should be returning soon.’
Uh oh. Although Nell missed her father, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted him to come home yet. Neither he nor Kandar would be happy with what she was doing.
‘When?’ she asked, a little too loudly.
‘Have you do
ne something, Nell?’ Tanat rested his eyes on her for a second before gazing at the others one by one, settling on Kale. ‘I trusted you to keep them out of trouble,’ he said.
Kale cocked his head to one side and regarded Nell, urging her to speak.
She looked up at Dar-Seldra and Tanat, not liking the way they stood over her as if they were her parents. She was about to tell them so, but thought better of it. She needed her aunt’s help.
‘We haven’t been in any trouble,’ she said at last. ‘We have visited Shahs though.’
Tanat appeared interested, but Dar-Seldra’s ears turned red.
‘Shahs? Why would you visit Shahs?’ she demanded.
‘Because she’s like me,’ Nell insisted. ‘And I wanted to see her.’ She took her aunt’s hand. ‘Please. We need you to examine her. She isn’t mad. The medication they give her makes her look as if she is.’
‘What? No. I will not go anywhere near that person.’ Pulling her hand away, Dar-Seldra turned to Tanat as if she expected him to back her up.
‘I told you,’ Mekie whispered.
‘Why don’t we listen to Nell’s explanation first?’ Tanat said.
Dar-Seldra glared at him.
‘Shahs is insane,’ Dar-Seldra said with controlled ire. ‘She killed Kandar’s mother, your grandmother, Kale, and she is never to be released from that restoration.’
‘No. She isn’t mad. I connected with her mind and under that haze of drugs, there’s a good soul,’ Nell pleaded, but she refused to listen. Nell swallowed and her cheeks burned as if on fire. Could she hurt her own family? Never.
She squared her shoulders and said, ‘Shahs is not insane. If she isn’t given any more medication, I know we can speak to her. Listen to me. We can find out what really happened the day Kandar’s mother died. Please, examine her.’ Nell threw herself forward and hugged her aunt until her body relaxed.
‘I know what happened, Nell,’ she said. Her tone was softer but still unmoved. ‘I will not examine her. She needs to take the medication the physicians have prescribed.’
Nell glanced at Tanat for help, but he was still smarting from the glower she had given him. Nell looked past Dar-Seldra to Sam. He made a move to come closer to her, but Mekie stopped him. He shot Nell an apologetic look then searched the dining table as if looking for something to eat. Nell’s eyes found Kale, but he was inspecting the floor around his feet. She was defeated.
‘Why won’t you listen to me?’ she asked, confused and disappointed by her aunt’s manner.
The last smidge of anger died in Dar-Seldra’s face. ‘I’m sorry, but you have to understand my point of view on this subject. Shahs is safe there.’
‘But—’
‘That’s enough,’ Dar-Seldra said, then rounded on Tanat. ‘Are you taking me to the theatre or not?’
Tanat stood up. ‘We’d better hurry or we’ll miss the opening curtain.’
Shaking her cape from the hook on the wall, Dar-Seldra said, ‘You’d better go home, Kale, and let your mother know where you have been taking your guests. Tell her I will speak with her tomorrow.’
‘Yes, Dar-Seldra.’
Nell glared at Sam and Mekie. Great help you were.
‘And you three are not to go out of this house.’ Dar-Seldra marched into the hall. ‘We won’t be out late.’
Tanat’s smile was encouraging when he squeezed Nell’s shoulder as he passed. ‘Remember, we are going to Gramlax tomorrow.’
That action gave her hope. If Tanat was willing to listen to her then maybe he could find a physician they could trust to examine Shahs.
‘Whoa,’ Sam said, as soon as the door shut behind them. ‘That’s the first time I’ve seen Dar-Seldra act like Mekie.’
‘Very funny,’ Mekie said. ‘Mother has her moments. Now what are you going to do?’ she asked Nell.
‘If Dar-Seldra won’t help us then maybe Tanat knows someone who will,’ Nell said as she flopped onto the sofa.
‘I doubt Tanat will do anything that might upset Mother,’ Mekie said with a roll of her eyes.
‘We’ll see. I’ll have some time to persuade him while we’re on Gramlax.’
Sam dropped in the seat beside Nell. ‘Do you know anyone else, Kale?’ he said.
The little Corl looked as if he didn’t know whether he should stay or go.
‘Come and sit down,’ Nell said. ‘You don’t have to go straight away.’
He hesitated. Scrunching up his face, he sat in the armchair. ‘I don’t know any other physicians that well. Father knows many and if he were here, he would help us.’
‘That doesn’t do us any good, does it?’ Sam said. ‘He’s not here.’
‘I know.’ Kale sighed and sat back.
The room was silent for several minutes. They were all deep in their own thoughts.
One way or another, I’ll find someone to look at Shahs, Nell thought. She turned her mind to Gramlax and excitement filled her. She couldn’t wait to meet her grandmother. Tanat had said Lesel was a wonderful woman who liked Nell’s father. She was happy her daughter had found love with him. Nell wondered if Lesel knew of a physician who would agree to examine Shahs.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EARLY NEXT MORNING, NELL WOKE WITH A CLEAR head. Her dreams were visions of contentment, of knowing who she was and meeting people like her. Gramlax. Nell pulled the curtains and a pink light flooded the room. It seemed brighter than usual and matched her cheerfulness.
‘Good morning,’ she sang to Tanat and Dar-Seldra at the breakfast table.
Tanat pulled a chair out for her. ‘You look well this morning,’ he said.
‘I feel it. I can’t wait to meet my grandmother.’ Nell smiled at the table of food. There were platters of fruit and plates of white, brown and black breads and cheeses. Tanat and Dar-Seldra seemed to be over their disagreement the night before and Nell wasn’t going to bring it up again in front of Dar-Seldra. Let her think I’ve changed my mind.
‘It looks like you’re feeding an army,’ Nell said to Dar-Seldra.
‘I don’t think you’ll like the food on Gramlax,’ she said.
Nell questioned her aunt with a look.
‘They eat land animals,’ Dar-Seldra said, as if that answered any questions.
Nell grimaced. Her father was a vegetarian. It had never occurred to Nell not to follow his diet and now she knew that she, like all Phibs, had an affinity with animals, she couldn’t stomach the thought of eating one. ‘Meat?’ Nell asked. She hadn’t thought about what s might eat.
‘Meat,’ Tanat said, and gave an apologetic expression. ‘We don’t see that as a problem.’
Sam’s family ate meat sometimes. There was always meat at their bar-b-ques, but Nell was never expected to eat it. Sam’s mum had always prepared something else for her. Would s expect her to eat meat?
‘But you know we can talk to animals,’ Nell argued. Tanat raised his eyebrows.
‘Well, not talk exactly, but connect with them enough to know they have feelings. You even talk to Krolls, and now you know s were once able to connect with the animals, just as Phibs can.’
‘Actually, we don’t converse with Krolls, although they seem to understand us when we speak. I believe they are like Earth’s domesticated animals, and we don’t eat them. There is an animal on Gramlax much like a smaller version of your cows that are tasty though.’ He seemed to be enjoying the conversation.
‘Oh.’ Nell screwed up her face at the thought of eating cows. Even before she knew she could relate to animals, she and her father had never eaten meat. Her father never explained why. It just was and it seemed natural.
‘I knew s were disgusting,’ Mekie, still dressed in her nightdress, said, as she flopped into the chair opposite Tanat.
‘Stop teasing them,’ Dar-Seldra said, and handed him a slice of black bread. ‘Tell them you don’t eat animals.’
‘Okay.’ He laughed and held up his hands, palms facing outwards as if to stop anything that might be thrown
at him. ‘I don’t anymore. Many s no longer eat evolved animals. Although I have a hard time believing bovines are evolved.’ He tore the bread in half. ‘Still, many do. Things take time to change.’
Nell gave a relieved sigh. She didn’t want her angel, of all people, to be so grotesque. She liked him too much.
‘I’m starving,’ Sam said, as he joined them. He frowned at Mekie. ‘Why aren’t you dressed? You can’t go like that.’
‘I’m not going,’ Mekie said. She snatched up a green fruit and bit it forcefully.
Nell put her spoon down and turned to Dar-Seldra.
Dar-Seldra kept pouring the orange juice into their cups. ‘No. Mekie will be going with me to Linque. Her new educator has an opening in her schedule tomorrow and it is extremely important they connect.’
‘Can’t she reschedule the appointment until after we come back?’ Nell said.
‘I’m afraid not,’ said Dar-Seldra.
Mekie looked close to tears as she ate. Nell wished she could snap her fingers and Mekie’s would-be teacher would call and change the appointment. The poor girl had looked forward to the trip as much as they had. She had never been to Gramlax either.
‘You can come next time,’ Nell said, trying to cheer her cousin up. She realised the meaningless of her words. Dumbo. Mekie wanted to go this time.
Nell played down her excitement at visiting Gramlax and worked on cheering Mekie up all through breakfast. Thankfully, Sam followed suit.
***
Tanat’s skark looked much like any other one; gold-coloured and oval shaped.
‘I hope my grandmother likes me,’ Nell said with a nervous giggle.
‘Of course she will,’ Tanat said. He addressed the skark. ‘Tanat. Family, Mark of Gramlax.’
As the door slid aside, the biggest spaceship she had ever seen distracted Nell. It hovered over an empty section of the landing area. ‘Is that the type of exploration ships Kale told us he’s going to join?’ she asked Tanat.
‘Yes. It’s a ston,’ he said, as he boarded the skark.