The Silver Sphere (41 page)

Shelby's eyes burst open wide. "You... a-are... my a-aunt?"

"Yes dear. My sister loves you. Biskara turned her love
against us."

Shelby buried her head in Bianca's bosom as she wept.

"It's okay, my darling. It is over for now, and there is
much to discuss." Bianca caressed Shelby's hair.

Shelby trembled in her aunt's arms, overwhelmed with emotions.
Regardless, she was glad it was over. At last, she and the other Kin finally enjoyed
their respite.

Meracuse stirred with activity as heroic tales flowed from every
corner.

The Kin exchanged stories of their adventures inside their private
lodgings. Chambermaids brought over jugs of libations and confections, while healer
Beekman personally attended to the various cuts and scrapes of the Kin.

Bianca joined them. "The truth seekers defeated Biskara.
He has fled the southern hemisphere for now."

Shelby nodded with glee and joined the others devouring cake,
which was blissfully sweet after chewing so much chud. Any sort of real food tasted
good after days spent running, hiding, drinking nothing but tea, and being terrified
of the war.

Morgana stepped into the chamber. As healer Beekman cleaned out
a cut on Zach's forehead, she gently retrieved the cloth from the healer's hand
and continued cleansing the wound. Zach smiled.

Healer Beekman grinned and strode over to work on Max's sore
ribs.

Shelby looked back to Bianca. "What now?"

"Lord Achernar is on his way to greet you. He already ordered
a celebratory feast tomorrow evening. Tonight, we rest."

They sat and chatted, glad for the respite.

Throg entered their chamber. He collapsed onto a bench, inhaled
a piece of white chocolate pastry, and chased it with blueberry ale. He smacked
his lips and sighed. "Good cake."

A burly man burst into the room. He towered over them, wrapped
in rich robes of blue satin. With hands on his hips, he scanned the Kin and beamed
with a hearty grin as his long blond hair glistened. Shelby had never seen someone
who emitted so much power and energy.

"Oh, impressive Kin, how proud we all are of you! Meridia
thanks you from the bottom of its soul. I decided to order a wonderful feast to
celebrate tomorrow, and you will be seated at my table with the Assembly."

Lord Achernar walked over to Throg and they exchanged a jovial
hug. "Captain Throg, I would like you to join us as well. Your courage and
loyalty once again shines through. I am off to be briefed on the state of the countryside.
Meridia is in need of much repair, but please, rejoice and rest for now. I will
revel with you on the morrow." He clapped his hands together with enthusiasm
and exited the chamber.

For a moment, Shelby was baffled. Then she laughed and drank
some blueberry ale. It was tart, thick, and wonderful. The others joined in.

Once their wounds had been tended to, the Kin explored their
chambers. What they found made Shelby grin.

"Looky here. A steam room," Max called out. His hand
was gingerly pressed to his side.

Riley bounded to another door, her hair whirling. "There's
a huge mud bath, too!"

"These bathrooms are divine," Emily cooed. She brushed
a strand of her long locks back.

The lavatories were riddled with gold and silver, the faucets
adorned with diamonds. Trays of sweets were placed throughout the chambers along
with glowing pitchers of ale, juice, and water. Clean clothing had been laid out
for all of them, and each Kin had their own bedroom.

"I'm hitting the steam room," said Stuart.

Max rubbed his side "That should help my sore ribs out."

The girls decided on the mud bath. Shelby, Riley, Emily, and
Morgana slipped into the rich, warm mire, and Zach joined them. Throg walked off
for a shower, talking about how time in the wild had made him miss hot water and
soft featherbeds.

Zach slid in deeper. "I've never had a mud bath before.
Even back home. This is so relaxing."

Shelby hadn't thought of "home" in a while. She grew
uneasy when she envisioned her father. She'd fought a war, saved a kingdom, and
had grown almost five years in only a few days, yet the idea of returning to the
beast still made her edgy.

"Are you okay, Shelby?" Zach asked.

She found herself speaking from her heart. "Yes, I'm just
thinking of home. Since my mother left, my father has been a mess. He wakes up wailing
in the middle of the night, and he drinks all the time. Once... he was so cool before.
He scared me the morning... before the portal."

Zach locked eyes with her; he seemed to be deep in thought.

Her words brought them to reality. She could sense them thinking
of their families as well, wondering what had happened to their mothers and fathers,
sisters, brothers, and pets while they'd been away. How long had they been gone?
No one knew.

Bianca appeared in the chamber and sat down beside the mud bath.
"How are you all doing?" She offered a warm smile.

"Great," Riley and Morgana chimed in.

Zach added, "Not bad. Glad to relax a little."

Shelby said, "Bianca, how long can we stay... like... here
on Azimuth?"

Bianca hesitated a moment, then wiped a spot of mud off the edge
of the bath with a cloth. "Your identities were breached when you were young,
so we sent you to Earth to insulate you. You can stay a bit, but you'll have to
return to Earth for your own protection. Your families there are genuine Meridians.
Except for yours, Zach. A horrible accident took your true Meridian parents' lives,
as you now know. You are the only Kin that has a choice to stay, due to Brock's
passing."

"I feel like I am more loved here," said Zach.

Morgana shot him a simper and rustled mud in his hair. "I'm
not letting you leave."

Emily twirled a strand of hair around her fingers. "I miss
my mom and dad. And my dog."

"I have four younger sisters to look after," Riley
said with a sad grin. "I wonder what kind of trouble they got into while I
was away. Are they Meridians, too?"

Bianca nodded, her eyes glittering with a secret smile.

Shelby said, "My father needs me. I couldn't abandon him,
anyway. He won't... he c-can't...."

Bianca cast a look of sympathy to her. "Well, let's not
think of that now. You must rest. There's always tomorrow for everything else. There
will be some beauticians and the like coming up to help you all prepare for the
feast. I'll come by, too. The Assembly will escort you down to the gala once you're
ready tomorrow evening. For now, enjoy your respite. Dinner has been brought to
the main chamber for you." She plopped a pile of towels next to the mud bath
and departed.

After some time, they exited the bath and rinsed off in the mineral
pool next to the tub of mud. The scent of sulfur filled the steamy room.

As the others left, Shelby forced the thought of home aside.
Tonight was a night for relaxation, not lamentations. Her aunt was right: tomorrow,
after the feast, she could decide what to do.

She and the rest of the Kin moved on to the showers and prepared
for the evening.

The night before had been restful, and now the Kins' chambers
buzzed with life and excitement. Beauticians had arrived and swept the girls away.
Meanwhile, the boys chose suits and dressed in their own spacious bathroom. Each
young man selected a suit of a different color. The velvet jackets lay emblazoned
with gems and embroidered in fine twine. The silk and satin undershirts sat folded,
white and clean. For slacks, they chose ivory to match their shirts.

Zach took it all in and smiled, content for the first time in....
In fact, he'd never been this content.

"Like royalty," Max exulted, glancing in the mirror.
The sheen of his black eye had gone down, but it remained swollen shut. He examined
his green blazer. Around the arm strung a cord of sanguine and gold, signifying
his place as a Kin. The other boys had similar markings.

"Well, you are royalty here," said Throg matter-of-factly,
as he fixed his bow tie. He had slicked his hair back and trimmed his goatee. All
in all, he resembled a dashing swashbuckler garbed like a prince.

Zach pulled on his jacket, deep maroon with gold embroidery.
"Bianca said I can stay here."

"I think I'll remain as long as possible," said Stuart.
He had chosen a blazer of navy blue, with silver and gold buttons that shone in
the candlelight. "My family must be terribly worried, though...."

"I'm staying for good," said Zach.

The boys froze and gaped at him.

Max's hand stiffened on his tie. "Your family?"

"Not great. My parents passed in a car accident and I was
adopted at six. They have me call them by their first names. They never truly felt
like my family, and they're getting divorced. I never had a choice to pick my family.
Now I do. I'm staying. Meridia is my true home."

They all nodded. While he knew he would miss Adrian, he just
couldn't go back to that life. How could he live in a house with no love?

The boys finished dressing and entered the main chamber of their
suite. There, they enjoyed some refreshing tea and ale. Zach sipped his ale, admiring
the others and enjoying their company. When they returned home, he would miss them.
Max and Stuart were like brothers to him; their links had accelerated that bond.

Throg patted him on the back. "You know, Zach, the Assembly
will be thrilled with your decision. With Brock's passing, they need you to operate
the Sphere, but they would never ask you to stay. Plus, I want a fishing partner,
and Morgana requires someone to tend after her since her father is gone."

"No fishing at the Invunche Lake, though. I never want to
encounter a wishpoosh again." They laughed, and Zach gazed at his friend, hesitating
before asking one question that burned at him. "Throg, you mentioned you were
Captain of the Assembly's personal guard and left due to heartache. May I ask what
happened?"

Throg twirled his goatee and his eyes narrowed. "Sure. I
haven't spoken of it in a while. I loved Bianca's sister, Samantha. She was ambitious,
and a captain just wouldn't do, though I sensed her passion for me. She chose to
marry a man of a prominent family instead. I decided to take a break, and realized
how the woods had become healing for me. You'll understand one day."

The girls emerged from their bathroom in a wave of perfume and
sparkling gowns.

"Jumping Manticores," Stuart whispered, his eyes wide.
"Wow, Riley, you sure are dazzling."

"Hold on a second" said Max, feigning concern. "Did
you see some girls named Shelby, Riley, Emily, and Morgana in there?"

The girls beamed and blushed, stunning in their resplendent dresses.

Emily wore a gown of light blue with silver scrollwork along
the hem, the needlework accented with glittering diamonds the size of teardrops.
Her bodice was laced tightly, and gorgeous sleeves draped to the ground. Turquoise
forget-me-nots hung in her caramel hair, accented by a single white rose.

Riley's blonde locks cascaded across her shoulders and down to
her rosy pink ball gown. It was embroidered with golden roses and rubies that sparkled
in the firelight. A gorgeous ruby headband shone brilliantly among her honey locks.
She swept the gown back and curtseyed.

Morgana preened in a midnight blue ball gown. Black lace, etched
with silver, covered the dress, and sapphires gleamed as if stars. Her eyes had
been painted a lovely shade of beryl, matching her fierce, warm gaze.

Zach's eyes were glued to her, and she blushed. He swallowed
hard, unable to turn away.

Shelby emerged last, her raven hair braided and twirled up behind
her head, where gold flower barrettes held it in place. Small daisies dotted the
braids. She wore a luscious rusty orange gown. Brilliant yellow and aurous accents
rose from the bottom up, swirling like flames. They hit her waist, each tendril
ending in a shining topaz gem.