Ethon (The Other Worlds Series Book 2) (19 page)

He watched her for a moment. Then, “Can you define
special
for me?”

“That is precisely what we do.” She laughed lightly.

All at once, the two men were at his sides, holding him down. The social worker yanked out a syringe with a green liquid inside of it. Legann gaped. He struggled to free himself, while across from him, Harney stood, backing up against the wall. She had a horrified look on her face, yet she refused to interfere. Legann opened his mouth to yell at her cowardice, but nothing came out. The blonde had dug the syringe into his upper arm. The world tilted at an odd angle and then plummeted into an empty black.

:  :  :  :  :

For the past few days, Tiara had passively participated in the anticipation of Zedgry’s arrival. He was Olinia’s brother that Tiara had yet to meet. Truthfully, Tiara was not opposed to waiting – it kept her away from princess duties in the long run. Since Tiara and Olinia had the shimmer stones to open a portal to their realm, it was easier to have Zedgry come to them than to have everyone travel to him.

This was a valid reason, but not entirely accurate. At the time of their conversation, Tiara had accepted it as logical, but once she really started thinking about it, she realized that Olinia must not know about the shimmer stone’s function of inner-world travel.

Tiara had discovered this option on the night the Kendren brothers were defeated in Tlaid. She and Archrin had needed a silent and fast entry into Desnbi Castle, so they used the shimmer stone to open a portal into the throne room from Voiel’s home, a little over a mile away. The shimmer stone didn’t just open portals to other worlds. If Olinia had wanted, she could have opened one to Zedgry without any trouble. Too bad Tiara hadn’t thought of this sooner. It was too late now. Zedgry was coming to them, flying in an Ethon contraption called an airplane. There was no point in using the shimmer stone.

She sighed. During her days in Ethon, she’d spent her time watching television, driving through the city, and laughing with her friends. Then, at night, she and Olinia practiced Globing to the future. Sadly, she hadn’t really succeeded in her attempts. While Globing, she somehow kept ending up visiting the recent past instead of the future. The night before, she accidentally took Olinia to the hanging of Ryth – one of the Kendren brothers. Experiencing it for the second time wasn’t any more pleasant than the first. She really hoped that tonight she would go some time not so gruesome.

Oddly enough though, this trip felt almost like a much-needed vacation. Realistically, Tiara could leave now. She hadn’t needed to save Olinia after all, thanks to Will. Since there were two shimmer stones between their group, Tiara and Archrin could take one and the others could still leave Ethon. But she wasn’t quite ready to take off just yet. Plus, she was technically fulfilling the wishes of the Fraers with Olinia, so what was the rush?

“What are you looking at?”

Tiara turned. Archrin was standing in her room’s doorway, shirtless and tousling his wet hair with a towel. She couldn’t help but smile at his toned torso. It made her a little giddy to know she would be marrying that. “I was watching the wind,” she told him. “I like seeing the leaves blow off the trees.”

“Is it a nice view from here?” He chuckled, joining her at the window.

“Not too bad.”

“Have you been up here very long?”

“Just a few minutes.” She frowned. “You look tired.”

“I am tired. This is what releasing the animal does to me.” He grunted and leaned forward onto the windowsill, his towel still in hand.

For the third time since Tiara had met him, Archrin had phased into his panther form. As a Craele, he was unable to remain human for extensive periods. His animal instincts would grow too strong to ignore, and he would be forced to answer the call. Earlier that day, he had disappeared into the surrounding woods to hunt the local wildlife. He’d asked Sazx to follow him at a safe distance to keep him out of trouble with the Ethons.

“Where’s Sazx?” Tiara glanced over her shoulder to the hallway.

“He’s showering. The forest was muddy.”

“By the look of you I’m going to assume you already bathed?”

He nodded. “Sazx was nice enough to let me go first. I was covered in filth.”

Tiara traced with her fingertips the Kendren symbol – the dying lion on its hind legs with a sword through its heart – that was tattooed on the back of Archrin’s right shoulder. It still amazed her that even though Gavin had torn Archrin’s back to shreds, the Eveon Healer had been able to fix him to the point that it was like it had never happened, preserving the sign of the Kendren soldier. She knew Archrin wished his injury would have gotten rid of the tattoo, but she was secretly glad that it hadn’t. The symbol was a sign of his past – a reminder of what he’d left to be with her.

Archrin sighed and dropped his head to rest on his hands. “What else did you do while I was gone?”

She frowned. “You should take a nap. You look like you’re going to collapse.”

“I feel like it,” he admitted, “but I’ve been away from you most of the day.”

“Let’s go downstairs.” She took his hand. “You can lay your head on my lap while I watch TV on the couch.”

“Do you even know how to turn that thing on?”

“Olinia showed me.” She headed out of the room, pulling him with her. “Come on. Put on a shirt and meet me downstairs.”

:  :  :  :  :

They were to Legann's high school now. A couple students stood by the front doors, but other than that the school looked deserted. The majority of students were still in class. Will pulled the car into the loading-unloading area. “Has Legann texted you back yet?”

“No.” She shook her head. She’d calmed down a little since leaving her college. “He hasn't responded yet. I'll call him.”

As Olinia raised her phone to her ear, Will glanced out his window, looking at the gloomy sky and colorful trees surrounding the school. Prior to now, Will had only been to Virginia once before on a family vacation to the nation's capital. That had been in the summer, years ago. He remembered thinking the state was lush and beautiful, but little had he known that Virginia’s best season was the fall. In autumn, Virginia was a landscape of brilliant colors beneath an overcast sky. 

“Something's wrong.”

He turned. “What?”

Olinia's face was pale. “I can't hear him. His mind isn't responding anymore than his phone.”

“What does that mean?” Will blinked.

“It means DS must have got to him.” Olinia pushed open her car door and stepped out, slamming it behind her. 

 Will yanked the keys out of the ignition and followed after her up the school's front steps. He managed to catch up with her just as she entered the building. “Where are you going?”

“To the main office to try to find out what happened to him,” she replied.

“And will you threaten them with your gifts as well?” He retorted.

“Got any better ideas?”

The halls were cleared out of the students. There were only a few scattered clusters of kids among the lockers on either side of Will and Olinia. The kids didn’t even give them a second glance. They were too involved in their own conversations.

A few minutes later, they reached the main office. Olinia didn't wait for Will to get the door. She threw it open and came to a halt in front of the startled receptionist.

Olinia glared down at the middle-aged woman sitting behind the desk. “I'd like to know where Legann Reien is.”

The receptionist was visibly flustered. “Legann Reien?”

“My brother, yes.”

“I believe he's gone.”

Olinia gripped the edge of the desk, leaning closer to the woman. “Gone? Gone where?”

“I believe he went home,” she said, shrinking into her swivel chair.

Olinia’s eyes narrowed. “You watched him get carried out of here unconscious. Who took him?”

The woman looked like Olinia had slapped her across the face. “W-what?”

It was time for Will to intervene before Olinia became violent again. He placed a hand on the small of her back and cleared his throat. “We’d like to speak with the principal.”

“She – she’s in a meeting,” the receptionist stammered, not meeting his eyes. 

Olinia let out a short, bitter laugh before tossing a glance at Will. She strode past the receptionist's desk to the hallway behind. Will, assuming this was the way to the principal, decided to join her.

“Hey, you can't go back there!”

“Feel free to try to stop me,” Olinia muttered.

Will was led to a pale pink office at the end of the hall. Olinia let herself inside and Will once again followed.

“Harney, may I have a word?” Olinia dropped into a stuffed chair across from Harney’s desk.

“How did you get in here?” The round woman blustered. 

Will lowered himself into the seat beside Olinia. “We walked.”

Harney scowled. “Who are you?”

“Olinia Reien. We’ve met before. I’m Legann’s older sister and legal guardian.”

“And you?” Harney eyed Will suspiciously.

“I’m Olinia’s boyfriend. My name’s Will.”

“Why are you in my office?” Harney shoved some papers on her desk to the side.

“You know exactly why,” Olinia retorted. “Who took my brother?”

Harney frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Don’t give me that,” Olinia shot back. “What happened to Legann?”

“I don’t know if I’m the correct person to ask. You should speak with his classmates.”

Olinia leaped to her feet, slamming her hands on the desk. Harney jumped from the movement. “Shut your lying face!” Olinia was visibly seething. “You were here when that blonde chick drugged him. You won’t stop thinking about it. Now tell me, where did they go?”

 Harney was gaping. Even Will had to admit that Olinia was pretty intimidating. He also noticed that she slightly betrayed her gift – not that the round, stunned woman seemed to have caught on.

“I-I’m going to call the police,” Harney managed to choke out.

“Be my guest.” Olinia leaned further over the desk, placing her face closer to Harney’s. “I’m sure they’d love to hear the whole story from that jittery secretary of yours.”

The principal’s mouth opened and shut twice before she finally said, “I don’t know where she took him.”

“What’s her name?” Olinia glowered, but then straightened almost instantaneously, taking on a shocked look of her own. “Aeorin? Here?”

Will blinked. “What?”

Olinia glanced at him. “Aeorin took Legann. She drugged him.”

“How – how did you know that?” Harney stuttered.

Harney shouldn’t have opened her mouth. Olinia whirled back to her. “You allowed that manipulative whore to take
my
little brother away. I won’t forget that. You value your salary more than the lives of your students. When this is over and I get him back, I can guarantee you won’t have your job anymore.”

Just then, a knock sounded on the door behind Will and Olinia. They both turned. A petite, brunette student poked her head inside. Harney cleared her throat. “Yes, Hillary?” Her voice wavered.

The girl eyed the room inquisitively. “The janitor locked himself in the gym again. He says he needs your key to let him out.”

Harney stood. “Excuse me, please.”

“We aren’t done here,” Olinia assured as Harney exited.

Will’s eyes were on the princess. She was practically shaking from her rage. He wanted to ask her what she’d seen in Harney’s head. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Hillary had left them, but was startled to find her shutting the office door, placing herself alone with him and Olinia.

“We don’t have very long,” Hillary whispered. 

Olinia faced her again slowly. “Why do you want to help the boy who yelled at you in front of all your friends?”

The girl blushed. “That wasn’t what it looked like. That wasn’t really Nora. It was Serena. She’s one of us.”

“Us?” Will repeated slowly.

“Students of the Academy of Defining Specialties,” she replied. “You don’t know what you’re getting into. If you want to get Legann back, you’re going to need me.”

12

------------------

A strange, short note was repeating itself in a rhythmic order. Dagon lifted his heavy eyelids to white curtains surrounding him. On the opposite side of the curtains, he saw the outlines of several figures pass in front of some light source.

He was lying beneath white sheets on a narrow bed. The ceiling above him was a pattern of white, lumpy square tiles. Dagon had no recollection of entering this room. He did not know where he was, what day it was, nor who had placed him in the bed. It could have been weeks since the last time his mind was as clear as it now was. If he tried to pull a memory from after leaving the Vrenyx, his thoughts suddenly became blurred.

Off to the right of his head, the incessant note continued. Slowly, Dagon turned to it, irritated by his own weakness with how much effort the action required. He was startled to find several oddly shaped objects mounted to the tops of silver poles. Thin, smooth ropes, in colors of blue, yellow, and red, were protruding from the objects.

One particular rope appeared to contain a clear liquid, beginning from a transparent, hanging bag and ending, to Dagon’s surprise, in his own arm. The blue rope disappeared into a gray vice over his middle finger. If he had had another arm, he would have ripped himself free immediately.

Hushed voices from the other side of the curtains grew closer. Dagon was able to make out a woman’s tones. She was speaking in Saerdian. “Lay him on the bed. I will send someone to take his blood sample and implant a Bead.”

“Yes, m’lady,” a scratchy man’s voice replied.

“Remember, he is not to be touched unless given orders by the king,” the woman warned. “Understood?”

“Yes, m’lady.”

“Good. I shall return later this evening.”

As the woman’s footsteps faded, Dagon noticed movement across from him. The curtains hid the details, but he was able to discern two large figures with what he assumed was a body draped between them. The figures carried the body to the left of Dagon, where they lowered it and straightened empty-handed.

“Now what?” A new man asked.

“You heard the boss,” the first man answered. “We leave the kid here. He’s her problem now.”

Dagon struggled to place the men’s accents. They were obviously Saerdian, but he was unsure of which world they hailed from. Saerdian was not his specialty. He only knew the dialects of Eveon. Deciphering Saerdian was work for the Kendren brothers. Flortt, the middle brother, needed to hear only a few syllables to determine a person’s native world.

“What about this one?”

“Shh,” the first man hissed. “Not so loud. We’re not to go near him.”

“Why not?”

“He’s a special guest of the king’s.”

Dagon realized with a start that the men were referring to him. This king they spoke of must be Talik, the Velvitor. Dagon grimaced. If he was Talik’s “special guest,” then he was Talik’s prisoner. One look at himself – his arm and hand fused with cords – told him that this was true. Even without the ropes as his leash though, Dagon would not have been able to leave his bed. He was physically drained. Never had he been so weak, not even when Talik’s elixir of long life had left him bedridden for days. 

Releasing a sigh, Dagon closed his eyes. Once Talik discovered he was again coherent, the Velvitor would undoubtedly pay him a visit. Dagon would need his strength. Breathing in and out slowly, Dagon permitted himself to slip back into sleep.

:  :  :  :  :

Tiara was on the couch with Archrin’s head resting on her lap. A home improvement show was on the television, but she had it muted and wasn’t paying much attention to it. Her mind was elsewhere as she scratched the back of Archrin’s head while he slept. She was still thinking about her attempts with Olinia in Globing. What was she doing wrong?

“Tracking a Craele was far more challenging than I had anticipated.” Sazx moved around the couch to settle in the stuffed chair beside it.

“I honestly wouldn’t know,” she replied. “But I’ll take your word for it.”

Sazx offered her a tight smile before allowing silence to fall between them. Tiara went back to staring blankly at the TV. Silence didn’t bother her.

A few minutes later though Sazx spoke up again. “I am told that two of the Kendren brothers were killed by Archrin’s hand. Is that correct?”

She let out a short laugh. “Well, by his hand in the literal sense isn’t entirely accurate. Archrin in Craele form killed Pavn, saving me. As a man, he slew Flortt.”

“I see.”

“Was it Olinia who told you?”

He nodded. “It was.”

“She told me that you knew the brothers.” Tiara paused. “Do you resent that they’re dead?”

Sazx regarded her quietly for a moment. Then, “The brothers mattered very little to me. They were brilliant in their stratagem of warfare, which made them valued allies to the Vrenyx. But no, I do not grieve their passing.”

Tiara ran her tongue along the back of her teeth. “You are a very interesting man, Sazx. I can’t quite figure you out.”

“Perhaps I can aid you toward a better understanding of my character,” he mused.

“If that’s an invitation then I have one question.” She frowned. “What drew you to turn against Dagon and his followers? You were Captain of the Nagreth. That couldn’t have been easy to walk away from.”

Once again Sazx watched her, hesitating before providing his answer. Tiara waited patiently, continuing to stroke Archrin’s head, but didn’t remove her gaze from Sazx. Finally, Sazx said, “I believe my situation is comparable to your own.”

Tiara gawked as it suddenly dawned on her what he was saying. “You love Olinia,” she exclaimed.

The corners of his mouth turned up in a sad smile. “How could I remain a Nagreth and fight against her?”

“But do you really love her enough to watch her love another?”

“What choice do I have?” Sazx asked. “I am not High Royalty.”

“Neither is Will, though.”

Sazx shook his head. “You have a Saerd’s point of view. Will is the Key’s heir. A Balnorrean hero is as good as High Royalty in our realm.”

Tiara pulled a face. She was beginning to pity the former Nagreth. “I’m sorry, Sazx.”

He again offered her a sad smile. “There is nothing to be sorry for. My fate simply does not include the princess.”

Suddenly, Archrin leapt to his feet and snarled, causing Tiara to jump. “What’s wrong?”

“We’re surrounded,” he hissed.

“We’re what?” She blurted.

All at once Tiara felt as if she were in one of the movies Olinia had shown her. At least a dozen figures dressed all in black with dark helmets shielding their faces from view, burst into the TV room from the back door, windows, and other parts of the house. Glass shattered onto the floor as the intruders shouted for the Other Worlders to not move.

Tiara sat frozen in place, gaping. They were obviously men – too large to be women. Each man held a sizable Ethon weapon in his arms. She recognized the weapons to be guns. She grimaced. Guns were foreign to her – contraptions that could cause harm almost too easily, requiring very little skill at close range. The men around her were most definitely in close range.

“Put your hands behind your head!” A heavy-set man barked. He was the obvious leader, placing himself slightly in front of the rest of the group.

Sazx and Archrin ignored the command. Instead, they lurched into motion. Through a few well-placed blows of their fists, they were able to disarm a couple of the men, stealing the guns for themselves. The unlucky men lay in a heap on the floor. In response to their actions though, the group drew closer, yelling for them to drop their newfound weapons.

Fighting would be no use. Tiara could see no happy outcome to this scenario. Even if Sazx and Archrin were able to figure out how to use the guns, they were still in the open with no place to take cover. The Other Worlders sadly didn’t have much of a chance. At the moment, Tiara saw only one option to live, and that was to surrender.

She stood and said in Arthelian, “We can’t fight them. They outnumber us. We’ll die.”

Archrin and Sazx exchanged glances. As soldiers they knew the likelihood of their escape. Tiara pulled a face. “I vote we go with them.”

“Stop that!” The leader shouted in Saerdian. He motioned for some of the other men to move forward. “Grab their guns and take them outside. She sounds like she’s trying to choke herself.”

Tiara couldn’t help but smile at that comment. It was a perfect description of the Kendren tongue that she despised so immensely.

As the intruders obeyed the orders, Sazx and Archrin released their stolen weapons. The three Other Worlders were then handcuffed behind their backs and marched out to the front of the house, where a large, white van sat waiting for them in the driveway. Tiara noted that there were no windows in the back of the van – only two windows on either side of the front seats and a windshield. Passing cars would have no idea that the prisoners were inside. The van was the Ethon equivalent to the Kendren box carriage Tiara had once found herself inside after the battle of Tamorre Forest.

“I tried to ask you nicely,” a young man remarked as he and a blonde haired woman stepped around one side of the van into Tiara’s view. “You just had to be stubborn.”

“Do I know you?” Tiara thought out loud. He was clearly talking to her. Also, the lack of enthusiasm behind his snide comments, made her question his sincerity.

“Funny,” he smirked.

The man was tall with dark hair and honey eyes. He didn’t look familiar at all. The woman, on the other hand, did. She wore a white and blue striped blouse, tucked into a tight, knee-length black skirt, with a pair of four-inch blue stilettos on her feet to match. Her long hair hung loose, falling in soft ringlets. It was her eyes though that caught Tiara’s attention. They were a sea green.

“Aeorin?”

“Hello,” she sneered. “Surprised?”

Tiara gawked. “How did you get here?”

Aeorin ignored her question. She turned to the men escorting the Other Worlders to the van. “Toss them inside.” Then, to Tiara she said, “Do not fret, Olinia. We will see each other again soon. My king wishes to meet you.”

Before Tiara had the chance to correct Aeorin’s blunder of mistaking her for the Wend, she was shoved into the back of the van. Archrin and Sazx followed closely behind her. The doors were then slammed shut, casting the three into semi-darkness.

:  :  :  :  :

The city library was an old colonial building, recycled for present-day use. It was structured from red brick with crisp, white trim and pillars. The three-story – basement included – construct was basically a square, except for the front where six pillars jutted out. At the top of the pillars, crown molding melted into a triangular gable. At the bottom, ten or so cement steps flowed downward toward the street. Just past the pillars stood two dark blue doors, signifying the entrance.

This was the proposed meeting place of Hillary. After offering her help, she’d told them to see her there in twenty minutes. Olinia and Will had left immediately, realizing that Harney didn’t have much else to offer. From her thoughts, Olinia had learned she’d just met Aeorin that day. She had no idea that Aeorin was an Other Worlder. Will might have been a little more shaken to find Aeorin in Ethon, if Porter hadn’t revealed earlier to Olinia that there were gifted humans in his world.

A few months ago, before he discovered the Other Worlds, he would have laughed at such a claim. But he’d since learned anything was possible. With the way his life had been going, the notion of gifted Ethons actually seemed like a logical development and the arrival of Aeorin wasn’t all that strange after all.

As Will made his way to the library doors beside Olinia, he noticed two chimney stacks poking out from opposite ends of the gray roof. He wondered if this was once someone’s home, or simply an early government building. Whatever it had been, Will liked the way it reminded the modern world of its unique history.

Inside, the thick aroma of books, both ancient and new, filled his nostrils. To the right of the large entryway, a reference desk had been built. Several elderly lady librarians sat behind it. One was aiding a young mother of three at a self-checkout machine. Two of the children squirmed beside their mother, eyes wandering, while she juggled a toddler and her books.

Will smiled at them as he and Olinia passed into a room full of literary works on shelves of dark mahogany. Olinia led the way to the back of the library, pausing briefly at an archway to glance up at Will before continuing into a stairwell. Will followed her down the carpeted steps, into the basement.

Olinia escorted Will to the opposite end of the basement where there was a small sitting area, hidden by shelves of books on farming, and sank into a stuffed chair, feeling the beginnings of a headache. She’d never personally visited this part of the library before, but had seen it in Hillary’s mind. It really was a nice, quiet place to not be disturbed. Not too many people were interested in farming books. Olinia understood why Hillary had picked this spot to rendezvous.