The Enigmatic Pearl: Jeweled Worlds - Book 2
by Linda Jordan
Copyright 2012 by Linda Jordan
Published by Metamorphosis Press
Cover photo by Elenaray
Licensed by Dreamstine
Smashwords Edition - 2012
The Enigmatic Pearl: Jeweled Worlds - Book 2
Chapter 1 - Nakia
Nakia felt the energy shift in her body, gaining her a small increase of power, as the ship passed through the portal. The Meridian had floated them into the world of the Enigmatic Pearl. Into the Shadowlands which bordered the sea on both sides. The land appeared to be in eternal twilight. Far ahead, white light radiated across the sky.
The ship rocked beneath her and she smiled as plans solidified in her mind.
Angus came to her side and asked, “Nakia, do you know where we are?”
She smiled as the wind blew hair into her eyes, “We are in the Enigmatic Pearl’s realm now. What fun we will have possessing this world.” Her half-sister’s world.
He nodded.
Lord Montaine bellowed from the upper deck, straining to be heard above the snapping sails, “Your Majesty, which way should we go?”
Nakia turned to him, slightly irritated that he couldn’t see the obvious answer, but she remained polite, for the time being. It was his ship and crew, after all. “Towards the light.”
He nodded and steered them down the center of the strait.
She stretched her arms and felt the power tingling through her fingertips. When she and Angus had been captured, stripped of their magic and taken to the island prison, Nakia hadn’t anticipated her power reawakening. She’d plotted escape yes, but not this. The Black Opal had been renewed and with it, her entire world. Including the two of them. An unintended benefit. She hadn’t felt this alive for many, many turns. Nor had she carried this much magic. Angus’ magic had blossomed as well. Whether it would hold or not, here in this world, was another question.
Now, the power of the Pearl shimmered in the air around her, making promises of abundance. Nakia decided it would only be a short while before she learned how to absorb that magic.
In the water below schools of glowing fish followed the ship. Dark shapes of large predators moved among them as the fish spiraled away in a luminescent cloud. This world glowed from the light of the Enigmatic Pearl and she, Nakia, would be its largest predator.
Lord Montaine appeared by her other side and said, “Where do you think we are?”
“The World of the Enigmatic Pearl. We will find silver, copper and perhaps gold here.”
“Good,” he said, “I like metals. Our islands don’t have many of them. And that will help make us more powerful. And give us the strength to retake your throne,” he said.
She nodded and looked over to see Angus, clenching his jaw. Angus had loved her, even before the curse, but he knew the plan. They needed Montaine, Rufus. She needed to remember to call him Rufus. Nakia wasn’t used to being polite to people. She’d never really had to before. Ever.
She needed to keep Montaine feeling secure about his place in her life. They needed his ship and his men. Rufus was relatively easy to manipulate.
“Yes, my love. We will be filled with power, magical power and wealth,” she said, putting her hand on his arm. “I was right about this portal. Once we get closer to the glow of the Pearl, I’ll be able to discover where exactly we are. We should bypass the Mirrored Mountains. Once upon a time, I stole enough of the mirror stone that it is no longer rare in the Black Opal World.”
They stood for a time and watched the ship cutting through clouds of glowing fish. To the right side, the ship sailed past a settlement. What type of people would live in this darkness? When she had travelled to this world before there were rumors about people who could see in the dark and trees which walked and ate flesh, much like the sweetdeath in the land of the Opal. The rocks surrounding the settlement put off a dim glow which lit the outsides of the buildings. She felt cold and pulled the shawl closer around her shoulders.
“Well, I need to go and get some sleep. Come and join me? I’ll warm you up,” Rufus lifted an eyebrow.
It wasn’t an option to stay above and Nakia felt thankful Rufus was an exciting lover. She had been so long without a lover.
She and Angus hadn’t had time alone together since discovering their passion for each other and being hit by the faery curse. Nakia still wasn’t clear exactly what had happened that night.
Still, she would regret Montaine’s untimely death, but with the curse she couldn’t live without Angus. She loved him and neither could break the spell that bound them together.
She turned to Angus and said, “Wake me when we leave the Shadowlands. Then we shall see where we are.”
Angus nodded and she could feel the rage well up inside him. He sent a blast of light which hit the water. Fish bodies flew through the air. Then a feeding frenzy by sharks began.
Chapter 2 - Amanda
Amanda felt a wave of dizziness as the portal closed behind her. Ewan held her arm to steady her, but she gently shook him off. She needed to stand on her own, to be strong. It took several minutes for her mind to clear. The scar between her breasts, throbbed like a pulse, matching some unknown heartbeat. Shimmering light surrounded her. Gradually, she became aware of the trees.
The portal had opened in a forest of white, peeling barked trees. The leaves were round and the undersides were glistening white and tinkling like small bells in the breeze that blew past them. She felt overwhelmed by the strong smell of roses. Wild roses lined the clearing on the edge of the forest.
“How are you?” asked Ewan.
“Strange. I feel like everything inside my skin has been taken out, shaken up, then stuffed back inside. In all the wrong places. The portal between your world and earth didn’t feel like this at all.”
“Why should it?” he asked. “The worlds are all very different. Or so I’ve heard. I do know your world is absolutely alien compared to the Land of the Black Opal.”
She nodded and gingerly moved out into the clearing, looking down the hill. Below them lay fields of crops with people working in them. Beyond that a city with mirrored towers. The view was stunning. There was no sun, instead everything glowed from within, as if it carried its own light.
She said, “It’s beautiful here. I can hardly breathe it’s so amazing.”
Ewan nodded, his sharp blue eyes taking in everything.
“Is she here?”Amanda asked.
“She’s here.”
“What will Nakia do first?” Amanda asked, clenching her fists.
“Take control. She’ll need help, other than Angus. We don’t know how much magic she has recovered, but she’ll need information first.”
“Well, let’s go then.”
Ewan nodded and started off down the hill. Amanda followed, admiring the way his muscular back and arms looked beneath the T-shirt and backpack.
It didn’t take long before she worked up a sweat. It felt hot here. Asta had warned her it was tropical, although cool in the mountains. But they were headed for the sea. The center of the World of the Enigmatic Pearl. Aste had sent them to track down Nakia and bring her back. Or kill her.
Amanda’s gut still burned at the thought of Nakia. The pool of rage had cooled somewhat, enough to realize she would have to find the bitch in order to kill her. But both would happen. The former Queen of the Land of the Black Opal had killed Dylan, Amanda’s son.
Amanda only had him for three, short years. It didn’t matter that it had been an accident, that Nakia had been trying to kill Amanda and Dylan had gotten in the way. Accident or no, her son was dead. Now, Nakia would die soon.
Ewan stopped walking.
“What?”
“I need you to calm down a little. I can’t track with that much anger right behind me. It interferes with my senses.”
“Sorry,” she said, taking a deep breath. She practiced the calming meditation Aste had taught her. Holding her hands to the scar, drinking in the energy of the Pearl, whose magic had been imbedded in her skin, like a tattoo, in the shape of a tree branch.
Aste and Mira, Amanda’s twin, had done that while returning Amanda’s soul to her body. The soul, which Nakia had stolen, intending to make it her own. As Amanda focused on the calmer strength of her sister, the red rage subsided somewhat.
“Thank you,” said Ewan. “I know this is difficult. You can still turn back.”
“And let you go off on your own and find another woman. No way,” she said, flirtatiously.
He laughed, his golden hair jostling in the glowing light. “Have it your way.” Ewan kissed her lips, lingering slightly, then turned and continued walking down the hill.
She followed him down the narrow path, lips tingling. The guy’s glamour was very dangerous. He carried such singular magic. She still wondered what was behind the glamour. Would he ever love her? Did she want him to? Amanda didn’t have the answers to those questions. Her life lately had been too full of chaos and grief to even consider love.
They followed a narrow road between the fields, returning waves from people working the soil. Great baskets were filled with weeds, which the workers emptied at the sides of the fields onto sprawling compost piles. The crops looked varied. She recognized leafy greens, corn and perhaps tomatoes. The workers, men and women both, wore loose fitting short sleeved shirts and dhoti pants or loose shorts, all in bright colors. All their feet were bare. Both sexes had long hair, tied back or braided.
There was no subtle blending between the farmland and the village area. Just across the narrow road from the fields stood buildings. Bottom panels made of logs from the white-barked trees. The top of the walls were either open or hanging with curtains or mats. The houses, all one story cabins, circled around a central courtyard with a cooking hut. Chairs sat on front porches. Some of them were filled with elderly people doing handwork. Weaving, peeling fruit, carving toys. Children played among them, clearly enjoying their attention.
Amanda waved and kept walking, not feeling out of place, except for her shoes. She wore khaki capris and a tank top. She and Ewan headed toward the huge stone building which looked like it sat in the center of town. The mirrored sides glistened and reflected the fields and mountains behind them.
She looked back and noticed the mountains were made of the same mirror-like rock. They beautifully reflected the blue sky and small white clouds floating above.
As they closed in on the building, she could see tall, ornately, carved pillars of a silver stone, which didn’t reflect anything, contrasting with the mirrored sections. It should have looked cold and forbidding, except the mirrors reflected the green forest and fields behind. The sea beyond peeked through the open spaces. People bowed to them as they passed, putting both hands together in front of their chest, as if in prayer. Amanda and Ewan returned the greetings.
Ewan stopped a wrinkled, old woman and asked, “What is this building.”
She looked at them strangely and said, “It is the Temple of Asana.” Then she smiled and walked on.
They went inside what looked like the main entrance. It was filled with statues of fanciful sea creatures, Merpeople, dolphins and sharks. The statues were laden with pink and yellow flower garlands. Cushions lay strewn on the floor. Sea breezes blew through the open panels of the walls. Several people sat in meditation. Ewan and Amanda wandered and found themselves in a balcony garden.
A woman with long, white hair and dressed all in turquoise and silver watered some of the plants. She said, “I see you have come.”
“You were expecting us?” asked Ewan.
“The Goddess told me someone would come.”
“And why are we here?” Amanda asked. Anger bubbled inside her. She felt impatient to be done with Nakia.
The woman smiled at Amanda, her wrinkles moving closer together. The radiance which had emanated from Amanda’s scar the moment she entered this world expanded thousandfold. She gasped at the brilliance inside. Her entire body exploded with energy.
Ewan watched, concern wrinkling his face.
“I see you are present now,” the woman said. “I am Eleni.”
“I’m Amanda and this is Ewan.”
Eleni looked beyond them and Amanda turned to see a woman who wasn’t completely human. She had scales on her arms and legs, hips and shoulders. Her feet and hands were long and webbed, ending in sharp, curved claws. The woman seemed young and was completely naked, except for the silver jewelry, chains with charms and beads, around her waist. Around one thigh was strapped a knife in a sheath. Slender with small breasts and completely hairless, she had holes where ears would have been on a normal person. Her eyes were very wide-set and completely green. There were no irises or pupils. Silver, scaly ridges stood out on her neck, but most of her skin had a green cast to it. She looked stunning and Amanda felt magic pouring off of her.
“Aah, Nerina. It is good to see you,” said Eleni.
“It is good to be here,” she clasped her hands and bowed.
Eleni returned her greeting.
“I have a message for you from Queen Melanthe,” said Nerina.
“I thought so. Amanda and Ewan, I have business to attend to, but if you would be willing to join me in a meal afterwards, I can possibly aid you,” Eleni said.
Ewan nodded.
“Good. If you follow this balcony, you will come to my private rooms, where you may wash up and rest. I will meet you there.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said, moving past Eleni. They had walked for miles and she felt covered with dust and sweat. And thirsty.
Ewan followed and they looked over the side of the balcony. The Temple was on a cliff above the sea. Below them, sitting on the cliff’s edge were four people, three men and one woman, who looked almost identical to Nerina. Except that each of them had different colored skin and wore different jewelry, but they all had the same reptilean or sea-like features.
She could tell Ewan was as intrigued as she was. Eventually the people disappeared inside the Temple.
Amanda and Ewan went inside Eleni’s rooms. The stone walls were softened with colorful hangings, some woven from reeds, others from wool. Plants grew inside as well, so the place was filled with exotic fragrances which she couldn’t place, but smelled lovely all the same.
A square pool with a fountain stood in the center of the room. Stairs led into it. Flower petals were sprinkled in the water. Towels lay nearby so she took off her clothes and waded in. Ewan joined her. The pool was only thigh deep, so she sat down and tried to wash some of the sweat off. She swooshed her long, red hair in the water, trying to remove the outer layer of dust, but didn’t bother to unbraid it. The cool water felt lovely after walking for so long. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. There was no sun to measure time here.
After bathing, they got out and dressed in their dusty clothes. About that time Eleni called, “Hello. I have brought some food and drink on the balcony if you care to join me.”
Amanda and Ewan wandered back outside to a table laden with shellfish, salad greens, bread and fruit. Eleni drank out of a blue glass tumbler while they sat down at the table.
“You are strangers here, I think,” she said, pouring a clear liquid into two other glasses and pushing them towards us.
“Yes,” said Ewan.
“How can I help you?” she asked.
“We seek a woman named Nakia and a man called Angus. They have fled the Land of the Black Opal,” he said.
“You are Opal born,” she said to him. Then she turned to Amanda and said, “You are not from a world I know, but you wear the mark of the Pearl.”
This woman was cagey, Amanda thought. Somehow Amanda knew if she withheld the truth, Eleni wouldn’t help them. “I’m from earth. Nakia stole my soul. My sister, son and I followed to the Land of the Black Opal. Nakia killed my son and when the soul was returned to me, a branch from this world was put on my chest. I saw a white woman appear at the same time.”
Eleni sat back in her chair and stared at Amanda, her face unreadable.
Ewan sipped from his glass, waiting, she could tell. Amanda felt anxious. Was this woman’s help important or could they find Nakia without her? Amanda took a sip from her glass. It tasted fruity, like strawberries and as she set the glass down, warmth and relaxation spread through her body. Wine, strong wine.
Eleni said, “So Nakia stole your soul. I knew she was causing trouble again. The Pearl has been uneasy.”
“You know her?” asked Ewan.
“She is my sister,” Eleni said, slurping something from one of the shells.
“So you are Queen here?” Amanda asked.
“No,” she laughed. “Not for quite a long time. My daughter is the Queen of this world and the Guardian of the Enigmatic Pearl. Not that the Pearl needs a protector. Now, I am a Priestess and the caretaker of this temple.”
Amanda stopped nibbling on bread and asked, “Do you know where Nakia is?”
“No. But she is in this world. I have felt the Pearl’s disturbance. Nakia is here, making mischief, trying to destroy the balance which we maintain, although I don’t know exactly where. The Pearl could tell you.”
Ewan surprised Amanda by standing and pointing over the edge of the balcony. “She is there, across the sea.”
“Near the Silver Hills? That is possible,” said Eleni.
“Can you help us get there?” he asked.
“You could take a boat to one of the Floating Islands and see if anyone would be willing to take you there,” she said.
“We can pay,” Ewan said.
Eleni smiled and said, “You are strangers here. We use no money. What we do is out of kindness for others and for the wellness of our world. You will have more luck telling people you wish to remove a person of disharmony and need help.”
Ewan nodded.
Eleni turned to Amanda and said, “I do think you must pay a visit to the Pearl. The White Lady does not appear to many and it would seem that she has a message for you.”
“What do you mean?” Amanda asked.
“Nerina, whom you met earlier, has been sent to collect you.”
“Me? Or both of us?”
“Just you, although both of you are welcome, the Pearl sent her to bring you, Amanda.”
“Where is the Pearl?” asked Ewan.
“She lies in the city of Lumina, underneath the waves, in the center of our world and among the Floating Islands.”
“But I can’t go underwater. How would I breathe?”
“The same way all of us do who aren’t Water-people. Lumina was built with the entire population in mind. It is enclosed, but getting there, you will need magic, which you have in abundance.”
“Magic is new to me, I don’t really know how to use it,” Amanda said.
“Then it is time you learned. Nerina would be a wonderful teacher for you.”
Amanda felt excited about going to an undersea city, but anxious about depending on magic to stay alive. What if it failed halfway there? But most importantly, why would the Enigmatic Pearl send for her.
“I will not go underwater,” said Ewan. “I must follow Nakia’s trail. While it leads across the water, it does not go underwater. I cannot leave the hunt or I might not find her track again.” He looked at them with an unreadable expression.
Did he want her to go with him, wondered Amanda? To miss meeting the Enigmatic Pearl? Or was he saying goodbye? Temporarily or forever? Panic rose up inside her. He’d hardly left her side since Dylan died. She’d come to depend on him for security. He made her feel almost whole again.
An older man in long blue robes came through an archway. As Amanda’s eyes found him, Eleni turned around and she stood. She grasped his hands as he bowed. “Saala, it is good to see you, my friend. What brings you to this part of the world?”
“Greetings dear lady. I would speak privately with you. It is a matter of some urgency,” he said glancing at Ewan and Amanda. “I am sorry to take you away from your meal.”
“Ah. I was not really eating. Just nibbling. Excuse me,” she said to them. Eleni led him down to the far end of the balcony. Saala spoke, waving his arms. His voice rose, but he spoke in a language Amanda didn’t recognize. He seemed angry. She could only see Eleni’s back, but the Priestess looked tense.
Amanda didn’t want to look at Ewan. What choice should she make? Amanda felt so conflicted.
Finally, Eleni put her hands on Saala’s crossed arms, as if to mollify him about something. Then she turned and walked back to the table. He followed
She introduced everyone and said, “It would appear that Nakia has been at work in the Silver Hills. She has started mining in several remote areas. Saala believes she is sending the silver to the Land of Black Opal, just as she once stole our mirror stone for her palace. This created a tear in the fabric of our world which took generations to heal. She must be stopped. Are you powerful enough or should we send for others?” she asked Ewan.
“I do not know,” he said. “I know I can track her, but my magic is limited. Help would be useful.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I do not know how much of her power she has regained. Or how powerful Angus is now.”
“Angus?” asked Eleni.
“He was her Sorcerer. Once he was very powerful. Before they were imprisoned by us, both were stripped of their power,” said Ewan.
“How did they escape?” asked Eleni.
“We think they had help from others. And as the Land of the Black Opal renewed with the crowning of the new King and Queen, we suspect Nakia’s magic was reborn. We do not know if Angus’ magic was also transformed,” said Ewan.
“We have sent to Lumina, the Fire Mountains and the Floating Islands for help as well,” said Saala. “If you can lead us to her, we can bind her.”
“I speak with Telea, so she may ready herself,” said Eleni.
“You will not come?” asked Saala.
“I cannot. If Nakia flies your trap, she will come here. I cannot leave this area unguarded. This is my place now and I will never leave it again,” Eleni said, spreading her arms.
Amanda wasn’t sure if she meant the temple or the surrounding countryside.
Eleni continued, “Telea is very powerful. You will see.”
Saala nodded in understanding.
“Please, Saala, have a seat and take some food. I will return shortly,” said Eleni. She entered her quarters.
Saala grudgingly sat down and poured himself some wine. He took a sip, rolled it around in his mouth, swallowed and sighed. “Ah, summer wine from the plains beneath the Mirror Mountains. There is nothing quite like it.”
Ewan and Saala discussed wine, while Amanda wondered what she should do. She’d always planned to go with Ewan and find Nakia. She’d wanted to kill her. Slowly and painfully. But hadn’t anticipated an invitation to visit the Enigmatic Pearl. Amanda wondered if she had a choice in any of this.”
Eleni returned and sat again. She turned to Amanda and said, “I think you should go with Nerina. One does not lightly refuse the Pearl. Perhaps you do not need to be where Nakia is.”
“I feel so conflicted. I want to kill her. She killed my son.”
“That emotion is eating you up inside, you realize,” said Eleni.
“Yes, I do,” Amanda admitted.
Ewan was watching, listening intently.
Eleni said, “You know that killing Nakia when you are filled with hatred and vengeance will only damage you further. It is best left to others who can accomplish it with purer emotions like protection of our world. Go, answer the Pearl’s call. Choose life instead of death.”
At that moment a stunning woman with golden blonde hair entered. She glowed in the same way Ewan did. Green eyes and tan skin, she wore a spring green shirt, brown capris and sandals. Slung over one shoulder was a backpack, bow and quiver. She looked ready to take on the world. The woman said to Eleni, “I’m almost ready,” then proceeded to pull her long hair over one shoulder and into a braid.
Amanda could hardly take her eyes off the woman. She noticed that neither could anyone else in the room.
Eleni introduced Telea, who would be going with Saala and Ewan to the Silver Hills. Amanda could feel the magic simply rolling off Telea. Eleni’s magic felt powerful, but subtle and under perfect control. Telea’s was just as powerful, but there was no subtlety about it. It also made Amanda feel completely inadequate. And angry.
She toyed with a piece of bread, picking at it, trying to still the raging confusion inside her.
“Are you ready,” Saala asked Ewan.
“Yes,” he said, looking at Amanda, questioningly.
“Excuse us,” Amanda said to everyone else. She got up and Ewan followed her away from the table. “What do you think I should do?” she asked.
He didn’t say anything for a minute, just gazed at her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “I think you should go to the Pearl. Eleni’s right, your hatred of Nakia is eating you alive. Don’t let it. Find out what the Pearl wants, then come back to me.”
Telea was watching them intently. Amanda could feel her interest in Ewan. Anyone who wasn’t dead was interested in Ewan. He used his magic mainly for glamour. He once told her he’d been doing it all his life and it had become a habit which he hadn’t been able to break.
Amanda closed her eyes and imagined Nakia in one hand and the Enigmatic Pearl in the other. Nakia seemed to dissipate and drift away into smoke. The Pearl felt heavy, something was important there. She needed to go. She opened her eyes and said, “I will miss you, be very careful.”
He smiled at Amanda and warmth filled her, pushing away the anger and all thoughts of revenge. Taking her in his arms and kissing her goodbye was just the icing on the cake.
Ewan picked up his pack. Saala stood to hug Eleni. Telea bowed to Eleni and Amanda. Then they left. Ewan looked back and smiled again.
Amanda went to the edge of the balcony and looked over. She watched them leave the temple and walk towards the water. There were no docks, instead they waded out and got into a rowboat to row out to one of the large ships at anchor in the bay. Telea and Ewan sat next to each other, laughing about something. They looked beautiful together.
“He will be fine,” said Eleni. “Let us go find Nerina and see what she has to teach you about breathing underwater.”
Amanda wasn’t worried about Ewan. She knew he’d be fine. Maybe much more than fine.
Chapter 3 - Nakia
It took several sleep cycles, which Nakia learned was the local’s way to count days, of sailing before they found the Strait of Asra. Dropping anchor near the Silver Mountains, Montaine hired some local men and along with the ship’s crew, they felled trees and built a pier, which would be needed to load the ship.
Montaine’s men were very persuasive. With the help of Angus, they confiscated carts, oxen and horses. They found an old, unused road from the Strait which led up to the mining villages. Once Nakia arrived in the only mining village which was still in use, she moved into action.
Her power had intensified upon coming into the Pearl’s light. She quickly took control of the miners’ minds. More men were recruited and soon all the mines had been reopened. Normally, the Pearl World miners took some minerals out of a mine and then moved on, not taking it all. Nakia ordered them to remove all the ore. She would be gone before problems began and would be glad to leave this world. Darkness covered half the world, day and night. And here, closer to the Pearl, it was always light. She hated it. Turning over and over, she slept badly, always aware of the Pearl’s blinding light pushing at her to leave.
Now and then, she sent a cartload of ore down to the villages on the other side of the mountains, as was normal. But the majority of the precious metals went down the old road, now widened. The men smelted it and loaded it onto the Meridian.
Nakia stood outside one of the mines when she felt him enter the land of the Enigmatic Pearl. Ewan. Her weak nephew. He felt like a feather tickling her, a fly buzzing around her head.
She laughed and the men looked at her with concern. So, they sent him to track her? He came with a companion, although Nakia didn’t recognize the person’s energy. They must hold a large amount of magic, though. There was no way Ewan could summon up enough power to bind her.
Nakia didn’t feel concerned. They couldn’t harm her. She held too much power now. But the two of them could make trouble. She needed to be gone before Ewan got close enough. Time to speed things up.
Nakia called all the miners above ground. She chose the weakest and most useless, an old man. He was held in high esteem by the others. She had two of Montaine’s thugs hold him while she pushed fear through his brain until he screamed.
She turned to the other miners. “You are not working fast enough. I have been patient with you until now. But you can be replaced.”
Returning to the old man, she magnified the fear until his heart burst.
“If you do not speed up your work, you shall be next,” she said, pointing to them.
Precious metals poured out of the mines at a faster rate. Montaine and Angus oversaw the processing and loading down by the Strait. A more delicate touch was needed there. She missed both of them in her bed and wished she didn’t have to choose between them.
Actually, there was no choice. She tried to decide the best way to proceed. Nakia couldn’t kill Montaine too early, not before she had turned all his men into hers. The ones in the mining camps were already hers. She had considered turning Montaine, but it was too much trouble. He would be too easily recognized once they returned to the Land of the Black Opal. Better to simply kill him. His absence would make her relationship with Angus more clear. The Opal would never accept her again with two consorts.
Killing one’s enemies was always safer. Ewan and his companion would be next.
Chapter 4 - Telea
Telea climbed into the boat and sat down. She had felt ready to take action for far too long. The chance to protect her world didn’t come often. Sitting in a temple, or even traveling the world and listening to people, connecting them with the Goddess had turned out to be hard work. Being a Priestess was not as adventurous as she had once imagined.
Ewan got in the boat next. He sat next to her and quickly grasped the side. At first she thought it was to steady himself. But he didn’t let go. Fear clung to him. He quickly covered it up with magic.
Then Telea remembered what Eleni told her, that he was from a different world. Did he know water magic? Perhaps not. Perhaps he didn’t even know how to swim. If that was so, then he was very courageous to come out onto the sea.
The woman he had been traveling with, Amanda, wouldn’t have been afraid, she thought. Telea wondered why he had left her behind. At first she thought they were mated. Perhaps not.
Telea acknowledged the rowers in the rear of the boat and the steerer. They were all human, which was unusual. Usually ship’s crews contained several Water-People. Perhaps they were all back on the main ship.
Saala was the last one in. He was a prosperous trader. Her parents had often spoken of him when she was a child. They were not so prosperous.
He moved well for an older man. Maybe he was not what he appeared to be and he might actually be useful on the trip. He conferred with another man about the barrels and crates they had loaded onto the small boat, then he sat down across from Telea and Ewan.
“They’ll take us out to the ship and we’ll sail when the supplies are packed.”
“How long until we get to the Silver Hills?” Ewan asked.
“Several sleep cycles,” said Saala. “I don’t recognize your accent. Where are you from?”
“The Land of the Black Opal.”
Telea asked “The Land of the Black Opal? Where is that?” She wondered if it was part of the dark side of the world, past the Shadowlands.
“It’s a different world. The Black Opal is to our world what the Enigmatic Pearl is to yours,” Ewan said.
She wondered if the man had sea serpents growing in his head? She had never heard of different worlds. Listening intently to their conversation, Telea began to realize how little she knew.
“Is it one of the worlds old King Othos ruled?” asked Saala.
“Yes, Nakia is from the Land of the Black Opal. She is one of Othos’ children. King Othos was my grandfather, although he died before I was born.”
“So, Nakia is your mother?” she asked. Why had his people sent kin to track down kin?
“No, my estranged aunt. As a blood relation I was the best person to track her.”
“What were you to do with her?” asked Saala.
“I am to take Nakia and Angus back to the Black Opal. Or what remains of them.”
Saala nodded.
“What have they been doing in the Silver Hills?” Ewan asked.
The wind picked up and the waves grew higher. Telea noticed Ewan gripped the seat beneath him. She felt sorry for him to be so afraid of the sea, the Mother from which all things come.
Saala rode the boat relaxed. He said, “They have convinced the miners of the Hills to take more than what has been agreed upon. They are stripping the Hills of silver and other minerals, leaving piles of crushed rock about, causing instability and landslides. They divert water that should go to farmers and others, leaving crops in peril. The dirty water the miners use is dumped back in the sea, killing fish, plants and other sea creatures. All the silt inevitably ends up in the water and choking plants and other life.”
“Where is all the extra silver going?” Ewan asked.
“We believe she is sending it to the Land of the Black Opal, just as she did the mirror rock, years ago, when she stole that from our world,” said Saala.
“The mirror rock in the palace is stolen?” asked Ewan, his mouth dropped open.
Saala nodded.
“I will see that your world is compensated now that my brother is King. He would want it no other way. I’m sure he is unaware of it. We haven’t uncovered all of Nakia’s crimes.” He gripped the seat tighter, his face red, from anger or embarrassment Telea couldn’t tell. She would have been embarrassed to have such a relation who would intentionally damage her own Mother.
The rowers slowed as they came up on the ship. Painted an emerald color, she emanated a feeling of restlessness, as if eager to get sailing again. When they were tied down, Telea climbed the rope ladder.
The ship’s Harmonizer welcomed them. “Hello, I am Shaya. You are aboard the Ship Sanshei.” She bowed deeply.
“I am Telea.” She held her hands in prayer and bowed in return.
“I am Ewan.” He bowed as well. “Excuse me, but what is a Harmonizer?”
She looked at him, raising her eyebrows in surprise. “You are a stranger here, I see. I listen to the wishes of the passengers, then speak to the ship and she makes choices about what is possible.”
“You mean whether or not we’ll go somewhere?” he asked.
“Sanshei reads the tides and the wind, then decides which routes are best to take to each destination and what destinations are to be first, second and so on. She is a very wise ship.”
“In my world ships are not alive. This is incredible,” he said, clearly in awe.
Shaya led them to the common cabin and they chose hammocks.
Telea slung her pack and weapons on a hook near the hammock and went back above deck. She wanted to feel the wind blowing on her face. Ewan followed her up. She guessed he felt safer seeing where they were going.
The supplies had been stowed away and the ship streamed through the sea. The sails unfurled one by one. Sea birds swirled around them. Wispy clouds floated high above. The water below was a clear turquoise. Telea could see kelp forests with yellow fish darting through them. She pointed out a group of green and blue striped fish to Ewan.
“Those are mohi. The Floating Islanders catch them and cook them with herbs; they have a flavor that you will never forget. I’ve never stopped craving them. The mohi eat smaller fish and are eaten by sharks. Such is the chain of life.
Crew members in small boats nearby pulled nets from the water and sorted through the fish quickly, throwing inedible ones them back in the sea. The sea birds dove to catch the fish before they could swim away.
As the last sail went up the ship shuddered once and began to race across the water. The wind against her face and the spray of the cool salty water felt like being kissed by the sea. The last time Telea felt it was when she came to Asana as a child. Now she was returning home a woman.
Chapter 5 - Amanda
Amanda picked up her pack and followed the Priestess down an interior corridor. Eleni knocked on a door decorated with fragrant, cream colored flowers. Nerina opened it and bowed.
Eleni asked, “May we come in?”
Nerina said, “Of course.” Her voice was very melodious and reminded Amanda of a meadowlark.
Amanda followed Elena into a richly decorated, green room. Large windows with closed curtains stood across from the door. The view would have looked down on the central courtyard with the deep pool there. Amanda could hear the waterfall below. Exotic incense filled the air, but she couldn’t place the scent.
Eleni and Nerina negotiated a few training sessions for Amanda so that she could learn water magic before she left for Lumina. Amanda examined a painting done on the stone temple wall. It was filled with sea creatures. She recognized whales, seals, octopi, fish, kelp and Merpeople who looked a lot like Nerina, except with no legs and a lot of hair on both the men and the women.
“Amanda, shall we go down and start now?” asked Eleni.
“When are we leaving for Lumina?” she asked.
“As soon as I am confident you can make the trip,” said Eleni.
“Then I better start now,” she said. She felt a little apprehensive, having had only a few ‘magic’ lessons with Aste. It had been harder than she thought to try to control her power. She hoped doing water magic would be easier.
Amanda followed them down a wide stone staircase decorated with mirrored rock. It was a mosaic with fragments about an inch square and the grout was coral colored with silvery sparkles in it which only added to the light zipping around in the small space.
The stairs ended in a courtyard which was filled with fragrant flowers. Vines twined all the way up to the third and top floor of the temple. The air felt more humid here, enclosed on all sides. She put her pack down and waited.
Nerina said, “You will want to undress.”
Amanda looked at Eleni, wondering what all this would involve.
Eleni said, “You may wear clothes once you get to Lumina, if you prefer, but while traveling it is better to leave them behind. You will not find anyone else who is clothed in the water either. A sheathed thigh knife being the only exception.”
Amanda shrugged and undressed, following Nerina into the water. The pool was filled with waterlilies and red, yellow, white and black fish that looked like koi. A snake as thick as her arm slithered between the leaves and she pointed. She wasn’t going swimming if the snake was poisonous, otherwise, she rather liked snakes.
“That is Shua. She is harmless, as are the fish and frogs you’ll find in the pond,” said Eleni, sitting on a nearby bench.
A dragonfly buzzed past her and she waded farther into the pond and closer to the spray of the waterfall. The water was up to her chin. Every now and then, she could feel the fish or maybe the snake flash against her legs.
Nerina said, “Close your eyes and breathe in rhythm to the Pearl. All the tempos in our world have her at their base.”
“I can’t find it.”
Nerina stepped closer and touched her scar. “You carry her mark here. Try again and feel her pulse.”
Amanda took several deep breaths, allowing everything else to float away, Ewan and the journey. Nakia. Her grief for Dylan. Worries about her abilities. She breathed and focused on her scar, felt a subtle beat. She paid attention to it and the pulse grew louder.
“You have it,” Nerina said. “All water magic is fed by this rhythm. The Pearl sustains it when you need to think about something else. Now, I want you to take that, imagine it moving down your arms to your hands, creating webbing between your fingers, making them longer and more paddle-like.”
Amanda did what she asked and could feel her magic, combining with the pulse, the two twirling around each other and running down her arms and out the fingertips, elongating them and webbing them together.
“A little less energy there please,” said Nerina, stepping back.
Amanda opened her eyes and could see white light leaving her fingertips.
“You could kill someone that way, which is useful underwater. We do have predators. But you need to use just enough to make you hands more functional for swimming. You’ll need to conserve your power. It’s a long trip to Lumina. But, look your hands are perfect.”
Amanda’s fingers were long and webbed with thin, flesh colored skin. She wasn’t leaking energy now.
“Okay, now same with your feet. Lengthen them and put in webbing.”
Amanda did as she asked, but it took several tries before she could keep her hands and feet going at the same time.
“Okay, one more thing. Relax your hands and feet and let them go back to normal.”
She breathed deep and let her hands and feet return. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She hadn’t realized how much energy she was expending.
“I’m going to get you started with breathing underwater.”
Nerina exposed the gill slits in her greenish neck. “Since I am Luminous, I always have gills, they are simply closed when I breathe air.
Eleni called Amanda over to the side of the pool. “I am human and must make gills through magic, just as you will.”
Amanda watched in fascination as the Priestess called forth gills on herself. Her hands and feet changed at the same time.
“Now you try,” said Nerina.
It took Amanda several attempts to create gills on her neck. It felt like she was dissolving the tingling skin and muscle to create the opening. Then they went underwater. After many, many tries Amanda learned how to get the fluttering gills connected to her lungs and filtering oxygen out of the water, so she could breathe. In the meantime, she did a lot of choking, sputtering and inhaling of water.
“Very good,” said Nerina. She rose back above the water. “That is enough magic for you for today. In the future, you will need to seal off your throat from breathing. Otherwise you will not be able to speak underwater and anything that goes in your mouth may end up in your breathing tubes. There are many small fish who are used to swimming in sea creature’s mouths to clean them. You don’t want to accidentally breathe one in. Now, we will go swimming in the Sea.”
“I’m not ready for that,” Amanda said.
“We won’t be using magic. You’ll need to work up to swimming several hours at a time. We will be swimming for days.”
“Oh,” she said. Why had she thought this might be easy? She used to be a really good basketball player. She used to be in fabulous shape. She should have known better than to think this would be a simple trip to the bottom of the sea.
Eleni took Amanda’s pack and clothes and said, “I’ll put these in the blue room, next to yours, Nerina.