Starlighter (31 page)

The crystal turned as black as the egg’s shell. Magnar looked at it briefly before muttering, “This lie will remain. The official records need never know the truth.”

“Okay,” Jason said reaching toward Zena. “Give me the bag, and we’ll get out of here. Arxad needs a way to carry the egg, and the strap should work.”

Zena removed the finger and dagger from the bag, and then set the bag at Jason’s side. A tiny circle of red blazed at the center of her pupils. “He will hatch soon,” she whispered, “perhaps tomorrow, so the egg had better be back in its nest tonight. If he commands me to bring you back, I will hunt for you, and nothing will be able to shield you from my view.”

Elyssa strode back to the bottom of the exit stairway where Allender stood with the children and the other men. “The bees are almost here.”

Wallace stayed on his knees, frantically digging with his blade.

Allender hoisted a little girl into one arm and guided a boy with the other. “Come! Everyone into the tunnel. We’ll have to hide in the water.”

“I almost have it!” Wallace pushed the crystal’s point into the hole, but it still wouldn’t quite fit. “Just a few more seconds.”

After herding everyone into the right-hand tunnel, Allender set the girl down and paused at the entry. The children and the other men waited behind him. “Wallace! You must come!”

“If I open the portal, we can escape!”

A thud sounded from the top of the stairs, then another. The buzzing noise heightened.

“Yarlan is coming!” Allender hissed. “We will try again later!”

A third thud sounded, closer. A line of bees streamed from the left-hand tunnel and flew in an orbit above Wallace’s crouching form. Allender ran out and batted the bees with his arms. They pelted his body with sting after sting. Allender grew suddenly still, his eyes fixed on the children huddled in the tunnel entrance. Then, with more bees gathering on his skin and adding their stings, he turned and walked into the massing swarm near the rear wall.

Groaning as the bees enveloped his body, he staggered back into the anteroom and, with a sudden burst of speed, ran up the stairs. “They’re dead!” he screamed as he disappeared through the exit. “The bees have killed them all!”

A flash of light appeared, and a horrific scream echoed throughout the chamber. The bodies of twenty or more bees dropped down the stairs, scorched and charred. A few seconds later, a louder, more bestial scream ripped the air, then silence.

Elyssa covered her mouth. “Oh, Allender!”

Wallace jammed the crystal peg into the hole. “I got it!”

“Shhh!” Her legs trembling, Elyssa ran back into the anteroom and spoke in a low tone. “We have to make the dragons think we’re dead.”

The three tunnels at the back of the chamber faded away, revealing Tibalt standing with his hands in his pockets. The river behind him flowed steadily from right to left. “How did you do that?” Tibalt asked. “I opened it a few minutes ago, but no one was—”

“Quiet!” She waved toward the right-hand tunnel, though it was no longer in sight, and whispered, “Everyone come! Hurry!”

Micah’s head appeared through the portal plane, then his arms and legs. Natalla came next, followed by the other children and the men, each one glancing at the exit and the charred bees. Tears streamed down Micah’s cheeks, but he said nothing.

“Everyone step into there,” Elyssa said, pointing toward the river. “Tibalt, put your fingers in the holes so I can close the portal from this side.”

Tibalt withdrew his hands from his pockets, now unbandaged, raw and bleeding. “But I can’t see the holes.”

“Okay.” When every slave except Wallace passed safely into Major Four, Elyssa stooped next to him in front of the line of crystalline pegs and looked up at Tibalt. “When the wall reappears on your side,” she said, “open the portal again immediately.”

Tibalt flexed his fingers. “I’m ready.”

As Elyssa grasped the crystal, another thud sounded at the top of the stairs. She jerked her head up and looked at Micah. “Yarlan?” she whispered.

Micah stooped in front of her, his voice also low. “It likely is, Miss. No human could make such a footfall.”

A series of bumps rifled through the chamber. Elyssa raised her splayed hand and hissed, “Open it in five minutes.” After jerking the peg out, she grabbed Wallace’s arm and hustled to the tunnel on the right. They crouched in the shadow and watched the anteroom.

Grunts erupted near the bottom of a stairwell along with another loud thud. Finally, two male human forms appeared. One had his back turned toward Elyssa, blocking
the other from view. Each one grasped the side of a raft and dragged it into the room.

“On three,” one of them said. “One…two…three!”

In unison, they dropped the raft on the floor, making something metallic rattle on top of the rope-bound logs. Both men stood with sloped shoulders, their heads low.

“Randall?” Elyssa called out. “Cowl?”

The closer man turned. “Elyssa!” Randall’s face beamed. “You’re alive!”

She ran out and embraced him with damp arms, but he didn’t seem to mind. When Wallace joined them, Randall clapped him on the back. “Who else survived?”

“We all did,” Wallace said. Then his smile wrinkled into a frown. “All except Allender.”

Cowl clasped his hands, and his voice shook with passion. “I thank the Almighty One for my daughter’s life, but how can I celebrate in the shadow of my friend’s death?”

A shiver ran up Elyssa’s spine, and she pushed back a surge of emotion. “What happened to Yarlan?” she asked.

Randall pointed at the exit. “Cowl and I were watching from the other stairs, hoping for a chance to attack. When Allender distracted him, the dragon dropped his guard. That’s when we moved in.”

“Did you kill him?” Wallace asked.

Randall picked up a blood-smeared sword from the top of the raft. “No, but he’s blind now. I don’t think he’ll be bothering us.”

Elyssa lowered her voice to a whisper. “And Allender? Are you sure he is dead?”

Randall and Cowl looked at each other for a moment. Cowl combed his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. “Miss, Yarlan burned Allender, and…” As his voice drifted to silence, he turned his head, obviously trying to keep his composure.

Setting a hand on Cowl’s shoulder, Randall added, “Let’s just say that the myths about dragons’ eating habits might well be true.”

Elyssa clutched her stomach as nausea churned within. No one said anything for several moments.

Finally, Elyssa stooped and touched the raft. “This is a brilliant idea, but it will be a rough ride.”

“I think two adults with each child will work,” Randall said. “Since we have to climb the rope and switch the river back and forth, it’ll take a lot of time, maybe hours.”

Elyssa imagined the process. It would be torturous. “I don’t have hours.”

“But you know how to operate the mechanism. We need you.”

Elyssa pressed a finger into Randall’s chest. “So do you. Between you and Tibalt, you can figure it out.”

Randall tightened his grip on his sword’s hilt. “I should search for Jason. Not to insult you, Elyssa, but he needs someone who knows how to fight.”

She grasped his bicep. “You’re stronger. That’s why you need to be there to haul people up that rope. Besides, if Counselor Orion gets wind that I’ve returned, my life won’t last very long. And Jason needs someone stealthy who can sneak around.”

Wallace raised his hand. “And someone to show her how to find him.”

Elyssa pulled Wallace to her side. “That would be perfect.”

“Okay,” Randall said, nodding. “You win.”

She stooped and inserted the crystal into the hole. Instantly, the portal reopened. Tibalt stood closer to the plane, his fingers extended. “I was just about to—” His eyes widened. “Randall! Good to see you!”

Cowl spread out his arms. Tam leaped over the line of crystals and jumped into his embrace. With a lively step, he carried her into Major Four and turned back towards Elyssa. “We are ready to explore a new world.”

“That’s wonderful, Cowl.” Elyssa felt a tear welling in her eye. “Just wonderful. I hope to see you again soon.”

Randall took Elyssa’s hand in his fingertips and kissed her knuckles. “It has been a pleasure, dear lady. It might take some time to get these folks situated. I don’t think Drexel and his conspirators will be happy to see me or the Lost Ones, so I’ll try to blend them into the communes until I figure out what’s going on. If you’re not back by then, I will return to search for you and Jason.”

Tibalt pressed a fist against his chest. “And so will I. That young buck can’t open the gateway without me.”

Elyssa laughed. “You two do that. We might just need you.”

Natalla strode back into the anteroom. “You have to find Koren and help the cattle children.”

Elyssa stroked the back of her head. “I promise you from the bottom of my heart, I will find Koren. And Jason and I will do everything in our power to bring every last human to freedom.”

Natalla gave her a sad nod. “When you see Koren, please tell her I love her, and…” Her voice faded away.

“And what?”

A weak smile dressed her lips. “Tell her it looks like I really did get promoted.” Natalla walked back across the portal and took Mark’s hand. “I think I found a new daddy.”

Mark laid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “And when Petra gets here,” Mark said, “she will have a new daddy, too.”

After Randall helped the men haul the raft into Major Four along with torches and flint stones, he set his sword down at Elyssa’s side and joined Tibalt and the children at the river.

“By the way,” he said, pointing at the stairs. “Jason’s sword is outside. He might need it.”

“I’ll put it somewhere he can find it.” She stooped and grasped the peg, gazing at the flowing river. Might this be the last time she would see her home planet? Would she ever be in her mother’s arms again?

As if reading her mind, Randall smiled and said, “Don’t worry about home. I’ll let your mother know that you’re alive and well. No mountain bear could ever be smart enough to outwit that clever daughter of hers.”

Tears welling, Elyssa nodded at him and returned his smile, but no words would squeeze through her tightening throat. She pulled the crystal from the hole, and when the other world disappeared, she let out a long sigh.

Wallace stooped beside her. “You’ll get home eventually. I know you will.”

She swiped a tear away and squeaked, “How can you be so sure?”

“Because of something Koren once said to me.”

Elyssa nodded. Although she had seen Koren only from a distance as a dragon carried her away, she could tell from the young woman’s determined expression that she was remarkable. Elyssa rose and reached for Wallace’s hand. “Tell me what Koren said.”

Wallace slid his hand into hers and stared at Elyssa’s necklace as he spoke in singsong.

When hands entwine, two hearts in line,

Impossible things come true.

Together we’ll hold, together be bold,

As long as it’s me and you.

As she gazed at him, more sincerity poured forth from his single eye than any pair of eyes she had ever seen. This young warrior would be a partner she could count on.

She picked up the sword and pressed the hilt into Wallace’s hand. “Lead the way, warrior. Let’s find Jason and Koren.”

Jason stood on the raft and steadied himself. The logs seemed stable enough, and the anchor at the end of the trailing rope held fast in the riverbed below. Near one corner of the raft, the bag of food—bread, dried fruit, and salted meat—rode the current without a problem. Tree boughs arched overhead and swayed in a cool breeze that carried unusual odors, some sweet and some earthy. Using his tracking skills in this new world wouldn’t be easy. Even the shadows fell across the river at odd angles.

Koren looked on from shore, holding a torch that carried a tremulous flame. With night settling in and a moon rising over the trees, the feeble lights barely illuminated her face.

“Ready?” Jason asked, reaching toward her.

“Ready.” Koren took his hand, stepped aboard, and tapped out the flame on the side of a log. When the flickering light died away, only moonlight remained, casting them both in near total darkness.

“To the Northlands?” Koren asked, still standing.

As his vision adjusted, Jason took in her sparkling eyes. They seemed excited, yet pensive. Many worries dragged against her sense of adventure. He smiled, trying to communicate a dose of confidence. “To the Northlands. Maybe I’ll find my answers there.”

“Answers?” Koren sat down and crossed her legs. “What are the questions?”

“I’m not sure I know all of them.” Jason knelt and pulled up the anchor, then picked up a pole and pushed it into the water, shoving against the riverbed. The current caught the raft and sent it along at a quick but comfortable rate. Staying on his knees, he looked at Koren. “The biggest question is how to get the slaves off Starlight and back to my world.”

“That’s why we have to go to the Northlands. Arxad once told me someone is there who might be able to help me. Maybe that someone can tell us how to come back and free them.”

“Okay, that’s a good start.”

Koren spread her cape over her legs. “What other questions trouble you?”

“Let me think…” Jason watched her callused hands as she smoothed out the rich material, an intriguing contrast of slavery and high position. Her blend of confidence and modesty also seemed contradictory somehow, yet oddly appropriate for this mysterious girl.

He sat down fully, copying her cross-legged pose. As he leaned forward, a pendant dangled from a necklace and twirled slowly—Elyssa’s pendant. The two sides took turns coming into view—closed hands and open hands, slavery and freedom. Earlier, Arxad had taken them to the mine so they could find out what happened to Elyssa and the others. Elyssa had left the necklace draped around one of the crystal pegs with the open-hands side showing, her sign that slavery had lost the battle. Freedom had triumphed. And finding his bloodied sword nearby proved that Randall had aided the effort heroically.

Jason grasped the hilt of the sword, now safely tucked away in his scabbard. Yes, Randall was truly a hero, a far better man than Jason had given him credit for. They had worked together and risked their lives to free the captives, and now many slaves were in a new world, no longer fearing the punishing whip of the dragons. These Lost Ones were no longer lost.