The Realms of Ethair (23 page)

“What are you doing here?” Arturion passed by
him without a glance.

“
Warm welcome you have for a friend.” Reno
folded his arms. Arturion’s auric color was off. It was too human.
No, it was worse. “I noticed your wards are down.”

“I didn’t have the time to put it up again.”
A lie. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re losing people.”

“
No need to be snappish. Why don’t we sit
down for a moment and swap information.” He sat on the couch. A
flicker of annoyance crossed Arturion’s face.

Seated on the chair, the Commander had a
better look at the new Arturion. The physical appearance was
flawless. He would have mistaken him for his friend, but the bad
attitude was a dead giveaway. Reno would have to get a closer look
to check for telltale signs of plastic surgery. Still, they were up
against a technologically advanced enemy. It was highly possible
that he was facing Arturion’s clone…

“Are you redecorating?” he asked, his gaze
landing at the potpourri, which kept snagging his attention.

“
No. Why?” Arturion said, then his eyes
widened in realization. He reached into his pocket a second too
late. Reno’s eyes flashed. The man flew to the other side of the
room, hitting the wall with a loud crack, and fell senseless on the
floor.

A squeak erupted from the bar; breaking
Reno’s focus from the person he had attacked. He rarely used
telekinesis at such an extent. The Guards didn’t know half of what
their Commander could do. Their knowledge was limited to his
competence in Indariki inside the training grounds and bargaining
skills with the Captain of the Sentries.

“You can come out now.” Mindy emerged from
her hiding place and looked at the prone figure, then to her
uncle.

“
Is he…?” Fear colored his niece’s voice.
He had never demonstrated violence in front of a
relative.

“He’s alive.” Reno internally winced at the
indifference in his tone. She must think the worst of him.

“What – happened?” The Guards were also
asking him the same question.

“
He’s not Arturion,” he said to Mindy and
his men.

“What made you think that?”

He pointed at the potpourri. Mindy warily
came to his side, alert for any abrupt movement. He was not sure if
she was scared of him or the impostor. She picked up the bowl and
scooped a handful of dried flowers, revealing two pendants; one of
which was the crystal issued to all Gate Keepers.

Reno snatched the bowl from her. He felt
an invisible barrier snap in the ether as he grabbed the twine
holding the crystals.

“
Alfredo knows,” an ethereal voice broke
free from the binding in one of the pendants.

“What was that?” Mindy asked.

He stared at her, pocketing the
necklace.
When had she become clairaudient?

“Who was that?”

Should I tell her the
truth?
he
thought.

“
Uncle, that wasn’t a ghost because I don’t
hear them, I’m not crazy, and that wasn’t you. Do you have
invisible man in your team of X-men?” Her hands had returned to her
hips looking like his mother in her youth.

“X-men?” He frowned.

“Mutants.”

Mutants, indeed.
“We’re not. And – who was that
again?”

“Invisible man.”

“
He’s not part of my team. The voice came
from this.” He retrieved the object from his pocket.

“
That,” she said, incredulously.

“Highly advanced technology.” He shrugged,
hoping she wouldn’t ask more.

“And what’s that got to do with Fred?”

Fred. Alfredo. Were they talking about the
same person? More importantly, what did he know that made Arturion
cast wards to prevent anyone from finding and taking an interest in
a necklace? The working was more complex than usual. Reno had been
compelled to forget inspecting the bowl’s contents. Mindy’s casual
act, however, did not trigger the first ward.

The secondary barrier held. If he had not
been part-Merleinan, he would not have seen the object right under
his nose. Likewise, the spell would remain intact until it entered
Merleina’s territory. The tinge of darkness in the last ward
astonished him. If the necklace fell into the wrong hands, an
unfortunate fate would befall the keeper. It was a dangerous spell
that could backfire on the individual who had cast it. No Merleinan
in his right mind would resort to such desperate measures,
especially Keepers. Arturion was the last person he had anticipated
to use the Dark Arts.

Suddenly, a loud crash erupted directly
above them. Reno sprinted up the stairs, Mindy following at his
heels. The Guards would take action soon. The events of the day
have been unexpected. His niece snooping on his friend’s house;
Arturion’s spell-casting; the impostors; now, this.

From the staircase’s landing, he saw a very
blonde woman sitting in the middle of the chaos.

He sighed.

Mother’s going to kill me.

Her eyes flew open at the sound of glass
breaking
.

Oh, no.
She cringed inwardly at the sight of her
surroundings. She was neither in Merleina nor in Kelor-dan’s
palace.

Liyanna
had been practicing the lessons she had with the
Rituvan in her spare time. A week ago, he had begun teaching her
new breathing patterns for initiating Merkaba. She was surprised
that the technique came easily to her and made her first trip in
two days. Those who watched her training, including Kelor-dan, did
not comment on the pace of her progress. On the days the Prince was
present, she would sense Pellinor nearby. They obviously did not
trust the Rituvan, even if he had bound himself to her service.
Still, everyone encouraged her to learn what she can by allowing
her to use Merkaba within the realm. Her few short trips were not
perfect; yet, it had never thrown her this far from her chosen
destination.

Footsteps ran up the stairs. One pair, light
and quick; the other, heavier and slower.

The crunch of glass made her look down. She
was sitting on broken glass. Another crunch. She looked up. Reno
bent over her worriedly and glanced past her.

“
Is she okay?” Liyanna jerked at the
familiar voice. Pain seared her hand. The sudden movement had
caused a shard to pierce her hand.

“
Yes,” Reno replied. To Liyanna, he
said:
Can
you heal it?

She shook her head.

A shadow crossed his features. Instinctively,
she expanded her awareness. The place was teeming with people.
Mindy and Reno; a stranger downstairs; the Black Guards. Each Guard
was fighting two mindless beings. The Black Guard Commander was
torn between family and duty.

“
Go,” Liyanna said.

Reno’s head snapped towards her, he had
been mentally communicating with his men. The stranger downstairs
was moving and Reno was still staring at her. Before he could
react, she twisted towards Mindy and flung the glass that had hurt
her. It hit the person that had sneaked up behind her friend. The
man lost his balance and fell down the stairs.

“Commander. Go.”

“
I can’t leave you both,” Reno said in
Merleinan.

She fisted her hands to hide its shaking, but
Reno was quicker and noticed it.

“Liyanna. You’re my priority.”

“
Not anymore,” a voice boomed in their
minds, making them flinch. A man in a pin-striped suit came out of
Arturion’s room.

“
Haron,” Reno said in a deceptively calm
voice. He moved between her and his spy. A hand nudged hers.
I’ll deal with him.
Take it and go.

She took the objects from him and retreated
to Mindy’s side. Before she could touch her friend, the spy
vanished and reappeared in front of her.

No one’s going anywhere.
He smirked at her, his hand
grabbing her arm tightly.

A quick peek at the Commander and she knew
she was on her own. Reno was already fighting three men. One of the
stones he had given her was smooth and faceted ending in a sharp
point at its tip. Adjusting the object in her palm, she slashed it
across the man’s face. A jagged gash formed, some of the blood
spattering on her. His hold tightened even more. Anger flared in
his eyes.

Then, there was a blur of movement. The
spy screamed, cupping his face with both hands. Liyanna looked
beside her. Mindy’s hand was raised, gripping a can of pepper
spray. Quickly, she embraced her best friend and said: “Close your
eyes.”

Light engulfed them both.

She was back in her bedroom with Kelor-dan
and a distressed Theona standing in the middle of it, probably
discussing her disappearance. At the end of the room, the tapestry
draping the doorframe was moved aside and Pellinor entered.

Liyanna
cleared her throat. They all turned to the sound
and saw her and Mindy. They were definitely not expecting Liyanna
to be bringing a human in their realm.

“
I got lost,” she said.

“Well, it seems Liyanna has managed to find
her way back. If my services are no longer required here,
Kelor-dan…” Pellinor trailed off.

A nod from the Prince and he was gone.

Theona returned into her tree. Kelor-dan
took her bloodied hand and examined the wound. “This is not your
blood,” he said.
How much does she know?

Mindy stood frozen in place with a dreamy
quality in her eyes. Kelor-dan had cast his Glamour on
her.

I don’t know,
Liyanna said helplessly and
recounted the events starting from her accidental trip to the third
dimension.

The Prince released her hand. The pain had
gone, momentarily itching but that receded, too. Her palm was
flawless once more. “You will have to decide what to do with your
friend. Remember that you shall always have my support.”

The willow’s drooping leaves parted for
Kelor-dan. He would come back when she had decided. Liyanna
returned to her friend’s side. The Prince tolerated Mindy’s
presence for her sake but he would not have a mortal human see
him.

“
Mindy.” The effect was instant. Mindy
snapped back to reality. Her head whipped from side to side, taking
in her surroundings. She tripped on her own feet and her backside
landed against the carpeted floor.

“
Where are we?” she breathed. Mindy turned
to the person who had brought her to an unfamiliar location in mere
seconds. “Where’s Uncle Reno? What is this place? How did we get
here? And what are you?”she asked, her voice rising after each
question.

Hurt stabbed Liyanna with the last one
even if it was understandable in a human’s perspective. It’s not
often you meet a person who travels faster than the speed of light.
She noticed how Mindy’s gaze shifted from her face to her
blood-stained hands. Liyanna’s hand twitched. It took all her
willpower not to hide them behind her.

“
Mindy, it’s me. Kristina,” she spoke in
Filipino, the words feeling foreign in her mouth. Still, Mindy
looked at her blankly. “Remember when you had a terrible migraine
back in college?” No response. “I healed you using energy and your
headache disappeared completely.”

Mindy searched her face for the old
Kristina. The shape of her
face, her nose and eyes were all too familiar.
“Tina?”

Liyanna
nodded.

“
It’s really you.” Mindy scrambled to her
feet and hugged her best friend.

Liyanna
awkwardly returned the embrace, taking care not to
further ruining her friend’s muddy clothes. “We thought you died in
the fire. There was a body and— what happened to you? You look so
different.”

“I might have or worse.”

Mindy took a step back to look at her in
confusion.

“
I was lucky Arturion came.”

“Arturion?”

“
Arty’s real name. He rescued me from Them.
I had to make everyone believe that I died to keep all of you
safe.”

“
Who’s Them? Is this a disguise or—?” Mindy
touched several strands of blond hair. “Whoa. This feels real,” she
said, her eyes wide. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want
to.” She wasn’t lying. Her feelings and thoughts matched her words.
Mindy was just so glad to see her best friend alive that everything
that had happened lost its importance.

Liyanna
had never been more grateful to her friend. She
had felt marooned in a strange land with no one to trust, not even
her memories. Everybody was in awe of her presence and innate
abilities; the braver ones were friendly to her but she could see
that behind their smiles hid an ulterior motive; those she could
trust wanted to protect her from just about everything; the rest
were complete strangers to her. She and Mindy, however, have been
friends even before she recognized her psychic abilities. Here was
someone Liyanna could trust with her life and who has the strength
to accept anything despite the impossibility of the
situation.

“No. It’s alright. You deserve to know.”

Mindy had not interrupted her when she
carefully explained the situation between the Zertans and Merleina,
the Forest Folk,
ascension
, and
Liyanna. Seconds ticked by and Liyanna grew fidgety at the ensuing
silence that followed. Her friend’s thoughts and emotions were in
tumult. She partially wished she had better control of her
abilities to block it out. Doubts began to form.
Was it too much to
expect? Has she divulged more than necessary?
The sway of the willow’s leaves announced
a visitor. She reluctantly pushed away her misgivings. Leaves were
drawn to the side, held by the Rituvan. Behind him was Reno,
supported by a slighter man, the Black Guards, and—
Arturion? No. It’s
not him.