Chapter 26
Alex slowly opened her eyes. Tarsea was still sleeping next to her. She figured with him still in bed, it had to be early. The sun must have just started rising. Tinted violet light crept into the room through the window.
She listened to the sounds of the morning. Birds chirped, while she heard a squirrel noisily run up the tree branch outside the window. It was even too early to hear Leenea or Tolfer working in the kitchen. Her head was on Tarsea’s chest. She could hear his heartbeat and his even breathing. This is how she wanted to wake up every morning.
Yawning, she decided to go back to sleep, when there was a commotion in the communal pathway. Tarsea woke up with a start.
They looked at each other as they listened to what was being communicated. Tarsea looked at her in utter disbelief, when they learned that Chartail and her accomplice were both sentenced to death for their part in the assassination attempt on the Prime Ruler.
“How could he come to that verdict? She is the daughter of his closest political associate?” Alex was stunned. All this time she thought Chartail would be sent to the penal colony, not executed. She was hit with a wave of nausea.
“There were witnesses present when she was brought before Jeryl Jarlyn. He was expecting her to beg for mercy. She did nothing of the sort. Chartail denounced mind control and Jarlyn. It sounded like she gave him no choice.” Alex could see the guilt in Tarsea’s eyes as he said those words.
Tarsea was able to navigate the communal channel far better than she could. She was grateful he was sharing what he was hearing. When Tolfer had the time, she needed to continue her studies in better managing the pathways.
“Prime Anholm never went to the palace to be with or speak on behalf of his daughter,” Tarsea shared with her. He was still listening to what was coming across and vocalizing what he was hearing.
“My God, she was all alone,” Alex could not fathom such a thing. She knew if anything happened to her, Shirl and Candy would be right beside her. Now she had Tarsea, their families and friends as well. She had evidence of that due to the run-ins with Raine.
She had not expected to shed any more tears for Chartail. With the news this morning, a whole new set of tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Tarsea held her close and let her shed the tears for a girl he could not shed them for. Alex knew that from the haunted look in his eyes last night, he wished he could cry for the loss of Chartail.
After a while the tears ceased, but Tarsea did not release her. She still found comfort being in his arms.
She got up the courage and finally asked the question burning in her mind. “How will she be executed?” Alex thought of all the ways they ended lives in her old world. She had never believed in capital punishment.
Some time had passed and Tarsea still had not answered her question. “Tarsea?”
He pulled away and looked her in the eye. She saw the desperation in his eyes. “Please, do not ask me. Maybe one day I can tell you, but not today.”
Her question was tearing him apart and that was the last thing she wanted. It did not really matter how they killed Chartail, the result was the same. That beautiful girl would never find the soul mate that Alex was fortunate enough to have found.
“That is all right. I really do not want to know. It is best I remember her the way she was at lunch yesterday.” Alex did not think she could ever be able to see a bright color and not think of Chartail’s tragic life.
One lesson to learn from the events of yesterday was to value what you had. Dwelling on what you did not have was counterproductive. She had the best man in the world right next to her. What else could she possibly want?
That question was answered quickly. Shirl, Candy, and Jo Jo. They belonged in this world. They belonged with her.
“When is Darden entering the portal to bring Shirl to the Troyk Universe?” Alex ached for her best friend. She had so much to say to her about what had happened the last several days.
She wondered what Shirl and Candy would think about the new Alex. They would have applauded if they had seen her in last night’s outfit. The Troyk Universe had changed her. There were times since she came through the portal, she did not recognize herself.
“He is scheduled to go through the portal the day after tomorrow. I want to go with him and meet Benko Jarlyn. It is time we go on the offensive and start making plans.” She knew Tarsea was playing ‘what if’ games in his head. Had they gotten Benko Jarlyn here earlier and in power, Chartail would not be facing death.
“Would it be easier if I came with the two of you? Shirl may be more willing to come along if I was with you.”
Tarsea got a big smile on his face. “You are asking, rather than demanding?”
Alex laughed. “I have to admit, I really do not want to go through the portal again. The prospect terrifies me. But I will do it for Shirl or Candy.”
“Frankly, I would rather have you stay here. You said you were starting to get headaches, back on Ginkgo Terra. After the pounding your poor head took yesterday, I think it prudent it is not exposed to the Gingko Terra atmosphere. Originally Shirl was going to be the first one to come over. Darden and I will get her through the portal.” Alex was relieved with Tarsea’s answer.
“I can meet with her family while you get her. They will probably want to know a little about Shirl before they meet her. Do they live here in the Aster Province? Can she stay here in Tolfer’s old room for a little while when she first comes over?”
“I know Mom and Dad would not want Shirl to be anywhere but here when she first arrives,” Tarsea replied. “I have no idea where her family lives. Darden was doing this all on his own. I am not even sure he would have mentioned any of this to us. Thank the Supreme Being that you were caught in the stream of the portal.”
Alex was once again thankful that things had occurred as they did. Although, she had wished the assassination attempt had not happened. She could not regret for one minute, giving up the life she had in the other world. Her life was here, with her soul mate.
She started to drift back to sleep when Darden’s voice came across the warrior channel.
“I do not know how, but Shirl came through the portal. There was an alarm that a gateway was opened and something came through. Two guards were dispatched and found her unconscious. She is being detained at The Palace. I saw them carrying her in a couple of minutes ago.”
Tarsea tightened his hold on her. “We will save her, Alex, I promise. Nothing is going to happen to your best friend!”
Alex looked at her soul mate. Dread crept through her body. She would do whatever it took to save her friend.
The End
Enjoy the first chapter of
‘The Crystal Telepath’
Book Two of the Worlds Apart Series
Chapter 1
Sedona, Arizona
She exited the car, so weak she could barely close the door. The remnants of the second migraine this week had left her feeling lethargic. Shirl Tomlinson knew she had to power through, regardless of how dreadful she was feeling. Her best friend, Alexandra Mann, had been missing for almost a week. As she walked to the front of the Sedona Police Department headquarters, she was oblivious to the beauty of the surrounding area. Several people exiting the building made way for Shirl as she entered. She barely noticed their presence or the way the men perused her body. She was too sick to care.
For a relatively small town, the place was extremely busy. Barely able to stand, she staggered toward the front desk. She had to dodge a number of officers; otherwise, she would have ended up flat on her face on the marble floor. The man who stood behind the counter saw her distress and made his way around the restricted area to aid her. The artificial light was so bright, she had to squint her eyes as she watched him approach.
“Miss Tomlinson, are you all
right?” the concerned officer asked. Shirl wished she could remember the young officer’s name. He was wearing a name badge, but her vision was blurry and she could not make out the letters. She just wanted to crawl into the corner and fall into a deep, painless sleep.
“I am recovering from a migraine and I am not feeling quite right,” she said. One severe headache after another had tapped her strength. She did not know how much more she was going to be able to take. Having only minimal health insurance coverage, her options were limited in her quest to find what was wrong with her. Every doctor she saw scratched their heads, baffled by the escalation at the severity and frequency of the headaches she had been suffering the past two years.
“I’ll get Commander Lewis. He will give you an update on our efforts to find your friend.” The officer took a couple of steps and then asked over his shoulder, “Can I get you any water?”
Shirl shook her head. She had taken medication before she left the hotel room. Everyone in the Sedona Police Department knew her by now. She arrived on Monday, as soon as she was able to drive. Alex had been missing since last Friday. For three full days, the police station had been her home away from home.
She sat on the bench, clasping the crystals that hung around her neck. As each day ended with no sign of Alex, Shirl got more frantic, fearing she would never see her friend again. What would she do without Alex in her life? They had grown up together in a Phoenix orphanage. Whenever anything went wrong, she always ran to Alex for help. Although Alex was two years younger, Alex was always the responsible one.
Commander Lewis appeared and sat next to Shirl. He was a good looking man, probably in his late thirties. The man was also tall. Generally she had to look up at him when they talked, she liked that. For some odd reason, she did not trust men she had to look down upon. She knew that was stupid, but that was how she felt.
Lewis was the second highest ranking police officer in the department, under the chief of police. Shirl could see from the expression on his face, he did not have good news to share. At least they hadn’t found a body. The last two nights Shirl had woken in a cold sweat, dreaming she’d been taken to the morgue to identify Alex’s corpse.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Miss Tomlinson. There have been no sightings of your friend. We know she checked into her hotel Friday afternoon and was not seen again. Her car was found in a parking lot near Boynton Canyon. We believe she went hiking, but there are no signs of foul play. We have had men up and down that canyon looking for Alexandra. There was a part of the trail that looked like someone was dragged for ten feet or so, but there is no evidence she fell. Why don’t you head home? I’ll call you if we discover anything.”
Shirl felt tears falling down her cheeks and reached into her purse for a tissue. “I can’t leave here without Alex or knowing what happened to her.” People did not just disappear off the face of the Earth. Sedona seemed an unlikely place for human trafficking. A new age cult, perhaps, but Alex wasn’t the type.
“Can I at least take you to dinner? You look terrible.” Shirl had to smile at Commander Lewis’s comment. Men usually fawned over her. It was nice to have a man be honest with her about her appearance. He was a no nonsense guy, saying what was on his mind.
She didn’t feel threatened by him. Commander Lewis was the type of man to drag his wife along, eliminating any type of impropriety. It would be nice to get her mind off Alex, even for one meal. “That would be nice. I can’t remember the last time I ate.” She had a couple of power bars in her car, but hadn’t been able to stomach the idea of eating them.
“Why don’t I pick you up tonight in your hotel lobby after I get off, around seven.” The seasoned police officer knew this meet-up location would be non-threatening compared to meeting her at her hotel room. “My wife Carol will meet us at the restaurant.” Yup, she called that one right!
“I guess at this point, I should at least ask your first name,” Shirl said. “It would be weird calling your wife Carol while calling you Commander Lewis.”
“Frank, my first name is Frank.”
Commander Lewis patted her hand and returned to work. She watched as he crossed into the restricted area behind the front desk. A large clock displayed three o’clock. She had four hours to kill before he would pick her up. There was no sense staying on the hard bench. She could get an update at dinner tonight. Besides, they had her cell phone number if they found Alex in the meantime.
Shirl walked to her car and sat behind the wheel for a while, not sure where she wanted to go. The medication had kicked in and she felt a little better.
She started toward Boynton Canyon. Shirl rarely went hiking with Alex. She didn’t like the dust that covered her on the few occasions she went. Alex didn’t make a big deal out of having to go alone.
Generally their friend Candy was along and she would hike with Alex. Candy had grown up in the orphanage with them. It was hard not calling her to join Shirl in Sedona while she waited for news of Alex. Candy was a high school coach and her team had just returned from a tournament. She hadn’t even told Candy that Alex was missing. Shirl didn’t want to worry her friend in case Alex reappeared. That possibility continued to slip away.
When she arrived, the parking lot was relatively empty. Alex’s disappearance had been all over the local newspapers. People were shying away from this particular trail, afraid a wild animal had attacked her friend. There was no evidence to support the claim, but that did not stop the rumor mill from spreading that story.
Boynton Canyon was beautiful with its deep red rocks. Shirl had always been fascinated by this place. It was one of the four vortexes Sedona was famous for. The energy emitted by the vortexes always renewed her.
These sites were believed to be multiple dimensional pathways emitting spiraling spiritual energy. Shirl soaked up any article on the subject as well as anything dealing with mystical powers.
One of the few items she had from her birth mother was an amethyst crystal that started her fascination with crystals and healing stones. She wore four to five crystals a day, depending on her mood. Her mother’s amethyst was the only crystal she wore constantly. It seemed to balance her in some odd way. Shirl felt less alone, like having family close by. She knew it was stupid, but maybe one day it would lead her to some discovery of who she was meant to be.
Curiosity about the section of the trail with the drag mark Commander Lewis mentioned got the better of Shirl. Grabbing a power bar, she started toward the trailhead. She’d walk the path Alex had taken when she disappeared. If she got too dusty, she’d take a shower before Frank picked her up for dinner.
She walked slowly, conserving what strength she had. Between nibbling on the nutrition bar, the medication, and the vortex’s energy, she felt vitality coursing through her body. As she walked the trail, she held onto her crystals, trying to channel Alex. She was not expecting anything to happen, then her mother’s amethyst started to glow.
Shirl held the crystal in front of her and stared at it in wonder. As much as she knew about crystals, she had never read anything about them glowing. She felt a slight pull and stopped.
The air ahead shimmered and she felt the continued emission of energy. Slowly, she approached the anomaly. She could see the trail on the other side of the air displacement.
Shirl looked down and noticed the dirt and foliage along the path looked as if something had been dragged along it. It ended right in front of what she could only think was an event horizon. Alex must have been pulled through the point of no return. The gravitational pull would have been so great, Alex would not have been able to escape from it.
Taking a deep breath, Shirl walked into the unknown.
Inside a black void, she felt as if falling. Twisting and turning, she had no control. Deafening, high-pitched sound pierced her ears. Her crystal glowed brighter.
Terror taking hold,
she attempted to grab her crystal necklace. After her second attempt at regaining use of her flailing arms, she secured the amethyst in her hand.
Just short of all-out panic, she started to think about home. It worked for Dorothy in Oz, allowing her and Toto to return to Kansas.
She crashed against the ground, out of the portal’s grasp. Shirl slowly climbed to her feet and realized she was no longer in Sedona. It must have been a portal to another dimension. That could be the only explanation why she was no longer on the trail surrounded by red rocks and dirt.
She stood on a mountain path, overlooking a city built of pale stone. The community was abloom with purple flowering trees and plants. The violet sky must be a result of the colored pollen emitted.
Shirl was surprised her mind was reacting rationally, although she was still a little dazed. Her normal reaction would have been to panic. Instead, she took in her surroundings and making scientific assumptions. She could not remember the last time she had thought so clearly. There was no pain or pressure impacting her brain.
Alexandra was somewhere in this city, she was certain of it. Shirl was not sure how she was going to find her or what type of people she would encounter. But she had to start looking.
She started down the mountain pass, paying close attention to her steps. The trail was steeper than the one in Boynton Canyon. Her sandals were comfortable, but not equipped to traverse the rocky path. She was also a little wobbly from the rough ride within the portal and had eaten no food to speak of for days.
Sweat trickled down her neck. She brushed at the liquid and her hand came back covered in blood. Shirl felt the same trickle on the other side of her neck. She was bleeding from both ears.
The Chameleon Soul Mate Page 21