Crusade Across Worlds (11 page)

“Got to admit,” Walker rubs his hands
together, “I’m kind of excited to be going.”

“Wait til you see the girls,” Jace
winks.

“You’re my wingman,” Werzo turns to the
red-headed tribesman. “Don’t forget—you said we’re scouting mermaid
tail together.”

“We are. I’ll have them panting over you by
night’s end.”

“Well hey now…” the blonde Rogue objects,
“leave some for the rest of us.”

“You already have a girl,” Pratt reminds
him.

“Yeah. Here.”

“How many you need?”

Jace shrugs. “I get lonely.”

“I think one will suffice,” Clarence
appears. “Alright, first stop on the tour is seeing our quarters.
We’ll dress, then meet Queen Ravan for breakfast and see if we
can’t… persuade her.”

Mae frowns. “Isn’t breakfast a little
informal?”

“I believe that’s her point,” Sampson
approaches, Reid by his side. “The less important the setting, the
less important the reason. If she were to take our request
seriously, we would be meeting without food and as soon as we
arrived. I think she’s treating our arrival as another friendly
visit.”

“But she knows why we’re coming?” I ask.

“Oh she knows. She’ll probably brush it off
very quickly but still, we must give it one last attempt. If we
don’t get her to reveal the location…” he places his hands on his
hips and sighs. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do. So,” he
glances around, spying Reid and Walker, “everyone on their best
behavior. We’ll have a little while to get ready before we meet in
the dining hall. And when we do, please leave the conversation
solely to Blovid, Clarence and myself. Fallon,” he turns to me,
“she may wish to question you as well. With your departure to
Arosin these past three months, the queen has grown curious.
Disclose what you can, especially anything that may help sway her
opinion on the matter.”

What could I say to help our situation?
There’s got to be something that might convince her that the Shadow
Bag is safest in our hands, even though I don’t believe it is. But
Sampson does, and I trust him instinctively. Quickly reviewing any
tidbits of the future, I realize I wasn’t given any, except that
I’m supposed to kill Reuzkimpart, and that’s for my knowledge
only.

Sampson gestures for us to break into groups
for our departure. Jace, Tucker, Werzo, Booker and Walker form the
first group while Able, Mae, Pratt, Reid and I form the second.
Clarence enters our circle and takes my right hand. Reid clutches
my left, slyly rubbing his thumb down my ring finger. I look at him
and he winks.

I can’t wait to make you my wife.

“We shall see you on the north shore,” Vix
says and then shoots up, disappearing into the early morning sky.
Blovid, Qippert and Jothkore follow as a solid mass of air forms
under my feet. The lush Nerwolix green fades until it’s replaced by
billowing purple wind that whips and sways around us. Like
yesterday, it’s a short trip. A few seconds in, the lavender winds
dissipate to reveal a stark blue sky as gobs of cushiony sand hit
our feet.

Mybyncia.

Able and Mae nearly topple over, but Pratt
and Reid keep them standing. I look from the fumbling pair to the
vast abyss ahead.

I almost forgot how blue the water was.

Endless, it stretches for miles into the
clear, crisp sky, the surface still and pristine like a sheet of
smooth glass. No bubbles. No ripples. It’s hard to believe an
entire civilization dwells miles below the surface and somewhere,
hidden deep in its depths, lies one of the Three Gifts. The last
time I was here, Princess Ariana was missing. Qippert was still
recovering from their attempt to secure Dilly on Harrizel, and we’d
just returned from our first visit to Nerwolix. So much has changed
since then.

“Maris will be meeting us here with the
suits shortly,” Qippert makes his way over as Sampson and the rest
of his group follow.

“Are we taking the slide thing to the
holding station?” Pratt asks hopefully.

“Not this time. That way is reserved
primarily for first-time visitors. As Walker is the only one who
has not been acquainted with traveling on Mybyncia, it will be up
to us to help guide him.”

“Sure I can manage.”

“You say that now,” Able laughs.

“What could be so—”

Bubbles ripple, shattering the water’s
smooth surface as ten purplish-blue reptilian heads emerge all at
once. Their long, giraffe-like necks reach higher and higher and
once fully exposed, water laps at their scaled, iridescent backs,
waves sloshing around the rest of their hidden bodies. Walker
retreats a step, his mouth agape. He gawks at the sea creatures,
and then at the sage female straddling the central beast. Maris’
feet dip beneath the water, one hand gripping a Bair—one of two
nubs at the base of the Millix’s neck—while the other hand rests on
the black suits laid across her lap.

“Welcome friends,” Maris dismounts and
presents the suits to Qippert. “The queen has had sudden business
to attend to so she will not be able to join you for
breakfast.”

“Oh?”

“But she is excited to welcome her most
valued guests,” Maris offers a business-like nod before a warm
smile spreads across her face. “It is good to see you again.”

Haven’t Sampson and the others been back to
convince the queen to disclose the Shadow Bag’s location? Perhaps
only the Fychu and Blovid have returned. Perhaps this is the first
time everyone else has been back too.

“It is good to see you as well,” Qippert
smiles, taking the suits as he glances over her shoulder. “I fear
there are not enough Millix for all of us.”

“My apologies. There was a shortage of
available Millix in the city, but I have gathered the seven used
for your last visit so there will be some familiarity. Most will
have to double up.”

Fallon—is that you?

I know that voice. I know it immediately.
Instinctively, like Clarence or Sampson in my head. My focus flies
to the far left, to the last Millix on the line and that’s when I
see her.

Lalu?

Hello, Fallon
, her voice rings in my
head
. You are completely healed from the Gorgen poison?

The Gorgen. I almost forgot about the dark,
spider-like creatures that dwell outside of the royal city.
Probably because I wanted to. The last time I saw one, it was
crashing down on me and I knew I would die. Except I didn’t.
Somehow, I’d managed to stab the creature with its own tooth and
after that, I awoke in the Foreign Headquarters. Queen Ravan
forbade our mission to secure the Dilly—the Gorgen’s food
source—but we desperately needed it to aid the dying Mybyncians
who’d been infected with Perio’s plague. I was glad we were able to
get what we could, but if I ever see another Gorgen again, it’ll be
too soon.

Yes,
I answer Lalu’s question
.
Completely healed.

That is good.

I look around, eyeing the seven other
Millix. They’re still wading in the water, observing us with the
same curiosity and apprehension that we possess toward them. I turn
back to Lalu.

Would you like to ride together again?

Of course, Fallon.

Qippert distributes the dome-shaped helmets
and long black body gear. Examining the material given to him,
Walker watches the rest of us climb into our underwater suits and
follows along quietly.

“How are we doubling up?” Pratt asks.

“I’ll ride with Fallon,” Clarence says.
“Walker and Jace, why don’t you two ride together? Vix can ride
with the Fychu, Jothkore with Blovid, Reid with Pratt, Booker with
Werzo and...Able with Mae? That sound good?”

“And myself?” Qippert asks.

“With me, of course,” Maris indicates to
Shaya, her Millix. “We will arrive at the Docking Station like last
time. Once we reach it, Chancellor Keller will escort the males to
their wing and Salva will escort the females. You can dress for the
breakfast, and the lunch feast later.”

“Lunch feast?” Jace perks up.

“Yes, Queen Ravan has decided to hold one in
honor of your arrival. There will be much socializing in the Great
Hall.”

Werzo rolls his eyes with a sigh. “Great.
Because the last one went off without a hitch.”

“What happened last time?” Walker asks.

Sampson shakes his head before turning his
focus back on Maris. “The feast is a great honor indeed… but when
do you think we will be granted a private audience with the
queen?”

“I am not sure that is something that can be
arranged in the next few days. The queen keeps a very busy
schedule.”

Sampson and Clarence exchange looks. “I
see.”

“Shall we be on our way?” Maris asks.

The Fychu nods and we start for the Millix.
Jace explains something to Walker and the two slowly approach the
sea creature. A few feet from the shore they pause and Walker
closes his eyes in concentration. The others do the same, keeping
to a cautious advance while Qippert and Sampson merely hop on their
Millix. Clarence appears at my side.

“I hope you don’t mind. I’m sure you
would’ve rather ridden with Reid, but I haven’t had the opportunity
to talk to you much since you’ve returned.”

“It’s fine. And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
be so…” I pause to think of the right word, “…inaccessible.”

Clarence laughs. “It’s completely
understandable. Three months is a long time.”

“I thought it was a grain of sand?” I
smirk.

“That it is,” he agrees and we walk silently
toward the shore where Lalu is waiting for us. “So…” he rubs his
hands together, a devious grin working its way into place, “big
night last night, huh?”

I’m about to ask what he means when it hits
me. I stop and turn. “You
know
?”

“You’ve got to work on blocking those
channels, kid,” he pauses. With a genuine smile, he presses a
gentle kiss to my forehead. “Congratulations. Couldn’t be happier
for you both.”

“Thanks,” I blush, wondering what else I
might’ve sent out into the Dofinike channel-sphere. I worked on
controlling my channels the entire time I was away. How is it that
Clarence was able to pick up on what happened last night? Is it
because we’re technically related? Or do I just have a stronger
connection with him than other Dofinikes?

“He’s quite gone for you,” Clarence glances
at Reid and begins walking again. “I guess it was only a matter of
time.”

“Clarence…” I keep pace with him, biting my
lower lip. “Did you know—when you saved Reid from that plane
crash—did you know…”

“I didn’t save him. He would have
survived.”

“But you took him. You took him to Harrizel.
Did you know that we’d…eventually…”

“Did I know that he was destined to be the
one for you?” Clarence finishes my thought. I nod and he offers a
slight shrug. “I didn’t know exactly why I needed to bring him
back. Only that I did.”

“But I’m sure there were others from the
crash that you could’ve taken.”

“Oh,” he chuckles, “there were plenty.
Plenty I could’ve used to fill my quota.”

“Then why Reid? What drew you to him?”

“Honestly?” Clarence stops and I stop with
him. He thinks for a moment and then shakes his head. “I don’t
know. But why do we do the things we do? Because some force drives
us, right? Whether it’s intuition or divine intervention or fate
itself. I chose to bring Reid back because he was the one I saw. He
was like a beacon among the others; my focus was latched onto him.
I chose him because something told me to, and what that is,” he
shakes his head again, “I can’t explain.”

I nod, accepting his answer and we continue
walking.

“But really,” he starts again, “does it
matter?”

“Sometimes I feel… he had a fiancé. Did you
know that?”

“I did.”

“How?”

“You uh… were quite chatty at the end there
on Harrizel. I’m afraid Sampson, Vix and I knew a great deal of
what was going on in your head.”

My face heats.

“Nothing to be ashamed of, I assure you. But
yes, we were aware of Reid’s situation. To be honest, I’m not sure
whom it was tougher on. We could actually hear your thoughts, feel
your anguish, but Reid… he was betrothed to another and so very in
love with you. How difficult that must’ve been for him.”

“Sometimes I worry that—”

“No,” Clarence shakes his head. “You
shouldn’t. He has told you time and time again. He made his
decision when he stayed. You must accept it. Besides,” he glances
over at Reid and Pratt sitting on a Millix. “Didn’t he prove
himself last night?”

I nod.

“Well there you go. Leave your worry in the
past,” he smiles. “It’s time for celebrating.”

“Do the others know?” I trot a bit to keep
up with him.

“Sampson… yes…” Clarence tosses me a grin.
“But only because I told him.”

I raise a brow.

“What? I needed to tell someone.”

“Thanks.”

“When are you planning on telling the
others?”

“Not sure. Probably after all this.”

“All what?”

“This,” I gesture around, “after the
invasion and everything.”

“Oh no,” he stops. “You must do it sooner
than that. We’re in need of good news. Something positive to focus
on.”

“You don’t think telling everyone would be
selfish?”

“Hardly,” he scoffs. “Besides, I’m sure the
Rogues are looking for excuses to celebrate with Hunnis…” he muses
to himself, “…or a bachelor party.”

I laugh. Clarence is probably right. But I
can’t announce it on my own. Reid and I have to discuss it first
and decide together when the right time will be. Pocketing the
discussion for later, we approach Lalu who has nestled her neck in
the sand for us. I put on my helmet and Clarence does the same.

Lalu, this is Clarence. He’s my
great-great-grandfather.

They communicate for a moment but I don’t
hear either’s thoughts. I know when they’re finished because Lalu’s
voice rings in my head again.