Eye on Orion (19 page)

****

In my bed a little while later, I lay still, focusing my attention inward. In the place where I figured my soul was, I could tell he was safe and well. By paying close attention, I never lost the connection. That gave me peace, and eventually sleep found me.

First thing in the morning, I searched deep inside myself to feel his existence. It took a few minutes, but when I found him, I relaxed and lay on my bed thinking of him.

I felt tired. Like I'd put in a hard day at work instead of staying up until after two in the morning. I went into the bathroom to get dressed and saw my face. I could pass for being ill right now. Had I cried in my sleep? It might explain my face, but I couldn't remember anything other than holding on to the feeling of Jai as I drifted off to sleep. The purplish bags under my eyes, my puffy red nose, and my pale face could easily convince my mom of my claim. As I concentrated on trying to find Jai, my head started hurting and my appetite was gone.

Going down stairs to meet my parents at the breakfast table, I gave them a little performance of not feeling well and begged off going with them to church. My mother insisted I eat a little bit of toast before going back to my room but didn't question my sincerity.

In my room, completely alone with my thoughts, tears flowed. I'd handled my emotions much better last night. I cried for the loss of Amira, deeply upset I would never see her again. She'd become a closer friend than any one I'd grown up with. I missed her more than Celia when she moved.

Why did she mean so much to me? Was it because of Jai that I loved her, or did she have something of her own? Thinking of all our times together, I decided it was for herself and not because of Jai. I liked her before Jai and I had Bonded. I would never see Amira again, no matter what they said. I would never be able to call her, e-mail her, or even send her a birthday card. I didn't even know when her birthday was.

How would Jai handle the separation of those he knew and loved from home? He was an orphan from an early age, but raised by a king and considered a brother to Amira as well as her eventual bodyguard. I didn't know how I would handle that myself. I marveled again at the strength of the Bond we shared. Would I ever be strong enough to leave my family and world for him?

Maybe Shander would get in an accident here on Earth. Maybe he would get struck by lightning. Maybe he wouldn't know how to drive and end up crashing into a lake. Maybe as he crossed a street, a bus would hit him because he didn't understand the red hand meant
Don't walk
. I chuckled at my evil wishes and then felt bad for being so cruel. But I still couldn't help wishing he could just be taken out of the picture all together, without any inconvenience to Amira, her father, or Jai.

****

Later in the day my parents checked on me. They both agreed I should stay home from work the next day to try to get on top of whatever I'd caught. The day spent resting hadn't helped me at all. I felt weaker too, though all I'd been doing was sitting quietly, focusing my attention trying to find him. I could catch his presence far away but then lose it too soon. Each time it disappeared, I would focus harder. After a few hours, my headache was excruciating. My appetite vanished completely as well.

My anxiety increased as I thought about him. As more time passed with no news from Jai, I started to feel really sick. Why hadn't he called? Was he too busy taking care of Ramal? Or in trouble himself? What if Shander hadn't left Ramal as soon as they thought he would, and Jai had arrived there to be found by Shander? Is that why I'd felt such a strong emotion just after he Traveled?

By Tuesday mid-morning I was a wreck and actually physically sick. I hadn't eaten much of anything the day before besides the toast and the homemade chicken soup my mother insisted I eat. My head hurt from trying to search for Jai constantly. I couldn't sleep much with the nightmares of Shander hurting Jai plaguing me. My energy had been sucked away. I smiled briefly to myself as I remembered my doubts about being able to fake sick long enough to convince my parents. Mom was talking about taking me to the doctor.

I made a conscious effort to feel better. Jai had probably gotten so busy helping Ramal he'd forgotten to call me. Soon I started to believe it. My headache got better as I lessened my focus on him. When I let go of the worry and didn't try to focus as hard, I found him easier. Who would have thought I could find Jai better when I didn't try. He was far away, yet well. That made me feel better. What was he doing? I felt his tiredness. Or was that mine? Were we sharing our sensations through the Bond this far away? Had I felt his weakness as he Healed Ramal? If our Bond could still be this strong across so many thousands of miles, it was much stronger than I realized.

I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. There wasn't anything on. I just needed a distraction. Otherwise, I'd give myself a headache again, searching for Jai. Every few minutes I'd check for him, find him, and let him go. It felt much nicer that way.

A commercial for a body wash reminded me I hadn't showered for two days. I hurried upstairs to shower and felt completely renewed when I stepped out into the steamy bathroom. I wiped the steam off the mirror and looked at my reflection. The deep purple bags under my eyes were now just smudges. Would my parents believe I still felt unwell?

I dressed slowly in sweatpants and a T-shirt and felt my stomach rumble. At least my appetite had returned. If I ate before my parents came home, I could pretend to have an upset stomach and not eat dinner with them. It was only three in the afternoon. I could have my late lunch and avoid dinner with my parents without starving for the whole night.

The doorbell drew me to the front room. I reached for the doorknob, thinking briefly about my clothes. Why do people always come to the door when you don't look your best? My hair, still wet from my shower, hung limply. I hadn't even put on my mascara, not that I would, because I was playing sick, but still. Curtis stood there with a disposable container filled with his mom's soup. I'd had it enough times I knew exactly what it was. Perfect timing.

“My mom heard you were sick. She sent this over.”

I smiled down at Curtis. “Thanks. Tell your mom she rocks.”

Curtis nodded and held the container out. He peeked into the house as I took the soup from him. I pulled the door close to me, blocking his view.

“I don't think you should come in. Don't want to give you this bug.”

Curtis nodded again and stepped back. “Probably a good idea. Hope you get better fast.”

“Thanks. I think I'm on the mend.” I waved to his mom when I saw her come out of the house. She stood by Curtis's car and waited until he got back, then they got in and drove away. I closed the door and took the soup to the kitchen.

As I opened the container it slipped and half of it spilled onto my front. I jumped back trying to avoid the heat and the mess but still felt the wetness as it soaked through my sweats. I quickly slipped out of them and dropped them onto the soup on the floor, hoping to soak it up, then ran upstairs to change. I hopped in the shower again to wash.

Back in the kitchen, I cleaned up the mess. When I sat down at the counter to eat, I noticed the light on the answering machine flashing at me. I'd probably missed the call while in the shower. I took a spoonful of soup and pushed the button.

The mechanical voice said, “You have one new message,” then beeped. I had turned around and walked back to the fridge to get a drink out when the voice I'd been thinking of so often spoke.

“Hello, Holly. It's Jai. I wanted to give you a call and fill you in on things here. Here is the number you can reach me at…”

I dropped my unopened soda can and ran to the phone. I yanked the marker off its clip and knocked the message board off its nail in the process. I picked up the board and set it on the counter then pressed the message button again. I listened impatiently for the part where he told me the number and wrote it down. He spoke so fast I had to replay it again to make sure I got it right.

I underlined it and wrote Jai in big letters above it. I punched in the numbers and waited impatiently for the first ring to start. The doorbell rang just as my phone connected to Jai's phone. I sighed and went to the door.

The sunlight reflecting off the siding next to the garage wall blinded me momentarily. When my eyes adjusted, my jaw dropped. I had never seen the man standing there, but I knew him.

The description Jai and Amira had given of him was right on. Here he stood, in the flesh, on my doorstep. The man I loathed as much as if he had injured me personally.

“Shander?” I whispered. Just then the phone next to my ear connected, and I heard Jai answer, “Hello?”

I was too stunned at who stood in front of me to say anything to Jai. I couldn't even respond when Jai said my name through the phone.

Shander smiled at me with perfect, straight, white teeth. The traces of wrinkles near his brown eyes as he smiled added to his charm. An attractive man in his mid-thirties, his hair was mostly black with flecks of gray near his temples. He lifted his arm to rest it on the doorframe. He wore the same kind of black stone attached to a woven leather band on his right wrist. If I'd doubted his identity before, I didn't now.

“What an interesting look you are trying here.” He looked me over from head to toe. “Your facial reconstruction still can't disguise you from me. And no matter how you dress, it will never diminish your beauty.”

“What are you doing here?” In the back of my mind, I dimly realized I spoke Rommaderian.

“I thought you lived at the house over there.” He pointed at Jai's house. “Number six-fifty-four is what my research pulled up. But you are here at number six-forty-five.”

Jai's panicked voice came through the phone in my hand, “Holly! What is going on?”

“He's here,” I whispered.

“What? Who is there?” Jai asked.

I stared at Shander as I took a deep breath. “Shander is here, at my door,” I said into the phone.

Shander reached quickly and took the phone from my hand. He looked it over briefly and pushed the button to turn it off. I felt a surge of panic that wasn't all mine.

“But, but why… why are you here?” I struggled over the words.

“Ah, Princess,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “You know I could not let you stay away from me forever. We will make Rommader a much better place to live by ruling together. You never gave me a chance to explain what I wanted from you.”

I stared at him, in awe of how his voice flowed, like silk, over the words. Even his voice held attraction. Eventually gaining control over my thoughts, I said, “I'm not the princess.”

“Of course you are. Just because you banished yourself to this pathetic planet doesn't mean you can deny your true calling in life.” Shander shook his head. “I want you to come back home and take your rightful place next to me as my queen.”

“I want you to disappear and never come near anyone I love ever again.”

“Come now,” he cooed, stepping closer to the door, placing his hand on the knob.

I gripped the knob on my side and tried pushing it closed. He was much stronger than I and managed to open it wider.

“Let us not have any harsh words. You know as well as I do, your father is unfit to rule. His health has been so poor he hasn't been able to do his duty as king. He can't even keep up with the visits he should make to determine how the kingdom is faring.

“I have always been the one who has made the more important decisions anyway. Only outdated traditions have kept me from the throne. Unfortunately, the people want to keep those traditions.”

“They aren't outdated traditions,” I argued, frowning at him. “The peace of Rommader depends on a stable government.”

“I know,” he sighed. “That is why marrying you is the best option. The shift of power will come legally and not through some messy uprising. However, if you refuse to marry me, I have no problem getting my followers to help me overthrow your father.”

“You don't love the people of Rommader. You're just a terrible power-hungry creep.” I tried to push on the door to keep him from getting it any wider.

“What is wrong with power?” he asked, as if surprised. “If you know how to use it, there is no end to what can be accomplished. Think of how much power we could have together.”

“No.”

“You forget. I have your father in my power. I can end his life any time.” He spoke so calmly my heart clenched in fear. “I can then take the government by force, and the people will live under the rule of a bitter and angry tyrant. Or…” He waited expectantly for me to finish his thought.

“Or I could agree to your demands…” I tried.

“And your father would be safe to live the remainder of his unhealthy life to its natural end. The people would be able to stay in their happy, oblivious lives and we could rule together.”

I was at a loss. I wasn't Amira, but he didn't believe that. He was going to try to take me home with him. “I'm not the princess.”

“Stop protesting. Of course you are.” He looked me over briefly then peeked into the room. “Where is your pretend bodyguard?” he asked with a sneer.

“He isn't pretend,” I defended.

“Well, where is he? I see no sign of him or anyone else here. Was he the one you were talking with?”

“He, uh… he'll be here any moment.”

“Well, apparently he doesn't care enough about your safety if he leaves you here alone,” he said with a derisive look at my house. “I won't let you out of my sight. No harm will come to you if you do what I want.”

“I'm not going anywhere with you.” I threw my weight against the door trying to get it shut. He easily overpowered me and forced his way inside.

I backed away, trying to figure out where to run or what to do. I ran to a second phone, resting in its base by Dad's reading lamp. Before I could dial anything, he took it from my hand and threw it against the wall. It broke apart, pieces of it scattering all over the carpet.

In the back of my mind I thought of how angry Mom would be that her new phone would never work again.

I turned to run, but he grabbed me by the arm and tucked it forcefully behind my back. My shoulder screamed in agony as I fought against him, effectively stopping my struggles.

“You are coming with me, Princess. Whether you come of your own free will or by force.” He jerked my arm up again, making me squeal. “You will be my queen, and I will rule Rommader the way it should be ruled.”

“No! You can't make me. I can't Travel with you.”

“Oh, but you will find I can, Princess.” He squeezed my arm then led me to the open door. His hold loosened as I stopped my struggles. I yanked away and lunged for anything to use as a weapon. He caught me again before I got far. Dad's lamp mocked me by being just out of reach. I only managed to knock it over. I did get ahold of a book. Gripping it with my one free hand, I smacked his face with it, delivering only a glancing blow.

My fighting back seemed to amuse him. Was he laughing at my feeble attempts to defend myself, or did he get a kick out of thwarting my plans?

I lunged away from him again, and made it to the shelf with my mom's potted plants. He still held my wrist, but I picked up one of the plants and threw it at his face. He ducked just in time and the pot hit the wall behind him. The potting soil exploded in a huge mess.

I jerked at my arm, but somehow he managed to sweep my legs out from under me with his foot and knock me to the floor. I sat down hard and struggled to catch my breath, weak from not eating for the past few days. He grabbed me by the elbow and roughly yanked me up. He pulled my arm tight behind my back, forcing a yelp of pain from me.

“Now, let's be civilized here,” he said through a forced smile. “I know you have been living among these strangers here for some time, but I thought you would have retained a few of your better manners.” He didn't even sound winded.

He pulled something out of his pocket, bringing it to my face, and sprayed my nose and mouth. My throat and eyes stung when I breathed it in. My vision went fuzzy, then black.

Before losing myself completely to a strange feeling of emptiness, I felt a jolt of panic that wasn't mine, deep in my soul.