The Realms of Ethair (8 page)

“
Arturion,” Sara called, breaking his
reverie. “If you wish to speak with Karina, she’s staying in Cara’s
house.”

The exterior of the house looked a little
different from how he remembered it. The walls were concealed with
vines and other creepers, making the whole structure look like it
was naturally a part of the landscape. The wooden arched door had
been polished to a sheen, “
Pure Heart, Pure Mind, Pure
Spirit
” etched in
Merleinan script:

It was his mother’s old home, which he had
adamantly refused to live in.

In the past, Sola had tried to coax him to
take an interest in it. His foster father eventually stopped when
he came of age. The
high
priestess, however, was made of different mettle. She would drop
subtle hints here and there whenever she had the opportunity. But
the latest and most obvious of her suggestions had left him running
toward it and the person he had been avoiding.

The windows were no longer shuttered with
wooden panels. It had been pushed to the side, revealing curtains
that billowed at the occasional breeze.

He stepped through the threshold.
Instantly, his extended senses were overwhelmed. A heady mix of
lavender and rosemary assaulted his nostrils. His ears picked up a
high pitched ringing and his eyes were almost blinded by the
brightness of the aura emanating within. He turned down most of his
extended senses to a minimum and focused on his physical sight to
search for Karina.

Strings of multicolored beads hung in
place of doors in each room. He entered one after another. The
place had been recently cleaned and aired. The linen room attested
to that; the cabinets almost empty save for the crisp white sheets
carefully stacked in a wicker basket. The enticing smell of food
wafted from the next room – the kitchen. Freshly baked bread,
fruits, cups, a knife and a jug of water were laid out on the
table. Kala or one of the novices must have left it for Karina’s
noonday meal.

The rest of the house was still and quiet,
it was impossible to believe that someone was inside it. The
tell-tale signs of presence were the food and the aura that had
overpowered him when he arrived.

A tube-like passage led to the annex.
Glass shards adorning the walls illuminated the area. At the end of
the hall, was another curtain of beads. This one, however, had
ancient symbols engraved around it. He slipped his hand through the
entryway and peeked in. It was his family’s archives. Sara had
mentioned its contents offhandedly. Valuable information was stored
here, including the origins of his forefathers leading to his
parents’ history.

The chamber was egg-shaped, designed to
preserve the items it held through the test of time. Glass cabinets
lined its walls, holding various odds and ends, some of which were
mere tokens and most considered valuable. Several shelves had the
common clay and crystal tablets and the rare ancient scrolls of
varying sizes and material. The most priceless of all were the
vials. Each contained sharp unpolished crystals. These were the
memories of his ancestors. The last vial looked vaguely familiar.
He remembered from his childhood, a necklace his mother always wore
with a stone setting just like it. Surely, it was hers. Arturion
had not known that she had been able to add her memoirs among the
others.

It called to him, urging him to touch it
and look into his mother’s memories. He had long ago resigned
himself with the knowledge that his curiosity about his parents
would never be satisfied. But, all this time, it was kept here,
just waiting for him or another descendant to enter and discover
its secrets. A pang of regret filled him for being so stubborn in
his refusal to claim his inheritance. He was also torn between hope
and apprehension as to what it might contain.

His hand trembled as he lifted the vial
off its case. He shuffled across the room and dropped onto the
cushion by the low table, examining the stone suspended within its
container. It was only then that he noticed the pair of brown eyes
studying him.

Arturion dropped his hand onto his lap,
clutching his mother’s memoirs tightly; willing it to be real for
he felt the whole thing too good to be true. Finding his voice, he
asked: “How long have you been here?”

It was the wrong thing to ask and could not
be taken back. He had forgotten his initial objective when he
entered the archives. Internally, he was still struggling to put
order in his thoughts.

“
Long enough,” Karina retorted but not
unkindly. She scowled as her eyes roved all over his face. “I had
wondered if something had happened to you. When you didn’t show up
after a week, I thought you forgot about me. Later on, I was
beginning to think you were just a dream turned into a nightmare I
couldn’t wake up from.” Briskly, she organized the papers she had
managed to acquire into neat piles.

She stood abruptly and strode out, the beads
rattling at her wake. A few minutes had passed before she called
out: “Are you coming or not?”

In the kitchen, they shared the food
between them. Arturion had not eaten properly in days and
thoroughly enjoyed working his way through his portion. On his
left, Karina ate hers with less enthusiasm as if the simple
activity tired her. Her eyes wandered everywhere but
him.

He recalled his previous assessment of her a
month ago. She was thin, then. Now, her collarbone jutted out
sharply beneath her dress. The conversation he had with Sara
earlier returned to him.

Karina
had been asking for him during her second week in Merleina.
The high priestess and Kala tried to address it without betraying
Arturion’s confidence. They distracted their guest as much as they
could by teaching her the customs and traditions of their land. But
Karina had seen through it. One day, she disappeared into the
forest.

A messenger of the Devatas, also known as
the Forest Folk, greeted Kala when she came in the morning. He was
sent by one of the lesser princes of the Court. The message had
been short, stating that they would return Karina to them by day’s
end.

Kala had been frantic the whole day that
she burst into tears when a dazed Karina returned, whole and
unharmed. When asked about what had happened to her, she would only
answer that there was music and dancing at the Court.

“
You are angry with me,” Arturion
began.

“Maybe. I don’t know what I should feel about
you anymore.”

“I am sorry.”

“It would be nice if you could tell me what
you’ve been up to.” She was offering him an opening.

He was at a loss where to begin and
admitted it to her apologetically. Karina gave him a measuring
glance.

“Let’s play a game. You’ll answer my question
and I’ll answer yours. Deal?”

Arturion agreed.

“What is a Gate Keeper?”

“
A Gate Keeper assists people in transition
or what is more commonly called
ascension
. It does not apply to just anyone. We help those
who have found it difficult to remain in the third dimension – your
world – or those who are ready to make the leap towards the higher
fourth dimension and beyond. Merleina is situated between the lower
and higher fourth dimensional plane.” Abruptly, he changed the
topic. “How are you feeling?”

“
Fine. My turn,” Karina said
quickly.

“That’s not a real answer.”

“It is.”

“
The truth, Kristina.”

“
It’s Karina. I said I’m fine. I’ll tell
you if it changes to better or worse,” she said irritably. “I’ll
give you another chance. Ask me a real question.”

“Why did you seek out the Devatas?”

“The music.” Her expression softened. “I
always hear them at night. But that evening, it seemed close. I
wanted to see it. I didn’t leave my doorstep. Not really at first.
I didn’t want Kala and Sara to worry. I just wished for the music
and the dancing. I knew there was a dance because Kala had told me.
Someone came and invited me to join them in the celebration. I told
him that Sara had forbidden me to leave without Kala. He said they
were all waiting for me. He promised that he’ll send word to Kala
that I’d be back and that I would have fun. So, I came.” She smiled
at the recollection. “Anyway, Sara lifted the ban. I can come and
go as I want in Merleina and by the edges of the Forest as long as
it’s during the day.”

“The Forest Folk are wary of humans. Still,
they’ve accepted you as their own. Who invited you?”

“Kelor-dan.”

Arturion blinked at the mention of the
prince’s name. Prince Kelor has been a favorite of the Devata for
centuries. A lesser prince but favored by the High King and Queen
of the Devatas. He had never involved himself in human affairs
before. To have his friendship would mean having the Devatas as
powerful allies.

“You realize it could have been a trick,
someone posing as Kelor-dan.”

“Yes. Either way, I would have gone.”

“Just for the entertainment?” he asked
incredulously.

“
For everything.” Karina sighed. “I’m sick
of hiding just because I’m the foreigner here. And I wanted a
breather – away from...”

At last, the truth was revealed. It was
understandable. He knew firsthand how Sara paid attention to the
people she cared for. The high priestess did not fuss. Her ability
to perceive every action you have made or will have done could keep
anyone on their toes. Sara’s impeccable comportment made temple
worshipers self-conscious of their behavior when faced before her.
Simply, no one wanted to be on the receiving end of the high
priestess’ displeasure.

“
Enough about me. What did you tell Aly and
the others?” Karina asked.

She didn’t tell Arturion that Kelor-dan had
hosted a feast to celebrate her
arrival in Merleina. The prince had been a gracious host, attentive
to her needs and comfort. He even played a string instrument to the
delight of the Court and had led her through several complicated
dances. For the first time in days, she enjoyed herself that Karina
had completely forgotten about Kala.

The Devatas called her Liyanna, a being of
light and air, yet born of earth. The prince’s eyes had shone at
the pet name. Kelor-dan had helped her come out of her shell. She
had felt truly at one with herself and with everything.

He delivered his promise to take her back to
Merleina at sundown. Before he left her, Kelor-dan had kissed her
on the forehead and extracted a promise not to forget him.

Reality returned when Kala almost tackled
her on the path, hugging and sobbing, asking if she was alright.
Sara followed slowly with eyes full of knowing. Right behind the
high priestess, Sola had the look of surprise again. At her daring
to break Sara’s rule; risking herself by attending her own
celebration; or, for having Kelor-dan accompany her? It would
remain a mystery to Karina.

Arturion, however, only blinked once when
she told him about the prince. She had thought he would scold her
for her lack of self-preservation. In return, she would accuse him
of leaving her behind in a world she barely knew. Nothing had gone
according to plan. The moment he walked into the archives, she was
relieved to see him alive and well. The longing in his eyes when he
picked up the vial was her final undoing. All her prepared speeches
for the day she came face-to-face with him vanished.

Karina
had asked him as casually as possible about her sister and
friends. The reaction it created filled her with apprehension.
Arturion had flinched at Aly’s name.

“Arty, what did you tell her?”

His tanned
face had gone a few shades lighter.

Did Aly do something to
him?
she wondered. Her
sister had a fiery temper and could scare off even the toughest
man. Aly’s knowledge of the law didn’t help. She had the habit of
spouting it to those who had offended her and her loved
ones.

She remembered his expression when he told
her about Merleina in her living room. He was wearing it now.
Slowly, he recounted the events to her – his encounter with a
drone, the assistance of the Black Guards, and her
funeral.