Enaya: Solace of Time (26 page)

Chapter 36

The Truth

Locklin had the Ancrya up in just a matter of seconds with two soldiers standing over each of his shoulders. The tension was high, but Locklin refused to believe he could do anything about it. It was just a matter of safety, and the best bet was flying them where they needed to be, especially since four airships were flying behind the Ancrya to enforce the law. There was a soldier standing in the lobby guarding the cabins and there were two more in the cabins with the Magical. Leo was sitting on the edge of the bed across from Nile.

“I knew it was trouble from the start,” Leo muttered.

“What?” Ashera asked, leaning closer to him.

Leo lowered his head into his hands, sulking.

“What?” Ashera nudged him. “Tell me what you mean?’

Leo sucked on his lower lip. “You promise not to be mad?”

Ashera nodded.

“That Enaya gem. That thing brought this here, these soldiers and these flying ships. It’s from the future.”

“Leo, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“It doesn’t have to,” Leo said. “It took us to another time and brought this all back here.”

Ashera gasped. “Enaya, you said?”

“Enaya,” Leo replied.

Ashera looked down to her feet, unsure of how to respond to such foolishness.

“Nile was afraid to tell you. He was afraid of what you might think, but it isn’t his fault. It isn’t anybody’s fault. We found it, and then all of a sudden, it took us to the future.”

“I sure hope you’re joking, my friend,” Bancroft said.

Leo slowly shook his head. “I wish I were.”

“I don’t know what to think.”

“It’s my fault as well.”

“I don’t understand,” Bancroft said.

“Those soldiers are here because of Enaya, element of time,” Leo replied.

“My family is dead, Leo, and this is your excuse?”

Leo jumped at the sound of Bancroft’s raised voice. He looked over at Charis, who was holding her knees close to her chest and rocking back and forth in the corner. Leo glanced up at Bancroft. “I’m so sorry.”

The Ancrya stopped. Two ships pulled in front of it. Locklin flicked a couple of switches and a loud buzzing noise went off. The Ancrya was now set to autopilot and he applied the park break. He leaned over the computers and glanced out of the window. The Black Widow descended from clouds.

“Great,” he mumbled.

There was a loud voice coming from an intercom from the Black Widow. “The Ancrya must open all entrances immediately.”

“Open the airship,” said the soldier, poking Locklin in the side with his rifle.

Locklin looked toward the soldier with sadness in his eyes. Fear ate him alive. He fumbled with more controls, and all the entrances into the Ancrya opened. A soldier grabbed him under the armpit and pulled him to his feet, then threw him toward the door, his rifle poking down Locklin’s spine. They came to the lobby and Locklin peered through the large glass window as the Black Widow became parallel to the Ancrya. Norcross was standing on the balcony with several of his soldiers.

Norcross tapped the deck with his foot, and a long metallic bridge extended from the base of his balcony and stretched to the Ancrya door. Norcross then walked across it and stepped through, looking at Locklin. They held their glances for few seconds in silence.

“You must be proud of yourself,” Norcross said.

Locklin said nothing.

“You’ve taken good care of the Ancrya, I see,” Norcross added. “The Ancrya is back in my custody.” Norcross signaled for his soldiers, and they quickly rushed in. Norcross stepped in front of Locklin, breathing on him. “You will fly this ship back to Silvago.”

“I heard ya the first time, eh.”

Norcross threw his arm around Locklin’s head and got him in a headlock, then pulled out a pistol and placed it at his temple. Through clenched teeth, he said, “The next time you disobey me and steal my ship, I’ll make sure that your daughter gets a nice welcome home card from Daddy. I’ll kill you and your friends publicly, and the world will be set by your example not to disobey orders.” Norcross then slid the gun to the center of Locklin’s forehead.

Locklin looked up to the barrel of the gun. “I agree.”

Norcross pushed Locklin away. He walked into the cabins where the rest of the Magical were. He stared at Leo for a few seconds, reminding his own self that he would pay Leo back. “Where is it?”

“What?” Leo asked.

“The jewel.”

“Enaya?” Leo asked.

“Exactly.”

“The woman with the two elves took it.”

Norcross looked back at Leo awkwardly. “Are you joking?”

“No, I think they said her name was Shebris.”

Norcross closed his eyes in disappointment. “Are you sure that is who took it?”

“Yes, I saw them with my own eyes,” Leo said.

Norcross glanced across the room; he winked at Ashera. He stepped over to Nile, aimed his pistol at his chest, and fired. Ashera screamed and covered her mouth. Then she lunged out of the bed toward Norcross but fell to the floor. She pounded against the wood as she sobbed.

Wrath consumed Leo like wildfire, and he wanted to grab Norcross and fire a shot into his head. His fingers locked as he arched them and his chest bloomed out. The only thing holding Leo back were the other soldiers and the fear that Ashera and Bancroft and Charis and Locklin might be harmed. A soldier aimed his rifle at Leo, reassuring him what would happen if he stepped out of his bounds.

“Pain,” Norcross muttered. Norcross glared at Leo. “Oh yes, I almost forgot, the next time you humiliate me like that in front of my soldiers, I’ll rip your skin off your body and throw your spoiled rotten meat to the dogs.”

“Is this how ya feel, eh?” Locklin asked. “Does this power make ya feel more alive than ever before, bringin’ pain to the people around ya.”

“Shut it,” Norcross said, placing his pistol in his holster. “He caused us enough trouble. Your orders are simple. Get the Ancrya back to Silvago.”

Ashera crawled over to the bed Nile was on. She scooped Nile up in her arms and rocked him back and forth. Blood poured from Nile’s chest. She felt his throat and could feel a pulse. Nile was still alive, and there was a painful grin that stretched across her face as she cried.

“It is a Nublon shot,” Norcross said. “He will live; it just causes tremendous pain to the body. He’ll wake in a few hours.” Then he left the airship.

“He used to be a decent guy, ya know?” Locklin said, looking to Leo. Locklin turned and went into the cockpit, staring at each soldier he passed. He took a deep breath, pulled out a cigarette and began to fly.

Chapter 37

The Angel of Solace

I had never run so hard before in my life, never so quick. My legs burned, my hair flapped against the sides of my face, and I could feel it thump . . . was it my heart? No, just my hair. I was so nervous, so scared, hoping that I wouldn’t have to fight. I had to. It was my job. I promised my father I would protect them.

We made it to the angel statue. There was something historic about it, something about being under the stone wings that protected us. My mother grabbed Isaiah and held him in her arms. He was scared too, but he was sixteen, he had a reason to be scared. My father fought when he was fifteen. He was my brother though. We had been closer than most siblings. There was no way I was letting him fight.

My mother signaled for me to come to her. I did. She placed an arm around me and held me close. I remember her smell, like a vanilla candle. It was something that my father brought her back from the Crystal Kingdom. She always had this aroma about her that made me feel at home even if we weren’t.

Then the leaves crumbled. Was it me? Was it my mother or Isaiah? No, they were perfectly still. I broke loose from my mother and looked around. There was nothing, but I could see the leaves crumble. I knew with all my heart something was there, just protected by the magic of the moon. Then the crows landed. They came together and Srinath was staring at me. I felt like I had snuck up on a rattlesnake.

Srinath undid his belt, pulling it through the loops forming a chain. He wrapped it around his dead hands, then pulled out his sword. I reached down and grabbed a stick. A stick. That’s all I could find. I was in a lot of trouble by now. Srinath swung the chain hard, smashing it into the statue. Pieces fell off.

I charged Srinath, but he was too fast and too strong. He swung his chain and hit me. I fell. He then swung his chain at me again and the steel scraped across my spine. I screamed out and I remember rolling to my side to see my mother reach for me, but Srinath separated us. He grabbed her.

I got to my feet but I was limping. He wasn’t going to wait. He stabbed her. The sword went through her cleanly and he pulled it out. She fell to her knees then to her face and I was left screaming. Isaiah crawled toward me and I reached for him with open arms.

“Nile!” he screamed.

“It’s all right,” I said.

Srinath brought the chain over his head and slung it into Isaiah, knocking him on his back. I ran toward him, but Srinath swung the chain into me. I felt it break my skin. It hurt so badly. I stumbled and Srinath kicked me away. He then walked to Isaiah, bringing his sword up above him. I screamed for him to stop but I was too slow. The sword came down and pierced Isaiah’s chest.

All was lost.

I rolled to my back in pain, crying as I did. A figure blocked out the sun and as I looked to the heavens, Srinath was over me. The sword was above his head, and as he brought it down he was knocked off his feet. My father had jumped to my rescue . . .

Nile woke up to the sweet smell of lilies in this beautiful field of what he came to know as Solace of Time. His chest throbbed in pain, but he was able to push past the annoyance as he got to his feet. He took a step, but his knee wobbled and he fell back to the ground. Nile crawled over to a tree. He leaned against it, taking deep breaths.

“What is happening?” Nile asked.

Nile grabbed the tree and he pulled himself up. His knees buckled and his back trembled as he pulled himself up straight. He heard his spine crack. He turned around and leaned his back against the tree catching his breath. A tremendous pain shot through his veins and after a few seconds of standing, he fell to his rear. He leaned against it. A familiar orb floated to his face.

“Shebris used her magic on you,” the orb said.

Nile rested his head back and looked down his nose at the orb. In a quick breath, he said, “I was there.”

“Do not worry. I am with you.”

Nile took in a harsh, deep breath. “Everyone is dying.”

“I know.”

“Is it the end?”

“The end of humanity . . . no, but the end of innocence . . . yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“That all those you love are fading away. Time has a way of taking things we hold dear to our hearts and placing them in a treasure chest of the past.”

“Treasure chest?”

“Memories.”

Nile smiled. “There is a—”

“Forgotten season,” the orb finished. “I was there when Bancroft explained it to you.”

“You were?” Nile asked with uncertainty.

“Did you forget? I’m everywhere.”

“Then where are you when I need you?”

“I’m always there. Just because you don’t see me does not mean that I don’t exist. You have to believe that I’m there and that I’m with you and that through time, things do get better.”

There was a moment of silence and Nile looked around. “I just want to see my mother.”

“And why is that?”

Nile pulled his knees up to his chest, and he rested his elbows on them, extending his hands outward. “I want to see her again and tell her I love her.”

The glow hovered backward and little lights joined in, forming a bigger bright glow. Nile watched them gather. His head was now hurting and the light wasn’t helping. The orbs continued to grow together—bigger and brighter.

A flash of light incinerated across Solace of Time. It was so bright that Nile covered his eyes, but he could still see bright dots under his eyelids. When he removed his hand, he saw a figure standing before him. His eyes were adjusting to the light. His focus became clearer and this blur of a figure became his mother.

Rechelle was ever more beautiful than Nile had remembered. She wore a long white gown that sparkled in the sunlight. Her brown hair seeped over her shoulders and she twirled around, allowing her dress to glow in front of him
.
She stepped toward him, and Nile extended his knees outward and sat up straight, patting down the grass beside him for her to sit.

Rechelle stopped above Nile. “My son. My brave and handsome son.”

Tears formed in Nile’s eyes. “Where have you been?”

“In a place of solace.”

“I need you.”

“I’ve watched you, and I assure you, Nile, that you don’t need me.”

“I miss you so much.”

Rechelle sat next to him. Her presence almost pulled Nile in closer to her as she rested against the tree. She grabbed his right hand and then kissed him on the cheek. His heart sank into his stomach. He could feel it. She then leaned back against the tree and stared at him. Her eyes were so beautiful and round. They were like looking into an angel’s eyes.

“I miss you too,” she said through her soft lips.

“I grew up the past few years without you. I had no idea where our father is and I don’t have anybody. Woodlands is gone, Dywnwen’s gone. I made a big mistake,” Nile said.

“Was it a mistake? Or, was this a plan for some greater purpose?” Rechelle asked.

Nile looked at her with watery eyes. “I’ve killed people.”

“No, you haven’t. You may have set a new direction for the course of time, but you are not a murderer. I have seen the men who have killed your people. They are evil and corrupt, and you are not.”

“They call us the Magical.”

Rechelle moved her hand from his cheek and sat back. “I know what they call you.”

“And they said that only those who have encountered Seraph can use Enaya. When did I ever encounter Seraph?”

“That is something you cannot know now. I have seen the path that is laid out before you. You will discover the truth soon enough.”

“So what do I do until then?”

“You continue to be who you are.”

Nile leaned back and looked at her. She smiled at him like a mother would; reassuring her child that everything was going to be okay. There was such passion that radiated from her brown eyes and Nile felt at peace. He knew it would be all right in the end. She squeezed his hand tighter.

Nile looked around. “Where is Isaiah?”

“Playing.”

“With who?”

“The new children of solace.”

Nile slumped down. “Is everybody’s solace different, or the same?”

“Solace is just a place of rest until the end,” she said.

“The end?” Nile asked.

“You will see when your time comes,” she said.

Nile said nothing.

“I’m always with you, Nile. I always have been.”

“I know.”

“Don’t you worry, son. This will all be over soon. I’m so proud of you.”

Nile looked at her. “Will you hold me?”

Rechelle smiled and opened her arms. “I would love to.”

Nile scooted closer to her and snuggled in her arms, resting his head on her shoulder. She cuddled him and rocked him back and forth slowly, humming a beautiful melody that he had never heard before. Her touch was warm and gentle. She rubbed her fingers through his hair much like she did when he was younger, but that too was a memory.

“I love you so much. I regret not telling you that enough.”

Rechelle smiled and held him tighter. “I love you too.”

Nile closed his eyes, nearly drifting to sleep. He mumbled, “Where will you be?’

Rechelle’s warm hands massaged his cheek. “I won’t be far.”

There was silence, and Rechelle continued to hum her song, and Nile felt soothed on the inside. He fell asleep to his mother’s voice. This was what he was missing.