by Heidi Skarie
“Master Bakka, we came to see you because Commander Rochambeau is trying to control Toemeka in the dream state,” Michio said.
Toemeka leaned closer to the Master. “I’m having terrible nightmares.”
Michio clasped her hand and the sleeping baby stir restlessly in the carrier.
The Master gazed at her with luminous, piercing blue eyes, looking for the source of her problem. At last he spoke. “It’s the ring. Commander Rochambeau has power over Toemeka through the ring.”
“The ring!” Toemeka exclaimed, trying to pull it off. “I can’t remove it. I’ve tried everything. It’s stuck.”
“Is that the reason you’re wearing it?” Michio asked. “Why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t take it off?”
“You were so upset about it at dinner I didn’t want to bring it up. Why didn’t you say something about it?”
“I told you how I felt about it; after that I figured it was your decision.”
“So how do I get it off?” Toemeka asked, looking at Master Bakka.
“Michio can remove it. He is spiritually strong enough.”
Michio took Toemeka’s small hand in his and looked at the ring. The ruby shone brightly. He tugged on the ring and it wouldn’t come off. He filled himself with love and tried again. This time the ring slipped off easily.
Toemeka held out her hand. “Give me the ring. It’s mine.” She gasped and put her hand to her mouth. “I can’t believe I said that. Why do I feel so powerfully drawn to wear it?”
“It’s surrounded by psychic power.” Michio said. “I should’ve realized something was wrong. It doesn’t appear to be an ordinary ruby, now that I really look at it.” He grasped the ring between two fingers and held it up to the light. Rays of red light shot out from it in all directions.
“Put it away!” Toemeka shivered. After Michio slid it into his pocket, she took a deep breath. “I feel so much freer with that ring off my finger.”
“Don’t underestimate Commander Rochambeau,” Master Bakka said. “He began his black arts training under General Bhandar and continued his training under Samrat Condor. Unfortunately, the ring isn’t the only hold he has over you both.”
Michio felt a chill go through him. He took one looked at his pale wife and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Michio,” Master Bakka continued, “you haven’t been living up to the full extent of your spiritual abilities. You’ve unknowingly allowed Commander Rochambeau into your psychic space, which accounts for the unbalanced way you’ve treated Toemeka’s abduction. You both have to break the hold he has over you. It’s stronger in Toemeka. He’s been trying to take over her subconscious, so she will come back to him and he can control her.
“He succeeded to a degree on Devil’s Eye, but he underestimated Toemeka’s inner strength. He almost brought her to the lowest end of the survival scale by using drugs, mind control and fear. He wanted her there so she wouldn’t try to escape and would come under his power. But she became so despondent that he became concerned about her health and emotional state, so he relented.”
Michio tightened his hold on Toemeka’s hand, understanding more fully what a trying ordeal she’d been through on Devil’s Eye. He felt dark, supernatural energy from the ring where it lay in his pocket. He’d have to get rid of it as soon as possible.
“Rochambeau wants Toemeka because of what he perceives as her clairvoyant abilities. But it’s really the Light and Sound radiating from her that draws him,” the Master continued. “He wants to twist her spiritual abilities into psychic power and make her one of Samrat Condor’s priestesses. His plan failed partly because he’s attached to her. That’s why he didn’t shoot down the ship when you escaped from Devil’s Eye.”
The Master looked at Michio. “He wanted you and Erling to come to Devil’s Eye. If Toemeka hadn’t stopped you, the fleet would have fallen into a trap and been destroyed. Fortunately, Toemeka knew the danger and stopped you. Michio, you’re a greater threat to Samrat Condor than the Coalition is. If Samrat Condor succeeds in capturing Toemeka, he’ll also succeed in drawing you into another trap. He knows you’ll risk your life to free her.”
“So now that we know the situation, what do we do about it?” Michio asked.
“Start by getting rid of that ring. From there, it’s up to you to decide on a course of action.”
“I don’t understand why Michio is such a threat to Samrat Condor,” Toemeka said.
“The Coalition uses military strength to fight Samrat Condor. However, the sorcerer’s vast air fleet is so powerful that he was able to destroy Coalition headquarters, scattering them to different parts of the galaxy. In contrast, Michio is a pure channel for God, able to bring Light into the darkness of the world. He brings upliftment to those who are spiritually ready. Samrat Condor wants to kill Michio before he reaches his full potential to serve all life.”
Michio felt Toemeka’s loving gaze. He was glad she was his helpmate. He knew she would aide him in his mission.
Baymond started fussing and grabbed Michio’s hair in his little fists. “Ouch! Toemeka, take him out of the carrier.”
Toemeka gently pried open the baby’s fists, releasing Michio’s hair, and lifted him into her arms. She took a bottle out of one of the carrier side pockets and put the nipple in Baymond’s mouth. The baby stopped crying and began to drink. Michio’s heart filled with love as he watched Toemeka feed the baby. The sunlight pouring through the trees made a light-and-shadow pattern across the faces of his wife and infant son.
Once the baby was fed, Michio said, “We’d better get going.” He helped Toemeka put the baby back in the carrier and lifted it onto his shoulders.
Master Bakka touched Baymond’s cheek. “He’s a healthy child and there’s a great deal of Light in him. He’ll bring you great joy and some sorrow. He came into this world by choice, to spread the message of the Secret Teachings of Light and Sound.”
“Is there anything else we need to know to help us deal with Cadmus?” Michio asked.
“This is a test. You have within you everything you need to pass it.”
“Thank you for seeing us,” Toemeka said, embracing the Master.
Michio knew he was only leaving the Master physically. Nothing would ever separate them inwardly. He shifted his awareness so he was in tune with the highest within himself. A high humming sound vibrated in his ears.
He and Toemeka started down the mountain path. After a while, they came to a clearing that looked out over the mountain. They could see for miles into the valley below and out to the mountains that lay beyond them. The summer day felt fresh and alive.
“Do you want me to carry Baymond for a while?” Toemeka asked.
“You can’t carry him any distance until your ribs heal and that takes six weeks.”
“It’s been nearly six weeks and he only weights ten pounds.”
“I’m happy to carry him. You can carry him when he gets to be twenty-five pounds,” he added with a grin. His thoughts turned somber as he reflected on the ring. He would destroy it as soon as they got home so it couldn’t harm anyone ever again.
He leaned down and kissed Toemeka. “I love you, Star Rider. I promise to be more open with you. I should’ve asked why you were wearing the ring and should’ve discussed with you going to Devil’s Eye.”
Toemeka looked up at him with luminous, dark eyes shining with love and trust. “I should’ve told you I couldn’t get the ring off. I had no idea Cadmus was using it to control me.”
“There’s no way you could’ve known.”
She frowned, then let out her breath. “I did sense something was wrong when I couldn’t get it off. But I… I felt drawn to wear it.”
“It’s strong with psychic power. I feel its draw even in my pocket.”
“At any rate, it’s over now,” she said.
“Is it? Cadmus is still attacking us both on the inner planes. Jaipar’s space fleet almost got wiped out in an attack on Henotaux and you fe
ll under Cadmus’ power with that ring!”
“I just meant that I’m no longer being held captive. We’re together now and he doesn’t have a chance against the two of us.”
“I wish I had your self-confidence.” Michio felt the weight of responsibility to his wife and child, to Master Bakka, and to the people in the galaxy who were trapped by Samrat Condor’s power.
“It’s not just self-confidence. I have great faith in you, me, and the Eternal Life Stream.”
13
Hard Choices
A week later, Toemeka rose at dawn and changed into a knit top and shorts. After Michio had removed the ruby ring, she hadn’t felt any further inner attacks from Cadmus. Most nights she slept well and only rarely did she have nightmares.
Michio stirred on the bed and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m going on a morning run with Erling.”
“Are you sure you’re recovered enough to go running?”
“I’ll walk if running proves to be too much.” She looked at Baymond who was still asleep in the cradle. “When Baymond awakens, give him a bottle or bring him to Pema. I won’t be gone long.” Toemeka realized she would miss having a nursemaid to help care for Baymond when she and Michio returned home.
She headed down the back staircase and found Erling waiting at the side entrance. His bodyguard, Captain Zachary, was nearby.
“There she is,” Erling said to Zac. “Right on time. Let’s go.”
They went outside and walked briskly along a path that ran parallel to the ocean. Zac followed a discreet distance behind to give them privacy.
After stretching and a short walk to warm up, they began running. When in condition, Toemeka liked to run and could go for miles. But today after less than a half-mile, she panted for breath and her legs ached. She slowed to a walk.
“I can’t believe how out of shape I am.”
Erling frowned. “You can’t join the mission to rescue my family unless you’re in top condition.”
“I know. You already made that clear.”
“Have you told Michio yet?”
“There’s no point in worrying him unless I succeed in getting back in shape before you leave. I need to walk for awhile. You keep running.”
Erling nodded and dashed off. It was only then that she realized he’d been holding back to keep pace with her. Zac caught up and walked alongside her. “Aren’t you supposed to be guarding Erling?” she asked.
“He can take care of himself. Besides we’re still on palace grounds and it’s well patrolled. You’re my first priority at the moment.”
“Do you think I’m in more danger than Erling?”
“I think Cadmus wants you back. So yes, you need to be guarded more closely.”
“You’re probably right.” Toemeka started running again, determined to get back into shape. After a grueling run, she went to the palace gym and worked out with a trainer, who coached her in a routine of core exercises and weight lifting.
Tired out, Toemeka ate a light breakfast in the nursery, then played with Baymond. During his afternoon nap, she went to the military base for target practice and worked out with a squad of soldiers practicing martial arts. She made it back to the nursery before Michio returned from work. He was helping Erling organize Jaipar’s military.
Over the next month, Toemeka kept up a strict workout routine. Her strength and stamina gradually returned. Now she could keep pace with Erling when they ran, her aim was good at target practice, and her skills in martial arts and hand-to-hand combat had improved. She was pleased — her level of fitness was nearly what it had been when she was in the Coalition.
The only part of training she regretted was time spent away from Baymond, which she made up for by being with him whenever she wasn’t working out.
***
Seetva walked into Cadmus’ office in Henotaux and found him at his desk, pensively looking over some papers. “Knock before entering my office,” he snapped.
“What put you in such a foul mood?” she asked, sitting on the edge of his desk. “Not that you’re ever pleasant these days.”
“Samrat Condor ordered me to planet Alandra to put down the Resistance.”
“I know; I asked him to.”
“How dare you interfere with my plans! You know I was preparing to return to planet Borko to recapture Toemeka.”
“She’s closely guarded at the Marsindi Palace. You’d have to launch an attack on Jaipar to recapture her.”
“Then I’ll convince Samrat Condor to give me an air fleet.”
“Samrat Condor’s air fleet was driven off during the last battle with Jaipar. Prince Erling has united all of Borko. You’d be fighting a whole planet, not just Jaipar.”
Cadmus’ only acknowledgement of what she told him was the deepening of his scowl.
She knew she wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. Cadmus was obsessed with Toemeka. Jaipar’s military strength was all that kept him from attacking Jaipar after the ruby ring he’d given Toemeka failed to bring her back to him. The ring had strong supernatural powers. Cadmus should’ve been able to control her with it. Michio must have helped her break free of the ring’s spell.
Jealousy hardened Seetva’s heart as she thought about Toemeka. There was a time when Cadmus worshipped her. He was a man of strength, power and intelligence who was becoming a powerful sorcerer. She liked his chiseled face and large, muscular body. He’d been hers, fully under her control, until he realized she used dark powers to bind him to her. General Bhandar helped him break free of her and then Cadmus had started training to become a sorcerer.
After that, she’d cast her web around King Zanton, but he was not nearly the prize Cadmus was.
Hatred toward Toemeka filled her. She wanted to darken Toemeka’s soul and turn her into a sorceress who would serve Samrat Condor. She was sure Cadmus would no longer want Toemeka once she was tainted.
Seetva watched Cadmus as he pondered what she’d said. She thought it better to reveal her cards one by one, rather than lay them all out on the table. Cadmus’ eyes were sharp and menacing when he finally looked up at her. His expression made her uneasy. She wasn’t used to men being immune to her seductive charms, although from what she’d heard, he’d lost interest in all women since Toemeka’s escape.
“What’s your scheme?” he asked. “You wouldn’t ask Samrat Condor to order me to planet Alandra without reason.”
“I’ve been doing some research. When we captured the Coalition headquarters on planet Alandra, we gained access to many of their files. Records show that Prince Erling is from Alandra and his parents and two sisters still live in the city of Tismus in Jelmur. They’re being held in a concentration camp along with many other citizens. When you go to Alandra to put down the Resistance, you can schedule Prince Erling’s family for execution since he and his sisters worked for the Coalition. Prince Erling’s contacts on Alandra will inform him of his family’s plight and he’ll come to their rescue. When he does, we can capture or kill him.”
The grimace disappeared from Cadmus’ face. “Your plan has merit.”
“There’s more. I also researched Toemeka’s background. One of Samrat Condor’s air fleets attacked her village and massacred her entire family. The village was targeted because its people were members of the Secret Teachings. Toemeka was captured along with other young village women and brought aboard a Talon battleship to be sacrificed to their god, Samrat Condor. A Coalition team planning to assassinate Condor had infiltrated the ship, but their attempt failed. When they escaped, they took Toemeka with them and returned to Jelmmur. There Erling’s family took her in. Eventually she was trained as a Coalition field agent. When Toemeka learns that Erling’s family is scheduled for execution, there’s a good chance she’ll join the rescue mission.”
Cadmus nodded. “You’re probably right. Motivated by her love for them, an emotion you wouldn’t understand.”
Irritated, she
scowled. “I was thinking she’d come from a sense of duty since she used to be a Coalition agent. If she accompanies Erling on the mission, then her husband Michio will come as well and we can capture all three of them in our trap. We can still regain control of Jaipar and Haklute.”
“It’s a good plan.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.” Her voice was seductive with power woven behind it.
His expression hardened. “Don’t try to control me.”
“I’d never do that.”
“My memory isn’t that short. Evil surrounds you like the chill of death. It sickens and repulses me after being around Toemeka’s purity and light.”
Rage erupted within her. “Don’t deceive yourself into believing that she will ever care for you. She played you for a fool. You showered her with gifts and kept her in a beautiful room, but her heart was set against you. You can recapture her, but she’ll never be yours — not in the way you want her.”
Cadmus’ face reddened with rage . “Leave me, witch! Your presence poisons the air.”
She left the room, not daring to taunt him further. It appeared Toemeka had more power over Cadmus than she’d ever had. The irony of it was that Toemeka didn’t even want or know it.
***
Early one morning Toemeka sat in a rocker giving Baymond a bottle. She was amazed at how alert he was and how fast he’d grown. He was already three months old.
Erling entered the nursery in an agitated manner. “I just received an encrypted message from Jake. He’s still stationed on planet Alandra. The military police were informed that my family are initiates of the Secret Teachings and my sisters were in the Coalition. They’re all scheduled for execution.”
Toemeka felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. “We’ll have to leave for Alandra immediately.”
Erling looked at her with concern. “Are you sure you want to go? You have the baby and Michio to think about.”
“I hate the thought of being separated from them, but I feel compelled to assist your family. As a trained Coalition agent, I can’t stand by when I’m needed by the people I love.”