Shimmer (10 page)

David nodded. ‘He must have left it in my room for me before he went away. But I didn't find it for months — long after he had gone to war.'

Kora looked at David's uncertain blue gaze. There was something more to the story, she thought. Something he wasn't telling her. His eyes held hers for a long moment. Finally he seemed to come to a decision, and he leaned forward intently, elbows propped on his knees.

‘At least, that's what everyone else believes happened, Kora, but I don't think it's true.' He shook his head. ‘The watch turned up mysteriously in my room on the day we were notified he was missing in action.'

‘How did it get there, then?'

He shook his head. ‘I don't know. But I'm sure I would have seen it. He'd been in Afghanistan for months!'

He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. ‘You know something else, Kora?' He fixed her with his steady blue gaze. ‘Everyone thinks I'm imagining things, but I'm sure he was wearing this watch the day he left.' He exhaled heavily. ‘And — it was working perfectly.'

Kora stared at David. He seemed so convinced. Could it be true? On Genesia, strange things like this happened all the time. But with humans? How could it be?

David was watching her face closely. ‘Do you believe me?'

She thought for a moment before she spoke. Why would he lie? Was it because he didn't want to believe his father was dead? She put her words together carefully. ‘I think you believe that what you are saying is the truth, David,' she said. ‘But I do not know yet whether it is or not.'

He nodded, subsiding back into the cushions against the wall.

‘So that is what you wish, David?'

‘What?'

‘The question you wanted to ask me earlier. You wish for me to help you find your father.'

The moment her eyes opened she knew she was alone. She could feel the absence of Amurru's energy. She swung her legs off her bed and called his name out anyway, knowing he would not answer and in the same moment knowing something was wrong.

The whisper of hushed voices reached her and she looked out over David's room. Amurru was sitting next to David on his bed. Both wore serious expressions and every now and then David would glance toward her globe. She used her magic to amplify their voices.

‘If you care for her at all,' Amurru said, ‘you will do as I have asked.'

The sense of something not being right gnawed away at her and she shimmered from her globe into the room. David jumped guiltily but Amurru simply nodded at her. ‘Good morning, Empress.'

She crossed her arms. ‘It will be when you tell me what exactly is going on.'

Amurru's yellow eyes held hers and the expression in them filled her with dread. ‘I was summoned during the night.' He paused. ‘It is your brother, Empress.' Amurru bowed his head. ‘He has been harnessed.'

Her stomach heaved and her legs wobbled. It felt like time stood still. Her brain was screaming that this could not be true, not Atym. Her eyes focused on Amurru.

‘But how could they get inside the castle?' she choked out. ‘A harnessed genie cannot get in.'

‘Your father was not sure. But they think he was taken just outside the city walls.'

‘But Atym is confined to the castle.'

Amurru looked sad. ‘Your father thinks that Atym was somehow lured outside.'

‘What could possibly tempt Atym to do that? And how could he do that without someone seeing?'

‘Some genies passing by did think they saw something.' Amurru reached out his stumpy, withered hand to her. ‘They thought they saw you.'

‘Oh, Atym.' She dropped her face in her hands. ‘How could he let himself be tricked so easily?'

‘Your brother is only seven and he was missing you terribly.' Amurru sighed. ‘The Emperor leaves this morning in search of him.'

‘How does he intend to do that? To take enough soldiers with him to go up against Vennum would leave the castle without enough protection.'

‘That is true,' said Amurru. ‘That would leave the city most vulnerable.'

Her eyes flickered as suspicion dawned. ‘You did not answer my question, Amurru. How many does he take?'

Amurru's gaze did not waver. ‘He goes alone.'

Her power rumbled in her chest, yearning to burst out and summon the fiercest of hurricanes. How could her father do this? It was exactly what Vennum wanted. In fact, Vennum couldn't lose. Either her father would risk himself or he would risk the castle, because they all knew he would not abandon his son to Vennum. Not without a fi
^ght.

She turned to Amurru. ‘I must go back.'

‘And do what?' asked Amurru. ‘Risk the destruction of the royal blood line?'

Her bangles jangled madly as she placed a hand on each hip. ‘What is the point of a royal blood line if there is no empire to return to?'

Amurru slid off the bed and shuffled to her. ‘Should Vennum succeed,' he reached out a small, stubby hand to her, ‘then Genesia's only chance to live on lies in you.'

She shook his hand off. ‘I will not stand back and watch while Vennum destroys my family.'

Amurru glanced at David. ‘Empress, you have no choice.'

‘Please, David.' She placed her hand on his arm. ‘Unharness me.'

‘I am so sorry about your brother.' He gently removed her hand. ‘But I will not unharness you.'

Understanding dawned as the small part of the conversation she had overheard came back to her. Amurru had asked David not to unharness her.

‘Please, David. You more than anyone know how it feels to have a loved one taken from you. Would you not have given anything to go after your father? To find him and bring him back, no matter what the cost to you?'

David took a deep breath. ‘Yes.' His eyes darted to Amurru. ‘But it doesn't change anything.'

‘You will not miss out, David.' Her eyes pleaded with him. ‘I will grant all the wishes you can think of before you unharness me. In fact, I will even promise to return to you when my family is once again safe.'

He gave a violent shake of his head. ‘I can't, Kora. I won't!'

‘You can. Try to understand how important this is.'

‘I do understand and I know how you feel.'

‘Then free me. I can change things but I need to go now.'

‘I've seen Vennum and all his harnessed genies. Are you really powerful enough against all of them?' His voice became louder, harder. ‘And even if you are, what then? You told me yourself that a genie cannot harm a human.'

‘Please, David. I beg you. I cannot do nothing.'

He stepped away from her. ‘I'm sorry.'

Frustrated tears sprang to her eyes but she held them in. ‘You stupid, selfish human, you have no idea what you are doing.' Then she spun on Amurru. ‘Look what you have done. I shall never forgive you.'

‘I have done my duty, Empress.' Amurru blinked his yellow eyes slowly at her. ‘Your father's last command to me was to keep you safe here on Earth.'

She thought of her little brother, harnessed by Vennum, and her father leaving the castle all alone in search of him. What would he do? He must have a plan of some sort. Maybe he was even considering doing a deal with the Slaytians. Had it had come to that? Whatever his plan was, she knew he was unlikely to succeed alone. He needed help, her help! And yet here she was trapped on this stupid planet by a selfish, stupid human. She glared at Amurru, feeling betrayed. He had left her while she was asleep to manipulate David. She did not understand how Amurru could stand by and watch Vennum destroy their home.

‘Does my father have a plan?' Kora asked, her voice quivering with rage. ‘It is a mistake for him to go off on his own like that!'

‘He did not say, Empress.'

‘But he is alone, Amurru. Alone outside the city walls.' She threw her hands up in the air helplessly. ‘He will have to travel on foot, without the use of his magic!' The very thought of this filled her with terror. What if her father was forced to use magic for some reason? Even the smallest trickle of power used out in the Genesian wilderness would lead Vennum straight to him.

‘He will be careful, Empress,' said Amurru. ‘He knows his enemy well.'

‘He is so vulnerable, Amurru.' She knew Amurru was trying to reassure her, but she also knew the enormous risk her father was taking. ‘How could I bear it if Father was also harnessed by Vennum?'

Amurru's eyes were full of sympathy. ‘Your father has promised to be in touch for your birthday, and he said to tell you that he loves you very much.'

The tears she had held back stung her eyes again. She had not cried since she was a small child and she certainly wasn't about to do so now in front of Amurru and David. She turned her back on them. If they refused to help her then she would figure out a way to get home on her own. Her birthday was still seven days away. She could not wait that long for news. She refused. She would help her family, and no stupid human or armourowl would be able to stop her!

Kora heard the front door of the house slam. She knew that David had only been waiting for his mother to leave for work so that he could summon her. At least that was one bonus of being kept a secret, he could only summon her when they had complete privacy.

She suspected that David wanted to talk. But that was only because he felt guilty about his refusal to unharness her. Her forehead creased into a scowl. And he should feel guilty. But what good would talking do? The only thing that would help her father now was action. She needed to do something. She had to come up with a plan.

‘Kora?' David's voice floated into her globe. ‘Please come out. I want to talk to you.'

She shook her head. Why should she go to him? She didn't feel like talking right now. She crossed her arms, staring at Amurru defiantly. But Amurru only blinked at her until finally she relented. If she didn't go, David would only wish it.

She shimmered into his room, an angry retort on her lips. But she swallowed her words when she saw him. He stood in the middle of the room, a silver tray in his hands. On it was a steaming cup of tea, a mound of chocolate chip cookies, and two crumpets dripping with melted butter and honey. A little vase on the tray held a couple of yellow daisies from the garden. Her anger drained away as she realised it was for her.

She stared up at his face. ‘You made all this for me?'

‘Who else?'

‘But you went to so much trouble. You could have just wished for it, David.'

‘I wanted to do it for you myself.' He shrugged as he put the tray down on the desk. ‘It's not the same if you have to make it yourself. Even if you do use magic.'

She sat down on the edge of the bed and David passed her the tea. He propped himself against the edge of the desk, watching her. ‘Go on, drink it,' he said. ‘It'll make you feel better.'

She doubted that. It would take more than a cup of tea to make things better. But she lifted the cup and sipped. It was hot and sweet and milky. And David was right, it did calm her nerves a little. She looked up at him and smiled.

‘Thank you.'

He shrugged. ‘It's nothing.'

She didn't answer, but she was touched. No one had ever made her anything before. At least, not without using magic. She took another sip of her tea and waited for him to speak.

‘Kora?'

‘Mmm?'

‘I really am sorry about Atym. And your father.' He stared down at his feet. ‘But I just can't let you risk your life, too.'

‘I know you mean well, David, but surely it is my decision to make.' Kora shook her head as she spoke. ‘It is not for you to decide whether I risk my life. And it is not for Amurru to do so, either.'

‘But if I did let you go,' said David, ‘what good would it do? What could you do to help either of them?'

‘I would think of something.'

David stood and strode across the room, agitated. ‘You told me yourself that no genie can harm Vennum because he is half-human. You would only risk being harnessed by Vennum yourself. Surely that would only make things even worse for them?'

Kora shrugged. ‘I do not know what I will do yet, David. But I will come up with a plan.' Her voice remained defiant but in her heart she knew he was right. There was so little she could do. ‘He is my father, David. How can I sit by doing nothing when he is in grave danger? If I could just go back to Genesia, at least I would be there to comfort my mother. She waits alone in the palace not knowing whether any of her family is safe.'

‘Can't you just open one of those viewing portals? Then you could see for yourself whether they are safe?'

She shook her head. ‘I could never do that from here. It would take an incredible amount of power to open a portal on Genesia from Earth. Even if I was powerful enough, using so much magic would certainly attract Vennum's attention.'

‘Okay, but what about your mother?' he asked. ‘She could use one to keep an eye on your father? Or to see where Atym is?'

Again she shook her head. ‘No, a viewing portal does not work that way. A portal can only be opened onto a specific location, not onto a specific genie or person. You remember the one I opened onto Panda Rock the other day, when we watched Vennum and his genies?'

‘How could I forget?'

‘I was able to open that one because I had been there. I had a fix on the exact location. Vennum could be on Earth right now and I would not know. I could only open a portal to view him if I knew his exact location.'

He nodded. ‘I guess it's just as well it works that way, otherwise Vennum would have been able to find us using one.'

Kora stepped towards him, her mind swirling with ideas. ‘Yesterday you asked me if I would help you find your father. What if I could help you find him?' Her voice was filled with hope. ‘If I did, would you release me so that I could go and find mine?'