Kastori Tribulations (The Kastori Chronicles Book 3) (17 page)

“Mom, Mom,” he said, so overjoyed he lost the ability to speak coherently. “You’re back!”

“I am! It’s good to see you, I missed you so much,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek. “Come, let’s go.”

Eagerly, Typhos guided her to their tent. He could sense everyone watching them, but he wanted no part of anyone other than his Mom, finally back on Anatolus.

“OK, first question,” Typhos said, with a huge grin that he had no plans of getting rid of. “What in the world is that?”

“What, this?” she said, holding the white cloth with her right hand. “It’s clothing from Monda. I figured while I was there I should dress the part.”

“It’s… a bit weird, but it’s you, so it works,” Typhos said.

He shook his head once more, still in disbelief.
That, and she proved I can trust her. She’s really here. She said seven days, and… seven days later, she’s back.

“Second question. What was Monda like?”

“Oh, Typhos, it’s wonderful. The land is so pretty and much grander than what we have here. There are forests everywhere, areas where there is nothing but ice—they even have areas called swamps, I don’t know how to describe them. But the people were truly wonderful, the humans.”

“Humans,” Typhos said.
Those without magic. Very similar to us, but… how do they live?
“What do they eat? Like plants and bugs? Or—”

“No, they have real food. Very similar to ours, in fact. They were so hospitable. They told me I was in the land of the great Emperor Orthran. I tried to play along, not wanting to out myself as being from a different world—though I didn’t do that perfectly—and was just in awe of how friendly they are. It reminded me of us.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” Typhos said, now curious himself to see the world. “How do they live?”

“Technology, or machines,” she said. “Essentially, they build these great machines to travel, to live, and to accomplish many tasks. Oh, Typhos, it was unbelievable. They have houses that aren’t tents like ours, but are made of metals and wood and other material which are supposed to stand the test of time.”

“But doesn’t that chain them to one place at a time?” Typhos said.
And how do they eat if they’re boarded up in one place all the time?

“Oh, no, see, they dwell in multiple places at once. Some for work, some for fun, some for living, and—”

“That seems unnecessary,” Typhos said with a laugh.

“Well, they might see us as simple. In fact, when I told my man—”

What. What!

“Your man?” Typhos asked, suspicion in his voice.

“Oh, that man,” his mother swooned with surprising emotion. “He’s such a kind man, Typhos. He worked for the emperor, and he met me while I was wandering the streets of their big city. He talked to me some and invited me for a meal, which I accepted. We talked some more and, well, we just kind of fell in love. If I’m very honest, Typhos, he was exactly what I needed. He helped comfort me, he helped me see that there was life beyond Adanus, and he helped me become a better mother.”

I don’t think I need you to be totally honest, Mom.

“But even though I thought he was fantastic, I told him that I had you back here, and that I wasn’t going to leave you.”

“Wait,” Typhos said, catching his mother in a statement he had to explore. “You told a human about Anatolus? About us? The Kastori?”

“He knew already,” his mother said, which shocked Typhos even further. “Their technology knows of other worlds, including ours. They are far, too far away to travel here promptly, so we would know if they ever came here.”

Good. Last thing we need on this world is some alien race affecting how we live here.

But if we’ve gone there…

“Have any ever come here?”

His mother shook her head after some thought.

“Not that I know of. My impression is that we know of each other, but only because of our magic can we visit them. I’m not sure they would want to visit here either. Not much for them to see.”

“Good,” Typhos said emphatically. “This is our planet, and I don’t want humans and their ways coming here.”

“It’s OK, that won’t happen,” Aida said with a smile. She went over and squeezed Typhos tightly, followed by another kiss. “I’m still in pleasant shock that I’m back here with you. I’m so happy we’re together.”

“Likewise,” Typhos said.

Likewise. I feel so good. So much better.

“It’s funny, the way you’re talking about Monda, maybe we should both move there!”

His mother let out a laugh, but one that seemed more agreeing than appreciative of the joke.

“Yeah,” she said yearningly.

26

One month later, Typhos woke up with a cheerful demeanor as he heard the footsteps of his mother coming to kiss him on the cheek. He enjoyed these mornings, the ones where she seemed present instead of in memories of Monda. He stood up and walked over to the soup, which his mother had prepared in a matter of minutes.

“Any plans for today?” Aida asked, bringing a knowing smile to Typhos.

“I mean, it’s the council’s day off, so I think I’m going to spend it with the chief.”

She laughed gently as she took a long, pleasant sip of her soup.

“So, not to kill the good mood, but I do want to know, did you ever apologize to the councilors for your actions a month ago?”

I… be honest, Typhos. Be real.

“No,” he said, feeling the sting in his voice.

“Better late than never, son. Start with Garron since he’s closest, but I would go and apologize to everyone you lied to. Ramadus, Fargus, Amelia.”

Typhos could handle Amelia. He dreaded facing Fargus. He didn’t think Ramadus would even remember what Typhos needed to apologize for.

“I will,” he said.

“I would do so today. You don’t know when you can catch all of the council off again like this.”

Typhos thought for a half-second about pushing back but realized the truth of his mother’s statement. He hustled outside and headed straight for Garron’s tent.

“Garron?” Typhos said as he slowly lifted the flap. Inside, Garron and Pagus sat discussing something humorous.

“Typhos, join,” Garron said, opening his hand in invitation.

“I actually came to just say something really quick,” he said. He looked to Pagus, whose eyes expressed curiosity and a bit of anxiety. “Garron, I’m sorry for lying to you about Fargus. I should not have done that, and it brought shame to me and my mother. I am sorry for deceiving you.”

Garron nodded with an emerging smile. Pagus looked relieved.

“It’s OK, Typhos. As long as you continue to learn, the council will look past your mistake, and you will have a good chance of getting what you want.”

Chance?

“With that said, I do think there’s someone whom you should apologize to more urgently.”

“I know,” Typhos said, already backing out of the tent. “I’m on my way to see Fargus. But just wanted to drop by you guys first.”

With a last thank you from Garron, Typhos began jogging in the direction of Fargus’ tent, using bursts of teleportation when he could to speed up the process.

He felt a chill as he approached the elder’s home. Fargus emerged from his isolated tent when the boy got within a few feet, his hands folded by his waist with an expectant look on his face. He moved his right hand to the flap, welcoming Typhos. Fargus sat across from Typhos, his eyes locked in on the boy.

“I’m sorry for using your name in my lies,” Typhos said sincerely. “I am sorry for lying to the council. I am sorry for all of my actions surrounding this, and I ask for your forgiveness.”

Typhos braced himself for the silence to come. K
nowing what’s coming makes it easier to handle this. As long as there’s not some riddle on the other side of this silence.

Finally, Fargus nodded.

“You are forgiven,” he said, barely above a whisper. “Remember the words of Garron.”

Typhos nodded, said, “Thanks,” and Fargus gave a rare but genuine smile. He grabbed papers and began reading, ignoring the boy, delivering his message in a way words could not. Typhos opened the flap to the outside world no longer feeling alone and burdened, but with support and excitement again.

Finally, things are looking up. I can finally get back to becoming chief without too much trouble.

27

Typhos bumped into Pagus on his return, and instead of heading home, the two went back into the woods, practicing their increasing powers. Pagus kept his eyes out for pranks, but Typhos felt so good he didn’t feel the need to surprise Pagus. The boys ate precora and eventually headed back home for an afternoon nap.

When Typhos came home, he saw his mother at the top of his hill. He did not approach her but made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Before the boy could even shut his eyes, his mother returned, and her mood seemed to have swung drastically. Gone was the cheerful, tender, and relaxed woman from that morning who had gently goaded him in the right direction. But the depressed, sad, and fatigued mother he had known for weeks after his father died was not there either.

Instead, his mother looked anxious, frightened, and contemplative, with such nerves that she could barely be still for half a second. Without diving into her mind, Typhos could only observe the generally frayed emotions she displayed.

“Mom?”

“Oh, hi, Typhos, hi,” she said, her eyes shifting to him for barely a second before she made her way to the bed.

“Mom? Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she lied.

Whatever’s going on… we’re not going to repeat what my father did. No matter how bad this gets.

Typhos walked over to his mother. He could see sweat on her forehead and noticed indecisiveness in her.

“Mom, I can see you’re not fine. You’re sweating on a day that’s not that hot, and you’re nervous. Something is bugging you.”

Something really bad.

“It’s nothing, son, it’s nothing, I promise.”

Just like Dad. Not gonna get anywhere.

“Oh… OK,” Typhos said, and for a brief moment, he stood up, but before he had straightened out his knees, he sat back down.
Press her.
“Mom, you realize this is exactly what Dad said before he died, right? He wanted to keep things quiet thinking it’d help us, but it left us reeling. I don’t want that. I want you to tell me what you’re thinking about.”

His mother let out a long sigh, nodded, and opened her mouth.

But nothing came. She went back into contemplative mode.

No matter. I’ll wait. We need to say what we can here.

“I’m just thinking about Monda,” she said.

Can’t be it. There’s more. I know it.

“What about Monda?” Typhos asked.

“Just… there’s just something there, Typhos, that I realized today. Something that’s drawing me back there. And I have some tough choices now.”

Oh great.

“So, what, are you going to move there and leave me here?”

“No, Typhos, don’t be silly. It’s just… it’s the same way with your father. I sometimes am drawn back to him. That doesn’t mean I’m going to go to your father’s pyre site and stay there.”

This isn’t right.

Whatever is drawing her back, it could get her back.

And she’s not going to tell me.

So…

As subtly as he could, with as soft a touch as possible—aided by his mother looking down, deep in thought—Typhos began peering into his mother’s mind. For the first bit, he saw a young man, well-dressed and confident, with a radiant smile, looking into Aida’s eyes with love. Then he saw his mother holding a child, a newborn—Typhos himself?

Or… she’s not in a tent…

A gasp knocked Typhos out of her mind. His mother looked at him in shock.

She slapped him. Typhos looked at her infuriated, feeling disrespected.

“Shame on you, Typhos,” she scolded. “There’s a lot of things I can look past. Pranks. Ruthless, cutthroat ambition. But I cannot look past you violating the trust this family has established when you dived into my mind. I don’t like the way you’ve acted since Adanus’ death.”

“What else am I supposed to do when you push away my questions?!” Typhos said, desperation and anger both palpable. “I lost Dad right after he kept telling me everything was fine. And now you’re acting all weird and saying things are fine. I don’t think you’re going to die, but…”

That man. That child.

You’re going to choose them.

“Who was the man I saw, Mom?”

Aida sighed loudly. The look on her face had turned from anxious to annoyed, but after being slapped, Typhos would not let her go until he had answers.

“The man I told you about earlier,” she said.

“And the child?”

“I don’t know. Probably you.”

No. No. No. You… that was not the tent. Adanus wasn’t there. It’s…