The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1) (3 page)

The vision of a kneeling man, with an executioner’s sword poised above him, and the faces of his two sons helplessly looking on kept propelling itself into her mind. 

The sauna experience, as well as the dream paralleling it from the night before, weighed her down with an almost physical force.  She could explain neither how they occurred, nor what they meant, but one thing was clear in her mind…they were very real. 

Rubbing her eyes, she tried to rid herself of the memories.  “Stop this, Jessica,” she commanded out loud.  A telephone ring intruded on her thoughts.  Snatching up the cordless she answered a little too loudly, “Hello?”

“Happy graduation day, Jess!”

Relief swept through her.  “Grandma Gaylee, I’m soooo glad you called.”  She flopped down on the edge of the bed.  “I’ve been wondering if I should call you.  The weirdest things have been happening to me and I think I’m going crazy!”

“Jess, tell me what’s going on.”

Jessica talked for nearly forty-five minutes.  She recounted her two dreams from the night before and her strange experience in the sauna, followed by the phone call from Mark with the party invite and how excited she felt about Thomas Banks being there.  She did not leave anything out, for Grandma always seemed to know when she did.  At last she ended with, “and Grandma, I just don’t know what to wear!” 

The silence from the other end of the phone lasted for so long that Jessica wondered if her grandmother was still on the line.  “Grandma?  Are you there?”

“Yes, dear.  I’m…still here,” came the slow reply.

“Are you all right?”

“Jessica, there are many things I’ve never told you about myself.”  There was another long pause.  “I understand the dreams and I can unravel each one.  I do have answers for you, but not right now.  I need to digest what you’ve told me.  Besides, today is your day and I won’t do anything to spoil it.  I think we have a little time, so first thing tomorrow morning I’ll come over and tell you a fantastic story about devotion to duty, bravery beyond self, and a lust for power that almost destroyed a nation.  We’ll sort everything out together so don’t worry anymore.”

“Grandma, you’ve really got me going.  Can’t you tell me now?”

“Jess,” there was a catch in the woman’s voice, “
not now
.” 

Jessica knew not to push her grandmother. “Okay,” she resigned herself, “but, you really do understand this stuff?”

“Yes, dear, I really do.  Everything’s going to be alright, I promise.”

“You don’t think I’m losing my mind?”

Grandma gave a slight laugh.  “No.  In fact, I know you’re not.  Now let me help you with that outfit.”

* * *

Jessica paced back and forth in the kitchen.  Her high-heeled shoes echoed on the tile while her graduation gown swished with every turn.  The microwave clock showed another minute had ticked by.  “Eight minutes after four.  He’s late.” she complained to Sneakers, stretched out on the cool tile floor.  A persistent flutter in her stomach made her feel especially edgy.  “Why am I so jumpy?”

Sneakers lifted his head and meowed.

“I know you don’t know.”

Shifting to his belly, the cat meowed again.

“Yeah, I know I worry too much, but it’s more than that.  It could be graduation, or even this Thomas thing, but that should make me excited, not…scared.”  She stopped in front of the large bay window located next to the kitchen door.  Only her car, bathed in bright sunlight, was in the driveway.  A few rosebuds peaked above the sill from the bushes underneath.  Jessica always worried when her father was late.  She realized long ago this was a reaction to her mother never returning home, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never stop the anxiety.  Finally, her father pulled into the drive.  

He dashed from the car, almost before it stopped moving, and ran up the walkway that led to the kitchen.  A second later, he flew through the door.  Checking the clock on the microwave, he panted, “Not bad, not bad at all.  I made it in fifteen minutes.”  He offered no explanations for his late arrival and Jessica knew not to question him.  “You look beautiful, just like your mom.”  He gave her a huge bear hug. 

“Dad,” she squeezed him back in relief.  “Thanks for trying.”  She let him go, then grabbed the camera on the table.  “Let’s go.” 

Sneakers followed the two out the kitchen door and around to the front yard.  When Jessica posed in front of the weeping willow for the first picture, the animal sat at her feet. 

“Jess, tell the cat to move.”

Looking down at her pet she responded, “He just wants to be in the picture with me.”

“Well, this isn’t a family photo.”

“Sneakers,” she called.

The cat stopped grooming.  His yellow eyes met her sapphire blue ones.

“Dad says this is not a group opportunity, so will you please go over and sit by him?”

Sneakers looked at John for a few seconds.

“Now, please.” 

He obediently scampered to John’s side.

“As usual, Jess, I’m amazed.  You and that cat have quite a relationship.  It’s uncanny how you two communicate.”

After snapping thirty or so frames at various locations around the yard, the fashion shoot ended.  Back in the house, Jessica grabbed a small bag with her party clothes.

Picking up her wallet and car key, she headed for the door.  “I guess I’m off,” she called over her shoulder.  “You’re getting Grandma, right?”

“Yes, I’m right behind you, just have to grab the video camera.” 

Jessica’s car stood next to her father’s.  When she opened the door to throw her bag in, she remembered the party. 

“Hey,” she yelled, “There’s a party tonight at Mark’s house.  It starts around nine.  Okay if I go?”

“A party, huh?”  He locked the deadbolt behind him.  “Sure.  Have a great time; just drive carefully.”

“Thanks…oh, and Dad,” she added.

He paused at his car, parked beside hers.

“Please, please, please…don’t leave every light on in the house for me.  I’m a big girl now and just need a porch light…not afraid of the dark.”

He smiled and nodded.

* * *

Downtown, Jessica found a parking place across from the Opera House where graduation ceremonies were held.  As she left the car, a white pickup drove in beside her.  Thomas Banks climbed out of the driver’s side with his cap and gown tucked under his arm.

Jessica’s pulse picked up speed.  “Hey, Thomas.”

His face flushed a light red, but he smiled.  “How’s it going?” he replied.

“Fine.”  Jessica felt awkward.  She desperately wanted to say something witty, something to impress him, but her mind was completely blank.

They stood together in silence.  Finally, Thomas broke the uneasiness when he cleared his throat, “I guess Mark’s having a party tonight.”

Relieved, Jessica nodded.  “Last minute as usual, but it should be fun.”

They started across the parking lot.  “Maybe tonight you can show me some of those awesome kicks you did in self-defense class.  I never knew a girl could be so intense.”

Jessica laughed.  “To be honest, I took the class for an easy ‘A’.  I’ve studied martial arts since I was five.”

Thomas gave a hearty laugh.  “Five!  No wonder I was constantly being thrown onto my back.  My sisters all took dance or piano.”  They reached the traffic light at the corner and as they waited for it to turn green, Jessica glanced up at the large Opera House Marquee.  ‘Ferris High School Graduation 5pm’.

“My dad’s retired army, and I’m the first girl in a long line of military men.  Mark said you’re off on a big trip tomorrow.”  Jessica was vaguely aware they were crossing Spokane Falls Boulevard.  Her attention was completely riveted on Thomas.

“My parents have planned this summer vacation for a year.  We head to Europe at six tomorrow morning.  Mark’s party wasn’t a high priority, but to be honest…when he said you’d be there…I couldn’t say no.” 

She caught her breath at the unexpected comment and felt her pulse increase.  They reached the backstage door.  He held it open for her.  Most of the three hundred seniors had arrived and were in various groups.  The two of them would go their separate ways in a few moments, he to his friends, and she to hers; however, she wanted his company just a little longer. 

“Are you ready with your speech?  Are you nervous?” she blurted out.

“You should be on the program, not me.  I’ve heard you speak, you’re good.”  Shaking his head, he sighed.  “I hate talking in public, but I guess I’m ready.”

She placed her hand on his arm. “I know you’ll do great.” 

“Thanks.”

“Jessica!  Hey Jess, over here!”  A pretty blond, already in cap and gown called and waved.

“Looks like you’re wanted, Heather’s calling.”  Thomas gestured to a group of girls at the far end of the room.  “And there’s Mark.”  He nodded at a group of guys off to his left.  “I’ll see you later tonight then.”

“Yeah, later.”  Turning away, she strolled toward her friends.  She did not know if Thomas watched her leave, but just in case, she wanted to look as regal as possible.  She almost succeeded too, but as luck would have it, a trio of boys started a game of keep-away with a graduation cap.  Within a few feet of reaching her companions, one of the boys, his eyes on the cap, ran headlong into Jessica, sending her sprawling in a most unregal fashion.  Her wallet and keys went flying as she tried to save her dignity in heels and a dress.  She managed to fall, as Heather later told her, gracefully.  While she and her friends quickly gathered up her scattered belongings, she stole a glance in Thomas’ direction.  To her utter horror, he and most of his friends were staring.

The Transmirian Spiral

Twenty minutes after graduation dinner, Jessica pulled up to Mark’s house, an older colonial home, located in a nice neighborhood on Spokane’s South Hill.  Several cars, including Thomas’s truck, were parked in a vacant lot beside the home. 

Thomas stood on the front lawn next to the makeshift parking lot.  She wondered if he’d been out there waiting for her. 

“Hey,” he called when she opened her car door. 

Before she could return the greeting, a black jeep skidded into the last open spot at the end of the lot.  The driver was yelling inside the vehicle.  His words were unintelligible, but the tone of his voice was unmistakable.  Ray, a football player who Jessica intensely disliked, raged at the crying girl beside him. 

Thomas, now at Jessica’s side, scowled at the scene.  “That doesn’t look good.” 

The yelling stopped.  “Let’s go,” he whispered.

Jessica nodded.

They walked over the freshly manicured grass, past the neat rows of planted pansies and petunias, to the front porch.  Just before stepping through the open door, Jessica took a quick look back toward the jeep.  The occupants were heading toward the house.  Ray had a grip on the girl’s wrist and she wiped at the smudged mascara under her eyes with her free hand.

The aroma of fresh baked bread permeated the home.  A woman carrying a steaming pepperoni pizza nearly collided with Thomas.  “Oh Tommy, didn’t see you there…and Jessica!  Here, take this to the game room, will you?”   She held the hot pads out to Thomas.

“No problem Mrs. R.”  Thomas reached for the burden.  “Smells great.”

“Mark made me promise to bring one down every half hour, so if you want anything special on it, just let me know.”

Jessica followed Thomas downstairs.  Music and laughter grew louder with each descending step.  A spacious game room, equipped with a foosball table in one corner, an air-hockey table in another, and gaming system in a third came into view.  The center of the room had a ping-pong table.  Jessica cleared a spot for the hot pizza on a table loaded with cookies, nuts, popcorn and chips.  Music played from a portable stereo set up under the refreshments.  On the far wall a sliding glass door opened onto a walk-out patio lit by tiki torches.  About thirty friends were busily engaged in the various activities as well as dancing on the patio.

“Are you up for a round of air-hockey?”  Thomas challenged.

“You’re on!”  He beat her soundly, three games to one. 

“Talking about unfair,” Jessica laughed.  “I’ll bet you practice all the time.  I’ve played air hockey a total of three, maybe four times.”  They watched a game of foosball for a few minutes and then wandered over to the video games. 

“Ahhggg!” the boy playing sighed.  “I’ve had it.  This game’s impossible.”

“Which one is it?” Jessica asked.

“I dunno,” he shrugged, “some fantasy adventure.  Here, Thomas.”  He handed the controller over. 

“Only one can play this game.”  Thomas held the controller out to Jessica.  “Go ahead; show me what you’ve got.”

“Not me.”  Jessica held both hands up.  “I never got into video games.  I have enough addictions with Solitaire on the computer at home.  You go for it; let me see a master at work.” 

Thomas began the game and Jessica settled in beside him on a small couch in front of the television monitor.  An armor clad warrior, a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, appeared on the screen.  The musical score swelled in volume, base violins and tympanic drums punctuating each step the avatar took.  Thomas deftly maneuvered the man through a maze of burning buildings, the sword twisting this way and that, slicing through falling debris.  A monster made entirely of flame appeared from behind a stone hedge.  The warrior jumped over it, spun around and drove his sword deep into its red-orange heart.  It stumbled backwards.  Bright, white-hot sparks sprayed in all directions.  Trumpets blared when the creature screamed out in pain.  The sound pounded in Jessica’s head.  Cymbals clashed as the monster exploded.  The warrior held up his shield against the thermal blast.  Waves of stifling heat surged over Jessica.  A nearly consumed building, several yards from the warrior, crumbled.  Smoke from the charred debris swirled into the air.  The distinct smell of smoldering wood filled Jessica’s nostrils.  Her eyes watered.  She closed them and swiped away the involuntary tears.

In an instant, the happy sounds of a room full of people grew silent.  Jessica sat on what was left of a demolished marble statue.  Shattered white stone lay in piles at her feet.  For a moment she was immobilized, stunned by her abrupt change of location.  Smoke tainted the air she breathed.  The foul stench of charred flesh made her stomach churn.  She threw her hand up to cover her nose.

The distinctive smell brought a sickening feeling of familiarity.  Barely one hundred feet in front of her was the burned out shell of a once great building.  Most of the foundation stones, though blackened by smoke, were in place.  Only a few charred beams, still upright in the piles of smoldering ash, remained of the actual structure.

She knew this place.  She knew the statue had been of a large bird in flight.  She knew the home had been a welcome haven to all who visited there.  It had been that way for hundreds of years.   It was the home of the protectors, of Haesom, his wife and his two sons.  Slowly, Jessica turned.  Behind her lay the once manicured lawns of the estate.  A devastating scene of armored corpses, some heaped in groups and others singly sprawled on trampled grass, lay in all directions.  Light from the setting sun punched through holes in the smoky haze that covered the field and reflected on polished helmets and broken swords.  A cracked spear, its point sunk deep into the earth, protruded at an angle next to her.

From across the yard, a lone man stumbled through the mist.  Using a sword as his cane, he limped from body to body searching the unresponsive faces.  It seemed a slow, arduous process. 

“Hello”, Jessica called out.  The man paused, straightened.  He looked to where she was standing, but no emotion registered on his blood smeared face.  He went back to his grizzly task, seemingly unaware of her presence.  Several thin strips of cloth were tied around his left leg, from the top of the thigh to the end of his calf.  They were all that held the slashed muscle together, and threatened to snap with each step he took.  He arrived at the first of several corpse piles.  Jessica was nearly overcome with pity when he reached for the top corpse and pulled it down.

“AAAAGGGHH!”  His anguished cry ripped through the eerie silence.  He leaned heavily on his sword.  “Dead…all dead.  How can I bear it?”

Yes, how could he bear it?  This poor soldier...how could she bear to witness it?  Why was she back here, to this horrible scene of death and destruction?

A low groan came from a cadaver mound only feet from Jessica.  She jumped.  The man hobbled to the pile, nearly tripping in his haste.  He checked each body for breath before heaving the lifeless form to one side.  The fifth one he came to coughed.  “Reese!  Good Lord, boy!  I can’t believe you’re alive!”

“Barely, Cordon, barely.”  The young man was ashen white, his breath came is shallow gasps.

“Can you stand?”

“Maybe, just give me a minute.”  Slowly, some color came back into his face.  “Okay…okay, let’s try this.”  With help, the rescued soldier rose to a wobbly stance.  “How many survived?”

“Now that I’ve found you, four.”

“Four?”  Reece’s voice quivered.  “We were a thousand!”

“They slaughtered every one left alive.  I found the other two, like you, under piles of corpses.  I too fell at the head of my men.”

“Grandpa?”

The man shook his head.

“The family?”

“I’ve spent all day searching for survivors.  Been over the entire estate and there’s no sign of them.  A lot of bodies are burned beyond recognition, others mutilated so badly I don’t know who they were.”

A sob escaped the younger soldier. 

“Pull yourself together, boy.”

“I failed, Cordon.  You assigned me the duty of protecting the family.  They were just boys, and a defenseless woman.”  Cordon nodded, his anguished face reflected Reese’s misery. 

Jessica fought her own tears.  Remembering her dream-or had it been a vision- from the night before, she turned her gaze toward the grassy knoll beyond.  Did he search for the family on the hillside?  She closed her eyes against the horror she felt, but then she remembered.  Quirt reported he saw the bodies being thrown in the kitchen well.

She opened her eyes.  The two men were leaving, leaning on each other for support.  “The well,” she called, “look in the kitchen well!”

The younger man stopped, his abrupt action nearly causing the older one to collapse.  “Did you hear that?”

“I heard nothing but the wind,” Cordon replied irritably.  “Come on.  I’ve got to get to Ramadine, warn Larone. And you’re going to Ider Hoffle, tell the elders what happened.”

“Look in the kitchen well!” Jessica yelled.  She maneuvered around two bodies to get closer to the retreating men.  “Do you hear me?  The family’s in the well!”

Cordon froze, his bad leg in mid-air.

“Tell me you heard that.”  Reese barely whispered.

“I heard it…a buzzing noise making words in my head.”

“The kitchen well?  Could the Saylon family be in the well?”

“It’s worth a look.  That’s the one place I haven’t searched.”

Smoke cloaked their receding forms.  Jessica didn’t follow after them, she had no desire to see what was in the kitchen well.  Instead, she turned her attention to what was left of the great building before her.  She walked to the edge of a crumbled partition and gazed into the gutted interior.  From deep within the bowels of the burned out building, something called to her.  It touched her mind, a whisper, a yearning.  She stared downward, past the rubble, past the cinders.  A weak light, like the beam from a tiny flashlight, appeared through the darkness.  It called again…more insistent…more compelling.  It wanted her to reach for it, take it and command it.  Justice.  Judgment.  She reached forward.

“Oh man!  This game’s impossible!  Marko, when are you going to get cheat sheets for this thing?”  Thomas’s voice jolted Jessica back. 

“Only wimps use cheat sheets,” Mark retorted.

“Then I guess I’m a wimp.” 

Jessica combed her fingers through her hair, trying to reorient.  She was certain she was losing her mind.

“You’re probably not very hungry, having eaten such a late dinner, but let’s go look at the food,” Thomas suggested, seemingly unaware of Jessica’s loss of reality.  “My dinner was before graduation and Mrs. R. just brought down another pizza.”

“Yeah, yeah…that sounds really great.  I could go for a big chunk of chocolate right now.  About a pound would be good. ”

“You like chocolate, huh?”

“Ooooh, yes.  Best stuff in the world.”

When they reached the table, most of the goodies were gone, but a fresh pizza still steamed.  “Hmmm, no chocolate.  Guess I’ll settle for pepperoni,” Jessica said.  “You’d be amazed at how much I can eat.  Running cross-country keeps me famished most of the time.  I’ll bet the girls’ cross-country team could out eat the football team any day.  I’ve been to buffets with those runners and even I’m amazed at how much we can all put away.”  Jessica grabbed two pieces of the homemade pie.

“Drink?”  Thomas gestured to a row of sodas. 

“Just water.  I’m still in training.”

He filled two cups from a glass pitcher.

They took their food outside onto the small, well-lit patio.  Music came from hidden outdoor speakers.  Thomas led the way, weaving through six sets of dancers to reach two empty chairs.  A full moon illuminated the clear night sky.  Its light shimmered on the four foot high rock wall surrounding the cement pad.  A pleasant breeze blew, and the smell of newly mowed grass drifted on the air.

“So, are you going to Europe with your family?” Jessica nibbled on her large slice of pepperoni.

Thomas set his cup down.  “Yeah, I’m the youngest, so my mom planned this whole summer adventure:  Italy to see a brother in the Navy, Paris to a friend, and of course, Euro Disney.”  He paused for a bite of his pizza.  “I did pretty well in our German classes, so there’s Berlin, and finally England for Dad to do some genealogy.  We’ll be home the week before college starts.”  He took a long drink of his water.

“Sounds exciting.  My summer vacation started today and ends Monday when I go fulltime at the vet clinic.”

“Are you going to school this fall?”

“Yep, to the U in Seattle.”

“That’s where I’m going.  In fact, Mark and I are rooming together.” 

Suddenly college seemed more enticing than ever.  She wanted to say something clever, but a large bite of chewy pizza crust stopped her.

On the other side of the patio, a Siamese cat darted out from under some blooming lilac bushes and jumped from the stone retaining wall onto the concrete patio.  The feline sprinted across the courtyard, dodging its way around several slow dancing couples.  When nearly to the open sliding doors, the animal stopped, twitched its ears and fixed its yellow eyes on Jessica.